Axl Rose has responded to an Australian woman's claim that she was hit in the face by the singer's microphone during GUNS N' ROSES' concert in Adelaide on Tuesday (November 29).

The alleged incident happened while Rose and his bandmates were performing the final song of their set, "Paradise City". At the end of the track, the singer launched the microphone into the crowd, allegedly hitting the woman in the face.

The woman, who suffered bruises on her face, told ABC: "I was just putting out a warning for people: if Axl sings 'Paradise City', get ready to duck for cover." She added: "My intentions were not to gain anything."

The woman told the Adelaide Advertiser the mic hit her on the bridge of the nose. She said an off-duty policeman pulled her aside after she was struck and took care of her and attempted to stop the bleeding from her nose.

"I was in shock and hyperventilating," she claimed. "My mind went, ''Oh, my God, my face is caved in.'"

She added she worried about other concertgoers being injured as GUNS N' ROSES continue their tour in Melbourne on December 3.

"What if [the microphone] was a couple of inches to the right or left?," she said.

"I could have lost an eye...if my head was turned and it hit me in the temple, it could have killed me."

In a response to the woman's claim, Rose posted a lengthy message to social media.

"It's come to my attention that a fan may have been hurt at r show in Adelaide Australia possibly being hit by the microphone at the end of the show when I traditionally toss the mic to the fans," he wrote. "If true obviously we don't want anyone getting hurt or to somehow in anyway hurt anyone at any of r shows anywhere.

"Having tossed the mic at the end of r show for over 30 years we always felt it was a known part of the very end of r performance that fans wanted and were aware of to have an opportunity to catch the mic. Regardless in the interest of public safety from now on we'll refrain from tossing the mic or anything to the fans during or at r performances.

"Unfortunately there r those that for their own reasons chose to frame their reporting regarding this subject in a more negative n' irresponsible out of nowhere light which couldn't b farther from reality. We hope the public and of course r fans get that sometimes happens.

"A BIG THANKS to everyone for understanding."

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, guitarist/vocalist Joseph Duplantier of French metallers GOJIRA was asked if there are plans for him and his bandmates to begin work on the follow-up to last year's "Fortitude" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, that would be a very organic thing for us to do now, to concentrate on an album, 'cause we love putting out music and then going on tour and playing shows. So it's kind of part of a cycle. It's not a great surprise there, unless we call it a day and we split one day, and then there will be no more albums.

"It's an intense life — it's a very intense life — so personally I need to process what happened on the road and I need to spend time with the family," he explained. "I can't jump right back, like I used to do with the guys. Right after the last tour of a cycle, we would be in the studio the day after almost, writing stuff. But I love being in the studio, I love coming up with new ideas, but I really feel the need to be with my family more than ever.

"Also, I would say this: before writing an album, I think it's important to have something to say," Joseph added. "So if you're not recharged, you might repeat yourself or record songs in a weird state where you can't hear anything 'cause your ears are shut. It could be dangerous, to produce bad albums."

Two months ago, metallers GOJIRA released a new song titled "Our Time Is Now". The track appeared on the soundtrack to EA Sports' long-running NHL video game franchise "NHL 23", which was made available in October.

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

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

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

In a recent interview with Colombia's Radioacktiva, GOJIRA drummer Mario Duplantier was asked how he and his bandmates go about exploring fresh musical areas every time they are making an album. He responded: "It's not very intellectual; it's not very mental — it's more organic. We jam, and when we hear something cool, we say, 'Let's go.' It's not very we try to catch more people here and there.

"I would say… I have to be very honest, but the fact [that] we are touring so much… We are a live band mainly — 90 percent of our life is on the road. So we play shows — we do soundcheck and we play shows; soundcheck, shows, soundcheck… Over and over and over again, it's like a huge circle. We do Europe and U.S., Europe and U.S., sometimes South America, Asia — it's crazy. So when we write the music, we want to play songs that are gonna be fun, maybe, to play live as well. And it's not a conscious thing — we're not trying to do something, 'Let's catch more people.' It's really, 'Let's have fun onstage and have something maybe more simple sometimes.' Because when you play very technical music and you start to play arenas or stadiums and festivals — huge festivals — you just notice that if it's too crazy, too technical, it doesn't really work."

Mario's latest comments echo those of his brother, Joseph, who told SPIN in a 2021 interview: "When you start to play bigger slots at festivals in front of more people — when every show on your tour is now a freaking area because you're opening for an arena band — the response, the echo of your song, is different than in a 1,000-capacity club. Sometimes when we end up performing for a large audience and all we have to play is death metal songs, subconsciously we want to adapt our repertoire to a wider audience. We're, like, 'What do we have in our back catalog that we can play and not freak people out? Not so intense and long and epic."

He continued: "Naturally and organically, a sound is shaped by our experiences on tour. This is something people might not understand or think about, but the progression of the band is also shaping our sound, as much as our songs and our sound dictating how good we're going to do. Of course we keep that in mind that if we do a song with a chorus that people can sing along to, we're going to have bigger chances to succeed in this business. But it's not also a business for us — it's been a reason to be alive, to play music in the first place, since we were teenagers. If we betray ourselves, our tendencies, if we don't fulfill our creative hearts, we are going to fail. We are going to lose the point. For us, it's very important to be in tune with our music because this is what we eat and breathe for years on the road. We play these songs every single night. We want to punch people in the face with our music. We're not here to sing a lullaby. We want it to be powerful and meaningful, and also it's a little bit more political than before in a weird way. Also we were [ages] 14 to 18 or 19 when we started, and now we're in our 40s. So we have a different internal pace. It sounds clichéd and bragging a little bit — 'I don't care about the pressure or success.' Of course we want to drive a career in a smart way, but we try to concentrate on what the music will create in our hearts."

Charlie Benante says that he felt like he was "metal meditating" during PANTERA's first live performance in over 20 years, which took place Friday (December 2) at Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest. Benante is joined in PANTERA's reformed lineup by surviving members Rex Brown (bass) and Philip Anselmo (vocals) along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY).

Late Saturday night (December 3),Benante took to his social media to share a photo of him at the Hell & Heaven Metal Fest gig, and he included the following message: "If I say I wasn't nervous I'd be lying. The excitement , the fear, the emotions, the love and the work that went into doing this all played a part of what was in my head. When I got up there it had all seemed to disappear ( except for the cold 50 degree weather, 🥶) I looked at @philiphanselmo @rexbrownofficial and @zakkwyldebls and felt the connection, Bam!!!! New Level started and we were off. I kept looking down at my set list and was getting hyped up for the next song .

"Thank you #sterlingwinfield for bringing me an old @dimebagdarrell wristband and a pair of @vinniepaul3 old gloves . I wore the wristband and brought the gloves up with me. I had some moments up there like I felt I wasn't there, I went to some other place. I think I was Metal meditating , don't laugh… I'm serious.

"Thank to the @panteraofficial family, thank you to the crew and the amazing fans who have always been so positive about this. Thank you to @carlaharvey and @miacbenante for listening to me play PANTERA songs day in and out. I look forward to seeing you all and having a great time playing these songs and reliving the feeling of what a great band they are!"

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 other major festivals across North America, South 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.

PANTERA is playing one more show in Mexico this month —Monterrey Metal Fest on December 6 — followed by appearances at three Knotfest festivals in South America. There will also be a one-off show with JUDAS PRIEST in São Paulo, Brazil and a headlining concert in Santiago.

Last week, Benante told Metal Edge: "The first show with PANTERA is going to be kinda nerve-wracking. I'm probably gonna need a couple of drinks to be honest with you, to kinda settle me down… I need to get that first PANTERA show under the belt."

Asked if he's looking forward to any performing any particular PANTERA tracks, Benante said": "I enjoy each one of them. When I look down at the list, I'm like, 'Oh, I like this song,' that type of thing. There's two odd songs in there too that I don't think they played, consistently, throughout [their] sets. Those are the two songs I enjoy playing the most, I think."

Regarding the criticism floating around social media about relaunching the PANTERA name more than two decades since the group played their last show, and all the chatter about it not being a true reunion without Vinnie and Dime, Benante said: "First off, it's not a reunion. It's a celebration of the music. If you saw the thing that went out, it was like, 'PANTERA featuring…' the four of us. Those two guys are a part of this and who else is there? Vinnie and Dime are not here, so, Philip and Rex, they were that band, too. [They] deserve to be there as much as anybody. I see the negative stuff sometimes, and I'm just like, ‘This is so ridiculous, man.' Just enjoy hearing those songs again."

Benante told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how he planned to approach the PANTERA gig: "I can't go do this as the drummer from ANTHRAX because it would be a different sound completely. So the way I'm gonna do that is if you close your eyes, it's gonna sound like it's Vinnie, basically. And that's how it's gonna be. The sound is gonna sound exactly like him."

Wylde said that he had a similar mindset. "You approach it the same way as you do when I'm playing with Ozzy," he said. "Obviously I've gotta learn [Randy] Rhoads's stuff and I've gotta learn Jake's [E. Lee] stuff, and when I was doing the [BLACK] SABBATH stuff, you learn it and do it as faithful as you can. Charlie's gotta learn all of Vinnie's parts. You approach it as if you're in a cover band. When we do the ZAKK SABBATH stuff," referring to his BLACK SABBATH cover band, "I don't start changing lyrics midway through 'War Pigs'. You learn the songs — so that's what you do."

A year ago, Anselmo said that he was up for reuniting with Brown for a special tour celebrating the music of PANTERA. The 54-year-old singer, who has spent the past few years playing a PANTERA-centric set with his solo band, THE ILLEGALS, discussed the possibility of re-teaming with his former PANTERA bandmate during an interview with Brazil's Inside With Paulo Baron. Asked if he and Rex would be open to playing some shows in celebration of PANTERA's legacy, Anselmo said: "If Rex and I had a show to play, or we were ever gonna be on stage again together, I would welcome it with open arms. I love Rex. And he'd be the same way. We're brothers forever. So playing on stage together, or doing some shows together, is not out of the question. It could happen."

In April 2021, Rex told Eonmusic that he and Philip still get offers for a PANTERA tribute tour. "But if you don't have the other guys in the band, it's not going to sound the same," he said. "If we were ever to do something like that, it would have to be spot-on, or I wouldn't do it. It would be a tribute."

Talk about a possible PANTERA "reunion" intensified when Anselmo regularly joined Wylde's BLACK LABEL SOCIETY to perform PANTERA's song "I'm Broken" during DOWN's 2014 stint on the "Revolver Golden Gods Tour". That buzz only got stronger after Brown joined the jam on May 23, 2014 when the tour swung through Texas.

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.

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WINGER's seventh studio album is currently being mixed for a 2023 release.

Earlier today, WINGER frontman Kip Winger shared a photo of him and a mixing engineer in the studio, and he included the following message: "Mixing #WingerVII!"

WINGER's next LP will be the follow-up to 2014's "Better Days Comin'".

In December 2020, WINGER guitarist Reb Beach told the 213Rock Podcast that he and Kip had "written about seven songs for the new album. It sounds great," he said. "It's WINGER — heavy riffs with big vocals. Very catchy songs and very heavy stuff — very progressive."

A month earlier, Beach told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast that he and Kip had pieced together ideas for 11 tracks for WINGER's next album, but that Kip "threw away six of 'em, saying that this has to be like the first BOSTON record where every song is undeniable. And he just wants it to be progressive and like nothing he's hard before," he said. "I brought him these riffs that are just straight-ahead rock riffs, and he said, 'I already know what the next three chords are gonna be after I've heard three chords.'

"We're going for something that's poppy and sing-along stuff yet cool, heavy, progressive riffs — kind of like [2009's] 'Karma'," Reb explained. "That's what we're going for."

In the spring of 2020, WINGER invited artists, friends and fans — including Alice Cooper and members of SCORPIONS, STEELHEART and WARRANT — to sing along to "Better Days Comin'", the title track of the band's sixth studio album. An official music video for the new version of the song was made available in late April.

STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis played a new song called "Let's Go Fishin'" on December 4 at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town, West Virginia. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

The song's lyrics find the 50-year-old Lewis — an outspoken conservative rocker who reinvented himself as a solo country artist in the last decade — singing about "making America great again", "turning off CNN" and using the "Let's Go, Brandon!" catchphrase, which was coined by American conservatives to criticize President Joe Biden.

The song's lyrics are as follows:

"Gotta work two jobs and rob a bank to put food on the table and gas in the tank.
And everybody knows who's to blame but I ain't gonna worry about none of that shit today.

So let's go fishin', let's go wishin'
On a star in the dark in the middle of the night, the world's gone crazy and the shit ain't right.

Let's go driving, a little backwoods hidin'
It's all so fucked up I can't stand it.
Let's go, Karen, Let's go, Brandon
Let's go fishin', let's go fishin'

We can make America great again, turn right on a two track, and turn off CNN

So let's go fishin', let's go wishin'
On a star in the dark in the middle of the night the worlds gone crazy and the shit ain't right.
Let's go riding, a little backwoods hidin'
It's all so fucked up, I can't stand it.
Let's go, Karen, Let's go, Brandon
Let's go fishin', let's go fishin'

"Take a foot off the gas, this ain't a NASCAR race, just kick it on back with a smile on your face.

"And let's go fishin', let's go wishin'
On a star in the dark in the middle of the night the worlds gone crazy and the shit ain't right.

"Let's go driving, a little backwoods hidin'
It's all so fucked up I can't stand it.
Let's go, Karen, Let's go, Brandon". [End of lyrics]

According to Fox 26 Houston, the "Let's Go, Brandon!" phrase, which originally stemmed from a NASCAR interview, is a G-rated substitute for "Fuck Joe Biden" chants that were popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. The explicit saying was recited at sporting events across the country in defiance of the president's coronavirus mandates.

After Brandon Brown's victory at the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on October 2, 2021, a crowd unleashed "Fuck Joe Biden" chants during the young racer's TV interview. NBC reporter Kelli Stavast appeared to misunderstand what the fans were shouting, claiming instead they were saying "Let's Go, Brandon!" — unintentionally coining the phrase.

In November 2021, Lewis claimed that he beat COVID-19 by taking ivermectin, a drug with no evidence of being a safe or effective treatment for the novel coronavirus. He said he also used Z-Pak, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections by inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the body.

Lewis made headlines in September 2021 when he urged his fans to chant "Fuck Joe Biden" during a STAIND concert in Pennsylvania.

This past March, Lewis told the Los Angeles Times that he doesn't blindly listen to information that is delivered by the mainstream media.

"I'm not uneducated; I'm actually really smart, and I look for myself. I seek other options of information," he said. "I refuse to believe that a huge, gigantic corporation has our best interest in mind."

Asked where he gets his news, Lewis said: "I have news feeds and people that I follow on Telegram. Dan Ball. Andrew Wilkow. Mark Levin. If I'm gonna watch any sort of news source on television, it's Tucker Carlson."

Pressed about whether Fox News is an exception to his mistrust of corporations, Aaron said: "I think that if Tucker didn't have the following he has, he'd be gone. He's pretty much anchoring the network at this point."

At his recent solo concerts, Lewis has been taking the stage while wearing a black hat with white mesh and white lettering on the front clearly stating "FUJOE," an expletive directed toward Biden.

From the depths of southwestern Germany’s Black Forest, Imperium Dekadenz gathered their strengths from the dark to create their remarkable atmospheric black metal sounds. Into Sorrow Evermore, the new album from this sinister unit, will be unleashed on January 20 via Napalm Records.


Keeping up with the sorrowful reality of existence, the duo addresses themes of depression, death and desperation. With eight new tracks, Imperium Dekadenz stick to their haunting roots and conquer the upper echelons of the black metal world.


Like the current dreary season, the band captures gloomy feelings in the second single, “November Monument”. Along with an official music video, it is the picture-perfect illustration for their relentlessly honest words. Steady drums and emotionally charged guitar lines merge with omniscient whispers and angry growls. Since breaking the scene with their critically acclaimed debut, ...und die Welt ward kalt und leer in 2006, the band has developed their own ambient sound with a strong emphasis on melodic structuring and raw tunes that are influenced by the second wave of Norwegian black metal without losing its unique trademarks.
 
Imperium Dekadenz on “November Monument”: “November is a monument to death and darkness and yet it also represents the beginning of a new cycle. Travel with us into the dark wings of melancholy and through this season, full of reflection and relinquishment.”







On their new album, Imperium Dekadenz continue their unique journey with dark, ambient sounds, luring the listener into suffocating spheres of black metal. Opener and title track “Into Sorrow Evermore” starts off with classic tremolo-picked black metal guitars and hard-hitting drums, building a gloomy atmosphere with the thrilling sound of vocalist Horaz spurring the album’s immersion. “Truth Under Stars” lures with pummelling blast beats accompanied by tragic guitar melodies as deep growls complement them to envelop the signature grim mood of the band. “Aurora” showcases melancholic pianos, accompanied by trudging drums as icy guitars swoon with a distorted but lush melody, building up to a serene guitar solo that cries its sorrows to the sky. The influence of various metal genres can be witnessed in songs like “Elysian Fields” and “Awakened Beyond Dreams”, while in between, “Forest In Gale” ensures characteristic style devices in mid-tempo speed, inducing a shift before delivering drama and dynamics. “November Monument” is a gloomy, slow doom inspired piece with steady drums that march on and guitars delicately plucking chords heavy with emotion, capturing the feeling of the approaching winter when November arrives. Imperium Dekadenz closes the album with "Memories... A Raging River", rightly encompassing all vicious vibes of the album into one final song. The album’s flow mimics life itself, beginning with high energy that slowly fades into melancholy as it lives on.


Imperium Dekadenz state: “In the dark and cold season, in a world that threatens to sink into its rising shadows, our new album ‘Into Sorrow Evermore’ rises from the fog of uncertainty. Melancholic, powerful, poignant, a reflection of the isolation and upheaval of recent years, but also a shadowy dream of what may come. Once again, we are happy to share our world and fill hearts. Into the darkness we strive, guided by our dreams, driven by the relentless time!”





Into Sorrow Evermore will be available in the following formats:


- Wooden Box Edition: 6 Page Digisleeve, Bonus Demo CD “Promo 2005”, Coverflag, Pendant, Patch (limited to 300 worldwide)
- 2 LP Gatefold White (limited to 300 worldwide)
- Tape Edition - GREY with gold print (limited to 100 worldwide)
- 2 LP Gatefold BLACK
- 6 Page Digisleeve
- 6 Page Digisleeve & Shirt
- Full Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Into Sorrow Evermore"
"Truth Under Stars"
"Aurora"
"Elysian Fields"
"Forests in Gale"
"Awakened Beyond Dreams"
"November Monument"
"Memories... A Raging River"


"Memories... A Raging River" video:





Lineup:


Vespasian - Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keyboards
Horaz - Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals


(Photo - Benedikt Walter)

NIGHTWISH has once again postponed its previously announced Asian tour. The trek was called off less than a month after NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen revealed that she was "cancer free" after recently undergoing surgery to have a tumor removed following a breast cancer diagnosis.

Earlier today, the band released the following statement via social media: "The last stage of getting Floor back to full health involves radiation therapy, which has been rescheduled from February to January. And so, as a consequence, we are unable to come to Asia as scheduled. But don't panic! All of our team are working solidly on making sure we all see you again soon."

NIGHTWISH was initially scheduled to perform three dates in China in April 2020. In January 2021, those shows in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou were postponed to January 2022 and later to 2023. Also added were new shows in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Jakarta.

When Floor revealed that she was "cancer free" last month, she said in a statement: "The surgery took everything cancerous out and it hasn't spread! I'll get local radiation therapy in February to make sure everything stays out.

"I'm getting my energy back after the surgery and feel a huge relief to know it was successful! I'm not back to a 100% but I have no doubt the shows will give me the power push I need to rock with all of you on the upcoming European tour."

Jansen revealed her diagnosis in October. At the time, she wrote: "A letter to you, Life comes in waves, with ups and downs. I have had the joy of riding many highs, and I have shared these with you through social media and the many many shows worldwide throughout the many years of my career.

"But now a new wave hit me. Not a good one. I have breast cancer. It was diagnosed a little over 2 weeks ago and I will have surgery tomorrow to remove the tumor. My prognosis is very good!!! It seems to be a non-aggressive cancer, which seems to not have spread. I will keep my breast. And I will be cancer free after this surgery, plus a local radiation treatment that will take place three months after this surgery, hopefully. We will know more after the surgery to see if this positive prognosis stands.

"The word cancer is a shocker. All that you found important in life before this diagnosis changes radically within minutes. Now I just want to be healthy again. I want to see my daughter grow into a woman; I want to live! And the scariest part of this diagnosis is that I thought I was healthy! I didn't feel the cancer, I didn't know it was there until I, as a 40+ woman, went to a standard mammogram checkup. Something many countries offer, for free even for the lucky ones. Had I not gone there, the tumor would have gone undetected. In a year from now this could have grown much bigger. The thought of that makes me share this story with you. A mammogram is lifesaving! It's uncomfortable and you might think that you won't have something in your breasts anyway but GO! And for the men reading this: remind your wife, girlfriend, mother, sister to go and get checked. Even without the luxury I as a western woman experience with free mammogram checkups: GO! Luckily, there are many organizations that offer information about self-detection if you do not have access or funds for a mammogram.
If I might inspire you to take good care of yourself, then something good will come out of this cancer diagnosis.

"If all goes as planned, I will be up and running in time for the European tour with NIGHTWISH, that will start on the 20th of November! And I am optimistic since my prognosis is good!

"I promise to take good care of myself.

"I will be off the grid for a while to focus on myself."

Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

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

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

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

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

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.
pic.twitter.com/dHYv0OlaWw

— Nightwish (@NightwishBand) December 5, 2022

Available for streaming below is the premier episode of the new web series, "Menza Mega Video Vault", featuring late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza behind the camera filming some very rare unreleased intimate and funny backstage moments with Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul and Scott Weiland. The 9-minute episode was hosted by Exodus frontman, Steve "Zetro" Souza.


"Behind The Scenes With Nick Menza" consists of clips from Menza's personal and private collection VHS tapes that includes previously unreleased live concert footage of Pantera and Stone Temple Pilots the drummer captured during 1992 and 1993 when Pantera and STP opened for Megadeth on the Countdown To Extinction tour. The series is being produced by Menza's longtime manger Robert Bolger, Wayne Marsala and Brian Huntington of Grey Haven Media.


"Menza Mega Video Vault" has since been shelved and the unreleased video footage will be a featured highlight in the official Menza documentary film, This Was My Life - The Story Of Nick Menza.

Frontiers Music Srl announces the signing of All My Shadows, a quintet founded in 2020 by Vanden Plas members Stephan Lill (guitar) and Andy Kuntz (vocals). Their debut album, Eerie Monsters, will be released on February 17.


Today, the band has released their debut single and music video, "Silent Waters". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Eerie Monsters here.


Stephan Lill is the guitarist and musical backbone of the internationally known progressive metal band Vanden Plas. From the very beginning, he has been a huge influence on the sound and musical development of the band with his songwriting. Outside of Vanden Plas, Lill has also left his mark with his involvement in the rock operas/theater productions "Ludus Danielis," "Christ 0," "The Chronicles of the Immortals," "Everyman," and "Last Paradise Lost".




Andy Kuntz is the charismatic and talented singer of Vanden Plas. With his distinctive voice, he moves effortlessly through all levels of vocal register and has established himself internationally as not only a rock/metal singer, but also as a lead in multiple rock musicals and operas. As the main lyricist and writer of the vocal melodies for Vanden Plas, he is the other musical mainstay and partner in crime with Lill in not only the band, but the aforementioned rock operas.


"The idea of recording and releasing some rock songs is something I've been thinking about for a while. While composing, I kept coming up with songs that have the spirit of the '80s. As a big fan of bands from that era, like Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne, Dokken, and the like, I still have a huge love for music from that time. The goal was to transport that classic music into the here and now. Hard rock with a powerful production, peppered with modern musical elements," says Lill.


The original idea for All My Shadows was to have different vocalists appear on the album. Lill brought in his musical partner Kuntz to write the lyrics for the songs. "We know each other inside and out, have been working together for a very long time and very well, and are a perfectly attuned team," he says. But once Kuntz was on board to write the lyrics and had demoed the first four songs with Lill, it was immediately clear to both musicians that Kuntz was the man for the job. "Why look far and away for several good singers, if the perfect singer is already there?" Lill muses.


While Lill and Kuntz continued to work on more songs, the aforementioned demos found their way to Frontiers Music Srl, Vanden Plas' current record label. Frontiers were also immediately enthusiastic about those demos and immediately and enthusiastically asked the band if they could be involved with releasing the music.


With the songs coming along nicely, the creative juices flowing, and a label home in place, Lill and Kuntz knew that a completely new entity had to be created, which would give the whole thing its own vibe and aura.  When Kuntz came up with the name All My Shadows, they both knew that "the band name perfectly reflects the dark colorful aura of the lyrics and melody lines in a perfect way. The debut album, "Eerie Monsters" is an exciting musical journey through time, transporting our widely branched "heavy rock roots" into the present day in a melodically exciting symbiosis of retro ambience and modern sounds. Sonically, somewhat related to bands such as Ghost, Stone Sour, or Soen, if you will, the music unfolds in an intoxicating manner. It's time for The New Retro-Rock!" declare Lill and Kuntz.


Keyboardist Markus Teske, who is also the owner of Bazement Studios and has been turning the knobs on the mixing desk for all of Vanden Plas' albums since 2002, was brought on board first. Beside being a superb engineer, he is a virtuoso at his instrument too. Then followed Franky R., a bassist who has played with renowned guitarist Michael Schenker, among others. And to keep it in the family, Stephan's brother Andreas Lill, also of Vanden Plas and who has a tremendous reputation for his musical experience and skill set, was brought in on drums to complete the lineup.


Lill and Kuntz unanimously answer with a clear "No!" whether the participation of the Vanden Plas musicians will bring All My Shadows too close sonically to Vanden Plas. Both musically and lyrically, the differences are too great, too tangible, too obvious.


"Vanden Plas stands very much for progressive metal in all its variations, while All My Shadows stands very much for melodic hard rock. Musical points of contact are there, overlaps are not. All My Shadows have all the characteristics to have their own identity," says Lill.





Eerie Monsters tracklisting:


"Silent Waters"
"A Boy Without A Name"
"Syrens"
"Lifeforms"
"Wolverinized"
"The Phantoms Of The Dawn"
"Farewell"
"Devil's Ride"
" All My Eerie Monsters"


"Silent Waters" video:





Lineup:


Stephan Lill - Guitars
Andy Kuntz - Vocals
Markus Teske - Keyboards
Franky R. - Bass
Andreas Lill - Drums

Based in São Paulo, Brazil, The Damnnation attacks with their debut album, Way Of Perdition, releasing a versatile sound that mixes multiple strands of extreme metal and brings old school thrash to life.


Continuing to promote the record, the band has issued the music video for the track "Slaves Of Society". "In this video we decided to do it with a more 'stage' feel to express the idea of ​​anger and anguish that is conveyed in the lyrics, a very evident moment now in the country," comments vocalist / guitarist Renata Petrelli.







In 2020, The Damnnation dropped a four-track EP entitled Parasite, on which the raging fist of old school heavy metal hit the skull of thrash metal. 


The power trio is signed to Dutch label Soulseller Records. “We are very happy with this support and to be part of this cast with incredible bands from the world stage. We're definitely going to have an incredible road together!"


Recently, The Damnnation announced the departure of drummer Luana Diniz, who recorded Way Of Perdition, and announced the entry of new drummer, Ellen Tavares, who will record the band's new album, scheduled for release at the end of 2023.





Tracklisting:


"Before The Drowning"
"Way Of Perdition"
"Into The Sun"
"This Pain Won’t Last"
"Grief Of Death"
"Random Words"
"Slaves Of Society"
"Rotten Soul"
"No Hope Inside"
"The Greed"


(Photo credit: Yasmin Balbino)


 

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has checked in with the following update:


"It's finally time for the most wonderful time of the year! And since the support on YouTube have been beyond what I ever could have expected it to be I wanna give something back! So I say Merry Christmas, and I hope you will enjoy my Christmas calendar with 24 videos - one per day up until Christmas Eve on the 24th!"


Check out Johansson's offer of Christmas songs thus far, and watch for more on his YouTube channel here if you can't wait for BraveWords to share the next batch.




"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" - Andy Williams





"Where Are You Christmas" - Faith Hill





"Christmas At Hogwarts" - John Williams





"Angels We Have Heard On High" - traditional





"Say Mama" - Tomterockers

On Decemnber 2nd, UK-based black metallers Cradle Of Filth performed at the Hell & Heaven Metal Fest 2022 in Toluca, Mexico. Fan-filmed video from their show can be viewed below.


It was the band's last show of 2022. The setlist was as follows:


"Existential Terror"
"Nocturnal Supremacy"
"I Am the Thorn"
"Crawling King Chaos"
"Nymphetamine (Fix)"
"A Gothic Romance (Red Roses for the Devil's Whore)"
"Scorched Earth Erotica"
"Necromantic Fantasies"
"Her Ghost in the Fog"

Seattle's heavy metal quintet Telomyras will release its self-titled debut EP on February 18, 2023. The EP's first single, "Cambion", is streaming now on Bandcamp and via the audio player below.


Inspired by both classic and contemporary metal bands, Telomyras writes riff-driven music with an emphasis on melodic phrasing, punctuated by progressive elements.


Cambion by Telomyras




The collection of songs on the EP represents the band’s musical vision, which embraces both the darkness and the light with triumphant exclamation. The musical performances are influenced by a range of metal genres, such as thrash, power, and traditional heavy metal. The powerful vocal performance and lyrics comment on conflict and change through the lens of myth, personal strife, and the reality of the world we live in.





Tracklisting:


"Cambion"
"Colorless"
"First Blood"
"Hydra"
"Throne Of Ruin"


For further details, visit Telomyras on Facebook.


 

Syracuse, NY-based aggressive metalcore sextet, Fight From Within, have released the first single, “Vivisepulture”, from their forthcoming EP.


The explosive track boasts a short drum-fill intro, leaving no time to prepare for the barrage of immediate mosh-inducing fight riffs. The dual bouncing guitars peppered with wailing solos coupled with the seething vocals of Mikey Hayes and Paddy Mull create an atmosphere of intensity in its purest form.


“The song is loosely about being overwhelmed and feeling confined and oppressed. So much that it feels like you’re buried alive. ‘Vivisepulture’ - the act or practice of burying alive.”




Hayes’ lyrics, “It’s like I’ll never escape/Feels like I’m running in place” erupt before a crushing breakdown encapsulate not only the definition of the word “Vivisepulture” but a calling upon a deeper meaning of what it truly means to fight from within oneself.


The video for “Vivisepulture,” directed by Atticus Kiser, follows the band through everyday scenarios from the local bar to a gathering in the woods, as the typical turns grim quickly. Coughing up dirt and being hunted by those closest to them, the band finds themselves truly buried, but by what exactly? Check out the video for “Vivisepulture” and try not to gasp for air.

Hailing from Canada, Alienatör is a sludge metal band that confronts tough issues with razor-sharp riffs and memorable hooks. They released their debut album, Pariahs, in 2019, and have just recently followed it up this with Regrets, which is darker, more focused, and more intense.


Through the album, they look at political events, personal relationships and set heavy themes to heavy music. The title track sees the band at its most vulnerable, it's a cathartic song about the passage of time and missed opportunities.


Vocalist/guitarist Brad King lays out some of his motivations behind the single: “One of the more heartfelt and emotional songs I’ve written, dealing with personal regrets and struggles and the passage of time. I like the energy and looser feel of it, musically. Sean’s really standing on his head with some of the bass fills on this one but it’s all tasteful and fits perfectly, elevating the whole song. Simon also fills empty spaces in interesting ways on the drums here.”




The music video for “Regrets” can be seen below:





Regrets is a grim postcard from the depths of the human psyche. Alienatör’s darkest release yet, it is a reaction to years of deep political turmoil, the erosion of truth, as well as personal politics of grief, loss, and struggle. It’s an album that touches on personal and social themes. Flourishes of melody drenched in a caustic sludge, painted in shades of black.


The previous album was written as a two-piece, but since then, bassist Sean Skillen has taken more of a creative role in the process and drummer Simon Paquette was recruited for drums. The band still has some blistering fast punk-influenced tunes but they’re branching out and showing their songwriting depth on this latest recording.


Abrasion, aggression and heartfelt emotion meet driving rhythm and solid riffs throughout the album, which is recommended for fans of Botch, Jesus Lizard and Unsane.


Order on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Revisionist History”
“Loss Leader”
“Blood Red Blood”
“Regrets”
“The Priest”
“The Less Dead”
“Flat Earth Society”
“Irreconcilable”
“Your Funeral”
“Wounded Birds”
“Dark Matters”


“The Priest” video:





“Blood Red Blood”:





(Photo – Peter David Wragg)

Frontiers Music Srl will release Big City's new album, Sunwind Sails, on January 20. Hailing from Norway, Big City plays exquisite melodic hard rock with metal influences.


Watch a lyric video for the new single, "Diamond In The Rough", below, and pre-order/save Sunwind Sails here.


2021's Testify X was the first Big City album to feature the band's extremely talented new vocalist, Jørgen Bergersen. Jørgen had cut his teeth in a Europe cover band, which will give you a sense of his vocal style, and quickly impressed when singing original material for Big City. On the band's new album Sundwind Sails, the band takes the formula they've established on preceding releases and kicks everything up a notch, pushing their sound forward and accentuating their collective talents.




Big City was originally put together by guitarist and songwriter Daniel Olaisen (Blood Red Throne, Scariot). His plan was to use a vast amount of song ideas and 80's metal influenced guitar riffs that he had stockpiled over the years for a batch of songs with the right players. Frank Ørland, who also played with Daniel in Scariot (prog/thrash/heavy band featuring Communic and Spiral Architect members), was an obvious choice to bring to Big City as the second guitarist. Frank Nordeng Røe (Withem, Maraton, session drummer for Circus Maximus and Leprous) was brought in on drums after being discovered by Daniel via some internet research. The band was then completed with Jan Le Brandt on vocals and Geir Inge Olsen, who was brought in as a session bass player.


The band's debut album, Wintersleep, was initially released in 2014 and later on re-released by the Greek label Rock of Angels in 2018 as part of a deluxe edition of their second album, Big City Life. Big City played their very first live shows the same month of the international release, including Norway Rock Festival and Rock the Boat with Miguel Pereira (Withem) joining the band as their new permanent bass player.


In 2019, the band started working on a new album and brought in a new singer, Jørgen Bergersen from Rock the Night (Europe cover band) and the new demos caught the interest of Frontiers who moved swiftly to sign the band. In July 2021, Testify X was released and met with a warm reception from the melodic rock community.


Now, the band is prepared to deliver their newest slice of delicious melodic hard rock in the form of Sunwind Sails, which will surely see their star burning even brighter.





Tracklisting:


"I'm Somebody"
"Sons Of Desire"
"Human Mind"
"Collin's Looking For A Hideout"
"Diamond In The Rough"
"Now"
"After The Raid"
"Sunwind Sails"
"Silver Line"
"Sparks Of Eternity"


"Diamond In The Rough" lyric video:





"I'm Somebody" video:





"Now":





Lineup:


Jørgen Bergersen- Vocals
Daniel Olaisen – Rhythm, lead, & acoustic guitars
Frank Ørland – Lead, rhythm, & acoustic guitars
Miguel Pereira – Bass
Frank Nordeng Røe – Drums & percussion

Sabaton have released the official lyric video for "Ruina Imperii", featured on the band's Carolus Rex album. Watch below:





In the spirit of Christmas, Sabaton are unveiling their brand new Christmas Truce Popup vinyl to ring in the festive season.




Now available for pre-order, this collectible popup vinyl pays tribute to the band’s track "Christmas Truce", from the album The War To End All Wars. The vinyl features three variations of the song, including the symphonic version, which is featured on The Symphony To End All Wars. It will be officially released on December 23.


Collectors are going to want to get their hands on this special release as the record itself features a camo pattern on Side A and a festive design with a very prominent Sabaton logo on Side B. But the real magic lies in the gatefold packaging. A unique display of a vibrant Christmas Tree surrounded by soldiers of opposing sides standing united pops up when opening the vinyl.


Bassist Pär Sundström commented: “We really hold our song 'Christmas Truce' close to our hearts as it’s a great story. We see arenas shine when we play it at our shows, and it really brings people together. This is a song about peace, and we felt that it needed a special design. We hope our fans enjoy it and that our song Christmas Truce becomes part of the Sabaton live set for a long time to come.”


Explaining the story behind the song, Sundström said: “During the first Christmas of the First World War, unofficial ceasefires were enforced across the Western Front that saw soldiers who should have been mortal enemies unite. The soldiers socialised, played games, sang Christmas carols in unison and even exchanged gifts like any normal group of people would – the only difference was that they were supposed to be fighting each other. It was a short but sweet respite from the horrors and stress that they endured daily on the battlefield. It ended abruptly but meant so much to these men.”


The perfect addition to any Sabaton fan’s collection, the "Christmas Truce" Popup Vinyl can be pre-ordered here.





Tracklisting:


Side A:
"Christmas Truce"
"Christmas Truce" (Radio Edit)


Side B:
"Christmas Truce" (Symphonic Version)








(Photo -  Tim Tronckoe)

The Dead Daisies have released a first recap video for their current UK winter tour. Says the band: "We've taken off in the UK and two shows in, time's flying & we're havin' a ball!"





The Dead Daisies recently released their new single, "Born To Fly". The band introduced the single with the following message:




"Leading into our UK Winter Tour in December we’re taking flight with ‘Born To Fly’!


The inspiration for this track was David (Lowy)’s love of flying. From playing with a little balsa wood glider at the age of five to flying in a BAE Hawk, he was motivated to get his pilot’s licence and to one day own a jet fighter. He spent his holidays learning to fly and after seeing the Sydney Aerobatic Club, he set his sights on becoming an Australian Aerobatic Champion and achieved that goal in 1998.


David would later acquire and learn to fly Spitfires and Vietnam War-era A37B Dragonfly light attack jets, which would lead to a host of other Warbird aircraft acquisitions. In 1999 he established the Temora Aviation Museum in New South Wales, Australia. David’s passion for flying has stayed with him ever since."





Added Lowy: “Doug & I got together in New York earlier in the year and worked on a riff that I had written previously. Doug had a chorus that just fitted, we messed around with the melody and came up with the name ‘Born To Fly’. This is a straight-up rock song. For me it’s literal, I was born to fly. However we’re all born to fly in our own way.”


Watch the "Born To Fly" video below:

Jesus Piece isn’t merely the sum of its parts. It’s the nexus for an explosive creative chemistry between the bands’ five founding members who have channeled their love for old school metalcore, hardcore and death metal into a sound that’s as furious as it is oblique. The band gallantly broke into the scene in 2015, turning heads for their frantic, feral live shows and grandiose, melodic songwriting which has since cemented them as standard stirrers and boundary-breakers.


Today they return to announce that they’ve signed with Century Media Records to bring listeners the next era of Jesus Piece, alongside the first piece of new music since their debut, Only Self (2018).


“An Offering To The Night” is caustic and an exercise in tension-and-release riffage from the guitar team of David Updike and John DiStefano. Bassist Anthony Marinaro and drummer Luis Aponte (LU2K)’s groove-work is as off-kilter as it is distinct and bombastic. At the heart of it all, vocalist Aaron Heard brings the pain with blunt force mental trauma.







The single is a spectacular preview into Jesus Piece’s second act and a passage to something more intense and personal for the five Pennsylvania natives. “An Offering To The Night” is available today on all digital platforms here via Century Media and comes alongside a raw video directed by Eric Richter.





Jesus Piece will play a free, all-ages NYC show tomorrow at Baby’s All Right. Come February/March, they hit the road for an extensive North American tour with peers Show Me The Body, Scowl and ZULU.


(Photo - Phobymo)

California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER have released the official music video for their new single "1987". The track is described in a press release as "a reflective look at one of the greatest years in rock music supported by unforgettable hooks, relatable lyrics and fretboard fireworks." Satchel, Michael Starr, Stix Zadinia and Spyder pay homage to the icons of the year, including GUNS N' ROSES, POISON, WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE and VAN HALEN. The music video was directed by longtime collaborator J.T. Arbogast and follows a young duo who find an abandoned recording studio. When one of the kids plugs in a hidden 1987 pedal, he is transported to the time in the studio when STEEL PANTHER recorded the song and lives the memories of 1987 in his own way.

"1987" is taken from STEEL PANTHER's sixth studio album, "On The Prowl", which will be released on February 24, 2023.

To celebrate the release of "1987", STEEL PANTHER has also announced a massive world tour. The "On The Prowl" world tour 2023 is set to kick off in February and will run throughout North America through April. CROBOT and TRAGEDY will be joining the band on the North American tour. The band will take a short break before bringing the party to the United Kingdom and Ireland in May. These new shows will be added to the 2022 year-end dates in Vancouver and the warmup weekends in January 2023 that were previously announced.

"On The Prowl" 2023 tour dates:

U.S.

Feb. 24 - Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues
Feb. 25 - Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues
Feb. 26 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee Theatre
Feb. 28 - San Antonio, TX - The Aztec Theater
Mar. 01 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues
Mar. 03 - Dallas, TX - House Of Blues
Mar. 04 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
Mar. 06 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
Mar. 08 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
Mar. 10 - Orlando FL - The Plaza Live
Mar. 11 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live
Mar. 12 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre
Mar. 14 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
Mar. 16 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
Mar. 17 - Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theatre
Mar. 18 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
Mar. 19 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
Mar. 21 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
Mar. 22 - Columbus, OH - The Bluestone
Mar. 24 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room
Mar. 25 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
Mar. 26 - Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theatre
Mar. 28 - Milwaukee, WI - The Eagles Club Stage
Mar. 29 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore
Mar. 31 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre
Apr. 01 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore
Apr. 02 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
Apr. 04 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
Apr. 06 - West Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go
Apr. 07 - West Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go
Apr. 08 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues

United Kingdom + Ireland:

May 14 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy
May 15 - Newcastle, UK - O2 City Hall
May 17 - Manchester, UK - Academy
May 18 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy
May 20 - London, UK - O2 Forum Kentish Town
May 21 - Bristol, UK - O2 Academy
May 23 - Leeds, UK - O2 Academy
May 25 - Belfast, UK - Ulster Hall
May 26 - Cork, IE - Cyprus Avenue
May 28 - Dublin, IE - Vicar Street

Previously announced tour dates:

Dec. 29 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Dec. 30 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Jan. 05 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
Jan. 06 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
Jan. 07 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theater
Jan. 27 - Greensboro, NC - Piedmont Hall
Jan. 28 - North Myrtle Beach, SC - House Of Blues
Jan. 29 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore

Speaking to Australia's Metal Roos, STEEL PANTHER drummer Stix Zadinia said about "On The Prowl": "It is killer. Every band, normally you go, 'Yeah, dude, it's killer. It's our best record,' but you know — I think bandmembers know — it's a good record and you believe in it, but you know when you did something… This record has a spirit about it; it has a vibe about it where it's, like… I don't know. It feels different than the last few records. It just feels like there's a lot of joy in this record and fun and rocking and… It's killer, man.

"We actually did it differently than we've done any other record," he continued. "We did it at our houses, except for the drums. And then we had [longtime producer] Jay Ruston mix it. But we engineered this thing — we produced it, engineered it, all just us. Wrote, recorded, engineered, produced. The only thing we didn't do is mix it or master it."

According to Stix, he and his bandmates "were as productive as you could pretty much be as a band" during the pandemic. "We did socially distanced shows, pod shows, drive-in shows, livestreams. I say, 'We didn't do anything,' because… STEEL PANTHER, the way we've come up, we work — we're grinders and we play live. We are producers — we make things, we do things. And sitting on our ass is not comfortable for STEEL PANTHER. So this record is, I think, a reflection of our excitement. And it's gonna be killer."

The official music video for the first single from "On The Prowl", a song called "Never Too Late (To Get Some Pussy Tonight)", can be seen below.

Zadinia previously stated about the track: "The song and video are an absolute public service announcement. People have been asking STEEL PANTHER for advice on life, love and the pursuit of happiness for decades. 'Never Too Late' is a reminder to never give up, follow your heart, realize your dreams, overcome your challenges, navigate the rough seas, reach for stars and any other cliché you have in your pocket. Basically, what we are saying it is never too late to get some pussy tonight."

In September, STEEL PANTHER announced the addition of Spyder as the band's new bassist.

"Spyder has filled in for Lexxi many times," STEEL PANTHER singer Michael Starr told the "Everblack" podcast. "He's a super-close friend of the band. We've known him for years. As a matter of fact, [STEEL PANTHER guitarist] Satchel and I were in a VAN HALEN tribute band for a while, and Spyder was the bass player in that. We have a rich history with him… He did all of Europe with us and he did a great job."

Formed in 2000, STEEL PANTHER specializes in imitating and exaggerating the less flattering aspects of 1980s hair metal, with unrepentantly crude, non-PC sexual content as a favorite lyrical theme.

The group's music has been described as "VAN HALEN meets MÖTLEY CRÜE meets RATT meets 'Wayne's World', complete with operatic shrieks, misogyny, shredding guitar solos and libidinal overdrive."

Fourteen years ago, STEEL PANTHER changed its name from METAL SKOOL to its current moniker and shifted the focus of its act from '80s metal covers to originals.

On November 30, EVANESCENCE's "Fallen" album was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) for sales and streams of ten million units in the United States.

Led by the smash single "Bring Me To Life", which also appeared on the soundtrack to the movie "Daredevil", "Fallen" yielded three more singles with "Going Under", "My Immortal" and "Everybody's Fool". EVANESCENCE also won Grammys in 2004 for "Best New Artist" and "Best Hard Rock Performance".

Asked in a recent interview with Rock Sound if there are any plans for EVANESCENCE to commemorate "Fallen"'s 20th anniversary in 2023, singer Amy Lee said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I do have an idea. It's gonna take a little bit of work. But I think it probably won't be what everybody expects. I think everybody just is, 'Oh, why don't you do a show that's, like, [playing] the album front to back?' We've been playing so many shows, I would rather do something that, to me… I don't know. I don't wanna give it away, in case it doesn't work out. Maybe I'll do nothing. Expect nothing, and then if I do something, you'll be really, really grateful. [Laughs]"

Amy also talked about the fact that "Bring Me To Life" experienced a resurgence this past summer, 19 years after its original release. The song, which initially reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was EVANESCENCE's first U.K. No. 1 single, reached No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes chart in August.

"It is satisfying," Lee said about the track's renewed popularity. "And it's cool now, because I remember a lot of the feeling in the beginning. It was so much about, like, 'What's next?' And, 'Are we gonna be able to make it?' And, 'Are we gonna be able to survive?' And, 'Are people gonna listen to our next song?' And, 'What about the next record?' And just getting to the next place always.

"There is an element to a song like 'Bring Me To Life' that didn't exist before, which is this nostalgia," she explained. "The song has grown live. It's something that we've added to. But part of how it's grown is with its history and with what it means to everybody in the room. It's not something new; it's just something that you already have known for so long that has a place in your heart. It's just able to be more than it would have been then. So I, in a lot of ways, love it more than I did."

The success of "Fallen" led to turmoil within the group, as founding guitarist Ben Moody left in late 2003, leaving Lee as the only original member of the band.

Lee continued with new members, and EVANESCENCE issued "The Open Door" in 2006. While a hit, it did not equal the sales of "Fallen". Lee told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that she wasn't concerned about matching the previous album's success. "I just haven't ever looked at it that way," she said. "'Fallen' is a great record, but I don't think you can try to match the success of another body of work. I think that's only gonna frustrate you. And if, honestly if what you really care about is record sales and money, there's no way you're gonna make a great piece of art, because then you're just gonna get all confused and make something ingenuine."

This past February, EVANESCENCE's music video for "Bring Me To Life" — which featured guest vocals from Paul McCoy of 12 STONES — surpassed one billion views on YouTube. The Philipp Stölzl-directed clip, which was uploaded to YouTube in December of 2009, was filmed in Romania in January 2003. It features Lee in a night gown and barefoot, in her room, inside a tall building in the city at night. The rest of the band is playing on a higher floor of the building.

In March 2021, Lee told Alternative Press that EVANESCENCE's original record label Wind Up threatened not to release "Fallen" if she and her bandmates didn't add a male voice to lead single "Bring Me To Life" to make it more palatable for radio.

EVANESCENCE's latest album, "The Bitter Truth", arrived in March 2021 via BMG. It was EVANESCENCE's first album of original music in ten years.

On November 30, GHOST's "Mary On A Cross" single was certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for accumulating 500,000 certified units.

According to the RIAA, one equivalent song unit is equal to a single digital song sale, or 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams.

"Mary On A Cross" is the fourth GHOST single to achieve gold status this year. This past June, "Cirice" (from GHOST's third album, 2015's "Meliora"),"Dance Macabre" (from 2018's "Prequelle") and "Square Hammer" (from 2016's "Popestar" EP) were also certified gold. These marked GHOST's first RIAA certifications.

In September, GHOST scored its first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Mary On A Cross". The song, which was originally released as a two-track single in 2019 via Loma Vista/Concord (alongside "Kiss The Go-Goat"),debuted at No. 90 on the chart with six million U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold, according to Billboard.

"Mary On A Cross" had been gaining traction after a TikTok user used a slowed down version of the song to soundtrack a short video about the Netflix show "Stranger Things". Since then, the "Mary On The Cross" hashtag has amassed over one billion TikTok views and the song was used to soundtrack tens of thousands of videos on the platform. GHOST later released the official slowed down version of "Mary On A Cross" with added reverb.

Six of GHOST's albums have charted on the Billboard 200: "Infestissumam" (No. 28, 2013); "If You Have Ghost" EP (No. 87, 2013); "Meliora" (No. 8, 2015); "Popestar" EP (No. 16, 2016); "Prequelle" (No. 3, 2018); and "Impera" (No. 2, 2022). Nine GHOST songs have charted on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, with five reaching No. 1: "Square Hammer" in 2017; "Rats" in 2018; "Dance Macabre" in 2019; and "Hunter's Moon" and "Call Me Little Sunshine" in 2022.

In September, GHOST scored its first-ever Top 40 single in the U.K. with "Mary On A Cross".

GHOST's fifth album, "Impera" sold 70,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked the third top 10 album — and fifth top 40-charting set — for the Swedish act.

"Impera" landed at position No. 1 in Germany and Sweden, No. 2 in the U.K., Netherlands, Belgium and Norway, No. 3 in Australia, No. 5 in France and Ireland, and No. 20 in Italy.

"Impera" was released on March 11. The 12-song effort was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.

GHOST leader Tobias Forge worked on the follow-up to 2018's "Prequelle" with Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Regarding his collaboration with Åhlund, Al Fakir and Pontare, as well as OPETH's Fredrik Åkesson who was brought in to sharpen the album's guitar attack, Forge recently told St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "I found that I can work really well with someone I respect, who is always pushing for the best. They make me want to write better, to get my game up a little."

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of "Prequelle".

Photo credit: Mikael Eriksson