In a recent interview with "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz", W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless looked back on his involvement with "Stars", the 1985 charity single for famine relief released under the HEAR 'N AID banner.

On May 20 and May 21, 1985, 40 artists from the metal community gathered at A&M Records Studios in Hollywood, California to participate in the making of a record called "Stars" as a part of a very special fundraising project spearheaded by Ronnie James Dio known as HEAR 'N AID. The "Stars" single and a video documentary on the making of the record was used to raise money for famine relief efforts in Africa and around the world. These 40 artists — including members of MÖTLEY CRÜE, JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, QUIET RIOT, TWISTED SISTER, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT and even SPINAL TAP — along with hundreds of other volunteers, donated their time and talent over four months to make HEAR 'N AID a reality. "Stars" was a plea for unity in the fight against world hunger.

Lawless spoke about his experience recording "Stars" during a "VIP Experience" question-and-answer session before W.A.S.P.'s December 11 concert at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Ken Kragen was the guy that produced that, and Ken was also — he passed away, like, two years ago — Ken was the guy that put together 'We Are The World' [with] Michael Jackson and Ray Charles and all those guys. Actually, in the same room at A&M Records where they had done that. Well, as the story went, Ken had a big sign posted on the front door, when you walked in the studio: 'Check your ego at the door.' Well, when we got there, the same sign was on the door. But the odd part about it was once you got in the room, the sign was not necessary at all. Because you're looking around the room at all those faces you recognize, and if anybody had an ego in there, they didn't show it. Because it humbles you when you're in there with that kind of talent. As a matter of fact, Ronnie came out at one point… When we started the group thing when we were in the room, and Ronnie came out after about ten, fifteen minutes, he goes, 'C'mon, guys. Loosen up. You're all so stiff out here.' So that's when I went down and got Kevin DuBrow [QUIET RIOT] on my shoulders and started loosening up. And plus, there was an open bar. And the longer that went on, people got loose."

Due to contract differences with the labels, the "Stars" song and album weren't released until New Year's Day, 1986, and were only ever made available on vinyl and cassette. But Ronnie's wife and manager Wendy Dio has said in recent years that she is continuing her efforts to correct that.

Wendy previously revealed that one of the reasons the HEAR 'N AID reissue was taking so long to come out was the "legal stuff" that needed to be taken care of. "You can always get the bands to do something, but it's the legal licensing of talking with the record labels they're on and the management and so on, to get something off the ground," she said. "So we're hoping to do that."

In a new interview with The Metal Voice, former JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens spoke about the status of the sophomore album from his new group KK'S PRIEST, in which he is joined by another ex-JUDAS PRIEST member, guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I just finished [recording the vocals for] the last [song] a couple of days ago. I'm sure I'll have to go back and redo a few things on 'em — maybe add some parts, whatever. I mean, I sent a lot of vocals.

"I really like it," he continued. "And the music I had, it still needed guitar parts, which is already done. Because they just sent it to me early stages, which they've already added stuff; [K.K.] and [guitarist] A.J. [Mills] have been in the studio doing it.

"It's really close [to being done]," he added. "Now it's really in the mixing process, I think, and producing the stuff and moving some stuff around."

As for the musical direction of the second KK'S PRIEST, album, Owens said: "I actually really like it. I think it's next level from the last one [2021's 'Sermons Of The Sinner']. I think the last one was the perfect record.

"What I said to people, when they would say [about 'Sermons Of The Sinner'], 'This kind of sounds like PRIEST.' But it's, like, no, it sounds like K.K. Downing. I mean, that's what he has written. This next one, though, I think, is that and beyond. Vocally, it's gotten a little heavier. It's got tons of highs still, but it's got edgier vocals. It's got some melodic, beautiful vocals, but it's just edgier, I think. I enjoyed doing this one a lot."

Owens also talked about the fact that KK'S PRIEST was recently announced as one of the co-headliners of next year's edition of the Alcatraz open air hard rock and heavy metal festival, set to take place August 11-13, 2023 in Kortrijk, Belgium.

"Next year is gonna be pretty swamped because KK'S PRIEST, now we're finally gonna put this record out and tour," Tim explained. "So the plan is to just tour non-stop for a year or two… I think the plan is to hit the road [extensively].

"I don't think [K.K.] wants to just do festivals," Owens added. "It's too hard. It's fine for me to do festivals [as a solo artist] if I show up and there's a band waiting for me that I can just jump onstage. But it's just hard to just go and pop and do festivals here and there. The plan is definitely to tour. The plan is definitely to hit the road and do stuff. So hopefully it all comes together. I know we have an agency looking into that. It's all in the hands of everybody."

Downing, Owens and Mills are joined in KK'S PRIEST by bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

"Sermons Of The Sinner" was released in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the '80s.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

Last month, Downing told Danny Stoakes about KK'S PRIEST's upcoming LP: "It's imminent, for sure. Everything's gonna be sticky-taped and glued together, and we'll fire it out very soon. It's more than well on the way; we're in the mixing process."

He continued: "It's great. I can't wait. It's so frustrating. You just want it out now. But it will happen. So I'm looking forward to that."

Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony on November 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

A little over a year ago, Downing said that he had no problems with fans making comparisons between PRIEST and KK'S PRIEST. "It's absolutely fine, because it's who I am and what I am and what I do and how I do it," he told Brazilian journalist Igor Miranda. "It's too late to change; I can't change. I can't go out and buy different guitars and different amplifiers and start to write differently and think differently. I have to do things the way that I like them to be done. And that's what I did in JUDAS PRIEST for all those years to the best of my ability. But even now that I don't have to consult with anyone else, really, then I feel a lot more freedom to be able to do this.

"I think I can do what I do better now than I did before, if that makes any sense," he continued. "Because I'm working and writing and putting things together for me — and, obviously, of course, the rest of the members in [KK'S PRIEST] as well. But I was on my own, for the most part, in the lockdown doing this. But there was a lot of things I wanted to say and get off my chest.

"The [KK'S PRIEST] album's full of emotions, sentiments and messages and also rejoicement. It's a lot of things, all in one package. And it was very important for me to be able to express myself through this album.

"I know that people will make comparisons, but that's fine. I either succeed or fail, like everyone else in life. But I'm a fan of this wonderful style of music, and if I like it, I'm hopefully sure that the fans will like it too. And I really hope they do. And I'm very much looking forward to the feedback from everybody all over the world.

"Towards the end for me in JUDAS PRIEST, it wasn't as energized as it was in former years, and I missed that. I remember the days when Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer] used to come offstage and he used to empty his boots out, and the water — which was sweat — used to just pour out of the boots. And it was the same for all of us. It was like we ran a marathon or something. So, hopefully we deliver that up. So I'm looking forward to doing that. I'm definitely gonna do my best, put it that way."

In September 2021, Owens said that there was no competition between JUDAS PRIEST and KK'S PRIEST. "I don't think we look at it [like that]," he told The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn in an interview. "There's one JUDAS PRIEST. They're JUDAS PRIEST. If [K.K. and I] wanted to take that angle, we would have called [our new band] KK'S JUDAS PRIEST. But I think fans are happy 'cause they know they do have two things that are the same vein, and they have K.K. back. I went nowhere — I've been putting music out like crazy — but they have Ken and I back together again. So there's no competition. I mean, how awesome would it be if we do shows with them? I don't care. I really don't. I love the guys in PRIEST. Rob's [Halford, PRIEST singer] my idol. And Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] and I are friends. But this isn't a competition. We're not trying to make it a competition or another JUDAS PRIEST. That's why we put an album out first; that was the difference. If we were trying to make it that, we would start touring right away, doing the back catalog."

Asked if KK'S PRIEST is really open to touring with JUDAS PRIEST, Tim said: "I'm open to anything. I've never burned bridges. From the sounds of it, it's never gonna happen. 'Cause it never happened with me. I tried to get BEYOND FEAR to support JUDAS PRIEST on tour. Wendy Dio was my manager, and they were, like, 'Absolutely not. You're not gonna support us.' But we're all friends. I mean, I'm speaking for me — I'm not speaking for Ken. But, yeah, listen, I always look at it as how much fans would love stuff. How cool would it be if that happened?"

Photo by George Chin

The reformed PANTERA played its third concert without bassist Rex Brown Thursday night (December 15) at Vibra in São Paulo, Brazil. Newly uploaded 4K video of the show can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube channel chriskato76).

The São Paulo gig took place three days after Rex confirmed that a positive COVID-19 test forced him to miss PANTERA's performance at Knotfest Chile in Santiago on December 11. Filling in for him at the São Paulo gig — which was co-headlined by JUDAS PRIEST — was CATTLE DECAPITATION bassist Derek Engemann, who also plays with PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo in both PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS and SCOUR.

PANTERA's setlist for the Vibra concert was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. A New Level
02. Mouth For War
03. Strength Beyond Strength
04. Becoming
05. I'm Broken
06. 5 Minutes Alone
07. This Love
08. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit
09. Fucking Hostile
10. Planet Caravan (BLACK SABBATH cover)
11. Walk
12. Domination / Hollow
13. Cowboys From Hell

On Monday, Brown released the following statement via PANTERA's social media: "I caught a very mild strain of Covid, but because of our own protocols, I simply do not wanna risk getting my brothers or the crew sick!! I'm feeling better & am on my way to a speedy recovery. Merry Fckn Christmas & see you all next year!"

Last Sunday, Chilean radio station Futuro reported that Brown flew from Bogotá, Colombia, where PANTERA performed at Knotfest Colombia on December 9, back home to the United States to quarantine, thereby missing the remainder of the PANTERA shows in South America.

Joining surviving members Brown and Anselmo in PANTERA's reformed lineup are guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX).

PANTERA is next scheduled to play another show in São Paulo — on Sunday, December 18 at Knotfest Brasil.

The new PANTERA lineup made its live debut on December 2 at Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest and also performed on December 6 at Monterrey Metal Fest in Monterrey, Mexico.

It was first reported in July that Anselmo and Brown would unite with Wylde and Benante for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

The band will headline a number of major festivals across North America and Europe and stage some of their own headline concerts. They will also support METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, as well as Brown, who last year said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Up until his passing, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Vinnie passed away on June 22, 2018 at his other home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares took part in a meet-and-greet and guitar clinic on December 10 at the Ormsby Guitars headquarters in Perth, Australia. A video report from New Breed TV and photos from Ormsby and others can be found below.

In a recent interview with the "Everblack" podcast, Cazares once again opened up about FEAR FACTORY's search for a new vocalist following the departure of Burton C. Bell more than two years ago. Regarding the decision to keep the new singer's identity a secret for so long, he said: "The thing about it is everybody's expecting it to be this massive rock star dude coming in. But it's not that at all. The guy is basically kind of unknown. There are some FEAR FACTORY fans that kind of know who it is, but they don't really know yet. He's a super-talented guy. He sounds like the classic Burton from the 'Demanufacture'/'Obsolete' era. He's a younger guy — 36 years old. Compared to me, he's younger."

In a separate chat with the "Fantasm" podcast, Dino reflected on the FEAR FACTORY singer search, saying: "It's very challenging to try to find somebody. It took me a year. People think that the minute that [Burton] was out of the band that I found somebody right away. No — it took a good year or so to find somebody. And I auditioned a lot of people. A lot of people submitted their vocals, video tryouts for me to check out. There was a lot of great singers, there was a lot of good guys, so it was hard to find somebody… Very challenging. And I know there's gonna be a lot of challenges coming up. It always is that way. But, yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I think we found a really good guy. I can't wait for the world to see who he is and move forward."

Last month, Dino told the "Everblack" podcast about the qualities he was looking for in the new FEAR FACTORY singer: "You want a person who's gonna be able to respect the legacy that we started 32 years ago. And so you want that person to be able to sing those parts as they were meant to be. But moving forward with newer stuff, he's gotta somewhat have his own identity."

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

"It's going great," he said. "We just started pre-production, so we just started writing. We're about four songs in. So it's great. Everything's flowing really good. We've been working on it for about two and a half weeks. This writing so far has been pretty exciting. The four tracks that we do have… I don't know how to say it — it's classic stuff."

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

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

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

In April, Dino told "The Garza Podcast" that the new FEAR FACTORY singer is emotionally ready to handle the inevitable pushback from some fans that he will get once his identity has been revealed. "I think that they're ready," he said. "When it comes to talent, they're very ready. But 'tour ready' is completely different. Let's hope that… Well, the person that we have has done some touring, but not touring like we do touring. Like, a full U.S. tour can be anywhere from four weeks to six weeks to whatever, then you fly over to Europe and do another four to five weeks, come back to the States, do another tour, then you go to South America and do another few weeks there, then you go to Australia and do another few weeks there, and then you plan for next year. I think one of the other things, too, is when this person is announced, they're gonna have to be able to handle all the criticism. That's gonna be the hard part. 'Well, it didn't sound like Burt.' Well, of course not. I want this person… They do actually sound like Burt — they can handle all the old stuff like Burt — but as far as moving forward, I would like them to have their own identity. We're still gonna have the formula of what makes FEAR FACTORY — for sure — but I want this person to somewhat have his own identity as well."

Dino also addressed his statement from last year that he wanted to give an "unknown guy a shot" at fronting FEAR FACTORY. He said: "Well, it wasn't like I was only looking for somebody that nobody knew. I was looking for all different [types of singers]. Sure, if the guy turned out to be, or the girl turned out to be, someone that nobody knew and I gave 'em that shot, yeah, great. I was open to all of it, is what I'm saying. Male, female, whatever, known, unknown — I was open to all of that."

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

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

Thanx to everyone that came to the two meet n greet/ guitar clinic in Perth Australia at the Ormsby Guitars headquarters, I had a blast and I promise I will come out and do it again.

Posted by Dino Cazares on Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Not bhed. Not a bhed weekend at all. Thanks to Dino Cazares, The New Breed of Fear Factory, and Perry Ormsby of Ormsby...

Posted by Ando Paul on Sunday, December 11, 2022

Lovely day spent with Dino Cazares from Fear Factory at Ormsby Guitars.

Posted by Brody Bell on Sunday, December 11, 2022

Joe Bonamassa and Robby Krieger are among the guests who joined ZZ TOP's Billy Gibbons for his annual birthday jam on Thursday, December 15 at the Troubadour in West, Hollywood, California. Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

When one thinks of the most influential rock musicians on the planet, Gibbons is a name that should come to the forefront of any such list. Before becoming one of rock's most recognizable figures, Billy and his first band MOVING SIDEWALKS gained recognition by opening up for THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE on their first-ever headline tour. On that tour, Jimi himself taught a 17-year-old Billy how to play the opening lick to "Foxy Lady", a story that he recounts onstage to this very day. In 1969, Billy met bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard to form the classic lineup of boogie and blues rock mainstays ZZ TOP. ZZ TOP released "ZZ Top's First Album" in 1971. The albums that followed, "Rio Grande Mud" (1972) and "Tres Hombres" (1973),along with extensive touring, solidified the group's reputation as a hard-rocking power trio. In the 1980s, ZZ TOP released their three biggest-selling albums: "Eliminator" (1983),"Afterburner" (1985) and "Recycler" (1990). The band found great success through the ever-shifting landscape of music by embracing emerging styles of the times, incorporating elements of synth-rock, punk, and new wave into their newer material. The group not only secured six No. 1 singles, but also won countless MTV Music Video Awards for songs like "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man". Gibbons was ranked at number 32 on the 2011 Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time". ZZ TOP was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004.

Aside from his work in ZZ TOP, Gibbons has collaborated with a slew of rock and blues heavyweights, including QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan and Jack White. His latest solo album "Hardware" (2021) is out now via Concord Records.

On December 15, Mark Tremonti — guitarist/singer-songwriter/founding member of the rock bands CREED, ALTER BRIDGE and TREMONTI — performed a set of Frank Sinatra classics with members of Frank's orchestra at London, England's Indigo at The O2. Video of the concert is available below.

In May, Tremonti released a collection of Sinatra covers to support NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society). "Tremonti Sings Sinatra" was made available as part of a new charity initiative created by Tremonti called Take A Chance For Charity. Proceeds from the album will go to support NDSS and the work they do to advocate for and support individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Mark and his family were blessed to welcome their first daughter Stella in March 2021 — who was born with Down syndrome — and the idea for the project was born.

"For years, I've loved singing along to Frank's songs," Mark explained. "One night, I found an old video of him performing 'The Song Is You' from 1944. It made me want to dive into his vocal approach. I was all in and I wanted to do something with it. When we found out about our daughter Stella's Down syndrome diagnosis, the stars aligned. My obsession with Sinatra had its reason. Frank Sinatra raised more than a billion dollars for charity and that is a fact I wish the public the public knew more about. Beneath his cool and calm persona, he had a big heart. Doing this charity in his name was another way the stars had aligned. I decided to do this record to raise funds for families and individuals with Down syndrome. This project is the start of a new purpose that I will have for the rest of my life."

Tremonti has come together with surviving members of Frank Sinatra's orchestra, creating new takes on some of the classics and some deeper cuts from Frank's catalog. From the opening horns and piano of "I've Got You Under My Skin" to final vocal outro of "All Or Nothing At All", Tremonti showcases the signature vocal approach and exemplary musicianship that made Sinatra's work timeless. To see his vision through, Mark reached out to Sinatra's musical director Mike Smith who collected as many remaining members as possible of Frank's touring band to record the music for "Tremonti Sings Sinatra". Popular standards like "I've Got The World On A String", "My Way" and "That's Life" find new life in the hands of these incredible musicians. Tremonti — known for his guitar work that has won him countless accolades — leaves the instrument behind and just sings on the 14-track album. The artwork on the album cover is an original painting that Tremonti created especially for this project.

The track listing for "Tremonti Sings Sinatra" is:

01. I've Got You Under My Skin
02. I've Got The World On A String
03. I Fall In Love Too Easily
04. Wave
05. Fly Me To The Moon
06. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
07. My Way
08. You Make Me Feel So Young
09. Luck Be A Lady
10. That's Life
11. Come Fly With Me
12. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
13. The Song Is You
14. All Or Nothing At All

Take A Chance For Charity is a new charity focused on giving artists, actors, athletes and anyone with a platform the ability to get out of their comfort zone. The idea is to have people get out of the genre they are known for to raise funds and awareness for the charity of their choice. An actor can sing, an athlete can dance, a musician can perform a song out of their musical genre - any artistic interpretation. This gives participants the ability to do something out of the ordinary — in fact, extraordinary — all in the name of charity. "Tremonti Sings Sinatra" is the first release for the cause, the recipient being NDSS.

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome. NDSS envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of welcoming communities. Founded in 1979, NDSS supports and advocates for the Down syndrome community by focusing on three key areas of programming: resources & support, policy and advocacy, and community engagement. Within these focus areas, NDSS engages in various activities, events, and programs on topics that are critical to our community such as federal and state advocacy and public policy, health and wellness, education, and employment. NDSS creates resources to support individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and caregivers across the lifespan and hosts awareness and engagement events throughout the country including the National Buddy Walk Program, the Times Square Video presentation and New York City Buddy Walk, Racing for 3.21 on World Down Syndrome Day, Run for 3.21, DC Golf Outing, the annual NDSS Gala & Auction, and various other events. Visit www.ndss.org for more information about NDSS.

Some quotes about "Tremonti Sings Sinatra":

Hank Cattaneo, Frank Sinatra's "Duets" producer: "Mark did a fantastic job on this record, His voice and take on the tunes are amazing!"

Slash (GUNS N' ROSES): "Mark's take on Sinatra is nothing short of uncanny. I could never have expected one of my fave metal guitarists to do such faithful renditions of Sinatra classics. Not only instrumentally, but vocally! And these recordings are for a cause near and dear to my heart; I was very close to an uncle who had Down syndrome when I was growing up. I fully appreciate and support Mark's commitment to NDSS."

Kirk Hammett (METALLICA): "Holy shit, I knew Mark was a ripping guitar player, but no way did I ever have a notion that he had golden pipes as well!!! Totally blown away. Totally into it. Let's hear more, Mark."

Chris Daughtry: "When Mark first played me a track from this project, my jaw dropped. Gave me chills! This is a side of Mark's voice that people need to hear and I'm certain they will be just as blown away as I was."

John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER): "Wow! I am absolutely blown away by Mark's performance on this album!! He delivers the songs authentically, embodying all that is Frank but giving us a glimpse of his own personality as well. I love the arrangements and the fact that some of Frank's original band members contributed to these tracks. Honestly, I've known Mark for a long time and know he is super talented but had no idea he was capable of channeling Old' Blue Eyes like that! Just absolutely beautifully done and what makes everything even that much more touching is the cause. I bet Mark's daughter Stella was in his heart during every step of the recording processes. Incredible!"

Tyler Connolly: "Okay this is so frickin' good! I had a smile on my face when I heard marks voice come in on 'I've Got You Under My Skin'. The production is fantastic, and I love that he has gifted the album to the NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society) Not surprised that he's killed it on this one. Congrats, Mark. This is amazing!"

Brent Smith (SHINEDOWN): "Once again, Mark Tremonti never ceases to amaze me. These renditions of some of the most beloved Sinatra tunes, are so eloquently done that it is remarkable. And what a beautiful gift to the NDSS. Much love, respect, and success to this incredible project."

James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER): "I met Mark around 10 years ago. First thing that struck me was his easy going, down-to-earth, respectful nature. That, to me, is a priority and a true measure of one's makeup. Mark's talent precedes him, I've listened to him since the '90s 'til present day. It wasn't until I listened to Mark's solo albums that I was able to fully realize his vocal abilities. What a great voice!!! A beautiful and unique sound, alongside perfect delivery, dynamics and feel.

"When asked for my take on Mark's Sinatra project, I really didn't know what to expect. I went into this from the perspective of what I've heard. I was asked to listen to two tracks. I listened to the whole damn thing!!! I was completely blown away. He sounds just like Frank, with just enough of his own vocal characteristics to infuse just the right amount of himself while honoring Frank's musicality. Mark did absolute justice to the number one iconic, legendary crooner of all time. A stellar job, nailing the inflections, nuances and all the subtleties in Frank's delivery that made him unparalleled. Bravo, Mark. An admirable endeavor and cause for NDSS. All the best, Mark, Vicky and lovely Stella."



Mark Tremonti sings Frank Sinatra in London. Mark treated us to a few Christmas carols. Here’s “Santa Claus is coming to town”. #takeachanceforcharity #ndss #downssyndrome

Posted by Maggie Rock Wright on Thursday, December 15, 2022

Mark Tremonti - That's Life (Frank Sinatra Cover)

Mark singing That's Life 🎙️🎵🎶

Mark Tremonti sings Frank Sinatra at London, UK 🇬🇧 (15.12.22)

#marktremonti #sinatra #franksinatra #cover #london #unitedkingdom

📹 Daniel Gordon

Posted by Alter Bridge Perú on Saturday, December 17, 2022

What a night! 🤩🎉 Our team members Kandi, Sara, and Colleen had a great time at the Mark Tremonti #TremontiSingsSinatra...

Posted by National Down Syndrome Society on Thursday, December 15, 2022

London - tonight is a special night, I will be teaming up with Frank Sinatra’s orchestra for an unforgettable evening...

Posted by Mark Tremonti on Thursday, December 15, 2022

Earlier this month, QUEENSRŸCHE announced an early 2023 U.S. tour in support of its sixteenth studio album, "Digital Noise Alliance". The band has just wrapped up a fall run in North America supporting JUDAS PRIEST on the "50 Heavy Metal Years" tour, and will now launch their first headlining campaign to promote the new LP. Direct support on the "Digital Noise Alliance" tour will come from former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, with TRAUMA opening each show.

Speaking to Canada's The Metal Voice, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre stated about the upcoming trek (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have Marty Friedman as direct support, which I think people will really dig, 'cause it's kind of a more rare sighting to see him over here. So I'm really looking forward to that. And then we also have the band TRAUMA, who's first on the bill. For those that don't know, that was the band that Cliff Burton was in before he joined METALLICA. So they have a brand new record out called 'Awakening' that I've been listening to. It's really good.

"So that's gonna be a good six-and-a-half-week, whatever that turns out to be, tour, and then we've got other stuff in the works for later in the year. But that's the first thing that's gonna be coming up," he added.

As for QUEENSRŸCHE's setlist for the upcoming tour, Todd said: "We're gonna play a nice handful of songs from ['Digital Noise Alliance'] and the last three records. And then I think we're talking about doing some pretty deep cuts that have never been done since the beginning of the band and maybe something that hasn't been done for sure at least maybe since I joined the band. And then you'll have a few staple songs, but I'm pretty sure that this setlist is gonna be really for the diehards that follow everything we do, because you're gonna have a huge chunk of my era with the band being played. If you [think] you're just gonna get a lot of the old stuff that we kind of usually play, a lot of that stuff is not gonna happen on this tour. So I'm looking forward to it."

QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Micheal Wilton previously discussed the band's 2023 tour in an interview with Rock Show Critique. He said: "It's a full 'Digital Noise Alliance' headline tour. We're really excited to get out there and get touring again. We're rebuilding and establishing again, because for us it's a bit of the Wild West. There's a lot of congestion out there, there's a lot of bands touring, and to put a tour together like this, we're really happy that we can get out there and do a full tour."

"We appreciate the fans, their input," he continued. "For us, I think we're gonna make this different than previous tours 'cause we're really gonna mix up the setlist. So, for people saying, 'Oh, they're just gonna play the same stuff again,' they'll be surprised.

"You've gotta keep a balance, 'cause you've got the hardcore fans that wanna hear the deep cuts and they wanna hear the new stuff," Wilton explained. "And then you've got the casual fans that just wanna hear the hits, the staples from the legacy albums. But it's a headline set, so we have 90 minutes. There's a lot of wiggle room in there for some different stuff."

"Digital Noise Alliance" came out on October 7 via Century Media. The record was once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict" LPs.

Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE last year, contributed guitar solos to the band's new studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past five and a half years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit.

Welsh glam metal veterans TIGERTAILZ have announced the addition of Ashley Edison (POWER QUEST, DENDERA) as their new vocalist.

TIGERTAILZ guitarist and founding member Jay Pepper commented: "Some things should never happen, and yet when Ashley came to the studio and began singing 'Sick Sex', the mountains in Wales started to rumble, an earthquake was happening, and his voice was causing it! From that moment I knew people had to hear it. Ashley singing TIGERTAILZ songs is like a jet engine running on Nitroglycerin!"

Added Edison: "I am SO excited to be joining the legends in TIGERTAILZ! A band that not only inspired so many but still put on a hell of a show!

"When I was with Jay singing 'Sick Sex', everything just felt right and fell into place perfectly!

"The guys have been so incredible to work with and I can't wait to get going on some exciting future projects together!"

To introduce Edison as the new singer of TIGERTAILZ, the band has released a new version of the "Bezerk" song "Sick Sex", reworked and accompanied by a powerful video depicting stereotyping of women and the dark world of S&M.

The new "Sick Sex" single is available digitally from all usual outlets.

TIGERTAILZ's new lineup has scheduled one live show for 2023 so far: Saturday, June 3 at the Underworld in London.

TIGERTAILZ in 2015 tapped its bassist, Rob Wylde, to sing for the group following the departure of Jules Millis. Wylde was previously the frontman in TEENAGE CASKET COMPANY and the U.K. POISON tribute act POIZON. This past May, TIGERTAILZ announced that Wylde was no longer a member of the band.

Millis left TIGERTAILZ in March 2015 "due to personal reasons." He joined the band in 2012 folllowing the acrimonious exit of TIGERTAILZ's longtime singer Kim Hooker.

TIGERTAILZ's was originally fronted by Steevi Jaimz, who left the group in 1988. Jaimz later attempted to register the TIGERTAILZ name as a trademark with the U.K. Patent Office and launch his own version of TIGERTAILZ with drummer Ace Finchum.

Pepper is the sole remaining member of TIGERTAILZ's classic lineup.

METALLICA performed its new single "Lux Æterna" live for the first time last night (Friday, December 16) at its "Helping Hands Concert & Auction", which took place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The third edition of the "Helping Hands Concert & Auction" opened with a special set from guest GRETA VAN FLEET followed by a unique set from METALLICA. Fan-filmed video of the "Lux Æterna" performance can be seen below.

Earlier this month, "Lux Æterna"landed at position No. 2 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. The band now boasts 25 top 10s on the tally, with its first, "Enter Sandman", arriving in 1991. "Lux Æterna" also entered Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs chart at No. 1 and at the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart at No. 2.

"Lux Æterna" is the first single from METALLICA's upcoming 12th studio album, "72 Seasons", which is due on April 14, 2023 via the band's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with METALLICA's James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track "72 Seasons" is METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct".

In a recently released behind-the-scenes look at the making of "72 Seasons", Hetfield stated about "Lux Æterna": "'Lux Æterna' is an upbeat, kind of fast and joyous song, I would say — really indicative of New Wave Of British [Heavy] Metal stuff, so kind of a harkening-back-to-'80s kind of riff. It's just fun and makes me move. It was fun making the video, fun recording a song that comes out really easy, that was a real easy song to write and to perform, like I said, very much like the early '80s for us."

As for the inspiration for the "72 Seasons" album title, Hetfield said: "'72 Seasons' came out of a book I was reading about childhood, basically, and sorting out childhood as an adult. And 72 seasons is basically the first 18 years of your life. How do you evolve and grow and mature and develop your own ideas and identity of self after those first 72 seasons? Some things are more difficult than others — you know, some things you can't unsee and they're with you for the rest of your life, and other things you're able to rewind the tape and make a new tape in your life. So that's the real interesting part for me, is how you're able to address those situations as an adult and mature."

He continued: "There's been a lot of darkness in my life and in our career and things that have happened with us, but always having a sense of hope, always having the light that is in that darkness… Without darkness, there is no light, and being able to focus a little more on the light in life instead of all of the… how it used to be and how horrible it is... There's a lot of good things going on in life — focusing on that instead, and it helps to balance out my life. And there's no one meaning to it — everyone has some sense of hope or light in their life, and, obviously, music is mine. And the song specifically talks about gathering of people at a concert and [being] able to see the joy and the life and the love that comes out of music and the family and the kinship in that, and just a sense of uplifting."

Late last month, METALLICA released the Tim Saccenti-directed music video for "Lux Æterna", along with details about the album's accompanying "M72" world tour featuring two-night stops in nearly two dozen cities. Presented worldwide by Liquid Death and Blackened American Whiskey (in North America only) and promoted by Live Nation, the 46-show trek will launch in Amsterdam on April 27 and will include shows all over Europe and North America through 2024. Each "No Repeat Weekend" on "M72" will feature two completely different setlists and support lineups. The "M72" tour will feature a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age. Opening acts for the tour include PANTERA, MAMMOTH WVH, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, ARCHITECTS, VOLBEAT and GRETA VAN FLEET.

In the six years since the arrival of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with "Master Of Puppets" after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".

Swedish hard rock outfit, Nestor, choose to reunite and reinvent the iconography of rock, and brought back its glory in 2021 with their debut album Kids In A Ghost Town. Originally formed more than three decades ago in 1989, the unbreakable bond of Nestor is back for good and is shining brighter than ever. As the year is coming to an end, Nestor wants to thank their fans for their incredible support throughout their journey. Gaining millions of streams on Spotify and hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube has made them the hottest newcomers of modern rock.


The band's heartwarming recap video, set to the lively and emotional tune of "These Days", pays tribute to their dedicated fans. The five-piece expresses their gratitude for the support they received from their fans during this year’s festival performances, as well as shows with rock legends KISS, Alice Cooper, and H.E.A.T. Their recap video captures these very precious moments with their fans at Nestor Fest 2022 and Sweden Rock Festival.


Nestor and singer Tobias state on their incredible journey: "How can we even try to summarize this last year? Amazing, fantastic or just a simple thank you? We agreed that words are not enough so we put this little gem together instead. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hope to see you on the flip side.”







Order Kids In A Ghost Town here.





Tracklisting:


"A FanfareFor The Reliable Rebel" (Intro)
"On The Run"
"Kids In A Ghost Town"
"Stone Cold Eyes"
"These Days"
"Tomorrow" feat. Samantha Fox
"Signed In Blood"
"Perfect 10 (Eyes Like Demi Moore)"
"I Wanna Dance With Somebody"
"A Losing Game"
"We Are Not OK"
"Firesign"
"1989"
"It Ain't Me" (edited)


"Signed In Blood” video:





Nestor is:


Jonny Wemmenstedt - guitar
Mattias Carlsson - drums
Tobias Gustavsson - vocals
Marcus Åblad - bass
Martin Frejinger - keyboards


(Photo - Henrik Mill)

Canadian hard rockers, Coney Hatch, have released their new single, "Devil's Deck" (Live). The track is available on streaming services here. Listen to the single below.





The new single will be featured on the new Coney Hatch live album, Postcard From Germany, expected at the beginning of 2023. Stay tuned for updates.







The El Mocambo in Toronto is undoubtedly one of the most instantly recognizable names when it comes to music venues. After all, such iconic artists as the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, The Cars, and Stevie Ray Vaughan have all performed at the legendary hall over the years (and also issued recordings from their performances there). And on Thursday, December 29, Coney Hatch will headline the venue - to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their gold-certified self-titled debut.


VIP tickets will include entry to the venue early to witness part of the soundcheck, plus a meet & greet with all four members and a photo with the band. The band will also autograph one item per person. Details TBA - limited to 50, so purchase quickly before they sell out. Tickets can be purchased here.





The El Mocambo performance will be a homecoming of sorts for the band (lead vocalist/guitarist Carl Dixon, guitarist Sean Kelly, bass player/vocalist Andy Curran, and drummer Dave Ketchum), as they previously played the venue in 1983, and hail from Toronto. To mark this special occasion, the band will be performing the debut album in its entirety that evening (a recording that spawned such hard rock gems as “Monkey Bars,” “Devil’s Deck,” and “Hey Operator”). This is Hatch's only Canadian show before they start a UK tour in January 2023 (opening a string of dates for Steve Harris’ British Lion). The show will also include additional songs from their extensive catalog.


"The El Mocambo is a venue that has been near and dear to our hearts,” says Curran. “All of the Coney’s loved performing there and we all saw so many amazing bands and artists perform there, as well. It’s so rich in history and the logical place for us to perform our debut record for the 40th anniversary for our hometown Toronto fans.”


Also, arriving soon from the Hatch will be a live album, Postcard From Germany. “We’re very excited and grateful that after all these years, we’re still getting along and releasing new songs. We’re a brotherhood and this new live record totally captures the spirit of Coney Hatch live. In your face double guitar attack! Also two spankin’ new songs to boot! That’s a pretty cool thing for our fans.”


But first, Toronto fans will get the unique opportunity to close 2022 by witnessing Coney Hatch perform a classic album…at a classic venue!


Tickets for the band's UK tour with British Lion are on sale now from britishlionuk.com).


“The history between Steve Harris and Coney Hatch dates back to 1983, and the Iron Maiden Piece Of Mind Tour, and we all got along famously,” recalls drummer Dave Ketchum. "We did some Canadian dates supporting British Lion back in 2018,” adds Curran. “And it was a giant rock n roll love in….so we’ve decided to extend that caravan, and we’re thrilled to join them again in the UK where we’ve only ever performed once.”


Fans can expect to hear such Coney Hatch classics as “Devil’s Deck,” “Monkey Bars,” and “Stand Up” on the upcoming tour with British Lion.





Tour dates:


January
6 - Queens Hall - Nuneaton, UK
7 - Leadmill - Sheffield, UK
8 - The Garage - Glasgow, UK
10 - Brickyard - Carlisle, UK
11 - Parish - Huddersfield, UK
13 - Sin City - Swansea, UK
14 - Chinnerys - Southend, UK
15 - Concorde 2 - Brighton, UK
17 - The Booking Hall - Dover, UK
18 - Islington Assembly Hall - London, UK
19 - Epic Studios - Norwich, UK

Dream Theater have checked in with the following update:


"A brand-new, unreleased addition to our Lost Not Forgotten Archives project, Live At Wacken (2015) sees us playing the world-famous German festival during the Summer European tour where we celebrated our 30th anniversary as a band. Includes material from throughout our career up until that point, including 'Burning My Soul', 'Panic Attack' and 'Bridges In The Sky'. Out now and available as Special Edition CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP+CD and as Digital Album."







Tracklist:


"Afterlife"
"Metropolis - Pt. 1"
"Burning My Soul"
"The Spirit Carries On"
"As I Am"
"Panic Attack"
"Constant MOtion"
"Bridges In The Sky"


Pick up Live At Wacken (2015) here.

Rock outfit REDLIGHT KING have shared a music video for their new single “Heavy Heart.” Watch it streaming below! Taken off their fourth album In Our Blood, due out on March 3, 2023 via AFM Records, “Heavy Heart” is a ballad depicting the somber aftermath of a relationship and finding the will to move forward. The song is now available to stream/download across all streaming platforms at this link: https://bfan.link/heavy-heart-3.

“This song is very personal to me,” shares REDLIGHT KING founder and frontman Kaz. “It reflects on a loving relationship that ended in heartbreak.  The person in my life wasn’t able to communicate their true feelings and I’m not sure I was in a place to receive the message. It feels lonely because it is. There’s pain in losing someone you love and no amount of intuition or clarity can make it better, but writing this song helped me find closure and say what I needed to say in their absence.” 

Discussing the “Heavy Heart” video, he says: “For me the video translates the solitude and cold nature of bearing a broken heart, and somehow in this sadness there is beauty. I feel the ability to love someone triumphs over losing them. The video was taken in and around Yosemite National Park, Northern California by Strati Hovartos.” 

In Our Blood sees REDLIGHT KING notch soaring new highs with a clutch of revved-up, guitar-powered bangers that bring forth challenging, complex themes with a defiant undercurrent of hope. The album was written and produced by KAZ at his home studio The Wheelhouse in Los Angeles with longtime collaborator and guitarist Julian Tomarin and drummer Randy Cooke. Its debut single and title track “In Our Blood” premiered on Loudwire who described it as “a song that truly speaks to the human spirit.”

REDLIGHT KING have developed a worldwide fanbase since their formation in 2009, performing over 1,000 shows with some of the biggest names in rock and being seen at festivals in North America, UK and Europe as well as late-night TV appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Stay tuned for additional dates to be announced for 2023.

Releasing on January 17th, 2023, NMB's Morsefest 2020: Lockdown is a 4 CD/ 2 Blu ray set featuring two full shows from the Morsefest 2020 event. Night 1 is the Cover To Cover show, where NMB feature tracks from a variety of artists and styles. Night 2 features the live debut of the Sola Gratia album, along with lots of other surprises.


Check out pro-shot video of "Seemingly Sincere" from Live At Morsefest 2020 below.







Pre-order Live At Morsefest 2020 at this location.


From Neal Morse:


“I’m delighted to announce a very special new release: Morsefest 2020: Lockdown on 4 CDs and 2 Blu-rays!


Morsefest 2020 was an event that I’m still amazed actually happened! For a time, the pandemic meant that having a Morsefest was going to be out of the question. However as restrictions started to ease, we began investigating whether we could run Morsefest as a live stream with perhaps a very small crowd. Slowly the pieces came together for two nights: an evening where we visited the very best songs from the Cover To Cover albums, followed by a night that focused on my new Sola Gratia album. With a small group of massively supportive fans and helpers gathered we made Morsefest history! People tuned in from all over the world and even had Zoom Morsefest parties!


At the time, we didn’t envisage ever commercially releasing this for many reasons. But after putting out MF19 and MF21 as 'self releases,' many, many fans (and also one drummer who shall remain nameless!) kept asking us to fill the gap in their Morsefest collection! After consulting with some fans, we all agreed – let’s do it! The audio was fully remixed and the video re-edited from the raw live streams and, I have to say, I think this is one of the very best Morsefest audio/video sets!  And as well as everything described above, we’ve included The Great Nothing live from Morsefest 2018 which many of you have asked us to release on Blu-Ray!"





Tracklist


Disc 1
"Where The Streets Have No Name"
"Hymn 43"
"Baker Street"
"Come Sail Away"
"Lido Shuffle"
"Maybe I’m Amazed"
"Live And Let Die"
"What Is Life"
"It Don’t Come Easy"
"Let Love Rule"


Disc 2
"Pleasant Valley Sunday"
"Rikki Don’t Lose That Number"
"Runnin’ Down A Dream"
"The Letter"
"Crazy Horses"
"I’m Free / Sparks"
"Feeling Stronger Every Day"
"25 Or 6 To 4"
"Starless"


Disc 3 - Thoughts Trilogy
"Thoughts"
"Thoughts Part II"
"Thoughts Part 5"



Disc 4 - Sola Gratia Live Debut
"Preface"
"Overture"
"In The Name Of The Lord"
"Ballvhoo (The Chosen Ones)"
"March Of The Pharisees"
"Building A Wall"
"Sola Intermezzo"
"Overflow"
"Warmer Than The Sunshine"
"Never Change"
"Seemingly Sincere"
"The Light On The Road To Damascus"
"The Glory Of The Lord"
"Now I Can See / The Great Commission"


Disc 5 - Blu-Ray
Morsefest 2020 Lockdown – Night # 1:
Cover To Cover
Special Feature
“The Great Nothing” – recorded live during Morsefest 2018


Disc 6 - Blu-Ray
Morsefest 2020 Lockdown – Night # 2:
“Thoughts” Trilogy
“Sola Scriptura” Medley
“Sola Gratia” Live Debut

Who Brought The Dog mastermind and The New Black guitarist Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz has checked in with the following update:


"Good news at the end of the year! We just signed with Bug Valley Records and the new album will hit the street in spring 2023. We also booked our first show with the new line up for March! Stay tuned for more news and dates.


In the meantime, we re-recordet a song from our last album called "Saviour To None" to introduce our new singer, Fludid (The New Black). Enjoy and see you next year!"




Pick up "Saviour To None" for free here.


Saviour To None by Who Brought The Dog


In 2018, The New Black guitarist Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz took a bold step out of his comfort zone by launching a solo project dubbed Who Brought The Dog. The second album, No World Order, featured 10 songs that follow a similar path to the debut and expand on the Who Brought The Dog sound. Lyrically based in the world of real people and real situations - and in the case of "Who Brought The Dog", a shameless tribute to the project - the songs are based on a solid rock foundation with Fabs building on it in unexpected directions. Combining jazz-oriented grooves with Bollywood soundbytes ("When The World Stops Turning"), an AOR big band vibe ("Saviour To None"), or dance club beats gone rock ("Dark Side Mary"), these are just a few examples of the "no fear" attitude that makes Who Brought The Dog stand out in a cluttered music scene.





Tracklist:


"Who Brought The Dog"
"Choking On Your Halo"
"Dark Side Mary"
"No World Order"
"Celebretard"
"The Music Man"
"Saviour To None"
"Your Careless Spark"
"In Case You Missed It"
"When The World Stops Turning"


"Who Brought The Dog"





"No World Order"

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST showed their support for the Argentine soccer team during their concert in the country earlier this week.

While JUDAS PRIEST was performing the song "Turbo Lover" at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires on Tuesday (December 13),a photo of Argentina captain Lionel Messi was displayed on the screen behind the band.

Earlier today (Sunday, December 18),after Argentina won its third World Cup on penalties against reigning men's champion France in one of the greatest finals in the tournament's history, PRIEST singer Rob Halford shared a photo of Tuesday's moment from the PRIEST concert, and he included the following message: "congratulations argentina and to all the teams who played their hearts out you did your best".

Argentina won its third World Cup after beating France 4-2 on penalties after the 35-year-old Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw.

"I wanted to close my career with this, it was the one that was missing so I can no longer ask for anything else," Messi, who has played 172 times for his country, said after the match, according to Reuters.

"I was able to get the Copa America and now the World Cup that I had fought so hard for. I've got it at the end of my career. But I love football and I want to continue living a few more games being world champion."

JUDAS PRIEST was recently presented with a special plaque commemorating an incredible 50 years in music and over 50 million album sales worldwide. The presentation was made on the eve of the band's induction in to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Los Angeles last month.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The JUDAS PRIEST members who got inducted include current members Rob Halford (vocals),Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members K.K. Downing (guitar),Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing and Faulkner for a three-song medley consisting of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

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British guitar sensation, Sophie Lloyd, recently released a single and video, "Do Or Die", featuring Nathan James. She has followed it up with a video lesson on how to play the solo for the song. Check it out below.





Shot in Birmingham Film Studios by Matt Daley of Clearway Media, the video for "Do Or Die" sees Sophie team up with Inglorious frontman Nathan James, and boasts a stunning performance from fire artist Lula.




“The response to ‘Do Or Die’ has been amazing, and I love seeing people react to the song” says Sophie on the reaction so far. “It's so cool seeing guitarists cover the solos and videos of people having it on in their cars and stuff. It's so awesome to see all the positive comments and it just makes me so much more excited to release the rest of the songs.”


On the video and working with Lula, Sophie says: “Working with Lula was amazing, she is such a talented performer, and takes her craft so seriously and is so dedicated. We've become such great friends and I'm so excited to see what she's doing next.”





“Do Or Die" feat. Nathan James sees the shred extraordinaire team up with the Inglorious frontman for a high octane, hard rocking collaboration, with music written by Sophie, vocals and lyrics by Nathan and a stunning production from famed studio wizard Romesh Dodangoda (BMTH, Nova Twins, BFMV, Motörhead), who will produce the debut album.


Entitled Imposter Syndrome, the full length album is expected next year on Sophie’s own Autumn Records, and will see her collaborating with some impressive names from the world of rock.


“I can finally say that I have new music coming!” says Sophie. “All my music before was instrumental, so this is a very special release for me as it includes vocals, and some of the people we’ve worked with are people I used to have as posters on my wall as a kid, so it feels very full circle. It's something that I have been working on before the first lockdown, and to be here talking about it feels amazing!”


“Do Or Die" is streaming now on all platforms. Watch the video below:





(Photo - Nathersonn)

Former Burning Witches vocalist Seraina Telli has released the new single "I'm Not Sorry" (Acoustic - Live From The Cave) along with an official video, found below. The electric version of the song is part of Seraina's debut solo album, Simple Talk, which was released this October via Metalville Records.





The former frontwoman of Burning Witches combines everything that the modern rock world urgently needs: great songwriting, vocal power, musical versatility, artistic depth, and a really strong attitude. Coupled with her authenticity, Seraina Telli is the ideal mixture of power woman and promising artist.




The charismatic Swiss singer leaves a lasting impression, visually and musically. Her music is as colorful and varied as her hair colors, one of her typical distinguishing features. The multi-talent is reluctant to be tied to one style, as her previous musical career shows. As the former frontwoman of the Swiss heavy metal band Burning Witches, she shook the stages of major rock festivals such as Bang your Head and Leyendas del Rock for four years.


Now the time is ripe for her solo project under her own name.


"I am what I am, and that's just right!" This message is very important to Seraina Telli. She wants to motivate other women in particular to believe in themselves, to be completely with themselves and, above all, to stay that way.


Colorful, loud, different, and above all, unique With a style of music that "straight in your face rock" couldn't describe better.





Tracklist:


"Modern Warrior"
"I’m Not Sorry"
"Take Care"
"I Dare To"
"Remedy"
"Soldier Of Fortune"
"G.E.B."
"Dreamer"
"Not One Of Your Kind"
"Fever"
"Remember You"
"Medusa"


"I Dare To"





"Modern Warrior"

Malice Divine is the solo project of one Ric Galvez, a Toronto-based musician who has been waiting for his opportunity to form a band to his liking and have full creative control. The result is Malice Divine, an undertaking that allows him to weave extreme black metal together with his interests such as the paranormal, spirituality, and psychology along with lived experiences. This accumulates in the second album Everlasting Ascendancy, which contains songs that have been written for a long time and only now see the light of day. One of these is the straightforward and energetic single “Silenced Judgment”, the shortest on the album was mostly written in 2014. 


Galvez explains further:


"Silenced Judgment is by far the oldest song on the album. I originally wrote it back in January 2014 for a band I had back then called Oneiromancy. That band split up a few months later, and the song was left unused up until 2021 when I started putting together the second Malice Divine album. It always struck me as a perfect song to open an album with and I am very happy to finally have it as an album opener. Lyrically the song is about proving the people who judged you wrong and putting them in their place. Everyone has been judged at some point in their life, so I am sure that this is a song that many people can relate to and can be inspired by.”




The forthcoming album is a dynamic experience while also being an overall more aggressive record than the first one, especially in the vocal delivery. There are still plenty of melody and classical guitar sections, which is a major part of Malice Divine’s sound. The solos on this album are even more virtuosic than before as well. Lyrically, the full-length explores themes such as the paranormal, revenge, determination, spirituality, and reclamation.


Everlasting Ascendancy will be released on January 27, 2023, and is recommended for fans of Dissection, Immortal, Skeletonwitch, and Watain. Pre-save the album here.





Tracklisting:


“Silenced Judgment”
“Apparitions Of Conquest”
“Usurping The Paragon”
“At One With Infinity”
“Parasitic Demons”
“Reclaimed Strength”
“Illusions Of Fragmentation”
“Everlasting Ascendancy”


“Silenced Judgment”:

Japan's G.I.S.M. return with the first ever authorized and licensed reissue of their cult sophomore album, Military Affairs Neurotic (M.A.N.) The album, another landmark release for the legendary band, sees the wild pairing of Randy Uchida's iconic guitar playing colliding with the inimitable vocals of G.I.S.M. mastermind Sakevi Yokoyama once again. This reissue features a remaster by Sakevi himself, and sees a first-time official pressing on CD and cassette.


Originally released in 1987, Military Affairs Neurotic (M.A.N.) (Reissue) is available for physical pre-order via Relapse.com. Listen to the Military Affairs Neurotic (M.A.N.) digital reissue on all streaming services here.


A successor to the band's legendary Detestation LP, M.A.N. harnesses G.I.S.M.'s frantic, aggressive take on hardcore punk, and churns out a Heavy Metal edge. Out of the gate, Uchida's guitar solos and soaring leads on the classic opener "Good As It Is" pave the way for what follows - M.A.N. is unmistakably metal, atmospheric, and uncompromising in its vision.




M.A.N. is simply incomparable. The album's production, visual presentation, and the songwriting encapsulates the sound of burning punk spirit and heavy metal grit, and cement G.I.S.M.'s legacy as one of the underground's most idiosyncratic, genre bending, and truly unique bands.





Tracklisting:


“Good As It Is”
“Frozen Dirt”
“Nations Prosperity”
“Anatomy Love Violence GISM”
“Meaning Corrupted 1 (Fatigue)”
“Military Affairs Neurotic”
“Meaning Corrupted 2 (Degeneration)”
“Meaning Corrupted 3 (Destruction)”


(Photo – Gin Satoh / Beast Arts International)

Sabaton have released the new video below, stating: "This is the story of Milunka Savić that inspired our song 'Lady Of The Dark'. Milunka Savić was a Serbian woman who took her brother’s place in the army. Partly disguised as a man, she would eventually be among the most decorated soldiers of WW1!"





In the spirit of Christmas, Sabaton are unveiling their brand new Christmas Truce Popup vinyl to ring in the festive season.




Now available for pre-order, this collectible popup vinyl pays tribute to the band’s track "Christmas Truce", from the album The War To End All Wars. The vinyl features three variations of the song, including the symphonic version, which is featured on The Symphony To End All Wars. It will be officially released on December 23.


Collectors are going to want to get their hands on this special release as the record itself features a camo pattern on Side A and a festive design with a very prominent Sabaton logo on Side B. But the real magic lies in the gatefold packaging. A unique display of a vibrant Christmas Tree surrounded by soldiers of opposing sides standing united pops up when opening the vinyl.


Bassist Pär Sundström commented: “We really hold our song 'Christmas Truce' close to our hearts as it’s a great story. We see arenas shine when we play it at our shows, and it really brings people together. This is a song about peace, and we felt that it needed a special design. We hope our fans enjoy it and that our song Christmas Truce becomes part of the Sabaton live set for a long time to come.”


Explaining the story behind the song, Sundström said: “During the first Christmas of the First World War, unofficial ceasefires were enforced across the Western Front that saw soldiers who should have been mortal enemies unite. The soldiers socialised, played games, sang Christmas carols in unison and even exchanged gifts like any normal group of people would – the only difference was that they were supposed to be fighting each other. It was a short but sweet respite from the horrors and stress that they endured daily on the battlefield. It ended abruptly but meant so much to these men.”


The perfect addition to any Sabaton fan’s collection, the "Christmas Truce" Popup Vinyl can be pre-ordered here.





Tracklisting:


Side A:
"Christmas Truce"
"Christmas Truce" (Radio Edit)


Side B:
"Christmas Truce" (Symphonic Version)

It’s been a big year for rock music’s most exciting debut of 2022, Classless Act, and the band has one final treat in store, today releasing the Welcome To The Acoustic Show EP alongside the full collection of in-studio music videos.


Featuring five tracks total, it gives listeners a different, unplugged take on the amped up, energetic anthems that make up the band’s acclaimed album, Welcome To The Show that was released June 24 via Better Noise Music and already racked up more than 2.8 million streams. 


Since October 21, Classless Act has released a new acoustic track every two weeks culminating in today’s final addition to the series, “Storm Before The Calm.”







Previous acoustic singles released included “Classless Act,” “This Is For You,” “Time To Bleed” and “All That We Are.” As of today, all five tracks are now collected in the Welcome To The Acoustic Show EP, available on all DSPs, alongside in-studio music videos available on YouTube. 


Recorded live at Sunset Sound, with no overdubs, the new takes hone in on the talent of frontman Derek Day and the musicianship of the talented-beyond-their-young-years ensemble that includes Dane Pieper (guitar), Griffin Tucker (guitar), Franco Gravante (bass), and Chuck McKissock (drums). Gravante personally mixed the acoustic tracks himself.





Classless Act is currently on the road for The Most Wonderful Tour of the Year with dates supporting Billboard chart toppers Giovannie & The Hired Guns as well as headlining concerts that will see the band wrapping up the year with two shows in their home state of California.  Classless Act’s New Year’s Eve show will mark their 100th concert this year since they hit the road with Dorothy on the “Gifts From the Holy Ghost tour back, on March 22.


December
16 - Syracuse, NY - Lost Horizon
17 - Harrisburg, PA - Stage On Herr
18 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry
21 - Kansas City, MO - Lucia*
22 - Colorado Springs, CO - The Black Sheep*
30 - North Hollywood, CA - Knitting Factory*
31 - San Diego, CA - Beaumont’s*


* Headline Shows


(Photo - Travis Shinn)

"Invincible" is the second single from cinematic metal icons Dark Sarah's upcoming fifth studio album, Attack Of Orym. A lyric video for the song, which features Kasperi Heikkinen (Beast In Black) on guitar, can be viewed below.


"Invincible" is a very energetic and powerful song, and a total spirit lifter! In the album storyline Malevolent, the evil magic orb, tries to convince the protagonist Luna to stay on the dark path.







Attack Of Orym will be released on January 27. Signed CDs are available to pre-order now at this location. Digital versions can be pre-saved here.





Tracklisting:


"Intro - Choose Your Weapons"
"Attack Of Orym" (Feat. Mark Jansen)
"Invincible" (Feat. Kasperi Heikkinen)
"B.U.R.N."
"Warning Sign"
"Goth Disco"
"Delirium" (Feat. Kasperi Heikkinen)
"Piece Of My Heart" (Feat. JP Leppäluoto)
"Breaking Free"
"Hero And A Villain"


"Warning Sign'' video:





The beguiling new dimension, coalescing between crystal-clear vocals and propulsive hardness, draws you into the tempestuous maelstrom of their horror fantasy theme. Introducing the new villain Orym, the band invites you to choose your weapons and to join their epic battle against the dark forces!


Mark Jansen of Epica will sing the title role of Orym, the king of the forest folk. We´ll also hear a long time Dark Sarah guest, JP Leppäluoto returning in the role of Dragon. Kasperi Heikkinen (Beast In Black)  will provide his talent on lead guitar.





Dark Sarah vocalist Heidi Parviainen on Attack Of Orym: “Our upcoming new album called Attack Of Orym is a concept album like its predecessors, and a continuation for the Grim -album which started a new story line with a modern horror fantasy theme. Musically, Attack Of Orym introduces yet again a more modern sound and a taste of what's to come in the future - with a 'Dark Sarah twist,' of course. We're very happy about this album and it has been really fun to make. Also creating the new visual brand and the Grim world has been an adventure already!”


(Photo - Marko Simonen)

Craft Recordings has partnered with Seether to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their Gold-selling debut, Disclaimer, with an expanded reissue on vinyl, CD, and digital formats.


As a holiday surprise for fans, the expanded digital edition is available to stream/download in its entirety beginning today (December 16), ahead of the physical formats which are set to release January 20 (available to pre-order now).







Alongside brand new cover art, all configurations of this deluxe reissue feature the hits "Gasoline," "Fine Again" and "Driven Under," plus a previously unreleased live show, captured in its entirety at New Hampshire's Hampton Beach Casino in 2003. Rounding out the bonus content is a rare 2002 live acoustic cover of Nirvana's "Something In The Way," which was first issued as a B-side. Watch the animated video below.





"It's difficult to believe that 20 years have passed by in what feels like the blink of an eye," the band exclaims. "This album was our first U.S. release under the band name 'Seether' and it holds a very special place in our hearts. This is where our career really began and it's a great pleasure to present this updated version of Disclaimer that we hope fans, both seasoned and new, will love as much as we have enjoyed this incredible journey over the past two decades. As always - play it loud!"


The 3-LP edition is housed in a deluxe triple gatefold jacket, while both physical formats also include new liner notes from Katherine Turman, an acclaimed music journalist, producer, and co-author of Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal (HarperCollins).


Formed in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1999, Seether (originally named "Saron Gas") instantly hooked fans at home with their blend of alt-metal, grunge, and heart-on-sleeve lyricism. At the turn of the millennium, not long after releasing the South Africa-only Fragile, the band (originally consisting of vocalist and guitarist Shaun Morgan, bassist Dale Stewart, and drummer Dave Cohoe) caught the ears of Wind-up Records, who brought the trio to the U.S. to record their international debut. In the whirlwind weeks between pre-production in New York City and recording in Los Angeles, the band gained a new name (borrowing their permanent moniker from Veruca Salt's 1994 alt-rock hit) and lost a drummer, when Cohoe chose to return home. As the band auditioned new drummers, veteran musician Josh Freese (The Vandals, A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails) stepped in to lend his talents in the studio.


Over the next four months, Seether recorded new material, plus seven selects from Fragile, with producer Jay Baumgardner (Bush, Shinedown, Papa Roach). Several songs dated back to Morgan's teenage years, including the brooding "Fine Again," written after his parents' divorce. "69 Tea," meanwhile, was one of Morgan's earliest compositions as well as the band's first single in South Africa. Other songs found Morgan and Stewart reflecting on more recent experiences, including the deeply personal acoustic ballad "Broken," written by Morgan about the breakup of his marriage and family after his wife chose to remain in South Africa with their daughter.


Disclaimer was released in August 2002, amid a busy schedule of shows (including a coveted spot on the Ozzfest tour). The album, which was eventually certified Gold by the RIAA peaked in the Billboard 200's Top 100 and spawned three of the band's most enduring hits, including "Driven Under" and "Fine Again," the latter of which topped Billboard's Active Rock chart, peaked at No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the Top Ten of both the Hot Modern Rock Tracks and Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. The song was also featured in the video games Madden 2003 and 1080° Avalanche and later appeared in the 2018 film Boy Erased. The third single, "Gasoline," peaked at No.8 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and remains one of Seether's biggest hits, while videos for all three songs saw regular airplay on MTV2. The critics also took notice of the young band. Comparing Seether with such grunge heroes as Pearl Jam and Nirvana, Rolling Stone praised the group's "toe-tapping catharsis."


That catharsis could certainly sum up the band's first year in America. But, while that transitional era wasn't easy, it set Seether on a prolific — and highly successful — course. In her liner notes, Turman writes, "Out of strife, both in the members' personal lives and in navigating the new-to-them music business, arose indelible songs and a sound that would create a career. Plus, the pride of a nation; when Seether returned to play South Africa post-Disclaimer, people were grateful to them as essentially the first South African rock band to succeed outside its borders."


Speaking to Turman, Morgan recalls, "If there was ever a little engine that could, against all odds, with every possible obstacle thrown at us, this is the record…. We managed to somehow surmount everything."


Stewart adds that the band remains "very proud of Disclaimer. The record put us on the map in a lot of ways, and it had a lot of songs we'd written when we were really young…. There's a lot of pride attached to that album."


Two years after its release, the band revisited the songs on Disclaimer with 2004's Disclaimer II. Among other reworkings, Morgan reimagined "Broken" as a duet with Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee. Released as a single, the song became a Top 20 hit in the US and a Top 5 hit in Australia, New Zealand and Belgium, while Disclaimer II became the band's first Platinum-certified album in America.


In the ensuing years, Seether has amassed a global audience and released a total of eight best-selling studio albums, including the Platinum-certified Karma and Effect (2005) and Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (2007). Ranked at No.7 on Billboard's All-Time Mainstream Rock Artist roundup (a list that spans the chart's 40-year history and finds Seether tied with Aerosmith), the band has scored four Top Ten albums on the Billboard 200 and 17 chart-topping singles, including 2017's "Let You Down," 2014's "Words as Weapons," and 2011's "Tonight." Along the way, the quartet (now comprised of Morgan, Stewart, drummer John Humphrey, and guitarist Corey Lowery) has never waned in their sense of purpose, their dedication to their craft and their commitment to fans. That sentiment also extends to the band’s annual Rise Above Fest, which they founded in 2012 to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental illness.


In 2020, Seether released their acclaimed eighth studio album, Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum (If You Want Peace, Prepare for War), via Fantasy Records, while last year, the band celebrated their 20th anniversary with the compilation Vicennial – 2 Decades of Seether (Craft Recordings). Also in 2021, Seether was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's popular "Right Here Right Now" exhibit, which focuses on the evolution of rock and its impact on the current generation of artists. "Right Here Right Now" helps fans discover how bands like Seether, plus artists like Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, have influenced the new millennium.