Frank Zappa alumni Mike Keneally will be releasing his new solo album The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat on February 24, 2023. Preorders are available at store.keneally.com. The release features guest appearances by Steve Vai, Eric Slick, Nick D'Virgilio and others.


Says Mike, “This is my first new solo album in seven years - the last one was Scambot 2 in 2016, so this one has really been a long time coming. About half of the material on the new album was in the works prior to the pandemic, but the other half was created at home in lockdown in 2020 and 2021, and all the finishing touches were placed on the songs during 2022, so it's been in the works for a while. I've never done so much work on an album on my own, so the learning curve was steep, but I did have help from friends all along the way, including farming out tracks to drummers who were also locked down at home. 


“I wrote all the songs, and the lyrics of the later songs definitely reflect the strange times during which the album was finalized. A lot of my past albums have been lengthy, extended works, but this one is a tight 42 minutes, nine songs - I think it goes down pretty smooth but it travels to a lot of different places along the way. I'm extremely happy with it, and very grateful to finally be able to share it with everyone.”




First video from the album for the song “Celery” featuring Steve Vai is streaming below:





Long acclaimed as one of the world’s most creative and intense guitar and keyboard players, Mike Keneally’s talents as a vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist are nearly unequalled in rock music. Keneally has released over 30 albums of his original music since 1992 (including special editions and limited releases), and has built a body of work of remarkable inventiveness and originality. The stylistic variety present in his work indicates Keneally’s abiding love of good music above all, regardless of genre distinctions.


Keneally played in Frank Zappa’s final touring band in 1988, performing as a vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist. He’s appeared on many of Zappa’s albums, and has been a touring and recording member in the bands of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Devin Townsend, as well as a member of the Adult Swim metal band Dethklok. He has also recorded or performed with Robert Fripp, Wayne Kramer, Kevin Gilbert, Solomon Burke, Steve Vai, Chickenfoot, Bear McCreary, Henry Kaiser, Michael Manring, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Andy Prieboy, Mullmuzzler, The Persuasions and many others.


Known for his innovative, unpredictable live shows with his own band Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins, Keneally has played extensively in the United States and Europe, in contexts ranging from solo and duo concerts, to performances with large-scale orchestras. His 52-minute orchestra-with-guitar suite “The Universe Will Provide” received its world premiere in 2003, featuring Keneally as guitar soloist fronting Holland’s Metropole Orkest. The US premiere of “Universe” occurred at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles in 2011. 2012’s album release was “Wing Beat Fantastic: Songs Written by Mike Keneally & Andy Partridge,” a collection of material written with ex-XTC leader Andy Partridge; the album was widely acclaimed, and ranked highly on numerous critics’ “Best of 2012” lists. 2016 saw the release of his grand conceptual work “Scambot 2,” and was the last new Keneally solo album until now, with the upcoming February 2023 release of the brand new “The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat.”


As of late, Keneally has been performing live with other ex-Zappa alumni as part of The Zappa Band, the only official Zappa Trust-sanctioned band playing the music of Frank Zappa live. He has also been playing with the group ProgJect, performing many of the classic ‘70s progressive-rock songs that Keneally grew up loving. He is also a member of a new band called The Bird Brain, who released an acclaimed 3-song EP late in 2022, with more new music coming this year. With the release of his new solo album in 2023, Mike will be doing a series of Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins shows this year featuring a retrospective selection of material chosen from all the primary solo albums across his over-30 year career.





Mike Keneally & Beer For Dolphins upcoming shows:


January
13 – Escondido – The Grand Ritz
14 – San Pedro – Alvas Showroom
15 – San Pedro – Alvas Showroom
16 – Morro Bay – The Siren
17 – Los Angeles, CA – The Baked Potato

On February 10, Distant - the multinational down-tempo/deathcore juggernaut from Rotterdam (The Netherlands) and the Slovak Republic - will release their third full-length, Heritage, via Century Media Records. Their new single, Argent Justice (feat. 16 vocalists from Suicide Silence, Emmure, Bodysnatcher, Angelmaker, Cabal, Crown Magnetar, Paleface and more!), is out now.





Alan Grnja (vocals) comments: "The inspiration for that came from animated shows in the ‘90s where Spider Man would team up with X-Men and stuff like that! We did that on a track in 2020 called 'Argent Debt' where we had five other people. We were inspired by being on tour in America and so many of us jumping up onstage and playing together. Every vocalist on this track sounds unique. It's a bright, colorful rainbow of Deathcore singers!"




See below for the full list of artist appearances on "Argent Justice":
--Tomáš Klár (Abbie Falls)
--Kevin Petersen (Acranius)
--Marcus Jasak (Acranius)
--Casey Tyson-Pearce (Angelmaker)
--Colton Bennet (Angelmaker)
--Mike Greenwood (Angelmaker)
--Kyle Medina (Bodysnatcher)
--Andreas Bjulver (Cabal)
--Andrew Baena (Carcosa)
--Johnny Ciardullo (Carcosa)
--Dan Tucker (Crown Magnetar)
--Alan Grnja (Distant)
--Vladimir Golic (Distant)
--Frankie Palmeri (Emmure)
--Marc Zellweger (Paleface)
--Eddie Hermida (Suicide Silence)
--Aaron Matts (ten56.)
--Devin Duarte (Worm Shepherd)





Heritage is available to preorder in the following formats:
--Ltd. CD Digipak
--Black LP             
--Transp. red LP available from CM Distro Wholesale EU, CMdistro.de and USA outlets (limited to 500 copies)
--White LP available from CM Distro Wholesale EU and CMdistro.de (limited to 300 copies)
--White-red marbled LP available from Distant (limited to 500 copies)
--Digital album    


Distant has become one of the prominent faces of European deathcore. Melding together brutal death metal, slam, noise and beatdown with a hyper-dissonant orchestra of impending doom, they've come eons since their origins as metalcore obsessed friends in Rotterdam and Bratislava. Heritage, the quintet's Century Media debut and third installment of bone crushing, thick-as-concrete heaviness, takes their trademark "Downtempo/Deathcore" and pushes it into the red. "It's low and slow," smirks vocalist Alan Grnja, describing the band's sound. "Musically, lyrically, we try to travel the uncharted and come up with something you can only call Distant."


Produced by the band's guitarist Nouri Yetgin and Within Destruction guitarist Howard Fang plus co-producer Simone Pietroforte, Heritage is Distant's coming of age and reckoning moment. "This is the perfect Distant record," says Alan. "I want it to be a genre-defining album in the same way The Cleansing was for Suicide Silence - I would say this album is for us."

Odinfist is well known in the Canadian underground metal scene for wild antics, a long-running metal fest, and of course, tight riffs and groovy licks. They’ve put out several releases of fun, energetic, and seriously kick-ass metal since 2009, and now they have Remade In Steel coming out shortly. The first single to get the world hyped is “Riffmaster”; it's guitar-driven, epic speed metal with Deep Purple vibes that tells about a bad-ass wizard dude who brings the true metal to the people of Earth and passes judgment on the enemies of metal. 


The band explains the track with exuberance:


“Justin wrote the main chorus riff years ago, and we could never fit it into a song until now! We jammed it and just kept throwing in riffs, and they all just worked. That’s where the idea for the title “Riffmaster” came from. It definitely took some reworking and rearranging to get it to sound like a song, and when it did, we knew we had come up with something special. The lyrics are very Judas Priest: Painkiller, Starbreaker, Exciter, etc. A cosmic being comes to earth and brings heavy metal to the people. The Riffmaster himself can be seen on the album cover, upon his metal steed, wielding his tome of riffs.”




Compared to their older stuff, Odinfist is sure fans will love the new album as it promises throwbacks to their original sounds but with a new creative direction that unfolds over six songs that are longer and more complex than their previous material. As the band says, each song on Remade In Steel offers a unique musical experience, where you don’t always know what’s going to come next in a song or a track. The end result is a complete album that has a little bit for everyone, and a sense of completion at the very end.


BraveWords is premiering "Riffmaster" - get rocked below!





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”

Phantom Elite have announced the upcoming release of their second album with the current lineup, Blue Blood, on March 17. A new music video for the first single from the album, "Inner Beast" is out today. Watch the clip below, and pre-order/pre-save Blue Blood here.


Phantom Elite is an international metal band fronted by Marina La Torraca (Exit Eden, live vocalist for Avantasia) with guitarist Max van Esch, drummer Joeri Warmerdam, and featuring executive production by former After Forever guitarist and founder Sander Gommans. The band traffics in modern metal, combining elements of symphonic, progressive, and metalcore into their own unique concoction.


After their independently released debut album, Wasteland (2018), Phantom Elite trimmed themselves down to a power trio and released their sophomore album, Titanium (2021) via Frontiers Music Srl. This album, with its powerful punch, complex rhythms, and stunning vocals, marked Phantom Elite as a band on the rise.




With Blue Blood, and an upcoming European tour already scheduled (details forthcoming), the trio is ready to further expand their fanbase and continue to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with.





Blue Blood tracklisting:


"Skin Of My Teeth"
"Inner Beast"
"This Sick World"
"Birdcage"
"Apex"
"Fragments"
"Laid With Vines"
"Daydark"
"Blue Blood"
"Black Sunrise"


"Inner Beast" video:





Phantom Elite are:


Marina La Torraca - Vocals
Max van Esch - Guitars, Bass, Synths/Electronic Arrangements
Joeri Warmerdam - Drums

Acclaimed American guitarist Jeff Kollman whose extensive resume includes the Alan Parsons Live Project, Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Glenn Hughes, UFO off-shoot Mogg/Way, and funk-fusion all-stars Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats has announced the release of his latest single, "Green For Miles", which also features the talents of veteran keyboardist Guy Allison. The song will be advance released on Kollman's Bandcamp page on January 11 and made available on all digital platforms worldwide on January 13.


Explains Kollman: "The song is inspired by my love for ‘Kind Of Blue’ by Miles Davis, particularly the tune ‘Blue In Green’. Hence the title ‘Green For Miles’. I wrote it and Guy did the production treatment. This is by no means a new sonic direction that I’m gonna head in - I'm still a rocker at heart. But, anyone familiar with my solo work knows that I like to stretch out in all sorts of directions so ‘Green For Miles’ is just another flavor you're getting from good ole Kollman."







Allison, a founding member of AOR cult faves World Trade and Unruly Child as well as a long-time Air Supply and Doobie Brothers affiliate, previously guested on Kollman's 2021 solo effort, East Of Heaven, after becoming fast musical friends as members of Japanese superstar Eikichi Yazawa's touring band. Green For Miles marks their closest collaboration yet. "I guess, the obvious role, for me, is one of production," adds Allison. Having said that, I think it’s also, at its core, one of interpreting and performing a soulful bed for Jeff's melody to lay in. The vibe, for me, is one of transcendence. Simple and deep all at once."


Kollman is also writing for a new solo album whose core recording line-up is set to feature fellow Cosmosquad co-founder, drummer Shane Gaalaas (MSG, Yngwie Malmsteen, B'z), and bassist Steven Jenkins. Special guests will include Kollman's Bombastic Meatbats mate, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Glenn Hughes), among others.

MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil has canceled his solo appearance at RokIsland Fest 2023, set to take place January 17-21 in Key West, Florida.

Earlier today, Neil released the following statement regarding his absence from the event: "Hello RokIsland Friends, I am sad to report that yesterday I was diagnosed with Covid. I am okay but this thing is really kickin' my ass. All that being said, I am unable to perform at RokIsland Fest next week.

"I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to the RokIsland Fest organizers and most of all my friends and fans. I am disappointed to say the least. I was so looking forward to this show. I am hopeful that I will have the opportunity to make this up in 2024.

"In closing, I wish all the attendees of RokIsland Fest 2023 a fun and exciting time with all the other amazing acts."

Neil's backing group includes Dana Strum and Jeff Blando from SLAUGHTER, along with drummer Zoltan Chaney.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A few years ago, before CRÜE's 2019 reunion, Neil acknowledged to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was the only member of MÖTLEY CRÜE who was waving the flag for the band's music by performing CRÜE songs as a solo artist.

"It's a cool thing, because I love MÖTLEY CRÜE, I love MÖTLEY CRÜE's music, and I love singing, and I love the fans' reactions when they hear the songs," he said. "Whether we're playing in front of a thousand people or twenty thousand people, I can only see the front row anyway. So I'm happy for me and for the fans to be able to still hear that music after MÖTLEY CRÜE is finished."

Hosted by radio and television personality Eddie Trunk, the second annual RokIsland Fest is brought to you by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

With most of the RokIsland Fest performances taking place at The Truman Waterfront Park Amphitheater, the boutique venue provides an intimate performance atmosphere unique to other rock festivals around the world. In addition to five days of propulsive, high-energy live shows along the Gulf waters of Key West, festival attendees will also have unparalleled access to world-class hotels, local fare from renowned restaurants and endless options for recreational excursions and activities (sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, etc.) — a true rock and roll experience in a destination paradise.

Due to circumstances out of our control, Vince Neil and WIG WAM will not be performing at this year's Rokisland Fest. ...

Posted by RokIsland Fest on Thursday, January 12, 2023

QUEEN's Brian May was among the musicians who paid tribute to British guitar legend Jeff Beck following his death on Tuesday (January 10).

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.

May took to his social media on Thursday to share a five-minute video in which he offered what he said were his "thoughts on the sad loss of a guitar genius and friend."

May said: "I guess I'm struggling today, as everyone wants to talk about Jeff, of course, and they wanna talk to me, but I don't really feel up to talking to the press and media about it. I guess I don't feel ready. This is such an extraordinary loss and he was such an extraordinary person, it's hard to process the fact that he's not here, apart from process what I would like to say.

"Jeff was completely and utterly unique," May continued, "and the kind of musician who's impossible to define. And I was absolutely in awe of him. He was only a couple of years older than me, and came from the same area where I came from, but he was a hero to me all along, doing things which I kind of dreamed of doing. When I was at school, even, he was already up there, in THE TRIDENTS and then in THE YARDBIRDS, doing extraordinary things, and a major, major inspiration for me to try and do the same... not the same, but to give myself a voice the way he had.

"If you wanna hear his depth of emotion and sound and phrasing and the way he could touch your soul, listen to 'Where Were You' off the 'Guitar Shop' album. Just Google 'Where Were You Jeff Beck' and sit down and listen to it for four minutes. It's unbelievable. It's possibly the most beautiful bit of guitar music ever recorded, probably alongside Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing'. So sensitive, so beautiful, so incredibly creative and unlike anything you've ever heard anywhere else. Yes, of course he had his influences too, but he brought an amazing voice to rock music which will never, ever be emulated, or equaled.

"Yeah, he came from my area, so he was like a local boy. And I saw him play so many times, always with my jaw on the ground, thinking, 'How does he do that?' I often think it must have been like being around Mozart and seeing that incredible genius at work and wondering where it could possibly come from; how could he be that great? If you were with Jeff, if you were around his house, he'd come out from the garage, having been under one of his cars for the last few hours, his fingers all covered in grease and muck and looking like he'd just kind of crawled out from a ditch somewhere, and he'd pick up a guitar and this beautiful, beautiful, sensitive music would come out.

"I think I was very shy; I didn't really know how to talk to him. I couldn't quite follow him. He wasn't an easy person for me — maybe because I was in so much awe of him. But I was never at ease. And I wrote him a song — well, I wrote a song about him, called 'The Guv'nor', for one of my solo albums, [1998's 'Another World'], and he came over to my place here in the studio, played it with me, and we had a laugh. And he played some incredible stuff. Again, my jaw dropped. I couldn't really pick up a guitar when he was in the room, because he was so incredible, I just wanted to watch and listen. So he played on the track, and he was, like, 'Oh, yeah, whatever.'

"I don't think I could ever put into words exactly how much I did revere him, I hope I gave him the picture. [Laughs] I don't know if he knew. But I feel like I wasn't a good enough friend to him. And that's one of the things that happens, I suppose, but particularly in this case I feel like there were so many times I could have rung him up, and I wish I had, to be a proper friend.

"But Jeff Beck is so unique, so influential on every guitarist I've ever met in my life. The loss is incalculable. It's so sad not having him in the world anymore. I still can't quite compute it in my head. So this is as far as I can get at the moment, I'm afraid.

"I was listening last night to my old THE YARDBIRDS albums, which is the first time when he kind of started to put out there what he could do — 'Over Under Sideways Down', have a listen to that. And 'Shapes Of Things' — oh my God! When you get to the solo in the original YARDBIRDS version of 'Shapes Of Things', it's like something takes off like a space rocket. No one had ever heard something like that before. Instead of the guitar sounding like a guitar, it sounded like something between a sitar and some strange wind instrument. Just listen to it. It blew my mind at the time. It was one of the major things which made me wanna play guitar as I do, and take it up as a career, if you like. But that will always, always stick in my mind... 'Shapes Of Things', 'Where Were You' from the 'Guitar Shop' album. But so many incredible things he did.

"He was wild, he was unquantifiable and extraordinarily difficult to understand, but one of the greatest guitar geniuses the world has ever seen and will ever see.

"God bless you, Jeff. Miss you."

Having cultivated one of the most influential careers in rock history, Beck was universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world, and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues and jazz.

Over the course of his distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he had earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time," and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice — once as a member of THE YARDBIRDS and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Speaking when he was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the second time in 2009, Beck said: "I play the way I do because it allows me to come up with the sickest sounds possible. That's the point now, isn't it? I don't care about the rules. In fact, if I don't break the rules at least 10 times in every song, then I'm not doing my job properly."

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as THE YARDBIRDS' lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form THE JEFF BECK GROUP, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.

The constantly evolving Beck's next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released "Beck, Bogert And Appice" (1973),once again shattered people's preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

1985's "Flash" kept Beck in the spotlight as he earned the "Best Rock Instrumental" Grammy for the song "Escape". A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and a third for "Dirty Mind" from the "You Had It Coming" album in 2001. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling "Performing This Week… Live at Ronnie Scott's", which earned a Grammy for "A Day In The Life".

Beck's astonishing 2010 solo album, "Emotion & Commotion", brought about two additional Grammy Awards; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "Hammerhead" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for "Nessun Dorma", both from "Emotion & Commotion", and "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" for "Imagine", his collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

His "Rock 'N' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul)" album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2016 he released "Loud Hailer" and in 2017 "Jeff Beck: Live At The Hollywood Bowl" was released, both to widespread critical acclaim.

The eight-time Grammy winner is survived by his wife Sandra.

Joe Satriani was among the musicians who paid tribute to British guitar legend Jeff Beck following his death on Tuesday (January 10).

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.

Joe took to his social media on Wednesday to write: "Jeff Beck was a genius, a stunning original. He was an astounding guitar player with more ways to make you go, 'WTF was that?' than anybody else. He was profoundly talented, and never stopped innovating on the instrument. He had an enormous impact on my guitar playing, my musicianship and my soul. When I was a beginner, I would spend hours trying to jam along with his solo albums. I found his approach to the instrument so inspiring. I was fascinated with his unusual arrangements and his aggressive guitar tones. He always stood out as a unique player: He was always, purely 'Jeff Beck'. His solo albums were all groundbreaking, 'ahead of their time', and paved the way for me and so many other guitarists around the world. And they were fun to listen to, over and over again.

"I had the pleasure of saying hello to Jeff a few times, once when CHICKENFOOT went to see him play at the Fox Theater in Oakland, and a second time when we were all playing at the BosPop Festival in The Netherlands. We all had a fun jam backstage that day. Unfortunately, I didn't ever get to really know him. I hope he knew how much I admired, revered and respected him.

"When I finish writing this I will go and listen to Jeff's 'Where Were You' a few times and thank him for giving us so much beautiful music.

"My deepest condolences to his family and close friends. R.I.P. Jeff".

Having cultivated one of the most influential careers in rock history, Beck was universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world, and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues and jazz.

Over the course of his distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he had earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time," and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice — once as a member of THE YARDBIRDS and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Speaking when he was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the second time in 2009, Beck said: "I play the way I do because it allows me to come up with the sickest sounds possible. That's the point now, isn't it? I don't care about the rules. In fact, if I don't break the rules at least 10 times in every song, then I'm not doing my job properly."

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as THE YARDBIRDS' lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form THE JEFF BECK GROUP, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.

The constantly evolving Beck's next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released "Beck, Bogert And Appice" (1973),once again shattered people's preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

1985's "Flash" kept Beck in the spotlight as he earned the "Best Rock Instrumental" Grammy for the song "Escape". A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and a third for "Dirty Mind" from the "You Had It Coming" album in 2001. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling "Performing This Week… Live at Ronnie Scott's", which earned a Grammy for "A Day In The Life".

Beck's astonishing 2010 solo album, "Emotion & Commotion", brought about two additional Grammy Awards; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "Hammerhead" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for "Nessun Dorma", both from "Emotion & Commotion", and "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" for "Imagine", his collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

His "Rock 'N' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul)" album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2016 he released "Loud Hailer" and in 2017 "Jeff Beck: Live At The Hollywood Bowl" was released, both to widespread critical acclaim.

The eight-time Grammy winner is survived by his wife Sandra.

Joe Satriani photo credit: Eduardo Peña Dolhun

Jeff Beck was a genius, a stunning original. He was an astounding guitar player with more ways to make you go, “WTF was...

Posted by Joe Satriani on Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman was among the musicians who paid tribute to British guitar legend Jeff Beck following his death on Tuesday (January 10).

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.

Friedman took to his social media on Wednesday to write: "With Jeff Beck's passing, a huge and tangible void has been left in the world of music. Thankfully through his profound influence on an astronomical number of musicians, his sweet notes will continue to ring loudly, for generations to come.

"I became aware of Jeff Beck a bit late in the game, through my dear friend Jason Becker who was constantly extolling Jeff's many virtues to me. Jeff Beck is a peerless role model, especially in the sense that his playing identifies him immediately--and it is always played with so much finesse, and the depth of a master.

"I knew how much Jason admired Jeff, so I made the rather foolish decision to play a Jeff Beck song for Jason at one of the first Jason Becker tribute concerts in Chicago. Doing that sounds nice on paper, but Jeff's touch is inimitable, you would have to literally live his life and go through his experiences to play like that. And then you would need a masters degree in unique techniques that he invented and polished over the years. Still, I love Jason, so after playing a bunch of my own songs, I threw caution to the wind and ended my set with Jeff Beck's 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers'.

"The song itself is a relatively simple and familiar melody that many guys have played pretty well, as it is kind of a 'guitar standard'. The thing is, the simpler a melody is, when it is in the hands of a master like Jeff Beck, the more exponentially difficult it becomes for others to interpret on the same instrument, because the feelings, inflections and emotions in the original version are Jeff's and Jeff's alone.

"The bill was full of super guitar players, including Eddie Van Halen who was to follow my set, and many others. Imagine the tremendous stupidity (or balls...but probably leaning toward stupidity) I must have had to play a Jeff Beck song in front of Eddie Van Halen...and just before his set no less.

"So I play the song, and survived it, maybe it was passable at best. Most likely it just plain sucked. I am pretty sure it was the latter.

"My point here is to point out just what an extremely unique and special identity Jeff Beck is, and how playing his music further inspired me to try to carve out my own musical road.

"I'm not the only one Jeff inspired in this way. There might be something in the fact that when many of us tried to play some of Jeff's material, we just gave up, and sat there in wonder thinking, 'Who am I kidding...I'll never be able to play like that.' I'm sure we have Jeff to thank for a lot of us taking inventory of what we could do on our own."

Having cultivated one of the most influential careers in rock history, Beck was universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world, and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues and jazz.

Over the course of his distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he had earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time," and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice — once as a member of THE YARDBIRDS and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Speaking when he was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the second time in 2009, Beck said: "I play the way I do because it allows me to come up with the sickest sounds possible. That's the point now, isn't it? I don't care about the rules. In fact, if I don't break the rules at least 10 times in every song, then I'm not doing my job properly."

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as THE YARDBIRDS' lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form THE JEFF BECK GROUP, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.

The constantly evolving Beck's next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released "Beck, Bogert And Appice" (1973),once again shattered people's preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

1985's "Flash" kept Beck in the spotlight as he earned the "Best Rock Instrumental" Grammy for the song "Escape". A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and a third for "Dirty Mind" from the "You Had It Coming" album in 2001. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling "Performing This Week… Live at Ronnie Scott's", which earned a Grammy for "A Day In The Life".

Beck's astonishing 2010 solo album, "Emotion & Commotion", brought about two additional Grammy Awards; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "Hammerhead" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for "Nessun Dorma", both from "Emotion & Commotion", and "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" for "Imagine", his collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

His "Rock 'N' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul)" album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2016 he released "Loud Hailer" and in 2017 "Jeff Beck: Live At The Hollywood Bowl" was released, both to widespread critical acclaim.

The eight-time Grammy winner is survived by his wife Sandra.

With Jeff Beck's passing, a huge and tangible void has been left in the world of music. Thankfully through his profound...

Posted by Marty Friedman on Wednesday, January 11, 2023

LED ZEPPELIN's Robert Plant was among the biggest names in rock and roll who paid tribute to British guitar legend Jeff Beck following his death on Tuesday (January 10).

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.

Plant took to his social media on Wednesday to write: "This is tragic news.. Hard to take in..

"Jeff always appeared timeless, ever evolving .. He embraced project after project with limitless energy and enthusiasm.. He surfaced in an extraordinary time..he took his place side by side with the virtuosos of the period .. his mates ..

The scene was on fire, he introduced a cool template moving from Yardbird to Bolero to Truth, Beck Ola with Rod the perfect foil…the singer and guitarist syndrome..plenty of sparks…great results...

"He cooked up magic through all the passing eras, always up for the next, unknown, unlikely collision, back in time to homage Cliff Gallup, forward to Johnny Depp.

"His gift was enormous. He was funny, challenging and eager

"My feelings are with Sandra today.."

Having cultivated one of the most influential careers in rock history, Beck was universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world, and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues and jazz.

Over the course of his distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he had earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time," and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice — once as a member of THE YARDBIRDS and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Speaking when he was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the second time in 2009, Beck said: "I play the way I do because it allows me to come up with the sickest sounds possible. That's the point now, isn't it? I don't care about the rules. In fact, if I don't break the rules at least 10 times in every song, then I'm not doing my job properly."

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as THE YARDBIRDS' lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form THE JEFF BECK GROUP, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.

The constantly evolving Beck's next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released "Beck, Bogert And Appice" (1973),once again shattered people's preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

1985's "Flash" kept Beck in the spotlight as he earned the "Best Rock Instrumental" Grammy for the song "Escape". A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and a third for "Dirty Mind" from the "You Had It Coming" album in 2001. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling "Performing This Week… Live at Ronnie Scott's", which earned a Grammy for "A Day In The Life".

Beck's astonishing 2010 solo album, "Emotion & Commotion", brought about two additional Grammy Awards; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "Hammerhead" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for "Nessun Dorma", both from "Emotion & Commotion", and "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" for "Imagine", his collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

His "Rock 'N' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul)" album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2016 he released "Loud Hailer" and in 2017 "Jeff Beck: Live At The Hollywood Bowl" was released, both to widespread critical acclaim.

The eight-time Grammy winner is survived by his wife Sandra.

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Dark Tranquillity performed "Misery's Crown", from their 2007 album Fiction, during their set at Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival 2022. Professionally-filmed video can be viewed below:





Dark Tranquillity vocalist, Mikael Stanne, sat down with Bloodstock TV’s Oran O’Beirne to talk about their return to Bloodstock, the legendary Gothenburg scene, and his manic schedule between DT and The Halo Effect. Watch below:

Mike Portnoy has confirmed that he will play drums for TWISTED SISTER when the band reunites to perform at the sixth annual Metal Hall Of Fame charity gala. Portnoy and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai will also induct TWISTED SISTER's classic lineup of Dee Snider (vocals),Jay Jay French (guitar),Eddie Ojeda (guitar),Mark Mendoza (bass) and late drummer A.J Pero into the Metal Hall Of Fame, which will take place January 26 at The Canyon club in Agoura Hills, California.

During a new appearance on "The Chuck Shute Podcast", Portnoy said that he will be "the drummer" for the reunion performance and added that "we've known that we're playing for months now. I think it was only kind of made public [a few days ago]."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Proceeds from the annual Metal Hall Of Fame charity gala go to the non-profit organization D.A.D. (Drums And Disabilities). D.A.D. brings free music programs and therapy services to help special needs children and wounded veterans in various health facilities and community centers.

The Metal Hall Of Fame is a non-profit organization that enshrines forever those iconic musicians, artists, music industry executives who are responsible for making hard rock and heavy metal music what it is today. Their contribution to the genre is invaluable, and they keep inspiring fans throughout the world, from generation to generation.

A special Rocavaka meet-and-greet with Snider, Rocavaka's brand ambassador, will take place after the induction ceremony where limited-edition Snider numbered Rocavaka bottles will be made available for purchase and signing.

Tickets are $35 in advance or $45 at the door via www.metalhalloffame.org.

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY have released a new single, "Out Of Pocket".

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ENTER SHIKARI will release a new album, "A Kiss For The Whole World", on April 21 via SO Recordings/Ambush Reality. The band has shared the LP's lead single "(Pls) Set Me On Fire" as well as news of some very special monthly residency shows in the U.K. this spring.

Limited formats of the new album come packaged with the "Live From Alexandra Palace 3" album and DVD, recorded live in December 2021 at the band's sold-out 10,000-capacity London show.

As the calendar now signals three years since ENTER SHIKARI last released an album — their U.K. No. 2-charting album "Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible" — it is useful to think back to the final question the band last posed fans: "Is this a new beginning? / Or are we close to the end?" Little could they know just how close to the end things would end up feeling as the events of the early '20s dimmed the light in the furnace of their live juggernaut, and connection to their fans.

"At the time it felt like we ourselves, as musicians, were experiencing the death of our band," says lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds.

Unsurprisingly, the key in the band's ignition came in the form of a live show as they headlined the Download Pilot festival in front of 10,000 fans. Where not a single new word flowed from the pen of Reynolds in the two years prior, a realization was born that would come to define the band's seventh LP.

"I just didn't realize that the human and physical connection to other people were so central to how I write," he says.

As new single "(Pls) Set Me On Fire" heralds the next stage in ENTER SHIKARI's evolution, the first words we hear from ENTER SHIKARI 2.0 don't come in the form of a question this time, but a command: "Please set me on fire". In other words, ignite the spark inside us and set us free. This may be a new ENTER SHIKARI but they've lost nothing in their flair for bold opening gambits.

Reynolds comments on the single's conception: "Honestly, I thought I was fucked. I've never felt so detached from my soul, my purpose, my fucking spirit. I didn't write music for almost two years. The longest I'd gone before that was two weeks. I was broken. It's almost as if my brain had asked: 'What is the point in music if it cannot be shared? What is the point in writing music if it's not to be experienced with others?' and then promptly switched itself off. '(Pls) Set Me On Fire' grew out of that desperation. This song is a projectile vomit of positive energy. Every emotion trapped inside me for two years, finally set free."

It was in the spring of 2022 that the band descended to the coastal town of Chichester, and a dilapidated farmhouse, to rebuild their studio setup and capture their renewed momentum on record. Using only solar power to track the album — in what Reynolds says was to "bring back some sense of naïveté" — the life-giving properties and Technicolor palate of "A Kiss For The Whole World" were made real.

Reynolds continues: "Back to basics. This band — my best friends — bundled into an old farmhouse, miles away from anywhere. Off-grid, and ready to rediscover ourselves. This album is powered by the sun, the most powerful object in our solar system. And I think you can tell. It's a collection of songs that represent an explosive reconnection with what ENTER SHIKARI is. The beginning of our second act."

"A Kiss For The Whole World" track listing:

01. A Kiss For The Whole World
02. (Pls) Set Me On Fire
03. It Hurts
04. Leap Into The Lightning
05. Feed Yøur Søul
06. Dead Wood
07. Jailbreak
08. Bloodshot
09. Bloodshot (Coda)
10. Goldfĭsh
11. Giant Pacific Octopus (I Don't Know You Anymore)
12. Giant Pacific Octopus Swirling Off Into Infinity…

ENTER SHIKARI has also announced a run of very special album release shows across Europe and the U.S. Taking place in May this year, the band will be playing three very special U.S. shows, hitting Los Angeles (May 3),Chicago (May 5) and New York (May 10). One week priority access to ticket pre-sales will be available to fans pre-ordering the album and current members of Future Historians, the band's fan club. General on-sale for remaining tickets will begin on Thursday, January 26.

Deeply influenced by Greek nature and cosmic phenomena, psychedelic stoner rockers, Villagers Of Ioannina City, take you to new atmospheres with their first live album, Through Space And Time (Alive In Athens 2020), to be released physically for the first time via Napalm Records on March 3, 2023.


The album’s first single, “Father Sun”, arrives alongside a live video which will take the listener into unexplored universes via the catchy rhythm of the hypnotizing bagpipe and entrancing guitar riffs, rising up to an enormous storm. The powerful, rough voices praising Mother Earth entangle with the instruments, producing a homogeneous atmosphere. Watch the clip below.


Villagers Of Ioannina City gather their strengths from Greek nature and cosmic spirits, letting it flow right into their phenomenal psychedelic stoner rock. Delivering amazing performances, the band ascends forth to create their first live album, Through Space And Time (Alive In Athens 2020). With their short but very mesmerizing discography, the live show is centered around the band’s most recent studio album, Age of Aquarius (2019), as they play the album in sequence and spice it up with songs from their debut album and singles. Starting with the fascinating “Welcome”, “Age of Aquarius” and “Part V” all in sequence, Villagers Of Ioannina City represent their ability as great storytellers underlined by great visuals. The band then jumps straight into their debut album, Riza (2014), playing “Nova”, “Perdikomata” and “Skaros”. Fans are blown away from the dedication of the clarinet, bagpipe, and guitar! Through Space And Time (Alive In Athens 2020) presents the sextet’s attention to detail with great production, amazing musicianship, a bombastic live presence, and the yearning to play more amazing shows in the future. This won’t be the last time Villagers Of Ioannina City will transcend fans into the heavens of Mount Olympus - this is only just the beginning.




Formed in 2007, Epirus-based Villagers Of Ioannina City have delivered an explosive performance to the big stage with their infusion of heavy psychedelic rock and folk instruments! After the band released their promising debut album, Riza (2014), the Greek musicians followed up with the game-changing album, Age of Aquarius (2019) – catapulting them straight to the biggest rock festivals and numerous sold-out shows in the biggest music scenes in Greece. Followed by this year’s tour through Europe, psychedelic stoner rockers Villagers Of Ioannina City proved to their fans once more that they are ready to start this exciting next voyage.





Through Space And Time (Alive In Athens 2020) will be available in the following formats:


- 6 Page Digisleeve 2 CD Edition
- Digisleeve & Shirt
- 3LP Gatefold Black
- 3LP Gatefold Marbled Orange/Black
- 3LP Gatefold Gold


Pre-order here.





Through Space And Time (Alive In Athens 2020) tracklisting:


CD 1:


"Welcome" (live)
"Age 0f Aquarius" (live)
"Part V" (live)
"Nova" (live)
"Perdikomata" (live)
"Skaros" (live)
"Dance Of Night" (live)
"Zvara" (live)


CD 2:


"Arrival" (live)
"Father Sun" (live)
"Millennium Blues" (live)
"Ti Kako" (live)
"Audience I" (live)
"Cosmic Soul" (live)
"For The Innocent" (live)
"Audience II" (live)
"Karakolia" (live)





Lineup:


Alex Karametis – Guitar, Vocals
Akis Zois - Bass
Aris Giannopoulos - Drums
Konstantis Pistiolis – Clarinet, Kaval, Backing Vocals
Konstantinos Lazos – Bagpipe, Winds
Kostas Zois - Guitar
Achilleas Radis – Keys


(Photo - Zissis Tsoubos)

Birthed at the juncture where hardcore and punk meet metal, Death Ray Vision are proud to announce they have found a home. They have signed with Metal Blade Records for their forthcoming third album, No Mercy From Electric Eyes, due out in summer of this year. More details on the album are coming soon.


The band has shared the following teaser, which includes a snippet of a new song. Watch and listen below.


"I could not be more excited about Death Ray Vision joining the Metal Blade family," says bassist Mike D'Antonio. "The new record is a banger, and I can't think of a better record label to release it to the world!"




Metal Blade founder Brian Slagel concurs, "Super excited to welcome Death Ray Vision to the Metal Blade family! We love working with Mike D and look forward to this one!"


Commencing writing in late 2018 following a tour with Killswitch Engage - who share bassist D'Antonio with DRV - the band had a lot of creative momentum still burning following that year's Negative Mental Attitude and kept it rolling. The results will demonstrate that they are playing at the top of their game. "We're a lot more cohesive as a band after playing together for so many years, and we've gotten better at songwriting and collaborating to bring out the best in everyone’s ideas," says guitarist Pete Cortese.


A further new dimension affecting the sound is the addition of vocalist Keith Bennett to the band's ranks, who the existing members knew would be the perfect fit from his time with notable acts Wrecking Crew, Panzerbastard (both of whom shared the stage with Cortese and D'Antonio's other band Overcast), and Ramallah. "Keith brings a whole lot of piss and vinegar, with a side of street cred. He brought a new sense of enthusiasm and excitement and got us even more fired up to make a great record," says Cortese. Guitarist Chris Rosati adds, "Creatively speaking, Keith is a force of nature. His ability to get inside a new song and quickly come up with vocals and lyrics is really something to witness."


Expect great things from Death Ray Vision in 2023.





Death Ray Vision are:


Keith Bennett - Vocals
Chris Rosati - Guitar/vocals
Pete Cortese - Guitar
Mike D'Antonio - Bass
Colin Conway - Drums

Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the signing of All My Shadows, a quintet founded in 2020 by Vanden Plas members Stephan Lill (guitar) and Andy Kuntz (vocals). Their debut album, Eerie Monsters, will be released on February 17.


Today, the band has released a music video for the track "The Phantoms Of The Dawn". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Eerie Monsters here.


Stephan Lill is the guitarist and musical backbone of the internationally known progressive metal band Vanden Plas. From the very beginning, he has been a huge influence on the sound and musical development of the band with his songwriting. Outside of Vanden Plas, Lill has also left his mark with his involvement in the rock operas/theater productions "Ludus Danielis," "Christ 0," "The Chronicles of the Immortals," "Everyman," and "Last Paradise Lost".




Andy Kuntz is the charismatic and talented singer of Vanden Plas. With his distinctive voice, he moves effortlessly through all levels of vocal register and has established himself internationally as not only a rock/metal singer, but also as a lead in multiple rock musicals and operas. As the main lyricist and writer of the vocal melodies for Vanden Plas, he is the other musical mainstay and partner in crime with Lill in not only the band, but the aforementioned rock operas.


"The idea of recording and releasing some rock songs is something I've been thinking about for a while. While composing, I kept coming up with songs that have the spirit of the '80s. As a big fan of bands from that era, like Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne, Dokken, and the like, I still have a huge love for music from that time. The goal was to transport that classic music into the here and now. Hard rock with a powerful production, peppered with modern musical elements," says Lill.


The original idea for All My Shadows was to have different vocalists appear on the album. Lill brought in his musical partner Kuntz to write the lyrics for the songs. "We know each other inside and out, have been working together for a very long time and very well, and are a perfectly attuned team," he says. But once Kuntz was on board to write the lyrics and had demoed the first four songs with Lill, it was immediately clear to both musicians that Kuntz was the man for the job. "Why look far and away for several good singers, if the perfect singer is already there?" Lill muses.


While Lill and Kuntz continued to work on more songs, the aforementioned demos found their way to Frontiers Music Srl, Vanden Plas' current record label. Frontiers were also immediately enthusiastic about those demos and immediately and enthusiastically asked the band if they could be involved with releasing the music.


With the songs coming along nicely, the creative juices flowing, and a label home in place, Lill and Kuntz knew that a completely new entity had to be created, which would give the whole thing its own vibe and aura.  When Kuntz came up with the name All My Shadows, they both knew that "the band name perfectly reflects the dark colorful aura of the lyrics and melody lines in a perfect way. The debut album, "Eerie Monsters" is an exciting musical journey through time, transporting our widely branched "heavy rock roots" into the present day in a melodically exciting symbiosis of retro ambience and modern sounds. Sonically, somewhat related to bands such as Ghost, Stone Sour, or Soen, if you will, the music unfolds in an intoxicating manner. It's time for The New Retro-Rock!" declare Lill and Kuntz.


Keyboardist Markus Teske, who is also the owner of Bazement Studios and has been turning the knobs on the mixing desk for all of Vanden Plas' albums since 2002, was brought on board first. Beside being a superb engineer, he is a virtuoso at his instrument too. Then followed Franky R., a bassist who has played with renowned guitarist Michael Schenker, among others. And to keep it in the family, Stephan's brother Andreas Lill, also of Vanden Plas and who has a tremendous reputation for his musical experience and skill set, was brought in on drums to complete the lineup.


Lill and Kuntz unanimously answer with a clear "No!" whether the participation of the Vanden Plas musicians will bring All My Shadows too close sonically to Vanden Plas. Both musically and lyrically, the differences are too great, too tangible, too obvious.


"Vanden Plas stands very much for progressive metal in all its variations, while All My Shadows stands very much for melodic hard rock. Musical points of contact are there, overlaps are not. All My Shadows have all the characteristics to have their own identity," says Lill.





Eerie Monsters tracklisting:


"Silent Waters"
"A Boy Without A Name"
"Syrens"
"Lifeforms"
"Wolverinized"
"The Phantoms Of The Dawn"
"Farewell"
"Devil's Ride"
" All My Eerie Monsters"


"The Phantoms Of The Dawn" video:





"Silent Waters" video:





Lineup:


Stephan Lill - Guitars
Andy Kuntz - Vocals
Markus Teske - Keyboards
Franky R. - Bass
Andreas Lill - Drums

Puscifer continue their series of album-by-album remix collections, releasing Existential Reckoning: Re-Wired on March 31 via Puscifer Entertainment/Alchemy Recordings/BMG. Pre-order here.


A video for “A Singularity" (Re-Imagined by Carina Round), shot and edited by Maynard James Keenan, was released this morning. The clip echoes the song’s sentiment, with the heart-wrenching track offered as a memoriam to Keenan’s beloved, and well known dog, MiHo.


He says: “On Oct. 7, 2021, I lost my Muse. Deadly Little MiHo lost her 2 year battle with pancreatitis and kidney disease. We thought we lost her in late 2019, so I panicked and wrote her this song. We were certain she was done for. But we were blessed with a second chance and a bit more time. I rarely share things like this. Too painful. But this one can’t be kept bottled up. As I have mentioned before, she has been hiding in most of my vocal tracks since 2005. She was either in or near the vocal booth every time I tracked. Her sigh, her bark, sniffle, sneeze. Her jingling collar. Her squeaky toys. Usually poorly timed. Performance Credits- @PUSCIFER - V is for V*****, Don’t Shoot the Messenger EP, V is for V***** remixes, C is for…EP, Conditions of My Parole, All Re-Mixed Up, Donkey Punch the Night EP, Money $hot, Money $hot Your Re-Load, Existential Reckoning, Existential Reckoning Re-Wired. @APERFECTCIRCLE - "By & Down" single, Eat the Elephant. @TOOLMUSIC - 10,000 Days, Fear Inoculum.”




Round explains her approach to re-working the song: “Maynard’s vocal for this song is synonymously a sorrowful hymn and a siren of celebration. I wanted the main vocal and the bass and drums to be anchors in a sea of jubilant chaos. A kind of controlled cacophony of celebratory joy. Familiar, but a bit unnerving. The horns and saxes at the end are all moving together but somehow so loose, dispersing off into foam and then coming back together into one harmonious wave and then breaking off again, cascading. I feel excited when it’s over and like I want to get back on the ride. Birds, a charm of finches bookend the song. You can feel their energy. And within, there’s Maynard’s lone whistle, mimicking them. The one who keeps them alive and in turn draws his own life force. The synergy of composure and chaos in a dance reverence.”


Watch the video below.


The band has simultaneously announced their first European tour in seven years, with performances slated for Hellfest, Nos Alive and Mad Cool festivals, as well as a round of headlining performances. A brief US trek precedes the European outing. Tickets for all headlining shows (Europe and US. are on on-sale Friday, January 20 at 10 AM, local time. Night Club opens on all headlining dates. Ticketing links can be found via Puscifer.com.


Existential Reckoning: Re-Wired offers a track-for-track re-imagining of the 12 songs from Existential Reckoning. Puscifer band members Mitchell and Round, along with current touring musicians Greg Edwards (Failure, Autolux) and Gunnar Olsen reinterpret tracks from the prophetic, electro-laced record. The Academy Award-winning team of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross tackle “Apocalyptical” (Reznor has a co-writing credit with Maynard James Keenan and Mitchell on Puscifer’s 2009 song, “Potions”), Phantogram revamp “Postulous,” Drummer Sarah Jones and Bring Me The Horizon’s Jordan Fish tackle “”Theorem,” Queens of The Stone Age (and sometimes A Perfect Circle/Failure) guitar player Troy Van Leeuwen partners with his Gone is Gone bandmate, Tony Hajjar for “Grey Area,” while Tool’s Justin Chancellor and The Crystal Method’s Scott Kirkland join forces for “UPGrade.” Additional contributors include Juliette Commagere, who first appeared on Puscifer’s 2011 album Conditions of My Parole, keyboard player Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails), and BBC 1’s Daniel P. Carter.





Existential Reckoning: Re-Wired tracklisting:


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





Puscifer tour dates:


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


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


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


(Photo - Travis Shinn)

The Swedish Skeptics Association (Vetenskap Och Folkbildning) is "reviewing" its decision to honor Swedish metallers SABATON with the Årets Folkbildare 2022 (Public Educator Of The Year) award after it came to light that the band made some controversial comments about Russian-occupied Crimea.

Årets Folkbildare is an annual award that began in 1987. It is traditionally presented to academics, authors, journalists and media outlets that go above and beyond what is expected in order to educate people.

Vetenskap Och Folkbildning hand-picked SABATON specifically for the band's ability to deliver factual content, expressing that they stand out from their contemporaries and peers in the music scene for their dedication to giving truthful, historical accounts with the assistance of qualified historians and experts.

SABATON bassist and founder Pär Sundström was happy about the award when he spoke to Dagens Nyheter on Tuesday.

"It feels great to get confirmation that you are doing something right. It feels great," he said.

"Hard rock comes first, but it's great that our side story gets attention as well.

Sundström went on to say that he and his bandmates work in such a way that they first have a musical idea which they then bring together with a historical story.

"Today we have a lot of people in our network who are more than happy to help give us information in case we are not sure about anything about the story," he explained.

The announcement of SABATON receiving the Årets Folkbildare award came just days after SABATON's song "Carolus Rex" was removed from a Spotify playlist of music that will represent Sweden while the country holds the presidency of the council of the European Union (also known as the Council Of Ministers) in the first six months of 2023. The SABATON track, which was written about the Swedish king Karl XII, was taken off the list after the Swedish government was alerted to the band's 2015 performance in Crimea, following Russia's illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula. The concert was reportedly organized by the Russian biker gang Nattvargarna, which is close to Vladimir Putin.

"This is not something we want to be associated with the Swedish presidency", the government's press service for the Swedish EU presidency said in an e-mail to Dagens Nyheter.

The gig also caused the Swedish Armed Forces to stop working with the band two years ago.

Vetenskap Och Folkbildning was initially unfazed by the controversy, with Per Johan Råsmark, who sits on the board at VOF, telling Dagens Nyheter: "No one gets the award because they are perfect people or organizations. Everyone gets the prize for what they do as public educators."

Sundström told Dagens Nyheter on Tuesday that he did not even know SABATON was on the Spotify playlist when he was told that "Carolus Rex" had been removed.

"It is perhaps a bit unnecessary in general to have a list where politicians tell you what to listen to and what not," he said, adding that he didn't "attach much importance" to SABATON being removed from the list.

In an interview in 2015 in connection with the Crimea gig, Pär said that he and his SABATON bandmates "play for fans, regardless of where they are. We were there to spread our music, as we always do."

Asked what he thinks of Russia's actions in Ukraine today, Pär told Dagens Nyheter: "I do not want to comment on what I think about someone's actions in a political context. It's not my thing today." But he added: "I think all wars are stupid. We sing about history because we hope that war will not be repeated. It tells us quite clearly our position and where we stand on it."

After Dagens Nyheter's interview with Sundström on Tuesday, Dagens ETC published an article about Sundström's 2016 comments to Sweden Rock Magazine where he said, among other things, that Crimea had previously been occupied by Ukraine.

"If you go to Sevastopol, you hardly feel that they feel occupied — quite the opposite," he told Sweden Rock. "They have been occupied for years only because they ended up on the wrong side when the border was drawn between the Soviet Union and Ukraine. All these years they have felt like Russians but treated like a small piece of Ukraine."

In a new statement to Dagens Nyheter, Sundström clarified his 2016 comments to Sweden Rock, saying: "My quote was how I experienced the situation there and then on site and the impressions I took home with me. That someone invades or occupies another country is against international law, which I think should apply instead of someone resorting to armed conflict as has now happened in Ukraine. Our catalog of songs is proof that there has been enough fighting.”

After Dagens ETC reported on Sundström's statement about Crimea, Vetenskap Og Folkbildning said that they will hold an extraordinary meeting in the near future where they will discuss the award.

"It is not normally the case that we have meetings immediately afterwards. But there is nothing that can say anything about what decision we will make or when it will be," Per Johan Råsmark told Dagens Nyheter on Wednesday.

When Vetenskap Och Folkbildning first announced that it was giving the award to SABATON, president Pontus Böckman said in a statement: "SABATON combine their artistic work with public education in a unique way. In a world where we are inundated with fake news and conspiracy theories, fact-checked information is delivered from the last place many would expect — a heavy metal band."

Sundström was equally enthusiastic about the award, saying: "We've started the year in the best way possible. We love making music and we've received a significant amount of recognition for our releases, but to be recognized for the hard work and effort that goes into the topics of our songs with an award such as this is a whole different thing. It's a whole new level of validation that means the world to us and makes us quite emotional. We put hours and hours of work into every song we write, and work hand in hand with historians and academics to ensure that what we are putting out into the world is accurate and factual. This is something we stand by and will make sure we continue in the same vein."

He added: "What we create is not just metal. We build vivid pictures around the narratives from conflicts spanning the globe, and we do this from a neutral standpoint. We feel it's fundamental to not let these stories collect dust. We need to bring them to the light for people to learn from past incidents. We want to awaken a passion for history and curiosity among our listeners. I really want to thank the Swedish Skeptics Association for this incredible accolade. It truly is an honor."

Since it was founded in 1982, the Swedish Skeptics Association's main purpose has been to raise the public's awareness of scientific methods and results. The association publishes a quarterly journal and coordinates lectures on themes related to science and pseudoscience.

Multinational all-star death metal kings, Siege Of Power, have set February 17 as release date for their new full-length, This Is Tomorrow. For a first preview of the album, a visualizer for the single "Force Fed Fear" can be viewed below.


Siege Of Power consists of Chris Reifert (Autopsy) on vocals, Paul Baayens (Asphyx) on guitars, Theo van Eekelen (ex-Hail Of Bullets) on bass and Bob Bagchus (ex-Asphyx) on drums.


"We still like the debut Warning Blast a lot but after a few years we started talking about doing another album and then we realized we had to be more serious. So we started writing 11 songs - all killers, no fillers!", comments drummer Bob Bagchus. "Most of our inspiration on this album came from old school bands like Venom, Bathory, Slayer and even Black Sabbath. Combined with our own personal style we have for decades, of course."




This Is Tomorrow is a tad darker than Warning Blast and that's not all. Chris Reifert's vocals are a lot more diverse giving each song it's own identity. It's a straight forward, rough metal album with good, old 80s vibes and reflects the dark times we are living in these days.


The album was recorded at Toneshed studios and mixed/mastered by Erwin Hermsen. The stunning artwork was created by Roberto Toderico.


Siege Of Power started in 2013 -under the moniker First Class Elite - as a project without any expectations. Shortly after releasing a split album it was left for dead, buried and almost forgotten until the rotten corpse was exhumed in 2017. This resulted in 19 no-nonsense extreme metal tracks mixed with several doomdozers and the debut album Warning Blast.





This Is Tomorrow can also be pre-ordered here in the following formats:


- jewelcase-CD
- clear / blood red splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
- red with black & white splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies)


Cover art by Roberto Toderico.





This Is Tomorrow tracklisting:


"Force Fed Fear"
"Sinister Christians"
"Scavengers"
"Zero Containment"
"Ghosts of Humanity"
"As the World Crumbles"
"Oblivion"
"Deeper Wounds"
"The Devil's Grasp"
"No Salvation"
"This Is Tomorrow"


"Force Fed Fear" visualizer:

Steve Vai and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group recently announced the release of Vai / Gash digitally and on CD on January 27. The vinyl album release will follow on February 24.


Today, they present “She Saved My Life Tonight”, which can be heard below.


Vai shares, “Recorded in 1991, this track is an uplifting rocker about being way down and out, and then finding something worth living for.”







About the new album, Vai shares, “This record was written and recorded in somewhat of a stream of consciousness in 1991 within perhaps a 2-week period as an answer to my desire to have a particular kind of music to listen to when I was riding my Harley Davison Motorcycle with my friends. It’s reminiscent of a certain type of rock music I enjoyed as a teenager in the 1970’s. These recordings sat on the shelf for over 30 years and are being released now in 2023. Here’s the story…”


An abbreviated synopsis of the anecdotal history and fond remembrances as articulated by Vai in the liner notes offer detail on singer Gash and his deep connection to Vai. From his teenage years on Long Island, to today, he has openly shared his love of motorcycles. Gash shared that passion.


Vai reflects, “Around 1990, I was overcome with a desire to rip out what I thought would be a straight-ahead type of rock record that contained the kind of music I wish I had to listen to when I was that teenager ensconced in the biker culture. And then I met Johnny “Gash” Sombrotto.”


John was born in Queens, New York and as a youth was an avid motorcycle enthusiast. In 1977 at the age of 21, he endured a serious accident that caused his body to catch fire while plunging 30 feet onto a barbed wire fence. Vai wrote in the liner notes, “The doctors told his family that he had third degree burns over 60% of his body, and that if he even survived, there was a strong possibility that he would lose his right arm and left leg. While in the Burn Unit, he endured excruciating pain, especially when given the intense daily cycle of hot baths for his burns. He soldiered on, and after a month he was finally discharged from the hospital. Luckily, no limbs were amputated. He was, however, left with a partial left ear and layers of skin grafts over his neck, arms, legs, and entire chest. The stories he told about his recovery and the excruciating pain involved were crushingly gut wrenching. But he survived, and eventually thrived again. He made his way out to Los Angeles in 1982 and got right back up on his motorcycle.”


Vai met John through a mutual friend, Mark Cimino. They bonded over biker culture, and he choose the name “Gash” as a nickname. Vai wrote, “…I’ve observed many people interacting with him on our numerous motorcycle road trips and other adventures. At first sight, many people could be taken by his bald head, scarred neck and burnt-off ear. Looking as he did and riding a Harley it was easy to assume he was perhaps a tough, menacing biker with a nefarious attitude, but after engaging with him for even a minute, his charm and magnetic charisma had them laughing in their shoes and completely enjoying his uplifting presence. He endeared people with his wit, warmth, and sparkle. John hit it off instantly with the most unlikely of people of every age, color, size, political or sexual persuasions. He was non superficial and never judged people. This allowed his engaging personality and intoxicating charm to draw you in. Under all those scars was a bold and fearlessly warm heart that can be seen in his disarming and big soft blue eyes.”


He continues, “…something in me wanted to get him in the studio and see how he would belt over these biker type songs I had demoed, but nothing could have prepared me for the voice that came out of his mouth. I had to think, off course he sounds like that because that’s him, confident, authentic, fearless but with a lighthearted intention. This was the voice I wanted to hear wailing over these slamming rock tracks. I was stunned. Around that timeframe I was also starting to launch work on ‘Sex and Religion’ and was hoping to eventually record more than the 8 songs I had laid down with John for an alternative project, but that was proven impossible. On September 7th, 1998, two days after my father had passed away, the phone rang, and it was John’s beloved girlfriend Nancy. Her voice was quaking, and I somehow knew what she was going to tell me. ‘John was in a bike accident and was killed’.”


After three decades, Steve Vai has finally shared this master with The World. In his opinion, “He would have absolutely been the greatest rock lead singer you would ever want to know. All the elements were in place, but he was gone. Disheartened, I put the entire project on the shelf, and would listen to it at least once a year for the past 30 years, especially around the anniversary of his passing. Then recently something compelled me to want to put it out now.  I wish you would have had a chance to get to know John. I believe you would have loved him just as we all did. For now, he is ‘In the Wind’.”


Pre-order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"In The Wind"
"Busted"
"Let’s Jam"
"Woman Fever"
"She Saved My Life Tonight"
"Danger Zone"
"New Generation"
"Flowers Of Life"


"Busted":





"In The Wind" video:





(Photo - Larry DiMarzio)

With 2023 just eleven days old, New York City electro metal heads, Dope, are back with their latest music video from the upcoming album, Blood Money Part Zer0, scheduled for release on February 24.


The track, “Misery”, showcases another guest appearance by mastermind Edsel Dope’s alternative project, Drama Club. The music video - directed by Edsel Dope and co-directed by Matt Zane - features the Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow performing stunts from their macabre sideshow. The circus has gained renown around the globe for their death-defying stunts and visual oddities.


“Misery” is available via all streaming services and the visually captivating video can be seen below:







Blood Money Part Zer0 is the band’s first release in seven years and is the follow up to 2016’s Blood Money Part 1, which debuted at #27 on the Billboard top 200, selling over 15K units in its first week. Dope has sold more than a million combined albums and have amassed an incredible audience of nearly 2-million monthly listeners on Spotify, while racking up more than 130 million plays on their cult classic “Die MF Die”.


In a move to demonstrate the bands sincere appreciation to their loyal fanbase for more than two decades, the band is giving away Blood Money Part Zer0 for FREE digitally. Longtime fans, curious listeners and people that enjoy gratis music can sign up to download the album for free on the band’s website. A physical pre-order will also be available on the band’s website for fans that want to purchase the new album in various physical formats, available here.





Blood Money Part Zer0 tracklisting:              


"No Respect"
"Believe"
"Best Of Me"
"Choke"
"Dead World"
"Misery"
"Love Song"
"Dive"
"Parasite"
"Row"
"Fuck It Up"
"Wide"


"Best Of Me" video:





"Believe" video:





"Fuck It Up" visualizer:





"No Respect" video:





Dope will be touring in 2023 in support of Blood Money Part Zer0 as part of the Rise Of The Machine Tour with Static-X and Fear Factory. The 42-date trek kicks off February 25 in San Francisco, CA and wraps up April 15 in Los Angeles, CA. Tickets for all stops on the Rise Of The Machine Tour can be found at DopeTheBand.com.


Rise Of The Machine North American Tour 2023:


February
25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
27 - Portland, OR - Roseland
28 - Seattle, WA - Showbox


March
1 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
2 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
3 - Boise, ID - Revolution Concert Hall
4 - Reno, NV - Virginia Street Brewhouse
5 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
7 - Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren
8 - Albuquerque, NM - El Rey Theater
9 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
10 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
11 - San Antonio, TX - The Aztec Theater
12 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues
14 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
15 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live
16 - Charlotte, NC - Underground
17 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
18 - Philadelphia, PA - T.L.A.
19 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
21 - Boston, MA - Big Night Live
22 - New Haven, CT - Toad’s
23 - Montreal, QC - Corona
24 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix
25 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
26 - Cleveland, OH - House Of Blues
28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian
29 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts
30 - Columbus, OH - The King of Clubs
31- Ft. Wayne, IN - The Clyde


April
1 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
2 - Green Bay, WI - Epic Event Center
4 - Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection
5 - St. Louis, MO - Del Mar Hall
6 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
7 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
8 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore
9 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theater
11 - Denver, CO - The Summit
13 - Las Vegas, NH - House Of Blues
14 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
15 - Los Angeles, Ca - Belasco Theater