The Future Past Tour features Iron Maiden presenting previously unperformed songs from the band’s most recent studio album, Senjutsu along with a focus on 1986’s iconic Somewhere In Time record, plus other classic cuts. Speaking exclusively with Metal Hammer recently, bassist / founder Steve Harris revealed that when it comes to picking what songs to play on each tour, the metal legends answer to only one voice: their own.


"This might be blunt and brutal, but we don’t do it for the audience. We do it for our own thing first. We’ve gotta feel comfortable with what we’re playing and enjoy it, and then hopefully they’ll like it. That’s always been our stance all the way through. We don’t do a census of, ‘Oh, does everyone like this or like that?’, or whatever. We don’t do that."


Read the complete report here.




On June 11th, Iron Maiden brought The Future Past tour to the Quarterback Immobilien Arena in Leipzig, Germany. Fan-filmed video from the show can be viewed below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Caught Somewhere In Time"
"Stranger In A Strange Land"
"The Writing On The Wall"
"Days Of Future Past"
"The Time Machine"
"The Prisoner"
"Death Of The Celts"
"Can I Play With Madness"
"Heaven Can Wait"
"Alexander The Great"
"Fear Of The Dark"
"Iron Maiden"


Encore:
"Hell On Earth"
"The Trooper"
"Wasted Years"

In a new interview with Graspop Metal Meeting, conducted at this weekend's festival in Dessel, Belgium, DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan was asked if he thinks the band's "quite solid" lineup is one of the main reasons for the group's success. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we have a great deal respect for each other and a brotherhood. Back in 2011, we decided we were going so hard on the road, as most bands do… It was probably at that point about 11 years, 12 years straight of just hard touring and writing, recording and touring, and we wanted to take a little hiatus and just spend some time at home with the families, with the kids. My kids were really little back then; they're teenagers now. And then when we came back together after that short break, it made us really even appreciate everything even more, after it's missing from your life for those few years. And we still have a lot to say, a lot to write about. This is therapeutic for us. We need it to get through life. Even the fans — they need music to get through life. As [DISTURBED singer] David [Draiman] says many times, [our shows are] like one big group therapy session, because we all come to concerts to escape everyday life, of whatever may be going on at work or things that may be difficult through life. You come to have an escape."

Released in November, DISTURBED's latest album, "Divisive", was recorded early last year with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) in Nashville, Tennessee.

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.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.

On June 12th, Hollywood Vampires - featuring Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen - performed at  Arena Sofia in Sofia, Bulgaria. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.


The band is rounded out by Glen Sobel, Chris Wyse and Buck Johnson.


The setlist was as follows: 




"I Want My Now" 
"Raise the Dead"
"I'm Eighteen" (Alice Cooper)
"Five to One / Break On Through (To the Other Side)" (The Doors) 
"The Boogieman Surprise"
"My Dead Drunk Friends" 
"You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" (Johnny Thunders) 
"Baba O'Riley" (The Who)
"Who's Laughing Now"
"People Who Died" (The Jim Carroll Band) 
"The Jack (AC/DC) 
"As Bad As I Am" 
"Heroes" (David Bowie) 
- Jeff Beck Tribute - (instrumental) 
"Bright Light Fright" (Aerosmith) 
"The Death and Resurrection Show" (Killing Joke) 
"Walk This Way" (Aerosmith)
"The Train Kept A-Rollin'" (Tiny Bradshaw) 


Encore:
"School's Out" (Alice Cooper)





The Hollywood Vampires tour schedule for Europe is as follows:


Tour dates:


June
20 - Rudolf Weber Arena - Oberhausen, Germany
21 - Rockhal - Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
24 - Olympiahalle - Munich, Germany
27 - Stadtpark - Hamburg, Germany
28 - Citadel Music Festival - Zitadelle Spandau - Berlin, Germany
30 - Summer in the City - Zitadelle Mainz - Mainz, Germany

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with their latest Sunday Lunch video. Watch below.


A message states: "The legendary duo rock out to the Lenny Kravitz classic in that infamous kitchen. Enjoy this revisit to "Are You Gonna Go My Way" on the day that Toyah & Robert take to the stage at the Isle Of Wight Fest, Sunday 18 June 2023."







Toyah & Robert's Sunday Lunch is going on tour throughout the UK in September and October. The couple will be accompanied by a live band, with Fripp on guitar.


Tickets are available here.





Says Toyah: “When people ask, 'What is the show going to be?', it’s going to be about the hundred years of musical experience we have between us.”


Watch the "Toyah At Home" video below, where Toyah and Robert introduce the tour concept:

Due to health reasons, Hypocrisy guitarist Thomas Elofsson (on the far right above) has been forced off the road. He checked in on Facebook:


"Okay. Today was not a good day, but at the same time it was. A few hours ago i suffered a massive heart attack. I just came out of surgery and I'm a bit tired but in good spirit 😃 I survived. 3 vains where clogged and had to be cleared. The doctor did a good job and I owe him everything i got. Thank you ❤️ The show must go on and right this minute @hypocrisyband are playing without me for the first time in 13 years! 😃
Give em hell boys!! 😁 Now im gonna rest 😁👍"



On November 26, 2021, Hypocrisy released their latest album, Worship, which saw the best global chart results in the band's history so far. And yet, the band has another ace up their sleeve.




The fierce banger, "They Will Arrive", taken from Worship, provides the perfect soundtrack to the video, which was filmed across three different concerts during their last European tour in autumn/winter 2022.


Peter Tägtgren comments: "We’ve got a chance to make another video with Damien Dausch and it feels like it completes the Worship tour. Enjoy!"





Hypocrisy will be appearing at a few festivals in Europe this summer and will play some shows with label buddies Behemoth and In Flames.


Tour dates:


June
18 - Hannover, Germany (with Behemoth)
20 - Karlsruhe, Germany (with Behemoth)


July
15 - Neukirchen, Germany - Dong Open Air
29 - Steenwijk, Netherlands - Stone Henge Fest


August
3 - Brasov, Romania - Rockstadt Extreme Fest
11 - Obermehler, Germany - Party.San Metal Open Air
12 - Jaromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault Fesival
13 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
26 - Rättvik, Sweden - Dalhalla Brinner (with In Flames)


September
8 - Hüttikon, Switzerland - Meh Suff


Hypocrisy is:


Peter Tägtgren - Vocals, Guitars
Mikael Hedlund - Bass
Henrik Axelsson - Session Drums
Thomas Elofsson - Session Guitarist


 

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson, who has become known for his weekly covers of '80s classics, has released a seven song compilation of fan favourites from his catalogue. It is now available on digital platforms. 





The tracklist is as follows: 




"Africa" (Toto)
"Headless Cross" (Black Sabbath)
"18 And Life" (Skid Row)
"You're The Voice" (John Farnham)
"The Price" (Twisted Sister)
"Alone" (Heart)
"I'm Still Standing" (Elton John) 





 





 

On June 12th, KISS performed at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Holland on their End Of The Road farewell tour. Multicam video of "I Was Made For Lovin' You" can be viewed below.





To view the complete KISS tour schedule, visit this location.







"We are finally going on the final go-around," said KISS bassist / vocalist Gene Simmons, on June 8th, during an appearance on Good Morning Britain, which can be viewed below.


Gene shared his thoughts on The End Of The Road Tour, commenting: "You have to have a little pride and self-respect. Know when to get off the stage. It's been half a century, and boy, do I look good. We've been doing this an awfully long time. I can't tell you how much it means to us to be in front of the fans and put on the spectacle of all spectacles. But on December the 2nd, New York City, Madison Square Garden, that will be the last time KISS will ever be on stage anywhere."


"Pride in a half a century of defying the critics," continued Gene. "We use them as mulch. You know what that is? You grind 'em up and you put 'em in the dirt. They don't mean anything. If it was up to critics, we wouldn't have our favorite things — Star Wars and all the fun stuff in life. We completely ignored them. And I will tell you, the finest part of being up on stage and putting on the best show on the planet is the look on the faces of the fans. I can't tell you what it means. So it's gonna be happy, because of the amazing journey we've had, but sad, of course, because it's gonna be heartbreaking." 

HIGH ON FIRE is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023 with a special slate of rejoiceful revelry. The Grammy Award-winning group, featuring bassist Jeff Matz, guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike and new drummer Coady Willis (BIG BUSINESS, MELVINS, MURDER CITY DEVILS),will bookend the jubilee with a reissue of its long-out-of-print debut, "The Art Of Self Defense", and the release of its as-yet-untitled new album, set to drop in early 2024. In between, fans can expect a slew of live performances spotlighting specific eras from the trailblazing band's historic career.

On August 4, MNRK Heavy will reissue "The Art Of Self Defense". Originally released in 2000 on the late Frank Kozik's now-defunct Man's Ruin Records, "The Art Of Self Defense" introduced the world to the towering trio and modded the template for what constituted modern-day heavy music. The celebratory reissue is completely remixed by original producer Billy Anderson, remastered by Justin Weis, and boasts a new alternative cover, expanded gatefold artwork, and the band's self-titled demo as bonus tracks. "The Art Of Self Defense" deluxe reissue, which will be available on LP in a smorgasbord of colored vinyl variants, is available for pre-order.

In additional news, HIGH ON FIRE has completed work on its new, as-yet-untitled ninth studio album and successor to 2018's "Electric Messiah", which netted the group its first Grammy for "Best Metal Performance". Recorded in Salem, Massachusetts with longtime producer Kurt Ballou, the album is the first to feature Willis, who joined HIGH ON FIRE in 2021. Additional details will be announced as available.

"HIGH ON FIRE wishes to thank everyone that has supported our efforts over the last 25 years, including the labels, road crews, friends, and families, but most importantly the FANS," says the band collectively. "We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with everyone and sharing new music soon."

In a 2019 interview with Kerrang! magazine, Pike was asked if it is fair to say that drugs have enhanced his creativity over the years. He responded: "Oh, absolutely. I think probably everyone who's a musician has some sort of mental tic that goes on, and I believe that marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms can help that and treat that in a constructive way, especially if it's helping you get your music done. Like, when I was a kid, I learned how to play guitar on acid. So it really has contributed to the way that I make music. But I can do it sober, I proved that to myself when I stopped drinking in 2012. I've had my struggles with that, but I've been as true as I can be to it, especially if I'm playing music. I didn't think I could play a show without a shot, but for a long time I was playing shows totally sober. Now I can do a little marijuana and I'm pretty happy."

Photo credit: Jason Zucco

SLIPKNOT co-founder and percussionist M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) will once again sit out some of the band's upcoming shows in order to stay home with his wife, who is suffering from undisclosed health issues.

Earlier today, Shawn took to social media to write: "Hello to all of our fans. Unfortunately I had to return back home to be with my wife due to her medical situation. Thank you for the overwhelming support for the few shows I was able to make. I'm so sorry for missing the remainder of these shows, I was really looking forward to being there. As always, I'm so gracious for your overwhelming support for our family. I will be seeing you all at our shows in July. See you soon and hail SLIPKNOT."

Earlier in the month, Crahan also missed some of SLIPKNOT's shows to be with his wife. But he was able to rejoin his bandmates in time for their appearance at last weekend's Download festival and several other ensuing dates.

In a 2005 interview with the Des Moines Register, Shawn talked about his wife's ongoing battle with Crohn's disease (a chronic inflammatory bowel disease) and her hospitalization which forced him at the time to skip the first SLIPKNOT gigs of his career.

"That's the thing I fight for most in this biz, is family," he said. "Family can and is being incorporated into rock 'n' roll. You can have a wife, you can have a child or children and be a rock 'n' roller."

"Right now has definitely been the hardest time in my life," said the father of four children.

Crahan said that "health is the most important thing you have on this planet if you're gonna have a successful life," and so he knows it's ironic that as his wife battles daily for normalcy, he's slamming his body around the stage each night.

"The older you get, the wiser you get on how to benefit from taking care of yourself in your performance," Crahan said. "But my performance is to feel uncomfortable, so I'm kind of screwed any way you look at it."

Last October, Shawn reflected on the loss of his daughter in an interview with U.K.'s Independent, saying it is one of the most horrific pains any parent can go through. Losing a child isn't something you get over," he said. "That's all I can say. It changes you — and that's it."

Gabrielle Crahan died in May 2019 in Los Angeles, with Shawn announcing the death the following day. The 22-year-old was one of four children Shawn had with his wife, Chantel, whom he married in June 1992.

SLIPKNOT is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "The End, So Far", which was released last September 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.

Hello to all of our fans. Unfortunately I had to return back home to be with my wife due to her medical situation. Thank...

Posted by Slipknot on Sunday, June 18, 2023

DIETH, the new band featuring former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, Swedish guitarist/vocalist Guilherme Miranda (formerly of ENTOMBED A.D.) and drummer Michał Łysejko (ex-DECAPITATED), performed on June 12 at Motor Rock Pub in Słupsk, Poland. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

DIETH released its debut album, "To Hell And Back", on June 2 via Napalm Records. The LP includes the song "Walk With Me Forever", featuring the first-ever solo lead vocal performance of Ellefson's career. The track's haunting accompanying music video shows Ellefson narrating a story of love and loss, directed by Oskar Szramka and starring notable Polish actors Jan Napieralski and Agnieszka Goździewicz.

Produced by DIETH, with mixing and mastering by Tomasz Zed Zalewski at Zed Studios in Chechło, Poland, the LP represents new beginnings — musically, lyrically and for the band members themselves. Weaving a sinister thread of unrelenting tech-steeped death metal and rapid thrash bangers, the members of DIETH have pushed beyond the stereotypes of their former genres to create an unexpected yet charismatic and dynamic new sonic footprint.

DIETH dropped its debut single, "In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents", in mid-2022. Met with acclaim from both fans and media alike, the surprise track marked the exciting resurgence of these three renowned musicians, coming together as a new musical force after years of silence.

Opening with an entrancing acoustic introduction, first track "To Hell And Back" quickly slams in with a punishing death metal attack. Tracks like "Dead Inside" and "Don't Get Mad … Get Even!" showcase the thrash-infused side of DIETH, while death metal anthems such as "Wicked Disdain" and "The Mark Of Cain" lean diabolical with hair-raising solos and breakneck paced rhythms backed by crushing walls of aggression. Standout "Free Us All" flirts with the record's pace by blending winding passages and aggression with throwback bass-driven interludes with psychedelic production, followed by "Heavy Is The Crown" — a slow-and-low grinder featuring stoner metal groove, a swaying chorus and a blues-infused solo. Pensive, powerful ballad "Walk With Me Forever" showcases Ellefson's lead vocal performance debut, singing about the intense loss of a loved one and their memory providing the strength to carry on.

Ending with intensely beautiful "Severance", "To Hell And Back" proves that DIETH isn't just another side project or "supergroup", but rather the collective reincarnation of three renowned heavy metal forces who, by harnessing their own pain and conflict, have delivered an exciting next chapter no metal fan will want to miss!

Ellefson says about the new album: "This album has been a terrific collaboration, building upon our past as we created a new sound together... we're looking forward to unleashing the fury!"

DIETH is:

Guilherme Miranda - Vocals, Guitar
David Ellefson - Vocals, Bass
Michał Łysejko – Drums

Do koncertu DIETH + Devour Universe / 12.06.2023/ Motor Rock Pub, Słupsk pozostał niecały tydzień. Słuchaliście już...

Posted by Motor Rock Pub on Tuesday, June 6, 2023

The reunited original lineup of BIOHAZARD — guitarist/vocalist Billy Gradziadei, guitarist Bobby Hambel, drummer Danny Schuler and bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld — played its first New York City concert in more than 12 years Friday night (June 16) at the Irving Plaza. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

The first reunion gig from Gradziadei, Hambel, Schuler and Seinfeld took place on May 26 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest at The Rave/Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

On June 7, Seinfeld shared a couple of photos of the reunited original lineup of BIOHAZARD on Instagram, and he included the following message: "Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Reuniting with BIOHAZARD after 12 years and seeing what we have all accomplished on our own, many incredible things and now so hopeful optimistic and excited for this new chapter where once again all things are possible if you believe.

"We are going to write a new album, released a documentary film with our brother at @stonefilmsnyc ,create a new branded line of merchandise and of course tour of the world. The only thing constant in life is change.

"At one point in my life I had closed the chapter on BIOHAZARD thinking there was nothing left for me to do or accomplish and now I see so many possibilities because the energy when the four of us are together is boundless. Four kids from Brooklyn who went from the street corner to festival main stages Arenas and stadiums. BIOHAZARD sold millions of albums and played thousands of concerts in 100 countries around the world. This was my life education to see the entire world as an ambassador of positivity with my music in our metal hard-core and even hip-hop styles. All of the incredible human connections I made and all of the emotions I've experienced have helped shape me into who I am today.

"What I realize today is that every day is a new beginning and if you ever feel stuck in your life just know that you are one second away from completely changing your life believing in something new putting your heart and passion and your soul into something you care about or sometimes even just loving someone or yourself. When we carry around resentments it's almost always an over reaction of our ego. Resentment is the number one offender it only hurts us.

"Life is a gift and I'm full of gratitude today for BIOHAZARD our incredible management team our incredible agencies worldwide.

"This shoot is so special to me my guy @trusttheshooter @jeremydeputat absolutely captured the many sides of BIOHAZARD in a long day at our first [email protected] 12 years.

"See you all in the pit… somewhere!

"Grateful for my brothers Billy Bobby and Danny. We can do incredible things as a team LFG!"

BIOHAZARD will make a number of other appearances throughout 2023, including at multiple international festivals in the summer, and will play select gigs in America.

This past January, Schuler told Dan Shinder of Drum Talk TV, Schuler about how BIOHAZARD came back together: "We haven't toured in about seven years, almost eight years. In about 2015, [that] was the last year of touring. We wrapped it up after that. We went in the studio to go do a record and things just kind of imploded; everybody's a bunch of crazy personalities. In the ensuing years, we didn't do anything as BIOHAZARD. And then about a year and a half ago, my brother, who lives in Torrance, California, was flying back home to New York to come see everybody. And he gets to the airport here, and he says to me, 'You won't believe who I saw at the airport.' And I said, 'Who was that?' And he goes, 'I saw Evan,' the bass player from BIOHAZARD, Evan Seinfeld, who I hadn't spoken to in 10 years. And they had a good conversation, and it was cordial. And he basically sent a message through my brother, 'Tell Danny I said hi.' So a week later, I'm going on vacation. I'm feeling good. I'm going down to the beach house here in [New] Jersey with my wife and my kids, and I said to my wife, 'Maybe I should call him' — you know, just bury the hatchet. Who cares anymore? Like everybody, COVID and all these people dying and all this stuff, it's, like, who the hell cares about all that old stuff that made you mad. So my wife was, like, 'Yeah, why don't you give him a call? Don't be an asshole. Call him.'

"Anyway, long story short, I did call him and we spoke," he continued. "And we just kind of buried the hatchet. And the other guys in the band, Bobby and Billy, had been speaking, and we've been speaking, and everybody just kind of started talking a little bit. And unfortunately, our former manager, Scott Koenig, who was out in Los Angeles, he passed away. And that was a real moment where it was, like, 'Wow.' Scott was with us from the beginning, and he was like a fifth member of the band. … That was in October of '21. … I got that call. And the same week, Ir friend of ours from a band called DOG EAT DOG, our friend Sean Kilkenny passed away the same day as Scott. So it was two phone calls, two brothers, two great, close friends, like family, both passed at the same time. And for me, that was kind of one of those things where it's just, like, who cares about all the negative bullshit in the past? Who cares? We're still here. We did great stuff together. We created something cool. We should all be friends. And that was my thinking. And everyone kind of felt the same way. And that kind of was the beginning of how it started, getting the band together."

As for the possibility of a new BIOHAZARD album, Schuler said: "Making new music wasn't really something I was really thinking about too much, but it's come up so much in the last few months since we've been talking about all this stuff. So we'll see how it goes. There's definitely interest there for us to do it. I just hope we can do it. I wanna be able to do it at the level we always did it at.

"I write a lot of music on my own, of course, but I'm very much into collaboration," he explained. "I've always needed a partner, or partners, to really bring the best out of me, to challenge myself. And I always loved getting in a room with these guys. We've always come up with great stuff when we're in the right mindset to do it. So I'm excited to get in a room with them and just let shit fly. I have the energy for it, I'm ready and I'm excited to do it, and I think they are too. So I'm hopeful that we're gonna make something really cool and different and innovative."

In addition to touring, BIOHAZARD has a 35th-anniversary documentary in the works containing previously unreleased footage spanning four decades.

"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," said 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.

Stated 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!"

Added 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!"

Stated 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."

Last 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, had been out of the public eye since Scott Roberts left the band seven 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.

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."

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 2022 via AFM Records.

Biohazard NYC June 16 Irving Plaza
BlacknBlue Productions

Posted by Ralph Renna on Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Fan-filmed video of ATHEIST's June 14 concert at Brick By Brick in San Diego, California can be seen below.

ATHEIST's "Focus And Presence" North American tour with fellow progressive metal pioneers CYNIC, which kicked off on June 10 in Austin, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Kelly Shaefer-fronted act's "Piece Of Time", "Unquestionable Presence" and "Elements" releases.

When the tour was first announced earlier this year, Shaefer said in a statement: "This tour has been something that Paul (Masvidal, CYNIC frontman) and I have been talking about in some capacity since we were in our early 20s. It's surreal to share a 30-year milestone together, and this tour will showcase for us a chance to play songs from our first three records as a special trilogy anniversary set, including songs not performed live in decades. Two titans of technical progressive metal coming together for a unicorn of a tour....one you will not want to miss!

"I'm also excited to announce that joining me on this tour and beyond will be an all-new lineup of ATHEIST! These four straight killers of musicians will be alongside me as ATHEIST heads out with CYNIC to celebrate 30 years of our first three albums 'Piece Of Time', 'Unquestionable Presence' and turning 30 this year 1993's 'Elements'! We'll be playing tracks from those three albums exclusively in one of the longest sets we've ever done! The set will include several songs that have not been played live in three decades.

"Joining returning bassist Yoav-Ruiz Feingold (GRAVITON) and myself to round out ATHEIST are Dylan Marks (FERMENTOR/BEEKEEPER) on drums, Alex Hadaad (ARKAIK/DESSIDERIUM) on guitar and Jerry Witunsky (ANCIENT DEATH) on guitar.

"I couldn't be more excited to perform this special set with such talented players. They have shown tremendous respect for the music and the attention to detail needed to pull off these songs live. Talk is cheap, right? So be sure to secure your tickets early to the 'Focus And Presence' North American tour 2023 to see for yourself and help us celebrate alongside our brothers in CYNIC who will be performing a special 30th-anniversary set for their release 'Focus' as well.

"See you on the road!!"

Earlier this year, ATHEIST re-released its entire discography, comprised of four albums that span the band's 30-year career, on all streaming services worldwide. The return to digital platforms was the first phase of a comprehensive reissue campaign. The second phase offers their albums in various physical formats with all-new revised layouts. All four studio albums will be available on CD and vinyl on July 14 via Nuclear Blast.

Shaefer commented: We are proud to bring the musical catalog of ATHEIST to the mighty Nuclear Blast. We couldn't ask for a better place to land the musical creations of ATHEIST that now span over 30 years. It's exciting to know that our music will be made available on all formats by the biggest metal label on EARTH!"

Professionally filmed video of MACHINE HEAD's June 16 performance at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium can be seen below.

Featured songs:

01. Aesthetics Of Hate
02. Old
03. My Hands Are Empty

For the Graspop Metal Meeting performance, MACHINE HEAD was rejoined by Polish guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED). Vogg missed MACHINE HEAD's appearance at the Milwaukee Metal Fest last month and was replaced by HAVOK's Reece Alan Scruggs. Scruggs previously played with MACHINE HEAD on the "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" fall 2022 tour. Reece was filling in for Vogg (DECAPITATED),who was unable to make the fall 2022 trek due to his touring commitments with his longtime band DECAPITATED.

In April, MACHINE HEAD canceled its previously announced spring 2023 U.S. tour "due to work visa issues," explaining that "half the band, as well as a handful of key crew members, reside outside of the U.S."

The 18-date "The Electric Happy Hour (Live)" trek was scheduled to kick off on May 15 in Ventura, California and make its way to Des Moines, Fort Wayne, and Detroit before ending in Los Angeles on June 9.

MACHINE HEAD has been touring in support of its latest album, "Of Kingdom And Crown", which came out last August. The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis" includes the three songs that were featured on the 2021 "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky". Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/producer Zack Ohren.

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

TheRealConcertKing YouTube channel has uploaded video of CYNIC's June 14 concert at Brick By Brick in San Diego, California. Check out the clips below.

CYNIC's "Focus And Presence" North American tour with fellow progressive metal pioneers ATHEIST, which kicked off on June 10 in Austin, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Paul Masvidal-fronted act's debut album, "Focus". CYNIC is performing the seminal LP in its entirety while also paying homage to late members Sean Reinert and Sean Malone.

Later in the year, CYNIC will perform at the illustrious ProgPower USA festival on September 6 in Atlanta, Georgia.

CYNIC's touring lineup features Masvidal on vocals and guitars, Max Phelps (EXIST, DEATH TO ALL) on additional guitars and vocals, Brandon Giffin (THE FACELESS, THE ZENITH PASSAGE) on bass, Matt Lynch (NOVA COLLECTIVE, INTRONAUT) on drums and percussion, and Zeke Kaplan on the keyboard. Lynch has been drumming with CYNIC since 2015 and appeared on the band's latest full-length, "Ascension Codes", as well as the 2018 single "Humanoid". Additionally, Phelps, having also appeared on "Ascension Codes", and Giffin have previously toured with CYNIC during the band's "Carbon Based Anatomy" and "Kindly Bent To Free Us" tours.

Released in 1993, "Focus" is a certified classic. Although that era ended with transformation into the short-lived PORTAL, and then a further splinter toward AEON SPOKE, CYNIC's reunion-era has found them embraced in a way that proves how ahead of the times they were in the '90s. Through monuments such as the "Traced In Air" (2008) and "Kindly Bent To Free Us" (2014) albums, the "Carbon-Based Anatomy" and "Re-Traced" EPs, and a surprising rebirth with the "Humanoid" single of 2018, the CYNIC legacy remains untarnished.

The year 2020 will go down in history as a tremendously difficult time for the global human population. For the CYNIC family, the struggle was not restricted to a pandemic. It was two utterly senseless losses that threw the band's immediate concerns into the background: the premature deaths of drummer Sean Reinert in January, at age 48, and bassist Sean Malone in December, at age 50, were shocking and unthinkable.

Reinert, a founding CYNIC member since formation in 1988, was highly influential to a multitude of young drummers. His work on "Focus" and DEATH's watershed 1991 album "Human" found him sculpting extreme technical metal with a jazz fusion-inspired approach. Now taken for granted, that approach to the instrument and the genre was undoubtedly pioneered in large part by Reinert. Though parting with CYNIC in 2015, his imprint on CYNIC is inescapable.

The death of Sean Malone dealt another horrible layer of tragedy to CYNIC's 2020. In his many years with the band, Malone's virtuoso playing meshed intuitively with Reinert's. Together they formed a nucleus of kinetic, highly capable rhythmic dexterity that fueled CYNIC's celestial aims.

Skid Row vocalist Erik Grönwall has shared a new solo cover, this time taking on the Journey classic, "Faithfully". All ijstruments were performed by Jona Tee. 





Grönwall recently checked in with the following update:




"If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me to release an album with the covers on my YouTube channel I would be able to buy all of the copies of Eriksplanations Vol. 1, but I can’t because they sold out in less than a month. ⠀


If you missed your shot at grabbing a signed vinyl, you don’t have to worry. The album is out on all digital platforms as well."





Side A ⠀
"Rainbow In The Dark" ⠀
"Headless Cross"
"Dreams"
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" ⠀


Side B⠀
"Trouble"⠀
"Love Gun" ⠀
"Chandelier" ⠀
"Separate Ways"⠀

Tempo Music is launching a Limited Edition Deluxe 2LP vinyl of Korn’s 2007-released, RIAA Gold-certified album Untitled.


The vinyl features bonus tracks "Sing Sorrow" and "Overture or Obituary," new artwork from the album's original artist Richard Kirk, and a glow-in-the-dark vinyl jacket. The vinyl arrives on July 28. The digital deluxe version will land on DSPs the same day. 


The vinyl release follows the celebration of the album's 15-year anniversary. The deluxe vinyl will be limited to 10,000 copies, in two very limited colors.




Tempo acquired a majority stake in the master recordings and compositions of both Untitled and See You On The Other Side in 2021. The company also acquired the perpetual license for the band's MTV Unplugged album, which features many of their best known songs performed acoustically.


Untitled was the band's eighth studio album, featuring songs such as "Evolution," "Hold On," and "Kiss." The original box set featured "Sing Sorrow" on the Deluxe CD, while "Overture or Obituary" was only available as an iTunes bonus track. 


The album was originally released via EMI/Virgin on July 31, 2007. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums Chart and at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart.


Tempo Music continues to partner with its artists to expand the reach of its catalog. Most recently, Tempo collaborated with Warner Chappell Music Beat Broker, Taylor Gang Entertainment, and Asylum Records to issue an exclusive 30-song Wiz Khalifa playlist [pitch.wmg.com] for artists, producers, and songwriters to sample and interpolate.


"It is an honor to partner with our artists to find new and engaging ways for their fans to consume their iconic back catalogs," says Kyle Bartelman of Tempo Music. "I am excited Korn fans will experience Untitled in this limited edition vinyl format, and new and old fans alike will be able to stream 'Sing Sorrow' and 'Overture or Obituary' for the first time since the album's 2007 release."





Tracklisting:


“Intro”
“Starting Over”
“Bitch We Got A Problem”
“Evolution”
“Hold On”
“Kiss”
“Do What They Say”
“Ever Be”
“Love And Luxury”
“Innocent Bystander”
“Killing”
“Hushabye”
“I Will Protect You”
“Sing Sorrow” (Bonus Track)
“Overture Or Obituary” (Bonus Track)

Japanese metallers Nemophila have released the official live video for “Revive”, the opening and title track from their 2021 full-length debut. The video is featured on their 2022 Blu-ray release Revive (It’s Sooooo Nice To Finally Meet You!!!!!). 





Nemophila recently released “Night Flight,” a new song, and its accompanying video.







“This is a song we’ve been playing live for some time, but have not recorded or released it until now,” explains singer/Nemophila founder Mayu of the new track. “Please take a look at the video as well, as it does a great job capturing the spirit of the song.” In March, preceding the band’s SXSW show, Nemophila released the single, “Rise”.


The arrival of “Night Flight” coincides with the release of Seize The Fate, a concert film featuring Nemophila’s February performance from Tokyo’s Zepp DiverCity.


Nemophila formed in 2019, playing their first live show in August of the same year, supporting Loudness and Hammerfall at Tokyo’s Metal Weekend 2019. The band have released two albums: Seize The Fate (2022) and Revive (2021). Nemophila is Mayu (vocals), Saki (guitar), Hazuki (guitar), Haraguchi-san (bass) and Tamu Murata (drums).





(Photo – Michael Nambu)

Portland-based dark rock duo, Hoaxed, have released the official video for “For Love”, from their debut album Two Shadows. Watch below:





Comprised of vocalist / guitarist Kat Keo and drummer Kim Coffel, Hoaxed's superlative blend of styles - heavy melodic rock with captivating hooks, gothic undertones, undeniable metal, and tinges of Americana - pave the way for a singular expression that’s entirely their own.




Two Shadows is out on LP/CD/CS/Digital. Physical orders are available via Relapse.com. Digital downloads/streaming here.


Two Shadows is as unique as it is memorable and catchy. The record thrusts, retreats, and beguiles across its melody-powered and hook-driven expanse, with earworms “The Call,” “Guilty Ones,” and “The Knowing” serving as the album’s crucial lighthouses.





Tracklisting:


"Two Shadows"
"The Call"
"The Knowing"
"For Love"
"Grand Illusions"
"High Seas"
"Guilty Ones"
"Where Good Won’t Go"
"Forsaken"


Album stream:





"The Knowing" video:





"The Call" video:





"Guilty Ones" video:





(Photo - Shimon Karmel)

Global superstar and recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Dolly Parton has released two new tracks from her forthcoming "Rockstar" album, arriving November 17. The original song "Bygones (feat. Rob Halford)" with special guests Nikki Sixx and John 5 of MÖTLEY CRÜE and a personalized cover of the rock classic "Magic Man (Carl Version) (feat. Ann Wilson)" with special guest Howard Leese are available now. The second and third tracks follow the release of Parton's self-penned lead single "World On Fire", which became a No. 1 song on the Billboard Rock Digital Songs chart upon release last month.

Dolly says: "'Bygones' is an original song of mine featuring Rob Halford from JUDAS PRIEST with Nikki Sixx and John 5. It is one of my very favorites on the whole album. The song fits with so many couples and coupling my voice with Rob, one of my all-time favorites, made it even more special."

She adds: "I've always wanted a reason to sing 'Magic Man' by HEART and it was one of my first choices for the album. I was so happy that Ann Wilson agreed to sing it with me. Nobody can outsing Ann, but I gave it my darndest, and we added a few lines that were not in the original. We wanted to have a few things that made it seem like ours. Hope I]ve made you proud. I think it's magic!"

Parton teamed up with an all-star roster of musicians for the 30-song "Rockstar" collection which includes nine original tracks and 21 iconic rock anthems. "Rockstar" is set for global release on November 17 via Butterfly Records with distribution by Big Machine Label Group and will be available as a four-LP set, a two-CD set, digital download and on all streaming services.

Dolly said: "I'm so excited to finally present my first rock and roll album 'Rockstar'! I am very honored and privileged to have worked with some of the greatest iconic singers and musicians of all time and to be able to sing all the iconic songs throughout the album was a joy beyond measure. I hope everybody enjoys the album as much as I've enjoyed putting it together!"

"Rockstar" track listing:

* Rockstar (special guest Richie Sambora)
* World On Fire
* Every Breath You Take (feat. Sting)
* Open Arms (feat. Steve Perry)
* Magic Man (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
* Long As I Can See The Light (feat. John Fogerty)
* Either Or (feat. Kid Rock)
* I Want You Back (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
* What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
* Purple Rain
* Baby, I Love Your Way (feat. Peter Frampton)
* I Hate Myself For Loving You (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
* Night Moves (feat. Chris Stapleton)
* Wrecking Ball (feat. Miley Cyrus)
* (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
* Keep On Loving You (feat. Kevin Cronin)
* Heart Of Glass (feat. Debbie Harry)
* Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (feat. Elton John)
* Tried To Rock And Roll Me (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
* Stairway To Heaven (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
* We Are The Champions
* Bygones (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
* My Blue Tears (feat. Simon Le Bon)
* What's Up? (feat. Linda Perry)
* You're No Good (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
* Heartbreaker (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
* Bittersweet (feat. Michael McDonald)
* I Dreamed About Elvis (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
* Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
* Free Bird (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)

When Parton was inducted into the Rock Hall, she mentioned several artists during her speech that she wanted to collaborate with on her rock album and revealed that she and Steve Perry would be singing JOURNEY's "Open Arms" together.

"If I'm gonna be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I'm gonna have to do something to earn it. So I'm doing a rock and roll album, and I'm having a lot of the rock stars that I met that night be on the album with me," Parton later explained.

Speaking to TotalRock, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford said about his collaboration with Dolly: "After the show, her manager came up to me, Danny [Nozell], and he goes, 'She's doing a project, like a rock album. Would you be interested?' I said, 'Yeah. Here's my number.' And then, out of the blue, like four weeks later, and suddenly [there's] ideas for some more work."

Parton is the most honored and revered female country singer-songwriter of all time and was recently inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Achieving 27 RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards, she has had 26 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard country charts, a record for a female artist. Parton is the first artist to have topped the Billboard's Adult Contemporary, Christian AC Songs, Hot Country Songs, Christian Airplay, Country Airplay and Dance/Mix Show Airplay radio charts. Parton became the first country artist honored as Grammy MusiCares Person Of The Year given out by NARAS. She has 48 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 110 career-charted singles over the past 50-plus years.

In 2014 the RIAA recognized her impact on recorded music with a plaque commemorating more than 100 million units sold worldwide. She has garnered eleven Grammy Awards and 51 nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, 10 Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year; five Academy Of Country Music Awards, also including a nod for Entertainer Of The Year; four People's Choice Awards; and three American Music Awards. In 1999, Parton was inducted as a member of the coveted Country Music Hall Of Fame.

In 2020, she released the Christmas album "A Holly Dolly Christmas" which went No. 1 on the Billboard Country and Holiday charts, as well released the best-selling coffee table book "Songteller: My Life in Lyrics". In 2021, she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie for the film "Dolly Parton's Christmas On The Square" and in December 2022, she released on NBC an all-new original holiday movie called "Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas" with her starring as well as producing; it was the most watched film of that year and the two years prior.

To date, Parton has donated over 205 million books to children around the world with her Imagination Library. Her children's book, "Coat Of Many Colors", was dedicated to the Library Of Congress to honor the Imagination Library's 100 millionth book donation. In March of 2022, Parton released the book "Run Rose Run" which she co-authored with James Patterson which sat at No. 1 on the New York Times Bestseller's List for five weeks, a record for this decade. She also released an accompanying album of the same name with original songs inspired by the book which reached No. 1 on three charts simultaneously — Country, Americana/Folk and Bluegrass Albums. From her "Coat Of Many Colors" while working "9 To 5", no dream is too and no mountain too high for the country girl who turned the world into her stage.

German heavy metal band, Turbokill, have released a video for their new single, "Time To Wake", featured on the band's forthcoming debut album, Vice World. Watch below:





In an enlightened world, it must be allowed to ask how the musical succession to metal legends like Judas Priest or Iron Maiden is to be realized. Or is the change of guards already under way? Following in the footsteps of the metal giants of our era will by no means be an easy feat. Still, it must be done, and we need suitable candidates with a vision who align themselves with the long history of this music genre while taking their compositions and playing style into the future.




Turbokill, the new formation of former Alpha Tiger vocalist Stephan Dietrich, could be such a candidate in the making. The German band comes with an exceptionally set of skills to drive forward a heavy metal style that is traditional yet modern. Is it too bold a thesis then, to name them as a contender? Hardly, especially since the 12 songs making up the group’s first album Vice World  beg to differ. The message comes across loud and clear: The future of the classic heavy metal has already begun.


The debut album, Vice World, will be released on October 25 via SPV/Steamhammer on CD digipak, vinyl LP, download and stream. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"The Grand Delusion"
"Vice World"
"War Thunder"
"Pulse Of The Swarm"
"Global Monkey Show"
"Sail With Pirates"
"Turbokill"
"Kill The Lie"
"Don't Deal With The Devil"
"Track N' Spy"
"End Of Days"
"Fortress Of The Universe"


"Pulse Of The Swarm" lyric video:





"End Of Days":





Lineup:


Stephan Dietrich (vocals)
Ronny Schuster (rhythm guitar)
Daniel Kanzler (lead guitar)
Marco "Fox" Grünwald (bass)
Philipp "Nafta" Dießl (drums)

Loosegroove Records recording artists, Seattle-based band, Brad, today release their new song and video, “Hey Now What’s The Problem?”, from the upcoming LP,  In The Moment That You’re Born, out July 28.


Brad’s new single shows off the members’ rock-n-roll roots unleashing distorted power chords from guitarist Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam), driving drums and bass guitar from Regan Hagar (Brad, Satchel, Malfunkshun) and Keith Lowe, and, as always, passionate vocals from the late singer Shawn Smith.


The video, directed by creator, drummer and Loosegroove co-founder, Brad’s Regan Hagar, mashes together footage from older Brad performances with imagery from horror films and iconic pop culture movies and television.







“Hey Now What’s The Problem?” is released on the heels of the band’s first single and video in over a decade, “In The Moment That You’re Born”. That song was released on the 30-year anniversary of Brad's acclaimed debut album Shame released on April 27, 1993 on Epic Records.





Shame featured original music that stood as a counterpoint to the music that was coming out of Seattle during that time featuring Shawn Smith’s haunting vocal ability intertwined with the musicianship of the band.


To further mark the anniversary of that landmark LP, pre-orders have begun for limited-edition vinyl reissues of the music. The vinyl will be available in various packaging configurations and released on July 28. Pre-order here.


The LP, In The Moment That You're Born features 10 new self-produced recordings with vocals by Shawn Smith in recording sessions prior to his 2019 passing. The tracks include a new version of “Stars N’ You”; written by the late Seattle musician Andrew Wood (Mother Love Bone, Malfunkshun). The song was originally recorded for the 1986 “Deep Six” compilation by Malfunkshun, and also featured Brad drummer/Loosegroove co-founder Regan Hagar.


In The Moment That You're Born was recorded and mixed by Floyd Reitsma at Studio Litho in Seattle (except for the title track, which was mixed by Josh Evans).


The artwork was created by Hagar and includes photos taken by famed Seattle photographer Lance Mercer.


(Photo - Daniel Zetterstrom)

Canadian producer Bob Rock, who has been responsible for some of the biggest rock and metal albums of the last 30 years, including all of METALLICA's studio output during the 1990s and early 2000s, says that he had to prove himself constantly when he first started working with the band.

Rock first teamed with METALLICA for the band's self-titled 1991 album (a.k.a. "The Black Album"). The Elektra set debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 281 weeks. Rock helmed METALLICA's subsequent albums, through 2003's "St. Anger".

Bob touched upon his work on "Metallica" in a new interview with CBC News' The National. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When you make a record, you really don't know how it's gonna turn out. I think what made it different for me is that they were very opinionated and it was really hard to do the record, but they challenged me and I challenged them, and I think we ended up that it wasn't all just happy. Not fighting, but there was that edge through the whole project, and that ended up being something special. And the thing about that METALLICA album that you hear is that James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] started singing rather than yelling, and I think it's his most personal lyrics on any record he's made."

When The National's Ian Hanomansing noted that Rock and METALLICA became not only colleagues but also friends, Rock said: "Eventually. It took a while. Yeah, it took a while. I had to prove myself constantly on that album."

Rock, now 69, told Reuters in 2006 that he felt "20 years younger" after his split with METALLICA, whose last couple of studio efforts, 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" and 2023's "72 Seasons", were helmed by Greg Fidelman.

During the making of 2003's "St. Anger", a petition that some 1,500 fans signed subsequently was posted online calling for METALLICA to dump Rock, claiming he had too much influence on the band's sound.

"The criticism was hurtful for my kids, who read it and don't understand the circumstances," Rock told Reuters. "Sometimes, even with a great coach, a team keeps losing. You have to get new blood in there."

METALLICA co-manager Peter Mensch argued that Rock "nursed METALLICA out of almost complete collapse on that record. Bob is one of the five best producers on the planet. But it was time to shake things up."

In a 2006 interview with Revolver magazine, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich stated about the band's decision to work with Rubin on "Death Magnetic" after spending 15 years and making five albums with Bob Rock: "In 1990, when we started using Bob, it was because Bob made all the best rock records that were going on at that time — MÖTLEY CRÜE, DAVID LEE ROTH, THE CULT — and he was involved in the engineering of all the BON JOVI records. Everything that was going on in the late eighties was all about Bob Rock. And now, everything that's great about rock — from SLIPKNOT to SYSTEM OF A DOWN to the [RED HOT] CHILI PEPPERS to MARS VOLTA, and even the Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond records — it's all Rick Rubin. The same thing that brought us to Bob 15 years ago is now kind of bringing us to Rick. We want to work with the guy who's got the total finger on the pulse. And Bob was the first one to bless it, to say, 'Look, I don't know what else I can offer you 15 years later.' We finish each other's sentences. We know what he's going to say, and he knows what we're going to say. We made, what, like, five records with him? And he really had been the fifth member of our band for the last 15 years. As painful as it is, getting his blessing first was really important to us."

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen has confirmed that IRON MAIDEN's Adrian Smith and ex-WHITESNAKE/THIN LIZZY guitarist John Sykes were among a handful of musicians who tried out for DEF LEPPARD following the passing of Steve Clarke. Another WHITESNAKE alumnus, Vivian Campbell, ended up landing the gig.

Speaking to Eonmusic at a pre-show press conference at Hellfest in Clisson, France on Friday (June 16),Collen recalled the audition process to find a new second guitarist for DEF LEPPARD after Clarke's January 1991 death of a drug overdose.

"We invited five people we knew, five friends," Phil said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And Vivian just fit in straight away; it was just like [it was] meant to be. [But] Adrian is great — he's a great singer. That was one of the other things [we were looking for], if you can sing. And there was some other people. We played with John Sykes — also an amazing player, amazing singer.

"Vivian's voice [was] unbelievable. And more than that, he just fit in the style of what we're doing.

"With Adrian, he played in context with what we were doing when we were rehearsing," he continued. "I mean, we were doing DEF LEPPARD songs — we weren't doing IRON MAIDEN songs, we weren't doing DIO songs; we were doing DEF LEPPARD. So, whoever comes into our house has to kind of play by the same rules.

"So that was the thing," Phil added. "And Viv fit straight in. And like I said, there was only five people. We didn't do, like, cattle calls or anything like that, because it was still a bit painful after losing Steve, to be quite honest. So we wanted someone who emotionally would work with us as a family member. And Viv did straight off the bat. It was just wonderful."

Adrian auditioned for DEF LEPPARD a year after he left IRON MAIDEN during the making of the latter band's "No Prayer For The Dying" album.

In a 2021 interview with Eonmusic, DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen also confirmed that Smith had been on the LEPPARD radar for the role that was eventually landed by Campbell. The drummer then went on to name some of the other players who were under consideration, including an unknown Birmingham guitarist and the man who provided the licks on WHITESNAKE's colossal self-titled 1987 release. "There was a kid called Huwey Lucas that was a contender; there was John Sykes; there were all these people kind of lined up," he said.

However, it was Smith who impressed the drummer, with Rick praising Adrian for his ability to adapt.

"I loved the idea," Allen said. "It's interesting — you put somebody in a slightly different situation and new things are revealed about them, and it was cool. It was a compliment that he was so into it."

Concluding, however, Allen added: "But I think, ultimately, Vivian was the absolutely perfect choice."

In a 2020 interview with Eonmusic, Smith, who was promoting his memoir, "Monsters Of River & Rock", at the time, was asked if it was true that he was in contention to join the Sheffield rockers, to which he replied, "I was, yeah. I'm not sure… I want to write more books; that might be in my next one. [Laughs] There's a whole story about that, there's a whole story about that."

A year after he joined DEF LEPPARD, Campbell spoke to Steve Newton of Georgia Straight about how he ended up securing the spot. He said: "I've known [LEPPARD singer] Joe Elliott for a few years. He lives in Ireland, where I'm originally from, so I would see him every time I'd go there — we have a lot of mutual friends and stuff. And a couple of months after Steve had died, he had said that they were gonna continue, that they were gonna finish the record as a four-piece, but that they were eventually going to look for a new guitar player — and that he would like it to be me. Obviously, I didn't know the other people in the band very well, and they all had their own opinions. So about a year passed, and they made the record, and they had a short list of three or four people that they wanted to play with. So they came to L.A. and played with some folks, and that was that."

Elaborating on the audition process, Campbell said: "Well, it was weird. It was strange for a number of reasons. I've never played with a drummer with electronic drums before, and that's a different thing, 'cause normally when you're in a small room and you play with an acoustic drum kit, you hear it because of the proximity — you're standing next to it and it's loud. With an electronic drum kit, you don't hear it from the source, you hear it comin' through monitors, so that was a little strange from a musical point of view. The other thing was, most of my 'audition', so to speak, was them asking me questions as opposed to me playing guitar. I mean, it was more a personality test than it was to see whether the guy can sing or play."

In a new interview with Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece, CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth spoke about the decline of the music industry as consumers value access over ownership and experiences over assets. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's been deteriorating ever since… I think 2006 was the year that everything swapped from being comfortable for musicians — well, not necessarily comfortable; it was never comfortable. But [it went to] just being a lot harder with the onset of the digital age, the onset of music streaming platforms that don't pay anybody. Like Spotify are the biggest criminals in the world. I think we had 25, 26 million plays last year, and I think personally I got about 20 pounds, which is less than an hourly work rate.

"For example, the other day my girlfriend… She's got an ill cat; her cat's very sick and needed a life-or-death operation," he continued. "She's a well-known tattooist, and she posted a thing online about… a GoFundMe for her cat, and she was gonna do a raffle and people could win a tattoo, et cetera, et cetera. The point of it is a lot of people were, like, 'Why the fuck should we pay for your cat? You're going out with a multimillionaire?' And she was, like, 'Excuse me, I don't think you understand how the music industry works nowadays. One, he's not a multimillionaire at all. Two, I'm my own person, and this has nothing to do with him.'

"I think people just have this amazing ability to [believe] that when you have stuff out there, like physical product, that you're earning a fortune from it," Filth added. "They don't realize you have so many people taking pieces of the pie — record company, management, accountants, blah blah blah blah; it doesn't matter. If you're not getting any money in the first place, there's not much money to share around. And nowadays, the reason why people put out limited-edition vinyls and stuff, it's for collectors — they're the only people that buy it; other people just stream it for nothing. That's why you're finding a lot of bands, since the pandemic, are not touring. Petrol's gone up. Tour bus hire's gone up. The cost of living's gone up. Yeah, it's very hard for bands at the moment. But it doesn't help when people just have this in-built idea that it's not a privilege to get music, that music is something that should be given away free. I mean, I don't walk into someone's shop and just pick up — I don't know — a pack of bananas and say, 'Well, these grow on trees. They should be free. I'm walking out with these.' I'd be arrested for shoplifting. But it's fine for people to download… Even before albums are out, you find fans, like, 'Oh, I've got a link to it,' and they put it up and then instantly any sales you're gonna get from people buying it for a surprise are out the window because they've already heard it and then they just move on to the next thing.

"Yeah, the music industry is on its knees at the moment," Dani concluded. "I still enjoy making music — don't get me wrong; I love it — but, yeah, the musician nowadays is finding a million things against them. It's a hard time."

Two months ago, Dani talked to Dom Smith of Soundsphere magazine about the realities of post-pandemic touring, including increased travel expenses — gas, tour buses, hotels and flight costs. He said: "We're a bit in a weird state of play at the present because of the whole Russian scenario. That's had a knock-on effect with fuel and bus hire. People really now have not been able to afford to do a lot, so tours are becoming very difficult.

"There's a lot of American bands I've spoken to — big bands as well — who are not touring Europe for a while," he continued. "A lot of English and mostly European bands are not touring America for a while. Now there's even talk of bigger taxation by venues on merch, places taking bigger cuts of the band's merch, which is their life's blood, seeing as everything's digital these days and physical product's down. And America is now talking about upping the cost of touring there, the prices of the visa. I mean, it's about 30 quid for them to come over here; it's in the thousands for us to go there.

"So, yeah, it's all doom and gloom now," Dani added. "Obviously, as everything goes in cycles as well, we're seeing a bit of a re-emergence, a bit of a reaffirmation of the whole metal community."

Financial issues are continuing to wreak havoc on the touring industry, with the economics of the business simply not adding up.

Acts of all sizes are canceling or postponing shows, with several claiming that it was "not sustainable" for them to go ahead with the tours.

For many midsized acts, ticket sales are not even enough to cover their overheads.

Last October, SHINEDOWN canceled its previously announced fall 2022 dates in continental Europe due to "economic and logistical side of touring". ANTHRAX also canceled shows in continental Europe as part of its fall 2022 touring activities, citing "ongoing logistical issues" and "costs that are out of our control."

CRADLE OF FILTH released its first live album in over 20 years, "Trouble And Their Double Lives", on April 28, 2023 via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded between 2014 and 2019 at different performances in the USA, Europe, Australia and beyond during the band's "Cryptoriana" world tour and dates following.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk, England with recording captured by Danny B, the brand new live offering not only features a slew of fan favorites encompassing the band's discography — such as "Nymphetamine (Fix)" , "Bathory Aria" and "Blackest Magick in Practice" — but also two bonus tracks and two entirely brand new songs, "She Is A Fire" and "Demon Prince Regent".

Billy Corgan of SMASHING PUMPKINS recently appeared on SiriusXM's "Metal Ambassador" podcast hosted by Jose Mangin. During the interview, Corgan shared a previously unheard story about PANTERA. He said: "Let me tell you a story since we're talking PANTERA. So, they were having a big moment, obviously, during those [first] three [major label] albums. And I was backstage with them one day, and one of those mid-nineties [METALLICA albums] — might have been 'Reload' or something — METALLICA had come out [with a new album]. And there was a lot of controversy about where METALLICA was trying to go, and what happened to METALLICA, and are they still metal, and they're wearing makeup now or whatever. And [the PANTERA guys] were just going on and on about METALLICA. Not in a negative way — more like a confused, like, 'I love METALLICA, but I don't get it. And they're not metal. And what's going on?' And I literally said — and this is a true story; I don't think I've ever told this story in public — I raised my hands… And I knew them well enough that they would sort of listen to me. I mean, that's saying something. And I would say, 'You know what? Shut the fuck up.' And they looked at me, like, 'Did you just tell us to shut the fuck up?' And I said, 'Shut the fuck up.' Okay, so the room goes silent. And I go, 'Listen, set aside METALLICA for a second. Okay? You guys right now are the best metal band on the fucking planet, okay? Shut the fuck up. Worry about PANTERA. Just worry about PANTERA. METALLICA will work it out.' And they did, right? And I said, 'You just focus on PANTERA. You just focus on being the greatest metal band on the fucking planet.' And they all kind of looked at each other like, and they were like, 'Okay, he's complimenting us.' And then it was like, 'Okay, drink this horrible poison, you fucking alternative weirdo.'"

Back in 2014, PANTERA frontman Philip Anselmo talked about some of the records that have had an impact on his life for the "Discs Of Doom" article in an issue of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine. Asked which album should never have seen the light of day, Anselmo replied: "I would have to say [1996's] 'Load' by METALLICA. I mean, it's a terrible record, man. I just don't get it. If you're gonna put out a record like that, just do a fucking side project or something, ya know?"

Anselmo first publicly criticized METALLICA's "Load" in 2003, when he slammed the heavy metal giants for touring with supporting acts like LIMP BIZKIT and LINKIN PARK and challenging them to a road duel, head-to-head on any stage, telling an interviewer, "Heavy metal lies in the underground and if they're worried about... Why in the hell would METALLICA be worried about ticket sales? Bring out some fuckin' good bands." He explained: "That was due to a conversation [METALLICA frontman] James Hetfield and I had years ago when I was talking to him about their new album. I think that was when 'Load' was out, and it kind of shocked everybody — everybody was freaked out." Anselmo elaborated in a subsequent interview, claiming that METALLICA never would have shared a stage with PANTERA in the U.S. "because they know what would fuckin' happen. We would fuckin' eat them alive! That's the end of the fuckin' sentence. We would crush 'em." METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich responded to Anselmo's challenge by saying, "Is he that desperate to tour? I love all these challenges. The ol' step it up...," and adding that Anselmo "has a tendency to talk a lot of horseshit most of the time."

Anselmo appeared to soften his tone by the time DOWN and METALLICA toured together in 2008, and two years later, Anselmo told Ultimate Guitar that he considered METALLICA to be "THE ROLLING STONES of metal" in terms of career longevity.

In a 2013 interview with Revolver magazine, Ulrich was asked what he felt was METALLICA's most underappreciated release. "I think 'Load' and 'Reload' [1997] are great records," he replied. "They are creatively on par with every other record we've made. Obviously, they're bluesier records, and at that time, we were listening to a lot of LED ZEPPELIN, DEEP PURPLE and AC/DC, and we had a different kind of foundation than records before or after. And I understand that there are people who couldn't quite figure out what was going on with the haircuts and the rest of it, and that's fine. But musically, if you strip all that other stuff away, if you just listen to the 27 songs — 'Load' and 'Reload' were intended as one double-record — it's a great collection of songs that is on par with everything else that we've done creatively. But, I mean, who needs another person to sit there and argue about, you know, fucking 'Carpe Diem Baby'? They are different records, but that was the intention. [Laughs] It's not like we sat there and thought we were remaking '…And Justice For All'. [Laughs] We are obviously aware of that. But I think personally there's great songs on both of those records and I'm very proud of those records."

Corgan previously praised PANTERA this past April in an interview with Revolver magazine. He said at the time: "PANTERA I got to see many times live. I knew the band back in the day. 'Dimebag' Darrell even gave me a guitar, which I treasure. PANTERA was one of those bands in the early '90s that not everybody on the alternative side of the equation understood right away because they were seen as just a straight-up metal band. But eventually I think a lot of people in alternative music recognized that PANTERA was one of those bands that sort of transcended genres. I think thematically and the way they changed metal and the way people played metal ever afterwards, I think it almost puts them in too small a category. And like the great metal bands, they tend to almost create their own category of music."

SiriusXM's "Metal Ambassador" podcast, hosted by Mangin, is available on the SXM app.

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS's new album, "Atum", was released on May 5 and is the sequel to 1995's "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" and 2000's "Machina/Machine Of God". Featuring 33 tracks in three acts, "Atum" was written and produced by Corgan over the past four years.

In a new interview with PowerMetal.cl, David Ellefson was asked if he would rejoin MEGADETH again if approached about it. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "They slammed the door in my face, and I didn't knock again. I just turned around and walked away.

"Bands are more than just the songs. It's about a brotherhood. And what that showed me is that while we may be brothers, we definitely are not friends.

"I don't wanna be in a band with people that I can't be friends with; I just don't," he continued. "And I did for a long time. It was successful, so sometimes you put your hands in the golden handcuffs and you still say 'yes.'

"I went back to [MEGADETH] in 2010 to save their ass, because, quite honestly, they were firing James LoMenzo at that time. The poor guy; he's a nice guy and he's a good bass player. And I went back at [then-MEGADETH drummer] Shawn Drover's request. And Shawn is a friend of mine, and it was the right request. Because they put a tour on sale and they didn't have a bass player who could play the parts… So I went back and I saved their ass. And not just that, but also some personal stuff inside the band I helped fix too. And, obviously, it was celebrated and it was big. And at the end of the day, having each other's back is what's important. When I went through some personal stuff and they didn't have my back, that just showed, you know what? I don't wanna fucking be in a band like that; I just don't.

"To me, I will always do things for the fans," Ellefson added. "And so I guess my attitude has always been, keep the door open for the fans' sake. But when it comes to having brotherhood and having a new song and having a new story and writing the rest of my life, that's not gonna happen over there in that band.

"Once that door was closed in my face, I just fucking turned and kept going and don't look back. That chapter of my life ended for a reason. And as I always say, relationships of people, bands — sometimes only for a season, a season of life, and always for a reason. So now that that season has passed, keep moving forward. I like the view out of the front [window] better. The front window of a car is big because you're supposed to look through it. The rearview mirror is very small, because you're not supposed to be looking at it. Keep looking forward. I like our view forward now. It's much better."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH by Dave Mustaine in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

Shortly before Ellefson was dismissed from MEGADETH, he released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, 2021, when the claim "David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile" appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was fired.

Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — released a statement on May 24, 2021 announcing the bassist's departure from the band. In the statement, Dave said: "We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward."

Two days after Mustaine announced Ellefson's latest departure from MEGADETH, the bassist released a follow-up statement in which he vowed to file a "defamation lawsuit" against the person who "illegally posted a very private video" of the bassist and made "false allegations" against him. He also said he was working with the police in Scottsdale "in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted the video. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Ellefson wrote. He went on to say that he was "taking this time to be with my family" and wished his "bandmates" the best with their tour.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the frontman shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Following their much-acclaimed debut album, Ban The Light ( 2019, AFM Records ) and a series of live tracks, taken of their incredible show in support of JUDAS PRIEST "Live In Dalhalla", Swedish hard rock act DEAF RAT has suprised their fanbase with a brand new song!

The music video for the high-voltage banger "Schizophrenic Part Of Me" is showcasing actual studio footage of the band, who is currently working on a new EP to be released in the not so distant future! As DEAF RAT reveal: “Schizophrenic Part Of Me is a kick ass rock n roll track, a party starter as energetic, straight forward and deadly as it can get. Be prepared to get grabbed by your neck by this venomous guitar riff, the sound and the vibe of Deaf Rat 2.0!"

In a new interview with The Telegraph, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson once again said that he isn't interested in being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"I don't want to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," he said. "Because we're not dead yet."

He added: "Some people feel almost actively threatened by metal. Not by the nature of the music. But by the fact that it doesn't conform to their worldview of what pop music should be, which is: pop music is disposable, darling. Well, we don't make disposable pop music."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

IRON MAIDEN was on the ballot for the second time this year, but the institution's voters snubbed them once again.

The only metal or metal-adjacent acts to have made it into the Rock Hall so far have been BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, METALLICA, AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, KISS, VAN HALEN, RUSH, GUNS N' ROSES and DEEP PURPLE.

IRON MAIDEN finished in the fourth place in the fan vote for this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction class.

Four years ago, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said that he didn't care that his band had yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it had been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone in an interview. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Harris previously told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN would eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he saId. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for nearly two decades, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 16 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

Asked in a recent interview with Taryn Daly of Audacy how he feels about the fact that the Rock Hall has gotten so much negative feedback for excluding MAIDEN from the induction, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame president and CEO Greg Harris said: "We love that people care — that they care if they're in or out, and that their fans care. Now the truth is anybody that's nominated, the odds are good that they're eventually gonna get in. In fact, I think it may be as high as 90 percent eventually go in. RAGE [AGAINST THE MACHINE, who are finally getting inducted this year], this was their sixth time, I believe — fifth time on the ballot or sixth time. And so sometimes it takes a while. But let's see where it lands. Right now, let's celebrate this year's class, and we can start to debate about next year's class once the spotlight is off of this year's class."