UK-based melodic metal band The Raven Age, have released a new song with an accompanying video, "Forgive & Forget", out on all streaming platforms now. The track is featured on the band's new album, Blood Omen, out on July 7. Watch the video below.


The band’s lineup includes guitarist George Harris, guitarist Tommy Gentry, bassist Matt Cox, drummer Jai Patel, and singer Matt “MJ” James.


Rushing in on a scalding lead guitar riff, “Forgive & Forget” is a genre-defining, sonic stampede, upbeat and catchy, but bearing the band’s signature ambition and heaviness. “It’s about letting go of old demons and not letting unwanted memories shape your future,” explains lead guitarist and songwriter George Harris.




Conceived, produced, and directed by the band themselves the Tarantino-esque video was shot in the legendary Laredo Western Town. “We wanted to try something completely different with ‘Forgive & Forget’”, says singer Matt James. “We wanted to follow on from our two recent singles ‘Serpents Tongue’ and ‘Parasite’ with the horror vibe but with a spin… and to see how far we could push it! Cowboys and zombies definitely felt like something unique, and we found the perfect location to make it happen!”





The band is pushing everything further than ever before. The choruses are made for arenas, the riffs are taut, direct and go straight for the jugular. The creative ambition on display in the video is also evident throughout the forthcoming album Blood Omen which will be out on July 7 via Music For Nations/Sony Music and was produced by Matt Hyde (Slipknot, Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine) with final mastering put into the hands of Mika Jussila at Finnvox (Nightwish, Children of Bodom, HIM).


Blood Omen is available on several formats including standard transparent red vinyl, standard jewel case CD, deluxe hardcover CD with exclusive artwork, and a deluxe LP version pressed on black and red splatter vinyl, housed in gatefold packaging, complete with additional and exclusive artwork.


Pre-order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"Changing Of The Guard"
"Parasite"
"Serpents Tongue"
"Essence Of Time"
"Nostradamus"
"Forgive & Forget"
"The Journey"
"War In Heaven"
"Tears Of Stone"


"Parasite" video:





This summer, The Raven Age will be touring arenas across Europe and the UK with Iron Maiden. They will also be performing at Germany’s Rock am Ring, Belgium’s Graspop Metal Meeting, Return Of The Gods Festival in Italy, Sweden Rock, and Metal Days in Slovenia.


Full list of tour dates here.


(Photo - John McMurtrie)

German pioneers of industrial metal, Megaherz, return to tear down walls with their full-length studio album, In Teufels Namen (eng. In the Devil's Name), set to be released on August 11 via Napalm Records. Three decades into their career, Megaherz have undoubtedly become one of the most important bands, the co-founders of Neue Deutsche Härte, which they proved with their critically acclaimed 2018 full-length, Komet - storming charts and peaking at #7 in Germany.


On their new release, In Teufels Namen, Megaherz raise their voice again and direct their gaze to where it hurts - criticizing conspiracy theories, religion and society as a whole, but also facing inner struggles and pain. The brand new single "Alles Arschlöcher" (EN: “All Assholes”) shows off hard hitting guitars, catchy synth-melodies, electronic influences and strong lyrics - criticizing the worst of society in trademark Megaherz style. Followed by a captivating, dark official music video, it highlights the expressive statement and strong topic.


Megaherz on “Alles Arschlöcher”: “Today we proudly present the first single from our new album. ‘Alles Arschlöcher’ is a hard-hitting expression of our frustration and the anger we feel towards the hypocrites and manipulators of this world. Let yourself be carried away by the aggression and the penetrating power of ‘Alles Arschlöcher’ and scream your frustration out together with us.”




Watch the official music video for “Alles Arschlöcher” below.


Megaherz’s new album begins strongly with the epic title track “In Teufels Namen” (EN: "In the Devil's Name"), detailing their critique on the church as an institution. On “Der König Der Dummen” (EN: “The King Of The Fools”), one of the heaviest songs on the record, the quintet doesn’t mince words once again, commenting on conspiracy theorists in their tinfoil hats. The hypnotizing track “Amnesie” (EN: “Amnesia”) is heavily built on electronic-inspired beats and melodies, while chanting anthem of the free spirited, “Freigeist”, features catchy synths and a sing-along chorus. On tracks like “Rabenherz” (EN: “Raven Heart”) and “Engelsgesicht” (EN: "Angel face"), the band show an emotional facet, while the second is a reminiscent of the band’s all-time hit “Miststück” (EN: “Bitch”). "Menschenhasser” is a powerful, fast Neue Deutsche Härte track that eases into the breather "Ich Hasse (Epilog)" (EN: "I Hate (Epilogue)"), featuring emotional keys, before the empowering “Auf dem Weg zur Sonne” (EN: “On My Way To The Sun”) showcases their vulnerable side before closing the album. Overall, In Teufels Namen is an energetic ride providing the listener with pure industrial metal at its best.


Megaherz on their new album: “We are happy to finally release our new album, In Teufels Namen, and it hits with full force. In Teufels Namen is an album steeped in dark themes and strong emotions. We went deep into the abyss of human nature and the result is songs that powerfully and uncompromisingly unleash an energy that will sweep you away.”





In Teufels Namen will be available in the following formats:


- 2 CD Deluxe Box (incl. Ltd. Digisleeve, bonus CD with 6 previously unreleased tracks, pocket bottle, art print (15x15cm)) - limited to 300 copies
- 1 LP Gatefold Clear Blue – limited to 500 copies, GSA only
- 1 LP Gatefold Black – limited to 300 copies
- 1 CD Digisleeve + Shirt Bundle
- 1 CD Limited Digisleeve
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





In Teufels Namen tracklisting:


"In Teufels Namen"
"Rabenherz"
"Engelsgesicht"
"Freigeist"
"Kannst du den Himmel sehn?"
"Der König Der Dummen"
"Amnesie"
"Alles Arschlöcher"
"Menschenhasser"
"Ich Hasse (Epilog)"
"Auf dem Weg zur Sonne"


"Alles Arschlöcher" video:





Don’t miss Megaherz on their European co-headliner tour with Combichrist this fall.


Megaherz are:


Lex - Vocals
X-ti - Guitars & Samples
Chris - Guitar
Wenz - Bass
Maxx - Drums


(Photo - Franz Schepers)

"The future is a beast, and we're here to ride it." - Chuck Garric


COP International is proud to announce the signing of Nashville rock act, Beasto Blanco, to its growing artist roster, and will exclusively release two new singles from the band in 2023, followed by a full-length album in 2024, supported by upcoming tour dates.


"We were approached by Eric Burton / Schubert Music about signing Beasto Blanco, and as soon as we heard that Chuck Garric (bass, Alice Cooper) and Calico Cooper fronted the band, we were very interested," says Christian Petke, founder of COP International Records. "I saw Beasto Blanco for the first time in Germany at the Waldstation in Frankfurt. They were opening for the Böhse Onkelz in front of a massive crowd of 50,000-plus people. It was an absolute high-pressure situation, as Böhse Onkelz fans are notorious for not taking kindly to opening acts. However, Beasto stood their ground and absolutely nailed their set. The mayhem Beasto created on stage radiated out into the audience, creating an insane feedback loop that left us all breathless. In that moment, I knew that we had a winner – a band capable of delivering an electrifying performance in the most challenging of circumstances."




Burton suggested COP bring in Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost) as the producer for the album, which turned out to be a brilliant match. "We were looking for a sound that was inspired by bands, movies, and lyrical concepts that inspired Beasto Blanco. Chris instantly got that vibe," says Calico Cooper. "We flew to Hamburg to track the vocals, finished the writing in February, and the sessions were creative and amazing in a city with great energy!”


Chris Harms adds, "Working with Beasto Blanco was one of the most creative and exciting productions of my producing career. For a few months, I was allowed to dive into the band's world so deeply that it felt like I was part of the band. We wrote, recorded, and produced songs together, with great attention to detail and no genre boundaries. Everything that felt good was right. I'm very proud of this album, which, for me, is a milestone in BB's career!"


“We will drop two singles in the second half of this year," says Chuck Garric. "I will be touring with Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie in the fall, and we want to use this opportunity to introduce some of the new material to the fans. We will release the new album early 2024 and are planning some extensive touring to support the record. Beasto Blanco is my inner beast, my spirit animal, the thing that I turn into when I hit the stage," he says.


Beasto Blanco bass player Jan LeGrow adds of the connection to COP International Records, which has distribution in Germany and America, “Germany is home to us. Literally home. I was born and raised in Köln, Germany. Beasto has rocked in stadiums and arenas around Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Our first time rehearsing as a band was in Zurich, Switzerland, so it is really fitting that we are signed to a German / American label and publisher. We love our Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft."


Blood, sweat, and gasoline are fueling Beasto Blanco's explosive rock sound and captivating visuals. A band and an audience united in one inseparable union of musical thunder and sensational spectacle: Welcome to the world of Beasto Blanco. Whether illuminated in the spotlights of cavernous arenas or headlining packed theaters and clubs, the band's mission is unwavering: To create an immersive experience where everyone is welcome to join an extended family whose support is unconditional and authentic.


More announcements regarding Beasto Blanco will be forthcoming in 2023.


(Photo - Jed Williams)

In a new interview with Tony González of Spain's Made In Metal, former QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Geoff Tate confirmed that he is "almost finished" writing his autobiography after working on it "for quite a few years". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's a lot of work to be a book writer, I find. It's different with songs. For example, you might spend one month per song — writing the music and writing the lyrics — and then it's finished. But books can take years to write. Every chapter has to be so in-depth. It depends on what kind of book. In my case, writing an autobiography is a little easier because I know my subject very well. [Laughs] And I've been a journaler for years — I've always kept a diary and a journal — so I have a lot of source material to reference. Like where I was on a certain date, what happened, roughly. So I have a lot of ability to go back and read what I lived."

Tate previously discussed his autobiography last fall in an interview with Keysmash magazine. At the time, he said: "Over the last close to a year, I've been working on my book, my autobiography. And I'm just finishing it up now; I'm kind of in the proofreading stage. And actually reading it through, I'm kind of shocked at how much life I've had. [Laughs] I've done a lot of stuff, and a lot of interesting things. I've done a lot of traveling. I've been to 67 countries in the world. I've been a lot of places, done a lot of things, played a lot of shows, made a lot of friends. I've lost a lot of friends along the way. [I've had] a crazy, crazy life."

In a March 2021 interview with Sonic Perspectives, Tate said that he had "a lot of stuff written already" for his autobiography. "I'm kind of a journal writer, keeping track of everything, 'cause, honestly, the older I get, I can't remember all the stuff," he explained. "I go back and read what I wrote to remember dates and places. 'Cause I've played so many shows — thousands of shows — in different places around the world, and honestly, you just sort of forget, unless you keep track of it and write it down. You forget where you were, or you remember there was something that happened there and maybe you can remember the situation, but you don't know where you were. So it really helps to write it down and keep track of it. I have a lot of things written down — probably eight or nine hundred pages of information. It's pretty much organized by date."

Tate recently announced the summer/fall 2023 U.S. leg of his "Big Rock Show Hits" tour.

Geoff celebrated his 64th birthday on January 14 during his concert at Amaturo Theater in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Tate's "Big Rock Show Hits" tour kicked off on December 1, 2022. Tate and his international band — featuring guitarists Kieran Robertson from Scotland, James Brown from Ireland and Alex Hart from Boston along with bass player Jack Ross from Scotland, drummer Danny Laverde from Cincinnati and keyboardist Jason Ames — hit 28 cities across the United States, including Cleveland, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Denver and Nashville, on an initial tour leg that culminated on Geoff's birthday.

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012.

Tate was replaced in QUEENSRŸCHE by former CRIMSON GLORY singer Todd La Torre.

Geoff is currently celebrating the 35th anniversary of QUEENSRŸCHE's classic album "Operation: Mindcrime".

Last summer, Tate underwent an aortic valve replacement at the Universitäts-Herzzentrum Freiburg-Bad Krozingen (University Heart Center Freiburg) in Bad Krozingen, Germany. According to NHS, an aortic valve replacement is a type of open-heart surgery used to treat problems with the heart's aortic valve, which controls the flow of blood out from the heart to the rest of the body.

New Jersey-based indie rock band Riversend are back with their follow-up to "Phantom"; their original take of Pantera's "Revolution Is My Name".


Olivia Horovitz (lead vocals), and Zack Miranowic (lead guitarist of Disciples Of Verity and Sekond Skyn) are the duo taking a calculated risk with "Revolution Is My Name" and breathing into it a whole new emotional spirit. Once again, Riversend is showcasing their musical abilities in a nuance that stands guns loaded, in a scene from a moment of justice being delivered. The music entwines in the haunting apparitional motion only Olivia can convey through her vocals and Zack fulfills with his guitar work and mix.


Joining Olivia Horovitz and Zack Miranowic on this unique Pantera cover is guest drummer / percussionist, Garrett Kruse.







Lead vocalist Olivia Horovitz reflects: “We knew it was a bold choice when we decided to cover a song by Pantera, but we did it for the fun of creating something new and different." Guitarist / bassist Zack Miranowic added, "When I heard Olivia singing the chorus to 'Revolution Is My Name', I thought, 'Hey, that would be something really cool to record because I’ve never heard anybody do a Pantera cover in that way.'”


Purchase "Revolution Is My Name" by Riversend at Bandcamp.





The official 4K remaster of the "Revolution Is My Name" music video by Pantera, from their Reinventing The Steel album, issued in 2000, can be enjoyed below.





 

JUDAS PRIEST's Richie Faulkner was the featured guest on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" during the "Rock God" segment. Richie picked Jimi Hendrix and stated about his choice (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I still remember, as most of us do, the first time the sonic psychedelia leaped out from the grooves in the vinyl. My father was also a massive fan and was passing the torch to his young son.

"Watching Jimi's performance at the Monterey Pop Festival on a VHS tape was also otherworldly," he continued. "Exploding out of the shadows to a cover of Howlin' Wolf's 'Killing Floor', a pink feather boa draped around his neck and a black Stratocaster thrust forward, this young boy from London was hooked.

"Jimi never seemed to be brash or loud as a person and let his music do the talking.

"As a guitar player, I always look to Jimi for guidance and inspiration if I get lost writing a song or can't find the right fluster of notes," Richie added. "He always brings me back to the core of why I was inspired to be a guitar player in the first place.

"Jimi is my rock god, as he still inspires millions to this day."

Faulkner is currently promoting "Horns For A Halo", the debut album from ELEGANT WEAPONS, his new project also featuring singer Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, MSG). The LP, which was released on May 26 via Nuclear Blast, was recorded with bassist Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) and drummer Scott Travis (JUDAS PRIEST) and was helmed by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, EXODUS and MEGADETH, among many others.

ELEGANT WEAPONS, which is rounded out by Dave Rimmer (URIAH HEEP) on bass and Christopher Williams (ACCEPT) on drums, will hit the road in Europe beginning in June and running through July. The trek will include performances with PANTERA, festival appearances and headlining shows.

Faulkner joined JUDAS PRIEST in 2011 as the replacement for the band's founding guitarist K.K. Downing.

In September 2021, Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during PRIEST's performance at the Louder Than Life festival, just a short distance from Rudd Heart and Lung Center at UofL Health - Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. It took the hospital's cardiothoracic surgery team, led by Dr. Siddharth Pahwa and also including Drs. Brian Ganzel and Mark Slaughter, approximately 10 hours to complete the surgery, an aortic valve and ascending aorta replacement with hemiarch replacement.

After Louder Than Life, JUDAS PRIEST postponed the remainder of the U.S. dates on its 50th-anniversary tour, dubbed "50 Heavy Metal Years". The shows were rescheduled for March and April 2022.

Last September, Faulkner revealed that he underwent a second heart surgery in early August 2022 to fix "a hole in the repair." He added: "There was a leak — I'd basically sprung a leak in there — and it was causing a sack to form around my heart. So they found it just before the European leg [of PRIEST's 2022 tour]."

Following the news of their signing to The Circle Music, Greek black metal act, Melan Selas, have unleashed the first single and lyric video in support of the upcoming second album, Zephyrean Hymns. Watch the lyric video for “Dreadful Dome” below.


Scheduled for a September 22 release, Zephyrean Hymns breathes new life into the black metal scene and promises to place the band among the greats of the Greek black metal scene.


"A quest through space and time, an ascension to something greater... Zephyrean Hymns lead our cause," this is how the band describes the new album.




Zephyrean Hymns consists of eight songs that create a unique atmosphere. Sometimes the listener is assaulted by raging riffs and eerie screams and at other times engrossed in seductive vocals travelling with dreamy melodies.


Hailing from Trikala, Greece, Melan Selas formed in 2015 and have so far released two EPs and one full-length album, Φάος. The band consists of D.K. (Riffobia, Katavasia) who handles all instruments and Astraea (Oletir) on vocals and lyrics.


Melan Selas' music genre can be defined as black metal with epic and atmospheric elements, as well as some black/thrash metal sections. The lyrical themes of the project vary between nature, ancient times and philosophy.





Zephyrean Hymns tracklisting:


"Mountain Tops"
"Frozen Lake"
"Humble Soil"
"Trumpets Of War"
"Dreadful Dome"
"Darkened Cliff"
"Wanderer"
"Ancient Scrolls"


"Dreadful Dome" lyric video:





(Photo - Georg Iffert)

S8nt Elektric, the female-fronted hard rock band from Los Angeles, is excited to release their latest single and music video, "Live On". The song showcases their unique sound and is accompanied by a visually captivating video.





"Live On" combines rock, alternative, and electronic influences to create an impactful anthem. With powerful vocals and infectious guitar riffs, S8nt Elektric delivers an electrifying experience for listeners.




"Live On" is now available on major streaming platforms, with the music video available for streaming below.





S8nt Elektric is a five-piece hard rock band from Los Angeles, influenced by all types of rock, alternative, and even disco. With a goal of innovating rock n’ roll for the 21st century they have hard-hitting players and unexpected twists and turns in their music. Releasing one single at a time, S8nt Elektric are paving their own lane in this complicated musical landscape.


Formed in 2021, the lineup includes Briana Carbajal on vocals, Niko Tsangaris on lead guitar, London Hudson on drums, Eric Matt on rhythm guitar, and Jack Kleinman on bass.

In a new interview with Robert Cavuoto of Sonic Perspectives, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler was asked about the report that Ozzy Osbourne may perform in a chair when he returns to the live stage later this year. The report came in March, a month after Osbourne released a statement in which he said that he would have to cancel his tour because of a spinal injury he suffered four years ago and other health problems.

Geezer, who is promoting his autobiography "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond", said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wouldn't be surprised. It's up to him. I've got nothing to do with his solo career. Whatever Ozzy wants to do, it's up to him… It's sad that he has to do that, if he does it. But Ozzy wants to get out there and play to his fans one more time. So good luck to him."

Asked he still stays in touch with Ozzy and other fellow original SABBATH members Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, Geezer said: "I stay in touch with Tony. Bill's not on the Internet. And I haven't spoken to Ozzy since the last SABBATH gig [in 2017]."

In March, it was announced that Ozzy will join GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN and TOOL as one the headliners of the Goldenvoice-produced Power Trip festival, which will take place Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8 at the Empire Polo Club In Indio, California.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman said he would return if his condition improved.

In an interview with The Sun, Sharon Osbourne spoke about some of Ozzy's health issues, including catching COVID-19 more a year ago, which forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

"Ozzy's Achilles' heel has always been his lungs, so to get something like Covid that affects your breathing and all of that, it was just torturous," she said.

"It has been very difficult. Ozzy has been plagued medically by different things that have been wrong. It is like one thing leads to another then another. For some reason he is tested all the time. I think, 'No more, please God. He has passed all the tests, he has survived — please leave him alone'."

Sharon added: "This is the longest time Ozzy has ever been at home. He is driving me crazy, every fucking day.

"Ozzy said to me during Covid, 'Do you think we are spending too much time together?' I'm like, 'Yeah, but where the fuck do I go? I can't go to a hotel, what do you want me to do? Where do you want me to go?'. And he said, 'I didn't think of that'."

Sharon said that getting Ozzy into a good enough physical shape to play live shows is now a priority.

"The biggest love affair of Ozzy's life is his audience and performing," she explained. "He misses the live audience, he misses his fans terribly. He feels he's let them down. Performing is what he is born to do. Ozzy says to me that he can't do anything as good as performing. I get heart-broken when I hear him say that and knowing he cannot go out and do what he is meant to do. But he will get there."

In March, Ozzy was photographed walking without his cane in Los Angeles. According to Page Six, the 74-year-old singer looked unbalanced as he walked alongside his carer, who picked up flowers during their daytime stroll around the neighborhood and held them out for Osbourne to take a whiff.

The news of Osbourne's participation in Power Trip came nearly two months after he released a statement in which he said that he would have to cancel his tour because of a spinal injury he suffered four years ago and other health problems.

Ozzy most recently gave an update on his touring status in February during an episode of SiriusXM's "Ozzy Speaks". He said: "Well, I've been working my guts out to try and get back on my feet. I've come to the point where Sharon says to me, 'You know what? The truth of the matter is you can't keep booking tours and failing, canceling. So, if I can ever get back to where I can tour again, fine. But right now, if you said to me, 'Can you go on the road in a month?' I couldn't say yes. I mean, if I could tour, I'd tour. But right now I can't book tours because right now I don't think I could pull them off."

Osbourne also commented on the fact that some of the media outlets reported that he was retiring from the road after he released his statement canceling his tour.

"The fucking press drive you nuts," Ozzy said. "I mean, I looked in the magazine, 'Ozzy's on his last legs.' I'm fucking not dying… Come on, guys. Haven't I've had it bad enough already? If I get okay today, if the doctor said to me today, 'Oh, you can tour, it would take another six months to get it together, you know?"

Osbourne also touched upon his ongoing health issues, saying: "You've got no idea. You got no idea what my… I feel like a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. The only thing I've got that keeps me going is making records. But I can't do that forever. I gotta get out there… [I'm] still in constant pain. I do to the best I can to stay away from the pain medication, but there are times when I go, 'You know, I've gotta take something.' I mean, last week I couldn't… I've been sleeping great, and all of a sudden for two back-to-back nights. I never slept a wink. If you're gonna torture me, just keep me awake for a couple of days. I'll tell you whatever the fuck you want me to say."

Osbourne was due to embark on a tour of Europe later this year, but in the aforementioned statement said that he has "come to the realization that I'm not physically capable … as I know I couldn't deal with the travel required.

"This is probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to share with my loyal fans," the musician continued in his statement. "As you may all know, four years ago this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine. My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) treatment, my body is still physically weak.

"Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really FUCKS ME UP, more than you will ever know," he wrote. "Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way."

In the statement, Osbourne added that he was looking into "ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country", and thanked his fans for "their endless dedication, loyalty and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have".

Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February. The trek was scheduled to begin in Helsinki, Finland, on May 3, and include gigs in Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and London, before finishing in his original hometown of Birmingham on June 14.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" is being released on June 6 in North America via HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books. The book will arrive in the United Kingdom on June 8.

A founding member of BLACK SABBATH, Butler is also the lyricist of such SABBATH classics as "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Paranoid" and others.

IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain, who turns 71 today (Monday, June 5),celebrated his birthday onstage with his bandmates during their concert last night (Sunday, June 4) at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland. An official video capturing the moment has been uploaded to MAIDEN's YouTube channel and can be seen below.

Tapped to replace Clive Burr in 1982 after touring activities for "Number Of The Beast" concluded, McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Steve Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He is now the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

McBrain spent his early drumming years playing for the likes of Pat Travers and French rockers TRUST, eventually falling on to the radar of Harris and MAIDEN during the group's initial European tour.

McBrain recently shared a new nine-minute video breakdown of the drum kit he is using for the 2023 leg of the band's "The Future Past" world tour. The trek, which launched on May 28 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, is scheduled to hit North America in September and October.

In November 2019, Nicko announced that he would be playing the Manchester, U.K.-based drum brand British Drum Co. and carry the title "International Ambassador" with it.

British Drum Co. has been around since 2015, launched by drum builder Keith Keough four years after he sold his own company, KD Drums, to Premier. Premier is the company McBrain endorsed for much of the '90s and 2000s. Nicko now plays the British Drum Co. Legend Series.

Nicko has his own IRON MAIDEN artwork on all the drums in his kit. Each drum features MAIDEN's mascot Eddie and has its own story relating to the stage set and to the history of "The Future Past " tour.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nicko McBrain's Drum One 🥁1️⃣🤘 (@nickosdrumone)

Peter Gabriel has releasesd the sixth track from his forthcoming album i/o. This month the song is "Road To Joy" and the first version to be heard is the Bright-Side Mix, by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.


Written by Peter Gabriel and produced by Peter Gabriel and Brian Eno, "Road To Joy" features Soweto Gospel Choir, a string arrangement from John Metcalfe and contributions from a number of Gabriel’s current touring band; long-time collaborators Tony Levin (bass), David Rhodes (guitar) and Manu Katché (drums) as well as two newer members Don E (bass keys), ‘he did the funkiest bass line that you can imagine’ and Josh Shpak (trumpet), ‘beautiful playing, a super musical guy.’ The song was recorded at Real World Studios, Bath, The Beehive and British Grove, London and High Seas Studios, South Africa.


"I'm working on a project which is partly a story focused around the brain and how we perceive things and this song connects to that. It deals with near-death experience and locked-in syndrome situations where people are unable to communicate or to move. It's an amazingly frustrating condition. There have been some great books and films about this subject, but at this point in our story the people looking after our hero manage to find a way to wake him up. So, it’s a lyric about coming back into your senses, back to life, back into the world."




The song is one of the last tracks to emerge for the i/o record, but it has some DNA from an earlier project; "It was actually very late in the record that we got to this. There had been a song that musically I'd started, I think, around the OVO project called Pukka. It was very different to this, but it was actually the starting point for coming back to this song. I just felt there was a good groove there, and I wanted something else with rhythm and so we tried a few things when I was working with Brian Eno. The excitement and energy in the song was something that I was getting off on. I felt we didn't have enough of that for this record."





As with previous full moon releases, "Road To Joy" comes with an artist of the month, and for this June release that artist is Ai Weiwei and his work ‘Middle Finger in Pink’.


"I'm a big fan of Ai Weiwei, both as an artist, as a designer and as a human rights campaigner. He's an incredibly brave man and regularly risks the wrath of the Chinese government. But his work is exceptional, often political and quite extraordinary. When I was hustling him, I think he had absolutely no idea who I was, so it was an uphill battle at first, but he was open to talking and we got to know each other and hang out a little bit. I was delighted when he agreed to being a part of the i/o project and generously sent us three designs. He has this middle finger image that he uses a lot in his work, and it is often directed to those in power. He's definitely been at the root end of power, as his father was before him. So that's an important symbol for him and I guess in the context of the story I am now working on, death is the dominant power, and the hero is coming back to life and raising his finger to death."


Just like the previous full moon releases, "Road To Joy" comes with differing mix approaches from Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (Bright-Side Mix). Tchad Blake (Dark-Side Mix) and Hans-Martin Buff’s Atmos mix (In-Side Mix), released later in the month.





Since the release of Four Kinds Of Horses, last month, Peter Gabriel has begun the European leg of the i/o tour.


i/o - The Tour sees Gabriel playing new material from his forthcoming album i/o, as well as delving into his peerless catalogue of music, with hits, fan favourites and the unexpected. For the shows, Gabriel will be joined by regular band-mates Tony Levin, David Rhodes and Manu Katché.





Tour dates:


June
5 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
6 - Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpaleis
8 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
10 - Cologne, Germany - Lanxess Arena
12 - Hamburg, Germany - Barclays Arena
13 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle
15 - Bordeaux, France - Arkea Arena
17 - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
19 - London, UK - The O2
20 - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
22 - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
23 - Manchester, UK - AO Arena
25 - Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena


September
8 - Quebec City, Quebec - Videotron Centre
9 - Ottawa, Ontario - Canadian Tire Centre
11 - Toronto, Ontario - Scotiabank Arena
13 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
14 - Boston, Massachusetts - TD Garden
16 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Wells Fargo Center
18 - New York, New York - Madison Square Garden
20 - Washington, D.C. - Capital One Arena
22 - Buffalo, New York - KeyBank Center
23 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - PPG Paints Arena
25 - Columbus, Ohio - Nationwide Arena
27 - Cleveland, Ohio - Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
29 - Detroit, Michigan - Little Caesars Arena
30 - Chicago, Illinois - United Center


October
2 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Fiserv Forum
3 - St. Paul , Minnesota - Xcel Energy Center     
7 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Rogers Arena
8 - Seattle, Washington - Climate Pledge Arena
11 - San Francisco, California - Chase Center
13 - Los Angeles, California - Kia Forum
14 - Palm Springs, California - Acrisure Arena
16 - Denver , Colorado - Ball Arena
18 - Austin, Texas - Moody Center
19 - Dallas, Texas - American Airlines Center
21 - Houston, Texas - Toyota Center


(Photo - Nadav Kander)

Italy’s blackened deathcore outfit, The Modern Age Slavery, recently released  their fourth studio album, 1901 | The First Mother, via their new label, Fireflash Records. The album includes a unique cover version of the Korn classic, “Blind”, a band favorite, although Korn does not belong to the death metal strand.


“We just wanted to make a cover that would actually stand out since, differently from all the other tracks, it is not full The Modern Age style. It is actually the first time we insert some clean vocals which are not in the background. We are all curious of what our listeners and friends will think about it...”, comments the band.


Watch the video below:







Order 1901 | The First Mother here





Tracklisting:


“Pro Patria Mori”
“KLLD”
“Irradiate All The Earth”
“The Hip”
“Lilibeth”
“Overture To Silence”
“OXYgen”
“Nytric”
“Victoria’s Death”
“The Age Of Great Men”
“Blind” (Korn cover)


“Pro Patria Mori”:





“KLLD”:

Los Angeles-born guitar hero Nita Strauss recently announced her brand new album "The Call of the The Void", due out July 7 via Sumerian Records. Today, she has shared the video for the latest single "Victorious", featuring Hungarian-born vocalist/writer Dorothy Martin.

Says Nita: "'Victorious' is the anthem I always wanted, a song about inspiring change, marching forward relentlessly, being willing to save yourself instead of waiting for someone to do it for you, and never backing down from a fight. Dorothy was the perfect powerhouse voice and personality to stand and deliver and knock this one out of the park."

Dorothy shares Strauss's enthusiasm for the track, stating, "I'm honored to be a part of 'Victorious' with my friend Nita Strauss. She is the embodiment of a bold, beautiful, strong woman. The song and video scream #GIRLPOWER and we know you'll love it!"

The video features two killer cameos. 13-year-old rising guitar star Charlotte Milstein plays the role of a young Nita, while U.S. Olympian, former WBO and IBF champion Mikalea Mayer, a childhood friend of Strauss and former bandmate, also appears.

"The Call Of The Void" is a star-studded affair featuring guest vocals from DISTURBED's David Draiman, ARCH ENEMY's Alissa White-Gluz, HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's Chris Motionless, IN FLAMES' Anders Fridén, Dorothy, Alice Cooper and Lilith Czar.

Regarding her decision to make her second album half vocal songs and half instrumental, Nita told The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn in a new interview: "It was really just a natural progression, I think. As an artist, I think you always have to keep growing and pushing yourself. And I didn't wanna stay in the same place and just keep doing the same thing over and over again. I try to do that in every aspect of my career, so this just seemed like the natural next best step."

Asked how she decides which songs to put vocals to and which to keep as instrumental tracks, Nita said: "For me personally, the process for writing an instrumental song is so different to the process of writing a song that's gonna be for a singer. And it's really because for an instrumental song there are no rules. The song can be two minutes; the song can be 15 minutes; it can be as fast or as slow with as many key changes and as many tempo changes… It's the Wild West. [Laughs] And if you're writing for a vocalist, suddenly all of these restrictions fall into place: it can't be too short; it can't be too long; it has to be a key that's comfortable enough for the singer you have in mind to sing in; it can't be so fast that they can't sing the vocals or so slow that it's uncomfortable for their delivery. If it's gonna go to radio, it has to follow sort of a specific format of length and arrangement. All these constraints pop up. So, for me, there wasn't really any track that was, like, 'Oh, this one could go either way,' because the instrumentals I just sort of pour out and the vocal [songs] are more carefully constructed."

Regarding the album's title, Strauss previously shared: "Have you ever been at the top of a high building and had the fleeting thought, '… I could jump right now?' This feeling is sometimes called 'The Call Of The Void,' also known as 'high place phenomenon.' It's not a suicidal impulse, rather the exact opposite — a subconscious decision to live your life, to step back from the ledge, and take control. As researcher April Smith aptly put it: 'An urge to jump affirms the urge to live.'

"I wanted the follow-up to 'Controlled Chaos' to be exciting, new, and fresh, to take listeners to a new place and take myself somewhere new as an artist too. We have some amazing collaborations on this album with incredible musicians, as well as the instrumental guitar music that first inspired me to play.

"Some pieces of music come into the world gracefully and easily. This album is not one of them! 'The Call Of The Void' was born kicking and screaming, a labor of love for sure, but also of blood, sweat and plenty of tears. I couldn't be more proud of the end result. Making this album helped me learn and grow so much as a musician and songwriter and I'm excited to finally unleash it on the world."

"Victorious" is the fifth song Nita has released featuring a star guest vocalist, the first being the enormously successful "Dead Inside" which featured guest vocals from Draiman and saw Nita become the first-ever solo female to have a No. 1 hit at Active Rock radio. She also returned to her instrumental roots last year with the release of single "Summer Storm", a fast-paced, emotive shred-fest. In October 2022, Nita dropped "The Wolf You Feed", an epic headbanger of a track featuring the insane vocal talent of White-Gluz. This past March, Strauss released "Winner Takes All", featuring a guest appearance by Cooper. In May, Nita released the official music video for the song "The Golden Trail", featuring a guest appearance by Fridén.

"The Call Of The Void" track listing:

Physical

01. Summer Storm
02. The Wolf You Feed (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
03. Digital Bullets (feat. Chris Motionless)
04. Through The Noise (feat. Lzzy Hale)
05. Consume The Fire
06. Dead Inside (feat. David Draiman)
07. Victorious (feat. Dorothy)
08. Scorched
09. Momentum
10. The Golden Trail (feat. Anders Fridén)
11. Winner Takes All (feat. Alice Cooper)
12. Monster (feat. Lilith Czar)
13. Kintsugi
14. Surfacing (feat. Marty Friedman)

Digital:

01. Summer Storm
02. The Wolf You Feed (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
03. Digital Bullets (feat. Chris Motionless)
04. Through The Noise (feat. Lzzy Hale)
05. Consume The Fire
06. Dead Inside (feat. David Draiman)
07. Victorious (feat. Dorothy)
08. Scorched
09. Momentum
10. The Golden Trail (feat. Anders Fridén)
11. Winner Takes All (feat. Alice Cooper)
12. Monster (feat. Lilith Czar)
13. Kintsugi
14. Surfacing (feat. Marty Friedman)
15. The Wolf You Feed (instrumental)
16. Digital Bullets (instrumental)
17. Through The Noise (instrumental)
18. Dead Inside (instrumental)
19. Victorious (instrumental)
20. The Golden Trail (instrumental)
21. Winner Takes All (instrumental)
22. Monster (instrumental)

Nita released 2018's "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".

In March, it was announced that Nita would return to Alice's band for his 2023 tour.

The Alice Cooper North American tour, with an all-new show dubbed "Too Close For Comfort", kicked off in late April in Michigan and will continue through late September, including a handful of August stadium shows with DEF LEPPARD and MÖTLEY CRÜE, followed by a co-headlining late summer "Freaks On Parade" tour with Rob Zombie.

Nita spent eight years playing with Alice before joining Demi Lovato's band last summer,

Strauss played her first full live show with Demi in August 2022 at the Grandstand at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Illinois.

Nita made her live debut with Demi in July 2022 with a performance of "Substance" on ABC's Emmy Award-winning late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

Strauss had been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

In a new interview with the "CooperTalk" podcast, legendary guitarist George Lynch was asked to name his career highlights. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I'm gonna be a hundred thousand percent honest with you here. The highlights of the career weren't musical things; the highlights of the career were financial things. And that's important. And I get sick of people, when you talk about the business of the music and the money and stuff, they're, like, 'Well, that's antithetical to the purity of the art, the artistic endeavor.' It's just an exchange of energy. It's how organisms operate.

"I love the game. I love the business of it," he continued. "And when it got to the point in my life where, as I was poor for a long period, for a big portion of my life, and growing up with a work ethic, I've been working since I was a kid, a little kid, and I pride myself on that. So when I got to the point in my life where I can actually feel like I can breathe and I don't have to be climbing every mountain uphill both ways carrying a hundred-pound load of rocks in the winter… I can actually let go a little bit and enjoy the process rather than be grinding and grinding and grinding, that was really a point in my life where it changed for me where I felt like I've achieved something. I'm not sure what I would call it, but I felt like I just kind of reached a point where I had a little bit more flexibility, a little bit more freedom and a little bit more security for my family. And that was probably the highlight of my musical journey. And I'm sorry — you would think it would be a musical thing, but it's not. It's that."

Lynch went on to say that being financially secure offers a certain comfort that enhances creativity rather takes away from it.

"I think we play better and perform better, think better, whatever, when we're relaxed — when you're breathing and you're relaxed and you don't have 'fight or flight,'" he said. "When you're poor and desperate, you are activated with all those other things and you're not playing at your best. I remember I wasn't relaxed; I was never relaxed. I was in the studio, like, 'Everything's on the line. I've gotta play the best solo in the world. I've gotta get this right.' Tons of pressure. You have anxiety. You're stressed. You're not breathing.

"I used to do this thing on stage where — I haven't done it in many, many, many years — but regularly I would hyperventilate on stage, to the point of passing out and going to the hospital," he revealed. "On big stages with DOKKEN all the time. And it was very worrisome. Because I would get myself so wound up that I had to prove myself: 'This is my one shot to kind of break through out of anonymity and poverty and prove that I matter and have something to say.' And I would go out there and I wouldn't breathe and my arms would stiffen up. And I didn't play well. Nowadays I'm relaxed. I've got a little bit of money in the bank. The walls are not collapsing in around me. I'm gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay. My family's okay. I have multiple projects. I have lots of friends that I play with and do different things. And we play with music; it's not this do-or-die thing. And we're very passionate about it, and I always do my best work, but I just learned to get out of my own way. And that was a giant, giant lesson for me. And that came with security. And that security came from money. So when people say money doesn't matter, I say, yeah, it does. Up to a point."

Lynch emerged from the 1980s hard rock scene with the Los Angeles-based group DOKKEN and went on to become a world-renowned guitarist. Aside from DOKKEN, he also enjoyed great success with LYNCH MOB, the group he founded after leaving DOKKEN.

Lynch has gone on to become a prolific (that is an understatement, to say the least) music creator, continuing with LYNCH MOB, releasing solo albums, and a wealth of collaborative efforts over the decades. Those include, but are not limited to, KXM with Doug Pinnick (KING'S X) and Ray Luzier (KORN),THE END MACHINE with Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER, ex-DOKKEN),Mick Brown (ex-DOKKEN),and Robert Mason (WARRANT),SWEET & LYNCH with Michael Sweet (STRYPER),ULTRAPHONIX with Corey Glover (LIVING COLOUR),DIRTY SHIRLEY with Dino Jelusick (ANIMAL DRIVE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA),and THE BANISHMENT with Joe Haze.