Rising progressive death metal stars Kallias will be digitally releasing their brand new album, First Ascent, on August 25, 2023 via AISA Distribution. In celebration, the band has premiered the first single from the record, "Lungta II: Everlasting", along with a haunting music video.


Kallias guitarist and vocalist Nicole Papastavrou comments, "We’re thrilled to showcase our more progressive elements in this new single, such as the use of Chris’ upright bass and a very special throat singing section by Alex Novick. Overall, 'Lungta II: Everlasting' is not only a departure from First Ascent, but takes a direction we hope to accomplish with the next record." 


"The music video resembles the physical and mental journey of climbing in the Himalayas. ‘Lungta,’ meaning ‘Wind Horse,’ resemble the prayer flags that bring goodwill, with red specifically resembling fire. We best used our imagination to bring to life the inward battle one must face when taking such journeys. We hope you enjoy the visuals and look forward to the release of First Ascent to follow."







The 3D cover artwork of First Ascent was created by Francesco Artusato (Light The Torch, All Shall Perish). Pre-orders can be placed here.





Tracklisting:


"The Approach" 
"Irrational Fear" (Ft. Jeff Loomis)
"Disembodied Existence"
"Matter Eater" (Ft. Colin Cook)
"The Dark Machine"
"21 Grams" (Ft. Rafael Trujillo)
"Nine In Time" (Ft. Greg Burgess)
"Lungta I: The Path:
"Lungta II: Everlasting" 


Kallias is comprised of players who are masters of their craft. Nicole Papastavrou's solid history of songwriting and tight rhythms paired with Colin Cook's jazzy and technical leads are the perfect compliment. JP Andrade's undeniably precise percussion serves the music on every level, from jazz-influenced melodic sections to satisfyingly odd rhythms for the eager prog-loving ear. Beautifully woven bass lines by Chris Marrone provide an indomitable structure and embrace for each instrument — never overpowering, yet always highlighting.


For modern day prog and metal fans, Kallias can be compared to bands such as Opeth, Meshuggah, and Decapitated. The quartet holds a musical chemistry that is few and far between and that will keep you in the foreground from the beginning with bone-chilling introductions. This is by no means background music. Kallias creates their own genre for a panoramic audio experience that demands the listener's undivided attention to focus and feel.


In addition, Kallias will be embarking on a run of West Coast tour dates this August in support of Cyborg Octopus. The full itinerary is as listed:


August
25 - Fullerton, CA - Programme
26 - San Diego, CA - Til Two Club
27 - Cupertino, CA - XBar
29 - Las Vegas, NV - The Griffin
30 - Fresno, CA - Destructive Warehouse


For further details, visit Kallias on Facebook.


 


 


 


 

QUEENSRŸCHE/ex-KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo has joined forces with guitar virtuoso Angel Vivaldi and singer Roman Grey to form a new melodic metal supergroup, INFINITY'S ASHES. The official music video for the band's first single, "The Perfect Flaw", can be seen below.

Angel comments: "Like most projects, this band has been in the oven for quite a number of years. To finally let the world see and hear this incredible collaboration feels magical. I'm proud of the work each of us put into these songs. Excited to see what's on the horizon for us."

Casey states: "I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this project that Angel and I embarked on several years ago. Countless hours of dedication and meticulous planning have been poured into it, and I'm eagerly anticipating the fans' reactions to our creation. Get ready to enjoy what we've accomplished!"

Grillo adds: "This will not change my involvement with QUEENSRŸCHE. I simply wanted to explore a different aspect of my drumming."

For more than six years, Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

Almost a year after playing his first show with QUEENSRŸCHE, Casey announced his exit from his previous band KAMELOT in order to pursue "other musical endeavors" as well as tend to his "rapidly growing" drumhead company DrumStatic.

X JAPAN, one of the most successful rock groups in Japanese history, has released its first new single in eight years, "Angel".

X JAPAN has achieved legendary status among rock fans worldwide, making a buzz at Coachella, headlining major venues such as Wembley Arena and Madison Square Garden, and selling out Japan's 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record 18 times.

The last single from X JAPAN was 2015's "Born To Be Free", and the critically acclaimed documentary film about the band, "We Are X", was released in 2018 in 30 countries, winning awards at the SXSW and Sundance film festivals.

With music and lyrics by X JAPAN leader, composer, drummer, and pianist Yoshiki, "Angel" is one of the band's most personal and emotional ballads. "Angel" is distributed globally by Melodee Music/Ingrooves/Virgin Music Group.

Recently, X JAPAN became the center of controversy when Elon Musk announced he was rebranding Japanese Twitter as "X Japan", causing fans across the globe to respond in support of the band's trademark and supporting them as the country's only true "X JAPAN".

X JAPAN has sold more than 30 million albums, singles, and videos combined and played to millions of fans around the world.

In 1997, at the height of their success, the band broke up. In early 2007, Yoshiki and vocalist Toshi reunited, and later that year X JAPAN officially reformed.

The band launched its reunion in 2008 with three nights at the Tokyo Dome. In 2010, X JAPAN performed for the first time at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Immediately following the festival, X JAPAN played the biggest concert in its history, selling out two consecutive shows at Japan's Nissan Stadium, filling 140,000 seats. The band then launched their first North American tour, selling out across the U.S. and Canada.

X JAPAN made their Coachella debut in 2018, and the band performed three sold-out concerts at Makuhari Messe in September 2018 for 100,000 fans.

The current lineup of X JAPAN is Yoshiki (drums, piano, composer),Toshi (vocals),Pata (guitar),Heath (bass),Sugizo (violin, guitar).

Legendary punk band DESCENDENTS has canceled its previously announced European tour after lead singer Milo Aukerman suffered a heart attack.

Earlier today (Friday, July 28),DESCENDENTS released the following statement via social media: "We are truly sorry, but we have to cancel the upcoming European shows.

"Our singer, Milo, had a mild heart attack last night. He's doing fine, and is expected to make a full recovery from surgery, but will need a few weeks to recover before we can hit the road again.

"Hope to see you soon."

DESCENDENTS last performed live on June 25 at the Punk In Drublic festival in Ohio.

The band was scheduled to kick off its European tour today in Spain, with dates booked through early August.

Barcelona's Barna N Roll festival, where DESCENDANTS were set to perform tonight, said the singer was currently hospitalized, adding that they hope his health "evolves favorably" in the next couple of days. "We're sad to share that due to health reasons, Milo Aukerman of DESCENDANTS had to cancel the concert planned for tonight," the festival wrote.

DESCENDENTS' latest album, "9th & Walnut", came out in 2021 via Epitaph Records.

In 2002, the original "Milo Goes To College" lineup — bassist Tony Lombardo, drummer Bill Stevenson, guitarist Frank Navetta (died in 2008) and vocalist Milo Aukerman — entered the studio to finally record the songs with which they first forged their genre-defining sound. The 18-track result, "9th & Walnut", was named for their Long Beach practice space back in the day. The album features the band's earliest material written from 1976 through 1980.

DESCENDENTS' current lineup consists of Aukerman, guitarist Stephen Egerton, bassist Karl Alvarez and drummer Bill Stevenson.

We are truly sorry, but we have to cancel the upcoming European shows.

Our singer, Milo, had a mild heart attack last...

Posted by Descendents on Friday, July 28, 2023

In a new interview with the "Brutally Delicious" podcast, ATREYU frontman Brandon Saller spoke about the possibility of him and his bandmates shifting their focus away from releasing albums to putting out a series of singles. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I care less and less about the traditional kind of methods of things and more about, how do we actually get people to have the opportunity to digest all of the art? … You put out an album, put out 12 songs on an album and four of 'em get a light shined on them and are in the tens of millions of streams and have all this attention and then the other eight are in the hundreds of thousands, if that — maybe they hit a million. They're in the dark and you spent all this time on these songs.

"We're not a band that has historically put out records with a bunch of filler; it's hard to get songs past us," he explained. "So, for us, it's, like, 'Oh, well, man, it just didn't have opportunity to get shown.'

"I'm all about alternative methods of release," Saller added. "I think that physical release really only lies in vinyl and cool, like, collectors' kind of stuff these days. I don't care about CDs. I couldn't play a CD if I wanted to. I don't have a CD [player] in my car. I don't have a CD player in my computer. But as far as just releasing things, I just wanna release things that make it more accessible and easy to actually consume and digest them. And I think that that potentially is in singles and EPs. I don't know everything or anything. So we'll see how it goes."

ATREYU and MEMPHIS MAY FIRE will join forces for the "We Want Your Misery" tour, set to kick off on August 26 in Ventura at the Ventura Theater with CATCH YOUR BREATH and ANOTHER DAY DAWNS as support.

ATREYU will perform at the California – Is For Lovers and Rocklahoma 2023 festivals and will join GODSMACK on September 5 for select dates then back to the "We Want Your Misery" tour followed by Canadian dates with IRON MAIDEN on September 28.

ATREYU's "The Moment You Find Your Flame" EP is due August 18 via Spinefarm. It is the follow-up to the recent EP "The Hope Of A Spark". ATREYU also announced "The Beautiful Dark Of Life" album due later this year as part of the EP series delivering the final chapter of the "Seasons Of Life" concept along the rollercoaster of human existence.

"The Moment You Find Your Flame" EP, produced by longtime collaborator John Feldmann, reflects the struggle in recognizing one’s self-worth and it touches on internal battles, self-doubt, and insecurities that can overshadow one's perception of their own abilities. The band has found its own flame, a metaphor for their soul-baring introspection and providing comfort and catharsis through music in the face of universal emotions that unite us all.

Photo credit: Micala Austin

On a recent episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),DIAMOND HEAD's Brian Tatler spoke about how he landed the gig as SAXON's new touring guitarist following the departure of Paul Quinn. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[SAXON and DIAMOND HEAD are] on the same label and we've got the same manager, Adam Parsons from Siren. We've got to know each other over the years. We've done festivals with them. We've done support dates with them. And in last year we did a big tour — we did 33 dates across Europe and the U.K. And I think everybody was getting on really well, and they probably realized I'm a nice guy and I can play, et cetera. So I got the call in March from the manager to say Paul Quinn's stepping down. Would I be interested in taking over from Paul? And I said, 'Yes. Absolutely.'"

During the chat, which was recorded in early June, a month prior to his first gig with SAXON, Tatler went on to say that he was looking forward to playing some live shows with singer Biff Byford and the rest of the band.

"DIAMOND HEAD's great — it's always been my baby and we've been going a long, long time — but to have a fresh challenge now at my age and this time in my life, a new set to learn a new band to go out with," he said. "They're of a higher level, a tour bus level. I mean, SAXON will headline a festival like a Wacken [Open Air in Wacken, Germany] or something, whereas DIAMOND HEAD, we've done Wacken, but we'd be on a smaller stage, let's say two o'clock in the afternoon, three o'clock in the afternoon sort of thing. So it's gonna be a big jump for me. But I'm excited for the challenge. I think it's great. I thought it was fabulous of them to offer it to me. I'm really grateful."

Asked if there has been any talk of him being a permanent addition to SAXON, Brian replied: "I think it's too early to say. I've gotta at least do one gig, I think, and then maybe we'll talk again. I think… I mean, who knows? But I'd like to. But I think we've probably gotta do some gigs first."

Tatler made his live debut as SAXON's new touring guitarist on July 7 at the Rockwave festival in Athens, Greece. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Brian will join fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, bassist Nibs Carter, drummer Nigel Glockler and Byford for shows throughout 2023 but will continue to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

In addition to a dozen or so already-announced festival appearances in 2023, SAXON has revealed that it will support JUDAS PRIEST on a U.K. tour in early 2024. "We're playing really big venues," Brian told Ernest Skinner of Border City Rock Talk earlier in the year. "And it's JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON and URIAH HEEP. And I'm amazed to be… I've never been on a tour with JUDAS PRIEST before. The closest DIAMOND HEAD's come in the past is we've been on the same festival bill. I'm a big PRIEST fan and have been since maybe 1975. So to be on tour with them where we can watch them every night and get to know 'em a little bit and chat will be fantastic. I'm stoked about that…. It's not till March 2024, but I'm already looking forward to that."

In March, Quinn thanked fans for their "outpouring of love and respect" after his announcement that he was "stepping back from touring".

As a result of Quinn's decision, SAXON canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise.

In a recent interview with Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind, Byford spoke about Quinn's decision to retire from the road. The singer said: "Yeah, it's gonna be a change. The thing is it wasn't a surprise. It was talked about for a few years now that he might retire. And the thing is the band are getting bigger, and we're busy and we're doing longer tours and bigger venues. I just think he wants to rest now. So it wasn't really a shock. We talked about it a few times, the fact that he gets very tired quite quickly. There's a lot of pressure on you when you're touring in a band. So, he's gonna be around. He's gonna be doing show till the end of the year with us, and he's gonna doing the new album with us. So pretty much he will be there, but not there, if you know what I mean."

SAXON's latest album, "More Inspirations", arrived in March via Silver Lining Music. Following the release of "Inspirations" in 2021, "More Inspirations" is the second "deep dish" serving of the influences which have fed SAXON's immensely successful 40-plus-year career.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Paul Rodgers, iconic lead vocalist, main songwriter and founding member of legendary rock band BAD COMPANY, has released a new single called "Take Love". The track is taken from his upcoming album, "Midnight Rose", slated for release on September 22 via Sun Records. This is Rodgers's first solo LP of new music in nearly 25 years.

With a carpe diem, live-life-to-the-fullest lyric backed by driving guitars and booming drums, Rodgers's vocal takes center stage here. Newly mastered in Dolby Atmos spatial audio, fans will recognize "Take Love" from live setlists during his tenure fronting QUEEN on tour.

Last month, Paul released the first single from "Midnight Rose", a song called "Living It Up".

In a short video posted to his social media, Paul stated about the inspiration for the "Midnight Rose" cover: "So, the story of the 'Midnight Rose' painting is this… It was my wife Cynthia's 50th birthday, and I wanted to give her something for her birthday. So I said, 'What do you want?' She said, 'Oh, find me some bird seed and a nice plant,' something. And I said, 'Oh, I've gotta get you more than that.' And she said, 'Okay. Paint me a picture.' And I said, 'Okay. What type of bird seed do you want?' And she said, 'No, no. That's off the cards. You've gotta paint me a picture now.' So I went ahead and did it."

The eight-track album is a collection of all new, original music completely written by Rodgers, with the exception of "Living It Up", which was co-written by Rodgers and his band's bassist Todd Ronning, and drummer Rick Fedyk.

"Midnight Rose" was produced by Cynthia Rodgers and Bob Rock, and was recorded at Roper Recording and The Warehouse over the last 18 months with unique album artwork contributed by Paul and his love of 26 years, Cynthia.

"My new album 'Midnight Rose' grew from sparks of ideas I had," said Rodgers. "The sparks developed into a raging fire when the band and everyone involved brought their absolute 'A' game. I think it is my best album to date, I like it. I hope you do too."

Dominic Pandiscia, chief strategy officer, Primary Wave/Sun Label Group, added: "Paul Rodgers is a rock legend and we're proud to have him on the Sun Records label. His album 'Midnight Rose' is a modern-day classic that his established and new fans will love. We have heard one consistent comment throughout the record making process and it's that Paul has never sounded better. I couldn't agree more."

"Midnight Rose" track listing:

01. Coming Home
02. Photo Shooter
03. Midnight Rose
04. Living It Up
05. Dance In The Sun
06. Take Love
07. Highway Robber
08. Melting

The founding member of English supergroup BAD COMPANY along with guitarist Mick Ralphs, Rodgers has sold more than 125 million records worldwide in his 55-year career. In addition to BAD COMPANY, Rodgers formed and led two other legendary English bands to international success — FREE with guitarist Paul Kossoff, and THE FIRM with LED ZEPPELIN's Jimmy Page.

"Working with Paul gave me the opportunity to appreciate what an extraordinary vocalist and songwriter this man really is," Page said.

Rodgers was also instrumental in resurrecting QUEEN under the banner of QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS, which saw the group release an original album "The Cosmos Rocks", which marked the first time Rodgers released new, original music since his 1999 solo album "Electric". They also released several live DVDs including songs from both of their respective catalogs. He fronted the band for four years from 2004 to 2008 before leaving to return to his solo career and BAD COMPANY.

"[He's] simply the greatest blues/rock singer alive. Having now had the privilege to work with Paul, it is even more clear to me that Paul Rodgers is the rock/blues voice they all look up to," said Brian May, lead guitarist of QUEEN.

He added: "FREE's 'Fire & Water' album was our bible when we were starting out. I remember we were in the studio recording and Freddie [Mercury] was doing the vocal track. I made some suggestions and he said, 'I'm not Paul Rodgers. I can't do that!'"

LED ZEPPELIN's Robert Plant calls him "the voice of all British voices" and Rolling Stone magazine ranked him as "one of the greatest singers of all time." Some hit songs include "All Right Now", "Bad Company", "Feel Like Makin' Love", "Can't Get Enough", "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Radioactive".

Respected rock journalist Mick Wall, author of biographies on rock stars including Ozzy Osbourne, Jon Bon Jovi and Axl Rose, with bylines in publications such as Louder, Classic Rock and Kerrang!, believes "everyone knows that Paul Rodgers is one of the greatest singers in the world. What they are only waking up to is that there may never be another like him."

Photo courtesy of The Press House

Speaking exclusively to Rock Candy magazine as part of an in-depth 18-page LYNYRD SKYNYRD story, lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant explains exactly how and why the band has decided to continue after the untimely death of founding member and guitarist Gary Rossington back in March.

"Gary's wife really sealed the deal," Johnny outlined to Rock Candy editor Howard Johnson. "Dale has been singing backing vocals with SKYNYRD for years and years, ever since the tribute tour that brought the band back together in 1987. And when Gary died, Dale said to me, 'This is what Gary did and he would want you guys to carry on.' So now more than ever I want to continue. Gary was out there carrying the legacy for the original guys — for Ronnie and Allen, for Billy and Leon — for so many years out of respect for what they did. Now I think he deserves the same kind of respect from us."

With SKYNYRD currently hitting the road for shows with ZZ TOP, guitarist Rickey Medlocke is also quick to explain his desire to keep the band's legacy alive.

"When Gary passed, it broke my heart," says Medlocke. "It really did. It's only now that I've got to the point where I can talk about it and think about the good old days and all the good times we had together. So it's very emotional for me to get up on stage and play, and to look across and not see Gary doing his thing. But I believe it's important to keep SKYNYRD's music alive and not let it just fade away. It's important for all of us to honor the memories of all the other guys who went before us in this band. I'm just very proud and very honored to be doing that."

Van Zant also says that live performance has always been at the very core of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's work.

"The records SKYNYRD made were great, but Gary felt that in truth SKYNYRD had always been about the live performance," he explains. "Now we're no young turkeys, no spring chickens. But what I do know is that everyone still loves getting out there and playing the music. We feel like a family when we're out there together, and we all want to go out there again and really give Gary his due."

You can read our 18-page LYNYRD SKYNYRD special, together with many other fascinating stories about RATT, JETHRO TULL, FASTER PUSSYCAT and Ronnie Montrose in issue 39 of Rock Candy.

For more details, visit www.rockcandymag.com.

Rock Candy is a 100-page, full-color bi-monthly rock mag, created in the U.K. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock music, the '70s and '80s. It is the brainchild of respected U.K. rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome — all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era.

In 2020, guitar-shredding virtuoso George Lynch reteamed with former DOKKEN bandmate Jeff Pilson for a set of new studio recordings that turned pop music classics into powerful metal anthems. Dubbed "Heavy Hitters", the album was well-received by rock and metal devotees across the board. Now, this dynamic duo have once again converged for the highly anticipated follow-up album, "Heavy Hitters II", which brings forth a fresh new set of reimagined cover versions representing classics of soul, modern alt-rock, new wave, blues and more!

Ever wondered what Pilson, one of the most widely respected bass players in all of hard rock and metal, could do with SLY & THE FAMILY STONE's ultra-funky bass line in "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"? Or questioned whether Mr. Scary could transform Howlin' Wolf's oft-covered "Smokestack Lightning" into a smokin' hot, floor-stompin' slab of bluesy rock (with a special guest vocal by the great Corey Glover of LIVING COLOUR)? Well, "Heavy Hitters II" has your answers. Those delights and a whole lot more wait in store — just check out the album's brand new single, a completely revamped version of IMAGINE DRAGONS' "Radioactive". In the hands of Lynch and Pilson, this tune gets a thorough re-working with a supercharged galloping rhythmic guitar riff you'll have to hear to believe.

Whereas the previous volume of "Heavy Hitters" featured a mix of various guest vocalists, this time around Lynch and Pilson brought in one of the most diverse and powerful vocalists in the business, longtime THE ROLLING STONES backing vocalist Bernard Fowler. Fowler, along with acclaimed drummer Brian Tichy, fill out each of the album's tracks with their masterful performances.

Reflecting on the project, Lynch declares: "Jeff and I have always cherished any opportunities to work together over the 40 something years we've been playing together. Writing original records, (in DOKKEN, LP, T&N, THE END MACHINE, etc.) is wonderful but doing an album of covers is a different and refreshing experience for us. I'd say it's a little less 'grindy' work and a lot more fun because we're interpreting previously written songs rather than building compositions from the ground up. It's very liberating and affords more time to experiment and have fun with tracks. Plus getting to do a record with Bernard who is a legend was very motivating! It's almost like we're a few degrees removed from being in THE ROLLING STONES!"

Pilson likewise enthuses: "George and I have so much fun with these 'Heavy Hitters' records. Reinterpreting classic pop songs as rock anthems is an amazingly fun challenge. And with Bernard and Brian we have a band that I'd put up against anyone out there! Plus as writers George and I love studying what makes these songs such classics and we take that into our own writing to constantly improve. And we've always wanted to write and record a Christmas song — which we did with 'It's A Wonderful Life'. So Merry Christmas from 'Heavy Hitters' — and have a great summer!"

"Heavy Hitters II" will arrive on CD, vinyl and digital on August 11.

Track listing:

01. Sledgehammer
02. Carry On
03. The Stroke
04. Radioactive
05. Smokestack Lightning
06. Hold On (I'm Coming)
07. Stay With Me
08. Shout
09. New Sensation
10. Jumpin' Jack Flash
11. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
12. It's A Wonderful Life

Metalville Records has set an October 20 release date for DOG EAT DOG's comeback album, "Free Radicals".

After a long period of only touring, DOG EAT DOG is finally back with its first full-length album in 17 years, "Free Radicals"… and it was worth the wait! The 14 explosive and inspiring songs combine a variety of contemporary styles without denying their roots. The album surprises with a variety of tones, moods, dynamics, and tempos, accompanied by their never-fading energy and positive attitude.

Singles "Lit Up", "Never Give In" and "Man's Best Friend" provide listeners with the big guitars, groovy beats, and catchy choruses DOG EAT DOG is known for, while "Bar Down" carves out new territory for a band eager to explore the boundaries of their abilities and experiences.

DOG EAT DOG's bi-continental lineup and their unique approach to sound and performance has always made them a must-see live act. With "Free Radicals", the band reminds listeners why many consider them one of the pioneers of the crossover genre.

The "Free Radicals" cover artwork was created by Marcos Cabrera and can be seen below.

"Free Radicals" track listing:

01. Lit Up
02. Kin
03. Never Give In
04. Time Won't Wait
05. 1 Thing
06. Mean Str
07. Energy Rock
08. @Joe's
09. Blvk Clvd
10. Bar Down
11. Man's Best Friend
12. E1on1
13. Looking Back
14. Zamboni

DOG EAT DOG 2023 lineup:

John Connor - vocals
Roger Haemmerli - guitars
Dave Neabore - bass
Brandon Finley - drums

Formed in New Jersey from the ashes of MUCKY PUP, DOG EAT DOG became one of the pioneers of rap-rock, being one of the first bands to fuse hardcore with rap in a way that would later become commonplace.

They released their debut full-length, "All Boro Kings", via Roadrunner in 1994. Packed full of good time party hits such as "No Fronts", "If These Are Good Times" and "Who's The King", it went on to sell over 600,000 records worldwide.

With huge support from MTV — including an appearance on the "Beavis & Butt-Head" show, where they were labeled as "a bunch of butt-munches" by the show's animated hosts — it was not long before DOG EAT DOG were filling huge theatres around the world, as well as sharing stages with the likes of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, OZZY OSBOURNE, KISS and METALLICA.

In 2017, DOG EAT DOG released its first new material since 2006, an EP titled "Brand New Breed". It consisted of four new tracks, and was expanded to include four acoustic/live tracks the following year with a reissue.

Photo credit: Suspicious Activities PR / Metalville

Melbourne, Australia-based progressive metal band, Teramaze, performed at Barwon Club Hotel in Geelong, Australia on July 22. You can now watch video of the band's full set, recorded by Mick (Vendetta) Kee. Check it out below.


Setlist:


"Battle"
"Sleeping Man"
"Jackie Seth"
"The Heist"
"Navigate In Solitude"
"Shadows" (Tony Paulo on drums)
"And the Beauty They Perceive"
"Her Halo"

Queen has shared episode 27 of its yearlong "The Greatest: Live" video series. Watch the video below.


Queen have always been spoilt for choice when it comes to packing setlists with their own crowd-pleasers – but as seen in this special moment from the Magic Tour, the band’s riotous cover version of the Little Richard classic from Wembley ’86 both ignites the stadium crowd and sees the lineup play with the joy of a teenage garage band.


In last week’s episode of Queen The Greatest Live, Brian May and Roger Taylor revealed how curveballs keep the show fresh for band and fans alike. Whether unplugging for an intimate acoustic set on a ‘B’ stage, splicing hits into a quickfire medley or racing through a formative rock ‘n’ roll cover – the only rule at a Queen concert is to expect the unexpected.




Now, in this archive Wembley Stadium footage from 1986’s Magic Tour, the joy is infectious as the lineup put an inimitable Queen spin on Little Richard’s immortal "Tutti Frutti". As Brian told Total Guitar earlier this year, the song was a fitting choice for a band who cut their teeth on the R&B trailblazer. “When I first heard Little Richard, it was a moment of shock, but there was also the joy of realising that people could actually sing that way – they could scream their emotions.”


Starting the song half-hidden in moody blue lighting, with Freddie supplying finger clicks and falsettos, it briefly seems the band have taken a mellow acoustic approach. Then this cover version explodes into a rocket-fuelled rhythm and blues masterclass, with Roger laying down his tambourine for thunderous drum fills, while Brian slings the Red Special for a ferocious solo. Watch closely, too, for the moment when Freddie mimes a golf swing with his sawn-off mic stand.  


The 72,000-strong Wembley crowd’s response says it all, with the entire stadium shouting back "Tutti Frutti"’s gobbledygook-genius payoff: “A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, a-lop-bam-boom…!”

The Who are paying tribute to late singer-songwriter, Sinéad O'Connor, who passed away at age 56 on July 26. The Who posted the video below, simply stating, "One for Sinéad. Rest in peace."





Upon her passing, Sinéad O'Connor's family stated: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."

Rufus Publications has announced the release of the new book, Portraits Of Phil Lynott. A video trailer can be viewed below.


Portraits Of Phil Lynott -  is a photographic celebration of the legendary Phil Lynott, lead singer, bassist and driving force of Thin Lizzy.


Starting in the early 70’s this book traces the career of the charismatic Lynott from the early days of Thin Lizzy through to Grand Slam and features an extensive essay from Sounds writer and Kerrang Editor Geoff Barton who recalls, "I had been invited by Thin Lizzy publicist Tony Brainsby to see the band rehearse with their two newly appointed guitarists, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. This must’ve been sometime during the early summer of 1974. Turning up at the studio as a naive and nervous 19-year-old, I knocked on the front door, which creaked open like something out of a haunted-house movie. Before I could step inside, I was confronted by Lizzy leader Lynott, disguised as a lunging, leather-jacketed lycanthrope. An unexpected development, because Phil was not a renowned practical joker. Growling and snarling, arching his fingers like Logan’s spring-loaded claws, he was clearly under the influence of some kinda supremely spicy cured sausage.”




Grand Slam’s keyboardist and close friend of Phil has written an epilogue for the book and supplied some additional, private pictures from his Grand Slam days. Mark recalls, "Grand Slam were playing at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall and my Mum and Dad were there watching from the balcony and when Phil happened to notice them he got our spotlight operators to shine the lights on them and said to the crowd “I just want you all to say hello and wave to Mark’s Mum & Dad”…..what a momentous and fabulous gesture! He also enjoyed staying weekends at my house sleeping on the settee and loved a traditional Sunday dinner with my wife and family."


The book features hundreds of classic and unseen, carefully restored, black and white images of Lynott at play and playing live on a series of stunning, unforgettable tours. The book concentrates on the 70’s and finishes with the band at Live Aid in 1985. Contributing photographers include Fin Costello, Barry Plummer, PG Brunelli, Michael Putland and many more.


This unofficial book is 230mm square, case-bound, 240 pages, printed on luxury 170gsm matt-coated paper. The book comes with a fold out poster and is presented in a black slipcase with a gold foil logo. The main edition comes in 666 numbered copies and sells for £55 plus shipping.


The first two hundred pre-orders ship with a free Geepin Precision Bass worth £6.95.


In addition to this, a much larger, ultra-limited Leather and Metal Edition measuring 375mm square and presented in recycled leather and a hand welded aluminium metal slipcase with a screen printed logo in a run of 50 numbered copies. This will sell for £500.


The books will go on sale here on Monday July 31 at 3 PM< UK time and will feature a 10% pre-order discount if ordered before September 15. The books will ship worldwide in November 2023.

Canadian rocker Aldo Nova kicked off his first run of shows in 32 years this past Sunday (July 23) at the K-Days festival in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His backing band at the gig consisted of Jack Frost on guitar, Dario Seixas on bass, Ange E. Curcio on drums, and Michael T. Ross on keyboards.

Aldo shared some video of the performance on his social media, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "My first show is under my belt, and it went incredibly well. I was really nervous during the first two songs because I hadn't been on a stage in 32 years, but after that, I felt right at home and just let the music flow. The crowd was great in Edmonton, and the fans were really welcoming and really into it. Me, Jack Frost, Dario Seixas, Ange E. Curcio and Michael T. Ross rocked, and we had a lot of fun. This Rocks with a capital R!!"

Born Aldo Caporuscio, Aldo opened this channel forty years ago with his 1982 double-platinum top ten self-titled debut, "Aldo Nova", and its definitive Hot 100 smash single "Fantasy". On the heels of the platinum-selling "Subject…Aldo Nova" and "Twitch", he emerged as a trusted collaborator for some of the biggest stars in the world. He co-wrote the song "Mr. Big Time" for the soundtrack of the movie "Armageddon" and worked closely withJon Bon Jovi on his soundtrack album for the film "Young Guns 2", writing the signature riff from Jon Bon Jovi's "Blaze Of Glory". Bon Jovi returned the favor by collaborating on Aldo's 1991 "Blood On The Bricks". Working closely with Céline Dion, he penned "A New Day Has Come", "Your Light", "I Can't Fight The Feeling" and "You And I", even garnered a Grammy Award in the category of "Album Of The Year" for co-writing and producing three songs from her diamond-selling album "Falling Into You". Not to mention, his discography also includes writing songs for everyone from Faith Hill, Carole King and Clay Aiken to Garou and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT.

In 2008 Nova embarked on a 14-year journey to create his rock opera "The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage", which was finally finished in March last year.

In a 2022 interview with Glide Magazine, Aldo stated about his lengthy absence from the road: "I've avoided going on tour for years and years. When I was off, I got offered many times to do these classic rock shows and these classic rock revivals with bands and that's all they do. They go back and forth and back and forth every year and all they play is their old songs. I consider myself to be a current artist that has new stuff to offer and 'Eddie Gage' is the proof of that. So I didn't want to do a classic rock tour. I'd like to do a small headlining tour or open up for someone bigger, like Sammy [Hagar].

"If I went to a booker now, he would literally not take me because he would say, 'He's got one hit, he's a one-hit-wonder, he's probably fat and has no hair and we don't know what he sounds like,'" he continued. "That would be the preconception he would have and he'd book me in the classic rock shows… Like I said, these people have no notion of what I look like, what I sound like, the one-hit-wonder till I prove them otherwise… So it's all a step-by-step [process]."

Ted Nugent claims that Vimeo has removed "The Nightly Nuge" content from its services.

The video streaming platform allegedly pulled a number of news-style clips in which the outspoken conservative rocker offers his take on the news of our world every night, apparently after Nugent was accused of repeatedly violating Vimeo's policy.

In the latest episode of "The Nightly Nuge", which is still available on YouTube and Facebook, Ted addressed the Vimeo "ban", saying in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My Facebook, I had up to 36 millionFacebook reach when it first started out, before the fact-check liars — they're liars. They've come right out and admitted that they're not checking facts; they just don't like what you say. They've actually admitted it and they keep getting away with an infringement on my First Amendment. And if the Department Of Justice really had anything to do with justice, they might stop them from infringing on my First Amendment and my Second Amendment, and a whole bunch of other amendments. Referencing jack-booted thugs — you have to have probable cause to enter my domain, but they can enter my domain without probable cause. That sounds like a jack-boot kind of thing to me. That's what the Nazis did. That's what our tyrannical governments have always done. That's what the Chinese do."

Nugent continued: "When I say things like that, the evidence is irrefutable. So the point is there is no First Amendment; it's all censored. Even Fox News, since they got rid of the greatest commenter, the greatest truth, logic and common sense I have ever seen in the media in my lifetime, the great Tucker Carlson. I mean, this guy was a lightning bolt of truth logic and common sense, and even Fox News threw him out. And you can see that censorship is now alive and well. It's controlled, it's a defanged and declawed, it's made genteel and — I hate to use the term, 'cause it's so offensive — politically correct and avoiding the shadow banning of the cancel culture all these new term terminologies. But, yes, here at 'The Nightly Nuge', we are censored and we are thrown off global platforms because I speak truth, logic and common sense and I have unlimited evidence to support everything I say."

Nugent has said a number of times that that his political views — which the rocker himself has proudly called "radical" — are one of the main reasons he hasn't been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The conservative rocker, who has been eligible for the honor as a solo artist since 2000, has enjoyed a remarkably successful and eventful musical career over the past five decades, but his music is increasingly overshadowed by his political outbursts.

Nugent has long been outspoken about his political beliefs, including during the administration of former U.S. president Barack Obama, at one point calling Obama a "subhuman mongrel" in 2014. In 2017 he appeared to briefly soften his tone, telling The Washington Post "I'm not going to engage in that kind of hateful rhetoric anymore." However, just over a year ago, he urged attendees at a Trump rally to go "berserk on the skulls of the Democrats and the Marxists and the communists."

Nugent is also an outspoken conspiracy theorist who has refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine. He previously spread false information about the pandemic, only to contract the virus himself and become severely sick.

In October 2021, Nugent appeared on "Off The Record" where he once again said that he wouldn't take the COVID-19 vaccine because the shots that were available in the United States were developed in less than a year are probably fake.

In April 2021, Nugent, who previously claimed the virus was "not a real pandemic," talked about the darkest days of his battle with COVID-19, saying that he had "never been so scared" in his entire life.

In the past, Nugent, a staunch Donald Trump supporter, had referred to the virus as a "leftist scam to destroy" America's 45th president. He had also repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated.

Last year, Nugent once again repeated the baseless conspiracy theory that the riot at the U.S. Capitol was orchestrated by undercover FBI agents, Antifa and Black Lives Matter.

In April, Nugent shared a tweet in which he denounced the existence of transgender people and told people they could "debate" him if they disagreed.

"There is no such thing as transgender. You cannot change your gender. Comfortably numb is actually uncomfortably dumb. Debate me but bring your bib," he wrote.

ANTHRAX's Scott Ian has thanked firefighters for protecting buildings Wednesday (July 26) from a brush fire that burned about 50 acres on a hillside near his home in Southern California's Topanga Canyon area.

With temperatures hovering between 90 and 100 degrees, a two-alarm fire broke out yesterday afternoon. Dubbed the Owen Fire, the blaze was pegged at 50 acres by 3 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Earlier today (Thursday, July 27),Ian shared a video of a firefighting aircraft dropping a bright pink fire retardant called PHOS-CHEK. The widely used chemical helps slow the spread of flames.

"All my thanks and gratitude go out to the @lacountyfd and all the first responders that helped knock this fire down so fast yesterday," Scott captioned the clip. "You guys are truly the best. Thanks for saving our town!!!"

According to NBC Los Angeles, the fire started at about 2:30 p.m. in the area of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Santa Maria Road in the hills south of Woodland Hills and Tarzana. County and city firefighters had the fire about 20 percent contained by late Wednesday after water and retardant drops. The California Highway Patrol asked residents to watch out for fire personnel and equipment in the area.

Approximately 200 firefighters and five aircraft responded to the incident.

Ian is married to Pearl Aday, the daughter of legendary crooner Meat Loaf.

Scott and Pearl met in 1999 when ANTHRAX was out on the "Maximum Rock" summer package tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE, which featured Aday as one of its back-up singers. Their son Revel Young Ian was born in June 2011.

Image credit: Jackson Guitars

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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)