KORN has teamed with the makeup company HipDot for a makeup palette celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band's "Follow The Leader" album. The set is packaged in a "Follow The Leader" CD-sized case that contains a ring of eight different color "tracks" that are inspired by KORN's classic third LP.

KORN said in a statement: "We've teamed up with HipDot to create an exclusive 'Follow The Leader' CD makeup palette ahead of the 25th anniversary this summer. This palette consists of 8 amazing 'tracks' of various, pigmented textures… Our KoRn x HipDot 'Follow The Leader' collection is vegan, free of harmful ingredients, certified cruelty-free, and curated to embrace all skin tones."

Track shade descriptions:

"My Gift to You" - Olive Beetle - Shifter
"Dead Bodies Everywhere" - Vintage Sepia - Glitter
"Pretty" - Slashed & Silver - Glitter
"Freak on a Leash" - Black - Matte
"Got the Life" - Sunset Copper - Shimmer
"Children of the Korn" - Beige - Matte
"It's On!" - Dirt Brown - Matte
"Seed" - Off White Pink – Matte

For more information, visit link textHipDot.com.

HipDot previously collaborated with MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE on a three-piece eye makeup collection inspired by the band's second album, "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge".

In 1994, KORN's self‐titled debut album marked the band's arrival. It was dark and brash and it demanded attention, as did KORN's second album in 1996, "Life Is Peachy". Good going for a new band, but in 1998, "Follow The Leader" saw KORN's success and notoriety accelerate exponentially. With constant demand for the singles, "Got The Life" and "Freak On A Leash" on MTV, KORN exceeded its own expectations. For both the band and their fans, this was the start of something exciting, albeit turbulent.

"Follow The Leader" was a massive commercial breakthrough for KORN, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, selling five million copies in the U.S. and yielding two hits singles in "Got The Life" and "Freak On A Leash".

Singer Jonathan Davis told Noisey about the recording of the 1998 LP: "Making that record almost killed me. Our booze and alcohol budget... like, we spent $60,000 on alcohol to make that record. Last record of me getting fucked up, and it was insane."

Davis recalled that the album was the band's first without producer Ross Robinson, who had produced KORN's first two records. Davis explained: "It was time for us to do different types of songs. And it paid off, man. It worked."

In September 2018, KORN played three very special shows in celebration of the 20th anniversary of "Follow The Leader": in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

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Former ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5 has uploaded a video of him playing along to "Bastard", a song from MÖTLEY CRÜE's second album, "Shout At The Devil", which was originally released in 1983. "One of my favz," MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx wrote in the comments section.

The latest video share comes a week after John 5 posted a video of him playing along to "Home Sweet Home", and two weeks after he shared a clip of him playing "Louder Than Hell". Prior to that, he shared play-along videos for "Looks That Kill", "Wild Side", the "Girls, Girls, Girls" title track and "Too Fast For Love", the title track of MÖTLEY CRÜE's debut album, which celebrated its 41st birthday on November 10.

In October, Sixx praised John 5, saying he "checks all the boxes" as Mick Mars's replacement following the latter's decision to no longer tour with the legendary rock act.

Sixx commented on John 5's addition to CRÜE while answering fan questions on Twitter. Asked why the band chose John 5, who is one of the credited co-writers on the three original songs on CRÜE's "The Dirt" soundtrack, Sixx said: "He checks all the boxes. He's a insane player. Has respect for our music, is funny as fuck and has history with us and we've written some pretty big hits together."

Sixx also addressed Mars's announcement that he was retiring from touring because of his long struggles with degenerative disease ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine joints and ligaments and can lead to stiffness over time, according to the National Institute Of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases.

"He's been a soldier along with us for 4 decades," Nikki said about his longtime bandmate. "We will continue to carrying our legacy to Generations of fans and honor Micks request for us to keep touring as Motley Crue."

In addition to co-writing the three songs on "The Dirt", John 5 collaborated with Sixx and Desmond Child on Meat Loaf's "The Monster Is Loose". In 2021, Sixx and John 5 launched the L.A. RATS supergroup in which they were joied by Rob Zombie and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

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

A day after Mick announced his retirement from touring, remaining members Sixx, singer Vince Neil and drummer Tommy Lee vowed to "continue the legacy." In a statement, they said: "While change is never easy, we accept Mick's decision to retire from the band due to the challenges with his health. We have watched Mick manage his Ankylosing Spondylitis for decades and he has always managed it with utmost courage and grace. To say 'enough is enough' is the ultimate act of courage. Mick's sound helped define MÖTLEY CRÜE from the minute he plugged in his guitar at our very first rehearsal together. The rest, as they say, is history. We'll continue to honor his musical legacy."

The statement continued: "We will carry out Mick's wish and continue to tour the world as planned in 2023. No doubt will it take an absolutely outstanding musician to fill Mick's shoes so we are grateful that our good friend, John 5 has agreed to come on board and join us moving forward. We'll see all you Crueheads out on the road!”

John 5, whose real name is John William Lowery, said: "I'm honored to carry on Mick's legacy and am looking forward to playing these songs."

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

The statement read: "Mick Mars, co-founder and lead guitarist of the heavy metal band MÖTLEY CRÜE for the past 41 years, has announced today that due to his ongoing painful struggle with Ankylosing Spondylitis, he will no longer be able to tour with the band. Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigors of the road. A.S. is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine."

John 5's involvement with MÖTLEY CRÜE as the band's new guitarist was first reported as a rumor by the Metal Sludge web site on October 7.

Speculation about John 5 replacing Mars gained strength after the longtime ROB ZOMBIE guitarist failed to appear with the shock rocker at last year's Aftershock festival in Sacramento. Rob was instead joined on stage by returning guitarist Mike Riggs for the first time since 2006.

John 5 has performed MÖTLEY CRÜE songs a number of times in the past. Back in 2018, John 5 was joined by Sixx along with ANTHRAX's Scott Ian and his wife Pearl Aday at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California to play a cover of "Shout At The Devil". Last year, the guitarist ran through renditions of both "Home Sweet Home" and "Kickstart My Heart" at various shows on his U.S. tour.

The new full-length of the German heavy metal maniacs of Wardress turns on the home stretch and will be released on March 17 via Black Sunset/MDD! Metal Til The End is not only the motto, but also the album title. 





Eight songs of classic metal, which you can hear the preference for NWOBHM and which are fresh, dynamic and timeless at the same time, the guys have put together under the wings of Rolf Munkes in the Empire Studio in Bensheim. A first sample will be soon available, in the meantime take a look at the cover artwork. Metal Til The End will be released on CD and vinyl.




Check out the eponymous track “Wardress” from 2019’s Dress For War: 

Chad Smith stops by Sammy Hagar’s studio for a Chickenfoot jam sesh with a surprise visit from Joe Satriani. Watch as the trio rocks out to "Soap On a Rope," Chad tells Sammy about his work-hard, play-hard attitude, and more on Rock & Roll Road Trip.





TMZ recently presented Sammy Hagar's Paradise, streaming now on Fox Nation. He recently spoke with Neil Cavuto at Fox News about the birtday bash. Check out the interview here.





Watch the latest video at foxnews.com


The Red Rocker gives you access to his 75th birthday bash while sharing the unbelievable true story that sparked one of the most legendary & tumultuous music careers in history.


Says Sammy: "I've been trying to get something like this done about the Birthday Bash since the beginning. It finally got done right and the fans are in it. Look for yourselves. It's awesome."


Watch here, and check out a video trailer below:

Calgary, Canada's fantasy prog power metal Red Cain is kicking off the beginning of 2023 with their next The Wheel of Time (novel/TV series) inspired single entitled "Blight" that continues the storyline from their previous single "The Fisher King" released this past November.





An epic and progressive track, "Blight" shreds fans into another voyage of storytelling, vocalist Evgeniy Zayarny explains further:




"Blight is defined as an organic contagion that damages, destroys, or corrupts. In the Wheel of Time universe, where the Dark One touches the world, uncontrolled and aberrant growth sprouts and covers the land, home to malign flora and monstrous fauna. With this track, we moved the needle firmly into the progressive part of our prog power style, delivering an atmospheric, chilling, and dynamic performance meant to mimic the unstoppable advancement of the Blight over the land. Is the Blight a disease or a majestic triumph of organic life without limits? With this Tesseract, Ihsahn, and Insomnium-influenced track, we explore this idea.


The concept of “Blight” came out of a question - what is the ideal state in the evolution of organic life? Influenced by authors like Stanislaw Lem and Adrian Tchaikovsky, this has long been a theme in science fiction and is becoming relevant in the modern era. The Blight also plays a key role within the Wheel of Time universe, and the concept sets the stage for a musical exploration from our end where another evolution to our sound likewise takes root."





"Blight" was mastered by Alan Sascha Laskow (Every Hour Kills, ex-Divinity) and mixed by Tyler Corbett, (Sole Audio).

Seattle-based metal outfit Vanishment presents their debut album, No More Torture, confirming the record for release in early March through Dead Sage Records with lead single “Door To Deceit.”


Vanishment takes pride in delivering a combination of DIY attitude, relentlessly heavy songs, and a face-melting live experience that leaves an indelible mark upon all in its path. Consisting of vocalist Rob Ropkins (Deadly Light, North American Bison), guitarists Brian Johnson (Himsa, Trial) and Jeremy McAllister (Heiress, Wizards of Wor), bassist Nate Baker (Hell Promise, Formula One), and drummer Chris Wozniak (Lair Of The Minotaur, Earthen Grave), the band saw its inception in early 2019. At the time, the quintet was playing together in the band Pinned Red when they decided to refocus and rebrand as Vanishment.


Taking inspiration from classic thrash and heavy metal bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Judas Priest, the group spent several months writing, rehearsing, and eventually recording their self-titled debut EP which was released to the masses in 2021, showcasing the band's raw energy and aggressive sound. The band has since played numerous shows in the Pacific Northwest, performing alongside some of the biggest names in the metal scene.




In between shows, Vanishment continued to write and record what will be their debut full-length album, No More Torture. Recorded by the band and mastered by Chris Hanzsek, No More Torture drops forty-two minutes of pummeling metal with all the classic elements fans of old-school Bay Area thrash will appreciate underpinned with more modern metallic hardcore elements and hooks lying just below the surface.


With the lead single, the band offers, “‘Door To Deceit’ is a song about greed, lies, evil from within, gaining from other’s losses, and accepting it as the norm. We chose this as the first track and single from our debut album because it represents our sound well. Like the album, it's a rager from beginning to end."


Dead Sage will release No More Torture on CD and digitally on March 5. Preorder on Bandcamp.


Vanishment is already working on new music and is currently booking shows around and beyond the Pacific Northwest. Watch for steady updates on new tour dates to post throughout the year.





Tracklisting:


“Door To Deceit”
“Dismiss The Warning”
“Forced Compliance”
“Severed Cord”
“Killing The Sun”
“Relieved In Pain”
“Death Calls”
“Last Hope For Comfort”


“Door To Deceit”:


No More Torture by Vanishment


(Photo – Peter Line)

New Jersey hard rock outfit, Who On Earth, have dropped a new live video for their track "Black Swan". Filmed at the band's hometown show at Starland Ballroom last November, the new video is highlighted by a powerhouse performance from veteran guitarist Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob), who also plays guitar on the band's new album, Blame.


Speaking about his contributions as producer on Blame, and performing "Black Swan" live, Orlando shares: "It was an absolute pleasure working with Who On Earth on their debut album, Blame, as producer, engineer, mixing/mastering AND guest guitarist. Jumping onstage to close out the record release show with Black Swan was an absolute blast. I look forward to having these guys back down at Sonic Stomp Studios for their next record. Great guys, great tunes. Who On Earth, you gotta check it out... you just gotta!"


Watch the video below.







Blame tracklisting:


"The Price"
"Black Swan"
"H8-Triarch"
"Down & Out"
"Unbeaten"
"We Don't Belong"
"Set Me Free"
"Monster In A Jar"
"On The Brink"
"Watch The Fires Burn"


"Black Swan" live video:





"Down & Out" lyric video:





Lineup:


Coosh - vocals
Pete Rizzi - bass
Joe D' Aqui - drums

Ireland’s Cruachan have enjoyed a storied career since they took those tentative first steps back in 1992. As frontman and sole original member Keith Fay elaborates; “When I started writing music as a 13-year-old, I had no idea that I was laying the foundations for what would become a brand-new genre, folk metal, or that I was planting the seeds of what would be one of the longest running Irish metal bands in history. There have been many ups and downs over the last thirty years, band members have come and gone, record deals have come and gone. We've played some of the biggest metal festivals on the planet, travelled to more countries than most Irish bands would ever dream possible. And it has all led to this - our ninth album, The Living And The Dead.”


The band celebrated their 30th anniversary last year with an invitation to submit a song to be considered for Ireland’s 2023 Eurovision song contest entry. Whilst the band weren’t ultimately successful, it did help remind people that Cruachan were very much back.


“From the opening blast of 'The Living' to the final lament of 'The Dead', The Living And The Dead is everything you want from Cruachan and more. 12 tracks of blistering riffs, magnificent melodies, and bewitchment.” - Stu 'La Rage' Dixon / Venom




A man whose vision and passion for his band has never wavered in the ensuing three decades, Cruachan’s place in, not only in metal history, but that of Ireland’s musical landscape, has been hard earned and hard fought. But Fay was always confident that he and the band would always deliver. “This album had to be good. No, it had to be better than good. This had to be the best Cruachan album ever made. I faced a decision in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, when three band members left the band. ‘Do I call it a day? or do I press on with the mammoth task of replacing everyone’. There was no real decision to be made, I worked way too hard over the years to allow Cruachan to fizzle out. I had been writing some of the best music of my career in recent years. I secured a record deal with a label (Sweden’s Despotz Records) that understood exactly what Cruachan and my vision is.”


“From the uplifting excitement and energy of track one, The Living, this album grabs your heart and mind then drags them on a fantastic journey through haunting and foreboding stories put to sublimely beautiful folk and aggressive metal, constantly interweaving until we reach.... ‘The Dead' - Jon Campling / Actor (Harry Potter, Final Fantasy)


With the deal signed, talk obviously turned to new music. “The new album only existed in my head but he still pushed me to get a single out. We recorded The Hawthorn and the reaction was immense.’ Buoyed by the amazing reaction to the single, Fay recruited new members for Cruachan in ‘record time’. ‘Joe Farrell had already re-joined Cruachan on bass at the start of 2020, apart from being one of my oldest friends, he was also my rock during this time. Tom (Woodlock), one of the best metal drummers in Ireland, joined us early in 2020. I've known Dave Quinn for many years so was a relief that I didn't need to audition for guitarists, he came in and was a natural fit for the band. I did advertise for a folk instrumentalist and had a few interesting applications. Audrey sent me a mail with some links to her playing. My jaw literally dropped and I recruited her right away. She has been playing violin since the age of 4, the quality she brings to every aspect of Cruachan is beyond compare, from our folky stuff to our classical stuff, it has all just moved to a level I never thought possible.”


“It was a pleasure to be a part of this project, the fusion of heavy metal and folk music on this album is furious, organic, and natural. Folk metal fans are in for a treat.” - Camillus Hiney / The Fureys


New line-up in place, and a clutch of songs Fay felt were among the strongest he’d ever written for the band, the time came to enter the studio to work on what would become The Living And The Dead. “Finally, in April 2022, we entered Trackmix studios to start recording. The quality and maturity of our new material was obvious right away. There have always been elements of classical music in Cruachan's material but I explored this a lot more on some of the new songs. The honesty and credibility in the finished songs takes my breath away. The song 'The Reaper' is about my dad, who sadly passed away in 2020. There was a point when Audrey was layering the strings section for this song, I was listening with Joe and our producer Mick and it literally brought me to tears. I turned to Joe and all I could manage to say was 'wow'. I did my dad proud with that song but I think we did all of our fans proud with this entire album. I could talk about many other parts in many other tracks but you'll hear it yourself and see what I mean. I achieved my goal. I created the best Cruachan album to date.”


“This album has everything from groovy death to the folkiest of metals! If you're a true folker then this album is for you!”  - Mathias 'Vreth' Lillmans / Finntroll


After a few tumultuous years band leader Keith Fay observes; "A number of long-term members chose to leave the band, but that prompted a time of rebirth for the band and it has only been a positive thing."  Despite the upheaval behind the scenes, one thing has never faltered; and that is Keith’s passion for folk and metal music, and Cruachan’s unique way of bringing the two together.



 
The Living And The Dead features nine guest musicians.


Kim Dylla – Backing Vocals
Kim is the former vocalist of GWAR and runs Kylla Custom Rock Wear, making stage clothes for the greatest metal bands in the world! When she can, she is also our live female vocalist.


Nella – Lead Vocal (“The Changeling”)
Nella is a singer songwriter based in Ireland. She has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and performed live with Video Games Live as well as sang on the soundtrack for World of Warcraft.


Mathias ‘Vreth’ Lillmåns – Lead Vocal (“The Ghost”)
Mathis is lead singer with Finntroll!! He adds some really amazing growls to the most 'Death Metal' track on the album.


Jon Campling – Backing Vocals (“The Crow”, “The Changeling”)
Jon is an actor that has appeared in Harry Potter (the Death Eater that stops the Hogwarts Express) as well as King Regis from Final Fantasy. In recent years he decided to learn to play guitar and sing and we're delighted his professional singing debut is on this album (and he nailed it)


Geoffrey Dell’Aria – Bagpipes, Tin Whistle, Low Whistle
Geoff is an accomplished musician who plays in many, many bands. He made a huge contribution to this album with pipes and whistles throughout.


Camillus Hiney – Accordion (“The Festival”)
Camillus is the box player for the legendary Irish folk group The Fureys. Having a folk musician of Camillus's calibre on this album is a huge moment of pride for us.


Stu ‘La Rage’ Dixon – Guitar solo (“The Witch”)
Stu is the guitarist with metal legends Venom. An amazing lead guitarist who lends a real touch of class to this song.


John Fay – Tin whistle (“The Children”)
John needs no introduction, long-time member of Cruachan over the years it was a pleasure to have him back and still involved with the band as a guest musician. You'll see John on TV all the time in shows such as Vikings, Game of Thrones etc


Sinead Richards – Euphonium (“The Reaper”)
Lastly a huge thank you to Sinead, the 14-year-old daughter of our producer. She is a huge talent and added such orchestral heft to this song that we can't imagine how it would sound without her contribution.


“The Crow”:

The Grafenberg Disciples are back with their new music video for “Cry A Million Tears” – premiered exclusively through BraveWords! Can you spot all the Rush references in the video? Watch below:





The band’s record label – The Highlander Company Records states: “Following on the success of the Neil Peart tribute song and video ‘No Words’, The Grafenberg Disciples once again display their love for the band Rush, with their newest video for the lead-off single of their new album Breathing Through My Ears. The first release is called ‘Cry A Million Tears’ and features many Rush Easter eggs sprinkled throughout this story of a gritty slice of real life. The band is challenging everyone to find all the Easter egg goodies and send them an email at info@thehighlanderco.com with a count of how many respectful nods to the boys from up north. All correct answers will receive a free download of the album. Let’s see how many you find!”




The Grafenberg Disciples exist at the crossroads of funk, pop, jazz, and classic rock ‘n’ roll.


Imagine what you would get if you put Prince, Level42, Ultravox, Marvin Gaye, Toad The Wet Sprocket and a few others into a blender. (Actually, what you would get would be a pink gooey mess with a few buttons floating on top, but that’s not what we’re trying to get at here…)


Founded by bassist/songwriter/producer Bob Madsen, the Grafenberg Disciples features Sacramento-based soul singer extraordinaire Hans Eberbach, the sensational work of Chad Quist on guitar, Jerry Merril on keys and, once again, Gregg Bissonette on drums and percussion. The cherry on top is having Frank Rosato mixing and mastering.


The Highlander Company Records is proud of The Grafenberg Disciples and are excited to bring their unique blend of powerful songs, twisted humor, and thought-provoking lyrics to listeners’ ears.

Dimmu Borgir performed their track "Gateways", from the band's 2010 album Abrahadabra, during their show at Bloodstock Open Air 2022. Professionally-filmed footage can be viewed below.


Previously released video of the band performing "Dimmu Borgir" at the same show is also available.


The complete Bloodstock setlist was as follows:




"Dimmu Borgir"
"Gateways"
"Puritania"
"Council of Wolves and Snakes" (intro drums)
"Ætheric"
"Vredesbyrd"
"Progenies of the Great Apocalypse"
"Mourning Palace"

Manowar have shared a new live video clip accompanied by the following message:


"From its first release on the 2002 album, Warriors Of The World, the power ballad 'Swords In The Wind' soon became a favorite among Manowar fans. Honoring Manowar's loyal following in Greece, this video commemorates the band's epic open-air performance in Athens on June 14, 2019."







Manowar bassist, Joey DeMaio, recently sat down for an interview with radio Rock Antenne (Germany), discussing new music, the band’s over four-decade history, and how to deal with expectations. Watch below:





Manowar perform next on January 24 at Enteria Arena in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Find the band's tour itinerary here.

Italian orchestral death metal masters Fleshgod Apocalypse have shared a drum playthrough video of Eugene Ryabchenko performning their song "Fury". Check it out below.


"Fury" is opening track from the band's latest album, Veleno.







Fleshgod Apocalypse and virtuosic extreme metallers Obscura, are proud to announce they are co-headlining their North American Tour 2022. The 26-date trek will kick off on February 18 in San Francisco with performances in Denver, Toronto, and New York before concluding in Los Angeles on March 16. Joining the package as openers are Finnish melodic death metal quartet Wolfheart, and blackened death metal veterans Thulcandra.


Fleshgod Apocalypse's Francesco Paoli comments, "Dear friends of the United States and Canada, we are more than stoked to announce our return to your shores in February/March 2023, after four long years of absence. As you can imagine, this unending and frustrating period of cloister generated nothing else than an unquantifiable desire to blast your faces off! Besides, we feel rejuvenated after this forced rest so, be ready for some fast and furious fugues we haven't performed live for a long time. Obviously, a comeback worthy of its name has to be done with style. In fact, we're teaming up with incredible bands, such as German tech-death masters Obscura, our long-time Finnish friends Wolfheart and Thulcandra. Insane tour package, insane nights, insane crowds, insane everything. Get your tickets before they're gone!" 🤘🏻


Obscura's Steffen Kummerer - who will be pulling double duty on this tour with Thulcandra - comments, "In February and March, we embark on a nationwide tour in North America, covering both Canada and the United States. The excellent lineup features Italy’s finest Fleshgod Apocalypse co-headlining with Obscura, and special guests Wolfheart and Thulcandra. Pick up your tickets and don’t miss the tour of the year!“


Tuomas Saukkonen of Wolfheart says: "We are absolutely thrilled about the fact that Wolfheart is finally coming back to North America and the company could not be better supporting the mighty Fleshgod Apocalypse and Obscura with our labelmates Thulcandra. Counting the days already to be on the road with this diamond package."


Tickets for the tour are on sale here.





Tour dates:


February
18 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
19 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
20 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
21 - Boise, ID - The Shredder
22 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theater
23 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
24 - Lincoln, NE - The Royal Grove
25 - Minneapolis, MN - The Underground
26 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
27 - Detroit, MI - Small's
28 - Toronto, ON - Axis


March
1 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Bell
2 - Montreal, QC - Studio TD
3 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
4 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
5 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring
6 - Richmond, VA - Canal Club
7 - Greensboro, NC - Hangar 1819
8 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
10 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
11 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live<
12 - Austin, TX - Come and Take it Live
13 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar & Grill
14 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater
15 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
16 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent

Atavistia is a wall of sound that joyously greets the ears and assails the senses. With sweeping instrumentals, grand orchestrations, and guitars heavier than Thor’s hammer, this Canadian epic metal band from Vancouver is preparing to unleash their next odyssey, Cosmic Warfare on April 21, 2023. 


Vocalist Mattias Sippola comments on the new album: "This upcoming album portrays many emotions which have transpired over the past two and a half years. There are dark moments full of pure chaos and anger to moments of triumph and tranquility. I am very proud of how the album flows together."







Fans of Wintersun, Ensiferum, and Dimmu Borgir will be enthralled by the elements of melodic death metal, black metal, and Scandinavian folk that is intricately woven together throughout their diverse soundscape.


Atavistia goes beyond merely crafting songs and takes you on a mental journey though vast sonic landscapes of snow covered forests, desolate tundras and barren permafrost laced landscapes. Beyond the frosty roots of their blackened inspiration, Cosmic Warfare aims for the stars and the vast emptiness of the macrocosm. Bear witness to the destruction of our planet and our cosmos and experience the nothingness of space.


Taking inspiration from the majestic natural landscapes of their homeland, earthly seasons, and ancient Norse culture, Atavistia’s grandiose sound matches these lyrical themes in an impressive symphony of destruction as they balance graceful melodies with brutal rhythmic cacophony.


On stage they are a force of nature, like waves crashing against a rocky shore, their music washes over audiences leaving them gasping for more. In a niche among metal genres, Atavistia has firmly established its presence.


Are you ready to lose yourself in the juxtaposition of lush and arid, the dichotomy of hope and despair, and welcome the inevitable and beautiful end?


Cosmic Warfare artwork and tracklisting:





"Omega Nova"    
"Cosmic Warfare"    
"Ethereal Wanderer" (Feat. Vincent Jones)    
"Spectral Rebirth"    
"Divine Destruction"    
"Forgotten Silence"


 

Feverhill, the modern metal act from Greensboro, North Carolina, will release their debut album Follow Me [Down]  in late spring 2023. Striving to create killer tracks with a powerful sound, the band also believe in breaking image stereotypes in rock and metal music supporting body positive thinking and culture. Today, the band has unveiled their first single and video, "Trapped Under Lies".





The band elaborates: “This album has been three years in the making, paying careful attention to every detail of every song. 'Trapped Under Lies' is an anthem to those who refuse to let others break them down, and make them believe they are less than. Who you are matters. Period.”




Drawing influences from the likes of Five Finger Death Punch, Sleep Token, Periphery and more, Feverhill have opened shows for Outlier, Uncured, Madam Meyhem and Gemini Syndrome. Bringing an epic sound crafted from distorted guitars, atmospheric electronics and powerful vocals, "Trapped Under Lies" is an explosive offering. High-energy rhythms, anguished harsh and soaring cleans pack a punch through the anthemic chorus and haunting verses. 


Feverhill is:


Billy Resendes – vox
Kevin Wilson – guitar
Nick Doss – bass
Ryan Elliot – drums 


 

Tragedy - one of New York City’s most famous tribute bands and the undisputed inventors of “disco metal” - recently announced their new, upcoming full-length album, I Am Woman, out March 3 via Napalm Records. Flipping the script on sleaze rock tropes, I Am Woman pays tribute to the most powerful force in the band's lives, celebrating womanhood in all forms on 14 newly-reinvented disco and soft rock anthems.


Today, following their latest cover of legendary track "Venus", the band showcases their heavy metal take on The Pointer Sisters' classic anthem, "I'm So Excited". Follow the band in the Cara Maria O'Shea-directed music video to their Halftime Show performance at the Big Bank SuperDuper Dome - you won't be able to contain yourself as you rock out to a metallized version of this iconic track with half-timed grooves, squealing solos and energetic vocals.


Frontman Mo'Royce Peterson says about "I'm So Excited": "Anita Pointer sadly passed away very recently, and this is our tribute to her and her sisters' impact on music, as well as, of course, their everlasting and unbridled enthusiasm for 'pleasures in the night' on this track.  The song is about the building, burning anticipation of impending carnal satisfaction. The heart races, hormones surge - gratification is imminent! In the video, the "excited" band members pack themselves into the family minivan, then play the Halftime Show at the Big Bank SuperDuper Dome - an event viewed live by over 700 Billion people worldwide!"







Having introduced their raucous trademark stage show to audiences in the USA, the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland and beyond, and releasing several albums of metalized disco, soft rock and pop covers before even tasting their first viral hit, Tragedy proved early on that they were never just your everyday satirical cover band. These six warriors of wacky fully embody the soul of the original and reimagine it from the top down, infusing the tracks with an undeniably infectious energy that can be felt both on stage or on wax.


And while their 80s hair metal image would imply that plenty of misbehavior is to be seen on the surface, one only need witness Tragedy live a single time to understand that the band’s true overarching message is one of carefree joy, humanity, acceptance and the simple pursuit of a damn good time.


On I Am Woman, Tragedy turn the energy up to 11 with recharged dancehall favorites like “Le Freak”, “Respect” (featuring soul powerhouse Marcy Harriell) and “I’m So Excited”, and double down on the drama with heavy, recomposed covers of belt-worthy classics “Memory” (featuring legendary drag performer, singer and guitarist Mrs. Smith), “Goldfinger” and “Roar”. Tracks like “I Will Survive” evoke the spirit of Queen with choral harmonies and blazing solos, while unabashed anthems like “She Bop” and “Venus” fully convince with authentic 80s hair metal flavor. Power metal reigns on the band’s opus-like version of “Flashdance… What A Feeling” and the theatrical Maiden-meets-Meatloaf-esque “Lay All Your Love On Me”. I Am Woman is bolstered by a retro production aura that allows the intricacy of each rearrangement decision to shine, as blistering guitar work, classic drumlines and dynamic vocal performances cascade throughout each track. With I Am Woman, Tragedy truly embody the spirit of metal classics while providing a fresh take on some of the world’s most timeless classics of empowerment, independence and self-love - important messages that resonate now more than ever.


Pre-order the album here.





I Am Woman tracklisting:


"Le Freak"
"I Will Survive"
"She Bop"
"Memory"
"Lay All Your Love On Me"
"Venus"
"Goldfinger"
"Respect"
"Flashdance... What A Feeling"
"I’m So Excited"
"Here You Come Again"
"All I Wanna Do"
"I Am Woman"
"Roar"


"Venus" video:





Tragedy is set to tour the world in 2023! First, the band will provide support to Steel Panther and Crobot on their newly announced US tour, beginning February 24 in Las Vegas, NV. Tickets for the US tour go on sale this Friday, December 9 at 10 AM, local time. About a week later, Tragedy will kick off a co-headline European tour with fellow comedy metal icons and labelmates Nanowar Of Steel, beginning April 18 in Southampton, UK. Tickets for the UK & European tour are on sale now. See below for all tour dates and check local venue listings for more information.








Lineup:


Disco Mountain Man - vocals, keys
Mo'Royce Peterson - vocals, guitar
Andy Gibbous Waning - bass, vocals
Gibbon Ass Freehly - guitar, vocals, horns
The Infernal Demigibb - drums
The Lord Gibbeth - drums


(Photo - ireallyhopeyouwin)

Michael Sweet of openly Christian rockers STRYPER has once again urged his fellow believers to hold on to faith through disappointment, tragedy and loss, explaining that "God is not a genie in the sky waiting on every command from every human being."

The 59-year-old musician, whose first wife Kyle Rae Sweet passed away in March 2009 after a two-year battle with ovarian cancer, addressed the age-old question of "If there is a good and all-powerful God, then why is there so much suffering and evil in the world?" in a social media post on Friday (January 13). He wrote: "It's interesting how we often blame God for good things that happen to us and for bad things that happen to us.

"My view is that God is not a genie in the sky waiting on every command from every human being. We treat God like that many times. All of us.

"I Believe that God wants nothing but the best for us yet protects us from our own foolishness," he continued. "We can't just pray or snap our fingers and ask for something and expect it to be done. It just doesn't work that way.

"So often we praise him when we're blessed then curse him when we're not. And sometimes we even hate God.

"I cursed God when Kyle passed," Michael admitted. "Believe me. I was extremely pissed at God. Then as time went by, I realized that God had nothing to do with it. It was simply life and what happens in life. Life brings joy and life brings tragedy. Through the good and the bad we become stronger and more resilient. At least I'd like to think so.

"We have free will and God respects that. He doesn't control us like robots. We're not puppets and God is not pulling the strings.

"Let's all give God a break".

Sweet previously tackled the same topic in a July 2021 installment of his "coffee talk" where he offered his opinion on various topics related to his personal and professional life. At the time, he wrote: "Why is it that we as humans often praise God when things are going well yet curse God when things are going bad? We give God glory when something good happens but we also give God grief when something bad happens. I've always found that to be quite interesting. I've done it myself and do it myself.

"God isn't (IMO) a puppeteer on a cloud pulling our strings and deciding to make our days good or bad. That's up to us. The choices we make and how we handle the outcome of those choices is ours. God has given us all free will and with that comes responsibility. Taking responsibility for our own actions.

"Often we blame God if we don't get that new car, or that new home, or that new job," he continued. "We blame God if someone close to us is sick or if we lose a loved one. We blame God for the state of our country, the state of our world. At the same time we'll praise God when we get some unexpected cash in the mail or when we get a discount on a new toy or when someone we love is sick and they get better.

"Being human is an emotional and spiritual roller coaster ride and we all have an 'unlimited' day pass to ride. That's life. I don't believe however that God is pulling the strings as much as we think. I do believe that there are many things that determine how our lives turn out. From what we eat or don't eat to how we manage our own bodies. For example, my cholesterol is on the higher side these days and that's on me, not God. I'm doing something about it but I'm not waking up every day and praying for God to lower my cholesterol. He has nothing to do with it. If I have heart disease based on my diet that's not Gods fault. That's my fault.

"What's my point? Let's not blame God for every bad thing that happens to us. Let's take responsibility for our own actions and be realistic about our expectations from God. He's there, He cares and He's obviously in control of the universe but there are also many circumstances that have nothing to do with God. They have everything to do with us.

"I certainly could have turned my back on God when Kyle died," Michael added, referencing his late wife. "We devoted our lives to Him yet she was stricken with cancer. I had two choices — to either blame God and be bitter for the rest of my life or to realize that life is about tests and tribulations. Faith is about tests and tribulations. We live in a world that is imperfect and because of that we will all face adversity. The sooner we realize that it's not Gods fault but part of the plan itself, the better off we'll all be.

"I thank God for all that I have, all that I've done and all that comes my way".

Formed 40 years ago, STRYPER is the first overtly Christian metal band to go mainstream. The group's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

In a 2018 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Michael said that STRYPER was never fully embraced by the heavy metal and hard rock communities, largely because of the band's Christian lyrics.

"We've never been accepted by either side," he said. "The secular side, the mainstream, they've never accepted us to this day. We're probably that band that everyone's going to go to whenever there's a time to mock. We'll be the band used for that in most cases. Now on the Christian side, we've never really had the full support of the Christian side because we don't fit into their little club. We're not wearing suits and ties and going to every church and preaching."

STRYPER's albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", the aforementioned "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "Even The Devil Believes" and the band's latest effort, "The Final Battle".

Michael is joined in STRYPER by his brother Robert Sweet (drums),Oz Fox (guitars) and Perry Richardson (bass).

It’s interesting how we often blame God for good things that happen to us and for bad things that happen to us.

My...

Posted by Michael Sweet on Friday, January 13, 2023

During a recent appearance on the "Create Your Own Life" show, ALL THAT REMAINS vocalist Phil Labonte spoke about the relative absence of abrasive rock groups who challenge all the norms and offend parents, but are still adored by young fans. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think that the rebellious nature of music, a lot of times, historically, has come with the fact that the right kind of had cultural dominance in the United States, and I think since probably the mid-'90s, that has been changing, or has changed, so now the left having the cultural dominance and also having political dominance — because essentially the left really sets the tone for the U.S. and the right in the U.S. kind of responds… But because of that, I think that musicians have had less to rage against. I think musicians tend to feel like they align on the left more than they align on the right. And part of that's because of, I think, the narrative that surrounds the two. So a lot of people that are musicians that are on the left are kind of happy with the things that are being asserted assertively by government."

Labonte, who says he is "very pro individual liberty" and admits to liking the libertarian party "sometimes", also talked about how some ALL THAT REMAINS fans may be put off by his outspoken nature when it comes to his political views.

"Well, one thing is I never do any political stuff from the ALL THAT REMAINS page or anything," Labonte explained to host Jeremy Ryan Slate. "And I don't do any talking politically from stage. I think I've worn an actual political shirt on stage one time; I wore a Ron Paul shirt. So that right there helps. I don't make overt political statements or anything when it comes to ALL THAT REMAINS. ALL THAT REMAINS doesn't endorse candidates, endorse anything. ALL THAT REMAINS as a band, I think, did endorse decriminalizing marijuana; I think we officially said that. But I think that's a small thing."

He continued: "Now, there are definitely people that say, 'I don't like that guy, so I don't want to support the band' and stuff. And you get that no matter what you do. Especially today… Not that I think that ALL THAT REMAINS would get that, but you look at… If you're at a certain level of success, people start writing think pieces: 'Why hasn't this person said this?' or 'Why haven't they done that?' Now, I don't expect that to really happen particularly with a band, say, ALL THAT REMAINS size, but it's not that it couldn't happen.

"It's tough to abstain from that kind of stuff nowadays," Labonte added. "People will make assumptions about what you think and what you don't think. And even if I wasn't openly a libertarian kind of leaning guy, I would put up pictures of me shooting guns and people would make assumptions right there. It's, like, 'Oh, he owns guns. Blah blah blah. There you go.' Done deal. So I might as well articulate my positions in a way that people can make aspersions, if they'd like, but there are places where my opinions are consistently at least recorded. So you can say I don't think this or do think that, but I probably tweeted some crap about it on Twitter."

Two years ago, Labonte condemned the shutdown of then-president Donald Trump's social media accounts by Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms, claiming he was railing against "censorship" and the precedent that banning the president of the United States from social media may set moving forward. Labonte went so far as to pen a letter to his governor, saying that while he was "not a supporter of President Trump" and he "did not vote for [Trump], this looming threat of censorship is far bigger than one president's Twitter account. I believe, and fear, that the violence that occurred in Washington D.C. on January 6th is only a taste of what is likely to come in our country. The suppression of opinions deemed unacceptable and the efforts to censor are indicative of, what seem me to be, irreconcilable differences — and I worry that it could further add fuel to the fire."

In a 2012 interview with Noisecreep, Labonte said that he has never been afraid to state his opinion. "You get what you get," he said. "I hate when lead singers and people in bands are so afraid of offending their fans that they don't say how they really feel so they don't bum people out. Well, everything you do might bum someone out, so simply be yourself. I don't like rock stars. I didn't start playing in bands to get chicks. When I started playing music, there were no chicks to be seen. It was a sea of virgins. I'm not afraid to say this is my opinion. If you don't like, hit the road. What's the big deal? If I have an opinion, it's one individual opinion out of six and a half billion people on Earth. What does it mean? Absolutely nothing. So what if I said something that you don't like. It's not going to change the world one iota."

In a new interview with the "Mark 2.0" podcast, GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall spoke about Brett Carlisle, who was officially named the band's new vocalist in October. Brett joined the group as the replacement for Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE),who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Kendall said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Brett's] got a range from A to Z. He was [initially] just filling in [for a show in Las Vegas], because… Andrew, [he's] a wonderful singer [and] a kickass dude — I love him — but he's in [another] band. He's a part owner of the name. They just made a record. They're touring. It's hard for a band like us to have a singer that's in other bands too. 'Oh, who's your singer?' 'The guy from LAST IN LINE.' So this was just a fill-in thing. I almost didn't wanna do it. We had to audition some guy from George Lynch and another guy from SONS OF something; I don't even know. And then we heard this kid — 25 years old — sing on a couple of tracks. We gave him just the music and he overdubbed his vocal. I go, 'Well, this guy is at least singing close.' I go, 'But I'm not doing it if we can't rehearse. We've gotta at least rehearse once.' And so we rehearsed in Las Vegas, and I felt a little better but still nervous. [I thought], 'This could be career ending.' And it ended up being completely the opposite of what I felt; he went out there and just totally killed it. We're doing, like, 'Stick It', and he's singing it verbatim — I mean, hittin' all those notes. And it is high; that stuff is up there. And some of the songs, like 'Lady Red Light', are very difficult to sing. It's in that FOREIGNER range — the real upper midrange that hits a part of your voice that's very difficult. Everybody that tried to sing it always struggled. The kid nailed it — I mean, just absolutely… I didn't have to say anything — just one, two, three, four, go. So it was really good."

Kendall went on to say that he was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response to Carlisle's addition to GREAT WHITE. "It was world news," he said. "I'm seeing stuff on the Internet from Italy, Germany, the U.K. And even some of the more online dirt-seeking-type entities that normally are just huntin' for the headline to say, 'He said his singer sucks'. That's the article. That's the way it starts. These guys actually said good things and posted some of the [fan-filmed videos]. They're cellphone cameras, so the quality probably isn't… But you can hear it. You need to sing great."

Last October, Carlisle was asked in an interview with AL.com about his approach to singing the band's classic songs. He said: "I just want to do the songs justice, because that's what people expect to hear. They want to go to the shows and hear the songs the way they remember them, the way they know them. It's not about me and how many high notes I can hit or anything like that. I just want to do the give the people, and the band, what they want."

Brett went on to say that he is honored to be singing for a band whose songs — including "Save Your Love", "Rock Me" and "Lady Red Light" — he had previously covered with his other band ALL OR NOTHING.

"I just want to learn from them," Carlisle said of his new bandmates "It's just really cool to be included in what I've grown up listening to, like looking at the CDs and everything. And then now people are coming up after the shows asking me to sign like original GREAT WHITE cassettes and stuff. And I'm sitting here feeling like I'm not worthy. Because I didn't record that. But I'm like, I just sang with them, so, sure, if you want me to."

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to Brett, he felt welcomed by his new bandmates and the GREAT WHITE fans from the get-go.

"After meeting [the GREAT WHITE guys], they're all super-cool dudes," he told Kevin McKay of the 99 Rock WKSM FM radio station. "In Vegas, we had a rehearsal the day before, and I already knew half the songs well enough to be able to do it. So I wanted to do the best that I could on 'em. But after we hung out, everybody was cool and stuff. I mean, it's a big crowd. I love big crowds; they're fun."

Last fall, before Carlisle's addition to GREAT WHITE was officially announced, Kendall addressed Freeman's Facebook comment that the singer "wouldn't give a fuck if" GREAT WHITE threatened to fire him over his touring commitments with LAST IN LINE. Mark said: "That's okay. I still have respect for him because of his loyalty to his band. There's gotta be something to say about that. If he made a comment that was kind of rude, I'm sure it was just to kind of save face or something. He's a great guy, and man, he can sing too. He was a joy to be around. I was really sad that he did multiple projects.

"If we were a different situation that we were used to just having random singers every gig… It's just too much work to do that, because when somebody has to cancel a show, then we've gotta audition people," Kendall added. "And we don't wanna go out there with a different singer every time. But I thought Andrew was really gonna work out, and then, all of a sudden [LAST IN LINE] get this tour. And then I don't know what's gonna happen in the future. We were really in a tough spot. And we're really happy that things worked out with Brett, 'cause he's dynamite, man."

Asked about GREAT WHITE's approach when making changes in the singer department, Mark said: "I'd like to say that we always kind of settled. People would just get the songs close, and we'd go, 'It's probably not gonna get better than that.' Then there was… I won't go into any details because I have nothing bad to say about any of [the singers we've worked with in the past], but there were some other issues, like things that today, to me, are… We're so past any kind of ego trips or whatever; we're just happy to wake up in the morning and start a new day and say, 'Woah. Everything's great.' That's good enough for us. And try to make the best music we can. But when there's some kind of a — I don't know if it's insecurity or ego or what, when there's anything drama-related, it just turns me off personally. So I'd rather just concentrate on the music, make that the most important thing, and just have fun and enjoy ourselves. And Brett really seems like he's that type; he's very enjoyable to be around. He's just at ease. He loves singing. And he sings our songs perfect; it's quite incredible. And his range is from A to Z. This guy has a full voice in every note. So it's pretty incredible to find somebody like that; they don't grow on trees."

Carlisle has been playing guitar and singing since the age of eight and counts bands like VAN HALEN, SKID ROW and METALLICA as his main influences.

Last May, GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with singer Mitch Malloy and had replaced him with Freeman. Malloy had been in GREAT WHITE for nearly four years, having joined the group in 2018 following the departure of Terry Ilous.

Ilous, frontman of '80s L.A. hard rockers XYZ, joined GREAT WHITE in 2010 after stepping in for touring vocalist Jani Lane (WARRANT).

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was dismissed from the group.

This version of GREAT WHITE is not to be confused with JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE, which features original GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell.

Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, OVERKILL) was among the guests who performed with YYNOT, considered one of the premier RUSH tribute bands, at this year's "Bubba Bash 2023", a charity concert in celebration of RUSH's late drummer Neil Peart on the third anniversary of his passing. Proceeds from the show, which was held on January 7 at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania, will go to benefit Cedars Sinai Hospital in memory of Neil.

Drum-cam video of Bittner performing the RUSH classic "Natural Science" with YYNOT can be seen below.

In a 2013 interview with Music Radar, Bittner picked RUSH's "Exit… Stage Left" as one of his essential drum choice and stated about his choice: "The reason why I picked 'Exit… Stage Left' is because it’s impossible to pick just one RUSH studio album. RUSH are my favorite band, and Neil Peart is my favorite drummer. I can't possibly sum up the band in one record, but I can say that 'Exit… Stage Left' epitomizes a period in time when Neil was most influential in my life.

"When I was a freshman and sophomore in high school, I would come home every day and play along to this record — at least to the best of my ability. I set up drums up so they were just like Neil's, having everything as exact as I could — the same everything. It was that important to me.

"I could go on about how awesome the record is. The drum solo is still one of my favorites ever — ever. It's definitely my favorite Neil Peart solo. The actual drum sound on the record is amazing, too, which is saying something because sometimes the sound on live records can be lacking.

"Okay, if I had to pick a favorite studio album of RUSH's, it would be 'Moving Pictures'. That's a brilliant album all the way around. The 'Permanent Waves'/'Moving Pictures' period is my favorite RUSH time."

RUSH announced Peart's passing on January 10, 2020, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Thanks to everyone who came out in support of our first annual Bubba Bash tonight at The Keswick Theatre! We had a blast…

Posted by YYNOT on Saturday, January 7, 2023

Happening right now! The signing of the #BubbaBash2023 Evan’s Drumhead! Up for auction!! We’re backstage at @...

Posted by YYNOT on Saturday, January 7, 2023
It’s going to be an evening of Rush music and all proceeds will be going to Cedars-Sinai in Neil’s name 🙏 #BubbaBash2023 Jan 7th at the Keswick Theater in Glenside PA…Some tickets are still available, so get em while you can: https://t.co/DofiRlQDK4pic.twitter.com/Ge4YAGIiBU

— Mike Portnoy 🤘 (@MikePortnoy) December 28, 2022

Frontiers Music Srl announces the signing of Demons Down, a new band featuring two talented up-and-coming musicians, vocalist James Robledo (Sinner's Blood) and guitarist Francesco Savino (False Memories), along with hard rock scene veterans - guitarist Jimi Bell (House Of Lords, Autograph), drummer Ken Mary (ex-House Of Lords, Alice Cooper, Fifth Angel, etc.), and bassist Chuck Wright (ex-Quiet Riot, House Of Lords, etc.).


Their debut album, I Stand, slated for release on March 10, sees this gathering of young performers and established skill players delivering a quintessential classic hard rock album.


A single and video for the title track is out today. Watch the music video below, and pre-order/save I Stand here.




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





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


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


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


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


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





I Stand tracklisting:


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


"I Stand" video:





Demons Down are:


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


Additional Musicians:


Alessandro Del Vecchio - Keyboards, Guitars, Backing Vocals


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

Swedish bashers Amaranthe have checked in with a new update:


"Seven. It is with massive enthusiasm and excitement that we now announce that we have entered Jacob Hansen studios to record our seventh, yet untitled album! Expect updates, video clips, pictures and more soon, stay tuned!" 




 

 
 

 


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On November 11th, 2022 Amaranthe played the second last show on their European co-headlining tour with Beyond The Black, featuring Butcher Babies and Ad Infinitum as support, in their home town of Gothenburg, Sweden at Pustervik. During their set, they invited original growler Andy Solveström on stage to perform the hit, "Amaranthine". Fan-filmed video is available below.


Solveström was with Amaranthe from 2008 - 2013 and sang on the original recorded version of "Amaranthine", featured on the band's self-titled debut released in 2011.

Neal Schon now says that JOURNEY co-founder Gregg Rolie won't take part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour, which kicks off next month.

A couple of weeks ago, JOURNEY's co-founding guitarist hinted that Rolie would make an appearance on the band's upcoming trek, presumably in the place of longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain, with whom Neal has been publicly feuding. But Cain later said that he would be hitting the road with JOURNEY despite Schon's suggestions to the contrary.

Neal set the record straight on Rolie's possible participation in the tour in a tweet over the weekend. After New York radio station Q104.3 said that it removed a JOURNEY article from its web site that erroneously suggested Cain welcomed Rolie's return to JOURNEY, a fan asked Neal if that means that Rolie won't be on the tour now. Schon responded: "Not at this moment. Both Gregg and I intend to shed some real light on the subject matter very soon."

Earlier this month, before the latest turn of events, Schon was seemingly much more certain about Rolie's participation in JOURNEY's upcoming run of dates. After Neal shared a graphic for JOURNEY's 50th anniversary on his Facebook page, a fan commented: "I am SO looking forward to this. Please tell me Gregg Rollie is coming along for the ride! He's the better keyboard player and a co-founder it only seems right. Timing couldn't be better either!!!!" In response, Neal wrote: "you'll be seeing him".

Last month, Cain fired back at Schon when the JOURNEY guitarist called him a "hypocrite" for performing the band's 1981 hit song "Don't Stop Believin'" at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property. Cain, whose wife, Paula White-Cain, is the former president's self-styled spiritual adviser, played the track in November with a backup chorus of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump Jr.'s fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle and former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

"Neal Schon should look in the mirror when he accuses me of causing harm to the JOURNEY brand," Cain said in a statement. "I have watched him damage our brand for years and am a victim of both his — and his wife's — bizarre behavior."

An attorney for Schon sent a cease-and-desist letter to Cain after he performed at Trump's Florida estate.

The latest legal move came a few weeks after Schon filed a lawsuit against Cain in California state court, alleging that Cain set up an American Express card without telling Schon and that "millions of JOURNEY funds have flowed through it." Cain, for his part, accused Schon of misusing the card, citing his "excessive spending and extravagant lifestyle."

A month earlier, former JOURNEY singer Steve Perry took legal action against both Schon and Cain, asking them to stop registering federal trademarks on the names of many of the band's hits.

Rolie was JOURNEY's first singer, though his role quickly diminished when Perry arrived in 1977. Gregg left JOURNEY in 1980, just before the band achieved its commercial heights.

JOURNEY's tour with TOTO will kick off on February 4 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Presented by AEG Presents, the "Freedom Tour 2023" will make stops in Austin, Montreal and Memphis before wrapping April 25 at the brand-new Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California.

The 2023 run includes rescheduled dates in Washington, D.C., plus Hartford, Toronto and Quebec, which were postponed last year due to the coronavirus.

Two members of JOURNEY are adamantly against the return of the band's co-founder Gregg Rolie for the upcoming 50th-anniversary tour, according to guitarist Neal Schon's wife.

Earlier this month, Schon hinted that Rolie would make an appearance on the band's upcoming trek, presumably in the place of longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain, with whom Neal has been publicly feuding.

However, Michaele Schon says that not every member of JOURNEY is on board with the lineup change. On Thursday (January 12),she took to social media to let fans know that she and her husband were looking forward to "seeing everyone soon on tour" and noted that legendary guitarist Jeff Beck's recent passing "has shown us that along with so many who are in Heaven now we see how very precious time is." She then added: "TWO BAND MEMBERS are 'adamant 'NO ' fighting against Gregg Rolie to return .

"Life is so precious Neal and Gregg agree , who wants to have that feeling , truly sad . Music is for inspiration and joy!

"Everyone LOVES you Gregg ROLIE and respects who you are and ALL You have been and are to JOURNEY, for without YOU picking up Neal Schön from school , JOURNEY would not exist .

"Neal Schön and Gregg ROLIE will be somewhere Together at least one time this Year in Honor of what they began in 1972.

"Faith . Let's ask God to find a way for them. Let's pray for forgiveness for those who hurt Gregg ROLIE and hope they learn what spirituality is someday."

On Tuesday (January 10),Cain said that he will be hitting the road with JOURNEY next month despite Schon's suggestions to the contrary.

Less than two weeks ago, Schon addressed Rolie's participation in JOURNEY's upcoming run of dates in a social media post. After Neal shared a graphic for JOURNEY's 50th anniversary on his Facebook page, a fan commented: "I am SO looking forward to this. Please tell me Gregg Rollie is coming along for the ride! He's the better keyboard player and a co-founder it only seems right. Timing couldn't be better either!!!!" In response, Neal wrote: "you'll be seeing him".

Last month, Cain fired back at Schon when the JOURNEY guitarist called him a "hypocrite" for performing the band's 1981 hit song "Don't Stop Believin'" at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property. Cain, whose wife, Paula White-Cain, is the former president's self-styled spiritual adviser, played the track in November with a backup chorus of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump Jr.'s fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle and former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

"Neal Schon should look in the mirror when he accuses me of causing harm to the JOURNEY brand," Cain said in a statement. "I have watched him damage our brand for years and am a victim of both his — and his wife's — bizarre behavior."

An attorney for Schon sent a cease-and-desist letter to Cain after he performed at Trump's Florida estate.

The latest legal move came a few weeks after Schon filed a lawsuit against Cain in California state court, alleging that Cain set up an American Express card without telling Schon and that "millions of JOURNEY funds have flowed through it." Cain, for his part, accused Schon of misusing the card, citing his "excessive spending and extravagant lifestyle."

A month earlier, former JOURNEY singer Steve Perry took legal action against both Schon and Cain, asking them to stop registering federal trademarks on the names of many of the band's hits.

Rolie was JOURNEY's first singer, though his role quickly diminished when Perry arrived in 1977. Gregg left JOURNEY in 1980, just before the band achieved its commercial heights.

JOURNEY's tour with TOTO will kick off on February 4 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Presented by AEG Presents, the "Freedom Tour 2023" will make stops in Austin, Montreal and Memphis before wrapping April 25 at the brand-new Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California.

The 2023 run includes rescheduled dates in Washington, D.C., plus Hartford, Toronto and Quebec, which were postponed last year due to the coronavirus.



Repost from @nealandmichaeleschon
•
Life is Precious ✝️💜🙏🏻 Jeff Beck has shown us that along with so many who are in Heaven now we see how very precious time is . We look forward to seeing everyone soon on Tour !! NEAL SCHÖN & JOURNEY 50th Anniversary Freedom Tour !! OF A LIFETIME TOUR !! 50 !!

TWO BAND MEMBERS of the Journey current LINE UP ARE “adamant “NO against
Gregg Rolie to return .

Life is so precious Neal and Gregg agree .
Who wants to have that feeling , truly sad .

Music is for inspiration and joy! Everyone LOVES you Gregg ROLIE and respects who you are and ALL You have been and are to Journey, for without YOU picking up Neal Schön from school , Journey would not exist . Neal Schön and Gregg ROLIE will be somewhere Together at least one time this Year in Honor of what they began in 1972 . Faith ✝️ let’s ask God to find a way for them 🙏🏻 let’s pray for forgiveness for those who hurt Gregg ROLIE and hope they learn what spirituality is someday .We all love you !! ❤️🎼♾️ #untilwemeetagain❤️ @greggrolie @nealschon @journeyofficial @nealandmichaeleschon #love #light #journey #faith @nealandmichaeleschon @carlossantana #amen #respect #fullcircle

Posted by Neal & Michaele Schon on Thursday, January 12, 2023

British hard rock legends and progenitors, Uriah Heep, will release their 25th studio album, Chaos & Colour, on January 27 via Silver Lining Music. In the new video below, guitarist/vocalist Mick Box unveils the vinyl edition of the new record:





Chaos & Colour is an album which bristles with explosive classic rock guitars, supreme harmonies, and Heep’s famously generous keyboard foundation . It is, unsurprisingly, an album that found its extra thrust during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was as bizarre for Uriah Heep as it was for humanity in general.




“The album title reflects that we were in chaotic times with being locked down, tours being cancelled, businesses folding, and all the chaos that was thrown into the world,” explains Box, “and as far as I could see it, the only colour people had was through music. It helped so many people get through those difficult years, using that strength and power which music has, to make those bad times not quite so bad.”


There were still the looming spectre of protocols and rules to follow in the middle of 2021, as the world tried to find its feet. Heep slowly found their way into Chapel Studios in London during the summer of 2021 as restrictions were tentatively lifted, working once again with Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Corey Taylor, Black Star Riders).


“Jay was completely on board with what we are trying to achieve in the studio,” says Box. “We’re a band that has a fantastic heritage and to carry on that tradition it was vitally important that the band recorded in the studio all playing at the same time. Jay understood that and he pulled out the best of us as a band, as well as individual players, while getting us some amazing sounds.”


Led by Box, it is no surprise that themes of light, love and, ultimately, positivity are constant through the album eleven tracks. “One Nation, One Sun” is a journey of soaring balladic contemplation, “Fly Like An Eagle” takes the listener on a journey of meditation, whilst “Closer To Your Dreams” is a battle cry for all rockers to get out there and do it, with Shaw imploring that “So many have tried but slipped away/Now it’s time for you to have your say.” During the entire album, Bernie Shaw’s timeless vocals sit expertly beside the band’s phenomenal artistry (Mick Box – guitar, Phil Lanzon – keyboard, Russell Gilbrook – drums, Dave Rimmer – bass), rounding out exceptional performances throughout.


Produced by Jay Ruston, and engineered by Pieter Rietkerk, Chaos & Colour is a superb album of quality hard rock from the pioneers of the genre who continue to create top class material. Old fans will be reinvigorated whilst new fans will surely find Chaos & Colour an exceptional discovery.


Chaos & Colour will be available in black and coloured vinyl configurations, as a standard CD digipak, a deluxe CD packaged in a hardcover book with Uriah Heep’s Chaos & Colour signature patch and in digital formats. Pre-order here.





Chaos & Colour tracklisting:


"Save Me Tonight"
"Silver Sunlight"
"Hail The Sunrise"
"Age Of Changes" *
"Hurricane"
"One Nation, One Sun"
"Golden Light"
"You’ll Never Be Alone"
"Fly Like An Eagle"
"Freedom To Be Free"
"Closer To Your Dreams" *
"Save Me Tonight" (Demo)**


* CD and Digital only
** Deluxe CD only


"Save Me Tonight" video:





Album credits:


- Produced by Jay Ruston
- Engineered by Pieter Kietkerk
- Recorded at Chapel Studios UK
- Mixed by Jay Ruston at TRS West, Sherman Oaks, California
- Additional Engineering by John Douglass
- Mastered by Paul Logus


Following the intense disruption to live music caused by the pandemic, the band are ecstatic to be back on the road and continue to bring their live show across Europe this winter. For a full list of confirmed dates, tickets, and additional information, head here.


Lineup:


Mick Box - Lead Guitar / Vocals
Phil Lanzon - Keyboards / Vocals
Bernie Shaw - Lead Vocals
Dave Rimmer - Bass Guitar / Vocals
Russell Gilbrook - Drums & Percussion