WITHERING SCORN, the new band featuring former MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover and his brother, and fellow ex-MEGADETH member, Glen Drover, along with former FATES WARNING bassist Joe DiBiase and German singer Henning Basse, who has previously played with FIREWIND, METALIUM and MAYAN, will release its debut album, "Prophets Of Demise", on July 7 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The official music video for the LP's third single, "Dethroned", can be seen below.

WITHERING SCORN was formed in 2020 by Glen and Shawn, who previously played together in MEGADETH, as well as in EIDOLON. The pair have teamed up once again for their latest musical offering and are joined by DiBiase, who played with FATES WARNING for 14 years on multiple records and world tours, and Basse. The potent combination of these four incredibly talented musicians joining forces has given birth to an uncompromising heavy metal record in the form of "Prophets Of Demise".

Says Shawn: "The four of us have been musicians most of our lives. At this point, we are pretty honed in as to what we want to do musically, and that is to create a 100% uncompromising heavy metal record, which is exactly what we have done. No punches pulled, no holds barred... just flat-out HEAVY METAL!!!

"We are extremely proud of our first record, 'Prophets Of Demise', and worked very hard on this record for almost three years. I believe the results will speak for themselves. We hope you like the record as much as we did creating it."

"Prophets Of Demise" track listing:

01. Prophets Of Demise
02. The Vision
03. Pick Up The Pieces
04. Ancient Desire
05. Dark Reflection
06. Dethroned
07. Never Again
08. Eternal Screams

In a January 2021 interview with the "Nothing Shocking" podcast, Shawn stated about the new project: "We started working on some music probably a couple of months ago now. It's been a couple of months. We've been talking about doing something. Glen owns his own studio up in Canada, so why not utilize the fact that we don't have to go and pay huge studio costs and et cetera, et cetera, and get some friends together that we admire and that we respect and work on a record. And that's exactly what we're doing.

"We have Glen and myself, of course, and we have a bass player named Joe DiBiase, who was in a band called FATES WARNING out of Connecticut for years and years and years," he continued. "A great player; a friend of ours. So he's gonna play bass on it. And we have a singer from Germany who was in a band called METALIUM for a number of years, and his name is Henning Basse, who is a fantastic melodic singer. So that's what we're doing currently.

"It's a slow process, because life gets in the way," Shawn added. "We all have things that we deal with, so we do that. But when we have the time, we work on it, and so far it's turning out to be really exciting. We're pretty happy with the material we've done so far."

Asked how the new band is different and similar to his previous collaborations with Glen, Shawn said: "It's been really similar to the first band that Glen and I did years ago, which was a band called EIDOLON. We released, actually, five records on Metal Blade in the early 2000s, right before we both got into MEGADETH. And the dynamic of that was that I write most of the material. Although Glen does contribute to some of it, I usually have the main germ of ideas, and, of course, he records all that stuff. So he's kind of a studio guy. He's the guitar player, but he handles all of the studio recording affairs, and I just kind of take on the job of creating most of the music. And we finetune it — he tweaks it and kind of makes it his own in a way. But that's kind of the working relationship we have with that. Because if Glen wrote all the music, I'd basically be doing nothing, and he would have to tackle all the work on his own. So we made a decision years ago — that was back in the mid-'90s, actually, when we put out our first bit of music, before we got signed to Metal Blade — that's always been the working dynamic, is I create most of the material, and he handles all the recording affairs with that. And it's worked out quite well. So that's what we're doing this time as well. At this point, we're on song four. I think we're gonna do eight or nine songs, and so far I've written all of them. It's just kind of how it worked out."

Shawn also talked about the status of ACT OF DEFIANCE, which he formed in late 2014 with ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Broderick, former SCAR THE MARTYR singer Henry Derek Bonner and SHADOWS FALL's Matt Bachand (bass).

"It's certainly in limbo," Drover said. "Chris joined IN FLAMES a couple of years back, which is a great gig for him. They're great guys, a great band, and he fits with those guys like a glove. So he's quite happy and content to be doing that. With that said, he was so busy — he basically was gone for pretty much a year touring in support of their latest record they put out — and now with what happened in March of [2020]," referring to the coronavirus pandemic, "everything came to a screeching halt.

"Honestly, I don't know what the [other] guys are doing," he continued. "I talk to Henry and Matt a little bit here and there, but it's more just, like, 'How are you? I hope you're doing well.' We really don't talk about music a whole lot; none of us do. But we're all still friendly. Actually, Henry has released a couple of things — different kinds of music — on his own, which makes him happy, so more power to him. For me, I wanted to do something with my brother again and create some new music. And, like I said before, with the situation we are in, why not utilize that and create some music. So that's what we're doing."

Shawn joined MEGADETH in 2004 as the replacement for Nick Menza, who had only just rejoined the group. Drover performed on four MEGADETH studio records: 2007's "United Abominations", 2009's "Endgame", 2011's "TH1RT3EN" and 2013's "Super Collider".

Glen Drover left MEGADETH at the end of 2007 and was replaced by Broderick, who previously played with NEVERMORE and JAG PANZER.

Progressive metal titans DREAM THEATER have released an official music video for another song from their 15th studio album, "A View From The Top Of The World". "Answering The Call" is the fifth video released and another CGI spectacle created by longtime collaborator Wayne Joyner. The track has been a fan favorite from the latest LP and will be making its way into the band's set list on their upcoming North American "Dreamsonic" tour.

DREAM THEATER is hitting the road for the final time in 2023 on the "Dreamsonic" tour. The 29-city trek features special guests Devin Townsend and ANIMALS AS LEADERS for a traveling progressive music spectacle. The tour kicks off June 16 in Cedar Park, Texas and wraps up July 26 in Phoenix, Arizona. Along the way, the trek will make stops in Orlando, Florida (June 23); New York (June 28); Cleveland, Ohio (July 8); and Denver, Colorado (July 15),to name a few.

"The Alien", a track from "A View From The Top Of The World", landed DREAM THEATER its first-ever Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, which was held in April 2022 in Las Vegas. DREAM THEATER's previous Grammy nominations were for the song "On The Backs Of Angels", from 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album, and the single "The Enemy Inside" from 2013's "Dream Theater".

"A View From The Top Of The World" was described in a press released as "DREAM THEATER at its musical finest, expanding on the sound they helped create while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe." The seven-song album also marked the second studio album with InsideOut Music/Sony Music. The artwork was created by longtime cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "A View From The Top Of The World" was produced by Petrucci, engineered and additional production by James "Jimmy T" Meslin and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap.

Photo credit: Rayon Richards

Nita Strauss played the second concert of her "Summer Storm" tour last night (Wednesday, June 14) at The Loft in Atlanta, Georgia. Fan-filmed video can be found below (courtesy of the Jumping Jack YouTube channel).

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

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

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

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

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

Regarding the album's title, Strauss shared: "Have you ever been at the top of a high building and had the fleeting thought, '… I could jump right now?' This feeling is sometimes called 'The Call Of The Void,' also known as 'high place phenomenon.' It's not a suicidal impulse, rather the exact opposite — a subconscious decision to live your life, to step back from the ledge, and take control. As researcher April Smith aptly put it: 'An urge to jump affirms the urge to live.'

"I wanted the follow-up to 'Controlled Chaos' to be exciting, new, and fresh, to take listeners to a new place and take myself somewhere new as an artist too. We have some amazing collaborations on this album with incredible musicians, as well as the instrumental guitar music that first inspired me to play.

"Some pieces of music come into the world gracefully and easily. This album is not one of them! 'The Call Of The Void' was born kicking and screaming, a labor of love for sure, but also of blood, sweat and plenty of tears. I couldn't be more proud of the end result. Making this album helped me learn and grow so much as a musician and songwriter and I'm excited to finally unleash it on the world."

In early December 2022, Nita told "The Mistress Carrie Podcast" about her decision to make the upcoming LP half vocal songs and half instrumental: "I did feel, and the label and everybody agreed, it's still important for me to keep my identity as a guitar player and not just branch off too much and go, 'Okay, well, now it's just guests.' Let me still have a little of what makes me me, which is the instrumental shred stuff. And the instrumental pieces that I've written on this record are, I think, better than anything I did on the first one — definitely more… I don't know if it could be more emotional but they're very emotional pieces of music and I think a little better crafted this time around. So I think all the songs in general are more well thought out, better put together this time around. And I do have some of my absolute favorite [singers guesting on it]."

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

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

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

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

Strauss played her first full live show with Demi in August 2022 at the Grandstand at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Illinois.

Nita made her live debut with Demi in July 2022 with a performance of "Substance" on ABC's Emmy Award-winning late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

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

BEATALLICA, a satirical mashup act whose hilarious schtick marries the songwriting prowess of THE BEATLES to the deep-throated rock growl of METALLICA, performed this past Tuesday (June 13) at the Gateway City Arts in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Video of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of the Laughingmonkeymusic YouTube channel).

BEATALLICA released its fourth studio album, "The Devolver Album", in November 2021 via Metal Assault Records.

Produced by BEATALLICA, "The Devolver Album" was recorded at Hamtone Audio and engineered by Jeff Hamilton and Lodi Broekhuizen. Mixing and mastering duties were handled by Flemball Rasmartin at Shane Olivo Audio and Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering, respectively. The artwork featured on the cover of "The Devolver Album" was created by Matt Wells of lizardmanart.com.

Prior to the arrival of "The Devolver Album", the band said: "BEATALLICA are stoked to finally be releasing 'The Devolver Album' after many years of arranging, re-arranging, and deranging concepts!

"Our relationship with METALLICA has been a blessing and we thank them for their support and allowances.

"'The Devolver Album' will have all the elements of past BEATALLICA recordings plus more. Listeners will pick up on the mash-up between original music and lyrics and METALLICA compositions along with BEATLES sensibilities, style, and influence. Thrashy, heavy, clever, subversive, and hesh, of course!

"BEATALLICA are made up of highly experienced song writers and we had a great time working in original material on this release."

Back in 2005, the members of BEATALLICA received help from METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich in their dispute with Sony Music over BEATALLICA's "unlawful use" of the group's compositions "without authorization or license." Sony Music accused BEATALLICA of violating copyright laws, demanded that their webmaster pay "unspecified damages," and forced the band's ISP to shut down their web site. Thanks to Ulrich's efforts, BEATALLICA was soon back online, and the legal debacle was over.

"The Internet is a swamp of piracy, so you send out cease-and-desist letters all the time," METALLICA lawyer Peter Paterno said at the time. "Someone at Sony probably saw this site and sent out a letter and once they realized what was on it they decided it was not something worth picking a fight over. They got that this is different from someone selling BEATLES CDs and not paying royalties."

BEATALLICA frontman Jaymz Lennfield (a.k.a. Michael "Tinker" Tierney) later told River Cities' Reader that he believed his band's music had the legal protection of parody. "We think we're making something new, especially lyrically," he said. "It's definitely a creative process... Legally and creatively, stuff like this hasn't been done before."

BEATALLICA is:

Jaymz Lennfield - lead vocals, guitars
Grg Hammettson III - lead guitar, backing vocals
Jimmy Ul-nic - drums, percussion, backing vocals
Dr. Robert Stujillo - bass, backing vocals

Next up…US shows in June! Co-headline tour w/ Beatallica

6/7 Cleveland OH - The Winchester
6/8 Buffalo NY - Mohawk...

Posted by Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees & Beyond on Saturday, May 20, 2023

Canadian Music Hall Of Fame inductees NICKELBACK kicked off their "Get Rollin'" North American tour Monday night (June 12) with an 18-song performance in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada at Centre Vidéotron. The band revealed a high-energy production and played fan favorites such as "How You Remind Me", "Photograph", "Rockstar" and more from their vast catalog of chart-topping hits, including "San Quentin" and "Those Days", off NICKELBACK's tenth studio album "Get Rollin'", which was released last November via BMG.

The setlist was as follows:

01. San Quentin
02. Woke Up This Morning
03. Savin' Me
04. Far Away
05. Animals
06. Someday
07. Worthy To Say
08. Figured You Out
09. Lullaby
10. Copperhead Road (Steve Earle cover) (with Brantley Gilbert) (also with Josh Ross)
11. High Time
12. Photograph
13. Rockstar
14. When We Stand Together
15. Those Days
16. How You Remind Me

Encore:

17. Gotta Be Somebody
18. Burn It To The Ground

The tour continues Wednesday (June 14) with a show in Montreal, Quebec at the Bell Centre before making its way through Canada and the U.S. with stops in Grand Rapids, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and more.

Due to demand, NICKELBACK recently announced 16 additional dates on the 2023 "Get Rollin'" tour. Produced by Live Nation, the massive run will now hit 53 cities this summer across North America. New cities include Camden, New Jersey; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Austin, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Kansas City, Missouri; and more.

NICKELBACK's first album in five years, "Get Rollin'" debuted at #2 across the Current Rock, Alternative, Hard Music and Digital Album charts. The record also landed on the ARIA album chart at No. 3 and in the Top 10 in the U.K., Canada, Germany, Australia and Austria. Additionally, "Get Rollin'" debuted at No. 1 in Switzerland, a career first for the band. The highly acclaimed new album is a thrilling soundscape of adventure, nostalgia and emotional exploration. With the new record, NICKELBACK continue their incomparable legacy as "one of rock's biggest-ever bands," as noted by Kerrang! and most recently celebrated another career milestone, at the 2023 Juno Awards where they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame.

NICKELBACK's history dates back to 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, where they got their start playing covers in a band called VILLAGE IDIOT, a nod to the small-town nature where they played and grew up. In 1996, Chad, alongside Ryan Peake, made the 10-hour trek west to follow Mike to Vancouver, British Columbia, where the band still resides and continues to make music today.

The band's numerous smash hits, coupled with worldwide sales of over 50 million albums sold, seals their status as one of the top-selling acts of all time and the second best-selling foreign act of the 2000s in the U.S., behind only THE BEATLES. The wildly popular smash hit "How You Remind Me" was named Billboard's "Top Rock Song Of The Decade", which was a contributing factor in the publication's decision to crown NICKELBACK "Top Rock Group Of The Decade" shortly after.

Beyond their Juno Awards, the group has received nine Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, a World Music Award, a People's Choice Award and seven MuchMusic Video Awards. They were inducted into Canada's Walk Of Fame in 2007.

Albert Bouchard is best known as a founding member of Blue Öyster Cult, along with his brother and bassist Joe Bouchard. The original lineup sold millions of albums for Columbia Records, with such classic songs as “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” and the #1 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart “Burning For You.” Both Bouchards contributed to songwriting and lead vocals on some of their greatest songs, such as “Cites On Flame With Rock And Roll” and “Hot Rails To Hell.”


Albert Bouchard is back with Imaginos III - Mutant Reformation, wrapping up the trilogy of Imaginos. Bouchard has shepherded the concept of Imaginos through its many incarnations over the years, translating Sandy Pearlman’s feverish visions into sonic resonance.


As Bouchard states, “Sandy’s not being here to feel the long-awaited culmination is perhaps the greatest irony of this epic journey through the invisibility of conspiracy, the shape-shifting, and eternal light that is Desdinova.  But legend lives on, as will tales told ‘round the fire of when Man still walked the Earth, and the carnage had yet to begin. Hear the final chapter in this monumental saga when the record is released on July 7, 2023.”




Deko Entertainment president, Bruce Pucciarello, is a fan. He states, “This third and final installment of the Imaginos trilogy is the ending we all hoped for.  The Imaginos story is once again driven by Albert’s carefully orchestrated chronology and a passioned telling of the stories and songs.  He was on a mission.  Mission complete, Albert!”


The first single is Bouchard’s take on the Blue Öyster Cult fan favorite “E.T.I.”, featuring brother Joe Bouchard on lead vocal, Isabella Kosal on background vocals, and R.J. Ronquillo on lead guitar. Listen here, and watch a lyric video below.


Bouchard muses about his inspiration to create a video, “Necessity is the mother of invention, so they say. There are things in life that don’t work out as we plan. Man plans, God laughs is another saying. Be that as it is, I did my best to create a lighthearted and unusual lyric video. Yes, we could have just had the song with the static album cover like everybody else, but Ian Hunter would never go for that and I’d rather not either. The official music video will come out sometime in the future.”


The album is available now for pre-order and features guests “Ross the Boss” Friedman and Andy Shernoff (Dictators); Joe Cerisano (Silver Condor, TSO); Kenny Aaronson (Billy Idol, Bob Dylan); and Kasim Sulton (Utopia, Meat Loaf). It reunites original Blue Öyster Cult members Eric Bloom and Joe Bouchard, as well as current BÖC member Richie Castellano, who all contribute to this latest installment. The album also features reworks of classics like “E.T.I.,” “Godzilla,” and “Sole Survivor.” There will be limited-edition bundles, including a very limited colored-vinyl option (only 250 copies).





Pre-order your copy of Imagnos III - Mutant Reformation now and get your limited-edition bundles while supplies last.


Product includes:


- One Double LP Album (or CD) of Albert Bouchard‘s - Imaginos III
- One Imaginos III 10x10 Flat (Autographed)
- One Imaginos III T-shirt





Imaginos III - Mutant Reformation tracklisting:


“Welcome To Desdanovaland”
“Flaming Telepaths”
“The Queen’s Graveyard”
“Transmaniacon”
“Career of Evil”
“St. Cecilia”
“Curse of the Hidden Mirrors”
“Mountain of Madness”
“Redeemed”
“Mothra & Starfish”
“Godzilla”
“R.U. Red D. 2”
“Sole Survivor”
“E.T.I.”
“Aldebaran Alien Take Me Away”
“Arianna of Earth”
“Heavy Metal/Black and Silver”
“Buddha’s Knee”


“E.T.I.” lyric video:





Albert Bouchard’s Imaginos Show features the trilogy of the Imaginos saga performed in concert live. Dates below.


July
5 - Daryl’s House - Pawling, NY
9 - Tally Ho Theatre - Leesburg, VA
11- Ram’s Head on Stage - Annapolis, MD
12 - Sony Hall - NYC, NY

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with their latest Sunday Lunch video. Watch below.


A message states: "This Sunday we revisit the Billy Idol stone-cold classic, 'Rebel Yell', which brings a blistering rebellious lunchtime rock-out to the infamous kitchen... and through to the midnight hour!"







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


Tickets are available here.





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


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

ELEGANT WEAPONS, the new project featuring guitarist Richie Faulkner (JUDAS PRIEST) and singer Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, MSG),made its live debut last night (Monday, June 12) at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic as the support act for PANTERA. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

ELEGANT WEAPONS' debut album, "Horns For A Halo", was released on May 26 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was recorded with bassist Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) and drummer Scott Travis (JUDAS PRIEST) and was helmed by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, EXODUS and MEGADETH, among many others.

ELEGANT WEAPONS, which is rounded out by Dave Rimmer (URIAH HEEP) on bass and Christopher Williams (ACCEPT) on drums, will play shows in Europe through July. The trek will include additional performances with PANTERA, festival appearances and headlining shows.

Richie said: "We are very much looking forward to touring and our first tour dates are taking place in Europe starting in June 2023. Fans can expect heavy songs with catchy melodies, great vocals and lots of riffs! We all live to play live, and can't wait to take the ELEGANT WEAPONS out onto the live stage."

In a recent interview with Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility, Romero stated about ELEGANT WEAPONS: "That's something Richie [brought] to the table a couple of years ago. He call[ed] me and said, 'Listen…' If I remember correctly, he had the album recorded already, but he told me [at the time], 'We feel that doesn't work with the singer we have. So we're gonna try with another singer.' So I recorded a song, and then they loved it. And we ended up working together… And then we're gonna make some summer festivals around Europe. Then probably we'll go properly on tour, if everybody's okay. And probably we're gonna record a second album, and then we will see."

Romero went on to say that ELEGANT WEAPONS is "a very solid project," adding that "it's not something we will do once, and that's it. And also we're not doing it because of a contract that we need to fulfill. It's because we really want to do it together," he explained. "Richie is a cool guy; we are friends. And the rest of the guys also. Andy Sneap, [who did] the production, is a cool guy also. And we really want to see what happens with the band because we think people are gonna be very surprised about what they're gonna listen on the music side. It's not the typical thing Richie and I were doing for the last few years. It's a different thing. And I think the people are gonna like it. So we will see what happens. And we're gonna build the house from that point."

Regarding the ELEGANT WEAPONS band name, Faulkner said: "In almost any endeavor, the craftsman needs the right tools for the job. For a musician, those tools are things like their instruments, their voices and the emotions that the right combination of all those can bring to the surface. You can also consider it a reference to the instruments we play, because they're almost antiquities now. So yes, it references our instruments and also this kind of music, where we're carrying on the tradition of the greats like SABBATH and DIO but also bands the guys are connected to, like RAINBOW, PANTERA and PRIEST."

Richie and Rex have been friends for years, so when Richie was recording "Horns For A Halo" during the pandemic, he called on his friend to record the bass for the album.

"Well, Rex brings a sound, first of all, that is like no other bass sound," explained Richie. "The way he plays bass is instantly recognizable. But I got involved with Rex, you know, as with a lot of things that we do, as humans, really — we got involved as friends first. But Rex has got a great way of hearing the way the bass parts and the drums interact together. I mean, Rex's parts just breathe grit and life and dynamic into the songs. So it's a pleasure to have him on the record and it's a pleasure, obviously, to know him and have him as a friend — he's a legend."

As for Travis's involvement with the LP, Faulkner said: "I always wanted to make a record with Scott playing on it outside of PRIEST. His technique and style are legendary but also his groove."

When it comes to the live show, there was no other bass player even considered other than Rimmer. Davey and Richie go back over 20 years and they played the bars and pubs of London and England together, night in, night out for many years. Their musical relationship is almost telepathic in the way they communicate, from that early hard graft together on the circuit.

"Davey is an untouchable player," Richie said. "In sound, style and presence. A killer writer too, contributing great songs with URIAH HEEP. A great friend and a great musician."

When it came to choosing the drummer for the touring band, it was a no-brainer for Richie to enlist fellow Nashville resident and good friend Williams. Christopher had played and recorded the initial demos for the "Horns For A Halo" album, and was the obvious choice for the drum position. A phenomenal player, a great personality and a consummate professional.

And finally there's the new hotshot on the scene, Romero, Chilean-born, now living in Eastern Europe.

"Ronnie's got that heritage," says Richie, "and he nailed his parts in a week, which was a testament, really, to how good the guy is and how perfect he was for it. And he's just such a lovely guy, and, I think, one of a dying breed. There's not many people like him. There's good singers, like [Rob] Halford and [Ronnie James] Dio, but there's not many of them. He's really something special. When he sings with RAINBOW, he sounds obviously like Dio, but when he sings this stuff, there's something in there that comes out of him — he's his own monster, with his own trademark quality, which is an important thing to have."

Producing is PRIEST's touring guitarist of the past five years Sneap, who has been respectful of Richie's vision concerning a certain classic sound he wanted across the expanse of the record's 11 songs (ten originals plus a cover of UFO's "Lights Out"),and that is a signature Flying V through a Marshall Plexi amp.

"With the Marshall Plexi I've kind of gone back to the ‘70s, really," figured Faulkner. "And, you know, it's just one channel. And I've been using a prototype Flying V by Gibson, a blue Flying V with signature pickups, which I had been using on the PRIEST tour. I used it on the whole record, every track. So it's pretty straightforward technology-wise — the Flying V through a Marshall on 11."

As for the music, Richie described it as "a mix of Jimi Hendrix, PRIEST, SABBATH, solo Ozzy and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, but with a lot of melody, sort of old school and modern at once if that makes any sense, and actually down-tuned a whole step. The Marshall Plexi basically does one thing, but you've got to crank it to 11 for it to have that distorted sound. It hasn't got a lot of bells and whistles on it or different channels and effects. It basically does one thing and does it very well. But again down-tuning creates more of a modern sound, and by using the classic sound of the Marshall Plexi, you get that juxtaposition, that contrast. All told, there are a lot of guitar solos and the songs are on the heavier side. And even though there's a lot of melody, it's still going to shake your bones."

Specific to the songs, Richie explained that, "Me and acoustic don't really get along, so there's only one mellow song on it, a sort of smoky, haunted, New Orleans kind of tune called 'Ghost Of You', with de-tuned 1920s piano on it. That one is about a memory, or ghost of a lost love. But that's about as acoustic as it gets. I'm not really attracted to acoustic guitar in general. It's mainly kind of heavy and full-on, really. There's a song called 'White Horse', plus 'Horns For A Halo', which is like Tony Iommi crossed with ALICE IN CHAINS. That's about the way we justify the bad things we do. When we turn up on Judgement Day, will the angels kind of confuse our horns for halos, if you know what I mean. Then there's 'Rose Girl', which has a bit of a psychedelic '60s hippie vibe. It's about the rose girl who sells roses to the patrons at a strip club, and reflecting on what her life is all about."

Besides having these stories told, another mandate of the band is for Richie to propose more fully than he can across a PRIEST record, his own voice or style as it pertains to the guitar.

"Yes, everything that you do, without sounding pretentious, is trying to find your own voice and extension of your voice," he said. "I've been in cover bands all my life. Then you find yourself replacing K.K. Downing and it's, like, 'Now what am I gonna say?' I can't sound like K.K. Downing. I can't sound like Eddie Van Halen. I can't sound like Zakk Wylde. So it's refining and honing what your voice is, constantly fine-tuning what that voice is. And hopefully when people listen to it, they'll think, 'Oh, that's Richie.' In every song and every solo hopefully there's that sound, that narrative, that voice, and hopefully it stands the test of time."

But really, the over-arching mandate with ELEGANT WEAPONS is to perpetuate the rich legacy of the traditional proto-power metal invented by the heavy metal titans of the '70s and '80s, most pertinently JUDAS PRIEST.

"All four of us have got that original DNA in us, as does the new breed of traditional heavy metal fans," Richie said. "And so maybe a band like ELEGANT WEAPONS, hopefully we've got the credibility to make those original bands proud, because we were accepted by the members of those bands and by their fans. That's really the idea behind ELEGANT WEAPONS — to keep flying the flag for this style of timeless heavy metal."

What a great first show of Richie Faulkners Elegant Weapons. This big venue was hard to mix but we made it and the band delivered!
#TheLoudmaker #digico

Posted by Jacky Lee Man on Monday, June 12, 2023

Canada’s Hardball has emerged from the rainy coast of Vancouver, BC to bring you a raw and erratic punk/grunge self-titled debut album.


Vocalist/guitarist Scott Budgie channels distressed and agitated emotions into the writing, while drummer Jeremy Head and bassist Jamie Black amplify those feelings of utter frustration, confusion, and absurdity into an energetic and aggressive grunge sound that is permeated by punk and hardcore influences.


Their debut single “Worried As Shit” is the perfect introduction to the trio, they comment: “It’s a perfect initiation to Hardball, it’s an abrupt punk song carried by a rock beat, with vocals coming from a place of confusion and self-deprecation (in typical Hardball fashion). It also has a cool recurring noodly riff that crushes and a sudden clean bridge was thrown in to keep the extreme dynamic range thing happening.”




Watch the lyric video below.


While this is not nostalgic grunge, Hardball has created something innovative and contemporary while still honouring their heroes from the ‘90s alternative rock and ‘80s punk scenes. They’re having their cake and eating it too, and are offering you a slice.


Turbulent and chaotic, Hardball delivers an enjoyable new album through drums going completely ape all over the place, obnoxious riffing and big low-tuned power chords, and heavily distorted bass guitar. They are recommended for fans of Nirvana, Wipers, and Hüsker Dü.


Hardball's self-titled debut album is out July 21. Pre-save here.





Tracklisting:


"Just A Tree"
"Worried As Shit"
"NRA"
"In The Mail"
"Me And You"
"Chili"
"Talk To Me"
"Ian’s Song"
"I/O"
"Open Air"


"Worried As Shit" lyric video:





Album Recording and Live Band Lineup:


Scott Budgie - Vocals, guitars
Jeremy Head - Drums, guitars, synth, backing vocals
Jamie Black - Bass, backing vocals


(Photo - Kaila Hald)

GHOST will release an "extended" box-set edition of the band's latest album, "Impera", on July 28.

The package features:

* Individually copper foiled numbered at 6K units worldwide
* "Impera" and "Live From The Ministry" EP double colored vinyl (sky blue and gold) etching on Side D enclosed in a 3D, die-cut jacket with light feature
* 28-page "Impera" album booklet
* "Phantomime" EP on black ice vinyl with exclusive jacket artwork
* Unreleased cover "Stay" on a limited-edition orchid 7-inch single with etching on side B
* 22-page thick bound photo book
* 18x24 "Spillways" poster
* GHOST wax seal kit contained in a satin pouch with embroidered GHOST logo and three colored custom GHOST candles with three stamper designs
* All enclosed in a matte lift lid box with a copper foil GHOST logo

For more information, visit lomavistarecordings.com.

GHOST's fifth album, "Impera" sold 70,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked the third top 10 album — and fifth top 40-charting set — for the Swedish act.

"Impera" landed at position No. 1 in Germany and Sweden, No. 2 in the U.K., Netherlands, Belgium and Norway, No. 3 in Australia, No. 5 in France and Ireland, and No. 20 in Italy.

"Impera" was released in March 2022. The 12-song effort was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.

GHOST leader Tobias Forge worked on the follow-up to 2018's "Prequelle" with Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Six of GHOST's albums have charted on the Billboard 200: "Infestissumam" (No. 28, 2013); "If You Have Ghost" EP (No. 87, 2013); "Meliora" (No. 8, 2015); "Popestar" EP (No. 16, 2016); "Prequelle" (No. 3, 2018); and "Impera" (No. 2, 2022).

Last month, GHOST released "Phantomime", a five-song EP which sees the Swedish occult rockers offering takes on IRON MAIDEN's "Phantom Of The Opera", GENESIS's "Jesus He Knows Me", TELEVISION's "See No Evil", THE STRANGLERS' "Hanging Around" and Tina Turner's "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)".

GHOST is no stranger to covers, having previously tackled material originally written and recorded by THE BEATLES ("Here Comes The Sun"), ABBA ("I'm A Marionette"), DEPECHE MODE ("Waiting For The Night"), Roky Erickson ("If You Have Ghosts"), METALLICA ("Enter Sandman"), PET SHOP BOYS ("It's A Sin") and EURYTHMICS ("Missionary Man"), among others.

This past February, GHOST revealed details of its upcoming "Re-Imperatour" summer 2023 U.S. tour with special guest AMON AMARTH. Produced by Live Nation and FPC Live, the 27-date trek kicks off on Wednesday, August 2 in Concord, California at Concord Pavilion, with stops in Salt Lake City, Chicago, Cincinnati, Austin and more before wrapping up with the band's Monday, September 11 return to the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

[MESSAGE FROM THE CLERGY]

We wish to inform our devoted followers that the much-anticipated box set offering for...

Posted by Ghost on Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Duff McKagan has shared the song "Lighthouse", the title track from his third solo album, arriving everywhere on Friday, October 20. Pre-orders are available now. The album will be available in several variations, including CD, deluxe CD with fold-out photo print, cassette, standard black vinyl, and deluxe vinyl in a host of colors, each with lithographs, booklet, sticker, and guitar pick. Signed versions and exclusive store versions will be available as well. For more information, visit duffonline.com.

Duff states: "The crashing….the cresting waves, the falling through of all that surrounds you. Life sometimes tosses us around, and we feel the want of comfort and the pull of home. A ship tossed like a toy through the Cape, sails ripped and the wood groaning with the scraping of its ballast….a soul trying with all its might to find peace and a center. Find a lighthouse. I have my lighthouse….its beacon swirling in the darkness with her warmth and promise of nurture, love, laughter, and all that is true. Won't you be my lighthouse, give me light,…and bring me home."

For more than 40 years, McKagan has been an unstoppable creative force, spanning a multitude of bands, tours, collaborations, and writings. Now, with his long-awaited new solo album, "Lighthouse", the veteran musician proves to be, at his heart, a gifted singer-songwriter with a distinctive knack for authenticity and introspection.

In 2019, McKagan opened his own recording studio, allowing him a long-hoped-for opportunity to "finally explore songs that I may have written the night before or some of those old riffs from years ago. This is a big deal for me." He spent much of the next two years working with longtime producer/collaborator Martin Feveyear (Mark Lanegan, Brandi Carlile),chipping away at a series of intensely personal new songs.

"Lighthouse" now marks the first full-length collection born in McKagan's studio. Songs like "Hope" (featuring veteran Paul McCartney drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and melodic lead guitar from Slash) and the philosophical "I Just Don't Know" (featuring contributions from McKagan's longtime friend, Jerry Cantrell of ALICE IN CHAINS) see McKagan baring more of his artistic spirit than ever before, fusing acoustic elements with hard-edged rock 'n' roll to land at the sweet spot between soul-searching reflection and pure energy. The 11-song collection is further highlighted by an additional take on the title track, "Lighthouse (Reprise)", joined by the one and only Iggy Pop.

McKagan first unveiled his new music earlier this year with "This Is The Song", a three-song EP honoring Mental Health Awareness Month alongside a call to action on Propeller. The EP — which was met by critical applause in Rolling Stone, Consequence Of Sound, Loudwire and American Songwriter, to name just a few — includes the deeply moving title track, "This Is The Song", joined by an official companion video streaming now on YouTube.

Starting at just 15, McKagan has been a part of such diverse and influential bands as THE VAINS (1979),THE FASTBACKS (1980),THE LIVING (1982),THE FARTZ (1982),10 MINUTE WARNING (1983) and LOADED (1998),along, of course, with his historic role as founding member of both GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER. Produced by three-time Grammy Award winner Shooter Jennings, McKagan's 2019 second solo album, "Tenderness", marked a powerful new chapter for the ever-evolving artist, taking on societal ills and his own personal transgressions against a rich sonic backdrop of Americana-fueled arrangements. Named by Loudwire as one of that year's "50 Best Rock Albums" and hailed by Rolling Stone in a three-and-a-half (out of four)-starred rave as "an album full of beauty and heart…It's music of conscience, heavy songs with a light touch," the album includes the volatile rocker "Chip Away", which earned extraordinary praise from the maestro himself, Bob Dylan, who recently declared the song a personal favorite.

"There's a Duff McKagan song called 'Chip Away' that has profound meaning for me," Dylan told The Wall Street Journal. "It's a graphic song. Chip away, chip away, like Michelangelo, breaking up solid marble stone to discover the form of King David inside. He didn't build him from the ground up, he chipped away the stone until he discovered the king. It's like my own songwriting, I overwrite something, then I chip away lines and phrases until I get to the real thing."

Along with his prolific musical efforts, McKagan is The New York Times best-selling author of 2011's "It's So Easy: And Other Lies" and 2015's "How To Be A Man: (And Other Illusions)", and the co-host (with Susan Holmes McKagan) of SiriusXM's popular "Three Chords & The Truth" radio show on Ozzy's Boneyard (Ch. 38). McKagan currently serves as a core member of a modern-day "Wrecking Crew" alongside Grammy Award-winning musician/producer Andrew Watt and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith, recording and co-writing on such recent albums as Ozzy Osbourne's "Ordinary Man" (2020) and two-time Grammy Award-winning "Patient No. 9" (2022) and Iggy Pop's acclaimed "Every Loser" (2023). What's more, McKagan — with Watt, Smith, and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Josh Klinghoffer — is part of the recently unveiled IGGY POP & THE LOSERS lineup, who made a high-profile televised debut earlier this year with an electrifying performance of the feverish "Frenzy" on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

McKagan is currently traveling with GUNS N' ROSES on an epic global tour set to touch down in North America beginning August 5 at Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada's Croix-Bieue Medavie stadium.

"Lighthouse" track listing:

01. Lighthouse
02. Longfeather
03. Holy Water
04. I Saw God On 10th St
05. Fallen
06. Forgiveness
07. Just Another Shakedown
08. Fallen Ones
09. Hope (feat. Slash)
10. I Just Don't Know (feat. Jerry Cantrell)
11. Lighthouse (Reprise) (feat. Iggy Pop)

Photo credit: Charles Peterson

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE have unveiled the official Liam Lynch-created lyric video for "Carnavoyeur", the latest offering from their epic eighth album, "In Times New Roman…"

In contrast to the LP's first single "Emotion Sickness", "Carnavoyeur" finds QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE weaving more subtle shades of sinister: Mesmerizing washes of strings cascade atop the band's trademark rock solid foundation, while Joshua Homme's mellifluent vocals swaddle the listener with their warm and all too familiar tones of acceptance and resignation: "When there's nothing I can do, I smile…" While the stunning, honeyed melodies of "Carnavoyeur" are undeniably, well, really pretty, this is still QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, and there's no shortage of viscera-rumbling drums and bass or spine-chilling guitar interplay.

"In Times New Roman…" will be available across all platforms on June 16 via Matador Records. On the eve of release fans are invited to ring in the album's release at Midnight Club parties taking place at record shops and pubs across 23 countries. The Midnight Club starts at 11 p.m. June 15 and will feature giveaways, exclusive merch including limited edition colored vinyl, and — in a few select locations — signed merchandise and ticket giveaways. Midnight Club will provide the QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE faithful with a first chance to hear "In Times New Roman…" in its entirety, amongst friends, family and of course appropriate levels of bacchanalia.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE performed live for the first time in more than three years on May 26 at the Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio. Prior to the Columbus gig, Josh Homme and his bandmates played one gig in early 2020, their first since 2018.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's 11-song set included the live debut of "Emotion Sickness".

"In Times New Roman…" was recorded and mixed at Homme's own Pink Duck (RIP),with additional recording at Shangri-La. The album was produced by QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and mixed by Mark Rankin. The album will be available across all digital platforms and on vinyl and CD. Artwork and double LP gatefold packaging designed by longtime collaborator Boneface. LP vinyl will be available globally in black, green, red, silver and blue.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE said in its album announcement that the record reflects the heartache its members have experienced in the past few years.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's last album, 2017's "Villains", debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.

"In Times New Roman..." is "raw, at times brutal and not recommended for the faint of heart," a press release states. "And yet, it's perhaps the most beautiful and definitely the most rewarding album in their epic discography. Homme's most acerbic lyrics to date are buoyed by the instantly identifiable QOTSA sonic signature, expanded and embellished with new and unprecedented twists in virtually every song. With 'In Times New Roman…' we see that sometimes one needs to look beneath scars and scabs to see beauty, and sometimes the scabs and scars are the beauty."

Photo credit: Andreas Neumann

On June 2nd, Extreme performed in Sao Paulo, Brazil at the  Best Of Blues And Rock Festival. During "Get The Funk Out", they were joined by Brazilian guitarist Mateus Asato. Check out the fan-filmed video below.


Asato appears at the 6:30 mark in the clip below.







More fan-filmed video from the show can be viewed below.








On their new album, SIX, Extreme swing between unapologetic fits of fret-burning hard rock and intimately introspective balladry. For the recording of the Bettencourt-produced 12-track album, the members buckled down at his home studio in Los Angeles to channel the electrifying eclecticism that defined their seminal output with a 21st century twist.


This dynamic affirms the iconic Boston quartet as one of rock’s most unpredictable, undeniable, and unbreakable groups whose songs course through the very fabric of popular culture. They’re the rare band whose music has appeared in an actual cult series a la Bill & Ted as well as the Netflix juggernaut Stranger Things. They’ve sold 10 million records, topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #1, packed major venues on multiple continents, memorably performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in London, and regularly average over 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify. However, their dynamic approach hits harder than ever on their 2023 full-length offering, SIX.


Order SIX here.





SIX tracklisting:


"Rise"
"#Rebel"
"Banshee"
"Other Side of the Rainbow"
"Small Town Beautiful"
"The Mask"
"Thicker Than Blood"
"Save Me"
"Hurricane"
"X Out"
"Beautiful Girls"
"Here's To The Losers"


"Banshee" video:





"#Rebel" video:





"Rise" video:





Trailer:





Extreme's headlining “Thicker Than Blood” world tour kicks off in the US on August 2, followed by stops in Australia and Japan in September and has already sold-out dates in cities including Detroit, Hampton Beach, Tokyo and Yokohama. The band recently announced an additional jaunt beginning November 27 in Newcastle, UK and wrapping December 16 in Milan, IT.





Special guests Living Colour (who will also be supporting Extreme on their US and Australian shows) will appear on the UK leg and The Last Internationale will appear across Europe. Tickets  at extreme-band.com.


Extreme have remained one of rock’s most unpredictable, undeniable, and unbreakable groups, having sold 10 million records, topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #1, packed major venues on multiple continents, memorably performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in London, and they regularly average over 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Extreme’s new album, SIX has seen unprecedented success following the release of three evocative hit singles and videos: “Rise,” “Banshee” and “#Rebel.”





Tour dates:


August
2 - Portland, ME - State Theatre #
3 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom #
5 - Boston, MA - Roadrunner #
6 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount #
8 - Reading, PA - Santander Performing Arts Center #
10 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom #
11 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater #
12 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theater #
14 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall #
15 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater #
17 - Gary, IN - Hard Rock Live #
18 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theatre #
19 - Cedar Rapids, IA - The Paramount #
21 - Denver, CO - The Ogden #
22 - Albuquerque, NM - Revel Entertainment Center #
24 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues #
26 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency #
28 - Portland, OR - TBD #
29 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox #


September
6 - Perth, AU - Regal Theatre #
8 - Adelaide, AU - Hindley Street Music Hall #
10 - Melbourne, AU - Forum #
12 - Sydney, AU - Enmore Theatre #
13 - Brisbane, AU - Fortitude Music Hall #
17 - Sendai, JP - Sendai Gigs
19 - Yokohama, JP - KT Zepp Yokohama
21 - Tokyo, JP - Hitomi Memorial Hall
25 - Nagoya, JP - Shimin Kaikan Hall
26 - Osaka, JP - Zepp Namba





November
27 - Newcastle, UK - O2 City Hall #
28 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy #
30 - Manchester, UK - O2 Academy #


December
1 - Wolverhampton, UK - Civic Hall #
3 - Bristol, UK - O2 Academy #
4 - London, UK - O2 Forum #
8 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7 Konzertfabrik *
10 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys *
11 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall *
12 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg Max *
14 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix *
16 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz *


# with Living Colour
* with The Last Internationale

Iron Maiden have shared a new video from The Future Past Tour's stop in Kraków, Poland along with the following message:


"If you need big things moved, call the Killer Krew!"


The band plays at the Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland tonight (June 14th)







On June 11th, Iron Maiden brought The Future Past tour to the Quarterback Immobilien Arena in Leipzig, Germany. Fan-filmed video from the show can be viewed below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Caught Somewhere In Time"
"Stranger In A Strange Land"
"The Writing On The Wall"
"Days Of Future Past"
"The Time Machine"
"The Prisoner"
"Death Of The Celts"
"Can I Play With Madness"
"Heaven Can Wait"
"Alexander The Great"
"Fear Of The Dark"
"Iron Maiden"


Encore:
"Hell On Earth"
"The Trooper"
"Wasted Years"

In a new interview with CBS New York's Chris Wragge, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci spoke about the ways we listen to music have changed in the last few decades — from cassette tapes and CDs to MP3 files and streaming. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's wild. We saw the change happen. And, of course, the CD came out and that changed everything. Then, when everything went to digital and streaming, that was a whole another advancement in music delivery. But here's the weird thing: I guess things kind of come full circle. All of a sudden vinyl is coming back. And not only coming back — it's huge."

Addressing the fact that vinyl has had resurgence in recent years, with sales of vinyl records surpassing that of CDs for the first time since 1987, Petrucci said: "There is definitely a charm to that sound. For me, it's funny that… A lot of musicians might relate to this. There's a moment when you're in the studio and it's the perfect listening environment and it's as hi-rez as you're ever gonna get. And you're, like, 'I wish everybody could hear it like this.' But then people are getting it streaming and everything else."

Although streaming is still the biggest driver of the music industry's growth, vinyl revenue grew 17% and topped $1.2 billion last year, making up nearly three-quarters of the revenue brought in by physical music, according to the Recording Industry Association Of America's year-end report released in March. In 2022, listeners purchased 41 million vinyl records, compared to just 33 million CDs.

Vinyl has been on the comeback for about 15 years, with sales increasing by 17% since 2021.

"The Alien", a track from DREAM THEATER's latest album, 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World", landed the band its first-ever Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, which was held in April 2022 in Las Vegas. DREAM THEATER's previous Grammy nominations were for the song "On The Backs Of Angels", from 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album, and the single "The Enemy Inside" from 2013's "Dream Theater".

"A View From The Top Of The World" was described in a press released as "DREAM THEATER at its musical finest, expanding on the sound they helped create while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe." The seven-song album also marked the second studio album with InsideOut Music/Sony Music. The artwork was created by longtime cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "A View From The Top Of The World" was produced by Petrucci, engineered and additional production by James "Jimmy T" Meslin and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap.

Photo credit: Rayon Richards

Fan-filmed video of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's June 9 performance at Kia Forum in Los Angeles can be seen below. The group's 16-song set included the live debut of three songs from AVENGED SEVENFOLD's latest album, "Life Is But A Dream…": "Mattel" and the three-track run of "G", "(O)rdinary" and "(D)eath". The latter has been described in one review as by far the most left-field sounding part of the LP, ranging in style from metal/country ["G"], to full-blown DAFT PUNK impersonation ["(O)rdinary"] to lounge jazz ["(D)eath"].

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's setlist for the band's first proper headlining gig in Los Angeles County since 2009 was as follows:

01. Game Over
02. Mattel (live debut)
03. Afterlife
04. Hail To The King
05. We Love You
06. Buried Alive
07. The Stage (first time since 2018)
08. So Far Away (dedicated to The Rev)
09. Nobody
10. Nightmare
11. Bat Country
12. Unholy Confessions
13. A Little Piece Of Heaven

Encore:

14. G (live debut)
15. (O)rdinary (live debut)
16. (D)eath (live debut)

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

"We were just looking for really bold moments — in life, in art, in film," M. Shadows explained. "Things that we could sort of wrap our minds around an audio representation of how we were feeling about certain things.

"At this point, playing around with melody, playing around with tones, playing around with left turns, curveballs was really appealing to us.

"I think we've proven to everyone, whether they like the band or not, that we kind of know the rules of music, and this record, we were able to just go break all the rules," he continued.

"Mike Shinoda [of LINKIN PARK] put it to me really perfectly — I love his insight on a lot of things — and he said, 'This record is like you guys throwing paint at the wall, but if a fourth-grader was doing it, you'd say that's just paint on the wall. But because of everything you've done before, we all know you know how to make a beautiful painting, so this record is actually really special because it's not just paint on the wall. You guys have broken all the rules and done things in an abstract way. But we wanna listen and pay attention because we know what you guys have done before.' And I thought it was an interesting way of putting it, 'cause those [LINKIN PARK] guys — Dave ['Phoenix' Farrell] and Mike — have been big fans of this record. And I think that was a cool way of putting it."

The singer, whose real name is Matt Sanders, added: "We kind of just really wanted to push the boundaries — the musical boundaries, the lyrical boundaries, the themes — and we didn't want anything on the record to sound generic or phoned in or not exciting. We wanted to redo everything we've ever done, where even the song lengths and the way we kind of put these little pieces of ear candy, but we get away from it quick. Or staying away from three choruses, or if there is three choruses, they're all vastly different. And really thinking about turning the traditional landscape of how you would normally put a song together on its head, but do it in an interesting way — not just to do it, but just to do it in a way that we think people will enjoy and give them sort of a reason to get to the end of songs or get to the next song on the record. And I think that was just a mindset this time, was just a little different — really looking at those things."

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

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

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

The first leg with support from ALEXISONFIRE includes thirteen cities across the U.S. and Canada, such as Mansfield, Québec City, Tinley Park, Calgary, and more. The group kicks off their 2023 solo touring run with two unique one-night-only arena shows in New York and Los Angeles this June.

During an appearance on the latest episode of Knotfest's "She's With The Band", the show hosted by Tori Kravitz and Alicia Atout aiming to amplify the voices of women on stage, backstage and in the business, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia spoke about the fact that female musicians in the heavy metal scene are often judged on their appearance and are not given the same treatment as their male counterparts. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I remember when I started, it would happen that I got a lot of looks just because a lot of people were surprised to see a woman on stage. I got some people maybe screaming stupid stuff at the very beginning, but it didn't discourage me because I think the problem is not mine. The problem is in whoever just sees a woman that is in the wrong place for them. I mean, it's not my problem, because at the end of the day, I'm still here 20-plus years into my career and who knows where they are? I don't really mind."

She continued: "What I always say is that it's a question of balance, because it is true that women are more judged on their looks. They have more attention if they're pretty. They are more judged if they put an extra kilo on and nobody cares if there's a singer that has a little bit of extra weight according to the fact that… What's the extra weight? That's another [laughs] can of worms that we would have to open. I always say that it's a question of balance because it is also true that women can also take a little bit of advantage out of this, because having more attention because you're a woman, it's a plus. So we can't deny that there is good and bad. But in the end of it all, I think that it's in people who think in the wrong way the problem, not really in being a woman in the metal world or stuff like that. Luckily, I know a lot of guys that are just fully supporting the female scene. They get behind the look, that they can say, like, 'Wow, yeah, you're pretty. This girl is pretty, but, man, she can sing. Man, she can play.' If you're just like an empty box that looks great, I don't think you're gonna go that far."

Last week, LACUNA COIL released a new single, "Never Dawn". For the track, LACUNA COIL partnered with CMON, the renowned board game publisher behind the popular game "Zombicide". "Never Dawn" is a notable addition to CMON's latest Kickstarter project, "Zombicide: White Death", and was initially used as an instrumental version in a campaign trailer. The game introduces new characters, mechanics, and challenges for players to overcome, and the upcoming "White Death" version features five LACUNA COIL limited-edition survivor tokens.

Designed by Nicolas Raoult, one of the designers of the original "Zombicide", along with Jean-Baptiste Lullien and Raphaël Guiton, "Zombicide: White Death" is a sequel to the fantasy spinoff version of "Zombicide" with a new wintery theme. The third installment in this series, it follows "Zombicide: Black Plague", which introduced the concept in 2016, and "Zombicide Green Horde", which came out in 2018.

LACUNA COIL has spent the last few months promoting "Comalies XX", the recently released "deconstructed" and "transported" version of the band's third album, "Comalies".

"Comalies XX" was made available on October 14, 2022 via Century Media Records.

LACUNA COIL celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Comalies", by performing it in its entirety at a one-night-only concert on October 15, 2022 at Fabrique in Milano.

"Comalies" was originally released on October 29, 2002 through Century Media Records. The LP, which featured the band's breakthrough single "Heaven's A Lie", has reportedly gone on to sell over 300,000 copies in the United States alone.

LACUNA COIL played its first show in front of an audience in more than two years on April 7, 2022 as the support act for APOCALYPTICA at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia.

Prior to the Atlanta concert, the last time LACUNA COIL played together was at the group's special September 2020 livestream event where the bandmembers performed their latest album, "Black Anima", in its entirety with no audience in attendance at the Alcatraz Club in Milan, Italy. That show was released as a live album, "Live From The Apocalypse", via Century Media.

SLIPKNOT's Joey Jordison and SLAYER's Dave Lombardo filled in for METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich when he was unable to appear at the Download festival in England in June 2004. Ulrich later blamed his non-appearance on exhaustion, caused by an unrelenting tour schedule and the break-up of his seven-year marriage to Skylar Satenstein.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett reflected on Jordison's performance with METALLICA as part of a newly published oral history of the Download festival. Explaining that he spent the last hours before METALLICA's Download set frantically speaking to potential replacements for Ulrich, he told The Guardian: "I couldn't do anything for the next three hours except talk to drummers. I remember seeing Dimebag [late PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN guitarist Darrell Abbott] wave at me from a distance backstage. I looked at him and mouthed, 'We are completely fucked.' He came over laughing and just said, 'You guys have got this.' And that was the last time I saw Dime. I still regret not taking the time to have a full conversation with him," referencing the fact that Dimebag was murdered just six months later.

As for Joey's performance with METALLICA, Kirk said: "Joey could play all sorts of things. I remember saying to him, 'Bro, you're gonna have to play a bunch of these tunes tonight.' He was beside himself, he was so happy. At the end of the set, I turned to Joey onstage, and I asked him if he could play 'Enter Sandman'. And I saw through his [SLIPKNOT] mask [which he was wearing while performing with METALLICA] that he had tears in both of his eyes. He was crying because it meant so much for him to be playing 'Sandman' with us at Download. I'll never forget that."

Jordison played eight tracks from the 11-song set, with Lombardo and Ulrich's drum tech Flemming Larsen helping with the remaining cuts.

Jordison reflected on the moment years later. "As cool as it was playing that show, what was cooler was playing in METALLICA's practice room," he said. "It was just me and those three guys, just warming up. What a dream come true, man. I'll have dreams about it every once in a while. It was one of the best gigs of my life."

Less than two years ago, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor spoke about Jordison's performance with METALLICA during a conversation with Knotfest.com's Ryan J. Downey. He said: "We were back there with [Joey], watching it… It was so surreal to watch Joey playing with [METALLICA], because we all grew up listening to them. And Joey was shitting bricks. I mean, he [had] his mask on, but every time he'd come back and he would pull his mask off, he would just be, like, 'How am I doing? How am I doing?' I'm, like, 'you're fucking killing it.' Me, Paul [Gray, then-SLIPKNOT bassist], Clown [SLIPKNOT percussionist], we were all standing there fucking cheering him on. And they ended up throwing different songs at him that they hadn't rehearsed. They threw all the MISFITS shit at him, and he fucking knew it. They would have probably kept him up there all night if they could have. He played the majority of the set.

"That, to me, was such a fucking amazing moment for him that it was cool to be back there sharing that with him," Corey continued. "It was a special little fucking — almost like that's the moment you know you've made it. You're seeing this reflection of respect from arguably your biggest influence, your biggest peer. Them signing off on you like that had to have been fucking massive for him. And I remember him telling me it was such a blur that he didn't really remember anything until he watched the video back. And he's right — that shit can go by [very quickly] because you're so fucking into it…

"I don't know if they expected it, but he fucking went in there and he showed not only the band but all of their fans — not only the level of respect that we have for them and the music but that we can hold our own," Taylor added. "And I think that was a big moment. It was a big part of that."

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Jordison's family confirmed that he passed away "peacefully in his sleep" in July 2021 of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.

Kirk Hammett photo credit: Ross Halfin

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Former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe came face to face with members of MÖTLEY CRÜE for the first time in many years on Friday (June 9) at the Rockfest festival in Hyvinkää, Finland.

A short time after apparently exchanging pleasantries with Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil and Tommy Lee at the event, Michael shared a picture of him with Sixx and DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Having a blast hanging at the Rockfest with Nikki Sixx & Joe Elliott. MÖTLEY CRUE were great! DEF LEPPARD just started and are truly amazing as always! Good times". Nikki commented on Michael's photo, writing: "Great seeing you", to which Monroe replied: "@nikkisixxpixx it was SO lovely to see you. And Vince too for the first time. It was very touching. And Tommy, of course! You guys sounded great! See you again soon! All my Love & Respect, Michael".

On his own Instagram page, Sixx shared a different photo of him with Monroe, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "What a wonderful surprise seeing @michaelmonroeofficial at the show tonight. Haven't seen this fine gentleman for years with everybody's personal life on top of careers and then living in different parts of the world. Your a class act Michael and please bring your harmonica next time."

Monroe responded to Nikki's post, writing: "It was truly wonderful to see you again, my friend. I had the greatest time and meeting you all meant the world to me. I will definitely bring my harmonica next time so we can do some rockin' together! Love, Respect & Rock'n'Roll! Michael".

Earlier today (Saturday, June 10),Monroe returned to social media to share a photo of him talking to Neil at Rockfest. He wrote in an accompanying message: "One of the most important moments of my life was meeting Vince Neil for the first time last night. Razzle always wanted us to meet as he thought 'us singers' were a lot alike. Under different circumstances both bands probably would've ended up as good friends, but fate had other plans…

"Thank you for your time, Vince. We didn't say much but your eyes told me more than 1000 words ever could. And your singing was great at the show. Nice to finally see you guys live!"

Less than four years ago, Monroe said that he was "not interested at all" in seeing MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Dirt" biopic.

The former HANOI ROCKS frontman was asked to comment on the film in light of the fact that CRÜE frontman Vince Neil caused the tragic car accident in 1984 that killed his passenger, HANOI ROCKS drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley.

Asked by "The Classic Metal Show" if he had seen "The Dirt", Michael replied: "I haven't seen the movie. I'm not interested at all. I haven't read the book [that the movie is based on]. In general, I've never been interested in that band, musically or in any way. It's really not my thing. I haven't seen the movie and I have no intention of seeing it. I'm not interested."

Monroe went on to say that the accident "certainly destroyed a lot of people's lives. I've never blamed anybody — you can't blame anybody for an accident — but a lot of people's lives were shattered, "he said. "As well as the two teenagers who got paralyzed in the accident; I've heard that there was no mention of them either [in the film].

"It's a depressing subject and it's always like opening a can of worms," Michael continued. "And I just don't wanna get into all that. It's just useless.

"But, yeah, my comment is no comment, really. [Laughs]"

Back in 2004, Monroe slammed MÖTLEY CRÜE for the band's decision to title a box set "Music To Crash Your Car To", calling the move beyond disrespectful and referring to the group's bassist Nikki Sixx as "shallow," "ignorant" and "stupid". "The 'Mostly Crude' gotta be as dumb as they are to have done that," he told Metal Sludge. "I'm not only talking about Razzle, but also for the other families involved in the accident... As we've previously stated: The most tasteless and murderous gimmick to cash in on the past we've ever heard of. There's nothing 'cool' or 'funny' about death or winding up a paraplegic for life. How low can you go? I'd say this gave bad taste a bad name."

Three years later, Monroe publicly apologized to Sixx, saying that his "unflattering comments" about the bassist were "really childish and stupid." He explained: "I just took it a bit personally when they called their album at the time 'Music to Crash Your Car To'. I thought it was inappropriate since it came across as if they were making fun of the accident, which I'm sure was not their intention."

Neil's drunk-driving death car crash happened back in December 1984 when he smashed his car into another vehicle in Redondo Beach, California, killing Razzle and seriously injuring two other occupants.

Vince was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol. His blood alcohol level was 0.17, which was over the legal limit.

Neil served half of a 30-day jail sentence, received five years probation and had to pay $2.6 million in restitution, as well as perform 200 hours of community service.

In 2011, Monroe gave Sleaze Roxx his take on what happened that night: "There was an accident, and unfortunately our drummer was killed. As far as Vince Neil, I have nothing to say. It was an accident. What happened happened, and it can't be changed. Everybody suffered from the whole thing."

Last year, former HANOI ROCKS guitarist Andy McCoy gave several interviews in which he slammed Sixx over his account of his heroin overdose, as published in CRÜE's best-selling band autobiography, "The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band" and "The Dirt" biopic.

McCoy discussed his relationship with Nikki in an interview with IndiePower. McCoy said: "I'm not a farm boy like Nikki Sixx; I'm from the inner city. And I can't stand bullshit — like his books; [they're] full of lies. I saved the guy's life," he added, apparently touching upon a time when he supposedly revived Sixx after a heroin overdose. "And he makes up stories."

Referring to another one of Sixx's tales — of supposedly getting pummeled with a baseball bat on the floor of a London dealer's flat after another overdose — Andy said: "I mean, I used to play baseball. You think someone would survive if I [hit] him with a baseball bat? Hell no! Hell no, man."

Circling back to the time when he "saved" Nikki's life, Andy said: "I fucking got him revived, got his heart beating again. And the thank you I've gotten has been 'de nada'. I mean, de nada," he reiterated, using the Spanish phrase for "it's nothing." "And that makes him a second-class citizen in my eyes. 'Cause he only thinks about the buck."

Regarding Razzle's death, Andy told Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! that he "never even got as much as an apology from that motherfucker. You know who I'm talking about," he said. "I'm not gonna give any names. Why would I give him fame? Fuck him!

"Every time I see him, he runs away," he continued. "Because he knows what I'd do. But that's our business."

Referencing the fact that Neil and GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose publicly traded insults in 1989 after Vince reportedly accused then-GN'R guitarist Izzy Stradlin of assaulting his wife, Andy said that he would never do anything "like Axl did" with the epic GUNS N' ROSES diss track "Get In The Ring". "No. I'm a freakfire," he said. "I'm from the inner city. [Vince is] from fucking suburban California. You can never compare us, what we know. You read me, bro."

Also last year, McCoy called CRÜE "fucking ripoffs" for embarking on "their 25th goodbye tour or something," referencing CRÜE's 2022 North American shows as part of "The Stadium Tour".

When "Waste Some Time With Jason Green" video podcast host Jason Green noted that he likes the fact that Andy is "so open" about his feelings about the CRÜE, McCoy said: "I speak the truth, mate. I don't lie, like Nikki Sixx, through my fucking teeth."

The now-60-year-old Finnish-born musician, whose real name is Antti Hulkko, was then asked about CRÜE's decision to title their box set "Music To Crash Your Car To". "I thought, and Michael Monroe thought, [that] was the tackiest title, thinking about what had happened… That was in real tacky, bad taste," Andy said. "If you're European like me, it's something you don't do. You respect other people. You just don't wanna make a buck for yourself. You respect other people."

Speaking about the two people who sustained lifelong injuries in Neil's car crash, Andy said: "People forget about those two. I remember. I never forget. People tend to forget about them. And that was horrible. It was just plainly wrong. Fifty yards to the liquor store. I thought they'd walk. But no, this motherfucker — I don't care to mention his name; you know who he is — had to show off his second-hand fucking ugly Pantera, which ain't even a nice car to me."

When Green mentioned that the circumstances surrounding the incident were exaggerated in both the "The Dirt" autobiography and biopic, Andy said: "Like the party in that movie, the MÖTLEY CRÜE movie, in some mansion. You know what really happened? We were in a two-bedroom apartment. It was five people there. When I saw that movie, or clips of it, I was, like, 'I don't wanna see the whole movie. This is bullshit again. Hollywood bullshit.' [HANOI ROCKS bassist] Sami [Yaffa] was passed out on the sofa, and Vince's pregnant wife, who was on her seventh or eighth month. That's who was there, [along with me and MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee]. So the movie is just pure lies and bollocks again. And I can't go for that kind of crap. I want the reality out."

When Green mentioned that it is obvious how much of an influence HANOI ROCKS had been on MÖTLEY CRÜE in the early years, Andy said: "You can bloody see, can't you?"

Last August, Nikki took to his Twitter to write: "Andy Mcoy has been on a rant saying I never thanked him for saving my life after a heroin overdose. It's true.I also never thanked him for getting me the drug's during my deadly addiction that night..I get it, he's just trying to sell a book ,a album or club tour…"

Sixx previously addressed McCoy's criticisms of "The Dirt" in a 2005 interview with Wisconsin-Music.com. Asked about Andy's claim that certain things that are described in "The Dirt" are "pure lies", Sixx laughed and said: "You know what I love about that? You've got a has-been that never was just fuckin' grabbing at straws to get attention. I mean, c'mon, man. And nothing he says makes any fucking sense. You ever read the interview where he said that his band sold more records than our band? I was like, 'Dude, are you crazy!' [mimics McCoy] 'We sold fifty million records and they sold forty, we were a bigger band than them.' And I'm like, 'Dude, why do you care about my ass so bad? You won't stop talking about it.' He's got a fuckin' crush on me or something."

When the interviewer noted that HANOI's association with MÖTLEY CRÜE came about primarily because of the car accident that killed Razzle, Nikki said: "Sure. It's a very sad thing to happen, but dude, stop already trying to get attention for yourself. He's like the drunk chick at a party that won't stop splashing everybody. But she has bad tits. Stop! [Laughs] No one's gonna fuck ya. No matter — Andy, no matter how much you talk about MÖTLEY CRÜE, your band still isn't gonna make it. Figure it out. I mean, go talk about Keith Richards; maybe that will give you another fuckin' one album sale. [Laughs]"

In a 2005 interview with Metal Express, Andy called the description of the events surrounding the tragic car accident caused by Neil in CRÜE's autobiography "bullshit" and "pure lies." He explained: "I was there. What happened was Razzle disappeared, and so did Vince. The rest of us were chilling out, man. And he had a wife who was seven months pregnant. After an hour or so, she started getting worried. So me and T-Bone, Tommy Lee, took his car and we went looking for him. We drove past this accident. So I was like, 'What color was the car he was driving around?' 'Hey, man, we just passed the fucking scene of an accident with a bright red sports car all smashed up.' I saw Razzle's hat on the street, I went up, 'What the fuck's happened?' They said, 'You have to go to this and this hospital.' In the hospital, I walk in with Tommy, and I was asking about Razzle, and this doctor walks up, 'Anybody here know this guy called Razzle?' I said, 'Yeah, I do, his family.' 'Sorry, your friend has passed away.' I thought he might have a broken leg or something. I had to call the band, and you don't tell this kind of news over the telephone. I asked them to come to the hospital. And it was a pretty sad scene altogether."

In the same interview, McCoy was asked if he had spoken to any of the members of MÖTLEY CRÜE since publicly voicing his displeasure over "Music To Crash Your Car To". "The only one I talk to nowadays is Tommy Lee," Andy replied. "I don't know… Nikki Sixx has got something against me. Maybe he doesn't like that I tell the truth about his fucking heroin overdose. He was never beat up with no fucking baseball bats. The only place he got beat was on his heart to keep it going and with my hands, and giving him a breath of life. And he's a lard-ass anyway, so it wasn't easy carrying him around and trying to get him to wake up — fucking dragging him to the shower and shit. And then having to read how he was O.D.ed and beaten up with baseball bats and all this crap. C'mon, wake up. I warned him that the stuff was strong. But he wanted to be a tough boy, but with that kind of shit, you don't wanna be a tough boy, 'cause it might be a very thin line between life and death you're playing with. Is it worth it? No."

Even though HANOI ROCKS was formed in Finland, their trashy, hedonistic, decadent hard rock/pop-metal boogie influenced many Los Angeles acts, including CRÜE and GUNS N' ROSES.

HANOI ROCKS originally broke on to the hard rock scene in the first half of the 1980s, becoming one of the first Finnish bands to make an international impact. HANOI ROCKS's career was subsequently derailed after the death of Razzle. Internal tensions and the commercial disappointment that was 1985's "Rock & Roll Divorce" led to Monroe leaving the band that year, thus putting an early end to HANOI ROCKS.

Michael Monroe photo credit: Ville Juurikkala (via Wilful Publicity)

One of the most important moments of my life was meeting Vince Neil for the first time last night. Razzle always wanted...

Posted by Michael Monroe on Saturday, June 10, 2023

Having a blast hanging at the Rockfest with Nikki Sixx & Joe Elliott. Mötley Crue were great! Def Leppard just started...

Posted by Michael Monroe on Friday, June 9, 2023

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Et Hav av Avstand is the eigth full-length studio album from the legendary Norwegian black metal band, Taake. It consists of four songs clocking in at 42 minutes, displaying some of the finest songwriting yet from this epic one-man band. Fierce, but melancholy. Vigorously old-school but also progressive. retaining that unfiltered sense of unique rawness that is synonymous with Hoest’s charismatic sound and musical identity.
 
Taake still manages to stay relevant and at the forefront of the genre and Hoest, who plays every instrument on the album, has ensured that the album is imbued with the unique Taake sound whilst at the same time developing it further.


This is unmistakably Taake, and as always, an intense work that surprises and enthralls.


The album will be released on September 1st via Dark Essence Records.







Tracklist:


"Denne Forblaaste Ruin av en Bro"
"Utarmede Gruver"
"Gid Sprakk Vi"
"Et Uhyre av en Kniv"


- Limited edition LP versions will be available on white and transparent vinyl (1000x each)


- First LP pressing contains A2 poster


"Et Uhyre av en Kniv"





Photo by Carl Eek Torgersen

Fan-filmed video of PANTERA's June 8 performance at the Rockfest festival in Hyvinkää, Finland can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. A New Level
02. Mouth For War
03. Strength Beyond Strength
04. Becoming
05. I'm Broken
06. Suicide Note Pt. II
07. 5 Minutes Alone
08. This Love
09. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit
10. Fucking Hostile
11. Planet Caravan (BLACK SABBATH cover)
12. Walk
13. Domination / Hollow
14. Cowboys From Hell

PANTERA's current lineup includes two surviving members from the band's classic formation, Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX).

Anselmo and Brown, along with Wylde and Benante, 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.

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.

In a new interview with Classic Album Review, former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, who hasn't played with the band in more than two decades, reflected on the breakup of W.A.S.P.'s original lineup in the mid-1980s. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless] should have kept the lineup, with Randy [Piper, guitar] and him and I, 'cause the songs and ideas were great. When he changed it, that's what ruined the band. What ruined it was the second album. It's the narcissism — the one guy. 'It's gonna be just me, me, me.' Well, great. Just have it be you. But that's the way it is.

"The first album was four guys working their butts off to make the music do what it does and give it the energy. Then] they got rid of Tony [Richards, drums]. That was a big mistake. They could have dealt with his drug problem. They never even tried. They just threw him out."

Holmes went on to say that blame for the breakup of W.A.S.P.'s original lineup lies squarely on the shoulders of the band's leader. "It's the narcissism of one guy," Chris said. "He's on all the records. That's what it is. He's got his own thing; he's got his W.A.S.P. thing. That's the problem.

"We toured with METALLICA on the first album. You know why they [METALLICA] are so big? 'Cause they stuck together through thick and thin," Holmes explained. "There's nobody in that band that thinks they're better than anybody else; there's no narcissism. That's what makes bands. They're still together today."

Asked if he thinks Blackie Lawless "destroyed W.A.S.P.", Chris responded: "Oh, yeah. It's him. That's all he wants it to be. He doesn't want anybody else. It's the way it is."

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

Last year, Holmes completed seven weeks of radiation therapy in his battle with cancer in throat and neck.

Last September, Chris told Canada's The Metal Voice that he hadn't heard from Lawless since his diagnosis. He said: "Blackie could have helped to pay for some of my treatment, but [he didn't]. But Nikki Sixx [MÖTLEY CRÜE] did. He gave me a lot of money. He was the first one; he forked over 500 bucks, and I love the guy for it. Thank you, Nikki. I love him for that."

He continued: "About the first month I was sick, [I got video messages of support from fellow musicians] and [I got one from JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford]. [In his message, he said], 'Chris, this is your Metal God, Rob Halford.' And it was kind of cool. Rob talked a little bit on there. And then the guitar player that took [Glenn] Tipton's gig [Richie Faulkner] thanked me. A bunch of… tons of people did. But nobody from W.A.S.P. did. It's kind of weird. Nobody. [Blackie] didn't send me a message at all. I thought he would, but he didn't. But that's okay; I didn't expect it."

A few hours after Chris's diagnosis was made public in February, Lawless released a statement via W.A.S.P.'s social media in which he said: "The entire W.A.S.P. family are all optimistic of a positive outcome concerning the diagnosis for Chris. I certainly wish him the very best."

In 2021, Holmes told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that W.A.S.P. was "a group, a band" on the first LP. "And after that, the second album, it wasn't a group — it was a one-man show," he said. "And it's been a one-man show after that ever since. It's the way it is. Look at the records. It's the way it is in that band."

According to Chris, he, Piper, Richards and Blackie were all part of W.A.S.P. initial management contract, but Blackie was the only one signed to the record label. "Everybody thinks we [all] signed to the label, but it wasn't [like that]," Holmes told "Trunk Nation".

Despite the fact that he only got songwriting credit on a couple of the songs on each of the first four W.A.S.P. records, Holmes was adamant that his input was essential to the band's overall sound.

"If I would have quit after the first album, the way I play guitar, the way I play is really important to writing those songs," he told "Trunk Nation".

"If I hadn't joined in the beginning, it would have never worked. Blackie told me that the first day, when he came and talked to me to play in W.A.S.P. He says, 'I've got this band. It's not gonna work unless you're in it.' He told me that to my face."

In February 2022, Lawless shot down Holmes's claim that the guitarist was "screwed" out of receiving royalties on the W.A.S.P. albums that he performed on. Lawless discussed Holmes's tenure with W.A.S.P. in an interview with "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked to respond to Holmes's assertion in Chris's documentary "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes" that he was financially taken advantage of during his time in the band, Lawless said: "I don't really know much about… I spoke to Randy Piper a couple of years ago. I don't really know what's going on with the rest of the guys. And I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about with Chris about not being paid. Chris, at two different points in his musical career, received settlements from this band; he signed documents as such. And he was paid quite well. I haven't seen what you're talking about. The answer I'm giving you right now is based on what you just said to me."

The W.A.S.P. frontman went on to confirm that he hadn't seen Chris's documentary and was once again asked about Holmes's claim that there is money and songwriting credits that he didn't get that he's due. Lawless said simply: "That is not true."

During a November 2017 press conference in Moscow, Russia, Lawless was asked what he would say to those W.A.S.P. fans who continue to call for the band to reunite with Holmes. He responded: "People get divorced for certain reasons, and there's times when the kids want the parents to get back together, but sometimes it never happens. And this is one of those [times]. Sorry."

During a recent appearance on QFM96's "Torg & Elliott" radio show, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler was asked if he was surprised to see Ozzy Osbourne launch a successful solo career so soon after being fired from SABBATH in 1979. Geezer responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, because we were all in different stages of drug and alcohol addiction, but I think Ozzy was probably the worst of the four of us. And he got himself together so fast, and that's what he needed. 'Cause we were no good to him, 'cause we were just in the same state as he was in, so we couldn't help him. Once he got hooked up with Sharon [Ozzy's now-wife and manager], she got him together, and the rest is history."

Two years ago, SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he thought Ozzy's success as a solo artist was a positive thing for everyone involved. "I think it was the best thing for Oz," he said. "It was the best thing for all of us because he'd made us work again, made us all realize, 'Blimey, we've got to do something here.' And it was great because Sharon got Ozzy rolling again. I mean, Ozzy went through a real bad dip in himself, and he was managed to be pulled out of it, and got a good band behind him. And coming out with some good songs, it was really good. He took on another career, as we did, so we took on the career with [Ronnie James Dio], and then Ozzy took on his career as his solo thing, which was really good. People have got two bands for the price of one, really."

Dio replaced Ozzy and recorded two iconic albums with SABBATH — "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" — before leaving in 1982 to form DIO. He periodically reunited with SABBATH, and ended his career by touring and recording with Iommi and Butler under the HEAVEN & HELL moniker from 2006 to 2009.

Ozzy's exit from SABBATH came while he and his bandmates were trying to record the follow-up to "Never Say Die!", an album Osbourne has previously called the group's worst.

"I wasn't really happy with the way it ended because it was such a great dream come true for all of us," Osbourne recalled few years ago. "Because we were like a band that wasn't created by some business model. We were four guys and we just got together, made a record, and from then on our lives were forever changed."

Ozzy sang on the first eight SABBATH albums before embarking on a solo career, which led to the recording of such classic songs as "Crazy Train" and "No More Tears". Ozzy eventually became more commercially successful as a solo artist than he ever was with SABBATH, although he did reunite with the legendary heavy metal band for 2013's "13" album and accompanying world tour.

In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, BLACK SABBATH bassist

Geezer is currently promoting his newly released autobiography "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond".

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

Forty-five years young, British hard rock royalty, Girlschool, release their stomping new single, "It Is What It Is", taken from their 14th studio album, WTFortyfive?


"It Is What It Is" is classic Girlschool; fun, real, uncompromising - with an addictive mototörcharged scuzz and a chorus that is guaranteed to stay stuck in your head for many weeks to come. The song has a no-frills message of accepting the past, present and making the most of the hand you are dealt: “It is what it is, so what ya’ gonna do about it?”


Co-founding frontwoman and guitarist Kim McAuliffe explains, “It’s all about having no regrets. You can’t change the past, just get on and make the most of it! No point in crying over spilt milk… or beer, as the case may be - make the most of it now!”




The video, by Natalia Jonderko Śmiechowicz, can be viewed below:





Set for release on July 28 via Silver Lining Music, , WTFortyfive? is a deliciously dirty declaration that age is a number that shows how much real raw attitude you have when it really counts. With WTFortyfive?, Kim McAuliffe (guitar/vocals), Denise Dufort (drums), Jackie Chambers (guitar/backing vocals) and Tracey Lamb (bass) leave the grit under their finger nails and the scuzz on their crusty leather boots as they riff and stomp their way through 12 statements of intent showing major attitude, some great melodies, and a consistent crunch to every guitar.


Lead single "Are You Ready?" sets the pace, a racy, raunchy, fun-saturated shape-shifter co-written with Alcatrazz’s Joe Stump. Then there’s the the Wandsworth via Sunset Strip sway of "Bump In The Night", the youthful, punky romp of "Up To No Good" and the smart, sassy, rock ‘n’ roll hooks of "Believing In You", with McAuliffe’s vocals sounding as sharp and raucous as ever. And if THAT isn’t enough, their raunch roars and rolls alongside Biff Byford (Saxon), Phil Campbell (Motörhead), and Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) on a cracking cover of "Born To Raise Hell". So throw away your inhibitions and join these spectacularly wild women on the most glorious of rock ‘n’ roll rides. Lemmy knew, so should YOU!


 WTFortyfive? will be released on 12” Vinyl, CD Digipak, Digital Download and Streaming and Special D2C bundles. Pre-order here





Head over to girlschool.tmstor.es for a chance to win a Girlschool WTFortyfive? custom made real leather jacket. T&Cs apply.





Tracklisting:


"It Is What It Is"
"Cold Dark Heart"
"Bump In The Night"
"Barmy Army"
"Invisible Killer"
"Believing In You"
"It’s A Mess"
"Into The Night"
"Are You Ready?" (feat. Joe Stump)
"Up To No Good"
"Party"
"Born To Raise Hell" (feat. Biff Byford, Phil Campbell & Duff McKagan)


"Are You Ready?" video:





Girlschool are:


Kim McAuliffe - guitar/vocals
Denise Dufort - drums
Jackie Chambers - guitar/backing vocals
Tracey Lamb - bass

In a new interview with the "Nothing Shocking" podcast, drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz of long-running Florida-based death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE was asked if he prefers the transparency and interaction with fans in the social media age over the pre-Internet days when not knowing so much created a certain mystique that is lost on full exposure. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's a tough one. It is a tough one, because, obviously, I love what the Internet and technology has brought us, where you've got everything at your fingertips, bands being able to do so much and know so much. It is cool, but I guess my old-school mentality or being from the generation prior to that, you kind of do miss the mystique of the old days where you didn't know much about bands and you had to get your information from going to buy a magazine, what little info you did get from that or what have you, or it's word-of-mouth kind of stuff. So I kind of miss the old mystique of the metal back in the old days like that because of not knowing and not having everything at your fingertips. It's a tough one, because on the other hand, it's good to stay connected with the fans and so many people can… We wouldn't be doing this right now if it wasn't for that technology. So it's a tough one. But I would have to say, just looking back at how I grew up and all this, it had that certain mystique. Now maybe when I was younger, I would have liked it to be like it is now, because you can think back, what I would have known or could have known or this and that, which you don't know any better because you just don't even think of that, of course, when that's all coming up in the future and you're just living in the now. But I look back at how I grew up, and it was fun going to record stores and finding new bands that way and that's how you got into a lot of the bands, or reading about 'em in a magazine. If not, you'd go into a record store and go, 'Oh, look at this record. Wow. That looks cool. Let's put it on. Wow. This is awesome.' And that's how you found out new music and how you got into bands. Now, of course, who's gonna do that? It's never gonna happen. So I miss that mystique and that way of how it used to be. But that's a thing of the past, I guess. I guess I'm just happy to be a part of that."

Paul continued: "I always tell people I'm just happy… I got lucky, I suppose. Everyone's gotta be born when they're born and I just happened to be born in that whole transitional era with metal… Being a teenager right then at that time in the early '80s and then growing with the music and the changing of the scene daily. Look how much change happened in the metal scene from '80 to '90. It's unbelievable. Or from '82 to '85, or '85 to '88. And we were a part of that as a hungry teenager that's not even sure what… You're getting into your bands and not even sure what you're fully into yet, because you're still getting molded and all. So I feel very lucky that I'm part of all that and having those transitions and being a part of the movement, so to say. It was a great era to be growing up in. And if it wasn't for that, CANNIBAL wouldn't be what they are, and obviously I wouldn't be the drummer I am and the musician I am. So everything happened for a reason and that's the way it goes. But, yeah, exciting times. Definitely."

CANNIBAL CORPSE's 15th studio album, "Violence Unimagined", was released in April 2021 via Metal Blade Records. Erik Rutan, one of the death metal's most acclaimed guitarists who is known for his time as part of MORBID ANGEL throughout the '90s and early 2000s, as well as handling vocals/guitars for HATE ETERNAL, lent his guitar as well as production skills to the effort, which was recorded at his Mana Recording in St. Petersburg, Florida. Rutan previously produced four CANNIBAL CORPSE albums (in addition to "Violence Unimagined"),alongside the likes of GOATWHORE, SOILENT GREEN and BELPHEGOR. Filling in live on guitar since 2019, in 2020 he became a full member, contributing to the writing process.