This week, symphonic metal titans Epica will finally kick off the Epic Apocalypse Tour 2023, a European co-headline tour with Apocalyptica, that will take them to 21 countries over the course of the next 3 months.


Just in time for the first show in Vilnius (the band’s first-ever performance in Lithuania), they have released a new live video for "Rivers", an atmospheric ballad off their latest full-length release, Omega. Filmed in Santiago de Chile during the band’s Latin American Tour in 2022 by Panda Productions, the new live video can be viewed below:







The band also have three vinyl re-releases - The Phantom Agony, Consign To Oblivion and Design Your Universe (Gold Edition) - that are out this Friday and available for purchase here.

QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton and singer Todd La Torre spoke to Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility about the band's recent North American tours as the support act for JUDAS PRIEST. Michael said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "JUDAS PRIEST was one of my influences when I was [in my] late teens, early 20s. So I was gravitated to the two-guitar hard rock/metal bands. I was listening to these guys — all their old albums, I still have 'em, the LPs. And for me, since we've been able to tour with them, they're just really nice guys; they're super easy to work with, and they bring it every night. They kick ass. Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer] has still got it. And for me, it's a good package. And our music complements each other in some way. But for me, it's just, like, 'Yeah, I grew up listening to these guys, and now I'm on tour with them. It's pretty damn cool.'"

Added Todd: "Yeah, it's awesome. And thing is, too, anything can happen. We turn on the news or the Internet, and somebody's passed away, something tragic happened. And to see a band that's been around as long as JUDAS PRIEST has, to be on a tour with them, you're, like, 'How many more tours does anybody have?' You don't know. So to be able to get two tours with them was really awesome. And they changed the set up on both legs; it was totally different. And getting to know them, like Michael said… We'll be going to our dressing room and we'll hear them rehearsing in one of the little side rooms. Scott [Travis, PRIEST drummer] has a practice kit and they would all be in there and they'd be rehearsing a part to a song. And we're, like, 'Oh, yeah.'

"It was a lot of fun," he continued. "[We have] so much respect for them. And the organization treated us so well. It was a real treat, and we're very honored that they not only chose us one time, but I think that they saw we did deliver… And behind the scenes, our crew… There was a 10-minute changeover for us, so we had to have everything off — boom, boom, boom — and done. And adhering to that timeline and being professional and out of their way… We're a totally self-contained unit, so we don't rely on them for a bunch of stuff. We have all our own everything. And it was just a seamless thing. We couldn't have asked for a sweeter situation.

"Michael has toured with everybody — Ozzy [Osbourne] and DIO and [IRON] MAIDEN. I don't have those experiences, but I did get to do some great tours with the SCORPIONS and now a couple of great tours with JUDAS PRIEST, and, obviously, festival stuff where I played with other bands. But these actual tours were really great. And the timing couldn't have been better as well because of the new [QUEENSRŸCHE] album ['Digital Noise Alliance']. It was, like, we had a built-in several thousand people a night. A lot of QUEENSRŸCHE shirts in the audience. Good reaction on the songs. Man, [we're] very, very thankful to them."

Last month, QUEENSRŸCHE announced an early 2023 U.S. tour in support of its sixteenth studio album, "Digital Noise Alliance". Direct support on the trek will come from former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, with TRAUMA opening each show.

La Torre told Canada's The Metal Voice about QUEENSRŸCHE's setlist for the upcoming tour: "We're gonna play a nice handful of songs from ['Digital Noise Alliance'] and the last three records. And then I think we're talking about doing some pretty deep cuts that have never been done since the beginning of the band and maybe something that hasn't been done for sure at least maybe since I joined the band. And then you'll have a few staple songs, but I'm pretty sure that this setlist is gonna be really for the diehards that follow everything we do, because you're gonna have a huge chunk of my era with the band being played. If you [think] you're just gonna get a lot of the old stuff that we kind of usually play, a lot of that stuff is not gonna happen on this tour. So I'm looking forward to it."

Wilton previously discussed the band's 2023 tour in an interview with Rock Show Critique. He said: "It's a full 'Digital Noise Alliance' headline tour. We're really excited to get out there and get touring again. We're rebuilding and establishing again, because for us it's a bit of the Wild West. There's a lot of congestion out there, there's a lot of bands touring, and to put a tour together like this, we're really happy that we can get out there and do a full tour."

"We appreciate the fans, their input," he continued. "For us, I think we're gonna make this different than previous tours 'cause we're really gonna mix up the setlist. So, for people saying, 'Oh, they're just gonna play the same stuff again,' they'll be surprised.

"You've gotta keep a balance, 'cause you've got the hardcore fans that wanna hear the deep cuts and they wanna hear the new stuff," Wilton explained. "And then you've got the casual fans that just wanna hear the hits, the staples from the legacy albums. But it's a headline set, so we have 90 minutes. There's a lot of wiggle room in there for some different stuff."

"Digital Noise Alliance" came out on October 7 via Century Media. The record was once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict" LPs.

Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's new studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past six years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit.

Charlie Benante says that "it felt right" for him to take part in PANTERA's comeback more than 20 years since the last time the band performed live.

Joining the ANTHRAX drummer in PANTERA's reformed lineup are surviving members Rex Brown (bass) and Philip Anselmo (vocals),along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY).

According to Billboard, the lineup was given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

It was first reported in July that Anselmo and Brown would unite with Wylde and Benante for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

PANTERA recently played seven shows in Mexico and South America and will next headline a number of major festivals across North America, Europe and Asia, and stage some of their own headline concerts. They will also support METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

Benante opened up about his participation in PANTERA's return during a new appearance on the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, hosted by wrestling superstar and FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho.

Charlie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET) "I had found out [about PANTERA playing shows again] towards the end of December [2021] — maybe it was the beginning of January [of 2022] when Philip called me up — and I immediately said, 'Yup. I wanna do it.' It just felt right. For some reason, with Darrell and Vinnie being gone, I, myself, missed these songs. You can listen to 'em all you want, but I think having them being performed in front of you and being performed the right way, it really resonated with a lot of people once they really found out that this was gonna happen."

He continued: "We always joke about if THE BEATLES, if John [Lennon] and George [Harrison] had still been here, would there have been a reunion. And I think the first thing I said was it probably would have been at the first Live Aid. The thing about Vinnie and Dime not being here anymore, and Philip and Rexare here, I think those guys felt, 'I wanna go play my songs again too.'"

Benante went to say that he knows "that there's die-hard fans who have their issues with" him, Wylde, Anselmo and Brown performing under the PANTERA name, "but for me and Zakk, we're just honoring our friends, to be honest with you. That's what we're doing," he explained. "And that's it. I enjoy playing these songs. When I look down at the setlist and I see the next song coming, man, I get so excited. So, for me, it's so great to be doing this. And seeing the reaction… I mean, you saw the videos [from the shows in Mexico and South America]. The people are just loving it. So why would you even be so negative about something when you see how much fun people are having and the joy that it's bringing? … We couldn't even ourselves; that's how loud it was. It was so loud. I've said this with ANTHRAX too, when we've come down [to South America], that sometimes you just wanna stop playing and just take it all in. And that's one thing that the fans in Chile, you didn't see a lot of [people holding up their phones and filming the show]. You just saw them in the moment enjoying it. And that was one thing that I was just applauding."

According to Charlie, "celebration" is the best way to describe what the new PANTERA lineup is trying to accomplish by bringing the music back to the live stages across the world. "I think that's the most accurate word you can use for this thing, because it is a celebration of the music and the vibe that these guys created," he said. "Vinnie and Dime would be all for it. And I know there were issues with those guys in the past, but, man, it's 2022 now. You can't hold on to grudges all your life. You've gotta let shit go and you have to just say, 'I'm gonna enjoy this. I wanna hear 'Cowboys From Hell' again. I wanna hear 'I'm Broken'.' That's it. Just come out and celebrate it."

As for all the naysayers, Benante added: "I did say something about two or three weeks ago about how I thought it was disrespectful for people to say the things that they were saying, because I felt that Vinnie and Dime, if it was the opposite way, they would be probably doing this too, 'cause they'd want their music to live on. That's the thing, because there's two generations who never have seen PANTERA. And this isn't the PANTERA that started this whole thing… Yes, it's Philip and Rex, and it's myself and Zakk who are filling in for Darrell and Vinnie. And we're just trying to play these songs as best as we possibly could play them."

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it. So… Anyways, I'm glad that the people who have decided to follow me in HELLYEAH do, and hopefully more of them will. And the ones that wanna live in the past are gonna live in the past."

Up until his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who is Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

In a new interview with Colombia's Radioacktiva, NICKELBACK bassist Mike Kroeger spoke about he and his bandmates are sometimes inaccurately perceived by the media and the record-buying public. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Rock and roll can be very serious. And in the past we have been mistakenly judged as taking ourselves too seriously. And that's funny, because anybody who knows us [knows that's not true].

"We did an interview a little while ago in Toronto, here in Canada, and the interviewer asked us if we do take ourselves very seriously or too seriously. And my brother [NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger] gave an answer to it — and Ryan [Peake, NICKELBACK guitarist] gave an answer to it — and then I told the interviewer that I was so close, so close… I was just gonna stand on the table and take my pants off, just to prove how 'serious' we are. And it was funny, 'cause the interviewers, they didn't really know what to say. But my guys, the band guys were all just, like, 'Thank you for not taking your pants off on national television. Thank you.' Because we don't take it seriously.

"We want, like anybody, to be treated with respect, but we don't think we deserve respect or that people have to treat us in some special way," Mike explained. "We're not a protected class, that's for sure. We're happy to take the shots.

"Believe it or not, there's more NICKELBACK jokes from inside NICKELBACK than there is from outside NICKELBACK. [Laughs]"

NICKELBACK's tenth studio album, titled "Get Rollin'", was released on November 18.

NICKELBACK's history dates back to 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, where they got their start playing covers in a band called VILLAGE IDIOT, a nod to the small-town nature where they played and grew up. In 1996, Chad, alongside Ryan, made the 10-hour trek west to follow Mike to Vancouver, British Columbia, where the band still resides and continues to make music today.

The band's numerous smash hits, coupled with worldwide sales of over 50 million albums sold, seals their status as one of the top-selling acts of all time and the second best-selling foreign act of the 2000s in the U.S., behind only THE BEATLES. The wildly popular smash hit "How You Remind Me" was named Billboard's "Top Rock Song Of The Decade", which was a contributing factor in the publication's decision to crown NICKELBACK "Top Rock Group Of The Decade" shortly after.

Beyond their Juno Awards, the group has received nine Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, a World Music Award, a People's Choice Award and seven MuchMusic Video Awards. They were inducted into Canada's Walk Of Fame in 2007.

In a new interview with Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind, drummer Mike Portnoy said that THE WINERY DOGS, his power trio with guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen and legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, TALAS, DAVID LEE ROTH),could not exist without any one of those three members. He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[That's] especially [true] with a trio. I mean, if you have a band of four or five people, maybe you could sub somebody out if somebody's sick or somebody can't do a tour or whatever. But when you're down to only three people, those are usually three distinctive personalities. You look at RUSH, look at ZZ TOP, look at THE POLICE, look at KING'S X — I mean, these power trios… CREAM… You have to have those three personalities to make up that sound and style. And it's the same with THE WINERY DOGS. I don't think we could sub out any of us for a show or for a tour. It has to be Mike, Billy and Richie or it can't be THE WINERY DOGS."

THE WINERY DOGS will release their third album, "III", on February 3 via the band's Three Dog Music label (via Burnside Distribution/The Orchard). Following in the footsteps of their first two albums, "III" was once again produced by THE WINERY DOGS and mixed by longtime band associate Jay Ruston.

"III" is the follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed and Billboard-charting album "Hot Streak", which was released October 2, 2015 on Loud & Proud Records via RED (a division of Sony Music Entertainment). After landing in the Top Five on many of Amazon's pre-order charts, including No. 1 on the Amazon BestSellers/Hard Rock chart and No. 1 on the Amazon Pre-Orders/Hard Rock Albums charts, it sold 30% more than their 2013 self-titled debut, landing them on various Billboard album charts including No. 2 on "Top Current Alternative Albums," No. 5 on "Top Current Hard Music" and "Top Hard Music Albums," No. 6 on "Top Current Rock Albums" and "Album Core / Genre Rock," No. 15 "Top Current Physical Albums," No. 16 "Top Current Albums," and No. 30 on the "Top 200 Albums" chart.

Upon its release, "Hot Streak" racked up rave reviews. Allmusic.com hailed, "'Hot Streak' is the trio's second album, and its loose, friendly feel shows that the trio doesn't feel compelled to rely on instrumental pyrotechnics. The bluesy, soulful 'Think it Over' would appeal to those who admire THE ALLMAN BROTHERS, while 'Captain Love' shows that the band also has some hard rock energy to unleash, and the title track lets fly some of the technical proficiency that its members are known for." And GuitarInternational.com praised, "'Hot Streak' picks up where their debut CD left off, but showcases the band coming into their own with straight-ahead rockers like 'Oblivion', 'Captain Love' and 'Devil You Know'."

THE WINERY DOGS is hitting the worldwide concert trail starting February 15 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania at the Palace Theatre for their "202III World Tour". Ticket and VIP package info can be found on the band's official web site.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

In a new interview with the Igor Miranda YouTube channel, former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate spoke about the touching ballad "Silent Lucidity" which originally appeared on the band's triple-platinum-certified album "Empire". "Well, it was a very popular song, and still is," he said. "I hear it all the time in everyday life. It just floats in and out on radio stations and TV stations and pumping gas at the gas stations; it pops on the speaker. [Laughs] It's just weird. I hear it in films and TV shows. It's a song that is with us at all times. And that's a great thing. I love that it's surprising that I hear it.

"I get asked to play that song a lot," he continued. "People tell me stories about the first time they heard it or what that song means to them. And it seems to have had quite an emotional impact on people. I think people have been married to the song and buried to the song. [Laughs] Children have been born, children have been made to that song. It's been played a lot."

After building a devoted fan base with album and EP releases throughout the 1980s, including 1988's critically acclaimed "Operation: Mindcrime", QUEENSRŸCHE broke into the mainstream across North America and abroad with the 1990 release of "Empire". In the U.S., the album peaked at No. 7 on The Billboard 200 chart and "Silent Lucidity" quickly became a heavy rotation staple at rock radio and on MTV, topping Billboard's Modern Rock singles chart and earning QUEENSRŸCHE the coveted MTV "Viewers Choice Award" for the song's music video. "Empire" also made the U.K.'s Top 10, and the album's international success led to QUEENSRŸCHE's 18-month headlining "Building Empires" world tour, the band's longest trek to date.

During a February 2017 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Tate was asked if he ever imagined when "Silent Lucidity" was first written that it would become such a cross-genre hit. He responded: "No. And I doubt anybody does that ever writes a song that becomes very popular. There's no way to predict that; you just write what it is you write."

He continued: "That song almost didn't make the record. It wasn't completed until the very end, and it didn't have any of the orchestra; it was just vocals and guitar. And the producer that we worked with at the time, Peter Collins, didn't think that it was a very completed idea, and he thought it should be saved for another record [so] we could get more time to complete it. But we pursued it and made it happen and put it on the record, and I'm glad we did, 'cause it definitely has made an impact."

Asked who in the band really pushed for "Silent Lucidity" to be included on "Empire", Tate said: "Oh, [then-QUEENSRŸCHE] guitarist] Chris [DeGarmo, who wrote the track] and I. We were very into the song, and we wanted it on the record. The problem is we presented it too early to the producer; we didn't have all the parts in place. Very few people can imagine something out of thin air, before it's actually there. So it's asking a lot for us to say, 'Well, just imagine it with this orchestral accompaniment.' [Laughs] 'Cause that could be anything. So until Michael Kamen finished the orchestra parts, it was really an unknown. But then once we had those in place and we played it back for Peter, he was all thumbs up. He [said], 'Oh, it's a beautiful song here. You should definitely put it on the record.'"

Tate also talked about "Silent Lucidity"'s lasting influence, saying that "People have been married to that song, children have been born to that song, people have been buried to that song, and children have been made to that song. It's really had quite an impact on the population, you know."

According to Geoff, he has been approached "many, many times" to perform "Silent Lucidity" at various family gatherings and other functions. "I've actually declined every time but once," he said. "And the reason why I declined after that was because of this one time. I did it for some people that I knew that I was pretty good friends with, and they wanted me to sing it at their wedding. And they had a karaoke guy come in, and they had the music all together, and I said, 'Okay, I'll do it for you.' So I sang the song, and everybody loved it. And after my performance, I'm standing there, having a glass of wine and talking with some people, and several people came up and they commented and said how much I sounded like that guy that sings that song. They said I did a really great job and I should be really proud and maybe I should think about doing this professionally. [Laughs]"

"Silent Lucidity" was written about a person having a lucid dream. A lucid dream happens when you are aware that you are dreaming, and can control parts of it. DeGarmo got the idea from a book called "Creative Dreaming". "The song is about the ability to realize that you're dreaming, recognize it, and actually participate in the dream, shape it, change it," the guitarist said in a 1990 interview. "I had never had the opportunity to present it in song form, to talk about it. It happened nicely on this particular project."

In August 2022, Cyhra featuring former Amaranthe vocalist Jake E and Kamelot drummer Alex Landenburg, announced their rescheduled No Halos In Hell tour dates for Japan. The shows were scrapped for early 2022 due to the global pandemic.


Guitarist Euge Valovirta has shared a rehearsal video for the tour, running through information, his gear, sounds, and a warm-up exercise.







Four shows have now been added to the tour. The band's schedule is as follows:


January
19 - Duo Music Exchange - Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan
20 - Duo Music Exchange - Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan
21 - Imaike Huck Finn - Nagoya, Japan
22 - Am Hall - Osaka, Japan
24 - Varon - Osaka, Japan
25 - Imaike Huck Finn - Nagoya, Japan
26 - Space Odd - Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan
27 - Space Odd - Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan
28 - Koenji High - Suginami City, Tokyo, Japan


Cyhra recently released a new single, "Ready To Rumble". Check out the official video below, stream and purchase the song here.


The song will appear on the band's new studio album, due to be released in 2023.

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his solo cover of the AC/DC classic "Thunderstruck". Check it out below.





Johansson kicked off 2023 with a power metal cover of Bonnie Tyler's 1983 hit, "Total Eclipse Of The Heart". Check it out below.

On January 6th, Y&T performed at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts in Tracy, CA. Fan-filmed video of the entire show is available below.


The setlist on the night was as follows:


"Hard Times"
"Straight Thru the Heart"
"Lipstick and Leather"
"Don't Stop Running"
"Shine On"
"Mean Streak"
"Midnight in Tokyo"
"Lonely Side of Town"
"Summertime Girls"
"Surrender"
"Blind Patriot"
"Winds of Change"
"Barroom Boogie"
"Contagious"
"Dirty Girl"
"Hurricane"
"Rescue Me"
"Black Tiger"




Encore:
"Open Fire"
"Hell or High Water"
"Forever"





Y&T recently added three dates in California to the band's 2023 tour itinerary. The new dates are:


July
21 - Agoura Hills, CA - The Canyon
22 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - The Coach House
23 - Montclair, CA - The Canyon


For tickets, and the most up-to-date concert info, head here.

Those Damn Crows have issued the Nathan Roach-directed music video for “See You Again” – taken from their upcoming Inhale/Exhale album, out February 17 via Earache Records.





Inhale/Exhale is available for pre-order worldwide now at earache.com/thosedamncrows on an immense number of formats including: a collector's edition bundle (which will house a burnt orange and black splatter vinyl with alternate fire carousel cover, exclusive to this edition); limited edition coloured vinyl with an exclusive 12-page booklet (clear with black smoke, purple, yellow), plus blue and white splatter vinyl with alternate blue sky carousel cover; signed CD with exclusive 12-page booklet and alternate fire carousel cover; a cassette collection of the band's full discography; USB; and digital download. HMV carry two more exclusive formats: CD with alternate blue sky carousel cover and black vinyl with alternate fire carousel cover. A green vinyl format exclusive to indie stores is also available.







Inhale/Exhale tracklisting:


"Fill The Void"
"Takedown"
"Man On Fire"
"Wake Up (Sleepwalker)"
"This Time I'm Ready"
"I Am"
"See You Again"
"Lay It All On Me"
"Find A Way"
"Waiting For Me"


"Man On Fire" video:





"Wake Up (Sleepwalker)" video:

Sweden’s Siena Root will release their eighth studio album, Revelation, on February 24 through Atomic Fire Records. In advance of the record’s release, today the band reveals a lyric video for the track “Keeper Of The Flame.”


Issues the band of the track, “‘Keeper Of The Flame’ is a modern rock classic, stuffed with powerful vocals, rock organ, and bluesy guitar licks, guided by an ever-present, soulful golden thread. This ballad explores the conflict between requited attraction and heartbreak starting off slowly with Rhodes piano and vocals that tug at your heartstrings to only evolve into a fully blown rock track towards the end.”


Preorder Revelation on CD, LP, pre-save it on your favorite DSP or preorder it digitally to receive “Keeper Of The Flame” and “Coincidence & Fate” immediately at this location.




Fittingly titled Revelation, the recording serves as the group’s most versatile offering of their long-spanning career, guiding listeners through a true journey rather than simply stringing together song after song. The eleven-track offering was recorded analogously at Silence Studio in Koppom, Sweden and Root Rock Studios in Stockholm, Sweden where it was also mixed. Mastering was handled at Stockholm’s Cutting Room.


Founded in the late ’90s, Siena Root are constantly working on something new. They’ve continually changed their approach and experimented with their sound — not only to keep their music fresh but to challenge themselves, which is among the main reason why the group’s relevance remains after all these years. Besides touring with acts such as Deep Purple and Dewolff, the quartet — founding members drummer Love Forsberg and bassist Sam Riffer with guitarist Johan Borgström and vocalist/keyboardist Zubaida Solid — have always brought an infectious performance to stages globally and consistently gaining new fans with every show.





Lineup:


Zubaida Solid - vocals, keys
Johan Borgström - guitars
Sam Riffer - bass
Love Forsberg - drums


(Photo -  Petter Hilber)

All-female Japanese j-rock/power metal act Lonesome_Blue released their full-length debut Second To None via Victor Entertainment / JPU Records in December 2022. The album follows their First Utterance EP, issued earlier in 2022. A new lyric video for the energetic "Body Rock" is available below.





The band’s lineup consists of Maiko Nomura on vocals, Narumi on guitar, Yuuki Hirose on bass, and Mizuki on drums.







Tracklisting:


“Face The Fear”
“Body Rock”
“It’s My Time!”
“Blue Like Sapphire (The Flower Of Hope)”
“Mine”
“Hide And Seek”
“Superhero”
“Aurora”
“Blind In The Chaos”
“Rising Up For Gloria”


“Face The Fear” video:





Album trailer:

The hard rock group, Pop Evil, has released the third single, “Dead Reckoning” (featuring Fit For A King) from their upcoming album, Skeletons, due March 17 via MNRK Heavy.


The concept and instrumentals for “Dead Reckoning” were brought to the table by bassist, Joey “Chicago” Walser and co-written with singer, Leigh Kakaty. The producer of Skeletons, Drew Fulk (WZRD BLD), heard the demo and immediately suggested that Ryan Kirby from Fit for a King would be the perfect fit for a vocal collaboration. In describing the song, the band said, “'Dead Reckoning' is about…a clear and unwavering decision a person makes within themselves.”


The 11-tracks feature the already released singles, "Eye Of The Storm", landing at the #5 Most Played Song in 2022 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart, and the most recent single, "Paranoid (Crash & Burn)". The album also includes guest performers such as Ryan Kirby from Fit For AKing on "Dead Reckoning" - a song brought to the table by bassist, Joey “Chicago” Walser - plus Blake Allison from Devour The Day providing guest vocals on "Wrong Direction".




In discussing the album, frontman, Leigh Kakaty, said, “This is about us as a band stripping everything down to the bones. It’s more uptempo, it’s got bigger riffs, and we’re trying to capture the energy of our live show.”


“But it’s also a positive message,” he adds. “I know it’s a morbid visual, but behind every skeleton, there’s a story and something worth talking about. Overall, it’s about looking at something in a positive way. And I’m excited for everyone to hear that.”


The first single, "Eye Of The Storm", is a pummelling, chaotic maelstrom with an uplifting message at its centre (and a killer chorus). As for the song's lyrical plea, Kakaty explains: "It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, at some point we all face a situation beyond our control. At times, it feels hopeless, but it’s not. There is a path through the chaos and a way out of the confusion. You are stronger and closer than you think you are. The storm will pass. Don’t let it bury you.”


Their most recent single, "Paranoid (Crash & Burn)", oscillates from something more melodic and rhythmic to pure aggression, that “get out of my head” scream is certainly going to resonate. “It’s about the voices in our head - we all have ‘em, but do we act on them?” says Kakaty. “It’s a cautionary tale, about processing those voices in a positive way."


The music video is created by award-winning filmmaker and director, Jensen Noen, best known for his work with Falling In Reverse, Ice Nine Kills, and Asking Alexandria. The digital world in "Paranoid (Crash & Burn)" is about overcoming inner demons that bring the song to life with futuristic elements. In discussing the video, Noen says, “During tough times, our minds can easily wander into dark places. It can feel like you’re drowning in a sea of paranoia. But no matter how bad things get, there's always hope. There is always a way to escape from our minds. We just need to find the right key to unlock the door.”


Watch the video below.


Skeletons sees the band once again working with producer, Drew Fulk (Disturbed, Papa Roach, Motionless in White), a friend and collaborator on a few previous albums that generated numerous hits. “With Versatile, we had a bunch of producers, but for this album, we just wanted to work with one person and get back to our roots,” says Kakaty. “There’s an energy he and I have, and he’s been great at helping us build these songs and work around some collective themes.”


Pre-save and pre-order Skeletons here.





Tracklisting:


"Arrival"
"Paranoid (Crash & Burn)"
"Circles"
"Eye Of The Storm"
"Sound Of Glory"
"Skeletons"
"Worth It"
"Who Will We Become"
"Wrong Direction" (Feat. Devour the Day)
"Dead Reckoning" (Feat. Fit For A King)
"Raging Bull" (Feat. Zillion)


"Dead Reckoning":





"Paranoid (Crash & Burn)" video:





"Eye Of The Storm" video:





Pop Evil will head out on their Skeletons Tour headlining US dates starting on March 17 in Sault St. Marie, MI at Kewadin Casino, and concluding on April 23 in Milwaukee at The Rave. Special guests, The Word Alive and Avoid, will join. Tickets are on sale now at www.popevil.com.





(Photo - Nick Fancher)

To celebrate the two-year anniversary of Def Leppard's Vault, frontman Joe Elliott stopped by the Vault to leave a video message. As Joe says, "If you've been to the Vault and you know what's in it, just imagine what's NOT in it yet! This thing is going to keep growing and growing!"


But the Vault is nothing without YOU, so here's a bonus: the first 50 people to spend $200 or more in the Vault Shop will receive a Limited Edition Def Leppard Vault backpack. Head over to the Shop now to get yours.







"We're so grateful to you for spending time in the Vault - exploring collections, hanging out in the Forum, and generally loving Leppard with us for the last two years. Thank you Leppard Vaulters!"


Be sure to visit the Vault to see Joe's message and hit the Shop. Plus, check out the Vault 2022 round-up stats at the official Def Leppard Instagram.

KORN has teamed with the makeup company HipDot for a makeup palette celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band's "Follow The Leader" album. The set is packaged in a "Follow The Leader" CD-sized case that contains a ring of eight different color "tracks" that are inspired by KORN's classic third LP.

KORN said in a statement: "We've teamed up with HipDot to create an exclusive 'Follow The Leader' CD makeup palette ahead of the 25th anniversary this summer. This palette consists of 8 amazing 'tracks' of various, pigmented textures… Our KoRn x HipDot 'Follow The Leader' collection is vegan, free of harmful ingredients, certified cruelty-free, and curated to embrace all skin tones."

Track shade descriptions:

"My Gift to You" - Olive Beetle - Shifter
"Dead Bodies Everywhere" - Vintage Sepia - Glitter
"Pretty" - Slashed & Silver - Glitter
"Freak on a Leash" - Black - Matte
"Got the Life" - Sunset Copper - Shimmer
"Children of the Korn" - Beige - Matte
"It's On!" - Dirt Brown - Matte
"Seed" - Off White Pink – Matte

For more information, visit link textHipDot.com.

HipDot previously collaborated with MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE on a three-piece eye makeup collection inspired by the band's second album, "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge".

In 1994, KORN's self‐titled debut album marked the band's arrival. It was dark and brash and it demanded attention, as did KORN's second album in 1996, "Life Is Peachy". Good going for a new band, but in 1998, "Follow The Leader" saw KORN's success and notoriety accelerate exponentially. With constant demand for the singles, "Got The Life" and "Freak On A Leash" on MTV, KORN exceeded its own expectations. For both the band and their fans, this was the start of something exciting, albeit turbulent.

"Follow The Leader" was a massive commercial breakthrough for KORN, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, selling five million copies in the U.S. and yielding two hits singles in "Got The Life" and "Freak On A Leash".

Singer Jonathan Davis told Noisey about the recording of the 1998 LP: "Making that record almost killed me. Our booze and alcohol budget... like, we spent $60,000 on alcohol to make that record. Last record of me getting fucked up, and it was insane."

Davis recalled that the album was the band's first without producer Ross Robinson, who had produced KORN's first two records. Davis explained: "It was time for us to do different types of songs. And it paid off, man. It worked."

In September 2018, KORN played three very special shows in celebration of the 20th anniversary of "Follow The Leader": in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

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Former ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5 has uploaded a video of him playing along to "Bastard", a song from MÖTLEY CRÜE's second album, "Shout At The Devil", which was originally released in 1983. "One of my favz," MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx wrote in the comments section.

The latest video share comes a week after John 5 posted a video of him playing along to "Home Sweet Home", and two weeks after he shared a clip of him playing "Louder Than Hell". Prior to that, he shared play-along videos for "Looks That Kill", "Wild Side", the "Girls, Girls, Girls" title track and "Too Fast For Love", the title track of MÖTLEY CRÜE's debut album, which celebrated its 41st birthday on November 10.

In October, Sixx praised John 5, saying he "checks all the boxes" as Mick Mars's replacement following the latter's decision to no longer tour with the legendary rock act.

Sixx commented on John 5's addition to CRÜE while answering fan questions on Twitter. Asked why the band chose John 5, who is one of the credited co-writers on the three original songs on CRÜE's "The Dirt" soundtrack, Sixx said: "He checks all the boxes. He's a insane player. Has respect for our music, is funny as fuck and has history with us and we've written some pretty big hits together."

Sixx also addressed Mars's announcement that he was retiring from touring because of his long struggles with degenerative disease ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine joints and ligaments and can lead to stiffness over time, according to the National Institute Of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases.

"He's been a soldier along with us for 4 decades," Nikki said about his longtime bandmate. "We will continue to carrying our legacy to Generations of fans and honor Micks request for us to keep touring as Motley Crue."

In addition to co-writing the three songs on "The Dirt", John 5 collaborated with Sixx and Desmond Child on Meat Loaf's "The Monster Is Loose". In 2021, Sixx and John 5 launched the L.A. RATS supergroup in which they were joied by Rob Zombie and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

The 71-year-old Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.

A day after Mick announced his retirement from touring, remaining members Sixx, singer Vince Neil and drummer Tommy Lee vowed to "continue the legacy." In a statement, they said: "While change is never easy, we accept Mick's decision to retire from the band due to the challenges with his health. We have watched Mick manage his Ankylosing Spondylitis for decades and he has always managed it with utmost courage and grace. To say 'enough is enough' is the ultimate act of courage. Mick's sound helped define MÖTLEY CRÜE from the minute he plugged in his guitar at our very first rehearsal together. The rest, as they say, is history. We'll continue to honor his musical legacy."

The statement continued: "We will carry out Mick's wish and continue to tour the world as planned in 2023. No doubt will it take an absolutely outstanding musician to fill Mick's shoes so we are grateful that our good friend, John 5 has agreed to come on board and join us moving forward. We'll see all you Crueheads out on the road!”

John 5, whose real name is John William Lowery, said: "I'm honored to carry on Mick's legacy and am looking forward to playing these songs."

In his statement, Mick said that he had decided to step back from live shows due to his "ongoing painful struggle" with ankylosing spondylitis and while he will continue to be a member of the band, he cannot "handle the rigors" of touring life.

The statement read: "Mick Mars, co-founder and lead guitarist of the heavy metal band MÖTLEY CRÜE for the past 41 years, has announced today that due to his ongoing painful struggle with Ankylosing Spondylitis, he will no longer be able to tour with the band. Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigors of the road. A.S. is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine."

John 5's involvement with MÖTLEY CRÜE as the band's new guitarist was first reported as a rumor by the Metal Sludge web site on October 7.

Speculation about John 5 replacing Mars gained strength after the longtime ROB ZOMBIE guitarist failed to appear with the shock rocker at last year's Aftershock festival in Sacramento. Rob was instead joined on stage by returning guitarist Mike Riggs for the first time since 2006.

John 5 has performed MÖTLEY CRÜE songs a number of times in the past. Back in 2018, John 5 was joined by Sixx along with ANTHRAX's Scott Ian and his wife Pearl Aday at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California to play a cover of "Shout At The Devil". Last year, the guitarist ran through renditions of both "Home Sweet Home" and "Kickstart My Heart" at various shows on his U.S. tour.

The new full-length of the German heavy metal maniacs of Wardress turns on the home stretch and will be released on March 17 via Black Sunset/MDD! Metal Til The End is not only the motto, but also the album title. 





Eight songs of classic metal, which you can hear the preference for NWOBHM and which are fresh, dynamic and timeless at the same time, the guys have put together under the wings of Rolf Munkes in the Empire Studio in Bensheim. A first sample will be soon available, in the meantime take a look at the cover artwork. Metal Til The End will be released on CD and vinyl.




Check out the eponymous track “Wardress” from 2019’s Dress For War: 

Chad Smith stops by Sammy Hagar’s studio for a Chickenfoot jam sesh with a surprise visit from Joe Satriani. Watch as the trio rocks out to "Soap On a Rope," Chad tells Sammy about his work-hard, play-hard attitude, and more on Rock & Roll Road Trip.





TMZ recently presented Sammy Hagar's Paradise, streaming now on Fox Nation. He recently spoke with Neil Cavuto at Fox News about the birtday bash. Check out the interview here.





Watch the latest video at foxnews.com


The Red Rocker gives you access to his 75th birthday bash while sharing the unbelievable true story that sparked one of the most legendary & tumultuous music careers in history.


Says Sammy: "I've been trying to get something like this done about the Birthday Bash since the beginning. It finally got done right and the fans are in it. Look for yourselves. It's awesome."


Watch here, and check out a video trailer below:

Calgary, Canada's fantasy prog power metal Red Cain is kicking off the beginning of 2023 with their next The Wheel of Time (novel/TV series) inspired single entitled "Blight" that continues the storyline from their previous single "The Fisher King" released this past November.





An epic and progressive track, "Blight" shreds fans into another voyage of storytelling, vocalist Evgeniy Zayarny explains further:




"Blight is defined as an organic contagion that damages, destroys, or corrupts. In the Wheel of Time universe, where the Dark One touches the world, uncontrolled and aberrant growth sprouts and covers the land, home to malign flora and monstrous fauna. With this track, we moved the needle firmly into the progressive part of our prog power style, delivering an atmospheric, chilling, and dynamic performance meant to mimic the unstoppable advancement of the Blight over the land. Is the Blight a disease or a majestic triumph of organic life without limits? With this Tesseract, Ihsahn, and Insomnium-influenced track, we explore this idea.


The concept of “Blight” came out of a question - what is the ideal state in the evolution of organic life? Influenced by authors like Stanislaw Lem and Adrian Tchaikovsky, this has long been a theme in science fiction and is becoming relevant in the modern era. The Blight also plays a key role within the Wheel of Time universe, and the concept sets the stage for a musical exploration from our end where another evolution to our sound likewise takes root."





"Blight" was mastered by Alan Sascha Laskow (Every Hour Kills, ex-Divinity) and mixed by Tyler Corbett, (Sole Audio).

Seattle-based metal outfit Vanishment presents their debut album, No More Torture, confirming the record for release in early March through Dead Sage Records with lead single “Door To Deceit.”


Vanishment takes pride in delivering a combination of DIY attitude, relentlessly heavy songs, and a face-melting live experience that leaves an indelible mark upon all in its path. Consisting of vocalist Rob Ropkins (Deadly Light, North American Bison), guitarists Brian Johnson (Himsa, Trial) and Jeremy McAllister (Heiress, Wizards of Wor), bassist Nate Baker (Hell Promise, Formula One), and drummer Chris Wozniak (Lair Of The Minotaur, Earthen Grave), the band saw its inception in early 2019. At the time, the quintet was playing together in the band Pinned Red when they decided to refocus and rebrand as Vanishment.


Taking inspiration from classic thrash and heavy metal bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Judas Priest, the group spent several months writing, rehearsing, and eventually recording their self-titled debut EP which was released to the masses in 2021, showcasing the band's raw energy and aggressive sound. The band has since played numerous shows in the Pacific Northwest, performing alongside some of the biggest names in the metal scene.




In between shows, Vanishment continued to write and record what will be their debut full-length album, No More Torture. Recorded by the band and mastered by Chris Hanzsek, No More Torture drops forty-two minutes of pummeling metal with all the classic elements fans of old-school Bay Area thrash will appreciate underpinned with more modern metallic hardcore elements and hooks lying just below the surface.


With the lead single, the band offers, “‘Door To Deceit’ is a song about greed, lies, evil from within, gaining from other’s losses, and accepting it as the norm. We chose this as the first track and single from our debut album because it represents our sound well. Like the album, it's a rager from beginning to end."


Dead Sage will release No More Torture on CD and digitally on March 5. Preorder on Bandcamp.


Vanishment is already working on new music and is currently booking shows around and beyond the Pacific Northwest. Watch for steady updates on new tour dates to post throughout the year.





Tracklisting:


“Door To Deceit”
“Dismiss The Warning”
“Forced Compliance”
“Severed Cord”
“Killing The Sun”
“Relieved In Pain”
“Death Calls”
“Last Hope For Comfort”


“Door To Deceit”:


No More Torture by Vanishment


(Photo – Peter Line)

New Jersey hard rock outfit, Who On Earth, have dropped a new live video for their track "Black Swan". Filmed at the band's hometown show at Starland Ballroom last November, the new video is highlighted by a powerhouse performance from veteran guitarist Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob), who also plays guitar on the band's new album, Blame.


Speaking about his contributions as producer on Blame, and performing "Black Swan" live, Orlando shares: "It was an absolute pleasure working with Who On Earth on their debut album, Blame, as producer, engineer, mixing/mastering AND guest guitarist. Jumping onstage to close out the record release show with Black Swan was an absolute blast. I look forward to having these guys back down at Sonic Stomp Studios for their next record. Great guys, great tunes. Who On Earth, you gotta check it out... you just gotta!"


Watch the video below.







Blame tracklisting:


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


"Black Swan" live video:





"Down & Out" lyric video:





Lineup:


Coosh - vocals
Pete Rizzi - bass
Joe D' Aqui - drums

Ireland’s Cruachan have enjoyed a storied career since they took those tentative first steps back in 1992. As frontman and sole original member Keith Fay elaborates; “When I started writing music as a 13-year-old, I had no idea that I was laying the foundations for what would become a brand-new genre, folk metal, or that I was planting the seeds of what would be one of the longest running Irish metal bands in history. There have been many ups and downs over the last thirty years, band members have come and gone, record deals have come and gone. We've played some of the biggest metal festivals on the planet, travelled to more countries than most Irish bands would ever dream possible. And it has all led to this - our ninth album, The Living And The Dead.”


The band celebrated their 30th anniversary last year with an invitation to submit a song to be considered for Ireland’s 2023 Eurovision song contest entry. Whilst the band weren’t ultimately successful, it did help remind people that Cruachan were very much back.


“From the opening blast of 'The Living' to the final lament of 'The Dead', The Living And The Dead is everything you want from Cruachan and more. 12 tracks of blistering riffs, magnificent melodies, and bewitchment.” - Stu 'La Rage' Dixon / Venom




A man whose vision and passion for his band has never wavered in the ensuing three decades, Cruachan’s place in, not only in metal history, but that of Ireland’s musical landscape, has been hard earned and hard fought. But Fay was always confident that he and the band would always deliver. “This album had to be good. No, it had to be better than good. This had to be the best Cruachan album ever made. I faced a decision in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, when three band members left the band. ‘Do I call it a day? or do I press on with the mammoth task of replacing everyone’. There was no real decision to be made, I worked way too hard over the years to allow Cruachan to fizzle out. I had been writing some of the best music of my career in recent years. I secured a record deal with a label (Sweden’s Despotz Records) that understood exactly what Cruachan and my vision is.”


“From the uplifting excitement and energy of track one, The Living, this album grabs your heart and mind then drags them on a fantastic journey through haunting and foreboding stories put to sublimely beautiful folk and aggressive metal, constantly interweaving until we reach.... ‘The Dead' - Jon Campling / Actor (Harry Potter, Final Fantasy)


With the deal signed, talk obviously turned to new music. “The new album only existed in my head but he still pushed me to get a single out. We recorded The Hawthorn and the reaction was immense.’ Buoyed by the amazing reaction to the single, Fay recruited new members for Cruachan in ‘record time’. ‘Joe Farrell had already re-joined Cruachan on bass at the start of 2020, apart from being one of my oldest friends, he was also my rock during this time. Tom (Woodlock), one of the best metal drummers in Ireland, joined us early in 2020. I've known Dave Quinn for many years so was a relief that I didn't need to audition for guitarists, he came in and was a natural fit for the band. I did advertise for a folk instrumentalist and had a few interesting applications. Audrey sent me a mail with some links to her playing. My jaw literally dropped and I recruited her right away. She has been playing violin since the age of 4, the quality she brings to every aspect of Cruachan is beyond compare, from our folky stuff to our classical stuff, it has all just moved to a level I never thought possible.”


“It was a pleasure to be a part of this project, the fusion of heavy metal and folk music on this album is furious, organic, and natural. Folk metal fans are in for a treat.” - Camillus Hiney / The Fureys


New line-up in place, and a clutch of songs Fay felt were among the strongest he’d ever written for the band, the time came to enter the studio to work on what would become The Living And The Dead. “Finally, in April 2022, we entered Trackmix studios to start recording. The quality and maturity of our new material was obvious right away. There have always been elements of classical music in Cruachan's material but I explored this a lot more on some of the new songs. The honesty and credibility in the finished songs takes my breath away. The song 'The Reaper' is about my dad, who sadly passed away in 2020. There was a point when Audrey was layering the strings section for this song, I was listening with Joe and our producer Mick and it literally brought me to tears. I turned to Joe and all I could manage to say was 'wow'. I did my dad proud with that song but I think we did all of our fans proud with this entire album. I could talk about many other parts in many other tracks but you'll hear it yourself and see what I mean. I achieved my goal. I created the best Cruachan album to date.”


“This album has everything from groovy death to the folkiest of metals! If you're a true folker then this album is for you!”  - Mathias 'Vreth' Lillmans / Finntroll


After a few tumultuous years band leader Keith Fay observes; "A number of long-term members chose to leave the band, but that prompted a time of rebirth for the band and it has only been a positive thing."  Despite the upheaval behind the scenes, one thing has never faltered; and that is Keith’s passion for folk and metal music, and Cruachan’s unique way of bringing the two together.



 
The Living And The Dead features nine guest musicians.


Kim Dylla – Backing Vocals
Kim is the former vocalist of GWAR and runs Kylla Custom Rock Wear, making stage clothes for the greatest metal bands in the world! When she can, she is also our live female vocalist.


Nella – Lead Vocal (“The Changeling”)
Nella is a singer songwriter based in Ireland. She has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and performed live with Video Games Live as well as sang on the soundtrack for World of Warcraft.


Mathias ‘Vreth’ Lillmåns – Lead Vocal (“The Ghost”)
Mathis is lead singer with Finntroll!! He adds some really amazing growls to the most 'Death Metal' track on the album.


Jon Campling – Backing Vocals (“The Crow”, “The Changeling”)
Jon is an actor that has appeared in Harry Potter (the Death Eater that stops the Hogwarts Express) as well as King Regis from Final Fantasy. In recent years he decided to learn to play guitar and sing and we're delighted his professional singing debut is on this album (and he nailed it)


Geoffrey Dell’Aria – Bagpipes, Tin Whistle, Low Whistle
Geoff is an accomplished musician who plays in many, many bands. He made a huge contribution to this album with pipes and whistles throughout.


Camillus Hiney – Accordion (“The Festival”)
Camillus is the box player for the legendary Irish folk group The Fureys. Having a folk musician of Camillus's calibre on this album is a huge moment of pride for us.


Stu ‘La Rage’ Dixon – Guitar solo (“The Witch”)
Stu is the guitarist with metal legends Venom. An amazing lead guitarist who lends a real touch of class to this song.


John Fay – Tin whistle (“The Children”)
John needs no introduction, long-time member of Cruachan over the years it was a pleasure to have him back and still involved with the band as a guest musician. You'll see John on TV all the time in shows such as Vikings, Game of Thrones etc


Sinead Richards – Euphonium (“The Reaper”)
Lastly a huge thank you to Sinead, the 14-year-old daughter of our producer. She is a huge talent and added such orchestral heft to this song that we can't imagine how it would sound without her contribution.


“The Crow”:

The Grafenberg Disciples are back with their new music video for “Cry A Million Tears” – premiered exclusively through BraveWords! Can you spot all the Rush references in the video? Watch below:





The band’s record label – The Highlander Company Records states: “Following on the success of the Neil Peart tribute song and video ‘No Words’, The Grafenberg Disciples once again display their love for the band Rush, with their newest video for the lead-off single of their new album Breathing Through My Ears. The first release is called ‘Cry A Million Tears’ and features many Rush Easter eggs sprinkled throughout this story of a gritty slice of real life. The band is challenging everyone to find all the Easter egg goodies and send them an email at info@thehighlanderco.com with a count of how many respectful nods to the boys from up north. All correct answers will receive a free download of the album. Let’s see how many you find!”




The Grafenberg Disciples exist at the crossroads of funk, pop, jazz, and classic rock ‘n’ roll.


Imagine what you would get if you put Prince, Level42, Ultravox, Marvin Gaye, Toad The Wet Sprocket and a few others into a blender. (Actually, what you would get would be a pink gooey mess with a few buttons floating on top, but that’s not what we’re trying to get at here…)


Founded by bassist/songwriter/producer Bob Madsen, the Grafenberg Disciples features Sacramento-based soul singer extraordinaire Hans Eberbach, the sensational work of Chad Quist on guitar, Jerry Merril on keys and, once again, Gregg Bissonette on drums and percussion. The cherry on top is having Frank Rosato mixing and mastering.


The Highlander Company Records is proud of The Grafenberg Disciples and are excited to bring their unique blend of powerful songs, twisted humor, and thought-provoking lyrics to listeners’ ears.

Dimmu Borgir performed their track "Gateways", from the band's 2010 album Abrahadabra, during their show at Bloodstock Open Air 2022. Professionally-filmed footage can be viewed below.


Previously released video of the band performing "Dimmu Borgir" at the same show is also available.


The complete Bloodstock setlist was as follows:




"Dimmu Borgir"
"Gateways"
"Puritania"
"Council of Wolves and Snakes" (intro drums)
"Ætheric"
"Vredesbyrd"
"Progenies of the Great Apocalypse"
"Mourning Palace"

Manowar have shared a new live video clip accompanied by the following message:


"From its first release on the 2002 album, Warriors Of The World, the power ballad 'Swords In The Wind' soon became a favorite among Manowar fans. Honoring Manowar's loyal following in Greece, this video commemorates the band's epic open-air performance in Athens on June 14, 2019."







Manowar bassist, Joey DeMaio, recently sat down for an interview with radio Rock Antenne (Germany), discussing new music, the band’s over four-decade history, and how to deal with expectations. Watch below:





Manowar perform next on January 24 at Enteria Arena in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Find the band's tour itinerary here.

Italian orchestral death metal masters Fleshgod Apocalypse have shared a drum playthrough video of Eugene Ryabchenko performning their song "Fury". Check it out below.


"Fury" is opening track from the band's latest album, Veleno.







Fleshgod Apocalypse and virtuosic extreme metallers Obscura, are proud to announce they are co-headlining their North American Tour 2022. The 26-date trek will kick off on February 18 in San Francisco with performances in Denver, Toronto, and New York before concluding in Los Angeles on March 16. Joining the package as openers are Finnish melodic death metal quartet Wolfheart, and blackened death metal veterans Thulcandra.


Fleshgod Apocalypse's Francesco Paoli comments, "Dear friends of the United States and Canada, we are more than stoked to announce our return to your shores in February/March 2023, after four long years of absence. As you can imagine, this unending and frustrating period of cloister generated nothing else than an unquantifiable desire to blast your faces off! Besides, we feel rejuvenated after this forced rest so, be ready for some fast and furious fugues we haven't performed live for a long time. Obviously, a comeback worthy of its name has to be done with style. In fact, we're teaming up with incredible bands, such as German tech-death masters Obscura, our long-time Finnish friends Wolfheart and Thulcandra. Insane tour package, insane nights, insane crowds, insane everything. Get your tickets before they're gone!" 🤘🏻


Obscura's Steffen Kummerer - who will be pulling double duty on this tour with Thulcandra - comments, "In February and March, we embark on a nationwide tour in North America, covering both Canada and the United States. The excellent lineup features Italy’s finest Fleshgod Apocalypse co-headlining with Obscura, and special guests Wolfheart and Thulcandra. Pick up your tickets and don’t miss the tour of the year!“


Tuomas Saukkonen of Wolfheart says: "We are absolutely thrilled about the fact that Wolfheart is finally coming back to North America and the company could not be better supporting the mighty Fleshgod Apocalypse and Obscura with our labelmates Thulcandra. Counting the days already to be on the road with this diamond package."


Tickets for the tour are on sale here.





Tour dates:


February
18 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
19 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
20 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
21 - Boise, ID - The Shredder
22 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theater
23 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
24 - Lincoln, NE - The Royal Grove
25 - Minneapolis, MN - The Underground
26 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
27 - Detroit, MI - Small's
28 - Toronto, ON - Axis


March
1 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Bell
2 - Montreal, QC - Studio TD
3 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
4 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
5 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring
6 - Richmond, VA - Canal Club
7 - Greensboro, NC - Hangar 1819
8 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
10 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
11 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live<
12 - Austin, TX - Come and Take it Live
13 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar & Grill
14 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater
15 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
16 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent

Atavistia is a wall of sound that joyously greets the ears and assails the senses. With sweeping instrumentals, grand orchestrations, and guitars heavier than Thor’s hammer, this Canadian epic metal band from Vancouver is preparing to unleash their next odyssey, Cosmic Warfare on April 21, 2023. 


Vocalist Mattias Sippola comments on the new album: "This upcoming album portrays many emotions which have transpired over the past two and a half years. There are dark moments full of pure chaos and anger to moments of triumph and tranquility. I am very proud of how the album flows together."







Fans of Wintersun, Ensiferum, and Dimmu Borgir will be enthralled by the elements of melodic death metal, black metal, and Scandinavian folk that is intricately woven together throughout their diverse soundscape.


Atavistia goes beyond merely crafting songs and takes you on a mental journey though vast sonic landscapes of snow covered forests, desolate tundras and barren permafrost laced landscapes. Beyond the frosty roots of their blackened inspiration, Cosmic Warfare aims for the stars and the vast emptiness of the macrocosm. Bear witness to the destruction of our planet and our cosmos and experience the nothingness of space.


Taking inspiration from the majestic natural landscapes of their homeland, earthly seasons, and ancient Norse culture, Atavistia’s grandiose sound matches these lyrical themes in an impressive symphony of destruction as they balance graceful melodies with brutal rhythmic cacophony.


On stage they are a force of nature, like waves crashing against a rocky shore, their music washes over audiences leaving them gasping for more. In a niche among metal genres, Atavistia has firmly established its presence.


Are you ready to lose yourself in the juxtaposition of lush and arid, the dichotomy of hope and despair, and welcome the inevitable and beautiful end?


Cosmic Warfare artwork and tracklisting:





"Omega Nova"    
"Cosmic Warfare"    
"Ethereal Wanderer" (Feat. Vincent Jones)    
"Spectral Rebirth"    
"Divine Destruction"    
"Forgotten Silence"


 

Feverhill, the modern metal act from Greensboro, North Carolina, will release their debut album Follow Me [Down]  in late spring 2023. Striving to create killer tracks with a powerful sound, the band also believe in breaking image stereotypes in rock and metal music supporting body positive thinking and culture. Today, the band has unveiled their first single and video, "Trapped Under Lies".





The band elaborates: “This album has been three years in the making, paying careful attention to every detail of every song. 'Trapped Under Lies' is an anthem to those who refuse to let others break them down, and make them believe they are less than. Who you are matters. Period.”




Drawing influences from the likes of Five Finger Death Punch, Sleep Token, Periphery and more, Feverhill have opened shows for Outlier, Uncured, Madam Meyhem and Gemini Syndrome. Bringing an epic sound crafted from distorted guitars, atmospheric electronics and powerful vocals, "Trapped Under Lies" is an explosive offering. High-energy rhythms, anguished harsh and soaring cleans pack a punch through the anthemic chorus and haunting verses. 


Feverhill is:


Billy Resendes – vox
Kevin Wilson – guitar
Nick Doss – bass
Ryan Elliot – drums