Los Angeles' Krashkarma can easily be described as one of metal’s most accomplished duos. With an impressive track record, which includes over 3 million views on their YouTube channel, over 100,000 followers on Facebook and more than 600 shows performed around the globe, the band is ready to unveil new material with their sixth studio album, entitled Falling To Pieces, coming in June via Rockshots Records.


The band have released this video for the track "Survive The Afterlife":







Looking behind the facts and figures, the band is one of the only few metal duos with a female drummer and vocalist, and a single guitarist/bassist. From behind the drum kit the energetic Niki Skistimas keeps the rhythm rock-tight as she delivers her seductively-charged vocals; meanwhile, guitarist/bassist and co-vocalist Ralf Dietel brings the material to life with his unique Frankenstein guitar/bass creation. Never before have two people created a sound so immense yet so vibrant.


For the new full-length, the duo wrote and recorded at Karma Kollective Studios in North Hollywood, California along with Ralf Dietel taking on producing, mixing, and mastering plus artwork duties. They are a self-producing duo that can be considered a jack of all trades when it comes to everything from creating to presenting their music.


A representation of the universal human experience, where the blending of differences creates something extraordinary, Krashkarma is intense, raw, dynamic, and electrifying. Featuring 12 tracks, Falling To Pieces is a story that will take fans on a journey from start to finish. From the thunderous drum intro and heart-wrenching scream pouring out of Niki Skistimas' whole being, it sets the stage for what's to come. From there, the album takes you on a wild ride! Krashkarma has put a lot of effort into crafting a narrative that's both compelling and epic, with each song building on the last to create a cohesive whole. Along the way, listeners will encounter soaring melodies, crushing riffs, and blistering solos over hammering grooves interplaying with the vocal harmonies between Niki and Ralf that Krashkarma is known for.


"Our fans will absolutely love our new album. It's heavier and better than anything we've ever done before. We are confident that they will be blown away by it. There are all the elements that make our sound our own. Ralf really dove into utilizing every resource available to him to write the most creative riffs and bass lines possible on his prototype guitar/bass instrument, Ms. Frankenstein. We wanted the sound on the record to be as close to how we will play it live as possible and kept that in mind in the recording process. Our fans know we love a good melody and any opportunity to chant together, so there will be plenty of that as well. All the songs represent a significant moment in time for us and we're excited to share them with the world," adds drummer/vocalist Niki Skistimas.


Falling To Pieces is out June 23, and is available to pre-order at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Falling To Pieces"
"15 Minutes Of Pain"
"Survive The Afterlife"
"Tap Dancing Through Minefields"
"Last Rites"
"Voodoo Devil Drums"
"How God Lost Her Virginity"
"Orphans In Zombieland"
"Shut Up"
"Fireball"
"Monsters Exit The Hopeless"
"Before The World Moved On"


"Falling To Pieces" video:





Catch Krashkarma live on the Falling To Pieces World Tour:

During the question-and-answer session at the May 18 book signing at the MK2 Bibliothèque in Paris, France by METALLICA's official photographer Ross Halfin, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett spoke about the band's "M72" world tour, which features two-night stops in nearly two dozen cities. Presented worldwide by Liquid Death and Blackened American Whiskey (in North America only) and promoted by Live Nation, the 46-show trek launched in Amsterdam on April 27 and includes shows all over Europe and North America through 2024. Each "No Repeat Weekend" on "M72" will feature two completely different setlists and support lineups.

Regarding the prospect of playing two different sets in every city, Hammett said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We rehearse [a lot]. We go do about a third of the set, it seems like, nowadays. But it's what we have to do just to make it sound as good as possible for you guys."

Trujillo added: "At the same time, what I wanna add to that is, with some of these songs, in my opinion, like 'Fight Fire [With Fire]' in Amsterdam was probably the tightest we've played that ever. So there are moments where you're gonna get — I believe — that you're gonna get something really special. And the fact that we're getting into the newer songs and challenging ourselves is super exciting. So there are gonna be moments of glory and there's gonna be moments of hopefully not too bad of a train wreck."

Continued Kirk: "I get used to the train wrecks, actually."

Last month, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich told Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City" about playing different songs in each city during the "M72" tour: "[It's] definitely exciting, definitely a little crazy. But it's fun spirited, of course, and a little overwhelming, to be honest with you.

"The concept was born out of a gentleman named Danny Wimmer who runs a series of festivals in America," he explained. "And I guess about four years ago now, he came to us and asked us if we would play six or eight of his festivals, and we would bookend the festival. We would play Friday and Sunday, and somebody else would play Saturday. And we would play Friday and Sunday — completely different sets — and bookend the festival. That sounded interesting, unique and crazy cool, so we said yes. And we had six, seven, maybe eight of those scheduled for 2020. Then the pandemic and lockdown came, and obviously that all went away. By the time we circled into the fall of '21, we went out and did three of those. And it was fun. We survived it. And it felt like it connected with an audience. And for us, it was an opportunity to do kind of a blank canvas experiment of just starting completely over, which is always fun and appreciated in the METALLICA camp. So when we were trying to figure out for the next record, we thought this concept of going around the world and playing two nights in every city and doing this would be fun.

"So, here we go. 'No Repeat Weekend'. We're not repeating any of the songs from one show to the other. It seems like a really good idea. It's also, obviously, gonna be a big undertaking. But I think it will be fun. I think the buzz is good.

"I'm not sure these days, to be honest with you, if everybody really understands what it is we're doing," Lars admitted. "I'm not sure we understand what it is we're doing. But I've heard myself talk about it now for a couple of weeks, and certainly everybody on our team is doing the best they can to get the message out there. It started off as one ticket for two shows, and then we let some single-day tickets be available for people that couldn't make both shows. Obviously, both shows, two shows is a big commitment for a lot of people; I understand that. So I don't know the idea that if people go to a show on one day, if they understand that there may not be certain toe-tapping favorites, as they may be called, that they will not hear. I don't know if they fully understand that concept, and I don't know if it matters. At the end of the day, it's a fun experiment, and when you've been playing for as long as we have and playing as many shows as we have, I think it's important to keep coming up with new ideas, to keep it fresh for the fans and fresh for yourselves. So hopefully this will connect. It's certainly exciting."

The "M72" tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age.

METALLICA is visiting a total of 22 different cities around the world and playing two nights in each city.

Opening acts include FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.

METALLICA promises fans who purchase a two-day ticket that they won't see the same song twice for a total of over 30 songs spanning the band's 40-plus-year career.

Each weekend offers a variety of "Enhanced Experiences", ranging from access to a meet-and-greet, production and stage tour, food and beverage in the "Black Box" lounge to early entry into the venue and the Snake Pit. The very popular "Black Laminate" is back, now known as the "I Disappear Ticket", and is the ultimate pass for the fan who wants to run away with METALLICA for multiple weekends.

A single "I Disappear" ticket purchase gives you access to as many of METALLICA's 46 headlining tour dates across Europe and North America in 2023 and 2024 as you choose. You decide how many shows you'd like to attend around the world, and for how long, and METALLICA will make it as easy as possible.

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner has paid tribute to Tina Turner. The pioneering rock singer passed away on Wednesday (May 24) after a long illness. She was 83 years old.

Faulkner commented on Turner's death during an appearance Wednesday on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What an icon. What an absolute, global, universal icon. I can't believe it, really. She had a good run — 83 years old. But an absolute icon.

"I was introduced to Tina Turner via the Bryan Adams 'Reckless' album. She'd done a song with him — 'It's Only Love', I think it was called," he continued. "And I was a massive fan of Bryan Adams, and still am a massive fan of Bryan Adams and that record. And I remember being introduced to that voice as it came over the speakers, and it obviously went from there. But just an incredible voice, an incredible career and just an iconic human being, really. So she will be sadly missed. But her legend will live forever. So, rest in peace, Tina."

Turner had battled several health issues in recent years, including being diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 and having a kidney transplant in 2017.

With a career spanning more than half a century, the legendary singer, dancer, actress and author was not only one of the world's most popular and successful entertainers, but the beloved global icon widely regarded as the "Queen Of Rock 'N' Roll".

Among her many accomplishments, the revered singer had received 12 Grammy Awards, was the first black artist and the first female artist to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone and was awarded the Légion D'honneur by the French government. One of the world's best-selling artists of all time, her live performances have been seen by millions. First inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as half of IKE & TINA TURNER, she was inducted in her own right as a solo artist in a ceremony in October 2021.

Born as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner first rose to fame in the 1960s, partnering with then-husband Ike Turner, as the lead singer of the IKE & TINA TURNER REVUE, acclaimed for her live performances and catalog of hits, including "River Deep - Mountain High" and "Proud Mary". Turner's well-publicized divorce and hardships ultimately forced her to virtually all but disappear from the music scene. By the 1970s, she began practicing Buddhism and rebuilt her life by tapping into her spiritual strength.

She celebrated her newfound freedom in 1975 with the role of the Acid Queen in the film version of THE WHO's "Tommy", delivering an outrageous, but all-too-brief performance.

She continued to release several albums during the late 1970s, but it was in 1984 that her career went stratospheric with 1984's "Private Dancer" going five times platinum in the U.S. and selling 10 million copies worldwide, spawning megahits, including "What's Love Got To Do With It", "Better Be Good To Me", the title track and a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". The album would earn her widespread recognition and numerous awards, including three Grammys.

A string of hit albums followed, including "Break Every Rule", "Foreign Affair" and "What's Love Got To Do With It". Hit singles included "Typical Male", "The Best", "I Don't Wanna Lose You", "I Don't Wanna Fight" and "Goldeneye". Successful duets with David Bowie and Mick Jagger showed her ability to perform on an equal footing with the greats of rock 'n' roll.

With another movie role in 1985, "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome", she found another hit in its theme song, "We Don't Need Another Hero", establishing her high-profile status well into the '90s.

As an author, her bestselling memoir, "I, Tina", became the 1993 Academy Award-nominated film "What's Love Got To Do With It", while her follow-up book, "My Love Story", was a global success in 2018. Additionally, Turner's eventful life has been immortalized in at least three documentaries including HBO's 2021 production "Tina", while her story has recently been staged as the biographical musical "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical" — becoming one of the most successful stage shows on Broadway and London and was honored by a Tony award and an Olivier award.

In any serious conversation about death metal, the name Vomitory has to come up. Following their inception in 1989, between 1996 and 2011 they dropped eight of the most blistering albums the genre has spewed up, the quartet parting ways in 2013. However, the band's retirement turned out to be short lived, returning to stages in 2019 to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary, and now they drop their first new full-length in twelve years, the monstrous All Heads Are Gonna Roll.


Check out a visualizer for the new single, "Piece By Stinking Piece", below:







Boasting the classic Vomitory sound with a few new twists and turns, it is everything their faithful could have hoped for, the band having taken their time before committing to it rather than rushing in. "We weren't feeling any pressure, it was rather about making a decision whether we should continue as a band, i.e. release new material, or simply put the band back in the grave again," explains drummer Tobias Gustafsson. "We wrote a few songs first just for the fun of it, to see if we still 'had it', before we made the final decision to continue and make a new full-length album."


All Heads Are Gonna Roll is best described as "fast, grinding, D-beat, fist-in-your-face death metal", it features fresh aspects that are uncommon to Vomitory records. "One thing in particular we did was to try to build distinct choruses in the songs, which is something we didn't put too much effort into earlier," explains drummer Tobias Gustafsson. "We have also spent a lot more time working with the backing vocal arrangements, which we certainly think paid off very well. It brings something new to our sound. We have also tried to write more straightforward riffs, like we did in the early 2000s."


The instruments for the record were tracked in the band's rehearsal space, on a mobile studio setup engineered by Mats Lindström, and was self-produced. This allowed them to work at their own pace in the hours that worked for them, rather than having this dictated to them as would be the case if they had rented a studio. "Although we had a lot of flexibility to choose our working hours, it was still crucial to keep the recording schedule as strict as possible, because it was so easy to say 'let's do it tomorrow instead'." For vocals, they went to Leon Music Studios and engineer Rikard Löfgren, which was where they recorded their last three albums. They brought in good friend Christian Fredriksson (Vulkan) to play some guitar solos, but otherwise it is entirely their own work. With vivid horror movie-inspired artwork - with a hint of anti-religion thrown in for good measure - All Heads Are Gonna Roll really is the whole package for death metal fans, and a stunning return to form after so many years between releases.





All Heads Are Gonna Roll is available in the following formats:


- Digipak-CD
- 180g black vinyl
- dim gray marbled vinyl (limited to 700 copies)
- crimson red marbled vinyl (limited to 500 copies)
- clear w/ red & white splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
- silver w/ black splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
- red w/ purple splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies) Sound Pollution exclusive


All Heads Are Gonna Roll, available via Metal Blade, can be ordered here.


Cover art by Giannis Nakos.





All Heads Are Gonna Roll tracklisting:


"All Heads Are Gonna Roll"
"Decrowned"
"Ode To The Meat Saw"
"The Deepest Tomb"
"Piece By Stinking Piece"
"Raped, Strangled, Sodomized, Dead"
"Dead Man Stalking"
"Disciples Of The Damned"
"Dead World"
"Beg For Death"


"Raped, Strangled, Sodomized, Dead" video:





"All Heads Are Gonna Roll" video:





Unboxing video:





Vomitory lineup:


Erik Rundqvist - vocals/bass
Urban Gustafsson - guitar
Peter Östlund - lead guitar
Tobias Gustafsson - drums

Zwielicht, the latest full-length album from Mental Cruelty, will be made available via Century Media Records on June 23. “Nordlys” their newest offering describes the tale of the Nordic afterlife, where ancient deities and restless spirits reign with almighty wrath. Follow the journey of souls rising up to heaven, but beware the phantoms of the afterlife and the omen of bane; the “Nordlys” may be listened to here; the awesome music video (produced by Aurora Motion Pictures) can be watched below.





Mental Cruelty comments on the new single: “The song 'Nordlys' is about ancient sagas of the northern lights, interpreted differently by Vikings and Norwegian tribes. These tales interpreted the lights in the sky in different ways. We should approach new situations positively, remembering fear often lies in our heads. Musically, it's not a typical Mental Cruelty song, with an acoustic guitar intro and orchestration setting the mood. The song ends with a guitar riff that will make you want to headbang.”




Zwielicht artwork and tracklisting:





"Midtvinter"
"Obsessis A Daemonio"
"Forgotten Kings"
"Pest"
"Nordlys"
"Mortal Shells"
"Zwielicht"
"Symphony Of A Dying Star"
"The Arrogance Of Agony"
"A Tale Of Salt And Light"


Mental Cruelty comments on the upcoming album: “Let us embrace a new era of darkness by bringing the 'black' into blackened heavy music. Join us on the way down to infernal gates of hell to be rebirthed back to life. The album will contain the most mind-bending variety of different heavy musical influences and sounds. Epic symphonic orchestras accompanied by slam breakdowns; this will have it all. Inspired from metaphors written by nature, death, and inner demons.”


Check out the previously released videos for “Zwielicht / Symphony Of A Dying Star” and “Forgotten Kings”:








(Photo – Kriss Jakob)


 

Bruce Franklin, a founding member and guitarist for legendary doom metal band TROUBLE, has paid tribute to SAINT VITUS co-founder and bassist Mark Adams who died earlier this month after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 64 years old.

Earlier today (Thursday, May 25),Franklin shared the following statement via the TROUBLE Facebook page: "We were sorry to hear of the passing of Mark Adams, bassist for SAINT VITUS.

"We met and befriended the SAINT VITUS guys back in 1985, when we played a show together at the Metro in Chicago. It was unusual to meet such kindred spirits at that time, as both bands were very much rooted in the early 70's from musical tastes to hippie-type garb. I remember Mark being the embodiment of that whole vibe, and also being a really cool and mellow personality. He and [guitarist] Dave Chandler created that unique VITUS sound that would influence many in the doom metal movement.

"We wanted to acknowledge what Mark has meant to our realm of the music world, and may he rest in peace."

Adams's passing was confirmed by Chandler, who took to his social media to write: "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to write. I found out last night. I can't say it out loud. I'm heartbroken to inform everyone that my best friend and co - founder of SAINT VITUS Mark Adams has passed away. The details are vague, as I haven't actually spoken with the family yet. He left us May 23 2023 peacefully in his sleep. I'm trying to contact anyone in the family to find out more.

"Mark was the best person I've ever met. He was kind to everyone, even those who did him wrong. Never had a bad word to say about anyone. Always found the good in everything no matter how bad it was. A great guy to be around. Nothing will ever be the same.

"God bless you my dear friend. I love you

"Mark Anthony Adams. 1958 - 2023."

Adams had been absent from SAINT VITUS's recent tours due to his illness. Playing bass for the group has been former CROWBAR and current DOWN bassist Pat Bruders.

SAINT VITUS began in the year 1978, when Adams, Chandler and drummer Armando Acosta started rehearsing. After trying out two other singers, the band finally settled for vocalist Scott Reagers under the designation TYRANT. In August 1979 the quartet played their first show and in 1980 their name was finally changed to SAINT VITUS. Reportedly this move was inspired by the BLACK SABBATH song "St. Vitus' Dance", taken from the "Volume 4" album (1972).

The eponymous debut album "Saint Vitus" had been released in the same year and was quickly followed by the second full-length "Hallow's Victim" (1985) and an EP titled "The Walking Dead" (1985). With thrash metal on a furious rise, the ultra-heavy sound of SAINT VITUS was mainly enjoyed by connoisseurs of doom and a dedicated underground following. This might have been one of the reasons for Scott Reagers to part from the band in 1986. His unexpected move turned out to be hardly a problem for the band as they recruited Scott "Wino" Weinrich from THE OBSESSED, who is considered as the ultimate voice of SAINT VITUS by a clear majority of their adherents.

When Reagers left, Dave Chandler had already written most of "Born Too Late" (1986). This album gained the Americans growing attention in the Metal underground especially overseas. The anthemic title track is considered be one of the great doom hymns by many fans.

The EP "Thirsty And Miserable" (1987) followed, which featured a BLACK FLAG cover version of the same name, but "Mournful Cries" (1988) was still going to be the last album for SST Records. All this hard work during the previous years started to pay off. With their aptly named fifth full-length "V" (1989) now released on the famous German doom label Hellhound Records and the live recording "Live" coming out a year later, interest started to grow considerably, although at first in continental Europe, but soon after in England as well. Just as the horizon was brightening for the Godfathers of Doom, Wino decided to leave SAINT VITUS and reform THE OBSESSED in 1990, which turned out to be a serious blow.

Wino was first replaced by Christian Lindersson from Swedish musical and spiritual brothers COUNT RAVEN. With him at the microphone SAINT VITUS recorded "C.O.D." (1992),which was produced by Don Dokken and gained high critical acclaim. Despite the warm welcome received, the band remained largely inactive after this release.

Two years later, SAINT VITUS reunited with their Reagers. This led to the again much applauded album "Die Healing" (1995). It might have been the right time for the group to reap the harvest of all the amazing songs that they had sown, but due to severe health problems of Reagers, their European tour had to be prematurely ended and that seemed to be the end of the SAINT VITUS story for a long time, much to the dismay of their loyal and by then many followers.

At the time nobody could have foreseen that April 29, 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany would mark Acosta's final performance with SAINT VITUS. After this last show in Europe, the band returned to the States as planned. There Amando's multiple serious health issues were continuing to take their toll on him, and with great sadness on November 25, 2010 SAINT VITUS received the painful news that their longtime friend and band mate had passed away.

When SAINT VITUS played their massive show at Hellfest in France, the crowd witnessed a new member on the drum stool. Henry Vasquez, who had already joined Dave Chandler on his project DEBRIS INC. made his debut there and remained with the band from that day on.

In 2012, SAINT VITUS signed to Season Of Mist, which released "Lillie: F-65". Seventeen years after their previous album and nine years after their reunion, SAINT VITUS were returning with a masterpiece that cemented their status as true icons of doom. "Lillie: F-65" is graced with the deeply resonant vocals of Weinrich who had rejoined the fold to record an album with the band for the first time since the glorious "V" (1989) and whom many consider to be the classic SAINT VITUS vocalist.

R.I.P. Mark Adams - Co-Founder/Bassist of Saint Vitus

Statement from Bruce Franklin on behalf of #Trouble ¥:
We were...

Posted by Trouble on Thursday, May 25, 2023

HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta has just dropped a single and visualizer for "Assimilation Agenda", a brand new track from his JASTA project, featuring Steve "Zetro" Souza from San Francisco Bay Area legends EXODUS. The banger is the first new music from JASTA since the release of the well-received project "The Lost Chapters, Volume 2", which dropped in 2019.

The song was recorded/mixed/mastered by Nick Bellmore at Dexters Lab Recording in Milford, Connecticut. It's the first track from JASTA's forthcoming new album, due out later this year.

"The whole album is a love letter to thrash but this song in particular is a great example of what’s to come and one of my favorites," says Jasta. "A duet with Zetro that will get the circle pits going HARD!!!"

The name Jasta represents one of music's most prolific and powerful reputations. As founder and frontman for Grammy-nominated monoliths HATEBREED alongside his countless collaborations, Jasta's reputation extends worldwide and well beyond music. From stints as the three-year host of MTV's "Headbanger's Ball" to his own popular podcast, the 2016-launched "The Jasta Show", he has become synonymous with both heavy music and hardcore culture. He remains the leading voice of the scene and amongst his peers.

In a 2019 interview with HardDrive Radio, Jasta stated about fans of heavy music not having an awareness of who he is in spite of his visibility as the frontman for HATEBREED: "It's a whole new generation of kids. In the 2010s, which, if you think about the music that's become popular since 2009 when HATEBREED did the self-titled album, until now, in 2010 when we did the KINGDOM OF SORROW album, there's two or three waves of bands, just in that one decade. So, you go, 'Wait a second.' Someone was just telling me about the band BRING ME THE HORIZON. They made a switch from being a heavy band to being sort of a more radio-friendly band in 2010. I looked that up and it was true. I thought, 'Just think about all the kids that that's their gateway band.' What happens is, they search other bands and they find SUICIDE SILENCE and they find KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, then they see SUICIDE SILENCE covered HATEBREED, and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's former singer does a song with the guy from HATEBREED. They have these weird ways, these weird gateways that they find other artists. It's amazing. I really feel like it's changed my outlook on everything. It's like we're living in… There's less gatekeepers."

He continued: "I remember being crushed when they said MTV2 is not going to play the HATEBREED video. That's part of the reason I wanted to be the host of the show ['Headbanger's Ball']. I was, like, 'If I can't get my video played, I've got to get in there somehow and try to change the system so that they don't look at us as just this screaming noise.' So, now, there's less — you can put a song up on SoundCloud; you can pay a guy… Shoutout to Paul [McGuire]; he did the video with Howard ['Chasing Demons']. We did it in our jam spot. It's got two million streams; it's got a half-million on YouTube. I've sold out every pressing of the CD. I did it totally DIY. That really started making me think, 'Wow, it's exciting. You don't have to go to a label and say…' I love all the labels; don't get me wrong. You don't have to pitch your project to somebody who might not be at that label in a year or two. I've had that happen with the HATEBREED DVD. They wanted to cut the budget on that. Luckily, we were able to get out of that deal and go to eOne and eOne gave us what we needed to do, and that DVD went number one. That previous company could of have had a number one DVD, but they didn't believe. They just see the name, 'This is crazy. This guy is yelling at me. He's wearing a bandana. What am I going to do?' Now, it's exciting, man."

Duff McKagan has shared a video of him performing an acoustic version of his solo song "Pass You By". The track is taken from McKagan's new three-track EP, "This Is The Song", which he released two weeks ago to honor Mental Health Awareness Month. The EP, which is available at all DSPs and streaming services, was produced by longtime collaborator Martin Feveyear (Mark Lanegan, Brandi Carlile).

"'This Is The Song' was written in the middle of a panic attack," McKagan said in a statement about the EP. "I couldn't breathe and couldn't see straight, and lately, I have thankfully found my acoustic guitar as a refuge. If I just hold on to that guitar, play chords, and hum melodies, I can start to climb my way out of that hole. For those of you who have never experienced something like this, count yourselves blessed. To those of you who recognize what I am talking about: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!"

McKagan's first new solo music in close to four years, "This Is The Song" follows his critically acclaimed sophomore solo album, 2019's "Tenderness", named by Loudwire as one of that year's "50 Best Rock Albums" and hailed by Rolling Stone in a three-and-a-half (out of four)-starred rave as "an album full of beauty and heart…It's music of conscience, heavy songs with a light touch."

In 2019, McKagan moved into his own recording studio, allowing him a long-hoped-for opportunity to "finally explore songs that I may have written the night before or some of those old riffs from years ago. This is a big deal for me." Along with "This Is The Song", the new EP includes the soulful "It Can't Come Too Soon" (featuring guest vocals from Seattle, Washington-based singer, songwriter, music educator, and community organizer Shaina Sheperd) and "Pass Me By", the latter inspired by distinctly modern confrontation with a gun-toting horsewoman while on a motorcycle trip through the Cascade Mountains.

A founding member of both GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER, Duff McKagan is, at his heart, a songwriter, penning a growing canon of vulnerable, confessional, and authentic material. Produced by three-time Grammy Award winner Shooter Jennings, "Tenderness" marked a powerful new chapter for the ever-evolving artist, taking on societal ills and his own personal transgressions against a rich sonic backdrop of Americana-fueled arrangements. Among the album's many highlights is the volatile rocker "Chip Away", which earned extraordinary praise from the Maestro himself, Bob Dylan, who recently declared the song a personal favorite.

"There's a Duff McKagan song called 'Chip Away' that has profound meaning for me," Dylan told The Wall Street Journal. "It's a graphic song. Chip away, chip away, like Michelangelo, breaking up solid marble stone to discover the form of King David inside. He didn't build him from the ground up, he chipped away the stone until he discovered the king. It's like my own songwriting, I overwrite something, then I chip away lines and phrases until I get to the real thing."

Along with his prolific musical efforts, McKagan is The New York Times best-selling author of 2011's "It's So Easy: And Other Lies" and 2015's "How To Be A Man: (And Other Illusions)", and the co-host (with Susan Holmes McKagan) of SiriusXM's popular "Three Chords & The Truth" radio show on Ozzy's Boneyard (Ch. 38). McKagan currently serves as a core member of a modern-day "Wrecking Crew" alongside Grammy Award-winning musician/producer Andrew Watt and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith, recording and co-writing on such recent albums as Ozzy Osbourne's "Ordinary Man" (2020) and two-time Grammy Award-winning "Patient No. 9" (2022) and Iggy Pop's acclaimed "Every Loser" (2023). What's more, McKagan — with Watt, Smith, and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Josh Klinghoffer — is part of the recently unveiled IGGY POP & THE LOSERS lineup, who made a high-profile televised debut earlier this year with an electrifying performance of the feverish "Frenzy" on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

This summer will also see GUNS N' ROSES traveling on an epic global tour set to touch down in the Middle East, Europe, and North America beginning June 1 in Abu Dhabi.

Since 1949, May has been observed as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when advocates and activists across the country draw attention to the mental health issues that affect as many as one in four Americans. Today, more people die from suicide in the United States than from traffic accidents or homicides, and we lose 22 veterans to suicide daily. Unfortunately, because of the stigma associated with mental illness, many people are too ashamed or embarrassed to seek the help they need for themselves or their loved ones. Mental Health Awareness Month is a time when we work together to break through that stigma. We express compassion for those who struggle with mental health issues, and we draw attention to the proven methods that can help change their lives for the better.

"This Is The Song" EP track listing:

01. This Is The Song
02. Pass You By
03. It Can't Come Too Soon

ALICE COOPER guitarist Nita Strauss will release her sophomore solo album, "The Call Of The Void", on July 7 via Sumerian Records. The official music video for the LP's latest single, "The Golden Trail", featuring a guest appearance by IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén, can be seen below.

Regarding the album's title, Strauss 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."

On the collaboration with Fridén, Strauss said: "When I was first learning how to play guitar, IN FLAMES were my BEATLES, my first favorite band. Anders's iconic vocal style is burned into my mind! To write a song like this and have him sing on it, as a kid who grew up with IN FLAMES posters on my walls, is an absolute dream come true."

"It was a lot of fun to collaborate with Nita on 'The Golden Trail'," added Fridén. "She's an amazing guitar player and I can hear the history of metal flowing through her fingers."

"The Golden Trail" is the fourth song Nita has released featuring a star guest vocalist, the first being the enormously successful "Dead Inside" which featured guest vocals from DISTURBED's David 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 Alissa White-Gluz of ARCH ENEMY. This past March, Strauss released "Winner Takes All", featuring a guest appearance by Alice Cooper.

Back in February 2022, Nita told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about her upcoming LP: "It's gonna be half and half — six tracks with vocalists and six tracks of instrumental [music]. We've been doing ['Dead Inside'] live on the solo tour and it's been getting a super-good reaction from our crowds."

In early December 2022, Nita told "The Mistress Carrie Podcast" about her decision to make the upcoming LP half vocal songs and half instrumental: "I did feel, and the label and everybody agreed, it's still important for me to keep my identity as a guitar player and not just branch off too much and go, 'Okay, well, now it's just guests.' Let me still have a little of what makes me me, which is the instrumental shred stuff. And the instrumental pieces that I've written on this record are, I think, better than anything I did on the first one — definitely more… I don't know if it could be more emotional but they're very emotional pieces of music and I think a little better crafted this time around. So I think all the songs in general are more well thought out, better put together this time around. And I do have some of my absolute favorite [singers guesting on it]. I have three amazing powerhouse female vocalists on this album so far."

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.

"The Call Of The Void" track listing:

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)

Photo courtesy of Atom Splitter PR

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked if the songwriting process within the band gets easier with each successive album release. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Easier in some sense — you know kind of what to expect. But on the other side of things, it becomes harder. You've gotta match what you did before. You've gotta make another record that's better songs, better production. So it raises the bar. Especially the last record [2018's 'Firepower'] seemed to connect with a lot of people around the world; it was well received by a lot of people. So how can we make a record that's better than that one? That's the goal going in. So it's harder in some senses as well."

Regarding the songwriting contributions of PRIEST's touring guitarist Andy Sneap, who stepped in for Glenn Tipton after the latter announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower" due to his battle with Parkinson's disease, Faulkner said: "Well, Andy, he doesn't contribute on the writing sense. Andy stepped in for Glenn on the live sense and then he's part of the production team for the record. So it's the same as it's always been in terms of the two guitars — me and Glenn, and before that it was K.K. [Downing, original PRIEST guitarist] and Glenn, and obviously the vocalist was Rob [Halford]. It's the same with this. Glenn's been able to contribute in the writing as well — fortunately. Obviously he's got some challenges with the Parkinson's, but his brain's still intact. So he's been able to contribute. We've been very lucky."

As for a possible release date for the new PRIEST album, Richie said: "We haven't got a date yet. We're almost finished the tracking, the recording of it. And then we've gotta mix it, we've gotta master it and stuff like that. Then, obviously, it's the actual manufacturing of the record. So we don't know how long that's gonna take; that's out of our hands, really. But it shouldn't be too long now. We're excited to get it out to the world."

Last month, Faulkner told George Dionne of "The Rock Is George" podcast that Rob was "still doing a few vocal touch-ups here and there. The majority of it is finished," he said. "And then you've got things to consider — like the turnaround on vinyl nowadays is six to nine months. So even if we finish the record today, as I'm talking to you, and we give it to the record label, we're looking at six to nine months before the vinyl is ready. So that's a bit of a challenge to contend with. But it's almost finished. It's sounding great. We've gotta select the track listing and album artwork and stuff like that, which is exciting. So, yeah, it's coming out, but I can't tell you exactly when, 'cause I don't actually know."

In March, Faulkner told Canada's The Metal Voice about the musical direction of the new PRIEST material: "I've said this before, and the Internet — the sharks got hold of it… I would definitely say, and Rob said it as well, I said the word 'progressive', and the Internet tore me apart. But they haven't heard it. When I said 'progressive', I'd say it's a little bit… instead of, let's say, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, chorus, finish, it might do verse, musical part, musical section, bridge, chorus, musical section, back into the verse. It doesn't stay on the path; sometimes it goes off and plays it a little… Like the old '70s PRIEST used to, like the 'Sinner' and stuff like that; it used to go on a bit more of a musical journey. Which I think is great — it's interesting.

"So that's what I can say. I've said it before: it's a little bit more progressive; it's a little bit more musically, not experimental, but it's got a few more riffs in there," he explained. "[There's more] intricacies, there's more solos, there's more riffs, which, I don't think that's a bad thing, as a guitar player."

In February, Halford spoke to the SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard host Mark Strigl about PRIEST's musical evolution on the band's upcoming album. He said: "That's what we love about PRIEST, isn't it? I've always said we're the band that can kind of rip the skin off your face with 'Painkiller', and then the next second we can be your 'turbo lover', or we can go and 'break the law' or we can become 'the sentinel'.

"We've always had so much fun and adventure with not only the albums, but the songs within the albums," he continued. "It's part of who we are. And making these little microcosms of our personalities within the songs especially, all those names that I've referenced just, they've each got like a little mini-movie going on in your head when you think of the lyrics and the message, and then it's all supported by incredible music working together.

"That 'Firepower' record was a real pure effort on our part to do a little bit of reflection and reinforce a lot of the things that we've loved about PRIEST from day one," Halford explained. "That's not to say we went, 'Okay, let's get a bit of a vibe from 'Rocka Rolla' here.' And then, 'How about some 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'?' And 'Don't forget 'Point Of Entry'.' It was none of that. It was just really this overall umbrella of things that we've achieved in metal, and just using that in the back of our minds as we went through from song to song to song. And I wanna say it made it a little bit easier. And what I mean by that is when you have a focus and a direction and a template on which to work from, then you can keep going back to that and going, 'Okay, this is where we're focusing the ideas and the creativity,' and so on and so forth. So that's how 'Firepower' came together like it did. That album, to me, as a PRIEST fan, is as important as, say, 'Painkiller' was in reaffirming this band, and also what 'British Steel' was in reaffirming this band. And what I mean by reaffirmation is that it's like a football team or a basketball team. That team has been there forever, but you're bringing these ideas, you're bringing these moves, and then you go, 'Yeah, these are the things that make that band great.' 'These are the things that make this team great.' And because I overthink everything, that was my thought philosophy behind 'Firepower'. So you've got that in the back of your mind when you're trying to write this current album. And it can be a mind game."

Rob added: "You always wanna do better when you're in a band. Every band goes, 'This is the greatest record we've ever made,' as you should say, because that should be your logic behind whatever you're doing at that given moment in time, giving it a thousand percent so you stand by that statement: 'This is the best thing we've ever done, as of right now.'

"So what's what we're trying to do with this next one. And the substance of it is great, man. I mean, again, you've got all the things that you need from this band. And it's so difficult to talk about music, isn't it? All I can say is — you can tell by the way I'm expressing myself — there's a tremendous amount of belief and love and thought and power and riffs and crazy drums and screams. Man, it's just roaring again. But it's also got those familiar elements of some of the previous material. That's not to say that we're doing 'Firepower' Mark 2 — we're not. But we're in the home stretch. It feels wonderful. I listen to it every day. I've still got a lot of work to do myself, but the foundations of all the instrumentation are so thrilling to listen to. And it feels good.

"We wrote so many songs, like we always do — we overwrite, overwrite, overwrite — and then we curate the best things that we need to work with. So we have an album-plus worth of material, and it's roaring; it's roaring, man. It's on fire."

Halford previously about what fans can expect to hear on the band's upcoming LP in January in an interview with Metal Express Radio. At the time he said: "When you're in a band, you're always trying to better yourself; you're always trying to say, 'This is the best album we've ever made.' It's just a natural thing to do. And I'm aware of the great success and love that was given to 'Firepower'. And so how do you deal with that? Well, firstly, you have to let that go. You have to let that go, because it's like you're chasing after something that's elusive. What's the point of trying to emulate something that you've already done? We've just gotta do like we've always done with PRIEST, the way that every album has its own concept, every album has its own thing. 'British Steel' isn't 'Painkiller'; 'Painkiller' isn't 'Point Of Entry'; 'Point Of Entry' isn't 'Nostradamus'. So this album is shaping up to be its own thing."

He added: "It's great. It's a really good album, and I know our fans are gonna love it."

Last November, Faulkner told Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules about the musical direction of PRIEST's upcoming LP: "You know what? The Internet seems to know everything these days about what the new album's going to sound like based on a couple of words that [we've] put out there [in previous interviews]. I think we've used the word 'progressive', and everyone thinks it's gonna become 'Nostradamus' [PRIEST's controversial 2008 symphonic heavy metal concept double album about Nostradamus], or RUSH, which is two different things. I've definitely used the word 'progressive' [to describe the new PRIEST material in previous interviews], purely because it's got a few musical turnarounds that 'Firepower' doesn't have. But that doesn't make it a RUSH record. It just makes it — instead of, like, a verse into a bridge into a chorus, there might be a couple of more musical passages in there to make it a bit more… interesting; might be the wrong word. I don't know. You've gotta be careful with the words you use these days. So it's not 'Firepower 2', but it's the same band a few years later, so there's obvious connections to the last record. But it's not 'Firepower 2' by any means."

Richie continued: "No PRIEST records have sounded the same, but it's got a common DNA. And you always try and make the next one sound a bit better — or whatever 'better' may be; 'better' is subjective. So, is it better written? Are the lyrics better? Does it sound better? And 'better' is always subjective. So it's hard to pinpoint, really. But it's a bit more of a musical adventure than the last one, I'd say. But then again someone might listen to it, when it does come out, and have a totally different interpretation of what it is. So it's always tough to sum up your own music without sounding up your own butt."

In October, Halford told AXS TV's Katie Daryl about what PRIEST fans can expect from the upcoming LP: "The same energy, the same vitality, the same determination, and it really is, again, another affirmation of what you love about JUDAS PRIEST. If you listen to any album from PRIEST from 'Rocka Rolla' in the '70s up to the 2000s with 'Firepower' and everything that went on between there, whether it was 'Turbo Lover' or whether it was the 'Painkiller' or '[You've Got] Another Thing Comin'', all of these pinpoints connect the dots of this great 50 years of metal, this journey that we're on. And it ain't over yet, folks, because that means another album and another tour. And we can't wait to keep pouring out the metal, 'cause that turbo power isn't gonna get turned off anytime soon."

In February 2022, Halford was asked by Remy Maxwell of Audacy Check In if he agreed with Faulkner's comment that the band's upcoming album will be more musically "progressive" than "Firepower". He responded: "Yeah, the metal is there. But here's the thing: we've tried our best not to replicate anything that we've done. From 'Rocka Rolla' all the way through to 'Firepower', each record has had a distinctive character. And it's tough because fans go, 'We want another 'Painkiller',' 'We want another 'British Steel'.' And [it's, like], 'Dude, we've already done that.'

"Fans know that we're a band that is always full of adventure and trying new stuff," he continued. "And so, yeah, this has got probably some more progressive elements that we've never really delved into before. And that's exciting, because, again, it gives us and our fans another opportunity to see a different side of PRIEST. But it's still metal. There's just more of it. There are more notes than there were before."

Also in February 2022, Faulkner told Canada's The Metal Voice about the overall sound of the new PRIEST music: "Whenever you start a record, you never know how it's gonna turn out. So you might start with an idea of what it's gonna be, and as it kind of rolls on, it comes out something different. So you don't quite know. And also it's really hard to sum up your own music, I find, without sounding really pretentious. But I think this one — it's not 'Firepower 2', I don't think. It's its own thing, it's its own animal. If anything, I would say it's a bit more progressive in places, and in places it's got a bit more of that 'Killing Machine' swagger."

Faulkner added: "I know everyone says, 'Oh, is it the next 'Painkiller'?' or 'Is it the next…?' whatever… I don't know if they'd ever done it, but I know we've never done it when I've been in the band; we've never tried to recreate an album. It's always we try to create an album that stands on its own legs. So I think it's definitely a little bit more progressive than 'Firepower' and, as I said, in places it's got a little bit of that 'Killing Machine' angry swagger attitude going on."

Two years ago, Halford confirmed that PRIEST's next album would see the band reuniting with the "Firepower" production team consisting of Sneap, longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH).

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.

DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess spoke to Indonesia's BTV about the band winning its first-ever Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, which was held in April 2022 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. DREAM THEATER was nominated for "The Alien", a track from its 2021 album "A View From The Top Of The World". DREAM THEATER's previous Grammy nominations were for the song "On The Backs Of Angels", from 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album, and the single "The Enemy Inside" from 2013's "Dream Theater".

Rudess said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It feels amazing. It feels really great. The Grammy thing is kind of different than a lot of other things. I mean, for many, many years, DREAM THEATER was not part of that kind of commercial world. We had our career and we were very satisfied with our fanbase and doing everything that we did. And something like the Grammys seemed like it was on another planet for us. But it is reality that everybody in the world knows about Grammys. It means something to people. And it's a door opener, if you will, on so many levels. So it was really, really exciting. To win, that was great. And especially because the Grammys are something that's voted on by your peers. So it's so flattering. It's an honor to be voted for a Grammy from the other people in our industry. So it's wonderful. It's really, really exciting."

This past January, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci told Ollie Winiberg of "The Heavy Hooks Show" about winning a Grammy: "It really is something you have to kind of just scratch you head, like, 'Did that really happen?' and take it in. In fact, today, when we were doing soundcheck, it's, like, 'Okay, what song do you wanna do?' We always a little bit of the songs. And I said, 'How about the Grammy Award-winning song 'The Alien'?' And everybody's ears perk up. It's, like, 'Oh, yeah. That happened.' … That's how bizarre it is. You're, like, 'What are you talking about?'"

John also reflected on the moment when he first heard DREAM THEATER's name announced as the winner of the "Best Metal Performance" Grammy. He said: "That was a surreal moment. The [other DREAM THEATER] guys didn't go to the Grammys that year. It had been postponed because of COVID. It had been moved from L.A. to Vegas. And it was sort of scheduled in between two DREAM THEATER tour legs. Nobody was really sure [how it was going to be]. So my wife and I went — my wife Rena. It's, like, 'Let's go to Vegas for five days. How bad can it be? If we win, awesome. If we don't, we'll hang out in Vegas.' So she was there with me. And when they announced it, I was, like, 'What?' And all of sudden, I'm running up to the thing in my suit.

"But the point I wanted to try to get across [in my Grammy acceptance speech] was that we've been doing what we do for a long time the way we do it, sort of against all odds, and we built a career out of it, and then to achieve that sort of recognition from that community was really just great," John explained. "Because it's not like it was some sort of pop version of us that we attempted to do that got out there. It was probably one of the most complicated songs we ever wrote. So my point was, do what you do, believe in what you're doing, and do it with a ton of conviction. And then when those sort of moments happen, it feels that much more satisfying."

In April 2022, DREAM THEATER vocalist James LaBrie told Myglobalmind that "it was overwhelming" to finally win a Grammy Award. "It was quite surreal and it took a while for it to sink in — I think a couple of days before I was, like, 'Wow. Okay. So this actually did happen. I guess the third time's the charm, 'cause we were nominees a couple of times before for 'On The Backs Of Angels' and 'The Enemy Inside'.

"When it happened and our name was called and then John went up on stage, I thought he did an amazing acceptance speech," he continued. "He was well poised and well worded, as always; he's a very intelligent individual.

"It's an amazing feeling. I guess it's another level of recognition for us and another feather in our cap, so to speak," LaBrie added. "But, no, it's just a great feeling and it's affirmation as to the kind of band that we are and how we've been around for some time. And it's good to get that recognition from the Grammy [Awards]."

That same month, Rudess told VWMusic about DREAM THEATER's first-ever Grammy win: "It was very exciting to get that Grammy, as we've been nominated three times. And I have to say that I didn't really expect to get it because I was getting used to being nominated and not getting it. The other reason I thought we wouldn't get it is that DREAM THEATER is really prog metal, and we were in a metal category. I mean, that was the best category for us, but I thought maybe the voters would sort of stick together in that more traditional metal frame of mind. I was really pleased that we got that kind of recognition and validation, and it's the one award that definitely makes a difference. In a musician's life, a Grammy can affect your whole career. It changes the way you do business with people, and the way people deal with you. It's a really big deal. I definitely have to say that it feels really good. We are riding high over it for sure."

Regarding "The Alien", Jordan said: "What's interesting about that song is, as you know, it's not necessarily like the most commercial kind of song — it's definitely not commercial at all; it's in this odd time signature. When we started, Mike [Mangini] was doing this crazy time signature thing on drums that inspired us to get the song off the ground. The next thing you know, we were all writing our parts, and it came together. It actually was the first thing that we wrote for the album, so it kind of flowed out from there. It's cool because it has all the classic DREAM THEATER elements in it, and that's what I really liked about the song. It has the unison between me and [guitarist] John Petrucci, it has the keyboards, the great guitar leads, and these crazy meters, but it also has a solid hook. I was glad that we decided to put that out there when the record came out, and have that song be the one that was out front because I think it tells the DREAM THEATER story really well."

On September 22, Finland’s Hexvessel return with their sixth album, Polar Veil, a cold, metallic hymn to the Sub Arctic North. Haunted by primal forest spirits, Mat “Kvohst” McNerney summons the ghosts of his past in a jaw-dropping, unheard-of rebirth of style and sound. At once unmistakably Hexvessel, Polar Veil is also steeped in the nocturnal atmosphere of McNerney’s past, churned in the cauldron of black metal, ritual folk psychedelia and doom rock, and echoing with shivering Gothic undertones.


Holed up in a home-made studio in his log cabin during the winter of 2022, McNerney drew on all the fundamental elements of his music career as a shamanic shapeshifter, with only the isolation of nature’s solitude as inspiration. Painting an aura with Polar Veil which resonates with solitary reflection and themes of personal spiritual transcendence, Hexvessel’s new album is a bold statement from an artist who continues to reinvent and explore nature mysticism through music.


“Nature represents freedom, darkness and the call of the wild. Black metal has always been at the borders of my sound and playing, at the heart of everything I do. Tradition, nature, ritual, mythology, mysticism and philosophy, along with clashing and jarring chords have always been synonymous with Hexvessel. It was natural with Polar Veil, finally now as we reach the zenith of the journey, that these influences surface to the human ear, and with the freezing cold guitar sound that the climate here demands.”




Polar Veil features Nameless Void from Negative Plane, performing the guitar solo on the song "Ring" and on "Older Than The Gods", Okoi from Bølzer provides guest vocals. At first an unlikely partnership but one that makes total sense as the album deepens, and threads can be drawn that reveal the place Polar Veil is coming from.


When the components of the medicine are familiar but brewed in a completely novel concoction, the resulting side effects can be deliriously intoxicating. Peer behind this Polar Veil for a breath of fresh tundra air.





Polar Veil is pressed on exclusive limited edition transparent lake green vinyl, wider release limited transparent ice clear natural vinyl and standard issue blacker than midnight wax variants and each comes with a large scale 12 page booklet featuring artwork by Thomas Hooper.


Pre-order here, and watch a video for the single "Older Than The Gods", below.





Tracklisting:


"The Tundra Is Awake"
"Older Than The Gods"
"Listen To The River"
"A Cabin In Montana"
"Eternal Meadow"
"Crepuscular Creatures"
"Ring"
"Homeward Polar Spirit"


"Older Than The Gods" video:





(Band photo - A.H.)