Brooklyn, New York sludge metal trio, Somnuri, will support psychedelic doom duo Telekinetic Yeti on a portion of their US tour this July. Somnuri’s part in the journey begins July 5 in Des Moines, Iowa and remains through July 26 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Additional support will be provided by Stinking Lizaveta. Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.


Somnuri will be touring in support of their upcoming third full-length, Desiderium, set for release on July 21 through MNRK Heavy.


Recorded at Gojira’s Silver Cord Studios, mixed by Justin Mantooth at Westend Studios, and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Mastering, on Desiderium, the band - singer/guitarist Justin Sherrell, drummer/producer Phil SanGiacomo - weaves seamlessly through a variety of tempos and sounds, giving some well-trodden genres new roads to travel. Songs like “Paramnesia'' swing in like a sludgy wrecking ball, calling to mind the likes of Eyehategod and Crowbar in their heaviest moments. Instead of going for all-out mosh parts, the band pulls back, allowing Sherrell to get a few clean vocals in before charging back up on full assault. Sherrell’s voice is insanely versatile, both able to deliver soul-filled clean vocals and some grim screams. It’s the perfect counterpoint to the band’s instrumentals, weaving a ladder between sludge, grunge, psych-rock and more. All of this leads to something like Alice In Chains if they got way into acid and wanted to go full-tilt heavy.




Watch the video for Desiderium’s first single, “What A Way To Go”, below.


Desiderium features cover art by Alex Eckman-Lawn and will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats. For pre-orders, head here.





Tracklisting:


"Death Is The Beginning"
"Paramnesia"
"Pale Eyes"
"What A Way To Go"
"Hollow Visions"
"Flesh & Blood"
"Desiderium"
"Remnants"
"The Way Out"


"What A Way To Go" video:





Tour dates:


July
5 - Leftys - Des Moines, IA
13 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
14 - Dantes - Portland, OR
15 - John Henry's - Eugene, OR
18 - Bottom Of The Hill - San Francisco, CA
19 - Winters Tavern - Pacifica, CA
20 - Transplants Brewery - Palmdale, CA
21 - Knitting Factory - Hollywood, CA
22 - Nile Theatre - Mesa, AZ
25 - 89th St - Oklahoma City, OK
26 - Mercury Lounge - Tulsa, OK





Lineup:


Justin Sherrell – guitar, vocals
Phil SanGiacomo – drums
Mike G – bass


(Photo - Somnuri)

Montreal, QC's Vantablack Warship is a band that mixes thrash metal, hardcore, and punk into an abrasive and thunderous metal. Their music is rhythmic, contagious, aggressive, violent, caustic… all with groove! The name of the group aims to pay homage to Black Sabbath. Vantablack is considered the blackest black in existence. Their mission is to be darker than the darkest of all, Black Sabbath. They have a new album out, their third, entitled Last Of The Hard Mouthed Poets, and have released a music video available for the single ,“Gone”.


They share their enthusiasm: “We think that if there is one song from the album that could go to mainstream rock radio, it's this one! It was not our intention at the start, but it's our "radio-friendly" song and features an eye-catching bridge. We took a look at the first pandemic restrictions that we had and pushed the energy on this one as if it had been extended forever! Looks like Vantablack trying to make a System of a Down tune...!”







Last Of The Hardmouthed Poets is available via BAM & Co. Heavy. Order on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Blacklisters Lament”
“We Shall Not Sleep”
“Hunting The Recruiter”
“40 Acres”
“Choose Your Ride”
“Unplug The Drug”
“Laughing In Anger”
“Gone”
“Inside His Mind”
“Fameless”
“Above It All”


“Hunting The Recruiter”:





(Photo - Michel Beaudin)

Nanowar Of Steel performed upon the Sophie Lancaster Stage at the 2022 edition of Bloodstock Open Air. You can watch professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set below:





Nanowar Of Steel's new album, Dislike To False Metal, can be ordered here.







Tracklisting:


"Sober
"Winterstorm In The Night" feat. Madeleine Liljestam (Eleine)
"Disco Metal"
"Muscle Memories"
"Chupacabra Cadabra"
"Pasadena 1994" feat. Joakim Broden (Sabaton)
"Metal Boomer Battalion"
"Dimmu Boogie"
"Protocols (Of The Elders Of Zion) Of Love"


“Sober” lyric video::





“Pasadena 1994” video:





“Disco Metal” video:





"Winterstorm In The Night" video:





Nanowar Of Steel are:


Gatto Panceri 666 - Bass
Potowotominimak - Vocals
Mr. Baffo - Vocals
Mohammed Abdul - Guitar
Uinona Raider - Drums

Imperial Tide - Landon Hill, vocals; William Barber, guitar; Keene Dadian, guitar; Tanner Galambas, bass; and Russel Schoenbeck, drums - have announced their new EP, Existence In Crisis, out August 18 via Mascot Records. A visualizer for the new single, "R.A.T.", can be found below.


"This track echos the sentiment of the entire EP: '..if I light the match, I can set the fire,'" the band says. "This is our spark before we set the world ablaze. The chorus' riff rips, while the punk influenced verses bring a consistent energy that makes you wonder what's next. The song culminates with quite possibly the heaviest moment on the EP, our guitarist Keene's vocals bring a level of grit we haven't touched yet."


As for the EP, the band shares, "Existence in Crisis is the reflection of the world around us, and our space we create in. The songs are a breath of fresh air without re-writing the history of the band. We put the songs together over a period of time that was filled with unrest, personally and socially. We had to say something about what we were seeing and the issues that were so blatantly present. At our core we aren't afraid to ask questions or push back on the things we don't agree with. The EP is our first step into pushing 'Tide in a way that separates us from the standard product that our genre seems to revert to."







Existence In Crisis tracklisting:


"King Of The Gutter"
"Off The Leash"
"Slip"
"R.A.T."
"Blood On The Streets"
"Malice In The Palace"


"R.A.T." visualizer:





Existence In Crisis, the Las Vegas, Nevada, and Los Angeles, California-based band's debut EP for Mascot Records, is an exercise in bombastic creative freedom.


Imperial Tide follow that lineage with a metallic hardcore-punk assault untethered to genre conventions and ready to smash preconceptions. "We came from the hardcore and metalcore scenes," charismatic frontman Hill explains. "And Las Vegas is different than anywhere else. The city gave us a hustle mindset. You can go there and get lost in the sauce, or you can find your own voice."


The band of five childhood friends, who now call both Las Vegas and Los Angeles home, brandish a hyper-charged, relentless, and adrenalized style. They combine the exuberance of bands like Knocked Loose, the versatility and uncompromising creativity of Code Orange, and the heady depths of Gojira. Like Turnstile, they're masters of melodic perseverance. And their breakdowns are harrowing AF.


From screen-printing their own merch to shooting and editing unique visual components, Imperial Tide built themselves in the hardcore-punk DIY tradition. "We have so many influences when it comes to music and just the different kinds of people we are as individuals," notes Schoenbeck. "We pull from all those things and put ourselves into the music and energy we express."


A "no rules" attitude informs their songwriting process. Sometimes Schoenbeck may start with programmed, hip-hop-style beats, or they'll key in samples. The goal is to make something nostalgic and familiar to audiences, equally inspired, fresh, and distinct from what everyone else is doing.

Frontiers Music Srl presents a fantastic version of the classic Journey song, “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", from Swedish melodic rock band, Arctic Rain.


After two successful albums, The One released in 2020 and Unity released in January 2023, the band decided to pay tribute to their idols, Journey, with their own version of “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and they did it the right way.


Arctic Rain's intention was to write songs with strong melodic rock vibes based around the type of tasteful instrumental harmonies typical for a lot of bands in the '80s and '90s. A revival of sorts, but with a modern touch, both in the melodies and for the overall sound.




Listen to “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" here and/or below:





Arctic Rain lineup:


Tobias Jonsson - Vocals
Magnus Berglund - Guitars
Kaspar Dahlqvist - Keyboards
Gert Daun - Bass
Richard Tonyson - Drums

Heavy metal quintet, Lockjaw, have unveiled their brutal new single, “I Can’t Escape”. The track comes off their newly announced debut full length, Relentless, which will be released through AISAUS / The Orchard on July 7. Fans can check out the official music video for the single below.





Commenting on the new track, Jeff Ogle (guitar) shares,“’I Can’t Escape’ is one of my favorite songs on the record. The main riff was something totally different, and when we presented it to our producer (Chris Collier) we had a really good vision for the arrangement, but he totally heard something different! He sent us a few demos back and it was like ‘Whoa shit, there it is!’”




This excitement feeds these DFW stalwarts, who have spent the last 20 years as friends and musical comrades, channeling energy that eventually became Lockjaw and resulted in last year’s lead-off single “Breaking Point”, which has close to 400K streams on Spotify and +173K views on YouTube. Their debut studio effort, Relentless, is a searing and unwavering collection of songs that are poised to set the band on a path to even bigger stages.


Going into the themes and message behind “I Can’t Escape”, Ogle adds: “This was one of those songs that Joe immediately had lyrics and vocal ideas for and it really hits home for me with the topic of alcohol and substance addiction. There have been so many people throughout my adult life that I have watched get sucked into the pitfalls of that party lifestyle. When you’re young and in your 20s, nothing is a big deal, it’s all fun and games. Then, when you hit the 30s and 40s, things start to change, right? Suddenly these drinking habits are a bit more controlling than one might have realized and can open the gateway to other substances that are more lethal. We hope that this song connects with everyone that has had mental health, addiction, or substance issues in their lives or a loved one’s life. More than anything, the overall theme on this record is about overcoming, rising up, healing, and silencing fears and weaknesses that plague us all.”


Relentless will be released on all major streaming platforms, and is available for pre-order on vinyl via the band’s official website here. Pre-save the album here





Relentless tracklisting:


"Silence The Fear"
"I Can’t Escape"
"Relentless"
"Living In My Head"
"Sever"
"Devil In Disguise"
"Release Me"
"Breaking Point"
"No Gods Among Men"


"I Can’t Escape" video:





"Breaking Point" video:





Lockjaw is a metal/hard rock band based out of Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. While they continue to emerge on the radars of a whole new crop of fans, the group has a history of making music together that goes back more than two decades - tracing back to friendships that began in their high school days. Over time, the scene in which they cut their teeth and the music that came from those early beginnings might look different from the present, but Lockjaw has never been interested in chasing trends. These talented musicians have the vision to make their own music and truly give it their all.


The quintet’s upcoming studio album is a perfect example of their defiant-yet-charismatic approach to songwriting and performance, going for an urgent, no-frills sound that favors the well-honed connection between these musicians, rather than hiding their work under excessive layers of studio trickery.


The band’s 2022 single, “Breaking Point”, serves as an unapologetic example of this philosophy. The mix is balanced and detail-oriented, making for a lively sonic approach. Listeners will instantly take notice of the roaring walls of guitar and the energetic rhythm section, but if you dive deeper, there is a lot more to uncover. The dynamic spectrum of the track is very balanced, with a tight yet deep low end that really growls, holding it all together while adding some aggressive edge to the sound.


These expressions of creative integrity are the backbone that Lockjaw intends to build their rise on. In a landscape where others can so easily get caught in the latest tides, this DFW five-piece has keyed in on where their passions lie, and are more than ready to swim against the current.


Lockjaw are:


Jeff Ogle - Guitar
Joe Ortiz - Vocals
Gabriel Ayala - Bass
Scott Letz - Drums
Justin Paul - Lead Guitar

Outer Heaven return with their crushing new album, Infinite Psychic Depths, out July 21. The album, an exploration into the darkest depths of extreme music, showcases Outer Heaven's muscle, as the band churns out some of 2023's most visceral and frenetic slabs of twisted death metal.


“We could not be more psyched to share this culmination of many years of hard work with the world! To have this chance to build and expand upon our previous works has been extremely thrilling and rewarding. We are always striving to evolve our sound and introduce some new elements into the mix, and we feel we definitely achieved that with this album. We hope that this album drags the listener deep within themselves, to discover true madness within the Infinite Psychic Depths!“ - Austin Haines


Physical Infinite Psychic Depths pre-orders are available via Relapse.com here. Digital Downloads/streaming are available here. The official “Rotting Stone / D.M.T.” music video can be viewed below.




Taking advantage of guitarists Jonathan Kunz’s and Zak Carter’s penchant for technical prowess and rhythmic galloping with melodic catchiness, Outer Heaven bridges the worlds of dark 'n’ dank despair and upbeat hooks. Austin Haines' vocal delivery is as unchained as ever, barking and growling through interwoven stories of societal collapse, hallucinogens, mutations, and more, connecting Infinite Psychic Depths to their acclaimed debut, Realms of Eternal Decay.


Methodological riffing swirls around muscular half-time clobbering in both “Soul Remnants” and “Unspeakable Aura". “Pillars of Dust” and “Liquified Mind” take the listener on a journey from the furthest reaches of the Earth’s exosphere to the sweat and spilled beer of a dive bar moshpit. “Fragmented Suspension” gives a backhand to the genre tunnel vision with a tendinitis-inducing palm muted shuffle that’s part Norwegian black metal iciness and part classic ‘80s L.A. hardcore skate punk.


Recorded by Ryan Reed and mixed and mastered by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer Studios, Infinite Psychic Depths throws a few tricks and guest appearances into the mix with bass playing by Derrick Vella from Tomb Mold, as well as vocal contributions from Pig Destroyer’s JR Hayes, Morbid Angel’s Steve Tucker and Alex Jones from Undeath. The new album also features a special appearance by Dave Suzuki (Churchburn, ex-Vital Remains) doing a trade-off solo on “Rotting Stone/D.M.T.”.


Album art by Matt Stikker.





Infinite Psychic Depths tracklisting:


"Soul Remnants"
"Pillars Of Dust"
"Fragmented Suspension"
"Drained Of Life"
"Liquified Mind"
"Unspeakable Aura"
"Rotting Stone / D.M.T."
"Starcrusher"
"Pallasite Chambers"
"Warped Transcendence"
"From Nothingness To Eternity"


"Rotting Stone / D.M.T." video:





Outer Heaven are:


Austin Haines - Vocals
Jon Kunz - Guitar
Zak Carter - Guitar
Paul Tshudy - Bass
Paul Chrismer - Drums


(Photo - Scott Kinkade)

Death thrash force Dieth - featuring the iconic line-up of Grammy Award winning bassist David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth), Swedish Grammy nominated guitarist/vocalist Guilherme Miranda (ex-Entombed A.D.) and drummer Michał Łysejko (ex-Decapitated) - will release their debut full-length, To Hell And Back, via Napalm Records on June 2.


Watch Michał Łysejko perform a drum playthrough of the title track, below:







Produced by Dieth with mixing and mastering by Tomasz Zed Zalewski at Zed Studios in Chechło, Poland, the album, To Hell And Back, represents new beginnings - musically, lyrically and for the band members themselves. Weaving a sinister thread of unrelenting tech-steeped death metal, rapid thrash bangers and even boasting the first ever lead vocal performance by David Ellefson on a track, the members of Dieth have pushed beyond the stereotypes of their former genres to create an unexpected yet charismatic and dynamic new sonic footprint.


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 David 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!


David 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 will be available in the following formats:


- 1CD Digisleeve
- 1LP Gatefold BLACK
- Limited 1LP Die Hard Vinyl (Marbled Red/Black) w/ wristband, embroidered patch, signed autograph card - Napalm mail order only, limited to 300
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





To Hell And Back tracklisting:


"To Hell And Back"
"Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!"
"Wicked Disdain"
"Free Us All"
"Heavy Is The Crown"
"Walk With Me Forever"
"Dead Inside"
"The Mark Of Cain"
"In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents"
"Severance"


"Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!" video:





"To Hell And Back" video:





"In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents" video:





Live dates:


June
15-18 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Festival


July
6-8 - Velke Mezirici, Czech Republic - Fajtfest


August
3-5 - Vagos, Portugal - Vagos Metal Fest
20 - Carhaix, France - Motorcultor Festival


Dieth is:


Guilherme Miranda - Vocals/Guitar
David Ellefson - Bass
Michał Łysejko - Drums


(Photo - Maciej Pieloch)

earMusic has uploaded the official video for "'Juke Box Hero", from the 2018 release, Foreigner With The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus. Watch below.





In May 2017, the band performed two sold-out shows in Lucerne, Switzerland, together with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, conducted by Ernst van Tiel. Foreigner with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus represents this year-long collaboration between Foreigner founding member and lead guitarist Mick Jones and Grammy nominated composing/arranging team, Dave Eggar & Chuck Palmer, exploring the deep symphonic potential of these classic and iconic songs. Dave Eggar, Juilliard protégé and cellist/pianist/composer, and Chuck Palmer, producer/writer/percussionist, have toured, performed and recorded with artists such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, Patti Smith, Coldplay and many more.




Mick Jones: “I could never have imagined when I set out to create Foreigner 40 years ago, that we’d still be touring around the world and performing the music we love all these years later. Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer’s orchestral arrangements have shown us a new symphonic dimension of our music, which I hope our fans will enjoy.”





Foreigner recently announced the launch of their Farewell Tour. The trek is set to launch on July 6, at Atlanta’s Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, the area’s largest outdoor venue. For the first leg of the US Live Nation tour, Foreigner will be joined by Loverboy, one of the 80’s biggest hit-makers. The spectacular show will thrill audiences with stellar performances of more than 20 combined chart-topping songs.


Check out the tour at any of the stops listed below. Fans can visit livenation.com for updates on tour dates and news.





Tour dates:


July
6 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
8 - West Palm Beach, FL - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
9 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
11 - Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheatre
14 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP
18 - Kansas City, MO - Starlight Theatre
19 - St. Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
21 - Indianapolis, IN - Ruoff Music Center
22 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
24 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
25 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
28 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Amphitheater
29 - Burgettstown, PA - The Pavilion at Star Lake


August
1 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
2 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach
4 - Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
5 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
8 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
9 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion
11 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion
12 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
14 - Austin, TX - Moody Center
16 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena
18 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre
20 - Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion
21 - Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheatre
23 - Wheatland, CA - Toyota Amphitheatre
24 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
30 - Detroit, MI - Pine Knob Music Theater


September
1 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
2 - Syracuse, NY - St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
3 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center

Three months ago, ex-MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman reunited with his former band during the Dave Mustaine-fronted outfit's first-ever gig at Tokyo, Japan's famed Budokan. Friedman came up on stage for three songs toward the end of the main set on February 27: "Countdown To Extinction", "Tornado Of Souls" and "Symphony Of Destruction".

Asked during an appearance on the latest episode of "The Jasta Show" podcast hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, how those three songs were chosen to be performed during the MEGADETH set, Marty said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was so organic. It was like two buds in high school talking about, 'Let's go jam.' It was so incredibly casual. And I think that's the way it should be, really. And we just talked about a couple of songs. I wanted to do two songs, and then Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH mainman] says, 'Why don't we do another song?' And I'm, like, 'Okay. That's great.' Yeah, so we did the songs that we did, and there was no real rhyme and reason to which songs we did. But it turned out just fine and we enjoyed the hell out of it."

Friedman also shot down speculation that there was bad blood between him and Mustaine in the two decades since they parted ways. "The funny thing is there was really nothing between us ever in the time that we weren't playing together," he said. "And if there was, it was kind of like things that media kind of like… You know how they do these days — they'll take something that could possibly look negative out of, like, a two-hour interview, and that'll be the headline. There was never anything between us in the first place. If either of us e-mailed each other, it would be totally casual. So it wasn't unusual to hear from Dave and say, 'Dude, we're playing Budokan. You wanna jam?' It was just completely casual. So there really never was anything — definitely nothing that I know of that was of any kind of juicy, newsworthy arguments between us in the first place. It's boring. But it is what it is."

Last month, Friedman told Michael Christopher of Metal Edge magazine that he had no regrets or disappointments about the fact that a proposed reunion of MEGADETH's "Rust In Peace" lineup failed to materialize nearly a decade ago, before the passing of drummer Nick Menza. "I never even thought about that," he said. "I don't even know how to answer the question. In the music business, projects are constantly being pitched and ideas are constantly happening. 'And what about this collaboration? What about that and what about this and what about that?' In Japan as well. There's just so many things that I'm doing.

"The 'Rust In Peace' thing was very interesting, the idea," he continued. "Whatever it took to make that happen wasn't there at the time, so it just didn't happen. But I don't have any regrets at all.

"I don't regret anything that I did in the band," Friedman added. "And I think that what they've done in my absence has been very, very good. I'm their biggest fan and proud of them for continuing to be a force in the kind of music that MEGADETH's set out to make. I mean, that's not easy to do for decades, so I'm proud of them."

Three years ago, Friedman admitted that money was a major motivator for him when he was approached about taking part in a reunion of MEGADETH's "Rust In Peace" lineup.

Friedman had met with guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine and then-bassist David Ellefson at the 2015 NAMM show in Anaheim, California to discuss the reunion, which would have seen him and Menza back in the mix.

Friedman opened up about his reasons for turning down the MEGADETH reunion in Mustaine's latest book, "Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece", which details the making of the iconic record "Rust In Peace".

"My main thing was I'd be happy to do it, but I'm not going to take less money than I'm already making to do it," Marty said in part.

"I'd been in Japan for more than ten years cultivating a career with solid rewards. I was making money not only for myself but also for my management and staff. My manager has been with me fifteen years.

"Everything was sound and solid professionally, and when the offer came up to all of a sudden join MEGADETH again, as long as I would not be making less money, I was ready to go," he said. "But I was certainly not going to take a loss to join a band that, frankly, at that point, didn't seem like they had too much to offer musically. A couple of members of the band had recently quit, and musically I hadn't heard anything that they've done in a long time. I didn't know about how relevant they continued to be in the music business. It wasn't like MEGADETH was on the tip of people's tongues, at least not in Japan. I had reached the point where people stopped immediately connecting me to MEGADETH and were talking about the things that I had done in Japan."

According to Friedman, part of the reason he turned down the MEGADETH reunion is the fact that the group is largely seen as Mustaine's solo project, with members coming and going every couple of albums.

"Had it been more of a band situation and not such a one-man, Dave Mustaine-main-man party, I might have considered doing it for a little less," Marty said. "But, at the end of the day, MEGADETH is so much Mustaine because that's the way he engineered it. I didn't feel that kind of camaraderie, the four-man diamond, THE BEATLES, KISS, METALLICA. I felt like I would be going out there and tour and it was going to be Mustaine's big success. If I'm going to do that, I'm certainly not going to lose money to do that; I was doing great on my own in Japan."

Mustaine told Loudwire that he was put off by Friedman's financial demands when the topic of a "Rust In Peace" reunion was broached.

"Marty has a really successful career in Japan where he makes quite a lot of money," Dave said. "And this is the part where I thought it was a little weird, where he said he said that he has to pay all his team while he's gone instead of just himself. 'Cause I thought we'll pay you what you're making so that's switching horses in the middle of the river — it's no big deal unless you fall off. And then when we found out that he wanted to sell his merch, his this, his that, his this, his that, then he wanted this crazy amount of money and he wanted to fly first class everywhere. I said to our management, 'I can't deal with this.'"

In a 2016 interview with the "Eddie Trunk Podcast", Mustaine confirmed that MEGADETH didn't hold any rehearsals with Friedman while attempting a reunion of the "Rust In Peace" lineup.

"Marty had sent some e-mails saying, 'Oh, man, you know, the fans have this self-inflated importance of 'Rust In Peace' beyond what it really is. And I was, like, 'Huh?'" Dave said. 'So I didn't know if that was a backhand to the face of the fans or not, but he had basically said that if we were gonna do anything, it had to be better than 'Rust In Peace'. And he sent me over some links to some songs that he thought should be the direction that we were going in, and one of it was this J-Pop band with some Japanese girl singing, and I was, like, 'Uh-uh. This ain't gonna work.' More power to [Marty for being into that stuff]. Do what you want, Marty. He's a great guitar player. But I'm not gonna sing like a Japanese girl."

METALLICA played the third show of its "M72" world tour earlier tonight (Wednesday, May 17) at Stade De France in Paris, France. 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.

METALLICA launched the first Paris show with "For Whom The Bell Tolls", marking the first time that song has opened a METALLICA concert since February 2016. The group's 16-song set also included three new songs from the "72 Seasons" album: "Lux Æterna", "Screaming Suicide" and "Sleepwalk My Life Away".

The setlist was as follows:

01. For Whom The Bell Tolls (first time as show opener since February 5, 2016)
02. Ride The Lightning
03. Holier Than Thou
04. I Disappear (tour debut)
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 (tour debut)
14. Fuel
15. Seek & Destroy
16. Master Of Puppets

Opening acts 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 IN PARIS 🇫🇷
Stade de France

The #M72 World Tour makes its way to Paris for night one of our “No Repeat Weekend”! Headed to the show? Share your experiences using the #M72Paris hashtag.

Remember! While we’re in Paris, no songs will be repeated. Any guesses what we’ll… pic.twitter.com/xz2ixvonLB

— Metallica (@Metallica) May 17, 2023

EPICA played the first show as the support act for METALLICA earlier today (Wednesday, May 17) at Stade De France in Paris, France. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

EPICA was added to the METALLICA bill earlier this week as the replacement for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, They will also open for METALLICA on Sunday, May 28 at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany.

When the shows were first announced, EPICA vocalist Simone Simons commented: "We are beyond excited to share the stage with the legendary METALLICA that has had a great influence on the whole music scene, including EPICA."

On Monday, May 15, METALLICA wrote on social media: "Fresh off their successful Epic Apocalypse tour, @Epica will be stepping in for @FFDP on the #M72 World Tour on Wednesday in Paris and Sunday, May 28, in Hamburg. We're excited that they can join the ride."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH canceled three of its shows with METALLICA in order to allow singer Ivan Moody to fully recover from his recent hernia surgery.

METALLICA's "M72" world tour is featuring two-night stops in nearly two dozen cities. Presented worldwide by Liquid Death and Blackened American Whiskey (in North America only) and promoted by Live Nation, the 46-show trek launched in Amsterdam on April 27 and includes shows all over Europe and North America through 2024. Each "No Repeat Weekend" on "M72" will feature two completely different setlists and support lineups. The "M72" tour will feature 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. Other opening acts for the tour include PANTERA, MAMMOTH WVH, ICE NINE KILLS, ARCHITECTS, VOLBEAT, GRETA VAN FLEET and Floor Jansen.

Los Angeles hard rockers STITCHED UP HEART have returned with an unapologetic new single, "To The Wolves". A harbinger of things to come and one of the band's heaviest songs to date, the anthemic new track serves as an inspiration to stand up and fight back, as vocalist Alecia "Mixi" Demner reminds you: "You're f*cking with a wolf!"

"Incredibly excited to finally unleash our first single 'To The Wolves'," Mixi elaborates. "We didn't play it safe on this one. We were more ourselves than ever and had a very clear vision of what we wanted to create."

Featuring Craig Mabbitt and produced by Kevin Thrasher from ESCAPE THE FATE, the invigorating new track is accompanied by a first-bitten video, which can be viewed below. Showing the band, as well as Craig, surrounded by a frozen forest, the biting cold of the scenery furthers the biting message of the track.

STITCHED UP HEART is an American rock band known for its powerful and emotionally charged music. Formed in Los Angeles, California in 2010, the band has captivated audiences around the world with their unique blend of hard rock, alternative metal, and industrial influences. Led by the talented and charismatic vocalist Alecia "Mixi" Demner, STITCHED UP HEART has gained recognition for their intense live performances and deeply personal songwriting.

Mixi began assembling a lineup of musicians who shared her passion, dedication, and vision. Solidifying the core members James Decker on drums, Merritt Goodwin on guitar and Randy Mathias on bass in 2016 upon signing with Century Media Records. They released their album titled "Never Alone", which debuted in the Top 10 of both the Billboard Heatseeker and Hard Rock charts. With their single "Finally Free" organically gaining hyper rotation on active rock radio the band paved the way to success for the next two singles "Monster" and "Catch Me When I Fall".

With a growing fan base and relentless determination, STITCHED UP HEART has toured extensively, touring with renowned acts like GODSMACK, HALESTORM and IN THIS MOMENT. Their live performances are known for their high energy, infectious hooks, and Mixi's captivating stage presence, leaving audiences mesmerized and craving more.

In 2020, STITCHED UP HEART released their sophomore album, "Darkness". Produced by Matt Good, the LP delves further into the band's introspective songwriting and showcases their growth as musicians. Tracks like "Lost" (featuring Sully Erna of GODSMACK) and "My Demon" highlight the band's ability to blend heavy guitar riffs with anthemic choruses, making a lasting impact on the rock genre.

STITCHED UP HEART continues to push boundaries and evolve their sound, refusing to be confined to a single label or genre. With their unwavering passion for music and their ability to connect with audiences on a profound level, STITCHED UP HEART is a force to be reckoned with in the rock music landscape.

In a recent interview with Darren Paltrowitz, host of the "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz", JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke about the inspiration for his energetic and engaging stage presence. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was out with Lauren Harris, who's Steve Harris from IRON MAIDEN's daughter, and we were out with MAIDEN quite a bit. And I always used to watch Steve and take notice of the way Steve was always at the front and he was always at the people in their face and he was singing with them — the eye contact; he was pointing at 'em. And I always thought in this day and age of YouTube and videos and stuff like that, you can't recreate that interaction. I always kind of took that onboard. And I think that's kind of — partly at least — where it comes from. Just that interaction that you, as a fan, you walk out of the concert hall and you can't recreate that. That interaction with the artist on stage, whether it's a guitar player or a singer or a drummer — whatever it may be — you can't recreate that interaction that you share at that moment in time. I think that's a valuable thing. So I think that's partly to do with it — Steve Harris and the way that interacted with the audience."

Faulkner joined JUDAS PRIEST in 2011 as the replacement for the band's founding guitarist K.K. Downing.

In September 2021, Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during PRIEST's performance at the Louder Than Life festival, just a short distance from Rudd Heart and Lung Center at UofL Health - Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. It took the hospital's cardiothoracic surgery team, led by Dr. Siddharth Pahwa and also including Drs. Brian Ganzel and Mark Slaughter, approximately 10 hours to complete the surgery, an aortic valve and ascending aorta replacement with hemiarch replacement.

Two weeks after his surgery, Faulkner told reporters about how he felt while performing "Painkiller" with his bandmates at Louder Than Life: "I became a bit light-headed. It didn't go away. I've never fainted before. I've never passed out, but I knew that this felt like I was going to pass out in a minute.

"Luckily, it was about half way into the song," he continued. "So obviously, I had to finish the song. If I had known how important it was, maybe I would have got off there a bit quicker. But I think that's the whole point for me. I had no idea whatsoever what it was."

Faulkner said that he experienced a sharp pain as he was stepping off the stage. "That's when it exploded," he said.

"The more I read about it, the more astonishing it is to me to think that I even made it to the hospital," he added. "The amount of time when I actually go the pain and when I turned up in the hospital and when we were actually operating, it was quite a lot of time. The more I read about it, the more unbelievable — that amount of time — I don't know how I'm still around today."

Aortic aneurysms are "balloon-like bulges in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso," according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control. Dissections happen when the "force of blood pumping can split the layers of the artery wall, allowing blood to leak in between them."

After Louder Than Life, JUDAS PRIEST postponed the remainder of the U.S. dates on its 50th-anniversary tour, dubbed "50 Heavy Metal Years". The shows were rescheduled for March and April 2022.

Last September, Faulkner revealed that he underwent a second heart surgery in early August 2022 to fix "a hole in the repair." He added: "There was a leak — I'd basically sprung a leak in there — and it was causing a sack to form around my heart. So they found it just before the European leg [of PRIEST's 2022 tour].

BUTCHER BABIES have released the official music video for their new single, "Red Thunder", which explores the band's darker side by leaning into their thrash/djent roots with an explosive guitar solo. The clip was filmed at Cactus Joe's in Las Vegas, Nevada and was produced, directed and edited by BUTCHER BABIES co-vocalist Heidi Shepherd.

Along with the release of "Red Thunder" comes the announcement of BUTCHER BABIES' double album "Eye For An Eye..." and "…'Til The World's Blind" both due July 7 ("Red Thunder" will appear on "…'Til The World's Blind"). The double album celebrates the tenth anniversary of BUTCHER BABIES' critically acclaimed debut, "Goliath", released on July 9, 2013 via Century Media Records.

Discussing the new single's sound, Shepherd says: "'Red Thunder' is a massive nod to the style and sound of our beloved first album 'Goliath' that launched BUTCHER BABIES into the metal stratosphere exactly a decade ago. Bringing in the groovy, guttural, thrash elements that we became known for, alongside a soaring melodic chorus, 'Red Thunder' culminates the dark, painful, and emotional side of the band. The song was written to remind the world that when she speaks, she speaks in Thunder!"

Co-vocalist Carla Harvey lends insight into the inspiring and deeply personal meaning behind "Red Thunder": "At its core, 'Red Thunder' is a song about giving a voice to the voiceless. But not just any voice; a cry so powerful that it shakes those that have wronged them to their core. As Heidi and I were writing the lyrics, my personal inspiration became my sister, Julia, born with microcephaly. She died very young, and I did not get the chance to know her, but I have one haunting photo of her as a baby that I brought with me to the session as inspiration. In the photo she has one arm outstretched to the camera and these beautiful piercing eyes; my heart breaks that she didn't get to live a LIFE; but in my dreams, my father's daughter blooms…and speaks in thunder."

Of the writing process for "Red Thunder", guitarist Henry Flury says: "The opening riff was the first spark of inspiration when writing this song and it was also the first clip we introduced to the fans when giving a sneak peek of the album. The fans loved it, and we knew this song would be a highlight on the new album because it is classic BUTCHER BABIES. It has all the hallmarks of what a metal song should contain: Brutal vocals? Check. Crushing guitar riffs? Check. Pummeling double bass? Check. Guitar solo? CHECK."

In a recent interview with Rapture Radio, Shepherd spoke about BUTCHER BABIES' decision to release a double album. She said: "We took 2019 off of touring to write and record an album that we were set to release in 2020, and, obviously, the world died — it was basically a fend-for-yourself moment. So we put everything on hold and we decided to use that time to write. And so we wrote a ton during that time. And so we decided to put the album on hold and go and record more. So now we have a double album coming at you this summer… And I'm so excited for people to hear all of this music that we've made within the span of the last four years. In fact, this morning we got the final mix to one song that's just finished. So you're gonna hear stuff we wrote in 2019, and then you're gonna hear stuff that we wrote and just finished last week."

Asked if BUTCHER BABIES' recently released single "Beaver Cage" is a good representation of what fans can expect to hear on the upcoming LP, Heidi said: "There's a lot going on [the upcoming double album]. Because this was written in two different parts, I think you're gonna hear a lot of different sides to BUTCHER BABIES. But I would say overall 'Beaver Cage' is a great representation of the album. There's a lot of really, really dark stuff on this album — we haven't done that in a while; there's really dark stuff — but then there's also really playful stuff, like 'Beaver Cage'. So I think that this is a really great representation of not just the album but the band too."

This past March, Heidi told Heavy New York that songwriting definitely does not get easier as she and her bandmates get more albums under their belts. "I think that there's something to be said about evolving," she said. "[BUTCHER BABIES' debut album] 'Goliath' was 10 years ago; I'm a totally different human than I was 10 years ago. I've experienced, I feel, a whole lifetime of stuff, touring the world multiple times over with my friends. I'm just kind of deciding what to even touch on. And especially whereas… in the industry, people say, 'Oh, you need to be doing this now.' 'Oh, you need to do this. This is gonna make you successful. You need to transition into this way, that way, this way, this way, that way.' So kind of maintaining the integrity of what you want to create, I think, is a lot harder album to album to album.

"In this band, I'm super grateful for having the bandmembers that we have because we love to experiment and try different things," she continued. "And on this [upcoming fourth BUTCHER BABIES] album you'll hear some of the softest stuff we've ever done… A lot of these songs have been released, like 'Bottom Of The Bottle', which is a total radio song, and that was a song that I went in with the intention and totally [said], 'This is the kind of song that I wanna write for this.' And then you'll hear songs like 'Beaver Cage', where it's wild and chaotic. So I'm excited that we have bandmembers that let us experiment in that way. But when it came to deciding what kind of album we really, really wanted to do, we ended up with a double album because we kind of had two different directions that we really wanted to showcase."

Heidi went on to say that "Beaver Cage" is "quirky, it's silly, it's fun, and I think the whole album really reflects that. But the album has a dark side as well," she revealed. "And something that we're very excited about is showing these different sides of BUTCHER BABIES.

"When [2017's] 'Lilith' came out, I actually had quit smoking immediately after that album, so my voice changed so much between then and now. So you get to really hear the fun ranges I was able to discover in my voice after quitting smoking."

BUTCHER BABIES fourth studio album was completed with producer Josh Schroeder (LORNA SHORE, KING 810).

Last October, BUTCHER BABIES shared the official music video for their cover version of rapper Saweetie's chart-topping single "Best Friend". The clip was directed by Dale "Rage" Resteghini and was filmed at the Bare Den adult entertainment club in Newton, New Jersey.

BUTCHER BABIES have been performing their cover of "Best Friend" at their recent live shows.

"Lilith" was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SEPULTURA, SUICIDE SILENCE) and marked the band's recording debut with drummer Chase Brickenden, who replaced Chris Warner in 2016.

In July 2019, longtime BUTCHER BABIES bassist Jason Klein announced his departure from the band. He has since been replaced by Ricky Bonazza.

Since 2020, BUTCHER BABIES have independently released a handful of newly energized singles, some of which were produced and co-written by Matt Good (FROM FIRST TO LAST),including "Bottom Of A Bottle", "Sleeping With The Enemy", "Yorktown", "Last Dance" and "It's Killin' Time, Baby!" The latter was inspired by the DC Comics character Lobo, a heavy metal bounty hunter.

Photo credit: Beatriz Mariano

Swedish heavy metal commando Lancer have completed the recordings on their fourth, new studio album Tempest and signed a new record deal with the new German label Fireflash Records (Mezzrow, Tailgunner, Holy Moses and others), who will release the album worldwide on August 11, 2023. 


Tempest was recorded by the band and Anders Backelin (Lord Belial) at Armageddon Recordings Studio, who also mixed and mastered the album along with guitarist Per-Owe Solvelius, who was the main producer of Tempest. “It is heavy, it is dramatic and it is a new direction for Lancer”’ reveals new vocalist Jack L. Stroem.


Today, Lancer has revealed the cover artwork, created by Dimitar Nikolov, who did artworks for Ross The Boss, Metal Inquisitor, Blizzen in the past.







"I can't believe it's been six years since last time we released an album," says guitarist Fredrik Kelemen and adds: "But with the line-up changes, the pandemic and the intention of making Tempest a great comeback album, we let it take its time. We have developed our sound, it's a bit darker, especially lyrically. Production-wise, more dynamic and gritty. A bigger picture of sound, with elements we have never used before.


“We wanted the artwork of the cover to symbolize this change, with the devastating storm drawing in with the wasteland it creates. We have been known for using birds on our previous album covers, so the demon raven of Tempest seemed only natural, and the title is just a more epic and stronger word for storm, in my opinion.


“Overall I want to use the most well-known cliché of all time: this is the best album we have done so far! And it's totally true, all jokes aside. We are absolutely thrilled to release it to the world!"


The first single of the album will be called "Fan The Flames", released on June 2 along with the album pre-sale start.


Lancer is:
Jack L. Stroem - Vocals
Per-Owe "Ewo" Solvelius - Guitar
Fredrik Kelemen - Guitar
Emil Öberg - Bass
Pontus Andrén – Drums


(Photo – Erik Hansen, EH Digital)

Epic, crushing, and heavy beyond words, Yob has achieved legendary status over the last two decades with their unmatched aesthetic and incredible body of work. Now Elaborations of Carbon, the debut full length that set the stage for the bands singular, organic universe of transcendent doom, is being presented for the first time on vinyl as well as being made widely available for the first time across streaming services. 


Mike Scheidt Comments:


“At long last, Elaborations Of Carbon is available to anyone who wants it, and on vinyl no less! It’s wild that EOC was first released over 20 years ago, counting the 4-song burned CD-R version we handed out to friends before releasing the 6-song album. We were swinging for the rafters, and gave it everything we had. It’s been a blast to revisit this album and remember all of the good times we had.”




Elaborations Of Carbon physical pre-orders are out September 15 and available via relapse.com. Remastered, digital audio is on all streaming services here.


The enormous volume and pensive, ethereal beauty that Yob would become synonymous with make themselves known across the six riveting tracks on Elaborations Of Carbon. The album's lineup features Yob founder and heart Mike Scheidt (vocals and guitars), Lowell Iles (bass), and Gabe Morley (drums) and was recorded and mixed by Jeff Olsen (who would go on to become a longtime collaborator of Yob’s) at Dogwood Recordings in Elmira, OR. 


After its initial release in May 2002 on 12th Records, the CD would see a small repress in 2013 and the album has been unavailable since. Billy Barnett was called upon to make the archival transfer for the 2023 reissue which was mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Music and features completely re-envisioned artwork by Orion Landau.


Additionally, Yob’s first full US tour in four years BEGINS this weekend on Sunday, May 21 at Modified Ghost Festival. The headline tour dates have them making their way across the US throughout late May & June with select support by Cave In (5/28-6/12) & Pallbearer (6/13-6/24).





Tracklisting:


“Universe Throb”
“All The Children Forgotten”
“Clear Seeing”
“Revolution”
“Pain Of I”
“Asleep In Samsara” 





Tour dates:


May
21 - Vancouver, BC - Modified Ghost Festival (Sold out)
25 - Seattle, WA - Northwest Terror Fest
26 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Hall
27 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
28 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theater*
30 - St Paul, MN - Turf Club* (Sold out)
31 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown*


June
1 - Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck*
2 - Little Rock, AR - Mutants Of The Monster Fest*
3 - Murfreesboro, TN - Hop Springs*
4 - Louisville, KY - Portal*
6 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall*
7 - Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit Hall*
8 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar*
9 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts*
10 - Boston, MA - Middle East (downstairs)* (Sold out)
12 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge*
13 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge #
14 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry #
15 - Asheville, NC - Asheville Music Hall #
16 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade (Hell) #
17 - New Orleans, LA - House Of Blues #
18 - Austin, TX - Oblivion Access Festival #
20 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister #
21 - Mesa, AZ - The Nile #
22 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick #
23 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom #
24 - Oakland, CA - 3rd & Castro #


* with Cave In
# with Pallbearer


(Photo - Chad Kelco)

Los Angeles-born heavy metal icons, Alcatrazz, have unleashd the video for their thunderous new single, “Bring On The Rawk”. The track is taken from the upcoming album, Take No Prisoners, out this Friday, May 19 via Silver Lining Music.


“Bring On The Rawk” is a powerful ode to being on the road, travelling the world playing music, and a defiant, mighty pledge to Bring The Rawk to the masses. “Bring On The Rawk” is the closing track on the forthcoming album Take No Prisoners, and what a grand finale! There can be no question of Alcatrazz’s ability to finish the journey in a blaze of glory whilst kicking some serious ass.
 
“Yesterday I sailed between Spain and Morocco and saw Gibraltar up close and personal…,” recalls Alcatrazz co-founding bassist Gary Shea. “I vow to ‘Bring The Rawk’ there and everywhere else I can with our new album Take No Prisoners… We vow to play it Loud and Proud. See you on tour soon!”
 
“Bring On The Rawk” was directed and edited by Danny Merton who also handled camera work, with camera assistance by Kerry Stringer.







Comprised of Doogie White (vocals), Joe Stump (guitars), Jimmy Waldo (keyboards), Gary Shea (bass) and Larry Paterson (drums), and with Giles Lavery and Waldo producing, Take No Prisoners is a loudly, and proudly classic rock album which draws on the Alcatrazz traditions of technically excellent screaming guitars, thunderous rhythm and the sort of vocals and overall aura that evoke prime Dio and Rainbow. And, of course, a primed and fully-tuned up Alcatrazz, whose career is fast taking on Benjamin Button proportions. The Take No Prisoners tour should be a lot of fun.


Take No Prisoners will be released on CD Digipak, 12” Black Vinyl, Digital Download, Streaming and special D2C bundles. Pre-order here.





Take No Prisoners tracklisting:


"Little Viper"
"Don't Get Mad...Get Even" (feat. Girlschool)
"Battlelines"
"Strangers"
"Gates Of Destiny"
"Alcatrazz"
"Holy Roller (Love's Temple)"
"Power In Numbers"
"Salute The Colours"
"Bring On The Rawk"


"Battlelines" video:





"Don't Get Mad...Get Even" (feat. Girlschool) video:





Alcatrazz are:


Jimmy Waldo - Keyboards
Gary Shea - Bass
Doogie White - Vocals
Joe Stump - Guitar
Larry Paterson - Drums

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster, TWISTED SISTER guitarist Eddie Ojeda reflected on his band's 1984 European tour with METALLICA as the opening act. "That was wild, because that was the first time I was exposed to that thrash metal," Eddie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And in the beginning, before the newer albums, they were, like, full-on thrash, super fast. We were, like, 'What's going on with you guys?' And who knew? They ended up being bigger than everybody. Some people said they sold out when they got a little more commercial, but I don't think they ever did. They got more mature.

"It's kind of sad when people love a band when they're starting out and going through that rough time," Eddie continued. "And then when they make it, they get pissed off at 'em. 'Oh, you're not the same band, man.' I felt bad for them getting that rap."

Asked if he witnessed METALLICA's popularity grow while the two bands were sharing the stage nearly four decades ago, Eddie said: "No, I didn't really get it till we got back to America. 'Cause that was in Europe. We only did a few shows with them. But I didn't realize that that was a while trend of music that was gonna happen. MOTÖRHEAD kind of started that, and then METALLICA took it to more of a prog level."

In a 2011 interview with Powerline magazine, TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider said that he had no recollection of METALLICA opening for his band in December 1983 in Aberdeen, New Jersey. "I didn't even know they were on the bill," he said. "I didn't even know they existed. And Jonny Z [of Megaforce Records], who was a big supporter of TWISTED, crammed them on the bill. When we toured with METALLICA in Europe, they said, 'We played with you guys in Jersey.' And I was, like, 'You did?' I didn't even know. I was oblivious to the opening band. In effect, it was like a 'no-name.' And I was never out before the show. I was always in the back getting ready. You never saw me. You didn't see me walking around the club. You only saw me on the stage, and then I disappear. I'd get there before the doors opened and I left when the doors closed. You weren't supposed to see a rock star walking around like a human being. So I had no idea METALLICA played. But during that tour [1984], I remember clear as a bell when we arrived in Holland we see these posters that had a huge METALLICA with like a troll head an early symbol they used and on the bottom it said 'and TWISTED SISTER' in little letters. So I said to our tour manager, 'Tell METALLICA they can close. Obviously people are coming to see them.' And my tour manager comes back and says they said no. I said, 'No?' He said, 'Well, they said it seems suspicious. They are confused. Why would you give up the headline slot? What are you up to?' I went into their dressing rooms and said, 'Guys, the people are clearly here to see you. I'm not a complete asshole. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm the headliner. It's obvious you're the guys that everyone is coming to see.' So they closed the show. As a result, it was the one time I got to see them. And I still remember standing on the side of the stage, watching their set and I turned to Mark [Mendoza, TWISTED SISTER bassist] and I said these words, 'These guys got a lot of heart but they're never gonna go anywhere.' So that's what I thought of METALLICA. [Laughs] I just thought they were too heavy. It's so heavy, there is no commercial accessibility, there's nothing for them to get through to the mainstream audience. They would just be one of those great heavy bands. You know the OVERKILLs, the CARNIVOREs, one of those bands. I admit saying that. [Laughs] Nobody hears it all, all the time. Nobody sees it all. You get it sometimes, you completely miss it other times. Who knew that people's taste would become acclimated to that much heavier of a sound."

During a March 2019 installment of his "I Wanna Talk" podcast, Snider spoke extensively about METALLICA, including why he initially felt the band "wasn't going anywhere." Addressing METALLICA's musical and image changes that came about with the release of "Load", the TWISTED SISTER frontman said: "I'm not a day-one die-hard METALLICA fan, so I wasn't invested in 'Kill 'Em All' or 'Ride The Lightning' or 'Master Of Puppets' the way you hardcore fans are. And I understand, when you're that invested, how changes can bother you. 'Cause I'm an early QUEEN fan, and QUEEN started much heavier. They were always melodic, but they changed when you got to 'Fat Bottomed Girls' and 'Bicycle [Race]' and bullshit like that. And as an original QUEEN fan, I was disheartened — they had changed. So I could see where you hardcore METALLICA fans felt they were giving in to what was going on. And I've gotta say they and MEGADETH were the two bands that stood up against the grunge era. MEGADETH didn't give an inch, to their credit. PANTERA, by the way, didn't give an inch. But if you're talking about ones that were coming out of the '80s, METALLICA — they seemed to give an inch with their logo, they seemed to give an inch with their hairstyles, they seemed to… I don't wanna say they gave an inch musically. They musically changed a bit."

Snider continued: "Bands need to be allowed to grow, and the fans don't want you to. So, as an artist, your years are going by, and if you're still connected with music, you're growing and changing, things are happening. Fans have a real reluctance to allow that to happen. They don't wanna see those changes happen. Yet at the same time, bands have been accused of being stale and not growing and changing. So it's a real Catch-22 for the band. And personally, [I think] the 'Load' record was amazing. But then again, one of my favorite MOTÖRHEAD records is 'Another Perfect Day', which is hated by MOTÖRHEAD fans. And I'm a MOTÖRHEAD fan. But that record was amazing with [guitarist] Brian Robertson. But was it a MOTÖRHEAD record in the traditional sense. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Some amazing stuff on there."

Dee went on to praise METALLICA for attaining massive commercial success without drastically altering its musical approach.

"There is no band more deserving of their success and they should be given that respect," Snider said. "Because if you're talking about breaking down the wall for metal and making true metal accepted by the masses, METALLICA did that for all of us. So, bravo."

In a new interview with "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern", BUCKCHERRY's Josh Todd spoke about David Draiman's recent onstage speech about the "demons" of addiction and depression in which the DISTURBED frontman revealed that, a few months ago, he "almost joined" his late friends Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell and Scott Weiland while battling these demons. Asked if he can relate to Draiman's mental health challenges, Todd said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Absolutely. I'm an alcoholic. I've been clean and sober from drugs and alcohol for 28 years. And although you take away the drugs and alcohol, it's just a symptom of the problem. The problem is your mind. Between your ears, I'm different than a normal guy walking the street. So because of that — I call it 'the committee', and the committee between my ears can be an asset or a liability, for sure. So you have to do a lot of things to manage that and to understand those particular voices in your head that really wanna get you isolated from people and get you to drink and use.

"There's a lot of things that I do," he continued. "I'm very active in Alcoholics Anonymous. I meditate. I show up. I have a lot of meetings to this day. I'm still a work in progress. I just work really hard on staying focused on the fact that this thing that I got is always lying in wait, and you have to really take it seriously or you can find yourself giving in to those dark thoughts. And I know what [David is] talking about.

"I'm also a child of suicide," Josh added. "My father took his own life when I was 10, and it really, really affected me. So that is kind of a non-negotiable for me; there's no way I'm gonna do that. I have children, and I just know what that did to me as a kid. It gave a lot of abandonment issues, made me very angry inside. I had a big hole inside, and I was filling it with anything I could get. And so because of that, it's just not something that I will ever entertain, although I do have suicidal thoughts occasionally. So I know what [David is] talking about. It's something to take very seriously, and hopefully he's getting some help for that."

Asked if it's hard to stay sober on the road and surround himself with enough like-minded people to keep him on the right path, Josh said: "It's not really hard. If you really work on your foundation in recovery, then you can be around people that are… I don't preach this. I don't tell people not to drink or use; I'm not that guy. But I do have a lot of sober guys around me. Stevie [Dacanay, guitar] is longtime sober. Francis [Ruiz, drums] is sober; he doesn't drink anymore; he hasn't drank the whole time I've known him. Billy [Rowe, guitar] will — I think he occasionally has a drink, but he's a normie guy.

"I don't wanna talk about other people, 'cause that's their business," Josh continued. "But we'll have crew guys and band guys that use occasionally. If it's a problem, then we talk about it; we address it. I don't turn people away because they have a problem. But if it starts affecting their work, then we've got something to talk about."

Todd previously discussed his sobriety in a 2021 interview with Niclas Müller-Hansen of RockSverige. At the time he said: "The staying sober part, like not drinking or using drugs, isn't the hard part. The hard part is really managing your mind, because it's the mind that's busted. The alcoholic mind and the addict mind is the problem. The drinking and the using is just the symptom of the problem. The only solution is the spiritual one, and I don't wanna sound cooky, but that is the truth. It's about [being] spiritual in life and all those things, and how do you do that? Well, for me, doing annual inventories where I take it out of my head and write it down and tell somebody else about what's going on with me. I do meditation every day, I work with others, I go to meetings and stuff like that.

"Drugs and alcohol is all over the place," he continued. "If you're a rich businessman, there's a lot of that. There's drugs and alcohol everywhere; it's not just musicians.

"I have crew guys that smoke a lot of weed, and I'd roll a joint for you. It doesn't bother me. I don't like to be around it for extended periods of time. I don't wanna be around someone who is super fucked up because If I'm not fucked up, it's no fun for me. I like to get people really fucked up and then leave [laughs] and let them be fucked up.

"I don't preach about my sobriety," Josh added. "If getting fucked up works for you, God bless you. It didn't work for me after a while. I got really fucked up from 13 to 23. You wouldn't have recognized me. I was a horrible drug addict and alcoholic and it just didn't work for me anymore. I did it real good."

Asked if he managed to quit drinking on his own or if someone else got him into rehab to help him stop using alcohol, Josh said: "There were a few things that happened in my life all at one time that got me sober. My first daughter was born, and she just turned 27. I was a broke musician at that time. I was terrified and did not know how to be a father. I didn't have a father since I was 10 years old. I didn't know anything about it. I was trying to achieve my dreams and it wasn't happening and I had a massive alcohol and drug problem. I just intuitively just kinda thought to myself, 'Man, I'm at the crossroads, and something's gotta change. I don't know what to do.' I just said that out loud and was thinking about it every day.

"I got arrested for drunk driving in Orange County and got assigned all these AA meetings for my DUI program," he revealed. "I started going to the meetings, and at some point, some guy stood up and he didn't look like me. He was just a nine-to-fiver-type guy, shirt and tie, and I didn't know that people lived sober. He basically told my story. He talked about how he drank and did drugs and it was, like, 'Oh my God, this is me.' That gave me the courage to just raise my hand and say 'Newcomer.' And that's when everything changed. I knew this was the last stop on the block. I was heading to jail, institutions, or death. I had already had alcohol poisoning at 23, and at one point my hands were paralyzed for a good hour and I didn't know it was alcohol poisoning. I had been doing crystal meth and drinking for three days straight, got alcohol poisoning and it scared the shit out of me. I had a lot of those moments of clarity while I was drinking and using but I couldn't stop. That's how I got sober and I just never looked back. I knew that as long as I put sobriety on the top of my list, everything else will work out in my life. And look at me — it all worked out."

BUCKCHERRY will release their tenth studio album, "Vol. 10", on June 2. The 11-song LP features 10 new BUCKCHERRY originals and, as a bonus track, a cover of the Bryan Adams classic "Summer Of 69". The album was produced by Marti Frederiksen and recorded at Sienna Studios in Nashville. The album will be released in North America by Round Hill Records, in Japan by Sony Japan, and by Earache Records for the rest of the world.

Tad Doyle of beloved and iconic Seattle band TAD, which has been inactive for most of the last two decades, was recently interviewed by Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio. Asked if TAD would ever reunite, Doyle said: "No. I think we're done. I get a lot of people asking me, 'How about a reunion?' and all that. And I don't think my heart and soul is in that space anymore. That was a chunk of my life that the things that I did in my life built up to that. And I'm a different person now, as far as my experiences and where I've been and my music that I wanna take my music. I always wanna move forward; I don't wanna move back. And I think that if we did a reunion or did some more TAD stuff, it would kind of ruin the legacy that we created for ourselves. That's all."

He continued: "I don't wanna keep regurgitating the same thing. When we were a band, we were out there touring nine months out of the year, and we knew those songs intimately — forwards, backwards, in our dreams. I didn't ever want it to become a job. And at some point, if you just keep doing it over and over and over, as much as you love what you're doing, it can become a job and it can become less than exciting. And I always want things to be exciting and at least fresh. So I don't see any reason why we need to do a reunion or play shows."

Asked whether he is happy that TAD never got to the fame of bands such as NIRVANA or SOUNDGARDEN, Doyle said: "Absolutely. And more accurately, for me, I think it's, like, Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, all those guys, they could never go out in public without being recognized. And people take you hostage. They see you on the street, and it's, like, 'Oh, well, now you're mine until you walk away from me' and that type of thing. But I've always relished the fact that I'm invisible. Especially since I've lost over 110 pounds, I don't think anybody would recognize me now. Plus I have gray hair, and I don't color it. So, I'm happy being who I am, and I feel like I have enjoyed the success that I wanted to. Success is what you name it. So, I'm happy to be invisible. Let's just leave it at that."

TAD's classic discography — "God's Balls" (1989),"Salt Lick" (1990),"8-Way Santa" (1991) and assorted singles from the band's 1988-1992 run — received the deluxe reissue treatment in November 2016 via Sub Pop. Producer and engineer Jack Endino — who produced "God's Balls", TAD's first full-length — lovingly remastered all of the recordings from the original tapes.

The deluxe editions of "God's Balls", "Salt Lick" and "8-Way Santa" feature new images from celebrated photographer Charles Peterson, bonus tracks, and expansive liner notes from the band and Endino. The bonus material associated with each release was included on the CD and digital formats; each of the the gatefold vinyl LPs included that album's bonus material as part of its free associated download. Plus all of the bonus material, from all three of these monumental heavy rock/punk albums was collected on an additional bonus LP available for free with purchase of all three albums on vinyl from the Sub Pop Mega Mart and also from select independent retailers.

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash joined DOROTHY on stage on March 31 at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California to perform the song "Gifts From The Holy Ghost". Professionally filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

DOROTHY is the band led by Hungarian-born vocalist/writer Dorothy Martin.

"Gifts From The Holy Ghost" is the title track of DOROTHY's latest album, which was released in April 2022 via Roc Nation.

"Gifts From The Holy Ghost" was described in a press release as Dorothy's "most bombastic and gloriously, victorious rock and roll work yet."

Martin's life changed forever when she was forced to face death on her tour bus some four years ago. After her guitar technician had taken an overdose, Dorothy instinctively began praying for his survival. While he may have temporarily died, the technician was astonishingly, miraculously restored back to life. It was this moment that seemed to bring Dorothy to life too. It was this divine intervention that caused a radical and spiritual awakening in the singer, the result of which can be heard on "Gifts From The Holy Ghost", Dorothy's third studio album as front person for DOROTHY.

While the band's first, irreverently named album "Rockisdead", was made on a combination of whiskey and heartbreak — inspiring Rolling Stone to name them one of rock's most exciting new acts, and Jay-Z to sign them to his label Roc Nation — "Gifts" was built on recovery, health, and holiness, in a way that reverses the clichéd "good girl gone bad" narrative.

With the combined powers of Keith Wallen, Jason Hook, Scott Stevens, Phil X, Trevor Lukather, Joel Hamilton and the legendary ear of producer Chris Lord Alge, "Gifts From The Holy Ghost" is made from a musical palette which seems to encompass each of the musicians' influences, as well as many of the essential sounds of rock music's history — from swampy blues to '90s alternative — in a way that makes the case for rock and roll itself.

Dorothy has always been an instinctual writer and artist. Throughout her life, she's been asking the big questions, both in and outside her art: "What's the meaning of life? Why are we here? How are we here?" When she couldn't find the answers to those questions, she'd numb out the empty uncertainty with drugs and alcohol. She was eventually admitted to rehab and a new chapter was opened in her spiritual journey.

Good lookin’ bunch of peeps right here 🐥 last night was purdy sweet. Thanks @slash

Posted by Dorothy on Saturday, April 1, 2023

BURNING WITCHES drummer Lala Frischknecht went on "Side Jams with Bryan Reesman"to discuss her love for cooking food from all across the globe. The drummer, raised in the Philippines and currently living in Switzerland, has toured across the U.S. and Europe so she has been exposed to a lot of different cuisine.

"If you look in my kitchen, I have thousands of ingredients here," she told "Side Jams". "Every person who comes to our place likes cooking, and I will introduce my kitchen. 'Oh my god, Lala, you're so crazy. How can you use all of these things?'"

Side Jams: What kind of dishes do you like to cook?

Lala: "It depends what kind of food I want to eat the next day. For example, tomorrow will be Thai food, the next day will be Korean food. And then Japanese food, Filipino food, pasta, German food, anything. Me and my husband don't go to restaurants that much. Because if we go to a restaurant, it's supposed to be the food that I cannot cook at home. Whenever we go to a restaurant, if I liked the food and it tasted very well, I'm just wondering what they put in there and apply it at home. Then I will do it at least 10 times until I perfect it."

Side Jams: Are there any favorite restaurants you have around the world?

Lala: "In America, we were eating some nice shrimp [at] a famous place, kind of like a Forrest Gump thing."

Side Jams: The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

Lala: "That's really good. We like to go to Waffle House. Best breakfast ever!"

Side Jams: Do you cook for yourself a lot on tours, or do you have a certain diet you try to stick to?

Lala: "No, I just eat whatever I want. And during the tour you're so busy. You have to think about many things – stage preparation, drum settings and everything — so sometimes I cannot eat much during the tour. That's why I lose weight — easily 5 kilos [11 pounds]. But I like it. It's not much effort to lose weight. The food, of course, it's really delicious. But if you're used to your own food and cooking at home all the time, two or three times a day, you will miss it. You will miss this authenticity of the home cooked meal."

Side Jams: What is the favorite dish that your bandmates like you to cook for them?

Lala: "They really love my fried rice, Chinese fried rice. Everybody's asking for that. And pinoy barbecue. Similar to American barbecue. Pork."

Side Jams: What's the difference between the two?

Lala: "Maybe the ingredients because we use some kind of lemon called kalamansi. You don't have it in America. You use something like vinegar in barbecue, and we use ketchup. And they love it. Usually my bandmates don't eat pork, but when I cook that everybody goes, 'Can I have more?'"

Side Jams: Is there a special ingredient?

Lala: "Ketchup! And soy sauce. And pineapple juice, Sprite, and a little bit of sugar, garlic."

Side Jams: Is there any type of food you haven't mastered yet that you want to get right?

Lala: "Maybe Mexican food. I want to do it because I'm also making the Lebanese food, shawarma, but I want to try these really nice nachos or tacos."

BURNING WITCHES' fifth studio album, "The Dark Tower", was released on May 5 via Napalm Records.

Grammy Award-winning rock band GRETA VAN FLEET has shared a live performance video of its latest song "Meeting The Master". Check it out below. The track is taken from GRETA VAN FLEET's third studio album, "Starcatcher", which will be released on July 21 via Lava/Republic/EMI Records.

Two weeks ago, GRETA VAN FLEET released the official music video for "Meeting The Master", directed by the band alongside Gus Black.

Of collaborating with GRETA VAN FLEET to direct the video, Black shared: "The final shot of the video is as close to magic as anything I've ever been a part of creating. It was an absolute pleasure collaborating with these fine humans."

GRETA VAN FLEET singer Josh Kizska stated: "Beauty cloaked in darkness is still beauty. I love you, Gus Black."

GRETA VAN FLEET previously said about "Meeting The Master": "'Meeting The Master' peers into an esoteric world heeded by the word of a wise teacher. Sung in the voice of a devout believer, and eventual group exclamation, the song details the love these fervent followers have for their teacher and their firm belief in his vision. It's an exotic spiritual journey. A dark comedy that inevitably ends in chaos."

"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