Rumors of sexual assault and abuse of power on social media are not always taken seriously, but the accusations against Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann are now gaining weight according to a report by DW News.


Following the claims by Shelby Lynn that were made public earlier this week, a new investigation by German reporters shows that the case could by part of a systematic process to satisfy Lindemann's sexual requests.  


Check out the full DW news report below.







This news comes following Lindemann's recently announced dates for his European solo tour. The trek will kick off November 8 in Leipzig, Germany and will wrap up on December 20 in Paris, France. 





Tour dates:


November
8 - Leipzig, Germany - Arena
10 - Düsseldorf, Germany - Mitsubishi Electric Hall
12 - Münster, Germany - MCC Halle Münsterland
14 - Bamberg, Germany - Brose Arena
15 - Lingen, Germany - EmsLand Hall
17 - Frankfurt, Germany - Anniversary Hall
18 - Kassel, Germany - Ice Sports Hall
20 - Trier, Germany - Arena
22 - Prague, Czech Republic - Tipsport Arena
24 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Expo Arena
26 - Katowice, Poland - Spodek
28 - Kaunas, Lithuania - Zalgirio Arena
30 - Riga, Latvia - Arena Riga


December
2 - Tallinn, Estonia - Tondiraba Jaahall
3 - Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall
5 - Stockholm, Sweden - Hovet
6 - Malmö, Sweden - Arena
8 - Hamburg, Germany - Sports Hall
10 - Antwerp, Belgium Lotto Arena
12 - London, UK - OVO Arena Wembley
14 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - RTM Stage
16 - Stuttgart, Germany - Porsche Arena
18 - Munich, Germany - Zenith
20 - Paris, France - Accor Arena

PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix joined EVANESCENCE on stage on June 3 at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany to perform EVANESCENCE's breakthrough 2003 hit "Bring Me To Life". Video of his appearance can be seen below.

Last August, "Bring Me To Life" experienced a resurgence 19 years after its original release. The song, which initially reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was EVANESCENCE's first U.K. No. 1 single, climbed to No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes chart.

In February 2022, EVANESCENCE's music video for "Bring Me To Life" surpassed one billion views on YouTube. The Philipp Stölzl-directed clip, which was uploaded to YouTube in December of 2009, was filmed in Romania in January 2003. It features singer Amy Lee in a night gown and barefoot, in her room, inside a tall building in the city at night. The rest of the band is playing on a higher floor of the building.

The album version of "Bring Me to Life" — which featured guest vocals from Paul McCoy of 12 STONES — was included on the soundtrack of superhero film "Daredevil".

In 2021, Amy spoke to Germany's Sonic Seducer about the lyrical inspiration for "Bring Me To Life".

"I remember what I wrote 'Bring Me To Life' about, because I wrote it about my current husband before we were married," she said. "There was this moment — I was in a tough place and in a bad relationship. And my husband now, Josh, at the time was just a friend and a person that I barely knew; it was maybe the third or fourth time we'd ever met. And we went in to go grab a seat at a restaurant while our friends parked the car. And we sat across from each other, and he looked at me and he just said, 'So, are you happy?' And it took me so off guard, and I just felt Like it pierced my heart, because I felt like I had been pretending really well, and it was, like, somebody could see through me. And then that whole first verse came out of it: 'How can you see into my eyes, like open doors.' It really made me feel and recognize the sense of yearning that I had to get to a better place. And it really kind of set me out on a journey. And it's amazing that that became the song, the first song that broke us on to the scene and made everyone hear of us, because it was about something — I don't know — something so personal that I was recognizing in my life."

In March 2021, Lee told Alternative Press that EVANESCENCE's original record label Wind Up threatened not to release the group's debut album, "Fallen", if she and her bandmates didn't add a male voice to lead single "Bring Me To Life" to make it more palatable for radio.

"Fallen" sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and won two Grammys, including "Best Rock Performance" for "Bring Me To Life".

EVANESCENCE's latest album, "The Bitter Truth", arrived in March 2021 via BMG. It was EVANESCENCE's first album of original music in ten years.
Amy Lee from @evanescence called Jacoby to the stage to perform BRING ME TO LIFE @rockamringpic.twitter.com/zWBCDk8AzE

— Papa Roach (@paparoach) June 4, 2023

NAPALM DEATH bassist Shane Embury will release his autobiography, "Life?… And Napalm Death", later this year via Rocket 88, an imprint of the established British book production company Essential Works.

For Birmingham-based Embury, music is more than just a passion. It's a force that brings meaning to his life, an outlet for his creativity and a channel for his obsession. It's also given him a career as unlikely as it is groundbreaking, a testament to staying true to what you believe in, even if what you believe in sometimes seems incomprehensible or even unlistenable to others. And yet his vision has endured into a four decade long career, taking him around the world a hundred times, and led to some of the most seminal, iconic and important music ever to spew forth from the British underground scene.

If you know anything about Embury at all, you'll know him for his work in NAPALM DEATH. Largely misunderstood and widely mocked in their early days, NAPALM DEATH nonetheless became the benchmark for uncompromising extremity, as well as a political force for good. Dismissed by many as a ridiculous noise, NAPALM DEATH became the credible face of extreme art rock, beloved of John Peel, NME cover stars and indie music darlings. Embury's debut studio release with the band, 1988's "From Enslavement To Obliteration", remains a seminal work of raging sonic violence coupled with ultra-credible punk critiques of corrupt politics, capitalist opportunism and societal collapse. The record remains as revered today as it ever was.

Fast forward 35 years and Embury has seen and done it all with NAPALM DEATH. But that is only half the story of a man propelled by creativity to make music seemingly without end, a constant flow of ideas leading to a wide variety of projects from BRUJERIA (ultra-violent Mexican drug grind),VENOMOUS CONCEPT (hardcore punk rock),DARK SKY BURIAL (experimental sci-fi-influenced ambience) and TRONOS (progressive rock),among others. His fellow collaborators include members of FAITH NO MORE, DEAD KENNEDYS, MELVINS, SICK OF IT ALL, DIMMU BORGIR and… THE WONDER STUFF.

Although music still drives him, Embury now wrestles with the responsibilities of being a husband and a father, trying to balance his time between what he loves doing, and those he loves being with. In the course of "Life?... And Napalm Death", the bassist talks openly about his struggles with mental and physical health, his battles with addiction and the bullying that affected him in his teenage years. Although his musical career has been prolific and largely successful, there have been plenty of dark times which have led Embury to question his chosen career path.

Shane himself remains modest but proud of his achievements. "If you're growing up in a village in Shropshire, you never imagine that 30-odd years later you'll still be doing this," he says. "I just went for it because, well, why not? After a while, it becomes, like, 'Bloody hell, this is what I do.'"

The idea for the book seeded itself a while ago. "After so many years, the idea of doing a book seemed like the right timing, I suppose," he says. "I guess the diehard fans know something about me, but hopefully people will find out about different sides of me, because there's a lot more to me than just being the bass player in NAPALM DEATH."

In essence though, "Life?... And Napalm Death" is a riotous celebration of following your dreams, unleashing your creativity, and retaining a positive sense that anything is possible. From humble beginnings, Embury has forged a career that serves as an inspiration to anyone, musician or otherwise, that life really is what you make it.

Pre-orders for the book, including limited signed editions, are available to access now via ShaneNapalmDeathBook.com.

Fans that pre-order can also have their name printed in the actual book. The
cover image was created by longtime NAPALM DEATH collaborator Gary Ronaldson of Bite Radius Designs.

Rocket 88 has published official books with JETHRO TULL, EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, Syd Barrett, OPETH, LACUNA COIL and Devin Townsend, among others.

Photo credit: Gobinder Jhitter / For The Lost / DARK SKY BURIAL

In a new interview with MoreCore.TV conducted at this weekend's Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale was asked what fans can expect from her and her bandmates in the coming months. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, my goodness. All the things. I mean, we're still not sick of this. We're still very immature in the way that we approach everything — in a good way. We're still a bunch of kids that are experiencing Europe and experiencing travel, and we still really like each other. We love playing. So, yeah, we're gonna do everything we possibly can. Right now, we've actually begun writing for the next album, just in case we have some time to get in the studio and do it. So you can be looking forward to new music from us. There's still a pile of collaborations that I've done, that I can't talk about — I'm sorry. So you'll be sick of me before the year is over. A lot of things are gonna be popping up. But, yeah, really just touring and doing the thing that we love to do most."

Last month, HALESTORM teamed up with country singer Ashley McBryde for a reimagined version of the band's song "Terrible Things", which was originally featured on the Lzzy-fronted outfit's 2022 studio album "Back From The Dead".

This past December, HALESTORM released a deluxe edition of "Back From The Dead". "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" includes seven previously unreleased B-sides, including "Mine", a 1980s-inspired rocker. "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" is available digitally, on CD, and cassette tape, marking the first time that the album has been offered in those physical formats.

Lzzy (vocals, guitar) and her brother Arejay (drums) formed HALESTORM in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

In December 2018, HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable". Six years earlier, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)".

In a new interview with Sofa King Cool Magazine, ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman John Corabi, who joined the band in 1992 as the replacement for original singer Vince Neil, was asked if he is "surprised" by all the "public fighting" that has been going on between the CRÜE's founding guitarist Mick Mars and his bandmates. Corabi responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Nope. No. Not at all." Referencing the fact that he said last fall that he didn't "believe a word" of MÖTLEY CRÜE's initial statement explaining Mars's exit from the group, Corabi continued: "I caught a lot of flak of this. And to be honest, I don't really wanna get into Mick's business or MÖTLEY's business; it's not my place. I don't know why. I caught some flak for this when I was in Europe. I was over there in November and December doing some acoustic shows, and I did a book signing in London — it was like a Q&A book-singing thing — and a fan asked me about the press release that had just come out about Mick not touring with them on the rest of this tour. And all I said was, 'That's a statement that's been prepared by MÖTLEY and their management. I haven't heard anything from Mick. And until Mick speaks, I have nothing to say about this. But I'm not necessarily agreeing with what I'm hearing.'"

John added: "So, to me, this was just something that was inevitable. It's unfortunate, but it was inevitable. So… c'est la vie. [Laughs]"

Asked if he has seen any of the performances by MÖTLEY with the band's new guitarist, former ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON axeman John 5, Corabi responded: "I've seen a few videos… Honestly, dude, and I don't mean this as a slight or disrespect or anything to MÖTLEY, I don't care. I really don't. Right now, we had three years of COVID. I'm happy everybody's back to work. I'm happy MÖTLEY's back out on the road. I know their tour with DEF LEPPARD here in the States was highly successful. I wish them nothing but the best. I wish Mick the best. But that's between them, man."

Corabi, who recently rejoined THE DEAD DAISIES, continued: "It's hilarious. I've been out of [MÖTLEY CRÜE] for, like, fuck, 25 years. And it's crazy. I get asked these questions, and you know, obviously, if you're online at all, one of those web sites will take a sentence that I say and just cut that out and run with that story for a week or two. But it's hilarious to me. All the comments… The fans get on there and they just sit there and they go, 'Man, doesn't that guy have anything better to talk about? He's still talking about MÖTLEY. He's still talking about MÖTLEY.' Well, it's, like, I didn't bring it up. [Laughs] Somebody else did. And truthfully, I'm just happy to be back to work myself. I've got a tour with Tom Keifer and WINGER coming up, and then I'm back with THE DAISIES. And I'm just looking forward to getting my feet wet with THE DAISIES again and getting back out and just having fun and playing some fucking music. So, as far as the MÖTLEY stuff goes, I don't wanna be rude or anything, but it's, like, I really don't think about them. I don't care. I could give a shit less what's going on in MÖTLEY CRÜE world. I could care less."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE last October as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, he has since filed a lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting. In his lawsuit, Mars also alleged that he was the only bandmember to play 100 percent live on their most recent tour, claiming bassist Nikki Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour."

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

Back in December, about four months before Mick filed his lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE, Corabi told Backstage Pass Rock News about the guitarist's exit from the band: "Personally, my verdict is… I have an opinion, I have a thought on what transpired, but I haven't heard anything from Mick. The statement that we've all gotten was from MÖTLEY and their management and whoever's on that side of the camp.

"I know John 5. I think he's a brilliant guitar player. I am not taking [anything] away from John, because I love the guy to death. He is a guitarist's guitarist. But I can't help but think, when we were doing the 'Generation Swine' record, there was a rub between me and Mick, which transpired during… They had already told me that they were bringing Vince back, and their manager said to me, 'Can you help them finish the record?' And I said, 'Yes.' And every day they would call me at nine or ten o'clock in the morning, and it was Nikki, this guy Scott Humphrey and Tommy [Lee, drums] — [they] were producing the record — and they would call me every day, and they would go, 'Hey, can you come by the studio and play some guitar?' And I said, 'Well, as long as Mick is cool with it, sure.' Well, every day I'd get to the studio and they just complained, like, 'Oh my God. We had Mick here yesterday till two o'clock in the morning. We couldn't get anything out of him,' and blah blah blah. So, that was '95. And then they did the record. Now, I can tell you right now most of the rhythms on that record were mine. And if Mick was sitting here, he'd go, 'Yeah, most of the guitars were his.' So I played on the 'Generation Swine' record. I don't know if Mick played on 'New Tattoo' — I'm not sure — but I know it was DJ Ashba on 'Red, White & Crüe', on the new songs, and I know on 'Saints Of Los Angeles', it was DJ Ashba. And then I know on the movie 'The Dirt', the new songs that they did [for the accompanying soundtrack], [a cover of Madonna's] 'Like A Virgin' and all that shit, it's John 5. So they haven't had Mick… they haven't been using him since — fuck — '95.

"Again, I'm just looking at things the way I look at 'em and I can't help but think that they just went for the upgrade — in their minds," Corabi added. "You do have a history there; the fans are used to that history.

"And you know what? Folks, if I am wrong, I'll come back again with you and I will say, 'I apologize. I'm wrong.' But until I hear it from Mick, I don't buy any of it."

Corabi previously talked about Mars's supposed retirement from MÖTLEY CRÜE during an appearance on a fall 2022 episode of the "Life In The Stocks" podcast. Saying that there was something else that was "kind of bugging" him about the way Mars's exit from MÖTLEY CRÜE's touring lineup was announced," he added: "Because since that announcement came out, I've reached out to Mick and his wife a few times. And Mick hasn't responded at all. And I sent [his wife] — she's from Switzerland — so when I was there last week, I sent some photos of the Alps — I was in the Alps — and I wrote to her, and I said, 'Hey, I'm in your motherland.' And she wrote back. Then I came back, and I was, like, 'Hey, man, how's Mick?' And she goes, 'He's fine.' [And I said], 'Hey, what's going on?' Crickets. So that's kind of unusual behavior for Mick and [his wife]; they would normally [be] just, like, 'Yeah, dude. Everything's cool. Whatever.'"

Speculating about the possible reasons for Mick's silence, Corabi said: "I don't know if he's embarrassed or he's maybe… Who knows? Maybe he's angry and maybe he's being told not to say anything to anybody. Maybe there's gonna be a lawsuit. I don't know. But I just know how those guys operate, and I would not be surprised if they didn't say, 'Mick, look. You're in pain. We've got John 5. We're gonna bring him in.' Maybe throw him a bone — like every time they tour, throw him some money — but 'we're gonna move forward with this guy.' It wouldn't surprise me."

Corabi clarified: "Now, this is all a theory. I know about as much as you guys do. But personally, I don't believe a word of that statement at all."

Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.

Back in 2016, Mars released snippets of two solo songs, apparently called "Gimme Blood" and "Shake The Cage". The tracks, which were recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, where Mars has lived for about 10 years, featured Corabi, who appeared on CRÜE's 1994 self-titled album. Corabi later said that he didn't contribute to the writing process for the two songs, but that he was open to collaborating with Mars on some brand new material.

Photo credit: David Pear for THE DEAD DAISIES (courtesy of Chipster PR & Consulting, Inc.)

Fan-filmed video of BASTARDANE, the new band featuring drummer Castor Hetfield, son of METALLICA frontman James Hetfield, performing on May 25 at the Sonic Temple festival at the Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio can be seen below.

In March 2022, BASTARDANE released its debut album, "Is This Rage?"

In addition to the 23-year-old Castor, the Savannah-based hard rock trio includes Jake Dallas on vocals and Ethan Sirotzki on guitar. The group, which recently expanded to a four-piece with the addition of a standalone bassist (Dallas had previously handled bass duties as well as the vocals),formed in 2019 from a collection of college students who met through jamming in basements, backyards, and anywhere that was available. Their brand of entertainment fuses fast high-gain riffs and power chord grooves with heavy feedback and clean, dissonant chord progressions.

"We grew up in different places and we all grew up listening to different kinds of music, so we have our own voices, which is cool and they come together in an interesting way," Castor told Savannah Morning News. "We've even been trying to pin it down, name the genre of our music and it's hard to do. I don't think it's necessary, but for publicity stuff, people want to know what genre this is, but we don't know."

Castor, who lists bands like CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, OPETH and TOOL as major influences, added that he isn't overly concerned about having his father's name brought up in every article about BASTARDANE.

"All of us are our father's sons, mine just happens to be very successful in the industry that we're in," Castor said. "It's not bothersome, but it is a little annoying when people try to compare us, because obviously we're our own people and he's his own person. We're making our own kind of music. Online, when you search our band, my dad's face is all over the Internet and it's a little strange for me. We are our own people and want to cut our own path. We're not trying to ride off of anybody else's success here."

James Hetfield isn't the only member of METALLICA whose offspring has followed in his footsteps. Two of drummer Lars Ulrich's sons play together in TAIPEI HOUSTON, while bassist Robert Trujillo's son Tye plays bass for OTTTO.

In December 2021, BASTARDANE, TAIPEI HOUSTON and OTTTO performed as part of METALLICA's "San Francisco Takeover", a four-day citywide celebration of the band's 40th anniversary that also included a film festival, photo exhibit and curated lineup of smaller venue shows featuring other acts.

Castor's mother is James's ex-wife Francesca, whom he married in 1997. She is from Argentina and used to do wardrobe for METALLICA.

James and Francesca have two other kids: Cali, born in 1998; and Marcella, born in 2002.

Early last year, James filed for divorce from Francesca, according to TMZ.

Ted Nugent has paid tribute to Tina Turner. The pioneering rock singer passed away on May 24 after a long illness. She was 83 years old.

Nugent commented on Turner's death during a recent edition of "The Nightly Nuge", a news-style clip in which Ted offers his take on the news of our world every night. Asked if he ever got a chance to meet Tina, the legendary rocker said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I never did have that gift of meeting Tina Turner, because she was so revered and will always be revered by music lovers everywhere. But I certainly followed her. My band THE LOURDS, who I just talked to Tom Noel; he was my drummer in 1960. THE LOURDS, we won the 'Battle Of The Bands' in Detroit because we played with that energy, that piss and vinegar, that James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Motown Funk Brothers, Chuck Berry throttling cadence that Tina Turner perfected. Just the legs alone, the dancing and the fire and the passion. She was one of the most intense female performers, because she actually had forehead vein-popping crescendos every song. So she influenced THE LOURDS when we won the 'Battle Of The Bands' because of the cadence and the energy and the throttle and the groove. So she was as important an influence in great music as James Brown, as Wilson Pickett, as the Motown Funk Brothers. That's the top one percent that Tina Turner resides in."

Turner had battled several health issues in recent years, including being diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 and having a kidney transplant in 2017.

With a career spanning more than half a century, the legendary singer, dancer, actress and author was not only one of the world's most popular and successful entertainers, but the beloved global icon widely regarded as the "Queen Of Rock 'N' Roll".

Among her many accomplishments, the revered singer had received 12 Grammy Awards, was the first black artist and the first female artist to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone and was awarded the Légion D'honneur by the French government. One of the world's best-selling artists of all time, her live performances have been seen by millions. First inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as half of IKE & TINA TURNER, she was inducted in her own right as a solo artist in a ceremony in October 2021.

Born as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner first rose to fame in the 1960s, partnering with then-husband Ike Turner, as the lead singer of the IKE & TINA TURNER REVUE, acclaimed for her live performances and catalog of hits, including "River Deep - Mountain High" and "Proud Mary". Turner's well-publicized divorce and hardships ultimately forced her to virtually all but disappear from the music scene. By the 1970s, she began practicing Buddhism and rebuilt her life by tapping into her spiritual strength.

She celebrated her newfound freedom in 1975 with the role of the Acid Queen in the film version of THE WHO's "Tommy", delivering an outrageous, but all-too-brief performance.

She continued to release several albums during the late 1970s, but it was in 1984 that her career went stratospheric with 1984's "Private Dancer" going five times platinum in the U.S. and selling 10 million copies worldwide, spawning megahits, including "What's Love Got To Do With It", "Better Be Good To Me", the title track and a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". The album would earn her widespread recognition and numerous awards, including three Grammys.

A string of hit albums followed, including "Break Every Rule", "Foreign Affair" and "What's Love Got To Do With It". Hit singles included "Typical Male", "The Best", "I Don't Wanna Lose You", "I Don't Wanna Fight" and "Goldeneye". Successful duets with David Bowie and Mick Jagger showed her ability to perform on an equal footing with the greats of rock 'n' roll.

With another movie role in 1985, "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome", she found another hit in its theme song, "We Don't Need Another Hero", establishing her high-profile status well into the '90s.

As an author, her bestselling memoir, "I, Tina", became the 1993 Academy Award-nominated film "What's Love Got To Do With It", while her follow-up book, "My Love Story", was a global success in 2018. Additionally, Turner's eventful life has been immortalized in at least three documentaries including HBO's 2021 production "Tina", while her story has recently been staged as the biographical musical "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical" — becoming one of the most successful stage shows on Broadway and London and was honored by a Tony award and an Olivier award.

HateSphere have announced that they are heading back out on the road in Denmark this fall. Support on select shows comes from fellow Danish thrashers Chronicle and Persecutor. Tickets are available here.





Dates:




September
15 - Copenhagen Metal Fest, Amager Bio - Copenhagen, Denmark
16 - Harders - Svendborg, Denmark *


October
6 - Forbrændingen - Albertslund, Denmark  *
7 - Køge Metal Festival, Tapperiet - Køge, Denmark
13 - Fermaten - Herning, Denmark  #
14 - Walthers - Skanderborg, Denmark  *
20 - Odense Metal Festival, Posten - Odense, Denmark
21 - Spillestedet Thy - Thisted, Denmark  *
27-29 - Copenhell Metal Cruise - Copenhagen-Oslo-Copenhagen, Denmark


November
3 - Stars - Vordingborg, Denmark  *


* Support - Chronicle + Persecutor
# Support - Chronicle


For more tour dates go to hatesphere.com/tourdates/.





In other news, HateSphere's new album, Hatred Reborn, is now available on transparent green vinyl.


Says the band: "Check out this cool limited edition on our official webshop or at Scarlet Records. On our official shop you’re able to get the vinyl as part of a cool vinyl bundle. Check it out here.


The band continues: "DeathFarm Records has released our new album Hatred Reborn on a limited cassette edition. This is old school, and we recommend you to buy yourselves a copy here."





The artwork for Hatred Reborn was created by Stefan Skjoedt.





Tracklisting:


"The Awakening"
"Hatred Reborn"
"Cutthroat"
"Gravedigger"
"918"
"Darkspawn"
"The Truest Form Of Pain"
"Brand Of Sacrifice"
"A Violent Compulsion"
"Spitting Teeth"
"Another Piece Of Meat" (Scorpions cover - digipak bonus track)
"The Fallen Shall Rise In A River Of Blood" (live - digipak bonus track)


"Darkspawn" lyric video:





"Cutthroat" video:





Find the band's tour itinerary here.


HateSphere lineup:


Mathias Uldall - vocals
Peter Lyse Karmark - guitar
Kasper Kirkegaard - guitar
Jimmy Nedergaard - bass
Mike Park Nielsen - drums


(Photo - Julia Nikiforova - JN Lightning Photography)

VOLBEAT has officially parted ways with guitarist Rob Caggiano.

Earlier today, the Danish rock and rollers released the following statement via social media: "After ten incredible years we must sadly announce that VOLBEAT and Rob Caggiano have parted ways. During our time together we've traveled the world sharing great experiences and released four albums that we are immensely proud of, and we wouldn't change a moment of it.

"We wish our brother Rob all the best with everything he does in the future (we know it's going to be great)!

"Filling those shoes on stage will be a herculean task, but our good friend Flemming C. Lund (THE ARCANE ORDER) will be jumping in to handle lead guitar on our 2023 shows.

"Thank you to all of our incredible fans for their support, and more importantly, thank you to Rob for ten amazing years."

West Coast metal veterans METAL CHURCH made their live debut with their new vocalist Marc Lopes (ROSS THE BOSS, LET US PREY) last night (Saturday, June 3) at the Legions Of Metal festival at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

Lopes joined METAL CHURCH in the summer of 2022 as the replacement for Mike Howe, who tragically passed away in July of 2021. The band's current lineup is rounded out by founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, guitarist Rick Van Zandt, bassist Steve Unger and drummer Stet Howland.

Lopes's first studio album with METAL CHURCH, "Congregation Of Annihilation", came out on May 26 via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The LP was produced by Vanderhoof.

In a recent interview with Chris Akin Presents, Lopes spoke about the inevitable barrage of criticism that he will receive as a result of stepping into the role previously occupied by Howe, David Wayne and Ronny Munroe. He said: "Being in ROSS THE BOSS [the band led by former MANOWAR guitarist Ross 'The Boss' Friedman], I have faced so much stupid bullshit from fans, from MANOWAR fans. At the beginning, it bothered me, years back. Now I can give two shits; I don't fucking care. Because, you know what? If you fucking start worrying about what other people think, you'll never get anywhere. And the way I look at it is, it's, like, look, if you like it, great. If you don't, then fucking go somewhere else. I don't really give a shit. I know that I'm giving it everything that I have to do it and make it sound as best as possible. And if you don't like it, why am I gonna sit here and try to fucking satisfy you? I don't fucking care. I mean, obviously, if everybody fucking hates it, then probably I shouldn't do the gig. But with much respect to the METAL CHURCH community, they've been amazing; they love this new stuff.

"I've gotta be honest — the anticipation is insane, and it's making me more… I'm definitely nervous," Marc admitted. "But at the same time, I'm, like, look, I've gotta go out and do my thing. And the reason that I was put in charge of doing this new era of the band was because I am putting my own spin on it. Am I gonna sound like David Wayne? Maybe in some aspects. Am I gonna sound like Mike Howe? Maybe in some aspects. Am I gonna sound like Marc Lopes? Abso-fucking-lutely. And that's really what it comes down to.

"If this is my era of the band, then I have to do what I do best. Trying to imitate it isn't gonna do anybody any good. And the funny thing is, Ronny Munroe is amazing — he's a great vocalist — and he sounded more like David Wayne than me.

"I've gotta be honest: at first, I was, like, 'Fuck, man. How am I gonna do this?' [Then I was, like], 'Wait a minute. You're already approaching it wrong.' Kurdt would always be, like, 'You're already approaching it wrong.'

"Those guys are not imitatable because they are who they are… And Ronny has his own style too, and the stuff that he did was great. It just was a weird era for the band, I think, in the totality part of it…

"I already know there are gonna be the haters," Marc added. "And I don't care. And for those people — if you wanna waste your time with that kind of shit, then go for it. There's way more things to spend time on in life than being out there going, 'I hate this.' It's kind of ridiculous.

"The biggest joke is I'm a huge IRON MAIDEN fan and I never liked the Blaze Bayley era. And we always used to joke about it. I was, like, I'm a huge MAIDEN fan. Do I spend my time going, 'Oh my God. I hate that. And I hate this.' It's, like, why? I don't listen to it. [Laughs] Not everybody's gonna like everything you do. It's just the way it is."

When Lopes's addition to METAL CHURCH was first announced in early February, Vanderhoof wrote in a social media post: "We auditioned a handful of vocalists and while they were all great, Marc quickly became the clear choice.

"Both David Wayne and Mike Howe had a very unique, irreplaceable quality to their voices, so we were not looking for a clone of either. We wanted someone new, who could embrace the past, and also bring something fresh and exciting to the mix.

"Marc brings a very classic yet modern feel to the songs."

In an interview with Heavy New York, Vanderhoof described "Congregation Of Annihilation" as "definitely more aggressive and more back to our thrash roots". Regarding how the LP's tougher sound came about, he said: "I had written an album. Mike and I had just started writing and working on a new album. So I wrote a new album. And Mike and I started the process of collaborating. And then, obviously, he passed away. Then there was a few months of trying to decide if I even wanted to continue. But then, when we decided to continue, it was kind of a step-by-step process. So when things started working with Marc, there was definitely much more aggressiveness in his vocals and his delivery, and that seemed like a good way to go. I didn't want a Mike clone. If we were gonna continue, I wanted to kind of have it be another chapter — something a little bit different. Just a new phase — a new old phase, I guess you could say. So when that started happening, when things worked out with Marc, it was, like, 'Okay, that's definitely making the trajectory that we're going.' So a good batch of the songs that I wrote with Mike in mind fell by the wayside, and a part of the album was brand new material, to fit with our new direction."

Asked if Marc adds a new dimension to the METAL CHURCH sound, Kurdt said: "Yeah, absolutely. He definitely brings his own thing to it. But he also very much honors the past and our sound and what METAL CHURCH musically is all about."

Howe was found dead at his home in Eureka, California in July 2021. According to TMZ, Howe's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept. told the site authorities are calling it a suicide. He was only 55 years old.

According to police, drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the death and no controlled substances or paraphernalia were located at the scene.

Howe, who fronted METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, officially rejoined the band in April 2015.

Howe is not the first singer of METAL CHURCH to die. David Wayne passed away in May 2005 from complications following a car crash. He was 47 years old.

Wayne sang on METAL CHURCH's first two classic offerings (1984's "Metal Church" and 1986's "The Dark") before leaving the group and being replaced by Howe.

Festival Updates:

- Set times are below. Doors are at 5PM today and if you park on the street you will need a parking...

Posted by Legions Of Metal Festival on Friday, June 2, 2023

In a new interview with MoreCore.TV conducted at this weekend's Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE frontman Chris "Motionless" Cerulli was asked to name "something untypical" and "out of place" that he has done that the band's fans wouldn't necessarily expect. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it was just seen on the Internet not long that I'm a really big Taylor Swift fan. I went to go see five of her shows on her tour in the U.S. right now — three in Atlanta and two in Philadelphia.

"I love her stuff," he continued. "And I don't care who you are or what style of music that you like or don't like, you can't deny her show is phenomenal. The amount of effort and detail that goes into it has to be appreciated no matter what."

Last July, Chris told Revolver magazine that he is "absolutely" a diehard Taylor Swift fan and named 2020's "Folklore" as his favorite album by the pop superstar. Asked what strikes him about Taylor, Chris said: "She's a phenomenal writer. She writes most of the stuff either herself or very, very heavily involved with it. She's so, so, so smart in every asset of her musical… Everything she does is genius. And I think she's a brilliant songwriter. I love her honesty on 'Folklore' a lot. And more than anything else, you can feel the songs and they feel so genuine and so relatable. It's just awesome."

Asked what MOTIONLESS IN WHITE song he would like to do a duet with Taylor on, Chris said: "A song called 'Another Life'."

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE will join Grammy Award-nominated act IN THIS MOMENT for a co-headline run across North America this summer featuring special guests FIT FOR A KING and FROM ASHES TO NEW. "The Dark Horizon Tour" will see the two bands alternating closing sets each night and performing at arenas and amphitheaters across the country. The upcoming trek is set to kick off July 8 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut and continue through an August 19 performance at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

Later this fall, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE will tour the U.S. with Louisville metallic hardcore crushers KNOCKED LOOSE, djent mainstays AFTER THE BURIAL and Australian metalcore unit ALPHA WOLF. The trek will kick off in MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania on September 16 and will last over a month before wrapping up in Boston on October 29.

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE recently earned two RIAA gold singles for "Another Life" and "Voices".

Somebody met Chris in line at the Taylor Swift concert last night and I just want to know when good things are going to happen to me 😭

Posted by Danielle Cook on Sunday, April 30, 2023

QUEENSRŸCHE's estranged drummer Scott Rockenfield says that he is "looking forward" to the upcoming trial in connection with the lawsuit he filed against the band's fellow original members Michael Wilton (guitar) and Eddie Jackson (bass). The trial is set for 9 a.m. on January 16, 2024 in Snohomish County Superior Court in the state of Washington.

On Friday (June 2),Scott took to his personal Facebook page to share a copy of the May 5 "notice of trial setting and certificate of trial confirmation", and he included the following message: "Looking forward to the 'many truths' that will finally be revealed..."

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. In the lawsuit, which was filed in Snohomish County Superior Court, Rockenfield claimed that he took paternal leave of absence from QUEENSRŸCHE in February 2017 after his fiancée experienced complications during the birth of their son and had to have an emergency Cesarean delivery. According to the drummer, his leave of absence was approved by the members of QUEENSRŸCHE and he was to retain an equal one-third interest in all QUEENSRŸCHE companies (QR Companies),including Tri-Ryche Corporation, Melodisc LTD., Queensryche Merchandising, Inc., EMS Music, LLC and Queensryche Holdings, LLC.

Scott alleged that or about October 11, 2018, Wilton and Jackson purportedly "voted to dismiss Rockenfield from the QR Companies due in whole or in part to his taking of approved family leave. Rockenfield was informed of his purported dismissal from the QR Companies in a letter dated November 3, 2018."

According to Rockenfield's complaint, since 2017, Wilton and Jackson "have wrongfully withheld from Rockenfield all sources of income from the QR Companies in violation of the various Operating Agreements and Contracts governing the QR Companies for no lawful purpose." In addition, they "have failed to provide Rockenfield with an accounting of the books, records, business and contracts of the QR Companies."

Although Rockfenfield said he had continued to receive royalties from Tri-Ryche since February 2017 for the old catalogue, he claimed he had "received no payments from Melodisc since February 2017, and no payments from Queensryche Merchandising since early 2018, and no payments from EMS since February 2017."

Rockfenfield also claimed that Wilton and Jackson did not include him in the recording of QUEENSRŸCHE's latest album, "The Verdict", "despite his availability and willingness to participate."

During all of 2017 and 2018, Rockenfield claimed, he "remained active in all aspects of the QR Companies' business, song writing, licensing options, and communications with the exception of touring.

Rockenfield claimed to be "owed compensation for lost wages and profits as, as well as an amount equal to the present fair market value of his equity interest in the QR Companies as of his wrongful dismissal, plus interest thereon."

On March 10, 2022, Wilton and Jackson filed their "answers, affirmative defenses and counterclaims" in which they denied Rockenfield was wrongfully dismissed from QUEENSRŸCHE. In the document, they claimed that Rockenfield announced in March 2017 that he was taking a few months off from touring fully aware that "QUEENSRŸCHE was in the middle of a tour and was contractually obligated to play a number of live concerts, including an upcoming April 1, 2017 concert in California, to be followed by several concerts in the U.S. scheduled for April and May, and that QUEENSRŸCHE, including Rockenfield, had agreed and were scheduled in June 2017 to play 13 live shows at different venues across Europe. Rockenfield's sudden departure required Jackson and Wilton to locate and hire a drummer" — former KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo — "so that the band could comply with their contractual touring obligations."

Wilton and Jackson went on to say that Rockenfield "made no effort to assist the band in finding a substitute drummer for the remaining concert dates on the QUEENSRŸCHE tour." They also claimed that they, along with singer Todd La Torre and the band's manager began attempting to contact Rockenfield "near the end of 2017" to discuss his participation on the next QUEENSRŸCHE album. However, "Rockenfield only sporadically responded to band members and band management about participating in the recording the new album. On those occasions when Rockenfield did respond to members of QUEENSRŸCHE or band management, he obfuscated and refused to commit or agree to rejoin the band or to participate in the process of recording the new album."

According to the document, QUEENSRŸCHE management contacted Rockenfield via e-mail in late 2017 and informed him that "QUEENSRŸCHE had to have a declaration from Rockenfield as to whether or not he intended to participate in recording on the band's album. Rockenfield was informed by QUEENSRŸCHE management that due to his continued obfuscation, that his failure to respond with anything other than a commitment to rejoin the band for their album, would necessarily be deemed a 'no.' Rockenfield subsequently acquiesced to QUEENSRŸCHE hiring another drummer to take Rockenfield's place."

Wilton and Jackson also accuses Rockenfield of failing to generate any income to pay off a loan used to cover the settlement QUEENSRŸCHE had reached with the band's original singer Geoff Tate nine years ago.

"When QUEENSRŸCHE had negotiated their financial settlement with Tate in 2014, QUEENSRŸCHE's then attorney recommended and arranged for Jackson, Wilton and Rockenfield to secure a loan from a particular third party lender, the proceeds of which would to be used to pay Tate a lump sum of the entire amount of the agreed upon settlement," the document states. "Wilton, Jackson and Rockenfield signed the loan agreement as individuals doing business as QUEENSRŸCHE. Under the Agreement, Jackson, Wilton and Rockenfield were jointly and severally liable to the Lender for repayment of the loan. The Lender required the band members to pledge real property as security for the loan. Wilton and Jackson pledged real property that each individually owned. As additional security Wilton and Jackson were required to pledge specific valuable and irreplaceable personal property they had accumulated during their three decades of playing and performing in rock and roll music all over the world. Rockenfield did not own any real property. Rockenfield was only required to pledge some computer equipment he had used for recording his side project, Hollywood Loops. With the rapid advancement of computer technology, any value of the computer equipment Rockenfield pledged, quickly diminished."

According to the document, Jackson, Wilton and Rockenfield were required to make regular monthly payments or risk default" on the loan "and loss of the property they'd pledged as security. The loan prohibited Wilton, Jackson and Rockenfield from selling or otherwise disposing of personal property pledged as security for the loan, and provided that, if any of the property pledged as security was disposed of prior to the loan having been paid in full, the loan would come immediately due. Prior to the loan being paid in full, Rockenfield sold or otherwise disposed of the property he'd pledged as security for the loan."

Wilton and Jackson noted in the document that "the revenue generated through QUEENSRŸCHE concerts was the primary income source that allowed QUEENSRŸCHE band members to stay current on Tate loan. Since Rockenfield left the band in Spring 2017, Rockenfield has not generated any income for use to pay off the loan used to pay Tate. Since Rockenfield left the band in 2017, he has not contributed any money to pay off the Tate loan. Rockenfield's failure to generate any income for the band after leaving in 2017, resulted in the other obligors, Jackson and Wilton, shouldering the entire responsibility to pay off the Tate loan, including Rockenfield's portion, and, Rockenfield's actions put Jackson and Wilton at risk of default and loss of their own property."

According to the document, Rockenfield opted not to participate in any of at least 65 concerts QUEENSRŸCHE played between March of 2017 and October 2018, and was informed and invited to attend pre-production meetings for "The Verdict" album in 2018. "Although the band's pre-production work was occurring approximately 10-12 miles from Rockenfield's residence, he declined to take part," the document states.

Wilton and Jackson also accused Rockenfield of "intentionally and wrongfully withdrawing $10,000.00 in cash from QUEENSRŸCHE without permission and for his own personal use," "intentionally and wrongfully charging personal expenses to his QUEENSRŸCHE company credit card" and "removing video-wall panels without notice or permission from the band's storage facility."

Regarding how Wilton and Jackson came to dismiss Rockenfield from the QUEENSRŸCHE companies, the guitarist and bassist claimed that they "provided Rockenfield with 10 days written notice of a shareholder/board meeting of the QR Companies, with a notice of the date, time and location of that meeting place, and an advisement that the subject matter of the meetings was the dismissal of Rockenfield from the QUEENSRŸCHE companies. On October 11, 2018, the day before the scheduled meeting, Rockenfield sent Jackson and Wilton a text message confirming he'd received notice of the meeting. Rockenfield requested that he be allowed to attend the meeting telephonically. Historically, telephonic attendance of meetings of the QR Companies was a commonplace practice for members of QR Companies. Wilton notified Rockenfield he could attend the meeting telephonically. Rockenfield received a text that confirmed the meeting location and included confirmation of the meeting time and the phone number that allowed Rockenfield to call in and participate telephonically in the meeting. On October 12, 2018, at the time scheduled for the meeting, Rockenfield failed to appear and failed to call in telephonically. After waiting for in excess of an hour without Rockenfield either appearing in person or calling to appear telephonically, and, the remaining members constituting a quorum, Rockenfield was formally voted out of the QR companies."

Wilton and Jackson went on to say that "Rockenfield's initial indication that he would participate, at least telephonically, in the October 12, 2018 meeting, only to fail to make any effort to do so, along with his to failure to notify either Jackson or Wilton that he was not going to participate, was consistent with the behavior Rockenfield had shown the band and in matters of QUEENSRŸCHE business for most of the previous year and a half."

Wilton and Jackson also took issue with Rockenfield's decision to launch a cryptic new QUEENSRŸCHE-centric web site in May 2021 without notice or permission from them. On the Queensryche2021.com web site, Rockenfield "'teased' viewers that he would be releasing new QUEENSRŸCHE music," according to the document. "Rockenfield followed his on-line posting with statements on social media that he was 'ready to rock,' inviting fans to join his site by providing him with their names and email contacts." They also claimed that "without permission or approval from QUEENSRŸCHE or its label, Rockenfield posted an out-take of a version of an old song QUEENSRŸCHE had decided not to use in a prior album." They added that "Rockenfield actually had no new QUEENSRŸCHE music to release and his on-line posts served only to confuse fans and damage the QUEENSRŸCHE brand."

Wilton and Jackson asked the court to dismiss Rockenfield's claims with prejudice, declare Rockenfield abandoned his position of employment with QUEENSRŸCHE and to award the two of them "general, special, and statutory damages and equitable remedies" that they are entitled to.

Photo credit: Century Media

Looking forward to the "many truths" that will finally be revealed...

Posted by Scott rockenfield on Friday, June 2, 2023

*** June 3, 2023: This is an updated version of an article that was originally published on May 27, 2023.

The original version of this article incorrectly stated that Philip Anselmo publicly "disavowed" the "Confederate flag" when in fact he was referring to a "White Power" flag that was being held up by a couple of PANTERA fans during the band's concert in Sofia, Bulgaria

The updated story follows below.

PANTERA frontman Philip Anselmo publicly "disavowed" a "White Power" flag that was being displayed during the band's concert in Bulgaria.

The 54-year-old singer made the comment while performing with his bandmates on May 26 in Sofia. He was addressing several fans in the audience who were holding up the sign (see video below). Before launching into the closing song of PANTERA's set, "Cowboys From Hell", at Arena Sofia in Sofia, Philip told the crowd: "Sofia, I gotta say this: incredible audience. One more thing: there's a person over here holding up this sign trying to ruin the fuckin' show. I disavow, I disavow the fuckin' flag. I'm sorry. It's ridiculous, man. Keep politics out of shit. It's boring."

More than seven years ago, Anselmo was at the center of controversy after he made a Nazi-style salute when he performed at the January 2016 "Dimebash" event at the Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood in honor of late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott. He also appeared to say "white power" as he made the gesture, but later claimed he was joking about drinking white wine backstage and was reacting to the audience members up front who he says were taunting him.

Before he delivered that Nazi salute onstage, Anselmo already had a history of making troubling racial statements, including several white-pride speeches at various PANTERA shows in 1995.

Back in May 2019, Anselmo was asked by U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine if he feels the "Dimebash" debate is something he has moved past. He responded: "I feel like it's ridiculous. I made an off-color joke and 'Boom!' — it's like I'm literally Hitler! I'm not. I take each individual one at a time, in the way that any logical individual will. I have love in my heart. Over the years, I've learned to take the first step with love and to put good faith first. I get along with everybody. If there's any doubt about my political leanings, people should get it out of their heads. I was raised amongst a dazzling [cast of characters] from the theatre, from the mental hospital, from all walks of life — all colors, creeds and kinds. It's absurd to me that anyone in this day and age would judge anyone by the color of their skin, their heritage or their religion. I'm a harmless guy. I'm a reactionary, not a troublemaker."

In the days following the "Dimebash" incident, MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn — who played PANTERA songs with Anselmo at the event — released an eleven-minute response video in which he denounced Anselmo as a "big bully" and a racist. He concluded by saying that he would never play another PANTERA song again. ANTHRAX's Scott Ian, who is Jewish, released a statement on his official web site saying, "Philip's actions were vile" and invited Anselmo to make a donation to the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Vinnie Paul, who hadn't spoken to Anselmo since the band's split in 2003, was dismissive when asked for a comment on the singer's white-power salute. "I can't speak for him," Vinnie said in a 2016 interview. "He's done a lot of things that tarnish the image of what PANTERA was back then and what it stood for and what it was all about. And it's sad."

In 2017, Anselmo blasted "false journalism in the metal community" for suggesting he was racist because of his actions at "Dimebash".

In the weeks after the "Dimebash" incident, Anselmo's DOWN project canceled a number of shows, including at France's Hellfest, Dutch festival FortaRock and U.K.'s Download. The singer wrote an open letter to the Hellfest organizers in which he said it was not the right time for DOWN to tour. He also revealed that he was suffering from a recurring knee injury and needed rehabilitation.

This past January, PANTERA's appearances at two rock festivals in Germany, which were scheduled to take place in early June, and a concert in Austria were canceled following an outcry over Anselmo's previous racist remarks.

PANTERA was scheduled to appear at Gasometer in Vienna on May 31 and at Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park festivals in Germany as part of its spring/summer 2023 European tour. However, more than four months ago, promoters released separate statements on social media saying that the shows were scrapped.

There was additional criticism with regard to the fact that Rock Im Park takes place in Nürnberg (known in its English form as Nuremberg),where Hitler supporters held a series of mass Nazi party rallies between 1933 and 1938.

In calling for Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park organizers to cancel PANTERA's appearances at the festivals, the German Green Party said in the Nürnberg city council that Anselmo "repeatedly and deliberately made Nazi gestures and yelled racist slogans." Réka Lörincz, the spokeswoman for the Greens against racism and right-wing extremism, added that "the former Nazi party premises" were "being deliberately misused for the staging and reproduction of racist and inhuman ideology." The Green Party rep told Germany's Stern magazine that Anselmo's apology for his white power outburst was "not credible enough" and that hosting the band on the former Nazi Party rally grounds "clearly exceeds the limit of what is bearable."

“We are relieved about the organizer's decision not to offer the band PANTERA a stage. Their singer Phil Anselmo had repeatedly attracted attention with anti-Semitic and racist incidents," Lörincz wrote in a statement on the Green Party's web site. "Therefore, a performance was unimaginable for us — especially on the former Nazi party rally grounds."

In the days leading up to the Vienna concert cancelation, the Green party in Vienna demanded that this performance also be scrapped.

"Due to its National Socialist past, Vienna in particular has a special historical responsibility to oppose any form of right-wing extremism. The appearance of PANTERA is completely incompatible with this responsibility," they said in a statement. "Therefore, it can only mean for Vienna: No stage for a Hitler salute, no stage for PANTERA!"

Earlier this week, TMZ caught up with KISS frontman Paul Stanley in the Beverly Glen neighborhood of Los Angeles, California and asked him about governor Gavin Newsom's proclamation declaring June 2023 as "LGBTQ+ Pride Month" in the State of California. This month — and every month — California stands with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community as they take pride in who they are and whom they love.

Paul said: "Everybody has a right to be who they are. Life's too short to be anyone else… Everybody should celebrate who they are. Be proud of who you are as long as it's something worth being proud of… What's the criteria for being proud is being a good person, not transgender or any other gender."

In late April, Stanley came under fire for sharing what some people characterized as "misinformation" about gender-affirming care for youths, saying that "irreversible" procedures shouldn't be performed on children. "There is a BIG difference between teaching acceptance and normalizing and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle that confuses young children into questioning their sexual identification," Stanley wrote.

He added that adults "may decide reassignment is their needed choice," but said that children should not be eligible for gender-affirming surgeries and procedures. "Turning this into a game or parents normalizing it as some sort of natural alternative or believing that because a little boy likes to play dress up in his sister's clothes or a girl in her brother's, we should lead them steps further down a path that's far from the innocence of what they are doing," he wrote.

Closing his statement, Stanley claimed that too many parents were confusing "teaching acceptance with normalizing and encouraging a situation that has been a struggle for those truly affected and have turned it into a sad and dangerous fad."

A few other rock musicians publicly supported Stanley's comments, including TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider, who tweeted: "You know what? There was a time where I 'felt pretty' too. Glad my parents didn't jump to any rash conclusions!" Phil Labonte, lead vocalist of the metal band ALL THAT REMAINS, tweeted, "Paul is right." And pro wrestler Chris Jericho — who fronts FOZZY — retweeted Stanley's statement without additional comment, to his 3.5 million followers.

Some pointed out that KISS, which was co-founded by Stanley in 1973, was pioneering in breaking down the taboos surrounding men wearing makeup and feminine clothing.

THE OFFSPRING guitarist Noodles, whose real name is Kevin Wasserman, wrote on Twitter: "This is a very disappointing take, especially from someone who wore high-heels, makeup, & teased up hair his whole career. As a young kid your band helped teach me that I could be whatever I wanted to be. I guess it was just gimmickry after all."

In a follow-up statement on May 4, Stanley walked back his previous statement, saying: "I support those struggling with their sexual identity while enduring constant hostility and those whose path leads them to reassignment surgery. It's hard to fathom the kind of conviction that one must feel to take those steps."

Closing his latest statement, Stanley opted not to clarify his original comments, insisting that social media may not be the best place for genuine discourse. "A paragraph or two will remain far too short to fully convey my thoughts or point of view, so I will leave that for another time and place," he wrote.

In April, outspoken conservative rocker Ted Nugent shared a tweet in which he denounced the existence of transgender people and told people they could "debate" him if they disagreed.

"There is no such thing as transgender. You cannot change your gender. Comfortably numb is actually uncomfortably dumb. Debate me but bring your bib," he wrote.

FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho joined HELLOWEEN onstage during the German metallers' concert last night (Friday, June 2) at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, California to perform the HELLOWEEN song "Best Time". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

Earlier today, Jericho shared a few photos of last night's performance on social media and included the following message: "The Three Tremors! It was such an honour to join @helloweenofficial onstage at the @youtubetheater to sing 'Best Time' last night in #LosAngeles! What a blast and a dream come true to throw down with @sortofbedman #MichaelKiske & #AndiDeris, two of the legit best metal singers of all time!! Thx to @therealsaschagerstner for helping to set things up and thanks to @grayforcex1, @the.dani.loeble, #Weiki & Markus for still being the BEST POWER METAL band of all time!"

HELLOWEEN shared Chris's post and added simply: "Thanks for joining us, Chris Jericho!"

HELLOWEEN's 1985 album "Walls Of Jericho" was the inspiration behind Chris's wrestling moniker.

Born Christopher Keith Irvine in Manhasset, New York, Chris grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where he recently had a street named after him.

A few years ago, in an interview with Larry King, Jericho explained how he got his stage name. He said: "They wanted me to be a cowboy when I first started [wrestling]. And I hated cowboys and stuff. So they wanted me to be, like, 'Cowboy Chris Casper' or something like that. I needed a name quickly, and there was a cassette tape of this German heavy metal band; the album was called 'Walls Of Jericho'. And I was, like, 'I don't wanna be 'Cowboy Chris Casper'; I'll be 'Chris Jericho'.' 'All right, Chris Jericho it is.'"

FOZZY started off nearly two and a half decades ago as a cover band called FOZZY OSBOURNE, with Chris initially taking on the persona of "Moongoose McQueen."

FOZZY's 2017 single "Judas", off the band's seventh studio album — also called "Judas" — became the group's biggest hit, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and the No. 1 spot on the SiriusXM Octane chart.

Last year, the "Judas" title track was certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for accumulating 500,000 certified units.

HELLOWEEN kicked off its "United Forces" tour of North America on May 13 at The Factory in Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas. Support on the 13-date trek is coming from Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL.

HELLOWEEN's North American tour will close on June 3 in San Francisco, California.

Singer Michael Kiske's first album back with HELLOWEEN, 2021's self-titled effort, landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the latest HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).

"Helloween" saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analogue and Daniel Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.

The "Pumpkins United" tour marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, had been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set featured several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Andi Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sang a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)".

The Three Tremors! It was such an honour to join @helloweenofficial onstage at the @youtubetheater to sing “Best Time”...

Posted by Chris Jericho on Saturday, June 3, 2023