Fates Warning have released a guitar playthrough video for "Shuttered World", a track from the band's Long Day Good Night album, released in 2020 via Metal Blade Records.


Says the band: "From our 2020 album Long Day Good Night, check out our own Jim Matheos in the official guitar playthrough for 'Shuttered World', also featuring a solo from Mike Abdow." 🤘







Long Day Good Night can be ordered here .





Long Day Good Night tracklisting:


"The Destination Onward"
"Shuttered World"
"Alone We Walk"
"Now Comes The Rain"
"The Way Home"
"Under The Sun"
"Scars"
"Begin Again"
"When Snow Falls"
"Liar"
"Glass Houses"
"The Longest Shadow Of The Day"
"The Last Song"


"Scars":

Having always been delivering consistent qualitative progressive stoner rock with great vision across the band’s three full length albums, My Diligence have proved themselves to be one of the most prominent heavy psych acts in Belgium and have now joined the ranks of Listenable Records.


My Diligence have kept on harnessing harmonies and catchy hooks in elegant and powerful manner since inception. Released in June 2022, their latest album, The Matter, The Form and Power, produced by Francis Caste (Hangman’s Chair, Regarde les Hommes Tomber) and mastered by Raphaël Bovey (Gojira, Dirge, Kruger), carves out an intense, immersive & spontaneous soundscape, exposing a new facet for the band.


Returning to their power-trio origins My Diligence dived headfirst into a writing phase, exploring melodic, psychedelic doom stylings, forging a much more radical & violent path, while conserving their originality showcased on their albums My Diligence (2015) and Sun Rose (2019).




Freshly booked at Alcatraz again and Hellfest 2023, My Diligence are undoubtedly destined to turn quite a few more diligent heads. The band is working on their fourth full length album, to be released in early 2024 on Listenable Records.





Lineup:


Cédric Fontaine – Vocals, Guitar
François Peeters – Guitar
Gabriel Marlier – Drums

In a new interview with Rock 100.5 The KATT's Cameron Buchholtz, Mark Tremonti was once again asked about the possibility of a CREED reunion in the not-too-distant future. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's just a matter of timing for everybody. Everybody's juggling so many projects, we would just have to find a window where it made sense.

"There's always people talking," he continued. "We always get calls from people that are interested in putting a show together. But it's tough to get a band that hasn't toured in 10 years to just do a show. We would have to put it all together. We would have to put weeks into preparing the production and weeks into doing the rehearsals. And it's a big production. You can't just do one show."

Nearly three years ago, CREED updated its Facebook profile with an old photo, igniting rumors of the multi-platinum act's imminent return.

Tremonti's latest comments echo those he made last fall when he spoke to The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn. At the time, he stated about the possibility of a CREED reunion: "It's just a matter of timing. We're all so busy running around the world doing our things, we would just have to have the time where it made sense. I don't think we need to rush into it, because I don't think CREED fans are going anywhere. I think whenever we decide to do something, I think it's gonna be a safe time to do it. It's just gonna be when it makes sense for everybody. You don't wanna derail a whole album cycle by jumping into doing CREED. It would just have to make sense."

In September 2021, Tremonti told The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn that constantly being associated with CREED — more than 10 years after the band completed a tour in support of its fourth album, 2009's "Full Circle" — was "definitely both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you right now if it weren't for CREED; I wouldn't have this career, this long career," he said. "But at the same time, for my entire life, I will be that guy from the band CREED, which is good and band. 'Cause certain people loved CREED, certain people hated CREED. So no matter what I do artistically, I'm gonna be the guy who was in CREED that was, at certain points critics liked to come after us. So I've kind of lived in both worlds — I was in a band that sold lots of records but got some critical attacks, but I also got to be in a band that didn't sell as many records but got critical praise. So I got to see both sides of it. It would be great to have it all in one. But it's tough."

CREED disbanded in 2004 but reunited five years later for the aforementioned "Full Circle" LP and an extensive tour. Singer Scott Stapp has since toured and recorded as a solo artist, although he suffered a drug-related mental breakdown in 2014 and spent several years recovering from that.

In 2019, Tremonti said in an interview on Jamey Jasta's podcast that he was sitting on an album's worth of material for CREED. Asked whether CREED could reunite again, Tremonti said, "People say, 'Is it done? Is it over? Is there new music coming out?' I'm sitting on an entire CREED album... When we were together doing the reunion tour, we put a lot of music together and I have like really sketchy little demos of probably 13 songs. I listened to them maybe a year ago and they're good songs."

Tremonti added: "It's just, there's no time. Is it good enough for me to put everything on the back burner that I've been working on for the past 14 years? No. Is it good enough to maybe 10 years from now or seven years from now... or some big resurgence happens or there's an anniversary where everybody's like, 'We want to see CREED and the world demands it like they used to.' I wouldn't say no."

In a new interview with Impericon, LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe was asked to name his top three concerts, books, movies, places, records, inspiring people, things he wishes he had known earlier, tour items and his own songs. Check out his responses in the video below.

Asked to name his favorite places, Blythe said: "Japan, Australia, United States. Those are the top three. They're all very, very different places. That's why I like them. The United States, of course, is home and it's certainly the easiest country to tour in; everything is very convenient there. But I like, especially with somewhere like Japan, it's so culturally different. It's a super-cool place to play. I love going there. And I love going to Australia. Culturally, it's more similar to the United States, but it's a very mellow, laid-back place; it's like being at the beach all the time. But most bands, when you ask them, 'Where do you love touring?', they're gonna say Japan and Australia — at least most American bands."

LAMB OF GOD's latest album, "Omens", was released in October. The LP is the follow-up to the band's self-titled album, which arrived in June 2020. That effort marked LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with drummer Art Cruz, who joined the band in July 2019 as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

Last December, Blythe told Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series that "the most complicated part" of being in a band like LAMB OF GOD is "trying to make sense of how this has become a career, really. 'Cause we just did it for the love of it," he explained. "That's why we started the band. I never thought it would be a job. I was never, like, 'Oh, we're gonna be rock stars,' or whatever.

"I think the really complicated part of it for me has been navigating the fact that something that I would be doing anyway, which is making music, is navigating how that has become a business," he continued. "And it's not something I'm always entirely comfortable with, to tell you the truth, 'cause I'm just a regular dude. That's why we have management, though; I don't handle the business. But I think that has really been the most complicated thing for me, is realizing that it's a business at this point. Because we employ a lot of people. People were able to buy their families Christmas gifts this year because we employ 'em. [Laughs] It's definitely a band that, it's our art and we love it, but it is a business, and for me, accepting that is strange — it's strange. 'Cause I don't come from the business world. I never had any money. I'm not a rich kid or anything weird like that."

Blythe added: "Just learning to be a professional musician, I guess, is the most complicated part. Writing the music and touring and playing shows and all that shit, that's fun. That's easy for me. Learning the business has been complicated."

Mentalist and former Blind Guardian drummer Thomen Stauch has released an alternate drum playthrough video of the Talas song, "Sink Your Teeth Into That", the title track of the band's 1982 album. Watch below:





A selection of Thomen's previous drum cover videos are available below:

In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, Morgan Lander of Canadian metallers KITTIE spoke about the band's plans for the coming months. She said: "There's a lot of plans coming up. Not too much that I can share, but definitely more shows are in the works. I don't think that it's ever gonna be something that we'll be able to do full-time and tour nine months out of the year. It's just not feasible and not even really cost effective, to be honest with you — from that standpoint as well. But, yeah, I think that we are gonna make the band and music and shows a priority for the next few years. So that just means you'll be seeing and hearing more of us. I guess."

She added: "We'll see what sort of shakes. We've got some interesting things coming down the pipeline. So I think, without giving too much away, I feel like the next few years will be very interesting and very exciting for the band."

Asked about the possibility of new KITTIE music in the not-too-distant future, Morgan said: "Yeah. It's definitely something that is on our to-do list. It's something we've been really interested in... It's definitely something that we wanna do when the timing is right, when the situation is right. It is all starting to come together and feel more right. So I guess it's the perfect time."

KITTIE played its first concert in five years last September at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Joining Morgan and her sister, drummer Mercedes Lander, at the band's recent gigs were guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

Asked in an interview with the "Talk Toomey" podcast what led to Vujic returning to KITTIE for the most recent batch of dates, Lander said: "Ivy played on two of our albums, the last two albums that we did. She left the band right before the very last big tour that we ended up doing; she did the Soundwave Festival [in Australia] with us in 2012, and those were the last shows that we did with her. And she just kind of settled into her life, started a family, got married, and so that's sort of been what she's been up to. But Ivy's a metal girl at heart and she's always been super, super easygoing about stuff. I just sent her a message and I was, like, 'Hey, can we talk?' And we had a really, really great phone call and I just sort of explained the situation, explained what was going on. I asked her if she'd be into doing it, and she was, like, 'Yeah. Sounds great.' … It's very much one of those things where you don't talk that often anymore, you don't see each other that often, but then, when you all get together again, that chemistry and that vibe is always there."

Morgan continued: "I feel like that lineup of KITTIE in particular was always very super pro, super chill — no stress, no drama. Just, like, 'You know what? We're gonna go out there and we're gonna sound amazing.'

"She's an incredible bass player. I don't think that Ivy gets enough credit. She is absolutely incredible."

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

In January 2022, the original lineup of KITTIE — Morgan, Mercedes, Fallon Bowman (guitar) and Tanya Candler (bass) — reunited for an online chat to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of its gold-certified 2000 debut album, "Spit".

Candler left KITTIE after the release of "Spit" in order to finish high school and was replaced by Talena Atfield.

Bowman exited KITTIE in 2001 and started her own industrial/electronic project, AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for 2011's "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

"I've Failed You" sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 178 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Image courtesy of Arin Sarris

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson will take part in a performance of Jon Lord's "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" on nearly a dozen dates in March and April. The concerts will be performed by a symphony orchestra consisting of more than 80 instrumentalists conducted by Paul Mann, a close friend of Jon's, and assembled especially for the occasion with members of OSESP (Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo) and some of the country's main symphony groups. They will appear alongside Kaitner Z Doka (JON LORD, IAN PAICE, DON AIREY) on guitar, Bernhard Welz (JON LORD, DON AIREY) on drums, John O'Hara (JETHRO TULL) on keyboards, Tanya O'Callaghan (WHITESNAKE) on bass and Mario Argandonia (SCORPIONS) on percussion.

In a new video announcing the "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" shows, Dickinson says: "So I'm really excited to be doing this Concerto For Group And Orchestra all around the place — around Europe and in Brazil.

"Well, what is it exactly? Well, it's about a 45-minute piece of classical music that was written by Jon Lord from DEEP PURPLE involving a group; in this case, it was DEEP PURPLE," he explained. "And it's like a meeting of minds between a rock and roll band and an orchestra, and they play slightly separately, they play together. I'm basically just the singer in the part of the Concerto that is the singing part; that's basically part one of the show. Part two, we kind of really let our hair down a bit. There's a couple of more classical interactions between the band that's more instrumental, and then we do five PURPLE songs with the orchestra and the band, so 'Perfect Strangers', 'When A Blind Man Cries', obviously, 'Smoke On The Water', 'Hush' and 'Pictures Of Home', which is a rarity and it's amazing with the orchestra. And then we're also gonna do something a little bit special. We've done an orchestral arrangement of my version of 'Jerusalem' and also 'Tears Of The Dragon' with the orchestra and the band. So, those two are gonna be in there at end — no particular order at the moment. So it's a really good, amazing evening of fantastic playing by incredible musicians. And that's what it is — it's music."

The dates are as follows:

March 15 - Sala Palatului, Bucharest, Romania
March 18 - National Palace Of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria
March 22 - Sports Hall Mirza Delibasic, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
March 24 - Hall Drazen Petrovic, Zagreb, Croatia
March 25 - Cancarjev Dom, Ljubljana, Slovenia
April 02 - Hala University Palacheho, Olomouc, Czech Republic
April 15 - Vibra, Sao Paulo, Brazil
April 19 - Teatro Positiva, Curitiba, Brazil
April 21 - Vivo Rio, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
April 25 - Auditorio Araujo Vianna, Porto Alegre, Brazil

For tickets, visit ScreamForMe.com.

Bruce previously performed "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" in November 2021 in Győr, Hungary with DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover and the Győr Symphony Orchestra. Prior to that, he performed at the 50th-anniversary celebration of "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" in November 2019 at the Palais Montcalm in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

When the Quebec City concert was first announced, Dickinson said: "As many people know, DEEP PURPLE have been a major, ongoing influence in my life since I was a teenager, and down the years, I have been fortunate enough to become good friends with all of the band, most especially in my collaborations with Jon Lord."

Added Mann: "My long collaboration with Jon Lord, and in particular his innovative, genre-defying 'Concerto', has been one of the greatest joys of my musical life. Jon's spirit will definitely be with us."

During a September 2018 spoken-word gig in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dickinson talked about his friendship with Lord. He said: "Jon Lord was a wonderful gentleman, and we were close friends. And he sadly died of… He had pancreatic cancer, but he survived for a year and a half — much against what everybody had said would happen. And actually, at the end, he didn't die of pancreatic cancer — he died, unfortunately, of some terrible blood collapse that happened with him, possibly as a result of treatment. But we had all kinds of crazy plans, including me going out on tour with him, singing DEEP PURPLE songs with an orchestra, which he was planning to do; that was one of the things we were planning to do. But it all got interrupted and canceled, and [it was] obviously very sad. He was a wonderful man."

Lord died on July 16, 2012 at age 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Lord, who was known for his keyboard virtuosity and his reinvention of the Hammond B-3 organ sound, co-wrote such PURPLE classics as "Smoke On The Water" and "Child In Time", among others. Lord and drummer Ian Paice were the only original members to last through the band's initial run from 1968 to 1976. He was on board for their 1984 reunion and stayed on through to his 2002 retirement from the band, after which he worked primarily in the classical field.

Fans of vintage, Canadian melodic rock should make room in their record collections for two new reissues available today - Andy Curran’s 1990 debut solo effort Whiskey And The Devil 30th and Harem Scarem’s 1993 sophomore offering Mood Swings. Both projects are now being offered as exclusive, limited-edition releases only available on Sing Market.


Each release includes a vinyl package and a matching digital package, which also contains digital-only extras - at a retail price for each package of USD $89.95, plus shipping.


“Working on my solo album decades later was a trip down memory lane,” recalls Curran (founder of Coney Hatch and Envy Of None with Rush’s Alex Lifeson) about the new reissue entitled Whiskey And The Devil 30th. “I completely forgot about two songs we recorded during those sessions but that weren’t included on the original release - so now, many years later, they will be part of this release. This was also the first time I produced a record… which was a white-knuckle ride! Winning a Juno Award that year was the icing on the cake. It was only ever released in Canada, so I’m excited to shine the spotlight back on this one.”




Iron Maiden/British Lion bassist, Steve Harris, is a big fan of Curran’s solo record, adding: “I’ve been listening to this album for 30 years and it still sounds great!”


Harem Scarem lead singer Harry Hess recollects, “June 2023 will mark the 30-year anniversary of the release of our second album, Mood Swings. This record took us to another level internationally, being released in over 50 countries and voted Kerrang! Magazine’s rock album of the year. We are excited to revisit the songs, recording five new acoustic bonus tracks and releasing the original remastered recordings on vinyl for the first time ever.”


These new hybrid packages include serial-numbered digital collectibles, permanently capped at a preset quantity using blockchain technology - once they’re sold out, no more can ever be produced. Sing guarantees fans own their music - just like a numbered print, fans have true ownership of each package and artist-authorized proof of its authenticity. No knowledge of crypto is ever needed to use Sing - just a love of great music and a credit card, debit card or Apple Pay.


Both exclusive packages are available now for immediate purchase on Sing Market (links below).


Andy Curran - Whiskey And The Devil 30th (purchase here)





You’ll receive:


- Cherry red double 180-gram audiophile LPs (Original Album remixed with two previously unreleased tracks, plus Live in Vancouver performances)
- Whiskey And The Devil Tattoo Kit
- Andy Curran Vintage Tour Pass
- Andy Curran Fantoons designed mini Cereal Box
- An 8 x 10 High Gloss Photo
- An Exclusive re-print of Andy’s infamous private Biker Gang Show ticket (VIP CARD)
- A Whiskey And The Devil 30th Album Art Sticker
- A golden ticket entry to win a Fender Precision Bass Guitar (Classic 60’s), autographed by Andy Curran


Available for immediate download:


- All the above vinyl tracks plus 2 additional “studio” out-takes, newly remixed by Juno Award-winning engineer Vic Florencia, delivered as MP3 files
- Original 1990 record re-mastered
- Music videos for No Tattoos and License to Love singles
- 5 Pre-recorded deal demos (these were the actual demos that got Andy his first record deal!)
- Original Track Sheets from the Metalworks sessions


Check out the Andy Curran unboxing video:





Harem Scarem - Mood Swings (purchase here)





You’ll receive:


- Purple 180-gram audiophile LP with Companion Compact Disc (includes bonus tracks)
- 24” x 36” Mood Swings Tour Poster (Re-issue from Mood Swings tour)
- Re-issued VIP All Access Pass
- Mood Swings Custom Drink Coaster
- VIP Metallic Membership Card - Meet and Greet the Artist at Harem Scarem Live Events
- Metallic band logo sticker
- A Golden ticket entry with every purchase to be entered to win a Seagull guitar made by Godin Guitars and signed by the band


Available for immediate download:


- Vinyl tracks in MP3 format
- 5 Acoustic Bonus Tracks
- Harem Scarem VIP Fan Club Membership
- Live Photos
- Fan Art Banners
- Studio Track Sheets
- A Making-of Video - (mini documentary made for the 30th Anniversary edition)
- Mood Swings Songbook (digital version)


Check out the Harry Hess unboxing video:





Curran and Hess added fire power by teaming up with Sing and arranging physical manufacturing and distribution. Curran added, “Harry and I have so many friends in the business who either had record deals, or are between deals, but they control their content. We have had lots of calls asking for help, so we set up a scenario whereby the artist owns everything, and we’re simply the vehicle to help them put it all in one place for their fans to access. We can’t name names just yet, but we have had lots of interest, so look for more SING limited-edition digital releases in the coming months."


Founded in 2019, Seattle-based Sing is an online record store that puts artists and fans first by offering curated digital and physical products that you won’t find anywhere else. “We’re thrilled to be working with Andy Curran and Harem Scarem on two of their most iconic albums,” says Sing CEO, Geoff Osler. “These exclusive releases will give fans a unique opportunity to truly own these records in both vinyl and digital formats - with never before possible digital bonus material that fans can download and enjoy immediately.”

Swedish black metal legends, Dark Funeral, performed "Nail Them To The Cross", from their 2016 album Where Shadows Forever Reign, during their set at Bloodstock 2022. Watch professionally-filmed footage below:





The longest-running metal tour in North America is back. The Decibel Magazine Tour returns in May as Dark Funeral headline Decibel's now decade-plus annual trek. Tour support comes from California progressive death/grind heroes Cattle Decapitation, Ohio death metal destroyers 200 Stab Wounds and Adirondack atmospheric black metal phenom Blackbraid.




"North America, we will soon meet again. And this time we're coming back to headline the epic Decibel Magazine Tour - what an honor," says Dark Funeral guitarist/founder Lord Ahriman. "We have already prepared a new and absolutely amazing setlist. You will be in for a massive treat this time, no doubt."


"Excited to be hitting the USA again and playing more than just one new song this time," exclaims Cattle Decapitation vocalist Travis Ryan. "Dark Funeral are great guys, and we look forward to jamming alongside them; Metal Blade Records has told us many good things about labelmates 200 Stab Wounds so it will be good to finally meet and see them! What Blackbraid is doing is super sick, and we do love our black metal, so all in all its looking to be quite an awesome run!"


Tickets for the 2023 Decibel Magazine Tour are on sale here





Tour dates:


May
11 - The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA
12 - Nile Theater - Mesa, AZ
13 - El Rey - Albuquerque, NM
15 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX
16 - Empire Control Room - Austin, TX
17 - The Warehouse - Houston, TX
19 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
20 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
21 - The Underground - Charlotte, NC
23 - Baltimore Soundstage - Baltimore, MD
24 - Irving Plaza - New York, NY *
26 - Club Soda - Montreal, QC
27 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, ON
28 - Crofoot Ballroom - Pontiac, MI
30 - The Metro - Chicago, IL
31 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN


June
2 - The Summit - Denver, CO
3 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
5 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
6 - The Vogue Theater - Vancouver, BC
7 - The Roseland Ballroom -Portland, OR
9 - The Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA
10 - Regent Theater - Los Angeles, CA


* no Blackbraid

The Silent Rage will release their new album, Nuances Of Life, on May 26 via Scarlet Records.


The Silent Rage is finally returning to deliver their flawless, hefty, fist-pumping melodic power metal. Nuances Of Life combines the characteristic sound of classic metal, filled with blazing riffs and impressive melodies, combined with catchy and blistering vocal lines – courtesy of extraordinary new frontman, Michalis Rinakakis.


Lyrically wise, Nuances Of Life deals with spreading out the deepest, well-hidden human emotions: tales about mighty heroes and distant lands as well as everyday issues that leave a deep scar in our hearts. Get ready to a non-stop exciting headbanging experience.




Produced by Fotis Benardo (Nightfall, Septicflesh, Melechesh) and mastered by George Nerantzis (Pain Of Salvation, Abbath, Nightrage) at Devasoundz Studios (Athens), Nuances Of Life will be released in the following formats:


- vinyl (limited edition)
- digipak CD
- digital





Nuances Of Life tracklisting:


"The Serpent Lord"
"Code Of Destruction"
"Carve Your Rage"
"Crows Fly Back"
"Another Fallen Dreamland" (feat. Stu Block - Into Eternity/ ex-Iced Earth)
"Scarlet Dawn" (feat. Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin - Jag Panzer)
"The Man In The Mirror"
"Exhaling Fear"
"Ghost Of A Wayward God"
" Black Monday" (feat. Bob Katsionis - Stray Gods/ex-Firewind)
"Nuances Of Life"
"Defy The Headhunters" (CD bonus track)


The Silent Rage lineup:


Michalis Rinakakis - vocals
Nikos Siglidis - guitar, vocals
Nikos Sarbanis - guitar
George Haniotakis - bass
Stamatis Katsafados - drums

Emerging epic metal heroes Blazon Rite have released "Wild Rites And Ancient Songs," the title track and second single from the forthcoming album.


Wild Rites And Ancient Songs will be released on April 14 on CD, vinyl, and digital formats via Gates Of Hell Records. 


Recorded in May 2022 with Kevin Bernsten at Developing Nations Studios, Wild Rites And Ancient Songs is the highly anticipated follow-up to Blazon Rite’s masterful 2021 debut, Endless Halls Of Golden Totem. With scores of ears awaiting the band’s new long player, guitarist James Kirn says Blazon Rite rose to the challenge. 




“We are really grateful for everyone who supported Endless Halls Of Golden Totem and hope we made something that people will always go back to,” he says. “The only pressure I think we felt was to deliver something different and fresh from what we’ve already presented to the world. While I think the new album isn’t a huge departure, we did some things creatively with this record that differ from our first full length and push us forward. At times, we simplified things and set out to make songs more hard-hitting and powerful. We really took our time with this album and I think it shows in the quality of the overall product.” 


Comprising seven cuts that dig into the ethos and essence of what true metal should be in 2023, Wild Rites And Ancient Songs boats Blazon Rite’s now patented blend of strident guitar melodies and true metal persuasiveness. However, the album emerges as a more direct and catchy offering than its predecessor, something Kirn says was the goal from the start. 


“I just wanted to try new things and explore different moods and feelings with this new album. We leaned in so many different directions on this release. We have some traditional power and epic metal elements, some NWOBHM parts, and even folk vibes. I really just wanted to give the listener a wholly memorable experience. We tried to simplify the lyrics and vocal melodies a bit to make them more impactful and anthemic as well. I also think the tones we achieved on this record are great and new for us. I want to mention that Pierson [Roe] took the solos and leads to a new epic place this time around.” 


Blazon Rite rapidly emerged as one of the new leading faces in the American traditional metal scene. The excitement and strong press surrounding Endless Halls Of Golden Totem was significant — and justified. This year promises to be a busy one for the band. Playing as many shows as possible behind Wild Rites and Ancient Songs, will be the next step on Blazon Rite’s epic metal journey. 


“We are really amped to hear what everyone thinks of this new album and hopefully, the word spreads even more about us,” closes Kirn. “I think people will appreciate the polish and the development we’ve put on this album. Hopefully, we can get some buzz about the album and play some cool shows with some good lineups.”


Preorder on Bandcamp.


Artwork by Matt Stikker:





Tracklisting:


“Autumn Fear Brings Winter Doom”
“Salvage What You Can Of The Night”
“The Fall Of A Once Great House”
“Mark Of The Stormborn Raiders”
“Wild Rites And Ancient Songs”
“Troubadours Of The Final Quarrel”
“The Coming Tide Of Yule”


"With Rites And Ancient Songs":





“Salvage What You Can Of The Night”:

Puscifer, who recently shared Phantogram’s contribution to Existential Reckoning: Re-Wired (March 31, Puscifer Entertainment/Alchemy Recordings/BMG): “Postulous" (Re-Imagined by Phantogram), release a Daniel Martin Diaz-created clip for the electrified track. Watch below.


Maynard James Keenan shares his thoughts on the serendipitous partnership: “The symbiotic relationship between Daniel Martin Diaz’s visual art and Puscifer’s sonic landscapes on Existential Reckoning, although accidental, is undeniable. Like sentient life forms separated at birth and reunited in the Arizona desert. The cherry on top is the new video he created to accompany the Phantogram ReWire of ‘Postulous.’ Blown away. Thank you, DMD.”


Building on the artwork that has surrounded the alien-infused Existential Reckoning, and its companion release Existential Reckoning: Re-Wired, Diaz explains his approach to the clip: “The concept was to create a futuristic yet nostalgic vision inspired by the overall aesthetic of the music and Carina and Maynard's performance. I decided to use mind clairvoyance and telekinesis waveforms to convey their communication since their voices blend seamlessly in the recording. The video explores various themes, including invasion from other worlds, apocalyptic scenarios, pyramid mysteries, alien abduction, and advanced technologies.”







The video arrives as the band has confirmed a June 8 performance at the venerable, UK-based Download Festival. Puscifer was originally slated for a June 15 concert in London, but due to ongoing circumstances at Brixton Academy, that date has now been cancelled.


Puscifer have released a companion remix album for each of their four studio albums with Existential Reckoning: Re-Wired offering the most eclectic line-up to date. Featuring a track-for-track re-imagining of the 12 songs from the record, Puscifer band members Mat Mitchell and Carina Round, along with current touring musicians Greg Edwards (Failure, Autolux) and Gunnar Olsen, reinterpret tracks from the prophetic, electro-laced release. Additional remixers include Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the aforementioned Phantogram, drummer Sarah Jones and Bring Me The Horizon’s Jordan Fish, Queens of The Stone Age guitar player Troy Van Leeuwen with Gone is Gone’s Tony Hajjar, oft-Puscifer contributor Juliette Commagere, keyboard player Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails), BBC 1’s Daniel P. Carter, and Tool’s Justin Chancellor with The Crystal Method’s Scott Kirkland.


Album pre-orders, including several limited-edition vinyl variants, are available here.





Existential Reckoning: Re-Wired tracklisting:


"Bread and Circus" (Re-imagined by Mat Mitchell)
"Apocalyptical" (Re-imagined by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross)
"The Underwhelming" (Re-imagined by Juliette Commagere)
"Grey Area" (Re-imagined by Troy Van Leeuwen & Tony Hajjar)
"Theorem" (Re-imagined by Sarah Jones & Jordan Fish)
"UPGrade" (Re-imagined by Justin Chancellor & Scott Kirkland)
"Bullet Train To Iowa" (Re-imagined by Alessandro Cortini)
"Personal Prometheus" (Re-imagined by Greg Edwards)
"A Singularity" (Re-imagined by Carina Round)
"Postulous" (Re-imagined by Phantogram)
"Fake Affront" (Re-imagined by Gunnar Olsen)
"Bedlamite" (Re-imagined by Daniel P. Carter)








Puscifer tour dates:


May
18 - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome to Rockville
23 - Asheville, NC - Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
27 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple Festival
28 - Northfield, OH - MGM Northfield Park – Center Stage
30 - Rochester, NY - Kodak Center Main Theater


June
1 - Baltimore, MD - The Lyric Baltimore
2 - Atlantic City, NJ - Hard Rock Casino
3 - Bethlehem, PA - Wind Creek Event Center
10 - Dublin, Ireland - 3Olympia Theatre
12 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy Glasgow
13 - Manchester UK - Manchester Academy
15 - London, UK - TBA
17 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
20 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
21 - Stockholm, Sweden - Fryshuset
26 - Hamburg, Germany - Docks
27 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys
28 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys
30 - Belfort, France - Eurockeennes Festival


July
1 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013 Poppodium Tilburg
2 - Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter
4 - Barcelona, Spain - Club Razzmatazz
6 - Lisbon, Portugal - Nos Alive Festival
7 - Madrid, Spain - Mad Cool Festival


(Photo - Travis Shinn)

"Attack! Attack! Attack!’ is the latest single from Sydney, Australia’s LiveWire. Thrashtastic and fast paced, the song captures the magic of the classic era of thrash metal, while injecting a speed laden, modern sound with unlimited energy. 

Officially formed in 2019, LiveWire have released numerous singles while playing countless shows in their home country, including noteworthy festivals Legions Of Steel, Churches Of Steel, Steel Assassins and Shredfest. They released their debut album, Under Attack, in April of 2022. 


Tracklisting:


"Attack! Attack! Attack!" 
"A Cold Day In Hell" 
"Conqueror" 
"Insecticide" 
"Midnight Sun" 
"Solace In Escape" 
"Lockjaw Deathroll" 


For further details, visit LiveWire on Facebook.

Bassist Becky Baldwin, who was recently on tour with Mercyful Fate, has released the video below, performing a playthrough of "Doomed By The Living Dead".


Says Baldwin: "One of my favourite songs to play on the Mercyful Fate tour last year - 'Doomed By The Living Dead' from the band's 1982 debut EP (also found on their 1987 compilation album, The Beginning). This one's a bit of a thrasher, and with a cool triplet feel in the verses and an incredibly catchy chorus. Want TABs? Sign up to my Patreon to download the full song in standard notation and TAB."







BraveWords recently spoke to Becky Baldwin, and you can read the full interview here.

Death To All (DTA) are currently out on a North American tour with support from Suffocation and Nukem. The band are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the classic Death album, Individual Thought Patterns.


DTA have shared a live performance of "The Philosopher", which can be viewed below:







Death to All operates as a tribute band to the original Death, which dissolved in 2001 following the passing of the group’s founder and frontman Chuck Schuldiner. The backbone of Death To All is singer/guitarist Max Phelps (Obscura, ex-Cynic), drummer Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Testament), bass beast Steve Di Giogio (Testament, Sadus) and Bobby Koelble (Death). Death to All is a unique opportunity for a new generation of metalheads to experience the genius of Death and Chuck Schuldiner first-hand.





Tour dates:


March
14 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It Live
15 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
16 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
17 - New Orleans, LA - The House Of Blues
18 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
19 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
21 - Greensboro, NC - Hangar 1819
22 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Sound Stage
23 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
25 - Boston, MA - The Middle East
26 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
27 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
28 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop
29 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
30 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theatre


April
1 - Denver, CO - The Summit Music Hall

Jason Bonham, son of legendary LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham, spoke to the "Scars And Guitars" podcast about how he managed to kick the bottle more than two decades after his father died from alcohol poisoning. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been a good boy and sober for 22 years. And I never imagined I'd be saying that, because I loved a good [drink], like everybody else, but actually I liked a lot more than just one or two. I was an Olympic drinker… So I never imagined going out and playing music straight… But I actually really enjoy it… I still play in bands where they would drink, and then the next day they go, 'What a show. Great show last night.' And I'm going, 'Was it? Are you sure about that? You checked out about six songs [before] the end.' And they'd be, like, 'Did I?' 'Yeah.'

"So I've just been fortunate enough to realize it and then to have people around me that were okay with it," he continued. "It's amazing. The people that definitely had a problem themselves I didn't see ever again; they kind of thought of me as a threat, 'cause I was straight. And the people that were okay and never, ever doubted their drinking, I can still hang out with them, and they drink and they don't feel guilty. I never want anyone to feel uncomfortable just 'cause I drink… For me, it was best not to drink… So I've been playing music longer sober than I have been drunk."

Asked if he managed to stop drinking overnight or if it was a gradual process, Jason said: "I wouldn't say it was overnight. I went on a bender, and I was, like, 'Woah. How am I gonna get back in favor with the missus on this one?' I'm, like, 'Shit.' And I've had a couple of moments where I woke up in hospital. She didn't really know about it at the time. And the doctors would go, 'You're lucky to be alive. You passed out. You hit your head. You did this and that. We found all of these things in your system.' And I'd make a joke of it. I'd go, 'Well, that's the last time I call that guy. He told this was…' 'Cause I was a bit embarrassed. When you wake up and you've got things all over, and they're going, 'He's coming to,' and you're going, 'How did I get here? I was meant to be on a plane a minute ago. Why aren't I on a plane home?' … I was just coming back from going to Cabo San Lucas. It was the first time I ever played with Sammy Hagar. It was the first time, so '97. And it took me another four years to not take that so seriously — another four years before I went, 'Yeah, you know what? I'd better get my shit together.' It took more of a collapse of music generally in my life… for me to suddenly realize, 'I have a problem.'"

Jason also talked about going to a rehab facility catering to musicians in the United Kingdom that eventually helped him get sober. He said: "My wife drove me from Manchester all the way down to London, and I checked in. And they went, 'Oh, who you wanna see? Eric or Pete?' I'm, like, 'What? What do you mean Eric or Pete? Oh! Clapton or Townshend.' … So, I had Pete; Pete was my go-to guy when I got sober. So I had the best sober guy in the world, and he would tell me stories about my old man, and he used to pick me up and take me to meetings. And he gave me my start. And I thank him to this day that I had somebody like him to explain it in a very different way. It wasn't, like, the taxi driver from down the road. And there's no disrespect from going and listening to one of those guys talk, but I couldn't relate to the taxi driver… But somebody like [Pete], I could relate to… And I managed to stay sober from that moment on. So, I'm very grateful."

John Bonham died suddenly in 1980 at the age of 32 after choking on his own vomit, following a night of heavy drinking. Within the previous 24 hours he had consumed around 40 shots of 40 percent ABV vodka.

Jason is currently promoting his band JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING. Bonham and his band perform music from throughout LED ZEPPELIN's career.

Bonham spent nearly a decade touring as JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE before changing the band's name to JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING. Bonham later explained that the switch was prompted by a request from the LED ZEPPELIN camp, who wanted to use the "Experience" name for a project involving the archive of ZEP live recordings.

Jason launched JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE two years after taking part in LED ZEPPELIN's one-off performance in 2007 at London's O2 Arena tribute concert for friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The rare live set, which saw Jason behind the drums in place of his late father, was released in 2012 as "Celebration Day".

In a new interview with DJ Zoran Theodorovic of Metal Godz Radio, former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens asked if he would be "up to the task" of stepping in for Philip Anselmo, if he was approached about it, at a PANTERA concert on the reformed band's upcoming tour. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I would be up to the task as celebrating PANTERA, like they're doing right now, which I think is fantastic. All these guys — Zakk [Wylde, guitar] and Charlie [Benante, drums] — you couldn't have picked two cooler guys to celebrate that. My thing is I would celebrate it.

"I have my own career; I do my own stuff. People are always, like, 'Oh, you're always singing for this and that.' Well, listen, I put records out of me singing my own stuff all the time; I can't put any more records out of me singing stuff."

Circling back to the possibility of him fronting PANTERA, Owens, who has previously covered PANTERA's classic song "Walk" on several occasions (see video below),said: "I nail styles like that. I love PANTERA and I love that style, and I would for sure get up and celebrate the career of PANTERA with those guys, absolutely. It's never gonna happen, but I'm not replacing anybody; I would just be celebrating it."

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

Owens previously discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback last December during an appearance on the "Smokin' Talk N' Roll" podcast. He said: "I think it's great. As long as they don't say it's… It's not PANTERA; it's a celebration of PANTERA. I think it should be [written] on the top of it: 'Celebration Of PANTERA'. People are loving it. Obviously, people hate everything, right? Go to Blabbermouth or wherever."

Expanding the discussion to include metal fans' general reluctance to embrace anything but the classic lineup with their favorite bands, Owens continued: "I had to live with [that kind of criticism as well when I joined JUDAS PRIEST]. That's why Ronnie [James Dio] and I hit it off and he took me under his wing right away. 'Cause he was, like, 'I had to go through it with BLACK SABBATH.' He was, like, the people in the crowd flipping you off…

"People don't give it a chance," Tim added. "When they say — to me, they [say things like], 'You're not a good singer,' or, 'You're a Rob Halford clone.' First of all, when you hear my records, I sound like me. I've been doing this for 20, 30 years; I've been putting these records out. [It's PRIEST album] 'Jugulator''s 25th anniversary. It sounds like me. Can someone finally just go, 'Yeah…' And they do say it, but then there's also people that [are], like, 'He's trying to be like Rob.' I'm, like, 'Why would I try to be like Rob?' And why would Zakk Wylde try to be like Dime. There's people who just attack you."

In December, PANTERA played seven shows in Mexico and South America. The band will next headline the 2023 "comeback" edition of Japan's Loud Park festival. The two-day "limited" event will take place on March 25 at Intex Osaka in Osaka and March 26 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City near Tokyo.

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

Tim "Ripper" Owens photo courtesy of Tim "Ripper" Owens

SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan has shot down the rumor that he was the lone holdout on a proposed reunion with singer Sebastian Bach more than a decade ago. Speaking to Tulsa Music Stream, Bolan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's not just me. The three of us [me and guitarists Dave 'Snake' Sabo and Scotti Hill] all felt the same. But there's plenty of rock and roll to go around for everyone. It's just not something we wanna do.

"A lot of people say, 'You can make so much more money' [by reuniting with Sebastian] — well, not a lot of people, but a few people — and it's not that much more. It's really not that much more.

"I'm not gonna talk garbage about anyone," Rachel continued. "[The split with Sebastian] just happened.

"We are so happy now, and we're just moving in a forward direction non-stop. And it's great. It's so fun to be doing a career for as long as we have."

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of Bolan, Sabo and Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Erik Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

During an appearance on a December 2022 episode of the "I Am All In With Scott Patterson" podcast, Bach was asked if there has been any talk of a reunion of SKID ROW's classic lineup. He responded: "There was texting and a little talking. But there needs to be more talking."

When interviewer Scott Patterson pointed out that some of the other 1980s rock bands have been able to play stadiums in recent years, Bach concurred, saying: "Absolutely. POISON and Joan Jett, MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD… Yeah."

Asked "what is wrong" with the SKID ROW guys that they won't agree to reunite with Bach, Sebastian said: "Well, I have a manager named Rick Sales, and he protects my interests. So they've gotta deal with the business side of things, and they would rather maybe not deal with that, as far as I can tell — just not deal with that. But there's always a number. I mean, we're all still alive."

Earlier last year, Sabo was asked by Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio how he feels about people still calling for a reunion with Bach. He said: "Well, it's been 23 years [since SKID ROW reformed], so to say that I'm over it would be an understatement. We attempted [a reunion] slightly [back in 2016]. We dipped our toes in the water and realized that it didn't feel so good. It's just one of those things where we still could not see eye to eye; we couldn't even get past the point of simple texting.

"I am really, really happy where we are," Snake continued. "I'm very proud of our past, and all due credit to everybody who's been involved in every aspect of our career, whoever that may be, 'cause it all led to where we are now.

"I've been asked a thousand times: 'What about the payday [of a reunion with Sebastian]?' And that's all well and good, but if that's why I did this — if that's why we did this; I can speak for everybody — we probably wouldn't be doing it," Sabo explained. "I wanna be happy, and I am very, very happy. And so are the guys; everybody's really happy.

"The music climate is what it is, and we're a classic rock band, and I'm proud of that. And we're still able to make music. I mean, Jeez — I live a very, very blessed life, man," Snake added. "I have nothing but gratitude and humility for what we have achieved and for what we're able to continue to do. So while there may be people out there who are flashing dollar signs with a lot of zeroes, I still have to be happy doing it, and I am. And that's what's most important. I need to be happy being in a band with the people I'm in a band with. A lot of other bands can go out and they don't see each other till they're on stage and travel on separate buses and all that stuff, and that's all well and good, but I don't wanna live my life like that. I don't wanna be up onstage and kind of living a lie; it just doesn't feel good. So, while I'm thankful for people's interest and whatnot, I'm even more thankful that we still get to play music for a living under our terms."

In 2021, Bach told Florida's 98.7 The Gater radio station that "there's no reason" for the classic SKID ROW not to reunite. "When those guys [in SKID ROW] try to say [about me], 'He's difficult to work with,' let me just say this one more time. We have not been in the same room together since the year 1996," he said. "Shut the eff up about you thinking you know what I'm like. You don't know anything about what I'm like. And the 'Gilmore Girls' think I'm okay to work with; Broadway thinks I'm okay to work with; the 'Trailer Park Boys' think I'm okay; GUNS N' ROSES think I'm pretty cool. We're not getting any younger."

Sebastian went on to say that a SKID ROW reunion "should" happen "for the fans. And we are absolutely running out of bands — bands that can play in sheds," he said. "The fact that we are all still alive and we are all in our 50s — some closer to 60 than others — but that, to me, is selfish that we're not together.

"I can play with anyone. I do play with everyone [laughs] — except for them."

Three years ago, Bolan also confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Four years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."

Sabo added: "It was already a miserable experience, and we didn't even get on the phone."

In 2021, Bach completed a U.S. tour during which he celebrated the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's sophomore album, "Slave To The Grind".

OVERKILL singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth spoke to the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast about his current residence in Vernon, New Jersey, saying (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm approximately 60 miles west of the George Washington Bridge. So I live up in northwest Jersey. I'm closer to Pennsylvania than I am to New York City; I'm only about 20 miles from PA. But this is what they call the Skylands. It's kind of a resort area. It's the part of Jersey that many people from Brooklyn and Queens we try to keep the hell out of here. The point being it's a resort area — ski slopes, outdoor. I've had black bear hibernate on my property now for 15 years, so I've known all the moms, all the cubs, et cetera, et cetera. And also, simultaneously, I've raised German shepherds. So having black bear on the property and having German shepherds you think would be a big issue. But all it is it's a push and shove of 'stay back, go beyond the fence' — that kind of a thing. So it's actually cool. If you're into the nature and riding motorcycles and skiing, this is the place to be."

Asked if he has ever written a thrash song about a bear, Bobby said: "No, I haven't written it specifically about a bear, but there can be those frightening moments. I have an old chalet — it's kind of where you go when you're skiing, with a fireplace and the whole bit. And my office was in the basement that looked out to the back. And I was writing — I forget what record; it might have been the 'Ironbound' record [2010] — and sure enough, there's one at the window. I'm talking 400 pounds of black, standing up, peeking in through the side window. It must have smelt something cooking. And it scared the shit out of me enough to actually finish the song. So I didn't write it about the bear, but the inspiration was there."

OVERKILL's twentieth studio album, "Scorched", will be released on April 14 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP offered a new recording environment for OVERKILL as all members were able to record on their own during the pandemic. The mixing of the record was handled by Colin Richardson and his assistant engineer Chris Clancy. Johnny Rodd helped with producing vocals, and finally, Maor Appelbaum took over mastering and adding finishing touches. The band returned to artist Travis Smith to create the album cover art.

Richardson previously worked with OVERKILL on 1997's "From The Underground And Below", 2000's "Bloodletting" and 2013's "Killbox 13".

OVERKILL spent most of 2019 and early 2020 touring in support of its 19th studio LP, "The Wings Of War", which was released four years ago.

"The Wings Of War" marked OVERKILL's recording debut with drummer Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM),who joined the band in 2017.