Napalm Records is proud to team up with one of the most exciting acts in today’s black metal scene, welcoming Batushka to its ever-growing roster. Hailing from the deepest shadows of eastern Poland, the band has just inked a worldwide record deal with the Austrian rock and metal label.


Originating with acts like Abigor and Summoning, Napalm Records has been deeply rooted in the black metal genre since its very beginnings. Three decades later, this spirit remains strong and undoubtedly matches perfectly with the vision of the Polish unit. After the band’s critically acclaimed debut album, Litourgiya (2015), followed by sophomore Hospodi (2019), Batushka are more than ready to bring their bone-shaking essence of arcane black metal to the next level. Stay tuned for the next unholy, cataclysmic ritual of sinister black metal - coming soon.


Batushka about signing to Napalm Records: “PILGRIMS. We're happy to announce that we've signed up with Napalm Records for the release of our upcoming new album. We have a mutual understanding regarding the telling of this new story and spreading the gospel of Batushka around the globe. Be on the lookout for our new album, and get ready to experience Batushka in all the corners of the world. After traveling through North America and Mexico for our first long pilgrimage over there, we dare to say that this tour reaches far beyond our wildest expectations. We were surprised and humbled by the reception. We already know that we will return to stages around the globe as soon as possible - not only with a new show, but also with new songs and a new story. Apart from that, with blessing - Batushka.”




Napalm Records A&R manager Sebastian Münch states: "Batushka are undoubtedly one of the most creative and innovative black metal bands in recent years. We had the pleasure of welcoming Batushka live at this year's edition of the Metal On The Hill Festival in Graz, Austria, and were immediately impressed by the band as a brilliant live act and great entertainers. I am super excited to be a part of the release of the new studio album next year. Welcome to the Napalm family."


Following a successful North American tour, the ultimate Polish metal package is getting back onto the lands of Europe - don't miss selected shows of Batushka and Hate in February 2023.


Poland's Hate have proven to be a great match with Batushka within several tour legs. It is a must to have a live taste of the songs of pure blasphemy inspired by archaic Slavic themes and mythologies from their album Rugia, as well as best works from Auric Gates of Veles.


Join the cult and experience the gloomy world of Batushka's sonic ritual as the band tours Europe and the UK in early 2023, kicking off February 16 in Apeldoorn, NL.





Tour dates:


February
16 - Apeldoorn, Netherlands - Gigant
17 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Hotel Cecil
18 - Sneek, Netherlands - Het Bolwerk
19 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Baroeg
20 - London, UK - The Dome
21 - Manchester, UK -  Rebellion
22 - Antwerp, Belgium - Venue TBA
23 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion
24 - Aarburg, Switzerland - Musigburg
25 - Milan, Italy - Legend Club
26 - Salzburg, Austria - Rockhouse
27 - Brno, Czech Republic - První Patro
28 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Randall


March
1 - Ostrava, Czech Republic - Barrak
2 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
3 - Zwickau, Germany - Club Seilerstraße
4 - Oberhausen, Germany - Helvete
5 - Trier, Germany - MJC


Batushka ineup:


ЛЕХ - drums
ТАРЛАХАН - guitars
ДЖЕЙКОБ БОРУТА - guitars
ДЕДУШКА - bass
БЛАЖЕИ - choir
ХИАЦЫНТОС ЯЦА - choir
ЯЗЫЧНИК -  choir
ВАРФОЛОМИЕЙ - vocals


(Photo - Maciej Pieloch Photography)

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke to Full Metal Jackie's syndicated radio show about his just-released book, "Biblical: Rob Halford's Heavy Metal Scriptures". In the follow-up to his 2020 autobiography "Confess", Halford runs his lively eye over all facets of the hard rock history and the heavy metal world via bite-sized reflections, opinions, and memories in scores and scores of areas, all linked by a biblical theme.

Asked what is fulfilling about communicating through written word enough for him to want to do it again, Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I suppose it really connects to my job [laughs] in the band. [I'm] a lyricist. I love words. I love the whole experience. I'm a book reader as well. Books are so beautiful, no matter where you are in enjoying them, whether it's history or music or politics, art, science, fiction, fantasy — whatever it is — they are beautiful things to have and to be inspired with and to gain knowledge. And they're not boring. They're just incredible parts of our lives that we can have adventures with and grow and get wisdom from.

"On the back end of making 'Confess' with my dear friend Ian Gittins, who's my voice [co-writer], I said at the time, 'I've got this idea floating around in my head.' Everything starts with an idea, no matter what. 'I can't quite articulate what I'm feeling. But would you be able to do some more work together?' 'Yeah, of course. Whatever it is, let me know.' So, 'Biblical' — I don't know why these things happen, but 'Biblical' came into my mind. And using the holy book [the Bible] [laughs] as a reference, we put together these chapters — sermons and revelations and temptations and all of these different aspects of the world of metal and rock. And for anybody that wants to gain a deeper insight into how you get to these places, where you begin from — which we touched on a little bit in 'Confess' — but how you have to deal with all of the circumstances that come into being successful: managers, agents, lawyers, all the other stuff. Plus lots of anecdotes. We wanted to make it an informative read but also to have a bit of humor and a bit of tongue-in-cheek and make it a good, all-inclusive emotional read as well."

Earlier in the month, Halford told Mark Strigl of SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard about how the idea for "Biblical" came about: "I had so much with 'Confess', and Ian Gittins, who's my guy, I just sit and talk, and he does all the hard work putting it all together in the manuscript sense. So we finished 'Confess', and much like everything that we do in the creative sense, I already had like a little idea for this next book to make. And I said, 'Ian, can we be blasphemous?' He said, 'Yes, be blasphemous.' I said, 'Can we take the Bible [laughs], can we take the beautiful Bible and take sections of the Bible, like Revelations and Temptations and this and that and the other, and utilize it in a way to take everyone through a story of my life in music but from a different angle, not the autobiographical sense?' Let's talk about what you've gotta do to make things happen, to make the connections, to get the record deal, to get the managers, to get the accountants, to get the lawyers, all that stuff. He did a marvelous job, amongst all of the many anecdotes that we put together for 'Biblical', to make what I think is a really cool, funny, interesting book full of the inside stories which you may be interested in learning about how the machine works, how the rock and roll machine works."

Several months ago, Halford 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 "Confess". In "Confess", Halford revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer after experiencing symptoms for at least a couple of years.

In July 2020, Rob underwent prostatectomy, an operation where the entire prostate gland is removed plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles. After more cancer was found last year, he went through radiation treatments in April and May 2021 and eventually got then all-clear in June 2021. He also had an appendectomy after a tumor was discovered on his appendix.

"Confess" arrived in September 2020 via Hachette Books. Co-written with Gittins, the book offered readers a compelling, heartfelt and honest look at the struggles Rob has faced with addiction and his sexuality as well as exploring his music and his many brushes with controversy.

Halford is not the first member of PRIEST's classic lineup to release a book. Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing released his autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", in September 2018 via Da Capo Press.

In 2009, original JUDAS PRIEST singer Al Atkins released his autobiography, titled "Dawn Of The Metal Gods: My Life In Judas Priest And Heavy Metal". JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill penned the foreword to the book, which was written with Neil Daniels — a freelance rock writer and heavy metal fan who befriended Atkins during the writing of Neil's book "The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith" (Omnibus Press).

NICKELBACK bassist Mike Kroeger spoke to Germany's Radio Bob! about the Canadian rock band's long-awaited tenth studio album and first release in five years, "Get Rollin'", which will arrive on November 18 via BMG. Asked what it meant for him and his bandmates to have more "freedom" to work on the new LP, Mike said: "Mostly that means time. The time freedom is the thing that we have now, because we're lucky. We've been doing this for a while, and we've had a really good time, so we get to make our own choices on time and how long we take to do things. When something's not ready, we don't release it until it's ready, so everybody has to wait. [Laughs]"

He continued: "Early in your career, you're at the command of others. And also because it's more important for you to work faster and get more done early in your career. As lucky as we've gotten, we're at the point now where we don't have to do anything we don't wanna do ever, and we definitely don't have to do it on time. It's good for the creative process. Creativity doesn't always work well on a deadline."

On the topic of the songwriting process for "Get Rollin'", Mike said: "Chad [Kroeger, NICKELBACK vocalist/guitarist] is the primary songwriter in NICKELBACK, for sure, and in this case, because of COVID restrictions and things like that, he did this album by himself more than any previous one because we weren't really permitted to gather. It was very difficult for me to get from Los Angeles [where I live] to Vancouver during the pandemic lockdowns. The border was very interesting during that part."

NICKELBACK has released two singles so far from "Get Rollin'": "Those Days" and "San Quentin". "San Quentin" was inspired after Chad met a real-life warden from the notorious high security California prison. The song follows the story as he plots his clever escape.

Regarding why it took so long to produce the follow-up to 2017's "Feed The Machine", Chad told the WRAT radio station: "Well, we should have been making a record a lot sooner, with all that time off [due to the coronavirus pandemic]. But it's weird to say this, but for 25 years it feels like someone's been standing behind us with a cattle prod and telling us, 'Hey, the record's gotta be done at this time. We're gonna tour at this time. We're gonna do Australia and then we're gonna go do Europe and then we're gonna come back. We'll go across Canada. We'll hit America.' Just like every other band that has to do this stuff, you wanna get a chance to see your fans all around the world. But with this, we were, like, 'We'll get to it when we get to it.' [Laughs] And yeah, we took our time with it, which was just a wonderful luxury, to be able to sit back and [go], 'No. I'm gonna play this guitar solo 40 more times for another three days and make sure it's just exactly how we want it as opposed to deadline, deadline, deadline."

"Get Rollin'" and "Get Rollin' (Deluxe)" will be available via digital platforms and physical CD format. The deluxe edition includes four bonus tracks — acoustic versions of "High Time", "Just One More", "Does Heaven Even Know You're Missing?" and "Horizon". Standard and exclusive versions of the album will also be released on vinyl in 2023.

NICKELBACK will play three intimate shows later this week to celebrate the release of "Get Rollin'". The band's first performances in three years will take place at the following venues:

Nov. 15 - Toronto, ONT, Canada @ History
Nov. 18 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom (WRAT Nutcracker Ball)
Nov. 20 - Mashantucket, CT @ Foxwoods Resort Casino

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. The band has released 23 chart-topping singles, with 19 reaching the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their undeniable success has resulted in over 26 awards, including Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, MuchMusic Video Awards, People's Choice Awards, JUNO Awards, and more. Among their numerous accolades the band has also achieved 12 consecutive sold-out tours, with nearly 10 million tickets sold worldwide.

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 four-piece, comprised of Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger, 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. Their success includes worldwide sales of more than 50 million units, solidifying their status as one of the top-selling acts of all time and the second best-selling foreign act in the USA in the 2000's decade, behind only THE BEATLES. Their inescapable, irresistible smash "How You Remind Me" was named Billboard's "Top Rock Song Of The Decade". It was the number-one most played song on U.S. radio (any format) in the 2000s decade according to Nielsen Soundscan, with over 1.2 million spins.

Amongst all these accolades, they've also been named Billboard's "Top Rock Group Of The Decade" and received nine Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, a World Music Award, a People's Choice Award, twelve JUNO Awards, seven MuchMusic Video Awards, and have been inducted into Canada's Walk Of Fame (2007). With more than 23 chart-topping singles and fans spanning the globe, NICKELBACK boasts twelve consecutive sold-out world tours, playing to well over 10 million diehard and adoring fans.

During an appearance at the Monster-Mania Con this past weekend at The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania, Corey Taylor was asked by a fan what one of the biggest fights he ever had with a SLIPKNOT bandmate was about. He responded (with transcription help from Bob Suehs of Rock N Roll Experience): "Me and Sid [Wilson] got into a fistfight, and it's something that I'm not proud of. It was during a tough, tough time. He and I were at such parallel ends — polarized and parallel ends — of the universe for no reason other than we were just in different spots in our life. But for some reason we were just banging heads hard. And it wasn't good, to the point where when he would come into the room, I would leave, and if I came into the room, he would leave. This was about six years ago, so it's... We're good now, just so everybody knows. But it came to a head in Sweden. And he and I were both on a tear. Luckily, we kept this away from the fans. We had just had a meet-and-greet at the time. And a fan had given me a comic book that I had been looking for for a long time. So I was looking at it, and really appreciating it, and Sid being Sid, [he] came up and not knowing what was going on, he probably thought he was just joking, but came up and he just smacked it right out of my hand hard. He just nailed it. And in any other context, it would have been funny, like, 'Oh, you dick,' you know. But everything was amplified and all of the things you haven't said come rushing to the front of your mind and it becomes an issue. And that turned into us turning on each other and going at each other hard to the point where the band had to pull us apart. He was saying he was gonna go home and leave the tour. I wasn't going to apologize. It was bad, man."

Reflecting on how he and Wilson eventually repaired their rift, Taylor continued: "When I had my spinal surgery [Corey tears up], [ Sid] was the first one to call me and [pauses] he just said, he was, like, 'I'm so sorry,' and I said, 'I am so sorry.' And I said 'I love you.' He was, like, 'Are you okay?' And I was, like, 'I'm all right. It's all good.' And just like that, nothing mattered other than me and my brother. [Corey wipes his eyes]"

Corey added: "I'm really proud and I'm really glad that he and I could squash all that shit, because he's one of my favorite people in the world. Just the way he thinks, the way he creates, he's one of the best secret weapons that we have in SLIPKNOT, because his musical mind is so creative. And plus, he schools us on every mask that he comes up with. I just look at him and go, 'You fucker! Goddamn it! Why did you think of that?'

"But it's stuff like that that endears you to the people that you've been in the trenches with, that you've spent half your life with on the road building this thing. I didn't expect it, and yet to this day, it means the world to me. So that's how you carry on. It's not about the fights; it's about coming back together. And that's the most important thing that we're ever gonna know. It's that shit; that's the stuff that you do."

The tension between Taylor and Wilson was previously highlighted in the 2011 documentary "Goat" which was included in the 10th-anniversary special edition of SLIPKNOT 's "Iowa" album. The film, which captures footage from the chaotic "Iowa" cycle, includes a clip of the two musicians nearly coming to blows backstage for reasons that are not clear. At one point, Corey can be heard telling Wilson to "fuck off" and shouting at Sid, saying: "I'm so fucking pissed at you! Fuck you, you little fuckin' bitch." Corey and Sid can then be heard exchanging "fuck yous" with each other.

A decade and a half ago, Taylor discussed his strained relationship with his SLIPKNOT bandmates in an interview with Revolver magazine. At the time, he said: "SLIPKNOT is like a family reunion — it's good to see those people, but you can't wait to get away from them. It's the tension between the nine of us that helps us make the music. Because we don't get along, and I'll be the first to fucking admit it. People keep wanting me to candy-coat it like we're some fucking fraternity that lives together when we're at home. That's not what happens. We love each other but we also stay the fuck away from each other, you know?"

SLIPKNOT is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "The End, So Far", which was released on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to "We Are Not Your Kind", it is the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

METALLICA celebrated the life, legacy, and achievements of Megaforce Records founder Jon "Jonny Z" Zazula and his wife Marsha Zazula with a special concert on November 6 in Hollywood, Florida.

Prior to the launch of the show, METALLICA showed a 10-minute video in which drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and guitarist Kirk Hammett honored the memories of the Zazulas, who signed the pioneering thrashers to their first record deal and released their first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning". Check it out below.

The gig, which took place at the 7,000-seat Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, saw the Bay Area metal legends play songs exclusively from their first two albums. Support at the concert came from British/American metallers RAVEN, who were also originally signed to Megaforce.

METALLICA's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death
02. Ride The Lightning
03. Motorbreath
04. No Remorse
05. Trapped Under Ice
06. The Call Of Ktulu
07. Phantom Lord
08. Am I Evil?
09. Metal Militia
10. For Whom The Bell Tolls
11. Whiplash
12. Fade To Black
13. Seek & Destroy

Encore:

14. Fight Fire With Fire
15. Blitzkrieg
16. Hit The Lights

When the concert was first announced in September, METALLICA said in a statement: "Jonny gave us our first break in New York, released our first albums on his Megaforce Records label, and put us out on the road for our first real tour. With Marsha by his side, Jonny was a mentor, a manager, a label head, and a father figure to us all.... we would not be where we are today without the two of them. Sadly, we recently lost both Jonny and Marsha, just a little more than a year apart.

"We'll be cooking up a special setlist for you full of songs from our days with Jonny and Marsha at Megaforce. Our main touring partner from that time, RAVEN, will be joining us to add to the celebration and bring back the memories."

A portion of the proceeds from this show are being donated in Jonny and Marsha's name to MusiCares, a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community offering preventive, emergency, and recovery programs to musicians and industry professionals. Additionally, All Within My Hands once again supported Feeding South Florida with a donation following the show.

Jonny Z died in February at the age of 69. Jonny died of complications of the rare neuropathic disorder chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP),chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteopenia, his family said. Marsha passed away of cancer in January of last year.

Megaforce is widely credited for launching the career of METALLICA by releasing the band's first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning", before METALLICA landed a major label deal with Elektra. Megaforce's roster has also included such artists as ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, OVERKILL, Ace Frehley, MINISTRY, KING'S X, STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH and RAVEN.

Born in 1952, Jonny began his extraordinary journey as a renegade youth who went from living on the streets of the Bronx in New York City, to later working on Wall Street, and eventually (and unexpectedly) transitioning into the music business and discovering METALLICA, ANTHRAX and others.

After Wall Street, Jonny Z began selling records at a flea market store in 1981 to put food on the table for his family. Dubbed Rock N' Roll Heaven, the store eventually blossomed into a major record store that influenced the heavy metal movement as we know it today. In the winter of 1982, Jonny Z received an unexpected demo tape from unsigned underground band called METALLICA. Eager and determined to have the music heard by the entire world, Jonny and Marsha founded Megaforce the following year and released "Kill 'Em All". Through this release, Megaforce cemented its position as the de-facto music label in America for heavy metal.

Jon's acclaimed autobiography, "Heavy Tales: The Metal. The Music. The Madness. As Lived By Jon Zazula", was released in October 2019. The book tells the story of how the Zazulas ended up signing a band that shaped the sound of heavy metal for decades to come.

"It's all a blessing when you work hard and you stay smart and you go into the game and then eventually something comes your way and you're ready for it. And you're able to jump upon it and ride it," Jonny told Variety. "We were very fortunate, Marsha and I, that we have them to choose as a band that became the biggest band in the world. Not to mention a bunch of other great bands that made history."

Former GREAT WHITE singers Jack Russell and Terry Ilous came together for one night, on one stage, for an acoustic storytelling show on October 29 at Rockefellas bar in Corona, California. Russell and Ilous shared stories about their long rock and roll careers. Fans in attendance got a chance to hear about the inspiration behind some of GREAT WHITE's biggest hits and learn how the songs came to be. Check out video below.

All proceeds from this show benefited the Warrior Built Foundation which works to honor the service and sacrifice of combat veterans and wounded service members through vocational and recreational opportunities. The Foundation provides new motivation, camaraderie and sparks veterans' imaginations while most importantly offering a release to cope with similar difficulties in a positive and therapeutic way. Warrior Built does this in a safe, fun, and supportive environment all while providing much-needed different forms of therapy.

Last month, Jack and Terryteamed up to record a semi-acoustic version of "I Won't Back Down", one of the most iconic classic rock songs by TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS. They also released a Tim Sheridan-directed music video for the track.

Back in July 2018, Russell slammed his former bandmates in GREAT WHITE for the "deceitful" way Ilous was kicked out of the group.

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

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was shown the door and replaced with Mitch Malloy.

Ilous later released a statement in which he claimed he was blindsided by his dismissal from GREAT WHITE, saying that he "proudly invested" all of his energy and focus "into the GREAT WHITE brand."

Russell, who was himself fired from GREAT WHITE in December 2011 (after being on hiatus from the group since 2009),took to his Facebook page to offer his thoughts on Terry's departure from the band, writing: "I just wanted to express my condolences to Terry Ilous for the deceitful way my X band members dealt with the situation of his termination kind of reminds me of something else. Huh? In the last few months Terry and I have gotten to know each other through Linkedin have become what I would say friends. As far as I'm concerned, he's a great guy and he had an opportunity and he took it. The fact is it was my fault that it all happened to begin with. I was unreliable, unhealthy and my addiction ruled my world. I wouldn't have wanted to play with me either if I were them. The only thing I was very upset about was the way they went about it. But at least Terry got an e-mail where I received nothing not even a phone call or a return message. But this is not about me this is about Terry. I'm sure he will find his way to a better place as he is a great singer and has a lot of talent and I have a lot of respect for him. I wish him well and I hope you will all support him in his future efforts."

Russell sued his onetime bandmates in 2012 over their continued use of the GREAT WHITE name after the singer had taken a leave of absence from the band for medical reasons. A short time later, Russell was countersued by guitarist Mark Kendall, keyboardist/guitarist 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 with a new lineup as JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE while the others are continuing as GREAT WHITE.

Back in June 2020, Russell teamed up with Ilous, along with guitarists Robby Lochner and Phil Woodward, for a special acoustic concert on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise Facebook page. The set included acoustic renditions of songs from GREAT WHITE, XYZ and LED ZEPPELIN.

DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren spoke to the 105.1 The Blaze radio station about the band's plans for live concerts in support its upcoming album, "Divisive", which will arrive on November 18 via Reprise. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've done a few handful of shows this past year. We've been playing [the first single] 'Hey You' as part of the set. It goes over really well. The last two shows we even played [the second single] 'Unstoppable', which was the instant-grat track. We will absolutely play the next single and whatever else we can throw out there. It's all about interweaving the songs that everybody wants to hear. The old-school original classics from us — 'Down With The Sickness'; you're always gonna get that — and then, of course, throw the new songs in there as well."

He continued: "We're in the process right now of trying to get it all sort of ironed out, all the details in terms of touring for next year. It's still a crazy time, a crazy environment for touring, with fuel costs being so high; trucking and busing, supply chain issues. So we're just trying to navigate that, just like any other industry out there."

"Divisive" 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".

After guitarist Dan Donegan shared initial ideas with the rest of the group, they locked in like never before with the groove as the backbone. Drummer Mike Wengren bolted down some of the strongest and boldest rhythms of their career punctuated by John Moyer's punchy bass. Together, the musicians collectively conjured the focus and fire of their seminal early output augmented by airtight songcraft and a heightened level of musical chemistry that could only be forged by years of writing and touring together.

"Divisive" marks the first time the band has included a guest feature on an LP, boasting the epic emotionally charged duet "Don't Tell Me" with HEART's Ann Wilson.

About the "Divisive" album, singer David 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."

In an interview with Heavy Consequence at this year's Louder Than Life festival in late September, BAD RELIGION guitarist Brian Baker confirmed that there are plans for the band to begin work on the follow-up to 2019's "Age Of Unreason" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "I just talked to Brett [Gurewitz, guitar] the other day. He's starting to dust off his writing boots. And the process is the same always. A new record comes once Brett and Greg [Graffin, vocals] have written enough songs that they wanna share with each other and see, like, 'Are we on the right path?' And sometimes that takes… If there's two years between albums, sometimes there's four, but there's always an album. And it's exciting that it's gonna start. So hopefully we'll get something done next year."

Having celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020, BAD RELIGION formed in 1980 in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The band has become synonymous with intelligent and provocative West Coast punk rock and are considered one of the most influential and important bands in the genre. BAD RELIGION has continually pushed social boundaries and questioned authority and beliefs armed only with propulsive guitars, charging drumbeats, thoughtful lyrics and an undying will to inspire and provoke anyone who will listen.

The band released its 17th studio album, "Age Of Unreason", in 2019. The critically acclaimed record offers a fiery and intensely relevant musical response to the times, with songs that address a myriad of socio-political maladies, including conspiracy theories, racist rallies, Trump's election, the erosion of the middle class, alternative facts and more. There is a stylistic consistency to the band's iconic and influential sound — hard fast beats, big hooks and rousing choruses, yet each new song remains distinctive, utilizing composition, melody and lyrics to deliver a unique narrative consistent with the band's longstanding humanist worldview.

In December 2020, BAD RELIGION celebrated its 40 years of making music with "Decades", a four-episode online streaming event captured live at The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California. The band felt it important to commemorate the conclusion of 2020 as a strange moment in history when they reached that 40-year milestone. The celebratory episodes included live performance footage, exclusive interviews, and a peek at their rehearsals leading up to the taping of "Decades".

In August 2020, BAD RELIGION released its autobiography, "Do What You Want: The Story Of Bad Religion", written with the group's full cooperation and support. It reveals the ups and downs of the band's 40-year career, from their beginnings as teenagers experimenting in a San Fernando Valley garage dubbed "The Hell Hole" to headlining major music festivals around the world. The book predominantly features the four principal voices of BAD RELIGION in a hybrid oral history/narrative format: Graffin, Gurewitz, Jay Bentley and Baker. It also includes rare photos and never-before-seen material from their archives.

New Jersey melodic thrash-metal warriors GOD FORBID performed at this year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival on September 10 at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. The show marked GOD FORBID's first live appearance in over nine years.

GOD FORBID's lineup for the concert included Doc Coyle (guitar),Byron Davis (vocals),Corey Pierce (drums) and John "Beeker" Outcalt (bass),along with Nick Hipa (guitar; ex-AS I LAY DYING),who joined the group in July.

Speaking to the "Everblack" podcast about GOD FORBID's return to the stage, Coyle said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[It was] a lot of fun. [It was] very challenging. That material is really taxing, especially when you've stepped away [from it for a while]. I've always stayed pretty up with it as far as playing it consistently, but it was a thing where once we kind of all got into a room, it was pretty much all there in terms of the chemistry and the sound and the power of the songs. It's cool, because you don't know how it's gonna be. You take a long time away from something, and you don't know how well it's gonna age or [if] you [are] gonna feel like you're putting on an old pair of shoes that doesn't exactly fit. But it was great, man — it was just great being around everybody.'

He continued: "It was a stressful situation because it was a festival kind of in the middle of nowhere, and the logistical parts of that was a lot to deal with. But we figured it out. We had a lot of things go wrong, but everything ended up working out pretty well. I thought the show was great; it was a lot of fun. And now we have some new opportunities coming up for next year. We're not gonna do a ton of stuff. Some of the guys have got kids and jobs and stuff, so I don't think there's an opportunity for the band to be a full-time thing or [to do] a full tour. It'd be hard to imagine how that would work, logistically. But it's cool that the band still seems to have a place in the hearts of a lot of people. And so we're gonna try and honor that as much as possible. I don't have kids yet — I do music as my career — so for me it's not a big deal; I can play it whenever; I can go on tour with GOD FORBID whenever. But I can't make that promise for everyone else. And it's a collective affair."

GOD FORBID officially called it quits in August 2013 following Doc's departure.

This past May, Doc told the "Drinks With Johnny" podcast that he didn't rule out putting out new music with GOD FORBID.

"I was kind of the main kind of riff writer [and] songwriter for the band for a good portion of those last few records," he explained. "So me as a writer, there's always stuff [I'm working on that] I'm, like, 'That sounds like a GOD FORBID thing.' So there's always stuff that I'll just kind of put to the side or kind of [have] in the back of my [head] that theoretically could be that. So there's definitely some material that definitely could exist, but I am very much taking it one step at a time.

"I have a tendency to have a lot of big ideas and go [down] a lot of rabbit holes [in] my head, but unfortunately — not even unfortunately — you want to make sure everyone's a part of that, not just it's my little kind of… Sometimes I get all hyped up in my head, but it's. like, it takes a village, and everyone has to be on board," he continued. "It's important to make sure everyone is excited about anything you're doing; that's just very, very important to me.

"I really enjoy the band dynamic and having everyone be involved and be excited about stuff because I really believe in the synergy of that. I think GOD FORBID was one of those bands where the sum was better than the parts, that everyone together made something that outpaced our actual talent and ability, you know, because of the chemistry."

As previously reported, GOD FORBID will take part in LAMB OF GOD and Sixthman's first-ever Headbangers Boat, sailing October 31 - November 4, 2023, from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas aboard the Norwegian Pearl.

GOD FORBID's latest album, "Equilibrium", was released in March 2012 via Victory Records. The bulk of the CD was recorded by Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM),with Jason Suecof (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER) stepping in during the the vocal-tracking stage. The effort was mixed by acclaimed Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who previously worked with such acts as KATATONIA, OPETH, PARADISE LOST and AMON AMARTH.

"Equilibrium" sold 3,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 156 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort landed at No. 7 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Photo courtesy of Headbangers Boat

The popular vinyl collectible company Funko — best known for its big-headed Pop! figures — has unveiled another one of its latest artist collaborations: legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio.

Announced as part of Funko's 2022 Popapalooza (also styled as Pop!apalooza) lineup, the Ronnie James Dio vinyl figure portrays the BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and DIO frontman holding a microphone in one hand and doing the rock "devil horns" in the other while wearing a front-lacing shirt and moon-and-stars-adorned jeans.

The new Ronnie James Dio Funko Pop! figure is approximately four inches tall and will retail for $12. It can be pre-ordered at Funko.com.

Other artists who have gotten the Pop! treatment in the past include KISS, IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, DEF LEPPARD, Rob Zombie, SLIPKNOT, SLAYER, GHOST, MOTÖRHEAD and Joan Jett.

A Funko vinyl Pop! figure, or popularly known as a "Pop!", is packaged carefully inside a box with a transparent front. The figurine is made out of vinyl and may come as a bobblehead.

Headquartered in Everett, Washington, Funko designs, sources and distributes merchandise based on some of the world’s most coveted licenses across multiple categories, including vinyl figures, board games, action toys, plush, apparel, housewares, NFTs, vinyl records, posters and accessories.

Funko products are created for consumers who seek tangible ways to identify and connect with their favorite pop culture brands and characters.

The company was founded in 1998 by Mike Becker who started Funko as a bobblehead company; The company was sold in 2004 to Brian Mariotti who then introduced the iconic Funko Pop! figures.

Popapalooza is a music-themed virtual event in which Funko reveals new collectibles inspired by popular singers and bands.

Funko continues to invest in the music vertical with Pop! Rocks, Pop! Albums, Gold and most recently, announced a co-branded retail store with Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg House, that will open in early 2023.

SHINEDOWN's Brent Smith joined LYNYRD SKYNYRD on stage this past Sunday (November 13) at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee to perform the classic LYNYRD SKYNYRD song "Simple Man". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

SHINEDOWN recorded a cover of "Simple Man" in 2004 as an acoustic "thank you" to LYNYRD SKYNYRD singer Ronnie Van Zant's widow Judy Van Zant and later included it — in both acoustic and hard rock versions — on the re-release of the band's debut album, "Leave A Whisper".

In introducing Smith to the stage at the Nashville concert, LYNYRD SKYNYRD lead singer Johnny Van Zant said: "This next guest, these guys, his band, they're from Jacksonville, Florida, by the way — where LYNYRD SKYNYRD's from. And they did this song so great. When we were thinking about doing this show, I said, 'Man, we'd love to have him.' Y'all give it up for our good buddy… Y'all give it up for Mr. Smith from SHINEDOWN."

On Tuesday (November 15),Brent shared a photo of his performance with LYNYRD SKYNYRD, and he included the following message: "Still trying to process this moment… Thank you @skynyrd and @johnnyroyvanzant for allowing me to be a part of this extraordinary event!!! GOD BLESS #LynyrdSkynyrd GOD BLESS the #simpleman and #woman".

Smith previously spoke about how SHINEDOWN's cover of "Simple Man" came about in an interview with Metal Hammer magazine. He said: "Our original guitar player, Jasin Todd, was married to Melody Van Zant [Ronnie Van Zant's daughter]. When I was writing 'Leave A Whisper', Judy [Van Zant, Ronnie's widow] put me up in her guesthouse, and our first show in front of an audience there to see us was at a club Judy and Melody owned. After we started touring, we played 'Simple Man' on a radio show in Boston. They released it as an MP3 and it got downloaded 500,000 times. After that, we recorded the song in the studio in three takes."

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

Led by tracks like "Daylight" and title track "Planet Zero", the album's searing social commentary boldly confronts the societal forces that perpetuate divisiveness while offering a restorative path forward through empathy and open conversation — ultimately serving as a reminder that it is our human connections that matter the most.

"Planet Zero" is the latest addition to SHINEDOWN's record-breaking catalog that has earned the band recognition for their timely and relevant messages behind their chart-topping hits that resonate with not only their global audience and the rock community, but the greater public and our culture at large.

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The popular vinyl collectible company Funko — best known for its big-headed Pop! figures — has unveiled its latest artist collaboration: TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider.

Announced as part of Funko's 2022 Popapalooza (also styled as Pop!apalooza) lineup, the Dee Snider vinyl figure is approximately four inches tall.

Official figure description: "Send societal expectations crashing through the window and add Pop! Dee Snider of TWISTED SISTER to your Pop! Rocks set. Pop! Dee Snider wants to rock your collection with iconic, rebellious, head-banging beats. Grow your Pop! Rocks collection and set the stage for your own concert."

The Dee Snider figure can be pre-ordered at this location.

Other artists who have gotten the Pop! treatment in the past include KISS, IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, DEF LEPPARD, Rob Zombie, SLIPKNOT, SLAYER, GHOST, MOTÖRHEAD and Joan Jett.

A Funko vinyl Pop! figure, or popularly known as a "Pop!", is packaged carefully inside a box with a transparent front. The figurine is made out of vinyl and may come as a bobblehead.

Headquartered in Everett, Washington, Funko designs, sources and distributes merchandise based on some of the world’s most coveted licenses across multiple categories, including vinyl figures, board games, action toys, plush, apparel, housewares, NFTs, vinyl records, posters and accessories.

Funko products are created for consumers who seek tangible ways to identify and connect with their favorite pop culture brands and characters.

The company was founded in 1998 by Mike Becker who started Funko as a bobblehead company; The company was sold in 2004 to Brian Mariotti who then introduced the iconic Funko Pop! figures.

Popapalooza is a music-themed virtual event in which Funko reveals new collectibles inspired by popular singers and bands.

Funko continues to invest in the music vertical with Pop! Rocks, Pop! Albums, Gold and most recently, announced a co-branded retail store with Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg House, that will open in early 2023.

Fan-filmed video of ARMORED SAINT's November 15 performance at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, Maryland can be seen below.

As reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET on Tuesday, ARMORED SAINT frontman John Bush is sitting out one or more of the shows on the band's ongoing U.S. tour with W.A.S.P. after coming down with an "illness" which "infiltrated" his "nasal and chest area". Filling in for him is Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, BROKEN TEETH),who 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. trek.

Earlier on Tuesday, Bush released the following statement via social media: "What up SAINT faithful!!

"The tour has been awesome so far. We've had killer shows with incredible receptions, so we thank you all who've attended. You guys have been amazing! We also want to thank the WASP camp. They have been extremely kind to us throughout the run.

"Unfortunately, luck has dealt me a gnarly knuckle ball. I came down with an illness and even though it hasn't made me feel bad, it still has infiltrated my nasal and chest area and planted itself. I tried to push through in typical John Bush fashion in Cleveland and Pittsburgh but by doing so I jacked up my pipes and now I sit in Baltimore frustrated and emotionally distraught. Luckily, long- time friend and ARMORED SAINT fan Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS/ BROKEN TEETH) is coming to the rescue again. He's already helped ACCEPT earlier this year on tour and now he's stepping into the batter's box for me. I am extremely grateful, and I know he'll kill it!

"I've seen a great doctor and he's got me on the mend and I hope to be onstage soon.

"I'm out here on the road and I plan on being near the stage in giving my band members my support.

"Thanks to the fans for your understanding and don't be offended if I don't talk to you."

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.

Thank you VERY MUCH John, Joey, Jeff, Gonzo, & Phil (Armored Saint) for signing my stuff, chatting with me, and posing for these photos before tonight's show.

#armoredsaint #ramsheadlive

Posted by Patrick L. Dunne on Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Celebrating their 35th anniversary as a band, Brooklyn, New York hardcore metal legends BIOHAZARD have returned, reuniting their original lineup of guitarist/vocalist Billy Gradziadei, guitarist Bobby Hambel, drummer Danny Schuler and bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld.

The first wave of confirmed dates for the seminal outfit includes multiple international festivals in the summer of 2023, as well as select appearances in America.

In addition to touring, BIOHAZARD has a 35th-anniversary documentary in the works containing previously unreleased footage spanning four decades. They also plan on returning to the studio to record new material in early 2023.

"BIOHAZARD is an iconic band that ripped it up on the streets of New York when I lived there in the late '80s and early '90s, so I'm excited to be working with them to bring their pioneering hardcore sound to a new generation," says Andy Gould (ROB ZOMBIE, PANTERA, TYPE O NEGATIVE). The band is managed by Gould and Paul Gargano and booked by Jim Morewood at the K2 Agency internationally, and Steve Sokol at Pinnacle in North America.

States Graziadei: "Over the years, we made some great music together and had so many incredible shows on some pretty amazing tours. After spending so much time and focus on POWERFLO and my solo project BILLYBIO, things just fell in place at the right time and I decided it was the time to recapture that energy and go kick ass again with the original lineup of BIOHAZARD with DannyBobby, and Evan!"

Adds Hambel: "I'm honored to perform with the band again. I can't wait to get onstage with the guys and do what we do! I'm looking forward to traveling and playing live. See you out there!"

Says Schuler: "Life is short, things happen, and before you know it, it's too late. That's why I'm extremely grateful that we are getting the chance to do this again, forgiving the past and focusing on the future. I've missed the band and the great times we've had, and I'm looking forward to the shows, the travel, and seeing our friends all over the world again… This is gonna be awesome. Let's go!"

States Seinfeld: "It's been ten years since we all played together, and I'm in a huge place of gratitude for the opportunity to get back to the roots of BIOHAZARD and not only reconnect with the other guys, but also the fans. We've been through decades of madness, and it feels like the fantastic four are back together."

BIOHAZARD 2023 tour dates, with more to be announced:

Aug. 04 - Czaplinek, Poland - Pol'and'Rock Festival
Aug. 10 - Jeromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault
Aug. 13 - Catton Park, England - Bloodstock
Aug. 19 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Dynamo Metalfest

Earlier this year, Graziadei said in an interview that there had been "talk" about putting BIOHAZARD back together.

The group, which is acknowledged as one of the earliest outfits to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip-hop, has been out of the public eye since Scott Roberts left the band more than six years ago.

Roberts, who played guitar on BIOHAZARD's 2005 album "Means To An End", rejoined the group in June 2011 as the replacement for Seinfeld. Scott fronted BIOHAZARD for nearly five years before exiting the band in February 2016.

Asked by Metal Injection about BIOHAZARD's status, Billy said in March: "We talk often. I was with Evan at a memorial for my friend Scott [Koenig], and it was great to see him. Danny and Bobby and I talk quite often, and during the pandemic there were a few people that wanted to play bass for us. And then during the pandemic, we were all discussing and had a heart to heart. And basically, the outcome was, like, life's too short. If we don't take away anything from this pandemic, it's, like, if we're going to do something, let's put the band back together again.

"I'm the only member of the band that's still active in music," he continued. "I know the guys do things here and there, but it's what I do with what I love. It's me, so I'm going to keep going.

"With BIOHAZARD, it's always been a vibe thing with us. It's not like we sit down and say, 'Hey, in 2023, let's make an album. Let's go on tour and release the album mid-tour.' In a business sense, that'd be great. If I had the business sense that I have now, I would have been way more successful. But like I said, that was never my goal. It's still not my goal. My goal is music and art first. I probably won't be recognized for anything awesome until I'm dead and gone, but it's okay. I have other means to pay the bills and I have a great wife who supports me.

"BIOHAZARD is kind of like a vibe thing," Billy added. "It's like when the planets align and shit lines up, we do it. There's been different crazy twists and turns of our history, and I would imagine there will be in the future, but that's life. The pandemic was the fucking craziest curveball anyone ever thought would come, you know?"

In an August 2020 interview with the "Aftershocks" podcast, Roberts said that he left BIOHAZARD because he "wasn't happy" anymore. "There was one guy that I wasn't getting along with very well, and it made touring not fun anymore for me," he said. "My reason to stick around was to make a new record that was great and I'd be proud of and all that stuff, and then it became kind of clear that wasn't gonna happen, so I was, like, 'What am I doing it for?' So I quit."

According to Roberts, BIOHAZARD was "doing really good" on the live circuit before his decision to leave the group.

"I was actually in the band longer than anybody else that wasn't the original four guys," he said. "I was in the band twice, actually; I played guitar the first time. So I was in the band, like, seven years, I think. The second time, when I was singing, at first, we were, like, 'Is this gonna work?' 'Cause it's really hard to replace a singer. In history, how many times has that actually worked? IRON MAIDEN, AC/DC… a handful of times. At first, it was definitely weird; people didn't know what to expect. But in time, the shows were getting bigger again, we were headlining festivals again — it was rolling, it was happening, it was working. But it all kind of fell apart."

In a 2017 interview with "The Ex Man" podcast, Graziadei discussed Roberts's split from the group, saying that the other members of the band "got into some issues" with Scott once work began on a new studio album. "He just grew out of it," Billy claimed. "He was a fucking rigger in New York in the union, making tons of money, and leaving his family to go on tour for making a little bit of money, it didn't pay for him. So I think that started harboring some issues with him. And eventually we were in the studio doing the new record, and we had some exchanges back and forth, and he quit. And we were, like, 'Fuck! Here we are again.'"

Scott later responded to Billy's comments, saying that he quit BIOHAZARD because it was no longer fun. "I was okay with losing money on tour as long as I was enjoying myself," Roberts wrote on his Facebook page. "I would have kept doing that. The real problem was I wasn't getting along with one of the members and wasn't enjoying myself on tour with them anymore. The only other reason for me to keep doing it, was to make a new record that I was into and proud of. When another member of the band made it clear to me that wasn't going to happen, there was no reason for me to do it anymore. That's the simplest way I can explain it."

He added: "The only reason to be in a band is for the love of it. Not because it's a career. If you don't enjoy what you're doing, you shouldn't do it. That's my opinion, for what's it worth."

In "The Ex Man" interview, Billy said that BIOHAZARD's collaboration with Roberts "just worked. The band without Evan, in a small, hardcore way, it's like VAN HALEN without David Lee Roth. It was different, it was something new, but it was different… Scott had the fire that we all had, and it just seemed to work, and people accepted him. He was great, he fit great, his vibe was great, he was all about the music, loved hardcore, loved what we did, he was really into it, and it was fucking awesome. So we toured, we kept doing it. And we saw the crowds getting bigger and the people accepted him and the BIOHAZARD name... the brand started growing again; instead of being stagnant or declining, it started to grow. And the shows kept doing better and better. And we were, like, 'Cool. Let's keep this going.'"

Seinfeld made his last recorded appearance with BIOHAZARD on 2012's "Reborn In Defiance" album, which marked the first LP featuring the band's original lineup in 18 years.

Graziadei is currently a member of POWERFLO, which also features former FEAR FACTORY bassist/guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers, Sen Dog from CYPRESS HILL, and Rogelio Lozano from DOWNSET.

Billy's solo project, BILLYBIO, released a new album, "Leaders And Liars", in March via AFM Records.

Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL have canceled their previously announced tour of United Kingdom and Ireland due to "the huge financial crisis UK and Europe are living through that affects entertainment sales." The trek was scheduled to kick off on November 30 in Colchester and conclude on December 11 in London.

Earlier today (Wednesday, November 16),MOONSPELL released the following statement via social media: "By agreement with the majority of the promoters and our agency, we have decided to CANCEL our Fullmoon Over The UK-IRE tour.

"We are obviously desolate in bringing such sad news yet we had no other option. The reasons behind this decision are, as you can imagine, the huge financial crisis UK and Europe are living through that affects entertainment sales.

"We wish to meet you under better circumstances and will work hard to bring a show that is worth your money and time, hopefully in 2023.

"To everybody who bought a ticket please accept our apologies and gratitude. You can ask for your refund at your ticket provider.

"To all the promoters, we sincerely thank you for your efforts and preference and hope to work together again in a near future.

"The shows in Greece, Israel and Dubai are going to happen and are not affected by this cancellation.

"Thanks for your support, under the spell!!!"

This past August, MOONSPELL canceled its summer 2022 North American tour due to "unsolvable logistic and transportation problems".

In September, MOONSPELL released a very special Blu-ray/DVD and album, a live performance of their latest studio album, "Hermitage" (2021),with "From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep" via Napalm Records.

MOONSPELL's 13th studio album, "Hermitage", was released in February 2021 via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano (PARADISE LOST, PRIMORDIAL, GHOST, SÓLSTAFIR) at the Orgone Studios in the U.K.

In 2020, MOONSPELL parted ways with original drummer Miguel "Mike" Gaspar and replaced him with Hugo Ribeiro (no relation to singer Fernando Ribeiro).

By agreement with promoters and our agency, we have decided to CANCEL our Fullmoon Over the UK AND IRELAND tour.

We...

Posted by Moonspell on Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess recently jammed with jazz guitarist Eric Assarsson and has shared a clip from the session. Check it out below. 


Rudess: "A great music hang with Eric! We created this fun musical madness in our short time together at my studio."







In the clip below, Rudess takes a deep dive into the ELP classic "Tarkus", which he calls "one of the most influential songs of my musical life."


"Tarkus" is taken from the Emerson, Lake & Palmer album of the same name, released in 1971. Side one had the seven-part "Tarkus", with a collection of shorter tracks on side two. Tarkus went #1 on the UK Albums Chart, peaked at #9 in the US, and reached #12 in Canada on two occasions, totalling 4 weeks.

ARMORED SAINT frontman John Bush will be forced to sit out one or more of the shows on the band's ongoing U.S. tour with W.A.S.P. after coming down with an "illness" which "infiltrated" his "nasal and chest area". Filling in for him will be Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, BROKEN TEETH),who 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. trek.

Earlier today, Bush released the following statement via social media: "What up SAINT faithful!!

"The tour has been awesome so far. We've had killer shows with incredible receptions, so we thank you all who've attended. You guys have been amazing! We also want to thank the WASP camp. They have been extremely kind to us throughout the run.

"Unfortunately, luck has dealt me a gnarly knuckle ball. I came down with an illness and even though it hasn't made me feel bad, it still has infiltrated my nasal and chest area and planted itself. I tried to push through in typical John Bush fashion in Cleveland and Pittsburgh but by doing so I jacked up my pipes and now I sit in Baltimore frustrated and emotionally distraught. Luckily, long- time friend and ARMORED SAINT fan Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS/ BROKEN TEETH) is coming to the rescue again. He's already helped ACCEPT earlier this year on tour and now he's stepping into the batter's box for me. I am extremely grateful, and I know he'll kill it!

"I've seen a great doctor and he's got me on the mend and I hope to be onstage soon.

"I'm out here on the road and I plan on being near the stage in giving my band members my support.

"Thanks to the fans for your understanding and don't be offended if I don't talk to you."

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.

MESSAGE FROM JOHN BUSH AND ARMORED SAINT :

What up Saint faithful!!
The tour has been awesome so far. We've had killer...

Posted by Armored Saint on Tuesday, November 15, 2022

The sixth album by the technical death band Mastic Scum, Icon, has been in shops since October 7. After their video clip for "Slavebreed", the Austrians have now released another lyric video, "Create And Destroy'', in which the breathtaking artwork of the longplayer, created by GSDsign, is once again impressively set in the scene.





The complete album is not only available at streaming platforms, but also as a CD jewelcase, digipak edition in a boxset, and limited red vinyl in stores, at the label, the band or at the mailorder of your choice and contains ten massively groovy death anthems. Order at mdd-shop.de







“Digital Dementia”:

Lingering in the unknown regions of the galaxy for many years, Pennsylvania’s Vis Mystica has returned to known space to unleash an onslaught of music that has not been seen for a thousand generations: Jedi Metal! Influenced heavily by power metal, but also partly by thrash, black, and death metal bands, Vis Mystica offers escapism from everyday life and transportation into a fantastical world of magical powers and epic stories through their debut EP Celestial Wisdom and the most recent single “Legacy Of The Builders” featuring David Michael Moote of Operus and Ty Christian of Lords of the Trident. 


They explain the track:


“Builders is a more cynical track that introduces our villains; the brutal Rakatan Empire. This song outlines the arrogance of this race and their quest for not only dominance, but their desire to be truly immortal and have a galaxy of slaves to build monuments to their glory and dominance.”




Vis Mystica comes from the mind of Pennsylvania’s Connor McCray, who is a massive fan of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its various lore. So far, all of his lyrics have been his retelling of the Dawn of the Jedi comics from Dark Horse Comics. It’s been a long time coming and now he is ready to unleash the debut EP “Celestial Wisdom” upon the galaxy on December 2nd, 2022 via Dark Star Records. The EP is produced by Chad Anderson (Helion Prime) and so far, three singles have been released to tantalize listeners far and wide.


“Whispering Winds Of Fate” ft. Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland) is the intro song and the shortest song on the EP. It serves as a guide to the main world in which the story takes place - Tython. This song describes the sentient world calling out telepathically to beings spread throughout the galaxy to board ships and come bask in the planet’s knowledge and secrets.


“The Plains Of Silence” takes us back to Tython to the Silent Desert, where all sound is nullified and students can meditate on the power of the world. This was the first song written for the EP and definitely has a much more “happy” feel than many of the other songs McCray has written.


“Lux Et Veritas” is another kind of “happy” song but the lyrics tell a completely different story. This song is based on the prisoner Daegen Lok, who was exiled for prophesying a coming war between the Rakatans and the people of Tython.


“We are trying to provide fans with escapism from everyday life and transportation into a fantastical world of magical powers and epic stories. We expect the EP to be received very well; while we take great influence from other bands we are quite confident that we possess a style that is somewhat unique in the Power Metal landscape,” the band comments.


Vis Mystica is recommended for Star Wars fans and those who like Rhapsody, Blind Guardian, and Iron Maiden. They also have a crowdfunding campaign set up for the EP. Head here.


Pre-order the EP here.





Tracklisting:


"Whispering Winds Of Fate" (feat. Jonas Heidgert - Dragonland)
"Legacy Of The Builders" (feat. David Michael Moote - Operus and Ty Christian - Lords of the Trident)
"The Plains Of Silence"
"Lux Et Veritas" (feat. David Michael Moote - Operus)
"Beyond The Gates Of Fury"


CD Bonus Tracks:


"The Plains Of Silence" (2020 Demo feat. Jesse Isadore)
"Introitus" (2016 Demo)
"Secrets Of The Maps" (2016 Instrumental Demo)


"Legacy Of The Builders":














EP Credits:


• All songs performed by: Vis Mystica
• All songs written by: Connor McCray
• Produced by: Chad Anderson
• Mixed by: Chad Anderson
• Mastered by: Chad Anderson
• EP Artwork by: Cody Bucher


EP band lineup:


Connor McCray - Guitar, Bass, Orchestration
Devin Dewyer - Vocals
Dillon Trollope - Drums

The third Docker's Guild album, The Mystic Technocracy - Season 2: The Age of Entropy, is out on physical CD. In a few days it will be released in physical format (CD Digipack). Go to the digital platforms here. Order the CD on Bandcamp.





Check out the new single "Die Today" below:







The overall narrative arc of Docker's Guild's space opera is quite complex and has been worked out down to the smallest detail. Album after album, you'll visit the dark world of The Mystic Technocracy, where a silicon-based techno-organic alien race attempts to wipe out all life on Earth through organized religion, while a tormented scientist makes his life's mission to save. humanity. The search for him will take him through the universe and on a personal journey from which there is no return.


You will meet many characters such as Dr. Jack Heisenberg, Tith, ZZ-999, Cardinal Berengar Yersinia, Lucy Higgs, Adam V, Camilla, Cassilda and many more. You will visit the alien worlds of Silix IV and Carbonia in the Andromeda Galaxy and travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs to witness their extinction.


The lineup is split in two halves:


International Artists:


Douglas R. Docker (Biloxi, Vivaldi Metal Project, Chronomaster Project): bass, keyboards, vocals, spoken voice
Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, TSO, Cher): guitars
Sascha Paeth (Avantasia): guitars
Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper): guitars
Mio Jaeger (Frantic Amber): guitars
Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Devin Townsend): vocals
Amanda Somerville (Avantasia, Trillium): vocals
Elizabeth Andrews (Frantic Amber): extreme vocals


Italian Artists:


Helly (Killin' Beaudelaire): drums
Stefano Aglì: drums
Anna Portalupi (Hardline, Tarja Turunen): bass
Luca Pisu (I Fasti, Dirty Set): bass
Roby Salvai (Roby Salvai Quintet): bass
Giorgio Novarino (The Chronomaster Project): bass
Toni Urzì (La Quadrilla): guitars
Luigi Iamundo (The Chronomaster Project): guitars
Valentina Procopio: vocals
Anna Petracca: vocals
Serena Moine: operatic vocals


- Alberto Macerata: recording engineer
- Mixed by Neil Kernon
- Produced by Douglas R. Docker


- Artwork and booklet design by CA Beckston


Check out the album preview below.

Veteran hard rockers BoyHitsCar return on November 11 with a brand new song/video, “Injustice Fatigue,” which serves as a taste of what’s to come from their forthcoming full-length, Waves Of Sound Across Oceans Of Time (which will be issued via DarkStar/Sony records some time in 2023). Find streaming options orcd.co.


The "Injustice Fatigue" single/video (directed by Pearry Reginald Teo) will arrive on most digital platforms.







Comprised of members Cregg Rondell (vocals, twelve string guitar), Mike Bartak (guitar), Bill Gower (bass guitar), and Erik Peterson (drums), the band had the following to say about their new single/video: 


“‘Injustice Fatigue’ captures the authentic spirit of BoyHitsCar, while injecting a new sonic energy with lyrical focus on modern times, for many citizens of Mother Earth have experienced some type of injustice; both individually and collectively. Yet still, most of us maintain a level of love & compassion, in our hearts…





BoyHitsCar was formed in 1993, with the idea to write melodic-heavy music that would translate well into a high energy live show. Their brand of music has been dubbed "LoveCore" - connecting people around the world in a positive way through the heavy, uplifting tones and messages found in the BHC sound.  


And seeing the band live adds a whole other dimension to their sound. “The energy between BoyHitsCar live & their fans (the LoveCore Alliance) is a unique experience. One must see and hear it to believe it,” says the band. 


Lastly, the quartet are already looking forward to the future. Upon the release of the upcoming 7th studio album, Waves Of Sound Across Oceans Of Time…BoyHitsCar will be planning US and European tour dates. Stay tuned for details on the album release and more.