In a new interview with Consequence, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor spoke about battling alcoholism for many years before getting sober in 2010. "[I was] dealing with my own various addictions and fighting the depression that I had to deal with for years — the trauma that kind of came from when I was growing up," he said.

Taylor went on to say that being sexually abused as a child and the absence of a father figure while growing up negatively impacted him.

"Over the years, music was my only form of solace," he said. "It was the only thing that really ever made me feel like there was hope in the world. There was always a form of music or a song that was waiting for me to discover it."

Corey singled out METALLICA's James Hefield and ALICE IN CHAINS' Jerry Cantrell as inspirations when it came to getting sober.

"I think one of the people who helped me kind of figure it out was James Hetfield," he said. "When he first started his journey, getting sober and getting healthy and whatnot, I looked at that, and I was, like, 'Well, shit, if he's strong enough to do it, maybe I can try it.' [Sobriety] had a big enough effect on me that, over the years, I've really tried to stick with it. In figuring that out, I also realized that there were so many people who were going down that path, as well. Jerry Cantrell had just gotten sober around that time, and he was starting to kind of put his steps together."

Taylor said that it's not easy for addicts to give up something that’s been a key part of their identity for an extended period of time.

"It takes time; it takes effort, takes work," he said. "I really have to give [Hetfield] a lot of credit for the inspiration for that… It definitely helped to know that I wasn't alone in it. And it certainly helped me clear my head and focus more. And really get down to writing again — really, truly writing."

Last November, Taylor was asked by the "The Moon Under Water" podcast how he navigates going to pubs and bars now that he no longer drinks alcohol. He responded: "The first few years is weird, because you realize quickly how much a part of your personality booze has become, and you kind of have to sort out who you are, what you're comfortable with and largely just the habit of it.

"I was never a big beer drinker, so non-alcoholic brew, that wasn't the key," he explained. "So I started with sodas and then just kind of went to water. And now that's just what I do.

"To me, going out and hanging out in a pub or a bar or whatever is more about the company you keep. And you realize at some point the golden moment is going to go away. So you try to time your departure right around that time where you're just, like, 'Okay, we've got about 10 minutes before he becomes a super mess. So I'm gonna split, and I'll talk to you guys later.'"

Taylor added: "I try not to 'Irish goodbye' everybody, where you just split. I only did that, really, when I was drinking. [Laughs] But I make sure that everybody's good; I make sure that everybody's… Okay, if anybody needs a ride home, I'm the first one to do it. 'Cause it's usually just me and my wife. My wife still drinks, but she's very social. She's way better at it than I was. Usually right about the time she's starting to kind of… She's just, like, 'I'm tired. We need to split.' I'm, like, 'Ah. You had me at 'I'm ready to go.'' So we're out the door and heading for home."

Corey previously discussed his long history of drug use and eventual recovery in a January 2020 interview with BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Mary Anne Hobbs. At the time, he said: "You get to the point where you realize that what you do means so much to you that you wanna do it at the absolute top of your game. And you know me — I'm a nut, so if I'm going all the way, I'm gonna go all the way and above and beyond.

"I've struggled with drinking for a long time, especially with having that kind of addictive personality side to me," he continued. "But at the same time, I've also had this weird switch where when I decide to quit something, that's it. And this year is ten years for me. And then I quit smoking, which I never thought I would do. And that was just as difficult, if not worse. But then you get to the point where you start going, 'Okay, we're done quitting things. What can we do to improve ourselves?' So I started really looking at the way I eat and the way I take care of myself. I started training again and really trying to get physically fit to the point where if I went on stage, I knew that I could do the best show that I've done in twenty years. And that became part of just keeping this thing alive."

Five years ago, Taylor, who tried to commit suicide in 2003 by attempting to jump off a hotel balcony while struggling with alcoholism, was honored with the "Icon" award at Rock To Recovery's second annual awareness event and benefit. In his acceptance speech, the singer said: "I had my first drink when I was five years old, did my first drug when I was eleven, and it was just all fucked up from there. I lost a lot of friends."

During a 2016 appearance on the "Meet Your Heroes" SiriusXM radio show, Taylor said that his personality turned "vicious" and he had a "dark attitude" while drunk. He added: "To this day, there are still a lot of friends of mine who are, like, 'If you ever fall off the wagon, don't call me.' So I know it's in me, and I think that's the difference between me and a lot of other people is the fact that I can at least admit it."

He continued: "I just let booze get in the way for a while and then I kind of pulled myself out of it. I feel like I'm doing my best work now, to be honest."

Corey's sophomore solo album, "CMF2", will be released on September 15.

Corey Taylor photo credit: Marina Hunter

In a new interview with Heavy Debriefings, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares once again opened up about the realities of post-pandemic touring, including increased travel expenses — gas, tour buses, hotels and flight costs. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Now that we're out there touring, we've been victims of what it's like touring at this day and age and how much it costs out there. And the lack of availability of a few things — like no buses; buses are scarce right now. Just traveling accommodations are difficult and the prices of a lot of things are just through the roof. And all the percentages that the club is taking and things like that, it just adds up. And it's really difficult out there right now."

Dino also addressed the fact that many venues require bands to pay them a percentage of their merchandise sales. Commonly that split is 20/80, meaning for every dollar a band makes selling a t-shirt, the venue gets 20 cents. It's an accepted industry standard that understandably riles touring bands, especially those acts for whom merch income is still crucial for ensuring that a tour is profitable.

"Well, the venue owners are, like, 'Look, if you're going to sell merch in my house, you're gonna have to give me a cut,'" Dino explained. "It's basically how they look at it. It's just ways of making more money for them. In other words, let's hypothetically say, let's just throw a number out there, let's hypothetically say they're paying you five thousand dollars to play the show; let's say you're getting paid five thousand dollars. And let's say you sell fifteen thousand dollars' worth of merch. And then you take 30 percent of that. How much is that? I don't have the calculator in front of me, but let's say you have to pay them back two or three thousand dollars from your merch cut. That means they only paid you two thousand dollars in guarantee. So you're basically paying to play."

Cazares added that the bands have little choice but to go along with the scheme. "That's the way the cookie crumbles, man," he said. "You've just got to deal with it, unfortunately. The unfortunate part is that ticket prices are going up, merch prices are going up and gas prices are insane out there right now. And just paying for gas for a tour bus or any kind of travel, whether it's an RV or a van, it's expensive — it's very expensive. I think a lot of people don't realize that. And I don't understand why they shouldn't realize it because they're also paying a lot of money for gas when they're just going to work. So, imagine that, when you're doing a big bus and you're spending 500 a night on gas."

Dino previously talked about venues' insistence on collecting cuts from artist merch sales this past July in an interview with The Razor's Edge. Asked if the merchandise cuts that the promoters are taking from artists are getting larger than they were in the past, Dino said: "Yes. That's been the whole debate, that it's been getting larger and larger. Of course there's always been a percentage that you have to give to venues. That's just how it is. Merch percentage — we're talking about merch percentage. But, of course, it's getting higher and higher. So, unfortunately, the fans are the ones who have to pay for that, because once the merch percentages get higher that the venue takes, then you're gonna have to raise your prices on a t-shirt. That's just inevitable and that's unfortunate, [but] that's what happens."

When the interviewer pointed out to Dino that artists do not get a cut of any of the alcohol that is sold in the venues where they are performing, Cazares said: "It's not just the promoters and the club venues; it's also the ticket agencies. It's all a big thing. It's not one thing — it's all of it. And you're right — we do not get a percentage of the alcohol at all whatsoever. But I did hear that there was one artist that did that, and that was Axl Rose. Axl Rose was putting GUNS N' ROSES in stadiums — in soccer stadiums and baseball stadiums — selling out 40, 50 thousand people, but he was, like, 'If you want GUNS N' ROSES in your stadium, you're gonna have to give me a piece of the alcohol,' And I heard a rumor that he got a piece of that alcohol percentage, which is really good. Which probably evened out to what [the promoters] were getting from the merch percentage. But not a lot of artists in my genre have that kind of power, if at all."

Last month, Dino told ADK Metal News, Reviews, Reactions & Interviews that FEAR FACTORY will tour the U.S. and Europe this fall and then embark on a "killer package" U.S. two-month tour in late January. "And then we've got some festivals — April, May, June and probably August [of 2024]," he said. "Then, in the summer, I need to take the summer off to finish the new record, get it out and then get back on the road probably by October, November next year again."

He continued: "It's a lot of planning. We're getting asked to do a lot of things and right now I've been saying yes, just to try to get the band back out there, try to get the band to rebuild our large live credibility. We want the fans to come back. And then you hit 'em with a new song and then you hit 'em with a new album. And you just get back out there and do it again."

An early instrumental version of a new FEAR FACTORY song called "Roboticist" was made available in March to promote Toneforge Disruptor, a virtual guitar rig plugin and standalone app.

Cazares told BLABBERMOUTH.NET about "Roboticist", which was mixed by longtime FEAR FACTORY collaborator Damien Rainaud: "Initially it was just going to be a instrumental for the plugin, but it came out so good that I decided to make it a song for the new album. Maybe the album will be called the 'Roboticist'. It fits so well with our concept."

FEAR FACTORY's next LP will be the band's first with the Italian-born vocalist Milo Silvestro, whose addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in late February.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and touring drummer Pete Webber on May 5 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

FEAR FACTORY's recently completed "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Webber has been filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who is unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."

FEAR FACTORY will play a one-off show on September 17 at the Metal Injection Festival where the band will perform a very special "Demanufacture" and "Obsolete" set. FEAR FACTORY will then launch a five-date headlining "DisrupTour" with special guests LIONS AT THE GATE, which will kick off on October 7. This will be followed by the band heading out on the "October Dawn 2023" tour with headliners LACUNA COIL and openers LIONS AT THE GATE. The 10-date trek will begin on October 13 in Atlanta and make stops in Louisville, Oklahoma City, and Houston before concluding in St. Petersburg on October 29.

FEAR FACTORY will embark on a European tour this fall. The 44-date trek will mark the band's first European shows since 2016. Joining them on this run are BUTCHER BABIES from the USA and IGNEA from Ukraine.

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "Aggression Continuum", was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Cazares and former singer Burton C. Bell alongside Heller.

In a new interview with Rock Feed, Corey Taylor once again spoke about how long he thinks SLIPKNOT can go on, given the intense physical demands of the band's live performances. The SLIPKNOT singer, who will turn 50 in December, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've already said that physically I maybe have five years left, but at the same time I go out of my way to really try to take care of myself. Now I have a lot of fucking miles on me. It's hard for me. People don't realize this, but when I walk, I'm almost in constant pain. It's the knees, it's my feet. I have a broken toe on this foot. I have gout across my feet. It gets up into my joints and shit. Yeah, it's tough. I'm not as nimble as I used to be. I'm not 35 anymore. It's hard. But there are ways to do shows that don't require being that crazy now."

Corey continued: "The travel doesn't lend itself to being healthy, because, at that point, it's not like being home. You've got all your stuff. You're kind of at the mercy of what's there for you. So you're gonna eat like shit, you're gonna sleep like shit, you're gonna feel like shit, and nine times out of 10, you're gonna play like shit. We don't want that. So it's tough. Even a guy at my level, it's not always laid-out catering and the best food and the best people. Sometimes it's a soggy sandwich at 12:30 in the morning, and you're looking at it, going, 'If I put this in my body, I'm gonna throw up.' People don't fucking get that. You know why they think that? It's because that's all they see on Instagram, on TikTok, on this and that, and you're seeing the commercials. There have been times we've gotten off stage, we've gone right to the airport, flown out. We don't sleep until seven the next day. And now we're just all [exhausted]. Our crew gets it even worse, 'cause they have to fucking go in, make sure everything's good, and then they can go fucking take a nap. So it's not gravy all the time, man. It's tough. It's hard fucking work. Even at our level, it's hard work."

Taylor previously talked about the possibility of retirement this past June in an interview with Germany's Rock Antenne. At the time, he said: "As long as I can physically do it, and as long as there are people there to see it, man, I'll continue to do it. Now, if the quality starts to fail, then I'll know it's time to hand it in. And I've already thought about it — I've already thought about, maybe I've got another five years left of physically touring like this. I try to take care of myself. I work out when I can. The travel out here [in Europe] is exhausting; the food [on the road] is horrible; so it makes it hard to do that. But as long as I can keep at it, that's at least what I wanna do. So, yeah, it is what it is."

Asked if his bandmates feel the same way about the end of SLIPKNOT as he does, Corey said: "If they wanted to continue and I wanted to retire, I would help them find somebody, to be honest. This band has always been bigger than the sum of its own parts. And it was hard moving on without Paul [Gray, late SLIPKNOT bassist]. It was hard moving on when we had to part ways with Joe [late SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison]. It's always been hard when the original nine ceases to be the original nine, but at the same time, the ones who are here are here because we love it, and we've always gotten something out of it.

"I've said it since day one — if I didn't want to do SLIPKNOT, I wouldn't do it," he continued. "And I think I've proved that. The reason I stick around is because I want to do it. There's still something in my heart and my soul that needs it. I don't know if that's good or bad. Obviously, psychotherapy will help me out with that shit. But at the same time, it's… it's once in a lifetime, man."

Asked if he feels a responsibility to the SLIPKNOT fans to be there with his bandmates, Corey said: "I do. But at the same time, I don't expect them to be there. I mean, there are songs that they love; there are songs they don't love. There are times I love this band; there are times I don't love this band. But I still wanna be here. And when I physically can't do it anymore, that's when I'll hang it up. I might not retire from performing period; maybe that's when I go and I do my acoustic thing. But when I can't go out there and give it at least my one hundred percent, that's when I'll hang it up. And me and Clown [SLIPKNOT percussionist and visual mastermind Shawn Crahan] have talked about this, man. He's older than all of us, and he's broken just as much crap as I have. I mean, Christ, he hit the keg with a baseball [bat] and ripped his bicep clean off the bone, and then went, got surgery and came back.

"We're psychos, dude," Taylor added. "I went out three weeks after my fucking spinal surgery — 'cause I'm a psycho. It's just we don't know our limitations until they catch up with us. So that's what I say. I mean, yes, there's a responsibility to the fans, but there's also a responsibility to me and my family. And I don't wanna be the one trying to pick up my grandkids and my legs don't work. I just don't wanna do that — I refuse to. I want my quality of life to be better than that — at the end."

SLIPKNOT is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "The End, So Far", which was released in September 2022 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to "We Are Not Your Kind", it is the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

During an appearance on yesterday's (Tuesday, September 12) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", German metal queen Doro Pesch revealed that her upcoming studio album, "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud", will include two separate duets with JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford: the recently released cover of the PRIEST classic "Living After Midnight" and a version of the 1983 global smash hit "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", written by Jim Steinman and originally performed by the Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler.

"The record has 20 songs on it, and I think they all sound killer," Doro said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And it has three duets on it, and two duets with my favorite, with Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST, and I can't believe it. It's so awesome to me. I was a big, big PRIEST fan, and it was my very first big tour in 1986. And [Rob and I] met [again] last year in France at Hellfest, a great festival. And then we were talking, hanging out. And then we said, 'Hey, let's do something together.' So we did two duets. And the first one is 'Living After Midnight'. That was my choice, because I loved singing it. It was always a feel-good song. And then Rob Halford said, 'I have the song I always wanted to do with you. It's 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'.' And that came out so great. When you hear it, you can tell Rob loves the song and I'm so happy. Even two duets, man. That's more than I can ask for. I'm a lucky baby, I tell you."

Asked if "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", will be a bonus track on the album, since it didn't appear in the LP's original track listing, Doro said: "It is on the record, but it just got finished a couple of weeks ago. Actually, I delivered the record and the vinyl is already done. And then I got an e-mail. Rob Halford said, 'Hey, what about the second song?' And I thought, 'Oh, man. That's too good to be true.' And then we did the second song. And it just got done a couple of weeks ago. We will do a video for that song, and it will come out — the video and the single will come out the day the record will be released, so on the 27th of October. But it came out so awesome. And oh, man, that was just the icing on the cake. I thought I was done with record. And [PRIEST producer] Andy Sneap, he worked on it, and my guys worked on it, and it was a great teamwork. And Rob Halford sounds so great on it. It's, like, wow. It's definitely one of my absolute favorite songs of this album, and it sounds really, really special. You have to check it out. But yeah, it's brand new — just got done; mastering just got done. And video we are doing in a few weeks."

Pressed by host Eddie Trunk whether her version of "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" is "heavy", Doro said: "Yes, yes, it is heavy, and it's, like, wow. It's very heavy, but it sounds great, I think, yeah. I think it's a killer version. I always get goosebumps when I hear it. And I think other people who heard it, they thought, 'Wow.'

"I think all my dreams came true working with all these great people, all my heroes, all people who inspired me so much," Doro added. "And [PRIEST] was my very first tour in Europe in '86 when metal was so huge. And it was such a great tour. So [Rob and I] finally did something together. And we always stayed friends. So I think that makes this album even more special to me, and I think many fans will love it."

"Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud" is described in a press release as "the result of intensive hard work that took the incomparable singer and songwriter back to studios in Miami, New York and Hamburg, amongst others. The album presents Doro at the height of her creative powers."

This past June, Doro released "Time For Justice", the first single from "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud", along with a "Mad Max"-style video. The clip was filmed with director Mirko Witzki (CALIBAN, ANY GIVEN DAY, EMIL BULLS).

"Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud" will arrive one day before Doro's 40th-anniversary concert at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany.

"Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud" track listing:

CD 1

01. Children Of The Dawn
02. Fire In The Sky
03. Living After Midnight
04. All For You
05. Lean Mean Rock Machine
06. I Will Prevail
07. Bond Unending
08. Time For Justice
09. Fels In Der Brandung
10. Love Breaks Chains
11. Drive Me Wild
12. Rise
13. Best In Me
14. Heavenly Creatures
15. Total Eclipse Of The Heart

CD 2

16. Warlocks And Witches (Intro) (Bonus Track)
17. Horns Up High (Bonus Track)
18. True Metal Maniacs (Bonus Track)
19. Heart In Pain (Bonus Track)
20. The Four Horsemen (Bonus Track)

Doro's last album, 2018's "Forever Warriors, Forever United" featured 19 regular tracks and six bonus songs.

In September 2022, Doro released a very unique single — a soulful adaptation of her classic metal anthem "Raise Your Fist In The Air". The track was made possible by the new ZDF (national German TV channel) music show "Music Impossible".

In celebration of 35 years of the "Triumph And Agony" album from her former band WARLOCK, Doro released "Triumph And Agony Live" in various formats, including CD, vinyl, cassette, DVD, Blu-ray, and a huge box set, in September 2021 through her own label, Rare Diamonds Productions. The "Triumph And Agony" artwork centered on Geoffrey Gillespie's famous original drawing of the "Warlock" embracing the blonde rock star.

Doro Pesch photo credit: Jochen Rolfes for Nuclear Blast

Long-running Arizona metallers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have canceled ten shows in the eastern United States due to poor ticket sales.

In an official statement, the band said: "We had a logistical nightmare even trying to secure transportation and crew for this short run.

"There are so many great bands on the road right now that it's making touring very difficult in what is a very saturated market.

"We had an important crew member bail on the tour at the last minute for undisclosed reasons, but the final straw was finding out that the ticket sales were poor.

"We definitely don't want promoters to lose money booking our band, so we'll reschedule at a time that makes more sense for them.

"We apologize to the fans that were planning on coming to see us on these dates and we hope to see you on tour soon."

Support on the 10-date trek was scheduled to come from GENERATION KILL, MISFIRE and WOLFTOOTH.

Affected shows:

Sep. 19 - Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social
Sep. 20 - Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819
Sep. 21 - Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz
Sep. 22 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Meadows
Sep. 23 - Providence, RI @ Alchemy
Sep. 24 - Albany, NY @ Empire Underground
Sep. 25 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Crafthouse
Sep. 26 - Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary
Sep. 27 - Columbus, OH @ Skully's
Sep. 28 - Madison, WI @ The Crucible

This past May, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM was forced to cancel its previously announced European tour dates due to higher-than-expected costs associated with post-pandemic touring.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM has spent the last few months working on material for its 15th album.

In June 2022, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM frontman Eric "A.K." Knutson stated about the band's plans for the next LP: "My guitar players, for [2021's 'Blood In The Water'], I think they wrote 40 songs and we only put 12 on the record. So we have a lot to choose from. Most of them will be taken apart, pieces stolen out of 'em and stuff like that. But we have enough music to keep going for a long time.

"We're about halfway written with the new record," he stated at the time. "We have a formula going on right now that's really working for us, and we're gonna probably stick to the same formula this time. The last three records have really done some good for us."

"Blood In The Water" was once again mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (U.D.O., VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, POWERWOLF).

It's been 37 years since FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, formed in Phoenix, Arizona, released its landmark debut, "Doomsday For The Deceiver", the only album to ever receive a 6K rating from the influential British magazine Kerrang! Bassist Jason Newsted would jump ship to METALLICA while the band released "No Place For Disgrace" in 1988. "Cuatro" (1992),"Drift" (1995),"High" (1997) and "My God" (2001) all still rank extremely high in heavy metal circles. But it was the first part of this unofficial trilogy in 2016's self-titled "Flotsam And Jetsam", followed by the crushing 2019 successor "The End Of Chaos" that a certain rejuvenation and reset was clearly felt.

Phoenix thrashers Flotsam and Jetsam have cancelled ten shows covering parts of the eastern United States due to poor...

Posted by Flotsam and Jetsam on Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Looking forward to getting out and making some noise!

Posted by Flotsam and Jetsam on Wednesday, July 19, 2023

During an appearance on "Shred With Shifty", the podcast hosted by Chris Shiflett of the FOO FIGHTERS, Richie Sambora was once again asked about the possibility of a reunion with BON JOVI. He responded: "We're talking about it." Pressed about what "talking about it" looks like and if it involves him and Jon Bon Jovi speaking to each other "on the phone," Richie said: "Yeah, it's that. It's… There's a demand out there for it, you know — especially outside of the USA."

This past June, Sambora painted a different picture when he was asked about his possible return to BON JOVI at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame's 52nd annual induction and awards gala in New York City. Asked by United Stations Radio Networks if plans were still in place for him to play with his former bandmates again, Richie said: "Naaaah! No, not even close. Nobody asked me yet — but I could do it tomorrow if they asked me."

Richie's comments on "Shred With Shifty" are similar to those he made in February when he told Absolute Radio that he was planning to join forces with BON JOVI again following his performance with them at their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2018. "We're talking about it," he said at the time. "I don't think there's any reason not to at this point."

He added: "Jon was having a hard time with his voice a little bit there and he needed to take a little bit of a breather.

"I don't know when Jon's going to get his voice together and [when the BON JOVI reunion is] going to happen, but we have to get out there and do it for the fans, really. I feel a second obligation."

Asked if he would write new music with BON JOVI, Richie said: Oh, if he doesn't let me, he's crazy. I'm on a tear.

"Actually, I did write that other [BON JOVI] stuff, too. It's a misnomer when people go just because his name [Jon Bon Jovi] is on [the band] that's the name. We just couldn't think of anything else really. People think that I just come up with the guitar parts and something like that. But songwriting is conceptual. You have to have a concept. It's a story. And it can sometimes just come from looking out the window and observing and a lot of times it comes from your own life and for the most part of BON JOVI, my life was a lot [more] colorful than everybody else's in the band."

Richie went on to say that he has remained on good terms with Jon in the decade since his departure, explaining: "You know what, there's no malice. I mean, we did something… there's not a lot of bands that did what we did. I mean, obviously, bands like THE ROLLING STONES, PINK FLOYD and U2 [have]."

Three years ago, Sambora opened up about his controversial decision to leave BON JOVI in 2013 in an interview with People magazine, saying that he wanted to spend more time with his daughter Ava, now 25.

"It wasn't a popular decision by any means, obviously, but there was really almost no choice about it. I had a lot of conscious work to do around [my personal life]," the guitarist said.

"We've been through a lot of things together. That was a time of psychological maintenance for the family. You know, I ain't no angel. But I realized, Ava needed me to be around at that point in time. Family had to come first, and that's what happened."

Sambora, who spent time in rehab in 2007 and 2011 for alcohol and prescription drug abuse, added that the rock and roll lifestyle eventually took its toll.

"My lord, when I look back and start to list the tours ... 18-and-a-half months of being on the road, 52 countries," he said. "It's like, Wow. It was really time for a break. We did that 14 times over a 31-year period."

Two months earlier, Sambora told U.K.'s Daily Mail that he wasn't opposed to one day rejoining BON JOVI, provided that the circumstances were right. "It would have to be a special situation for me to go back, but I'm certainly not counting it out," he said. "I have no malice toward that band."

Richie's comments came just a couple of weeks after Jon Bon Jovi told Germany's Rock Antenne that "there's not a day that goes by that I don't wish that Richie had his life together and was still in the band. And yet, in a weird way, it's because of his inability to get it together anymore that we went on and wrote 'This House Is Not For Sale'."

Addressing Jon's remarks directly, Richie told Daily Mail: "When people say I don't have my life together — are you kidding me? I'm the happiest dude on the block."

Sambora, who joined BON JOVI in 1983 and co-wrote most of the group's iconic hits over the following three decades, hasn't performed a full show with the band since he left the "Because We Can" tour 10 years ago. He later said he thought BON JOVI "should have made more strides to become a band" and not turn into "Jon being the front guy and nothing else." Jon, in turn, claimed Sambora's "choices" had "led him astray."

Sambora rejoined BON JOVI on stage in April 2018 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland, marking his first performance with the band in five years. Also appearing with the group was bassist Alec John Such, who hadn't played with BON JOVI since a one-off performance in 2001. They performed several crowd favorites, including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "It's My Life".

BON JOVI's latest album, "2020", was released in October 2020 via Island Records.

Finnish melodic death metal band Superdeathflame's new single, "A Tale Of Disclosure", is a song about a person who is closed in his shell and hides his true self inside. What happens when a person really opens up? This is a tale of disclosure. 


Listen to the single via digital platforms found here, released via Inverse Records. Check it out below.


The band comments:




"From Southern Finland's gray landscapes rises Superdeathflame, the style-masters-of-metal ready to conquer the world with our mature and melodic music that catches the ear. Our songs are made for listener, no bullshit; they are hard, every piece tells a real story of life. The foundation, the Four Pillars of our Metal are Rock solid guitar riffs and punchy drumbeats coloured with flowing synths and world class choruses that are infectiously catchy. We are building our music with an increasingly determined focus to make every song sound simple and easy to a listener...not forgetting multidimensional interpretation in the lyrics, that gives 'the deep' to the songs."





Photo by Tino-Viljami Vanhala

In a new interview with Vikram Chandrasekar of Tales From The Road, SCORPIONS founder Rudolf Schenker seemingly dismissed any talk of possible retirement but acknowledged that the band will not be able to continue indefinitely. "It's not a never-ending road," the 75-year-old guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "The road will be finished sooner or later; it's up to you and to our gods. But in 2025, that could be a great time for our 60th anniversary. 2025, it's the time when SCORPIONS is 60 years old. So, then, to celebrate 60 years of SCORPIONS could be a possibility, because I'm in contact with our very old drummer, who was playing on [SCORPIONS' 1972 debut album] 'Lonesome Crow', and the bass player, and use them also on stage to see the different kind of states we went through. Because we are very much connected still in all the different musicians, and that shows again, when we can make it, that music is always there for making friendships."

Back in May 2022, Rudolf's bandmate, SCORPIONS frontman Klaus Meine, told Jorge Botas of Portugal's "Metal Global" that there was no more talk of retirement within the band, as there was back in 2010 with what was purported to be a final album and a farewell tour that never quite took hold. "No, we scratched that word [retirement] out of our [vocabulary]," the now-75-year-old singer said. "It's not there. We don't think about it and we don't talk about it and we take it as it comes.

"We're just growing older and we do what we do and we hope our fans enjoy it as much as we do," Klaus continued. "But who would have thought we're still around after celebrating 50 years of being recording artists — our first album came out in 1972 and now 'Rock Believer' looks like it hits the big time with the fans and so many positive reviews from all over the world. And after all these years, who would have thought? And it's a wonderful thing.

"But all we know is [that] the road ahead is way shorter than what's behind us," Meine added. "And we never take it for granted — we never take success for granted. We work hard on what we do because we still love it and we still enjoy it. But it's what it is. And I think every artist knows what I'm talking about, because to go out there, play a great show for the fans and not let 'em down, it takes a lot of preparation, takes a lot of work. And being the singer, you try to make sure your pipes are in a good condition.

"It's a lot of things," Meine said. "And we don't know what the future will bring. Take a look at the next corner, and you never know what's going on. But right now, life is good. We have a great new album out there. And we have a lot of fun. We enjoy it."

Meine previously discussed SCORPIONS' aborted retirement in a 2018 interview with SiriusXM. "The thing is we have a much different view now," Klaus said. "And it's a young generation — that's the fuel that keeps us going, and it's really motivating.

"To be honest, every other year, you take a look around the corner: 'Can we do this?' 'Can we still deliver on the same high level, the way we used to do it?'" he admitted. "And that's the only way, and it's only fun if you can go out there and play a great rock show, wherever you do it. Like in the last couple of weeks, we had so much fun. But then you get sick on the road, like I did last year with the severe laryngitis. What can you do? There's not a chance. And then sometimes, of course, you ask yourself, 'How long can we do this?' Especially for singers — and I know I'm not the only one. But it's always, sometimes you ask yourself, 'Klaus, c'mon, how long can you keep up this level?' And then you go out there, everything feels good."

Circling back to SCORPIONS' 2010 "farewell tour" announcement, Klaus told SiriusXM: "Of course, we had our moment of doubt when we said, 'Okay. Maybe we should retire. Maybe this is a good moment.' And then we realized we were wrong, because there's still a lot of sting in the tail, so to speak, and it still feels good. There's such a demand for the SCORPIONS, and we're one of the few bands who play this global stage. If there wasn't this kind of demand, of course, there's no point after so many years, and you'd better go, 'Well, I go home and take it easy.' But there's such a strong demand and that really feels good and challenging — it's a challenge. Of course, you don't do it for the business. It's a good business, yes, but you don't do it for the business and for the money — you do it for the fun, you do it for what's inside of you, what's in your blood, what's in your veins, and that's the rock and roll music. And you wanna go out and play in front of an audience, because that's what it's all about."

SCORPIONS' only continuous member has been Schenker, although Meine has appeared on all of the band's studio albums, while guitarist Matthias Jabs has been a consistent member since 1978, and bassist Paweł Mąciwoda and drummer Mikkey Dee have been in the band since 2003 and 2016, respectively.

SCORPIONS' latest album, "Rock Believer", was released in February 2022. The album was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.

In a new interview with Express & Star, legendary German guitarist Uli Jon Roth spoke about his decision to leave SCORPIONS in 1977 after five albums, just before his now-former bandmates went on to have huge commercial success with such hit songs as "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and "Winds Of Change".

"SCORPIONS at that time were a bit of an outsider in Germany as we looked to England and America and sang in English," the 69-year-old musician said.

"For us, rock music came from England it didn't come from Germany, so it was obvious it should be sung in English. I guess I was always too left field to become mainstream as there is a certain unpredictability to my output.

"I didn't really understand the whole commercial thing as such," he added. "I never really cared about these aspects, how many records we sold [or] whatever. Other members of SCORPIONS were aware of that and were very committed into doing that to have the worldwide success. For me, that wasn't the driving force."

Roth was in the SCORPIONS for five years before leaving the group in 1978, following the release of the live double album "Tokyo Tapes".

In recent years, Roth has revisited the early music of his period with the SCORPIONS, which resulted in the "Scorpions Revisited" double CD and "Tokyo Tapes Revisited" DVD/Blu-ray releases.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar players ever, Uli pioneered a unique style of guitar playing which — for the first time — combined complete mastery of the instrument with an intensely melodic and emotional appeal.

From his earliest days onwards, Uli has always been a bold and uncompromising musical innovator of the first order. Being the first guitar player in rock to incorporate complex melodic arpeggio sequences, Uli Jon Roth — in the eyes of many of his peers — practically reinvented modern guitar technique almost singlehandedly during his SCORPIONS tenure, but even more so during his ELECTRIC SUN days.

This past July, it was announced that Roth was forced to postpone his previously announced North American tour due to health reasons. The trek was scheduled to launch on September 6 in West Hollywood, California and conclude on October 1 in New York City. According to a statement on Roth's social media, he recently underwent a "successful kidney removal operation" and "is fit to play, but has been advised not to embark on a full-scale major tour just yet. Uli will be performing at selected shows in continental Europe during his recovery period."

This past April, Roth told Canada's The Metal Voice that he used the downtime during the coronavirus pandemic to write a book called "In Search Of The Alpha Law". He added that the book "is not about myself — it's not about my life on the road or my life. It is about my — well, my philosophy of life."

In a new interview with Monsters, Madness And Magic, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman was asked if there is a music teacher that comes to his mind that gave him maybe a specific piece of "aha" advice early on. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I only really had one teacher. But he gave me some pretty funky advice that I still remember… My teacher once said… I came to my lesson wearing a ring. 'What the fuck you wearing a ring for? That looks like you've just been raiding your mother's jewelry box.' I never forgot that. And because of that, I never wore rings when I played. You know why? Because he was right. I took it out of my mom's jewelry box. I saw all these rock musicians with rings and shit. And I'm, like, 'Wow, I'm gonna show up to my lesson with a ring.' And so I never forgot that [and] never wore rings after that. And then another thing he said, which, thankfully, I didn't take this advice, he says, 'Every time you complete an exercise properly, reward yourself with a bong hit.' And I'm, like, 'Yeah, that's a great idea.' And I did it for a while. I'm, like, you get a lot done, but you don't remember anything that you got done."

Friedman, who has been living and recording music in Japan since 2003, played his first U.S. show in four years on March 3 at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida as support act for QUEENSRŸCHE. Marty performed on more than two dozen dates with QUEENSRŸCHE, running through April 16, where the tour wrapped up in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Marty's "Tokyo Jukebox 3" album received a North American release in April 2021 via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. The record, which was made available in Japan in October 2020, was the third in a series that began with "Tokyo Jukebox" in 2009, and then "Tokyo Jukebox 2" following in 2011. The trilogy presents Friedman's inspired performances to Japanese repertoire he's chosen to cover.

Marty's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His first major impact in music was in the game-changing guitar duo CACOPHONY, which he founded with equally enigmatic and now-legendary guitarist Jason Becker. He then spent 10 years as lead guitarist in the genre-defining thrash metal act MEGADETH before moving to Tokyo due to his love for Japanese music, language, and culture.

Following his move, he landed a starring role for a new TV comedy "Hebimeta-san" ("Mr. Heavy Metal") and its spinoff, "Rock Fujiyama", which ran for six seasons and propelled him into the living rooms of Japan's mainstream. He has since appeared in over 800 TV shows, movies and commercials, including a two-year campaign with Coca-Cola for Fanta, authored two best-selling novels and was the first-ever foreigner to be appointed as an ambassador of Japan heritage and perform at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Marathon in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022.

At the same time, Marty has continued his career in music with several solo albums in addition to writing and performing with the top artists in Japanese music, racking up countless chart hits, including a No. 1 with SMAP, two No. 2 songs with MOMOIRO CLOVER, a No. 2 with SOUND HORIZON — just to name a few.

Prepare to be immersed in a world of sonic extremity with Edmonton, Canada’s death metal titans, and mega nerds, Display Of Decay, and their fourth album Vitriol hitting the shelves later this year. They have released a single “The Butcher” already and now the second “Harbinger” will continue to engulf listeners in thunderous drums, ferocious guitars, guttural vocals, and gory and nerdy lyrics. 


The band shares what’s in store:


“‘Harbinger’ is definitely one of the most technically challenging songs, if not the MOST technically challenging on the record. A frenzy from start to finish, this track features a wide range of dynamics stretching from sweep picking, and octaves, to full-on chaos! Lyrically, it’s entirely based on Mass Effect and the Reaper invasion, because as previously mentioned, nerds.”




Since forming in 2007, right out of high school, Display Of Decay has stayed true to their groovy old-school death metal sound as a base and increasing intensity, technicality, and quality as they’ve gone on. In Vitriol they show off faster riffs, more experimentation, and varied lyrical themes. Every song on the album is so unique that it feels like a new experience every single track. The band owes this to never going into the writing process under the expectation of writing something a certain way or having a prescribed formula. The eight songs flow cohesively from track to track while each has its own special added elements.


The lyrical content on Vitriol covers a variety of topics ranging from pop culture references like Diablo & Mass Effect to darker undertones of the mainstream media's obsession with school shootings and other acts of senseless violence that are continuously looped for ratings evidently posing a risk of reproduction. 


BraveWords is premiering the guitar playthrough of video of “Harbinger” – watch and listen below!





Vitriol is due out on October 20, 2023 via Gore House Productions and available for pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


“Malicious Motorcide”
“The Butcher”
“Legion Of Doom”
“Familial Feast”
“Harbinger”
“Hot Lead Vengeance”
“Slaughtercast”
“Vitriol”


“The Butcher” lyric video:





(Photo – Display Of Decay)

Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth, the founder of Norwegian black metal legends MAYHEM and key figure within the early 1990s black metal scene, was murdered on August 10, 1993, by BURZUM's Kristian "Varg" Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh). The BURZUM figurehead had completed bass parts on MAYHEM's influential "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" studio album but had grown increasingly estranged from Euronymous in the intervening months, creating a rivalry over who held the most sway within Norwegian black metal circles.

In a recent interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, MAYHEM vocalist Attila Csihar shared his recollections of the events leading up to Euronymous's murder and its aftermath, which eventually led to a reconstructed MAYHEM lineup in 1997 without the Hungarian-born vocalist.

"It's so crazy that it was 30 years ago," he said. "This is what it is. I'm just passing by. The thing is, to think back, I was there [in Norway] for two weeks. At the same time, I lived at Euronymous's place. I stayed with Euronymous and Varg. We were friends. I was a very good friend of Euronymous. He was my best friend in the band by far. He contacted me and invited me [to sing for MAYHEM]. We hung out together and talked about what we should do and the future. We also talked about the ideologies and the direction of the music. He had all these ideas. I loved his record collection. He had this amazing TANGERINE DREAM collection. I was amazed he liked electronic music. Then, when I met Varg, he was actually also into electronic music. It's a strange thing. He liked my band, PLASMA POOL. This was pre-computer electronic music. It was a different era of electronic music when you didn't have computers. That was challenging. I loved it. It was a dark electro project and Varg loved it.

"Euronymous was very interested in me singing on the MAYHEM record," he continued. "But his other interest was to release [Csihar's cult black metal outfit] TORMENTOR. He thought it was important to release it since we couldn't release it in communist Hungary. I brought him the master tape and DAT. Then Varg was super into it. I don't know if it was already their competition, but he said, 'I want PLASMA POOL, dude. You need to release it with me.' I was, like, 'Sure.' I was so happy that my stuff would be released. We're talking about the very early '90s when releasing something was a big deal. There were no CDs. Well, they came a couple of years before all this. It was hard to get a good contract or anything released. I talked to Varg and Euronymous. I tell you what: They talked a little bit against each other to me. Varg said, 'Don't you think the other guy is a bit strange?' I made a joke about the other guy. Then we were laughing. At the same time, Euronymous said, 'Don't you think he's weird?' Then I made another joke. [Laughs] At the end, I thought, 'Guys, I'm not a fucking priest. Maybe you should talk.' It was not that bad. It didn't look that bad at all. There was a bit of tension, but I thought it was normal. It had been coming for years. [Previous MAYHEM vocalist] Dead [Per Yngve Ohlin] committed suicide. All the trouble, all the church burnings. It was a different age. They fucked up Christian groups and in return, they fucked up Euronymous's store, so it was full of all this Jesus crap. It was another era. They put all their effort — Euronymous borrowed money from his father to pay for the studio, Grieghallen, which was expensive. I was amazed. But the thing with Euronymous and Varg, I never thought it would go that far."

Cishar then discussed the period after the completion of "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" and his inability to get in touch with his MAYHEM bandmates during the summer of 1993. "I always talked to Euronymous," he said. "Suddenly, the summer came. I had the contact of Euronymous, [MAYHEM guitarist] Blackthorn [Snorre Ruch] and Varg. The only phone I didn't have was [MAYHEM drummer] Jan Axel [Blomberg]. I talked from time to time with Euronymous. Suddenly, I couldn't reach them. I was like, 'Whatever.' I realized I couldn't reach anyone, but it was still summer. I thought it was okay — maybe they'll come back in September and we'll see what will happen. It was already October when I said, 'What the fuck is going on?' I was not too nervous. I thought, 'The album has to come.' It was strange we didn't talk. Then a friend of mine came to my place in Hungary. He said, 'You played in MAYHEM?' I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'I just read in the news in this metal magazine from Hungary. There is a very small news piece that the bass player killed the guitarist.' I was like, 'Dude. You took it wrong. It's not the bass player. It was the vocalist who committed suicide.' Then my friend said, 'I don't know. This is what I read.' He didn't have the magazine. I was like, 'No fucking shit. What is this bullshit?' I went down and bought the magazine. When I read it, I couldn't believe my eyes. Like, 'What?' Then I started to think, 'Shit. Maybe this is why I don't hear from anyone.' [Laughs]"

Vikernes was convicted in 1994 and sentenced to Norway's longest prison term of 21 years for the August 1993 murder of Euronymous, whom he stabbed 23 times, and for burning down three churches, including the original Holmenkollen Chapel next to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump in Oslo. He was released from prison in 2009 after serving 16 years of that sentence.

In October 2003, Vikernes failed to return to prison after being granted a short leave, and was later apprehended by police with an unloaded assault rifle, 700 rounds of ammo, and a handheld GPS system.

Four years ago, MAYHEM bassist Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud made headlines when he said he was on his way to kill Euronymous before Vikernes beat him to it.

"Okay, I can tell it right now, because I've been holding it in for many years, but actually I was on my way down to kill him myself," Necrobutcher claimed in an interview with Consequence. "And when it happened, I saw the morning paper, thinking 'Fuck, I gotta get home to my place and get out all the weapons and drugs and shit I had in my house, because they're coming to my house because I'm probably going to be the No. 1 suspect for this.'"

Necrobutcher went on to claim that the police were well-aware of Vikernes's plan to murder Euronymous, and he had a theory about why they allowed it to happen. "Because they bugged his phone, and he actually talked about this killing before he went to Bergen so the cops already knew that he was coming, so they probably were thinking to themselves, 'We didn't nail this guy for the church burnings, so let's nail him for murder, and get rid of this fucking guy in Oslo the same time,'" he said. "So that's basically what happened."

MAYHEM's new live album, "Daemonic Rites", is due September 15 via Century Media Records.

Image courtesy of Chaoszine

Long-running U.S. speed metallers Liege Lord have announced the death of co-founder and bassist Matt Vinci at the age of 58.


The band says in a statement: “We are devastated to have to announce the loss of our brother and founding member Matt Vinci. Matthew passed away this past Saturday September 9, 2023. He was a true Metal Warrior…but also known as Sweet Matthew (as we affectionally referred to him). He started Liege Lord with Tony Truglio and Frank Cortese back in the early ‘80s and was the quintessential power metal bass player. He solidified our fan base thru the love of metal, by hand writing letters and mailing/trading cassette tapes with other like-minded people all around the world. 


“This was years before personal computers, mobile phones or the internet…he was our own social media master, way before the social media platforms of today. Matt was a wonderful father and loyal husband and we will miss him beyond words. We will release some further info in the immediate future when appropriate, but let’s respect this quiet time of grieving. Thank you for all the support. Matthew, we will always cherish and honor your friendship and hard work…for our bond and your music talents will live forever.”







Guitarist Tony Truglio: 


“With the heaviest of hearts I write to our fans and friends all around this globe…I met Matt in the 8th grade and we formed a friendship and partnering of musical ideas that would last all these years. We were brothers till the end, as we endured on a mission to make the best heavy metal band that we could create. From the early years of practicing every night, writing songs and listening to hours upon hours of endless hard rock and metal music…to causing thousands of incidents of harmless mischief and sharing the best of times of my youth…I will always carry that brothership with me. You will always be with me Matt, until we meet again. Love, Trug.”


Vocalist Joe Comeau:


“Matt- had it not been for you, Tony or Frank, I would never have had the honor to be a part of this incredible family with Liege Lord. This was my first true international band and my first memories of you are clear as day in my mind. I was only in the band several weeks and we were thrust in the studio, where I worked hand in hand with you over the lyrics to craft what was to become the Master Control album. I feel as though a big part of my youth has been splintered away as I am forced to say goodbye to you. My brother in metal and forever friend. We will create music again somewhere, somehow. In the meantime, we will honor your insight and aura. Metal on Sweet Matthew…I send my love.”








(Photos – Liege Lord Facebook page)