King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, performed Martha And The Muffins' 1980 new wave classic, "Echo Beach", at the Isle Of Wight Festival 2023 last month. 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:

FLYLEAF has shared the second part of a new documentary covering the band's reunion with singer Lacey Sturm and eventual return to the live stage.

In a message accompanying the YouTube release of the video, FLYLEAF wrote: "The members of FLYLEAF grew up with each other, with their songs, with their fans. This is what it's like to bring it all back together again— 11 years later."

FLYLEAF played its first concert with Sturm in 11 years on April 27 at Schoepf's BBQ in Belton, Texas.

FLYLEAF, which hadn't performed live since 2016 prior to the Belton concert, will make a number of festival appearances this year, including at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in September in Alton, Virginia.

Sturm left FLYLEAF in October 2012. She was replaced by Kristen May, who recorded one album with the group, 2014's "Between The Stars", before exiting.

Lacey opened up about her reasons for her departure from FLYLEAF in a video promoting her 2014 memoir "The Reason: How I Discovered A Life Worth Living". At the time, she said: "We were on our second album when I got married. And the album was called 'Memento Mori'. And 'memento mori' means remember you're mortal, remember that you'll die and remember that your life is short and precious and so are the lives of those around you.

"For two years, I toured with my husband and it was really amazing, and then after those two years, we ended up getting pregnant with my son," she continued. "And I recognized that my priorities were gonna change even more and that message of 'memento mori' and remembering how short your life is was really weighing on my heart.

"We toured for ten years. I mean, we weren't home for more than a month, probably, a year. So, for me, I just felt really blessed to be pregnant and to be in a place where I could stay home if I wanted to, and really ask that question: how is this gonna change my priorities? How is this gonna look? We had a few things happen that really brought that message home, but the one that hit the hardest was the death of our sound engineer [Rich Caldwell]. We did one last show with FLYLEAF as a benefit for his wife Katy and their son Kirby. And it was really hard to do a show without him, and it was really hard to think it could be our last show. So I remember looking at my son after Rich had passed and just wondering to myself, if this was the last year I had with my son, how would I spend it?

"It was really amazing to recognize this season changing in my life and the freedom that I was gonna be able to focus on my family. And I'm so thankful for that time. And although it was really hard, I'm thankful. And that's the reason I stepped down from FLYLEAF."

Back in 2016, Sturm was asked in an interview with RockRevolt Magazine if there was chance that she could reunite with her former bandmates after they had parted ways with May. She responded: "Well, you know, I feel like I'm the kind of person that I think so much happened that I never in a million years thought would happen, so I've learned to quit saying 'never.' But at the same time, I'm a really present person."

She added at the time: "I don't have any plans for that, but then again, you never know. I don't know… [Laughs] They haven't called me. And I don't have any plans [to go back]."

At several shows last year, Sturm joined SEETHER on stage to perform the FLYLEAF song "I'm So Sick".

In December 2021, Sturm released the official music video for her latest solo single, "Awaken Love". The track followed the previously released "The Decree" and "State Of Me".

Imminent Sonic Destruction, Michigan’s preeminent prog metal anchors, are celebrating the one-year anniversary of their third studio album The Sun Will Always Set by releasing an acoustic version of the song “Solitude”. This stripped-down reimagining of the track presented the band with the opportunity to explore unfamiliar territory and offer their fans a different side of ISD.


Commenting on the events that led to this new version of “Solitude”, Tony Piccoli (guitar, vocals) says:


“One weekend in March, the band, producer Nick Hagen and videographer Pat Griffin all gathered at The Fountain of Youth studio (our personal rehearsal/recording studio) to record an acoustic rendition of ‘Solitude’. We had a rough framework of what we wanted the song to sound like, so we didn’t go in completely blind, but we left ourselves a little creative wiggle room, which ended up being what you’ll hear today…a stripped down, nearly bare bones and ‘chilled out’ version of ‘Solitude’. Piano, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, drums, vocals. Synth strings make an appearance at the ‘heavy’ part of the song.”




Along with this new version of the track, ISD has dropped a performance video for the acoustic version of “Solitude”. They add: “The video captures us in our studio playing the song live, with a few individual takes mixed in and small scenes of us just enjoying being there and recording. We wanted the video to kind of reflect what this version of the song is, and that’s more of a bare-bones approach to one of our favorite songs from ‘The Sun Will Always Set’.”

Swedish modern metal heroes Amaranthe deliver the soundtrack for a fiery festival summer with the release of their new single, "Damnation Flame". With its symphonic touch and uplifting chorus, the band once again showcases their outstanding songwriting skills while maintaining their image as Sweden’s most exciting metal export.


"Damnation Flame" doesn't only mark the start of some hot live shows this summer but also introduces Amaranthe's new vocalist Mikael Sehlin to their internationally growing fanbase.


Guitarist Olof Mörck comments: "After a practically global search, and several amazing guest growlers to help us out on shows and tours we finally found just the right person for the job, in our very own Swedish capital of Stockholm! Mikael Sehlin has EVERYTHING it takes to join the Amaranthe line up, and his versatility and musicality completes and underscores our vision for our new album and the general future for Amaranthe perfectly. From the deepest guttural grunts to soaring screams Mikael is growling perfection incarnate, so please give a roaring welcome to the new star upon the Amaranthe firmament!"




Mikael Sehlin himself adds: "Hello everyone, Mike here! I am very thrilled to tell you I will fill the slot as the new Amaranthe growler and I can't wait to meet you guys out there! I hope you like the upcoming tracks to which I've had the honor recording growls to. Take care and see you soon!"


On July 1st, Amaranthe performed their first show with Sehlin at Resurrection Fest 2023 in Viveiro, Spain. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Fearless"
"Viral"
"Digital World"
"Damnation Flame" (live debut)
"Hunger"
"Strong"
"Helix"
"Maximize"
"The Nexus"
"Amaranthine"
"Call Out My Name"
"Archangel"
"That Song"
"Drop Dead Cynical"





Olof states about the new song: ""Damnation Flame" breaks new ground for us in many ways, and in all the best ways possible. This is the very first Amaranthe song to feature symphonic elements, something we've wanted to do for a long time, and the darkened vampiric theme melds together perfectly with our take on modern melodic metal! Amaranthe has always been about being boundless and constantly reinventing ourselves, and by now you know to expect the unexpected. This is 100% pure passion poured into music, as you will no doubt experience yourself from the very first second - enjoy "Damnation Flame", with the promise of much more to come SOON!"





Stream "Damnation Flame" here:


The newest member of the Amaranthe family can be seen in the music video for "Damnation Flame", the band's newest cinematic masterpiece. Hold your breath and follow the creatures of the night to their vampiric cave to witness the initiation of their latest victim...uhm... member.





Amaranthe is:


Elize Ryd - vocals
Mikael Sehlin - growls
Olof Mörck - guitars, keyboards
Johan Andreassen - bass
Morten Løwe Sørensen - drums
Nils Molin - vocals

On July 7th, Soilwork's 2003 album, Figure Number Five, will be released on limited edition silver vinyl. It is now available for pre-order here.





Tracklist:




Side A
"Rejection Role"
"Overload"
"Figure Number Five"
"Strangler"
"Light The Torch"


Side B
"Departure Plan"
"Cranking The Sirens"
"Brickwalker"
"The Mindmaker"
"Distortion Sleep"
"Downfall 24"


Figure Number Five features the classic Soilwork line-up of Björn "Speed" Strid (vocals), Peter Wichers (guitars), Ola Frenning (guitars), Ola Flink (bass), Sven Karlsson (keyboards) and Henry Ranta (drums).

In the video below, Matt James and Matt Curtis from Blacktop Mojo jam on "Tuesday's Gone" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.





Blacktop Mojo has confirmed the initial batch of dates for their Sun On My Face Tour 2023. Tickets and VIP are on sale now. More shows will be announced soon.




July
20 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street 
22 - Menagha, MN - Mid Summer Music Fest 
23 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze 
26 - Lakewood, OH - The Winchester Music Tavern 
28 - Worcester, MA - Off The Rails 
30 - Hampton Beach, NH - Wally's 


August
4 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop 
5 - Mt Vernon, IL - Ash Bash Art & Music Festival 
6 - Joliet, IL - The Forge 
11 - Ringle, WI - Q And Z Expo Center
12 - Three Rivers, MI - Elkhart County Abate SummerFest
13 - Lexington, KY - Manchester Music Hall
19 - McAlester, OK - Downtown 312





 

Fan-filmed video of Ace Frehley's June 30 performance at the Haynes Apperson Festival in Kokomo, Indiana can be seen below.

Frehley's solo band once again includes Scot Coogan, a veteran session drummer who has played with LYNCH MOB, Lita Ford, Stephen Pearcy and L.A. GUNS.

Coogan rejoined the original KISS guitarist on stage for the first time in five years on April 29 at Reg Lenna Center For The Arts in Jamestown, New York.

During an appearance on a March 2023 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Ace offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for his new studio album. He said: "I got back off the road. I did a two-week tour of California, which was eight sold-out shows. And I came back, took a week off just to rest and recuperate, and I started getting in the studio. And within six days I had written and recorded five new songs, which is unprecedented for me. So right now it looks like the album's gonna be completed — not mixed but [recorded] — probably in another week."

Frehley went on to say that he has been working on his new LP with TRIXTER's Steve Brown and Peppy Castro of the BLUES MAGOOS. He added: "Back in the '60s, [the BLUES MAGOOS] had the big hit '(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet'. I grew up with him in the Bronx. He inspired me to become a rock star. I remember going to Orchard Beach in the Bronx, and all of a sudden I hear Peppy's song on the radio. I go, 'Jesus Christ. If he can do that, I can do it. I'm better looking than him.' [Laughs] He actually taught me how to play bar chord in the basement of an apartment building… But we've been friends ever since, and we've followed each other's career. And he's been in my studio a half dozen times. And he also hooked me up with Tommy Denander. He wrote three songs for me that I'm probably gonna rearrange at least one or two of them and add vocals. But me and Steve have been doing a song a day. It's insanity."

According to Ace, his upcoming LP will include at least one cover song.

"If my memory serves me correctly, the last two studio records I did both had one cover on them and one instrumental," he said. "I have two or three songs that can be instrumentals or I could add lyrics to it. I'm just deciding which one is gonna be the best one for an instrumental, because if I don't do an instrumental, my fans are gonna be upset, because every one of my studio albums have had an instrumental track on it. It all started with 'Fractured Mirror' in 1978."

Peppy previously collaborated with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons as a songwriter and performed on Frehley's and KISS frontman Paul Stanley's solo records.

Ace's next all-original album will be the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

Frehley's latest release was "Origins Vol. 2", the sequel to his 2016 collection of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

"Origins Vol. 2" featured cover versions of THE BEATLES' "I'm Down", DEEP PURPLE's "Space Truckin'", LED ZEPPELIN's "Good Times Bad Times", THE ROLLING STONES' "Jumpin' Jack Flash", THE KINKS' "Lola" and THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE's "Manic Depression", among others. A cover of the 1975 KISS tune "She" also appeared as a bonus track. Guests on the set included CHEAP TRICK's Robin Zander, Lita Ford and former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also features Simmons's bass playing.

Such an amazing show. So lucky to have been able to see it! Thank you

Posted by Sierra Holbrook on Friday, June 30, 2023

The Haunted guitarist and Solar Guitars owner Ola Englund has released a new instrumental single, "The First Of Its Kind". Check it out below, and find it on digital platforms found here.





Solar Guitars - launched and run by The Haunted guitarist Ola Englund - has announced the latest addition to its European Master range, the AC6BR RAW.




Englund: "Our already sleek design becomes even sleeker. The AC is one of the most comfortable guitars I’ve played. And it’s incredibly fast."


Solar Guitars: "The new European Master Series AC6BR RAW offers the best of what can be put into an electric guitar including stainless steel frets, Richlite fingerboard, black Tusq nut, Luminlay fret markers, Solar 12th fret logo inlay, Locking tuners and Evertune bridge. The custom wound SA56BEU and SA56NEU Solar Modern humbuckers were painstakingly voiced to perfection by Ola and the Solar product team. With a more modern and aggressive take on the classic Solar Alnico V, our energy was focused to ensure these new European made pickups would be the most perfectly matched set for these new instruments. Each pickup is installed directly into the wood with brass countersinks to create a harmonious tonal marriage between body resonance and electrical output. Switchcraft toggle switch, CTS potentiometers with a Push-Pull for coil splits and PureTone output jack complete the electronics package. Each guitar ships in a custom MCAS flight-ready molded case with certificate of authenticity personally signed by Ola Englund. Blood Red Raw open pore finish."


Check out the trailer below.





Go to Solar Guitars complete product information and to purchase.

Legendary Heart vocalist Ann Wilson performed some true classics on the  Louder Stage at Wacken 2022. Pro-shot footage of Wilson belting out "Magic Man", "Crazy On You" and "Barracuda" can be viewed below.





Ann Wilson, along with her band Tripsitter, will embark on a North American tour this summer. The trek launches on Friday, July 7 at Danforth Music Hall in Toronto.




Tour dates:


July
7 - The Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
8 - Azrieli Studio - Ottawa, ON
10 - Festival d'été de Québec 2023 - Québec, QC
12 - F. M. Kirby Center - Wilkes-Barre, PA
14 - MGM Northfield Park Center Stage - Northfield, OH
15 - Rotary Park - Mequon, WI
19 - Hoyt Sherman Place - Des Moines, IA
21 - Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts - Salina, KS
22 - Uptown Theater - Kansas City, MO
24 - Robert Kirk Walker Theatre - Chattanooga, TN
25 - Brooklyn Bowl Nashville - Nashville, TN
27 - Virginia Theatre - Champaign, IL
29 - Dodge Park - Sterling Heights, MI
30 - Brown County Music Center - Nashville, IN


August
1 - Mid-Summer Classics Concert Series - Elk Grove Village, IL
3 - Pablo Center at the Confluence - Eau Claire, WI
5 - Lodal Park - Kingsford, MI
30 - New York State Fairgrounds - Syracuse, NY

Time To Kill Records has announced the signing of Brazilian death-thrashers Torture Squad for the release of their new album Devilish in 2023.


Devilish is an album surrounded by a dark atmosphere, its lyrics show urges experienced in our century, such as the constant degradation of the Amazon rainforest and the population increasingly affected by psychological illnesses such as anxiety and depression. At the same time, it opens windows of escape for an imaginary world inspired by games, series and fiction books.


In their second album with the new lineup, Mayara Puertas (Voice), Rene Simionato (Guitar), Castor (Bass) and Amilcar Christófaro (Drums) transcend the sound of extreme metal with maturity, incorporating progressive metal, influences from Brazilian music and symphonic elements.







The album also honors Brazilian heroes with a participation of Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) in the track “Buried Alive”, and a tribute to Rickson Gracie the resilient fighter of Jiu Jitsu considered one of the greatest legends in this sport, the theme of the track “Warrior”. The band also mobilized several musicians related to indigenous causes in their country to collaborate on the song "Uatumã", making an appeal for the preservation of the Amazon in a song that flows in a powerful way with the speeches of the indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire and tribal rhythms.


For the cover art, the band had Marcelo Vasco, a Brazilian illustrator who has already created artworks for Slayer, Dimmu Borgir, Soulfly among others.


Watch for more details on the new album release, new tour updates, and more news on other upcoming Torture Squad activities to be posted shortly.


Line-up:


Mayara Puertas - Vocals
Rene Simionato - Guitar
Castor - Bass
Amilcar Christófaro - Drums

Melodic death metallers Voidfallen have unleashed an intense new single, "Starved Of Martyrs", a first taste of the upcoming album the band is currently working on. The track is accompanied by a brand new and captivating music video.


Commenting on the new single, Voidfallen states: "Starved Of Martyrs is a fast and relentless track that adds almost a thrashy feeling to the band’s otherwise blackened melodeath sound palette. The theme of the song revolves around the toxic glorification of living in misery."







Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, and formed in 2019 as a two man project by guitarists Tommi Kangaskortet and Henri Vuorenmaa, the goal has always been to learn from previous mistakes and to create music with no compromises. After recording the band's debut EP titled The Sinners, the Plague and the Voidfallen (2019) the remaining slots were filled with skilled musicians in order to prepare for live shows and ever since, Voidfallen has been making a fast-growing name for itself.


But not only musically in terms of quality of compositions and production, this band has always paid lots of attention to the visual aspects, taking the melodeath genre to new heights with their dark approach and stunning visual effects.


Following the release of their critically acclaimed debut album The Atlas Of Spiritual Apocalypse (2021), Voidfallen caught the attention of German record label Noble Demon, with whom the band will release their highly anticipated sophomore full-length record in early 2024.


Voidfallen on the signing and working with Noble Demon:


"Since the beginning of this band we’ve aimed to find partners with whom we can not only elevate our art always to the next level but who also are directly eye to eye with our thoughts of the band and where we want to take it. Patrick and the rest of the Noble Demon crew are people who are not only talented but also have a great vision of the future and we are stoked to work with them!"





Voidfallen are:
Lauri Honkola: Vocals
Henri Vuorenmaa: Guitars
Tommi Kangaskortet: Guitars
Lauri Myllylä: Bass
Mika Lumijärvi: Drums

Grammy-winning, millions-selling progressive music titans, Dream Theater, recently announced the first edition of Dreamsonic, taking place in North America throughout June and July and celebrating the summer’s ultimate progressive metal lineup. The tour kicked off on June 16th in Cedar Park, TX, and Dream Theater is joined by special guest Devin Townsend, and Animals As Leaders on what is sure to be one of the hottest tickets of the summer.


Fan-filmed video of Devin Townsend's entire June 28th show in Atlanta, GA can be viewed below.


The setlist was as follows:




"Lightworker"
"Kingdom"
"Dimensions"
"Deadhead"
"By Your Command"
"Deep Peace"
"Truth"
"Bad Devil"





Remaining tour dates are as follows:


July
2 - Boston, MA - Leader Bank Pavilion
4 - Laval, QC - Place Bell
5 - Hamilton, ON - FirstOntario Centre
7 - Gary, IN - Hard Rock Casino
8 - Cleveland, OH - Jacobs Pavilion
9 - Newport, KY - MegaCorp Pavilion
11 - Detroit, MI - Masonic
12 - OshKosh, WI - OshKosh Arena
13 - Cedar Rapids, IA - Alliant Energy Power House
15 - Denver, CO - Mission Theater
17 - Spokane, WA - First Interstate Center
18 - Calgary, AB - Grey Eagle
19 - Edmonton, AB - Northern Alberta Jubilee
21 - Vancover, BC - Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
22 - Redmond, WA - Marymoor Live
24 - San Jose, CA - San Jose Civic
25 - Inglewood, CA - YouTube Theater
26 - Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theater


For tickets, visit the Dreamsonic website, here.

Mike Portnoy attended his second DREAM THEATER concert as a spectator last night (Saturday, July 1) at The Met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The 56-year-old drummer, who left DREAM THEATER in 2010, took to his social media to share a selfie of him and his wife Marlene in the crowd at the Philadelphia show, which is part of the band's "Dreamsonic" tour with Devin Townsend and ANIMALS AS LEADERS, and he included the following message: "OK…this is slightly weird!!" He also added a laughing crying emoji.

Portnoy, who lives in Pennsylvania with his family, previously attended DREAM THEATER's concert in March 2022 at Beacon Theatre in New York City. It was the first time he witnessed his former bandmates perform live since his exit from the iconic progressive metal outfit 13 years ago.

According to DREAM THEATER fans who attended the Beacon Theatre show, DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie gave Portnoy a shoutout from the stage and Mike waved. Several fans also took pictures of Portnoy at the venue, with Mike and his wife reportedly watching the performance from near the Beacon Theatre soundboard.

The next day, Portnoy shared a few backstage photos from the Beacon Theatre concert and he included the following message: "After 36 years, I finally got to see my 1st DREAM THEATER show last night! It was a wonderful evening and it was such a pleasure to spend time with my old friends again".

During a May 2022 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Mike stated about the circumstances that led to him being present at the Beacon Theatre show: "We had been slowly rekindling the relationships over the years. Obviously, [DREAM THEATER guitarist] John Petrucci and I have made a few albums together at this point — I played on his last solo album, and then he and myself and Jordan [Rudess, DREAM THEATER keyboardist] and Tony Levin got back together to do a LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT album in 2020. So, yeah, John Petrucci and Jordan had been hanging with me a lot through the years, and our families as well. In fact, the first time I played together with Jordan again was on the last Cruise To The Edge in 2019; Jordan and I played together on that. So the relationships had been really, really good and comfortable with those guys. And John Myung [DREAM THEATER bassist] lives right down the street from me, so I would see him in town all the time. And his wife is very, very good friends with my wife. So there's three of the guys that I had been on very, very good terms with over the years. And my wife and John Myung's wife were going to see them at the New York show, and I was, like, 'You know what? What the hell.'"

Portnoy went on to say that he had previously "dreamt about going to see" DREAM THEATER play. "I'm not saying I dreamt like it was my goal; I'm saying I literally would have dreams at night sleeping, where in my dreams I'm going to see DREAM THEATER and it's just an awkward thing," he explained. "So for a long time I was very nervous about it, like how weird would it feel? Would it be uncomfortable? But I finally was at peace with it. I went to the show, and it was really a cool experience; it was not as awkward as I had anticipated or feared. And at the show, James [LaBrie, DREAM THEATER singer] welcomed me from the stage. And I hadn't spoken to James — as a lot of people know, I hadn't spoken to him since I left the band — so I got to see him that night after the show. And I went into his dressing room, and within literally 10 seconds, any of that drama or B.S. that had built up through the years, it melted away immediately. And it was all hugs and kisses and 'love you, bro' and 'miss you, bro.' And it was, like, all that bullshit from the last 11 years was just water under the bridge."

Mike continued: "You can't spend most of your life with a group of guys like that and not be family for life. I met John Petrucci and John Myung when we were teenagers; we met in college and our families have grown up together and our wives all played in a band together and our kids — my daughter and John Petrucci's daughter — live together in Brooklyn. So it's a family. Whether I'm currently in the band or not, that doesn't matter; you can't take away the friendship and the family and the history and the experiences we shared for so, so long."

Regarding what it was like to see another drummer play his parts live with DREAM THEATER, Portnoy said: "I've always been the type of drummer that just flies [by] the seat of my pants in the moment. Even with my own drum parts, I don't necessarily stick to them faithfully from show to show, whereas [current DREAM THEATER drummer Mike] Mangini obviously really studied the drum parts and they had everything programmed out. They're all about the precision, and that's surely their thing. And yeah, he killed it. There's no doubt he's an amazing drummer and he plays my parts incredibly faithfully. I feel bad for him. He and I joked about it. He's in a horrible situation where he's damned if he does and he's damned if he doesn't. He expressed that frustration to me, and I feel for him; it's definitely a weird position to be put into. I kind of had it a little bit when I played with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and TWISTED SISTER, coming into the throne of two drummers that have passed away, and I tried to learn those parts as faithfully as I could. When I had a hired-gun gig like that, I spent a lot of attention trying to honor the drummer that came before me — it's important. I don't wanna go into a gig like either of those and try to force my style onto it."

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER 38 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He has since been replaced by Mike Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME, JAMES LABRIE, STEVE VAI).

In a February 2023 interview with Ollie Winiberg of "The Heavy Hooks Show", Portnoy was asked if he would consider playing a one-off show as a 'hired gun" with his former bandmates to celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2025. He responded: "Well, I would surely welcome the idea — absolutely — and I've told the guys such, depending on the circumstances. Obviously, there's a lot of hypothetical circumstances."

He continued: "I don't know if I'd necessarily wanna be a 'hired gun' for a band that I formed; [that's] a little bit of a strange term in that respect. But if you're asking, would I ever play with the guys again? Sure. If the right hypothetical situation came about, yeah, of course. I'm always open to that."

Three years ago, Petrucci released his second solo album, "Terminal Velocity", via Sound Mind Music/The Orchard. The follow-up to 2005's "Suspended Animation" featured guest musicians Portnoy on drums and Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) on bass. The effort marked the first time Petrucci and Portnoy recorded together in over a decade, as well as their first time playing together since Portnoy departed DREAM THEATER.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn (courtesy of ABC PR)

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Blaze Bayley attended IRON MAIDEN's concert this past Friday (June 30) at AO Arena in Manchester, England.

Several fans who attended the show shared pictures of the ex-IRON MAIDEN singer watching the performance from the stands of the arena as well as posing for photos with MAIDEN fans who expressed their excitement at seeing a former member of the band in the audience.

The 60-year-old Bayley fronted IRON MAIDEN from 1994 until 1999. The two MAIDEN albums he appeared on, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN in 1999, Bayley has released a number of albums, including several under the moniker BLAZE and more than a handful under his own name. He also appeared on 2012's "Wolfsbane Saves The World", the first album of new material by WOLFSBANE since the group's self-titled 1994 effort, and a follow-up LP, 2022's "Genius".

Blaze's latest studio album, "War Within Me", came out in April 2021. The LP was recorded during 2020 with work split between Blaze's studio at home in the West Midlands and Christopher Appleton's studio in Greater Manchester.

This past March, Blaze told Metal Planet Music 's Gary Spiller about some fans' initial reluctance to embrace his era of MAIDEN: "I think that the girlfriend or partner analogy is the best. It's when your girlfriend or boyfriend leaves you for someone, and they are perhaps slimmer with more hair, more interesting and better looking, it doesn't feel good. And you lose your favorite singer from your favorite band, and I think that's awkward as well.

"There's a certain percentage of fans from that era, I'm their first MAIDEN singer, and I always will be, and they'll always have that affection for me," he continued. "But there's another group of fans who go, 'My favorite singer left my favorite band. I don't want to look at the replacement.' … And what is good is that after so many years and the 'Senjutsu' album coming out, people have good back and they've looked at the Blaze Bayley era of [1996's 'best-of' album] 'Best Of The Beast' and 'Sign Of The Cross', 'The X Factor', they've done that, and they've come back with a different look. And then they check out what I'm doing now.

"Since [leaving] MAIDEN, I've made 11 studio albums of my own. It's over 25 years ago [that I joined MAIDEN]; it's nearly 30 years now. It's just five years [that I was with MAIDEN]. With WOLFSBANE, we're back together, and we're together longer than I was in IRON MAIDEN.

"It's nice that it's so well thought of and people are still interested," Blaze added. "I've learned a lot. The experiences that I had have affected me and I've learned. And if you listen to my 'War Within Me' album, my new album, you can tell the IRON MAIDEN influence on that; you can absolutely tell. I'm not ashamed of it. I'm, like, well, this is what I enjoyed and learned in MAIDEN, and you'll hear parts of that and hints of that in the 'War Within Me' album. You'll also hear the development of me as an artist, going beyond that.

"So it's nice that people are still interested in that brief part of the MAIDEN history that contains me. And a lot of people think very nicely of me. But there are still a lot of people that absolutely hate me."

Blaze went on to say that his era of MAIDEN still plays a big part in his live show, particularly as he nears the three-decade mark since he first joined the band.

"What's nice is that when I do my anniversary setlist, which a lot of festivals asked for, then I can play songs in my set from those two albums that MAIDEN have never played and will never play," he explained. "And they are my songs, personal to me. So that's really, really cool. So if you did get into those albums and you like those albums, then you'll come and see me and go, 'Oh, actually, I've never heard'Como Estais Amigos' live.' So it's a really cool thing.

"Last year, we got a lot of really wonderful German festivals, and we played the anniversary setlist. And then afterwards, on my own tour, people came that saw me on that anniversary setlist and the festivals, they came and saw me do my Blaze Bayley concerts and really enjoyed it. And they got into 'War Within Me' album and my trilogy and a lot of things. So it's good, really.

"I'm very lucky to have actually had the top job in my field, to have attained the absolute top," Bayley added. "For me, I wanted to be a heavy metal singer, and by some quirk of faith, a lot of luck and a lot of help, then I managed to become the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN, which, for me, is the top job in the world for a heavy metal singer. And I got that job. So that's fantastic that I was able to get that. And I played huge venues all over the world and stadiums and theaters and everything."

This past March, Blaze underwent a quadruple bypass surgery following a heart attack.

Last month, he released a new video message in which he thanked all the fans for their best wishes, support, concern and orders of his new live album and tour merchandise.

A heart bypass surgery, or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, is used to improve blood flow to the heart. A surgeon uses blood vessels taken from another area of the body to bypass the damaged arteries.

The term quadruple bypass refers to the number of coronary arteries bypassed in the procedure. In other words, a quadruple bypass means four coronary arteries are bypassed.

Blaze suffered a heart attack at his home on March 25 and was rushed to the hospital. As a result of the health setback, the singer's shows for March and April were postponed.

So, as expected, Iron Maiden were incendiary! There is no doubt about their status as the 🐐! And Official Blaze Bayley was in the row in front of me looking fighting fit! 🤘❤️🤘

Posted by Luke Nash on Friday, June 30, 2023

Yesterday in Manchester, AO Arena and a very special visit 🤘
Pics from Gavin Nelson and Matthew Slim.

Posted by Eddie The Head Fan Club on Saturday, July 1, 2023

Ingested has shared a video for “You’ll Never Learn” that was filmed at Bloodstock 2022 and Download Fest 2023 by Loki Films. 





The band comments; "‘You'll Never Learn’ is about the people you keep around in your life that continue to make the same mistakes without making a change. Chances and patience runs out, people will only stick by you for so long. Keep those true to you close, and drop that dead weight.




“We shot this video across our two performances at the UK festivals Bloodstock and Download, and Loki Films managed to capture the utter chaos that ensued. Crack open a tinnie, roll a joint, bang your head or do whatever you do and enjoy the carnage of YOU'LL NEVER LEARN.


“Along with our brand new video, we are supremely buzzing to announce that we will be washing Europe and the UK in oceans of blood with our dear friends Lorna Shore, Rivers Of Nihil and Distant this autumn! We can't wait to get back out on the road and do what we do best, laying waste to every city that we touch!


“The Pain Remains Tour last year in North America was one of the most exciting extreme metal tours of 2022, so trust us when we say this, you don't want to miss The Pain Remains Tour UK & Europe!"


Ingested released Ashes Lie Still last fall via Metal Blade.





Ingested has also announced that they will be hitting the road with Lorna Shore and labelmates Rivers of Nihil this November/December in Europe and the U.K.

Germany's Die Apokalyptischen Reiter have announced the departures of guitarist Ady and drummer Sir G. Vocalist  Fuchs and bassist Volk-Man have issued a statement regarding the changes in the band and reveal what the future holds. Read it in full below.


"Dear Maniacs, this should actually be a farewell letter, because for a few months it looked like we would have to bury our life project. Corona. Forced break. The end?


And now this: to our great surprise Ady (as of now) and Sir G. (from September) have decided to leave the band. As the last remaining founding members, we, Fuchs and Volk-Man, have thought long and hard about whether the band can continue.




We know that this comes as a shock to many of you because the Reiter, that was always a bit more than just a 'normal' band. When we founded the band in 1995, we never thought we would play together in this band for almost 30 years. But sometimes you have to accept life and its changes. Our eternal thanks at this point to Ady and Sir G. for the great time and unforgettable experiences. 


We don't feel like announcing the end of the riders yet. It feels too soon and at the same time we are not only thinking of us, but also of you Reiter maniacs. Who have supported and carried us to this day, your passion and dedication has always been like a great gift to us. We say this with humility and gratitude.


We are looking forward to this festival summer with you, and we don't want to disappoint you or ourselves and cancel these festival shows. We have met two music-crazy maniacs, Reiter fans of the first hour, with whom we are currently rehearsing intensively to make the summer fairytale come true. Be patient, we will introduce them to you here soon. 


The story of the riders is not over yet. We are looking forward to the summer, we are planning a tour in winter 2023 and we are just starting to write a new album. 


Up and down, again and again."


Fuchs & Volk-Man
June 2023


Go to this location for the band's complete tour itinerary


Photo: Christian Thiele

ELEGANT WEAPONS, the new project featuring guitarist Richie Faulkner (JUDAS PRIEST) and singer Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, MSG),performed a cover of BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs" during its June 29 concert at the Resurrection Fest in Viveiro, Spain. Fan-filmed video of the rendition can be seen below.

ELEGANT WEAPONS' debut album, "Horns For A Halo", was released on May 26 via Nuclear Blast. The LP 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, will play shows in Europe through July. The trek will include additional performances with PANTERA, festival appearances and headlining shows.

In a recent interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global, Faulkner spoke about a possible second album from ELEGANT WEAPONS. He said: "We've already started. We've recorded drums for the second record. We got together in March, I think, of this year; I think it was March — I'm not sure. We got together in the studio and played together to record the drums, get the drums recorded. So it's been started."

Asked if the second ELEGANT WEAPONS LP will arrive in 2024 or 2025, Richie said: "I don't know. Maybe next year. Back in the day, bands used to release a record every year, sometimes two in a year. I know we don't do things under the same cycle anymore. But the ideas are there for the songs. We all were together, and we thought why not get at least the drums going. We got the drums and we got the guitars, and stuff like that, so why not start the process?

"It was important for me, really, when I started the band… It was a band that it wasn't just a one-record type thing," Faulkner explained. "It was a band that plays live and records — hopefully — multiple records and grows and evolves together moving into the future. So the next record is just a part of that sort of process, really."

Richie went on to say that he plans on focusing on ELEGANT WEAPONS full-time once PRIEST has officially called it a day.

"PRIEST music is gonna be around a lot longer than we are," he said. "It's legendary music. They're genre-defining musicians and it's a genre-defining band. It will be around for a long time. But none of us gets out of this alive. That's just the reality of it. So if one day that call comes in and that's the last tour or the last album, whatever it is… I mean, I joined the band on what was the farewell tour. Luckily it wasn't, and we're still here 12 years later. [It's] fantastic. But at the time, I think I would have been silly not to consider what I was gonna do after the band, because of the circumstances of the tour. It was a farewell tour — it was [supposed to be] the last tour — so what am I gonna do after? So it's always been in the back of my mind. And this is a band that seems natural to me to continue with if that call ever came in."

ELEGANT WEAPONS made its first two festival appearances on June 16 at Hellfest in Clisson, France and on June 18 at Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium.

Four years after the release of their last full-length album and with several teases of new music unleashed the past few months, 3Teeth is now sharing all the details behind their much-anticipated LP EndEx coming this fall.


EndEx will be released by Century Media Records on September 22, showcasing the modern industrial act at their most raucous yet, unveiling bold revelations of humanity’s technosocial disintegration behind a brutal soundtrack that sounds all the alarms.


After giving the first glimpse at the new material with the early release of “Paralyze” (featuring Ho99o9), 3Teeth re-emerged in May with more previews, including their gripping sonic salvo, “Merchant Of The Void” that touches on the bleak landscape of modern society amid A.I. takeovers and economic collapse.




Next came “Slum Planet” taking aim at the ills of a sick planet obsessed with over-consumption at all costs. With today’s album announcement, 3Teeth shares the newest single for the moody missive “Scorpion,” a track in which the band’s instrumental arsenal is tempered by alluring female vocal chants that provide an ambient feel. It’s featured alongside a combustible video, with the band excavating deep desert secrets. It was helmed by director Vicente Cordero & 3Teeth frontman and creative lead Alexis Mincolla.


Says Mincolla, "The scorpion symbolizes the challenge to confront and integrate those parts of ourselves that we repress, ignore, or fear. It invites a descent into the depths of the personal and collective unconscious. Its venom is the entropic catalyst for the dissolution of old, rigid structures of the psyche, making room for rebirth. To acknowledge and embrace the scorpion is to accept the necessity of change."


Ahead of the release of EndEx in late September, 3Teeth will continue to release a new single every month. Other highlights on the album include a cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” continuing 3Teeth’s penchant for aggressive reworks of pop songs, previously seen on Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks,” Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz” and Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record).”


To lay the foundation for the new material, 3Teeth migrated to the deserted quiet of Joshua Tree, escaping from the palpable anxiety of their hometown of Los Angeles for fresh new perspective. The material is currently being wrapped up with a solid extended team including the accomplished sound designer Mick Gordon (best known for his work on the gaming phenomenon Doom) who produced several of the tracks along with producer Nick Rowe and mixer Sean Beavan (NIN), bringing in another dimension to the band’s unmistakable sound.


Says Gordon, “3Teeth are one of my favorite acts. They proudly fly their own unique flag. The new album charts course through the next stage of our vanity-led evolution as a species, and by that I mean the album is a world unto itself. I’m just stoked that these guys have allowed me along for the ride.”


EndEx will be available in CD, Gatefold LP, and digital album formats. Special formats include: 
Red LP (available at all EU outlets)
Red Smoke LP (available at all US outlets)
Utra-Clear / Red Splatter LP (available from 3TEETH)
Utra-Clear / Red Splatter LP (available from Revolver)


Preorder here.





Tracklisting:


“Xenogenesis”
“Acme Death Machine”
“Slum Planet”
“What’s Left”
“Merchant Of The Void”
“Higher Than Death”
“ALI3N”
“Plutonomicon”
“Paralyze” (feat. Ho99o9)
“Scorpion”
“Drift”
“Everybody Wants To Rule The World”


“Scorpion”:





"Slum Planet":





"Merchant Of The Void":

In a brand new interview with The Music Universe conducted this past Thursday (June 29),MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil spoke about the band's secret club show in London, England under the pseudonym DÖGS OF WAR. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we went in the studio not too long ago — about six months ago — and recorded three new songs. And one of 'em is called 'Dogs Of War'. And we're doing a show tomorrow night at a club here in London [under the name] DÖGS OF WAR. And I guess word got out, 'cause it sold out in less than a minute. So it was pretty cool."

Circling back to the CRÜE recording sessions with longtime producer Bob Rock, Neil said: "It's neat. There's three brand new MÖTLEY CRÜE songs. And we're gonna film it tomorrow night. I hope people like it."

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

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

Later in the chat, Vince talked about MÖTLEY CRÜE's plans for the coming months, saying" "We're gonna finish up. We have eight shows in the U.S. after [our current European tour with DEF LEPPARD]. Then we go to Australia and Japan. And then we do… I think we're gonna go back in the studio for a couple of more songs. And then we will announce a new stadium tour for next summer. And we're not sure who's gonna be on it, but there'll be another tour."

MÖTLEY CRÜE's concert at the Underworld saw Neil and his bandmates premiere their cover of BEASTIE BOYS' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)".

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE last summer that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in early April the 71-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

In a new interview with "THAT Rocks!", the weekly YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony confirmed that he does "very little" social media nowadays. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I do a little bit of Instagramming and whatever, but… [otherwise] no… I don't like to get involved in the drama. And that was really hard in certain times in VAN HALEN. Because, believe me… It's kind of funny, because I look at TV and I'm watching things like 'Behind The Music' [specials] with other bands, and I go, 'Oh my God. Look at all the shit they went through.' And then I sit back and I go, 'Oh my God. We've got probably the most drama out of anybody.'"

Speaking about VAN HALEN's touring days with the band's original singer David Lee Roth, Michael said: "There was always drama on the Roth tours… There were times… God, I forget which tour it was. I'll just give you a real quick story — not so much drama, but just how it was with Dave on tour. We were staying somewhere in the Midwest, and Dave… After this, we all kind of came to the conclusion that he was bipolar. 'Cause he would be great, and then all of a sudden he would just kind of freak out or whatever. And one night… We had a night off, and everybody was… whatever we were doing. It was, like, around midnight, one in the morning, and everyone was pretty much back at the hotel. And I hear all this commotion out in the hall and pounding and screaming, and I'm going, 'What the hell is going on?' So I put my shorts on and I go walking down the hall. And our security guys have got Roth in a strait jacket. Our security guys carried a strait jacket on tour; I won't get into that part of it. But they used to carry a strait jacket on tour, and Roth was just, like, screaming naked, sitting in one of our security guys' rooms, wearing this strait jacket."

Anthony added: "Dave, he liked to drink Jack Daniel's, but he couldn't handle it like I can handle it. Dave'd have a little bit of Jack Daniel's and he'd get a little crazy. And I guess they found him wandering around outside the hotel naked. And this was just one night out of seven nights a week being on tour."

Back in May 2022, former VAN HALEN bassist and current MAMMOTH WVH frontman Wolfgang Van Halen reflected on Roth's "lead singer disease" during an episode of "Wolfgang's Top of the Pack" on SiriusXM's Classic Rewind. He said: "I remember right before the first… In 2015, [Dave] fired the video director because he wouldn't film his feet well enough."

In December 2021, two months after Roth announced that he would end his career with a Las Vegas residency, Wolfgang, who joined his father Eddie Van Halen in VAN HALEN at the age of 16 for the band's 2007 reunion tour with Roth, replacing Anthony, was asked about David's retirement in an interview with Consequence. He said: "Dave is a… he's very much a one-of-a-kind [chuckles] sort of guy. We don't really talk, if ever. We were always cordial on tour together, but it's not like I've spoken to him at all in the last six years. But, I mean, he's fucking David Lee Roth. I'm so happy for him and for everything that he's accomplished. And he's just a phenomenal… He'll always be one of the best."

In November 2020, Wolfgang told Rolling Stone about his relationship with Roth: "We're cordial. But it was very business-related. You know, we were always cool, but we really only ever saw each other onstage."

In 2020, Wolfgang revealed a hilarious prank a tour manager played on Roth during VAN HALEN's final run of shows, which concluded in October 2015 at the the Hollywood Bowl. Speaking to SPIN, Wolfgang said: "Throughout the whole tour, Dave had an issue whenever someone in the audience had a beach ball. Outdoor theater, summer concert, Southern California party rock, VAN HALEN — it's not out of the ordinary. But every time he saw them, it would really upset him for some reason. And he would stop singing and then stand at the front of the stage and say, 'Throw the beach ball up here, throw the beach ball up here, throw the beach ball up here' eight times until it eventually got up, and he would stamp it out. Then he'd throw it off the stage. I guess he just really didn't want that out there.

"Before the very last show, the tour manager came up to my dad and me and whispered, 'Hey, you've got a funny little surprise for all of you guys at the end of the show,'" he continued. "We're, like, 'What?' And he goes, 'At the very end of 'Jump', when you're doing the ride out, we're going to release 50 beach balls from the top of the audience. And we'll just see what happens.' But even if he gets pissed off, what was he gonna do? It's the last fucking show. And sure enough, we get to 'Jump', and there was just a cavalcade, an avalanche of beach balls, and Dave was just, like, short-circuiting. He didn't understand how to handle it. But we all laughed it off. And it was just a really fun, almost like a fun practical joke. And yeah, that was a really fun memory of that show. As time went further and further by, the more I thought about it, like, 'Wow, if that is the last show, what an amazing way to cap it off.'"

During an appearance on today's (Friday, June 30) episode of the BBC television breakfast news program "BBC Breakfast", vocalist Joey Tempest of Swedish hard rock veterans EUROPE was asked how he feels about sometimes being considered a one-hit wonder for "The Final Countdown", which has proven to be a far more enduring song than any of the band's other tracks. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've gone through such a long journey together. Original bandmembers since the '80s, and we've done eleven albums. And we feel like we're doing better now on the circuit, on the rock circuit, and we're very accepted. So we don't really think about that. But that song did have a crossover thing; it came into the pop world, whereas [we were] a rock band. So, it's kind of… Yeah… We're okay with it."

A year ago, EUROPE's music video for "The Final Countdown" surpassed one billion views on YouTube. The Nick Morris-directed clip, which was uploaded to YouTube in October 2009, contains footage from two concerts EUROPE played at Solnahallen in Solna, Sweden on May 26 and May 27, 1986, as well as some extra footage filmed at the soundchecks for those gigs.

"The Final Countdown" was the first single released from EUROPE's third studio album, "The Final Countdown", in 1986. The band's most recognizable and popular song, it reached No. 1 in 25 countries, including the United Kingdom. In the United States the song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 18 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The single was certified gold in the United Kingdom in 1986.

Five years ago, Tempest was asked by Australia's Wall Of Sound if he knew "The Final Countdown" would be a smash when he was writing it and recording it. He responded: "It is a good question. I did the demo at home with this song and we had the ideas for it for so long. It was a one-minute demo since high school for me. On the third album, we decided to record the song and we were talking about writing around this main keyboard riff. Initially, it was really a soundtrack-type song and not a hit single, and I guess this was good for it. I remember playing the demo for the guys and they really saw the song so strong and it built from there. [But] no, we never knew that this was going to be such a big hit. We opened the album and the tour with this song, but we really thought this was not the one to be the initial single."

According to Tempest, "The Final Countdown" still stands as "one of our strongest albums and it was one of the albums that stands out; it opened up a lot of doors for the band. You know, 'Wings Of Tomorrow' was a little more naïve and stronger in that regard. But personally, I think we have done better albums, especially in the last [few] years. The three last albums are our strongest, but obviously it was something that belonged in that era and something so important to our career and history."

EUROPE's latest album, "Walk The Earth", was released in October 2017 via the band's own Hell & Back label through Silver Lining Music.

In a new interview with Elena Rosberg of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio station, legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes spoke about a possible collaboration with his ex-DEEP PURPLE bandmate, fellow singer David Coverdale. The 71-year-old British-born musician said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have spoken about it in the last 10 years a couple of times. But David — he's been very busy; I have been very busy. So, the window of opportunity is closing, because I'm not sure how long David wants to continue. And I am so damn busy that… If he said to me tomorrow, 'Let's get together and maybe do something,' I would find the time, but I don't wait for that opportunity, because we've had that time. We had a great legacy.

"A lot of people would love to see Glenn and David together on one more tour," Glenn continued. "But I'm not sure [it will happen]… I mean, I think fans would like that. You never know. But I'm not sure."

More than two years ago, Glenn was asked by "That Jamieson Show" if he would consider taking part in a DEEP PURPLE reunion tour featuring him, Coverdale and Ian Gillan all sharing the stage in celebration of the band's legacy. He responded: "I would not consider it, because I'm way past that now. It was such a long time ago. Let's just say that there are some unresolved problems from the past. And for me, the time I have left to do my work on this planet, I need to keep making new music and plowing on forward. Yes, I have done some shows in respect to DEEP PURPLE music, but as far as re-engaging with them chaps again in the live form, I can't see it happening."

Hughes went on to clarify that his issues with DEEP PURPLE have "nothing to do with David Coverdale. I love him," he explained. "I would work with David again if we get a chance, but anybody else, no."

Known as the "voice of rock," Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste the Band". More recently, he played various hits and deep cuts from the DEEP PURPLE catalog, including "Burn", "Stormbringer", "Sail Away" and "Smoke On The Water", as part of his "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live" tour, which was launched in 2017, and "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live – Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of The Album Burn", which is ongoing.

In 2020, Hughes told Eonmusic that DEEP PURPLE's 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where he was honored along with other former and current members of the band, "was a little difficult, because of, let's call it personality problems. It was David and I holding hands, and the other guys, unfortunately," he said. "We just don't get along with the other guys at all. So, we kept ourselves to ourselves — David and Glenn, with our wives — and it was great. David and I, what a great time. And we closed the show with CHEAP TRICK and Sheryl Crow, and our friends in CHICAGO.

"You know, it's a touchy subject," he continued. "It was not an easy night for us. If you look at the body language, it's pretty obvious. But again, David and I have been thick and thin for so long; I just dearly love him. Regarding DEEP PURPLE, I have no idea what they're doing, and I don't really care."

Hughes's comments came less than two months after David expressed his exasperation at PURPLE over how he and Glenn were treated by their former band ahead of the Rock Hall induction. The singer, who played with DEEP PURPLE along with Hughes from 1973 to 1976, said: "Glenn Hughes and I were told, 'Well, we don't want you singing with us.' Initially, I'd spoken to Ian [Gillan] about coming up and singing the backgrounds of 'Smoke On The Water', because originally they were going to close the show. So, that suddenly was pulled. They tried to stop us doing speeches, and my wife was fucking furious, apart from the fact she spent a fortune on posh dresses. [Laughs]"

DEEP PURPLE's first three lineups were inducted into the Rock Hall, including guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans, Gillan, Roger Glover, Coverdale and Hughes.

DEEP PURPLE's acceptance speeches included turns from Gillan, Glover, Paice, Coverdale and Hughes before the current lineup of DEEP PURPLE — Gillan, Glover, Paice, guitarist Steve Morse and keyboardist Don Airey — took the stage and played a short set consisting of "Highway Star", "Green Onions" (with an image of Lord behind them),"Hush" and "Smoke On The Water".

In a new interview with Poland's Pełna Kulturka, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson was asked how he listens to music nowadays. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I always listen to it on — quite honestly on this very iPhone I'm talking to you on. [Laughs] It has my entire music catalog on it. And it's because I fly and I travel. I buy most of it, so it's in the phone and my cloud, so I have it, because I'm not always on wifi, so when I wanna listen to music, I wanna have it. So I pay for it. I buy my own albums. When DIETH pre-order went up, I pre-ordered it. I buy my own albums. I buy my friends' albums. When IRON MAIDEN or JUDAS PRIEST or GHOST albums are coming out, I always buy it because I support them as my friends and I'm a fan of their music. And it's important to stay a fan, I think, too, to be excited about it: 'Oh, man, the new album is here. Let me listen to it.' I will say this: at home, I have a vinyl player. It's not a great one. It's just a small little thing that I have.

"I was glad to move away from vinyl because I learned how to play bass to vinyl," he continued. "The needle would be there, and you'd have to pick it up and move it back and listen to it and pick it up; that's how I learned how to play bass. So I was glad to move past it. And I love the convenience of digital.

"But I will say this: I love vinyl album covers. I bought so many albums — AC/DC, VAN HALEN, the SEX PISTOLS, JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN — so many records, I became a fan of these bands from their album covers. So I will buy it on iTunes. I'm an Apple guy, because, by the way, also pays us the best as royalties. So I'd rather give Apple my money. I love Steve Jobs. I think he settled the Napster dispute by creating the iTunes store, even if it was just so he can sell iPods. Whatever. He fixed it, so I hail him."

Ellefson added: "I bought BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE 'Not Fragile'. I have it in here [on my iPhone]. That's one of the first albums that got me into rock and roll. But then I went on Amazon and I bought the album cover. 'Cause I wanted to have the vinyl album cover. And I found it. It was, like, 10 dollars, and I had it shipped to my house. So now I have the album cover so I can look at the album and listen to it on my phone the same way I used to as a kid sitting in front of my stereo, looking at pictures, reading… 'Cause, to me, that's such a part of this.

"That's why, I think, as metal artists, we go to such great lengths to make these elaborate album covers with these gatefolds and these digipacks and all this stuff, because we put the lyrics, who played what solo, who wrote what song, because we know as fans ourselves that fans want to see this stuff. This isn't just a song that's passing us by. We are all into a culture. Our bands, our t-shirts — that's who we are. So we go to great lengths to do that. That's why, just even still as a fan, if I buy a KISS album… I bought a 38 SPECIAL album and I bought the album cover. I found it at a record store, just 'cause I wanted to take it home and remember the experience I had when I was a teenager listening to my favorite records on my stereo at home when I was growing up."

DIETH, which features Ellefson alongside Swedish guitarist/vocalist Guilherme Miranda (formerly of ENTOMBED A.D.) and drummer Michał Łysejko (ex-DECAPITATED), released its debut album, "To Hell And Back", on June 2 via Napalm Records. The LP includes the song "Walk With Me Forever", featuring the first-ever solo lead vocal performance of Ellefson's career. The track's haunting accompanying music video shows Ellefson narrating a story of love and loss, directed by Oskar Szramka and starring notable Polish actors Jan Napieralski and Agnieszka Goździewicz.

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH by Dave Mustaine in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

During an appearance on yesterday's (Thursday, June 22) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Tony Iommi confirmed that BLACK SABBATH was originally approached to play the Power Trip festival this fall. The three-day event, which features a lineup of hard rock legends GUNS N' ROSES, IRON MAIDEN, AC/DC, OZZY OSBOURNE, METALLICA and TOOL, will be held October 6-8 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, home of the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival.

Asked if it's true that there was talk of SABBATH doing the show, Iommi said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes, there was. But I didn't, at that point… It's hard, because Ozzy's [Osbourne, SABBATH singer] been going through a lot of stuff lately. He's in hospital and out of hospital, and he's really been fighting it; he really wants to get out there. But in my mind, it's very difficult to sort of say yes. I've gotta think of the people in the band as well. I've gotta think of Ozzy, if he's gonna be all right to do a show and whatever. So I wasn't that comfortable with it. But I didn't know Ozzy [chuckles] would be doing it on his own. But it's great. I hope he can do it and that it'll be really good. He really wants to do it. And he's really trying to pull to get himself back. He's had to go through such a lot of hard stuff lately. It's such a shame, really. But he's still fighting there."

Pressed to confirm that the original lineup of SABBATH was asked to play Power Trip but that he eventually decided against it, Tony said: "Yeah. Sort of, yeah. I mean, we hadn't approached the others as far as doing it. They might have said no. But it didn't get much further than me, really. But, yeah, that's the way it is.

"If you're gonna go out, I want to do a good show," he explained. "I want to go out on the top and do it. I don't wanna just go and slap something together. And I'm not saying it would have been, but it could have been difficult."

Iommi went on to say that he isn't necessarily opposed to staging a one-off reunion of BLACK SABBATH's original lineup under the right circumstances.

"I've certainly done the Commonwealth Games [in Birmingham last August] with Ozzy, and that sort of happened. But to do a full show, you've gotta make sure everybody's in good shape because people are gonna remember you by that show. And I don't want our reputation to go downhill all of a sudden. If something goes wrong or somebody can't make it and we have to cancel… 'Cause I don't know everybody's health; I don't know how Bill's [Ward, original SABBATH drummer] feeling these days. You just don't know. So I'd like to be sure. If you're gonna do anything, it's gotta be good or [you should] not bother."

Back in December 2021, Tony spoke to Liz Barnes of Planet Rock's "My Planet Rocks" about SABBATH's final tour, "The End", which concluded in February 2017 in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career. "The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

"It was emotional, the last year, because we'd done it so long together, and it just felt pretty weird, really," he said. It was basically my fault to end it because of the touring.

"The problem is in a band of this size, you can't just go and go a week of gigs; you've gotta do a world tour of 18 months," he explained. "And when you do that, you have to take that on. When you first mention it, about going out on tour, 'Yeah. Brilliant. 18-month tour. Fantastic.' But when you get into a year of it, you get tired. But you have to take it on that long 'cause you've got all the crew to keep alive. Everybody's got a job, so you can't do one week and then have a month off and do another week, 'cause you won't get the crew; they wanna have a job. So we've done it for that long — we've done a world tour and a world tour again. And then it was getting sort of tiring. Even though we had our own plane and we [stayed] in the best hotels — everything was perfect — but you still get tired. We'd have a base in New York when we play in that area, so we'd have the plane there fly in. So you get in at three o'clock in the morning and then try to get to bed and sleep. So it was a regular thing like this. We tried to make it as comfortable as possible. It couldn't get any easier or [more] comfortable, but it still was tiring. And the late nights and stuff. So, when I was talking to my doctors, they said, 'You shouldn't really be doing it to that extent, flying,' 'cause I've got blood cancer. It wasn't good for me to be doing that much flying. I talked to the guys and I said, 'It's probably the time to call it a day now, sort of thing, for now' of that extensive touring. So that's really what we did. But the stipulation was we had to end up in Birmingham 'cause that's where we started."

According to Iommi, SABBATH has never ruled out performing again. "We haven't stopped it," he said. "It's just the major touring that has come to a stop; I wouldn't wanna do 18-month tours again. But that doesn't say we wouldn't do any one-off stuff."

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

Iommi said in 2016 interview that "the lowest moment" for him was being diagnosed. He explained: "You automatically wind yourself up saying, 'That's it then,' but that is not always the case. When they tell you, you think, 'Oh God.' That was a low time. I have had a few low times in my life like everybody has, but that was one that stuck in the head."

Osbourne told The Pulse Of Radio in 2014 that Iommi never let his condition slow him down. "My hat goes off to him 'cause he really is Iron Man," he said. "I mean, that chemotherapy knocks you sideways, you know. I mean, when my wife had cancer a few years back, she was having three chemo things a month and it would knock the life out of — literally every time she'd have a treatment, she'd have a seizure. It's scary stuff. But he came down, plugged in and carried on. He's my hero, I swear to God he is."

The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.

"13" was the first album in 35 years to feature Osbourne, Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together.

Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced 12 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.