Time To Kill Records has announced the signing of Italian thrashers, Adversor. The band is putting the finishing touches on their new album, Portrait Of A Wasteland, which will be released sometime in 2023.


Formed in 2015, Adversor released a demo and two full-length albums, Rise To Survive and The End Of Mankind, in quick succession: both records allowed them to play everywhere in Italy and Europe alongside acts such as Exciter, Protector, Nifelheim, Gama Bomb and many others.


Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming release and other activities in 2023.




Lineup:


Dado - Vocals/Guitar
Phil - Guitar
Ale - Bass
Ja - Drums

Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the signing of Polish heavy metal band, Scream Maker. The band is currently working on a new studio album, which is anticipated for release in 2023.


In the meantime, Frontiers have reissued the band's latest album, Bloodking, on CD/Digital. Order here, and watch a new video for "When Our Fight Is Over" below.


Scream Maker formed in Warsaw, Poland in late 2010 when the original members, including current member Michał Wrona (guitar), gathered together out of a shared love of heavy metal. Wrona is joined in the current incarnation of Scream Maker by vocalist Sebastian Stodolak, bassist Jan Radosz, drummer Tomek Sobieszek, and guitarist Bartosz Ziółkowski.




Scream Maker has produced three full-length studio albums (2014's Livin In The Past, 2016's Back Against The World, 2022's Bloodking), plus one EP ("We Are Not The Same") and played over 300 shows in Poland and abroad, including gigs with luminaries such as Judas Priest, Motörhead, Megadeth, Saxon, Slayer, Nightwish, Primal Fear, Stratovarius, Onslaught, and many more.


The band recorded their debut album, Livin In The Past with producer Alessandro del Vecchio (Jorn, Hardline, Revolution Saints) and the album featured guest appearances from Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater and Wojciech Hoffmann of Turbo. The album was released by Perris Records in April of 2014 in the US and Europe and followed by a tour that included shows with Primal Fear, Paul Di'anno, Blaze Bayley, and more. In May 2014, the band toured China for the first time, playing six festivals and unexpectedly becoming the first Polish artist to have an album released by a domestic record label in China.


In the summer and autumn of 2015, between gigs with Saxon, Black Label Society, and Motörhead, Scream Maker gathered at HEAR Studio in Warsaw to record their second album, Back Against The World. The album was crafted under the guidance of Radoslaw Kordowski, as well as, once again, Alessandro Del Vecchio.


The album was releasing in May 2016 and once again the band got busy playings shows in support of the album, including shows with Megadeth, Korn, Slayer, another tour of China (their third, but not last, as China has become a regular touring destination for the band), as well as the third edition of the Ronnie James Dio Memorial that they had started pack in 2014, but this time, the tribute included several shows. The band would organize a fourth edition of the Ronnie James Dio Memorial in spring 2017 and in December 2017, the band opened the first ever Polish concert by the Dio Returns tour. The band has continued with the Ronnie James Dio Memorial shows as the years have gone on, turning it into a regular tradition.
Once the global pandemic hit in 2020 and slowed the band's regular busy touring schedule, they focused on fine-tuning and recording material for their third full-length album, BloodKing, which was released in January 2022.


The album was mixed by Tomasz "Zed" Zalewski, with two songs, "When Our Fight Is Over" and "Hitting The Wall" being mixed by Alessandro Del Vecchio. With touring opening back up, the band got busy playing gigs again and in early September 2022, they have planned their own two-day festival in Warsaw (with Polish legends Turbo headlining), which will also include another edition of the Ronnie James Dio Memorial. In the fall of 2022, the band will embark on another tour with the Ronnie James Dio Memorial, after which they will devote themselves to writing and recording their fourth full-length album.





Tracklisting:


"Invitation"
"Mirror, Mirror"
"Bloodking"
"When Our Fight Is Over"
"End Of The World"
"Scream Maker"
"Hitting The Wall"
"Join The Mob"
"Die In Me"
"Powerlust"
"Tears Of Rage"
"Petrifier"
"Candle In The Wind"
"Brand New Start"
"Too Late"


"When Our Fight Is Over" video:





"Mirror, Mirror" video:





"Bloodking" video:





Lineup:


Sebastian Stodolak – vocals
Michał Wrona – guitar
Bartosz Ziółkowski - guitar
Jan Radosz – bass
Tomasz Sobieszek – drums

Professionally filmed video of GOD FORBID performing the song "Chains Of Humanity" at this year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival on September 10 at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia can be seen below. The show marked GOD FORBID's first live appearance in over nine years.

GOD FORBID's lineup for the concert included Doc Coyle (guitar),Byron Davis (vocals),Corey Pierce (drums) and John "Beeker" Outcalt (bass),along with Nick Hipa (guitar; ex-AS I LAY DYING),who joined the group in July.

Speaking to the "Everblack" podcast about GOD FORBID's return to the stage, Coyle said: "[It was] a lot of fun. [It was] very challenging. That material is really taxing, especially when you've stepped away [from it for a while]. I've always stayed pretty up with it as far as playing it consistently, but it was a thing where once we kind of all got into a room, it was pretty much all there in terms of the chemistry and the sound and the power of the songs. It's cool, because you don't know how it's gonna be. You take a long time away from something, and you don't know how well it's gonna age or [if] you [are] gonna feel like you're putting on an old pair of shoes that doesn't exactly fit. But it was great, man — it was just great being around everybody.'

He continued: "It was a stressful situation because it was a festival kind of in the middle of nowhere, and the logistical parts of that was a lot to deal with. But we figured it out. We had a lot of things go wrong, but everything ended up working out pretty well. I thought the show was great; it was a lot of fun. And now we have some new opportunities coming up for next year. We're not gonna do a ton of stuff. Some of the guys have got kids and jobs and stuff, so I don't think there's an opportunity for the band to be a full-time thing or [to do] a full tour. It'd be hard to imagine how that would work, logistically. But it's cool that the band still seems to have a place in the hearts of a lot of people. And so we're gonna try and honor that as much as possible. I don't have kids yet — I do music as my career — so for me it's not a big deal; I can play it whenever; I can go on tour with GOD FORBID whenever. But I can't make that promise for everyone else. And it's a collective affair."

GOD FORBID will play two more reunion shows in January. They will be joined at both gigs by BLEEDING THROUGH and LIVING WRECKAGE.

The details are as follows:

Jan. 06 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ (with NORA and SHAI HULUD)
Jan. 07 - Worcester Palladium - Worcester, MA (with DEAD REFLECTIONS)

GOD FORBID officially called it quits in August 2013 following Doc's departure.

This past May, Doc told the "Drinks With Johnny" podcast that he didn't rule out putting out new music with GOD FORBID.

"I was kind of the main kind of riff writer [and] songwriter for the band for a good portion of those last few records," he explained. "So me as a writer, there's always stuff [I'm working on that] I'm, like, 'That sounds like a GOD FORBID thing.' So there's always stuff that I'll just kind of put to the side or kind of [have] in the back of my [head] that theoretically could be that. So there's definitely some material that definitely could exist, but I am very much taking it one step at a time.

"I have a tendency to have a lot of big ideas and go [down] a lot of rabbit holes [in] my head, but unfortunately — not even unfortunately — you want to make sure everyone's a part of that, not just it's my little kind of… Sometimes I get all hyped up in my head, but it's. like, it takes a village, and everyone has to be on board," he continued. "It's important to make sure everyone is excited about anything you're doing; that's just very, very important to me.

"I really enjoy the band dynamic and having everyone be involved and be excited about stuff because I really believe in the synergy of that. I think GOD FORBID was one of those bands where the sum was better than the parts, that everyone together made something that outpaced our actual talent and ability, you know, because of the chemistry."

As previously reported, GOD FORBID will take part in LAMB OF GOD and Sixthman's first-ever Headbangers Boat, sailing October 31 - November 4, 2023, from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas aboard the Norwegian Pearl.

GOD FORBID's latest album, "Equilibrium", was released in March 2012 via Victory Records. The bulk of the CD was recorded by Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM),with Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER) stepping in during the the vocal-tracking stage. The effort was mixed by acclaimed Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who previously worked with such acts as KATATONIA, OPETH, PARADISE LOST and AMON AMARTH.

"Equilibrium" sold 3,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 156 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort landed at No. 7 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Photo courtesy of Headbangers Boat

All-female Japanese j-rock/power metal act Lonesome_Blue has released their full-length debut Second To None via Victor Entertainment / JPU Records. The album follows their First Utterance EP, issued earlier in 2022. Check out a video for opening track, “Face The Fear”, below.


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







Tracklisting:


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


“Face The Fear” video:





Album trailer:

Diabolical black/death metal squadron, Belphegor, performed the title track of their new album The Devils during their set at the 2022 edition of Bloodstock Open Air festival. Watch professionally-filmed footage below:





Watch Belphegor perform The Devil's track, "Virtus Asinaria - Prayer", at the same show:







With The Devils, Belphegor unleash their twelfth studio album upon the masses, which proves to be one of the strongest and most elaborate records in the group’s career. Mixed & mastered at renowned Fascination Street Studios by Jens Bogren (Kreator, Rotting Christ, At The Gates), The Devils sounds absolutely crushing and dynamic, sonically pushing the immense variety of the eight tracks to new heights.


Order/save The Devils here.





Tracklisting:


“The Devils”
“Totentanz – Dance Macabre”
“Glorifizierung des Teufels”
“Damnation – Höllensturz”
“Virtus Asinaria – Prayer”
“Kingdom Of Cold Flesh”
“Ritus Incendium Diabolus”
“Creature Of Fire”
“Blackest Sabbath 1997” (re-recorded medley of “Blackest Ecstasy” and “Blutsabbath” from 1997’s Blutsabbath album)


"The Devils" video:





“Virtus Asinaria – Prayer” video:





“Totentanz – Dance Macabre” lyric video:

Former DREAM THEATER and current SONS OF APOLLO drummer and his 25-year-old daughter Melody recently took part in the fourth annual "Beatles: Name That Tune" challenge — this time with a "new twist". You can watch the 15-minute video below.

Portnoy is a self-proclaimed huge BEATLES fan who is part of the BEATLES tribute supergroup YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD featuring Neal Morse, Paul Gilbert and Matt Bissonette.

In a 2011 interview with Music Radar, Portnoy spoke about what sets YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD apart from other BEATLES tribute bands. He said: "I think there's two things: We're all notable players from other bands. You know, you don't see guys like Sebastian Bach getting together with Scott Ian and Jason Bonham to do BEATLES tributes. So I think the fact that we're all name players sets us apart. And then Paul Gilbert and I come from backgrounds that are so different from what BEATLES music is generally known for — that makes it different, too. The other factor is our setlist. Most BEATLES tribute bands from here to Tokyo are doing 'She Loves You', 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', 'Yesterday', whereas with us, I think it's cooler to dig deeper into the catalogue. Who else does 'Think For Yourself' or 'You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)'?"

Portnoy said that he is amazed at what THE BEATLES accomplished in such a short period of time.

"The length of time is astonishing," he said. "From 'She Loves You' to 'Tomorrow Never Knows' is only three years. That's unbelievable. You look at the clean-cut guys on 'Ed Sullivan' in 1964, and then in '67 and '68 they're full-blown hippies with beards and long hair — and that's only three years later! They accomplished, in seven years or so, what most bands don't — musically, personally or stylistically — over a 30-year career."

Asked why he feels that Ringo Starr is often maligned as a drummer, Portnoy said: "I never listened to the drums in 'Penny Lane', for instance. I've been listening to that song for 40-something years. Heard it a million times, know the song inside and out musically, melodically, the production… I didn't pay attention to the drumming until I had to learn the drums for this. And I listened to the drumming in the song...it's genius. He's playing the most perfect part.

"It's not about how Ringo played; it's about what he played, and what he played for the song. He was perfect for the band, and quite groundbreaking. You know, until then, there weren't any drummers that were playing what he was playing. If you watch those early '64 recordings, he's really digging in and playing with a lot of fire. And then the Keith Moons and John Bonhams and Mitch Mitchells and Ginger Bakers came along, and everybody started to disregard Ringo.

"But Ringo's inventiveness on 'Penny Lane', for instance, and the way he applied the drums…and if you listen to 'Lady Madonna', there's two different drum tracks going on there. I had to figure out what to play for [YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD], because one track's doing a shuffle [imitates the sound], and then the other's going [imitates a pounding floor tom]. And in every BEATLES song, you'll hear tambourines and cowbells and all of these inventive applications of drumming and percussion. Some of that might have been George Martin, but ultimately, Ringo was doing it. He gets all the credit in the world in my book for doing that."

AXS TV has shared the video below, in which Sammy Hagar takes the stage with legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood at Fleetwood's on Front St. in Lahaina, Maui. There, Mick gives an epic drum solo during a performance of "World Turning". Later, Mick chats with Sammy about music and gives the red rocker a tour of his beloved Hawaiian hot spot





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:

Guitarist Thomas Zwijsen has released the new video below, in which he and friends perform Iron Maiden's1984 album, Powerslave, in its entirety.


Setlist:


"Aces High" (with Ben Woods)
"2 Minutes To Midnight"
"Losfer Words"
"Flash Of The Blade"
"The Duellists" (with Wiki Violin)
"Back In The Village"
"Powerslave" (with Nathanael Taekema)
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (with Nathanael Taekema)

Cherry Red Records will release the new 3CD box set, Warfare: The Lemmy Sessions, on March 24. The newly curated 3CD set features the unreleased Lemmy Kilmister mix of Warfare’s influential 1985 opus, Metal Anarchy. Pre-order here.


The truly anarchic Warfare, widely considered to have been the original “metal punks”, were formed by drummer Evo in early 1984. Evo had learned his trade in legendary droog band Major Accident, he then moved to London to join The Blood, with a spell drumming for the legendary Angelic Upstarts, before forming Warfare. A fresh and much needed shot in the arm for the UK metal scene of the mid-80s, Warfare signed to Neat Records for a series of highly influential and original LPs and EPs. In 1992 Evo called it a day, having played professionally since the age of 18, retiring from the music business completely. After a hiatus of more than a quarter of a century, Evo returned with The Songbook Of Filth, a 3CD collection featuring many special guests, but with an even more brutal and angry sound than before.


One band that was equally revered by the punks and metal-heads alike was Motörhead, being a major influence on Warfare. The Lemmy Sessions is a newly curated 3CD set featuring the unreleased Lemmy Kilmister mix of Warfare’s influential 1985 opus, Metal Anarchy. As the only band that Lemmy produced (outside of Motörhead and The Ramones), this recently discovered “rough mix” is presented from the original cassette for Evo to approve before the final mix down (Drop outs and all) on Disc One and in the original album running order




The second disc is a new fully polished version of 1985’s brutal full on Metal Anarchy album. The third disc rounds off this era of Warfare by featuring the Two Tribes EP, the Total Death EP, plus bonus track "Two Tribes" (From Hell Mix).


All newly remastered, this collection features expanded artwork and includes new liner notes from Evo written with NWOBHM expert, John Tucker.





Tracklisting:


Disc One: The Lemmy Sessions (Metal Anarchy: The Lemmy Mix)


"Psycho Express"
"Disgrace"
"Death Vigilance"
"Metal Anarchy"
"Living For The Last Days"
"Electric Mayhem"
"Warfare"
"Military Shadow"
"Wrecked Society"


Disc Two: Metal Anarchy (1985)


Intro
"Electric Mayhem"
"Warfare"
"Death Vigilance"
"Wrecked Society"
"Living For The Last Days"
"Disgrace"
"Military Shadow"
"Metal Anarchy"
"Psycho Express"


Disc Three:


"Two Tribes" 12” (Neat 45)


"Two Tribes"
"Hell"
"Blown To Bits"


Total Death EP (Neat 49)


"Metal Anarchy"
"Burning Up"
"Rape"
"Destroy"


Bonus Track


"Two Tribes" (From Hell Mix)

During a recent appearance on the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),legendary bassist Billy Sheehan reflected on his time as a member of the backing band of original VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[David] is a phenomenon of nature and he's still my hero and I'm still supremely and forever grateful for the break he gave me. And we had a ride together; we had a wonderful time. He's a jokester and a comedian… I learned so much from him, it's unbelievable. It was like getting a PhD in Show Biz 101; he knew it inside and out. And he is on. If he's not on, he's probably not there. If he's not around, he's probably not on. But if he's around, he's on. He's never not on."

Sheehan went on to say that Roth is "very smart." He added: "I just finished [VAN HALEN producer] Ted Templeman's book, and Ted really praised his lyrics. I don't think VAN HALEN would have been VAN HALEN without those lyrics, 'cause they weren't your typical 'baby, I love you' lyrics… And the stuff he did on [Roth's debut solo album] 'Eat 'Em And Smile' was quite fantastic. I think if we would have kept that 'Eat 'Em And Smile' vibe and style, the band would have really done incredibly well. Unfortunately, he made a left turn and did [1988's] 'Skyscraper'. It takes a lot of courage to make that kind of a turn. I give him credit for the courage. I didn't like the results of it myself personally. Like [David] Bowie, with 'Ziggy Stardust' suddenly came out with the 1984 record, when he broke up his original band and then went off and just went into the dance kind of thing, it took a lot of guts. So I think Dave kind of did that same thing with 'Skyscraper'. Unfortunately, it was not as successful as it

In a recent interview with Great Day Houston, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke about what it was like for him to join the band in 2011 as the replacement for original guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I played in a cover band in London and around the U.K. And JUDAS PRIEST songs were the staple diet of a gig in rock guitar playing. You had to know JUDAS PRIEST and DEEP PURPLE and IRON MAIDEN and all those songs if you wanted to play regularly. So I was intimately familiar with the band's material — never met the band before. I knew one of their ex-drummers, Les Binks. And I got the call from the management one day. I was a bit of… You know the 'Goldilocks And The Three Bears' where the porridge is just right; I wasn't a completely new guy where I was gonna get stage fright, but I hadn't been around the block for the last 10 years where I was gonna have a list of demands. I was right in the middle."

Regarding how his addition to PRIEST proved to be such a seamless transition, Faulkner said: "I think half of it was the size of it. You just kind of get swept along with the wave of it. You realize how much this means to so many people around the world. I think I was ready for the challenge. I know the duty that comes with being the guitar player in such a meaningful band."

Faulkner, nearly three decades Downing's junior, joined PRIEST after K.K. left amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

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

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

Back in 2019, Faulkner dismissed the criticism he received for supposedly trying to look too much like Downing. "Obviously, you get the [haters] — the 'clone' comments," Richie told the "Let There Be Talk" podcast. "I've got long blond hair, playing a flying V [guitar]… [Michael] Schenker, Zakk [Wylde], K.K., Randy Rhoads — all those guys. To say I was a Ken clone was fairly narrow-minded. There's tons of guys who have flying Vs and long hair.

"The thing is if I had dyed my hair black to be different, I would have been shot down," he continued. "You've gotta be real; you've gotta be who you are. And I grew up on Ken, I grew up on Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] and the guys that I mentioned. So you've just gotta be who you are. And I grew up with those guys, and I'm not ashamed. I wear it on my sleeve — they're all my influences, and I'm not afraid of that… There's no point in trying to hide it. But it's gotta be natural as well. And I think somehow it worked out organically. I didn't try to copy him. And as it goes on, you always try to do your own thing and make your own statement."

Four years ago, Downing said that he felt like he was "being cloned" when he first found out he was being replaced by Faulkner.

Downing, who announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011 after nearly 42 years in the job, admitted to the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast that he was taken aback when he first saw his replacement.

"Richie, as far as I know, is a nice guy and obviously an excellent player," Downing said. "I was a bit disappointed when, basically… I think the idea was to replace me [with a lookalike], so I did feel as though I was kind of being cloned. But I'm not sure that was exactly fair to Richie. I mean, I could be off the mark here, but I think Richie had the right to bring himself to the stage with his own… portray his own image and ability to play the instrument the way that he does. But it is what it is."

He continued: "When Glenn retired from touring [in early 2018], the same didn't happen — obviously, [Tipton's replacement] Andy [Sneap] doesn't look anything like Glenn; he doesn't wear the same clothes, the red pants, guitars or anything like that. So I don't really know what's going on. But it is what it is."

In a 2011 interview with the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, singer Rob Halford stated about Faulkner's physical resemblance to a younger Downing: "People are saying, 'It's a clone. You've got some of K.K.'s DNA.' It's just the way it turned out. We made, like, a secret search. When we knew K.K. was not gonna be making the tour, we did a lot of secret, kind of, searching for another player. And Richie just happened to be the guy. And he just happens to look a little bit of the K.K. image, you know?! I think it would be silly to say, 'We looked for a guitar player that looks like Ken.' What we want is a very good metal guitar player, and that's what Richie Faulkner is."

In a new interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo reflected on the band's early years with singer Sebastian Bach and drummer Rob Affuso, which marked their most commercially successful period. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're so very proud of what we were able to accomplish — all of us who were in the band at that time; we're very proud of what we did together. We all are. It was an incredible time in music. And we got to see the world as a bunch of young kids and got to play our music in front of millions and millions of people. That was the beginning of everything for us and a big reason why we're still able to do what we do. But I'm proud of the complete history of the band and everybody who has been a part of it. And, obviously, the first beginning, like the first five [or] six years, were a huge role in allowing us to have a career and to still be able to perform music and create music to this day. And it's all because of the fans. They've given us the most amazing gift, which is that we get to play music for a living, we get to make records, we get to tour. And without the fans, there is no SKID ROW. So that particular time, as somewhat of an innocent young group of people and having the success that we had, was humbling, to say the least. It was really humbling, and it was an incredible time period for everybody. And I'm just so thankful that I got to live it and to live through it."

Earlier this year, Sabo was asked by Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio how he feels about people still calling for a SKID ROW reunion with Bach. He said: "Well, it's been 23 years [since SKID ROW reformed], so to say that I'm over it would be an understatement. We attempted [a reunion] slightly [back in 2016]. We dipped our toes in the water and realized that it didn't feel so good. It's just one of those things where we still could not see eye to eye; we couldn't even get past the point of simple texting.

"I am really, really happy where we are," Snake continued. "I'm very proud of our past, and all due credit to everybody who's been involved in every aspect of our career, whoever that may be, 'cause it all led to where we are now.

"I've been asked a thousand times: 'What about the payday [of a reunion with Sebastian]?' And that's all well and good, but if that's why I did this — if that's why we did this; I can speak for everybody — we probably wouldn't be doing it," Sabo explained. "I wanna be happy, and I am very, very happy. And so are the guys; everybody's really happy.

"The music climate is what it is, and we're a classic rock band, and I'm proud of that. And we're still able to make music. I mean, Jeez — I live a very, very blessed life, man," Snake added. "I have nothing but gratitude and humility for what we have achieved and for what we're able to continue to do. So while there may be people out there who are flashing dollar signs with a lot of zeroes, I still have to be happy doing it, and I am. And that's what's most important. I need to be happy being in a band with the people I'm in a band with. A lot of other bands can go out and they don't see each other till they're on stage and travel on separate buses and all that stuff, and that's all well and good, but I don't wanna live my life like that. I don't wanna be up onstage and kind of living a lie; it just doesn't feel good. So, while I'm thankful for people's interest and whatnot, I'm even more thankful that we still get to play music for a living under our terms."

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February and was replaced by Erik Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

Last year, Bach told Florida's 98.7 The Gater radio station that "there's no reason" for the classic SKID ROW not to reunite. "When those guys [in SKID ROW] try to say [about me], 'He's difficult to work with,' let me just say this one more time. We have not been in the same room together since the year 1996," he said. "Shut the eff up about you thinking you know what I'm like. You don't know anything about what I'm like. And the 'Gilmore Girls' think I'm okay to work with; Broadway thinks I'm okay to work with; the 'Trailer Park Boys' think I'm okay; GUNS N' ROSES think I'm pretty cool. We're not getting any younger."

Sebastian went on to say that a SKID ROW reunion "should" happen "for the fans. And we are absolutely running out of bands — bands that can play in sheds," he said. "The fact that we are all still alive and we are all in our 50s — some closer to 60 than others — but that, to me, is selfish that we're not together.

"I can play with anyone. I do play with everyone [laughs] — except for them."

Two years ago, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan also confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Three years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."

Sabo added: "It was already a miserable experience, and we didn't even get on the phone."

Last year, Bach completed a U.S. tour during which he celebrated the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's sophomore album, "Slave To The Grind".

In a recent interview with Italy's 106.6 Radio Rock radio station, NICKELBACK bassist Mike Kroeger, who has been vocal about his appreciation for heavy metal, spoke about his love for Swedish extreme tech-metal pioneers MESHUGGAH. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I saw MESHUGGAH play at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City [in September 2022]. Before we came to Rome to do press for NICKELBACK's new album, 'Get Rollin''], we had a week vacation in New York. And I was really upset that I was gonna miss MESHUGGAH when they came to Los Angeles, but luckily I found out while we were in New York, they were playing in New York. So through some friends I got into the show. I know Tomas [Haake], the [MESHUGGAH] drummer. I don't bother Tomas on show days; it's too much. Especially in Los Angeles, backstage is, like, three hundred people. New York's probably just as bad. And I just said, 'Tomas, do a great show. I'll see you in another…' When we go to Stockholm is when we hang out, because he has time then. But they absolutely ripped the roof off the Hammerstein Ballroom. I was in the balcony in the seats, and every head was… Everybody was moving in the seats. On the floor, they were, like, killing each other."

Mike's latest comments come a month after his bandmate, NICKELBACK guitarist Ryan Peake, spoke about Kroeger's comment about three years ago that he wanted to make a SLAYER covers album. Asked by RockSverige if that is something all four members of NICKELBACK could agree on doing and whether it's even a possibility for NICKELBACK to make a record like that, Ryan laughed and said: "I don't know if it would be something we all could agree on because we are all have our different likes and dislikes when it comes to music. Mike's is really heavy, and I like SLAYER, so I get that. I think we could probably agree on doing a heavy covers album or something like that."

He continued: "I got kicked out of Ryan Vikedal's [former NICKELBACK drummer] garage for playing [SLAYER's] 'South Of Heaven'. I went down to see him before he was actually in the band and I was just kind of jamming with him. We grew up with that."

Circling back to the idea of NICKELBACK making a SLAYER covers album, Ryan said: "I don't know. This is what I like about this band. I don't think anything's going to be so crazy to hear from us. I think if a metal band went and made a full-on country album, it might be, like, 'What are you doing? You've got nine metal albums, and now this?'

"We've kind of dipped our toes in a lot of different music, I feel, and especially with 'No Fixed Address', where we kind of tried to stretch our legs a bit, that it's maybe believable.

"I love metal stuff, I love pop stuff, I love some country, for sure. Chris Stapleton is unreal. He is singlehandedly saving country music. I grew up with country music, but I haven't been listening to it in years until I heard him do something with an acoustic and another guy with an upright bass and his wife singing harmony. That was it. I had goosebumps like crazy, and I love when music does that. And it doesn't matter where it comes from.

"Maybe [we can] do a TESTAMENT, SLAYER, MESHUGGAH album? I don't know. [Laughs]"

In January 2019, Mike told Australia's Wall Of Sound that metal is "what I listen to without fail," adding that "if we could actually sink in and do a metal album, all four of us would love it. I know that we're all — on differing scales — metalheads at our core. We all know everything about the 'Big Four' — METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER. I would do a SLAYER cover album if I could. That's where my heart lies. There are just never enough hours in the day to do everything, but let's just say I wouldn't count it out."

But six months later, Kroeger offered a different take on the possibility of recording a SLAYER covers album, telling the New Hampshire Union Leader that he never said NICKELBACK as a band would partake in such a project.

"As a journalist yourself, you realize the importance of context and how context can be manipulated," Mike said. "I can't remember who I was talking to, but I know this got somewhat distorted, and then it was put on a wire and then everybody got it.

"I said this in an interview with somebody in, I think, Australia, and then it got regurgitated and switched around and then reformatted it into this clickbait form," he continued. "What I said was, 'I would like to make a SLAYER cover record or have a SLAYER cover band or make a metal album.' I didn't say [it involved] NICKELBACK … Like, 'Hey, everybody, be outraged because NICKELBACK wants to make a heavy metal album.'"

According to Mike, he still has a passion for the heavier forms of music and he often entertains the idea of dabbling in the more extreme styles than NICKELBACK is known for.

"I'm a metalhead, love metal music, love SLAYER in particular; they're one of my favorites," he said. "And I would love to play that music, but I couldn't speak for NICKELBACK in saying that we want to do a SLAYER cover band or make a death-metal record.

"I know that the drummer, Daniel [Adair], he's a big fan of metal. I don't know if he wants to be in a metal band. He might. I know Chad [Kroeger, guitar/vocals] and Ryan both like heavy metal, but I don't know if they wanna make a record of it or play in a band that plays SLAYER covers. I sincerely doubt it."

Asked if SLAYER was the first metal band he really got into, Mike said: "I remember particular moments in my life when I heard a kind of music or a band for the first time, and I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. SLAYER's one of those. I was skateboarding with friends and we had a little boombox with us. And I remember one of the guys put on a cassette tape … [I] put on a cassette tape of the 'Reign In Blood' album. I just sat down and I was' like, 'What on earth is that? What, what is this? I need to know what this is.' And it just got me. That's one in particular that I remember distinctly socking me right between the eyes."

Former ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5 has uploaded a video of him playing along to "Looks That Kill", a song from MÖTLEY CRÜE's second album, "Shout At The Devil", which was originally released in 1983. The 52-year-old rocker captioned the clip: "Hope everybody had a great Christmas. It's Motley Monday. Looks that kill."

The latest video share comes a month after John 5 posted a video of him playing along to "Wild Side", a song from MÖTLEY CRÜE's sixth album, "Girls, Girls, Girls". Prior to that, he shared a play-along video for the "Girls, Girls, Girls" title track and "Too Fast For Love", the title track of MÖTLEY CRÜE's debut album, which celebrated its 41st birthday on November 10.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The reformed PANTERA played its fourth concert without bassist Rex Brown on December 18 at Knotfest Brasil at Sambódromo Do Anhembi in São Paulo, Brazil. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be seen below.

The Knotfest Brasil gig took place six days after Rex confirmed that a positive COVID-19 test forced him to miss PANTERA's performance at Knotfest Chile in Santiago on December 11. Filling in for him at Knotfest Brasil gig — and other recent shows — was CATTLE DECAPITATION bassist Derek Engemann, who also plays with PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo in both PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS and SCOUR.

PANTERA's setlist for the Knotfest Brasil concert was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. A New Level
02. Mouth For War
03. Strength Beyond Strength
04. Becoming
05. I'm Broken
06. 5 Minutes Alone
07. This Love
08. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit
09. Fucking Hostile
10. Planet Caravan (BLACK SABBATH cover)
11. Walk
12. Domination / Hollow
13. Cowboys From Hell

On December 12, Brown released the following statement via PANTERA's social media: "I caught a very mild strain of Covid, but because of our own protocols, I simply do not wanna risk getting my brothers or the crew sick!! I'm feeling better & am on my way to a speedy recovery. Merry Fckn Christmas & see you all next year!"

On December 11, Chilean radio station Futuro reported that Brown flew from Bogotá, Colombia, where PANTERA performed at Knotfest Colombia on December 9, back home to the United States to quarantine, thereby missing the remainder of the PANTERA shows in South America.

Joining surviving members Brown and Anselmo in PANTERA's reformed lineup are guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX).

The new PANTERA lineup made its live debut on December 2 at Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest and also performed on December 6 at Monterrey Metal Fest in Monterrey, Mexico.

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

The band will headline a number of major festivals across North America and Europe and stage some of their own headline concerts. They will also support METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, as well as Brown, who last year said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

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

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

Vinnie passed away on June 22, 2018 at his other home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

Eloy Casagrande has shared drum-cam video of SEPULTURA's "Roots Bloody Roots" performance from the band's December 18 concert at Knotfest Brasil at Sambódromo Do Anhembi in São Paulo, Brazil. Check it out below.

Casagrande joined SEPULTURA 11 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella.

Last year, guitarist Andreas Kisser spoke to France's Loud TV about how Casagrande's addition to has affected SEPULTURA's sound.

"We're very lucky to have such great musicians here in Brazil, especially in drumming," he said. "We have great drummers and percussionists. You see [Carlos] Santana and all those great names, Paul Simon and stuff, always using some Brazilian here and there regarding the drum world. And Eloy started playing drums very early. He was made for SEPULTURA, man. I mean, he played in some other bands and stuff, but here with SEPULTURA, he's really exploding; he's really free to express himself the way he wants to, and SEPULTURA's music really provides that. And in exchange, he gave me especially to write many new possibilities. I think 'Machine Messiah' and 'Quadra' are the consequence of that interaction we have, which is great. It's so inspiring. It's fantastic.

"We are kind of always writing," he continued. "Sometimes he sends me some drum loops and I send him some riffs and stuff, and it's really cool that we build stuff from there. And he's a very professional guy — the best drummer in the world; at least for SEPULTURA he's the best. [Laughs]"

In February 2020, SEPULTURA singer Derrick Green told Australia's Everblack Media that Casagrande has had "a tremendous impact" on the group since he joined in 2011. "It's undeniable because he's such a strong force," he said. "He loves playing metal music. He's one of the most talented drummers I've ever seen, honestly. That power is consistent from beginning to the end. It really has rubbed off on all of us to really push ourselves further. He's such a perfect match for the band. He really is always influencing us in so many ways to really go beyond — above and beyond."

In 2019, the now-31-year-old Eloy told Drumtalk that he didn't care about the long-simmering feud between founding SEPULTURA members Max and Igor Cavalera and his current bandmates. "I respect all the history," he said. "I have total respect for the past drummers, Igor and Jean [Dolabella]. They are amazing guys, incredible guys, but we just live in the present. I really don't care what happened, what didn't happen. I respect all the music. I respect their music nowadays. It's just that we have to follow our path and that's it."

SEPULTURA's latest album, "Quadra", was released in February 2020 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was created at Sweden's Fascination Street Studios with renowned producer Jens Bogren.

SEPULTURA comprises Green, Kisser, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and Casagrande.

British heavy metal legends SAXON have released the official music video for the song "Dambusters". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Carpe Diem", which came out in February 2022 via Silver Lining Music.

Said SAXON singer Biff Byford: "It has been a great year for SAXON this year! A massive THANKS to all who bought the album and came to see us live… The pilgrimage starts again next year with 'Seize The Day' Tour - Part 2. Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year! Here's a new video for you."

Produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) at Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire with Byford and Sneap mixing and mastering, "Carpe Diem" strikes the ear as one of the most essential British metal statements of the last few years and not lacking in pace or bite, an album which will ignite the joy in stalwart supporters and attract a whole new legion to the SAXON fold.

Sneap, himself a guitarist and producer of some metal repute, ensures that "Carpe Diem" does not lack one ounce of grit or sharpness. "Andy's obviously a very good guitarist," said Biff, "but he's not a blues-based guitarist like our guys are; he's more of a modern-style player. And that means the boys (Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt) love working with him because, again, it's all about the intensity. Andy's always pushing the envelope; he doesn't let them get away with anything. They have to play it for real, full speed. He gets great sound, and we want that Gibson/Marshall '80s sound even if they're not Gibsons and Marshalls. We try and retain that British metal guitar sound that we created for SAXON, and he's definitely an '80s child."

Regarding the songwriting process for "Carpe Diem", Biff told Metal Rules: "Generally, I want the riffs and the guitar to be important again on this album. A lot of music is just rhythm-based these days. I just wanted to bring the riffs back. My brief suggestion to the guitar boys and Nibbs [Carter, bass] was to come at me with some great guitar riffs. The faster, the better. I think that works on this album as there are some great guitar riffs. A lot of the ideas that I had started with their riffs. In the '80s, the guitar riff was supreme, with the vocals and guitar being the main aspects of the sound. Not there are no guitar riffs on 'Thunderbolt', because there are, but on this album, we put more emphasis on the riff and the way that they are played. It is quite aggressive and on the edge. 'Remember The Fallen' does have a 1984 or 1985 vibe. It's an easy song to play and sing. It's one of those songs that lends itself to a lot of melody. The subject matter is not so light. I like that style of SAXON playing in the rhythm and riff. It's not a single-string riff but a rhythm riff. Originally, I wasn't sure if I liked the song as it was on our B list for a long time. I wrote the lyrics to it and wanted it to go on the album."

David Lee Roth has shared a new solo version of the VAN HALEN classic "Everybody Wants Some!!". The new recording, like the previously released "You Really Got Me", "Dance The Night Away", "Panama" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", was laid down on May 3, 2022 during a session at Henson Recording Studio in Hollywood, California. Joining Roth in the studio were Al Estrada on guitar, Ryan Wheeler on bass and Francis Valentino on drums. A total of 14 songs were recorded in two hours. The music and the vocals were tracked live with "no samples" and without the pitch-correction technology Auto-Tune.

Roth's version of "Everybody Wants Some!!" comes four months after he shared a previously unheard solo recording from 2007, "Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway", in which he looked back nostalgically on his days in VAN HALEN. The latter song was recorded in 2007 with guitarist John 5 and drummer Gregg Bissonette for an album that never came out.

Back in 2020, Roth included five previously unreleased songs in The Roth Project, an online comic narrated by the legendary VAN HALEN singer, with music from John 5 on guitar and bass, Bissonette on drums, Brett Tuggle on keyboards, and Luis Conte on percussion. The tracks "Giddy-Up!", "Somewhere Over The Rainbow Bar And Grill", "Alligator Pants", "Lo-Rez Sunset" and "Manda Bala" were recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, California.

Three years ago, Roth was asked by Meltdown of the Detroit radio station WRIF if his LP with John 5 will be made available at some point. He responded: "It will. There's been a revision of things, and I can start making real plans and start marching into the future. And, of course, you'll start hearing that material. This is material that we wrote variously for me solo and for VAN HALEN, and it's quite a bank of stuff."

Roth, who was promoting his Las Vegas residency at the time, didn't offer a possible time frame for the release of the record, explaining that his priority was "getting out on the road first. Let's see the band, let's show ourselves off, let's travel all over the world."

Roth canceled a series of Las Vegas residency shows in January because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Three months earlier, he had announced in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was planning to retire after the residency.

In July, Roth released a new solo song titled "Pointing At The Moon". The acoustic-based, Americana-flavored tune was accompanied by a new abstract painting from Roth.

Heavy rock band One Day Alive has released the official music video for their newest single, "Bringing On The Pain". Directed by Robb Webb, "Bringing On The Pain" was produced by Jason Null (Saving Abel) with mixing / mastering by Malcolm Springer, and engineering by Rick Andress.





One Day Alive’s blend of thick guitar riffs, melodically driven vocals, and signature feel provides the recipe for their distinct version of new age rock. With songs that reflect themes of both personal turmoil and triumph, ODA’s music delivers a feeling of angst and honesty by way of a dynamic and anthemic sound.




Purchase / stream "Bringing On The Pain" here.





 

Temtris has revealed the cover art, tracklist, and video teaser of their upcoming new album Khaos Divine, which will be released on March 17th, 2023 through WormHoleDeath Records.


Khaos Divine is a stunning, modern metal concept album, which plunges the listener into a tale of a dark and troubled dystopian city where a new world order has taken hold of its population with the offer of a chance to live an almost eternal life but at the cost of freedom.


This album is full of emotionally-charged songs, with catchy guitar riffs, memorable melodies, and choruses which are characterized by the trademark twin guitar harmonies that define this band's distinctive sound. Driven by a powerful and energetic rhythm section and soaring power metal vocals, Temtris leads you through this musical journey of salvation, betrayal, and the loss of all hope.




Temtris introduces you to the strong female character of the story Ember on their album cover, giving you a taste of what’s to come in this powerful modern tale.





Tracklisting:


"The Grand Design"
"Khaos Divine"
"Eternal Death Machine" 
"Dreams Or Reality" 
"The Lies Become The Truth" 
"The Path" 
"Revenge" 
"Evolution Of Hate" 
"Ground Zero" 





In 2023, the Temtris crew will be bringing this story to life as they tour through Australia and internationally… stay tuned for tour dates soon.


Temtris are:


Genevieve Rodda - vocals
Anthony Fox - guitar
Nadi Norouzian - guitar
Nicholas Bolin - drums
Vane Danov - bass


 

In a recent interview with AndrewHaug.com, Australia's first-ever dedicated 24/7 rock and metal online radio station launched by Andrew Haug, the former host of Triple J Australia's "The Racket" radio show, former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera discussed his definition of the word "success." He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The meaning of the word 'success' is different for me from most other artists. For me, success is being surrounded by the people you love doing what you love. That's it. It's as simple as it gets. It's super simple. But for a lot of people, it's hard to find that; some people struggle with that a lot. And it took me a long time to realize that, really, that's all you need. That's all I need, man. I don't need the Grammys. That stuff, it's cool if it comes — whatever — and if it doesn't, it's still good."

He continued: "The key thing, though… Some people get confused… If you find satisfaction around you with your family and friends that you're gonna lose the hunger. I don't think so. I'm still hungry. I wanna get it. I wanna make this perfect record. I don't think I've done it yet. In my mind, I think I still can do it. I haven't done it. And people come to me, 'But you did 'Chaos A.D.'. You did 'Arise'.' But in my mind, no. I think it's still to come. There's gas left in the tank. I believe in it. And it's possible, man. It's just cool. I think the chase is what makes it cool. The struggle is the glory. Like John Lennon said, 'Life is what happens to you when you're making plans.' It's exactly that.

"So, both things [can be true]. I'm extremely happy with friends and family and all my projects, but I'm also hungry. I wanna create more meaningful music all the time. That's why I listen to music all the time. I wanna still do different stuff. Because that's the magic beauty of music; it's never ending."

SEPULTURA's classic lineup fell apart in 1996 with the exit of Max after the rest of the band split with his wife Gloria as their manager. His brother, drummer Igor Cavalera, stuck around with the group for another 10 years before leaving SEPULTURA and re-teaming with Max in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

Although SEPULTURA has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout the band's three-and-a-half-decade-plus history, Max-era albums "Roots" and "Chaos A.D." were by far SEPULTURA's most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales in excess of five hundred thousand copies.

Igor and Max have spent much of the last six years celebrating the 20th anniversary of SEPULTURA's "Roots" and 30th anniversary of "Beneath The Remains" and "Arise" albums on tour all over the world.

SOULFLY's twelfth album, "Totem", was released in August via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2018's "Ritual" was recorded at Platinum Underground in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino and Arthur Rizk with assistance from John Powers. Produced by Max alongside Arthur Rizk (KREATOR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, CODE ORANGE),the LP boasts guest appearances from John Powers (ETERNAL CHAMPION),Chris Ulsh (POWER TRIP),and John Tardy (OBITUARY). Rizk was also responsible for playing lead guitar on the record. The artwork for the album was created by James Bousema.

Former HIM frontman Ville Valo was recently asked by Impericon to name the top three concerts he has ever seen. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My first big concert was IRON MAIDEN who played in Helsinki Ice Hall. I think it was '86. They were touring an album called 'Somewhere In Time' and they had W.A.S.P. as their support act. And that was the first concert I ever went to. I still have the t-shirt; I spent all my weekly allowance for the t-shirt. It's a bit small — it would look funny on me these days — but I'm hoping to meet the guys at some point so I can ask them to sign it. That'd be great. But that was a big deal for me.

"In a similar vein would be KISS when they did their reunion tour," he continued. "So we took the ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm. I think it was '96. [They] were putting the masks back on and doing the old '70s sort of show. That was such a big deal. And we had such a blast going there. I think it was two hundred or three hundred KISS fans from Finland, and we sort of took over the ferry, and it was all about just KISS, KISS, KISS and KISS. And it was an amazing experience. And also I got to see them really close — up close to the stage; I was maybe ten meters away from the stage — and it was one of the greatest shows I've ever seen.

"The third one… There was a lot of good ones. I'd say… I can't remember the year; it was in the late '90s. It was MONSTER MAGNET," Ville added. "It was a funny incident. I was partying with the band who had the tickets for the gig, but they all passed out, so I was able to get one of those tickets and actually go in there. And I was let in. And I think I was 17, and the place was over 18 only. So I remember that gig, because then… I was so drunk too, but it was amazing."

Valo's debut solo album, "Neon Noir" will arrive on January 13 via Heartagram Records, distributed by UMG/Spinefarm.

Ville has released three singles so far from "Neon Noir": "The Foreverlost", "Echolocate Your Love", and "Loveletting". The latter marked Ville's first new music in over two years, following the release of the three-track "Gothica Fennica Vol. 1" EP, also released under the VV banner, in March 2020.

Like "Echolocate Your Love" and "Loveletting", "Gothica Fennica Vol. 1" bore a strong musical resemblance to HIM and featured the tracks "Salute The Sanguine", "Run Away From The Sun" and "Saturnine Saturnalia".

HIM completed a farewell tour in 2017, closing the final chapter on the band's 26-year career.

Formed in 1991 by Valo, guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström and bassist Mikko "Migé" Paananen, HIM offered the world a new take on the metal genre, which became known as "love metal" (also the title of their fourth album).

HIM in 2015 parted ways with its longtime drummer, Mika Kristian Karppinen (a.k.a. Gas Lipstick),and replaced him with Jukka "Kosmo" Kröger (formerly of HERRA YLPPÖ & IHMISET).

Three years ago, Valo teamed up with guitar legend Esa Pulliainen to record an album based on songs by the late, legendary Finnish singer Rauli "Badding" Somerjoki. The self-titled album by VILLE VALO & AGENTS was released in February 2019 and was followed by a short tour.

Photo credit: Juha Mustonen

In a new interview with Australia's AndrewHaug.com, LACUNA COIL singers Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro spoke about the importance of social media in the way bands interact with their fans and promote their music in 2022. Cristina said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It is overwhelming, to be honest. I like social media. Sometimes it's crazy that if you don't publish things on your social media, for the world it's like nothing ever happened while most of the time, if you don't put a lot of stuff [on social media], it's because you're doing a lot of stuff behind the scenes. But people don't see it. We embraced it because we know it's part of a job. Back then [in the early days of the band], it was probably more about videos and interviews in magazines. Now it just changed. I mean, you can't expect life to stand still; you just have to move with it. And I have to say that we've been pretty up for evolution. We are not only resilient as people in general in life but we also like new things. We always keep an eye on what's happening. We just embrace it. We know that it is what it is."

Added Andrea: "It's just a bit difficult because they keep adding new outlets. So at first it was only Facebook, or MySpace even before that, and now Instagram. And then they started TikTok… Some of these outlets are more for content creators; they're not really for a band — unless you have somebody in the band that really is into the content creation. So it's also important to understand where you can push and where it's mainly useless to push because it's not what you [have the necessary skills for]."

Continued Cristina: "And also you need time — in order to do that, you need time… Even if you want to do Twitch, you have to dedicate at least a couple of hours out of your day. But if you're traveling, if you're playing, if you're doing interviews, you don't have this time. You don't have the luxury of having a 48-hour day in your life."

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 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.

Photo credit: Cunene

In a new interview with Australia's AndrewHaug.com, drummer Mario Duplantier of GOJIRA spoke about his band's environmentalist outcries and reputation as metal's next sociopolitical visionaries. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We grew up exactly in the same place in France, in the southwest, so we had the same concerns. We were also rednecks; we didn't grow up in big cities, for example. So we were surrounded by nature. It's our education; the four of us received the same education — 'respect the ocean, respect the mountains,' because it was our playground.

"Joe [Joseph Duplantier, GOJIRA frontman and Mario's brother] is writing the lyrics, and Joe is a very sensitive person; he's always thinking about humanity in general. When you have to write lyrics, you just have to write something you're obsessed about or you just feel.

"I think what is cool is now, with the stature of the band, we were able to raise a campaign like we did for Amazonia where we raised money — like $300,000 to give directly to the indigenous people in Brazil. So that's our goal, I would say, in the future, is bringing more operations like this."

Mario went on to say that he and his bandmates are always thinking about new ways to express something that would empower people and inspire them. "We constantly think about the human beings in general," he said. "We talk a lot in general. We are very psychologic and constantly thinking about what will be the next path for community. So this kind of campaign is precious for us: what can we do with our living? We have one life right now. We want to be part of the solution of bringing something positive. It sounds very cliché, but that's our only goal, is to bring something positive for humans."

GOJIRA's song "Amazonia", which appeared on the band's latest album, "Fortitude", laments the destruction of the rainforest. (All proceeds from the track go to a charity for tribes who have suffered through deforestation.)

Last year, Joseph told Revolver magazine that "Fortitude" finds him and his bandmates "expressing more and more clearly, something that we have to communicate with the world. Sometimes I'm thinking, 'Wait a second, you've been saying the same thing over and over for almost 25 years.' Not exactly the same thing but, 'Be strong. Be compassionate,'" he said. "And there's nothing cheesy or lame about it. Talking about love and understanding and compassion and self-love and self-respect and respect toward other beings, humans and animals. I think it's a powerful message and it's a bit Jesus-like. Although we're not religious, there's something spiritual about our message.

"I realize with time that when somebody has an important thing to say in their lives, they have to say it over and over to be heard. So, basically, with this album, we're reaffirming our message of compassion, of love and respect, and also a little bit of, 'Don't fuck with me.' But in a different way. We're fine-tuning what we have to say. And clearly the message of this album is 'Be strong. Stay on your feet. And take a stand.' And we're in a time in our lives where so much is changing and we all think about revolution sometimes — what if, what if, the world could be a better place — but it starts from within each and every single one of us. It's not very different from the chorus of 'Silvera' from the album 'Magma'. 'When you change yourself, you change the world.'"

This past October, French progressive metallers GOJIRA released a new song titled "Our Time Is Now". The track appears on the soundtrack to EA Sports' long-running NHL video game franchise "NHL 23".

"Fortitude" came out in April 2021 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2016's "Magma" was recorded and produced by Joseph Duplantier at Silver Cord Studio — GOJIRA's Ridgewood, Queens, New York headquarters — and mixed by Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).

GOJIRA initially laid the foundation for "Fortitude" in 2020 with the surprise release of the single "Another World".

The artwork for "Fortitude" was created by Joseph Duplantier.