Japanese supergroup THE LAST ROCKSTARS played its first concert Wednesday night (January 26) at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

The Tokyo show took place a month after THE LAST ROCKSTARS released its debut single, "The Last Rockstars (Paris Mix)". The track was made available via the quartet's global distribution deal with Ingrooves, which is part of Universal Music Group's Virgin Music Group.

THE LAST ROCKSTARS — which consists of Yoshiki, Hyde, Sugizo and Miyavi, four major forces from Japan's rock scene — will stage further live performances on January 27 at Ariake Arena and January 29 and January 30 at Tokyo Garden Theatre. U.S. shows will take place on February 4 at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York and February 10 at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.

Two song teaser videos have been released, one for "The Last Rockstars" (lyrics by Yoshiki, composed by Yoshiki) and the other for "Psycho Love" (lyrics by Yoshiki/Hyde, composed by Hyde).

"We've come together to start this challenge for the world out of Japan," Yoshiki said.

"This may be our last chance at this challenge," Sugizo said. "We want to put what's left of our lives on the line to make the world rock with our music."

Yoshiki has several monumental accomplishments under his belt both as the leader of X JAPAN and as an accomplished solo artist. He has been named "one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history" by Consequence Of Sound and has composed Hollywood film soundtracks, a concerto for the Emperor of Japan, and the official theme song for the Golden Globe Awards. He has performed at the world's greatest stages, including Madison Square Garden, Wembley Arena, Coachella music festival, and Carnegie Hall. In addition to his music, Yoshiki has been internationally recognized for his philanthropy, and was awarded a Medal Of Honor by the Japanese government.

Hyde is internationally recognized as the vocalist for L'ARC-EN-CIEL, VAMPS and as a successful solo artist. L'ARC-EN-CIEL has sold over 40 million albums worldwide, headlined Madison Square Garden, and were also the first rock band to headline Japan National Stadium. Hyde has also had great success touring internationally as a solo artist.

Sugizo has worked and performed globally as a member of LUNA SEA, X JAPAN, and U.K.'s JUNO REACTOR, a group credited with creating psychedelic trance. As a solo artist he has been pursuing his unique style of electronic music while creating for multiple movie and theater soundtracks.

Miyavi "The Samurai Guitarist" has enthralled the world with his transcendent unconventional "slap style" of playing his guitar, which has taken him around the world nine times to tour in over 30 countries. In 2014 he made his debut as a Hollywood actor in "Unbroken". He was the first Japanese public figure to be featured in Gucci's global campaign, and has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNCHR, providing support for refugees.

With their illustrious experience in Japan's most influential rock bands, remarkable sales records individually, and hit collaborations with global artists, these four musicians coming together is a monumental occurrence. THE LAST ROCKSTARS are here to usher in a new legendary era of rock.

Upcoming shows:

January 27 - Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan
January 29 - Tokyo Garden Theater, Tokyo, Japan
January 30 - Tokyo Garden Theater, Tokyo, Japan
February 04 - Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, United States
February 10 - Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, United States

Grammy-nominated Lancaster five-piece August Burns Red — JB Brubaker [lead guitar], Brent Rambler [rhythm guitar], Matt Greiner [drums], Jake Luhrs [vocals], and Dustin Davidson [bass] — have a big year in front of them.


The band will drop its new album Death Below on March 24 via SharpTone Records. Pre-order it here.


Today, they have dropped the video for the new single "Backfire."







"'Backfire' is song that musically is a punch in the face, and we wrote the lyrics to follow suit," says ABR. "The song is about choosing who you follow wisely, and not allowing people you've never met to influence the decisions you make in life. 'Backfire' ticks all the boxes when it comes to an ABR song."


The album features guest spots from guitarist Jason Richardson, as well as Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage, JT Cavey of ERRA, and Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath.





Tracklisting:


"Premonition"
"The Cleansing"
"Ancestry" (Feat. Jesse Leach)
"Tightrope" (Feat. Jason Richardson)
"Fool's Gold in the Bear Trap"
"Backfire"
"Revival"
"Sevink"
"Dark Divide"
"Deadbolt"
"The Abyss" (Feat. JT Cavey)
"Reckoning" (Feat. Spencer Chamberlain)


"Ancestry" video:





ABR will also embark on the 20 Year Anniversary Tour, during which they will play material off all nine of their albums as they hit North America.


The first leg of the tour kicks off on February 15 in Silver Spring, MD and runs through March 14 in Charlotte, NC. The second leg launches on April 13 in Philadelphia, PA and wraps on May 12 in Quebec in Canada. The tour marks the first time the band has played Canada since 2019.


The support acts are The Devil Wears Prada, and Scottish band Bleed From Within, who are touring the U.S. for the first time. The bands will appear on both legs of the tour.


VIP packages are on sale here, and include an exclusive, 200+ page photo book that spans each year of ABR's entire career.





Tour dates:


February
15 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring
16 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
17 - Atlanta, GA - Heaven at The Masquerade
18 - Orlando, FL - Heart Support Festival*
20 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Revolution Live
21 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
23 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
24 - Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom
25 - San Antonio, TX - Vibes Event Center
27 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
28 - San Diego, CA - Soma


March
1 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
2 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
4 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
5 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo
7 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
8 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
10 - Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
12 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall
13 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
14 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte


April
13 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore Philadelphia
14 - New York, NY - Palladium Times Square
15 - Albany, NY - Empire Live
16 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
18 - Niagara Falls, NY - Rapids Theater
19 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
21 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
22 - St. Louis, MO  - Red Flag
23 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
25 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
26 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
28 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore Minneapolis
29 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
30 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts


May
2 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
3 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
5 - North Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
6 - Richmond, VA - The National
7 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
9 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
11 - Montreal, QC - MTelus
12 - Quebec, QC - Theatre Capitole


* Festival Date

Swedish metallers AVATAR have unleashed yet another track from their upcoming ninth album, "Dance Devil Dance", due out February 17 via Black Waltz Records, distributed by Thirty Tigers. Today, the band has shared the new song "Violence No Matter What", a powerhouse duet with the inimitable Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM.

AVATAR frontman vocalist Johannes Eckerström says: "'Violence No Matter What' is about one thing and one thing only. It's okay to debate and fight and to think differently. But there is a limit, and the line must be drawn at authority held with violence, a worldview that cannot survive without enemies, a promised return to a fabricated former glory."

Hale states: "'Violence No Matter What' was such an inspiring piece to be a part of! Thank you so much to the boys for giving me the opportunity to express my angst against the horrors of this world through such a brilliant song!"

As previously reported, AVATAR will embark on a U.S. tour this spring. The trek, which will feature support from VEIL OF MAYA and ORBIT CULTURE, will kick off on April 28 in Omaha, Nebraska and conclude on May 28 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"Dance Devil Dance" was recorded in the Swedish wilderness, far away from all the perceived glamor of the big city and modern studios. Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, MR. BUNGLE, CROBOT, STONE SOUR, AMON AMARTH, URIAH HEEP) returned as producer. He first worked with AVATAR when he mixed "Hail The Apocalypse", a role he reprised on "Feathers & Flesh" before taking the wheel as producer on "Avatar Country" and "Hunter Gatherer".

Last August, Eckerström told TotalRock about AVATAR's upcoming LP: "My best thing to liken it to is [JUDAS PRIEST's] 'British Steel' in the sense of that… JUDAS PRIEST were always great, and before 'British Steel' you had 'Killing Machine', you had 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' and all this, but they were a great heavy metal band, a great rock and roll band, a great prog band at times and kind of eclectic. And then with 'British Steel' I find they really got laser focused, cut off the fat. And we're focused on what we feel right now metal needs — this very pompous but yet…

"Honestly, I feel like we have to save heavy metal," he continued. "Because either people are lost in the past… They did it better than we will ever do what they do. Don't do that. What's next? What's next for us? And do that without disappearing up your own asses completely.

"When people end up doing metal that is best enjoyed while sitting down and shutting up, you miss the point," Johannes added. "Metal is the music that you move to — in the pit, banging your head, dancing around, whatever, lifting weights, drinking too much, getting pregnant, impregnating someone, doing things. It's music to move with. You have drums in the band; why would you have drums if you don't move?

"We look a lot to the masters — that is wisdom from MOTÖRHEAD, from JUDAS PRIEST, from a lot of things — but then just… yeah, that, but not that. They did that. We're now and what's next with that. Where can we try to help bring it? And that is this album."

AVATAR enjoyed quite a productive summer last year, traipsing North America on a successful headline tour. They next embarked on some of the biggest shows of the career — a trek with IRON MAIDEN, supporting the band in stadiums in Brazil. AVATAR also played arenas supporting SABATON. They secured slots at major festivals globally — Inkcarceration, Summer Breeze and Bloodstock Open Air, among others.

Photo credit: Pierre Veillet

EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza's YouTube show, "Zetro's Toxic Vault", has uploaded a new episode featuring a three-part interview with DEATH ANGEL guitarist Rob Cavestany. During the lengthy chat, which was conducted last October, Rob said that he and his bandmates are "definitely overdue" for a new studio album. He added (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We were able to demo off a few songs before this whole touring began, like in the earlier part of [2022], before April [2022]. We got into some, and then all that shit [happened] — we got interrupted from the writing process.

"On the tours I've compiled a lot [of ideas]," Rob revealed. "I'm at the point where I'm excited to now go into all my notes on my phone there and hear all the little snippets I did on the back of the bus or here and there that will begin the next wave of… Hopefully I'll find something worthy in there to start off some shit, start working on songs. Will's [Carroll, DEATH ANGEL drummer] ready to start demoing with me.

"Right before we left [to go on tour], we invested in a lot of equipment. I got a whole new Pro Tools fucking setup, computer. We got mics. Our amazing soundman set everything up in the studio. So we're ready to demo. We have all the equipment ready; now we need material. So I need to sort through the scattered madness and start getting into a vibe. I'm excited."

DEATH ANGEL released a new live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

Released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast, "Humanicide" saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

Will can be heard on the last four DEATH ANGEL studio albums: "Relentless Retribution" (2010),"The Dream Calls for Blood" (2013),"The Evil Divide" (2016) and the aforementioned "Humanicide".

In a new interview with Sonic Perspectives contributor Robert Cavuoto, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was asked what it was like reuniting with original PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony last November. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's wonderful. You hear stories about bands that have their differences and then coming together for special events like the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and it's as though it was always there; it's as though the time element of who we're about and what we do in music ceases to exist. Much like when I returned to PRIEST after my 10- or 12-year hiatus, you just carry on. You carry on because the music carries you in the essence of carrying on. It's all about the music. And so when we fired up those classic songs together, it just felt great; it felt complete in the sense of what we were trying to achieve that particular night. And it roared."

Halford went on to say that he has "yet to see" a video of PRIEST's Rock Hall induction. "People go, 'Have you watched the performance yet?' It reminds me of Maggie Smith from that great British TV show ['Downton Abbey']. They asked Maggie Smith, 'Do you watch your performances?' [She said], 'No. I was there. I did it. So why should I wanna see it again?' So, there's a little bit of that," he said.

"I'll tell you — it was over so quickly. That's the thing I remember, if anything, was that it was so fast. It took such a long time to get to that moment, and the eight minutes and change that we had to do the job that we had to do was over in a flash. And then we were all sitting in the dressing rooms afterwards having a bite to eat, going, 'Did it happen? Were we there?' And then my highlight [singing] with [fellow Rock Hall inductee] Dolly Parton and meeting all of these other wonderful people. I never knew Pink was a fan, and all of this great talent that are out of the world of metal, but, again, [it's] proof that music has no barriers; it has no walls. We love each other in our music endeavors for various reasons.

"So it was just a great, great moment for PRIEST and a great, great moment for rock and roll," Rob added.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at last year's Rock Hall, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members who got inducted include current members Halford (vocals),Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing (guitar),Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and current PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner for a three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

In a December 2022 interview with Metal Talk, Downing reflected on his reunion with his former bandmates at the Rock Hall induction. The 71-year-old guitarist, who sat at the same table at the induction ceremony as the other PRIEST musicians at the event, said that he had a chat with Travis and was able to "break bread" with Halford and Hill. He also exchanged some pleasantries with Tipton, with whom he had shared a stage for decades, and Faulkner, who replaced him in 2011.

Regarding what it was like to speak and play with Faulkner, Downing said: "Yes, I managed to have a chat with him, and we shared the stage and even jammed together. It could have been awkward, but it wasn't. I've nothing but respect for him, and I know he's working on other projects outside PRIEST, and I wish him well." He laughingly added: "The only potentially awkward moments were because I like a lot of room and have always raced around the stage, and we had to avoid each other."

Last month, JUDAS PRIEST's longtime manager Jayne Andrewstold the "Gabbing With Girlfriends" podcast that PRIEST's reunion with Downing "was a bit strange" because K.K. "just kept himself to himself. Even when he got on stage with the band [to perform at the Rock Hall], he didn't really communicate much with anybody," she said.

Andrews went on to say that Downing missed an opportunity "to try and build bridges" with his former bandmates, adding that K.K. "could have stuck his head around the door" in the dressing room "and said, 'Thank you for inviting me on stage with you.'" She also said that he K.K. "seemed a little bit nervous and almost out of his depth" during the Rock Hall performance.

In November, Halford was asked in an interview with the San Antonio Current if performing with Downing at the Rock Hall ceremony helped put aside some of the acrimony that K.K. has shown about not being in band for these last few tours. Halford responded: "I think we should let the music speak for itself, really, because as you'll see from the performance, you'll see that all of that other stuff is irrelevant. All the things that have been said and suggested just float off into the air. What matters is what's going down on that stage at that time you're performing together. And there he is on my right-hand side. It just felt like he was always there. Look behind me and there's [Les], and the memories just are overwhelming. But, more than that, you're focusing on the moment that you're back together again and playing live. It was really a whirlwind. We were in each other's company for a very, very short space of time. We had very little time to communicate. But for the purpose of the induction of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame together, it was absolutely crucial that K.K. and Les were there. They were inducted, they needed to be in the room. And more than that, we were thrilled that they took the opportunity to say, 'Yeah, we'll come and jam on stage again with you guys.'"

In a separate interview with Lauren "Lern" Elwell of the KSHE radio station, Halford said it was "good" performing with Downing and Binks at the Rock Hall. He added: "We hadn't seen [Downing] forever. And I've still yet to watch footage of that. All I remember is my brief interactions with K.K., because I'm always running around the stage like a mad drag queen. My interactions with Ken and with Les, it was great. It felt wonderful to have that moment together after such a long time. And that just shows you the power, the weight, the vibe that the Rock Hall suggests you try to attempt. Try and recapture something of the essence that it really part of why you're here, why you're being inducted. I was just so happy that Ken and Les showed up, because they needed to be there. It was entirely their choice, but I said it makes absolute sense if you're in the room and we're playing together. And we did, and it was magical."

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

JUDAS PRIEST was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction in 2020, but failed to receive enough votes to make that year's class.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was also on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

METAL CHURCH is rumored to have enlisted ROSS THE BOSS and LET US PREY vocalist Marc Lopes to sing for the band following the passing of Mike Howe less than two years ago.

Earlier today (Thursday, January 26),METAL CHURCH shared an audio snippet of some of the new music — complete with a singer who sounds uncannily like Lopes — the group has been working on in recent months, with plans to release its sometime this spring via Rat Pak Records. In an accompanying message, METAL CHURCH guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof wrote: "No one ever thought that we would have to move forward without our beloved Mike Howe....but we know he would want us to continue....so, new METAL CHURCH music is on the way. I hope you will join us for this next chapter!"

Howe was found dead at his home in Eureka, California in July 2021. According to TMZ, Howe's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept. told the site authorities are calling it a suicide. He was only 55 years old.

Last September, Kurdt told Metal-Rules that he really hadn't processed Howe's death yet. "I can't," he said. "I can't imagine what it must feel like to feel that suicide is your only option. And because he was like my brother and to find out he was in such pain and it's too late to try and help is just something I cannot get my head around."

Kurdt went on to say that there will be a new METAL CHURCH album in 2023. "I had written a new record and Mike and I had just begun the process before he passed," he explained. "So I had a lot of material on hand. I also wanted to complete the album in honor of him. I have written a batch of additional material and it's going in a more aggressive direction."

At the time, Kurdt said that he and his METAL CHURCH bandmates were "keeping a lid" on the identity of their new singer. However, he revealed: "We didn't choose a Mike Howe clone or David Wayne clone. We decided to approach the future as a 'new' chapter in the band's career. I think the fans will really dig it."

When Mike's death was first announced, TMZ stated that cops in Eureka got a call just after 10 a.m. on July 26, 2021 reporting an unexpected death at a home. By the time deputies arrived, they found Howe dead at the scene.

According to police, drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the death and no controlled substances or paraphernalia were located at the scene.

Four days after Howe's death, the surviving members of METAL CHURCH shared a statement on social media in which they blamed his suicide on the fact that he "was victimized by a failing health-care system and subsequently poisoned by the venom of Big Pharma," a term which refers collectively to the global pharmaceutical industry. "In short and in essence, he fell prey to the real 'Fake Healer'."

METAL CHURCH's statement was quickly met with criticism from some of the band's fans who felt that the long-running metal act was using Howe's death as a platform to assert its political views. As a result, METAL CHUCH pulled its original post from social media and replaced it with a revised version, in which the musicians said they were "in no way, shape or form referring to anything in relation to vaccinations, COVID or politics. We were saying our brother was hurting and while he was seeking medical care for it, the treatments he was utilizing did not protect him," they wrote. "Otherwise, he would still be with us today."

Howe, who fronted METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, officially rejoined the band in April 2015.

Prior to joining METAL CHURCH more than three decades ago, Howe spent two years fronting California metal act HERETIC.

The reunion between Mike and METAL CHURCH was put in motion in July of 2014 when Mike started working with Vanderhoof on a side project Kurdt was forming with Nigel Glockler from SAXON. Through these initial conversations, Kurdt convinced Mike to ultimately return to METAL CHURCH. The idea was to see if they could recapture some of the magic from the three albums METAL CHURCH released in the late '80s: "The Human Factor", "Blessing In Disguise" and "Hanging In The Balance". Out of those sessions, 2016's "XI" was born and captured the sound that made the band fan favorites in the '80s and mixed it with a new, invigorated sound.

METAL CHURCH's latest release was "From The Vault", which arrived in April 2020 via Rat Pak Records. The effort was a special-edition compilation album that featured 14 previously unreleased songs from the Howe era, including four newly recorded studio tracks, among them a redux of the band's fan favorite classic "Conductor".

Howe is not the first singer of METAL CHURCH to die. David Wayne passed away in May 2005 from complications following a car crash. He was 47 years old.

Wayne sang on METAL CHURCH's first two classic offerings (1984's "Metal Church" and 1986's "The Dark") before leaving the group and being replaced by Howe.

Photo credit: Jeremy Belinfante / M-Theory Audio / Secret Service Publicity

New Metal Church Coming Spring 2023

No one ever thought that we would have to move forward without our beloved Mike Howe....but we know he would want us to continue....so, new Metal Church music is on the way. I hope you will join us for this next chapter! Love & Respect, Kurdt \m/

#MetalChurch #NewMusic #Spring2023 #TestPressings #RatPakRecords #ReaperEntertainmentEurope #Vinyl #NewAlbum #NewSinger #ForEverMetal

Posted by Metal Church on Thursday, January 26, 2023

During a January 24 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", STRYPER's Michael Sweet spoke about how he and former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach ended their long-running feud at last year's edition of the Kiss Kruise where both STRYPER and Bach performed. Brought together by Metal Edge's Paul Gargano, Bach and Sweet buried the hatchet in private, and later teamed up on stage during Bach's solo set to perform KISS's version of "God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You" and VAN HALEN's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love".

Sweet said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We were on the boat, and I was talking to Paul Gargano about how silly it is that Sebastian and I have this beef, and I've tried to reach out to him numerous times, and blah blah blah. And Paul just said, 'Oh. Really? Okay. Wait here.' And he came back, and he said, 'I just talked to [Sebastian's wife] Suzanne. And Suzanne is talking to Lisa right now' — my wife Lisa. 'And she's talking to Sebastian. And Sebastian was in tears, 'cause he wants to bury the hatchet.' It was just crazy how it all evolved in a great way. And then he basically invited me up to do a song, and I didn't know this song in particular — 'God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You', believe it or not. And obviously, everyone can watch a video of that and get a good laugh. And then we did 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love'.

"Some people, in the comments section, said, 'Ah, this feels awkward and weird,' but I can tell you it was legitimate," Michael continued. "And we are friends, and we're in contact. We've e-mailed each several few times, we had dinner with Suzanne when we were in [Las] Vegas, and it's real. And it's really amazing. Really cool.

"It was great to be able to bury the hatchet and to actually talk to Sebastian after so long, and realize that we're just two guys… We're just two guys doing the same thing, who are both trying to enjoy life and make the best of it," Sweet added. "And why feud? Why fight? Cliché — life is too short, and it is."

The war of words between Bach and Sweet began in November 2016 when Sweet shared a video on Facebook of then-16-year-old emerging artist Moriah Formica performing the SKID ROW track "I Remember You", along with the caption: "Moriah Formica kills this and in my humble opinion, smokes the original singer." He also proceeded to call Bach a "tool" in the comments section after being questioned about the caption by a fan.

After being alerted to Sweet's post by a fan, Sebastian fired back, writing in a tweet: "Michael Sweet has a big fucking mouth. Behind a keyboard that is. Can't wait to see this pussy in person again someday."

While speaking to "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" at an October 2017 "Bowl For Ronnie" event in Studio City, California, Bach was asked about his war or words with Sweet. He said: "All I know is that when I see a headline on Blabbermouth and it says, 'Bach Slams 'Pussy' Sweet,' you've just kind of gotta do a double take on that one."

Pressed about whether he likes Sweet on a personal level, Sebastian said: "I don't, actually. I think STRYPER sucks. I've always thought that — since I was a little kid. I think their songs suck, I think their fucking clothes suck. Should I go on? What are they gonna [do] — whip a Bible at me? [Laughs]"

After clarifying that his opinion of STRYPER doesn't have anything to do with the Christian messages in the band's lyrics, Bach said: "I think they just make bad records. And I don't think they ever did make good records."

In November 2016, Sweet released a statement in response to Bach's "pussy" comment, saying that "anyone who knows me knows that I express my opinion and I'm more than willing to back it up. I do my best to be honest yet not to be mean-spirited or destructive. I'm also no pussy. Obviously, Sebastian doesn't know me, because if he did, he'd know that as fact."

He added: "Unfortunately, I think because I'm a Christian, some people think that I'm supposed to 'turn the other cheek' and let people say and do whatever they want. I guess the 'pussy' in me won't let me do that."

Sebastian and Michael previously traded barbs in 2015 when the STRYPER leader claimed he was asked to produce a Bach solo album, only for those plans to be squashed because Sebastian couldn't make up his mind. Sweet said: "I was approached to do a Sebastian album… to produce it and to co-write with him and basically try to kind of go back to those powerful songs from the past. Not make a dated record, but just that style, the anthemy SKID ROW stuff that everybody loves. And that was the plan."

Michael also offered a theory as to why so few of Bach's at-the-time-eight hundred thousand Facebook followers purchased the former SKID ROW singer's latest solo album, "Give 'Em Hell", when it was first released. Sweet said: "This isn't a bash against Sebastian at all; it's just my opinion. I think people wanna hear Sebastian of old. They wanna hear the SKID ROW Sebastian. They wanna hear the hits. And he's giving them modern rock. It's ['Give 'Em Hell'] a good album, it's a good-sounding album, but it's not the glory days."

After a fan wrote on Twitter that "the points M. Sweet made about fans wanting 'old school' Bach sounds - are ACCURATE. Not rude or mean. Just true," Bach responded: "ACCURATE? FACT: No member of STRYPER was EVER asked to produce ANY album by Sebastian Bach! EVER. Who do U think asks that?? Omg!"

Sweet later took to his own Twitter to clarify his proposed role in the making of Bach's solo album. Michael wrote: "I was asked by the LABEL to produce Sebastian Bach. I never said by Sebastian."

When Michael and Sebastian shared the stage at last year's Kiss Kruise, Bach told the audience: "In the spirit of rock and roll music… We've only got one life. We're lucky to be here. From our Lord Jesus, God, I'm being totally serious right now… Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to welcome to the stage Mr. Michael Sweet of STRYPER. Rock 'n' roll brings us together; that’s what rock and roll does. Let's hear it right now… Life is too short."

Following the performance, Sweet and Bach sat down with Gargano to discuss what had transpired. Regarding how the feud between them began, Bach said: "The Internet happened. Every single headline is, this guy said this about this guy, this guy said this about this guy. It's not about the new record, it's not about the new video. It's about this guy called this guy a name. And everybody reads shit about themselves online that they don't like, and then they say something back. So it never ends."

Added Sweet: "You know, one thing said is maybe misconstrued or misunderstood, and another thing is said in retaliation, and then it heats up and people start fueling the fire and it just becomes a nightmare. That's what happened. And it went on for a long time and today was the day that we put all that aside, buried the hatchet and said, 'This is stupid.' "

"Life is too short," Sebastian repeated. "I don't wanna fight with anybody. There's enough rotten shit in the world. We don't need rock and roll to piss us off. Rock 'n' roll is supposed to be fun."

Michael later took to his social media to share a photo of him and Sebastian hugging it out, and he included the following caption: "One of the best moments of my life. Forgiveness. When you can forgive, you can do anything. Brothers… Thank you @kisskruiseofficial and thank you @paulgargano".

'I don't wanna fight with anybody,' Sebastian Bach told us about his feud with Michael Sweet

Posted by Metal Edge Magazine on Wednesday, November 2, 2022

In a new interview with Metal Edge, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2016's "For All Kings" album.

"We're getting close," Scott said. "I can tell you we have 11 musical arrangements, and there's lyrics to some of them. Obviously, I'm going to be working on more words and we're getting there. I'm hoping at some point we'll be able to get into the studio [this year] and record them."

Benante also loudly wondered if ANTHRAX could focus on releasing EPs in the foreseeable future as opposed to full-length albums, as has been the case for much of the band's four-plus-decade career.

"What if it wasn't a full album?" the drummer asked. "If we released six songs and then we released another six songs. I know from a record company's point of view that really doesn't work, but in these days…"

"Yeah. It's all so different now," Ian said, jumping in. "SLIPKNOT's saying now why even make full albums anymore. I get it. I get all sides of it. I still love a full album, but at the same time I totally understand the idea of what's the point of giving someone 11 songs. Most people don't listen to albums anymore. So, yeah — why not parse it out? I don't know. All I know is at some point in the next few months we'll probably have 14 or 15 things and then we'll have to decide when we're going to record it and how we're going to release it."

"Think about it," Benante continued. "If ANTHRAX released five songs and you have these five songs, and you absorb it in such a different way nowadays, too. I think that may be the way to go, rather than give everybody 11 songs and it's like, 'Oh — I only had a chance to listen to the first four or five.' I don't know. I just think maybe the business model is different."

"And even for us, playing songs live it's like, you put out a record with 10 or 11 songs on it with the idea that, 'Oh man, I can't wait to play this one live and I can't wait to play this one live,'" Ian added. "On 'For All Kings', we definitely didn't play all of those songs at any point. I think there's maybe six songs on the record that got played – and that's it. I almost feel like you're wasting them. I understand album tracks, but if you put out just five songs it would be easy to play all five of those on a new tour."

"And easier to digest, too," Benante agreed. "You would appreciate it more if it was just five songs and, 'These five songs are fuckin' killer. I can't wait for the next five songs,' knowing that we will release another five or six."

Earlier this month, Benante, who is also sitting behind the kit for the reformed PANTERA, told Ruben Mosqueda of We Go To 11 that ANTHRAX is planning to enter the studio sometime this spring to begin recording the new LP.

"Between the PANTERA [tour dates in 2023], we're gonna be working on this record, this ANTHRAX record," he said. "We're hoping to have it finished before PANTERA go to Europe [in late May]. I have a little window after that, before [PANTERA's stadium tour with] METALLICA starts. At least if I get my drum tracks done, then the other guys can continue to work on it.

"That's the plan," he added. "Unless something else happens, but hopefully nothing will happen."

Last November, ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello told SiriusXM that the band is "not in a rush" to record the new album. "We wanna make sure it's the right record," he explained. "We can't just throw out something that's not ready. So we're gonna really make sure it's the right record and live with it for a little bit. We have some brutal stuff and some cool stuff coming up — very heavy — we've been working on. Everybody can say that when they're working on a record. But the proof is in the pudding. I'm pretty proud of what we've come up with so far."

In August, Ian praised the production quality on some of the band's recent albums, including 2011's "Worship Music" and "For All Kings". He said: [On] 'Worship [Music]' and 'For All Kings', for me, we've really kind of found our sound. We've got this base level where we're at right now with [producer] Jay Ruston where we know it's gonna be great, and then we could push it even further. Especially with the songwriting that we have right now, going into what will eventually be a new ANTHRAX album, it just lends itself to even a more aggressive production which I think we will have no problem accomplishing."

In April 2022, Scott confirmed to Metal Injection that ANTHRAX had a few songs already written for the upcoming LP. "All I can say is we will get in the studio when we're ready," he said. "I think we're getting there. I think we have great songs. I think people will be very happy.

"Not to make a weird comparison, but it's our third record back together with [singer] Joey [Belladonna]. Actually, it's an odd comparison. I should just say it's our third album since our kind of our reboot in 2010 and our third album back in the day was 'Among The Living'. I'm not saying that this is [like that album], because it's not 'Among The Living II' in any sense, but I just think we have some great songs and there's like a fucking mountain of great riffs. I think people are going to be very happy."

Ian previously discussed ANTHRAX's upcoming LP during a July 2021 appearance on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. At the time, he said: "We've been at it for a little while now. We actually started writing in '19 — pre-COVID — and kind of stepped away from things when COVID happened. We were all separate and apart and we would kind of revisit some of the demos, but we weren't actively working on it.

"Yeah, it's the same as it's always been," he said. "I would have to think by the time we get to the other side of the writing process and we decide we're ready to go record it, I would have to assume it's certainly going to represent this time in our lives. And the world having gone through a pandemic, I would imagine certainly that's in some way, shape or form going to come out through this next record. I can't tell you how yet, but I would have to think it's going to."

ANTHRAX celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021 with a number of special activities and events. Formed by Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, New York on July 18, 1981, ANTHRAX was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH.

Active over the past five decades, ANTHRAX has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple gold and platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with the "Big Four".

"For All Kings" was called by some critics ANTHRAX's strongest album to date. Its arrival followed a five-year period during which the group experienced a rebirth of sorts, beginning with ANTHRAX's inclusion on the "Big Four" tour, and continuing with the release of comeback LP "Worship Music".

Earlier this month, ANTHRAX and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY headed back on the road for a 24-date tour, making stops in all new markets, with both bands playing headline sets. Joining ANTHRAX and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY as special guest on this run is EXODUS. The trek launched on January 17 at the Revolution Concert House in Boise, Idaho and wrapping in Oakland, California at the Fox Theatre on February 18.

Oakland, CA blackened progressive metal band Dawn Of Ouroboros will release their second album, Velvet Incandescence, on April 21st via Prosthetic Records. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.


Alongside the album announcement, Dawn Of Ouroboros has unveiled the lead single and accompanying music video, "Rise From Disillusion".







Speaking on the announcement and premiere, Dawn Of Ouroboros' Tony Thomas (guitar / synths) comments: "We are happy to reveal the first song, 'Rise From Dissolution', from our upcoming album. We hope to have developed on our brand of harsh beauty. Bringing emotionally aggressive genre-bending metal mixed with plenty of dynamics."


Invigorated by the response to their 2020 debut album The Art Of Morphology, Dawn Of Ouroboros came together in November 2021 to commence recording of Velvet Incandescence, once again opting to team up with Nick Loiacono at Fang Studios in San Mateo, CA for recording and mixing, before being mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker, Bosse De Nage) at The Atomic Garden Studio. Placing an emphasis on melody and feel above technical virtuosity, Velvet Incandescence’s eight tracks revel in sanguine triumph both musically and lyrically.


Album highlights "Rise From Disillusion" and "Iron Whispers" both rise and fall with a beguilingly ethereal quality, thanks to additional vocals provided in the form of a choir. Elsewhere, precise and calculated bursts of tremolo picking and resplendent lead guitar from both Thomas and Ian Baker (Red Rot) coalesce in dizzying fashion on "Testudines". Rhythmically bolstered by the talents of David Scanlon (Deliria) on bass and Ron Bertrand (Botanist, Red Rot) on drums, album closer "Velvet Moon" musically encompasses Velvet Incandescence’s dual nature of serenity and volatility.


Both lyrically and vocally, Dawn Of Ouroboros’ Chelsea Murphy interfuses a deeply personal approach with the cosmic and universally human need for healing and a feeling of home across the album’s 46 minute runtime, with tactful hope and heart at the forefront of all things over solemnity and resignation. The thematic melding of the universal and personal is conveyed in arresting fashion by album cover artist Jilly Colbert at Manfish Inc.





Tracklisting:


"Healing Grounds"
"Testudines"
"Iron Whispers"
"Levitating Pacifics"
"Rise From Disillusion"
"Castigation"
"Cephalopodic Void"
"Velvet Moon"


In live news, catch Dawn Of Ouroboros live on their Velvet Incandescence album release tour with special guest Ashbringer. Confirmed venues are as listed:


April
21 - Thee Parkside - San Francisco, CA
22 - Supply and Demand - Los Angeles, CA
23 - Til Two Club - San Diego, CA
24 - Yucca - Phoenix, AZ
25 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT
26 - The Shredder - Boise, ID
27 - The Plaid Pig - Tacoma, WA
28 - Substation - Seattle, WA
29 - Mano Oculta - Portland, OR 





 

Nightwish have shared pro-shot live video along with the following message:


"Nightwish's epic performance of 'The Phantom Of The Opera' featuring Henk Poort is finally here! This marks the first time in 17 years that the band has performed the song live, and it's also the premiere performance with both Floor Jansen and Henk Poort on stage. After a viral Beste Zangers performance and a three year wait due to Covid, don't miss out on this historic moment as Henk Poort joins the Nightwish family on stage at the sold out Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. Welcome to the family, Henk!" 







Floor Jansen comments: "It all started when Henk, who performed as the phantom in the Dutch version of the production, and I met on Beste Zangers in 2019. He said he'd only perform the song with me if we could do it with Nightwish, and both Nightwish and me said yes!


It was a dream come true to make it happen and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to perform with Henk at a sold-out Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. Thank you to everyone who made this possible and to all the fans who have supported us along the way."


The performance is also available via digital platforms found here.

Pitch Black Records has announced the return of Greek heavy metal veterans Marauder. The band’s new album, titled Metal Constructions VII, is out March 10, on CD and Digital.


This 12 track, semi-conceptual opus will be sure to please long-time followers and newcomers alike with the classic Marauder blend of muscular heavy/power metal, melodic finesse and fist-pumping anthems – all channeled into what is arguably the band’s most heartfelt musical statement since 2000’s masterpiece 1821.


Having enjoyed a joint career spanning over 30 years, guitarist duo Andreas Tsaousis and George Sofronas have shown a remarkable ability to successfully steer Marauder through a variety of times and settings. By staying true to their roots? Definitely, but also by refining their craft and by adding new tricks to the table, so to speak. Metal Constructions VII is no exception. 




For any lover of traditional Heavy Metal guitarwork, it is pure joy to behold the melodic and harmonic interplay that permeates the new Marauder material. Most easily notable this time around is of course the recruitment of Greek Metal scene strongmen Tassos Krokodilos (vocals) and Nick “Yngve” Samios (drums). With his soaring voice having just recently graced the latest album by Hellenic old school act Spitfire, the securement of Tassos Krokodilos as the band’s new vocalist keeps Marauder’s tradition of fine, charismatic frontmen alive. Moreover, the act of pairing the ever-reliable (and seemingly indefatigable!) Nick Samios with long-standing bassist Thodoris Paralis have resulted in what is arguably the strongest rhythmic backbone for the band so far.


What further adds to the gravitas of Metal Constructions VII – much like it did on 1821, although in a different conceptual area – are the lyrical themes and how they relate to the music at hand. Tackling themes of hardship and despair that surely anyone alive in 2022 can relate to and presenting them in a way that brings to the listener a sense of strength and hope rather than apathy should be enough to earn Marauder a medal of honor. An endearing testament to the deep-seated powers of man to not only ride-out, but overcome and eventually learn something from times of great distress, Metal Constructions VII both resonates with its times and boldly points towards a brighter future.





Tracklisting:


“Intro”
“Strike Back Again”
“Shout It Out”
“Under Her Spell”
“Nightfall”
“Erase”
“Rock Fighters”
“The Iron Mask”
“Holy Bible”
“Never Die”
“The Son Of God”
“Father”


“Strike Back Again”:


Metal Constructions VII by MARAUDER

Ripio has released a new 3D video clip of the song –“Agua y aceite”- (Water And oil) from the 2019 album -La Furia Que Hay En Mi - (The Anger That Is In Me).





Meanwhile, the solo artist Eduardo Costanzo (Ripio) from Buenos Aires - Argentina, continues with the production of what will be his seventh album, which will be called Enfrentando A Un Viejo Rival (Facing An Old Rival) and will feature ten new songs, in the vein of hard rock and heavy metal.

Hailing from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley in Canada, Odinfist is a high-flying, guitar-playing, crowd-chanting traditional heavy metal band that’s been around for 16 years, bringing elements of power metal, thrash metal, and the new wave of British heavy metal together. They’ve already amassed seven albums and now they are adding Remade In Steel to their impressive discography. The second single is “Metalmancer”. Drenched in classic ‘80s metal riffs with some hair metal influences in the verses, the lyrics describe a protagonist as they’re being exposed to new ideas and how they can forge a new path in life. 


The guitar solos are fucking sick, boys, Odinfist explains, they continue:


“This one is unique because it has completely different riffs for the first verse and second verse, and both riffs make a reappearance at the end of the song. The chorus is a pretty simple, but driving riff, with one of Justin’s patented melodies over top. There’s a big, stompy, half-time feel breakdown in the middle that leads into a gnarly solo section. While the song structure isn’t totally conventional, it’s still a catchy, rockin’ tune with a melodic, shout-along chorus.”




The band continues to share that over the course of their musical careers, they’ve always prioritized making music that they enjoy and want to listen to first. Each album is a snapshot of where they were mentally, creatively, and socially– but they’ve always wanted to explore new spaces within the genre and try to push into places they hadn’t been before. “Remade in Steel” is true to Odinfist’s roots in traditional heavy metal, offering its listeners the same energy and sound that they’ve come to expect from the band, but still shows off the band’s love for discovery.


Saucy, melodic, and barbaric. Get ready to take a roller coaster ride through the twists and turns of traditional heavy metal. Odinfist is recommended for fans of Savatage, Riot City, and Eternal Champion.


Remade In Steel is due out on March 10 and can be preordered on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Riffmaster”
“Metalmancer”
“Remade In Steel”
“Allfather”
“Deadline”
“Masquerade”


"Metalmancer":





"Riffmaster":

Frenzy will release Of Hoods and Masks on April 20, 2023 via Fighter Records in CD and LP formats. The Japanese import version will be available through Bickee Music.


Of Hoods and Masks, the second full-length by the heavy metal and comic book fanatics band, will contain nine tracks, including a conceptual story in seven songs inspired by the Watchmen graphic novel.


The album artwork includes 16 pages of full original illustrations made by comic artist Mike Mora (Megadeth’s death by design, Heavy Metal Magazine, The Con-Job).




The album was recorded during 2020 and put on hold for 2021 because of the traffic accident suffered by guitar player, Luis Pinedo, who is now ready to come back to his shredding duties and tour supporting this fantastic album. Of Hoods And Masks is also the final run of Alex Gabasa (Leather Heart) in Frenzy, who had to leave the band after a great job recording the album, being replaced by Billy Banzai.





Tracklisting:


“One Minute Closer To…”
“The Doomsday”
“Where Is The Joke”
“Spectre Of Love”
“Uncompromised”
“Betrayal In Cold Blood”
“Fear The Hood”
“Living In Oz” (Rick Springfield cover)
“Give Me Shred (Or Give Me Death)”


“The Doomsday” video:

Coheed And Cambria have announced details of a massive North American trek deemed “Neverender: No World For A Waking Mind” tour which is set to get underway this spring. The upcoming dates will see the band performing their seminal album No World For Tomorrow in full, along with a strong mix of songs from their most recent album Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind.


Special guests Deafheaven will feature as support across the tour which begins April 28 at The NorVa in Norfolk, VA and continues through late May with a second leg picking up on September 6 at the Fillmore Charlotte in Charlotte, NC and wrapping up at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, CA on October 7.


Pre-sale tickets for the tour will be available beginning tomorrow, January 25 at 10 AM, local with public on sale starting Friday, January 27th at 10 AM, local. For tickets and more information on Coheed and Cambria’s upcoming live dates, visit coheedandcambria.com/tour.




To celebrate the forthcoming tour, the band has also shared an official music video for their single “Beautiful Losers,” which can be viewed below. Filmed while the band was on tour in Germany, the live performance clip illustrates the bond between the band and their fans around the world. The track itself depicts the plight of Vaxis II’s main characters Nea and Nostrand, two underdogs battling an evil empire and while the song’s title also serves as an allusion to Coheed and Cambria’s beginnings – frontman Claudio Sanchez and guitarist Travis Stever had briefly been in a band called Beautiful Loser, named after a Leonard Cohen novel.





This past summer Coheed And Cambria released their new album and the latest chapter of “The Amory Wars” saga with Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind. The 13-song collection landed at #1 on Billboard’s “Top Hard Rock Albums” chart marking the band’s fourth #1 on the tally. Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind is available on all streaming platforms along with a deeply immersive Deluxe Box Set available in Coheed and Cambria’s official store. Furthermore, the band will have tour exclusive vinyl variants of both No World For Tomorrow and Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind vinyl available at the upcoming shows.





Tour dates:


April
28 - The NorVa - Norfolk, VA
30 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA


May
1 - The Fillmore Silver Spring - Silver Spring, MD
3 - The Rooftop at Pier 17 - New York, NY
4 - Roadrunner - Boston, MA
5 - Corona Theatre - Montreal, QC
7 - History - Toronto, ON
9 - Kemba Live! - Columbus, OH
10 - Agora Theater - Cleveland, OH
12 - The Cotillion Ballroom - Wichita, KS
14 - The Criterion - Oklahoma City, OK
15 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX
17 - Stubb's - Austin, TX
18 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
20 - Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
21 - Welcome To Rockville - Daytona Beach, FL*
23 - Live Oak Bank Pavilion - Wilmington, NC^
24 - Township Auditorium - Columbia, SC^
26 - Arkansas Music Pavilion - Rogers, AR^


June
15-18 - Hellfest - Clisson, FR*


September
6 - The Fillmore Charlotte - Charlotte, NC
9 - Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
10 - The Fillmore New Orleans - New Orleans, LA
11 - The Aztec Theatre - San Antonio, TX
13 - The Admiral - Omaha, NE
15 - Palace Theatre - Saint Paul, MN
16 - The Sylvee - Madison, WI
18 - Royal Oak Music Theatre - Royal Oak, MI
19 - Riviera Theater - Chicago, IL
23 - The Mission Ballroom - Denver, CO
24 - The Union Event Center - Salt Lake City, UT
26 - Knitting Factory Boise - Boise, ID
27 - The Wilma - Missoula, MT
29 - Knitting Factory Spokane - Spokane, WA
30 - The Palace Theatre - Calgary, AB


October
2 - Vogue Theatre - Vancouver, BC
3 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA
4 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR
7 - Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA
23-27 - S.S. Neverender - Miami, FL*


* Festival Date
^ with Incubus


(Photo - Alexandra Gavillet)

Swedish rockers GHOST have just released a new version of their song "Spillways" featuring a guest appearance by DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott. You can check it out below.

"Spillways" is taken from GHOST's fifth album, "Impera", which was released in March 2022.

Last year, GHOST mainman Tobias Forge told Metal Hammer magazine that he thought DEF LEPPARD was "great" and added that "going into ['Impera'], I thought I would see if I could do it a little more like DEF LEPPARD did it."

For his part, Elliott told Metal Hammer in April 2022 that he was introduced to GHOST's music through DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen. "He said, 'Here, have you heard about this band GHOST? It's like this kind of Scando goth-metal but with brilliant melodies.' I went, 'Well, that's an oxymoron, 'cause it's usually [makes unintelligible singing noise like someone vomiting in a bucket].' But he played me something — a couple of minutes each of a few songs. I was really intrigued, so I asked him to Dropbox me the new album. I listened to it all, and I thought it was absolutely stunning. It's like a whole new genre of music — it's way more TOTO than death metal or any of that stuff. It's like the song 'Spillways'. It starts off like 'Hold The Line' by TOTO or 'Jane' by JEFFERSON STARSHIP — one of those classic '70s songs that begin on the piano before these big, chunky chords come in."

At the time, Joe said that "Impera" had been his "go-to album" for at least a couple of weeks. I've got it downloaded on to my Apple Watch so I can march away and listen to it. I've only got a few albums on there, and GHOST are one of them."

Asked if he had been approached by GHOST for a collaboration, Joe said: "Not yet. Maybe they will. We've got [country singer] Alison Krauss on our new album, we did stuff with Taylor Swift 10 years ago. We're not scared of collaborating with anybody."

"Impera" sold 70,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked the third top 10 album — and fifth top 40-charting set — for the Swedish act. The 12-song effort was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.

"Impera" landed at position No. 1 in Germany and Sweden, No. 2 in the U.K., Netherlands, Belgium and Norway, No. 3 in Australia, No. 5 in France and Ireland, and No. 20 in Italy.

Forge worked on the follow-up to 2018's "Prequelle" with Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Tobias told Metal Hammer magazine about "Spillways": "This is an elegy for the darkness that most people have inside. When you have a dam, spillways are the run-offs so the dam won't overflow. That darkness inside us needs to find its way out."

Ozzy Osbourne and Joan Jett are among the musicians who will appear in a Super Bowl commercial for Workday, a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources.

In a clip from the commercial featuring Ozzy, the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer can be seen sporting a shirt and a tie as he interacts with his confused co-workers.

The spot was directed by Jim Jenkins and developed by ad agency Ogilvy and is said to be "Workday's attempt to raise awareness of how it can help businesses succeed in these modern times," according to Variety.

"No matter what's going on in the world, organizations can count on Workday's enterprise management cloud to adapt and thrive in a changing world," Workdaywrites in a blog announcing its foray into Super Bowl commercial world.

"More than 50% of the Fortune 500 rely on Workday every day to manage their two most important assets — their people and their money. We are the digital backbone for businesses and are mission critical in helping organizations transform and succeed. Put simply, at Workday we are shaping the new world of work."

Pete Schlampp, Workday chief marketing and strategy officer, adds: "This ad reflects the evolution of our brand over the past 17 years to where we are today, and supports the next stage of our growth. With more than 60 million people using our products, we are a household name. We see being part of the Big Game as an immense opportunity to show up for and entertain new and diverse audiences."

Workday helps customers adapt and thrive in a changing world. Workday applications for financial management, human resources, planning, spend management, and analytics have been adopted by thousands of organizations around the world and across industries.

Image courtesy of Workday

Eclectic hard rock band THE LUCID, which features former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, vocalist Vinnie Dombroski (SPONGE),actor/guitarist Drew Fortier and drummer/producer Mike Heller, has once again joined forces with legendary underground rap icon Violent J (INSANE CLOWN POSSE) for a re-imagining of FAITH NO MORE's "Epic", titled "Sweet Toof".

"Sweet Toof" is the fourth and final single from THE LUCID's upcoming EP, "Saddle Up And Ride", due out digitally January 27 from SpoilerHead Records. CD, vinyl and signed copies are available via limited-edition pre-order bundles that will ship at a later date.

Violent J states: "Man, quit playin'! It's been an absolute honor and a privilege working with THE LUCID! Being included among such monster talented and unbelievably cool people has been easily one of the highlights of my career so far. That's the absolute truth. Listen to it! Who the fuck can deny THE BEASTLY results? We KING KONG 'em!"

Fortier adds: "It has been such a fun, creative, and organic journey getting to this point with THE LUCID. We are all very proud of what we have created together, especially with it being a completely independent endeavor."

Fortier continues: "We love the FAITH NO MORE guys and their body of work and knew the perfect way to cap off our EP was doing a re-imagining of 'Epic' along with Vinnie and Violent J's twisted, and wonderful approach."

From the ferocious vitriolic sonic assault of the title track, "Saddle Up And Ride", to the epic off-the-wall and out-of-left-field "Sweet Toof", "Saddle Up And Ride" showcases THE LUCID feeding into their eccentric tastes spanning across thrash, country, rap, radio rock, metal, and funk.

Violent J, one half of the legendary rap duo INSANE CLOWN POSSE, is featured on the EP's title track, "Saddle Up And Ride" as well as "Sweet Toof". Violent J has a solo album titled "Bloody Sunday" due out in 2023.

Ellefson confirmed last year that THE LUCID was working on new material as a follow-up to THE LUCID's self-titled debut album, which was released in October 2021 via SpoilerHead Records.

"The Lucid" was also produced by Heller and mixed/mastered by Lasse Lammert.

Photo credit: Kevin Williams