Arjen Lucassen’s Supersonic Revolution will release their debut album, Golden Age Of Music, on May 19 via Music Theories Recording/Mascot Label Group. A music video for the new single, "Golden Age Of Music", can be viewed below.


Says Arjen: "I'm beyond excited to share the official music video for 'Golden Age Of Music', the new single from my 70's passion project, Supersonic Revolution. This is the title track of the album and it represents everything the record stands for."







You think you know Arjen Lucassen? Towering Dutch prog rock polymath? The man behind the super successful prog rock conceptualists Ayreon? Not to mention his prog metal of Star One and Guilt Machine? Enormous overarching concept albums about space and time, packed to the hilt with special guests that read like a who’s who of modern day progressive rock? Arjen Lucassen? Well, think again…


Supersonic Revolution, the band behind Golden Age Of Music, are simply five men: Arjen on bass, long-standing keyboard player Joost van den Broek, guitarist Timo Somers, drummer Koen Herfst and singer Jaycee. Five men rocking out and having one hell of a time doing it.


The whole project grew from a request to provide a track for a cover CD for the German music magazine Eclipsed. “They asked if I had any cover versions lying around,” he recalls. “I said, ‘No but I’ll happily record one for you.’ So, they gave me a list of bands and I saw a ZZ Top song ‘I Heard It On The X’ that I really like. I said I could record it for them, but then they told me it had to be ready in one week...”


“I was like ‘Oh my god!’. I contacted my favorite musicians in Holland via WhatsApp and literally within 30 minutes I had assembled five people. A band basically. From there the seed was sown in Lucassen’s mind. ‘I want to form a band. And I want to simply have fun!’.


“I’m a perfectionist as you know, so I’m always sending musicians their parts back and asking them to change stuff,” he acknowledges. “But this was all brilliant. We were having fun, calling and WhatsApping all the time, and within a week we had a complete product.” He continues, “Also I wanted to have an up-beat, positive project.”


“I was like, let’s form a band and let’s write songs in the style of the 70s, and have the lyrics be a celebration of all the memorable things from that time, because those were my formative years,” he enthuses. “But I didn’t want it to sound like the 70s because that’s already been done, and I can’t do it any better than ‘Stargazer’ or ‘Kashmir’.”


“The guys are all younger than me - around 30 - so they weren’t even alive yet in the 70s. So, it was a great way for me to make 70s music with lots of Hammond and blistering guitars, but to update it to this time.”


The end result is 11 tracks of high energy, progressively inclined heavy rock that swings with the kind of groove Deep Purple rocked with in the early to mid-1970s. “This album is not a typical prog album. It’s not YES or Genesis. But it’s not a metal album either. There’s a track called ‘Burn it Down’,” Lucassen notes, “it’s totally based on ‘Smoke On The Water’ but written from the perspective of the ‘stupid with a flare gun’ mentioned in the original lyrics.


The album also features covers of some legendary songs given the Arjen Lucassen treatment as bonus tracks: T-Rex’s "Children Of The Revolution", ZZ Top’s "Heard It On The X", Earth Wind & Fire’s "Fantasy" and Roger Glover’s "Love Is All".


That, ladies and gentlemen, is the real Arjen Lucassen. Job done. Having fun.


Available formats:


- Artbook
- Transparent Blue 2LP
- Pink Marble 2LP
- Purple Marble 2LP
- Yellow Marble 2LP
- CD
- Digital


Pre-order here.





Golden Age Of Music tracklisting:


"SR Prelude"
"The Glamattack"
"Golden Age Of Music"
"The Rise Of The Starman"
" Burn It Down"
"Odyssey"
"They Took Us By Storm"
"Golden Boy"
"Holy Holy Ground"
"Fight Of The Century"
"Came To Mock, Stayed To Rock"
"Children Of The Revolution" (Bonus Track)
"Heard It On The X" (Bonus Track)
"Fantasy" (Bonus Track)
"Love Is All" (Bonus Track)


"The Rise Of The Starman" visualizer:





"The Glamattack" lyric video:

Black metal legends, Tsjuder, have released a visualizer for "Iron Beast", the opening track of the band's new album, Helvegr, which will be released on June 23 via Season Of Mist. Watch the clip below.


Tsjuder is emerging with a brand-new full-length opus for the first time since 2015. Featuring a renewed line-up with drum master Jon “The Charn” Rice holding down the throne, Helvegr is an authentic display of the true Norwegian black metal sound that Tsjuder helped define in the ‘90s. With this blistering aural assault, the band is certain to conquer 2023 with blasphemy and blast beats.







Tracklisting:


“Iron Beast”
“Prestehammeren”
“Surtr”
“Gamle-Erik”
“Chaos Fiend”
“Gods Of Black Blood”
“Helvegr”
“Faenskap og Død”
“Hvit Død”


“Iron Beast” visualizer:





“Gods Of Black Blood” video:

Pirates have to navigate their ships responsibly. Traveling the seven seas, Italian comedy metal masters Nanowar Of Steel unveil the anime-inspired lyric video of their new single, “Sober”. The pirate metal-inspired track motivates the body’s muscles to work out to the beat of the rousing track and becomes one of the strongest and healthiest fighters. Raising a glass of water and eating apples, the real pirate’s treasure is health.


Nanowar Of Steel about being “Sober”: “Modern pirates have to be slim and healthy. Applying for a pirate position nowadays demands a good level of physical readiness and fitness. Nanowar Of Steel will help you sail through the market of piracy jobs with their healthy new song, 'Sober'.”


Watch the lyric video for “Sober”:







Nanowar Of Steel raises the curtains of Dislike To False Metal atop the seven seas with “Sober”, marauding as the world’s first health-conscious, mineral-water chugging pirate metal collective on the hunt for Bitcoin treasure! "Disco Metal" pays homage to the club sound of the 90s with a metal techno rager for undead partygoers clamoring for a scary good time. Keyboard warriors around the world will unfollow Nanowar Of Steel after being triggered by “Metal Boomer Battalion”, but only after powering through maritime metal masterclass "Pasadena 1994", as combat-ready Sabaton frontman Joakim Brodén tells the harrowing tale of one of the most heroic battles ever fought in the infamous summer of 1994… when Italy faced Brazil in the World Cup soccer final, of course! These soon to be earworms are just a taste of the tear-jerking hilarity to be found on the album, as Nanowar Of Steel’s dual mastery of comprehensive, eclectic performance styles and quick-witted, satirical concepts makes Dislike To False Metal a sonic metal meme worth posting about - and then some!


Order here.





Tracklisting:


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


“Pasadena 1994” video:



"The Power Of Imodium"


“Disco Metal” video:





"Winterstorm In The Night" video:





Nanowar Of Steel are:


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

Anubis Gate, Denmark's premier prog-power metal band, will unleash their new album, Interference, on CD and digital formats on June 2 via Animated Insanity Records (North America) and No Dust Records (Europe).





The band comments: Anubis Gate,are ready to present their new album of 10 original songs entitled Interference. Interference is a varied collection of material written and produced during the last six years.”




Musically this ninth Anubis Gate album is even more melodic while also harder edged. More direct while also containing the most experimental songs in their catalog. It has the hardest song, but also the most haunting song the band has done. The album is very focused, while also perhaps being their most varied to date.





Tracklisting:


"Emergence"
"Ignorance Is Bliss"
"Number Stations"
"The Phoenix"
"Equations"
"Dissonance Consonance"
"The Intergalactic Dream Of"
"World Of Clay"
"Interference"
"Absence"


"Emergence" video:





Anubis Gate lineup:


Henrik Fevre - Vocals, Bass
Kim Olesen - Guitar, Keyboards
Michael Bodin - Guitar
Morten Gade Sørensen - Drums

The darkness is dead, long live the darkness! The 69 Eyes' new studio album, Death Of Darkness« is finally out today via Atomic Fire Records (physical North American versions will be out in a week). To celebrate its release, the Finnish gothic/glam rock icons took this train with them to the official video for their new track, "This Murder Takes Two", an extraordinary song they co-authored with popular singer/tattoo artist Kat Von D . On the one hand, this offers fans the uniquely glamorous dark sound of the quintet, but on the other hand it also shows the extraordinary side of their new work. 


"Jyrki 69 (vocaks): "John Carter Cash, Johnny Cash's son, was once with us in talks about recording and producing an acoustic EP at Johnny Cash's legendary Cabin Studios in America. So we recorded some potential tracks, but they never really got played. Apparently we were so taken with this song that we still haven't gotten rid of it to this day. Finally, what was missing was a touch of femininity, so we asked our good friend Kat Von D to sing the song. This is my absolute favorite [on the record]. "


Kat Von D: "It's always a great pleasure to work with the The 69 Eyes guys. Especially because I've been a big fan of their music for a long time. 'This Murder Takes Two' really is a special song. Although it's not in the same style I usually sing, it was really great fun to step out of my comfort zone for this recording. Jyrki just has this wonderful way of giving everything a certain pinch of gothic romance - and in this case even a western song."







Death Of Darkness was recorded and produced by Erno Laitinen at Inkfish Studios in Helsinki. Miles Walker took care of the mixing at Westside Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia alongside with Erno Laitinen while mastering duties were handled by Tom Baker. The artwork was created by the UK artist Adrian Baxter (Paradise Lost, The Halo Effect, Mayhem, Schammasch).


Death Of Darkness will be available in the following the formats:


- Digipak CD
- Blue-Clear vinyl
- Blood Red Marbled vinyl
- Digital


Order the album in the physical format of your choice or save it on your favorite DSP, here.





Death Of Darkness tracklisting:


"Death Of Darkness"
"Drive"
"Gotta Rock"
"This Murder Takes Two" feat. Kat Von D
"California"
"Call Me Snake"
"Dying In The Night"
"Something Real"
"Sundown"
"Outlaws"


"Gotta Rock":





"Drive" video:





Recently The 69 Eyes announced their upcoming Gotta Rock tour dates through Europe and the US. See all confirmed dates below.











The 69 Eyes lineup:


Jyrki 69 - vocals
Bazie - guitars
Timo Timo - guitars
Archzie - bass
Jussi 69 - drums


(Photo - Marek Sabogal)

In 1991 the funk-metal explosion was in full swing with albums from Extreme, Dan Reed Network, Living Colour, Kingofthehill and others seeing solid coverage in the press and airplay everywhere you could possibly look. The Prince-meets-Glam Metal combination would prove to a short lived phenomenon that appealed to not only the headbanging nightclub goer but also to those that liked to get their groove on a bit whilst ‘banging their heads’. These bands had one thing in common: incredible musical chops.


Enter the Los Angeles’ funky, trippy, musically bone crushing quartet, Slam.


Led by the already highly respected Jeff Scott Soto (who, at this point, had recorded with Yngwie Malmsteen and Eyes and had just begun his journey with the Swedish group Talisman) and lead guitar extraordinaire George Bernhardt, known for his work with Canadians Hanover Fist, Lee Aaron and most recent to that timeline, Beau Nasty. After a few hit and miss personnel, they found their way over to Slam in short order with bassist Ricky Wolking and drummer Mark Bistany.




Explains Soto, “George and I had the vision, the songs and the intention…finding the right cast of musicians and personalities took a minute but we finally landed on it all sadly just before the demise of the band."


Hitting the Los Angeles clubs with the subtlety of a hammer to the skull, the band showcased for semi-interested labels, none of which could make a full commitment to the band.


“We knew we had the goods but the music scene was shifting so quickly back then we just seemed to be a little late to the table at the time,” details Bernhardt.


With the Holy Grail out of reach, the members of Slam would go on to projects with varying degrees of success and a unique band with boundless possibilities would go by the wayside. However, the few cassettes being shopped seemed to fall into non-industry hands and the Slam demos were shared worldwide becoming an underground phenomenon for the then defunct group.


Thirty years after the recordings, specialty label 20th Century Music, (with cooperation of Soto & Bernhardt who dug up all the digital finals and had them mastered) has unleashed this masterpiece to the world at large. Sixteen tracks in total, the songs represent Slam’s demo/studio work from 1991 - 1993.





Tracklisting:


"Love Parade"
"Body Language"
"Lonely Shade Of Blue"
"What U Want It"
"Wastin' Our Time"
"Dear God"
"Candy"
"Dance The Body Elektrik"
"Funk Me"
"4 U"
"B-Jam"
"Wildflower"
"People"
"Y U Doggin'"
"Monogamy & Lust"
"EverybodyWantWhatTheyCantHave"


Included amongst the fifteen original numbers is a remarkable cover of the Billboard Top 5 single, “Wildflower” from the Canadian act Skylark.


“George called me one morning saying he heard a song on the radio he loved as a kid and hadn’t heard in ages thinking it would be a great vehicle for my voice if we covered it, I couldn’t agree more!” recounts Soto.


When you’re in the mood to dance HARD, throw on a copy of the Slam album and move your ass across the floor like the world is watching. The album can be purchased here in North America and here worldwide.


For those that prefer streaming and digital download options, the album will be available May 12 on all streaming platforms and for vinyl lovers, the album will be available as a double vinyl release late summer ’23.


Slam was:


Jeff Scott Soto - Lead vocals
George Bernhardt - Guitars
Ricky Wolking - Bass
Mark Bistany - Drums, percussion


Former personnel:


Craig Polivka - Guitars
Chris McCarvill - Bass
Gary Schutt - Guitars

Funko, the world’s leading pop culture consumer products brand and creators of the wildly popular Pop! Vinyl collection, has announced the upcoming release of the Soundgarden Badmotorfinger Deluxe Pop! Album Figure.


Description: Celebrate an iconic moment of music history! This Soundgarden Badmotorfinger Deluxe Pop! Album Figure with Case includes the album's cover art and the vinyl art, as well as 4x Pop! Vinyl Figures of the band members. Comes packaged in a window display box complete with a hard case! The case measures approximately 11 1/2-inches tall x 23-inches wide. The figures measure approximately 3 3/4-inches tall.


This Soundgarden Badmotorfinger Deluxe Pop! Album Figure #47 with Case includes:




1x Chris Cornell Pop! Vinyl Figure
1x Kim Thayil Pop! Vinyl Figure
1x Ben Shepherd Pop! Vinyl Figure
1x Matt Cameron Pop! Vinyl Figure


Please note: This item includes a special hard display case. The case does not open, and the figure(s) are not removable.





Set for release in July, you can pre-order now at Entertainment Earth, or sign up to be notified of pre-order at Funko.

Uriah Heep and BMG continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formation of Uriah Heep with the official picture disc LP releases of Wonderworld and High And Mighty on May 26. Pre-order here.


High And Mighty will be made available on picture disc for the first time ever, while Wonderworld has only previously been available in the Every Day Rocks box set; both albums are contained within a series of limited edition heavyweight collector picture discs releases from the rich Uriah Heep catalogue. The artwork for each picture disc has been meticulously worked on, retouching the original art and creating a true visual feast.


Originally released in June 1974 Uriah Heep’s seventh studio album Wonderworld reached #23 in the UK charts and was the last album to feature bass player Gary Thain. The album includes the single "Something Or Nothing", plus anthems "Suicidal Man" and "So Tired".




Uriah Heep’s ninth studio album, High And Mighty released in 1976, was the final album to feature vocalist and founding member David Byron. Produced by the band, High And Mighty was recorded at the Roundhouse Recording Studio in London and includes the single "One Way Or Another", sung by John Wetton.


British hard rock legends Uriah Heep are one of the most intriguing bands, both musically and lyrically, to emerge from the 70’s heavy rock scene. Evoking an era when prog, hard rock and heavy metal co-existed in an era of glorious, boundary-breaking music, Uriah Heep rose from inexperienced studio musicians with everything to prove to bona fide limo inhabiting rock stars.


After selling over 40 million albums worldwide, over the years Uriah Heep have influenced many different rock, metal and pop bands around the globe, including Dio, A-ha, King Diamond, Krokus, Demons & Wizards, Fifth Angel, Axel Rudi Pell and Tobias Forge of Ghost. They have all cited Uriah Heep as a band of personal influence, while W.A.S.P, Tesla, Angel Dust, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Udo Dirkshneider, Saxon and Blackmore’s Night have all covered the band’s songs.





Wonderworld tracklisting:


Side 1:
"Wonderworld"
"Suicidal Man"
"The Shadows And The Wind"
"So Tired"
"The Easy Road"


Side 2:
"Something Or Nothing"
"I Won't Mind"
"We Got We"
"Dreams"





High and Mighty tracklisting:


Side 1:
"One Way Or Another"
"Weep In Silence"
"Misty Eyes"
"Midnight"


Side 2:
"Can't Keep A Good Band Down"
"Woman Of The World"
"Footprints In The Snow"
"Can't Stop Singing"
"Make A Little Love"
"Confession"

In the new video below from AXS TV, Sammy Hagar jams with Neal Schon of Journey at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California. Then the two catch up on the old days and discuss all things music.





Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the upcoming release of Neal Schon's Journey Through Time, a live concert recorded on February 9, 2018 at The Independent In San Francisco, CA, on May 19.




This is the show where Neal Schon, founding member of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducted band Journey, first debuted Journey Through Time along with two-time Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and former Journey and Santana bandmate, Gregg Rolie. Joining Schon and Rolie were current Journey member Deen Castronovo on vocals and drums, Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake) on bass, and John Varn on keyboards and vocals.





Performing to a sold out crowd for a benefit show to raise money for victims of the fires that had ravaged the North Bay area of the San Francisco region in October 2017, the band played songs spanning Journey’s entire catalog, largely focusing on the band’s '70s repertoire, including the band's first three albums, Journey, Look Into The Future, and Next. Watch a performance of the classic Journey track "Just The Same Way" below.


Multi-Grammy nominated Schon founded Journey in 1972 and remains the sole consistent member, having participated in every album and tour to date. Before founding Journey, Schon was also a member of Santana and has performed with a variety of other acts including Bad English, Hardline, and HSAS and with Jan Hammer and Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free).


He has released 10 solo albums over the course of his career as well, with his guitar style being described as soulful and melodic and admired by such fellow legends as Eric Clapton and Prince. Journey’s worldwide sales have reached over 100 million records, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time. Chart-topping hits such as “Don’t Stop Believin­’,” “Open Arms", “Lights", “Faithfully", and “When You Love A Woman” are regarded as some of the defining songs of the rock n' roll musical canon.


Pre-order Journey Through Time here.





Journey Through Time tracklisting:


"I’m Gonna Leave You"
"Look Into The Future"
"Kohoutek"
"Daydream"
"La Do La"
"Line Of Fire"
"Walk’s Like A Lady"
"Feelin’ That Way"
"Anytime"
"Lights"
"Still They Ride"
"Separate Ways"
"Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’"
"Wheel In The Sky"
"Patiently" (Medley)
"Trial By Fire" (Medley)
"Stay Awhile" (Medley)
"Mystery Mountain"
"Of A Lifetime"
"Just The Same Way"
"Lovin’ You Is Easy"
"Lady Luck"
"You’re On Your Own"
"Hustler"
"Nickle And Dime"
"People"
"Mother Father"
"Any Way You Want It"
"Don’t Stop Believin’"
"Black Magic Woman"
"Oye Como Va"


"Just The Same Way" video:





"Lights" video:





Lineup:


Neal Schon - Guitar
Gregg Rolie - Keyboards, Vocals
Marco Mendoza - Bass
Deen Castronovo - Drums, Vocals
John Varn - Keyboards, Vocals

A Tale Of Pentacles, the debut full-length album by Atheist Alien, is now available via Laser Yoga Records. Order your copy here, and find a full album audio stream below.


Born from the cold ashes of a thousand dead gods. Atheist Alien is epic spoken word poetry in the tradition of the Iliad, the Mahabharata and
Edgar Allan Poe, fused with the dark unrelenting brutality of doom metal. Album features former Candlemass vocalist, Robert Lowe, on the track, "Stone Tape Theory".


The album was produced by Paul Dinenthal Taylor and Brian Horustopheles Labrecque.







Tracklisting:


"A Tale of Pentacles"
"Forced Lava"
"Nightmare Fuel"
"Purification Sermon"
"Satanic Panic"
"Stone Tape Theory"
"Testimony Of Those Who Hate You"
"The Serpent And The Master"
"White Deceivers"


A Tale of Pentacles by Atheist Alien


Lineup:


Dinenthal - all synthesizers
Horustopheles - vocals
Robert Lowe - vocals on "Stone Tape Theory"
Nita Morrígan - duet vocals on "Testimony Of Those Who Hate Uou"
Simon Skrlec - drums

KILL DEVIL HILL's lyric video for the band's second single in nearly a decade, "You Can't Kill Me California", can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming third album, which will be made available later in the year via the Ohio-based Legend Recordings. The label, which was founded by artist manager Chris Bianchi, has partnered with Ingrooves/Universal to release the LP worldwide.

"You Can't Kill Me California" follows the release of "Blood In The Water", which arrived in February.

KILL DEVIL HILL was established in 2011 by former BLACK SABBATH and DIO drummer Vinny Appice and PANTERA bassist Rex Brown. After going through a few member changes, KILL DEVIL HILL's present lineup consists of Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE) on drums, Mark Zavon on guitar, Dewey Bragg on vocals and Matt Snell (ex-FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) on bass.

Zavon commented: "It's been a while since our last release, but we've been working hard writing and recording songs for this third record for a long time behind the scenes, and are really looking forward to sharing the finished product with our fans. We are proud to have partnered with Chris Bianchi and Legend Recordings for this release and are looking forward to working with them and Ingrooves to bring these songs to our fans worldwide. It's definitely some of our strongest material, and I can't wait to get out in front of an audience and play it live."

2023 will see KILL DEVIL HILL hit the road for select festival appearances and additional tour dates.

Shortly after he left KILL DEVIL HILL in early 2014, Vinny said that the band's inability to gain significant traction with its music was a major factor in his decision. However, more recently, Vinny has suggested that he exited the group because he "couldn't deal with" the fact that some of his bandmates were consistently tardy for KILL DEVIL HILL activities by an hour and a half or even longer.

Asked to respond to Appice's comments and address the fact that the drummer's explanation for why he left the band appears to have evolved over time, Mark told "J-Bunny's Music Hub": "Well, both [of his stated reasons] are true. And he's right. And there was [tardiness]. Dewey, our singer, at the time, was kind of going through some hard times and some personal difficulties, and he did have a hard time showing up sometimes. And even when we were on tour, he was — I don't know, man — just having a little bit of trouble. He's a totally changed man now, and now he's the first guy, anywhere we go, he's the one telling us, 'Hey, man, we're gonna be late for soundcheck.' But in those days, yeah, it was a little harder to wrangle him. So Vinny was right. And Vinny, he doesn't really put up with that. He's a name guy — he's got a history and a reputation. He's a pro. He's a star. So you can't blame the guy for that. I certainly didn't. I was the first one there [for rehearsals and live shows], 'cause I was stoked to play with those guys. Are you kidding me? Vinny Appice and Rex Brown in a room, and I get to play guitar?"

He continued: "So, anyway, I wish it could have kept going, but sometimes things don't work out, and everything happens for a reason. So I try not to question it. We've got great guys in the band now, and everything happens for a reason. So I'm looking forward to putting out this new record and people hearing what we can do without those guys in the band."

Vinny, who had previously played with BLACK SABBATH, DIO and HEAVEN & HELL, left KILL DEVIL HILL in March 2014.

KILL DEVIL HILL released its sophomore album, "Revolution Rise", in October 2013 via Century Media Records.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN's song "Chop Suey!" recently crossed the threshold of one billion streams on Spotify. It is the first SYSTEM OF A DOWN track to reach the milestone.

The Spotify accomplishment comes a little over two years after the music video for "Chop Suey!" surpassed one billion views on YouTube.

"Chop Suey!" was the first single from SYSTEM OF A DOWN's second album, "Toxicity". The single was released in August 2001 and earned the band its first Grammy nomination in 2002 for "Best Metal Performance."

SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian stated about "Chop Suey!": "The song is about how we are regarded differently depending on how we pass. Everyone deserves to die. Like, if I were now to die from drug abuse, they might say I deserved it because I abused dangerous drugs. Hence the line, 'I cry when angels deserve to die.'"

SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 18 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Released in November 2020, the tracks were motivated by the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they have raised over $600,000.

In 2018, Malakian publicly accused singer Serj Tankian of not wanting to record, with Tankian responding that creative and financial issues with Malakian led to the stalemate. In a message on Facebook, Tankian wrote that Malakian wanted to control SYSTEM's creative process, take more of the publishing money and be the only bandmember to speak to the press.
Thank you for waking up with #ChopSuey! 1 Billion times on @Spotify. pic.twitter.com/WgYOFRBPaQ

— System Of A Down (@systemofadown) April 20, 2023

GUNS N' ROSES and AC/DC have landed on Billboard Boxscore's updated list of "Top 10 Tours Of All Time".

According to Billboard Boxscore, which has charted the biggest tours in the world over nearly four decades, Elton John holds the record for the highest-grossing tour of all time with the "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, now at $818 million after a brief leg of Australian shows.

Coming in at No. 4 is GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime…" tour, which ran from 2016 to 2019 and grossed $584 million with an attendance of 5.4 million over the course of 158 shows.

AC/DC made the list at No. 9, with a gross of $442 million for the "Black Ice" world tour, which took place between 2008 and 2010 and sold 2.8 million tickets over 107 concerts.

Launched in April 2016, "Not in This Lifetime…" featured GUNS N' ROSES' classic-lineup members Slash, Duff McKagan and singer Axl Rose backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

About 70 people traveled with the "Not In This Lifetime" show in addition to the truck drivers; that number went upwards of five hundred, including the local workers, by show date once catering, security, etc. were factored in, according to the GN'R tour's production manager, Dale "Opie" Skjerseth.

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

Back in 2010, Billboard magazine reported that "Black Ice" tapped into a demand for AC/DC, resulting from the band's eight-year absence from touring, and took its place as one of the band's most successful tours.

As previously reported, AC/DC will perform at the 2023 edition of the Power Trip festival, set to take place Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8 at the Empire Polo Club In Indio, California.

Power Trip will mark AC/DC's first concert since September 2016, when the band concluded a run of U.S. dates with GUNS N' ROSES' Axl Rose on vocals while frontman Brian Johnson recovered from hearing loss.

Last year, Johnson told Rolling Stone he didn't know if AC/DC would perform again. "I would love to," he said. "It's as simple as that. I think everybody would. There's a groundswell of people just asking. But I hate talking about the future, because, fuck, we were ready two years ago, and the pandemic came, and it screwed everything up. So I'm terrified to say what could happen and what couldn't."

Photo credit: Katarina Benzova

The guitar Eddie Van Halen used in the music video for VAN HALEN's "Hot For Teacher" sold for $3,932,00 during an auction at Sotheby's.

The custom-made Kramer axe had a minimum bid of $1.8 million, and was previously valued at between two and three million dollars.

According to Sotheby's, stage-used and -filmed guitar was custom made by Paul Unkert of Kramer Guitars for Eddie Van Halen, including important innovations customized for Eddie's evolving guitar technique. It served as one of Eddie Van Halen's primary guitars in 1983 and 1984. The guitar was gifted by Eddie Van Halen to the band's retiring drum tech Gregg Emerson around 1990. Emerson subsequently gave the guitar to his nephew, who sold the guitar to Neal's Music in Huntington Beach, California. Neal's Music then sold the instrument to its current owner.

The guitar comes with a letter of provenance by Unkert, a signed photograph from Eddie Van Halen, its original case with tour and Warner Brothers tags, and the strait jacket and white gloves worn by Van Halen in the video.

Unkert's accompanying letter details the guitar's history: "The 'Hot For Teacher' Van Halen [guitar] was built by me at the Kramer Green Grove Road Plant in Neptune, NJ around 1982-1985/ #CO176. Look for 'Unk' stamps on Neck and Body. It was my last project for Ed and Kramer."

"Hot For Teacher" appeared on VAN HALEN's album "1984". The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) objected to the song after its original release, calling for it to be pulled from both the radio and television, due to the track's sexually suggestive lyrics referring to sex with a teacher, and a female teacher stripping in the video, among other issues.

In 2009, "Hot For Teacher" was named the 36th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.

The "Hot For Teacher" video was filmed at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, California. Because the school had been shut down due to insufficient funds at the time the video was recorded, VAN HALEN not only paid to rent the school for four days of filming but they also contributed money to the city to help get it reopened.

ENVY OF NONE, the new band from Alex Lifeson (RUSH),Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH),Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, will release a new EP, "That Was Then, This Is Now", on June 9 via Kscope.

The all-star lineup continues its exponential growth of its trippy, edgy atmospheric sound that took the world by surprise. The new EP is made up of very adventurous tracks that consist of remixes of "Dumkoptf" and "Dog's Life" alongside "Lethe River" and "You'll Be Sorry", only previously released on the deluxe edition of their debut record.

Following these, the EP culminates with a newly recorded track "That Was Then". The song undulates with progressive dexterity and is a perfect example of the unbound writing ability this incredible band showcase.

All tracks were written, arranged, recorded and produced by ENVY OF NONE.

Curran comments: "Very happy to say that chapter 2 for ENVY OF NONE has officially started. We have a brand new song called 'That Was Then, This Is Now' which marks the first new track we've recorded since our debut album release almost a year ago."

He continues: "The new EP has that song sandwiched between some really trippy remixes that we had some serious fun creating. We're also looking forward to sharing all of these songs in 360 surround sound to take it one step further. Stay tuned for more cool news around the corner for EON…"

"That Was Then, This Is Now" remains in canon with the band’s sound of their eponymous debut whilst also pushing the boundaries and is a fantastic prologue to the next chapter of ENVY OF NONE's story as the band have been in the studio creating new music and remixes.

"That Was Then, This Is Now" track listing:

01. Lethe River
02. You’ll Be Sorry
03. Dog’s Life (Remix)
04. Dumb (Der Dummkopf Remix)
05. That Was Then

Alongside this vinyl release, ENVY OF NONE is a part of this year's Record Store Day with a new reissue of the band's self-titled album available as a picture disc on April 22.

Lifeson is no stranger to the concept of evolution. As a founding member of RUSH, he's been able to explore more musical ground than just about any other guitar player out there — taking rock to new progressive heights throughout the decades and always in the most wildly inventive of ways. His influence can be heard on countless bands around the world, from indie shoegaze and math rock to heavy metal and beyond. Over the last few years, Lifeson has been focusing on a new project that, no matter how well-acquainted you are with his discography, will undoubtedly shatter all seeds of expectation and blow the mind. That project is ENVY OF NONE.

"Envy Of None"'s 11 tracks — which ricochet between various shades of alternative, experimental and synth rock — throw surprises at every turn, twisting dark melodies against contemporary pop hooks. Lifeson himself is proudly aware of how little of it crosses over with the band that made him famous.

However, it was only when Wynne became involved that this truly started to feel like a band destined to go somewhere. Her haunting melodies and soul-baring intensity is — by the admission of her own bandmates — what truly brought this music to life. All things considered; she is a star in the making.

"Maiah became my muse," says Lifeson. "She was able to bring this whole new ethereal thing through her sense of melody on tracks like 'Liar' and 'Look Inside'. After hearing her vocals on 'Never Said I Love You', I felt so excited. I've never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician. When we say she's special, it's because she's really fucking special."

The album closer, "Western Sunset", was penned by Lifeson in tribute to his dear friend Neil Peart. It's a highly emotive piece of music to honor a man deeply missed by the rock community at large, and even more so by those who were lucky enough to know him.

"I visited Neil when he was ill," says Lifeson. "I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There's a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures… a nice way to close the book."

ENVY OF NONE is:

* Alf Annibalini - Guitar, Keyboards, Programming
* Andy Curran - Bass Guitar, Synthesized Bass, Programming, Guitar, Background Vocals, Stylophone
* Alex Lifeson - Guitar, Mandola, Banjo, Programming
* Maiah Wynne - Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Keyboards

Former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley has been discharged from hospital after undergoing a quadruple bypass surgery following his recent heart attack.

A heart bypass surgery, or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, is used to improve blood flow to the heart. A surgeon uses blood vessels taken from another area of the body to bypass the damaged arteries.

The term quadruple bypass refers to the number of coronary arteries bypassed in the procedure. In other words, a quadruple bypass means four coronary arteries are bypassed.

Blaze suffered a heart attack at his home on March 25 and was rushed to the hospital. As a result of the health setback, the singer's shows for March and April were postponed.

Earlier today (Wednesday, April 19),Mark Appleton and Christopher Appleton, who handle the management and concert bookings, for Blaze's solo band, released the following statement via social media: "As with our previous update, we are delighted to say that Blaze's surgery seems to have been a success & we're really happy to report that he is now released from hospital & is at home to continue his recovery. Your messages, cards, merch purchases & donations are appreciated more than you may ever realise. As & when Blaze gets stronger he will have further updates & messages for you."

The 59-year-old Bayley fronted IRON MAIDEN from 1994 until 1999. The two MAIDEN albums he appeared on, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN in 1999, Bayley has released a number of albums, including several under the moniker BLAZE and more than a handful under his own name. He also appeared on 2012's "Wolfsbane Saves The World", the first album of new material by WOLFSBANE since the group's self-titled 1994 effort, and a follow-up LP, 2022's "Genius".

Blaze's latest studio album, "War Within Me", came out in April 2021. The LP was recorded during 2020 with work split between Blaze's studio at home in the West Midlands and Christopher Appleton's studio in Greater Manchester.

Last month, Blaze told Metal Planet Music 's Gary Spiller about some fans' initial reluctance to embrace his era of MAIDEN: "I think that the girlfriend or partner analogy is the best. It's when your girlfriend or boyfriend leaves you for someone, and they are perhaps slimmer with more hair, more interesting and better looking, it doesn't feel good. And you lose your favorite singer from your favorite band, and I think that's awkward as well.

"There's a certain percentage of fans from that era, I'm their first MAIDEN singer, and I always will be, and they'll always have that affection for me," he continued. "But there's another group of fans who go, 'My favorite singer left my favorite band. I don't want to look at the replacement.' … And what is good is that after so many years and the 'Senjutsu' album coming out, people have good back and they've looked at the Blaze Bayley era of [1996's 'best-of' album] 'Best Of The Beast' and 'Sign Of The Cross', 'The X Factor', they've done that, and they've come back with a different look. And then they check out what I'm doing now.

"Since [leaving] MAIDEN, I've made 11 studio albums of my own. It's over 25 years ago [that I joined MAIDEN]; it's nearly 30 years now. It's just five years [that I was with MAIDEN]. With WOLFSBANE, we're back together, and we're together longer than I was in IRON MAIDEN.

"It's nice that it's so well thought of and people are still interested," Blaze added. "I've learned a lot. The experiences that I had have affected me and I've learned. And if you listen to my 'War Within Me' album, my new album, you can tell the IRON MAIDEN influence on that; you can absolutely tell. I'm not ashamed of it. I'm, like, well, this is what I enjoyed and learned in MAIDEN, and you'll hear parts of that and hints of that in the 'War Within Me' album. You'll also hear the development of me as an artist, going beyond that.

"So it's nice that people are still interested in that brief part of the MAIDEN history that contains me. And a lot of people think very nicely of me. But there are still a lot of people that absolutely hate me."

Blaze went on to say that his era of MAIDEN still plays a big part in his live show, particularly as he nears the three-decade mark since he first joined the band.

"What's nice is that when I do my anniversary setlist, which a lot of festivals asked for, then I can play songs in my set from those two albums that MAIDEN have never played and will never play," he explained. "And they are my songs, personal to me. So that's really, really cool. So if you did get into those albums and you like those albums, then you'll come and see me and go, 'Oh, actually, I've never heard'Como Estais Amigos' live.' So it's a really cool thing.

"Last year, we got a lot of really wonderful German festivals, and we played the anniversary setlist. And then afterwards, on my own tour, people came that saw me on that anniversary setlist and the festivals, they came and saw me do my Blaze Bayley concerts and really enjoyed it. And they got into 'War Within Me' album and my trilogy and a lot of things. So it's good, really.

"I'm very lucky to have actually had the top job in my field, to have attained the absolute top," Bayley added. "For me, I wanted to be a heavy metal singer, and by some quirk of faith, a lot of luck and a lot of help, then I managed to become the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN, which, for me, is the top job in the world for a heavy metal singer. And I got that job. So that's fantastic that I was able to get that. And I played huge venues all over the world and stadiums and theaters and everything."

HEALTH REPORT : 19th April 2023

As with our previous update, we are delighted to say that Blaze's surgery seems to have...

Posted by Official Blaze Bayley on Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Seattle’s Whythre has released a new single “Scorpions Of Sinai”. “Scorpions Of Sinai”, which comes from their third album Impregnate My Hate, is the fastest song on the album, a solid melodic death metal offering pumped full of textures and synth.


The band gives a nod to classic tale as a hint of what the song is about and explains:


“Go read the first short story in Roald Dahl’s ‘Switch Bitch’ and then read the lyrics to Scorpions. I can’t say much more without spoiling that experience. It’s a quick read, just go do it. This is our fastest song by far and always leaves Steve sweatin’! There’s a lot of underlying repetition in this song, which was a first for us, honestly the track is heavily inspired by underground techno vibes.”




Whythre was officially started in 2010 by Petrey and remained a solo project until 2012 when he met an opera-trained singer named Jeran Michaels, the first album was released and slowly a full lineup began to form. They have since formed into an impressive force of symphonic riffs and growls.


With this album, the band presents a simmering tension that’s in between chill and balls to the wall. They hope that listeners find some extra ‘medium’ moments here and there that tastefully strike the balance. There is a wide variety of moods present on each track, it’s packed with heavy grooves, blistering riffs and huge symphonic waves.


Shon Petrey and Adam Chambers write the songs for Whythre. When inspiration hits, they bounce ideas off each other - sometimes they collaborate from the beginning, sometimes one of them fleshes out an idea to explore. Each song has its own unique vibe and story behind it.


Whythre’s “Scorpions Of Sinai” has a groove guaranteed to move any circle pit and a message meant for heretics, by heretics.


Impregnate My Hate is being released on May 26, 2023 via High Point Records and is available for preorder here.





Tracklisting:


“Scorchbreath”
“Impregnate My Hate”
“Can’t Escape This”
“Scorpions Of Sinai”
“C Section S1lurpee”
“Death Frontier”
“Tantric Aspects Of The Cross”
“Immanence”
“Run It Red”


"Scorpions Of Sinai":





“Scorchbreath” video:





(Photo: Carolina Chambers)

Greek black metal legends, Rotting Christ, performed at at The Gramercy Theatre in New York, NY on March 10 as part of their Under Our Black Cult tour. The band have released a recap video, directed by Guilherme Henriques. Watch below:





In late 2022, Rotting Christ dropped a surprise EP, The Apocryphal Spells Vol. I, via Century Media Records. This first volume of songs is a collection of studio and live bonus tracks that were previously only available on select physical products; now, fans can stream these rarities for the first time online here.




Sakis Tolis (vocals, guitars) commented: "My dear friends, I can proudly announce a compilation of rare Rotting Christ tracks that have never been released on digital platforms before. We have now the opportunity to release them via the first part of a compilation: The Apocryphal Spells. Thanks for your attention, and I hope you will enjoy them, as we also did, recording them back in the days. Spirit Up!"





The Apocryphal Spells Vol. I tracklisting:


"Astral Embodiment"
"Moonlight"
"Phobia"
"Tormentor" (Kreator cover)
"Flag Of Hate/Pleasure to Kill" (Kreator cover)


Rotting Christ was founded by Sakis Tolis (vocals, guitars) and his brother Themis Tolis (drums) in 1987. Starting out as death/grind, the Greeks embarked on a darker musical journey by the time their debut full-length, Thy Mighty Contract (1993), was released.


On the following seven albums [spanning a ten-year period from Non Serviam (1994) to Sanctus Diavolos (2004)], Rotting Christ steadily defined their own distinct style by experimenting with elements from death, heavy, and gothic metal without betraying their black roots. At the same time, the band went from underground heroes to headliner status.


With their highly acclaimed ninth album, Theogonia (2007), the Greek stalwarts added an unmistakable native element to their sound, which has remained with them as a signature trademark ever since.

Singer Adam Gontier reunited with THREE DAYS GRACE onstage during the band's concert in Huntsville, Alabama Wednesday night (April 19).

Gontier rejoined his former bandmates when they opened for SHINEDOWN at the Probst Arena At The Von Braun Center to perform two classic songs from THREE DAYS GRACE's 2006 album "One-X": "Never Too Late" and "Riot".

THREE DAYS GRACE later shared a post-performance photo with Gontier on social media and wrote in an accompanying message: "Soooo we did a thing."

Last July, Gontier said that a reunion with his former bandmates was "likely" to happen "down the road at some point."

The 44-year-old Canadian-born musician made his comments just a couple of weeks after he and two members of the band's current lineup, bassist Brad Walst and his younger brother, vocalist Matt Walst, were inducted into the Norwood District High School Hall Of Honor in Norwood, Ontario.

Asked in an interview with Rock Feed if he would be open to working with THREE DAYS GRACE again now that he appears to be on good terms with his former bandmates, Gontier said: "You know what? Yeah. I mean, for sure. We've all grown up. It's been a while. There's no hard feelings or anything like that. We're all in touch now and we talk and text and stuff.

"We haven't really talked about doing anything — not yet anyway — but I feel like something like that is most likely down the road at some point," he added.

When interviewer Brian Storm noted that Adam's reunion with THREE DAYS GRACE would be a "big" deal, Gontier said, "And it would be a lot of fun." Storm then reiterated that the reunion would be "very big," to which Adam said: "Probably would be. You never know, man. We haven't really talked about it. But, yeah, I guess we'll see."

Earlier in July, Brad Walst spoke about reconnecting with Gontier at the Norwood District High School event in an interview with Tommy Carroll of the 97.9 WGRD radio station. He said: "It's funny 'cause the high school's been calling us for years. And, obviously, we've all had kind of different schedules, and Adam's been doing his thing and we've been doing our thing. And until recently, to be honest, we hadn't really spoken that much — we'd text and stuff. But Adam's moved back to the area, and he's got a great family and a great wife. And we've all kind of been chatting and hanging out. Yeah, I called him and just said, 'They want the three of us' — they want Matt, Adam and myself. And everyone agreed, and it was, like, 'Okay, let's do this.' So it was pretty cool to see [our] high school, where you grew up… It's nice to be acknowledged."

He continued: "It's funny, 'cause I texted Adam, 'You made the Hall Of Fame.' He's, like, 'Yup. Straight-B student.' [Laughs] But I think just having us together in that room was way more powerful, for sure. So it was a pretty cool feeling."

In 1992, Gontier, Brad Walst, Phil Crowe, Neil Sanderson and Joe Grant formed GROUNDSWELL while most of the members were still in high school. That band broke up in 1995, but two years later Gontier, Sanderson and Walst reformed as THREE DAYS GRACE. Gontier left the band in 2013 and was replaced by Matt, the vocalist from another Norwood band, MY DARKEST DAYS.

In a 2007 interview with The Oklahoman, Gontier said that he met some of his first bandmates while they were freshmen at Norwood District High School.

"I ended up hooking up with Brad because we had the same love of music," Gontier said. "He didn't play anything at the time. I suggested him getting a bass, and he did."

Gontier said that Canadian bands, including THE TRAGICALLY HIP and OUR LADY PEACE were early influences, along with the Seattle rock scene, particularly the group SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE.

Gontier initially went into rehab in 2005 in Toronto after admitting an addiction to Oxycontin. The rehab stint influenced some material which would appear on THREE DAYS GRACE's "One-X" album, including the songs "Pain" and "Over And Over".

Gontier left THREE DAYS GRACE in the spring of 2013. At the time, the Canadian rockers cited unspecified "health issues" when his departure was announced. Adam later released a statement explaining he exited THREE DAYS GRACE to pursue new projects, and not to deal with addiction.

Gontier is currently a member of SAINT ASONIA, which also features STAIND guitarist/founding member Mike Mushok. The quartet is rounded out by Cale Gontier (bass) and Cody Watkins (drums).

THREE DAYS GRACE's latest album, "Explosions", was released last May via RCA Records.

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OVERKILL frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth has weighed in on the fact that PANTERA's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) have united with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

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

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

Ellsworth discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback in an interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'd love to see it. When it comes around here, I'm gonna go. I think it's just a great thing. The original band itself was just so groundbreaking with regard to how they morphed into that 'Reinventing The Steel' vibe. [From] 'Cowboys From Hell' on, it was just amazing. I think if anything deserves to be celebrated, especially with original members there — at least 50 percent of them, obviously — this is the project or the event that needs to be celebrated and seen."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Releasing the re-imagined full-length Trail Of Souls: Samsara in July 2022, Seattle and Los Angeles-based heavy metal four-piece RivetSkull are sharing a new lyric video for the track “Mystified”. The song is about dealing with the fears of stepping out of your comfort zone and considering that sometimes it is easier to simply take solace by getting high and letting your mind wander to another place. A journey of finding your way out of the dark and into the light.


Watch and listen to "Mystified" via its lyric video premiere on BraveWords!







In addition to unveiling their new lyric video, RivetSkull recently launched a merch line called Zero Hate where proceeds from sales will be donated to a non-profit called Metal for Good, which uses the positive values of rock, metal, and other alternative subcultures to make a positive difference in communities. More information can be found at metalforgood.org.


The band comments on Zero Hate Merch.


"We like to make a difference and heavy metal has always been a refuge, RivetSkull is committed to working toward a world of #ZEROHATE. 100% of the profits from RivetSkull's ZERO HATE merch line will be donated to Metal for Good to help support programs that change lives through the collective power and support of the heavy metal community."


Rivetskull's latest full-length Trail Of Souls: Samsara is a complete re-recording of their self-published 2020 album Trail Of Souls. After self-recording and releasing the debut album during the global pandemic, the band revisited their songs with professional production to capture the massive sound that fans have come to expect from their live shows.


The band comments on re-recording and re-releasing the album:


"Our current sound is a petri dish of our combined experiences up until now: the things we’ve listened to, the things we’ve played… Trail Of Souls: Samsara is a re-recording of our self-recorded/ self-produced 2020 album Trail Of Souls. This time around, we recorded it organically, all together in one room at London Bridge Studio. A really good studio produces a really good sound: it’s either tuned that way professionally or it’s evolved that way through history. You work differently in that type of environment, it elevates the performance…It’s like if a doctor is doing surgery in their living room, they’re not going to perform as well.”





Trail Of Souls: Samsara has an epic, yet nostalgic feel. Lyrically, vocalist Chad McMurray writes from the heart about things people can relate to, nothing is contrived. RivetSkull isn’t trying to write a certain kind of song and they’re not trying to portray a certain image. They’re not trying to be a tough, brutal band. They’re just normal guys who like metal, much like it was in the 70s - 80s. “I don’t know, maybe we need to bring cod pieces back?” jokes McMurray.


Recorded at London Bridge Studio (Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Queensrÿche) and produced by Matt Hyde (Slayer, Deftones, Seether), “Trail of Souls: Samsara” promises much more than a sonic retouch of the original. The reworked collection features newncover artwork and a previously unreleased recording of a cover of Aerosmith’s “King And Queens.”


RivetSkull keeps it classic and is recommended for fans of Judas Priest, Def Leppard, and Armored Saint.


Stream the album on digital platforms here.


(Photo: Niffer Calderwood)

Iberian black/death metal practitioners, Noctem, performed "A Cruce Salas" from during their set at Bloodstock Open Air 2022. Watch professionally-filmed footage below.


Video of the band performing "The Black Consecration" is also available.










The band’s new full-length, Credo Certe Ne Cras, was released last October via MNRK Heavy. Find order options here.





Credo Certe Ne Cras trackisting:


"I Am Alpha"
"Sovereign Providence"
"Sanctum Of Anguish"
"Credo Certe Ne Cras"
"Homilia Of Punishment"
"The Pale Moon Rite"
"The Tolling Of The Nine Bells"
"Chalice Of Turpitude"
"Ceremonial Miasma"
"We Are Omega"


"Credo Certe Ne Cras" video:





"We Are Omega" video:





Noctem:


Beleth - vocals
Varu - bass
Voor - drums
Moss - guitars
Tobal - guitars

In a new interview with music writer Joel Gausten, Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein discusses how his vegan lifestyle and eating habits help him maintain good health and a positive attitude on the road. An excerpt from the story appears below:

Doyle credits his vegan diet for helping him rise above social anxiety and maintain a better outlook on life.  
 
“It makes me happy; it puts you in a good mood and makes you positive. I went to this place that used to sell the greatest fucking vegan meatball sandwich on the planet…I go in, and I had on a cut-off t-shirt like I always do. There were these two little 14-year-old girls; they turned to me while I was waiting in line (and asked), ‘Are you vegan?’ I said, ‘Yeah! It makes you happy, don’t it?’ They were like, ‘Yeeeaaaah!’ (laughs) It was so fuckin’ funny.”

As veganism continues to gain traction in the music industry (with plenty of interviews with other vegan musicians already in the works for this website), Doyle insists there’s nothing esoteric or unattainable about it.  

"The food isn’t made out of unicorn shit. It’s just food, and you can buy it anywhere. We buy it at fuckin’ Walmart.

Considering that the guy’s in a very public profession, how does he avoid catching an illness when dealing with countless people on a daily basis – especially during the meet-and-greets he offers after shows?

“I don’t let them touch me. ‘Oh, can I have a hug?’ Nope. They put their hand on me (and ask), ‘Is this okay?’ Nope. Then, they get offended. I don’t shake hands no more. Some dick tried to crush my hand with his overzealous fucking ‘I’m a tough guy’ handshake. I can break everybody’s hand who comes up there. Why would I do that? I hate that shit. So, now, it’s just a fist bump or go fuck yourself.”

The complete interview is available at this location.

 

In the clip below, Jeremy Lafrentz at Backstage Entertainment interviews Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein and Alex Story after their show at The Lookout Lounge in Omaha, NE, on October 29th, 2018. They discuss Doyle's latest album, As We Die, playing live shows and dealing with mobile phone-wielding fans, and being touched while performing.