In a new interview with Czech Republic's Metalshop, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser spoke about the realities of post-pandemic touring, including increased travel expenses — gas, tour buses, hotels and flight costs. Asked if touring is "a problem" for bands like SEPULTURA nowadays, Andreas said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. We're here [in the Czech Republic]. [Laughs] Otherwise we wouldn't be here, right? I mean, we are managing to do a great tour. The shows are being sold out everywhere. The fans are really buying the merch and stuff to keep this flowing, and it's great. It feels that people wanna go out and really be a part of life, not being home and just, 'Ah, tomorrow I do this, tomorrow I do that.' No, it's now, now that life happens. So it's great. I cannot complain, man."

Kisser continued: "It was always hard to be on the road — always. It doesn't matter if you are [a bigger band] or [a smaller band], you have higher cost or less cost, but [it's] always a big challenge to put the rock and roll circus on the road. But we have an amazing crew, meaning amazing managers, a band that's really tight, fantastic fans that really keep this band alive. Fans that don't like to buy bootleg stuff — they buy the official stuff where the money goes at the right place; it comes to the band, it goes to the label, it goes to the manager. So we manage to make it happen. Without the fans, nothing will be possible. So we all have to thank them a lot."

Last month, Kisser confirmed to Oran O'Beirne of Bloodstock TV that he and his SEPULTURA bandmates have no plans to work on the follow-up to 2020's "Quadra" album in the coming months. "Next year we're gonna celebrate 40 years of a career, so the idea is to put out a live album," he explained. "We're actually recording everything right now; we're recording every show. It's great that nowadays, because of technology, we have this possibility, so we don't have really to be attached or limited to one or two gigs to record a live set. So the idea is really to collect recordings from all over the world and prepare a really nice celebration release of our history, of our music. So, new songs or a new album, I don't even see happening in the [near future]."

Elaborating on how SEPULTURA is going about putting together the material for the upcoming live album, Andreas said: "I'm trying to be as much organized as I can. We have this Dropbox file with all the music. I have an Excel file with all the dates and all the songs. When you have the songs fresh in your mind, you make some notes — 'Oh, broken string here,' 'Shitty sound there,' or whatever. So at least we have a kind of a map where to start.

"It's exciting," he continued. "I mean, SEPULTURA doesn't have a proper live album per se. We have DVDs, we have the Barcelona stuff [1992's 'Under Siege (Live In Barcelona)'], which is very old. But I think it's a tradition of — when I grew up, my favorite albums were all live albums: 'No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith' [from MOTÖRHEAD], 'Alive I' and 'II' from KISS, THIN LIZZY — you name it. Many great albums. 'Made In Japan' [from DEEP PURPLE]."

When O'Beirne noted that not many bands release live albums nowadays, Kisser said: "You know why? Because the thing of the image of the YouTube, whatever, it kind of killed that. We are all from Brazil. We didn't see any of the shows [back in the 1980s], and to have a live album and to dream about to be there, to listen to the people screaming, it created this atmosphere for us. That's what we wanna try to do. Vinyl is back, [so we wanna] do a really nice package with a lot of photos and really show where we. I mean, we go everywhere in the world. We visited 80 countries so far [in] almost 40 years of a career. And now at the end of September, we go to Singapore for the first time. Still a first after so long. So it's exciting. It's great."

SEPULTURA's previous live albums include 2002's "Under A Pale Grey Sky", 2005's "Live In São Paulo" and 2014's "Metal Veins - Alive In Rock In Rio".

SEPULTURA comprises Kisser, singer Derrick Green, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

SEPULTURA was formed in 1984 in Belo Horizonte, the capital city of Minas Gerais. Guitarist Jairo Guedz joined the group the following year and played on the band's first two releases, 1985's "Bestial Devastation" EP and their 1986 full-length debut, "Morbid Visions". He also participated in the early songwriting sessions for 1987's "Schizophrenia".

In early 1987, Jairo quit SEPULTURA and was replaced by São Paulo-based guitarist Kisser.

In 1996, Max exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band split with Max's wife Gloria as their manager.

Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January 2006).

Country and hard rock collide during Carrie's Octane Invasion, an exclusive crossover special featuring Carrie Underwood and hosted by Jose "Metal Ambassador" Mangin on SiriusXM's Carrie's Country and Octane channels.

The special includes Carrie and Jose's backstage conversation from the country-pop superstar's concert with GUNS N' ROSES in Nashville, where they shared their love of rock and went through all of Carrie's favorites — including DISTURBED, I PREVAIL, KORN and more.

Regarding how she became a fan of some of the aforementioned bands, Carrie, who was born on March 10, 1983 in Checotah, Oklahoma, said: "I remember going to big rock festivals in Tulsa and kind of being exposed to bands like SLIPKNOT and people like that. So it was just a really great time in music. I feel like the late '90s [and] early 2000s was just a fun time in rock music."

Carrie's Octane Invasion will air on September 5 at 8 p.m. ET on Carrie's Country (Ch. 60) and Octane (Ch. 37). The special will also be available on the SiriusXM app.

Carrie's Octane Invasion comes about three months after Carrie launched her SiriusXM channel Carrie's Country. The channel is a musical journey hand-crafted by country's iconic rhinestoned superstar. Carrie highlights her friends, favorites, and influences — new and classic country, workout hits, gospel, and beyond. Listeners can also hear high-octane favorites from classic to hard rock for your morning exercise or your late-night jam sessions. The stories behind her music, record-breaking career, and life on the road are also shared. In addition to Carrie's own extensive hit-filled catalogue, SiriusXM subscribers can hear music from Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert to AC/DC, GUNS N' ROSES and THE ROLLING STONES.

As her recent shows as the support act for GUNS N' ROSES, Carrie has been performing a cover of MOTÖRHEAD's classic "Ace Of Spades".

Underwood first sang "Ace Of Spades" at the first GN'R support gig on August 5 in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Her 18-song concert also included her renditions of such iconic rock hits as Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation", Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", THE ROLLING STONES' "Wild Horses", HEART's "Alone" and LED ZEPPELIN's "Rock And Roll".

Carrie previously used "Ace Of Spades" as the hype anthem and the tune that played prior to her taking the stage on her headlining "Denim & Rhinestones" tour earlier this year.

Underwood's love for rock music has been well-documented, having previously joined GUNS N' ROSES on stage during the band's 2022 concert at London, England's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. She also released her version of Ozzy Osbourne's "Mama, I'm Comin' Home" for Apple Music Sessions, a live performance series launched by the tech giant.

Carrie said in a 2014 interview that late QUEEN frontman Freddie Mercury was high on her list of first loves.

"I've always been a huge fan and lover of Freddie Mercury," she said. "I would listen to him when I was a kid. He could do so many amazing things with his voice. People like that — who had incredible voices — I was always drawn to. I would want to try to do what they do. They were my teachers."

She also said that if you scrolled through her iPod, you'd find some really hard rock music, like MUDVAYNE.

"When I work out, I like to listen to things that are really angry," she said. "I couldn't do it on a daily basis or driving in my car. I think that would be kind of weird."

When I PREVAIL took to Twitter in September 2022 and shared about the band's third studio album, "True Power", "One month of 'TRUE POWER'. 56M streams. All thanks to you." Underwood replied to the tweet with, "I think I was a large number of them!" She also added a "face with tears of joy" emoji.

This past February, several members of I PREVAIL attended Underwood's concert at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, with the singer later writing on social media: "I was so excited to have the guys from @iprevailband at the show last night in Michigan!!! I tried to play it cool and not fangirl too much! Super great guys!!! I'm hoping I get to catch one of their shows this year!!!"

In the comments section below Underwood's Instagram post, I PREVAIL vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe wrote: "There was an equal amount of fangirling haha. Thanks again for having us out! Show was incredible." Meanwhile, I PREVAIL co-vocalist Brian Burkheiser wrote: "Thank you for an incredible night!!!"

The Loss Of Beauty is Shores Of Null’s fourth album and follows the acclaimed Beyond The Shores (On Death And Dying), unanimously considered by fans and critics as one of the doom metal gems of recent years. The lyrics celebrate beauty in imperfection and transience and are meant to be an invitation to seek beauty in little things, especially those unexpected and ephemeral. 


Today, the band presents their latest music video in support of this release, “Darkness Won't Take Me”, which vocalist Davide Straccione details:


“While I was collecting ideas for the album’s lyrics, I remember having a chat with Martina of Sanda Movies about possible topics, starting from visual ideas. Martina knows us very well, in fact, she contributed since our first album to create our visual identity through the videos she made for us. She showed me a painting by the Italian artist Verdirosi, portraying an old man, tired and hunchback, pulling a barrow with the grim reaper patiently sitting on it, and immediately connected with that vision. I imagined a man that had lived his life to the fullest, his time has come but he’s holding back death for a little longer ‘cause he’s so attached to life. He will leave this world on his own terms, and without regrets.”







The band goes on to share that stylistically, The Loss Of Beauty continues along the sulcus set forth by Quiescence and Black Drapes For Tomorrow, its melancholic dark metal with a wide range of influences, from gothic metal to doom metal and melodic black/death metal, with frequent use of vocal harmonies and deep growls. The lyrics celebrate beauty in imperfection and transience and are meant to be an invitation to seek beauty in little things, especially those unexpected and ephemeral.


The album consists of 13 songs, while the LP version only contains 11, the two extra tracks are bonus tracks that can be found on the CD version as well as on the streaming platforms. Dark and heavy, tinged with feelings of despair and melancholy, The Loss Of Beauty was released on March 24, 2023, and is recommended for fans of Swallow The Sun, Borknagar, and Paradise Lost. Order The Loss Beauty this location.





In additional news, the band will perform at various European Festivals this coming fall along with plans for an Italian Winter Tour to be announced at a later date.


Dates:


September
9 – Rieti, Italy – Summer Metal Festival
30 – Bucharest, Romania – Metal Gates


November
4 – Helsinki, Finland – Fall Fest


December
9 – Pescara, Italy – Scumm


January 
13 – Bari, Italy – Metal Symposium


March
1 – Torino, Italy – Ziggy
2 – Mantova, Italy – The Academy
15 – Perugia, Italy – Rework
16 – Milano, Italy – Slaughter 

Canadian sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD celebrated 40 eventful years of existence in 2023 with a special anniversary studio album titled "Morgöth Tales", which was released on July 21 via Century Media Records. The LP's latest single is "Fix My Heart (2023 Version)", accompanied by a video directed by Above The Void.

VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain comments on the new single: "It's always the highlight of our live show when the audience claps with big smiles all round. To me it's about keeping hope and focus towards a better future, moving on, leaving the past behind and exploring new worlds within. 'I'm not afraid to live'."

Once more recorded and mixed by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio, mastered by Maor Appelbaum and produced by VOIVOD, "Morgöth Tales" includes fresh studio re-recordings by the band's current lineup of nine especially selected, not-so-obvious picks from the band's hyper-classy and extremely diverse back catalogue (between 1984 and 2003) as well as a brand-new song and the album's title track, "Morgöth Tales".

VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin comments: "'Morgöth Tales' covers 40 years of space exploration.

"It was really exciting for us to revisit a more obscure part of the VOIVOD catalogue, from thrash-punk to prog-metal.

"The title track is a new song, which we started writing on the tour bus and hotels during the OPETH European tour in November/December 2022. It has the vibe of the experimental music we are doing nowadays, with a new twist I think. We also had the great thrill of getting Eric [Forrest] and Jason [Newsted] involved on this album.

"I hope you'll dig it. Chewy, Rocky, Snake and I certainly had a blast recording it. All aboard and ready for take off!"

"Morgöth Tales" track listing:

01. Condemned To The Gallows (2023 Version) [originally on "Metal Massacre V" compilation, 1984]
02. Thrashing Rage (2023 Version) [originally on "Rrröööaaarrr", 1986]
03. Killing Technology (2023 Version) [originally on "Killing Technology", 1987]
04. Macrosolutions To Megaproblems (2023 Version) [originally on "Dimension Hatröss", 1988]
05. Pre-Ignition (2023 Version) [originally on "Nothingface", 1989]
06. Nuage Fractal (2023 Version) [originally on "Angel Rat", 1991]
07. Fix My Heart (2023 Version) [originally on "The Outer Limits", 1993]
08. Rise (2023 Version, feat. Eric Forrest) [originally on "Phobos", 1997]
09. Rebel Robot (2023 Version, feat. Jason Newsted) [originally on "Voivod", 2003]
10. Morgöth Tales [New Song]

VOIVOD vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger spoke about "Morgöth Tales" in an interview with Agoraphobic News. He said: "It was a really fun thing to do. It was like a time capsule, going back in time [to] revisit these old songs, especially one in particular, which was first song we ever recorded ['Condemned To The Gallows']; that was for 'Metal Massacre V' [1984] on Metal Blade Records back in the day, before our first album. And the funny thing about it was there was no lyric sheet in the compilation itself. It was us, including many other bands. And the way it was recorded, it was really hard to figure out the lyrics; I couldn't remember what I was singing. So we're looking everywhere on the Internet, if someone has it or whatever. And it was nowhere [to be] found. And then I said to myself, 'Maybe mom has it in the attic somewhere.' And then I called my sister: 'Can you check at mom's place? Maybe she put it somewhere.' And she went, and my mom classified — everything is in order with mom. And she was, like, 'Yeah, yeah, I have it. File number six.' And then she pulls out the only copy of the lyrics in the world of that song.' And we were, like, 'Yeah!' 'Cause [music for] the song was already recorded. And we were, like, 'Oh my God. What are we gonna do?'"

VOIVOD is a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Québec. Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s. Starting out as a speed metal band, VOIVOD have added a mix of progressive metal and thrash metal to create their own unique metal style, and are credited as one of the "big four" Canadian thrash metal bands, along with SACRIFICE, RAZOR and ANNIHILATOR. They are considered by many as one of the most influential metal bands from the '80s, influencing and gaining praise from multiple bands and across numerous genres.

VOIVOD found mainstream success in the late 1980s with their fifth studio album, "Nothingface" (1989),which is the band's only album to enter The Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 114.

Last November, VOIVOD released an EP, "Ultraman", via Century Media Records. The effort featured a highly original tribute to the "Ultraman" TV series theme as well as previously unreleased bonus live cuts, available both as a 12-inch vinyl EP or as a digital EP.

VOIVOD's 15th studio album, "Synchro Anarchy", was released in February 2022 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2018's "The Wake" was produced by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio and features cover artwork created by drummer Michel Langevin (a.k.a. Away).

Photo credit: Catherine Deslauriers

Wisconsin, US-based doom-death masters, Dusk, will release their new album, Dissolve Into Ash, later this year. It will be the band’s first full-length album in 28 years, following on from the debut, ...Majestic Thou In Ruin, which was originally released in 1995.





Dissolve Into Ash will be released in late 2023 via Dark Symphonies / The Crypt Vinyl on CD and vinyl and on tape via Dread Records. The release will be distributed through Dark Descent Records. The album was produced by David Pietila at SourceTrack Studio.




With Dissolve Into Ash, Dusk tried to stay true to their old-school death-doom roots, since not having recorded a full-length since 1995, and at the same time ushering in a new modern version of the band. Fans of old school and new fans who never heard of Dusk should be pleased with the result.


Regarding the background of the new album, the band commented: “Birthed out of the Covid pandemic, the inspiration of the material for this release was an overall sadness. The purpose of this album is to somehow musically equate the overall demise of mankind; an almost apocalyptic/end days atomosphere. The title Dissolve into Ash was derived from an ancient Latin funeral dirge entitled “Dies Irae”.  


“The section of the chant focused on is translated into English as: “The Day of Wrath,
that Day Will Dissolve the World in Ashes
How great will be the Quaking  
When the Judge is about to Come


“This verse contains the overall feeling of being overwhelmed by this life and the mental torment that exists during these times. This is the darkest album that Dusk has ever recorded. Exploring the deepest depressive depths of the soul.”


Live dates:


September
9 - Farmageddon III at The Brodazoffa - Kaukauna, WI


November
11 - Wisconsin Doomed and Stoned Fest at Badger State Brewing Company - Green Bay, WI
17 - Nightmare in November Fest at 58 Below - Kenosha, WI


More shows in the US and abroad TBC.

Canada’s new power thrash metal gods, Triskelyon, will be unleashing their sophomore album, Artificial Insanity - mixed and mastered by Michael Small (Winterhearth, Triskelyon, Artach -  on September 8th via Moribund Records.


The band has unveiled their next single, "At War With Demons", featuring vocals from Cara McCutchen (Mortillery, Naitaka), which can be viewed below. 


Guitarist Geoff Waye adds about the single:




"The title 'At War With Demons' was fashioned as a nod to the legendary 'At War With Satan' by the mighty Venom. However, that's precisely where the similarity ends. This track stands as one of the heavier offerings on the album, a direct and succinct thrasher that strikes at the heart with its intent. Its lyrics are fundamentally centered around the theme of war. On vocals for this one is the remarkable Cara McCutchen, whose vocal prowess I had become acquainted with through her contributions to Mortillery. Presently, she fronts the Canadian ensemble Naitaka. Her vocal range is remarkably versatile, spanning from piercing screams to unrelenting brutality. Undoubtedly, her band is fortunate to have her as their vocalist."





Founded in 2021 by guitarist Geoff Waye, of the popular true metal band Category VI, Triskelyon released one self-titled EP and was promptly signed to Moribund Records for their radio chart-topping debut album, Downfall (2022).


With Artificial Insanity, Triskelyon returns with a varied yet blistering thrash/power metal classic, bringing back the 1980’s glory days, while maintaining a fresh and modern sound. To close the album Triskelyon surprises all with an incredible female-fronted power metal rendition of the hit song, "It Doesn't Really Matter", by Canadian rockers Platinum Blonde.


Guitarist and band leader Geoff Waye has enlisted the following talent from (mostly) the vast Canadian metal scene to realize his vision this time around:


Guest Vocalists:
Amanda Jackman (Category VI)
Armin Kamal (Infrared)
Cara McCutchen (Mortillery, Naitaka)
Dale Drew (Sea Dogs)
Des Mason
Ellim
Pete Healey
Raúl Álvarez (Dark Order)
Tim Tymo (Tymo).


Percussion:
Raul Marques (Burning Torment)
Alexander Raykov


Bass:
Dwayne Pike
Keith Jackman (Category VI)
Darrin Pope





Tracklist:


"Tektyranny"
"At War With Demons"
"Bringers of Chaos"
"Is Hope Still Alive?"
"Obsolescence"
"One Blood"
"Visionaries"
"Beyond The Past"
"Celtic Creatures"
"Why Burn?"
"It Doesn't Really Matter" (Platinum Blonde)


"Visionairies"





"Tektyranny"

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.