Floor Jansen, lead singer of the symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH, has released a new solo single, "My Paragon". The track is taken from Floor's debut solo album "Paragon", which will arrive on March 24. The LP showcases the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

Floor says: "I'm excited to share 'My Paragon', the first track on my upcoming solo album. This song marks the end of a long journey that began with my first piano ideas in March 2020. 'My Paragon' is a reflection on my growth as an artist since writing a song called 'Paragon' back in 2008 for my NORTHWARD project.

"The lyrics remind us to pause, appreciate our achievements, and be proud of who we've become. The album title signifies the courage it took to finally embark on my solo journey. This empowering anthem encourages you to embrace your dreams and look to yourself as your own paragon.

"Enjoy the song, and thanks for your support!"

"Paragon" includes the following tracks:

01. My Paragon
02. Daydream
03. Invincible
04. Hope
05. Come Full Circle
06. Storm
07. Me Without You
08. The Calm
09. Armoured Wings
10. Fire

Jansen previously said about the LP: "To renew yourself and take leaps into the unknown makes you grow. To age is a gift not everyone gets. I am a fortunate woman who got to make an album I never knew I could make. One that even defines me, where I am on my path. I have reached my PARAGON! I am so proud of this work! And grateful for all the amazing people in this beautiful life that helped me get here!"

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike. It's the perfect addition to any music collection, and a must-have for fans of Floor Jansen and NIGHTWISH.

"Paragon" will be released digitally and physically on CD, vinyl, and a limited-edition deluxe box set. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and at music retailers worldwide.

Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023.

Floor had previously released four singles from "Paragon": "Invincible", "Me Without You", "Storm" and "Fire".

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

ALICE COOPER guitarist Nita Strauss has released a new single, "Winner Takes All", featuring a guest appearance by the legendary rocker. The track is taken from Nita's upcoming sophomore solo album, tentatively due later this year via Sumerian Records.

"Winner Takes All" is the third song Nita has released featuring a star guest vocalist, the first being the enormously successful "Dead Inside" which featured guest vocals from DISTURBED's David Draiman and saw Nita become the first-ever solo female to have a No. 1 hit at Active Rock radio. She also returned to her instrumental roots last year with the release of single "Summer Storm", a fast-paced, emotive shred-fest. In October 2022, Nita dropped "The Wolf You Feed", an epic headbanger of a track featuring the insane vocal talent of Alissa White-Gluz of ARCH ENEMY.

Says Nita: "When we were working on the music for this album, there was no question that I wanted to create a song to collaborate with my longtime boss and friend, the legendary Alice Cooper. I think the track accomplishes what we set out to do — showcase Alice's voice and signature style on the backdrop of a heavy, modern rock track. After many years of lending my style of playing to Alice's music on stage, it was truly an honor to work together and hear his voice on one of my songs!"

Back in February 2022, Nita told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about her upcoming LP: "It's gonna be half and half — six tracks with vocalists and six tracks of instrumental [music]. We've been doing ['Dead Inside'] live on the solo tour and it's been getting a super-good reaction from our crowds."

In early December 2022, Nita told "The Mistress Carrie Podcast" about her decision to make the upcoming LP half vocal songs and half instrumental: "I did feel, and the label and everybody agreed, it's still important for me to keep my identity as a guitar player and not just branch off too much and go, 'Okay, well, now it's just guests.' Let me still have a little of what makes me me, which is the instrumental shred stuff. And the instrumental pieces that I've written on this record are, I think, better than anything I did on the first one — definitely more… I don't know if it could be more emotional but they're very emotional pieces of music and I think a little better crafted this time around. So I think all the songs in general are more well thought out, better put together this time around. And I do have some of my absolute favorite [singers guesting on it]. I have three amazing powerhouse female vocalists on this album so far."

Nita released 2018's "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".

Earlier this month, it was announced that Nita would return to Alice's band for his 2023 tour.

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 MÖTLEY CRÜE, followed by a co-headlining late summer "Freaks On Parade" tour with Rob Zombie.

Nita spent eight years playing with Alice before joining Demi Lovato's band last summer,

Strauss played her first full live show with Demi on August 13, 2022 at the Grandstand at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Illinois.

Nita made her live debut with Demi on July 14, 2022 with a performance of "Substance" on ABC's Emmy Award-winning late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

Strauss had been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

Avantasia / Edguy mastermind Tobias Sammet is working on a reissue of the symphonic/power metal act’s album The Scarecrow. The album was originally released in 2008 via Nuclear Blast Records and features guest appearances from Alice Cooper, Jorn Lande, Michael Kiske, Roy Khan, and more.





An update from Sammet: “The sun always shines in club Tobi! Working on a massive reissue of The Scarecrow, just singing a new version of ‘Twisted Mind’, great fun, GREAT STUFF! Cheers from Mysteryhausen and have a lovely week everyone!”







On April 24, Avantasia will play their only European concert in 2023, in Oberhausen, Germany, after which they’ll kick off a Latin American tour.


Mastermind Tobias Sammet: "Given all the craziness in the current concert business situation in Europe, I didn’t want to announce anything I maybe wouldn’t be able to live up to. But, now that our Latin American tour is carved in stone and will happen, and since we’re all coming together in Germany anyway, I thought, why not start rehearsals a bit earlier and squeeze in a big party with our die hard fans? To celebrate a special event with the most loyal ones among them in an intimate setting? So, be quick or be lost, naturally ticket availability is limited. It’s going to be a blast!“


Tickets for the unique Avantasia event will be available at all known ticket booking services. Pres-ale starts Tuesday.The amount of tickets sold will be limited.


The ninth studio album from Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia, A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society, is out now via Nuclear Blast.


A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society is presenting eleven magical and powerful songs featuring numerous prestigious guest stars. An adventure that captivates the audience with freshness, briskness, sophistication and enchantment. The album was produced by Tobias Sammet with Avantasia guitarist, Sascha Paeth. The cover art was created by Swedish illustrator Alexander Jansson.


Order here.





"Kill The Pain Away" video:





"The Inmost Light" lyric video:





"Misplaced Among The Angels" lyric video:





"The Moonflower Society" video:





"The Wicked Rule The Night" lyric video:





(Photo - Kevin Nixon)

Southern rockers, 13South, have released the second single, “High Enuff”, from their upcoming self-titled record, High Enuff. Stream the single here, listen below.


“'High Enuff' is a tongue-in-cheek song, a call to arms for youth and the old schoolers still in their prime. Hopefully everyone else is reminded of that first taste of freedom of letting go of the cares of the world before you feel the weight of the world later in life,” said Chris Blevins (co-founder).







Coming from the backwoods of Magnolia, MS, 13South have been described as “If Lynyrd Skynyrd and Junkyard had a baby.” These hard southern rockers have dredged through adversity and the windfalls of life to bring you their upcoming album. The songs are fun, rebellious, and renderings of the lifestyle and mystique of this band.


Founded by long time southern hard rockers Chris Blevins (Vocals, Guitar) and Bradley Berryhill (Bass) in 2022, they are signed by G4L Records. With their previous band Voodoo13, they have toured all over the Southeast and then some, and have shared the stage with greats: Junkyard, Jackyl, Better Than Ezra, Warrant, Great White, John Corabi, Candlebox, Trixter, Blacktop Mojo, Them Dirty Roses, The Nixons, Adelitas Way, Wicked Wisdom, Buck Cherry, Faster Pussycat, Naked Beggars, Rehab, Sponge, Alice In Chains, Josh Todd Band, Black Stone Cherry, Ra, and Powerman 5000.





13South 2023 Tour Dates:


March
31 - Duluth, GA - Sweetwater Bar & Grill


April
1 - Nashville, TN - 404 Bar


May
19 - Natchez, MS - Locust Alley
20 - Chalmette, LA - Battlefield Bar


July
29 - Owensboro, KY - Milligan's Bar


August
18 - Miamisburg, OH - Big A's BBQ
19 - Cincinnati, OH - MVP’s Sports Bar & Grill


December
14 - Yarmouth, MA - The Music Room
15 - Concord, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Stage
16 - Frenchtown, NJ - Arties Bar & Grill

To celebrate and promote the forthcoming The Journey Continues tour this August and September, Big Big Train will be sharing videos of a couple of songs filmed on tour last year.





The first of the videos is "The Florentine", which was recorded in September 2022 at The Boerderij in The Netherlands.




Alberto Bravin says: “I was very pleased when we agreed last year that 'The Florentine' should be on the set list for our shows last September. After all, what could be better for an Italian than singing about Leonardo da Vinci?! 'The Florentine' is a wonderful song to sing and a perfect example of David Longdon’s songwriting genius. We’re very fortunate to have the song as part of the Big Big Train catalogue.


“Duetting at the start and end of 'The Florentine' with Nick D’Virgilio coming out from behind the drum kit, was fun. It has some great opportunities for ensemble playing as well as some showcasing some terrific solos – I really enjoyed being on stage watching Oskar Holldorff playing that keyboard solo and Rikard rocking out on the guitar solo every night. For the gig at the Boerderij we thought it would be interesting to have a camera on Rikard’s guitar too. I hope we will be playing 'The Florentine' live many more times in the future.”


Nick D’Virgilio adds: “I loved singing with Alberto. Seeing the live film of us playing 'The Florentine' at the legendary Boerderij venue in the Netherlands is so cool. It still amazes me that this was only our third show playing together with Alberto, Oskar, Clare Lindley and Dave Foster. Our performance may not be 100% perfect but we really rocked and it was very memorable – particularly for a Monday night!


“Our Boerderij show was also the first time that we had played a standing venue since our Night Of The Prog gig back in 2018. The night had a different vibe to the shows we’ve done in seated theatres on previous tours and I’m really looking forward to us playing a mix of venues when we’re back out on the road in August and September this year.”





You can see a short, recent message from Gregory Spawton about the tour and the next BBT studio album, as well as a message from Alberto Bravin, below:








(Photo - Michael Heller)

Recently unleashing their debut EP, Dawn Of The Serpent, produced by Chris Wiseman (Shadow of Intent), St. Louis' Abaddonia are sharing their latest video, "Keres", along with the announcement that they will be hitting the road in April with Joplin, MO's The Order Of Elijah for show dates in Texas and Oklahoma (dates below).


The track "Keres" tells the story of the Keres or the goddesses of violent death. The Keres would be summoned by Zeus to kill those not yet deemed ready to die by their sisters, who are called the Moirai (Sisters of Fate).







Dawn Of The Serpent EP is now available on all digital platforms, here, and via Bandcamp.





Tour dates:


April
19 - Tulsa, OK - Bad-Ass Renee's w/ Order of Elijah
20 - Dallas, TX - Haltom Theater w/ Order of Elijah
21 - Corpus Christi, TX - Boozers w/ Order of Elijah
22 - Houston, TX - Raid Fest w/ Order of Elijah


August
26 - Battle Creek, MI - The Music Factory - Michigan Metalfest After-party w/ Brojob, Filth, Autumn Lies Buried

STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos spoke to Australia's Metal-Roos about the band's upcoming eighth studio album, "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". Due on November 3, the LP is a collection of 13 brand-new songs that contain the final vocal performances and musical compositions of founding vocalist Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup featuring Campos, Koichi Fukuda (guitars) and Ken Jay (drums). The new album was produced by STATIC-X's current vocalist/guitarist Xer0 and mixed/mastered by longtime collaborator Ulrich Wild.

Regarding why he and his bandmates decided to make"Project Regeneration" a two-volume project, Tony said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The majority of that stuff, of the stuff on the record, is all from just tapes and demos that we found just laying around in a storage space. After we found that last batch of demos and Wayne's vocal tracks, we were, like, 'This ain't all gonna fit on one record.' [Laughs]"

Asked how he would compare "Vol. 2" to "Vol. 1", which came out in July 2020, Campos said: "It's the continuation of the work that we started on 'Vol. 1'. So it's gonna be a lot of Wayne vocals, Wayne's riffs that we all worked [on] and brought to life as completed songs."

Looking back on "Vol. 1" turned out, Tony said: "I think the album came out great. There were some songs on there that I knew, off the bat, were gonna be good and then others that just were complete surprises. And we were just, like, 'Wow. This is really awesome.' The last track on 'Vol. 1', in particular, was a big surprise. I didn't think we would be able to make much of it, but it really blossomed into something special."

Asked if there are any surprises like that on "Vol. 2", Campos said: "Yeah. There's some tracks that were really rough. And just to [get them to] the place we got 'em has been really satisfying."

The first single released from "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" is a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS "Pretty Hate Machine" classic track "Terrible Lie". The re-imagined version features vocals recorded by Static, along with a musical interpretation created by the original lineup and their producer Xer0. Wayne's vocals were discovered as part of a series damaged audio tapes that the band uncovered a few years back. A music video for the single — which features Static projected behind the band — is now available and can be seen below. The video was directed by the album's executive producer and longtime friend Edsel Dope, who is also believed to be touring and recording with STATIC-X as Xer0, and co-directed by Matt Zane.

All of the music associated with "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" is the result of collaborations between the four founding members along with Xer0. No additional guests appear on the album and there were no outside contributions to the songwriting, musical compositions, or the performances on "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". Between the two releases, STATIC-X fans around the globe have been treated to over two dozen brand new songs — most of which feature Static on lead vocals — and all released after his untimely passing.

Wayne's mother, father, and three siblings remain involved with STATIC-X's work to this day and have attended several shows since the band's reformation in 2019.

STATIC-X — featuring the lineup of Campos, Fukuda, Jay and Xer0 — hit the road in late February, headlining the "Rise Of The Machine" tour with FEAR FACTORY alongside DOPE, MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID. The 42-date trek will wrap up April 15, in Los Angeles, California. STATIC-X also recently revealed plans for a tour of Australia and an appearance at the Blue Ridge Rock Fest this year.

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo was the featured guest on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" during the "Rock God" segment. Snake picked KISS frontman Paul Stanley and stated about his choice (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My first concert ever was KISS at Madison Square Garden December 16th, 1977. I was traveling with my buddy Jon Bon Jovi, and we went into that concert and I walked out a completely changed person. It actually altered my life. And I've been obsessed with KISS ever since.

"In the year 2000, SKID ROW had the opportunity to tour the United States with KISS, and it was the culmination of a lifelong dream.

"Paul Stanley wrote the book on what a rock god should be."

As previously reported, SKID ROW will support KISS on select European tour dates this spring and summer. SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the opportunity: "When we got these new KISS dates, the 12-year-old me was kind of freaking out pretty hard — again. I think we're one of, or probably the only band that could say we're playing both their farewell tours. [Laughs] But it's so exciting to go out with the band, especially just zeroing in on Gene Simmons. He's the reason I even picked up a bass in the first place; he's the reason why I learned what a bass was. I had no idea. It's a pretty great feeling to be asked to do something like this. Now that they're down to their final 50 shows and to know we will be doing a decent amount of 'em, a big chunk of 'em, it's hard to kind of process. It's really cool."

Snake added that seeing KISS at Madison Square Garden in 1977 "was the most insane experience of my life. Especially being 13 years old, to sit there and to be able to experience something like that, the enormity of it, how bombastic it was, it was incomprehensible," he explained. "And so when I got home, I knew that I was going to do something in the music business. I didn't know what it was gonna be — I didn't play an instrument; I had no clue — but a year later I picked up the guitar and nothing's changed since then. I knew exactly what I wanted to do from the seventh grade in high school."

Four years ago, Bolan said that he was not convinced KISS's "End Of The Road" tour will actually mark retirement for the 1970s theatrical rock behemoths.

The New Jersey rockers go back a long way with KISS, with a dispute over whether to tour with the New York icons said to have played a part in the departure of classic-era SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach in 1996.

At the time "End Of The Road" was first announced, KISS claimed each show on the tour would be the band's final visit to that city.

"Man, I have the feeling it's not gonna be their farewell tour," Bolan told the "White Line Fever" podcast in a 2019 interview. "If you remember, in 2000, we played [KISS's first] farewell tour. We opened up for them on the farewell tour, and we were out with them for about nine months. So I have a feeling, as long as they can keep doing it… Maybe it'll take a break, maybe it'll be a decent hiatus, but I have a feeling we're not gonna see the last of KISS."

Offering his feelings upon learning that the band was planning to stop touring, Bolan said: "Being such a huge KISS fan, it's sad in a way, but they've been doing it a long time."

SKID ROW released its sixth studio album, "The Gang's All Here", in October 2022. Helmed by Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz, the album reached Top 20 chart positions in nine countries worldwide. The band also completed a tour of Europe this fall, as well as a Las Vegas residency with rock icons SCORPIONS last spring.

"The Gang's All Here" marked the introduction of SKID ROW's latest addition, Swedish-born singer Erik Grönwall, who famously went from auditioning for the competition show "Swedish Idol" back in 2009 by singing a cover of SKID ROW's "18 And Life" to now fronting the band.

Grönwall joined SKID ROW as the replacement for ZP Theart, who had been in the group for more than six years.

Can DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li and bassist Alicia Vigil play the band's classic song "Through The Fire And Flames" on the water slide and in the hot tub? Watch the video below to find out what happened on this year's edition of the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, which sailed from Miami, Florida to Bimini, Bahamas and back from January 30 to February 3 on board the Freedom Of The Seas.

DRAGONFORCE singer Marc Hudson wasn't able to join his bandmates on this year's 70000 Tons Of Metal and was temporarily replaced by Alessio Garavello (A NEW TOMORROW, ex-POWER QUEST).

Back in 2018, Li performed a underwater guitar solo, while snorkeling, on the Full Metal Cruise VII.

Herman first performed an underwater solo on the 2015 iteration of the cruise, but he later explained that he "didn't play in the water long enough because there's only how much [time] I can hold my breath for."

Last November, DRAGONFORCE released a music video for the song "The Last Dragonborn". The track is taken from DRAGONFORCE's latest album, "Extreme Power Metal", which came out in September 2019. Produced in Los Angeles, California by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited, the LP was also recorded, in part, on Li's livestream channel on Twitch with participation from the fans.

"The Last Dragonborn" is the first DRAGONFORCE music video to feature Vigil, who first joined the band as a touring member in January 2020.

DRAGONFORCE's platinum-selling single "Through The Fire And Flames" brought the London-based Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim and was featured as the most challenging song on "Guitar Hero III".

In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.

"Through The Fire And Flames" is the leadoff track from 2006's "Inhuman Rampage" album, which was officially certified gold in July 2017 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

In August 2019, DRAGONFORCE parted ways with longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq. He has since joined German thrashers KREATOR.

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY have released the official performance music video for their latest single, "Out Of Pocket". The clip, which was filmed during the band's recent U.K. tour, can be seen below.

Speaking about the new track, BLACK STONE CHERRY frontman Chris Robertson said: "'Out Of Pocket' is a song born out of that exact feeling. The song was what I personally, and I think a lot of us, felt over these very trying last couple of years. Facing your demons, knowing that you have to come out the other side stronger than before."

Last October, BLACK STONE CHERRY drummer John Fred Young told Loud TV that he and his bandmates started working on the follow-up to 2020's "The Human Condition" album last summer. "I think there's about eight songs right now that we had done, and we're gonna go back in in December and finish up the rest," he said at the time. "So [it's] a really, really cool situation.

"We've got our own theater back in Glasgow, Kentucky, where Ben [Wells, guitar] lives. We do our home shows there; we do it every two years at Christmas. So we recorded the drums in this big, beautiful theater. And they just sound incredible; even with me playing, they sound incredible. And we're going to my house to do vocals and guitars. So, [it's] really cool, man. I think people will really love the songs and the playing.

"We recorded 'The Human Condition' in 2020, and when we were doing that, everything with COVID, it was really starting to rise up," John added. "And we got done with that record two days before our state locked us down. So we were lucky to get that done. But I think probably next year, early next year, we'll have a new record out."

As for the musical and lyrical direction of the new BLACK STONE CHERRY material, John said: "The first seven or eight [songs] we had done are really… The lyrics on them are very heartfelt and great. The music is really heavy, but also there's the BLACK STONE CHERRY ballad or two, so… I can't give away too much [laughs], 'cause I don't even know what the other ones sound like yet, 'cause we haven't really finished those."

Last August, Robertson told "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern" about the band's upcoming LP: "We've got nine songs completely written and about seven more that we've gotta write lyrics and stuff to. But we've been at it, man. And it's good. It's heavy. It's melodic. I think it's gonna be a great record."

Regarding the lyrical inspiration for BLACK STONE CHERRY's new songs, Chris said: "It's crazy because the songs we write… Obviously we write songs that are fun — like 'Blame It On The Boom Boom' and 'White Trash Millionaire' — a lot of fun stuff, but we also write some more serious songs.

"It's different, man," he continued. "We've been writing and stuff. And it's crazy. For me right now, the stuff that's kind of coming out is a lot related to my dad passing, a lot of understanding how to deal with this loss and grief and just learning to live through it.

"The serious songs we write are stuff that we've either witnessed or we've lived or whatever," Chris explained. "Other than a song like 'Rain Wizard' or some of the stuff we wrote that was more folklory, everything we've written is something we've lived. So there's a hell of a lot in the well now. I went a really long way of saying that, but the well is very deep now of things to write about."

BLACK STONE CHERRY's seventh studio album, "The Human Condition", was made available in October 2020 via Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group.

In June 2021, BLACK STONE CHERRY announced the departure of bassist Jon Lawhon. He has since been replaced on the road by Steve Jewell Jr., the guitarist from the Glasgow, Kentucky band OTIS.

The digital-only release of an expanded edition of "The Human Condition" was made available in August 2021.

Decorated with wind chimes and childhood nostalgia, Dorthia Cottrell’s new single, “Harvester”, longs for nature.


She explains, “Where I'm from, and probably most rural places in the U.S., there is a strong Christian religious presence, whether you identify as being religious or not, and it was always my feeling that that has a lot to do with being surrounded and immersed in nature and every part of your life being at the mercy of it – even when it is merciless and brutal. When you’re surrounded by something so vast and beautiful, the presence of ‘god’ and whatever that might mean to anyone, is blatant and undeniable. To me, ‘god’ is nature and God is Mother Earth, so also to me, when I’m back home or anywhere like that I feel deeply the presence of my own idea of spirituality, the wonders of it and the feeling of being something small in the face of something totally out of your control.  


That's what ‘Harvester’ is about. Bad or good, in the patterns of nature you can see the patterns of all life, maybe even the patterns of the universe too, and that symmetry to me is god, and I'm grateful for it.”




Stream “Harvester” here, and below.


Across both her solo work and as the vocalist of renowned doom band Windhand, Cottrell envisions her music as both a document of love and a reconciliation with death. On her new album, Death Folk Country, Cottrell wards off death through creation - the most distilled form of love. The spirit of love passed on through her words will be the ultimate reward for earthly suffering. Cottrell's enigmatic presence guides listeners down a path of introspection - Death Folk Country's massive scope touches upon tales of love, loss, and so much more.


Cottrell was raised in rural King George, Virginia, a town with less than 5,000 inhabitants. Forests and tall-grass fields stretched before her. Beauty and boredom soared. That vague melancholy and memory of the American South is smudged all over Cottrell’s music. Cottrell grew up a goth, an outcast in a small town – a time and place she revisits throughout Death Folk Country.


"This album to me is about painting a picture of a place where my heart lives,” Cottrell explains. The title Death Folk Country is partly me describing a genre that fits the sound – but it's also meant to be taken as a Naming, a coronation of the world inside me. Death Folk Country is the music and also the land where the music takes place, and the two have always been inextricable from each other."


Cottrell’s voice, a soaring alto, fills the emptiest of canyons. Singing in echoing harmony with itself, her voice is a kind of prophecy, bringing home to the present thoughts and realizations from the future, even as Cottrell buries herself in remembrance of the past. Death Folk Country takes these nostalgic ideas of "home" and confronts them with their own imperfections and darkness.


The album sees its release April 21 via Relapse Records, her first for the label and follow up to her 2015 S/T solo debut. All songs on Death Folk Country were written / played by Dorthia Cottrell and recorded / produced by Jon K. and Cottrell at SANS Studios in Richmond, Virginia.


Pre-order/pre-save Death Folk Country here.





Death Folk Country trackliisting:


"Death Is The Punishment For Love"
"Harvester"
"Black Canyon"
"Family Annihilator"
"Effigy At The Gate Of Ur"
"Midnight Boy"
"Hell In My Water"
"Take Up Serpents"
"For Alicia"
"Eat What I Kill"
"Death Is Reward For Love"


"Harvester":





(Photo - Richard Howard)

Hard rock band, Who On Earth, have released a new track, “Ascension/Unbeaten”. The song is a stripped down, orchestral version of the track “Unbeaten” from the group’s debut album, Blame.


This variation from the original version delivers a unique and emotionally powerful message of perseverance, and showcases the musical versatility of Who On Earth - proving their capacity for great anthems and crossover potential.


Commenting on this new interpretation of “Unbeaten”, the band shares: “It is no coincidence that ‘Ascension/Unbeaten’ is being released on the first day of spring. This song is about rebirth, rising up with renewed strength and power. It is the triumphal story of overcoming major obstacles in life with the help of others. It’s about facing seemingly insurmountable circumstances or odds and prevailing by tapping into a strength we didn’t know we had.”




They go on to add, “We believe this song is important for anyone who has dealt with trauma, addiction, loss, you name it. It is an anthem for the humble warriors who have survived adversity, who are grateful and destined to pay it forward; to give back what was so freely given to them!”


The New Jersey-based outfit recruited the incredibly talented Michael James Romeo (Symphony X) for the orchestral accoutrements, and Blame producer/guest guitarist Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob) for the acoustic embellishments. Lastly, the group was honored to welcome the amazing vocal talent of Jillian Blair, whose performance brings a unique layer of beauty to the song.





Blame album details below.





Tracklisting:


"The Price"
"Black Swan"
"H8-Triarch"
"Down & Out"
"Unbeaten"
"We Don't Belong"
"Set Me Free"
"Monster In A Jar"
"On The Brink"
"Watch The Fires Burn"


"Black Swan" live video:





"Down & Out" lyric video:

Modern heavy symphonic metal titans, Kamelot, released their first full-length in five years, The Awakening, last Friday, March 17, via Napalm Records.


In the new video below, album contributor Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum) shows off the wooden boxset edition of the album:







The Awakening embraces enlivening themes that every listener can relate to. Inspiring, engaging lyrics of determination, strength, overcoming personal battles and growth are abound on The Awakening, provoked by extreme societal shifts and the overwhelming realization that we have such a brief time to be true to ourselves and live life to its fullest.


Showcasing the incomparable, stage-seasoned vocal acrobatics of Tommy Karevik and increasingly airtight, renowned technical teamwork of guitarist Thomas Youngblood, drummer Alex Landenburg, keyboardist Oliver Palotai and bassist Sean Tibbetts, Kamelot’s score-like 13th studio album is accented by guest contributions from the likes of Melissa Bonny and renowned instrumentalists like violinist Florian Janoske and aforementioned cellist Tina Guo.


The Awakening features crystal clear modern production helmed by the band and longtime producer Sascha Paeth, plus mixing and mastering by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios.





The Awakening is available in the following formats:


- Digital Album
- CD Digipak
- CD Digipak + Shirt Bundle - Napalm Records exclusive
- 2LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- 2LP Gatefold Vinyl in Splatter Red + Black - Napalm Records exclusive (European webstore), limited to 500
- 2LP Gatefold in Marbled White + Black - Napalm Records exclusive (North American webstore), limited to 300
- 48p Earbook with 7'' Vinyl Single - Napalm Records exclusive, limited to 500
- Wooden Boxset with Envelope Opener, Flag, Patch and Band Postcard - Napalm Records exclusive, limited to 1000
- Music Cassette - Napalm Records exclusive, limited to 100


Order here.





The Awakening tracklisting:


"Overture" (Intro)
"The Great Divide"
"Eventide"
"One More Flag In The Ground"
"Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)"
"Midsummer's Eve"
"Bloodmoon"
"NightSky"
"The Looking Glass"
"New Babylon"
"Willow"
"My Pantheon (Forevermore)"
"Ephemera" (Outro)


"Eventide":





"Opus Of The Night (Ghost Requiem)" lyric video:





"One More Flag In The Ground" video:





Trailer:





Kamelot will tour the world in support of The Awakening. See below for their upcoming European Awaken The World Tour dates.


March
21 - Hamburg, Germany - Gruenspan
22 - Roskilde, Denmark - Gimle
24 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
25 - Gothenburg, Sweden -Trädgårn
26 - Stockholm, Sweden - Berns
29 - Helsinki, Finland - Vanha Ylioppilastalo
31 - Tampere, Finland - Pakkahuone


April
1 - Oulu, Finland - Tapahtumakeskus Tullisali
3 - Tallinn, Estonia - Helitehas
4 - Rīga, Latvia - Melnā Piektdiena
6 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
7 - Prague, Czech Republic - Meet Factory
8 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra


May
6 - Telaviv, Israel - Reading 3


Spring/Summer Festivals:


May
4 - Karmøygeddon Metal Festival, Norway - Headlining


September
8 - ProgPower USA XXII, USA - Headlining


Kamelot are:


Tommy Karevik - Vocals
Thomas Youngblood - Guitars
Oliver Palotai - Keyboards
Sean Tibbetts - Bass
Alex Landenburg - Drums





(Photo - Nat Enemede)

Los Angeles-born heavy metal icons, Alcatrazz, have unleashd the furious new single, "Battlelines", taken from the upcoming album, Take No Prisoners, set for release via Silver Lining Music on May 19.


The track sees Alcatrazz delivering an epic heavy metal anthem, brimming with metallic chugging riffs, soaring melodic vocals, and ear-splitting drums.


"'Battlelines' is one of the songs we feel is very representative of the direction the band is at now and where we are going, which is powerful, heavy and melodic metal in that British and European style,” enthuses Jimmy Waldo, Alcatrazz’s keyboardist and co-founding member. “In the mid 1980's Alcatrazz strayed far too much from the direction of our debut album, that first record set the blueprint of what the band was all about and with the recent two albums over the last couple years and now even more so with this new one, Take No Prisoners, we are finally establishing the true sound of the band. If fans give this a listen they will hopefully find a lot to like!”




“We look forward to adding 'Battlelines' to the live set too,” adds bass-player and co-founding member Gary Shea. “It's about the use of radar in warfare from WW2 until the present day; real heads down heavy metal stuff!"





Alcatrazz are determined to make up for lost time, roaring forwards at warp factor 10 to deliver Take No Prisoners, their sixth studio album and the third in three years. Comprising of ten cracking, charismatic tracks, with each containing the unique fusion of classic American rock with the full grain hard-rocking attitude of British metal, Take No Prisoners sees Alcatrazz energetically soaring and exploring melodic progression with road-warrior riffs. "Little Viper" rides a scything guitar into a thunderous, Dio-like assault, whilst the band also show their calmer, more expansive side with the epic "Strangers", but when an album finishes at the burn point of "Bring On The Rawk", there can be no question that Alcatrazz’s collective boot is repeatedly kicking serious ass!





Comprised of Doogie White (vocals), Joe Stump (guitars), Jimmy Waldo (keyboards), Gary Shea (bass) and Larry Paterson (drums), and with Giles Lavery and Waldo producing, Take No Prisoners is a loudly, and proudly classic rock album which draws on the Alcatrazz traditions of technically excellent screaming guitars, thunderous rhythm and the sort of vocals and overall aura that evoke prime Dio and Rainbow. And, of course, a primed and fully-tuned up Alcatrazz, whose career is fast taking on Benjamin Button proportions. The Take No Prisoners tour should be a lot of fun.


Take No Prisoners will be released on CD Digipak, 12” Black Vinyl, Digital Download, Streaming and special D2C bundles. Pre-order here.





Take No Prisoners tracklisting:


"Little Viper"
"Don't Get Mad...Get Even" (feat. Girlschool)
"Battlelines"
"Strangers"
"Gates Of Destiny"
"Alcatrazz"
"Holy Roller (Love's Temple)"
"Power In Numbers"
"Salute The Colours"
"Bring On The Rawk"


"Don't Get Mad...Get Even" (feat. Girlschool) video:





Alcatrazz are:


Jimmy Waldo - Keyboards
Gary Shea - Bass
Doogie White - Vocals
Joe Stump - Guitar
Larry Paterson - Drums

In a new interview with Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind, former MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell was asked if he and his then-bandmates knew "things were not going well" when they were forced to cancel a number of shows due to MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister's declining health in the months leading up to his death. Phil responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we knew, but Lem wanted to just carry on then. I know the last tour in Germany, I think one or two shows were canceled 'cause I ended up in hospital. And I came back out and we finished the tour. And that was the last tour then; the last show was in Berlin. So the last week of MOTÖRHEAD, actually I was the one in bloody hospital. But we never thought — when we parted at the end of the tour, we never thought that would be the last time we'd see each other. We didn't have a chance to say goodbye, me or Mikkey [Dee, MOTÖRHEAD drummer], or nothing. I couldn't even go over to the funeral, 'cause my doctor advised me not to, 'cause I was pretty ill myself in them days."

Earlier in the month, Dee told Sonic Perspectives that Lemmy didn't have any idea he was dying in the months leading up to his December 2015 passing. "I don't think that he had those — I know he didn't have these thoughts at all," Mikkey said. "But he did struggle with his health, and that was a pain in the ass for Lemmy, because he wanted to live his normal life so much. But he had some good days and bad days. And '15 was a tough year for Lemmy, and for all of us, obviously. But I know for a fact that he had no idea that he would actually pass away — I mean, die — by the end of that year; he had no clue about that."

Lemmy died on December 28, 2015 at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer.

MOTÖRHEAD had to cancel a number of shows in 2015 because of Lemmy's poor health, although the band did manage to complete the aforementioned European tour a couple of weeks before his death.

In June 2020, it was announced that Lemmy would get the biopic treatment. The upcoming film, "Lemmy", will be directed by Greg Olliver, who previously helmed the 2010 documentary of the same name, "Lemmy".

A custom-made urn containing Lemmy's ashes is on permanent display in a columbarium at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Back in May 2021, Dee told the "Waste Some Time With Jason Green" video podcast that Lemmy refused to quit touring in the weeks leading up to his death, even when his health was clearly deteriorating.

"We played the last show the 11th of December [of 2015] in Berlin, and he passed just [two] weeks later," Mikkey recalled. "And that tells you, the guy died with his boots on. And both me and Phil [Campbell, MOTÖRHEAD guitarist] were trying to talk him out of starting the second part of the European tour after Christmas. But there was no way in hell we could do that. And I said to Phil, 'Look, instead of arguing with Lemmy or pushing him not to do this,' because we said maybe we should break for a couple of months for him to catch his wind, basically. I said, 'Let's not push him anyway. Let him decide what he wants to do. He knows best what he wants to do.' And he wanted to be on stage. So we said, 'Let's just support him instead,' and that's what we did. But we never made it to the second leg of that European tour, unfortunately. It was the U.K. that was on the next part of it, I remember that."

Asked if he knew when he came home to Sweden that it would probably be the end for Lemmy, Mikkey said: "No. Not at all. Because I talked to Lemmy after that show in Berlin. We were all gonna go separate ways, obviously. I was gonna just fly out to Sweden, and Phil went back home to Wales. Lemmy was flying back to L.A., but I believe he was gonna fly to London and stay one night or two or so and say hi to friends and then fly back home. And I spoke to him right after the show. I went down to Lemmy's dressing room, and I said, 'All right. Go back to L.A. and figure out, maybe, another two songs from [MOTÖRHEAD's final album] 'Bad Magic' that you think that we should do. And we take out the two songs that we already played on this leg, and we put in two new songs from the record.' And he said, 'Yeah. All right. I'll check that out.' And I said, 'Let's hook up after Christmas.' Because it was the 11th of December at that time, and I figured we'd talk between Christmas and New Year's Eve and decide which two songs that we agreed on on playing on that next leg. And he said, 'Yeah, I'll go back and work on that.' And that was it. He had no intention of not coming back to Europe and touring. So we did a little finger hook, as we always did, and that was the last time I saw him, actually. Very sad."

Dee went on to say that Lemmy had made some changes in his life to improve his health after dealing with several issues over the last few years of his life, including heart trouble. "But my personal belief is that it was maybe a little too late," he said. "He should have maybe changed a little earlier. But knowing Lemmy, he was not for that. He was doing it his way or the highway, basically. And that made him to what he was. He never compromised with his music, he never compromised with friendship, he never compromised with what way he was gonna go for anyone else in that way, which is why MOTÖRHEAD was MOTÖRHEAD, and still is MOTÖRHEAD. But with that said, of course, the three of us were talking a lot about stuff, and it was not like he was some kind of a boss here. But we all worked so good together, and that's what created the magic, I would say."

British heavy metal legends, Saxon, unleash the high-octane second single, "Razamanaz", from More Inspirations - out this Friday, March 24 via Silver Lining Music.


Following the release of Inspirations in 2021, More Inspirations is the second ‘deep dish’ serving of the influences which have fed the mighty Saxon’s immensely successful 40+ year career. The second single is a striking take on Nazareth’s “Razamanaz”.


Frontman Biff Byford comments “In the seventies we’d go and see Nazareth they were one of the premier touring hard rock bands. We were lucky to tour with them in 1980, they used to open the show with this song, it’s about the audience performed to an audience… brilliant stuff!”







Whether unveiling a sensational take on The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s “The Faith Healer” (in the process showing the direct lineage from teenage turntables to international glory), getting feral with The Animal’s “We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place”, letting loose a high-octane take on Alice Cooper’s “From The Inside”, or laying down a ferocious tribute to KISS’ “Detroit Rock City”, More Inspirations is a joyous trip into the sounds which galvanized the Barnsley boys and continue to get spun on home stereos and tour buses.


Produced by vocalist/co-founder Biff Byford, with Seb Byford helping record the music alongside mixing engineer Jacky Lehmann, More Inspirations also includes enthusiastic takes on Alice Cooper, Rainbow, ZZ Top and Cream, as well as a thunderous “Razamanaz” by Nazareth, a tasty take on The Who’s “Substitute”, and a thick groove take on Uriah Heep’s “Gypsy”. Whether this is your first dance with such classic songs, or you’ve come to see where Saxon were born, More Inspirations delivers the goods and then some.  


Saxon’s More Inspirations will be available on 12” Black Vinyl, CD Digipak, digital formats and special D2C bundles; to pre-order head here.





Tracklisting:


"We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place"
"The Faith Healer"
"From the Inside"
"Chevrolet"
"Substitute"
"Gypsy"
"Man On the Silver Mountain"
"Detroit Rock City"
"Razamanaz"
"Tales of Brave Ulysses"





- Produced by Biff Byford
- Recorded by Seb Byford and Jacky Lehmann
- Mixed and Mastered by Jacky Lehmann, www.audiosound.de
- Mastered for vinyl at Abbey Studios, London


Saxon lineup:


Biff Byford - Vocals
Paul Quinn - Guitar
Nigel Glockler - Drums
Doug Scarratt - Guitar
Nibbs Carter - Bass

Global doom metal supergroup, MMXX, have announced that their new EP, The Next Wave, will be released via Candlelight on April 14. Ahead of this, the band have released their first single and video, "Alone", which features guest vocalist Mick Moss (Antimatter, Sleeping Pulse). Check out the official lyric video below.


Born during the initial worldwide lockdown and incubated as the seasons passed, doom metal supergroup MMXX began as the sound of global isolation. Not unlike the pandemic itself, MMXX has long harboured an unseen chapter: The Next Wave.


First single, "Alone", is an anthemic five-minute funeral march featuring the unmistakable Mick Moss (Antimatter, Sleeping Pulse). The full three song EP includes the metallic and driving "Isolation" featuring Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow the Sun), and the melancholic and ethereal "Echoes" featuring Alicia Nurho.




The Next Wave EP will be released on vinyl by Candlelight and like its 2022 full-length predecessor Sacred Cargo, contains stunning artwork from Portuguese fine-art photographer Henri Prestes.





Comments the band: "The pandemic proved an especially inspiring and creatively prolific time for MMXX. Our desire to keep 'Sacred Cargo' short enough to fit on a single vinyl, and our preferred sequencing of songs meant we had a few songs from the 'Sacred Cargo' session left. As you will discover, they are by no means inferior, and we are pleased they will soon join our previous album as the ultimate epilogue to a global collaboration originating in the epicentre of pandemic isolation."





At the core of MMXX is Andrea Chiodetti (ex-The Foreshadowing) on guitars and keys, Jesse Haff on drums (Daylight Dies and Gökböri) and Egan O’Rourke on bass (Daylight Dies). Together they channelled inspiration for composition after composition to collaborate with a geographically, culturally, and stylistically diverse collection of celebrated vocalists and musicians from around the world.


MMXX’s debut offering, Sacred Cargo (2022), displayed the project’s signature multifarious approach to doom metal with upcoming EP, The New Wave, building upon the foundations laid by its predecessor with a newfound conviction.


MMXX are:


Andrea Chiodetti - Guitar/Keys
Jesse Haff - Drums
Egan O’Rourke - Bass

One of the most iconic and influential albums ever, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, continues to find new audiences globally. This year, to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, a new deluxe box set will be released on March 24. Pre-order here.


In support of the upcoming release, the band have launched the new video series, 50 Years In A Heartbeat: The Story Of The Dark Side Of The Moon. Episode 2 is released today, and you can watch both available episodes below:


Part 1:







Part 2:





The Dark Side Of The Moon deluxe box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the new 2023 remastered studio album and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions.  The set also includes additional new Blu-ray disc of Atmos mix, plus CD and LP of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon – Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974’, a 160-page hardback photo book, a music book, replica 7” singles and memorabilia.  For full details see full listing via the pre-order link above.





The box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the new 2023 remastered studio album, and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions. The set also includes an additional new Blu-ray disc of a Dolby Atmos mix plus a CD and LP of The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974. There's also a 76-page music book, replicas of two 7" singles, posters, stickers, a replica invite to the press preview of the album at London Planetarium in February 1973, and Thames & Hudson's 160-page hardback book with rare and previously unseen photographs from the 1972-1975 tours taken by Jill Furmanovsky, Peter Christopherson, Aubrey Powell, and Storm Thorgerson.





Simultaneously, on March 24, the CD and first ever vinyl issue of The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974 will be released independently of the box set. It was originally recorded in November 1974 as part of the band's winter tour and this is the first time it will be available as a stand-alone album, with artwork featuring an original 1973 line-drawn cover by George Hardie.





Thames & Hudson's book Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon: 50th Anniversary will also be published separately from the box set on the same day - March 24. Curated by photographer Jill Furmanovsky and art directed by Hipgnosis co-founder Aubrey Powell, this LP-sized book was created with the involvement of the band members.


The 50th Anniversary release will also be celebrated as Pink Floyd invite a new generation of animators to enter a competition to create music videos for any of the album's 10 songs. Pink Floyd has a rich history of collaborating with animators from the beginnings of the band (Ian Emes, Gerald Scarfe etc.), and in some cases the visuals that accompany the songs have become synonymous with the music itself. The 50th Anniversary will be no exception. The band would like to give all animators an opportunity to present a fresh take on these timeless aural works. Animators can enter up to 10 videos, one per song on the album. A winner will be selected from a panel of experts which will include Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Aubrey 'Po' Powell (Pink Floyd's creative director) and the BFI (British Film Institute). The deadline for submissions is November 30th 2023. Please see the separate post with Nick Mason talking about the competition.


On February 27 1973, EMI Records held a press conference for the debut presentation of Pink Floyd’s new album The Dark Side Of The Moon at the London Planetarium. 50 years on, in recognition of the iconic album and with the help of huge strides in technology, an official full dome experience with stunning visuals of the solar system and beyond and played out to 42 minutes of The Dark Side Of The Moon, will be released in Planetariums around the world in March. Contact your local Planetarium for any screening details.


For further information, head to PinkFloyd.com.

Finnnish melodic death/power metal act Kalmah will release their self-titled album on May 26 via Ranka Kustannus. The album will available on digital, CD, and limited edition vinyl.


Single for “Drifting In A Dream” will be out Friday, March 24.







Tracklisting:


“Haunted By Guilt”
“Veil Of Sin”
“Scarred By Sadness”
“No Words Sad Enough”
“Serve The Untrue”
“Home Sweet Hell”
“Tons Of Chaos”
“Red And Black”
“Taken Before Given”
“Drifting In A Dream”


Kalmah live:


March
30 – Helsinki, Finland – On The Rocks
31 – Tampere, Finland – Yo-talo


April
4 – Turku, Finland – Apollo 
7 – Seinajoki, Finland – Rytmikorjaamo
8 – Kuopio, Finland – The Circus
14 – Joensuu, Finland – Kerubi
15 – Jyvaskyla, Finland – Lutakko 

Four months after the passing of Hawkwind founding member Nik Turner, the band's original guitarist and co-founder, Mick Slattery, has passed away at 77.


Hawkwind founder, singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave Brock, who is the only remaining original member of the band, shared the following message via Facebook:


"We are sorry to share the sad news that our old friend, and Hawkwind founder member, Mick Slattery passed away peacefully at home yesterday, St Patrick's Day, 17th March 2023, aged 77, after a short illness.




Me and Mick played together in a band called Famous Cure in 1967, touring Holland  before going on to form Hawkwind in 1969. I have lots of fond memories from our younger days, playing together in Holland and hanging out in Richmond at the L'Auberge Cafe and Eel Pie Island.


In the late 60s, we used to rehearse in my upstairs flat in Putney and also in the basement of Bob Kerr's music shop in Gwalior Road, playing loud music, much to the annoyance of our neighbours...


Fly free old friend." - Dave


Slattery left Hawkwind in 1969 and was replaced by Huw Lloyd-Langton. He later worked with Nik Turner in the group Space Ritual, and with Hawkwind’s former bassist, Alan Davey, in Hawkestrel. RIP.

In a new interview with Mankato, Minnesota's "The Five Count" radio show, WARRANT guitarist Joey Allen was asked if there has been any talk of a follow-up to 2017's "Louder Harder Faster" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are actually writing right now for a record. So people are sending riffs around. You can do it on the Internet nowadays. We just have a cloud-based files system where we just upload ideas. And somebody will take an idea, a music idea, and put some lyrics to it, and we'll start to craft our songs. So maybe by this fall we'll dig into the studio again and [record] the follow-up to 'Louder Harder Faster', which came out, I think, six years ago this year. The recording process takes about four or five weeks, so maybe early next year we'll have something new out for everybody to listen to and back on the road we will go to support that."

Less than two years ago, WARRANT singer Robert Mason told the "Thunder Underground" podcast that there wasn't "a defined schedule" for the group's next studio album, but he added that he and his bandmates are "always writing."

In 2020, WARRANT guitarist Erik Turner told the "Talking Metal" podcast that the group was "throwing some ideas around" for a new LP. He said: "I've been sending Robert some riffs, and Robert's been working on songs. I've got a song going with Jerry [Dixon, bass]. So it's a slow, long process for us, but the seed of a new record has been started. Now, that doesn't mean the seed will grow into a record. We've got a long way to go. We don't have one finished song. We've got a couple of things cooking, and we're actually sending ideas around back and forth to each other."

"Louder Harder Faster" was released in May 2017. The disc was recorded with producer Jeff Pilson — a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others — and was mixed by Pat Regan, except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

Mason replaced original WARRANT frontman Jani Lane in 2008 and has brought a degree of stability to the band after Lane's unceremonious departure and subsequent 2011 death.

WARRANT is rounded out by original drummer Steven Sweet.

Photo credit: Stephen Jensen/F3 Studios

In a new interview with the "That Metal Interview" podcast, MORBID ANGEL frontman Steve Tucker was asked if there are any plans for the band to work on new music as a follow-up to 2017's "Kingdoms Disdained" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm hoping so, man. We're tossing around some ideas and things like that. Right now, man, we really are just trying to knock the fucking rust off — get back out, do shows and get back to [getting] used to being in a band.

"There's a lot of social politics in a band," Steve explained. "You have multiple members, and sometimes you have to get back in that vibe, in that groove and get used to working together and around each other again."

MORBID ANGEL kicked off its 2023 U.S. tour this past Wednesday night (March 15) at Vinyl Music Hall in Pensacola, Florida. The trek marks the band's first with drummer Charlie Koryn, who has previously played with ASCENDED DEAD, INCANTATION, FUNEBRARUM and SKELETAL REMAINS. The tour, featuring support from REVOCATION, will run through April 22 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

When Koryn's addition to MORBID ANGEL's touring lineup was first announced a few days ago, the band said: "This week the tour starts! Steve, Trey [Azagthoth, guitar], and Dan [Vadim Von, guitar] are excited to get back out there and pummel every audience, and helping us do so on this run behind the kit will be Charlie Koryn. SEE YOU IN THE PIT!"

In April 2018, Silver Lining Music released a special two-disc digipack edition of "Kingdoms Disdained", featuring seven instrumental demo tracks previously only available as part of the deluxe box set.

"Kingdoms Disdained" was released in December 2017 via Silver Lining Music in the U.S. and JVC in Japan. The disc, which reunites founding guitarist Azagthoth with Tucker, was recorded at Mana Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida and produced by MORBID ANGEL with Erik Rutan (CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL, SIX FEET UNDER, BELPHEGOR).

Joining Azagthoth and Tucker during the recording sessions for "Kingdoms Disdained" was drummer Scotty Fuller (ANNIHILATED; formerly of ABYSMAL DAWN)

MORBID ANGEL in January 2017 announced the addition of Vadim Von (guitarist/frontman of the American death metal band VADIMVON) to the band's lineup on second guitar. He joined the group as the replacement for Norwegian guitarist Destructhor (a.k.a. Thor Anders Myhren),who left the band eight years ago.

Azagthoth made headlines in 2020 after he was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge near his home in Florida. Several months later, he pleaded no contest to reckless driving as a reduced charge from DUI. He was also ordered to complete "DUI School", pay a small fine and perform 50 hours of community service.

Singer Ryan McCombs played his first shows back with DROWNING POOL on Friday, March 17 (at Club L.A. in Destin, Florida, with ADELITA'S WAY and OTHERWISE),and Saturday, March 18, headlining the inaugural Throwdown At The Campground festival in Fruitland Park, Florida. Fan-filmed video of the Throwdown At The Campground concert can be seen below.

The longtime SOIL frontman, who has lived in Swindon, England since 2018, originally joined DROWNING POOL in 2005 and appeared on two of the band's studio albums, "Full Circle" (2007) and "Drowning Pool" (2010),as well as a live album, 2009's "Loudest Common Denominator". He rejoined SOIL after exiting DROWNING POOL in 2011.

According to Metal Edge, McCombs will continue to front SOIL and will perform with both bands moving forward.

Said McCombs: "When I stepped away from music back in 2004, I only got back into the mix because it was with [DROWNING POOL members] C.J., Stephen and Mike, and because it was also a way for me to be a small part of keeping their music with Dave [late DROWNING POOL vocalist Dave Williams] alive. Just being back in the same room together after so many years, gearing up for these shows, was a quick reminder as to why I considered them to be my best friends in the business back in the day. As everyone living life can attest to, sometimes our days can get messy — but in the words of one Dave Williams, 'Everything happens for reasons, I just don't know…' Some of the greatest moments in my career came about as a member of DP and I'm really thankful for the opportunity to perform with them once again."

Added drummer Mike Luce: "I'm very happy that SOIL and DROWNING POOL are in a spot now where we not only co-exist, but are close enough as friends to move forward together. We support and respect each other enough for us to make sure they can keep doing what they do, and for them to allow us to revisit a bunch of these cool tunes we played a decade-plus ago, with the singer who we viewed as the archetype after Dave passed. We can't wait to get onstage together again and see where this leads."

"It's exciting as hell having Ryan McCombs rocking out with us again," said guitarist C.J. Pierce. "It's been 13 years since the last time we were in a rehearsal room together, and from the second we hit that first note it was like we never skipped a beat. I've never felt such a connection as musicians, true friends and family as I do with Mike, Stevie and Ryan. I can't wait to share the stage together again."

"Never say never," said bassist Stevie Benton. "It's hard to believe it's been over 10 years since we shared a stage with Ryan. I think, deep down, we always knew this reunion would happen."

McCombs's bandmates in SOIL said: "Ryan has extensive history with both SOIL and DROWNING POOL, so when the opportunity arose for him to move forward as the singer of both bands, we knew we could make it work together. Both bands aren't kids anymore, and we've all grown as people, mended past hard feelings, and are approaching the 25-year marks. Ryan wants to work. He wants to tour and play as much as possible, and this allows him to do that. As Dave Williams said just days before his passing, 'Anywhere there is electricity for DP and SOIL to play together, let's do it…'"

DROWNING POOL's first new record since 2016, "Strike A Nerve", came out last September via T-Boy/UMe. It marked the band's third album with singer Jasen Moreno, who joined DROWNING POOL in 2012.

DROWNING POOL addressed Moreno's departure in a social media post on Thursday (March 16),writing: "We appreciate everyone asking about Jasen. We can't speak for him but we believe he was just ready to move on to other things in life. Maybe he will make a statement. Maybe he won't. Regardless, we wish him the best."