On the heels of the successful release of his latest album Seven Heads (Cleopatra Records, July 2023), comes Swedish industrial icon Skold’s rousing rendition of Rammstein’s iconic song, “Sonne”. The track is available here. Listen below.


Tthe track is part of the recently released A Tribute To Rammstein album (Cleopatra Records, August 25).


Skold’s cover of “Sonne” is one of 13 trailblazing tracks by new school industrial acts, including Priest, Manntra, and Julien-K, and veterans Frontline Assembly, Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory) and Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke), and more, on a true clash of the industrial titans. A Tribute To Rammstein marks the 30th anniversary of the Berliners’ beginnings and is an homage to Till Lindemann and his colleagues with vicious cover versions of some of the band’s most iconic songs.




“Sonne,” which is German for “Sun”, was released by Rammstein in 2001 as the debut single from their album Mutter and is considered by many to be their greatest song ever recorded.


Skold, who was a member of Marilyn Manson’s band and is one of the most in-demand producers and musicians, playing numerous shows as a guitarist for EBM legends Front Line Assembly and more, maintained the integrity of the legendary Rammstein song while putting his own corrosive touch to it.


Download the digital album here. Purchase the CD/vinyl here.





A Tribute To Rammstein tracklisting:


"Du Hast" - Burton C Bell, Paul Ferguson & MGT
"Deutschland" - Front Line Assembly
"Sonne" - Skold
"Engel" - Priest
"Amerika" - Laibach
"Feuer Frei!" - The 69 Eyes
"Ausländer" - Jah Wobble & Jon Klein
"Radio" - Julien-K
"Ich Will" - Stoneman
"Keine Lust" - Lacrimas Profundere
"Links 2 3 4" - Manntra


Bonus Tracks:


"Mein Teil" - Original God
"Du Hast" - Leæther Strip

Following the release of their new album Memorial, Soen have released the video for the new single, “Hollowed”, featuring vocals from acclaimed singer Elisa.


Memorial sees the band overall take a heavier approach to their craft but the new single, "Hollowed", is a hugely powerful and gushing ballad, which stands out as a powerful bridge across the album’s ten tracks. The song sees guitarist Cody Ford shine with an epic and intense Pink Floyd-tinged guitar solo, whilst tender vocals are traded throughout from singer and founding member Joel Ekelöf and Italian star Elisa.


Elisa has firmly established herself as a global superstar during her more than twenty-year career. Her collaboration with Ennio Morricone, "Ancora qui", was featured in Quentin Tarantino's film, Django Unchained and its Grammy nominated soundtrack album. Just some of her other achievements include her albums going triple platinum and collaborations with the likes of Muse, Imagine Dragons, Tina Turner and Pavarotti & Friends.




Ekelöf comments, “’Hollowed’ is a song about moving away from the place and persons that have been your home. It’s also the first time we ever have had a guest appearance on one of our albums and the turnout was more than successful. Elisa is such a talented singer and she truly made this song reach the emotional intensity that it deserves.”


Drummer and co-founding member Martin Lopez adds, “The message of the track is powerful and is about whether to make the decision of either leaving behind what once was a perfect harmony but has turned into dissonance, or to just stay there and maybe spend the rest of your life trying to revive something that is already dead.”





Never ones to take the restrained path, Soen face down the ills and ways of current society with a crisp, wounded venom that betrays their pain, anger and frustrations. Each guitar carries a greater serrated edge, each melody a richer heart, each lyric a soul and spleen venting definitive proclamation. At the same time, Soen’s unique blend of progression, aggression, and beauty shows more maturity than ever before.


Soen have been building up to this moment for years and now they’re here with Memorial, which is an inspiring modern hard rock classic.


Memorial is available as a Deluxe CD, 12” vinyl album in black and colour variants, digital formats and special D2C products and bundles. Order here.





Memorial tracklisting:


"Sincere"
"Unbreakable"
"Violence"
"Fortress"
"Hollowed" (feat. Elisa)
"Memorial
"Incendiary"
"Tragedian"
"Icon"
"Vitals"


"Violence" video:





"Memorial" video:





"Unbreakable" video:





Following their incredible performances at this year’s summer festivals across Europe, Soen, completed by Lars Enok Åhlund (Keyboards and Guitar), Oleksii ‘Zlatoyar’ Kobel (Bass) and Cody Ford (Lead Guitar), will be heading out on their Memorial European tour, which will kick off in September in Odense, Denmark.


The band recently announced twenty-five new dates seeing them bring Memorial to the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tour will kick-off in May 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.


Full list of confirmed dates, tickets, and additional information available here


Lineup:


Joel Ekelöf - Vocals
Martin Lopez - Drums
Lars Enok Åhlund - Keyboards and Guitar
Cody Ford - Lead Guitar
Oleksii “Zlatoyar” Kobel - Bass


(Photo - Jeremy Saffer)

MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro will sit out the next leg of the band's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.

Earlier today, the Brazilian-born musician released the following statement regarding the matter: "Kiko checking in here! Our new record 'The Sick, The Dying, and The Dead' and our 'Crush The World tour have been great. The worldwide chart positions have been our best yet! We want to really thank you for that.

"I have something that is difficult to share, but we always like to keep you informed with the truth. I have to leave the tour for now, to be home with my children, and to help them face the difficult challenges that arise from us being 'Dads that work away from home.'

"I found a guitarist, Teemu Mäntysaari [WINTERSUN, SMACKBOUND], to fill in for me during the fall, and I think you'll be very happy. He's an amazing, incredible player. I have shared this with my partner in shred, Dave Mustaine, and to no surprise, he said, 'Go! Go be there for your family and keep us posted!'

"To my band mates and all of our fans around the world, see you all very soon, back out on the Killing Road!"

Added Mustaine: "Kiko has had something come up in his family life that requires him to miss this next leg of our 'Crush The World' tour.

"We will not be cancelling the tour, and we'll introduce you to Teemu on September 6th in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Revel Arena. We are asking for your support and understanding at this time."

The 36-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

In April 2015, it was announced that Loureiro had joined MEGADETH, replacing Chris Broderick, who had left the band five months earlier.

In an October 2015 interview with The Irish Sun, Mustaine was full of praise for Loureiro, saying: "A lot of times guitarists won't know how to add to something — they'll put something in there that's kind of like tits on a bull, unnecessary. Kiko came in and immediately started making some really good suggestions that we applied [to MEGADETH's 2016 album, 'Dystopia']. When he first came in, I knew he had the ability but I didn't know if the songwriting technique and talent was going to show up this early on."

He continued: "What was great about the suggestions that Kiko made was that they weren't just guitar ones — he made a bass part in a song called 'Me Hate You' [that made it] really come along. In fact, that was one of the songs where he made a huge melodic contribution in the chorus and I said, 'Man, this sounds like something.'"

According to Dave, Kiko possesses all the elements that are required to become part of a legendary metal act like MEGADETH.

"For me — really simply stated — if you want to be a musician, that's one thing. If you want to be a rock star, that's another," Mustaine said. "But if you want to be legendary, you need to have three very important components: you need to have ability, you need to have appearance, and you need to have attitude. Without all three of those things, it's kind of like trying to have a three-legged milk stool without three legs — it's just not going to work."

He continued: "I found with Kiko, his ability was astronomical, with his attitude he was very confident in what he did — there's a difference between confidence and arrogance. In appearance, he was very classy and very subdued on the street, but up on stage he totally takes command of his performance. When he came up to Nashville to visit with me, I didn't even have him play for the majority of the day he was there. I just wanted to hang out with him and it's been a really long time since I hung out with a guitar player before I hired him. Usually I would listen to how he played and then I'd go, 'Okay, we'll work it out.' I didn't want to do that again. Hanging out with Kiko, and having lunch and kicking back and talking music was all I needed — I knew he was the right guy."

In addition to Mustaine andLoureiro, MEGADETH's current lineup includes former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.

A message from the band #megadeth

Posted by Megadeth on Tuesday, September 5, 2023

In a new interview with Metal Hammer, King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp shared his appreciation for metal bands including Metallica, Megadeth, Slipknot and Korn. he and his wife, Toyah Willcox, have been enjoying viral success on YouTube with their weekly Sunday Lunch installments, which features the couple offering up twisted covers of popular rock and metal hits.


Following is an excerpt from the chat.


Fripp: "Toyah and myself have been aware of Metallica for quite a while, but I’d never learned a Metallica song before Sunday Lunch. We’re actually playing that song on the road because we love it so much. I look at Kirk (Hammett) and James (Hetfield) as one player – they’re joined at the hip for me! The solo on 'Enter Sandman' is a real hummer! I’ve been learning it and would say it’s quite challenging but lots of fun. It requires work to get it down properly. So yes, Metallica and 'Enter Sandman'… I just love it!"




Read more here.





Toyah & Robert's Sunday Lunch is going on tour throughout the UK in September and October. The couple will be accompanied by a live band, with Fripp on guitar.


Tickets are available here.





Says Toyah: “When people ask, 'What is the show going to be?', it’s going to be about the hundred years of musical experience we have between us.”


Watch the "Toyah At Home" video below, where Toyah and Robert introduce the tour concept:

Infernalizer is the brand new creature conceived and brought to life by the creative mind of Claudio Ravinale to portray his own take on the heavy metal genre. Ravinale is best known as the vocalist of Italian death metal veterans Disarmonia Mundi, who has achieved worldwide recognition with their high-octane melo-death throughout two decades and featuring Bjorn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork) among their ranks, along with being in other recognizable bands such as The Silverblack, 5 Star Grave and The Stranded.


Heavily influenced by ‘80s metal acts such as Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, and Danzig, Ravinale's new project Infernalizer relies on the use of gloomy keys and eerie samples, paying homage to more somber gothic rock acts like Type O Negative and The Sisters Of Mercy. Vocally closer to contemporary acts like Rob Zombie and Wednesday 13, the range of influences also includes evocative cinematographic soundscapes that provide Infernalizer's songs with a more solemn and nocturnal atmosphere.


Ready to follow up the 2021 debut album The Ugly Truth, Infernalizer presents the new full-length After Dark set to be unleashed in October 2023 via Rockshots Records.




Constantly balancing between aggressive moments and gothic atmospheres properly supported by deep crooning vocals and more irate outbursts. This new record is deeply rooted in 80's metal and often prone to arena rock choruses, sets an eerie and nocturnal mood especially when it comes to the use of keyboards, often reminiscent of classic horror movie themes.


The desire to go towards more gothic rock territories on this new offering is fully represented by tracks like "Death Wish", "This Is My Yard" or "Falling In Slow Motion", while the planned-to-be-released singles "What Did You Expect?" and "What We Do In The Shadows" (both mastered at Sterling Sound Studio in Nashville by legendary Grammy-winning mastering engineer Ted Jensen) are open-heart love letters to 80's hard rock. There's no shortage of bangers as well with songs like "The Dark Passenger", "Moon of Blood" or the title track providing the more muscular edge of the album.


Infernalizer frontman Claudio Ravinale comments:


"People that loved the previous album are gonna dig this new one because we basically took our time to refine the formula, focus properly on how we wanted the record to sound, and had a starting point to evolve from. Usually with the first album you simply take a leap in the dark and see how it goes, with the second one you already have a layer of bricks to build on and that's exactly what we did. This is pure and simple entertainment. I'm not here to preach, I'm not here to make the world a better place, I simply want people to have a good time listening to this music, nothing else."


Today, Infernalizer presents the new video for the second single "What We Do In The Shadows".


"Right after we finished writing ‘What Did You Expect?’, the band wrote this one and as soon as it was finished we immediately decided it was going to be the second single. It somewhat mirrors on the B side of the vinyl what ‘What Did You Expect?’ does on the A-side. It has been mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound Studio in Nashville as well. While the intro of the track might have a little Ghost vibe it was originally intended as a tribute to Deep Purple. As soon as the song kicks in the whole ‘80s metal vibe explodes again into another modern-day tribute to what is widely considered the best era of metal and hard rock. The chorus clearly represents the intention to write an arena rock-style anthem to sing with fists in the air, the lyrics focus on the inner fascination with the darker sides of human nature. If you dig Ghost, Lordi, Wednesday 13, and Alice Cooper this one is for you!" adds Ravinale.


After Dark is due out on October 27, 2023, and available for pre-order on vinyl at the Rockshots Records webshop.





Tracklisting:


“Season Of The Witch”
“The Dark Passenger”
“What Did You Expect?”
“Moon Of Blood”
“After Dark”
“What We Do In The Shadows”
“Death Wish”
“This Is My Yard”
“Falling In Slow Motion”
“Sky Burial” 


"What We Do In The Shadows":





“What Did You Expect?” video:

KISS performed the Destroyer classics “Detroit Rock City” and “God Of Thunder” in Crandon, WI at the Crandon International Raceway on September 1. Check out fan-filmed video below:










For KISS' complete End Of The Road tour schedule, head to KISSOnline.com.

In a recent interview with Danny Wimmer Presents' "Power Hour", TOOL frontman Maynard James Keenan spoke about his band's participation in the upcoming Power Trip festival, which will take place this fall at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The historic three-day event set for October 6, 7 and 8 will bring together six iconic bands that define loud and powerful music: GUNS N' ROSES and IRON MAIDEN (Friday, October 6),AC/DC and JUDAS PRIEST (Saturday, October 7) and METALLICA and TOOL (Sunday, October 8).

Asked what it feels like to be performing alongside those other legendary bands, Maynard said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's overwhelming to be put in the same list with those people. All you can really do is not worry about it — just kind of do what you do and try to do it the best you can so that you don't look like a clown next to these superstars."

JUDAS PRIEST was added to the Power Trip lineup in July in the slot originally reserved for Ozzy Osbourne.

This past July, Ozzy canceled his appearance at Power Trip due to his ongoing health issues.

Power Trip will mark AC/DC's first concert since September 2016, when the band concluded a run of U.S. dates with GUNS N' ROSES' Axl Rose on vocals while frontman Brian Johnson recovered from hearing loss.

Last year, Johnson told Rolling Stone he didn't know if AC/DC would perform again. "I would love to," he said. "It's as simple as that. I think everybody would. There's a groundswell of people just asking. But I hate talking about the future, because, fuck, we were ready two years ago, and the pandemic came, and it screwed everything up. So I'm terrified to say what could happen and what couldn't."

METALLICA previously performed at the Empire Polo Grounds in 2011 as part of the West Coast installment of the "Big Four" event, also featuring ANTHRAX, MEGADETH and SLAYER.

The similarly named Desert Trip festival was held in 2016 and featured performances by THE ROLLING STONES, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters and THE WHO. That event was reportedly the single most lucrative music festival in American history, having grossed $160 million.

This unique night-time desert setting with unmatched concert production will amplify the experience beyond the traditional stadium or parking lot concert norm with three double-billed headlining performances. This is the most rocking lineup to ever perform in an unparalleled location for heavy music audiences looking for an unforgettable weekend escape.

Three-day General Admission tickets start at $599 plus fees, or turn the volume up with The Pit, Reserved Floor, Grandstand Seating options, and various VIP packages. More information is available on powertrip.live.

According to BBC News, a LED ZEPPELIN "Houses Of The Holy" album sleeve signed by all four members of the band has sold for £15,000 (approximately $18,935) at auction.

The cardboard sleeve, which does not contain the actual record, was expected to sell for between £1,200 and £1,800.

LED ZEPPELIN items signed by all members of the group are rare because drummer John Bonham died in 1980 at the age of 32. It is believed that there are less than 30 albums signed by all four members in existence.

The original owner of the "Houses Of The Holy" sleeve procured the signatures during a chance encounter with the members of LED ZEPPELIN at Gatwick Airport in 1977, when they were returning to the U.K. from a tour of America.

Andrew Smith, music and memorabilia specialist at Gildings Auctioneers in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, said: "We were thrilled to achieve this astonishing result for this set of LED ZEPPELIN autographs 50 years on from the original release of 'Houses Of The Holy'.

"Thanks to the extreme rarity of full sets of the band's signatures, this album cover represented a holy grail for collectors determined to own a very special piece of music memorabilia.

"The bidding did become more hesitant after hitting the £10,000 mark, but in the end a telephone bidder triumphed over the fierce competition online."

He added: "This outstanding result is testament both to the value attached to fully signed LED ZEPPELIN memorabilia and the general strength of the market for autographed items.

"With this set of signatures coming from a chance meeting with the band members, it just goes to show that in this day and age if you spot a celebrity, you should ask for an autograph, not a selfie."

LED ZEPPELIN topped the charts again in 1973 with "Houses Of The Holy", which features legendary tracks such as "The Song Remains The Same" and "No Quarter" while also showcasing the continuing evolution of the band's signature sound with the reggae-tinged "D'yer Mak'er" and the funk jam "The Crunge". The album has been certified diamond by the RIAA for sales of over 11 million copies.

In 1968, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant formed LED ZEPPELIN, one of the most influential, innovative and successful groups in modern music, having sold more than 300 million albums worldwide. The band rose from the ashes of THE YARDBIRDS, when Page brought in Plant, Bonham and Jones to tour as THE NEW YARDBIRDS. In 1969, LED ZEPPELIN released its self-titled debut. It marked the beginning of a 12-year reign, during which the group was widely considered to be the biggest and most innovative rock band in the world.

LED ZEPPELIN continues to be honored for its pivotal role in music history. The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1995, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and a year later was awarded with the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm. Founding members Jones, Page and Plant — along with Jason Bonham, the son of John Bonham — took the stage at London's O2 Arena in 2007 to headline a tribute concert for Ahmet Ertegun, a dear friend and Atlantic Records' founder. The band was honored for its lifetime contribution to American culture at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012. In January of 2014, the band won their first-ever Grammy Award as "Celebration Day", which captured their live performance at the Ertegun tribute concert, was named Best Rock Album.

In a recent interview with "Soundcheck" host Jen Eckert, SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan discussed the impact the Internet and social media have had on the evolution of rock music over the decades. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've faced a sort of economic, cultural change with music going digital that really changed the unbroken narrative for about a hundred years of how people released and consumed music. And the fact that catalogs are more present with the click of a button, I think, puts bands in a different situation as far as how to reach an audience. So I think there's less emphasis in rock on innovation and more on sort of keeping your spot — my own band aside, where we've kind of pushed to continually innovate, even at the dismay of our fans. So it's hard to say. Yeah, it hasn't really evolved the way it would've, but that would've required a different world. And, obviously, when the Internet became the thing, when digital media became the thing, it changed everything — it changed journalism, it changed politics. So it's to be expected."

He continued: "When the alternative thing started, it was kind of very much from the underground. So the first wave of it was, like, 'Who's in? Who's out?' And then there seemed to come this second wave. And we, as the first wave, kind of looked around and said, 'Who are all these other bands and where are they coming from?' Of course, it was a generational moment and it was to be expected, but at the time it seemed like a bunch of people jumped into grunge, flannel shirts and suddenly everybody's rocking out and kind of doing what we were doing only a few years before. So we treated, I think, people in that second and third wave as sort of interlopers."

SMASHING PUMPKINS' North American "The World Is A Vampire" tour kicked off in late June in Las Vegas. Produced by Live Nation, the 27-date trek features special guests INTERPOL, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and RIVAL SONS as support on various dates, as well as some of the world's biggest champions from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA),who are competing in most cities.

The sequel to 1995's "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" and 2000's "Machina/Machine Of God", SMASHING PUMPKINS' critically acclaimed trilogy album "Atum"features 33 tracks in three acts and was written and produced by Corgan over the past four years.

When SMASHING PUMPKINS first emerged out of Chicago in 1988, the world had never heard a band quite like them. They spun together rock, pop, shoe-gaze, metal, goth, psychedelia, and electronic into a kaleidoscope of saccharine melodies, fuzzy distortion, bombastic orchestration, incendiary fretwork, eloquent songcraft, and unshakable hooks. Upon their formation, their sound was different, iconoclastic, and wholly new — and it still is today. As a result, they've sold over 30 million albums worldwide and collected two Grammy Awards, two MTV VMAs, and an American Music Award. Their catalog is highlighted by the platinum "Gish" (1991),the quadruple-platinum "Siamese Dream" (1993),diamond-certified "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" (1995),platinum "Adore" (1998) and gold "Machina/The Machines Of God" (2000). In 2018, they embarked on one of their most successful tours ever, the "Shiny And Oh So Bright" tour.

On August 13th, Finnish goth rockers, The 69 Eyes, performed at the 2023 edition M'era Luna Festival in Hildesheim, Germany. You can now watch professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set, courtesy of ARTE Concert.


Setlist:


"Devils"
"Feel Berlin"
"Betty Blue"
"Drive"
"Gothic Girl"
"Never Say Die"
"Brandon Lee"
"Dance D'Amour"
"Lost Boys"







The 69 Eyes are setting the scene alight with another high-profile hit, hot on the heels of their gothabilly transformation of The Cramps’ “Aloha From Hell”. Their latest release comes just in time to bring the summer heat, as they roar to the forefront with a fiery rendition of Rammstein's explosive hit, "Feuer Frei!" This scorching track was originally released as the fifth single from the German industrial giants’ third album, Mutter, which debuted on April 2, 2001, and has since sold nearly 1.7 million records worldwide. On August 9, 2002, “Feuer Frei!” made its film debut in the Rob Cohen action feature, xXx, starring Vin Diesel, and can be heard in its near entirety at the beginning of the film, which takes place at a Rammstein concert.


Never ones to be outdone, however, The 69 Eyes have released their own cinematic companion to the track in the form of an official music video. Directed by the acclaimed Vicente Cordero, this riveting display of pyromania-filled foreplay, courtesy of fire performers IvorySith & Kay Von Kola, perfectly captures the essence of the band’s eternally debonair rock ‘n’ roll flair, while simultaneously increasing the piston pressure of the original.





Musically, The 69 Eyes’ rendition of “Feuer Frei!” acts as a sonic reflection of the incendiary imagery burning through the screen, complete with a seamless blend of goth, rock, and industrial elements, no doubt bound to resonate with both The 69 Eyes' fervent fanbase and Rammstein enthusiasts alike.


Speaking to the impassioned demand for this very crossover, lead singer Jyrki 69 exclaims, “The 69 Eyes has been asked to cover Rammstein for decades. Now we finally did it!”


Watch the video below, and stream/download the single here.

In a new interview with May The Rock Be With You, LIVING COLOUR singer Corey Glover was asked if fans can expect the follow-up to 2017's "Shade" album at some point in the not-too-distant future. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I like to hope so. We really, really take our time making records, because when you have musicians of the caliber of Vernon [Reid, guitar] and Will [Calhoun, drums] and Doug [Wimbish, bass] — and myself, I guess — we get kind of precious about our thing. We want it to be right. We want it to be exactly the way we want it to be as it occurs, what it is and how it is. So it takes a minute."

He continued: "Making records is simpler technically, but a lot more difficult in terms of living your life. We're a lot older. We've got a lot more responsibilities. We've got kids. We've got college. We've got high school. You've got all this other stuff that you gotta think about — and write a song. [Laughs] So it's a two-sided coin in terms of having the wherewithal to make music and live the rest of your life."

Asked what the process is like writing music in 2023 compared to, say, 1988, Corey said: "Well, you can get the information out to people a lot quicker. You can say, 'I've got this groove.' Back in the day, you played it on the phone or you made a recording, and then you physically brought it to them. Now I can hum a thing on my phone and say, 'Here. I'm sending this to you. What can you do with this?' And then they send me something back, and we can go back and forth with that in real time as it occurs. And that makes the process that much simpler."

In June 2020, LIVING COLOUR released a video for its classic song "This Is The Life" featuring footage of the peaceful protests that swelled across the U.S. and around the world over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. The original version of "This Is The Life" appeared on LIVING COLOUR's 1990 album "Time's Up".

"Shade" was released in September 2017 via Megaforce Records.

Glover's side projects in recent years have included some acting, touring as a member of jam band GALACTIC and, more recently, forming the jazz-rock supergroup ULTRAPHONIX with legendary DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch. Reid, for his part, has released solo albums and been involved in side projects with Masque and YOHIMBE BROTHERS; collaborated with Mick Jagger, Bill Frisell, Jack Bruce and Ronald Shannon Jackson, among many others; produced albums for Salif Keita and James Blood Ulmer; and composed film scores.

In a new interview with Pod Scum, SICK OF IT ALL frontman Lou Koller was asked if he thinks he and his bandmates will release their follow-up to 2018's "Wake The Sleeping Dragon!" album sometime in early 2024. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I wish we had put it out this year — worked on it over COVID and put it out this year — because 2024 is the 30th anniversary of [our third album] 'Scratch The Surface'. So now some festivals are asking us just to come and play 'Scratch The Surface', which is great, but I don't like doing that if we have a new record out. We did it once in Texas for the Fun Fun Fun Fest. I think it was, like, the 20th anniversary of 'Scratch The Surface' and the 25th anniversary of our first album, so we did a combination of those two records. But we had a new album out at the time. I'd rather play a set mix of everything."

Three years ago, Lou was asked by Kerrang! magazine which SICK OF IT ALL album he thinks best captures the band's appeal. He said: "If I had to choose one, I'd say [2006's] 'Death To Tyrants'. It was like a rebirth for us. We always feel like we have this two-year curse, though. We write an album, we tour the shit out of it for two years and nobody reacts to the new songs so we drop them from the set. Then when we come back around next time, people start calling out for songs that we wrote two years before. I guess that's why we have to keep going."

"Wake The Sleeping Dragon!" was released in November 2018 via Century Media. The follow-up to 2014's "The Last Act Of Defiance" was produced by Jerry Farley (EVERY TIME I DIE, DEMON HUNTER) over a two-and-a-half-week period at Nova Studios in Staten Island, New York and was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (MESHUGGAH, THE HAUNTED, MADBALL). The cover artwork was created by Ernie Parada.

"Wake The Sleeping Dragon!" featured guest appearances by RISE AGAINST vocalist/guitarist Tim McIlrath and HOT WATER MUSIC frontman Chuck Ragan.

On August 18th, Norwegian black metallers Abbath - featuring founding Immortal member Abbath Doom Occulta - performed at the 2023 edition of Germany's Summer Breeze festival. You can now watch professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set, courtesy of ARTE Concert.


Setlist:


"To War!"
"The Artifex"
"Dream Cull"
"Battalions" (I)
"Ashes Of The Damned"
"Hecate"
"Dread Reaver"
"Harvest Pyre"
"One By One" (Immortal)
"Winterbane"
"Endless"







Back in April, Immortal guitarist / vocalist Demonaz spoke with Finland's Chaoszine to discuss the band's new album, War Against All, his relationship with former members, and what lies ahead for the band. War Against All was released on May 26th via Nuclear Blast Records.


Demonaz on his current relationship with former Immortal members Abbath and Horgh:


"It's been some time (since I've seen them) but I think that's natural. They're busy with their stuff and I'm busy with my stuff. It's not like the old days where we were meeting up very often, but for me there's no bitterness. I've moved on and they've moved on. Abbath has said a lot of things (about a reunion) but I think he forgot to tell me (laughs)." 


Abbath left Immortal in March 2015 over a trademark dispute regading the band name. Horgh exited in August 2020 for the same reason. 

On September 2nd, Machine Head's Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern marked the 12th anniversary of  the band's Locust album during their Electric Happy Hour livestream with a ripping full album playthrough. Check it out below.


Setlist:


"I Am Hell"
"Be Still and Know"
"Locust"
"This is the End"
"Darkness Within"
"Pearls Before the Swine"
"Who We Are"
"The Sentinel (Judas Preist)
-------
"Wolves"
"Heavy Lies the Crown"
"Game Over"
"Psychotic"
"Slanderous"
"F*ck It All"







Unto the Locust is Machine Head's seventh studio album, released in September 2011. It was produced and mixed by Robb Flynn, and it was the band's highest charting album ever, charting at #22 on the Billboard 200, until their following release, Bloodstone & Diamonds, charted at #21.

On August 19th, German thrash legends, Tankard, performed at the 2023 edition of Germany's Summer Breeze festival. You can now watch professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set, courtesy of ARTE Concert.


Setlist:


"Rectifier"
"The Morning After"
"Ex-Fluencer"
"Rapid Fire"
"Rules For Fools"
"One Foot In The Grave"
"Chemical Invasion"
"Zombie Attack"
"Beerbarians"
"A Girl Called Cerveza"
"Freibier"
"(Empty) Tankard"







Metal titans Kreator recently announced the Klash Of The Ruhrpott festival – July 20th, 2024 at Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen. Featuring the long awaited union of Germany’s legendary Teutonic 4, completed by Sodom, Destruction and Tankard.


The one-day thrash extravaganza is a celebration of German metal, expected to welcome domestic and international fans for this once in a lifetime event!


 


Mille Petrozza (Kreator): 


"I’m so happy we have an opportunity to present this package in the best way possible! It’s going to be a really special day, full of love and respect…and the most extensive Kreator set ever…prepare for some deep cuts!"


Tom Angelripper (Sodom):


"I am very happy to finally be able to share the stage with my old companions and friends again. A meeting with these four fantastic bands cannot be surpassed in terms of cult status. It will be a very special event for us and our fans. Until then, please stay healthy and confident. See ya soon… Cheers."


Schmier (Destruction):


"Oh yes - we all have been waiting for this to happen, I am excited that it finally worked out! Hopefully this is the beginning of some more to come! We are super thrilled to be a part of this - thanks for the invitation Mille!"


Gerre (Tankard):


"Good things take time! Finally the 4 big will clash and thrash together. We feel very proud to be a part of this historical event!"


Tickets are available here.

In an interview with JJ's One Girl Band conducted at last month's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, DARK TRANQULLITY frontman Mikael Stanne was asked about possible lyrical concept for the band's upcoming follow-up to 2020's "Moment" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I haven't really gotten there yet. We're working on the music right now, and I have some ideas. So far the lyrics I've written — it's not a theme. It deals with all the frustration, but I don't know if I can tie it all together or if it's gonna be very separate. Let's see. Normally that's something that kind of either I decide on that theme before the album and then the rest comes naturally. But so far I haven't really decided on one. But we still have some time, and it's gonna work out."

He continued: "It's fun to be in this process where we are right now, where we have all the songs but they need to be kind of finalized and shaped into exactly what we want 'em to be and figure out the emotional kind of impact it needs to have and how it needs to feel for us and how we want it to feel when you're listening to it. So that's where we are right now. And part of that, for me, is to kind of find that right kind of way in, so to speak, lyrically, find a way to kind of enhance what the song makes me feel."

"Moment", which was released in November 2020, was recorded at Nacksving Studios and Rogue Music by Martin Brändström and then mixed/mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios.

This past July, guitarist Christopher Amott announced his departure from DARK TRANQUILLITY. He said in a statement that there was "no bad blood at all" between him and the other members of DARK TRANQUILLITY and explained that it was "time" for him to concentrate on some new music that he was "very proud of".

The 45-year-old Amott, who was a founding member of ARCH ENEMY, alongside his brother Michael Amott, officially joined DARK TRANQUILLITY in 2020 after previously being a member of the band's touring lineup since 2017.

A few hours later, DARK TRANQUILLITY issued the following statement regarding Amott's departure: "We are sad to announce that Chris Amott is leaving the band to pursue his own musical path. It has been an honor and a pleasure to play with him and we are parting amicably. To fill in for him in the near future we will have the awesome shredder Joey Concepcion joining us for the rest of the summer.

"Our mission stays the same - to explore this melancholy that neighbours to rage. A path forged by all members of DARK TRANQUILLITY - past and present. There may be some new faces on stage but in our extended family, much is the same. Niklas Sundin is still setting our visual tonality and Martin Henriksson is still our manager.

"Our next task will be to record our 13th album this fall. We are super excited about the material and can't wait to bring it to you."

Two years ago, DARK TRANQUILLITY parted ways with drummer Anders Jivarp and bassist Anders Iwers.

Jivarp was an original member of DARK TRANQUILLITY, having played on all of the band's releases to date. Iwers joined DARK TRANQUILLITY in 2016 and played on the group's last two albums, 2016's "Atoma" and 2020's "Moment".

Jivarp and Iwers were replaced on DARK TRANQUILLITY's recent tours by Joakim Strandberg Nilsson (IN MOURNING, WOLVES WITHIN) and Christian Jansson (GRAND CADAVER, PAGANDOM),respectively.