ICED EARTH guitarist Jon Schaffer, who pleaded guilty nearly two years ago to his role in the Capitol riot, is continuing to cooperate with authorities while on pre-sentencing release.

In a status report filed on Tuesday (January 24) in federal court in Washington, D.C., Schaffer's attorney Andrew C. Marcantel of Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm wrote that Schaffer "remains on release under the supervision of the District of Columbia Pre-Trial Services Department. He has remained compliant with pre-trial release conditions.

"The Defendant's cooperation plea agreement was the first plea of the several hundred Capitol Riot cases and has involved cooperation in the largest conspiracy arising out of the incident that has been indicted to date. He has remained cooperative with law enforcement since his release, and his cooperation is ongoing."

The attorney went on to say that he "has discussed this Joint Status Report with counsel for the government, who is in agreement," and also asked for an opportunity "to file a joint status update on or about March 27th, 2023."

According to an April 2021 Justice Department press release, Schaffer has "acknowledged he is a founding lifetime member" of the right-wing Oath Keepers extremist group.

In January 2022, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta granted the U.S. government's request to share sealed materials from the case involving Schaffer's role in the U.S. Capitol riot case as discovery to the three main Oath Keepers cases.

Last November, Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers, was found guilty of seditious conspiracy and other offenses in connection with the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. A federal jury in Washington, D.C., also convicted Rhodes of obstructing an official proceeding and tampering with documents. He was acquitted of two other conspiracy counts.

In December 2021, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. accusing 31 members of Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys — including Schaffer — of "conspiring to terrorize the District" on January 6, 2021, calling their actions "a coordinated act of domestic terrorism." According to CNN, the lawsuit cited the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, a federal law created after the Civil War to protect civil rights and, as District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine noted, "to protect against vigilantes and insurrectionists."

"I think the damages are substantial," Racine told The Washington Post. "If it so happens that it bankrupts or puts these individuals and entities in financial peril, so be it."

The 84-page complaint described Schaffer as "a founding, lifetime member of the Oath Keepers." It went on to say: "Schaffer was criminally charged and indicted for his role in perpetrating the January 6th Attack. In connection with a promise to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in criminal cases related to the conspiracy to commit the January 6th Attack, Schaffer pleaded guilty to the entire Statement of Offense in the criminal action brought against him, which included two felony offenses: (1) trespass of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon and (2) obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress. The criminal Complaint filed against Schaffer—as well as Schaffer's Plea Agreement and the accompanying Statement of Offense describing his conduct—are publicly available documents that are hereby incorporated into the Complaint by reference."

"No one bore the brunt of this gutless attack more than the courageous law enforcement officers including the men and women of the DC Metropolitan Police Department who went into the fire and violence with one objective in mind: remove the violent mob and restore our country's fragile democracy," Racine said at a news conference.

"The defendants, as you know, were not tourists, nor were they acting patriotically," he added. "They were vigilantes, members of a mob, insurrectionists who sought to crush our country's freedoms."

Last October, The Republic reported that process servers tasked with hand-delivering notice to Schaffer that the District of Columbia was suing him had been unable to notify the musician that legal action was being taken against him. At least 25 separate attempts to serve Schaffer at seven different addresses across three different states had been made but he had managed to evade process servers and private investigators who had been on his trail for months.

As part of his April 2021 plea deal, Jon entered into a cooperation agreement with the government.

Although Schaffer was initially charged with six crimes, including engaging in an act of physical violence and targeting police with bear spray, he pleaded guilty to only two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon. The first charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, while the second carries up to a 10-year prison term.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer acknowledged that on January 6, 2021 he was in Washington to attend the "Stop The Steal" rally at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. to protest the results of the presidential election, which he believed were fraudulent. Schaffer wore a tactical vest and carried bear spray, a dangerous weapon and chemical irritant used to ward off bears. When the rally finished, Schaffer joined a large crowd that marched from the Ellipse to the Capitol, where a joint session of Congress, presided over by Vice President Michael Pence, was in session to certify the electoral college vote results. Shortly after 2:00 p.m., members of the mob forced entry into the Capitol building, disrupting the joint session and causing members of Congress and the Vice President to be evacuated from the House and Senate chambers.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer admitted that after arriving on Capitol grounds, he walked past barriers intended to restrict access to the public and to a set of locked doors on the Capitol's west side. At approximately 2:40 p.m., Schaffer positioned himself at the front of a crowd that broke open a set of doors being guarded by four U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers wearing riot gear. Schaffer admitted to being among the first individuals to push past the damaged doors and into the Capitol building, forcing officers to retreat. Schaffer and others advanced toward five or six backpedaling USCP officers while members of the mob swelled inside of the Capitol and overwhelmed the officers. The officers ultimately deployed a chemical irritant to disperse the mob. Schaffer was among the people who were sprayed in the face, after which he exited while holding his own bear spray in his hands.

As part of the plea deal, Schaffer agreed to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in related criminal cases, according to CNN. In return for Schaffer's assistance, the Justice Department might later urge the judge to show leniency during his sentencing.

Also as part of the agreement, the Justice Department has offered to sponsor Schaffer for the witness protection program.

The 54-year-old musician was the first Capitol riot defendant to reach a plea deal.

The Indiana chapter of the Oath Keepers distanced itself from Schaffer after his arrest, claiming he was not a member of the local group. But the national organization, which sold lifetime memberships for $1,200, had not commented on his alleged affiliation with the group.

At a November 2020 Donald Trump rally in Washington, D.C., Schaffer was videotaped walking behind a Florida couple, Kelly Meggs and Connie Meggs, who were accused of being among 10 members of the Oath Keepers to have played a leading role in the Capitol assault. According to federal authorities, Kelly and Connie Meggs plotted for weeks ahead of the attack, attended training sessions and recruited others. Kelly Meggs is the head of the Oath Keepers' chapter in Florida.

Following the initial reports that Schaffer was involved in the riot, his ICED EARTH bandmates distanced themselves from his actions. Singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton later posted separate statements on social media announcing their resignations. BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch also quit DEMONS & WIZARDS, his long-running project with Schaffer. The allegations also apparently affected Schaffer's relationship with his longtime record label Century Media, which had released albums from both ICED EARTH and DEMONS & WIZARDS. As of mid-January 2021, the Century Media artist roster page did not list either band.
Jon Schaffer's cooperation continues. Next report in 60 days. https://t.co/uNcOtO9DTi

— M & M Enterprises (@sfoguj) January 24, 2023

In a new interview with Troy Culpan of May The Rock Be With You, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale expressed her hope that she and her bandmates will have "a new record — kind of — set and figured out" by the end of 2023. And "maybe [even] done," HALESTORM guitarist Joe Hottinger said, adding that "the gears are" turning with regard to writing the follow-up to 2022's "Back From The Dead".

"['Back From The Dead'] hasn't even been out a year… We're leaving in a few days to head Down Under [for an Australian tour], and we're just churning right now with new ideas and thoughts and pictures of the next record," Joe said. "I'm excited to get some writing going. Get through this run and start hustling down here [in the studio]."

Continued Lzzy: "Joe and I were hanging out last night, and it was just, like, all these new ideas and new titles and new riffs and stuff. And we got really excited about it. Like, 'Is it happening? Is the feeling happening again?'"

Said Joe: "That last record just kind of drained us. We were so happy to get out on the road and not think about that sort of thing and think about rock shows and touring and traveling and having fun and seeing places and seeing all our old friends. So we've been doing that for over a year now. So it's, like, 'All right.' The old gears are turning new again."

This past December, HALESTORM released a deluxe edition of "Back From The Dead". "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" includes seven previously unreleased B-sides, including "Mine", a 1980s-inspired rocker. "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" is available digitally, on CD, and cassette tape, marking the first time that the album has been offered in those physical formats.

Lzzy (vocals, guitar) and her brother Arejay (drums) formed HALESTORM in 1998 while in middle school. Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

In December 2018, HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable". Six years earlier, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)".

Finnish progressive metal band Sum Of Seven released a new single and music video ''The Monster…The King'". The track is released in collaboration with Inverse Records. Pick it up via digital platforms found here.


Guitarist Ari Lempinen comments: "In the song 'The Monster…The King' we wanted to give more room to the instruments to tell the story supporting the vocals. The song flows with tasty solos and tight riffs in synergy with Marko’s vocals and dances between succulent blasting and a relaxing respite. The music reflects the atmosphere of the lyrics, which dive deep into a dreamlike space where the monsters and kings within us are in juxtaposition. The music video features the skilled breakdancer Jose Granados aka Bboy Kalaco who interprets the mood and the message of the song with his skillful moves."


Check out the video below.







Line-up:


Ari Lempinen: Guitar, backing vocals
Esa Lempinen: Keyboards
Rasmus Raassina: Drums
Harri Annala: Guitar
Miika Erkkilä: Bass
Marko Loukamaa: Vocals

The Convalescence is a five-member symphonic deathcore band formed in Toledo, Ohio in 2011. The Convalescence blends black metal / horror theatrics with intense death metal style blast beats and shredding guitar, along with brutal slamming breakdowns and catchy melodies. Since their inception, they have amassed an impressive discography including five full-length albums, and have toured extensively across the planet. The latest from them is the single “No Survivors” featuring Scott Ian Lewis of Carnifex, accompanied by a claymation music video. Vocalist Keith Wampler details the single and the upcoming album:


“The single is one of the hardest-hitting songs we’ve ever released. The lyrics and video were inspired by the Alien films, and having Scott doing some nasty guest vocals really helped give it the brutality we were looking for. We played it live throughout our recent European Tour and absolutely loved the energy it brings to the stage. We’re looking forward to this one being a part of our live show for many tours to come. This new album is basically like one big horror movie, song by song each one tells a story. Each one is brutal in its own way.”







The Convalescence expects the album will be received well by the fans, as they do their very best to step things up on each record. They worked with producer Jason Suecof on this one at Audiohammer Studios in Florida, who has worked with most of their favorite bands (The Black Dahlia Murder, Carnifex, Deicide, Job For A Cowboy) and they were beyond stoked he was down to do the recording with them. In their opinion, they’ve created the heaviest The Convalescence album so far. The full-length was mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy) and is expected for release summer 2023.


In live news, The Convalescence will be hitting the road this coming March for the "No Survivors Tour" with support from Casket Robbery and Ignominious. Confirmed dates are as listed:


March
10 - Jackson, MI - The Music Box
11 - Toledo, OH - Main Street Bar & Grill
12 - New Haven, IN - Carl's Tavern
13 - Louisville, KY - Mag Bar
14 - Overland Park, KS - Vivo Live Events
15 - Tulsa, OK - The Whittier Bar
16 - Fort Worth, TX - The Rail Club DFW
17 - San Antonio, TX - Bonds Rock Bar
18 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues
19 - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa
20 - Pensacola, FL - The Handlebar
21 - Sanford, FL - West End Trading Co.
22 - Murfreesboro, TN - Crossroads
23 - Knoxville, TN - Brickyard Bar & Grill
24 - Lakewood, OH - The Foundry
25 - Chesterfield, MI - Diesel Concert Lounge





 

New Wave of Swedish Death Metal architects, In Flames, will release their 14th studio album, Foregone, via Nuclear Blast on February 10. The band recently released the video for "Meet Your Maker", which can be seen below.


Guitarist Chris Broderick, formerly of Megadeth, Jag Panzer, and Nevermore, has filmed a live playthrough video of that song.







"Meet Your Maker" is a pulsating track with hypnotizing power and furious anger. Like a raw nerve exposed, the song speaks of the desperation and frustration brought on by the chaotic dystopia of post-pandemic society.


Frontman Anders Fridén states, "When we started to write for Foregone, 'Meet Your Maker' became the song that set the tone in terms of what we were aiming for sonically as well as thematically. You'll see it's everything you've come to expect from In Flames and some. Enjoy and see you on the road in 2023!"





Foregone features artwork designed by Blake Armstrong.





Foregone will be available in the following formats:


- 2LP Black
- 2LP White w/ Black Marble
- 2LP Crystal Clear w/ Red Splatter —Nuclear Blast Mail-order Exclusive
- 2LP Dark Green – Sweden Rock Exclusive
- 2LP Crystal Clear – EMP Exclusive
- 2LP Gold – Nordic Exclusive
- 2LP Gold w/ Black Marble – Nuclear Blast Mail-order + selected retailers
- 2LP Red – USA Retail
- 2LP White – Revolver Exclusive (USA)
- 2LP Sun Yellow – Gimme Radio Exclusive (USA)
- 2LP Red w/ Black – In Flames Bandshop Exclusive
- Boxset – 2LP Picture Disc + CD Digipack + Pocket Watch + Sticker + 28-page booklet
- Limited Edition Digipack (inc. bonus track)
- Jewelcase
- Brown Transparent Cassette – Nuclear Blast Mail-order Exclusive
- Red Transparent Cassette – In Flames Bandshop Exclusive
- CD Longbox — CD Jewel in a Longbox w/ Sticker & Button
- Dark Yellow w/ Green/Blue Cassette (NBA Exclusive)
- Green Tint w/ White Cassette (Band Exclusive)


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"The Beginning Of All Things That Will End"
"State Of Slow Decay"
"Meet Your Maker"
"Bleeding Out"
"Foregone Pt. 1"
"Foregone Pt. 2"
"Pure Light Of Mind"
"The Great Deceiver"
"In The Dark"
"A Dialogue in b Flat Minor"
"Cynosure"
"End The Transmission"


"Foregone Pt. 1" visualizer:





"State Of Slow Decay" video:





In Flames lineup:


Anders Fridén - Vocals
Björn Gelotte - Guitar/Vocals
Chris Broderick - Guitar
Tanner Wayne - Drums
Bryce Paul - Bass


 

On April 7, rock icons KISS will release the next installment of their "Off The Soundboard" official live bootleg series with "Off The Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, New York, 1984". Recorded live at the Mid-Hudson Arena on November 28, 1984, during the "Animalize" world tour, this is the fifth in a series of live releases by the band and will be available to stream and download, with a two-LP standard black vinyl set, CD, and a limited edition two-LP set pressed on 180g custard yellow vinyl which are available to pre-order now exclusively through the official KISSonline store.

The multi-platinum band's fifth authorized "Soundboard" live release comes from the November 28, 1984 "Animalize" tour show at the Mid-Hudson Arena in Poughkeepsie, New York, featuring the only known soundboard recording with guitarist Mark St. John. While the tracks "Young And Wasted" and "Rock And Roll All Nite" from this historic show are incomplete due to a tape change and tape space — these recordings were originally for archival use — this live recording is of historical importance due to St. John's appearance.

"Off The Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, New York" finds the legendary band in the midst of the U.S. leg of their successful "Animalize" world tour with the short-lived lineup of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Carr and St. John. The career-spanning 18-song set includes such tracks as "Creatures Of The Night", "I Love It Loud", "Lick It Up" and 1984's "Heaven's On Fire", which hit No. 49 U.S. Billboard chart. "Poughkeepsie, New York" also features perennial KISS anthems "Detroit Rock City", "Love Gun" and "Rock And Roll All Nite" from their classic back catalog.

KISS are globally recognized as one of the greatest live bands of all time and are the creators of what is universally considered the best live album ever, 1975's gold-certified and No. 9 Billboard-charting "Alive!" The "Off The Soundboard" series continues their storied legacy of groundbreaking live albums with a document of the spectacular, larger-than-life extravaganza that is a KISS concert.

Known for their trademark performances, KISS has proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock n roll. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. Peerless as a live act, the band's illustrious legacy has been marked by record breaking global tours during a remarkable 50-year career.

"Off The Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, NY" track listing:

01. Detroit Rock City
02. Cold Gin
03. Creatures Of The Night
04. Fits Like A Glove
05. Heaven's On Fire
06. Guitar Solo
07. Under the Gun
08. War Machine
09. Drum Solo
10. Young and Wasted (incomplete)
11. Bass Solo
12. I Love It Loud
13. I Still Love You
14. Love Gun
15. Black Diamond
16. Oh! Susanna
17. Lick It Up
18. Rock And Roll All Nite (incomplete)

GXTP, the exciting newly formed rock band fronted by award-winning multi-platinum hitmaker Jason Paul (a.k.a. Poo Bear),Triple Sixx and Sasha Sirota, launched a journey of epic cinematic proportions with their new single "Contraband" featuring MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee. The group also released a performance video, with an appearance by Lee.

"Contraband" is a captivating introduction into the world of GXTP and their forthcoming album, due later this year.

GXTP, whose name stands for "guns and toilet paper," two of the most hoarded items during the beginning of the COVID pandemic, was born out of conversation between Poo Bear and Triple Sixx (a.k.a. Nabeel Zahid). The result is a massive new conceptual project which marries the songwriting and producing of some of the music industry's top hitmakers into a group that is as hard-rocking as it is a fun, new interactive experience for listeners. In addition to Lee, music lovers can look forward to more big-name cameos and big records from their new favorite rock band, GXTP.

"It all stems from the pandemic and a poem," says Poo Bear. "At the time there was a shortage of guns and toilet paper. I read a poem by our partner Triple Sixx, and I said to him 'this poem feels like a rock song, brother.' We ended up turning that poem into a band."

"Contraband" introduces a world where the group sets off on a quest to recover stolen treasure. Fans are able to aid the group by going on to GXTP's web site, here, where they are introduced to a map that will be unlocked in the lead up to album release. Merging music with the power of Web3, fans can also participate in a series of puzzles that will allow them to win free digital collectibles and more along the way.

In September 2022, GXTP released their debut single "Foresight". You can expect new content from GXTP soon, including a larger-than-life music video.

Never ones to shy away from wearing emotions on their sleeves, prolific rockers ATREYU have unleashed a brand new single, "Drowning", today. The track delivers massive breakdowns, catchy hooks, and soaring performances. The cathartic subject matter sees the group battling through individual struggles with depression and feeling overwhelmed by life itself, but ultimately finding healing from the honest expression of those feelings.

Commenting on the meaning behind "Drowning", ATREYU shares: "To the five of us, this song is audio anti-depressants. Much like everyone does, the five of us have experienced waves of depression, anxiety, and fear in vastly different ways. This song is about feeling buried. We have found comfort in simply communicating those feelings with each other, and hope you will arrive in a similar place when listening. This song is for all of us."

In contrast to its heavy message, ATREYU shares a perfectly jocular music video for "Drowning" that will have you running for the local pool to shake off those existential blues.

After touring heavily in North America for the last two years in support of their latest album "Baptize", ATREYU will kick off its European trek with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and JINJER on Sunday, January 29.

"Baptize" marked ATREYU's first album since the departure of vocalist Alex Varkatzas in September 2020. The LP showcased ATREYU's current lineup consisting of Brandon Saller focusing completely on singing after previously sharing lead vocals with Varkatzas for most of the band's two-decade-plus existence. Sitting behind the kit is Saller's HELL OR HIGHWATER bandmate Kyle Rosa, who had filled in for Saller on drums in 2019 after Varkatzas bowed out of the band's European tour while dealing with serious back and hernia issues.

Photo by Dennis Larance

Legendary drummer Carmine Appice, who worked as Rod Stewart's kit-man in the 1970s and 1980s, co-writing Stewart hits "Young Turks" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy", spoke to the "Music Biz Weekly Podcast" about his decision to sell his songwriter share of some of his most popular songs. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's no money in songwriting anymore. There's no money in selling records. I've got all these gold records on the wall; nobody gets those anymore. And that's how you make money.

"The only way to make any money today is if you get a song on Netflix or you get a song in a movie," he explained. "That's the only way to get money. 'Cause the streaming business is ridiculously useless.

"The reason why I sold my songs was because there's no more royalties; they're very little. Because everything went to streaming, and streaming destroyed the music business, as far as I'm concerned. I won't even listen to Spotify or any of those things; I won't listen to 'em 'cause they're ripping the musicians off so bad. When you talk about young musicians, they have no chance — unless they somehow know how to get all these hits on YouTube. I don't know how to do that."

Later in the interview, Carmine reiterated his belief that he wouldn't know how to go about making money if he was starting out as a musician today. "I don't know how these bands come out and they get two million views on YouTube, or they get four hundred thousand people on Facebook and Instagram," he said. "I don't really know that stuff; I don't have a clue how to do that. So they probably know how to do that better than me. But still, when they do that, the only money [that] could be made from that is going out on tour and playing gigs and [selling] merchandise. Even if you don't have a bigger name, you open up for somebody, you do merchandise and you make some money. And you get big, and it's all about touring and merchandise. You get crappy money from Spotify. And the labels, they don't sell CDs anymore. They might sell a little vinyl, but there's no money in it."

Appice is the original drummer of VANILLA FUDGE, with whom he still records and performs today. He has also played with CACTUS and BECK, BOGERT & APPICE, in addition to spending stints in the bands of Ozzy Osbourne and Stewart. Carmine was named the 28th greatest drummer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Appice is widely considered to be one of the most accomplished showmen in rock and is the recipient of numerous awards, including dozens of gold- and platinum-selling records. Carmine has broken new ground in every aspect of his career as a performer, as a teacher, and as a writer, and he continues to inspire drummers and listeners throughout the world with his originality and his unwavering dedication to the art of drumming.

Carmine's autobiography, "Stick It!: My Life Of Sex, Drums, And Rock 'N' Roll", was released in May 2016 by Chicago Review Press.

Under the moniker APPICE, Carmine and his brother Vinny released "Sinister", their first joint studio album, in October 2017 through SPV/Steamhammer.

LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe and former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson performed a cover of METALLICA's "One" during THE STOWAWAYS' second set on the ShipRocked cruise earlier today (Thursday, January 26) on the Carnival Magic as they departed the Dominican Republic. Video of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of the Metal EdgeYouTube channel).

Ellefson shared the video on social media and wrote: "Great time jamming @metallica 'One' featuring Randy Blythe on vocals with THE STOWAWAYS on @shiprocked Cruise today!"

Back in May 2021, Blythe was asked in an interview with I Ask No One With Kevin Re, if he ever got any piece of advice from METALLICA's James Hetfield when LAMB OF GOD and METALLICA toured together more than a decade ago. He responded: "James is a cool dude. I got sober on a METALICA tour — I got sober on a METALLICA tour in Australia. And I'll just say that James Hetfield helped me out a lot with that. Actually, four or five guys on METALLICA's crew were sober. Three of us actually got sober on that tour and have been sober to this day. And that was over 10 years ago.

"James is a good dude, man," he reiterated. "The last time I saw James was in Oakland when we took C.O.C. out, and James showed up and played a song with C.O.C. He hung out for a little bit. He had driven a Tesla. He had this super-fast fuckin'… He's like a gearhead. We were backstage at this place in Oakland, and I was, like, 'Woah! That's a fucking expensive-looking car. I wonder whose car that is.' And then somebody [said], 'Oh, that's James's.' And I was, like, 'Duh.' He's a total gearhead.

"He's a good guy, man — a really good guy with a really good heart," Blythe added. "I love him to death."

Randy went on to praise Hetfield's bandmates, saying, "All the guys in METALLICA were nothing but absolutely lovely to us — absolutely lovely. People will be, like, talking [crap] about their later music or whatever. And it's, like, 'Did you write 'Master Of Puppets'? No, you did not. Shut the fuck up.' You know what I mean? Or, 'Did you write any classic records that will go down in rock and roll history? No, you did not. They did. So shut the fuck up.'

"METALLICA does not have to carry anyone out as openers," he continued. "Their shows sell out before the openers are announced. They don't have to do that. They carry bands out that they wanna give a shot [to]. And you're definitely playing to a METALLICA crowd when you [are opening for them], so you've gotta keep that cognizant. These people are there to see METALLICA, so you'd better bring your fucking A-game. But they're super fucking cool. And it's not like when you're backstage where it's, like, 'Oh, METALLICA is over there. Don't look at them,' whatever. It's, like, you see 'em — they're just regular fucking human beings."

In a September 2020 interview with Detroit's WRIF radio station, Ellefson was asked if he and Dave Mustaine paid close attention to what METALLICA was doing in the early years of MEGADETH's existence. Ellefson said: "Oh, of course. I mean, look, we are all just a branch off the METALLICA family tree. I mean, let's face it. Especially MEGADETH, with Dave being there [in the early days of METALLICA, and then me being a branch off of Dave with MEGADETH. So, I mean, look, we owe everything to METALLICA. Those guys broke down the doors for every one of us — ANTHRAX, SLAYER. Bands today — LAMB OF GOD, PANTERA — none of this would have happened without METALLICA being up there as the 800-pound gorilla just carving the path through the jungle that would have never let heavy metal in. The stuff that they able to do and the size and the scope of which they were able to break those doors down, it changed all of our lives — as musicians, as fans, as everything. That's why I think when they did the 'Big Four' [shows] with us in 2010 and '11, that was just such a great olive branch."

The now-ex-MEGADETH bassist continued: "As Scott Ian [ANTHRAX] said, it's like we're all brothers of the same family, it's just that one of our brothers went off and became Microsoft [laughs], and that was METALLICA. It's, like, how the hell did you do that? That's amazing. You changed the world. But the fact that they came back and, again, offered that olive branch to us and just said, 'Hey, we were all in this together. Let's celebrate what we did together so many years ago.' And I think that speaks volumes to just how cool METALLICA is."

In 2019, Ellefson said that he got Mustaine's "blessing" to audition for the bassist position in METALLICA after Jason Newsted left the band 22 years ago. David went on to say that he learned how to play some of METALLICA's songs in preparation for what he thought would be an audition with the group but that the opportunity never materialized.

Back in 2011, Mustaine said that he was relieved that Ellefson wasn't invited to join METALLICA after the tragic death of Cliff Burton.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Ellefson (@davidellefsonbass)

TWISTED SISTER reunited for a three-song performance Thursday night (January 26) at the Metal Hall Of Fame charity gala at The Canyon club in Agoura Hills, California. The surviving members of the band's classic lineup — Dee Snider (vocals),Jay Jay French (guitar),Eddie Ojeda (guitar) and Mark Mendoza (bass) — were joined by drummer Mike Portnoy for renditions of "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll", "Under The Blade" and "We're Not Gonna Take It". Portnoy and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai also inducted French, Snider, Ojeda, Mendoza and Pero into the Metal Hall Of Fame at the sixth annual event, which benefited the non-profit organization D.A.D. (Drums And Disabilities).

Fan-filmed video of TWISTED SISTER's performance can be seen below (courtesy of the YouTube channel Fortheloveofrock).

In a recent interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, French spoke about TWISTED SISTER's decision to perform at Metal Hall Of Fame. According to Jay Jay, he and his TWISTED SISTER bandmates were initially thinking, "'Okay, we'll just show up, get the award and go home.' I mean, that was really it," French said. "I don't live in L.A. Dee does. I said, 'Dee, why don't you just go and get the award and say 'thank you' on behalf of the band?' That's it. 'But if you're not in L.A., maybe I'll fly out on behalf of the band.' And that started the conversation about what does it mean.

"We haven't been together since we broke up, and so I think we all thought maybe it'd be a cool thing, a fun thing to do — play three songs," he continued. "So we're going there. We're gonna rehearse three songs."

French went on to say that the Metal Hall Of Fame performance shouldn't give fans the impression that there will be more TWISTED SISTER performances to follow.

"There's no reunion to speak of," he said. "I'm not gonna be so cynical and say that it couldn't lead to conversations, but we never had a single conversation about a reunion prior to this. Not one.

"People always go, 'When are you guys getting back together?' I say, 'Well, we talk all the time, but we never talk about playing. But we talk about business,'" Jay Jay added. "Why do we talk about business? Because 'We're Not Gonna Take It' and 'I Wanna Rock' are the most licensed songs in the history of the music business; they're in more TV commercials, movie soundtracks… So we do licensing deals all day long. It's really what we do. I'm in the business of music licensing, which is a business I didn't know existed."

Earlier in the month, Portnoy confirmed that he would play drums for TWISTED SISTER at Metal Hall Of Fame. During an appearance on "The Chuck Shute Podcast", Portnoy said that he would be "the drummer" for the reunion performance and added that "we've known that we're playing for months now. I think it was only kind of made public [a few days ago]."

He continued: "Steve Vai and myself are inducting them into this Metal Hall Of Fame, and then we'll be performing a few songs there at the ceremony."

Mike's comments came five days after Ojeda took to his Twitter to write, "Looking forward to our induction into the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame on Jan.26th 2023 in LA". A short time later, Snider shared Ojeda's tweet and added: "Looking forward to playing together for the first time since 2016...especially the rehearsal!"

In 2016, TWISTED SISTER embarked on one final trek, titled "Forty And Fuck It", in celebration of its 40th anniversary. These shows featured the band's "core lineup" of Snider, French, Ojeda and Mendoza, along with Portnoy. The band's last-ever concert took place in November of that year — 20 months after the passing of Pero.

TWISTED SISTER's original run ended in the late '80s. After more than a decade, the band publicly reunited in November 2001 to top the bill of New York Steel, a hard-rock benefit concert to raise money for the New York Police And Fire Widows' And Children's Benefit Fund.

The surviving members of the classic lineup of TWISTED SISTER previously reunited virtually in March 2021 for a special episode of Mendoza's Internet TV show "22 Now". The hour-and-a-half-long program was a tribute to Pero, who died exactly six years earlier at the age of 55 while on tour with the band ADRENALINE MOB.

Prior to the March 2021 virtual reunion, the four surviving members of TWISTED SISTER reunited for two days and nights in November 2019 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the band's classic album "Stay Hungry".

In a 2021 interview with the "Metal From The Inside" podcast, Snider was asked if he is still steadfast about not wanting TWISTED SISTER to reunite. He responded: "[I am] one hundred percent committed to not reuniting. Now, let me just be clear: we're friends. I did a [solo] show a couple of weeks ago [on June 11 at Stereo Garden in Patchogue, New York] and [TWISTED SISTER bassist Mark] Mendoza showed up, and we did [TWISTED SISTER's] 'Under The Blade', and it was awesome. I talk to the guys all the time. I can show you my text messages. We have a little text group, and we were sending messages back and forth.

"To me, that was the reason to reunite, was to fix the relationships [between the members of the band], and we did fix' em, and we're friends," he explained. "I feel we did what we could do without just doing the same thing over. And I wanted to do some new, challenging things that I couldn't do within TWISTED. And the solo records I've done I could not have done with TWISTED SISTER. I could not have done 'Dee Does Broadway' with TWISTED SISTER — 'Twisted Does Broadway'. And I could not have done 'For The Love Of Metal' with TWISTED SISTER; people would never have accepted it. But as a solo artist, I'm allowed to change and evolve. And some things [fans have] liked; some things they've not liked. But at the same time, I'm allowed; no one's ever questioned [it]. And, again, if TWISTED SISTER did it, it would be, like, 'Hey, it doesn't sound like TWISTED SISTER anymore'; it would have been that kind of thing."

Circling back to the prospect of TWISTED SISTER reuniting, Dee said: "I could see us doing a charity — a couple of songs for charity, for the right reasons. We got [back] together originally for charity, which was a good reason to get together. I could see [talk show host Jimmy] Fallon — he's a big fan — if he said, 'Hey, guys, can you guys come on '[The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'] and do 'White Christmas' for us?' Fuck yeah. But to do a tour, to do 90 minutes, two hours on a stage, I don't see that happening. And credit to everybody in the band, and I know some people — without naming names — some guys, they would have kept going; others did not wanna keep going. But I'm sure we get offers. Jay Jay French [TWISTED SISTER] is the manager of TWISTED, 'cause it's still an entity — there's still royalties and licenses and things like that, and merchandise — he's not presented one offer, and I'm sure we've gotten 'em. 'Cause we're not even considering it. It doesn't matter what they're offering; we're not doing it."



TWISTED FUCKING SISTER!
Under the Blade!

Posted by Will To Rock on Thursday, January 26, 2023



Twisted Sister live first time in 6 years

Posted by Eddie Trunk on Thursday, January 26, 2023

🎼🎸Medal of fame inductees Twisted Sister 🎸🎼

Posted by Rebecca J Miller on Thursday, January 26, 2023

The Classic Rock Forever 91 YouTube channel has uploaded video of MANOWAR's January 26 concert at Hala Vodova in Brno, Czech Republic. Check it out below.

Four months ago, MANOWAR announced that it had recruited Michael Angelo Batio, a veteran both in the studio and on stage, to play guitar for the band on its 2023 "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal" tour. The news came in the wake of guitarist Evandro "EV" Martel's announcement that he was taking a break from touring for a while for "personal reasons".

Voted by Guitar One magazine the "No. 1 Fastest Guitar Shredder of All Time", Chicago native Batio is an accomplished musician in many genres, but is best known for his lightning-fast metal performances. He is renowned the world over for his technical mastery of the fretboard, extremely fast picking and his invention, the "MAB Over Under" technique. His ability to play a double-necked and quad-necked guitar using both hands has earned him the respect of fans and fellow musicians alike.

"We've known Michael for many years and have always admired his work," said MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio. "His technique is astounding. When we invited him to come and jam with us, we played together at the speed of light. Everything fell into place immediately. We're ready for a killer tour!"

Michael Angelo Batio said: "I could not be more excited! I love metal more than anything, and it doesn't get more metal than MANOWAR! I can't wait to get on stage and play for the MANOWAR fans!"

Although MANOWAR has released a couple of EPs in recent years — including "The Revenge Of Odysseus (Highlights)", which came out in June — the group hasn't issued a full-length effort since 2012's "The Lord Of Steel".

MANOWAR's two "secret" warm-up shows in June 2022 at Jovel Music Hall in Münster, Germany marked the band's debut live appearances with new drummer Dave Chedrick, who has previously played with RAVEN and KILL RITUAL, among others.

Chedrick joined MANOWAR as the replacement for Anders Johannson who announced that same month that he would be unable to join MANOWAR on the band's "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" due to "family commitments."

Based in Los Angeles, Chedrick has been a metal addict his entire life. Early influences include John Bonham, Neil Peart and, most of all, late MANOWAR drummer Scott Columbus. An accomplished studio musician, Dave is praised for his professionalism, easy-going spirit, and willingness to always go the extra mile in the quest for the perfect sound.



MANOWAR...BRNO-hala Vodova 😍

Posted by Gabika Abrahámová on Thursday, January 26, 2023

Marzenia się spełniają❤️ I warto na nie czekać💕
Długo wyczekiwany koncert MANOWAR stał się rzeczywistością 🔥👊

Posted by Aleksandra P-n on Thursday, January 26, 2023

Tak ještě chvilku a pak to začne MANOWAR... BRNO

Posted by Petr Chudárek on Thursday, January 26, 2023

Druhá a poslední česká zastávka turné MANOWAR🤘 A teď hurá do Evropy:)... #zlfamily #teamadamson #therobeway #manowarriors

Posted by ZL Production on Thursday, January 26, 2023

New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL will release their twentieth studio album, "Scorched", on April 14 via Nuclear Blast Records. The official the visualizer for the LP's first single, "The Surgeon", can be seen below.

OVERKILL singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth comments, "Man, it seems like for F-in ever since we chatted!!!! Ha! I tell you what, this is the longest ever between OVERKILL releases, Feb '19 to April '23. For me, it became my 'peterpandemic' go-to. I wrote my part, tore it down, then again and again. I found myself still changing parts while Colin [Richardson] was mixing! It became the normal in a very abnormal time, sanity amongst the insanity. Somewhere in 'Scorched' that is all reflected, a common thread, it is the place I went to get what I needed, maybe what "we" needed. It's different, that's for sure an old-school approach/mix in a modern world....was it worth the wait? You tell me.......see ya on the road! Horns up!"

"Scorched" offered a new recording environment for OVERKILL as all members were able to record on their own. 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.

"Scorched" track listing:

01. Scorched
02. Goin' Home
03. The Surgeon
04. Twist Of The Wick
05. Wicked Place
06. Won't Be Comin Back
07. Fever
08. Harder They Fall
09. Know Her Name
10. Bag O' Bones

OVERKILL performed "Wicked Place" during its December 9, 2022 concert at the Ruhrpott Metal Meeting in Oberhausen, Germany. Fan-filmed video of that performance can be seen below.

The name of the upcoming OVERKILL LP was revealed last month by drummer Jason Bittner in a social media post. He shared a few photos of the band's appearance at Ruhrpott Metal Meeting and included the following message: "Last one of the year!!!! See you in 2023 with 'Scorched' - the 20th album in the OVERKILL catalog!"

This past August, Ellsworth told Neuborn Open Air Festival about the band's upcoming LP: "Well, I wrote the record three times — my end of the record, I wrote it three times — and I destroyed the first two of them, because it was being influenced by the pandemic, and I don't think we've ever been those type of people. I started listening and I said… I'm not the most upbeat person when it comes to the presentation of music, but I think that if you compare OVERKILL to other bands in this scene, we don't always take the negative road; we try to take the positive road for things. And the pandemic led me to go on a different path, and I didn't wanna do that. So I tore the whole record down and rewrote it once I saw that stuff was opening… But it made me feel more comfortable with the fact that, okay, this is fresh, it's current. It's not something that was written in 2020. It was written in fucking '22, and it's gonna be recorded in '22. So it's a good feeling right now."

Earlier in the year, OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni told Hardrock Haven about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's 20th studio album. He said: "I had almost all of it written when we went out on the tour before COVID, 'cause that's where we were in our cycle. So I had to have my part — the music for the record — pretty much done. I had two songs left that I had to do when I got back home. 'Cause that's where we needed to be, 'cause the record was supposed to come out in the fall of that year or whenever. But then we were, like, 'We've got a little extra time.' And then we had more extra time."

He continued: "It was funny, because usually I'll kind of demo up everything at home, all the songs, and I'll send it out to the guys, and then they'll learn the stuff from the demo and then we'll get together and play. [And then we'll decide] 'Maybe it should be faster or slower' — we kind of noodle around till it feels good in the room. But we weren't able to do that 'cause of COVID. But now that it's taken so long, we could have done that. So, I don't know exactly… This one's still gonna be a bit of an odd record 'cause it was kind of done all remotely — everything. We're gonna put out a record of songs that we've not one single time stood in a room and played together."

As for the musical direction of the new OVERKILL material, Verni said: "Compared to the other ones… It's hard to say. It's maybe got a little bit more SABBATH-y kind of parts in it, a little bit more doomy.

"I know Colin Richardson's gonna mix it," he added. "Poor Colin. We thought we were gonna do it, and then we pushed him off, and then we pushed him off again, and then we pushed him off again. An we said, 'You know what? We'll call you when we're ready.' So whenever that's gonna be, we'll call him again. But we're psyched about that 'cause he's just great. He's a great mixer and a great producer. So if nothing else, it'll sound great."

Richardson previously worked with OVERKILL on 1997's "From The Underground And Below", 2000's "Bloodletting" and 2003's "Killbox 13".

Regarding the sound of the new OVERKILL material, Blitz told 69 Faces Of Rock: "It's gonna be hard to figure it out for me until it actually takes shape. It seems a little bit more eclectic for us. It's riff driven, not rhythm driven. The songs will contain two or three different riffs throughout it — the main [riff] and then two that are kind of secondary riffs, which I think is a little bit unique for us, to be singing over something like that. Heavy, of course. I mean, there's some sledgehammer stuff on it — that kind of big, thick groove. I think the other side of it is that it shows kind of experienced speed, would be the word. Some of them just take off."

In June 2020, Ellsworth told A&P Reacts that the band's new songs were "a natural progression from 'The Grinding Wheel' [2017] and 'The Wings Of War' [2019]. I think when we had done the 'Ironbound' record [2010], it almost became like a trilogy in there — it was kind of like 'Ironbound', 'The Electric Age' [2012] and 'White Devil Armory' [2014], and they seemed to be the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost kind of a thing," he said. "I think we kind of broke the mold a little bit with 'The Grinding Wheel', and then I think a little bit more with 'The Wings Of War'. And on this one, I see it way more. And what I mean by that is that we've used other tools from our toolshed in the past, and that's the slow grind that is coupled with that fast gallop. So it feels like a natural progression, but maybe two records ahead of what 'The Wings Of War' is. And that's probably as objective as I can be."

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 disc was recorded at Gear Recording Studio in New Jersey, SKH Studio in Florida and Jrod Productions with engineering handled by Verni and guitarist Dave Linsk. The album was produced by the band while Chris "Zeuss" Harris took care of the mixing and mastering. Travis Smith (NEVERMORE, OPETH, SOILWORK, DEATH) was again enlisted to create the artwork for the album.

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