In a recent interview with AXS TV's "Power Hour", GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna once again spoke about the announcement that the band's eight album, "Lighting Up The Sky", will likely be its final collection of new material. Erna said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I want people to understand and be clear that we're not saying this is the end of the band. We just feel that we've arrived at a certain place in our life… I remember reading this quote a long time ago from [AEROSMITH bassist] Tom Hamilton when he said, 'Music is something I've always wanted to do with my life, but it's not everything I wanna do with my life.' And so I start thinking, we're just kind of closing one chapter right now and we're opening a new chapter, and that chapter is gonna be weightless for us. Because to not have that responsibility of always having to go back in and grind years of your life in studios making music… We wanna just be able to honor this greatest-hits show and create that. So I think these — we call 'em the 'sunset years' now — we wanna just go and enjoy all these things that we've earned for the last three decades and be able to have fun with it and not have that pressure of always having to deliver for the label and blah blah blah. So I think it's an exciting time, and people should be excited for us because they're gonna get more of us because the reward is really the live show. After all the tedious stuff you do in the studio — you guys don't care about that. I mean, it's cool — you get to see the behind-the-scenes once in a while for second, but, really, you're coming to the show to have a good time and have some drinks and listen to music and let loose. And now that's what we get to do for the rest of our lives, for as long as we wanna do it."

GODSMACK kicked off its 2023 U.S. tour on May 4 at the 107.9 KBPI Birthday Bash at Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado.

This past March, GODSMACK and STAIND announced a 25-city co-headlining 2023 tour, produced by Live Nation. The trek kicks off on July 18 at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in St. Louis, Missouri, with stops across the U.S. before wrapping up in Austin, Texas at Germania Insurance Amphitheatre on August 31.

"Lighting Up The Sky" was released in February via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).

The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.

In a recent interview with Australia's Heavy, Erna was asked if he will miss the creative process now that GODSMACK will no longer release new music. Sully said: "It's such a good question because if there's one thing I've learned about life, it's that I don't know shit. You think you've got it figured out, and then just when you do, it humbles you very quickly and throws a curveball at you. So you could never say never, but right now, where I am in this time and place in my life, I feel like I've done just about everything I've ever wanted to do in music, and it's left me with a very satisfying feeling of being complete. And so I don't know what I'm gonna do after this. But I do know that music is in my blood and I always feel like I will play my piano and a guitar, and if that leads me to writing songs and I just release some stuff on my own, then so be it. But if I never did again, I can't say I have any regrets. If this all came to an end tomorrow, I would be able to call it a pretty good run and be happy."

Erna previously addressed GODSMACK's decision to no longer release new music last fall in an interview with Pablo of the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X. Speaking about "Lighting Up The Sky", he said: "I've never been that artist who says, 'Oh, this record is our newest record. It's our best work ever.' You can read any interview you want over my whole career, and you've never heard me say it," he continued. "I've always loved our records [and] I always knew there would be some good singles on it and hoped it did well, but I was never the guy that said, 'This is our best fucking work ever.' And I'm telling you right now this is our best fucking work ever. And it's because it's emotional, man. This is the last record we're ever gonna do. This is the last run around the mill for us. We put every single ounce of energy and emotion into this album. Especially for me, when I wrote a lot of these songs, it was about my life journey. That's really what the sequence of this album becomes about. Not that it was planned that way, but this really kind of mystical thing happened where I felt like the universe wrote this record."

The DarthNimmer YouTube channel has uploaded video of VIXEN's July 8 concert at the Tag's Summer Stage in Big Flats, New York. Check out the clips below.

In a recent interview with the Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged podcast, VIXEN bassist Julia Lage spoke about the status of new music from the band. She said: "VIXEN, we recorded a song — I can't say the name yet — but the video is pretty much almost ready. The song is ready. And I think it's a kickass song. It's pretty energetic. It's new formation. So we're super, super stoked with the final result. We were waiting for the final version of the video, but it's almost done."

Last December, VIXEN singer Lorraine Lewis explained to Max Davallo of "Sonic Dorms" about why she and her bandmates had yet to release their new single after previously saying it would arrive last summer. "I kind of — I didn't make a mistake; I was just excited at the beginning of summer," she said. "'Cause I had already gone in and done my vocals, laid down my vocals for a new song for VIXEN. And I don't know — in 'Lorraine world,' if it's just 'Lorraine world,' it's happening fast. But it's not 'Lorraine world,' it's 'VIXEN world,' and so there's a lot of elements that had to come together. So it has been mixed," she revealed. "It is now being mastered. I just heard it last week. I'm excited."

At the time, Lewis also said that VIXEN's current lineup — in which she is joined by drummer Roxy Petrucci, Lage and guitarist Britt Lightning (a.k.a. Brittany Denaro) — had also been working on "other stuff" in recent months. "We were in Boston. There was a song that I had written… God, I would love to tell titles, but I'm just gonna play it safe and say, no, I'm not gonna tell you the title. But we worked on it and laid it down," she said. "It sounds really good as well. I don't know exactly what the plan is for that. Julia brought something to the band that we all really liked, and I'm hoping that we'll record that. Britt and I worked on a lot of music together; we've got a lot of stuff ready to go. Roxy works all the time on music. So it's just a matter of time.

"We have become a pretty well-oiled machine live up to this point," she continued. "Adding Julia as well — she's been with us since January [of 2022], I believe, [or] February. So we're a machine on stage. So now we just need to transcend that into the studio and with new music. But I'm feeling really good about what's going on for sure."

VIXEN's new single was produced by CINDERELLA drummer Fred Coury.

Petrucci is the only remaining member of VIXEN's "classic" lineup.

In June 2022, Lewis was asked by SW Wall Interviews if she and her VIXEN bandmates began working on new music relatively quickly after she officially joined the group in early 2019. Lorraine said: "Right away. I would say within six months we were in the studio. We were in a rehearsal studio in the Valley and we were working on ideas. And then Britt and I, during COVID, we were working together just on Zoom, at least trying, 'cause there's a weird feedback thing. But we wrote quite a few songs together. And so there's another song that we're hoping to get recorded very soon, and that is possibly going to be with [producer] Toby Wright. So we've got things cooking. But it didn't take long. When we were in the rehearsal studio together, working on music too, and this is when Share [Ross, longtime VIXEN bassist] was with us, [it was] just super natural. They'd lay down something and I would just come in with something over it and Share would add a vocal line and a melody line and words. And it was just easy peasy. We haven't had that luxury to do it with Julia yet, but I'm sure it will happen. And I know Julia is a prolific songwriter herself, so I think that we'll get some new music going with her as well."

A year and a half ago, Ross announced that she was "taking a hiatus" from VIXEN. Her replacement is Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock group BARRA DE SAIA and wife of Richie Kotzen. Lage made her live debut with VIXEN on February 8, 2022 at the pre-Monsters Of Rock cruise concert at Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida.

When Ross made the news of her departure public at the aforementioned pre-Monsters Of Rock cruise concert, she told the crowd that "life got a little complicated" and that "something has to give," resulting to her decision to "step away from VIXEN for a while." She then introduced her "amazing" replacement and urged the VIXEN fans to "graciously" open their arms and welcome Lage to the group. At that point, Julia and her new bandmates launched into the track "Streets In Paradise" and played the last couple of songs of the set with Ross watching the proceedings from the side of the stage.

During a February 2022 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Julia spoke about how she ended up hooking up with VIXEN, saying: "Share is taking a hiatus. She wants to do her thing [and focus on her real estate career]. She's kicking ass. She's gonna be writing and playing forever — I mean, she's a badass artist and bass player, singer, everything, songwriter. So I got the invitation, and I'm, like, 'Yeah, of course I'm gonna join. Of course.'"

Asked how the other members of VIXEN reached out to her about joining the band, Julia said: "Well, actually, funnily enough, before Britt joined VIXEN, me and her tried to put together a band, right when she moved to L.A. But that didn't work out, and then she joined VIXEN, and I was super happy for her. So, fast forward, she actually called me a few months ago and she told me about the scenario, and I was, like, 'Yeah. I would love [to do it]. I mean, it's an honor for me to join VIXEN.' So that happened. And that was it. It was that quick. And I was just, 'Okay. Sign me in. Where can I go?' [Laughs]"

In January 2019, VIXEN recruited Lewis as its new lead singer following the departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

Prior to Lewis's addition to VIXEN, Petrucci, Ross and Denaro vowed to "expand upon the VIXEN legacy while remaining true to our musical roots."

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988),"Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".

⚡️TOMORROW NIGHT⚡️ We welcome the legendary voice of Cinderella, Tom Keifer and the infamous voice of Ratt, Stephen...

Posted by TAG'S SUMMER STAGE on Friday, July 7, 2023

BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler says that recording the audiobook version of his recently released autobiography, "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond", was "one of the hardest things" he has ever done.

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath – And Beyond" was released on June 6 in North America via HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books and June 8 in the United Kingdom.

On Friday (July 7),Butler took to his Twitter to share an audio sample of the "Into The Void" audiobook and he wrote in an accompanying message: "I thought sharing my life was difficult…until I had to read the book. Might have been one of the hardest things I've ever done."

Last month, Geezer was asked by the "KQ Morning Show" on the classic rock station 92 KQRS if recording the audiobook version of "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" was harder than writing it. He responded: "Oh, it certainly was. 'Cause I'm terrible at speeches and things like that. It was nerve-racking, 'cause you have to keep repeating yourself, or you didn't put enough emphasis on certain parts, so you have to go back and re-record it. Yeah, it was nerve-racking. I didn't like the experience whatsoever."

A longer sample of the audiobook version of "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" is available at HarperCollins. It can also be streamed using the embedded audio player below.

Regarding his reasons for writing his autobiography, Geezer recently told the "Far Beyond Metal" podcast: "It was just really to tell [my story], because I always regretted not asking my parents much more than I did. I just took them for granted. It was, like, 'There's mom and there's dad and I haven't really heard [any details about] any of their lives.' And I just wanted to have a kind of history of my life so the grandkids can get to know me a little better, and their kids and stuff."

Asked why he didn't write his autobiography with the help of a co-writer or a ghostwriter, Butler said: "I've read lots of other [autobiographies], and they just don't sound like the people that are supposed to have written 'em. And I just wanted a book that sounded like me in the writing."

Geezer went on to say that he did get some help in researching and fact-checking the material that ended up being included in his book.

"I had somebody that sort of went through all the archives through the '70s and '80s," he said. "I couldn't remember half the things, where I was or what gigs were there, what gigs we did and where we were at a particular time. So he helped me with all that. He went through what gigs we did and how long the tours were and when the albums were released."

According to Geezer, some of the stories that he had originally intended to include in his autobiography ended up being on the cutting-room floor.

"I just sent in several manuscripts of my stuff, and the final manuscript I sent in was about — oh, God — probably about five hundred pages, and that was edited down to three hundred pages, as in the book," he explained.

Asked if the leftover material and other stories he may have thought of since the book was completed might end up being included in a special future paperback edition of his autobiography, Geezer said: "I'm not sure how that works. 'Cause I keep thinking of things that should be in the book, and it's too late now. So I don't know how that works, if I can do an updated version when the paperback comes out. I'm not sure. I'll have to ask the publisher."

Pressed about whether doing another book would interest him, Butler said: "Uhm… It depends if I'm gonna get sued or not. [Laughs] 'Cause I had to leave out so much stuff. They were saying, 'Oh, you can't say that.' 'You can't say that.' 'How can you prove that?' and all that kind of thing. So I don't think there would be enough for another one."

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath – And Beyond" is described by the publisher as "a rollicking, effusive, and candid memoir by the heavy metal musician and founding member of BLACK SABBATH, covering his years as the band's bassist and main lyricist through his later-career projects, and detailing how one of rock's most influential bands formed and prevailed.

"With over 70 million records sold, BLACK SABBATH, dubbed by Rolling Stone 'THE BEATLES of heavy metal,' helped create the genre itself, with their distinctive heavy riffs, tuned down guitars, and apocalyptic lyrics. Bassist and primary lyricist Geezer Butler played a gigantic part in the band's renown, from suggesting the band name to using his fascination with horror, religion, and the occult to compose the lyrics and build the foundation of heavy metal as we know it.

"In 'Into The Void', Butler tells his side of the story, from the band's beginnings as a scrappy blues quartet in Birmingham through the struggles leading to the many well-documented lineup changes while touring around London's gritty clubs (Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and THE WHO makes notable appearances!),and the band's important later years. He writes honestly of his childhood in a working-class family of seven in Luftwaffe-battered Birmingham, his almost-life as an accountant, and how his disillusionment with organized religion and class systems would spawn the lyrics and artistic themes that would resonate so powerfully with fans around the world.

"'Into The Void' reveals the softer side of the heavy metal legend and the formation of one of rock's most exciting bands, while holding nothing back. Like Geezer's bass lines, it is both original, dramatic, and forever surprising."

Back in 2021, Butler told Cleveland.com that he started writing a memoir "because when my parents died, I always wished I'd asked them a lot more things than I knew about. I don't really know much about my mum and dad, 'cause they were always just there," he explained. "So, I started writing a memoir for my grandkids to read, and that's been fun going through stuff — old times and growing up in Birmingham and all that."

In the fall of 2020, Butler told Australia's Wall Of Sound that his book would be "about growing up in Aston, Birmingham and how SABBATH came about." The bassist also reflected on everything he has accomplished in this past half a century, saying: "It's a great achievement to still be relevant 50 years after we recorded our first two albums. We honestly thought we'd last a few years, then be forgotten about. Fifty years ago any form of popular music was seen as a passing fad — people even thought THE BEATLES would be forgotten about after they broke up, but nobody then [realized] how powerful the nostalgia effect would be."

A founding member of BLACK SABBATH, Butler is also the lyricist of such SABBATH classics as "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Paranoid" and others.

Butler, singer Ozzy Osbourne and guitarist Tony Iommi reunited in late 2011 and released a comeback album, "13", in June 2013.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Although SABBATH will not tour again, Butler, Osbourne and Iommi have not ruled out recording together.

Geezer is the third member of the original SABBATH lineup to release an autobiography. Ozzy's memoir, "I Am Ozzy", debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times' "Hardcover Nonfiction" best-seller list. The book was published on January 25, 2010 in the U.S., nearly two years after it was first expected to arrive. "I Am Ozzy" chronicled the legendary metal icon's life from his working-class beginnings in Birmingham, England to his initial fame with BLACK SABBATH to his massive solo career and forays into television.

Osbourne won the "Literary Achievement" honor for "I Am Ozzy" at the 2010 Guys Choice Awards at Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City, California. Ozzy was presented with the award by Sir Ben Kingsley.

Iommi's memoir, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath", was released in hardback in November 2011. It landed at position No. 35 on the New York Times' "Hardcover Nonfiction" best-sellers list. Da Capo reportedly paid a six-figure amount at auction for the rights to the 352-page book, which was described as "'Angela's Ashes' meets 'The Ground Beneath Her Feet' meets 'Spinal Tap'" by Foundry Literary + Media co-founder Peter McGuigan, who completed the North American rights deal for the memoir.
I thought sharing my life was difficult…until I had to read the book. Might have been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. pic.twitter.com/vGs3ya7Vn8

— Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) July 7, 2023

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, performed David Bowie's classic, "Heroes", at the Isle Of Wight Festival 2023 last month. Fripp contributed guitar to the original 1977 recording. Watch the performance below:





Toyah & Robert's Sunday Lunch is going on tour throughout the UK in September and October. The couple will be accompanied by a live band, with Fripp on guitar. Tickets are available here.







Says Toyah: “When people ask, 'What is the show going to be?', it’s going to be about the hundred years of musical experience we have between us.”


Watch the "Toyah At Home" video below, where Toyah and Robert introduce the tour concept:

HELMET, the iconic alternative rock band known for its groundbreaking sound and electrifying performances, will release a new studio album, "Left", in November via earMUSIC. To coincide with the LP release, HELMET will embark on a European tour the same month. The trek will kick off on November 8 in Prague, Czech Republic and make stop the Germany, Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and France before concluding on December 13 in London, United Kingdom.

For a complete list of tour dates, visit HelmetMusic.com.

In December 2021, HELMET frontman Page Hamilton confirmed to the "Thunder Underground" podcast that he had begun working on material for the band's first album in more than six years.

HELMET's first official live album, "Live And Rare", was released in November 2021 via earMUSIC. It was made available on heavyweight black vinyl as well as a CD digipak edition and digital.

Although HELMET disbanded in 1997, Hamilton revived the band in 2004, and the group has continued to tour and record.

HELMET's latest album, "Dead To The World", was released in October 2016 via earMUSIC. The effort was produced by Hamilton and mixed by Jay Baumgardner.

In 2021, HELMET released a cover of GANG OF FOUR's 1981 song "Into The Ditch". The track was recorded for a tribute album to GANG OF FOUR's guitarist Andy Gill, "The Problem Of Leisure: A Celebration Of Andy Gill And Gang Of Four".

Having cut his teeth playing with avant-garde guitar icon Glenn Branca and indie stalwarts BAND OF SUSANS, Hamilton launched HELMET in 1989, and the band released its debut album, "Strap It On", on the independent Amphetamine Reptile label the following year. HELMET soon became the subject of an unprecedented major-label bidding war, ultimately signing with Interscope and releasing "Meantime" in June 1992.

Even while the band was absent from the spotlight, HELMET continued to exercise considerable influence on multiple generations of bands. Their songs have been covered by the likes of CHEVELLE, DEFTONES, FAITH NO MORE, PIG DESTROYER and SOULFLY, and the band inspired a 2016 HELMET tribute album titled "Meantime Redux". HELMET has also been cited as a key influence on such bands as GODSMACK, KORN, MARILYN MANSON, MASTODON, PANTERA, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, SEPULTURA, SLIPKNOT, STAIND, SYSTEM OF A DOWN and TOOL.

HELMET ANNOUNCE UK/EUROPEAN “LOOK LEFT” TOUR 2023.
NEW ALBUM “LEFT” OUT THIS NOVEMBER ON earMUSIC!!!
Helmet announces...

Posted by Helmet on Monday, July 10, 2023

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's new band KK'S PRIEST headlined this weekend's Time To Rock festival on Sunday, July 9 in Knislinge, Sweden. Video of the performance is available below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



KK's PRIEST live im Time To Rock Festival

Posted by Roman Possa on Sunday, July 9, 2023

THE GHOST INSIDE has returned with a triumphant new single, "Earn It", produced by Dan Braunstein (SPIRITBOX, DAYSEEKER).

The band's first new release since 2020's self-titled record, "Earn It" finds the metalcore heavyweights back with a vengeance. Ushering in urgent guitars and crushing drums, front man Jonathan Vigil shifts from brutal screams to clean vocals with ease.

On the message behind the song, Jonathan ruminates: "Sometimes people think because of the social status or circumstances they're born into, they're entitled to greatness. Nothing worthwhile is ever gonna be handed to you. You gotta earn it."

THE GHOST INSIDE have been trekking through Europe taking their electrifying live performance to massive festival stages such as Hellfest (France),Graspop Metal Meeting (Belgium),Copenhell (Denmark) and Jera On Air (Netherlands). Pivoting to the U.S. on July 15, they will embark on a co-headlining tour with UNDEROATH, joined by WE CAME AS ROMANS and BETTER LOVERS as support. It all kicks off in Ohio at Inkcarceration Fest, and ends in California on August 19.

In 2008, THE GHOST INSIDE formed in El Segundo, California, united by their shared passion for bands in the hardcore scene. The band has since released five studio albums: "Fury and the Fallen Ones" (2008), "Returners"  (2010), "Get What You Give"  (2012),"Dear Youth" (2014) and "The Ghost Inside" (2020).  The group stands for authenticity, dedication, perseverance and the most literal adherence to the core values behind their craft. Sonically, they place equal emphasis on deeply personal vocals, urgent riffing and pile-driving breakdowns within the framework of their heavily melodic modern hardcore.

Their 2020 self-titled album represented determination, reflection and newfound hope after the tragic 2015 bus accident that changed the band's lives forever, claiming the lives of their driver, the lives of everyone in the other vehicle, and resulting in multiple injuries for all the members. Eventually, they came to see the incident as a moment to put their inspirational lyrics to the test. Songs that were once more philosophical in origin had become autobiographical. The accident will always be a defining moment for THE GHOST INSIDE, but never what defines them.

THE GHOST INSIDE is Jonathan Vigil (vocals),Chris Davis (guitar),Zach Johnson (guitar),Jim Riley (bass) and Andrew Tkaczyk (drums).

Photo credit: Markus Hauschild

In a new interview with Mike James Rock Show conducted at this weekend's 2000trees festival at Upcote Farm, Withington, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE guitarist Michael "Padge" Paget was asked about the band's plans for the coming months. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've got a few more — 10 or 11 more — summer festivals out in Europe to play over the summer. Then we have a little break in, sort of, August-September, and we head out to America for a month or five, six weeks to do a headline run up there. I'm not too sure what's gonna happen at the end of the year, if there's anything in there yet. And then we're gonna stop [touring] and start writing again. So '24 we'll be writing an album. And then 2025 we'll be back. [2025 is] an anniversary of something big," apparently alluding to the fact that 2025 will mark the 20th anniversary of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's debut album, "The Poison".

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE released the deluxe version of its latest, self-titled album in August 2022 via Spinefarm/Search & Destroy. This extended release featured four brand new tracks, plus "Stitches", a song previously only available as a Japanese exclusive. Following the CD and digital releases, a vinyl pressing launched in November 2022.

Last summer, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE frontman Matt Tuck spoke to "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, about the band's decision to pursue a more technical, aggressive direction on its self-titled album, which originally arrived in November 2021. The LP was written beginning in September 2019 with longtime producer Carl Bown, who co-produced the band's 2015 album, "Venom", and produced and mixed 2018's "Gravity".

"It just felt like the time was right," Matt explained. "It was just something that, when we wrote a couple of the key tracks that opened the door to letting the album what it is now, it just felt like the time was right.

"We came off the back off 'Gravity', which was not a technical record. For us, that album was all about emotion, it was all about the story, it was all about the vocal performances and the lyrical content," he continued. "And it was more an emotive, personal kind of album. And this time around, it became clear, after we kind of found those couple of key tracks, that this album was very different — it was very technical; it was very in your face; it was very aggressive. And we just loved that they had that contrast, and it just had its own identity and had its own moment in time in the band's catalog now. And yeah, I think because we hadn't kind of shown that skillset for a long time — since 'Venom' — and having starved ourselves of writing in that way, in a sense, that as soon as we did, it was just like four or five years' worth of stuff was just kind of flooding out. It was just a natural thing, and we just rode the wave, and the more we kind of rode it, the more technical and aggressive the songs were becoming. And it was great. It just put a smile on our face that we could showcase the heavier, more technical side of the band."

In December 2021, Tuck was asked by NME whether he thinks BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's next album will be a mixture of "Gravity" — which he had previously described as "probably our most mellow/experimental record" — and the self-titled LP. He said: "It really depends. In a year's, two years' time, whenever we decide to kind of get involved with that, we're just gonna do what we do — we're gonna see what comes out, what feels natural, what makes us happy, what makes us scared, what makes us motivated. And coming off the back of 'Gravity' and this album, we're just gonna that whole process of confidence and no-fear attitude into the writing process, and as soon as we start smiling and high-fiving, that's when we'll know we're on the right track."

"Gravity" saw BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's catalog surpass one billion streams in the U.S. That accomplishment solidified BULLET's status as one of the most elite bands in the hard rock scene.

Ozzy Osbourne has canceled his appearance as one the headliners of the Goldenvoice-produced Power Trip festival, which will take place Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8 at the Empire Polo Club In Indio, California.

Earlier today, the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer released the following statement: "As painful as this is, I've had to make the decision to bow out of performing on Power Trip in October.

"My original plan was to return to the stage in the summer of 2024, and when the offer to do this show came in, I optimistically moved forward. Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I'm just not ready yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed.

"The band that will be replacing me on Power Trip will be announced shortly. They are personal friends of mine and I can promise that you will not be disappointed.

"Above all, I want to thank my fans, my band, and my crew for their unconditional loyalty and continual support. I love you all and I will see you soon.

"God Bless, Ozzy".

Power Trip will feature performances by GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN and TOOL.

Ozzy's health issues, including catching COVID-19 more than a year ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman said he would return if his condition improved.

This past April, Ozzy was photographed walking without his cane in Los Angeles. According to Page Six, the 74-year-old singer looked unbalanced as he walked alongside his carer, who picked up flowers during their daytime stroll around the neighborhood and held them out for Osbourne to take a whiff.

Ozzy most recently gave an update on his touring status in February during an episode of SiriusXM's "Ozzy Speaks". He said: "Well, I've been working my guts out to try and get back on my feet. I've come to the point where [my wife and manager] Sharon says to me, 'You know what? The truth of the matter is you can't keep booking tours and failing, canceling. So, if I can ever get back to where I can tour again, fine. But right now, if you said to me, 'Can you go on the road in a month?' I couldn't say yes. I mean, if I could tour, I'd tour. But right now I can't book tours because right now I don't think I could pull them off."

Osbourne also commented on the fact that some of the media outlets reported that he was retiring from the road after he released his statement canceling his tour.

"The fucking press drive you nuts," Ozzy said. "I mean, I looked in the magazine, 'Ozzy's on his last legs.' I'm fucking not dying… Come on, guys. Haven't I've had it bad enough already? If I get okay today, if the doctor said to me today, 'Oh, you can tour, it would take another six months to get it together, you know?"

Osbourne also touched upon his ongoing health issues, saying: "You've got no idea. You got no idea what my… I feel like a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. The only thing I've got that keeps me going is making records. But I can't do that forever. I gotta get out there… [I'm] still in constant pain. I do to the best I can to stay away from the pain medication, but there are times when I go, 'You know, I've gotta take something.' I mean, last week I couldn't… I've been sleeping great, and all of a sudden for two back-to-back nights. I never slept a wink. If you're gonna torture me, just keep me awake for a couple of days. I'll tell you whatever the fuck you want me to say."

Osbourne was due to embark on a tour of Europe later this year, but in the aforementioned statement said that he has "come to the realization that I'm not physically capable … as I know I couldn't deal with the travel required.

"This is probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to share with my loyal fans," the musician continued in his statement. "As you may all know, four years ago this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine. My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) treatment, my body is still physically weak.

"Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really FUCKS ME UP, more than you will ever know," he wrote. "Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way."

In the statement, Osbourne added that he was looking into "ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country", and thanked his fans for "their endless dedication, loyalty and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have".

Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February. The trek was scheduled to begin in Helsinki, Finland, on May 3, and include gigs in Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and London, before finishing in his original hometown of Birmingham on June 14.

Ozzy has had extensive spinal surgery and other treatment over the past four years, after a fall at home in 2019 aggravated injuries he suffered in a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003. But despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in recent months, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last August and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game last September.
As painful as this is, I’ve had to make the decision to bow out of performing on Power Trip in October.

My original plan was to return to the stage in the summer of 2024, & when the offer to do this show came in, I optimistically moved forward.

Unfortunately, my body is… pic.twitter.com/gHWEE8VuI6

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) July 10, 2023

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN were presented with a gold disc by Tony Harlow, the head of Warner Music U.K., at the first of their two sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena last Friday in recognition of their critically acclaimed studio album "Senjutsu" selling over 100,000 physical copies in the U.K.

IRON MAIDEN lead singer Bruce Dickinson says: "Gold? That's fantastic!

"From the launch of the first 'Senjutsu' track, 'The Writing On The Wall', we knew that this album would work really well live and we're delighted that fans totally bought into an album with four songs over eight minutes long and another that is almost 13!

"This U.K. tour has been incredible and it reminds us how much our music — both new and historical — means to fans both in the UK and all round the world."

IRON MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood says: "It's terrific to continue to be awarded gold discs whilst touring through the great cities of Europe with a set containing five songs and around 50 minutes from this latest album, and the fans are loving it! It's a vindication of the band's intent to perform new music and the relationship we have with our fans that we continue to sell past landmarks like this in our home country and globally.

"We've always been proud to fly the flag for Britain and to be acknowledged with yet another gold album here is very satisfying. I think this makes it about our 20 somethingth(!) U.K. gold album going back over 40 years! Some record in more ways than one!"

Harlow says: "At Parlophone/Warner we've been lucky enough to represent IRON MAIDEN for a good number of years now and my personal involvement professionally with them goes back much further. I remember manager Rod Smallwood telling me way back then that, 'MAIDEN and metal will always be there, strongly bubbling under the media fads of the day. Metal fans rely on quality and integrity, and we will always deliver on that.' Watching the band at the O2 last Friday, some 30 years later, is proof that he had that completely right and the result is yet another gold album. MAIDEN don't compromise, don't sell out, and never disappoint. That's why so many people wear their colors.

"It's an honor and a privilege for us to work with them and we are super proud to give them this latest award. Even if it's a drop in the ocean of over 5 million albums sold in the U.K. alone”.

In an era of streaming, where physical sales of albums have taken a back-seat, IRON MAIDEN continue to thrive as one of the most successful rock bands on the planet. Their remarkable attention to detail and quality in all things means that fans around the globe, including the U.K., still purchase physical vinyl albums and CDs in quantities beyond the imagination of many of today's artists.

In addition to record sales, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest-selling live acts globally. Their last tour — "Legacy Of The Beast" — played to over three million people worldwide, and during the course of more than 30 sold-out dates of this year's "The Future Past Tour", IRON MAIDEN will play to in excess of 750,000 fans. They have just taken this spectacular show into seven huge arena shows across the U.K., selling them out months in advance.

"The Future Past Tour" continues through Europe this summer, heading into western Canada for three arena shows in late September and early October prior to playing at Power Trip festival in Indio, California on October 6, alongside GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC and METALLICA.

"Senjutsu" was released in September 2021 via BMG. The band's first LP in six years was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris. It features three tracks whose running time exceeds 10 minutes each.

For "Senjutsu" — loosely translated as "tactics and strategy" — the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai-themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Harris.

In the U.S., "Senjutsu" bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, charting higher than even the band's early classics like "Powerslave" and "The Number Of The Beast". Nearly 90 percent of the LP's 64,000 equivalent album units earned came from pure album sales. The critically acclaimed double album debuted one place higher than 2015's "The Book Of Souls" and 2010's "The Final Frontier", which both peaked at No. 4.

"Senjutsu" was MAIDEN's 13th album to top in the Top 40 in the U.S.

According to Billboard, "Senjutsu" logged the second-largest week of 2021 for a hard rock album in both equivalent album units earned and in traditional album sales.

"Senjutsu" topped the charts in several European countries upon its release, including in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

Left to right in photo: Nicko McBrain (IRON MAIDEN),Tony Harlow (Warner Music),Janick Gers (IRON MAIDEN),Dave Shack (Phantom Management),Bruce Dickinson (IRON MAIDEN),Andy Taylor (Phantom Management),Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN),Dave Murray (IRON MAIDEN),Rod Smallwood (Phantom Management),Steve Harris (IRON MAIDEN)

Following its debut last month, when it provided the score for TNT's 2023 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs retrospective, DIRTY HONEY has announced the release of its brand new single, "Won't Take Me Alive", a take-no-prisoners, balls-out rocker and the first track from the band's upcoming sophomore album, "Can't Find The Brakes", due out this fall.

Produced by Nick DiDia (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, PEARL JAM) and recorded this past April at his Byron Bay, Australia studio, the song is loaded with Marc LaBelle's sleazy, passionate vocals and in-your-face attitude, bassist Justin Smolian's throbbing bass, new drummer Jaydon Bean's fresh and badass grooves, and, as LaBelle put it about guitarist John Notto, "the best riff I'd heard in the last decade. The song is full of sex and swagger, but it's still got the heaviness and the fun that DIRTY HONEY's all about."

"'Won't Take Me Alive' was an instrumental idea I demoed on bass, drums, and guitar at my home studio," said Notto. "I brought it to the band, we wrote a new chorus, and it was basically finished that quickly. Nick [DiDia] rented some vintage amps and really helped me get the raunchy sound and attitude I wanted for the riff."

The release of "Won't Take Me Alive" comes in tandem with the final leg of DIRTY HONEY's "California Dreamin'" European headline tour, the band's third in the past two years, comprised of sold-out headline shows, and support slots with KISS and GUNS N' ROSES. DIRTY HONEY will launch the first leg of their 2023-24 world tour in North America this September, supporting GUNS N' ROSES, and then play headline dates in October, November and December.

Photo credit: Katarina Benzova

Former NIGHTWISH members Tarja Turunen (vocals) and Marko "Marco" Hietala performed a cover of "The Phantom Of The Opera" during their special open-air concert this past Saturday (July 8) at Z7 Summer Nights in Pratteln, Switzerland. Tarja and Marko both played individual sets at the event, with their rendition of the main theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical coming during Turunen's portion of the show.

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marco came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

More than a year ago, Tarja was asked in an interview with Top Link Music manager and concert promoter Paulo Baron and music critic Regis Tadeu if she would consider doing a tour with NIGHTWISH if all of her former bandmates apologized to her about how their split happened and invited her to share the stage with them again. She responded: "It is very, very hypothetical that all what you said will happen, first of all — it's very, very hypothetical.

"I'm living in a world, like we are all living in a world, that things happen without us noticing," she continued. "I mean, I can't really close any doors in that sense; I'm not that kind of person any longer. I learned so many things in this life already. I take them as they are.

"So I don't know. It would be very hypothetically possible," she added. "It would be unlikely to happen."

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by session bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

In an August 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Hietala revealed that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia, anxiety and an eventual attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Speaking about how he eventually came to the realization that exiting NIGHTWISH was the right thing to do, Marko said: "It was a long process. Of course, the COVID year that was there, where I had a lot of time for soul searching, it obviously gave me the last incentive that I need something else, that if I just continue with this I'm just gonna get sicker and sicker. But, of course, it's a process.

"I've been chronic depressive since 2010 [or] 2011, so I've been on a permanent medication ever since," he revealed. "Sometimes you get used to the meds [and] you will need more. We did raise [the dosage] during the years also, but it just didn't work. And now that I started to do… I had psychotherapy for over four years now, and then I also talked to psychiatrists and some doctors and did that also in Spain. Then my psychiatrist here in Finland said that I should do these ADHD neuropsychological tests, which I then did in Spain. And, okay, I got it."

Hietala reiterated that he "had been thinking about" leaving NIGHTWISH "for a while" before making the final decision. "Because I had a lot of weight. And I tend to… With the attention disorder, it tells me that when there are lots of trouble, then the disorder makes it into a real chaos," he explained. "There's a shitload of stuff coming and going and no peace anywhere. And for a year or two, I was already waking up every night at three o'clock to bad dreams and anxiety. So I'd say that the whole process probably started already with my former divorce [in 2016]. That was a very sad time when you think about your kids and your broken homes and all that. And then, when I started to get clear from that, then there were, well, all kinds of things. I don't really wanna go any deeper to what kind of things I'd gone through, but I'd gone through enough."

Acknowledging that making NIGHTWISH's latest studio album, 2020's "Human. :II: Nature.", was a "difficult" experience for him, Marko denied that his mental state at the time resulted in a diminished role for him on the final LP. "I think the original idea was to have that… we'll do a couple of [solo vocal appearances], or one solo for me and Troy [Donockley], and the rest Floor [Jansen], and then the harmonies; that was the idea originally for that," he said. "So I don't know if it affected. I think it was sort of as planned. But at that time I already had serious trouble with concentrating and serious trouble with a constant black cloud over my head."

Last July, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

In May 2021, Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave NIGHTWISH "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December [of 2020 that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

Tuomas elaborated on NIGHTWISH's reasons for carrying on, saying: "I think we still have something to give, and that's the main point. The music is still there. We felt that there's still so much music that needs to come out from this band that, 'Okay, let's give it one more shot.' And then finding the new bass player was really easy."

He added: "It's not like we do this just because we need to do it and there's nothing else to do. On a personal level, I feel that there's still so many stories and melodies that I want to share with the world with one lineup or another, so that's why you want to continue and keep on going.

"I've said this a million times, that a lineup change is the ultimate energy vampire, and that's how it really felt and still feels."

In June 2021, Jansen spoke about Hietala's exit from the band in an episode of her "Storytime" YouTube video series. She said: "That was a very sudden surprise that, of course, was not fun at all. But we understand — I understand — it was a necessary thing for him to do. And from there, we had to think of how to continue without him, and that also, in preparations towards the virtual show, that was a huge challenge."

In December 2020, Hietala was crowned the winner of the fall 2020 season of "Masked Singer Suomi" — the Finnish edition of the popular masked singing contest. He was disguised as Tohtori — the Doctor.

In the summer of 2021, Holopainen said that NIGHTWISH would split up if the band's current singer Floor Jansen ever chose to leave. Holopainen, who formed NIGHTWISH in 1996 with guitarist Emppu Vuorinen and Turunen, made the comment while discussing the departure of Hietala.

Pressed by U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine about his 2019 statement that NIGHTWISH would disband if another member opted to depart, Tuomas said: "That's how I felt back in 2019, and that's also how I felt when Marko left. I take my words back when it comes to that. But if it would be Floor leaving, that's it, it's the end of NIGHTWISH. Absolutely, 100%."

SYMPHONIC METAL DREAMS
8.07 - Z7 Summer Nights Open Air

Tickets: https://www.z-7.ch/event.php?eventid=2048

Finland's...

Posted by Tarja Turunen on Friday, April 7, 2023

German TV program "Rockpalast", which broadcasts on the television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR),has uploaded professionally filmed video of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's entire May 11 concert at Luxor in Cologne, Germany. You can watch the show below.

Featured songs:

01. Bottom Feeder 00:00:00
02. Paranoid Opioid 00:02:45
03. Shake Like You 00:09:25
04. Seven Days 00:14:22
05. Diablo Blvd. 00:20:16
06. Senor Limpio 00:24:08
07. Wiseblood 00:28:58
08. Who's Got The Fire 00:32:18
09. Stone Breaker 00:35:22
10. 13 Angels 00:40:46
11. Vote With A Bullet 00:50:00
12. Born Again For The Last Time 00:54:47
13. Albatross 00:59:20
14. Clean My Wounds 01:06:19

Two months ago, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY confirmed the return of drummer Stanton Moore for its upcoming album. The "brutal-sounding" follow-up to 2018's "No Cross No Crown" is tentatively due in 2024.

In an interview with Eonmusic ahead of the kick-off of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's European tour in Dublin, bassist Mike Dean and guitarist Woody Weatherman spoke about the loss of drummer Reed Mullin, who passed away in January 2020.

"It's a shock when you really realize [that he's gone for good]", said Dean. "Yeah, it was kind of a shock, yeah. Such an important musical contributor. Definitely an innovator. You can't replace him, for sure."

Added Weatherman: "Nobody really plays like Reed. But it's all part of moving forward. We miss him."

Regarding the decision to bring back Moore, who played on 2005's "In The Arms Of God", the pair were enthusiastic.

"We've been down to New Orleans and had a little writing session," Dean said. "We got together and picked it up pretty much where we left off." Weatherman added: "We turned the embers over a couple of times, rebuilding the fire."

On what Moore is bringing to proceedings, Mike said: "He's amped to do it, and he's got his indomitable style, so that's a good way to follow up the last one, for sure."

As for how the drummer came to be involved once again, Woody said: "He kind of spearheaded it, if recollection is clear, because him and Pepper [Keenan, guitar/vocals], they both live in New Orleans. He expressed his interest, and we were, like, 'Yes, that would be awesome, if, you know, if you got the time.' I mean, we'll make up time and we'll do it."

Regarding the sound of the album so far, Mike offered: "It's hard to say. I think you'll hear some new ideas, but I think you'll hear a little bit of the 'In The Arms Of God' vibe because that's where we're picking up with, in terms of jamming with Stanton. And he'll have his Stantonisms."

Weatherman added: "It's pretty brutal sounding. We're jamming a couple up that show promise. I mean, you never know what will happen."

When Dean first confirmed to MetalSucks last November that Moore would appear on the upcoming effort, he said: "History repeats itself all these years later. Stanton played on 'In The Arms Of God', and I think he's going to be working with us again for the next record. Having him aboard, I think you need to get a little nerdy to describe it because Stanton has got his own particular way that he wants to play. He wants to play kick drums in his jazzy way and likes to have the drums heads up front, so it's more of a traditional-sounding thing. And all of Stanton's fills are very second-line sounding, and he has these little phrases that are unique to him."

When asked if Stanton would join CORROSION OF CONFORMITY as a permanent replacement for Reed Mullin, Dean said: "Stanton is a different animal than Reed — we learned that back when we did 'In The Arms Of God' — and he brings an entirely new dynamic to the band. Stanton will take these straight, New Orleans-influenced, second-line things and throw them into a metal song; there's no stopping it. If you've seen Stanton Moore with GALACTIC, you'll know what I'm talking about. He's got his take, man. He's a character. But this isn't like Stanton joining the band per se, and I'm not sure that he would come out on the road and play with us because he's busy. It's more that Stanton is a good friend of ours, and we love working with him when we can when our schedules all sync up. Plus, Pepper and Stanton have known each other since they were little. It felt right to do another album with him because we loved what he did on 'In The Arms Of God', and we wanted to make this first record after Reed passed special. So, stay tuned, and we'll see how it all comes out."

Last October, Keenan told Guitar World that he still loves "No Cross No Crown". "It was a really fun experience to do and the last thing we did with Reed, unfortunately. So, it holds a special place in my heart. We're very happy with it."

Mullin died in January 2020 at the age of 53. The drummer, who co-founded CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in 1982 as a hardcore punk act alongside guitarist Woody Weatherman and Dean, had missed a number of shows in the preceding four years due to a variety of health issues, including an alcohol-related seizure he suffered back in June 2016.

Asked how Reed's passing affected him and the rest of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, Pepper told Guitar World: "We lost our left arm. It was very hard to find a drummer. We have John Green [on tour with us], who is fantastic, but you just can't replace people like that. Other people have gone through it, too — but it's not easy. You spend decades with a person writing, and you don't even have to look at them; it just comes out. This was the first time we had to regroup in a long time and try to do it with a different drummer. We've got that figured out, so now we're getting ready to focus on that."

In 2014, after nearly a straight decade traversing the globe as a guitarist with New Orleans supergroup DOWN, Pepper reconnected with the core CORROSION OF CONFORMITY trio of Weatherman, Dean and Mullin to hit the road hard. "Reed called me and mentioned maybe playing a couple shows," Keenan recalled back in 2017. "I said, 'Let's just go to Europe and see if it works.' So we went to Europe and then ended up going back four times in one year... We toured for a year and then started tracking."

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY recorded "No Cross No Crown" in about forty days over the course of a year at a North Carolina studio with longtime producer John Custer.

Former MACHINE HEAD and current VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel joined Nita Strauss on stage during her July 5 concert at Goldfield Trading Post in Sacramento, California to perform a cover of PANTERA's "Cowboys From Hell". Video of his appearance can be seen below (courtesy of the Rholedz YouTube channel).

As previously reported, Nita recruited a vocalist named Kasey Karlsen to join her onstage during her ongoing "Summer Storm" tour.

In a Twitter message introducing Kasey, Nita wrote: "We needed someone fearless and versatile for this tour who could handle tons of different vocal styles, and if you've seen Kasey's videos you already know she can do it all. She is going to destroy these stages and we are beyond excited to have her with us!!"

Karlsen has a half a million followers on TikTok where she posts vocal covers of such acts as SLIPKNOT, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, BRING ME THE HORIZON and ICE NINE KILLS.

The "Summer Storm" trek will wrap up on July 14 in New Orleans. Support on the tour is coming from LIONS AT THE GATE, the new band featuring former ILL NIÑO members Cristian Machado (vocals),Ahrue "Luster" Ilustre (guitar) and Diego Verduzco (guitar),alongside bassist Stephen Brewer (WESTFIELD MASSACRE) and drummer Fern Lemus.

Nita released her sophomore solo album, "The Call Of The Void", on July 7 via Sumerian Records. The LP features guest appearances by IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale, Alice Cooper, DISTURBED's David Draiman, Dorothy, Alissa White-Gluz of ARCH ENEMY and Chris Motionless of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE.

Nita released 2018's "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".

In March, it was announced that Nita would return to Alice's band for his 2023 tour.

The Alice Cooper North American tour, with an all-new show dubbed "Too Close For Comfort", kicked off in late April in Michigan and will continue through late September, including a handful of August stadium shows with DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY CRÜE, followed by a co-headlining late summer "Freaks On Parade" tour with Rob Zombie.

Nita spent eight years playing with Alice before joining Demi Lovato's band last summer,

Strauss had been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

Some shuts last night with Amazing female guitarist Nita Strauss at Goldfield in Sacramento Ca 7/5/23. Epic guitar...

Posted by Rholedz on Thursday, July 6, 2023

In a new interview with Finland's Chaoszine, ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz was asked about a possible timeline for the release of her long-in-the-works debut solo album. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're not ready to release it yet, so there's no real timeline yet. I'm still very much in the 'Deceivers' timeline with ARCH ENEMY, so I have to basically find a gap in ARCH ENEMY's albums to release this. But we don't really take a lot of breaks. So I'm working on it. As soon as it's done, everyone will know."

White-Gluz also talked about her vocal approach on her solo material, saying: "I like to include lots of different techniques, and for that reason I like to write music that's a little bit progressive so that there's some room for experimentation in there. And so, yeah, I did some really low growls, some kind of black metal growls, straight-up normal growls, some whispering stuff, some operatic stuff, more belting, more jazzy singing. I think one of the things that I used the most that I just haven't used that much so far is what I would call my natural voice, which is me just singing as me. And I think that that is actually a little bit of a bluesy, jazzy tone that maybe people don't know about yet."

Back in March 2022, Alissa told "Vox&Hops", the podcast hosted by Matt McGachy, frontman of extreme metal band CRYPTOPSY, about the delay in getting her debut solo album released: "What happened was it was announced [in September 2016] that I signed [with Napalm Records] for a solo album. All I did was sign to do one, but I think a lot of people interpreted that I had an album that I was ready to put out. So, basically, when the news came out about this solo album, the only thing that happened at that point was that I just agreed to do one. And then I was on tour for, like, three hundred days of the year up until 2020. And so now it's done, because now I've actually been home long enough to write the songs and get them done. And it's awesome and I love it."

Regarding a possible release date for the effort, Alissa said: "There's nothing holding it back — it's done — but I need to be careful with how I release it, because now there's so many releases happening that I wanna make sure that the music gets the attention it deserves. So it's not gonna come out at the same time as an ARCH ENEMY album, for sure, because that's just not a good idea, but I will find a time to release it in a way that makes sense."

As for the musical direction of her solo material, Alissa said: "It doesn't really sound like ARCH ENEMY, actually. It's still me, so it's gonna sound a little bit like ARCH ENEMY, but it's kind of different. I feel like it's kind of an amalgam of that really interesting place that you're at when you're a beginner musician, because although I'm not a beginner vocalist or songwriter, I am a beginner guitarist — I'm very bad at guitar. So when I'm writing songs on guitar, I have an approach that is probably totally wrong, and that's what, I think, makes it cool. It's different — it's an unorthodox approach. I mean, I can still play it, but it's not my main instrument, so when I'm writing riffs on a guitar, I'm writing like a vocalist writing riffs on a guitar. Some could argue that that's kind of how Michael [Amott, ARCH ENEMY] writes too, actually, because his riffs are so 'sing-songy.' But, yeah, so I wrote a bunch with Jeff [Loomis, ARCH ENEMY guitarist] and I wrote a bunch with a lot of other people, actually, which I don't wanna spoil and announce them all now. But there's clean singing, there's growling, of course, and other interesting vocal techniques with the note screaming and some operatic stuff. It's a heavy album. I don't know what genre to call it. It's totally self-produced in that sense. It's honest. It's exactly what I just felt like writing for this. So there's some prog elements, there's some rock and roll elements, there's a lot of metal in it, obviously. But, yeah, I'm really happy with it. So I hope that other people like it too, basically."

Back in 2017, Alissa said that her debut solo album would feature collaborations with a member of KAMELOT and at least one of her bandmates in ARCH ENEMY.

The ARCH ENEMY frontwoman said that the idea for a solo project came about as a suggestion from the band's former lead singer Angela Gossow, who has been managing ARCH ENEMY's career for more than a decade and also oversees Alissa's personal affairs.

"[Angela] was, like, 'Well, you need something. You need something that you can do, because I know you're a workaholic and you're not gonna be able to just sit there like this waiting for the next ARCH ENEMY tour,'" Alissa told France's Duke TV. "And she's totally right — I needed something else to be able to work on. And also, I have a lot of ideas that maybe don't sound like ARCH ENEMY and it would be kind of silly to just force them into ARCH ENEMY."

According to White-Gluz, her debut solo album will be released under the ALISSA banner because she wanted to "keep it simple" and "make it very clear who it is and what it is." In order to make the disc, Alissa "did a huge life overhaul," which included building a studio and investing a lot of time and money into learning how to engineer and record, program drums and improving at playing guitar. "Of course, on the album itself we're gonna have real musicians playing all of these things, but in terms of just getting the style down and the songwriting, it's something that I need to start on my own," she explained to Duke TV.

At the time of the Duke TV interview, half of Alissa's solo effort had been written, and it contained some musical surprises. "It doesn't really sound like ARCH ENEMY — it's pretty different — but I think it's pretty cool," she said. "For example, a song that I'm writing with Oliver [Palotai, keyboards] from KAMELOT doesn't sound like KAMELOT and it doesn't sound like ARCH ENEMY, but it's members of both."

Former NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis, who joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014, didn't have any of his songwriting ideas included on the latter band's last two albums, "Will To Power" and 2022's "Deceivers", but will play a prominent role on Alissa's upcoming disc.

"Jeff didn't write with Michael, because Michael was already writing so well with Daniel [Erlandsson, ARCH ENEMY drummer] that we just actually had too many ideas," White-Gluz told France's Loud TV in a separate interview. "But all of Jeff's ideas are really good and I've heard them and they're gonna be released, so people will hear them… Jeff is gonna be one of my collaborators on my solo project, because how can you say no to that? [Laughs]"

"Deceivers" came out in July 2022 via Century Media.

Fan-filmed video of DEEP PURPLE's July 7 concert at the Rockwave festival in Athens, Greece can be seen below.

Last year, DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey told Rolling Stone magazine that there is no concrete plan for him and his bandmates to stop playing live shows.

"We started the farewell tour in 2017. It was due to end in 2019," he noted. "But the thing is, when you're a musician in a band, you think you're in control of it, but you're not. The business is running you.

"Of course, there was so much demand for the band to continue from the promoters and agents that we said, 'Okay, we'll do one more year.'"

Regarding when he thinks DEEP PURPLE will finally call it quits, Don said: "The words of T.S. Eliot [the greatest English-language poet of his generation] come to mind: 'This is the way the band ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.' I think we won't know it's the last gig. We won't have a clue that this one is going to be the last one. That's how it's going to end. It's going to be no big scenario.

"I like what Buddy Guy said. He said, 'Musicians don't retire. They drop.' You do have thoughts about being in the garden and bouncing the grandchildren on your knee, but it's part of your blood system, playing and touring. It's an addiction. I hope I keep playing for a while yet."

In a recent interview with Brazil's A Rádio Rock, DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover spoke about the band's plans for the coming months. He said: "Well, we've just undergone a big change, because our guitarist Steve Morse had to retire from the band because he was looking after his very ill wife. And so we have a new guitarist in the band called Simon McBride. And it's a whole experience; I mean, it's a different band."

He continued: "In a way, we have to embrace change. You can't do the same thing over and over again, and we've had several changes, of course, over the years. And this one is particularly exciting. 'Cause we've been working on a new album; we should have a new album out by next year. And we can't stop writing. That's what we do."

In July 2022, Morse officially left PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who is battling cancer.

Morse's announcement came four months after the guitarist said that he would be taking a hiatus from the band, in the hope of rejoining his bandmates once his wife's health improved. He was then replaced on the road by McBride.

Morse effectively took over Ritchie Blackmore's DEEP PURPLE slot in 1994 and had since been in the group longer than Ritchie.

McBride, who is guitar player, singer, songwriter and a band leader all in one, hails from Belfast in Northern Ireland — a place that resonates of the best music traditions like Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher, as well as bands such as THIN LIZZY, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS and obviously U2. His biography tells many stories — from his band touring with no sound engineer, driver, or roadie, playing 30 shows in 35 days, to him regularly sharing stages with Gillan and Airey.

DEEP PURPLE's latest album, "Turning To Crime", came out in November 2021 via earMUSIC. The LP contains DEEP PURPLE's versions of great rock classics and musical jewels — including songs originally recorded by Bob Dylan, FLEETWOOD MAC, Bob Seger, CREAM and THE YARDBIRDS — carefully chosen by each member of the band.

The DarthNimmer YouTube channel has uploaded video of Stephen Pearcy's July 8 concert at the Tag's Summer Stage in Big Flats, New York. Check out the clips below.

As the founder, lead singer, and songwriter of the metal rock band RATT, Pearcy led his creation to mega multi-platinum success year after year from 1984 to 1991. RATT climbed up the charts with "Out Of The Cellar", which generated Top 10 singles followed by sold-out tours throughout the world. Throughout RATT's nearly four decades of success with Pearcy at its helm, they released eight albums and played thousands of shows worldwide all the while selling over 20 million records.

Pearcy has released five solo albums so far: "Social Intercourse" (2002),"Fueler" (2004),"Under My Skin" (2008),"Smash" (2017) and "View To A Thrill" (2018).

In January 2021, Pearcy told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was open to the idea of making a new RATT album with all the surviving members of the band's classic lineup.

RATT hasn't released any new music since 2010's "Infestation" LP.

Last month, singer Pearcy spoke to Matt Pinfield of 95.5 KLOS's "New & Approved" series about his upcoming collection of music, "Legacy", which is due later in the year via Golden Robot Records. According to Stephen, the set will include never-before-heard RATT songs, solo tracks, re-recordings and new versions of previously released tunes.

Stephen said: "I've done five solo records. And the other one's ready to go, the sixth one. I have a record coming out, called 'Legacy', on an Australian label, Golden Robot, probably in the next few months. And it's songs from my career — 1977 to present day. And it's gonna be insane, because I'm unleashing some songs — the last song Warren [DeMartini, RATT guitarist] and I wrote; the last song Robbin [Crosby, late RATT guitarist] and I wrote years ago, some live RATT that nobody's heard. I have some songs going on there that'll blow minds. And it's a special thing. It's called 'Legacy'. You can look for that soon. And then the [new] solo record eventually."

Last November, Pearcy told Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic that he was "putting the finishing touches on" "Legacy". He added: "The problem I was having was a good one, because there was so much music to choose from through my history of music and catalog — quality stuff, not just hissy-hissy scratchy LP or cassette, whatever form it was recorded. We're taking time with it. It's kind of a story, actually, because there's some stuff like interluding into songs, and you hear us discussing rearranging 'Wanted Man' — early stuff, like in 1983 or [198]2. I mean, it's crazy. But it's all good. My problem was picking songs. Now, I've got it, so there'll probably be a part two."

He continued: "Not most, but some of the stuff that I've got were from bootleggers. And I'm the best bootlegger out there for RATT, or anything that I do, so I pretty much found the same thing but in better quality. Going back to, like, in the '80s, you'd get these double-album live bootlegs in Germany and Japan. I've got all those."

⚡️TOMORROW NIGHT⚡️ We welcome the legendary voice of Cinderella, Tom Keifer and the infamous voice of Ratt, Stephen...

Posted by TAG'S SUMMER STAGE on Friday, July 7, 2023

Toronto rockers Danko Jones have released an official lyric video for their latest single, "Good Time". Check it out below.


Danko: "Get this damn song inside your head! It’s got a lot of swears."







With Electric Sounds, Toronto’s archbishops of amplification prove that even a global pandemic couldn’t stop Danko Jones.


“Not working for two years really felt like touring rock bands were being put out to pasture,” recalls Danko. “But I guess that only made us try harder. We were still able to record and release an album during the pandemic (Power Trio, 2021). We toured as soon as we were allowed. Now that Electric Sounds is getting released, it doesn’t feel like we missed a beat. During the pandemic, we moved away from each other. JC lives in Finland and Rich lives in Prince Edward Island. So the writing for this band has changed. We used to bash out ideas in our rehearsal place, day after day, but it’s more about sending files back and forth now. However, last summer, while on tour, we did manage to jam out ideas in a rehearsal room in Berlin for a few days. Out of those jams came the nubs for five songs...”


Five songs have since been expanded to eleven new Danko Jones songs, and Electric Sounds promises to have the instant sound and feel of a classic. With no need to reinvent the wheel, the group have further honed and refined their craft - always at full volume - although Electric Sounds is a deceptively diverse affair. No band has ever sounded more ready to hit the road than the pumped-up threesome showcased on the hell-for-leather ragers featured on their forthcoming album.


Electric Sounds was produced by Eric Ratz, and features guest spots from Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies), Damian Abraham (Fucked Up) and guitarist Daniel Dekay (from Canadian thrash legends Exciter).


Pre-order the album here.





Electric Sounds tracklisting:


"Guess Who's Back"
"Good Time"
"Electric Sounds"
"Get High?"
"Stiff Competition"
"She's My Baby"
"Eye For An Eye"
"I Like It"
"Let's Make Out"
"What Goes Around"
"Shake Your City"


"Guess Who's Back" lyric video:





"Good Time" video





Danko Jones is:


Danko Jones - Vocals/Guitar
John Calabrese - Bass
Rich Knox - Drums

On June 28th, Hollywood Vampires - featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen - performed at  Zitadelle Spandau in Berlin, Germany . Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.


The band is rounded out by Glen Sobel, Chris Wyse and Buck Johnson.


The setlist was as follows: 




"I Want My Now" 
"Raise the Dead"
"I'm Eighteen" (Alice Cooper)
"Five to One / Break On Through (To the Other Side)" (The Doors) 
"The Boogieman Surprise"
"My Dead Drunk Friends" 
"You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" (Johnny Thunders) 
"Baba O'Riley" (The Who)
"Who's Laughing Now"
"People Who Died" (The Jim Carroll Band) 
"The Jack (AC/DC) 
"As Bad As I Am" 
"Heroes" (David Bowie) 
- Jeff Beck Tribute - (instrumental) 
"Bright Light Fright" (Aerosmith) 
"The Death and Resurrection Show" (Killing Joke) 
"Walk This Way" (Aerosmith)
"The Train Kept A-Rollin'" (Tiny Bradshaw) 


Encore:
"School's Out" (Alice Cooper)





PEOPLE reported exclusively that Johnny Depp had an "intimate" birthday celebration with his bandmates last month.


The Oscar nominee, who turned 60 on June 9, marked the occasion by enjoying dinner with his Hollywood Vampires cohorts Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen while on a tour stop in Istanbul, Turkey, a source tells PEOPLE.


"There was no big grand party. No blast off. He celebrated in Istanbul on his birthday. He had a dinner with his bandmates," says the source. "It was an intimate dinner in Istanbul, where they were playing.”


The source adds that Depp is "really prioritizing his health in this phase of his life."


"He's 60. He's on tour. He's directing a movie. He can't do what he was doing at 20 years old," the source says. "He's taking care of himself. Everything in moderation."


"He's older. He's still working. It doesn't make any sense to be partying hard anymore," the source adds. "It's a different scene. He's really busy.”


Read more at PEOPLE.com.


In 2015, Hollywood Vampires played their biggest and most legendary concert in front of over 100,000 fans. Rock In Rio is not only one of the most famous festivals, but also the origin of the Hollywood Vampires first live album.


Live in Rio is now available as CD+DVD Digipak, CD+Blu-ray Digipak, limited + numbered 2LP Gatefold Black, and can be ordered here.





Live In Rio tracklisting:


"Raise The Dead"
"My Generation"
"I Got A Line On You"
"Cold Turkey"
"Five To One/Break On"
"Through (To The Other Side)"
"Manic Depression"
"7 And 7 Is"
"Whole Lotta Love"
"Jeepster"
"I'm A Boy"
"School's Out"
"Billion Dollar Babies"
"Train Kept A-Rollin’"
"Brown Sugar"


"Raise The Dead" video:





"Manic Depression" video:





"My Generation" video:





"I Got A Line On You" video:

London-based thrash-metal quintet Lokust have issued a music video for a new track titled "Parasitic" off the band's debut album Infidel, which will be self-released on July 28th. 





Featuring 11 tracks, Infidel is a creatively complex and thunderous dose of modern metal, brimming with pummelling drums and bass, shredding guitar riffs and blood-curdling vocals - although simultaneously featuring moments of dynamic introspection and poignancy throughout the album.




"We always meant for Lokust to exist on the border between old-school and contemporary - we use a lot of layering in our songwriting as well as aiming to integrate the full array of what a metal band can do these days, technically and production-wise - but our loyalty to imperfections, raw expression and humanity remains paramount," says the band about this new record.


"We've always aspired to follow in the footsteps of the bands we first fell in love with, who seemed to have a more transparent, expressive way of executing their music, rather than what we perceive as the more careful and polished approach of a lot of bands these days," they add. 





Tracklisting:


"(March)"
"The Sin Of Doubt"
"Parasitic"
"Guiltless"
"Anima"
"War Of Opposites"
"(Futile)"
"Vilified"
"Jinn"
"Eradication:One"
"Sacrosant"


"Vilified" video:





For further details, visit Lokust on Facebook.


 

According to The Entertainment Outlet, IN THIS MOMENT debuted two new songs called "Sacrifice" and "The Purge" at the opening concert of "The Dark Horizon Tour" on Saturday, July 8 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Video of the performance can be seen below. The official music video for "The Purge" is expected to make its online debut on July 18.

IN THIS MOMENT is joined on "The Dark Horizon Tour" by co-headliners MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, along with special guests FIT FOR A KING and FROM ASHES TO NEW. The trek, which sees IN THIS MOMENT and MOTIONLESS IN WHITE alternating closing sets each night, will continue through an August 19 performance at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

This past January, IN THIS MOMENT said that it was preparing to enter the studio to begin recording its eighth full-length album. The band wrote in a social media post at the time: "We cannot wait for you all to hear what we are conjuring up".

Last October, IN THIS MOMENT released an EP called "Blood 1983". The effort commemorated the tenth anniversary of IN THIS MOMENT's gold-certified album "Blood" (2012) and was made available digitally across all digital service providers as well as CD via BMG.

"Blood 1983" was co-produced by Tyler Bates and Dan Haigh, and mixed by Zakk Cervini.

Since coming to life in 2005, IN THIS MOMENT has presided over a diehard fan base under the watch of "mother" figure and frontwoman Maria Brink — joined by co-founder and lead guitarist Chris Howorth, bassist Travis Johnson, guitarist Randy Weitzel and drummer Kent Dimmel. As millions convened upon the group's otherworldly and unforgettable concerts, they quietly emerged as one of the most influential and impactful bands of the 21st century.

To date, in addition to the gold-selling album "Blood", the quintet has garnered two gold singles — "Blood" and "Whore" — followed by Top 25 entries on the Billboard Top 200 with "Black Widow" (2014) and "Ritual" (2017). Bringing their total stream tally well past 200 million as of 2020, "Ritual" elevated them to new creative and critical peaks as well. Between selling out headline tours coast-to-coast, the group performed in arenas everywhere alongside DISTURBED and appeared at countless festivals from Welcome To Rockville to Sonic Temple. Along the way, they assembled their seventh full-length, the aptly titled "Mother" (Roadrunner) with longtime collaborator Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH).

IN THIS MOMENT is Maria Brink (lead vocals),Chris Howorth (guitars),Travis Johnson (bass),Randy Weitzel (rhythm guitar),Kent Dimmel (drums).

Hatefulmurder, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, returns with a new single and lyric video, "Eye For An Eye".


The new track brings elements of death metal, with a contrast between old school and contemporary with potent rhymes where the dynamic range of vocalist Angélica Burns can be heard in all its glory, talking about a theme that makes the listener reflect.


“The lyrics of the song 'Eye For An Eye' bring reflections on the consequences of human behavior in its wildest and most primitive state, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” comments Angélica.










In January 2023, Hatefulmurder released the single “Psywar”, along with an accompanying music video. In July, the band released the track “Eye For An Eye”, with a promotoinal lyric video. The two singles are part of a new album that will be released in the second half of this year.





 

Norfolk blues-rockers Bad Touch share details of their eagerly anticipated fifth studio album, Bittersweet Satisfaction, set for release on November 10th, 2023 via Marshall Records.


Accompanying the announcement is the band’s new single / video "Nothing Wrong With That". Fans can stream the new single and pre-order the album here.







Bittersweet Satisfaction sees Bad Touch back, bigger, and bolder than ever before. The band combines classic rock riffs with choruses destined for stadiums, and their signature fun loving attitude to create a some of their best work to date. The record is a ray of positive energy, a celebration of living in the moment and leaving your troubles at the door.


“We are a feel-good, good-time rock’n’roll band.” So says guitarist Daniel “Seeks” Seekings, and really, why does it need to be more complicated than that? It’s been recorded and finished for half a year, and – with a more polished, mainstream sound than they’ve explored before, but still with its roots in the classic rock of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and The Black Crowes – the band are bursting to let it loose on the world.


“We've never sat on anything that long because we're like kids in a candy shop, as soon as we write something, we want to get out there and play stuff,” says frontman Stevie Westwood. “So, it's very exciting. It's slightly more mature. I love every song. It's a different sound for Bad Touch. It's less balls-to-the-wall rock, and the songs seem a bit more thoughtful rather than just kind of exploded out of a tin can.”


Speaking on their latest single "Nothing Wrong With That" the band adds: “We’re delighted to present to the world our new single” exclaims Stevie. “It’s a song for everyone that encompasses the Bad Touch mantra ‘as long as you carry a song in your heart, and a smile on your face, then nothing can get you down.’”


“This song came together during a time when there was a lot of unrest, fear of the unknown, and we all were just getting through day by day, in whatever way we could. A time when we felt the world could use a little lift to somewhere a little bit brighter. So whatever is getting you down, this song is here to say you’re not alone, we are with you, and whatever way you need to get through the bad times… a good book, some good company… or some good wine!… we say…  there’s nothing wrong with that.”





Bittersweet Satisfaction finds Bad Touch with a renewed sense of purpose and determination.


Recorded at The Marshall Studio in Milton Keynes, it was self-produced by the band, engineered by Marshall’s Adam Beer and Ollie Brightman, then mixed in Wales by Motörhead / Bring Me The Horizon producer Romesh Dodangoda, who has made the drums sound suitably immense. A collection of classic rock anthems with heart and soul to spare, it’s sparked grand but relatable ambitions in the Bad Touch camp, a desire to give up the day jobs and dedicate their lives to rock’n’roll, and maybe even, Seeks hopes, have a shot at hitting the charts. Really, though, it’s all about the live experience, the coming together of likeminded people to celebrate the healing powers of music.


“I love meeting new people,” says Seeks. “The ultimate thing is being on stage. Especially if you've got a roomful of people who are really enjoying the music that you've created.”


“There are so many people that come up and shake my hand and go, ‘Your music has really helped me’, and that's a really special thing,” adds Westwood. “I think that's why music resonates with people; they want to feel that their emotions are validated. That's what I always long for when I come to songwriting – I want to write a song that someone can resonate with and go, ‘I've been here, and this is not necessarily a lovely place, but as long as there's someone else who's feeling the same emotions, then at least I'm not alone.’ Doing the nine-to-five is okay, as long as you got a Bad Touch gig at the end of the week.”


Bittersweet Satisfaction artwork and tracklisting:





"Slip Away"
"This Life"
"Spend My Days"
"Bittersweet Satisfaction"
"Nothing Wrong With That"
"Taste This"
"Tonight"
"Come Back Again"
"See It To Believe It"
"Dizzy For You"


(Photo courtesy of Blackham Images)


 

SAXON's founding guitarist Paul Quinn rejoined his bandmates on stage last night (Saturday, July 8) at the Barcelona Rocks festival in Barcelona, Spain. Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

The Barcelona concert took place just one day after DIAMOND HEAD's Brian Tatler made his live debut as SAXON's new touring guitarist at the Rockwave festival in Athens, Greece.

Two months ago, Tatler spoke to Ernest Skinner of Border City Rock Talk about the announcement that he was joining SAXON as the replacement for Quinn.

"Paul Quinn has stepped down from touring because — I think partly it's his age," Brian said. "I mean, he's been doing it for so long — 45, 47 years or something. And all respect due; I mean, he's a fantastic player. So I was happy to accept the offer. And I'm looking forward to it. I'm at home busy learning the set."

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 said. "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. That's only come in a couple of weeks ago, and I'm excited for that already. It's not till March 2024, but I'm already looking forward to that."

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

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.

On March 25, Quinn took to his social media to write: "Dear all, seeing the tremendous outpourings of love and respect worldwide, I am deeply grateful. It was an honour sharing this life-enhancing experience with you, our loyal fans.

"I agreed to perform the confirmed shows until autumn, but due to other circumstances the band need time to regroup sooner.

"After 50 years of being on the road, I look forward to trying some new things that this battered body still allows, so our paths might cross again.
"I will always be proud of what we created with SAXON, so it will remain in my DNA. Finishing these last gigs for you and recording music when required is part of the plan.

"I wish all the best to the band for their new chapter and I hope you will join me on mine, whether it is with THE CARDS or other projects.

"Play it Loud and keep the Wheels of Steel rolling.

"All my best, Paul Quinn".

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."

Asked if SAXON was "actively auditioning" guitarists to replace Quinn on the road, Byford responded: "No, not at the moment. We're gonna put somebody in who's been around for a long time and can play great guitar. We want somebody who's from that same era — the '80s era — so I'm gonna let people guess on that."

When Paul's departure was first announced on March 10, SAXON said in a statement: "After much soul searching our great friend and fellow warrior Paul Quinn has decided to step back from touring with SAXON. After many years on the road, with the subsequent stress and tiredness that accompany long tour schedules, Paul doesn't want his performance to suffer and let his fellow band mates and fans down. Paul will continue to record with the band and may play select special shows in the future.

"SAXON stand by Paul's decision and will keep you all informed regarding our next journey.

"The current run of March shows in Europe will continue as is but the band will be cancelling their April dates in South America and the MOR Cruise to give time to re-group. These territories will be re-booked as soon as time permits. All summer festivals will continue as booked."

Quinn alluded to his decision on March 9 in a since-deleted Facebook post. He wrote: "You need to know I will miss you & my SAXON co-workers for the great times on and off stage, so with regret I will leave while I can still hold my head high and not worry about my fingers or brain forgetting riffs, keys or stumbling over licks, as they do occasionally. I am not taking this lightly, and I want to do SAXON proud, whilst continuing to love and play music with THE CARDS and other projects."

THE CARDS is a classic rock trio which Quinn founded in 2016 with DORO/U.D.O. alumnus Harrison Young, and VANDENBERG drummer Koen Herfst. They are currently poised to release their second album this year.

Four years ago, the now-71-year-old Quinn reflected on over four decades of being in the group in an interview with HeadBangers LifeStyle. He said: "Lots of road miles and air miles. It feels great to be relevant still. We always have a blast and I think the audience know that we are one of them. We are one of those party bands that they like. That always helped to get the message across, and Biff shouting at them occasionally. We've always had good members and good songwriters. The present band is included, and we’ve made some good stuff together, I think."

SAXON's new album, "More Inspirations", arrived on March 24 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.

Produced by Biff, with Seb Byford helping record the music alongside mixing engineer Jacky Lehmann, "More Inspirations" includes takes on RAINBOW, ZZ TOP and CREAM, as well as "Razamanaz" by NAZARETH, THE WHO's "Substitute", and URIAH HEEP's "Gypsy".

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

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

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

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

Ellefson discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback in a new interview with Sense Music Media. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was great to see Phil and Rex last week at Graspop [Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium, where PANTERA and Ellefson's new project DIETH both performed]. I've stayed in touch with those guys. Phil has jammed with us with METAL ALLEGIANCE, and I've seen Rex around quite a bit. So it's nice to see those guys land well, end well. They, too, were super supportive to me a couple of years ago, [sent] some nice messages to me and really had my back," he added, apparently referencing the fact that he was fired from MEGADETH in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

"I mean, look, any of us who have been in rock and roll more than a minute or two, we've all been through some shit, man. As has everybody, man — it's called life, man.

"But it was great to see them," Ellefson repeated. "They are doing that very respectfully, I think. Fans love hearing those songs again. So I'm happy for 'em. They're handling it very well."

Ellefson previously talked about the PANTERA reunion last October in an interview with "The Chuck Shute Podcast". At the time, he said: "Look, I just went and did KINGS OF THRASH," referencing his project with fellow ex-MEGADETH members Jeff Young and Chris Poland. "We played early [MEGADETH] songs that people haven't heard in many years and may not ever hear again if someone like us doesn't go play 'em. People love 'em. They love 'em. There are some original members in the organization, so they love it.

"Look, there's no replacing Dime and Vinnie. I mean, on one level, PANTERA as PANTERA, with the brothers, that's set in stone, never to be replicated again. And can't.

"Charlie is one of the best in the business and a great dude," David continued. "He keeps his head down, keeps his mouth shut. He's a man on a mission. I can't say enough great about the guy. And I think Zakk — you could almost see it coming. There's no heir to the throne, if you will, for Dimebag, 'cause it's a throne uniquely his own, but if there was ever anyone who could go out and do that justice, it would be Zakk. And I think that's kind of a 'thumbs up' from everybody on that one.

"Look, people wanna hear the songs. At the end of the day, they wanna hear the songs. And the voice is still there. Rex, he's an original member, so… Why not? Try it. [Laughs]"

Ellefson also spoke in more general terms about bands sometimes reuniting or carrying on with only one or two original members

"I think as a fan, for me, I don't wanna just see a corporate cash grab," he said. "I wanna hear and feel it be authentic. I want to see it be authentic. 'Cause let's face it — people listen with their eyes too. I was using an example, CHEAP TRICK. When I go see CHEAP TRICK, I wanna see Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen. And for me, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos, that's no longer. But as much as you can, I wanna see some original guys up there. Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley of KISS]. To me, it's a good start. I wish all four of 'em were there, but the reality isn't that. I'm a fan too, so I probably have the same opinion as other people."

When Dimebag was murdered in 2004, Ellefson issued a statement in which he recalled that he first met the PANTERA guitarist in 1987 while in a Dallas, Texas "watering hole." He added: "Dime was a regional guitar hero who went under the name 'Diamond Darrell' and his band was making some big waves in Texas. That night Darrell raved to me about how MEGADETH's 'Peace Sells But Who's Buying' album forever changed his life. The next night PANTERA played a nearby club and they invited me on stage to jam 'Peace Sells' with them, which was kick-ass! They certainly knew their metal, alright. A bond was formed between me and the band which as the years passed was always like seeing good friends again. In fact, I remember calling Darrell years ago asking him if he would join MEGADETH as we were regrouping before 'Rust In Peace'. However, as cool of a musical fit as that might have been, there was no way anyone could split up the brotherly onslaught of him and Vinnie Paul, nor would you want to!

"Years later PANTERA played often with MEGADETH but I specifically remember a funny incident when we did a show together in Hamburg, Germany in the red light district known as the Reeperbahn. Dime's tour tradition was to get a tattoo in honor of his favorite bands he toured with. Right before the show, he walked into the club and showed us his brand new black-and-white tattoo on his lower leg of a black tooth grin. We were like, 'No fucking way, that's insane!' to which he replied, 'Yeah dad, Black Tooth Grin, just like in 'Sweating Bullets'.' Funny thing is I've seen other people get that same tattoo over the years, all in honor of Dime, and it always brings a grin to my face remembering how nuts he was to go out and get a tattoo in that part of town in our honor.

"In closing, Dime truly lived, breathed and played metal like no other guitar slinger out there."

This past March, PANTERA headlined the 2023 "comeback" edition of Japan's Loud Park festival. The two-day "limited" event took place on March 25 at Intex Osaka in Osaka and March 26 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City near Tokyo.

In December, PANTERA played seven shows in Mexico and South America.

Brown was forced to leave PANTERA's Latin American tour after testing positive for COVID-19. Filling in for him at some of the shows was CATTLE DECAPITATION bassist Derek Engemann, who also plays with Anselmo in both PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS and SCOUR.

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

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

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

👊🏼 Great time catching up with my friends in Pantera at Graspop Metal Meeting‼️
#pantera #graspopmetalmeeting

Posted by David Ellefson on Saturday, June 17, 2023

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),JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked to name the best piece of advice he ever got from PRIEST singer Rob Halford. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We were in the studio writing [2018's] 'Firepower' [album] and we had some differences of opinion. And I said my piece and Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] said his piece. I mean, he's a legend of rock guitar. What the hell do I know? But I felt like I had an opinion. So we had a few words — it wasn't arguing or anything like that, but we had some strong opinions about where we thought the song should go. And afterwards, I said to Rob, 'Sorry that it got like that.' And he said, 'No, you have to do that. Otherwise you resent the other person and you end up not doing anything. If you think that that opinion is right, you've gotta put it out there.' And he's right. I think otherwise, you can imagine, if you do that a few times, you start resenting the people that you're creating with, and that just stifles the creativity. So I always remember that. And Glenn is one of those guys as well that he'll always say, 'What is your idea?', and if he thinks it's a better idea, we'll go with that. So he's very open to new ideas, which he didn't have to be. So it was an honor to be included in stuff like that."

Back in 2014, Tipton told the "Talking Metal" podcast that PRIEST recruiting Faulkner to replace original PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing in 2011 was "just a miracle, really. I said it many times. I honestly believe if we hadn't found Richie, or he had found us, there would be no JUDAS PRIEST," he said. "He has brought a lot of energy, youthful enthusiasm. He's brought all that and more."

Glenn's comments were similar to those made by Halford in a 2015 interview with The Georgia Straight. At the time, the singer said about finding Downing's replacement: "We didn't want a copycat, we didn't want somebody that was just gonna replicate things. The basic components of the song are already in place, but we said to Richie: 'Don't be afraid to do your own thing, because it's important that you establish your own identity.' Which he did. And the fans were so receptive. There was no negativity toward the guy. Let's face it, to some extent Richie saved JUDAS PRIEST, because if we hadn't found him at the crucial time that we were looking for a guitar player, things could have turned out quite differently."

Faulkner is currently promoting "Horns For A Halo", the debut album from ELEGANT WEAPONS, his new project also featuring singer Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, MSG). The LP, which was released on May 26 via Nuclear Blast, was recorded with bassist Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) and drummer Scott Travis (JUDAS PRIEST) and was helmed by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, EXODUS and MEGADETH, among many others.

ELEGANT WEAPONS, which is rounded out by Dave Rimmer (URIAH HEEP) on bass and Christopher Williams (ACCEPT) on drums, recently hit the road in Europe, with dates running through the end of July. The trek includes performances with PANTERA, festival appearances and headlining shows.

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", OVERKILL frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth was asked which METALLICA album he thinks is better, "Ride The Lightning" or "Master Of Puppets". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You know, you have to first understand that the thing that changed everything, where all the rules were broken, was [METALLICA's debut album, 1983's] 'Kill 'Em All'. Others will say, 'Hey, listen, that's not the best METALLICA album.' I get that, but all the rules were broken from that point.

"If I had to make a pick of those two ['Ride The Lightning' or 'Master Of Puppets'], I would say 'Master Of Puppets' because I think that they had come into their own at that point. And the excitement level can only go so far before you have to be great songwriters, and I think by the time they got to 'Master Of Puppets', they became great songwriters."

Ellsworth went on to say that OVERKILL will come close to performing at the same event as METALLICA this summer. "They actually added us on the MetLife [Stadium] New Jersey show [during their 'M72' tour in early August]. We're gonna play outside the arena at the main gate; they're putting up a theater stage there as people are coming in. And they're doing those takeovers where it's two nights — it's a Friday and a Sunday — and they have stuff in between; a day off on Saturday and stuff in between. But PRONG is doing the Friday night and we're doing the Sunday night, on the way in. So I guess it's kind of cool still, after all these years, to still be connected to those guys."

Bobby added: "I always remember people telling me, 'That whole sound that came out of the [San Francisco] Bay Area was just unbelievable, that scene.' And I always say this: that may be true, but [METALLICA] had to travel three thousand fucking miles east to New Jersey to get signed [laughs] — by the label [Megaforce Records] that we were on [laughs] soon thereafter. [Laughs]"

Back in January 2017, Ellsworth was asked by Metal Shock Finland why he thinks OVERKILL wasn't included in the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. He responded: "First and foremost, I think it's necessary to be concerned with your own house as opposed to what other people do.

"I think they're for sure a great compliment to the metal community, because I think it shows the power [those bands have within] the industry, being able to play the size venues that they did," he continued. "Obviously, METALLICA is worth the majority of those tickets, because they reinvented music on a heavy level by showing that a band out of San Francisco could make this happen at this large of a scale. And even the new record, the 'Hardwired' record, is, to me, back to, let's say, that angry, aggressive approach that was [present] on '…And Justice For All'."

Ellsworth added: "But when it comes to being selected and not selected, that's a simple accounting issue. When you talk numbers, numbers make the world go around, numbers put food on your table, and numbers put the 'Big Four' in arenas. And they sell enough records to do that.

"For me, it's not a concern. To even be asked the question from you is quite a compliment with regard to, let's say, our longevity or tenacity doing what we like doing. But this is quite simply an accounting issue. He who sells the most gets the pole positions."

Back in 2014, METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett was asked by U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine if it's strange to him how much METALLICA has eclipsed the other "Big Four" bands in terms of commercial popularity.

"I try not to spend too much time thinking about stuff like that because whatever I think of is still not going to be a satisfying enough explanation," he replied. "It's just the way things are and how the chips fell.

"EXODUS in the '80s had some bona fide problems, but I think their first album [1985's 'Bonded By Blood'] is just as good as 'Kill 'Em All'," he added. "We were just playing the music we wanted to hear because no one else was playing it and it wasn't being played on the radio. It was only a small group of people who knew about it and it was almost elitist in that 'No posers allowed!' thing."

OVERKILL will embark on the "Scorching The Earth" U.S. tour with EXHORDER and HEATHEN this summer. The 16-date trek will kick off on July 13 in San Francisco and make stops in Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale and Silver Springs, among other cities, before ending in Huntington, New York on July 30.

OVERKILL's twentieth studio album, "Scorched", was released on April 14 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth photo by Frank White

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine was interviewed this past February for an episode of AXS TV's "Power Hour" which has just been uploaded to YouTube. Asked during the chat by co-host Matt Pinfield if making MEGADETH's latest album, last year's "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!", was as enjoyable as recording the band's previous efforts had been in the past, Dave said: "It was really tough this time because of [my May 2019 throat] cancer [diagnosis]. The plandemic and everything was enough for us all to have to deal with. And getting cancer on top of that was just kind of the cherry on the top. I was feeling kind of a little detached from myself for a little while, and I need to get into that place of uncomfortability to write good. 'Cause when I'm feeling comfy, I don't really push myself. When I'm feeling angry or agitated or things aren't going my way, I start to feel out of place and that place is [where] I feel like I create my most intense music, because I'm a person that if you bump me, at that moment I don't know what's gonna come out."

The 61-year-old MEGADETH guitarist/vocalist revealed his cancer battle in June 2019 on social media, saying the doctors had given him a 90 percent chance of beating the illness.

Mustaine addressed his cancer battle during MEGADETH's concert in January 2020 at The SSE Arena in London, England. Speaking to the crowd before launching into the title track of MEGADETH's previous album, "Dystopia", he said: "About a year ago, we were working on our new album back in Franklin, Tennessee, and I started to feel some pain over here [points to his throat]. So I went to the doctor and he said, 'Dave, you have cancer.' And I went, 'Fuck! I have cancer.' And I was so shocked."

He continued: "At first, I thought, 'Am I afraid?' And then I said, 'No. I'm fucking pissed.' And we stopped the record; we stopped everything. I went into treatment for cancer. It was 51 radiation treatments and nine chemo treatments. And when it was all said and done, every day I would think, 'I can't face not playing again. I can't face not playing again.' So I would pray. I know a lot of you guys know that I pray. I say that in [the MEGADETH song] 'Peace Sells'. I pray every day. I say that in the song. I've said it since the second record. But I thought about you guys every day too. And I thought about my family. And I got this power from you guys. And I just kept thinking about it. And on October 16th [2019], I went to go see the doctor, and he said, 'You're 100 percent free of cancer.'"

Last September, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" debuted at the top of the charts during its first week of sales, taking the No. 3 spot on the Billboard 200 as well as number ones on Top Album Sales, Top Current Albums Sales, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums. "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" was the highest-charting MEGADETH album of all time around the world, notching No. 1 In Finland, No. 2 in australia, poland, Switzerland, and Scotland, No. 3 in the U.K., and more.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown to Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

MEGADETH recently received its thirteenth Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "We'll Be Back" from "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!".

MEGADETH won the 2017 Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the title track of the band's 2016 album "Dystopia". This marked the group's twelfth Grammy nomination in this category (including nominations in the discontinued "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category).

MEGADETH's recently completed "Crush The World" tour kicked off in British Columbia, with shows in Abbotsford and Kelowna on April 28 and 29, respectively, before making stops in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal and Moncton, and wrapping up on May 15 in Halifax. BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and ONI provided support on the tour.

MEGADETH's current lineup includes guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, Belgian-born-and-now-Los-Angeles-based drummer Dirk Verbeuren, who had played with SOILWORK for more than a decade before joining MEGADETH, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA, and bassist James LoMenzo. James was MEGADETH's bass player in the mid-2000s and stepped back in as a touring member for the 2021 leg of "The Metal Tour Of The Year". In May 2022, it was announced that Lomenzo was officially rejoining the MEGADETH family.

In a recent interview with Marty Duda of The 13th Floor, AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ spoke about the band's latest album, "Life Is But A Dream…", which arrived on June 2 via Warner. Regarding why it took so long to put together the LP, considering it has been seven years since 2016's "The Stage" was released, Johnny said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There were several roadblocks that we had to get by. One of the biggest ones, the one that everybody knows about, is the pandemic, unfortunately. We got off the road in 2018, just like any other times, a little abruptly — our singer had some vocal issues. But just like any other time, we decided, 'Okay, let's just take a couple of months off. We just got home. Let's see friends and family for a little bit,' start to figure out what our muse was gonna be or what we wanna create on the new record. And we start those conversations and we start writing individually and then we start bringing it all together. That process was going well. We took a little bit — about the same time as it usually does, maybe a little longer; it was a little over a year by the time we were ready to take our demos and re-record them into the record forms that we do. And that was right about the time — we were scheduling with [producer] Joe Barresi, studio time, and the whole world shut down. So we were, like, 'Well, I guess we're gonna take a little bit longer on this.'"

He continued: "You find the silver lining when shit like that goes down. So the silver lining was we all have young kids now, young families, so we were stay-at-home dads for a lot of it, for the last five years, which was really cool. I got to take my son to all of his practices and games and everything and school. It's not like you want a pandemic to happen, but it gave us a new perspective on the record that we were about ready to go record. And it gave us time to continue to trim the fat.

"There's a lot of information on this record, but time-wise, it's our shortest record we've ever put out," Johnny added. "So it feels like you've gotten all this information, but we trimmed all the fat, and we did that over a process. And those delays allowed us time to experiment with our instruments or new technology, what's going on out there. We did some really fun stuff that people won't even know… you won't even hear it. [People will think], 'Oh, they must have programmed that.' We didn't program really anything on this record; it's all live playing, even down to the flutes. [Guitarist] Synyster Gates played flutes. It was a really wild time to just get in there [and make] a record that would have been made in the '70s or the '80s but with this sound. And it was a lot of fun."

Written and recorded over the span of four years, "Life Is But A Dream…" was produced by Joe Barresi and AVENGED SEVENFOLD in Los Angeles and mixed by Andy Wallace in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. The album is a journey through an existential crisis; a very personal exploration into the meaning, purpose and value of human existence with the anxiety of death always looming.

"Life Is But A Dream…" reportedly sold 36,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 13 on the Billboard 200 chart. AVENGED SEVENFOLD's previous LP, "The Stage", debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart in November 2016. The surprise release of "The Stage" earned the lowest sales of an AVENGED SEVENFOLD album in eleven years. It sold 76,000 copies in its first week, less than half the tally of its previous two efforts.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD made its first festival appearance in five years on May 19 at Welcome To Rockville at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The band's setlist included three songs from "Life Is But A Dream…": "Game Over", "We Love You" and "Nobody".

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's first concert since June 2018 took place on May 12 at AREA15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In April, AVENGED SEVENFOLD announced the second leg of its extensive "Life is But A Dream…" North American tour featuring support from FALLING IN REVERSE. Produced by Live Nation, leg two includes stops in Nashville, Denver, Austin, and more before concluding at Fort Worth's Dickies Arena on October 15. Fans will have the opportunity to hear the group's first single in seven years, "Nobody", and their new album "Life Is But A Dream…" for the first time live during the 30-show outing.

The first leg with support from ALEXISONFIRE includes thirteen cities across the U.S. and Canada, such as Mansfield, Québec City, Tinley Park, Calgary, and more.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD kicked off its 2023 touring run earlier this month with two unique one-night-only arena shows in New York and Los Angeles.