CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth has spoken to Metal Hammer magazine about the status of his band's much-anticipated collaboration with pop megastar Ed Sheeran. He said: "Ed's done all his parts. It's just bass and vocals for me to do on my return to England after Easter. It's exactly how you can imagine it'll sound, if you can imagine Ed Sheeran with CRADLE OF FILTH. He plays acoustic guitar on it, but it's heavy; it's got a blast beat in there. The plan is to do it as a charity single. We're hoping for it to be out by the summer."

Regarding what it's like being friends with a pop star, Dani said: "Weird. I've spoken to him very regularly over the last two years. Like me, he's a real Suffolk boy. When he came to the studio that day [in December to record his parts], he didn't come down with a cavalcade of reporters: he turned up on his own, guitar on his back, CRADLE OF FILTH hoodie on, and got on with it. It was fucking great."

Filth originally broke the news about potentially working with the 32-year-old singer/songwriter, who is one of the most successful musicians on the planet, during an interview with Kerrang! Radio"Breakfast Show" at the 2021 Bloodstock Open Air festival in the U.K. At the time, Dani said: "I've actually been e-mailing with [Ed]… He actually touched base with me. I've been invited up to his place. Well, he said he could come down to mine, but I pointed out to him that I don't own my own bar or village, and it'd be better if I went there.

"He said he'd do anything," he added. "Quite literally. He said he's a massive fan. He seems like a genuinely very nice guy actually."

Filth went on to say the prospect of collaborating with someone like Sheeran is not as far fetched as one might think. "We've always been like that," he explained. 'If someone tells us not to do something, then we'll do it. That's been our prerogative the whole time. I did this rap song with this band called TWIZTID in America. It's actually turned out more like RAMMSTEIN and BEASTIE BOYS than full-on rap. So, in that respect, I think it the Ed Sheeran collaboration would be great fun. I think it'd be great if we did it for charity, because at least it would bring a bit of credibility to it. Because obviously to his public, it'd be, like, Oh my god, he's got this weird comical guy,' and to my public it'd be, like, 'Oh my god, this is a bit weird, isn't it? But I think that sort of thing nowadays works."

In July 2021, Sheeran floated the possibility of exploring a more extreme musical path while speaking to The Sun. He said: "I was really into death metal as a kid. I listened to CRADLE OF FILTH and SLIPKNOT and all that stuff. I'm not saying I could ever step into that world. I learnt all those riffs on guitar as a kid. That's something I've never thought about doing — but something I would not be opposed to creating."

Sheeran had previously dabbled in a variety of genres, including rock, dance, rap and reggae.

After The Sun published Sheeran's comments, Filth posted a screenshot of an article headlined "Ed Sheeran is open to recording a death metal album after spending his youth listening to CRADLE OF FILTH" and wrote in an accompanying caption, "I'll believe it when I see it. Fellow Suffolk lad could come good in the end. 'Dracula's Castle On The Hill' anyone?"

Sheeran previously admitted to his love of SLIPKNOT in a 2017 interview with Gist. Speaking about the inspiration for his then-brand new album "Divide", Ed said: "I've had the concept for 'Divide' since 2010. I wanted the whole album to feel a bit schizophrenic. My first sort of music that I got into that wasn't from my parents was rap, metal, punk… I went one day listening to 'lowa' [from] SLIPKNOT and the next day listening to Damien Rice's 'O'. It was quite a switch."

As it turns out, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor is also a Sheeran admirer, as he made clear in a 2017 interview with NME. Speaking about Ed's massive commercial success, Corey said at the time: "I'm stoked for people like Ed Sheeran — that kid worked his ass off, so why shouldn't he get the recognition?"

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"Meteora", LINKIN PARK's groundbreaking second album, was released in March 2003 and included the global hit singles "Somewhere I Belong", "Faint", "Numb", "Breaking The Habit" and "From The Inside". It has sold over eight million copies in the U.S. and has been certified multi-platinum, platinum, or gold in 15 countries.

To mark the 20th anniversary of this landmark release, it is being reissued on April 7 in multiple formats: Limited Edition Super Deluxe Box Set, 4 LP Deluxe Vinyl Box Set, 3-disc Deluxe CD and digital: all containing a wealth of previously unreleased or rare tracks. Among the unreleased tracks are several gems previously unknown to LINKIN PARK fans, including "Fighting Myself", which is composed of vocal stems from the band's late vocalist Chester Bennington and rap verses from Mike Shinoda. Listen to the song below.

"Fighting Myself" marks the second "Meteora" outtake to be released following the arrival of "Lost" in February.

LINKIN PARK has been on hiatus since the death of Bennington in 2017.

Last April, Shinoda said that there are no plans for new music, albums or live shows from the band.

The 45-year-old musician, who was appointed Community Innovation Advisor of Warner Recorded Music (WRM),addressed LINKIN PARK's future during a Twitch livestream.

"The only LINKIN PARK news I have for you is that… Yeah, we talk every few weeks — I talk to the guys, or some of the guys," he said. "And there's no tours, there's no music, there's no albums in the pipeline. Okay, so let me just tell you that. So just keep in your minds that that is not happening.

"I'm just gonna say that much for now," he continued. "I say that because anytime the band says anything or does anything, everyone tries to start up the hype train, and we're, like, 'No, no, no, no. Don't start up the hype train.' You're gonna disappoint yourself. Don't do that."

LINKIN PARK has not performed together in public since October 2017, when the surviving members staged a tribute concert in Los Angeles to Bennington. The band has not officially announced whether it intends to carry on following the death of Bennington, who committed suicide in July 2017 at the age of 41.

Four years ago, Shinoda shot down reports that LINKIN PARK was actively searching for a replacement for Bennington. In February 2019, Shinoda took to his Twitter account to write: "Lemme clarify a rumor: we are not looking for a new singer, and if it were to happen organically, I'd be open. Seems pretty clear, yet I guess some folks have a hard time understanding.

"I'm not into predicting the future. The future will happen."

Shinoda made his comments in an apparent response to how the media covered an interview he gave to Rock Antenne. When asked about the possibility of finding a new singer, Shinoda said: "That's not my goal right now. I think it has to happen naturally. And if we find somebody that's a great person that we think is a good personality fit and a good stylistic fit, then I could see trying to do some stuff with somebody... I wouldn't wanna ever feel like we were replacing Chester."

Shinoda added: "I know the other guys, they love to get onstage, they love to be in the studio, and so to not do that would be — I don't know — almost unhealthy. If doing that means that we need to have some other people in the mix in order to do it and do it well, then we would do that... But, like I said before, it has to happen naturally. I'm not running out and putting up 'vocalist wanted' posters."

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),has 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 the legendary Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE) on drums, with Naomi Macleod (BITCH FALCON) rounding out the live lineup 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.

Commenting on the release, the band exclaimed: "Empires fall, States rise, Bastards sing…it's 'Harvest' time, motherfuckers!"

"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.

Up next, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD is slated for a run of sold-out U.K. shows later this month, 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.

Photo credit: Connor Cockbain

An official visualizer for the new single from Outlanders (Tarja Turunen and Torsten Stenzel), "Echoes", featuring Jennifer Batten can be viewed below. You can also stream the single here.


Says Tarja: "A long time ago I sat down in Antigua together with Torsten, Angela, and Adrian to write songs for my second rock album, What Lies Beneath. The writing session was successful and among other songs written, this beautiful one came out. Still, I felt it needed its own special space and that my rock album was not the right place for it.


Many years after, when we were in the process of working with Outlanders, I remembered our song and wanted to use it. In fact, I ended up recording my vocals for the song more than once…




Our love for Africa and its people was the inspiration for this song. Adrian is a Kenyan national himself, so we started to speak about his life there and we wrote the lyrics having this in mind. The endless abuse of this continent throughout the history created the powerful lyrics and sends out a strong message.


Most of the population in Antigua is of an African ancestry as well, so you can clearly hear the echoes of Mother Africa and our song found its home with Outlanders. Everything is connected and happens for a reason.  


When searching for the guitar guest for Echoes, I felt we needed a female sensitivity to capture our soul connection with the song. Jennifer Batten was the right person for it. She understood the concept and played wonderfully throughout the song, colouring it with different pedals and voices. Personally, her playing made me weep. Jennifer, thank you for pouring yourself into our song.


Hopefully you can find 'Echoes' inspiring!"


On the creation of the visualizer, Tarja reveals: "On the visualizer for 'Echoes' we wanted to show a different side of Antigua. Its natural beauty surrounds you wherever we go, but if you get to explore Antigua’s rainforest, you get to fall in love with it.


Wallings Dam is about a 30 minutes drive from Falmouth along Fig tree Drive. The old British built dam in itself is not hugely impressive, but the forest scenery around there makes a visit worthwhile.


'Echoes' is a song about Africa, without forgetting the origins of the people of Antigua and the dark history of slavery.


The day of the filming was super warm and humid, so it felt really nice to be embraced with so much greenery and nature.


We hope you will enjoy 'Echoes'!"


"Echoes" is the seventh of eight singles and is available as a limited edition 7" vinyl exclusively at Tarja's online store and digitally at earMUSIC.





Side A:
"Echoes" (Feat. Jennifer Batten)


Side B:
"Echoes" (Original Demo 2008)

Former Overkill drummer, Sid Falck, has released a new song, "Black Angel", under the Falck name.





Sid Falck: “Who / what is the Black Angel? I think the Black Angel represents something different to each person, typically something bad and/or negative. To me, the Black Angel, is the ‘entity’ that takes over your nightmares, making them even more unpleasant, realistic and scary.. to the point that you’re absolutely convinced, that what you’re in the middle of is real, and therefore, you feel like you can’t just wake up to escape whatever situation you believe yourself to be in. I actually got the idea from seeing posts on social media, from friends, talking about ‘sleep paralysis' and thought it would be interesting to explore.




Once again, Dano Hibbs of Breeding Thorns was asked to supply the lead guitar, and as usual, he took it over the top. I have to interject here, that I find it absolutely criminal, that Dano is not already a household name for top 10 guitarist in not just the US, but everywhere. Guy is F**king amazing!!“


"Black Angel" can be downloaded here for “set your own price”, making it a free download, should you so choose. "Black Angel" is / will also be available on all streaming and digital platforms.


An accompanying video can be viewed below:

Heavy southern rock band, Texas Hippie Coalition, is set to release their new album, The Name Lives On, on April 21 via MNRK Heavy. The band's seventh studio album is a hard-hitting, riff-heavy sonic assault from beginning to end.


Starting today, fans can pre-save/pre-order the album here.  The band also releases the punishing video for their first single, "Hell Hounds". directed by Justin H. Reich. Watch below.


Texas Hippie Coalition is often compared to the many great southern rock and Texas bands that came before them. But they are proving to the world that THC is not just following in their footsteps, they are leaving giant footprints. THC has etched out a place for themselves in the multi-genre fields of music, and have also created their own genre, "Red Dirt Metal." You have to hear it to understand it. Words are not enough to convey how powerfully big their sound is.







Tracklisting:


"Hell Hounds"
"| Come From The Dirt"
"Built For The Road"
"Scream"
"Hard Habit"
"Believe"
"License To Kill"
"Keep My Name Out Of Your Mouth"
"| Teach Angels How To Fly"
"The Name Lives On"


"Hell Hounds" video:





Texas Hippie Coalition is currently on the road, with US dates through mid-June.


Tour dates:


March
29 - Arizona Bike Week - Scottsdale, AZ
30 - Count’s Vamp’d Rock Bar - Las Vegas, NV
31 - Juggernaut Music - Gallup, NM


April
1 - Lauter Haus Brewing Co. - Farmington, NM
 2 - The Liberty -  Roswell, NM
13 - Southbound - Springfield, MO
14 - Royal 66 Mountain - Home, AR
15 - Kansas Crossing Casino - Pittsburg, KS
16 - Brooksto - Dover, AR
20 - Moxi Theatre - Greeley, CO
21 - Wild Goose Saloon - Parker, CO
22 - Wild Goose Saloon - Parker, CO
23 - Sunshine Studios Live - Colorado Springs, CO
28 - Yukon Czech Hall - Yukon, OK  
29 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK


May
19 - Tannahill's Tavern & Music Hall - Fort Worth, TX
20 - Scout Bar - Houston, TX
21 - Southport Hall - Jefferson, LA
25 - The Crafthouse Stage & Grill - Pittsburgh, PA
26 - Blue Note Harrison, Harrison, OH


June
8 - The Forge - Joliet, IL
9 - The Eclectic Room - Angola, IN
10 - The King of Clubs - Columbus, OH
11 - Mohawk Place - Buffalo, NY
14 - The Big House - Laconia, NH
15 - The L, Horseheads, NY
16 - The Winchester - Lakewood, OH


Texas Hippie Coalition are:


Big Dad Ritch
Cord Pool
Nevada Romo
Lorado Romo
Joey Mandigo


(Photo - Colt Coan)

The Rolling Stones have released English and Spanish language lyric videos for "Anybody Seen My Baby", lifted from the band's 1997  album, Bridges To Babylon. Watch both clips below:










The band previously released English and Spanish language lyric videos for "Rain Fall Down", from 2005's A Bigger Bang. Watch below.








Watch English and Spanish lyric videos for the Stones classic "Angie", originally featured on the band's 1973 album, Goats Head Soup.








(Photo - Claude Gassian)

Queen continues the new video series, “Queen The Greatest: Live”, a year-long celebration of Queen Live. It's a 50-week YouTube series going behind the scenes to reveal what goes into creating a Queen show featuring moments from iconic performances and demonstrating why the band is regarded as the ultimate live act. The latest episode can be found below.


A message states: "What better way to witness how a Queen show looked every bit as spectacular as it sounded, than revisiting this iconic performance at the Milton Keynes Bowl. Here we see Freddie, Roger, Brian and John give a jaw-dropping rendition of one of their greatest live rockers."







Queen guitarist Brian May’s investiture as a Knight of The Realm took place on Tuesday, March 14, at Buckinghamshire Palace. The knighthood was presented to Brian by His Royal Highness, King Charles.


BBC reports: Less than a year after the late Queen appeared on screen tapping out the beat of "We Will Rock You" over tea with Paddington Bear, the man who wrote the song - and whose band shared her moniker - has attended Buckingham Palace to receive a knighthood.


Guitarist Brian May was given the honour for services to music and charity, with pictures showing him chatting with King Charles and posing with his medallion after the ceremony."


View photos at BBC.com.


Brian’s Honours List citation recognizes Brian as:


Dr Brian Harold May CBE - “Musician, Astrophysicist and Animal Welfare Advocate. For services to Music and to Charity.”


Already carrying the title of Dr. as well as previously receiving a CBE, the Queen musician now receives the award of a Knighthood, adding the honorific title Sir to his name, hereafter to be recognized with the full title Sir Brian Harold May CBE.  Brian’s wife of 22 years, Anita Dobson, may use the title of Lady May.


In receiving his recognition, Sir Brian responded by saying: “I’m happy and grateful to receive this honour. I will regard the knighthood not so much as a reward, but more as a charge – a commission – for me to continue to fight for justice – to be a voice for those who have no voice.  I will endeavour to be worthy – to be that Knight in Shining Armour.”


The Full Citation reads as follows:


Brian May is an acclaimed musician and songwriter, founding member of the rock group Queen. In 2020 he was named Greatest Guitarist of All Time by Total Guitar Magazine. Queen’s performance at Live Aid in 1985 is acknowledged as the greatest live set in history. Brian famously opened the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002 performing live on Buckingham Palace roof – and 20 years later returned to open the Platinum Jubilee concert atop the Victoria Monument. He is also an accomplished astrophysicist, now attached as stereoscopist to many NASA Space exploration teams. He re-established the London Stereoscopic Company in 2008, was co-founder of Asteroid Day in 2015, for the protection of Earth from Asteroid strikes, and was Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University from 2008-2013. His work defending Britain’s wild animals led him to found the Save-Me Trust in 2009, which is his continuing passion, campaigning for the rights of foxes and badgers, and hosting an active wild-life rescue operation.

Megadeth frontman / founder Dave Mustaine is featured in a new interview with Guitar World, where he discusses his new signature Gibson Les Paul, Megadeth's current line-up, and who he believes is the best guitarist in the band's history. Following is an excerpt.


Guitar World: Megadeth’s current lineup seems to have granted you some much-needed serenity.


Mustaine: "To understand how important that is to me, let’s remember how we got there. We had gotten a tour with Iron Maiden, but the whole thing ended because Bruce [Dickinson, Iron Maiden vocalist] got sick. In the blink of an eye, an entire year’s worth of work was canceled, which was financially devastating Shawn (Drover / drums) and Chris (Broderick / guitar). So, the management we had took it upon themselves to call Shawn and Chris and say, 'The tour is now canceled; you should probably go find another job.' But I didn’t know about this; all I knew was that my drummer and guitarist had quit. I understood the circumstances, and I might have done the same thing, but I would have fucking told me before I went and quit. Having me find out afterward tells you all you need to know about Shawn and Chris’ characters. But it’s okay; they’ve got Megadeth on their resume. We had some good times together there for a bit."




Guitar World: How important have Kiko, Dirk and James been to flipping the script?


Mustaine: "This is the best group of people I’ve ever worked with. When I first heard Kiko play, I was enthralled. Megadeth has had guys like Jeff (Young) and Marty (Friedman), but Kiko is the best we’ve ever had. I don’t say that because Kiko is in the band now; I say it because it’s the truth. Kiko is the best guitar player out of all of them. When Kiko came in, the wounds from my personality conflicts with Shawn and Chris were fresh, and I had this paradigm of how things were, which I knew I needed to change. But Kiko and I got along, and I eventually knew he was a good fit, personality-wise. So, I said to Kiko, 'Look, you’re gonna join Megadeth, and your life is gonna change.’ And we had Chris Adler helping us on drums, and I hoped he would stay, but he decided to stay with Lamb of God. So Chris recommended Dirk, and I fell in love as soon as he came in. 


I could tell that Dirk was the sweetest man, a phenomenal drummer and very humble. With that, I told Dirk the same thing I told Kiko when he joined: 'Your life is gonna change, so be ready for it.' “We still had David Ellefson on bass, but as we know, shit hit the fan. I had to dismiss David from the band, and that left us in the position of needing a bassist. The last thing I wanted was some asshole who would get a brain swell from being in Megadeth. I go back to Kiko, who went from being a guitar player in a band that plays in bars to being in a band that plays in arenas, theaters and stadiums, but he took it in stride. That’s when it dawned on me to invite James back into the band. James has played with Ozzy and has circulated in our industry at the highest levels. He has been great as a band elder, helping those guys when I’m not there. And if I’m being honest, he’s a significant upgrade as a bassist."


Read the complete interview here. 

Just in time to celebrate today's launch of their European tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason, SoCal modern thrash metal frontrunners, Warbringer, have revealed a brand new music video for the Weapons Of Tomorrow burner, "Unraveling". Bang your head to this action-packed, gritty new visual, filmed, produced and edited by Juan Rodriguez with Roberto Maqueos.


Drummer Carlos Cruz states: "Road Warriors! We’re excited to release this new music video for 'Unraveling', capturing the chaos of all of you heavy metal maniacs going OFF at a Warbringer show! Thank you to Juan and Roberto for once again joining the madness to collaborate on another killer video, and a major thanks to all of YOU for thrashing with us! The anarchy continues overseas on our 'Ravaging Europe 2023' tour with Evil Invaders, Schizophrenia and Mason! Check the dates, spread the word and we’ll see you in the circle pit!”







Find Warbringer's tour itinerary here.





(Photo - Alex Solca)

Norwegian progressive metal pioneer, Ihsahn, has released the final single from his Fascination Street Sessions EP, which is out now via Candlelight Records.


New track, "The Observer", is a dynamic song featuring long-time keyboardist and friend Øystein H. Aadland on lead vocals, which provides stunning contrast between Oystein's and Ihsahn's vocal delivery.


Check out "The Observer":







Comments Ihsahn: "I had a great time doing these sessions! Getting the band in the room...playing off the vibe of what we were recording in these extraordinary rooms. Working with world class engineers like Jens and his team, capturing vintage amps and instruments together with my talented musicians. This EP really represents a moment in time for me. And all along, the wonderful people at URM Academy captured every little detail on camera, so that down the line, fellow studio nerds can share the experience and learn from all these amazing people I get to work alongside."


Known as a constantly evolving artist who loves to transcend boundaries, Ihsahn's musical journey has been relentlessly fascinating and frequently revelatory. With his penchant for collaborative projects and fascination with production, this new three-track EP, featuring two new original songs and one cover version, is the direct result of Ihsahn joining forces with URM Academy's online educational program for music production, and producer/engineer Jens Bogren (Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, Powerwolf) of Fascination Street Studios.


Joining Ihsahn on this project was his long-time drummer Tobias Ørnes Andersen and keyboardist Øystein Aadland, who spent 10 intense days at Fascination Street Studios recording the songs. As well as playing keyboard throughout, Øystein Aadland also adds warm and gentle lead vocals for the track "The Observer", whilst Jonas Renske of Katatonia recorded guest vocals to the cover song "Dom Andra".


Throughout the whole experience, the URM Academy team captured everything on video, with Jens Bogren adding commentary to the production techniques used, with detail on mic placements, preamps, drumhead tunings, sharing his methodology and drilling down into what goes into a recording such as this.





Tracklisting:


"The Observer" (Feat. Øystein H. Aadland)

"Contorted Monuments"

"Dom Andrea" (Kent cover, feat. Jonas Renske of Katatonia)


"Dom Andra" video:





"Contorted Monuments":





(Photo - Bjørn Tore Moen)

Perris Records announces the CD release of Angels In Vein - Long Time Coming on April 7. This CD will give any fan of L.A. Guns, Beautiful Creatures and Cherry St. their fix of classic rock with a mainstream element.


Angels In Vein is a classic rock band with mainstream elements seamlessly woven into both its musical tapestry and cutting edge production, making its unique sound immediately identifiable yet virtually timeless.


AIV was formed in 2015 when founding members Chris VanDahl (Cherry Street, Pack Of Wolves, L.A Guns) and Todd (Taz) Anthony (Cherry Street, Spinning Chain, The Union Underground) renewed their collaborative efforts with the intention of writing a rock album for the ages. As the process progressed and the musical direction began to define itself, bassist Adam Kury, (Pack Of Wolves, Legs Diamond, Candlebox) and drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (White Lion, Gilby Clark, Enuff Z’ Nuff, Tantric) were recruited into the fold to contribute to and further refine the bands sound and identity. The end result and AIVs freshman offering is truly the culmination of a band who's independent and collective efforts and abilities have generated an album that while many questioned if it would ever see the light of day, was definitely worth the wait. This is, Angels In Vein - Long Time Coming.




Chris VanDahl: "With the engineering duties being handled by Todd (Taz) Anthony himself and mastering turned over to Anthony Focx (Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith) it seemed all that was left was to find the perfect home for this album. Enter Perris Records. Perris started out as an underdog that’s been successfully championing new and classic hard rock music and artists for over 30 years.The end product and AIVs freshman offering is a blistering example of what a great rock band should be. This is Angels In Vein and this album is A Long Time Coming."


Order CDs:


- Amazon
- Perris Records
- WOWHD worldwide Free Shipping
- Germany





Tracklisting / songwriters:


"No One Gets Out Alive" ( Anthony/VanDahl)
"With Me Tonight" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Bang A Gong (Get It On)" (Cover)
"Ready To Roll" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"1973" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"If Only" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Don't Want Love" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Just Like You" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Don't You" (Forget About Me) (Cover)
"Black Blossom" (Anthony/VanDahl)
"Trip Of A Lifetime" (Alvarez /VanDahl)


"Trip Of A Lifetime":





Engineered by: Todd (Taz) Anthony
Co-Produced by: VanDahl, Anthony


Additional talent:
Smokin Joe Escriba - horns, piano, B3 and arrangements: "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
Jackie Wiatrowski - additional vocals: "Bang A Gong (Get It On)"
Paul Alvarez - additional guitars: "Trip Of a Lifetime"
Stacey David Blades - additional guitars: "Trip Of A Lifetime"


Band lineup:


Chris VanDahl - Vocals
Todd (Taz) Anthony - Guitars
Adam Kury - Bass
Troy Patrick Farrell - Drums

One year after the sudden passing of Taylor Hawkins (March 25, 2022), Studio Brussel pays tribute to Foo Fighters’ iconic drummer.


Below you can watch a unique version of "My Hero", performed by 100 drummers and Belgian rock band Black Box Revelation, live at Sportpaleis Antwerp, the last venue in Belgium where Taylor played with Foo Fighters before his passing.







Taylor Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997, first appearing with the band on the tour supporting sophomore album The Colour & The Shape. He made his recorded debut with Foo Fighters with 1999’s There Is Nothing Left To Lose, playing on every subsequent FF album, including One By One, In Your Honor (the first FF album to feature him assuming lead vocal duties on his song “Cold Day In The Sun”), Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, Wasting Light, Sonic Highways, Concrete & Gold (also featuring him as lead singer on “Sunday Rain”) and Medicine at Midnight. As a member of Foo Fighters, Taylor was a 15-time Grammy Award winner and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He lived and loved music to an insatiable degree, with Foo Fighters as well as his numerous solo and side projects and collaborations.

Swedish heavy metal band, Lion's Share, has made a new song, "United", available on streaming services and digital service providers. Save the song here, and watch a lyric video below.





Lion's Share singer Nils Patrik Johansson commented: "We wanted to write about the fact that the metal community always stands united no matter what crazy politicians and war makers do. In these crazy times we felt that this would be a good message to the world."







In late 2018, Lion's Share released a new five-track EP, plus its complete catalog - remastered with new artwork - on streaming services and digital service providers for the first time. The band have since released a few more digital singles, some of which will and some of which won't end up on the forthcoming full-length album.


Both Johansson and Chriss remark that they have always worked very well together, and at this point it feels the most natural to keep Lion's Share as a duo, with friends helping out wherever needed.


The Lion's Share catalog features appearances by members and ex-members of KISS, Megadeth, King Diamond, Hammerfall, Symphony X, Chimaira, Therion, Yngwie Malmsteen, Candlemass, etc. Mixers include top engineers such as Jens Bogren (Arch Enemy, Opeth, Symphony X, Amon Amarth), Niklas Flyckt (one-time Grammy Award winner and four-time nominee), and Ronny Lahti (Roxette, Europe, Glenn Hughes).


Lion's Share has toured with bands like Motörhead, Manowar, Dio, Saxon, Iced Earth, Nevermore, U.D.O., Dee Snider, and has played many of the major rock and metal festivals.


Credits:


Nils Patrik Johansson – vocals
Lars Chriss – guitar, keyboards
Andy Loos – bass
Nils Fredrik Johansson – drums


Produced and mixed by: Lars Chriss - for info@lionsshare.org
Mastered by: Mike Lind - for www.masterplant.com
Artwork by: Blekkmark Design
Video by: Niklas Nieminen - for "The man with the hat"

Former SCORPIONS and current KINGDOM COME drummer James Kottak says that he feels "great" after undergoing physical therapy for a hip that he "cracked" last fall when he "tripped and fell on the pavement."

The 60-year-old musician, who missed some of KINGDOM COME's shows last September because he was dealing with "health issues", discussed his latest medical setback in a brand new interview with a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!Kottak, who was speaking from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born and lived until 1987, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had some issues with… I fell out of bed in my sleep and I cracked, like, three or four ribs. And this was last July. And, man, it took forever to recover. I cracked three and broke one. That was really rough. And then I came here to Louisville to visit my brother and sister, and lo and behold, I was here for about eight, 10 days, and I tripped and fell and I cracked my left hip… I was, like, 'That's what happens to old people.' … And it's healing. I'm right on schedule. I've done tons of follow-ups — physical therapy and all that stuff. But [KINGDOM COME] did have two shows in February where I had somebody fill in. And I was really bummed about that. I've never missed anything. And I probably could have done the shows, but I felt it better not."

Kottak continued: "I've been going to… It's physical therapy, but it's chiropractor-slash-massage. They put these electrode things on you. I've been doing that three [times] for the last four weeks, five weeks, and this week is my last week of that. I had follow-up appointments and this and that, and I'm right on schedule. And I feel great. But I'm learning to not push it, 'cause they said, 'Look, man, if you don't do all this stuff in the beginning,' they told me, 'you could end up walking with a limp for the rest of your life.' I said, 'Eh-heh. I ain't doing that.' So I really listen close to [what the doctors say]."

Last week, KINGDOM COME singer Keith St. John, who joined the band in 2018 as the replacement for original frontman Lenny Wolf, told Italy's Poisoned Rock about Kottak's absence from some of the group's recent shows: "James needed some time off from the band, 'cause he's had some health issues. I don't really wanna say too much about it, but he's got some personal health issues [that] he's been working on resolving and getting care and everything."

St. John also talked about KINGDOM COME's now-infamous appearance last June at Sweden Rock Festival, which was described by the popular Swedish site Rocknytt as the event's "biggest fuckup." Writer Peter Johansson singled out Kottak, saying that the drummer played "really badly, sluggishly" and at times failed to keep the tempo "worryingly throughout the concert". At the end of the show, Kottak "stumbled to the edge of the stage to bow with his bandmates," according to Rocknytt. Also critical of KINGDOM COME's performance was renowned Swedish music journalist and guitar player Janne Stark, who took to his Facebook page to share a photo of the gig and he wrote in an accompanying caption: "I've never seen a drummer fall asleep on stage before but James Kottak is pretty damn close. Drunk? He slows down every song to half tempo. KINGDOM COME, sorry guys but this is SHIT!"

Keith said: "That was the show… I hate to say this, but it's in the best interest of James and the band… I think James should have started working on his health and what was happening with him earlier than that, earlier in the year, 'cause he was already… But James, he has a youthful spirit, and he wants to keep on going. He's one of those guys that at the last breath of life is gonna be clawing and climbing up the cliff and playing drums and going out there and doing it. It was a hard situation, but at Sweden Rock the band wound up getting some negative reviews in the press, and it was largely because of the performance on the drums, I hate to [say it]," the singer admitted.

According to St. John, KINGDOM COME is in a good place right now, despite the fact that the band's recent shows have featured SLAUGHTER's Blas Elias behind the kit instead of James.

"I'm glad we are where we are, 'cause it needed to happen and James needs to get it back together so he's strong enough to play again," Keith said. "He was like next coming of [John] Bonham when he came out [in the 1980s], so he needs to be at his best. Even at an eight for James is a 20 for most people. Even if he's at seven or eight out of 10, then we can go and get that going. In the meantime, Blas is doing a great job. The band continues playing live."

KINGDOM COME played its first two shows with Elias in September in Texas.

Seven months ago, Kottak announced that he wouldn't play with his KINGDOM COME bandmates at their concerts in Texas. In the early hours of August 21, 2022, James took to his Twitter to write: "I will not be at the Kingdom Come Plano or San Antonio shows so don't waste your time thanks jams k [sic]".

Last month, St. John told Chris Akin Presents about Kottak's absence from KINGDOM COME recent shows: "James Kottak has had some health situations over the last year, and they've really been affecting his playing. Everybody in the band really wanted him to be able to continue and play, but he's just gotta sort some things out and wait for some stuff in his body to heal before he has the strength to play the songs [properly]."

In December, St. John told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast that "James has had some health issues in this last — [it's] going on for about two years, I would say, and creeping up. And now he's on a break for a little while until he gets recouped and recovered from everything. And my good friend who plays in '[Raiding The] Rock Vault' with me out here, Blas Elias, has stepped in — Blas Elias from SLAUGHTER; he stepped in to take over the drums for now."

Kottak publicly discussed KINGDOM COME's performance at Sweden Rock for the first time in an interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" conducted just days after the concert. Regarding what caused the show to fall short of expectations, James said: "I wanna say about eight or nine days ago, maybe 10 days ago, in the middle of the night, like four o'clock in the morning, I was in a dead sleep and I just rolled off the bed and I cracked three ribs on my left side. And I went to my chiropractor guy and he says, 'Oh, you have hairline fractures.' And I'm, like, 'Oh, great.' And dude, it's just been non-stop pain. It's not just my ribs; it's head to toe. That's why things were a little bit slower. 'Cause I took ibuprofen and the usual, Aleve or whatever, but, man, it was an uphill battle from the time we started. And it was just — I mean, not pain; I'm talking pain-pain, big-time stuff. That's no excuse, because the show must go on. But, yeah, I was a little slower than usual. But also we [usually] have a click track, of course, 'cause we might have a little bit of playback. Something was up with that, so we were flying solo… And [when] you don't have it, you go, 'Oh-oh. Okay. We'll do this.' It was just an off day, and there's nothing you can do about it."

According to James, there was "definitely no drinking" involved prior to the KINGDOM COME mishap at Sweden Rock. "Because that with the medication, it doesn't go good together," he explained. "And it was just an off day, man. I did everything to [make it better] — tons of tea, this and that, and all the usual things that I do — but, man, it was just too soon after falling that we went to play this gig. But it's Sweden Rock, and you don't wanna bail out on that."

Asked if alcohol contributed to him falling out of bed prior to the Sweden Rock performance, Kottak said: "I always sleep on the left side of the bed, and I just somehow, in my sleep, rolled off the bed and landed on my left side. I mean, that's really it. I wasn't drinking — nothing like that. Yeah, I have a few white wines here and there, but nothing like that. I just rolled off the bed. And that's the first time in my life that's ever happened where I actually fell off. I woke up and saw stars. It took me 15 minutes to get off the floor. These things happen sometimes, and there's nothing you can do. With SCORPIONS, going up my riser to get to my drums, there were, like, 14 steps, and I fell down those stairs at least five times, if not six times. Because I was like a dummy — I was always spitting this water. And I'd finish a song and I'd come down not thinking, and, just, 'Whoop', right on my ass."

James also denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee.

"I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands."

Five years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional."

He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to [the island of] Antigua [to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center], and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey."

Three years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circumstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink.

"From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore.

"If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually…

"SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes. It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."

During an appearance on yesterday's (Wednesday, March 22) edition of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony was asked if he has any plans to form a new project or band once Sammy Hagar has finally retired from performing with THE CIRCLE. Anthony responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):

"Well, I wasn't going to mention anything about it, but there is a little side project thing that I've kind of been speaking to some people, and might be doing a couple of things with. I don't wanna get ahead of myself and mention too much, but it might involve Phil X [BON JOVI guitarist] and John Douglas, who you know as [the touring drummer] for AEROSMITH right now. I've known J.D. for many years, since he's worked with VAN HALEN… What a great guy. And we do have a singer. I don't wanna mention any names, but a really, really cool singer. And we're recording just for fun right now, some stuff. That's all I can say."

Anthony guested on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" to promote his appearance at a fundraising event and concert benefiting Save The Heartbeat on March 25 at Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, California. Also performing at the show will be Phil X, Hagar and John 5, among other musicians.

Save The Heartbeat is a non-profit organization that benefits those that are affected by congenital heart disease (CHD). Danielle and Jonathan Maloof started this charity after their son Remington was born with an undiagnosed congenital heart defect in 2013.

Back in April 2017, Michael announced the loss of his two-week-old grandson, who died of heart disease earlier that month.

The musician opened up about the death of little Rex Becerra, the son of his eldest daughter, Elisha, in a Facebook post.

"I recently lost my grandson Rex after turning just two weeks and one day old. We are tremendously proud of Rex," he wrote at the time. "In the short time on earth he left a lasting impression that our family will cherish."

The family opened up about the death in a fundraising page with the Los Angeles Children's Hospital, noting that the boy was "quickly diagnosed with Heart Disease" after his birth on March 20, 2017.

"Within 9 hours of birth he was transported to two hospitals and ultimately landed at Children's Hospital LA where he underwent open heart surgery," the family wrote on the page.

They wrote that although the surgery was successful, little Rex never recovered from the procedure. He passed away on April 4, 2017, according to the page.

VAN HALEN and Anthony had not been on good terms for more than a decade prior to guitarist Eddie Van Halen's death in October 2020, with Anthony not invited to join the reunion with singer David Lee Roth that began in 2007. The subsequent two tours and studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", featured Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass.

Anthony took a pay cut and signed away all of his rights to the band name and logo in order to participate in VAN HALEN's 2004 tour, which featured singer Sammy Hagar.

Michael Anthony photo credit: Leah Steiger / Phil X photo credit: Sweetwater / John Douglas photo credit: Zach Whitford

Breakthrough UK act, As Everything Unfolds, have released their new single, "Slow Down", along with a visualizer. This is the final single before their new album, Ultraviolet, out April 21 via Long Branch Records.


Singer Charlie Rolfe comments: "Ever feel like you’re being pulled down? Like someone is your biggest supporter yet your biggest critic, it’s a confusing and conflicting feeling. ‘You’re letting me shout out, while you’re telling me to slow down?’ Sometimes people will try to manipulate you into thinking they’re your biggest supporter, but jealousy can lead those same people to drag you down leaving you confused, when charged with platform or responsibility, that weight can carry difficult tasks and burdens, push through it and be the best version of you that you can be."







Pre-order the Ultraviolet  album here.





Ultraviolet tracklisting:


"Ultraviolet"
"Felt Like Home"
"Slow Down"
"Saint Or Rogue"
"Blossom"
"Infrared"
"Flip Side"
"Twilight"
"Rose Bouquets"
"Daylight"
"All I've Ever Known"


"Flip Side" video:





"Ultraviolet" video:





"Felt Like Home" video:





"Blossom" visualizer:





As Everything Unfolds is:


Charlie Rolfe - Vocals
Adam Kerr - Guitar
George Hunt - Bass
Jon Cassidy - Synth
Jamie Gowers - Drums

The Who legend, Pete Townshend, has released his first solo single in 29 years, "Can’t Outrun The Truth". Watch the video, directed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, below.





"Can’t Outrun The Truth" was composed and produced by Rachel Fuller under her nom de plume Charlie Pepper, and all proceeds from vinyl sales plus at least 10p from every download will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust.




The song was inspired by the difficulties everyone had encountered emotionally due to the lack of human interaction caused by the pandemic. It also occurred to Rachel that young people undergoing cancer treatment may identify with these feelings of isolation.


Rachel Fuller, on the genesis of the song “We’d just moved house and Pete was as happy as Larry up in his studio, working every day, and I put my back out, I was just climbing the walls, I couldn’t do any creative work and obviously, we couldn’t go anywhere. And I really started to think about how unbelievably difficult this period of time was going to be for so many people. I wrote lyrics and then I sat at the piano and wrote the music, and then I thought, Oh, I really would like to record it, because it’s really not a bad song at all – and my singing days are long over. So, I asked Pete to record the demo.”


Pete Townshend: “I’ve helped Rachel make the demos for several of her theatrical projects. She’s a really a fast worker, it’s not that you say to me, let’s go into the studio for two weeks and work on this project. We do it two hours later, or an hour later, it’s done – so it’s easy to work with her."


"Can’t Outrun The Truth" was recorded in Pete’s home studio in September of 2021, with Pete playing lap steel guitar and violin and singing. Once it was recorded the pair decided to release the track and raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.


Pete Townshend: “The pandemic years were terrible for charities; the Teenage Cancer Trust was created in order to take the money from a series of concerts at the Albert Hall every year and various other things and that had all dropped out. So, the idea of doing this, which is it’s something that has sprung out of Lockdown about mental illness, but also for this particular charity. If you’ve got a scenario in which somebody in your family or a teenager has got cancer, they’re being treated, Lockdown hits, and you’re not allowed to go and visit them. There’s a poignancy to the whole thing about the song.”





Rachel and Pete reached out to renowned British artist Damien Hirst to create an artwork for the track. The result is a unique one-off spin painting of Townshend, which adorns the sleeve of 200 12” singles of "Can’t Outrun The Truth" (which also features Pete’s solo classic "Let My Love Open The Door" on the B side). Pete has also signed each of the singles which are destined to become instant collector’s pieces. The 12” singles will be available exclusively to fans in attendance at the Teenage Cancer Trust shows at the Royal Albert Hall from March 21st to March 26th.


Not only is "Can’t Outrun The Truth" Pete Townshend’s first solo single in 29 years, but his first solo video in 40 years accompanies it. The video was shot in a series of one-take performances by the creative team of directors, Michael Nunn and William Trevitt.


Summing up the song Rachel says, “I think one of the things about the song is that it felt like we drew a line, and it was, okay, back to normal. Nobody’s really talking about COVID anymore. There aren’t stories in the papers, and no one wants to talk about those two years. And I think for so many people, there is a long tail, people really, really struggled and just because people are saying let’s move on. I think a lot of people are still finding it really hard.”


Townshend agrees, “Rachel is absolutely right; this is something that deserves to be carried in our daily life."


Order here.

Swiss hard rock act Shakra has finally revealed more details about their upcoming new album. Invincible will be released this summer, on June 9th via AFM Records. The album pre-sale is now available at this location.


In new single, "Tell Her That I'm Sorry", Shakra explore the emotional rollercoaster ride of a failed relationship and reflect on missed opportunities and unrequited love. Mark's powerful guitar sound and haunting voice perfectly capture heartache and the burden of responsibility. 


The band comments: "The song is not only a call for reconciliation, but also a powerful testimony to the universal experience of love and loss. 'Tell Her That I'm Sorry' is a must for all fans of straight rock and for anyone who wants to experience the depths of the human heart and the power of music."







Tracklist: 


"The Way It Is"
"The Matrix Unfolds" 
"Invincible"
"Devil Left Hell" 
"On the Wild Side" 
"Old Irish Song" 
"Tell Her That I'm Sorry" 
"As I Lay Down To Sleep" 
"House Of Rock" 
"Walls Of Hate" 
"Between The Lines" 
"As Long As I’m Alive"

Ferocious four-piece, Saint Agnes, return with new album Bloodsuckers, set for release on July 21 via Spinefarm. Pre-save the album here. Today, they have unveiled the video for the album's raw title track. Check it out below.


Hailing from the UK, Saint Agnes are all about honest lyrics and intense vocal performances, plus rage-fueled music intended to give a voice to those closer to the fringe than the center. With its violent riffs, venomous vocals, and punk attitude, the title track single serves as a no-holds-barred introduction to the Bloodsuckers album.


Vocalist Kitty A. Austen comments on the single and video, saying, "I wrote 'Bloodsuckers' when I couldn't take it anymore — when I decided to stop allowing people to crush me, to diminish me. I took my rage and my pain and used it as fuel and I burned. We are not defined by what has been done to us. We decide who we are. We choose who we want to be. We are whole. We are worthy. The video is an introduction to Team Bloodsuckers. Join us."




As much gang as band, Saint Agnes seek to empower those who've been battered and bruised yet refuse to lie down, and it's a thread that runs deep within Bloodsuckers — SA's first album for Spinefarm and the follow-up to 2019's Welcome To Silvertown, issued on the band's own label.


From the title track onwards, Bloodsuckers is a genre-jumping body of work, taking in elements of metal, punk, industrial, and grunge, without being bound by any specific style; the 11 tracks here come straight from the source, largely self-produced and mixed (NIN collaborator Sean Bevan lends his mixing and production skills to "Follow You"), and this self-contained approach provides an extra emotional weight throughout, with doom trap provocateur Mimi Barks further fuelling the chaos on the short, sharp shock that is "Body Bag."


Created in the months following the unexpected and untimely death of Kitty's mother, Bloodsuckers explores a number of themes, including mental illness, pent-up rage, undying love and, of course, grief; from the trash-metal howl into the night that is "Bloodsuckers" right through to broken ballad, "This Is Not The End," a poignant reflection of Kitty’s still-raw emotions, this is a call to outsiders everywhere...


Concludes Kitty, "Creating this album gave me a reason to get to my feet at a time when I really wasn't sure if I could. I've tried to put everything I've been feeling into it, all the pain, the rage, the grief, even the unexpected moments of beauty and belief. I hope it makes you feel less alone. I hope it makes you feel bigger, badder, and stronger. We might be damaged but that doesn't mean we're worthless. This is a record for the defeated, the crushed. We might be broken but that doesn't mean we're not whole. Bloodsuckers forever, Saint Agnes forever."





Tracklisting:


"Bloodsuckers"
"Animal"
"I Mean Nothing To You"
"Outsider"
"This Is Not The End"
"Follow You"
"I Am"
"At War With Myself"
"Middle Finger"
"Body Bag" (Feat. Mimi Barks)
"Forever And Ever"


"Bloodsuckers" video:





Lineup:


Kitty A. Austen — Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Jon James Tufnell — Guitar, Vox, Bass
Andrew Head — Drums
Ryan Brown — Bass


(Photo - Scott Chalmers)

One of the most iconic and influential albums ever, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, continues to find new audiences globally. This year, to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, a new deluxe box set will be released on Friday, March 24. Pre-order here.


In support of the upcoming release, the band launched the new video series, 50 Years In A Heartbeat: The Story Of The Dark Side Of The Moon. Episode 3 is released today, and you can watch all three episodes below:


Part 1:







Part 2:





Part 3:





The Dark Side Of The Moon deluxe box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the new 2023 remastered studio album and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions.  The set also includes additional new Blu-ray disc of Atmos mix, plus CD and LP of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon – Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974’, a 160-page hardback photo book, a music book, replica 7” singles and memorabilia.  For full details see full listing via the pre-order link above.





The box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the new 2023 remastered studio album, and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions. The set also includes an additional new Blu-ray disc of a Dolby Atmos mix plus a CD and LP of The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974. There's also a 76-page music book, replicas of two 7" singles, posters, stickers, a replica invite to the press preview of the album at London Planetarium in February 1973, and Thames & Hudson's 160-page hardback book with rare and previously unseen photographs from the 1972-1975 tours taken by Jill Furmanovsky, Peter Christopherson, Aubrey Powell, and Storm Thorgerson.





Simultaneously, on March 24, the CD and first ever vinyl issue of The Dark Side Of The Moon - Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974 will be released independently of the box set. It was originally recorded in November 1974 as part of the band's winter tour and this is the first time it will be available as a stand-alone album, with artwork featuring an original 1973 line-drawn cover by George Hardie.





Thames & Hudson's book Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon: 50th Anniversary will also be published separately from the box set on the same day - March 24. Curated by photographer Jill Furmanovsky and art directed by Hipgnosis co-founder Aubrey Powell, this LP-sized book was created with the involvement of the band members.


The 50th Anniversary release will also be celebrated as Pink Floyd invite a new generation of animators to enter a competition to create music videos for any of the album's 10 songs. Pink Floyd has a rich history of collaborating with animators from the beginnings of the band (Ian Emes, Gerald Scarfe etc.), and in some cases the visuals that accompany the songs have become synonymous with the music itself. The 50th Anniversary will be no exception. The band would like to give all animators an opportunity to present a fresh take on these timeless aural works. Animators can enter up to 10 videos, one per song on the album. A winner will be selected from a panel of experts which will include Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Aubrey 'Po' Powell (Pink Floyd's creative director) and the BFI (British Film Institute). The deadline for submissions is November 30th 2023. Please see the separate post with Nick Mason talking about the competition.


On February 27 1973, EMI Records held a press conference for the debut presentation of Pink Floyd’s new album The Dark Side Of The Moon at the London Planetarium. 50 years on, in recognition of the iconic album and with the help of huge strides in technology, an official full dome experience with stunning visuals of the solar system and beyond and played out to 42 minutes of The Dark Side Of The Moon, will be released in Planetariums around the world in March. Contact your local Planetarium for any screening details.


For further information, head to PinkFloyd.com.

Brace yourself for an ear-shattering, face-melting experience as Austrian heavy metal outfit, Roadwolf, announces their sophomore album, Midnight Lightning, set for release on May 19 via Napalm Records.


With their debut album, Unchain The Wolf (2020), Roadwolf firmly established themselves as purveyors of classic heavy metal, drawing inspiration from legendary acts such as Judas Priest, Saxon, UFO, Dio and Ozzy Osbourne. Since its release, the band has turned heads on stage, performing at renowned metal festivals such as Wacken and sharing the stage with notable acts such as Enforcer, Skull Fist, Bullet, Lizzy Borden, Vicious Rumors and Night Demon. Now, they bring the madness directly to you with their all killers no fillers album, Midnight Lightning.


To give a first taste of what to expect, the first single, “On The Run”, has been unleashed today. It’s a fierce exclamation point featuring electrifying guitar riffs, a pulsating bassline and driving drums forming a powerful heavy metal track, which makes it undoubtedly clear that Roadwolf are here to stay.




Roadwolf state on “On The Run”: “We are super excited to present the first single of our new album on Napalm Records. Get ready for a fast heavy metal neckbreaker and turn it up loud. Neighbours complaining? A real renegade cranks it up louder.”


Watch the video for “On The Run” below.


Roadwolf sold their souls to traditional heavy metal - showcased on title track “Midnight Lightning”, which brings out their power with soaring vocals and scorching guitar solos, reminiscent of Judas Priest. “Mark Of The Devil” presents the band’s songwriting abilities, with multiple Iron Maiden-inspired solos and dynamic changes throughout the track. “Supernatural” offers a softer side of the band with ballad-like verses, but then explodes into heavy metal power during the choruses. “High Under Pressure” races along with a blistering pace that is further enhanced with great dueling guitar and saxophone solos. “Sons Of The Golden Horde” showcases another powerful song with lyrics of historic wars, reminiscent of Iron Maiden’s great historical anthems. “Don’t Deliver Us From Evil” uplifts with pure energy and catchy choruses that will have the whole crowd singing along. Roadwolf keeps on rolling with another grooving track in “Running Out Of Time”. Bringing out their Motörhead influence on “Savage Child”, the song showcases the band’s speed metal skills, as well as catchy choruses with small alterations to keep it interesting with each repeat. Last but not least, the album concludes with the slow but beautiful ballad “Isolated Hearts”, featuring clean guitar reverb and soft piano underscoring powerful vocals singing of fading of hearts in the face of warfare. With Midnight Lightning, Roadwolf turns the intensity up to 11 and beyond, taking no time to rest and delivering a more explosive and dynamic sound than ever before.


Roadwolf state on Midnight Lightning: “Rock and roll maniacs, are you ready to unleash the beast within? We’re finally back from the dead and bringing the thunder with our new album, Midnight Lightning. So crank up the volume, grab a beer and smash your windows so everyone can join the listening party.”





Midnight Lightning will be available in the following formats:


- 1LP Gatefold Violet Transparent (limited to 300 worldwide)
- 1LP Gatefold BLACK (limited to 500 copies worldwide)
- CD Digipak
- Music Cassette Neon Orange Transparent (limited to 100 copies) - Napalm Records Shop exclusively
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"On The Run"
"Midnight Lightning"
"Mark Of The Devil"
"Supernatural"
"High Under Pressure"
"Sons Of The Golden Horde"
"Don’t Deliver Us From Evil"
"Running Out Of Time"
"Savage Child"
"Isolated Hearts"


"On The Run" video:





Lineup:


Franz 'Franky' Bauer - Vocals
Valentin 'Vali' Strasser - Guitars
Christoph 'Aigy' Aigner - Bass
Emanoel 'Mano' Bruckmüller - Drums


(Photo - Izaquiel Tomé)

Arjen Lucassen’s Supersonic Revolution will release their debut album, Golden Age Of Music, on May 19 via Music Theories Recording/Mascot Label Group. A visualizer for the new single, "The Rise Of The Starman", can be viewed below.


Says Arjen: "Dear friends, here is the second single from Supersonic Revolution! My guess is that a lot of people will think this lyric is about David Bowie. But they would only be partly right.. it is actually about his fictional character Ziggy Stardust. Ziggy was an alien character that Bowie created back in the early 70s with his album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. I have to admit that I never really understood the deeper meaning behind this concept album, but I did my best to give it my own spin here! Alien creatures land on Earth with a mission to set the children free. The aliens only have 5 years to do this, but they fail hopelessly. Ziggy dies on stage. But… Bowie lived on, and how!Very curious to read what you think of this one... enjoy and thanks in advance!"







You think you know Arjen Lucassen? Towering Dutch prog rock polymath? The man behind the super successful prog rock conceptualists Ayreon? Not to mention his prog metal of Star One and Guilt Machine? Enormous overarching concept albums about space and time, packed to the hilt with special guests that read like a who’s who of modern day progressive rock? Arjen Lucassen? Well, think again…


Supersonic Revolution, the band behind Golden Age Of Music, are simply five men: Arjen on bass, long-standing keyboard player Joost van den Broek, guitarist Timo Somers, drummer Koen Herfst and singer Jaycee. Five men rocking out and having one hell of a time doing it.


The whole project grew from a request to provide a track for a cover CD for the German music magazine Eclipsed. “They asked if I had any cover versions lying around,” he recalls. “I said, ‘No but I’ll happily record one for you.’ So, they gave me a list of bands and I saw a ZZ Top song ‘I Heard It On The X’ that I really like. I said I could record it for them, but then they told me it had to be ready in one week...”


“I was like ‘Oh my god!’. I contacted my favorite musicians in Holland via WhatsApp and literally within 30 minutes I had assembled five people. A band basically. From there the seed was sown in Lucassen’s mind. ‘I want to form a band. And I want to simply have fun!’.


“I’m a perfectionist as you know, so I’m always sending musicians their parts back and asking them to change stuff,” he acknowledges. “But this was all brilliant. We were having fun, calling and WhatsApping all the time, and within a week we had a complete product.” He continues, “Also I wanted to have an up-beat, positive project.”


“I was like, let’s form a band and let’s write songs in the style of the 70s, and have the lyrics be a celebration of all the memorable things from that time, because those were my formative years,” he enthuses. “But I didn’t want it to sound like the 70s because that’s already been done, and I can’t do it any better than ‘Stargazer’ or ‘Kashmir’.”


“The guys are all younger than me - around 30 - so they weren’t even alive yet in the 70s. So, it was a great way for me to make 70s music with lots of Hammond and blistering guitars, but to update it to this time.”


The end result is 11 tracks of high energy, progressively inclined heavy rock that swings with the kind of groove Deep Purple rocked with in the early to mid-1970s. “This album is not a typical prog album. It’s not YES or Genesis. But it’s not a metal album either. There’s a track called ‘Burn it Down’,” Lucassen notes, “it’s totally based on ‘Smoke On The Water’ but written from the perspective of the ‘stupid with a flare gun’ mentioned in the original lyrics.


The album also features covers of some legendary songs given the Arjen Lucassen treatment as bonus tracks: T-Rex’s "Children Of The Revolution", ZZ Top’s "Heard It On The X", Earth Wind & Fire’s "Fantasy" and Roger Glover’s "Love Is All".


That, ladies and gentlemen, is the real Arjen Lucassen. Job done. Having fun.


Available formats:


- Artbook
- Transparent Blue 2LP
- Pink Marble 2LP
- Purple Marble 2LP
- Yellow Marble 2LP
- CD
- Digital


Pre-order here.





Golden Age Of Music tracklisting:


"SR Prelude"
"The Glamattack"
"Golden Age Of Music"
"The Rise Of The Starman"
" Burn It Down"
"Odyssey"
"They Took Us By Storm"
"Golden Boy"
"Holy Holy Ground"
"Fight Of The Century"
"Came To Mock, Stayed To Rock"
"Children Of The Revolution" (Bonus Track)
"Heard It On The X" (Bonus Track)
"Fantasy" (Bonus Track)
"Love Is All" (Bonus Track)


"The Glamattack" lyric video:

17x platinum, Grammy-nominated rock band, Skillet, have released the music video for "Psycho In My Head", their current Active Rock track and WWE's “Elimination Chamber" theme song. Check it out below:





Skillet will wrap the Rock Resurrection Tour this Sunday at the Wiltern in Los Angeles with co-headliner Theory Of A Deadman and special guest Saint Asonia. In high demand throughout its 25 city run, the tour was raising capacities weekly amidst a multitude of sold out shows including Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Green Bay, Reading and more.




Next the band will head oversees for their spring 2023 European Day of Destiny Tour. Embarking on a 21-city trek, the tour will kick off April 14 in Manchester, UK, and feature opening acts Like A Storm and Eva Under Fire, The tour will run through May 14 and hit major European markets including London, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Zurich, Milan and Prague.


Starting Friday, Skillet are offering limited VIP upgrades on their international tour that will include a M&G, photo with the band, early entry and a signed 8x10. VIP upgrades are available here.


(Photo - Jimmy Fontaine for Atlantic Records)

British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST have welcomed Guido Zima Montanarini as their official new drummer — completing the band's lineup again.

PARADISE LOST guitarist Greg Mackintosh comments: "We welcome Guido as PARADISE LOST's new drummer. He cut his teeth with us on our European tour at the end of 2022. Guido did such a good job that we have decided to make him our new drummer and he will be playing on all upcoming PL shows and working on new material with us for our next album due out next year."

PARADISE LOST will play several festival shows this summer before returning to the studio to work on their next studio album.

Last September, Finnish drummer Waltteri Väyrynen left PARADISE LOST to join OPETH. At the time, he issued a statement saying that his decision involved "absolutely no bad blood or drama whatsoever."

PARADISE LOST's latest album, "Obsidian", was released in May 2020 via Nuclear Blast.

In a 2017 interview with The Rockpit, Mackintosh stated about PARADISE LOST's drummer changes: "Yeah, it's like a classic SPINAL TAP. The four of us are together the whole time, and if we haven't lost the first drummer, he would probably still be in the band, and then we just keep changing drummers. But it's all for natural reasons. It's all over a long period of time; it's not overnight."

He explained: "The first drummer left because the gigs were getting bigger and he wasn't handling the pressure too well. And the second drummer left because he went insane and turned to God. And then the next drummer left because he didn't have a family when he joined the band then he had loads of kids all close together and needed to go and be a family man."

Greg added: "It's all very natural reasons; none of it is contemptuous or anything like that or anything clandestine. It's just life gets in the way. You get to a certain age and you're a touring band, it's hard for people to just switch off life while on tour."

Tonight's (Thursday, March 23) NIGHT RANGER performance in Anaheim, California, along with Friday's (March 24) show in Ivins, Utah and Saturday night's (March 25) concert in Stateline, Nevada, have been postponed. New dates are currently being scheduled for late October, Anaheim will be October 25, Ivins will be October 26 and Stateline will follow. More information will be sent to ticket holders as soon as possible.

Earlier today, NIGHT RANGER released the following statement via social media: "First and foremost, we want to apologize to the fans. You guys know better than anyone we don’t take this lightly, earlier this afternoon Jack [Blades, vocals/bass] was admitted to the hospital. He is in good hands, but on the advice of medical staff we will not be able to perform any of our next 3 shows which are tonight in Anaheim, CA, tomorrow night (3/24) in Ivins, UT, and Saturday night (3/25) in Stateline, NV.

"We have to prioritize Jack's health and safety, and we cannot thank you enough for your understanding. This is not the message we wanted to be sending and we cannot wait to rock with all of you again soon. We will keep you updated as we know more."

NIGHT RANGER released its 12th studio album, "ATBPO", in August 2021 via Frontiers Music Srl. "ATBPO" stands for "And The Band Played On", an ode to making music during the COVID-19 era.

NIGHT RANGER began writing the album in early 2020, amid the onset of the global pandemic. After narrowing down the song selection and tightening them up to their well-known rock and roll sound, the band hit the studio, although separately, due to the times we were in. Throughout "ATBPO", we hear NIGHT RANGER continuing their hot streak that kicked off with 2011's "Somewhere In California".

"With 'ATBPO', I really feel like we've gone back to our roots of who we are as a band," Blades told KATV in a 2021 interview. "Even though this album was a challenge to make, it was all us together. Every song is all our heart and soul and what's coming from us. These songs are directly who we are. That's why we're so stoked to get this album out to the fans so they can experience the whole picture and not just a few singles. They get to experience what NIGHT RANGER is all about."

Blades went on to say that he hopes to be writing songs and touring until the day he dies.

"I think the biggest focus for us right now is touring," he said. "It's much more important to put on a great show than to have hits at this stage of the game. We enjoy touring even more now than when we did back in the '80s. It is just fun now. We don't have to prove anything or make a name for ourselves. We are who we are, so that allows us to throw in songs that maybe we grew up listening to or tell a different story because we do have a lot of stories. And the audience really enjoys that too because we get a chance to get them really involved. I mean this is what I do. NIGHT RANGER is going to be around for a long time to come."

Having sold over 17 million albums worldwide, performed across more than 4,000 stages, and enjoyed a radio audience that exceeds one billion, NIGHT RANGER has both epitomized and transcended the arena rock sound and style well beyond that era.

NIGHT RANGER is Jack Blades (bass, vocals),Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals),Brad Gillis (lead and rhythm guitars),Eric Levy (keyboards),and Keri Kelli (lead and rhythm guitars).

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