During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Metallica Report", the recently launched podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA, Lars Ulrich was asked which drummers he is listening to right now. The METALLICA co-founder responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm going through a BLUE ÖYSTER CULT phase right now. What happens to me is I get into different stuff of different artists at different times, and right now my go-to early BLUE ÖYSTER CULT record has been 'Secret Treaties' [1974] for years, and I just, in the last week or two, have been digging into 'Tyranny And Mutation' [1973], which has got 'Hot Rails To Hell', '7 Screaming Diz-Busters', 'The Red & The Black'. So I'll have to say Albert Bouchard, who's the drummer and one of the primary songwriters in BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, and he actually sings lead on a bunch of the songs. He was actually one of the first singing drummers. So my tip to you would be go check out some of the early BLUE ÖYSTER CULT records. Get into a little 'Tyranny And Mutation'. But the fallback early BLUE ÖYSTER CULT album is always 'Secret Treaties' with 'ME 262', 'Dominance And Submission', 'Career Of Evil', 'Harvester Of Eyes', 'Subhuman'."

Back in 2016, Ulrich, who has gotten a lot of flak over the years from people who accused him of being a poor drummer, told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast that he went through a period in the mid-1980s "that probably culminated in the '[…And] Justice [For All]' album where I felt sort of compelled to try to show ability."

According to Lars, part of the reason for him feeling insecure about his abilities was the increased competition from some of his peers.

"Listen, when you've got Dave Lombardo and Charlie Benante breathing down your back, it was, like, 'Okay, I've gotta…' I tried to step it up a little bit and tried to do my own thing and do all this crazy shit," he said. "I was trying really hard to push the drums kind of into the foreground. And then, after like a year or two of that, I was, like, 'Okay. Seriously? Just do your thing. Chill out. Support the riffs. Do what's best for the song.' So since around I guess the late '80s — so I guess it's been, like, 25 years now — the only thing that's really interested me is just doing the best thing for the song."

Asked in a 2008 interview with U.K.'s Rhythm magazine if he was troubled by the fact that he's gotten a lot of flak over the years from people who accused him of being a poor drummer, Lars said: "It used to, back in the day — and I spent a lot of time overcompensating for that on the early records. But then you wake up one day and you're like, whatever. It hasn't bothered me for [many] years. I'm no Joey Jordison, I'm no Mike Portnoy, and I have nothing but love and respect and admiration for all those guys. When I hear some of the young dudes, they blow my mind with what they can do with their feet and stuff — but it's not something that makes me go, 'I need to feel better about myself so I'm gonna learn how to do what they do with my feet.' I'm not a particularly accomplished drummer but I am very, very, very good at understanding the role of the drums next to James Hetfield's rhythm guitar. I guarantee you I'm the best guy in the world for that, and that's enough for me!"

Ulrich stated about his playing ability in a 2012 interview with DRUM! magazine: "I usually feel like I've regressed. [Laughs] I'm like, 'Why can't I do that anymore?'" He continued: "I can't say that I necessarily sit down to practice, like, 'I'm going to play and practice so I can get better.' What happens is that I just sit down and kind of play to just more stay in shape."

Ulrich added: "You know, METALLICA was up to two or three months off [in 2011], and I would sit down, I have an iPod next to my drums so I can play along to all kind of crazy stuff, and try to see if I can land in the same zip code of some of that stuff occasionally. But I can't say that I sit down to necessarily practice to sort of get better. For most of my stuff, it's about listening and about interpreting stuff that I'm listening to. So all the kind of sitting down and, you know, 'Now I'm going to do thirty-second-note paradiddles standing on my head — you know what I mean? I don't do that kind of stuff so much. For me it's more about the regimen of staying in shape, running every day, eating healthy, you know, being on top of that side of it."

In a new interview with Guitar Player magazine, QUEEN's Brian May spoke about the dangers of artificial intelligence as it relates to creating music. He said: "My major concern with it now is in the artistic area. I think by this time next year the landscape will be completely different. We won't know which way is up. We won't know what's been created by AI and what's been created by humans. Everything is going to get very blurred and very confusing, and I think we might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene. I really think it could be that serious, and that doesn't fill me with joy. It makes me feel apprehensive, and I'm preparing to feel sad about this.

"I think a lot of great stuff will come from AI, because it is going to increase the powers of humans to solve problems," he continued. "But the potential for AI to cause evil is, obviously, incredibly huge — not just in music, 'cause nobody dies in music, but people can die if AI gets involved in politics and world domination for various nations. I think the whole thing is massively scary. It's much more far-reaching than anybody realized — well, certainly than I realized."

May is not the only rock musician who has expressed his concern and/or excitement about the potential risks, challenges and benefits associated with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. During a recent appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored", KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked if he is "excited or worried about artificial intelligence, particularly [as it relates to] the music business." He responded: "Music business aside, I am concerned about the lack of legislation. When you enter a new, let's say a new planet, you're about to land on a new [planet], well, clearly there's opportunity there, there are minerals and things — all kinds of opportunities. Without rules of the game… It's like playing sports without rules. Who's gonna do what? You need some rules that are kind and beneficial to mankind, womankind, transkind, all kinds of kinds. Okay, does that cover everybody?"

He continued: "The problem with AI is not… AI is here, whether you like it or not. So let's look at it smartly and let's pass legislation. AI creates a song using my voice, or what sounds like my voice, with a new song, and it sounds just like me and it definitely sounds like that kind of a thing. So when you buy it, who owns the copyright and the publishing, if AI did that? So, is it me, because it sounds like me? You could swear it was me. So these are uncharted [territories]."

Asked if he cares if AI uses his voice to create a new song, Gene said: "We can make a deal."

In a recent interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin said: "Technology, I will always try to use it as much as I can, [including] for my visuals and all that. AI videos, I'm jealous because it would take me three thousand years to do it frame by frame. But what I'm most afraid of, really, is AI controlling high-tech weaponry; that's my main fear. And it's funny because in the '70s, as a kid, I saw a movie called 'Colossus[: The Forbin Project]' about that — about a giant super computer in the USA teaming up with a giant super computer in Russia. They take control of the nuclear weapons and enslave humanity."

This past April, Universal Music had a song called "Heart On My Sleeve", which used deep-faked vocals from their artists Drake and The Weeknd, removed from the streaming services, claiming in a statement that "the training of generative AI using our artists' music" was "a violation of copyright law".

Pop singer Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, recently said she would "split 50% royalties on any successful AI-generated song that uses my voice". "Same deal as I would with any artist I collab[orate] with. Feel free to use my voice without penalty," she tweeted.

This past July, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. Shadows spoke about artificial intelligence during an appearance on an episode of Doc Coyle's (GOD FORBID, BAD WOLVES) "The Ex Man" podcast. He said in part: "I think when you look back at all the things of the past. If I had to be a 41-year-old singer right now thinking about the things of the past, of music, so many of my favorite artists slapped me in the face and challenged me with records. I had expectations, and then something came out that I was heartbroken; I couldn't believe it. And when I look back, I needed that, and I needed to be taught that. And I have so much respect for these artists that did that to me. There was a lot that gave me the same thing — the names escape me right now — but there was so many things that challenged me that broke my heart at the time. Like going from the first MR. BUNGLE record, and then going to 'Disco Volante', Mike Patton's not even singing; he's murmuring the whole time. And then they do 'California'… I remember Brian [Haner, Jr., a.k.a. AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Synyster Gates] was literally in a depression when that record came out because of how grand that first record was. And then it becomes your favorite thing 'cause you're, like, 'These motherfuckers are crazy. They don't care.'"

The singer, whose real name is Matt Sanders, continued: "But what I think is interesting about AI. 'Cause if you think of what AI is at this point, AI is an accumulation of everything it's known before. So if you were to say, 'Make an AVENGED SEVENFOLD song,' AI doesn't know how to go outside of the box and actually create what [we] would do. But it knows how to take what we've already done and mix and match it in a different way. So what I think is awesome is imagine you're, like, 'This new AVENGED record is trash. I fucking don't get it. I'm so over this crap they're trying to do. Give me a record like…' And then let AI make it. Then there you go — you've got your new AVENGED record. You have a mix and match of everything that we've done, but different choruses, different cool stuff. I think it could be really fucking interesting. And then the real guys like us, we kind of push forward on what we're doing. I think it's a fucking really weird future that we're in for, where people can just be, like, 'Eh, give me more of that.' So, who knows?"

In a May 2023 discussion on Decrypt's "gm" podcast about the music industry's reaction to a spate of AI songs trained on artists' voices, M. Shadows said that he was enthused about the possibilities, saying that "AI can be incredibly useful" for songwriters.

"If you're looking at purely this data brick of taking information and regurgitating it to us in some way, whether it's through music or art or novels, literature — whatever it is — you're basically taking everything humans have ever done or discovered and you're giving it to this thing that can distribute it to you quicker and in a different way, can mix it up and do it in a different way," he explained.

"I think if you actually look at music, most fans aren't mad that all the drums are already being resampled and replaced," he continued. "Pro Tools already will quantize your albums and make it perfect. You can Auto-Tune your voice to do all these other things. But for some reason, they have a problem… And by the way, if you think about it, how you write music, it's like you're going into your own database of 'I've listened to Bach, I've listened to The Weeknd, I've listened to Kanye, I've listened to all these things, and now I'm gonna regurgitate it in this way and spew out my own version of that.' AI can be incredibly useful if you have AI doing some of that work for you. 'Give me 20 versions of this chord change,' or, 'I wanna hear a different top line there,' and you take a little thing that interests you and you go somewhere with it. So now you're using AI to not only spark ideas but you're using it in a much quicker way to kind of get to some of these cool little nuggets of gold that you kind of are, like, 'Oh, that's cool. Let me see where I can take that.' So that's not really AI writing a song for you; it's kind of giving you this kind of jumping-off point of, 'Now where can I be creative with it?' And I think that will be the next step."

M. Shadows went on to say that AI also opens up the possibility of fans using the work of their favorite acts as a machine learning library to create their own songs.

"What I think is cool is that… Listen, there's a lot of fans that don't wanna hear new AVENGED SEVENFOLD," he said. "We're 40 years old now and we're going places that are much more eccentric than they want — some of 'em. They might want another version of 'Waking The Fallen' or 'City Of Evil', which are our old records. Now, what's wrong with someone throwing in a prompt and saying, 'Listen to these two records and send me a new record with 11 songs.' And if I was to give up my voice and say, 'Take my voice,' and AI create an album that kind of sounds like that. I think that's incredibly cool. I think it would be really cool if people can prompt their own versions of what AVENGED SEVENFOLD sounds like. You get the sounds you want, you get all these things, but now you're getting different versions of albums that you like. So I think there's something really cool there and nothing that crazy or wrong about it. I back it. I think it'd be cool. As a human, I'm gonna be going my own way and making my own stuff that I feel is kind of breaking the mold or pushing things forward. I'm giving the AI more data for the future, wherever I'm gonna take it. But I think it's kind of cool. And I would love to give up my voice to where people can create their own versions of our songs or whatever they feel would be cool."

In a new interview with Ruben Mosqueda of We Go To 11, METAL CHURCH guitarist and founding member Kurdt Vanderhoof spoke about his disdain for a lot of the newer extreme metal bands, particularly groups of the "darker metal" variety. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I hate it. I hate that black metal, Satanic, screamo stuff. It's garbage to me… I don't like black metal. I don't like any of that kind of stuff. I like the stuff that I initially liked. The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal stuff — I love that stuff. I don't listen to the new Satanic stuff at all."

When Mosqueda brought up British black metal pioneers VENOM as a band that had Satanic lyrics but that was "almost cartoony" in its delivery, Kurdt said: "They were awful. But they were funny. They made you laugh. You listen to the lyrics and you're, like, 'Yeah, right.' … It's not my bag — never has been."

METAL CHURCH made its live debut with the band's new vocalist Marc Lopes (ROSS THE BOSS, LET US PREY) on June 3 at the Legions Of Metal festival at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois.

Lopes joined METAL CHURCH in the summer of 2022 as the replacement for Mike Howe, who tragically passed away in July of 2021. The band's current lineup is rounded out by guitarist Rick Van Zandt, bassist Steve Unger and drummer Stet Howland.

Lopes's first studio album with METAL CHURCH, "Congregation Of Annihilation", came out on May 26 via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The LP was produced by Vanderhoof.

Howe was found dead at his home in Eureka, California in July 2021. According to TMZ, Howe's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept. told the site authorities are calling it a suicide. He was only 55 years old.

According to police, drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the death and no controlled substances or paraphernalia were located at the scene.

Howe, who fronted METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, officially rejoined the band in April 2015.

Howe is not the first singer of METAL CHURCH to die. David Wayne passed away in May 2005 from complications following a car crash. He was 47 years old.

Wayne sang on METAL CHURCH's first two classic offerings (1984's "Metal Church" and 1986's "The Dark") before leaving the group and being replaced by Howe.

In a new interview with Metal Hammer magazine, original JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing ruled out ever performing with his former band again. "No," he replied bluntly when asked about making another appearance with PRIEST. "Before I started [my new band] KK'S PRIEST, I asked if they'd consider me stepping back into my rightful place, because at one point they announced they were going out as a four-piece. I was expecting to be back in the band when there was an opening, or at least to be asked. But Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] and Ian [Hill, bassist] wrote through their lawyers saying a flat no, which made no sense, as I was there first. And Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer] left for 11 years, so how does he have the right to say 'I won't consider you rejoining'? I was instrumental in reinstating him into the band. Glenn wasn't interested in having Rob back; he wanted to keep Ripper [Tim Owens, who replaced Halford in PRIEST when the latter left in the early 1990s]. But I gave them one last chance, and I was, like, 'Are you sure? One day you might live to regret it.' Let's hope they don't."

Downing performed with PRIEST at last year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the November 2022 event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members that got inducted include current members Halford, Hill, Tipton and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, drummer Les Binks and late drummer Dave Holland.

Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and current guitarist Richie Faulkner for a three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

Faulkner, nearly three decades Downing's junior, joined PRIEST after K.K. left in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Last November, Halford was asked in an interview with the San Antonio Current if performing with Downing at the Rock Hall ceremony helped put aside some of the acrimony that K.K. has shown about not being in band for these last few tours. Halford responded: "I think we should let the music speak for itself, really, because as you'll see from the performance, you'll see that all of that other stuff is irrelevant. All the things that have been said and suggested just float off into the air. What matters is what's going down on that stage at that time you're performing together. And there he is on my right-hand side. It just felt like he was always there. Look behind me and there's [Les], and the memories just are overwhelming. But, more than that, you're focusing on the moment that you're back together again and playing live. It was really a whirlwind. We were in each other's company for a very, very short space of time. We had very little time to communicate. But for the purpose of the induction of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame together, it was absolutely crucial that K.K. and Les were there. They were inducted, they needed to be in the room. And more than that, we were thrilled that they took the opportunity to say, 'Yeah, we'll come and jam on stage again with you guys.'"

In a separate interview with Lauren "Lern" Elwell of the KSHE radio station, Halford said it was "good" performing with Downing and Binks at the Rock Hall. He added: "We hadn't seen [Downing] forever. And I've still yet to watch footage of that. All I remember is my brief interactions with K.K., because I'm always running around the stage like a mad drag queen. My interactions with Ken and with Les, it was great. It felt wonderful to have that moment together after such a long time. And that just shows you the power, the weight, the vibe that the Rock Hall suggests you try to attempt. Try and recapture something of the essence that it really part of why you're here, why you're being inducted. I was just so happy that Ken and Les showed up, because they needed to be there. It was entirely their choice, but I said it makes absolute sense if you're in the room and we're playing together. And we did, and it was magical."

OPETH leader Mikael Åkerfeldt has paid tribute to original WHITESNAKE guitarist Bernie Marsden following his death on August 24. He was 72 years old.

On August 30, Mikael took to OPETH's social media to write: "It's with great sadness we received the news of Bernie Marsden's passing. A superb and influential guitarist and a lovely bloke. We met a few times over the years, and we had the pleasure of dining (at length) with him during the NAMM music fair once. Fredrik [Åkesson, OPETH guitarist] and I were sat with him and some other artists at a private PRS guitars hosted dinner. PRS himself were sat opposite to me, and I had Fredrik to the left and Bernie to the right. Bernie was into some type of fruit punch, which I found amusing for some reason. He kept ordering them while the rest of us sat sipping some over-expensive wine I had ordered on Paul Reed Smith's tab. He didn't mind (I think!). Of course, I bombarded Bernie with questions about his career. Especially his WHITESNAKE days. A band I have loved since childhood. He didn't put himself on a pedestal at all but was instead very down to earth. A quite common thing for older rockers I must add, and it's always highly appreciated."

He continued: "Musically, Bernie did so much. Until recently, I didn't even know he was briefly in UFO! He's been a member of BABE RUTH and WILD TURKEY and he has played together with our very own Joakim Svalberg! As it turns out Bernie was also a avid record collector. A good trait for any human being.

"Once Bernie and I had gotten the niceties out of the way we dove straight into talking about rare pressings of BEATLES records and obscure progressive rock. I remember he was looking for a original UK copy of the first FREE LP, which I actually found and gave him. It was a good feeling giving something back to someone like him, who's been such an inspiring figure in our own musical ventures.

"Thank you, Bernie Marsden, for everything! In closing I'd like to give our most sincere condolences to Bernie's friends and family. He will be sorely missed."

Bernie's passing was confirmed by his family in a social media post on August 25. They wrote: "On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness we announce the death of Bernie Marsden. Bernie died peacefully on Thursday evening with his wife, Fran, and daughters, Charlotte and Olivia, by his side.

"Bernie never lost his passion for music, writing and recording new songs until the end."

WHITESNAKE singer David Coverdale shared a tribute to his former bandmate on social media.

"I've just woken up to the awful news that my old friend and former Snake Bernie Marsden has passed," he wrote. "My sincere thoughts and prayers to his beloved family, friends and fans. A genuinely funny, gifted man, whom I was honored to know and share a stage with."

Marsden was one of the U.K.'s foremost rock and blues guitarists, famous for his time in professional bands since 1972 and a founding member of one of the biggest rock acts of all time, the mighty WHITESNAKE.

But there was a lot more to this man, from his first band UFO to treading the boards of the National Theatre in London, on stage with Ringo Starr in Monaco, playing the Beacon Theatre in New York with THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, writing and playing with Joe Bonamassa and MOTÖRHEAD.

His long-term friendships with so many top names in the guitar business, Billy Gibbons, Steve Lukather, Warren Haynes, as well as rejoining the new WHITESNAKE lineup of recent years and a solo career kept him both on the road and in the studio. He became interested in guitars as a teenager watching THE BEATLES, his fascination continued to his final days. Bernie also developed one of the most unique and expansive private guitar collections in the world.

At a rough guesstimate, Marsden's name appears on a hundred albums — maybe more. In addition to a long-running solo career, the Buckinghamshire-born guitarist had been a recording musician since the early 1970s via membership of such groups as WHITESNAKE, UFO, WILD TURKEY, BABE RUTH, PAICE ASHTON & LORD, COZY POWELL'S HAMMER, ALASKA, M3 and many more. Though there's a tendency to pigeonhole him as a blues-rock guitarist, each of Marsden's acts had its own individual flavor.

In a March 2018 interview with Tigman of the Albany, New York radio station Q103, Marsden stated about his time with WHITESNAKE: "When I look back on it, it was very, very busy — very hectic. I mean, we were touring pretty much all the time, and then we would break specifically to make two records a year, which seems crazy these days, but that's the way it was. And if you look back, it didn't hurt anybody — the creative juices were still flowing, and we managed to write some pretty good material. And it all went very, very well for three or four years. And then we came to an end roundabout '82. David [Coverdale, WHITESNAKE mainman] relocated to America — he lives up in Nevada — and put the band back together in the mid-'80s, but with kind of an American lineup. And that's the band that re-recorded 'Here I Go Again', and the rest of that is kind of history, and [that song] has kind of become an American anthem."

As for what he thought about Coverdale re-recording some of the early WHITESNAKE material with later lineups, Bernie said: "It was four or five years between the two things, and there was no bitterness or anything, I was not thinking, 'Oh, man. That should be me.' I don't work like that. I could listen to WHITESNAKE roundabout the '87 period and onwards, and to this day, when I still play with them occasionally. When they come over to Europe, I very often get up on stage and guest with them. But it was a different band. I could listen to WHITESNAKE then as if it was JOURNEY or FOREIGNER or TOTO, you know what I mean? I liked what they were doing. It wasn't the kind of thing we were doing — it was slightly more adult-orientated rock rather than what I was doing, [which was] kind of blues rock. But a good song is a good song, and as long as you have good musicians, it's always gonna sound good."

It’s with great sadness we received the news of Bernie Marsden’s passing. A superb and influential guitarist and a...

Posted by Opeth on Wednesday, August 30, 2023

In a new interview with Australia's May The Rock Be With You, EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt discussed the overwhelmingly positive response to the band's latest album, "Six", in particular the song "Rise", which features a guitarist solo that Total Guitar magazine has called "one of the 21st century's finest". Nuno said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think we learned a lot of things with this album, especially the release of it. The response, to me, was not of the typical, 'Oh, great album' or 'great solo' to me. I think it was deeper than that.

"It made me realize how starved for rock and roll I think we all are. And when I say that, I don't mean that there isn't great bands out there now. I mean, even from our generation, more of an old-school kind of approach to making albums, not playlisting, like an album from top to bottom that you can put your headphones on and, and, and take a journey with it, or take a drive with it.

"I think the mythology of rock and roll was missing," Nuno continued. "It's not just the music; it's all of it. It's what bands wear. It's how passionate [they are]. It's watching a guitar player play a solo in a video that you're hearing it, but you're also feeling it and you're seeing the passion.

"Speaking in the genre that we're in, it's not a lot going on with a guy like myself that's kind of like the last of these guys that are playing in that pentatonic world of just being creative without… There's so many guitar players I watch now that I don't even know what the fuck they're doing. Half of the shit, the style of picking they're doing, mixing genres, mixing this, and it's so complex, as opposed to that straight [LED] ZEPPELIN, QUEEN, VAN HALEN, AEROSMITH thing, which is just… Hey, we're playing bar chords sometimes, for fuck's sake. And the solos are within that solo realm. And I think to be creative there, when you get it right, in that small world of rock and roll that isn't really complex… The word I use is 'simplexity'.

"I've always believed that rock and roll is not complex," Nuno added. "Rock, pop, reggae, all of it's been the same arrangements since I can remember. It's a verse, it's a chorus, another verse, a chorus, a bridge, we do a solo and then we go home, and there's an out chorus. But the what separated all the artists from each other was that even those arrangements were simple, the songs were pretty simple, the melodies were pretty simple, but when you went back and listened to it, there were complex layers in there that defined a QUEEN from a ZEPPELIN that you could peel back. Even within the simplicity of it, there was lyrics that were complex, some harmonies that were complex, a guitar solo, a rhythm player that was… But yet they were all doing it within a pop sort of place. And I think that's really difficult. I think it's easier to write a pop song, but to do a complex version of it that you can go in that can live for decades and people can go back and rediscover sounds and discover things they missed the first time, that's the art, I think, that's been missing a little bit, in the sense that I think maybe struck a chord with people, for real."

"Six" came out on June 9 via earMUSIC. "Six" landed at position No. 10 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart with first-week sales of 12,500 copies. The set marked the band's first studio album since 2008. The act was last in the Top 10 with "III Sides To Every Story", which debuted and peaked at No. 10 back in October 1992.

EXTREME's headlining "Thicker Than Blood" world tour kicked off on August 2. The trek will see the band appear across the U.S., Australia, Japan and Europe, including special guests LIVING COLOUR (U.S., Australia and U.K. only) and THE LAST INTERNATIONALE (Europe only).

In a recent interview with Tiago Ribeiro, Nuno stated about Six: "I would put our album up against anybody's album; I feel that confident. And I think the album itself — never mind me or EXTREME — if I heard that album and it wasn't us, I would think the same way I think about the album now. I think it belongs there. I think it's a well-made album. I think the songs are there. I think that the musicianship, the chemistry and the guitar playing. But I think, more importantly, what's really there and what people are connecting with is the mythology of rock and roll. I think when people saw a guitar player that's in a band with songs and arrangements and the videos and everything, it was almost like seeing something that… People are saying it's so fresh, but for us, it's, like, this is like going back for us. This is more of a reminder than it is anything else that you can still be passionate and have fire and do all those things. And the people are letting us know that they're starved — they're starved for rock and roll like this, I think."

In a new interview with Brutal Planet Magazine, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares was asked if the band's latest addition, Italian-born vocalist Milo Silvestro, has brought a new energy to the long-running California metal act. Dino responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes and no. I've always had the fire. I don't need anybody to bring me new energy, but it does feel good when you have somebody who can match the energy that you have. Because for a while there, I just felt that — and I'm speaking off the cuff here — that [original FEAR FACTORY singer] Burton C. Bell was just kind of phoning things in; he was just kind of going through the motions, and it just felt like he didn't wanna be there. And so it was kind of lacking. The band was going down for a little while. And as soon as Milo came in, it was a breath of fresh air to play with somebody who wanted to be there. And that felt really good. And, of course, all the trolls are gonna come after me for saying that, but it is what it is. I mean, I lived through it. I was there."

Cazares continued: "People ask me the same question that you have: Did [Milo] bring new energy? Did he bring new life into the band? Yes, he did, because, like I said, he's matching my energy that I have for this band.

"You've gotta remember: I live, breathe, die FEAR FACTORY. I live, breathe and die fucking metal and all different forms of it. I live for this shit. I love it. And that's why I'm still here."

Regarding the challenges involved in replacing Bell with Silvestro, Cazares said: "A lot of fans, I understand, they don't really know what it's like — or maybe they do. It's a relationship. Sometimes it's just not working out with that person you're with and sometimes you just need a change.

"All this stuff, it's a Catch-22 because if you get a singer that sounds like your old singer, then people are gonna complain: 'Oh, it sounds like the old singer.' And if you get a singer that doesn't sound like the old singer, 'Well, it doesn't sound like the old stuff.' And then if you get a girl singer, if you get a female, 'Well, she sounds too much like a female. It doesn't sound like the old singer.'

"Milo just knew everything," Dino explained. "And when I say that, it's, like, Milo, when it came to the physical audition, the first day he did, like — I don't know — five or six songs. And whatever song I threw at him, he got. So I invited him again the second day, 'cause he was in L.A. for a few days. I said, 'Well, come back again. I wanna hear more.' And so he came back again the second day, and he nailed, like, another eight songs. He did, like — I don't know — 10 or 15 songs. So whatever I threw at him, he knew it. He sang it. He didn't have to look at his phone for lyrics. Nothing. It was an easy transition."

Last December, Dino told RichardMetalFan about Bell's 2020 departure: "I could see over the years that he always had one foot out the door; he was always that guy. He originally quit way back in 2002, and he ended up coming band into the band and restarting the band with the other guys without me. At least that's what I thought. But I don't know. I never really got the full story of why they did what they did. But to me, it always seemed like he always had one foot out the door, and I think that this was just his time to exit, for whatever reason. I mean, you have to ask him, really, to get [the full story of why he left]. But he pretty much left me to handle the rest of the duties for [FEAR FACTORY's latest album] 'Aggression Continuum'. And so now I'm moving forward without him, and the band's gonna go on without him, and that's just how it is. He's moved on, and so have I. Fans can cry all they want and people can want what they want. And I get it; I understand. He was in the band for many years, and he was the only vocalist on the record, even though he had quit the band two or three times before that. But he's gone, and I've moved on, and so has he."

In September 2020, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY was a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it."

He continued: "With FEAR FACTORY, it's just constantly been, like, 'What?!' You can only take so much. I felt like 30 years was a good run. Those albums I've done with FEAR FACTORY will always be out there. I'll always be part of that. I just felt like it was time to move forward."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

During an appearance on yesterday's (Tuesday, August 29) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", KIX vocalist Steve Whiteman opened up about the band's announcement that it will retire after more than 45 years. Speaking about his decision to call it quits, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, if ever the world was shouting at a band to get the hell out, it's us. I announced last year to the band and to our agent that at the end of 2023, I was done, that my wife was retiring. I've been doing this since I was, like, 13 years old, and I'm sick of all the travel and all the B.S. and the only thing I really enjoy is getting on stage. And to be honest, I'm not as good as I used to be, and I know that, and I don't wanna go out sucking; I wanna go out being pretty good. But age takes its toll. And all the things that happened to [KIX drummer] Jimmy [Chalfant] — Jimmy with a heart attack, and then when he just collapsed in Leesburg, Virginia and literally died on stage. And thank God for [KIX bassist] Mark [Schenker] and [guitar tech] Brandon [Dull] who knew how to get him back until the EMTs got there. But I could have stopped right there."

Regarding how he and his KIX bandmates decided to play their last-ever show on September 17 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, Steve said: "Jimmy and his wife discussed it and they'd come up with a date. And we were gonna end at Rocklahoma, because that was our first big festival show that [our booking agent] had booked us at, first time out of our little comfort area that we've been playing for four or five years before that. And we thought it would be cool to — that's where we started and that that's where we'll end. But then [our booking agent] talked us into doing the next week in Hinckley, Minnesota. And we thought it's not very fair to the hometown fans, because I basically wanted to just fade away. I didn't wanna make a big announcement or announce a whore tour or final anything. I just wanted to go away. But the guys talked to me about it and they thought we should do one more big show at home. So, luckily the people at Merriweather were willing to go for it. And we didn't know how it was gonna go, 'cause Merriweather is about a 15,000-seat venue. We thought, well, if we can draw four or five thousand people, that would be great. And I think we're over ten thousand [tickets sold] at this point. It's for the hometown fans and it's a big shebang to say thanks for all the years, for the memories, for the support. And [we] love you guys, but we're tired."

Whiteman also admitted that he is no longer able to deliver KIX's material the way that he was able to earlier in the band's career. "My voice, I used to… I never had a break," he said. "I had a four-octave range and I never struggled hitting anything. I've had to pretty much totally change the way I sing. Luckily, I was a vocal coach, so I knew how to — I don't wanna say 'fake' things, but change things so the fans really wouldn't know that I'm not singing like I used to. And there are nights, out of the past couple of years, where I've come off stage just humiliated because I can't sing 'Don't Close Your Eyes' like I used to, or I can't sing 'Cold Blood', and these are the songs that the fans are out there waiting for. And that's when I started to think I don't wanna do this if I can't do it well anymore."

This past May, Whiteman confirmed to Metal Edge that Chalfant's health scare — he collapsed onstage 10 months ago after suffering a cardiac arrest — expedited his decision to stop playing shows. "For sure," he said. "When Jimmy collapsed in November, that put a whole new perspective on things. It was the sort of thing that got me thinking, 'How much longer do we want to do this?' And if I'm being honest, I was ready to give up and go home then and there. But everybody rallied and pushed me to keep going and finish the dates we had booked. That's when we decided to go until this coming September. We knew we had these summer days, and Jimmy — once he felt good enough to get onstage — put his foot down and said, 'September is it for me.'"

On the topic of whether KIX guitarist Ronnie Younkins — who has been unable to tour with the group for the past couple of years after repeatedly getting in trouble with the police due to his battle with alcoholism — will be part of the final show (Ronnie is being replaced in KIX by Bob Paré),Steve said: "Bob is definitely going to be part of the show. The hope is that Ronnie will be there as a guest player. We're hoping and assuming he'll come up and do a couple of songs with us. We hope he does because it would be amazing for our fans. I also think we'll call up Brad Divens, who played on the 'Cool Kids' album."

The Baltimore-based act, which formed in 1977, announced its plan to call it quits during an appearance on May 7 at the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Chalfant rejoined his KIX bandmates on stage for two songs — "Cold Blood" and "Blow My Fuse" — during the band's set on April 30 aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. It marked his first live appearance with KIX since he collapsed onstage. Chalfant also performed with KIX at the M3 Rock Festival.

On November 18, 2022, Chalfant suffered a cardiac arrest during KIX's concert at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia. Chalfant was unconscious and carried offstage before performing the last song of the show.

KIX was founded in 1977 and released its first, self-titled album on Atlantic Records more than 40 years ago. Their breakthrough came with 1988's "Blow My Fuse", which sold nearly a million copies, thanks to "Don't Close Your Eyes". The band continued to ride the hard-rock wave until 1995, when KIX took a hiatus. Nearly 10 years later, KIX reunited and started touring regionally. A 2008 performance at the Rocklahoma festival led to more gigs and the release of a live DVD/CD called "Live In Baltimore" in 2012. In 2014, KIX released its seventh full-length album, "Rock Your Face Off", the band's first studio effort since 1995's "Show Business". The album debuted at No. 1 on Amazon's Hard Rock and Metal chart, in the Top 50 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 5 on the Independent Albums chart, No. 11 on the Top Internet chart, No. 17 on the Top Rock Albums chart, No. 27 on the Indie/Small Chain Core Stores chart and No. 33 on the Physical chart.

KIX released "Can't Stop The Show: The Return Of KIX" in October 2016, a two-disc DVD/CD set that entered the Billboard Top Music Video Sales chart at No. 3 and rose to the No. 1 position, the band's highest-charting debut and first No. 1 ever in their 35-year history. The 71-minute film offered an in-depth look into KIX's decision to record their first new album, in almost 20 years.

In 2018, KIX celebrated the 30th anniversary of their biggest album, "Blow My Fuse", with "Blow My Fuse Re-Blown", a two-disc set with a remixed/remastered version of the album, along with the original demo recordings for all 10 songs. The reunion with longtime collaborator Beau Hill for this remix sparked the initiative to revisit "Midnite Dynamite" and take a similar approach to updating KIX's legacy.

On the 35th anniversary of the release of "Midnite Dynamite", KIX released "Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit" in November 2020. For "Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit", KIX partnered with Hill for a blistering update of the fan-favorite album.

In a new interview with Let's Talk Music, former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. frontman Udo Dirkschneider spoke about his recent switch from longtime record label AFM to Atomic Fire. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was together with AFM for 14, 15 years. So then there came up a French investor. He was buying AFM, he was buying Nuclear Blast, he was buying nearly every record company in Germany and Austria and whatever. So, and then these people, they only wanna do everything, like, digital — not more physical stuff, that you can watch a book [with] pictures and lyrics and all that stuff. And that was the point we had to change. I mean, we're still good friends with AFM — my whole back catalog is on AFM — but then Atomic Fire came up, and on Atomic Fire, they're all the old people from Nuclear Blast. They know how metal works, and they said, 'Okay, we don't wanna do only digital; we also want physical stuff.' So the first thing I did with them was like 'My Way', my cover album that I did, and they pushed me on No. 4 in Germany on the chart, on the album chart. And it was, like, 'Whoops.' They did a really good job. And so far now with the new album ['Touchdown'], with the first real studio album for U.D.O., they did an amazing job. They know exactly how to do it. So I'm happy with them. Sometimes you have to change [your business structure] to something different in this business.

"But, anyway, the whole business with record companies, especially for new bands, younger bands, it's not like it was in the '80s," Udo continued. "They don't give any money for supporting or whatever. It's really, really heavy for new bands.

"If some people, they ask me what kind of advice you can give to young bands, and I always say I think the only chance what you have is you need a concept — not only music, but you need a concept. Like SABATON and POWERWOLF, what we have here in Europe, and then you stick out. You have to do something special. Only with music, it's not so easy.

"For me, I think I'm lucky," Dirkschneider added. "I have everything what I need. We can tour, make a touring worldwide. Okay, Russia not, and Ukraine not at the moment, but the rest of the world is open for us. And that will be definitely, with 'Touchdown', a long, long tour. I know that already."

"Touchdown" was released on August 25 through Atomic Fire Records. The 13-track LP was recorded at various locations with producer Martin "Mattes" Pfeiffer and was mixed at Redhead Studio (Wilhelmshaven, Germany) while the mastering was handled by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany),The record also includes a guest appearance by violinist Stefan Pintev on the title track, and bass tracks were recorded by former ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes. Artwork was provided by Martin Häusler who was also responsible for shooting band photos in support of the new album campaign.

In April, Baltes officially joined U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER, the two bands fronted by Udo Dirkschneider. The former ACCEPT bassist had been playing bass for U.D.O. since last September, initially as a temporary replacement for U.D.O.'s then-bassist Tilen Hudrap who was hospitalized after the band's show in Munich, Germany.

DIRKSCHNEIDER is the name of Udo's band which performs ACCEPT material exclusively.

Although Udo announced eight years ago that his initial DIRKSCHNEIDER tour would mark his final time performing ACCEPT songs, he has continued to play select shows under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner.

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss played an impromptu version of the 1930s classic "Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)" at the 15th annual Beauty Ball, presented by The Beauty Foundation For Cancer Care, on August 26 in Eatontown, New Jersey. Joe Piscopo was the special guest host and performer at the event, which honored DonnaLyn Giegerich-Zapcic (posthumously) accepted by Thomas Zapcic. Additionally, the Beauty Ball honored Ann Mazza with the 2023 Unsung Hero Award and Daniel Ranger with the 2023 Peter Criss Man Of Courage Award.

Video of Peter's performance can be seen below (courtesy of Neil Davis and Ed Shin on Facebook).

The now-77-year-old Criss first left KISS in 1980. Since then he's worked with other bands and released solo albums. He teamed up with KISS again for a reunion tour in the 1990s and most recently in 2004. He was replaced by Eric Singer.

In addition to playing drums in KISS, Peter also provided lead vocals for a number the band's most popular and memorable songs, including "Beth", "Black Diamond" and "Hard Luck Woman".

Criss, who was known as "Catman," released his last solo CD, titled "One For All", in 2007. Peter produced the album himself for the first time, and was joined by guest musicians that included keyboardist Paul Shaffer and bassist Will Lee of "Late Night With David Letterman". The album featured a range of styles, from rock and jazz to blues and Broadway, and included covers of "What A Difference A Day Makes" and "Send In The Clowns".

Criss played what was being billed as his final full U.S. concert in June 2017 at the Cutting Room in New York City.



Peter Criss did an impromptu jam with the house band last night. He was great!

Posted by Neil Davis on Sunday, August 27, 2023



Peter Criss from Kiss on Drums

Posted by Ed Shin on Saturday, August 26, 2023

An absolute blast for an awesome cause with son, Mikey #SHREDDING 💥 and the legendary, original drummer and founder of...

Posted by Joe Piscopo on Saturday, August 26, 2023

Peter and Team Catman at Beauty Ball Foundation for Cancer Care
What a great event we all had. I want to thank Joe...

Posted by Peter Crissfp on Tuesday, August 29, 2023

at Beauty Ball 2023 🥰💚🥰💚🥰

Posted by Peter Criss JAPAN on Sunday, August 27, 2023

Will be here Aug 26th as a photograher for Andrei Jackamatts Photography

Posted by Ed Shin on Friday, August 18, 2023

TAKING BACK SUNDAY — John Nolan (lead guitar, piano, vocals),Adam Lazzara (lead vocals),Shaun Cooper (bass) and Mark O’Connell (drums),will release its eighth studio album, "152", on October 27 via Fantasy Records. Named for the section of road in North Carolina between Highpoint, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh where the band and their friends would meet up as teenagers, "152" is the multl-platinum selling rock band's first full-length offering since 2016's "Tidal Wave". To mark the occasion, TAKING BACK SUNDAY released a brand-new track, "S'old", a fiery declaration of commitment and accountability.

Commenting on "152", TAKING BACK SUNDAY states: "'152' offers a lot more hope and light than we first realized when we were in the thick of it, putting it all together. We've been fortunate enough, through our music, to grow up with a lot of people going through the same things at the same time, and probably feeling the same way. Our hope is that you're able to find a little bit of yourself in this new collection of songs, because you're not alone, and neither are we."

Produced by Tushar Apte (whom the band met through a mutual collaboration with noted DJ Steve Aoki) and mixed by Neal Avron (TWENTY ONE PILOTS, BLEACHERS),the long-awaited LP features 10 intensely vulnerable and absorbing new tracks all delivered with fresh ambition and newfound purpose. Inspired by the long layoff and the cloud of uncertainty that blanketed the world (and music industry) these past few years, "152" stands among the most genuinely reflective and emotionally pure efforts of TAKING BACK SUNDAY's illustrious career.

"You would think after 20 years, we knew what each other is going to do," said Lazzara. "But there were so many times making this record where I heard the initial idea and thought I knew where it would go, but then I was super surprised. It's those kinds of surprises that make it so exciting. That's why we all still want it so badly."

Added O'Connell: "When we're writing songs, the one thing we ask ourselves, 'Is it capable of making people feel something?' You try to make people feel emotion. That's the one goal we went in with, and we think we did it."

From the album's intricate riffs and anthemic vocals to its elegantly warm synths and economical string arrangements, the quartet work-shopped these new tracks like never before. That musical ambition, both musically and lyrically, is evident on the soaring album opener "Amphetamine Smiles", a powerful tale of reconnection that is as much about the band themselves as it is the world at-large. From send-up to seriousness, TAKING BACK SUNDAY continually challenged one another, exploring musical ideas in new and exciting ways. So many of these tracks dig deep and connect on a gut level. "S'old" struggles with the obligations of adult responsibility and acceptance, the previously released single "The One", is a far-reaching anthem of love and brotherhood, "Keep Going" tracks the self-defeating darkness of betrayal, and "Quit Trying" drips with a "can't run from who you are" self-awareness. All through "152", the consistent thread is one of generosity, gratitude and ultimately, hope.

Over two decades, TAKING BACK SUNDAY have cultivated a massive, dedicated fanbase built around music that reverberates with sincerity, desire, and connection. The influential, beloved rock powerhouse, originally from Long Island, New York, brought songcraft and pop sensibilities to punk's rigid conformity that expanded the genre’s contours and carried the band to new heights.

Despite the sizable gap between releases, a new generation of fans have discovered TAKING BACK SUNDAY and their enduring legacy has only grown in stature. The new album proves it was well worth the wait.

"152" is TAKING BACK SUNDAY at their very best, a gripping and self-assured statement from an essential band once again at the peak of their prodigious powers.

"152" track listing:

01. Amphetamine Smiles
02. S'old
03. The One
04. Keep Going
05. I Am the Only One Who Knows You
06. Quit Trying
07. Lightbringer
08. New Music Friday
09. Juice 2 Me
10. The Stranger

Photo credit: Ashley Osborn

Grammy-winning rock band GRETA VAN FLEET has unveiled a music video for its much-lauded track "The Falling Sky", directed by the band alongside Gus Black. The song is taken from the band's critically acclaimed new album "Starcatcher" on Lava/Republic Records and is currently charting in the Top 25 at Active Rock Radio.

Of collaborating with the band to direct the video, Black shares: "I'd say we pushed even harder on this one to create something visceral and visually stunning. I felt a deeper connection to the band during the process of creating the video and I value that aspect of our collaboration as much as the work itself."

Guitarist Jake Kiszka adds of the video: "A peer into the wilds of a starlit oblivion, this visual representation of 'The Falling Sky' demonstrates the darkness and barbarity in a world filled with such duality. in essence, a reminder of the complexity of the human soul and all it is capable of enduring; a letter of love written to the rising sun."

"Starcatcher" debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart and reached No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums, plus it charted internationally in Germany (No. 2),Switzerland (No. 2),Belgium (No. 4),Austria (No. 6),the Netherlands (No. 7),the U.K. (No. 8),Italy (No. 18) and Canada (No. 19). "Starcatcher" is the band's second top 10 album, following 2021's "The Battle At Garden's Gate".

GRETA VAN FLEET is currently on an extensive "Starcatcher" world tour in support of the new record. The tour, produced by Live Nation, includes upcoming stops at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York and TD Garden in Boston as well as London's OVO Arena Wembley and more. The "Starcatcher" world tour includes support from special guests SURF CURSE, MT. JOY and others. Of the live show, the Dallas Observer raves, "they put on a fantastic, high-energy, old-fashioned rock and roll show. It's nice to see a new generation being able to experience that for themselves." Nashville.com adds, "the big stage with duel catwalks, complemented by stunning pyrotechnics, created an electrifying atmosphere and some very happy fans," while Las Vegas Magazine notes "these are performers worth seeing" and Westword raves "the quartet has grown into a fierce force to be reckoned with."

GRETA VAN FLEET will also be touring throughout Europe, starting in Hamburg, Germany on November 6 with further international stops in Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam and more.

Of the new album, singer Josh Kiszka states: "'Starcatcher' is a dangerous and delightful expedition into a both violent and gentle dreamlike landscape. A purgatory of duality where brutality and beauty clash like a thunderstorm of stillness. Neither fact nor fiction inhabit the far reaches of this surrealist world. A storybook for the fighters and lovers alike 'Starcatcher' captures a certain wonder on the fringe of mayhem."

"Starcatcher" was written and recorded by the band — Josh, Jake, bassist/keyboardist Sam Kiszka and drummer Danny Wagner — alongside Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile). Recorded at the legendary RCA Studios in Nashville, the band utilized the large recording room to capture the pure energy of their world-renowned live performances. Throughout the ten-song collection the band explores the duality of fantasy versus reality and the contrast between light and darkness.

"We had this idea that we wanted to tell these stories to build a universe," says Wagner. "We wanted to introduce characters and motifs and these ideas that would come about here and there throughout our careers through this world."

In celebration of the new album, the band launched a puzzle box. Additionally, several vinyl variants are available including an exclusive black glitter vinyl. The band is also offering a red glitter vinyl, exclusive to Target, as well as an opaque vinyl available at select record stores across the country.

Photo credit: Neil Krug

EVANESCENCE's current lineup features Emma Anzai of SICK PUPPIES on bass and EVANESCENCE's longtime bassist Tim McCord on guitar. Asked by Josh Olek on Australia's Triple M radio station if she and Emma met when EVANESCENCE and SICK PUPPIES were on tour together, EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's how we first met, was being on tour with [SICK PUPPIES]. She's still with them, actually. She's just a very hard worker. But, yeah, we met way back then, and honestly, for me at least, I always dreamed of one day maybe we could be in a band together, like a side band or something. And then there finally was this time where it all worked out."

Amy added: "Tim has been our bass player for — he was our bass player for 16 years, and he switched to make room for Emma. So he's on guitar now, which he's loving. It changes it up for him. He is enjoying it and, like, 'Oh, man. This is what I really wanted. It's my original instrument.' And now we get to have Emma. We feel whole."

Earlier this year, Emma told Bass Magazine about how she landed the gig with EVANESCENCE: "It was quite the surprise when it happened. When they needed a bass player after Tim switched from bass to guitar, I got the call and agreed to join them. SICK PUPPIES had toured with them long ago for one of our first tours, and I remember Amy being super cool. She's still the same now with support bands, the crews, and everyone she comes in contact with. I always remember that, because it was 13 or 14 years ago, and the women-in-music thing was different back then; we used to have conversations about it all the time. It's funny because it's evolved a little now, but we still currently have conversations about it. Being a woman — especially with me touring with all guys and having no other women around back then — it was great sharing our experiences and having her to hang around with. I was a lot younger, and I like to think I've learned a lot since then and grown a bit. At the time I was a little naïve, but she was helpful in solidifying what I had already felt. It's nice to come full circle and share these new experiences together. She's been such an anchor for me for so many years."

Guitarist Jen Majura's departure from EVANESCENCE was announced in May 2022 via social media. At the time, the band said in a statement: "It has been a very special chapter in the band with our dear friend Jen Majura, but we have decided it's time to go our separate ways."

A month later, Jen spoke about her split with EVANESCENCE during an appearance on THE HAUNTED guitarist Ola Englund's YouTube show "Coffee With Ola". At the time, she said that she was still "hurt" by the move and compared the situation to a divorce.

"I believe, honestly, it's three weeks now since I got the news, and I'm still in this blurry, oblivious momentum," she said. "I guess I'm still in shock, kind of, because after being married six years, all of a sudden you're divorced. You know me, I always try to find the positive in a situation, so every day, step by step — I'm not doing great yet — but every day I find little tiny things that I'm, like, 'Oh, actually, this is good.'"

Asked how she found out that her services were no longer needed in EVANESCENCE, Jen said: "Honestly, I was cleaning my apartment, and I got the phone call. And first of all, I was, like, 'Is this a bad joke?' And I remember, after I got the news, I hung up, and I have this hallway in between my studio and my living room, and I just lay there on the floor, staring at the ceiling, wondering what that was, and literally looking over to my suitcase that I had already started packing, because I was two weeks from going out on the road until pretty much the end of the year."

Majura, a self-described "half-Asian living in Germany," joined EVANESCENCE in August 2015 as the replacement for Terry Balsamo.

In 2021, EVANESCENCE released "The Bitter Truth", its first album in 10 years.

Photo by Travis Shinn

Metal-Rules.com recently sat down with Fred Estby, the founding member and drummer of Swedish death metal pioneers, Dismember, to talk about the past, present and future of the band.


Asked if it's harder to write new songs because of the band's huge legacy, Estby responds, "It’s not hard at all. So the thing is, we have a license deal with Nuclear Blast. We have an option to do one or two more albums. Great. We can do whenever we want, which is even more perfect for us. So we can take our time and we’re going to take our time because we’re not going to release something that is half-assed. We’re going to be very critical about-especially since it’s been such a long time since the last album. And I love the Dismember album that I’m not even on that was released in 2008. It’s a great album. If you’re going to release an album now as a reunited band in two thousand and fucking twenty-three, twenty-four, you’re going to have to try to match like ever before. You cannot be shy of that. We’re going to be very critical about it and that’s going to take some time because we don’t live in the same cities like we hang out every day."


Read the full interview at Metal-Rules.com.




Dismember, recently released the first batch of long overdue physical standalone reissues of their expansive discography. The first two albums, Like An Everflowing Stream (1991) and Indecent & Obscene (1993), as well as the Pieces EP (1992), were released on August 25.


For the reissues, the entire audio has been mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony with the goal to preserve a 'true to the original' sound and contains the more dynamic June '91 master of Like An Ever Flowing Stream on vinyl for the first time. All album layouts were created together with Dismember resulting in a return of the Indecent and Obscene sticker.





Order the physical reissues here, or at the band's official webstore.





Like An Everflowing Stream
Available Formats: LP | CD | Cassette


Considered one of the best death metal albums of all time, 1991's Like An Ever Flowing Stream is a timeless masterpiece establishing Stockholm's Dismember as one of the most talented acts of the genre and laid the groundwork for their merciless buzz-saw sound. This new edition features the more dynamic June 1991 master resulting in the best sounding version of this classic ever!








Indecent & Obscene
Available Formats: LP | CD | Cassette


Released in 1993, the second, more refined studio album by Sweden's death metal masters Dismember includes classic tunes like "Skinfather", "Fleshless", and "Dreaming In Red", which are mainstays in the group's live set up until now. CD and LP feature the cult Indecent and Obscene sticker mocking the censorship troubles Dismember faced at that time.











Pieces
Available Formats: MLP | CD


To the very day, this EP - originally released in 1992 - is an epitome of nastily loud, savagely distorted, uncompromising Swedish death metal.


Keep your eyes peeled for the next batch of physical Dismember reissues to be announced soon.


Upcoming live dates:


September
7-9 - Aleksandrów Łódzki, Poland - Summer Dying Loud Festival


October
13 - Karlstad, Sweden - Nöjesfabriken
14 - Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser Strand


May 2024
23-26 - Baltimore, MD - Maryland Death Fest


Dismember are:


Fred Estby (Drums)
David Blomqvist (Guitars)
Robert Sennebäck (Guitars)
Matti Karki (Vocals)
Richard Cabeza (Bass)


(Photo - Nathaniel Shannon)

Hyperia is a Canadian melodic thrash metal band known for wailing vocals, shredding guitars, and fast, heavy drums. Formed in 2018, Hyperia combines elements of aggressive thrash with intricate guitar melodies alongside a wide variety of vocal styles, which have been showcased on an EP and two albums thus far, with the third full-length slated for release this November. The first single off The Serpent’s Cycle is the blistering “Prophet Of Deceit” – premiered through BraveWords – which takes a more serious tone than the other tracks on the album. 


The band comments:


“This track brings us back into a serious mood, it is a quite melodic and technical song starting off with blistering guitar into a full-force attack of drums. The working title for this song was ‘Shredlord Supreme’, which should give you an idea of what to expect. This song is about the problems we have with certain members of society and gaslighting. It’s a hard-hitting track that is full of energy throughout.”







The Serpent’s Cycle has a wide variety of riffs, ones that will remind listeners of the ‘80s and also ones that usher in the new era of modern thrash. Song order was intentionally chosen to ensure that each song is given its space between different songs and makes the album continue feeling fresh throughout. Hyperia expects The Serpent’s Cycle to be received very well by fans as everyone who has heard it so far agrees it’s by far the best album they’ve made. It has all the usual elements of a Hyperia album, just amplified and refined. They think it’s a huge step up from their previous releases and hope the reception for it proves that.


The melodic and aggressive 11-track album that included a cover of Heart's "Crazy On You" comes out on November 17, 2023, and is a perfect mix of old-school sensibilities and modern experimentation. It is recommended for fans of Exmortus, Municipal Waste, and Havok.


Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Ego Trip”
“Automatic Thrash Machine”
“Prophet Of Deceit”
“Psychosomatic”
“The Serpent’s Cycle”
“Trapped In Time”
“Spirit Bandit”
“Eye For An Eye”
“Binge & Surge”
“Deathbringer”
“Crazy On You” (Heart cover)


Hyperia is: 
Marlee Ryley - Vocals 
Colin Ryley - Guitars 
Jon Power - Bass 
Ryan Idris - Drums


(Photo – Caitlin Delaplace)

3 months after sharing the song "Exophronicon" with its official music video, French long-time conceptual metal band (formed in 1999) Mindlag Project just officially released a new digital single called "Shrapnel" on all streaming services.





In other news, the band is currently working on a new full-length album to be released in the upcoming months.




"This track ‘Shrapnel’ is a song inspired by the personal history of the ancestors of several members of the band, who participated in both world wars,” comments the band.


“It evokes the cynicism of martial strategies, with the invention of the shrapnel shell, the purpose of which was to "break" soldiers rather than kill them, because it would cost the opposing camp more to take charge of a wounded rather than a dead one. A voucher soldier is a useful soldier, in all circumstances..."

During the past two years, earMUSIC has given SAVATAGE fans and metal collectors a true treasure: the greatly desired LP reissue series of all studio albums. These carefully curated collector's editions of high-quality, heavyweight 12-inch LPs — all released in chronological order and enriched with gorgeous gatefold covers, extensive liner notes and other nifty extras — quickly turned out to become real fan favorites.

Now it's time to put the icing on the cake with a memoir to an exceptional man, held dearly by fans, family and fellow musicians alike — Criss Oliva: The band's 1995 live album and tribute "Ghost In The Ruins" has found its way into this classy collection and will be released for the very first time on vinyl on October 27, 2023.

There are many guitar players who can play all the riffs — but there are very few who shape a distinct sound to such an extent that it becomes a milestone in the evolution of a musical genre. Criss Oliva was such a musician. To honor the legacy of Criss and his unmistakably unique work, SAVATAGE is now presenting the LP edition of "Ghost In The Ruins". This album displays the grace, emotion, and poetry of Criss's most memorable solos. It comes from the hearts of the two brothers Criss and Jon Oliva. As Jon reflects on his brother's work: "I think deep down inside, it bothered him that he wasn't getting the recognition that a lot of people think he deserved, but he would just go, 'Whatever. I'll have my day.' But he was a great man — a one-of-a-kind guitar player. I wonder what he would be like now."

The original "Ghost In The Ruins" track listing consists of eleven songs and two instrumentals, carefully selected from the live performances during the years 1987 to 1990, depicting four albums, the respective tours and unforgettable moments. This limited LP edition on marbled orange/black vinyl includes three bonus tracks, taken from a 1987 SAVATAGE concert in Cleveland, Ohio. The heavyweight double LP comes in a beautifully designed gatefold cover, black lined inner-sleeves and a high-quality 12-page LP booklet with liner notes, and various archive photos and memorabilia.

To pre-order, visit savatagemerch.myshopify.com.

Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.

In a recent interview with Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard, Jon confirmed that he is working on new music from SAVATAGE.

"This is gonna be the best album I ever made," Oliva promised. "Unless I kill myself. All I know is that the SAVA fans are gonna be fucking blown away when they hear this. They're gonna be blown away. I wasn't gonna do the SAVATAGE thing and just do a half-assed album. If I'm doing this album, it's gonna be the best album I've ever done. 'Cause when I go out, I wanna go out on top."

Zak Stevens joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of guitarist Al Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his departure. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside the project's founder Paul O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

METALLICA's classic power ballad "Nothing Else Matters" has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

Earlier today, Spotify tweeted: "Welcome to the club, @Metallica Nothing Else Matters has joined the #billionsclub https://spotify.link/billionsclub".

Billions Club is a playlist first launched in 2020 which includes all of the songs on Spotify that have hit the major milestone. After the achievement, Spotify gifts artists the Billions Club plaque.

METALLICA joins other artists — including SURVIVOR's "Eye Of The Tiger", ABBA's "Dancing Queen" and Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" — to reach the achievement. The milestone has reportedly been achieved by nearly 500 tracks so far.

"Nothing Else Matters" originally appeared on METALLICA's 1991 self-titled album — also known as "The Black Album" — which was re-released in September 2021 as a remastered deluxe box set via the band's own Blackened Recordings. The song reached position No. 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart as well as top-ten positions on many European charts.

"Nothing Else Matters" was featured as a playable track in the music video game "Guitar Hero: Metallica" and has been covered over 40 times by a host of different artists, including STAIND, Shakira, Bif Naked, Macy Gray, DIE KRUPPS, REV THEORY and APOCALYPTICA.

The Black Album is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed records of all time. Its 1991 release not only gave METALLICA its first No. 1 album in no fewer than 10 countries, including a four-week run at No. 1 in the U.S., its unrelenting series of singles — "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" and "Sad But True" — fueled the band's rise to stadium headlining, radio and MTV dominating household name status. The Black Album remains unchallenged as the best-selling album in the history of Nielsen SoundScan, outselling every release in every genre over the past 30 years.

A totally new and different version of "Nothing Else Matters" appeared twice in Disney's 2021 movie "Jungle Cruise".

Back in August 2021, METALLICA music video for "Nothing Else Matters" surpassed one billion views on YouTube. It was the first METALLICA track to reach the milestone.

The "Nothing Else Matters" video, which was uploaded to YouTube in October of 2009, was directed by Adam Dubin and edited by Sean Fullan and is made up of clips from the 1992 METALLICA documentary "A Year And A Half In The Life Of Metallica". The clip is perhaps best remembered for a scene where Lars Ulrich throws darts at a poster of WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

Prior to working with METALLICA, Dubin directed two music videos for the BEASTIE BOYS. While he was a student at New York University, he was roommates with record producer Rick Rubin, who would later go on to produce "Death Magnetic", METALLICA's ninth studio album.
Welcome to the club, @Metallica 🖤 Nothing Else Matters has joined the #billionsclubhttps://t.co/cCJhsFhx5tpic.twitter.com/NBuzSyjQsp

— Spotify (@Spotify) August 31, 2023

DISTURBED has released a Monster Filmmakers-produced performance video for the song "Never Again", filmed this past June in Tel Aviv, Israel. The track, from 2010's "Asylum" album, was written about the Holocaust and calls out people who deny it.

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman sang a mid-show a capella version of the Israeli national anthem "Hatikvah" during the band's Tel Aviv Expo concerts on June 28 and June 29.

DISTURBED previously performed in Israel in 2019 in Rishon Lezion.

In addition to the Hebrew-speaking Draiman, who once trained to be a cantor and contemplated becoming a rabbi, DISTURBED includes guitarist/keyboardist Dan Donegan, bassist John Moyer and drummer Mike Wengren.

Draiman's father and grandfather served in the Israel Defense Forces and both of the singer's maternal grandparents were Holocaust survivors. His grandfather was also a cantor in Israel.

In May, Draiman announced that DISTURBED would play a second concert in Israel this past June in response to an overwhelming demand after their first show sold out.

"Israel, I'm amazing at the love you're showing us," he said in an Instagram video, announcing DISTURBED's June 29 concert in Tel Aviv to follow the Expo Tel Aviv show. "And we're planning to invite a couple more acts from the amazing Israeli scene to join us as well. He concluded by saying, "I'm so excited to come to see all of you and celebrate your beautiful metal scene along with your music. See you on June 28 and now June 29 in Tel Aviv."

In December 2021, Draiman said that he had lost thousands of social media followers since publicizing his trip to Israel in November of that year.

On November 30, 2021, Draiman lit a candle at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel at the Old City site of the terror attack that killed South African immigrant Eli Kay. He later claimed that he lost 4,000 followers after sharing photos of his "demonstration" at the Western Wall.

Draiman spent much of 2014 and early 2015 linking to articles by conservative and pro-Israel blogs and has often used his fame to speak out against anti-Semitism.

The United States Holocaust Museum has featured Draiman in its "Voices On Anti-Semitism" podcasts.

Gold-selling, billion-streaming rock band Beartooth performed at the 2023 edition of Germany's Summer Breeze festival. ARTE Concert has uploaded professionally-filmed video footage of the band's full set, which an be viewed below.


Setlist:


"Devastation"
"The Lines"
"Disease"
"Sunshine!"
"Beaten In Lips"
"Bad Listener"
"You Never Know"
"Hell Of It"
"Might Love Myself"
"Body Bag"
"Hated"
"Riptide"
"In Between"
"The Past Is Dead"
"The Last Riff"







Beartooth - Caleb Shomo, vocals; Zach Huston, guitars; Will Deely, guitars; Oshie Bichar, bass; and Connor Denis, drums - have announced their fifth album, The Surface. It will arrive October 13 via Red Bull Records. Pre-order it here.


Like its predecessors, The Surface is an intensely personal and powerful journey for Shomo, who has never shied away from sharing his demons in his music and with his fans. However, the frontman has turned a corner with a more optimistic outlook and demonstrates exceptional growth as both an artist and a human being through the songs that comprise the album.


"Beartooth's entire discography has been snapshots of my inner monologue and emotional state over the years with a recurring theme: depression and self-loathing," says Shomo. "It's been tough to understand why I've felt the way I do for so long. During the pandemic, I was faced with two distinct paths in life. One — I continue doing nothing to manage the realities of my mental health and continue down a path of self-destruction, ultimately ending in my demise. Two — choose to do the work needed to maintain a healthier relationship with myself, no matter how difficult or painful."


He continues, "This album is the story of my beginnings in the new world I've created for myself. One focused on health, self love, positivity, understanding, hard work, and most of all second chances. At the end of the day, life is short for all of us. We can't escape the end, so why not make friends with it and live in a world focused on living a personally fulfilling life."


And with that impactful mission statement in mind, the band has shared the video for the first single, "Might Love Myself." Watch below.


"I truly believe mental health starts with a healthy relationship with one's self," Shomo further explains."Self-love was something I never believed would be a part of my life. I would focus on my depression and my sadness, believing those part of me were always the most prominent in my mind. But through hard work comes results. Self-love had to be a choice; it can't be an emotion. Emotions are fleeting and can change with a sunset or a single word. Choosing to put your own health (mentally and physically) as the highest priority in your life has been the only path I've found to self love. It helped me realize what I'm capable of, how strong I am, and that progress is more important than any immediate fix to my emotions. This song is about the first moment I realized something was significantly shifting in my life."





Tracklisting:


"The Surface"
"Riptide"
"Doubt Me"
"The Better Me" (Feat. Hardy)
"Might Love Myself"
"Sunshine!"
"What’s Killing You"
"Look The Other Way"
"What Are You Waiting For"
"My New Reality"
"I Was Alive"


"Might Love Myself" video:

Speed meets ferocity on Final Gasp’s powerful new single, “Blood And Sulfur”. The Boston based deathrock dealers are set to release their first full-length album, Mourning Moon, on September 22nd via Relapse. The inventive, hook-laden debut guides listeners on a journey through all things punk, hardcore, metal and goth. Vocalist / frontman Jake Murphy delivers an unmatched, soulful performance as he takes on the weightiest of topics via expert songwriting and lyrical crafting.


“‘Blood And Sulfur’ is based on the short story ‘The Smell Of Sulfur’, Murphy tells. “I found it in a really old book that was printed in the early '40s. It was about the Devil antagonizing a businessman by making everyone else around him successful and offering him his hand to give him the same success. The man ends up taking it, but when he does everyone around him dies and he’s the last one left on Earth, in turn making him the only successful person left.” 







Final Gasp recorded Mourning Moon in Philadelphia with famed producer Arthur Rizk (Ghostmane, Cavalera Conspiracy, Sumerlands). Its foundation was built by the band’s two previous EPs — 2019’s Baptism Of Desire (Primitive Propaganda) and 2021’s Haunting Whisper (Triple B).  “Every song was  written with nothing but a natural feeling for what felt right,” Murphy tells. “There’re tons of different influences, like Killing Joke and Die Kreuzen, even Echo & The Bunnymen and SSD.  But we’re not really thinking about other bands. We feel like we’ve tapped into something that’s our own.” 


“The whole record has to do with loss,” he explains. “The title comes from that anxious feeling you have when you go to bed and you’re thinking about everything all at once. You’re regretting decisions you’ve made — or didn’t make — and you’re up all night thinking about it.” 


Pre-order / pre-save Mourning Moon here.





Mourning Moon tracklisting:


"Climax Infinity"
"Homebound"
"Botched Ritual"
"Frozen Glare"
"Seize"
"Blood And Sulfur"
"Mourning Moon"
"Unnatural Law"
"14 Gates"
"Temptation"
"The Vanishing"
"Rows Of Heaven"


"Climax Infinity":





"Mourning Moon":





Final Gasp has booked two album release shows: September 28th in Providence, RI at AS220, and October 1st in Boston, MA at Club Manray. More dates are coming soon.


(Photo - Tyler Hallett)


 

Ten years have passed since the release of GWAR’s masterwork known as Battle Maximus. The record is a tribute to fallen Scumdog Warrior Flattus Maximus (aka Corey Smoot) and was the last album recorded with vocalist Oderus Urungus (aka Dave Brockie) before he departed the planet Earth in 2014.


Today, in celebration of this momentous occasion, GWAR release the 10th Anniversary Edition of Battle Maximus via Pit Records. In addition to being completely remixed and remastered, this edition features the final recorded vocal performance of Oderus Urungus, on the previously unreleased and never-before heard song, “Tammy, The Swine Queen". Find a visualizer below.


Checking in from the road, vocalist Blothar the Berserker commented: “Musically, Battle Maximus is a great debut work by Pustulus Maximus, and lyrically, it is the final word of lead singer and band founder Oderus Urungus, The record is run through with the desperate, dangerous, and fully bananas imagination of Oderus. In fact, this re-release includes a song so nutty we named it twice, and then promptly forgot to put it on the record the first time around. ‘Tammy, Queen Of Dirt,’ or, ‘Tammy The Swine Queen’ is the final performance of the maestro of mayhem, Oderus Urungus, and for our fans, it does not disappoint.”







Available as a double LP, CD and in digital formats, Battle Maximus can be ordered here.  





The double vinyl also features expanded packaging, redesigned art and an embossed cover. The standard LP is Crystal Blue with Dark Blue swirl vinyl, the Bandbox exclusive version is Stained Glass vinyl, Newbury Comics version is White with Blue swirl vinyl and Revolver Icons Series features multiple different colors all with NFTs to authenticate.





Battle Maximus tracklisting:


Intro
"Madness At The Core Of Time"
"Bloodbath"
"Nothing Left Alive"
"They Swallowed The Sun"
"Torture"
"Raped At Birth"
"I, Bonesnapper"
"Mr. Perfect"
"Tammy, The Swine Queen" *
"Battle Maximus"
"Triumph Of The Pig Children"
"Falling"
"Fly Now"
"Carry On Wayward Son"
"Wheel Of Punishment"


* Previously Unreleased Bonus Track


“Fly Now” video:





"Falling" video:





Your Lords and Masters are also pleased to announce that you can finally buy your very own plush “Lil’ Raspy'' doll. This fuzzy neon green platypus of despair is our first official GWAR plushy, and it is simply the cutest thing you will ever see on this or any other planet. Raspy may be a murderous Artificial Intelligence come to life, but he is also the coolest toy on the shelves this year! Order yours here.





GWAR are declaring war on humanity (AGAIN!) for their upcoming Age Of Imbeciles Tour. The infamous Lords and Masters of Shock Rock will return to the road wreaking havoc, and laying waste to audiences across the US and Canada this fall. The tour, featuring support from Negative Approach, X-Cops and Cancer Christ on select dates, starts October 11 in Hampton Beach, NH and runs through October 30 in Orlando, FL.


A complete list of dates and supporting act information can be found below.





Lead singer, The Berserker Blothar had this to say about the impending battle: “Attention People of Earth! Halloween is coming, and your world is up in flames. You're a bunch of hairless apes with the smoothest of all brains. We see you there, groping in the chaos of maddening darkness. GWAR is coming to end your suffering, to bring a close to the Age Of Imbeciles.”





Age Of Imbeciles Tour:


October
11 - Hampton Beach, NH - Wally’s*
12 - S. Burlington, VT - Higher Ground*
13 - New York, NY - Palladium Times Square*
14 - Reading, PA - Reverb*
15 - Niagara Falls, NY - The Rapids Theatre*
16 - Toronto, ON - The Phoenix#
18 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts
19 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
20 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
21 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom
22 - Huntsville, AL - Mars Music Hall
24 - Richmond, VA - The National
25 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
26 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
27 - Gainesville, FL - The Fest, Bo Diddley Plaza
28 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
29 - Atlanta, GA - The Maquerade
30 - Orlando, FL - The Beacham


*no X-Cops
#no Negative Approach

Therapy? are set to celebrate 30 years of their groundbreaking Troublegum album in 2024 with full album performances in the UK and Europe, and a possible reissue. According to frontman Andy Cairns, who spoke to Eamon O'Neill of eonmusic at Stonedead Festival in the U.K., "It's happening."


Revealing exclusively to eonmusic that the band have big plans to celebrate the milestone, Cairns said; "At the minute, there are 26 'Troublegum' shows across Europe. It'll be some in the U.K. We can't tell you, but we know where they are, and we know when they are, but we can't announce it. It will be U.K. 'Troublegum' shows, there will be Irish 'Troublegum' shows, there will be ones in Scotland and Wales, and there'll be Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary; there will be all over the place." 


"The last time we did this I think we did two in the U.K. or three, and a handful in Germany, but this time around, because it's the 30th, at the minute there's 26 and counting. Funnily enough, because we've got the early part of the year quite quiet, we're writing the next album, so we hope to have it written before festival season so that we can enjoy the festivals and the 'Troublegum' shows."




Regarding a reissue; "Universal [music], yeah, we've been in touch. I mean, to be fair to Universal, every time there's any kind of 'Troublegum' milestone, they're in touch. That's in discussion; the 30th anniversary reissue of the coloured vinyl. We're looking to see if there really are any unreleased tracks or any other unreleased live tracks, and we're looking at old MTV concerts and stuff. Yeah, so that's all being looked at. We had a meeting about that early August with the band and management, and that's on the table, yeah."


On preparation for the shows; "We want to do something with it live, rather than just... The last couple of times we've done this it's been playing the record as it is on the record, but we might visit some of the live shows from '94 and see what way we really changed it live and maybe intergrade some of that. Like, we did little bits of elongated sections in our version of 'Isolation', and something like 'Unbeliever' we had a little spoken word singing bit at the start. 'Trigger Inside', sometimes there was a longer intro and feedback, so to bring in something like that might be quite interesting."


Read the full interview here.


Therapy? released their fourth album, Troublegum, on January 26, 1994 via A&M Records. 





Tracklisting:


"Knives"
"Screamager"
"Hellbelly"
"Stop It You’re Killing Me"
"Nowhere"
"Die Laughing"
"Unbeliever"
"Trigger Inside"
"Lunacy Booth"
"Isolation"
"Turn"
"Femtex"
"Unrequited"
"Brainsaw"














 

Edmonton’s Fall Of Earth will be hitting the road for their first coast-to-coast Canada Tour of 2023 and the fourth of the year since touring across Eastern Canada earlier this year. Venturing across the country in support of their sophomore album From The Ashes, released this past April, this forthcoming tour also welcomes rhythm guitarist Matthew Lindholm to enhance the band's live sound and new bassist Myles Packer to replace Aaron Winklmeier who is on the band's latest album.


The "Road To Purgatory Tour" will kick off on September 8th in Peace River, AB, and trek across nine Canadian Provinces for two months of 40-plus performances that will wrap up in Saskatoon, SK on November 18th. Confirmed dates are as listed:







September 
8 - Peace River, AB - Sharks
9 - Fairview, AB - New Grand Hotel
12 - Vancouver, BC - Lana Lous
14 - Nanaimo, BC - The Queens
15 - Victoria, BC - Phoenix Bar & Grill (Headlining 3n1gmatic Island Takeover Festival)
16 - Maple Ridge, BC - The Wolf Bar
17 - Port Coquitlam, BC - The Bennett
18 - Chilliwack, BC - Whiskey Richards Bar & Lounge
21 - Kamloops, BC - The Blue Grotto
22 - Penticton, BC - Clancy’s Pub
23 - Salmon Arm, BC - Solid Urban Studio
28 - Calgary, AB - Blox Art Centre
29 - Lethbridge, AB - The Slice
30 - Taber, AB - The Pin


October 
1 - Regina, SK - The Exchange
3 - Winnipeg, MB - Bulldog Event Centre
4 - Kenora – Bob’s Burger Bar
6 - Sault Ste. Marie, ON - Soo Blaster
8 - Kingston, ON - Overtime Sports Bar
11 - Ottawa, ON - House Of Targ
12 - Montreal, QC - Piranha Bar (lower level)
13 - Victoriaville, QC - Chanvra En Ville
14 - Rimouski, QC - Underground Rimouski
15 - Woodstock, NB - Montieth Manor
18 - Clark’s Corner, NB - The Hollywood Star Room
19 - Fredericton, NB - Broken Record Bar
20 - Saint John, NB - Panic Room
21 - Moncton, NB – Igloo Beverage Room
22 - Halifax, NS - Gus’ Pub
26 - Sherbrooke, QC - Le Murdoch
28 - Guelph, ON - ONYX Night Club
29 - Peterborough, ON - Erben
31 - Toronto, ON – Tail Of The Junction


November 
1 - Hamilton, ON - Vertagogo
3 - Chatham, ON - USB (Ultimate Sports Bar)
4 - Barrie, ON - The Queens
5 - London, ON - Grogette's Living Room
8 - North Bay, ON – The Fraser
11 - Thunder Bay, ON - Black Pirates Pub
15 - Winnipeg, MB - Bulldog Event Centre
16 - Portage La Prairie, MB - TBD
17 - Brandon, MB - TBD
18 - Saskatoon, SK - Black Cat Tavern


Fall Of Earth has embraced labeling itself as “Hybrid Metal,” as its sound is a contagious mélange of genres, that is continuously being refined. The primary elements come from progressive, death, and thrash, and over time, they find a lot of their tracks becoming longer, more epic, and more dynamic, more melodic and groove-oriented, as well as utilizing a healthy balance between heavy sections and clean sections. The latest iteration of the Canadian outfit can be experienced with their recently released sophomore album, From The Ashes.


Creative, unpredictable, and melodic, with a wide variety of influences, Fall Of Earth offers a little bit of something for everyone. From The Ashes is available at this location.





Tracklisting:


“Medusa”
“The Dead And Soon To Be”
“Block Out The Sun”
“Path To Self Destruction
“Crossroads”
“From The Ashes”
“Shores Of War”
“Purgatory”
“Into The Woods”


“Block Out The Sun”:





“From The Ashes”:





“Purgatory”:





(Photo credit: Darla Woodley, Red Socks Photography)


 

"With this riff, everything started for me," says Bernie, guitarist and founding member of Godslave about the intro of Status Quo's "Caroline", which ignited the flaming passion for heavy metal in him. And as a self-proclaimed "Status Quo - Ultra," he couldn't help but pay tribute in 2015 and record an EP of Quo songs with his boys.


And exactly 50 years ago today, the Status Quo single "Caroline" saw the light of day and started its triumphant march as a cult classic that continues to this day, and still opens every Quo show. What more worthy occasion could there be than to make Whatever We Want - A Tribute To Status Quo available again in digital form. And to top off the birthday party, Godslave have issued a brand-new video for "Caroline", which can be viewed below. Cover and tracklisting are as follows.







"Caroline"
"Little Lady"
"Is There A Better Way"
"Oh Baby"
"Too Far Gone"
"Down Down"





Compare with the original:





 

Following their recent signing with AFM Records and a first single, "I Witness", taken off their upcoming new album, today, Bavarian modern metal act Dust Bolt has unleashed a music video for the thunderous album anthem "Sound And Fury"! The band will release their much-awaited, fifth studio album, titled Sound & Fury, on February 23, 2024. The pre-sale is now available at this location.


"'Sound And Fury' was created during the probably darkest and most difficult time for the band," Dust Bolt reveals. "First time in our lives, since we were kids, we were somehow separated from another and the dream we lived together seemed to be stopped. It was during the pandemic days, when the band even decided to take a break from one another, when (guitarist) Flo came up with this beautiful piece of music - not knowing how he would channel and express our feelings, leading to (vocalist / guitarist) LB putting some Dust Bolt unusual, but heartfelt vocals on it and having (drummer) Nico introducing a disco beat to a metal song in the end.  We didn’t know what was happening - we just did it. We did know, there’d be a million voices saying we can’t put this up on a Dust Bolt record. But more than that we knew, as long as we stick together, we can do anything the *** we want. 'Sound And Fury' is a story about friendship, struggle, and inner turmoil. 'Sound And Fury' is a story about us. 'Sound And Fury' is a different, open and honest Dust Bolt, sharing their emotion with you and your friends."







February 2024 will see the Germans release their fifth album, Sound & Fury, via AFM Records, an album that refines and noisily redefines the Dust Bolt sound for a new era. Written during those isolated months of pandemic lockdown, the new record represents the peak of the band’s creativity, and a major leap forward in every department. The first Dust Bolt record to feature new bassist Tom Liebing, alongside Lenny Bruce, guitarist Florian Dehn and drummer Nico Remann, Sound & Fury grew from a long period of self-reflection that began when the world shut down.


Although still rooted in thrash and old school metal, the new record adds dazzling colour and diversity to the band’s trademark sound. With pummelling grooves, spine-tingling dynamics and a startling, part-melodic vocal performance from Lenny Bruce ( who also produced and recorded the new album with an analogue mix by Moritz Enders [Revolverheld, Silbermond]), the new songs mark the beginning of a new era of Dust Bolt destruction. Simultaneously catchier than any previous record and grittier and heavier than before, Sound & Fury is the sound of a great band realising their full potential.


"Starting the process for this record one and a half years ago, we had literally nothing. No money, no budgets, no label, no nothing. Nothing, but a vision. A vision and us," the four-piece recently revealed. "That´s how we started recordings drums in Berlin and that’s how we continued, doing it all by ourself in the end, having me producing the album together with a friend (and so felt fifth band member) in a basement in Munich. Finally, we couldn’t be happier than getting Moritz Enders for the Mix & Mastering on board, too, closing the circle to our ideas and vision. This album marks the beginning of a new era for Dust Bolt. For metal in and from Germany. This is just the beginning."





Tracklist:


"Leave Nothing Behind"
"I Witness"
"I Am The One"
"New Flame"            
"Burning Pieces"            
"Sound And Fury"            
"Love & Reality"            
"Bluedeep"            
"Disco Nnection"            
"You Make Me Feel (Nothing)"    
"Feel The Storm"
"Little Stone"        





 

Earlier this month, Wargaming announced an electrifying collaboration with iconic metal band MEGADETH. A multi-product musical in-game event called Metal Fest is set to bring the thunderous power of metal to four popular products: World Of Tanks Modern Armor; World Of Tanks Blitz; World Of Warships; and World Of Warships: Legends. Kicking off on August 28, Metal Fest is a celebration of the genre, featuring exclusive voiceovers by Dave Mustaine, frontman of MEGADETH; alongside his bandmates James LoMenzo; Dirk Verbeuren; and Kiko Loureiro, as well as an array of MEGADETH-branded in-game items such as tanks and warships, in-game missions and quests, integrated songs, and much more.

The highlight of this collaboration is the introduction of the band's iconic mascot, Vic Rattlehead, who is making his debut appearance in video games with a stunning 3D representation and unique voiceover.

Regarding how the collaboration with Wargaming came about, Mustaine told Screen Rant: "I wish I really knew how the chain of events took place, but I was approached through management. They had said that they had spoken to somebody — and like I said, chicken or the egg, I don't know which came first — but as soon as it got to me, it didn't matter, because the cool factor was there and I wanted to do this. Some of these games, they're super successful games, but they're for people who have no life; sitting around and building igloos and stuff like that, that's not my idea of fun. I like to have interactions with other people and to get some kind of benefit from it. Like with my whole martial arts thing, if there were no ranking system in there, I don't know how many people would really do it. Because a lot of it is the respect that you get from having something on your body that shows other people, 'I don't have to open my mouth, but I'm better than you.' And it's only in martial arts, it's not like you get a belt for being in home ec, like, 'I make better cookies than you, Deven, I've got a black apron.' [Laughs]"

Elaborating on the "cool factor" that he said was "there" with Wargaming, Mustaine said: "Well, I think first off the history of the game. It's one of those games that has survived through all the different phases of games coming and going. The infrastructure is something that I was really surprised to see how many people were involved in and how finely tuned the mechanism of the Wargaming business was. I knew them from their spokesman Arnold Schwarzenegger; I'd seen that and thought it was a great ad. We had our own association with Arnold from the 'Last Action Hero' movie, and I remember I thought, 'Shit, if it's good enough for Arnold, it's good enough for us.' And the graphics have been great; it's really mindblowing. I like the fact they made me look a little younger and a little bit more dashing. So far everything's great and I'm really looking forward to immersing myself in the game and playing it with my friends."

Join Wargaming Metal Fest at megadeth.wargaming.net.

World Of Tanks Modern Armor (August 29 - September 25, 2023)

Players will be able to complete Challenges to unlock various MEGADETH-themed rewards. Two new tanks inspired by the albums "Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?" and "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" will make their debut in the Store. Vic Rattlehead will appear as an exclusive 3D Commander, while Dave Mustaine, James LoMenzo, Dirk Verbeuren and Kiko Loureiro will be added as 2D Commanders, all with their own unique voiceovers. Tankers will enjoy two MEGADETH songs ("Soldier On!" and "Peace Sells") in the Garage if they own the MEGADETH tanks, fueling the adrenaline of battles with pure rock power.

World Of Tanks Blitz (August 29 - September 3, 2023)

World Of Tanks Blitz players can join in the action with a dedicated MEGADETH quest, offering exclusive prizes such as static and animated camos inspired by various MEGADETH album covers; a unique tank skin inspired by the "Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?" album for the Chieftain Mk. 6; avatars; and collectible items. An exact replica of Dave Mustaine's guitar will create a special atmosphere in the Hangar, as players dive into thrilling metal-infused battles.

World Of Warships PC (August 28 - September 13, 2023)

World Of Warships players will be engaged in special missions to obtain exclusive Commanders! Dave Mustaine will be immortalized as a ship Commander with an original voiceover, and Vic Rattlehead will also join the fray, issuing orders with a menacing voice. As the final reward, the powerful Death Ray patch will be granted, marking conquerors of the seas with true metal prestige.

Additionally, two special bundles holding ship Commanders will also be available. Players who obtain the "Megadeth: Set The Seas Afire" bundle will also receive ferocious cruiser Rattlehead inspired by the "Rust In Peace" album cover as a bonus. When playing this ship, you will hear the famous "Tornado Of Souls" song from the same album, making battles even more intense.

World Of Warships Legends (August 28 - October 2, 2023)

In World Of Warships: Legends, players will be rewarded with cruiser Rattlehead, and while helming her, Captains can also embrace guises for both Dave and Vic as rewards. Moreover, players can also obtain a themed patch and flag featuring the band's logo and Vic's head, displaying their loyalty to the metal legends.

Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 16 offices around the world, including studios in Chicago, Prague, Shanghai, Tokyo, Vilnius, Kyiv, and Belgrade. Millions of players enjoy Wargaming's titles across all major gaming platforms. Wargaming's flagship products include the free-to-play hits World Of Tanks, World Of Warships and World Of Tanks Blitz.

MEGADETH is an iconic American metal band who have shaped and revolutionized the sound of the genre. Led by Mustaine, the band has sold over 50 million records worldwide. MEGADETH is a signature touchpoint of the metal lifestyle, and their brand has grown into a recognizable point of rock and metal culture.