Joe Lynn Turner says that he is "comfortable" being seen in public without the hairpiece he has worn since the age of 14 after being diagnosed with alopecia at three years old.

The former RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer, who turned 71 in August, went public with his new look in a series publicity images released to promote his latest solo album, "Belly Of The Beast". In a press release for the LP, Joe said that he started wearing the wig to deal with "emotional and psychological damage from cruel bullying in school."

In a new interview with Metal Talk, Joe spoke about what it has been like finally ditching the wig after all these years. He said: "I lost my hair at three years old, and I'm in the medical books because of that. People who get alopecia totalis, or whatever that type of alopecia is, usually get it in their thirties to forties. Men and women. So at three years old, that was remarkable. I found a doctor when I was nineteen, and he started to give me a certain type of steroid injections, and I started to grow facial hair and body hair. I also had a moustache and beard for a while, which didn't look very good. They actually put me on display at the Mayo Clinic in New York, where all these doctors came in with their clipboards, taking notes to see how he did this because it was medical history at that point. Nowadays, they actually have a drug or something that will grow hair, but the side effects are supposed to be a little dangerous, and I'm too old for that. I don't need that. I like the way I look. I'm comfortable with it now.

"As far as the people I've worked with, when I walked in to audition for RAINBOW, Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover were at the board at the studio," he continued. "One of the first things Ritchie said to me was, 'Do you take your hair off to wash it or do you leave it on?' And I said, 'Either way.' So he said, 'All right. Fair enough, Get in there and sing.' And, obviously, I got the job. So I guess that answers one question of how other people took it. Nobody, at least the people that I worked with, seemed bothered at all. In fact, they were very protective in a way. I'll never forget one time when Glenn Hughes and I were with HTP [HUGHES TURNER PROJECT], we were on the road, and there was one bully, you know, and he was giving me some kind of shit. I mouthed off to him and everything else, but Glenn just got in the way and said to him, 'Look, I'll kick your fucking ass if you don't leave him alone.' And I was, like, 'Wow. Hey, Glenn, you don't have to do all that, you know? I've been fighting my battles for years.' But I was really impressed, and I love him. To this day, we're great friends.

"So, my people loved it, but there were a few haters out there that were always mocking me, making fun of me," Turner revealed. "For them, it was never really about the singing, the writing or anything. It was always about the wig, the hair, you know. [Laughs] I think it says more about them than it does me. I mean, they must have some pathetic lives to make fun of someone who's not in control of this issue. You know, it's not like I chose it.

"Anyway, it made me stronger. As the press release says, I think it made me wiser. It also made me more determined, focused, and angry. But anger is a good tool if you use it right. It's a motivator. And I think it motivated me, too, to try to rise higher than the rest. So in a way, the curse was a blessing."

Turner previously discussed his decision to drop the wig in an interview this past September with the "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern" podcast. At the time, he said: "It's absolutely liberating. First of all, I'll give a little background. It was an open secret. It wasn't like I was trying to fool people or ever denied it or anything. In fact, I never thought it was that important, but certain, shall we say haters, or whatever, these bigots, these bullies, they would always take a shot at me, which I always thought they were just pretty jealous, really, to be honest with you. And then it said more about them than it does me. That's not my kind of people. What about the music? That's what's important."

He continued: "I knew this was on my so-called bucket list before I was gonna leave this planet. And while we were making this record, I started to feel, 'Something has to happen.' And my partner, wife, co-manager — she's amazing — she just said, 'Now's the time, man.' And I said, 'You know, you're right.' Even though I was trepidatious about it — of course, she would know naturally I would be a little fearful, because you're putting your foot in an unknown territory — she said, 'You know what? Once you're yourself, people love you more.' And she was damn well right. Once you're yourself, people love you more, because you come out and say, 'This is me. I've got nothing to hide. I've got nothing to prove. Take your shots. Do what you've gotta do. And hey, by the way, here's the record. Now what?'"

Alopecia areata is a disease that happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in skin that form hair. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face. Hair typically falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter, but in some cases, hair loss is more extensive. Most people with the disease are healthy and have no other symptoms.

Alopecia became a topic of discussion in the mainstream media in March when actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars ceremony. Will's wife, the 50-year-old actress Jade Pinkett Smith, experienced hair loss due to alopecia and has always openly shared her struggle. The confrontation took place after Rock made a joke, calling Pinkett Smith "G.I. Jane" in reference to her bald head, which she has previously explained is due to alopecia. The shocking incident saw Will storm on stage to hit Chris following the offending comment before returning to his seat and yelling "keep my wife's name out of your fucking mouth" shortly before he collected his best actor gong for his role in "King Richard".

A few hours after Joe first posted his new photos on social media, fellow ex-RAINBOW singer Graham Bonnet took to his Facebook page to share one of the images and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Hi all. Graham here. I'm posting this photo of my friend Joe Lynn Turner because I was moved to tears today when I saw it.

"Joe exemplifies the meaning of rockstar. His bravery is staggering. This industry is ruthless (especially in our genre),particularly when it comes to hair. I still hear the tale about Ritchie Blackmore posting a guard at my hotel door to keep me from getting a haircut. BTW, that never happened, although he was so pissed when I did visit the barber.

"But I digress...... I don't know if Joe will see this but I want him to know how proud I am of him and how moved I was at his honesty.

"You have blazed a trail today, Joe. If you are reading this, I want you to know that I never realized what a beautiful man you were until I saw this photo."

Joe was the singer of RAINBOW between 1980 and 1984 and he sang on the album "Difficult To Cure", which featured the band's most successful U.K. single, "I Surrender".

During Turner's time with RAINBOW, the band had its first USA chart success and recorded songs that helped define the melodic rock genre.

1990 saw Turner reunited with RAINBOW leader Ritchie Blackmore in a reformed DEEP PURPLE for the "Slaves And Masters" album.

During a "VIP Experience" question-and-answer session before W.A.S.P.'s November 26 concert at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida, frontman Blackie Lawless was asked about complaints from some of the band's fans about the use of backing tracks during the group's live performances. "To answer your question, yes, we are using backing tracks," he responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "You wanna know why?

"When we go into a studio — and let me clarify that statement; that's me singing — but when we go in a studio, we do choruses, we double, triple, quadruple the vocals," he continued. "So my feelings were when I listened to live YouTube [recordings of our shows] and we weren't doing that, it sounded thin. When we started supplementing it, it sounded better.

"If I'm a fan and I'm coming to a show, I want that thing to sound as good as it can. There are other bands — the QUEENs of the world — they cannot duplicate 24 vocals at one time. That's what they do on those records. If you want it to sound like those records, you've gotta have some help.

"Now, in defense, I guess maybe what you're asking, is it fair for a band to go out and use only those? No, that is not fair.

"Like I said, I take a lot of pride in what I do, for the lead vocals that I do, but when it comes to vocals or when it comes to orchestration…

"We went out and we did 'The Crimson Idol' the first time without orchestration. It was okay. It sounded all right. It was kind of like THE WHO doing 'Live At Leeds', what they did with 'Tommy'.

"When we did the 20th anniversary of the tour, we took the orchestration with us and we went into production rehearsals," Lawless added. "And I had never heard it like that before, because the only time I ever heard it with orchestration was the albums. And I went in there and I stood in the middle of that room and I heard that orchestration with the live band, and it made the hair stand on the back of neck. And I [went], 'Good God. I've never heard this like this before.' To me, that was a treat. And I don't give a shit what anybody says; if I'm a fan, that's what I wanna hear.

"So, again, if somebody's trying to bullshit an audience, no, I don't go along with that at all. You're out there to do a job; do your job. But to supplement it? Absolutely not. I'd wanna hear it."

W.A.S.P. has been criticized for the group's supposed use of backing tracks, including for Blackie's lead vocals, for at least several years, as Metal Sludge pointed out in 2019 after Lawless and his bandmates performed at the Helgeåfestivalen in Sweden.

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

In March 2020, SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers said that "90 percent" of rock artists use at least some pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. He told Rock Feed: "It bothers me that it bothers people. I'm, like, 'Why does this bother you?' It's the way it is. People have been doing this since the '80s. And we want the sound to be the best it can be. Could we go up there, just the four of us, and put on the best rock show ever? Of course. But that's not how we wanna do it."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has previously said that he is "one of the last people" who are still not using pre-recorded tracks at their live shows. "I don't know how much longer I can say to you that I don't use tapes onstage, because I don't, and I never have," he told Consequence Of Sound. "And I still don't. When I have opening bands, and they're using tapes, and then I come out and I don't use tapes… sometimes, it makes me feel stupid, because I'm like, 'What am I doing, when all these kids half my age can come onstage and do all of my moves, but they don't have to warm up for an hour before the show, or weeks, before the first show?' Sometimes, I'm like, 'Why do I even bother, if the public is so used to this other way?' It's becoming very rare to come see a good band that's actually a real band — that's not miming or doing silly moves while a tape is running. It just becomes more rare as the years go on."

In 2019, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said that he doesn't "agree" with certain rock artists relying on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. "I tell you what, I see it with a lot of younger bands, and I don't think it's a good thing at all," he told the New York Post. "I mean, the music is getting too technical now. You have computerized recording systems, which we use, but I think we use them more for convenience than because we need to. We've toured with a couple bands that use tapes — it's not real. You're supposed to play live; it should be live. I don't agree with using tapes … I think it's a real shame."

One musician who has been open about his band's used of taped vocals during live performances is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, who said: "We've used technology since '87." He added the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."

In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live. "I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."

KISS lead singer Paul Stanley, who has been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years, has been accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's ongoing "End Of The Road" tour.

Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip sync. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.

"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use [backing] tracks."

DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan has blasted bands who rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

Speaking to Spain's RockFM about some rock acts' reliance on pre-recorded tracks, Ian said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, personally, I think that's cheating. I don't like it. What are you gonna do?

"I first noticed this… I'm not naming any names, but I know a lot of people who do it. And I first noticed this 20 years ago with a big American band who came over to play with us in England. And I heard the soundcheck. And I [thought], 'Jesus, they sound good. They sound fantastic.' And our monitor engineer went, 'Look…' And in those days, before radio connections and everything else… 'See that caravan there.' [Laughs] From the stage, cables along the ground going to this 'keep out' sign and everything else. [They had] monitors in there and a mixing desk and tapes and coordination and playbacks and in-ear monitors. They were miming, basically. Well, I wouldn't say they were miming — they were singing along, but the voice wasn't being used in the microphone. But the lip sync was so clever that they didn't get noticed.

"I know lots of people — people I've met in the last three months — that absolutely shocked me, saying, 'Yeah, we're relying on something else now.' It used be drugs — now it's tape. [Laughs]"

In March 2020, SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers said that "90 percent" of rock artists use at least some pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. He told Rock Feed: "It bothers me that it bothers people. I'm, like, 'Why does this bother you?' It's the way it is. People have been doing this since the '80s. And we want the sound to be the best it can be. Could we go up there, just the four of us, and put on the best rock show ever? Of course. But that's not how we wanna do it."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has previously said that he is "one of the last people" who are still not using pre-recorded tracks at their live shows. "I don't know how much longer I can say to you that I don't use tapes onstage, because I don't, and I never have," he told Consequence Of Sound. "And I still don't. When I have opening bands, and they're using tapes, and then I come out and I don't use tapes… sometimes, it makes me feel stupid, because I'm like, 'What am I doing, when all these kids half my age can come onstage and do all of my moves, but they don't have to warm up for an hour before the show, or weeks, before the first show?' Sometimes, I'm like, 'Why do I even bother, if the public is so used to this other way?' It's becoming very rare to come see a good band that's actually a real band — that's not miming or doing silly moves while a tape is running. It just becomes more rare as the years go on."

In 2019, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said that he doesn't "agree" with certain rock artists relying on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. "I tell you what, I see it with a lot of younger bands, and I don't think it's a good thing at all," he told the New York Post. "I mean, the music is getting too technical now. You have computerized recording systems, which we use, but I think we use them more for convenience than because we need to. We've toured with a couple bands that use tapes — it's not real. You're supposed to play live; it should be live. I don't agree with using tapes … I think it's a real shame."

One musician who has been open about his band's used of taped vocals during live performances is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, who said: "We've used technology since '87." He added the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."

In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live. "I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."

KISS lead singer Paul Stanley, who has been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years, has been accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's ongoing "End Of The Road" tour.

Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip sync. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.

"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use [backing] tracks."

PANTERA has just taken the stage at Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest. The show, which marks the band's first live performance in over 20 years, features PANTERA's reformed lineup, consisting of surviving members Rex Brown (bass) and Philip Anselmo (vocals) along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX).

The first video and photos of the concert can be found below. More footage and pictures will be added as the night progresses.

Setlist:

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

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 two shows in Mexico this month — Hell & Heaven Metal Fest and Monterrey Metal Fest — 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.

Earlier this 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 plans 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.

SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser has weighed in on the news that PANTERA's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) will unite with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

Anselmo and Brown, along with Wylde and Benante, will headline a number of 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 PANTERA's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

Kisser discussed PANTERA's comeback in an interview with Ireland's Overdrive. Speaking about the pushback by some fans over the fact that Anselmo and Brown will tour under the PANTERA name, he said: "I think it's so stupid that people try to judge the fact that there are gonna be some live shows. It's just so stupid. Their music is so fantastic, and there are countless bands all over the world that are jamming their songs every single day. Phil and Rex are gonna be doing it, and the actual family of the brothers are behind it, supporting it. So, how some people have negative things to say about it, it's something I just don't understand. The existing bandmembers, the existing crew, the family of Vinnie and Dime are all behind it, so, what's the problem? It's an amazing gathering of friends with Charlie and Zakk — they have a long history with that band. It's gonna be a big party, and I'd love to be part of it. In fact, we're gonna be playing with them at some festivals, and I'm very excited about that.

"Look, it's never gonna be the same, but people need to understand that even if the brothers were still alive, it would be different," he explained. "So my advice is, relax, go out with your friends, see the show, and sing '5 Minutes Alone' with Phil Anselmo. [Laughs]

"I don't understand what these people are complaining about. Just enjoy yourselves."

Benante told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how he plans 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."

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.

KIX drummer Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant is "doing great" after collapsing onstage last month and will resume playing shows with the band in February.

The incident occurred on November 18 at the first show of what was scheduled to be KIX's two-night stand at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia with openers AMERICAN JETSET.

On Thursday (December 1),KIX bassist Mark Schenker took to the band's Facebook page to provide the following update on Chalfant's condition: "We all have spoken to Jimmy many times since that day and he left the hospital on Weds the day before Thanksgiving. He is doing well, and expects to be back on stage in February. He has a defibrillator/pacemaker installed under the skin in his chest and he's still pretty sore from that surgery. Other than that he's feeling great and in good spirits. We are all in regular contact with him.

"Jimmy also wanted to share the details of what happened with you and since I was there, we figured it best to tell it from my perspective.
We had just finished 'Cold Blood' and were about to go into the last song of the night which is 'Fuse'. Steve [Whiteman, vocals] was doing his 'are you ready' speil to the crowd and I turned around to start the intro and Jimmy was slumped over his toms with his head down. I thought he was fixing his kick drum pedal. He was not moving and Sam Stilwell (drum tech) was moving towards him to assist with what we all thought was a kick drum pedal issue. I motioned to Sam and said 'poke him, poke him' Sam did so and looked back at me and said 'not good, not good'. Somehow Brandon Dull (guitar tech) appeared back behind the drum riser as well and I said 'let's get him off there now and over here' where there was space behind Brian's amp to figure out what was going on. Sam and Brandon carried Jimmy off the riser and laid him down. I checked his neck for a pulse and put my ear to his mouth and nose to see if he was breathing. I looked up at Brandon who was holding his wrist checking for a pulse and with a serious look on his face he said 'I got nothing' I replied the same. One of us (don't recall who) flipped open his eyelid and his pupil had no response to the bright stage lights. He was definitely completely unresponsive. Neither Brandon nor I said a word, I just tilted his head back, checked his airway and started giving him rescue breaths and Brandon started chest compressions. At some point, Steve called Jimmy's wife Cathy from the stage and Bob had shouted to his guitar tech Greg Gelles to call 911. The crew held up a drapery so the crowd couldn't see us working on Jimmy. Cathy had run to her neighbors for a ride and was en route with Steve keeping her updated. While Brandon was compressing I kept lightly slapping Jimmy's face saying his name desperately looking for some sign of life. Brandon and I continued to give him some pretty intense CPR until the medics arrived, at one point I heard Jimmy's sternum (or maybe a rib or two) crack while Brandon was doing compressions which is a good thing. I don't know how many CPR cycles we gave him but it seemed like an eternity. I must admit that after a few minutes in, I thought 'shit this isn't working, he should be responding, we're losing him'. I was scared shitless that our dear friend was going to stay dead right in our hands. Again, he had no pulse and no breathing when we got him to the side stage, white as a ghost with no color in his lips and no response in his eyes. I started another pair of rescue breaths and suddenly I could feel his lungs pushing back on my breaths which means he was starting to breathe on his own. Then he opened his eyes and started to groan but was still unconscious. Brandon got an inconsistent pulse on his wrist and that was what I got from his neck as well. So we kept administering CPR until the medics arrived. Maybe 6-7 minutes had elapsed since he collapsed on his drums. By the time the medics arrived we had revived him somewhat and they took over, hooked up a vitals monitor, put him on an oxygen squeeze bag to assist his breathing and started an IV. I could see on the monitor that his heartbeat was there and strong, though irregular, with good blood pressure and he was still groaning with his eyes open. They decided to hook up an AED and shock him. Same weird looking heartbeat on the monitor. They shocked him again and this time his heartbeat was strong and perfectly regular, still with good blood pressure and good O2 level in his blood. He was stabilized! They put him on a stretcher and took him to a hospital minutes away from the club, INOVA Lansdowne here in Virginia.

"That gig at Tally Ho Theater was supposed to be a two nighter so the crew started packing up the gear. I went up to the dressing room with tears rolling down my face trying to go over everything in my head, did we do everything right? Did we do everything in the right order? Did we forget something crucial? We were all speechless and it was quite traumatic. It was definitely the most terrifying five minutes of my life!

"One of the guys who works at the venue is a retired firefighter and one of the medics texted him and let him know that Jimmy was awake, talking, sitting up in bed and moving on his own in the hospital. What a collective sigh of tremendous relief we shared. We all went and saw him in the hospital after and as the medic said, he was fully aware, moving around and laughing a little with his wife Cathy by his side.

"Jimmy doesn't remember anything from the end of 'Cold Blood' to when he awoke in the hospital. Luckily, Brandon is a Nationally and MD State Certified Paramedic and I'm a Master Scuba Diver Trainer, teaching Rescue Diver classes as well as a certified Emergency First Responder Instructor teaching first aid and CPR/AED. We made a good team and were able to save our friend.

"I don't want to think about what would have happened if we weren't there or if Jimmy was just driving around going about his daily life and cardiac arrest happened. If there is ever a right time and place for such a thing, this was it.

"Good news is it looks like Jimmy is doing great. The doctors found that the end of a stent that was put in last year had partially collapsed causing his cardiac event. They put a new one in and fixed him right up. He will be perfectly fine and we plan to resume playing shows in February after Jimmy goes through cardiac rehab. The only bad news is we have to reschedule the four remaining shows we had this year. Please, if you have tickets, reach out to the venues, check their Facebook and web sites. Our Agent is already rescheduling those gigs and announcements from the venues are pending.

"Jimmy would like to thank all of our peers and especially the fans for your concern, and the massive outpouring of genuine love and support. It has been particularly moving for all of us to read your positive comments and messages.

"So, there you have it! That's what happened! He's ok! We'll see you soon!"

A couple of KIX fans who attended the November 18 gig shared videos on Facebook, with one person writing: "Please keep Jimmy from KIX in your thoughts. He just collapsed at the KIX show encore at the Talley Ho. No pulse and lots of CPR etc. Amazing show tonight. I hope it wasn't his last." A second fan added: "I was just watching KIX live at Tally-Ho in Leesburg, VA. The drummer Jimmy Chalfant collapsed on stage just before the start of the last song. Lights came on, 911 was called and the show was over. Prayers for Jimmy."

Back in September 2021, Chalfant suffered a heart attack at his home and was rushed to the hospital. He had immediate surgery to insert two stents in his heart then another surgery the next day for another stent.

KIX was founded in 1977 and released its first, self-titled album on Atlantic Records more than 40 years ago. Their breakthrough came with 1988's "Blow My Fuse", which sold nearly a million copies, thanks to "Don't Close Your Eyes". The band continued to ride the hard-rock wave until 1995, when KIX took a hiatus. Nearly 10 years later, KIX reunited and started touring regionally. A 2008 performance at the Rocklahoma festival led to more gigs and the release of a live DVD/CD called "Live In Baltimore" in 2012. In 2014, KIX released its seventh full-length album, "Rock Your Face Off", the band's first studio effort since 1995's "Show Business".

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 remains 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".

PRIEST was inducted into the Rock Hall by fellow rock legend Cooper, who described them as "the definitive metal band." He added: "They defined the sound we know of heavy metal and their sound is unmistakable. And what can you say about Rob Halford's voice? Never have screams covered such a range. Is there any emotion that he can't express?

"They're electrifying on stage and one of the hardest-hitting live bands in the history of rock and roll. PRIEST has carried the flag of hard rock and heavy metal proudly for something like 50 years, never wavering or following trends or pretending to be anything but exactly what they are," Cooper said. "They are flying high tonight. Much deserved and long overdue."

In his acceptance speech, Halford told the crowd: "I'm the gay guy in the band. We call ourselves the heavy metal community which is all-inclusive, no matter what your sexual identity is, what you look like, or what you believe in or don't believe in. Everybody's welcome."

Halford also addressed the fact that PRIEST recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, saying: "We should get out another 50 years, but the joy about music is that it lives forever. And that's the reason why we're here. We live for heavy metal. We live for music. And we're living for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."

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.

Pictured with the band, left to right, are: Jo Kalli (Sony Music U.K.),Scott Carter (Sony Music U.S.),Jayne Andrews (manager),Michael Closter and Scott Rubin (Reach Music Publishing).

Iconic doom metal veterans THE OBSESSED have inked a deal with Ripple Music for the release of their fifth studio album.

Led by legendary frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich, a heavy music lifer admired and acclaimed by the likes of Dave Grohl, Pepper Keenan, Henry Rollins and Philip Anselmo, the Maryland-based act will release its eagerly anticipated follow-up to 2017's "Sacred" in 2023.

About joining Ripple Music, THE OBSESSED says: "THE OBSESSED are really happy to be signing with Ripple Music and joining the great bands on their roster. We have already begun recording and we're looking to be finished in January. Thanks to Todd and everyone at Ripple for this opportunity and we look forward to working with them on this release."

Ripple Music founder Todd Severin adds: "Having had the honor of working with the legendary Wino on his solo album, you can only imagine how thrilled I was when he came to me with the idea of a new album by THE OBSESSED. The band are doom legends, having contributed mightily to the doom template that we all love today. Can't wait to unleash this album upon the world."

THE OBSESSED was formed in the late 1970s in Potomac, Maryland by legendary Weinrich (SAINT VITUS, SPIRIT CARAVAN). The band spawned in the realm of musicians/artists such as BLACK SABBATH, Frank Zappa, THE DICTATORS and THE STOOGES. The earliest lineup consisted of Wino, bassist Mark Laue, guitarist John Reese, and drummer Dave Flood. In 1983, Wino took over vocal duties and the band became a three-piece to record the "Sodden Jackal" EP.

The band broke up in the late '80s after Wino moved to California to join SAINT VITUS. At that time, a German label, Hellhound Records, and the booking agency that had signed SAINT VITUS, released "The Obsessed", originally recorded in 1985, prompting Wino to reform THE OBSESSED. After multiple lineup changes, the band signed to Columbia Records in 1994 and released its third album, "The Church Within". Despite receiving highly acclaimed reviews, THE OBSESSED would break up following the release, after which Wino formed SPIRIT CARAVAN (then SHINE) and other projects.

>In September 2011, THE OBSESSED returned to the stage at Roadburn festival with "The Church Within"'s legendary lineup (featuring Wino, Greg Rogers and Guy Pinhas). The band played a few more reunion shows over the next couple years at Hellfest 2012 and Maryland Deathfest XI in May 2013 with bassist Reid Raley.

Wino announced the full-time return of THE OBSESSED in March 2016 and the band's official signing to Relapse Records to record the follow-up to "The Church Within". The new lineup originally consisted of SPIRIT CARAVAN bassist Dave Sherman and Wino's longtime friend and former road crew member Brian Costantino (drums). On October 31, 2016, Wino announced another new lineup change for THE OBSESSED, including Bruce Falkinburg (bass) and Seraphim (guitar),making that the first time the band had been a four-piece in over thirty-five years.

In 2017, THE OBSESSED unleashed "Sacred", the band's first studio album in over twenty years, further pushing the band into the annals of heavy metal history. After a few years on the road, the lineup stabilized around Brian Constantino on drums, Chris Angelberger on bass, Jason Tayler on guitar, and of course, Wino at the helm.

THE OBSESSED 2022 is:

Chris Angleberger - bass
Jason Taylor - guitar
Brian Costantino - drums
Scott "Wino" Weinrich - guitar and vocals

According to WGAL, Bret Michaels has been officially inducted into the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall Of Fame as a solo artist. He was previously inducted as a member of POISON in 2020.

The POISON singer received the plaque at an event in Hershey on Wednesday, November 30. Michaels and his POISON bandmates played at the Hershey Stadium in the summer of 2022 as part of "The Stadium Tour".

In his acceptance speech, Michaels said: "I accept this honor on behalf of all of us here. Listen, we are amazing. Central PA rocks. Hershey Stadium in the summer was incredible. It was amazing. That was a good day in my life a couple days after. It was amazing and I just want to tell you I am honored to be here today."

Bret's Hall Of Fame plaque reads: "Lead singer of POISON, solo artist, TV star, and philanthropist... Bret Michaels has several solo albums to his credit, including the soundtrack album to the movie 'A Letter From Death Row' in which Michaels starred, wrote, and directed in 1998. Michaels was a judge on the talent show 'Nashville Star' which led to his country-influenced rock album 'Freedom Of Sound' in 2005. He starred in the hit VH1 reality show 'Rock Of Love' and its sequels, which inspired his successful solo album 'Rock My World'. He was also the winning contestant on NBC's reality show 'Celebrity Apprentice 3' and also featured in his own reality docu-series 'Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It', which inspired his highest-charting album as a solo artist, 'Custom Built', reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock list. In 2006, Hit Parader ranked Michaels in the Top 40 on their list of greatest heavy metal singers of all time. Outside of his musical accomplishments, Bret's charisma and caring heart put him on a pedestal as one of the most respected talents from our area. Despite Bret's band PARIS leaving Mechanicsburg, PA in 1984 to become POISON, Central Pennsylvania will always claim Bret Michaels as one of its own."

Brandon Valentine, president and founder of the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall Of Fame, said: "As a non-profit organization focused on music education for the local youth, the CPMHOF is honored to recognize Bret Michaels in a positive light. Bret has always held a special place in the hearts of Central Pennsylvanians."

Born in Butler and raised in Mechanicsburg, Michaels and his sisters Michele and Nicole were part of a family that were fixtures in the Central Pennsylvania community, with their father, a veteran, posted at the Mechanicsburg Naval Supply Depot and their mother at White Hill Correction Facilities. He has long spoken of his love for the state, the sports teams and its people — his fellow "yinzers."

"As the son of a veteran, my mother and father taught me the importance of hard work through a blue-collar Pennsylvania upbringing," Michaels said. "I was raised with an unbroken fighting spirit who never gives up in the pursuit of making dreams a reality. If you don't bet on yourself, nobody else will."

The Hall Of Fame sought to acknowledge Michaels for his extraordinary individual merits and achievements as a solo musician, singer/songwriter in addition to his outstanding accomplishments as a reality TV producer and star, and an entrepreneur who won "Celebrity Apprentice" and partnered with brands such as PetSmart, Overstock and The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, to name a few. His achievements as a type 1 diabetic go far beyond just the music, though, as he helped to pass a state bill in the California Senate for education and affordable medicine for diabetics. He also has a career-long dedication to giving back through his Life Rocks Foundation, which saw him twice recognized as the Humanitarian Of The Year and also as a World College Radio Ambassador.

Dylan Gers, the son of IRON MAIDEN guitarist Janick Gers, has teamed up with Noah Yorke, the son of RADIOHEAD frontman Thom Yorke, on a new collaborative single, "Red Skies". Now available on all streaming platforms through independent record label Sly-Tone, the track is said to feature "a more textured and more detailed approach" than Dylan's first single, "Moon Rise", which came out in April. It starts with a lone acoustic accompanied with a flanger, phaser and reverb, playing a melody which captures your attention straight away, then moments later, harmonics which weave in and out to illustrate tension. A 12-stringed guitar played by Noah is then heard to the rest of this piece of music.

Dylan says: "I can't wait for all of you to hear this, I'm truly more excited with this than anything I've done in my life."

In September 2021, Noah dropped a song called "Trying Too Hard (Lullaby)", which marked the first single he had released using his own name after previously issuing music under the moniker Alec Owen, including the 2020 "L.E.T.H.A.L." album.

Dylan is not the first offspring of a MAIDEN member to pursue his passion for music. MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson's son Austin fronts AS LIONS, while his other son Griffin is the vocalist of SHVPES. MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's son George is one of the founding guitarists of the band THE RAVEN AGE.

Janick Gers was the lead guitarist of the band WHITE SPIRIT before joining GILLAN, a group formed by then-former DEEP PURPLE vocalist Ian Gillan. After GILLAN disbanded, he played in the group GOGMAGOG (with former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno and drummer Clive Burr) and with various artists, including Fish of MARILLION. In 1990, he played guitar on Dickinson's first solo album, "Tattooed Millionaire". During the recording of the LP, he was asked to join MAIDEN in place of departing Adrian Smith. He has remained with the band ever since, even after Smith rejoined the band in 1999.

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Fan-filmed video of EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee performing the song "The Reckoning" with WITHIN TEMPTATION during the two group's joint concert on November 30 at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, The Netherlands can be seen below.

EVANESCENCE and WITHIN TEMPTATION's "Worlds Collide" European trek, which was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021 and then to March/April 2022, finally kicked off on November 9 in Munich, Germany.

With almost every show sold out or close to selling out, the tour is proving to be one of the hottest tickets in rock this year. Anticipation is mounting for their incredible live shows after a summer of blockbuster performances.

Both bands have sold millions of records worldwide and have been at the forefront of the music scene for more than two decades. Fronted by two of the most celebrated voices in rock music —Lee and Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION) — both bands have headlined arenas and festivals around the globe in their own right.

WITHIN TEMPTATION released its most recent single, "Don't Pray For Me" in July accompanied by a stunning video. They spent the summer touring Europe and supported IRON MAIDEN across the USA. They also joined forces recently with MAIDEN, bringing their own character "Genesis" into the band's world-beating "Legacy Of The Beast" computer game.

EVANESCENCE, meanwhile, has been touring the U.S. on a co-headline run with KORN, appearing at some of the major festivals, including Louder Than Life where Lee made a surprise guest appearance with TENACIOUS D, and seeing its breakout single "Bring Me To Life" re-enter the U.S. iTunes charts at No.1. They have also just announced a U.S. tour with MUSE for March 2023. Amy also took time out to record a breathtaking duet of an EVERLY BROTHERS track with Dave Stewart (EURYTHMICS).

The Raven Age have signed a worldwide deal with Music For Nations / Sony and are set to release their third studio album via the label during Summer 2023.  


Speaking about the signing, guitarist George Harris says, “Spirits are high in The Raven Age camp right now. We’re absolutely ecstatic to be working with such an awesome team at Music For Nations and to get the ball rolling with the long-awaited new album campaign. It’s a serious achievement for us, I’m super proud of all the lads and everyone involved. Bring on next year, it’s going to be a cracker."


Continuing, singer Matt James (MJ) adds, “We feel extremely excited to be starting this new chapter with such a prestigious metal label. Our long-awaited new album finally has the platform it needs, and we can’t wait for 2023!!!”




Welcoming the band to the label, MFN Director Julie Weir says, “All of us here at Music For Nations are overjoyed to welcome The Raven Age to the label family. They have already accomplished so much on their own, and have an exceptional Management, Press and Booking team around them already, so we are excited to take them to the next level of their career with support from our own structure both in the UK and Internationally, to grow their influence and fanbase.”





The new record from the melodic metal quintet follows from their 2019 studio album, Conspiracy, which achieved over 35 million streams and a Top 30 Billboard Radio single "Fleur De Lis".


The forthcoming album will be the band’s first with new guitarist Tommy Gentry and they have also teamed up with Matt Hyde (Slipknot, Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium), Mika Jussila at Finnvox (Nightwish, Children Of Bodom, HIM) and several other special guests to be revealed at a later date.


The wait for the new album from The Raven Age has been lengthy due to the pandemic halting their release plans. The band turned their focus to a passionate release of Exile in 2021, a reflective record shining a light on The Raven Age fans had not heard before.


Exile reworked tracks from Conspiracy in new expanded acoustic forms, highlighting the versatility and depth to their already impressive canon of monstrous guitar riffs, pummelling rhythms and powerful melodies. It also featured two brand new tracks alongside hand-picked live recordings from their tours in front of massive audiences in Chile, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.


2022 saw The Raven Age welcome the return of live music with many festival and support appearances across the Summer including main stage appearances at Download & Mystic Festival, as well as featuring as special guests to Volbeat, Tremonti and most recently Godsmack across their respective headline shows.


The Raven Age have a strong live reputation built from relentless touring, also playing with the likes of Alter Bridge, Killswitch Engage, Mastodon and Iron Maiden to name a few. Alongside the release of their new album, the band have a huge international touring plot planned for the year ahead. 2023 will be the year of the Raven.


(Photo by John McMurtrie)


 

June 1974 has revealed the cover art, tracklist, and special guests of the forthcoming album, Please Destroy Me, out on January 3, 2023 via Visionaire Records.





"The World Destroyer" feat. Rick Rozz (Death)
"Incognito" feat. Steve Smyth (Forbidden/Testament/Nevermore)
"Abstract" feat. Danny White (Mordred)
"Omero" feat. Tommy Talamanca (Sadist)
"Rhapsody" feat. Dave Young (The Devin Townsend Project)
"Valhalla" feat. Lust Kilman (God Seed/Gaahls Wyrd)
"Mind Assassin's Eyes" feat. Francesco Montesanti (Antropofagus)
"Epitaph" feat. Terrance Hobbs (Suffocation)
"Theorema" feat. Bobby Koelble (Death)
"Wanderlust" feat. Christian Vidal (Therion)
"Stargazer" feat. Patrick Mameli (Pestilence)
"The Claw Of The Iron Mask" feat. Richard Shaw (Cradle Of Filth)




For further details, visit June 1974 on Facebook.


 

The Balladmongrels is a raucous new band featuring Dogs D’amour frontman Tyla J. Pallas and Northern Irish singer songwriter Matty James Cassidy. Their glorious mix of raw guitars, dark romantic lyrics, beautiful melodies and rousing choruses will implant themselves in your brain, heart and soul and never let go.


The Balladmongrels’ debut album, Trouble, is set for release in April 2023, with their first single, the rollicking and crashing guitar-driven "Ballad of the Knucklemen", out Friday, December 9.







Towards the end of the UK’s second lockdown, Tyla and Matty discussed releasing a 7” single with one of their own songs on each side. After a few drinks they decided instead to write some new songs and record an entire album. After a few more drinks (red wine & Guinness if you’re interested) they further developed the idea into an all-new transient band with their co-written songs at it’s core. And so… The Balladmongrels were born.


Initially they thought about calling themselves The Balladmongers. A name taken from Tyla’s first solo album (The Life & Times Of A Balladmonger) to reflect both Tyla’s career - in which he has variously been described as a balladeer and street poet - and Matty treading a similar, but different musical path. Matty suggested “mongrels” might be a better fit.


Mongrel n. an individual resulting from the crossing of different breeds; a cross between types of persons or things


Speaking about the name and concept, Tyla said, “I loved the idea of two songwriters from different generations collaborating – taking one of my ballads and getting a younger mongrel, like Matty, to give it some bollocks.”


Matty added, “We also liked the juxtaposition of having “ballad” in the name, as most of the album is full-tilt rock n’ roll. People may have seen us playing together acoustic and expect the album to be the same… it’s not.”


Describing how things came together, Matty said, “Maybe it’s because we’ve worked together for so long we find it natural to get on the same song-writing wavelength. Tyla would write a verse, then I’d write one. It just became really easy to work up the songs. We started off with a couple of ideas and ended up with an album. It was so much fun it’d be a shame not to do another one and keep it going. If you like anything either of us has done in the past you’ll definitely find something in this record.”


Also speaking about the process, Tyla said, “I like to start writing most songs acoustic. With ‘Knucklemen’ Matty spruced it up, but with ‘Trouble’ he completely rewrote it into something different. His vocals are higher in the mix and he leads on most songs. That’s deliberate, as otherwise it would turn into another Dogs’ album if it was centred around me. Music’s got to evolve and change.”


The pair first met when Matty went to see Tyla play an acoustic gig in Belfast in the late 2000’s when Matty was still in school. He moved over to England a couple of years later and his band supported Tyla on a few dates. They kept in touch and when Matty started playing solo acoustic gigs, this fit in well with what Tyla was doing at the time and he became the regular support for Tyla who was very encouraging of his music, even featuring on one of Matty’s early recordings. Since 2015 Matty has also played bass in Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour, in addition to playing regularly with Tyla as an acoustic duo performing their infamous ‘Ballads & Banter’ shows.


As an album, Trouble has much to offer fans of The Dogs D’Amour and Tyla’s and Matty’s solo material. It presents the meeting of their distinct songwriting styles as they share and take turns on vocal duties, complementing each other while bringing in a range of their wider musical influences from Thin Lizzy to The Pogues.


Stay tuned for more announcements coming soon.


(Photo - Ronan McGrade)

Watch out Mariah Carey! Better Noise Music artist, Tempt, have released an infectious Christmas single covering multi-platinum recording artist Billy Squier’s classic, “Christmas Is The Time To say I Love You”. The band’s performance is uplifting and joyous and truly captures the Christmas spirit. It’s the perfect song for rock fans to celebrate the holidays with. Squier originally wrote the song for an MTV Christmas promo featuring the original VJs.


“We want to put rock and roll back into everyone’s Christmas playlist and this gem of a song does that. It captures the Christmas spirit in a sincere, emotional yet fun way and doing it with the band gave it the right vibe and energy”, said Tempt lead guitarist Harrison Marcello. “We all get an overdose of Mariah Carey during the holidays but there is no rock song that gives you the emotional lift in the same way unless you’re singing along with Noddy and the Slade guys in the UK. We think that this is the song to change that.”







Marcello who is Squier’s godson had heard the song sung during family holiday gatherings and never forgot the feelings of love and connection that the song gave everyone. Squier was blown away when he heard the band’s version, “These Tempt guys obviously know a good song when they hear one...and they can play it, too! I love their arrangement and recording. Now Christmas is the time to crank up your sound system - or pop in your ear buds - so you can blast this from the roof-tops.”


The video for the song was shot on location in NYC during the 2021 Christmas season. Tempt lead singer Zach Allen described the process, “This song makes people smile and we wanted to not only celebrate the season but also to celebrate our hometown of NYC and the spirit and energy of the city coming back from COVID.  We shot this run and gun style at many iconic locations including, Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Fifth Avenue, Hudson Yards, and Radio City Music Hall. You can’t keep New York down and we’re so excited that this is finally going to get released.”


The band also had a special guest appearance by Saturday Night Live ace drummer, Shawn Pelton. “We have to give a shout out to Shawn Pelton who played drums on the track, said Marcello, Nicholas, our drummer, was stuck in Canada on a COVID lockdown and we were really lucky to have Shawn sit in with us to do the track. He’s a great player with incredible feel. There is one spot in my solo where he catches a run with a drum fill. It’s just amazing. We’re all really excited to share this release and holiday cheer with our fans all over the world. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”


The band is planning acoustic holiday sing-along performances at children’s hospitals and programs for underserved children in the New York City area.

Australian hard rock outfit Mammoth Mammoth have released new double A-side singles "Sittin Pretty" (Live) and "Love Gun" (Live) via Golden Robot Records. 


The release of this double A-side marks the first release for the band since 2019 and the introduction to their upcoming live album, Warts n' All, due out in 2023. As the album title suggests, the live performance on this record captures what the band refers to as "100% balls to the wall, Australian, lose your car keys rock n’ roll." 


2023 will be a big year for the band with "Sittin' Pretty / Love Gun" being released on a limited edition 7" vinyl and Warts n' All being released as a 12". Watch this space. 




Stream or purchase "Sittin' Pretty / Love Gun" here.





Mammoth Mammoth hail from the Black Spur Forest of Victoria, Australia and proudly represent the freight-train power of Australian born and bred rock n’ roll. They describe their sound as “more awesome than God’s tits” and “patented good-time murder fuzz”.


Formed in 2007, by guitarist Ben “Cuz” Couzens, bassist Gareth “Gash” Sweet, drummer Frank “Bones” Trobbiani and front man Mikey Tucker, the band spent three years working the pubs of Australia and released their first two albums (a self-titled EP and LP Volume II - Mammoth) on their own label Golden Triangle Records and embarked on multiple Australian tours including runs with Airbourne and Kyuss’s John Garcia.


In 2011 the band was banned from iconic Melbourne live venue The Tote after singer Mikey launched himself head-first through a 6ft glass window after he became frustrated that some punters were outside missing the show. The rest of the band played on unaware Tucker had gone through the window. He returned to the stage covered in blood and completed the set before being taken to hospital. Gash then left the group citing drug issues (he couldn’t get enough drugs) and was replaced by Pete Bell, cementing the classic Mammoth Mammoth line-up.


In 2012, Mammoth Mammoth caught the attention of Austrian label, Napalm Records and over the next nine years released five albums and spent much of their time on the road in Europe where they have built a loyal following of fans.


The band has shared stages with Hellyeah, Black Label Society, Rose Tattoo, Sleep, Electric Wizard and played Melbourne’s famous Cherry Rock Festival in AC/DC Lane a record four times.


As the global pandemic ground live music to a halt, the band posted this message on their social media in August 2020, “F@#k you Corona virus! While the world is afraid of blood, sweat and beers, Mammoth Mammoth simply cannot exist. We’re outta here!”


After a year underground, Mikey, Cuz, Bones and Pete have reunited and signed to Golden Robot Records to release their long-awaited live album dropping in 2023. 

Finland's Hanging Garden have revealed details of its eighth studio album, and first for Agonia Records. The Garden, recorded by a seven-piece amplified by female vocals, navigating its way through a dark setting of melodic, gothic, doom and death metal, will see its release on March 24th, 2023.


Hanging Garden formed in 2004, starting out as a heavy, doom-oriented project. Roughly two decades, seven albums and a couple of line-up shuffles later, the band shifted to a more melodic, contemporary sound, surrounded by a veil of melancholy.


The compositions are dark, atmospheric & emotional, and concomitantly lean towards open-minded and playful musicality. While entrenched in metal's doom, gothic and melodeath branches, Hanging Garden displays a versatile, many-layered style of playing, packs female & male vocals, and draws influence & inspiration from music and art, far and wide.




The new album - The Garden - dives deep into atmospheres both "tender and harsh, devilish and serene" and "embarks upon a journey to mankind's spiritual roots, contemplating the fragility of our technological society" - as poetically described by the band. "There is a kind of energy in the songs that there wasn’t before," introspects Toni Hatakka of Hanging Garden. "A feel of hope to contrast our old friend the despair, a strong notion of action against the familiar melancholy, or maybe a light amidst the comfortable gloom..." 


Read Toni's full comment below.


"After almost two decades of dwelling in the musical and lyrical thematics of despair, loss and melancholy, I had the feeling that our next release could have some room for hope and light as well - of course not forgetting our trademark-ish somber aesthetic. The approach we decided to take was to weave a story of how humanity would still thrive, still find meaning, after the world as we know it has finally met its end."


"Exploring the rituals, belief systems, connection to nature, finding purpose in just being and surviving were the cornerstones of how The Garden came to be. Another strong theme is that of dreams; since childhood, I’ve had this recurring dream world with a silent feel of stagnation, colossal constructs of rust, the action of journeying to the unknown, and lush nature. This is where I also draw a lot of what ended up on the album. The lyrics written by Riikka also amalgamated into this aesthetic perfectly. Even the name was given to me in a dream. Back in spring, I had a dream where our keyboardist Nino and I had a talk about this being our Magnum Opus and that we should call it The Garden. Such a powerful notion could not be left unheeded, and so the album had its name. The Garden is at the same time familiar and atypical for us. There is a kind of energy in the songs that there wasn’t before, a feel of hope to contrast our old friend the despair, a strong notion of action against the familiar melancholy, or maybe a light amidst the comfortable gloom. But in the end, this is us."


The Garden, the follow-up to Skeleton Lake (2021), was produced by Jussi Hämäläinen (vocals, guitars) and Jarno Hänninen. The album was mixed and mastered by the latter at D-studio (Beherit, Shape of Despair). Cover artwork and new band photos are by Finnish artist Kalle Pyyhtinen. "The Garden" marks the return of new-old drummer Antti Ruokola, last seen in Hanging Garden seven years ago.


The first single, "The Four Winds", and album formats will be revealed soon.





Tracklist:


"The Garden"
"The Four Winds"
"The Construct"
"The Song of Spring"
"The Fire at First Dawn"
"The Nightfall"
"The Stolen Fire"
"The Journey"
"The Derelict Bay"
"The Fireside"
"The Resolute"


Line-up:
Mikko Kolari - guitars
Jussi Hämäläinen - guitars, vocals
Toni Hatakka - vocals
Riikka Hatakka - vocals
Nino Hynninen - keyboards
Jussi Kirves - bass
Antti Ruokola - drums

It's been over three years since Quebec City's The Flaying presented their brutal aural assault of death metal to a worldwide stage with the release of their award-winning sophomore album Angry, Undead (Metal Album of The Year GAMIQ awards / Gala alternatif de la musique indépendante du Québec) released during March 2019 via PRC Music. Working with Christian Donaldson of Cryptopsy at The Grid in Montreal, QC, the album is pure mayhem for their fastest and most brutal debauchery to date. The concept of Angry, Undead is an intricate one with each of the eight songs falling under a distinct axis: Chaos (social manifestations); Madness (individual manifestations); and Void (existential manifestations). It is brutal, instinctive, unique, and wicked, and is recommended for fans of Cryptopsy, Archspire, Suffocation, and Deicide.


To close the chapter on this full length, the band is unveiling their music video created by Emile Roy and Fred Roy of Methlab Massacre Media for the record's title track via Slam Worldwide. 


The band adds about the video:




"This video has been created by Methlab Massacre Media with a budget of approximately 13$ + gas! We gave them our absolute blessing to create a video for this great anthem song that is 'Angry, Undead'. The guys had a wicked storyboard in mind so we were happy to team up with these great artists. Behold their offering."





The Flaying will be hitting the studio in 2023 to begin work on their follow-up album along with announcements on upcoming show dates in the coming new year.





Tracklist:


"Ouverture Écarlate (The Very Art of Flaying)"
"Disloqué"
"Place du Parvis"
"Genuflect"
"Egocentric Predicament"
"Elegy of Emptiness"
"La Valse du Scorpion"
"Angry, Unleashed"
"Angry, Undead"


Angy, Undead is available via Bandcamp here.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release the debut album from Philadelphia's ultraviolent assassins, The Crippler. I'm Just Gonna Let Myself In will be released December 23 on CD and digital formats along with merch. Watch the band's video for the track "Human Offals" below.


The Crippler consists of current and former members of Eat The Turnbuckle, Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza, Brutal Truth and Total Fucking Destruction. Below is the official description:


Horror Pain Gore Death Productions welcome The Crippler to the roster with the debut album I'm Just Gonna Let Myself In! Hailing from Killadelphia, The Crippler feature current and former members of Eat The Turnbuckle, Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza, Brutal Truth and Total Fucking Destruction. I'm Just Gonna Let Myself In features 13 tracks of forceful, distasteful, aggressive, audible strong armed robbery... grindcore, punk, death and thrash metal with a side of beat down hardcore. This powerful debut album from The Crippler is loaded with a choice of multiple stab wounds in a dark alleyway or your wallet. Literally all killer and no filler! For fans of Blood Duster, Deicide, The Exploited, Phobia and Repulsion.







Tracklisting:


"I'm Just Gonna Let Myself In"
"Mangled Bodies"
"I Don't Want To Hurt You, I Just Want To Kill You"
"I Keep Hearing Noises In Your Basement"
"Suicide By Cop"
"Human Offals"
"Stabbing People"
"Let's See What's In Those Pockets"
"I Have A House Full Of Guns"
"21 Nails"
"Where's My Fucking Money"
"Orgy Of Violence"
"Rabies Is A Killer" (Agony Bag cover)


"Human Offals" video: