W.A.S.P. has announced "The 7 Savage: 1984-1992" deluxe 8LP box set from its "Capitol Years", with studio album half-speed mastering, LP of bonus tracks, 60-page book, posters and numbered certificate. "The 7 Savage: 1984-1992" will be released Friday, October 27 on Madfish and is strictly limited to 2000 copies worldwide.

Currently on break from the "40 Years Live" world tour and sounding better than ever, W.A.S.P. is one of the most consistent and reliable forces in rock music — unstoppable and unassailable, like a heavy metal juggernaut sent back in time from a long-distant galaxy. Frontman Blackie Lawless is undoubtedly one of rock's everlasting figures — someone whose attitude and vision changed the musical landscape around him, in the process bearing fruit to some of the biggest anthems of their time.

Lawless comments: "It's great to see this collection of records be re-released with this detail. For the original recordings to have a new light shown on them with expanded notes and additional photography is special for me, and will be for all those that hold these albums in a special place in their hearts and times in their lives."

W.A.S.P.'s first five studio albums — "W.A.S.P.", "The Last Command", "Inside The Electric Circus", "The Headless Children" and "The Crimson Idol" — contributed enough on their own for the Lawless-fronted outfit to be considered one of the greatest rock bands of all-time. Those LPs are all presented in this set, mastered half-speed at Air Studios, London for a superior, sharper, more direct and engaging sound.

Packaged within a deluxe red leatherette effect double slipcase, "The 7 Savage: 1984-1992" is completed on vinyl with two more LPs: 1987's "Live… In The Raw" and new compilation "Bonus Tracks & B-Sides" featuring the controversial breakthrough anthem "Animal (F**k Like a Beast)".

Compiled with the full cooperation of Lawless, the box set also includes a 60-page book with exclusive and rare pictures from legendary metal photographers (including Ross Halfin, Tony Mottram, David Plastik and Paul Natkin),along with extensive liner notes from Amit Sharma (Kerrang!, Planet Rock). Also included is an exclusive Lawless poster, plus an individually numbered circular saw shaped certificate.

Disc 1 - W.A.S.P. (Half-Speed Master)

A.1. I Wanna Be Somebody [03:44]
A.2. L.O.V.E. Machine [03:52]
A.3. The Flame [03:42]
A.4. B.A.D. [03:57]
A.5. School Daze [03:35]
B.1. Hellion [03:39]
B.2. Sleeping (In The Fire) [03:56]
B.3. On Your Knees [03:49]
B.4. Tormentor [04:11]
B.5. The Torture Never Stops [03:56]

Disc 2 The Last Command (Half-Speed Master)

A.1. Wild Child [05:12]
A.2. Ballcrusher [03:28]
A.3. Fistful Of Diamonds [04:14]
A.4. Jack Action [04:17]
A.5. Widowmaker [05:18]
B.1. Blind In Texas [04:21]
B.2. Cries In The Night [03:42]
B.3. The Last Command [04:11]
B.4. Running Wild In The Streets [03:30]
B.5. Sex Drive [03:12]

Disc 3 Inside the Electric Circus (Half-Speed Master)

A.1. The Big Welcome [01:22]
A.2. Inside The Electric Circus [03:33]
A.3. I Don't Need No Doctor [03:26]
A.4. 9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y. [04:48]
A.5. Restless Gypsy [04:59]
A.6. Shoot From The Hip [04:38]
B.1. I'm Alive [04:22]
B.2. Easy Living [03:12]
B.3. Sweet Cheetah [05:16]
B.4. Mantronic [04:10]
B.5. King Of Sodom And Gomorrah [03:50]
B.6. The Rock Rolls On [03:52]

Disc 4 The Headless Children (Half-Speed Master)

A.1. The Heretic (The Lost Child) [07:23]
A.2. The Real Me [03:20]
A.3. The Headless Children [05:46]
A.4. Thunderhead [06:50]
B.1. Mean Man [04:48]
B.2. The Neutron Bomber [04:10]
B.3. Mephisto Waltz [01:28]
B.4. Forever Free [05:09]
B.5. Maneater [04:47]
B.6. Rebel In The F.D.G. [05:08]

Disc 5 The Crimson Idol (Half-Speed Master)

A.1. The Titanic Overture [03:31]
A.2. The Invisible Boy [05:13]
A.3. Arena Of Pleasure [04:15]
A.4. Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue) [08:43]
B.1. The Gypsy Meets The Boy [04:15]
B.2. Doctor Rockter [03:54]
B.3. I Am One [05:24]

Disc 6 The Crimson Idol (Half-Speed Master)

C.1. The Idol [08:40]
C.2. Hold On To My Heart [04:22]
C.3. The Great Misconceptions Of Me [09:44]
D.1. The Story Of Jonathan (Prologue To The Crimson Idol) [16:35]
D.2. Phantoms In The Mirror [04:36]
D.3. The Eulogy [04:16]

Disc 7 Live... In The Raw

A.1. Inside The Electric Circus (live) [04:31]
A.2. I Don't Need No Doctor (live) [03:40]
A.3. L.O.V.E. Machine (live) [04:27]
A.4. Wild Child (live) [06:02]
A.5. 9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y. (live) [05:11]
A.6. Sleeping (In The Fire) (live) [05:27]
B.1. The Manimal (live) [04:44]
B.2. I Wanna Be Somebody (live) [06:43]
B.3. Harder Faster (live) [07:19]
B.4. Blind In Texas (live) [05:41]
B.5. Scream Until You Like It (Theme from Ghoulies II) [03:25]

Disc 8 Bonus Tracks & B-sides

A.1. Animal (F**k Like A Beast) [03:07]
A.2. Show No Mercy [03:48]
A.3. Paint It Black [03:28]
A.4. Savage [03:33]
A.5. Mississippi Queen [03:22]
A.6. Flesh And Fire [04:38]
A.7. D.B. Blues [03:25]
B.1. Locomotive Breath [03:00]
B.2. For Whom The Bell Tolls [03:48]
B.3. Lake Of Fools [05:33]
B.4. War Cry [05:33]
B.5. When The Levee Breaks [07:06]

To order the box set, click here.

Few bands in the history of rock and roll have ever incited the love, the hate, the raw emotional effect W.A.S.P. has had on the world. From the very beginning, in the small venues of Los Angeles, and later to the numerous countries worldwide that banned these winged assassins from performing live, the band's unique style of shock and rock caused religious organizations, local city councils, parliaments, and the Washington D.C. senate to hold hearings in an effort to bar this group from selling records and trashing stages everywhere they played.

Lawless has led W.A.S.P. as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold-out shows across the globe for four decades.

Swedish hard rockers, Seventh Crystal, have announced the upcoming release of their Infinity EP, on November 3. It's the follow-up to their Wonderland album, released earlier this year.  The first single from the album, “Silence” is out today. Listen to the song, and pre-save the EP here.


“Infinity came about when we were recording Wonderland. And instead of putting the songs on the album, we felt that these songs had a life of their own and deserved a place of their own. It's an EP where we take a bit of a turn but our fans are guaranteed to recognize the sound. We're as proud of this EP as we are of Wonderland and we hope you'll dig it as much as we do! Thanks for all the support! All the best and heavy metal in the night!”, says band member Anton Roos.


Seventh Crystal, who debuted on the rock scene in 2021 with their debut album Delirium, have announced the release of Infinity, a quick follow-up to their full-length album, Wonderland, released in March 2023. Picking up where Wonderland left off, Infinity sees the band taking the unique formula that worked so well for them and expanding upon it. This is rock for the 21st century.




Seventh Crystal is a rock band from the fertile Swedish music scene that was put together by singer Kristian Fyhr (Perpetual Etude/Ginevra). Seventh Crystal’s music can best be described as hard rock with arena influences.


If you're into hard rock with great melodies, big choruses and a strong identity then this band is going to be right up your alley. And, certainly, Infinity will be a MUST HEAR for you.





Tracklisting:


"Infinity"
"Memory Lane"
"Ready Set Go!"
"Rivals"
"Silence"


Lineup:


Kristian Fyhr - Lead Vocals
Johan Älvsång - Keyboard/Backing Vocals
Emil Dornerus - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Gustav Linde - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Olof Gadd - Bass/Backing Vocals
Anton Roos - Drums/Percussion

In a new interview with Gary Graff for The Oakland Press, shock rock legend Alice Cooper discusses his new album, Road, touring, and more. In the following excerpt, Alice talks retirement...


“A lot of people go, ‘Well, why are you still going?'” said Cooper, who operates a pair of Solid Rock Teen Centers for youth in Arizona. “I go, ‘Look, I love writing songs. I love recording songs. I love making albums that are thematic albums. I love working with Bob Ezrin and all the great musicians we play with. And I love hearing it on the radio and going out and playing those songs in front of an audience.’ That’s what I do.


“What am I gonna do — go home and play golf? I play golf anyway. I play golf in the morning and rock ‘n’ roll all night. So, no, there’s no thought of retirement here. This is gonna be the great rock ‘n’ roll retirement year…No more KISS live shows, Aerosmith, Elton, the Eagles. So I’m gonna be the last band standing.”




Read more at The Oakland Press.


Alice Cooper’s radio show, Nights With Alice Cooper, will have its last night on September 4.


According to United Stations EVP/Programming Andy Denemark, Nights With Alice Cooper will conclude its 19 1/2 years in syndication during the week of September 4, with programs being offered through Sunday, September 10.


Radio + Television Business Report says that the rock legend did not retire or quit radio and the decision to end the program is due to the sale of United Stations, with new management changing the programming.


Nights With Alice Cooper featured various segments, play requests, answering fan questions, and interviewing celebrities – notably Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Jerry Springer, Joe Perry, and more.

Redemption have released a video for “Seven Minutes From Sunset”, featured on their new album, I Am The Storm, out now via AFM Records. Watch the clip below, and order the album here.





Tracklisting:




“I Am The Storm”
“Seven Minutes From Sunset”
“Remember The Dawn”
“The Emotional Depiction Of Light”
“Resilience”
“Action At A Distance”
“Turn It On Again”
“All This Time (And Not Enough)”
“The Emotional Depiction Of Light (Remix)”
“Red Rain”


Vinyl Bonus Tracks:


“The Pearl Clutchers” (feat. Chris Poland)
“The Far Side Of The Clouds” (feat. Henrik Danhage)


“Seven Minutes From Sunset” video:





"Remember The Dawn" video:





"I Am The Storm":

French/Irish alternative rock-metal outfit Molybaron, known for their energetic, hard-hitting sound, will release their new album Something Ominous on September 15 via InsideOutMusic/Sony Music.


Today, Molybaron share the epic third single from the album “Reality Show”, a high-energy track, fusing driving guitars and bass with soaring synths, alongside a catchy memorable vocal melody. Watch below.







Something Ominous comes as CD in sleeve pack, 180g black LP in 12’’ inch vinyl sleeve and digital album. Stream the singles and pre-order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"Something Ominous"
"Set Alight"
"Billion Dollar Shakedown"
"Breakdown"
"Anyway"
"Daylight Dies In Darkness"
"Dead On Arrival"
"Pendulum"
"Reality Show"
"Vampires"


"Reality Show" video:





"Breakdown" lyric video:





"Something Ominous" video:





In addition, Molybaron will support Soen on their upcoming Memorial Tour 2023 in Europe, starting September 20.





Formed in Paris, early 2015, by Dublin-born singer/guitarist Gary Kelly, Molybaron have become one of the most talked-about bands in the modern metal scene. Fusing together elements of alt rock, hard rock, and modern metal to create an eclectic, sonically dynamic experience, Molybaron deliver an intensely raw, original musical signature, appealing to fans across the genres.


Molybaron is:


Gary Kelly – Guitar/Vocals
Florian Soum - Lead Guitar
Sébastien de Saint-Angel – Bass
Camille Greneron – Drums

On August 18, Swiss metal legends, Eluveitie, 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:


"Exile Of The Gods"
"Nil"
"Epona" (Metal Version)
"Deathwalker"
"Lvgvs" (Metal Version)
"A Rose For Epona"
"Thousandfold"
"Ambiramus"
"Breathe"
"King"
"De Ruef Vo De Bärge"




Encore:


"Aidus"
"Ategnatos"
"Inis Mona"

During a question-and-answer session on July 27 at Diablo Guitars in Renton, Washington, where he was holding a guitar clinic, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt was asked about the band's recent switch from Nuclear Blast Records to Napalm Records. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's just one of those things. We were with Nuclear Blast for a long time — since 2003 — but sometimes, you know, change is good. There was a ton of change at Nuclear Blast and I kind of knew one person there anymore and I used to know everybody. And this might be my last record deal. I'm 59 years old, so I wanted to make sure it was right. I hope so. But I'm pretty confident. They're all 100 percent behind this band."

This past May, EXODUS canceled its previously announced summer 2023 European tour so that Holt could "tend to his family" after his brother was recently hospitalized in Italy.

Holt joined EXODUS in 1981, shortly after the band's formation, and has been the group's main songwriter ever since. Holt has performed on every EXODUS album, and is considered highly influential in the world of thrash metal.

Holt began filling in for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at live shows in 2011, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS. Holt played on SLAYER's final album, "Repentless", which came out in 2015.

EXODUS's latest album, "Persona Non Grata", came out in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap. For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork.

"Persona Non Grata" was the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Five months ago, Hachette Books announced that it had acquired Gary's upcoming memoir. "A Fabulous Disaster: From The Garage To Madison Square Garden, The Hard Way" is described in a press release as "a no-holds-barred memoir from the preeminent thrasher's life in metal, from its humble (but not quiet) beginnings in the San Francisco Bay Area through today's current resurgence in worldwide popularity, as he lived big, played fast and crashed hard, written in collaboration with Adem Tepedelen."

Gary Holt Clinic Live Stream from Diablo Guitars

Streaming Live from Diablo Guitars -ESP Presents Gary Holt!

Posted by Diablo Guitars on Thursday, July 27, 2023

Very honored to have the legendary Gary Holt of Exodus and Slayer at Diablo Guitars! #diabloguitarsseattle #garyholt #espguitars

Posted by Parker Lundgren on Friday, July 28, 2023

Got to go to Diablo Guitars in Renton, WA to see Gary Holt from Exodus and Slayer! Got to meet him and he even called me up to play through his rig! Had an absolute blast! 🤘🏻 thanks Gary and Diablo!

Posted by Josh Reubenking - Official on Thursday, July 27, 2023

Thank you to the entire Diablo Guitars crew, ESP Guitars and Gary Holt for making this event possible. And a special...

Posted by Parker Lundgren on Friday, July 28, 2023

CROWBAR frontman Kirk Windstein has once again weighed in on the fact that PANTERA's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) have united with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

Anselmo and Brown, along with Wylde and Benante, are headlining a number of major festivals across South America, Asia, North America and Europe and staging some of their own headline concerts. They are also supporting METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

According to Billboard, the new PANTERA lineup has been given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, as well as Brown, who in 2021 said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Windstein, who plays with Anselmo in DOWN, discussed his views on PANTERA's comeback in a recent interview with Oran O'Beirne of Bloodstock TV. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm so happy for [Philip] and Rex. I really am. It's fantastic. It's huge. I think it's even bigger… Maybe they knew it would get this big. I really didn't, but God, I'm happy for 'em. We played with 'em in Poland back in the beginning of June, and it was just amazing… So I'm so happy for 'em. I really am. I told PhilipandRex, I'm, like, 'You get a second chance, second shot at doing what should have happened with the brothers had they not passed away.' But they're doing it for the right reasons and, boy, they're doing it at the top of their game. The production, everything is amazing. Musicianship-wise, PANTERA was one of the best heavy metal bands ever with Dime and Vinnie. But with Zakk, look, he might not play every note like Dime, but it's not his style… He's doing the signature solos, like the stuff everybody hums, everybody sings, but he's throwing in his own stuff too, which it should be that way."

Windstein previously talked about PANTERA's return in a November 2022 interview with the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS). He said: "The people who are against it, I understand, 'cause the very moment that Phil told us what was gonna be going on, that they were doing this and it's been planned — we were in Europe with DOWN [in June 2022] when we found out — and I remember kind of going, 'But dude, do y'all have to call it 'PANTERA'?' And I really did ask him. And he's, like, 'Yeah,' he goes, 'It is. It's PANTERA.' And I started to think about it. And it never sat wrong with me for even a minute, really, or anything. I just started thinking about the reality of what…

"What you're dealing with here is a situation where, by God, it's so horrible that Vince and Dime are not here with us," Kirk continued. "But you've got a situation with a band who has not only old-school fans who have not seen them perform since fucking 2001 or whatever the last shows were, you've also got an entire new generation, including my bass player, who's 34 years old but was too young to actually go to a concert, to travel or whatever and go see… He's such a PANTERA freak and a Dimebag freak… And there's so many younger kids that, this is the closest they're gonna get to it. And I feel like the fact that they have Zakk, who was so tight with Dime, and Charlie has been so tight with the band forever, filling in for…

"To me, when I think about it, it is a tribute to a legacy. The sad thing about anything in a situation like this [is] you can't bring the guys back; they're not with us any longer, Vinnie and Dime. So, to me, are they doing something… pissing on the name or something? Not at all. I think if anything, they're glorifying it. I mean, the music is too fucking good, too legendary, it was too groundbreaking, they were too amazing to not let people enjoy it.

"That's kind of what I feel on the negative people. And I feel that a huge generation of the old-schoolers like myself can't wait to see this. And you're gonna have the generation of the younger kids…

"I just played with DOWN at the Blue Ridge festival [in September 2022] and next day we played with CROWBAR, and I told Phil, I said, 'Dude, there's more PANTERA shirts at the shows now, and it's, like, young kids.' I said, '22-year-olds who weren't even born or they were just an infant when you all were done with the 'Reinventing The Steel' touring' and then the band basically breaking up and then, of course, the Dime situation and everything. And he was laughing. I said, 'I'm excited about it. I really am.'

"It didn't take but a second for it to hit," Kirk added. "I mean, if Vince could have been involved as well, of course, but that never would have happened. But if Vinnie could have been in it as well, I think it would have been amazing. And that's nothing against Charlie. But I still think that it's gonna be amazing. And I'm looking at it as a fan, as a friend of all of those guys. I'm looking very forward to it.

"All the haters that are, like, 'Oh, fuck this shit,' they're all gonna be doing this [keeping their arms crossed at first], and three songs in, they're gonna be fucking doing this [pumping their fists in the air enthusiastically], and everything's gonna be fine."

Up until his passing, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Vinnie passed away on June 22, 2018 at his other home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

In a new interview with Rockin' 101's "The Johnny Rock Show", original QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate spoke about his former band's early relationship with the groups who were in Seattle grunge scene just as it was exploding in the early 1990s. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, SOUNDGARDEN, we played shows with them; when they were coming up, they were an opening band for us and they appeared on festivals with us as well. So yeah, we kind of watched that episode happening, from a distance, actually. Honestly, at that time in our careers, we were, I think, five albums into our career at the time, and we were touring constantly. So we weren't even in Seattle when this scene was happening."

Tate told Chicago At Night in a 2012 interview that he was happy to see the commercial focus shift from hard rock and metal to grunge, especially with QUEENSRŸCHE coming up in the Seattle area shortly before the grunge floodgates opened.

"Oh, it was exciting to watch especially since we knew most of those young bands that were coming up behind us," he said. "SOUNDGARDEN, ALICE IN CHAINS, PEARL JAM, those three bands toured with us quite a bit during the early nineties, so we got to know those guys quite a bit. So it was exciting seeing their rise to popularity. It was fun watching that."

Tate's sentiments were echoed by QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton, who told Hot Metal in 2016 he didn't blame the grunge explosion for the collapse of a flourishing — and very lucrative — scene. "Let's face it, the industry got stale, you know?" he said. "We knew those guys in those bands and I was totally happy for them. I was, like, 'Right on! This industry needs a shot in the arm!'"

In the court documents that were filed in 2012 during Tate's bitter legal battle with his now-former bandmates over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name, Wilton, drummer Scott Rockenfield and bassist Eddie Jackson admitted that the poor sales performance of their 1994 album, "Promised Land" — which came out four years after the band's mega-successful "Empire" LP — had put "huge" pressure on the group to "stay on top." They wrote: "With the now huge phenomenon of the 'grunge' sound, the production for [1997's 'Hear In The Now Frontier'] album was very sparse and raw as we were trying to capture an essence of that sound to make us sound more current."

Earlier this year, Wilton talked to Max Davallo of the "Sonic Dorms" music talk show about how the rise of grunge forced most hard rock bands off the radio and MTV, with album and tour sales plummeting.

"I think as far as the metal, the progressive rock and the hard rock, we catapulted," he said. "So I think we were kind of in our automatic way of existing. And it's something that you see technology changing, the dynamics of the record companies were changing, a new crowd was coming in and they wanted something of their own. And that all was great for all those bands, and especially all the bands from Seattle because we knew 'em all. For us, it was a time of just a shift in the industry. And I think we weathered it. We kind of went through some changes, probably like most bands do. I think we had such a solidified following that it really didn't matter. We just kept doing what we do. And then the whole grunge thing happened. That was really great. Music got stale, I guess, and this new music came in. But for us, it's always been about a certain way we do things. Whether trends and things happen, I don't think we follow trends. We just do what we do."

Wilton previously discussed grunge's impact on QUEENSRŸCHE's popularity in a March 2019 interview with the "Cobras & Fire" podcast. At the time, he said: "The grunge thing happened pretty much in the mid-to-late '90s, so we had already gone through that whole early-'90s explosion of rock videos on MTV and lots of record companies selling tons of CDs and albums and everything. It was a glorious time.

"I remember, I think we were playing in '96 or '97, and that's kind of when it all hit, right? It just kind of goes in cycles. There's a new generation coming in, and they want their own thing. And for us, we never fit into any concrete genre and we weren't a band that was on any trends. We were kind of oblivious to it all, and we just kept doing what we were doing. And lo and behold, look at us today — we're still going strong. And I think it's just because QUEENSRŸCHE's music is unique and it has its place. And it obviously, for the most part, can be timeless."

Six years ago, Tate said that he was offended when his band started being compared to the so-called "hair metal" acts of the 1980s.

"When we started, genre wasn't really a thing in the business," the singer said. "Rock music was all encompassing. You had different bands doing different things and it was all totally fine.

"What happened was that the marketing mentality came into the business," he explained. "They started breaking everything down and putting music in boxes. At that point, writers began placing us in the same box as MÖTLEY CRÜE. It wasn't about the music — it was a selling technique.

"To be compared to MÖTLEY CRÜE… I took it as kind of an insult, frankly."

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Fellow original QUEENSRŸCHE members Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Tate was replaced in QUEENSRŸCHE by former CRIMSON GLORY singer Todd La Torre.

In a recent interview with Cassius Morris, ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman John Corabi, who joined the band in 1992 as the replacement for original singer Vince Neil, was asked if he thinks there is any truth to Mick Mars's claim that he was the only bandmember to play 100 percent live on CRÜE's 2022 stadium tour, claiming bassist Nikki Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour." Corabi responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Nowadays recording on Pro Tools, 'cause I released a couple of [solo] songs a little bit ago, if you said to me, 'Hey, can you just give me the rhythm guitar track?' I could literally just go online, highlight that track and e-mail you just that track. So as far as the drums go or any of that stuff nowadays with computers and all that shit? Yeah, it's possible. Is it happening? I don't know. I haven't toured with MÖTLEY for 27 years, 28 years."

Asked if MÖTLEY used any backing tracks while he was in the band, Corabi said: "No. I mean, we did use tracks. I'll say that right now. We were using some backing vocal tracks, and we used, for the song 'Misunderstood', there was a 53-piece orchestra on that track, so we just used the orchestra tracks to enhance what we were doing live on stage. But then Nikki was playing bass, Tommy [Lee] was playing drums, Mick was playing guitar, I was playing guitar and I was singing. Now whether or not they've elaborated since — I couldn't tell you. I haven't seen MÖTLEY live since… I saw them one time in my entire life, and that was a tour they did in, like, 2003 or [200]4 with… they toured with AEROSMITH. And I saw them that one time, and I haven't seen them since. So I don't know about Mick's claims. Mick has never really been a bullshitter in the past, so if he says they were using tracks, then, you know, maybe they were. I don't know."

Pressed about if he cares at all personally about whether or not bands use backing tracks during live shows, John said: "That's not for me to determine. Honestly, I'm sure it's out there, the bands that are using tracks to enhance their sound. If the fans wanna pay the money for a ticket knowing that there's probably tracks being played, then that's their call. Personally, I don't really believe in it myself. I have a solo band [and] THE DEAD DAISIES; we don't use any tracks at all. Are the backing vocals as strong as they are on the record? No, but it's live. I remember as a kid seeing AEROSMITH and hearing four-part harmonies on songs that AEROSMITH did [on record], and then I'd go see them live and it was just Steven [Tyler] and Joe Perry singing, this kind of ratty little whatever. And I always enjoyed it. It was about seeing the whole band, seeing the whole process and seeing the show. So personally, I wouldn't do it. But that's just me. Other bands choose to do it, and the fans are still buying tickets for 'em. Then great. Awesome. Knock yourself out. I have no comment, positive or negative, on the subject at all. To each his own. That's why they have 32 flavors of Baskin-Robbins [ice cream]."

This past June, Nikki told Jen Thomas, the entertainment writer at U.K.'s Metro that "the silliest thing" he has ever read about himself and the rest of CRÜE "was from Mick Mars's attorneys," referencing the recent lawsuit filed against MÖTLEY by the band's founding guitarist. "I'm just really sad at what's happened... They put out that the band doesn't play live. We're, like, who is playing the bass then? It's literally one of the funniest things.

"Imagine being in a rock'n'roll band for 42 years and some guy in a suit puts out that the band doesn't play," Nikki continued. "The silliest thing is, because of the way a lot of media is these days, they don't cross-check. They just run with headlines and we call it clickbait. I mean, that's about as silly as it gets."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE last October as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in his lawsuit, which was filed on April 6 in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, the now-72-year-old musician said that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

In response to Mars's lawsuit, CRÜE's manager of 29 years, Allen Kovac, told Variety that Mars is coming out with a list of allegations "to gain leverage in a smear campaign on MÖTLEY. He's attacked the band, and he's done it in a slanderous way, with false accusations and misrepresenting the facts to the fans. Mick is not the victim. The victims are MÖTLEY CRÜE and the brand, which Mick is so prideful of." But, he added, "What's upsetting to me is not Mick, but his representatives, who have guided Mick to say and do harmful things to the brand he cares about so much, MÖTLEY CRÜE. He has a degenerative disease and people are taking advantage of him. It's called elder abuse."

Kovac continued: "Mick's representatives have no idea what they've created, but I've stopped the band from speaking about this, so they're not gonna turn the fans against Mick. But I am going to make sure that people understand that Mick hasn't been treated badly. In fact, he was treated better than anyone else in the band, and they carried him and they saved his life."

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE last summer that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

Regarding Mick's claim that he was the only CRÜE member to play 100 percent live on their most recent tour, Kovac told Variety: "Everything is live with Nikki's bass playing and Tommy's drum playing. When they've used loops, they're still playing. There are augmented vocals, which were (recorded) in the studio and are backgrounds behind the two ladies who are singing and (other background vocals by) John 5 and Nikki Sixx, and before that Mick and Nikki." He described the pre-recorded vocal layering as where "you multi-track and you do gang vocals with, like, 20 people, just like all the other bands do with background vocals. They've got background vocals in the mix. That's the truth.

"But Nikki played his bass and always has," Kovac continued. "Vince was singing better than he was before (on the latest tour). That was in reviews. Now, John 5 is playing like who John 5 is. I've heard John 5 perform and I heard Mick perform. Both are great guitar players. Unfortunately, Mick is not the same. He hasn't been the same for a long time. Which was in reviews! You see that the professionals knew. DEF LEPPARD (which alternated headlining spots on tour) knew. And (Mars) caused a train wreck up there, because he would play the wrong songs and the wrong parts, even with the guide tracks. When he played the wrong song, it wasn't Nikki Sixx that had a tape; it was the soundman bringing it into the mix so the audience could hear a song, even though the guitar player was playing a different song." He says audiences "would hear it at first, but (sound engineers) would fix it so that we could keep the song going. I heard it. I'd go to the soundboard."

Baroness, who are days away from the release of their new album, Stone (September 15, Abraxan Hymns), celebrate the 10-track collection’s arrival with a series of acoustic record store performances, kicking off with a release day outing at New York City’s Rough Trade.


“Independent music stores are a huge part of our musical background,” John Baizley shares. “We discovered so much music in them as teenagers; they undoubtedly had a profound effect on all of our development as young artists (they still do). We are thrilled to be able to travel around the East Coast this September to play stripped down sets in some of our favorite shops.”


Gina Gleason adds: “We’re really excited for the opportunity to play these intimate performances and to connect with the fans as well as the record shop owners and operators who have been so incredibly supportive of us over the years.”




The announcement of the in-stores comes in tandem with the release of a Baroness-directed video for the recently released song, “Shine”, which Gleason, noting the band’s slate of DIY videos for Stone, said “feels like our most cinematic endeavor thus far!” Watch the video below.





Baroness Record Store Tour:


September
15 - New York, NY - Rough Trade
16 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Darkside Records
17 - Baltimore, MD - The Sound Garden
18 - Richmond, VA - Plan 9 Music
19 - Raleigh, NC - Schoolkids Records
20 - Charleston, SC - Monster Music
21 - Atlanta, GA - Criminal Records


See store for admission details.


Stone pre-orders and pre-saves are available now, here. The album features original cover art by John Baizley and is available on a variety of formats, including an indie exclusive LP and ten limited-edition custom vinyl variants themed after each song on the album and designed by Baizley himself, as well as CD, a limited-edition deluxe CD featuring a bonus disc of live tracks recorded on the “Your Baroness” tour, and a limited blue cassette.


Stone album cover; original painting by John Baizley.





Stone tracklisting:


"Embers"
"Last Word"
"Beneath The Rose"
"Choir"
"The Dirge"
"Anodyne"
"Shine"
"Magnolia"
"Under The Wheel"
"Bloom"


"Sine" video:





"Beneath The Rose" video:





"Last Word" video:





Baroness also recently announced an expanded slate of openers who will be joining them for the upcoming “Sweet Oblivion Tour.” The complete list includes Agriculture, Chat Pile, Cloud Rat, Destiny Bond, Escuela Grind, Hoaxed, Imperial Triumphant, Jesus Piece, KEN Mode, Midwife, Portrayal of Guilt, Primitive Man, Sheer Mag, Soul Glo, Spotlights, Uniform, Vile Creature, Wayfarer and Zorn.


Tickets on sale now at at yourbaroness.com.





(Photo - Ebru Yildiz)

Italian blackened death metal band Huronian have revealed the official music video of its newest creative effort “Blazing Bolt Of Hatred” from the band’s upcoming EP Beyond Frozen Heights. 


The EP is set to be released on September 15 via Gruesome Records. The music video is an intimate experience, showing the band members playing their hearts out to the music. Preorder the EP on Bandcamp.


“Blazing Bolt Of Hatred” can be described as a cosmic rollercoaster of ethereal themes. Mixed with the band’s passion for classic melodic death/black metal, this makes the listening experience of the song truly unique. The lyrics of “Blazing Bolt Of Hatred” create grandiose images of cosmic proportions and explore a beautiful yet frightening world.




The band stated about the song:


“‘Blazing Bolt of Hatred’ is one of those tracks that didn't need to be changed/reworked much during the songwriting process. It was immediately accepted in its entirety - straightforward, aggressive, and full of obscure melody. Lyrics deal with Milton's opus Paradise Lost, bringing the listener into an obscure and mysterious trip filled with fear, beauty, and vengeance.”


Huronian was born in early 2020 by the will of DL and UMP, with the intention of recreating the sound of the golden age of melodic death metal and death/black metal, filtering the influences in a completely personal way.


After a few months MM joined the band as drummer and the trio recorded Demo 2020, a digital release containing two unreleased tracks and included a cover Dissection’s “Heaven’s Damnation”. Despite the global pandemic preventing the band from working in the rehearsal room, Huronian managed to complete the work on the debut album As Cold As A Stranger Sunset very quickly, thanks to the remote work and the great conceptual harmony between the members. It came out in October 2021 via Dolorem records (CD version) and Gruesome Records (tape version).


In the meantime, the live line-up has been completed with the inclusion of two session musicians respectively on the bass and the second guitar. The summer of 2022 saw Huronian playing in Portugal and Spain supporting the release and in February 2023 the band teamed up with French legends Mercyless as supporting act and performed three shows on a mini-tour in Italy.


The music was written by Umberto Poncina. The song arrangement was done by Huronian. The lyrics were written by Daniele Lupidi. The song was recorded by Umberto Poncina and Claudio Corvo Mulas. Drums and vocals were recorded at Art Distillery Studios. The song was mixed and mastered by Umberto Poncina. The photos were taken by Xaendar Movie of Andrea Bennici. The artwork was designed by Daniele Lupidi. The video was created by Xaendar Movie of Andrea Bennici.





Tracklisting:


“The Guild (Intro)”
“Torturer’s Creed”
“Over Frozen Heights Pt. 1”
“Over Frozen Heights Pt. 2”
“Blazing Bolt Of Hatred”


“Blazing Bolt Of Hatred” video:





Huronian is:
Daniele Lupidi - Vocals
Umberto Poncina - Rhythm Guitar
Tommaso Pellegrini - Lead Guitar
Gianluca Trotta - Bass
Marcello Malagoli - Drums

Moonlight Sorcery will release their first full-length album entitled Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle on September 29. Expect nothing but an ice cold blizzard that will conquer your castles, crumble your towers and withhold the daylight forever.


Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle is a perfect combination of the atmosphere from Piercing Through the Frozen Eternity and the rawness of Nightwind: The Conqueror from the Stars, the band’s two EPs released in 2022 and early 2023.


Moonlight Sorcery wants to raise the bar, and these new nine songs have even more melodic hooks and shreddy guitar work. Frozen synth walls further develop the Finnish trio’s unique sound, a vibe you cannot find in any other black metal record.




Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle follows a specific narrative, and its nine compositions tell a single tale, with every song starting where the previous one left off. “Basically, our debut could be a single 44-minute song”, the band said. Yet, the pleasure of learning such a tale is yours. Prepare, wanderer, to meet the Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle!


Mixed and mastered at Unisound by legendary producer and musician Dan Swanö, Moonlight Sorcery’s debut album will be released on CD and LP via Avantgarde Music with an artwork by Linda Piekäinen. Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“To Withhold The Day”
“In Coldest Embrace”
“The Secret Of Streaming Blood”
“Yönsilmä”
“Vihan Verhon Takaa”
“The Moonlit Dance Of The Twisted Jester’s Blood-soaked Rituals”
“Fire Burns The Horizon”
“Into The Silvery Shadows Of Night”
“Suden Tie (Wolven Hour Part II)”

Professionally filmed video of METALLICA performing the song "Hardwired" on August 11 at Stade Olympique in Montreal, Quebec, Canada can be seen below.

As previously reported, METALLICA drew nearly 80,000 fans to the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday (August 25) at the first of the band's two shows at the venue. It was the biggest crowd in the history of the SoCal stadium, which opened in September 2020. The San Francisco Bay Area-based metal legends drew a similarly sized capacity crowd on Sunday, August 27.

Fans purchased more than 156,000 tickets for the two-concert stand, which was part of METALLICA's "M72" world tour.

The "M72" tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, allowing promoters to sell more tickets than usual. And since METALLICA's stage is hollow in the center, there is even more space available to accommodate fans.

According to Billboard, METALLICA's giant ring-shaped stage also includes eight towers of monitors and speakers, with each of the towers is anchored by a raised platform that doubles as VIP seating, with eight folding chairs decorated with the black-and-yellow color scheme of the band's new album, "72 Seasons".

Taylor Swift's recent six-night bow at SoFi was attended by 420,000 ticket-holders, with 70,000-plus in attendance each time.

The "M72" tour launched in late April in Amsterdam.

A portion of proceeds from the shows go to METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation, which seeks to assist and enrich the lives of members of the communities who have supported the band and combat food insecurity; provides disaster relief; and bestows scholarships.

METALLICA's production travels in 87 trucks — 45 for the band and its setup, plus two groups of 21 each for the steel stage and towers. There are 130 people in the band's crew, plus 40 steelworkers, local hires and truck drivers.

METALLICA's manager Cliff Burnstein told Billboard that between 80% and 90% of fans at each concert are attending both shows.

METALLICA's two-night stand at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas earlier this month was livestreamed to movie theaters across the globe. It marked METALLICA's first appearance in Texas since November 2021, when the band played before, during and after a Triad Combat event at Globe Life Field.

In a new interview with the Idaho radio station 94.9 FM and 104.5 FM The Pick, FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson spoke about the band's farewell tour, which officially launched in July. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, this isn't the very final leg, but yes, it is the farewell tour and we do mean it. But it's gonna go at least till the end of 2024, so it may not be the last time you see us, but yes, we are seriously calling it a day. We wanna go out while we're still on top, so the feeling is very strong that that's what we're gonna do. And I stand by that because I think it's a show of integrity."

Asked if FOREIGNER's fall 2023 Las Vegas residency will mark the band's final performances, Pilson said: "No. No, no. Well, not necessarily. We don't really know yet. But we know that we're gonna do eight shows at the beginning of 2024, the end of March and early April, and then we have another residency later in 2024, the end of October and early November. So, yeah, quite, quite a bit of Vegas residency next year, which is pretty exciting. But I don't know if that's gonna be the absolute last show or not, but possibly."

He added: "And just because we're doing a farewell tour doesn't mean that we're doing a complete retirement. I mean, we still may do occasional shows here and there — you know, special events or whatever. It's just this is the end of that 'nine months in the year you're on the road' kind of thing."

FOREIGNER will bid goodbye to the Las Vegas Strip with an exclusive headlining two-part "Feels Like The Last Time Farewell Tour" residency at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. The shows will be held March 6 through April 6, and October 25 through November 9, 2024 at 8:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $49, plus applicable fees. A limited number of VIP packages are also available. Tickets are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, VenetianLasVegas.com, any box office at The Venetian Resort, or by calling 702.414.9000 or 866.641.7469.

The 16 performances on sale are:

March 2024: 22, 23, 27, 29, 30
April 2024: 3, 5, 6
October 2024: 25, 26, 30
November 2024: 1, 2, 6, 8, 9

Joining Pilson and founding FOREIGNER guitarist Mick Jones in the band's current lineup are lead singer Kelly Hansen, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, guitarist Bruce Watson, Chris Frazier on drums and guitarist Luis Maldonado.

In July, Hansen was asked by Mike Hsu of 100 FM The Pike if he and his FOREIGNER bandmates already know where and when the final show of the farewell tour will take place. Hansen said: "We're just starting to kind of wrap our brains around what that might be. And listen, there's a lot of pressure from a lot of different areas to get me to continue to do this. And I can't see that I'm gonna continue to do this. So we're now looking… 'Cause when you're a band like FOREIGNER, you're already booking a year in advance. So we're already deeply into 2024. But we haven't decided yet where the last show's gonna be."

The only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, Jones suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. Ever since, it is never announced whether he will be appearing with the band for specific shows — it just depends how he is feeling.

Hansen told 100 FM The Pike about Jones: "He's with us whenever he's able to be with us. And he is still the architect of this band. And he and I have worked closely for many years. And the great thing about it is that we've always been very simpatico about our ideas and about how we think things should be done. So, yeah, whenever he can be with us, he is."

After singer Lou Gramm left FOREIGNER in 2003, Jones took some time off before regrouping a couple years later with an entirely new lineup, featuring Hansen and Pilson, among others.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want To Know What Love Is".

Photo credit: Krishta Abruzzini (courtesy of Vanessa Menkes Communications)

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends SADUS will make their long-awaited return this fall with the release of their first album in 16 years, "The Shadow Inside", on November 17 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Reunited in 2017, the band spent the last several years writing the record at their own pace, impervious to outside trends and influences, and recently finished recording with Juan Urteaga (EXODUS, TESTAMENT, MACHINE HEAD) at Trident Studios.

Featuring ominous artwork by accomplished artist Travis Smith (FLESHGOD APOCALPYSE, OPETH),"The Shadow Inside" is a contemporary thrash classic with colossal, groove-laden riffs at break-neck rhythm and blistering solos. It's the record fans have been waiting desperately for and one of the year's most crucial metal albums.

Commenting on the record's impending release, founding vocalist/guitarist Darren Travis says: "I am giddy with excitement for this album to be unleashed upon the world. With the help of the entire Nuclear Blast team, we will bestow a hugely anticipated release of 'The Shadow Inside'!!

"THANK YOU for your interest in our little band for all these years. I hope you will find the same release of excitement that WE DO!! The love of METAL is the only reason for SADUS!! Thank you ALL for the undying SUPPORT!!!! Fucking SADUS!!"

SADUS unleashed the first single from "The Shadow Inside", a song called "It's The Sickness", late last year. Today, the band has unveiled the record's next track, "Ride The Knife", which is available now for streaming and is accompanied by the lyric video below.

"The Shadow Inside" track listing:

01. First Blood
02. Scorched And Burnt
03. It's The Sickness
04. Ride The Knife
05. Anarchy
06. The Devil In Me
07. Pain
08. No Peace
09. New Beginnings
10. The Shadow Inside

SADUS's founding drummer Jon Allen shares his excitement about working with Travis once again, reminiscing about their collaboration on "Elements Of Anger". He points out that several tracks on the new album, such as "The Devil In Me" and "The Shadow Inside", revolve around the idea of an internal entity constantly pushing us. At times, one might find themselves at the edge of reason, attributing their actions to the shadow within, an external force they blame for their choices. While not a concept album per se, every song deals with life decisions and the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions to unlock the best life has to offer. The track "The Shadow Inside" boasts a heavier and slower tone, with a touch of classic, gut-wrenching grind, creating a fitting climax to the album.

A formidable darkness flows through tracks like "Anarchy". Evidently influenced by the tumultuous post-COVID times of mass hysteria, looting, and general loss of control, the melody reflects this chaotic environment. Allen describes the track as "more straightforward and in-your-face, hitting listeners right in the gut." Despite the intensity, SADUS manages to retain their signature death/thrash blend, staying true to their old-school roots. The aggression remains palpable, allowing their music to speak for itself with raw, unapologetic power.

"Scorched And Burnt" follows suit, with its steady beat and chaotic vocals seamlessly intertwining with blistering guitar work. The track gradually transitions into an impassioned melody, igniting a fiery explosion as the song nears its conclusion. Although inspired by the literal wildfires that plagued California during its creation, "Scorched And Burnt" delves deeper into the idea that individuals often feel like someone or something is constantly out to get them. Yet, in the end, the song urges unity, recognizing that every action, even in chaos, ripples through the lives of others.

The process of creating "The Shadow Inside" was unhurried and unencumbered by unnecessary roadblocks. SADUS allowed their creativity to flow naturally, collecting riffs and writing together in person. The band took their time, nurturing and developing their musical ideas until they evolved into the powerful tracks we hear today. Allen emphasizes that their drama-free and family-oriented approach to making music is one of the reasons their sound speaks so powerfully to their fans. Collaborating with Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios added another layer of refinement to the album, as his expertise in death metal played a vital role in shaping its overall sound.

All that being said, SADUS is not a band that simply stands apart from the crowd for the sake of being different. They stand tall, unswayed by mass hysteria and media influences, choosing to make their own decisions and encourage others to do the same. In a world filled with disinformation and false flags, they emphasize the importance of being smart, using common sense, thinking for ourselves, and remaining aware of our surroundings.

As November approaches, the anticipation for "The Shadow Inside" is sure to grow. With their uncompromising vision, SADUS continues to stand as a beacon of authenticity and integrity within the heavy metal community, forever forging their path in the ever-evolving landscape of music.

Best known as the driving force behind Finnish metal icons AMORPHIS, guitarist Tomi Koivusaari steps into his own spotlight with BJØRKØ, his long-awaited solo project. A journey 15 years in the making, "Heartrot", the project's debut album, will be released this December through Svart Records.

The album's lead single, "The Heartroot Rots", rekindles Koivusaari's collaboration with Jeff Walker of CARCASS, a fitting choice for one of the heaviest tracks on the record.

For years, Koivusaari has been the one of the creative backbones of AMORPHIS, a band synonymous with innovation in heavy music. Now, with BJØRKØ ("Birch Island" in English),Koivusaari ventures beyond band dynamics to showcase his distinct artistic vision.

Unfettered by the structural limitations of a traditional band, "Heartrot" stands as a testament to Koivusaari's versatility and depth. "It's a collection of various songs and points of view," he says. "I didn't want a traditional approach to limit my artistic expression."

"Heartrot" serves as an emotional panorama, each track capturing a unique sentiment. Koivusaari describes it as "a soundtrack to an imaginary film" replete with a "strong visual connection to nature and an ever-present sense of melancholy."

BJØRKØ is far from a solo endeavor in the traditional sense. It features an all-star lineup of vocalists in multiple languages, contributing to an atmosphere that's rich and multi-layered. The talent of Waltteri Väyrynen (OPETH, ex-PARADISE LOST),Lauri Porra (STRATOVARIUS) and Janne Lounatvuori (HIDRIA SPACEFOLK) adds a rock-solid foundation to Koivusaari's artistry.

Wacken TV has uploaded professionally filmed video of MEGADETH's August 4 performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany. Check it out below.

Featured songs:

00:00 À Tout Le Monde
04:46 Symphony Of Destruction
09:18 Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Marty Friedman rejoined MEGADETH on stage for the second time in six months at this year's Wacken Open Air. The guitarist performed four songs with his former band: "Trust", "Tornado Of Souls", "Symphony Of Destruction" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due".

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine teased Friedman's appearance ahead of the Wacken performance, writing on social media: "Wacken! Make sure to head over to the faster stage. We have a special surprise for you. You're not going to want to miss it."

Prior to this year's Wacken, Friedman's most recent appearance with MEGADETH took place in late February during the band's first-ever gig at Tokyo, Japan's famed Budokan. Friedman came up on stage for three songs toward the end of MEGADETH's main set: "Countdown To Extinction", "Tornado Of Souls" and "Symphony Of Destruction".

Asked in a recent interview with The Aquarian Weekly what it was like to play with MEGADETH again, Marty said: "It was wonderful. What I think is great about MEGADETH is that being a legacy act, there's also new kids discovering them, and then they discover you and look to see what you're doing now, so they get that experience of Marty Friedman as well.

"I've always been rooting for MEGADETH and they really did great," he continued. "A lot of the things that they did in my absence led them to a very, very good place, and a lot because of Dave's effort and the bandmembers' efforts. When they made it to Budokan, I was just so glad to hear that. Then they offered me to play and it was just the cherry on top. I had such a great time playing with them. It was something that the fans enjoyed as much as I did."

Marty also reflected on the experience of performing with MEGADETH at Bodokan in a separate interview with The Entertainment Outlet. He said about sharing the stage with Mustaine again: "It was great. It was something that Dave and I both wanted from day one, and we got it. There was just a lot of good feelings in that building that night — not just between us, but you could see in the audience, there was just something different about it. People were screaming, they were crying, they were smiling. It was a little bit different reaction from a normal show. And it was a great moment, I think."

In late February, Marty hinted at another potential MEGADETH performance, telling Guitar World: "We [MEGADETH and Friedman] are both playing at Wacken Open Air festival in Germany this summer, so you never know."

Friedman also revealed that the biggest challenge he faced during his Budokan appearance with MEGADETH was performing his guitar solos the same way fans remember from his original stint with the band.

"If there was any challenge at all, I guess it would be playing the solos the way the fans remember them, which is something I wanted to do," Friedman noted. "My playing has evolved so much since those songs came out, and there are so many nuances I would naturally do differently now. I had to resist the urge to play it like I would in 2023 and stick to the original way. For example, in a couple of those songs, I entered the solo on the downbeat, with the first note being the root of the chord. I would definitely avoid both of those things now, but apparently, I was fine with it back then."

A couple of days before the Guitar World interview, Marty was asked by Consequence if he would be open to playing with MEGADETH again, either onstage or in the studio. "Yeah, man, the door's open," he said. "I think the door has always been open. It's really just a matter of doing something that has meaning to it. Meaning for them and meaning for me. So, Budokan is sort of a no-brainer. But if something were to come up that would be a good thing for them and a good thing for me, and add value to it, then I'm all for it. As far as I'm concerned, their band is just kicking so much ass right now, I can't imagine them needing me for anything. [Laughs] But Budokan was wonderful. There's other things in the future. My door's open and we're on great terms, and I love all the guys in the band. It's very casual."

PEARL JAM kicked off its short U.S. tour last night (Thursday, August 31) at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The band's first live performance of 2023 saw the Eddie Vedder-fronted outfit play the first five songs seated, opening with "Indifference", the last song on the band's sophomore album, "Vs.". The rest of the 24-song set included covers of Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" and Victoria Williams's "Crazy Mary". At one point in the set, Vedder took a moment to address the devastating wildfire damage in Maui, where he and his family own a home.

PEARL JAM will perform at the same venue tonight and will be on the road through a two-night stand in Austin, Texas on September 18-19. At the end of this month, Vedder will play with his side band EARTHLINGS at his annual Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California, to be followed by two solo benefit concerts at Seattle's Benaroya Hall on October 23-24.

PEARL JAM's setlist for last night's show was as follows:

01. Indifference
02. Buckle Up
03. Sometimes
04. Wishlist
05. Black
06. Given To Fly
07. Mind Your Manners
08. Why Go
09. Seven O'Clock
10. Even Flow
11. Dance Of The Clairvoyants
12. I'm Open
13. Insignificance
14. Daughter
15. Superblood Wolfmoon
16. Love Boat Captain
17. State Of Love And Trust
18. Porch

Encore:

19. Wildflowers (Tom Petty cover)
20. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
21. Go
22. Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams cover)
23. Alive
24. Yellow Ledbetter

2020 officially marked 30 years of PEARL JAM performing live. Eleven studio albums, hundreds of unique live performances and official live concert bootleg releases later, the band continues to be critically acclaimed and commercially successful — with over 85 million albums sold worldwide. PEARL JAM was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017.

PEARL JAM's latest album, "Gigaton", was released in March 2020. Featuring fan favorites "Dance Of The Clairvoyants", "Superblood Wolfmoon" and "Quick Escape", the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums, and Billboard Vinyl Albums Chart. In addition, it hit Top 5 on Billboard 200 chart, No. 2 on Billboard Top Album Sales chart and to date has reached over 200 million global streams. The album was critically acclaimed, with Entertainment Weekly raving, "It's a sturdy rock album from five guys who know what they're doing, took time till they had something to say, are interpolating new influences and sound stoked to be back together in a room."

Come see PEARL JAM, now with special guest DEEP SEA DIVER, at Xcel Energy Center on August 31 and September 2!

Secure...

Posted by Xcel Energy Center on Monday, July 10, 2023

A deluxe reissue of THE BLACK CROWES' second album, "The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion", will arrive on December 1. The set will include previously unreleased studio recordings, rare B-sides and a live performance from 1993 at Houston's Sam Houston Coliseum.

"The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion" is available for pre-order in a variety of formats, including "super deluxe" four-LP and three-CD box sets. Those editions include a reproduction of the original 132-page promotional hymn book featuring insights on the record and band's state of mind from both Chris and Rich Robinson and sheet music for the nine Chris and Rich compositions. Along with the box, there are four 12"x12" lithographs of images from "The Southern Harmony" photo shoots.

The project has been overseen by Chris and Rich Robinson and album producer George Drakoulias. There are 14 previously unreleased recordings, including two studio recordings, a live concert from February 1993, and the never-heard-before live in-studio performance recorded at the end of "The Southern Harmony" session along with B-sides and the original album, now remastered.

CD1 - The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion

01. Sting Me
02. Remedy
03. Thorn In My Pride
04. Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
05. Sometimes Salvation
06. Hotel Illness
07. Black Moon Creeping
08. No Speak No Slave
09. My Morning Song
10. Time Will Tell

CD2 - More Companions: Unreleased, Outtakes And B-Sides

01. 99 Pounds
02. Miserable
03. Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35
04. Boomer's Story
05. Darling Of The Underground Press
06. Sting Me (Slow)
07. Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Goodbye
08. Sometimes Salvation
09. Black Moon Creeping

CD3 - Southern Harmony Live: November 3, 1993 Houston, TX

01. No Speak No Slave
02. Sting Me
04. My Morning Song
05. Jam
06. Thorn In My Pride
07. Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
08. Black Moon Creeping
09. Hotel Illness
10. Sometimes Salvation
11. Remedy

Upon their arrival on the national music scene in 1990 with "Shake Your Money Maker", THE BLACK CROWES' THE ROLLING STONES-ish/FACES early 1970s throwback sound was far from the pop metal/pre-grunge musical fashion of the day. However, no one could deny the songwriting and authentic rootsy musical craftsmanship of the brothers Chris and Rich Robinson. Their second album, "The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion" (so named after a Civil War-era hymnal) released in May 1992 contained the songs "Remedy", "Thorn In My Pride", "Sting Me", "Hotel Illness" and "My Morning Song" which found the album topping the chart in its first week of release. The LP has sold more than two million copies in the United States so far.

THE BLACK CROWES will support AEROSMITH on the "Peace Out" farewell tour, which will kick off on September 2 in Philadelphia.

Joining Chris and Rich Robinson in the new BLACK CROWES lineup are returning bassist Sven Pipien, who played with the band live from 1997 up until the band's hiatus in 2015, along with Brian Griffin on drums, Joel Robinow on keyboards and Isaiah Mitchell on guitar.

MusicJunkie422 YouTube channel has uploaded 4K video of Corey Taylor's August 31 concert at Riviera Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. Check out the clips below.

Corey's setlist was as follows (according to Setlist.fm):

01. Post Traumatic Blues
02. Tumult (STONE SOUR song)
03. Black Eyes Blue
04. We Are The Rest
05. Song #3 (STONE SOUR song)
06. Beyond
07. Before I Forget (SLIPKNOT song)
08. SpongeBob SquarePants Theme (PAINTY THE PIRATE & KIDS cover)
09. Snuff (SLIPKNOT song)
10. Absolute Zero (STONE SOUR song)
11. Talk Sick
12. Bother (STONE SOUR song)
13. Through Glass (STONE SOUR song)
14. Duality (SLIPKNOT song)
15. Ace Of Spades (MOTÖRHEAD cover)

The SLIPKNOT frontman kicked off his U.S. solo tour on August 25 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, Colorado.

Taylor's 2023 tour features special guests WARGASM, OXYMORRONS and LUNA AURA on select dates. Produced by Live Nation, the 28-city trek will make stops across the U.S in Detroit, Orlando, Dallas and more before the final headline show in Los Angeles at The Wiltern on October 5.

Corey is touring in support of his sophomore solo studio album, "CMF2", which will be released on September 15.

"CMF2", Taylor's first album for BMG and the first on his own label imprint, Decibel Cooper Recordings, was produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, AMON AMARTH),who also helmed STONE SOUR's 2017 LP "Hydrograd" as well as 2020's "CMFT".

"Together we have great ideas, great energy, and are quick to try everything," Taylor says of his studio collaborator. "We're not afraid to tell each other if it's a good idea, or also a bad one; we have that kind of trust. It's rad."

Throughout "CMF2", Taylor sings, plays lead and rhythm guitar, piano, and mandolin.

The 13-track opus packs the energy, experimentation, and forthrightness that's defined a career which has seen him sell more than 12 million albums with his Grammy-winning band SLIPKNOT and several million with chart-toppers STONE SOUR.

In a recent interview with Tommy Carroll of the WGRD 97.9 radio station, Taylor was asked to back up his previous claim that "CMF2" will be "the best rock album of this year and the next." He said: "Dude, this album's got everything, man. I mean, it doesn't sound like everything else, which apparently is contagious in this industry. It's not produced like everything else. It feels alive. The songs are incredible. The production, the performances… I mean, this album chews up the first album and spits it out. It's probably one of the best things that I've ever done, and I'm really, really proud of it, man. I'm proud of the work that me and [producer] Jay [Ruston] did. And people are going to… Even if it is a slow burner out of the gate, people are gonna remember this album."

Taylor began tracking the follow-up to "CMFT" LP in early January at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with Ruston. Joining Corey in the studio was the rest of his solo band — bassist Eliot Lorango, drummer Dustin Robert, along with guitarists Christian Martucci and Zach Throne.

Twenty-six songs were recorded for "CMF2", including "Beyond" and "Post Traumatic Blues".

The official video for "Beyond", as premiered by Rolling Stone, was shot at a remote location within California's Mojave Desert. Captured through the lens of director Dale "Rage" Resteghini (HATEBREED, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, TRIVIUM),the video finds Taylor trudging around the desert as a musing Uncle Sam intermingling with members of the band and the CHERRY BOMBS, the all-girl dance group featuring Taylor's wife Alicia Taylor, all the while being surrounded by different versions of himself from through the years — before culminating as a live performance for a mass of fans in the round.

The song "Beyond" harkens back to 2006 in some shape or form. Taylor knew the song was special, but never found the time to bring the tune to its potential.

"CMFT" featured the No. 1 Billboard mainstream rock single "Black Eyes Blue" and streaming sensation "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (feat. Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie). The LP hit No. 6 on Billboard's U.S. Top Rock Albums chart.

Just Announced: Corey Taylor performs live at the Riviera Theatre on August 31 with special guests Wargasm UK and OXYMORRONS!
Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10AM: bit.ly/coreytaylor-chi

Posted by The Riviera Theatre on Tuesday, May 16, 2023