On October 6, metallic hardcore outfit Capra will unleash their sophomore full-length, Errors, via Metal Blade Records / Blacklight Media Records.


Maintaining all the elements that made their 2021 debut so compelling - raucous energy, frantic riffs, the from-the-gut lyrics and soul-searing delivery of vocalist Crow Lotus - Capra has stepped things up on this record, with stronger songwriting and a determination to reach the next level.


For a first preview of Errors, the video for the new single, "Tied Up" (filmed by Dante Torrieri, Editing and Direction by Jai Benoit), can be viewed below.




Tracking in Estuary Recording Studios in Austin, Texas, with Andrew Hernandez, Errors was mixed by Taylor Young and mastered by Brad Boatright, the latter two having worked on In Transmission (2021). Guitarist Tyler Harper comments, "I knew that I wanted it to pick up where the first album left off, but that it needed to have an entirely new attitude. If you listen to the last song from 'In Transmission' into the first song on 'Errors', it's a continuation. From there the album steers off into a direction that still feels similar, but is new." Coming primarily from a hardcore background, giving listeners a sense of nostalgia for the sounds of the late 90's and early 2000's hardcore and punk scenes, but also incorporating elements of metal that complement the overall tone, everything the band does on Errors resonates with emotion; nothing is forced.


For collaborations, Capra recruited Walls Of Jericho vocalist Candace Kucsulain-Puopolo to add her inimitable tones to "Human Commodity," while their friend Dustin Coffman from Glassing added backing vocals to a handful of tracks. Producer Hernandez also added some piano to "Nora," which closes out the album in a very different manner than anything they've previously explored. In a complete juxtaposition to the tracks that precede it, "Nora" is atmospheric and lithe, delicate and haunting. "I've always wanted to show a prettier/lighter side to this band where it's not always aggressive," says Harper. "Life is a rollercoaster and sometimes you need to throw some pretty piano into it." Since Capra's inception, Harper has always envisaged each album being a continuation of the last, and then breaking it off into its own journey, seeing "Nora" as "a fun way to start album three!"


Until then, the band will tour like the road warriors they have become, bringing Errors to North America and overseas. Capra are eager to bond with fans new and old. Lotus explains that crucial connection: "Care about us because we care about you. And because we are a part of creating something our community can be proud of."





The album can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:


- CD
- red/white marble vinyl
- smoke vinyl
- digital album





Errors tracklisting:


"CHSF"
"Tied Up"
"Silana"
"Trauma Bond"
"Loser"
"Kingslayer"
"Human Commodity"
"Transplant"
"Obligatory Existence"
"Nora (Last Call)"


"Tied Up" video:





Capra lineup:


Crow Lotus - Vocals
Tyler Harper - Guitar
Jeremy Randazzo - Drums
Trevor Alleman - Bass


(Photo - Tyson Pate)

Singer / songwriter Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering) has checked in with the following update:


"I am really looking forward to performing in Latin America again! It's been a while, and I'm very excited that during this tour, I will also be visiting countries where I have never performed before. The fact that I will be sharing the stage with Marko Hietala and Tuomas Wäinölä makes everything even more special


Marko and I will each perform a solo set and we will close the evening together. I can't wait to see all of you again!"







Anneke van Giersbergen recently shared the following news:


"I'm delighted to announce that the wonderful Ché Aimee Dorval will join me on my Dutch tour this November. We've shared vocal duties on quite a few Devin Townsend songs, but we've never shared the stage before, so I'm definitely looking forward to these shows and welcome Ché to The Netherlands this fall. Tickets are already on sale!"

BAD WOLVES, who fuse unpredictable metallic intensity and impressive musicianship with arena-ready hooks, have released the first single, "Bad Friend", from their upcoming album,due later this year via Better Noise Music. "Bad Friend" brings awareness to recognizing the importance of cutting out people in your life who show toxic behavior and moving on from them. BAD WOLVES enlisted director Wombatfire (ASKING ALEXANDRIA, DREAM THEATER) for the song's dark-themed music video, which can be seen below.

"'Bad Friend' exemplifies exactly where BAD WOLVES always wanted to be as a band," relays BAD WOLVES vocalist Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz. "It lives dead center of being melodically catchy as well as crushingly heavy and is a great representation of our new upcoming album. This song reminds us that TRUE friendship is not about being perfect or always saying the right thing but being there for each other through the good times and the bad. It's also to be willing to acknowledge one's own mistakes and make things right. If you can't do that, you might be a bad f*cking friend."

Since 2018, BAD WOLVES, whose lineup consists of John Boecklin (drums),Doc Coyle (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Kyle Konkiel (bass, backing vocals),have earned a platinum plaque, topped iTunes, and continued to rule Active Rock radio charts with six No. 1 singles ("Hear Me Now", "Killing Me Slowly", "Lifeline", "Remember When", "Sober" and "Zombie") and two Top 10 singles ("If Tomorrow Never Comes" at No. 2 and "Learn To Walk Again" at No. 10). Their debut album, "Disobey", made a Top 25 debut on the Billboard Top 200 and saw BAD WOLVES perform to sold-out audiences on multiple continents with heavyweights such as FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and MEGADETH. 2019's "N.A.T.I.O.N." brought their total stream tally past the half-billion mark — unprecedented for a modern rock band. On top of that, Loudwire hailed it among the "50 Best Rock Albums of 2019" as Billboard and Consequence Of Sound chronicled their rise. In the midst of 2021, they welcomed Laskiewicz — previously of THE ACACIA STRAIN — as lead vocalist, ushering in a new chapter with their third full-length offering, "Dear Monster".

BAD WOLVES are currently on a headlining tour with support from FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS, THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT and INIMICAL DRIVE until July 28. Next, they head out with ASKING ALEXANDRIA and THE HU on their co-headlining "Psycho Thunder" tour across the U.S. from August 30 to October 8.

Photo credit: Wombat (courtesy of Schneider Rondan Organization)

Century Media recently reissued Naglfar’s first two albums Vittra (1995) and Diabolical (1998) on CD, LP, and digital. The albums were remastered by Dan Swanö (Unisound AB) with artwork revamped by Ogino Design. Vittra and Diabolical are two albums of classic Swedish black metal. 





Check out two new visualizers for “The Brimstone Gate” from Vittra and “As The Twilight Gave Birth To The Night” from Diabolical below. 




Order Vittra here and Diabolical at this location.

According to the Associated Press, Marilyn Manson will plead no contest to a misdemeanor simple assault charge related to an alleged incident with a videographer during a 2019 concert in New Hampshire.

Manson was charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple assault after a videographer accused the singer of spitting and blowing his nose on her at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion.

The second charge will be dismissed with a negotiated plea deal, according to a filing by his attorney. A no contest plea means Manson will not contest the charge and does not admit guilt.

As part of the no contest plea, Manson will pay a $1,200 fine and serve 20 hours of community service for the nose-blowing offense.

Back in May 2021, the Gilford Police Department announced that they had an active arrest warrant for Manson in connection with the incident, which occurred in August 2019.

According to the affidavit, Manson approached the videographer, whose company was contracted by the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion for the concert season the first time, put his face close to the camera and spat a "big lougee" at her. She was struck on both hands with saliva. The shock rocker allegedly returned a second time, covering one side of his nostril and blowing in the videographer's direction.

Manson performed in Gilford, New Hampshire on August 19, 2019 as part of the co-headlining "Hell Never Dies" tour with Rob Zombie.

In a statement, Manson's attorney Howard King said: "It is no secret to anyone who has attended a Marilyn Manson concert that he likes to be provocative on stage, especially in front of a camera. This misdemeanor claim was pursued after we received a demand from a venue videographer for more than $35,000 after a small amount of spit came into contact with their arm. After we asked for evidence of any alleged damages, we never received a reply. This whole claim is ludicrous, but we remain committed to cooperating with authorities, as we have done throughout."

Seemingly contradicting King's statement, three concert attendees — including a security guard — told People that they saw Manson spit and "shoot his snot" at the camerawoman.

"He was spitting everywhere and one time it got on her camera so she wiped it off and looked semi-irritated. He noticed this and kept purposely spitting on her camera," one attendee told People. "I think her final straw is he got on the floor, got within 2-3 feet of her and hacked a giant snot rocket at her not the camera. She was pissed off and disgusted so she stormed off and he just laughed."

"I stopped listening to his music after that and told my husband I would never go to another one of his concerts again," she added.

A second attendee concurred, stating that he "bent down to shoot his snot all over this woman. I can remember him just laughing about what he did."

"I was right there when it happened, she was beyond furious when he did that to her," a third man, who works as a security guard at the venue, said. "He spit on her a couple of times and then leaned real close to the camera and blew a huge snot rocket on her. After he did that, she almost threw her camera right down on the ground."

Last year, Marilyn confirmed he was dropped by his record label, Loma Vista Recordings, and talent agency CAA after at least 15 women have accused the musician of sexual assault. Manson has denied all allegations, which he has called "horrible distortions of reality."

Iconic rock group QUEEN has been presented with a BRIT Billion Award by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry),the representative voice for the U.K.'s world-leading record labels and music companies, which is also home to the BRIT Awards.

The BRIT Billion Award celebrates the band's outstanding achievement as recording artists in surpassing the landmark of one billion career streams in the U.K. — as calculated by the Official Charts Company.

Contributing to the huge total, QUEEN's most-streamed hits include such classics as "Another One Bites The Dust", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Killer Queen", "Radio Ga Ga", "Under Pressure", "We Are The Champions" and "We Will Rock You", among a great many others.

Receiving the award for QUEEN are Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor OBE, who have each been presented with the personalized trophy created for the BPI by Gaudio Awards in the shape of the BRITs "B" and incorporating an encapsulated BRITs statuette. The award made to QUEEN coincides with the 50th anniversary of the band's self-titled debut album, which was released in July 1973 — the same year the BPI itself came into being in its present role.

Sir Brian May of QUEEN said of the BRIT Billion Award: "Thank you for presenting QUEEN with a BRIT Billion Award. We're grateful to all our fans that support us and continue to enjoy our music. Rock on, BPI."

Fellow QUEEN member Roger Taylor OBE added: "I'm thrilled to accept the BRIT Billion Award on behalf of QUEEN, celebrating being streamed over a billion times in the U.K., which is incredible. I would like to say thanks to everyone who has extracted a morsel of enjoyment from our music. We are still around and we hope to entertain you a little. Thank you."

QUEEN, whose classic lineup also comprised Freddie Mercury and John Deacon, and the BPI have enjoyed a number of shared connections over the course of their respective five-decade histories.

The band's self titled debut album was released in July 1973, the same year the BPI was incorporated as a trade association, while QUEEN was among the very first artists to appear in the inaugural BRIT Awards in 1977 (co-winning the award for Best British Single with "Bohemian Rhapsody"). Since then the band's acclaimed QUEEN's "Greatest Hits" has gone on to be BRIT certified 24 times platinum by the BPI as the most successful album of all time in the U.K., with sales and streams combined.

Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI chief executive, said: "There can be few artists who have done more to popularize and promote British music around the world than QUEEN. The term iconic barely does justice to their monumental achievements as recording artists — with their 'Greatest Hits' the most successful album ever in the U.K. and their body of classic songs now celebrated for having being streamed more than a billion times in the U.K.

"QUEEN occupy a special place in the heart of the BPI — their self-titled debut album came out the same year we were formed and they were among the very first artists to win an inaugural BRIT Award — so we couldn't be happier that they have now been honored with a BRIT Billion Award in this, our 50th anniversary year."

Creative Industries minister and lifelong QUEEN fan John Whittingdale said: "It is fantastic to see the BPI marking their 50th anniversary year with a new award recognizing the success of Britain's biggest stars in the digital age. Thanks to streaming, future audiences can enjoy their music for many years to come.

"Congratulations to QUEEN for reaching this huge milestone. As a lifelong fan, I am delighted they are receiving this recognition as their magic continues to entertain millions of followers worldwide."

Officially launched in May 2023, the first wave of artists to receive the BRIT Billion Award included global superstars ABBA, COLDPLAY, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, pioneering rap and hip-hop artists AJ Tracey and Headie One, and chart-dominating pop artists and singer-songwriters Anne-Marie, Ellie Goulding, George Ezra, Lewis Capaldi, RAYE, Rita Ora and Sam Smith.

The BRIT Billion Award reflects the extent to which streaming has transformed the music landscape for artists and fans alike over the past decade — more than 85% of the U.K.'s recorded music consumption now takes place through streaming, and in 2022 there were a record 160 billion audio streams in the U.K. in total.

An original 1993 MTV "Moonman" award for PEARL JAM's iconic and controversial "Jeremy" music video has been acquired by Rockaway Records. The award was presented to the band's longtime former manager Kelly Curtis. The rare "Moonman" statue is up for sale along with additional PEARL JAM memorabilia at www.rockaway.com.

The groundbreaking and provocative "Jeremy" music video, directed by Mark Pellington ("Arlington Road", "Going All The Way"),exploded into the public consciousness in late summer 1992 pushing the band's career to another level. The video remained a cultural staple for well over a year, taking home four MTV Video Music Awards, including "Best Metal/Hard Rock Video", "Best Director", "Best Group Video" and "Video Of The Year" at the 1993 ceremony.

The design of MTV Moonman award was inspired by the network's first broadcast in August of 1981 where they featured footage of the Apollo 11 Moonwalk with the infamous images of astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface but replaced the U.S. flag with animated MTV logos. The Moonman, created by Manhattan Designs, still remains the symbol of the Video Music Awards nearly 40 years later.

Wayne Johnson of Rockaway Records commented: "MTV 'Moonmen' are incredibly rare. They are made in tiny quantities, and we have only had a handful since they were first handed out in 1984. The statue for PEARL JAM's 'Jeremy' is one of the coolest and rarest PEARL JAM items we have ever offered for sale."

Additional items include a Fender Telecaster signed on the white pickguard by Stone Gossard, and a limited 2009 "Backspacer" translucent (semi-transparent) vinyl LP — one of only two copies known to exist.

Following the success of THE ROLLING STONES, THE BEATLES and 1970s punk collections, Rockaway continues to be the premiere destination for collectors who seek unique, hard-to-find pieces of music memorabilia from their favorite artists.

While many independent record stores and chains in Los Angeles shut their doors years ago, Rockaway Records remained open and shifted their focus to high-end vinyl and collectibles. Co-founders and brothers Wayne and Gary Johnson started aggressively acquiring extensive record industry and personal collections of vinyl, posters, autographs, and other rarities. Expert appraisers of music and music memorabilia, the brothers Johnson have traveled the world buying and selling some of the most highly sought-after music collectibles.

Rockaway is known throughout the world for its honesty and expertise, and in turn sellers are paid the highest possible value for their goods. Rockaway competes with the larger auction houses and often gets much higher returns on music-related items because of their extensive knowledge of the marketplace due to their 45 years of unparalleled experience in the music industry.

Wayne and Gary began selling records in 1979 after attending the legendary record swap meet at the Capitol Records parking lot in Hollywood. What began as a hobby 45 years ago quickly evolved to become the world-renowned business it is today.

On the eve of the band's biggest-ever European tour and the launch of new album, "Drastic Symphonies", DEF LEPPARD played a one-off club show on May 19 at the iconic Sheffield venue The Leadmill. The 850-capacity venue was treated to a must-see performance from one of Britain's greatest-ever rock bands. It was a huge night for fans of the band who got the chance to hear the band's extraordinary stadium-style catalog in a club setting. It was the most intimate show the band has played in the U.K. or the rest of Europe in 35 years. The setlist was for one night only — unique to this show and different to the setlist the band would play three days later, when they start the European tour at a sold-out Sheffield United's Bramall Lane on May 22.

Professionally filmed video of the entire Leadmill concert, courtesy of the DefLeppardHD YouTube channel, can be seen below.

Featured songs:

0:00 - Intro
0:08 - Action (SWEET cover)
4:05 - Fire It Up
7:53 - Let It Go
13:29 - Too Late For Love
19:16 - Excitable
23:51 - Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)
28:07 - Slang
30:51 - Kick
35:35 - Bringin' On The Heartbreak
40:12 - Switch 625
43:30 - Rick Allen Drum Solo
45:15 - Hysteria
52:03 - Pour Some Sugar On Me
56:17 - Wasted
1:00:31 - Outro

DEF LEPPARD wanted to shine a light on The Leadmill, a vital part of the Sheffield and national U.K. music scene which is among many of the small U.K. music venues threatened with closure. Net proceeds from ticket sales from The Leadmill show were donated to Music Venue Trust who diligently work to help struggling U.K. music venues.

When the show was first announced, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott said: "Sheffield is in the very DNA of this band!

"We are ecstatic to be starting the European leg of our world tour at home at Bramall Lane!

"When thinking of a warm-up, it made sense to do a special set at The Leadmill, in the city where it all started.

"We know there are a lot of small music venues struggling across the U.K., so we wanted to give back to what gave to us.

"The net proceeds from the evening will go directly to Music Venue Trust in an effort to keep U.K. clubs alive."

The Leadmill's Ben Hartley said the show — DEF LEPPARD's first at the venue — would add "another chapter to Sheffield's musical history".

"The fact that a local act that has gone on to play stadiums across the world is willing to come back home and support us in a time of need — as well as thousands of other integral grassroots venues across the U.K. — speaks volumes of their character," he added.

Mark Davyd, CEO and founder of the Music Venue Trust, said: "The U.K.'s grassroots music venues are facing an incredibly tough year, currently one is permanently closing every week.

"It's going to take a huge collective effort to turn that around and it's so important that artists get involved and lead the fight we need to stop closures."

2022 saw DEF LEPPARD release their critically and commercially acclaimed 12th studio album, "Diamond Star Halos", which charted all over the world including a top 5 and top 10 in both North America and the U.K.. Early 2023, saw the band score a U.K. No 1 Netflix film with their cameo in acclaimed movie "Bank Of Dave". DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott also recently rode high in charts across the world with his guest vocal on the GHOST track "Spillways".

DEF LEPPARD also embarked on a sold-out stadium tour across North America with MÖTLEY CRÜE in 2022 — selling over 1.3 million tickets. February and March 2023 saw the tour wow audiences throughout Central and South America. In May, June and July the must-see tour of 2023 came to Europe, including a stop at the iconic Wembley Stadium on July 1.

With more than 110 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards in the U.S., 2019 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees DEF LEPPARD — Elliott, Phil Collen (guitar),Rick Savage (bass),Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) — continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic ground-breaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group's spectacular live shows and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading DEF LEPPARD to be heralded as the world's greatest live rock band.

DEF LEPPARD's influential career includes numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums — including two of the best-selling albums of all time, "Pyromania" and "Hysteria", capturing the group's legendary tracks, bringing together classic LEPPARD hits such as "Rock Of Ages", "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Foolin'".

For the first time, in January 2018 DEF LEPPARD debuted their full recording catalog worldwide via streaming and download platforms. As they did with the original release of their records, DEF LEPPARD dominated the worldwide charts again, which found their albums charting in the iTunes Top 10 in more than 30 countries, including "Hysteria" at No. 3 in the U.S., and No. 5 in the U.K. (36 years after the album had charted at No 1 in the Billboard charts). DEF LEPPARD also had the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 records on the U.S. catalog albums chart. The band have gone on to amass a staggering 5.5 billion streams since 2018, reaching a younger 18-44 demographic that now represents 58% of their fanbase. Additionally, the band have garnered an impressive 15 million followers across their social media platforms.

In May 2022, DEF LEPPARD released their twelfth studio album "Diamond Star Halos". The album debuted at No. 1 on the Apple and Amazon Music charts. The album also scored a Top 10 debut on North America's Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, marking the band's eighth Top 10 album of their career, and garnered a No. 1 debut on Billboard's Hard Rock chart. "Diamond Star Halos" had numerous Top 10 chart entries globally including a Top 5 debut in the U.K.

DEF LEPPARD recently released "Drastic Symphonies", a brand-new album featuring the band's greatest tracks dramatically reimagined via a collaboration with London's iconic Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Guitarist Jason Hook is storming out of the gates with his new band FLAT BLACK. The former FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist has recruited a trio of young and talented turks, and the band has signed with Fearless Records for its debut album, the details of which are to be announced. The LP was recorded at Jason's home studio in Las Vegas and produced by Hook. To promote the effort, FLAT BLACK will support GODSMACK on tour this fall.

"I feel like FLAT BLACK is a secret I've been keeping for three years," Hook says. "It's finally time to unleash this band on the world. I'm grateful to Sully [Erna] from GODSMACK for giving us the chance to get out on the road and play for such an amazing group of fans."

Despite having reached a commercial summit with his prior band, thanks to multiple platinum certifications, sold-out arena shows, and a string of No. 1 singles, Hook remains as hungry for musical blood and thunder as the day he first picked up a guitar at the age of six. He is eager to not only replicate but to surpass his past successes with his new band.

Having left his prior band in February 2020, which was right before COVID-19 put the entire world on pause, Hook wanted to assume creative control and let his musical free spirit soar in a project that was truly his. He opted to gamble on himself. With great risk comes great reward and the decision to form FLAT BLACK clearly worked out in his favor.

"As a musician, I crave freedom and I wasn't ready to stop creating," Hook shares.

"Life is short," he continues. "We all want to feel satisfied and happy with what we are trying to accomplish in life."

The pandemic shutdown allowed him the opportunity to assemble the right musicians and carefully craft their debut album. FLAT BLACK is armed with an arsenal of riffs that'll rattle your teeth loose from your gums, stadium-sized hooks, arena-ready anthems, and choruses that are guaranteed to touch a nerve. All of those factors combined make FLAT BLACK poised for success.

The origin stories of the rest of the players are indicative of a lifelong love of music and plenty of road-worn experience. The desire to play courses through their veins and propels them forward, which is why they all meshed so well with Hook.

Singer Wes Horton was introduced to music at age 13, thanks to his sister and Guitar Hero. He honed his vocal chops by playing in local bands and making online videos. Various music industry friends and acquaintances would become the connective tissue between himself and Hook. Horton knew he wanted to be a frontman, and FLAT BLACK afforded him that opportunity. Wes loves the fact that his bandmates prioritize songcraft — and that allows him to be the singer he has always wanted to be.

Bassist Nick Diltz, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is the son of a legendary rock music photographer who brought him to concerts during his formative years. He recalls being inspired by watching a VHS video of U2 performing at legendary venue Red Rocks. Seeing fans clamoring for a piece of Bono in the footage is a vision that never left his head. This first exposure to the power of a true rock icon solidified Nick's destiny as a live performer.

Drummer Rob Pierce hails from Nashville, a.k.a. Music City. His dad was a race car driver and his grandfather was a pastor. He grew up racing go karts and at first, wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps until he joined the fourth grade band and was bitten by the music bug. He chose the snare drum over the saxophone and from that moment on, music was the only thing that mattered. Rob got his first drum kit at age 11, which he set up in his dad's car shop. He learned to play his instrument next to 1,000 horsepower engines, which influences his highly energetic style to this day.

The chemistry between the players in FLAT BLACK is palpable. And while FLAT BLACK's songs are built to take up real estate in the brains of fans for weeks at a time, the true nature of the band's material is meant to be experienced live. FLAT BLACK are now ready to hit the road and bring these brutal bangers to the masses live and in the flesh.

FLAT BLACK on tour with GODSMACK:

Aug. 24 - Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheatre
Aug. 26 - Las Vegas, NV - Bakk
Aug. 27 - San Diego, CA - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Aug. 31 - Austin, TX - Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Sep. 03 - Baton Rouge, LA - Raising Cane's River Center
Sep. 05 - Pensacola, FL - Pensacola Bay Center
Sep. 06 - Jacksonville, FL - Daily's Place
Sep. 07 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center
Sep. 09 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sep. 10 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live
Sep. 24 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
Sep. 26 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center
Sep. 28 - Moline, IL - Vibrant Arena
Sep. 29 - Omaha, NE - Baxter Arena
Oct. 01 - Rapid City, SD - Summit Arena at The Monument
Oct. 03 - Salt Lake City, UT - Maverik Center
Oct. 04 - Nampa, ID - Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
Oct. 08 - Kent, WA - Accesso ShoWare Center
Oct. 10 - Abbostford, BC - Abbotsford Centre
Oct. 12 - Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place
Oct. 13 - Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome
Oct. 15 - Saskatoon, SK - SaskTel Centre
Oct. 16 - Winnipeg, MB - Canada Life Centre
Oct. 19 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
Oct. 21 - Laval, QC - Place Bell
Oct. 22 - Quebec City, QC - Videotron Centre

FLAT BLACK is:

Jason Hook - Guitar
Wes Horton - Vocals
Rob Pierce - Drums
Nicholas Diltz - Bass

In October 2020, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH confirmed that it had officially parted ways with Hook eight months earlier during the band's sold-out European arena tour. He has since been replaced by renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who made his recording debut with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on "Broken World", a song that was included on the second installment of the group's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2".

After his recovery from emergency gallbladder surgery at the end of 2019, Hook had to leave midway from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's tour of Europe to address further complications.

Jason, who joined FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in 2009, said about his exit from the band: "As for the reason I'm leaving… well, there really isn't just one. I've been in bands my entire life and I feel like I've done all the good that I can here. It's time to pass the baton and move on to new challenges."

In October 2021, Hook spoke to the "Making Waves" podcast about his new project for which he had been writing music for much of the past four years. He said: "That's been the only agenda I've had, really, since leaving DEATH PUNCH. I just went right to work writing songs. I've got 30, 35 songs. Where I'm getting stuck is I've had many singers come through and I'm just really trying to be patient to pick the right guy. [People on my team] were, like, 'Don't be in a hurry to pick your singer. Make sure you find the right guy.' And I don't disagree with that because it really is the make-or-break element. So, that's top priority right now."

He continued: "I've done my work. I've got all the material prepared; some are completed songs, some are just music. But I really wanna find a co-writer, a partner, somebody that I have that chemistry with and that we're both on the same page musically. I've got the facility. That's the only element that's missing."

Asked what kind of singer he was looking for, Hook said at the time: "I like heavy music, but I also like melodic music. And I think that's one of the things that [FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer] Ivan Moody was fantastic with, is that he sells his lyrics, he can sing really well, and he can get heavy but you can still decipher what he's talking about; you can follow the storyline. It's not like that guttural [death metal-style vocal]; you can really understand what he's saying even when he's singing with his heavy voice. And Ivan Moodys don't just grow on trees [laughs]; it's hard to find.

"I like guys like Dave Grohl," he added. "I certainly like Corey Taylor. I always loved Adam Gontier's voice, from THREE DAYS GRACE; those early records and the power and the grit of his voice. But most importantly, I'm just looking for somebody that has something above and beyond, something that's magic. There's a lot of good guys out there — I've certainly had them over here — but I'm looking for something that's magic, not just good."

Hook went on to say that he was not trying to simply launch another version of his former band. "I'm not necessarily looking to recreate FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH," he said. "That band is an anomaly, and I think it would be foolish to try to clone it. The music will have familiar sounds and elements from what they sound like, but that's only because I had a pretty decent hand at writing that music. So it's inevitable that I'm gonna take me over here, and it's gonna have some familiarity, obviously. But as far as a singer goes, it's kind of like when Tom Morello found Chris Cornell, you've got two guys that are extremely good at their role; that was destined to succeed. Now, when Eddie Van Halen had Sammy Hagar, they got very lucky 'cause that clicked, that worked. But when they got Gary Cherone — not so cool."



Tomorrow...

Posted by FLAT BLACK on Monday, July 17, 2023

FLAT BLACK will be hitting the road for our first-ever North American tour with Godsmack! We will also be joining...

Posted by FLAT BLACK on Tuesday, July 18, 2023

With the release of their debut album Kill The Witch via Rockshots Records nearing on July 28, LA-based heavy metallers Arch Blade are sharing their third single "Under The Mask" to follow previous singles "Nightbreed" and "Factory Of Sin".


"Ultimate horror legend comes to life, and you can't hide. It's a perfect song to close the album because it's got everything in it, almost like a musical and lyrical summary of the record. Also, a very fast-paced heavy metal that turns into thrash metal halfway through and then goes back. The last catchphrase was captured at the studio after Al finished one of his takes, and that phrase says it all about this record!" adds the band.


Founded in 2019 by father-and-son guitar duo Rob V and Big Rob, with Nigel Caicedo on bass, Ukrainian transplant Denys Podmazko on vocals, and Al "Mayhem” Mendez (ex-Dark Angel, ex-Dreams Of Damnation) on drums, Arch Blade presents versatile heavy metal with high energy both on record and live.




The band's first full-length is a full-speed-intense blend of various different styles of metal (NWOTHM, Thrash, Power) mixed into one sound known as Arch Blade. Lyrically, the album is mostly based on vocalist Denys Podmazko’s dreams and nightmares along with his interests in comic books, sci-fi, horror movies, and sometimes documentaries.


"We picked the best songs that we had and focused on them. We did pass on a couple that was not right for the narrative of this album. We are already working on the second album. We feel like it will be even more composed and catchy, so to speak. We want to get back in the studio ASAP," adds the band.


Kill The Witch is out on July 28 and is available for album pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Abduction"
"Nightbreed"
"Tyrant Rhapsody"
"Kill The Witch"
"Factory Of Sin"
"House Of Dreams"
"Break The Silence"
"Touched By Death"
"Queen Of The Damned"
"Under The Mask"


"Under The Mask":





"Nightbreed" video:

In a new interview with Brutal Planet Magazine, founding DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce confirmed that he and his longtime bandmates — drummer Mike Luce and bassist Stevie Benton — have collaborated with singer Ryan McCombs on their first new music together in more than a decade.

"We have new songs that we're working on — three that are pretty much done," he said. "I'd like to have one out for [our upcoming] tour [with SALIVA], but it's also one of those things, like, 'Here's that new song with Ryan again.' It's been years since we put a new one out, and we wanna make sure we pick the right one. We'll probably wind up playing all of 'em live anyway and see what the reaction is before we 'release it' release it."

Pierce also talked in more general terms about the DROWNING POOL songwriting process, saying: "It's always been us since day one — Mike, Stevie and myself. We've been writing together since day one. The thing is we had a couple of different singer switches here and there. But it's fun having Ryan back in it, 'cause we did a lot of great songs with him back then and we're back on it. We've never been closer and we've never been more solid.

"Writing with these guys, especially now with Mike, we're in a room and it's almost like you don't even have to think," he explained. "You just know he's gonna go here, I'm gonna go there, and it just falls into place.' And it's awesome to be in a place now where you have an idea or a feeling or a thought and you can just put it out there and the other guys know what to do to express that right out the gate. We do try a lot of different things — 'Let's try this part. Let's try that part' — but it seems like we just fall into where we wanna be and need to be for the song to highlight and make it elevate to the rock song that you hear when you come [and see us play]."

McCombs played his first shows back with DROWNING POOL on March 17 at Club L.A. in Destin, Florida and on March 18, headlining the inaugural Throwdown At The Campground festival in Fruitland Park, Florida.

The longtime SOIL frontman, who has lived in Swindon, England since 2018, originally joined DROWNING POOL in 2005 and appeared on two of the band's studio albums, "Full Circle" (2007) and "Drowning Pool" (2010),as well as a live album, 2009's "Loudest Common Denominator". He rejoined SOIL after exiting DROWNING POOL in 2011.

According to Metal Edge, McCombs will continue to front SOIL and will perform with both bands moving forward.

Said McCombs: "When I stepped away from music back in 2004, I only got back into the mix because it was with [DROWNING POOL members] C.J., Stephen and Mike, and because it was also a way for me to be a small part of keeping their music with Dave [late DROWNING POOL vocalist Dave Williams] alive. Just being back in the same room together after so many years, gearing up for these shows, was a quick reminder as to why I considered them to be my best friends in the business back in the day. As everyone living life can attest to, sometimes our days can get messy — but in the words of one Dave Williams, 'Everything happens for reasons, I just don't know…' Some of the greatest moments in my career came about as a member of DP and I'm really thankful for the opportunity to perform with them once again."

DROWNING POOL's first new record since 2016, "Strike A Nerve", came out last September via T-Boy/UMe. It marked the band's third album with singer Jasen Moreno, who joined DROWNING POOL in 2012.

DROWNING POOL addressed Moreno's departure in a social media post on March 16, writing: "We appreciate everyone asking about Jasen. We can't speak for him but we believe he was just ready to move on to other things in life. Maybe he will make a statement. Maybe he won't. Regardless, we wish him the best."

Fast-rising melodic rockers, Venrez, are back with a new single and upcoming live dates. The single “Each And Every Day” featuring Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins and mixed by Malcolm Springer (Tantric, Collective Soul, Matchbox Twenty), was just delivered to rock radio and was #3 most added for the Billboard Rock Indicator Chart.


The song is the follow-up to “Show Me”, which previously hit #16 on the Billboard Rock Indicator Chart. Both tracks are taken from their current EP, Purgatory Awaits, released via Pavement Records. The EP features four songs with Jane’s Addiction’s Stephen Perkins on drums. And come next month, the band will be playing a set of US tour dates this August, supporting Buckcherry.
 
“The new radio single, 'Each And Every Day,' lyrically has an important message regarding what dangers government overreach can cause,” explains the group’s singer, Ven. “Musically it simply rocks like no other Venrez song we have recorded, and is one of the 4 tracks on the EP which Stephen Perkins from Jane's Addiction played drums on. This track is one of my favorites to play live.”



 
Rounding out the band is Jason Womack on guitar and backing vocals, Gabe Maska on bass, and Victor Singer on drums. In the past, Venrez has opened for Alice Cooper, Slash, LA Guns, Buckcherry, Fuel, Hardcore Superstar, Michael Schenker and Enuff Z'Nuff.
 
“I met Stephen 'Perk' Perkins when he was playing in an all-star band at the Dome shows in downtown Los Angeles. When we signed with Pavement Entertainment, there were 4 of the 6 songs that had to be recorded. Our drummer, Victor Singer, lives in France, and the COVID restrictions at that time would not allow him to come to Los Angeles to record. So, I contacted Perk and he was totally down to record the tracks and really dug the sound we had going for those songs. He actually changed the intro to 'Each And Every Day,' making it a much better song than the demo. We were really blessed to have him on those 4 tracks.”
 
Concerning the upcoming live shows with Buckcherry, Ven offers some hints as to what fans can expect from their performance. “Venrez is an extreme force of energy on stage. The chemistry between my bandmates is virtually telepathic. We deliver a huge and raw 4-piece rock n roll sound that goes on feel. Every show will be slightly different.”
 
And lastly, expect to hear more from Venrez going forward. “Jason and I recorded over 64 new demo songs between the pandemic and January 2023. We will get back in the studio after this tour and record the new EP, release it early next year and plan to tour all year behind this new record. COVID may have set us back 3 years, although the best of Venrez recordings and live shows is yet to come.”




Buckcherry/Venrez dates:


August
12 - Grand Island, NE - The Filling Station
13 - Sioux Falls, SD - Alliance Center
15 - Fargo, ND - Butler Center
16 - Mankato, MN - Vetter Stone Amphitheater
18 - Brainerd, MN - Armory
19 - St Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre
20 - Des Plaines, IL - Des Plaines Theatre
22 - Hays, KS - Fox Theatre
23 - Ft Smith, AR - TempleLive
25 - Tyler, TX - Country River Club
26 - Waco, TX - The Backyard
27 - Cedar Park, TX - Haute Spot

Swedish melodic metal rockers Cyhra are proud to announce their new studio album, titled The Vertigo Trigger, which will be released on August 18th via Nuclear Blast Records. They recently released a new single, "If I", and now guitarists Euge Valovirta and Marcus Sunesson have shared a tutorial on how to play the song. Check it out below.





Cyhra recently issued the following message: "Cyhra would like to invite you to celebrate the release of our third full-length album, The Vertigo Trigger. The band will perform a full live show plus more special surprises will be added to the event soon. So please make sure you attend the event to make sure you'll get all the updates. Tickets will be released this Friday July 14th along with the release of our brand new single, 'If I'."




Go to this location for event information.


Founded by vocalist Jake E (ex-Amaranthe) and guitarist Jesper Strömblad (ex-In Flames), and with the addition of lead guitarist Euge Valovirta (ex-Shining) and drummer Alex Landenburg (Kamelot), Cyhra has already released two highly acclaimed albums which proof that the band have managed to create their own identity and sound.


Now in 2023, coming four years after their last album, No Halos In Hell, The Vertigo Trigger is Cyhra's third studio album, and their first featuring recently added guitarist Marcus Sunesson (ex-The Crown / Engel).


Recorded in the summer/autumn of 2022, The Vertigo Trigger is the band's darkest album to date. The album was entirely self-produced and mixed by guitarist Euge Valovirta, whilst the mastering was handled by long-term producer Jacob Hansen. This new album offers fans the classic Cyhra sound, full of the band's trademarks, but fresh and refined. The Swedes have modernised their song writing meaning that no Cyhra fan will be disappointed, making The Vertigo Trigger a more than worthy successor to their first two albums.


And although guitarist Jesper Strömblad isn’t a part of Cyhra's live shows currently, he was deeply involved in the writing and recording process of the album. Therefore, the band can hardly wait for his return as soon as he is ready again.


Pre-order or pre-save The Vertigo Trigger here.





The Vertigo Trigger tracklisting:


"Ready To Rumble"
"Let's Have My Story Told"
"Live A Little"
"1,000,000 Fahrenheit"
"Buried Alive"
"The Voice You Need To Hear"
"Life Is A Hurricane"
"If I"
"Fear Of Missing Out"
"Ashlight"
"Too Old For Fairy Tales"


"Ready To Rumble" video:





"Life Is A Hurricane" video:

Grammy Award-winning musician Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge, Creed, Tremonti), has contributed over a dozen tracks to the new Venom pinball games, making their first appearance at Stern Pinball’s official booth (#3721) at the Stern Pop-Up Arcade at the Marriott Marquis in San Diego, California, July 19th – 23rd.


Stern Pinball, Inc. and Marvel are collaborating to debut an all-new line of pinball games featuring one of Marvel’s most enigmatic, complex, and iconic characters, Venom – who’s ready to wreak havoc. Venom pinball games are available in Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition (LE) models.


Venom, an alien symbiote that bonds with various hosts, including former Spider-Man antagonist Eddie Brock, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man comic book series in the ’80s. The symbiote gives its host superhuman strength and agility, providing creative and versatile powers out of its material. With its unique and visually striking appearance, Venom quickly became one of Marvel’s most recognizable and popular characters. Venom has been an inspiration for numerous products including: action figures, apparel, collectibles, and now pinball – cementing its continual influence on popular culture in game rooms and entertainment locations worldwide.




Stern’s Venom pinball games will immerse players into the mayhem of this antihero’s Marvel Universe, featuring more than 20 characters including: Eddie Brock, Flash Thompson, Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Black Suit Spider-Man, Miles Morales, Riot, Agony, Lasher, Phage, Doppelganger, Venomized Hulk, Venomized Wolverine and Venomized Captain America. Venom’s arch enemy Carnage is collecting Codices to awaken Knull, the God of the symbiotes. Venom must stop Carnage by battling through his army of symbiotes and the Infected to prevent him from taking over the world.


Playing as Venom, gamers will select a host to bond with at the start of each game, altering the entire gaming experience both physically and digitally. Vertical pinball lock symbiote containment vessels located on both sides of the playfield lock and quickly release balls for constant frenetic action as players explore shots through the mechanically changing Argo-Lab and Life Foundation pathways. Players will bash an interactive, custom sculpted Carnage captive ball back into Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. Additionally, a surprise Doppelganger attack can swing into action at a moment’s notice, unveiling three uplift targets wreaking chaos.





Canvassing the Venom pinball game experience is a collection of hand-drawn comic book style artwork by renowned artist, Jeremy Packer (aka Zombie Yeti). Depending on which host you choose, players will hear a variety of different styles of music throughout gameplay, including over a dozen music tracks from Grammy Award-winning musician Mark Tremonti.


Venom pinball games include Stern’s award-winning Insider Connected system, which enables players to interact with the game and a global network of players in a variety of ways. Through Insider Connected, players will be able to save their game progress through connectivity persistence, allowing anyone to become a (anti)hero as you advance through the game to reach the final wizard mode at the end, no matter how many tries it might take.





In addition, Insider Connected allows players to track progress, earn new game-specific achievements, engage with the player community, and participate in promotions and Challenge Quests. Insider Connected also provides an operator-focused toolset to drive location play through Location Leaderboards, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely, and maintain the games. Registration for Insider Connected is available at insider.sternpinball.com.


Limited to 1,000 games globally, the highly collectible Limited Edition model includes a Venom vs. Carnage inspired full-color mirrored backglass, full color high definition reflective foil decal cabinet artwork, custom high gloss Venom-inspired “goo” powder-coated pinball armor, a custom designer-autographed bottom arch, inside art blades, upgraded audio system, anti-reflection pinball playfield glass, shaker motor, a sequentially numbered plaque, and a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Stern President & CEO Seth Davis.


“Collaborating with Marvel has given us an opportunity to create this truly unique, engaging and dynamic pinball experience inspired by Venom,” said Seth Davis, President & CEO, Stern Pinball. “The artwork and animations pop. The music rocks. And we can’t wait for fans to sink their teeth into this game changing pinball experience and get connected today.”





(Images courtesy of Stern Pinball)


 

Swedish progressive metal masters Seventh Wonder have announced the upcoming release of reissues of the long-out-of-print first four studio albums: Become, Waiting In The Wings, Mercy Falls, and The Great Escape. All the four reissues will be released with new liner notes, written by the band, included in the CD booklets and, for the first time, they will be available in vinyl limited editions exclusive for the official Frontiers webshops and Scandinavia.


Preorder/pre-save:


Become
Waiting In The Wings
Mercy Falls
The Great Escape




Seventh Wonder and Frontiers are happy to collect all pieces of the band’s history for these newly expanded reissues. Band member Andreas Blomqvist went through old notes and photos in the band’s own archives to jog their memories to ultimately share previously unknown stories about the songs, the writing process and the recording of these seminal Seventh Wonder albums.


“We in the band are super happy to share this news with you!” explains band co-founder/bassist Andreas Blomqvist. “I know many of you have been eagerly awaiting the return of our previous albums to streaming platforms and now that is happening. To also get all albums available on vinyl is really super cool and again something I know a lot of you have been asking about. It was also a lot of fun to sit down and write the liner notes for the CDs, so be sure to check that out too for some previously untold stories. We are grateful to Fronters for making this happen!”





Seventh Wonder was formed in 2000 by bassist Andreas Blomqvist, guitarist Johan Liefvendahl, and drummer Johnny Sandin after their previous band fell apart. The music they were writing and playing quickly turned towards progressive metal. When keyboardist Andreas “Kyrt” Söderin joined in late 2000, their new sonic explorations were only cemented further. Two demos were recorded (2001 and 2003) and the latter caught the attention of the finnish label Lion Music, who signed the band in 2004. That collaboration spawned the first Seventh Wonder album, Become, which was released in June 2005. It was well received by progressive metal fans and media alike; however, the band and singer Andi Kravljaca decided to part ways shortly after the recording process ended. Enter the brilliant Tommy Karevik (Kamelot, ex-Vindictiv), who joined the band in 2005, actually prior to the official release of Become.


The next album, Waiting In The Wings, was recorded in 2006 and mixed and mastered by legendary Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Pretty Maids, TNT, etc.). This album was a huge leap forward in terms of song complexity and maturity and received outstanding reviews and fan accolades, establishing Seventh Wonder as a force to be reckoned with in the progressive metal world. 2007 was spent playing live in support of the album, including sharing the stage with legendary bands such as Queensrÿche, Testament, Redemption, and many others in England, Holland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.


Simultaneously in 2007, a follow-up to Waiting In The Wings was written. The band hit the studio in May of 2008 to record their third full-length, Mercy Falls, which was hailed as a true masterpiece at the time of its release. Mercy Falls was supported with several live shows in Europe, including Italy, Norway, Finland, and Holland.


In 2010, the band released The Great Escape, which again was met with critical and fan acclaim and cemented the band's standing as one of the premiere progressive metal bands in existence. In support, the band again toured in Europe and also appeared live in the USA at ProgPower Festival.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to unleash the previously unreleased album from Florida's alternative/grunge/rock act, FLO. Long Way Down is up now for pre-order and will be released August 18 on CD and digital formats along with merch.


FLO disbanded back in 2004 and featured veteran Rick 'Rozz' DeLillo (Death, Left To Die, Massacre) on guitar. Below is the official description:


Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is proud to unearth the previously unreleased FLO album, Long Way Down. Established in Orlando, Florida in 1999, FLO disbanded in 2004 before releasing their debut album which finally sees the light of day. Long Way Down is a hidden Florida gem of the alternative/grunge/rock genre and features veteran Rick 'Rozz' DeLillo (Death, Left To Die, Massacre) on guitar. FLO were on the radar of Dave Mustaine before disbanding in 2004 and Long Way Down showcases 14 tracks clocking in at over 57 minutes of finely crafted memorable songs. For fans of Alice In Chains, Black Sabbath, Corrosion Of Conformity, Led Zeppelin, Mad Season, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Temple Of The Dog and Tool.




Pre-order the album here, and listen to the single "Yesterday" below.





Tracklisting:


"Pull Myself Up"
"Everytime"
"Numb"
"High Again"
"Alone"
"Disaster"
"I Know"
"Follow"
"Yesterday"
"Again"
"Noose"
"Walk The Talk"
"Black Moon"
"Long Way Down"


"Yesterday":

"We hope you're all having a great summer so far," begins an update from Swedish death metal icons, The Crown. It continues:


"We're enjoying every second of it and we will soon start with rehearsals both on new songs as well as for upcoming shows. Is there a better place than a sweaty rehearsal room with shitty AC when the sun is shining outside? Anyway, we're slowly building up the next album here. Gonna be a good one. That's a promise."


"Next two shows happen in September. (Storm Crusher Festival in Germany, and Musikens Hus in Sweden). We hope to see a lot of you death metal maniacs out there so see you soon. We have a killer setlist prepared. Cheers."




The aforementioned, as yet untitled album from The Crown will serve as the follow-up to Royal Destroyer, released in 2021 via Metal Blade Records. 





 

According to SIX FEET UNDER singer Chris Barnes, drummer Marco Pitruzzella has finished recording the drum parts for the band's next studio album. SIX FEET UNDER guitarist Jack Owen "will be tracking rhythm guitar in a couple weeks," Chrisrevealed.

Barnes added: "Things are coming together awesome! Some real killer songs on this album. It will definitely satisfy all our SFU Fans appetite. #pureDEATHMETAL'"

Chris previously said the material for the next SIX FEET UNDER LP was shaping up to be "incredibly fucking heavy."

SIX FEET UNDER's 17th full-length album, "Nightmares Of The Decomposed", was released in October 2020 via Metal Blade Records.

Comprised of 12 tracks, "Nightmares Of The Decomposed" was tracked at various studios, including Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, which over the years has played host to the likes of AC/DC, BLACK SABBATH and AEROSMITH, among others. It was produced, engineered and mixed by Chris Carroll, while the album's mastering was handled by Chaz Najjar at Badlands Recording in Denver, Colorado. The finished product came packaged in artwork by Luke Hunter.

Barnes exited CANNIBAL CORPSE in 1995, one year after the release of the band's "The Bleeding" album. Six years ago, he told "The Chainsaw Symphony" radio program about his departure: "I just didn't like being around them, because I was being ridiculed, and I just didn't feel comfortable being in the same room with people that weren't very nice to me personally. And I was part of that too, so we had all of our own type of differences, personally, and I don't think it was gonna be able to be worked out. You know, mutual respect goes a far way when it comes to being in close quarters with people."

Owen left CANNIBAL CORPSE in 2004, explaining in a statement that his "heart just wasn't in it anymore, and it was reflected in my appearance on stage. Times change, and I just don't enjoy the music as much as I used to, and the only thing keeping me in the band was steady work, and the pay," he said. "These things makes it unfair to myself, my band members, and especially the fans."

After Barnes left CANNIBAL CORPSE to form SIX FEET UNDER, he was replaced in the former band by George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher.

Photo credit: Gustavo Abdiel Torres

Living Dead Girl will release the deluxe edition of their Exorcism album on October 6. Preorder at distrokid.com. New single and video for “Dysfunctional” is streaming below.





"'Dysfunctional' is a song I wrote knowing everyone can relate to it in some way; we all have been in a rocky relationship, or have one specific person in our families that we will always butt heads with. 'Dysfunctional' is expressing the frustration of having to deal with that person, but the song is fun and upbeat, making light that we have all been there. The music video was such a blast to film, it follows the different 'dysfunctional' scenarios that happen every day, and we show them throughout a huge party in a mansion. Everyone is at the party having fun, but at the same time everyone's got their own problems going on." - Molly Rennick




Molly Rennick says, "Our debut record, Exorcism, was released in June of 2021, and it still feels as new and exciting to me now as it did then. We're passing that feeling onto you now, re-releasing Exorcism with six new tracks added onto it, including our new single, 'Dysfunctional'. We reimagined all the artwork and CD design to expand the world of Exorcism."





Living Dead Girl dates:


August (headline)
3 – Lafayette, LA – Freetown Boom Boom Room
4 – Houston, TX – Acadia Bar & Grill
5 – Dallas, TX – Reno’s Chop Shop
6 – Oklahoma City, OK – Grand Royale
10 – Colorado Springs, CO – Sunshine Studios Live
11 – Casper, WY – Oil City Beer Company


August (supporting Raven Black)
12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Leatherheads Sports Bar
13 – Denver, CO – Herman’s Hideaway 
15 – Kansas City, KS – Vivo
16 – Springfield, MO – Kiss Bar & Grill
17 – Chicago, IL – The WC Social Club
18 – Dayton, OH – Oddbody’s
19 – Elkhart, IN – Daj (headline date)
20 – Braidwood, IL – Top Fuel Saloon
21 – Knoxville, TN – The Concourse
22 – Nashville, TN – The Cobra
23 – Birmingham, AL – The Nick
24 – Ft. Walton Beach, FL – Downtown Music Hall
25 – Tallahassee, FL – Legacy (headline date)


October (Fall Tour)
20 – West Palm Beach, FL – Respectable Street
21 – Celebration, FL – Vettes For Vets Car Show
22 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits*
25 – Tampa, FL – Brass Mug*
26 – Satellite Beach, FL – Wynfield’s*
27 – Tallahassee, FL – Legacy*
28 – Winter Park, FL – Conduit***


*with The SoapGirls
***with Icon For Hire 


(Photo – Christian Maravelis)

Melbourne-based blackened deathcore group, Mélancolia, have released a video for "HissThroughRottenTeeth", the title track of their debut album, out now and streaming everywhere via Greyscale Records and Nuclear Blast Records. Watch the clip below.


“The song has always made us feel low, dreary and woeful - not quite awake and not quite dreaming, stuck in a horrible limbo somewhere between," tells vocalist Alex Hill.


"The video represents that visually with low lighting and moody red hotel scenery, like a comedown from the worst night of your life. The title track is the breaking point for the album's main character and the realization there is nowhere to go but low.”







Mélancolia’s debut album, HissThroughRottenTeeth immerses listeners in a torturous tale of birth, life and death. HissThroughRottenTeeth follows a fallen deity, cast down from a godly realm and met with the punishment of reincarnating as a human with a wealth of knowledge yet stripped entirely of power.


“Essentially the album is about the pain of existence and how we get no say in coming into this world,” says vocalist and songwriter Alex Hill.





Tracklisting:


"Horror_Ethereal"
"Dread Will Follow"
"God Tongue"
"When Shovels Drag On Concrete"
"The Hands That Tied The Noose"
"(Inure)"
"HissThroughRottenTeeth"
"…A Cold Static Eulogy"


"God Tongue" video:





"Horror_Ethereal" video:





(Photo: Karl Steller)

Heavy metal quintet U.D.O. - fronted by legendary singer Udo Dirkschneider and officially completed by former Accept bassist Peter Baltes in April - recently announced their new studio album, Touchdown, due out on August 25 via Atomic Fire Records. It features 13 tracks which cement the fact that the group surely belongs to the all-star team of the scene.


U.D.O. have released a guitar playthrough video for the single, "Forever Free". Watch Andrey Smirnov perform the song below:







Pre-order Touchdown in the physical format of your choice, pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally to receive "Forever Free" instantly now, here.





Tracklisting:


"Isolation Man"
"The Flood"
"The Double Dealer's Club"
"Fight For The Right"
"Forever Free"
"Punchline"
"Sad Man's Show"
"The Betrayer"
"Heroes Of Freedom"
"Better Start To Run"
"The Battle Understood"
"Living Hell"
"Touchdown"


"Forever Free" lyric video:





U.D.O. / Dirkschneider live:


July
21 - Pförring, Germany - Open Air Pförring


August
12 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas del Rock*
17 - Moravský Krumlov, Czech Republic - Rock Castle Open Air
20 - Vallamand (VD), Switzerland - Rock The Lakes


September
16 - Tuttlingen, Germany - Beast of Rocks @ Stadthalle


October
7 - Würzburg, Germany - Keep It True Rising III @ Posthalle*
22 - Linz, Austria - Wildstyle & Tattoo @ Tabakfabrik
29 - Salzburg, Austria - Wildstyle & Tattoo @ Messezentrum


* as Dirkschneider


Get tickets here.


U.D.O. / Dirkschneider are:


Udo Dirkschneider - vocals
Andrey Smirnov - guitar
Sven Dirkschneider - drums
Fabian Dee Dammers - guitar
Peter Baltes - bass


(Photo - Martin Häusler)

Always uncompromising in their creative vision, today the twice Grammy-nominated band, Code Orange, announce their new album The Above, set for release on September 29 via Blue Grape Music. The first new studio album since their 2020 record Underneath, it is self-produced by the band's Jami Morgan and Eric “Shade” Balderose with engineering by Steve Albini.


The band also share the brand new track "Take Shape" and it's official video. The song features unmistakable guest vocals from Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan, and is a throwback to when music videos were at peak importance, combining nostalgia with a modern twist.


Inspired by an era where film was at its peak quality, but beginning to give way to the digital era, “Take Shape” picks up where “Grooming My Replacement” left off. The protagonist, played by Morgan, escapes his captives, arriving in a technicolour, Truman Show-esque stage play of reality. Incredible cinematography brings the video through a number of sets and stages arriving at a Vanilla Sky-inspired roof scene. The video was co-directed by frequent collaborator Max Moore (Vein.FM, Knocked Loose, Coheed and Cambria, etc.) and Jami Morgan, marking Morgan’s directorial debut.




Morgan notes of the process, “I have been working on the concept for this video, and others to come, for about a year and a half. I am so thankful to have been able to sit under the learning tree of Max Moore and our DP Eric Robbins. They allowed me to sit in on every minute of this process from hiring to scouting, all the way to final colouring. Being that deep was a revelation and I have found a new love along the way. I couldn’t be prouder of the result.”


Watch the official video below.


As heavy an album as the Pittsburgh six-piece has ever produced, The Above is a giant sonic leap full of twists and turns that only Code Orange are capable of achieving. A composite of seamless sounds, the band blends heavy music, grunge, trip hop, hip hop, and more throughout the 14 tracks.


Morgan elaborates, “We wanted the album to be able to wash over you with melody, aggression, and joy, but it was of equal importance that the closer you look, the more you are rewarded. It was to feel rooted in the “analogue” world, but with threads of digital reality binding things together. We wanted the sound and even the recording process itself to reflect that edict, so we enlisted Steve Albini at Electrical Audio to get the most real and raw version of the band possible, even recording us all at once in a room together for the first time in our career.”


The album is available for pre-order now on digital, CD, and several vinyl variants, including exclusives via the band’s webstore and the Blue Grape Music store here.  





The Above tracklisting:


"Never Far Apart"
"Theatre Of Cruelty"
"Take Shape" (feat. Billy Corgan)
"The Mask Of Sanity Slips"
"Mirror"
"A Drone Opting Out Of The Hive"
"I Fly"
"Splinter The Soul"
"The Game"
"Grooming My Replacement"
"Snapshot"
"Circle Through"
"But A Dream…"
"The Above"


"Take Shape" video:





"The Game" visualizer:





"Grooming My Replacement" visualizer:





Having just obliterated Manchester with a ferocious set at the UK's Outbreak festival to rave reviews, the band also recently announced their own first-ever music festival, Code's World, which will act as their hometown album release show. The US festival will feature hand-picked favourites of the band, including Madball, E-Town Concrete, Vein.FM, 200 Stab Wounds, Pain Of Truth and many more. Full info and tickets can be found here.


(Photo - Tim Saccenti)

This year, Skindred celebrate their 25th anniversary with the release of their brand new album, Smile, their eighth long-player and their first for Earache Records.


Today, the band release a video for the new single, "Unstoppable". Check it out below:







From the hard-hitting "Gimme That Boom" to the pop-reggae triumph of "L.O.V.E. (Smile Please)", these two sides of the album, ranging from joy to rage and love to fury, suggest that Smile is going to be hailed as the band's masterpiece; an album that brings together all facets of Skindred's music - from reggae to metal, rock to pop, dub to electro - into the most mind-expanding and potent collection of songs, designed to melt stereos around the world when it's released summer 2023.


Due on August 4, you can pre-order the album here. Check out a visualizer for the single "If I Could" below.





Tracklisting:


"Our Religion"
"Gimme That Boom"
"Set Fazers"
"Life That's Free"
"If I Could"
"L.O.V.E. (Smile Please)"
"This Appointed Love"
"Black Stars"
"State Of The Union"
"Addicted"
"Mama"
"Unstoppable"


"If I Could" visualizer:





"Set Fazers" video:

Finnish cello metal band, Apocalyptica, have released a deluxe box edition of their 7th Symphony album. A message from the band follows...


"Hello everyone! Some of you are quite the sherlocks and already figured it out - a part of the band is now back from a trip to L.A, where we worked on some magical music. Always great to be abroad meeting other musicians, producers, music nerds!


While we were hiding behind thick walls in studios and enjoyed the L.A. sun, there's been a lot going on around us! The new ApocalypTEAca collection has launched, we have some upcoming concerts in Finland and Portugal to look foward to... and had a crazy idea about a 7th Symphony Deluxe Box that we finally made happen!




We took our old backdrop from those days and used pieces of it to make 300 unique shirts. They are part of our special fanbox that also includes the 7th Symphony blue double-vinyl. 100 of these 300 boxes also include socks designed in the style of the artwork! We will not make these boxes again - only 300 are available!"








The band add: "We recently released a brand new edition of our 7th Symphony album featuring the classics 'Not Strong Enough' feat. Brent Smith (Shinedown), 'Broken Pieces' feat. Lacey (Flyleaf) and 'End Of Me' feat. Gavin Rossdale (Bush). The album has been remastered for vinyl and also offers a transparent blue double LP with a special etching on the D side! Now, you can order this special box. In addition to the vinyl, it includes a T-Shirt with a piece of the original tour backdrop woven into it. There are two types of boxes: With or without socks! Watch us doing an unboxing like real influencers."


Order here.

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

"We couldn't think of a better song to re-introduce DOGSTAR than 'Everything Turns Around' and hope everyone loves it as much as we do. It's catchy and poppy, has a chorus that rocks, a bridge with an indie sensibility and is completed with lyrics that tell an honest yet uplifting story," DOGSTAR says of the track. "It's one of our favorite songs to play live and we can't wait to take it out on the road."

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

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

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

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

Last night, DOGSTAR took over the Sunset Strip with an intimate, high-energy show at the iconic Roxy Theatre to usher in the release of the new single and album announcement. The show sold out in minutes upon being announced last week. Throughout their 90-minute set, lucky fans got a sneak peek into their new era of music and live show.

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

"Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees" 2023 tour dates:

Aug. 10 - Hermosa Beach, CA - Saint Rocke
Aug. 11 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
Aug. 12 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
Aug. 15 - Salt Lake City, UT - Complex
Aug. 17 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre
Aug. 19 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up
Aug. 22 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
Aug. 23 - Menlo Park, CA - Guild Theatre
Aug. 24 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theater
Aug. 26 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Music Hall
Aug. 27 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
Aug. 28 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
Sep. 05 - Osaka, JPN - Zepp Namba
Sep. 06 - Yokohama, JPN - KT Zepp
Sep. 07 - Yokohama, JPN - KT Zepp
Nov. 30 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
Dec. 03 - San Francisco, CA - The Great American Music Hall
Dec. 05 - Sacramento, CA - Crest Theatre
Dec. 07 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
Dec. 08 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic Theatre
Dec. 09 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
Dec. 11 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Dec. 12 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
Dec. 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
Dec. 15 - Washington, DC - The Howard
Dec. 16 - Norfolk, VA - NorVa
Dec. 18 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground
Dec. 19 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
Dec. 20 - Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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