In a new interview with the Sun Sentinel promoting this weekend's NEWSTED concert in Fort Lauderdale, Jason Newsted was asked about Lars Ulrich's comment from a couple of years ago about how he has come to understand why the bassist shocked the rock world by quitting METALLICA. Asked if he was looking for a more creative outlet with ECHOBRAIN, then VOIVOD and NEWSTED, Jason said: "I haven't changed my goals or quest, whatever you want to call it. I've always kept playing with whoever wants to play, you know? The caliber has risen over time, certainly, but that's been my mentality before I was ever in the big band [METALLICA] or anything. I kept playing many, many projects while I was still touring with METALLICA, and through all those years that never stopped."

He continued: "NEWSTED was an extension of that when it started 2012 and we took it around the world, 22 or 24 countries. That same mentality and that same drive has always existed. So that's kind of what Lars is maybe talking about. I always wanted to keep my fire going. And then when I'd come back to play with [METALLICA], I would maybe be that much more ready and happy about doing it. I'm feeling more fulfilled if I'm able to do my thing with my boys over here and then get back to the big guys getting super loud. That was cool for me. When I was not able to find the balance anymore, maybe that's what he is speaking of."

When Ulrich and METALLICA's James Hetfield talked to Apple Music's Zane Lowe in September 2021 about Newsted's decision to leave the band 20 years earlier, Hetfield said: "My theory now is I could love anybody, really, at the end of the day. You get to know them, you get to know where they've come from, you understand where their parents came from — all of that. How are you you? I can accept that. I can really accept that. There was more to be revealed. I mean, really.

"He was at a point where he was at; we were at a point where we were at," James continued. "It happened because it happened. If it was like that right now — say, Robert [Trujillo, METALLICA's current bassist] comes and says, 'Hey, I'm done here.' We would fight. We would fight, or I would fight for him. I didn't know about the fight back then."

Ulrich added: "If you think about it, Jason is the only member of METALLICA who's ever left willingly, and that in itself is a statistic. And the resentment from James and I was just so... [We felt like] you can't do that. You can only leave if we want you to leave. And then we weren't equipped at the time to do a deep dive into why he was leaving. And so, of course, now you can see 20 years later, it makes complete sense.

"We write the songs; we make the decisions; we do all of it," Lars continued. "You have no creative outlet in this band; you have no creative voice. And then when you go and do something that gives you satisfaction and a way for you to express yourself to the rest of the world, then we get fucking pissed at you. And then that resentment then goes to you leaving the band. I mean, that's kind of Psychiatry 101 here. But we weren't equipped to see that side of it. Twenty years later, so now it makes complete sense."

Ulrich added: "Jason gave 14 years — every day, every performance, he was there always... I mean, we always used to joke. It's, like, 'He's so fired up. Come on, dude. Slow down.' He was the fucking first guy in and the last guy out. He was signing autographs when we were driving by waving on the way out of the buildings. I mean, he really was. And I now [am] finally equipped to appreciate every moment that he gave. And we have, I think, so much respect for each other now, so much appreciation. Ten years ago, when we did the 30th anniversaries, when he came up and played four nights with us at the four Fillmore shows, played two nights with us, seeing Rob and him together up there, that felt like it was the beginning of the thawing of where we are now. But he's been a very integral part of the [Black Album] reissue and the re-release and has done interviews and been very, very helpful. He did the unboxing of the box for the cameras and the whole thing. I mean, he's been so gracious."

Newsted was METALLICA's third bassist, following Ron McGovney and the late Cliff Burton. Trujillo took over in 2003 after Newsted's exit.

Newsted's exit from METALLICA was documented in the band's 2004 documentary, "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster", which followed the members of the group through the three most turbulent years of their long career, during which they battled through addiction, lineup changes, fan backlash, personal turmoil and the near-disintegration of the group while making their "St. Anger" album.

While initially helping METALLICA towards restoring band harmony, the film shows the band's "performance coach" Phil Towle, a former psychotherapist who was brought into the picture in January 2001 to help Hetfield, Ulrich and Kirk Hammett repair their relationship with Newsted, attempting to increasingly insert himself into the band's creative process, submitting lyrics for the album and even attempting to join them on the road.

"Some Kind Of Monster" also documented Hetfield's spiral into alcoholism and decision to check himself into a rehab facility. Hetfield's re-emergence from rehab is when the film really gets into gear, with the chief worry in his mind whether or not he could do METALLICA sober.

In a 2004 interview with The Kansas City Star, Towle spoke about being present when Newsted told the band he was leaving, though that scene isn't in "Some Kind of Monster". Asked how that went down, Towle said: "We'd been sitting around talking for about a half-hour when Jason says to me, 'I want to talk to the guys. Will you excuse me?' So I went into the other room in the suite. I could hear all this pain resonating from the room they were in, and after about 10 minutes, I went back in. Jason says, 'I don't want you in here.' I said, 'I was hired to be here, to work with you guys and your issues, and I can't in good faith stay in the other room.' There was silence. Then Lars says, 'Let him stay.'

"They were all jarred so much that a family member for 14 years was leaving for various reasons. They said, 'We gotta do something about this.' Here's what I offered: Rather than invest energy in being pissed at Jason, use this thing to explore the underlying issues of discomfort and conflict that led to his leaving.

"In a very dysfunctional family, Jason had the courage to stand up. He was the one who set in motion this process of calling everyone out. I'd read an old interview with METALLICA in Playboy in which the band members separately trashed each other. So now the conflict had come to a head."

Jason spoke in detail about the reason he left METALLICA in a 2013 interview with Scuzz TV. Newsted said that his eventual split with the group was over the way his then-side band, ECHOBRAIN, was handled. Newsted explained: "The management of METALLICA was very, very excited about ECHOBRAIN, wanted to take it out for me, wanted me to do ECHOBRAIN also, with METALLICA. They felt ECHOBRAIN was that good, the singer was that good, and it didn't affect METALLICA because it was a totally different kind of thing, and I was in METALLICA; that would give it its pedigree already."

Newsted continued: "They had told me, pretty convincingly, 'This is a great record, we've been playing it around the office, that's all I’ve been hearing, it's fantastic, this kid has a great voice. Let's do something with this.' That's what they told me, and then James heard about it and was not happy. He was, I think, pretty much out to put the kibosh on the whole thing because it would somehow affect METALLICA in his eyes, because now the managers were interested in something I was doing that had nothing to do with him."

Newsted told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that he never saw how ECHOBRAIN could have interfered with METALLICA. "I never felt that it was going to affect METALLICA in any way," he said. "There was no way that it could. The monster and the integrity and the legend that METALLICA's built, it would take a lot more than that to ever affect it."

Newsted added, "The people that I had counted on for 15 years to help me with my career, help METALLICA, take care of my money, do all of those things, told me, 'Your new project is fantastic, we'd like to help you with it.' James heard about it, the manager calls me back a couple of days later — 'Sorry we're not going to be able to help you with that ECHOBRAIN thing.'"

Swedish black metal trailblazers, Marduk, have announced the departure of bassist, Joel Lindholm. He'll be replaced for upcoming shows by the band's former bassist, Magnus "Devo" Andersson.


Says Marduk: "Following a variety of intolerable stage antics by a very drunk Joel at Incineration Fest last week, he has vacated his position in the band.  Our old friend and bass player Devo has agreed to step in on a temporary basis, so this is unlikely to affect any of upcoming shows."



Upcoming Marduk live dates are listed below.




May
27-28 - Thronefest - Kuurne, Belgium


June
8 - Sweden Rock Festival - Sölvesborg, Sweden
15 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium


July
2 - Pitfest - Emmen, Netherlands
13-15 - Area 53 - Leoben, Austria


August
1 - Metaldays - Velenje, Slovenia
3 - Beyond the Gates - Bergen, Norway
2-6 - Rockstadt Extreme Fest - Râșnov, Romania
9-12 - Brutal Assault - Fortress Josefov, Czech Republic
18 - Motocultor - Carhaix, France
16-19 - Summer Breeze - Dinkelsbühl, Germany

Canadian sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD will celebrate 40 eventful years of existence in 2023 with a special anniversary studio album titled "Morgöth Tales", to be released on July 21 via Century Media Records. The LP's first single and video is "Nuage Fractal (2023 Version)", accompanied by a lyric video created by Cloud Music Typography.

VOIVOD bassist Dominic "Rocky" Laroche comments on the new single: "We are excited to present the first single from our 40th-anniversary album! Its solid drum and bass, alien guitar line on top, lyrics and melody that connects it all towards a spinning triangle bridge makes 'Nuage Fractal' unique, which represents the era of 'Angel Rat'. Let's get ready to celebrate this amazing journey of 'Morgöth Tales'!"

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

VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin comments: "'Morgöth Tales' covers 40 years of space exploration.

"It was really exciting for us to revisit a more obscure part of the VOIVOD catalogue, from thrash-punk to prog-metal.

"The title track is a new song, which we started writing on the tour bus and hotels during the OPETH European tour in November/December 2022. It has the vibe of the experimental music we are doing nowadays, with a new twist I think. We also had the great thrill of getting Eric [Forrest] and Jason [Newsted] involved on this album.

"I hope you'll dig it. Chewy, Rocky, Snake and I certainly had a blast recording it. All aboard and ready for take off!"

"Morgöth Tales" track listing:

01. Condemned To The Gallows (2023 Version) [originally on "Metal Massacre V" compilation, 1984]
02. Thrashing Rage (2023 Version) [originally on "Rrröööaaarrr", 1986]
03. Killing Technology (2023 Version) [originally on "Killing Technology", 1987]
04. Macrosolutions To Megaproblems (2023 Version) [originally on "Dimension Hatröss", 1988]
05. Pre-Ignition (2023 Version) [originally on "Nothingface", 1989]
06. Nuage Fractal (2023 Version) [originally on "Angel Rat", 1991]
07. Fix My Heart (2023 Version) [originally on "The Outer Limits", 1993]
08. Rise (2023 Version, feat. Eric Forrest) [originally on "Phobos", 1997]
09. Rebel Robot (2023 Version, feat. Jason Newsted) [originally on "Voivod", 2003]
10. Morgöth Tales [New Song]

VOIVOD vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger spoke about "Morgöth Tales" in a recent interview with Agoraphobic News. He said: "It was a really fun thing to do. It was like a time capsule, going back in time [to] revisit these old songs, especially one in particular, which was first song we ever recorded ['Condemned To The Gallows']; that was for 'Metal Massacre V' [1984] on Metal Blade Records back in the day, before our first album. And the funny thing about it was there was no lyric sheet in the compilation itself. It was us, including many other bands. And the way it was recorded, it was really hard to figure out the lyrics; I couldn't remember what I was singing. So we're looking everywhere on the Internet, if someone has it or whatever. And it was nowhere [to be] found. And then I said to myself, 'Maybe mom has it in the attic somewhere.' And then I called my sister: 'Can you check at mom's place? Maybe she put it somewhere.' And she went, and my mom classified — everything is in order with mom. And she was, like, 'Yeah, yeah, I have it. File number six.' And then she pulls out the only copy of the lyrics in the world of that song.' And we were, like, 'Yeah!' 'Cause [music for] the song was already recorded. And we were, like, 'Oh my God. What are we gonna do?'"

Circling back to the upcoming 40th-anniversary album, Snake said that it will contain a song "not [from] every album, but mostly the period from 'Rrröööaaarrr', 'Killing Technology', 'Dimension Hatröss', 'Nothingface'; we revisit one song from each [album]. And it's in a chronological [order]. So it's very fun. It was fun to do."

He added: "It was really — like I said — like a time capsule, going back. And I'm trying to sing these songs like I used to."

VOIVOD has just returned to the USA with a run of shows this spring. Featuring IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT as support, this trek is part one of VOIVOD's "40 Years Of Morgöth Tales" tour.

Before "40 Years Of Morgöth Tales" part one, VOIVOD made select appearances across the U.K. and Netherlands in April; then, the group will return to Europe in May for a tour with TESTAMENT and EXODUS, with festivals to follow in the summer.

VOIVOD is a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Québec. Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s. Starting out as a speed metal band, VOIVOD have added a mix of progressive metal and thrash metal to create their own unique metal style, and are credited as one of the "big four" Canadian thrash metal bands, along with SACRIFICE, RAZOR and ANNIHILATOR. They are considered by many as one of the most influential metal bands from the '80s, influencing and gaining praise from multiple bands and across numerous genres.

VOIVOD found mainstream success in the late 1980s with their fifth studio album, "Nothingface" (1989),which is the band's only album to enter The Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 114.

VOIVOD released a new EP, "Ultraman", last November via Century Media Records. The effort features a highly original tribute to the "Ultraman" TV series theme as well as previously unreleased bonus live cuts, available both as a 12-inch vinyl EP or as a digital EP.

VOIVOD's 15th studio album, "Synchro Anarchy", was released in February 2022 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2018's "The Wake" was produced by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio and features cover artwork created by drummer Michel Langevin (a.k.a. Away).

Photo credit: Francis Perron

Grammy-winning rock band GRETA VAN FLEET has released a 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

Having just earned a remarkable 26th No. 1 on the Billboard Blues chart for his sprawling and extensive live concert film and album "Tales Of Time", the blues rock icon Joe Bonamassa is back with a brand-new single from his highly anticipated new studio album, due out later this year on his J&R Adventures label.

Joe shows off his blues roots with a captivating rendition of "I Want To Shout About It" originally performed by RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS. Bonamassa's joyful version features solos from Reese Wynans on organ and Paulie Cerra on sax, as well as some killer adlibs from vocalists Dannielle DeAndrea and Charles Jones as the track winds to a close. When Joe recently performed the song on his U.K. tour, U.K. music web site Sonic Abuse described it as "a glorious, fifties-style boogie."

Bonamassa called upon his close friend, bandmate and co-producer Josh Smith to produce this track. Smith recalls: "'Shout About It' is a song originally by the great RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS with Darrel Nullisch on vocals. It's a tough/high song to sing and Joe really pushed himself and nailed it. It's a real rave up, a party song. Joe has been playing it live lately and the crowds are really digging it!"

Bonamassa has been performing "I Want To Shout About It" live on his current tour and is receiving an enthusiastic response from his audiences. His summer is packed with live shows in the U.S. and Europe beginning with the Capitol Theatre in Yakima, Washington on Friday, May 26 and ending May with Kenny Wayne Shepherd at the Backroads Blues Festival in Bend, Oregon and Seattle, Washington.

After three weeks of performing on Europe Festivals in July, Joe will be back in the states for a U.S. summer run and to make his debut appearance at the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday, August 9, with an exclusive, one-night-only concert experience alongside an orchestra, which will be recorded for his next live concert film. Then the hardest-working bluesman in show business begins his U.S. fall tour on October 23 at The Cannon Center in Memphis, Tennessee, which will take him from coast to coast to end at the guitar shaped Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida.

Cited by Guitar World as "arguably the world's biggest blues guitarist," Bonamassa is known for taking risks and venturing into uncharted territory throughout his wide-ranging career. His most recent full-length "Time Clocks" marked his most raw, rocking studio album yet, with American Songwriter sharing, "Bonamassa pushes into fresh territory while staying within a blues-based framework," and "there is more than enough proof in this sprawling set that Bonamassa doesn't intend to rest on his laurels or take his star status in the blues-rock genre for granted."

Hailed as "a near-spiritual experience" by Classic Rock magazine and featuring songs from "Time Clocks", Bonamassa's latest live concert release "Tales Of Time", captures a stratospheric performance by the blues-rock titan at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which found his virtuoso guitar style and unique technique and flair elevating the evening to an almost heavenly high. The project was produced by longtime collaborator and producer Kevin Shirley (LED ZEPPELIN, IRON MAIDEN, JOURNEY).

"This live show represents our most progressive and largest production to date, focusing on my most ambitious studio album to date," commented Bonamassa. "My band was a force of nature on this show, and it truly was a special night."

Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a three-time Grammy-nominated artist and 13-time Blues Music Award nominee (four wins),he achieved his 26th No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues chart with "Tales Of Time", a sprawling and expansive live concert film and album, shot at the breathtaking Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado in August 2022. Only in his mid-40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 40 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and ROCK CANDY FUNK PARTY.

A prolific writer who is always on the hunt to expand his eclectic musical horizons, Bonamassa has a limitless work ethic whether it's in a studio, on the road, or working with other artists to spur new music. In recent years, he has produced an immense number of albums, including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Marc Broussard, Larry McCray, Jimmy Hall, and others for his independent label KTBA Records, and has also recently launched Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide. Recent producing highlights include "Crown" by the blues legend Eric Gales, which was nominated for "Best Contemporary Blues Album" at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

Bonamassa has been featured in several publications from Esquire, WSJ and Parade to Rolling Stone and American Songwriter, as well as on the covers of Guitar World, Guitar Player, Vintage Guitar, Guitarist and Classic Rock magazine. His non-profit Keeping The Blues Alive provides funds and resources to schools and artists in need and has positively impacted more than 91,000 students to date while raising over two million in donations.

After touring Australia and Japan as well as kicking off this year's festival season by introducing new bassist Peter Baltes last month, U.D.O. — the heavy metal five-piece led by former ACCEPT vocalist Udo Dirkschneider — let the next cat out of the bag today: In between various live activities throughout the year, the band have been very productive having recorded a massive, 13-track album, at various locations. Crafted with producer and mixing engineer Martin "Mattes" Pfeiffer at Redhead Studio (Wilhelmshaven, Germany) and mastered by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany),"Touchdown" is scheduled to land in the end zone of the heavy metal world on August 25 through Atomic Fire Records. The record also includes a guest appearance by violinist Stefan Pintev on the closing track, and bass tracks were recorded by Baltes. Artwork was provided by Martin Häusler who was also responsible for shooting band photos in support of the new album campaign.

"Touchdown" track listing:

01. Isolation Man
02. The Flood
03. The Double Dealer's Club
04. Fight For The Right
05. Forever Free
06. Punchline
07. Sad Man's Show
08. The Betrayer
09. Heroes Of Freedom
10. Better Start To Run
11. The Battle Understood
12. Living Hell
13. Touchdown

The LP's first single, "Forever Free", as well as album pre-order options, will become available on Friday, June 23.

Last month, Baltes officially joined U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER, the two bands fronted by Udo Dirkschneider. The former ACCEPT bassist had been playing bass for U.D.O. since last September, initially as a temporary replacement for U.D.O.'s then-bassist Tilen Hudrap who was hospitalized after the band's show in Munich, Germany.

Baltes said in a statement: "Since my departure from ACCEPT, I kept myself very busy writing and recording for film/TV productions and various artists around the globe. That's how I reconnected with Udo working on his solo album 'My Way', the U.D.O. album 'We Are One' and the DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG album 'Arising'. Since Stefan Kaufmann [guitar; ex-ACCEPT drummer] was also involved, it all had a very familiar feeling. That's why when Udo called me in September to fill in for his injured bass player I did not hesitate. The set list had mostly U.D.O. songs which I was not familiar with and a few ACCEPT tunes. When I arrived in Berlin a few days later for the first show, I was nervous and had no idea what to expect. But as soon as we all took the stage standing next to Udo, it felt like home: His voice took me right back to where it all began. It was a total surprise for the audience at first, but as we played on I realized they were as happy as I was to see Udo and me together again. Over the next three months, I really got to know Sven [Dirkschneider, drums], Dee [Fabian Dee Dammers, guitar] and Andrey [Smirnov, guitar] as extremely talented musicians but also as very humble and respectful guys. It all feels very authentic. That made my decision to say 'yes' very easy when Udo asked me to join the band permanently."

Dirkschneider added: "I have a very long friendship with Peter Baltes which has never been shadowed by the disagreements with ACCEPT over the past few years. The arguments were exclusively with another person and his wife. It should be clear to everyone who is meant! All other ACCEPT members have always been united in friendship.

"It meant a lot to me when Peter spontaneously helped us out on some U.D.O. tour dates last year. From the first day, I experienced the great feeling and trust from the past with him again. A feeling that always connected us throughout the years in ACCEPT.

"I'm aware that Peter had many lucrative offers from other bands on the table, all of which he had turned down over the years. To be honest, he can't earn these sums with us. It means even more to me that he still decided to stay with U.D.O. and to also join DIRKSCHNEIDER as bassist. This shows me that he has a real metal heart beating in his chest and that friendship and fun are more important to him than money. Thank you, Peter!

"We are very happy that after so many years you are finally having fun on stage again!"

DIRKSCHNEIDER is the name of Udo's band which performs ACCEPT material exclusively.

Although Udo announced eight years ago that his initial DIRKSCHNEIDER tour would mark his final time performing ACCEPT songs, he has continued to play select shows under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner.

Udo previously spoke about his renewed collaboration with Peter in a March 2023 interview with Australia's Silver Tiger Media. He said: "Yeah, [Peter] was helping us out on [U.D.O.'s] European tour and South America. Our [previous] bass player Tilen, he had a serious health problem. He was collapsing in Munich at a show [last September]. And then for us, it was, like, 'What can we do? Stop the tour or try to get a [new] bass player?' I was already in contact with Peter. I did together with him a classic album with the German armed forces, and we did [the] DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG [project], so I was in contact with Peter. Then I called him and said, 'Peter, I have a problem — a serious problem. I need a bass player. And maybe can you help us out?' And then he said, 'Yeah, okay. Give me one day.' And then he said, 'Yeah, I'll do this.' And it was a lot of work for him to do all these U.D.O. songs. And then he said, 'Yeah, I'll help you out, as long as you're looking for a new bass player.' But we will see. I get the feeling that he wants to join the band. And he had so much fun. He said, 'Wow. This is great. I have so much fun with this band. It's really nice.' We will see."

Udo went on to say that he is "happy" to be playing with Peter again.

"Peter is a great bass player — for me, one of the best in heavy metal," Dirkschneider said. "He's a legend. And of course, I worked with him for a very long time together. He's a good singer, he's a good songwriter. Maybe we will see what the future will bring. So, you never know."

Udo also touched upon the fact that the current lineup of ACCEPT only features guitarist Wolf Hoffmann from the band's original incarnation.

"I don't wanna say anything wrong, but I think now we [in U.D.O.] are more ACCEPT than ACCEPT is at the moment," he said. "There's only one [original ACCEPT member] left [in ACCEPT]; that's Wolf Hoffmann. So, [it's] interesting — yeah, very interesting."

In March, Baltes said that he was "extremely unhappy" toward the end of his four-decade tenure with ACCEPT. The 65-year-old German-born musician discussed his decision to leave ACCEPT in an interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music. He said: "The statement that came from the band literally five minutes after I announced that I'm leaving [back in November 2018], that I wanna spend more time with my family, well, that wasn't true. No, no. I was extremely unhappy. And I found out a few things. I'd been in the band forever, and I found out in the end, in this incarnation of ACCEPT, I wasn't even really a member; I was a hired gun. And it's these things that come out where you don't have any input, insight, and you start getting bitter. And there's no reason to, but somebody else's ego is just so big or whatever — two of 'em — that it just takes them there, and they just need to control everything and have everything and you name it. That's what got Udo out back then, and I think in the end it hit everybody. So I was the last one standing, but I couldn't stand it anymore. I needed happiness in my life, and there was no happiness there. It was just a dead horse. So I left after the tour. And in my case, it was the best I ever could have done."

Baltes also talked about what it was like to play bass for U.D.O. on the group's fall 2022 European tour.

"In retrospect, when I stepped on stage in Berlin [in September 2022] with Udo after so many years — the last time was 2005, I think — it was a moment that I can't even describe it," Peter said. "We went on stage first, and then Udo comes, and he starts singing. And the first note brought me back instantly to our days when we played little clubs. The man is such a legend, and his voice… And it's nothing to do with you're short, you're tall, you're fat, you're skinny, none of that — you're in shape or you're not — none of that matters to me, to him and the audience. [What is important is] when something is authentic. And that's what got me at that moment. I was, like, 'Man, this is the real deal.' I wasn't used to that; I wasn't. I totally forgot. And you can into this where you think, 'We've been doing this all our life.' No, we didn't. We played kind of like it, with people that kind of sound like it. But no. He's the real deal, and the power that comes out of his voice is second to none. Sheer power, meaning volume, power. Bruce Dickinson [IRON MAIDEN] has power. When he sings, you can see it — he has power. Some singers, they have power. And Ronnie [James Dio] had power. Udo has power. That's certain power that just captivates you in your ears, in your stomach, and you go with it."

Baltes was replaced in ACCEPT by Martin Motnik.

Two years ago, Hoffmann was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he had had a chance to talk to Peter since his departure from ACCEPT and if he had gotten clarification on why Baltes left the group. Wolf said: "No, man. That's kind of the sad part about it. He kind of made that decision alone, and we never really had a sitdown and a man-to-man talk that I was hoping we'd have. He just announced it to the world, and that was it, and at that point, it was almost too late. I have to respect his decision.

"I miss him very much, and I think he's always gonna be my buddy or whatever," Wolf continued. "But right now, we don't really have much in common. Because when somebody leaves the band, it's usually that we never really see them much again, as sad as it is. I wish we would, and maybe one day we will. But right now, we don't, really. But we didn't have any fights or anything. I can only speculate why he left the band, but I'd rather not."

Hoffmann was also asked if he was surprised to see Baltes working with Udo on some new music in 2020. He responded: "Yeah, I probably shouldn't say much about that. Again, I can only speculate what that was all about. At the end of the day, we do our thing, and everybody has to know for themselves what they wanna do. Yeah, let me not say as much about that as I can, please."

In January 2021, Hoffmann told Australia's Metal Mal that he was "a little bit heartbroken" when Baltes left ACCEPT. "I felt it was not only a sad day for ACCEPT, it was also a sad day for rock and roll, or heavy metal, in general, because I thought we were gonna be doing this until the sun goes down — I don't know; until forever," he said. "But he all of a sudden decided otherwise, and he made that decision, and that was it. And that's sad, but what can you do, man? I decided, along with everybody else, the show must go on, and we continue without him. So this is what we did. And here's the new album — without Peter. But it's still sad. I still miss him sometimes. It's just the way it is."

In November 2019, Hoffmann told Powermetal.cl that he no longer kept in touch with Baltes after the bassist exited the group a year earlier. "Unfortunately, when somebody leaves the band, they're always kind of out of sight, out of mind," Wolf explained. "It's very sad. I wish it wasn't that way, because we've been friends for so long. But the reality is I haven't really heard from him — even though I reached out a couple of times. He's almost like he wants to disappear or he wants to leave the music business altogether. It's sad and I still don't quite understand what really happened. But it is what it is, and we move on."

Three years ago, Baltes and former ACCEPT drummer Stefan Kaufmann were part of the songwriting team for U.D.O.'s album called "We Are One", a collaboration with Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr, the military band of the German federal armed forces.

Photo credit: Martin Häusler

German metal queen Doro Pesch has set "Conqueress Forever Strong And Proud" as the title of her new album, due on October 27, one day before her 40th-anniversary concert at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany. The LP's first single, "Time For Justice", will arrive on June 9.

In an exclusive new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, Doro stated about her 19-song follow-up to her 2018 double album "Forever Warriors, Forever United" (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's done. It's finished. I'm just about to film the first visual for this album. And we plan to have four or five singles out, and four or five videos, before the official [album] release. Saturday, actually, in two days, we will record [the video for] 'Time For Justice'. It will be a wild video. We have a good plan. I hope it will come out like we planned."

Regarding the musical direction of "Conqueress Forever Strong And Proud", Doro said: "It's pretty heavy. It's pretty hard. The first five songs are totally heavy. Then there's a midtempo anthem coming on. But I think it's pretty heavy. The song 'I Will Prevail' is the heaviest, I think. And the opener I love so much. It's called 'Children Of The Dawn'. And then there's some duets on it."

Doro went on to reveal that JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford is one of the guest musicians on the LP, adding that he is someone she has "loved for a long time. I'm so excited. Oh my God. It is a dream come true. And he's such a great guy. We were friends forever. It's a special treat. I could die now."

According to Doro, her duet with Halford is "a fast song" and "something everybody's familiar with. Yeah, it's cool. It's a fast song and it's an anthem."

Speaking in general about the fact that she has been able to record and share the stage with so many of her musical idols, Doro said: "I was so lucky in my life [that] I could play and perform and record with the best people, people I love. It's unbelievable."

"[Rob] was a big influence," she added. "I loved Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, Rob Halford, Biff [Byford], Lemmy… And I was a big KISS fan. And I could work with everybody. Oh my God. It's awesome."

Last month, Doro told Brazil's A Rádio Rock that fans can expect "many anthems" and "many diehard metal songs" on her upcoming LP. "Many soulful songs. And a great, great guest. A great collaboration on one of the songs. And I think this will be probably my second 'All We Are' that people always wanna hear it and sing it. And there's one song for the animals, because I love animals. It's called 'Heavenly Creatures'. And I wanna do something with this song. So that's dedicated to all these heavenly creatures."

She continued: "I grew up with dogs and horses and parrots, and I miss that in my life. That's the only thing I miss. I have no regrets whatsoever, but I would have loved pets. But it's impossible when you're on tour. So I do something else. And I just adopted two horses. But they're not close to where I live. They're actually in a different country; they're in Austria. But they're someplace where people take care of animals. It's so nice. It's a paradise — for people and for animals."

This past February, Doro spent time at Miami Beach Recording Studios laying down vocal tracks for her upcoming studio album.

"Forever Warriors, Forever United" featured 19 regular tracks and six bonus songs.

In September 2022, Doro released a very unique single — a soulful adaptation of her classic metal anthem "Raise Your Fist In The Air". The track was made possible by the new ZDF (national German TV channel) music show "Music Impossible".

In May 2022, Doro told Sleaze Roxx that she does most of her songwriting now with former SISTERS OF MERCY guitarist Andreas Bruhn. "I met him, I think, in 1986," she said. "We've always worked good together. Actually, the new bass player we have in Europe, we wrote a new killer song together so that's a new friendship. It's an anthem. It's good! And I wrote one song with my very first producer from the 'Hellbound' album. We met up again and wrote a nice song together. It's a song for the animals because I love animals. It's called 'Heavenly Creatures'. That will definitely be on the new record I'm planning on putting out next year. Next year, I have my 40th year anniversary so we want to celebrate it big."

In celebration of 35 years of the "Triumph And Agony" album from her former band WARLOCK, Doro released "Triumph And Agony Live" in various formats, including CD, vinyl, cassette, DVD, Blu-ray, and a huge box set, in September 2021 through her own label, Rare Diamonds Productions. The "Triumph And Agony" artwork centered on Geoffrey Gillespie's famous original drawing of the "Warlock" embracing the blonde rock star.

Doro Pesch photo credit: Jochen Rolfes for Nuclear Blast

In a new interview with "The Sports Junkies" on the 106.7 The Fan radio station, POISON singer Bret Michaels spoke about the fact that bands looking to release independently music now face a much lower cost of entry than the days when vinyl pressings or CD runs were obligatory.

"Here's what's great about the new way of doing stuff: the world can have access immediately to checking out stuff, which is great," he said. "So some of the old-school kind of gatekeepers that could decide if a really good upcoming band or talent would make it out to the world, so some of those walls have come down. For that, I love it. I always truly believe everyone deserves that chance.

"I tell people, the great thing is you're easily exposed," he continued. "The downside is you can be easily disposed. So the attention span's way lower. So you've still gotta do, like for me growing up, we were playing at the Paradise Bar & Grill and moving the pool table out of the way and handing flyers out. And I still think, no matter what you do, number one, you've gotta love what you're doing. And number two, you've still gotta take the music to the streets and out to the fans."

Two months ago, it was reported that Bret was putting the finishing touches on his new inspirational book titled "Bet On Yourself: Don't Crash & Burn… Crash & Learn", tentatively set for a fall 2023 release. The book will serve as a motivational, inspirational and entrepreneurial guide where Bret will take readers on a journey, highlighting lessons, pulling from highs and lows of his own life in an effort to realize the unbroken fighting spirit in all of us.

Michaels rose to fame in the 1980s as the singer of POISON, which still tours periodically. He later became a reality TV personality in such shows as dating contest "Rock Of Love" and on "The Celebrity Apprentice". Most recently, Michaels was one of the contestants on Fox's smash hit "The Masked Singer".

This past January, Michaels told SFL Music about the secret to his success: "Here's the secret from me. I have a book. It's my first one, there's three volumes. The first one is simply called 'Bret Michaels Auto-Scrap-Ography'. Just so you know, I made the book pictures that you could match to the stories. There's nothing worse than a five-hundred-page autobiography, but there's not one photo of the friends you're talking about. I'm like no, no. I want every story to be short, to the point and show the people and time stamped photos that I lived. But the secret for me, as I've said in the book, is that it's bet on yourself. Find a way to have fun, but you've got to get it done. Never, ever let go of being hands-on. That's my opinion. Again, I want to make sure I state, in my opinion, you got to bet on yourself. Who's gonna believe in me if I don't believe in me? You'd better realize it's not gonna be easy and when someone said no, it just made me come back fighting harder to prove them wrong."

Released in 2020, "Auto-Scrap-Ography" provided a humorous, real and raw inside look at Michaels's journey through highs and lows, and how he overcame every adversity life has thrown in his way: from his extremely humble beginnings, growing up in a small Pennsylvania town and learning to rise up in the face of adversity, battling a life-threatening illness daily as a type one juvenile diabetic; to the massive success as a solo artist and with POISON; to rocketing to the top of the music world, reality TV, and entrepreneurial branding; to the causes closest to his heart: his charitable and philanthropic efforts around the world; and continuing through present day, as Michaels was revealed as the fan favorite Banana on "The Masked Singer".

Bret, who toured with POISON as part of "The Stadium Tour" last summer, will hit the road in July for a limited run of live dates for his 2023 "Parti-Gras" tour. Michaels has created this tour with a Mardi Gras feel in celebration of his great fans and hit music. The renowned rockstar will bring a few of his rocker friends along for a mashup of all-killer, no-filler hits featuring special guests NIGHT RANGER and JEFFERSON STARSHIP with special appearances from Steve Augeri (former lead singer of JOURNEY) and Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY),plus a nightly surprise guest to rock your world.

Presented by Live Nation, the 12-city limited date run kicks off on Thursday, July 13 at the one and only Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan; known for its epic concerts and parties, going on to make stops across the U.S. including at The Pavilion at Star Lake, in his birthplace of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania),Holmdel (New Jersey),Tinley Park (Illinois),Tampa (Florida),and more before wrapping up in Charlotte (North Carolina) at PNC Music Pavilion on August 6. The tour promises to be a modern-day throwback to epic tailgate parties, positive energy, and a much needed nothing but a good vibe.

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."