When the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the Earth from spinning for a few years, several musical projects unfortunately ended up lost in the shuffle. One of those projects was a killer studio album from Finnish superstar Andy McCoy called 21st Century Rocks.


As McCoy explains, "The album came out shortly before they closed the borders due to the COVID situation. So we couldn’t support the record with a tour, but we’re happy to see it being re-released!" This month, in fact, the album is being reissued on all formats to give fans who missed it the first time around their shot at experiencing this magical release.


21st Century Rocks features a dozen pure blasts of whiskey soaked, nicotine-stained rock n’ roll, all of which were penned by McCoy himself. The album kicks off with the title track, which blazes forth with one of McCoy’s signature hypnotic guitar riffs. “Seven Seas” showcases some of McCoy’s flamenco guitar playing and then kicks into a thoroughly modern, electro-tinged groove. Along the way, fellow Hanoi Rocks alumn Sami Yaffa joins in on the fun, as does The 69 Eyes drummer Jussi 69, and Amorphis bassist Niclas Etelävuori.




This is an album that deserves the fair shot it never got, a soon-to-be classic from a veteran rocker who manages to revive the glory days of his youth while still looking toward the bright future ahead.





Be sure to check out the deluxe LP package, which includes a bonus 7” single of extremely rare bonus tracks.


Order the CD / Vinyl here. Stream / download the Digital at this location.





Tracklisting:


"21st Century Rocks" 
"Undertow" 
"Seven Seas" 
"Batteram" 
"Maria Maria" 
"Bible And A Gun" 
"The Hunger" 
"Give A Minute, Steal A Year" 
"Love It Loud" 
"Soul Satisfaction" 
"Gimme Time" 
"This Is Rock N' Roll" 
"The Way I Feel" (Bonus Track) 
"Wild Talk" (Bonus Track)


"Seven Seas" video:

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley spoke to "Shredd And Ragan In The Morning" on Buffalo, New York's 97 Rock radio station about his ongoing war of words with his former bandmates Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.

Late last month, Ace threatened to "tell some dirt that nobody knows about Paul and Gene" if the KISS leaders did not apologize for the disparaging remarks they made during an appearance on "The Howard Stern Show". A week later, he returned to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" to say that he "got a five-second phone call" from Stanley "which said, 'Fuck you, Ace. I'm not gonna apologize,' and hung up."

During his appearance on today's (Thursday, April 27) episode of "Shredd And Ragan In The Morning", Ace once again confirmed that Paul had called him, saying (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, he cursed me out. I don't know. I guess he was having a rough day. That didn't sit well with him. But he's hot and cold anyway — sometimes he's really sweet; sometimes he can be not so sweet. I just let it roll off my back."

Ace continued: "I remember in the first interview on Eddie Trunk, I said I was gonna reveal some dirt. But after speaking to a couple of close friends, and speaking to Eddie as well, they said I should really take the high road. And that's what I did the second interview."

Despite the bad blood between him and his former bandmates, Frehley appeared to still look back fondly on his time with KISS.

"We're all rock and roll brothers," he said. "And we still have a love for each other, even though I'm not working for them anymore."

When Ace last talked to "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", he said he was still open to playing with KISS at the band's final shows in New York City in early December. "Money motivates me, just like it motivates them, but I don't put money before God," he explained. "If I got a quarter of a million dollars a night, and I can make half a million dollars for playing three or four songs, five songs, I'd take the money. [I'd] buy a Ferrari… buy a Maserati. [Laughs] I don't really wanna play with those guys ever again after what they've done, but money can change my mind."

Frehley continued: "Look, I'm a capitalist. I grew up in America. But I'd never put money before people's feelings. I like money as much as the next guy does, but money isn't my God, like it is theirs. They're all atheists. Whatever they can do or say, whether it's true or false, as long as it makes them the most amount of money, they're gonna do [it]."

Ace also addressed the issue of whether he would perform with KISS at the band's final concerts while wearing his trademark "Spaceman" makeup — the same makeup his replacement Tommy Thayer has been sporting for more than two decades. "Sure. For a quarter of a million dollars," he said, explaining that "I'm a good-looking guy. I don't need the makeup."

When Trunk pressed Ace about what he thinks the odds are of him playing with KISS at the final concerts in New York, Frehley said: "It all depends on money. If I get a formal invitation with a check, I'll be there. But they've gotta have deep pockets… If they don't wanna pay me, I won't be there, ladies and gentleman."

Ace also once again confirmed that he has never received a formal invitation to join his former bandmates at their last-ever shows. "Absolutely not," he said. "From what I understand, the shows are sold out. The only reason they sold out is they made innuendos that me and Peter were gonna be there, [that] they invited us. I wasn't invited. They lie all the time. Haven't they said, 'We're inviting Ace and Peter to come up and play?' Or at least me? Multiple times. So, people bought the tickets. But I haven't been given a formal invitation or given an offer monetarily. And I'm probably not gonna get one now after this interview. And guess what: I don't give a shit."

The initial comment from Stanley that caused Frehley to issue his ultimatum came nearly two months ago during KISS's appearance on "The Howard Stern Show". On that day, radio host Howard Stern asked Stanley why he and Simmons didn't perform with Frehley and Criss at the Rock Hall induction. Stanley responded: "[The Rock Hall organizers] were demanding, quite honestly, that we play with the two original guys, Peter and Ace, and at this point, that would be demeaning to the [current KISS] band, and also would give some people confusion. 'Cause if you saw people on stage who looked like KISS but sounded like that, maybe we should be called PISS."

Simmons concurred, saying: "We've been all over the world, through decades, with this present lineup. It bears noting I've never seen a single banner or sign that mentions any other lineup. When Tommy takes a solo, 'Tommy! Tommy!' That's me backstage going, 'Tommy!' When Eric takes a solo, 'Eric! Eric!' They're pumping their fists. It's legitimate. Nobody is in KISS and doing it by the numbers."

The last leg of KISS's North American tour will kick off in October and culminate in the MSG concerts on December 1 and December 2.

Ace Frehley photo credit: Jay Gilbert

Veteran US heavy metallers, Jag Panzer, will release their new studio album, The Hallowed, on June 23 via Atomic Fire Records. Today, the band release a 14-minute in-depth studio documentary, "Tales From The Hallowed". Watch below:





The Hallowed will be available as double vinyl, CD, and digital download/stream. Several variants of the album, incl. limited edition bundles with exclusive comic book, t-shirt, and signed photo card, can already be pre-ordered, here.




Jag Panzer are not only are one of the most important US heavy metal bands, but also one of the first ones. The band was formed in 1981 in Colorado, and released their debut album entitled Ample Destruction just three years later, in 1984.


Today, almost 40 years later, the album - which already presented the band’s very own and unique style ‐ is known as one of the pillars of American heavy metal, and is often referred to as the trailblazer of the power metal scene.


In the last few decades the heavy metal scene was going through ups and downs, and so was the band’s career. Nevertheless, Jag Panzer managed to release 10 more studio albums, and earned the status of an absolute legend of the genre. Yes, they are being called legends, they are being called veterans – but it absolutely doesn’t mean that the band sounds outdated. Exactly the opposite applies: Their new concept studio album The Hallowed of course includes all trademarks and sounds like a classic Jag Panzer album. But it also includes an impressive dose of energy and high-octane in‐your‐face attitude that will please both old school die hard fans and young enthusiasts of the genre alike!





Tracklisting:


"Bound As One"
"Prey!"
"Ties That Bind"
"Stronger Than You Know"
"Onward We Toil"
"Edge Of A Knife"
"Dark Descent"
"Weather The Storm"
"Renewed Flame"
"Last Rites"


"Stronger Than You Know" lyric video:





"Onward We Toil" lyric video:





Jag Panzer are:


Harry Conklin - vocals
Mark Briody - guitars
Ken Rodarte - guitars
John Tetley - bass
Rikard Stjernquist - drums


(Photo - Randall Fishburn Jr)

Whitesnake returned in 2008 with Good To Be Bad, the band’s 10th studio album and its first in over a decade. Fans embraced the comeback, pushing the album into the Top 10 in the UK and flocking to shows on the band’s massive world tour. Today, album tracks like “Best Years” and “Summer Rain” have taken their place in the band’s live repertoire alongside global hits like “Here I Go Again” and “Still Of The Night.”


Whitesnake explores the group’s 2008 return with the upcoming legacy retrospective, Still Good To Be Bad. The collection is now available in different configurations. The first collection is a 4-CD/Blu-ray with two new versions of the original album (one remastered and the other newly remixed), a selection of rare and unreleased studio and live recordings from the period, and videos all the music videos, interviews, and electrifying live performances from the Good To Be Bad world tour.







Three other versions of Still Good To Be Bad are also available. The album’s 2023 Remix is released on vinyl as a double-LP and a single CD. Still Good To Be Bad also comes as a 2-CD set that includes the remixed and remastered versions of the album. The new alternate mixes also feature new background vocals from the “Hook City Harlots,” Cami Thompson, Misty Rae & Jackie Landrum, plus the “Hook City Horns” with Rick Metz on saxes and the trumpet of Joshua Reed.





The band's official music video for "Lay Down Your Love" has been remastered in 4K HD, and can be viewed below:





Whitesnake founder and lead singer David Coverdale played an integral role in making the new collection, serving as its executive producer. In the set’s liner notes, Coverdale traces the creative spark for Good to Be Bad back to 2003 when he reconvened Whitesnake for a tour celebrating the band’s 25th anniversary.


“We went out for two months and came back nine months later, and I had a big smile on my face and felt really energized.... I thought—‘Wow! I’ve got thirty years of music here that I can go out and play, and I don’t have to promote a new record...I can just have fun out there.’”


The anniversary ended, but the tour buses kept rolling as Whitesnake remained in demand on the road. As a result, in 2006, the band released Live...In The Shadow Of The Blues, a concert album that also introduced four new studio recordings. Those songs raised fans’ hopes for a new Whitesnake studio album, the first since 1997’s Restless Heart.


Coverdale enjoyed a newly forged creative friendship with electrifying guitarist Doug Aldrich...After initially saying he wasn’t interested in new projects...after three years of touring, he felt the need for new music...not only for the fans, but also to reinvigorate himself.


He found the perfect writing partner with Doug Aldrich. Not only as a co-writer but, as a co-producer, too...


“Doug & I got on so well, I suggested we sit down with our acoustic guitars & see what unfolded...I was thrilled how effortless it was to create new Whitesnake music with him...”


So, it was that in 2007, Coverdale, guitarists Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach, keyboardist Timothy Drury, bassist Uriah Duffy, and drummer Chris Frazier began recording tracks for Whitesnake’s 10th studio album, Good to Be Bad. Celebrated by both fans and critics, the record was named “Album of the Year” at the 2008 Classic Rock Awards.


Still Good To Be Bad explores the creative process behind the record with 28 different mixes and alternate versions of album tracks, all but one of them previously unreleased. High points include “If You Want Me,” backed by the Hook City Harlots and Horns and a version of “All For Love” that features a different guitar solo by Aldrich. The collection also includes “Evolutions”, a disc of unreleased recordings that presents a guide through the genesis of each song, from initial ideas with rough vocal melodies, lyrics and riffs through to finished demos and full band production versions.


The Blu-ray delivers a variety of Whitesnake video footage, including live tracks from the band’s 2008 European tour, acoustic performances from the era, and an interview by Eddie Trunk. New songs like “Best Years,” “A Fool In Love,” and “Can You Hear The Wind Blow” come to life in these incredible live performances. The Blu-ray also features promo videos for “Ready To Rock” and “Lay Down Your Love.”


Order here.





Super Deluxe tracklisting:


CD 1: New Remix
"Best Years"
"Can You Hear The Wind Blow"
"Lay Down Your Love"
"If You Want Me"
"All I Want All I Need"
"Call On Me"
"Ready To Rock"
"Summer Rain"
"Good To Be Bad"
"All For Love"
"All I Want Is You"
"Got What You Need"
"A Fool In Love"
"Dog"
"‘Til The End Of Time"


CD 2: New Remaster  
"Best Years"
"Can You Hear The Wind Blow"
"Lay Down Your Love"
"If You Want Me"
"All I Want All I Need"
"Call On Me"
"Ready To Rock"
"Summer Rain"
"Good To Be Bad"
"All For Love"
"All I Want Is You"
"Got What You Need"
"A Fool In Love"
"Dog"
"‘Til The End Of Time"


CD 3: Alt Mixes and Various Versions
"Lay Down Your Love" w/ Hook City Harlots
"If You Want Me":w/ Hook City Harlots
"Call On Me" w/ Hook City Harlots
"Good To Be Bad" w/ Hook City Harlots
"All For Love" w/ Hook City Harlots
"Got What You Need" w/ Hook City Harlots
"A Fool In Love" w/ Hook City Harlots
"If You Want Me" Tommy Aldridge drums
"Ready To Rock" Tommy Aldridge drums
"All I Want Is You" Tommy Aldridge drums
"Dog" Tommy Aldridge drums
"All For Love" Doug Aldridge alternate solo
"Summer Rain" Unzipped


CD 4: Evolutions
"Best Years"
"Can You Hear The Wind Blow"
"Lay Down Your Love"
"If You Want Me"
"All I Want All I Need"
"Call On Me"
"Ready To Rock"
"Summer Rain"
"Good To Be Bad"
"All For Love"
"All I Want Is You"
"Got What You Need"
"A Fool In Love"
"Dog"
"‘Til The End Of Time"


Disc 5: Blu-ray / DVD
"Ready To Rock" (Promo Video)
"Lay Down Your Love" (Promo Video)
"Best Years" (Mini Concert From 2008)
"Can You Hear The Wind Blow" (Mini Concert From 2008)
"Lay Down Your Love" (Mini Concert From 2008)
"A Fool In Love" (Mini Concert From 2008)
"Got What You Need" (Purplesnake Video)
"Call On Me" (Purplesnake Video)
"Can You Hear The Wind Blow" (Purplesnake Video)
"All For Love" (Purplesnake Video)
"Best Years" (Purplesnake Video)
"Can You Hear The Wind Blow" (Cutting Room NY Live Acoustic)
"All I Want All I Need" (Cutting Room NY Live Acoustic)
"Lay Down Your Love" (Cutting Room NY Live Acoustic)

Rock duo Janet Gardner and Justin James have released “85”, the second song from their upcoming album, No Strings. True to its name, “85” conjures up memories of ‘80s rock anthems, featuring catchy guitar hooks and a driving rhythm that pair well with Gardner’s vocals.


Listen to “85” on all streaming platforms here.


Gardner and James have also released the video for “85”. Directed by Tyler Walter and filmed at the Vixen Theatre in McHenry, IL, this video showcases a dynamic performance that makes viewers feel as if they are in the crowd, seeing the rock duo perform live.







No Strings will be available through Pavement Entertainment on June 9 in North America. Fans can pre-order a special bundle, which features a CD, a hand signed photo from Gardner and James, and a limited edition t-shirt. Pre-order here.


Audiences outside of North America can pick up the album through Frontiers Music. Pre-save/pre-order the No Strings album here.


Known for being the lead vocalist of the legendary female rock band, Vixen, Janet Gardner’s powerful vocals propelled Vixen to the top of the Billboard charts with crossover hits “Edge Of A Broken Heart” and “Cryin'.” Justin James has worked as a guitarist/songwriter/producer with members of Staind, Collective Soul, and Tyketto. Together, Gardner and James have penned a collection of emotionally charged songs with gritty grooves, infectious hooks, and inspired lyrics that merge hard rock influences from the last four decades.





No Strings tracklisting:


"I’m Living Free"
"Turn The Page"
"85"
"No Strings"
"Don’t Turn Me Away"
"Set Me Free"
"Hold On To You"
"Into The Night"
"I’m Not Sorry"
"You’ll See"
"She Floats Away"
"Drink"


"Don't Turn Me Away":





Known for being the lead vocalist of the legendary female rock band, Vixen, Janet Gardner’s powerful vocals propelled Vixen to the top of the Billboard charts with crossover hits “Edge Of A Broken Heart” and “Cryin'.” Justin James has worked as a guitarist/songwriter/producer with members of Staind, Collective Soul, and Tyketto. Together, Gardner and James have penned a collection of emotionally charged songs with gritty grooves, infectious hooks, and inspired lyrics that merge hard rock influences from the last four decades.

No matter how much everything changes in culture and the world at large, heavy metal endures. It empowers, engages, and engenders strength, ultimately it outlasts fads. The same can be said for HammerFall.


Today, the band is proud to release their 20th anniversary edition of Crimson Thunder. The fourth studio album has been remixed and remastered by Fredrik Nordstrom, this definitive version includes previously unreleased pre-production tracks, a brand-new medley and live acoustic songs.


To celebrate the release, the band presents us with a brand-new video for the medley. Guitarist Oscar Dronjak comments: "The medley is a five minute celebration of the full album, with parts from well-known as well as never-before-played tracks, and is a highlight for both artist and audience every night."




Watch the medley video below:





Guitarist Oscar Dronjak previously stated: ”There is a lot to look forward to with this release even if you’re a die hard Templar with everything already in your collection: brand new album remix by Fredrik Nordström, never-before heard preproduction bonus tracks, exclusive acoustic live versions, this anniversary edition is packed with unique stuff that sees the light of day for the first time. This is our biggest anniversary edition yet!”





Crimson Thunder 20th Anniversary Edition comes in following formats:


- Digital Album
- 3CD Digi Box
- Platinum Edition - 2LP Trifold Silver Vinyl
- Crimson Edition - 2LP Trifold Marbled Red /Black Vinyl
- Thunder Edition - 2LP Trifold Marbled Blue/White/Black


Listen/order here.





CD tracklisting:


CD 1
"Riders Of The Storm"
"Hearts On Fire"
"On The Edge of Honour"
"Crimson Thunder"
"Lore Of The Arcane"
"Trailblazers"
"Dreams Come True"
"Angel Of Mercy"
"The Unforgiving Blade"
"In Memoriam"
"Hero's Return"
"Riders of The Storm" (preproduction)
"On The Edge Of Honour" (preproduction)
"Trailblazers" (preproduction)
"Angel Of Mercy" (preproduction)
"The Unforgiving Blade" (preproduction)
"Hero’s Return" (preproduction)
"Hearts On Fire" (preproduction)


CD 2
"Lore Of The Arcane" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Riders Of The Storm" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Heeding The Call" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Stone Cold" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Hero's Return" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Legacy Of Kings" (Live One Crimson Night)
Bass Solo (Live One Crimson Night)
"At The End Of The Rainbow" (Live One Crimson Night)
"The Way Of The Warrior" (Live One Crimson Night)
"The Unforgiving Blade" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Glory To The Brave" (Live One Crimson Night)
Guitar Solo (Live One Crimson Night)
"Let The Hammer Fall" (Live One Crimson Night)


CD 3
"Renegade" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Steel Meets Steel" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Crimson Thunder" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Templars Of Steel" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Hearts On Fire" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Hammerfall" (Live One Crimson Night)
"The Dragon Lies" Bleeding (Bonus Track Live One Crimson Night)
"Stronger Than All" (Bonus Track Live One Crimson Night)
"A Legend Reborn" (Live One Crimson Night)
"Heeding The Call" (acoustic live version)
"Steel Meets Steel" (acoustic live version)
"Renegade" (acoustic live version)
"Crimson Thunder Medley" (Live)


"Riders Of The Storm" lyric video:





"Hearts On Fire" video:





HammerFall tour dates:


May
5 - Bochum, Germany - RuhrCongress *with Helloween
6 - Hamburg, Germany - Sporthalle *with Helloween
12 - Houston, TX - Wharehouse Live
13 - Dallas, TX - The Factory
15 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
16 - St Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live
18 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore
19 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
20 - New York City, NY - Terminal 5
21 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
22 - Montreal, QC - Théâtre Fairmount
23 - Toronto, ON - History
24 - Royal Oak, MI - Music Theatre
25 - Columbus, OH - The King of Clubs
26 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
27 - Minneapolis, MN - Fillmore
28 - Lawrence, KS - The Granada
30 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
31 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall


June
1 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
2 - Inglewood, CA - YouTube Theater
3 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
4 - Roseville, CA - Goldfield Trading Post
24 - Oslo, Norway - Tons Of Rock


July
15 - Leoben, Austria - Area 53 Festival


August
12 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas Del Rock
16-19 - Dinkelsbuehl, Germany - SummerBreeze
17-19 - Moravsky Krumlov, Czech Republic - Castle Garden, Rock Castle


Current HammerFall lineup:


Joacim Cans - vocals
Oscar Dronjak - guitar
Fredrik Larsson  - bass
Pontus Norgen - guitar
David Wallin - drums

In a new interview with Michael Christopher of Metal Edge magazine, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman was asked if he has any regrets or disappointments about the fact that a proposed reunion of the band's "Rust In Peace" lineup failed to materialize nearly a decade ago, before the passing of drummer Nick Menza. He responded: "I never even thought about that. I don't even know how to answer the question. In the music business, projects are constantly being pitched and ideas are constantly happening. 'And what about this collaboration? What about that and what about this and what about that?' In Japan as well. There's just so many things that I'm doing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friedman reunited with MEGADETH during the band's first-ever gig at Tokyo, Japan's famed Budokan. Friedman came up on stage for three songs toward the end of MEGADETH's main set on February 27: "Countdown To Extinction", "Tornado Of Souls" and "Symphony Of Destruction".

METALLICA kicked off its "M72" world tour earlier tonight (Thursday, April 27) at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The trek sees the band playing two nights in every city it visits — with each "No Repeat Weekend" featuring two completely different setlists and support lineups. The "M72" tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age.

METALLICA launched the 16-song set in Amsterdam with "Orion", marking the first time that song has opened a METALLICA concert since December 2011. The group also performed two new songs from the "72 Seasons" album live for the first time: "Screaming Suicide" and "Sleepwalk My Life Away". Other "72 Seasons" tracks that were played in Amsterdam — "Lux Aeterna" and "If Darkness Had A Son" — were previously performed by METALLICA earlier this month in front of a studio audience as part of their four-night residency on late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!""Lux Aeterna" was also played during the band's All Within My Hands benefit concert last December.

METALLICA's setlist for the April 27 concert at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands was as follows:

01. Orion (first time as opener since December 10, 2011)
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Holier Than Thou
04. King Nothing
05. Lux Aeterna
06. Screaming Suicide (live debut)
07. Fade To Black
08. Sleepwalk My Life Away (live debut)
09. Nothing Else Matters
10. Sad But True
11. The Day That Never Comes
12. Ride The Lightning
13. Battery
14. Fuel
15. Seek & Destroy
16. Master Of Puppets

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.

During an appearance on comedian Bill Maher's "Club Random" podcast, Lars Ulrich opened up about how a child custody arrangement with one of his ex-wives led to METALLICA embracing a touring schedule that involved playing shows for no more than two weeks at a time. The METALLICA drummer said: "Maybe in the last 10, 15 years, we came around — and this is no disrespect to our managers — but we came around the other side and basically said, 'Listen, we need to start putting some boundaries and some parameters around what we're willing to do,' because back in the day we would do three [or] four in a row and then have one day off and then three in a row and then one day off, and then have a week off between going to Europe and America. And finally, like I said, maybe around 15 [years ago], maybe around the [release of the] 'Some Kind Of Monster' [documentary], we took charge and said, 'We're willing to go out for this long, for this long,' and blah blah blah. And at one point, when I was fighting a child custody case between maybe '08 to '10, maybe, give or take, we did a whole world tour for two years around not being on the road for more than two weeks at a time. We would play in Europe for two weeks, then come home, play two weeks and then come home. We did an American tour a week at a time."

Ulrich went on to explain that because he "had 50-50 custody" of his kids, "there was no budging" on the amount of uninterrupted time each parent had with the children. "So literally I would take 'em to school Monday morning and we would fly and we would play five shows in America — Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday," he explained. "Sunday night we'd fly home. I would be with my kids from that Monday morning for a week. And the rest of the guys in the band — God bless them — were gracious enough and kind enough to work with that. And it was a whole world tour for two years. So we were never gone for more than two weeks at a time."

American heavy-riff devotees CORROSION OF CONFORMITY have the official visualizer for their cover of the LYNYRD SKYNYRD track "On The Hunt", taken from the illustrious southern rock band's third studio album "Nuthin' Fancy", released in 1975. This cover version, which was originally recorded in 2004 and previously made available in 2015, brings a singular C.O.C. swagger and sludge-laden groove to the classic track.

This "On The Hunt" cover lands shortly before C.O.C. kicks off its three-week tour across Europe, set to include performances at Desertfest London, Desertfest Berlin and Soulstone Gathering in Krakow.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's Mike Dean commented: "This is our hard to find tribute to LYNYRD SKYNYRD, a major influence of C.O.C. With the recent passing of the great Gary Rossington, the last living original member of LYNYRD SKYNYRD, we thought it would be a good time to make this celebration of SKYNYRD more widely available."

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY is currently working on material for the follow-up to 2018's "No Cross No Crown" album. This past February, the band shared a short video of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan playing in the studio with drummer Stanton Moore and included the following caption: "Tune writing sessions before the Spring UK/Euro Tour!!"

Last November, Dean confirmed to MetalSucks that Moore, who previously appeared on the band's 2005's "In The Arms Of God" LP, will appear on CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's upcoming effort.

"History repeats itself all these years later," Dean said. "Stanton played on 'In The Arms Of God', and I think he's going to be working with us again for the next record. Having him aboard, I think you need to get a little nerdy to describe it because Stanton has got his own particular way that he wants to play. He wants to play kick drums in his jazzy way and likes to have the drums heads up front, so it's more of a traditional-sounding thing. And all of Stanton's fills are very second-line sounding, and he has these little phrases that are unique to him."

When asked if Stanton will join CORROSION OF CONFORMITY as a permanent replacement for Reed Mullin, who died in January 2020, Dean said: "Stanton is a different animal than Reed — we learned that back when we did 'In The Arms Of God' — and he brings an entirely new dynamic to the band. Stanton will take these straight, New Orleans-influenced, second-line things and throw them into a metal song; there's no stopping it. If you've seen Stanton Moore with GALACTIC, you'll know what I'm talking about. He's got his take, man. He's a character. But this isn't like Stanton joining the band per se, and I'm not sure that he would come out on the road and play with us because he's busy. It's more that Stanton is a good friend of ours, and we love working with him when we can when our schedules all sync up. Plus, Pepper and Stanton have known each other since they were little. It felt right to do another album with him because we loved what he did on 'In The Arms Of God', and we wanted to make this first record after Reed passed special. So, stay tuned, and we'll see how it all comes out."

Last October, Keenan told Guitar World that he still loves "No Cross No Crown". "It was a really fun experience to do and the last thing we did with Reed, unfortunately. So, it holds a special place in my heart. We're very happy with it."

Mullin died in January 2020 at the age of 53. The drummer, who co-founded CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in 1982 as a hardcore punk act alongside guitarist Woody Weatherman and Dean, had missed a number of shows in the preceding four years due to a variety of health issues, including an alcohol-related seizure he suffered back in June 2016.

Asked how Reed's passing affected him and the rest of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, Pepper told Guitar World: "We lost our left arm. It was very hard to find a drummer. We have John Green [on tour with us], who is fantastic, but you just can't replace people like that. Other people have gone through it, too — but it's not easy. You spend decades with a person writing, and you don't even have to look at them; it just comes out. This was the first time we had to regroup in a long time and try to do it with a different drummer. We've got that figured out, so now we're getting ready to focus on that."

In 2014, after nearly a straight decade traversing the globe as a guitarist with New Orleans supergroup DOWN, Pepper reconnected with the core CORROSION OF CONFORMITY trio of Weatherman, Dean and Mullin to hit the road hard. "Reed called me and mentioned maybe playing a couple shows," Keenan recalled back in 2017. "I said, 'Let's just go to Europe and see if it works.' So we went to Europe and then ended up going back four times in one year... We toured for a year and then started tracking."

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY recorded "No Cross No Crown" in about forty days over the course of a year at a North Carolina studio with longtime producer John Custer.