In a new interview with Rodrigo Altaf of Sonic Perspectives, former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee was asked if the band's late frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister had any idea he was dying in the months leading up to his December 2015 passing. Mikkey responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, I don't think that he had those — I know he didn't have these thoughts at all. But he did struggle with his health, and that was a pain in the ass for Lemmy, because he wanted to live his normal life so much. But he had some good days and bad days. And '15 was a tough year for Lemmy, and for all of us, obviously. But I know for a fact that he had no idea that he would actually pass away — I mean, die — by the end of that year; he had no clue about that."

Lemmy died on December 28, 2015 at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer.

MOTÖRHEAD had to cancel a number of shows in 2015 because of Lemmy's poor health, although the band did manage to complete the aforementioned European tour a couple of weeks before his death.

In June 2020, it was announced that Lemmy would get the biopic treatment. The upcoming film, "Lemmy", will be directed by Greg Olliver, who previously helmed the 2010 documentary of the same name, "Lemmy".

A custom-made urn containing Lemmy's ashes is on permanent display in a columbarium at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Back in May 2021, Dee told the "Waste Some Time With Jason Green" video podcast that Lemmy refused to quit touring in the weeks leading up to his death, even when his health was clearly deteriorating.

"We played the last show the 11th of December [of 2015] in Berlin, and he passed just [two] weeks later," Mikkey recalled. "And that tells you, the guy died with his boots on. And both me and Phil [Campbell, MOTÖRHEAD guitarist] were trying to talk him out of starting the second part of the European tour after Christmas. But there was no way in hell we could do that. And I said to Phil, 'Look, instead of arguing with Lemmy or pushing him not to do this,' because we said maybe we should break for a couple of months for him to catch his wind, basically. I said, 'Let's not push him anyway. Let him decide what he wants to do. He knows best what he wants to do.' And he wanted to be on stage. So we said, 'Let's just support him instead,' and that's what we did. But we never made it to the second leg of that European tour, unfortunately. It was the U.K. that was on the next part of it, I remember that."

Asked if he knew when he came home to Sweden that it would probably be the end for Lemmy, Mikkey said: "No. Not at all. Because I talked to Lemmy after that show in Berlin. We were all gonna go separate ways, obviously. I was gonna just fly out to Sweden, and Phil went back home to Wales. Lemmy was flying back to L.A., but I believe he was gonna fly to London and stay one night or two or so and say hi to friends and then fly back home. And I spoke to him right after the show. I went down to Lemmy's dressing room, and I said, 'All right. Go back to L.A. and figure out, maybe, another two songs from [MOTÖRHEAD's final album] 'Bad Magic' that you think that we should do. And we take out the two songs that we already played on this leg, and we put in two new songs from the record.' And he said, 'Yeah. All right. I'll check that out.' And I said, 'Let's hook up after Christmas.' Because it was the 11th of December at that time, and I figured we'd talk between Christmas and New Year's Eve and decide which two songs that we agreed on on playing on that next leg. And he said, 'Yeah, I'll go back and work on that.' And that was it. He had no intention of not coming back to Europe and touring. So we did a little finger hook, as we always did, and that was the last time I saw him, actually. Very sad."

Dee went on to say that Lemmy had made some changes in his life to improve his health after dealing with several issues over the last few years of his life, including heart trouble. "But my personal belief is that it was maybe a little too late," he said. "He should have maybe changed a little earlier. But knowing Lemmy, he was not for that. He was doing it his way or the highway, basically. And that made him to what he was. He never compromised with his music, he never compromised with friendship, he never compromised with what way he was gonna go for anyone else in that way, which is why MOTÖRHEAD was MOTÖRHEAD, and still is MOTÖRHEAD. But with that said, of course, the three of us were talking a lot about stuff, and it was not like he was some kind of a boss here. But we all worked so good together, and that's what created the magic, I would say."

TRIUMPH guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett will release his long-awaited memoir, "Lay It On The Line - A Backstage Pass To Rock Star Adventure, Conflict And Triumph", on October 10 via ECW Press.

Asked in a new interview with "Etcetera With Kelly Barrett" if there's a deep level of vulnerability that goes into writing a memoir, Emmett said: "I never have much of a problem with being honest and being candid. I really didn't. I used to teach songwriters: 'Your job is to get naked and get on a high wire without a net. That's what you've gotta do. You have to put something of yourself at risk in the work that you do for your work to be able to speak emotionally to other people.

"A memoir, I must admit, it was a challenge; I had no idea how hard it was — it was really hard work," he continued. "Even in the eleventh hour, I had to have beta readers, like friends of mine. I had to have a lawyer go through some of the stuff — the TRIUMPH chapter and stuff — and I had a good friend of mine who had been a member of parliament who sort of understood about sticking your foot in your mouth. And I said, 'Can you just two of these chapters for me and make sure…?' … There were certain things where I had my wife read it, because I didn't wanna say something that she might go, 'How dare you say that about us?'

"I think I'm a fairly good judge of what might hurt people and what might be not diplomatically correct or proper, so that I can say what I wanna say but say it in a way that it doesn't do damage to others," Rik added. "If there's gonna be any damage, it'll be to me. And that's okay. I can take it."

A little over a year ago, Emmett was asked by Dr. Music how his memoir will compare to the band's documentary, "Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine", which was produced by Banger Films and directed by Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli. Rik said: "I think they're gonna get real Rik Emmett, so they're gonna get some truth that might hurt, or that they might go, 'Ooooh, shit. I didn't realize that he was like that. I didn't realize Rik was that kind of guy.' But I'm not afraid anymore to speak truth. What am I saving it for? [Laughs]"

He continued: "I was doing an interview the other day talking about the documentary. And the guy was saying, 'Oh, so we're gonna get a true insight.' And I go, well, let me make sure that you understand this. You're gonna get a documentary made by Banger Films, and that's essentially Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli. And those two guys, they know what they're doing — they've done plenty of these: RUSH and IRON MAIDEN and ZZ TOP and Alice Cooper, and you name 'em. But they're gonna tell a story. They know that, as a filmmaker, that's what they need to do — you need to sort of tie everything to a story. So the story of TRIUMPH is gonna be the story that they decide to tell. And it's gonna be based on whatever footage they have available and whatever they decide [the angle should be]: 'Ooh, Rik quit the band at its height,' and, 'The band disappeared overnight.' And I go, 'Well, that's not what it felt like to me. That's not my story.' And when my memoir comes out, there'll be an opportunity for me to tell more of my story as opposed to the one that's the TRIUMPH story that Banger Films is telling you in a rockumentary. Which is not to say that [the documentary is] not great — it is great — but it's their story. And my story isn't [drummer] Gil Moore's story, and my story isn't [bassist] Mike Levine's story, although there was a story that was the three of us."

Moore, Levine, and Emmett formed TRIUMPH in 1975, and their blend of heavy riff-rockers with progressive odysseys, peppered with thoughtful, inspiring lyrics and virtuosic guitar playing quickly made them a household name in Canada. Anthems like "Lay It On The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" broke them in the USA, and they amassed a legion of fiercely passionate fans. But, as a band that suddenly split at the zenith of their popularity, TRIUMPH missed out on an opportunity to say thank you to those loyal and devoted fans, a base that is still active today, three decades later.

After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

Back in 2016, Moore and Levine reunited with Rik as special guests on the "RES 9" album from Emmett's band RESOLUTION9.

Last May, former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia.

Harris, whose group kicked off the 2022 leg of its "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour at the 22,000-capacity Arena Zagreb, came out before the show to greet a wheelchair-bound Di'Anno and chat with him for a few minutes. Di'Anno, who had been receiving physiotherapy and lymphatic drainage treatments in Croatia, also had a short discussion with MAIDEN's longtime manager Rod Smallwood, who was traveling with the group.

After his friendly meeting with Harris, Di'Anno stuck around long enough to watch some of MAIDEN's performance before leaving near the end of the set to avoid a huge traffic jam after the show.

In a new interview with Classic Rock, Harris stated about his encounter with Di'Anno: "It was lovely to see Paul, but obviously also sad to see him in that situation. Whatever we can do to help him, that's what we're doing."

When the interviewer noted that "it's fantastic that MAIDEN are paying for the rest" of Paul's medical treatment, Steve said: "If you can't help one of your own when they need it, then there's something wrong."

Asked if it felt like bridges had been mended, Steve said: "I didn't think any bridges needed mending. Paul had said a few things about his time in MAIDEN, but that's Paul. It's how he is and how he'll always be. And I've no problem with that. He once called me Hitler, which some people were offended by, but I thought it was funny."

Last November, Di'Anno addressed his past comments about MAIDEN — including referring to Smallwood as "Rod Smallwallet" and comparing Steve to Adolf Hitler — during an interview with Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard magazine. He said: "I never called [Rod] Rod Smallwallet. A journalist called him Rod Smallwallet, and we thought it was all funny, so everybody in IRON MAIDEN called him that, 'cause it used to piss him off. So that's the end of that one.

"I did call Steve Hitler once. [Laughs] Because of the way he runs [the band]," Paul explained. "It's like a fucking army. He's so focused. And I couldn't think of another one person to [compare him to]. I said 'Hitler' [but] I didn't mean it in that way."

Looking back on the circumstances that led to his departure from MAIDEN and whether it's true that it has something to do with his vocal performance, Paul said: "My record stands for itself. I've played more shows than IRON MAIDEN have ever played… They play a lot of concerts, but I played a hell of a lot more than they ever had. So it was nothing to do with my voice. It was nothing to do with that. I was just upset about certain things, which were private things in the band. And the way I dealt with them maybe was not right, but I dealt with them. And that's the end of it. And that's as much as I'm gonna say."

Di'Anno finally underwent his knee surgery last September. Asked if the MAIDEN camp assisted him with any of the costs involved with his medical treatment, Paul said: "Yes, they did. Towards the end. It was very kind of them. What happened was we were almost there, but there was quite a bit of more money needed for surgeries. 'Cause it's all privately done as well; that's how you get better attention. And IRON MAIDEN just called in, their administration called in, and said, 'We're gonna take over the rest of it now. So we'll pay for the final parts.' And all of it is important, but obviously the final part is the final part. There's still a few more little issues to deal with, but [we're almost there]. [So] thank you, IRON MAIDEN, and most of all, thank you to the fans."

Pressed about whether it's true that he wasn't properly compensated for his work on the first two IRON MAIDEN albums, Paul said: "I have nothing to comment on that at all, because, to be honest with you, it's nobody's damn business. I got paid very well. I'm very happy with that. See, if I try to say, 'Oh, IRON MAIDEN didn't pay me enough money,' it's a bad reflection on IRON MAIDEN. And I'm not taking that. I got paid very well. They looked after me. End of story."

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN — a self-titled effort in 1980 and "Killers" in 1981 — before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

Di'Anno made the aforementioned "Hitler" comment during a 2009 press conference in Argentina where he was asked about the rumors that his drug use had something to do with his split with MAIDEN. "Where the fuck do you people get this from?" he asked. "I left IRON MAIDEN because they were going too heavy metal, and IRON MAIDEN is a money-making machine, and I don't give a fuck about it. It was not about drugs; it was nothing like that. Me and Steve... I [wrote] the song 'Killers'. Steve had [what he thought] were better songs. I thought his songs were shit. Nothing to do with drugs; nothing whatsoever. Check your facts or otherwise this interview is over... I hate that! I fucking hate that! Because people... You say something but you don't know. Well, I'm telling you. IRON MAIDEN is Steve Harris's band. It doesn't matter about anybody else — whether it's Dave Murray, Clive [Burr], me... it's Steve Harris's band and all it is is money, money, money, money — nobody else counts. And I wrote fuckin' 20-times better songs than his, but I only got one song on the 'Killers' album because it's Steve's — he must have this. Fuckin' Adolf Hitler. I'm not interested. So there you go. But you need to take drugs when you're with IRON MAIDEN because they're so fucking boring. And the only drugs were aspirin, because Steve [making hand gesture as if someone is speaking into his ear]... Fuckin' headache."

More than a decade and a half ago, Di'Anno told The Jerusalem Post that leaving the MAIDEN juggernaut behind was the best thing that ever happened to him, and that he had no bitter feelings toward his former bandmates. "I absolutely have no regrets about leaving MAIDEN — I wasn't right in the head at that time to be in the middle of all that," he said. "I was fed up and disillusioned; it would have been cheating the fans and myself if I had stayed. It was easy to walk away from, and I'm very happy the band got bigger and bigger."

Several years ago, Di'Anno told Metal Thunder Radio that he wasn't as involved with MAIDEN's songwriting as he would have liked. "Steve had most of the words and the lyrics [to the band's first album] all written. That was some of the bones of contention that we had in the band — that I didn't get to write as much as I wanted to. 'Cause I am actually quite a prolific writer, but a lot of my songs were not accepted. 'Cause it's Steve's band, obviously."

He continued: "That first album was a revelation, I've gotta tell you. It was amazing. And the second album, for me, not so much. That's when I started to lose interest a little bit. But [we] still [had] great times — really great times."

In May, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in a documentary about Di'Anno, to be directed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon.

The Zagreb concert was free to attend and was held as a way of thanking Paul's fans for their help during the most difficult time of his recovery. The show took place just a day before the IRON MAIDEN's gig at the Zagreb Arena.

Di'Anno recently teamed up with several Croatian musicians to form a new project called WARHORSE. WARHORSE entered the studio to record three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — have been released as a special limited-edition DVD single.

Photo credit: Wes Orshoski

In an interview with Brazil's A Rádio Rock conducted this past December but only now uploaded to YouTube, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx was asked about the possibility of him and his bandmates writing and releasing new music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We just did those four songs for 'The Dirt' soundtrack. We're pretty much locked down right now. We're having conversations beyond [2023]. So what's '24 look like for us in a touring capacity? As far as new music — I think new music always comes when the band is getting along. We get along so great right now. We've been having the best time. We spend time together. We go out to dinner.

"Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] just had his 60th-birthday party [last October] down in Mexico, and he invited a small group of his very good friends. And I was there, and a bunch of cool Tommy's friends. All of our wives were there. John 5 came in. And it was just cool to be able to not talk business, be in rehearsal, get on the phone, talk about the photo shoot or the video. It was just hanging out, walking on the beach. And we had some sweet conversations. Me and Tommy and Vince [Neil, MÖTLEY CRÜE singer] had this conversation. I said, I go,' What are you guys doing for the next eight years?' And everybody's laughing: 'I don't know.' I said, 'Why don't we just keep going? Let's just take it to 50 [years since the band's inception, which will be in 2031].'

"So this isn't a final tour," Sixx clarified. "What does that look like? I have no idea. I'm just telling you, you have the band saying, 'We're having a blast. Why stop?'"

After selling more than 1.3 million tickets on their 2022 North American stadium tour, MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD are going global in 2023 with "The World Tour", along with special guest Alice Cooper.

Produced by Live Nation, the U.S. leg of the world tour kicks off on August 5 in Syracuse, New York.

Last month, MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD played two shows at the 7,000-capacity Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Atlantic City gigs marked MÖTLEY CRÜE's first U.S. live appearances since the announcement that founding guitarist Mick Mars would no longer tour with the legendary rock act. He is being replaced on the road by former ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5.

The 71-year-old Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.

In his statement, Mick said that he had decided to step back from live shows due to his "ongoing painful struggle" with ankylosing spondylitis and while he will continue to be a member of the band, he cannot "handle the rigors" of touring life.

Last year, Sixx told Entertainment Tonight that he was initially opposed to the idea of touring again with MÖTLEY CRÜE, especially since CRÜE fans who shelled out for the group's 2014/2015 "farewell" tour were led to believe that the band would never return after playing its final show on December 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The group touted the signing of a pre-tour "cessation of touring" agreement as cementing the fact it truly was the end of CRÜE's life on the road.

In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Sixx said "the most important thing about a farewell tour is that the band doesn't lie to the fans, and the band doesn't tour and then come back years later. That's what's important for us, planning what's the right time to go out."

Four years ago, Sixx said that "The Dirt" movie, about MÖTLEY CRÜE's formative years, sparked a renewed interest from younger fans who wanted to see them live, contributing to the band's decision to renege on its infamous "cessation of touring" contract.

During an appearance on a recent episode of "The BlackSheep Podcast", SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo spoke about how the introduction of the band's latest addition, Swedish-born singer Erik Grönwall, brought about a rejuvenated energy and a burst of creativity that had been previously missing for quite some time.

"One of the great things about the way the band is now is that we've already started writing for the next record," Snake said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I mean, there's four potential songs for the next record already. And who knows whether they'll make it or not. We've never done that before. So that's kind of where everybody's head is at. We're really staying in the moment, but we're also utilizing this newfound energy, shall I say, to be really creative and productive.

"We always kind of went by write the record, record the record, tour, get off tour and get done with touring, write the record, record the record, tour. That's been kind of the way that we've worked," he explained. "But not this time. We're actively writing. Erik is a very creative guy. He's a really good guitar player. So it really helps. We're exchanging ideas back and forth again and writing during soundchecks and things like that. So it's been nothing but positive."

Grönwall famously went from auditioning for the competition show "Swedish Idol" back in 2009 by singing a cover of SKID ROW's "18 And Life" to now fronting the band.

Grönwall joined SKID ROW as the replacement for ZP Theart, who had been in the group for more than six years.

In March 2022, SKID ROW released its first single with Grönwall, "The Gang's All Here". The song is the title track of the band's latest album, which arrived in October via earMUSIC.

SKID ROW recorded most of "The Gang's All Here" in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

Grönwall, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021 and was declared cancer free six months later after receiving a bone marrow transplant, released his cover version of "18 And Life" that same month via all streaming platforms.

Last May, Snake was asked by The Aquarian Weekly if it helped that Erik was a huge SKID ROW fan and knew all the songs coming into the band. He said: "Oh, he knew the songs. He did his homework. That's another thing — he has this incredible work ethic. His story is incredible. He's the one that deserves to tell his own personal path, but he has such an amazing appreciation for music and for singing. It shows. He's not just up there singing and doing a job. He's living it. He's living those lyrics and owning all of that stuff. That's one of the things that we noticed with the songs on the new record is that he owned it. He owned it. We finished the vocals while we were in Las Vegas [opening for the SCORPIONS in March and April 2022] because we had such great success with him doing it remotely from Sweden with our producer Nick Raskulinecz that we said we can do it on our days off to finish the record. We did a bunch of different vocal tracks and did some comping and stuff, but it wasn't a lot of takes. That's for sure. Rachel [Bolan, SKID ROW bassist] and I were in the studio and were, like, 'Man, we don't even need to be here.' That's how much he owned these new songs. You can see the live performances too. He owns our whole catalog as well."
Listen to "Dave "The Snake" Sabo: Skid Row" on Spreaker.

In a new interview with the YouTube channel of Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, acclaimed hard rock singer Jeff Scott Soto was asked if he thinks Dave Mustaine "overreacted" when he fired David Ellefson from MEGADETH in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. Soto, who is involved with Ellefson in a project called ELLEFSON-SOTO, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My personal opinion… I don't like to get into replying for somebody else in those kinds of things, because there's so many sites out there that will watch what we're talking about here and make a headline out of it. My personal opinion is I think there was already trouble in the water, I think there was already something happening, and maybe he was looking for a reason or an excuse to end it. And that's just my own personal feeling. But without getting too into it, because I don't wanna be in the headlines: 'Jeff Scott Soto blasts Dave Mustaine.' I don't wany any of that shit in my life; it's not necessary. So I'm gonna leave it at I think there was already something for years that was… he was looking for a reason to move on and use that one. That's pretty much it. I think anyway; that's what I'm assuming."

Shortly before Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH, he released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, 2021, when the claim "David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile" appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was fired.

In October 2021, Ellefson spoke to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the circumstances that led to his exit from MEGADETH. He said: "I ran toward the bullets and dealt with it right away. The night [the messages and video were leaked online], a couple of people said, 'Hey, don't say anything.' In particular, the MEGADETH camp didn't want me to say anything. But my legal [advisers] said, 'Hey, I think you should say something. I think some people have done some really shitty things here and made some false allegations about you, and you have every right to defend yourself.' And I did. Ultimately, that led to my dismissal from MEGADETH. But I have every right, as anyone does, to defend yourself, especially when somebody is making false allegations about you like that. So I dealt with it that night, and quite honestly, that was it — it was over, and it was really kind of done. But then, as the MEGADETH camp in particular jumped in and had addressed it — and not that they shouldn't, but they did. That pretty quickly led to them making the decision to part ways with me and to move away from it.

"We had originally talked about doing a joint statement of sorts, and, of course, that was not what happened," David continued. "So I was disappointed in probably the way it went down.

"Ironically, things are fine between [me and MEGADETH]. We parted ways, and they took their road. And there's not ill will between us, believe it or not. And I think any fights and those things, that was 20 years go — lawsuits and all that crap.

"Look, they moved forward [with 'The Metal Tour Of The Year']," Ellefson added. "I wished them well in my [original] statement to them, and I mean it. It's a group I helped form almost 40 years coming up here for the band. And the songs that are on the radio that I see come up are songs that I had a participation in, and we built a big legacy. I still consider them family, and my DNA is all over that. I don't think you build something of that size together and then suddenly you're just out and that's it."

Ellefson also talked about the statement Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — released on May 24, 2021 announcing the bassist's departure from the band. In the statement, Dave said: "We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward." Asked if he was aware of any tension between him and Mustaine and whether he "felt like the ice was getting ready to break again," Ellefson said: "I did not. I think one of the things — and this probably started 20 years ago, when MEGADETH was disbanded in 2002 and then put back together in 2004, it was very clear in 2004 that it was gonna be reframed around Dave unilaterally, one hundred percent being the boss and running the show. Gone were the days of the partnership, the '90s, where it was me, Nick [Menza], Marty [Friedman], Dave — kind of 'the four horsemen ride again' kind of mentality… That day was done; it was not gonna be that anymore. And that's where we fell apart in 2004 and I wasn't with the group through those years. Coming back to it in 2010, now we're a few years older, [with] a little more maturity in the situation, realizing that we're better together, that even though it's not, on paper, a partnership, there's a kind of visual partnership — the optics of it are kind of, like, 'Yeah, this looks better as MEGADETH with me and Dave together. We're one of those bands that, although Dave is the quarterback and the quarterback still plays, the overall feeling and likability and I think everything about it just feels better when it's Dave and Dave together, because we've been together from the beginning for so many years. And I think that worked really well for the last decade. At the same time, Dave and I are grown men, and we have opinions. It's not the thing where it's just Dave and three side guys when it's me and the band. And apparently, they didn't want that anymore — they wanted it to not be that. And I can't speak for them, 'cause I don't know. I'm not trying to put words in anybody's mouth about that. But it just seemed like 'there's just too much history here, and let's just part ways now and let MEGADETH move forward on a new day with kind of a new marching order.' So rather than fight it, which is what happened 20 years ago, 'cause we were dissolving a partnership at that point, we're not dissolving a partnership [this time]. It's, like, 'Hey, we don't want you here. There's the door. Don't come to work on Monday.' So, it's, like, 'Okay. Fine.' And that's just how I viewed it, and that's how I view it today. I don't have any sour grapes over it, and I'm not bitter about it."

Two days after Mustaine announced Ellefson's latest departure from MEGADETH, the bassist released a follow-up statement in which he vowed to file a "defamation lawsuit" against the person who "illegally posted a very private video" of the bassist and made "false allegations" against him. He also said he was working with the police in Scottsdale "in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted the video. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Ellefson wrote. He went on to say that he was "taking this time to be with my family" and wished his "bandmates" the best with their tour.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

ELLEFSON-SOTO released a full-length album, "Vacation In The Underworld", in October 2022 via Rat Pak Records. Ellefson and Soto are joined in the project by Andy Martongelli on guitar and keyboards and Paulo Caridi on drums.

Scorpions have shard pro-shot footage performing the Love At First Sting classic “Big City Nights” at Wacken Open Air 2012.





Check out "Blackout" from WOA 2012:

Kampfar's 2022 album, Til Klovers Takt has been nominated for a Norwegian Grammy award.





Til Klovers Takt is an album that stands on the shoulders of everything that came before it in Kampfar's catalogue. It draws inspiration from the first song written 28 years ago as much as it leans on any other period in the band's past.







The result is a finely tuned album where each piece has its own voice and its own atmosphere, where nothing is accidental and where the band, having taken control of all aspects of the recording process, were able to create exactly the album they set out to release.

Psychedelic doom metal band Orbiter from Helsinki, Finland, have signed with Argonauta Records to release their debut full length album later this year. The record will be available in digital, vinyl and CD editions. The first single Raven Bones off the upcoming album is now available on streaming and digital download platforms, marking Orbiter’s first release since their 2020 debut EP The Deluge.


In crafting the album, Orbiter wanted to build upon light and shade to create strong dynamics and musical contrast. The shared vision of the band and producer Hiili Hiilesmaa was to create a psychedelic and heavy soundscape, evident in the effects-laden guitars of the new single.


“When we started making this album, we wanted to create a really strong record with timeless sounds”, states guitarist Alexander Meaney. “I’ve always been a fan of the monumentally heavy production of Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 by HIM, so Hiili quickly made it to the top of our producer shortlist. When we contacted him, we hit it off straight away, and he was really enthusiastic about this collaboration.”




Founded in late 2014, the now four-piece band draws influences from doom metal, stoner rock, and psychedelia. Since their previous release, Orbiter have played actively on the Finnish live circuit, and also performed at festivals in Germany in late 2022.


The as-yet-untitled album was recorded in 2022 at Coal House Studio in Hämeenlinna, Finland, and Soundwell Studio, Espoo, Finland. Engineering was handled by Hiili Hiilesmaa and Sakari Ikonen, and the album was mastered by Ted Jensen, who has previously worked with Alice In Chains, Mastodon, and The Eagles, among others.





Orbiter:
Carolin Koss - Vocals
Alexander Meaney - Guitars
Tuomas Talka - Bass guitar
Sami Heiniö - Drums

European progressive/hard rock group Headless - composed of former members of Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum and Elegy - have released a new animated music video for their brand new song, “Withered Flowers”. The standalone single - which is now available for streaming and download on all digital platforms here - features a blistering lead from guest guitarist Jeff Young (ex-Megadeth, Badi Assad, Kings Of Thrash).





“Being a huge Megadeth fan, I invited my idol and new friend Jeff Young to shred with us on this new one,” tells Headless guitarist Walter Cianciusi. “I could barely believe my ears when listening to his performance the first time. He’s amazing.”




At the end of this month, Headless will join singer Geoff Tate on his European shows promoting 35 years of Queensrÿche's classic concept album Operation: Mindcrime. “Withered Flowers” was specifically recorded for Headless’ upcoming tour supporting the legendary singer’s tour across Europe.


"It’s a song really reminiscent of Geoff Tate’s material, composed to properly celebrate the occasion of a tour together,” states Headless guitarist Dario Parente.


Walter and Dario should know Geoff’s material as the duo have performed as the singer’s guitar team for several years now, including appearing on the latest Sweet Oblivion album.





While “Withered Flowers” features the voice Göran Edman, who’s fronted Headless since 2011, getting his start in Sweden four decades ago fronting a variety melodic and progressive hard rock bands beginning with the likes of Madison, Swedish Erotica, Glory and more known internationally for lead vocals on albums by Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum, and Karmakanic. But Göran will be absent on these live shows, instead the group will be fronted by another notable name.


“For this leg of the tour Göran was unavailable due to a very significant family issue,” explains Headless bassist Matin Helmantel. “I’m sad for him but at the same time I’m very enthusiastic to share the stage - after 23 years - with my bandmate in Elegy - Ian Parry, who will be filling in for Göran.”


Ian Parry is another recognized presence in melodic rock and progressive metal circles, whose name while most associated with Elegy, has also recorded with Vengeance and his own Consortium Project amongst others.


Other than “Withered Flowers,” Headless continue to promote their M-Theory Audio debut, Square One, an underrated album of classic rock, metal and progressive qualities balancing a fine line between all and showcasing some infectious, at times intellectual, and other times a pure fun rock record. The album is available on CD, with two variant colored vinyl options and on all digital platforms.

Canadian classic roots and blues rock band The Commoners release “More Than Mistakes”, the fourth single from their sophomore album, Find A Better Way.  The single, issued by Gypsy Soul Records, dovetails their April 2023 Co-Headline UK Tour with Troy Redfern.


On the punchy and rollicking “More Than Mistakes”, the rock train rolls on full steam ahead.  Bright tambourine accents a rhythm section to rival Motown, illuminating a track that instantly pushes listeners to the edge of their seats, raising them to their feet. Alive and free, “More Than Mistakes” affirms the album’s theme of self-empowerment with gusto.







“'More Than Mistakes' is a song written in self-defiance,” says The Commoners’ lead singer, Chris Medhurst. “It’s about taking on one’s own weakness with a sense of forgiveness for past transgressions, while enthusiastically searching for the limit.”





Confirmed dates for The Commoners 2023 Co-Headline UK Tour with Troy Redfern are as listed:


April
13 - London, UK - The Grace
14 - Sittingborne, UK - The Bourne Music Club
15 - Southampton, UK - The Joiners
17 - Brighton, UK - Komedia
18 - Sheffield, UK - Greystones
20 - Oxford, UK - The Bullingdon
21 - Bristol, UK - The Louisiana
22 - Birmingham, UK - The Asylum 2
23 - Newcastle, UK - The Cluny
24 - Edinburgh, UK - The Voodoo Rooms
25 - Glasgow, UK - King Tut’s
26 - Manchester, UK - Night & Day
27 - York, UK - The Crescent
28 - Chester, UK - The Live Rooms
29 - Nottingham, UK - The Bodega





Possessing a sound tapped from the oaken belly of a whiskey barrel, The Commoners are a four-piece roots / blues rock band from Toronto, Canada.


Described as “a classic rock and roll affair,” the nine songs take the listener on a sonic voyage through the lives of the band, from the dusty back roads of rural Ontario to the bright lights of the big city. Offering their own blend of rock and roll, southern blues, and roots music, the Toronto-based four-piece band are known for their high-energy riffs, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies. The result is an authentic Southern-style rock experience.


The group was cobbled together over the course of a decade, adapting through numerous obstacles to form the unit as it exists today: Chris Medhurst (vocals/guitar), Ben Spiller (bass), Ross Hayes Citrullo (lead guitar), and Adam Cannon (drums). Often joined by their friend, organist Miles Evans-Branagh, The Commoners unite under a shared dream: to write, perform, and share music that is an authentic nod to the greats who paved the way before them.





“The new album authentically embodies the rock and roll, soul, and blues rock experience,” says the band’s lead singer, Chris Medhurst. “That’s something we really wanted to bring back. That’s the roots. That’s what we listen to.”


The Black Crowes are a considerable influence for us,” says Medhurst. “Derek Trucks, Marcus King, Led Zeppelin, and The Allman Brothers Band, too. These are the bands that we wear on our sleeves as we aspire to create our own music and sound.”


Find A Better Way is an album that demands attention from the first note. The opening lines “If I scream at the top of my lungs, and stamp my feet, ’til the floor comes undone,” immediately inform that a wild ride lies ahead. The album was recorded and produced at RHC Music in Toronto by the band’s guitarist Ross Hayes Citrullo. Ross collaborated with executive producer Renan Yildizdogan to strike the perfect balance of new and old recording treatments. The goal was to create something that felt new and original, yet still familiar to their target classic roots rock and blues rock audience.


“The vision from the beginning was to marry old and new southern rock together in a way that was unique to the band’s Canadian roots,” explains Citrullo. “By adding the soul and rock elements of the Black Crowes, and the southern blues rock undertones of the Allman Brothers to a production style akin to Blackberry Smoke and Rival Sons, I think we developed an authentic sound that compares sonically to some of our favourite records across all of those music genres.” 


The album’s lyrical themes drill into the essence of humanity: love, regret, ambition, and fear. Circling the forever challenge of doubt vs. desire, The Commoners place themselves into the shoes of the everyman. The result? Nine tracks that function as a comfort and companion through all of life’s trials and tribulations, with melodic solos, soaring organ, and a punchy rhythm section to drive the messages home.


Drummer Adam Cannon says, “Music, like so much in life, is about the exchange of energy,” and The Commoners make more than a fair trade. Striving to present an impactful, memorable, and downright exhilarating live experience that accurately represents their recorded works, the band carries the listener over spirited choruses and group chants, before returning them back to earth in need of a shot of something smooth. You can expect to leave fully satisfied, sweat drenched, and heart racing, a good time guaranteed—just what we all need.





The Commoners enlisted a handful of Toronto’s finest musicians to help bring their record to life. On the title track Find A Better Way, the band brought on keyboardist Jeff Heisholt (The Trews) to lay down an iconic organ track. For the rest of the album, keyboardist Miles Evans-Branagh performed organ, piano, and Rhodes.


To accompany Ben and Adam on backup vocals, The Commoners called upon three of Canada’s top backup singers. Tash Lorayne and Shezelle Weekes (The Arkells), and Chantal Williams joined in to arrange vocal parts and enliven the mix with their vivacious voices resulting in a spine-tingling performance. 


The Commoners also invited local legend Michael Eckert to lend his pedal steel talents on I Won’t and Alive. Adding the final cherry on top, renowned multi-instrumentalist Ben Healey treated Deadlines to a guitar solo worthy of the world’s greatest stadiums. Though these songs were all written by The Commoners, the contributions of these amazing guest musicians make the album something special.


“Every time we brought an outside player into the studio, they would offer their own unique instincts and interpretations of each song. This helped the album grow into a collaborative art piece that continues to surprise us with every listen.”


A rock anthem to its core, the title track, "Find A Better Way", carries a message that encapsulates the entirety of the record. With growing uncertainties, society faces challenges previously unseen, leaving the collective in a perpetual state of questioning, with doubt directed towards governments, public leaders, and our neighbours. From the aftermath of COVID-19, the increasing mental health crisis in North America, war crimes in Ukraine, and the explosion of social movements and protests, one thought unites us all—we need to find a better way to co-exist on this planet. Find A Better Way takes an inward look at confronting our tumultuous past and accepting personal accountabilities to uncover the strength needed to seek a solution.


"Find A Better Way" is the only track on the record to mixed outside of Canada. The band worked with legendary producer / mixer Kevin Shirley (The Black Crowes, Joe Bonamassa, Led Zeppelin) at Caveman Studios in Sydney, Australia. Kevin’s mix helped set the perfect tone for the album, which Ross Hayes Citrullo was then able to follow for the rest of the record. Kevin’s involvement set The Commoners on the right path with this epic title track.


Mastering was also an important consideration for the band and their label. For this stage, the team sent their record all the way to Nashville, Tennessee to Pete Lyman (Tedeschi Trucks, Blackberry Smoke, Chris Stapleton, Rival Sons) at Infrasonic Sound. Pete’s specialty for mastering southern rock made the mixes come alive, making them sonically competitive to the band’s influences.


As a collective, we find ourselves emerging into a changed society, with uncertainty looming and shadowing the future. In their upcoming release, The Commoners remind us that music has a unique ability to heal, a medicine of extraordinary merit, and balm for the soul during dark times. Every major movement in history gave rise to change makers, and The Commoners are taking their stand, here to lead and inspire us all to Find A Better Way.





Tracklisting:


"Find A Better Way" 
"Fill My Cup" 
"More Than Mistakes" 
"Too Much" 
"Naturally" 
"I  Won’t" 
"Deadlines" 
"Hangin’ On Again" 
"Alive" 


Get your copy of Find A Better Way on CD, Vinyl, and Digital formats now at this location. 











(Photos by JC Polien)


 

Get ready for more death, more black, and more thrash from Swedish supergroup Ironmaster and their forthcoming album Weapons Of Spiritual Carnage due out April 28, 2023 via Black Lion Records. The full length is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut Thy Ancient Fire (February 2022).


Featuring current and ex-members of Dark Funeral, Scar Symmetry, Raubtier, Carnal Forge, and Facebreaker, this strong follow-up album is a natural continuation of the path taken on the band's debut record. More powerful and faster than ever at times, but the flow of the full-length has been the focal point of the whole writing and recording process. Everything has been done with the full album listening experience in mind. Get ready to headbang it heavy and hard from beginning to end for a memorable audible mosh pit.


Edvin Skårud wrote all the lyrics (except for one song) on this record, his dark and masterful lyrics deal with death, cruelty and the dark side of life, and the blackness of one's soul.




New lyric video for the album’s second single “Monolithic Suppressor Engaged” is available below.


"This black-thrash song on the album has some King Diamond inspired guitar in the chorus that's a bit unusual for us, but adds an evil flavor to the whole thing."


Weapons Of Spiritual Carnage was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Blacklounge Studios between May 2021 and October 2022 by Jonas Kjellgren. Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Solemn Pestilence”
“Ocean Of Searing Hatred”
“Weapons Of Spiritual Carnage”
“Infinite Virulent”
“Monolithic Suppressor Engaged”
“Cast Into The Hollow”
“Implications Of Sacral Time”
“Lies Of Apathy”
“Bringer Of Deception”
“Dismantling Eternity”


"Monolithic Suprressor Engaged" lyric video:





“Bringer Of Deception” lyric video:





Ironmaster are:
Roberth Karlsson - Vocals
Jonas Kjellgren - Guitars
Janne Jaloma – Drums


(Photo – Scott Bobbox)

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his weekly solo cover song and video, this time taking on Europe's "Sign Of The Times". The song is taken from Europe's 1988 album, Out Of This World.





Sabaton recently released the new lyric video below for the song "En Livstid i Krig", lifted from the band's Carolus Rex album.




Says Sabaton: "Jump into the weekend the right way by blasting 'En Livstid i Krig' as loud as possible! 🤘 Here’s our brand new lyric video for one of your favourites. Enjoy metalheads!"





Spring 2023 will see Sabaton touring across Europe on the eagerly awaited re-scheduled tour: The Tour To End All Tours.


Starting in Leeds on April 14, the tour will bring Sabaton to 21 cities in 14 countries. They will present their biggest and most spectacular show to date in Europe's largest arenas. Fans can be assured that the band will write history with the ground-breaking live shows on The Tour To End All Tours.


The band also confirmed that Japanese dance metal sensation Babymetal will appear as very special guests, marking their first international shows in over three years. Finnish Eurovision winners Lordi will open all shows.


"We are extremely happy to welcome Babymetal to our already much anticipated tour in Europe 2023,” says bass player Pär Sundström. “The energy and power of this band will for sure make each night something special."


“If there ever was a band that would break all the rules, it’s Babymetal with the power and precision to deliver a full on heavy metal show!” echoes frontman Joakim Brodén. “It’s not our first rodeo together, expect nothing but excellence from Babymetal!”


Joakim participated as a guest on “Oh! Majinai (feat. Joakim Brodén)" on Babymetal’s third album, Metal Galaxy, released on October 11th, 2018. He also made a guest appearance at Babymetal’s headline show in October 2018, Babymetal World Tour 2018 in Japan Extra Show Dark Night Carnival.


Tickets for European shows are available here. Tickets for the UK shows on sale here.





Tour dates:


April
14 - Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena
15 - London, UK - OVO Arena Wembley
16 - Cardiff, UK - Motorpoint Arena
18 - Glasgow, UK - The OVO Hydro
21 - Paris, France - Zenith
24 - Hamburg, Germany - Barclays Arena
25 - Esch / Alzette, Luxembourg - Rockhal
28 - Stockholm, Sweden - Avicii Arena
29 - Oslo, Norway - Spektrum
30 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Royal Arena


May
2 - Hannover, Germany - ZAG Arena
3 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
5 - Berlin, Germany - Mercedes Benz Arena
6 - Leipzig, Germany - Quarterback Immobilien Arena
7 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
12 - Cologne, Germany - Lanxess Arena
13 - Antwerp, Belgium - Sportpaleis
15 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
18 - Tallinn, Estonia - Saku Arena
19 - Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall
20 - Kuopio, Finland - Kuopio Hall

Genre-bending metal powerhouse VEIL OF MAYA has announced its first new studio album in nearly six years. Titled "[m]other", it will be released on the band's longtime label Sumerian Records on May 12. Pre-orders, with a variety of merch and vinyl bundle options, are available now from veilofmayaband.com.

Heralding today's news is the release of brand new track "Red Fur" and its epic, futuristic music video.

Speaking on the announcement of the album and the release of the new track, VEIL OF MAYA frontman Lukas Magyar shares: "This record is a collection of personal experience, history and a touch of my own imagination. I enjoyed approaching each song in a different way this time around. It was certainly challenging at times to find the right mood but when the work was finally complete it seemed to come together very well. I'm thrilled to see how our fans respond!"

Regarding his inspiration for writing "Red Fur", VEIL OF MAYA guitarist and songwriter Marc Okubo adds: "I got convinced to go to a RUFUS DU SOL concert. I was immediately inspired though. The next day, I was like, 'Let's combine some of this with our style'. That explains the electronic opening."

"[m]other" track listing:

01. Tokyo Chainsaw
02. Artificial Dose
03. Godhead
04. [re]connect
05. Red Fur
06. Disco Kill Party
07. Mother Pt 4
08. Synthwave Vegan
09. Lost Creator
10. Death Runner

"Red Fur" follows the release of standalone singles "Godhead" (released last month) and "Synthwave Vegan" (released in May of last year). Both tracks feature on the new album and between them have clocked up 1.5 million Spotify streams and 478,000 YouTube views.

VEIL OF MAYA has a stacked touring schedule coming up. Starting this month, they will hit the road with AVATAR, firstly across Europe starting on March 10, followed by a 24-date run across the U.S. starting on April 28 in Omaha, Nebraska.

By channeling energy in one direction, force grows exponentially. VEIL OF MAYA harnesses the individual experiences and talents of four distinct musicians — Marc Okubo (guitar),Sam Applebaum (drums),Danny Hauser (bass) and Lukas Magyar (vocals) — into airtight groove-laden metal accented by fits of instrumental virtuosity and vocal catharsis. This approach has endeared them to a devout fan base with critical acclaim and over 100 million total streams and counting (unprecedented for an outfit this crushingly heavy).

The members of VEIL OF MAYA have consistently pushed the boundaries of heavy music by challenging themselves collectively. 2015's "Matriarch" made major waves, crashing the Billboard U.S. Hard Rock Albums chart at No. 2 powered by "Aeris", "LeeLoo" and "Mikasa". The latter has gathered over 25.4 million Spotify streams and counting. In 2017, "False Idol" saw the band return to the Top 3 of the Hard Rock Albums chart as "Overthrow" and "Doublespeak" each eclipsed eight million Spotify streams apiece. Simultaneously, they toured alongside ANIMALS AS LEADERS, UPON A BURNING BODY, CHELSEA GRIN, OCEANS ATE ALASKA, and more. In the midst of the pandemic, they dropped "Outsider", "Viscera" and "Outrun".

Photo credit: Paige Margulies

The Greek heavy metal veterans Marauder will release their new album Metal Constructions VII on March 10 via Pitch Black Records. The new record is a winning mix of muscular heavy and power metal. Preorder here.


With the lyric video for “Rock Fighters” fans have one more example of what to expect from Marauder‘s new album – wonderful melodies, warm vocals, and well-composed solos.


For any lover of traditional heavy metal guitar work, it is pure joy to behold the melodic and harmonic interplay that permeates the new Marauder material. Most easily notable this time around is of course the recruitment of Greek metal scene strongmen Tassos Krokodilos (vocals) and Nick “Yngve” Samios (drums). With his soaring voice having just recently graced the latest album by Hellenic old school act Spitfire, the securing of Tassos Krokodilos as the band’s new vocalist keeps Marauder’s tradition of fine, charismatic frontmen alive. Moreover, the act of pairing the ever-reliable (and seemingly indefatigable!) Nick Samios with long-standing bassist Thodoris Paralis have resulted in what is arguably the strongest rhythmic backbone for the band so far.




Metal Constructions VII was recorded at CND Studios in Athens, Greece. Mixing and mastering by David Prudent at Made In Hell Studios, always in Athens.





Tracklisting:


“Intro”
“Strike Back Again”
“Shout It Out”
“Under Her Spell”
“Nightfall”
“Erase”
“Rock Fighters”
“The Iron Mask”
“Holy Bible”
“Never Die”
“The Son Of God”
“Father”


"Rock Fighters" lyric video:





“Strike Back Again”:


Metal Constructions VII by MARAUDER

Horror Pain Gore Death recording artists SaviorSkin return with more rotting misery to unleash upon mankind. 2023 has been rife with talk of the murder of human creativity by AI-generated music, and for good reason - most of the music on your favorite streaming service is about as compelling as a songless bird. SaviorSkin's forthcoming full-length, Invicta Mori, demonstrates what is possible when human agony and ingenuity manipulate machinery in the darkness.


Invicta Mori dials up the oppressive atmosphere and harshness of SaviorSkin's first two LPs (Remnants Of Broken Idols and Omnipotence Of The Absolute), but for the first time features live (undead) drums on several songs, such as the instant earworm "Lost In Prayer."  SaviorSkin have always used machine elements to obscure the humanity of the musicians, but this time around it is easy to picture bloody phlegm on the pop filter while listening to brooding opener "Iconoclast" and even easier to imagine beckoning razor blades and shattered wine bottles during the meditative "Martyrdom." The creation of the ordeal that is "Burning Eden" required a level of suffering that no machine intelligence will ever experience. Invicta Mori is pitiless and unrelenting but utterly human at the same time, perhaps more than ever before.


Invicta Mori's lead single and closing track, "Sycophant," is easily the most hateful song in SaviorSkin's catalog, and that's saying a lot. The venom in Somnus Mortem's vocal performance is augmented by the presence of none other than Marc Grewe of the seminal death metal band Morgoth. "Sycophant" also brings SaviorSkin's story full-circle:




SaviorSkin was founded in 2018, but their history began in the Philippines, where Somnus Mortem founded the doom-death band Iconoclast in 1993.  Morgoth released the criminally underrated Odium the same year.  "A lot of people were confused by the industrial elements that Morgoth were experimenting with, but I loved them," says Somnus Mortem.  "When Iconoclast became more of a solo project after I moved to the States, I injected some of those cold, machine-like Odium elements into the final incarnation of that band before laying it to rest, and that obviously became a huge part of SaviorSkin's sound. It still blows my mind that Marc Grewe sings on 'Sycophant,' the most vicious song on Invicta Mori.  I devolve back into a death metal-obsessed teenager every time I hear it.  I asked Grewe what made him want to work with me, and he just said that he liked what he heard!  I can't possibly explain how much this collaboration means to me."


Invicta Mon is out on April 7 on CD and digital. Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Iconoclast”
“Judaswhore”
“Lost In Prayer”
“Martyrdom”
“King Misery”
“Away”
“Burning Eden”
“Nowhere”
“Sycophant”
“DoomFather”
“Born Of The Shallow”
“47 Nails”
“Orgasmatron” (live)


“Sycophant”:

Bringing a fresh and irreverent voice to the world of folk metal, California’s Valensorow have released a new music video for their single, “The Bird And The Bear". The new track comes off the band’s upcoming third full-length, Shorestank, which will see an April 7 release.


The quartet is known for telling epic tales of land and sea, monsters and men, the fight for survival, and the unending thirst for blood and ale! This time, however, Valensorow are introducing fans to their more wholesome side.


The new video brings the tale of “The Bird And The Bear” to life via a completely family friendly puppet show… I mean, it’s definitely not a chaotic and unhinged trip that you would expect from the 3am hour of Adult Swim. We promise.




Commenting on their new video, the band shares: "The making of the puppet video for 'The Bird and The Bear' was a huge undertaking for us. We wanted to capture the humor and ridiculousness that lies within the story of the song in a unique way that was within our realm of possibility as independent artists. The answer to that was obviously puppets. We quickly realized that high quality puppets can be quite expensive, and we needed our bear puppet to look a certain kind of crazy. So our guitarist enrolled in the University of YouTube and designed and built the bear puppet (AKA Beary) from scratch. The bird puppet (Larry) was found where everyone finds their oddly specific human-crafted masterpieces...Etsy.”


Watch the video below.


From the windy peaks of NorCal's Santa Cruz Mountains hails Valensorow. A dense concoction of whimsical orchestral composition and progressive metal, Valensorow create an immersive folk metal experience like no other on their upcoming album Shorestank.


The album pairs numerous color instruments including erhu, pipa, and glockenspiel with the weight of extended range guitars and bass. The result is a colorful musical landscape full of monsters and lore that moistens the palates of fans of Devin Townsend, Wintersun, Dream Theater, and Danny Elfman.


Pre-order Shorestank here.





Shorestank tracklisting:


"Life In A Cliffside Dwelling"
"The Bird And The Bear"
"Shorestank"
"The Market Of Korethi"
"Dr. Gorpletonka"
"Giant"
"Bangers And Smash"
"Meg ‘The Leg’"
"Another Big Monster"
"Into The Valley Of Mist"


"The Bird And The Bear" video:





Valensorow are:


Joey Menicucci – Vocals, Guitar
Conner Bruce – Drums, Vocals
Noah McLean – Bass
Joseph Scanlan – Vocals

Canton, Ohio-based Night Goat has released their new video for “Wendigo”. The song is found on the band’s second album, Totem, nearing release this month through Black Donut Records.


Not for the weak of heart, Night Goat delivers abrasive, slashing, dark noise rock/death rock, with elements of goth, post-punk, and doom, their barrage of sounds owing to an almost supernatural regard of classic bands of the genre like Samhain, Unsane, 45 Grave, Eyehategod, and even Sonic Youth. Their new album, Totem, is based on Native American lore, with ten new tracks that showcase the band at its deadliest yet. Totem was engineered by Jeremy James at Wreckroom Recording Studio, mastered by Sterling "Spidermonkey" Hankins, and completed with artwork by Chris Bentley and Gordiart. Totem also features guest saxophone from Matt Corey on “Death Crow Dance,” additional percussion from Tommy Dalo on “Child Of Owls” and “Death Crow Dance,” and guitar by Clinton Jacob (Mr. Phylzzz) on “Wendigo.”


The psychedelic “Wendigo” video was created by Rawketsock Design, merging footage from videographer Chrystal Shofroth with live footage shot by Mason Boano. Night Goat bassist/vocalist Dalin Jones writes, "For me, our song ‘Wendigo’ is about the fear of becoming the one thing you hate, only to gorge yourself on the very thing you despise. And even though you try and kill it, it ends up consuming you inside. As it takes over, you don't even care. You don't try to stop it. You welcome the becoming, in fact ... It's a delicious ravenous poison."







Black Donut Records will release Totem on LP – 300 copies on Ghostly Grape transparent purple vinyl – and digital platforms on March 17.


Night Goat is currently booking regional live performances in support of the record, kicking things off with two new Ohio shows in April, a newly booked show with Wailin’ Storms confirmed for May, and a more widespread US tour coming together for July.


Dates:


April
12 – Akron, OH – Buzzbin
22 – Sandusky, OH – Strum Around
22 – Akron, OH – Buzzbin


“Wendigo” video:





(Photo – Molly Crowe)

Montreal, Canada-based technical/progressive melodic death metal unit Pronostic has announced their upcoming sophomore album, Chaotic Upheaval. The album is set for release on Friday, May 12. Chaotic Upheaval sports cover art from Filip Ivanović who is known for his work with bands such as Origin, Beyond Creation, Cryptopsy, Augury, and many more. The album's superb production is courtesy of Cryptopsy guitarist Christopher Donaldson in Montreal. First single and music video for "L'impureté Globale” is streaming below.


Active since 2010, Pronostic made their mark live and in the studio early on with their well-received 2012 EP, Deviated Inner Spectrum. In 2015, the band released its debut album, An Atomic Decision, to critical acclaim worldwide. As is often the case when we grow older, there is less time for artistic pursuits and so Pronostic would continue on while in a hiatus of sorts for some time as its members remained busy with work and other obligations. Until the 2020 pandemic allowed the band to find the time to move forward with the creation of what would become Chaotic Upheaval.


Chaotic Upheaval is more than just the band's return, it is an evolution and expansion of their already established technical/progressive melodic death metal sound driven in part by the contributions of numerous new musicians. Joining the band's pre-existing members on Chaotic Upheaval is Killitorous, ex-Ignominy fretless bassist extraordinaire Xavier Sperdouklis. Francesco Ferrini from Fleshgod Apocalypse performs with the band for the first time as well and adds a new dimension to their sound with his beautiful piano playing and exquisite string arrangements. Session drums on the album were recorded by renowned drummer Samuel Santiago who is known for his drumming with Gorod, First Fragment, Black Crown Initiate, and many others. A litany of killer guest spots add even more to the effort but are so numerous that they are listed in full below in order to cover everyone involved.




At its core, Chaotic Upheaval musically splits the difference between Obscura at their most melodic and Death inspired, and Beyond Creation at their most progressive death metal driven, bombastic fretless bass-focused, and groove-inflected. The end result will appeal heavily to fans of both of those bands but will also be loved (and remind many a listener) of the multi-faceted approach to technical/progressive melodic death metal explored by Allegaeon and Augury. The album will also appeal to fans of other bands that Pronostic cites as having influenced Chaotic Upheaval which includes Cattle Decapitation, Lorna Shore, Ne Obliviscaris, Virvum, and Irreversible Mechanism.


Pronostic comments on the release of Chaotic Upheaval:


"Our new album is a representation of several problems that people are going through every day. We are evolving on many levels, but regressing in other ways. People are being divided and choose to believe in comforting lies than hurtful truths. Chaotic Upheaval was inspired by the last couple of years, which have been difficult times for most of us. The lyrics on the album discuss topics such as mental health struggles, sickness, pollution, regrets that consume us, difficult relationships, and modern political and technology-related ills that seem to ail us. 


“We hope that our new content will allow people to sit back and reflect on these sensitive subjects. We want them to know that they are not alone and hopefully are able to help individuals that are going through difficult moments in their lives to find a glimmer of hope and light at the end of the tunnel."





Tracklisting:


“Indefinite Continuity”
“Massive Disillusion”
“Conclusion Impromptue”
“Concealed Parasite”
“Waves”
“Bare And Wretched”
“L'impureté Globale”
“Drained By Remorse”
“The Pure Celestial Being”
“Abstract Entity”


“L'impureté Globale” video:





Pronostic - Chaotic Upheaval Line up:
Charles ''Butcher'' Pilotte - Low Vocals / Guitar
Alex Lauzon  - High Vocals / Guitar
Xavier Sperdouklis  - Fretless Bass (Killitorous, ex-Ignominy)
Samuel Santiago - Session Drummer (ex-First Fragment, ex-Gorod)
Francesco Ferrini - Keyboards & String arrangements (Fleshgod Apocalypse) on track 1, 4, 6, 7,10


Guest Musicians:
Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy) - Guitar Solo on "Concealed Parasite"
Marc Roy - (Killitorous) Guitar Solo on "Concealed Parasite" (Killitorous)
Sam Hampell - Saxophone on "Massive Disillusion"
Morane Chabot - Guitar Solo on "Massive Disillusion" 
Alex Pelletier - Guest Vocals on "Massive Disillusion" & "Bare And Wretched"
Fannie Tassé Lessard - Guest Vocal on Massive Disillusion" & "Bare And Wretched"
Krissy O'Shaughnessy - Guest Vocal on "Massive Disillusion" & "Bare And Wretched"

"Journey Of The Host" is the first single from Dave Lombardo's first ever solo album, Rites Of Percussion. Pre-order the May 5 release on CD, Digital and three different vinyl variants here, and watch a visualizer for "Journey Of The Host", by Oleg Rooz, below.





The 13-track collection, Rites Of Percussion, is the result of a 40-year career that saw Lombardo rise to prominence as a co-founder of Slayer, earn two Grammy Awards, and expand his repertoire across genres. The Havana-born Lombardo’s resume includes outings with the acrobatic, Mike Patton-led Fantômas, the critically-revered John Zorn, experimental hip-hop artist DJ Spooky and the resurrected punk icons, The Misfits.




“[Mike] Patton originally gave me the idea as far back as 1998,” explains Lombardo. “He introduced me to Tito Puente’s Top Percussion album. I was already familiar with Tito and was a bit shocked that Patton was so musically diverse, and that he surrounded himself with musicians of the same mindset. That inspired me. I have had ideas that I’ve recorded on cassette over the years, but Patton kept insisting that I had to do a ‘drum album.’ So, the idea behind the album is years in the making. I just had to find the right time—for me—to do it.”


“When the pandemic hit, I thought, ‘Well, I can’t tour now,’“ he says. “I immediately started working on the record. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. I had my studio, all my drums. Nothing was in storage for once! My home became a place where I could be free and creative. On the one hand, the touring part of my livelihood had been taken away, but on the other, I finally had the time to educate myself on different software and recording techniques. It was a very educational and gratifying experience.”


The recording process of the film score-like album had a simple mantra: drums had to be drums. Mixed in early 2022 by Lombardo’s son, David A. Lombardo, the self-produced release features a large concert bass drum, a timpani, a grand piano, and a flock of shakers, maracas, Chinese and symphonic gongs, Native American drums, congas, timbales, bongos, batás, wood blocks, djembes, ibos, darbukas, octobans, cajóns, and cymbals.





Rites Of Percussion tracklist:


"Initiatory Madness"
"Separation From The Sacred"
"Inner Sanctum"
"Journey Of The Host"
"Maunder In Liminality"
"Despojo"
"Interfearium"
"Blood Let"
"Warpath"
"Guerrero"
"Vicissitude"
"Omiero"
"Animismo"


"Journey Of The Host" visualizer:





Dave Lombardo was born in Havana, Cuba, relocating to Los Angeles when he was a mere two-years-old. He began playing drums as a teenager, and co-founded Slayer (and created the band’s logo) in 1981. Rolling Stone, in their list of the “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time,” dubbed him the “Cuban speed demon, “ Modern Drummer proclaimed him “The King,” and Drummerworld gave him the title of “The Godfather of double bass.” Lombardo’s eye-popping resume includes over 100 studio albums/recordings and includes both recorded and live stints with Grip Inc., Fantômas, Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Cross, Mr. Bungle, The Misfits, DJ Spooky, John Zorn, Testament, and most recently creating the soulful duo Venamoris, with his wife Paula.


(Photo - Ekaterina Gorbacheva)


 

DEATH TO ALL (DTA) — which features former members of DEATH celebrating the life and music of Chuck Schuldiner — played the fifth show of its North American tour last night (Tuesday, March 7) at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, California. Video of the concert — courtesy of the Iron SerbianYouTube channel — can be seen below.

The current lineup of DEATH TO ALL includes Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT, DARK ANGEL, DETHKLOK, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD),Steve DiGiorgio (TESTAMENT, CONTROL DENIED, SADUS) on bass and Bobby Koelble on guitar. Max Phelps (CYNIC),who has been touring with DEATH TO ALL, is once again handling the vocal and second-guitar duties.

As part of Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series, Hoglan discussed his time in DEATH, with whom he played from 1993 to 1995. Speaking about DEATH's mastermind Chuck Schuldiner, Gene said: "Chuck was, at heart, a very… He was a very peaceful person. He loved animals. He loved gardening. [He was] not a big fan of people or the music industry, but he liked his friends; he liked his animals. That was Chuck. As well as being one of the godfathers of death metal. He was a great chef as well. There you go. He was a great cook. Boy, he cooked us up a bunch of amazing stuff when we spent those few years together. So that was pretty cool. His legacy will always live on.

"Myself and [fellow former DEATH members] Bobby Koelble and Steve DiGiorgio, we have [the tribute band] DEATH TO ALL going, and we start a DEATH TO ALL run starting next week here in the States. So, there you go there. And it's always a super blast to play Chuck's material and make it sound cool."

Hoglan previously reflected on his time with DEATH in a 2019 interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the "Scars And Guitars" podcast. At the time, the drummer said: "Chuck was very open-minded, and he was into having his musicians that were playing with him just reach out for the best stuff that they had. Every time I'd come up with some crazy beat, he'd be like, ' I'm good. I can play my riffs over your beats, so if that's the one you want, go with it. Go sick; go nuts. I'm good over here, so you keep doing your thing.' In that regard, Chuck was always a real pleasure to work with in that way. You had no handcuffing whatsoever — and it was pretty apparent [that] nobody handcuffed me on the drums. I played everything on 'Symbolic'. There definitely is some overplaying, [but] he never said, 'Hey, don't play that,' or, 'That's not working.' The only time I remember anything like that happening was two different times. One was in the 'Individual Thought Patterns' sessions, and that's where [producer] Scott Burns, while I was tracking 'Jealousy', I remember Scott saying, 'Hey, man. I'm not feeling that beat. Maybe can you simplify it?' I was like, 'Yeah, no problem.' Then on 'Symbolic', [producer] Jim Morris had pretty much said the same thing — like, 'I'm not sure about that one.' What was funny was, on the beat that Jim Morris said 'That's not happening,' it was a beat I robbed from Sean Reinert. It was something off of 'Human'... as for Chuck, he was always real gracious, like, 'Yeah, man. Do your thing. It's going to be great.

"Chuck was a pretty complex guy," Hoglan continued. "Some days, certain things would affect him that might not affect you or I... Chuck did not have a lot of trust for the music industry. I understand that — I get that, totally... He was generally real cool to work with, and we had a good time up until he had to make the moves that he had to make in order to keep himself sane. When he had to put DEATH aside after the 'Symbolic' album, he broke DEATH up, and he had to move forward. The best way for Chuck to move forward was the statement that was CONTROL DENIED."

Hoglan also discussed how 1995's "Symbolic" was initially received. "The hardcore death metal fan, the attitude was very pervasive throughout the scene — 'What the fuck happened to DEATH?' Chuck did not care, and I appreciate that absolutely," Hoglan said. "That's the way I am. I play music for me. If you guys enjoy it, that's a bonus, but it's not going to make me stop playing music if nobody cares and I'm the only one who does. I'm still going to play music, and that's kind of the way Chuck was. He was a very brave person. He could have just gone the safe route and put out another 'Scream Bloody Gore' or 'Leprosy'. He had to go with how he was feeling. Any true musician can appreciate that, absolutely."

Hoglan joined DEATH in 1993. He replaced Sean Reinert, who — along with guitarist Paul Masvidal — quit the band to focus on CYNIC. He appears on the group's albums "Individual Thought Patterns" and "Symbolic".

In a 2014 interview with Metal Rules, DiGiorgio was asked what DEATH TO ALL means to him. He responded: "Our formulated answer is that it is a tribute memorializing the memory of Chuck. To me, it means getting back with buddies. And you've seen their lineup change a little bit here, we had Paul [Masvidal] and Sean [Reinert] from CYNIC. We had Shannon Hamm in for a while. And now Gene and Bobby. I've jammed with all these guys over the years. They're pretty much some of the best musicians in the world. At least in my opinion."

He continued: "We did those albums back in the day, and when our cycle was over, and when whoever lasted however long, we went our own ways. Now we're back together again and it's cool, from my point of view, to do music with some of the best, amazing musicians/guys in the world. It's awesome. And we have a lot of fun every night, man, because we all realize that not only did we make a statement 20-something years ago, but here we are 20-something years later in our mid-40s playing that stuff as we did as young men. It's kind of, like, yay us. Because we are only just a few years off of 50 and we're playing this music we did just turning the corner into 20 and we're doing it pretty good. And that's not a brag. The reason is we push each other. Somebody falls a little bit behind and this guy's right behind him. You don't want to let your guard down, because everybody's really good at what they do. And that's what it means to me, man. It means to carry on what we did back then with no idea where we'd be in the future, and here we are doing it with conviction."

Schuldiner died on December 13, 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.

In recent years, DEATH's storied catalog has undergone a meticulous reissue campaign via Relapse Records.

Relapse released the first-ever fully authorized DEATH tab book, featuring 21 classic songs tabbed out for guitar from the band's entire discography. The book, which includes traditional notation as well as tablature, also comes with a digital download of all tracks.

In a 2011 interview with Bass Musician magazine, DiGiorgio stated about working with Schuldiner: "Sometimes people make good music together, and sometimes they vibe like yin and fucking yang. Chuck is credited with a lot of things in the music world (metal world, of course),but one thing a lot of people don't know much about is how aware he was. What I mean is that he was a good listener. If I thought of a wacky bassline to something he was writing, before I could even try to explain why it came to me, he was already ahead of it and looking for something on the next part. He had a good sense of when to hold me back and when to push me. It was great to have someone, especially the 'main man' of the band not only appreciate what I contributed but also help me find my inner demon to conjure even sicker and more abstract things to play. There really was some math going on in that roiling storm sometimes."

Women Rock - a project devised by journalist and YouTuber Belgian Jasper, returns to celebrate International Women's Day 2023. This year sees Alter Bridge's "Rise Today" performed by women artists from around the world.


"I'm so excited and proud to collaborate one more time with so many talented artists and spread to the world how much women can rock!" – Marianne “Ma Die” Dien (Faith In Agony, Avaland, ex-Nightmare)


The project celebrates women in metal and aims to inspire men and women of all ages and backgrounds by discussing issues, sharing advice, and celebrating experiences. This release follows the success of last year’s cover of Dio's "We Rock", which was viewed over 23,000 times!




Metal performers:


Marianne “Ma Die” Dien (Faith In Agony, Avaland, ex-Nightmare - France)
Lisa Mann (Splintered Throne, White Crone, Solo Artist - USA)
Yael Horwitz (Stormbound - Israel)
Julia “Vilivant” Gentile (Solo Artist - Canada)
Carlee Jackson (Crossed Hearts – USA)

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford joined country legend Dolly Parton on stage last November at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony to perform her classic song "Jolene". Also appearing with them as part of a "super jam" performance were some of the other Rock Hall inductees, including Pat Benatar, Annie Lennox and DURAN DURAN's Simon Le Bon.

Speaking to Dawn Osborne of TotalRock about what it was like to briefly share the microphone with Dolly, Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "She was great. This thing about 'don't meet your heroes' — she is the epitome of just being so beautiful and pure. Everything you know about that woman, she's like that 24-7. I don't think she ever takes her wig off. She's incredible; she's absolutely incredible. And I had no idea. They said, 'Would you like to be on the stage with Simon Le Bon [DURAN DURAN] and Pat Benatar and Annie Lennox and Pink and Sheryl Crow and the ZAC BROWN BAND. And I go, 'Yeah, I wanna be on that.' When they go, 'Would you like to sing some of the song with Dolly?' I'm, like, 'Let me sit down for a minute.'

"So, we did that, and I was over the top, 'cause I was all over like a rash — I was like a total fanboy," Rob continued. "I thought, 'Oh, God. I've blown it here now.' After the show, her manager came up to me, Danny [Nozell], and he goes, 'She's doing a project, like a rock album. Would you be interested?' I said, 'Yeah. Here's my number.' And then, out of the blue, like four weeks later, and suddenly [there's] ideas for some more work.

"So, all these magical things happened. But she's Dolly. And she's so beautiful. She's this beacon of light. And when you think about all the thousands of songs that she's sung and the people that she's met and worked with. She's an absolute national treasure in the U.S.A., and around the world. I know Brits love her. [She played at] Glastonbury [festival]. She thought, 'Glastonbury. Nobody knows who I am.' Everybody was singing along with Dolly. Everybody knew every single word that she did, of the songs that she's made. So that was just a joy.

"You know, you go through life when you're doing all these things, and you're having a blast, and then out of the blue, here's me and there's Dolly. I look at it and I go, 'Was that real? Did it really happen?' It's a joy," Rob added. "It's the blessings that can happen to you with music. The doors are always opening — 'Try this. Try that.'

"Even though I'll always be a metalhead till the day I day, I've always felt that you should explore anything that comes your way. Don't just say 'no', 'cause you don't know what you've lost. So that was just a real thrill. And to see the picture — there's one very great picture of me and her that went viral, 'cause it just seemed so odd. Not odd in a funny way. What it did was it reinforced this thing about, it doesn't matter what kind of music you're into, what kind of style of music you play or you love or whatever, we're all connected. So you get Dolly and Simon and Pink and me, we're having a chinwag, and it's like we're best mates. We probably met each other for the first time in our lives, but the music is the common denominator.

"When you get a chance to meet all these incredible people and you're chit-chatting, like Simon Le Bon and Dolly and Pink and me and a bunch of other people, even though we're from different dimensions of music, there's a common denominator because that's what we live for; that's what we make," Halford said. "Music is music is music. So I've never lost that plot in the value of the friendship that music can build, no matter where you are from that world. It all connects."

Halford previously talked about his performance with Dolly in an interview withSiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard host Mark Strigl. He said: "I did the gay hustle and [thought], 'I've gotta get close to Dolly.' [Laughs] I may have overstepped my mark, but I was just gushing; I was a fanboy. I was kind of cringey at the end.

"I still haven't seen it — I still haven't seen it — but people say it was great, and that's all that matters.

"To be so close to her and to feel the love that this lady has — she's just this walking beacon of love and happiness and joy that she spreads," Halford continued. "And the talent that she has; when you think about the thousands and thousands of songs that she's written. And her story… There's a great Netflix documentary called 'Here I Am', and I watched that the other night. And where she came from and how she persevered, and she went through a moment where she really didn't know if things were gonna be able to continue, just through the way that rock and roll works, and she did. She's the epitome of staying the course and believing in yourself and believing the people around you and getting through these difficulties and challenges and rising above them and becoming a success all over again. She was always a success, but in the way that she can kind of fade in and out of things in rock and roll. She stuck to it. And wow. She's roaring right now. She's got this new rock album coming out, which we're all thrilled to know about.

"So, yeah, for me to have that opportunity just to sing a couple of those famous lines from 'Jolene'… It was a lot of stuff, you know," Rob added. "When you think about her and you think about me and where we are in our lives and the generations that we're from and the people that we kind of represent, if that's the right way to use it. It was just really very, very special. So, that moment, and all the other things that were flying around the room made for probably what they're saying is one of the most memorable and remarkable Rock And Roll Hall Of Fames that have happened thus far."

In an interview with San Antonio Current, Rob said about sharing the stage with Dolly: "I knew that there was going to be an opportunity a few weeks before the event. Again, it was just kind of floating around that she was going to do this song at the end of the show and bring all of her friends onstage with her. And I didn't realize that we were going to be so connected. I sang one chorus with Dolly Parton and the world's gone nuts. And I can appreciate that now. I didn't understand it at first. And now these days have gone by, and people are going, 'Where's the album with Dolly and The Metal God?'

"I'll tell you something about her: she's been here forever, a bit like Her Majesty the Queen, who left us recently. What I mean by that is when Dolly walks into the room, you feel this regal presence. She's just got this aura about her personality. She's a genuinely beautiful light of love and caring and philanthropy and humanity. It's all real, man. It's all very real. There are some people who are very different on and off stage. Well, no, not with Dolly. That's Dolly's thing. So, for me to have that opportunity, I was just blessed and honored and thrilled. I know her work because I've lived as long as Dolly, and I was aware of Dolly as a young person growing up and seeing her on British television. She'd come over and do these British variety shows. And here I am, this kid from a public housing estate in the West Midlands in England, and I'm standing next to Dolly fucking Parton, who is now a rock chick."

Back in February 2022, when PRIEST's third nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was announced, Halford told Billboard that, "I must do a duet with Dolly Parton! … If Lionel [Richie] and PRIEST get in, I think we'll both be dancing on the ceiling together."

Halford had previously revealed he is a huge fan of Dolly, and had planned to take a photo with her at the ceremony.

"I'm going to force her to, even if she doesn't know who I am," he told Metal Crypt last June. "I'm going to see what table she is sitting at. I'm just going to run to the table and do the devil's horns thing. Tongue out, horns up, behind Dolly Parton's head. It's the only way to do it. I can't smile sweetly. I've got to stick my tongue out and my horns up."

Halford told Rolling Stone earlier last year that he had no issues with Dolly being inducted into the Rock Hall.

"If you look at everyone in the Hall, it makes perfect sense to have Dolly Parton in there," he said. "I think it's just this 'rock and roll' thing. Should it be called the Music Hall Of Fame? I don't know. It started out with rock and roll, and roll and roll is everything and anything. It's just a phraseology."

Rob also talked about the possibility of sharing the stage with Dolly at the end of the night, saying: "I was onstage last weekend with Larry The Cable Guy! [Laughs] It was at Alice Cooper's blast for his great institution the Solid Rock Foundation. If I could stand alongside my buddy Larry and sing 'roll, baby, roll' [from THE DOORS' 'Roadhouse Blues'], I can certainly stand next to Dolly Parton on my left and Lionel Richie on my right."

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Parton, DURAN DURAN, Richie, Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members that got inducted include current members Halford, Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, Binks and late drummer Dave Holland.

Earlier in the evening, Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and current guitarist Richie Faulkner for three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

“Orthodox Weapons” is the decimating new song from Portland, Oregon black metal duo Spirit Possession, the latest harbinger from their impending second album Of The Sign…, nearing release through Profound Lore Records.


Spirit Possession unites S. Peacock (Ulthar, Pandiscordian Necrogenesis, Mastery) on strings and vocals, and A. Spungin (Vouna, Ormus, Taurus) on drums and handmade synthesizers. Having spent three years sharpening orthodox weapons, the band now presents Of The Sign…, offering six schizophrenic, spiraling, deranged hymns of black heavy metal from a lost time. While the eponymous debut full-length was a raw and blistering torrent draped in first-wave blood, Of The Sign… seems to be thoroughly drenched in its epic, strange and primitive ways. A violent cacophony of insanity laden cavern vocals, labyrinthian guitar trilling, scalding drum brutality, and analog harsh-noise eruptions; these are sinister yet adventurous black/heavy/death abominations from a forgotten age. Erratic musical madness with improbable entrances, and impossible exits.


Recorded in the depths of the S•P Dungeon and mixed by Colin Marston at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves (Artificial Brain, Krallice, Imperial Triumphant), Of The Sign… is completed with cover art by Luciana Lupe Vasconcelos.




Profound Lore will release Of The Sign… on CD, CS, LP, and digital platforms on March 31. Preorder here.





Tracklisting:


“Orthodox Weapons”
“Second Possession”
“Of The Sign…”
“Inhale The Hovering Keys”
“The Hex”
“Practitioners Of Power”
“Hierarchical Skin”
“Enter The Golden Sign”
“The Altar”


“Orthodox Weapons”:





(Photo – Isaac Bushkin)

Back in 1986, Ozzy Osbourne embarked on "The Ultimate Sin" tour, with METALLICA in tow as the opening act. After supporting Ozzy for six months, METALLICA began a headlining tour in September of that year, but the trek was cut short due to the tragic death of METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton (the tour resumed in November 1986 after Jason Newsted joined the band).

During a new appearance on the "Scars And Guitars" podcast, bassist Phil Soussan, who was a member of Ozzy's band during "The Ultimate Sin" tour, reflected on the experience of sharing the stage with METALLICA. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was familiar with [METALLICA], being a Brit, because they broke in Britain a long time before they broke in America, and so they were frequently in England. And at the time, I'll be honest with you, I was, like, 'Wow. This is kind of very out of left field'; it's very extreme compared to the sort of stuff that was mainstream. But it was cool. My friend, actually, a guy I grew up with in England, was Cliff's roadie; he was his tech. And we actually did a radio show together. Anyway, so later on there we are in the States.

"Ozzy had a reputation at the time that if you could open on an Ozzy tour, that was pretty much a guaranteed slam-dunk success move — whether it was going to be MÖTLEY CRÜE, whether it was going to be… And in this case, it was METALLICA," he continued. "And we just saw them explode. But we definitely had different audiences. If you went out there during the METALLICA show, then you'd see all these denim jackets in the front few rows. And then, all of a sudden, they stopped playing and the whole crew goes out on stage and they start changing all the gear around. And correspondingly, the audience, the entire first three rows would change to completely different-looking people. And it was, like, girls. I mean, it was undeniable what was going on."

METALLICA toured as an opening act for Ozzy while supporting its breakthrough album, "Master Of Puppets".

Back in 2008, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich stated about Osbourne: "In 1986, Ozzy gave us our first break by taking us out on tour here in America, so whenever we get the call to play or hang together, of course, our response is, 'Fuck yeah! Just tell us when and where, and we'll be there."

During a recent interview with Gibson's "Icons", METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett said that touring with Ozzy nearly four decades ago was "huge," especially for Burton, who was also a huge SABBATH fan. "It really, really meant a lot — I think more to [Cliff] than anyone else," Kirk said. "And all he could talk about the entire time was BLACK SABBATH. During soundcheck, he was always playing SABBATH riffs in the hopes that he'd get Ozzy's attention. And I remember one time — what were we playing? Maybe [BLACK SABBATH's] 'Hole In The Sky' or maybe 'Symptom Of The Universe' or something during soundcheck. And all of a sudden, out in front of the stage there's Ozzy with a big ole smile, going, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah!' And oh my god, it was amazing for us to be acknowledged by Ozzy during that soundcheck. And I remember looking over at Cliff, and Cliff just had the biggest smile. Whenever he's happy, he'd do the slow-motion walk. But whenever he could, he'd always mention BLACK SABBATH to Ozzy and he would always try to get Ozzy to talk about SABBATH. And Ozzy was always happy to talk about the SABBATH. And so Cliff and Ozzy, they had quite a few conversations."

Kirk also recalled how he and the rest of METALLICA were told by Ozzy's wife and manager, Sharon, that at no point were they to drink around him. "'Can't drink. If you're gonna drink, pour in a solo cup, but don't give them any booze, don't be seen drinking around him.' Just like none of that," Hammett said. "We're like, 'Fine, Sharon.' So both buses stopped at a truck stop, and everyone on our bus gets off except for Cliff, and everyone on Ozzy's bus gets off except for Ozzy. Ozzy gets off his bus, and walks over to our buss, and goes onto our bus, and sees Cliff, and the first thing he says to Cliff is, 'Got any beer?' And Cliff is like, 'Yes, right there, help yourself.' And so after about 20 minutes, all of us go on, and there's Ozzy on our bus, and he's drinking. Now we're like, 'Holy shit! What are we gonna do?' We did not know what to do. We were whispering: 'He's drinking! What are we gonna do?' And we had no idea what we were gonna do. I remember at one point, our tour manager went off the bus, went on to Ozzy's bus, grabbed their tour manager, and said, 'We're in a real situation here. Got to get Ozzy off our bus!' After about 10 minutes, their tour manager came on and said, 'Oz, we're about to leave!' And Oz was like, 'Oh... But I want to ride with them.' And the manager going, 'Ozzy, we need to ride, we need to be together.' And Ozzy left. And it was a bit of a situation because we thought that the whole thing that just went down might have gotten us kicked off the tour. And there are actually a couple of situations where we thought we were going to get kicked off the tour, but we weren't."