W.A.S.P. kicked off their 40 Years Live World Tour on October 28, at House Of Blues in Las Vegas, NV. The band have shared video for the opening medley, "On Your Knees / The Flame / The Torture Never Stops / Inside The Electric Circus". Watch below.


The setlist was as follows:


"On Your Knees / The Flame / The Torture Never Stops / Inside The Electric Circus"
"Crazy"
"L.O.V.E. Machine"
"Wild Child"
"Heaven's Hung in Black"
"Arena of Pleasure"
"The Idol"
"The Great Misconceptions of Me"




Encore:
"Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)
"Blind in Texas


Encore 2:
"Animal (Fuck Like a Beast) / The Real Me"
"I Wanna Be Somebody"





Watch fan-filmed video from the show below:








W.A.S.P. have announced they are offering their first ever VIP meet and greet packages on the US leg of the 40 Years Live World Tour. VIP meet and greet packages are available for all dates on the US tour, including shows that are already sold out for show tickets.


In addition to meeting Blackie Lawless and getting a personal photo with him, fans will also be able get a photo holding Blackie's original B.C. Rich Widow bass guitar and get a photo standing next to "Elvis\rdblquote  - Blackie's incredibly unique and one of a kind microphone stand.


To purchase your VIP ticket to meet Blackie Lawless visit WASPnation.com/tour and click the ticket link for your desired show. You will purchase the VIP ticket directly from the venue.


Blackie Lawless commented on offering VIP tickets, "For the 40th Anniversary Tour, and for our first time ever, we are offering VIP Meet and Greet tickets for all of you who\rquote ve wanted to have a genuine VIP Experience. I\rquote ll be doing a photo with everyone who participates as well as several other special offerings that will make this a pretty interesting package. But the one thing that will separate our VIP Experience from all others, and honestly the thing I\rquote m looking most forward to is, at the end of the photo and the autograph sessions I want to do a sit down Question and Answer session with all of you there . The only way I've ever wanted to do a VIP Experience is to have real time with all of you, not only to answer whatever questions you\rquote ve been wanting to ask me for however long, but it also gives me the chance to get to know you. Honestly, this was the only way I would agree to do this because I genuinely wanna hear what you have to say. So get ready and get your questions ready, but, be prepared, it\rquote s gonna work both ways, because if you think you wanna get inside my head\'85. then I\rquote m gonna get inside of yours."





The VIP Experience includes:


• Exclusive VIP Experience Meet and Greet with Blackie Lawless
• Personal Photo with Blackie
• Two Personal Items Signed by Blackie - No Guitars, Pick Guards or Instruments
• Signed VIP Tour Laminate
• $50 Credit at Merchandise Stand
• Set of 3 Blackie Lawless 40th Anniversary Guitar Picks
• Q&A with Blackie with all VIP's after all Photos and Autographs
• Take Photo Holding Blackie's original B.C. Rich Widow Bass Guitar
• Stand for photo next to "Elvis” - Blackie's Incredibly Unique and One of a Kind Microphone Stand
• Automatically Entered to Win a Signed Guitar at the End of the U.S. Tour


Find the complete tour itinerary here.

Below you can watch previously unreleased drum-cam footage of late Megadeth drummer, Nick Menza, playing his own, stripped-down version of the Megadeth classic, "Reckoning Day".


The HD video, shot in a two-camera-angle mix, was filmed in March 2014 at Uberbeatz Studios in Seattle, Washington. The enhanced audio was mixed by Richard Easterling / KRM Studios and is believed to be some of the final studio drum recordings of Menza before he passed away more than two years later.







The footage was supposed to be used for the late drummer's first-ever instructional DVD, Intense Mega Drumming, that was to feature 10 re-recorded classic Megadeth drum tracks with tons of tips and tricks from Menza's arsenal to help teach anybody out there become a better player. The DVD, which was produced and directed by Kari Pearson and Menza's manager, Robert Bolger, has since been shelved.


The unreleased video footage from the session will be a featured highlight in the upcoming official Nick Menza documentary film, This Was My Life - The Story Of Nick Menza. The film is currently in the post-production phase.


Executive producer, director and editor Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment is deep into editing all the awesome interviews she captured, putting all the topics together.


The Menza family says: "We are excited for the fans to see the life Nick lived before, during and after Megadeth. It was quite the journey. Stay tuned for an epic documentary. As Nick would say, 'It's gonna be RAD!'"


This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza will arrive In 2023.

While promoting his long-awaited memoir "The Lives Of Brian", AC/DC singer Brian Johnson touched upon his love of cars, telling The Telegraph that he owns everything from a Ford GT40 to a 1954 MG TF. Asked if he has "anything electric", Brian replied: "Steady, son. You go too far, I sink, monsieur!"

When the interviewer tried to tell Brian that "electric vehicles are "the future," Johnson shot back: "It's not the future. They're dirty. They're going to be dirty to get rid of, too. Electric's where it is because politicians want to look green in front of people. It's all nonsense. Fuck 'em."

Johnson, who turned 75 on October 5, went on to say that he isn't fan of politicians on either side of the Atlantic, and revealed that he hasn't actually voted in his life. "People go, 'Oh, well. It's your fault then.' I go, 'No, no. It's your fucking fault for voting these cretins in,'" he said. "What would happen if both the candidates got zero votes? Revolution, that's what would fucking happen. And we'd get the right people in."

Johnson previously expressed his distaste for politics in a 2020 interview with The Independent, conducted just days before that year's U.S. presidential election. Brian, who has lived in Sarasota, Florida since 1995, explained why AC/DC has never aligned itself with a political cause. "Bollocks to politicians," he said. "Fuck them, I want nothing to do with them."

The title track of AC/DC's 1990 album "The Razors Edge" is thought to be the only song by the legendary band which is a rumination on global politics ("There's fighting on the left and marching on the right…'),as founding guitarist Angus Young explained to Canadian TV channel Much Music's news program "FAX". "The world was at peace again and everyone thought, 'Ah, the Berlin Wall's come down and it's gonna be a party every night,'" he said. "And you can see now that it's not that way. It's our way of saying the world's not perfect and never will be."

"The Lives Of Brian" was published in the U.K. by Penguin Michael Joseph, a division of Penguin Random House, by publishing director Rowland White. It was published simultaneously in the U.S. by Dey Street Books, an imprint of the William Morrow Group at HarperCollins.

Johnson joined AC/DC in 1980 after the death of previous lead singer Bon Scott.

His first album with the band, "Back In Black", went on to become the biggest-selling rock album of all time.

After more than three decades of platinum albums and record-breaking tours, he was forced to quit the band in 2016 after being diagnosed with hearing loss, but made a triumphant return in 2020 with the release of "Power Up", which went to No.1 in 21 countries. A successful competitive vintage racing car driver, Johnson has more recently enjoyed acclaim as the charismatic presenter of television shows "Cars That Rock With Brian Johnson" and "Brian Johnson: A Life Of The Road".

During a question-and-answer session aboard this year's "Kiss Kruise", KISS frontman Paul Stanley was asked by L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns to name his musical role model. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The guy who I respect the most and had the most impact on me is Jimmy Page… Jimmy's Beethoven. Jimmy is so far beyond… When people say, 'Oh, all respect to a lot of other hotshot guitar players,' they're guitar players. Jimmy Page is a brilliant cinematographer; he's a brilliant arranger. He paints with sound.

"There's lots of guys… They say, 'Well, who's better: [Eric] Clapton or…?' Jimmy Page is in a class totally by himself," Paul continued. "And there's loads of great guitar players, but he's so far beyond that. Plus, it's amazing, 'cause I was a 17-year-old kid seeing them in 1969 and it was life-changing — it changed my life. I couldn't believe how great they were; I couldn't believe that the bar could be that high. And to be at this point in my life where I go out to dinner with Jimmy, or Jimmy sends me texts, or says to me, about KISS he goes, 'You guys are a serious, kick-ass rock and roll band.' Well, it doesn't get better than that."

Stanley went on to say that Page is a prime example of how you don't need to be the most incredible technical guitarist to be able to move people with your playing.

"It's not always the obvious thing that makes a song, and it's not always the obvious thing that makes anything great, whether it's a painting or a song," he said. "When people say, 'Oh, ZEPPELIN, that's, like, heavy metal or something,' give me break. Those songs are paintings. You think you're hearing one big guitar. You're not. You're hearing a little guitar with another guitar behind it, and it's all layered. And that's the brilliance. And I think that too often in all kinds of things that we do in life, we think it's what we see, and it's very often what's behind what we see, and it's very often what's behind what we hear. It's not what we think it is. That's where I think a lot of people fail."

Paul added: "[Jimmy is] brilliant. What he's done is just crazy."

In a 2019 interview with Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, Stanley recalled the first time he witnessed a LED ZEPPELIN concert when he was just 17 years old and living in New York.

"I saw ZEPPELIN in, I think it was August of '69 — between the first and second [records]," Stanley said. "And they were actually playing 'What Is And What Should Never Be', a couple of those tracks, and Jimmy had his bow and they were panning his guitar left and right so he could point it.

"I was just absolutely blown away," he continued. "To this day, I've never seen anything that was that perfect. Not just in terms of the synchronicity and the fact that everybody was so much on the same playing field — it was the sexual energy that was coming off the stage, the flamboyance, the cocksure attitude. They backed it up. I think they knew how great they were. And I was just…

"First of all, the band was spectacular and played — I won't use any profanity — but they played tighter than a something… So, they were amazing. And Robert Plant was singing like something from another planet. He was hitting notes effortlessly, and there was such bravado in everything they were doing, it just blew me away."

Stanley also talked about his friendship with the LED ZEPPELIN guitarist and what it has meant to him to connect with his idol on a personal level.

"It's amazing to have been a young kid seeing ZEPPELIN and then play London and have Jimmy watching us… Jimmy saw [KISS], I think it was the tour before last," he said. "And subsequent to that, we've had dinner and gone out for tea and lunch.

"There's an old adage that you should be weary of meeting your heroes and the people you look up to, because, quite frankly, a lot of them are assholes," Stanley added. "Jimmy is the complete opposite. He lives and breathes music, and he's a terrific, terrific guy, and I would argue the most important and influential guitar player, not only in terms of playing, but in terms of vision. What he created was symphonic. It's not as simple as a guitar, bass and drums and a singer. What he did on those records was multilayered and a tapestry of sorts. He's painted with an amazing brush and amazing palette of colors. So he's right up there at the top for me."

More than a decade ago, Stanley told the Las Vegas Sun that he first met Page back in 1976 while KISS was recording its "Destroyer" album and LED ZEPPELIN was putting together the "The Song Remains The Same" soundtrack, and the two happened to be across each other in the lobby of the recording studio.

"We were in the lobby, and Jimmy came up and he knew who I was, and who the band was," Stanley remembered. "It was stunning. Not five years earlier, I was in the audience, watching LED ZEPPELIN with my mouth open, just not believing it."
Hours of great talk, laughs and dinner with my friend Jimmy in London today. I love the times we spend together. He was blown away by photos of our full stage and thrilled for Download. I had to say “Jimmy, you’re at the foundation of everything we do.” @JimmyPage@DownloadFestpic.twitter.com/7WHpjuKrAf

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) June 8, 2022


Happy Birthday Jimmy Page! You have changed music forever and opened the eyes and ears of so many. Your music will live on bringing awe and joy to millions. Spending time with you is always a joy and an inspiration for me. @JimmyPage@ledzeppelinpic.twitter.com/tNcAuW3r5f

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) January 9, 2021

In a new interview with A&P-Reacts, bassist/vocalist Thomas "Angelripper" Such of German thrash metal veterans SODOM spoke about the long-talked-about possibility of a "German Big Four" tour — featuring KREATOR, DESTRUCTION, SODOM and TANKARD — finally becoming a reality. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think if you talk about 'Big Four' [of German thrash metal], SODOM is always number two in this ranking [or] whatever. I think KREATOR, it's completely different; KREATOR is on a different planet. We talk to Mille [Petrozza, KREATOR frontman] sometimes; I talk to Schmier from DESTRUCTION all the time; we're talking about touring or making a couple of shows. I think KREATOR, DESTRUCTION and TANKARD, they've gone [their] own way. And it would be really complicated to book shows or touring with this 'Big Four', because of different record companies, different publishers, booking agencies, whatever. I don't think so.

"Yeah, I think KREATOR [has been] getting more commercial in the last years," Thomas continued. "They're getting bigger live shows. That's what we don't want. We just wanna keep the band on the floor, on the ground. I think the band is important and not the screens that you have on stage or pyrotechnics, whatever. We also play in smaller clubs. I like playing in smaller clubs. I like to be closer to the fans, get more contact to the fans. But we played in Mexico two weeks ago; it was the 'Big Four' [of German thrash metal] — the Mexico Metal Fest. If there is a promoter that wants all the four bands, we go; that is not a problem. But touring, it seems to be getting really hard, to plan this."

Pressed about whether he is still holding out hope that a "German Big Four" tour could happen one day, even if it's just for a limited number of shows, Angelripper said: "[Maybe] a couple of shows around the world. KREATOR is touring, we are touring, DESTRUCTION is touring. Maybe we find a weekend, we can do a bigger show in Germany or America, whatever. I think this package will be good for four or five thousand people, I think… Maybe more. Maybe if you go to America, especially where people are waiting for SODOM all the time, we will sell it out, definitely. And if there's a promoter that wants to book all the four bands, we go. But we also talked to Mille, and I think Mille, he's not really interested — in my opinion — to do this. Schmier is a very good friend of mine, and also Gerre [Andreas Geremia] from TANKARD. We're always talking about this. Somebody has to take it in the hand; somebody has to try to arrange something. And then we go… A promoter [has to say], 'I wanna have the 'Big Four' bands. I wanna have KREATOR, DESTRUCTION, SODOM and TANKARD,' whatever. And we go."

SODOM's 40th-anniversary album, "40 Years At War - The Greatest Hell Of Sodom", arrived on October 28 through Steamhammer/SPV. The LP includes one song from each of the previous studio albums receiving a re-recorded treatment from SODOM's current lineup. The CD and vinyl double LP with their martial cover artwork penned by Eliran Kantor (KREATOR, TESTAMENT, GWAR, among others) contain 17 tracks, all newly recorded by Such, Frank Blackfire (guitar),Yorck Segatz (guitar) and Toni Merkel (drums).

Earlier this month, KREATOR kicked off a short North American tour as the support act for MERCYFUL FATE.

KREATOR's fifteenth studio album, "Hate Über Alles", was released in June. The follow-up to 2017's "Gods Of Violence" was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.

"Hate Über Alles" marked KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.

DESTRUCTION's latest studio album, "Diabolical", was released in April via Napalm Records. It is the band's first album without founding member/guitarist Michael "Mike" Sifringer, who was replaced by Martin Furia in August 2021.

TANKARD's eighteenth studio album, "Pavlov's Dawgs", was released late last month on Reaper Entertainment. The effort, which was recorded and produced at Gernhard Studio Troisdorf together with producer Martin Buchwalter, is available on CD, vinyl in various color variants, limited earbook with previously unreleased pictures from the last forty years of TANKARD, and as a limited box set which includes two demos on cassette.

Image courtesy of Moshpit Passion

Este 23 de Septiembre en Monterrey haremos historia Sobrinos, por primera vez se presentarán las cuatro grandes del...

Posted by México Metal Fest on Saturday, April 16, 2022

ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti has shared the reason his band has yet to undergo a lineup change now 18 years into its existence.

In a recent interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Tremonti was asked to explain the dynamics of ALTER BRIDGE, which, since its 2004 inception, includes Tremonti, vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. "We never argue," he said. "It's a very democratic band. Everyone respects and gets along with one another. Everyone knows what everybody likes and dislikes. We get along great. I'd much rather have a musician that was a six out of ten but a ten out of ten as a person than the opposite. That being said, I'm lucky. All the guys in ALTER BRIDGE are a ten out of ten."

Tremonti also weighed in on how he handles the rejection of his songs for ALTER BRIDGE and how the band works to find common ground. "A healthy thing for this band is side projects," he said. "If I bring in something I love to the band and get a lukewarm reaction, it's, like, 'Oh well. I'll use it for my solo band.' As a songwriter, you have to have thick skin. You spend a lot of time putting these songs together and they mean a lot to you, or you wouldn't present them. Anytime you get a cold reaction, it's hurtful. You build that thick skin. You have to realize when you put a song together and somebody doesn't like a part of it, maybe you need to re-work that part and get another opinion."

The guitarist then talked about the songwriting approach behind ALTER BRIDGE's new "Pawns & Kings" studio album, which is a more guitar-driven effort than its "Walk The Sky" predecessor. "The only goal we had was to take the production and make it sound like a straightforward rock band," Mark said. "A lot of the times, you won't hear under a lot of records the synths and strings to boost the songs to make it more lush and atmospheric. We cut all that out and made it guitars panned and left and right, drums and bass. The only things you wouldn't get live are some of the layered vocals. When Myles harmonizes with himself super-high, I can't hit those notes. I can only harmonize the notes I can hit."

"Pawns & Kings" was released on October 14 via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2019's "Walk The Sky" was once again recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with SEVENDUST, MAMMOTH WVH and Slash, among others.

In August, ALTER BRIDGE announced the North American leg of its 2023 "Pawns & Kings" tour. The 30-city trek — split into two legs — will kick off on January 25 in Tampa, Florida and wrap on April 1 in Highland, California. MAMMOTH WVH — the band fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen — will be direct support on the entire tour. Rockers RED will also play on the first leg of the tour and newcomers PISTOLS AT DAWN will appear on the second leg.

THE CULT's guitarist Billy Duffy spoke to The Big Takeover about splitting time between his native United Kingdom and California, where he first moved in 1988. He said: "Well, I'm actually in Spain at the moment on vacation, but I live between the U.K. and Los Angeles. I'm doing that kind of transatlantic Brit rock-star thing. I looked to my elders and betters and thought, 'How do they navigate it?'

"You know, I love Los Angeles. I'm not crazy on the politics in California right now. I used to love the freedoms. I left England to escape all that. How shall I put this? I'm not a political person, really, but you just should be allowed to live your life in a free way, make your own decisions and be responsible for yourself.

"I found that there was a lot of interference in the U.K. and I went to California and everything was very free and open and groovy and, like, 'Do your California thing, man,'" he continued. "It was all great and then, as time passed, I've gotten older and it doesn't seem to be so free and easy anymore in California. There seems to be a lot of rules put in for your own betterment by people who are telling you how to live and that's not what I'm about. I go there, I enjoy it, I have friends there but I would hasten to sort of say I don't really live there anymore. I go there to work.

"That's my take on L.A. What's great in the '80s and '90s maybe, it's got less great as time has passed."

Two and a half years ago, Duffy got engaged to his girlfriend of several years, Leilani Dowding. An English former Page 3 girl, glamor model, television celebrity, and the U.K. representative at Miss Universe 1998, Dowding has drawn criticism for her scathing opinions regarding the U.K. government's coronavirus lockdowns and vaccination scheme.

In 2019, Leilani revealed Billy's prostate cancer battle on "The Real Housewives Of Cheshire" after getting his permission to talk about it so they can raise awareness of the disease and encourage viewers to get checked.

"I said 'let them do that,'" Billy told Manchester Evening News three years ago. "I wanted them to have something and I was more than comfortable with her talking about it. I wanted to start a conversation. Mine was discovered in the very early stage so it's important to get that blood test done and to take notice of that blood test."

THE CULT's latest album, "Under The Midnight Sun", arrived on October 7 via Black Hill Records. The LP was produced by Tom Dalgety (PIXIES, GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD). Dalgety is the first British producer THE CULT has worked with since its second album, "Love" (1985).

Astbury and Duffy are the core of THE CULT, which also includes former WHITE ZOMBIE, EXODUS and TESTAMENT drummer John Tempesta.

Image courtesy of Gibson TV

In a brand new interview with The Metal Voice, former ANTHRAX and current ARMORED SAINT frontman John Bush was once again asked whether he is still open to the idea of embarking on a special tour during which he would perform material from his time as the singer of ANTHRAX. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's never gotten to the point where actually it's been made to happen yet. But I'm offered the idea. I think it would be great. I don't really wanna go out and do like a 30-date tour with it, but it would be cool to do a handful of shows in some key markets. We can certainly play those songs for a support slot or even a headlining slot, let's face it. I think there's enough songs of the four records [I recorded with ANTHRAX] that would make for a great show. Who [would be] in the band, I'm not exactly sure. I talked to [former ANTHRAX guitarist] Paul Crook about it, 'cause I love Paul; he's a great guy. He was actually there when I made a couple of those records, as far as engineered and played guitar on it. And I have done some stuff with the METAL ALLEGIANCE guys; we've done 'Only' and 'Room For One More' at various shows. Rock In Rio would be one, [which] we just played… I'm open to it. It's just a matter of… the timing, I think. Really, that's what it comes down to."

Regarding the fact that ANTHRAX played "Only" live on its recent U.S. tour, with Joey Belladonna on vocals, Bush said: "I always support Joey singing those songs. I wish they would do more, to be honest… I have no qualms with that. I support that. And Joey, we're not the best of friends, because we just aren't. It's funny, 'cause my wife and his wife have become pretty good text friends, so they're closer than him and I. But I always endorse it and tell him he did a great job and support whatever he does. He has his own backlog of stuff, and he also has the new songs and the new records that he's done. So I understand, and I'm not offended by it. But if they wanna play some songs from the John Bush-era albums, I'm great with that as well."

ANTHRAX has had a number of vocalists — including Bush, Belladonna, Neil Turbin and Dan Nelson — over the last 41 years, with Ian and drummer Charlie Benante remaining the sole bandmembers who have appeared on every one of the group's studio albums.

Turbin sang on ANTHRAX's debut LP, 1984's "Fistful Of Metal", before getting booted and being replaced by Belladonna. Belladonna performed on four ANTHRAX albums, including the fan favorite "Among The Living" (1987) before he himself was fired over creative and stylistic differences. Bush fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the band reunited with Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

Bush previously talked about a hypothetical tour during which he would perform ANTHRAX material in a July 2021 interview with Pierre Gutierrez. At the time, he said: "Some ideas are being explored right now regarding doing it in some capacity. So we're just trying to figure out the right scenario to make it happen. But it's becoming a very good possibility."

John continued: "For me, it would be a little bit [difficult to put together], only because I'm just really lazy. All I wanna do is kind of do the singing, and I don't wanna do all the nuts-and-bolts things about putting the band together and getting rehearsals and doing some of the business. That's the daunting part. If I could just go on stage and, like, 'Okay.' I have to learn those songs again too, if I do it. But there's all that stuff that is just a little bit different than just going out and singing. So, we'll see."

In September 2020, Bush told Canada's The Metal Voice that he first talked to his booking agent about the ANTHRAX tour idea "several years ago." He said: "We talked about it, and I think he sniffed around for some feelers to see what people would think. And I don't think we got the response that we really wanted to. It wasn't like we were looking for millions of dollars or anything, but we wanted to make it worthwhile to do it, and do the proper shows. It's not like something I wanna go out and do six months of touring with. It'd be fun to do some sporadic shows. I'd have to put a band together to do it. I'm probably a little lazy about that, quite honestly. But that's what would be involved in doing it. And I don't think we were pleased enough with the response that we tried to push it ahead and make it happen."

Bush went on to say that he was "caught by surprise" by ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian's comment that was not opposed to taking part in a special concert featuring most of the singers that have fronted the band over the course of its nearly four-decade existence. "I was, like, 'Wow. Okay.' And I thought that's a great idea. That would be really cool," Bush said. "I think that would be an amazing thing for the fanbase. But what I keep saying is that Joey Belladonna is the singer of ANTHRAX, and Joey should be the singer of ANTHRAX, as far as I'm concerned. And if this happens, it needs to have his approval, really, quite honestly. Because I wouldn't want him to feel like, 'Well, this is not my idea, and I don't wanna do this,' because he is the singer who'd be sharing the stage [with the rest of us], quite honestly. So I think it would be something that Joey would have to give endorsement to, for that to happen, if that's an idea. And again, I think it would be a fun thing to do a couple of handful of shows, sporadic stuff."

Guitarist Tommy Veterrli (a.k.a. Tommy T. Baron) of Swiss technical thrash masters CORONER says the band will hit the studio in February to record the long-awaited follow-up to 1993's "Grin". The album will be released sometime in 2023 via Century Media Records.

In a recent interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Veterrli shared CORONER's songwriting progress on their sixth studio album. "We're working really hard on it at the moment," he said. "All the songs have to be finished by mid-December. There's one song missing. Pre-production needs to be finished by the end of the year. Then, I have recordings for the upcoming ELUVEITIE album. Ron [Broder, a.k.a. Ron Royce, bass] and I are meeting today to make a plan. We will start recording in the second half of February."

Veterrli was then asked about the direction of the new music and whether it will follow in the path of "Grin", a noticeably less thrash-oriented album than its predecessors. "It's hard to say," he said. "It's more 'Grin' than 'Reborn Through Hate'. For me, these are songs. It's a showcase of what we learned and practiced. Everybody who has heard the pre-production, including the record company, is really happy and thinks that's the way the band should sound. It's more about feel and is song-oriented. The technical stuff is still there, but not the main thing. It's going to be weird, like all CORONER songs. My goal is always to do something I didn't hear one-hundred times before. Most bands are a copy of another band. There are a lot of great bands, but I miss the freshness or originality."

In the 1990s, CORONER caused a stir in the music industry with its progressive and technically sophisticated music style. All over the world, CORONER was considered one of the most unconventional avant-garde metal bands. Today, CORONER is a cult band and is highly respected not only by musicians such as Max Cavalera (SEPULTURA),Franz Treichler (THE YOUNG GODS) and Mille Petrozza (KREATOR),but also by metal fans all over the world.

After the release of "Grin" in 1993, the band split up. Two years later, a best-of album, "Coroner", was released. Sixteen years passed. Then, in 2011, Vetterli, Broder and then-drummer and founding member Marky Edelmann returned to the stage, playing a potpourri of numbers from their albums at concerts.

CORONER in 2014 announced the addition of drummer Diego Rapacchietti to the group's ranks. He made his live debut with CORONER on May 29, 2014, at Salzhaus in Winterthur, Switzerland.

The classic lineup of BIOHAZARD will play "scattered" shows "throughout 2023."

Three weeks ago, it was announced that Billy Graziadei (rhythm guitar, vocals),Bobby Hambel (lead guitar),Danny Schuler (drums) and Evan Seinfeld (lead vocals, bass) will reunite for an appearance at next year's Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Walton-on-Trent, United Kingdom. BIOHAZARD will headline Sunday night, August 13, 2023, on the Sophie Lancaster stage. BIOHAZARD will also perform at the Dynamo Metalfest, set to take place August 19-20, 2023 in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Earlier today, Graziadei shared a video message on Instagram in which he said: "You guys have been hearing a lot about BIOHAZARD camp doing shit. We all have our lives and work, and we are going to be doing shows scattered throughout 2023. Free time off. It'll be our paid vacations. What a better way to spend time off from work than with you guys, huh? Fucking awesome."

Billy went on to confirm that BIOHAZARD's lineup for the upcoming shows will consist of "the original guys: Evan, Danny, Bobby and me."

As for which songs BIOHAZARD will perform next year, Graziadei said: "When we were touring together, we did a lot of songs off the records that Bobby was on. But there's a lot of records that Bobby wasn't on that we'll be pulling from also. So stay tuned for that."

Earlier this year, Graziadei said in an interview that there had been "talk" about putting BIOHAZARD back together.

The group, which is acknowledged as one of the earliest outfits to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip-hop, has been out of the public eye since Scott Roberts left the band more than six years ago.

Roberts, who played guitar on BIOHAZARD's 2005 album "Means To An End", rejoined the group in June 2011 as the replacement for Seinfeld. Scott fronted BIOHAZARD for nearly five years before exiting the band in February 2016.

Asked by Metal Injection about BIOHAZARD's status, Billy said in March: "We talk often. I was with Evan at a memorial for my friend Scott [Koenig], and it was great to see him. Danny and Bobby and I talk quite often, and during the pandemic there were a few people that wanted to play bass for us. And then during the pandemic, we were all discussing and had a heart to heart. And basically, the outcome was, like, life's too short. If we don't take away anything from this pandemic, it's, like, if we're going to do something, let's put the band back together again.

"I'm the only member of the band that's still active in music," he continued. "I know the guys do things here and there, but it's what I do with what I love. It's me, so I'm going to keep going.

"With BIOHAZARD, it's always been a vibe thing with us. It's not like we sit down and say, 'Hey, in 2023, let's make an album. Let's go on tour and release the album mid-tour.' In a business sense, that'd be great. If I had the business sense that I have now, I would have been way more successful. But like I said, that was never my goal. It's still not my goal. My goal is music and art first. I probably won't be recognized for anything awesome until I'm dead and gone, but it's okay. I have other means to pay the bills and I have a great wife who supports me.

"BIOHAZARD is kind of like a vibe thing," Billy added. "It's like when the planets align and shit lines up, we do it. There's been different crazy twists and turns of our history, and I would imagine there will be in the future, but that's life. The pandemic was the fucking craziest curveball anyone ever thought would come, you know?"

In an August 2020 interview with the "Aftershocks" podcast, Roberts said that he left BIOHAZARD because he "wasn't happy" anymore. "There was one guy that I wasn't getting along with very well, and it made touring not fun anymore for me," he said. "My reason to stick around was to make a new record that was great and I'd be proud of and all that stuff, and then it became kind of clear that wasn't gonna happen, so I was, like, 'What am I doing it for?' So I quit."

According to Roberts, BIOHAZARD was "doing really good" on the live circuit before his decision to leave the group.

"I was actually in the band longer than anybody else that wasn't the original four guys," he said. "I was in the band twice, actually; I played guitar the first time. So I was in the band, like, seven years, I think. The second time, when I was singing, at first, we were, like, 'Is this gonna work?' 'Cause it's really hard to replace a singer. In history, how many times has that actually worked? IRON MAIDEN, AC/DC… a handful of times. At first, it was definitely weird; people didn't know what to expect. But in time, the shows were getting bigger again, we were headlining festivals again — it was rolling, it was happening, it was working. But it all kind of fell apart."

In a 2017 interview with "The Ex Man" podcast, Graziadei discussed Roberts's split from the group, saying that the other members of the band "got into some issues" with Scott once work began on a new studio album. "He just grew out of it," Billy claimed. "He was a fucking rigger in New York in the union, making tons of money, and leaving his family to go on tour for making a little bit of money, it didn't pay for him. So I think that started harboring some issues with him. And eventually we were in the studio doing the new record, and we had some exchanges back and forth, and he quit. And we were, like, 'Fuck! Here we are again.'"

Scott later responded to Billy's comments, saying that he quit BIOHAZARD because it was no longer fun. "I was okay with losing money on tour as long as I was enjoying myself," Roberts wrote on his Facebook page. "I would have kept doing that. The real problem was I wasn't getting along with one of the members and wasn't enjoying myself on tour with them anymore. The only other reason for me to keep doing it, was to make a new record that I was into and proud of. When another member of the band made it clear to me that wasn't going to happen, there was no reason for me to do it anymore. That's the simplest way I can explain it."

He added: "The only reason to be in a band is for the love of it. Not because it's a career. If you don't enjoy what you're doing, you shouldn't do it. That's my opinion, for what's it worth."

In "The Ex Man" interview, Billy said that BIOHAZARD's collaboration with Roberts "just worked. The band without Evan, in a small, hardcore way, it's like VAN HALEN without David Lee Roth. It was different, it was something new, but it was different… Scott had the fire that we all had, and it just seemed to work, and people accepted him. He was great, he fit great, his vibe was great, he was all about the music, loved hardcore, loved what we did, he was really into it, and it was fucking awesome. So we toured, we kept doing it. And we saw the crowds getting bigger and the people accepted him and the BIOHAZARD name... the brand started growing again; instead of being stagnant or declining, it started to grow. And the shows kept doing better and better. And we were, like, 'Cool. Let's keep this going.'"

Seinfeld made his final recorded appearance with BIOHAZARD on 2012's "Reborn In Defiance" album, which marked the first LP featuring the band's original lineup in 18 years.

Graziadei is currently a member of POWERFLO, which also features former FEAR FACTORY bassist/guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers, Sen Dog from CYPRESS HILL, and Rogelio Lozano from DOWNSET.

Billy's solo project, BILLYBIO, released a new album, "Leaders And Liars", in March via AFM Records.

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On September 3, 2021 Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen performed a solo show at a sold out AFAS Live in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This show was moved five times after being initially planned for March 24, 2020 and selling out in less than 24 hours. Over the last year, Jansen has shared single pro-shot clips from the show. It is now available in its entirety via YouTube and can be viewed below. This recording was made possible by Floor Jansen fans who crowdfunded this production. 


During this show Floor Jansen performs songs from her entire career, spanning After Forver, Revamp, Northward & Nightwish as well as songs she performed at the Dutch TV Show, Beste Zangers.


The setlist was as follows:




Set 1:


"Ever Dream" (Nightwish) 
"Storm In A Glass" (Northward) 
"Nemo" (Nightwish) 
"Mama" (Samantha Steenwijk cover) 
"Sweet Curse" (ReVamp song - with Henk Poort) 
"Dangerous Game" (from Jekyll & Hyde - with Henk Poort) 
"Euphoria" (Loreen)
"Face Your Demons" (After Forever) 
"Winner" (Tim Akkerman cover)


Set 2:


"Slow, Love, Slow" (Nightwish)
"Shallow" (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper cover) 
"Strong" (After Forever) 
"Élan" (Nightwish) 
"Energize Me" (After Forever) 
"Qué Se Siente" (Rolf Sanchez)
"Bridle Passion" (Northward) 
"Our Decades In The Sun" (Nightwish)
"Wolf And Dog" (ReVamp) 
"The Phantom Of The Opera" (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover - with Henk Poort)

REVOLUTION SAINTS has parted ways with guitarist Doug Aldrich (THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, DIO) and bassist/vocalist Jack Blades (NIGHT RANGER, DAMN YANKEES) and has replaced them with Joel Hoekstra (WHITESNAKE, NIGHT RANGER) and Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER, DOKKEN, THE END MACHINE, BLACK SWAN),respectively.

Drummer/lead vocalist Deen Castronovo (JOURNEY) is the sole remaining original member of REVOLUTION SAINTS, which has released three albums so far — "Revolution Saints" (2015),"Light In The Dark" (2017) and "Rise" (2019).

Earlier today, the following message was posted on the REVOLUTION SAINTS Facebook page: "Ladies and gentlemen, a big update on the future of REVOLUTION SAINTS from vocalist/drummer Deen Castronovo! Joel Hoekstra & Jeff Pilson have joined and a new album, album #4, is coming in 2023 and album #5 is already being worked on. New single will be released this year.

"Huge, heartfelt thanks to Doug Aldrich & Jack Blades for lending their immense talents to the first three albums!"

Back in 2019, Deen hinted that "Rise" could be REVOLUTION SAINTS' final album. "If everybody's digging on what we're doing, I'm sure we'll do another one," he told Web Is Jericho. "But it all has to do with scheduling. That's the hardest part, is getting everyone together and setting aside time to do it. I hope we do another one, but we're not sure."

REVOLUTION SAINTS was originally formed as the vision of Frontiers Music Srl president Serafino Perugino, who for years had hoped to work on a project where Deen would be the lead vocalist. Having previously worked with all three artists on different projects on Frontiers, having Deen, Jack and Doug on board together was a dream come true for Perugino.

The "Rise" album was helmed by in-house Frontiers producer Alessandro Del Vecchio, with the recording process taking place in Milan and in Doug and Jack's own studios in California and Seattle. Songwriting was handled by Del Vecchio, Aldrich and Blades, with contributions from fellow Frontiers recording artist Dan Rossall (of U.K. newcomers PASSION). Of special note, the poignant ballad "Eyes Of A Child" was penned by Blades and Tommy Shaw (STYX, DAMN YANKEES).

Revolution Saints - Big Announcement from Deen

Ladies and gentlemen, a big update on the future of Revolution Saints from vocalist/drummer Deen Castronovo! Joel Hoekstra & Jeff Pilson have joined and a new album, album #4, is coming in 2023 and album #5 is already being worked on. New single will be released this year.

Huge, heartfelt thanks to Doug Aldrich & Jack Blades for lending their immense talents to the first three albums!

Posted by Revolution Saints on Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Toronto rockers Deadwolff have released "Heavy Rock n' Roll", their first single under Golden Robot Records, part of the Golden Robot Global Entertainment Group. In addition to release the new track, Deadwolff will release a music video to accompany the song on November 2nd. 


The track is a fast paced, heavy rocking tune. It’s a song for whatever you’re passionate about or for someone you love. What you’d do to feel the joy that only music or a loved one can bring. So, turn it up ands lap it on repeat. This is the new wave of heavy rock and roll.


Purchase or stream "Heavy Rock N' Roll" here.







Deadwolff is a three-piece band based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2020, Deadwolff is composed of Tommy Wolffe, on bass and vocals, Bobby Deuce, on guitars and backing vocals, and Angus Pike on drums.


In late December of 2020, Boonsdale Records released the band’s debut EP digitally. Shortly after, Deadwolff signed with Metal Assault Records, based out of Los Angeles, and released their debut EP on cassette, which sold out quickly.


As of recently, Deadwolff has been touring throughout Canada, bringing their catchy hooks, and eccentric live show to electric audiences. Building momentum quickly, Deadwolff sought out and was noticed by Golden Robot Records, whom is set to release their full length debut album.


A blend of hard rock, punk, and metal, Deadwolff set themselves apart from other bands with their take on the New Wave of Heavy Rock and Roll. Recommended for fans of Judas Priest, Motörhead, and W.A.S.P, Deadwolff‘s is a revival of foot-tapping, beer-drinking, head banging tunes, and more.

"Happy, happy Halloween, dear Witches diciples," reads an update from Switzerland's hottest heavy metal export.


"We are happy to announce, that we have started working on album number five. Two years after our last record (The Witch Of The North), we are back with our production team at the Little Creek Studio in Switzerland, to produce a new piece of pounding old school metal. More news and updates about our brand new witchcraft very, very soon… please stay tuned."


In February 2022, Burning Witches announced that they signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records.




Burning Witches on the signing: “Oh this is exciting news: with pride we announce our new label partner, Napalm Records! We are looking forward to our co-operation with one of the best metal labels in the world! This is the next step in the Witches chapter, and we are super enthusiastic about our new partner, our collaboration and our future with the prime Austrian metal company! We are focused, charged and are really looking forward to new challenges and adventures yet to come – WE stand as ONE!!!”


Thomas Caser, CEO Napalm Records added: "Burning Witches are currently one of the hottest metal acts out there. This energy and drive fits perfectly with the quintessence of Napalm Records. We are looking forward to taking the band to the next level with full force!"





(Photo - Damir Eskic)


 

Season Of Mist has announced the signing of The Abbey, the emerging progressive doom metal band featuring Natalie Koskinen (Shape Of Despair), Jesse Heikkinen (Henget, Iterum Nata), Vesa Ranta (Sentenced, The Man-Eating Tree), and Janne Markus (The Man-Eating Tree).


In conjunction with the announcement, the band is now revealing their bewitching first single, "A Thousand Dead Witches", along with a chilling music video that will certainly get you in the spirit of Samhain! The age-restricted clip, which was directed by Ranta, can be seen upon logging into YouTube.







The Abbey comments on the signing, "We feel honored and privileged to get to write a new chapter in the history of Season Of Mist - a distinguished label that has the courage and vision to do something extraordinary. We do believe that the collaboration between Season Of Mist and The Abbey is going to lead us to great things."


Regarding the single, the band adds, "Our first single has all the basic The Abbey elements: big vocals, dissonant harmonies, hauntingly beautiful melodies and tempo changes. This is The Abbey’s ode against oppression and tyranny."


"A Thousand Dead Witches" is taken from The Abbey's upcoming debut album, Word Of Sin, which will be released on February 17, 2023 via Season Of Mist. The cover artwork, created by Alexander Reisfar, can be found below, while the tracklisting and additional info will be revealed at a later date. 


In the meantime, pre-save the album across all streaming services here.





Word Of Sin was recorded between April and November 2021 in several locations across Finland. Drums, bass and Markus’ guitars were tracked at Kratio Studio in Oulu by Kyösti Rautio. Rautio also served as co-producer and mixed the album, becoming the unofficial sixth member of The Abbey. Heikkinen, who recorded most of his vocals and guitars in his stepdaughter’s room, surrounded by My Little Ponies, Disney figurines and a pile of esoteric literature, is careful to point out that The Abbey fails to drop into any neat, little subgenre. 


“The album was made purely for self-expressive reasons,” he says. “My music is the channel where I can be as true and authentic as possible. It is also a somewhat safe way to explore and express the dark side of myself and the collective consciousness. Word of Sin may seem like a tremendously dark piece as a rock album, but it’s pretty lightweight for a doom metal album! The material proved so strong that it was obvious that it wasn’t going to be another side project. I think using the means of improvisation made the music sound more like its creator instead of it being forced to be this or that — and that seemed to work really well for us!” 


For further details, visit The Abbey on Facebook.


 

From the shadows of Ye Olde England comes “Devil's Dawn”, the latest single from the symphonic / prog extreme metal titans, Ghosts Of Atlantis (aka GOA). Featuring James Dorton (The Faceless, Black Crown Initiate) on guest narration and Finchman on electronic synths, the track serves as the official single of the upcoming supernatural thriller / horror movie Witch. “Devil's Dawn” depicts a tale of witchcraft, religious ignorance, and humanity's constant struggle to find itself.


Today, October 31, 2022, GOA unveils the music video for “Devil’s Dawn” to celebrate Halloween. The single will be available on all digital media platforms this Friday, November 4, 2022.







When speaking of the single and film, guitarist Colin Parks (Devilment) says: “‘Witch’ is a phenomenal film with twists and turns, immaculate and thought-provoking script writing, and a cast of superb talent. This film is a real gem, and the single had to be crafted to meet the feel of the movie.” 


“The song itself, is a departure from the usual GOA mythology and sound, but we feel it truly galvanizes our projects together, and we are both over the moon with the outcome, and you will be too!” 


“We are privileged to work with such a bunch of like-minded fruit loops, hell-bent on bringing meaningful impactful content to all you lot. Now, get to ‘Devil's Dawn’, think wisely, and find that Witch!”





“Devil's Dawn” was recorded at Devil Head Studios Suffolk and mixed and mastered at Stymphallian Studios. Craig Hinde took care of the cover of the single, pictured above. Watch the trailer for the movie, Witch, below.








 

"Good Monday, and Happy Halloween," proclaims drummer Phil Varone. "I wanted to give you something Halloween, as well as announce and debut my side band Varones, the brainchild of myself, and my Saigon Kick, and Panic Boom bandmate the always great Chris McLernon (Varone)."


"Chris came up with the name since our debut song is a cover of Ramones, 'Pet Sematary'. Of course, I thought the name was great! But I'm a little biased. Joining us are guitarists Collin DeBruhl (Varone) and Joel Hellman (Varone). I'm on drums, and Chris plays bass, guitar, and sings."


"Varones" is a fun band covering holiday songs year-round. We are working on a Christmas song that will be a doozy."




"'Pet Semetary' was produced and mixed by Chris. The video was created, directed, and edited by lil ole Me. Have a great day and a great Halloween, and I hope you enjoy the debut of Varones."





 

Intromental Worldwide welcomes the immense talent of the Hungarian extreme prog/thrash band, Needless.


This 5-piece of amazing musicians was signed last year to Uprising! Records and caught the attention of Intromental, with the great album The Cosmic Cauldron - a tour de force in odd patterns, aggressive riffing, energetic outbursts and power - all wrapped in an underlying Hungarian folklore-vibe, to make the band stand out from their contemporaries.


Needless released their first full-length album Heresy in 2019 and they are a band, completely ready to take on the European stages, with a live-show, that leaves nothing to be desired. Full-throttle energy from start to finish on all stations is a foundation for success and these guys can take it far....




Needless is one of those bands, where you think: Is all this really possible to cram into one album? It's a dish with topping from all sides of the spectrum and then some. It's progressive, it's black, it's atmospheric, it's thrash, it's death. We'll, to put it short - check it out for yourself in their official video from The Cosmic Cauldron:





Needless lineup:


Dániel Márton - guitars
Tamás Bárány - guitars
Laszló Bánfalvi - bass
Botond Kasper - drums
Ádám Forczek - vocals

Swansong have announced their worldwide signing with German label, Noble Demon, for the release of the band’s upcoming debut album. Founded in 2020 in Kuopio, Finland and combining melodic death, heavy and folk metal - just to name a few - Swansong are bringing their very own blend and something new to the metal scene. Powerful melodies with hard-hitting riffs revive the 80s and 90s and at the same time the old school elements get a fresh & modern twist with female death growls and screams.


Swansong comments: "We are honored and excited to announce, that we have started to work on our first full-length album with Noble Demon Records! This is HUGE for us! The recordings for the album have already begun. We want to THANK YOU ALL, this is all for you! Thank you for listening to our music and supporting us! Thank you Noble Demon for seeing our potential. We are grateful to join the impressive Noble Demon roster with many awesome bands (Dawn Of Solace, Mercury Circle, Night Crowned, Gomorra, Kaunis Kuolematon, Zornheym, Oceanhoarse, Humavoid and more) that we respect! Along with these amazing partners Noble Demon & Heavy Metal Heart Agency we continue the Swansong journey. NOW LET'S MAKE A KILLER ALBUM!!"







Furthermore, to celebrate the signing in glorious style, Swansong and Noble Demon announced the re-release of the band's 2022 debut EP Winter Maiden, which was produced by Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns (Finntroll, ...And Oceans, Dispyt) and has already received great response from listeners all around the globe.


Listen to the full EP here, and watch the band's latest video for "Lovely Bones" below:





Swansong are:


Vocals: Jemiina
Guitar: Topi Pitkänen
Guitar: Tuomas Leskinen
Drums: Markus Tikkanen

Vis Mystica will release a Jedi-themed power metal EP, Celestial Wisdom, in December. A lyric video for the single, "Beyond The Gates Of Fury", can be viewed below.


A message states: “The final song on the EP is, fittingly, the most “furious”. Fury deals with the final battle between the Rakatans and Tythonians and culminates with the fulfillment of the prophecy that was first spoken of in 'Lux Et Veritas'. This is the end of our first tale but leads directly into the next story arc we will be writing about.”







Vis Mystica comes from the mind of Pennsylvania’s Connor McCray, who is a massive fan of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its various lore. So far, all of his lyrics have been his retelling of the Dawn of the Jedi comics from Dark Horse Comics. It’s been a long time coming and now he is ready to unleash the debut EP “Celestial Wisdom” upon the galaxy on December 2nd, 2022 via Dark Star Records. The EP is produced by Chad Anderson (Helion Prime) and so far, three singles have been released to tantalize listeners far and wide.


“Whispering Winds Of Fate” ft. Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland) is the intro song and the shortest song on the EP. It serves as a guide to the main world in which the story takes place - Tython. This song describes the sentient world calling out telepathically to beings spread throughout the galaxy to board ships and come bask in the planet’s knowledge and secrets.


“The Plains Of Silence” takes us back to Tython to the Silent Desert, where all sound is nullified and students can meditate on the power of the world. This was the first song written for the EP and definitely has a much more “happy” feel than many of the other songs McCray has written.


“Lux Et Veritas” is another kind of “happy” song but the lyrics tell a completely different story. This song is based on the prisoner Daegen Lok, who was exiled for prophesying a coming war between the Rakatans and the people of Tython.


“We are trying to provide fans with escapism from everyday life and transportation into a fantastical world of magical powers and epic stories. We expect the EP to be received very well; while we take great influence from other bands we are quite confident that we possess a style that is somewhat unique in the Power Metal landscape,” the band comments.


Vis Mystica is recommended for Star Wars fans and those who like Rhapsody, Blind Guardian, and Iron Maiden. They also have a crowdfunding campaign set up for the EP. Head here.


Pre-order the EP here.





Tracklisting:


"Whispering Winds Of Fate" (feat. Jonas Heidgert - Dragonland)
"Legacy Of The Builders" (feat. David Michael Moote - Operus and Ty Christian - Lords of the Trident)
"The Plains Of Silence"
"Lux Et Veritas" (feat. David Michael Moote - Operus)
"Beyond The Gates Of Fury"


CD Bonus Tracks:


"The Plains Of Silence" (2020 Demo feat. Jesse Isadore)
"Introitus" (2016 Demo)
"Secrets Of The Maps" (2016 Instrumental Demo)











EP Credits:


• All songs performed by: Vis Mystica
• All songs written by: Connor McCray
• Produced by: Chad Anderson
• Mixed by: Chad Anderson
• Mastered by: Chad Anderson
• EP Artwork by: Cody Bucher


EP band lineup:


Connor McCray - Guitar, Bass, Orchestration
Devin Dewyer - Vocals
Dillon Trollope - Drums

Veil Of The Serpent have released a lyric video for "Gallery Of Sin", the title track of the band's horror story EP, Gallery Of Sin, available now on all major streaming platforms. Watch below.





Tracklisting:




“Profiling A Demon”
“Gallery Of Sin”
“The End And The Beginning”


"Gallery Of Sin" lyric video:





"Profiling A Demon":





Trailer:

MINISTRY has announced its first-ever livestream to be hosted on streaming platform HITKOR. Featuring the full band and possible special guests, the show will take place November 20 at 3 p.m. PT/5 p.m. CT/6 p.m. ET/10 p.m. GMT and will feature classic hits from the band's 40-year history as well as new tracks from the latest album, "Moral Hygiene", out now on Nuclear Blast Records.

The special streaming event will be available in more than 30 countries and was planned with European MINISTRY fans in mind after the band had to regrettably cancel a multi-country tour this fall due to unforeseen circumstances.

MINISTRY frontman and creator Al Jourgensen says: "We never intended for Cleveland with NIN to be our last show this year. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to cancel Europe but we didn't want to end 2022 without one last show, and this will be one for the books."

Tickets are on sale now and available only at HITKOR.com. Live tickets are
$17.99 (to both stream live and watch on demand). All-access passes are $19.99 and include the stream plus bonus, behind-the-scenes content prior to the main show, as well as an exclusive interview with MINISTRY.

MINISTRY is fresh off the road, having appeared with NINE INCH NAILS and NITZER EBB for a once-in-a-lifetime show in Cleveland as well as Louder Than Life festival in September. In April, the industrial stalwarts wrapped up the much-anticipated "Industrial Strength" tour that celebrated the 30th anniversary of landmark album "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste", receiving some of the best reviews of their career.

In addition to Jourgensen, MINISTRY's full band will appear in the livestream show, including drummer Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR, SOULFLY, HELLYEAH),guitarists Cesar Soto (MAN THE MUTE) and Monte Pittman (MADONNA, PRONG),bassist Paul D'Amour (TOOL, FEERSUM ENNJIN),and keyboardist John Bechdel (KILLING JOKE, FEAR FACTORY).

As well as classic hits, some of the night's set list will include material from "Moral Hygiene", MINISTRY's 15th studio album that features some of the project's strongest and most inspired material to date. It's the creative masterwork of Jourgensen who spent the pandemic pause ruminating on the new world we as a society have found ourselves in — while pondering just what we are going to do about it. The 10 tracks are a societal manifesto and plea for civilization to get back to a set of standards that lives up to and embraces our humanity. Previous singles have included "Alert Level" (sounding the alarm on the state society is in),"Good Trouble" (a rallying cry to fight for human rights in homage to civil rights leader John Lewis),"Disinformation" (the dangers of consuming mass media without critical thinking) and "Search And Destroy" (the unique take on THE STOOGES classic). The latter features guitar virtuoso Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL, ROYAL MACHINES) who is also heavily featured on a number of songs on the album.

Photo by Derick Smith

Puscifer’s recent limited engagement, concert-meets-feature films: V Is For Versatile: A Puscifer Concert Film featuring music from the V Is For… Era and Parole Violator: A Puscifer Concert Film featuring Conditions of My Parole, have been extended for viewing via Puscifertv.com through November 7 (initially the films were slated to run through the morning of November 1).


Watch a video for "Man Overboard" from Parole Violator below:







Meeting at the intersection of music and theater, Puscifer is known for their thematic, multimedia-laced tours. From a “Hee Haw”-style jamboree to a televangelist revival, from sitting ringside at a Lucha Libre match to the advent of Agent Dick Merkin and the Pusciforce, Puscifer’s transition from live performances to film is a natural extension of the music-meets-acting troupe. The pandemic-induced dawn of the at-home concert experience provided Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell and Carina Round with the tools to turn to film, having now released two movies to date: 2020’s Existential Reckoning: Live at Arcosanti and 2021’s Billy D and The Hall of Feathered Serpents featuring Money $hot by Puscifer.


“Those with creative minds are restless. Lockdown was only physical, not mental,” offers Keenan. “The Pandemic was the perfect springboard and opportunity for us all to flex our creative muscles. Here is more evidence.”





Both V Is For Versatile and Parole Violator have album companions, available on vinyl, CD and streaming in November. Pre-orders are available via puscifertv.com.


Puscifer are currently out on the North American Existential Reckoning tour. The trek follows the band’s spring 2022 leg, which saw the Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell and Carina Round led troupe perform their biggest shows to date including dates at the Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), Brooklyn’s Kings Theater and the state-of-the-art Mission Ballroom in Denver.





Existential Reckoning tour dates:


November
1 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium
3 - Norfolk, VA - Chrysler Hall
4 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
5 - Atlantic City, NJ - Sound Waves at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
7 - Montreal, QC - MTelus
8 - Toronto, ON - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
10 - Cincinnati, OH - The Andrew J. Brady Music Center
11 - Louisville, KY - Louisville Palace
12 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
13 - Madison, WI - The Orpheum Theater
15 - Grand Rapids, MI - DeVos Performance Hall
17 - St. Louis, MO - The Factory
18 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland Theatre
19 - Tulsa, OK - Tulsa Theater
22 - Prescott, AZ - Yavapai College Performing Arts Center


Tickets on-sale at Puscifer.com. Night Club opens on all dates.


(Photo - Travis Shinn)

Paul Booth and Eve Minor come together to release Shadows Remain, the debut album by their dark electronic band, CorpseFlower. The collaborative work utilizes shadowy experimental sounds and intelligent, thought provoking lyricism echoing from punk roots and rebellious attitudes. CorpseFlower creates an unconventional macabre sound that resonates with every non-conformist.


Order your copy of Shadows Remain at this location, and watch a video for the track "Poison" below.







Tracklisting:


"Snakes"
"Poison"
"Illusion Of Control"
"Darkness Still"
"Totem Crow"
"Crooked Moon"
"Glass Tears"
"Dystopia"
"Nuclear Winter"


"Poison" video:





"Snakes":

Fan-filmed video of Lita Ford and SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS bassist/vocalist Todd Kerns performing her classic ballad "Close My Eyes Forever" on October 26 during this year's "Kiss Kruise" can be seen below.

Lita recorded "Close My Eyes Forever" as a duet with Ozzy Osbourne for her 1988 album "Lita". It was Ford's highest charting single, peaking at No. 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989.

Around a decade ago, Lita revealed that "Close My Eyes Forever" came about by accident during a night of drinking and getting stoned when she was being managed by Ozzy's wife, Sharon. She recalled to Metal Underground: "'Close My Eyes Forever' was a mistake. It was just me and Ozzy and Sharon hanging about in the recording studio. They showed up one day and had a housewarming present for me: a life-size duplicate of Koko, the gorilla from the San Diego Zoo. It was freaking huge — I had to strap it in the front seat of my jeep to get it home. Ozzy stayed, Sharon got bored and left, and me and Ozzy had a couple of drinks and we were jamming. We started singing, messing about and we wrote 'Close My Eyes Forever'. Next thing I knew the sun was coming up. I looked at him and went, 'Uh-oh, we're in trouble.' Sharon had been waiting all night. We were a long way from where Ozzy had to go. He said, 'Can you drive me home?' I said, 'No, I can't.' We were stoned out of our minds. He got into a cab and I strapped Koko into my jeep and drove home — just barely made it. And then we had this hit song."

Last month, Lita told "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" that she is hoping to release her long-awaited new solo album in early 2023. The follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" was once again helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc, alongside the rest of Ford's longtime backing band, consisting of guitarist Patrick Kennison, drummer Bobby Rock and bassist Marty O'Brien.

This past May, bassist Marten Andersson (STEELHEART, LIZZY BORDEN, LYNCH MOB) officially joined Lita's touring band. Andersson replaced O'Brien who recently became the touring bassist for DAUGHTRY.

In January 2021, Lita told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that her new album contains "some of the best guitar playing" she has heard "in decades." She added: "And I'm not blowing smoke up my own ass, but Gary and I just nailed it with the guitar playing on this record.

"I'm a huge fan of people like Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter from Alice Cooper's 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. I mean, there's some really great duo guitar players — [JUDAS PRIEST's] Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing… Those guitar players don't exist anymore — they just don't exist. If you wanna hear them, you have to go back in time a little bit and dig them up into your favorite library, favorite music catalog. But I think Gary and I really nailed it on this next record. It's, like, oh my God. I'm crying — I'm just, like, crying listening to this stuff. It's so badass."

Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.

Six years ago, Lita released an autobiography, "Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir", via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books),an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, "Creatures Of The Night" from 1982 is a seminal album in the KISS catalog. It crushed fans' expectations with a huge, back-to-rock sound and has become a fan favorite and cult classic. On November 18, UMe will release "Creatures Of The Night 40" as a 5-CD + Blu-ray audio super deluxe edition, 3-LP deluxe, 2-CD deluxe, 1-LP half-speed master 180gm, 1-CD remaster, as well as a 5-CD super deluxe edition digital download + streaming and 2-CD digital download-only version plus a color vinyl exclusive. All configurations can be pre-ordered through the official KISS online store.

Having rechanneled their efforts into consciously making a return to the hard rock that they were known for, KISS — Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Eric Carr — unleashed "Creatures Of The Night" in October of 1982. In addition to a harder sound, the album is also noted for its heavier, darker mood. The single "I Love It Loud" has been performed on nearly every subsequent KISS tour, while "War Machine", the ballad "I Still Love You" and the title song also featured heavily in their live sets for a number of years. Also of note is "Killer", which featured the group's first songwriting collaboration with their soon-to-be-guitarist Vinnie Vincent. "Creatures Of The Night" received accolades in magazines such as Kerrang! and Guitar Player — which both placed the album in their Top Five end-of-year chart for 1982 — and has attained gold album status (sales of 500,000+).

Even though original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley appeared on the "Creatures Of The Night" album cover, he did not play on the LP. The guitar tracks on the effort were laid down by several musicians, including Robben Ford, Steve Farris and Vincent, who later became Frehley's replacement. "Creatures Of The Night" also saw KISS collaborating with outside songwriters, including the then-relatively unknown Bryan Adams.

During an interview on SiriusXM's "Rocktails With Ahmet Zappa" show earlier this year, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons stated: "The 'Creatures' record was a transitioning record because Ace Frehley and Peter Criss were out of the band. You can't do it all yourself, so we brought in different guitar players, different things, and we co-wrote."

The "Creatures Of The Night 40" super deluxe boasts 103 total tracks with 75 tracks being unreleased. Newly remastered on CD 1, the original album has never sounded better. CDs 2 and 3 feature 34 demos, rarities and outtakes, including previously unreleased gems such as "Deadly Weapon (Penny Lane Demo)", "Not For The Innocent (Demo)" and "Betrayed (Outtake)". CDs 4 and 5 highlight 26 incredible, soundboard live recordings from the "Creatures" '82/'83 tour and seven super-rare tour sound effects, all recorded and archived by the "Creatures" tour sound engineer Harry Witz. The Blu-ray Audio disc showcases a first-ever Atmos and 5.1 surround mix from the original album multi-tracks plus the high-resolution newly remastered 1982 stereo mix of the original album. Additionally, the super deluxe box features an extensive array of bonus kollectible KISS memorabilia and ephemera.

The above-mentioned demo version of "Not For The Innocent" — featuring Stanley and Simmons trading lead vocals — can be heard below. The final version of the song, which featured only Simmons on vocals, was featured on KISS's 1983 album "Lick It Up".

KINGS OF THRASH, the new band featuring former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar), recently entered the studio to begin recording the first of four original songs. The group, which also includes drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon, along with the occasional guest appearance by another former MEGADETH member, Chris Poland (guitar), just completed a four-date West Coast tour which culminated in a sold-out gig at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. All four shows saw KINGS OF THRASH performing MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" and "So Far, So Good… So What!" in their entirety.

Speaking to Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules about KINGS OF THRASH's future plans, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Through doing the Nick Menza documentary, I got reconnected with Jeff Young. We were at the Rainbow. He was singing me a riff that he wrote on the 'So Far, So Good… So What!' tour in 1988. I went, 'Dude, I remember that riff.' And so that led to us… We wrote some songs. We got 'em demoed up. When we did the tour last week, we filmed it at the Whisky, so we've got all that. So we're working on some live stuff and some studio stuff. We got tunes recorded and then the live stuff we captured as well. Like everything, it kind of finds its lane and moves on from there."

Earlier in the month, Young told Ghost Cult magazine Young that KINGS OF THRASH's first original song was being recorded at a North Hollywood studio previously used by legendary producer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix). As for the musical direction of KINGS OF THRASH's original material, Jeff said: "It's got the vibe of MEGADETH — it's on that playing field, but it's got all of its own stuff and all of our influences and some SOUNDGARDEN/TOOL vibes in maybe the music and melodies."

Jeff was also full of praise for Aching and Leon, saying: "We really feel in a way how Ozzy [Osbourne] must have felt introducing Randy Rhoads to the world with these young two guys we have, both half our age and both so composed and mature musically for their age. And we've just been having a blast. And it's great that they're fans of the music and they've really studied it. Chaz, the singer/guitar player, plays in a MEGADETH tribute and fronts a SOUNDGARDEN tribute. So he has some of that Chris Cornell huskiness… So it's really cool to hear him sing these songs with a bit more huskiness and that young exuberance that he has. I think the kids are gonna love him 'cause he has that Dimebag Darrell kind of likability."

In a separate interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series, Young was asked if he, Ellefson and Poland have gotten any reaction to the tour — either in the form of a blessing or an angry rebuke — from MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine. Jeff responded: "We're really not concerned. I don't pay attention. I haven't really paid attention or followed MEGADETH since, I think, I heard the 'Rust In Peace' album a couple of times, and then what you might hear on the radio or in the press.

"For us, this isn't about any spite or retaliation; it's a celebration of the music that we were all a part of, that we helped create," he explained. "And it's fun for us to do this.

"People said, 'You should do this.' And we said, 'Hey, yeah, you're right. We should do this.' It's a win-win — it's a win for us, and it's a win for [Mustaine], because any performance royalties, anything… If we did include live tracks, he would make money off that. It's promoting albums that hopefully fans will go back and buy, which is putting money right in his pocket. Especially 'Killing Is My Business', I think a lot of people are gonna go back and wanna rediscover that album after this tour.

"For us, it's all about positivity," Young added. "We're all in this moment — we're living in the moment, and we're not looking beyond. We're not reading any of the comments on Blabbermouth or any of the stuff. Because we know what our intent is, and intent is everything. And our intent's positive. We like playing together. We know we're crafting original music. We're not relying on this; we don't need to ride the coattails of this. This is just something that the fans wanted, and you wanna give fans what they want."

Ellefson told Yes! You CAN Play Guitar! that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates. "This is a celebration, not a retaliation," he explained. "This is a good moment. This is a happy moment, to celebrate these songs and these tracks and these records. So we go at it with just fun… It's, like, 'Wow. Wouldn't it be fun if we went out and played these records?' And we're doing it. So it's meant to be this celebration and bringing people together. And honestly, that was kind of always my role in MEGADETH. Dave [Mustaine] always called me 'The Ambassador', and I was always that guy, and I am that guy. So it's, like, let me just continue that role in our community and have one of good will."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH nearly a year and a half ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Dave Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.

Poland was a member of MEGADETH from 1984 to 1987, during which time he performed on the band's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" He is also a featured soloist on the group's 2004 album, "The System Has Failed".

Back in 2004, Poland and/or his management and attorney filed a lawsuit against Mustaine regarding the use of the three "Rust In Peace" demos on the album's reissue without Chris's permission. Chris eventually settled for $9,500 and thereby ended a professional relationship with Dave and MEGADETH.

For the past couple of decades, Poland's main musical focus has been the fusion band OHM:, which has released several full-length studio albums to date.