In a new interview with the "Tuna On Toast With Stryker" video podcast, SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian was asked if he has given any consideration to the possibility of his band one day being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I never thought of that, but hey — it's not that we can't. One day we might. But it's not something that… it doesn't drive me. It's the Hall Of Fame. It is what it is. There's people that don't belong and then there's people that belong that are not there, so… It ain't all fair. We'll see."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility. SYSTEM OF A DOWN's debut album was released in 1998, making the band newly eligible for the Rock Hall.

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

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

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

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

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2014.

JUDAS PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at last year's Rock Hall event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

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

MÖTLEY CRÜE — which has been eligible since 2006 — won the 2019 "Voice Your Choice" in-museum Rock Hall fan vote but failed to make the list of nominees for the Class Of 2020. The band saw its votes surge when its biopic "The Dirt", premiered on Netfix in March 2019.

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Jasta Show", hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, legendary drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE) spoke about his involvement with EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, the extreme metal band founded by Simon Neil (BIFFY CLYRO) and Mike Vennart (BIFFY CLYRO live guitarist and solo artist, ex-OCEANSIZE).

Dave said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Simon Neil and Mike Vennart [are] from a very popular band in the U.K. called BIFFY CLYRO. [A lot of people in the U.S.] don't know who BIFFY CLYRO is, but they're massive in the U.K. They headline Download and Glastonbury [festivals]; they headline Download the next day after IRON MAIDEN. So there guys are massive. But Simon Neil, the vocalist for that band, and Mike Vennart have a love and an affinity for hardcore music. And for the past 10 years they've been talking about this. And they hit me up during the pandemic and took a shot in the dark and said, 'Well, why not? Let's ask him. He might not wanna do it.' But they asked. At first, I fell in love with the music. I was, like, 'Wow. This is pretty fucking cool.' Odd time changes. It's a little thrashy. It has a little bit of grindcore in it. It's hard to describe. It's its own entity and it has a personality of its own. So to give it a description is really difficult. But it is in the hard music vein. And when I heard the music, I was blown away. And I agreed. And they sent me the files [for the album]. And I recorded the drums in my home studio, and I sent it back. And they were pleased. And it's gonna be out — I hope — sometime in September."

This past March, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD released its debut song "Harvest". The track is available now on all streaming platforms and accompanied by a visualizer which can be seen on the group's YouTube channel.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, which recently signed with Roadrunner Records, also features Naomi Macleod (BITCH FALCON) on bass.

Bursting with aggression, "Harvest" sees Vennart's inventive, barbed riffs complementing Neil's feral vocal attack, with Lombardo's battering ram rhythms anchoring it all.

"Harvest" features artwork from BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" host Daniel P. Carter, who described the track as "a blistering noise/metal assault."

The idea behind EMPIRE STATE BASTARD emerged when Simon and Mike would spend downtime on tour sitting at the back of the bus sharing the heaviest, most avant-garde or the most sickeningly confrontational music they could find. When thoughts turned to making their own sonic wasteland, Simon already had the band name in mind, leaving Mike with a particularly grotesque challenge: what music could he write that would live up to the name?

It took around a decade to find both the time and ferocity to make it happen. With Mike writing the songs and recording all guitars, and Simon focused on vocals and lyrics, they eventually emerged with a collection of songs which adventurously probes almost every dark crevice imaginable from the myriad sounds of metal and genre-adjacent extremity.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD's terrifying tourist trail visits slamming hardcore in the vein of SIEGE; frenetic, visceral thrash in SLAYER's ballpark; the claustrophobic sludge of MELVINS; the freeform vocal dexterity of Mike Patton; and the gargantuan stoner riffs of SLEEP. It's a band that’s rooted in the tradition of metal's forefathers, but informed by more recent waves of leftfield aggression.

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD played a short series of sold-out U.K. shows in March, with festival sets confirmed for this spring and summer at U.K.'s Download (June 9),France's Hellfest (June 18),U.K.'s 2000trees (July 7) and U.K.'s ArcTanGent (August 17).

Neil previously told NME that working on other projects, including EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, got him "through not touring — just knowing I can spend the year making new music."

He added: "I like putting myself in these positions where I'm like, 'I should never be doing this, so this is what I'm going to do.' I don't just want to do the same shit. Every time between records, I want to do something that's fucked up and off the wall. It brings me back to BIFFY, and I'm more in love with it now than I've ever been."

Lombardo, who has spent most of the recent years between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS, hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS and MR. BUNGLE, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Lombardo rejoined TESTAMENT last year but has since stopped touring with that band.

Finnish doomsters The Solitude have released their debut single, "Sound Of Absent Life", which can be heard below.


The Solitude's line-up features vocalist Aleksi Parviainen (Malpractice, Soulcage), guitarist Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen (ex-HIM, Kyyria, Dementia), bassist Ville Pelkonen (ex-Jimsonweed) and drummer Janne Parviainen (Ensiferum, ex-Waltari). 







The band will make their live debut on May 25th at Bar Loose in Helsinki, Finland.  


For more information on The Solitude and updates, go to this location.

London born death / thrash champions The Bleeding return in full force to bring you their third full-length album, Monokrator, set for release on June 9, 2023.


The Bleeding has shared a fresh taste of the album with new single and lyric video "Chainsaw Deathcult", which can be seen below.


The band comments: "'Chainsaw Deathcult' is a twisted tale of pleasure through pain and suffering. It's to revel in sadistic and grotesque acts of violence whilst indulging in a narcotic fantasy of vile intentions. Musically speaking, 'Chainsaw Deathcult' is the first song we wrote for the new album Monokrator, only a couple of months after the release of Morbid Prophecy. We'd gone back to the Mutilation demo by Death, as well as early Cannibal Corpse and punk bands like The Exploited and The Accüsed. We've infused these influences with modern elements that add a unique flavour while staying true to our own artistic vision. Our main agenda as a musical group is to bring a raw, fierce and unapologetic musical experience to our listeners and we feel that 'Chainsaw Deathcult' achieves that."







On their latest album, Monokrator, The Bleeding combine thrash elements, comparable to latter day Exodus / Destruction, with the ferocity of Demolition Hammer, and a vocal attack akin to Jeff Walker and Chuck Schuldiner, to create a blitzkrieg-like listening experience, complete with a full frontal assault. Monokrator is a flag-planting statement that will put the UK back on the map when it comes to quality thrash.





Tracklisting:


"Chemical Lobotomy"    
"Chainsaw Deathcult"    
"Mutation Chamber"    
"Union Of Horror"    
"Screams Of Torment"    
"On Wings Of Tribulation"    
"Monokrator"    
"Throes Of Repulsion"





Pre-order your copy of Monokrator now via Bandcamp or RDR.


 

Influenced by '70s and early '80s rock, The Dead Daisies sound is soulful and accessible – equal parts of Aerosmith, Bad Company and Foreigner: muscular vocals, bluesy riffs, big choruses, powerful melodies and strong hooks. With stellar musicianship and pulverizing live shows, fans across the globe are discovering the band that is bringing back rock n' roll!


The current incarnation of The Dead Daisies features guitarist Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), drummer Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol), singer John Corabi (Mötley Crüe, Union), bassist Michael Devin (Whitesnake) and rhythm guitarist David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink).


Footage of the band's recent rehearsal session in New York City can be seen below.







Ten years ago, The Dead Daisies burst onto the music scene with a mission to gather some of the finest musicians in the world and simply put, play some good old fashioned, no bullshit rock n' roll! After a decade of recording and touring the planet, there have been some incredible one-offs and special highlights including sharing stages with some of the world’s biggest rock bands.


To mark this milestone, a collection of songs from six of the band’s previous studio albums have been chosen. The upcoming Best Of album release will include some of the collectives’ favorite tracks and others that have become a staple part of every Daisies touring setlist.


Two previously unreleased tracks from the last recording session are also included. It will be available on double CD & vinyl on August 18th. Pre-order your copy, starting June 2nd, here.





(CD cover art)


Tracklisting:


Disc 1
"Miles In Front Of Me"
"Lock N’ Load"
"Face I Love"
"Mexico"
"Midnight Moses"
"With You And I"
"Something I Said"
"Fortunate Son"
"Long Way To Go"
"Song And A Prayer" 


Disc 2
"Make Some Noise"
"Resurrected"
"Rise Up"
"Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)"
"Unspoken"
"Bustle And Flow"
"Hypnotize Yourself"
"Born To Fly"
"The Healer" (Unreleased track)
"Let It Set You Free" (Unreleased track) 





(Vinyl cover art)





To celebrate a decade of rock, The Dead Daisies will kick off touring in late August with some dates in Canada and the US. Late October will see The Daisies head back to Japan, followed by dates in the EU throughout November and December. Confirmed shows are as listed;


August
22 - Mickey's Black Box - Lititz, PA
23 - The Landis Theater - Vineland, NJ
25 - The El Mocambo - Toronto, ON
26 - London Music Hall - London, ON
27 - The Hub - Kitchener, ON
29 - First Ontario Concert Hall - Hamilton, ON
30 - Théâtre Fairmount - Montréal, QC
31 - Brass Monkey - Ottawa, ON


September
2 - Hollywood Theatre - Vancouver, BC
4 - Alberta Rose Theatre - Portland, OR
5 - Cornerstone Craft Beer & Live Music - Berkeley, CA
6 - Goldfield Trading Post - Roseville, CA
8 - Ramona Mainstage - Ramona, CA
9 - Count's Vamp'd Rock Bar & Grill - Las Vegas, NV
10 - The Roxy Theatre - Los Angeles, CA


October
31 - Umeda CLub Quattro - Osaka, Japan


November
1 - Spotify O East - Tokyo, Japan
4 - Konzertfabrik Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
5 - La Machine du Moulin Rouge - Paris, France
7 - La Rayonne - Lyon, France
8 - Live Club - Trezzo Sull'Adda, Italy
9 - Airport Obertraubling - Regensburg, Germany
11 - Cultuurpodium Boerderij - Zoetermeer, Netherlands
12 - Poppodium 013 - Tilburg, Netherlands
14 - Pumpehuset - Copenhagen, Denmark
16 - Moriska Paviljongen - Malmö, Sweden
17 - Valand - Göteborg, Sweden
19 - Vulkan Arena - Oslo, Norway


December
2 - Masters Of Rock Cafe - Zlín, Czechia
3 - Barba Negra - Budapest, Hungary
5 - Szene - Vienna, Austria
6 - Majestic Music Club - Okres Bratislava I, Slovakia
7 - Cvetličarna D.O.O. - Ljubljana, Slovenia
9 - Hirsch - Nürnberg, Germany
10 - Columbia Theater - Berlin, Germany
12 - Batschkapp - Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
13 - Zeche - Bochum, Germany
15 - Rock Out Festival - Augsburg, Germany
16 - Knock Out Festival - Karlsruhe, Germany


"It's been an amazing decade with The Daisies! We've rocked out with some of the best in the business, toured the globe, released eight albums and are thrilled to be showcasing the body of work from over the last decade with our upcoming Best Of album release and tour. I'm excited to be welcoming John Corabi back to the band. Can't wait to get back on the road again in 2023 to perform for our fans!" - David Lowy


(Photo - David Pear)


 

Einar Solberg – frontman of Norwegian rock mavericks Leprous – is set to release his debut solo album 16 on June 2nd 2023, just a few weeks away. Wildly diverse, but spiritually rooted in Einar’s well-established musical world, 16 is an album that brims with surprises and spinning curveballs and features a collection of intimate but extravagant collaborations.


Today sees the launch of the fourth track taken from the album, and the final single before the album is released. ‘Home’ is a collaboration with Ben Levin (ex-Bent Knee) and is perhaps the biggest curveball on the album. The video was directed by Elena Sihida and features live footage recorded at Prognosis Festival last month, as well as video of the first performance Einar ever did on stage.







Einar recently performed his first ever live shows for this project at Prognosis in the Netherlands and UK, and has just been confirmed to play this year’s edition of Euroblast in Germany. His band for these shows is Hrafnkell Örn Guðjónsson (Agent Fresco), Ben Levin (ex-Bent Knee), Chris Baum (Bent Knee), Ari Karason (Mezzoforte) and Ruben Aksnes (Maraton).


Einar Solberg is as renowned for the tender honesty of his lyrics as he is for the eccentric majesty of Leprous’ music. But even by his usual standards, 16 is an extremely emotional and dynamic piece of work. Einar describes the record as “the closest I’ve ever come to writing a concept album” and explains that the new songs are about a very specific and transformational period in the musician’s life. This is the sound of a restless spirit in his absolute element.


“It’s called 16 because that’s when the first really, really bad things started happening to me in life. From 16 to 19, there were a lot of very life-defining moments that happened to me, and that changed me,” he says. “That’s when I kind of lost my innocence and I started realising that life is serious and bad shit can happen. A lot of pretty drastic things happened within those three years. But this album is not only about the bad things. It’s also about some of the career-defining moments, like the moment I started playing with the band and began to find a community to belong to. Emotionally, I’m a bit of everything, so it covers the entire emotional spectrum!”


16 finds Einar collaborating with everyone from modern prog contemporaries like Bent Knee’s Ben Levin and Agent Fresco’s Toti Gudnason, to experimental cellist (and regular Leprous live musician) Raphael Weinroth-Browne and Magnus Børmark, best known as a member of Norwegian alt-folk troupe Gåte. He also once again collaborates with Ihsahn and Star Of Ash amongst many others. The record was mixed by mixed by Adam Noble (Placebo, Biffy Clyro, Nothing But Thieves) and mastered by Robin Schmidt (The 1975, Placebo, The Gaslight Anthem, etc.).


16 will be released on Ltd CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP + LP-booklet & Digitally, and is now available to pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"16" (feat. Raphael Weinroth-Browne)
"Remember Me"
"A Beautiful Life"
"Where All The Twigs Broke" (feat. Star Of Ash)
"Metacognitive" (feat. Raphael Weinroth-Browne)
"Home" (feat. Ben Levin)
"Blue Light" (feat. Asger Mygind)
"Grotto" (feat. Magnus Børmark)
"Splitting The Soul" (feat. Ihsahn)
"Over The Top"
"The Glass Is Empty" (feat. Tóti Guðnason)


"Home" video:





"A Beautiful Life" video:





"Grotto" video:





(Photo - Elena Sihida)

Progressive metal band Drott, consisting of Arve Isdal (Enslaved), Ivar Thormodsæter (Ulver) and Matias Monsen, are proud to present their new album Troll, a contradiction to the katabasis of the previous record Orcus. The band's second full-length was released Friday, May 19 via By Norse Music.


The band comments: "Troll is a riff-based, dark, ambient journey through the mysticism living on the surface in the deep Scandinavian woods. As children of the North, we give you our interpretation of Trolldom and the Trolls, this album features guest appearances by Lindy Fay Hella, Kristian “Gaahl” Espedal and Herbrand Larsen."







Troll is available on vinyl, CD, and digital at bynorsestore.com.





Tracklisting:


“Troldhaug”
“Allting”
“Våkenatt”
“Til Stein”
“Det Ser”
“Solskodde”
“Mara”
“Troll”
“Nattas Blot”
“Sabbat”
“Fornjots Born”
“Grotten”
“Natt”


“Våkenatt” video:

FEAR FACTORY has recruited bassist Alexandro Hernandez (DEATHMASK) for its shows in Costa Rica (May 19),Colombia (May 20) and Ecuador (May 21). He is filling in for longtime FEAR FACTORY bassist Tony Campos, who is unable to make the shows due to scheduling conflicts with his main band, STATIC-X.

FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares confirmed that Campos will return to the band beginning next weekend, writing in a tweet: "Tony will be back after the first 3 dates, from the Milwaukee Metal Fest on. Understand that he has his band STATIC X so if we have shows booked at the same time his priority is his band."

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with new singer Milo Silvestro and touring drummer Pete Webber on May 5 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

FEAR FACTORY's recently completed "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

The Italian-born Silvestro joined FEAR FACTORY as the replacement for the band's original singer Burton C. Bell.

Webber is filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who is unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."

The 42-date "Rise Of The Machine" North American trek also featured DOPE as well as select dates with MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID.

In a recent interview with Revolver, conducted prior to the start of the tour, Silvestro was asked if he was feeling nervous about taking the stage as the singer of FEAR FACTORY. He responded: "Yes, a little bit, but I always thought that being nervous is part of the game. My dad always told me, the moment that you're not scared of going onstage, you better quit music. I think it's supposed to be a really emotional thing, an emotional [moment in] your life. Also, the fact that it's my very first tour experience, my very first FEAR FACTORY experience, my first huge [musical] experience in general, of course that makes me a little bit nervous. But the good thing is that Dino and also the fans, fortunately enough, are making me really comfortable. I want to say thanks to them because they've been amazing. You're always scared about the hating, the negative comments and stuff, which I started seeing because my name had been leaking even before [I got the job] because of the [vocal] covers [I put on YouTube]. People were like, 'Oh, this guy is really good, so maybe it could be him.' Some haters started popping up: 'Oh, he's fucking garbage.' At first I was a little bit scared — and of course Dino had been preparing me for a long time. 'Be prepared. Either in a good or bad way, it's going to be a shitstorm.' But fortunately enough, [when] the announcement came out, [the reaction] was 99.9 percent positive. The negative comments were mostly about [how] this band without [the] previous singer is not FEAR FACTORY anymore. They just need to change the name, blah, blah, blah. Maybe one or two guys were like, 'I don't like him. He sucks.' But nothing that big to fuck with my brain or make me insecure. I was really happy to see literally thousands of people — either friends of mine, people that I know from Italy and totally unknown FEAR FACTORY fans — going, 'Welcome to the family, dude.' It was a really amazing love showering. I'm so thankful and so humbled for that."

Asked how he planned to win those skeptical fans over, Milo said: "I get that certain people are skeptical, because as a fan of music, as a metalhead and a fan of music in general, I know that metal fans are so dedicated, so crazy about their music, which is a good thing. It's almost like a religion. When your favorite band changes singers or a guitar player or whatever, you can feel a little bit sad about it. It can be hard to move on. I had favorite bands of mine that changed either singers or drummers. Maybe I was so affectionate to the style of that musician, and then I had a hard time moving on. But then once I found myself in this position of being the actual guy that is replacing the previous one, now I realize even more that, yeah, sometimes it can be tough for a fan. But it's just something that you either get over, or you don't care about the band anymore.

"What I want to say to [the doubters] is, I know you're skeptical, and it's totally understandable because the FEAR FACTORY vocal legacy is so iconic. The vocals were so identifiable and iconic and it's like replacing James Hetfield in METALLICA. What I want to say is that it's okay to be skeptical, but we are making sure that we're going to do this right. ... I've been working hard these past three years on the vocal style to make sure even the small nuances [are accounted for], how [Bell] pronounced certain things, how he goes from that note to that other note, how he pronounced certain screamed words. Also, from a vocal effects standpoint, we're making sure that everything sounds exactly like the record. I brought a bunch of effects, which I'm a bit of a freak about because I also run a studio. I like to tweak some shit, so I brought them a bunch of shit. Dino, at first, was like, 'What the fuck is this?,' but then he was like, 'Okay.' I was like, 'What if we recreate some of the vocal effects on the record, the beautiful delays which are parts of the vocal legacy?' Songs like 'Self Bias Resistor', the beautiful chorus has got a lot of deeper delay. That's part of the vocal sound. That's also what makes FEAR FACTORY's trademark sound."

In September 2020, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect.

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "Aggression Continuum", was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Cazares and Bell alongside Heller.
Tony will be back after the first 3 dates, from the Milwaukee Metal Fest on. Understand that he has his band Static X so if we have shows booked at the same time his priority is his band. https://t.co/eaz166J4X0

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) May 18, 2023

Derek Roddy has confirmed that he will play drums for ANTHRAX at the Milwaukee Metal Fest on Saturday, May 27 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Earlier today (Sunday, May 21),Roddy, who has previously played with HATE ETERNAL, NILE, MALEVOLENT CREATION and TODAY IS THE DAY, among others, took to his social media to write: "Who will I see in Milwaukee next weekend? Anyone attending/playing?" When one person asked Roddy with whom he is attending/playing at the Milwaukee Metal Fest, he responded, "ANTHRAX".

While no official reason has been given for longtime ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante's absence from the Milwaukee gig, he is scheduled to play two shows this PANTERA in Europe next weekend, including a May 27 concert in Bucharest, Romania.

Roddy previously filled in for Benante this past January when Charlie was forced to miss a few shows on ANTHRAX's North American tour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and EXODUS in order to undergo an undisclosed operation.

ANTHRAX played its first concert with Roddy on January 20 at the PNE Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Beginning around 2012, Benante missed certain shows on ANTHRAX's tours due to his long-running battle with carpal tunnel syndrome, a repetitive stress condition that happens when a person does repeated movements with the hand and wrist. He was replaced at the gigs initially by Jason Bittner (OVERKILL, SHADOWS FALL) and then by Jon Dette (SLAYER, TESTAMENT).

A few years ago, Charlie told San Antonio Metal Music Examiner about his inability to make all the dates on ANTHRAX's tours: "Unfortunately, we're like athletes, and like athletes, they suffer from certain things. I suffer from carpal tunnel problems. But I try and do as much as I could when I can. So we still wanna keep the band… We don't wanna disappoint people. So that's why we do it that way."

Two years ago, Benante spoke to the "Drum For The Song" podcast about how he was finally able to overcome his battle with carpal tunnel syndrome. He said: "I was suffering so much from it because I would go out and start playing the show, and then, by the fifth song, my hand would just go numb; I couldn't feel the stick. I tried so many different things, from acupuncture to physical therapy. I even had a can of the spray air that when you turn it upside down, it gets really cold — I would do that to try to get the feeling back. I tried so many things, but I knew at the end of the day I was gonna have to have the surgery. And Paiste cymbals referred me to a doctor that one of their other drummers went to and was such a great doctor. [He] talked me through the whole thing, and my recovery was quick, and, to this day, it's awesome."

Benante urged fellow drummers suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome to find a surgeon with experience and expertise in the condition before undergoing the operation. "Make sure you find a good doctor, because I've seen drummers that have had [huge] scars," he said. "And [on my arm] you can't even see anything, where he went in. So you have to be careful."

Who will I see in Milwaukee next weekend?
Anyone attending/playing? 🤘🏼

Posted by Derek Roddy on Sunday, May 21, 2023

FOO FIGHTERS have officially recruited Josh Freese as their new drummer.

The band revealed Freese as part of its new touring lineup on Sunday (May 21) during a pre-tour livestream called "Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts". Freese was unveiled as the drummer during the livestream after comedic cameos by Flea of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, Tommy Lee of MÖTLEY CRÜE and Danny Carey of TOOL.

Freese was most recently drumming for Danny Elfman but was recently replaced by Ilan Rubin. Freese was also touring with THE OFFSPRING up until last year, with former SUICIDAL TENDENCIES drummer Brandon Pertzborn stepping in to officially replace him a little over a week ago.

Freese replaces longtime FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins, who tragically passed away in March 2022 at the age of 50.

Freese previously played with the FOO FIGHTERS at the tribute concerts to Hawkins in 2022.

Freese is a veteran session drummer who has performed with GUNS N' ROSES, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUDDLE OF MUDD, NINE INCH NAILS, WEEZER, PARAMORE, THE REPLACEMENTS, Sting and THE VANDALS, among many others. He has also played more than 300 recordings ranging in genres from pop to rock to country.

FOO FIGHTERS will launch a series of tour dates at the end of this month with a show at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion on May 24. There will also be a few festival stops, including at the Boston Calling on May 26 and at Chicago's Riot Fest in September. FOO FIGHTERS will also play Bonnaroo in June, Festival D'Ete De Quebec in July, Outside Lands in August, the Ohana, also in August, and many more.

FOO FIGHTERS' 11th album, "But Here We Are", will be released on June 2 on Roswell/RCA.

Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room in Colombia, shortly before FOO FIGHTERS were due to play a festival in Bogotá.

No cause of death was announced, although a toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including opioids, marijuana and anti-depressants.

Investigators did not say whether the mix of drugs was a factor.

Hawkins had been the FOO FIGHTERS drummer for 25 years, taking over from original drummer William Goldsmith in 1997. He is survived by his wife Alison and their three children.

FOO FIGHTERS staged two tribute concerts in honor of Hawkins. The first tribute concert took place September 3, 2022 at London's Wembley Stadium. A Los Angeles concert was held on September 27, 2022 and raised money for Musicares and Music Support charities and served as a farewell party for Hawkins's adopted hometown.

Other notable tributes to come in the months following Hawkins's death included a segment at last year's Grammy Awards, a drum circle in Taylor's hometown, and a live performance of the FOO FIGHTERS song "My Hero" by more than 1,000 musicians.

Image courtesy of Paiste
Thanks for joining us. It will be streaming on @Veeps for 72 hours on demand if you missed it: https://t.co/hzz5G9mOKy

We'll see you all soon. pic.twitter.com/c7NATC6lzD

— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) May 21, 2023

TOOL frontman Maynard James Keenan donned a blonde wig, smeared red lipstick and a body-hugging shirt that showed off his fake breasts during the band's performance at the Welcome To Rockville festival on Sunday (May 21) in Daytona Beach, Florida.

According to Consequence, which posted a series of photos of Keenan at the festival, TOOL's appearance at the event came days after Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a series of bills against the transgender community, including preventing minors from attending drag shows. Because Welcome To Rockville is open to all ages, Keenan technically broke the new law designed to punish people and venues that admit kids to drag shows, burlesque performances and other types of "lewd" entertainment.

Check out photos of TOOL's performance at Consequence.

Titled "Protection of Children," the measure bans letting anyone underage into "any show, exhibition, or other presentation in front of a live audience which, in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or specific sexual activities." That includes "lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts," shows appealing to "prurient, shameful, or morbid interests," and patently offensive displays "without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for the age of the child present."

A person who admits a child to such a performance will face a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and a year in prison.

Florida is one of at least 19 Republican-led states that have banned youth gender transition surgeries or other forms of gender-affirming care, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

TOOL is currently scheduled to play four more U.S. festivals this year: Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio; Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky; Aftershock in Sacramento, California; and Power Trip in Indio, California.

Tool's Maynard James Keenan defied Florida's new anti-drag law by wearing a blonde wig, red lipstick, and prosthetic breasts during the band's performance in Daytona Beach on Sunday.

Posted by Consequence on Monday, May 22, 2023

Former METAL CHURCH drummer Kirk Arrington has died after an unspecified illness. He was 61 years old.

Earlier today, METAL CHURCH shared the following statement via Facebook: "We just received the sad news, Kirk Arrington passed away this morning due to health issues. RIP in brother! See you on the other side....#RIP #legend #gonetoosoon #MetalChurch #drummer".

Arrington left METAL CHURCH in 2006 due to health complications from years of struggling with diabetes. He was initially replaced by Jeff Plate, who had previously played with SAVATAGE and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, and later by Stet Howland, who had played with W.A.S.P.

Kirk's passing comes less than two years after METAL CHURCH singer Mike Howe was found dead at his home in Eureka, California. According to TMZ, Howe's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department told the site authorities were calling it a suicide. He was only 55 years old.

Howe, who fronted METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, officially rejoined the band in April 2015.

Howe is not the first singer of METAL CHURCH to die. David Wayne passed away in May 2005 from complications following a car crash. He was 47 years old.

Wayne sang on METAL CHURCH's first two classic offerings (1984's "Metal Church" and 1986's "The Dark") before leaving the group and being replaced by Howe.

In a 2017 interview with Eonmusic, METAL CHURCH guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof spoke about the ill-fated reunion of the band's classic lineup for the 1999 "Masterpeace" album. He said: "'Masterpeace', which I like to call 'Disasterpeace'. The whole thing was a great idea, but when we tried to put together, it just didn't work. We got forced into doing some stuff, and, I swear, when we played Wacken [Open Air festival in Germany] with [classic METAL CHURCH vocalist] David Wayne, the whole thing fell apart with having all the original members. They literally forced us into doing that, and I was telling the management and record company, 'Look, this is a bad, bad idea.' We played, and we sucked — I mean, it was horrible. I was, like, 'Fuck you. I told you, and I warned you that this is bad.'"

Asked why the reunion failed, Kurdt said: "Well, David Wayne couldn't sing anymore — he was fucked up on drugs; prescription drugs, because that's 'different.' It was fun to play with [fellow guitarist] John Marshall, but Kirk [Arrington] couldn't do it because of his health, and that's when I had to cut ties with Kirk. He didn't play, and he barely played on the record, and it took forever to get that done. It just didn't work. It was a horrible feeling. We did a tour and it was awful. We're still recovering from that now."

The guitarist added: "Literally, 'Masterpeace', that era was when I decided I am never, never doing that again."

This past February, METAL CHURCH announced that it had enlisted ROSS THE BOSS and LET US PREY vocalist Marc Lopes to sing for the band.

METAL CHURCH's first studio album with Lopes, "Congregation Of Annihilation", will arrive on May 26 via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe).

Image courtesy of Reality Check TV

We just received the sad news, Kirk Arrington passed away this morning due to health issues. RIP in brother! See you on the other side….#RIP #legend #gonetoosoon #MetalChurch #drummer

Posted by Metal Church on Monday, May 22, 2023

Steve Unger and Kirk Arrington at the Metal Hall of Fame Red Carpet - Delta Hotel - Garden Grove, California🤘 (photo...

Posted by Metal Church on Friday, January 24, 2020

In a new interview with Brazil's A Rádio Rock, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello commented on the fact that his band will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's great. And we were nominated five times, and so I was pleased that we finally got in on the fifth one.

"I like the idea that there's a place like the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame that pays attention to the accomplishments in multiple genres for things artists have done," he explained.

"Over the course of the last few years, I think the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has become more democratic. Hard rock artists, which were normally kind of marginalized — from RUSH to KISS to JUDAS PRIEST to even Stevie Ray Vaughan, which had trouble getting in — now are welcomed in. So I think it's a nice home for RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, to be joining some of my favorite bands: BLACK SABBATH, AC/DC, PUBLIC ENEMY, THE CLASH. That's pretty good company to be in."

Just hours after the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame announced this year's inductees on May 3, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE released a statement thanking the Rock Hall for the induction, and recounting the long, radical journey that led up to the honor.

"It is a surprising trajectory for us to be welcomed into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," Morello, vocalist Zack De La Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk wrote.

"In 1991 four people in Los Angeles formed a musical group to stand where sound and solidarity intersect. We called ourselves RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. A band who is as well known for our albums as we are for our fierce opposition to the US war machine, white supremacy and exploitation. A band whose songs drove alternative radio to new heights while right wing media companies tried to purge every song we ever wrote from the airwaves. A band who wrote rebel songs in an abandoned, industrial warehouse in the valley that would later dethrone Simon Cowell's 'X Factor' pop monopoly to occupy the number 1 spot on the UK charts and have the most downloaded song in UK history. A band who funded and organized delegations to stand with Mexican rebel Zapatista communities to expose the Mexican government's war on indigenous people. A band whose experimentation in fusing punk, rock and hip hop became a genre of its own. A band who shut down the NY Stock Exchange for the first time in its history. A band who was targeted by police organizations who attempted to ban us from sold out arenas for raising our voices to free Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier and other political prisoners. A band who sued the US State Department for their fascist practice of using our music to torture innocent men in Guantanamo Bay.

"Many thanks to the Hall Of Fame for recognizing the music and the mission of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE," the band added. "We are grateful to all of the passionate fans, the many talented co-conspirators we've worked with and all the activists, organizers, rebels and revolutionaries past, present and future who have inspired our art."

In addition to RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, George Michael, Sheryl Crow and THE SPINNERS will be inducted during a ceremony held in Brooklyn on November 3. Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin will be honored with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Musical Excellence Award. Meanwhile, DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray will receive the Musical Influence Award. The late creator and host of "Soul Train" Don Cornelius is this year's recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which honors non-performing industry professionals.

The induction ceremony will be held at the Barclays Center. Details of the TV broadcast will be announced at a later date.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Rock Hall induction will come after the band appeared on six ballots.

"There's a funny mix of people that do the voting," Morello told Rolling Stone in March. "It's people that are already in. There's an age component. There's a leaning mainstream component as well…If you saw any of the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE shows last summer, you'd be hard-pressed to make an argument against us."

Speaking with Rolling Stone in March, Morello said he didn't know if the band would perform at the ceremony if they were inducted. "I will definitely be there. Beyond that, we haven't discussed that…I would hope so, though."

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1998 or earlier.

The 2023 class was chosen by a group of over 1,000 artists, historians, and members of the music industry the Rock Hall has selected as voters.

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

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

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

Posted by Rage Against The Machine on Wednesday, May 3, 2023

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor has weighed in on a debate about people using Artificial Intelligence to recreate fake tracks and artist voices.

The 49-year-old singer, who is preparing to release his second solo album, "CMF2", made his stance clear during an interview with Kerrang! Radio 's Loz Guest.

He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't care for any of that crap, dude, to be honest. I don't know what people are trying to prove. Are they trying to prove that computers can do things just as good as people? Because if so, then what's the point? It's an even worse example of technology taking over for talent than what I've been ranting about for years with Pro Tools and tuning and using the same sounds… And people keep going, 'Oh, isn't it cool?' I'm, like, no, it's not cool. What are you — out of your mind? What? Suddenly now we have no talent? The only thing that we're gonna get that sounds cool and new is from something that doesn't even exist? Screw you, man!"

He added: "Every time people get stoked in front of me about AI, I go, 'You're not talking to the right person. You need to go over that way and talk to a dipshit who doesn't care.' 'Cause I hate it. I can't stand it."

Taylor previously discussed his disdain for AI during an interview earlier this month with "Loudwire Nights". At the time he said: "It's cheap shit. I don't know what it is about human beings — they keep fucking opening Pandora's box for God's sake. It's scary, dude. I thought deep fake was bad and now here comes AI and all you do is teach this thing to do this or you type this thing to do that and all of a sudden it's just there. How much more do we want to lessen — and I mean lessen as in detract from — what we actually do as human beings? How much more do we want to take away from our own creativity? How much more do we want to make reality completely fucking pointless or better yet, how much do we completely want to devalue true talent, true creativity, true hard work, true persistence and heart to the point now that people are going to question whether it's you or not. It's so fucking ridiculous."

As for the recent AI-generated song that featured Chester Bennington's voice singing SLIPKNOT's "Snuff", Corey said: "As honored as I would be to have something real like that from Chester, it's just not right. People have really got in the habit of stepping on graves and they don't care. That's what bothers me the most, this true apathy for anything other than their own needs. How fucking selfish do you need to be?"

Just last month, Universal Music had a song called "Heart On My Sleeve", which used deep-faked vocals from their artists Drake and The Weeknd, removed from the streaming services, claiming in a statement that "the training of generative AI using our artists' music" was "a violation of copyright law".

Earlier this month, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. Shadows said that he "would love to" have his voice cloned using Artificial Intelligence in order to create new songs. The singer, whose real name is Matt Sanders, was also enthused about the possibilities, saying that "AI can be incredibly useful" for songwriters. M. Shadows went on to say that AI gives fans the opportunity to use the work of their favorite acts as a machine learning library to create their own songs.

Pop singer Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, recently said she would "split 50% royalties on any successful AI-generated song that uses my voice".

"Same deal as I would with any artist I collab[orate] with. Feel free to use my voice without penalty," she tweeted.

Former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted performed with his NEWSTED project for the first time in nearly a decade last night (Saturday, May 20) at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Newsted, who plays bass and sings in the project, was joined at the gig by original NEWSTED members Jesus Mendez Jr. (UNDERLORD) on drums and Jessie Farnsworth (UNDERLORD) on guitar, along with new guitarist Humberto Perez.

NEWSTED's setlist was as follows (according to Setlist.fm):

01. Heart Of Stone
02. Black Sheep
03. ...As The Crow Flies
04. Creeping Death (METALLICA cover) (partial)
05. Soldierhead
06. Whiplash (METALLICA cover)
07. My Friend Of Misery (METALLICA cover) (intro)
08. Jezebel
09. Stranglehold
10. Trance
11. Life's A Dream
12. Iron Fish
13. Heroic Dose
14. I Just Want To Have Something
15. Burn
16. Love Me Like A Reptile (MOTÖRHEAD cover)
17. (We Are) The Road Crew (MOTÖRHEAD cover)

Last week, Jason told 98.7 The Gater's "The Jason & Franny Show", Jason about his decision to reactivate NEWSTED for the Fort Lauderdale, Florida concert: "We're very excited about [Humberto's addition to the band], because we have a little bit of new, fresh blood in the quartet. But Jessie and Jesus and myself have maybe 16 years together overall. Nothing can replace that kind of [chemistry]. So we started playing the heavy [stuff] again. It all came together. I just wanted to do this. I reached out to some people and they said Revolution Live was the place to take the gig. That's where all the cool bands [play]."

Earlier in the month, Jason told the "Let There Be Talk" podcast with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray that the setlist for the Revolution Live concert would consist mostly of newer songs that NEWSTED fans have not heard before. Describing the material as "quite punk," he explained: "I put together this kind of MOTÖRHEAD-flavored thing about a year and a half ago and wrote these MOTÖRHEAD-flavored songs on bass as the first instrument. I took the main three Philthy Animal drum beats and just picked that one and make a song and pick that one and make a song, and go around a couple of times and write that many songs. So I wrote some fun songs. And now we mix those in with 'Soldierhead' and 'Heroic Dose' and the ones from the videos that people know, but mostly playing new songs. And they are way less complex — way less complex than FLOTSAM [AND JETSAM], METALLICA or even the [early stuff from] the NEWSTED band or ECHOBRAIN certainly. Just real punk rock, straight ahead like MOTÖRHEAD — a lot of fast stuff, a lot of double bass. Most of them are pretty quick. It's just fun, though — fun as fuck."

Back in February 2014, Newsted canceled an appearance at Australia's Soundwave festival with NEWSTED, citing "private and personal circumstances." The cancelation followed more than a year of intense touring and promotional activity surrounding the release of NEWSTED's "Metal" EP and follow-up album, "Heavy Metal Music", both of which were positively received by the critics and fans alike.

Asked by Delray if the Fort Lauderdale concert will be a one-off or if there are plans to do more shows or recording new music in the future with NEWSTED, Jason said: "This is gonna be the gauge. Is it possible for them to spring me back into it like they did [when I played with METALLICA in 2011 at the 30th-anniversary shows] at the Fillmore [in San Francisco]? This we will find out on May 20th, if they bring me back. If they bring me back, then they do, and if they don't, they don't, and here I am and I'm still happy. It's gonna be a crazy fucking show. We've been working hard on the songs, and I'm ready to give it."

Elaborating on his reasons for bringing NEWSTED back, Jason said: "It is actually only selfish — self-absorbed, self-centered, narcissistic, whatever this is right here [in my head], I have to prove to myself I can do it. I have to show myself that I can do that for these new songs that I have. I can take it to the people. I need that.

"I've played with THE CHOPHOUSE BAND for the last 10 years. I learned to play acoustic guitar, wrote some songs with violins and female singers and all this colorful, wonderful shit… I stepped out of that in February of this year, stepped back into the metal to see if I can still throw the shit down. And that's what it comes down to. So if I'm able to feel good about it, get that response back that this could be worth it again, cool… But the people will decide for me."

Last month, Jason told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how he arrived at the decision to bring back NEWSTED after a decade-long absence: "Kind of by happenstance and how we keep chasing it for fun. That's always been our thing — playing with whoever, whenever.

"About a year ago at this time, THE CHOPHOUSE BAND played at the Maltz Theatre in Jupiter, Florida, and Jesus Mendez, the drummer NEWSTED, and Jessie Farnsworth, the guitarist, guested at the end of that program. And they came over to HQ, and we jammed a bit on the side. And I think that seed got replanted. And so I had to finish with THE CHOPHOUSE BAND album, so I did that. And then [I] got these guys back together a couple of weeks ago again. And it was an epiphanous kind of trip — everybody smiling at each other and happy that we're still alive and everything. So it's really mostly for feeling alive and marking the tenth anniversary [of the formation of the band] and being brothers again."

As for why he abruptly stopped doing NEWSTED back in 2014, seemingly without an official explanation, Jason said: "I think I should have asked for more help — in 20/20 hindsight. I've worked hard to protect the legacy, as it were, I guess, if that's the term. It's important as an outsider, insider and otherwise, for the opportunity that I've been given. I try to be really careful about what moves I make. I really didn't want to coattail anything from anywhere. And I wanna do my own thing and try to do it with Chophouse Records and my own stuff and wear so many hats so many different times. I jumped into ECHOBRAIN project, which is something that was kind of already assembled. VOIVOD, obviously, was already very assembled. The NEWSTED band was a fresh thing. Since FLOTSAM [AND JETSAM], that's the only thing I've been a founder of since that time. I didn't wanna ask for help from the people I could have, and I think that's probably what it comes down to. It would have been better for my head and my overall [mental health] if I could have worn less hats and been able to concentrate more on my show."

STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok, who joined NEWSTED in March 2013 and played on "Heavy Metal Music", told "The Jasta Show" in a 2019 interview that Jason ultimately pulled the plug on the band because it wasn't financially viable for him to continue playing.

"I think he was happy with it [creatively]," Mike said. "I think the touring thing was hard. I don't think it was exactly what he expected it was going to be. But listen, it was fun. I really enjoyed him. I really enjoyed our time together and playing. We're still friends; we still communicate… We were playing smaller places, but the shows were always good; they were always fun. I just think it cost him a ton. 'Cause he was footing the bill for everything. So I think that at the end of the day, he's, like, 'I'm doing this 'cause of my passion for it and what I love, but I'm bleeding here.' We had this European tour that I think cost him a bunch."

Explaining that he is "really thankful" for the "great experience" of playing with Jason, Mike praised his former bandmate, saying: "Jason is a hard worker, man. We would practice 10 hours, he'd record the whole thing, and when we were done, he wouldn't walk out of the control — he'd sit there and listen to it. I'm, like, 'Dude! Come on, man.' I mean, there's a hard work — I'm a hard worker, but this guy was next level."

"Heavy Metal Music" sold nearly 8,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was made available in August 2013 in North America via Chophouse Records/Collective Sounds and in Europe through Spinefarm Records.

Jason left METALLICA back in 2001 but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.

In a new interview with Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City", METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke about the fact that te band continues to reach new people with its music, less than a year after the season four finale of the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things" introduced a new generation of fans to METALLICA, sending its song "Master Of Puppets" to the top of the iTunes rock chart some 36 years after it was originally released.

"I realized this time around, as I'm doing interviews for two or three weeks now, I realized, and I think the feeling is kind of the same within the band, is that when we were younger, we spent a lot of time explaining to the world what we were doing and we were very, I think, keen on explaining and carving out in stone what our intentions were," he said. "And now it feels, overall, like we're less interested in that and almost a little hesitant or trepidatious about that.

"I'm just so happy that hard music and hard rock still has a place," he continued. "To see so many young people connecting with music again… I can see it my kids; I can see it, in the last nine months, the 'Stranger Things' phenomenon of so many young kids discovering 'Master Of Puppets' and that being a gateway to maybe more METALLICA music or to more heavy music or heavy rock music.

"So I see that there's still so much, all over the world, a coming of age when kids are 12, 13, 14 years old, to get into music and for us to be part of that discovery is an incredible thing.

"I guess as we get older, we do the best we can… But it feels good, certainly, to get the music out there and try the best we can," he added. "It still feels like if our bodies and different arms and elbows and necks and hands and knees and throats and backs, or whatever, can keep it up, we hopefully still have a few good records left and a few good years. So let's keep this going and keep bringing heavy music to the world."

Elsewhere in the interview, Ulrich talked about METALLICA's musical evolution, in particular as it relates to the group's latest effort, "72 Seasons", which came out last month. He said: "I think within METALLICA there's always been a desire to keep exploring and to keep moving forward and to keep trying different things. I think that's a journey that has been going on for 40 years. At different times on that journey, there's been more rocks and stones turned over and there's been more exploration done and more curiosity, and at other times we've played it close to the vest. There's been times where we've been running away from the past. There's been times where we've been doing the exact opposite or different of what the previous album was. So at different times over 40-plus years, that journey zigzags into different extremes, but we've always tried to not do anything other than what was in our hearts and our minds and our souls and the best of our instincts at that time, which is to make the best music that's representative of the headspace and the emotions of that time. Sometimes, like I said, we may have gone too far; other times we may have not gone far enough. But we never felt an obligation to the past. We've been inspired by the past, but we've always wanted to continue on a forward path. And I think that this record is part of that, and I'm very proud of this record in that sense."

He continued: "I can talk about this every time there's a new record. I don't know what my relationship with '72 Seasons' is gonna be in a year from now or two years from now or five years from now or 10 years from now, but I know that at this point it feels very good. I've had this record in my pocket for, I guess about six months now, and when I listen to it, it sounds and feels really good and I'm very proud of it and I'm very happy and looking forward to sharing it with the world in its full extent."

During the same chat, Ulrich discussed METALLICA'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 will include 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, Lars said: "[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.

In a new interview with Metal Wani 's Jessie David, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson once again reflected on the failed reunion of MEGADETH's "Rust In Peace" lineup more than eight years ago. The opportunity for MEGADETH's most celebrated lineup to regroup arose following the departures of guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover in 2014. Nick Menza was approached by Dave Mustaine and Ellefson to replace Drover at the end of that year, and he started working out new tracks with the band. But the plan collapsed after he was offered a contract he described as "very unfair."

Asked why the "Rust In Peace" lineup reunion didn't materialize, Ellefson told Metal Wani (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it was sort of thrust upon us by management. I had said to Dave, I said, 'Dude, we've gotta put the brakes on this.' Because, look, first of all, we just did the 'Rust In Peace' re… We did a whole year of it when I went back to the band in 2010. We did the live album at the Palladium in Hollywood. It was played incredibly well with that lineup at that time, with Shawn Drover and Chris Broderick. And I said, 'Look, we can't bring the OGs back and have it not be as good as that.' And again, Marty and Nick had been off in very different musical headspaces since they were in the group. Nick had had some health problems, and it wasn't long after — it was only a couple of years later that, unfortunately, he had passed, a year later he had passed. So he had some health stuff."

Ellefson continued: "Life is harder on drummers, 'cause drummers have to be very physical. And especially playing in hard, thrashing bands and stuff, it really takes a toll on them. And for them to come back swinging hard and just really frickin' nail it, as good or better than they were 10 years or 15 years prior — ugh, it's pretty tough. It's like an athlete. Imagine coming back out and shooting hoops or swinging for the fans and hitting grand slams like you were in your glory day; it's pretty hard as you get older and older. So it wasn't meant to be."

Nick died in May 2016 after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza passed away of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Two years ago, Ellefson reflected on how he found out about Nick's death, telling "Waste Some Time With Jason Green": "I remember we were in Albany, New York on the 'Dystopia' tour, and Dave [Mustaine] called me in the middle of the night, in tears, just shaken up. He goes, 'Oh my God. Nick's dead.' I was, like, 'What?' It was the middle of the night. I was, like, 'Huh? Who is this?' And he said, he goes, 'Man, my son Justis just told me,' and I was, like, 'Oh my God.' So it was heart-wrenching.

"Look, despite it not working out musically, and kind of business-wise, with us there toward the end, there was definitely a brotherhood," Ellefson said about his late bandmate. "And I think especially with Dave and Nick — those two guys, they were buddies in a way probably the others of us weren't. Nick and I were kind of, like, health buddies — playing tennis and mountain bike riding, when I was sober and getting clean; he was big on that. But Dave and Nick had a very rock and roll, fun… They could hang. They had a cool friendship, I think."

Ellefson also talked about the failed reunion of MEGADETH's "Rust In Peace" lineup, saying: "Nick and I were hanging about a year and a half before [his death]. That was when we reconnected. And he came down to Fallbrook, where Dave's house and the studio [was]. And we jammed. We tried to see if we could make a go of a 'Rust In Peace' reunion. And you could tell, as much as the ambition was there for it, it just didn't connect. It was probably like hooking up with an old girlfriend. You remember the good times from years past, and, for some reason, the magic's [gone]. It's funny — I just heard the HALL & OATES song today, 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'. That's kind of what it was. And it just wasn't meant to be."

In 2020, Friedman admitted that money was a major motivator for him when he was approached about taking part in a reunion of the "Rust In Peace" lineup.

Friedman had met with Mustaine and Ellefson at the 2015 NAMM show in Anaheim, California to discuss the reunion, which would have seen him and Menza back in the mix.

Friedman, who moved from America to Japan in 2003, opened up about about his reasons for turning down the MEGADETH reunion in Mustaine's new book, "Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece", which details the making of the iconic record "Rust In Peace".

"My main thing was I'd be happy to do it, but I'm not going to take less money than I'm already making to do it," Marty said in part.

"I'd been in Japan for more than ten years cultivating a career with solid rewards. I was making money not only for myself but also for my management and staff. My manager has been with me fifteen years.

"Everything was sound and solid professionally, and when the offer came up to all of a sudden join MEGADETH again, as long as I would not be making less money, I was ready to go," he said. "But I was certainly not going to take a loss to join a band that, frankly, at that point, didn't seem like they had too much to offer musically. A couple of members of the band had recently quit, and musically I hadn't heard anything that they've done in a long time. I didn't know about how relevant they continued to be in the music business. It wasn't like MEGADETH was on the tip of people's tongues, at least not in Japan. I had reached the point where people stopped immediately connecting me to MEGADETH and were talking about the things that I had done in Japan."

According to Friedman, part of the reason he turned down the MEGADETH reunion is the fact that the group is largely seen as Mustaine's solo project, with members coming and going every couple of albums.

"Had it been more of a band situation and not such a one-man, Dave Mustaine-main-man party, I might have considered doing it for a little less," Marty said. "But, at the end of the day, MEGADETH is so much Mustaine because that's the way he engineered it. I didn't feel that kind of camaraderie, the four-man diamond, THE BEATLES, KISS, METALLICA. I felt like I would be going out there and tour and it was going to be Mustaine's big success. If I'm going to do that, I'm certainly not going to lose money to do that; I was doing great on my own in Japan."

Mustaine told Loudwire that he was put off by Friedman's financial demands when the topic of a "Rust In Peace" reunion was broached.

"Marty has a really successful career in Japan where he makes quite a lot of money," Dave said. "And this is the part where I thought it was a little weird, where he said he said that he has to pay all his team while he's gone instead of just himself. 'Cause I thought we'll pay you what you're making so that's switching horses in the middle of the river — it's no big deal unless you fall off. And then when we found out that he wanted to sell his merch, his this, his that, his this, his that, then he wanted this crazy amount of money and he wanted to fly first class everywhere. I said to our management, 'I can't deal with this.'"

In a 2016 interview with the "Eddie Trunk Podcast", Mustaine confirmed that MEGADETH didn't hold any rehearsals with Friedman while attempting a reunion of the "Rust In Peace" lineup.

"Marty had sent some e-mails saying, 'Oh, man, you know, the fans have this self-inflated importance of 'Rust In Peace' beyond what it really is. And I was, like, 'Huh?'" Dave said. 'So I didn't know if that was a backhand to the face of the fans or not, but he had basically said that if we were gonna do anything, it had to be better than 'Rust In Peace'. And he sent me over some links to some songs that he thought should be the direction that we were going in, and one of it was this J-Pop band with some Japanese girl singing, and I was, like, 'Uh-uh. This ain't gonna work.' More power to [Marty for being into that stuff]. Do what you want, Marty. He's a great guitar player. But I'm not gonna sing like a Japanese girl."

Photo credit: Maciej Pieloch for DIETH / Napalm Records

DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen has given his first interview since being assaulted outside a Florida hotel earlier this year.

Allen, who was in South Florida to perform a show with his DEF LEPPARD bandmates at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, was attacked on March 13 while taking a smoke break outside the Four Seasons hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

A 19-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident, but no motive was given for the attack.

Police say the suspect, who was initially hiding behind a pole, ran toward Allen at full speed, striking him and knocking him backward and slamming his head on the ground and "causing injury."

The suspect, who is facing a charge of abuse to an elderly or disabled adult without great harm, was arrested that same day and has since bonded out of jail, records show.

In his first official interview about the incident, Allen told "Good Morning America": "I heard a couple of steps. And then I just saw this dark sort of flash. And the next thing I knew was I was on the ground. I landed on my backside and then continued on, hit my head on the pavement… I reached my hand up into the air 'cause I thought I was gonna get attacked again. And I just said, 'I am no threat to you.' I don't think he knew who I was. But he must've seen that I wasn't a threat because, you know, I've only got one arm."

Allen went on to say that losing his left arm in a car accident in 1984 when he was 21 years old made him better equipped to deal with the emotional aftermath of this attack.

"I immediately just went to that place of just feeling grateful for the fact that I have an amazing wife and an incredible family," he said. "I just started just thanking a higher power for the fact that I'm still here."

Rick's DEF LEPPARD bandmate, guitarist Vivian Campbell, addressed the assault during an appearance on the March 31 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Describing Allen's assailant as "some kid on spring break who couldn't hold his beer or his drugs or whatever," Vivian added that "Rick will be fine. He's been through a lot worse, obviously. He's a resilient human being. He will absolutely be okay."

A few days after the incident, the 59-year-old Allen, who lost his left arm in a car accident back in 1984, took to his social media to say that he was thankful for all the support he had received from his fans. He also expressed his relief relieved his wife, Lauren, wasn't with him when the incident occurred, and he revealed that they were "working on recovering in a safe space."

Fort Lauderdale police later released 911 calls that led to the arrest of a man in connection with the Allen assault. In the first 911 call released by Fort Lauderdale police, a woman working security for the Four Seasons called around three minutes after the alleged attack.

"Apparently a guest, some guy assaulted her and was actually beating her up in front of the front of our building," the woman told 911, adding that the female victim was in the lobby of the hotel but the suspect had fled. She didn't mention Allen.

Another caller who said the suspect was trying to break into his restaurant — the Wine Garden, which is near the Four Seasons — told 911, "Send the police here right now!…I'm sitting on a fucking suspect."

Another man on the same call explained, "I was sitting out front. This guy, I caught him throwing chairs inside our establishment and then he ran."

He said the suspect was trying to break the restaurant's window, and they chased him and caught him.

A third caller from the nearby Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Hilton said: "I have an individual who has been running around breaking windows and has beat up a couple of guests at the Four Seasons, as well." He added the suspect was allegedly "very highly intoxicated."

The police report, which was obtained by TMZ, says a woman came out of the hotel to try to help Allen, but the suspect also knocked her to the ground.

The report said: "While she is on the ground, the defendant continues to batter her by striking her. [She] attempts to escape by running into the hotel. The defendant then grabs [her] by her hair and drags her out of the lobby and back onto the sidewalk before fleeing the area."

The suspect declined to comment when approached by Miami's 7 News WSVN and was asked, 'Are you a DEF LEPPARD fan?"

Allen provided a sworn statement to police and told them that he wanted the suspect to be prosecuted.

Bobby Blotzer says that his recent comment that RATT's "always crushed MÖTLEY CRÜE musically" was blown out of proportion.

Earlier in the month, while talking to the "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" podcast, the RATT drummer addressed the fact that bands like MÖTLEY CRÜE and JOURNEY have seemingly been able to put aside personal differences between their various bandmembers and continue touring, performing at arenas and stadiums around the world.

"RATT's always crushed MÖTLEY musically," Bobby said. "I think they got more press — [they were associated with] movie stars, explicit sex, murders and shit… so they were always in the magazines. And you know what? They deserve what they got. I don't think they'd wanna go toe-to-toe with us, that's for sure."

Now in a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!, Blotzer elaborated on his comments while addressing the possibility of the classic RATT lineup reuniting to celebrate the BMG/Rhino Entertainment release of "The Atlantic Years: 1984-1991", a limited-edition box set celebrating RATT's massively successful period where all five of their studio albums were certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I did an interview three weeks ago, and I said to this question with my friend Troy Patrick Farrell — he's got some podcast as well — and he goes right in, man, and starts asking me this stuff: 'Hey, what about MÖTLEY? What about…?' I mean, it wasn't even, like, 'Hey, dude? How're you doing, man? What's happening?' I guess we do that on a regular phone call.

"But in any case, the answer to [the] question [about a possible RATT reunion] is this… Me and Stephen [Pearcy, RATT singer] are on the phone all the time. [We've been] trying [to put together a RATT] reunion [for] two years now… And I just saw an interview with him. I sent him a text, I go, 'Dude, you're throwing me under the bus? What is wrong with you?' 'Cause they were asking him, 'What do you think about Bobby saying that RATT crushes MÖTLEY?' I mean, what I said on that, as the question went from Troy, he said, 'I was talking [SiriusXM radio personality] Eddie Trunk and he was telling me he thought that RATT's catalog blows MÖTLEY CRÜE's away.' And I said, 'It does, in my opinion.' And I'm sure MÖTLEY said the same shit about us. But I respect them, to a certain degree. I mean, I definitely respect their career. I mean, how can you not? So that was blown out of proportion. And then Stephen did an interview and he was, like, 'Yeah, Bob's out there trying to talk about a reunion. Good luck.' And I'm, like, 'Dude, I was just on the phone with you two days ago trying to figure out how much movement we made in the last two months.'"

Regarding the likelihood of RATT's classic lineup doing any shows in the near future, Bobby said: "I want a reunion. We want a reunion. Warren, I understand, wants to take a meeting. That's all I can say about it. If it happens, it happens. If not… I don't need a job. I'm fine. I'd like to rock some more.

"With the help of next year being the 40th anniversary of [RATT's debut album] 'Out Of The Cellar', perhaps we can do something. I was talking to people over at Warner Music/BMG on how we could do a special reissue of 'Out Of The Cellar'. And we were kicking around some ideas, and I said, 'Hey, you guys, maybe you can help reboot the band, going out and doing a reunion.'

"So, I don't know, folks," he added. "Contact Warren DeMartini, [RATT bassist] Juan Croucier. Warren and Stephen aren't best of friends right now, even though they have control of the name. Still, as always, it's a fight, it's in shambles. But when we do it, if we get in a room, it's gonna be funny, fun — let's go. People have gotta understand how much fun we have and not how much grief we have in the band."

When Blotzer initially discussed the prospect of a classic RATT reunion with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell", he said: "I'm always hoping that this is gonna go down for my own peace of mind and my sleep at night. The 'RATTmares' that I was having for eight years during the litigation were pretty disturbing. It's better now, 'cause it's all over, that bit of it. So now that it is over, that is where it should… Everybody should just brush it off. If we can have a war with Japan and then sell their fucking TVs 10, 15 years later, I think RATT can get up there and shake their butts, make some money, make the people happy, the kids come out, et cetera.

"We're talking," Bobby continued. "Me and Stephen talk about it all the time. We're trying to get hold of Warren. We have somebody in our ring, in our corner, who's hopefully gonna work with us, for us and with us, on a managerial level, and he has reached Warren via the telephone, which we haven't been able to do. It's okay — if he doesn't wanna talk, he doesn't wanna talk. But I think he knows that me and Stephen wanna do it.

"There's some complications, and I don't wanna speak for Stephen and stuff, but him and his partner, Mr.Croucier, have some sloppy ends to tie up before this happens with or without… It's just too vague right now to speak of," Blotzer added. "It has to happen, though. If it doesn't happen with this new release… We've had other greatest-hits [releases] — probably, like, five or six of 'em; I don't even know. I don't keep count; I just look at what's on the check when they come in. But this was the big one. So it would be great if we were doing this. I would we would do it next year. Obviously, it's late in the year now — getting to be late in the year. It's too late to mount a tour, which is generally booked the year before, around September the previous year. Next year [will be] 40 years since '[Out Of The] Cellar' came out, so that's when I hope we do it then. I feel like it's inevitable, but… I don't know. I think everybody's gotta realize the fans wanna see us one more time up there in all the glory."

During the "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" chat, Bobby also touched upon JOURNEY, whose inner-band squabbles have been in the headlines in recent months. He said: "Listen, you would never think that someone as huge and widespread as JOURNEY would succumb to this kind of Internet babble. I know that I was on the Internet quite a few times, and I was airing dirty laundry, man, 'cause I was not letting certain people like Stephen and that sort, 'I'm quttin' the band. I'm going out and playin' the tunes', it's not gonna go without somebody understanding that this isn't reasonable to us, the other guys in the group. Either way, I wish I would have, in hindsight, not spoken up."

Pearcy is the only member of RATT's classic lineup who has been actively touring, performing many of the RATT's hits with his solo band.

In April 2021, Pearcy was joined by Blotzer during the RATT singer's livestream concert from the world-famous Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip.

RATT — featuring Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini — played a number of shows in 2017 after reforming a year earlier in the midst of a highly publicized legal battle with Blotzer over the rights to the RATT name. They were joined at the gigs by guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on 2010's "Infestation" album, and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

Addressing his legal disputes with the other members of RATT's classic lineup, Bobby told "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell": "It's taken the life out of me as far as the love of the game here. I'll come back with the mothership, RATT, but I'm not really set up to go, 'Hey, let's put something together, Keri Kelli and Robbie Crane,' or whomever. I went through so much in that litigation. And that wasn't the first one, because we were at it with Stephen in 2002 for two and a half years in federal court. It was intense and it was costly. And just what it cost you in your spirit and your heart and your soul, that's where it broke down for me. So right now I'm kind of retired. I know I can go out and rock and tour, but it would have to be starting with RATT, I think. That's the level I wanna do it at."

According to Bobby, RATT has already turned down massive money to reunite for one or more shows. "We've had some pretty huge offers," he told "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell". "This is no joke — we had a million-and-two-fifty-[thousand] offer to open a new arena, and everybody turned it down. I was shocked. I was, like, 'Man…' These are the kind of decisions that chipped away at the infrastructure of doing business in the band. But I don't have any, really, grudges that I can carry around anymore with these guys; I just don't. It's not healthy. And I do love RATT, and I love the guys. I know if we all got into a room and we were looking eye-to-eye, everybody would start laughing and cutting up jokes. It would be a little awkward at first, but I've been there and done it with this. A band that's been around this long, we've done this — been there and done it. So I don't know why we can't do it when others, probably more salacious and dysfunctional, like a MÖTLEY CRÜE [can]. I don't know."

Blotzer went on to offer a "theory" as to why RATT hasn't been able to come back together for a tour when MÖTLEY CRÜE and JOURNEY have overcome their personal differences to play for their fans. He said: "My theory is you can't be a democracy in a band. It doesn't work. You've got too many people voting. You need a leader. And I think that's what MÖTLEY has with [bassist] Nikki Sixx and Allen Kovac, their manager, our old manager. Those two lead the charge. Nikki has always led the charge. And you know what? They listen. And they know where the big stuff is. And they still want it. Some of us, maybe, in this band don't want it. I don't know."

Pressed about why he thinks some members of RATT are not motivated by the idea of getting a hefty paycheck and performing for thousands of adoring fans again, Bobby told "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell": "Like I said a few minutes ago, Warren has stated to somebody that, if we do this, is likely gonna be holding down the managerial position, and [Warren] said he was willing to get in and listen, which is way more than he has said… He's said nothing, really. I only hear tidbits from mutual friends that he speaks to. So I can't speak to… He just kind of sounds like he's done. I don't know if that's really where his heart is.

"See, we make good money sittin' on our asses at home," Blotzer added. "And it's been really a blessing that our royalties have grown in such a way that it's lucrative not going out. And then for the mind baggage that certain people think it's gonna entail, which history has proven that that happens, that might be the fear factor. I hope that that, if we can all get into a room and play, it would dissipate very quickly, in my opinion."

Last June, Pearcy told Atlantic City Weekly that RATT was supposed to do "a big summer tour" in 2022. "I initiated doing something if the [surviving] guys [from the classic lineup] would get together," he revealed. "But there is no reason for them to do it or a need for them to do it, so I decided to just go out solo. And I am better off. Some of these guys [in my solo band] have been with me 18, 20 years. So if you want to Ratt & Roll, come see my shows."

METALLICA played the fourth show of its "M72" world tour earlier tonight (Friday, May 19) at Stade De France in Paris, France. The trek sees the band playing two nights in every city it visits — with each "No Repeat Weekend" featuring two completely different setlists and support lineups. 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 launched the second Paris show with "Creeping Death". The group's 16-song set also included three new songs from the "72 Seasons" album: the title track, "If Darkness Had A Son" and "You Must Burn!".

The setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death
02. Harvester Of Sorrow
03. Cyanide (tour debut)
04. King Nothing
05. 72 Seasons
06. If Darkness Had A Son
07. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
08. You Must Burn!
09. The Call Of Ktulu
10. The Unforgiven
11. Wherever I May Roam
12. Moth Into Flame
13. Battery
14. Whiskey In The Jar
15. One
16. Enter Sandman

Opening acts include Floor Jansen, EPICA, 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.

According to Billboard, "72 Seasons" sold 146,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marks the band's 12th Top 10-charting album, of which eight have reached the top two.

"72 Seasons" had the biggest week for any rock or hard rock album since TOOL's "Fear Inoculum" arrived in September 2019 with 270,000 equivalent album units.

"72 Seasons" was released on April 14 via METALLICA's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, it is METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct".

Speaking of the album-making process, Ulrich explained: "It's one of the only things that hasn't changed in 40 years. There'll be a whole slew of riffs and jams and sound checks, then it falls into my lap to go through them and identify, 'That one's great, that one's good, maybe there's a song over here.'"

Regarding the fact that guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo were given writing credits on more than half of "72 Seasons", Hetfield told the Associated Press: "All four guys were on the floor when we were writing, which is new for us. Usually it's just Lars and I sitting out there hashing it out. It felt really great to have the energy of all four. There's a lot more democracy on this album. Lars and I gave up the steering wheel a little more than usual."

Hammett agreed, saying: "It was much more collaborative. The attitude was just more open. There is less limitations on everyone's creativity and I think that shows."

In the seven years since the arrival of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with "Master Of Puppets" after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".
🇫🇷 TONIGHT IN PARIS 🇫🇷

The second & final night of the #M72 World Tour “No Repeat Weekend” in Paris!

Remember! No songs from Wednesday will be repeated.

Both show posters, created by @Munk_One, are only available for purchase at the venue.#Metallica#M72Paris#MetOnTourpic.twitter.com/mtUG8qjUAp

— Metallica (@Metallica) May 19, 2023

KIX guitarist Ronnie Younkins spoke to Tulsa Music Stream about the band's recent announcement that it will play its final show on September 17 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

"Well, it's kind of bittersweet, but I think it's been coming for a little while," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "After talking with a couple of members about a year ago, particularly one member was really wanting to stop traveling. And then, with Jimmy's [Chalfant], the drummer's health condition, and most people know that he's had some heart problems, cardiovascular. I think topped off with that, it's time for the final show to come. And it's sad, but we don't wanna see Jimmy get any worse with his health. He's a strong guy. He's always been a very proficient drummer, businessman, person, and he always gets the job done. It's unfortunate. But I heard he played some songs on the Monsters Of Rock cruise. I think he played at Merriweather recently. So God bless him. And I'm glad he's out playing again. I knew he would."

Younkins, who has been unable to tour with KIX for the past couple of years after repeatedly getting in trouble with the police due to his battle with alcoholism, was also asked if he will part of the band's final show (Ronnie is being replaced in KIX by Bob Paré). He responded: "I'm grateful to say that I am. I heard it through the grapevine, like, two weeks ago when there was talk of the last show. I heard it from a couple of friends. And then Bob, the guitarist who took my place, he texted me two weeks ago on a Sunday, and he wanted me to call him. So I did on the Tuesday. I was really busy on Monday of last week. So I spoke with him on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. And while I was talking with him, before I even had heard from anyone in the band, the tickets went on sale for the Merriweather for the last show, and they announced that I'd be playing some songs. So I'm really grateful. Bob just filled me in on everything, said, 'I'll have the guys call you.' And I spoke with Steve [Whiteman, KIX singer] last Monday or Tuesday, and I talked with Brian [Forsythe, KIX guitarist]. I wanna call Jimmy and call Mark [Schenker, KIX bassist], just to say 'hey' and get a mindset instead of just walking in and say, 'Hey, where do I plug in?' [Laughs]"

He continued: "We've all kind of texted through the last couple of years: 'Hey, happy birthday,' 'Merry Christmas', that kind of thing. I talked to a couple of 'em throughout. And Bob has always texted me, and I talked to him a few times. I talked with him yesterday. And since Brian lives in Nashville, I'm gonna go to Bob's house, 'cause he lives pretty close to me, and go over the songs. All three of us will be playing guitar, so it will be like 'LYNYRD KIX', with three guitars. So Bob and I will work the parts out; we'll work 'em out. We'll come up with something cool."

Earlier this month, Whiteman told Metal Edge about KIX's decision to call it quits: "It might seem sudden, but this is a decision that I made around a year ago. I gave it a lot of thought, decided, and announced it to the guys in the band and our booking agents. I knew at that point that I was probably going to be done by the of 2023. It's been 45 years of nonstop rock 'n' roll, travel, and hanging out, and I don't have the time to commit to it anymore. I'm 66. I've got neuropathy in my feet. I'm tired."

Asked if Chalfant's recent health scare — he collapsed onstage seven months ago after suffering a cardiac arrest — expedited the process for him, Steve said: "For sure. When Jimmy collapsed in November, that put a whole new perspective on things. It was the sort of thing that got me thinking, 'How much longer do we want to do this?' And if I'm being honest, I was ready to give up and go home then and there. But everybody rallied and pushed me to keep going and finish the dates we had booked. That's when we decided to go until this coming September. We knew we had these summer days, and Jimmy — once he felt good enough to get onstage — put his foot down and said, 'September is it for me.'"

On the topic of whether Younkins will be part of the final show, Steve said: "Bob is definitely going to be part of the show. The hope is that Ronnie will be there as a guest player. We're hoping and assuming he'll come up and do a couple of songs with us. We hope he does because it would be amazing for our fans. I also think we'll call up Brad Divens, who played on the 'Cool Kids' album."

For its recent live appearances, including the Monsters Of Rock cruise, KIX had been using drummer Matt Starr, who has previously played with Ace Frehley, MR. BIG and BLACK SWAN, among others. Asked if Jimmy's heart is healthy enough to wrap this up, or if Starr will remain on standby, Whiteman said: "Matt's on standby, but Jimmy feels pretty confident he can do this. He was on the recent cruise with us and came up and did a few songs at the end of the set. He feels great, has been practicing at home, and is ready to do these final summer shows we've planned. We love Matt, but having Jimmy is so important to us. But the thing with that is Jimmy will not be able to do background vocals. He feels that if he plays drums and sings simultaneously, his heart rate increases to a point that makes him nervous. So, we'll miss that a lot, but we'll get Bob to sing more."

The Baltimore-based act, which formed in 1977, announced its plan to call it quits during an appearance on May 7 at the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Chalfant rejoined his KIX bandmates on stage for two songs — "Cold Blood" and "Blow My Fuse" — during the band's set on April 30 aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. It marked his first live appearance with KIX since he collapsed onstage. Chalfant also performed with KIX at the M3 Rock Festival.

On November 18, 2022, Chalfant suffered a cardiac arrest during KIX's concert at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia. Chalfant was unconscious and carried offstage before performing the last song of the show.

Paré is an accomplished musician who studied at the Music Institute in Los Angeles and taught music theory and guitar at several institutions, including Western Maryland College and Maryland Institute of Music.

Bob was a session musician for several independent label releases, and has spent most of his long career performing live in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area with various bands, including FORCER, EVER RISE, PROJECT: EUPHORIA and, most recently, the RUSH tribute band SUN DOGS with KIX bassist Mark Schenker.

KIX was founded in 1977 and released its first, self-titled album on Atlantic Records more than 40 years ago. Their breakthrough came with 1988's "Blow My Fuse", which sold nearly a million copies, thanks to "Don't Close Your Eyes". The band continued to ride the hard-rock wave until 1995, when KIX took a hiatus. Nearly 10 years later, KIX reunited and started touring regionally. A 2008 performance at the Rocklahoma festival led to more gigs and the release of a live DVD/CD called "Live In Baltimore" in 2012. In 2014, KIX released its seventh full-length album, "Rock Your Face Off", the band's first studio effort since 1995's "Show Business". The album debuted at No. 1 on Amazon's Hard Rock and Metal chart, in the Top 50 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 5 on the Independent Albums chart, No. 11 on the Top Internet chart, No. 17 on the Top Rock Albums chart, No. 27 on the Indie/Small Chain Core Stores chart and No. 33 on the Physical chart.

KIX released "Can't Stop The Show: The Return Of KIX" in October 2016, a two-disc DVD/CD set that entered the Billboard Top Music Video Sales chart at No. 3 and rose to the No. 1 position, the band's highest-charting debut and first No. 1 ever in their 35-year history. The 71-minute film offered an in-depth look into KIX's decision to record their first new album, in almost 20 years.

In 2018, KIX celebrated the 30th anniversary of their biggest album, "Blow My Fuse", with "Blow My Fuse Re-Blown", a two-disc set with a remixed/remastered version of the album, along with the original demo recordings for all 10 songs. The reunion with longtime collaborator Beau Hill for this remix sparked the initiative to revisit "Midnite Dynamite" and take a similar approach to updating KIX's legacy.

On the 35th anniversary of the release of "Midnite Dynamite", KIX released "Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit" in November 2020. For "Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit", KIX partnered with Hill for a blistering update of the fan-favorite album.

Image courtesy of Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!

JUST ANNOUNCED

9/17: Kix Band ... the final show

Tickets on sale tomorrow, May 9th, at 10am!
🎟️: bit.ly/Kix_MPP

Posted by Merriweather Post Pavilion on Monday, May 8, 2023

Guitar legend Steve Vai perforned with the Metropole Orkest at the 2023 Bridge Guitar Festival in Eindhoven, Netherlands on May 13th. Video is available below.


Vai: "The concert in Eindhoven, Holland was a peak experience. The audience was so very supportive, and the Metropole Orkest was in sharp form. Big thanks to the organizers of the festival and to all who helped make this happen, especially the creative catalyst, Co de Kloet, and Maestro Jukka Iisakkila."
















Vai recently announced a tour for Latin America in June. Dates are listed on the poster below:

Mr. Bungle, who have ventured out on their first post-pandemic tour dates as part of the Ipecac Recordings’ Geek Show, recenlty added an eastern swing to their slate of 2023 outings, with new performances added for several cities including New York, Boston, and Toronto.


The dates, which mark the band’s first shows on the East Coast (with the exception of New York City) in 23 years, find Mr. Bungle once again featuring their The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo lineup (Mike Patton, Trevor Dunn, Trey Spruance, Scott Ian and Dave Lombardo).


On May 11th, Mr. Bungle performed at the Palladium in Hollywood, CA. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below. The setlist was as follows:




"Welcome Back"
"Bungle Grind"
"Eracist"
"Spreading The Thighs of Death"
"Territory" (Sepultura)
"Hypocrites"
"Habla Español O Muero" (S.O.D)
"Glutton For Punishment"
"Anarchy Up Your Anus"
"Methematics"
"Hell Awaits" (Slayer)
"True / Cold War / True"
"Raping Your Mind"
"World Up My Ass" (Circle Jerks)
"Sudden Death"


Encore:
"Loss of Control"
"My Ass Is On Fire"





Remaining dates for May are as follows:


May
21 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
23 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
24 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater


 





Mr. Bungle with special guests Battles:


September
5 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
6 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
8 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
11 - Boston, MA - Roadrunner
12 - Montreal, QC - MTelus
13 - Toronto, ON - History
15 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit


Mr. Bungle was formed in an impoverished lumber and fishing town by a trio of curious, volatile teenagers. Trey Spruance, Mike Patton and Trevor Dunn beget the amorphous “band” in 1985 up in Humboldt County, Calif., sifting through a variety of members until 1988 when drummer Danny Heifetz and saxophonist Bär McKinnon joined the group.


In 1989, Mr. Bungle signed to Warner Bros. Records. No one really knows how this happened and it remains a complete mystery that even the algorithms of the internet can’t decode. Up until 2000 they released three albums (Mr. Bungle in 1991, Disco Volante in 1995 and California in 1999), toured a good portion of the Western hemisphere and avoided any sort of critical acclaim.


Some argue that the band subsequently broke up but there is also no proof of this. What is true is that they took 20 years off from performing under said moniker while they pursued various other musics that, in contrast, paid the rent. In 2020, a different iteration of Mr. Bungle emerged, pairing the original trio of Dunn, Patton and Spruance with Anthrax’s Scott Ian and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo for a proper release of the Eureka-bred band’s unreleased demo, The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny.


(Photo - Buzz Osborne)

Montreal, Canada’s Dorea is a fresh metal band on the scene that features high energy, tightness, and precision, a clear, modern sound with both clean and harsh vocals, insane guitar solos, and crushing drums. They are eager to introduce themselves to the world with their debut single along with many others they have recorded since their inception. 


They have carefully chosen their forthcoming music to show listeners what they're capable of and they deliver nothing less than catchy hooks, moving lyrics, and melodies that give way to bone-shaking riffs. The band's first introduction “Hypnotic” is presented with a dark and gloomy music video, which complements the dark theme of the lyrics. 


The band shares their thoughts:




“This song speaks about a man that loses everything he has, reminiscing about his past life and searching for truth in answers he never found. The song has everything from ballads to ripping guitar solos and complex riffing. It's a melting pot of styles. We hope the fans perceive the sound as something fresh & unique. We continue to write music because it is our passion and we want to leave behind a legacy and repertoire of timeless music.”





Devoted to making the songs as groovy, heavy, melodic, and catchy as possible while at the same time adding elements of virtuosity, Dorea’s goal is to entice listeners to sing along to the hooks and at the same time, appreciate the musicianship and technical aspects of each member’s individual performance.


Their music is colorful, rich in its diversity of styles, with even some pop elements that can be heard from time to time. "Hypnotic" was chosen as the debut single as it is the most accessible in terms of its diversity of listening ability. It takes the audience on a journey by creating complex structures with fluid transitions, but unexpected heaviness hits you right in the face.


There is no fluff with Dorea, and they are devoid of any theatricals, they are simply three metal dudes writing and performing some of the best material they can. Edgy, and familiar, Dorea is recommended for fans of Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, Symphony X, and Opeth.


BraveWords is premiering the music video for “Hynotic” – watch below!





Stream “Hypnotic” here.


Dorea is: 
Hugo McSween - Vocals 
Manuel Iradian - All Guitars/ Bass/ Vsts 
Kevin Alexander - Drums

On May 13th, Megadeth brought their Crush The World tour to the Avenir Centre Moncton, New Brunswick. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Hangar 18"
"Dread And The Fugitive Mind"
"Angry Again"
"We'll Be Back"
"Wake Up Dead"
"In My Darkest Hour"
"Sweating Bullets"
"Trust"
"A Tout Le Monde"
"Tornado of Souls"
"Symphony of Destruction"
"Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?"




Encore:
"Mechanix"


Encore 2:
"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"





Crush The World Tour dates are as follows: 


June
24 – Tampa, FL


July
16 – Mansfield, OH – Inkcarceration Festival
23 – Katowice, Poland – Spodek
26 – Tallinn, Estonia – Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
28 – Oulu, Finland – Qstock 2023
29 – Kuopio, Finland – Kuopiorock 
31 – Stockholm, Sweden – Annexet 


August
2 – Skanderborg – Smukfest
4 – Wacken, Germany – Wacken Open Air
6 – Lokeren, Belgium – Lokerse Feesten
13 – Walton-On-Trent, UK – Bloodstock Open Air
16 – Dinkelsbuhl, Germany – Summer Breeze Open Ai
17 – Pardubice, Czechia – Enteria Arena
19 – Eindhoven, Netherlands – Dynamo Metal Fest
22 – Paris, France – L’Olympia
25 – Aarburg, Switzerland – Riverside Open Air Aarburg
27 – Romano d’Ezzelino, Italy – AMA Music Festival


September
1 – Palmer, AK – Alaska State Fair
9 – Alton, VA – Virginia International Raceway
22 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life
23 – Plymouth, IN – Plymouth Motor Speedway


October
6 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock 

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his solo cover of the ABBA classic "Lay All Your Love On Me", taken from the 1980 album, Super Trouper.





Sabaton's final EP in the Echoes Of The Great War EP trilogy, entitled Stories From The Western Front, is now officially available on all platforms and features a never-heard-before cover of Motörhead's well-known track, “1916". Stream Stories From The Western Front here.




In celebration of this final EP, the band has also unleashed a brand-new music video for “1916” filmed in Birmingham, England, and at Britain’s famous Black Country Living Museum. The music video features an overload of historical characters from the Sabaton lore, a headbanging metal army from Birmingham, and even a cameo from the living members of Motörhead - Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell. Watch the music video below.


The Western Front was one of World War I’s main theatres of conflict. It stretched across more than 400 miles through France and Belgium from the Swiss border to the North Sea. It was a deadly place, and to put things into perspective, at least four-million men died there, although the true figure can never be confirmed.


The Stories From The Western Front EP tells stories of those who fought and fell on the Western Front, a place where the trenches and the ceaseless shelling drove men to insanity. Often, those who returned from this treacherous place did so with shell shock and chronic nightmares, PTSD or injuries that changed their lives forever.


“We are excited to release the last EP in the Echoes of The Great War series as well as a new music video, which we had a blast filming in the UK. Our new EP tells the tales that came from the Western Front, a brutal and unforgiving theatre of war. The Battle of Verdun, which was the longest battle of the First World War, the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917 in Flanders, the Battle of the Somme… these are all things we should not forget,” explains Pär Sundstrom. “And through this EP – in fact, through this whole EP collection – our sole mission has been to immortalize these stories and ensure that these are at the forefront of everyone's minds.


“Speaking of the Battle of the Somme,” Pär adds, “this conflict resulted in a huge loss of human life – around 300,000 fatalities. It was one of the bloodiest and deadliest conflicts of WW1 - and in human history! This is what “1916” was written about, and that’s why it was the missing puzzle piece of this EP.”


Meanwhile, Joakim Brodén shares more information about the band’s cover of Motörhead: “We believed that ‘1916’ was the perfect fit for this EP, not only because it’s related to the First World War, but because we just love everything about the song. Lemmy was inspired to write this track after watching a documentary about the Battle of the Somme. The lyrics are emotionally charged and perfectly describe the experiences of all the young soldiers, most of whom were essentially just kids. A lyric that really moves me and hits home is: ‘We were food for the gun, and that’s what you are when you’re soldiers.’ I can’t get that out of my head.”


“We think we did this song justice. It’s our tribute to one of the greatest bands in the world and a nod to those who fought in the First World War and made the ultimate sacrifice!” he notes.


With each EP in the Echoes Of The Great War trilogy, Sabaton is releasing an exclusive digipak in limited numbers. They often sell out immediately, so if you want one for your collection, be quick!





Tracklisting:


"1916"
"Great War"
"Hellfighters"
"The Price of A Mile"
"Fields of Verdun"
"Race To The Sea"
"Devil Dogs"


"1916" video: