Singer, dancer, actress and author Tina Turner, often referred to as the "Queen Of Rock 'N' Roll", passed away on May 24 after a long illness. She was 83. The Two Minutes To Late Night crew pay tribute with their cover of "One Of The Living". Watch the video below.


A message states: "When Karl from Earth Crisis asks to cover the angry Tina song from Mad Max, you gather the oddest team of musicians possible and give it a breakdown. RIP to simply The Best, Tina Turner. This is the 65th bedroom cover made with the support of Patreon. Become a Patreon patron today and get access to exclusive rewards like patches, t-shirts, even custom songs! Plus, you get to see every cover we make before it publicly premieres."


This cover features:




Karl Buechner - Earth Crisis
Jennifer Vito - War On Women
Dirk Verbeuren - Megadeth
Joe Principe - Rise Against
Angelo Moore - Fishbone

In any serious conversation about death metal, the name Vomitory has to come up. Following their inception in 1989, between 1996 and 2011 they dropped eight of the most blistering albums the genre has spewed up, the quartet parting ways in 2013. However, the band's retirement turned out to be short lived, returning to stages in 2019 to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary, and now they drop their first new full-length in twelve years, the monstrous All Heads Are Gonna Roll. A full album stream can be found below.


Boasting the classic Vomitory sound with a few new twists and turns, it is everything their faithful could have hoped for, the band having taken their time before committing to it rather than rushing in. "We weren't feeling any pressure, it was rather about making a decision whether we should continue as a band, i.e. release new material, or simply put the band back in the grave again," explains drummer Tobias Gustafsson. "We wrote a few songs first just for the fun of it, to see if we still 'had it', before we made the final decision to continue and make a new full-length album."


All Heads Are Gonna Roll is best described as "fast, grinding, D-beat, fist-in-your-face death metal", it features fresh aspects that are uncommon to Vomitory records. "One thing in particular we did was to try to build distinct choruses in the songs, which is something we didn't put too much effort into earlier," explains drummer Tobias Gustafsson. "We have also spent a lot more time working with the backing vocal arrangements, which we certainly think paid off very well. It brings something new to our sound. We have also tried to write more straightforward riffs, like we did in the early 2000s."




The instruments for the record were tracked in the band's rehearsal space, on a mobile studio setup engineered by Mats Lindström, and was self-produced. This allowed them to work at their own pace in the hours that worked for them, rather than having this dictated to them as would be the case if they had rented a studio. "Although we had a lot of flexibility to choose our working hours, it was still crucial to keep the recording schedule as strict as possible, because it was so easy to say 'let's do it tomorrow instead'." For vocals, they went to Leon Music Studios and engineer Rikard Löfgren, which was where they recorded their last three albums. They brought in good friend Christian Fredriksson (Vulkan) to play some guitar solos, but otherwise it is entirely their own work. With vivid horror movie-inspired artwork - with a hint of anti-religion thrown in for good measure - All Heads Are Gonna Roll really is the whole package for death metal fans, and a stunning return to form after so many years between releases.





All Heads Are Gonna Roll is available in the following formats:


- Digipak-CD
- 180g black vinyl
- dim gray marbled vinyl (limited to 700 copies)
- crimson red marbled vinyl (limited to 500 copies)
- clear w/ red & white splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
- silver w/ black splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
- red w/ purple splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies) Sound Pollution exclusive


All Heads Are Gonna Roll, available via Metal Blade, can be ordered here.


Cover art by Giannis Nakos.





All Heads Are Gonna Roll tracklisting:


"All Heads Are Gonna Roll"
"Decrowned"
"Ode To The Meat Saw"
"The Deepest Tomb"
"Piece By Stinking Piece"
"Raped, Strangled, Sodomized, Dead"
"Dead Man Stalking"
"Disciples Of The Damned"
"Dead World"
"Beg For Death"


Album stream:





"Piece By Stinking Piece" visualizer:





"Raped, Strangled, Sodomized, Dead" video:





"All Heads Are Gonna Roll" video:





Unboxing video:





Vomitory lineup:


Erik Rundqvist - vocals/bass
Urban Gustafsson - guitar
Peter Östlund - lead guitar
Tobias Gustafsson - drums

Van Halen singer, David Lee Roth, is back with yet another of his interpretive dance videos. This time, Roth performs a little dance to "Atomic Punk", the seventh track on Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut album. Watch below:





A few of Roth's previous "dance" videos can be viewed below:

Less than a month before the two concerts of the all-star metal project Storm In Human Form - June 23 and June 24 in Bulgaria - the Bulgarian singer Tsena Koev from Vivaldi Metal Project presents a new song, in duet with the Swedish vocalist Mats Levén (Therion, Candlemass, Yngwie Malmsteen). "Miserere" will be featured on Tsena Koev's upcoming sophomore album, which is also titled Storm In Human Form, and will be out in September.


The recording of "Miserere" also features Leonardo Porcheddu (guitar), Dino Fiorenza (bass) from Vivaldi Metal Project and Greek drummer Panos Geo. The song's opening narration is recited by Snowy Shaw (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Therion, Notre Dame). The music, lyrics, arrangement and keyboard recordings are the work of Zhivko Koev.


The song will be part of the setlist for both Storm In Human Form shows in June and will be heard live in Bulgaria with the original voices of Mats Levén and Tsena Koev. Snowy Shaw, Jeff Scott Soto and keyboardist Mistheria (Bruce Dickinson) will also take part in the concerts.




The song's lyric video can be viewed below:





(Photo - Zhivko Koev)

Canadian metal legends and 2023 JUNO Award-winners, Voivod, performed at Rock Hard Festival 2023 in Gelsenkirchenm, Germany on May 27th. Check out the pro-shot livestream below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Killing Technology"
"Obsolete Beings"
"Macrosolutions to Megaproblems"
"Rise"
"Rebel Robot"
"Thrashing Rage!"
"Holographic Thinking"
"Sleeves Off"
"Voivod"







Voivod are celebrating 40 eventful years of existence this year and recently announced a special anniversary studio album, Morgöth Tales, to be released on July 21 via Century Media Records. An official video for the 2023 version of "Nuage Fractal" can be found below.


Once more recorded and mixed by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio, mastered by Maor Appelbaum and produced by Voivod, Morgöth Tales includes fresh studio (re-)recordings by the band’s current lineup of nine especially selected, not-so-obvious picks from the band’s hyper-classy and extremely diverse back catalogue (between 1984 and 2003) as well as a brand-new song in the album’s title-track, “Morgöth Tales”.


Voivod drummer Michel “Away” Langevin commented about Morgöth Tales as follows: “Morgöth Tales covers 40 years of space exploration. It was really exciting for us to revisit a more obscure part of the Voïvod catalogue, from thrash-punk to prog-metal to…? The title track is a new song, which we started writing in the tour bus and hotels during the Opeth European tour in November/December 2022. It has the vibe of the experimental music we are doing nowadays, with a new twist I think. We also had the great thrill of getting E-Force (Eric Forrest) and Jasonic (Jason Newsted) involved on this album. I hope you’ll dig it, Chewy, Rocky, Snake and I certainly had a blast recording it. All aboard and ready for take off!“





Tracklisting:


"Condemned To The Gallows"
"Thrashing Rage "
"Killing Technology"
"Macrosolutions To Megaproblems"
"Pre-Ignition"
"Nuage Fractal"
"Fix My Heart"
"Rise" (feat. Eric Forrest)
"Rebel Robot" (feat. Jason Newsted)
"Morgöth Tales"


"Nuage Fractal" video:





(Photo - Catherine Deslauriers)

EyeHateGod performed upon the Sophie Lancaster Stage at the 2022 edition of the Bloodstock Open AIr Metal Festival. You can now watch professionally-filmed video footage of the band's full set. Check it out below.





EyeHateGod perform next on June 23 at Twist of Lime in Metairie, LA. Find the band's tour itinerary here.

HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger were joined by rising guitar virtuoso Sophie Lloyd during their May 26 "unplugged" performance at the Heavy Music Awards at London, England's OVO Arena Wembley. The event celebrated the most influential and ground-breaking artists and creatives in the heavy music world.

HALESTORM was nominated in four categories at this year's ceremony, including "Best International Live Artist" and "Best Album".

The 27-year-old Lloyd is one of the most prolific guitarists on the world wide web, a trailblazer who is redefining the concept of a "bedroom" guitarist. A talented composer and accomplished musician, Sophie graduated from the prestigious BIMM in 2018 with a First Class Honours BMus in Popular Music Performance, honing and refining a talent she has nurtured since childhood. Since then, she has amassed the kind of following that even the guitar gods she grew up idolizing would be envious of, with a reach surpassing three million followers across her social channels, built through a steady stream of sharing her talent via guitar "shredleys", covers and her own original material.

Most recently, Sophie could be seen shredding on stage as guitarist for multi-platinum recording artist Machine Gun Kelly on his recent "Mainstream Sellout" world tour, which included sold-out shows at legendary venues such Madison Square Garden in New York and Wembley Arena in London.

Earlier this 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 Hale-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. 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)".

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joe Hottinger (@thejoestorm)



View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joe Hottinger (@thejoestorm)

The Pablo Cuesta YouTube channel has uploaded video of Glenn Hughes's May 14 concert at Teatro Palacio Valdés in Avilés, Spain. Check out the clips below.

Hughes, the former bassist, and singer of DEEP PURPLE, known to millions as the "Voice Of Rock", and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, recently launched the "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live - Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of The Album Burn" tour.

Glenn is performing DEEP PURPLE's legendary rock album "Burn" and is also playing DEEP PURPLE MKIII and MKIV songs.

Glenn's band features Søren Andersen (guitar),Ash Sheehan (drums) and Bob Fridzema (keyboards).

"It was 50 years ago, in the summer of 1973, that the 'Burn' album by DEEP PURPLE was written at Clearwell Castle in the Forest of Dean Gloucestershire," reminisced Glenn. "It was recorded in October in Montreux, Switzerland. We all became one in this centuries old castle in the U.K. countryside, it felt like DEEP were a new band, with David [Coverdale, vocals] and I as new members, we couldn't wait to start working on new songs. The atmosphere was electric, in such amazing surroundings.

"All the songs on 'Burn' were written in the crypt/dungeon, underneath the great hall," he continued. "We worked on a new song every day, and we were in the flow. Musically we would play, and work out ideas, and David and I would come up with vocal melodies that would later have lyrics. I remember it like it was yesterday.

"As you could imagine, Ritchie Blackmore [guitar] was in full prankster mode, Jon [Lord, keyboards] had warned me, and he rigged my room one night with a speaker that was hidden, and had ghostly voices delivered to my bedside.

"The title track was the last song to be written. We came back from the pub, and went down into the crypt, and magic happened."

Concluded Hughes: "It's time to celebrate 'Burn', and I'm really looking forward to seeing you."

"Burn" is the eighth studio album by the English rock band DEEP PURPLE, written and recorded in 1973, and released in February 1974. The album was the first to feature then-unknown Coverdale on vocals and Hughes, from TRAPEZE, on bass and vocals. "Burn" was recorded in Montreux, Switzerland, in November 1973, with the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. With the addition of Coverdale and Hughes, DEEP PURPLE's hard rock sound incorporated elements of soul and funk, which would become much more prominent on the follow-up album, "Stormbringer".

The phenomenal "Burn" title track started things off at full throttle and challenged the seminal "Highway Star" for the honor of best opener to any DEEP PURPLE album, while showcasing the always-impressive drumming of Ian Paice. The fantastic slow-boiling blues of "Mistreated"'s greatness qualifies it for the highest echelons of hard rock achievement, and therefore ranks as an essential item in the discography of any self-respecting music fan.

"Burn" hit No. 3 on the U.K. albums chart, No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and No. 1 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Norway.

In 2004 "Burn" was remastered and released with bonus tracks. "Coronarias Redig" was recorded during the "Burn" recording sessions, used only as a B-side for the "Might Just Take Your Life" single in 1974. It appears as a bonus track (in remixed form) on the anniversary edition re-release. The 2004 remix version of "Burn" was later used in "Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock".

In 2005 an unauthorized documentary about the album was produced as part of "The Ultimate Critical Review" series. It featured a brand new interview with Hughes.

Glenn Hughes, 14 de mayo de 2023.
Celebrando el 50 Aniversario de 'BURN', Glenn Hughes interpretará el legendario álbum...

Posted by Teatro Palacio Valdés on Thursday, May 11, 2023

FOO FIGHTERS have unveiled "The Teacher", the fourth track to drop in advance of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers' eleventh album, "But Here We Are", due out June 2 on Roswell Records/RCA Records.

"The Teacher" complements the primal scream of "Rescued", the bittersweet punk/pop-tinged rock of "Under You" and the serene dream pop of "Show Me How" with a bold new dimension of FOO FIGHTERS' sonic identity. Both the longest song the band has ever recorded and arguably the shortest 10 minutes in rock history, "The Teacher" builds from an understated Dave Grohl and guitar intro, layering impressionistic lyrical refrains onto a series of crescendos, peaks and valleys, before saying goodbye in a blaze of audio overload. A rock epic in the truest sense, "The Teacher" is like nothing the band has done before, yet instantly identifiable as FOO FIGHTERS.

In other previously unexplored territory for FOO FIGHTERS, "The Teacher" scores a short film directed by multimedia artist Tony Oursler. Known since the late 1970s for his body of work spanning video, sculpture, installation, performance, and painting, Oursler came to FOO FIGHTERS' attention via his work with David Bowie, specifically his video for Bowie's landmark January 2013 single "Where Are We Now?" The resultant collaboration is a beautifully disorienting array of emotive non-linear imagery that transcends boundaries of time and space in its telling of the enigmatic tale of "The Teacher". If "The Teacher" is FOO FIGHTERS as you've never heard them, Oursler's visual interpretation is certainly FOO FIGHTERS as they've never been seen before.

The first new song to be released was "Rescued" — which has generated raves including "driven by a fresh sense of pathos and urgency" (The New York Times),"FOO FIGHTERS have never sounded more vital" (Consequence)," "one of the FOOS' most immediate, emotional songs" (Vulture),"delivers everything fans have come to know and love" (Revolver) and more.

A brutally honest and emotionally raw response to everything FOO FIGHTERS endured over the last year, "But Here We Are" is a testament to the healing powers of music, friendship and family.

Produced by Greg Kurstin and FOO FIGHTERS, "But Here We Are" is in nearly equal measure the eleventh FOO FIGHTERS album and the first chapter of the band's new life. Sonically channeling the naiveté of FOO FIGHTERS' 1995 debut, informed by decades of maturity and depth, "But Here We Are" is the sound of brothers finding refuge in the music that brought them together in the first place 28 years ago, a process that was as therapeutic as it was about a continuation of life.

"But Here We Are" track listing:

01. Rescued
02. Under You
03. Hearing Voices
04. But Here We Are
05. The Glass
06. Nothing At All
07. Show Me How
08. Beyond Me
09. The Teacher
10. Rest

FOO FIGHTERS played their first official concert with new drummer Josh Freese on May 24 at Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion At Meadowbrook in Gilford, New Hampshire. The band launched the 21-song set with "Rescued" and performed three other cuts from the "But Here We Are" LP, "Under You", "Nothing At All" and the title track. The rest of the concert included the first performance of "Cold Day In The Sun" in five years, and frontman Dave Grohl's daughter Violet Grohl joining the band onstage for "Shame Shame".

FOO FIGHTERS will make a few other festival stops, including Bonnaroo in June, Festival D'Ete De Quebec in July, Outside Lands in August, the Ohana, also in August, and Chicago's Riot Fest in September.

The band revealed Freese as part of its new touring lineup on May 21 during a pre-tour livestream called "Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts". Freese was unveiled as the drummer during the livestream after comedic cameos by Chad Smith of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Tommy Lee of MÖTLEY CRÜE and Danny Carey of TOOL.

Freese was most recently drumming for Danny Elfman but was recently replaced by Ilan Rubin. Freese was also touring with THE OFFSPRING up until last year, with former SUICIDAL TENDENCIES drummer Brandon Pertzborn stepping in to officially replace him a couple of weeks ago.

Freese replaces longtime FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins, who tragically passed away in March 2022 at the age of 50.

Freese previously played with the FOO FIGHTERS at the tribute concerts to Hawkins in 2022.

Freese is a veteran session drummer who has performed with GUNS N' ROSES, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUDDLE OF MUDD, NINE INCH NAILS, WEEZER, PARAMORE, THE REPLACEMENTS, Sting and THE VANDALS, among many others. He has also played more than 300 recordings ranging in genres from pop to rock to country.

DIETH, the new band featuring former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, Swedish guitarist/vocalist Guilherme Miranda (formerly of ENTOMBED A.D.) and drummer Michał Łysejko (ex-DECAPITATED), will release its debut album, "To Hell And Back", on June 2 via Napalm Records.

Today the band has released the song "Walk With Me Forever", featuring the first-ever solo lead vocal performance of Ellefson's career. The track holds very special meaning on this U.S. Memorial Day week, as it explores the intense loss of a loved one and their memory providing the strength to carry on. The track's haunting accompanying music video, also out today, shows Ellefson narrating a story of love and loss, directed by Oskar Szramka and starring notable Polish actors Jan Napieralski and Agnieszka Goździewicz.

Ellefson states about the track: "We've all experienced loss and grief at some point in our life, and this song expresses that feeling as well as the gratitude we find when accepting, letting go and carrying the beauty of that person's life with us as we move on."

Produced by DIETH, with mixing and mastering by Tomasz Zed Zalewski at Zed Studios in Chechło, Poland, the LP represents new beginnings — musically, lyrically and for the band members themselves. Weaving a sinister thread of unrelenting tech-steeped death metal and rapid thrash bangers, the members of DIETH have pushed beyond the stereotypes of their former genres to create an unexpected yet charismatic and dynamic new sonic footprint.

DIETH dropped its debut single, "In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents", in mid-2022. Met with acclaim from both fans and media alike, the surprise track marked the exciting resurgence of these three renowned musicians, coming together as a new musical force after years of silence.

Opening with an entrancing acoustic introduction, first track "To Hell And Back" quickly slams in with a punishing death metal attack. Tracks like "Dead Inside" and "Don't Get Mad … Get Even!" showcase the thrash-infused side of DIETH, while death metal anthems such as "Wicked Disdain" and "The Mark Of Cain" lean diabolical with hair-raising solos and breakneck paced rhythms backed by crushing walls of aggression. Standout "Free Us All" flirts with the record's pace by blending winding passages and aggression with throwback bass-driven interludes with psychedelic production, followed by "Heavy Is The Crown" — a slow-and-low grinder featuring stoner metal groove, a swaying chorus and a blues-infused solo. Pensive, powerful ballad "Walk With Me Forever" showcases Ellefson's lead vocal performance debut, singing about the intense loss of a loved one and their memory providing the strength to carry on.

Ending with intensely beautiful "Severance", "To Hell And Back" proves that DIETH isn't just another side project or "supergroup", but rather the collective reincarnation of three renowned heavy metal forces who, by harnessing their own pain and conflict, have delivered an exciting next chapter no metal fan will want to miss!

Ellefson says about the new album: "This album has been a terrific collaboration, building upon our past as we created a new sound together... we're looking forward to unleashing the fury!"

"To Hell And Back" track listing:

01. To Hell And Back
02. Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!
03. Wicked Disdain
04. Free Us All
05. Heavy Is The Crown
06. Walk With Me Forever
07. Dead Inside
08. The Mark Of Cain
09. In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents
10. Severance

Upcoming DIETH shows:

June 05 - DE, Berlin - Columbia Theater (supporting TESTAMENT + VOIVOD)
June 16 - DE, Hannover - Capitol (supporting TESTAMENT + VOIVOD)
June 15-18 - BE, Dessel - Graspop Metal Festival
July 6-8 - CZ, Velke Mezirici - Fajtfest
Aug. 3-5 - PT, Vagos - Vagos Metal Fest
Aug. 20 - FR, Carhaix - Motorcultor Festival

DIETH is:

Guilherme Miranda - Vocals, Guitar
David Ellefson - Vocals, Bass
Michał Łysejko – Drums

Photo credit: Maciej Pieloch

FIRSTBORNE, the band featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Adler and MEGADETH bassist James LoMenzo, has released another new single, "Follower".

As was the case with "Bad Things" and "One Of A Kind", which were made available in September; "Dead Rats", which came out in October; "Intercontinental Champions", which was released in November; "Sinners", which arrived in February; and "Follower", which came out in April; "Home" was independently produced by the band — also featuring soft-shred pioneer Myrone (guitar) and rising-star vocalist Girish Pradhan.

When "Bad Things" and "One Of A Kind" were released, Adler had this to say about the new singles and the trajectory of FIRSTBORNE: "We've made good use of the time. For the next year-plus we will be releasing a song a month, starting here and now with a one-two-punch.

"I'm thrilled to be in a creative partnership that can do just about anything. Feels like playing in 'God Mode' on Guitar / Band Hero. It's a passion project and it's fun for us to share. Dig in. Or don't. See you next month!"

Myrone added about the ethos of the group: "No Labels, No Management, NO GODS, NO MASTERS!!!!"

FIRSTBORNE's self-titled debut EP came out in 2020 and marked Adler's first dedicated band release since his departure from MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD.

"Firstborne" included five songs and two lyric videos. The EP represented several years of dedicated introspection and refined effort to the idea of a heavy and positive message.

As might be expected, Adler chose his bandmates in this endeavor meticulously.

Not too long ago, Adler shared the stage across the Middle East with LoMenzo in HAIL! Prior to that, LoMenzo and Adler orbited each other for years traveling together on tours crossing the globe. The connect was inevitable.

Adler and Myrone began collaborating in early 2019 after Myrone noticed Adler's e-mail address attached to a Bandcamp sales notification email. Adler had been a fan of Myrone's talent for years prior and as soon as they connected, it was game on.

A chance meeting in India, almost a second home to Chris after eight visits, was the spark needed to form the international group FIRSTBORNE and for Chris to return to the studio. Adler met and shared the stage with Pradhan during a six-week clinic tour of India in the fall of 2019. After the first show of the clinic tour, Adler immediately called Myrone, noting he'd "struck gold" in their search for a singer for the then-unnamed project.

Girish Pradhan is the glue that united FIRSTBORNE. Pradhan on vocals represents an almost unprecedented international collaboration.

Pradhan is an established and well-known recording and touring artist in India and resides in Bengaluru. His band GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES made international headlines with their album "Rock The Highway" and music videos "Rock 'N Roll Is Here to Stay", "Identity Crisis" and "Rock The Highway".

Speaking on his experience creating with FIRSTBORNE, Myrone explained: "Every single part of this experience has been extremely surreal for me. Girish is one of the best metal vocalists on the planet, Chris is one of the most influential drummers of the last 25 years, and JLO can play anything from MEGADETH to John Fogerty to Motown and everything in between. I can't believe I get to share space on a .wav with them."

Myrone is a Los Angeles-based producer/guitarist who pioneered the "soft shred" genre. In the last few years, he has released several albums and two EPs of instrumental guitar music and racked up millions of Spotify streams. In addition to his own recordings, he has collaborated with Rivers Cuomo (WEEZER),SZA, Little Boots, Michael Christmas and Deaton Chris Anthony. More recently, Myrone was Guitar #1 in the L.A. production of "Rock Of Ages", the 29th-longest running show in Broadway history.

LoMenzo is a veteran touring/recording musician since his multi-platinum band WHITE LION in the 1980s. Lomenzo is one of the most in-demand rock bass players in the world. His list of credits includes WHITE LION, Zakk Wylde's BLACK LABEL SOCIETY/PRIDE & GLORY, MEGADETH, Jerry Cantrell, David Lee Roth, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, LYNCH MOB, FREHEY'S COMET and more. He officially rejoined MEGADETH as a touring member last year and became an official member in May 2022.

LoMenzo had this to say about his collaboration within FIRSTBORNE: "I first met Chris in 2006 on MEGADETH's 'Gigantour'. I was playing bass with MEGADETH at the time. Watching Chris on that tour, I recall being struck by the creativity, speed and power of his drumming with LAMB OF GOD. In contrast, I found him to be a gentle, thoughtful soul. Years later, I had the opportunity to finally play with Chris, performing in the Middle East with the all-star metal band HAIL! We had a great time. At this time, Chris mentioned he was looking forward to exploring making all kinds of music. I suggested he keep me in mind. Next thing I know I'm being introduced to Myrone through a demo that Chris forwarded to me. I was immediately drawn to the music. Myrone's guitar is uniquely untethered to any one style. He's a brilliant and capable amalgam of classic rock, new and classic metal. Girish on top of all this had me stunned! A soaring, powerful voice that while uniquely his own, conjures images of the greatest singers of metal, blues and classic rock. His voice is a powerful, emotive vehicle to inform through his heartfelt and socially conscious lyrics. To my ear, the combination of all this musical talent is wonderfully unique and perfectly familiar."

Adler added: "I've been incredibly fortunate in my creative endeavors. From the start, I sought out the best players I could find to work alongside. It's been an incredible journey that is clearly not over. Some things have changed. This may not be exactly what people expect from me right now, and I'm aware and embrace that. It's time for something new. I'm have a platform to present something important, true and collaborative. Creating FIRSTBORNE beckons cohesiveness as a mission statement. This is not about being mad all the time, egos or fabricating polarizing drama. 'This is right' is now my alarm clock. Girish, Myrone and James have the exact locker room mentality of 'kill 'em all! but let's make sure everyone is okay and having a kick-ass time' that I try and bring to everything I do. FIRSTBONE is the result of all of my experiences, both positive and negative, and I'm proud of what we are doing together."

Adler is a Grammy-winning American metal drummer from Richmond, Virginia. Chris founded LAMB OF GOD in 1994 and helped usher in what critics have dubbed the "New Wave Of American Heavy Metal." LAMB OF GOD's discography with Chris includes multiple gold records and platinum DVDs as well as five Grammy nominations.

Chris received a Grammy for playing drums on legendary thrash metal band MEGADETH's 2016 record "Dystopia". Chris also toured with MEGADETH in support of the record while juggling and occasionally combining tour dates with LAMB OF GOD.

Chris has collaborated and contributed to records with PROTEST THE HERO, TESTAMENT, THAIKKUDAM BRIDGE, Michael Angelo Batio and Ron Jarzombek.

In 2018, Chris created an artist management firm Kintsugi Management.

FIRSTBORNE is:

Vocals: Girish Pradhan
Guitar: Myrone
Bass: James LoMenzo
Drums: Chris Adler

Professor Reggie Almeida of the Gracie Barra Brazilian jiu-jitsu school in Spring Hill, Tennessee, who has been traveling with MEGADETH on the band's recent tours, has uploaded backstage and performance video of MEGADETH's appearances at Knotfest Australia, which took place March 24 in Melbourne, March 25 in Sydney and March 26 in Brisbane. Check out the footage below.

In a message accompanying the YouTube release of the video, Almeida wrote: "A short version of what I did in Australia with MEGADETH, worked out with Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader], and of course backstage, concerts etc."

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).

HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta joined MACHINE HEAD on stage during the latter band's May 28 performance at the Milwaukee Metal Fest at The Rave/Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to perform the MH classic "Davidian". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

For the Milwaukee Metal Fest performance, MACHINE HEAD once again recruited HAVOK's Reece Alan Scruggs to play second guitar. Scruggs previously played with MACHINE HEAD on the "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" fall 2022 tour. Reece was filling in for Polish guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED),who was unable to make the fall 2022 trek due to his touring commitments with his longtime band DECAPITATED.

Last month, MACHINE HEAD canceled its previously announced spring 2023 U.S. tour "due to work visa issues," explaining that "half the band, as well as a handful of key crew members, reside outside of the U.S."

The 18-date "The Electric Happy Hour (Live)" trek was scheduled to kick off on May 15 in Ventura, California and make its way to Des Moines, Fort Wayne, and Detroit before ending in Los Angeles on June 9.

MACHINE HEAD has been touring in support of its latest album, "Of Kingdom And Crown", which came out last August. The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis" includes the three songs that were featured on the 2021 "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky". Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/producer Zack Ohren.

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

Ted Nugent has blasted the Los Angeles Dodgers for their decision to feature controversial anti-Catholic LGBTQ+ activist group of "queer and trans nuns" known as the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence at a Pride Night event scheduled for June 16.

After the Dodgers announced earlier this month that they were inviting the well-known San Francisco order that has existed since the 1970s, some conservative Roman Catholics and politicians had accused the group of mocking nuns and the Christian faith. In addition, the non-profit advocacy group CatholicVote launched a $1 million campaign, calling on everyone to boycott the baseball franchise.

In response to backlash, the Dodgers stated they would not feature the group during Pride Night festivities, but later reversed course in the face of outrage from LGBGTQ+ groups across the country.

"After much thoughtful feedback from our diverse communities, honest conversations within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and generous discussions with the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence, the Los Angeles Dodgers would like to offer our sincerest apologies to the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their friends and families," the organization said.

"We have asked the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence to take their place on the field at our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th. We are pleased to share that they have agreed to receive the gratitude of our collective communities for the lifesaving work that they have done tirelessly for decades…" it continued.

In their own statement, the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence said: "This morning our Abbess, Sister Dominia, and another board member, Sister Bearonce Knows, met with the Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten … A full apology and explanation was given to us by the Dodgers staff which we accept. … May the games be blessed!"

Nugent addressed the controversy in a new interview with Eric Bolling, the host of Newsmax's "Eric Bolling The Balance". The outspoken conservative rocker said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "These decision makers are rock solid in the liability column for mankind. This is pure runaway evil. That is Satanism. When you attack Christ, when you attack religious people who abide by the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, the Constitution, the Bill Of Rights, all that radical stuff, you are literally on the side of pure evil.

"Satan has his foot in the American door right now," Nugent continued. "He's got the president, he's got the vice president, he's got almost everybody in the Democrat party and the Republican party, they've got the DOJ, the CDC, the FDA, the USDA — literally evil controls the majority, if not all, of Uncle Sam right now.

"So, once again, this is an experiment in self-government," Ted added. "I'm just a guitar player, but everybody who works for me in government knows exactly what this guitar player believes in. It's God, family, country, Constitution, Bill Of Rights, being the best that you can be, law and order. And these perverts are literally doing the evil deeds of Satan. It's so obvious, even guitar players can figure it out."

The L.A. chapter of the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence will accept a "community hero award" "for the lifesaving work they have done tirelessly for decades" at the June 16 event, which marks the tenth anniversary of Pride Nights at Dodger Stadium.

Founded in San Francisco in 1979, the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence were one of the first groups to fundraise and provide community outreach in response to the AIDS crisis. In the time since, they have raised over $1 million for various causes affecting the LGBTQ+ community.
pic.twitter.com/626cPP4Ith

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 22, 2023

In a new interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke about how he and his bandmates came up with the idea of creating the Snake Pit, a standing-only area built into the center of the stage so that a select group of fans could experience the show on a more human scale. He said: "One of our managers back in New York in the late Eighties/early Nineties [had] the idea that when you would go to a restaurant that the best seat in the restaurant was actually not in the house — [it] was in the kitchen. So in crazy, cool restaurants, if you could somehow get into the kitchen and eat in the kitchen, you were in there where all the action was. So the idea that came out of that for that Snake Pit on the 'Black Album' tour was basically to be in the middle of the stage. So we had a stage that was shaped like a diamond, and there were 30, 40 spots in the middle of that stage. Radio contest winners, friends, family, a few crazy metalheads from around the audience would end up in that snake pit, and they would be onstage with us. And then it morphed. Basically, for, I guess, 30 years now, the Snake Pit has been an integral part of at least a METALLICA indoor show. And then in the stadiums when we've been playing outside, it’s been sort of this extension of the stage. You've seen it, but they've never been, like, crazy big. There's been room for a couple of hundred here, a couple hundred there, whatever."

Ulrich added that the current iteration of the Snake Pit holds 900 to 1,200 people, depending on the rules of the local fire marshal.

Snake Pit ticket packages for METALLICA's "M72" world tour reportedly run from $1,038 up to a whopping $4,398, limited to two per fan, but you can still enter to win them if you're a member of the fan club.

In "A Year And A Half In The Life Of Metallica", a documentary about the making of the "Black Album", Lars said the Snake Pit was part of a larger plan to push the envelope. "This time around, we really wanted to fuck with the concept of arena rock," he said. "We came up with a stage that was definitely different than what any other bands had done: playing every song in a different formation [where we'd have] drums moving around, James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] moving around, [and] the Snake Pit [with] kids in the middle."

Late last month, METALLICA kicked off its "M72" world tour 2023-2024 with two spectacular performances at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands with support from ARCHITECTS and MAMMOTH WVH on night one and Floor Jansen and ICE NINE KILLS on night two. The career-spanning sets featured the live debut of "If Darkness Had A Son" and "You Must Burn!" along with songs off their newest album "72 Seasons", including "Screaming Suicide", "Sleepwalk My Life Away" and the title track "72 Seasons". In total, METALLICA performed 32 different songs taken from its 11 studio albums.

METALLICA is visiting a total of 22 different cities around the world and playing two nights in each city.

The trek sees the band playing two nights in every city it visits — with each "No Repeat Weekend" featuring two completely different setlists and support lineups. The "M72" tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age.

Opening acts include FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.

METALLICA promises fans who purchase a two-day ticket that they won't see the same song twice for a total of over 30 songs spanning the band's 40-plus-year career.

Each weekend offers a variety of "Enhanced Experiences", ranging from access to a meet-and-greet, production and stage tour, food and beverage in the "Black Box" lounge to early entry into the venue and the Snake Pit. The very popular "Black Laminate" is back, now known as the "I Disappear Ticket", and is the ultimate pass for the fan who wants to run away with METALLICA for multiple weekends.

A single "I Disappear" ticket purchase gives you access to as many of METALLICA's 46 headlining tour dates across Europe and North America in 2023 and 2024 as you choose. You decide how many shows you'd like to attend around the world, and for how long, and METALLICA will make it as easy as possible.

In a new interview with Revolver magazine, former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was asked if he wishes he could have played on the band's final tour in 2018 and 2019. He responded: "No, not really. I was already doing so much… I'd known for years that Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] wanted to retire, so it was no surprise. During the later years — I left in '13, so maybe around 2009 or 2010 — Kerry [King, SLAYER guitarist] and I were thinking about putting together another band. It might have been at Hellfest when Kerry and I said, 'Hey, let's go see EXODUS.' We walked to one of the other stages and we saw Gary Holt play. I said, 'Dude, that guy's a badass.' And Kerry was, like, 'Yeah, that's who we need to recruit for this new project.' And again, at that time we knew Tom wanted to stop. He was tired. And then the whole Jeff Hanneman thing went down and the first person that crossed our minds was Gary Holt."

Pressed about whether he would say "yes" to playing with SLAYER again if the band decided to come back, Dave said: "I don't even go down that path. I don't see it ever happening. If they ever do decide to come back, they're going to piss off a lot of fans because, man, they really hyped that farewell tour. They're going to have to be very careful on how they approach that. But who cares? The fans will be happy regardless. So, I don't even think about that."

Dave previously reflected on his final stint with SLAYER, which lasted from 2001 until his dismissal in 2013, last month during an appearance on an episode of the "Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal" podcast. Asked how it felt to be coming back to the band after being gone for so long, the now-58-year-old drummer said: "It made sense. I was out of the band for 10 years — 10 [or] 11 years. And they decided to bring me back in. And everything was good. Everything felt fine. We had a good run. I was able to bring my own creativity or at least…

"It was difficult to change the SLAYER path," he continued. "They really liked their niche market, and they didn't wanna stray too much. But in a live sense, I was able to be free when it came to some of the drum rolls and some of the changes. I used to throw the guys in the band for a loop when I would create a really bizarre drum roll. And it makes them turn around [and go], 'What the fuck is that?' And then I land on the 'one.' It's, like, 'There it is.' But I was getting creative, I think, because I knew the music so well. And so there was room for me to fuck around. It's, like, 'Why didn't I play this drum part when I recorded the album? It would have been so much better.' After you played something for so long…

"I read once that Mick Jagger said, 'God, I wish we would have written that song 'Satisfaction' a little better if I knew we were gonna play it for [almost 60] years.' I was going through a little bit of the same thing with my own drum parts," Dave admitted. "'Ah, I'm gonna do this.' 'Oh, that double-bass section in 'Angel Of Death'. You know what? I'm gonna extend it a little longer.' Or 'I'm gonna add a snare roll in the middle of it.' So I was just having fun with it. And it was because I was, I guess, seasoned from the musicians I was working with in the past. And that kind of helped, I think — helped me personally — to enjoy the moments on stage. Because when you are on tour and playing the same songs month after month, year after year, it becomes a little redundant. So that kind of helped me entertain myself on stage, to see if I could stump the guitar players, if I could mess with them."

Lombardo, who has spent most of the recent years between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS, hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS and MR. BUNGLE, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Shortly after his dismissal, Lombardo said that he discovered that 90 percent of SLAYER's tour income was being deducted as expenses, including fees to management, costing the band millions and leaving them with about 10 percent to split four ways. While he and Tom Araya hired auditors to figure out what had happened, Lombardo said he was never allowed to see any of the information obtained.

Lombardo released a statement in February 2013 saying he "was denied access to detailed information and the necessary backup documents." He added: "I was told that I would not be paid until I signed a longform contract which gave me no written assurance of how much or on what basis management would deduct commissions, nor did it provide me access to the financial budgets or records for review. It also forbade me to do interviews or make statements having to do with the band, in effect a gagging order."

Dave previously opened about his departure from SLAYER while taking questions from the audience in March 2014 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

"I did my best to try to keep it together, but I couldn't go on, man," Dave said. "I had to step out, because you can't be shackled like that; nobody can take advantage of another person like that anymore. I did it for too many years, and I held my breath. Red flags kept going on in my books. It's, like, 'Really? I'm supposed to make more money? Why am I on the same salary? I'm making the exact same thing I've been making the past two years. And this is back in 2004. So I knew something was up. And I tried my best to work it out with the guys. I brought Tom into the picture. I had Tom in a hotel room with me talking to my attorney, and my attorney was telling him everything their management company had been doing to them for the past 30 freakin' years. And we had an accountant, a forensic accountant, ready to go in there and look at the stuff."

He continued: "Tom got bought out. Management flipped him over a couple of hundred grand — who knows how much? — and Kerry as well, to keep quiet and go against Lombardo. So they turned their backs on me. And on the last day, when I'm at rehearsal with them — and I saved it all the way until the end — I said, 'Guys, we need a new business plan. You guys have been on the same business plan after 30 years. Now I'm an income participant. In other words, I 'm a percentage holder.' So if you're a percentage holder, you have the right, and you're contracted, as a percentage holder, you have the right to see where all the expenses are going. Because here you are getting paid off of net, and then out of 4.4 million dollars, the band gets 400 thousand dollars. Where's the four million? And that's just 2011. [The rest of the money went to] lawyers, accountant and the manager.

"For the past 30 years, they were doing that to the guys. And they took my information… I'll never forget the day…. I just said, 'Guys, look at this. This came from your accountant.' And it showed all the money. It wasn't showing where the money was going, it was just showing 'gross,' 'expenses,' 'net.' And out of that net, I made, on tour, in 2011, 67 thousand dollars. Kerry and Tom, that was about 114 thousand dollars they made on tour. So if you did about 60 shows, divide that up between 60 shows… Anybody have a calculator? No, not 60… Let's say about 90 shows per year: 30 in the spring, 30 in the summer and 30 shows in the winter, in the fall. So you break that up per show… Really? It's disgusting. I bust my ass up there playing drums. I mean, I am just sweating, I'm beat. And for the guy in the Hollywood Hills, for his facials, his manicures… No, I'm not gonna play for that. No."

In a November 2013 interview with Minneapolis City Pages, Araya stated about Lombardo: "Dave left the band originally in '91 or '92, After that, we brought in Jon Dette for two years and then we hooked up with Paul [Bostaph], who did four really great albums with us. Then he decided to move on. Our manager hooked us up with Dave again and when we were putting together [2006's] 'Christ Illusion', Dave offered to help out. We wanted to make things fair for him, so we offered him a contract with the band. Most recently, we were offered to tour Australia. When we were rehearsing, he seemed to do a 180 and said some things that kind of upset me and Kerry. Kerry just looked at him and said, 'If you feel that way, then why are we even rehearsing for this tour?' So we wrote him a letter and said, 'Listen, we need to know if you're going to do the shows in Australia. If you're not, we need to do something about that.' We didn't get a reply. We were put in a position where we had to do something, so we got Jon Dette to play with us again. After what happened with the Australia tour, we made the decision to move forward and make him aware that we no longer needed his services. He was really upset about that. He wrote a rant on Facebook. He said some things that he shouldn't have. It really upset us. And it upset me. I was fuming. I couldn't believe that he would throw that out in the court of public opinion. After that, Jeff [Hanneman, deceased SLAYER guitarist], me and Kerry all got on the phone and talked about it. And Paul's name came up. It was a sure thing with Paul. He'd been in the band for over 12 years. So we gave him a call to see if he was interested and he was more than happy to. It was a no-brainer. He's an amazing drummer."

A few years ago, King said that "when Dave was in [SLAYER] this last time, I figured I'd be on the stage with him until one of us fell off the stage, dead. Things change. He got some bad advice and listened to some bad advice, gave us an ultimatum ten days before we went to Australia [to do the Soundwave festival tour]. And I said, 'I can't have this over my head.' And I feel bad for Dave to this day; I really feel bad for him because he shot himself in the foot. Maybe he thought he had the upper hand, but you ain't gonna get me."

SLAYER played its last-ever show in November 2019 at The Forum in Los Angeles.

At this year's Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio, AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ spoke to Bodhi of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station about the band's upcoming album "Life Is But A Dream…", which is set to arrive on June 2 via Warner. Regarding whether the LP was easy to put together, considering it has been seven years since 2016's "The Stage" was released, Johnny said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Every album that we go into have their challenges, and those challenges come from within. We wanna challenge ourselves at our crafts and try to accomplish things that, hopefully, no one else has tried to accomplish before. And we try to do that to the best of our ability. We do that pretty every record — literally every record. So when it [came] time to do this record, it felt very much like any other time. New challenges, of course. And we wanted to accomplish things that we haven't accomplished before, as I just said — not to keep beating a dead horse there. But as far as the overall feel of it, it was very much like we got off the road from 'The Stage' cycle and we started writing. It took about a year, maybe a little longer than a year, for the writing. And just when we were ready to book the studio time to actually just start recording it, the pandemic hit and put a lot of restraints on what we could do. So we said, 'Fuck it. We're just gonna chill back and wait until we can do everything right, the way that we want to.'"

He continued: "It ended up being a silver lining, to be honest, for a lot of us, on our personal ends. We have young families, and we were able to be home with them for an extended period of time, taking the kids to school and sports and everything, which was really cool. We probably wouldn't have had a chance to do that [if it hadn't been for the pandemic]. And the other one is it gave us time to really concentrate on the record sonically after we had already finished the writing of it and maybe go back a couple of times over and really go, 'Okay. We were gonna do these interludes, and maybe we're not gonna do those anymore. Let's trim the fat on everything and make this the best possible journey of music that we can possibly put together for everybody.'"

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

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

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

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

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

To date, AVENGED SEVENFOLD has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart (2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King") to go along with over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams, as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio. The band is equally known for their spectacular live shows, selling out arenas and headlining the world's most prestigious rock festivals.

In a new interview with Fox News, Sammy Hagar spoke about mending his relationship with Eddie Van Halen prior to the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist's passing. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "To be able to have talked to Eddie and had a wonderful rapport with him on text, it means everything to me. If he would have died and we would have not ever said 'I love you' to each other again, I would feel really bad. I probably wouldn't be able to talk… I wouldn't be able to talk to you about it. So that means a lot to me. And it means a lot, I think, for me to feel good about talking about being in VAN HALEN now. 'Cause I feel like we buried the hatchet. To where otherwise I'd be saying, 'Well, those guys…' 'Cause I was mad, I was hurt. It's very important that we connected, yeah."

Eddie died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Hagar replaced David Lee Roth in VAN HALEN in 1985 and recorded four studio albums with the band — "5150", "OU812", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and "Balance" — all of which topped the U.S. chart.

Sammy, Eddie, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony last teamed up in 2004 for a U.S. summer tour.

Last month, Sammy reflected on being estranged from Eddie for years after he was dismissed from VAN HALEN, telling USA Today: "I cherish [Eddie] more than ever. What happened with us at the end was such a shame. It's what happens when alcohol and drugs are involved, and I'm going through a divorce. It's such a shame. If VAN HALEN were still together today, we'd be headlining every one of these festivals all over the world.

"I miss his unique creativity," Sammy added. "He'd play something and I'd go, 'What? Where the hell did that come from?' He was so out of left field, so original. That creativity always lifted me."

Early last year, Hagar told KUSI's Paul Rudy about how he repaired his relationship with Eddie prior to the guitarist's passing. He said: "The whole year, of 2020, in the early parts, around January, Eddie and I connected and we started talking again. We were talking about writing music again. We were talking about going out and touring with the whole gang one time for the big time in '22; that was the plan. Of course we wouldn't wanna announce anything like that. But I think Wolfie [Eddie's son Wolfgang Van Halen] said it in some interviews how everybody was planning on doing that, and it would have been the greatest thing that ever happened to VAN HALEN. Unfortunately, Eddie didn't make it.

"I don't think anyone realized how sick he was," Sammy continued. "And then when I started talking to him [again], I would send him a call and he wouldn't answer. I would send him a text and say, 'Word man…' — I used to call him 'Word Man — 'Word man, where are you, man? I'm trying to get a hold of you. You're making me nervous.' And about a day later, he'd get back [to me] and say, 'Dude, I was in the hospital.' I'd say, 'Oh, god.' It was funny. 'Dude, I'm in the hospital. Give me some slack.'

"But I'll tell you what: that guy was made out of something special, man. That Dutch blood or whatever it is, he hung in there a long time. He's had cancer and hip surgery and all these things for years; I guess he'd battled it almost 20 years."

According to Sammy, Eddie never allowed his health or substance abuse issues to significantly affect his live performance. "Eddie always played great," he said. "That's the thing that used to make me mad, 'cause he could drink as much as he wanted, do anything he wanted and come out there and still play good. I'd be going, 'This guy is making me mad.' [Laughs]"

In his autobiography, "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock", Hagar slammed Eddie, saying the guitarist was unkempt, hunched over, frighteningly skinny, drinking wine straight out of a bottle, missing part of his tongue (after a cancer scare) and several teeth. He told an interviewer in 2012: "What happened on that reunion tour in '04 was some of the most miserable, back-stabbing dark crap I've ever been involved with my whole life."

In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Eddie questioned an "embellished" portion of "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock" that painted the guitarist as a "very angry drunk" during the group's 2004 reunion tour.

In November 2020, Wolfgang revealed that his father had contemplated a "kitchen-sink tour" that would have included Anthony, as well as vocal turns from both Hagar and Roth. There was even talk about bringing back Gary Cherone, who sang with VAN HALEN on one poorly received album, 1998's "Van Halen III".

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In a new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, GREAT WHITE drummer Audie Desbrow spoke about the likelihood of a reunion with original GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It just couldn't physically be possible, I think… And there's just so much damage, verbal damage, e-mails to us from him that nobody will ever know what they were. And they're pretty bad. It's kind of beyond the ruin. I don't know how to describe it.

"But, yeah, I can't see that happening, unfortunately, I guess, for a lot of diehard fans," he added. "I'm sure there might be some fans who'd love to see us with Jack one time or whatever. But I just couldn't [see it happening]."

Russell sued his onetime bandmates in 2012 over their continued use of the GREAT WHITE name after Jack had taken a leave of absence from the band for medical reasons. A short time later, Russell was countersued by guitarist Mark Kendall, rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Michael Lardie and Desbrow, claiming the vocalist's self-destructive behavior was damaging the GREAT WHITE name (they also alleged he was charging promoters less for his own touring version of GREAT WHITE). The parties settled in July 2013 without going to trial, with Russell now performing as JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE while the others are continuing as GREAT WHITE.

Last November, Russell told All Access Live! With Kevin Rankin about the possibility of him reuniting with his former bandmates: "As far as the fans are concerned, for the most part they've been really cool about it. It is what it is. Of course most of them would rather see us back together. There are a few people that, for whatever reason, like a new guy better, which I don't understand. That'd be like me saying I like somebody better than Steven Tyler in AEROSMITH. Or, 'Get rid of that Robert Plant schmuck [in LED ZEPPELIN]. Let me hear somebody else.' I don't know. To each his own. Some things just defy explanation or logic. But for the most part, I think, people would like things, to see them back to where they were, which will never happen. Those days are gone, and anybody out there that's hoping and wishing and praying, it's not gonna happen; I'll tell you right now. Both camps agree [on that]."

Russell went on to say that he chooses to stay away from speaking disparagingly about his former bandmates. "I don't jump on the drama train," he said. "Unfortunately, there are still people that do, in my other band, that still choose to pass along negativity. And I'm not gonna say anything bad about anybody. It's, like, why? We were all huge friends for years. We accomplished one of the hugest things you can ever accomplish together — something that's almost impossible we pulled off. We were on five major labels, so we did it five times. Usually you lose one and you're blackballed. And we were on five different major labels. So there's something to say for that. I never was gonna let up until I was done."

In June 2022, shortly after GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with singer Mitch Malloy, Kendall dismissed the idea of reuniting with Russell, telling Dr. Music in an interview: "[People say,] 'Why don't you patch things up with Jack?' What people don't understand is we never even got in fights [with Jack]. In 25 years together, we might have gotten in two arguments. The thing that took him out is the horrible demons of addiction, and it's really affected his health. I just saw a video the other day where he's not even standing — he's using wheelchairs and he's sitting in a stool. So for us to go back to that, it just feels dark. I'd rather remember him… 'Cause I'm very proud of our career — I'm very proud of the past. I'm so lucky to be a part of it. And I wanna remember it like that, where he's flying around on stage and getting the crowds pumped and singing his heart out — not a sick person. So going to that…"

Malloy had been in GREAT WHITE for nearly four years, having joined the group in 2018 following the departure of Terry Ilous.

Ilous, frontman of '80s L.A. hard rockers XYZ, joined GREAT WHITE in 2010 after stepping in for touring vocalist Jani Lane (WARRANT).

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was dismissed from the group.

In 2018, Desbrow told ListenIowa that there was never any discussion about possibly bringing Jack back after Terry's exit from GREAT WHITE. "Not at all," he said. "We've already moved on from that. We've gone through a lot of stuff with that over the years, and the fact that he sued us in federal court for the name, and we spent a lot of time and money, you just don't return from that. People tell me that they've seen his latest shows, and it's just hard to look at because his health isn't as good as it could be. We've got a really grueling schedule, and it's hard enough for me, and I'm semi-healthy. [Laughs] I couldn't imagine someone in his condition doing what we're doing. We did shows with him toward the end, and he was in and out of a wheelchair and crutches, had to be carried up stairs, was falling asleep onstage. It just got old. It's a business, and we have families to support and mortgages to pay. You can't go to work messed up 24/7 and still be able to work there."

Last October, GREAT WHITE officially named Brett Carlisle as its new lead singer. Carlisle joined the band as the replacement for Andrew Freeman, who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24, 2022 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

WINGER and WHITESNAKE guitarist Reb Beach joined STEVE MORSE BAND on stage on May 26 at The Oaks Theater in Oakmont, Pennsylvania to perform the CREAM classic "Crossroads", originally recorded by blues legend Robert Johnson in 1936 as "Cross Road Blues". Fan-filmed video of Beach's appearance can be seen below (courtesy of Rick Robshaw and jmh2112 YouTube channels).

Earlier today (Monday, May 29),Beach shared video of the performance and tweeted: "It was such a huge honor to jam with my childhood hero, @SteveMorse . He is such an extraordinary person. He is incredibly kind and humble for being a musical genius. Like Jeff Beck, he is one of the great guitarists of our time, and a mind blowing song writer. It was a night I will definitely never forget. Thank you so much for letting me play with you, Steve."

Joining Morse in the STEVE MORSE BAND are Dave LaRue, also of FLYING COLORS and THE DIXIE DREGS, as well as Van Romaine, one of the most in-demand percussionists throughout his extensive career playing live and recording with legendary names like BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, Billy Joel, NAUGHTY BY NATURE and many more.

Last July, Morse officially left DEEP PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer. He was replaced by Simon McBride.

Morse's announcement came four months after the guitarist said that he would be taking a hiatus from the band, in the hope of rejoining his bandmates once his wife's health improved.

Morse effectively took over Ritchie Blackmore's DEEP PURPLE slot in 1994 and had been in the group longer than Ritchie.

Steve Morse spoke to the Beaver County Times about his decision to reform his STEVE MORSE BAND for a series of live appearances in April and May.

"I quit PURPLE because the tours were too long and we had a health emergency in my family with my wife having Stage 4 cancer," Morse said. "I told those guys 'I can't do this' and they were upset for like three to four seconds and then moved on. That's life, I and I wish them well and they're doing great."

Referencing STEVE MORSE BAND, he said: "I had always been told that we couldn't do weekends only. That it just wouldn't be possible to pay everybody and not be paying out of pocket to play. However, when we did the math with three people, it was possible in many cases to make it work. And the reason for the short length is so I can be home 90 percent of the time and possibly drag my wife with me, and line up all the medical appointments and everything. The idea was to make it possible so I could play some shows and not feel like I'm shortchanging what I could really help with by being home. It has made a huge difference in being a medical advocate through all the crazy stuff that's happened, and the surgeries and complications. There's so much to do with that."

Videos courtesy of Rick Robshaw and jmh2112 YouTube channels
musical genius. Like Jeff Beck, he is one of the great guitarists of our time, and a mind blowing song writer. It was a night I will definitely never forget. Thank you so much for letting me play with you, Steve.

— Reb Beach (@RealRebBeach) May 29, 2023



Can’t wait to head to Pennsylvania with the Steve Morse Band, performing live on May 26th at The Oaks Theater in Oakmont, PA. Get your tickets now at Eventbrite.com, and we’ll see you there!

Posted by Steve Morse on Wednesday, April 12, 2023

California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER performed the song "Eyes Of A Panther" on the season premiere of "America's Got Talent". Video of their appearance can be seen below.

The eighteenth season of "America's Got Talent" premieres Tuesday, May 30 at 8/7c on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock. The show began filming auditions the weekend of March 25, with judges Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara sharing plenty of photos and videos from set on Instagram.

STEEL PANTHER announced its "America's Got Talent" appearance on May 24, tweeting: "LOOK OUT! @AGT is about to get a whole lot more metal!" and sharing a photo of guitarist Satchel, singer Michael Starr, bassist Spyder and drummer Stix Zadinia on the "America's Got Talent" set. "Don't miss the SEASON PREMIERE NEXT TUESDAY (5/30) at 8PM local!!"

STEEL PANTHER will embark on the next U.S. leg of its "On The Prowl" tour this summer. The 22-city trek will kick off on July 13 in Huntington, New York and wrap up on August 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tour will make stops in Richmond, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana and Ventura, California, to name a few.

STEEL PANTHER's sixth studio album, "On The Prowl", was released in February.

In September, STEEL PANTHER announced the addition of Spyder as the band's new bassist.

The group's music has been described as "VAN HALEN meets MÖTLEY CRÜE meets RATT meets 'Wayne's World', complete with operatic shrieks, misogyny, shredding guitar solos and libidinal overdrive."

Fifteen years ago, STEEL PANTHER changed its name from METAL SKOOL to its current moniker and shifted the focus of its act from '80s metal covers to originals.

In a recent interview with Germany's Rock Antenne, Starr was asked if he ever gets "bored of being a parody of rock bands." He responded: "I love playing heavy metal. It's the most exciting job in the world for me. I've always dreamed about doing this — being on stage and being able to go all over the world with my buddies and play for people that like our music. It's really cool.

"Before we got signed by Universal, we were writing songs, and they were going, 'No. No. No.' They never signed us," he continued. "And then finally we were, like, 'You know what? Fuck it! We're gonna sing about what we wanna sing about. We're gonna sing about what we're thinking.' And once we did that, we got signed right away and we put out 'Death To All But Metal', and the rest is history.

"So, I don't care if people think it's a joke or a parody or whatever — who fucking cares?" he added. "It's STEEL PANTHER at the end of the day.

"No, I'm not bored. I love it."
LOOK OUT! @AGT is about to get a whole lot more metal! Don’t miss the SEASON PREMIERE NEXT TUESDAY (5/30) at 8PM local!!#AGT#AGTPremierepic.twitter.com/xqM7V3o6Pn

— Steel Panther (@Steel_Panther) May 24, 2023

Ex-SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach, ANTHRAX's Joey Belladonna, HEART's Nancy Wilson and STARSHIP singer Mickey Thomas are among the musicians who will appear on the upcoming TRIUMPH tribute album. The effort is being overseen by producer Mike Clink, who helmed TRIUMPH's 1986 album "Sport Of Kings" and also worked on early GUNS N' ROSES recordings. Other musicians who will appear on the album include longtime John Fogerty touring drummer Kenny Aronoff and BON JOVI guitarist Phil X, who previously played with TRIUMPH in 1992 and '93 after founding singer/guitarist Rik Emmett left the band.

In a new interview with Metal Mayhem ROC, TRIUMPH drummer Gil Moore said that the tribute LP should arrive "third or fourth quarter this year" via Round Hill Music. He added (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's been in the making for a number of years now, through the pandemic. We have some tremendous singers on there. Joey Belladonna from ANTHRAX is on there; our buddy Sebastian Bach, of course; Phil X from BON JOVI; Larry [Lawrence Gowan] from STYX; Nancy Wilson from HEART; Mickey Thomas from STARSHIP. There's tremendous musicians, especially drummers. For crying out loud, we've got Tommy Aldridge on there; Kenny Aronoff, another fantastic drummer, from John Mellencamp. I could go on and on about… Nita Strauss, a beautiful female guitarist who just knocks it out of the park. There's so many great musicians on there, I can't even tell you how thrilled we are."

Asked if he and his TRIUMPH bandmates were involved in putting the tribute album together, Moore said: "Mike Clink did the whole thing. I've gotta give him full credit."

TRIUMPH bassist Mike Levine previously discussed the tribute album in a 2021 interview with The Metal Voice. At the time, he said: "We were talking with [Clink], and we were talking about maybe doing a tribute album. So [we told him], 'You can produce it, but you're the guy who's gotta wrangle all the tributees; it's not gonna be our job to do that.' And the record company bought in and gave us a budget to do it.' So Clink has been slowly amassing the talent and getting the tracks done. It's being recorded in L.A. There's gonna be some great guest artists on it — great musicians. It's gonna be a really cool project when it's done."

As for the various musicians' approach to covering TRIUMPH material, Levine said: "Our only parameter from a band point of view is don't do it like we did it. Do your own take on it. We don't wanna hear somebody just copy what we did. We might as well just send you the bed track to put a vocal on it. We want an interpretation. And a lot of the money is going to a charity called MusiCares. It's a huge, huge organization that supports artists in trouble. It's kind of like a charity we have here [in Canada] called Unison that supports industry people that are having a hard time."

TRIUMPH's long-awaited feature documentary "Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine", premiered in the U.S. in May 2022 via Nugs.net.

"Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine", produced by Emmy and Peabody award-winning Banger Films (ALICE COOPER, IRON MAIDEN, RUSH and ZZ TOP),covers TRIUMPH's humble beginnings as staples of the GTA circuit in the mid-'70s to their heyday as touring juggernauts, selling out arenas and stadiums all across North America with their legendary spectacular live shows — and way beyond.

Levine, Emmett and Moore formed TRIUMPH in 1975, and their blend of heavy riff-rockers with progressive odysseys, peppered with thoughtful, inspiring lyrics and virtuosic guitar playing quickly made them a household name in Canada. Anthems like "Lay It On The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" broke them in the USA, and they amassed a legion of fiercely passionate fans. But, as a band that suddenly split at the zenith of their popularity, TRIUMPH missed out on an opportunity to say thank you to those loyal and devoted fans, a base that is still active today, three decades later.

Back in 2016, Moore and Levine reunited with Rik as special guests on the "RES 9" album from Emmett's band RESOLUTION9.

After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

Front-row fan-filmed video of PANTERA's entire May 27 performance at the Metalhead Meeting at Romexpo in Bucharest, Romania can be seen below. The show marked PANTERA's second live concert in Europe in 23 years — since May 2000, when the band last toured the continent in support of what would be their final album, "Reinventing The Steel".

PANTERA's setlist for the Bucharest concert was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

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

PANTERA's setlist for its recent shows has included one song which hadn't been performed live since the band's comeback last year: "Suicide Note Pt. II", from PANTERA's 1996 album "The Great Southern Trendkill".

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

Anselmo and Brown, along with Wylde and Benante, are headlining a number of major festivals across South America, Asia, North America and Europe and staging some of their own headline concerts. They will also support METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

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

This past March, PANTERA headlined the 2023 "comeback" edition of Japan's Loud Park festival. The two-day "limited" event took place on March 25 at Intex Osaka in Osaka and March 26 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City near Tokyo.

In December, PANTERA played seven shows in Mexico and South America.

Benante opened up about his participation in PANTERA's return during a recent interview with "THAT Rocks!", the new weekly YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson. Speaking about some of the criticism he has received for his involvement with PANTERA, Charlie said: "People had their preconceived notions of what they were gonna think: 'Oh, I don't dig this without Vinnie and Dime.' And of course… What do you think? We don't know that Vinnie and Dime are not with us anymore? But when we start playing the songs and you just see the faces in the crowd, all that shit goes out the window, the negative stuff that has been said.

"Man, that's all I ever wanted to do, is just come and do this and make people hear these songs again," he explained. "And that's what it's all about, really. It's about the music."

Asked who was in charge of making the decision to use the name PANTERA for the new lineup instead of calling it a tribute or naming it something else, Charlie said: "It wasn't me. [Laughs] For us it was about the celebration of the music and Dime and Vinnie; that's what it was about since day one. No one called it a tribute; no one called it a reunion. It can't be a reunion. This is a celebration of the music of PANTERA. Come and enjoy it. And that's it. That's all could do."

Benante also talked about his personal connection to Dimebag and Vinnie, saying: "Yeah. I loved those two guys, man. You never think that certain things would ever, ever happen, and then when it does, you sit back and think, like, 'How did this happen so fast? How did this time just slip by?' And Darrell's been gone for a while now. But it doesn't change how we all miss him and feel him.

"Every show that we play… [Longtime PANTERA engineer, bass tech and friend] Sterling [Winfield], who used to work for PANTERA — still does, in a sense. The first show, he came to Mexico City and he brought me one of Darrell's wristbands and a pair of Vinnie's gloves that they used. And every show that I've played so far, I wear the wristband and Vinnie's glove is in my pocket because I feel like they're with me. And I do that for every show, and I'll continue to do that for every other show we play. It just has significance."

Benante previously discussed his involvement in PANTERA's comeback during a recent interview with Consequence. Addressing the negative comments he has received for his participation, Charlie said: "I don't go [online] looking for [people's negative comments about it]. There's people that send me, 'Hey, did you see this?' And I'm, like, 'Why did you send me this? Why ruin my day?'

"I think the people who do these things, these comments, I don't even think they realize how much of an effect that they could have on people," he continued. "And whether or not you hate the situation, or whatever it is, why can't you find some sort of restraint? Why do you need to say this thought that you have? Can't you just hold it in and maybe be, like, 'I'll keep my thoughts to myself.' No, they've gotta tell you. I've never seen more of it in my life than I [did] in these past couple of months about just people judging."

Regarding his personal approach to playing the parts originally written and recorded by Vinnie Paul, Charlie said: "I just spent a lot of time on Vinnie's parts and more importantly the tone that Vinnie had because I wanted it to sound like PANTERA. That was my thing. And my drum configuration is different from the ANTHRAX one because I wanted to challenge myself to play those parts like he played them in that configuration, which, to me, was more important than anything. But yet people still have to find some problem in that."

According to Benante, the initial rehearsals for the PANTERA comeback tour were "an emotional thing" for Philip and Rex "too, because they hadn't played as a group, those two hadn't played together in a long time, playing PANTERA songs. Yeah, they played [together] in DOWN, but this was an emotional thing for them," Charlie said. "And I remember after the week of rehearsals that we did, saying goodbye was weird, because it was an emotional thing; we really kind of bonded, the three of us. Zakk wasn't there at the time. But for me, I knew I had done something right."

Brown was forced to leave PANTERA's Latin American tour after testing positive for COVID-19. Filling in for him at some of the shows was CATTLE DECAPITATION bassist Derek Engemann, who also plays with Anselmo in both PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS and SCOUR.

Up until his passing, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Vinnie passed away on June 22, 2018 at his other home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

Legendary German/American metallers ACCEPT have released a new music video for "Samson And Delilah", a song that originally appeared on the band's 2021 album, "Too Mean To Die". The performance footage was filmed on February 18, 2023 in Filderstadt, Germany during ACCEPT's "Too Mean To Die" European tour.

Says ACCEPT: "On our sellout 'Too Mean To Die' European Tour, we were lucky enough to have a stunning guest artist. For a few shows, violinist Ava-Rebekah Rahman joined us to perform a never heard version of 'Samson And Delilah' to a mesmerized audience! It's now available to be seen by everyone on our YouTube channel and will also be released on all music streaming platforms 2nd June! Enjoy Metalheads!"

When Rahman's participation in ACCEPT's February 2023 shows was first announced, the band said in a statement: "Ava has performed all over the globe as a Soloist from Carnegie Hall to the Berlin Philharmonic. We first met and collaborated with her on our 'Symphonic Terror' tour in 2019 where she 'duelled' with [ACCEPT guitarist] Wolf Hoffmann on many musical pieces and we couldn't think of a better fit for a hot musical Delilah!;-)"

In April 2022, Rahman announced via Instagram that she had been romantically involved with Hoffmann for the previous three years, calling it a "mad, crazy messy, blissful, soaring, heart-breaking heart-healing union and love". She added: "We came together through music… He asked me to be the solo violinist on his #Symphonicterror tour. We first fell for the way each other played .. the others musicality, phrasing, the handling of our instruments, the tone….the sound of souls inside the music. To say we have am insane musical connection is an understatement! As a professional musician, I know how rare it is to have THAT chemistry with another colleague. Let alone between a classical violinist and metal guitarist! The chemistry of not even needing to to read or look at the other to play in perfect unison. Familiar yet thrilling. Little did we know at the time we would end up in the most extraordinarily loving relationship of our lives as man and woman… Especially as he had been with a partner for 40 years and I had built a whole life with someone else. It wasn't an easy ride to get where we are but Life truly is full of wonder when we keep opening our hearts over and over again…"

Wolf had previously been married to Gaby Hoffmann, who had served as ACCEPT's longtime manager, designer and lyricist virtually since the band's inception.

In July 2019, it was announced that Gaby was officially retiring, with an official statement on ACCEPT's web site explaining that she was "a bit tired after many years of intense activity, and she needs some rest and time for herself. It's not a farewell," the statement added. "Her heart will still be with us, but she won't engage in professional activities anymore."

In a 2014 interview with MusicInterviewCorner, Wolf credited his then-wife with coming up with the visual imagery for ACCEPT. He explained: "Well, my wife and our manager, Gaby, has a lot of these ideas over the years; she's responsible for a lot of the lyrics and a lot of the album covers, a lot of ideas. Everything around the band, really, in one way or another way goes back to her ideas. She's really the invisible, silent force behind this band. Sometimes we're just like puppets on a string and she's guiding us from above. A mind controller."

Asked if it's an advantage being married to the band's manager, Wolf said: "Of course it is. It can be a disadvantage too, because you've gotta do what she says a lot of times."

After then-ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes denied that he was jealous about the fact that Wolf was married to ACCEPT's manager, Hoffmann said: "This has been going on for so long. I mean, I've known Peter for, what? 40 years now. Can you imagine? We've been playing and writing songs together for all these years, so something seems to work here."

Baltes exited ACCEPT in November 2018 after 42 years with the band.

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, producer Bob Rock (pictured) once again defended his work on METALLICA's controversial 2003 LP "St. Anger" by saying that both LED ZEPPELIN legend Jimmy Page and former THE WHITE STRIPES frontman Jack White took the time to say how much they liked that album.

According to Rock, White's praise came at a screening of the documentary "It Might Get Loud", which co-starred Page. "I happened to be in Toronto [at the premiere of the film and Jack] came up to me from across the room, and he says, 'By the way, I love 'St. Anger'. It's an amazing album.' And [then] he left," Bob recalled.

Page expressed his appreciation for the CD when the produced ran into the guitarist while they were both eating breakfast at hotel.

"Jimmy Page — not to drop names, but he's kind of a friend — he was at the Sunset Marquis [in Los Angeles]. He was sitting, eating breakfast on the other side of the pool. And somebody walked by and said, 'I'm here seeing Bob Rock.' Jimmy said, 'Oh, Bob's here?' He came over and talked to me, which blew my mind, coming from Winnipeg — that Jimmy Page even knows my name, you know? And he said, 'By the way, I love 'St. Anger'. It's a great album.'

Rock went on to say that praise from White and Page makes up for some of the criticism of the LP from other listeners.

"So I'm okay," he said. "Those two guys bought the record. With those two [liking it], I'm fine, right?"

Back in 2015, Rock acknowledged that "St. Anger" wasn't embraced by many METALLICA fans, who criticized it for its lack of guitar solos, extended riffs, its raw production and the thin drum sound.

"It's a very odd record," he conceded to "Talk Is Jericho" at the time. "But it is… It's the truth. It's the raw truth about them at that time."

Rock also addressed the drum-sound controversy, explaining: "People comment about the sound, but when we went in, I said to them, 'I can't set up the drums exactly the same way. I can't do that.' It's like, why does metal music have to have this certain sound before it's metal? So I kicked the can a bit in that way."

He continued: "We could talk about this for a long time, but, really, the sound of the drums on that, I got the first set that [Lars Ulrich] ever used when they rehearsed in the house in Oakland, when they first got together. I set it up and Lars stared at it, right? For, like, months. And then one day he sat down and played, and it was ringing and it was raw, and he said, 'This is it.'"

Rock also discussed the lack of solos on the album. According to the producer, "Lars said, 'No guitar solos.' And [James Hetfield] and I are going, 'But … that's what [Kirk Hammett] does.' So every song, Kirk comes in and plays a solo, and if it doesn't make the song better, we're not using it — and we went through the whole album like that."

Ulrich admitted to The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the band was surprised by the hostile reaction to "St. Anger" by many fans. "It threw us a little bit, sure, 'cause the whole thing was to just keep it as raw as possible," he said. "And I'd like to think that we accomplished that [laughs], to the point of obviously a little too raw for some people, and that's okay. I mean, it is what it is. I have not one regret about it. I'm proud of it, proud that we had the balls to see it through."

Speaking to Classic Rock magazine, Ulrich defended the drum sound on "St. Anger". He said: "That was on purpose. It wasn't like we put it out and somebody went, "Whoa! Whoops!" I view 'St. Anger' as an isolated experiment. I'm the biggest METALLICA fan, you've got to remember that. Once again, as we've been known to do, once in a while these boundaries have to be fucked with. We'd already done 'Ride The Lightning', which I believe is a fine record. It didn't need to be re-done."

He continued: "When we heard the record from beginning to end, I felt — and it was mostly me — that the experience was so pummeling, it became almost about hurting the listener, about challenging the listener, so we left the songs unedited. I can understand that people felt it was too long."

"St. Anger" was released in June 2003 at the end of a turbulent two-year period in which bassist Jason Newsted left the group, James Hetfield went for a lengthy stay in rehab, and the entire band threatened to break apart. The album's raw, lo-fi production, lack of guitar solos and unorthodox sound were not well-received by many of the group's fans, who still often cite it as METALLICA's worst record. "St. Anger" has nevertheless sold more than six million copies worldwide, although fans have generally not warmed up to it in the 20 years since its release.

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox have just unleashed their latest Sunday Lunch, a cover of Golden Earring’s smash hit Radar Love”. 





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




Tickets are available here.





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


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

Former Burning Witches vocalist Seraina Telli has released "Hit Shit," the first single from the upcoming studio album, Addicted To Color, which will be released on August 18th via Metalville Records. Check out the offcial video below.





Sassy, loud, and even more colorful is Seraina Telli's second solo album, which couldn't be more aptly named: Addicted to Color.




The brand-new tracks on the follow-up to the successful debut album Simple Talk by the Swiss multi-talent captivate with their irresistibly catchy and fresh songwriting that captivates from the first to the last breath. While Seraina's singing was already impressive on the first album, the artist has now taken it up a notch with a real powerhouse performance.


The lyrics of the new songs are also convincing with their forceful messages and courageous statements. The album was once again created in collaboration with Rico H as producer.


Seraina Telli combines great songwriting, vocal power, musical versatility, artistic depth, and a really strong attitude paired with authenticity. Addicted To Color sends the listener on a musical journey that one wishes would never end.





Tracklist:


"Song For The Girls"
"Monkey & Zookeeper"
"Left Behind"
"Addicted To Color"
"The Harder Way"
"Wish You Well"
"Hit Shit"
"Spaceman"
"If No One Else Had Ever Been There Before"
"Colors Of My Soul"
"Be Somebody"
"Think"
"All Your Tears"

In celebration of EVANESCENCE's debut album, "Fallen", turning 20 years old, the band's founding guitarist Ben Moody has reimagined songs from the LP and is in the process of uploading the results to his YouTube channel. Check out the second reimagined track, "Tourniquet", below.

"Fallen" was recently certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) commemorating sales and streams of ten million units in the United States.

Led by the smash single "Bring Me To Life", which also appeared on the soundtrack to the movie "Daredevil", "Fallen" yielded three more singles with "Going Under", "My Immortal" and "Everybody's Fool". EVANESCENCE also won Grammys in 2004 for "Best New Artist" and "Best Hard Rock Performance".

Asked in a 2022 interview with Rock Sound if there were any plans for EVANESCENCE to commemorate "Fallen"'s 20th anniversary in 2023, singer Amy Lee said: "I do have an idea. It's gonna take a little bit of work. But I think it probably won't be what everybody expects. I think everybody just is, 'Oh, why don't you do a show that's, like, [playing] the album front to back?' We've been playing so many shows, I would rather do something that, to me… I don't know. I don't wanna give it away, in case it doesn't work out. Maybe I'll do nothing. Expect nothing, and then if I do something, you'll be really, really grateful. [Laughs]"

Amy also talked about the fact that "Bring Me To Life" experienced a resurgence last summer, 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, reached No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes chart in August 2022.

"It is satisfying," Lee said about the track's renewed popularity. "And it's cool now, because I remember a lot of the feeling in the beginning. It was so much about, like, 'What's next?' And, 'Are we gonna be able to make it?' And, 'Are we gonna be able to survive?' And, 'Are people gonna listen to our next song?' And, 'What about the next record?' And just getting to the next place always.

"There is an element to a song like 'Bring Me To Life' that didn't exist before, which is this nostalgia," she explained. "The song has grown live. It's something that we've added to. But part of how it's grown is with its history and with what it means to everybody in the room. It's not something new; it's just something that you already have known for so long that has a place in your heart. It's just able to be more than it would have been then. So I, in a lot of ways, love it more than I did."

The success of "Fallen" led to turmoil within the group, as Moody left in late 2003, leaving Lee as the only original member of the band.

In 2010, Moodygave a lengthy explanation for why he left EVANESCENCE while promoting his soundalike band called WE ARE THE FALLEN with other former EVANESCENCE members (John LeCompt on guitar and Rocky Gray on drums) along with "American Idol" powerhouse vocalist Carly Smithson and bassist Marty O'Brien.

Lee continued with new members, and EVANESCENCE issued "The Open Door" in 2006. While a hit, it did not equal the sales of "Fallen". Lee told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that she wasn't concerned about matching the previous album's success. "I just haven't ever looked at it that way," she said. "'Fallen' is a great record, but I don't think you can try to match the success of another body of work. I think that's only gonna frustrate you. And if, honestly if what you really care about is record sales and money, there's no way you're gonna make a great piece of art, because then you're just gonna get all confused and make something ingenuine."

In February 2022, EVANESCENCE's music video for "Bring Me To Life" — which featured guest vocals from Paul McCoy of 12 STONES — 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 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.

In March 2021, Lee told Alternative Press that EVANESCENCE's original record label Wind Up threatened not to release "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.

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.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN kicked off their "The Future Past Tour" earlier today (Sunday, May 28) in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

"The Future Past Tour" features previously unperformed songs from the band's most recent studio album, "Senjutsu", along with a focus on 1986's "Somewhere In Time" LP, plus other classic cuts.

IRON MAIDEN's 15-song set at the 12,000-capacity Arena Stožice included the live debuts of "Days Of Future Past", "The Time Machine", "Death Of The Celts" and "Hell On Earth" from "Senjutsu", along with "Alexander The Great" from "Somewhere In Time".

The setlist was as follows:

01. Caught Somewhere In Time (first live performance since 1987)
02. Stranger In A Strange Land (first live performance since 1999)
03. The Writing On The Wall
04. Days Of Future Past (live debut)
05. The Time Machine (live debut)
06. The Prisoner (first live performance since 2014)
07. Death Of The Celts (live debut)
08. Can I Play With Madness (first live performance since 2014)
09. Heaven Can Wait (first live performance since 2008)
10. Alexander The Great (live debut)
11. Fear Of The Dark
12. Iron Maiden

Encore:

13. Hell On Earth (live debut)
14. The Trooper
15. Wasted Years

Asked in a radio interview a number of years ago why IRON MAIDEN had never played "Alexander The Great" live, singer Bruce Dickinson answered, "Because Adrian [Smith, guitar] can't remember the guitar solo." While Dickinson may have been joking, he did go on to say that, when the song was originally written, they put the solo through a load of then-very-advanced music computer wizardry, and it just couldn't figure out the time signature.

"Senjutsu" came out in September 2021. It marked MAIDEN's second consecutive double album behind 2015's "The Book Of Souls" which is the longest MAIDEN album, with a running time of 92 minutes.

IRON MAIDEN's first album in six years, "Senjutsu" was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris. It features three tracks whose running time exceeds 10 minutes each.

For "Senjutsu" — loosely translated as "tactics and strategy" — the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai-themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Harris.

"Senjutsu" bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, charting higher than even the band's early classics like "Powerslave" and "The Number Of The Beast". Nearly 90 percent of the LP's 64,000 equivalent album units earned came from pure album sales. The critically acclaimed double album debuted one place higher than 2015's "The Book Of Souls" and 2010's "The Final Frontier", which both peaked at No. 4.

"Senjutsu" was MAIDEN's 13th album to top in the Top 40 in the U.S.

Fan-filmed video of the sixth show of METALLICA's "M72" world tour, which took place Sunday night (May 28) at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany can be seen below.

The trek, which launched in late April in Amsterdam, sees the band playing two nights in every city it visits — with each "No Repeat Weekend" featuring two completely different setlists and support lineups. The "M72" tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age.

METALLICA launched the second Hamburg show with "For Whom The Bell Tolls" from the band's second album, "Ride The Lightning", which came out in 1984. The group's 16-song set also included three new songs from METALLICA's latest LP, "72 Seasons": "Lux Æterna", "Screaming Suicide" and "Sleepwalk My Life Away".

The setlist was as follows:

01. For Whom The Bell Tolls
02. Ride The Lightning
03. Through The Never (tour debut)
04. King Nothing
05. Lux Æterna
06. Screaming Suicide
07. Fade To Black
08. Sleepwalk My Life Away
09. Orion
10. Nothing Else Matters
11. Sad But True
12. The Day That Never Comes
13. Blackened
14. Fuel
15. Seek & Destroy
16. Master Of Puppets

Opening acts on the tour include Floor Jansen, EPICA, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.

METALLICA promises fans who purchase a two-day ticket that they won't see the same song twice for a total of over 30 songs spanning the band's 40-plus-year career.

Each weekend offers a variety of "Enhanced Experiences", ranging from access to a meet-and-greet, production and stage tour, food and beverage in the "Black Box" lounge to early entry into the venue and the Snake Pit. The very popular "Black Laminate" is back, now known as the "I Disappear Ticket", and is the ultimate pass for the fan who wants to run away with METALLICA for multiple weekends.

A single "I Disappear" ticket purchase gives you access to as many of METALLICA's 46 headlining tour dates across Europe and North America in 2023 and 2024 as you choose. You decide how many shows you'd like to attend around the world, and for how long, and METALLICA will make it as easy as possible.

According to Billboard, "72 Seasons" sold 146,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marks the band's 12th Top 10-charting album, of which eight have reached the top two.

"72 Seasons" had the biggest week for any rock or hard rock album since TOOL's "Fear Inoculum" arrived in September 2019 with 270,000 equivalent album units.

"72 Seasons" was released on April 14 via METALLICA's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, it is METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct".

Speaking of the album-making process, Ulrich explained: "It's one of the only things that hasn't changed in 40 years. There'll be a whole slew of riffs and jams and sound checks, then it falls into my lap to go through them and identify, 'That one's great, that one's good, maybe there's a song over here.'"

Regarding the fact that guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo were given writing credits on more than half of "72 Seasons", Hetfield told the Associated Press: "All four guys were on the floor when we were writing, which is new for us. Usually it's just Lars and I sitting out there hashing it out. It felt really great to have the energy of all four. There's a lot more democracy on this album. Lars and I gave up the steering wheel a little more than usual."

Hammett agreed, saying: "It was much more collaborative. The attitude was just more open. There is less limitations on everyone's creativity and I think that shows."

In the seven years since the arrival of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with "Master Of Puppets" after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".
🇩🇪 TONIGHT 🇩🇪

Get ready for night two of the #M72 World Tour “No Repeat Weekend" in Hamburg!

Use #M72Hamburg when sharing your pics so we can see all your German shenanigans!

Posters from both shows, created by Mick Cassidy, will only be available for purchase at the venue. pic.twitter.com/eJFejKIM6S

— Metallica (@Metallica) May 28, 2023