Wolfgang Van Halen (MAMMOTH WVH, VAN HALEN),Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, SEPULTURA) and Mike DeLeon (SOULFLY, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) joined PANTERA on stage on Wednesday (June 28) at the Evil Live festival at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal to sing backing vocals on the song "Walk". Fan-filmed video of their appearance can be seen below.

PANTERA's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX),are touring the world under the PANTERA banner. They are headlining a number of major festivals across South America, Asia, North America and Europe and staging some of their own headline concerts. They will also support METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

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

Max, who has spent the last few years playing SEPULTURA-centric shows with his brother, former SEPULTURA drummer Igor Cavalera, discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback in a February 2023 interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series. He said: "There's two sides for that, right?! It's so tough, because [on] one hand I understand that the fans wanna see it, and you still have somewhat a big part of that band, but you are missing two key elements on the brothers that are irreplaceable, in my eyes. So it's tough. It's really tough."

He continued: "The only thing that maybe… It's a little bit strange that they call it PANTERA. It should be called some kind of tribute to PANTERA — I think. It would have been a little bit more of a tribute to those songs and to that era. Because I don't really think it's PANTERA without the brothers."

Max previously discussed the PANTERA return in an interview in January with the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast. At the time, he said: "I think it's cool that they're doing that. I do something very similar with my brother, where we go out and we play a lot of SEPULTURA albums that the fans really love it and they never got the chance to see it, for one reason or another. And they get to see it with the real drums and the real vocals and the real guitar. So it's the closest you get to the real thing. And PANTERA is the same thing.

"Yeah, I'm friends with all of those guys [in PANTERA]," he continued. "And I've been friends with Phil for many years. I actually thanked him for letting me borrow his guitar player. Mike DeLeon is jamming with us [in SOULFLY]. He plays with [PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE] ILLEGALS, with Phil Anselmo, for many, many years. So I thanked Phil for letting me borrow his guitar player."

Circling back to the PANTERA reformation, Max said: "Yeah, I think it's cool, especially the generation that never got to see it. I was there. I got to see it from the side of the stage every night. It was great… But I'm thinking about people that never got to see it, never got to experience that. For sure, go see it. It's not the original thing, but it's as close you can get from the original thing. It's fucking cool. The music is so powerful, it's so good, it's so cool that it will get through to the people. And I feel that way when I do those things with my brother. When we play those old songs, it connects to the whole audience. And it's a huge tribute.

"It sucks that Dimebag and Vinnie are no longer here, but at the same time, especially if you're a young kid and you grew up loving PANTERA and never got to see it, for sure, go see it, man," he added. "Just be a part of it. It's a unique experience."

Last August, Max spoke about the prospect of Anselmo and Brown reuniting for a PANTERA tour in an interview with Metal Hammer magazine. At the time, he said: "It's a delicate issue, man. On one hand, yes. But then sometimes I think if it was like me and Igor had died and somebody else would carry on without us, I don't know how I feel about that. I'm not sure I would really like it. It's a tough one. At the same time, you know, people want to hear those songs. The fans deserve to hear those songs."

Asked if the PANTERA comeback has made him rethink the possibility of doing a SEPULTURA reunion, Max said: "No. I'm good with what we did and so pleased with the reaction. It's a different thing with us and PANTERA; I'm not sure who founded PANTERA and stuff like that, but SEPULTURA was me and Igor. But if they do it the way we did, as a tribute, well, all right, you know? I think we gave the songs justice, we played them as good as they can be played and people were completely satisfied when they came to see us. At this point in my life, I'm satisfied having one foot in the past playing those old records and another in the future doing stuff like [SOULFLY's new album] 'Totem' and KILLER BE KILLED. I want to experience both sides."

In July 2022, Max told the "Talk Toomey" podcast that it would be "totally cool" if Anselmo and Brown reunited for a PANTERA tour as a tribute to the original albums. Referencing the criticism that has already been leveled at Philip and Rex for touring as PANTERA without the Abbott brothers, Max said: "You kind of can say similar things about our stuff because it's not all the four original guys, but it's as close as you get to that, and it's done really well.

"But, yeah, I'm excited," Max added. "Those [PANTERA] records are so good, they have so many fans, and they should be heard. And rest in peace, Vinnie and Dime, but if it's done right with the right heart on it, hell yeah — I'm totally on board. I think it would be great.

"This new generation, they embrace that stuff. So this music doesn't get outdated. It's not like some stuff that with time just kind of fades out; it's out of fashion. It doesn't happen with this music. So I think all of those records are like that. And, of course, PANTERA is the same vein with 'Far Beyond Driven', 'Cowboys From Hell' — those are some great fucking records, man. People want to hear it. I think it's cool. It should be fun."

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.

Chilli’ with Wolfgang Van Halen in Lisboa, Portugal. @wolfgangvanhalen

Posted by Soulfly on Wednesday, June 28, 2023

In a new interview with Planet Rock's Wyatt Wendels conducted at this month's Download festival in the United Kingdom, DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan was asked if the title of the group's latest album, "Divisive", is an observation of it is a statement of intent that he and his bandmates are trying to be divisive. The 54-year-old Illinois-based musician, who in the past had shared posts on his personal Facebook page that amplified Republican talking points and that were derogatory to Democrats, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I usually am maybe more cryptic in my answers 'cause I like to leave it up for your own interpretation on how you view it. But, yeah, it's just the divisive nature of just the state of the world and the industry and how things have been going on in America especially. It's been quite crazy, if you've seen. I don't know how the media and the news covers that over here. So it's been a rough go. And I think… I don't know what the hell happened. We're so divided, now more than ever. You go on social media and everybody's there… It's, like, you wake up in the morning ready to start… Who can I attack today? We focus so much on our differences and the things that we dislike or disagree on or hate. And it's just kind of… When's it gonna be over? It's just like one big temper tantrum from everyone."

"Divisive" came out last November. The LP was recorded earlier last year with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) in Nashville, Tennessee.

Donegan's divorce inspired the "Divisive" song "Don't Tell Me", which is a duet with HEART's Ann Wilson. In two decades, it breaks ground as the first-ever guest collaboration on a DISTURBED record.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.

Earlier this month, DISTURBED was forced to cancel two shows on its ongoing European tour due to singer David Draiman's "vocal issues."

Last month, Draiman underwent on operation to have a benign tumor removed from the radius in his right arm.

Sirenia lead guitarist, Nils Courbaron, has announced that he's formed a new band with bassist Francesco Saverio Ferraro (Freedom Call, Vexillum), vocalist Mike Livas (Silent Winter) and drummer Michael Brush (Sirenia, ex-Magic Kingdom, Iron Mask).





The band was in France last week to finish the mixing and mastering of their first album at the Vamacara Studio. They also took some photos at the studio. No release date has been announced at this time, but Nils said, "It's the most ambitious project I've ever done... stay tuned!"




Nils' incredible guitar playing and compositional skills can be heard on the instrumental track "Purple Horizon" from his solo project:

Danish death metal act, Plaguemace, have inked a worldwide record deal with premier Austrian rock and metal label, Napalm Records.


The neck-bending old school death metal band was formed in 2019 in the heart of Denmark by vocalist Andreas Truelsen and guitarist Simon Truelsen. Soon, the two brothers were joined by Anton Holm Smidstrup on second guitar and vocals, Ruben Brandt on bass and Matias Zacho on drums. The quintet released their six-track EP, Primal Priest, in November 2020.


Plaguemace’s thrashy death’n’roll is spiced up with bombastic melodies, brutal breakdowns and infectious grooves, reminiscent of bands such as Grave, High On Fire, Entombed and Obituary. The outfit’s ferocious energy and dirty riffs are unleashed on stage in a vicious vortex of guitar shreds, headbanging and pure lunacy.




As the pandemic loosened its tight grip on the world, the band began performing live, and within that first year, they played 25 concerts in total. The performances included support slots for bands such as Baest, Katla and Crocell, and appearances at festivals such as Metal Magic and Tornvang Open Air.


Stay tuned for news on Plaguemace’s debut album.  


Plaguemace on the signing: “We are super stoked to sign with Napalm Records. They wholeheartedly understand the vision for our debut album and we are beyond excited to share it with everyone. We have an amazing gut feeling about this partnership and we are certain that we have found the perfect label for us.”


Sebastian Muench, Senior A&R, adds: “The energy of Danish band Plaguemace is completely unique to me. The innovative approach of the band seems to revolutionize death metal and is just a lot of fun. We are very happy to welcome Plaguemace to the Napalm family.”


Plaguemace is:


Andreas Truelsen - Vocals
Simon Truelsen - Guitar
Anton Holm Smidstrup - Guitar, Vocals
Ruben Brandt - Bass
Matias Zacho - Drums


(Photo - Malene Vinge)

Boston’s Final Gasp have signed to Relapse, and will unleash their debut album, Mourning Moon, on September 22. A harrowing journey through all things hardcore, metal, and goth, Mourning Moon drags the listener through twelve thrilling tracks. Vocalist and guitarist Jake Murphy delivers an unmatched, soulful performance while taking on the weightiest of topics.


“The whole record has to do with loss,” he explains. “The title comes from that anxious feeling you have when you go to bed and you’re thinking about everything all at once. You’re regretting decisions you’ve made - or didn’t make - and you’re up all night thinking about it.”


Mourning Moon’s hook-laden title track explodes out of the underground and aims straight for the stars. It’s downright catchy and showcases Final Gasp’s knack for expert songwriting and lyrical craft.




“Mourning Moon professes eternal love through a lens clad in black and morbid as ever, dripping in melancholy while being propelled forward by a cavernous beat. “I wrote this song for someone but it ended up being about so many people who are either here or gone. It’s a love letter to loss,” Murphy explains.


The lead single is available today accompanied by a cinematic video shot in the North Shore of Massachusetts, and directed by Caleb Gowett. He tells, “Dumah and Azrael have been banished from Heaven. Azrael on the Earth realm, and Dumah below. Azrael must trick the mourning Groom into helping him summon Dumah. But first Dumah will need an earthly body. The Groom’s recently deceased Bride will do just fine. Azrael and the Groom complete the summoning ritual and bring Dumah to the Earth realm. Reunited again, the Angels of Death light the flames of war and begin their reign over Earth. Destroying humanity one soul at a time.”


Watch the video below.


Final Gasp recorded Mourning Moon in Philadelphia with famed producer Arthur Rizk (Ghostmane, Cavalera Conspiracy, Sumerlands). Its foundation was built by the band’s two previous EPs - 2019’s Baptism of Desire (Primitive Propaganda) and 2021’s Haunting Whisper (Triple B). “Every song was  written with nothing but a natural feeling for what felt right,” Murphy tells. “There’re tons of different influences, like Killing Joke and Die Kreuzen, even Echo & The Bunnymen and SSD.  But we’re not really thinking about other bands. We feel like we’ve tapped into something that’s our own.”


Mourning Moon proves to be one of the most inventive journeys this side of the genre in recent times - now, Final Gasp are ready to emerge from the shadows, and step into the forefront of extreme music's new guard.


Pre-order / pre-save Mourning Moon here.





Mourning Moon tracklisting:


"Climax Infinity"
"Homebound"
"Botched Ritual"
"Frozen Glare"
"Seize"
"Blood And Sulfur"
"Mourning Moon"
"Unnatural Law"
"14 Gates"
"Temptation"
"The Vanishing"
"Rows Of Heaven"


"Mourning Moon" video:





Since emerging in 2019, word of Final Gasp’s experiential and aggressive live shows spread quickly amongst the underground. Following recent support tours with High Command and Poison Ruin, the band head out on a DIY Summer U.S. tour, routing Final Gasp through most cities for the first time ever. Dates include Philadelphia, NYC, LA, Austin, the midwest, both coasts and more.





Final Gasp is:


Jacob Murphy - Vocals
Alex Consentino - Guitar
Sean Rose - Bass
James Forsythe - Guitar
Peter Micanovic - Guitar  
Eric Lester - Drums


(Photo - Tyler Hallett)

DRAGONFORCE frontman Marc Hudson has signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records. Hudson's first solo album, "Starbound Stories", will arrive on August 25. The effort is described in a press release as "a sparkling, anime-inspired power metal ride, heavily influenced by both Japanese music and video game soundtracks, and featuring a horde of notable guests.

Hudson comments: "It is with great pride that I can finally announce my signing to Napalm Records. I'm very grateful for the label's belief in me as a solo artist and can't wait to have Napalm on my side to show 'Starbound Stories' to the world!"

The first single from "Starbound Stories" is "Astralive", which marks the start of an exciting new chapter and serves as a first taste of Marc's upcoming solo debut, accompanied by an official music video. "Astralive" lures with an undeniably catchy chorus whilst also featuring fast drum patterns, spellbinding guitarwork and keys, and skillful power metal vocals that reach for the skies.

Hudson states: "'Astralive' is the first single from the album and takes the listener on a power metal journey through space and time. This song explores the cosmic mysteries of the universe and mankind's eternal search for wisdom beyond the stars."

Instrumental album opener "As The Twilight Met The Sea" acts as an introduction to the soundscapes of the album and features samurai metal master Ryoji Shinomoto (RYUJIN, previously known as Gyze) on traditional Japanese instruments. Shinomoto also lends his vocals on the following track, "Freedom Heart", which also features a solo by guitar virtuoso Syu (GALNERYUS). Explosive power metal anthem "Dracula X" features a guitar solo by Jacky Vincent (ex-FALLING IN REVERSE, ex-CRY VENOM) and guest vocals by Adrienne Cowan (SEVEN SPIRES). Beautifully emotional successor "Stars" features classically trained violinist Mia Asano on electric violin. Energetic "The Siren" is led by a tingling melody and ballad-like vocals. "Swansong" starts off with a beautiful keyboard intro that could be pulled from a movie soundtrack. Sentimental vocals approach before the song progresses into a full-blown power metal ballad, with high screams and plenty of effects that further enhance the magical atmosphere while backing up the guitars and drums. Steve Terreberry, known on YouTube as Stevie T., performs a guitar solo on "Call Of The Martyrs" and is joined by prog guitarist Galen Stapley (AZURE). Stapley also provides a solo on the following title track, "Starbound Stories". "One More Sight Of The Sun With You" is sung in Japanese, staying true to the main themes of the album and closing the entire offering on an uplifting note.

Hudson's debut solo album is an outstanding musical adventure balanced between power metal, video game soundtracks, Japanese music and even pop influences, showcasing virtuosity throughout all of its grand instrumentation.

"Starbound Stories" track listing:

01. As The Twilight Met The Sea
02. Freedom Heart
03. Dracula X!
04. Stars
05. The Siren
06. Astralive
07. Swansong
08. Call Of The Martyrs
09. Starbound Stories
10. One More Sight Of The Sun With You

Recording lineup:

Marc Hudson - Vocals, Guitar, Backing vocals
Shaz D - Keyboards
Frédéric Leclercq - Guitars, Bass
Rich Smith – Drums

Photo credit: Oliver Lloyd Design

"Deep, deep into the lush, tropical forests of Durham, UK, lies a studio that... well, basically makes fkn music," begins an update from Annihilator frontman Jeff Waters.


"I just finished ANOTHER record yesterday... man, the last 4 years have seen me make 4 records! Yesss... Can't wait for you to hear the 3 you haven't heard. AND 1 more record to do, as well, making it 5 records in 5 years... on a roll, I must say! Then, time to tour and enjoy my latter years! Haha! Work is fun as heck but I will have done my time in HEAVEN/HELL by the end of 2024! Well, maybe 2025.... maybe 2026 haha [❤]


(Btw, Annihilator was started Dec 1984... 2024 would be 40 years since I wrote 'Crystal Ann' and John Bates and I wrote the first version of 'Alison Hell' [🙂] )."




Annihilator's last album Ballistic, Sadistic was released in 2020; it was their 17th studio full-length.


The aforementioned studio is Watersound Studios, pictured below.





 

Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes has weighed in on bands who rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

During a June 23 question-and-answer session in Northampton, England, Holmes said about some bands' reliance on backing tracks (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "If people wanna pay for it and go see it, then do it. But I don't like it. I never did. When W.A.S.P. started doing it during the second album, during 'Wild Child' they'd have a tape machine… and I hated it. 'Cause if you're not on stage doing it, it's not live; it's not real. And then 'The Headless Children' came in, and that's where he started sampling. It's not called backing tracks; it's called sampling. That's what it actually is. And I hated it. It's not real.

"If you pay to see a real gig, it should be real, whether they sound good or like crap," he continued. "That's the way I look at it. I don't sample; I never will. I would rather play when I'm a little bit off, but it's for real. Some people would rather do it. I heard MÖTLEY CRÜE is doing it. DEF LEPPARDhas to sample. You can't do them eight-part harmonies on the vocals — unless you have other people singing in the background."

Holmes went on to say that relying on backing tapes is "not rock and roll," adding that aging rockers are using tracks "because they can't sound like they did 40 years ago."

According to Chris, a rock show is supposed to be raw, with all of its imperfections.

"It's rock and roll," he said. "It's what it is. You're out of tune here and there, who cares? As long as it sounds good."

W.A.S.P. has been criticized for the group's supposed use of backing tracks, including for Blackie Lawless's lead vocals, for at least several years, as Metal Sludge pointed out in 2019 after Lawless and his bandmates performed at the Helgeåfestivalen in Sweden.

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

During a May 25 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Blackie was once again asked about complaints from some of the band's fans about the use of backing tracks during W.A.S.P.'s live performances. He responded: "About 10, 12 years ago, we did 'The Crimson Idol' the first time in its entirety with orchestration. Now, prior to that, we had just done — I call it the 'Live At Leeds' version… Because if you look at what THE WHO did with the 'Live At Leeds', which we all thought was live at the time, and we now realize there are overdubs on those as well, like most live records. We would take the bare-bones approach to doing it. Well, we decided to take an approach where we tried to make it sound exactly like the record. And we had never used orchestration or anything like that. So we went in the studio, we took all the tracks off the record as far as the orchestration, we took the background vocal tracks, we took doubles on leads — we did everything. And we took it and we tried to make it sound as much like the record as we could. I stood in the middle of the room that first night in rehearsal, and I swear to you it was like an out-of-body experience. I had never heard anything sound like that before. I had never played with a live orchestra before. And so this was the closest thing you would get to doing something like that.

"Listen, I understand both sides of the argument on it," he continued. "For me personally, when I'm up there, I'm singing my ass off. But what's wrong with having enhancement to make something sound exactly like the record? Because you're not gonna get a band like QUEEN or any other band that does big productions like that… Four guys cannot go out there and reproduce that record. It's impossible. It won't happen. So do you want it to sound like the record or do you want it to be just a general live performance? And that's a question of taste.

"If you're gonna start making records where you have a lot of orchestration and things like that going, it is impossible to make it sound like that record unless you have that," Lawless added. "And you can also make the argument, which has been going on Broadway for the last 20 years, the musicians' union has been fighting this fiercely but technology rolls on and it's not gonna stop, where they no longer have live music in Broadway productions. And the musicians' union has had a fit over that. Well, even before that happened, when you had keyboards introduced that had entire orchestras in them, you've got one guy now replacing a hundred and twenty different people. So where do you draw the line?

"Like I said, I understand if somebody wants a true, organic experience, but from my perspective, I looked at it and I said… Once I heard it sound exactly like the record, I thought, 'I cannot go back to this again.' I mentioned THE WHO a second ago, the 'Live At Leeds' approach. THE WHO used tapes for years until they started hiring all these other guys to go out with them. But even still, a lot of the keyboard stuff — 'Won't Get Fooled Again', things like that — that's all on tape."

"When I go out on that stage, I take a lot of pride in this gift that God's given me," Blackie added. "And I like to show it off; I'll just be flat-out honest with you. But I think people wanna see that or they wanna hear it. So I don't think there's anything wrong with it. If you've got a guitar player that is really, really good, people are going there to see that. But again, when I went into rehearsals that one night and I heard what it sounded like when it sounded like the record, I thought, 'I can never go back.' Like I said, it was a flat-out out-of-body experience."

Asked what percentage of the vocals during W.A.S.P.'s live concerts are on tape, Blackie said: "You mean from my lead vocals? For my lead vocals, I would encourage people to go… We did five shows where I was sitting. Go look at those last couple. You're gonna hear it loud and clear. 'Cause when we were in Sofia, I cracked a couple of times, which I normally don't do. But it was getting towards the end of the tour. I mean, it wasn't anything catastrophic, but for me, I don't normally crack. But it happens. It's part of the live experience. But when we start doing the choruses and things like that, myself and Mike Duda and Doug Blair, we're all out there singing, but we're using backups behind that too. Because when we did it in the studio, we were using three and four tracks at a time to create that. You cannot make those choruses sound huge like that with just individual vocals creating that, because when you're doing it in the studio, you double and triple tracks. I mentioned QUEEN a while ago — they were using 24 tracks of vocals to create those sounds. You cannot create those chorus sounds by two or three guys doing that. It is impossible… Unless there's 20 guys in that room doing that, it ain't gonna sound like that… If you're doing 24 tracks of vocals to create that chorus effect, a handful of guys cannot do that, even with electronic doublers. And then you can get into that argument — okay, you're using mechanical effects to enhance one guy out there. I mean, where do we draw the line with this now?"

KISS frontman Paul Stanley, who has been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years, has been accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's ongoing "End Of The Road" tour.

Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip sync. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.

"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use [backing] tracks."

This past March, KISS's longtime manager Doc McGhee defended Stanley's vocal performance on "End Of The Road", explaining that the "Star Child" "fully sings to every song" at every concert. He explained: It's enhanced. It's just part of the process to make sure that everybody hears the songs the way they should be sang to begin with. Nobody wants to hear people do stuff that's not real, that's not what they came to hear."

When McGhee was asked to clarify if he was "actually saying there are backing tracks that [Paul is] singing to," Doc said: "He'll sing to tracks. It's all part of a process. Because everybody wants to hear everybody sing. But he fully sings to every song."

In March 2020, SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers said that "90 percent" of rock artists use at least some pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. He told Rock Feed: "It bothers me that it bothers people. I'm, like, 'Why does this bother you?' It's the way it is. People have been doing this since the '80s. And we want the sound to be the best it can be. Could we go up there, just the four of us, and put on the best rock show ever? Of course. But that's not how we wanna do it."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has previously said that he is "one of the last people" who are still not using pre-recorded tracks at their live shows. "I don't know how much longer I can say to you that I don't use tapes onstage, because I don't, and I never have," he told Consequence Of Sound. "And I still don't. When I have opening bands, and they're using tapes, and then I come out and I don't use tapes… sometimes, it makes me feel stupid, because I'm like, 'What am I doing, when all these kids half my age can come onstage and do all of my moves, but they don't have to warm up for an hour before the show, or weeks, before the first show?' Sometimes, I'm like, 'Why do I even bother, if the public is so used to this other way?' It's becoming very rare to come see a good band that's actually a real band — that's not miming or doing silly moves while a tape is running. It just becomes more rare as the years go on."

In 2019, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said that he doesn't "agree" with certain rock artists relying on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. "I tell you what, I see it with a lot of younger bands, and I don't think it's a good thing at all," he told the New York Post. "I mean, the music is getting too technical now. You have computerized recording systems, which we use, but I think we use them more for convenience than because we need to. We've toured with a couple bands that use tapes — it's not real. You're supposed to play live; it should be live. I don't agree with using tapes … I think it's a real shame."

One musician who has been open about his band's use of taped vocals during live performances is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, who said: "We've used technology since '87." He added the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."

In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live. "I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson joined a covers band on stage this past Friday (June 23) at the Royal Air Force base in Brize Norton, Oxfordshire to perform the MAIDEN classics "The Trooper" and "Run To The Hills". Video of his appearance can be seen below. The event was a retirement party for a military aircraft known as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

Known as the workhorse of the RAF, the Hercules has been the backbone of U.K. operational tactical mobility tasks since the 1960s, working around the globe on military and humanitarian relief operations.

The Hercules is being replaced by a fleet of 22 Atlas A400Ms, supported by other RAF aircraft.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid tribute to personnel and crews of 47 Squadron, who he said have served with "professionalism and distinction throughout" and have his full thanks.

Three years ago, Dickinson was officially attested into the Royal Air Force, the United Kingdom's aerial warfare force. The British singer was awarded the role of Honorary Group Captain.

Bruce has held a commercial pilot's license for more than 20 years.

Dickinson had other connections with the RAF, having completed an emergency landing at RAF Halton in 2015. He was flying his Fokker triplane when it began to run low on fuel.

A year and a half ago, Bruce, who flew his group around the world in their customized jumbo jet dubbed Ed Force One, named after MAIDEN's iconic mascot Eddie, told the Associated Press that he would not be sitting in the pilot's seat when he and his bandmates returned to the road later that year. "You know, when you get to 65, if you're an airline pilot, they just take you out the back and shoot, right?" he said. "So, I'm going to be sitting in the back being the backseat driver."

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),commercial pilots have to retire at age 65. There is currently no maximum age limit for being a private pilot or for being an Air Force pilot.

Dickinson gained a commercial pilot's license after learning to fly in the 1990s. In 2012 he set up Cardiff Aviation, an aircraft maintenance company which has since changed its name to Caerdav.

Bruce, who spent a few years flying planes for Astraeus Airlines, told CNN in a 2007 interview: "Aviation's been kicking around my family for as long as I can remember; my uncle was in the RAF. But I always thought I was too stupid. I was useless at maths and majored in history at university, so I thought history majors don't become pilots, let alone rock stars. And then our drummer learned to fly, so I said, 'If a drummer can learn to fly, then anyone can.'"

Dickinson told Wales Online that he still gets a thrill out of flying, but that it's a totally different sensation to playing live.

"The satisfaction flying airplanes is getting the job done, but the satisfaction with playing live is external, looking out at all the people looking at you," he said. "With an airliner, it's all internal. If you've got passengers, nobody goes, 'Wow! Wasn't that great?' They're thinking about the rest of their day. Your job as an airline pilot is to deliver them safely and be invisible. That's quite nice for me because it's completely the opposite to what I do when I sing."

Image credit: Eddie The Head Fan Club Facebook / video by Brian Davis

"The Trooper" Bruce with the 47 Squadron Band in a farewell party for the C-130 Hercules. 23/06/2023.

Friday night at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, Bruce Dickinson play with the 47 Squadron Band in a farewell party for the C-130 Hercules.
"The Trooper" 23/06/2023.
Video by Brian Davis.

Posted by Eddie The Head Fan Club on Saturday, June 24, 2023

Speech & "Run To The Hills" at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, Bruce Dickinson play with the 47 Squadron Band.

Friday night at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, Bruce Dickinson play with the 47 Squadron Band in a farewell party for the C-130 Hercules.
Speech & "Run To The Hills" 23/06/2023.
Thank you so much Brian Davis for the video 🤘

Posted by Eddie The Head Fan Club on Sunday, June 25, 2023

SURVIVOR's legendary hit "Eye Of The Tiger" has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. It was written by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan. The song has been a global phenomenon, inspiring millions since its release in 1982. Commissioned by Sylvester Stallone himself, "Eye Of The Tiger" was the theme song for the film "Rocky III". The single, from SURVIVOR's third album of the same name, spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would become SURVIVOR's defining anthem. "Eye Of The Tiger" charted 15 consecutive weeks in the Top 10, the second longest run of that year, garnering double platinum sales. Since then, "Eye" has sold nearly thirty million copies worldwide.

"Eye Of The Tiger" was nominated for two Grammy Awards, winning one for "Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group" in 1982. The song was also nominated for an Academy Award in 1982 for "Best Original Song".

Stallone left a message on Peterik's answering machine to call him, then asked if he'd write a song for "Rocky III", which turned into "Eye Of The Tiger", a huge hit still ubiquitous at sporting stadiums and arenas everywhere.

"I got the title from what Burgess Meredith tells Rocky in the movie," Peterik said about the song, revealing it was the demo that made it into the final movie. "It had the mojo," he said simply.

In an interview with Songfacts, Peterik said: "At first, we wondered if calling it 'Eye Of The Tiger' was too obvious. The initial draft of the song, we started with 'It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the spirit of our rival, and the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night, and it all comes down to survival.' We were going to call the song 'Survival'. In the rhyme scheme, you can tell we had set up 'rival' to rhyme with 'survival'. At the end of the day, we said, 'Are we nuts?' That hook is so strong, and 'rival' doesn't have to be a perfect rhyme with the word 'tiger'. We made the right choice and went with 'Eye Of The Tiger'."

The version of the song that appears in "Rocky III" contained tiger growls, which did not appear on the album version. It features original SURVIVOR singer Dave Bickler on lead vocals.

Hailing from Oakland, CA, Dress The Dead have released their debut EP, AEther, via Blood Blast Distribution. Stream and purchase here.


Craig Locicero, from Forbidden, originally formed Dress The Dead with The Haunted vocalist Peter Dolving in 2017. When Dolving left the group, the band struggled to find the right vocalist. While going through vocalist tryouts, Locicero received a text from Kayla Dixon.


Craig Locicero, "I'm proud of the vast catalog of music I’ve compiled over the last 3+ decades. Some of the very best material has come in the last 5 years with Dress The Dead. It seemed at times like the cards were stacked against us. Our timing never quite panned out. In great part because of the pandemic scrapping bigger plans. Regardless of that, we kept our heads down and put the art first. Created some amazing music that sounds unlike any other band out there. I believe collective visions of Kayla, James, Mikey, Mark & myself contributed to something that will eventually be discovered and looked upon favorably. My hope is that people will see this sooner than later. This collection of 5 songs does the talking."




James Walker, "I think from the beginning we had a we don’t give a shit we’re gonna play what we wanna play attitude. That means writing the most heaviest parts right next to the most beautiful part. If it was artistic and we wanted to do it, then we did it. These five songs have a perfect combination of emotions in them. It’s an in your face fuck you your beautiful vibe."


Mikey Rowan, "I’m happy to share with everyone some of the first compositions that I collaborated on with my friends in Dress The Dead. These songs were all conceived in 2021-2022, a period in which we were instrumentally experimenting with various different arrangement and composition theories and tools. It was immensely interesting to witness our sound develop as we collectively gained and applied intel from our own experiences as well as showing no apprehension to lean on and be inspired by the legends and giants of rock and metal music that came before us. These 5 songs provide a serviceable snapshot or time capsule documentation of a period in Dress The Dead that will be looked upon as a bridge to what’s coming next. Aggressive, dynamic, eclectic at times, chaotic, and peaceful, this is the sound of our band learning to harness and control our collective creative energy. The journey is the destination. Thank you for being a part of it, I hope you enjoy the music."


Kayla Dixon, "I'm very proud of the work we all put in to getting this EP out. We all bring differing musical backgrounds to this project and we worked our asses off to try to encapsulate a sound that combines all of our influences. I hope that lands for everyone who listens to this EP. In regards to the lyrics and vocal melodies, I took a very straightforward approach and tried to remain conversational in tone which I feel really comes through on "I Want to Know You". Personally, I wanted these songs to feel like I was sitting and having a conversation with the listener. I sincerely hope you all enjoy and can't wait for feedback from everyone who listens!"





Tracklisting:


"Sinking In Ether"
"I Want To Know You"
"Tickets To The Brawl"
"Hallowed Head"
"Painless Injection"


- Produced by Craig Locicero & Zack Ohren
- Recorded by Zack Ohren & Michael Rosen
- Mixed by Matt Winegar
- Music by Dress The Dead
- Lyrics Kayla Dixon


Dress The Dead lineup:


Craig Locicero - Lead Guitar
James Walker - Bass
Kayla Dixon - Lead Vocals
Mark Hernandez - Drums
Mikey Rowan - Guitar


About Dress The Dead:


Craig Locicero’s pedigree is well established: guitarist for Forbidden, one of the pioneering bands in the Bay Area thrash metal movement, and more recently guitarist for Manmade God & SpiralArms. Locicero longed to do something that wasn’t tied to any genre and that’s when he began to put the pieces of Dress The Dead together.Many of those pieces came from Locicero’s musical past.


The first piece was drums. In recent years, Locicero had rekindled his relationship with one-time Forbidden drummer Mark Hernandez, who played with the band from 2008-2011. The early chemistry was still there, and he had just the right feel for the music. Mark is one of the most well respected and versatile metal drummers to come out of the bay area having sat behind the kit with Testament, Vio-Lence, Social Unrest and Re-Ignition.


Next up was bass. James Walker and Locicero played together in rock act Manmade God, which was signed by Rick Ruben to American Recordings in the early 2000s. The mix of creation between veteran bassist Walker and Locicero is instrumental in the band’s sonic assault and its groove. Listen to a song that is written by Walker, as he is notorious for writing a song within a song.


A second guitarist was now needed to round it out. Dan Delay of the post-rock band Drawing Heaven had the versatile chops that expanded the band’s accessible but experimental sound.


With Peter Dolving on vocals, this version of Dress The Dead fine-tuned its sound and performed live at the end 2016 introducing everyone to the newest band formed by Locicero and this carefully selected group of veteran musicians. Peter eventually decided to return to his home in Europe and the search for a new vocalist was on.


Enter…… Kayla Dixon


Dixon has a pedigree that, at first, seems more appropriate for a professional theatre career than a frontwomanof a metal band. She was exposed to artists like Marilyn Manson and Tool from her half-sisters when growing up in suburban Maryland. When her sisters moved out of the house, Dixon moved on to other pursuits like musical theatre. Dixon eventually auditioned for and enrolled in the prestigious
Duke Ellington School of The Arts in Washington, D.C.


Dixon started working professionally in her junior year and finished high school via home study. She then decided to immerse herself in theatre and was soon working professionally. During her freshman year in college, she emerged to front a death metal band. Just as she mulled moving back to the East Coast to pursue more theatre work, she heard the doom band Witch Mountain was looking for a new vocalist.
She nailed the audition and moved to Portland.


Having relocated to the West Coast, Dixon was recommended to Locicero through a mutual friend. She initially worried that she was so different from Dolving she might face backlash from fans who wanted a certain thing. "In my mind, I thought I was going to be trolled, and I didn't know if I was ready to face that,” she says, “But surprisingly there has only been positivity from the first song."


"I want to be continually creating," Dixon adds. "When I heard '1969' I thought it was great. When Craig sent me the other songs like 'Promises & Kisses' I was really in. I wanted it to be in a band that was heavy emotionally and sonically.”


One of the interesting components of the band is the musical experience gap. Dixon is 23, whereas Locicero and the rest of the band have been in signed recording projects for some time. This dynamic allows the sound of the band to blend generations of auditory power together.


The missing piece …… Mikey


In 2019 Dan Delay had to step away to dedicate more time to family life. Dress The Dead were now on the hunt for a new guitarist. That didn’t last long at all as this presented the almost instant addition of Mikey Rowan.


“Within 5 minutes of our announcing that Dan decided to walk” Craig recalled, "both Mark and I were getting texts from a number of our mutual friends and Mikey himself saying that he was the guy for the band!” It was indeed a sign from the Gods of Rock n Roll.”


Most metal and rock musicians in the Bay Area had been aware of Rowan for many years. As a 16-year-old kid, he got the gig with metal act Insolence after which they were signed by Maverick Records. He immediately made a name for himself with his advanced playing and high energy stage presence.


“Mikey brought exactly what we needed at the perfect time with boundless energy and musical vocabulary. He fearless! We love that and welcome any challenges.” Locicero continued


Collectively, these pieces allowed the band to upend expectations. “From the first day I started this I wanted something that would be unafraid to mix in any influences I had and not worry at all about chasing something or trying to fit in,” he says. “We just want to play music. We have enough influences from all angles, so we don't need to call it anything. I figure other people will do that for us. We have freedom with this and that is our main objective - write great songs and don't worry what you call them.”

Northeastern US melodic metal band, Severed Angel, has released their new music video, for the song "Wide Awake In Screamland", from their self-titled debut album, self-released by the band on CD and digital format back in May.


The video was generated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and was produced by Severed Angel drummer Wayne Noon. Watch below.


Says the band: “Do you ever have trouble falling asleep? Well… then this song is for you. Simply put, this song is about insomnia. While you lie awake in bed, your mind races through so many different topics and ideas. It’s almost as if your brain becomes your enemy. As the hours pass, you become more and more desperate for sleep. You get mad at yourself as your mind continues to betray you. Frustration turns to anger and you just want to scream. Before you know it, your morning alarm is going off. This song will take you through the emotional roller coaster that leaves you Wide Awake In Screamland.”







Tracklisting:


"Introspection"
"In The Red"
"Dogs of War"
"Severed Angel"
"A New Beginning"
"Wide Awake In Screamland"
"Attachment Unavailable"
"Number"
"With Wings Anew"


"Wide Awake In Screamland" video:





"A New Beginning" video:





Severed Angel band lineup:


Alex Repetti - Vocals, Guitar (Infinite Spectrum / Tension Rising)
Lou Mavs - Guitar, Vocals
George Dimitri - Bass (Timeless Haunt)
Marc Muchnik - Keyboards (The Nightmare Stage)
Wayne Noon - Drums (Project Resurrect / Ex-Phoenix Reign)

Athens based symphonic metallers, Fallen Arise, are currently in the studio recording their new full-length album. The band has issued a new studio update video. Ccheck it out below.


The band shared: "Good morning, friends! This is a new short video where Gus and Spyros give a sample of the making of our next album. It is in the composition phase, we are collecting the music themes we have written and making them into songs. This album will be a collective work from all the band members who are already working hard on it."


Watch the new studio update below.







Earlier this year, keboardist Gus Dibelas checked in from the studio:


"Hello everyone! We are really proud to share with you that we have already started the creation of our next album! We look forward to its development and of course to see you on the road in 2023! Many thanks to Lizard Sound Studios and Dimitris Karpouzas for the hospitality!"


Check out the promo video below.





Fallen Arise  were formed in 2009, combining a theatrical atmosphere with a progressive approach and a heavy-metal-alike heaviness. The band  has toured across Europe and Russia with established acts including Nightwish, Fates Warning, Paradise Lost, Destruction, Sepultura, Skindred, Moonspell, Serenity, Leave’s Eyes, Xandria, Katatonia, Pain of Salvation and Insah.

Finnish industrial metal band Pentatonik is back with a new name and line-up. Now called Alfa Pentatonik, the band has released the first single, "Korjattu Totuus" (translated: "Fixed Truth") from the upcoming EP, Gamma 1 which will be released later in 2023 via Inverse Records. 


The band comments: "Our first new song ('Pelkojemme Perintö') was almost like a tribute to older Pentatonik, and now it’s time to kick up a gear and show more metallic style. 'Korjattu Totuus' tells about propaganda and people who have unlimited power."


Listen to "Korjattu Totuus" via streaming services found here. 







Pentatonik is a Finnish industrial metal band that was formed in the beginning 2000 and it is now coming back with full force. The band has been on a break since 2006, when their last EP, Hellä, was released and band members went separate ways.
 
Pentatonik made a comeback in 2007, but life got on the way again and the only release was the Pohjakosketus EP, which was published only on JP Immonen's (Walhalla, Iron Frost and Aria of Sorrow) Soundcloud account.
 
In 2012, Pentatonik got their second album, Lopullinen Ratkaisu (transtalted: Final Solution Of Mankind) ready. It was started with the original band members before their 2006 breakup and was finished by JP and AP. The album was released as a digital download, and it was used to collect money for the Torture Victims.
 
2022 was a new start to the band. JP Immonen (the only original member and founder of the band) started to go through old files and create new music for the band and to honour the original Pentatonik, named it Alfa Pentatonik. Janne Partanen (Hautajaisyö, Marraskuun Lapset & Uhriristi) was found to do vocals and also lyrics.
 
Alfa Pentatonik is currently making new songs and remaking old ones. As a new beginning the band released "Pelkojemme Perintö" (translated: "Legacy Of Our Fears") a hard hitting songs that takes inspiration from Rammstein and Ministry. The song tells about evolution and how it has made us who we are.
 
Alfa Pentatonik started working with Inverse Records and their new EP Gamma 1 is set to be released later in 2023.


"Pelkojemme Perintö" 

In a new interview with The SDR Show, WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale was asked which projects he is working on at the moment that fans can expect to see in the coming months. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, there's something we've got planned, obviously. It's a very, very big year. I've got something planned for October… And I'll be doing significantly more promo. It's a lot to talk about. It's gonna be very interesting.

"I've just been working with — I'll give you some little clues — an amazing string quartet, beautiful women out of the Reno Philharmonic and a great string arranger called Jeff DePaoli. [Producer] Tom Gordon and I were sitting, like, 'If we do another 'Unzipped' [WHITESNAKE's 2018 collection of rare and previously unreleased acoustic performances], this will be great with a string quartet. Get me a string quartet.' [Laughs]"

This past April, WHITESNAKE released a legacy retrospective, "Still Good To Be Bad". The collection was made available in different configurations, a few days after the 15th anniversary of "Good To Be Bad", the band's tenth studio album and its first in over a decade. The first collection is a 4-CD/Blu-ray with two new versions of the original album (one remastered and the other newly remixed),a selection of rare and unreleased studio and live recordings from the period, and videos all the music videos, interviews, and electrifying live performances from the "Good To Be Bad" world tour. Three other versions of "Still Good To Be Bad" were also made available. The album's 2023 remix was released on vinyl as a double-LP and a single CD. "Still Good To Be Bad" also came as a 2-CD set that includes the remixed and remastered versions of the album. The new alternate mixes also feature new background vocals from the "Hook City Harlots", Cami Thompson, Misty Rae and Jackie Landrum, plus the "Hook City Horns" with Rick Metz on saxes and the trumpet of Joshua Reed.

On June 28, 2022, WHITESNAKE scrapped three shows on its spring/summer European tour due to Coverdale's infection of the sinus and trachea. Three days later, the rest of the trek was also called off. At the time, David blamed the decision on "continuing health challenges, doctor's orders, and our concern for everyone's health and safety."

David was not the first member of WHITESNAKE to fall ill during the group's spring/summer 2022 European tour. Guitarist Reb Beach missed several shows on the trek in June 2022 after being "under the weather." On June 25, 2022, WHITESNAKE canceled its show at the Rock Imperium festival in Spain due to the fact that drummer Tommy Aldridge "went down" and "was bad enough at the time to have missed the first show ever in his career," according to Coverdale.

WHITESNAKE launched its farewell tour on May 10, 2022 at Dublin, Ireland's 3Arena. The band's 14-song set, which was part of a European tour with special guests EUROPE and co-headliners FOREIGNER, marked WHITESNAKE's inaugural performance with the group's two latest two additions, keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist Dino Jelusick and bassist Tanya O'Callaghan.

Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.

Prior to the pandemic, WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.