Spanish black metal force Ouija has released their new album, Fathomless Hysteros.


The seven song album was issued via Negra Nit Distro in Spain and Europe, Tribulacion Prods in Columbia, Azermedoth Records in Mexico, U.S., and Canada, Impaled Records in Brazil, and Wind Of Mayhem in Chile.


The album was recorded at the famous Moontower Studios, under the direction of Javi Felez and mastered at Endarker Studio by Magnus Devo Andersson.




Cover art by Juanjo Castellano:





Tracklisting:


“Fathomless Hysteros”
“Bestia Negra”
“I See You Without Eyes”
“The Fifth Rider”
“Hijo Del Caído”
“Adversary”
“Unbridled Transylvanian Passion” 


Full album stream:

Multi-platinum rock band DAUGHTRY has released a new cover song, "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", a tribute to legendary rock band JOURNEY featuring vocals from Lzzy Hale, lead singer of HALESTORM. The cover releases exactly 40 years to the day that the original song was released on January 5, 1983.

"Chris Daughtry and I have been threatening to unleash a duet for years. What better way to do that than by paying tribute to one of our mutual influences…. JOURNEY!" said Lzzy. "This song is not only part of the 'Stranger Things' soundtrack, but has been my go-to for karaoke for as long as i can remember! I'm so honored to have been a part of this and I hope it makes you smile as big as I did while recording it!"

Chris added: "I've always loved the song and I was wanting to do a classic cover and my wife and I were watching the 'Stranger Things' season finale and there's this incredibly intense scene and 'Separate Ways' was a big part of this scene. It was so moving just the way it was used, it felt so cool and epic and I was immediately like 'THIS is the one! We have to cover this song.' Then I was, like, 'How can we make this extra special? What if it was a duet? What if we got Lzzy on it!!??" Needless to say I was pumped she said yes and I absolutely love how it turned out."

DAUGHTRY, one of the most visible and best-selling rock bands of the 21st Century, has sold out concerts across the globe. Their debut album, the self-titled "Daughtry", was the top-selling album of 2007, and was the fastest-selling rock debut album in SoundScan history. It was also nominated for four Grammy Awards and won four American Music Awards and seven Billboard Music Awards, including "Album Of The Year". The subsequent albums, "Leave This Town" (2009),"Break The Spell" (2011) and "Baptized" (2013) have all gone platinum, with "Cage To Rattle" (2018) certified gold. In 2020, DAUGHTRY released its first single from the album "World On Fire", which marked a return to the band's rock roots and the top of the charts. Their current single, "Heavy Is The Crown", has been met with great enthusiasm, and is currently climbing the charts.

Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen recently guested oon The Heavy Hooks Show, where she discussed her solo work, the future of Nightwish, being branded as Nightwish be branded as "female fronted", and being the inspiration behind the name of a new species of beetle.


On the new Nightwish album


Floor: "Tuomas hasn't been sitting on his hands during the pandemic and wrote an entire album. We, the lucky ones, have already been able to hear the demos of that. And this is the first time in the history of Nightwish that there is an album that is basically ready for us to work on. We'll be recording the new album in 2023."




 


Jansen recently announced the release of her debut solo album, Paragon, on March 24.


This album showcases Jansen's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career. Paragon has something for everyone and is a must-listen for fans of Jansen.


Says Floor: "‘Look at me now, I’m already there!' To renew yourself and take leaps into the unknown makes you grow. To age is a gift not everyone gets. I am a fortunate woman who got to make an album I never knew I could make. One that even defines me, where I am on my path. I have reached my PARAGON! I am so proud of this work! And grateful for all the amazing people in this beautiful life that helped me get here!"


With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, Paragon is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike. It's the perfect addition to any music collection, and a must-have for fans of Floor Jansen and Nightwish.


Paragon will be released digitally and physically on CD, vinyl, and a limited edition deluxe box set. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and at music retailers worldwide. You can pre-order/pre-save the album here.





Tracklisting:


"My Paragon"
"Daydream"
"Invincible"
"Hope"
"Come Full Circle"
"Storm"
"Me Without You"
"The Calm"
"Armoured Wings"
"Fire"


""Me Without You" video:





"Storm" video:





"Fire" video:





Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023. Fans can expect to hear more details and possibly some sneak previews of the album in the coming months.

In the video below from AXS TV, Sammy Hagar sits down for an acoustic jam sesh before taking the stage with Joe Satriani to play "Always With Me, Always With You". Later, Melissa Etheridge takes the stage for a soulful melody, and the Red Rocker lights up Red Rocks with a fiery performance of "Little White Lie".





Sammy Hagar & The Circle's new album, Crazy Times, is available now via UMe. Order here.







Tracklisting:


"Intro: The Beginning Of The End"
"Slow Drain"
"Feed Your Head"
"Pump It Up"
"Be Still"
"You Get What You Pay For"
"Crazy Times"
"Funky Feng Shui"
"Father Time"
"Childhoods End"
"2120" (bonus track)
"Father Time" - Acoustic Demo (bonus track)


"Father Time" video:





"Funky Feng Shui" video:





"Crazy Times" video:





"Pump It Up" video:

Sweden's Carnosus will release their sophomore album, Visions Of Infinihility, on February 10. A visualizer for the single, "In Debt To Oblivion", can be found below.


Visions Of Infinihility, is a concept album set within the same dystopian universe as their previous full length. Lyrically, the album is centred around a tyrannical reign with the purpose of repopulating the world with a cadaverine-like race. Musically, the new album mixes in a more matured sound into the band’s stylistic blend but listeners can still expect bulging chugs and blast beats. The vocals are built upon a solid foundation of growls and shrieks but also contain great variety as they draw from a large bouquet of metal genres.


The guitars, bass, and vocals were brought to life under the supervision of producer Robert Kukla, who captured the band’s musical variety. Kukla also handled the mix/mastering and drum-recording at Obsidian Recording Studios/Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. The cover art that compliments the music was painted by Timon Kokott.







Tracklisting:


"Ossein Larcenist"
"Calamity Crawl"
"Castle Of Grief"
"Fermenting Blastospheres Of Future Putridity"
"In Debt To Oblivion"
"Devourer Of Light"
"Procession Of Depression"
"Towards Infinihilistic Purity"
"Among Worms It Was Whispered"


"In Debt To Oblivion" visualizer:





Lineup:


Jonatan Karasiak - vocals / lyrics
Rickard Persson - guitars
Marcus Jokela Nyström - guitars
Marcus Strindlund - bass
Jacob Hedner - drums

Sid Falck (ex-Overkill) has released a new song, "A Modern Tale", under his own name, Falck. The song features guest appearances from Dano Hibbs (Breeding Thorns - lead guitar), and Jerry Wooverton (Breeding Thorns, Outlaw Devils - vocals).





Says Sid: “I’ve known both Dano and Jerry for quite a while, and I’ve always been impressed by their talents. I had promised Jerry that we’d do “something soon”, and after writing and recording 'A Modern Tale', which is meant as a tribute to Deep Purple around their comeback era of Perfect Strangers, House Of Blue Light & The Battle Rages On, I figured I should probably let a real singer take over the vocals for this one.




Originally, I had asked Steve Pogue (Infectus 13, Firstryke) if he felt like doing the lead, which he did. Unfortunately, Steve was dealing with a lot of health issues which he obviously needed to prioritize, and it ended up not being a viable option. So I asked Dano if he would do the leads, and as is evident, he absolutely did an amazing job."


A video for the song can be viewed below, and the song can be downloaded here. It also is/will be available on all streaming services and online stores.

The official music video for Turbid North's new single "The Road" is streaming now.





The track appears on the Texas trio's upcoming new album, The Decline, out January 20. Preorder on Bandcamp.




Turbid North guitarist/vocalist Nick Forkel states: "'The Road' is about survival in the bleakest situations. How far you'll push yourself to keep going. Even if the world you're living in isn't all that great to begin with. Suffer today, to live another day." The music video conveys the song's message by way of post-apocalyptic imagery reminiscent of the Cormac McCarthy novel with which it shares a title.





Turbid North's first new album in seven years, The Decline is a transcendent experience – a balance of sheer speed, earthquaking intensity, and rapturous beauty. While Forkel and his bandmates bassist Chris O'Toole (Unearth) and drummer Jono Garrett (Shock Withdrawal, Mos Generator) display Napalm Death-level grindcore chops, "The Road" showcases the band's doom-rock side. The song is a driving, radiant, 12/8 rocker in line with the likes of Metallica, Crowbar, and Mastodon.


Founded in Alaska in the early '00s, Turbid North relocated to Fort Worth, Texas in 2007 and finally delivered its debut album, Orogeny, in 2011 via Unearth frontman Trevor Phipps' Ironclad Recordings. The current lineup of Forkel, O'Toole, and Garrett was solidified in 2012. Sophomore album Eyes Alive was released in 2015.

Portuguese symphonic death metal band Godiva has set February 3rd, 2023 as the international release date for their debut full-length album Hubris.


The official music video for "Media God" can be seen below.







Hubris artwork and tracklisting:





"Black Mirrors"
"Dawn"
"Death Of Icarus"
"Empty Coil"
"Faceless"
"Godspell"
"Hubris"
"Media God"
"The All Seeing Eye"
"The Meaning Of Life"


"The Meaning Of Life" video:





For further details, follow Godiva on Facebook.

According to Germany's NDR 1,  a statue of Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann erected in celebrtation of his 60th birthday by the artist Roxxy Roxx, was stolen less than 24 hours after being unveiled. It stood in a meadow in the immediate vicinity of the Evershagen Süd stop in Rostock, where Lindemann had lived as a child. The police are currently gathering information and searching for witnesses with regards to the theft.


The statue weighs about 40 kilograms including the base and is hollow inside, and cost the artist approximately 600 euros to make.







Rammstein recently released a video for their new single, "Adieu". The track is featured on the band's latest album, new album, Zeit. Watch the Specter Berlin-directed clip below:





Rammstein recently announced the European Stadium Tour 2023, coming to you next summer. Dates and a video trailer for the tour can be found below.





Dates:


May
22 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Vingio Parkas
27 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympiastadion
28 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympiastadion


June
2 - Odense, Denmark - Dyrskueplads
7 - Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion
8 - Munich, Germany - Olympiastadion
14 - Trenčín, Slovakia - Trenčín Airport
17 - Bern, Switzerland - Stadion Wankdorf
18 - Bern, Switzerland - Stadion Wankdorf
23 - Madrid, Spain - Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano
26 - Lisbon, Portugal - Estádio Da Luz


July
1 - Padova, Italy - Stadio Euganeo
6 - Groningen, Netherlands - Stadspark
11 - Budapest, Hungary - Puskás Aréna
15 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion
16 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion
22 - Paris, France - Stade de France
26 - Vienna, Austria - Ernst-Happel-Stadion
30 - Chorzów, Poland - Stadion Śląski


August
4 - Brussels, Belgium - King Baudouin Stadium

Carnival Of Flesh, the symphonic black metal outlet hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, just released the second music video from their Anthems Of Extinction album.


"The One" is a video essay and a love letter to the oppressive and divisive political regimes we see in power today. Compared to their award-winning debut video, "Tropical Plunder", this video is considerably faster-paced and narrative-driven (rather than atmospheric).


"The One" was filmed and produced by Graveyard Neighbour Photography, with drone shots done by Dušan Rančić.







While Serbian fans had the chance to hear "The One" live back on Festival of Serbian Underground VII, the better part of Anthems Of Extinction was never performed live, due to delays related to COVID limitations and personnel change. Carnival Of Flesh are now aiming to perform the new material in its entirety in the spring of this year.


Anthems Of Extinction artwork and tracklisting:





"Angst" 
"The One" 
"Tropical Plunder" 
"Can Of Sorrow" 
"Mask Of Humanity" 
"Rapacity" 
"The Great Escape" 
"Liberation" 
"Requiem For A World" 


"Tropical Plunder" video:





 

As part of Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia was asked if she believes that women are being taken more seriously in the metal scene than they were nearly 30 years when her band was first formed. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Do I feel that things changed? Absolutely, yes. When I started, there were not so many bands with a female in the lineup. Metal was still a no-no for females, because it was a very male-dominated scene. Which it still is, but of course there are many more bands with a female in the lineup, which makes me happy even though we are still seen differently. I don't think that it will ever happen that we are going to be seen equally, and partially it is okay like this because we're different. I think that we are sort of a different world.

"What I don't like about being a female in a male-dominated world is the fact that very often we are judged by our looks, which I get it; many guys get the same," she continued. "But for women, it's kind of like… Let's say for the guys, if they have the look, it's a plus. For women, if they have the look, it's a plus in terms of media attention; it's a plus in terms of — I don't know — people drooling with you; but it doesn't necessarily add up to the potential you already have. And that is a shame, because people should not be judged by their looks. I understand that the look is first thing that you see, but it will cool if it will be possible to go beyond that, especially in music, where the instrument you play, the voice you're pushing out of your body and the feelings you're trying to convey with your music are the most important things."

LACUNA COIL is currently promoting "Comalies XX", the recently released "deconstructed" and "transported" version of the band's third album, "Comalies".

"Comalies XX" was made available on October 14 via Century Media Records.

LACUNA COIL celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Comalies", by performing it in its entirety at a one-night-only concert on October 15 at Fabrique in Milano.

"Comalies" was originally released on October 29, 2002 through Century Media Records. The LP, which featured the band's breakthrough single "Heaven's A Lie", has reportedly gone on to sell over 300,000 copies in the United States alone.

LACUNA COIL played its first show in front of an audience in more than two years on April 7, 2022 as the support act for APOCALYPTICA at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia.

Prior to the Atlanta concert, the last time LACUNA COIL played together was at the group's special September 2020 livestream event where the bandmembers performed their latest album, "Black Anima", in its entirety with no audience in attendance at the Alcatraz Club in Milan, Italy. That show was released as a live album, "Live From The Apocalypse", via Century Media.

LACUNA COIL hadn't played in front of a crowd since the completion of the band's South American tour in February 2020.

Gus G. has released more footage filmed in Thessaloniki, Greece during Firewind’s 20th anniversary tour on October 1, 2022. Watch the band perform "I Am The Anger", from the 2003 album Burning Earth, below:





Gus previously released footage of Firewind performing “Head Up High”, from the 2008 album The Premonition, at the same concert:

Nameless Grave Records presents Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation, the debut LP from Seattle death metal horde, Plague Bearer, announcing the album for February release alongside the cover art, tracklisting, and a brief teaser.


Born on the wings of pestilence out of a thirty-year slumber, Plague Bearer rides into our diseased world with a vision of Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation. Primarily known as a primitive blackened Satanic brother to Seattle death metal legends Drawn And Quartered, Plague Bearer has produced a string of underground demos and EPs over the years but never committed to a definitive full-length until now. Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation delivers a devastating triple-pronged vocal assault supported by brutal melodic riffing and pummeling drums heralding the end of this pathetic existence. The purpose of the band? The master of sixty-hundred-sixty-six riffs has but one word: "Evil."


Plague Bearer in its most primordial form created death metal demos in 1993 and 1994, but lineup changes resulted in a rebranding to Drawn And Quartered in 1996. Nevertheless, guitarist K.S. Kuciemba (Drawn And Quartered, Draghkar, Serpent Rider) was determined to keep the Satanic flame alive, slowly amassing simpler, eviler blackened riffs with partner H (Drawn And Quartered, ex-Vetus Obscurum) and putting out a demo in 2001 and EP in 2006 with Nuclear Winter Records. In 2017, K and H reunited with longtime ally T on drums, along with vocalist Nihilist (ex-Abazagorath, ex-Lord Gore, ex-Thy Infernal), to infect the Pacific Northwest with live rituals.




From the first second, Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation explodes into an orgy of double bass and crawling tremolo riffs in celebration of Unholy Black Satanic War Metal. Although there is a clear lineage to be traced from the earliest days of extreme metal in Plague Bearer's sound, the music has slowly drifted through time untouched by modern trends. The sinister melodies of "Defiled By Sodomy" throb and groove in a hypnotic hymn to Lucifer, punctuated by stuttering double kick and cymbal flourishes. The members of Plague Bearer are all on the wrong side of 50, but there is an unmistakable youth and vigor driving the album, and album closer "Christbane" bets it all on the stomping Satanic energy of its Venom-esque main riff.


The production of Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation is clear without being sterile, allowing every instrument to freely breath and speak. Guitars, bass, and vocals were self-engineered at K.S. Kuciemba's home studio The Plague Pit, while drums were recorded with Jon Schluckebier at Radioactive Recording. Mixing duties were handled by Andrew Lee (Ripped To Shreds) who contributed a guest solo on “Rise Of The Goat,” the album was mastered by Loic Fontaine of Krucyator Productions, and the record was completed with cover art by Thomas Westphal/Necromaniac and layout by Obscure Visions.


While Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation is laden with the legacies of its storied members, it never loses its individuality. Existing beyond the stylistic trappings of death and black metal, Plague Bearer raises a middle finger to the modern scene. Evil is the only way! The album is a must-hear for fans of Drawn And Quartered, Imprecation, Thy Infernal, and Fallen Christ.


A brief teaser for Plague Bearer’s Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation is playing here


Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation will be released on LP, CD, and digital formats through Nameless Grave Records on March 3. Stand by for audio previews, pre-orders, and more to be issued in the days ahead.





Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation tracklisting:


"Unholy Black Satanic War Metal"
"Summoning Apocalyptic Devastation"
"Defiled By Sodomy"
"Decapitated Angels"
"Antichristian Inquisition"
"Under One Sign"
"Rise Of The Goat"
"Churches Are In Flames"
"In Satan's Name"
"Christbane"


(Photo - Brandon Corsair)

Drummer Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, SLAYER, ANTHRAX) has uploaded the latest in his "Big Four" drum-cover series: METALLICA's "Damage, Inc.". The clip, which can be seen below, follows his previously released videos for SLAYER's "Killing Fields", METALLICA's "Blackened", ANTHRAX's "A.I.R." and MEGADETH's "Wake Up Dead".

Says Jon: "1986! What a great year!! A lot of people will hate on '80's music. No way! The 80's produced some of the greatest metal bands on the planet! When 'Master Of Puppets' dropped in March '86, the world was treated to one of the greatest metal records of all time! 'Master Of Puppets' changed my life! I'm so fortunate I got to see them perform live in the Summer of '86 (opening for Ozzy) with the late great Cliff Burton. One of the greatest pieces of METALLICA's music in my opinion is the intro to 'Damage'. So it was only appropriate that I pay tribute to the man who was such a huge contribution and large part of METALLICA's sound. RIP Cliff. Never forgotten..."

The 52-year-old Dette played as a full-time member of SLAYER from 1996 to 1997 and as a touring member in 2013.

In a 2013 interview with Metal Rules, Dette revealed that he collaborated with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King on some of the early ideas for what became the band's final studio album, 2015's "Repentless", before he was replaced by a returning Paul Bostaph. "I actually started working with SLAYER after we had gotten back from Australia [in early 2013]," he said. "We started working for demo and music for their new record. And then obviously what happened with Jeff [Hanneman, guitar] passing away, that changed some things. But it was definitely moving in that direction for me to be working with SLAYER [again]. But as I said there are just some things that changed with that once Jeff passed away, and I think, ultimately, they felt more comfortable with ‎Paul Bostaph, just because Paul had been in the band for longer. I think it was not going to be as much of a shock to their fans, because first Dave is gone, and now Jeff is gone, the band, it's now down to two original members. So if Paul makes them feel more comfortable and at home, then more respect to him and I wish them the best with that."

King confirmed that he worked with Dette early on in the songwriting process for "Repentless" before deciding to re-hire Bostaph instead. "We pursued it," Kerry said in a 2015 interview. "We got back from Australia. I did demos with Jon Dette, I did demos with Paul — the same two songs, under the same circumstances; they each had, like, 24 to 36 hours to learn 'em — and just see where it went. And Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] and Jeff [Hanneman, SLAYER guitarist] both decided Paul, and in hindsight, that was the right choice."

Dette originally joined SLAYER in 1996 when Paul Bostaph left to work on his side project THE TRUTH ABOUT SEAFOOD. Dette performed with SLAYER at the 1996 Ozzfest to promote the band's covers album, "Undisputed Attitude".

Prior to joining SLAYER, Dette appeared on TESTAMENT's "Live At The Fillmore" album, which came out in 1995.

In recent years, Dette had played sporadic shows with ANTHRAX as a temporary replacement for Charlie Benante, who had been undergoing physical therapy in his battle with carpal tunnel syndrome.

In a new interview with Louder Sound, ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons discusses touring with Jimi Hendrix, playing Hendrix covers, and his favourite Hendrix songs. An excerpt follows...


Meeting Hendrix:


When the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s tour reached Texas in February 1968, Gibbons’ teenaged group the Moving Sidewalks opened the show. They didn’t have enough songs of their own to fill their 40-minute slot, and included covers of two Hendrix classics before he came on.




“To try and wrap your head around those compositions, it was something so new you didn’t quite know where to begin," says Gibbons. "We were fortunate to be able to interpret our versions of 'Foxy Lady' and 'Purple Haze'. They were Texas interpretations. On leaving the stage I was grabbed by the shoulders and there was Hendrix smiling. He said: ‘I got to meet you. You got a lot of nerve! I like it.’"


Read the full interview at Louder Sound.

QUEEN's Brian May has been appointed a Knight Bachelor in the King's 2023 New Year Honours List, an annual tradition celebrating the achievements and service of exceptional individuals from across the United Kingdom.

The 75-year-old guitarist, who famously played "God Save The Queen" on the roof of Buckingham Palace during the Golden Jubilee, before performing again at the Platinum Jubilee two decades later, told Sky News he's "pretty happy" his royal journey will "end up with a sword on my shoulder".

He described the knighthood as a "kind of challenge", saying: "I think that's the way I regard it, to do good in the world and do better than I've done before."

The musician, astrophysicist and animal welfare advocate said of all his achievements, he was "probably most proud of the tiny things that we have achieved for animals. It's an ongoing thing, and I'm hoping the knighthood will help."

May was previously appointed a CBE in 2005, while QUEEN drummer Roger Taylor was made an OBE in the 2020 New Year Honours.

Brian told BBC News: "This is a kind of license, a kind of commission to carry on doing what I'm doing, and it gives me a bit more power to my elbow. So I'm very happy about that."

Becoming a knight or a dame is one of the highest-ranking awards in the British honours system. Both of these ranks entitle their members to use the title of Sir for men and Dame for women before their forename. This honor is awarded to those who have made major contributions to any activity, usually at a national level. Knighthoods and damehoods are traditionally presented with a touch of a sword by the King.

Drummer Donald Tardy of Florida death metal veterans OBITUARY spoke to Metal Wani about the band's upcoming studio album, "Dying Of Everything", which will arrive on January 13 via Relapse Records. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Somehow magically all the stars lined up for us. We took a long time writing this record. We don't ever force ourselves into songs; we let the songs find us. But once we really got down to it and started writing and putting the songs together, we were excited right from the beginning. We were, like, 'Holy shit, man. We've got something going on here.' And then, of course, when we were done with the recording, the actual tracking of the songs, we sent it to our boy Joe Cincotta, and he's been our live engineer for 15 years, but he's also done the last three albums with OBITUARY at his studio up there in New York City, Full Force Studios. So, just perfect chemistry we've got going on right now. The band's on fire. I think we played our instruments well. We played clean on this record, which makes engineers' lives very easy. It was very easy, from what Joe said, to produce this album 'cause we handed him product that was heavy but clean and well performed. So [I'm] super, super stoked on this album."

In February 2022, Donald told Finland's Chaoszine about the musical direction of the follow-up to OBITUARY's 2017 self-titled effort: "It is fucking awesome. It is OBITUARY, absolutely 100 percent, meat and potatoes, but with Ken's [Andrews, lead guitar] influence and him being able to write a few songs with me on this one, he brings a much more old-school thrash metal feel. So it's fresh, it's killer, it's exciting on some of those songs, but then also the meat and potatoes, there are some songs that are so heavy on this record, man. I'm so proud of it. I can't wait for people to hear it. And the production — we recorded it at our studio and then we sent it off to Joe Cincotta, my boy who's done the last four albums with us. He did an amazing job; the sound of this record is fantastic. I can't wait for everybody to hear it."

In March 2021, John Tardy told France's United Rock Nations about what fans can expect from OBITUARY's new LP: "I think it's just gonna sound like OBITUARY. [Laughs] You know us — we're kind of cavemen; we don't like to evolve too much. We like to change it up and do a little here and there, but we're getting too old to change too much, I think. So as long as it's heavy and pounding, then that's what you can expect."

Last year, Decibel Books released "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary", the fully authorized biography of OBITUARY. In the book, David E. Gehlke — author of "Damn The Machine: The Story Of Noise Records" and "No Celebration: The Official Story Of Paradise Lost" — provides an unprecedented look at the death metal legends through all-new, in-depth interviews with bandmembers past and present, recording engineers, scene contemporaries and music industry veterans who've worked directly with the band throughout OBITUARY's nearly four-decade career. Packed with hundreds of rare and never-before-seen photos, as well as a foreword from Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, SEPULTURA),the 328-page hardcover "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary" is exclusively available for order via decibelmagazine.com.

Photo credit: Tim Hubbard

Vocalist Lee Small (Lionheart, ex-Shy) has released a new single, "The Big Unknown". A video for the song can be found below.





Says Lee: "I released a Christmas single on 16th Cecember called 'The Big Unknown'. It is a dark ballad originally released by Sade. It is available digitally from iTunes and Amazon Music for just 99p and now streaming on Spotify. Check out the brand new video below."




Lee Small is expected to release his new studio album in spring 2023 via Metalville Records. Stay tuned for details.

SiriusXM has released more video from Bret Michaels' recent appearance. In the clip below, Michaels performs Poison's "Something To Believe In", from the Flesh & Blood album, released in 1990.





Previously released footage of Bret performing "Your Mama Don't Dance", originally by Loggins & Messina, and featured on Poison's Open Up And Say... Ahh! album released in 1988, can be viewed below:







Hot off the heels of a massive stadium tour with Poison, for the first time ever, Bret Michaels is hitting the road for a limited run of live dates for his 2023 Parti Gras Tour. Michaels has created this tour with a Mardi Gras feel in celebration of his great fans and hit music. The renowned rockstar will bring a few of his rocker friends along for a mashup of all killer, no filler hits featuring special guests Night Ranger and Jefferson Starship with special appearances from Steve Augeri (former lead singer of Journey) and Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray), plus a nightly surprise guest to rock your world.


Presented by Live Nation, the 12-city limited date run kicks off on Thursday, July 13 at the one and only Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI; known for its epic concerts and parties, going on to make stops across the US including at The Pavilion at Star Lake, in his birthplace of Pittsburgh (PA), Holmdel (NJ), Tinley Park (IL), Tampa (FL), and more before wrapping up in Charlotte (NC) at PNC Music Pavilion on August 6. The tour promises to be a modern day throwback to epic tailgate parties, positive energy, and a much needed nothing but a good vibe.


“After seeing Bret bring the party in every market of The Stadium Tour, this past year, we are looking forward to more of his ‘nothing, but a good vibe, high-energy performing’ on The Parti-Gras Tour next summer,” said Rick Franks, Global Touring Live Nation.


Michaels states, “I created Parti-Gras as a sincere and grateful thank you to the fans, friends, and family who have rocked with me over the years.  I promise to deliver positive energy, live, raw, real music, and all the bands will deliver sing-a-long hit after hit songs. Your voice will be hoarse after an epic, big, fun stage show.“


Tickets for the tour are on sale now at LiveNation.com. VIP Meet & Greet Tickets are available for Parti-Gras at BretMichaels.com.





Tour dates:


July
13 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
15 - Burgettstown, PA - The Pavilion at Star Lake
16 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
21 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
22 - Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
23 - Camden, NJ - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
28 - Maryland Heights, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
29 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
30 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center


August
4 - Tampa, FL - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
5 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
6 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion

In a new interview with Heavy New York, former JUDAS PRIEST and ICED EARTH singer Tim "Ripper" Owens reflected on his vocal performance on the debut album from WINTERS BANE, "Heart Of A Killer", which was released in 1993, three years before he joined PRIEST as the replacement for Rob Halford. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's funny, 'cause vocally, I would love to re-record 'Heart Of A Killer' now. Everybody's, like, 'That's one of your best vocal performances.' I'm, like, 'It's really not.' It has high notes and it's a good vocal album, but it doesn't have the character that I have now — it doesn't have the rasp, the heaviness. I still have the same highs. My highs right now — which I finally got 'em back — my highs right now are as good as ever. But I have a heavier tone to my voice, and I would love to do it with all the characters.

"The funny thing about that record is we recorded it on Massacre Records in Germany," he continued. "We had a week or so to record it. I had a day, a day and a half to record all my vocals. So whether I was sick or not, they waited till the end. So the day came for me to sing, and I'm thinking, 'Man, I hope I'm not gonna be sick, because I've got one day or two days to record the whole record.' So that was busted out like craziness."

According to Owens, "Heart Of A Killer" "showed what I sang like back then. It's not like I joined JUDAS PRIEST and I started singing that style," he explained. "And it took me a while to find the style when I was a singer. When I first started, I sounded like Brian Johnson — everything I sang. Whether it was SCORPIONS, it sounded like AC/DC. 'Cause I didn't know how to sing yet. I didn't know. And then I think listening to all my heroes — DIO and ANTHRAX; I was a big ANTHRAX fan — and then I realized, 'This is my voice. I've got this voice.' But it didn't have as much character back then; it was still straightforward, like on [the] WINTERS BANE [album]. But it started showing then, really, what I was like, what I was gonna sing like. And every day I tried to get better. I'm influenced by Chris Cornell, I'm influenced by Jon Oliva, so I kind of go on. But right now, it's funny, 'cause like I said, it molded me into sounded just like Tim 'Ripper' Owens. I don't think I sound like anybody; I don't think anybody sounds like me. And it's probably because I still try to get better and sound different as I go on."

Owens recently released a solo EP, "Return To Death Row". The effort was produced by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Nick Bellmore (JASTA, DEE SNIDER). Players on the EP, which contain Owens's "heaviest songs yet," include Nick Bellmore, Charlie Bellmore (DEE SNIDER, ex-TOXIC HOLOCAUST) on guitar, and Chris Beaudette (JASTA, ENTEIRRO) on bass.

Owens is currently the frontman of KK'S PRIEST, featuring fellow former JUDAS PRIEST member K.K. Downing.

Owens joined PRIEST after being discovered when the band's drummer, Scott Travis, was given a videotape of him performing with the PRIEST cover act BRITISH STEEL. JUDAS PRIEST at the time was seeking a replacement for Halford.

In 2019, Owens told Ultimate Guitar that he believes his era of JUDAS PRIEST is largely overlooked. "Yeah, I think it definitely deserves more [attention]," he said. "I mean, they don't do anything. [Laughs] It's kind of amazing that they just totally erased it that they won't play... I mean, 'Burn In Hell' [off 'Jugulator'], the crowd would like to hear 'Burn In Hell'.

"They don't have to give me a tribute or anything, but it would be nice to play a song from... You know, that was a pretty big thing, I did two studio records, two live records, and a DVD, starting from '96 to 2004. So it's kind of crazy that it's just been erased and they won't even play a song from it live, because it is JUDAS PRIEST."

"Demolition" and "Jugulator" are included on "50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music", JUDAS PRIEST's 2021 limited-edition box set which contains every official live and studio album to date plus 13 unreleased discs.

Salem, Massachusetts-based The Freqs will release their caustic and infectious Poachers EP in early February.


Delivering fuzzed-out, psych-punk, stoner rock, and sledgehammering noise at a crushing decibel, The Freqs formed on the north shore of Massachusetts in 2019 by guitarist/vocalist Seth Crowell and bassist/vocalist Ian Mandly, with the lineup solidifying in 2020 after the addition of drummer Zack Fierman. Together, the trio crafts a distinctive sound at the intersection of genres.


Released at the end of 2022, The Freqs’ newest single "Witch" is a thundering voyage inspired by the past and present of their hometown, Salem, Massachusetts. The song is the first single off the band’s fourth EP, Poachers, which was recorded by, mixed, and mastered by Alex Allinson at Bridge Sound And Stage in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and completed with cover art photography by Colby Todisco. The tracks “Powertrippin’” and “Witch” feature additional backing vocals by Nicholas Pentabona (Bedtimemagic).




“Witch” was written by the band’s Seth Crowell who is a descendant of Rebecca Nurse, one of the witches hanged during the Salem Witch Trials. The song is his attempt at dissecting that too often glossed over tragedy in the context of today.


Crowell writes, “‘Witch’ aims to serve as a condemnation of the male gaze and the greater patriarchy at large. The lyrics are sung from the perspective of the crazed accuser who demands violence for the accused Witch for denying his advances. The lyrics are delivered as deliberately aggressive to illustrate that the accuser is the true danger to his community.”


Poachers will see digital release on February 3. Find pre-orders here and watch for additional previews of the record to post over the days ahead.





Tracklisting:


"Poacher Gets The Tusk"
"Powertrippin’"
"Asphalt Rivers"
"Sludge Rats"
"Chase Fire, Caught Smoke"
"Witch"


"Witch":





The Freqs:


Seth Crowell – guitar, vox
Ian Mandly – bass, synth, piano, backing vox
Zack Fierman – drums, auxiliary percussion, backing vox


(Photo - Zack Fierman)

Florida-based progressive death metal band, Haxprocess, will independently release their new album, The Caverns Of Duat (CD, streaming) on January 13.


Haxprocess were formed as a progressive metal band in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, when the venues were closed, and friends couldn’t even go out to a coffee shop. The origins of the band can be traced back when Lothar Mallea, then 15 years of age, moved back to Jacksonville. Lothar started playing music under the wing of Motown Studios multi-instrumentalist Cornelius Johnson, it did not take too long for him to be on stage playing the saxophone with other young jazz musicians. One day visiting a friend he took a guitar to explore the instrument and he ended up taking it home, from that moment on, it is hard to find a day when Lothar did not play the guitar. Songs by Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Diamond Head, were the amongst the first that Lothar learned to play.


As soon as he arrived in Jacksonville, he started searching for other serious and like-minded musicians willing to start a band. Adam Robinson, a drummer from Alabama coincidentally had moved to Jacksonville only a few months earlier.




Adam, a self-taught drummer has been passionate all his life about learning the complexity and versatility of the likes of Mike Portnoy and Neil Peart. Unfortunately, he had been unlucky to find the right band mates for years as well as finding neighbors that could tolerate having a drummer next door. Adam and Lothar started jamming on Saturdays, eventually they invited other local musicians who joined the band during a period of experimentation with Progressive Thrash Metal. The early jamming sessions covered Dream Theater, Opeth, Megadeth which made presence in early attempts to create original material based on thrashy riffs and complex song structure of Progressive rock.


These experimental compositions allowed the band to play in small local venues during the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Soon, the band attempted to record and release studio music but decided to change course in the fall of 2021.


Shane Williamson, a reputable local guitarist who plays for other bands (Saturnine, Dead Centre) joined Haxprocess during this period. Shane brought a level of versatility and talent with his guitar playing that allowed this new direction Lothar and Adam were heading in to be possible.


During this time, Haxprocess transitioned to progressive death metal, building from the legacy of Timeghoul, Nile and Death.





Tracklisting:


"God Complex"
"At One With Time"
"The Infinity Paradox"
"Phantasm"
"The Caverns Of Duat"


Album credits:


- Music and Lyrics by Lothar Mallea
- Rhythm/ lead guitar, bass and vocals by Lothar Mallea
- Rhythm/ lead guitar by Shane Williamson
- Drums by Adam Robinson
- Mixed and mastered by Pete DeBoer at World Famous Studios in Denver, CO. USA
- Art by Mark Cooper

Finnish hard rock monsters LORDI have shared the title of their upcoming album. "Screem Writers Guild", a wordplay and a LORDI-fied version of Screen Writers Guild, an organization of Hollywood screenplay authors, will arrive this spring via Atomic Fire Records.

Earlier today (Sunday, January 1),LORDI posted a teaser for the "Screem Writers Guild" artwork on social media and included the following message: "The year has turned to 2023 and it's time to fix our beady little eyes on the new era and the - soon to be released - new album: SCREEM WRITERS GUILD! Some juicy appetizers of it are coming up sooner than you might expext... stay tuned!"

In 2021, LORDI released no less than seven new studio albums. The LPs marked the first new music from LORDI since the arrival of 2020's "Killection", a fictional compilation album which contained songs that LORDI would have written had the band existed between the early 1970s and the mid-1990s. Each album in the "Lordiversity" box featured a different genre approach: hard rock, disco, progressive rock, heavy metal, AOR, thrash/speed metal and industrial metal.

Last June, LORDI recruited Kone as the replacement for its departed founding guitarist Amen-Ra (a.k.a. Amen). Kone made his live debut with LORDI at the Rock In The City festival in Kuopio, Finland.

LORDI caused a sensation by winning the 2006 Eurovision with "Hard Rock Hallelujah", which in turn made the band's third release, "The Arockalypse", a hit throughout Europe. On the back of their Eurovision win, they scored a lucrative series of promotions including LORDI-branded cola, boiled sweets and credit cards; and played live at the MTV European Music Awards. A square was renamed in LORDI's honor in the Lapland city of Rovaniemi; a LORDI-themed postage stamp was issued in Finland and the group starred in its first film, called "Dark Floors".

With their monster-movie stage persona, LORDI seemed a most unlikely choice to represent their country in the Eurovision Song Contest. So you can imagine how many people were shocked when the group not only claimed top honors, but also earned the most points in the venerable event's history.

In a 2017 interview with MariskalRock, LORDI leader Mr. Lordi stated about the band's connection to Eurovision: "There was a time a couple of years ago — well, more than a couple — when I really, really, really hated that everybody's always asking about the goddamn Eurovision; there was a time. Nowadays I have come to terms with it. It's, like, okay, I'm actually proud that we are part of Eurovision history and I am proud that Eurovision is part of this band's history. I mean, it is a big part of our awareness. Because the awareness of the band would be so different, it would be so much smaller, without that one TV show ten years ago."

He continued: "I absolutely don't regret that — absolutely not. Because I have nothing bad to say about Eurovision itself, but the problem that we have had in the years is the people who actually don't know anything else except for the fact that we were on Eurovision. And that is a big stamp to get out of — it's like a fucking tattoo, you have a fucking tattoo on your forehead that says 'Eurovision.' And that is something that really, really, really drove me nuts some years ago; I was really struggling with that.

"I have come to terms with it — it's all right; I mean, it's cool," he said. "I am proud of it. And every May, when there's a new Eurovision, I know that my phone will start ringing and people will ask my opinions and then we get requests: 'Do you wanna come to this country's semifinals? Do you wanna come here?' And for years we said, 'No, we don't wanna. We don't want to.' But now, we're, like, 'Fuck it! Let's do it. What the hell?' I mean, c'mon, it's all fun, and it's part of our history, and the Eurovision, they really want us to come there, because, let's face it, we are one of those winners that people still remember."
The year has turned to 2023 and it's time to fix our beady little eyes on the new era and the - soon to be released - new album: SCREEM WRITERS GUILD 🔥🦇! Some juicy appetizers of it are coming up sooner than you might expext... stay tuned!
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#lordi@atomicfirerecpic.twitter.com/U6QH1JdIBJ

— Lordi (@LORDIOFFICIAL) January 1, 2023