The Justin West YouTube channel has uploaded video of GODSMACK's entire May 28 concert at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Watch it below.

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

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

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

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

In a recent interview with Australia's Heavy, Erna was asked if he will miss the creative process now that his band has revealed that GODSMACK's eighth album, "Lighting Up The Sky", will likely be its final collection of new material. Sully said: "It's such a good question because if there's one thing I've learned about life, it's that I don't know shit. You think you've got it figured out, and then just when you do, it humbles you very quickly and throws a curveball at you. So you could never say never, but right now, where I am in this time and place in my life, I feel like I've done just about everything I've ever wanted to do in music, and it's left me with a very satisfying feeling of being complete. And so I don't know what I'm gonna do after this. But I do know that music is in my blood and I always feel like I will play my piano and a guitar, and if that leads me to writing songs and I just release some stuff on my own, then so be it. But if I never did again, I can't say I have any regrets. If this all came to an end tomorrow, I would be able to call it a pretty good run and be happy."

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

"Portraits Of Rainbow - The Dio Years" book is a photographic celebration of Ritchie Blackmore's supergroup, formed in 1975 by the guitarist as he left DEEP PURPLE and recruited four members of the band ELF, including singer Ronnie James Dio. However, the band really took off when Blackmore recruited Cozy Powell, Jimmy Bain and Tony Carey and recorded the seminal album "Rising" in 1976.

Sounds writer Geoff Barton remembers: "I marveled at the fist-thunderin' maelstrom depicted on the cover, a pulse-poundin' paintin' by Ken Kelly (KISS, MANOWAR). I also offered the following description of the album's musical content: THERMO-NUCLEAR ROCK'N'ROLL!"

RAINBOW were underway and although this less commercial variant of the band that went on to conquer the rock world in the 1980s was relatively short-lived it remains, for most fans, the definitive sound and image of RAINBOW with the combination of Blackmore, Dio and Powell creating a powerful, progressive rock band. It all came to an end in 1979 when Ritchie decided to take the band in a new, more commercial direction.

The book features hundreds of classic and unseen, carefully restored, black and white images of RAINBOW at play and playing live at a series of stunning, unforgettable shows. Wendy Dio has also supplied a range of personal, candid shots from this time. Legendary writer and journalist Geoff Barton has written an introductory text based on his professional experience with Ritchie and the band in the 1970s.

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

The first two hundred orders ship with a free white strat geepin badge worth £6.95. In addition to this, a much larger, ultra-limited Leather and Metal Edition measuring 375mm square and presented in recycled leather and a hand welded aluminum metal slipcase with a screen-printed logo in a run of 50 numbered copies. This will sell for £500 and includes a free replica of The Pirate Sound T-shirt worn by band members at the time.

The books will go on sale on Friday, June 23 at 3 p.m. U.K. time and will feature a 10% pre-order discount if ordered before July 31, 2023. The books will ship worldwide in September 2023.

Grammy Award-nominated band SEVENDUST will release its fourteenth studio album, "Truth Killer", on July 28 via the band's new label home, Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2020's "Blood & Stone" was once again tracked at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

The third single from "Truth Killer" is "Holy Water", and an accompanying music video directed by J.T. Ibanez (P.O.D., Loveless, Orianthi) can be seen below.

"Truth Killer" showcases that the original and current SEVENDUST lineup — comprised of Lajon Witherspoon, Clint Lowery, John Connolly, Vince Hornsby and Morgan Rose — sounds as relevant today as it did on its 1997 self-titled debut.

From the introspective opening of "I Might Let The Devil Win" to the classic SEVENDUST sound of "Fence", the twelve songs on "Truth Killer" demonstrate the diverse style that has won the band a legion of loyal fans. "Truth Killer", "Everything" and "Holy Water" combine elements of the classic SEVENDUST sound with modern updates, pointing their lyrical lens at the world today.

"Truth Killer" track listing:

01. I Might Let The Devil Win
02. Truth Killer
03. Won't Stop The Bleeding
04. Everything
05. No Revolution
06. Sick Mouth
07. Holy Water
08. Leave Hell Behind
09. Superficial Drug
10. Messenger
11. Love And Hate
12. Fence

In a February 2023 interview with "The Mistress Carrie Podcast", Lowery stated about "Truth Killer": "I'm very stoked about the record. A lot of bands say that. I'm amazed we're still making music we love and we're not phoning it in. We worked really hard on it."

Clint previously talked about the upcoming SEVENDUST LP in an interview with "Good Company With Scott Bowling". At the time, he said: "I'm really excited about this record. We did that with Elvis Baskette. He's got his vibe. And this will be our third record with him."

Lowery went on to say that he has had to step away from the new SEVENDUST album after it was completed.

"I've listened to it, I've not liked it, I loved it, I hated it, and then I fell back in love with it," he explained.

"When I'm finished with a record, I really… That one took a lot out of me creatively, which is amazing that I even went for [a new solo] EP to do myself [shortly after finishing the SEVENDUST LP], 'cause I was kind of tapped out creatively. I couldn't even listen to the record afterwards. It was mixed and I heard it, and Elvis did a great job, but it was, like, 'I've gotta put it away for a while.' And I put it on the other day to listen to it, and I'm, 'Oh, man, this is gonna be good. People are gonna really dig it.' I think it's one of the best [records] we've done in a while, man."

In June 2022, SEVENDUST drummer Morgan Rose said that the writing session for the band's upcoming album was his "favorite" of SEVENDUST's career. "Just 5 guys in a farm house, creating," he wrote on Instagram. "Telling each other how much we love each other, supporting each other, enjoying being together. No outsiders, no drama, no bullshit. Just us…. The songs are magical, the vibe of the record is magical, our relationship with each other is magical."

In December 2021, SEVENDUST released a digital expanded edition of "Blood & Stone". "Blood & Stone Deluxe" contained five new tracks, including three never-before-released remixes and two newly recorded songs. Jake Bowen of PERIPHERY, Richard Wicander of FIRE FROM THE GODS and Justin deBlieck, formerly of ICE NINE KILLS, provided remixes and the band finished recording "All I Really Know" and "What You Are" specifically for this release. "Blood & Stone Deluxe" was released via all digital partners via Rise Records.

Photo credit: Chuck Brueckmann

In a new interview with The Meista - Brews & Tunes, guitarist Wiley Arnett of SACRED REICH spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to 2019's "Awakening" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's been an amazing process. We didn't do a record for a long time for several reasons, but one of the biggest is the well had kind of run dry. We lean hard on Phil [Rind, SACRED REICH bassist/vocalist] for a lot of the writing — a hundred percent of the lyrics and almost as much music. And if he's not feeling it or inspired, then there's really nothing for us to say. And after a long time sitting away and then coming back and starting to do the reunion shows, we got a taste of it again. And then a crazy world — our kids are getting older, moving out, graduating high school. It was easy to talk yourself out of getting busy in a band over the years. So between a lack of inspiration, no new ideas and a sense of, 'We should be at home doing important stuff,' we definitely did part for a while. But 2007, we got back out. We went nearly 10 years just banging out old songs — 'Surf [Nicaragua]', 'The American Way', 'Death Squad', 'Independent'; all the old stuff — having a blast. Every show felt like a high school reunion for us, seeing guys with the wizard stripes, just like us, and just reminiscing about all the great times or that time they saw us in New Jersey in 1989 or '91 or somewhere in France. And it's been so cool to go back and reignite those connections. And it was just inspiring. And then global events.

"We've always been a political band," he continued. "I think when you look at 'Awakening'… Some people were, like, 'Oh, Trump came around. All of a sudden they were inspired again.' If you look close at 'Awakening', there's a little splash of it, but it's really not the theme these days. We certainly reserve the right, 'cause we're so motivated that way to try to make people who might not hear those messages actually hear 'em through metal.

"But it feels good. It feels inspired. It doesn't feel pushed. It feels natural. It would have been ideal for us to record or release something by the end of this year, but we felt pressure for that, and we resisted it. We were, like, 'No.' It's not the best strategy on paper, but it's just gotta come when it feels right. We play the songs we love. We enjoy our most success when we're pleasing ourselves and then we find the people who agree with us. So we're kind of figuring out our stuff. 'Awakening' was a great start. We've got two more records on our current deal. And, obviously, we're not writing the third one just yet. But the second one, I think we've got six or seven songs that are all the way there. We'd like to see 10, 12 songs. Of course, we never get that high. But that's a goal. And we don't really write songs for throwaway. We're not one of those bands who do 20 [songs] and pick their favorite 10. We just write until we feel like we've got a record, and then we book studio time. So we're moving right along. We're feeling pretty inspired.

"We got pretty busy this year," Wiley added. "It's been crazy. We started off in March in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, which was quite the adventure. We'd never been to a couple of those spots, like Bangkok, Thailand; Singapore, Vietnam — we'd never been to any of those places. So it was pretty frickin' amazing. And then [we] came home and did the U.S. tour and now we're preparing to go [to] Europe. So that can stifle creativity. We're not one of those bands with the headphones in the backstage [or] in the basement in a club writing the new record. It seems to happen when there's time off. The smoke settles. We calm our thoughts and be creative. So we're just coming off about a month of that. It's been a crazy time. But we can feel the momentum picking back up. And I think we're on target — hopefully early 2024 in the studio, with a release by the end of the year."

SACRED REICH and DEATH ANGEL recently announced the "Night Of The Living Thrash" European co-headlining tour with special guest ANGELUS APATRIDA.

"Awakening" was released in August 2019 via Metal Blade Records. The LP was produced by Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, POWER TRIP and CODE ORANGE, among others. The album marked SACRED REICH's first release since the return of drummer Dave McClain.

"Awakening" was described in a press release as "a timeless collection comprised of blistering thrash, crushing grooves, killer solos and socially conscious lyrics that demonstrate a true understanding of everything that matters most in the world today."

"Awakening" was engineered by John Aquilino and was mastered by Maor Appelbaum.

Skull & Crossbones have announced a worldwide signing with Massacre Records. Their upcoming, first full-length studio album, entitled Sungazer, will be released on September 8.


The band's debut will be coming out as CD Digipak, Ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats, the pre-save is now available here.


The four ex-Stormwitch members Volker Schmietow, Tobi Kipp, Jürgen "Wanschi" Wannenwetsch and Marc Opppold, completed by vocalist Tobi Hübner, pick up where they left off. Skull & Crossbones have dedicated themselves to traditional heavy metal.




"While I was a co-founder and the bassist of Stormwitch for many years, it was time for something new. After the successful album 'Bound to the witch', in which I was significantly involved with Volker, Tobi and Marc, we decided to start over. Skull & Crossbones was born,“ Jürgen Wannenwetsch reveals. "With our new singer Tobi Hübner came the voice and creativity that really pushed us again. We're all into melodic old school metal. The result is an album that we at S&C are not the only ones who are 100% convinced of. With Marc Ayerle, who is responsible for the great sound of the record, and the whole team at Massacre Records, we found the right support for Sungazer. We are excited to see where the path will lead us together with our fans."


Tobi Hübner adds: "After the songwriting process and completing our new album "Sungazer", I'm very happy about the deal with Massacre Records and I'm curious what our fans will have to say about our work. We're definitely very proud of it!"





Sungazer tracklisting:


"Midnight Fyre"
"Sungazer"
"Manhunter"
"The Invisible Man"
"Tyrant's Rule"
"Nature's Legacy"
"Inner Self"
"Live Your Dreams"
"The Drowned"
"The Traveller"


Skull & Crossbones are:


Tobi Hübner - Vocals
Volker Schmietow - Guitar
Tobi Kipp - Guitar
Jürgen "Wanschi" Wannenwetsch - Bass
Marc Oppold - Drums


(Photo - Michael Vetter)

NMB (Neal Morse Band) present An Evening Of Innocence & Danger: Live In Hamburg, a live recording of their 2022 tour in support of their most recent studio album. Recorded live in Germany, this 3-disc release captures the band in fine form, presenting Innocence & Danger and more over nearly two and a half hours of music, and will be released on July 14.


Today, fans can listen to the band perform "Another Story To Tell". Find the static video below.


Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Eric Gillette & Bill Hubauer demonstrate a chemistry like no other on this musical document of that tour, supporting their fourth studio album, released in 2021. “NMB’s Innocence and Danger tour was an amazing experience all the way around and the Hamburg gig was a real stand out!”, says Neal, “The band was firing on all cylinders and the audience was so close to us and roaring from the very first note.”




Mike Portnoy continues, “It was our first post-Pandemic tour so everybody (including the audience) was just happy to be at shows again experiencing live music together. We particularly felt the love and emotions this evening in Hamburg which has always been an amazing audience for NMB.”


To celebrate the announcement, you can hear the band performing their arrangement of the Simon & Garfunkel classic, "Bridge Over Troubled Water", below.


Mixed & mastered by longtime collaborator Jerry Guidroz, the album will be available as a limited 3CD digipak, and digital album, and is now available to pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


CD1:
"Do It All Again"
"Bird On A Wire"
"Your Place In The Sun"
"Another Story To Tell"
"The Way It Had To Be"
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
"Waterfall"


CD2:
"Not Afraid Pt. 2"
"Beyond The Years"


CD3:
"The Great Similitude Medley"


"Another Story To Tell" static video:





"Bridge Over Troubled Water" static video:





The Markthalle in Hamburg is a venue the band have played many times before, and as Bill Hubauer explains, it’s a place they hold very dear: “There is always something warm and magical about the audiences at Markthalle. This show was closer to the end of the tour and I was getting tired.  I remember looking at the itinerary and seeing Markthalle coming up and feeling so happy about it. I knew it was going to give me the boost of energy to get through the rest of the tour.  It's very much one of those "home away from home" tour stops!” Randy George adds, “It’s always a great show at the Markthalle! The tour was going well and the wonderful fans in Hamburg made it a wonderful evening.”


The band played the vast majority of their acclaimed latest album, including a mesmerizing rendition of their arrangement of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, a track that quickly became a favourite of fans during the tour. Portnoy comments, “I loved the format of this tours setlist, breaking the show into two halves similarly to the Innocence And Danger album. The 1st half the shorter more concise songs and poppier side of the band, and the 2nd half with the huge sprawling Prog epics.” The massive set concludes with the "The Great Similitude Medley" which features highlights from the band’s previous two records The Great Adventure and The Similitude Of A Dream.


The result is a sprawling evening of incredible musicianship, that demonstrates a band at the very top of their game.

Before his death in January, legendary guitarist Jeff Beck revisited concert recordings made by Beck, Bogert & Appice, the power trio he formed in 1972 with drummer/singer Carmine Appice and bassist/singer Tim Bogert. The live music captures the band at the beginning and end of its short-but-influential partnership, with two shows in Japan in 1973 and one of the group’s final performances in London a year later.


In honor of what would have been Beck’s 79th birthday this Saturday, ATCO/Rhino announces the upcoming release of the new BBA boxed set, Live In Japan 1973, Live In London 1974. The collection will be available on September 15 on 4CDs or 4LPs. Also, a purple-vinyl version will be released the same day, available to pre-order here. Additionally, the music will be available from digital and streaming services. The 1974 live version of “Superstition” recorded in London is available today digitally. Listen here, and below.


All three band members were involved in creating Live In Japan 1973, Live In London 1974, and the collection is dedicated to Beck and Bogert, who died in 2023 and 2021, respectively. The set includes an expansive booklet with extended liner notes detailing the group’s history by music journalist/manager Bruce Pilato, along with memorabilia, archival photos, and a replica poster.




Beck and Appice mixed all the concerts in this set from the original multi-tracks that had been in Beck’s archive for almost 50 years, thus knocking the many bootleg quality releases, that Beck hated, out of the park! The two performances at Koseinenkin Hall in Osaka, Japan (recorded May 18 and 19, 1973) were released exclusively in Japan a few months after the shows, but never in the U.S. The complete concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London, England (recorded January 26, 1974) has never been released anywhere.


In the booklet, Pilato explores the short existence and lasting legacy of Beck, Bogert & Appice, a supergroup that critics once hailed as “the first successor to Cream” (Melody Maker) and an “ensemble of virtually unparalleled magnificence” (NME).


He writes: “The potential was obvious to all from the minute the three began talking about forming a group. In 1967 Beck emerged from The Yardbirds (along with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page) having launched his own critically and commercially successful band. Bogert and Appice were the lava-hot rhythm section that propelled both Vanilla Fudge and the blues-rock quartet Cactus. There had been a couple of false starts in 1969, but when Jeff recruited Tim and Carmine to help him finish off the ’72 Jeff Beck Group tour, the music community rejoiced with anticipation.”


In a 1972 interview, Beck said seeing Vanilla Fudge live impressed him. “I saw the Fudge’s potential as a group, but I didn’t see anything in common with my playing. It’s just when they were jamming, I found that Carmine had some other things going aside from the Fudge stuff, and Tim did as well. Tim is a Martian-type bass player. He plays like a Martian from Motown!”


Live In Japan 1973 was recorded only a few weeks after Beck, Bogert & Appice’s self-titled debut came out. The music ripples with raw energy as the group delivers exhilarating live versions of nearly every song on the album, including “Superstition,” “Lady,” and “Livin’ Alone.” The trio also played songs by the Yardbirds (“Jeff’s Boogie”) and the Jeff Beck Group (“Morning Dew” and “Going Down.”)


After the band’s 1973 tour supporting its debut, Bogert told the British music press that some fans weren’t prepared for BBA’s high-energy approach. “We surprised a lot of people who were expecting laid-back music…Mainly we appeal to people who like loud, raunchy, good-time music. We’re a raunchy band and we aim to get people turned on.”


The concert on Live In London 1974 was recorded eight months after the shows in Japan and right before the trio disbanded. The performance introduces several songs the group planned to record for BBA’s never-completed second studio album, including “Satisfied,” “Jizz Wizz,” and “Solid Lifter.”


Half a century after the trio formed, Appice says the experience was over too soon. “It was artistically fulfilling at the time, but it was too quick...the fact that we got to play together was great. Jeff, Tim and I did play great together, but before we knew it, it had ended.”





Live In Japan 1973, Live In London 1974 tracklisting:


Live In Japan 1973


LP One:


Side One
“Superstition”
“Lose Myself With You”
“Jeff’s Boogie”


Side Two
“Going Down”
“Boogie”
“Morning Dew”


LP Two:


Side One
“Sweet Sweet Surrender”
“Livin’ Alone”
“I’m So Proud”
“Lady”


Side Two
“Black Cat Moan”
“Why Should I Care”
“Plynth / Shotgun” (Medley)


Live In London 1974


LP One:


Side One
“Satisfied”
“Livin’ Alone”
“Laughing Lady”


Side Two
“Lady”
“Solid Lifter”
“Jizz Wizz”


 LP Two:


Side One
“Name The Missing Word (Prayin’)”
“(Get Ready) Your Lovemaker’s Coming Home”
“Superstition”


Side Two
“Blues De Luxe / You Shook Me”
“(Rainbow) Boogie”


"Superstition" (Live At The Rainbow Theatre London, UK 1/26/74):

Buckcherry have released an official visualizer for their cover of the Bryan Adams hit, "Summer Of '69, featured on their new album, Vol. 10. Watch below:





Vol. 10, out now, was produced by Marti Frederiksen and recorded at Sienna Studios in Nashville. The album is released in North America by Round Hill Records, in Japan by Sony Japan, and by Earache Records for the rest of the world. The album is available to order here, and here.







Vol. 10 tracklisting:


"This And That"
"Good Time"
"Keep On Fighting"
"Turn It On"
"Feels Like Love"
"One And Only"
"Shine Your Light"
"Let's Get Wild"
"With You"
"Pain"
"Summer Of '69"


"With You" visualizer:





"Shine Your Light" video:





"Let's Get Wild" visualizer:





"Good Time" video:





Buckcherry tour dates:


June
1 - Arnolds Park, IA - Captains Getaway
2 - Dubuque, IA - Q Casino
3 - Manhattan, KS - The Hat
4 - Colorado Springs, CO - Sunshine Theatre
6 - Roswell, NM - The Liberty
7 - Flagstaff, AZ - Orpheum Theatre
9 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
10 - Lincoln, CA - The Venue @ Thunder Valley Casino Resort - With Tesla
16 - Broken Bow, OK - Hochatown Saloon
17 - Pittsburgh, KS - Kansas Crossing Casino
18 - West Plaines, MO - The Oasis
20 - Ft. Smith, AR - Temple Live
21 - Murfreesboro, TN - Hop Springs
23 - Renfro Valley, KY - Renfro Valley OBT
24 - Johnstown, PA - Thunder in the Valley
25 - Peterborough, ON - The Venue
27 - Moncton, NB - Tide and Boar
28 - Summerside, PEI - Harbourfront Theatre
29 - Halifax, NS - Marquee Ballroom


July
1 - Ottawa, ON - The Brass Monkey
3 - Thorold, ON - Moose and Goose
4 - London, ON - London Music Hall
5 - Oshawa, ON - Biltmore Theatre
7 - Detroit, MI - Funfest
8 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest - With Tesla
9 - Wisconsin Dells, WI - Crystal Grand Music Theatre
14 - Cocoa Beach, FL - Area 142
15 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
16 - Ft Meyers, FL - The Ranch
18 - Jacksonville, FL - Underbelly
20 - Clearwater, FL - Capitol Theatre
21 - Murrells Inlet, SC - Suck Bang Blow
22 - Smithfield, NC - Bulldog Harley Davidson
24 - Black Mountain, NC - Silverados
25 - Leesburg, VA - Tally Ho
27 - Taylorville, IL - TAILGATE and TALLBOYS
28 - Milwaukee, WI - Private
29 - Youngstown, OH - WEAN Park - With Kid Rock
30 - Syracuse, NY - Lost Horizon


August
1 - Norwalk, CT - Wall Street Theatre
3 - Cadillac, MI - The Venue Event Center
4 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
5 - Plymouth, IN - Plymouth Motor Speedway - With Tesla
11 - Sturgis, SD - Buffalo Chip
12 - Grand Island, NE - Filling Station and Bar
13 - Sioux Falls, SD - Alliance Center
15 - Fargo, ND - Butler Center
16 - Mankato, MN - Vetter Stone Amphitheatre
18 - Brainerd, MN - Armory
19 - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre
20 - Des Plaines, IL - Des Plaines Theatre
22 - Hays, KS - Fox Theatre
23 - Ft. Smith, AR - Temple Live
25 - Tyler, TX - Country River Club
26 - Waco, TX - The Backyard
27 - Cedar Park, TX - Haute Spot
29 - Billings, MT - Pub Station
30 - Missoula, MT - The Wilma


September
3 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma
4 - Springfield, IL - Boondocks


October
29 - Rochester, MI - The Roxy


November
28 - Chickasha, OK- Legends
29 - Amarillo, TX- Hoots Pub


December
3 - San Luis Obispo, CA - The Fremont
11 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theatre





Buckcherry/Skid Row dates:


August
31 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues


September
1 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma 2023
2 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theatre
6 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center
8 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
9 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
10 - Lynn, MA - Lynn Auditorium
12 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
13 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
15 - Paducah, KY - Carson Center
16 - Cleveland, OH - MGM Northfield Park
19 - East Moline, IL - The Rust Belt
20 - Joliet, IL - Rialto Square Theatre
22 - Welch, MN - Island Event Center
23 - Fort Yates, ND - Prairie Knights Casino
24 - Deadwood, SD - Deadwood Mountain Grand


October
5 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre
6 - Suquamish, WA - Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort
7 - Arlington, WA - Angel of the Winds Casino
8 - Coquitlam, BC - Hard Rock Vancouver
10 - Penticton, BC - Penticton Trade and Event Centre
12 - Enoch, AB - - The Venue at River Cree Resort and Casino
13 - Dawson Creek, BC - Ovintiv Event Centre
16 - Lethbridge, AB - ENMAX Centre
17 - Saskatoon, SK - TCU Place
19 - Calgary, AB - Grey Eagle Casino
20 - Moose Jaw, SK - Moose Jaw Event Center
21 - Brandon, MB - Westoba Place
23 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre
24 - Thunder Bay, ON - Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
27 - Green Bay, WI - Epic Event Center
28 - Sault Ste. Marie, MI - Kewadin Casino


December
1 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Resort & Casino
2 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater
5 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
6 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
8 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren
9 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
12 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
14 - Boise, ID - Revolution Concert House
15 - Reno, NV - Nugget Casino Resort

Fan-filmed video of Tom Keifer's June 17 performance at Blue Note Harrison in Harrison, Ohio can be seen below (courtesy of the LOCAL OVERLOAD YouTube channel). The CINDERELLA frontman and his solo band, #KEIFERBAND, were performing at the venue as part of their "Live/Loud" 2023 tour with WINGER and John Corabi.

Keifer's story begins as the singer-songwriter, guitarist and frontman of hard rock heavyweights CINDERELLA. His signature voice, guitar and bluesy, no-B.S. arena-shaking songwriting, played an integral role in moving records to the tune of 15 million worldwide. Tom Keifer is enjoying continued success recording and touring with #keiferband — Tom Keifer, Savannah Keifer, Tony Higbee, Billy Mercer, Kendra Chantelle, Jarred Pope and Kory Myers — releasing two critically acclaimed solo albums, "The Way Life Goes" and "Rise".

"Rise", released in September 2019 on Cleopatra Records, features the rousing, rollicking rock singles "The Death Of Me" and "Hype". Both singles landed in the Billboard Mainstream Rock Top 40. Keifer's deep-seated roots shine through to the very core on "Rise", something that was embedded at the very heart of his music created during the multiplatinum CINDERELLA days.

"When this band came together, we all felt a bit like broken souls, each with our own unique story," Tom explained. "If you ask anyone in the band, they would all say this band came along at just the right time. Every human who walks this planet faces challenges and extreme adversity they have to overcome. As a band, we feel fortunate to be able to face those things together. There is a piece of every band member in the 'The Death Of Me' as well as throughout the entire 'Rise' album."

The common thread to each song on "Rise" is the intuitive interplay between each member of #keiferband, a tight but loose collective that's spent the last few years on the road honing their live craft together. "Rise" is the studio-bred equivalent of a band just now realizing the full scope of its powers.

"We were trying to capture the feeling of what people have witnessed live with this band," Keifer explained. "There's an off-the-rails, real live feel to 'Rise' — and that's what we were going for. It shows a real kind of angst and reckless abandon that we tried not to polish too much. And when we pull it back on the ballads, it's more about the emotion, the soul, and making people feel something in a different way."

"To me, the perfect rock and roll record is perfectly fucked up," Keifer said with a hearty laugh. "You try to make each record interesting and different. I don't ever want to make the same record twice, even though there's a common thread between them. Everything doesn't have to be perfectly in place, but there is a balance you try to strike. Sometimes there may be something about it that's technically not 'right,' but there's a vibe, an energy and an attitude to it that I always try to preserve."

In March 2022, Keifer said that he was "not prepared" for the 2021 passing of CINDERELLA guitarist Jeff LaBar. Jeff was found dead by his wife, Debinique Salazar-LaBar, on July 14, 2021 inside his apartment in Nashville. He was 58 years old.

"I've gotta tell you, you're never really ready for that kind of loss; you're not prepared to hear that kind of thing," Keifer told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". "And everyone is still trying to grieve and process it. It's an emotional topic. Jeff was just such a passionate, amazing person, musician, human. He had a huge heart. And it was a tough one, man. It still is, for everybody."

Tom continued: "Jeff and I had a really good relationship throughout out career. Obviously, in bands there's times when you have differences; that's part of being in a band. It's true what people say about bands — that they're like a family, but, honestly, it's like that and even more intense, because there's so many different facets that inform the dynamics between bands; everything from business to creativity and everything in between. But despite any differences that we've had over the years, and the band in general, as I've always said, we've never aired anything like that.

"Jeff and I had a great relationship," Keifer repeated. "I loved Jeff — I really did — and have so many great memories of our journey together. He was amazing, and not just what he contributed to the music. Jeff had such a great sense of humor, and some of my favorite memories with Jeff are just kind of cutting up together on the bus. We were both big movie fans and could quote pretty much all our favorite movies. And we'd sit in the front lounge and quote 'Arthur' and 'The Big Lebowski' and 'Caddyshack'. He was just a really passionate, really fun guy to be around, and obviously, an amazing performer. He was a huge part of CINDERELLA.

"Like I said, you're never ready for that. And everyone is really honestly… I'm in touch with Eric [Brittingham, bass] and Fred [Coury, drums] regularly — everybody close to him — and we're still trying to process it. We really are."

Although CINDERELLA hasn't released a new studio album since 1994's "Still Climbing", the band started playing sporadic shows again in 2010 but has been largely inactive for the last few years while Keifer focused on his solo career.

Following the release of their latest studio album, Wederkeer (released in February 2023 via Napalm Records), today, pagan folk metal collective Heidevolk have shared a new music video for the song, "Drinking With The Gods (Valhalla)". This English-language version of their Viking anthem, "Drink met de Goden (Walhalla)", was only included on the album's physical editions - unreleased digitally until now.


The band says: "It has been four months already since we released Wederkeer. The positive feedback on the album has been overwhelming. Creating an album in the Dutch language that makes these kind of waves internationally still blows our minds and proves that music transcends barriers, even that of language. Today though, we present you with a different version of the celebrated track 'Drink met de Goden'. The lyrics of the song have been rewritten in English language to tell the tale to those who haven’t picked up on Dutch yet. With the new artwork by Christan Sloan Hall, we intend to give you a peek into Valhalla where we’ll be 'Drinking With The Gods'. Enjoy!"







In a world of myths, nature and legends of the Veluwe region of the Netherlands, the band’s upcoming concept album - based on the interpretations of the runes - is a powerful odyssey, deeply rooted in metal and folklore. With dual clean vocals, irresistibly catchy songs, traditional instruments and fast metal riffing all fueled by their folkloric fire and pagan pride, Heidevolk delivers an uncompromising sound and musical adventure. Wederkeer (meaning to “return” or “revive”), makes no exception, and proves why the Arnhem-based six-piece is one of the best, unrivaled and most exciting bands of their genre and beyond.


The album was recorded at Sandlane Recording Facilities, mixed by Joost van den Broek and mastered by Darius van Helfteren. Wederkeer once again proves that Heidevolk knows how to perfectly release proud hymns and direct, in-your-face metal songs, and the addition of broad choirs, various folk musicians, on vocals, violins, cello, bukkehorns and more traditional medieval instruments make Wederkeer not only a bombastic folk and pagan metal record at its best, but a glorious album return for Heidevolk.


Order here.





Wederkeer tracklisting:


"Hagalaz"
"Drink met de Goden (Walhalla)"
"Klauwen Vooruit"
"Schildenmuur"
"De Strijd Duurt Voort"
"Oeros"
"Wederkeer"
"IJzige Nacht"
"Raidho"
"Ver Verlangen"
"Holda"
"Zomervuur"
"Drinking with the Gods (Valhalla)" *Included on physical versions only
"The Hunter's Claw" *Included on physical versions only


"Wederkeer" video:





"Drink met de Goden (Walhalla)":





"Klauwen Vooruit" video:





“De Strijd Duurt Voort”





Lineup:


Bass guitars, backing vocals: Rowan Roodbaert
Guitars, backing vocals: Koen Vuurdichter
Vocals, accordion: Jacco Bühnebeest
Guitars: Mat Snaerenslijper
Vocals: Daniël Den Dorstighe
Drums: Kevin Houtsplijter


(Photo - Sietse Schoenmakers)

Fans have eagerly waited for what seems like an eternity, but now, the time has finally come to unveil the new singer of Oomph!


Founding members CR4P and Flux took all the time they needed to find their fitting third band member, and Der Schulz is just that person - combining everything the band has always been known for. From day one, the band searched for a third member who would not just act as a new singer, but who would embody each aspect and process of the band. With Der Schulz (known from the band Unzucht), who was involved in the creative aspects and songwriting process on the new album, the band successfully fulfilled their first lineup change in their 34 years of existence.


Today, the band is also thrilled to announce their first studio album featuring the new lineup. Kickstarting the new era of Oomph!, Richter und Henker (Judge & Executioner) will be released on September 8 via Napalm Records. The 14th studio album from the legendary Neue Deutsche Härte band, who have influenced the entire genre in their time, was once again produced and recorded by the band themselves and combines all of their beloved, established trademarks while strongly looking forward to the future. The first new track and video is set to be released on July 11.




CR4P and Flux about the band’s new singer: "Der Schulz was always our first choice. Since we have known and appreciated each other for a long time, he was the first singer we approached. Of course, we also met with many other promising applicants in our studio and tried out the collaboration. In the end, Der Schulz convinced us because he manages to revive the feeling of the old Oomph! songs and we harmonize extremely well on a human and creative level. He is a strong songwriter and lyricist and has the exact charisma, presence and character we were looking for. We had the right feeling all the way from the start!"


Oomph! on the new album: "Working together in this new constellation has spurred our creativity in the studio to the extreme. There will be some nice musical developments and surprises on the new album, Richter und Henker, without neglecting our typical Oomph! constants. Even our usual "test listeners" say the album sounds unmistakably like Oomph! We can't wait to finally present the songs to you and play them live on tour!"





Richter und Henker will be available in the following formats:


- Deluxe Box, including 1 CD 6 pages Digisleeve, Hangman Block, 2 pencils, socks, tote bag, A6 photo card (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide) – Napalm Records Store exclusive
- 2 LP Die Hard Gatefold Marbled Transparent Red/Black Vinyl incl slipmat, 12 inch booklet and record butler (strictly limited to 200 copies worldwide) – Napalm Records Store exclusive
- 2 LP Gatefold Gold Vinyl (strictly limited to 1000 copies) – GSA Retail exclusive
- 2 LP Gatefold Black Vinyl
- 1 CD 6 pages Digisleeve
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Richter und Henker tracklisting:


"Wem die Stunde Schlägt"
"Richter und Henker"
"Soll das Liebe Sein?"
"Nur Ein Mensch"
"Schrei nur Schrei"
"Nichts wird mehr Gut"
"Sag Jetzt Einfach Nichts"
"Es ist Nichts, Wie es Scheint"
"Wo die Angst Gewinnt"
"All die Jahre"
"Wut feat. Joachim Witt"
"Ein Kleines Bisschen Glück"


Richter und Henker clearly proves that Oomph! return stronger than before with their new lineup, charging straight forward! Album opener “Wem Die Stunde Schlägt” (en: For Whom The Bell Tolls) makes an immediate statement, propelled by a hefty dose of industrial metal. Title track “Richter und Henker” captivates the listener with a mixture of hooky guitars and chanting vocals, while criticizing ignorant social movements. New wave influences are present on heavy and groovy anti-war anthem “Nur Ein Mensch” (en: Only A Human) - a future hit and strong sign against warmongering and empty slogans that force hatred and war. On “Wut” (Anger), Oomph! is supported by none other than genre idol Joachim Witt.


Since their formation in 1989, Oomph! has emerged as a highly influential band that has even inspired later Neue Deutsche Härte giants. With Richter und Henker, the Neue Deutsche Härte masters prove that they remain a leading force in the scene!


Oomph! are:


CR4P
Flux
Der Schulz


(Photo - Heilemania)

In a new interview with Graspop Metal Meeting, Anders Fridén, frontman of Swedish melodic death metal band IN FLAMES, was asked if he can foresee one day no longer being in a touring band and playing festivals all around the world. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I realize it will happen at one point, but as long as you feel like this is the greatest job or thing you can ever do, there's no reason to quit. I will continue until the wheels fall off in a way, or I wake up one day and say, 'Hmm, I rather wanna do something else.' But there's nothing I can think of. I love this. I love the meeting between us as a band, bringing our music around the world and seeing the fans and meeting them, and you have that connection. And it's the greatest feeling in the whole world. So, until that changes, then [I will continue doing this]."

Earlier this month, IN FLAMES parted ways with bassist Bryce Paul and has replaced him with Liam Wilson (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

Wilson made his live debut with IN FLAMES on June 7 at the Release Athens 2023 festival in Athens, Greece.

Bryce joined IN FLAMES following the departure of longtime bassist Peter Iwers.

Iwers quit IN FLAMES in November 2016, saying that he was leaving the band "to pursue other endeavors."

IN FLAMES' latest album, "Foregone", was released in February via Nuclear Blast. According to a press release, the LP "combines the greatest aggressive, metallic, and melodic strengths of their landmark records with the seasoned songwriting of their postmodern era."

"Foregone" was the second IN FLAMES album with Paul and drummer Tanner Wayne, the first with ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Broderick, and the third with Grammy-winning producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, THREE DAYS GRACE). Mike Plotnikoff (ALL THAT REMAINS, WARBRINGER) engineered at Benson's West Valley Recording Studios. Joe Rickard (10 YEARS, STARSET, DIAMANTE),who played drums for IN FLAMES from 2016 through 2019, handled mixing duties.

In a recent interview with Oran O'Beirne of Bloodstock TV, Anders was asked if there are plans for him and his bandmates to commemorate in any way the upcoming 30th anniversary of their debut album, "Lunar Strain", in 2024. He responded: "I think that's more in the business area, those people. In the band, we don't really think about those things. Honestly, when I'm out touring, we have fans coming up to us and saying, 'Oh, today this album turned this amount of years' and 'Today 'The Jester Race' celebrated its what[ever] birthday.' And we're, like, 'Oh, shit. I didn't think about that.' So I don't think about that at all. But 30 years — that's crazy.

"If you asked me early in our career if we would do this for 30 years, I'd be, like, 'No way, man.' [Laughs] So it's insane," he continued. "I'm so, so grateful that we can do what we do. I work with my passion, my hobby, which is insane, when you think about it. I'm grateful for all the fans that carry us around the world and come to our shows and listen to our music."

EVERCLEAR, one of the leading alternative rock bands to emerge from the '90s, led by vocalist, guitarist and founder Art Alexakis, has officially revealed the details for its new live album, "Live At The Whisky A Go Go", and released the first single and music video for "Heroin Girl". Due out Friday, September 8 via Sunset Blvd Records, "Live At The Whisky A Go Go" was recorded and filmed in late 2022 during EVERCLEAR's 30th-anniversary tour back in Alexakis's hometown of Los Angeles and marked the first time the acclaimed quartet performed at the famed venue. The 17-track collection features all the hits and hidden treasures from throughout EVERCLEAR's extraordinary catalog as well as two bonus studio tracks, last year's single "Year Of The Tiger" and new single "Sing Away". The first offering from the forthcoming album is the 1995 hit "Heroin Girl", off the band's platinum-selling album "Sparkle And Fade".

"'Live At The Whisky A Go Go' is raw, loose, noisy, and kind of ragged around the edges… just like rock and roll is supposed to be," shares Alexakis. "Having grown up in Santa Monica in the late 1970s, performing at the Whisky was always a dream, and that dream finally came true last December. EVERCLEAR has always been one of those bands that are way louder and rowdier live than we are on record, so this album is a gift of love to the thousands of fans who have come to our shows over the last 30 years."

EVERCLEAR — Art Alexakis (vocals, guitar),Davey French (guitar),Freddy Herrera (bass),Brian Nolan (drums) — will be out on the road in support of the live album on a recently-announced fall headlining tour. The 30-date outing, featuring special guests THE ATARIS and THE PINK SPIDERS, begins September 6 in Lexington, Kentucky and will make stops all across the country, including Cleveland, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City (September 18 at Gramercy Theatre),Nashville, Omaha, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles (October 9 at The Wiltern),San Francisco, and many more, before wrapping October 15 in Pioneertown, California. EVERCLEAR also has a variety of shows lined up for the summer.

Since forming in 1992, EVERCLEAR has enjoyed a lengthy career by any measure, spanning 11 studio releases, including four that have been certified gold or platinum, selling over six million records, and achieving 12 Top 40 hit singles on Mainstream Rock, Alternative, and Adult Top 40 radio, including "Santa Monica", "Father Of Mine", "I Will Buy You A New Life", "Wonderful" and "Everything To Everyone", as well as numerous videos, thousands of shows, and various other accolades, including a 1998 Grammy nomination. The band's 1993 debut album, "World Of Noise", released on the Portland independent label Tim/Kerr Records, paired with their significant efforts to break into college radio and the buzz they'd created within the Portland music scene, attracted the attention of major labels, including Capitol Records, which signed the group soon after. Beginning with their major-label debut, 1995's platinum-selling album "Sparkle And Fade", and its massive chart-topping hit "Santa Monica", EVERCLEAR was soon a household name and catapulted into the masses, thus allowing their impressive three-decade career to prosper and endure. In 2019, Alexakis was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and has since donated one dollar from every ticket purchased for his performances to charities such as Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and National MS Society. To celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2022, EVERCLEAR reissued "World Of Noise" as a special remastered, deluxe edition, making the album available for the first time on digital streaming platforms with six bonus songs in addition to its original 12 tracks. In addition to his thousands of EVERCLEAR performances over the band's lengthy career, Alexakis created and runs the annual "Summerland" tour, which features a package of popular '90s alt rock bands, and he released his first solo album, "Sun Songs", in 2019.

"Live At The Whisky A Go Go" track listing

01. Introduction (by Matt Pinfield)
02. So Much For The Afterglow
03. Everything To Everyone
04. Heroin Girl
05. Heartspark Dollarsign
06. Father Of Mine
07. Nervous and Weird
08. Fire Maple Song
09. Wonderful
10. Strawberry
11. AM Radio
12. Local God
13. I Will Buy You A New Life
14. Santa Monica
15. Molly's Lips
16. Year Of The Tiger (Bonus Studio Track)
17. Sing Away (Bonus Studio Track)

Photo credit: Ashley Osborn (courtesy of Press Here Publicity)