MEGADETH's Dirk Verbeuren has shared a drum-cam video of him performing the song "Tornado Of Souls" with his bandmates at Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on May 9, 2023. Check it out below.

Last December, Verbeuren spoke to That Metal Interview about the songwriting process for MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!", which arrived in September via UMe. He said: "There was a lot of freedom. [Dave Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] invited Kiko [Loureiro, MEGADETH guitarist] and myself from the get-go to contribute our own ideas and our interpretations, and that's what we did.

"The way we work and the way Dave tends to work is that he has this massive vault of riffs, guitar riffs that go all the way back to the early years, to the '80s. And that's all sitting in a folder and organized. And so we started by him picking out a bunch of riffs and working with those. And as the process went on, those started turning into songs and we would maybe add some riffs or change some riffs or maybe go fishing for some more or write new ones — whatever felt right at the time. So I also contributed some music myself, and so did Kiko; Kiko co-wrote quite a few of the songs on the album. So it was a very collaborative process. As far as the drums went, same thing. Of course there were certain parts where Dave preferred one idea over the idea, and he would be, like, 'Play it more like this,' or, 'I prefer that beat over this beat.' But for the most part I pretty much got to do what I wanted to do and how I felt it. Because I think, at this point, having been in the band for over six years, I've got a pretty good feel of what MEGADETH drums are supposed to sound like, and it seems like Dave feels the same way."

Dirk went on to say that he didn't want to deviate too far from the drumming style that characterized MEGADETH's classic albums. "It's an important thing, because I'm also a MEGADETH fan," he explained. "I was for many years when I was younger. So I know what it's like to be a fan and going and watching your band or hearing a new album by your band that you like and you expect it to be within certain parameters. So, having grown up listening to [previous MEGADETH drummers] Gar Samuelson and Chuck Behler and Nick Menza, of course, I wanted to have kind of that vibe. So that's what I aimed for. In the end, it's gonna sound like me as well, because I can't change that. And I also put some of my own flavors in there, of course. But I did wanna be very mindful of the legacy of MEGADETH history and respect that and carry on that tradition."

"The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH's eighth top 10-charting album. Of "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!"'s 48,000 units earned for the week, album sales comprised 45,000, SEA units comprised 3,000 and TEA units comprised a negligible sum.

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

The reformed PANTERA played its first U.S. concert on May 6 at the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally in Panama City, Florida. The performance marked PANTERA's first live appearance in its home country in 22 years — since July 25, 2001, when the band played at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington as part of the "Extreme Steel" tour.

Drum-cam video of the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally concert — courtesy of drummer Charlie Benante — can be seen below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cello metallers Apocalyptica have shared their performance of "Rise" from Tuska Utopia 2020. Check out the pro-shot video below.





"The collaborations don't stop!," begins a message from Apocalyptica issued back in March. "We captured our performance of 'Rise Again' with Simone Simons of Epica in London. Check out the performance and then come out to one of our remaining tour dates and if you're lucky we'll perform it together for you!"







In support of the start of the second leg of their successful European tour, Epica and Apocalyptica teamed up for a unique collaboration on the atmospheric ballad, "Rivers", that they recorded live during the first leg of the Epic Apocalypse Tour, at Amsterdam’s AFAS Live in front of more than 5,000 fans.


“To play with these legendary musicians on our biggest indoor show in the Netherlands was a dream come true “, comments Coen Janssen and Mark Jansen adds: “To perform with Apocalyptica added an extra layer of pure magic to the song. Not only are these guys great musicians but also on a personal level, we match very well with these lovely people. Therefore, it was particularly special to perform ‘Rivers’ with them and we are very proud to present you the result of this collaboration in the form of our live performance.”


Stream the new single here, and watch the video below. The clip was shot by the team at Panda Production and edited by Jens de Vos.

Toronto rockers Danko Jones performed at Wacken Open Air 2022. Check out pro-shot video of "I Gotta Rock", "I Think Bad Thoughts" and "My Little RnR" below.





Hot on the heels of sharing the news of their upcoming album, Electric Sounds, Danko Jones have now announced a clutch of UK headline dates for December, as part of a wider European trek.




No band has ever sounded more ready to hit the road than the pumped-up threesome showcased on the hell-for-leather ragers featured on their forthcoming album. Armed with this collection of brand new bangers, Danko Jones launch themselves into 2023 on a renewed mission to rock the living shit-lights out of anyone and everyone that wants to join the party.


Frontman Danko declares, "We love touring in the UK and thankfully we are coming back! What’s not to love when you play in front of crowds that know their rock and know how to rock out?! Every day is just one more day we have to patiently get through until the tour starts. I think you can tell I’m already very ready to do this. Give me a guitar and get me to the stage NOW!"


Special guests for the dates will be US punk squad Radkey.


Set your alarm! Pre-sales for tickets begin at 10 AM, BST, Wednesday, April 19. Tickets go on general sale starting at 10 AM, BST on Friday, April 21. For all ticketing links and more information, head here.


UK dates:


December
12 - Bristol, UK - Thekla
13 - Glasgow, UK - King Tuts
14 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
15 - Manchester, UK - Rebellion
16 - London, UK - Garage





In addition, Danko Jones are confirmed as main support on Sunday, December 3 at the rifftastic extravaganza that is Planet Rockstock, taking place in Trecco Bay, South Wales and marking its10th anniversary this year. Tickets for that event are on sale now.


Danko Jones announced that their eleventh studio album, Electric Sounds, will be released via AFM Records on September 15. The three-man squad, dedicated to the noble art of riffs, melodies, and life-affirming rock anthems, return to provide maximum satisfaction and serve up all the Electric Sounds you could possibly need!


With Electric Sounds, Toronto’s archbishops of amplification prove that even a global pandemic couldn’t stop Danko Jones. As first album single "Guess Who's Back" showcases, it's just made them even more unstoppable. "Guess Who’s Back is not only the lead-off track to our new album, Electric Sounds, it’s also the imperative sentence everyone is begging to answer - Danko Jones!" quips charismatic frontman Danko.


Get the new Danko Jones song on all digital services here, and watch a lyric video for "Guess Who's Back" below.


“Not working for two years really felt like touring rock bands were being put out to pasture,” recalls Danko. “But I guess that only made us try harder. We were still able to record and release an album during the pandemic (Power Trio, 2021). We toured as soon as we were allowed. Now that Electric Sounds is getting released, it doesn’t feel like we missed a beat. During the pandemic, we moved away from each other. JC lives in Finland and Rich lives in Prince Edward Island. So the writing for this band has changed. We used to bash out ideas in our rehearsal place, day after day, but it’s more about sending files back and forth now. However, last summer, while on tour, we did manage to jam out ideas in a rehearsal room in Berlin for a few days. Out of those jams came the nubs for five songs...”


Five songs have since been expanded to eleven new Danko Jones songs, and Electric Sounds promises to have the instant sound and feel of a classic. With no need to reinvent the wheel, the group have further honed and refined their craft - always at full volume - although Electric Sounds is a deceptively diverse affair. No band has ever sounded more ready to hit the road than the pumped-up threesome showcased on the hell-for-leather ragers featured on their forthcoming album.


Electric Sounds was produced by Eric Ratz, and features guest spots from Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies), Damian Abraham (Fucked Up) and guitarist Daniel Dekay (from Canadian thrash legends Exciter).


Pre-order the album here.





Electric Sounds tracklisting:


"Guess Who's Back"
"Good Time"
"Electric Sounds"
"Get High?"
"Stiff Competition"
"She's My Baby"
"Eye For An Eye"
"I Like It"
"Let's Make Out"
"What Goes Around"
"Shake Your City"


"Guess Who's Back" lyric video:





These road dogs have a few new miles to put on the tour bus yet. Stay tuned for hot tour news from Danko Jones very soon!


Danko Jones is:


Danko Jones - Vocals/Guitar
John Calabrese - Bass
Rich Knox - Drums


(Photo - Daniel Berbig)

Ruïm was formed in 2020 by the Norwegian born, Grammy award winning guitarist Blasphemer (Rune Eriksen), known from acts such as Vltimas and Mayhem. Joining Blasphemer on drums is French born drummer César Vesvre (Agressor, Thagirion).


Driven by a firm desire to revisit the style of music he has dedicated himself to and been associated with since the mid-‘90s and inspired by the rediscovery of a long lost tape of old, unused Mayhem-era riffs from 98/99, the concept of starting a new project based around these ideas manifested itself quickly. Soon, a new vision was born for an album immersed in Brazilian witchcraft and the left-hand path of the Umbanda tradition - a practice in which Blasphemer himself is taught in - to deliver a new blackened opus in the vein Blasphemer has been synonymous with since his inception into Mayhem back in 1994 (until 2007).


Black Royal Spiritism – I – O Sino da Igreja is Ruïm’s debut studio album. It presents a glimpse of something new, unique, visionary and highly eclectic. This album marks the beginning of a concept set to span a trilogy of releases exploring and incorporating a deeply personal expression of Blasphemer’s own beliefs regarding the greater spirits of the left-hand path. A pitch-black offering, Black Royal Spiritism is steeped in ominous and eerie, unnerving darkness. Each track is meticulously woven with a sinister undercurrent, given flesh by Blasphemer’s highly distinctive brutal riffing style, with atmospheric, ambient, and clean passage interludes featuring among the chaos.




Vocals on Black Royal Spiritism – I – O Sino da Igreja are also handled by Blasphemer himself, sung in a mix of English, Portuguese and Norwegian, with lyrical themes rooted in a celebration and dedication to the lore and rituals of linha da esquerda.


The album was recorded at Drudenhaus Studio in France and mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door and artwork created by Sindre Foss Skancke.


First single and lyric video for "The Triumph (Of Night & Fire)" has been released. 


Black Royal Spiritism – I – O Sino da Igreja will be released on Peaceville Records on May 26 on CD / LP / Limited edition gold coloured vinyl and digitally. Preorder options available here.





Tracklisting:


“Blood.Sacrifice.Enthronement”
“The Triumph (Of Night & Fire)”
“Black Royal Spiritism”
“Evig Dissonans”
“Fall Of Seraphs”
“Ao Rio”
“O Sino da Igreja”


"The Triumph (Of Night & Fire) lyric video:





(Photo: Mara D'Eleán)

As Peaceville mark 30 years since the release of the genre classic, Under A Funeral Moon, the True Black Metal era of the Norwegian pioneers Darkthrone is also commemorated with a special limited five cassette boxset titled Unholy Black Metal.


Featuring what was always considered the unholy trinity of Darkthrone albums; namely 1992’s iconic A Blaze In The Northern Sky, along with Under A Funeral Moon (1993) and Transilvanian Hunger (1994), this collection also notably includes the often considered “missing link” in the form of 1995’s legendary Panzerfaust, to now proudly and rightly sit alongside those opuses, for what can be deemed a quartet of timeless and highly regarded black metal masterpieces. As an added bonus, the set also includes the The Wind Of 666 Black Hearts release, containing Darkthrone’s rare A Blaze In The Northern Sky and Under A Funeral Moon rehearsals.


The accompanying 40 page booklet features rare photos from this period of the band, as well as text chronicling the early-mid 90’s chapter of Darkthrone from the prior Black Death & Beyond book release, along with extra compiled articles on this period. Additionally, Unholy Black Metal includes two posters in the shape of the Taakeferd and Ferdasyn paintings from Under A Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger respectively, plus eight photo prints and a certificate of authenticity. Preorder at burningshed.com.

Texas’ favorite death metal practitioners Creeping Death today unleash their new single, “The Common Breed,” with an accompanying video. The track comes by way of the band’s Boundless Domain LP, set for release on June 16 via MNRK Heavy.


A sophomore slab of spectacular weight, dimension, and might, Boundless Domain was produced by Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz (As I Lay Dying, The Acacia Strain, Underoath) and is a certified ripper, top to bottom. In the wake of the passing of local heroes Riley Gale of Power Trip and Wade Allison of Iron Age, the band — guitarist Trey Pemberton, singer Reese Alavi, bassist Eric “Rico” Mejia, drummer Lincoln Mullins, and guitarist A.J. Ross, III — found themselves digging back into some of their metallic hardcore favorites. Boundless Domain boasts future death metal classics like the super heavy, fast, and groovy “Intestinal Wrap,” which features George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher of Cannibal Corpse. “Vitrified Earth” showcases Creeping Death's increasing skills at songcraft, most evident with the cadence and phrasing of Alavi’s vocals while never neglecting the sick riffs. Toward the album’s close, there’s even a bit of a spaced-out atmosphere, with guitar effects, harmonies, and heady time signatures.


Comments Pemberton on “The Common Breed,” “This music video perfectly encapsulates the energy of a Creeping Death show. Making it was a blast, we appreciate all our friends and family coming out and acting a fool for us.”




See all confirmed dates below. Tickets for all shows go on sale this Friday, April 28th at 10 AM, local time.





Boundless Domain Summer 2023 Part 1 with Year Of The Knife, Fleshrot, Saintpeeler:


June
16 - Vibes Underground – San Antonio, TX
17 - The Rock – El Paso, TX
18 - 191 Toole – Tucson, AZ
19 - Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA
20 - Supply & Demand – Long Beach, CA
21 - Kilowatt Bar – San Francisco, CA
23 - Dante's– Portland, OR
24 - El Corazon – Seattle, WA
26 - The Shredder – Boise, ID
27 - Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
28 - The Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
29/202389th Street – Oklahoma City, OK * No Fleshrot


July
1 - Mass Movement Community Arts – Tulsa, OK * No Fleshrot





Boundless Domain Summer 2023 Part 2 with Enforced (July 12 - July 16), Upon Stone, Saintpeeler:


July
10 - Chelsea's Live – Baton Rouge, LA
11 - 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA
12 - The Radio Room – Greenville, SC
13 - The Canal Club – Richmond, VA
14 - Lovedraft's Brewing Co. – Mechanicsburg, PA
15 - The Palladium – Worcester, MA
16 - Amityville Music Hall – Amityville, NY
18 - The Loud – Huntington, WV
19 - Eastside Bowl – Nashville, TN
20 - Vino's – Little Rock, AR
21 - Tulips FTW – Ft. Worth, TX


Pre-order Boundless Domain here.





Tracklisting:


“Boundless Domain”
“Intestinal Wrap” (feat. Corpsegrinder)
“Vitrified Earth”
“The Parthian Shot”
“Creators Turned Into Prey”
“Cursed”
“Remnants Of The Old Gods”
“Looming”
“The Common Breed”


"The Common Breed" video:





“Intestinal Wrap” video:

Frontiers Music Srl will release Art Nation's new album, Inception, on June 9. This will be the band's first new album in four years and sees vocalist Alexander Strandell, guitarist Christoffer Borg, bassist Richard Svärd, and drummer Alexander Lundgren delivering a powerful musical statement. Huge, anthemic melodic hard rock mixed with European metal influences throughout, make Inception an undeniably enjoyable sonic delight.


A music video for the new single, "1001", can be viewed below.


After having worked with lead vocalist Alexander Strandell on 2022's excellent debut album from Crowne, Kings In The North, Frontiers Music Srl approached Alexander about working together on a new Art Nation album and thankfully, Strandell was keen on the idea.




Importantly and crucially, guitarist Christoffer Borg, who started the band with Strandell in 2014, has returned to Art Nation. Strandell and Borg, along with bassist Richard Svärd and drummer Alexander Lundgren, have re-established that great musical spirit and chemistry that launched the band and Art Nation is back and better than ever!


"When Art Nation released our debut album Revolution'in 2015, everything went extremely fast. Suddenly we were on tour, doing shows on some of the biggest stages in Sweden and walking the red carpet of the Grammy Awards. At the same time, we were navigating the difficulties of being a bunch of kids, playing in a band where no one had any experience of doing all the things that we were expected to do. I was totally broken and overwhelmed by all the anxiety that had built up from the pressure of trying too hard. After the release of 'Liberation' in 2017, I could barely be on stage anymore without pain in my chest and I was so frustrated with being ill.


"During this period, I did things to my friends in the band that I deeply regret today. Even if I told myself that it was okay because of my health, it’s never okay to treat your friends badly. I need to live with that for the rest of my life and I’ll try to do better from now on. I lost my friends in 2017 and the band was never the same after that. We tried really hard to continue the journey, but it never felt like Art Nation without Christoffer, who started the band with me back in 2014. The musical spirit was gone along with the strong friendship," explains Strandell.


"After the release of Transition in 2019, the dawn of the pandemic in early 2020 forced me to cancel all future plans and everything went upside down. I tried to see it all as a sign to just focus on myself and try to repair all the damage I had done during the years. This break was necessary because I needed to heal myself and today I’m feeling stronger than ever, with much thanks to my family and friends. Christoffer and I are back together with Richard and Alex and we couldn’t be more happy," continues Strandell.


"We're here to stay this time and from the bottom of my heart, I’m so thankful for all the support during the band's existence. Let's make this next chapter of Art Nation the best ever!" concludes Strandell.





Tracklisting:


"Brutal & Beautiful"
"Last Of The Burned"
"1001"
"Fight Fire With Fire"
"Echo"
"Break Up"
"Light The Fire"
"The Legend Reborn"
"Somewhere I Know I Belong"
"Superman"
"Powerless"


"1001" video:





"Brutal & Beautiful" video:





Art Nation are:


Alexander Strandell - Vocals
Christoffer Borg - Guitar
Richard Svärd - Bass
Alexander Lundgren - Drums


(Photo - Johannes Malm)

Queen continues the new video series, “Queen The Greatest: Live”, a year-long celebration of Queen Live. It's a 50-week YouTube series going behind the scenes to reveal what goes into creating a Queen show featuring moments from iconic performances and demonstrating why the band is regarded as the ultimate live act. The latest episode can be found below.


A message states: "In this episode, Brian May and Roger Taylor exclusively reveal the secrets behind possibly the most crucial part of any Queen live show by revealing how they choose which songs to include, not to mention the order they come in, when constructing the all important set list."







"I like to be surrounded by splendid things. I want to lead a Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter." - Freddie Mercury


This summer, Sotheby’s is honoured to present Freddie Mercury: A World Of His Own, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the private realm of a global icon.


Alongside his legendary public persona, Freddie Mercury was a deeply educated collector with a connoisseur’s eye, honed over years of careful research and exploration of the artists and movements that sparked his intellectual and aesthetic curiosity.


This collection has remained at Freddie’s beloved Garden Lodge for over three decades and displays a quality and diversity of works that are a testament not only to his passion, but his brilliant mind.


This rich legacy will now be shared for the very first time through a series of auctions at Sotheby’s London, in an immersive experience unlike anything that has been seen before. Join Sotheby’s this summer to celebrate Freddie Mercury: A World Of His Own.


Sign up here to be the first to receive updates on the sales, exhibition, catalogue release, events and more.





The regalia of a global icon, Freddie Mercury’s incredible stage-worn crown and robe were a commission by his friend and costume designer Diana Moseley. Indelibly linked to Freddie, he wore these for the rendition of “God Save The Queen” during his final tour with Queen in 1986, The Magic Tour. Estimate £60,000 - 80,000.

NMB (Neal Morse Band) present An Evening Of Innocence & Danger: Live In Hamburg, a live recording of their 2022 tour in support of their most recent studio album. Recorded live in Germany, this 3-disc release captures the band in fine form, presenting Innocence & Danger and more over nearly two and a half hours of music, and will be released on July 14t.


Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Eric Gillette & Bill Hubauer demonstrate a chemistry like no other on this musical document of that tour, supporting their fourth studio album, released in 2021. “NMB’s Innocence and Danger tour was an amazing experience all the way around and the Hamburg gig was a real stand out!”, says Neal, “The band was firing on all cylinders and the audience was so close to us and roaring from the very first note.”


Mike Portnoy continues, “It was our first post-Pandemic tour so everybody (including the audience) was just happy to be at shows again experiencing live music together. We particularly felt the love and emotions this evening in Hamburg which has always been an amazing audience for NMB.”




To celebrate the announcement, you can hear the band performing their arrangement of the Simon & Garfunkel classic, "Bridge Over Troubled Water", below.


Mixed & mastered by longtime collaborator Jerry Guidroz, the album will be available as a limited 3CD digipak, and digital album, and is now available to pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


CD1:
"Do It All Again"
"Bird On A Wire"
"Your Place In The Sun"
"Another Story To Tell"
"The Way It Had To Be"
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
"Waterfall"


CD2:
"Not Afraid Pt. 2"
"Beyond The Years"


CD3:
"The Great Similitude Medley"


"Bridge Over Troubled Water" static video:





The Markthalle in Hamburg is a venue the band have played many times before, and as Bill Hubauer explains, it’s a place they hold very dear: “There is always something warm and magical about the audiences at Markthalle. This show was closer to the end of the tour and I was getting tired.  I remember looking at the itinerary and seeing Markthalle coming up and feeling so happy about it. I knew it was going to give me the boost of energy to get through the rest of the tour.  It's very much one of those "home away from home" tour stops!” Randy George adds, “It’s always a great show at the Markthalle! The tour was going well and the wonderful fans in Hamburg made it a wonderful evening.”


The band played the vast majority of their acclaimed latest album, including a mesmerizing rendition of their arrangement of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, a track that quickly became a favourite of fans during the tour. Portnoy comments, “I loved the format of this tours setlist, breaking the show into two halves similarly to the Innocence And Danger album. The 1st half the shorter more concise songs and poppier side of the band, and the 2nd half with the huge sprawling Prog epics.” The massive set concludes with the "The Great Similitude Medley" which features highlights from the band’s previous two records The Great Adventure and The Similitude Of A Dream.


The result is a sprawling evening of incredible musicianship, that demonstrates a band at the very top of their game.

In a new interview with Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City", METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke about the band's "M72" world tour, which will feature 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 will include shows all over Europe and North America through 2024. Each "No Repeat Weekend" on "M72" will feature two completely different setlists and support lineups.

Regarding the prospect of playing two different sets in every city, Lars said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[It's] definitely exciting, definitely a little crazy. But it's fun spirited, of course, and a little overwhelming, to be honest with you.

"The concept was born out of a gentleman named Danny Wimmer who runs a series of festivals in America," he explained. "And I guess about four years ago now, he came to us and asked us if we would play six or eight of his festivals, and we would bookend the festival. We would play Friday and Sunday, and somebody else would play Saturday. And we would play Friday and Sunday — completely different sets — and bookend the festival. That sounded interesting, unique and crazy cool, so we said yes. And we had six, seven, maybe eight of those scheduled for 2020. Then the pandemic and lockdown came, and obviously that all went away. By the time we circled into the fall of '21, we went out and did three of those. And it was fun. We survived it. And it felt like it connected with an audience. And for us, it was an opportunity to do kind of a blank canvas experiment of just starting completely over, which is always fun and appreciated in the METALLICA camp. So when we were trying to figure out for the next record, we thought this concept of going around the world and playing two nights in every city and doing this would be fun.

"So, here we go. 'No Repeat Weekend'. We're not repeating any of the songs from one show to the other. It seems like a really good idea. It's also, obviously, gonna be a big undertaking. But I think it will be fun. I think the buzz is good.

"I'm not sure these days, to be honest with you, if everybody really understands what it is we're doing," Lars admitted. "I'm not sure we understand what it is we're doing. But I've heard myself talk about it now for a couple of weeks, and certainly everybody on our team is doing the best they can to get the message out there. It started off as one ticket for two shows, and then we let some single-day tickets be available for people that couldn't make both shows. Obviously, both shows, two shows is a big commitment for a lot of people; I understand that. So I don't know the idea that if people go to a show on one day, if they understand that there may not be certain toe-tapping favorites, as they may be called, that they will not hear. I don't know if they fully understand that concept, and I don't know if it matters. At the end of the day, it's a fun experiment, and when you've been playing for as long as we have and playing as many shows as we have, I think it's important to keep coming up with new ideas, to keep it fresh for the fans and fresh for yourselves. So hopefully this will connect. It's certainly exciting."

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. Lordi of Finnish metallers LORDI, who won the Eurovision Song Contest more than a decade and a half ago, has once again reflected on the band's involvement with the world's longest-running annual international TV song competition.

LORDI caused a sensation by winning the 2006 Eurovision with "Hard Rock Hallelujah", which in turn made the band's third release, "The Arockalypse", a hit throughout Europe. On the back of their Eurovision win, they scored a lucrative series of promotions including LORDI-branded cola, boiled sweets and credit cards; and played live at the MTV European Music Awards. A square was renamed in LORDI's honor in the Lapland city of Rovaniemi; a LORDI-themed postage stamp was issued in Finland and the group starred in its first film, called "Dark Floors".

With their monster-movie stage persona, LORDI seemed a most unlikely choice to represent their country in the Eurovision Song Contest. So you can imagine how many people were shocked when the group not only claimed top honors, but also earned the most points in the venerable event's history.

Asked in a new interview with Mulatschag TV if it was strange for him to see elderly people and 10-year-old kids in the front row at LORDI concerts following the band's appearance at Eurovision, Mr. Lordi said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was not that weird. Even before that, we were already a band that was touring and we had two albums out before that. And we've always been a band like, let's say KISS or Alice Cooper, for example, that we don't only gather certain age groups. Of course the diehards of any bands are in their 20s, but we've always been a band that we've always had little kids and even older people digging us. So in that sense it was no different. But since Eurovision, of course, the amount of those people, and when you see that these people have only seen that one fucking three-minute TV [performance] and that's all they know about the band, that was weird."

He continued: "I especially remember one moment in the summer of 2006, after a festival, I come down the stairs and I walk by the fence — like this barbed wire fence or something that is blocking the backstage area — and there are people waiting for autographs. And the weirdest thing is that you see these old grandmothers with their granddaughters and grandsons. And I'm dripping fucking blood — fake blood, but still I'm dripping blood — I have horns on my head, I have fucking red eyes and shit, and they're, like, 'Yeah', like they were fucking seeing Elvis or Jesus or something. And in that moment I realized that they don't see what this band is about. So that was weird. And eventually, a year or two years after that, when people only… They had some sort of a false image in their head what we were about… Of course it is the stupidity of themselves because they didn't bother to check it out. So when they came to our shows only because of that one song, so it was a long fucking 90 minutes before that song came out, when there's a lot of blood and guts and songs about anal fucking and all this shit. And they were, like, 'Why is LORDI changing all of a sudden? They should be family friendly.' Fuck that shit. We were never family friendly."

Mr. Lordi added: "When it comes to misconceptions… It's not about nationality and it's not about religion or it's not about age or sex or anything. It is like a default setting, like a false setting of a human that once you get some thought in your head, it is really difficult for you to let go of that. And when that false conception is shattered, your mind doesn't kind of understand it —'Why? What the fuck?' Because God forbid you cannot admit that you were wrong. That's how it goes."

Back in 2017, Mr. Lordi admitted to MariskalRock that he was initially comfortable about LORDI's connection to Eurovision. "There was a time a couple of years ago — well, more than a couple — when I really, really, really hated that everybody's always asking about the goddamn Eurovision; there was a time," he said. "Nowadays I have come to terms with it. It's, like, okay, I'm actually proud that we are part of Eurovision history and I am proud that Eurovision is part of this band's history. I mean, it is a big part of our awareness. Because the awareness of the band would be so different, it would be so much smaller, without that one TV show ten years ago."

He continued: "I absolutely don't regret that — absolutely not. Because I have nothing bad to say about Eurovision itself, but the problem that we have had in the years is the people who actually don't know anything else except for the fact that we were on Eurovision. And that is a big stamp to get out of — it's like a fucking tattoo, you have a fucking tattoo on your forehead that says 'Eurovision.' And that is something that really, really, really drove me nuts some years ago; I was really struggling with that.

"I have come to terms with it — it's all right; I mean, it's cool," he said. "I am proud of it. And every May, when there's a new Eurovision, I know that my phone will start ringing and people will ask my opinions and then we get requests: 'Do you wanna come to this country's semifinals? Do you wanna come here?' And for years we said, 'No, we don't wanna. We don't want to.' But now, we're, like, 'Fuck it! Let's do it. What the hell?' I mean, c'mon, it's all fun, and it's part of our history, and the Eurovision, they really want us to come there, because, let's face it, we are one of those winners that people still remember."

LORDI released its eighteenth studio album, "Screem Writers Guild", on March 31 via Atomic Fire Records.

RATT singer Stephen Pearcy has blasted the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for not inducting more hard rock and heavy metal acts.

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

"It's all politics, man," Stephen told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And that's the worst thing about the Hall Of Fame. It's, like, sorry, Dave Grohl, but how many times can Dave be the ambassador or awarded. I mean, there's so many musicians from the '50s, the '60s, the '70s… They don't give a shit about us, the '80s groups, at all — the Hollywood scene; they don't give a shit. You're not gonna see MÖTLEY [CRÜE] up there anytime soon, or RATT. We were lucky enough to see VAN HALEN get it. SCORPIONS, are they in? [JUDAS] PRIEST… That was a milestone, having JUDAS PRIEST in it. They had to break; they didn't have a choice… They had to. I mean, it's overwhelming. It's, like, you've given everybody else this award. And even guys in the band. It's like THE POLICE have one, and Sting has one [individually]. It's, like, break it down. The group or the guy? Does he need two of 'em? At least [BLACK] SABBATH is in there."

Pearcy continued: "Inevitably, they have to throw us a bone. Our genre of music in the '80s made billions of dollars for the music industry — billions. And what do we get for it? 'Oh, it ain't cool.' 'You're not cheesy enough or cheeky enough' or whatever the fuck. It's, like fuck you! I have awards in my office that mean more to me than having a Grammy or something, because it's from the hardcore fans, it's from the heart. It's not a political… 'Hey, fill out this ballot, and we'll change it on the day.' Kind of like the presidency."

Back in 2021, Pearcy says that he didn't think RATT would ever be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He told The Rock Shop With Ralph: "I doubt that'll ever happen. Unfortunately, everything is politics.

"I watched the last Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It's such a piece of shit," he continued.

"Some people deserve to be there and some people really don't. I mean, there's some people from the '50s, '60, '70s… Let's go, people. I hope you give a shit. Some '80s people need to be in there — definitely. But not what's politically… you know, 'This is the token hair band' kind of a thing."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finnish melancholic melodic death metal band, Endless Chain, have released the anthem, "Blind Kings", featuring Sami-Yli Sirniö (Kreator), Samuli Mikkonen (Korpiklaani) and Ville Hovi (Blackstar Halo) via Inverse Records. The song, whose style echoes early Gothenburg metal, was mastered by Svante Forbäck at Chartmakers Studio (Rammstein, Volbeat, Apocalyptica)


Band leader Timo Mölsä comments on the song:


"The song tells the story about understanding one's own mistakes, despair ahead. And after understanding about compensating them and saving things to the extent that they can be saved anymore."




Listen to the song via digital platforms found here.





Endless Chain:


Ville Hovi - vocals
Timo Mölsä - guitar
Aleksanteri Kuosa -  guitar, bass, keyboards
Samuli Mikkonen - drums


 


Guitar solos by Sami Yli-Sirniö