KINGDOM COME singer Keith St. John, who joined the band in 2018 as the replacement for original frontman Lenny Wolf, spoke to the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast about the reformed group's plans for the coming months. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've got live dates right now. We've got a fairly famous rock drummer in the band, James Kottak. [He spent] 17 years in the SCORPIONS. It was really his brainchild, to be honest with you, to put [KINGDOM COME] back together without Lenny. So it's the original four members, who never worked together again after those early days. And I was honored that James called me to come and do it. But James has had some health issues in this last — [it's] going on for about two years, I would say, and creeping up. And now he's on a break for a little while until he gets recouped and recovered from everything. And my good friend who plays in '[Raiding The] Rock Vault' with me out here, Blas Elias, has stepped in — Blas Elias from SLAUGHTER; he stepped in to take over the drums for now.

"But Rick [Steier] and I, one of the guitar players, who also lives in L.A., we do have a whole bunch of riffs and songs we're waiting to put together with the rest of the band and get going on that, if we can."

KINGDOM COME played its first two shows with Elias in September in Texas.

St. John announced Elias's addition to KINGDOM COME's touring lineup in a statement to Metal Sludge. He wrote: "Taking over the drum seat in KINGDOM COME for the time being while James is recovering and getting his health together will be my 'Raiding The Rock Vault' and BURNING RAIN brother…(drum roll please)… Blas Elias!

"Blas has been so kind to step in and fill in for James. At this point, we don't know how long it might be, but thankfully Blas has an amazing feel for this music and is absolutely killing on it! It's also fair to say that James has always mentioned that Blas is one of his favorite drummers."

Less than four months ago, Kottak announced that he wouldn't play with his KINGDOM COME bandmates at their concerts in Texas. In the early hours of August 21, James took to his Twitter to write: "I will not be at the Kingdom Come Plano or San Antonio shows so don't waste your time thanks jams k [sic]".

In June, Kottak denied that alcohol played a role in KINGDOM COME's disastrous performance at a Swedish festival.

The band's June 10 appearance at Sweden Rock Festival was described by the popular Swedish site Rocknytt as the event's "biggest fuckup." Writer Peter Johansson criticized the band for the inclusion of "several lengthy, uninspired, uninteresting and completely meaningless solos on both guitar and bass", saying that the musicians "completely massacred" one of their most popular songs, "Do You Like It". He also singled out Kottak, writing that the drummer played "really badly, sluggishly" and at times failed to keep the tempo "worryingly throughout the concert". At the end of the show, Kottak "stumbled to the edge of the stage to bow with his bandmates," according to Rocknytt.

Also critical of KINGDOM COME's performance was renowned Swedish music journalist and guitar player Janne Stark, who took to his Facebook page to share a photo of the gig and he wrote in an accompanying caption: "I've never seen a drummer fall asleep on stage before but James Kottak is pretty damn close. Drunk? He slows down every song to half tempo. KINGDOM COME, sorry guys but this is SHIT!"

Kottak publicly discussed KINGDOM COME's performance at Sweden Rock for the first time in an interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" conducted just days after the concert. Regarding what caused the show to fall short of expectations, James said: "I wanna say about eight or nine days ago, maybe 10 days ago, in the middle of the night, like four o'clock in the morning, I was in a dead sleep and I just rolled off the bed and I cracked three ribs on my left side. And I went to my chiropractor guy and he says, 'Oh, you have hairline fractures.' And I'm, like, 'Oh, great.' And dude, it's just been non-stop pain. It's not just my ribs; it's head to toe. That's why things were a little bit slower. 'Cause I took ibuprofen and the usual, Aleve or whatever, but, man, it was an uphill battle from the time we started. And it was just — I mean, not pain; I'm talking pain-pain, big-time stuff. That's no excuse, because the show must go on. But, yeah, I was a little slower than usual. But also we [usually] have a click track, of course, 'cause we might have a little bit of playback. Something was up with that, so we were flying solo… And [when] you don't have it, you go, 'Oh-oh. Okay. We'll do this.' It was just an off day, and there's nothing you can do about it."

According to James, there was "definitely no drinking" involved prior to the KINGDOM COME mishap at Sweden Rock. "Because that with the medication, it doesn't go good together," he explained. "And it was just an off day, man. I did everything to [make it better] — tons of tea, this and that, and all the usual things that I do — but, man, it was just too soon after falling that we went to play this gig. But it's Sweden Rock, and you don't wanna bail out on that."

Asked if alcohol contributed to him falling out of bed prior to the Sweden Rock performance, Kottak said: "I always sleep on the left side of the bed, and I just somehow, in my sleep, rolled off the bed and landed on my left side. I mean, that's really it. I wasn't drinking — nothing like that. Yeah, I have a few white wines here and there, but nothing like that. I just rolled off the bed. And that's the first time in my life that's ever happened where I actually fell off. I woke up and saw stars. It took me 15 minutes to get off the floor. These things happen sometimes, and there's nothing you can do. With SCORPIONS, going up my riser to get to my drums, there were, like, 14 steps, and I fell down those stairs at least five times, if not six times. Because I was like a dummy — I was always spitting this water. And I'd finish a song and I'd come down not thinking, and, just, 'Whoop', right on my ass."

James also denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee.

"I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands."

Four years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional."

He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to [the island of] Antigua [to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center], and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey."

Two years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circumstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink.

"From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore.

"If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually…

"SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes.

"It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."

Kingdom Come Band Official

Posted by Kingdom Come on Saturday, September 24, 2022

Norwegian progressive rock group, Avkrvst, have signed with InsideOutMusic/Sony Music for release of their debut album in 2023.


Avkrvst was founded by Martin Utby and Simon Bergseth - two musicians and friends who grew up together and have been playing tons of gigs with all kinds of different bands, but never together - until now.


The band had this to say about the signing: “Signing with InsideOutMusic is a childhood dream come true. We’re beyond excited about the journey ahead and ready for the world to hear our music.”
 
Thomas Waber, InsideOutMusic Label manager had this to say: “We are really happy with the signing of Avkrvst, a young new band from Norway. I am convinced they will find an audience in the current scene. Looking forward to building a future together!"
 
At the young age of 7 years old, Martin and Simon made a pact that they would form a band when they got older. Now, 22 years later they’ve done just that. An album is ready - 55 minutes of music inspired by everything they grew up listening to - everything from Mew, Anekdoten and Porcupine Tree to Opeth, Neal Morse and King Crimson.
 
All the music has been written at a small cabin, deep into the Norwegian forests (Alvdal, Nor- way). Simon (composer, guitars, bass and vocals) and Martin (composer, drummer and synths) have later been joined by Øystein Aadland on bass/keys, Edvard Seim on guitars and Auver Gaaren on keys.




The band have shared a teaser video of them working in the studio, which you can see below:





(Photo - Kristian Rangnes)

According to Billboard, a California judge has ruled that Lloyd's Of London doesn't cover METALLICA for financial losses suffered when the legendary heavy metal act was forced to postpone six shows in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The lawsuit stemmed from the cancelation of METALLICA's six-date tour of South America in April 2020. Just weeks prior to the tour's scheduled launch, COVID-19-related travel restrictions were enacted in all parts of the world, giving METALLICA no choice but to postpone the dates.

According to METALLICA's complaint, which was filed in June 2020 in Los Angeles Superior Court, the band's standard "cancellation, abandonment and non-appearance insurance" policy with Lloyd's Of London was denied by the insurer, which cited the policy's communicable disease exclusion. The lawsuit called the move "an unreasonably restrictive interpretation of the policy" and alleged breach of contract. METALLICA argued that Lloyd's "cannot conclusively say that the Pandemic is the efficient proximate cause of the cancellations because there are other adequately alleged causes that are covered under the Policy."

The complaint alleged "that travel restrictions, the duty to mitigate damages, the need to 'flatten the curve' and stay-at-home orders all caused the Shows' cancellations."

In a November 30 decision obtained by Billboard, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Holly J. Fujie disagreed with METALLICA's arguments, writing: "The travel restrictions which caused the concert cancellations were a direct response to the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence … demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic spurred the travel restrictions to South America and restrictions on public gatherings. The COVID-19 pandemic was therefore the efficient proximate cause of the concerts' cancellations."

Shortly after METALLICA filed the lawsuit, a Lloyd's representative clarified via a press statement: "Lloyd's is not an insurance company, it oversees and regulates a market of independent insurers. For that reason, we have no information on any specific policy or lawsuit and in any event are not authorized to comment on matters in litigation."

In its suit, METALLICA acknowledged Lloyd's as "a market in which independent insurance underwriters join together syndicates to sell insurance, mainly through brokers, under the umbrella of the Lloyd's brand name."

METALLICA sought unspecified compensatory damages as well as a declaration of the rights and obligations of the parties.

This was not the first time Lloyd's Of London has been involved in a lawsuit related to the cancelation of major rock concerts. Back in 2016, FOO FIGHTERS settled their lawsuit against the world-famous 336-year-old insurance market on claims related to several shows scrapped during the band's 2015 world tour. Because it was dismissed with prejudice, the FOO FIGHTERS were barred from re-filing the case on the same claim. Terms were not disclosed.

Some of the FOO FIGHTERS shows were called off after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg on June 12, 2015, during a show in Gothenberg, Sweden. The injury resulted in the cancellation of seven shows. Three of those dates were mentioned in the suit. After his leg was treated, Grohl went on to perform 53 concerts, mostly while seated on a makeshift "throne" onstage.

The Quireboys are preparing to turn back the clocks to the summer of 2022 and a special evening in the City of London.


As we enter the festive season, summer may seem like a distant memory, but not for long. The Quireboys would like to invite their fans to relive one of their highlights of 2022 via the band’s new concert album Orchestral Quireboys Live.


To set the scene, it was an evening which saw the legendary rockers descend upon the capital for perhaps one of the group’s most remarkable shows to date. A night where classic rock met classical music under the roof of the legendary O2 Forum Kentish Town.







On this landmark occasion in The Quireboys’ history, the band was accompanied by a string quartet and a brass trio, adding a new dimension to the group’s tried and tested sound. Collectively The Quireboys’ extended ensemble reimagined tracks from the band’s extensive back catalogue.


If you were at the show in London and would like to relive the experience – then read on. Likewise, if you were unable to make it to the show in the Big Smoke – fear not. Thankfully, for fans and followers alike, The Quireboys preserved the memory of this unique live experience via their new concert album/film titled Orchestral Quireboys Live.


Physical copies of the band’s latest offering are available to pre-order on CD, DVD and as a Single Coloured Vinyl (limited to 1,000 copies worldwide). The accompanying visual presentation of the event was captured via a multi-camera recording which will be released via Amazon Prime worldwide this month.


Throughout the album’s sixteen-song track listing, the five-piece performs live fan favourites such as “There She Goes Again”, “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and “7 O’Clock”, along with hidden gems from the group’s repertoire. Each of the songs featured has been given a new lease of life thanks to the band’s string and brass counterparts.


Orchestral Quireboys was a show that will be remembered fondly by fans of the band for years to come. It was a unique evening from a unique band which has been captured for our enjoyment for years to come.


The live album will be released physically on February 10, 2023. Preorder at offyerrocka.com. Orchestral Quireboys Live is available now on all digital/streaming outlets.

POISON frontman Bret Michaels stopped by SiriusXM's Hair Nation (ch. 39) recently to chat with host Tommy London about his summer 2023 "Parti-Gras" tour plans. During the in-depth conversation, Bret shared stories about how music was his salvation during "a crazy time" in his life, helping him through his parents' divorce and living as a teen with Type 1 diabetes. He also told Tommy about POISON's early days — how one of their first touring vehicles was actually an ambulance, how the band routinely snuck around Los Angeles late at night to hang flyers for their shows, and how they funded their first album themselves. And, Bret revealed that POISON made a business decision early on that turned out to be "the gem" for them — they retained control of their publishing.

"It was hustle," Bret said of POISON's early drive to find success. "There's this thing inside you [that] you find. There are so many talented bands… You know what stops a lot of people? I call it the wall. You hit that wall or that door. And every time we hit a door or wall, we either climbed over it, punched our way through it, kicked the door open. And you found a way. It was never exactly like you wanted it to be, but you found a way to get it done. Like raising the money, convincing people we were gonna have a hit record. We had to believe it before they were gonna believe it.

"I always told people, anybody, no matter what it is you wanna do in life, bet on yourself," he continued. "I have to bet on me before anyone else is gonna bet. So what happened is we go in to do this album ['Look What the Cat Dragged In'], and we had hit so many walls that we just decided we were gonna make this happen. One of the biggest blessings that came from that is we held all of our publishing. I didn't know that was the gem. We had been offered these really small offers and we were, like, 'We're already poor. Let's just stay here and just hold on to controlling our career.' And I go back to this now. That ended up being the biggest gem for POISON, is we kept all the publishing and just did an administration deal."

Joining Bret on his 2023 "Parti-Gras" tour will be special guests NIGHT RANGER and JEFFERSON STARSHIP with special appearances from Steve Augeri (former lead singer of JOURNEY) and Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY).

Presented by Live Nation, the 12-city run kicks off on Thursday, July 13 at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan, going on to make stops across the U.S. including at The Pavilion at Star Lake, in Bret's birthplace of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania),Holmdel (New Jersey),Tinley Park (Illinois),Tampa (Florida),and more before wrapping up in Charlotte (North Carolina) at PNC Music Pavilion on August 6.

Ted Nugent played the national anthem and received the "Great American Defender Of Freedom" award from former U.S. president Donald Trump at American Freedom Tour's Winter Gala at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on December 1. Photos from the event can be found below.

The outspoken conservative rocker discussed the award during the latest episode of "The Nightly Nuge", a news-style clip in which he offers his take on the news of our world every night. Speaking to co-host Keith Mark, Ted said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This was given to me by the great president Donald Trump, and it says right here: 'The Great American Defender Of Freedom Award'. 'American Freedom Tour'. 'Ted Nugent'. And so I'm accepting this, Keith, on behalf of you, because you're a freedom fighter, and my entire team, and my wife Shemane, my kids, who stand up against the lie, the scam, the joke of peer pressure. God made us individuals.

"So here at 'The Nightly Nuge' I accept this on behalf of everybody watching and celebrating 'The Nightly Nuge' where truth, logic and common sense is the wind beneath the eagle's wings," he continued. "And if we don't fight against evil, if 'I'm not into politics,' you are literally fueling evil. In 2022, if you're not against the Nancy Pelosis and Joe Bidens and the Hunter Bidens and the Eric Holders and the Barack Obamas and the Hillary Clintons, if you're not against them, then Satan… And this is harsh, harsh terminology… if you're with the Democrats and you think men should destroy the hard-earned world athletic records of women, and if you think that fat, perverted, Satanic men should be able to crotch-twerk children at a drag queen event, then you're on the side of evil. You have to be into politics."

Nugent previously spoke about his admiration for America's 45th president in an October 2020 interview with InfoWars' "The Alex Jones Show", hosted by noted conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. At the time, he said: "I genuflect at the altar of this great man. He is just pulling off miracle after miracle. He's really touching the heart and soul and representing the heart and soul of the best American families out there. Just praise God for that. This is one of those divine intervention moments, like the founding fathers. Believe me when I tell you that.

"I've been so honored and humbled to spend time with the great man," Ted continued. "There's something very spiritual about this crazy guy. I say 'crazy' — he's crazy like you; he's crazy like me; he's crazy like this welder I know down the road that, no matter what welding job you have, he shows up early and he welds something that will never break, and then he goes to his next welding job, and he leaves a vapor trail of high energy, of positive spirit.

"The energy from this president… Like the founding fathers defined the history of slavery and tyranny and kings and emperors and despots, that was divine intervention, Alex. And I've witnessed this great commander-in-chief Donald J. Trump, and he goes from rally and rally, and he gets up there with piss and vinegar and vim and vigor… You should see the sparkle in this man's eye."

Nugent went on to say that Trump's appeal lies in his image as the bold, no-B.S. boss who tells it like it is and cuts a fair deal.

"Here's the bottom line: the most admirable attribute of a human being is believability," Ted said. "If you believe this man, you believe he believes in what he says and that he represents your beliefs, that identifies President Donald J. Trump. This man just wants to renegotiate global contracts to benefit the United States. He wants the United States to be the winner. He wants to have fair deals, and he wants to have fair trade. He wants to benefit the United States Of America, because this is the last best place. If we turn it over to the freaks like [Nancy] Pelosi and [Joe] Biden and [Kamala] Harris, if we turn it over to them, we are Venezuela overnight."

Nugent added: "[Trump] sees the threats to the American Dream. He sees the oath violating by elected employees who have turned the corner into criminality, from [Barack] Obama to [Eric] Holder to [Loretta] Lynch to Lois Lerner to Adam Schiff, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton — we go right down the list of these gang bangers. I mean, it's MS-13, Black Lives Matter, Antifa in the Democrat party… [Trump] sees the threats to America and he's gonna use every maneuver, every trick, every law he can to stop the Marxists. He's saving his family from the wolves. That's his motivation."

A former board member of the National Rifle Association, Nugent has drawn intense criticism for his controversial past remarks, including telling then-president Barack Obama to "suck on my machine gun." He also made inflammatory remarks about Hillary Clinton, calling her a "devilbitch" who "hates everything good about America."

In a lengthy Facebook post in 2016, Nugent said Obama and Clinton should be tried for treason and hanged over their handling of the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

In 2019, Nugent defended Donald Trump after the then-U.S. president was accused of making racist remarks about Democratic congresswomen from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

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In a new interview with Backstage Pass Rock News, ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman John Corabi, who joined the band in 1992 as the replacement for original singer Vince Neil, spoke about his current relationship with his former bandmates. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I am close to [guitarist] Mick [Mars]. And I do occasionally talk with [drummer] Tommy [Lee] via the Internet. He'll comment on a picture; he'll comment on something. I'm even fine with Vince. If Vince walked in here right now, I'd give him and hug and we'd sit down and have a drink together. That would be fine.

"Nikki [Sixx, MÖTLEY CRÜE] really — and I know I'm opening a can, 'cause Blabbermouth's gonna get hold of this; they always do — but Nikki, for some weird reason, he did some interviews, like, five, six, seven years ago, and he just sat there and just out of the blue just started saying that the record [I made with MÖTLEY CRÜE] sucked and I couldn't write and it was a horrible experience working with me.'

"It doesn't really matter to me," he continued. "I don't really care. I've seen Nikki a few times. We saw each other at Loud Park [festival] in Japan when I was with THE [DEAD] DAISIES. And he just chooses to not say hi. If he wants to be the way he wants to be, I don't care. Okay. Fine. If you wanna talk to me, I don't care. We're fine. Whatever. It is what it is.

"People ask me these questions, and I've tried saying, 'Next question,' but then I come off looking like… It's one of those situations where I can't win. If you [were to] say, 'Hey, can I ask you something about MÖTLEY CRÜE?' and I say, 'No. Next question,' I look like the asshole to your viewers for not answering the question. And if I do answer the question, I guarantee you this whole thing is gonna be on Blabbermouth in two days, and then the comments below will be, like, 'Man, doesn't that guy have anything else to talk about?' And I'm just answering a question."

Corabi also once again weighed in on Mars's recent announcement that he would no longer tour with the legendary rock act. Mick is being replaced on the road by former ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5.

"I answered this already, and a few days later it was on Blabbermouth," Corabi said. "So apparently Blabbermouth has nobody else to talk about but me…

"Personally, my verdict is… I have an opinion, I have a thought on what transpired, but I haven't heard anything from Mick. The statement that we've all gotten was from MÖTLEY and their management and whoever's on that side of the camp.

"I know John 5. I think he's a brilliant guitar player. I am not taking [anything] away from John, because I love the guy to death. He is a guitarist's guitarist. But I can't help but think, when we were doing the 'Generation Swine' record, there was a rub between me and Mick, which transpired during… They had already told me that they were bringing Vince back, and their manager said to me, 'Can you help them finish the record?' And I said, 'Yes.' And every day they would call me at nine or ten o'clock in the morning, and it was Nikki, this guy Scott Humphrey and Tommy — [they] were producing the record — and they would call me every day, and they would go, 'Hey, can you come by the studio and play some guitar?' And I said, 'Well, as long as Mick is cool with it, sure.' Well, every day I'd get to the studio and they just complained, like, 'Oh my God. We had Mick here yesterday till two o'clock in the morning. We couldn't get anything out of him,' and blah blah blah. So, that was '95. And then they did the record. Now, I can tell you right now most of the rhythms on that record were mine. And if Mick was sitting here, he'd go, 'Yeah, most of the guitars were his.' So I played on the 'Generation Swine' record. I don't know if Mick played on 'New Tattoo' — I'm not sure — but I know it was DJ Ashba on 'Red, White & Crüe', on the new songs, and I know on 'Saints Of Los Angeles', it was DJ Ashba. And then I know on the movie 'The Dirt', the new songs that they did [for the accompanying soundtrack], [a cover of Madonna's] 'Like A Virgin' and all that shit, it's John 5. So they haven't had Mick… they haven't been using him since — fuck — '95.

"Again, I'm just looking at things the way I look at 'em and I can't help but think that they just went for the upgrade — in their minds," Corabi added. "You do have a history there; the fans are used to that history.

"And you know what? Folks, if I am wrong, I'll come back again with you and I will say, 'I apologize. I'm wrong.' But until I hear it from Mick, I don't buy any of it."

Corabi previously talked about Mars's supposed retirement from MÖTLEY CRÜE during an appearance on a recent episode of the "Life In The Stocks" podcast. Saying that there was something else that was "kind of bugging" him about the way Mars's exit from MÖTLEY CRÜE's touring lineup was announced," he added: "Because since that announcement came out, I've reached out to Mick and his wife a few times. And Mick hasn't responded at all. And I sent [his wife] — she's from Switzerland — so when I was there last week, I sent some photos of the Alps — I was in the Alps — and I wrote to her, and I said, 'Hey, I'm in your motherland.' And she wrote back. Then I came back, and I was, like, 'Hey, man, how's Mick?' And she goes, 'He's fine.' [And I said], 'Hey, what's going on?' Crickets. So that's kind of unusual behavior for Mick and [his wife]; they would normally [be] just, like, 'Yeah, dude. Everything's cool. Whatever.'"

Speculating about the possible reasons for Mick's silence, Corabi said: "I don't know if he's embarrassed or he's maybe… Who knows? Maybe he's angry and maybe he's being told not to say anything to anybody. Maybe there's gonna be a lawsuit. I don't know. But I just know how those guys operate, and I would not be surprised if they didn't say, 'Mick, look. You're in pain. We've got John 5. We're gonna bring him in.' Maybe throw him a bone — like every time they tour, throw him some money — but 'we're gonna move forward with this guy.' It wouldn't surprise me."

Corabi clarified: "Now, this is all a theory. I know about as much as you guys do. But personally, I don't believe a word of that statement at all."

Mars said 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.

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, bassist Nikki 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.

In October, it was announced that MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD will go global in 2023 with their co-headline "The World Tour". Produced by Live Nation, the trek will kick off on February 18, 2023 at Foro Sol in Mexico City and include stops throughout Latin America before heading to Europe in May 2023.

In October, Sixx praised John 5, saying he "checks all the boxes" as Mars's replacement.

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 struggles with ankylosing spondylitis.

"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 joined by Rob Zombie and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Back in 2016, Mars released snippets of two solo songs, apparently called "Gimme Blood" and "Shake The Cage". The tracks, which were recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, where Mars has lived for about nine years, featured Corabi, who appeared on CRÜE's 1994 self-titled album. Corabi later said that he didn't contribute to the writing process for the two songs, but that he was open to collaborating with Mars on some brand new material.

Originally formed back in 1983 and re-formed in 2018, German heavy metallers Wardress have the follow-up to their 2019 album "Dress For War" in the can. In the meantime, they also found a label in Black Sunset / MDD to release the new LP in the first quarter of 2023. 


Fans can expect eight songs of sawing riffs and anthemic melodies, heavy metal in its purest form, classic, original and yet timeless, which you can hear the preference for NWOBHM. More info coming soon - stay tuned.







 

In a recent interview with The Sound Lab, SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg spoke about the evolution of the band's sound, particularly in the years leading up to the release of SLIPKNOT's latest album, 2022's "The End, So Far". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think as far as the mentality and approach to writing songs and crafting them in the studio and really just trying to throw ourselves into the music as much as we can definitely does change as you get older. This being my third record with the band, I've definitely learned over the years, after almost 10 years of being in the band, the live show really informs what we do. Which I kind of think back on making [2014's] '[.5:] The Gray Chapter' as incredibly ironic that we made an album without even playing a single show together, because so much of what we do is onstage; it informs pretty much everything. And that definitely does affect it. I think as you get older, your tastes and inspirations change and evolve, even though what I enjoyed back when I was a kid still, I'm sure, finds its way into my own contributions to our music. It's probably that way for a lot of us. But you have different things that you wanna say; you have different things that you wanna express, 'cause you're that many years down the line of being a person and having life experience to draw from. So, yeah, the mentality maybe stays a little bit the same in that we wanna throw a hundred percent of ourselves into it, but the approach and the end result, I think, does change as you get a little bit older. And you just wanna do different stuff; you don't wanna do the same things you did 10 years ago — or 20 years ago, for guys in the band. So, yeah, it's always a constant kind of evolving thing, as it should be, and that's perfectly fine."

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father Max, of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND, and leader of the house band on Conan O'Brien's talk show. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Jordison passed away "peacefully in his sleep" in July 2021 of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.

Prior to joining SLIPKNOT, Weinberg was a member of AGAINST ME!, having played with the Florida-based act from November 2010 until December 2012.

Weinberg joined AGAINST ME! shortly after he was ousted from MADBALL and following the departure of AGAINST ME!'s previous sticksman, George Rebelo.

In May 2013, Weinberg filled in for KVELERTAK drummer Kjetil Gjermundrod during the band's North American tour because Gjermundrod had to bow out of the run after experiencing significant pain in his arm.

Mike Mushok has confirmed to the Loaded Radio podcast that STAIND is completing a new studio LP for a 2023 release. Speaking about the band's plans for the coming months, the guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think we're looking at finishing up [the LP] in January, and we'll have some dates next year also. We just did a little tour in September. It's great to be back playing with those guys."

As for the musical direction of the new STAIND material, Mushok said: "It's a little bit more modernized, I think. I think that was something we kind of wanted to do. There's a little bit more of an electronic element on there, which is something new for us, but I feel like everybody is kind of doing that. But I think it's cool. It's not overused. I think the songs are really good. I'm really happy with it. I can't wait for people to hear it."

Mushok also talked about his working relationship with STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis, saying: "We've been doing it for a long time. It's great to be back and doing that… I think that we definitely respect each other. It's kind of always been that. I think that STAIND's really kind of been… For the most part, I bring some music in and he decides what he likes and what he wants to write to, and we kind of take it from there. That being said, he's come in, obviously, with some amazing songs as well. So it's been a really good writing partnership, I feel."

This past September, Mushok told Atlantic City Weekly that both he and Lewis will continue to pursue other projects — Mushok with SAINT ASONIA, the band he co-founded in 2015 with former THREE DAYS GRACE singer Adam Gontier, and Lewis with his country solo career — alongside their long-running outfit.

"Aaron's built up a great following and great career that he'll fully pursue," Mushok said. "If we can do some STAIND shows in there, it would be great. If we can find a week here or there or maybe a tour every now and then, I'd be cool with that. Like we are looking to do a [STAIND] record, so we'll see how much we do to promote that. Honestly, I'm kind of taking it as it comes, one day at a time. It's hard to plan, you know what I mean. Who would have thought the world would shut down? So you've got to take it as it comes."

Last year, STAIND supported KORN on a U.S. run of dates.

The band was scheduled to support DISTURBED on "The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" throughout North America last year, but the amphitheater trek was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

In June 2021, Mushok told Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio that he and his bandmates were working on their first studio album since 2011's self-titled effort. "There's a bunch of [new] songs kicking around," he said. "It's just kind of [a matter of] sorting through that stuff and seeing what, if anything, we like, and figuring out… I imagine, having not put out a real record of new music in 10 years, we're gonna be pretty critical of what it is and wanna make sure that it's great."

In March 2021, Lewis told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he "would certainly love to" have the new STAIND album released in the not-too-distant future. "All of our plans that were kind of semi on the books and on the table, everything just had a year taken off of it [due to the pandemic]," he said at the time. "We were gonna have a record come out sometime in 2020 or certainly in 2021, and there was a schedule that was on the table that, just like everything else, got burned to the ground as soon as [the lockdown] started."

STAIND has released seven albums since 1995, the latest being 2011's self-titled effort. The band has had a number of hit songs during its first two decades, including the Top 10 smash "It's Been Awhile" from the No. 1 album "Break The Cycle". Follow-up LPs "14 Shades Of Grey" and "Chapter V" also topped the Billboard chart.

STAIND released its first album in nine years, "Live: It's Been Awhile", in May 2021 via Yap'em/Alchemy Recordings. The "Live: It's Been Awhile" album was accompanied by "The Return Of Staind", a two-part global streaming series in partnership with Danny Wimmer Presents. The series launched with STAIND's "Live: It's Been Awhile (From Foxwoods)" concert, which streamed globally on May 1, 2021. The "Live: It's Been Awhile" album and concert were recorded at the band's comeback show at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut in October 2019. The never-before-seen concert celebrated the band's reunion after a five-year hiatus. STAIND also performed its iconic multi-platinum 2001 album "Break The Cycle" in its entirety for a May 8, 2021 streaming event, exactly 20 years after the album's release. The "20th Anniversary Of Break The Cycle, Performed In Its Entirety" took place at Mill 1 in Open Square in Holyoke, Massachusetts, bringing the band back to their Western Mass roots.

STAIND played its first full live show in five years in September 2019 at the Louder Than Life music festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

PEARL JAM guitarist Stone Gossard spoke to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2020's "Gigaton" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're taking some time off right now. We finished up all the makeup dates that we lost from three years ago; we finished that up a few months back. The plan is that we're gonna do some more recording, and we're gonna try to finish a record here pretty soon. There's songs that are getting close to being done and there's a bunch that aren't. And we're gonna do something here pretty soon."

Gossard also spoke in more details about the PEARL JAM songwriting process, saying: "We do it all the different ways. Sometimes we go in and somebody just brings a riff and we just work it up from the very… 'I've got this and this part,' and everyone just jams on it. Usually that's the best formula for us, where everyone's kind of in the same room. But we all bring in fully realized demos. We've got demos for days. Everybody writes in the band, so now it's really just trying to figure out, really, what's something different for us and what's something exciting. And we're working on that. I think we've got a good start on another record that will be hopefully good."

Asked if the next PEARL JAM album will arrive in 2023, Stone said: "I bet it's gonna be 2024 before the record comes out, is my guess. But we're working on it."

This past July, PEARL JAM released "Gigaton (Tour Edition)". It featured 11 live songs recorded during the band's triumphant return to the road in 2021 alongside the group's critically acclaimed chart-topping eleventh full-length LP, originally released. It was made available on all DSPs and as in limited-edition LP/CD combo only in independent record stores across the country.

"Gigaton (Tour Edition)" arrived on the heels of the special Record Store Day release of the platinum 1998 live classic "Live On Two Legs". It emerged as the No. 1 indie retail piece for Record Store Day, bowing at No. 33 on the Billboard 200 and earning No. 1 on the Top Vinyl Albums chart, No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Music Albums chart, and No. 2 on the Top Rock Albums chart.

"Gigaton" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums and Billboard Vinyl Albums chart. In addition, it hit Top 5 on Billboard 200 Album chart, No. 2 Billboard Top Album Sales chart and to date has reached over 200 million global streams. The album was critically acclaimed, with Entertainment Weekly raving, "It's a sturdy rock album from five guys who know what they're doing, took time till they had something to say, are interpolating new influences and sound stoked to be back together in a room."

M-Theory Audio announces that Midwest post-black metal operatives, Chrome Waves, are the latest talent to collaborate with the label to bring you more new music. Beginning the relationship, the band presents new single and music video for “Under The Weight Of A Billion Souls”. The video can be viewed below.





“In an age of 360 deals and ‘in perpetuity’ clauses, I wasn’t sure that Chrome Waves would have much interest in working with a label,” explains guitarist Jeff Wilson. “With our overwhelming need for first-class international distribution and finding them to have an extremely artist-friendly approach, we were so lucky to find M-Theory Audio. Marco has an impeccable history in the metal community and we can’t wait to get to work with him and his team in 2023.”




“Under The Weight Of A Billion Souls” is the first taste of new music from next year’s anticipated full-length opus. Combining key elements of Chrome Waves’ sound, you’ll be entranced by the traditional and modern black metal aspects, while venturing into more ambient and alternative moments that pull you in balancing the light and darkness of their sound.


“The first single has one particular theme and was written with it in mind - responsibility towards your fellow man,” notes singer/guitarist James Benson. “Humanity as a whole and its greed and ability to hyper focus on only our small “tribe” and remain in echo chambers with social media while our neighbors suffer through turmoil in front of our blinded ways, and those with resources make no changes to help millions in poverty. It is a stark vision of our future collapse.”





While Chrome Waves formed in 2010 as a project amongst friends, guitarist Jeff Wilson continues what was begun before The Atlas Moth’s Stavros Giannopoulos became too busy and Gates of Slumber drummer Bob Fouts’ unexpected passing. Through a series of several self-released single, EP and album releases Chrome Waves have built a reputation through music, live shows and critical response from various publications to cement themselves an appreciation and uniqueness that sets the band apart from many in the scene. In 2018 Jeff, whose resume includes work with Abigail Williams, Wolvhammer and Nachtmystium, with a full-time focus to concentrate on Chrome Waves teamed up with Amiensus’ James Benson on guitar, vocals and synth in aim to continue their vision adding in Nachtmystium bassist Zion Meagher to the core a couple years later. Drummer Garry Naples of Novembers Doom, Wolvhammer and Hatemonger performs drums on next spring’s anticipated release.


More information on Chrome Waves and the upcoming album release will be revealed in the weeks to come.

Tampa, Florida-based melodic death metal band, Blood Of Angels, have released their new stand alone single, "Spillage". The track is available on all streaming platforms. Listen below.





Guitarist Aaron Robinson comments: "The song came about through a very unique and funny way. There is a DJ in Chicago who has been playing our music. She told us that a band in Chicago named Spillage wrote a song called 'Blood Of Angels'. She suggested that we write a song called 'Spillage'. Their plan was to bring Blood Of Angels up to Chicago in the future to play a show together with Spillage.







Blood Of Angels band lineup:


Randy Reyes - Vocals
Aaron Robinson - Guitars
Jonathan Rushford - Drums
Maggot - Bass

CHILDREN OF BODOM's final concert, which took place on December 15, 2019 at the Black Box in Helsinki Ice Hall in Helsinki, Finland, will be released next year as a live album.

Earlier today, drummer Jaska Raatikainen, bassist Henri "Henkka T. Blacksmith" Seppälä and keyboardist Janne Wirman released the following statement via the band's social media: "Exactly three years ago 15th December 2019 CHILDREN OF BODOM played their last show at the Helsinki Ice Hall. To keep this precious last moment alive and also available to everyone who couldn't make it to see the show, Alexi's [Laiho, late CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman] estate, Daniel [Freyberg, CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist], Henkka, Janne and Jaska will release the show next year as a live album.

"To make it more special we'd love to have photos from YOU to be included in the album booklet. What we're looking for is any BODOM related memories, from any era. We would like the Hate Crew to be part of the album, as the Hate Crew was always the essential part of the phenomenon called CHILDREN OF BODOM. That's why we are asking you to be part of this!

"If you feel like taking part in this project please submit your photo via email to [email protected] by 31st December 2022.

"Looking forward to see you what you guys have in your archives and stay tuned for more news.

"Please note that we have to be sure that the photos are ok for us to use, hence we kindly ask you to read this: By submitting a photo you agree that you will grant us the irreversible compensation free and royalty free right to use the material in our album materials. We can't guarantee that we will use your photos but we will go thru all of them and pick the ones suitable.
By submitting a photo you guarantee that you have all the rights to do so and that you have the consent of all the persons that can be recognized in the photo."

Alexi passed away on December 29, 2020 in his home in Helsinki, Finland. He died of alcohol-induced degeneration of the liver and pancreas connective tissue. Furthermore, Laiho had a cocktail of painkillers, opioids and insomnia medication in his system. He had suffered from long-term health issues leading up to his death.

Laiho and Raatikainen founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert. In 2020, Alexi put together BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, which recorded three songs and shot one music video, all of which were released posthumously.

Besides CHILDREN OF BODOM, Laiho had played in such acts as WARMEN, SINERGY, KYLÄHULLUT and THE LOCAL BAND. Awarded with a Metal Hammer Golden God and several other international prizes, the guitarist was also the main star, leading a group of one hundred guitar players at the Helsinki Festival in 2015 in "100 Guitars From Hel" — a massive concert piece he composed.

Earlier this year, Raatikainen, Seppälä and Wirman discussed publicly for the first time the circumstances that led to the band's split and ultimately Laiho's death. In an interview with Finland's Helsingin Sanomat, the three surviving members of CHILDREN OF BODOM said the real reason for the band's breakup was not that they wanted to stop touring in order to spend more time with their families, which is how Laiho explained it to Helsingin Sanomat in November 2019. Instead, what caused the group to split was Laiho's substance abuse, and that is also what eventually killed him a year after they went their separate ways.

Exactly three years ago 15th December 2019 Children Of Bodom played their last show at the Helsinki Ice Hall.

To keep...

Posted by Children Of Bodom on Thursday, December 15, 2022

Former Delain vocalist Charlotte Wessels has checked in with the following update:


"Simone Simons and I covered the iconic 'Hide And Seek' by Imogen Heap. Full song and video are available on both of our Patreon pages, along with a blogpost about the project and many more things.


Thank you, dear Simone. This was so much fun! When are we watching the end of Little Shop Of Horrors? And thank you, Patrons, for supporting us! Not a patron yet? Join the fam!"




Check out the duo's respective Patreon pages at the links below.


- Patreon.com/charlottewessels 
- Patreon.com/simonesimons








Imogen Heap is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. She is considered a pioneer in pop and electropop music. "Hide And Seek", released in 2005, was certified Gold in the US and gained popularity after being used in the Fox teen drama television series, The O.C. 

Guesting on the Eddie Trunk Podcast, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash commented on the long standing rumour that the iconic riff kicking off off the band's hit "Sweet Child O' Mine" started life as a warm-up exercise.


Slash: "It was just me messing around and putting notes together like any riff you do. It was a real riff, it wasn't a warm-up exercise. At the time, it was just a song. Nobody had any designs for it to be a big hit or anything like that. It was just a song that we put together that was cool before we actually made the Appetite For Destruction record. So we put it on the record like that, and then the next thing you know at some point after the record had been released for a while, that song all of a sudden just took off. We're sort of blessed that we have something that's become as memorable as that. You can't really mock that. You have to appreciate that you have something like that in your career that you have a song that is really that effective. So it's cool."

Professionally filmed video of SLIPKNOT's August 5 performance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany can be seen below.

Featured songs:

00:00 An Emotional Introduction
02:08 Before I Forget
08:28 Duality
12:52 Spit It Out

The entire show is available at MagentaMusic.de.

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.

Three 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 earlier this 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.'"

The reformed PANTERA played its third concert without bassist Rex Brown Thursday night (December 15) at Vibra in São Paulo, Brazil. The show took place three days after Rex confirmed that a positive COVID-19 test forced him to miss PANTERA's performance at Knotfest Chile in Santiago on Sunday (December 11). Filling in for him at the São Paulo gig — which was co-headlined by JUDAS PRIEST — 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 Vibra 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 Monday, 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 Sunday, 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).

PANTERA is next scheduled to play another show in São Paulo — on Sunday, December 18 at Knotfest Brasil.

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.

Rex Brown says that he is "feeling pretty damn good" less than a week after he was forced to sit out several PANTERA shows on the band's South American tour after catching "a very mild strain of Covid".

Earlier today, the 58-year-old bassist issued the following health update via Twitter: "Quick Update Folks:: After arriving back in the States this week, I'm feeling pretty damn good for a cat that had 104* fever a short time ago…Damn Good!! Already gearing up for these MASSIVE shows coming quick!! Thx for all your kind words & MERRY FCKN CHRISTMAS!!"

The reformed PANTERA played its third concert without Brown Thursday night (December 15) at Vibra in São Paulo, Brazil. Filling in for him at the São Paulo gig — which was co-headlined by JUDAS PRIEST — was CATTLE DECAPITATION bassist Derek Engemann, who also plays with PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo in both PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS and SCOUR.

On Sunday, 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).

PANTERA is next scheduled to play another show in São Paulo — on Sunday, December 18 at Knotfest Brasil.

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.
Quick Update Folks:: After arriving back in the States this week, I’m feeling pretty damn good for a cat that had 104* fever a short time ago…Damn Good!! Already gearing up for these MASSIVE shows coming quick!! Thx for all your kind words & MERRY FCKN CHRISTMAS!!

— REX BROWN (@REJASFROMTEJAS) December 16, 2022

Tribe 3 Productions has shared high-quality video of KINGS OF THRASH's November 19 performance at the Days Of The Dead horror convention in Chicago, Illinois. Also included is footage of the support act, METALLICA tribute band HARDWIRED.

KINGS OF THRASH is the new band featuring former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar). The group, which also includes drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon, along with the occasional guest appearance by another former MEGADETH member, Chris Poland (guitar),recently entered the studio to begin recording the first of four original songs.

In October, KINGS OF THRASH completed a four-date West Coast tour which culminated in a sold-out gig at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. All four shows saw KINGS OF THRASH performing MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" and "So Far, So Good… So What!" in their entirety.

Speaking to Ralph Rasmussen of Radio Bypass about KINGS OF THRASH's recent shows and future plans, Ellefson said: "That was a thing where… Of course everybody knew our names — me, Jeff Young and Chris Poland. We advertised we were gonna play the 'Killing Is My Business' and 'So Far, So Good… So What!' records. And as it turns out, we ended up playing, like, half of 'Peace Sells' too. That's probably the most frickin' muscular setlist I've played since probably [MEGADETH's] 'Rude Awakening' [live album and DVD], when we filmed that in 2001 and I was 20 years younger. So we turned up the gas; there was no screwing around on that one. And it was great. It was super cool. It was super fun. It made me just realize how cool those songs are, how the detail and intricacies… It was a very different era, too. The songs were written under much different pretenses. There was a real innovation in those records, the stuff of the '80s, back then, that we were doing."

He continued: "We picked four cities. We said, 'Let's just go out and fire this off, kind of a proof of concept, show everybody what we've got.' I think the first night, when we played in San Diego, the fans right away got it. They were, like, 'Oh my God. Holy shit. We've been asking for this and wanting this for years. And oh my God. There they really are. Those are really the guys that played on those records. This is it.' And our drummer Fred and our singer Chaz, they got it in their hear as younger guys, so they get it and were excited to be there with us doing it. So, yeah, it really was just a moment in time for that to fire off like that so well. And now as a result, look, we've got live recordings, we've got more stuff coming up here in the New Year for that. So, yeah, that was just the beginning; that was just the first firework we blew off. There's definitely gonna be more after this."

Last month, Young told Ghost Cult magazine that KINGS OF THRASH's first original song was being recorded at a North Hollywood studio previously used by legendary producer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix). As for the musical direction of KINGS OF THRASH's original material, Jeff said: "It's got the vibe of MEGADETH — it's on that playing field, but it's got all of its own stuff and all of our influences and some SOUNDGARDEN/TOOL vibes in maybe the music and melodies."

Jeff was also full of praise for Aching and Leon, saying: "We really feel in a way how Ozzy [Osbourne] must have felt introducing Randy Rhoads to the world with these young two guys we have, both half our age and both so composed and mature musically for their age. And we've just been having a blast. And it's great that they're fans of the music and they've really studied it. Chaz, the singer/guitar player, plays in a MEGADETH tribute and fronts a SOUNDGARDEN tribute. So he has some of that Chris Cornell huskiness… So it's really cool to hear him sing these songs with a bit more huskiness and that young exuberance that he has. I think the kids are gonna love him 'cause he has that Dimebag Darrell kind of likability."

In a separate interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series, Young was asked if he, Ellefson and Poland have gotten any reaction to the tour — either in the form of a blessing or an angry rebuke — from MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine. Jeff responded: "We're really not concerned. I don't pay attention. I haven't really paid attention or followed MEGADETH since, I think, I heard the 'Rust In Peace' album a couple of times, and then what you might hear on the radio or in the press.

"For us, this isn't about any spite or retaliation; it's a celebration of the music that we were all a part of, that we helped create," he explained. "And it's fun for us to do this.

"People said, 'You should do this.' And we said, 'Hey, yeah, you're right. We should do this.' It's a win-win — it's a win for us, and it's a win for [Mustaine], because any performance royalties, anything… If we did include live tracks, he would make money off that. It's promoting albums that hopefully fans will go back and buy, which is putting money right in his pocket. Especially 'Killing Is My Business', I think a lot of people are gonna go back and wanna rediscover that album after this tour.

"For us, it's all about positivity," Young added. "We're all in this moment — we're living in the moment, and we're not looking beyond. We're not reading any of the comments on Blabbermouth or any of the stuff. Because we know what our intent is, and intent is everything. And our intent's positive. We like playing together. We know we're crafting original music. We're not relying on this; we don't need to ride the coattails of this. This is just something that the fans wanted, and you wanna give fans what they want."

Ellefson told Yes! You CAN Play Guitar! that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates. "This is a celebration, not a retaliation," he explained. "This is a good moment. This is a happy moment, to celebrate these songs and these tracks and these records. So we go at it with just fun… It's, like, 'Wow. Wouldn't it be fun if we went out and played these records?' And we're doing it. So it's meant to be this celebration and bringing people together. And honestly, that was kind of always my role in MEGADETH. Dave [Mustaine] always called me 'The Ambassador', and I was always that guy, and I am that guy. So it's, like, let me just continue that role in our community and have one of good will."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH a year and a half ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

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

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Dave Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.

Poland was a member of MEGADETH from 1984 to 1987, during which time he performed on the band's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" He is also a featured soloist on the group's 2004 album, "The System Has Failed".

Back in 2004, Poland and/or his management and attorney filed a lawsuit against Mustaine regarding the use of the three "Rust In Peace" demos on the album's reissue without Chris's permission. Chris eventually settled for $9,500 and thereby ended a professional relationship with Dave and MEGADETH.

For the past couple of decades, Poland's main musical focus has been the fusion band OHM:, which has released several full-length studio albums to date.

Finnish cello rockers APOCALYPTICA have released a new song, "Rise Again", featuring a guest appearance by Simone Simons of EPICA on vocals. Accompanied by an artistic and unique music video directed by Lisa Mann, "Rise Again" is a new version of APOCALYPTICA's instrumental track "Rise", taken from the band's most recent album "Cell-0".

APOCALYPTICA's Eicca Toppinen comments: "It was so great to make 'Rise Again' with Simone Simons! When we were putting the 'Epic Apocalypse' tour together, we were thinking of making this collaboration with EPICA even deeper by releasing a song together. 'Rise' from our 'Cell-0' album had the beauty and feel which we felt could fit perfectly for Simone's unique voice. We are so happy about the song and really excited about this tour with EPICA as it will be something really special and amazing!"

APOCALYPTICA and EPICA's "Epic Apocalypse" tour will kick off on January 23 in Oslo and will conclude on March 29 in Leipzig, Germany. Support on the trek will come from WHEEL.

At this year's Louder Than Life festival, Toppinen told Knotfest about when fans can expect to hear a new full-length album from APOCALYPTICA: "That's very hard to tell, because now we just released this EP ['Metal Classic, Classic Metal', featuring cello-metal reinterpretations of classical bangers]. Probably in December or January — I can't recall the date — there's gonna be the next song; it's a vocal feature. I can't reveal what it is yet. But that's gonna be out then. And there's gonna be other singles released next year. I would guess the next album is not gonna be before '24 — a full album."

He continued: "We are kind of following different paths, because the digital world gives you the possibility that it's not the old-school way that you release an album and then you tour for two or three years and then you make a new album. It's not like that. The modern world requires, in a way, to deliver something new and fresh pretty much constantly. And we have this classical covers world, then we have the original instrument APOCALYPTICA world, and then we have the vocal world of APOCALYPTICA. We have kind of three tracks we are [following]. At the same time when we are working on a new album, we are also working… Because an album is always a little bit more like a concept — it's one type of full structure of an idea — and we don't want to stick only on that. Even [while] we go for this one album structure, we want to keep these both other paths alive at the same time. So that's why it's very hard to say exactly what's gonna happen in which order."

"Metal Classic, Classic Metal" was released in September. The effort includes the focus track "Flight Of The Bumblebees", originally by Nikolai Rimski-Korsakow. "Metal Classic, Classic Metal" also contains a new version of Beethoven's "5th Symphony" as well as a remake of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero".

Eight months ago, Eicca told Mexico's Summa Inferno about his band's plans for a follow-up to 2020's "Cell-0" LP: "We have started to talk about the next possible album. But in the meanwhile, we've been recording individual songs so we could release something constantly…. I would guess we'll start to write for the new album. We've been starting to talk about what it could be, what would be exciting to do for us, but [those discussions have] not [gone] very far yet. Because the mindset is now we're doing the 'Cell-0' tour. And it's not that easy at the same time to get very high inspiration and motivation to write a new album, because writing a new album and recording it is a huge process; it takes a lot of time [and] a lot of energy. So, now we have so much touring that it's not possible to do it now. But I think we [will be] starting on it [soon]."

This past March, APOCALYPTICA released the "I'll Get Through It" single, which was written for the band by American award-winning songwriter Diane Warren. It features Franky Perez — guest vocalist in APOCALYPTICA's 2015 record "Shadowmaker" — as well as Geezer Butler of BLACK SABBATH on bass guitar. The song was born out of a visit Geezer and Franky paid to their friend Diane, who had already written the track "Not Strong Enough" for APOCALYPTICA, included in their 2010 record "7th Symphony".

2015's "Shadowmaker" was APOCALYPTICA's first album to feature just one singer — Perez — instead of guest collaborators. The disc was recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES, MASTODON).

Prior to enlisting Perez, who accompanied APOCALYPTICA on the band's 2022 North American tour, the group released eight albums that melded the classically trained cello mastery of the three core bandmembers with the harder elements of the rock world, including drums and guest vocalists, such as Gavin Rossdale from BUSH, and Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR fame.

In April 2021, APOCALYPTICA released the official music video for its collaboration with PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix on a cover version of the CREAM classic "White Room". The track was produced by Howard Benson at West Valley Recording Studios in Woodland Hills, California and mixed by Chris Lorde-Alge.

"White Room" was the first release from APOCALYPTICA since "Talk To Me", which arrived in August 2020. That song was a collaboration with HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale.

"Cell-0" came out in January 2020. The effort was the band's first fully instrumental record in 17 years.

Photo by Ville Juurikkala