On April 7, 2023, Paul Gilbert will release an album celebrating one of heavy metal's greatest icons when he releases "The Dio Album" via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. To get a taster, check out Gilbert's mesmeric take on "Holy Diver" below.

It was pure chance that led Paul Gilbert to recording the music heard on latest release "The Dio Album". The American guitar virtuoso, best known for his masterful fretwork in chart-topping hard rockers MR. BIG and high-octane trailblazers RACER X — as well as numerous solo records — was in his car when he saw something that made his heart start beating faster in a moment of unexpected, unadulterated joy. This was not a high value item of interest or even particularly rare, simply a baseball cap with the word "Dio" emblazoned across the front. Sometimes, even for the biggest of guitar legends, it's the little things that hit us in the most profound ways.

On his drive home, a plan was being formulated. Why not capture all of that raw energy and excitement on an album devoted to Ronnie James Dio's most celebrated tracks — spanning across his career from RAINBOW to BLACK SABBATH and the singer's own solo endeavors? Gilbert is no stranger to instrumental music, but an entire album dedicated to replicating well established and world-famous vocal melodies on his trusty six-string genuinely felt like new territory. This was already shaping up to be a challenge that he would truly relish.

It would be fair to say human voices don't come much more magical than Ronnie James Dio's. He was a man who brought a sense of classical finesse to loud and heavy music, ultimately laying down the blueprint for generations and generations of rock singers to come. Taking on the daunting challenge of mimicking those distinguished vocal lines down to a tee — each legendary performance decorated with its own idiosyncrasies and nuances — actually involved unlearning some of the technical precision that turned Gilbert into a household name for guitar players in the first place.

"The Dio Album" consists of 10 standout and career-defining tracks, from "Neon Knights" and "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll" to "Holy Diver" and "Man On The Silver Mountain". As well as analyzing Ronnie James Dio's electrifying vocal melodies, Paul also enjoyed paying tribute to three incredibly talented guitar legends — Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH, Ritchie Blackmore of RAINBOW and Vivian Campbell from the DIO band, who has been a member of British stadium rockers DEF LEPPARD since 1992.

"Playing all these metal riffs like 'Stand Up And Shout', 'Neon Knights' and 'Kill The King' gave me serious chills," grins Paul. "The guitar parts of Ritchie, Tony and Vivian brought no small number of goosebumps." "These amazing riffs are the steel girders of the songs, upon which everything else rests," smiles Paul. "It had been a while since I'd been this deep into metal rhythm guitar playing, and it felt like I was digging up gold nuggets of fire with a magic platinum shovel. All while wearing a star-covered wizard hat! The guitar solos in these songs came screaming from distant mountaintops. Ritchie, Tony, and Vivian set the standard breathtakingly high."

Engineered by Zach Bloomstein with Paul handling all of the instrumentation, save for Bill Ray's inspired drum work, "The Dio Album" is undoubtedly the most sonically accurate tribute to the songs that made Ronnie James Dio a bona fide rock and roll legend. In order to truly hone in on the late singer's essence, Paul Gilbert dissected many of the melodies line by line, throwing every inch of himself into the music. It was the only way to capture every ounce of the energy and emotion.

"Just like he sang: 'The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams... it's Heaven and Hell!' Thank you, Ronnie, and long live rock and roll."

"The Dio Album" track listing:

01. Neon Knights
02. Kill The King
03. Stand Up And Shout
04. Country Girl
05. Man On The Silver Mountain
06. Holy Diver
07. Heaven And Hell
08. Long Live Rock 'N' Roll
09. Lady Evil
10. Don't Talk To Strangers
11. Starstruck
12. The Last In Line

Venomous Concept - the punk band formed by Napalm Death's Shane Embury and former Brutal Truth vocalist Kevin Sharp - are barreling towards the February 24 release of their new album, The Good Ship Lollipop, via Decibel Records. Today they take their biggest step yet, with the release of the record's third video, "Fractured", which features Embury on lead vocals, and holds a special place in the songwriter's heart. The arresting clip was created and directed by Andy Lefton and can viewed below.


"I was sitting outside the recording studio in Cambridge on a summer's day thinking about this song, lyrically and vocally," says Embury. "We were a few months into the pandemic and Kevin had gotten into the U.K. to record his vocals for the Venomous Concept album, which was a relief! I sat there wondering what was happening in our world. Fiction seemed to have merged with reality where we all experienced so much stress, so much anxiety. I am not special - the pandemic affected us all in ways we don't yet realize.


"Music was always my comfort, but during this time my family needed me to be strong and I really wasn't. I was breaking apart and trying to figure out how to put myself back together, and hopefully leave some of the bad bits behind.




"Memories came - my childhood, my parents, my family, my children, my friends. Then the words to 'Fractured' came...I am still piecing myself back together, trying to be just good enough."


"Fractured" will be available on all major streaming services this Friday, February 3.





The group's fifth full-length will receive an exclusive North American vinyl and cassette release through Decibel Records, which is available for pre-order here in the following limited-edition formats:


- Glow-in-the-Dark(ness) Blue Vinyl (limited to 100 copies)
- Lollipop Pink Vinyl (limited to 200 copies)
- Hazy Weed Vinyl (limited to 200 copies)
- Lollipop Pink Cassette Shell Tape (limited to 100 copies)





Engineered by Piers Mortimer (Deep Purple) and produced by long-time friend and soundman Simon Efemey (Paradise Lost, Amorphis), the record was challengingly recorded during the height of the pandemic in 2020.


"It was an amazing fun and creative experience, recording while there were COVID restrictions," Embury offers. "We seem to only now dimly recall the whole process but this record lives it and breathes it...When the pandemic hit, we decided we needed to make an album that didn't fit. We all loved so much other kind of punk and rock, so why not explore that which is, in essence, closer to our hearts? To do the same album over and over again would be boring."


"When Decibel released the Deadguy live record [Buyer's Remorse] this year, my gears turned," says Sharp. "Having supported the band in print and via flexi disc, we were stoked to see [Decibel editor] Albert [Mudrian]'s interest in this VC record. It's a different kind record and deserves a different kind of approach. The music industry is in constant evolution and this approach to getting our music out seems like a good fit amongst old friends on our terms."


The Good Ship Lollipop is also available in the following formats from Graphite Records in the UK:


- Standard Black Vinyl
- Exclusive CD edition
- Digital edition (worldwide)





The Good Ship Lollipop tracklisting:


"The Good Ship Lollipop"
"Timeline"
"Slack Jaw"
"Pig"
"Clinical"
"Fractured"
"Voices"
"So Sick"
"Flowers Bloom"
"The Humble Crow"
"Can’t Lose"
"Everything is Endlessness"
"Life’s Winter"


"Timeline" video:





"Voices":





Venomous Concept lineup:


Shane Embury - bass
Kevin Sharp - vocals
John Cooke - guitars
Carl Stokes - drums

Three-time Grammy-nominated guitarist and 25-time Billboard chart topper Joe Bonamassa has announced "Tales Of Time", a sprawling and expansive live concert film and album featuring material from his latest No. 1 studio album, "Time Clocks". Filmed at the breathtaking Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado in August 2022, with a stunning visual backdrop that served to highlight the beauty of the music, "Tales Of Time" captures a stratospheric performance by the blues-rock titan, as his virtuoso guitar style and unique technique and flair elevate the evening to an almost heavenly high.

Produced by longtime collaborator and producer Kevin Shirley (LED ZEPPELIN, IRON MAIDEN, JOURNEY),"Tales Of Time" will be released April 14 worldwide via Bonamassa's J&R Adventures in CD/DVD, CD/Blu-ray, vinyl, and digital formats.

Joe says: "This live show represents our most progressive and largest production to date focusing on my most ambitious studio album to date 'Time Clocks'. The iconic Kevin Shirley once again has produced both wonderful music and a wonderful visual. My band was a force of nature on this show and it truly was a special night."

Cited by Guitar World as "arguably the world's biggest blues guitarist," Bonamassa is known for taking risks and venturing into uncharted territory throughout his wide-ranging career. His latest studio album "Time Clocks" marked his most raw, rocking studio album yet, with American Songwriter sharing, "Bonamassa pushes into fresh territory while staying within a blues-based framework," and "there is more than enough proof in this sprawling set that Bonamassa doesn't intend to rest on his laurels or take his star status in the blues-rock genre for granted."

The announcement of "Tales Of Time" comes on the heels of Bonamassa's U.S. spring tour 2023, which kicks off in Charleston, West Virginia on February 15 before winding its way throughout the Midwest and East Coast. The spring tour will conclude with Bonamassa's sold-out Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea VIII, set for March 13-17, 2023, departing from Miami, Florida to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The festival lineup includes legendary artists like Little Feat, Dion, Bobby Rush, Robert Randolph Band, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Jimmy Vivino, and more. Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea is one of the largest fundraisers for Bonamassa's Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, aiding in its mission to promote music education by providing grants and resources to schools and musicians in need.

Bonamassa and his long-time manager Roy Weisman also recently announced the launch of Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide. Journeyman provides the infrastructure needed to jumpstart the careers of exceptional independent artists, who are too often overlooked by the major labels or concert promoters while circumventing the resistance of typical "gatekeepers" who don't support indie acts.

"I wanted to take what I've had to learn the hard way to create a company that could make navigating this process a little easier," Bonamassa explains.

"Tales Of Time" track listing:

01. Notches
02. The Heart That Never Waits
03. Curtain Call
04. Mind's Eye
05. Questions And Answers
06. The Loyal Kind
07. Known Unknowns
08. Time Clocks
09. Just ‘Cos You Can Don't Mean You Should
10. Evil Mama

"Tales Of Time" DVD/Blu-ray:

* Dawn Of Time (Intro)
* Notches
* The Heart That Never Waits
* Curtain Call
* Mind's Eye
* Questions And Answers
* The Loyal Kind
* Known Unknowns
* Time Clocks
* Evil Mama
* Midnight Blues
* I Didn't Think She Would Do It
* Just 'Cos You Can Don't Mean You Should
* Mountain Time
* Times Tail (Credits)

Bonus Features:

* Dust Bowl
* Band Intros
* The Ballad Of John Henry

Live photo by Jenise Jensen

The Devil Wears Prada - Mike Hranica [vocals], Jeremy DePoyster [vocals, guitar], Mason Nagy [bass], Kyle Sipress [guitar], Jonathan Gering [keys, synthesizers], and Giuseppe Capolupo [drums] - have released a video for "Cancer", featured on their eighth album, Color Decay, out now via Solid State. Watch below:


"Lyrically, this song is about how many of the people I have looked up to and idolized have ended up committing suicide," says Gering. "It is something that has always made me question if I was on the right path in my own life. During the recording process, we learned of a another death, and I immediately assumed it was suicide. It ended up that this person had been secretly battling cancer for years, and for some reason, that made me feel relieved. The track addresses how messed up that thought process is and the guilt that comes along with it. The song and album end with the original iphone voice memo of when we were writing the song and it's pitched down because we changed the key."







Order Color Decay here.





Color Decay tracklisting:


"Exhibition"
"Salt"
"Watchtower"
"Noise"
"Broken"
"Sacrifice"
"Trapped"
"Time"
"Twenty-Five"
"Fire"
"Hallucinate"
"Cancer"


"Broken" video:





"Time" video:





"Salt" video:





"Watchtower" video:





The Devil Wears Prada, as well as Bleed From Within, will support August Burns Red on their upcoming 20 Year Anniversary Tour.





Tour dates:


February
15 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring
16 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
17 - Atlanta, GA - Heaven at The Masquerade
18 - Orlando, FL - Heart Support Festival*
20 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Revolution Live
21 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
23 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
24 - Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom
25 - San Antonio, TX - Vibes Event Center
27 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
28 - San Diego, CA - Soma
3/1 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
3/2 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
3/4 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
3/5 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo
3/7 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
3/8 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues


March
10 - Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
12 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall
13 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
14 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte


April
13 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore Philadelphia
14 - New York, NY - Palladium Times Square
15 - Albany, NY - Empire Live
16 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
18 - Niagara Falls, NY - Rapids Theater
19 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
21 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
22 - St. Louis, MO  - Red Flag
23 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
25 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
26 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
28 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore Minneapolis
29 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
30 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts


May
2 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
3 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
5 - North Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
6 - Richmond, VA - The National
7 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
9 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
11 - Montreal, QC - MTelus
12 - Quebec, QC - Theatre Capitole


* Festival Date


(Photo - Imani Givertz)

The music video for the song "A Different Light" from Tom Keifer can be seen below. The track is taken from Tom's critically acclaimed 2013 solo debut album, "The Way Life Goes".

Keifer's story begins as the singer-songwriter, guitarist and frontman of hard rock heavyweights CINDERELLA. His signature voice, guitar and bluesy, no-B.S. arena-shaking songwriting, played an integral role in moving records to the tune of 15 million worldwide. Tom Keifer is enjoying continued success recording and touring with #keiferband — Tom Keifer, Savannah Keifer, Tony Higbee, Billy Mercer, Kendra Chantelle, Jarred Pope and Kory Myers — releasing two critically acclaimed solo albums, the aforementioned "The Way Life Goes" and "Rise".

"Rise", released in September 2019 on Cleopatra Records, features the rousing, rollicking rock singles "The Death Of Me" and "Hype". Both singles landed in the Billboard Mainstream Rock Top 40. Keifer's deep-seated roots shine through to the very core on "Rise", something that was embedded at the very heart of his music created during the multiplatinum CINDERELLA days.

"When this band came together, we all felt a bit like broken souls, each with our own unique story," Tom explained. "If you ask anyone in the band, they would all say this band came along at just the right time. Every human who walks this planet faces challenges and extreme adversity they have to overcome. As a band, we feel fortunate to be able to face those things together. There is a piece of every band member in the 'The Death Of Me' as well as throughout the entire 'Rise' album."

The common thread to each song on "Rise" is the intuitive interplay between each member of #keiferband, a tight but loose collective that's spent the last few years on the road honing their live craft together. "Rise" is the studio-bred equivalent of a band just now realizing the full scope of its powers.

"We were trying to capture the feeling of what people have witnessed live with this band," Keifer explained. "There's an off-the-rails, real live feel to 'Rise' — and that's what we were going for. It shows a real kind of angst and reckless abandon that we tried not to polish too much. And when we pull it back on the ballads, it's more about the emotion, the soul, and making people feel something in a different way."

"To me, the perfect rock and roll record is perfectly fucked up," Keifer said with a hearty laugh. "You try to make each record interesting and different. I don't ever want to make the same record twice, even though there's a common thread between them. Everything doesn't have to be perfectly in place, but there is a balance you try to strike. Sometimes there may be something about it that's technically not 'right,' but there's a vibe, an energy and an attitude to it that I always try to preserve."

In March 2022, Keifer said that he was "not prepared" for the 2021 passing of CINDERELLA guitarist Jeff LaBar. Jeff was found dead by his wife, Debinique Salazar-LaBar, on July 14, 2021 inside his apartment in Nashville. He was 58 years old.

"I've gotta tell you, you're never really ready for that kind of loss; you're not prepared to hear that kind of thing," Keifer told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". "And everyone is still trying to grieve and process it. It's an emotional topic. Jeff was just such a passionate, amazing person, musician, human. He had a huge heart. And it was a tough one, man. It still is, for everybody."

Tom continued: "Jeff and I had a really good relationship throughout out career. Obviously, in bands there's times when you have differences; that's part of being in a band. It's true what people say about bands — that they're like a family, but, honestly, it's like that and even more intense, because there's so many different facets that inform the dynamics between bands; everything from business to creativity and everything in between. But despite any differences that we've had over the years, and the band in general, as I've always said, we've never aired anything like that.

"Jeff and I had a great relationship," Keifer repeated. "I loved Jeff — I really did — and have so many great memories of our journey together. He was amazing, and not just what he contributed to the music. Jeff had such a great sense of humor, and some of my favorite memories with Jeff are just kind of cutting up together on the bus. We were both big movie fans and could quote pretty much all our favorite movies. And we'd sit in the front lounge and quote 'Arthur' and 'The Big Lebowski' and 'Caddyshack'. He was just a really passionate, really fun guy to be around, and obviously, an amazing performer. He was a huge part of CINDERELLA.

"Like I said, you're never ready for that. And everyone is really honestly… I'm in touch with Eric [Brittingham, bass] and Fred [Coury, drums] regularly — everybody close to him — and we're still trying to process it. We really are."

Although CINDERELLA hasn't released a new studio album since 1994's "Still Climbing", the band started playing sporadic shows again in 2010 but has been largely inactive for the last few years while Keifer focused on his solo career.

IRON MAIDEN, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and SOUNDGARDEN are among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2023.

According to Rolling Stone, the top vote-getters will be announced in May and inducted in the fall.

"This remarkable list of Nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates," said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation. "These artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps."

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to have been released in 1998 or earlier. Eight of the nominees (Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, JOY DIVISION/NEW ORDER, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, THE WHITE STRIPES and Warren Zevon) are on the ballot for the first time.

This is the fifth nomination for RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, the fourth for Kate Bush and THE SPINNERS, and the second for IRON MAIDEN and A TRIBE CALLED QUEST.

The 2023 class will be chosen by a group of over 1,000 artists, historians, and members of the music industry the Rock Hall has selected as voters.

Less than four years ago, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said that he didn't care that his band had yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it had been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone in an interview. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal groups like MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Harris previously told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN would eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he said. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for nearly two decades, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 16 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

KISS's longtime manager Doc McGhee says that the final concert of the band's "End Of The Road" tour will definitely take place this year.

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but has since been extended to late 2023. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band's classic song "Detroit Rock City" on "America's Got Talent".

Speaking to "Podcast Rock City", Doc said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[The last show of the 'End Of The Road' tour] be finalized in the next few days, and we'll be making an announcement probably in the next days.

"One thing about KISS, we've always been that band that went to places where most bands didn't go. So we play everybody's town… You name it, we've played there. So we always go where the people are anyways. The reason why we're continuing doing this last [run] is because obviously the pandemic has stopped us from finishing. And the fact that people just wanted to see us. But we had to end it at some time, which will be this year."

Asked about the possibility of KISS continuing without co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Doc said: "There's a lot of talk about everything. And nobody knows what's gonna happen in the future. So what we've kind of put in our minds is let's go through this like this is the end of KISS as we know it. And whatever comes our way, with technology and everything else, we'll look at it. Will be Gene and Paul out there in makeup. No. I can tell you that. They're hanging their hats up after the [final] show, which is gonna be very, very difficult and very emotional for them after 50 years of doing this. And they love it.

"A lot of my bands — most of my bands — [say], 'I hate this. I don't wanna be out there anymore. I don't wanna do this. This is bullshit.' That's not [Paul and Gene]," Doc continued. "They love it. They thrive on it. We have a great time on the road, or an extremely good time on the road. So, it's, like, 'Why are we ending this?' And we're ending this because this is the time to end it. This is it, 50 years of KISS. And let them move on to their next phase of whatever they wanna do, whether it's Gene in business or having a country named after him, the Gene Simmons World; we don't know, however that works. And Paul's got a family. He's got three kids — he actually has four kids, but he's got three kids in the house.

"For us, we're just kind of open," McGhee explained. "People are throwing ideas around to us, and then we'll look at it. But, really, it has to be amazing. We don't fall for gimmicks, as much as some people would think we're a gimmick. But we don't fall for 'em. We didn't do NFTs, we didn't do all that stuff, because we didn't believe in it. We didn't believe that people were gonna get anything out of it. And it wasn't gonna be long-lasting.

"I like to think years and years ahead; I don't like to think days ahead. So with that, we're gonna go and finish this up and see what happens in the realm of the metaverse and the world of that type of things that can come back and people can experience things in different ways for KISS.

"To me, KISS is more like Marvel. There's all kinds of things that can happen with KISS, and probably will. So it's a whole new frontier out there starting in '24."

KISS's current lineup consists of original members Stanley and Simmons, alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.

In a recent interview with Yahoo! entertainment music editor Lyndsey Parker, Stanley touched upon the fact that the "End Of The Road" tour was originally scheduled to conclude in July 2021. He said: "This tour, interestingly, seems to go on forever. That's because we lost two years to COVID. People go, 'Oh my God. This tour…' Well, yeah, there's two years that didn't count. And it's a big world. So, there've been some countries that I thought we were finished with, and the fans and the promoters wanted us to come back. So we have shows to do.

"The end is in sight — more so than some people know," Stanley confirmed. "But we'll have an announcement about that in the not-too-distant future."

Asked if the KISS farewell tour will end with the band's July 15 performance in Norway, which is the last listed tour date on the official KISS web site, Paul said, "It would only make sense for us to play the States, and I think it would make sense that we would end where we started," strongly hinting that the final concert will take place in New York City.

As for whether he thinks it will be emotional for him to play the final KISS show, Paul said: "More so than I know. There's gonna be some tears shed, for sure.

"You've gotta remember that Gene and I started this together when I was 17 and he was 20, 21. It's 50 years later. We've lived pretty interesting lives, and we have families and children and huge sales in terms of albums and concerts. So it's a big part of who we are; it's a big part of our lives. So, that final show, yeah, that's momentous. And it's gonna hit harder than I think we know. And we know it's gonna hit hard."

Asked whether the last concert of KISS's "End Of The Road" tour will truly mark the band's final performance or if there is a chance of one-off shows or a Las Vegas residency in the future, Stanley said: "I really can't say. But it is the last of any kind of regular shows or touring.

"It's just time," he explained. "And in the same way, it's time consuming. And physically, it's grueling to do what we do. Hell, if I could go out on stage in my jeans and a t-shirt, give us another 10, 15 years easily. But what we do is a whole different sport. I mean, we're athletes; we're running around on stage with 30, 40, pounds of gear, and it's not possible to do it that much longer. So we're not like other bands.

"So, will we do more shows or one-offs? I really have no idea," Paul admitted. "But this is a real clear mindset that the touring days and doing those kind of shows, that's over."

Ozzy Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, has officially been canceled.

Late Tuesday night (January 31),Ozzy released the following statement: "This is probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to share with my loyal fans. As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine. My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.

"I am honestly humbled by the way you've all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that I'm not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn't deal with the travel required. Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really FUCKS ME UP, more than you will ever know.

"Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.

"I want to thank my family……my band…….my crew……my longtime friends, JUDAS PRIEST, and of course, my fans for their endless dedication, loyalty, and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have.

"I love you all…"

Ozzy's farewell European tour was set to begin in Helsinki, Finland in May.

Ticket refunds are available at point of purchase.

Ozzy initially scrapped his entire 2019 schedule as he recovered from surgery to repair an injury sustained while dealing with a bout of pneumonia. The tour was postponed a second time after Ozzy continued to deal with health issues following a fall in his Los Angeles home. That fall "aggravated years-old injuries" from an ATV accident that occurred in 2003. The tour was pushed back a third time in October 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Had Ozzy's European tour with JUDAS PRIEST tour taken place in May 2023, it would have been more than four years later than originally planned, and almost five years after tickets first went on sale in September 2018.

In December, Ozzy was spotted leaning on a cane while shopping at the luxury supermarket Erewhon Market in Los Angeles. A female assistant helped him maneuver his shopping cart through the store. The 74-year-old is continuing to deal with health woes, including a serious spinal injury that has left him struggling to walk even six months after another surgery.

But he told SiriusXM: "I still have a lot in the tank. I'm determined to get back on the stage again. I'm still in recovery, and I have a goal. And my goal is to get back on stage. It's the driving force in me. I miss my audience. I miss doing gigs. I miss my crew. I miss my band. I miss the whole thing.

"My family has been so good," he added. "I am the man of the family, but I have never been this laid up in my life."

Three years ago, Ozzy publicly revealed his battle with Parkinson's disease. The singer was first diagnosed with the neurological disorder back in 2003, but he didn't disclose that he was stricken with the disease until a January 2020 appearance on "Good Morning America".

Eighteen years ago, Ozzy said that he had been diagnosed with Parkin syndrome, a genetic condition which has symptoms similar to that of Parkinson's disease, such as body shakes. At the time, he said that he was relieved his debilitating body tremors were from Parkin and not his lifetime of drug abuse.

In a recent interview with Australia's Wall Of Sound, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares once again opened up about his band's search for a new vocalist following the departure of Burton C. Bell more than two years ago. Regarding how he is preparing the new singer for the inevitable barrage of criticism once his identity has been revealed, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had a lot of preparation with him because he's gonna have to be able to not only fill some big shoes, which he can vocal-wise, but he's never been inside in that arena, where you're gonna have the media, you're gonna have Internet trolls coming after you. So that's one of the main things I'm getting him prepared for, because some people just can't handle that emotionally.

"If you're in a small band growing to be a bigger band, yeah, eventually you grow into all the Internet hate that you're gonna get, but he's gonna get it instantly and it's gonna be bombarded on him," Dino explained. "But I understand where some people are coming from, 'cause some people are not always adaptable to change. And Burton C. Bell definitely did have the legendary voice for FEAR FACTORY. But things change, people's lives change, and sometimes you've just gotta move on. And that's exactly what we've both done."

Cazares previously told RichardMetalFan, that Bell "always had one foot out the door" during his time with FEAR FACTORY. "He originally quit way back in 2002, and he ended up coming band into the band and restarting the band with the other guys without me," the guitarist said. "At least that's what I thought. But I don't know. I never really got the full story of why they did what they did. But to me, it always seemed like he always had one foot out the door, and I think that this was just his time to exit, for whatever reason. I mean, you have to ask him, really, to get [the full story of why he left]. But he pretty much left me to handle the rest of the duties for [FEAR FACTORY's latest album] 'Aggression Continuum'. And so now I'm moving forward without him, and the band's gonna go on without him, and that's just how it is. He's moved on, and so have I. Fans can cry all they want and people can want what they want. And I get it; I understand. He was in the band for many years, and he was the only vocalist on the record, even though he had quit the band two or three times before that. But he's gone, and I've moved on, and so has he."

Dino also talked about FEAR FACTORY's new vocalist, saying: "There's gonna be big shoes to fill. But I'm not afraid. I've been there before. I'm ready to move on forward. I look forward to it. I think it's gonna be fucking ripping. It's gonna be killer. I'm gonna put out some more heavy shit. So I don't think anybody needs to worry. The vocalist I got is amazing. He's younger; he's in his mid-30s. He's at his vocal peak, I think. He's there and ready to go. We're not making any announcements yet, but people will hear about it soon."

In September 2020, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY was a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it.

"With FEAR FACTORY, it's just constantly been, like, 'What?!' You can only take so much. I felt like 30 years was a good run. Those albums I've done with FEAR FACTORY will always be out there. I'll always be part of that. I just felt like it was time to move forward."

Pressed about whether there is any chance of a reconciliation with FEAR FACTORY down the line, Burton said: "I'm done. I haven't spoken to Dino in three years. I haven't spoken to Raymond [Herrera, drums] and Christian [Olde Wolbers, bass] in longer than that, and I have no intention to. I'm just moving forward with my life."

FEAR FACTORY's tour with STATIC-X in early 2023 will be the band's first with its new lead singer, a 36-year-old musician who is "basically unknown," according to Dino.

Cazares recently confirmed that he and the new FEAR FACTORY vocalist have begun work on material for the follow-up to 2021's "Aggression Continuum" album.

In September, Cazares told "The Jasta Show" that FEAR FACTORY fans will have to wait a few more months to find out the identity of his band's new singer.

"FEAR FACTORY singer and music will be coming just before the [group's North American] tour with STATIC-X," he said. "End of February is the first show, so just before that we'll be releasing the single and the singer. And then boom — right on the road."

Last February, former NIGHTRAGE singer Antony Hämäläinen, who unsuccessfully auditioned for the vocalist slot in FEAR FACTORY, claimed in an interview that the new FF frontman is "a person from Italy."

"Aggression Continuum" was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Cazares and Bell alongside drummer Mike Heller.

Bell's ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS project released its second full-length album, "Apocrypha", in October 2020 via Dissonance Productions.

2022 saw the unholy return of the German extreme metal band Mystic Circle, releasing their self-titled new studio-album and marking a furious return, which even made them enter the offical German album charts on a sensational #78.


The inspiration kept flowing and the two main members Beelzebub and A. Blackwarcreated nine new tracks for their ninth studio album, which will be called Erzdämon and see the light of day on March 17th via their new label, Fireflash Records.







The tracklist is as follows:


"Erzdämon (Part 1)"
"From Hell"
"Unholy Trinity"
"The Scarecrow"
"Asmodeus And The Temple Of God"
"Welcome To The Midnight Mass"
"The Mothman"
"Skinwalker"
"The Princess Of The Deadly Sins (Erzdämon Part 2)"


"This new album is a logical continuation and further development of the previous album, more detailed and leading more into the world of horror. The satanic, demonic themes got combined with mystical legends of old stories that will make your blood run cold. Musically this is evoked with new and darker sounds and samples as well as classic heavy metal parts“, comments the band and describes their new journey as a mixture of Drachenblut, Infernal Satanic Verses and Mystic Circle. "We gave the the album a German title, because we wanna close a circle and go back to our early days. "Erzdämon" sounds powerful and sublime and represents the album 100%."


For the album cover, Mystic Circle worked with Rafael Tavares again, who came up with the perfect artwork. The production with Nils Lesser continues seamlessly from the previous album: bombastic, brutal and massive! "The new record contains the fastest, but also the most doomy songs in the band's history", the band sums up.


Erzämon will be released on the new founded label Fireflash Records, a sub-label of Atomic Fire Records. "After working closely with Markus Wosgien on Atomic Fire Records, our new album will be released on his own label Fireflash Records. Markus is all in one: a friend, fan and mentor of the band, knowing us very well since the beginning and has also studied our development from afar. With his experience and his power we are ready to continue our way straight and uncompromising. We are all highly motivated and now, this new album is in great hands", comments the band.


"We know each other for ages and back in the days I was doing the publicity work for the Mystic Circle‘s first three studio albums on Last Episode. We became friends and I also had them on the cover of my old fanzine "Circle Of The Tyrants". When I heard the new songs, I was completely blown away. I mean, the band did some real classics and their reunion album was a deadly strike, but this new record tops it all and is simply the best they ever did. The songs are even more versatile, fast and brutal, dark as hell – but also super catchy and pure Mystic Circle. You get addicted immediately", adds Markus Wosgien of Fireflash Records.


Along the release of the new studio album, Fireflash Records will also re-release the Mystic Circle classic Drachenblut on coloured vinyl. More news soon.

Finnish melodic death metal necromancers Torchia have released release a new song, "La Magra", along with with a striking music video. The song is the first single from the band's upcoming third album.


Guitarist Ville Riitamaa: "'La Magra' is a soul-ripping remedy found in evil and misery. For such a spiteful story, a touch of the melancholy of Finnish language was definitely needed. When it comes to the composition, the song is an unprecedentedly nasty Torchia tune, and the main riff takes no prisoners – without forgetting melody."


The sinister music video, typical of Torchia, was produced in collaboration with Obliviart Productions. The video uses CGI graphics, which is a whole new element for the band.




Vocalist Edward Torchia: "When we started writing the script, I soon realized that we are about go beyond this reality. The story of the song was simply crying for visual effects. The end result takes the viewer to another world."


Listen to the single via digital platforms found here.





Photo by Mikko Pylkkö

Japanese supergroup, The Last Rockstars, is  comprised of four of Japan’s biggest rock stars – Yoshiki (X Japan), Hyde (L'Arc-en-Ciel, Vamps), Sugizo (X Japan, Luna Sea), and Miyavi. The group announced their formation at a live event in Tokyo on November 11th, 2022.


The band played their first live show on January 23rd in Tokyo, Japan at Ariake Arena. Fan-filmed video of the entire show is available below.


The setlist was as follows:




"The Last Rockstars"
"6 Or 9" (Hyde song)
"Messiah"
"Here's The Love"
"Beneath The Skin" (S.K.I.N. cover)
- Sugizo and Miyavi Guitar Battle -
- Sugizo Violin Solo
"Folly"
"Hallelujah"
- Yoshiki Drum Solo
- Yoshiki Piano Solo
"Born To Be Free" (X Japan cover)
"Honey "(L'Arc-en-Ciel cover)
"Up And Down"
"Bang!" (Miyavi song)
"Red Swan" (Hyde song)
"Psycho Love"


Encore:
"Shine"
"Glamorous Sky" (Hyde song)
"The Last Rockstars"











, and now they have three upcoming "Live Debut" shows scheduled for New York and Los Angeles. A second New York show at the Hammerstein Ballroom was added last month. 


The group most recently announced a label deal with Virgin Music Group, who will partner with the group for the release of new music in 2023.  The band's debut single is the self-titled anthem "The Last Rockstars (Paris Mix)". The video for the single accumulated an impressive 1.7 million views within a week of its release. Check it out below.





Live dates:


February 
3 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom 
4 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
10 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium (SOLD OUT)


All of the members are stars in their own right. Yoshiki, leader / drummer of the legendary X Japan, has been named "one of the most influential composers in Japanese history," and has sold over 50 million albums.


Hyde is a vocalist, record producer, and actor. Best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel since 1991, he is also the lead vocalist of Vamps and has a solo career.


Sugizo is best known as the lead guitarist and violinist of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989. He officially joined X Japan in 2009 after coming on board as a touring member in 2008.


Miyavi is a guitarist, vocalist, record producer, and actor known for his finger-slapping style of playing guitar. He has been active since 1999, first as guitarist for the now defunct Visual Kei rock band Dué Le Quartz, and then as a solo artist starting in 2002. In 2007, he became a member of the rock supergroup S.K.I.N. In 2014, Miyavi appeared in the movie Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie, and went on to undertake smaller roles in American productions such as Kong: Skull Island and Stray.

Germany's porno metallers Electric Callboy have shared a new video along with the following message:


"Here we go! We had some unreleased footage from our original video shoot for 'Pump It' and we decided to make another music video for the 'Pump It (Velvet Remix)'! Enjoy..."










Electric Callboy released their new studio album, Tekkno, on September 9th, 2022 via Century Media Records. They will release the Tekkno (Tour Edition) on March 24th. Below is the official live video for "We Got The Moves", taken from the record.


Tekkno (Tour Edition) is available for pre-order in the following formats:


- Ltd. 180g. ultra clear-red splattered Vinyl (limited to 1.000 copies / band exclusive)
- Ltd. 180g. yellow-black marbled Vinyl (limited to 500 copies / band exclusive and CM Distro)
- Ltd. 180g transp. light blue-lilac marbled Vinyl (available at all outlets) - Standard CD Jewelcase





Tracklist:


"Pump It"
"We Got The Moves"
"Fuckboi" (feat. Conquer Divide)
"Spaceman" (feat. Finch)
"Mindreader"
"Arrow Of Love"
"Parasite"
"Tekkno Train"
"Hurrikan"
"Neon"
"Pump It" (Live)
"Hate/Love" (Live)
"Spaceman" (Live)
"We Got The Moves" (Live)
"Hypa Hypa" (Live)

Finnish extreme metallers Anzillu – whose sound is punctuated by buzz-saw guitar riffs delivered with equal amounts of dexterous shredding and pummeling anthemic brute force – have released their debut album, Ex Nihilo, upon the masses. Thrashy, intense, infectiously catchy with melodic undertones and shout-along choruses, this album is seismic and relentless.


“We’ve been working on this album for a good three years,” explains guitarist Jesse Kämäräinen. “First demoing and arranging the songs, then recording and mixing it at Sonic Pump Studios with Nino Laurenne (Amorphis, Wintersun, Lost Society, Lordi) and lastly working towards the release with M-Theory Audio. Finally, the day is here and we get to see how people will receive it. I've made some albums in my time and I'm proud of all of them, but this one I'm proud of the most. It took the most work and it paid off. In a certain way, the stars were aligned.”


“As for the new single ‘Mental Graveyard’, I think it's the strongest song on the album. It’s the best song I've ever written, hence I chose it to be the lead single for the album. If you only want to listen to one song from us, it's this one,” cites Jesse. “I wanted to try my limits when writing this song and to do something atypical. I'd like to think I succeeded. Lyrically the song is about quitting a toxic relationship and realizing your own value. It has a lot of personal experience behind the lyrics, but I hope everyone in the same bad situation will realize that there's always better options out there.”







Ex Nihilo artwork and tracklisting:





"Needles (On My Nerves)"
"Mental Graveyard"
"Trumpets Of War"
"The Cleansing Flame"
"Discordia"
"Dauntless"
"Splinter In The Mind’s Eye"
"Vultures"
"Ex Nihilo"


Secure your copy of Ex Nihilo now at this location.


"Needles (On My Nerves)" video:





"Trumpets Of War" video:





"The Cleansing Flame" lyric video:





"Discordia" video:





For further details, visit Anzillu on Facebook.


 

Death / black metal pioneers Inferion will reissue their long out-of-of-print, 1999 debut album, Given To The Ground, on February 10, 2023 on digital and CD digipack formats. The album has been remastered, and the digital version will include three bonus tracks; re-recorded versions of "Entering Death Without A Name", "Killing Off Life", and "Religious War".


Inferion's first full-length album, Given To The Ground, explores the darker side of life such as death, ceremonial burial, and the transformation of flesh to dust. Due to the different influences while writing this album, Given To The Ground takes the form of a mid-paced doom / death metal release with a mesh of the band's signature melodic black / thrash metal influence. This release embodies the warm analog sound of being recorded on ADAT tape.







Tracklisting:


"Given To The Ground" 
"Luxor Massacre"
"Entering Death Without A Name"
"Killing Off Life"
"Religious War"
"When The Fire Dies"
"Realm Of Solitude"
"Angelic Suffering"
"Further Into The Vortex"
"Entering Death Without A Name" (2023 Re-Recording) *
"Killing Off Life" (2023 Re-Recording) *
"Religious War" (2023 Re-Recording) *


* Digital-only bonus tracks


Pre-order Given To The Ground on CD digipack now at this location, or pre-save the digital album here. The reissue will also be available on Spotify on February 10, 2023.


 

The first embers sparked in the frosty Canadian Tundra of Newfoundland, Canada in 2011 when Category VI released their “Vinland” demo. This swiftly ignited their path and their debut album Fireborn (2013) was unleashed in a blaze of burning metal. Those coals were never quenched, and Category VI added fuel to the fire with their 2017 follow-up Inferno “War Is Hell”.


Category VI now in 2023, they return with a full blazing firestorm with their third album and most accomplished release to date, Firecry. From the initial flickering flame of “Firecry” to the final cinders of the absolutely combustible cover of Heart's classic “Barracuda”, Category VI delivers true and classic 80’s heavy metal with utter perfection. “Firecry” boasts a crisp, clear, and scorching modern production that does not distract from the band's true 80’s metal sound.


Lyrically crafted around themes of personal pride and triumph ("Valkyrie", "Heavy Is The Crown"), witchcraft persecution ("Firecry"), women’s strength ("She Runs With Wolves") and their excellent live performances ("Coven"), these concepts are boldly and powerfully delivered by the soaring vocal excellence of Amanda Jackman. Bolstered and fuelled by the powerful stainless steel riffs and catchy melodies of guitarist Geoff Waye, the pounding anvil bass of Keith Jackman, and the thunderous steadfast drumming of Brian Downton, Category VI brings classy and classic 1980s power – Traditional Heavy Metal into the 21st century with blazing glory.




Category VI delivers an immaculate true metal, yet the radio-friendly cover of the chart-topping Heart classic “Barracuda”. With Firecry, Category VI unleashes a global scale climate-changing metal cyclone that just may melt the North American frozen tundra with its blazing power metal.


Firecry is due out March 24 via Moribund Records. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Firecry"
"Valkyrie"
"The Vultures Never Came"
"She Runs With Wolves"
"Heavy Is The Crown"
"Coven"
"The Cradle Will Fall"
"Burning Bridges"
"Barracuda" (Heart)


"Firecry":