In a new interview with Cigar Aficionado magazine, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield once again repeated his belief that he and his bandmates are not the greatest musicians in the world. "I know individually we're all really average players, but when you put us together, something happens," he said. "Something really happens…. Getting up and jamming with people is like a nightmare for me."

Hetfield also spoke about his struggles with stage fright during METALLICA's early days and how he overcame his performance anxiety in the band's later years.

"Early shows were really difficult — I was so shy," he admitted. "[I] didn't want to talk. I'd have the other guys in the band introduce the songs. [Now] I feel so comfortable up there, it's so weird. Sitting down one-on-one with someone is a lot more anxiety ridden than standing up in front of 10,000 people, 20,000 people."

Hetfield previously touched upon the METALLICA members' musical skills — or supposed lack thereof — in a 2016 interview with Spotify's "Metal Talks". The subject came up as Hetfield was discussing METALLICA's performance of its classic song "Enter Sandman" using children's musical instruments during an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". They were joined by the house band THE ROOTS and host Fallon.

"The 'Jimmy Fallon' thing is just one of those things that showed up in our lap," James explained. "They said, 'Hey, you wanna do this?' [And we were] like, 'Sure. Why not?' And, yeah, we had a blast doing that."

He continued: "You have to have humor, you have to… you've gotta laugh at yourselves, you've got to… not take yourself so seriously all the time. Stuff like that is just fun, and it lightens your heart, and it humbles you as well.

"We're literally afraid to jam with certain people, 'cause we think we're not worthy enough; we're not great musicians. Even with those little flutes and stuff, I was worried… I mean, Kirk [Hammett, guitar] was practicing the song on this little recording thing. It's, like, 'Dude, stop practicing it! Just go have fun, man. Go screw it up.'"

Hetfield added: "It's fun to give each other permission to screw up, and you're not under a microscope. 'Cause live, I mean, sometimes we're really tight, sometimes we're really not. And before going onstage, we always remind each other that, 'Hey, mistakes are supposed to happen up here and it makes this gig unique. Don't be so hard on yourself. And if you're feeling down, just look at the other guys, and we'll carry you through.' So there's a freedom to fuck up in METALLICA."

METALLICA's 12th studio album, "72 Seasons", will be released April 14 via the band's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track "72 Seasons" is METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct". The album will be released in formats, including 2LP 140g black vinyl and limited-edition variants, CD and digital.

Chilean metal group Weight Of Emptiness have released a video for the song "Defrosting", taken from their new album Withered Paradogma, released March 7th, 2023 via Sliptrick Records.


Weight Of Emptiness released this statement: "When our true essence manages to thaw the ice walls of the soul, we can be ourselves and face the challenge of controlling our own life, without the heavy burdens imposed by society or the rigid standards of upbringing. That also happens on a social scale, and the people also begin to understand where they want to go and where they come from. 'Defrosting' invites the listener to defrost the soul and look towards our roots to find a path in the future."







Withered Paradogma artwork and tracklisting:





"Mutrümtun (The Calling)"
"Defrosting"
"0440"
"Wolves"
"Vital End"
"Beyond The Marinas"
"Black State Council"
"Storm Within"
"Oblivion Collector"
"Solstice Haze"
"The Awakening"





For further details, visit WeightOfEmptiness.com.


 

Medevil is a highly energetic, fast-paced metal band known for their tight songwriting, intense stage presence and roaring vocals. Back in 2016, they released their debut album Conductor Of Storms and this year they are following it up with Mirror In The Darkness, which is dedicated to their late drummer Chris Malcolmson whose drums are recorded on the album. The latest single off this progressive and adventurous new album is “Dead Before Birth” presented with a visualizer video. 


The band shares their thoughts on the opening track:


“Kicking things off is ‘Dead Before Birth’, a hard-hitting opening track that begins with a drum-only intro. Featuring complex arrangements, precise timings, and vicious guitar riffs. Between the many different time signatures, dense guitar layers, and menacing chorus, ‘Dead Before Birth’’s goal is to be catchy while also challenging the listener. The lyrics are kept abstract, dealing in a metaphorical sense with the feelings of depression.”




The single was actually the first track they fully completed writing for the album, all the way back in 2017 with the Conductor Of Storms lineup. The song didn’t change too much since then, but it also helped pave the way for the vibe of the album to be in a much more progressive and interesting direction than before. There are more twists that catch you off guard here, and is the perfect way to kick off Mirror In The Darkness. It’s probably their most complicated song rhythmically, and while they didn’t originally write this thinking it should be complex, it seemed to happen naturally with the riffs they were coming up with at the time. Somehow despite that complexity, it’s also extremely catchy.


Mirror In The Darkness comes out on April 7. Pre-order on Bandcamp and receive the digital download of "The Signal".





Tracklisting:


“Dead Before Birth”
“Among Thieves”
“Pray For Me”
“The Signal”
“Smoke And Mirrors”
“Weight Of The Crown”
“Mirror In The Darkness”
“Gateways”
“Veiled”
“No Peace In Rest”


"Dead Before Birth":





"Pray For Me":





“The Signal”:





"Among Thieves" lyric video:





(Photo – Matthew Collingwood)

Dissonant death metal outfit Nightmarer, which features current and former members of The Ocean, Convulsing, Gigan, War From A Harlot’s Mouth, and more, will release their second full-length, Deformity Adrift, via Total Dissonance Worship And Vendetta Records on May 5.


Today, the band release a music video for the track, "Hammer Of Desolation". Watch below:







Forged in 2014, the international collective known as Nightmarer set out to derive only the most extreme elements of their previous musical endeavours and take them to much more miserable and punishing levels. Two years later, the band hit the extreme metal underground with their debut EP Chasm. The furious whirlwind of low-end dissonance and pulverizing heaviness immediately took the scene by storm and paved the path to a record contract with Season Of Mist.


Nightmarer’s following full-length Cacophony Of Terror (2018) and their appearance on the 2019 edition of the Devastation On The Nation Tour, earned the band a strong, diehard following, while the addition of guitarist Keith Merrow (Merrow, Conquering Dystopia) in the same year, only further cemented their reputation as a band to watch closely.


In early 2020, Nightmarer parted ways with Season Of Mist to launch their own label, Total Dissonance Worship. Under that banner, the band released the single “Primordial Grit” and 2021 EP Monolith Of Corrosion to critical acclaim from both fans and critics alike.


By 2021, most of the band relocated to Portland, Oregon to finish the production of their long-awaited, second full-length: this year’s Deformity Adrift.


Inarguably the band’s most diverse work to date, Deformity Adrift ventures far beyond the conventions of the already unconventional genre of dissonant death metal, without surrendering an ounce of viciousness. A thirty-two-minute sonic behemoth, the record is at once confounding and ravaging. Strong nuances of industrial and doom metal can be heard throughout, the record’s nine tracks concluding fittingly with a suffocating wall of sound that leaves its listeners bruised, battered, and shaken.


Guitars on Deformity Adrift were recorded by Simon Hawemann at Sludge Studios, vocals and additional guitars were recorded by Keith Merrow at Merrowsound, all bass was recorded by Brendan Sloan at Overland, and drums were recorded by Marc Wüstenhagen at Dailyhero Recordings. The record was mixed and mastered by Raphaël Bovey at MyRoom Studio and comes adorned in the cover art of Jeanne Comateuse.


Nightmarer’s Deformity Adrift will be released by Total Dissonance Worship in the US and Vendetta Records in Europe on CD, vinyl, cassette, digital, and streaming formats. Find pre-orders here.





Deformity Adrift tracklisting:


"Brutalist Imperator"
"Baptismal Tomb"
"Throe Of Illicit Withdrawal"
"Tooms"
"Suffering Beyond Death"
"Taufbefehl"
"Hammer Of Desolation"
"Endstadium"
"Obliterated Shrine"


"Taufbefehl" video:





"Throe Of Illicit Withdrawal":





Nightmarer lineup:


John Collett - vocals
Simon Hawemann - guitars
Keith Merrow - guitars
Brendan Sloan - bass
Paul Seidel – drums


Additional musicians:


Christian Kolf and Jan Buckard (Valborg) - guest vocals on “Taufbefehl”
Eeli Helin - soundscapes and noise on “Taufbefehl”
Jesse Zuretti and Robert Bruckmayer - orchestration, soundscapes, samples on “Obliterated Shrine”


(Photo - Peter Voigtmann)

Ventura, California's heavy metal institution, Night Demon, have released a video for "Beyond The Grave", from their third full-length, Outsider, out now via Century Media Records. Watch below.


Jarvis Leatherby (vocals/bass) comments: "'Beyond the Grave' marks a pivotal moment in the Outsider album. This concept record follows a storyline, and here our main character finds himself in a dire situation, having to confront the darkest aspects of his own psyche. It's an ode to waging war and making peace with our own alter egos. The music video builds on these themes. We explore the darker aspects of ourselves, expressed on screen through magickal ritual and dark mirror gazing. We're immensely proud of this next single and video, and we hope it strikes a chord with our fans."







For more than a decade, Night Demon have defiantly flown the flag of traditional heavy metal, unwavering in the face of shifting industry trends and unscarred by global calamities. With new album Outsider, the band have challenged themselves musically and lyrically, pushing creative boundaries and evolving their sound far beyond their NWOBHM-worshipping origins into something truly singular.


Order here.





Outsider tracklisting:


"Prelude"
"Outsider"
"Obsidian"
"Beyond The Grave"
"Rebirth"
"Escape From Beyond"
"A Wake"
"The Wrath"
"The Last Day"


"Escape From Beyond" video:





"Outsider" video:





Night Demon are out on the "Hell's Decibels Tour 2023", hitting cities across the US alongside Satan and Haunt - with the trek concluding in Philly as the official Decibel Metal & Beer Fest pre-party. See below for all dates.


March


24 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
25 - Houston, TX - White Oak (Hell's Heroes)
26 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
27 - Wichita, KS - - Barleycorns
29 - St Paul, MN - Turf Club
30 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
31 - Des Moines, IA - Lefty's Live Music


April
1 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom (2 Minutes To Tulsa)
4 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
5 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
6 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
7 - Mechanicsburg, PA - Lovedraft's
8 - Cambridge, MA - Sonia
9 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
11 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz
13 - Philadelphia, PA - The Foundry (Decibel Metal & Beer Fest pre-party)


Night Demon lineup:


Jarvis Leatherby - Vocals / Bass
Dusty Squires - Drums
Armand John Anthony - Guitars


(Photo - Nikolas Bremm)

Available below is a remastered video for "Brutal Planet", the opening track of Alice Cooper's Brutally Live tour. The video was filmed at London's Hammersmith Apollo in 2000. The Brutally Live tour followed the release of the studio album, Brutal Planet, a great collection of songs showing Alice Cooper embracing the harder side of heavy rock.





The Alice Cooper North American tour, with an all-new show dubbed "Too Close For Comfort," kicks off in late April in Michigan and continues through late September, including a handful of August stadium shows with Def Leppard and Motley Crue, followed by a co-headlining late summer "Freaks On Parade" tour with Rob Zombie.




For tickets + VIP information, head here.





Tour dates:


April
28 - Mt. Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino + Resort
29 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre
30 - Hershey, PA - The Hershey Theater


May
2 - Fort Wayne, IN - Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
3 - Milwaukee, WI - Miller High Life Theatre
5 - Prior Lake, MN - Mystic Lake Mystic Showroom
6 - Bemidji, MN - Sanford Center
7 - Sioux City, IA - Tyson Events Center
9 - Champaign, IL - State Farm Center
10 - Louisville, KY - Louisville Palace Theater
13 - Knoxville, TN - The Tennessee Theatre
14 - Spartanburg, SC - Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
15 - North Charleston, SC - Performing Arts Center
17 - Shreveport, LA - Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
18 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage Theatre
20 - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome to Rockville*
 
* Festival


With Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe:


August
5 - Syracuse, NY - JMA Wireless Dome
8 - Columbus, OH - The Ohio State University Ohio Stadium
11 - Fargo, ND - Fargodome
13 - Omaha, NE - Charles Schwab Field Omaha
16 - Tulsa, OK - Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
18 - El Paso, TX - Sun Bowl Stadium





Freaks On Parade Tour with Rob Zombie:


August
24 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion
26 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
27 - West Palm Beach, FL - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
29 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
30 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater


September
1 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
2 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena
5 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
6 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
8 - Scranton, PA - The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
9 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
10 - Hartford, CT - The XFINITY Theatre
12 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
16 - Englewood, CO - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre *
19 - Ridgefield, WA - RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
20 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre
22 - Concord, CA - Concord Pavilion
23 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
24 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

In a new interview with I'm Music Magazine, legendary bassist Billy Sheehan, who is perhaps best known for his stint as a member of former VAN HALEN frontman David Lee Roth's solo band, was asked how he feels about the explosion of artists using tracks in their live shows these days. He responded: "My last moments with David Lee Roth was in the studio. We sang all the background vocals for the 'Skyscraper' tour, to be on samples for them to use live, which went against my grain to start with. And later that day, I had the meeting which ended my relationship with Dave. Fortunately, I did not go out on that tour with fake vocals. I did sing on that tour, but I did it digitally."

Sheehan, who is currently on the road with THE WINERY DOGS promoting that band's third album, "III", continued: "I'm very, very much against faking it. Richie [Kotzen, THE WINERY DOGS vocalist/guitarist] really sings. There isn't a note of pitch correction on our record. It becomes professional wrestling at some point. I hate to see it because all it takes is work.

"I've never had any talent," Billy added. "I just worked my ass off and figured out the notes, figured out how to do it and got up on stage and did it live. But once you get it, you got it and it's satisfying and it's real and I prefer that over anything else.

"With THE WINERY DOGS, we improvise a lot. We do a lot of jamming, and we don't know what's going to happen. Somebody turns left or turns right and we decide to follow him. It makes it fun and alive, and people are enjoying a spontaneous moment where something happened that will never happen again."

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

KISS frontman Paul Stanley, who has been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years, has been accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's ongoing "End Of The Road" tour.

Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip sync. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.

"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use [backing] tracks."

Last month, KISS's longtime manager Doc McGhee defended Stanley's vocal performance on "End Of The Road", explaining that the "Star Child" "fully sings to every song" at every concert. He explained: It's enhanced. It's just part of the process to make sure that everybody hears the songs the way they should be sang to begin with. Nobody wants to hear people do stuff that's not real, that's not what they came to hear."

When McGhee was asked to clarify if he was "actually saying there are backing tracks that [Paul is] singing to," Doc said: "He'll sing to tracks. It's all part of a process. Because everybody wants to hear everybody sing. But he fully sings to every song."

In March 2020, SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers said that "90 percent" of rock artists use at least some pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. He told Rock Feed: "It bothers me that it bothers people. I'm, like, 'Why does this bother you?' It's the way it is. People have been doing this since the '80s. And we want the sound to be the best it can be. Could we go up there, just the four of us, and put on the best rock show ever? Of course. But that's not how we wanna do it."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has previously said that he is "one of the last people" who are still not using pre-recorded tracks at their live shows. "I don't know how much longer I can say to you that I don't use tapes onstage, because I don't, and I never have," he told Consequence Of Sound. "And I still don't. When I have opening bands, and they're using tapes, and then I come out and I don't use tapes… sometimes, it makes me feel stupid, because I'm like, 'What am I doing, when all these kids half my age can come onstage and do all of my moves, but they don't have to warm up for an hour before the show, or weeks, before the first show?' Sometimes, I'm like, 'Why do I even bother, if the public is so used to this other way?' It's becoming very rare to come see a good band that's actually a real band — that's not miming or doing silly moves while a tape is running. It just becomes more rare as the years go on."

In 2019, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said that he doesn't "agree" with certain rock artists relying on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. "I tell you what, I see it with a lot of younger bands, and I don't think it's a good thing at all," he told the New York Post. "I mean, the music is getting too technical now. You have computerized recording systems, which we use, but I think we use them more for convenience than because we need to. We've toured with a couple bands that use tapes — it's not real. You're supposed to play live; it should be live. I don't agree with using tapes … I think it's a real shame."

One musician who has been open about his band's use of taped vocals during live performances is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, who said: "We've used technology since '87." He added the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."

In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live. "I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."

Photo credit: Jeff Gerew / ABC Public Relations

LAST IN LINE — the band featuring frontman Andrew Freeman, bassist Phil Soussan (ex-OZZY OSBOURNE),and original DIO members Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD) and Vinny Appice (ex-BLACK SABBATH) — will release its third studio album, "Jericho", on March 31 via earMUSIC. Audio samples of all the tracks that will appear on the LP can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Despite the past two years of isolation, "Jericho" was produced in the best hard rock tradition with great studio performances of an excellent all-star lineup.

Campbell explains: "With LAST IN LINE, just as we did with DIO, we cut the basic tracks live. It's important for us to capture the energy of the syncopation of playing together in real time — much like the energy of a live show. This record represents the best of both worlds: the spirit of an energetic band performance, and the more reflective and nuanced qualities of our individual performances, too."

Appice says: "All the musical forces of LAST IN LINE are combined here for a super-powerful new record. Press play and put your seatbelts on!!"

Last year, LAST IN LINE surprised with a unique version of THE BEATLES classic "A Day In The Life", which was released on the limited 12-inch silver collector's EP with the same name.

Last summer, Vinny told Metal Rules that LAST IN LINE's third studio album was helmed by Chris Collier, who has previously worked with KORN and WHITESNAKE, among other bands. LAST IN LINE's first two albums were produced by former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson.

The news of LAST IN LINE's partnership with earMUSIC was shared in February 2022 by Appice during an appearance on "Waste Some Time With Jason Green". Vinny also revealed that LAST IN LINE completed recording six more new songs in late January at Danny "Count" Koker's Desert Moon studios in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Formed in 2012 by Appice, Campbell and bassist Jimmy Bain — Ronnie James Dio's co-conspirators and co-writers on the "Holy Diver", "Last In Line" and "Sacred Heart" albums — LAST IN LINE's initial intent was to celebrate Ronnie James Dio's early work by reuniting the members of the original DIO lineup. After playing shows that featured a setlist composed exclusively of material from the first three DIO albums, the band decided to move forward and create new music in a similar vein.

LAST IN LINE's debut album, "Heavy Crown", was released in February 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl, landing at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Initially, the release had been preceded by tragedy when Bain unexpectedly died at the age of 68 on January 23, 2016. LAST IN LINE, honoring what they knew would be Bain's wish to keep the band moving, brought in Soussan and committed to sustained touring in support of the album before beginning work on the follow-up release, 2019's "II", which was also made available through Frontiers Music Srl.

In February 2021, Soussan told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast about the musical direction of the new LAST IN LINE material: "The songs are another progression from the last album — the difference between 'Heavy Crown' and 'II', and now 'II' and whatever this next album is gonna be called. But it's definitely evolved even more; it's gone into even more of an evolution, but we are always trying to keep the characteristics of LAST IN LINE there. I mean, you can't shake those things — you can't shake Vinny's drumming, you can't shake Vivian's playing. And I'd like to say the same thing about myself, and, of course, Andrew."

Some of the early recording sessions for LAST IN LINE's third album took place in January 2020 at Steakhouse studio in North Hollywood, California.

"Jericho" track listing:

01. Not Today Satan
02. Ghost Town
03. Bastard Son
04. Dark Days
05. Burning Bridges
06. Do The Work
07. Hurricane Orlagh
08. Walls Of Jericho
09. Story Of My Life
10. We Don't Run
11. Something Wicked
12. House Party At The End Of The World

Photo credit: Jim Wright

CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth has spoken to Metal Hammer magazine about the status of his band's much-anticipated collaboration with pop megastar Ed Sheeran. He said: "Ed's done all his parts. It's just bass and vocals for me to do on my return to England after Easter. It's exactly how you can imagine it'll sound, if you can imagine Ed Sheeran with CRADLE OF FILTH. He plays acoustic guitar on it, but it's heavy; it's got a blast beat in there. The plan is to do it as a charity single. We're hoping for it to be out by the summer."

Regarding what it's like being friends with a pop star, Dani said: "Weird. I've spoken to him very regularly over the last two years. Like me, he's a real Suffolk boy. When he came to the studio that day [in December to record his parts], he didn't come down with a cavalcade of reporters: he turned up on his own, guitar on his back, CRADLE OF FILTH hoodie on, and got on with it. It was fucking great."

Filth originally broke the news about potentially working with the 32-year-old singer/songwriter, who is one of the most successful musicians on the planet, during an interview with Kerrang! Radio"Breakfast Show" at the 2021 Bloodstock Open Air festival in the U.K. At the time, Dani said: "I've actually been e-mailing with [Ed]… He actually touched base with me. I've been invited up to his place. Well, he said he could come down to mine, but I pointed out to him that I don't own my own bar or village, and it'd be better if I went there.

"He said he'd do anything," he added. "Quite literally. He said he's a massive fan. He seems like a genuinely very nice guy actually."

Filth went on to say the prospect of collaborating with someone like Sheeran is not as far fetched as one might think. "We've always been like that," he explained. 'If someone tells us not to do something, then we'll do it. That's been our prerogative the whole time. I did this rap song with this band called TWIZTID in America. It's actually turned out more like RAMMSTEIN and BEASTIE BOYS than full-on rap. So, in that respect, I think it the Ed Sheeran collaboration would be great fun. I think it'd be great if we did it for charity, because at least it would bring a bit of credibility to it. Because obviously to his public, it'd be, like, Oh my god, he's got this weird comical guy,' and to my public it'd be, like, 'Oh my god, this is a bit weird, isn't it? But I think that sort of thing nowadays works."

In July 2021, Sheeran floated the possibility of exploring a more extreme musical path while speaking to The Sun. He said: "I was really into death metal as a kid. I listened to CRADLE OF FILTH and SLIPKNOT and all that stuff. I'm not saying I could ever step into that world. I learnt all those riffs on guitar as a kid. That's something I've never thought about doing — but something I would not be opposed to creating."

Sheeran had previously dabbled in a variety of genres, including rock, dance, rap and reggae.

After The Sun published Sheeran's comments, Filth posted a screenshot of an article headlined "Ed Sheeran is open to recording a death metal album after spending his youth listening to CRADLE OF FILTH" and wrote in an accompanying caption, "I'll believe it when I see it. Fellow Suffolk lad could come good in the end. 'Dracula's Castle On The Hill' anyone?"

Sheeran previously admitted to his love of SLIPKNOT in a 2017 interview with Gist. Speaking about the inspiration for his then-brand new album "Divide", Ed said: "I've had the concept for 'Divide' since 2010. I wanted the whole album to feel a bit schizophrenic. My first sort of music that I got into that wasn't from my parents was rap, metal, punk… I went one day listening to 'lowa' [from] SLIPKNOT and the next day listening to Damien Rice's 'O'. It was quite a switch."

As it turns out, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor is also a Sheeran admirer, as he made clear in a 2017 interview with NME. Speaking about Ed's massive commercial success, Corey said at the time: "I'm stoked for people like Ed Sheeran — that kid worked his ass off, so why shouldn't he get the recognition?"

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"Meteora", LINKIN PARK's groundbreaking second album, was released in March 2003 and included the global hit singles "Somewhere I Belong", "Faint", "Numb", "Breaking The Habit" and "From The Inside". It has sold over eight million copies in the U.S. and has been certified multi-platinum, platinum, or gold in 15 countries.

To mark the 20th anniversary of this landmark release, it is being reissued on April 7 in multiple formats: Limited Edition Super Deluxe Box Set, 4 LP Deluxe Vinyl Box Set, 3-disc Deluxe CD and digital: all containing a wealth of previously unreleased or rare tracks. Among the unreleased tracks are several gems previously unknown to LINKIN PARK fans, including "Fighting Myself", which is composed of vocal stems from the band's late vocalist Chester Bennington and rap verses from Mike Shinoda. Listen to the song below.

"Fighting Myself" marks the second "Meteora" outtake to be released following the arrival of "Lost" in February.

LINKIN PARK has been on hiatus since the death of Bennington in 2017.

Last April, Shinoda said that there are no plans for new music, albums or live shows from the band.

The 45-year-old musician, who was appointed Community Innovation Advisor of Warner Recorded Music (WRM),addressed LINKIN PARK's future during a Twitch livestream.

"The only LINKIN PARK news I have for you is that… Yeah, we talk every few weeks — I talk to the guys, or some of the guys," he said. "And there's no tours, there's no music, there's no albums in the pipeline. Okay, so let me just tell you that. So just keep in your minds that that is not happening.

"I'm just gonna say that much for now," he continued. "I say that because anytime the band says anything or does anything, everyone tries to start up the hype train, and we're, like, 'No, no, no, no. Don't start up the hype train.' You're gonna disappoint yourself. Don't do that."

LINKIN PARK has not performed together in public since October 2017, when the surviving members staged a tribute concert in Los Angeles to Bennington. The band has not officially announced whether it intends to carry on following the death of Bennington, who committed suicide in July 2017 at the age of 41.

Four years ago, Shinoda shot down reports that LINKIN PARK was actively searching for a replacement for Bennington. In February 2019, Shinoda took to his Twitter account to write: "Lemme clarify a rumor: we are not looking for a new singer, and if it were to happen organically, I'd be open. Seems pretty clear, yet I guess some folks have a hard time understanding.

"I'm not into predicting the future. The future will happen."

Shinoda made his comments in an apparent response to how the media covered an interview he gave to Rock Antenne. When asked about the possibility of finding a new singer, Shinoda said: "That's not my goal right now. I think it has to happen naturally. And if we find somebody that's a great person that we think is a good personality fit and a good stylistic fit, then I could see trying to do some stuff with somebody... I wouldn't wanna ever feel like we were replacing Chester."

Shinoda added: "I know the other guys, they love to get onstage, they love to be in the studio, and so to not do that would be — I don't know — almost unhealthy. If doing that means that we need to have some other people in the mix in order to do it and do it well, then we would do that... But, like I said before, it has to happen naturally. I'm not running out and putting up 'vocalist wanted' posters."

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, the extreme metal band founded by Simon Neil (BIFFY CLYRO) and Mike Vennart (BIFFY CLYRO live guitarist and solo artist, ex-OCEANSIZE),has released its debut song "Harvest". The track is available now on all streaming platforms and accompanied by a visualizer which can be seen on the group's YouTube channel.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, which recently signed with Roadrunner Records, also features the legendary Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE) on drums, with Naomi Macleod (BITCH FALCON) rounding out the live lineup on bass.

Bursting with aggression, "Harvest" sees Vennart's inventive, barbed riffs complementing Neil's feral vocal attack, with Lombardo's battering ram rhythms anchoring it all.

Commenting on the release, the band exclaimed: "Empires fall, States rise, Bastards sing…it's 'Harvest' time, motherfuckers!"

"Harvest" features artwork from BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" host Daniel P. Carter, who described the track as "a blistering noise/metal assault."

The idea behind EMPIRE STATE BASTARD emerged when Simon and Mike would spend downtime on tour sitting at the back of the bus sharing the heaviest, most avant-garde or the most sickeningly confrontational music they could find. When thoughts turned to making their own sonic wasteland, Simon already had the band name in mind, leaving Mike with a particularly grotesque challenge: what music could he write that would live up to the name?

It took around a decade to find both the time and ferocity to make it happen. With Mike writing the songs and recording all guitars, and Simon focused on vocals and lyrics, they eventually emerged with a collection of songs which adventurously probes almost every dark crevice imaginable from the myriad sounds of metal and genre-adjacent extremity.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD's terrifying tourist trail visits slamming hardcore in the vein of SIEGE; frenetic, visceral thrash in SLAYER's ballpark; the claustrophobic sludge of MELVINS; the freeform vocal dexterity of Mike Patton; and the gargantuan stoner riffs of SLEEP. It's a band that’s rooted in the tradition of metal's forefathers, but informed by more recent waves of leftfield aggression.

Up next, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD is slated for a run of sold-out U.K. shows later this month, with festival sets confirmed for this spring and summer at U.K.'s Download (June 9),France's Hellfest (June 18),U.K.'s 2000trees (July 7) and U.K.'s ArcTanGent (August 17).

Neil previously told NME that working on other projects, including EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, got him "through not touring — just knowing I can spend the year making new music."

He added: "I like putting myself in these positions where I'm like, 'I should never be doing this, so this is what I'm going to do.' I don't just want to do the same shit. Every time between records, I want to do something that's fucked up and off the wall. It brings me back to BIFFY, and I'm more in love with it now than I've ever been."

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

Lombardo rejoined TESTAMENT last year.

Photo credit: Connor Cockbain

An official visualizer for the new single from Outlanders (Tarja Turunen and Torsten Stenzel), "Echoes", featuring Jennifer Batten can be viewed below. You can also stream the single here.


Says Tarja: "A long time ago I sat down in Antigua together with Torsten, Angela, and Adrian to write songs for my second rock album, What Lies Beneath. The writing session was successful and among other songs written, this beautiful one came out. Still, I felt it needed its own special space and that my rock album was not the right place for it.


Many years after, when we were in the process of working with Outlanders, I remembered our song and wanted to use it. In fact, I ended up recording my vocals for the song more than once…




Our love for Africa and its people was the inspiration for this song. Adrian is a Kenyan national himself, so we started to speak about his life there and we wrote the lyrics having this in mind. The endless abuse of this continent throughout the history created the powerful lyrics and sends out a strong message.


Most of the population in Antigua is of an African ancestry as well, so you can clearly hear the echoes of Mother Africa and our song found its home with Outlanders. Everything is connected and happens for a reason.  


When searching for the guitar guest for Echoes, I felt we needed a female sensitivity to capture our soul connection with the song. Jennifer Batten was the right person for it. She understood the concept and played wonderfully throughout the song, colouring it with different pedals and voices. Personally, her playing made me weep. Jennifer, thank you for pouring yourself into our song.


Hopefully you can find 'Echoes' inspiring!"


On the creation of the visualizer, Tarja reveals: "On the visualizer for 'Echoes' we wanted to show a different side of Antigua. Its natural beauty surrounds you wherever we go, but if you get to explore Antigua’s rainforest, you get to fall in love with it.


Wallings Dam is about a 30 minutes drive from Falmouth along Fig tree Drive. The old British built dam in itself is not hugely impressive, but the forest scenery around there makes a visit worthwhile.


'Echoes' is a song about Africa, without forgetting the origins of the people of Antigua and the dark history of slavery.


The day of the filming was super warm and humid, so it felt really nice to be embraced with so much greenery and nature.


We hope you will enjoy 'Echoes'!"


"Echoes" is the seventh of eight singles and is available as a limited edition 7" vinyl exclusively at Tarja's online store and digitally at earMUSIC.





Side A:
"Echoes" (Feat. Jennifer Batten)


Side B:
"Echoes" (Original Demo 2008)

Former Overkill drummer, Sid Falck, has released a new song, "Black Angel", under the Falck name.





Sid Falck: “Who / what is the Black Angel? I think the Black Angel represents something different to each person, typically something bad and/or negative. To me, the Black Angel, is the ‘entity’ that takes over your nightmares, making them even more unpleasant, realistic and scary.. to the point that you’re absolutely convinced, that what you’re in the middle of is real, and therefore, you feel like you can’t just wake up to escape whatever situation you believe yourself to be in. I actually got the idea from seeing posts on social media, from friends, talking about ‘sleep paralysis' and thought it would be interesting to explore.




Once again, Dano Hibbs of Breeding Thorns was asked to supply the lead guitar, and as usual, he took it over the top. I have to interject here, that I find it absolutely criminal, that Dano is not already a household name for top 10 guitarist in not just the US, but everywhere. Guy is F**king amazing!!“


"Black Angel" can be downloaded here for “set your own price”, making it a free download, should you so choose. "Black Angel" is / will also be available on all streaming and digital platforms.


An accompanying video can be viewed below:

Heavy southern rock band, Texas Hippie Coalition, is set to release their new album, The Name Lives On, on April 21 via MNRK Heavy. The band's seventh studio album is a hard-hitting, riff-heavy sonic assault from beginning to end.


Starting today, fans can pre-save/pre-order the album here.  The band also releases the punishing video for their first single, "Hell Hounds". directed by Justin H. Reich. Watch below.


Texas Hippie Coalition is often compared to the many great southern rock and Texas bands that came before them. But they are proving to the world that THC is not just following in their footsteps, they are leaving giant footprints. THC has etched out a place for themselves in the multi-genre fields of music, and have also created their own genre, "Red Dirt Metal." You have to hear it to understand it. Words are not enough to convey how powerfully big their sound is.







Tracklisting:


"Hell Hounds"
"| Come From The Dirt"
"Built For The Road"
"Scream"
"Hard Habit"
"Believe"
"License To Kill"
"Keep My Name Out Of Your Mouth"
"| Teach Angels How To Fly"
"The Name Lives On"


"Hell Hounds" video:





Texas Hippie Coalition is currently on the road, with US dates through mid-June.


Tour dates:


March
29 - Arizona Bike Week - Scottsdale, AZ
30 - Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar - Las Vegas, NV
31 - Juggernaut Music - Gallup, NM


April
1 - Lauter Haus Brewing Co. - Farmington, NM
 2 - The Liberty -  Roswell, NM
13 - Southbound - Springfield, MO
14 - Royal 66 Mountain - Home, AR
15 - Kansas Crossing Casino - Pittsburg, KS
16 - Brooksto - Dover, AR
20 - Moxi Theatre - Greeley, CO
21 - Wild Goose Saloon - Parker, CO
22 - Wild Goose Saloon - Parker, CO
23 - Sunshine Studios Live - Colorado Springs, CO
28 - Yukon Czech Hall - Yukon, OK  
29 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK


May
19 - Tannahill's Tavern & Music Hall - Fort Worth, TX
20 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
21 - Southport Hall - Jefferson, LA
25 - The Crafthouse Stage & Grill - Pittsburgh, PA
26 - Blue Note Harrison, Harrison, OH


June
8 - The Forge - Joliet, IL
9 - The Eclectic Room - Angola, IN
10 - The King of Clubs - Columbus, OH
11 - Mohawk Place - Buffalo, NY
14 - The Big House - Laconia, NH
15 - The L, Horseheads, NY
16 - The Winchester - Lakewood, OH


Texas Hippie Coalition are:


Big Dad Ritch
Cord Pool
Nevada Romo
Lorado Romo
Joey Mandigo


(Photo - Colt Coan)

The Rolling Stones have released English and Spanish language lyric videos for "Anybody Seen My Baby", lifted from the band's 1997  album, Bridges To Babylon. Watch both clips below:










The band previously released English and Spanish language lyric videos for "Rain Fall Down", from 2005's A Bigger Bang. Watch below.








Watch English and Spanish lyric videos for the Stones classic "Angie", originally featured on the band's 1973 album, Goats Head Soup.








(Photo - Claude Gassian)

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


A message states: "What better way to witness how a Queen show looked every bit as spectacular as it sounded, than revisiting this iconic performance at the Milton Keynes Bowl. Here we see Freddie, Roger, Brian and John give a jaw-dropping rendition of one of their greatest live rockers."







Queen guitarist Brian May’s investiture as a Knight of The Realm took place on Tuesday, March 14, at Buckinghamshire Palace. The knighthood was presented to Brian by His Royal Highness, King Charles.


BBC reports: Less than a year after the late Queen appeared on screen tapping out the beat of "We Will Rock You" over tea with Paddington Bear, the man who wrote the song - and whose band shared her moniker - has attended Buckingham Palace to receive a knighthood.


Guitarist Brian May was given the honour for services to music and charity, with pictures showing him chatting with King Charles and posing with his medallion after the ceremony."


View photos at BBC.com.


Brian’s Honours List citation recognizes Brian as:


Dr Brian Harold May CBE - “Musician, Astrophysicist and Animal Welfare Advocate. For services to Music and to Charity.”


Already carrying the title of Dr. as well as previously receiving a CBE, the Queen musician now receives the award of a Knighthood, adding the honorific title Sir to his name, hereafter to be recognized with the full title Sir Brian Harold May CBE.  Brian’s wife of 22 years, Anita Dobson, may use the title of Lady May.


In receiving his recognition, Sir Brian responded by saying: “I’m happy and grateful to receive this honour. I will regard the knighthood not so much as a reward, but more as a charge – a commission – for me to continue to fight for justice – to be a voice for those who have no voice.  I will endeavour to be worthy – to be that Knight in Shining Armour.”


The Full Citation reads as follows:


Brian May is an acclaimed musician and songwriter, founding member of the rock group Queen. In 2020 he was named Greatest Guitarist of All Time by Total Guitar Magazine. Queen’s performance at Live Aid in 1985 is acknowledged as the greatest live set in history. Brian famously opened the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002 performing live on Buckingham Palace roof – and 20 years later returned to open the Platinum Jubilee concert atop the Victoria Monument. He is also an accomplished astrophysicist, now attached as stereoscopist to many NASA Space exploration teams. He re-established the London Stereoscopic Company in 2008, was co-founder of Asteroid Day in 2015, for the protection of Earth from Asteroid strikes, and was Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University from 2008-2013. His work defending Britain’s wild animals led him to found the Save-Me Trust in 2009, which is his continuing passion, campaigning for the rights of foxes and badgers, and hosting an active wild-life rescue operation.

Megadeth frontman / founder Dave Mustaine is featured in a new interview with Guitar World, where he discusses his new signature Gibson Les Paul, Megadeth's current line-up, and who he believes is the best guitarist in the band's history. Following is an excerpt.


Guitar World: Megadeth’s current lineup seems to have granted you some much-needed serenity.


Mustaine: "To understand how important that is to me, let’s remember how we got there. We had gotten a tour with Iron Maiden, but the whole thing ended because Bruce [Dickinson, Iron Maiden vocalist] got sick. In the blink of an eye, an entire year’s worth of work was canceled, which was financially devastating Shawn (Drover / drums) and Chris (Broderick / guitar). So, the management we had took it upon themselves to call Shawn and Chris and say, 'The tour is now canceled; you should probably go find another job.' But I didn’t know about this; all I knew was that my drummer and guitarist had quit. I understood the circumstances, and I might have done the same thing, but I would have fucking told me before I went and quit. Having me find out afterward tells you all you need to know about Shawn and Chris’ characters. But it’s okay; they’ve got Megadeth on their resume. We had some good times together there for a bit."




Guitar World: How important have Kiko, Dirk and James been to flipping the script?


Mustaine: "This is the best group of people I’ve ever worked with. When I first heard Kiko play, I was enthralled. Megadeth has had guys like Jeff (Young) and Marty (Friedman), but Kiko is the best we’ve ever had. I don’t say that because Kiko is in the band now; I say it because it’s the truth. Kiko is the best guitar player out of all of them. When Kiko came in, the wounds from my personality conflicts with Shawn and Chris were fresh, and I had this paradigm of how things were, which I knew I needed to change. But Kiko and I got along, and I eventually knew he was a good fit, personality-wise. So, I said to Kiko, 'Look, you’re gonna join Megadeth, and your life is gonna change.’ And we had Chris Adler helping us on drums, and I hoped he would stay, but he decided to stay with Lamb of God. So Chris recommended Dirk, and I fell in love as soon as he came in. 


I could tell that Dirk was the sweetest man, a phenomenal drummer and very humble. With that, I told Dirk the same thing I told Kiko when he joined: 'Your life is gonna change, so be ready for it.' “We still had David Ellefson on bass, but as we know, shit hit the fan. I had to dismiss David from the band, and that left us in the position of needing a bassist. The last thing I wanted was some asshole who would get a brain swell from being in Megadeth. I go back to Kiko, who went from being a guitar player in a band that plays in bars to being in a band that plays in arenas, theaters and stadiums, but he took it in stride. That’s when it dawned on me to invite James back into the band. James has played with Ozzy and has circulated in our industry at the highest levels. He has been great as a band elder, helping those guys when I’m not there. And if I’m being honest, he’s a significant upgrade as a bassist."


Read the complete interview here. 

Just in time to celebrate today's launch of their European tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason, SoCal modern thrash metal frontrunners, Warbringer, have revealed a brand new music video for the Weapons Of Tomorrow burner, "Unraveling". Bang your head to this action-packed, gritty new visual, filmed, produced and edited by Juan Rodriguez with Roberto Maqueos.


Drummer Carlos Cruz states: "Road Warriors! We’re excited to release this new music video for 'Unraveling', capturing the chaos of all of you heavy metal maniacs going OFF at a Warbringer show! Thank you to Juan and Roberto for once again joining the madness to collaborate on another killer video, and a major thanks to all of YOU for thrashing with us! The anarchy continues overseas on our 'Ravaging Europe 2023' tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason! Check the dates, spread the word and we’ll see you in the circle pit!”







Find Warbringer's tour itinerary here.





(Photo - Alex Solca)

Norwegian progressive metal pioneer, Ihsahn, has released the final single from his Fascination Street Sessions EP, which is out now via Candlelight Records.


New track, "The Observer", is a dynamic song featuring long-time keyboardist and friend Øystein H. Aadland on lead vocals, which provides stunning contrast between Oystein's and Ihsahn's vocal delivery.


Check out "The Observer":







Comments Ihsahn: "I had a great time doing these sessions! Getting the band in the room...playing off the vibe of what we were recording in these extraordinary rooms. Working with world class engineers like Jens and his team, capturing vintage amps and instruments together with my talented musicians. This EP really represents a moment in time for me. And all along, the wonderful people at URM Academy captured every little detail on camera, so that down the line, fellow studio nerds can share the experience and learn from all these amazing people I get to work alongside."


Known as a constantly evolving artist who loves to transcend boundaries, Ihsahn's musical journey has been relentlessly fascinating and frequently revelatory. With his penchant for collaborative projects and fascination with production, this new three-track EP, featuring two new original songs and one cover version, is the direct result of Ihsahn joining forces with URM Academy's online educational program for music production, and producer/engineer Jens Bogren (Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, Powerwolf) of Fascination Street Studios.


Joining Ihsahn on this project was his long-time drummer Tobias Ørnes Andersen and keyboardist Øystein Aadland, who spent 10 intense days at Fascination Street Studios recording the songs. As well as playing keyboard throughout, Øystein Aadland also adds warm and gentle lead vocals for the track "The Observer", whilst Jonas Renske of Katatonia recorded guest vocals to the cover song "Dom Andra".


Throughout the whole experience, the URM Academy team captured everything on video, with Jens Bogren adding commentary to the production techniques used, with detail on mic placements, preamps, drumhead tunings, sharing his methodology and drilling down into what goes into a recording such as this.





Tracklisting:


"The Observer" (Feat. Øystein H. Aadland)

"Contorted Monuments"

"Dom Andrea" (Kent cover, feat. Jonas Renske of Katatonia)


"Dom Andra" video:





"Contorted Monuments":





(Photo - Bjørn Tore Moen)

Perris Records announces the CD release of Angels In Vein - Long Time Coming on April 7. This CD will give any fan of L.A. Guns, Beautiful Creatures and Cherry St. their fix of classic rock with a mainstream element.


Angels In Vein is a classic rock band with mainstream elements seamlessly woven into both its musical tapestry and cutting edge production, making its unique sound immediately identifiable yet virtually timeless.


AIV was formed in 2015 when founding members Chris VanDahl (Cherry Street, Pack Of Wolves, L.A Guns) and Todd (Taz) Anthony (Cherry Street, Spinning Chain, The Union Underground) renewed their collaborative efforts with the intention of writing a rock album for the ages. As the process progressed and the musical direction began to define itself, bassist Adam Kury, (Pack Of Wolves, Legs Diamond, Candlebox) and drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (White Lion, Gilby Clark, Enuff Z’ Nuff, Tantric) were recruited into the fold to contribute to and further refine the bands sound and identity. The end result and AIVs freshman offering is truly the culmination of a band who's independent and collective efforts and abilities have generated an album that while many questioned if it would ever see the light of day, was definitely worth the wait. This is, Angels In Vein - Long Time Coming.




Chris VanDahl: "With the engineering duties being handled by Todd (Taz) Anthony himself and mastering turned over to Anthony Focx (Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith) it seemed all that was left was to find the perfect home for this album. Enter Perris Records. Perris started out as an underdog that’s been successfully championing new and classic hard rock music and artists for over 30 years.The end product and AIVs freshman offering is a blistering example of what a great rock band should be. This is Angels In Vein and this album is A Long Time Coming."


Order CDs:


- Amazon
- Perris Records
- WOWHD worldwide Free Shipping
- Germany





Tracklisting / songwriters:


"No One Gets Out Alive" ( Anthony/VanDahl)
"With Me Tonight" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Bang A Gong (Get It On)" (Cover)
"Ready To Roll" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"1973" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"If Only" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Don't Want Love" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Just Like You" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Don't You" (Forget About Me) (Cover)
"Black Blossom" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Trip Of A Lifetime" (Alvarez /VanDahl)


"Trip Of A Lifetime":





Engineered by: Todd (Taz) Anthony
Co-Produced by: VanDahl, Anthony


Additional talent:
Smokin Joe Escriba - horns, piano, B3 and arrangements: "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
Jackie Wiatrowski - additional vocals: "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
Paul Alvarez - additional guitars: "Trip Of a Lifetime"
Stacey David Blades - additional guitars: "Trip Of A Lifetime"


Band lineup:


Chris VanDahl - Vocals
Todd (Taz) Anthony - Guitars
Adam Kury - Bass
Troy Patrick Farrell - Drums

One year after the sudden passing of Taylor Hawkins (March 25, 2022), Studio Brussel pays tribute to Foo Fighters’ iconic drummer.


Below you can watch a unique version of "My Hero", performed by 100 drummers and Belgian rock band Black Box Revelation, live at Sportpaleis Antwerp, the last venue in Belgium where Taylor played with Foo Fighters before his passing.







Taylor Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997, first appearing with the band on the tour supporting sophomore album The Colour & The Shape. He made his recorded debut with Foo Fighters with 1999’s There Is Nothing Left To Lose, playing on every subsequent FF album, including One By One, In Your Honor (the first FF album to feature him assuming lead vocal duties on his song “Cold Day In The Sun”), Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, Wasting Light, Sonic Highways, Concrete & Gold (also featuring him as lead singer on “Sunday Rain”) and Medicine at Midnight. As a member of Foo Fighters, Taylor was a 15-time Grammy Award winner and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He lived and loved music to an insatiable degree, with Foo Fighters as well as his numerous solo and side projects and collaborations.

Swedish heavy metal band, Lion's Share, has made a new song, "United", available on streaming services and digital service providers. Save the song here, and watch a lyric video below.





Lion's Share singer Nils Patrik Johansson commented: "We wanted to write about the fact that the metal community always stands united no matter what crazy politicians and war makers do. In these crazy times we felt that this would be a good message to the world."







In late 2018, Lion's Share released a new five-track EP, plus its complete catalog - remastered with new artwork - on streaming services and digital service providers for the first time. The band have since released a few more digital singles, some of which will and some of which won't end up on the forthcoming full-length album.


Both Johansson and Chriss remark that they have always worked very well together, and at this point it feels the most natural to keep Lion's Share as a duo, with friends helping out wherever needed.


The Lion's Share catalog features appearances by members and ex-members of KISS, Megadeth, King Diamond, Hammerfall, Symphony X, Chimaira, Therion, Yngwie Malmsteen, Candlemass, etc. Mixers include top engineers such as Jens Bogren (Arch Enemy, Opeth, Symphony X, Amon Amarth), Niklas Flyckt (one-time Grammy Award winner and four-time nominee), and Ronny Lahti (Roxette, Europe, Glenn Hughes).


Lion's Share has toured with bands like Motörhead, Manowar, Dio, Saxon, Iced Earth, Nevermore, U.D.O., Dee Snider, and has played many of the major rock and metal festivals.


Credits:


Nils Patrik Johansson – vocals
Lars Chriss – guitar, keyboards
Andy Loos – bass
Nils Fredrik Johansson – drums


Produced and mixed by: Lars Chriss - for info@lionsshare.org
Mastered by: Mike Lind - for www.masterplant.com
Artwork by: Blekkmark Design
Video by: Niklas Nieminen - for "The man with the hat"

Former SCORPIONS and current KINGDOM COME drummer James Kottak says that he feels "great" after undergoing physical therapy for a hip that he "cracked" last fall when he "tripped and fell on the pavement."

The 60-year-old musician, who missed some of KINGDOM COME's shows last September because he was dealing with "health issues", discussed his latest medical setback in a brand new interview with a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!Kottak, who was speaking from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born and lived until 1987, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had some issues with… I fell out of bed in my sleep and I cracked, like, three or four ribs. And this was last July. And, man, it took forever to recover. I cracked three and broke one. That was really rough. And then I came here to Louisville to visit my brother and sister, and lo and behold, I was here for about eight, 10 days, and I tripped and fell and I cracked my left hip… I was, like, 'That's what happens to old people.' … And it's healing. I'm right on schedule. I've done tons of follow-ups — physical therapy and all that stuff. But [KINGDOM COME] did have two shows in February where I had somebody fill in. And I was really bummed about that. I've never missed anything. And I probably could have done the shows, but I felt it better not."

Kottak continued: "I've been going to… It's physical therapy, but it's chiropractor-slash-massage. They put these electrode things on you. I've been doing that three [times] for the last four weeks, five weeks, and this week is my last week of that. I had follow-up appointments and this and that, and I'm right on schedule. And I feel great. But I'm learning to not push it, 'cause they said, 'Look, man, if you don't do all this stuff in the beginning,' they told me, 'you could end up walking with a limp for the rest of your life.' I said, 'Eh-heh. I ain't doing that.' So I really listen close to [what the doctors say]."

Last week, KINGDOM COME singer Keith St. John, who joined the band in 2018 as the replacement for original frontman Lenny Wolf, told Italy's Poisoned Rock about Kottak's absence from some of the group's recent shows: "James needed some time off from the band, 'cause he's had some health issues. I don't really wanna say too much about it, but he's got some personal health issues [that] he's been working on resolving and getting care and everything."

St. John also talked about KINGDOM COME's now-infamous appearance last June at Sweden Rock Festival, which was described by the popular Swedish site Rocknytt as the event's "biggest fuckup." Writer Peter Johansson singled out Kottak, saying that the drummer played "really badly, sluggishly" and at times failed to keep the tempo "worryingly throughout the concert". At the end of the show, Kottak "stumbled to the edge of the stage to bow with his bandmates," according to Rocknytt. Also critical of KINGDOM COME's performance was renowned Swedish music journalist and guitar player Janne Stark, who took to his Facebook page to share a photo of the gig and he wrote in an accompanying caption: "I've never seen a drummer fall asleep on stage before but James Kottak is pretty damn close. Drunk? He slows down every song to half tempo. KINGDOM COME, sorry guys but this is SHIT!"

Keith said: "That was the show… I hate to say this, but it's in the best interest of James and the band… I think James should have started working on his health and what was happening with him earlier than that, earlier in the year, 'cause he was already… But James, he has a youthful spirit, and he wants to keep on going. He's one of those guys that at the last breath of life is gonna be clawing and climbing up the cliff and playing drums and going out there and doing it. It was a hard situation, but at Sweden Rock the band wound up getting some negative reviews in the press, and it was largely because of the performance on the drums, I hate to [say it]," the singer admitted.

According to St. John, KINGDOM COME is in a good place right now, despite the fact that the band's recent shows have featured SLAUGHTER's Blas Elias behind the kit instead of James.

"I'm glad we are where we are, 'cause it needed to happen and James needs to get it back together so he's strong enough to play again," Keith said. "He was like next coming of [John] Bonham when he came out [in the 1980s], so he needs to be at his best. Even at an eight for James is a 20 for most people. Even if he's at seven or eight out of 10, then we can go and get that going. In the meantime, Blas is doing a great job. The band continues playing live."

KINGDOM COME played its first two shows with Elias in September in Texas.

Seven months ago, Kottak announced that he wouldn't play with his KINGDOM COME bandmates at their concerts in Texas. In the early hours of August 21, 2022, James took to his Twitter to write: "I will not be at the Kingdom Come Plano or San Antonio shows so don't waste your time thanks jams k [sic]".

Last month, St. John told Chris Akin Presents about Kottak's absence from KINGDOM COME recent shows: "James Kottak has had some health situations over the last year, and they've really been affecting his playing. Everybody in the band really wanted him to be able to continue and play, but he's just gotta sort some things out and wait for some stuff in his body to heal before he has the strength to play the songs [properly]."

In December, St. John told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast that "James has had some health issues in this last — [it's] going on for about two years, I would say, and creeping up. And now he's on a break for a little while until he gets recouped and recovered from everything. And my good friend who plays in '[Raiding The] Rock Vault' with me out here, Blas Elias, has stepped in — Blas Elias from SLAUGHTER; he stepped in to take over the drums for now."

Kottak publicly discussed KINGDOM COME's performance at Sweden Rock for the first time in an interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" conducted just days after the concert. Regarding what caused the show to fall short of expectations, James said: "I wanna say about eight or nine days ago, maybe 10 days ago, in the middle of the night, like four o'clock in the morning, I was in a dead sleep and I just rolled off the bed and I cracked three ribs on my left side. And I went to my chiropractor guy and he says, 'Oh, you have hairline fractures.' And I'm, like, 'Oh, great.' And dude, it's just been non-stop pain. It's not just my ribs; it's head to toe. That's why things were a little bit slower. 'Cause I took ibuprofen and the usual, Aleve or whatever, but, man, it was an uphill battle from the time we started. And it was just — I mean, not pain; I'm talking pain-pain, big-time stuff. That's no excuse, because the show must go on. But, yeah, I was a little slower than usual. But also we [usually] have a click track, of course, 'cause we might have a little bit of playback. Something was up with that, so we were flying solo… And [when] you don't have it, you go, 'Oh-oh. Okay. We'll do this.' It was just an off day, and there's nothing you can do about it."

According to James, there was "definitely no drinking" involved prior to the KINGDOM COME mishap at Sweden Rock. "Because that with the medication, it doesn't go good together," he explained. "And it was just an off day, man. I did everything to [make it better] — tons of tea, this and that, and all the usual things that I do — but, man, it was just too soon after falling that we went to play this gig. But it's Sweden Rock, and you don't wanna bail out on that."

Asked if alcohol contributed to him falling out of bed prior to the Sweden Rock performance, Kottak said: "I always sleep on the left side of the bed, and I just somehow, in my sleep, rolled off the bed and landed on my left side. I mean, that's really it. I wasn't drinking — nothing like that. Yeah, I have a few white wines here and there, but nothing like that. I just rolled off the bed. And that's the first time in my life that's ever happened where I actually fell off. I woke up and saw stars. It took me 15 minutes to get off the floor. These things happen sometimes, and there's nothing you can do. With SCORPIONS, going up my riser to get to my drums, there were, like, 14 steps, and I fell down those stairs at least five times, if not six times. Because I was like a dummy — I was always spitting this water. And I'd finish a song and I'd come down not thinking, and, just, 'Whoop', right on my ass."

James also denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee.

"I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands."

Five years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional."

He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to [the island of] Antigua [to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center], and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey."

Three years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circumstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink.

"From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore.

"If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually…

"SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes. It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."

During an appearance on yesterday's (Wednesday, March 22) edition of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony was asked if he has any plans to form a new project or band once Sammy Hagar has finally retired from performing with THE CIRCLE. Anthony responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):

"Well, I wasn't going to mention anything about it, but there is a little side project thing that I've kind of been speaking to some people, and might be doing a couple of things with. I don't wanna get ahead of myself and mention too much, but it might involve Phil X [BON JOVI guitarist] and John Douglas, who you know as [the touring drummer] for AEROSMITH right now. I've known J.D. for many years, since he's worked with VAN HALEN… What a great guy. And we do have a singer. I don't wanna mention any names, but a really, really cool singer. And we're recording just for fun right now, some stuff. That's all I can say."

Anthony guested on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" to promote his appearance at a fundraising event and concert benefiting Save The Heartbeat on March 25 at Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, California. Also performing at the show will be Phil X, Hagar and John 5, among other musicians.

Save The Heartbeat is a non-profit organization that benefits those that are affected by congenital heart disease (CHD). Danielle and Jonathan Maloof started this charity after their son Remington was born with an undiagnosed congenital heart defect in 2013.

Back in April 2017, Michael announced the loss of his two-week-old grandson, who died of heart disease earlier that month.

The musician opened up about the death of little Rex Becerra, the son of his eldest daughter, Elisha, in a Facebook post.

"I recently lost my grandson Rex after turning just two weeks and one day old. We are tremendously proud of Rex," he wrote at the time. "In the short time on earth he left a lasting impression that our family will cherish."

The family opened up about the death in a fundraising page with the Los Angeles Children's Hospital, noting that the boy was "quickly diagnosed with Heart Disease" after his birth on March 20, 2017.

"Within 9 hours of birth he was transported to two hospitals and ultimately landed at Children's Hospital LA where he underwent open heart surgery," the family wrote on the page.

They wrote that although the surgery was successful, little Rex never recovered from the procedure. He passed away on April 4, 2017, according to the page.

VAN HALEN and Anthony had not been on good terms for more than a decade prior to guitarist Eddie Van Halen's death in October 2020, with Anthony not invited to join the reunion with singer David Lee Roth that began in 2007. The subsequent two tours and studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", featured Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass.

Anthony took a pay cut and signed away all of his rights to the band name and logo in order to participate in VAN HALEN's 2004 tour, which featured singer Sammy Hagar.

Michael Anthony photo credit: Leah Steiger / Phil X photo credit: Sweetwater / John Douglas photo credit: Zach Whitford

Breakthrough UK act, As Everything Unfolds, have released their new single, "Slow Down", along with a visualizer. This is the final single before their new album, Ultraviolet, out April 21 via Long Branch Records.


Singer Charlie Rolfe comments: "Ever feel like you’re being pulled down? Like someone is your biggest supporter yet your biggest critic, it’s a confusing and conflicting feeling. ‘You’re letting me shout out, while you’re telling me to slow down?’ Sometimes people will try to manipulate you into thinking they’re your biggest supporter, but jealousy can lead those same people to drag you down leaving you confused, when charged with platform or responsibility, that weight can carry difficult tasks and burdens, push through it and be the best version of you that you can be."







Pre-order the Ultraviolet  album here.





Ultraviolet tracklisting:


"Ultraviolet"
"Felt Like Home"
"Slow Down"
"Saint Or Rogue"
"Blossom"
"Infrared"
"Flip Side"
"Twilight"
"Rose Bouquets"
"Daylight"
"All I've Ever Known"


"Flip Side" video:





"Ultraviolet" video:





"Felt Like Home" video:





"Blossom" visualizer:





As Everything Unfolds is:


Charlie Rolfe - Vocals
Adam Kerr - Guitar
George Hunt - Bass
Jon Cassidy - Synth
Jamie Gowers - Drums