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

Floor Jansen, lead singer of the symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH, has released a new solo single, "Invincible". Taken from Floor's debut solo album "Paragon" and originally written specifically for the Invictus Games, this uplifting anthem takes on the important topic of PTSD and its effects on not just veterans, but all of us. With one in 13 people affected by PTSD in their lifetime, and women being twice as likely to develop it as men, this is a song that will resonate with many.

But "Invincible" is more than just a song about a difficult topic. It's a message of hope, of strength, and of resilience. The lyrics, "Out in the rain / Stronger now / Stronger than all of the pain / Broken but beautiful" are a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of coming out stronger. The song encourages the listener to "Master the pain / The cradle of your story / Changed by disdain / Starting life once more" and to find healing and self-discovery.

In addition to the powerful message of hope and resilience in "Invincible", it is also deeply personal for Jansen. The singer has witnessed the effects of PTSD in her close circle and has seen first-hand the struggles that it can cause in one's life.

Jansen is a powerful voice in the music industry and her own personal experience with PTSD gives her a unique perspective on the topic, one that is both understanding and empathetic. "Invincible" is not only a powerful anthem but also a testimony of Floor's sensitivity, humility, and willingness to share a personal side of her life, making her a relatable artist. An example of this is Floor's recent struggle with breast cancer.

This song is a way for her to reach out to others who may be struggling, and offer them a message of hope and encouragement. Through "Invincible", she hopes to remind others that they are not alone, and that no matter how difficult the journey may be, there is always the possibility of coming out stronger.

"Paragon" will arrive on March 24. The LP showcases the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

"Paragon" includes the following tracks:

01. My Paragon
02. Daydream
03. Invincible
04. Hope
05. Come Full Circle
06. Storm
07. Me Without You
08. The Calm
09. Armoured Wings
10. Fire

Jansen said: "To renew yourself and take leaps into the unknown makes you grow. To age is a gift not everyone gets. I am a fortunate woman who got to make an album I never knew I could make. One that even defines me, where I am on my path. I have reached my PARAGON! I am so proud of this work! And grateful for all the amazing people in this beautiful life that helped me get here!"

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike. It's the perfect addition to any music collection, and a must-have for fans of Floor Jansen and NIGHTWISH.

"Paragon" will be released digitally and physically on CD, vinyl, and a limited-edition deluxe box set. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and at music retailers worldwide.

Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023.

Floor had previously released three singles from "Paragon": "Me Without You", "Storm" and "Fire".

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

Masters of anthemic rock ‘n’ roll, Black Star Riders, will release their new album, Wrong Side Of Paradise, worldwide via Earache Records on January 20. Today, the band release the new single, "Catch Yourself On". Listen below.


"Surprise! We have one more song to gift to you before you can hear our new album Wrong Side Of Paradise in full from 20th January," says the band. "Our new single 'Catch Yourself On' is out now as a big thank you to all who have supported us!"


Ricky Warwick adds: ""‘Catch Yourself On’ is a phrase often used in my home country of Northern Ireland, it’s used to tell someone to ‘stop being ridiculous’ or ‘to get real’. We’re sadly becoming slaves to technology and social media (guilty as charged). We don’t think twice about sharing our inner most feelings and thoughts with a world of strangers… We seem to be losing the ability to think for ourselves. Technology is controlling us, instead we should be controlling technology. It feels like it’s already surpassing human interaction."







Wrong Side Of Paradise, featuring 11 tracks, was recorded in the fall of 2021 at Studio 606 in Northridge California and Toochtoon Sound in Redmond, Oregon with producer and longtime BSR associate, Jay Ruston.





Pre-order the new album on vinyl, CD and cassette, with loads of limited exclusives from the Earache webstore.





Tracklisting:


"Wrong Side Of Paradise"
"Hustle"
"Better Than Saturday Night"
"Riding Out The Storm"
"Pay Dirt"
"Catch Yourself On"
"Crazy Horses"
"Burning Rome"
"Don't Let The World"
"Green And Troubled Land"
"This Life Will Be The Death Of Me"


"Riding Out The Storm" video:





"Crazy Horses":





"Pay Dirt":





"Better Than Saturday Night" video:

Finland's Without Warning have released their fouth single, "R.P.B.P" (short for Red Pill / Blue Pill) via Inverse Records. Taking a different intensive and eerie approach, this is single really stands out from the previous releases.


"R.P.B.P" emphasizes a mind game like surrounding where humanity is possessed by an aggressive creator. Are you up to challenge your suppressor to get out alive? Or is this fight to live only happening in your darkest mind?


Even if the lyrics strongly suggest that the theme is a fictional and dangerous game setup, there is a metaphoric hidden message. Reflecting the anger and will to control people through various evil world leaders and using people as puppets for their dirty deeds.







With the new single, Without Warning also presents their new fifth member, or disciple as they say – Aleksi Rintala. He is the talented composer behind "R.P.B.P" and will be adding his talent to the guitars and music production.


Rintala: “When the band asked me to join as a guitarist, I was also happy to take responsibilities in the songwriting department. I started digging through my archives for a fitting demo for the new band, and I came across this unusual, 'nu-metalish' demo that I decided to present to the band. The band was excited about it the minute they heard it, and in a short period of time we produced an amazing new song for Without Warning. I believe the rest of the band is excited as I am of this new release!” 


The new single is accompanied by a music video which brings the intensive story visually alive, produced by no other than Guilty Visuals. The video also includes an acting feature with Inka Inkinen, the amazing vocalist for Noira.


The single is available on digital platforms here. Check out the video below. 





Line-up:
Vocals: Michaela Tuomenoksa
Guitars: Juuso Javanainen
Guitars: Aleksi Rintala 
Bass: Joakim Keuru
Drums: Lauri Tuomenoksa


Photo by Michaela Tuomenoksa

Wake Arkane's new single "Puppets Know The Tears" brings back their unique sound made of theatrical death metal filled with pathos.





Inspired by a short story written by the singer Mike Lunacy (former leader of the historical death metal band Dark Lunacy) this is the second song released of the brand new album of the band Awakenings.




"Puppets Know The Tears" is an energetic track full of pathos, drama and refined melodies.





The band will soon release a music video for this song. It will be followed by several other singles in the next few months.


The full-length album Awakenings was mastered by the Swedish musician and record producer Dan Swanö and will be released by the year 2023.


In the coming months and after an eight years hiatus, the band will start performing live again.

The Flyer Vault has dug up footage of Alice Cooper performing on the roof of Toronto, Canada's HMV Superstore in 1991. The nearly 8-minute clip can be seen below, as well as the original video, uploaded to YouTube in 2014 by nextgenerationfans.


The Flyer Vault captioned the Instagram post: July 5, 1991: What was supposed to be an autograph session turned into a full-blown rock circus as @alicecooper performed an impromptu concert on the HMV rooftop to promote his “Hey Stoopid” album. According to eyewitness reports, fans got on their knees during the performance and chanted “We’re not worthy!” 🤘🏻


Paul Alofs, who was the President of HMV Canada at the time, added the following to the post: "I was the President of HMV and opened the 333 Yonge St. HMV store and gave the 2 thumbs up on Alice Cooper's roof top show. Described in the 1st chapter of my book "Passion Capital". Haven't seen this video before and it put a giant smile on my face."






 

 
 

 


View this post on Instagram

 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

A post shared by The Flyer Vault (@theflyervault)










 

In February 2022, Van der Graaf Generator embarked on a UK tour which had been rescheduled several times due to the Covid pandemic. The final show on these dates took place at The Forum in Bath on March 1 and the event was captured by a film and recording crew.


The Bath Forum Concert is the first live CD and film fully controlled by the band and it captures Peter Hammill, Hugh Banton and Guy Evans at their finest performing vintage tracks such as “Masks”, “Childlike Faith In Childhood's End”, “La Rossa”, “Man Erg” and “House With No Door” along with newer pieces such as “Interference Patterns”, “Every Bloody Emperor”, “Go”, “Alfa Berlina” and “Room 1210”.


This release features the entire concert, mixed by Stephen W Tayler, and includes two CDs and a region free High-Definition Blu Ray video with 5.1 Surround Sound and an NTSC / Region Free DVD of this stunning concert film.







Includes:


-A clamshell boxed set of the Van Der Graaf Generator concert in bath forum on March 1.
-Featuring two CDs and one Blu-ray HD video disc (region free) and one DVD video (NTSC / REGION FREE).
-Illustrated booklet.


Preorder at cherryred.co.uk..

The third LP of the German death metal band Disminded will be called The Vision and will see the light of day on March 3 via Black Sunset/MDD. 





The new album was recorded in summer 2022 at Tim Schlichting's Flashback Recording Studios, while scene icon Harris Johns was responsible for mixing and mastering. The result is a no-frills ode to the melodic old school death metal of the Nineties. 10 songs full of fervor and devotion with dragging, almost everything rolling down melodies, blast speed parts, pleading and cursing growls and screams - and all that in a contemporary garb, without pandering to "modern" genre expressions. 




The Vision is a musical statement performed without compromise, which will make fans of the genre click their tongues. More info and first samples soon, stay tuned.

Opening the doors to 2023, the band from Sao Paulo, Adellaide, who perform a contemporary hybrid of hard rock, AOR and melodic rock and with strong inspirations and references from bands like Journey, Survivor, Kansas and Asia, have released their new music video "Fell From The Sky", the fourth single taken from their latest studio album Deja Vu, officially released on July 29 through the Danish label, Lions Pride Music.


The video was directed and produced by Rafael Agostino with special thanks to Alexandre Romani: 







All three of the first singles from "Deja Vu", "Girl From Syria", "Falling Petals" and "Without You" continue to achieve very impressive numbers of views, "Girl From Syria" having over 103,000 and "Without You" with over 29,000 views, majestically confirming the incredible quality of Adellaide's work. Now, with "Fell From The Sky", this will be no different, as its melody, harmony and the story behind the lyrics play hand in hand in a garden of good musical taste and competence in hooking the listener.


"Fell From The Sky" talks about regrets for the loss of opportunities in love and past affective relationships due to the maturity that human beings develop over time. The famous inner voices spring up in thoughts of wisdom and, at the same time, sadness for missing the opportunity today to be living a great love.


For the music video two child actors were used, representing the love of a childhood, Roberto Albuquerque Brunhara - godson of Leandro Freitas (keyboard) and the same actor who participated in the music video of "Lean To Live" from 2017, and Mariana Rauber - vocalist Daniel Vargas’ student, and we also have the participation of singer Juliana Rossi, from the band Silent Cry on lead vocals along with Daniel Vargas.


Deja Vu is available for listening on the main digital platforms and also in physical imported CD format, released by Lions Pride Music, available for sale at Die Hard store, in Galeria do Rock/SP or through Adellaide's official website.

The SiriusXM YouTube channel has uploaded a video from MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine's September 2022 appearance on Liquid Metal where he discussed the musical impact of the early recordings from New Wave Of British Heavy Metal legends DIAMOND HEAD. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[DIAMOND HEAD was] probably one of the most influential bands in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, if only for the fact that they were in the right place at the right time. I thought they had a great singer, and I thought the guitar riffs were amazing. And the press had gone as far as to say that they were the heir apparent to LED ZEPPELIN. That was a massive compliment for DIAMOND HEAD. So at the time, when I first heard them, it had come through my last band, METALLICA, from the drummer, Lars [Ulrich], who was evidently touring with DIAMOND HEAD; he would be a fanboy and follow them. I got to meet them on a little different level; I met them as equals, or as myself, as an established musician. So I got a chance to kind of really, eyeball to eyeball, meet this guy Brian Tatler, the guitar player from DIAMOND HEAD. And just a sweet man — a tremendous talent on guitar.

"The DIAMOND HEAD that I know and love was the DIAMOND HEAD in the beginning," Mustaine explained. "And I'll tell you, there were so many of those songs that we played in METALLICA: 'Helpless', 'The Prince', 'Am I Evil?' And a lot of people think those are original songs in METALLICA. They're not; they're DIAMOND HEAD songs."

Mustaine has been very vocal about what a "massive influence" DIAMOND HEAD and Tatler were on him and the music he wrote for both MEGADETH and METALLICA.

Tatler, for his part, has repeatedly expressed his gratitude over the years to METALLICA, who have covered four DIAMOND HEAD songs and kept the band in the spotlight.

Three and a half years ago, Tatler spoke to "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" about a collaboration project he began with Mustaine but never finished. Asked how the idea for the project came about and what became of it, Tatler said: "You remember [Mustaine] did an album called MD.45 [in 1996]? So he did that, and then maybe a year later, we got in touch with each other. And he said about that album, he said, 'I'd like to do another album like that, with yourself,' and he named a couple of other players. And I thought, 'That sounds fantastic. I'm up for that.' So I started writing material, and I would send stuff over, and he'd say, 'Yup. I like that. And I don't like that. And I like this.' And on it went for maybe a year or so. And every now and again, he'd apologize and say, 'I'm ever so busy. I'm doing the MEGADETH album,' and this, that and the other, and it seemed to drag on a little. And eventually, he said, 'I'm not gonna be able to do it.'"

Tatler continued: "Do you remember [Dave] hurt his arm [in 2002]? He went to sleep on his arm. And so he couldn't play guitar anymore. He sold his gear. MEGADETH stopped playing. That was the end of it. So he couldn't do our project either. So I just thought, 'Oh, okay. That's life.' One good thing: it forced me to write some songs, so I had about 30-odd song ideas that I wouldn't have otherwise, had I not had this opportunity. I had a fantastic reason to get my fingers out and start writing. And so some of these songs I've used on various albums that I've done since. That's the good thing that I took from that, negative. And we stayed friends, and MEGADETH offered us a support tour in 2005 — we did 22 dates all across Europe, opening for MEGADETH. So they did us a favor in the end — a return favor. And that went really well. It's all good."

It was announced in December 2017 that DIAMOND HEAD had inked a management deal with Thrashville Management, the company founded by Dave and his son Justis Mustaine. Several months later, the affiliation came to a sudden and unexpected end, with DIAMOND HEAD switching over to Siren Artist Management, which also handles SAXON, EUROPE, URIAH HEEP and THIN LIZZY.

In 2019, DIAMOND HEAD bassist Dean Ashton said "it was an awesome experience getting to work with Dave." As for the failed partnership, DIAMOND HEAD vocalist Rasmus Bom Anderson admitted: "It was a big blow to all of us, as there was so much great stuff happening in the wings, and it all fell to pieces. I have nothing but great respect to Dave Mustaine and Justis Mustaine. They were super friendly and supportive, and I believe [they] wanted this to work out as much as we did, but sadly it didn't."

Lysis is a melodic metalcore band based in Falun, Sweden. Their sound draws a lot of inspiration from the signature Gothenburg Sound, mixed with influences from other sub genres like symphonic metal, which makes Lysis' sound unique and modern.


The name Lysis takes inspiration from the process when the outer parts of a cell are breaking down due to internal or external factors which exposes the cell. This process reflects the topics and themes Lysis presents in their music. Identifying and ventilating thoughts and feelings that might feel destructive at first, but by working on them you come out stronger on the other side.


Their new single "Handprints" is mixed and produced by Isak Olsson, and comes with an updated sound but still retains its roots in the Gothenburg Sound in combination with Isabell Hag's unique voice.










For further details, follow Lysis on Facebook.


 

Jacksonville, FL based rock band Fortune Child has revealed the official music video for their newest single, "All I Wanna Know". Imbued with classic guitar licks and an infectious groove, "All I Wanna Know" was mixed / engineered by Ben McLeod (All Them Witches).





“'All I Wanna Know' is the next step towards what we feel is becoming our new sound. It holds true to our rock roots, but there’s also a bit of a sonic expedition in the mid section, and the visual that goes along with the video hints at that as well. We’ve got a lot of genre-bending in our future and we feel like this is our first real leap in that direction as a trio." - Fortune Child







Over the course of one year, Christian Powers (lead vocalist / drummer), Buddy Crump (guitarist,) and Jon Ward (bassist) have begun to redefine the rock genre while still holding true to their roots. Boasting powerful leads, long jams, and a genre-bending sound, the band is carving a path of its own with the guidance and experience of engineer Ben McLeod and legendary producer / engineer Kevin Elson (Journey / Mr. Big / Lynyrd Skynyrd).


In the short time that they've been together, Fortune Child has already taken to the stage with the likes of Cedric Burnside, All Them Witches, The Georgia Thunderbolts, Blacktop Mojo, Classless Act and many more to come. Along with their on-stage accomplishments, the group has done just as much off stage. Fortune Child won the 2022 Great Atlantic Southern Rock Revival spotlight presented by iHeart Radio and Planet Radio, landing them a slot on the southeast's newest rock festival of the year.