Arjen Lucassen’s Supersonic Revolution recently released their debut album, Golden Age Of Music, via Music Theories Recording/Mascot Label Group. Today, the band release a music video for the bonus track, "Heard It On The X". Watch below:





You think you know Arjen Lucassen? Towering Dutch prog rock polymath? The man behind the super successful prog rock conceptualists Ayreon? Not to mention his prog metal of Star One and Guilt Machine? Enormous overarching concept albums about space and time, packed to the hilt with special guests that read like a who’s who of modern day progressive rock? Arjen Lucassen? Well, think again…




Supersonic Revolution, the band behind Golden Age Of Music, are simply five men: Arjen on bass, long-standing keyboard player Joost van den Broek, guitarist Timo Somers, drummer Koen Herfst and singer Jaycee. Five men rocking out and having one hell of a time doing it.


The whole project grew from a request to provide a track for a cover CD for the German music magazine Eclipsed. “They asked if I had any cover versions lying around,” he recalls. “I said, ‘No but I’ll happily record one for you.’ So, they gave me a list of bands and I saw a ZZ Top song ‘I Heard It On The X’ that I really like. I said I could record it for them, but then they told me it had to be ready in one week...”


“I was like ‘Oh my god!’. I contacted my favorite musicians in Holland via WhatsApp and literally within 30 minutes I had assembled five people. A band basically. From there the seed was sown in Lucassen’s mind. ‘I want to form a band. And I want to simply have fun!’.


“I’m a perfectionist as you know, so I’m always sending musicians their parts back and asking them to change stuff,” he acknowledges. “But this was all brilliant. We were having fun, calling and WhatsApping all the time, and within a week we had a complete product.” He continues, “Also I wanted to have an up-beat, positive project.”


“I was like, let’s form a band and let’s write songs in the style of the 70s, and have the lyrics be a celebration of all the memorable things from that time, because those were my formative years,” he enthuses. “But I didn’t want it to sound like the 70s because that’s already been done, and I can’t do it any better than ‘Stargazer’ or ‘Kashmir’.”


“The guys are all younger than me - around 30 - so they weren’t even alive yet in the 70s. So, it was a great way for me to make 70s music with lots of Hammond and blistering guitars, but to update it to this time.”


The end result is 11 tracks of high energy, progressively inclined heavy rock that swings with the kind of groove Deep Purple rocked with in the early to mid-1970s. “This album is not a typical prog album. It’s not YES or Genesis. But it’s not a metal album either. There’s a track called ‘Burn it Down’,” Lucassen notes, “it’s totally based on ‘Smoke On The Water’ but written from the perspective of the ‘stupid with a flare gun’ mentioned in the original lyrics.


The album also features covers of some legendary songs given the Arjen Lucassen treatment as bonus tracks: T-Rex’s "Children Of The Revolution", ZZ Top’s "Heard It On The X", Earth Wind & Fire’s "Fantasy" and Roger Glover’s "Love Is All".


That, ladies and gentlemen, is the real Arjen Lucassen. Job done. Having fun.


Available formats:


- Artbook
- Transparent Blue 2LP
- Pink Marble 2LP
- Purple Marble 2LP
- Yellow Marble 2LP
- CD
- Digital


Order here.





Golden Age Of Music tracklisting:


"SR Prelude"
"The Glamattack"
"Golden Age Of Music"
"The Rise Of The Starman"
" Burn It Down"
"Odyssey"
"They Took Us By Storm"
"Golden Boy"
"Holy Holy Ground"
"Fight Of The Century"
"Came To Mock, Stayed To Rock"
"Children Of The Revolution" (Bonus Track)
"Heard It On The X" (Bonus Track)
"Fantasy" (Bonus Track)
"Love Is All" (Bonus Track)


"They Took Us By Storm" video:





"Golden Age Of Music" video:





"The Rise Of The Starman" visualizer:





"The Glamattack" lyric video:

Grammy-winning rock band GRETA VAN FLEET has released a performance video for its brand new track "Sacred The Thread". It is the latest song to be unveiled from the band's upcoming third studio album, "Starcatcher", due July 21 on Lava/Republic/EMI.

"I always like to think that some people's first impression of GRETA VAN FLEET in concert is, 'Wow, these guys really like dressing to the left and blowing shit up,'" notes GRETA VAN FLEET frontman Josh Kiszka, adding, "This song is particularly important to me because it's about my jumpsuits."

"Starcatcher" was written and recorded by the band — lead singer Josh Kizska, guitarist Jake Kizska, bassist/keyboardist Sam Kizska and drummer Danny Wagner — alongside Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile). Recorded at the legendary RCA Studios in Nashville, the band utilized the large recording room to capture the pure energy of their world-renowned live performances.

"We didn't really have to force or be intense about writing, because everything that happened was very instinctual," Jake says. "If anything, the record is our perspective, and sums up where we are as a group and individually as musicians."

Throughout the 10-song collection the band explores the duality of fantasy versus reality and the contrast between light and darkness. "We had this idea that we wanted to tell these stories to build a universe," says Wagner. "We wanted to introduce characters and motifs and these ideas that would come about here and there throughout our careers through this world."

GRETA VAN FLEET took multiple concepts from critically acclaimed second album "The Battle At Garden's Gate" and brought them into "Starcatcher", although Sam's take on the new record's big ideas hint instead at new beginnings.

"When I imagine the world of 'Starcatcher', I think of the cosmos," he says. "It makes me ask a lot of questions, like 'Where did we come from?' or 'What are we doing here?' But it's also questions like, 'What is this consciousness that we have, and where did it come from?'"

GRETA VAN FLEET is best known for its renowned live performances, selling over one million tickets worldwide. They sold out their entire 2022 arena tour, holding a special energy between them and their devoted fans. With "Starcatcher" the band aims to capture that energy in the recording studio.

"Starcatcher" follows GRETA VAN FLEET's album "The Battle At Garden's Gate", released in 2021 to extensive chart and critical success. In the US, the album debuted at No. 1 Billboard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Hard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Vinyl Album, No. 2 Billboard Top Album Sales and in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. It was a Top 10 album in the U.K. and a major hit around the world.

GRETA VAN FLEET's debut LP, "Anthem Of The Peaceful Army", was released in 2018 to countless accolades including No. 1 Billboard Rock Album and Top 3 on the Billboard 200. Their "From The Fires" EP, released in 2017, won "Best Rock Album" at the 61st Grammy Awards.

Formed in Frankenmuth, Michigan in 2012, GRETA VAN FLEET consists of three brothers — vocalist Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka and bassist/keyboardist Sam Kiszka — as well as drummer Danny Wagner. Together they have performed across multiple continents and sold over 3.5 million records worldwide.

"Starcatcher" track listing:

01. Fate Of The Faithful
02. Waited All Your Life
03. The Falling Sky
04. Sacred The Thread
05. Runway Blues
06. The Indigo Streak
07. Frozen Light
08. The Archer
09. Meeting The Master
10. Farewell For Now

Photo credit: Neil Krug / Wilful Publicity

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Home Is Where The Dark Is" podcast, original FEAR FACTORY frontman Burton C. Bell spoke about his plan to return to performing live.

The 54-year-old Bell has been largely inactive on the musical front since officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY in September 2020. At the time he said that he could not "align" himself with someone whom he did not trust or respect, an apparent reference to FEAR FACTORY founding guitarist Dino Cazares.

Reflecting on his musical journey so far, Bell told "Home Is Where The Dark Is" (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've had a lot of incredible ups in my career, a lot of incredible high points. I've had some devastatingly low points. But for me, this is all I wanna do.

"I consider myself an artist — multifaceted, but first and foremost I'm a musician; I'm a singer. So I wanna keep continuing that," he explained.

"I love performing on stage. I love being out in front of the crowd. I love the energy of the audience, and I miss it completely.

"I am making plans — I'm making steps to get back onstage."

At the end of the chat, when host Alex Crescioni thanked Bell for his "inspiring" musical output over the years, including that with FEAR FACTORY and ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS, Burton said: "People will hear those again. When I get back on the road, I'll be playing… I'm proud of 99 percent of the songs we did [with] FEAR FACTORY. Not every song is a winner, but I'm proud of all the work I did with FEAR FACTORY, THE WATCHERS, GZR, CITY OF FIRE, MINISTRY, HATEFACE. There's all these bands I've been part of. So when I go on the road, I will be playing music from all of these bands. Obviously, a lot from FEAR FACTORY, 'cause I got 30 years of that. But it's not gonna be all about FEAR FACTORY. It's gonna be FEAR FACTORY, WATCHERS, classic GZR, CITY OF FIRE — just do all of it. It's gonna be fun. And I'm jamming with some guys right now. We're working on it and making those steps to make that happen."

This past March, Bell was asked by Joshua Toomey of the "Talk Toomey" podcast how it felt to see FEAR FACTORY going out on tour with someone else singing the parts he originally wrote and recorded with the band. He responded: "It doesn't affect me at all. To be honest, I haven't been this happy in a long time. More power to them, but I'm just moving forward in my own life, my own career, and I'm just trying to make a name for myself."

Asked if he has checked out any of the videos on YouTube of FEAR FACTORY performing with his replacement, the Italian-born singer Milo Silvestro, Bell said: "No, I don't. I don't care to."

Burton went on to say that he doesn't mind being asked about FEAR FACTORY despite the fact that he is no longer in the band. "FEAR FACTORY, it's what I'm known for," he explained. "And the 30 years I had with FEAR FACTORY were some of the proudest moments of my career. And everything I've ever done in FEAR FACTORY I'm very proud of. Even some of the questionable things I've done in FEAR FACTORY I'm still proud of. It was a great legacy."

During an April 2022 appearance on an episode of "The Ex-Man" podcast hosted by Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES),Bell touched upon FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "Aggression Continuum", which was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Bell and fellow original FF member Dino Cazares (guitar) alongside drummer Mike Heller.

"I was just happy that record finally came out," Burton said. "We finished that record in 2017. By the time it came out, I'd forgotten all about it. 'Oh, yeah, I remember that song. Oh yeah.'

"There's some good songs on that record. The song 'Collapse' is a good song. The title track 'Monolith' is a good song," he added, referencing the LP's original working title, before it was changed by Cazares.

When Coyle noted that the mix on "Aggression Continuum" is "great," Bell hesitated for a couple of seconds before reluctantly agreeing. "I guess," he said. "When I finished the record [in 2017], the record was done and agreed upon and then further work was done without my say."

Elsewhere in the chat, Burton said admitted that "it was difficult" for him to leave FEAR FACTORY. "Stepping away from FEAR FACTORY was not an easy decision by [any] means," he said. "But what I experienced for the 10 years before that, the lawsuits, the acrimony, that was the one that killed me. And I just had to step away to realize, you know, they can take all this stuff from me — they can take the money, they can take the royalties, they can take the trademark away from me — and I realized that didn't define me. They can take that, but I'm still Burton C. Bell, motherfucker, and whatever I have they can't take. So I'm just kind of moving forward and doing new things."

According to Bell, hardship is par for the course for most musicians, who often find themselves victims of bad contracts, unscrupulous management and, all too often, what appears to be a penchant for self-destruction.

"I knew a long time ago I wanted to be an artist — way before I was in FEAR FACTORY," he said. "When I was in high school, I was, like, 'I wanna be an artist.' To be an artist, you've gotta suffer. You've gotta understand that people wanna take from you the entire time — what you create they wanna make money off of and take it away from you and just give you a pittance. But being bitter is not my style — never has been.

"Whatever negativity has happened in the past with FEAR FACTORY doesn't even hold up to the amount of positivity that has happened," he continued. "If you think about the negative, it can weigh you down so much, but it's not really that much in comparison to what the band achieved, what we created, what we provided to the music world, and for that I'm proud and very happy.

"No one likes to talk to a bitter person at all," Burton added. "Me for one. It's, like, 'Man, just get over it and just move on.' 'Cause holding on to the past doesn't serve me anything, it doesn't serve anybody else anything. Move on and show 'em what you can do from that point forward."

Bell's exit from FEAR FACTORY came more than two weeks after Cazares launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist him with the production costs associated with the release of FEAR FACTORY's latest LP.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY was a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it.

"With FEAR FACTORY, it's just constantly been, like, 'What?!' You can only take so much. I felt like 30 years was a good run. Those albums I've done with FEAR FACTORY will always be out there. I'll always be part of that. I just felt like it was time to move forward."

Bell recently unveiled "Paradise Found", his debut exhibition of photographic works, at the Vincent Castiglia Gallery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The photographs Bell is presenting are representational of his industrial and science-fiction aesthetic.

"Paradise Found" consists of 20 original full-color photographs of abandoned industrial buildings taken in darkness and fog from 2002 to 2003. Bell's images are printed on aluminum using the dye sublimation process - an approach Bell calls "celluloid impressionism."

Bell's ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS project released its second full-length album, "Apocrypha", in October 2020 via Dissonance Productions.

Photo by Erica Vincent Photos / Earsplit PR

Progressive rock legends YES, who are Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen, released their new studio album, "Mirror To The Sky", on May 19 via InsideOut Music/Sony Music. The official music video for the LP's latest single, "Circles Of Time", can be seen below.

"Mirror To The Sky" is available on several formats, all featuring artwork by longtime YES artist and collaborator Roger Dean:

* Limited deluxe electric blue 2LP+2CD+Blu-ray artbook with poster
* Limited deluxe 2cd+Blu-ray artbook
* Limited 2CD digipak
* Standard CD jewel case
* Gatefold 2LP+LP-booklet
* Digital album

The Blu-ray editions include the album as Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround Sound, instrumental versions and hi-res stereo mixes.

"This is a very important album for the band," says Steve Howe, YES's longest-serving member, master guitarist, and producer of "Mirror To The Sky". "We kept the continuity in the approach we established on [2021's] 'The Quest', but we haven't repeated ourselves. That was the main thing. As YES did in the '70s from one album to another, we're growing and moving forward. In later years, YES often got going but then didn't do the next thing. This album is demonstrative of us growing and building again." For YES, that "next thing" is a collection of high-energy, intricate, lush and layered new studio songs for an album which adds to the band's much-heralded legacy, while charting a path to exciting future times ahead.

The track listing is as follows:

CD1:

01. Cut From The Stars 05:27
02. All Connected 09:02
03. Luminosity 09:04
04. Living Out Their Dream 04:45
05. Mirror To The Sky 13:53
06. Circles Of Time 04:59

CD2:

01. Unknown Place 08:15
02. One Second Is Enough 04:04
03. Magic Potion 04:08

As they were wrapping up "The Quest", YES found themselves with song sketches, structures, and ideas that were demanding attention. YES received unconditional support from InsideOut boss Thomas Waber, who encouraged them to keep going in the studio, months before "The Quest" would even be released. It was like throwing gasoline on their creative fire.

"When we delivered everything, and they were just getting the vinyl and everything into production for manufacturing, we were still very much in that creative zone," explains Steve Howe. "That belief that Thomas had in us really meant a lot," he says.

"We truly get along as people," says Jon Davison. "I feel like everyone's focused inward to the greater circle, concentric to the core of highest standards that define YES. It's a wonderful thing to witness and of which to play a part. I believe this reflects vibrantly in the music and the creative input that each one is willing to apply, not for the benefit of the individual, but for the greater whole that is YES."

"There was a lot of material floating around because the band hadn't done anything in the studio for so long. Ideas were just copious," says bassist Billy Sherwood. "The pace of it was fast. As soon as we were finished with 'The Quest', and the mix had come out, we took a couple of little breaks there to catch our breath. But there was still music flowing around in the loop. It was just constantly being looked at and worked on. As we were all home and in that mode, things started progressing quite swiftly. We just went one album into another without really announcing, ‘Hey, we're working on a second record right now.' We just continued to work on material. It came about pretty naturally, and then we refined it as the process went on. But the initial bursts — there was a lot of material around!"

Much to everyone's delight, including that of longtime fan Thomas Waber, YES have pushed into territory they practically invented — the prog rock epic — albeit in a thoroughly new and modern way.

"I always felt that it would be great to have stuff that's a little bit more epic," he says, although he resisted the temptation to push for something that would be too formatted and could come off as contrived. He just gave the band space to do what they do and let things develop. "They were so excited by 'The Quest' and the momentum they had that they went straight back into the studio. What they were writing, even early on, was obviously headed in that epic direction — what YES music really is to me. It is almost a genre onto itself. It is 'YES Music.' 'Mirror To The Sky' certainly is YES Music."

"Mirror To The Sky" features not one, but four tracks clocking in at over eight minutes, with the sweeping and cinematic title track coming in just shy of fourteen minutes. What's more, the tracks, like YES's best, take the listener on a wide dynamically ranging journey of soundscapes which also showcase Steve Howe's dazzling guitars, keyboard wizard Geoff Downes's impeccable sounds, exquisite melodies and fills, Jon Davison's angelic, crystalline vocals, Billy Sherwood's deftly dancing bass and Jay Schellen's masterfully controlled explosions on drums.

Schellen, who has been touring with the band since 2016, was hand-picked to step into his mentor and friend Alan White's role when White sadly passed away in 2022.

"I had done the 2016 'Topographic Drama' tour on my own for Alan," says Jay. "From late 2017 onwards, we had a partnership, and a beautiful partnership, I might add. I learned so much, and discovered so much about Alan's style, and why it was the way it was. It fit his personality so perfectly. This album has Alan's presence all over it. It is inside of us. So this is still, in my heart, Alan just being present and with us, and with me, in a big way."

Photo credit: Gottlieb Bros.

MACHINE HEAD released the official music video for the song "Arrows In Words From The Sky" taken from the band's tenth album "Of Kingdom And Crown". The clip, which was culled from hours of footage taken during last year's "Vikings & Lionhearts" and "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" tours, was directed by Jon Watson and edited by maestro Mike Sloat.

Says MACHINE HEAD: "We think the video showcases perfectly the passion and intensity of the Head Cases and band during our live shows and also provides a glimpse behind the scenes during life on the road with MACHINE HEAD."

Frontman/founder Robb Flynn adds: "The last few videos have been very artistic and thematic continuing the black-and-white scope of the concept record. For this, we just wanted to have an old-school, '90s-style live video that is more or less a tribute to our absolutely insane fans (the Head Cases) going bat shit crazy, mixed with some good ol' life-on-the-road-getting-hammered-backstage-vibe."

In a 2022 interview with El Cuartel Del Metal, Flynn spoke about the lyrical inspiration for "Of Kingdom And Crown", which was released last August via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings. He said: "The concept is set in a futuristic wasteland where the sky is always crimson red, and it's based around two characters. Character number one is named Ares [pronounced Aries], and he loses the love of his life, Amethyst, and goes on a murderous rampage against the people who killed her. Character number two is Eros [pronounced Arrows], who loses his mother to a drug overdose and, in his downward spiral, depression, becomes radicalized by this charismatic leader and goes on his own killing spree and is one of the people who killed Amethyst. And so the lyrics detail how their lives intertwine. The opening track, 'Slaughter The Martyr', is essentially… it's the origin story for character number one. He's just lost the love of his life and he's in just a murderous, venomous rampage and revenge is all he's thinking about. And so the story unfolds from there."

As for how he was inspired by the Japanese anime series called "Attack On Titan" for the new MACHINE HEAD album, Flynn said: "When I first started writing the concept, it was a very American story arc: it was good guy, bad guy, good guy wins. And I wasn't connecting to it. It was good, but I couldn't connect to it; I couldn't get any kind of emotion out of it. And then my family, my kids started watching — I've got two two teenage boys and they both started watching a lot of anime over the pandemic. And we were all locked up anyway and we couldn't go out.

"I used to be a total anime nerd when I was their age — 'Akira' and 'Space [Battleship] Yamato' and 'Robotech' and all these anime series. So to see them go through this same thing, I was just, like, 'Dude, this is rad.' And of course, it's now modern and it's super bloody, and it was even better. So I was, like, 'Let's watch this together. I'll fucking totally watch this with you.' So we started watching it. And one of the things about that particular series — 'Attack On Titan' — the part that inspired me was in that series there is no good or bad guy; both sides believe they're doing good, but both sides are committing evil and atrocities. And that was like a total lightbulb going off in my head. I was, like, 'Oh, wow. I can maybe write it like that.'

"So then… here I am writing through… Now I'm writing through not just one character's eyes but a polar opposite character's eyes. And for a guy who's written nine albums pretty much solely through my eyes — my experiences; the way I see the world — now to have to try and write through these other characters, it was really cool," he added. "It was really interesting and it just made the whole experience awesome."

Asked if there was any research involved in writing the lyrics for "Of Kingdom And Crown" or if it was all just in his head, Robb said: "It was just in my head. Jared [MacEachern, bass/backing vocals] wrote a lot of lyrics too — Jared contributed quite a bit of lyrics, and we bounced a lot of ideas off of each other. He came up with some great melodies, some great lyrics. But it really was just about constantly writing and just consistently waking up… Most of this record was written at three in the morning. [Laughs] I'm a total night owl — I wake up at 3 a.m. almost every night and I just do work or I write or whatever. So I just would set a timer for 20 minutes and I would just write anything that came to my mind — dumb shit, killer shit. I would just try and make everything rhyme; I would try and make a sequence out of it. And then I would just go back to bed and then wake up and look at it the next morning and then I would either sing it or try and mess around with it. And I think just doing it, kind of just chipping away at it like that every day, really helped the story come together."

The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis", "Of Kingdom And Crown" 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.

Flynn told Metal Hammer magazine about the musical direction of the new MACHINE HEAD material: "It's similar to [2003's 'Through The Ashes Of Empires' and 2007's 'The Blackening'] in that we're moving forward into something fresh and new but it's got that classic MACHINE HEAD vibe. We have a lot to deliver and expectations are very high, so I'm lucky to have great people surrounding me. Jared really stepped up and wrote some great riffs and great vocals. Vogg [guitarist Wacław Kiełtyka] contributed a few ideas and brought some really great songs."

He continued: "It's fucking heavy, probably the heaviest we've been in a few albums. I've been playing so much guitar recently; I do Electric Happy Hours every Friday and sometimes you play a song you haven't played in 10, 20 years, or go through a whole album from top to bottom. When we toured 'Burn My Eyes', it took me back to where I was writing that music. I don't think I can ever be in that place again lyrically, but riff-wise, I think that all spilled into this album."

In February 2022, MacEachern told Primordial Radio about his contributions to MACHINE HEAD's new album: "I think that I was very aware from day one that Robb is the leader, he's the creative leader, the musical leader… We all have our inputs but I think it's always understood that ultimately the decision is up to him for how things go. But, yeah, I definitely made contributions and I feel great about those contributions and I'm asked about my opinion on certain things. But, like I said, I'm following his lead."

As for the sound of the new MACHINE HEAD LP, Jared said: "It's a pretty — to use Robb's word… I believe he used the word 'colossal' the other day. It's a pretty big-, epic-sounding album. We've been toying around with the order, but I've been listening, sitting down, taking the time to listen to it all the way through, and the way it goes, it's a ride — a really great, heavy, beautiful, melodic, raging, thrashing ride."

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.

BLS Toronto Chapter has shared a new photo of Zakk Wylde in the studio working on the next BLACK LABEL SOCIETY album. The band's twelfth studio LP will be the follow-up to "Doom Crew Inc.", which came out in November 2021 via MNRK Heavy (formerly eOne Music).

On "Doom Crew Inc.", Zakk traded solos and twin-guitar parts with Dario Lorina, backed by longtime bassist John "J.D." DeServio and powerhouse drummer Jeff Fabb.

A year and a half ago, Wylde told the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA about the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY songwriting process: "The way it always goes, it's always the music first and then a melody. And then I've gotta find out something I wanna sing about. So then I'll write the lyrics. That's usually always the way it goes. And then, when it's all done, then the solos go on it. The painting's all done, and the solo is the frame that goes on the thing. So you can sit back and look at the whole thing. That's the way we pretty much always do it… I would just have a cup of coffee and just start writing riffs. You always get inspired by — for me, it's always Mount Riffmore, which is CREAM, MOUNTAIN, [LED] ZEPPELIN, [BLACK] SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE… If you're not getting inspired by the riffs those guys have created, it's just like… So I'll just go fishing and just start writing till you get to something you like."

Wylde formed BLACK LABEL SOCIETY in 1998 and has kept the band busy in between touring and recording with Ozzy Osbourne, whose backing group he first joined more than three and a half decades ago.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "Order Of The Black" (2010) and "Catacombs Of The Black Vatican" (2014) both broke into the top five on the hard rock album charts.

Since first joining Ozzy, Zakk has played on all of the BLACK SABBATH singer's solo albums except for 2020's "Ordinary Man", including such classic efforts as "No More Tears" (1991),"Ozzmosis" (1995) and "Black Rain" (2007).

A message from Father Zakk Wylde

GREETINGS, BERZERKERS!

As you can see Black Label Society is hard at work in the studio working on a new album.

Posted by BLS Toronto Chapter on Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood (THE ROLLING STONES),Billy Gibbons (ZZ TOP),Johnny Depp and Kirk Hammett (METALLICA) are among the musicians who took part in the first of two Jeff Beck tribute concerts on Monday (May 22) at London's iconic Royal Albert Hall.

Clapton, who was replaced by Beck in THE YARDBIRDS in 1965, was one of the main driving forces behind the tribute show, which also featured a lot of past Beck collaborators, including Rod Stewart, Wood and Depp, as well as Rhonda Smith on bass and Anika Nilles on drums.

At last night's concert, Hammett joined Depp and Gibbons to perform Beck's reimagining of John Lennon's classic track "Isolation".

Beck, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" on January 10 after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.

Having cultivated one of the most influential careers in rock history, Beck was universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world, and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues and jazz.

Over the course of his distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he had earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time," and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice — once as a member of THE YARDBIRDS and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as THE YARDBIRDS' lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form THE JEFF BECK GROUP, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.

The constantly evolving Beck's next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released "Beck, Bogert And Appice" (1973),once again shattered people's preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

1985's "Flash" kept Beck in the spotlight as he earned the "Best Rock Instrumental" Grammy for the song "Escape". A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and a third for "Dirty Mind" from the "You Had It Coming" album in 2001. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling "Performing This Week… Live at Ronnie Scott's", which earned a Grammy for "A Day In The Life".

Beck's astonishing 2010 solo album, "Emotion & Commotion", brought about two additional Grammy Awards; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "Hammerhead" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for "Nessun Dorma", both from "Emotion & Commotion", and "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" for "Imagine", his collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

His "Rock 'N' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul)" album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2016 he released "Loud Hailer" and in 2017 "Jeff Beck: Live At The Hollywood Bowl" was released, both to widespread critical acclaim.

The eight-time Grammy winner is survived by his wife Sandra.

The second and final Jeff Beck tribute show is set to take place tonight (May 23) at the Royal Albert Hall.

At Royal Albert Hall in honor of Jeff Beck.

Posted by Eric Clapton on Monday, May 22, 2023

The IFM RAW YouTube channel has uploaded video of SEPULTURA's May 20 performance at Welcome To Rockville at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Check out the clips below.

SEPULTURA has joined forces with German thrash legends KREATOR for a North American co-headline tour, "Klash Of The Titans", in May and June of 2023. Support on the trek is coming from DEATH ANGEL and SPIRITWORLD.

Last year, SEPULTURA frontman Derrick Green was asked by the "Pollution Nocturne" radio show when fans can expect to see a follow-up to the band's 2020 album "Quadra". He responded: "It's really difficult to say what we'll do for the next album because we're just starting to tour for this album. So there's quite a bit of touring we need to do this year, till the end of the year, and then next year as well before we even start to think about going in the studio again. So I think our focus is really based on touring right now for 'Quadra'."

As for how it feels for him and his bandmates to be back on the road after a two-year pandemic-related break from touring, he said: "It feels great to be back. To play live music is everything to us; it really is a big part of our lives. And being away from it for so long was strange at first, but I think it made us stronger in a lot of ways. We were able to determine what we really enjoy in life, what we take note of what really matters in our lives. So that break actually helped in ways. Now being here playing, it feels unbelievable; it feels like something that was missing but now it's back; that piece that was missing is now there again."

SEPULTURA comprises Green, guitarist Andreas Kisser, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

After relentless touring for its previous opus, 2017's "Machine Messiah", SEPULTURA returned to Sweden's Fascination Street Studios to once again work with producer Jens Bogren. "Quadra" saw the bandmembers pushing their own mental and physical boundaries and has been one of the group's hardest albums to complete.

The cover for "Quadra" was created by Christiano Menezes for Darkside Books. Revolving around the meaning of the number 4, the concept goes much deeper, as Kisser explained. "Quadra, among other meanings, is the Portuguese word for 'sport court' that by definition is a limited area of land, with regulatory demarcations, where according to a set of rules the game takes place," he said.

"We all come from different Quadras. The countries, all nations with their borders and traditions; culture, religions, laws, education and a set of rules where life takes place. Our personalities, what we believe, how we live, how we build societies and relationships, all depends on these set of rules that we grew up with. Concepts of creation, gods, death and ethics.

"Money, we are enslaved by this concept," he continued. "Who's poor and who's rich, that's how we measure people and material goods. Regardless of your Quadra, you need money to survive, the prime rule to play this game called life. Hence the coin.

"The coin is forged with the senator skull, who represents the set of rules and laws we live by; the world map on his head delimiting the borders of all nations, imaginary lines separating people by concepts of race and the sacred."

"Machine Messiah" was SEPULTURA's fourteenth studio album and the eighth since Green joined the ranks. Lyrically, the disc tackled the metaphorical robotization of society and the need to follow and worship someone.

SEPULTURA was formed in 1984 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are no longer with the band.

MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD kicked off the European leg of their "The World Tour" last night (Monday, May 22) in front of 23,000 fans at Bramhall Lane, in DEF LEPPARD's hometown of Sheffield, England. Fan-filmed video of MÖTLEY CRÜE's performance can be seen below.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's setlist was as follows:

01. Wild Side
02. Shout At The Devil
03. Too Fast For Love
04. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
05. Saints Of Los Angeles
06. Live Wire
07. Looks That Kill
08. The Dirt (Est. 1981) (with Machine Gun Kelly on screen)
09. Guitar Solo
10. Rock And Roll, Part 2 / Smokin' In The Boys Room / Helter Skelter / Anarchy In The U.K. / Blitzkrieg Bop
11. Home Sweet Home
12. Dr. Feelgood
13. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
14. Girls, Girls, Girls
15. Primal Scream
16. Kickstart My Heart

MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD will next perform on May 25 at Sparkassen Park in Mönchengladbach, Germany.

Earlier this month, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx said that the band had completed recording several new songs with longtime producer Bob Rock.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's new guitarist John 5 told Sirius XM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about recording the group's new music with Rock: "Bob would come in and [say], 'Okay, let's try this here, and that here and this here. It was one of the most incredible experiences ever… I'm thinking, 'We've got so much great technology today'… but we got in that room and it was like being in a garage working on a song when you were in high school… It was incredible, and we documented a lot of it too."

Regarding the musical direction of the tracks he and the rest of MÖTLEY CRÜE have recorded so far, John 5 said: "The songs are fucking heavy. I sound like a little excited kid right now, but they're heavy and they're mean. I can't wait for them to come out. I'm just so excited."

When host Eddie Trunk asked John 5 whether the new MÖTLEY CRÜE music can be compared to the band's breakthrough second album, 1983's "Shout At The Devil", the guitarist said that some of the new riffs are "heavier than anything" on that LP. "All I can tell you is that it's heavy and it's aggressive, and I think people are going to dig it because, talking as a fan, it's fucking badass," he said.

John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE last fall as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE last October as a result of worsening health issues.

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

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

In a new interview with Wall Of Sound's Duane James, ANTHRAX's Scott Ian offered an update on the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2016's "For All Kings" album. He said: "It's going great. We've gotten nine songs so far. Charlie [Benante] recorded drums on nine songs, I've got guitars almost done on four. Then I came out on these [MR.] BUNGLE dates. But Frankie [Bello, bass] and I are going to head back into the studio, like, first week of June to finish all the guitars and bass, work on some vocal ideas. Then probably vocals and lead guitars will start not long after that. Then there'll be another drum session somewhere down the line, probably because there are more ideas that we just haven't really had a chance to get tightly arranged yet. So there'll be another drum session in the next few months."

As for a possible release date for the next ANTHRAX album, Scott said: "I'm not gonna put any deadline or date on anything, but I'd like to think a record would be done by the end of the year. Then we'd be out starting again next summer, you know, probably. That's a very loose, loose schedule, in my mind."

Earlier in the month, it was announced that Ian, Benante and Bello had been in the studio with producer Jay Ruston, laying down basic tracks in preparation for singer Joey Belladonna to record his vocals and for lead guitarist Jonathan Donais to add his leads and solos.

At the time, Scott wrote on social media: "We started recording the new album last week and the first session was a blast! The songs are killer, challenging and a lot of fun to play - Riff-O-Rama. Tones are 1986 great. Can't wait for all of you to hear what we’re doing."

Charlie added: "We entered the studio and have begun recording our new record. I feel that the songs are next level for us. The first batch that I recorded were a bit challenging as far as my drumming goes. The next batch will be recorded in between my @panteraofficial schedule. I can't wait to record the next batch… some great stuff coming! The persistence to spread the euphoric Music we worship among all you Kings ( and Queens) has always been our mission @anthrax".

A month earlier, Benante was asked by Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules if his packed 2023 touring schedule with PANTERA will delay the release of ANTHRAX's new LP. He responded: "We're actually going in two weeks to start recording the record. But it probably wouldn't come out till '24 anyway. But the good part about it is we are going in to start recording it. So that's awesome."

Elaborating on why it has taken so long for ANTHRAX to complete the writing process for a new LP, Charlie said: "If we didn't get hit with this whole global pandemic thing, it would have been out probably two years ago, three years ago. But we all know what happened. But now, being that some of the songs were [written] before the pandemic hit, they're old to me. So now there's a bunch of new songs that kind of came in the mix. So that's a good thing. You can never have enough… We're still working on the older ones because we really like a lot of those."

This past January, Ian told Metal Edge that he and his bandmates had "11 musical arrangements", as well as "some" lyrics, that they were working on for their next album. "Obviously, I'm going to be working on more words and we're getting there," he said. "I'm hoping at some point we'll be able to get into the studio [this year] and record them."

Benante also loudly wondered if ANTHRAX could focus on releasing EPs in the foreseeable future as opposed to full-length albums, as has been the case for much of the band's four-plus-decade career.

"What if it wasn't a full album?" the drummer asked. "If we released six songs and then we released another six songs. I know from a record company's point of view that really doesn't work, but in these days…"

"Yeah. It's all so different now," Ian said, jumping in. "SLIPKNOT's saying now why even make full albums anymore. I get it. I get all sides of it. I still love a full album, but at the same time I totally understand the idea of what's the point of giving someone 11 songs. Most people don't listen to albums anymore. So, yeah — why not parse it out? I don't know. All I know is at some point in the next few months we'll probably have 14 or 15 things and then we'll have to decide when we're going to record it and how we're going to release it."

"Think about it," Benante continued. "If ANTHRAX released five songs and you have these five songs, and you absorb it in such a different way nowadays, too. I think that may be the way to go, rather than give everybody 11 songs and it's like, 'Oh — I only had a chance to listen to the first four or five.' I don't know. I just think maybe the business model is different."

"And even for us, playing songs live it's like, you put out a record with 10 or 11 songs on it with the idea that, 'Oh man, I can't wait to play this one live and I can't wait to play this one live,'" Ian added. "On 'For All Kings', we definitely didn't play all of those songs at any point. I think there's maybe six songs on the record that got played – and that's it. I almost feel like you're wasting them. I understand album tracks, but if you put out just five songs it would be easy to play all five of those on a new tour."

"And easier to digest, too," Benante agreed. "You would appreciate it more if it was just five songs and, 'These five songs are fuckin' killer. I can't wait for the next five songs,' knowing that we will release another five or six."

Earlier in January, Benante told Ruben Mosqueda of We Go To 11 that ANTHRAX was planning to enter the studio sometime this spring to begin recording the new LP.

"Between the PANTERA [tour dates in 2023], we're gonna be working on this record, this ANTHRAX record," he said. "We're hoping to have it finished before PANTERA go to Europe [in late May]. I have a little window after that, before [PANTERA's stadium tour with] METALLICA starts. At least if I get my drum tracks done, then the other guys can continue to work on it. That's the plan. Unless something else happens, but hopefully nothing will happen."

Last November, Bello told SiriusXM that the band is "not in a rush" to record the new album. "We wanna make sure it's the right record," he explained. "We can't just throw out something that's not ready. So we're gonna really make sure it's the right record and live with it for a little bit. We have some brutal stuff and some cool stuff coming up — very heavy — we've been working on. Everybody can say that when they're working on a record. But the proof is in the pudding. I'm pretty proud of what we've come up with so far."

In August, Ian praised the production quality on some of the band's recent albums, including 2011's "Worship Music" and "For All Kings". He said: [On] 'Worship [Music]' and 'For All Kings', for me, we've really kind of found our sound. We've got this base level where we're at right now with [producer] Jay Ruston where we know it's gonna be great, and then we could push it even further. Especially with the songwriting that we have right now, going into what will eventually be a new ANTHRAX album, it just lends itself to even a more aggressive production which I think we will have no problem accomplishing."

In April 2022, Scott confirmed to Metal Injection that ANTHRAX had a few songs already written for the upcoming LP. "All I can say is we will get in the studio when we're ready," he said. "I think we're getting there. I think we have great songs. I think people will be very happy.

"Not to make a weird comparison, but it's our third record back together with Joey. Actually, it's an odd comparison. I should just say it's our third album since our kind of our reboot in 2010 and our third album back in the day was 'Among The Living'. I'm not saying that this is [like that album], because it's not 'Among The Living II' in any sense, but I just think we have some great songs and there's like a fucking mountain of great riffs. I think people are going to be very happy."

Ian previously discussed ANTHRAX's upcoming LP during a July 2021 appearance on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. At the time, he said: "We've been at it for a little while now. We actually started writing in '19 — pre-COVID — and kind of stepped away from things when COVID happened. We were all separate and apart and we would kind of revisit some of the demos, but we weren't actively working on it.

"Yeah, it's the same as it's always been," he said. "I would have to think by the time we get to the other side of the writing process and we decide we're ready to go record it, I would have to assume it's certainly going to represent this time in our lives. And the world having gone through a pandemic, I would imagine certainly that's in some way, shape or form going to come out through this next record. I can't tell you how yet, but I would have to think it's going to."

ANTHRAX celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021 with a number of special activities and events. Formed by Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, New York on July 18, 1981, ANTHRAX was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH.

Active over the past five decades, ANTHRAX has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple gold and platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with the "Big Four".

"For All Kings" was called by some critics ANTHRAX's strongest album to date. Its arrival followed a five-year period during which the group experienced a rebirth of sorts, beginning with ANTHRAX's inclusion on the "Big Four" tour, and continuing with the release of comeback LP "Worship Music".

Major METALLICA news from Down Under! "Metallica: 72 Seasons - Global Premiere" has just screened in cinemas in New Zealand and moviegoers there were the first to learn that METALLICA's "M72" world tour is set to burst on to the big screen, live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in cinemas worldwide on Friday, August 18 and Sunday, August 20.

Titled "Metallica: M72 World Tour Live From Arlington, TX - A Two Night Event", this unprecedented global theatrical event will see the band playing two nights with two completely different setlists, with songs spanning the group's 40-plus-year career, from 1983's classic "Kill 'Em All" to 2023's long-awaited "72 Seasons". The band won't play a single song twice, making for a total of more than 30 songs across both nights.

The "M72" tour will feature a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, while giving fans a complete 360-degree view from every seat in the house. With a state-of-the-art multi-camera set up, fans will be right in the middle of the action, no matter where they are in the world.

For more information, visit metallica.film.

"Metallica: 72 Seasons - Global Premiere", the worldwide listening party for METALLICA's forthcoming eleventh studio album, "72 Seasons", continues to launch across the globe over the next 20 hours. Tickets are still available for this tonight-only event at metallica.film. At the event, "72 Seasons" will be played in full in pummeling surround sound, exclusively for cinema audiences worldwide — with every one of the new songs featuring its own music video and exclusive commentary from the band. The result will offer fans an unforgettable night as they experience "72 Seasons" first and fully on the eve of its April 14 release date.

Kymberli Frueh, SVP programming and content acquisitions at Trafalgar Releasing, said: "We feel like we are a part of the METALLICA family now that we are doing our third release together ('Metallica: M72 World Tour Live From Arlington, TX - A Two Night Event', '72 Seasons Global Premiere' and 'S&M²'). Since METALLICA is touring in very limited markets this year, we are so happy that we can extend that tour into cinemas across the globe. The cinemas create a virtual tour stop for fans in thousands of locations where METALLICA isn't touring this year. What better way to create a VIP experience with every seat in the cinema feeling as if you are in the front row of the concert."

Hailed as "some of the deepest, hardest-hitting music of their career" (Rolling Stone),METALLICA's "72 Seasons" will be released April 14 via the band's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track "72 Seasons" is METALLICA's first full length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

The ticket on-sale date for "Metallica: M72 World Tour Live From Arlington, TX – A Two Night Event" will be announced later.

In a new interview with AL.com, Derek St. Holmes, the legendary guitarist and vocalist known for his time working with Ted Nugent in the 1970s, was asked if he thinks Ted's politics have diminished his guitar legacy. Derek responded: "The answer to your question is yes, I do. I was leery of doing an interview with somebody in Alabama because didn't he have a gig banned or boycotted or something there? I think it hurts us a little bit. It hurts the brand to get yourself involved in politics and try to play music and rock and roll."

He continued: "I want to go to a concert and have a good time — I don't want anybody to bring the six o'clock news by me again, especially over a loud mic. All I want to do is play music and have fun, and to make everybody else have fun. I think that's why we were so big. Now when I go back and listen to the 'Double Live Gonzo!' album and I think, wow, if we could have just gone back to that, to everybody having a good time. And if you're not having a good time, well, then you can turn around and get the bleep out of here. That raucous kind of stuff. It just made us huge."

Touching upon Ted's exclusion from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Derek said: "Should we be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? Oh, yeah. But we won't be in this because of politics and rhetoric. But maybe one day they'll pull their heads from underneath their armpits.

"Do I think it [being far-right politically outspoken] hurt Ted's legacy? Yes, I think it did a little bit. But hopefully his guitar-playing and his attitude will supersede all that craziness as time goes on."

From 1974 to 1979, Derek brought his outstanding musicianship, songwriting skills and superior vocal prowess to Ted's albums and live shows. He can be heard on the classic Nugent albums "Free For All", "Double Live Gonzo!" and "Cat Scratch Fever". It is his voice, not Ted's, singing lead on the FM radio staples "Strangehold", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Stormtroopin'" and "Hey Baby". He has reunited with Nugent several times through the 1980s, 1990s, in 2011, and has since played a number of shows with Ted.

In addition to his time with Nugent, St. Holmes has been a part of many groups including ST. PARADISE, MSG (with guitarist Michael Schenker) and WHITFORD/ST. HOLMES with Brad Whitford of AEROSMITH. The Whitford/St. Holmes pairing saw the release of a critically acclaimed 1981 album and a recent 2015 reunion album and follow-up tour.

Derek tours as a solo artist as well as with his own namesake band.

Ted has repeatedly said that his political views are one of the main reasons he hasn't been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The conservative rocker, who been eligible for the honor as a solo artist since 2000, has enjoyed a remarkably successful and eventful musical career over the past five decades, but his music is increasingly overshadowed by his political outbursts.

Nugent addressed his exclusion from the Rock Hall during a July 2022 edition of "The Nightly Nuge", a news-style clip in which he offers his take on the news of our world.

"My comment on the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is I never speak from a personal anger that I'm not in it; I never reference that I should be in it, though obviously I should be in it," he said. "But that Grandmaster Flash and Madonna and ABBA are in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? I speak on behalf of the fan club of the founding fathers that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should always pay homage to and respect, and that's Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley and Little Richard and Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis and the founding fathers of this most exciting, throttling, defiant, irreverent, uppity, fun soundtrack in the world. And that they would put people in there that are not just not rock and roll, but they're anti rock and roll.

"Let me go ahead and say this… Nobody can sue me because if they try to sue me, we'll prove that my words are accurate," Nugent added. "There's a lot of dope smoking going on at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and the more dope you smoke, the dumber you get, the more irresponsible you get and the more criminally inclined you will get. And the statistics to prove what I just said are irrefutable, unless you're so stoned that you can irrefute truth, logic and common sense, which I get a big kick out of.

"And again, it's not because I'm angry that I'm not in; I'm angry that they're dishonest and that they're not paying respect to the Chuck Berrys and the Bo Diddleys and the Elvis Presleys and the Little Richards and the Jerry Lee Lewises of the world, because rock and roll means something, and ABBA and Grandmaster Flash ain't it."

Ted has railed against the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame a number of times in the past, including in a 2017 interview with the Q103 radio station in Albany. At the time, he stated about his exclusion from the institution: "Jan Wenner, the founder of Rolling Stone [magazine] and the boss hog at Rock And Roll Of Fame, he hates freedom, he hates the Second Amendment, he hates me, because I'm on the board of directors — quite proudly — of the National Rifle Association for, like, twenty-six years with some of the highest votes except for Charlton Heston [NRA's president]. And I couldn't be more proud of that, 'cause the NRA is the ultimate family, grassroots organization that fights for the right to defend ourselves. What kind of numbnut would be against that? And so I'm on the board of directors of the NRA, Jan Wenner hates the Second Amendment, so that's the only reason I'm not in the Rock And Roll Of Fame. And until they get their heads out of their ass, I'm more than happy to do what I do and do it with all the vim and vigor that I do it every night."

Nugent added: "Hey, write this down. My name is Ted Nugent. I am the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Eat me!"

Asked if he would show up for his Rock Hall induction if he eventually got the nod, Nugent said: "Oh, hell yes! And you know what I would do? I would lead… I've seen a lot of the ceremonies, and they're so moving. All of us that love music, how do you not just shed a tear of joy when you see Bob Seger and certainly ZZ TOP and Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley and James Brown… Are you kidding me? These are the gods of the soundtrack of our quality of life. But you know what I will do? And I will do it. I will lead the most important moment in the history of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, because I will get on bended knee and I will say a prayer for Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley and Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis and THE VENTURES and James Brown and Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding and the Motown Funk Brothers and THE BEATLES and THE [ROLLING] STONES and THE KINKS and Howlin' Wolf and Buddy Guy and B.B. King and Freddie King and Albert King… you know what I'm saying? Because Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is paying tribute and homage to geniuses who gave us the ultimate soundtrack for our American Dream. I'm all in, man, I'm genuinely moved, and I'm glad there is a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."

Nugent went on to reiterate his belief that that rappers and non-rock artists like Madonna don't belong in the Hall Of Fame. "I mean, why don't you just piss on Chuck Berry's grave, you know what I mean?" he said.

According to Ted, the fact that both Patti Smith and Grandmaster Flash have been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is the result of "political correctness," which he calls "a self-inflicted and embarrassing scourge." He added in a mocking tone: "Yeah, Grandmaster Flash is rock and roll. And I'm a gay pirate."

In July 2021 e-mail from NRA general counsel John Frazer sent to board members, it was announced that Nugent, who joined the board in 1995, was stepping down "due to ongoing schedule conflicts."

Ted's decision to leave the board came less than a year after he told Newsmax's "The Chris Salcedo Show" that the National Rifle Association was "the most important civil rights organization in the world."

In a new interview with Music Radar, DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen was asked if it's fair to say that he and his bandmates were much more commercially successful in America than they were in their native England. "Oh, absolutely," he responded. "Something dawned on me a few years ago — we sing with American accents. And that's because we learned from Mick Jagger. He would always sing with an American accent, and it wasn't put on — it wasn't like a thing. That's where he learned to sing it. He learned from Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, James Brown — that's how he learned to sing. So then we would learn it from them, [LED] ZEPPELIN… everyone would sing with American accents because they're copying American artform, if you like. So I think that may have something to do with it. And [longtime DEF LEPPARD producer] Mutt Lange was a student of American music."

He continued: "I definitely met people in America for years and they didn't know we were English. They thought we were American and sounded American. It may have something to do with that. But I think it was just it just lent itself to an American kind of style."

2022 saw DEF LEPPARD release their critically and commercially acclaimed 12th studio album, "Diamond Star Halos", which charted all over the world including a top 5 and top 10 in both North America and the U.K.. Early 2023, saw the band score a U.K. No 1 Netflix film with their cameo in acclaimed movie "Bank Of Dave". DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott is also currently riding high in charts across the world with his guest vocal on the GHOST track "Spillways".

DEF LEPPARD also embarked on a sold-out stadium tour across North America with MÖTLEY CRÜE in 2022 — selling over 1.3 million tickets. February and March 2023 saw the tour wow audiences throughout Central and South America. In May, June and July the must-see tour of 2023 comes to Europe, including a stop at the iconic Wembley Stadium on July 1.

With more than 110 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards in the U.S., 2019 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees DEF LEPPARD — Elliott, Collen, Rick Savage (bass),Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) — continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic ground-breaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group's spectacular live shows and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading DEF LEPPARD to be heralded as the world's greatest live rock band.

DEF LEPPARD's influential career includes numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums — including two of the best-selling albums of all time, "Pyromania" and "Hysteria", capturing the group's legendary tracks, bringing together classic LEPPARD hits such as "Rock Of Ages", "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Foolin'".

For the first time, in January 2018 DEF LEPPARD debuted their full recording catalog worldwide via streaming and download platforms. As they did with the original release of their records, DEF LEPPARD dominated the worldwide charts again, which found their albums charting in the iTunes Top 10 in more than 30 countries, including "Hysteria" at No. 3 in the U.S., and No. 5 in the U.K. (36 years after the album had charted at No 1 in the Billboard charts). DEF LEPPARD also had the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 records on the U.S. catalog albums chart. The band have gone on to amass a staggering 5.5 billion streams since 2018, reaching a younger 18-44 demographic that now represents 58% of their fanbase. Additionally, the band have garnered an impressive 15 million followers across their social media platforms.

In May 2022, DEF LEPPARD released their twelfth studio album "Diamond Star Halos". The album debuted at No. 1 on the Apple and Amazon Music charts. The album also scored a Top 10 debut on North America's Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, marking the band's eighth Top 10 album of their career, and garnered a No. 1 debut on Billboard's Hard Rock chart. "Diamond Star Halos" had numerous Top 10 chart entries globally including a Top 5 debut in the U.K.

DEF LEPPARD has just released "Drastic Symphonies", a brand-new album featuring the band's greatest tracks dramatically reimagined via a collaboration with London's iconic Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

In a brand new interview with "Paltrocast" host Darren Paltrowitz, former DEEP PURPLE and current WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale was asked whether he has any plans to release an autobiography, possibly under his previously floated title of "How White Was My Snake?" He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "If I do a book, [my wife] wants me to call it — what everybody says — 'Soldier Of Fortune', which is a well-known song I wrote with Ritchie [Blackmore] a lifetime ago. She said she feels 'How White Was My Snake?' is too diminishing to my legacy. But the problem is I can't do it, 'cause I can't not be honest about this, that and the other, who's the inspiration [for] this song, who was that… It would be a spilling of the beans, which I'm not interested in hurting anybody, and particularly my family. So I've been working now with my head of video on another concept which I think could be significantly more interesting and not as fucking boring as a biography."

When Paltrowicz noted that there is a sense of "mystique" surrounding his personal life, unlike those of many of his contemporaries, David said: "Most important, I don't pretend to be somebody I'm not. That's the important thing. I still embrace my privacy ridiculously. I live in a private community which is very protective of my family. These kind of things. It's not open season for me. I have to keep my space clean. As you can imagine, I'm talking to millions of people on social media a day. I'm having a laugh with a bit of philosophy in, playing 'em a video.

"We're starting now a [video series called] 'Q.T. [Question Time] With D.C.', so we're gonna answer people's questions, some things that they're curious about. I won't discuss Tawny [Kitaen, Coverdale's late ex-wife], of course; Tawny is an amazing memory. But the circumstances… There are certain things that weren't… I think it's just respectful to people I've worked with. Some of the aspects were unsavory. That's for me to know, really, and to clear it from my space."

Back in 2021, Coverdale told Antihero magazine that he didn't see an autobiography as something that he would be interested in doing. "I'd have to be totally honest, and that would be very damaging to those relationships," he explained. "So, to me it's not worth it. I don't need the money. People who usually know my story, and my songs, the lyrics are pretty much journals and diaries of experiences. The difference between me and country and western music is I don't use names."

Coverdale's recent comments are similar to the ones he made in 2013 when he told RockSverige about the prospect of writing an autobiography: "I don't have time, man, and I´m still living it. Honestly, there's a huge obstacle for me because I've read some of my contemporaries' work and I remember certain circumstances very differently. If I ever do this, and right now I don't have that enthusiasm, but if I do, I'm gonna be completely honest. Names will be named because, to me, that's the only way to do it. But I'm not sure I'm comfortable with being as revealing. I'm very revealing in my work, but I don't name names, so you don't know who this woman was who was behaving like a bitch or who broke my heart. [Laughs]"

WHITESNAKE canceled several European shows last summer and pulled out of its previously announced North American tour with the SCORPIONS last fall due to Coverdale's "continued treatment for a persistent upper respiratory infection."

On June 28, 2022, WHITESNAKE scrapped three shows on its spring/summer European tour due to Coverdale's infection of the sinus and trachea. Three days later, the rest of the trek was also called off. At the time, David blamed the decision on "continuing health challenges, doctor's orders, and our concern for everyone's health and safety."

David was not the first member of WHITESNAKE to fall ill during the group's spring/summer 2022 European tour. Guitarist Reb Beach missed several shows on the trek in June 2022 after being "under the weather." On June 25, 2022, WHITESNAKE canceled its show at the Rock Imperium festival in Spain due to the fact that drummer Tommy Aldridge "went down" and "was bad enough at the time to have missed the first show ever in his career," according to Coverdale.

WHITESNAKE launched its farewell tour on May 10, 2022 at Dublin, Ireland's 3Arena. The band's 14-song set, which was part of a European tour with special guests EUROPE and co-headliners FOREIGNER, marked WHITESNAKE's inaugural performance with the group's two latest two additions, keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist Dino Jelusick and bassist Tanya O'Callaghan.

Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.

Prior to the pandemic, WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

On April 28, WHITESNAKE released a legacy retrospective, "Still Good To Be Bad". The collection was made available in different configurations, a few days after the 15th anniversary of "Good To Be Bad", the band's tenth studio album and its first in over a decade.
‘How White Was My Snake??? ‘
Chapter 1...
I was born at a very early age...er... pic.twitter.com/ecpHSykIFj

— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) April 25, 2020

Word has come down through Trans-Siberian Orchestra members Russell Allen (Symphony X) and Chris Caffery (Savatage) that former TSO vocalist James Lewis has passed away. At press time, no details regarding Lewis' death had been made public. He performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra from 2004 – 2012.


Following are messages shared by Allen and Caffery in tribute to their bandmate:


Russell Allen: "We lost a member of our TSO family today. The great James Lewis. I never had the pleasure of touring with him but we did meet on a few occasions and his amazing energy, charisma and humor was awesome! I was hoping we’d have a chance to tour together. I heard so many great things about him from my TSO band mates. But sadly he was not able to return. In the early years of my tenure with the band I was just 'filling in' for him on the songs he sang hoping he’d come back. I’ll always think of myself as filling in for James... and will keep giving all I got for as long as I got and try to do what he said to me when I got in the band. 'Congrats! Now don’t fuck it up' haha. He had an epic sense of humor. I loved that about him.. RIP brother.. you are loved by us all and will be missed."




Chris Caffery: Siberian Saturday Night throwback (the photo above) with the voice of 'Christmas Nights In Blue', my dear friend James Lewis. Spent so many nights on the stage with James but also spent so many days and nights off the stage laughing and creating priceless memories. James first toured with us the year Daryl Pediford passed away. Daryl passed away during the weeks of rehearsal for the tour. James really helped me and the others to get through that difficult time with his energy, smile and infectious laugh. 


We were a bit more adventurous on the road back then. The schedule is a lot more brutal now with all the matinees. The stages have also gotten a lot bigger. We have to really be on our game physically and mentally with the new stage shows and all the moving stage pieces and special effects! Plus, yes we are all older, wiser and more careful! But we definitely had some classic times on the road before matinee madness began! 


To give an example - and no, this doesn’t happen at all on the tours now - it was a snowy night in Grand Rapids and the backstage door was dangerously close to the local bars by the arena. 'Old City Bar' has always been a break off the stage for me. This night I saw James and said 'Lewis, wanna go get a shot?' He looked at me and laughed and we ran out in the snow and across the street in our tuxedos and entered an old city bar during 'Old City Bar'! I forget exactly what we got, but I remember telling the bartenders I’d be back after the show to pay my tab! The look on their faces was so priceless. I made it back for the next song and had this priceless memory placed into my mind forever! 


Like I said…definitely not anything that happens on the road these days. But it happened! 


Cheers Lewis!" 








Photo taken from Chris Caffery's official Facebook page

During a May 17 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp opened up about his recent battle with COVID-19. The 62-year-old Danish-born musician, who is currently on the road in the U.S. as part of his "The Songs Of White Lion" tour, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm hanging in there, and the show must go on, as we all know. I survived COVID for three years. I've been around the world… during the COVID time. The second I came to New York and went out and [did a] meet-and-greet [with] three hundred people, well, two days later the big C knocked on my door. That was the first time I had it. And even with four vaccinations and all that crap and stuff like that. Like my son was telling me, 'Well, dad, it's the new common cold.'"

Asked if he has been "hit hard" by COVID-19, Mike said: "That first 24 hours when it came like a lightning bolt, it hit me really hard. The lovely manager of QUIET RIOT got me on something called Paxlovid instantly, and within 24 hours I felt good again and just had the feeling that I had the common cold inside me. Unfortunately, I'm testing positive in the morning and stuff like that, but right now it's just… it's a head cold."

Pressed about whether he has done any shows since he was first diagnosed with COVID-19, Tramp said: "I've done four shows [so far]. A very strange component that comes with COVID for certain people is sadness. And at times when I've been up on stage with the lights in my eyes, I felt like I was crying. I knew I wasn't, but that's how it felt. But then again, you know that I've been in rock and roll for 46 years and I stood on stage with nothing and had to go through the show. It's what we do. It's a pain in the butt, but I'll see it through."

Tramp initially revealed he tested positing for the coronavirus earlier in the month, writing in a social media post on May 11: "Everybody around me, north and south, east and west, had it at some time. But for some reason i dodged the big C-19 bullet every time. Still I knew that when you shake 300 hands at night, 200 selfies and all the comes with meeting happy people after a show. Mathematics says, it just a matter of time, and it was. I felt the symptoms Saturday night, specifically in my throat and chest, and when I got up early sunday to prepare for our 12.30 show. I knew it was not good. Went to the Doctor and got the bad news that I was not immortal and I had COVID. Friends suggested i got on Paxlovid medication right away and before the day was through, I felt 100% better. But of course while I have been waiting it out, I have felt that I have an unwanted visitor in my body and I can't wait till it leaves. As I am fine to go on stage. Please accept that I won't and can't throw myself in your arms after the show."

On May 14, Mike shared an update on his condition, writing: "A week ago, I was brought to my knees by the Big C, even though sleepy Joe had told us all that Covid was cancelled. What a shit week, never thought it would end, never thought I'd feel alive again. But then today the sun came into my life and slowly as the day progressed. I started to feel whole again, and with every hour it's getting better and better, and maybe tomorrow I am almost completely out of the darkness. A million thanks for all of your support it means the world and I'll do my best to make up for the 3 shows we had to pull."

This past April, Tramp released "Songs Of White Lion", via Frontiers Music Srl. As the title implies, the album sees Tramp re-imagining select cuts from WHITE LION's catalog.

Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.

By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.

Image courtesy of The Attitude

In a new interview with the "Tuna On Toast With Stryker" video podcast, SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian was asked if he has given any consideration to the possibility of his band one day being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I never thought of that, but hey — it's not that we can't. One day we might. But it's not something that… it doesn't drive me. It's the Hall Of Fame. It is what it is. There's people that don't belong and then there's people that belong that are not there, so… It ain't all fair. We'll see."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility. SYSTEM OF A DOWN's debut album was released in 1998, making the band newly eligible for the Rock Hall.

The only metal or metal-adjacent acts to have made it into the Rock Hall so far have been BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, METALLICA, AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, KISS, VAN HALEN, RUSH, GUNS N' ROSES and DEEP PURPLE.

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2014.

JUDAS PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at last year's Rock Hall event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

IRON MAIDEN was on the ballot for the second time this year, but the institution's voters snubbed them once again.

MÖTLEY CRÜE — which has been eligible since 2006 — won the 2019 "Voice Your Choice" in-museum Rock Hall fan vote but failed to make the list of nominees for the Class Of 2020. The band saw its votes surge when its biopic "The Dirt", premiered on Netfix in March 2019.

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Jasta Show", hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, legendary drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE) spoke about his involvement with EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, the extreme metal band founded by Simon Neil (BIFFY CLYRO) and Mike Vennart (BIFFY CLYRO live guitarist and solo artist, ex-OCEANSIZE).

Dave said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Simon Neil and Mike Vennart [are] from a very popular band in the U.K. called BIFFY CLYRO. [A lot of people in the U.S.] don't know who BIFFY CLYRO is, but they're massive in the U.K. They headline Download and Glastonbury [festivals]; they headline Download the next day after IRON MAIDEN. So there guys are massive. But Simon Neil, the vocalist for that band, and Mike Vennart have a love and an affinity for hardcore music. And for the past 10 years they've been talking about this. And they hit me up during the pandemic and took a shot in the dark and said, 'Well, why not? Let's ask him. He might not wanna do it.' But they asked. At first, I fell in love with the music. I was, like, 'Wow. This is pretty fucking cool.' Odd time changes. It's a little thrashy. It has a little bit of grindcore in it. It's hard to describe. It's its own entity and it has a personality of its own. So to give it a description is really difficult. But it is in the hard music vein. And when I heard the music, I was blown away. And I agreed. And they sent me the files [for the album]. And I recorded the drums in my home studio, and I sent it back. And they were pleased. And it's gonna be out — I hope — sometime in September."

This past March, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD released its debut song "Harvest". The track is available now on all streaming platforms and accompanied by a visualizer which can be seen on the group's YouTube channel.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, which recently signed with Roadrunner Records, also features Naomi Macleod (BITCH FALCON) on bass.

Bursting with aggression, "Harvest" sees Vennart's inventive, barbed riffs complementing Neil's feral vocal attack, with Lombardo's battering ram rhythms anchoring it all.

"Harvest" features artwork from BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" host Daniel P. Carter, who described the track as "a blistering noise/metal assault."

The idea behind EMPIRE STATE BASTARD emerged when Simon and Mike would spend downtime on tour sitting at the back of the bus sharing the heaviest, most avant-garde or the most sickeningly confrontational music they could find. When thoughts turned to making their own sonic wasteland, Simon already had the band name in mind, leaving Mike with a particularly grotesque challenge: what music could he write that would live up to the name?

It took around a decade to find both the time and ferocity to make it happen. With Mike writing the songs and recording all guitars, and Simon focused on vocals and lyrics, they eventually emerged with a collection of songs which adventurously probes almost every dark crevice imaginable from the myriad sounds of metal and genre-adjacent extremity.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD's terrifying tourist trail visits slamming hardcore in the vein of SIEGE; frenetic, visceral thrash in SLAYER's ballpark; the claustrophobic sludge of MELVINS; the freeform vocal dexterity of Mike Patton; and the gargantuan stoner riffs of SLEEP. It's a band that’s rooted in the tradition of metal's forefathers, but informed by more recent waves of leftfield aggression.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD played a short series of sold-out U.K. shows in March, with festival sets confirmed for this spring and summer at U.K.'s Download (June 9),France's Hellfest (June 18),U.K.'s 2000trees (July 7) and U.K.'s ArcTanGent (August 17).

Neil previously told NME that working on other projects, including EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, got him "through not touring — just knowing I can spend the year making new music."

He added: "I like putting myself in these positions where I'm like, 'I should never be doing this, so this is what I'm going to do.' I don't just want to do the same shit. Every time between records, I want to do something that's fucked up and off the wall. It brings me back to BIFFY, and I'm more in love with it now than I've ever been."

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.

Lombardo rejoined TESTAMENT last year but has since stopped touring with that band.

Finnish doomsters The Solitude have released their debut single, "Sound Of Absent Life", which can be heard below.


The Solitude's line-up features vocalist Aleksi Parviainen (Malpractice, Soulcage), guitarist Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen (ex-HIM, Kyyria, Dementia), bassist Ville Pelkonen (ex-Jimsonweed) and drummer Janne Parviainen (Ensiferum, ex-Waltari). 







The band will make their live debut on May 25th at Bar Loose in Helsinki, Finland.  


For more information on The Solitude and updates, go to this location.

London born death / thrash champions The Bleeding return in full force to bring you their third full-length album, Monokrator, set for release on June 9, 2023.


The Bleeding has shared a fresh taste of the album with new single and lyric video "Chainsaw Deathcult", which can be seen below.


The band comments: "'Chainsaw Deathcult' is a twisted tale of pleasure through pain and suffering. It's to revel in sadistic and grotesque acts of violence whilst indulging in a narcotic fantasy of vile intentions. Musically speaking, 'Chainsaw Deathcult' is the first song we wrote for the new album Monokrator, only a couple of months after the release of Morbid Prophecy. We'd gone back to the Mutilation demo by Death, as well as early Cannibal Corpse and punk bands like The Exploited and The Accüsed. We've infused these influences with modern elements that add a unique flavour while staying true to our own artistic vision. Our main agenda as a musical group is to bring a raw, fierce and unapologetic musical experience to our listeners and we feel that 'Chainsaw Deathcult' achieves that."







On their latest album, Monokrator, The Bleeding combine thrash elements, comparable to latter day Exodus / Destruction, with the ferocity of Demolition Hammer, and a vocal attack akin to Jeff Walker and Chuck Schuldiner, to create a blitzkrieg-like listening experience, complete with a full frontal assault. Monokrator is a flag-planting statement that will put the UK back on the map when it comes to quality thrash.





Tracklisting:


"Chemical Lobotomy"    
"Chainsaw Deathcult"    
"Mutation Chamber"    
"Union Of Horror"    
"Screams Of Torment"    
"On Wings Of Tribulation"    
"Monokrator"    
"Throes Of Repulsion"





Pre-order your copy of Monokrator now via Bandcamp or RDR.