Napalm Records has announced the signing of Grammy-nominated power metal legends DRAGONFORCE.

Formed in 1999, the London, U.K.-based unit has captivated audiences worldwide with its highly successful records and iconic singles, including the platinum-selling anthem "Through The Fire And Flames". Renowned for their epic compositions, DRAGONFORCE's signature lies in their masterful and lightning-fast guitar solos, brilliantly crafted by the virtuosic duo of Herman Li and Sam Totman. Comprising vocalist Marc Hudson, bassist Alicia Vigil, and drummer Gee Anzalone, the five-piece ensemble draws inspiration from a myriad of heavy metal styles, fantasy realms, and video games, blending 1980s rock influences with infectious sing-along choruses and uplifting melodies.

Together with today's signing announcement, and with their most ambitious album on the horizon, DRAGONFORCE is excited to announce the North American headline leg of a colossal world tour that promises to be their most exhilarating to date. Featuring special guests AMARANTHE with additional support from Napalm Records labelmates NANOWAR OF STEEL, as well as EDGE OF PARADISE, the tour will begin on October 20, 2023 in Mesa, Arizona. After visiting many major cities across the U.S. and Canada, the tour will culminate in a grand finale in Los Angeles, California on November 19. DRAGONFORCE promises to take their unique stage production to new heights, presenting a fresh setlist that includes new tracks, songs not played for a long time and beloved classics.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 11 at 10:00 a.m. local time. To secure your spot, visit Dragonforce.com for ticket options and limited VIP upgrades.

In the meantime, European fans can catch the band's energetic live performance at their remaining summer festival shows at Leyendas Del Rock and Summer Breeze Open Air.

DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li comments on the signing: "We are absolutely thrilled to join forces with Napalm Records, a true powerhouse in the metal music universe! This marks the beginning of an epic new chapter for DRAGONFORCE, and we're eager to see what our collaboration will bring to our fans around the world!"

Napalm Records managing director Thomas Caser adds: "It's an absolute honor to team up with the mighty DRAGONFORCE and announce this signing today. Their speed, sound and hooks are undeniably legendary along with their captivating and unique concepts! We look forward to getting their new music out to the world!"

Li adds about the tour: "We're really looking forward to touring in the US and Canada again. We've prepared a new setlist with some brand new songs that we'll be releasing before the tour begins. Alongside these, we'll also be playing some older songs that haven't been in our setlist for a long time, as well as some classic favorites that are a must. It's shaping up to be a fantastic tour!"

DRAGONFORCE North American tour 2023 with AMARANTHE, NANOWAR OF STEEL and EDGE OF PARADISE:

Oct. 20 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater*
Oct. 21 - Albuquerque, NM - Revel*
Oct. 23 - Austin, TX - Empire Garage
Oct. 24 - Dallas, TX - The Granada
Oct. 25 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
Oct. 27 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues
Oct. 28 - Ft Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
Oct. 30 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade - Heaven
Oct. 31 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground
Nov. 01 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
Nov. 03 - New York, NY - Palladium Time Square
Nov. 04 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
Nov. 05 - Montreal, QC - MTelus
Nov. 06 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
Nov. 08 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater
Nov. 09 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic
Nov. 10 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
Nov. 11 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Nov. 12 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater
Nov. 14 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
Nov. 15 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
Nov. 16 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
Nov. 18 - Berkeley, CA - UC Theater
Nov. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern

* No NANOWAR OF STEEL

Last November, DRAGONFORCE released a music video for the song "The Last Dragonborn". The track is taken from DRAGONFORCE's latest album, "Extreme Power Metal", which came out in September 2019. Produced in Los Angeles, California by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited, the LP was also recorded, in part, on Li's livestream channel on Twitch with participation from the fans.

"The Last Dragonborn" is the first DRAGONFORCE music video to feature bassist Alicia Vigil, who first joined the band as a touring member in January 2020.

DRAGONFORCE's platinum-selling single "Through The Fire And Flames" brought the London-based Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim and was featured as the most challenging song on "Guitar Hero III".

In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.

"Through The Fire And Flames" is the leadoff track from 2006's "Inhuman Rampage" album, which was officially certified gold in July 2017 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

In August 2019, DRAGONFORCE parted ways with longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq. He has since joined German thrashers KREATOR.

DRAGONFORCE is:

Herman Li - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Sam Totman - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Marc Hudson - Vocals
Alicia Vigil- Bass, Backing Vocals
Gee Anzalone - Drums, Backing Vocals

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Los Angeles heavy rockers STITCHED UP HEART have released the official music video for their latest single, "Immortal". The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "To The Wolves", which will arrive on September 1 via Century Media Records.

Heavier is indeed the name of the game on "To The Wolves". As the band explores darker territories than ever before, STITCHED UP HEART has crafted something that is anthemic, soulful, and unapologetic.

"To The Wolves" track listing:

01. To The Wolves
02. Thunder
03. The Hunting
04. Possess Me
05. Immortal
06. Taste For Blood
07. Conquer And Divide
08. Dead Inside
09. The Architect
10. Part Of Me
11. The End

STITCHED UP HEART will support ESCAPE THE FATE, along with D.R.U.G.S., POINT NORTH and GARZI, on a U.S. tour beginning on August 31 in Salt Lake City, Utah and wrapping up on October 5 in Portland, Oregon.

STITCHED UP HEART is an American rock band known for its powerful and emotionally charged music. Formed in Los Angeles, California in 2010, the band has captivated audiences around the world with their unique blend of hard rock, alternative metal, and industrial influences. Led by the talented and charismatic vocalist Alecia "Mixi" Demner, STITCHED UP HEART has gained recognition for their intense live performances and deeply personal songwriting.

Mixi began assembling a lineup of musicians who shared her passion, dedication, and vision. Solidifying the core members James Decker on drums, Merritt Goodwin on guitar and Randy Mathias on bass in 2016 upon signing with Century Media Records. They released their album titled "Never Alone", which debuted in the Top 10 of both the Billboard Heatseeker and Hard Rock charts. With their single "Finally Free" organically gaining hyper rotation on active rock radio the band paved the way to success for the next two singles "Monster" and "Catch Me When I Fall".

With a growing fan base and relentless determination, STITCHED UP HEART has toured extensively, touring with renowned acts like GODSMACK, HALESTORM and IN THIS MOMENT. Their live performances are known for their high energy, infectious hooks, and Mixi's captivating stage presence, leaving audiences mesmerized and craving more.

In 2020, STITCHED UP HEART released their sophomore album, "Darkness". Produced by Matt Good, the LP delves further into the band's introspective songwriting and showcases their growth as musicians. Tracks like "Lost" (featuring Sully Erna of GODSMACK) and "My Demon" highlight the band's ability to blend heavy guitar riffs with anthemic choruses, making a lasting impact on the rock genre.

STITCHED UP HEART continues to push boundaries and evolve their sound, refusing to be confined to a single label or genre. With their unwavering passion for music and their ability to connect with audiences on a profound level, STITCHED UP HEART is a force to be reckoned with in the rock music landscape.

STITCHED UP HEART is:

Alecia "Mixi" Demner - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
James Decker - drums, backing vocals
Merritt Goodwin - lead guitar
Randy Mathias - bass, backing vocals

In a new interview with The Oakland Press, MUDVAYNE frontman Chad Gray confirmed that he and his bandmates have been throwing around ideas for new music. The reunited metallers haven't released released any new material since 2009, which means we're coming up on nearly a decade and a half without a single fresh MUDVAYNE song.

"We've already been working on some stuff," he said. "We've got four [songs] in the pipe. I've written each one of them probably three different times, 'cause it's like nothing's good enough. We're gonna keep pushing. We're all getting along really good. We're all talking. Hopefully we all want the same thing from our music, so we'll see. It's definitely the thing that makes the most sense to do now."

MUDVAYNE kicked off its first headlining tour in over 14 years, "The Psychotherapy Sessions", last month. Support on the 26-city trek, which is produced by Live Nation, is coming from COAL CHAMBER, along with GWAR, NONPOINT and BUTCHER BABIES.

Previously, MUDVAYNE made waves in 2022 when they embarked on the "Freaks On Parade" tour co-headlined with ROB ZOMBIE. This 2023 tour, however, marks MUDVAYNE's first headlining endeavor since 2009.

Gray told The Oakland Press that his "main motivation for putting [MUDVAYNE] back together and coming back was our fans", including those who discovered the band during its absence. "There's so many younger kids that are coming up and coming into our world, the metal world, and they're learning about MUDVAYNE," he said. "So you have this, like, the ground's kind of rumbling and it goes out and touches more and more people, but we weren't out there to scratch that itch. You still have your actual fan base but you're accumulating new people. So when we came back it was very exciting for us. It was about our fans and giving those new fans the experience."

MUDVAYNE formed in 1996 and has sold over six million records worldwide, earning gold certification for three albums ("L.D. 50", "The End Of All Things To Come", "Lost And Found"). The band is known for its sonic experimentation, innovative album art, face and body paint, masks and uniforms. MUDVAYNE is Gray, Greg Tribbett (guitar, backing vocals),Matthew McDonough (drums, synthesizer) and Ryan Martinie (bass).

Gray has spent the past 17 years fronting HELLYEAH, which released its sixth studio album, "Welcome Home", in September 2019 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marked the group's final effort with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away more than five years ago.

MUDVAYNE did not tour behind its fifth album, which was barely promoted and sold weakly upon release.

Photo courtesy of Live Nation

Keanu Reeves's 1990s and early 2000s grunge band DOGSTAR will release its first album in two decades, "Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees", on October 6 via the group's own label Dillon Street Records (distributed through ADA). The band also has a newly signed management deal with Q Prime. The official music video for the LP's second single, "Breach", can be seen below.

"Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees" track listing:

01. Blonde
02. How The Story Ends
03. Everything Turns Around
04. Overhang
05. Dillon St.
06. Lily
07. Lust
08. Glimmer
09. Sunrise
10. Sleep
11. Upside
12. Breach

Last month, DOGSTAR released the official music video for the album's first single, "Everything Turns Around". At the time the band stated about the track: "We couldn't think of a better song to re-introduce DOGSTAR than 'Everything Turns Around' and hope everyone loves it as much as we do. It's catchy and poppy, has a chorus that rocks, a bridge with an indie sensibility and is completed with lyrics that tell an honest yet uplifting story. It's one of our favorite songs to play live and we can't wait to take it out on the road."

This summer, DOGSTAR will kick off a 25-plus-city headline "Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees" tour. Beginning August 11 in Phoenix, Arizona with a run of West Coast dates across cities like Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Denver through the end of the month, they will then take their live show overseas for three dates in Japan in early September. They will resume their North American dates in December in cities like Chicago, Toronto, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, DC and Atlanta before concluding on December 20 in Nashville, Tennessee. Tickets for all North American shows go on sale Friday, July 21 at 10 a.m. local time. For all dates and details, please visit www.dogstarofficial.com.

Of the upcoming tour, DOGSTAR added: "When creating this record, we were so excited about the idea of playing it live so we are thrilled to finally announce the 'Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees' tour and to soon play for our fans all over North America and Japan."

DOGSTAR is composed of guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose, drummer Rob Mailhouse and bassist Keanu Reeves.

DOGSTAR played its first concert following a two-decade-long hiatus on May 27 at the BottleRock music festival in Napa Valley, California. Reeves and his bandmates debuted new music from the upcoming album, including the song "Glimmer".

DOGSTAR, which hadn't performed live since October 2002, announced its return on Instagram last summer and has been posting regular updates on the progress of its recording sessions.

Regarding DOGSTAR's new album, Reeves told Billboard ahead of the BottleRock show: "I think all three of us just said, 'Well, if we're going to do this, let's make a record.'" Domrose added: "We just knew that there was 'X' amount of time, and we needed to make the most of it. We just locked on as wanting to make this record, and it happened pretty quickly."

DOGSTAR's upcoming LP was helmed by producer Dave Trumfio (WILCO, BUILT TO SPILL). "[Dave] understood where we were coming from," said Mailhouse, "and worked really well with Bret, layering guitars and doing lots of different sounds and ambient things — things that weren't just hard rock, in-your-face music, [but] a little more textural."

DOGSTAR's next release will be the band's first collection of new music since its 2000 sophomore effort "Happy Ending".

Reeves co-founded DOGSTAR in 1991, and the band subsequently released two albums, toured with BON JOVI and opened a show for David Bowie. Keanu handled bass and backing vocals for DOGSTAR, but eventually his increasing fame made it difficult to find time for the project, and the band broke up in 2002. He later played in the spinoff group BECKY with DOGSTAR drummer, co-founder and actor Robert Mailhouse, but he left that band after just a year.

In a 2019 interview with GQ, Reeves shared a fond memory from when DOGSTAR was inexplicably booked at the 1992 Milwaukee Metal Fest, alongside acts like AGNOSTIC FRONT, CANNIBAL CORPSE, OBITUARY and DEICIDE.

"We played Milwaukee Metal Fest. Got killed. I think we played close to [New York hardcore punk legends] MURPHY'S LAW. Imagine," Reeves told GQ. "So we played a GRATEFUL DEAD cover, at Milwaukee Metal Fest. We were, like, 'They hate us. What are we doing here? What can we do? Let's do THE GRATEFUL DEAD cover…They were just like, Fuck you, you suck. I had the biggest grin on my face, man."

In a new interview with Guitar World magazine, Nikki Sixx spoke about MÖTLEY CRÜE's decision to hire John 5 to replace Mick Mars, the group's founding guitarist, who announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE last October as a result of worsening health issues.

"We never saw it coming that Mick wasn't going to be able to tour and was going to have to quit the band," Nikki explained. "In the middle — not even the middle — of a huge tour, we had to ask ourselves, 'Do we want to let the fans down? Do we want to let [concert promoters] Live Nation down? Do we want to let [tourmates] DEF LEPPARD down? Do we want to let ourselves down because an original member of our band can't tour anymore?' We had to have a deep, deep look into what we were going to do."

Sixx went on to say that John 5 was the obvious choice to step in for Mars in MÖTLEY CRÜE. He added: "[With John] knowing all the members of the band, and me having this relationship with him writing and as friends, and even being in the studio with him writing stuff with the band for [the soundtrack to] 'The Dirt', it felt like a no-brainer in a horrible situation something we did not ask for or want. And then it was just kind of obvious. If there was 'the guy', John was the guy. Like I said, we didn’t choose this, but since we had to be put in this position, we're very happy with where we're at right now."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, he has since filed a lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, claiming 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 his lawsuit, Mars also alleged that he was the only bandmember to play 100 percent live on their most recent tour, claiming bassist Nikki Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour."

Mars said that when he refused to sign the papers reducing his share of touring royalties to only 5%, the band commenced an arbitration. His original filing said the group took it to arbitration "rather than a public lawsuit so that the public would not be aware of the deplorable manner in which they treated their 'brother' of 41 years."

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.

Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.

Two months ago, MÖTLEY CRÜE filed new legal paperwork asking a judge to send the band's dispute with Mars into arbitration, where CRÜE's attorneys say it belongs. In the filing, the attorneys say several different entities have been created over the years to handle varying aspects of the band's business affairs, including touring and recording, and those agreements contain binding arbitration clauses. Therefore, they argue that all grievances that might come up among members must be handled in private arbitration, instead of airing them out in public courts. CRÜE is also asking the court to strike several statements Mick made in his suit, particularly provocative assertions about ex-bandmates that include claims of substance abuse and physical violence which they call totally irrelevant to Mick's case. They believe he included them purely "for purposes of character assassination."

In response to MÖTLEY CRÜE's latest filing, Mick's lawyer, Ed McPherson, told TMZ: "This is yet another attempt by bullies to hide the truth!"

The iconic Status Quo has release the first volume of the new "Official Archive Series" brought to you by earMUSIC. Vol. 1 - Live In Amsterdam is available from today, August 11 on strictly limited and numbered CD and vinyl editions, as well as on digital formats.


As with each forthcoming release in this series, this official and fully endorsed recording features a carefully curated selection of iconic Status Quo performances, including classic hits spanning their extensive catalog, deep cuts, and fan favorites. Each track is a testament to the band's enduring popularity and musical prowess. The next volume will be released in November and was recorded in London, so keep your eyes peeled!


The "Official Archive Series" will offer exceptional sound quality and great packaging throughout, featuring photography by Christie Goodwin. The series has been freshly mixed and mastered by Eike Freese and Laurin Halberstadt at Chameleon Studios Hamburg.




Vol. 1 - Live In Amsterdam was recorded in the Dutch capital on October 19, 2010 on the band's "Pictures Exposed World Tour." The setlist at the Heineken Hall was representative of the rest of the "Pictures Exposed World Tour" with the lineup of Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Andrew Bown, John "Rhino" Edwards, and Matt Letley delivering an avalanche of Quo classics, as befitted a tour celebrating "40 Years of Hits."


Get it and listen to it here.


The first release sets the bar high for what is due to follow, but each album in the Status Quo "Official Archive Series" captures the raw energy and infectious enthusiasm of a Status Quo live performance; no matter where in the world. With their trademark sound, powerful guitar riffs, and irresistible hooks, the band delivers an unadulterated rock 'n' roll experience, and this collectible series is a great way to celebrate one of the greatest live acts ever.


For more information, go here.





Tracklisting:


CD 1:
"Intro"
"Caroline"
"Something 'Bout You Baby I Like"
"Rain"
"Don't Drive My Car"
"Mean Girl"
"Softer Ride"
"Beginning Of The End"
"Hold You Back"
 "The Proposing Medley"
"The Oriental"
"Creepin' Up On You"


CD 2:
"Living On An Island"
"In The Army Now"
"Drum Solo"
"Roll Over Lay Down"
"Down Down"
"Whatever You Want"
"Rockin' All Over The World"
"Junior's Wailing"
"Rock 'N' Roll Music/Bye Bye Johnny"


Vinyl Side Split:
A: 1-4; B: 5-8; C: 9-11; D: 12-15 E: 16-18; F: 19-21

The Dead Daisies have released the new video below, for their song, "Slide It In".


During rehearsals in New York, drummer Brian Tichy, bassist Michael Devin, and guitarist Doug Alsrich were jamming on "Slide It In" and it rocked. It brought back memories of their time together in Whitesnake. As the Daisies have done in the past with other great songs, this is a ‘Tip Of The Hat’ to the legendary David Coverdale and Whitesnake. The band can't wait to play it live at their upcoming shows.







To celebrate a decade of rock - along with the return of vocalist John Corabi, and the arrival of new bassist Michael Devin - The Dead Daisies will kick off touring in late August with dates in Canada and The United States.





Catch The Dead Daisies live in North America at the following venues:


August
22 - Mickey's Black Box - Lititz, PA
23 - The Landis Theater - Vineland, NJ
25 - The El Mocambo - Toronto, ON
26 - London Music Hall - London, ON
27 - The Hub - Kitchener, ON
29 - First Ontario Concert Hall - Hamilton, ON
30 - Théâtre Fairmount - Montréal, QC
31 - Brass Monkey - Ottawa, ON


September
2 - Hollywood Theatre - Vancouver, BC
4 - Alberta Rose Theatre - Portland, OR
5 - Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music - Berkeley, CA
6 - Goldfield Trading Post - Roseville, CA
8 - Ramona Mainstage - Ramona, CA
9 - Count's Vamp'd Rock Bar & Grill - Las Vegas, NV
10 - The Roxy Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

AC/DC have shared the video below, featuring a rare behind the scenes moment captured backstage during the band's 1983 US tour.

AC/DC are among the acts set to perform at the Power Trip festival, at the world’s greatest live music destination the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. The historic three-day event set for October 6, 7 and 8 will bring together six iconic bands that define loud and powerful music: Guns N’ Roses and Iron Maiden (Friday, October 6), AC/DC and Judas Priest (Saturday, October 7) and Metallica and Tool (Sunday, October 8).





For information about ticket types, packages and more, head here.

Canada’s Black Pestilence has provided fans with a unique blend of punk rock and black metal since 2008. Impressively, they have produced six albums, with the seventh Chaotic Wisdom upon us soon. Lyrical themes are usually inspired by LaVeyan Satanism, current events, social issues, and the glorification of the Epicurean lifestyle. The second single “Mortal Rift” – premiered exclusively through BraveWords – addresses the stratification within society. 





Vocalist/bassist Valax shares his thoughts:




“The weight of the arrogant will ultimately bring all of society down. This song begins with a quick samples-only intro which eventually leads into a d-beat sonic assault. I think we delivered on this album and the fans will get the same infectious sound this band is known for but with a different style of production.”


Chaotic Wisdom takes a darker and more analog turn in its overall sound. The band members used different techniques and allowed themselves to experiment more to ensure a better performance than the previous release.


Black Pestilence started back in 2008 when Valax decided to start a one-man black metal studio project with the purpose of combining black metal with elements of punk rock and noise. He wanted to create a band where there were no limitations to how the music should sound. Since then, the music has greatly evolved from how it used to sound in the early years, but still maintains its black metal core.


With a full frontal assault of energy and fast-paced black metal riffs, Black Pestilence continue to show they are powerhouses both on stage and in the studio. The single “Mortal Rift” will be enjoyed by fans of Toxic Holocaust, Impaled Nazarene, and Acidez.


Their forthcoming album Chaotic Wisdom is due out on September 8, 2023, and available for preorder at Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Mortal Rift”
“A Life Of Evil”
“The Devil’s Connection”
“Chaos And Carnality”
“Aspect Of Darkness”
“Infernal Might” (feat. Mark Russell)
“Animus”


In additional news, Black Pestilence will be hitting the road for Western Canadian tour dates with Citizen Rage in support of their new album.


Dates:


September
15 – Calgary, AB – Dickens
16 – Red Deer, AB – The Vat
17 – Edmonton, AB – Starlite Room
18 – Drumheller, AB – Neighbors Pub
19 – Saskatoon, SK – D’Lish Café
21 – Regina, SK – TBA
22 – Brandon, MB – East Side Eatery
23 – Winnipeg, MB – Bulldgo Events Centre 


(Photo – Wikked Twist Media)

In a new interview with "THAT Rocks!", the weekly YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, Lita Ford spoke about the status of her long-awaited new solo album. The follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" was once again helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc, alongside the rest of Ford's longtime backing band, consisting of guitarist Patrick Kennison, drummer Bobby Rock and bassist Marty O'Brien.

Lita said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The problem is we've had so many things happen over the last few years. Our manager died; George Marshall died a year ago, [in] '22. And then my songwriting partner died. And it's just been devastation. But we take all that pain and everything and we just put it right back into the album. And then we recorded the drum tracks in Minneapolis during Black Lives Matter and COVID. Everything was locked down and the place was boarded up and the guys had shotguns and Rottweilers. And then we went in and did drum tracks. And it was awesome. Just memories of just pure badassery And so the record is almost done. [There are] a couple things I have to fix and change. And it looks like we might be signing with Frontiers [Music Srl]. But they've gotta to do me right before I put pen to paper. And they're pretty cool over there. So, we're talking March release. 2024, March release."

Regarding what her plans are for live shows in support of her upcoming LP, Lita said: "Well, what I would like to do is put together a theatrical show, sort of like a rock guitar opera kind of thing. It's been done before and different bands have done it before, but I think in this case, it might be a little different and just to bring the whole show not to life just for audio, but for visual reasons also. So we're going to go into rehearsals mid-November and start putting that together for 2024, the Lita Ford rock guitar rock opera. I'd love to have Hoey with me too, if I can get Gary Hoey to [do] the tour."

In May 2022, bassist Marten Andersson (STEELHEART, LIZZY BORDEN, LYNCH MOB) officially joined Lita's touring band. Andersson replaced O'Brien who became the touring bassist for DAUGHTRY.

In January 2021, Lita told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that her new album contains "some of the best guitar playing" she has heard "in decades." She added: "And I'm not blowing smoke up my own ass, but Gary and I just nailed it with the guitar playing on this record.

"I'm a huge fan of people like Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter from Alice Cooper's 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. I mean, there's some really great duo guitar players — [JUDAS PRIEST's] Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing… Those guitar players don't exist anymore — they just don't exist. If you wanna hear them, you have to go back in time a little bit and dig them up into your favorite library, favorite music catalog. But I think Gary and I really nailed it on this next record. It's, like, oh my God. I'm crying — I'm just, like, crying listening to this stuff. It's so badass."

Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.

Seven years ago, Lita released an autobiography, "Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir", via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books),an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Game Over will release the killer comeback album Hellframes on October 20 through Scarlet Records – their first release since 2017’s Claiming Supremacy.


Recorded at Raptor Recording Studio and spine-chillingly illustrated by the horror master Mario López, Hellframes will be released in the following formats:


- jewel case CD
- vinyl (black/marbled red limited 100 copies/marbled blue limited 100 copies)
- digital




Preorder at webshop.


Hellframes is a neck-breaking album where Game Over keep delivering their rabid, insane brand of thrash metal and pushing the songwriting out of the comfort zone at the same time. A frantic mix of thrashing madness, punk attitude, infecting melodies and some creepy obscure atmospheres.


Lyrically-wise, a couple of tracks are intricately woven together, telling the tale of a 15th century priest who birthed an occult cult, re-discovered in modern times through technology and unleashing unspeakable evil from hell. Other songs delve into the depths of human existence and mind – exploring pain, fear, and the relentless struggles we face every day.


Artwork by Mario López:





Tracklisting:


“Visions”
“Call Of The Siren”
“Path Of Pain”
“The Cult”
“Count Your Breaths”
“Atonement”
“Deliver Us”
“Synthetic Dreams”
“My World Dies Screaming”
“Hellframes” (feat. Dome/Fulci & TV Crimes)


Game Over:
Renato "Reno" Chiccoli - vocals, bass
Alessandro "Sanso" Sansone - guitar
Luca "Ziro" Zironi - guitar
Anthony "Vender" Dantone - drums


(Photo – Elisa Catozzi)

Texas based symphonic power metal band Millennial Reign has announced the return of vocalist Tiffany Jean Galchutt as a full member.


"With the help of her and Travis Wills over the past year, they both have made it possible to continue booking live shows and festivals," reads a statement from the group. "We are very grateful to both, but now we will be moving forward with our dedicated member. We are currently recording our upcoming album, to be released via Ulterium Records, and are excited for you all to hear the new collaboration. Our next show is August 18th at Arlington Music Hall with Petra. Come make her feel welcome!"







For further details, follow Millennial Reign on Facebook.


 

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has just released "Rocking Heels: Live At Metal Church" on August 11 via earMUSIC. It is the document of a very special concert in the idyllic setting of Wacken Church and is the first release of the live series "Rocking Heels".

In front of just 300 handpicked fans, this onetime-only event opened the Wacken Open Air festival in 2016. Tarja presents unique arrangements of rock and heavy metal classics by her favorite artists, including "Numb" by LINKIN PARK, IN FLAMES' "Alias", METALLICA's "The Unforgiven", songs by Joe Satriani and SLIPKNOT, as well as a NIGHTWISH song and Tarja originals.

The video for the latest single, a cover of SLIPKNOT's "Vermilion, Pt. 2", can be seen below.

With its captivating performances of well-known songs paired with Tarja's iconic voice, this live album is a treasure for fans, as well as a discovery for Tarja newcomers and all those who missed the chance to attend this exclusive concert.

"Rocking Heels: Live At Metal Church" is being released as a limited 2LP vinyl edition, CD digipak in LP-replica design and on digital.

The brightest star of the symphonic rock scene, Turunen is certainly the most internationally well-known Finnish voice in the world of music. Soprano, composer, and songwriter, she reached international fame co-founding and being for nine years the voice and image of the Finnish symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH, collecting with them gold and platinum record awards in several countries.

The unique combination of metal music with Tarja's soprano lead vocals gave birth to a new genre, quickly achieving critical and commercial popularity and inspiring many other metal bands and performers. But singing only somebody else's creations was not her destiny, and her talent could fully bloom only outside that crate. Tarja had to walk alone.

Finally free to follow her own inspirations, heart, and dreams, Tarja started her own solo career successfully devoted to both classical and rock music.

Tarja was nominated for the Emma Award in Finland in 2006 and 2007 and for the Echo Award in Germany in 2007, and she is the first Finnish solo artist to achieve a gold record in Germany and even more, the only one to do it both in a band and as solo artist. In 2015 and 2016, she was also busy starring as coach in two seasons of "The Voice Of Finland", which is the most watched TV program from Channel 4 in Finland and leading her team to victory for two years in a row, something that never happened before in the history of the Finnish show.

METALLICA kicked off the North American leg of its "M72" world tour on August 4 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The band's 16-song set kicked off with "Creeping Death" and included three cuts from METALLICA's latest album, "72 Seasons": the title track, "If Darkness Had A Son" and "Shadows Follow", which was performed live for the first time.

Professionally filmed video of the "Seek & Destroy" performance from the August 4 concert can be seen below.

"M72", named after "72 Seasons", sees METALLICA playing two-night stands in cities around the world this year and through 2024, with "takeover" events taking place during weekends in the New York City area, Montreal, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, St. Louis and Detroit. Those events include film fests, pop-up stores, Ross Halfin book signings, tribute bands, special performances by friends and family, and more.

METALLICA's "M72" world tour launched in late April in Amsterdam. Each "No Repeat Weekend" features two completely different setlists and support lineups. The "M72" tour boasts a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age.

METALLICA's two-night stand at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas later this month will be livestreamed to movie theaters across the globe.

It will mark 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.

METALLICA last played AT&T Stadium in June 2017.

Hailed as "some of the deepest, hardest-hitting music of their career" (Rolling Stone),METALLICA's "72 Seasons" was released April 14 via the band's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track "72 Seasons" is METALLICA's first full length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

Legendary multi-platinum rockers FOGHAT will release their long-awaited 17th studio album — their first in seven years — later this year on the band's label, Foghat Records, which is distributed by Select-O-Hits (part of the Sun Records family). The LP's first single, "Drivin' On" — co-written by the late Kim Simmonds from SAVOY BROWN — is now available for pre-save.

In addition to three brand new songs written by FOGHAT — consisting of founding member/drummer Roger Earl, guitarist/engineer/co-producer Bryan Bassett, singer/bassist Rodney O'Quinn and singer/guitarist Scott Holt — three other songs were co-written by Simmonds, the man who gave Roger his first break back in 1967 as a member of SAVOY BROWN. Sadly, shortly after writing these songs, Kim passed away.

The upcoming release sees FOGHAT tip their hat to great artists that came before them, with songs on the album written by Willie Dixon, B.B. King and Chuck Berry, as well as giving plenty of winks and nods from the current lineup.

Formed in 1971 when Lonesome Dave Peverett and Roger Earl left the British blues-rock band SAVOY BROWN, FOGHAT has earned eight gold records, one platinum record and one double-platinum record. They continue to release new music every few years, and they've never stopped touring and recording, although there have been several ups and downs and changes over the years. They sadly lost Lonesome Dave Peverett in 2000, Rod Price in 2005, and Craig MacGregor in 2018, but Roger Earl keeps banging and kicking to keep FOGHAT's musical legacy going.

Photo credit: Tom Apathy and Kimberly Granger

Almost fifty years ago to the month, British rock legends WISHBONE ASH brought out "Live Dates", their most commercially successful album. A milestone not only for the band, but also in the history of rock music. "At the time, we had been on tour non-stop for three years, had released 'Argus' – from today's point of view our most important studio album – and were like a well-oiled machine," remembers founder Andy Powell, who continues to helm the group. "We had made a name for ourselves as a dynamic live act, so it only made sense to capture the energy and vibrancy of our shows on a live album. Fortunately, the record company funded the costly Rolling Stones Mobile recording truck, so we were able to record several shows during our U.K. tour and compile the most powerful moments on 'Live Dates'."

Fast forward half a century and we find ourselves in the summer of 2023, with WISHBONE ASH celebrating the anniversary of their 1973 concert classic with a new edition. "New" meaning: the same material in exactly the same sequence, performed by the current lineup and recorded at Daryl's House Club in Pawling, New York. The new release is titled "Live Dates Live" and will be available on CD, vinyl double LP and for digital download on Steamhammer/SPV from September 29.

Powell explains: "'Live Dates Live' is our tribute to the original and our thank you to all those fans who have been instrumental in making WISHBONE ASH one of the few bands from the early '70s who are still active today, who still record new albums and tour on a regular basis."

WISHBONE ASH in 2023 probably seems to have little in common with the 1973 version but on closer look, there are many parallels. For one, guitarist/vocalist Andy Powell still keeps a tight hold of the musical reins, maintaining a sound that is known and loved. First-rate musicians Mark Abrahams (guitar),Bob Skeat (guitar) and Mike Truscott (drummer),some of whom are of a younger generation, ooze the original spirit and philosophy of the original lineup, making for a 2023 band that is still 100 percent WISHBONE ASH.

"Live Dates Live" track list:

01. The King Will Come
02. Warrior
03. Throw Down The Sword
04. Rock n Roll Widow
05. Ballad Of The Beacon
06. Baby What You Want Me To Do
07. The Pilgrim
08. Blowin' Free
09. Jailbait
10. Lady Whiskey
11. Phoenix

In a recent interview with Batavia Daily News, Powell — who founded the group in England in 1969 — said that WISHBONE ASH didn't set out to be an influential early hard rock band. "We had a great plan," he explained. "We had a blueprint that we laid down, which was to develop our own sound as a band. That's composed around the music; that was really intrinsic to our success and initially, longevity. Timing is everything when you're coming on the scene."

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


Today, the band reissues the music video for "Skinfather", from Indecent & Obscene. Revisit the video below:







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.





Pre-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:


August
9-12 - Fortress Josefov, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault
11-13 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival


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)

Sweden's masters of melodic, doomish death metal, October Tide, will release their seventh studio album, The Cancer Pledge, on October 6th via Agonia Records. The album will arrive four years after its predecessor, In Splendor Below, and will coincide with a headlining tour of Europe.


Recent output has seen October Tide tone down on the doom particle, and throw the listener in a colder embrace of a melodic death metal rainstorm. This trend remains consistent on The Cancer Pledge, and overlaps with the direction spearheaded by guitarist Fredrik Norrman (Katatonia, Trees Of Eternity, Thenighttimeproject), keen on rejuvenating October Tide with a touch of the past. "It's a direct continuation of the previous album," states Norrman. "Less doom and more death metal, yet melodic and with more layers. I’ve searched for inspiration in records I listened to in the '80s and '90s when I grew up. But it still sounds like October Tide."


The sound of October Tide, aside from being doom intertwined melodeath, is fronted by emotionally compelling guitar work, known to subside into melancholic and introspective tones. Even though the band has shapeshifted over the years - starting off as a duo of Katatonia fame musicians, Fredrik Norrman and Jonas Renske, back in 1994 - it has retained and evolved its trademark formula. The present-day lineup, intact since 2016, features said guitarist & founder Fredrik Norrman, second guitarist & Fredrik's brother Mattias Norrman (Katatonia), vocalist Alexander Högbom (Demonical), bassist Johan Jönsegård (Letters From The Colony) and drummer Jonas Sköld (Letters From The Colony / Thenighttimeproject).




The Cancer Pledge was recorded and produced in 2023 by October Tide and Karl Daniel Lidén (Bloodbath, Katatonia). The latter mixed and mastered the album, whose cover artwork was designed by Albin Högbom. 





Tracklisting:


"Peaceful, Quiet, Safe"
"Tapestry Of Our End"
"Unprecedented Aggression"
"Blodfattig"
"The Cancer Pledge"
"I Know Why I'm Cold"
"Season Of Arson"
"Breathe The Water"


October Tide will hit the road on the day of album release, commencing the first part of the album-promoting tour in Germany, through Belgium, France, Czech Republic and Poland.





(Photo credit: Daniel Jansson)

Metalville Records has announced October 27th as the international release date for a new live CD/DVD set from Johan Kihlberg's Impera, Scandinavium Alive.


Ever since he heard KISS' Alive for the first time in 1975, Johan Kihlberg has been a huge fan of the American band, and everything he did professionally later on has always revolved around KISS somehow. For example, he worked for Polygram Records in the '80s and '90s and got to know the guys from KISS during that time. At that time, he was also asked to lead their fan club.


Later, Johan Kihlberg toured with Vinnie Vincent and had some guest appearances with Bruce Kulick, who also played on the Impera debut, Legacy Of Life, in 2012.




In 2017, Johan Kihlberg published the book Kiss Klassified, in which he talks about his life with KISS.


After the announcement that KISS would be coming to Europe for some shows in 2020, it was all too understandable that Johan Kihlberg immediately tried to get his band Impera to support him at a show in Sweden. And indeed, just one week later, they were confirmed as special guests at the KISS show in Gothenburg. But then Corona came, and the concerts were put on hold.


On June 6, 2022, the time had finally come, and Johan Kilhberg's Impera entered the stage of the sold-out Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg.


The lineup of this unique show consisted of Lars Chriss from Lion's Share on lead guitar; Mats Vassfjord, who has been with Impera since the beginning, on bass; Magnus Ulfstedt (ex-Eclipse) on drums; Jonny Lindkvist (Nocturnal Rites) as singer; and Johan Kihlberg as second guitarist.


The gig was a milestone in Johan Kihlberg's music career and also for the rest of the band, as all musicians who were onstage together that night are big KISS fans.


The setlist consisted mainly of songs from the latest Impera album, Spirit Of Alchemy, plus a few tracks from Age Of Discovery. The show was filmed in full length and is, besides the audio version of the concert, part of the soon-to-be-released CD/DVD set Scandinavium Alive.


The CD also features a very special, previously unreleased bonus track. In the autumn of 2022, Johan Kihlberg was asked by the producers of the feature film Black Hills (an action film that will be released this fall) whether he could write the film music, and whether Johan Kihlberg's Impera could also contribute the title song "Fighter"M which will now be available for the first time on Scandinavium Alive. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:





"Nothing Will Last"
"Lost Your Life To Rock 'N' Roll"
"That's The Way That Life Goes"
"When Souls Collide"
"All About You"
"Fear"
"In Heaven"
"Fighter"*


*CD track only 





 

The Jarisse Moore YouTube channel has uploaded video of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' August 3 performance at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California as the support act for SMASHING PUMPKINS. Check out the clips below.

In a recent interview with Chasta Michaelis of San Francisco's 107.7 The Bone radio station, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS bassist Robert DeLeo was asked if his group was fairly labeled as part of the grunge movement associated with the U.S. Northwest back the early 1990s when they came out with their debut album, "Core", and follow-up effort, "Purple". He responded: "I don't think the four of us ever put any kind of name on what kind of music we were making. We happened to come out at a time when the people in this business were creating these terms. It's a selling point — it's all a selling point — and we got caught up, as well as other bands, in a selling point for record companies to make money. And I think when you can obviously see that is when they start doing clothing after it. It's all pretty ridiculous.

"'Interstate Love Song' — grunge? I don't think so," he continued. "I actually wrote that as a bossa nova song; that's what it started out as."

Robert released his first solo album, "Lessons Learned", last October. Robert played virtually all the instruments on the album, complemented by guest musicians and vocalists, all of which lend to the undeniable intimacy of the music.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — Robert DeLeo, guitarist Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz.

Singer Jeff Gutt, a 47-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.

Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.

Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS released their first all-acoustic album, titled "Perdida", in February 2020. The disc was Gutt's second with STP. His recording debut with the group was on its self-titled seventh album, which arrived in March 2018.

Cinematic rockers Earthside have announced the release of their  sophomore album, Let The Truth Speak, due November 17 via Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group. The upcoming studio full-length is the follow up to their 2015 debut, A Dream In Static.


Alongside the announcement, the band has revealed the official video for the album's epic title track, which features TesseracT’s Daniel Tompkins & internationally renowned vocal performer Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh.


"If truth is so important—so hallowed that we hold it as perhaps our most sacred tenet—then why do we go to such great lengths to deny it the moment it makes us uncomfortable or goes against our narrative?"




The explosive title track of the album carries a feeling of culmination—the fully unexpected but fittingly show-stopping point of arrival in the album’s tumultuous pursuit of truth. A full string section—an overarching element of the record’s sound—jostles with violent rhythms, eldritch scales, and the unprecedented pairing of Earthside alum and TesseracT frontman Daniel Tompkins' indomitable vocal dexterity and world-music ace Gennady Tkachenko Papizh’s jaw-dropping vocalizations and cinematic wails. These elements all crescendo to an ending climax that is a unanimous favourite moment of the album for the band.


Having worked together once before on a track that would become one of the group’s most popular songs, both Earthside and Daniel Tompkins had a desire to collaborate on a more adventurous piece of material that would push the limits of their creativity.


Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh is renowned across Europe as a one-of-a-kind artist having appeared on the ‘Got Talent’ circuit, coming to recognition through his unforgettable performance on Georgia’s Got Talent. Gennady transforms his voice into everything from celestial soundscapes, to haunting Mediterranean cries and shamanic whispers.


When Earthside discovered Gennady through a particularly enlightened fan’s recommendation, they wanted to be the first band in rock or metal to share his monumental gift with the world.


Watch the video for "Let The Truth Speak" below.


Eight long years removed from their critically show-stopping entrance A Dream In Static (2015), the idealistic thinkers and feelers in Earthside found themselves in a different world entirely… or, perhaps, a world more honest and unhinged than they, and many others, had bargained for.


"This album almost destroyed our lives and friendships,” keyboardist and co-orchestrator Frank Sacramone confides, "It's insanity, but it is beautiful.”


“'A Dream In Static was more of an *I* album,” reflects guitarist and orchestrator Jamie van Dyck, “Each of us in our own way was engaging topics of self-actualization and the fear of never quite becoming. Let The Truth Speak, however, turns its focus to the *We*. Within months of releasing ADIS, the global landscape had changed to where issues of far more consequence than our own individual dreams coming true were tugging at us. We became far more consumed with the trajectory of humanity as a whole than our own legacies therein.”


Let The Truth Speak is truly an international affair, featuring vocalists and storytellers from all walks of life and corners of the globe.


Let The Truth Speak will be available in the following formats:


- 2LP Transparent Red
- CD
- Digital


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"But What If We're Wrong" (feat. Sandbox Percussion)
"We Who Lament" (feat. Keturah)
"Tyranny" (feat. Pritam Adhikary of Aarlon)
"Pattern Of Rebirth" (feat. AJ Channer of Fire From The Gods)
"Watching The Earth Sink"
"The Lesser Evil" (feat. Larry Braggs & Sam Gendel)
"Denial's Aria" (feat. Keturah, VikKe & Duo Scorpio)
"Vespers" (feat. Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh & VikKe)
"Let The Truth Speak" (feat. Daniel Tompkins of TesseracT & Gennady Tkachenko-Papizh)
"All We Knew And Ever Loved" (feat. Baard Kolstad of Leprous)


"Let The Truth Speak" video:





"Who We Lament" visualizer:





"All We Knew And Ever Loved" video:





Earthside are:


Jamie van Dyck - Guitars, backing vocals, programming, keyboards
Ben Shanbrom - drums, backing vocals
Frank Sacramone - Keyboards, synthesizers, programming, percussion, guitar
Ryan Griffin - Bass, backing vocals


(Photo - Justin Burocki)

Mantar have released a new digital single and music video, "Valhalla Hammering". Watch the clip below.





Hanno Klänhardt comments: "'Valhalla Hammering' is one of those songs that we instantly fell in love with but never made it on the album last year. It's one of those songs that you do not write to create an "instant classic" but much rather in order to entertain yourself as a songwriter. It's about 7 minutes long but we really liked the concept of having the most catchy, on point songs all on the last Album so it never really found its place.




I actually already knew it most likely would not end up on the album when I was writing it. In fact I wrote it with the plan already in my mind to release it quite some time AFTER we would release Pain Is Forever And This Is The End in order to present something completely different as a next move. It's always good to cause confusion.


The first two minutes are kinda a homage to our VERY early days when Doom as a genre was more important to us. You can hear that for instance on the last song of our first album. It's a song called 'March Of The Crowes'. People often said that slow SUPER heavy suited us well but we were also always very song orientated, so with Valhalla Hammering we accomplished the best of both worlds. Slow, heavy groove and a catchy, almost trippy hook. Also We have a freakin' flute solo around 5 minutes in. This very well might be considered the highlight of our songwriting career.


The video for the song is just as trippy as the song itself. Based on a documentary by Amsterdam based artist Willehad Eilers aka Wayne Horse. Creating the footage was way beyond a regular video shoot and to be quite frank some of it better not be explained any further. Even if we wanted to, we can't. Enjoy the ride."





Founded in 2012, Mantar stands among the leading forces in extreme metal within the last ten years. Loved by fans and press alike, the band took the world by storm with their truly unique sound, leading them to the Top 10 in the official German album charts with 2018's The Modern Art Of Setting Ablaze and sold out shows throughout Europe.


Mantar's current full-length album, Pain Is Forever And This Is The End, was released via Metal Blade Records on July 15, 2022 and hit charts in the US and Europe including #2 Official German Album Charts, #43 Top 100 Swiss Album Charts, #60 Current Hard Music (Billboard USA), and #69 Top 75 Austria.





Pain Is Forever And This Is The End tracklisting:


"Egoisto"
"Hang 'Em Low (So The Rats Can Get 'Em)"
"Grim Reaping"
"Orbital Pus"
"Piss Ritual"
"Of Frost and Decay"
"Walking Corpse"
"New Age Pagan"
"Horder"
"Odysseus"


"Odysseus" video:





"Hang 'Em Low (So The Rats Can Get 'Em)" video:





The band has upcoming appearances at Party.San, Desertfest and more.





Mantar is:


Hanno Klänhardt - guitars, vocals
Erinc Sakarya - drums


(Photo - Matthis Van DerMeulen)

A black double vinyl edition of Black Sabbath's The Ultimate Collection will be release on October 6, and is available for pre-order now.


Black Sabbath was formed in Birmingham in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums and percussion). Originally formed as a heavy blues-rock band named Earth, the band began incorporating occult and horror-inspired lyrics with tuned-down guitars, changing their name to Black Sabbath and releasing multiple gold and platinum records in the 1970s.


The Ultimate Collection was curated by band members, resulting in a 17-track collection that features the band’s classic songs including “Paranoid,” “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.” and “The Wizard,” as well as choice cuts from their classic albums. Remastered by renowned engineer Andy Pearce (Motörhead, Deep Purple, Lou Reed, Iggy & The Stooges) in 2009.




The collection is the definitive accompaniment for all Sabbath fans as well as those with a love of hard rock.





Tracklisting:


"Paranoid"
"Iron Man"
"Children Of The Grave"
"Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
"Back Street Kids"
"War Pigs"
"Black Sabbath"
"Sweet Leaf"
"Snowblind"
"Hole In The Sky"
"N.I.B."
"Planet Caravan"
"Never Say Die"
"The Wizard"
"Fairies Wear Boots"
"Supernaut"
"Changes"

German pioneers of industrial metal, Megaherz, enter the last round before releasing their upcoming full-length album, In Teufels Namen (out tomorrow, August 11 via Napalm Records) by unveiling its title track. The release of their tenth studio album will be celebrated with a highlight show taking place on Saturday at the notable M’era Luna Festival.


With millions of views on YouTube and a #7 peak charting position garnered by their previous album, Komet (2018, Official German Album Charts), the industrial metal legends continue their legacy with the epic song “In Teufels Namen” (EN: "In the Devil's Name"). The new album’s title track, “In Teufels Namen”, is nothing but direct - detailing their critique on the church as an institution. The single comes with a lyric video, accompanied by gripping visuals. Watch the video below, and make sure to catch Megaherz on their European co-headline tour with Combichrist this fall.
 
Megaherz on “In Teufels Namen”: “’In Teufels Namen’, it embodies everything this album stands for. A fat guitar riff, hard, cynical lyrics about the decay of our values and the double standards with which we justify each of our mistakes, and a brutal, epic chorus that resonates like an infernal echo of our downfall. We're looking forward to presenting the first songs from our new album to a wide audience at M’era Luna. We're already incredibly excited about your reactions and can't wait for the joint tour with Combichrist to finally begin.”







Megaherz’s new album begins strongly with the epic title track “In Teufels Namen” (EN: "In the Devil's Name"), detailing their critique on the church as an institution. On “Der König Der Dummen” (EN: “The King Of The Fools”), one of the heaviest songs on the record, the quintet doesn’t mince words once again, commenting on conspiracy theorists in their tinfoil hats. The hypnotizing track “Amnesie” (EN: “Amnesia”) is heavily built on electronic-inspired beats and melodies, while chanting anthem of the free spirited, “Freigeist”, features catchy synths and a sing-along chorus. On tracks like “Rabenherz” (EN: “Raven Heart”) and “Engelsgesicht” (EN: "Angel face"), the band show an emotional facet, while the second is a reminiscent of the band’s all-time hit “Miststück” (EN: “Bitch”). "Menschenhasser” is a powerful, fast Neue Deutsche Härte track that eases into the breather "Ich Hasse (Epilog)" (EN: "I Hate (Epilogue)"), featuring emotional keys, before the empowering “Auf dem Weg zur Sonne” (EN: “On My Way To The Sun”) showcases their vulnerable side before closing the album. Overall, In Teufels Namen is an energetic ride providing the listener with pure industrial metal at its best.


Megaherz on their new album: “We are happy to finally release our new album, In Teufels Namen, and it hits with full force. In Teufels Namen is an album steeped in dark themes and strong emotions. We went deep into the abyss of human nature and the result is songs that powerfully and uncompromisingly unleash an energy that will sweep you away.”





In Teufels Namen will be available in the following formats:


- 2 CD Deluxe Box (incl. Ltd. Digisleeve, bonus CD with 6 previously unreleased tracks, pocket bottle, art print (15x15cm)) - limited to 300 copies
- 1 LP Gatefold Clear Blue – limited to 500 copies, GSA only
- 1 LP Gatefold Black – limited to 300 copies
- 1 CD Digisleeve + Shirt Bundle
- 1 CD Limited Digisleeve
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





In Teufels Namen tracklisting:


"In Teufels Namen"
"Rabenherz"
"Engelsgesicht"
"Freigeist"
"Kannst du den Himmel sehn?"
"Der König Der Dummen"
"Amnesie"
"Alles Arschlöcher"
"Menschenhasser"
"Ich Hasse (Epilog)"
"Auf dem Weg zur Sonne"


"Engelsgesicht" video:





"Alles Arschlöcher" video:





Megaherz are:


Lex - Vocals
X-ti - Guitars & Samples
Chris - Guitar
Wenz - Bass
Maxx - Drums


(Photo - Franz Schepers)

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's new band KK'S PRIEST was one of the headliners of this year's Leyendas Del Rock festival on Wednesday, August 9 in in Villena, Alicante, Spain. Video of the entire performance is available below.

The setlist was as follows:

01. Hellfire Thunderbolt
02. One More Shot At Glory
03. The Ripper (JUDAS PRIEST song)
04. Reap The Whirlwind
05. Night Crawler (JUDAS PRIEST song)
06. Sermons Of The Sinner
07. Burn In Hell (JUDAS PRIEST song)
08. Beyond The Realms Of Death (JUDAS PRIEST song)
09. Hell Patrol (JUDAS PRIEST song)
10. Metal Meltdown (JUDAS PRIEST song)
11. Brothers Of The Road
12. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
13. Breaking The Law (JUDAS PRIEST song)
14. Victim Of Changes (JUDAS PRIEST song)
15. Raise Your Fists

KK'S PRIEST made its live debut on July 6 at Downing's KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

Downing is joined in KK'S PRIEST by former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens, along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST performed tracks from the band's debut album, 2021's "Sermons Of The Sinner", plus new material from KK'S PRIEST as-yet-unreleased second LP, "The Sinner Rides Again", as well as many a PRIEST classic thrown in for good measure.

"The Sinner Rides Again" will be released on September 29 via the Austrian rock and metal empire Napalm Records. The nine-song effort was produced and written by Downing and mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen.

Downing said about "The Sinner Rides Again": "To continue the legacy of the traditional rock and metal that I have been so fortunate to be a part of for over 50 years, this latest album, 'The Sinner Rides Again', has been created to take the listener on a journey that is both real and fictional with its characters, although sometimes ambiguous. These songs allow the imaginations of all fans of this wonderful genre of music to escape reality and join with us to continue our heavy metal experience into the future."

KK'S PRIEST will embark October U.K. headlining tour. The "Priests, Killers & Witches" tour starts at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on Saturday, October 7, and visits London, Glasgow, Manchester and Nottingham. Special guest on all dates will be Di'Anno who will be performing a full set of classics straight from the first two MAIDEN records, and opening up the bill is BURNING WITCHES.

"Sermons Of The Sinner" was released in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the 1980s.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

In a recent interview with Ernest Skinner of Border City Rock Talk, Owens spoke about the upcoming sophomore album from KK'S PRIEST. He said: "It's really good too. I like it better [than the debut LP]. It's a little heavier, a little edgier on the vocals — and even music, I think."

Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony last November at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

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

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

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 Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

Nearly two years ago, Downing said that he had no problems with fans making comparisons between PRIEST and KK'S PRIEST. "It's absolutely fine, because it's who I am and what I am and what I do and how I do it," he told Brazilian journalist Igor Miranda. "It's too late to change; I can't change. I can't go out and buy different guitars and different amplifiers and start to write differently and think differently. I have to do things the way that I like them to be done. And that's what I did in JUDAS PRIEST for all those years to the best of my ability. But even now that I don't have to consult with anyone else, really, then I feel a lot more freedom to be able to do this.

"I think I can do what I do better now than I did before, if that makes any sense," he continued. "Because I'm working and writing and putting things together for me — and, obviously, of course, the rest of the members in [KK'S PRIEST] as well. But I was on my own, for the most part, in the lockdown doing this. But there was a lot of things I wanted to say and get off my chest.

"The [KK'S PRIEST] album's full of emotions, sentiments and messages and also rejoicement. It's a lot of things, all in one package. And it was very important for me to be able to express myself through this album.

"I know that people will make comparisons, but that's fine. I either succeed or fail, like everyone else in life. But I'm a fan of this wonderful style of music, and if I like it, I'm hopefully sure that the fans will like it too. And I really hope they do. And I'm very much looking forward to the feedback from everybody all over the world.

"Towards the end for me in JUDAS PRIEST, it wasn't as energized as it was in former years, and I missed that. I remember the days when Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer] used to come offstage and he used to empty his boots out, and the water — which was sweat — used to just pour out of the boots. And it was the same for all of us. It was like we ran a marathon or something. So, hopefully we deliver that up. So I'm looking forward to doing that. I'm definitely gonna do my best, put it that way."

In September 2021, Owens said that there was no competition between JUDAS PRIEST and KK'S PRIEST. "I don't think we look at it [like that]," he told The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn in an interview. "There's one JUDAS PRIEST. They're JUDAS PRIEST. If [K.K. and I] wanted to take that angle, we would have called [our new band] KK'S JUDAS PRIEST. But I think fans are happy 'cause they know they do have two things that are the same vein, and they have K.K. back. I went nowhere — I've been putting music out like crazy — but they have Ken and I back together again. So there's no competition. I mean, how awesome would it be if we do shows with them? I don't care. I really don't. I love the guys in PRIEST. Rob's [Halford, PRIEST singer] my idol. And Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] and I are friends. But this isn't a competition. We're not trying to make it a competition or another JUDAS PRIEST. That's why we put an album out first; that was the difference. If we were trying to make it that, we would start touring right away, doing the back catalog."

Asked if KK'S PRIEST is really open to touring with JUDAS PRIEST, Tim said: "I'm open to anything. I've never burned bridges. From the sounds of it, it's never gonna happen. 'Cause it never happened with me. I tried to get BEYOND FEAR to support JUDAS PRIEST on tour. Wendy Dio was my manager, and they were, like, 'Absolutely not. You're not gonna support us.' But we're all friends. I mean, I'm speaking for me — I'm not speaking for Ken. But, yeah, listen, I always look at it as how much fans would love stuff. How cool would it be if that happened?"

OTEP, the band led by singer, poet, illustrator, author and activist Otep Shamaya, will release a new studio album, "The God Slayer", on September 15 via Cleopatra. The follow-up to 2018's "Kult 45" offers up a mix of inspired original tracks as well as transformative takes on chart-topping hits from a variety of influences, including pop, rap and grunge, by such artists as Eminem, Billie Eilish, SLIPKNOT, Lil Peep and Olivia Rodrigo.

The LP's second single, "Ostracized", is the first original song from the upcoming album. Shamaya harnesses the power of her raw, unapologetic emotion and passion-filled poetry, which act as the driving forces behind "Ostracized". This dynamic musical masterpiece was forged in the fire of unadulterated rage, with an edge sharpened by an ear-shattering blend of high screams, death growls, and guttural vocals, galvanized by gritty guitar, pounding drums, and a face-melting solo, courtesy of VIGIL OF WAR guitarist Kiki Wong.

The first single from "The God Slayer", a cover of Eilish's "You Should See Me In A Crown", was releases during OTEP's U.S. tour earlier this year and has been generating massive buzz as well as landing in top 10 most popular tracks on Spotify.

"The God Slayer" track listing:

01. My Violent Appetites
02. Ostracized
03. Good 4 U
04. Exit Wounds
05. You Should See Me In A Crown
06. The Way I Am
07. California Girls
08. Pet
09. Territorial Pissings
10. Star Shopping
11. Purity
12. God Slayer

Not only is Shamaya a revered musical figure, known for her intrepid blending of metal genres and hip-hop, as exemplified on her notorious 2002 debut album "Sevas Tra", but she's also amassed an enormous following based on her fearless performances and confrontational, spiritually tinged lyrics. It's that combination of radical artistry and galvanizing message that the world desperately needs now more than ever, and OTEP is ready to answer the call.

"You Should See Me In A Crown" was the lead single from the 2018 debut album of another controversial female figure who cut across musical and social norms to carve out an identity all her own. That artist is, of course, Billie Eilish, and OTEP's cover version is no mere homage to a young acolyte but rather a radical reimagining of the song that mines all of its dark sonic complexity as well as its bold lyrical message, transforming it into the kind of modern metal epic that nobody does better than OTEP.

As Shamaya herself puts it: "To me the song is a warning against cultural reduction, biased underestimation and the volatile anti-Newtonian reaction of judging someone before you know their true power."

Last September, Shamaya told the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire" about the songwriting process for OTEP's new album: "This record actually was written with a couple of different songwriters, which I was really excited to work with. 'Kult 45' was my last album, which is four years old now. It's insane to believe that it's been four years, but it has. When I went back in the studio, the band had sort of dispersed at that point — everybody was trying to make a living and trying to find other jobs — and so I just went to the producer and we sat down and we found some really, really talented, creative people. And even though I've been doing this for a long time and have accomplished a lot — at least I think I have — I really work best with mentors. I like people that are, I feel, creatively better than I am so that I can have this sort of spiritual intercourse between all of us where we're sort of sharing ideas and I'm inspiring them and they're inspiring me."

Throughout the span of her career, Shamaya has been an undeniable force in bringing awareness via various acclaimed mediums to social and political injustices felt by various communities and subcultures. For years, publications such as Revolver magazine have lauded Shamaya for "following in the footsteps of outspoken musicians from folk singer Woody Guthrie to RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Zach de la Rocha, dubbing her "one of music's catalysts for social change".

OTEP's latest album, the aforementioned "Kult 45", was recorded at The Lair in Los Angeles, completely utilizing the same equipment used for OTEP's first album, "Sevas Tra" (down to Shamaya's vocal microphone, a SHURE Beta 58),in order to create a sound reminiscent of their roots. "Kult 45" was produced by the band, with assistant engineering from Larry Goetz, Nicolas Schilke and Lizzy Ostro.