SLIPKNOT co-founder and percussionist M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) will sit out some of the band's upcoming shows in order to stay home with his wife, who is suffering from some undisclosed health issues.

Earlier today, Shawn took to social media to write: "Hello to all of our fans, it's the clown. I would like to take a moment to tell everyone that I'm back home supporting my wife through some health issues, and I'll be back on the road as soon as I can.

"We've been through this before and as always, we appreciate the love and support. See all of you very soon."

SLIPKNOT's summer European tour is scheduled to kick off tonight (Wednesday, June 7) at the Nova Rock festival in Austria, and include dates in Switzerland, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark and more.

In a 2005 interview with the Des Moines Register, Shawn talked about his wife's ongoing battle with Crohn's disease (a chronic inflammatory bowel disease) and her hospitalization which forced him at the time to skip the first SLIPKNOT gigs of his career.

"That's the thing I fight for most in this biz, is family," he said. "Family can and is being incorporated into rock 'n' roll. You can have a wife, you can have a child or children and be a rock 'n' roller."

"Right now has definitely been the hardest time in my life," said the father of four children.

Crahan said that "health is the most important thing you have on this planet if you're gonna have a successful life," and so he knows it's ironic that as his wife battles daily for normalcy, he's slamming his body around the stage each night.

"The older you get, the wiser you get on how to benefit from taking care of yourself in your performance," Crahan said. "But my performance is to feel uncomfortable, so I'm kind of screwed any way you look at it."

Last October, Shawn reflected on the loss of his daughter in an interview with U.K.'s Independent, saying it is one of the most horrific pains any parent can go through. Losing a child isn't something you get over," he said. "That's all I can say. It changes you — and that's it."

Gabrielle Crahan died in May 2019 in Los Angeles, with Shawn announcing the death the following day. The 22-year-old was one of four children Shawn had with his wife, Chantel, whom he married in June 1992.

This past February, SLIPKNOT shared "Bone Church", a surprise standalone single, along with a Crahan-directed video piece titled "Yen – Director's Cut (Bone Church)", which found the SLIPKNOT founding member refreshing footage from the band's "Yen" music video.

SLIPKNOT is continuing to tour in support of "The End, So Far", which was released last September via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to "We Are Not Your Kind", it is the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

Hello to all of our fans, it’s the clown. I would like to take a moment to tell everyone that I’m back home supporting...

Posted by Slipknot on Wednesday, June 7, 2023

In a new interview with MoreCore.TV conducted at this past weekend's Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburgring, Germany, Joseph Duplantier of French metallers GOJIRA spoke about his frustration with the pace of collective efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat the effects of global climate change.

Joe, who has been involved in environmental activities for many years, after he and his brother, GOJIRA drummer Mario Duplantier, witnessed the rural area they grew up in slowly being polluted over time, the life forms and their lifestyles forced to change, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There is a frustration, for sure. 'Cause I remember clearly being a teenager — pre-teenager — and seeing scientists and philosophers and thinkers blowing whistles and saying, 'Hey, we need to change our ways right now 'cause in 50 years we're gonna be effed.' And seeing this happening right now feels like we completely didn't listen at the time [to] the scientists that were talking and we completely ignored it.

"It is frustrating," Joseph repeated. "Yeah, it is frustrating. But I think that the only thing we can do and what we must do is keep it up and keep the hope and try to project a vision of the future that is not total chaos and by projecting this thought allowing it to happen. It's a fool's hope because you see the oceans rising and the temperature climbing and it seems like it's all because of what we did in the last three decades or something.

"But the earth will be fine. The question is, are we going to survive or not? Pretty much. And if we survive, who's gonna survive? The rich?

"I don't know. It's complicated," Joseph added. "It feels like we're in the middle of a nightmare and I'm trying to wake up from this nightmare. [Laughs]"

GOJIRA's "From Mars To Sirius" album, which came out in 2005, was based on the theme of climate change and the ensuing crisis. A story about humans depleting the earth's resources and having to evacuate to Mars is narrated throughout the tracks, to serve as a reminder of the consequences humanity's lack of consideration for the environment may bring about. According to The Daily Star, GOJIRA touched upon the same topic on later albums through songs like, "Toxic Garbage Island", "Wolf Down The Earth", "Another World", and "Amazonia". Over the years, GOJIRA has also raised funds in support of environmental protection organizations, such as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and projects like Boyan Slat's "The Ocean Cleanup".

Last October, GOJIRA released a new song titled "Our Time Is Now". The track appears on the soundtrack to EA Sports' long-running NHL video game franchise "NHL 23".

GOJIRA's latest album, "Fortitude", came out in April 2021 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2016's "Magma" was recorded and produced by Joseph at Silver Cord and mixed by Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).

GOJIRA initially laid the foundation for "Fortitude" in 2020 with the surprise release of the single "Another World".

GOJIRA and MASTODON recently completed the first leg of "The Mega-Monsters Tour", a massive co-headline run across North America in 2023 along with special guests LORNA SHORE on all dates. The trek resumes with a second leg from August 9 through September 2.

Legendary punks SOCIAL DISTORTION have postponed their previously announced North American headlining tour due to the stage-one tonsil cancer diagnosis of vocalist Mike Ness. As he recovers from a recent surgery, the band is also temporarily halting the recording process of its eighth studio album. The previously announced tour, set to kick off on June 30 with support from fellow California rockers THE BELLRAYS, is now being rescheduled for future dates.

Ness comments: "We think that life is going to go according to our plan, but it has a way of saying 'I don't think so!'

"In the midst of pre-production, I was diagnosed with stage one tonsil cancer. I was feeling well enough to continue with recording in the studio up until the very day before surgery. The band and I were so inspired and excited to lay down these tracks, which by the way sound f-ing AWESOME!

"The recovery from surgery is a day-by-day process and in three weeks we start radiation and that should be the last therapy I need. The team of doctors are certain that once finished with this course, I will be able to start the healing and recovery process. We expect a full recovery enabling me to live a long and productive life.

"It breaks my heart to post pone tours, and this album release, but time is required to heal. I can't thank our loyal fans enough who have been waiting so patiently for this. While it will take a little longer, I promise you that it will be delivered and it will exceed your expectations.

"I want you all to know that this has opened my eyes to a whole new struggle. I know it's one that many of you or your loved ones have personally endured, and my heart goes out to you, because I now know what it's like from this heavy experience.

"I'm surrounded by love and support from my friends and family ESPECIALLY my lovely wife and incredible boys (oh and don't forget my 3 dogs and kitty). THANK YOU ALL in advance to our unbelievable fans for YOUR love and support right now.

"We WILL get through this…"

Formed as rebellious teenage punks in the working-class suburb of Fullerton, California, SOCIAL DISTORTION survived their tumultuous youth to pioneer an undeniably honest and fiery brand of rock 'n' roll that would incorporate outlaw country, classic seventies punk and primal blues. Seven studio albums and countless electrifying live shows have earned the band a dedicated worldwide fanbase and catalog of timeless anthems, including "Story Of My Life", "Ball And Chain", "Prison Bound" and more. The band's last release, "Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes", entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4 and in 2019 they celebrated 40 years as a band.

The Mike K YouTube channel has uploaded video of METAL CHURCH's June 4 performance at The Token Lounge in Westland, Michigan. Check out the clips below.

METAL CHURCH made its live debut with the band's new vocalist Marc Lopes (ROSS THE BOSS, LET US PREY) on Saturday, June 3 at the Legions Of Metal festival at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois.

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.

Date: Sunday, June 4, 2023 | Venue: The Token Lounge in Westland, MI
Doors: 6:00pm | Show Time: 6:30pm | Age...

Posted by Metal Church on Monday, April 17, 2023

In a new interview with "Paltrocast" host Darren Paltrowitz, RATT singer Stephen Pearcy was asked for an update on his previously announced plan to write a second book. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're talking to somebody now, and we think we found the right guy for it. Because I don't want it all to be about, 'Oh, you've gotta compete with [MÖTLEY CRÜE's] 'The Dirt'.' I mean, that's all it was with the Simon & Schuster book, my first one. It was, like, 'No. You've gotta change writers' midstream, and I got another writer. He turned it into more like a play. And it's cool, but it didn't take care of the business in between. There was a lot more in there.

"People think they know the ins and outs of this band, RATT. Bullshit. What you've heard — bullshit.

"A lot of this stuff — if my guys wanna go out there and piss on each other, which I've been there, it's not worth it anymore," Pearcy continued. "What's worth it is being proud of the legacy we're about to leave and this decade and hanging out for 40 fucking years and saying we were one of them, the original guys… 'Cause when I see other bands from my era — I don't care who it is; it could be MÖTLEY [CRÜE] or this or WINGER or whatever — and see 'em kicking ass, it's, like, 'Fuck yes!'

"Tell the world, people," Stephen added. "It ain't gonna last forever."

Pearcy's first book, "Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock", was released in May 2013 via Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. A 288-page hardcover, it was described in a press release at the time as "a jaw-dropping tell-all from the lead singer of the 1980s supergroup RATT: the groupies, the trashed hotel rooms, the drugs — and just how much you can get away with when you're one of the biggest hair metal stars of all time."

In a 2011 interview, Pearcy stated about "Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life In Rock" — which had been in the works for more than three years: "[It includes] so many stories. The good, the bad (real bad) and the ugly." He added, "It's a big wakeup call to remember some things, but have to share. Some might learn something from my experiences and get something positive in the end. There are bright moments; it's not all about Ratt 'n' Roll."

Pearcy told the San Antonio Metal Music Examiner in a separate interview more than a decade ago: "There's lots of tales in there that people need to know or haven't known. You know, to get the real opinion. . . It's a real honest book. The kitchen sink is in there. It's time to share because nobody knows what we're about or how you got there or what you went through. I got into music by accident — realistically by accident. [Laughs]"

When asked if his book would be a rebuttal to RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer's "Tales Of A Ratt - Things You Shouldn't Know" autobiography or if it would be more autobiographical in nature, Pearcy said at the time: "Both. Because when I started that band, people got the wrong perspective on so many things. That's why we're on the level we don't wish to be on, by default and admission. But everything I say is going to be honest. Bob took his own side on his book. But it's his own. It's like when I read the Keith Richards and [Steven] Tyler books, I thought, 'That's how I want my book to read.'"

As the founder, lead singer, and songwriter of the metal rock band RATT, Pearcy led his creation to mega multi-platinum success year after year from 1984 to 1991. RATT climbed up the charts with "Out Of The Cellar", which generated Top 10 singles followed by sold-out tours throughout the world.

Throughout RATT's nearly four decades of success with Pearcy at its helm, they released eight albums and played thousands of shows worldwide all the while selling over 20 million records.

Pearcy has released five solo albums so far: "Social Intercourse" (2002),"Fueler" (2004),"Under My Skin" (2008),"Smash" (2017) and "View To A Thrill" (2018).

Pearcy and bassist Juan Croucier were the sole remaining original members in RATT's most recent lineup, which made its live debut in July 2018 in Mulvane, Kansas. Joining them in the band were drummer Pete Holmes (BLACK 'N BLUE, RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER) and guitarists Jordan Ziff (RAZER) and Frankie Lindia.

In January 2021, Pearcy told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was open to the idea of making a new RATT album with all the surviving members of the band's classic lineup.

RATT hasn't released any new music since 2010's "Infestation" LP.

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY have released their cover version of Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To With It". Check it out below.

Turner passed away on May 24 after a long illness. The pioneering rock singer was 83 years old.

All proceeds from BLACK STONE CHERRY's recording of "What's Love Got To With It" will be donated to organizations for domestic violence awareness.

In a video message explaining how BLACK STONE CHERRY's version of "What's Love Got To With It" came about, lead vocalist/guitarist Chris Robertson said: "About a year ago, we were over in the U.K. We were in London. We were hanging out at the Hard Rock Hotel doing our premiere for the 'Live From The Royal Albert Hall... Y'All'. We were hanging out in the lobby. I had walked through. And a song came on, and John-Fred [Young, drums] looked at Ben [Wells, guitar] and Steve [Jewell Jr., bass] and he goes, 'Man, we should do a version of this. Chris would absolutely kill it singing it.' We get back home. We get back on the bus and start touring and we start working on this song. And the song was 'What's Love Got To Do With It' by the iconic Tina Turner. And we did this really cool version of it last June, and we intended for it to be an additional track for [our upcoming] record. With the untimely passing of Tina, we thought that we would love to share this version with the world, and in doing so, we wanna do something really cool and honor Tina's legacy and we wanna donate all of our portion of the proceeds of this song to domestic violence awareness. We know that's something Tina was very, very avid about and finally got free in her life from.

"We hope you guys truly enjoy our version."

BLACK STONE CHERRY will release its eighth studio album, "Screamin' At The Sky", on September 29 via Mascot Records. The opus will be available in white solid vinyl, limited edition vinyl boxset, CD and digitally.

Chris Robertson (lead vocals/guitar),Ben Wells (guitar/backing vox) and John-Fred Young (drums/backing vox) are joined for the first time on an album recording by "new" bassist Steve Jewell Jr. (ex-OTIS). The band's fanbase will be more than familiar with Steve, as he has been touring with BLACK STONE CHERRY in 2021.

"Screamin' At The Sky" features all-new material written collaboratively while on tour, but when it came time to record, BLACK STONE CHERRY decided to try something it's always dreamed of doing: tracking an album at The Plaza Theater in Glasgow, Kentucky — a legendary 1020-seat venue built in 1934 that boasts meticulous acoustics.

BLACK STONE CHERRY's last album, "The Human Condition", released in October 2020 was their sixth consecutive No. 1 debut on the U.K. Rock Albums chart.

Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

DEF LEPPARD has shared a new video blog covering the first three shows of the European leg of the band's "The World Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, in Sheffield, United Kingdom (May 22); Mönchengladbach, Germany (May 25); and Munich, Germany (May 27). Check it out below.

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen spoke to Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda about what it has been like touring with another veteran rock act, MÖTLEY CRÜE, on last year's "The Stadium Tour" and the recently launched "The World Tour". He said: "I knew Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] and all of the guys, actually, from the '80s. And they used to hang out and they used to get crazy. So we've known each other. We've all gone through all these different things.

"Me and Nikki Sixx [MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist] both have five children. Our birthdays are a year apart but only four days apart as well — both in December. So we have a lot in common.

"I think when you can come out the other side and you're still alive and everything's great, there's so much to celebrate and you don't have to get wasted to do it," Phil added. "We celebrate by being on tour. And together we get on so well with the band. It's just two different versions of rock music. They're a different style than us, but it works. It kind of makes the audience… They get more than if they just saw two bands with the same kind of style. So it's better than it could be. We're loving it, and so are they. It's great."

This past April, Collen weighed in on MÖTLEY CRÜE's decision to hire John 5 to replace Mick Mars, the group's founding guitarist, who announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE last October as a result of worsening health issues. Phil told Barbara Caserta of Linea Rock: "The thing with MÖTLEY CRÜE, Mick Mars was really in pain. We'd done the American tour with him, and he has physical issues. So it was great that John 5 had come out. John 5 is just a wonderful human being and plays great and everything, so he fits in. And he really helped the band out, because Mick couldn't really do that. Traveling is the problem; he was having trouble [with all the travel]. It just was painful. It worked out great."

This past February, DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen spoke about Mars's retirement from touring during an appearance on the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast. He said: "It was Mick's decision to really move on and just get to the next part of his life. And we all know that Mick has suffered terribly, terribly with pain; you see it on his face all the time. And I think the only time I ever saw him truly in his element [was] when he was up on stage playing with the band. It was more his decision. That must have been a super hard decision. I mean, it would have been different if the guy was being thrown out of the band, but it wasn't like that at all. It was a personal choice that he made. And you can't say that that's wrong. It was right for him at the time.

"Over the months — well, actually years — that I've known him, I really started to talk to him," Rick continued. "So unassuming. Such a soft, gentle soul. And when I first met him years ago, I was actually quite afraid, you know. [Laughs] But he's the exact opposite of that — just a really sweet, generous person. So it must have been a very difficult decision for everybody to have to go through that."

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

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.

DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY CRÜE will team up with Alice Cooper for a U.S. mini-tour this summer. The trek will kick off on August 5 in Syracuse, New York and include stops in the Midwest before concluding in El Paso, Texas on August 18. Before that, LEPPARD and CRÜE are touring Europe, having launched the trek on May 22 in Sheffield.

In a new interview with The Jeremy White Show, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine spoke about the realities of post-pandemic touring, including increased travel expenses — gas, tour buses, hotels and flight costs. Asked how much more expensive it is for MEGADETH to tour nowadays, Dave said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, it's pretty expensive. I think it's about 45 thousand dollars a day for us just to sit still. I think — it might be 52. But that's just sitting still; that's not doing a show. Show days are more expensive… [That's] salaries, hotel rooms, insurance — everything. The buses, the bus drivers, the trucks, the truck drivers. Yeah, a lot of stuff."

Mustaine also weighed in on AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows's recent comment that the busing on AVENGED's upcoming tour will cost two million dollars more than it did prior to the pandemic. Dave said: "I think that might be 'cause his band takes out more buses. For example, we take two. I'm sure that they probably take more than that. And I think because they're so successful that there could be — I'm not saying this — but there could be certain people that would be more willing to give them an incentive to use their company because of what great promotion it would be to have those guys using a bus company. If I had a brand new bus and I wanted to get popular, bands like AVENGED would be a great band for promoting your company. So you would think charging these guys two million bucks, man, they would either have to have a lot of buses or he's talking about a long time. Buses are generally between five to 10 thousand dollars a week. 'Cause that includes fuel and the driver and his hotel. Sometimes you have to do double drives in Europe; you have to do that."

Financial issues are continuing to wreak havoc on the touring industry, with the economics of the business simply not adding up.

Acts of all sizes are canceling or postponing shows, with several claiming that it was "not sustainable" for them to go ahead with the tours.

For many midsized acts, ticket sales are not even enough to cover their overheads.

This past April, M. Shadows told the "Jaxxon" podcast about AVENGED SEVENFOLD's touring plans for 2023: "It's completely different than the last time we toured. We toured seven years ago and it was one way. Now we've noticed that the crew costs more, the production costs more, buses cost more, ticket prices are going up; people aren't happy about it. Everything costs more. And you're dealing with a completely inflated situation where there's bands like GODSMACK who just canceled [their tour of] South America based on not enough tickets sold. Because the prices are so high to get there, and then you get there and you're, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna go there for a month and make no money or lose money.' And so you're starting to see a lot of bands cancel [tours of] Europe, cancel South America. The States are already hard enough. I know that even our busing on this [upcoming] tour — I think it was something like two million dollars more this time to get the busing for the normal tour. That's, like, two million dollars added on. Well, where do you make that money back? It's on the ticket price. And so it gets handed off to the fans, who are already pissed off, and they're having the same problems we are.

"So everything's changed," M. Shadows added. "It's gonna be interesting, to be honest. I mean, who knows? It used to be the way… With Napster and all these things that came out and took music purchasing from the artist, which I think is a good thing — I think streaming's amazing; I think it's the greatest thing that's ever happened — then everyone said, 'Well, we're buying t-shirts and we're buying tour tickets.' But now that seems to be going the way of the economy."

Last October, SHINEDOWN canceled its previously announced fall 2022 dates in continental Europe due to "economic and logistical side of touring". ANTHRAX also canceled shows in continental Europe as part of its fall 2022 touring activities, citing "ongoing logistical issues" and "costs that are out of our control."

MEGADETH's current lineup includes guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, Belgian-born-and-now-Los-Angeles-based drummer Dirk Verbeuren, who had played with SOILWORK for more than a decade before joining MEGADETH, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA, and bassist James LoMenzo. James was MEGADETH's bass player in the mid-2000s and stepped back in as a touring member for the 2021 leg of "The Metal Tour Of The Year". In May 2022, it was announced that Lomenzo was officially rejoining the MEGADETH family.

Last September, MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!", debuted at the top of the charts during its first week of sales, taking the No. 3 spot on the Billboard 200 as well as number ones on Top Album Sales, Top Current Albums Sales, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums. "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" was the highest-charting MEGADETH album of all time around the world, notching No. 1 In Finland, No. 2 in australia, poland, Switzerland, and Scotland, No. 3 in the U.K., and more.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown to Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

MEGADETH recently received its thirteenth Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "We'll Be Back" from "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!".

MEGADETH won the 2017 Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the title track of the band's 2016 album "Dystopia". This marked the group's twelfth Grammy nomination in this category (including nominations in the discontinued "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category).

In the video below from AXS TV, Sammy Hagar and Charlie Daniels get acoustic on this "Long Haired Country Boy" jam. Plus, the two sit down to chat about what makes Charlie's studio special, how he found his unique sound and more.





Watch the full episode here.




Catch Sammy Hagar & The Circle (Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham, Vic Johnson) live at the following shows in 2023:


July
14 - Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena At Harveys - Stateline, NV
15 - Pearl Theater - Las Vegas, NV - SOLD OUT


October
9 - Cabo Wabo Cantina - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
11 - Cabo Wabo Cantina - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
13 - Cabo Wabo Cantina - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
26 - The St. Augustine Amphitheatre - St. Augustine, FL
28 - The Sound At Coachman Park - Clearwater, FL
29 - Hard Rock Live - Hollywood, FL

Noveria will release their new album The Gates Of The Underworld on August 25 through Scarlet Records.


Produced by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, The Gates Of The Underworld will be released in the following formats:


- digipak CD
- digital




Preorder at scarletrecords.it.


The modern progressive metal agenda: Noveria’s goal is to create a complete headbanging experience with a melodic twist, combining massive and heavy riffs with dark atmospheric keyboards along with technically challenging solo sections and memorable vocal lines.


The Gates Of The Underworld takes things to a personal level, each song featuring real life stories from the band as well as from the fans. The human condition is ever present with all its challenges and mysteries, explored through the lens of both scientific research and lived experience.


With their new album, Noveria will take you on a wild roller-coaster ride through a psychotic break, escaping a narcissistic relationship, the aftermath of surviving a heart attack, a near death experience, and much more.


Artwork by Nicolas Spreutels:





Tracklisting:


“Heritage”
“Origins”
“Descent” (feat. Fabio Lione)
“Venom”
“Revenant”
“The Gates Of The Underworld”
“Ascent”
“Overlord”
“Anima”
“Eternal”


(Photo – Matteo Ermeti)

Chicago, Illinois progressive heavy metal band Sacred Dawn has released a brand new single and accompanying lyric video for the song "Truth Be Told" from their upcoming new album Dismal Swamp.


The album is scheduled to be released worldwide on September 29, 2023 via Qumran Records and is their first full-length album in over 10 years.







Sacred Dawn burst onto the Chicago metal scene in 2005 with an innovative mix of progressive metal and old-school hard rock. The band's unique blend of vocal harmonies delivered by front man and lead guitarist Lothar Keller set the band apart and launched numerous live appearances across the Midwest in support of international acts such as Symphony X, Cage, Firewind, Kamelot, Epica, Loudness, and Testament just to name a few.


Through the years, the band endured line-up changes resulting in downtime between releases. This allowed Lothar Keller the opportunity to spread his wings musically. Joining Divinity Compromised in 2009 as their front man/vocalist and in 2012, co-founded Doom legend band The Skull as guitarist and co-songwriter with Chicago-based genre pioneers Eric Wagner and Ron Holzner (Trouble).





The album and the band’s first full-length recording since 2011 is entitled Dismal Swamp and is set to be released September 29, 2023 under the direction and distribution of Lothar Keller's record label Qumran Records. The album will be available in a 160-gram transparent swampy green vinyl, CD, and all digital platforms.


"Truth Be Told" is Sacred Dawn's first single and lyric video from the album. The lyric video for "A Dream Within" is scheduled for release July or Aug of 2023, and a fully-produced music video for "The Lake Of The Dismal Swamp" will be released just prior to the long-awaited and highly anticipated album release. The album release party will take place on October 14, 2023.


Sacred Dawn is:
Lothar Keller (Vocals/Guitar)
John Vitale (Guitar)
Joey Vega (Bass)
Mike Mousel (Drums)

The Guess Who is a legendary Canadian band who enjoyed chart-topping hits in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with an impressive catalogue of songs including "American Woman," "These Eyes," and "No Time." During the course of its career, the band has released 11 studio albums, all of which charted in Canada and the United States. The Guess Who is best known internationally for its 1970 album, American Woman, which hit number one in Canada and number nine in the United States, with five other albums also hitting the top ten in Canada.  All in all, the Guess Who boasts 14 top-40 singles in the United States and more than 30 in Canada.


The band released their first two singles, “The King”, and “Plein D’Amour”, with both immediately landing on multiple Spotify playlists and Apple Music. They racked up over 112,000 streams, making them the highest new releases in the band’s current history.







Derek Sharp, songwriter and lead vocalist, had this to say about the latest single, “Headline”: “Headlines are inherently orchestrated, recurring one-liners regurgitated by our media. They are negative in nature and most of the time... verbatim en masse. Something genuine, uplifting and inspiring is the path forward. This dusty old review could use a new headline.”


Listen to the new single here, and watch the official music video below:





The band is now gearing up to release its latest album creation, Plein D’Amour. Band members Derek Sharp, Michael Staertow, Leonard Shaw, Michael Devin, and founding member Garry Peterson have crafted a collection of songs that raises the bar and continues to take it up a notch both musically and sonically.


The album Plein D’Amour will be released through the Guess Who’s new partnership with Deko Entertainment on both CD and limited-edition colored vinyl, 180 Gram Purple-Splatter Vinyl and Smoked-Green Vinyl (only 300 copies).


Artwork for the release was provided by world renowned graphic designer Ioannis (Deep Purple, Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin) with limited prints to be autographed by both the Guess Who and Ioannis.


The album Plein D’Amour was recorded at Villa Sound in Singhampton, Ontario, Canada, with Adam Fair, featuring standout tracks such as “Headline” and “Across The Line”. Bruce Pucciarello, Deko president, summarizes with his insight, “In effect, the name Guess Who describes the mission statement--mysterious and morphing like life and music.  This new record is amazingly transformative.  As you listen and it takes you away, and it will…you won’t want to guess, you’ll know.”


Pre-order your copy of Plein D’Amour now and get your limited-edition bundles while supplies last, here.


Bundle includes:


One (1) Plein D'Amour Green or Purple LP
One (1) Plein D'Amour Autographed Flat
 



Plein D’Amour tracklisting:


“The King”
“Across The Line”
“People Around Me”
“Headline”
“Pursuit Of No Regret”
“Spaces”
“Free”
“Plein D’Amour”


“Plein D’Amour” video:





"The King" video:





The album Plein D’Amour will be released on June 30 through the Guess Who’s new partnership with Deko Entertainment. Vinyl details will be revealed shortly. Artwork for the release is provided by world renowned graphic designer Ioannis (Deep Purple, Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, etc.) with limited prints to be autographed by both the Guess Who and Ioannis. The album Plein D’Amour was recorded at Villa Sound in Singhampton, Ontario, Canada, with Adam Fair, featuring other stand out tracks such as “Headline” and “Across The Line”.


The Guess Who is currently on tour in North America. Dates below:


June
28 - The Kenley Amphitheater - Layton, UT
30 - The DECC - Duluth, MN


July
22 - Williams Bay, WI - Music By The Lake
28 - Oswego, NY - Oswego Harborfest
29 - Hammondsport, NY - Pavilion at Point of the Bluff Vineyar


August
17 - Erie County Fair Grandstand - Hamburg, NY
21 - Wellington, OH - Lorain County Fair


September
21 - Warren, OH - Robins Theater
22 - Saginaw, MI - Temple Theatre
23 - Atlantic City, NJ - Golden Nugget Casino


October
7 - Grand Casino Mille Lacs - Onamia, MN
12-15 - Egyptian Theatre - Park City, UT
20 - Golden Nugget Casino - Las Vegas, NV
21 - Ameristar Casino - Kansas City, MO
27 - Andiamo Celebrity Show Room - Warren, MI
28 - The Arcada Theatre - Des Plaines, IL


November
5 - Sidney, OH - Sidney Auditorium


December
2 - Hinton, OK - Sugar Creek Casino


(Photo - Square Shooting Photography)

“Diablito” is the incinerating new single from Sacramento, California-based metallic hardcore/noise metal veterans Will Haven. A video for the song has been unveiled today as the newest song advancing the band’s seventh album, VII, nearing release on Minus Head Records this July.


Arguably the heaviest and darkest material from Will Haven to date, the ten songs on VII take longtime fans back to the band’s earliest releases, while the band continues to expand on their atmospheric and immersive qualities. VII was recorded at Pus Cavern Studios in Sacramento, engineered by Joe Johnston (Deftones, Dance Gavin Dance, Hoods), produced and mixed by Joe Johnston and Will Haven, and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music. The record also features guest vocals and additional lyrics on “Evolution Of A Man” by Reykjavik Osburn Bigfeather, and the final note of “La Ultima Nota” was played by Will Haven fans.


The video for the new “Diablito” single was written and directed by David Owen Blackley for Her Name Is Murder Productions.




Guitarist Jeff Irwin reveals, “This was one of the earlier tracks I wrote for the record, but it evolved all the way up to when we were recording it. I would take the song home even after the studio and work on the ending trying to make it something epic, I think we finally added all my ambient guitars at the end of our last few sessions, and it’s one of my favorite songs on the album. Grady came up with the name of the song and he wanted to base the lyrics off our record El Diablo. That is a very important record to us, and we were coming up on our 25th anniversary of it while writing VII, so we wanted to give a tip of the cap to that record. Grady is a genius when it comes to writing.”


VII will be released on July 7, on CD, LP, and digital platforms. Find pre-ordering options at Bandcamp where “5 Of Fire” and "Wings Of Mariposa" are streaming, here.


Will Haven will play their hometown release show for VII on July 7. In August, the band has announced the Carpe Diem/Vll Tour, with shows in California, Nevada, and Utah from August 24 through 31 including a set at Crucialfest in Salt Lake City on August 26 alongside Whores, Portrayal Of Guilt, Bongzilla, Cloakroom, and many others. The tour will see Will Haven performing their Carpe Diem album in its entirety, in addition to new material from VII and more, and will also see original bassist Mike Martin returning to the lineup for the shows. The band then travels to play Furnace Fest in Birmingham on September 23 alongside Hatebreed, Turnstile, Bane, Youth Of Today, Judge, Terror, Strife, and dozens more.





VII tracklisting:


"Luna"
"5 Of Fire"
"For All Future Time"
"Evolution Of A Man"
"Paloma’s Blessing"
"Wings Of Mariposa"
"Diablito"
"No Stars To Guide Me"
"Feeding The Soil"
"La Ultima Nota"


"Diablito" video:





"5 Of Fire" video:





"Wings Of Mariposa" video:





See the band’s confirmed dates below and watch for additional updates to post as VII draws near.





July
7 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s (VII release show)


August (Carpe Diem/VII Tour)
25 – Reno, NV – Alturas Bar
26 – Salt Lake City, UT – Crucialfest 
27 – Las Vegas, NV – Divebar
29 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
30 – Los Angeles, CA – Knitting Factory
31 – San Francisco, CA – DNA Upstairs


September
23 – Birmingham, AL – Furnace Fest


Will Haven lineup:


Grady Avenell – vocals
Jeff Irwin – guitar/keyboard/vocals
Mitch Wheeler – drums
Adrien Contreras – bass
Sean Bivins – keyboards/piano


(Photo - Eric Rivera)

During a new appearance on the "Battleline" podcast, Corey Taylor was asked about how he and his SLIPKNOT bandmates have managed to stay together for so long despite having very different personalities. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think about it a lot, because there are definitely times where we don't get along, but there are definitely times where we would lay down our lives for each other. But I think that just comes down to human nature. No one's always going to get along. There are going to be times where something is going to get said and someone is going to rub somebody the wrong way. As long as you know that, and you're aware of how to fix it and aware that that feeling is temporary; it's not permanent… I mean, it has to be 'fuck you' kind of moment for that stuff to kind of go to hell.

"For us, we've always allowed ourselves to get away from each other," he explained. "It's one of the reasons why I do so many different projects, man, and I think that's allowed us to kind of reconnect over the years.

"Some of us didn't necessarily start out as friends, but we have come to love each other as brothers over the years. And obviously, we have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. And when we have felt a disconnect, instead of breaking us up, it has one hundred percent made us stronger. Which, if you had told me that 20 years ago, I would have fucking laughed. Just because I know how gnarly this camp is. But at the same time, man, when I had my spinal surgery, the first person who called me was Sid [Wilson, SLIPKNOT DJ]. When things went down in our lives, the first people to reach out were people in SLIPKNOT. And I've never forgotten that, man. Even as bad as I can be — and I am just as guilty as anybody, man, of disconnecting, of taking things the wrong way, of just being an asshole… Those guys have always let me know at the right moment that they care and that I may not have talked this time, but if I need to talk next time, they're there. And sometimes just knowing that can repair so many bridges and heal so much, dude.'

Corey added: "I'm not always the best friend, I'm not always the best bandmember, bandmate, I'm not always the best leader. But sometimes the best leaders know that. And the part of being the best leader means realizing you don't always have the best idea, and you delegate and you distribute. The teams that win are the ones that know to put the ball in the strongest person's hands to make sure that person in that moment gets the job done. And that, to me, that means knowing that sometimes I don't have to worry about having all the answers. I can let my team help me. And as long as I'm there to make sure that it all goes right, then that's what it's all about. And maybe that's the secret, man. We all trust each other when it comes to what we do in the band, and they all trust me when it comes to what I do on stage. Which is why, when we do shows, I can run it like that and they trust me to keep that show going."

Taylor will release his second solo album, "CMF2", in September. "CMF2" follows up Taylor's 2020 solo debut "CMFT", which featured the No. 1 Billboard mainstream rock single "Black Eyes Blue" and streaming sensation "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (feat. Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie). The LP hit No. 6 on Billboard's U.S. Top Rock Albums chart.

"CMF2" is Taylor's first album for BMG and the first on his own label imprint, Decibel Cooper Recordings.

Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, AMON AMARTH),who produced STONE SOUR's 2017 "Hydrograd" LP as well as "CMFT", returns for Taylor's second full-length.

In support of his new album, Taylor has announced his 2023 tour featuring special guests WARGASM, OXYMORRONS and LUNA AURA on select dates. Produced by Live Nation, the 28-city tour kicks off on August 25 at Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, making stops across the U.S in Detroit, Orlando, Dallas and more before the final headline show in Los Angeles at The Wiltern on October 5.

Guns N' Roses brought their ongoing World Tour to Park HaYarkon in Tel Aviv, Israel on Monday (June 5). During the soundcheck for the show, the band played through the unreleased song, "Perhaps", one of the tracks from the sessions for their Chinese Democracy album, issued in 2008.


Fans waiting outside the venue captured the band sound checking "Perhaps", and you can listen to the clips below.  According to Setlist.fm, GN'R's soundcheck that day also included "It's So Easy", "Bad Obsession", "Pretty Tied Up", "Anything Goes", and "Down On The Farm".










Guns N’ Roses recently announced the artists that will support the tour’s North American leg: Superstar Carrie Underwood, The Pretenders, Alice In Chains, The Warning, and Dirty Honey. In addition, the band will be adding new shows: one in Pittsburgh, PA at PNC Park on Friday, August 18 and another in Seattle, WA at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday, October 14.


Guns N’ Roses return to the road on a massive 2023 World Tour produced by Live Nation, headlining stadiums, festivals, and arenas throughout the summer and fall. The powerhouse rock band launched this jaunt on June 5 in Tel Aviv, and will continue across Europe through July 22, wrapping in Athens, Greece. The band will continue onto North America, starting on Saturday, August 5 in Moncton, NB at Medavie Blue Cross Stadium, and will visit historic venues across the country such as Fenway Park in Boston, MA on August 21 and Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL on August 24. The tour concludes in Vancouver, BC at BC Place on Monday, October 16.  


This will be the first time the group have toured North America since the monumental We’re F’N Back! Tour in 2021 - which also steamrolled stadiums coast-to-coast including their first headliner at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. Meanwhile, their now-legendary Not In This Lifetime… Tour (2016-2019) stands out as the “third-highest grossing tour of all time.”


Expanding their influence across culture, Guns N’ Roses also notably just sponsored Erik Jones and the No. 43 in the Daytona 500. His race team, Legacy Motor Club is co-owned by NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson who shared his excitement on Twitter.


2023 Global Tour Dates;


International:


June
9 - Madrid, Spain - Civitas Metropolitan Stadium
12 - Vigo, Spain - Estadio Abanca Balaídos
15 - Dessel, Belgium - Grasspop Metal Meeting
17 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell
21 - Oslo, Norway - Tons of Rock
27 - Glasgow, UK - Bellahouston Park
30 - London, UK - BST Hyde Park


July
3 - Frankfurt, Germany - Deutsch Bank Park
5 - Bern, Switzerland - BernExpo
8 - Rome, Italy - Circo Massimo
11 - Landgraaf, Netherlands - Megaland
13 - Paris, France - La Defense
16 - Bucharest, Romania - National Arena
19 - Budapest, Hungary - Puskás Arena
22 - Athens, Greece - Olympic Stadium





North America:


August
5 - Moncton, NB - Medavie Blue Cross Stadium with Carrie Underwood
8 - Montreal, QC - Parc Jean Drapeau with Carrie Underwood
11 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium with The Pretenders
15 - East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium with The Pretenders
18 - Pittsburgh, PA - PNC Park with The Pretenders^
21 - Boston, MA - Fenway Park  with The Pretenders
24 - Chicago, IL - Wrigley Field with The Pretenders
26 - Nashville, TN - GEODIS Park with Carrie Underwood
29 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center with Dirty Honey


September
1 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center with Dirty Honey
3 - Toronto, ON - Rogers Centre with The Pretenders
6 - Lexington, KY - Rupp Arena with Dirty Honey
9 - St. Louis, MO - Busch Stadium with The Pretenders
12 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boling Arena with The Warning
15 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live with The Warning*
17 - Atlanta, GA - Midtown Music Festival*
20 - Biloxi, MS - Mississippi Coast Coliseum with Dirty Honey
23 - Kansas City, MO - Kauffman Stadium with Alice in Chains
26 - San Antonio, TX - Alamodome with Alice in Chains
28 - Houston, TX - Minute Maid Park with Alice in Chains


October
1 - San Diego, CA - Snapdragon Stadium with Alice in Chains
6 - Indio, CA - Power Trip Festival*
8 - Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival*
11 - Phoenix, AZ - Chase Field with Alice in Chains
14 - Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena^ (support act TBD)
16 - Vancouver, BC - BC Place with Alice in Chains


^ Newly Added Date
* Not A Live Nation Date


(Photo - Katarina Benzova)


 

Frayle deliver a beautiful take on Soundgarden's "Head Down", fueled by the mystery of Gwyn Strang's haunting vocals and down-tuned frying guitars. The fast-rising doom act from Cleveland, OH has furthermore illustrated this dark song with a stunning video. Watch below.


Frayle comment: "Soundgarden was an integral part of our development as musicians from an early age with brillant songs such as 'Fell on Black Days', 'Black Hole Sun', the list just goes on and on", singer Gwyn Strang writes and multi-instrumentalist Sean Bilovecki continues: "For 'Head Down', we deconstructed the song and switched its timing to 4/4. The song as recorded by Soundgarden has overlapping drum parts and complicated timings for example. We stripped it down and gave the track elements of tribal drumming, while we added layers of vocal harmonies and voices coming at the listener from all angles."







More information about the forthcoming MER Redux Series instalment, Superunknown Redux, can be found below. The massive double album has been scheduled for release on July 14. Pre-order here.


Parallel to Superunknown Redux, Magnetic Eye Records will release the by now customary companion album entitled Best Of Soundgarden Redux, that contains further 15 cover versions of deep cuts and all-time classics from across Soundgarden's extensive catalogue recorded by more exciting artists.





Superunknown Redux tracklisting:


Ufomammut - "Let Me Drown"
High Priest feat. Bobby Ferry (16) - "My Wave"
Marissa Nadler - "Fell On Black Days"
Somnuri - "Mailman"
Valley Of The Sun - "Superunknown"
Frayle - "Head Down"
Spotlights - "Black Hole Sun"
Horseburner - "Spoonman"
Witch Mountain - "Limo Wreck"
Beastwars - "The Day I Tried To Live"
Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows - "Kickstand"
The Age Of Truth - "Fresh Tendrils"
Marc Urselli's SteppenDoom feat. Matt Cameron (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam), Igor Sydorenko (Stoned Jesus), Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Eleven), Albert Kuvezin (Yat-Kha) & Utelo - "4th Of July"
Dozer - "Half"
Darkher - "Like Suicide"


"Let Me Drown":

The G-String Murders is the fifth official release from Canadian instrumentalist Darren Michael Boyd. Fans of his music have grown to expect a blend humour and darkness, and this four song EP does not disappoint. Interesting compositions, memorable melodies, and sophisticated chord-play are always Boyd’s priority, but there are still enough guitar fireworks to satisfy shred fans.


There is a witchy and quirky feel to his “Spooky Surf” sound that easily creates a visual in the listener’s imagination. The title was chosen because Boyd thought it was hysterical when he first came up with it, knowing that despite its complete lack of subtlety, some people would probably still miss the joke!


Darren Michael Boyd is comfortable playing all kinds of music, and feels at home with a big theatrical show – regardless of the venue size. After years of touring, writing, recording, Darren has developed his own dynamic musical style, along with authenticity and unprecedented professionalism.







Tracklist:


"Hide And Shriek"
"Darkling"
"Racing For Pinks"
"The G-String Murders"


"Darkling"

On June 3rd, guitar legend Steve Vai performed at the Best Of Blues And Rock Fest 2023 at Parque do Ibirapuera in São Paulo, Brazil. Fan-filmed video of his entire show is available below.


Vai checekd in with the following message after the gig:


"The show in São Paulo at the Best Of Blues And Rock fest was outstanding. It was a beautiful, clear night with a full moon and 8000 enthusiastic people. Thanks to all the fans and to the promoter for inviting me. Brazil rocks, hard and beautiful."




The setlist on the night was as follows:


"Avalancha"
"Giant Balls of Gold"
"Little Pretty"
"Tender Surrender"
"Building the Church"
"I'm Becoming"
"Greenish Blues"
"Bad Horsie"
- drum solo - (Jeremy Colson)
"Teeth of the Hydra"
"Zeus in Chains"
"For the Love of God"











Vai recently announced the next leg of the Inviolate North American Tour. Tickets and EVO Experience passes are now on sale at vai.com.


Dates are as follows:


July
16 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
18 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theatre
19 - Albuquerque, NM - Revel
20 - Midland, TX - La Hacienda
21 - Little Rock, AR - Little Rock Hall
23 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater
25 - Nashville, TN - CMA Theater
26 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall
27 - Peoria, IL - Civic Center Theater
28 - Clarksburg, WV - The Robinson Grand
29 - Harrisburg, PA - Whitaker Center
30 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - FM Kirby Center


August
1 - Bar Harbor, ME - The 1932 Criterion Theatre
2 - Halifax, NS - TBD
3 - Saint John, NB - TBD
5 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
6 - Ottawa, ON - Bronson Centre
8 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
10 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre
11 - Saskatoon, SK - Coors Event Centre
12 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall
13 - Calgary, AB - The Palace Theatre
15 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
16 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
17 - Bend, OR - Midtown Ballroom
19 - Monterey, CA - Golden State Theater





 

Golden Robot Records recently announced the signing of the fiery, full-blooded Polynesian metal band, Shepherds Reign.


Hailing from South Auckland, New Zealand, Polynesian by birth and blood; Filiva’a James (vocals/keytar), Gideon Voon (guitar), Oliver Leupolu (guitar/production), Shaymen Rameka (drums) and Joseph Oti-George (bass) are the real thing, a band who put their hearts and lives into their songs.


The latest single from Shepherds Reign’s heavily anticipated forthcoming album, Ala Mai, is a love song. Note though, a love song for Shepherds Reign is not exactly Lionel Richie territory; and indeed "Finally" is filled with the band’s trademark guttural vocal roar, heavy zig-zag riffing throughout its verses, and soaring anthemic choruses, with a characteristic mind-melting lead guitar break.




"Finally" is a song about losing hope that you would ever find your one true love, but then… finally… you find that someone, the someone who makes you happy at your core; the someone who vindicates your patience and perseverance. A person who has come into your life and completely changed your perspective. Now that’s a love worth waiting for…





Shepherds Reign are famous in the Southern hemisphere for their primal performance, one which evokes many aspects of their cultural heritage and fierce Polynesian pride. Coupled with their enormous intimidating physical presence, there’s tribal roars, gargantuan riffs, twisting dual melodies, virulent virtuosity and crushing, bombastic rhythms, which all give Shepherds Reign their propulsive, dynamic metal sound. There is a special passion and power in every note struck, and in every word sung.


"Finally" is out on June 16th, and album Ala Mai  is out August 25th via Golden Robot Records.


Pre-order / pre-save "Finally" here.


"Ua Masa'a"

“Amputation Station” is the newest video and single from Baton Rouge / New Orleans, Louisiana-based noise rock trio Woorms. The standalone track drops as the band gets in the van to assault half of the US on tour this week.


Woorms’ material surges with dirge, grit, and groove, backed with bellowing amplification. Since their 2017 formation, the band has developed a diehard fanbase through three LPs, an array of singles, demos, and EPs, splits with A Hanging, Radiant Knife, and The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, released through the likes of Sludgelord Records, Forbidden Place Records, and their own Hospital Records. Most recently, the band’s third LP, Fatalismo, was recorded with Steve Austin from Today Is The Day and released on Austin’s SuperNova Records last summer.


After the release of Fatalismo, guitarist/vocalist Joey Carbo and drummer Aaron M. Polk welcomed new bassist Miguel Rincon, and the trio immediately began creating new music, expanding the band’s sound with new stylistic experimentation. “Amputation Station” the first new song from the revamped lineup, was recorded by Carbo at his own The Hospital Studio in Baton Rouge, and now sees release through a video, filmed and edited by Istanbul-based director Ensar Oytun Morgul.







Carbo delves into the new song and video: “I have intended to write about self-surgery for maybe 20 years now. Back then I had read some accounts of people successfully removing glands in marathon self-surgery sessions, lying on plastic sheeting on a motel room floor. They would become obsessed with the removal of a certain organ; a pathology would develop there. I do a lot of research for songs and to find samples that no one will have heard before. These research sessions are not always the best part of my job, to put it nicely, but research for this song was f*cking hardcore.”


“I learned that there are a few subtypes within this community. So, let me be very clear on this video. The acts we portray mimic those of individuals who, for sexual and/or aesthetic purposes, willingly remove their own body parts. We absolutely don’t judge any of this behavior. We say go for it; safety first, and let God be your gardener… we don’t give a f*ck. But what we are not making light of (or even portraying here) is the fetishization of those who have lost limbs in accidents, etc. Again, all good with us when consent is established. I say that because one thing I learned is that when someone suffers an amputation one of the first things doctors will prepare them for is the fact that they will be approached by or receive the attentions of certain people who will be attracted to the amputation itself, so they can decide how they will deal with that and consider how that might make them feel.”


“We had no desire to tackle that nuanced subject. But two guys willing to take their own limbs off so they can enjoy some good old fashioned stump f*cking? Well, that’s fair game. The extreme certainly interests me as much as anyone else. I am intrigued by those who would go so far as to self-mutilate, become a serial killer, or join a religion.”





Find “Amputation Station” at Bandcamp. 


Woorms sets out across The United States on tour this week with 16 confirmed shows:


June
8 - Marsh Room – Metairie, LA
9 - The Mix – San Antonio, TX 
10 - The 13th Floor – Austin, TX
11 - 3 Links – Dallas, TX
12 - Growlers – Memphis, TN
13 - Kiss Bar – Springfield, MO
14 - Minibar – Kansas City, MO
15 - Buzzbomb – Springfield, IL
16 - Cobra Lounge – Chicago, IL
17 - The Lager House – Detroit, MI
18 - Buzzbin – Akron, OH
20 - Southgate House – Newport, KY
21 - Cherry St Tavern – Chattanooga, TN
22 - Starbar – Atlanta, GA
23 - Alabama Music Box – Mobile, AL
24 - Fractal Brewing – Huntsville, AL





(Photo by Ensar Oytun Morgul)


 

Black metal band, Ancestral Blood, is excited to announce that they have joined forces with Wormholedeath, and will release their debut album, Forgotten Myths And Legends - Chapter 1 on July 21 on all digital platforms.


Forgotten Myths And Legends is a musical journey that explores lost stories and legends from different cultures and eras. Each song is fascinating, epical, and well-crafted to take each listener back through an old world of magic, kings, and dark mystical times. The songs consist of furious yet mesmerizing guitars, celestial and melancholy atmospheres, and harsh vocals while drumming to the call of battle.


Ancestral Blood's music is described as atmospheric battle metal with celestial vibrance. The band cites influences from 90s underground black metal and old releases by bands such as Ishtar, Isvind, Arthemesia, Vordven, Trollheims Grott, Ringnevond, Summoning, and Windir.




Ancestral Blood was founded in the mid-late 90s by Charles Lucia, better known as Verigo of the black metal band Vesterian. After several lineup changes and hiatuses, the band was reborn in 2016 with drummer Void and vocalist Circe. The band recorded their first full-length Forgotten Myths and Legends - Chapter 1 in 2021 and released their first single "Through The Enchanted Forest Of Illusions in 2022. In January 2023 the band signed with the Italian label Wormholedeath. The band is now working on videos while preparing to record Forgotten Myths And Legends - Chapter 2.





Tracklisting:


"Forged In The Fires Of Hephaestos"
"Forgotten Myths And Legends"
"Sky Fortress Of Wizardry"
"Crystallized Within The Caverns Of Time"
"Through The Enchanted Forest Of Illusions"
"Awaiting Where Calm Winds Blow At Nightfall"
"The Cronos Stone"
"Lost On A Boundless Journey (Voyage)"
"Sparks Of Light Atop Towers Deserted For Ages"


Trailer:





Ancestral Blood is:


Verigo: All music, guitars/leads/bass/keys/lyrics/male spoken parts/backup screams
Circe: Harsh vocals/female voices and spoken parts
Void: Drums
Hepar: Bass

Israel-based band Neolia's debut self-titled album is a masterpiece of experimental, progressive metal that will leave you speechless. From the haunting melodies to the complex rhythms, every aspect of this album has been crafted with care and precision. Get ready to be transported to another dimension with this Israeli band's stunning debut and the recently released single “Rise And Fall” being presented now with a lyric video.


The band shares the background of the track: “It was the first one of the first songs we wrote for the album. Its first draft was recorded with just an electric guitar as a very basic demo, but it had most of the original riffs. The next demo version that was crafted at Tomer’s home studio was already in its final form, but it had had tweaks done to it and other parts and elements added as well. It is directly related to the concept of the album and the struggles of day-to-day life but not only the common ones, and is based on a fictional story Tomer had written. The main character, Alex, tries his best to recreate his past as a raging prophet that leads the weak, bruised, and innocent to follow his path but he doesn’t succeed this time so he crawls back to the demons that comfort him in his depression.”


The track starts off with a heavy groove intro, but it breaks once the verse enters with a drum and bass-like pattern demonstrating the duality of the song as the energy stretches back and forth. Containing some odd signature rhythms and polyrhythmic components it even leans into different genres becoming thought-provoking, alongside relatable, cathartic lyrics.







On a musical level, Neolia aspires to be a new horizon in the rock and metal scene, allowing a sense of freedom within the parameters of rock and metal, and leaving space for other musical inspirations such as African, Latin, and contemporary jazz music. They are recommended for fans of Protest The Hero, Coheed and Cambria, The Human Abstract, and Tool.


Neolia's self-titled album was released on May 5, and is available on Bandcamp and Spotify.





Tracklisting:


"The Shed"
"The Shed Outro"
"Your Prophecy"
"Dance Of Violence"
"Carried Away"
"Carried Away Outro"
"Karma"
"Karma Outro"
"Day In Day Out"
"Anchors"
"Rise And Fall"
"Blow The Leaves"
"A Better Version Of You"
"Refahim"











(Photo - Avi Veldman, Edited by Rana Sneider)

The Keening - the solo musical project of Rebecca Vernon (SubRosa) - signs to Relapse Records and announces live performances in September.


Rebecca Vernon comments: "I'm very excited and honored to join the Relapse family and look forward to the journey ahead with them. This music has been a long time in the making, and a lot of blood, sweat and travail went into it. I hope those who connect with it find it worth the wait. A lot of thanks goes to the many who have helped me along the way, but especially to my family, and Billy Anderson, Andrea Morgan and Nate Carson, who were the most heavily involved in the making of the album."


The Keening weaves a web of lush orchestration, American Gothic sensibilities and wintry murder ballads set against a backdrop of dark, shimmering folk. Vernon’s previous band SubRosa echoes in The Keening’s chamber doom, flowing with flute, strings, harp, French horn, piano, organ and hammered dulcimer. Ultra-melodic forays into haunted bogs, endless wells, secret crimes, jeweled cages and the unenviable curse of being a murder witness abound. Dark as this sounds, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.




Rebecca Vernon was the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter of Salt Lake City’s acclaimed SubRosa. She ended that 13-year project in 2018 to focus on The Keening.


Largely composed at a retreat in Joshua Tree and a friend’s family homestead in Kamas, Utah, The Keening's upcoming album was recorded in December 2020 at Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon with “Engine-ear” Billy Anderson. Anderson’s long resume includes such luminaries as Melvins, Neurosis, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, High on Fire, Bell Witch, Amenra, Agalloch, Cathedral, Cattle Decapitation, Red House Painters, Sick of it All, Sleep, and more.


Anderson collaborated with Vernon and Witch Mountain drummer Nathan Carson as co-producers of the recording of the album. A host of Portland’s finest session musicians lent their talents to the album, including Andrea Morgan of Exulansis on violin.


The Keening is primed to release this brand new album via Relapse Records in 2023. More information about the album will be made available in the weeks and months to come.


Tour dates:


September
15 - Bellingham, WA - Shakedown
16 - Seattle, WA - Clock-Out Lounge
22 - Eugene, OR - John Henry’s
23 - Portland OR - Crystal Ballroom (with Agalloch, Thief)


(Photo - Angela H. Brown)

Einar Solberg - frontman of Norwegian rock mavericks Leprous - released his debut solo album, 16, last week. Wildly diverse, but spiritually rooted in Einar’s well-established musical world, 16 is an album that brims with surprises and spinning curveballs and features a collection of intimate but extravagant collaborations.


Einar comments: “It feels great to finally have it out there. It’s been a long journey but I’m super proud of the album, and super grateful to all the collaborators!”


To celebrate, Einar has launched a live sing-through video for the album’s second single, "A Beautiful Life", and you can watch that now, below:







In April, Einar performed his first ever live shows for this project at Prognosis in the Netherlands and UK, and has just been confirmed to play this year’s edition of Euroblast in Germany. His band for these shows is Hrafnkell Örn Guðjónsson (Agent Fresco), Ben Levin (ex-Bent Knee), Chris Baum (Bent Knee), Ari Karason (Mezzoforte) and Ruben Aksnes (Maraton).


Einar Solberg is as renowned for the tender honesty of his lyrics as he is for the eccentric majesty of Leprous’ music. But even by his usual standards, 16 is an extremely emotional and dynamic piece of work. Einar describes the record as “the closest I’ve ever come to writing a concept album” and explains that the new songs are about a very specific and transformational period in the musician’s life. This is the sound of a restless spirit in his absolute element.


“It’s called 16 because that’s when the first really, really bad things started happening to me in life. From 16 to 19, there were a lot of very life-defining moments that happened to me, and that changed me,” he says. “That’s when I kind of lost my innocence and I started realising that life is serious and bad shit can happen. A lot of pretty drastic things happened within those three years. But this album is not only about the bad things. It’s also about some of the career-defining moments, like the moment I started playing with the band and began to find a community to belong to. Emotionally, I’m a bit of everything, so it covers the entire emotional spectrum!”


16 finds Einar collaborating with everyone from modern prog contemporaries like Bent Knee’s Ben Levin and Agent Fresco’s Toti Gudnason, to experimental cellist (and regular Leprous live musician) Raphael Weinroth-Browne and Magnus Børmark, best known as a member of Norwegian alt-folk troupe Gåte. He also once again collaborates with Ihsahn and Star Of Ash amongst many others. The record was mixed by mixed by Adam Noble (Placebo, Biffy Clyro, Nothing But Thieves) and mastered by Robin Schmidt (The 1975, Placebo, The Gaslight Anthem, etc.).


16 is available on Ltd CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP + LP-booklet & Digitally. Order here.





Tracklisting:


"16" (feat. Raphael Weinroth-Browne)
"Remember Me"
"A Beautiful Life"
"Where All The Twigs Broke" (feat. Star Of Ash)
"Metacognitive" (feat. Raphael Weinroth-Browne)
"Home" (feat. Ben Levin)
"Blue Light" (feat. Asger Mygind)
"Grotto" (feat. Magnus Børmark)
"Splitting The Soul" (feat. Ihsahn)
"Over The Top"
"The Glass Is Empty" (feat. Tóti Guðnason)


"Home" video:





"A Beautiful Life" video:





"Grotto" video:





(Photo - Elena Sihida)

UK-based melodic metal band The Raven Age, have released a new song with an accompanying video, "Forgive & Forget", out on all streaming platforms now. The track is featured on the band's new album, Blood Omen, out on July 7. Watch the video below.


The band’s lineup includes guitarist George Harris, guitarist Tommy Gentry, bassist Matt Cox, drummer Jai Patel, and singer Matt “MJ” James.


Rushing in on a scalding lead guitar riff, “Forgive & Forget” is a genre-defining, sonic stampede, upbeat and catchy, but bearing the band’s signature ambition and heaviness. “It’s about letting go of old demons and not letting unwanted memories shape your future,” explains lead guitarist and songwriter George Harris.




Conceived, produced, and directed by the band themselves the Tarantino-esque video was shot in the legendary Laredo Western Town. “We wanted to try something completely different with ‘Forgive & Forget’”, says singer Matt James. “We wanted to follow on from our two recent singles ‘Serpents Tongue’ and ‘Parasite’ with the horror vibe but with a spin… and to see how far we could push it! Cowboys and zombies definitely felt like something unique, and we found the perfect location to make it happen!”





The band is pushing everything further than ever before. The choruses are made for arenas, the riffs are taut, direct and go straight for the jugular. The creative ambition on display in the video is also evident throughout the forthcoming album Blood Omen which will be out on July 7 via Music For Nations/Sony Music and was produced by Matt Hyde (Slipknot, Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine) with final mastering put into the hands of Mika Jussila at Finnvox (Nightwish, Children of Bodom, HIM).


Blood Omen is available on several formats including standard transparent red vinyl, standard jewel case CD, deluxe hardcover CD with exclusive artwork, and a deluxe LP version pressed on black and red splatter vinyl, housed in gatefold packaging, complete with additional and exclusive artwork.


Pre-order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"Changing Of The Guard"
"Parasite"
"Serpents Tongue"
"Essence Of Time"
"Nostradamus"
"Forgive & Forget"
"The Journey"
"War In Heaven"
"Tears Of Stone"


"Parasite" video:





This summer, The Raven Age will be touring arenas across Europe and the UK with Iron Maiden. They will also be performing at Germany’s Rock am Ring, Belgium’s Graspop Metal Meeting, Return Of The Gods Festival in Italy, Sweden Rock, and Metal Days in Slovenia.


Full list of tour dates here.


(Photo - John McMurtrie)