Ozzy Osbourne has hit another career high with his first-ever career back-to-back No. 1 rock radio singles from his hugely successful and critically acclaimed "Patient Number 9" album (Epic). Today (December 12) the album's "One Of Those Days" (featuring Eric Clapton) reached No. 1 on the rock radio charts (Mediabase); it follows a No. 1 slot for the album's first single and title track, "Patient Number 9" (featuring Jeff Beck),released earlier this year.

"I'm fucking overwhelmed by the response that this album has had from everyone. I'm just blown away!" Ozzy says.

Last month, Ozzy was nominated in four categories at the 65th annual Grammy Awards. The "Patient Number 9" title track has been shortlisted for "Best Rock Performance" and "Best Rock Song", while the "Patient Number 9" LP is in the running for "Best Rock Album". Another track from "Patient Number 9", "Degradation Rules" (featuring Tony Iommi) is up for the "Best Metal Performance" Grammy.

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, who has been held back from touring by a litany of health issues in recent years, previously has won three Grammy Awards and received eight nominations. In 1993 Ozzy won a solo Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for "I Don't Want To Change The World" and two Grammys as a member of BLACK SABBATH for "Best Metal Performance" in 2000 for "Iron Man" and in 2013 for "Best Metal Performance" for "God Is Dead?" from "13".

"Patient Number 9" — released September 9 and marking Ozzy's 13th solo studio album — triumphantly sets new career highs for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and Grammy-winning singer and songwriter. The critically acclaimed album has topped his previous chart entries with record-breaking numbers around the world. In the U.S., the album debuted at No. 1 on multiple charts: Top Album Sales (Ozzy's first No. 1 ever on this chart),Top Current Album Sales (another first),Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Vinyl Albums and Tastemaker Albums charts; and at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Globally, the album charted at No. 1 in Canada (Ozzy's first-ever No. 1 there); career-high No. 2 entries in the U.K., Australia, Finland and Italy; No. 6 in the Netherlands and New Zealand; No. 8 in Belgium; and No. 14 France. Other highlights include No. 2 in Austria, Germany and Sweden; No. 3 in Switzerland; and No. 4 in Norway.

Working with producer Andrew Watt for the second time, Ozzy welcomed a dynamic A-list featured guests on the album. For the first time ever, BLACK SABBATH co-founder, guitarist, and riff-master Tony Iommi appears on an Ozzy solo album. The record also boasts guitarists Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mike McCready of PEARL JAM, and longstanding righthand man and six-string beast Zakk Wylde who plays on the majority of the tracks. For the bulk of the album, Chad Smith of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS held down drums, while the late Taylor Hawkins of FOO FIGHTERS appears on three songs. Old friend and one-time Ozzy bandmember Robert Trujillo of METALLICA plays bass on most of the album's tracks, with Duff McKagan of GUNS N' ROSES and Chris Chaney supplying bass on a few songs.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

In a new social median post, former Children Of Bodom members Jaska Raatikainen, Janne Wirman, and Henkka Seppälä look back on the band's first ever official video, "Deadnight Warrior". It is taken from the band's debut album, Something Wild, released in 1997.


Henkka: "'Deadnight Warrior' was the last song Alexi (Laiho) composed for the album. It was weird cos it was quite simple and short. Very different from the other songs. When the Spinefarm people were sure that it should be the video song I was surprised. But very soon I realized that it was a good choice!"


Jaska: "I remember we were freezing our asses off while shooting the video outside in the frosty winter night."




Janne: "The video was shot with a near zero budget which might have inspired the fake graffiti of asking the label for money."


Despite the tough circumstances, Ykä and Limppu did a great job filming this. Can you spot the fake graffiti Janne is talking about in the video?





As fans continue to mourn the death of Children Of Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho, who passed away in December 2020 at the age of 41, remaining members Jaska Raatikainen, Janne Wirman, and Henkka Seppälä recently shared the following announcement about an unexpected, but altogether welcome venture aimed at preserving the band's legacy:


"We toured actively from 1998 until 2019. We have visited a bar in almost every town we ever played in. From Hard Rock Café Tokyo to a dive bar in the outskirts of Milwaukee. Everything from the legendary Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood to the Crobar in London UK.


Almost everyone in our profession dreams of opening their own bar at some point and we were no exception. When the active career of CoB was already coming to an end we started looking into it a bit more seriously. We had a warehouse full of memorabilia and we thought that a lot of people would want to see some of this stuff that used to be and still was very meaningful to us and the career of the band.


A thought of a museum felt a bit foreign but an idea of a bar that works as a museum displaying our gear and memorabilia seemed quite natural at this point. We had almost given up on this dream when the power duo of Jykä Peltonen and Kimmo Helistö emerged and were ready to provide us with their know how in the matter. Together we will build this unholy concoction of hard rock café and dive bar with a lot of Bodom in it. The new HQ of CoB will combine a museum and a bar but also include the possibility to experience the Finnish sauna culture. Situated naturally in Espoo only a stone´s throw away where the band started their career.


Bodom Bar & Sauna is being built in Espoo into a location with easy access to a Metro station. The establishment will also include three saunas. There will be no entry fee to the Bar and no age limit. There will be a fee for the sauna experience. We will open the Bar on 10.11.22."


Bodom Bar & Sauna opened according to plan, and some attendees have posted photos from their visit, which can be viewed below. In addition, Tuonela caught up with Raatikainen, Wirman and Seppälä to discuss the venture. Check it out below.











Follow Bodom Bar & Sauna on Facebook for updates as they emerge.

According to City News Service, GUNS N' ROSES has sued an online gun store called Texas Guns And Roses, alleging that the name of the store's web site is "confusingly similar" to that of the legendary rock band.

The lawsuit alleges that Texas company Jersey Village Florist operates the online store texasgunsandroses.com that "primarily sells firearms and firearm accessories, such as ammunition, scopes, body armor, suppressors, and metal safes, and also sells clothing and backpacks "without GNR's approval, license or consent."

GUNS N' ROSES claims that Jersey Village Florist "selected and adopted defendant's marks for the purpose of confusing consumers into believing that it was connected or associated with, or licensed by, GN'R."

Lawyers for GUNS N' ROSES further allege that Jersey Village Florist purports to sell roses and other flowers as "a contrivance to purportedly justify" the store's "wholesale appropriation of the GUNS N’ ROSES mark. Notably, [Jersey Village Florist] has not sought registration of any of Defendant's Marks for any goods or services related to flowers, and Defendant does not prominently market flowers for sale on its Website."
David L. Clark, a Houston attorney representing Jersey Village Florist, told City News Service that "there's never been any confusion (between the band and the website) and they have no evidence of confusion.

"This is an attempt to run up costs and burn us out," he said. "Our client sells metal safes for guns and flowers, and have a one-stop website and absolutely no one is confused. Nobody thinks we're the band or there is some affiliation. We will be fighting back."

According to the lawsuit, GUNS N' ROSES filed with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) — a neutral body that functions like a court for trademark matters at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) — a petition in November 2021 to cancel Jersey Village Florist's registration of texasgunsandroses.com "on the grounds that the registered mark is likely to cause confusion with the GUNS N' ROSES mark, falsely suggested a connection with GN'R, and was likely to dilute the GUNS N' ROSES mark.

"Notwithstanding GN'R's cease and desist letters and commencement of the TTAB proceeding, [Jersey Village Florist] has continued to use Defendant's Marks and intentionally trade on GNR's goodwill, prestige, and fame without GNR's approval, license, or consent," the lawsuit adds. "This is particularly damaging to GN'R given the nature of Defendant's business. GN'R, quite reasonably, does not want to be associated with Defendant, a firearms and weapons retailer. Furthermore, Defendant espouses political views related to the regulation and control of firearms and weapons on the Website that may be polarizing to many U.S. consumers."

The suit seeks unspecified damages and a court order prohibiting the use of the web site name.

Photo credit: Katarina Benzova

During a "VIP Experience" question-and-answer session before one of W.A.S.P.'s concerts on the band's ongoing U.S. tour, frontman Blackie Lawless spoke about his memories of playing with METALLICA on January 30, 1985 at Sherwood Country Club in Indianapolis, Indiana. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We had gotten there late. We had a long drive the night before. Nobody got soundchecks that day. We were scrambling to try to make it happen. So we were flip-flopping [with METALLICA] every night [on that tour] — one night they'd close, one night we'd close — and this happened to be one of the nights we were closing. The dressing rooms were all downstairs, and it was like a maze down there; I mean, nobody knew where they were. Usually you get in early in the afternoon, and everybody gets kind of a feel for what's going on, signs are posted with arrows going this way and that way, what's where. I'm in there shaving and I hear METALLICA's intro start. And I'm looking up in the mirror and I'm shaving; I've got the razor at my throat. The door flies open behind me. There's Cliff [Burton, METALLICA bassist] standing there with his bass on. Now, their intro was playing. And Cliff's standing there. He goes, 'Blackie, Blackie, how do I get to the stage? How do I get to the stage?' I didn't know. I hadn't been up there yet. And I looked in the mirror. He was behind me. And I said, 'Cliff, honestly, I don't know.' And he goes, 'Oh, fuck you, Blackie.' He thinks I'm busting his chops. Two minutes goes by. I'm still down there shaving. They are already into the first song, and I hear the bass finally come in."

W.A.S.P. recently embarked on its first U.S. tour in a decade. The trek coincides with the band's 40th anniversary and includes support from ARMORED SAINT and MICHAEL SCHENKER on select shows.

W.A.S.P.'s first live performance since December 2019 took place on July 23 at Skansen in Stockholm, Sweden. A week later (July 30),W.A.S.P. also played at Skogsröjet festival in Rejmyre, Sweden.

W.A.S.P. recently postponed its European 40th-anniversary tour, originally scheduled for spring of 2022, until the spring of 2023. The new dates will take place in March, April and May of 2023. All tickets previously purchased for the 2022 tour will be valid at the rescheduled 2023 shows.

Lawless has led W.A.S.P. as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold-out shows across the globe for four decades. He is joined in W.A.S.P.'s current lineup by bassist Mike Duda and guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band span 26 and 18 years respectively, along with drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE bassist Tim Commerford has revealed in a new interview with SPIN that he recently had his prostate removed after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The procedure took place two months before the band's recent summer tour, which marked RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's first set of live dates since in 11 years.

"I've been someone that's taken a lot of pride in being in shape and taking care of myself," the 54-year-old musician said. "But it's something where either you're either lucky or not."

Asked how he has kept a positive outlook throughout the whole ordeal, Tim said: "You can find yourself in a situation like I'm in where it's, like, fuck, my whole life changed. With everything that happens to me now, I wonder, am I feeling this way because I have cancer? Am I losing my hair because I have cancer? Whatever it is, it makes me wonder if it's happening because I have cancer. And prostate cancer is a very, very, very tough one because it's connected to your sexuality. It's hard to disconnect from that and when you're forced into that situation, it's a brutal psychological journey. I've been trying to find support groups, and it's hard to find people and hard to talk about it. The suffering part of it, the physical suffering after the surgery, I've never felt pain quite like that. I have metal plates in my head and cadaver parts in my body. I've done a lot of damage through sports and mountain biking and this sort of thing and I've always felt like I had a really high tolerance for pain, and that shit brought me to my knees. After the pain went away, I still haven't really been able to get up, even though I'm working out and doing shit, but psychologically, the damage is severe. It's very hard for me to not break down and get emotional."

Regarding how he found out he was sick, Tim said: "I went to get life insurance but my PSA numbers were up. I couldn't get it. They wouldn't insure me. At first, the number was very low — like one-point-something. I watched it over the course of a year and a half, and it kept elevating further. Eventually, they did a biopsy and found out I had cancer, so they took my prostate out. I had been thinking, well, because they're watching it and let it get to this point, maybe it's not that big of a deal. I blame myself. I should have said, 'my numbers are elevated and what does that really mean?' I should have taken it more seriously. I should have looked into alternate therapy instead of getting sucked into the most disgusting, capitalistic machine on the face of the planet: the medical establishment. Now I'm in the situation that I'm in, which is, hold your breath for six months. It's not a good one and not one that I'm happy about. I'm just trying to grab ahold of the reins. It's gonna be a long journey, I hope. My dad died in his early 70s from cancer and my mom died from cancer in her 40s. Split the difference to 65 and I've got 10 years. I'm trying to get to the 100-song mark — I have some goals now. Songwriting has become a catharsis for me."

Although prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer found in men and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, it can also be one of the most treatable forms of cancer.

If elevated PSA is identified early, there are treatment options that have been shown to extend survival. It is important for men to be informed about different treatment options and their side effect profile so that they can have educated treatment conversations with their doctor.

On average, approximately one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

Commerford recently joined forces with Mathias Wakrat and Jonny Polonsky to form a new trio, 7D7D. The band's debut track, "Capitalism", was released last month via Mad Bunny Records.

Raised in Irvine, California, Tim learned the bass and began to channel a tough childhood into music. By the time he was in his early 20s, he was in RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. Tim was also in AUDIOSLAVE (where he met Jonny) and PROPHETS OF RAGE.

The addressesYouTube channel has uploaded video of Ace Frehley's December 11 performance at the Holland Civic Center in Holland, Michigan. Check it out below.

As previously reported, Ace is putting the finishing touches on his new solo album for a tentative early 2023 release.

The original KISS guitarist offered an update on the LP's recording progress late last month while sharing a list on social media of his "Best 10 Sci-Fi Movies Released Up Until 1960". At the end of the message, he wrote: "My New Studio Record is nearing its completion! Hopefully it will be out Spring-Summer 2023!!!"

Back in November 2021, Ace said that he had collaborated with his longtime friend Peppy Castro on "some heavy songs."

Peppy reportedly taught Frehley how to play guitar and previously collaborated with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons as a songwriter and performed on Frehley's and KISS frontman Paul Stanley's solo records.

In December 2020, Frehley told Talking Metal Live that he would start recording his next all-original album the following year. The record will be the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne. At the time, he said that had "been writing all along. Plus, I have tracks that I've already recorded that I have to revisit and decide whether they have a chance to make it on my new studio record — [if they] have to be rewritten or [they're] just good the way they are," he explained. "And I've got people sending me song ideas constantly… So, little by little, it's an ongoing process, and it evolves as it goes."

Earlier in 2020, Frehley told Canada's iHeart Radio that he had "only written about three songs" for his next LP, and he added they were "not finished." He said: "Now that I'm [living] on the East Coast [after moving to New Jersey from Southern California], my engineer only lives an hour from me, Alex Salzman, who worked with me extensively on this last record, and he played a lot of bass guitar as well, So it's gonna be even easier, 'Origins Vol. 3' and the next [original] record."

Frehley's latest release was "Origins Vol. 2", the sequel to his 2016 collection of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

"Origins Vol. 2" featured cover versions of THE BEATLES' "I'm Down", DEEP PURPLE's "Space Truckin'", LED ZEPPELIN's "Good Times Bad Times", THE ROLLING STONES' "Jumpin' Jack Flash", THE KINKS' "Lola" and THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE's "Manic Depression", among others. A cover of the 1975 KISS tune "She" also appeared as a bonus track. Guests on the set included CHEAP TRICK's Robin Zander, Lita Ford and former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also features Simmons's bass playing.

SEPULTURA members Andreas Kisser (guitar) and Derrick Green (vocals) joined MR. BUNGLE on stage during the latter band's December 11 set at Knotfest Chile in Santiago to perform the SEPULTURA classic "Territory". Video of their appearance can be seen below.

MR. BUNGLE's current lineup consists of original members Trevor Dunn, Mike Patton and Trey Spruance, along with Scott Ian (ANTHRAX, S.O.D.) and Dave Lombardo (DEAD CROSS, SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES).

Patton and KORN singer Jonathan Davis were the featured guests on the song "Lookaway" which appeared on SEPULTURA's classic 1996 album "Roots".

In an interview with ARTISTdirect, former SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera recalled working with Patton and Davis during the "Lookaway" sessions. He said: "Mike Patton was on the song, and Jonathan's a huge FAITH NO MORE fan. He was actually freaking out that Patton was there. He was really nervous, which was actually kind of funny. He kept chewing on his hair the whole time he was in the studio. Ross Robinson teased him at one point and told him to calm down. [Laughs]"

He continued: "'Lookaway' came out of a jam. It's a really heavy riff. Patton started singing this Indian chant, and it gave me goosebumps in the studio when he did that. It was so intense. He showed up in the studio with a Samsonite briefcase. I was like, 'Mike, what's up with the briefcase?' He said, 'It's what I need to record.' It had an echo pedal inside for his voice and a bottle of wine. He opened the wine and we drank it. At one point, the three of us were on the floor of the studio going crazy and making weird noises and sounds. Jonathan took it to another level. He's singing about people with a fear of pussy, which is a crazy concept. It came out as a really cool, obscure song on 'Roots'."

"Roots" was certified gold in 2005 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for U.S. shipments in excess of 500,000 copies.

Canadian prog metal Trailight mastermind Omer Cordell has shared a new video clip in between recording sessions for his next album. Check out his bass playthrough of Metallica classics "Battery" and "Blackened".




 

 
 

 


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A post shared by TraiLight (@trailight)



Cordell recently checked in with a new update on his next Trailght album:




"We are well into the recording process with two more songs to track, and at this time I would like to present to you the artwork for Mirrors. Each piece was created individually for each one of the songs on the album which reflect the essence of the song both musically and lyrically.


Tracks titles include:


"The One You Feed" (featuring Devin Townsend)
"Mirrors"
"Lead A Horse to Water"
"Traveller"
"Elegy"
"Harbour"
"Victory"
"Harbour" (acoustic)


Mixing will commence in January and with the release date still TBD, I am hoping for the first quarter of 2023."

Glam rockers, Royal Sugar, have released the official music video for their infectious new song, “Fleeting Love”, which can be seen below, along with a lyric video for the track. The band teamed with director Ryan McLemore (Gayle) and filmed the clip at Vu Studios Nashville, a state-of-the-art virtual studio.





“Fleeting Love” - available now on all digital outlets - delivers a mix of ‘70s and ‘80s nostalgia made fresh by their penchant for modern pop, channeling everything from Def Leppard’s rawness to Jim Morrison’s swaggering flamboyance. It was recorded at the historic Castle Studios with a who’s-who of respected and sought-after musicians, including producer/keyboardist David Dorn (Billy Joel, Hootie & The Blowfish, Luke Bryan), Grammy Award-winning engineer Drew Bollman (Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, Steven Tyler, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton), mixer John Kaplan (Paul McCartney, Elton John, Black Pumas, Brittany Howard), and mastering engineer Randy Merrill (Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Adele, Paul McCartney).




“This song is about our drug of choice: Toxic relationships,” explains the duo about the intoxicating lyrics. “A widely experienced trope, but one of the most powerful. Running back again and again to a toxic fling for a quick hit and feeling low right after knowing that’s all it will ever be. You want more. You want love. Likening this person you run to as being as addictive as a drug. With just as many side effects.”
 






(Photo - Dillon Jordan)

In a new interview with Germany's Radio Bob!, MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio confirmed that he and his bandmates are working on new music. "Right now we're in the studio," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We're recording. There's great energy. We have an incredible new guitarist who's very famous. And, yeah, there's just so much going on right now."

Asked how long MANOWAR has been writing material for a new album, Joey said: "Since the COVID thing hit, really. We've been off the road for three years and built a brand new recording studio. So now we have two studios. And for anybody interested, you can check out ValhallaStudiosNY.com — ['NY' stands] for 'New York' — so you can see one of the studios and check it out.

"Yeah, we've been writing and working all along," he added. "But now there's a new drummer and a new guitarist in the band, and so the dynamic and the energy is different."

As for a possible release date for the next MANOWAR album, DeMaio sighed and said: "That's the question every record company in my career has asked me. I've been with about 50 record companies, and they don't like the answer any more than anybody else does. When it's done, it's done. It's like if you're a cook, if you spend any time in the kitchen. The dinner is done when the dinner is done. It takes time to cook good food. Oh, yeah, if you just wanna put a hamburger on the grill, that's okay. But if you're gonna make a gourmet meal — and we believe our music is akin to a gourmet meal — that takes love and care."

MANOWAR's latest digital EP, "The Revenge Of Odysseus (Highlights)", came out in June via Magic Circle Entertainment.

Conceived as a "thank you" for the steadfast and passionate support of the Greek Manowarriors, "The Revenge Of Odysseus" is MANOWAR's take on Homer's classic tale of the great hero Odysseus and his long and perilous quest to return to his wife and son, and protect his home and family.

MANOWAR played the first of two "secret" warm-up shows on June 4 at Jovel Music Hall in Münster, Germany. DeMaio and his bandmates were billed as THE LORDS OF STEEL (performing "the music of MANOWAR") for the gig, which marked MANOWAR's debut live appearance with new drummer Dave Chedrick, who has previously played with RAVEN and KILL RITUAL, among others.

Chedrick joined MANOWAR as the replacement for Anders Johannson who announced earlier that day that he would be unable to join MANOWAR on the band's "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" due to "family commitments."

Based in Los Angeles, Chedrick has been a metal addict his entire life. Early influences include John Bonham, Neil Peart and, most of all, late MANOWAR drummer Scott Columbus. An accomplished studio musician, Dave is praised for his professionalism, easy-going spirit, and willingness to always go the extra mile in the quest for the perfect sound.

Three months ago, MANOWAR announced that it had recruited metal shred legend Michael Angelo Batio to play guitar for the band on its 2023 "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal" tour. The news came in the wake of guitarist Evandro "EV" Martel's announcement that he was taking a break from touring for a while for "personal reasons".

Batio, who will play his first shows with MANOWAR starting February 2023, is a veteran both in the studio and on stage.

Voted by Guitar One magazine the "No. 1 Fastest Guitar Shredder of All Time", Chicago native Batio is an accomplished musician in many genres, but is best known for his lightning-fast metal performances. He is renowned the world over for his technical mastery of the fretboard, extremely fast picking and his invention, the "MAB Over Under" technique. His ability to play a double-necked and quad-necked guitar using both hands has earned him the respect of fans and fellow musicians alike.

"We've known Michael for many years and have always admired his work," said DeMaio. "His technique is astounding. When we invited him to come and jam with us, we played together at the speed of light. Everything fell into place immediately. We're ready for a killer tour!"

Michael Angelo Batio said: "I could not be more excited! I love metal more than anything, and it doesn't get more metal than MANOWAR! I can't wait to get on stage and play for the MANOWAR fans!"

Martel, who previously played with the Brazilian MANOWAR tribute band KINGS OF STEEL, ended up joining MANOWAR as the replacement for longtime MANOWAR guitarist Karl Logan. This past July, Logan was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for possessing child pornography.

Karl joined MANOWAR in 1994 as the replacement for David Shankle.

Prior to hooking up with MANOWAR, Logan played several bands in northeastern Pennsylvania, including ARC ANGEL and FALLEN ANGEL.

MANOWAR's "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" celebrates the band's over-four-decades-long career with focus on four signature MANOWAR albums and their anniversaries: 40th anniversary of "Battle Hymns", 35th anniversary of "Fighting The World", 30th anniversary of "The Triumph Of Steel", 20th anniversary of "Warriors Of The World".

Epica have released an HD remastered version of their video for "Never Enough", taken from their 2007 album, The Divine Conspiracy. Check it out below.





Epica recently released a video for "Sirens - Of Blood And Water" feat. Charlotte Wessels & Myrkur, featured on the band's collaborative mini-album, The Alchemy Project, out now. Watch the video below:







The Alchemy Project tracklisting:


"The Great Tribulation" feat. Fleshgod Apocalypse
"Wake The World" feat. Phil Lanzon & Tommy Karevik
"The Final Lullaby" feat. Shining
"Sirens - Of Blood And Water" feat. Charlotte Wessels & Myrkur
"Death Is Not The End" feat. Björn "Speed" Strid
"Human Devastation" feat. God Dethroned & Sven De Caluwe
"The Miner" feat. Asim Searah (Damnation Plan), Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium) & Roel van Helden (Powerwolf)


"Sirens - Of Blood And Water"

Frontiers Music Srl presents the sophomore album, Unity, from Swedish melodic rockers, Arctic Rain, on January 27.  Watch a video for the title track below, and pre-order/save Unity here.


With new keyboardist Kaspar Dahlqvist and drummer Richard Tonyson in the fold, Unity sees Arctic Rain building upon and surpassing their musical goals they aimed for on their debut album, The One. Bigger, bolder songs with a more rockin' edge, but still very much melodic rock, Unity will positively thrill fans of the band's debut and be a welcome introduction to new listeners.


Magnus Berglund's tasteful, inspired guitar playing and Tobias Jonsson’s amazing voice create an outstanding bedrock for Arctic Rain, which is truly complimented by bassist Gert Daun and Richard's propulsive rhythm section and Kaspar's tasteful keyboard playing. Arctic Rain is yet another shining example that Sweden is truly the golden land of melodic rock.




Arctic Rain started as a collaboration between songwriter/keyboardist Pete Alpenborg, guitarist Magnus Berglund, and singer Tobias Jonsson. Later on, bassist Gert Daun and drummer Jonas Jönsson joined forces with Arctic Rain for the recording of their debut album, The One. The aim for the band was to write songs with strong melodic rock vibes based around the type of tasteful instrumental harmonies typical for a lot of bands in the '80s and '90s. A revival of sorts, but with a modern touch, both melodically and for the overall sound. And with that target in mind, yes, they most certainly hit the bullseye on their debut album.





Unity tracklisting:


"One World"
"Unity"
"Fire In My Eyes"
"Peace Of Mind"
"Laughing In The Rain"
"Believe"
"Out Of Time"
"Kings Of The Radio"
"When We Were Young"
"Time For A Miracle"
"The Road Goes On"


"Unity" video:





"Fire In My Eyes" video:





Lineup:


Tobias Jonsson - Vocals
Magnus Berglund - Guitars
Kaspar Dahlqvist - Keyboards
Anders Janfalk - Bass
Richard Tonyson - Drums


* Gert Daun plays bass on "Unity"

In the new video below, singer Melissa Bonny of rising modern symphonic metal stars, Ad Infinitum, performs a one take singthrough of "Somewhere Better", a track from the band's upcoming third studio album, Chapter III – Downfall, out March 31 via Napalm Records.





Chapter III - Downfall, bewitches with an innovative sound full of soaring melodic splendor juxtaposed against brooding, dark and even gothic heaviness. Exploring concepts of Ancient Egyptian history and mythology, Ad Infinitum melds a perfect balance of storytelling and technically sophisticated songwriting, spreading their wings in both areas of production and lyricism. Charging instrumentals, pounding drums, chunky, grooving riffs, mind-boggling solos and enchanting orchestrations build the band's unique world of sound as frontwoman-to-watch Melissa Bonny’s soul-stirring cleans and haunting growls put her incredible vocal range on display - dropping jaws with each line.




Produced by Ad Infinitum and Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Chapter III - Downfall showcases that this up-and-coming quartet can effortlessly turn the genre upside down, gracing it with contemporary vibes without forgoing their signature metal origins, and thrilling all metal fans as they rise to the top!


Ad Infinitum add: “The word is out, Chapter III - Downfall is on its way! For this album, we explored stories and legends of Ancient Egypt with, as star character and main inspiration, Cleopatra. We added some extra dimension and sounds to our signature Ad Infinitum sound to create an extra dimension, transporting the listener to mystical landscapes of another era. We are beyond excited to start to unveil this new record!“


Opening track “Eternal Rains” immediately catches your breath with a captivating chorus, followed by electric  “Upside Down” - defying all rules by combining epic melodies and demonic growls with finesse. “Seth” convinces with a resounding modern sound and eerie ambience that’ll have new fans turning heads, whereas “From The Ashes” impresses with reminiscence of artists like Meshuggah, proving that Ad Infinitum never fails to deliver surprises. “Somewhere Better” creates a perfect symbiosis of vicious vocals and ethereal soundscapes, carrying the listener far away with its wide range of infallible instrumentals. “Under The Burning Skies” directs its haunting vocals towards the horizon, unfolding into an intense mid-tempo ballad shortly after. As a special treat, Ad Infinitum welcomes Chrigel Glanzmann of Eluveitie, who provides his voice for the atmospheric monologue introduction on “Legends”, paving the way for a touch of Middle Eastern-inspired djent flavor.   





Chapter III - Downfall will be available in the following formats:


- 1 CD Digipak
- CD Digipak + Shirt Bundle
- 1 LP Gatefold CURACAO - limited to 300 copies worldwide
- 1 LP Gatefold Black
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Eternal Rains"
"Upside Down"
"Seth"
"From The Ashes"
"Somewhere Better"
"The Underworld"
"Ravenous"
"Under The Burning Skies"
"Architect Of Paradise"
"The Serpent's Downfall"
"New Dawn"
"Legends" (Featuring Chrigel Glanzmann)


“Somewhere Better“ video:





"Upside Down" video:





Lineup:


Melissa Bonny - Vocals
Adrian Thessenvitz - Guitars
Korbinian Benedict - Bass
Niklas Müller - Drums





(Photo - Nat Enemede)

SHINEDOWN drummer Barry Kerch was the featured guest on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" during the "Rock God" segment. Barry picked SHINEDOWN singer Brent Smith and stated about his choice (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I met Brent Smith when we were in our young 20s. He was auditioning drummers. He had a demo CD — yeah, I said 'CD' — of songs that he was working on, and I heard his voice, and I went, 'Yes. I wanna be his drummer.'"

Barry continued: "He has one of the best voices in rock and roll music of all time. Prove me wrong. You can't — 'cause he's that good. Plus, he's one of the best lyricists. He writes lyrics that all of us can relate to, no matter where you come from, no matter what walk of life, no matter who you are. On top of that, this man suffered through addiction and then beat it. And that's why I believe my singer, my best friend Brent Smith is a rock god."

SHINEDOWN's latest album, "Planet Zero", produced by bassist Eric Bass, is out now via Atlantic Records. The album debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and the official U.K. albums chart, and at No. 1 on six other Billboard charts, including Top Album Sales, Rock, Hard Rock and Alternative Albums.

Two months ago, SHINEDOWN canceled its previously announced fall 2022 dates in continental Europe due to "economic and logistical side of touring".

SHINEDOWN's European tour was set to launch on November 7 in Brussels, Belgium and conclude on December 9 in Helsinki, Finland. Among the canceled shows were those in Paris, France; Cologne, Germany; Berlin, Germany; Tilburg, Netherlands; Offenbach, Germany; Zurich, Switzerland; Milan, Italy; Munich, Germany; Prague, Czech Republic; Warsaw, Poland; Copenhagen, Denmark; Oslo, Norway and Stockholm, Sweden.

SHINEDOWN's U.K. dates with ASKING ALEXANDRIA and ZERO 9:36 kicked off on November 26 in Cardiff and concluded on December 1 in London.

In a recent interview with "The Best Show With Tom Scharpling", JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke about the band's need to continue creating new music and not resting on its laurels. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This has been vital to PRIEST. Whenever we've toured, apart from this one particular tour cycle — the '50 Heavy Metal Years' in JUDAS PRIEST, where we really celebrate so much of what we've done and achieved — we've always gone out with a new record. That was the idea that we started with. The reason we're here is to play the songs that you already know, but more importantly to us, this is the new material. This is how we represent ourselves now. This is us in the '70s, the '80s, the '90s, the noughts. Each time we go out on stage — as we will for the next PRIEST record that's just about done — it's to show off the things that we've created. And that, for us as a band, is important to us for the reason of, yes, we can still go into a studio at the start of a day and have nothing but at the end of the day we have a great song that we hope we'll eventually record and it's gonna live forever. That's the great testimony to bands that still feel the need and the urge and the hunger. There's always an unending innate inquisitiveness of the adventure: 'What if we did this?' 'What if we did that?' It's all about the need to express yourself in a new song or in a new album."

Rob continued: "I learned a long time ago that nirvana is unreachable, but it's a great place to keep aiming for. Why does [professional basketball player] LeBron James keep going out to play? Well, because he's got a new move to show; he feels like he wants to show you how he's getting from this end of the court to that end of the court with these moves that he's coming up with. It's all about finding a new form of expression within something that we love and get great pleasure out of — a band, a sports person, whatever it might be; this thing that enamors us and puts us together is really important."

Halford added: "I just wanna quickly address something here: nostalgia. For the longest time, I had a real problem with nostalgia, what that word meant. Because in my mind, for a period of my life, it just felt like, 'Oh, it's all over; we're in nostalgic mode.' Now I realize that was a really bad train of thought. I've learned and I've grown from that ne_ — not 'negative', 'cause I had that word 'negative', but that misconception of nostalgia. Because when you're going to see JUDAS PRIEST and we play 'Breaking The Law' or 'Living After Midnight', it's not 2022; it's 1980. And you're with your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your significant other, whoever, or by yourself, and you hear that song and you're at college, you're at school, you're in the back of the bus, you're in the back of the car, you're on vacation, all these beautiful, beautiful feelings and emotions erupt up in this word 'nostalgia.' And so I know that, and we appreciate that as a band, the emotional opportunities that are taking place, when you play those songs. 'Cause I see it on people's faces, I see it on our metal maniacs. Sometimes there are tears in the house because it's such a significant memory. And that's the beauty of music, the way it touches that time clock in our existence and brings us from the present to the past and back again."

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have been presented with a special plaque commemorating an incredible 50 years in music and over 50 million album sales worldwide. The presentation was made on the eve of the band's induction in to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Los Angeles last month.

There are few heavy metal bands that have managed to scale the heights that JUDAS PRIEST have during their 50-year career. Their presence and influence remain at an all-time high as evidenced by 2018's "Firepower" being the highest-charting album of their career, a 2010 Grammy Award win for "Best Metal Performance", plus being a 2006 VH1 Rock Honors recipient. JUDAS PRIEST originally formed in 1969 in Birmingham, England (an area that many feel birthed heavy metal). Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing and Ian Hill would be the nucleus of musicians (along with several different drummers over the years) that would go on to change the face of heavy metal. The current lineup, which changed in 2011, consists of Halford, Tipton, Hill, Richie Faulkner and Scott Travis.

Following early albums such as "Rocka Rolla", "Sin After Sin" and "Sad Wings Of Destiny", JUDAS PRIEST redefined heavy music forever with the 1980 release of iconic album "British Steel". Subsequent albums such as "Screaming For Vengeance" and "Painkiller" established the band as "Metal Gods", identified by charismatic Halford's characteristic soaring high-pitched vocals.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members who got inducted include current members Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis, along with former members Downing, Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and Faulkner for a three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

The members of PRIEST have dealt with various health setbacks in recent years. Halford recently publicly revealed that he battled prostate cancer during the pandemic. He previously mentioned his cancer battle in the new chapter added to the updated paperback edition of his autobiography, "Confess". In "Confess", Halford revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer after experiencing symptoms for at least a couple of years.

Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in September 2021. Faulkner was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's latest album, "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.