WINGER has set "Seven" as the title of its seventh studio album, tentatively due this spring via Frontiers Music Srl.

Earlier today (Friday, March 3),WINGER shared the "Seven" cover art via social media and included the following message: "STAY TUNED!!! #Winger #WingerSeven".

In January, WINGER shot music videos for three of the songs from "Seven".

Two months ago, WINGER guitarist John Roth told Sam Wall about the band's upcoming LP: "It'll be out on Frontiers in May or June; we don't have a release date yet. [There's] 12 songs on the album. One song's a pretty big surprise.

"To me at least, there's always a song on a WINGER album that comes at you from left field," he explained. "Like on 'Karma', we did a blues song — Kip [Winger, WINGER frontman] and I co-wrote a song called 'After All This Time'. On 'Better Days Comin'', the title track, 'Better Days Comin'', it's kind of funky and it's fun and it's different for WINGER; WINGER's a pretty heavier, darker, metal-ish kind of band. So there's a song on this album that's very different for the band, which is cool.

"It's meticulously produced and recorded, [with] tons of layers of background vocals," he added. "It's heavier lyrically, maybe. All of WINGER's records have a heavier overtone, because the guitars are tuned low; it's just more aggressive. And there's a little bit of a progressive flair on one of the songs. But I think people are gonna really enjoy the album. I hope it's well received."

Roth also spoke in more detail about the WINGER songwriting process, saying: "Well, Kip and Reb [Beach, guitar] are the primary songwriters of the band; they are the nucleus. But I did co-write one song on this album with Kip.

"With WINGER, it normally starts [as] the musical idea. A lot of people write from lyrics and melodies. Most of the songs I write, I have a melody or a lyric which is like the nucleus or the starting point for a song. But with WINGER, it's a riff, it's a musical idea.

"I remember when I was first co-writing with Kip on some songs on 'Better Days Comin'', we're not demoing the songs. We're writing 'em; we're recording the actual songs," he explained. "So, I'm looking at him, going, 'How do you know that you just want one more bar here?' He's, like, 'I hear where I wanna go with the lyrics.' And I'm, like, ''Cause you're making a lot of really big-time decisions for the arrangement,' and we're recording final guitar parts and the lyrics have to revolve around it.

"So everything starts with the music with WINGER," Roth added. "But as the songs are being written and the riffs are coming about, the melodies are in Kip's head. Kip's the maestro, you know? He's the maestro of the band. So he's thinking as we're writing — what the melodies are gonna [be], how they're gonna work around the riffs, and inevitably making final judgment calls on the arrangement as we're cutting the songs. [It] used to be you'd demo songs. You'd demo a song out, and sometimes you couldn't beat the demo. You'd be, like, 'There's a magic on the demo we cannot beat.' So WINGER really doesn't have that problem anymore 'cause as we're writing the songs, we're cutting the final parts."

Asked if he enjoys working that way, Roth said: "I like it. I like it, 'cause stuff moves fast. It's quick. It's exciting. Because a song can sit there when you're layering parts on a song for months at a time. It can get a little bit too thought out, you know what I mean? So when you're writing and you're creating the song, the final [album version], when you're writing [and recording it] instead of coming up with the demo [first], it's exciting. Things move fast."

WINGER's next LP will be the follow-up to 2014's "Better Days Comin'".

In December 2020, Beach described the new WINGER material to the 213Rock Podcast by saying: "It's WINGER — heavy riffs with big vocals. Very catchy songs and very heavy stuff — very progressive."

A month earlier, Beach told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast that he and Kip had initially pieced together ideas for 11 tracks for WINGER's next album, but that Kip "threw away six of 'em, saying that this has to be like the first BOSTON record where every song is undeniable. And he just wants it to be progressive and like nothing he's hard before," he said. "I brought him these riffs that are just straight-ahead rock riffs, and he said, 'I already know what the next three chords are gonna be after I've heard three chords.'

"We're going for something that's poppy and sing-along stuff yet cool, heavy, progressive riffs — kind of like [2009's] 'Karma'," Reb explained. "That's what we're going for."

WINGER will embark on a U.S. tour this spring and summer with CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer and former MÖTLEY CRÜE singer John Corabi.

In the spring of 2020, WINGER invited artists, friends and fans — including Alice Cooper and members of SCORPIONS, STEELHEART and WARRANT — to sing along to "Better Days Comin'", the title track of the band's sixth studio album. An official music video for the new version of the song was made available in late April of that year.

WINGER formed in the late 1980s and soared to immediate success with its 1988 self-titled release. The album spawned the hit singles "Seventeen" and "Headed For A Heartbreak" and achieved platinum sales status. "Winger" also stayed on The Billboard 200 chart for over 60 weeks where it peaked at #21. Their next album, "In The Heart Of The Young", also achieved platinum status behind the singles "Can't Get Enuff" and "Miles Away". The change in musical climate of the mid-'90s, compounded with unprovoked ridicule on MTV's popular "Beavis And Butt-Head" show, led the band to go on hiatus in 1994. In 2001, WINGER reunited and has not looked back since. Kip also earned a 2016 Grammy nomination for the classical album "C.F. Kip Winger: Conversations With Nijinsky", recorded with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.
STAY TUNED!!!#Winger#WingerSevenpic.twitter.com/YpukmT1SfW

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, who consist of AEROSMITH's Joe Perry, actor Johnny Depp and legendary rocker Alice Cooper, has released the official music video for their cover version of "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory". The track, which appeared on HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' 2019 album "Rise", was originally written and recorded by the great Johnny Thunders in 1978 and features Perry on lead vocals.

The three legends first came together to record in 2015, bonding over a shared love of their favorite songs and a desire to celebrate their "dead, drunk friends" by playing the songs of the fallen heroes. Riotous performances ensued around the world.

In 2019, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES completed a triumphant seven-city North American tour which included a sell-out show at the famous Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and were voted the "best performance" of 2018 at London's Wembley Arena.

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' sophomore album "Rise", produced by Tommy Henriksen and the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, was hailed as one of the purest, most unapologetic and enjoyable rock and roll albums of 2019, made by masters of the craft and true fans of the form. Unlike their 2015 debut record, the latest album consisted mainly of original material, written by the band. There are however, in the spirit of the VAMPIRES' original mission, three covers of songs originally written and recorded by legendary rockers who died far too young.

Four years ago, Cooper told Billboard about his chemistry with Depp and Perry: "That's a very odd thing about this. You've got three alpha males who are used to running the show, and all of a sudden, three guys are sitting there with zero arguments. The whole thing is, 'Okay, let's try that.' Every time they would send me a track with scratch vocals on it, if I worked on it and chopped it up and did my thing, it would turn into an Alice song. I took my fingerprints off of it. I would hear the song and say, 'Let's do it as it was written.' My instinct might be to say that this part goes too long or the intro goes too long, but that's what makes it interesting."

Regarding HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' decision to record a second album as a follow-up to 2015's "Hollywood Vampires", which debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, Cooper said: "We looked at each other and went, 'Let's do another album, but let's make this one original.' And just like that, Johnny was writing, Joe was writing, Tommy was writing, I was writing … and we just all kind of put it together while I was on tour. Tommy produced it, and the next thing you know, we had an album. The cool thing about it is that it doesn’t sound like an Alice album, it doesn't sound like an AEROSMITH album: It sounds like a HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES album."

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman says that he has lost more than 20 pounds in the last four months.

The 49-year-old singer, who moved to Miami, Florida in early 2022 after residing in Honolulu, Hawaii for a few years, took to his Twitter earlier today (Friday, March 3) to share a photo of him at what appears to be a gym, and he included the following message: "Started this journey right after [DISTURBED bassist John Moyer's] wedding [in early November]. I had ballooned to 213 lbs at the time. Now in full pre tour training mode.

"As of this morning I'm 190 lbs.

"Not done yet.

"Have to remind the world why we have become who we are."

Draiman had previously said that Florida's lack of state income tax and the state's quality of schools were factors in his family's decision to relocate to Miami.

DISTURBED's 36-date "Take Back Your Life" spring/summer 2023 North American tour will kick off at Montreal's Bell Centre on April 27. The tour, produced by Live Nation, will feature support from THEORY OF A DEADMAN in Canada and very special guests BREAKING BENJAMIN and JINJER in select markets in the United States. "Take Back Your Life" will be DISTURBED's first full tour since 2018.

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

Guitarist Dan Donegan's divorce inspired the "Divisive" song "Don't Tell Me", which is a duet with HEART's Ann Wilson. In two decades, it breaks ground as the first-ever guest collaboration on a DISTURBED record.

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

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

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.
Started this journey right after @JohnMoyerBass ‘s wedding. I had ballooned to 213 lbs at the time. Now in full pre tour training mode.

As of this morning I’m 190 lbs.

Not done yet.

Have to remind the world why we have become who we are. 😉🤘🏻@Disturbedpic.twitter.com/Ns0faTVk3T

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) March 3, 2023

SEX PISTOLS bassist and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Glen Matlock will release long-awaited solo album, "Consequences Coming", on April 27 via Cooking Vinyl. The second single from the LP, "Magic Carpet Ride", can be heard below.

Matlock states: "'Magic Carpet Ride', with its fingers crossed 'Instant Karma'-esque groove, is part of a quartet of songs from my forthcoming album, 'Consequences Coming'. It attempts to deal with the road to nowhere journey we are being whisked on, to who knows where, who knows how and who the blinking flip knows why and is a sincere pleading that it is not the cul de sac that it promises to be, with the only escape route being the garden gate installed for a laugh by the flat earth society."

Glen continues: "It also has a great slide guitar by Earl Slick."

Matlock is a singer/songwriter/guitarist with a highly esteemed resume. The original bassist and songwriter of the SEX PISTOLS, Matlock is responsible for co-penning some of history's most iconic songs, "Anarchy In The UK", "God Save The Queen" and "Pretty Vacant". After his time with the SEX PISTOLS, Matlock went on to form several well-regarded bands including RICH KIDS (with Midge Ure). He has collaborated with such artists as Iggy Pop and PRIMAL SCREAM, and is also a highly in-demand player, playing live with the likes of the legendary reformed FACES. Additionally, Glen is currently the touring bass player for New York legends BLONDIE and is slated to appear on their forthcoming new 2023 studio album.

His persona these days may be that of a stylish rock gent, but as always the former icon of punk remains politically passionate. This album is nothing short of Glen's call to arms to tackle this current diabolical period of governance.

Matlock previously stated about the first single, "Head On A Stick": "Peeved at the predictable but ultimately pointless political lurch to the right that has happened in the West over the past few years. I put pen to paper and plectrum to guitar to compose a song that's a call to arms, a wake-up alarm and primal open-your-eyes scream."

Glen continued: "It might be easy to be wise after the event but some saw where we were headed and, in the words of 'Pete Seeger,' attempted to hammer out a warning. We always thought it can't happen here but it sadly most definitely has and heads should justifiably roll…"

A music video for "Head On A Stick" can be seen below. "The video was shot on the fly one afternoon in between touring dates with BLONDIE in the U.K.," stated Matlock. "The guys who play on the forthcoming album all jumped at the chance to back me up in the video, and help get this pertinent point across about the parlous state of our present position."

"Consequences Coming" will be made available in digital and specially packaged CD format. The vinyl format is being made available with a limited-edition signed artprint.

"The album was written and recorded in Britain over the last 18 months or so with a posse of seasoned but on point performers." says Matlock. "All done during the debacle that is Brexit and the rise and fall of the turgid Trump episode in the U.S. These songs reflect my take on the whole sorry mess that has ensued."

Matlock elaborates on the album: "Now the wheels of the music business can sometimes move at a lugubrious, glacial pace, and sometimes the moment might be lost but seeing no break in the clouds or clear light at the end of the tunnel, surely the only demand on people's lips should be that there are 'Consequences Coming' for the fat headed oafs who have foisted their asinine warped sensibilities on us. The tunes are pretty catchy too…"

"Consequences Coming" track listing:

01. Head On A Stick
02. Consequences Coming
03. Magic Carpet Ride
04. Speaking In Tongues
05. Shine Off Your Shoes
06. Constant Craving
07. Step In The Right Direction
08. Something 'Bout The Weekend
09. This Empty Heart
10. Face In A Crowd
11. Tried To Tell You
12. Can't Be Myself With You
13. This Ship

Matlock's deal with Cooking Vinyl will also see the label re-release two of his previous solo albums: 2010's "Born Running" and 2018's critically acclaimed "Good To Go".

Photo credit: Danny Clifford

On April 28, UMe/Mercury and Anthem Records continue the comprehensive RUSH 40th-anniversary album series with new and expanded editions of the band's decade-defining 1982 release "Signals", an album that signified how the band was in no way detached and subdivided from the ever-shifting 1980s musical landscape. "Signals - 40th Anniversary" will be available to fans in three distinct configurations, including the (1) Super Deluxe Edition, (2) one-LP Picture Disc Edition, and (3) Dolby Atmos Digital Edition. There will also be a limited edition Super Deluxe box featuring eight lithographs of Neil Peart's original hand-drawn lyrics for each song on "Signals" only available through the official RUSH online store. All configurations can be pre-ordered and pre-saved at RushBackstage.com.

"Signals", RUSH's ninth studio album, was originally released in September 1982, and its technology-embracing riffs and rhythms, continued the forward-thinking trajectory of the acclaimed Canadian trio as it continued to chart the demands of a new decade. The album's eight songs built upon RUSH's penchant for adapting to the flow of the times without compromising its flair for melding long-established progressive roots with radio-friendly song arrangements. "Signals", co-produced by RUSH with longtime band confidant Terry Brown and engineered by Paul Northfield, was the third of numerous RUSH recording sessions held at Le Studio in Morin-Heights, Quebec. The band's synergistic recording process at Le Studio had been well-established during sessions for the aforementioned "Moving Pictures", as well as the sessions for that album's predecessor, January 1980's "Permanent Waves".

"Subdivisions", the generation-defining lead-off track on "Signals", succinctly captures the angst of the perennial restless dreams of youth, and this synth-driven song subsequently became one of RUSH's most celebrated FM favorites as well as a cherished concert staple for many years to come. Next, the band shifts gears and leans back into the wide-eyed yearnings of "The Analog Kid", a propulsive track that also reached No. 19 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Meanwhile, the quest for emotional interactivity reaches a combustive head in the connective musical tissue of "Chemistry". Side A closes out with the fast-forward thinking of "Digital Man", presaging our eventual reliance on the 0s and 1s that now permeate our daily lives.

Side B commences with the angular thrust of "The Weapon" (subtitled as being "Part II Of Fear"),a rumination on personal apprehension and doubt that also serves as a modernized offshoot of the mob-mentality prejudices of "Witch Hunt" (a.k.a. "Part III Of Fear") from "Moving Pictures". "The Weapon" also became another RUSH concert favorite featuring a videoscreen-projected introduction courtesy of Count Floyd, one of Joe Flaherty's many notable characters from "SCTV". The kinetic, reggae-tinged lilt of "New World Man" peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, RUSH's singular Top 40 hit in the United States. The truly beautiful "Losing It", a starkly honest assessment of knowing when the optimal-performance curtain is coming down and how to gracefully deal with its consequences (or not),features poignant electric violin accompaniment from guest performer Ben Mink. "Losing It" was never played onstage until RUSH's final "R40 Live" tour in 2015, with Mink reprising his role at the tour's stop in Toronto and Jonathan Dinklage of the Clockwork Angels Ensemble playing on it when the song was performed in the States. The album wraps up with the optimistic skyward views of "Countdown", an unabashed celebratory chronicle of the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981. "Countdown" also features approved audio of the voice communications between the Columbia astronauts and ground control.

The Super Deluxe Edition includes one CD, one Blu-ray Audio, one high-quality 180-gram black-vinyl LP with new artwork from original album designer Hugh Syme in a premium tip-on jacket, and four seven-inch singles ("Subdivisions", "Countdown", "New World Man" and "The Weapon (Single Edit)"),all of them with new artwork from Syme. The set encompasses the Abbey Road Mastering Studios 2015 remastered edition of the album for the first time on CD. The Blu-ray Audio disc contains the core album newly mixed from the original multi-tracks in 48kHz 24-bit Dolby Atmos (the second RUSH album to appear in Atmos, following "Moving Pictures") and 96kHz 24-bit Dolby TrueHD 5.1 as done by esteemed producer/engineer Richard Chycki, alongside the previously available 48kHz 24-bit PCM Stereo mix. Also included on the Blu-ray are new animated visualizers for all eight songs, as well as two bonus remastered vintage promo videos: the high-school halls narrative of "Subdivisions" and "Countdown", the latter of which features authorized Space Shuttle Columbia launch footage. Additionally, the LP in the Super Deluxe Edition has been cut via half-speed Direct Metal Mastering (the second RUSH album to have been done as such, again following "Moving Pictures") on a 180-gram audiophile black-vinyl LP, and it has been pressed at GZ Media in the Czech Republic.

The Super Deluxe Edition of "Signals - 40th Anniversary" will also include several exclusive items, including a 40-page hardcover book with new song illustrations and new artwork by original album designer Hugh Syme and unreleased photos from the "Signals" tour, along with three lenticular lithographs that transition from the original black-and-white band headshots into the original album's "Digital Man" color headshots; four "Signals" tour band lithographs; Syme's original album cover sketch lithograph; and a double-sided 24x24-inch poster featuring Syme's new "Signals" artwork on one side, and an outtake photo from the original album cover shoot on the other side. All contents are housed in a premium lift-top box, which features significantly reimagined cover artwork by Hugh Syme.

The second configuration of "Signals - 40th Anniversary" will be released in is a one-LP Picture Disc Edition. The picture disc is housed in a transparent plastic sleeve, and it showcases new Hugh Syme artwork on both album sides.

Finally, the third configuration, the Dolby Atmos Digital Edition, is the digital equivalent of Richard Chycki's expert Atmos mix of all eight tracks from the original album.

RUSH — bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist/vocalist Alex Lifeson, and the late, great drummer/lyricist Neil Peart — maintains a large and uniquely passionate worldwide fanbase that acknowledges and respects the band's singular, bold, and perpetually exploratory songcraft that combines sterling musicianship, complex compositions, and distinctive lyrical flair. RUSH has sold more than 25 million albums in the U.S. alone, with worldwide sales estimated at 45 million (and counting),and has been awarded 24 gold, 14 platinum, and three multi-platinum album distinctions. RUSH has received seven Grammy nominations, and the band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame in 1994 and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013.

Heavy southern rock band, Texas Hippie Coalition, announces the release of their seventh studio album, The Name Lives On, on April 21 via MNRK Heavy. The hard-hitting, 10-track collection is another riff-heavy, sonic assault from beginning to end.





The first single, “Hell Hounds”, was released today and proves this dog hunts right out of the gate. With a punishing riff, Big Dad Ritch growls, "And I know that you think you're so strong/And I've been sent to prove you wrong."




THC frontman Big Dad Ritch says, “Where there once was an appetite for this style of music, I witnessed a hunger grow and now I see the lovers of real music starving for it. “The name lives on” is an album that is a dinner bell ringer… I was sent to ring that bell!!!”


Listen here, and/or 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.


Texas Hippie Coalition are:


Big Dad Ritch
Cord Pool
Nevada Romo
Lorado Romo
Joey Mandigo


(Photo - Colt Coan)

New metal sensation, All For Metal, has revealed the first details for their first full-length studio album. Legends will be coming out on July 7 via AFM Records, the pre-sale has just started here.



Under the banner of All For Metal, metal enthusiasts Tim "Tetzel" Schmidt (known as the singer of Asenblut as well as a strength athlete and fitness influencer) and Antonio Calanna (singer of the hard rock band DeVicious) joined forces. Both are united by their love for classic heavy metal sounds and the common vision to bring them to a new generation of music fans.


"We grew up with bands like Manowar, at whose concerts the audience is overwhelmed by the energy," says singer Tetzel. "That's where strangers are in each other's arms and fervently belting out the songs. This invisible bond, this connection, is created through the music alone." His vocal counterpart Antonio adds, "I've only experienced such a sense of community in the metal scene. With All For Metal, we want to help pass this on and let as many music fans as possible share in it."




With incredible, compact, catchy songs and a dedicated, highly professional production team behind them, All For Metal unleash anthemic, straightforward metal that has international class. Following previously-released songs "Born In Valhalla", "Raise Your Hammer" and the aptly-titled track "All For Metal" (with more than a half million views on YouTube), today, the band has unleashed a video clip for the brand new single "Fury Of The Gods". Watch the clip below.


"For me this song was the most difficult one to record in studio...." Antonio comments. "But, after all the commitment we put; it paid off! Head bang with us, and prepare to fear the Fury of the Gods!"


Tetzel adds: "The new single to stick into your ear is upon us. Stay tuned, bang your heads and fear the Fury of the Gods.. there is so much more to come!"














All For Metal is:


Ursula Zanichelli - Guitar
Jasmin Pabst - Guitar
Florian Toma - Bass Guitar

The new single from Outlanders (Tarja Turunen and Torsten Stenzel), "Echoes", featuring Jennifer Batten has arrived. Listen here, and below.


Inspired by the love for Africa and its people, "Echoes" is a tribute to this beautiful land. The emotional lyrics are wrapped in Tarja's vocals.


"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)

Norwegian progressive metal pioneer, Ihsahn, has released a new single, "Dom Andra" ft. Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), which is a cover of a track by the Swedish alt rock band Kent. It's the second single to be taken from the forthcoming Fascination Street Sessions EP, which is to be released on March 24 via Candlelight Records.


Comments Ihsahn: "Prior to getting involved with this project, I’d been talking to Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) about doing a cover of the Swedish band Kent and the song 'Dom Andra', and what better opportunity to do a cover of a Swedish band, in Swedish, with a Swedish vocalist, in Sweden with one of the top producers in Sweden. Needless to say, Jonas did a stunning performance of the song and I hope the rest makes it justice too!“







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. Øystein Aadland also adds warm and gentle lead vocals for the track "The Observer," while Jonas Renske of Katatonia recorded guest vocals to the song "Dom Andra," a cover of a track by Swedish band Kent.


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.


Ihsahn adds, "The idea was to capture high-end recordings of real instruments in great rooms, and we had an amazing setup for drums, guitars, bass, and even a vintage Hammond organ with Leslie, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, etc., recorded through Fender combos and analogue pedals etc. This was an amazing experience, and very educational, as I love everything related to music production. Both the Fascination Street and URM teams were incredible, and I believe everyone involved had a great time, in spite of 14–16 hour workdays. I'm very happy with how everything came together and for those interested in the technical aspects of how it was made, there will be a thorough course coming soon at URM Academy."





Tracklisting:


"The Observer" (Feat. Øystein H. Aadland)
"Contorted Monuments"
"Dom Andrea" (Kent cover, feat. Jonas Renske of Katatonia)


"Contorted Monuments":





(Photo - Bjørn Tore Moen)

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: "Continuing our celebration of Queen's spectacular concert openings, we enjoy another example of Freddie, Brian, Roger and John's ability to whip a crowd into a frenzy, this time from their memorable performance at the legendary Milton Keynes Bowl."







Queen have announced that The Official 77th Freddie Mercury Birthday Party is scheduled for September 2 at Casino Barriere in Montreux, Switzerland. Tickets are on sale now, here.


A message from Queen states: "The live entertainment this year will come from the UK's Live Killers, who will be performing Queen's 1973 debut album in its entirety, plus deep cuts and classic hits. All those who purchase a ticket will be entered into a draw to win a personalized framed presentation disc of Queen's 1973 debut album signed by Roger Taylor and Brian May. All profits from the event go to The Mercury Phoenix Trust - Fighting AIDS Worldwide.


"From August 31 - September 3, further free activities and live music will be organized near the statue by Montreux Celebration. More information at montreuxcelebration.com."

Enslaved have released their 16th studio album, Heimdal. Heimdal is both a departure and a communion with roots forged over three decades ago in the turbulent birth throes of Norway’s black metal scene. It's a record that points towards new beginnings, and a dawn that’s on the other side of the apex of the land. Prepare for a psychedelic journey through arcane Norse folklore, to connect with one's ancient ancestors and our future selves.


Enslaved's Grutle Kjellson commented, “After more than three decades, I still get excited when I hear Ivar’s demos; we may be older now, and as life has evolved are unable to spend as much time on music as we would like, but the song writing process for Enslaved hasn’t changed much. Ivar works on the seeds and shapes of songs, sends them to the rest of us, and we’ll form our own narratives - these phantom sketches eventually come to life and they speak to us, and hopefully they speak to our fans as well.


"In my opinion, our band is even more creative, more experimental, more diverse and somehow more  musical than when we started. I suppose one of the main reasons we continue as a band is that we have never reached a place where we bore ourselves. Our passion for telling stories, writing riffs, put words to them and exploring the human condition through music and myth, has only increased over the years and Heimdal is a reflection of who we are as artists, musicians and human beings in the year 2023.”




Enslaved have also revealed a masterly lyric video, created by Ingo Spörl, for album focus track "The Eternal Sea". Watch below:





The record is named after Heimdal, arguably the most mysterious entity in Nordic mythology. It features psychedelic track "Caravans To The Outer Worlds" from last year's EP of the same name. Album bonus versions contain an extra track, "Gangandi", alongside a Blu-Ray copy of 2021's stunning Otherworldly Big Band Experience streamed event - the band's boldest project to date, featuring fellow Norwegian prog band Shaman Elephant. The kaleidoscopic stage show features a stellar setlist, covering Enslaved's career, both past and present.  


Heimdal formats:


- CD
- Limited edition digipack CD (inc. Bonus Track) + Blu-Ray*
- 2LP vinyl gatefold - black
- 2LP vinyl gatefold - white + black marble (Nuclear Blast Excl.)
- 2LP vinyl gatefold - white + green marble (Nuclear Blast + Selected Retailers)
- 2LP vinyl gatefold - blue + white marble (UK Retail + EMP)
- 2LP vinyl gatefold - white (USA Revolver Excl.)
- 2LP vinyl gatefold (inc. Bonus Track) + Blu-Ray - crystal clear w/ black marble (Nuclear Blast Excl.)*
- 2LP vinyl gatefold (inc. Bonus Track) + Blu-Ray - clear w/ black + gold marble (Band Excl.)*


Order here.





Heimdal tracklisting:


"Behind The Mirror"
"Congelia"
"Forest Dweller"
"Kingdom"
"The Eternal Sea"
"Caravans To The Outer Worlds"
"Gangandi" (Bonus Track)*
"Heimdal"


"Forest Dweller" video:





"Caravans To The Outer Worlds" video:





"Congelia" video:





"Kingdom" video:





"Caravans To The Outer Worlds" video:





Enslaved recently announced a month-long, North American co-headline tour with Insomnium. The run will take place in April, shortly after the release of Heimdal. Support on the road will come from Black Anvil.


Ivar Bjørnson commented, "Neither you nor we will BELIEVE how much we are looking forward to coming back to the US of A and Canada in April 2023! We have a new album (and more if you want to be technical), Heimdal, to show you - spoiler alert: it will lay venues waste. Yes, we are that confident. We also have some rather cosmically awesome (!) bands joining the trek in co-headliners Insomnium and support Black Anvil - how could this become anything but the most spectacular event of 2023?"





Tour dates:


April
5 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
6 - Boston, MA - Big Night Live
7 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
8 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
10 - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall
11 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
12 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
14 - Denver, CO - The Gothic Theatre
15 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
17 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
18 - Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw
19 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
21 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall
22 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
23 - Phoenix, AZ - Nile Theater
25 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
26 - Dallas, TX - The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
28 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
29 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
30 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage


Enslaved have even more planned for 2023, including festival show dates, and a unique album release event in their home city of Bergen, Norway today, March 3. Named Heimhug, the evening will feature an extended Enslaved live set with guests, and very special guest Jo Quail. Tickets here.


Grutle Kjellson commented, “Sometimes the answers and the truths lie under your very nose, or where the journey starts, where you first set sail towards horizons unknown. This was very much the case when we started working on “Heimdal”; we stepped back and looked a bit inwards and also at our immediate surroundings, at the area we hail from and where we still dwell today; Hordaland. On these shores people have been living and dying, worshiping and crying, laughing and lying ever since the Stone Age. History has been written here, history will still be written here and we will continue to dwell here until the end of our days. Built around this historical narrative, “Heimdal” was created, and on the 3rd of March 2023 we would like to invite you to celebrate the album release with us and pay homage to our history.  Under the “Heimhug”-banner, we’re gonna perform a two-set release concert at USF Bergen with very special guests, we’ll have an art exhibition with the specific photographs and drawings we used for the artwork on the album and also an exclusive showing of last year’s “The Otherworldly BigBand experience”. See you in Bergen in March! Alu Alu Laukar!"





Enslaved are:


Ivar Bjørnson - guitars
Grutle Kjellson - vocals
Arve 'Ice Dale' Isdal - guitar
Håkon Vinje - keyboards, clean vocals
Iver Sandøy - drums

In July 2019, legendary rock band, The Who, headlined Wembley Stadium in London for the first time in forty years. The show was the only UK date on their Moving On! Tour and featured the band accompanied by an over 50-piece orchestra performing classic tracks and more as well tracks from their WHO album.





The Who With Orchestra Live At Wembley will be released later this month as a limited edition yellow, orange and red 3-LP set, triple black vinyl, 2-CD / Blu-Ray set which features the audio remixed in Dolby Atmos/5.1 mixes and a 1-CD edition.




For complete details and pre-order options, head here. Listen to "Imagine A Man" from the set below:





Watch "Baba O'Riley" from the upcoming release:





The Who have announced a UK tour which will see the band performing with a full orchestra each night with shows from July 6 - 23 July in Hull, Edinburgh, London, Derby, Badminton, Durham, St Helens and Brighton. Joining them will be UB40 featuring Ali Campbell across all regional shows except for The O2 London and Edinburgh Castle dates.


Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and band will be performing music from throughout the band’s nearly 60-year career, including sections devoted to classic albums Tommy and Quadrophenia as well as other beloved Who tracks and songs from their 2019 WHO album, their first studio release in 13 years.


The 2023 UK shows include Edinburgh Castle, the band’s first show in the Scottish capital in over 40 years as well as shows in Derby, their first since 1966, The O2 London, Durham and Brighton Cricket grounds. The gigs follow last year’s highly acclaimed The Who Hits Back! tour of the US, where the band shared the with some of the finest orchestras in America.


The 2023 UK tour will feature The Who’s full live band comprised of guitarist/backup singer Simon Townshend, keyboardist Loren Gold, second keyboardist Emily Marshall, bassist Jon Button, drummer Zak Starkey and backing vocals by Billy Nicholls, along with orchestra conductor Keith Levenson, lead violinist Katie Jacoby and lead cellist Audrey Snyder.


The Who wound up their The Who Hits Back! tour of the US in November last year having wowed audiences in over thirty cities, with media and fans agreeing that the band were as good as, if not better than ever and that the orchestral arrangements, most of which were done by the legendary David Campbell, brought a new depth and excitement to Pete Townshend’s music.


Performing with The Who and an orchestra had been a long-held ambition for singer Roger Daltrey. “Having not toured the UK for six years, it’s great that at this time of our careers we have the chance to go to places that are not on the usual touring map Edinburgh Castle and Derby, as well as the other cities across the country that we haven’t been to for decades, will make this very special for me. This opportunity will give our UK Who fans the chance to hear our current show, which, with the addition of an orchestra, takes our music to new heights.”


Pete Townshend: “Roger initially christened this tour with an orchestra Moving On! I love it. It is what both of us want to do. Move on, with new music, classic Who music, all performed in new and exciting ways. Taking risks, nothing to lose. I’m really looking forward to bringing this show to the UK.”


The Who are calling upon fans to add an optional £1 donation onto their ticket price at point of sale in support of Teenage Cancer Trust. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are longstanding supporters and Roger has been the driving force behind Teenage Cancer Trust’s Royal Albert Hall concerts since they began in 2000. For more information visit teenagecancertrust.org.


For more information about The Who 2023 dates, visit robomagiclive.com or thewho.com





Tour dates:


July
6 - Sewell Group Craven Park - Hull, UK *
8 - Edinburgh Castle - Edinburgh, UK
9 - Edinburgh Castle - Edinburgh, UK
12 - The O2 - London, UK
14 - The Incora County Ground - Derby, UK *
16 - Badminton Estate - Bristol, UK *
19 - Seat Unique Riverside - Durham, UK *
21 - Totally Wicked Stadium - St Helens, UK *
23 - The 1st Central County Ground - Brighton, UK *


* with UB40 featuring Ali Campbell

Demons Down, the new band featuring vocalist James Robledo (Sinner's Blood), guitarist Francesco Savino (False Memories), guitarist Jimi Bell (House Of Lords, Autograph), drummer Ken Mary (ex-House Of Lords, Alice Cooper, Fifth Angel, etc.), and bassist Chuck Wright (ex-Quiet Riot, House Of Lords, etc.), have released a lyric video for "Where Will Our Tears Fall?", the new single from their debut album, I Stand, slated for release on March 10. Check it out below, and pre-order/save I Stand here.


Demons Down traffic in a hard rock sound that references the late '80s/early '90s movement where massive hooks, huge melodies, and lush keyboards were the order of the day. But this is no simple exercise in paying tribute to yesteryear as the music rocks hard to compliment the vocal talents of Robledo (who has, sonically, been compared to the likes of Jorn Lande and Russell Allen). Fans of early House Of Lords material and their sonic peers from that time period as well as Robledo's debut solo album, 'Wanted Man', will have much to enjoy here.







James Robledo is a Chilean vocalist who comes from a family of musicians with prominent places in the history of Chilean music, with both national and international success. In his youth, he began his foray into metal and rock, but in 2016, James took part in the popular TV show The Voice Chile 2, where his participation generated a stir thanks to his outstanding vocal performances. Since then, he has become a more active member of the larger hard rock/metal community and, with Frontiers, he has released one solo album, Wanted Man and an album, The Mirror Star, with Chilean metal band Sinner's Blood, who are also currently preparing their second album for release.


Francesco Savino is an Italian guitarist and songwriter who founded the up-and-coming gothic metal band False Memories in 2015. That band's latest release, The Last Night Of Fall (2021), was met with praise from both fans and metal media alike. The band also released a covers EP, Echoes Of A Reflection and a live EP, Live Until The Twilight since the release of their last studio album. With his songwriting partner Rossella Moscatello (who is the lead vocalist for False Memories), Franceso has also been contributing songs to Frontiers and is working on the next False Memories album.


Jimi Bell is an established hard rock guitarist who is currently a member of both House Of Lords and Autograph, and, of course, Demons Down. Bell, a Connecticut native, was inducted into the New England Music Hall in 2020. In addition to his work with various bands over the years, he has done a wealth of studio work for sports outlets like ESPN, WWE, Impact Wrestling, and NASCAR. Bell is an official endorser of Roberts Guitar, Viper Guitars, Charvel Guitars, PVX Guitar, Funk Guitars, Ovation Guitars, GHS Strings, Rocktron, Randall, Marshall Amps (Europe), and KickAss Cables. He is also the inventor of the Shredneck.


Chuck Wright is best known as a long-time member of multi-platinum rockers Quiet Riot playing bass and singing on Metal Health which was the first "metal" album to go to #1 on the Billboard charts, selling over 10 million copies. Wright was also a founding member of House Of Lords and Giuffria and has worked alongside such rock music luminaries as Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Pat Travers, and members of Guns 'N Roses and KISS, just to name a few.


Drummer Ken Mary’s lengthy career in music has seen him play in a wide variety of genres that showcased his wide ranging skills at the instrument. In addition to being a drummer, Ken is also an engineer, writer, vocalist, and award winning producer. He has sold a combined 5 million (plus) albums globally over the entirety of his body of work. His drumming can be heard on albums from Alice Cooper, Jordan Rudess, Northern Light Orchestra, Kip Winger, House of Lords, The Beach Boys, Impelliterri, Don Dokken, Fifth Angel, Bonfire, and many more, and of course, very soon, Demons Down.





I Stand tracklisting:


"I Stand"
"Disappear"
"Down In A Hole"
"On My Way To You"
"Where Will Our Tears Fall?"
"Book Of Love"
"Stranded In The Middle Of Nowhere"
"Follow Me"
"To The Edge Of The World"
"Search Over The Horizon"
"Only The Brave"


"Where Will Our Tears Fall?" lyric video:





"Disappear" video:





"I Stand" video:





Demons Down are:


James Robledo - Vocals
Jimi Bell - Guitars
Francesco Savino - Guitars
Chuck Wright - Bass
Ken Mary - Drums


Additional Musicians:


Alessandro Del Vecchio - Keyboards, Guitars, Backing Vocals


- Produced by: Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Executive Producer/A&R: Serafino Perugino

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford has shared his words of support for Ozzy Osbourne following the cancelation of their joint European tour.

The trek, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially scrapped this week because of a spinal injury Osbourne suffered four years ago and other health problems. The tour was scheduled to begin in Helsinki, Finland, on May 3, and include gigs in Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and London, before finishing in Ozzy's original hometown of Birmingham on June 14.

When he canceled his spring tour, Osbourne said in a statement that he was "not physically capable" of dealing with the grueling travel that touring entails, prompting the media to perceive his comments as the end of his touring career.

In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Halford said about his longtime friend and fellow metal icon: "I can only reinforce what all of Ozzy's fans, including us in JUDAS PRIEST, have said to him though, which is that he has done so much for all of us in rock and metal. He's done so much for his fans, and we all know how bad he feels about having to cancel because he lives for those fans. You can see that every time he goes onstage, he's beaming and connecting with everybody.

"It was terrible for him to have to make that important — and, to be honest, right — decision," Halford continued. "He made the right call. I don't think he wanted to put himself through a thing where it's, like, 'Okay, we'll have a go' then have to cancel after a couple of shows. Even though there's a lot of love for him and a lot of care and understanding, I've seen what the British metal maniacs have been saying and it's exactly how I feel too — put your feet up; you've earned it."

Earlier this week, Ozzy said during an appearance on SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard channel that his career is not over and he would hit the road again if he were physically able to do so.

"I've been working my guts out to try and get back on my feet. I've come to the point where [my wife and manager] Sharon says to me, 'You know what, the truth of the matter, you can't keep booking tours and failing, canceling.

"If I can ever get back to where I can tour again, fine. But right now, if you said to me, 'Can you go on the road in a month?' I couldn't say yes. I mean, if I could tour, I'd go tour. But right now I can't book tours because, right now, I don't think I could pull them off," he added.

Osbourne also commented on the fact that some of the media outlets reported that he was retiring from the road after he released a statement earlier this month in which he said that he would have to cancel his tour because of a spinal injury he suffered four years ago and other health problems.

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

Osbourne said that he was open to other types of live events, including a potential residency in Las Vegas.

Ozzy has had extensive spinal surgery and other treatment over the past four years, after a fall at home in 2019 aggravated injuries he suffered in a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003. But despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in recent months, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last August and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game last September.

Ozzy Osbourne photo credit: Ross Halfin

Saying that SCORPIONS can look back on an eventful history as a band would be an understatement. Their spectacular story is now becoming a new and very colorful experience: With "Scorpions - Colours Of Rock", BMG is announcing the reissue of 12 album highlights by the legendary German hard rock band who have shaped the music world — now appearing on colored vinyl. Alongside versions of "Fly To The Rainbow", "In Trance", "Virgin Killer" and "Humanity (Hour 1)", remastered for the first time ever, are further handpicked treasures including "Savage Amusement", "World Wide Live", "Love At First Sting", "Blackout", "Animal Magnetism", "Lovedrive", "Tokyo Tapes" and "Taken By Force". The reissued albums can be preordered starting on March 2, 2023. They will be released on May 5, 2023, only days before SCORPIONS embark on the European leg of their "Rock Believer" world tour, which will have had previously taken them across South America — from El Salvador via Colombia, Brazil and Argentina to Chile — during the first months of the year.

Relentless success, constant musical evolution, and ass-kicking performances worldwide — as colorful and eclectic as the career path of the biggest German rock band has been and still is to this day, just as multifaceted are the vinyl colors of these 12 reissues. The colors chosen for the vinyl versions not only reflect the iridescent band history, they are also paired with the style of the original artwork of each individual album.

A particular treat for hardcore SCORPIONS fans, of course, must definitely be the four albums remastered for the first time in history.

SCORPIONS' second studio album "Fly To The Rainbow" from 1974 differs style-wise considerably compared to their debut "Lonesome Crow". Although it marked a departure into a more experimental direction, the album displayed deep influences from hard rock and gave us a first glimpse of where the band's music would be taking us in the future. It is the first album by SCORPIONS on which they alone were responsible for production. For the reissue, it is being released on transparent violet vinyl.

With "In Trance", their subsequent third studio album, SCORPIONS made their breakthrough in Japan. The eponymous hit is joined on the album by "Night Lights", the band's first instrumental piece. It is the first work by SCORPIONS recorded together with producer Dieter Dierks, a longtime companion and business associate. The transparent vinyl of the new version brings back memories of the legendary original artwork by photographer Michael von Gimbut.

A remastered version of SCORPIONS' shortest album is also being reissued on powder blue vinyl — the 35-minute "Virgin Killer". The fourth studio album by the band from Hannover was released in 1976. It is their first album to go gold in Japan. This took the group one step further away from their psychedelic roots and deeper into the realm of hard rock.

The remastered treasures are complemented by "Humanity (Hour 1)" which was released in 2007. The concept album was produced in Los Angeles by legendary producer dream team Desmond Child and James Michael. Klaus Meine was looking for a very modern sound, without wanting to lose the slightest bit of SCORPIONS' character in the process. To achieve this, he combined the early SCORPIONS sound on this album with that of their later productions. The 21st studio album by the hard rock legends was pressed on gold vinyl for the new version.

The four remastered albums are joined by eight further carefully selected classics.

"Taken By Force", released in 1977, is now coming out pressed on white vinyl, featuring songs like "Steamrock Fever", "He's A Woman – She's A Man" and the ballad "Born To Touch Your Feelings". It marks the last studio album with Uli Jon Roth and the first with drummer Herman Rarebell. Next up is "Tokyo Tapes" (1978),a magnificent live album now reissued on yellow vinyl. This is an excellent opportunity to (re)discover the music SCORPIONS wrote before their life as superstars.

Originally released in 1979, "Lovedrive" marked the beginning of a new era in the history of the band, already bearing the hallmarks of what would be the signature of the band's music for the decades to come. It is now being reissued on red vinyl. To record the following album, "Animal Magnetism", SCORPIONS went into the studio pressured by an extremely tight schedule between two tours. Who knows? Nevertheless, or perhaps precisely why, they succeeded in creating such an innovative masterpiece. The milestone released in 1980, and their first album to go platinum in the USA, has now been pressed on red vinyl.

Their eighth studio album "Blackout" then followed in 1982, catapulting the band forevermore onto the Mount Olympus of hard rock. What could be more befitting of the legendary artwork by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein than crystal-clear vinyl?

This LP was followed only one year later by "Love At First Sting", the most successful album of their long career — bringing us hits like "Still Loving You" and "Rock You Like A Hurricane". The album, the cover of which was shot by Helmut Newton, entered the Top 10 in numerous countries and made it to No. 6 of the U.S. charts. It is now being released on silver vinyl.

For "World Wide Live", originally released in 1985 and now being reissued on transparent orange vinyl, a film crew followed the band's caravan across the USA, Asia and Europe all the way to South America. The footage captures the electrifying intensity of their shows. The reissue is made complete by "Savage Amusement" from 1988, now pressed on transparent light-blue vinyl. For this album, they barricaded themselves in the studio for almost three years together with producer Dieter Dierks where they worked on the successor to follow in the footsteps of their greatest albums. The result of which seamlessly picked up right where their previous albums left off. Successfully.

Reissued collectively under the title "Scorpions - Colours of Rock" are the following twelve album highlights from 1974 to 2007:

* "Fly To The Rainbow" (1974): 180g 1LP, pressed on transparent violet vinyl
* "In Trance" (1975): 180g 1LP, pressed on transparent vinyl
* "Virgin Killer" (1976): 180g 1LP, pressed on powder blue vinyl
* "Taken By Force" (1977): 180g 1LP, pressed on white vinyl
* "Tokyo Tapes" (1978): 180g Gatefold 2LP, pressed on yellow vinyl
* "Lovedrive" (1979): 180g 1LP, pressed on transparent red vinyl
* "Animal Magnetism" (1980): 180g 1LP, pressed on red vinyl
* "Blackout" (1982): 180g 1LP, pressed on crystal-clear vinyl
* "Love At First Sting" (1983): 180g 1LP, pressed on silver vinyl
* "World Wide Live" (1985): 180g Gatefold 2LP, pressed on transparent orange vinyl
* "Savage Amusement" (1988): 180g 1LP, pressed on transparent light-blue vinyl
* "Humanity (Hour 1)" (2007): 180g Gatefold 2LP, pressed on gold vinyl

SCORPIONS are undoubtedly amongst the greatest rock bands of all time. The band lineup today includes singer Klaus Meine, SCORPIONS founder Rudolf Schenker (guitar),Matthias Jabs (lead guitar),Pawel Mąciwoda (bass),and Mikkey Dee (drums). The incredible career of the hard rock titans from Hannover, Germany, has already lasted for more than half a century, during which their music has taken the world by storm, selling more than 110 million albums, breaking one record after the other, while continuously evolving and reinventing themselves again and again. It was just last year that they cemented their status as legends with the new album "Rock Believer": No. 2 in Germany and Switzerland, No. 4 in Austria, Top 20 in the U.K., and Top 60 in the U.S.A. So it comes as no surprise that the SCORPIONS have rocked their way to a reputation as one of the best live bands ever, which they continue to demonstrate this year.

Former WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp will release "Songs Of White Lion", on April 14 via Frontiers Music Srl. As the title implies, the album sees Tramp re-imagining select cuts from WHITE LION's catalog. The track "Little Fighter" from "Songs Of White Lion" can now be streamed below.

Tramp says: "For me, the period of 1983-1991 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Everything I did back then was for the first time, and even though it was beyond exciting and adventurous, when it came to an end, it was more than just the end of a band, it was also the end of a very specific time in my life that I had lived and been part of. Over the next 20 years, I would revisit that time in my life in small parts, but never felt 100% comfortable with it. I simply could not force myself to recreate what I once was.

"Now, here I am again, the year is 2023 and I have recorded an album of the 'big' WHITE LION songs as close to the originals as possible, but exploring small new parts that today I feel should be that way," he continues. "I am not 26 anymore, I don't sing like I am 26, and I wouldn't be doing justice to the songs or myself if I tried to sing like I am 26. Today, I sing the songs that I wrote with Vito Bratta over 40 years ago exactly the way I am today. This is the only way I can embrace them and feel at home and be honest to myself and the songs."

"Songs Of White Lion" track listing:

01. Lady Of The Valley
02. Little Fighter
03. Broken Heart
04. Love Don't Come Easy
05. Hungry
06. Cry For Freedom
07. Going Home Tonight
08. Wait
09. All The Fallen Men
10. Living On The Edge
11. Tell Me
12. When The Children Cry

Recording lineup:

Mike Tramp - Vocals
Marcus Nand - Guitars
Claus Langeskov - Bass
Alan Tschicaja - Drums
Sebastian Groset - Keyboard
Christoffer Stjerne - Harmonies

Produced by: Soren Andersen and Mike Tramp

In a recent interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic, Tramp once again spoke about the possibility of a reunion of WHITE LION's classic lineup, featuring guitarist Vito Bratta. He said: "WHITE LION will, of course, not get back together. We would have done it 20 years ago. Vito has not been in a studio or on a stage since '91. Him and I are friends, we share certain things, and we don't go any deeper than that.

"You know what? Since no one else is gonna say it, I don't believe a WHITE LION reunion would be better than the original WHITE LION were back then," he explained. "We're not that kind of band that should get back together and represent 1988 because the band would not do like I do, which is mature the songs. The band would go out and try to play them note for note. And I have already changed the keys of these songs to be able to sing them also as a grown man, et cetera, et cetera."

Mike added: "And I also don't wish my mom and dad rise from the grave and get back together. That life is done."

Tramp previously discussed the chances of WHITE LION getting back together in an interview with "The Chuck Shute Podcast". At the time, he said: "I speak often to Vito and things like that, and him and I are on real good terms. I don't think either of us want a WHITE LION reunion. I also do not believe that a WHITE LION reunion would be an honest reunion where actually the four guys would come into the rehearsal with wide-open arms, saying, 'Bam! It's good to be back.' So unless the big hotel in Dubai offers us a million dollars, like they offered one of the guys from KISS, and then he says, 'Well, if I bring the other three for $4 million, will you pay?' 'Yeah, okay.' But that's not to say that maybe there wouldn't come the opportunity where Vito and I would do something, but I think both of us would want to do something new with the knowledge of what we have… What kind of song would we write today?"

Asked if Vito has fully recovered from his 1997 hand injury which prevented him from playing the guitar for a number of years, Mike said: "I can't speak for Vito. Vito will speak when Vito needs to speak. I know that he is playing, and he's also trying some other things and stuff like that. I will not force anything out of him. He will tell me when he will tell me."

Back in 2019, Tramp revealed in an interview that he had apologized to Bratta for trying to resurrect his former band without his onetime songwriting partner and bandmate.

The Danish-born singer hasn't played with Bratta since WHITE LION performed its last concert in Boston in September 1991.

In the 32 years since WHITE LION broke up, Bratta's public profile has been virtually nonexistent, while Tramp has remained active, recording and touring as a solo artist and with the bands FREAK OF NATURE, THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ and, more recently, BAND OF BROTHERS. Tramp also attempted to revive WHITE LION with the 2008 album "Return Of The Pride", featuring new members. Two years later, Tramp ceded ownership of the name WHITE LION to Bratta in an out-of-court settlement.

Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", Tramp said that he and Vito are once again on speaking terms following his ill-fated attempt to bring back WHITE LION nearly a decade and a half ago.

"I have, over the past couple of years, been the one out there basically both admitting and apologizing that the only thing that I never planned to do in my career and wanted to do was go back and rehash a version of WHITE LION that had nothing to do with WHITE LION, nothing to do with the guys that played in the band," Mike said. "Mike Tramp's heart was not in it. It was just a moment of weakness, not believing enough in my solo albums. [You listen to] some guys saying, 'Hey, if you put a new WHITE LION together, you can play festivals and get much more money.' And then you fall for that and you engage in it and you go out there, and then you realize it's not what you wanna do. And then, of course, Vito did not want the name WHITE LION to be used without him being in the band. And it actually took a couple of years for me to really understand how much it meant to Vito. And when Vito one day told me in one of these conversations… First of all, he told me, 'Mike, I'm not against you. I just don't wanna turn YouTube on and see the title 'WHITE LION live in so and so,' and somebody doing 'When The Children Cry' solo and it's not me. WHITE LION was you and me, it was our band, we wrote the songs. That is the memories I want for the rest of my life.' And when he told me that, I had tears in my eyes and I totally understood it, because I had also gotten to that point that when we closed WHITE LION, we felt that this is where we wanted to stop it. There was something, going into the '90s, that didn't agree with the things we were looking at, and we wanted to somehow end it on a higher level than something that would not represent us in the future. But it just took many years to really understand it."

Asked if he understands why Vito doesn't want to play music professionally anymore, Mike said: "Yes, I do, because there are actually times when I also don't feel like doing it anymore. When all the magic around us, the stuff that made us fall in love with rock and roll — first of all, our heroes, then the industry, then the touring stuff — when all of that was really exposed that it was a two-faced kind of thing, that the people we thought loved us — and I'm not talking about the fans; I'm talking about the people that made money from us, and stuff like that — turned their back on us and stabbed us in the back, it really ripped us apart. And maybe it's just that I came from a different background than Vito, that I maybe was a little bit stronger or just of a different nature that I just fought back, but Vito just said, 'I just don't wanna deal with this.' And I understand now — I understand it from every conversation that I have with him."

Tramp also once again closed the door on a possible WHITE LION reunion, saying: "I can't be Mike Tramp 1988. I can't sing like that, and I'm not going up on stage and doing a half-assed job, which most of the bands out there are doing."

Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.

By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.

Tramp will embark on the "Songs of White Lion" U.S. tour in May 2023 as well as participate in the original "Rock Meets Classic" tour in Germany this April.

KISS announced the absolute final shows of their final tour, The End Of The Road Tour, yesterday on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show. The band also performed their classics, "Detroit Rock City", "Shout It Out Loud", and "Rock And Roll All Nite". Video footage, courtesy of SiriusXM/The Howard Stern Show, can be viewed below:













The show also released the footage below from the band's visit...


Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley discuss their lifelong friendship:





How KISS decided on their band name:





What Gene Simmons hates about the KISS hit “I Was Made for Lovin’ You”:





Produced by Live Nation, KISS' final show dates will kick off this October and culminate in a massive show in the city where it all began for KISS.


New York City has been a part of the band’s ethos and storyline for more than four decades, so they felt it fitting to culminate an iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame worthy career on stage at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden.


“KISS was born in New York City. On 23rd Street. Half a century ago. It will be a privilege and honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started,” said the band.


Tickets will be available starting Monday, March 6, with a KISS Army pre-sale at 10 AM, local time. Additional pre-sales will be available throughout the week before the general on sale starting on Friday, March 10 at 10 AM, local time at livenation.com.





North American tour dates:


October
29 - Austin, TX - Moody Center


November
1 - Palm Springs, CA - Acrisure Arena
3 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
6 - Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena
8 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena
10 - Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place
12 - Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome
13 - Saskatoon, SK - SaskTel Centre
15 - Winnipeg, MB - Canada Life Centre
18 - Montreal, QC - Centre Bell
19 - Quebec, QC - Videotron Centre
21 - Ottawa, ON - Canadian Tire Centre
22 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena
24 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boling Arena
25 - Indianapolis. IN - Gainbridge Fieldhouse
27 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena
29 - Baltimore, MD - CFG Bank Arena


December
1 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
2 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

On April 7, Tribulation will unleash their new EP, Hamartia, via Century Media Records. For a preview of Hamartia, the new single - a cover version of Blue Öyster Cult's "Vengeance (The Pact)" - can be heard here, and below.


Adam Zaars (guitars) comments: "We've been meaning to do a BÖC cover for over a decade now, and finally got around to doing it. They've been a constant source of inspiration throughout the years as they always seemed to find new creative ways of doing their thing, which is what we're always striving for. It will stand out a bit from what we usually do as anyone listening will find out soon enough!"







Forged amid the grubby depths of the Swedish death metal scene, Tribulation have always been the shadowy outlaws of the underground - and with Hamartia, they're poised to begin a new chapter in their sinister story. The group's songwriting powers have undergone a vigorous rejuvenation; new guitarist Joseph Tholl replaced the departing Jonathan Hultén, which in turn led to the creation of an EP's worth of material. Recorded in Stockholm with Robert Pehrsson at Studio Humbucker as well as Linus Björklund at Studio Ryssviken, before being crafted in mix by Tom Dalgety in the UK and then returning to Stockholm for mastering by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios, Hamartia is a riotous encapsulation of everything that diehard fans demand from the Swedish crew - but, sharper, darker and laced with venom. These four new songs showcase a band in a robust state of health.


"The plan going forward is that Joseph and I will split the writing duties, just as me and Jonathan did before," says guitarist Adam Zaars. "The other difference this time is that we did work a bit closer with each other on these songs. On the last couple of albums, we've basically written our material separately. This time, even though Joseph wrote 'Axis Mundi' and I wrote the other two songs, I still went to Stockholm every other weekend for the entire Spring leading up to the recording, and we sat together and tried different things out. We've worked closer this time than we've done at least since 'The Children of The Night'. Comparing it to the last album, I'd say the new songs are a bit more cynical, harsher in a way."


Additionally, Zaars is already considering Tribulation's next move. “Fairly soon, I hope we can record something - an album before anything else," he concludes. "In some ways, I've already started writing, but I don't have a complete song to show anyone yet. I've got a lot of material, so we just need time to piece it all together... We did a tour with Watain, Abbath and Bölzer last year and that was great, and this year we're going to focus on festivals...and writing new material!"





Pre-order Hamartia here, where the EP is available in the following formats:


- Ltd. CD Digipak
- 180g black vinyl
- Lilac vinyl available from CM Distro Wholesale EU and CMdistro.de (limited to 500 copies)
- Transparent blue vinyl available from Tribulation (limited to 300 copies)
- Digital EP





Hamartia tracklisting:


"Hamartia"
"Axis Mundi"
"Hemoclysm"
"Vengeance (The Pact)" [Blue Öyster Cult cover]


"Axis Mundi" video:





'Hamartia" video:





(Photo - Vollvincent)

Latin American metal supergroup DE LA TIERRA has released the official music video for its new single, "Depredadores". The track is taken from the band's upcoming third album, "III", which will arrive later in the year.

DE LA TIERRA features Brazilian guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA),Argentine singer/guitarist Andres Gimenez (A.N.I.M.A.L.),Cuban/Mexican drummer Alex Gonzalez (MANÁ) and Puerto Rican bassist Harold Hopkins (PUYA).

"III" was completed over a month-long period in Miami, Florida with co-producer Stanley Soares (MEGADETH, MOTÖRHEAD),who previously engineered DE LA TIERRA's debut album, "De La Tierra", in 2014.

Prior to "Depredadores"'s arrival, DE LA TIERRA's last release was a standalone song called "Distintos" which came out in October 2020. At the time, Gonzalez described the track to "In The Trenches With Ryan Roxie" as an "amazing song that, I think, fits perfectly with the times and what's going on right now."

Gonzalez also talked about the addition of Hopkins to DE LA TIERRA. Hopkins replaced Argentine bassist Sr. Flavio (LOS FABULOSOS CADILLACS),who left the band in 2017.

"Harold, he's an amazing, amazing bass player, and he's from a very, very awesome band from Puerto Rico called PUYA," Alex said. "And the great thing about PUYA is that they do a fusion of metal but with salsa and with music from the island. And it's awesome. And they sing in Spanish and they sing in English. So, talk about coming full circle — you [also] have [members from] Brazil, Argentina and Mexico."

Alex added: "The new album, because Harold is also bringing a lot of also Latin influence, Caribbean influence… It's so heavy but at the same time… You'll see."

DE LA TIERRA's second studio album, "II", came out in November 2016 via Sony Music Latin. It followed the band's 2014 self-titled debut which received rave reviews and support from critics and fans.

DE LA TIERRA found massive success following the release of its first LP. The record allowed the band to tour and share the stage with bands like METALLICA and SLIPKNOT and perform at festivals such as Rock In Rio, Santiago Gets Louder and Vive Latino as well as gain a strong following of fans throughout North and South America.

For their follow-up record, DE LA TIERRA worked with renowned producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, KORN, DEFTONES, THE CURE, SEPULTURA) who helped the band craft a furious set of songs.

"II" was recorded in Los Angeles, where DE LA TIERRA laid down the music live to analog tape machines. Each of the band's members has a unique, individual style that Robinson helped blend and balance with their influential roots for a rich music experience that transcends language barriers.

Photo credit: Sony Music México

In a new interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, guitarist Ronni LeTekrø of Norwegian hard rockers TNT, who recently reunited with American singer Tony Harnell, was asked if he and his bandmates have commenced work on new music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm supposed to not say anything, but I can say yes, gradually we're starting to create stuff. I can't say how far we've come or anything, but there's definitely a good vibe in the band. And I think we all look forward to creating new stuff and also performing, of course, the old songs, the classic songs."

He continued: "It's been hard being a European band with an American singer. It's been hard for both parts, especially for Tony; he had to travel a lot. But we also had to do that to promote [the band] in the United States in the '80s and '90s. It's like FOREIGNER — a British band with an American singer. TNT, a Norwegian band with an American singer."

Last month, TNT shared several photos from Studio Studio Nyhagen in Norway and included the following caption: "First basic tracks session for new TNT music taking place."

The 60-year-old Harnell, who was born in San Diego, grew up in California and moved to New York when he was 16, announced his return to TNT last November, saying that he would reteam with LeTekrø and drummer Morten "Diesel" Dahl on stage in 2023 for select live appearances. The trio is joined in the current TNT lineup by returning bassist Sid Ringsby, who played with TNT for the first time on the "All The Way To The Sun" album in 2005 and has appeared with TNT at various concerts over the years.

In January, Harnell said in an online post that he and his TNT bandmates were hoping to "get some new songs out there for you all" in 2023.

In March 2022, Le Tekrø confirmed to the "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" that he had been in touch with Harnell about a renewed collaboration. Speaking about the group's status, Ronni said: "I've started writing new material, and I'm currently having good talks with Tony and the whole band. We have very much communication. And it's been 40 years [since TNT's formation]. But we're trying to bring the band back together and hopefully make one last tour of Europe and maybe America… I think we might wanna end the TNT chapter with dignity and do one last tour."

In April 2021, Harnell, who has been in and out of TNT several times throughout its four-decade existence, told "The Chuck Shute Podcast" that he didn't rule out returning to the band. "Ronni and I, contrary to popular belief, we talk often," he said. "Ronni's not a big technology guy, but he really loves FaceTime video. And it's kind of annoying, because I love him, but he'll call me early in the morning, 'cause he's overseas, so he'll call me early in the morning [for a] video chat, and I'm, like, in bed. But I love the guy. Whatever happens, we'll be on a beach someplace when we're in our 70s, laughing and hanging out.

"Most of the things that pushed us apart — again, contrary to popular belief — are business related," he continued. "I'll just leave it at that.

"'Never say never' is a good way to put it [regarding a possible new TNT album]. And there might be a time and a place."

Harnell's most recent split with TNT took place in October 2017, less than a year and a half after he rejoined the group. He later described his relationship with TNT in an "Unphiltered" interview as "a very long marriage. I'm here [in New York], they're there [in Norway] — they're across the pond really far away. It's a very difficult situation to be in without having a very unified business organization, and no matter what I did, I could not get the thing unified. We were just on two totally separate not only continents physically, but mentally, psychologically, we were on two different continents as well."

Harnell said that he "really, really wanted" his latest collaboration with TNT to work out. "In my opinion, this was gonna be it — we were gonna stay together until I didn't feel like singing anymore," he said. 'I was gonna do other things and do other projects and so forth, but my goal was that TNT would be my band for at least another five years, maybe 10 years or whatever, until it ran its course. So this was kind of an unexpected thing."

In a 2019 interview with "80's Glam Metalcast", Le Tekrø said that he was still on good terms with Harnell. "Definitely," he said. "We talk regularly and we're even discussing making a kind of Page/Plant album, a Harnell/Le Tekrø album, which could maybe lead into something in the future. But I think me and Tony Harnell — I'm speaking not on behalf of him, but on behalf of myself — we need a different playground to do more extensive hard rock with other ideas, whereas TNT is more limited to a [specific] sound. You see what I mean? So, we're definitely buddies, and that will last forever. We don't hate each other, and we never did. That was never the [case]."

TNT's latest studio album, "XIII", came out in June 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl. The band's thirteenth LP was TNT's first to feature vocalist Baol Bardot Bulsara, who replaced Harnell. Baol is a Spanish singer whose debut with TNT happened in front of 8,000 fans in November 2017 when the band opened for German hard rock legends the SCORPIONS in Oslo, Norway.

Photo credit: Cecilie Leganger / ABC Public Relations

Published to coincide with the release of Metallica's first new album in seven years - and the 40th anniversary of their landmark debut, Kill 'Em All - the updated edition of Joel McIver's essential biography, To Live Is To Die: The Life & Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton, tells the full story of the life and career of Cliff Burton, their founding bass player, who died tragically young but continues to have a profound impact on the band and the entire landscape of heavy metal.


On sale April 11, complete with a brand new foreword by Steve Di Giorgio of Testament.


"One of the best biographies you’ll ever read." Robb Flynn, Machine Head







Today, Metallica are known as consummate musicians, but it wasn’t always that way. Their early career is marked by a gradual evolution from garage thrash to sophisticated, progressive heights - an evolution driven by their bass player, Cliff Burton, who pushed the band to new heights with his songwriting ability and phenomenal bass skills across the band’s first three albums, including their undisputed masterpiece, Master Of Puppets.


Cliff’s life was short but influential; his death at the age of 24 in a tour bus crash on a Swedish mountain road was sudden and shocking. Following his passing, Metallica went on to huge global success, but by their own admission they never pushed the creative envelope as radically as they had done during the first four years of their career.


The cult of Burton grows year on year, and so too the list of bassists acknowledging his influence in metal and beyond. This revised and updated edition of To Live Is To Die adds a new chapter on Cliff’s enduring legacy as well as a preface from Testament bass master Steve Di Giorgio.


Joel McIver is the author of 35 books on music. As well as writing biographies of leading figures in rock and metal, he has co-written the memoirs of a number of musicians, including members of Deep Purple, the Spiders From Mars, and the Sex Pistols. He was the editor of Bass Guitar and Bass Player magazines for a decade, and often appears on radio, podcasts, and TV. He is available for interviews.


- To Live Is To Die: The Life & Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton
- Published April 11 by Jawbone Press
- 296pp softcover with 16pp photo insert

Phaeton is interplanetary instrumental heavy prog metal hailing from the west coast of Canada. Like their name suggests, they are fascinated with astronomy, and the idea of life itself, in all its beauty and wonder and majesty, emerging from an instant of catastrophic cosmic violence. Their dramatic music emerges from the void in thrilling bursts and unexpected turns in their second album Between Two Worlds and the first single "Monsoon" – premiered exclusively through BraveWords! 





The band shares their excitement for the single and what fans can expect:




“Daniel brought this one into the band and proves that he's the Canadian King of the Killer Riff. After the kickoff crunch riffs set the mood, here comes a spooky halftime riff with a spookier guitar lead on it, and then another Killer Riff in quasi-swung time stabs out of the speakers. If Kevin is Phaeton's version of a traditional Classical Composer (mind you, one with a 7-string Ibanez), then Daniel is our Classic Metalhead (one with a 7-string Schechter). Whereas Kevin's songwriting style usually threads a string of different interlocking themes, Daniel knows how to capture the ears of even non-prog listeners by repeating the familiar themes, albeit with slightly different punctuations which are, to use formal musical terminology - Hella Cool.”


Phaeton strives to deliver an attention-focused listening experience. One drenched in joy and wonder and the emotional, visceral release that only prog-metal can deliver. And the lack of lyrical interference only allows the listener the better opportunity to let their imaginations run wild with the music, drifting emotionally away on the solar winds to wherever they wish to soar.


Listeners of Phaeton will find a unique twist on progressive metal, which they define on their own, song after song. They are recommended for fans of Rush, Dream Theater, and King Crimson.


Between Two Worlds is due out on April 21; preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Predestination”
“Oceans Of Time”
“Terra Australis”
“Monsoon”
“Refraction”
“Geomorphic”
“Magma Chamber”
“Between Two Worlds”


(Photo – Julian Bueckert Photo)