The world's finest prog rock supergroup, The Prog Collective, returns with another stunning studio album to kick off the brand new year. Seeking Peace is the group’s fifth album overall, and their first album of all new material since 2013’s Epilogue. The band continues to break new musical ground under the guidance of producer/musician/songwriter guru Billy Sherwood, who channels spiritual serenity and mystical forces on these epic new compositions that prog lovers will love.


Sherwood is ably supported by a host of some of the most superb rock musicians around including vocalists James LaBrie and Graham Bonnet, guitarists Steve Morse and Steve Stevens as well as keyboardists Jordan Rudess and Geoff Downes.


Check out the first song to be released from the album, “A Matter Of Time”, one of the most dynamic and breathtaking compositions ever attempted by the group. YES vocalist Jon Davison turns in a powerful vocal performance, navigating the song’s many twists and turns, while Steve Hillage’s guitarwork explodes with color and passion that captivates throughout the track’s entire 7+ minute run time.




Stream the single here, and below.


Seeking Peace comes to all formats including CD, digital and gorgeous purple vinyl starting January 27. Pre-order the CD/vinyl here, pre-order/pre-save the digital here.





Tracklisting:


"Electric World" feat. Jordan Rudess & Chester Thompson
"Seeking Peace" feat. James LaBrie & Patrick Moraz
"In An Instant" feat. Steve Stevens & Billy Sherwood
"Finally Over" feat. David Sancious & Steve Morse
"A Matter Of Time" feat. Jon Davison & Steve Hillage
"Take The Path" feat. Graham Bonnet
"All Is Meant To Be" feat. Frank DiMino & Geoff Downes


Bonus tracks (CD only):


"Electric World" (Full Length Version)
"All Is Meant To Be" (Full Length Version)

EVANESCENCE frontwoman Amy Lee performed on December 17 at the Vatican's annual "Concerto Di Natale" as part of Pope Francis's Christmas celebrations at the Auditorium Conciliazione in Rome, Italy.

The event, which also included appearances by AKA7even, Cristina D'Avena, Darin, Fiorella Mannoia, Jimmy Sax and more, will be aired New Year's Eve on Italian television.

Earlier today (Saturday, December 31),Amy shared a few photos from this year's "Concerto Di Natale", and she included the following message: "I am so incredibly honored to be a part of the Vatican's @concerto_di_natale. Still buzzing about the whole unforgettable experience, can't wait for you to see! It premieres tomorrow in Italy on Canale 5 at 9:20pm. For the rest of us, the entire concert will stream on the 6th on YouTube at 8:00am Eastern / 2:00pm CET.

"My gorgeous dress was created by the legendary @valerjpobega . And we couldn't have done it without my all time favorite, absolute ROCKSTAR stylist @marjanmalakpour".

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Lee became involved with the concert after she and other musicians took part in a songwriting session last summer with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and his son, Matteo, at Bocelli's estate in Tuscany.

The Vatican City has been hosting a Christmas concert every year since 1993. Organized mainly for charitable purposes, the event brings together internationally renowned music artists.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amy (@amylee)

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson teamed up with HELSTAR singer James Rivera's METAL ASYLUM for a night of jamming at a New Year's Eve party this past Saturday, December 31 at Fitzgeralds Bar & Live Music Venue in San Antonio, Texas. Ellefson also played a set of MEGADETH classics with the MEGADETH tribute band RUST IN PEACE earlier in the night. Video of the performances can be seen below.

Ellefson left Jackson, Minnesota in the early '80s to move to Los Angeles, where he met former METALLICA guitarist Dave Mustaine, and the pair launched the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning hard rock act MEGADETH, going on to become one of the "Big Four" of thrash metal. Ellefson's smalltown Jackson roots have been immortalized in MEGADETH lore as the subject of classic songs including the smash hit "Foreclosure Of A Dream" and the underground classic "Mary Jane".

Ellefson, who has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona since 1994, was fired from MEGADETH in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David, a Christian who launched the Mega Life Ministries worship group in 2007, studied for a year at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis a decade ago.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

An influential force in the American power metal movement, HELSTAR was formed in Houston in 1982 by guitarist Larry Barragan, who quickly assembled the band's original lineup, including Rivera. HELSTAR released its debut LP, "Burning Star", in 1984 via Combat Records, and followed it up with a string of seminal releases, including "Nosferatu", before a '90s hiatus. The band became active again with Barragan and Rivera in 2006.



Happy New Year with DAVID ELLEFSON and Rust In Peace (Megadeth tribute) at Fitzgerald’s: “Symphony of Destruction” & “Peace Sells”

Posted by Jay K. Nanda on Saturday, December 31, 2022



Ringing in 2023 with James Rivera of Helstar and Dave Ellefson formerly of Megadeth rockin Judas Priest Livin After Midnight. Good times

Posted by The Zoo - Rock Rage Radio on Saturday, December 31, 2022

What can I say. the inner 12 year old me is living for this moment. I just played rust in peace in its entirety with...

Posted by Daniel Contreras on Saturday, December 31, 2022

To celebrate the arrival of the new year, original KISS drummer Peter Criss has shared a new version of the band's song "Dirty Livin'". The four-minute video, which can be seen below, was apparently filmed at Peter's home and features the 77-year-old musician singing along to a pre-recorded instrumental track.

According to Kissmonster, "Dirty Livin'" is the only song on KISS's 1979 album "Dynasty" on which Criss drums, with the rest of the album being the work of session drummer Anton Fig. "Dirty Livin'" had originally dated to 1972 and was written by Stan Penridge and Peter while they were in their post-CHELSEA band LIPS.

Criss first left KISS in 1980. Since then he's worked with other bands and released solo albums. He teamed up with KISS again for a reunion tour in the 1990s and most recently in 2004. He was replaced by Eric Singer.

In addition to playing drums in KISS, Peter also provided lead vocals for a number the band's most popular and memorable songs, including "Beth", "Black Diamond" and "Hard Luck Woman".

Criss, who was known as "Catman," released his last solo CD, titled "One For All", in 2007. Peter produced the album himself for the first time, and was joined by guest musicians that included keyboardist Paul Shaffer and bassist Will Lee of "Late Night With David Letterman". The album featured a range of styles, from rock and jazz to blues and Broadway, and included covers of "What A Difference A Day Makes" and "Send In The Clowns".

Criss played what was being billed as his final full U.S. concert in June 2017 at the Cutting Room in New York City.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has paid tribute to veteran heavy metal journalist, historian and documentarian Bob Nalbandian, who passed away on Friday, December 30 in Redding, California. According to Bob's sister, he was recently diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, an aggressive, rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that arises from cells originating in the "mantle zone."

Earlier today (Saturday, December 31),Lars took to his Instagram to share a photo of him with Bob, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Bob, thank you for your contributions to the hard rock & metal community. For over 40 years your spirit, passion and dedication to this music and everything it represents has been unparalleled and inspiring. Rest in Peace, brother…"

Nalbandian started in the music and entertainment business at age 17 as the publisher/editor in chief of the seminal heavy metal fanzine The Headbanger in April of 1982, a nationally distributed zine which featured the very first profiles of then-unsigned Los Angeles bands METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ARMORED SAINT. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Nalbandian was also a contributing editor to several well-known music mags, including Metal Rendezvous, Creem, Music Connection, Hit Parader, BAM, Foundations as well as associate editor for men's magazines Platinum and Men's Perspective.

Prior to discontinuing The Headbanger in 1985, Nalbandian took on management for the Orange County, California metal metal band EDEN, signing the band to a worldwide deal with Enigma/Restless Records in 1984. In the early 1990s, Nalbandian landed guitarist Marty Friedman in the multi-platinum group MEGADETH and soon after headed the West Coast office of Roadrunner Records, working closely with the label's cutting-edge artists at the time, including SEPULTURA, TYPE O NEGATIVE and LAST CRACK. After a year-long stint at Roadrunner, Nalbandian went on to work for Bizarre/Straight Records (Rhino/WEA) assisting label president Herb Cohen. Throughout the '90, Nalbandian also acquired license deals with major international companies such as Century Media (U.S. and Europe),Roadrunner Japan, Cherry Red/Hear No Evil/Universal Music (Europe),JVC/Victor (Japan),Music For Nations (U.K.),Bandai/Apollon (Japan),Polystar (Japan) and High Vaultage/Metal 4 Muthas (Germany).

Most recently, Nalbandian directed and co-produced the "Inside Metal" documentary film series (MetalRock Films) and the "Band Vs Brand" documentary film (Cleopatra Entertainment). These feature-length documentary films are available on DVD and all the major movie streaming outlets. The "Inside Metal" movies include "Pioneers Of LA Hard Rock And Metal", "LA Metal Scene Explodes", "The Rise Of LA Thrash Metal" and "Bay Area Godfathers" (each film is two parts). Nalbandian was also the founder and host of two major metal podcasts: "Shockwaves Skullsessions" and "Shockwaves/HardRadio".

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lars Ulrich (@larsulrich)

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman has paid tribute to veteran heavy metal journalist, historian and documentarian Bob Nalbandian, who passed away on Friday, December 30 in Redding, California. According to Bob's sister, he was recently diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma, an aggressive, rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that arises from cells originating in the "mantle zone."

Earlier today (Saturday, December 31),Marty took to his Twitter to share MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine's tribute to Bob, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Bob introduced me to MEGADETH, and for that I'll always be grateful. He also did similar deeds for countless others, as he was a walking encyclopedia of metal, and a trusted confidant to all. I'll miss my dear friend Bob. who did so much for others, purely for the love of music."

In a 2018 interview with Loudwire, Friedman credited Nalbandian with getting him into MEGADETH. Recalling how he ended up landing the gig, Marty said: "I had a friend — he's still a good friend of mine — named Bob Nalbandian. Right now he's doing some fantastic documentaries on heavy metal and stuff. He's a brilliant guy. He's been my friend since forever. He heard about MEGADETH's audition. He called me up and said, 'Dude, they're looking for a guitar player. If you're interested, call Ron Laffitte,' who was MEGADETH's manager at the time. I didn't know anybody in the band or Laffitte. And I called. And that's what happened."

In his December 30 tribute to Nalbandian, Mustaine wrote: "Sad news today, my friend Bob Nalbandian, the metal legend who helped me find Marty Friedman, has passed away. We will miss you terribly, Bob. My sincere condolences to his family and friends."

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson also mourned Nalbandian's death on Friday, writing: "With deep shock and sadness, we here offer our condolences for our friend Bob Nalbandian who passed today. Bob was one of the first metal historian journalists I met when I moved to LA in 1983. A true friend, fan, supporter and lover of all things heavy metal, he did so much for our community and will be deeply missed."

Nalbandian started in the music and entertainment business at age 17 as the publisher/editor in chief of the seminal heavy metal fanzine The Headbanger in April of 1982, a nationally distributed zine which featured the very first profiles of then-unsigned Los Angeles bands METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ARMORED SAINT. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Nalbandian was also a contributing editor to several well-known music mags, including Metal Rendezvous, Creem, Music Connection, Hit Parader, BAM, Foundations as well as associate editor for men's magazines Platinum and Men's Perspective.

Prior to discontinuing The Headbanger in 1985, Nalbandian took on management for the Orange County, California metal metal band EDEN, signing the band to a worldwide deal with Enigma/Restless Records in 1984. In the 1990s, Nalbandian headed the West Coast office of Roadrunner Records, working closely with the label's cutting-edge artists at the time, including SEPULTURA, TYPE O NEGATIVE and LAST CRACK. After a year-long stint at Roadrunner, Nalbandian went on to work for Bizarre/Straight Records (Rhino/WEA) assisting label president Herb Cohen. Throughout the '90, Nalbandian also acquired license deals with major international companies such as Century Media (U.S. and Europe),Roadrunner Japan, Cherry Red/Hear No Evil/Universal Music (Europe),JVC/Victor (Japan),Music For Nations (U.K.),Bandai/Apollon (Japan),Polystar (Japan) and High Vaultage/Metal 4 Muthas (Germany).

Most recently, Nalbandian directed and co-produced the "Inside Metal" documentary film series (MetalRock Films) and the "Band Vs Brand" documentary film (Cleopatra Entertainment). These feature-length documentary films are available on DVD and all the major movie streaming outlets. The "Inside Metal" movies include "Pioneers Of LA Hard Rock And Metal", "LA Metal Scene Explodes", "The Rise Of LA Thrash Metal" and "Bay Area Godfathers" (each film is two parts). Nalbandian was also the founder and host of two major metal podcasts: "Shockwaves Skullsessions" and "Shockwaves/HardRadio".
Bob introduced me to Megadeth, and for that I`ll always be grateful. He also did similar deeds for countless others, as he was a walking encyclopedia of metal, and a trusted confidant to all. I`ll miss my dear friend Bob. who did so much for others, purely for the love of music. https://t.co/xzpmR7V3Qg

— Marty Friedman (@marty_friedman) December 31, 2022

Britain's Royal Mail is celebrating IRON MAIDEN with a set of postage stamps.

Due for release on January 12, the stamps depict the British heavy metal legends over the decades. Eight stamps feature MAIDEN in performance while a separate sheet features four stamps of the band's mascot Eddie.

IRON MAIDEN stamps are the latest from Royal Mail celebrating music icons. Previous stamp issues by the British postal agency have depicted such rock acts as THE BEATLES, Elton John, PINK FLOYD, David Bowie and QUEEN. Last year, Royal Mail paid tribute to THE ROLLING STONES in the form of postage stamps commemorating the 60th anniversary of the band's formation.

With over 100 million record sales, more than 2000 live performances in 63 countries, millions of fans worldwide and 17 chart-topping studio albums of unerring quality and power to their name, IRON MAIDEN has more than earned its proudly held status as one of the most influential and revered bands of all time. In recent years IRON MAIDEN has extended its legacy in a couple of other areas of particular interest to them: their own award-winning beer Trooper, which has sold over 30 million pints worldwide and is widely acknowledged as the most successful international British beer launch of the past twenty years with Cheshire family brewers Robinsons, and a mobile game titled "Iron Maiden: Legacy Of The Beast" — a free-to-play, fantasy RPG where players combat the legions of darkness across time and space as Eddie — one of the most recognizable music icons of our age and the calling card of one of the most impassioned fan-bases anywhere.

Up next for IRON MAIDEN is the "The Future Past Tour", which will feature previously unperformed songs from the band's most recent studio album, "Senjutsu", along with a focus on 1986's iconic "Somewhere In Time" record, plus other classic cuts.

"Senjutsu" came out in September 2021. It marked MAIDEN's second consecutive double album behind 2015's "The Book Of Souls" which is the longest MAIDEN album, with a running time of 92 minutes.

IRON MAIDEN's first album in six years, "Senjutsu" was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris. It features three tracks whose running time exceeds 10 minutes each.

For "Senjutsu" — loosely translated as "tactics and strategy" — the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai-themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Harris.

"Senjutsu" bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, charting higher than even the band's early classics like "Powerslave" and "The Number Of The Beast". Nearly 90 percent of the LP's 64,000 equivalent album units earned came from pure album sales. The critically acclaimed double album debuted one place higher than 2015's "The Book Of Souls" and 2010's "The Final Frontier", which both peaked at No. 4.

"Senjutsu" was MAIDEN's 13th album to top in the Top 40 in the U.S.

Fan-filmed video of JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE's December 28 concert at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California can be seen below.

In a recent interview with T Stone of the radio show "Sonic Boom"on Real Rock 100.3 The Fox in Rapid City, South Dakota, former GREAT WHITE and current JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell was asked how he feels about the fact that there are now effectively two versions of GREAT WHITE touring and making new music. He responded: "It's weird, man. I mean, it doesn't bother me — except when Mark [Kendall, GREAT WHITE guitarist] goes out there and starts talking shit about me. Every time he gives an interview, he goes out there and starts talking some kind of shit about me. It's, like, dude, it's been 12 years. Get over it.

"It is too bad," Russell added. "We were best friends, we were brothers for years. And now it's like the guy won't even pick up the phone and speak to me. It's horrible. It makes you feel really bad. And every time I pick up a paper or [I see] something on the Internet [where] Mark's [giving] an interview, he's always talking shit about me. It's, like, dude, talk about yourself. Talk about how great your album is or how great your band is. Leave me the fuck alone. I'm not bagging on you."

Asked by T Stone why he thinks it's that way for Kendall, Russell replied: "I don't know. Maybe he's just pissed off that I'm still doing it. I mean, the first article they did after I left the band was, 'Oh, he'll never pull it off.' And it's been, what? 12 years now?

"The way I look at it is you do what you do," he continued. "Have a good time. Be happy that you're able to do this. Be happy that you're lucky enough to be able to do this — especially when there's two versions of the band."

When T Stone noted that "it's gotta be especially tough" for GREAT WHITE "trying to do it without the actual voice of the band," Jack said: "That's the one thing, I think, that separates the cover bands from the original bands — is the voice. 'Cause that's the one thing that you need. You take Steven Tyler out of AEROSMITH, I don't care who you put in there, it ain't gonna be AEROSMITH… The only time I've ever seen it work was with Sammy Hagar — and just 'cause Sammy is a better singer [than David Lee Roth]. And they wrote some really great songs. But give me a fucking choice, I'd go see David Lee Roth [before] I would [see] Sammy. And I love Sammy; he's a great guy. Dave's a great guy too."

In June, shortly after GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with singer Mitch Malloy, Kendall dismissed the idea of reuniting with Russell, telling Dr. Music in an interview: "[People say,] 'Why don't you patch things up with Jack?' What people don't understand is we never even got in fights [with Jack]. In 25 years together, we might have gotten in two arguments. The thing that took him out is the horrible demons of addiction, and it's really affected his health. I just saw a video the other day where he's not even standing — he's using wheelchairs and he's sitting in a stool. So for us to go back to that, it just feels dark. I'd rather remember him… 'Cause I'm very proud of our career — I'm very proud of the past. I'm so lucky to be a part of it. And I wanna remember it like that, where he's flying around on stage and getting the crowds pumped and singing his heart out — not a sick person. So going to that…"

In November, Russell ruled out the possibility of him reuniting with his former bandmates, telling All Access Live! With Kevin Rankin: "As far as the fans are concerned, for the most part they've been really cool about [there being two versions of the band]. It is what it is. Of course most of them would rather see us back together. There are a few people that, for whatever reason, like a new guy better, which I don't understand. That'd be like me saying I like somebody better than Steven Tyler in AEROSMITH. Or, 'Get rid of that Robert Plant schmuck [in LED ZEPPELIN]. Let me hear somebody else.' I don't know. To each his own. Some things just defy explanation or logic. But for the most part, I think, people would like things, to see them back to where they were, which will never happen. Those days are gone, and anybody out there that's hoping and wishing and praying, it's not gonna happen; I'll tell you right now. Both camps agree [on that]."

Russell went on to say that he chooses to stay away from speaking disparagingly about his former bandmates. "I don't jump on the drama train," he said. "Unfortunately, there are still people that do, in my other band, that still choose to pass along negativity. And I'm not gonna say anything bad about anybody. It's, like, why? We were all huge friends for years. We accomplished one of the hugest things you can ever accomplish together — something that's almost impossible we pulled off. We were on five major labels, so we did it five times. Usually you lose one and you're blackballed. And we were on five different major labels. So there's something to say for that. I never was gonna let up until I was done."

Malloy had been in GREAT WHITE for nearly four years, having joined the group in 2018 following the departure of Terry Ilous.

Ilous, frontman of '80s L.A. hard rockers XYZ, joined GREAT WHITE in 2010 after stepping in for touring vocalist Jani Lane (WARRANT).

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was dismissed from the group.

Russell sued his onetime bandmates in 2012 over their continued use of the GREAT WHITE name after Jack had taken a leave of absence from the band for medical reasons. A short time later, Russell was countersued by Kendall, rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Michael Lardie and drummer Audie Desbrow, claiming the vocalist's self-destructive behavior was damaging the GREAT WHITE name (they also alleged he was charging promoters less for his own touring version of GREAT WHITE). The parties settled in July 2013 without going to trial, with Russell now performing as JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE while the others are continuing as GREAT WHITE.

In 2018, Desbrow told ListenIowa that there was never any discussion about possibly bringing Jack back after Terry's exit from GREAT WHITE. "Not at all," he said. "We've already moved on from that. We've gone through a lot of stuff with that over the years, and the fact that he sued us in federal court for the name, and we spent a lot of time and money, you just don't return from that. People tell me that they've seen his latest shows, and it's just hard to look at because his health isn't as good as it could be. We've got a really grueling schedule, and it's hard enough for me, and I'm semi-healthy. [Laughs] I couldn't imagine someone in his condition doing what we're doing. We did shows with him toward the end, and he was in and out of a wheelchair and crutches, had to be carried up stairs, was falling asleep onstage. It just got old. It's a business, and we have families to support and mortgages to pay. You can't go to work messed up 24/7 and still be able to work there."

In October, GREAT WHITE officially named Brett Carlisle as its new lead singer. Carlisle joins the band as the replacement for Andrew Freeman, who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

SLIPKNOT has shared a three-minute video recap of the band's recent Latin American tour. The trek kicked off on December 3 at the Hell & Heaven Metal Fest in Toluca, Mexico and concluded on December 18 at Knotfest Brasil in São Paulo, Brazil.

SLIPKNOT is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "The End, So Far", which was released on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to "We Are Not Your Kind", it is the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

Four months ago, SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor once again shot down the rumor that the band would break up after the release of "The End, So Far".

Ever since SLIPKNOT announced the title of its new LP in July, speculation had been rife that the name is a reference to the fact that the LP will mark the end of the band's recording career.

Taylor, who turned 49 last month, addressed the rumor during an appearance on an episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said: "People have been talking about the end of SLIPKNOT since 2003, so it doesn't really matter. If I had a nickel for every time I've had to straighten fans out, I'd have a shit-ton of nickels, let's put it that way.

"Nothing sells albums like drama, let's put it that way, and even drama that doesn't even come from us; it just comes from the fans," he continued. "But at the same time, I kind of started saying onstage… explaining what the title is. It's the fact that it's… It's the end so far, which just means it's the end of one era and the start of the next.

"If you look at all of our favorite bands — [IRON] MAIDEN, METALLICA, [BLACK] SABBATH; you can even talk about JUDAS PRIEST; all these bands that we grew up on, loving; and our friends in ANTHRAX as well — every one of those bands has had different eras in their career; it's never been a straight line," Taylor explained. "There's no through line except for the members. And every era comes to a natural end and then it's the next one. So that's what the title reflects."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk if he believes that each era in a band's trajectory usually corresponds to a major lineup change, Corey responded: "I do, but at the same time, you can still have the end of one era and the beginning of another with the same bandmembers. So, to me, it can be a reflection of the fact that you have different members or you're just moving in a different direction. For me, it's more about just letting the fans know that we will be back and to remind them that you just never know what you're gonna get with us."

Taylor continued: "I mean, every album has always felt different; it's always sounded different. And to me, I feel like this era is more about us dealing with the grief that we've had to deal with and now kind of getting to the point where we can now move on comfortably into the future, and it's not about that. It's a part of our history now; it's not our narrative. And now we can kind of move on and kind of see what the future holds for SLIPKNOT, musically where we can go now. Because of the way we've done things, we've set it up so we can go in any direction we want, and as long as it comes from the heart, it doesn't matter. So that's kind of the era, I think, that's being set up now. The next era will definitely be more of like a 'gloves off, let's just see what happens and go for it.'"

In the three-minute video below, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann takes fans through the iconic twin-guitar solo in the band's classic song "Fast As A Shark".

In a 2018 interview with the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, Wolf spoke about ACCEPT's mindset while creating "Fast As A Shark", considered by some to be the first true thrash metal track ever recorded.

"I clearly remember how we wrote the song and how it all came about," Wolf said. "It was really the drummer, Stefan [Kaufmann], who came up with the crazy idea of playing double bass, double kick, all the way through. And we had never done that [before]. So he came up with that basic idea, the concept, and we sort of had the riff — that was fairly easy — and then I wrote that weird middle section for it. But then, at the very end, we wanted to have an intro for it, or something. And I thought about it, and I came up with the idea to put on a record that's completely the opposite of what's about to happen, just to fool people into thinking something else… I thought everybody who buys the record [would think] that they might have bought the wrong record. That was the idea — you go to the store, you buy the new ACCEPT record, you put it on and say, 'What the hell? Somebody put the wrong record in the sleeve.' That was the idea. And I thought, 'Maybe we'll use an opera part,' or something. And then we already had recorded the basic tracks and we were looking for any intro to use, and we went, actually, through the record collection of the studio owner's mother. We recorded at Dierks Studios, where the SCORPIONS used to record and all that, and there was [Dieter Dierks's] mother; she had a record collection. And we [asked her], 'What kind of records do you have that we can possibly steal and abuse, scratch out?' Because we wanted to rip the needle off. And she had some children's records that Dieter Dierks, as a kid, actually sang on. So there was all these German traditional folk songs that everybody heard as a kid. And there was the one song — it's called 'Ein Heller Und Ein Batzen' — that had this middle section where there's no lyrics. Because we thought, 'German lyrics? Nah.' We don't want that. Because we didn't really wanna sound too German; we wanted it to be international. And that little segment is 'Hi De Hi Do Hi Da,' which… that's what we used. So we borrowed that album and put it on and ripped the needle off and kind of destroyed the record for Mama Dierks."

ANTHRAX's Charlie Benante has been vocal about the influence "Fast As A Shark" had on his early drumming style, telling Reverb five years ago: "At the time [of the song's release in 1982], it was like the fastest double kick that there was. And for me, they set the standard."

Hoffmann is the sole remaining original member of ACCEPT, which he formed in 1976 in the town of Solingen, Germany with singer Udo Dirkschneider and bassist Peter Baltes.

ACCEPT's latest studio album, "Too Mean To Die", was released in January 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was the group's first without Baltes, who exited ACCEPT in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during 2019's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

Dimmu Borgir drummer Dariusz "Daray" Brzozowski has shared a new drumcam video of the band's song, "Gateways", performed at Tons Of Rock 2022 in  Oslo, Norway. Check it out below.





Dimmu Borgir released the groundbreaking Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia in 2001. Dimmu Borgir celebrated this seminal album by releasing a brand-new sonic experience, which is released in October 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records. Order and listen to Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (Remixed & Remastered) here.







Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (Remixed & Remastered) is available as a 3 LP Box, CD Digipak and digital. Dust Of Cold Memories includes extensive bonus material, which includes the pre-production of Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia and instrumental rehearsals.


- 3LP Box
* Black
* Red
* Gold (Sold Out)
- CD Digipak





Tracklisting:


Side A
"Fear And Wonder" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Kings Of The Carnival Creation" (Remixed & Remastered)


Side B
"Hybrid Stigmata - The Apostasy" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Architecture Of A Genocidal Nature" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Puritania" (Remixed & Remastered)


Side C
"IndoctriNation" (Remixed & Remastered)
"The Maelstrom Mephisto" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Absolute Sole Right" (Remixed & Remastered)


Side D
"Sympozium" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Perfection Or Vanity" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Burn In Hell" (Remixed & Remastered)
"Devil's Path" (Remixed & Remastered)


Side E
"Hybrid Stigmata - The Apostasy"
"Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny"
"IndoctriNation"
"Architecture Of A Genocidal Nature"
"Absolute Sole Right"


Side F
"Fear And Wonder"
"Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny"
"Kings Of The Carnival Creation"
"Puritania"
"The Maelstrom Mephisto"
"Sympozium"


"Hybrid Stigmata - The Apostasy":





"Puritania":





"Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny":

Spanish black metal force Ouija has released their new album, Fathomless Hysteros.


The seven song album was issued via Negra Nit Distro in Spain and Europe, Tribulacion Prods in Columbia, Azermedoth Records in Mexico, U.S., and Canada, Impaled Records in Brazil, and Wind Of Mayhem in Chile.


The album was recorded at the famous Moontower Studios, under the direction of Javi Felez and mastered at Endarker Studio by Magnus Devo Andersson.




Cover art by Juanjo Castellano:





Tracklisting:


“Fathomless Hysteros”
“Bestia Negra”
“I See You Without Eyes”
“The Fifth Rider”
“Hijo Del Caído”
“Adversary”
“Unbridled Transylvanian Passion” 


Full album stream:

Multi-platinum rock band DAUGHTRY has released a new cover song, "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", a tribute to legendary rock band JOURNEY featuring vocals from Lzzy Hale, lead singer of HALESTORM. The cover releases exactly 40 years to the day that the original song was released on January 5, 1983.

"Chris Daughtry and I have been threatening to unleash a duet for years. What better way to do that than by paying tribute to one of our mutual influences…. JOURNEY!" said Lzzy. "This song is not only part of the 'Stranger Things' soundtrack, but has been my go-to for karaoke for as long as i can remember! I'm so honored to have been a part of this and I hope it makes you smile as big as I did while recording it!"

Chris added: "I've always loved the song and I was wanting to do a classic cover and my wife and I were watching the 'Stranger Things' season finale and there's this incredibly intense scene and 'Separate Ways' was a big part of this scene. It was so moving just the way it was used, it felt so cool and epic and I was immediately like 'THIS is the one! We have to cover this song.' Then I was, like, 'How can we make this extra special? What if it was a duet? What if we got Lzzy on it!!??" Needless to say I was pumped she said yes and I absolutely love how it turned out."

DAUGHTRY, one of the most visible and best-selling rock bands of the 21st Century, has sold out concerts across the globe. Their debut album, the self-titled "Daughtry", was the top-selling album of 2007, and was the fastest-selling rock debut album in SoundScan history. It was also nominated for four Grammy Awards and won four American Music Awards and seven Billboard Music Awards, including "Album Of The Year". The subsequent albums, "Leave This Town" (2009),"Break The Spell" (2011) and "Baptized" (2013) have all gone platinum, with "Cage To Rattle" (2018) certified gold. In 2020, DAUGHTRY released its first single from the album "World On Fire", which marked a return to the band's rock roots and the top of the charts. Their current single, "Heavy Is The Crown", has been met with great enthusiasm, and is currently climbing the charts.

Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen recently guested oon The Heavy Hooks Show, where she discussed her solo work, the future of Nightwish, being branded as Nightwish be branded as "female fronted", and being the inspiration behind the name of a new species of beetle.


On the new Nightwish album


Floor: "Tuomas hasn't been sitting on his hands during the pandemic and wrote an entire album. We, the lucky ones, have already been able to hear the demos of that. And this is the first time in the history of Nightwish that there is an album that is basically ready for us to work on. We'll be recording the new album in 2023."




 


Jansen recently announced the release of her debut solo album, Paragon, on March 24.


This album showcases Jansen'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 has something for everyone and is a must-listen for fans of Jansen.


Says Floor: "‘Look at me now, I’m already there!' 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. You can pre-order/pre-save the album here.





Tracklisting:


"My Paragon"
"Daydream"
"Invincible"
"Hope"
"Come Full Circle"
"Storm"
"Me Without You"
"The Calm"
"Armoured Wings"
"Fire"


""Me Without You" video:





"Storm" video:





"Fire" video:





Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023. Fans can expect to hear more details and possibly some sneak previews of the album in the coming months.

In the video below from AXS TV, Sammy Hagar sits down for an acoustic jam sesh before taking the stage with Joe Satriani to play "Always With Me, Always With You". Later, Melissa Etheridge takes the stage for a soulful melody, and the Red Rocker lights up Red Rocks with a fiery performance of "Little White Lie".





Sammy Hagar & The Circle's new album, Crazy Times, is available now via UMe. Order here.







Tracklisting:


"Intro: The Beginning Of The End"
"Slow Drain"
"Feed Your Head"
"Pump It Up"
"Be Still"
"You Get What You Pay For"
"Crazy Times"
"Funky Feng Shui"
"Father Time"
"Childhoods End"
"2120" (bonus track)
"Father Time" - Acoustic Demo (bonus track)


"Father Time" video:





"Funky Feng Shui" video:





"Crazy Times" video:





"Pump It Up" video:

Sweden's Carnosus will release their sophomore album, Visions Of Infinihility, on February 10. A visualizer for the single, "In Debt To Oblivion", can be found below.


Visions Of Infinihility, is a concept album set within the same dystopian universe as their previous full length. Lyrically, the album is centred around a tyrannical reign with the purpose of repopulating the world with a cadaverine-like race. Musically, the new album mixes in a more matured sound into the band’s stylistic blend but listeners can still expect bulging chugs and blast beats. The vocals are built upon a solid foundation of growls and shrieks but also contain great variety as they draw from a large bouquet of metal genres.


The guitars, bass, and vocals were brought to life under the supervision of producer Robert Kukla, who captured the band’s musical variety. Kukla also handled the mix/mastering and drum-recording at Obsidian Recording Studios/Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. The cover art that compliments the music was painted by Timon Kokott.







Tracklisting:


"Ossein Larcenist"
"Calamity Crawl"
"Castle Of Grief"
"Fermenting Blastospheres Of Future Putridity"
"In Debt To Oblivion"
"Devourer Of Light"
"Procession Of Depression"
"Towards Infinihilistic Purity"
"Among Worms It Was Whispered"


"In Debt To Oblivion" visualizer:





Lineup:


Jonatan Karasiak - vocals / lyrics
Rickard Persson - guitars
Marcus Jokela Nyström - guitars
Marcus Strindlund - bass
Jacob Hedner - drums

Sid Falck (ex-Overkill) has released a new song, "A Modern Tale", under his own name, Falck. The song features guest appearances from Dano Hibbs (Breeding Thorns - lead guitar), and Jerry Wooverton (Breeding Thorns, Outlaw Devils - vocals).





Says Sid: “I’ve known both Dano and Jerry for quite a while, and I’ve always been impressed by their talents. I had promised Jerry that we’d do “something soon”, and after writing and recording 'A Modern Tale', which is meant as a tribute to Deep Purple around their comeback era of Perfect Strangers, House Of Blue Light & The Battle Rages On, I figured I should probably let a real singer take over the vocals for this one.




Originally, I had asked Steve Pogue (Infectus 13, Firstryke) if he felt like doing the lead, which he did. Unfortunately, Steve was dealing with a lot of health issues which he obviously needed to prioritize, and it ended up not being a viable option. So I asked Dano if he would do the leads, and as is evident, he absolutely did an amazing job."


A video for the song can be viewed below, and the song can be downloaded here. It also is/will be available on all streaming services and online stores.

The official music video for Turbid North's new single "The Road" is streaming now.





The track appears on the Texas trio's upcoming new album, The Decline, out January 20. Preorder on Bandcamp.




Turbid North guitarist/vocalist Nick Forkel states: "'The Road' is about survival in the bleakest situations. How far you'll push yourself to keep going. Even if the world you're living in isn't all that great to begin with. Suffer today, to live another day." The music video conveys the song's message by way of post-apocalyptic imagery reminiscent of the Cormac McCarthy novel with which it shares a title.





Turbid North's first new album in seven years, The Decline is a transcendent experience – a balance of sheer speed, earthquaking intensity, and rapturous beauty. While Forkel and his bandmates bassist Chris O'Toole (Unearth) and drummer Jono Garrett (Shock Withdrawal, Mos Generator) display Napalm Death-level grindcore chops, "The Road" showcases the band's doom-rock side. The song is a driving, radiant, 12/8 rocker in line with the likes of Metallica, Crowbar, and Mastodon.


Founded in Alaska in the early '00s, Turbid North relocated to Fort Worth, Texas in 2007 and finally delivered its debut album, Orogeny, in 2011 via Unearth frontman Trevor Phipps' Ironclad Recordings. The current lineup of Forkel, O'Toole, and Garrett was solidified in 2012. Sophomore album Eyes Alive was released in 2015.

Portuguese symphonic death metal band Godiva has set February 3rd, 2023 as the international release date for their debut full-length album Hubris.


The official music video for "Media God" can be seen below.







Hubris artwork and tracklisting:





"Black Mirrors"
"Dawn"
"Death Of Icarus"
"Empty Coil"
"Faceless"
"Godspell"
"Hubris"
"Media God"
"The All Seeing Eye"
"The Meaning Of Life"


"The Meaning Of Life" video:





For further details, follow Godiva on Facebook.

According to Germany's NDR 1,  a statue of Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann erected in celebrtation of his 60th birthday by the artist Roxxy Roxx, was stolen less than 24 hours after being unveiled. It stood in a meadow in the immediate vicinity of the Evershagen Süd stop in Rostock, where Lindemann had lived as a child. The police are currently gathering information and searching for witnesses with regards to the theft.


The statue weighs about 40 kilograms including the base and is hollow inside, and cost the artist approximately 600 euros to make.







Rammstein recently released a video for their new single, "Adieu". The track is featured on the band's latest album, new album, Zeit. Watch the Specter Berlin-directed clip below:





Rammstein recently announced the European Stadium Tour 2023, coming to you next summer. Dates and a video trailer for the tour can be found below.





Dates:


May
22 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Vingio Parkas
27 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympiastadion
28 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympiastadion


June
2 - Odense, Denmark - Dyrskueplads
7 - Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion
8 - Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion
14 - Trenčín, Slovakia - Trenčín Airport
17 - Bern, Switzerland - Stadion Wankdorf
18 - Bern, Switzerland - Stadion Wankdorf
23 - Madrid, Spain - Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano
26 - Lisbon, Portugal - Estádio Da Luz


July
1 - Padova, Italy - Stadio Euganeo
6 - Groningen, Netherlands - Stadspark
11 - Budapest, Hungary - Puskás Aréna
15 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion
16 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion
22 - Paris, France - Stade de France
26 - Vienna, Austria - Ernst-Happel-Stadion
30 - Chorzów, Poland - Stadion Śląski


August
4 - Brussels, Belgium - King Baudouin Stadium

Carnival Of Flesh, the symphonic black metal outlet hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, just released the second music video from their Anthems Of Extinction album.


"The One" is a video essay and a love letter to the oppressive and divisive political regimes we see in power today. Compared to their award-winning debut video, "Tropical Plunder", this video is considerably faster-paced and narrative-driven (rather than atmospheric).


"The One" was filmed and produced by Graveyard Neighbour Photography, with drone shots done by Dušan Rančić.







While Serbian fans had the chance to hear "The One" live back on Festival of Serbian Underground VII, the better part of Anthems Of Extinction was never performed live, due to delays related to COVID limitations and personnel change. Carnival Of Flesh are now aiming to perform the new material in its entirety in the spring of this year.


Anthems Of Extinction artwork and tracklisting:





"Angst" 
"The One" 
"Tropical Plunder" 
"Can Of Sorrow" 
"Mask Of Humanity" 
"Rapacity" 
"The Great Escape" 
"Liberation" 
"Requiem For A World" 


"Tropical Plunder" video:





 

As part of Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia was asked if she believes that women are being taken more seriously in the metal scene than they were nearly 30 years when her band was first formed. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Do I feel that things changed? Absolutely, yes. When I started, there were not so many bands with a female in the lineup. Metal was still a no-no for females, because it was a very male-dominated scene. Which it still is, but of course there are many more bands with a female in the lineup, which makes me happy even though we are still seen differently. I don't think that it will ever happen that we are going to be seen equally, and partially it is okay like this because we're different. I think that we are sort of a different world.

"What I don't like about being a female in a male-dominated world is the fact that very often we are judged by our looks, which I get it; many guys get the same," she continued. "But for women, it's kind of like… Let's say for the guys, if they have the look, it's a plus. For women, if they have the look, it's a plus in terms of media attention; it's a plus in terms of — I don't know — people drooling with you; but it doesn't necessarily add up to the potential you already have. And that is a shame, because people should not be judged by their looks. I understand that the look is first thing that you see, but it will cool if it will be possible to go beyond that, especially in music, where the instrument you play, the voice you're pushing out of your body and the feelings you're trying to convey with your music are the most important things."

LACUNA COIL is currently promoting "Comalies XX", the recently released "deconstructed" and "transported" version of the band's third album, "Comalies".

"Comalies XX" was made available on October 14 via Century Media Records.

LACUNA COIL celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Comalies", by performing it in its entirety at a one-night-only concert on October 15 at Fabrique in Milano.

"Comalies" was originally released on October 29, 2002 through Century Media Records. The LP, which featured the band's breakthrough single "Heaven's A Lie", has reportedly gone on to sell over 300,000 copies in the United States alone.

LACUNA COIL played its first show in front of an audience in more than two years on April 7, 2022 as the support act for APOCALYPTICA at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia.

Prior to the Atlanta concert, the last time LACUNA COIL played together was at the group's special September 2020 livestream event where the bandmembers performed their latest album, "Black Anima", in its entirety with no audience in attendance at the Alcatraz Club in Milan, Italy. That show was released as a live album, "Live From The Apocalypse", via Century Media.

LACUNA COIL hadn't played in front of a crowd since the completion of the band's South American tour in February 2020.

Gus G. has released more footage filmed in Thessaloniki, Greece during Firewind’s 20th anniversary tour on October 1, 2022. Watch the band perform "I Am The Anger", from the 2003 album Burning Earth, below:





Gus previously released footage of Firewind performing “Head Up High”, from the 2008 album The Premonition, at the same concert:

Nameless Grave Records presents Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation, the debut LP from Seattle death metal horde, Plague Bearer, announcing the album for February release alongside the cover art, tracklisting, and a brief teaser.


Born on the wings of pestilence out of a thirty-year slumber, Plague Bearer rides into our diseased world with a vision of Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation. Primarily known as a primitive blackened Satanic brother to Seattle death metal legends Drawn And Quartered, Plague Bearer has produced a string of underground demos and EPs over the years but never committed to a definitive full-length until now. Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation delivers a devastating triple-pronged vocal assault supported by brutal melodic riffing and pummeling drums heralding the end of this pathetic existence. The purpose of the band? The master of sixty-hundred-sixty-six riffs has but one word: "Evil."


Plague Bearer in its most primordial form created death metal demos in 1993 and 1994, but lineup changes resulted in a rebranding to Drawn And Quartered in 1996. Nevertheless, guitarist K.S. Kuciemba (Drawn And Quartered, Draghkar, Serpent Rider) was determined to keep the Satanic flame alive, slowly amassing simpler, eviler blackened riffs with partner H (Drawn And Quartered, ex-Vetus Obscurum) and putting out a demo in 2001 and EP in 2006 with Nuclear Winter Records. In 2017, K and H reunited with longtime ally T on drums, along with vocalist Nihilist (ex-Abazagorath, ex-Lord Gore, ex-Thy Infernal), to infect the Pacific Northwest with live rituals.




From the first second, Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation explodes into an orgy of double bass and crawling tremolo riffs in celebration of Unholy Black Satanic War Metal. Although there is a clear lineage to be traced from the earliest days of extreme metal in Plague Bearer's sound, the music has slowly drifted through time untouched by modern trends. The sinister melodies of "Defiled By Sodomy" throb and groove in a hypnotic hymn to Lucifer, punctuated by stuttering double kick and cymbal flourishes. The members of Plague Bearer are all on the wrong side of 50, but there is an unmistakable youth and vigor driving the album, and album closer "Christbane" bets it all on the stomping Satanic energy of its Venom-esque main riff.


The production of Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation is clear without being sterile, allowing every instrument to freely breath and speak. Guitars, bass, and vocals were self-engineered at K.S. Kuciemba's home studio The Plague Pit, while drums were recorded with Jon Schluckebier at Radioactive Recording. Mixing duties were handled by Andrew Lee (Ripped To Shreds) who contributed a guest solo on “Rise Of The Goat,” the album was mastered by Loic Fontaine of Krucyator Productions, and the record was completed with cover art by Thomas Westphal/Necromaniac and layout by Obscure Visions.


While Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation is laden with the legacies of its storied members, it never loses its individuality. Existing beyond the stylistic trappings of death and black metal, Plague Bearer raises a middle finger to the modern scene. Evil is the only way! The album is a must-hear for fans of Drawn And Quartered, Imprecation, Thy Infernal, and Fallen Christ.


A brief teaser for Plague Bearer’s Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation is playing here


Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation will be released on LP, CD, and digital formats through Nameless Grave Records on March 3. Stand by for audio previews, pre-orders, and more to be issued in the days ahead.





Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation tracklisting:


"Unholy Black Satanic War Metal"
"Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation"
"Defiled By Sodomy"
"Decapitated Angels"
"Antichristian Inquisition"
"Under One Sign"
"Rise Of The Goat"
"Churches Are In Flames"
"In Satan's Name"
"Christbane"


(Photo - Brandon Corsair)

Drummer Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, SLAYER, ANTHRAX) has uploaded the latest in his "Big Four" drum-cover series: METALLICA's "Damage, Inc.". The clip, which can be seen below, follows his previously released videos for SLAYER's "Killing Fields", METALLICA's "Blackened", ANTHRAX's "A.I.R." and MEGADETH's "Wake Up Dead".

Says Jon: "1986! What a great year!! A lot of people will hate on '80's music. No way! The 80's produced some of the greatest metal bands on the planet! When 'Master Of Puppets' dropped in March '86, the world was treated to one of the greatest metal records of all time! 'Master Of Puppets' changed my life! I'm so fortunate I got to see them perform live in the Summer of '86 (opening for Ozzy) with the late great Cliff Burton. One of the greatest pieces of METALLICA's music in my opinion is the intro to 'Damage'. So it was only appropriate that I pay tribute to the man who was such a huge contribution and large part of METALLICA's sound. RIP Cliff. Never forgotten..."

The 52-year-old Dette played as a full-time member of SLAYER from 1996 to 1997 and as a touring member in 2013.

In a 2013 interview with Metal Rules, Dette revealed that he collaborated with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King on some of the early ideas for what became the band's final studio album, 2015's "Repentless", before he was replaced by a returning Paul Bostaph. "I actually started working with SLAYER after we had gotten back from Australia [in early 2013]," he said. "We started working for demo and music for their new record. And then obviously what happened with Jeff [Hanneman, guitar] passing away, that changed some things. But it was definitely moving in that direction for me to be working with SLAYER [again]. But as I said there are just some things that changed with that once Jeff passed away, and I think, ultimately, they felt more comfortable with ‎Paul Bostaph, just because Paul had been in the band for longer. I think it was not going to be as much of a shock to their fans, because first Dave is gone, and now Jeff is gone, the band, it's now down to two original members. So if Paul makes them feel more comfortable and at home, then more respect to him and I wish them the best with that."

King confirmed that he worked with Dette early on in the songwriting process for "Repentless" before deciding to re-hire Bostaph instead. "We pursued it," Kerry said in a 2015 interview. "We got back from Australia. I did demos with Jon Dette, I did demos with Paul — the same two songs, under the same circumstances; they each had, like, 24 to 36 hours to learn 'em — and just see where it went. And Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] and Jeff [Hanneman, SLAYER guitarist] both decided Paul, and in hindsight, that was the right choice."

Dette originally joined SLAYER in 1996 when Paul Bostaph left to work on his side project THE TRUTH ABOUT SEAFOOD. Dette performed with SLAYER at the 1996 Ozzfest to promote the band's covers album, "Undisputed Attitude".

Prior to joining SLAYER, Dette appeared on TESTAMENT's "Live At The Fillmore" album, which came out in 1995.

In recent years, Dette had played sporadic shows with ANTHRAX as a temporary replacement for Charlie Benante, who had been undergoing physical therapy in his battle with carpal tunnel syndrome.

In a new interview with Louder Sound, ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons discusses touring with Jimi Hendrix, playing Hendrix covers, and his favourite Hendrix songs. An excerpt follows...


Meeting Hendrix:


When the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s tour reached Texas in February 1968, Gibbons’ teenaged group the Moving Sidewalks opened the show. They didn’t have enough songs of their own to fill their 40-minute slot, and included covers of two Hendrix classics before he came on.




“To try and wrap your head around those compositions, it was something so new you didn’t quite know where to begin," says Gibbons. "We were fortunate to be able to interpret our versions of 'Foxy Lady' and 'Purple Haze'. They were Texas interpretations. On leaving the stage I was grabbed by the shoulders and there was Hendrix smiling. He said: ‘I got to meet you. You got a lot of nerve! I like it.’"


Read the full interview at Louder Sound.