Swedish prog metal masters, Scar Symmetry, have released the video for "Chrononautilus", the second single from their first studio album in nine years, The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph).


Per Nilsson comments: "Phase II and its opening track 'Chrononautilus' picks up where Phase I and its final track 'Technocalyptic Cybergeddon' left off with a barrage of blastbeats and tremolo-picked riffs, setting the tone for what is arguably our most unrelenting album to date. The dystopian storyline that we created for Phase II dictated the musical direction and 'Chrononautilus' represents one of our furthest explorations into these pitch black realms."







The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph) will be released on June 9 via Nuclear Blast.





Pre-order The Singularity (Phase II - Xenotaph) now, here.





Tracklisting:


"Chrononautilus"
"Scorched Quadrant"
"Overworld"
"Altergeist"
"Reichsfall"
"Digiphrenia Dawn"
"Hyperborean Plains"
"Gridworm"
"A Voyage With Tailed Meteors"
"Soulscanner"
"Xenotaph"


"Scorched Quadrant" video:





Lineup:


Roberth Karlsson - Vocals
Lars Palmqvist - Vocals
Per Nilsson - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Benjamin Ellis - Guitars
Henrik Olsson - Drums

In a new world-exclusive interview with Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard magazine, SAVATAGE leader Jon Oliva confirmed that he nearly auditioned for BLACK SABBATH almost four decades ago. He recalled (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We [SAVATAGE] were gonna break up after 'Fight For The Nightmare' [disparagingly referencing SAVATAGE's third album, 1986's 'Fight For The Rock']. I mean, it was over — it was over. And I actually had a plane ticket and a [BLACK SABBATH] setlist sent to me, FedExed. I was supposed to leave, like, the day after or the next day to fly to L.A. to audition for BLACK SABBATH, 'cause Geezer Butler [BLACK SABBATH bassist] liked my voice a lot… And Criss [Oliva, then-SAVATAGE guitarist and Jon's brother] was going to fly to Phoenix to talk with [Dave] Mustaine about joining MEGADETH. So, we meet [SAVATAGE producer and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA founder] Paul O'Neill. He was, like, 'You guys are united. You're not splitting up. I'm gonna give you fifty thousand dollars.' And I remember kicking my brother's leg underneath the table… And he gave us a check for fifty thousand dollars, and he said, 'You're not auditioning for BLACK SABBATH, and you [Criss] are not going to be in MEGADETH. You've gotta stay together and we're gonna do a real SAVATAGE album.'

"To be honest with you, Criss and I didn't wanna split up," Jon admitted. "We loved being together and doing our shit. We didn't want to split up."

According to Oliva, he would have been well suited for the BLACK SABBATH gig. "I would have loved to sing for BLACK SABBATH," he said. "I mean, I know… I'll tell you right now I would have been the best singer for BLACK SABBATH besides Ozzy [Osbourne]. And I had a demo sent to me of [BLACK SABBATH's] 'Eternal Idol' album — the song 'The Shining' was one, and 'Ancient Warrior' was another one. And then I got a list of classics, like 'War Pigs', 'N.I.B.' And I knew all those songs anyway. I'm, like, 'Oh, man. I'm gonna tear them up.' I was co confident. And then when Paul stopped us from doing that, because he gave us all this money. He was gonna keep us together and redo our contract with Atlantic. And then I find out that Ray Gillen flies out there to California in my place and gets the goddamn gig.

"You know what O'Neill said to me? He was, like, 'Jon, I know you would have gotten the gig, but you were never gonna make any money with them.' I'm, like, 'Well, I haven't made any money in 20 years. It's BLACK fucking SABBATH,'" Oliva said.

"So Ray Gillen went out and he got the gig. 'Cause Ray was a really dear friend of mine. I loved Ray Gillen. He had a great voice. He was one of those magic guys. And he got the gig and he did a tour with them and he raged; he kicked ass. And he sang all the songs on the 'Eternal Idol' album. And then he came up with Jake E. Lee and put BADLANDS together; him and Paul actually put [it] together. And he quit SABBATH. How do you fucking quit BLACK SABBATH? And that's when they got Tony Martin."

After just a handful of dates on BLACK SABBATH's 1986 "Seventh Star" tour, the band's then-singer Glenn Hughes was let go, and Ray Gillen was brought on board. Gillen finished the tour, and work began on the next SABBATH album, and it was mostly completed. Gillen left to form BADLANDS (with now-KISS drummer Eric Singer, who also previously played with SABBATH),and this left BLACK SABBATH with a mostly completed album, and no singer. Tony Martin was brought in and re-recorded all the vocals in two weeks. The album came out with Tony Martin, and the only remaining bit of the original Ray Gillen vocals was some laughter in the track "Nightmare".

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has attempted to clarify his previous statement calling the encouragement of kids to gender transition "a sad and dangerous fad."

On Sunday (April 30),the face-paint-wearing singer-guitarist shared a Twitter post titled "My Thoughts On What I'm Seeing" in which he wrote: "There is a BIG difference between teaching acceptance and normalizing and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle that confuses young children into questioning their sexual identification as though some sort of game and then parents in some cases allow it.

"There ARE individuals who as adults may decide reassignment is their needed choice but turning this into a game or parents normalizing it as some sort of natural alternative or believing that because a little boy likes to play dress up in his sister's clothes or a girl in her brother's, we should lead them steps further down a path that's far from the innocence of what they are doing," he continued. "With many children who have no real sense of sexuality or sexual experiences caught up in the 'fun' of using pronouns and saying what they identify as, some adults mistakenly confuse teaching acceptance with normalizing and encouraging a situation that has been a struggle for those truly affected and have turned it into a sad and dangerous fad."

The 71-year-old rocker made his comments as politicians in several states have attempted to restrict trans Americans' ability to seek gender-affirming medical treatments. In some states, such as Georgia and Tennessee, bans for minors have already been enacted in the first quarter of 2023.

Within hours, Stanley's post was criticized for, among other things, conflating gender identity and sexuality.

Some of Paul's Twitter followers pointed out that KISS, which he co-founded in 1973, was pioneering in breaking down the taboos surrounding men wearing makeup and feminine clothing.

Earlier today, Stanley returned to Twitter to share a follow-up statement o the matter, writing: "While my thoughts were clear, my words clearly were not.

"Most importantly and above all else, I support those struggling with their sexual identity while enduring constant hostility and those whose path leads them to reassignment surgery. It's hard to fathom the kind of conviction that one must feel to take those steps.

"A paragraph or two will remain far too short to fully convey my thoughts or point of view so I will leave that for another time and place."

In 2021, about 42,000 children and teens across the United States received a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, nearly triple the number in 2017, according to data Komodo compiled for Reuters. Gender dysphoria is defined as the distress caused by a discrepancy between a person's gender identity and the one assigned to them at birth.

Transgender is a broad term for people whose "gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth," according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

According to a recent survey from The Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation, 78% of transgender adults in the United States say living with a gender different from the one assigned to them at birth has made them more satisfied with their lives.

Last month, outspoken conservative rocker Ted Nugent shared a tweet in which he denounced the existence of transgender people and told people they could "debate" him if they disagreed.

"There is no such thing as transgender. You cannot change your gender. Comfortably numb is actually uncomfortably dumb. Debate me but bring your bib," he wrote.
pic.twitter.com/RAjy0zPNHa

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) May 4, 2023



View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paul Stanley (@paulstanleylive)

Dee Snider's planned performance at San Francisco Pride in June has been canceled after the TWISTED SISTER singer voiced his support for Paul Stanley's controversial statement criticizing gender-affirming healthcare for children.

"San Francisco Pride was on the cusp of announcing TWISTED SISTER's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' as the unofficial rallying cry of this year's SF Pride Parade & Celebration, with the band's frontman Dee Snider performing the song on our center stage," San Francisco Pridesaid in a statement. "Dee has always been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. However, when we were notified about the tweet in which Dee expressed support for KISS's Paul Stanley's transphobic statement, we were heartbroken and angry. The message perpetuated by that tweet casts doubt on young trans people's ability to self-identify their gender.

"Transgender people, particularly transgender women and children of color, are disproportionately affected by hate and violence. And with transphobia proliferating and becoming more and more enshrined in law throughout the country — we have to stand up for the most impacted among us.

"We have mutually agreed to part ways, but appreciate Dee seeing this as a teachable moment and a reminder that even allies need to be educated to ensure that they are not casually promoting transphobia."

This past weekend, Stanley took to his Twitter to weigh in on kids' gender identities and the parents who are "normalizing and even encouraging participation" in embracing them, calling it a "sad and dangerous fad."

The 71-year-old rocker made his comments as politicians in several states have attempted to restrict trans Americans' ability to seek gender-affirming medical treatments. In some states, such as Georgia and Tennessee, bans for minors have already been enacted in the first quarter of 2023.

On Sunday, Paul shared the following statement: "My Thoughts On What I'm Seeing

"There is a BIG difference between teaching acceptance and normalizing and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle that confuses young children into questioning their sexual identification as though some sort of game and then parents in some cases allow it.

"There ARE individuals who as adults may decide reassignment is their needed choice but turning this into a game or parents normalizing it as some sort of natural alternative or believing that because a little boy likes to play dress up in his sister's clothes or a girl in her brother's, we should lead them steps further down a path that's far from the innocence of what they are doing.

"With many children who have no real sense of sexuality or sexual experiences caught up in the 'fun' of using pronouns and saying what they identify as, some adults mistakenly confuse teaching acceptance with normalizing and encouraging a situation that has been a struggle for those truly affected and have turned it into a sad and dangerous fad."

Among the people who reacted positively to Stanley's statement was Snider, who has been a longtime ally of the LGBTQ+ community.

"You know what? There was a time where I 'felt pretty' too," Snider tweeted to Stanley. "Glad my parents didn't jump to any rash conclusions!"

Snider continued: "Parents need to be less reactionary; Right and Left. No need to steer the child in either direction. Let the kid figure it out for themselves knowing their family is supportive. I had a vet/cop hardass dad who, while he shook his head A LOT…let me do my thing."

When a fan questioned Snider's comments, the singer said: "I guess I'll just need to turn in my LGBTQIA+ membership card…oh wait! I'm gonna need it in a big way TBA," apparently referring to the then-still-unannounced San Francisco Pride performance.

Snider has not yet commented on his cancelation from the San Francisco Pride event, which is scheduled to take place June 24-25.

In 2021, about 42,000 children and teens across the United States received a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, nearly triple the number in 2017, according to data Komodo compiled for Reuters. Gender dysphoria is defined as the distress caused by a discrepancy between a person's gender identity and the one assigned to them at birth.

Transgender is a broad term for people whose "gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth," according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

According to a recent survey from The Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation, 78% of transgender adults in the United States say living with a gender different from the one assigned to them at birth has made them more satisfied with their lives.

Last month, outspoken conservative rocker Ted Nugent shared a tweet in which he denounced the existence of transgender people and told people they could "debate" him if they disagreed.

"There is no such thing as transgender. You cannot change your gender. Comfortably numb is actually uncomfortably dumb. Debate me but bring your bib," he wrote.
pic.twitter.com/5Gvz6v5HUi

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 30, 2023


You know what? There was a time where I "felt pretty" too. Glad my parents didn't jump to any rash conclusions! Well said, @PaulStanleyLivehttps://t.co/G80uNyzD7M

— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) May 1, 2023


I'm not, Elle. Parents need to be less reactionary; Right and Left. No need to steer the child in either direction. Let the kid figure it out for themselves knowing their family is supportive.

I had a vet/cop hardass dad who, while he shook his head A LOT...let me do my thing. https://t.co/qyDJabWijb

— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) May 1, 2023

DEF LEPPARD has released the video for "Hysteria", the second track off the band's upcoming album, "Drastic Symphonies". Watch the clip below.

"Drastic Symphonies" features DEF LEPPARD's greatest produced tracks dramatically reimagined and sounding larger and more exhilarating than ever before, teamed with London's iconic Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

DEF LEPPARD have deconstructed and rebuilt not only some of their most well-known tracks but also some of their hidden gems as well. By and large, they have intertwined the audio from the original tapes and performed them alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The album includes new vocals and guitars which culminates in stunningly beautiful symphonic arrangements. At different points you can hear vocalist Joe Elliott dueting with his younger self.

Asked by BBC Radio 2's "The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show"how the "Drastic Symphonies" project came about, Elliott said: "We first discussed this — it was put on our plate by some grownups about four years ago. And, obviously, because we were touring, we were sidetracked. And then with the COVID, we did the new record [2022's 'Diamond Star Halos']… It's only nine months ago now [that it came out]. We were actually under the radar. We were in Abbey Road recording this record without telling anybody. So we had it ready to go the following year, which is now."

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was recorded at Abbey Road in March 2022. Produced by DEF LEPPARD, Ronan McHugh and Nick Patrick (producer of the following RPO/orchestral albums — Elvis, Roy Orbison, BEACH BOYS and Buddy Holly) with arrangements by Eric Gorfain (Neil Diamond, Ryan Adams, Christina Aguilera).

Joe told "The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show": "What we've done is we've reworked 16 of our most symphonic songs and done them with the Royal Philharmonic. We wanted to make sure that everybody knows this is not just the records from the past with an orchestra chucked on the top like icing on a cake. We took these songs all the way back to the beginning. I re-sang some of them, because the original vocals were out of place once you put an orchestra on it. So on one of the tunes, which is a song called 'Too Late For Love', I did a duet with myself from 40 years ago. It's the most bizarre thing I've ever done. But it was great fun. The timing and the phrasing came to me instantly — it's like it never left my DNA — but it was one of the strangest things I've ever done. It was like singing with a ghost that's still alive, if that makes any sense."

Elliott added: "Yeah, it turned out really, really well. We're very happy with it. And to be putting out this record only nine months after 'Diamond Star Halos', it just shows there's a forward momentum, not just from a touring point of view, but from a career point of view. We are always looking to just keep moving forward and doing something different."

Track listing:

01. Turn To Dust
02. Paper Sun
03. Animal
04. Pour Some Sugar On Me (Stripped Version)
05. Hysteria
06. Love Bites
07. Goodbye For Good This Time
08. Love
09. Gods Of War
10. Angels (Can't Help You Now)
11. Bringin' On The Heartbreak
12. Switch 625
13. Too Late For Love
14. When Love & Hate Collide
15. Kings Of The World

Atmos version will also feature a bonus track.

When "Drastic Symphonies" was first announced earlier in the month, Elliott said in a statement: "DEF LEPPARD has always enjoyed veering off the expected path — working with the likes of Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift and Alison Krauss, for example. So, when the offer to revisit some of our back catalogue with the Royal Philharmonic was presented to us, to a man we all jumped at it. Although we're far from the first band to ever do this, working directly with an orchestra at Abbey Road on some of our more orchestrated songs seemed too good of an opportunity to pass up."

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen added: "When the offer of doing an orchestral album with the RPO was suggested, we were honored. But we didn't just want an orchestra plonked over our previous recordings. We decided to create something special where we would have something classic but present it in a brand new way that would involve making everything work in the context of 'Drastic Symphonies'. Recording new parts, remixing previous sounds, taking some of our instruments out so the orchestra could breathe and literally making a new album. It was an amazingly inspirational process culminating in the live recording of the RPO at Abbey Road studios in London. An absolute team effort that took a good part of a year. It's a new DEF LEPPARD album, it's a greatest-hits-plus album, with some rarely heard songs, it's a live RPO album and we think it's perfect. We're so proud of how 'Drastic Symphonies' turned out and can't wait to share it to the world."

Photo credit: Ross Halfin (via SpinLab Communications)

Just hours after the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame announced this year's inductees, including RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, the band has released a statement thanking the Rock Hall for the induction, and recounting the long, radical journey that led up to the honor.

"It is a surprising trajectory for us to be welcomed into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," vocalist Zack De La Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk wrote.

"In 1991 four people in Los Angeles formed a musical group to stand where sound and solidarity intersect. We called ourselves RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. A band who is as well known for our albums as we are for our fierce opposition to the US war machine, white supremacy and exploitation. A band whose songs drove alternative radio to new heights while right wing media companies tried to purge every song we ever wrote from the airwaves. A band who wrote rebel songs in an abandoned, industrial warehouse in the valley that would later dethrone Simon Cowell's 'X Factor' pop monopoly to occupy the number 1 spot on the UK charts and have the most downloaded song in UK history. A band who funded and organized delegations to stand with Mexican rebel Zapatista communities to expose the Mexican government's war on indigenous people. A band whose experimentation in fusing punk, rock and hip hop became a genre of its own. A band who shut down the NY Stock Exchange for the first time in its history. A band who was targeted by police organizations who attempted to ban us from sold out arenas for raising our voices to free Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners. A band who sued the US State Department for their fascist practice of using our music to torture innocent men in Guantanamo Bay.

"Many thanks to the Hall Of Fame for recognizing the music and the mission of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE," the band added. "We are grateful to all of the passionate fans, the many talented co-conspirators we've worked with and all the activists, organizers, rebels and revolutionaries past, present and future who have inspired our art."

In addition to RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, George Michael, Sheryl Crow and THE SPINNERS will be inducted during a ceremony held in Brooklyn on November 3. Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin will be honored with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Musical Excellence Award. Meanwhile, DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray will receive the Musical Influence Award. The late creator and host of "Soul Train" Don Cornelius is this year's recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which honors non-performing industry professionals.

The induction ceremony will be held at the Barclays Center. Details of the TV broadcast will be announced at a later date.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Rock Hall induction will come after the band appeared on six ballots.

"There's a funny mix of people that do the voting," Morello told Rolling Stone in March. "It's people that are already in. There's an age component. There's a leaning mainstream component as well…If you saw any of the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE shows last summer, you'd be hard-pressed to make an argument against us."

Speaking with Rolling Stone in March, Morello said he didn't know if the band would perform at the ceremony if they were inducted. "I will definitely be there. Beyond that, we haven't discussed that…I would hope so, though."

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1998 or earlier.

The 2023 class was chosen by a group of over 1,000 artists, historians, and members of the music industry the Rock Hall has selected as voters.

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 groups like IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

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.

Posted by Rage Against The Machine on Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Richie Faulkner says that performing with Glenn Tipton and Kenneth "K.K." Downing at last year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles was a "great" experience that he was "happy to be a part of".

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the November 2022 event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members that got inducted include current members Rob Halford (vocals),Ian Hill (bass),Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, drummer Les Binks and late drummer Dave Holland.

Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and current guitarist Faulkner for a three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

Faulkner reflected on the Rock Hall performance in a new interview with the "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern" podcast. Asked if he thinks there is a chance he will get to share the stage with Downing again in the PRIEST context (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET),he said: "There's been no talk. I think if there was gonna be, it would have happened then, and I haven't heard anything. That's not my discussion to have, if you know what I mean. But if it was one night only, for me, as a PRIEST fan, being part of PRIEST as a three-pronged guitar attack, that was just like a kid in a candy store. It was the first time I met Ken as well, so it was great to riff with him, to jam with him. The great thing as well, it was a TV show. Sometimes those things I've heard that they're not live. But everything we've done on TV has been live, and that was no exception. So it was loud, it was live. It was great to play with Ken and Glenn together — and Les as well, obviously; I'd played with Les before. But it was just great to be a part of that three-pronged guitar attack. So if it happens again, great. If it doesn't, then I'm happy to be a part of it."

Elaborating on what it was like to meet Downing for the first time, Faulkner said: "I grew up playing covers around England and London and stuff, and PRIEST was part of the menu on the setlist. You had to play 'Breaking The Law' and '[You've Got] Another Thing Comin''. If you play in a bar band, you're selling beer, so you've gotta play music that sells beer, and that was part of it. So I was intimately connected with the music, in a sense. So meeting him was great. Obviously, a lot of stuff had gone down with him and the band in the 10 years prior to that, but I kind of had to put it out… It wasn't my fight, it wasn't my thing, so I just had to put that aside and just try and be how I would have been if that stuff hadn't happened. He might have been dealing with it as well. It was the first time he had seen them in a long time, so I don't know what he was feeling. I don't know what the band were feeling about it. So I just had to kind of be accommodating and make it kind of easier for him, if I could. If he needed anything, I could help him out — that sort of approach, really. It seemed to work. We got on well, played well together, and we looked great together, with the two [flying] Vs up there. There were some good shots out there."

Faulkner, nearly three decades Downing's junior, joined PRIEST after K.K. left in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Back in 2019, Faulkner dismissed the criticism he received for supposedly trying to look too much like Downing. "Obviously, you get the [haters] — the 'clone' comments," Richie told the "Let There Be Talk" podcast. "I've got long blond hair, playing a flying V [guitar]… [Michael] Schenker, Zakk [Wylde], K.K., Randy Rhoads — all those guys. To say I was a Ken clone was fairly narrow-minded. There's tons of guys who have flying Vs and long hair.

"The thing is if I had dyed my hair black to be different, I would have been shot down," he continued. "You've gotta be real; you've gotta be who you are. And I grew up on Ken, I grew up on Glenn and the guys that I mentioned. So you've just gotta be who you are. And I grew up with those guys, and I'm not ashamed. I wear it on my sleeve — they're all my influences, and I'm not afraid of that… There's no point in trying to hide it. But it's gotta be natural as well. And I think somehow it worked out organically. I didn't try to copy him. And as it goes on, you always try to do your own thing and make your own statement."

Four years ago, Downing said that he felt like he was "being cloned" when he first found out he was being replaced by Faulkner.

Downing, who announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011 after nearly 42 years in the job, admitted to the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast that he was taken aback when he first saw his replacement.

"Richie, as far as I know, is a nice guy and obviously an excellent player," Downing said. "I was a bit disappointed when, basically… I think the idea was to replace me [with a lookalike], so I did feel as though I was kind of being cloned. But I'm not sure that was exactly fair to Richie. I mean, I could be off the mark here, but I think Richie had the right to bring himself to the stage with his own… portray his own image and ability to play the instrument the way that he does. But it is what it is."

He continued: "When Glenn retired from touring [in early 2018], the same didn't happen — obviously, [Tipton's replacement] Andy [Sneap] doesn't look anything like Glenn; he doesn't wear the same clothes, the red pants, guitars or anything like that. So I don't really know what's going on. But it is what it is."

In a 2011 interview with the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Halford stated about Faulkner's physical resemblance to a younger Downing: "People are saying, 'It's a clone. You've got some of K.K.'s DNA.' It's just the way it turned out. We made, like, a secret search. When we knew K.K. was not gonna be making the tour, we did a lot of secret, kind of, searching for another player. And Richie just happened to be the guy. And he just happens to look a little bit of the K.K. image, you know?! I think it would be silly to say, 'We looked for a guitar player that looks like Ken.' What we want is a very good metal guitar player, and that's what Richie Faulkner is."

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame president and CEO Greg Harris has addressed criticism from heavy metal fans over the fact that IRON MAIDEN has once again been snubbed from the Rock Hall induction.

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 MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

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

Asked in a new interview with Taryn Daly of Audacy how he feels about the fact that the Rock Hall has gotten so much negative feedback for excluding MAIDEN from the induction, Harris said: "We love that people care — that they care if they're in or out, and that their fans care. Now the truth is anybody that's nominated, the odds are good that they're eventually gonna get in. In fact, I think it may be as high as 90 percent eventually go in. RAGE [AGAINST THE MACHINE, who are finally getting inducted this year], this was their sixth time, I believe — fifth time on the ballot or sixth time. And so sometimes it takes a while. But let's see where it lands. Right now, let's celebrate this year's class, and we can start to debate about next year's class once the spotlight is off of this year's class."

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

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

IRON MAIDEN finished in the fourth place in the fan vote for this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction class.

George Michael led the fan vote with more than 1,040,000 ballots while Cyndi Lauper came in second with more than 928,000 votes. Warren Zevon came in third with more than 634,000 votes, with IRON MAIDEN landing more than 449,000 votes. Coming in the fifth place was SOUNDGARDEN with more than 427,000 votes.

More than three million votes were cast since voting began. The top five artists, as selected by the public, comprised a "fans' ballot" that was tallied along with the other ballots to select the 2023 inductees.

Four years ago, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said that he didn't care that his band had yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it had been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone in an interview. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

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 groups like MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Harris previously told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN would eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he saId. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for nearly two decades, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 16 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

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.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has been caught up in a £270,000 High Court battle over cash from his lucrative speaking tours, reports Daily Mail.


Dickinson, 64, shot to fame as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band, famous for their hits including "Run To The Hills", "The Number Of The Beast" and "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter".


The Iron Maiden singer has now been engulfed in a row between rival agents who are fighting over a cut of the takings from his public speaking tours.




His shows, "An Evening With Bruce Dickinson", are said in online publicity to feature 'fascinating tales and derring-do exploits' from his rock career, as well as giving a 'humorous and often satirical look at the world from his own very personal perspective'.


Dickinson's tour agents, David Daniel and Andrew Leighton-Pope, are being sued for allegedly poaching him from his previous agency, Celebrity Speakers.


Dickinson is not a party to the case and has not given evidence.


His new tour agents had previously worked for or been connected with Celebrity Speakers (CSL), but then moved on, taking Dickinson with them, the company's lawyers say.


Read the full story at DailyMail.co.uk.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

During a November 2022 question-and-answer session with the readers of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Lombardo was asked if he would have joined King's new band had he been approached about it. He responded: "I knew that was coming. I am, right now, working on too many other projects and I wouldn't be able to accept. New DEAD CROSS, MR. BUNGLE… the pandemic put a lot of stuff on hold, so we need to play some catch-up there. Besides that, he's got Paul Bostaph [playing with him], and I don't think he would have the need to ask me."

Lombardo was also asked if he would play with SLAYER again if the band reunited and wanted him to be part of the lineup. He said: "I don't think that's ever going to happen. But, yeah, I'd listen to whatever it is they had to say. That's it. You can't go any further than that."

How We End is the new European crossover band, established in 2022, featuring veterans of the metal world  hailing from Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Spain. Years of collective experience, banded and bonded together to create something versatile and new.


Diva Satanica (ex-Nervosa) and Jake E (Cyhra, ex-Amaranthe) deliver the perfect match of contrasting vocals that shape the band’s style: melodic, heavy, no compromises. Guitarists Jen Majura (ex-Evanescence) and Tom Naumann (Primal Fear) deliver the crunch, backed by Mitch Kunz on bass / synths and Adde Larsson on drums for the heavy groove.


They have released a new single, "Levitate". Check it out below.







How We End's music is a kick-ass blend of heavy guitar riffs and electronic programmed influences, growls and catchy singalong choruses that stick. Featuring diverse musical and cultural influences from all six musicians, the end result is a highly explosive experience that stays with you.


The official video for band's debut single, "My Fighting Heart", is streaming below.

Four-time Grammy award-winning and diamond-certified rock legends Aerosmith are gearing up to release a Greatest Hits package this August. An official press release has yet to be issued, but according to the band's online store, found here, 44 tracks spanning Aerosmith's five decade career will be featured in a compilation for the first time ever, including photos. Cover artwork and tracklist has yet to be unveiled.


Even so, the vinyl LP and CD packages are available for pre-order via the link above. Shipping date is August 18th. Stay tuned for details.


After 50 years, 10 world tours, and playing for over 100 million fans, Aerosmith have announced "Peace Out" with special guest The Black Crowes. Fans will see one of the most significant American rock bands in history one last time during this not-to-be-missed final tour. Every night will celebrate the five decades of Aerosmith’s groundbreaking hits as they celebrate 50 years as America’s greatest rock band. In addition, THX will bring their THX Certified Live! high-fidelity experience on the road, calibrating each arena with leading-edge technology so fans don’t miss a beat of Aerosmith’s classic rock tunes in quality audio.




In a joint statement, Aerosmith shared, “It’s not goodbye it’s PEACE OUT! Get ready and walk this way, you’re going to get the best show of our lives.” Watch an announcement video below:





Produced by Live Nation, the monumental 40-date North American tour will kick off in Philadelphia, PA, on September 2, with stops in iconic arenas across the US and Canada, including Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, New York’s Madison Square Garden, Austin’s Moody Center, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, Chicago’s United Center, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, and more before wrapping in Montreal, QC at Bell Centre on January 26. A highlight of the tour will be a stop in Boston for a special hometown show on New Year’s Eve 2023.


General on sale begins Friday, May 5 at 10 AM, local time on ticketmaster.com.


The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include a premium reserved ticket, a personal photo opportunity with band members, limited edition merchandise and more. For more information, visit aerosmith.com/vip.


The band also shared news of Joey Kramer’s absence from this touring run. ‘“While Joey Kramer remains a beloved founding member of Aerosmith, he has regrettably made the decision to sit out the currently scheduled touring dates to focus his full attention on his family and health. Joey’s unmistakable and legendary presence behind the drum kit will be sorely missed.”





Tour dates:


September
2 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
6 - Pittsburgh, PA - PPG Paints Arena
9 - Belmont Park, NY - UBS Arena        
12 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena     
15 - Chicago, IL - United Center
18 - Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena
21 - Cleveland, OH - Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
24 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena
27 - Washington, DC - Capital One Arena


October
11 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena
14 - Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena
17 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center
20 - Sunrise, FL - FLA Live Arena
23 - Austin, TX - Moody Center
26 - St Louis, MO - Enterprise Center
29 - Indianapolis, IN - Gainbridge Fieldhouse


November
1 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Arena
4 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
7 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
10 - Omaha, NE - CHI Health Center
13 - St Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center  
16 - Kansas City, MO - T-Mobile Center
19 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena     
22 - Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Arena
25 - Portland, OR - Moda Center             
28 - Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena


December
1 - San Francisco, CA - Chase Center    
4 - San Jose, CA - SAP Center             
7 - Los Angeles, CA - The Kia Forum  
10 - Phoenix, AZ - Footprint Center
28 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
31 - Boston, MA - TD Garden    


January
4 - Cincinnati, OH - Heritage Bank Arena           
7 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center    
10 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
13 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boling Arena
16 - Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center
19 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
23 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center
26 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre


(Photo - Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images)

Finland's Chaoszine caught up with former Nightwish bassist / vocalist Marko Hietala before his solo show at Sellosali in Espoo, Finland on April 27th. He discusses his forthcoming solo album, getting back together with Tarot, his upcoming one-off show with former Nightwish bandmate Tarja Turunen, and more.


On reuniting with Tarja at the Z7 Summer Night on July 8th and possibly performing together:


"Not so that we would have agreed on it, but I wouldn't be surprised if something comes up from the managerial or promoter's side because they do realize the value of that. The promoters themselves printed that picture, that poster which gave the impression of 'they are together...' even though Tarja is with her band and I am with my guys. I was thinking 'Thank you for digging us this hole, dear promoters...' but then again, I do understand that they want to sell their tickets."







Former Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen comes to Pratteln, Switzerland to headline a first class Z7 Summer Night this July 8th. Joining the symphonic metal queen is her former Nightwish bandmate, Marko Hietala, and a very special guest to be announced soon. The opener Illumishade completes the line-up.


More details will be revealed soon. Tickets are available here.





Tarja was a member of Nightwish from 1996 until 2005, recording five studio albums with the band. Following her public and controversial firing from Nightwish in 2005, Tarja embarked on a successful solo career. She has released nine solo albums since 2006.


Marko Hietala, best known as Tarot's frontman before joining Nightwish in 2001 following the departure of bassist Sami Vänskä, recorded six albums with the band. In January 2021 he announced his departure from Nightwish, but has remained active as a solo artist, as well as recording with Therion and performing with Northern Kings.

Legendary Canadian folk singer-songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot, passed away on Monday, May 1st of natural causes at the age of 84.


Victoria Lord, a representative for the family, said the musician behind classic Canadian ballads "Early Morning Rain" and "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" died at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. He had suffered numerous health issues in recent decades, and recently cancelled his 2023 live appearances.


Canadian music icon Neil Young paid tribute to Lightfoot via his official website with the following message:




"I just spoke to Gordon a few weeks back and he sounded happy, although he had cancelled some shows and was re-organizing his touring. I was saddened when I learned today of his passing.


Gordon was a great Canadian artist. A songwriter without parallel. His melodies and words were an inspiration to all writers who listened to his music, as they will continue to be through the ages. There is a unique and wonderful feeling to Gordon’s music. Lightfoot is a Canadian legend.


His song just came up today by itself on the Hearse Schedule.


PEACE Gordon. Love, Neil."


Rush frontman Geddy Lee, who appeared alongside bandmate Alex Lifeson in the 2019 documentary Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, took to Instagram to pay tribute to Lightfoot.


Says Geddy: "The first time we met was outside a local award show at a club in Toronto - a legendary poet, a songwriting inspiration - a gem of a man - I loved him. He used to bring his daughter who was a fan, to our shows, and he’d sit with her in the audience getting blasted with volume for three hours - a few months back he phoned me out of the blue, for no other reason than to say he’d just watched one of our concert films and really loved it. Every time I ran into him the first thing he would ask was how many gigs we’d done that year - he’d then proudly counter with the fact that he had played even more! RIP Gord - you are the man - the greatest Canadian."




 

 
 

 


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A video trailer for the above-mentioned documentary, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, can be viewed below. Seek out the full documentary, you won't be disappointed.

Pitch Black Process has covered the song named “Özgürlük (Liberty)” which is widely loved in Turkey, and released it via the Rakun Müzik label on Monday May 1, in the 100th year of the Republic of Turkey. The song's lyrics were adapted from the famous French poet Paul Éluard's poem, “Liberté”. He wrote it when his country was occupied during World War II, and its composition belongs to Zülfü Livaneli.


The video of “Özgürlük”, which was released on the same day as the song, was directed and prepared by Can Fakıoğlu, with the support of the artificial intelligence platform “Kaiber”.


While Turkey is struggling with its own agenda, the world is being shaken by the artificial intelligence revolution. Artificial intelligence applications, which were put into use one after another, gave many clues about the significant change it brought, even before the end of its first year.




While the future of sectors and professions is being discussed these days, PBP wants to question the artificial intelligence revolution as well as the longing for freedom with the "Özgürlük" video, which includes the reinterpretation and rearrangement of the scenes from the 1927 movie "Metropolis", which is about the industrial revolution.

Herc has announced the release of their new single, “Melian”, in collaboration with Arno Menses from Subsignal and former member of Sieges Even. The song is available on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.


“Melian” presents us with a unique musical mix, with influences from the folk rock scene combined with symphonic metal. With its enchanting atmosphere, addictive melodic elements and excellent vocal performances by Herc and Arno Menses, this song is definitely suitable for fans of Blind Guardian, Nightwish and also Blackmore's Night.


Arno Menses, deified as one of the best singers in the progressive rock/metal scene, adds a special element to “Melian” with his unsurpassed vocals and emotional presence.







"Working with Arno on this song was one of the most enjoyable experiences I've ever had in my music career," says Iraklis. "His unique voice added colour and energy to the song."


Athena Koumandarou's harp melodies add a new, ethereal dimension to the song, as they blend harmoniously with the orchestrations and create a unique atmospheric effect. "I am proud of Athena's participation in Melian," says Iraklis. "Her talent and creativity are truly remarkable, adding to the song its unique, ethereal atmosphere."


Herc have been making their debut on the music scene since 2016. "I am extremely excited to release new material" declares Iraklis. "I am proud to say that Melian represents the perfect combination of my early sound and the evolution of my musical orientation and style. Working with Arno and Athena on this song took it to another level, and I couldn't be happier with the result."


“Melian” is just the first taste of what Herc has in store, as they have plenty more music to release and exciting plans for their future. Keep an ear out for more news and updates from Herc in the coming months.

Mystfall will release their debut album Celestial Vision on July 21 through Scarlet Records. 


Produced and mastered by Dionisis Christodoulatos at CFN Recording Studio, 'Celestial Vision' will be released in the following formats:


-digipak CD
-digital




Preorder/pre-save here.


Celestial Vision’ is the Mystfall introduction to the international metal scene, combining the traditional symphonic metal sound and atmospheres with an enthralling melodramatic approach.


All the songs features catchy melodies, captivating choirs and some very tasteful orchestral arrangements; the whole record is influenced from battle, cinematic, Celtic and classic music too.


The superb and touching voice of frontwoman Marialena Trikoglou is the icing on the cake on a series of amazing compositions.
Lyrically, the Celestial Vision concept is quintessentially philosophical, looking for an answer to the perennial “meaning of life” quest.


Artwork by Sevi Spanou / Dimons Creative Studios:





Tracklisting:


“Resisting Heaven”
“Celestial Vision”
“Centuries”
“Endless”
“Silence”
“Kings Of Utopia”
“Moral Compass”
“The Balance Of Time”
“Freedom Path”


Mystfall:


Marialena Trikoglou - vocals
Kostas Mexis - vocals
Panagiotis Leontaritis - guitar
Dida Racotoarison - keyboards
Antonis Desousis - bass
Manos Agouridis - drums


(Photo: Peter Papapetros)

Modern industrial act 3Teeth have re-entered the conversation of our tortured reality with “Merchant Of The Void.” Released today, the band’s brand-new single is the first in a series of monthly teases leading up to their anticipated new album coming soon via Century Media Records.


As A.I. takes over, banks collapse, climates further spiral out of control and humans grapple with an existential living nightmare, 3Teeth is laying it out straight with a brutal new outlook on track “Merchant Of The Void,” revealing their first salvo into a new era of sonic exploration.


The track comes alongside a stunning graphic video from one of Hollywood’s leading animators Matteo Santoro (who grew up with 3Teeth frontman Alexis Mincolla) producing a visually epic piece that takes viewers on a space-folding journey into hyper-consumerism on a Lovecraftian scale.







The gut-punch song pairs the band’s trademark gritty electro-industrial metal alchemy with ruminations on the self-destructive path humanity has been treading on, as described by frontman and creative lead Alexis Mincolla :


”Amidst the numbing pulse of hypermodernity, the insatiable appetite of data commodification devours our sense of meaning. The undead march of materialism eventually renders the human subject an automaton, desperately grasping for the ephemeral junk 2.0 to fill the abyss of existential emptiness. The self devolves into a mere echo, a ghostly specter caught in the whirlwind of techno-capital acceleration, the very essence of its being devoured by the machinery of its own weaponized desires. If the future eludes your vision, fear not, The Merchant of The Void is standing by and eager to sell it to you. Welcome to the cold descent into the black hole of total absolute commodification.  In the words of William S. Burrough 'The junk merchant doesn't sell his product to the consumer, he sells the consumer to his product. He does not improve and simplify his merchandise. He degrades and simplifies the client.”


“Merchant of The Void” follows previously released track “Paralyze” (featuring Ho99o9), both of which hail from 3Teeth’s much-anticipated fourth album, forthcoming via Century Media Records (more details to be announced soon).


Pre-save the single here.


To lay the foundation for the new material, 3Teeth migrated to the deserted quiet of Joshua Tree, escaping from the palpable anxiety of their hometown of Los Angeles for fresh new perspective. The material is currently being wrapped up with a solid extended team including the accomplished sound designer Mick Gordon (best known for his work on the gaming phenomenon DOOM) who produced several of the tracks along with producer Nick Rowe and mixer Sean Beavan (NIN), bringing in another dimension to the band’s unmistakable sound.


Says Gordon, “3Teeth are one of my favorite acts. They proudly fly their own unique flag. The new album charts course through the next stage of our vanity-led evolution as a species, and by that I mean the album is a world unto itself. I’m just stoked that these guys have allowed me along for the ride.”





(Photo: Jim Louvau)

Chthonic is the first Taiwanese artist and first metal band to be featured on the Recording Academy's / Grammys Global Spin. A performance of "Pattonkan" was featured on May 2 live from their home country. Frontman and sitting member of Taiwan's Parliament Freddy Lim wrote "Pattonkan" after an inspiring conversation with the son of a White Terror victim.


Freddy Lim said, "This live video includes the magnificent Kaohsiung harbor view, and I hope audiences around the world can all see the beautiful Taiwan!"


Bassist Doris Yeh said: "It's our great honour to be the first metal band on Global Spin!"







The Recording Academy's / Grammys Global Spin is a performance series featuring artists from around the world where the celebration of the global music community is the focus. Global Spin debuted in September 2021.


Check out Global Spin's Chthonic feature here.


After five years without releasing new music, Chthonic premiered the music video of its new single “Pattonkan" March 1 at Knotfest. "Pattonkan" was released on all digital platforms starting March 2. The "Pattonkan" music video has won the Best Asia Pacific Music Video of Munich Music Video Awards.