Stryper frontman Michael Sweet has checked in with the following update:


"Here’s the latest:


1 - I start on the new Iconic album this week. Tommy, Joel, Nathan, Marco and myself are really excited! Coming 2024.




2 - The new band that me Alessandro Del.Vecchio started is called SoleDriver. The album is complete and we’re shooting two music videos at the end of August. The album will be released this year. It’s an amazing album that Ale and myself are very proud of. I can’t wait for you all to hear it!


3 - The new Stryper acoustic album is coming! It’s complete and we’re finally ready to release it! 


4 - My inspirational album is finally going to be released worldwide. Stay tuned as I’m certain you will love this album! It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and finally it has become reality. Stay tuned.


5 - I start recording vocals for the second Sunbomb album in October. It will be released next year as well. I’ve heard all the music and Tracii Guns did a killer job!! Wait till you hear it.


6 - The music is complete on another project that was started a few years back with CJ Grimmark of Narnia - once I can schedule writing lyrics and tracking vocals, that album/project will become reality as well. Absolutely stellar.


7 - Stryper will be recording a new album early next year. I’ll begin writing the music for that album in November/December of this year. 


I’m thankful to be able to do what I do passionately love. Music! Thank you all for your constant support and for helping me accomplish it all."

Right in the middle of their festival season, symphonic metal titans, Epica, return with another live single off their upcoming digital EP, Live At The AFAS Live. Originally the title track of their second studio album, and one of Epica's heaviest tracks, "Consign To Oblivion" has not only become a real classic but also the ultimate final song of most Epica shows, always starting with an obligatory wall of death right after the intro.





“Over the years 'Consign To Oblivion' became our favorite track to conclude our shows with”, Mark Jansen comments. “Every time we tried another track it never had the same impact as Consign to Oblivion. I’m happy everyone can now witness the live version that we played in Amsterdam to a fantastic home-country-crowd!”




Watch the new video below, and stream the single here.





Epica have a busy festival summer ahead of themselves before going back into the studio early next year to record the follow-up to 2021’s Omega. Dates and tickets are available here.


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

Italian thrashers Ural have just signed a deal with Xtreem Music for the release of their third album, entitled Psychoverse, which will be launched October 10th on CD and Digital formats.


Ural's brand of thrash metal is best described as the Bay Area in the '80s, meets lunatic Voivod-like guitar riffs from Quebec, mixed with crossover vibes. Check out the artwork and tracklisting for Psychoverse:







"Drag Me To The Wolves"
"Heritage"
"Nightmare"
"Blood Red Sand"
"Fall Of The One World"
"Uncanny Valley"
"Carousel Of Hell"
"66.6 F.M."





For further details, visit Ural on Facebook.


 

Conquer Divide, the international five-piece band hailing from the US, UK, and Canada, will release their new album, Slow Burn, on September 8 via Mascot Records. Pre-order it here.


The band - vocalist Kiarely Taylor, bassist/vocalist Janel Duarte, guitarist Isabel Johnson, drummer Samantha Landa, and guitarist Kristen Sturgis - have shared the new single, "N E W H E A V E N". The visual is rife with religious imagery but it's hardly about religion.


"'N E W H E A V E N' was born out of the idea that you'll never be satisfied with what you have if you don't define your expectations," the band offers. "We got together in Atlanta with Johnny Andrews for this one, and he's a musical mad scientist. We played with religious metaphors, although the song is not about religion. You throw your whole life into something, and then you finally reach the pinnacle and get to pull the proverbial curtain back, but it's not what you expected at all. So now you need a new high to chase. We did crowd-sourced gang vocals on this one, and it was fun to make that come together."




As for the accompanying video, the band shares, "This video was sort of a continuation from our last music video where in the opening scene you see the Grim Reaper take his hood off to reveal he is now the priest overseeing the funeral. Kia figuratively 'went to heaven' and came back after realizing heaven wasn't what it was cracked up to be."


Watch the clip below.





Slow Burn tracklisting:


"Atonement"
"N E W H E A V E N"
"Paralyzed"
"welcome2paradise"
"PRESSURE"
"system_failure"
"playing w/ fire"
"Over It."
"Afterthought.wav"
"the INVISIBLE"
"wide awake"
"OnlyGirl"
"gAtEkEePer"


"N E W H E A V E N" video:





"the INVISIBLE":





"welcome2paradise" video:





"Atonement" video:





"Paralyzed" video:

Thy Art Is Murder, one of Australia's top-heavy exports, released their seminal second album, Hate, on October 19, 2012. On January 14, 2023, the band immortalized their sold-out Decade Of Hate Melbourne performance at The Forum. Fans can now own or stream the digital version of Decade Of Hate (Live In Melbourne), which is out today. The physical versions including a CD jewel and LP, will be available to the masses on November 17.


Check out the fiery live video for the track, "Reign Of Darkness" (Live in Melbourne 2023) below. The live album was engineered by Lance Prenc, and mixing and mastering was completed by Will Putney (Fit For An Autopsy).


Thy Art Is Murder's Andy Marsh comments, "When we set out to record our record Hate all those years ago, none of us could anticipate the ride of a lifetime we were about to embark upon. So it seemed fitting that when we announced this recent 'Decade Of Hate tour', we were again uncertain about what the shows would hold in store. They turned out to be the biggest of our career.




“Throughout this wild journey, it was only through the undying support of our friends and fans across the world that we were able to traverse these monolithic milestones and for that, we are forever grateful. To have a dream is one thing, but to live it is something truly special and you have given that privilege to us.


“In the last ten years, we attempted to cover as much ground on tour as possible, but this last anniversary tour was rather brief as we began preparations for our new record Godlike. With the help of our incredible crew, we are proud to give you HATE in full, the way we imagined we might one day be able to one day present the songs. For all those who couldn’t make it to a show, and for anyone who just wants to relive the experience it has now been immortalized on wax for all to hear.”


Stream the single "Reign Of Darkness" (Live in Melbourne 2023) and the full album, here.





Decade Of Hate (Live In Melbourne 2023) will be available in the following physical formats on November 17th:


- CD Jewelcase
- 2 LP
* Blue with Black Pink Splatter (North American Exclusive; Limited to 1000)
* Purple with Blue Pink Splatter (European Exclusive; Limited to 900)


Pre-order/listen to Decade Of Hate (Live In Melbourne 2023) here.





Decade Of Hate (Live In Melbourne 2023) tracklisting:


"Reign Of Darkness"
"The Purest Strain Of Hate"
"Vile Creation"
"Shadow Of Eternal Sin"
"Immolation"
"Infinite Forms"
"Dean Sun"
"Gates Of Misery"
"Defective Breed"
"Doomed From Birth"
"Death Squad Anthem"
"Holy War"
"Puppet Master"


"Reign Of Darkness" video:





Thy Art Is Murder is:


C.J. McMahon - Vocals
Sean Delander - Rhythm Guitar
Kevin Butler - Bass Guitar
Jesse Beahler - Drums
Andy Marsh - Lead Guitar

Alterium, the new Italian power metal quintet led by Nicoletta Rosellini (ex-Kalidia, Walk In Darkness), has inked a worldwide deal with AFM Records / Soulfood Music.


Born in late 2022, Alterium consists of Nicoletta and former bandmates Paolo Campitelli (guitars) and Dario Gozzi (drums) from Kalidia, soon joined by Alessandro Mammola (guitars, also in Draconicon) and Luca Scalabrin (bass, also in Altair).


Nicoletta says: “I am finally happy to present you Alterium, my new power metal adventure. In the past months, we have poured our hearts and souls into crafting a debut album that harmonizes captivating melodies, powerful guitar riffs, and thunderous drums. The result is a strong debut album that we are eagerly anticipating to share with all of you. We are also filled with enthusiasm to share the exciting news we joined forces with AFM Records! Our music and vision align perfectly with their understanding and belief, making this collaboration truly thrilling. We take immense pride in sharing the label's roster with an array of renowned exceptional bands.”




“After the first contact with Nicoletta, we at AFM were immediately hooked. Alterium is uncompromising power metal paired with a powerful voice performed by a powerful woman!” Jochen Richert, CEO at Soulfood Music, comments. “Nicoletta, well remembered by many fans as Kalidia's front woman, is bursting with energy and this is fully expressed on their debut album. It was clear from the start that we would embark on a journey together. We are absolutely convinced of the success of Alterium, so we will bring in all our label power.”
 
After Kalidia parted ways, Nicoletta decided to take a different approach and finally unleashes her whole potential as both a singer and a songwriter. Under the guidance of producer Lars Rettkowitz (Freedom Call), Alterium have finished the recordings of a bombastic debut album.


The band's first full-length will also feature a cover of the Sabaton classic “Bismarck”. Watch out for Alterium, when they will take the power metal scene by storm with a triumph of powerful sounds, big riffs, explosive drums, majestic choirs and captivating grooves!
 
Alterium is:


Nicoletta Rosellini - vocals
Paolo Campitelli - guitars
Alessandro Mammola - guitars
Luca Scalabrin - bass
Dario Gozzi - drums


(Photo - Mattia Gianelli)

Randy Meisner, a co-founding member of legendary rock band THE EAGLES, has died, according to an announcement on the band's social media. He was 77.

"THE EAGLES are sad to report that founding member, bassist, and vocalist, Randy Meisner, passed away last night (July 26) in Los Angeles at age 77, due to complications from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD)," the statement read.

"Randy was an integral part of THE EAGLES and instrumental in the early success of the band. His vocal range was astonishing, as is evident on his signature ballad, 'Take It to the Limit'," said THE EAGLES.

As the original bass player for the pioneering country-rock group POCO, Randy was at the forefront of the musical revolution that began in Los Angeles in the late 1960s.

In 1971, Randy, along with Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon, formed THE EAGLES and contributed to the band's albums "Eagles", "Desperado", "On The Border", "One Of These Nights" and "Hotel California". He was inducted with THE EAGLES into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1998.

Prior to POCO, he was bassist and vocalist with RICK NELSON'S STONE CANYON BAND.

Randy was born on March 8, 1946, in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

The Eagles are sad to report that founding member, bassist, and vocalist, Randy Meisner, passed away last night (July...

Posted by Eagles on Thursday, July 27, 2023

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's new band KK'S PRIEST will release its sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", on September 29 via the Austrian rock and metal empire Napalm Records. The official music video for the LP's second single, "Reap The Whirlwind", can be seen below.

Downing says about "Reap The Whirlwind": "'If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind' — this is a common phrase that has been familiar with me from a very young age. Obviously it's very meaningful — it's a warning that if you mistreat people, or really whatever you do in life, you need to be very careful, because whatever sufferance you inflict on anyone, it could come back to haunt you, and your suffering could be even more severe. Everyone knowingly or unknowingly has made the mistake of thinking they can get away with small misdemeanors to suit their selfish pursuits, but if justice is to be served, you will reap exactly what you sow. That is the message of this song."

With "The Sinner Rides Again", the powerhouse heavy metal amalgamation of iconic JUDAS PRIEST alumni and Grammy Award-winning/nominated musicians Downing and Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals),along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE),double down on the ripping melodic force of their debut, which Metal Hammer U.K. dubbed "hugely enjoyable" and Metal Injection cited as boasting "catchy hooks and plenty of guitar wizardry". "The Sinner Rides Again" wields nine tracks of pure hellfire, produced and written by Downing and mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen.

Last month, KK'S PRIEST released the first single from "The Sinner Rides Again", a song called "One More Shot At Glory". The track evokes a high-stakes battle with heroic chants and double bass, setting the stage for a spine-tingling guitar solo. The track was accompanied by an intense, high-quality music video.

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."

Downing added regarding the band's signing with Napalm Records: "With a brand new record that needed placement with a great record label, we discussed the labels we liked, and Napalm Records was one of those companies. It's fair to say that Napalm is a leader in the heavy metal genre and has been for a long time now. They have a fantastic roster of both established and new bands and artists that are a force to be reckoned with. So it's a roster of some of the top and leading metal bands in the world today, and for the foreseeable future. I am pleased to say that we are excited about partnering with Napalm Records and we look forward to working together."

Sebastian Münch, senior A&R at Napalm Records, said: "K.K. Downing has created, with the sophomore album 'The Sinner Rides Again', an absolutely brilliant heavy metal masterpiece — one, I believe, that will stand the test of time and will be listened to by metal fans around the world for many, many years. K.K. Downing is a genius and Tim 'Ripper' Owens's vocals are simply mesmerizing! Napalm Records is absolutely proud to help continue to build this legacy."

A haunting introduction of dual guitars carries the listener into the thundering "Sons Of The Sentinel", winding across a wasteland of burning riffs and a deftly dynamic guitar solo to kick off the record with relentless energy. The undeniably catchy anthem "Strike Of The Viper" proves itself as one of the album's most unforgettable tracks, before "Reap The Whirlwind" crashes in with a classic heavy metal power thrust of soaring leads, hair-raising harmonics and earworm vocal hooks. First single "One More Shot At Glory" raises its sword high, instantaneously calling for battle with its opening riff and beckoning verses. Heroic chants and unrelenting double bass set the stage for a galloping midsection as a spine-tingling guitar solo commands the song. Striding "Hymn 66" commands with sultry, slow and low metallic punches and a bluesy gait, while massive title track "The Sinner Rides Again" straddles balladic passages and sinister, head-bobbing choruses. Beginning with ominous bells, "Keeper Of The Graves" rounds the final bend of the album with roaring cascades and a dynamic performance from Owens, before charging "Pledge Your Souls" and rollercoaster closer epic "Wash Away Your Sins" rise as the final embers of a certified burner — proving itself as a must-hear metal album of the year by the greatest to ever perform the genre.

The immense and intricate art for "The Sinner Rides Again" was created by talented artist Andy Pilkington.

"The Sinner Rides Again" track listing:

01. Sons Of The Sentinel
02. Strike Of The Viper
03. Reap The Whirlwind
04. One More Shot At Glory
05. Hymn 66
06. The Sinner Rides Again
07. Keeper Of The Graves
08. Pledge Your Souls
09. Wash Away Your Sins

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 former IRON MAIDEN vocalist Paul 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?"

Photo credit: Mind Art Visual

On June 30, during this year's Tuska festival in Helsinki, Finland, Kiki of the "Bleeding Metal" podcast conducted an interview with ARCH ENEMY frontwoman and animal rights activist Alissa White-Gluz. Asked if her activism is part of her identity, Alissa said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I am an activist before I'm a musician even. That's really what drives me forward every single day, is hoping that in some way my existence on this planet can make it a little bit better for everybody else who is currently existing on the planet and who will exist in the future. And that's first and foremost animal rights."

Asked if she would describe that as her purpose in life then even, Alissa said: "I don't know if people have, like, a purpose in life. I think it's nice to think that we do. I don't really know if we actually do. I think someone's purpose in life can just be whatever they attach themselves to — you know, whatever drives them forward. It doesn't have to be some big grandiose thing. But with that definition, then yes, I would say that it's my purpose. Yeah."

As for what her activism entails, Alissa said: "For me, I mean, I don't look at it as a job or something that I can really detail out because if I did, I would do that and not this. So it's really just… Deep down inside, I love animals. I think it's amazing that we share this planet with so many different, uncountable species in the sky, in the water, on land, these amazing creatures. They look different than us. They have different abilities than us. I mean, a fish can just live underwater; we would drown. You know what I mean? Like, just even simple things like this. A bird just flies. They just jump off a building and then fly. I still have this childlike awe over animals that can do this. And I think it's so sad that we have built an industry that doesn't care about that and actually only cares about profiting off of exploiting animals. And so as much as possible, I like to just show people that you don't have to take part in those industries. You can actually still have all the things that you wanna have in life — everything that you like; your food, your makeup, your whatever — you can still have all those things without involving animals at all. And now, actually, I've been more and more involved in the tech space when it comes to this. So there's some really cool innovations happening in the tech space when it comes to the future of food and also just reducing animal testing."

Last year, during a question-and-answer session at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, White-Gluz was asked if it's difficult for her to maintain her lifestyle while she is on tour. She responded: "It super easy, actually, because I still party; I just don't intoxicate myself when I do it. But if other people wanna do that, that's their choice — it's up to them. Smoking, I'd like them to stay away 'cause I don't wanna breathe that in. But otherwise, it's really, really easy, actually. It's not even something that I think about. And actually, we have… In our tour bus, in our band and crew, I'm not the only sober one and I'm not the only vegan either, so I'm surrounded by a lot of different kinds of people and we all get along beautifully."

Two years earlier, White-Gluz explained why being vegan is definitely metal, telling the Mercy For Animals Facebook page: "So, I've been vegan for over 20 years now. I was vegan before I ever started in music. I've never eaten meat in my life. I grew up in a completely vegetarian household, so going vegan was just like the logical next step. And when I started doing music, there was nothing that I wanted to talk about more than animal rights. And so I was now using this heavy, passionate form of music to sort of convey a message that I wanted to. When I'm screaming in my band, I feel like I'm screaming for the voiceless. And I can't imagine being that loud if I had nothing to say.

"Being female, being vegan and also being straight edge in the metal world is just a combination of targets on my forehead that make it really easy for me to get singled out or pushed around," she continued. "But those are just things that are so much a part of who I am that I couldn't change them even if I wanted to. And I wouldn't — I wouldn't change for anyone.

"In my opinion, metal is all about rebellion — it's about carving your own path, thinking against what everyone's trying to make you think," Alissa added. "And veganism is the ultimate form of rebellion, because you are literally taking things that people have told you are normal that deep down inside you don't think are normal that you've been conditioned to accept about your day-to-day tasks, like eating or what you wear or what you choose to buy. Everyone says that that's normal, that you need to exploit other living beings for those things, but you don't. And so taking a stand against that is what veganism is. And that is really metal."

During a recent appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored", Gene Simmons was asked how he really feels about KISS retiring from the road at the end of 2023 when he and his bandmates play the final shows of their "End Of The Road" farewell tour. The KISS bassist/vocalist responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I really feel proud. The best part was when I ran into my buddy Paul Stanley [KISS guitarist/vocalist] who, we continue to have this astonishing relationship. And I've always been so sad when Lennon and McCartney and Jagger and Richards started backbiting. I mean, even Cain and Abel didn't get along so well. It was always so sad to me. But Paul and I have this resilient, sort of the brother-I-never-had kind of a thing. And we don't agree on very much at all, but there's an abiding admiration and respect for the talent that he has that I will never have and hopefully the piece of the puzzle that I bring to it that he doesn't have. It works. One and one is three. You don't know everything. I don't. And when you meet somebody that's a kindred spirit, you can run and be bigger than you ever were."

He continued: "At any rate, to cut to the chase, all good things have to come to an end and you have to have the self-respect and pride — that's a big word — and the love of the fans to know when the hell it's time to get off that stage… And it's tough to give it up; this kind of admiration is godlike. But at any rate, when you still look good, when you still have the physicality it takes to do that, get off the stage. By the way, it goes for boxers too. Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, who's a friend, and so on, these are the greats of all time. And you've got to know when it's time to know when it's time to [leave the party]."

KISS's final runs of shows will kick off this September and will wrap up with a massive concert in the city where it all began for the legendary rock act. New York City has been a part of the band's ethos and storyline for more than four decades, so they felt it fitting to culminate an iconic Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame-worthy career on stage at New York's famed Madison Square Garden.

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but has since been extended to late 2023. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band's classic song "Detroit Rock City" on "America's Got Talent".

KISS's current lineup consists of original members Stanley and Simmons, alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.

OVERKILL and SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner has 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 will also support METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

According to Billboard, the 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.

Bittner discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback in an interview with Pod Scum. Addressing the negative feedback from some fans about Anselmo and Brown playing shows under the PANTERA name without the Abbott brothers, Jason said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What it comes down to, and I'm not gonna be one of those guys to say, 'Well, 'cause I knew Dime and Vinnie…', but I knew Dime and Vinnie… What it is, is a lot of people who don't know these guys, who didn't know these guys who just talk shit: 'Oh, Dime and Vinnie, they wouldn't want this.' I beg to differ with that. I think that the two of them are looking down and they're quite happy with what's going on."

Jason went on to say that Wylde and Benante are absolutely the right musicians to step in for the Abbott brothers. "It's one of the greatest guitar players and one of the greatest drummers to ever play rock and metal," he said. "So, give me a break."

This past April, Bittner's OVERKILL bandmate Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth also threw his support behind the PANTERA reunion, telling Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio: "I'd love to see it. When it comes around here, I'm gonna go. I think it's just a great thing. The original band itself was just so groundbreaking with regard to how they morphed into that 'Reinventing The Steel' vibe. [From] 'Cowboys From Hell' on, it was just amazing. I think if anything deserves to be celebrated, especially with original members there — at least 50 percent of them, obviously — this is the project or the event that needs to be celebrated and seen."

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it."

Up until his passing in June 2018, 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.

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who was Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

Jason Bittner photo credit: Frank White

Pantera performed at Inkcarceration 2023, at Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, OH, on July 15. The band have shared the recap video below, stating: "Amazing show in Mansfield, Ohio! Thanks to everyone who came out."





Pantera will be on tour across North America this summer, with special guest Lamb Of God. S.N.A.F.U., Child Bite, Flesh Hoarder, Spirit In The Room, and King Parrot each enjoying a stint as the opening act. All bands are part of the Housecore Records family. Housecore Records is owned by Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo.







Pantera / Lamb Of God tour dates:


With S.N.A.F.U.:


July
28 - Burgettstown, PA - The Pavilion at Star Lake
29 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center
31 - Milwaukee, WI - American Family Insurance Amphitheater


With Child Bite:


August
2 - Camden, NJ - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
5 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium
6 - Scranton, PA - The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
8 - Syracuse, NY - St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
9 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Amphitheater
12 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage


With Flesh Hoarder:


August
15 - Rogers, AR - Walmart Amp
17 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
20 - Austin, TX - Germania Insurance Amphitheater


With Spirit In The Room:


August
23 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena
26 - San Diego, CA - North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
29 - Salt Lake City, UT - Usana Amphitheater
31 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater


With King Parrot:


September
7 - Bangor, ME - Waterfront Music Pavilion
8 - Gilford, NH - Bank Of New Hampshire
12 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
14 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Virginia Beach
15 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live

In a new interview with Jordi Pinyol, EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt weighed in on some artists' use of backing tracks to add extra instrumental or vocal tracks to a live performance, to enhance the sound or to replicate more closely the instrumentation heard on a recording. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, look, I think whenever we try to play live… It's like it's like the dilemma we had when we did horns on 'Pornograffitti'. You ask yourself, what do you do? It's got horns on three or four songs. And then we did 'III Sides [To Every Story]' and we brought horns with us on tour. But even now we're playing some of those songs, and you make a choice. You're, like, of course the songs rock without the horns… But lately we've been, like, 'Fuck it. Play with a click. Let's get the horns exciting there.'"

He continued: "I have no problem with any band — I don't give a shit if it's acoustic, rock, punk, fucking whatever — you're allowed to do whatever the fuck you want. You wanna pump in horns, you pump in horns. You wanna pump in synthesizer, you pump in synthesizer. People have been criticizing bands for doing that stuff. I tell them to go fuck themselves, because it's not your fucking choice. You don't like it? Don't go see the fucking band. But it's not wrong, and it's not right. An artist can do whatever the fuck he wants whenever the fuck he wants to do it. Who the fuck are you to tell him he can or can't do it? Now, having said that, you have a choice to buy a ticket [to] go see him or not or don't listen to the album. Or… I do draw the line when somebody is doing something and they're pretending to do it. That's a whole different thing. If we're sitting there… Like I use a [click track on] '[Flight Of The Wounded] Bumble Bee'… It's a click track. You can you can tell me that's bullshit, but Kevin's [Figueiredo, EXTREME drummer] not going pretending to do it. Same thing with 'Midnight Express'. I don't like when people pretend to do something or they're faking like they're singing or they're faking like they're playing horns, and it's not happening. That's not cool with me, because then you're lying to the audience; you're not performing anymore. So I'm of the mind that I don't give a fuck if a band, 90 percent of the sound is electronics and it's all being sequenced and it's 90 percent of the sound, but they don't have a guitar player and they have guitar going through. But if there is guys on stage faking it, I think that's a little bit unfair and that not cool. Do it if you want, but it's up to the audience if they wanna stay or not stay."

Bettencourt added: "The good thing about rock and roll to me, in music is there are no fucking rules; there just are no rules. And people can criticize, and that's their job, is to have opinions and journalists to do reviews of shows — no problem; everybody's got their opinion, and I respect that. But as an artist, somebody says to me that what I should and shouldn't do and that I shouldn't do this and they shouldn't have horns? I'm, like, I've got one word for you: go fuck yourself. No — 'go fuck yourself'; three words. Sorry. I quit high school. Go fuck yourself. You don't like what I do? Don't buy the fucking album. You don't like what I do? Don't buy a ticket. I don't give a fuck what you think about me. I don't."

EXTREME's latest album, "Six", was released on June 9 via earMUSIC. It marked EXTREME's first album since "Saudades De Rock" came out in 2008.

EXTREME is currently gearing up to perform for audiences across the globe on its headlining "Thicker Than Blood" world tour. It stretches from August 2 to December 16 and will see the band appear across the U.S., Australia, Japan and Europe, including special guests LIVING COLOUR (U.S., Australia and U.K. only) and THE LAST INTERNATIONALE (Europe only).

MÖTLEY CRÜE fans shouldn't expect any changes to the setlist for the band's upcoming U.S. shows.

CRÜE's "The World Tour" with DEF LEPPARD will return to America for six dates starting on August 5 in Syracuse, New York.

On Wednesday (July 26),Sixx shared a post about CRÜE's upcoming concerts with LEPPARD, and encouraged everyone to buy tickets.

One of the fans who commented on Sixx's post wrote, "Hopefully an adjustment in the set list, would love to hear some of the other killer songs you have to", to which Nikki replied: "The show is all worked out for this tour. Next time we go into rehearsals in 2024 for the next tour we do all the set list and video content changes."

MÖTLEY CRÜE's setlist for the 2023 "The World Tour" has remained very similar to the one from last year's "The Stadium Tour", with "Wild Side" opening the show before Sixx and his bandmates run through a 15-song set that includes other classics like "Shout At The Devil", "Home Sweet Home", "Dr. Feelgood" and the closing number "Kickstart My Heart".

CRÜE's setlist for the 2023 "The World Tour":

01. Wild Side
02. Shout Out At The Devil
03. Too Fast For Love
04. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
05. Saints of Los Angeles
06. Live Wire
07. Looks That Kill
08. The Dirt (Est. 1981)
09. Guitar Solo
10. Rock And Roll / Smokin' In The Boys' Room / Helter Skelter / Anarchy In The U.K. / Blitzkrieg Bop
11. Home Sweet Home
12. Dr. Feelgood
13. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
14. Girls Girls Girls
15. Primal Scream
16. Kickstart My Heart

Last month, MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil confirmed to The Music Universe that the band will embark on another stadium tour in 2024. "We're not sure who's gonna be on it, but there'll be another tour," he said.

MÖTLEY CRÜE recently went into the studio with longtime producer Bob Rock and recorded three new songs, including "Dogs Of War" and a cover of BEASTIE BOYS' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)".

Asked what inspired him and his CRÜE bandmates to head back to the studio, Vince told The Music Universe: "Well, we've written the songs, and then we had Bob Rock, our producer, come in and take a listen to 'em too. We got some studio time and went in and recorded. I didn't record with the band, 'cause I'm in Nashville, and they're in L.A. They recorded the tracks in Nashville, and then I did like a Zoom call with the producer for three days. And I did all the songs. And they turned out really well. One of them is the BEASTIE BOYS song 'Fight For Your Right'… That turned out really cool."

Pressed about whether the three new songs might be a precursor to a new full-length album, Neil said: "I don't know if we're gonna do a whole album or not. We'll see how these songs go first."

CRÜE and LEPPARD kicked off the European leg of their "The World Tour" on May 22 in Sheffield. The European leg concluded on July 6 in Glasgow.

LEPPARD and CRÜE will team up with Alice Cooper for a U.S. mini-tour this summer. The trek will kick off on August 5 in Syracuse, New York and include stops in the Midwest before concluding in El Paso, Texas on August 18. Shows in Japan and Australia will follow in the fall.

In April, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx said that he and his bandmates had completed recording several new songs with Rock.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's new guitarist John 5 told Sirius XM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about recording the group's new music with Rock: "Bob would come in and [say], 'Okay, let's try this here, and that here and this here. It was one of the most incredible experiences ever… I'm thinking, 'We've got so much great technology today'… but we got in that room and it was like being in a garage working on a song when you were in high school… It was incredible, and we documented a lot of it too."

Regarding the musical direction of the tracks he and the rest of MÖTLEY CRÜE have recorded so far, John 5 said: "The songs are fucking heavy. I sound like a little excited kid right now, but they're heavy and they're mean. I can't wait for them to come out. I'm just so excited."

When host Eddie Trunk asked John 5 whether the new MÖTLEY CRÜE music can be compared to the band's breakthrough second album, 1983's "Shout At The Devil", the guitarist said that some of the new riffs are "heavier than anything" on that LP. "All I can tell you is that it's heavy and it's aggressive, and I think people are going to dig it because, talking as a fan, it's fucking badass," he said.

John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE last fall as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE last October as a result of worsening health issues.

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.

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, in early April the 71-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against 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.

🤟🏽-Repost from @motleycrue
•
Gear up now for Tour - US Shows begin next week!
LINK IN BIO

🇺🇸 MÖTLEY CRÜE are back in...

Posted by Nikki Sixx on Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Influenced by thrash metal royaly Slayer, Kreator, Destruction and Exodus' earlier works, Eternal Evil was formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2019. The band intends to carry on the legacy of early high energy classic thrash insanity.


Their quickly sold out Rise Of Death self-released demo recorded in band leader Adrian Tobar's garage was later reissued by Iron Fist and Redefining Darkness records. Shortly after the demo release, the world was hit by a pandemic and during those restrictive years, the band worked on in silence and brought in Norrland guitarist Tobias Lindström.


Recorded at Studio Humbucker by Robert Pehrsson, the band’s full length debut, The Warriors Awakening... Brings The Unholy Slaughter, was released in November 2021.




Now with two new members, the band is ready with its follow-up album, The Gates Beyond Mortality,  to be released in October. With lyrical themes from Occult Practice to the violent nature of warfare the band has crafted an album that has broken all the rules and standards from previous times, which makes this album sound darker than anything they have released prior.


Having kickstarted with an indestructible enthusiasm conjuring malicious old school metal powers, Eternal Evil are destined to make that head bang forever.


The first single, "Funeral Prayers", is out today. Get the song here, and listen below.





The Gates Beyond Mortality tracklisting:


"Depths A Of A New Eternity"
"Guerilla Warfare"
"The Gates Beyond Mortality"
"Funeral Prayers"
"Signs Of Ancient Sin"
"Desecration Of Light"
"The Astral Below"
"Immolation"
"The Cursed Trilogy"


"Funeral Prayers":





Eternal Evil lineup:


Adrian Tobar - Vocals and Lead Guitar
Tobias Lindström - Lead Guitar
Niklas Saari  - Bass Guitar
Adam Schmidt  - Drums

Vandenberg and Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group have released a lyric video for "Light It Up", the new single from the band's upcoming studio album, to be released on August 25. Watch the clip below, and pre-order the album here.


Adrian Vandenberg shares, “Amigos! It’s D-Day and high time for some bonafide stadium rock. You deserve to treat your good selves to some huge, Oprah ass sized ROCK to launch yourself into the upcoming weekend in style!”







Every album paints a picture. Instead of utilizing a brush and canvas, Vandenberg paints with towering vocals, earthquaking rhythms, and the iconic and instantly recognizable fretwork of guitarist and namesake, Adrian Vandenberg. Joined by vocalist Mats Levén, drummer Koen Herfst, and bassist Randy van der Elsen, the influential axe-slinger delivers a vibrant, visceral, and vital vision on the group’s fifth full-length offering, Sin, brought to life in broad strokes of anthemic hard rock and airtight metal and produced by Bob Marlette (Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie).


“For me, music is very much like a painting,” affirms Adrian. “You have your ups, downs, lights, and shades. One song might make you want to jump on the table and party your brains out. Another song will inspire you to think. Either way, you’re thrown into a landscape, which my favorite albums still do to me. You could be in your car or at home with your headphones plugged into a soundsystem, and you’re in a different world.”


Exploding out of The Netherlands and onto the global scene with 1982’s self-titled Vandenberg, the Dutch phenomenon notched an international hit in the form of “Burning Heart,” paving the way for seminal releases such as Heading For A Storm [1983] and Alibi [1985]. The band canvased the United States, Europe, and Japan alongside Ozzy Osbourne, KISS, Rush, Scorpions, Michael Schenker, and many others. Sought out to join Whitesnake, Adrian famously ripped the legendary lead on the 1987 recording of the #1 smash “Here I Go Again,” which adorned the 8x-platinum Whitesnake and ended up touring the world’s largest arenas for a year-and-a-half when the 1987 album went through the roof in terms of sales. He co-wrote the entirety of 1989’s platinum Slip of the Tongue and spent the ensuing tour sharing axe duties with none other than Steve Vai. In addition to playing guitar on and cowriting Restless Heart from David Coverdale & Whitesnake, he performed hundreds of shows as part of the band for some twelve years. Speaking to the breadth of his output, he notably penned and recorded “A Number One” as the theme for his hometown Dutch football team FC Twente. 2013 saw him launch the acclaimed Vandenberg’s MoonKings, releasing MoonKings [2014], MK II [2017], and Rugged and Unplugged [2018].


Vandenberg as a band roared back to life with the comeback LP, 2020. Among many highlights, “Freight Train” gathered 1.6 million Spotify streams, while the record attracted praise. In its wake, Vandenberg welcomed Mats [Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Yngwie Malmsteen] to the fold.


“He’s an amazing singer,” notes Adrian. “I’d heard him online, and we got in touch. It’s funny because his mom brought the first two Vandenberg records back to Scandinavia from England when he was in his early twenties—and he was a fan. He’s a workaholic like me. We picked up after COVID and put the new album together. The spark is definitely there. On top of that, Koen and Randy lay down the most solid concrete, grooving foundation that I could ever wish for. I’d say it’s one notch heavier than 2020,” he smiles.


Recorded in Holland and Los Angeles with Marlette, Sin represents a natural evolution for Vandenberg. Scorching pinch harmonics light up the first single “House On Fire” as the groove underlines a chantable chorus from Mats.  “In one way, it’s a party song, because it keeps you tapping your foot,” Adrian exclaims. “Mats added a different darker twist with his lyrics. It also envisions a person who’s frustrated about the things other people have. This person can’t control their anger and sets the place on fire.”





Tracklisting:


"Thunder And Lightning"
"House On Fire"
"Sin"
"Light It Up"
"Walking On Water"
"Burning Skies"
"Hit The Ground Running"
"Baby You’ve Changed"
"Out Of The Shadows"


"Sin" lyric video:





"House On Fire" lyric video:





(Photo - HP van Velthoven)

It’s been five years since their last offering, Civilisation, made such a big impression on the music press and fans alike and now the boys of Southern Empire have put together their follow-up album, Another World, due out on September 4 on GEP Records. The first single from the album, "Reaching Out", is available now. Watch the video below.





Featuring their unique mixture of prog, classic rock and jazz, the addition of impressive new vocalist Shaun Holton takes it to the next level.




Sean Timms: “I am incredibly excited to have Shaun on board for the next phase of Southern Empire music. His range, tonal colour and song writing are impeccable and have a modern sensibility that will take the band further than I’d ever thought possible.”


Shaun Holton: “Making my previous albums pushed me to find the very limits of my potential as a producer and multi-instrumentalist... and whilst I’m incredibly proud of that work and the positive reception it received, I knew that I wanted something more. Southern Empire is definitely the welcome opportunity I’ve waited a lifetime for. This is musicality at a level I have only previously dreamt about, but I have never been more ready!”


Available on CD and double marbled vinyl. Pre-orders will begin on August 7.





Tracklisting:


"Reaching Out"
"Face The Dawn"
"Hold On To Me"
"When You Return"
"Moving Through Tomorrow"
"White Shadows"
"Butterfly"


"Reaching Out" video:





Lineup:


Shaun Holton - Lead and Backing Vocals
Cam Blokland - Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Lead and Backing Vocals
Jez Martin - Fretted and Fretless Bass
Brody Green - Drums, Hand Percussion, Backing Vocals
Sean Timms - Keyboards, Programming, Lap Steel Guitar, Backing Vocals

Quadvium recently issued an update, after a couple of years of radio silence, about the bass duo’s commencement on the debut album. Now the bassists, Steve Di Giorgio (Testament, Death) and Jeroen Paul Thesseling (Obscura, Pestilence), bring to light the other musicians that will complete the quartet. 


Launching a band with two predominantly fretless bass players is no common occurrence, and the duo felt they needed to take very special and deliberate time to get the right alignment with who’s participating and what will be the end result – meaning the right sound & composition to represent this rare vision.


Staying the course, and some will notice from those long-ago press releases from Quadvium, the recognizable friendly face of Yuma van Eekelen (Our Oceans, Pestilence). The drummer has in fact been a major presence the whole time, Yuma’s agreeable dedication in helping find the final member and contributing with massive effort to the arrangements of the songs is no understatement. On chops alone, the band is lucky to cooperate with such a masterful drummer, but Yuma’s vision and chemistry is invaluably equal to the foundation towards this undertaking.







And with immense pleasure, we’d like to introduce, the final member… Jennings Smith (Myth Of I, Kaathe).


The guitarist/composer has taken the little seed of an idea and cultivated it into a sprawling kickass garden. The technical prowess of Jennings can be seen in his many videos on Instagram for Myth Of I and his solo material – we suggest you go and have a look! He has brought to this band a level of musicality and compositional energy and vision we only dreamed of. And the result of hours/days/weeks/and pretty much one year since the discovery and ingression to the band, is a presentation of just what we imagined we were looking for! Jennings understood the concept of writing for a dual-bass driving effort in this unique quartet format. With his song writing mastery and very impressive bass chops (also check his playthrough videos on bass), we can safely say this time that we have a solid lineup and a varied offering of songs we are excited to show you.





The composing phase is coming to a close with the last couple of ideas that will round-out the content for the first album. The band enters the preproduction phase with some final arranging and preliminary tracking in Amsterdam during the end of August. Final tracking and fine tuning will be ongoing through the rest of this year, as we also navigate and organize around many busy touring schedules. Plans, at this point, for the album release, foreseeable in the first half of 2024!


Quadvium lineup:


Jennings Smith – guitar
Steve Di Giorgio – bass
Jeroen Paul Thesseling – bass
Yuma van Eekelen – drums


Quick progress updates and exclusive video peeks into the workings will be posted up on the band’s official Facebook page.