As part of Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series, former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera was asked to name his top three thrash metal albums of all time. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I went a little bit old school. The first one is from Canada, SACRIFICE 'Forward To Termination'. Amazing record. I played it so much when I was a teenager in Brazil. Also NUCLEAR ASSAULT 'Survive'. Danny Lilker, the man. Yes! Danny on the bass. NUCLEAR ASSAULT was amazing. They played with us in Brazil. It was great. The singer, John Connelly, had to borrow my guitar, and he played, and it was full of blood. And he gave it back to me. And the whole guitar was full of blood. But I loved the show. And it was cool to have his blood on my guitar. And the last one is DARK ANGEL with 'Darkness Descends'. It's the perfect death/thrash record, but it's more on the thrash side of things. Very, very amazing drums from Gene Hoglan. And I love DARK ANGEL; I love the power and the brutality of the riffs."

Max added: "Those are three inspirational thrash records that helped shape all my stuff I did from that era."

Back in 2014, Cavalera told Tone Deaf that SLAYER's "Reign In Blood" is an album that he "must have on a tour… Yeah, I gotta have 'Reign In Blood', man," he said. "It's still, to this day, a beautiful, great piece of work. It's quick, you know? Under 30 minutes. But the way those songs are put together with the punk influence, the hardcore influence on top of thrash, it was brilliant. I really love that."

SEPULTURA was founded in 1983 by the brothers Max and Igor Cavalera with Wagner Lamounier and Jairo Guedes Braga (known professionally as Jairo Guedz). Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. joined just a few short months later and in 1987, with the departure of Jairo and addition of guitarist Andreas Kisser, the solid lineup of SEPULTURA was final. The band quickly became an influential force in heavy metal music thanks to its dynamic studio recordings and intense live performances.

Although SEPULTURA has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout the band's four-decade history, "Roots" and "Chaos A.D." were by far SEPULTURA's most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales in excess of five hundred thousand copies.

In a new interview with the WHMH FM Rockin' 101 radio station, former RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer Joe Lynn Turner was asked about his experience working with the notoriously moody guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, man, I've got nothing but good things [to say]. There's always negativity in bands, but I respect Ritchie, and he's very brilliant at what he does. And, yeah, he can be difficult, but other than that, anybody who knows what they want and what they're doing is difficult, because he's kind of a perfectionist. And being a perfectionist myself, we kind of got along on that. And we came out with such great songs together and pushed RAINBOW into a different area, really, on the Billboard charts and so on. And we just had a blast doing it. So I have fond memories of him, difficult or not."

Last September, Turner slammed Blackmore for the guitarist's decision to go out and perform classic DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW material with a new group of musicians instead of reforming RAINBOW with a more "authentic" lineup. At the time, Turner — who fronted RAINBOW from 1980 until 1984 and was a member of PURPLE from 1989 until 1992 — said that he had been in talks with Blackmore for at least a year about a renewed collaboration before he found out from a French newspaper that Ritchie was returning to rock music but excluding Joe from the project.

Blackmore stepped away from his Renaissance-inspired brand of music with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT for the first time in 2016 to perform a handful of shows with a brand-new lineup of the band he had formed after quitting DEEP PURPLE.

The current incarnation of RAINBOW includes singer Ronnie Romero, originally from Chile but now settled in Romania after living in Madrid, Spain for a number of years, as well as STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith, bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT),and backing singers Candice Night and Lady Lynn.

Joe sang on the RAINBOW album "Difficult To Cure", which featured the band's most successful U.K. single, "I Surrender".

During Turner's time with RAINBOW, the band had its first USA chart success and recorded songs that helped define the melodic rock genre.

Photo credit: Agata Nigrovskaya

According to Deadline, METALLICA's James Hetfield has a role in the upcoming dark western thriller "The Thicket", based on Joe R. Lansdale's novel of the same name. Production on the film, starring and produced by "Game Of Thrones" alum Peter Dinklage, is underway in Calgary, Canada.

Dinklage will play Shorty, a bounty hunter enlisted to find a woman who has been kidnapped by a violent killer. The movie, which is set at the turn of the 20th century, follows Shorty and his fellow trackers as they travel into a violent and chaotic place known as the Big Thicket.

"The Thicket" also stars Juliette Lewis ("Yellowjackets"),Esmé Creed-Miles ("Hanna"),Levon Hawke ("The Crowded Room"),Leslie Grace ("In The Heights"),Gbenga Akinnagbe ("The Old Man"),Macon Blair ("I Care A Lot"),Ned Dennehy ("Peaky Blinders"),Andrew Schulz ("Infamous") and Arliss Howard ("Mank").

Back in 2019, Hetfield had a part in the Netflix thriller "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile". That film followed the relationship between notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, played by Zac Efron, and his longtime girlfriend, played by Lily Collins, who at the time had no knowledge of the crimes. Hetfield played officer Bob Hayward, a no-nonsense Utah highway patrol veteran who was the first law enforcement officer to arrest Bundy in 1975 after pulling the killer over and discovering burglary tools in his car but wisely suspecting much worse. While Hetfield had played himself in other films and television productions, this was his first dramatic role taking on a different character.

Four years ago, Efron praised the METALLICA guitarist/vocalist's acting chops during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", saying: "James Hetfield, to his credit, and absolutely nailed the part, he just crushed it. It's like he’s been acting his own life. He had no fear. He did a great job. I was ready to maybe give James Hetfield [an acting] tip, but he didn't ask for a single one. James Hetfield is the shit!"

During an appearance on yesterday's episode of SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show", KISS frontman Paul Stanley once again expressed his dissatisfaction over the fact that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame did not induct current KISS members Eric Singer (drums) and Tommy Thayer (guitar) along with the original lineup when the band was welcomed into the institution back in 2014.

"The hypocrisy is that we're not a band they like," Paul said. "They purposely kept us out for 15 years. And other bands that they embrace, they induct people's moms and songwriters and all these people. And with us, it truly was unfair."

Asked by host Howard Stern why KISS didn't perform at the Rock Hall induction, Stanley said: "Because we had too much pride in this lineup, which is KISS, and has been KISS for 20 years. It's not newcomers. This is the band. We'll be back in the stadiums of South America next month. We were there five months ago. We were in Japan. This is the band that has carried the flag and taken it, really, to another level. This is the band I always dreamed it would be, and for us to go onstage… They were demanding, quite honestly, that we play with the two original guys, Peter [Criss] and Ace [Frehley], and at this point, that would be demeaning to the band, and also would give some people confusion. 'Cause if you saw people on stage who looked like KISS but sounded like that, maybe we should be called PISS."

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons concurred, saying: "We've been all over the world, through decades, with this present lineup. It bears noting I've never seen a single banner or sign that mentions any other lineup. When Tommy takes a solo, 'Tommy! Tommy!' That's me backstage going, 'Tommy!' When Eric takes a solo, 'Eric! Eric!' They're pumping their fists. It's legitimate. Nobody is in KISS and doing it by the numbers."

A few days after KISS was inducted into the Rock Hall, Stanley slammed Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame co-founder and Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner as a "spineless weasel," claiming that the guitarist/vocalist and the rest of the band were treated like "uninvited guests" the induction ceremony.

"Our treatment at the [Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame] confirmed my worst suspicions," Stanley fumed via Twitter. "Wenner and the rest are spineless weasels." He went on to say that the people behind the Rock Hall gave the members of KISS "no passes" or "schedule" for the evening, but didn't elaborate on what exactly he was referring to. He concluded: "We were great and [Wenner] remains a small man."

Simmons also took a couple of shots at Rolling Stone on Twitter, mocking the magazine's original critical review of LED ZEPPELIN's first album, writing "Rolling Stone. Idiots then. Idiots now." He then posted a link to a video from the early 1970s band CHRISTOPHER MILK, which featured John Mendelsohn, the writer who penned the negative reviews that appeared in Rolling Stone of each of the first two LED ZEPPELIN LPs.

Stanley ended his Hall Of Fame speech at the ceremony by calling the evening "vindication" for the fans. He also took a dig at the Hall Of Fame by saying, "The people, I believe, are speaking to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and what they're saying is, 'We want more.' They deserve more. They want to be a part of the induction. They want to be a part of the nomination. They don't want to be spoon-fed by a handful of people. Choices. The people pay for tickets. The people buy albums. The people who nominate do not. Let's not forget that these are the people that make it all possible. We just benefit from it."

In March 2014, just weeks before KISS's Rock Hall induction, Stanley told the Associated Press that he didn't think the organization was being fair and that the Rock Hall had altered its rules for other acts.

"We have continuing issues with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, starting with the fact that they chose to only induct the original lineup when that's hardly the case with other bands," he said. "In THE GRATEFUL DEAD's case, [they) also inducted a writer who never played an instrument. Or they've inducted rap artists, or they've inducted people who have been in the band for seven years as opposed to ... 25 years or 20 years — whatever their criteria of this week is."

Paul also addressed KISS's unwillingness to perform with the original lineup at the ceremony, saying: "[Rock Hall's] craving of nostalgia or for wanting to have us play by their rules in many ways jeopardizes what we have spent 40 years building. I've been there since the beginning, and when I put on my KISS gear, I do it with great pride, and anything that may jeopardize that by going out with a lineup that I might question is a nonstarter for me."

KISS used "The Howard Stern Show" appearance to announce the final shows of its last tour — two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden in New York at the end of 2023.

The last leg of KISS's 19-date North American tour will kick off in October in Texas and culminate in the MSG concerts on December 1 and December 2.

Tickets will be available starting Monday, March 6, with a KISS Army presale at 10 a.m. local time. Additional presales will be available throughout the week before the general on sale starting on Friday, March 10 at 10 a.m. local time at livenation.com.
.@PaulStanleyLive explains why @KISS didn’t perform when the band was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/aUOJdQPT0a

— Stern Show (@sternshow) March 2, 2023

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, Mikkey Dee, who played drums for KING DIAMOND from 1985 until 1989, was asked if he is still in contact with the band's singer and namesake and if there has been any talk about them collaborating again, either in the studio or on the road. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, [King and I] talk once in a while. He came and saw us [when I played] with SCORPIONS in Dallas, where he lives. He could not come this last tour we did, unfortunately. They were busy, him and his wife… so he missed that show. But King is a big SCORPIONS fan, and we talk. And I talk to Andy LaRocque [KING DIAMOND guitarist] and Hal [Patino, former KING DIAMOND bassist], especially Andy; we live not far from each other. So we talk. And I say what I've been saying: if they ever wanna have me behind the drum kit for something, I'm totally there for that. That'd be great fun for me. But I also, with that said, know exactly where King's coming from. He's been playing with [current KING DIAMOND drummer] Matt Thompson for so long — a great drummer, a great guy — and [it would] not [be] fair to him or to the rest of the band maybe."

The Swedish-born drummer, who also played with MOTÖRHEAD from 1991 until the band's dissolution in December 2015, continued: "We [in MOTÖRHEAD] went through kind of the same thing with some people that kept talking about [a reunion with former MOTÖRHEAD members] 'Fast' Eddie Clark and [Phil] 'Philthy Animal' Taylor. And [MOTÖRHEAD leader] Lemmy said, 'Never, ever, ever will I play with these guys again. They are friends, and we talk, but I'm playing with the best band I ever played with in my entire life and we're doing better than ever.' So he didn't wanna hear about it. So I see where King's coming from. It would be unfair to a loyal guy like Matt, but I said if they had an interest [in] doing something, I'm here, if I've got the time. I still play drums, and I feel that I play better than ever."

Dee played on the classic KING DIAMOND albums "Fatal Portrait", "Abigail" and "Them" until he left in 1988 to join Don Dokken. He returned a year later as a session player on KING DIAMOND's "Conspiracy".

Thompson has been in KING DIAMOND since 2000.

A little over two years ago, Dee told Cassius Morris of "The Cassius Morris Show" that he would like to take part in a reunion tour featuring the surviving members of KING DIAMOND's original lineup. "Unfortunately, [original KING DIAMOND bassist] Timi Hansen is dead, but you could have Andy, Michael Denner [guitar], you could have Hal Patino, Pete Blakk [guitar], myself, just for a tour, and only play the stuff that we did — from 'Fatal Portrait' to 'Conspiracy'," he said. "That could have been a really fun and successful tour."

Dee, who has been a member of SCORPIONS since 2016, went on to say that it's "totally up to" KING DIAMOND's namesake frontman and leader as to whether such a tour will ever take place. "Because he [also] does MERCYFUL FATE [on the side]," Mikkey said. "I don't see why not. If I'm off [and not doing anything] with SCORPIONS, then I could easily have done that. That would have been so much fun, I think, because we were a great bunch of guys. And I still talk to Andy and Pete and Hal and King as well."

Mikkey previously reflected on his time with KING DIAMOND in a 2017 interview with "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show". He stated at the time: "We started as a bunch of kids, really, and we created something. To tell you the truth, we really didn't know what we did. Well, we knew what we did, but [we weren't aware of the fact] that we created a style. But we had so much fun, and [we were] a bunch of friends touring. It all came to an end, where I didn't feel very happy in the band anymore. We were going in a little bit different direction than I thought that we'd been working ourselves up to. And me as a drummer, I like to play everything. I play big band jazz, fusion, pop, blues, rock, heavy metal, speed metal… So, to me, it was a natural move. I wanted to play some more straight-ahead rock and roll, and I felt a little stressed in KING DIAMOND in the end, maybe."

Asked how he felt about the Satanic overtones of the KING DIAMOND lyrics and image, Mikkey said: "It wasn't that bad at all. King believes in the occult — more Stephen King kind of stuff. And for the rest of the four of us, we were not so much into that. But it was great music, great camaraderie, great lyrics — great. Then King's personal belief was his deal. Just like I never got into Lemmy's personal vision. If you're a band, you're four or five or three people — whatever you are. Everybody has their own vision and their own belief in how life is or wherever you're gonna go. And the trick is to get that to work together without people getting angry or disagreeing. And luckily, with KING DIAMOND, we had great teamwork."

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has blasted Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene after she claimed she was attacked in a restaurant Monday night "by an insane" woman and "screamed at by her adult son."

Greene, a Republican who represents northwest Georgia's 14th congressional district, first mentioned the alleged attack in a tweet late Monday night.

"I was attacked in a restaurant tonight by an insane women [sic] and screamed at by her adult son," she wrote. "They had no respect for the restaurant or the staff or the other people dining or people like me who simply have different political views. They are self righteous, insane, and completely out of control.

"I was sitting at my table, working with my staff, and never even noticed these people until they turned into demons.

"People used to respect others even if they had different views. But not anymore.

"Our country is gone."

In response, David Hogg, a survivor of the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida in 2018, wrote about an incident in which he was confronted by Greene. "Hate when that happens. I was attacked and screamed at in 2018 by an insane woman named Marjorie Taylor Greene. She had no respect for the privacy of me as an 18 year old school shooting survivor or my staff. She was self righteous, insane, and completely out of control," Hogg wrote.

Greene's tweet came weeks after she interrupted President Joe Biden's "State Of The Union" address.

"You lie! You lie! Liar," Greene shouted at Biden after he said Republicans want to cut Medicare and Social Security.

On Tuesday (February 28),Stanley shared Greene's tweet and wrote: "FRIGHTENING anyone buys into this drivel from someone whose tactics include repeatedly accosting, belittling & harassing so many who don't share her views. Ban books?? Divide the country up?? We are always better off being challenged by our freedom than by repression. Stand up."

A day later, Paul returned to Twitter to write: "Take a moment… The core of most of the divisiveness in this country is that NO NEWS SOURCE is reporting the news accurately & without a self serving agenda. Where can we find the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth?? Don't kid yourself. You & me are not getting it."

A spokesperson for Greene said the woman initially "introduced herself politely" and then began "berating" the congresswoman, while her son "started screaming expletives at the top of his lungs and came closer."

"I had to get in between him and the table because I had no clue what he'd do," the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson said that restaurant personnel demanded the woman and her son leave and "moved us to a more private table."

This is not the first time Stanley has been critical of the way the American media reports its stories. Last August, the KISS frontman, who is in the middle of the band's "End Of The Road" farewell trek, took to his Twitter to share the logos of several major cable news networks — specifically Fox News, CNN and MSNBC — and he included the following message: "WANT TO HAVE A MORE UNIFIED COUNTRY? Have a more unified news! Not poisonous bickering & slanted distortions on BOTH sides. How can we form educated points of view when we're not getting the unbiased truth? We don't need networks pushing opinions. We need ACCURACY. We need FACTS."

In January 2020, Paul wrote on Twitter: "The divisive and dangerous climate in America is in large part the result of 24 HOUR 'NEWS' CHANNELS WHICH ARE IN FACT SKEWED AND BIASED POLITICAL OUTLETS . Any point of view can be backed up with some sort of documentation and 'expert' analysis and that is the key problem. News?!? No. We are watching slick entertainment channels pushing their own agenda and a reality which then becomes yours."

In June 2019, Paul tweeted out the BBC News logo along with the following message: "If You're Ready For News With Far Less Of The Game Show Slickness And Bias Of Our 24 News Networks You Might Try One Of The BBC Outlets. Less Exciting? YES! But Filling 24 Hours Is An Unnecessary Challenge That Has Turned Outlets Into Biased Fast Food Providers."
FRIGHTENING anyone buys into this drivel from someone whose tactics include repeatedly accosting, belittling & harassing so many who don’t share her views. Ban books?? Divide the country up?? We are always better off being challenged by our freedom than by repression. Stand up. https://t.co/IO3ScFHb0q

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) February 28, 2023


Take a moment… The core of most of the divisiveness in this country is that NO NEWS SOURCE is reporting the news accurately & without a self serving agenda. Where can we find the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth?? Don’t kid yourself. You & me are not getting it.

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) March 1, 2023

BORN THROUGH FIRE, the band featuring Tim Lambesis (AS I LAY DYING) on vocals and Joey Alarcon (WOLVES AT THE GATES) on guitar, has inked a worldwide deal with Seek & Strike. The official music video for the group's new track "The Reckoning" can be seen below. "The Reckoning" is taken from BORN THROUGH FIRE's debut album, "Purify And Refine", which will arrive on April 7.

According to a press release, BORN THROUGH FIRE "deliver[s] a propulsive blend of aggression and dynamic hooks resulting in a modern heavy metal assault of epic proportions."

Lambesis states: "Before I started doing music full time again, I worked at a recovery center as a case manager and group therapy facilitator. It was incredibly formative and meaningful work to me.

"I started writing lyrics for 'The Reckoning' in regards to a friend of mine struggling with addiction, but shortly into writing I realized how much I relate to the way unhealthy coping methods and destructive behaviors can take hold. While the song isn't directly about my life, there isn't a single section of it that doesn't also apply to me at one point in my life.

"I'm hoping other people can relate to wanting to be free from harmful patterns. Moving forward often requires new environments, new interactions and addressing the root of what drives us subconsciously. This is also why I became part of the team that started the non-profit group Reintegration for people who need help coming out of whatever their version of rock bottom might be.

"The video for 'The Reckoning' fits the lyrical metaphor of struggling to breathe while performing. At times I'm literally holding my breath underwater, and there are plenty of moments where Joey is inhaling rain while trying to stay focused on crushing riffs. We chose this song as our first single because it encompasses both the riffs and rhythmic sides of our songwriting, while still having just enough melody to convey the emotion of the lyrics."

Alarcon adds: "We self-produced and mixed 'The Reckoning' from start to finish, spending months in the studio crafting our unique sound (heavy, aggressive) taking inspiration from classic metal bands, while also working to bring something new and unique to the table. We believe that 'The Reckoning' is the best song to announce the upcoming album. It perfectly represents our sound, style and the emotional themes that we explore throughout the album."

Lambesis continues: "Seek & Strike is the perfect partner for BORN THROUGH FIRE because we've seen them do incredible work with both established and developing artists. While many fans might know me or Joey from our other work, BORN THROUGH FIRE is just getting started. It's an exciting chapter for me musically because it represents writing music with my closest friend and delivering that to a label formed by someone I tremendously respect and consider a friend. The process is so far removed from music industry norms that can stifle passion to create, so I look toward the upcoming full-length with lots of excitement.

"Our new album covers a lot of ground ranging from rhythmically brutal tracks that groove, catchy sing-alongs and thrash parts to the closest thing to a ballad I've done over 15 years."

In 2013, Lambesis solicited murder by hiring a hitman to try to kill his now-ex-wife. The now-42-year-old singer was paroled in 2016 after serving two years of a six-year sentence, which followed his early 2014 guilty plea on a felony murder solicitation charge. He has since completed his parole requirements.

In June 2018, AS I LAY DYING played its first show with Lambesis in five years and released a new single. Lambesis also owned up to his crimes in a long apology on the band's Facebook page after his release.

The return of AS I LAY DYING raised some questions, particularly since the band's then-guitarist Nick Hipa categorically denounced the disgraced frontman as a "sociopathic narcissist in definite need of rehabilitation" in a social-media post back in 2014.

Last year, AS I LAY DYING completed its first U.S. and European tours with the band's new touring lineup, featuring Lambesis and longtime guitarist Phil Sgrosso alongside drummer Nick Pierce (ex-UNEARTH),bassist/vocalist Ryan Neff (MISS MAY I) and guitarist Ken Susi (UNEARTH).

David Lee Roth has shared a new solo version of the VAN HALEN classic "Unchained". The new recording, like the previously released "Everybody Wants Some!!", "You Really Got Me", "Dance The Night Away", "Panama" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", was laid down on May 3, 2022 during a session at Henson Recording Studio in Hollywood, California. Joining Roth in the studio were Al Estrada on guitar, Ryan Wheeler on bass and Francis Valentino on drums. A total of 14 songs were recorded in two hours. The music and the vocals were tracked live with "no samples" and without the pitch-correction technology Auto-Tune.

Roth's version of "Unchained" comes seven months after he shared a previously unheard solo recording from 2007, "Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway", in which he looked back nostalgically on his days in VAN HALEN. The latter song was recorded in 2007 with guitarist John 5 and drummer Gregg Bissonette for an album that never came out.

Back in 2020, Roth included five previously unreleased songs in The Roth Project, an online comic narrated by the legendary VAN HALEN singer, with music from John 5 on guitar and bass, Bissonette on drums, Brett Tuggle on keyboards, and Luis Conte on percussion. The tracks "Giddy-Up!", "Somewhere Over The Rainbow Bar And Grill", "Alligator Pants", "Lo-Rez Sunset" and "Manda Bala" were recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, California.

Four years ago, Roth was asked by Meltdown of the Detroit radio station WRIF if his LP with John 5 will be made available at some point. He responded: "It will. There's been a revision of things, and I can start making real plans and start marching into the future. And, of course, you'll start hearing that material. This is material that we wrote variously for me solo and for VAN HALEN, and it's quite a bank of stuff."

Roth, who was promoting his Las Vegas residency at the time, didn't offer a possible time frame for the release of the record, explaining that his priority was "getting out on the road first. Let's see the band, let's show ourselves off, let's travel all over the world."

Roth canceled a series of Las Vegas residency shows in January 2022 because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Three months earlier, he had announced in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was planning to retire after the residency.

In July 2022, Roth released a new solo song titled "Pointing At The Moon". The acoustic-based, Americana-flavored tune was accompanied by a new abstract painting from Roth.

Grab-you-by-the-collar Louisiana metal outfit Vermilion Whiskey has premiered their first single from their upcoming new album, Crimson & Stone, due out on May 26th, 2023.


The band has revealed a new single and lyric video for "Confidence". A heavy, rocking anthem that speaks for itself, Confidence is exactly that. Confident, determined vocals, driving percussion, with a steady dirty guitar drives this one home and is meant to be a message to inspire courage and strength in the face of adversity. 







The American south is steeped in rich musical tradition. In a time when metal is in a constant cycle of who can be the most brutal, we often forget where the tradition started and its signature sound. Leading the stripped bare and played loud is hard rocking stoner metal outfit Vermilion Whiskey. The Louisiana-based band is southern-fried hard rock at its finest. 


Hitting the studio hard in early 2022, the band is eager to return to playing live shows across their regional Gulf Coast stomping ground and beyond. Vermilion Whiskey recruited Tommy Buckley of Crowbar / Soilent Green to rehearse and record drum tracks, and also found current live drummer Wade Perkins, who was instrumental in helping to produce drum tracks alongside Tommy and Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording and Production in New Orleans, Louisiana.


This newest offering is a blend of classic Vermilion Whiskey southern hard rock, driving stoner riffage, dabs of dissonant overtones, and a heavy helping of pure Louisiana sludge. 





Tracklisting:


"Intro"    
"Down On You"    
"The Get Down"    
"Confidence"
"Good Lovin"    
"Interlude"
"Dissonance"
"Atrophy"
"Hollow"


"Atrophy" sizzle reel:





For further details, visit VermilionWhiskey.com.


 

Marty Friedman has hinted at another potential MEGADETH performance, just days after he joined his former band during a concert at Tokyo's prestigious Budokan arena. The guitarist came up on stage for three songs toward the end of the main set on Monday, February 27: "Countdown To Extinction", "Tornado Of Souls" and "Symphony Of Destruction".

Speaking to Guitar World, when asked if there were any imminent plans for another MEGADETH cameo, Marty teased: "We [MEGADETH and Friedman] are both playing at Wacken Open Air festival in Germany this summer, so you never know."

Friedman also revealed that the biggest challenge he faced during his Budokan appearance with MEGADETH was performing his guitar solos the same way fans remember from his original stint with the band.

"If there was any challenge at all, I guess it would be playing the solos the way the fans remember them, which is something I wanted to do," Friedman noted. "My playing has evolved so much since those songs came out, and there are so many nuances I would naturally do differently now. I had to resist the urge to play it like I would in 2023 and stick to the original way. For example, in a couple of those songs, I entered the solo on the downbeat, with the first note being the root of the chord. I would definitely avoid both of those things now, but apparently, I was fine with it back then."

A couple of days ago, Marty was asked by Consequence if he would be open to playing with MEGADETH again, either onstage or in the studio. "Yeah, man, the door's open," he said. "I think the door has always been open. It's really just a matter of doing something that has meaning to it. Meaning for them and meaning for me. So, Budokan is sort of a no-brainer. But if something were to come up that would be a good thing for them and a good thing for me, and add value to it, then I'm all for it. As far as I'm concerned, their band is just kicking so much ass right now, I can't imagine them needing me for anything. [Laughs] But Budokan was wonderful. There's other things in the future. My door's open and we're on great terms, and I love all the guys in the band. It's very casual."

This year's edition of Wacken Open Air is set to take place August 2-5, 2023.

Wacken Open Air takes place annually in the village of Wacken, which has a population of just about 2,000.

Up to 85,000 people attend the event, which is 33 years old.

The first Wacken Open Air event in 1990 drew less than 800 people, but it has since grown to become the biggest open-air festival of its kind.

Around 30 percent travel from other countries to the festival, which over recent years has been growing in popularity.

After almost 20 years since its original release, Never Ending, the mighty third album from German heavy metal institution Mystic Prophecy is finally available on limited edition vinyl. The album was originally released on October 25, 2004 via Nuclear Blast, and it was the third and ultimately the last album to feature future Ozzy Osbourne guitar hero, Gus G. On March 24, metal fans around the world can finally get their hands on this masterpiece in two different vinyl versions: 300 copies on Gold vinyl and 300 copies on Transparent Orange vinyl.


Pre-order and secure your copy here.







Tracklist


Side A:
"Burning Bridges"
"Time Will Tell"
"Under A Darkened Sun"
"Dust Of Evil"
"In Hell"
"Never Surrender"
 
Side B:
"Wings Of Eternity"
"When I'm Falling"
"Warriors Of Lies"
"Dead Moon Rising"
"Never Ending"





 


Mystic Prophecy will release their 12th studio album, Hellriot, on May 19 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records.


 


 


At least with their celebrated last masterpiece Metal Division and chart successes in several countries (including #20 in the official Top 100 German album charts), Mystic Prophecy belong to the spearhead of international heavy metal. They are one of the most successful acts of the genre on digital platforms and with several hundred thousand followers on Spotify. At their live shows they prove again and again that they understand heavy metal as a passionate ultimate fight. And with their new album, Hellriot, they pick up where they left off with Metal Divison: Powerful concise hooks with shout-along factor, hard-hitting and monstrous sound paired with technically brilliant riffs, all refined by a powerful modern production that is second to none and makes the band so popular and unique. In short: With Hellriot, Mystic Prophecy deliver brilliantly and make every heavy metal heart beating mercilessly faster.


 


 


Hellriot will be released on May 19 as jewel case CD, limited mediabook CD, various vinyl colors and picture discs and digital streaming / download format. Also released as a limited to 666 copies collector’s hardcover boxset that includes: the limited mediabook CD, velvet bag, all in one flatware/multitool, raincoat, and signed autograph.


 


 


Pre-order the album here.


 


 





 


 


Tracklisting:


 


 


"Hellriot"
"Unholy Hell"
"Demons Of The Night"
"Metal Attack"
"Paranoia"
"Revenge And Fire"
"Rising With The Storm"
"Road To Babylon"
"Azrael"
"Cross The Line"
"World On Fire"


 


 


- Produced by by R.D. Liapakis
- Mixed & Mastered by Henrik Udd
- Cover Artwork & Layout by Dusan Markovic
- Additional layout by Michael Gladigau


 


 


Mystic Prophecy lineup:


 


 


R.D. Liapakis - Vocals
Markus Pohl - Guitar
Evan K - Guitar
Joey Roxx - Bass
Hanno Kerstan – Drums


 


 


(Photo - Frank Kollbi)


 

Progressive symphonic metal visionaries Coldbound have released a new single and a cinematic visualiser video for the song "Skies Are Weeping”. After a long but necessary hiatus, the band comes back with a brand new single, while at the same time reinvents a new, more symphonic and epic sound approach while incorporating with the biggest production ever up to date in the history of the band.


Founder Pauli Souka states: "This is not just another song in the catalogue of Coldbound, but a sublime creative collective of many artistic souls that joined forces and melted into one in order to bring this idea into life. Every single element and detail has been carefully crafted in order to bring an unparalleled sonic experience to the audience.


A huge thank you to my beloved band fellows and all the session musicians and artists who are part of this work. Without you, this wouldn’t have happened."




The Band:
Pauli Souka - Guitar, Vocals
Meiju Enho - Keyboards, Choirs, Orchestrations
Samuli Federley - Guitar
Otto Schimmelpenninck - Bass
Samuel Ruotsalainen - Drums & Percussions


The Guests:
Lindsay Schoolcraft - Guest Lead Vocals
Sara Strömmer - Guest Vocals
Steve Stockton - Narration
Niko Salmi - Guest Solo
Sakari Kukko - Saxophone
Andras Miklosvari - Guest Keyboards & Piano

Fans of Evil Invaders have a reason to rejoice, as the band has released a new live video for their hit song, "In Deepest Black", taken from their latest album, Shattering Reflection. This addictive crusher is a perfect representation of the band's signature style, complete with dramatic, melodic guitar lines and a catchy chorus that is bound to stay stuck in the listener's head.


The new live video perfectly captures the electrifying energy of an Evil Invaders concert, featuring throwback metal vibes that are sure to get fans head banging and pumping their fists. With this latest release, Evil Invaders proves once again why they are one of the most exciting bands in the metal scene today. Check out the new live video for "In Deepest Black" today and get ready to rock with the band on their upcoming tour.


Joe (vocalist & guitarist) about “In Deepest Black”: “With our new album, Shattering Reflection, and a full festival season, 2022 has been an amazing year for us. Later this month we'll tour throughout Europe so we thought it would be cool to make a recap music video with some of the highlights of last year. We mixed up some festival footage with the release party recordings for Shattering Reflection in Antwerp. Thanks to all who were there rocking out with us! Great memories that won’t be forgotten… We can't wait to see you all again in March and April. Check out our website for all the tour dates.”







Evil Invaders are ready to hit the road and bring their electrifying performances to a city near you. Brace yourselves for a night of thunderous riffs, pounding drums, and high-energy solos that will leave you begging for more. The Belgian heavy metal quartet is all set to embark on their European Tour, and they're bringing their signature sound of classic heavy metal and thrash to every corner of the continent.


Don't miss your chance to witness Evil Invaders' raw energy and power as they take over stages across Europe. The band is ready to bring their unbridled passion for metal to fans and leave audiences in awe. Be sure to grab your tickets early and get ready to mosh to the relentless sound of Shattering Reflection in full, and see the album’s sinister tracks performed live on stage.


Tour dates and ticket links here.


Lineup:


Joe - Vocals & Guitars
Senne Jacobs - Drums
Max - Guitars
Joeri - Bass


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

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

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

"As of this morning I'm 190 lbs.

"Not done yet.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As of this morning I’m 190 lbs.

Not done yet.

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

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) March 3, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Consequences Coming" track listing:

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

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

Photo credit: Danny Clifford

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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





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




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


Listen here, and/or below:





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


Texas Hippie Coalition are:


Big Dad Ritch
Cord Pool
Nevada Romo
Lorado Romo
Joey Mandigo


(Photo - Colt Coan)

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



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


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




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


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


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














All For Metal is:


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

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


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


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







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


Side B:
"Echoes" (Original Demo 2008)