ARMORED SAINT frontman John Bush rejoined his bandmates on stage last night (Saturday, November 19) at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. It was his first full show back with the group after dealing with a bad respiratory infection for several days.

Bush missed three shows on ARMORED SAINT's U.S. trek with W.A.S.P. and was temporarily replaced by Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, BROKEN TEETH). McMaster previously stepped in for ACCEPT's Mark Tornillo when the latter vocalist got sick and was unable to play a couple of the dates on the legendary German/American metal band's recent U.S. tour.

At Friday's (November 18) show at The Paramount in Huntington, New York, Bush joined McMaster and the rest of ARMORED SAINT on stage for the final two songs of the band's set, "Can You Deliver" and "Mad House".

Fan-filmed video of the Huntington and Jim Thorpe performances can be seen below.

ARMORED SAINT kicked off its long-awaited fall 2022 U.S. tour supporting W.A.S.P. on October 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The trek will run through December 11 in Los Angeles, California. Additional support is being provided by MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP on select shows.

ARMORED SAINT's eighth full-length album, "Punching The Sky", came out in October 2020 via Metal Blade Records.

ARMORED SAINT released the "Symbol Of Salvation Live" CD/DVD last fall via Metal Blade Records. The release came in celebration of the seminal album's 30th anniversary. "Symbol Of Salvation Live" was a combination live album and video of the band playing the album in its entirety at New York City's famed Gramercy Theatre during its 2018 tour. It captures the power, diversity, and peerless songwriting contained within.

ARMORED SAINT's long-awaited documentary, Armored Saint: Band Of Brothers", will be made available "soon" via "select theaters and streaming outlets." Produced and directed by Russell Cherrington, the film tells the story of ARMORED SAINT, a band of brothers that created its own unique sound and image in the 1980s Los Angeles rock and metal scene.

Armored Saint: Band Of Brothers" features interviews with members of ARMORED SAINT, as well as a host of music industry legends, including James Hetfield (METALLICA),Lars Ulrich (METALLICA),Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Brian Slagel (Metal Blade Records),Cliff Bernstein (Q Prime Management),Max Norman (producer),Bill Metoyer (engineer, producer),John Kornarens (music video director),John Sutherland (friend),Bob Nalbandian (friend),Tracy Vera (Metal Blade Records),Mike Faley (Metal Blade Records),Zach Harmen (METALLICA, ARMORED SAINT tech),and many other family and friends.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has dropped another $1 million from the asking price of his Southern Nevada estate.

Simmons put the home on the market in October 2021 for $14.95 million, but that price came down on November 17, 2021 to $13.5 million, on May 19, 2022 to $11 million and again on November 17 to $10 million. Gene paid a combined $10.8 million for the home and a lot adjacent to it back in May 2021. Among the improvements Simmons made to the Las Vegas house is installing all new floors and ripping up wall-to-wall carpeting in some of the rooms.

As of this past February, Simmons's mansion, when it still had a listing price of $13.5 million, was listed as under contract on the real estate site Zillow. The web site was updated with the pending sale on February 16. However, the sale appears to have since fallen through.

Speaking to TMZ about his decision to sell the home only five months after buying it, Gene said: "First I bought it because Mr. Biden [U.S. president Joe Biden] and Mr. Newsom [California governor Gavin Newsom] are looking to raise taxes to the point where if I work really hard to earn a legal dollar, I may get to keep 35 cents. So, California has become untenable. So I'd rather leave the money to my family and to charity and so on, so I wanted to move to Las Vegas. No income tax, no state tax, no local tax, no inheritance tax, beautiful place, great. Except for one thing — my family doesn't wanna go there. They're not gonna put up with the heat, and down the street, there's strippers and stuff like that. They don't wanna deal with any of that."

He continued: "I bought [the house] for 8.6 [million], then I bought the property next door for 2.4 [million] and planted 137 trees. So, guys, I can this for 25 or 30 million, but I'm blessed. I'd like to meet the person that's gonna wind up buying the place because I don't wanna just hand it over to some knucklehead. I want you to enjoy it and have a good life."

According to Gene, his wife and their two adult children prefer to stay at the family's other homes, an extensive portfolio which includes a modern lake house in Whistler, British Columbia, a home in Malibu and two houses in L.A. that Gene bought for the Simmons kids, Nick and Sophie.

"They're not fans of 115-degree weather," Simmons told The Wall Street Journal.

Because of KISS's touring schedule and his business travel, Gene said he never spent more than a few weeks total in Las Vegas. He went on to say that he had no regrets about selling the property so soon after the purchase, adding: "How many houses do you need anyway?"

According to TMZ, Simmons purchased a mansion in Beverly Hills, California in October 2021 for $10.5 million. The home occupies more than 7,000 square feet of living apace and an additional 1800 square feet of "sleek deck space." The sophisticated design allows for scenic views from the expansive kitchen, dining, living room, four bedrooms and five bathrooms, upstairs library/gallery space and a sliver of glass in the home theater. The home is one half solar powered, using roof panels to heat the pool and radiant heated floors.

In September, Simmons sold his Los Angeles mansion for $16 million, almost a year after he first put it on the market for $22 million. He later relisted it for $25 million after it never sold and he reportedly invested a lot of money in making improvements.

Gene bought the Los Angeles property back in October 1986 for $1,337,500.

Simmons has been very vocal about his desire to leave California for some time due to wanting a quieter lifestyle and to get away from being listed on celebrity maps or having to deal with Beverly Hills tour buses. He also said that part of the reason he and his wife listed the two-acre property in Benedict Canyon because the home had become too big for the both of them since their children had grown up.

"It's a big property, and the kids were literally raised here," he said about the Beverly Hills house. "Now they've moved on, and they both have their own homes next to each other in the Hollywood Hills. They borrow a cup of sugar and all that. They love each other and support each other like the best kids you could imagine."

"They've got their own lives, and now we've got this big house. And if I want to talk to [my wife] Shannon, I've got to hit an intercom because she's at the other end of the house," he continued. "It's happy and it's also sad. When you're a kid and you live at home, you love your mom and dad, but at some point you've got to move out. It's sad because you're moving from home, but you're also looking forward to the future, and we really hope the next family that lives here is going to get as much joy as we have from this place."

Gene and Shannon were married in 2011 after dating since 1975.

Gene, Shannon and their kids all appeared on the reality TV series "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" from 2006 until 2012.

Photo credit: courtesy of Stetson Ybarra Photography

In a new interview with All Access Live! With Kevin Rankin, ex-GREAT WHITE and current JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell spoke about the possibility of him reuniting with his former bandmates. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "As far as the fans are concerned, for the most part they've been really cool about it. It is what it is. Of course most of them would rather see us back together. There are a few people that, for whatever reason, like a new guy better, which I don't understand. That'd be like me saying I like somebody better than Steven Tyler in AEROSMITH. Or, 'Get rid of that Robert Plant schmuck [in LED ZEPPELIN]. Let me hear somebody else.' I don't know. To each his own. Some things just defy explanation or logic. But for the most part, I think, people would like things, to see them back to where they were, which will never happen. Those days are gone, and anybody out there that's hoping and wishing and praying, it's not gonna happen; I'll tell you right now. Both camps agree [on that]."

Russell went on to say that he chooses to stay away from speaking disparagingly about his former bandmates. "I don't jump on the drama train," he said. "Unfortunately, there are still people that do, in my other band, that still choose to pass along negativity. And I'm not gonna say anything bad about anybody. It's, like, why? We were all huge friends for years. We accomplished one of the hugest things you can ever accomplish together — something that's almost impossible we pulled off. We were on five major labels, so we did it five times. Usually you lose one and you're blackballed. And we were on five different major labels. So there's something to say for that. I never was gonna let up until I was done."

In June, shortly after GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with singer Mitch Malloy, GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall dismissed the idea of reuniting with Russell, telling Dr. Music in an interview: "[People say,] 'Why don't you patch things up with Jack?' What people don't understand is we never even got in fights [with Jack]. In 25 years together, we might have gotten in two arguments. The thing that took him out is the horrible demons of addiction, and it's really affected his health. I just saw a video the other day where he's not even standing — he's using wheelchairs and he's sitting in a stool. So for us to go back to that, it just feels dark. I'd rather remember him… 'Cause I'm very proud of our career — I'm very proud of the past. I'm so lucky to be a part of it. And I wanna remember it like that, where he's flying around on stage and getting the crowds pumped and singing his heart out — not a sick person. So going to that…"

Malloy had been in GREAT WHITE for nearly four years, having joined the group in 2018 following the departure of Terry Ilous.

Ilous, frontman of '80s L.A. hard rockers XYZ, joined GREAT WHITE in 2010 after stepping in for touring vocalist Jani Lane (WARRANT).

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was dismissed from the group.

Russell sued his onetime bandmates in 2012 over their continued use of the GREAT WHITE name after Jack had taken a leave of absence from the band for medical reasons. A short time later, Russell was countersued by Kendall, rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Michael Lardie and drummer Audie Desbrow, claiming the vocalist's self-destructive behavior was damaging the GREAT WHITE name (they also alleged he was charging promoters less for his own touring version of GREAT WHITE). The parties settled in July 2013 without going to trial, with Russell now performing as JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE while the others are continuing as GREAT WHITE.

In 2018, Desbrow told ListenIowa that there was never any discussion about possibly bringing Jack back after Terry's exit from GREAT WHITE. "Not at all," he said. "We've already moved on from that. We've gone through a lot of stuff with that over the years, and the fact that he sued us in federal court for the name, and we spent a lot of time and money, you just don't return from that. People tell me that they've seen his latest shows, and it's just hard to look at because his health isn't as good as it could be. We've got a really grueling schedule, and it's hard enough for me, and I'm semi-healthy. [Laughs] I couldn't imagine someone in his condition doing what we're doing. We did shows with him toward the end, and he was in and out of a wheelchair and crutches, had to be carried up stairs, was falling asleep onstage. It just got old. It's a business, and we have families to support and mortgages to pay. You can't go to work messed up 24/7 and still be able to work there."

Last month, GREAT WHITE officially named Brett Carlisle as its new lead singer. Carlisle joins the band as the replacement for Freeman, who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

KIX drummer Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant "awake, alert, resting comfortably and in good spirits in the hospital" after collapsing toward the end of the band's concert Friday night (November 18).

The incident occurred 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.

Earlier today, KIX released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding Chalfant's condition: "KIX drummer Jimmy Chalfant is awake, alert, resting comfortably and in good spirits in the hospital after collapsing towards the end of their performance at the Tally-Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia on night one of a two nights stint. While clearly a cardiac event, it is unknown at this time whether or not Jimmy actually suffered a heart attack. Jimmy will be undergoing a series of tests to determine exactly what in fact occurred. The second performance scheduled for this evening (Saturday Nov 19th) is understandably postponed with a makeup date pending the prognosis of Jimmy's condition. KIX appreciates the outpouring of love and concern for Jimmy and thank everyone for their courteous understanding in the matter."

KIX's official statement is consistent with the earlier comments made by the band's touring guitarist Bob Paré, who wrote on his Facebook page: "In the effort to avoid any misinformation, with regard to Jimmy's condition- we left the hospital around 2 am. He was awake, talking, even joking a bit, and his vitals were good. He is currently in the best hands possible.

"Without a doubt, it was a very dire, scary, and serious situation. No further details are known at this time.

"Please keep both Jim and Cathy in your prayers."

One source who was involved with last night's concert told Metal Sludge: "He (Jimmy Chalfant) was carried off." The source added: "It happened right after his drum solo. It was crazy. The ambulance was there within two minutes."

A couple of KIX fans who attended last night's 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".



Please keep your prayers Kix Drummer collapsed in middle of set was taken out In ambo

Posted by Arthur Starbird on Friday, November 18, 2022



One of my most favorite rock bands, iconic KIX at Tally Ho tonight! Yeah! 🥳💃🎶

Posted by Lisa Espada on Friday, November 18, 2022

I was just watching Kix live at Tally-Ho in Leesburg, VA. The drummer Jimmy Chalfant collapsed on stage just before the...

Posted by Jim Ochoa on Friday, November 18, 2022



KIX - Cold Blood

Posted by Jeff Bradford on Friday, November 18, 2022



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.

Posted by Scott Dickens on Friday, November 18, 2022

The first photos from the rehearsal sessions for PANTERA's upcoming shows can be seen below.

The reformed band — featuring PANTERA's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) — will headline a number of major festivals across North America, South America and Europe and stage some of their own headline concerts.

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.

Benante took to his social media on Sunday to share the rehearsal pictures from a New Orleans studio, and he included the following message: "2 weeks in NOLA with these boys, it's been a lot of work but how could it not?. So much heart and soul is going into it.

"This is all about the Love for Vinnie and Dime ,the fans and the music that these 4 created.

"I'm really enjoying playing these songs -they sound Great! It's very emotional and it's just starting to hit me…

"See you soon, I need a drink".

PANTERA will play its first shows in over 20 years in December 2022, starting with a co-headlining slot at Mexico's 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.

Next year, PANTERA will appear at Germany's Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park, two simultaneous rock festivals, which will take place June 2-4 in Nürburgring and Nürnberg, respectively. Later that same month, they will perform at the Sweden Rock Festival, set to take place June 7-10 in Sölvesborg, Sweden, and at the Tons Of Rock festival, which will happen June 22-24 in Oslo, Norway.

Confirmed PANTERA shows so far:

Dec. 02 - Texicoco, Mexico - Hell & Heaven Metal Fest
Dec. 06 - Monterrey, Mexico – Monterrey Metal Fest
Dec. 09 - Bogotá, Colombia – Knotfest Colombia
Dec. 11 - Santiago, Chile - Knotfest Chile
Dec. 12 - Santiago, Chile - Movistar Arena
Dec. 15 - São Paulo, Brazil – Vibra São Paulo (with JUDAS PRIEST)
Dec. 18 - São Paulo, Brazil – Knotfest Brazil
Jun. 2-4 - Nürburgring, Germany - Rock Am Ring
Jun. 2-4 - Nürnberg, Germany - Rock Im Park
Jun. 10 - Sölvesborg, Sweden – Sweden Rock Festival
Jun. 22-24 - Oslo, Norway - Tons Of Rock

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.

PANTERA is managed by Scott McGhee of 1 Degree Music Entertainment. The band's legal representative is Nick Ferrara And Associates. PANTERA is booked internationally by Rod MacSween at ITB. Artist Group International will book PANTERA's North American dates, with Dennis Arfa and Peter Pappalardo as the responsible agents.

2 weeks in NOLA with these boys, it’s been a lot of work but how could it not?. So much heart and soul is going into...

Posted by Charlie Benante Official on Sunday, November 20, 2022

Canadian prog metal Trailight mastermind Omer Cordell has checked in with a new update on his next album: 


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


Tracks titles include:




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


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

GHOST has won its first-ever American Music Award in the newly debuted "Favorite Rock Album" category. The critically acclaimed, chart-topping "Impera" has edged out formidable competition from COLDPLAY, IMAGINE DRAGONS, Machine Gun Kelly and the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS to win the vote.

The winners of the American Music Award are all voted by fans. Nominees in 37 categories were selected based on key fan interactions through Billboard charts, including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay, and tour grosses.

These were tracked by Billboard and Luminate covering the eligibility period of September 24, 2021 to September 22, 2022.

Featuring the Rock Radio No. 1s "Call Me Little Sunshine" — recently nominated for a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy — and "Hunter's Moon" (the end credits song from 2021's No. 1 R-rated film "Halloween Kills") as well as the currently climbing "Spillways", "Impera" was released March 11, 2022 via Loma Vista Recordings. Hailed by Rolling Stone as "an escapist rock and roll album," "Impera" "conquered rock, metal and the charts" (as reported by the Los Angeles Times),debuting at No. 1 in a sweep of the U.S. album charts, and entering the Billboard 200 at No. 2. Produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace, "Impera" sets the most current and topical GHOST subject matter to date against a hypnotic and darkly colorful melodic backdrop, resulting in a listen like no other — yet unmistakably, quintessentially GHOST. "Impera"'s release has been supported by the "euphoric spectacle" (Rolling Stone) of the 70+ date "Imperatour" arena tour, during which the Wall Street Journal christened GHOST "the next generation of arena stars."

The 2022 American Music Awards is taking place today (Sunday, November 20) at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.

"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.

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.

ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello has once again 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 and Europe and stage some of their own headline concerts.

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.

Bello discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback in a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. Asked how he and his ANTHRAX bandmates found out about Benante touring with Wylde, Anselmo and Brown under the PANTERA name, Bello said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I knew about it. Well, [Charlie] came to all of us [and told us about it].

"Look, you have to understand, we were very, very, very close with PANTERA," he continued. "We were family; that's our family. So if there's one guy in the world to play drums and pay tribute to this thing, it's Charlie Benante — right off the bat. He was very close with Dime, very close with Vinnie. We all were; we all were. So that's family to us.

"These songs should be celebrated. And having Charlie Benante play those songs, I think it's gonna be great for Charlie. People know Charlie is a great drummer, but the world doesn't know how great he is. I want people to [put] the spotlight on Charlie 'cause I want them to see what I see all the time — how great of a drummer he is. And I'm excited, 'cause I think Charlie's gonna do it the right way. So is Zakk. So I think they have the right band there. Remember — I'm friends with these guys; Rex, Phil, these are family members to me."

Frank, who is Benante's nephew as well as his bandmate, added: "So I think it's a great celebration. I'll be there watching it. I can't wait. I think it's a great thing. Can you imagine the people that haven't seen this are gonna see these songs live? That's a great thing. So I think it's great for metal. I think it's great to pay tribute to Dime and Vinnie. I'm looking forward to it. I think when people see it, they're gonna bug out, 'cause [the guys in PANTERA are] gonna do it right… I'm excited for [the fans], to be honest. I live through them, kind of. It's, like, 'Yeah, man, wait till you see this.' This music should be celebrated. We're part of this metal thing, this metal family.

"Dime and Vinnie, rest their souls — God rest their souls — but they would be happy, I think, seeing this, because Charlie and Zakk were family to those guys. So I think it's a big celebration. So I'm excited."

When Meltdown noted that he wasn't thrilled about Anselmo, Brown, Wylde and Benante touring under the PANTERA name, Frank said: "I get it. I totally understand. For me, it's a celebration. Because, look, I've seen PANTERA with Dime and Vinnie. So this is very much family to me. This is a tribute to this great thing that PANTERA was. So I just think it's very positive — there's no negativity at all — it's very positive that these songs that these guys made are gonna be celebrated now. People are gonna be able to see this. So, hey, I'm there."

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it. So… Anyways, I'm glad that the people who have decided to follow me in HELLYEAH do, and hopefully more of them will. And the ones that wanna live in the past are gonna live in the past."

Up until his passing in June 2018, 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.

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who is Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the upcoming release of the self-titled debut from the new trio, Heroes And Monsters. Formed by three rock n' roll lifers and friends, bassist/vocalist Todd Kerns, guitarist Stef Burns, and drummer Will Hunt, Heroes And Monsters will be released on January 20.


Today, a new single and music video, "Raw Power", has been released. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save the upcoming album here.


The players' resumes speak for themselves, but rest assured, if you are looking for hard hitting, hooky, in-your-face rock-n-roll, then Heroes And Monsters will be good for what ails you. The band approaches their style with their influences in tow, but also with an understanding and appreciation of the current rock scene. A best of both worlds' scenario, if you will.




Todd Kerns is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is most noted for being the bass player and backup singer in Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, and for being the frontman of gold-record-selling Canadian band The Age Of Electric. In more recent years, he has been making his mark as a singer-songwriter with sold out solo performances as well as fronting former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick’s band and his own Canadian supergroup, Toque.


Guitarist Stef Burns has a fantastic and varied history in rock music. He has spent time playing with pop acts like Sheila E., Berlin, and Huey Lewis & The News as well as rock acts like Y&T, whom he recorded four albums with, and Alice Cooper, playing on the albums 'Hey Stoopid' and 'The Last Temptation'. Stef currently plays with Italian rock superstar Vasco Rossi and also has his own band, The Stef Burns League.


Drummer Will Hunt currently resides in the drum throne for Evanescence, whom he first started playing with in 2007, and has performed and written on their last three studio albums, including their most recent release, 'The Bitter Truth', which debuted at #1 on 27 different countries' album charts. Over the years, the in-demand skinsman has performed with Dark New Day, Skrape, Staind, Vasco Rossi, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Slaughter, and more. He has also appeared on albums by Black Label Society, Michael Sweet (Stryper), Crossfade, Dirty Shirley (George Lynch), Device (David Draiman of Disturbed), and more.





Heroes And Monsters tracklisting:


"Locked And Loaded"
"Raw Power"
"Let's Ride It"
"Angels Never Sleep"
"I Knew You Were The Devil"
"Break Me (I'm Yours)"
"Blame"
"Don't Tell Me I'm Wrong"
"Set Me Free"
"And You'll Remain"


"Raw Power" video:





"Locked And Loaded" lyric video:





Heroes And Monsters lineup:


Todd Kerns - Lead Vocals, Bass
Stef Burns - Guitar
Will Hunt - Drums

Agoraphobic News recently spoke with Eric Forrest (E-Force, ex-Voivod). During the interview, he offered up some information on Voivod's unreleased demo album and talked about the next E-Force record, which is currently in the works.


On the new E-Force album


Eric: "We demoed some new songs, already. Taking time, taking shape. Sounds like E-Force. Demoing songs is never always complete. I would kinda leave it and let it grow on you a little bit. Make changes and then wait a bit, because sometimes I change my mind. Tons of riffs. I’ve got a lot of material; it’s just a matter of putting the puzzle together. But, Patrick Friedrich, the drummer, and Sebastian Chiffot planned the next one, and we have the new guitar player, Zachary Nadal. He is a shredder. So it’s really good to have that ensemble to put some good metal together. We are working on the tour of (previous album) Mindbender but, little bit delayed from the Covid everything so we’ll do what we can."




On the possibility of re-recording songs from Voivod's unreleased 2001 demo tape


Eric: "I am not so sure. I did re-record 'Victory' on E-Force’s Modified Poison record as the tribute to (Voivod guitarist) Piggy, who passed in 2005. I sing some parts little heavier, maybe the chorus. To re-do that demo from 2001, it’s kinda sacred. I don’t want to touch it, really. Some of the work that Piggy did is very psychedelic and super spacey and really... like he did on say, Phobos in a way, for sure. It’s been a long time since I heard 'em. What I remember last time I heard it is maybe, 15 years ago maybe, something like that. And yeah, it’s got some really good stuff on it."


Check out the interview below and read excerpts from the chat here.








 

Germany's Caliban have shared guitar playthrough video for the songs "Dystopia" and "VirUs". Both tracks are taken from the band's latest album, Dystopia.










Caliban's approach to Dystopia was instinctive and organic. The result was simply darker and heavier. A state of the world address and a sign of these locked-down times. The band members worked in relative isolation, not being able to meet up for writing sessions. Ideas were passed around via the internet. Yet, the anxiety and angst they were all feeling came through. Hence the opening line of the album title track and war-cry: “Welcome Dystopia – Come show me who you are!” Amidst the anger and sonic wreckage, there’s still a ghost of hopefulness as the band searches for identity, solidarity and ultimately rising from dystopian ashes. A long running fixture in the European metal scene, Caliban have reemerged with a furious vision for these dark days. Welcome Dystopia.


Dystopia was produced by Benjamin Richter (Moonspell, Emil Bulls) and guitarist Marc Görtz, as well as co-produced by Callan Orr (Dream On, Dreamer). The eye-catching artwork was crafted by the creative team of Season Zero, who designed the artwork for Zeitgeister.





Tracklist:


"Dystopia" (feat. Christoph Wieczorek)
"Ascent of the Blessed"
"VirUS" (feat. Marcus Bischoff)
"Phantom Pain"
"Alien"
"sWords"
"Darkness I Became"
"Dragon" (feat. Jonny Davy)
"Hibernate"
"mOther"
"The World Breaks Everyone"
"D I V I D E D"


"Alien" video:





"Ascent Of The Blessed":





Caliban is:


Andreas Dörner (vocals)
Marco Schaller (bass)
Denis Schmidt (guitar)
Marc Görtz (guitar)
Patrick Grün (drums)

Angelo Moore, frontman of the legendary Fishbone, is now available as a limited edition collectible statue.


The statue is limited to 500 numbered units, stands at 7 inches tall, and is made of solid polyresin.


Sporting his signature style, Angelo grips the mic with intention as his sax swings from his neck awaiting the full funk assault.





Angelo says, “Growing up, my friends would always have actions figures around their rooms of their favorite heroes and I would always envision myself as one of them… And before I knew it, that magical porthole opened and I stepped on through, and now I’m a hero action figure just for YOU.”


For more details click here.

German rock legends, Sxcorpions, have shared pro-shot footage of the band performing "Loving You Sunday Morning" at Wacken Open Air 2012. Check out the clip below.





Ahead of the Scorpions' December 2 performance at Hell And Heaven Metal Fest in México City, vocalist Klaus Meine spoke with California18.




During the chat, Meine reveals that recording the band's latest studio album Rock Believer, their first with drummer Mikkey Dee, was a fresh and fun creative process.


Says Klaus: “For a long time we have been friends with Motörhead and Lemmy Kilmister, from meeting at so many European festivals, and Mikkey is the best drummer in the world. He was left without a band (after Lemmy died, in 2015), we were left without a drummer (James Kottak). We called him up, we rehearsed and from the first minute he had total chemistry. He is a fantastic guy, and we have corroborated it live: he brings a certain kind of ‘Motörhead vibe’ to the Scorpions sound."


Read more at California18, and find Scorpions tour itinerary here.


Scorpions recently released the new single "Out Go The Lights", a bonus track on the Japanese edition of the Rock Believer album. Stream the single here, and below:

Dutch symphonic metallers Epica belonged performed on the main stage at Wacken Open Air 2022 on Wednesday, August 3rd. Check out pro-shot video of the band performing  "Abyss Of Time - Countdown to Singularity", "Cry For The Moon" and "Sancta Terra" courtesy of Wacken TV below.





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







Epica previously stated: "The cat is finally out of the bag: On November 11, we’re releasing seven brand new songs to conclude our 20th Anniversary year! This mini-album, named The Alchemy Project, is a very diverse release, with each track taking on the flavour of the internationally renowned guest musician(s) with whom each was written and recorded.


This resulted in a release that challenges and expands on what Epica is, while maintaining our trademark sound. Beyond the symphonic hymns you’re used to, you’ll also find progressive melodic death moments, saxophone solos, haunting lullabies with a trio of female voices - and even the heaviest death metal track we’ve ever recorded!"





Graced by vivid and witty artwork by graphic wizard, Heilemania, the release can be ordered here as digipak CD, LP, or digitally.





The Alchemy Project tracklisting:


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


"The Great Tribulation" track video:





"The Final Lullaby" video:

NICKELBACK's Chad Kroeger was the featured guest on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" during the "Rock God" segment. Chad picked METALLICA's James Hetfield and stated about his choice: "I mean, have you seen METALLICA play? There's something about James live that just makes me wanna grit my teeth and scream along.

"I was lucky enough to be sidestage and see them play in Paris in front of 70 thousand people and then get a chance to go back and hang out with James afterwards. And he's not only talented — amazing singer, songwriter, guitar player — but he's also one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. So, that's gotta be my choice."

In a 2014 interview with Finland's Radio Nova, Chad said that his brother, NICKELBACK bassist Mike Kroeger, used to "hang out a lot" with Hetfield in Maui. He added: "And right when you think that you're the only one who gets it — the backlash — Mike's, like, 'Oh no. James pretty much thinks the entire world hates him.' I'm, like, 'Really?' Suddenly I don't feel so bad anymore."

Four years ago, footage of NICKELBACK covering METALLICA's "Sad But True" at the 2004 edition of the Rock Am Ring festival in Germany went viral after it was posted to a Facebook page where it was viewed more than four million times before being removed for copyright reasons. A YouTube version of the video was uploaded 10 years ago and has been viewed more than three million times.

A decade ago, Kroeger used METALLICA as an example of great songwriting. He told Men's Health magazine: "Music works on a lot of different levels. There's a lot of melody in a great metal song. If you listen to METALLICA songs, anything on 'Master Of Puppets' or '...And Justice For All', the songs move through these beautiful parts, and then they progress back into very aggressive territory, and the riffs are constantly changing and developing, and it stays very interesting."

NICKELBACK's tenth studio album and first release in five years, "Get Rollin'", arrived on November 18 via BMG.

Amassing hits for over two decades, NICKELBACK is the 11th best-selling musical act of all time, counting over 50 million units sold and over 4.7 billion career streams to date.

Named the "most successful rock back of the decade" by Billboard in 2009, NICKELBACK is one of the most commercially viable and important rock acts of the past two decades. The Canadian four-piece, comprised of Chad, Mike, Ryan Peake and Daniel Adair, is globally celebrated for its career-defining and award-winning hits, including "How You Remind Me", "Photograph", "Far Away" and "Rockstar", which all held top spots on the Billboard 100.

Symphonic groove metal from the Texas desert, Tulip, have just released a video for their brand new single, "Ghost Of Kyiv".


The clip, directed by Levine Pictures, can be enjoyed below.







For further details, visit WeAreTulip.com.


 

Just recently, Finnish folk metal superstars Korpiklaani released a new single called “Krystallomantia” which saw the band couple their trademark sound with their most politically influenced lyrics to date. The melancholic, yet upbeat anti-war song was written about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.


Today, Korpiklaani are following up with an English version of the track, to make its important message more accessible for an international audience. Listen here and check out a lyric video below:







Jonne comments: "I had been working on this song for a while, but when Russia invaded Ukraine, it came natural to write these lyrics and finish the song. We were planning to release it later this year, however when Faine Misto asked us to perform at their festival in Poland as a charity event, it seemed perfect time to release it. The cover artwork, again done by Jan Yrlund, shows the impact and deep sadness we all feel. Peace & Love”





(Photo - Peero Lakanen)

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, were back in the kitchen together this past weekend for another Sunday Lunch. Check out their rendition of Metallica's "Seek And Destroy" from the Kill 'Em All album.





A selection of Robert & Toyah's previous Sunday Lunch videos can be seen below:






















 

Dutch symphonic metallers Epica performed at Audio Club in São Paulo, Brazil on Novembner 19th. Fan-filmed video of the band's entire show can be veiwed below. 


The setlist was as follows:


"Abyss of Time – Countdown to Singularity"
"The Essence of Silence"
"Victims of Contingency"
"Illusive Consensus"
"The Final Lullaby"
"Kingdom of Heaven"
"The Skeleton Key"
"In All Conscience"
"Rivers"
"Code of Life"
"Design Your Universe"
"Cry for the Moon"
"Beyond the Matrix"
"Consign to Oblivion"







Epica tour dates and tickets here.


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





The Alchemy Project tracklisting:


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


"Sirens - Of Blood And Water" 

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his solo symphonic power metal cover of the 1984 Chicago classic "You're The Inspiration". Check it out below.


Johansson: "A song that me I've listened to a lot since I was a kid!
My dear friend Chris challenged me to make an extreme power metal version of this song, and a challenge like that I would never decline - and here's the result."







Johansson previously shared his solo performance of Elton John's 1983 hit "I'm Still Standing".

Below is the official lyric video for "Dawn Of A Million Souls", taken from the 2022 re-release of Ayreon's Universal Migrator I & II album. Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen comments:


"Both singer Sir Russell Allen and guitar player Michael Romeo of Symphony X recorded their parts in the States. I still remember when Russell played their contributions to me on the phone, I literally cried tears of joy! This song has become one of the fan’s favourites, judging from the crowd’s reaction every time we play it live.


In this re-mixed version I put Russell’s vocals more in the foreground. Personally, I also think that the amazing drums by Ed Warby sound much more powerful and crisp in this new version. Hope you agree, enjoy this great video made by Dave Letelier and Wayne Joyner!"







Ayreon's Universal Migrator Part I & II was re-released in various formats on November 18. Order here, and watch a visualizer for "And The Druids Turn To Stone" below.


Says mastermind Arjen Lucassen: "'And the Druids Turn To Stone' is my personal favourite track from the Ayreon Universe live shows. Mainly because of the amazing vocal performance of my talented friend Damian Wilson. I still remember that back when I sent him the demo for this song, he wasn’t totally convinced. Maybe in part because of the dangerously-close-to-Spinal-Tap lyrics about Stonehenge. Haha! But man, he surely elevated this song to great heights, showing off all aspects of his versatile and distinctive voice. In the re-mixed version I tried to make the track sound more transparent and bring every little subtlety to the surface. Hope I succeeded!"





Universal Migrator Pt 1: The Dream Sequencer and Universal Migrator Pt 2: Flight of the Migrator were released initially simultaneously in 2000, following the majestically sprawling hit album Into the Electric Castle two years previously. The Dream Sequencer continues the plot from The Final Experiment (1995), starting in the year 2084 when the final world war wiped out all life on Earth. Flight of the Migrator continues the story of the last living human being, the colonist on Mars and his decision to use the Dream Sequencer machine to travel back to before the universe was formed.





The two albums feature an extravaganza of stunning musicians and vocalists such as Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Edward Reekers (Kayak), Damian Wilson (Headspace/Threshold), Neal Morse (Spock's Beard/Transatlantic/Flying Colors), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Andi Deris (Helloween), Michael Romeo (Symphony X) and many more.


Arjen Lucassen continues his crusade of remixing and remastering his finest work to absolute perfection and Universal Migrator, Pt. I & 2 (2022 Remixed & Remastered) is a stunning addition to his spectacular canon. Thanks to advancements in technologyA, fans can now get the chance to hear the albums through the ears of Lucassen as he intended them.


The hardcover artbook has 56 pages, which include lyrics, liner notes, the newly designed comic by Élan López, and additional pages with Élan's "Process".





Limited Edition 56-page / 5CD / DVD Earbook tracklisting:


CD 1: The Dream Sequencer"
"The Dream Sequencer"
"My House On Mars"
"2084"
"One Small Step"
"The Shooting Company Of Captain Frans B. Cocq"
"Dragon On The Sea"
"Temple Of The Cat"
"Carried By The Wind"
"And The Druids Turn To Stone"
"The First Man On Earth"
"The Dream Sequencer Reprise"


CD 2: Flight of the Migrator
"Chaos"
"Dawn Of A Million Souls"
"Journey On The Waves Of Time"
"To The Quasar"
"Into The Black Hole"
"Through The Wormhole"
"Out Of The White Hole"
"To The Solar System"
"The New Migrator"


CD 3: Bonus & Unreleased
"Into The Black Hole" – Damian Wilson (previously unreleased)
"Journey On The Waves Of Time" – Ian Parry (previously unreleased)
"Out Of The White Hole" – Robert Soeterboek (remix)
"Dawn Of A Million Souls" – Ian Parry (previously unreleased)
"Temple Of The Cat" – Lana Lane (remix)
"Through The Wormhole" – Ian Parry (remix)
"Into The Black Hole" – Lana Lane (previously unreleased)
"Carpe Diem (Chaos)" – 1992 Home Demo (previously released on Ayreonauts Only)
"House On Mars" – Instrumental Primal Version (previously unreleased)
Untitled Instrumental (previously unreleased)


CD4: The Dream Sequencer (Instrumental)


CD5: Flight Of The Migrator (Instrumental)


DVD:


5.1 Surround Mix
"The Shooting Company Of Francis B. Cocq" (Binaural Headphone Mix)
"Into The Black Hole" (Binaural Headphone Mix)
"Into The Black Hole" (Music Video)
Making of the comic feat. Élan López





Limited edition 4LP Box Set contents:


- The Dream Sequencer (2LP on 'Pink Nebula' marble vinyl)
- Flight of the Migrator (2LP on 'Pink Nebula' marble vinyl)
- Bonus DVD (with 5.1 surround audio, binaural headphone mixes, music video and featurette with Élan Lopez)
- Comic book by Élan López
- Sticker sheet
- 1 Double-sided poster
- Box is numbered and limited to 1000 copies

On February 24, 2023, Living Dead Girl will release Not That Innocent (The Covers EP) via Buried Alive Records.


Frontwoman Molly Rennick and her band offer up the first taste of their forthcoming five-song collection by way of a visualizer for "Fighter", originally done by Christina Aguilera. 







Pre-order your copy of Not That Innocent (The Covers EP) now at this location. The artwork and tracklisting can be seen below.





"Get The Party Started" (by P!nk)
"Oops!...I Did It Again" (by Britney Spears)
"Come Clean" (by Hilary Duff)
"Sk8er Boi" (by Avril Lavigne)
"Fighter" (by Christina Aguilera)


(Photography and cinematography by Steve Haining)


 

Former Suicide Silence guitarist Rick Ash and former Suicide Silence drummer Josh Goddard have reactivated Ash's original deathcore outfit Torn Within after a 17-year hiatus to drop a surprise new release, The Peregrination EP, out now.


"Reconnecting was important to us; after that, it was important for us to contribute something," says the band. "We're all ready to return to the stage, so there is a sense of urgency to put this record out."


Recorded by the band, mixed by Brian Collins and Rick Ash, and mastered by Wendell Frohwein, The Peregrination EP is violent, textured and served with dissonance and intensity. 




Torn Within was formed in Southern California in 2002 and released a series of demos, performing live at the legendary Showcase Theater in Corona, California, and sharing the stage with Cattle Decapitation, All Shall Perish and others.





Upon their dissolution, guitarist Rick Ash and bassist Mike Bodkins would join Suicide Silence with Josh Goddard, Mitch Lucker and Chris Garza, and record the song "Bludgeoned To Death" and 2005's Suicide Silence EP before Ash and Goddard eventually moved on.  


Presently, Torn Within's members are scattered across the country and plot their return to the stage in 2023. 


The Peregrination EP is out now on all digital platforms and a limited run of CDs via Been There, Scene That Records. Purchase here.

Drummer Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, SLAYER, ANTHRAX) has uploaded the latest in his "Big Four" drum-cover series: SLAYER's "Killing Fields". The clip, which can be seen below, follows his previously released videos for METALLICA's "Blackened" and ANTHRAX's "A.I.R.".

The 52-year-old Dette played as a full-time member of SLAYER from 1996 to 1997 and as a touring member in 2013.

In a 2013 interview with Metal Rules, Dette revealed that he collaborated with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King on some of the early ideas for what became the band's final studio album, 2015's "Repentless", before he was replaced by a returning Paul Bostaph. "I actually started working with SLAYER after we had gotten back from Australia [in early 2013]," he said. "We started working for demo and music for their new record. And then obviously what happened with Jeff [Hanneman, guitar] passing away, that changed some things. But it was definitely moving in that direction for me to be working with SLAYER [again]. But as I said there are just some things that changed with that once Jeff passed away, and I think, ultimately, they felt more comfortable with ‎Paul Bostaph, just because Paul had been in the band for longer. I think it was not going to be as much of a shock to their fans, because first Dave is gone, and now Jeff is gone, the band, it's now down to two original members. So if Paul makes them feel more comfortable and at home, then more respect to him and I wish them the best with that."

King confirmed that he worked with Dette early on in the songwriting process for "Repentless" before deciding to re-hire Bostaph instead. "We pursued it," Kerry said in a 2015 interview. "We got back from Australia. I did demos with Jon Dette, I did demos with Paul — the same two songs, under the same circumstances; they each had, like, 24 to 36 hours to learn 'em — and just see where it went. And Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] and Jeff [Hanneman, SLAYER guitarist] both decided Paul, and in hindsight, that was the right choice."

Dette originally joined SLAYER in 1996 when Paul Bostaph left to work on his side project THE TRUTH ABOUT SEAFOOD. Dette performed with SLAYER at the 1996 Ozzfest to promote the band's covers album, "Undisputed Attitude".

Prior to joining SLAYER, Dette appeared on TESTAMENT's "Live At The Fillmore" album, which came out in 1995.

In recent years, Dette had played sporadic shows with ANTHRAX as a temporary replacement for Charlie Benante, who had been undergoing physical therapy in his battle with carpal tunnel syndrome.

VENOMOUS CONCEPT — the punk band formed by NAPALM DEATH's Shane Embury and former BRUTAL TRUTH vocalist Kevin Sharp — will return with its most expansive, boundary-obliterating album to date, "The Good Ship Lollipop", on February 24 via Decibel Records. The effort finds Sharp and Embury joined by NAPALM DEATH guitarist John Cooke alongside Carl Stokes, former drummer of U.K. death metal legends CANCER.

The anthemic first single from "The Good Ship Lollipop", a song called "Voices", can be heard below.

VENOMOUS CONCEPT's fifth full-length will receive an exclusive North American vinyl and cassette release through Decibel Records. Engineered by Piers Mortimer (DEEP PURPLE) and produced by longtime friend and soundman Simon Efemey (PARADISE LOST, AMORPHIS),the LP was challengingly recorded during the height of the pandemic in 2020.

"It was an amazing fun and creative experience, recording while there were COVID restrictions," Embury offers. "We seem to only now dimly recall the whole process but this record lives it and breathes it...When the pandemic hit, we decided we needed to make an album that didn't fit. We all loved so much other kind of punk and rock, so why not explore that which is, in essence, closer to our hearts? To do the same album over and over again would be boring."

"When Decibel released the DEADGUY live record ['Buyer's Remorse'] this year, my gears turned," says Sharp. "Having supported the band in print and via flexi disc, we were stoked to see [Decibel editor] Albert's [Mudrian] interest in this VC record. It's a different kind record and deserves a different kind of approach. The music industry is in constant evolution and this approach to getting our music out seems like a good fit amongst old friends on our terms."

"The Good Ship Lollipop" track listing:

01. The Good Ship Lollipop
02. Timeline
03. Slack Jaw
04. Pig
05. Clinical
06. Fractured
07. Voices
08. So Sick
09. Flowers Bloom
10. The Humble Crow
11. Can’t Lose
12. Everything is Endlessness
13. Life’s Winter

VENOMOUS CONCEPT lineup:

Shane Embury - bass
Kevin Sharp - vocals
John Cooke - guitars
Carl Stokes - drums

In a new interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, DISTURBED frontman David Draiman was asked if he and his bandmates are planning to hit the road "pretty hard" in support of their upcoming album, "Divisive". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Not as hard as you would imagine. We're planning on starting up in the spring. We've already announced a few shows here and there. We're trying to finalize all of our plans. But DISTURBED performances will be getting more and more infrequent. We'll start up in the spring. We'll finish in the fall. There will be a full U.S. run. Exactly when we're going where, I don't know yet; it's still a moving target. I know we're planning to do a European festival run as well; a couple of those dates have been announced already. But it's tough to navigate the waters right now. So we're doing the best we can. Hopefully we'll be able to announce more as soon as it's able to be announced."

In a separate chat with HardDrive Radio, Draiman elaborated on some of the challenges DISTURBED has encountered trying to book a pandemic-era tour. He said: "Figuring things out is almost like a fluid thing. Literally just last week I thought we had a solidified schedule and where we were stopping and starting. And we've had to switch gears because things changed again. You roll with the punches. The idea is for us to start in the spring and to do a full-blown summer tour of some kind. [Laughs] And we were planning on going to do some of the European festivals. What actually ends up solidifying and happening, other than what's already been announced, your guess is as good as mine, because there's so much in flux right now. But that at least is the intention. We'll see what happens."

"Divisive" will arrive on November 18 via Reprise. The LP was recorded earlier this year with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) in Nashville, Tennessee. The follow-up to 2018's "Evolution" includes the three recently released singles "Hey You", "Unstoppable" and "Divisive".

Guitarist Dan Donegan's divorce inspired the "Divisive" song "Don't Tell Me", which is a duet with HEART's Ann Wilson. In two decades, it breaks ground as the first-ever guest collaboration on a DISTURBED record. Clean guitar soundtracks the story of a long-term relationship in the middle of its last gasp. David and Ann engage in a call-and-response before locking into a skyscraping harmony as the solo reaches for the heavens.

About the "Divisive" album title, Draiman noted: "Partisan tribal warfare has become a part of our regular existence nowadays. It's one big battle of the cliques. The whole idea of the record is to be a wakeup call for everyone. Our society has become addicted to outrage. Music is the best cure for what ails us though. If only everyone reached out and used it. There's no better environment to forget about all of this shit than live music. We can be together and realize we have more in common than not. Recognize what's happening and let's make a change for the better."

Donegan added: "Whatever it takes, we've got to pull it together. We've always tried to take negative topics and spin them in a positive light. From touring around the world, we've seen the power of music as the universal language to bring everyone together from all walks of life. We can still play songs to unite people, and it's a pretty powerful feeling."

Veteran Japanese metallers LOUDNESS have released the official music video for the song "Tengoku No Tobira (Heaven's Door)". The track is taken from the band's latest studio album, "Sunburst", which was released in July outside Japan via earMUSIC. The effort was originally made available in Japan last December.

During a career spanning over 40 years, LOUDNESS built a rich musical foundation with many studio albums, EPs and live albums. With "Sunburst", they've added another milestone to the great catalogue, their 29th studio album, to be precise.

"Sunburst" is the first official double studio album in LOUDNESS's impressive career, making it particularly special as it can be considered a celebration of the band's rich musical history. The 16 songs represent the classic LOUDNESS sound and style, highly acclaimed by fans and critics alike. Written mostly by original member and guitar wizard Akira Takasaki, the majority of songs are sung in Japanese, representing their appreciation of their origin and roots.

"Sunburst" was released as a digital album as well as a 2CD digipak edition with an extensive booklet that includes the English translation of all lyrics.

Disc 1:

01. Rising Sun
02. OEOEO
03. Yamato Damashii
04. Kaso Genjitsu (Virtual Reality)
05. Crazy World
06. Stand Or Fall
07. The Sanzu River
08. Nihon No Kokoro (The Heart Of Japan)

Disc 2:

01. Kagayakeru 80's (Shining 80's)
02. Emerald No Umi (Emerald Ocean)
03. Tengoku No Tobira (Heaven's Door)
04. All Will Be Fine With You
05. Fire In The Sky
06. Hunger For More
07. The Nakigara
08. Wonderland

LOUDNESS has dominated the Japanese heavy metal scene ever since its birth in 1981 with classic albums like "Thunder In The East" (1985) and "Lightning Strikes" (1986). Their last studio album, 2018's "Rise To Glory", was highly acclaimed both by the heavy metal maniacs and the critics.

LOUDNESS's lineup has changed multiple times since 1981, with the current incarnation consisting of three original members — lead singer Minoru Niihara, guitarist Akira Takasaki and bassist Masayoshi Yamashita — along with drummer Masayuki Suzuki, who joined the group in 2009.

Original LOUDNESS drummer Munetaka Higuchi died in 2008 after a year-long battle with liver cancer.

In a new interview with the
"Sally Steele Rocks! Show", ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann was asked why there have been so many personnel changes in the band over the years. "I'm the big bad wolf. I kick people out just when I feel like it," he quipped (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Well, actually, to be halfway serious for a second, it's just the way it goes sometimes. We started off as teenagers in a sort of garage-type band. And people grow up and they get married, they have different interests, and before you know it, one guy leaves the band and a replacement comes, and then the replacement leaves after a while. It's just the way it goes; it's a natural progression. I wish it wasn't that way. People develop different interests and life changes, so people leave. I'm the only guy who's never left. I'm like the last man standing."

Hoffmann is the sole remaining original member of ACCEPT, which he formed in 1976 in the town of Solingen, Germany with singer Udo Dirkschneider and bassist Peter Baltes.

ACCEPT's latest studio album, "Too Mean To Die", was released in January 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was the group's first without Baltes, who exited ACCEPT in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during 2019's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

Six months ago, Hoffmann was asked by Greece's Rock Overdose magazine about Dirkschneider's comment that the band's current lineup is "not ACCEPT" anymore because Wolf is the only remaining original member left. The guitarist responded: "Yeah, yeah. Of course. I know. What else is new? Of course he's gonna say that. What else is he gonna talk about? See, that's the thing — if you constantly talk about something that happened 30 years ago, what does that tell you about your own career? That's all I have to say about that. I always think the proof is in the pudding — make some great music and the rest will sort itself out. And that's all we're trying to do. We're not trying to compete with anybody. We don't have to prove ourselves. We are ACCEPT and we make great albums. That's all I know."

In April, Udo said in an interview with Australia's "Scars And Guitars" podcast that he has had no contact with Wolf in recent years. "And I don't wanna have any contact with him," he added. "I'm really good friends now again with [former ACCEPT bassist] Peter Baltes; he did all the bass guitars on [my new] cover album ['My Way'], for example. I still have a good relationship with [ex-ACCEPT drummer] Stefan Kaufmann. Over the years, he was the guitar player in U.D.O. [and] he was producing U.D.O. and stuff like that. And the only guy I don't wanna talk to — let's say it this way — is Wolf. There's a lot of reasons why. I wish him all the best. [He's] a great guitar player anyway, but for me to work with him again — never."

Last December, Udo told Simfonia Metàl·lica that losing the rights to the ACCEPT name was the biggest mistake he made in his professional career. "This is the only thing I'm really not happy with," he said. "I was creating the name ACCEPT. And then, when we came — let's say in '80, '81, we had to sign a lot of documents. And sometimes you're not really looking on this. And then, in the end, when they fired me [from] my own band, I found a paper [saying] all the rights [to the ACCEPT name] go to Wolf Hoffmann. And that's really a big point, a bad point for me. The name is normally on me and not on Wolf Hoffmann."

He continued: "This was a big mistake — not really to look what you're signing. But anyway, this is history — [it happened] a long time ago. And I think in the end now, in a way I don't care. But sometimes [I think] I did a big mistake. But anyway, it happened."

Last year, Udo ruled out the possibility of a reunion with ACCEPT, telling TNT Radio Rock: "I don't wanna say anything bad. Wolf is a great guitar player. He's a great guy — I know that. But one thing, and that's why never ever can happen again a reunion or stuff like that, is he was stealing my name. A long time ago, in '81, when we had to sign some papers. I was really young, and, 'Yeah, okay,' I signed my contracts. There was some paper in between [all the others], and he [got] the rights [to the ACCEPT name]. But it was not Wolf [who orchestrated it]; I think it was now his wife. She was the manager of ACCEPT, and she was clever to put the [ACCEPT] name on Wolf Hoffmann. And this is the thing that makes me still angry — he was really stealing the name. I mean, I was making ACCEPT in '68.

"In the end, as a person, [he's] definitely a great guitar player, a great guy," Udo added. "It's history. I think I'm quite successful with U.D.O. If I want, I can do anytime a tour under [the name] DIRKSCHNEIDER and play ACCEPT songs. If I really say, 'Okay, I wanna do this again,' no problems at all. But the rest, in a way, is history.

"For example, I was working with Peter Baltes and Stefan Kaufmann together on the single 'Where The Angels Fly', and everybody was, like, 'Oh, what is this? This is more ACCEPT than ACCEPT is doing now at the moment.'"

In January 2021, Hoffmann was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he was surprised to see Baltes working with Dirkschneider on new music. He responded: "Yeah, I probably shouldn't say much about that. Again, I can only speculate what that was all about. At the end of the day, we do our thing, and everybody has to know for themselves what they wanna do. Yeah, let me not say as much about that as I can, please."

Back in 2015, Hoffmann dismissed Dirkschneider's comment that the band's then-lineup — which included Baltes and Tornillo — performed live "without any emotion." "It's just hilarious at this point," Wolf said. "It's just a big joke in our lives. And we just go on about our lives, and we do our thing, and we just… We let these things go by and laugh about it. He's actually sort of our press agent, in a way. He keeps us [in the news]."

In a new interview with Lauren "Lern" Elwell of the KSHE radio station, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke about Richie Faulkner's participation in the group's performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame even though the guitarist wasn't being inducted along with his bandmates.

"He's a miracle man, especially when you consider what he's been through with his challenges," Rob said, referencing the fact that Faulkner suffered an aortic aneurysm and complete aortic dissection during PRIEST's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in September 2021 (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And he needed to be there. Because originally he said, 'I don't think I should be on stage.' I go, 'Richie, you have to be on stage. It's important. I can't properly express the words 'cause it's a feeling for me. I feel you need to be on that stage with us.' And so did everybody else; everybody else felt that way.

"But yes, he's a miracle man, and for that reason alone, amongst a ton of others, it was important that he was on that stage and showing people the wonders of survivability and the great things that the medical profession and the healing and the health world can do, and some of the Lord's divine intervention, all of these things kept Richie with us," Halford added. "I said, 'Richie, you need to be on that stage, especially if you can do some hair whipping with K.K. [Downing, former PRIEST guitarist]' They do their hair whip. [Laughs]"

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the November 5 event in Los Angeles, 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 (vocals),Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, drummer Les Binks 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".

In a separate interview with Metal Rules, Richie reflected on the Rock Hall performance, saying: "I was just happy to be there supporting the rest of the guys. From my point of view, I offered to opt out. I didn't need to be there. The guys wanted me there as part of the band. I'm part of the band in 2022. They wanted me there, even though I wasn't inducted, so to speak. They thought it was important that I was there representing the band in 2022. So that was really nice of them. And from my point of view, I was just happy to be there supporting them and being a part of the band in 2022. So it was just a great night."

Asked what it was like for him to perform with both Tipton and Downing, Faulkner said: "Well, for me, it was great. Obviously, I'm a huge PRIEST fan — I have been for a long time and always will be, so that hasn't changed. So to be part of a three-guitar-attack team, which PRIEST has never been before, as far as I'm aware. I'm sure there's someone on the Internet that can dig through the archives and find maybe a gig they did once before. But as far as I'm aware, PRIEST has always been known as that twin-guitar attack, so be up there with Glenn and K.K. as part of that three-guitar attack was… it was an experience. If it was a one-time experience or whether it was something for the future, who knows? But even if it was a one-time experience, it was just something to relish and just to remember forever, really. It was fantastic."

Faulkner, nearly three decades Downing's junior, joined PRIEST after K.K. left in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

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

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

The 2022 Rock Hall induction ceremony will air tonight (Saturday, November 19) on HBO and stream on HBO Max.



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