Developer Visual Concepts and publisher 2K Games have announced the complete soundtrack for the "WWE 2K23" video game, curated by cover superstar and executive soundtrack producer John Cena.

The soundtrack features a collection of songs from some of the biggest artists in the world today, including METALLICA and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

The "WWE 2K23" game will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC on March 17. Those who pre-order will get early access on March 14.

The official "WWE 2K23" track listing includes:

* METALLICA - "Sad But True"
* BIZARRAP & QUEVEDO - "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52"
* DOJA CAT - "Vegas"
* LUCIANO - "SUVs"
* RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - "Can't Stop"
* JOYNER LUCAS & LIL BABY - "Ramen & OJ"
* HARDY - "JACK"
* BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE - "No More Tears To Cry"
* DEI V FT. OMAR COURTZ - "Dame Lu"
* LETDOWN. - "Shipwreck"
* IDLES - "Grounds"
* POST MALONE FT. OZZY OSBOURNE, TRAVIS SCOTT - "Take What You Want"

The full "WWE 2K23" superstar roster features 100 of WWE's top playable talent available at launch. Headlining the main event of the full reveal are superstars making their debut on the WWE 2K roster for the very first time such as Cody Rhodes, Bron Breakker, Alba Fyre, Cora Jade and global music phenom Bad Bunny. Fan-favorite WWE legends, including Cena, The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock were also revealed, alongside today's most popular superstars, such as Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley.

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, URIAH HEEP's Mick Box was asked if he was a fan of Jeff Beck, the legendary guitarist who recently passed away. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A fan? I think that's understating it. I love everything that Jeff did. He was my favorite guitarist, all-time guitarist. From 'Hi Ho Silver Lining' from the early '60s to when he worked with THE YARDBIRDS. And my probably two favorite albums, if I put them in the Top 20, would be 'Truth' and 'Beck-Ola', of the JEFF BECK GROUP, with Rod Stewart singing, Ronnie Wood on bass, Micky Waller on drums and Nicky Hopkins on piano. And you listen to them, and they're just real records. They're four guys, five guys in the studio, all going for it, one time, one take. That's what you're listening to. It's fantastic. I love it."

Asked if he ever got a chance to meet Beck, Box said: "Yeah, a few times. A few award ceremonies. Out in Germany where BECK, BOGERT & APPICE were playing. Yeah, a few times. [He was] a lovely guy."

Mick added: "The funny thing about loving everything he did, I never sat down and learned one of his licks. I always saw it as a fan, which was unusual. But that's how I viewed it. And he took the guitar playing to areas that nobody else went. And he embraced every genre and then came up with something new with it. So he was amazing."

Beck, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" on January 10 after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.

Having cultivated one of the most influential careers in rock history, Beck was universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world, and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues and jazz.

Over the course of his distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he had earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time," and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice — once as a member of THE YARDBIRDS and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as THE YARDBIRDS' lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form THE JEFF BECK GROUP, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.

The constantly evolving Beck's next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released "Beck, Bogert And Appice" (1973),once again shattered people's preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

1985's "Flash" kept Beck in the spotlight as he earned the "Best Rock Instrumental" Grammy for the song "Escape". A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and a third for "Dirty Mind" from the "You Had It Coming" album in 2001. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling "Performing This Week… Live at Ronnie Scott's", which earned a Grammy for "A Day In The Life".

Beck's astonishing 2010 solo album, "Emotion & Commotion", brought about two additional Grammy Awards; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "Hammerhead" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for "Nessun Dorma", both from "Emotion & Commotion", and "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" for "Imagine", his collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

His "Rock 'N' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul)" album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2016 he released "Loud Hailer" and in 2017 "Jeff Beck: Live At The Hollywood Bowl" was released, both to widespread critical acclaim.

The eight-time Grammy winner is survived by his wife Sandra.

On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria, followed mere hours later by a 7.5 earthquake. As the window closes on rescue efforts following the devastating earthquakes and aftershocks, the region is left with entire towns and cities reduced to piles of concrete. The human toll is devastating, as more than 36,000 people have been killed; tragically, that number is expected to rise in the coming days. And the estimated financial damage exceeds $84 billion in Turkey alone.

METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation is contributing $125,000 grants to Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen to assist in funding much-needed medical aid and meals. All Within My Hands has strong, established partnerships with these organizations, and it remains committed to supporting both because of their ability to reach the source of destruction and provide aid to the affected communities and individuals. Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen have had boots on the ground providing hands-on relief since the day after the quakes hit.

Direct Relief is actively responding to the crisis through its network of regional healthcare partners. The organization is fulfilling requests for medical supplies — with over 22 tons already allocated — such as emergency medical packs, antibiotics, cardiovascular medicines, analgesics, personal hygiene kits, oral rehydration salts, acetaminophen, prenatal vitamins, and more. Mobilizing these urgent deliveries follows the organization's immediate response of providing financial support for search and rescue efforts to AKUT (Turkish Search & Rescue Team).

World Central Kitchen activated its meal distribution channels within hours of the news breaking, with founder José Andrés personally delivering sandwiches to a shelter. The organization set up a large-scale response that establishes and utilizes its own kitchens. While it is unable to use the local culinary infrastructure, World Central Kitchen is providing support by funding local businesses directly and employing local chefs. The organization is currently distributing over 125,000 meals per day, totaling over 600,000 meals within one week.

Direct Relief is a nonprofit, apolitical, nonsectarian organization that provides humanitarian assistance without regard to race, ethnicity, political or religious affiliation, gender, or ability to pay. Direct Relief works to equip health professionals in resource-poor communities to meet the challenges of diagnosing and caring for people in need.

Based on years of experience responding to large-scale emergencies worldwide, Direct Relief has designed a range of product solutions that help address the needs of vulnerable communities so that they are prepared for more frequent, more destructive emergencies. And when disasters strike, Direct Relief responds fast, effectively, and efficiently to get medical resources where they need to be to save lives.

Disaster response requires rapid mobilization, but the help must be of the right type. Direct Relief's efforts are fast, yet always in direct response to specific requests from local partners and are coordinated with other organizations and public agencies to ensure the most efficient use of resources. Direct Relief was honored for its custom disaster response products with Fast Company's "World Changing Ideas Award" in 2020.

A global operation, Direct Relief ranks among the country's most effective humanitarian assistance organizations. The only U.S. nonprofit to obtain Verified Accredited Wholesale Distributor (VAWD) certification by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Direct Relief is among the largest medical suppliers to safety-net facilities throughout the U.S. and the world.

Direct Relief works to equip health professionals in resource-poor communities to meet the challenges of diagnosing and caring for people in need. After all, sick people who don't receive care can't work; they get poor or stay poor, and people who are poor are at higher risk of getting sick. Breaking this vicious cycle is an enormously complex endeavor, which requires changes in many areas other than health services. But under any scenario, better access to health services is essential.

A winner of the CECP Director's Award, the Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation, and the 2013 ESRI President's Award for GIS Mapping, Direct Relief maintains a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a 100% fundraising efficiency rating from Forbes magazine, and ranks among Fast Company's 10 most innovative nonprofits.

Founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a nonprofit organization that is first to the frontlines providing fresh meals in response to crises while working to build resilient food systems with locally-led solutions. Applying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real-time, WCK has served more than 250 million nourishing meals around the world.

When disaster strikes, WCK's Relief Team mobilizes with the urgency of now to start cooking and serving meals to people in need. By partnering with organizations on the ground and activating a network of local restaurants, food trucks, or emergency kitchens, WCK serves comforting meals to survivors of disasters quickly and effectively. To support regional economies, WCK prioritizes purchasing local ingredients to cook with or distribute directly to families in need.

During an appearance on the "Pete McMurray Show", POISON singer Bret Michaels was full of praise for DEF LEPPARD, with whom he toured last year as part of "The Stadium Tour". He said about the veteran British rockers: "They're ageless. And their music… I've gotta tell you what I love about LEPPARD… Beside being super-awesome, nice guys, they have a lot big hits, but you know what's great about 'em? They also — like myself; I'm saying as an artist — like to throw in new music in their set. And me, as a fan, I like to hear a new song.

"Listen, I wanna hear the classic hits — don't ever misunderstand me — but the reason they became hits is because someone spun them and played them so we could hear them," he explained.

"And I love that they threw in new stuff, mixed it in with all their hits. And it was great."

Back in 2008, a war of words was started between POISON and DEF LEPPARD when the latter band's singer Joe Elliott was quoted as saying the Michaels-fronted outfit had "no substance in their music." POISON's Rikki Rockett responded by challenging Elliott to a fist fight, but Joe later claimed his comment was misunderstood. "Somebody said, how do I feel about being compared to bands like MÖTLEY CRÜE and POISON?' and I said that as far as I was concerned, we were a better band," Elliott explained. "I would expect [Michaels] to say the same thing about his group, or Nikki Sixx to say the same thing about MÖTLEY CRÜE. "I'm entitled to say we're better than the bloody BEATLES if I wanted to, you know? What am I supposed to do — say, 'I'm terribly sorry, we're not good enough'?

"I was trying to put the point across that I don't like the idea of comparisons," Joe added. "I don't think we should have to be comparing ourselves to other bands, that's all. It just got blown out of proportion … but we're all fine with each other. Really."

Michaels, for his part, told the nationally syndicated rock radio show "The Tour Bus" in 2008 that he initially took no offense to Joe's words, but "then I start to get worked up, 'cause he's, like, we can't write, we can't play. And then it hits me that, listen, I've been nothing but cool. And I go, 'Well, this is coming from a guy who lip-synced on 'Dancing With The Stars'.' I go, 'This guy lip-synced…' [Mega-producer] Mutt Lange writes their… you know, does their albums… I'm not dissing them, I'm just saying… In other words, I was like, 'Look, give me and Joe a guitar each and a pen and a piece of paper, stick us in a room for an hour [and see who'll come out] with a couple of songs.

"But I don't wanna fight Joe," Bret explained at the time. "In other words, what bummed me out was that one of the guys I like is dissing every band… I'm like, why does he feel dissing all these bands or putting them down makes him any better? Isn't he secure enough in his success or where he's at… If someone said, 'Hey, what do you think about MÖTLEY?' Even though we've had words — MÖTLEY and us, or supposedly, whatever — I'm like, 'Hey, I like MÖTLEY's music. I'm a fan. They have good rock songs.''"

"The Stadium Tour", which also featured MÖTLEY CRÜE and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bret will hit the road in July for a limited run of live dates for his 2023 "Parti-Gras" tour. The trek will feature special guests NIGHT RANGER and JEFFERSON STARSHIP, with appearances from Steve Augeri (former lead singer of JOURNEY) and Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY),plus a nightly surprise guest.

Last month, Michaels released a new solo single, "Back In The Day".

In a new interview with Knotfest, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt and ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante discussed some of their favorite and most influential albums of all time, including EXODUS's debut LP, "Bonded By Blood", which Benante had previously said was the "best thrash record that's ever come out".

Holt said: "People ask me, 'What's the greatest thrash album of all time?' I straight up say [METALLICA's third album] 'Master Of Puppets'. I think it's the greatest metal album of all time… And it's neck-and-neck between 'Master Of Puppets' and JUDAS PRIEST's 'Stained Class' for me. The clean section in [the] 'Master Of Puppets' [title track], c'mon — that's like some Beethoven-level shit James [Hetfield] wrote."

Benante concurred, saying: "I think that record is probably their signature album of all time. I know the Black Album was a big, big record for them, and it pretty much made them household names, but I think for me too, 'Master Of Puppets', from start to finish, you can't touch it. It's flawless."

Charlie previously named "Master of Puppets" as his favorite METALLICA song in a 2011 interview with NY Hard Rock Music Examiner. At the time, he said: "If I'm somewhere near the stage and I hear that song starting, I have to go watch because there's something about it. And it has another significant meaning, about [late METALLICA bassist] Cliff Burton to me. Both bands were on tour in 1986 overseas and they were on the 'Puppets' record, and one day we had a day off in England, and it was me, Scott [Ian, ANTHRAX guitarist], Kirk [Hammett, METALLICA guitarist], and Cliff, and we went to breakfast. And we sat down and were just talking about stuff, and I said, 'In the song 'Master Of Puppets', right before the lead break comes in, James screams something out, and I can never understand what he says. What is it?' And Cliff looked at Kirk, like, 'I don't even know.' And we were ordering breakfast at the time, and there was a bit of silence at the time, and Cliff said, 'I think he says 'pancakes.'' And we all started laughing, and it was funny, and then every show after that on that tour, when I would be on the side of the stage watching and that part would come up, Cliff would always look at me and mouth the word 'pancakes.' So let's go forward 20-something odd years, and here we are at the dinner before the first 'Big Four' show in Poland, we had this dinner set up, METALLICA had all the bands there. And I was talking to James about some things and that story came up, and I told him, and he thanked me so much for telling him that story, because so much from that time is a blur to him, so when he hears stories, it helps him remember the good times back then. So first show, in Poland, they did 'Puppets'. But I wasn't on stage. And the next day Robert [Trujillo, METALLICA bassist] goes to me, 'Where were you? James screamed out 'pancakes!'' So he does it now."

Original EXODUS guitarist Kirk Hammett, who has been a member of METALLICA for the past 40 years, wasn't involved in the songwriting for any of the material that ended up on "Bonded By Blood".

The original lineup of EXODUS consisted of guitarists Hammett and Tim Agnello, drummer Tom Hunting and vocalist Keith Stewart. Holt joined the band in 1981, while Kirk left two years before "Bonded By Blood" saw the light of day.

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — "Bonded By Blood" inspired the likes of TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE and many others to launch their careers and is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time.

Vinny Appice has once again defended Vivian Campbell over the way the guitarist was fired from DIO, saying that Ronnie James Dio's bandmates were not getting what they were "promised" by the legendary heavy metal singer.

Campbell, Appice and Ronnie James Dio worked together on the first three DIO albums — 1983's "Holy Diver", 1984's "The Last in Line" and 1985's "Sacred Heart" — before Irishman Campbell left to join WHITESNAKE in 1987. Vivian later publicly took issue with Ronnie's need for total control of the band, claiming that finances played a major part in the bad blood that preceded the split.

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Let There Be Talk" podcast with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray, Vinny spoke about the circumstances that led to Vivian's exit from DIO. Asked if he was "bummed" to see Campbell leave the band, Vinny said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, yeah. Ronnie told me, 'We're gonna get rid of Viv.' 'What? Why?' I [said], 'Why are you gonna do that?'

"It was a money thing," Appice explained. "We were promised a lot of stuff — a lot of percentages, and this and this and this and this — and it never really materialized. And I kind of had my separate deal with Ronnie and Wendy [Dio, Ronnie's wife and manager], with the contract. So that's what happened. Viv was questioning it: 'Hey, what's going on?' And it just got to be a thing where they didn't like that. And they thought, 'Anybody could be replaced' — which is not true. Sorry — that's not true. And they got Craig Goldy in there. Craig Goldy was in the band ROUGH CUTT that Wendy managed, so it was convenient and easy for him to come in. But it's not true that [everybody is replaceable]. In certain bands, yeah, you can replace everybody, whoever you want, but certain bands you can't. Imagine [LED] ZEPPELIN replacing Jimmy Page with somebody else, or Robert Plant. There's a magic there with that chemistry.

"So that's what happened," Vinny repeated. "So I was kind of bummed. And then, 'Okay, we'll carry on with Craig.' And then the music, we started to go downhill a little bit. It's not Craig's fault, but Ronnie was producing it, and we brought keyboards in more. We started off as a fucking guitar band on fire."

Appice previously talked about Campbell's exit from DIO in a 2017 interview with Canada's The Metal Voice. At the time, he said. "There were some business problems within the band. We were promised to be sharing in things, and we gave it up for the first album and tour, because, okay, it costs a lot of money to launch the thing and Ronnie is putting in his money and whatever. But then it never happened. We were doing tours in arenas. Back then, one of the tours grossed eight million dollars — that was in those dollars; that's probably eighty million dollars [in today's money]. But we got nothing out of it — [we only got] salaries and stuff — so what was promised never happened. And Vivian really… he called [Ronnie] on it and the management, so that kind of became bad blood with Ronnie. But we all felt the same way — that we're not getting what we were promised and we should be doing better than we're doing. Somebody's making a lot of money here, and it wasn't us. So that's what happened with Viv. And then Ronnie and Viv didn't see eye to eye, and then finally Ronnie said to me, 'I'm gonna fire Viv.' I'm, like, 'What?' I just was in shock. And I kind of mentioned [to Ronnie] that that's not a great idea, 'cause it's the sound of his band. And [Ronnie] decided that he can go on without [Vivian]. So that's what happened."

According to Appice, DIO lost part of its musical identity once Vivian was removed from the group's lineup. "Whenever you've got something that works with a band that's magical with the people in it, you don't do that," the drummer explained. "It's part of the sound. It's like LED ZEPPELIN. They didn't even continue with another drummer [after John Bonham died], [and] they could have. They [could have] made zillions of dollars, but they didn't for a while. And then they got John's son, Jason. The magic's within certain people in bands, and it really works, and then you change them around and it's not the same. Nowadays it's different — there's all these bands out with one original member or no members that were original; they just own the… somebody owns the name and it's a commercial enterprise and they go out and play. But they're good. Now it's a different music business. But back in the day, when you're writing the stuff that's becoming classic rock or is in the history books, then that's where it's important to not make the changes."

During The Metal Voice interview, Vinny was also asked for his opinion of 1987's "Dream Evil", the first DIO full-length effort to be recorded without Campbell. "You know, but it's a good album, but it just lost the rawness of the band," Appice said. "And that's because of two things. One of 'em is more keyboards got into the music. We weren't really a keyboard band. On 'Holy Diver', [then-DIO bassist] Jimmy Bain played the 'Rainbow In The Dark' thing, and sometimes Ronnie played some backing chords on a couple of songs, and that was it; we were a guitar band. So as the tours went on, we got a keyboard player, which was Claude Schnell, and Claude's a great keyboard player and a great person, [and] the keyboards worked their way into the music more. So that kind of smoothed it out; it didn't have that rawness. And then [Vivian's replacement] Craig Goldy played a little bit of a different style than Viv. So I think the direction of the band just changed. And also, on top of all that, Ronnie started taking more control over everything, as in being a producer. Before, we did what we wanted to do and everybody's ideas were counted in, and that's what made it a great band. Then it became less of that and more of Ronnie driving the ship. All those things combined kind of made the band a little less vicious, I would say… [Ronnie] just became more [in] control of things. And the rawness… The stuff wasn't raw anymore; it was smoothed out, I think, with the keyboards and stuff. So the music just changed to not being as mean as it was and heavy."

The resentment between Campbell and Ronnie James Dio remained unresolved even at the end of the singer's life in 2010. Not long before he passed, Dio told an interviewer: " In my opinion, Vivian no longer had the commitment to the band he had in the early days. He was — and remains — an excellent guitarist. I never lost sight of how good he was as a musician, but as a person… Well, he was no longer on the same page as the rest of us. That annoyed me hugely. When you've got four people really stretching and straining to do their very best, and one person who's clearly holding back, it makes for an unhappy camp."

Bain, who played with Ronnie in an early version of RAINBOW and later appeared on seven DIO albums (from "Holy Diver" to 2002's "Killing The Dragon"),told U.K.'s Metal Hammer in 2012 that "Viv did nothing that warranted his removal from [DIO] in what is still considered to be a cowardly way. For me, firing Viv was the biggest mistake of Ronnie's career. The problem could've easily been resolved if there had a been a will to do so from Ronnie and Wendy."

Bain also felt that DIO was in decline by the time the band released "Sacred Heart".

"DIO should have gotten better with each album, but what happened was the opposite," Jimmy told Metal Hammer. "The production was watered down with all the keyboards, [and] the songs were not as good because it became harder to satisfy Ronnie's need to complicate arrangement and structure."

Campbell, Appice and Bain were part of the original DIO lineup, which reunited in 2012 alongside singer Andrew Freeman to form LAST IN LINE.

When LAST IN LINE formed, the intent was to celebrate Ronnie James Dio's early work by reuniting the members of the original DIO lineup. After playing shows that featured a setlist composed exclusively of material from the first three DIO albums, the band decided to move forward and create new music in a similar vein.

In a new interview with "The Chuck Shute Podcast", Steve Augeri, who was the lead singer of JOURNEY from 1998 to 2006, was asked about the recent headline-making issues between guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, with Neal suggesting at one point that founding JOURNEY keyboardist/singer Gregg Rolie would be making an appearance on the band's current tour. Augeri said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, if you asked me about them or if you asked me about my next-door neighbor and if their marriage was kind of rocky, it's the same thing. It's not my business; it's none of my business. However, it's a relationship that's going on for 50 years, and that's extraordinary, just to achieve that milestone. And if you don't have cracks in your foundation, I don't know — you must also walk on water. Nobody walks on water. They've been together this long. There's a good chance that they could… I'm sure they could patch things up, except things have been a little rocky lately, more so than ever."

He continued: "That's all I can say. It's theirs to work out, their issue to work out. And I hope they do — for the sake of the band, and equally for the sake of the fans, because you can't help but think that it affects them as well."

Augeri was also touched upon the fact that current JOURNEY singer Arnel Pineda recently posted a series of cryptic tweets that suggested he is unhappy with how things are going with the group. Asked if he thinks JOURNEY would ask him to return to the band and whether he would accept the invitation, Steve said: "Well, I would probably say no and no. And I'll tell you why. If they asked me to go, for starters… Look, I've had my day in the sun, I've had my run, and I think it was wonderful. Arnel has done that, and probably twice as long as I've been there, and he's done it magnificently.

"I think they need to patch it up with the current team; I just think that's the way it is," Augeri continued. "Because if I were to go with whatever faction… Because, unfortunately, right now it appears to be like there's two camps… I love those guys — if I could call it 'love' — and respect them equally for different reasons, because they gave me the biggest shot anybody could… the biggest opportunity anyone could ever have. And I would hate to turn my back on one or the other, so it'd probably be just better… And I'm content doing what I'm doing. Those guys still go out five days a week, and I can't physically do that. The joy would… After the first show, I'd be like a deer in the headlights: 'Is my voice gonna work after the third show on the third day?' And that's not where I'd like to be."

Earlier this month, Augeri spoke to QFM96's "Torg & Elliott" radio show about the task of replacing Steve Perry in one of the world's most beloved rock acts. He said: "It was incredibly daunting. However, the one saving grace was I had a great vocal coach at the time, Mark Baxter from New England. And Mark just said, 'Listen, you're only gonna succeed if you could just sing like yourself and be yourself. That's the only way anybody will ever accept you — if you're genuine.' That little tidbit of information, as well as we kind of eased ourselves into 1,500-seat theaters throughout the country, and for the eight years we built it up to 15,000-[capacity arenas] to 70,000 festivals. So it took a lot of time. The fans were gracious, and they were truly… Without them, it could have never happened. And it wasn't a hundred percent across the board, because, frankly, if you came to me and said, 'Hey, are you gonna replace Robert Plant in LED ZEPPELIN?' I mean, take your greatest favorite bands and try to replace their lead vocalists. It's just impossible. Kudos to whoever was able to do that. First I think of Mr. Sammy Hagar, of course. He did it [with VAN HALEN] and he ripped the leather off the ball, didn't he? That was a grand slam that he did it."

Circling back to his time with JOURNEY, Steve said: "I had a beautiful run with them. I love those guys. I love their music. And it was a great stepping stone to get to today where I finally release a solo album called 'Seven Ways 'Til Sunday'."

Regarding whether it was easy picking up the pieces after his exit from JOURNEY, Augeri said: "It wasn't easy, but, of course, it was very easy because I had just walked away from JOURNEY. Now, granted, I left because I had vocal problems. So for the first year I had to heal my voice. And thank God that happened. And from there, it opened more doors than it closed, let's put it that way. How fortunate can it be that I can always say, 'Well, I used to sing for one of the greatest premier American rock and roll bands there ever will be — ever was or ever will be.' So, I'm thankful for that."

Augeri was born in Brooklyn on January 30, 1959. Steve was the lead vocalist in TALL STORIES, who released a single self-titled album in 1991. He went on to sing with TYKETTO for their 1995 album, "Shine". Augeri retired from music in the mid-1990s after TALL STORIES ran out of momentum. He was working at a Gap store when JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon came into contact with a demo tape of Augeri's. JOURNEY was, at the time, looking for new lead singer after the loss of Perry who had left the band following their brief mid-1990s reunion due to touring conflicts and health issues.

JOURNEY hired Augeri in 1998. Augeri's debut with the band was on the single "Remember Me" from the "Armageddon" movie soundtrack. He then appeared on the album "Arrival", the "Red 13" EP, and the "Generations" album. Augeri suffered voice problems during JOURNEY's 2006 tour, resulting in his departure from the band.

"Seven Ways 'Til Sunday" was released on January 27.

Augeri will support the album on a summer tour, "Pardi Gras", alongside Bret Michaels, NIGHT RANGER, JEFFERSON STARSHIP and Mark McGrath.

THE RAVEN AGE, the U.K.-based melodic metal band featuring IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's son George Harris, will release its third album, "Blood Omen", on July 7 via Music For Nations/Sony Music. The official music video for the LP's first single, "Parasite", can be seen below.

A barrage of riffs from guitarists George Harris, Tommy Gentry and bassist Matt Cox ushers in the "Blood Omen", alongside the pummeling of Jai Patel on drums and a growl from Matt James (MJ) which transcends into wide-reaching soaring vocals. "Parasite" is bolstered by a blistering solo from guest guitarist Andy James of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.

"I've known the lads in THE RAVEN AGE for years now," says Andy. "I really like the direction they are heading with this third record and enjoyed doing a guest solo for 'Parasite'. It's a heavy but memorable track that hits you right between the eyes."

Having established their name as one of the finest in modern British metal, thanks to two acclaimed albums, 2019's "Conspiracy" and "Darkness Will Rise" debut in 2017, THE RAVEN AGE have garnered over 75 million streams worldwide and have toured heavily across the globe.

For the Essex quintet's "all-important third album", as George Harris puts it, they have expanded on every level.

This motivation is written into the album's concept. Following the theme of its two predecessors, the raven motif looms large, this time centering on the overthrowing of old masters, with the band's Raven King character coming to prominence. Even in the artwork, things are bolder, a close-up of the Raven King, says George, "taking his rightful place on the throne."

The theme weaves itself throughout "Blood Omen", kicking off with "Parasite", as MJ explains, "There's the legend about the ravens in the Tower Of London, that if they were ever to leave, the monarchy falls. Without being too political, 'Parasite' is hinting at these dark notes of the hierarchy, the bottom feeders that tend to run everything and then screw everything up. Our Raven King, he's basically ascending to the throne to bring down the monarchy, bring down the establishment, weed out the parasites, as it were."

"It's a heavy track," MJ continues, "We knew we wanted to come back with a real punch between the eyes. It's the full introduction to our Raven King, and it touches on elements of everything to come. It really shows where we're going on this album."

"Blood Omen" pushes everything further than ever before. The choruses are made for arenas, the riffs are taut, direct, and free of fat. It all makes for a grand musical stage on which the record's concept plays out. "Forgive & Forget" rushes in on a scalding lead guitar riff, while the epic "Nostradamus" is a tale of the great prophet. The heavy, raging "Serpents Tongue", meanwhile, deals with "deceit, and never knowing if you're being told the truth," according to George.

To capture all this on record, the band enlisted the help of long-term producer Matt Hyde (SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) to lay down the album's framework, before setting to recording the rest of the album themselves. The final mastering was put into the treasured hands of Mika Jussila at Finnvox (NIGHTWISH, CHILDREN OF BODOM, HIM).

"Blood Omen" is a record of several firsts for THE RAVEN AGE. With the metal end of the operation firmly nailed down, this time around the band were finally able to realize their ambitions of using real strings. Working with noted British cellist arranger Audrey Riley (FOO FIGHTERS, MUSE, COLDPLAY) at the ICMP (Institute of Contemporary Music Performance) studios in London. "Watching a quartet play along to our songs was a whole new experience," says George. "They just made everything more dramatic."

The album also sees the recorded debut of new guitarist Tommy Gentry, the prodigiously talented axeman — whose previous work includes stints with Marco Mendoza and former JUDAS PRIEST six-stringer K.K. Downing.

"Tommy was in our sights from day one," says George. "He's, without doubt, the most talented musician I know. Not only is he an amazing guitarist, he's a grade eight pianist, he can score orchestral music, and all that brings something to the table."

"Blood Omen" is a strong, focused, and ambitious work from one of the most rapidly rising rock bands in Britain and live they solidify this status. They have performed over 400 shows internationally across 38 countries including major festival performances such as the main stage at Download festival, Rock In Rio, Wacken Open Air, Hellfest and many more, as well as touring with the likes of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, VOLBEAT, SHINEDOWN and ALTER BRIDGE.

This summer they will be touring arenas across Europe with IRON MAIDEN, including London's O2 Arena on July 8. They have also been announced to perform at a number of major European festivals this summer, including Germany's Rock Am Ring, Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting, Return Of The Gods Festival in Italy, Sweden Rock as well as Metal Days in Slovenia.

"Blood Omen" track listing:

01. Changing Of The Guard
02. Parasite
03. Serpents Tongue
04. Essence Of Time
05. Nostradamus
06. Forgive & Forget
07. The Journey
08. War In Heaven
09. Tears Of Stone

Progressive rock legends YES have announced that drummer Jay Schellen has joined the band as a permanent member. Following the sad passing of YES's iconic drummer Alan White on May 26, 2022, Jay will fulfill Alan's wishes in becoming the new drummer with YES.

Schellen was White's choice to stand in during the "Topographic Drama" tour in 2016 and shared drumming duties with him from 2018 onwards. Jay had previously played alongside YES keyboardist Geoff Downes and late bassist Chris Squire, and had long working relationships with Alan and YES bass guitarist Billy Sherwood. This gave Jay a deep insight into the workings of the dynamic rhythm section that drives YES's music.

Steve Howe says: "We're all delighted to welcome Jay officially into the fold! He's been a great support throughout the last seven years, and we couldn't have found a better all-around team player."

Jay adds: "I am thrilled to become the new drummer with YES. I grew up playing along to YES records and I am proud to have worked so closely with my musical hero and great friend Alan White these past few years. I will strive to honor his memory as we drive towards the future with the band."

Formed in 1968 by Jon Anderson and the late and much-missed Chris Squire, YES has been one of the most innovative, influential and best-loved bands in rock music history. Their 1970s albums "The Yes Album", "Fragile", "Close To The Edge", "Yessongs" (a triple live album set),"Tales From Topographic Oceans", "Relayer" and "Going For The One" were ground-breaking in musical style and content. Their music also became synonymous with artist Roger Dean, whose distinctive YES logo design and artwork adorned the lavish gatefold presentation sleeves of many YES albums.

With sales of over 50 million records, the Grammy Award-winning YES was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017, where they performed "Roundabout" from the album "Fragile" and the FM radio-friendly "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" from the 1985 album "90125".

In 2021, YES released its 22nd studio album, "The Quest", produced by Steve Howe, which went to No. 1 in the U.K. rock chart and entered the official U.K. album chart at No. 20.

Photo credit: Geoff Ford

British metal sextet, Bury Tomorrow, have premiered the video for "Heretic", featuring While She Sleeps frontman Loz Taylor. Watch below. "Heretic" is another crushing taste of their forthcoming seventh album, the aptly titled The Seventh Sun, releasing March 31 via Music For Nations.


Dani Winter-Bates states, "'Heretic' is here, and we knew from day one of recording that this song was something we wanted the world to hear immediately. It's right up there with the most aggressive and visceral tracks on the album, with an inherently dark feel, both lyrically and musically, which allowed us to delve into some of the more brutal elements of The Seventh Sun. All in all, we're extremely proud to showcase this track and can't wait to see what people think."


The track marks the band's first vocal feature since Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta appeared on "301" from the band's 2016 album Earthbound. Winter-Bates recollects, "From the off, we knew this song merited a guest vocal spot, and Loz Taylor of While She Sleeps sprang to our minds straightaway. He is already an absolute legend in our eyes, and working with him on this track has only confirmed that status further. His voice incorporated perfectly and has undoubtedly taken the song to the next level - we couldn't be happier."




The accompanying video was once again created in collaboration with director Matt Sears, who directed the horror-inspired, two-part short film that are the "Abandon Us" and "Boltcutter" music videos. This time around, the video is set at an Illuminati-style meeting, worshipping The Seventh Sun. When one of the members is discovered to be a "heretic" and "wanting out," he desecrates the purity of the club, angering The Seventh Sun, who plunges the meeting into chaos.





Pre-order / pre-save The Seventh Sun here.





Tracklisting:


"The Seventh Sun"
"Abandon Us"
"Begin Again"
"Forced Divide"
"Boltcutter"
"Wrath"
"Majesty"
"Heretic"
"Recovery?"
"Care"
"The Carcass King"


"Boltcutter" video:





"Abandon Us" video:





Bury Tomorrow will embark on a spring 2023 headline tour of North America. The tour marks the first time the band has toured North American since 2010 and it is a welcome return!





Dates:


May
2 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echoplex
3 - Tempe, AZ -The Marquee
5 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
6 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
7 - Houston, TX - House of Blues Bronze Peacock
9 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Hell)
10 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground
11 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East
12 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi-Fi Annex
13 - Chicago, IL - Park West
14 - Detroit, MI - El Club
16 - Toronto, ON - The Velvet Underground
17 - Montreal, QC - Fairmount Theatre
19 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs
20 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre

Underoath announces label signing to MNRK Heavy for a worldwide deal and shares a teaser for new single, "Let Go". Listen here.


In discussing the excitement of the label signing, Scott Givens, SVP of MNRK Music Group, said: “Rarely does the opportunity present itself to partner with a band as amazing as Underoath. When that opportunity was presented, we seized it immediately, and speaking for the entire company; we are truly honored they gave us a chance to work with them on their upcoming recordings.  The band has had a remarkable career, and all of us at the MRNK Music Group can’t wait to accompany them on their next phase of it.”


Underoath added, “Choosing who we partner with in releasing our music is always a huge decision. The team at MNRK simply rules, understands our vision, and is passionate about the music. We couldn’t be more excited and ready to work with the MNRK team to release some of our favorite work to date.”




The band will perform the first show of 2023 on February 18 in Orlando at the Heartsupport Festivial following the Blind Obedience Tour starting on March 3 in Silver Spring with Periphery and Loathe concluding April 2 in Nashville plus festivals at the Slam Dunk Festival and Inkcarceration Festival.





Tour dates:


February
18 - Orlando, FL - Heartsupport Fest


March
3 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore*
4 - Stroudsburg, PA - The Sherman Theater*
5 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount*
7 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room*
8 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Roxian*
10 - East Moline, IL - The Rust Belt*
11 - Milwaukee, WI - The Eagles Club*
13 - Grand Rapids, MI - 20 Monroe*
14 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant*
15 - Kansas City, MO - The Uptown Theater*
17 - Wichita, KS - The Cotilion*
18 - Denver, CO - The Ogden Theater*
20 - Boise, ID - Revolution*
21 - Portland, OR - The Roseland Ballroom*
23 - Wheatland, CA - The Hard Rock Casino*
24 - Anaheim, CA - The House of Blues*
25 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl*
26 - San Diego, CA - Soma*
27 - Tucson, AZ - The Rialto Theater*
29 - Albuquerque, NM - The El Rey Theatre*
31 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Diamond Ballroom*


April
1 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall*
2 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works*


May
27 - Hatfield, EN - Slam Dunk Festival
28 - Leeds, UK - Slam Dunk Festival


July
15 - Mansfield, OH - Inkcarceration Festival
 
* Blind Obedience Tour with Periphery and Loathe


(Photo - Dan Newman)

Swedish heavy metal power force, Kardinal Sin, heave released a new track from their forthcoming album, S.A.L.I.G.I.A, out in North American on April 7, and in Europe on March 3 via Massacre Records.


Get "They Crashed In The Storm" on digital platforms here, and watch a music video below.


"This song is about the separation of loved ones in a state of war as the man leaves to fight an enemy he doesn't know, for a cause he can't understand," says the band about "They Crashed In The Storm". "It's the fastest song on the album and also the opening track. The variation in the verses and the double-kick chorus kickstarts the album."







The band's upcoming offering, S.A.L.I.G.I.A, unleashes ten complex songs as well as dark lyrics about the world situation now and then, and how we push humanity towards the apocalypse through war and environmental destruction. Compared to the band's debut, S.A.L.I.G.I.A promises to feature more elaborate tracks and arrangements, and is a musical journey through history from the Middle Ages to present. The album was mixed by Fredrik Folkare at Chrome Studios, and was mastered by Lawrence Mackrory (Obey Mastering).


Slated to be released as CD Digipak, Ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats, the album pre-sale is available here.





S.A.L.I.G.I.A tracklisting:


"They Crashed In The Storm"
"The Beginning Of The End (Wasteland Symphony Pt: 1)"
"Siege Of Jerusalem"
"Lost Imperium (Wasteland Symphony Pt: 2)"
"Reveal The Sinners Soul"
"S.A.L.I.G.I.A"
"In The Line Of Fire"
"Devastation"
"The Velvet Lies"
"The Aftermath (Wasteland Symphony Pt: 3)"


"Siege Of Jerusalem" video:





Album lineup:


Daniel "Danne" Wikerman – Vocals
Sophie Conte - Guitars, Backing Vocals, Growls
Joakim "Jocke" Vähätalo – Guitars
Hannu Viita – Bass
Thomas "Geson" Gustafsson - Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Mikael "Aspen" Asp - Drums, Backing Vocals

After drawing attention to themselves in 2020, with their debut EP Headed West, and 2022 follow up LP No Saints In The City, the duo of singer-songwriters John Merchant (former Dutch Henry frontman) and multi instrumentalist Todd Long (previously with The Verve Pipe) aka Ghosts Of Sunset have returned with their next shot of melodic hard rock, Breathe.


With Merchant and Long living in Michigan and Florida respectively, both the writing and recording process for Breathe were a bit unconventional and at the same time, par for the course with 21st Century technology.


"We did all our recording via File Sharing,” says Long. “First, one of us will have an idea and then we just start sending mp3s back and forth while building the track up. After a basic track was completed, we’d then seek out who we feel might be right to put a guitar solo on it. If they like the track, then we proceed. If they don't then that's fine too. We just hoped they feel connected enough to the track to want to contribute."




Merchant continues, “The opportunity to make a follow up full length album was an absolute blessing and a daunting task. Unlike some writers, we’re always hoping our influences are noticeable, but we want them to be surprising and revealing as well. With this set of songs, we wanted to keep the door open for anything that moved us. They tell you where they want to go and we are open to whatever gets them to their destination. These songs take listeners from such sweeping landscapes as an oriental spy adventure, to something as internal and personal as the struggle of loving someone battling addiction. The musical compositions are as important as the lyrics to tell the stories that need to be told.”


The first single, "Afterthought", will be released on February 17. Pre-save “Afterthought” here.


“Afterthought” is the first single and Long explains, “When I was writing 'Afterthought', I was looking to write an album opener. John wrote 'Tonight' off of our 1st full length album No Saints In The City. I wanted to try and write one that was just as killer as that one. Who knew it would be our 1st single? I’m like a proud father!”


Merchant adds, “'Afterthought' started with another amazing Todd Long riff that celebrates punk rock’s concise, no nonsense, “get to the point” structure. Lyrically the song speaks to the “seen not heard” role played by the arm candy of someone whose narcissistic ego blinds them to the fact that true beauty is found far below surface physical good looks.”


Ghosts Of Sunset not only pays homage to the 1980s "hair metal" scene they grew up on (Quiet Riot, Ratt, Motley Crue, Warrant, Faster Pussycat, GnR, etc.) but for music fans whose tastes run deep, Breathe touches upon post punk aggression, melodic rock choruses and a quirky Cheap Trick spin on top of it all.


You can pre-order Breathe and limited bundles here.


Bundle includes:


- 1 (One) - Ghosts of Sunset - Breathe"Autographed CD
- 1 (One) - Ghosts of Sunset - Logo T-Shirt
- 1 (One) - Ghosts of Sunset - Logo Sticker





Tracklisting:


"Afterthought"
"Hide Her Heart"
"Move Along"
"Cocaine Kisses"
"Two Tickets To Tokyo"
"Gettin Over You"
"Mine Tonight"
"Don't Blame Love"
"Nobody's Baby"
"Never Go Back"