MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx has praised the band's new guitarist John 5, saying he "checks all the boxes" as Mick Mars's replacement following the latter's decision to no longer tour with the legendary rock act.

Sixx commented on John 5's addition to CRÜE while answering fan questions on Twitter on Friday (October 28). Asked why the band chose John 5, who is one of the credited co-writers on the three original songs on CRÜE's "The Dirt" soundtrack, Sixx said: "He checks all the boxes. He's a insane player. Has respect for our music, is funny as fuck and has history with us and we've written some pretty big hits together."

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

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

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

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

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

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

John 5 said: "I'm honored to carry on Mick's legacy and am looking forward to playing these songs."

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

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

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

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

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

Back in 2013, Neil said that Mars's battle with ankylosing spondylitis as well as the band's desire to "go out on top" were the primary reasons for CRÜE's decision to call it quits after 2015. "It's just time," Neil said nearly a decade ago. "Mick's health is not that good, and touring is tough on him. I'm sure in five, 10 years' time, we'll probably do something together again, but it's not gonna be like a KISS farewell to the farewell to the farewell tour. We're not gonna be like that."

Lee echoed Vince's comments at the time, telling Canadian progressive-house music producer and performer Deadmau5 in a video: "Our guitar player, Mick, he has a spinal disease that's slowly fusing his vertebrae together. It's one of those things that's treatable, but not curable. So it's just progressively getting really worse and it's painful for him, so he doesn't wanna tour much longer. I can't say I blame him… The last thing we ever wanna do is go out running on two cylinders with some hired guy playing guitar; that's just wack. So we wanna go out with one big hurrah with the original guys and be done with it."

However, in an October 2013 tweet, Mars painted a different picture, claiming that his medical condition had never affected his playing. "Once again, any rumors regarding a farewell tour due to 'my poor health is BS," he wrote. "I am doing fine, my AS has never kept me from touring." He added: "Thank all of you for knowing the truth… When I'm done touring, you'll hear it from me."

Mars has struggled with Ankylosing spondylitis since his late teens and spoke about his first experiences with it in CRÜE's 2001 biography "The Dirt".

"My hips started hurting so bad every time I turned my body that it felt like someone was igniting fireworks in my bones," he said. "I didn't have enough money to see a doctor, so I just kept hoping that I could do what I usually do: will it away, through the power of my mind. But it kept getting worse. Then, one afternoon while doing my laundry. I started having trouble breathing. At first, it felt like someone had plunged a knife into my back. But as the weeks passed, the pain kept moving around my back. Next, my stomach started burning, and I worried that my whole body was about to fall apart. I thought that there was a hole in my stomach, and acids were leaking out and destroying my bones and organs. I'd grab hold of doorknobs, anchor my legs into the ground, and pull with my hands to stretch my back and ease the pressure out."

Mick told Metal Sludge in 2008 that his condition had worsened in the later decades and that he stopped playing guitar for almost two years. "Nowadays, it's not so bad, but back then when I was high on all that stuff and MÖTLEY were having a break, I knew if I didn't stop, I was gonna die. In the end, I had to go to a neuro-psychiatrist to straighten me up, and he said to me, 'Just hold the guitar for an hour a day — don't play it, just hold it.' It was pretty bizarre but I got through it, and in the end, I think I'm actually a better player because of it."

Last week, it was announced that MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD will go global in 2023 with their co-headline "The World Tour". Produced by Live Nation, the trek will kick off on February 18, 2023 at Foro Sol in Mexico City and include stops throughout Latin America before heading to Europe in May 2023.
He checks all the boxes. He’s a insane player. Has respect for our music, is funny as fuck and has history with us and we’ve written some pretty big hits together.

— 📷 (@NikkiSixx) October 29, 2022


He’s been a soldier along with us for 4 decades.We will continue to carrying our legacy to Generations of fans and honor Micks request for us to keep touring as Motley Crue.

— 📷 (@NikkiSixx) October 29, 2022

Legendary Rotting Christ leader, Sakis Tolis, has checked in with an update and new music:


"Dear friends, I can proudly share with you a brand new video for a brand new song that I have just released  exclusively via my platforms. Hope you will enjoy 'Ancestral Whispers'."







All music and lyrics were composed by Sakis Tolis. The song was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren and features backing vocals by Eleni and Souzana Vougioukli.


Tolis released his debut solo album, Among The Fires Of Hell, earlier this year. Details below.





Tracklisting:


"My Salvation"
"Among The Fires Of Hell"
"The Dawn Of A New Age"
"We The Fallen Angels"
"Ad Astra"
"Live With Passion (Die With Honour)"
"I Name You Under Our Cult"
"The Silence"
"Nocturnal Hecate"


"We The Fallen Angels" animated video:





"Ad Astra" lyric video:





"I Name You Under Our Cult" lyric video:





"Among The Fires Of Hell" video:





Album stream:

Mexico's Grave Of Sacrifice have signed with Wormholedeath Records and will release their Land Of Decay EP on November 18thth. They have issued the following statement:


"We wanted since we started to create an album that really speaks for us, all the songs in it are a way to say here we are, the concepts in the lyrics based on personal experiences, dreams, literature, and the composition of the music are a direct result of the passion and influence of great bands from a very vast variety of genres like death, thrash, jazz, groove, and black metal. The idea and the concept are very raw and straight: a statement of wrath to the current society, a scream for the voiceless, the rage of a group of 5 dudes, tired of living in a country with a corrupt and rotten government, an attempt to change things, and to send a message of strength. We are very honored and happy to start this new experience and to share it with all the people who want to listen to and follow our music. It's a matter of fact that we're very grateful and excited to move forward and to keep creating the music we love for everyone, everywhere."


Grave of Sacrifice was formed in 2021, as a band that offers a powerful sonic attack based on heavy riffs, intense harsh vocals, and a high-speed rhythmic foundation, which together seek to bring a fresh and aggressive perspective to the death metal scene in Mexico. 2022 saw the emergence of the first official video of the band: "Macron", as well as two singles: "Blind Maze" and "Macron", which will be included in the group's first official release, Land Of Decay, a compilation of diverse influences from all the members of the group and which, united in an amalgamation of aural fury, is designed to rock the audience’s foundations to their very core.




Land Of Decay will be internationally released by Wormholedeath Records on CD and distributed all around the world both physically and digitally by the Italian-based label. Their influences are bands like Decapitated, Lamb Of God, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Gojira, Suffocation, Beyond Creation, The Faceless, Atheist, Pantera, Metallica, and The Haunted, among others.





Tracklist:


"Blind Maze"
"Kneel Down"
"Broken Thoughts"
"Macron"
"Land Of Decay"





Line-up:
Braulio Díaz - Lead Guitars
Pablo Caamal - Rythm Guitars
Ángel Cervera - Vocals
Baruch Velázquez - Drums
César Güemez - Bass

During an interview with UK tabloid The Sun, The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood confirmed the publication's earlier claims that the band will release a new album in summer 2023.


 Wood: "We are recording the new album now and we are going to LA in a few weeks to carry it on and finish it off."


Wood also revealed that late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who died last year at 80 years-old, is on "some of the tracks." His replacement, Steve Jordan, tracked the other songs.




Stay tuned for updates.


Watts joined The Rolling Stones in January 1963 as their drummer, while doubling as designer of their record sleeves and tour stages. He was the only Rolling Stones member other than Mick Jagger or Keith Richards to have been featured on all of their studio albums.


On Charlie Watts, in the band’s own words:


Mick Jagger: “I miss Charlie on many levels. Like, I miss wanting to play him this new groove and I want to say how badly England have done in the Test match yesterday. You know, I miss him a lot.”


Keith Richards: ”I am still dealing with it. Charlie was the engine. The best drummer England has ever produced. People like Charlie Watts are very hard to put in a pocket. They don’t make pockets for people like Charlie. He is a totally unique guy.”


Ronnie Wood: “When Charlie passed, we were mind-blown. We have the spirit of Charlie playing with us all the time. One word – particular. Clothes had a layer of tissue paper between each shirt, each sock, each underpant, each jacket. Pristine would be the word. Not one thing out of place.”

Mammothor have released a video for "Parasomnia", featured on their new album, The Ecstasy Of Silence... The Agony Of Dreams, out now. Watch the clip below.





Tracklist:




"M.O.A.B."
"Novocaine"
"You Don't Know Me"
"Hitcher"
"Take the World"
"Parasomnia"
"[Breaking News]"
"Bury The Motive"
"Trial by Fire"
"The Red State Blues"
"Final Hour"
"Do You Call My Name"


"Parasomnia" video:





"Bury The Motive" video:





"Take The World" video:





"M.O.A.B." lyric video:

Hoaxed have unveiled their captivating and catchy debut full-length, Two Shadows. A full album audio stream can be found below.


Comprised of vocalist / guitarist Kat Keo and drummer Kim Coffel, Hoaxed's superlative blend of styles - heavy melodic rock with captivating hooks, gothic undertones, undeniable metal, and tinges of Americana - pave the way for a singular expression that’s entirely their own.


Two Shadows is out on LP/CD/CS/Digital. Physical orders are available via Relapse.com. Digital downloads/streaming here.




Two Shadows is as unique as it is memorable and catchy. The record thrusts, retreats, and beguiles across its melody-powered and hook-driven expanse, with earworms “The Call,” “Guilty Ones,” and “The Knowing” serving as the album’s crucial lighthouses.





Tracklisting:


"Two Shadows"
"The Call"
"The Knowing"
"For Love"
"Grand Illusions"
"High Seas"
"Guilty Ones"
"Where Good Won’t Go"
"Forsaken"


Album stream:





"The Knowing" video:





"The Call" video:





"Guilty Ones" video:





(Photo - Shimon Karmel)

French sleaze rockers, BlackRain, will release their new album, Untamed, through SPV / Steamhammer on November 25. The band have released the new single and video, "Demon". Watch the clip below.


"Demon" is inspired by a French cult soap from the 90s that rocked BlackRain's childhood. The garage, an improvised rehearsal studio, hosted the romances of Hèlène and her girlfriends. But when it came to listening to the musicians' music, a little jingle sounded, and the show moved on to another scene. This is why 30 years after the screen debut of Laly (Laly Meignan), José and his famous waistcoats (Philippe Vasseur), Jimmy (Tom Schacht), BlackRain comes to titillate our apprentice musicians for their offer to play a complete song in the garage.


Says the band, "The song, tinged with nostalgia, speaks of the memory of our young years and its cohort of new experiences. The demon is never far away to tempt us to come back to it."







Untamed was produced by Kissin' Dynamire frontman, Hannes Braun.





Tracklist:


"Untamed"
"Kiss The Sky"
"Dawn Of Hell"
"All The Darkness"
"Demon"
"Summer Jesus"
"Set The World On Fire"
"Neon Drift"
"Blade Of Love"
"Raise Your Glass"
"Shut Down"
"The End"


"Neon Drift" video:





"Summer Jesus" video:





"Untamed" video:

Mighty Music has released the new Liv Sin single, "Antihero". Stream the digital single here, and watch a video for the song below.





Liv Sin continues to unveil songs from their upcoming album. This time, the band led by Sister Sin vocalist Liv Jagrell releases the digital single, “Antihero”, a song with a strong rhythm, a fantastic build-up and a big earworm in the chorus. Another great sign that the upcoming album, produced by Simon Johansson (Wolf, Memory Garden) and Mike Wead (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate), with mixing and mastering by Tue Madsen (Witchery, The Haunted, At The Gates, Artillery, etc) will be another masterpiece.




“The song “Antihero” came to me after yet another mass shooting”, Jagrell tells about the theme of the song. “It is an imagery scenery of brutality and chaos, and the immense fear you go through when searching for a way out of that hell. I wonder what drives a person to do something like that, how someone can have so much anger and hate inside, but also I get surprised every time that nothing change, nothing happens. I’m a pacifist and I can’t really get my head around how the right to have a gun seems more important than human lives”.


A new Liv Sin album is expected to be released in early 2023.

Screamer, the Swedish band surrounding vocalist Andreas Wikström, have released their new single and video, for the song "Hellfire". Watch the clip below.





The band's new album, Kingmaker, will be released on January 13 via SPV/Steamhammer as CD DigiPak (incl. poster), LP version, CD/LP bundle with shirt (only at the Steamhammer shop). Pre-order here.







Tracklisting:


"Kingmaker"
"Rise Above"
"The Traveler"
"Hellfire"
"Chasing The Rainbow"
"Ashes And Fire"
"Burn It Down"
"Fall Of A Common Man"
"Sounds Of The Night"
"Renegade"


"Hellfire" video:





"Kingmaker" video:

When Richard West released Legends Of The Shires in 2017 with his band Threshold, he opened the gates to a unique world of progressive metal on this sprawling, multi-layered concept album. For over five years, night had fallen over these Shires, but now the time has come to dive back into these fascinating metaphorical lands and witness their new destiny: The Fall Of The Shires will be the ambitious sequel, released under the new band name Oblivion Protocol that West started with three internationally renowned musicians.


"I'm completely blown away to announce that I've signed a record contract with Atomic Fire Records for a new project called Oblivion Protocol," West states. "When my Threshold bandmates decided not to record a sequel to the Legends Of The Shires story, I knew I wanted to stay in that world a little longer, so I wrote my own sequel called The Fall Of The Shires. Joining me on the journey is guitarist Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), bassist Simon Andersson (Darkwater), and drummer Darby Todd (Devin Townsend). Threshold's Karl Groom has also performed a couple of great guitar solos on the album, while the vocal and keyboard duties fall to me."


Atomic Fire Records' co-founder and A&R Markus Wosgien adds, "We have been friends with Threshold-keyboardist Richard West for many years now and, above all, have always had a huge amount of respect for his skills and the work of his band. Legends Of The Shires was another masterpiece from the Brits: a captivating double concept album with one prog anthem following the other. When Rich presented us with a follow-up to Legends Of The Shires, which he had put together under a new band name, we were immediately hooked and can't wait to share this prog masterpiece with the rest of the world."




The band is currently wrapping up the recording process for this special project and The Fall Of The Shires is scheduled to see release in 2023. Further details will be revealed soon.


Oblivion Protocol:


Richard West - vocals, keyboards
Ruud Jolie - guitars
Simon Andersson - bass
Darby Todd - drums

Grammy-winning hard rock band HALESTORM has announced a deluxe edition of its album "Back From The Dead". "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" will include seven previously unreleased B-sides, including "Mine", a 1980s-inspired rocker which can be heard below. "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" is available December 9 digitally, on CD, and cassette tape, marking the first time that the album has been offered in those physical formats.

"I'm so pleased to be able to give you more," said frontwoman Lzzy Hale. "A deluxe version of 'Back From The Dead' with seven bonus tracks means you get to dig down deeper into the HALESTORM graveyard. Most of these songs are in the spirit of taking chances and were some of the first we'd written after getting together post lockdown. Enjoy the ride!"

"Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" track listing:

01. Back From The Dead
02. Wicked Ways
03. Strange Girl
04. Brightside
05. The Steeple
06. Terrible Things
07. My Redemption
08. Bombshell
09. I Come First
10. Psycho Crazy
11. Raise Your Horns
12. Mine
13. Heavy MeNtal (F**k Yeah)
14. Legendary
15. Wannabe
16. You Only Die Once
17. Alien
18. Special

"Back From The Dead" was released in May via Atlantic. The follow-up to 2018's "Vicious" was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, MASTODON, ALICE IN CHAINS) with co-production by Scott Stevens (SHINEDOWN, DAUGHTRY, NEW YEARS DAY).

According to a press release, "Back From The Dead" quickly evolved from songwriting exercises into a matter of survival for HALESTORM. Lzzy said: "We started writing this album about three months B.C. (Before COVID). Once we went into lockdown and were unable to perform and tour, I fell into a dark place and something of an identity crisis. This album is the story of me carving myself out of that abyss. It is a journey of navigating mental health, debauchery, survival, redemption, rediscovery, and still maintaining faith in humanity."

Last November, Lzzy told the 105.7 The Point radio station about the musical direction of the new HALESTORM material: "This album is absolutely a banger. It's on eleven. We have really just kind of exceeded all of the energy that has come before on these albums, both technically, music-wise, vocally, drum, lyric-wise. I think because of the roller-coaster ride when we were making this record, and just through the pandemic and all the different phases of that, we just kind of looked at each other, like, if the future is unknown and we don't know whether we're actually going to be out and playing these things, everything has to be, like I said, at eleven. It's HALESTORM elevated."

According to Lzzy, she and her bandmates recorded the new HALESTORM album in a different way. "This is the first time that we've ever had dual producers," she explained. "We went back with Nick Raskulinecz [who helmed 'Vicious']. And then I ended up doing my vocals with Scott Stevens from THE EXIES. He's like a brother from another mother with me. We've written together before, and we've known each other for probably just shy of a decade now. He and I, we produced and did all the vocals for [HALESTORM's recently released single] 'Back From The Dead' with each other, because I went out to L.A. And then we ended up sending it to Nick, and Nick's, like, 'This is just absolutely amazing. We have to do every song this way.' So we kind of did it differently. We ended up with the bare bones of a demo. I ended up finishing all of my vocals — like dunzo — before we ended up building the track musically. So it's kind of like building a pyramid upside down. But it ended up really just having this different energy, because what we were able to do with the lyrics and melody and all the vocals being done would really accentuate all of that — matching the theme to whatever I was singing about, but also just kind of really supporting the vocals musically when we went in to do the guitars and drums and bass. It's so crazy — it definitely has this very forward, very aggressive nature to it because of the way that we did that."

Lzzy and her brother Arejay (drums) formed the band in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

In December 2018, HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable". Six years earlier, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)".

"Over 3 million of you screamed for us and we thank every single one of you for making this an unforgettable tour."


Iron Maiden’s Legacy Of The Beast tour ended last night at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida with yet another sold-out US show in front of over 12,000 fans.


Band manager Rod Smallwood says:




“On behalf of the band, myself and all at Phantom, we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who made this Legacy tour such a special and memorable experience. First and most importantly you, the fans, especially those affected by problems caused by the global pandemic which led to the 2020 European stadium shows having to be rescheduled not just once but twice!


Your patience and good-will in holding on to your tickets and waiting until we could finally bring the Legacy show to you was very much appreciated. You truly are the best and playing to over 3 million of you over the extended tour was a hell of an achievement so thanks to each and every one of you for making this both possible and also making it incredible fun for the band who enjoyed pretty much every minute on stage.


We’d also like to thank our brilliant touring Killer Krew - both the longstanding and newer members to the Maiden family, who never cease to rise to any challenges thrown their way - and there were a few - no mean feat considering this tour covered 33 countries and 139 shows played since we started in Tallinn way back on May 26 2018.


Thanks also to all our Special Guests and support acts who played on the tour since 2018: Airbourne, Avatar, Fozzy, Gojira, Killswitch Engage, Lord of the Lost, Mastodon, Powerwolf, Rage In My Eyes, Rhapsody Of Fire, Sabaton, Serpentor, Shinedown, Tempt, The Hellacopters, The Raven Age, Tremonti, Trivium and Within Temptation.


Thanks also to our suppliers, our agents, promoters, merchandisers and everyone else involved in bringing this show to you night after night, city after city.


And finally, both personally and, I am sure, on behalf of all of you – massive thanks to Bruce, Steve, Dave, Adrian, Janick and Nicko who never let up, played, and sang! magnificently and matched every crowd for passion and enthusiasm every single night, wherever they were. Guys – I don’t know how you do it but we are all bloody glad you do!!


We are all now going to take a well-earned break and we’ll be back again next year with a great new show, THE FUTURE PAST TOUR playing just Europe this time as the 2022 Legacy tour was such a long run to enable us to see as many of you fans as possible post-pandemic. However, THE FUTURE PAST TOUR will continue into 2024 and who knows where it will go… so stay tuned!!"





 


(Pictured above: Tampa, Florida: Nicko McBrain being presented with an award disc on behalf of Iron Maiden from their agents CAA (N.America) and K2 (rest of world) commemorating the amazing achievement of 3 million tickets sold on the legacy of the beast tour.)


 





(Photos - IronMaiden.com)

Longtime DEAD KENNEDYS drummer D.H. Peligro has died at the age of 63.

The news of Peligro passing was shared by the band in a social media post earlier today (Saturday, October 29).

DEAD KENNEDYS' statement reads as follows: "DEAD KENNEDYS' drummer D.H. Peligro (Darren Henley) passed away in his Los Angeles home yesterday, October 28th. Police on the scene stated that he died from trauma to the head caused by an accidental fall. Arrangements are pending and will be announced in the coming days. We ask that you respect the family's privacy during this difficult time. Thank you for your thoughts and words of comfort."

Peligro joined the DEAD KENNEDYS in February 1981, replacing original drummer, Ted, and made his recorded debut with the group on the EP "In God We Trust, Inc." which was released in December of that year. He would go on to record the studio albums "Plastic Surgery Disasters", "Frankenchrist" and "Bedtime For Democracy", as well as singles/rarities collection "Give Me Convenience Or Give Me Death". DEAD KENNEDYS broke up in December 1986.

In 2001, DEAD KENNEDYS, along with Peligro, reunited without former frontman and primary songwriter Jello Biafra following a civil fraud complaint against Biafra, accusing him of withholding royalties. DR. KNOW singer Brandon Cruz would replace Biafra on vocals and they played under the name DK KENNEDYS for a few concerts, but later reverted to DEAD KENNEDYS permanently.

In early 2008, Peligro took a hiatus from DEAD KENNEDYS, citing the need for time off from touring. The brief hiatus lasted until June 2009 when Peligro rejoined the band.

In 1988, Peligro joined the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, replacing Jack Irons, before being fired for drug and alcohol issues. He has released three albums with his band PELIGRO: "Peligro" (released in 1995 on Biafra's Alternative Tentacles record label); "Welcome To America"; and "Sum Of Our Surroundings", which won "Rock Album Of The Year" at the 2004 American Independent Music Awards. He also recorded a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze", which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Dead Kennedys' drummer D.H. Peligro (Darren Henley) passed away in his Los Angeles home yesterday, October 28th. Police...

Posted by Dead Kennedys on Saturday, October 29, 2022

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Former CANDLEMASS singer Messiah Marcolin and longtime CANDLEMASS guitarist Mats "Mappe" Björkman joined Canadian metallers ANVIL on stage this past Thursday (October 27) at the Slaktkyrkan venue in Stockholm, Sweden to perform the classic ANVIL song "Metal On Metal". Fan-filmed video and photos of their appearance can be found below.

Messiah told BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "It's the first time in 16 years me and my old friend Mats Mappe Björkman from CANDLEMASS [were] together on the same stage. We are both old ANVIL fans since being teenagers. Since we are friends with ANVIL they invited us up on stage and it was great fun!"

Marcolin exited CANDLEMASS for the presumably final time in 2006, one year after the release of the band's self-titled album. He was later replaced by Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETURNUS),who sang on the band's "King Of The Grey Islands" (2007),"Death Magic Doom" (2009) and "Psalms For The Dead" (2012) LPs. CANDLEMASS's frontman between 2012 and 2018 was Mats Levén, who previously recorded and toured with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and THERION. Four years ago, CANDLEMASS fired Levén and rehired Johan Längqvist. Längqvist sang on CANDLEMASS's debut album, 1986's "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus", before exiting the group and being replaced by Marcolin.

Several years ago, Messiah told Metal Rules that he was "very honored" by new bands who cite CANDLEMASS as an influence on their music. "If anyone wants to be inspirited by CANDLEMASS, it is the most respectable thing what a band ever can get," he said. "I love WITCHFINDER GENERAL which are very BLACK SABBATH influenced and PENTAGRAM, which is fucking great. The first PENTAGRAM album is great, and, of course, TROUBLE is influenced by BLACK SABBATH, and CANDLEMASS is also influenced by BLACK SABBATH — the whole fucking world is influenced by BLACK SABBATH. But, I mean, CANDLEMASS made its own style — we don't sound exactly the same, but the heaviness is the same, but the music is different. We created our own style, doom metal stuff and all the other bands which have taken it after, it is a great honor."

Tonight was a UNIQUE evening when Mappe and Messiah from Candlemass did a guest apperance with the legendary Anvil! 🔥🤘🏼...

Posted by Republic 66 on Thursday, October 27, 2022

Three days before the release of Cassius King's seconnd album, Dread The Dawn, vocalist Jason McMaster got a phone call asking him to fill in for Accept's vocalist Mark Tornillo, who was sick.


McMaster said, "It wan honor to work with Accept this past week as fill in vocalist. To play the east coast, where Cassius King hails from, and even on the new album's release date! I am feeling blessed this month overall. Dread The Dawn is a great record that I am very proud of."


Jason talks about the experience at length on his podcast Talk Louder in their newest episode below:

††† (CROSSES) — DEFTONES frontman Chino Moreno's project with FAR guitarist Shaun Lopez — will release a new EP, "Permanent.Radiant", on December 9. The official music video for one of the EP's tracks, "Vivien", directed by Lopez and Lorenzo Diego Carrera, can be seen below.

"Permanent.Radiant" will arrive nine months after ††† (CROSSES) released two new songs, "Initiation" and "Protection", neither one of which will appear on the new EP.

"Permanent.Radiant" track listing:

01. Sensation
02. Vivien
03. Cadavre Exquis
04. Day One
05. Holier
06. Procession

Last December, Lopez confirmed that ††† (CROSSES) had signed a new deal with Warner Records. That same month, ††† (CROSSES) dropped its cover of Q Lazzarus's "Goodbye Horses" as a digital single. The track was previously covered by ††† (CROSSES) back in 2014.

Prior to "Goodbye Horses"' digital arrival, ††† (CROSSES)'s last release was a cover of "The Beginning Of The End" by '90s electropop band CAUSE & EFFECT. Made available in December 2020, it was the first new music from the alternative band since its 2014-released, self-titled record.

Moreno told The Pulse Of Radio how he got involved with the group in the first place, which was started by Lopez and Chuck Doom. "Shaun and Chuck were working together for a while before I came into the picture, and I just so happened to come in one day," he said. "These guys were, you know, writing some stuff and I heard it and I liked it right off the bat, and I sort of weaseled my way [Laughs] into the project. I think their idea was to get a bunch of different singers to, you know, just write different tracks, and... it didn't happen."

††† (CROSSES)'s CD included the songs from the band's two previously released EPs along with five new tracks.

Moreno told Rolling Stone about ††† (CROSSES)' sound: "By listening to the music, you can tell that a lot of the influences come from the new-wave era. That was basically the scene that I came up on. I just happened to wind up in a metal band when I was 15."

Asked about ††† (CROSSES)'s heavy use of the cross in the band's imagery and songtitles, Moreno said: "I think a lot of bands are influenced by religious symbolism and not even necessarily Christianity or Catholicism. Our band definitely doesn't follow any of those. It's more of the aesthetic. The art, the way it works. The initial name of the band was going to be HOLY GHOST. But at the last minute, another band came out with the name, so Shaun suggested CROSSES. It's a very strong symbol. Three crosses is great. It's great to look at, there's three of us in the band."

††† (CROSSES) made its live debut in January 2012 at The Glass House in Pomona, California.

Extreme industrial metal pioneers, Fear Factory, have released their new album, Recoded, via Nuclear Blast. Like the innovative one-two punch of Demanufacture and Remanufacture, Recoded brilliantly reimagines the songs from 2021’s landmark Aggression Continuum with diverse ferocity.


Today, the band offers the lyric video for "Hatred Will Prevail" ( Monolith Remix By Rhys Fulber) which can be viewed below:







The remixes stand as a mesmerizing counterpart to the band’s tenth album. Produced by co-founder, songwriter, and guitarist Dino Cazares and mixed/mastered by Damien Rainaud (Dragonforce, Once Human), Recoded boasts new interpretations of Aggression Continuum songs. Recoded features long-time collaborator Rhys Fulber, Zardonic, Tyrant Of Death, Rob GEE, BLUSH_RESPONSE, and Dualized. The album is the fourth Fear Factory album with artwork by Anthony Clarkson.





Recoded is available in the following formats:


- CD Jewel
- LP *All vinyl formats arrive on February 10, 2023*
 * Blue Swirl (Ltd. to 300)
 * Pink Swirl (Ltd. to 2000)
 * Transparent Red Rainbow Splatter Vinyl (Ltd to 1,500; NB EU Exclusive)
- T-Shirt
- CD Jewel + T-Shirt Bundle


Order and save the remix album here.





Tracklisting:


"Adapt Or Die" - Intro Narrative By Jake Stern, Sound FX By Zardonic
"Hatred Will Prevail" - Monolith Remix By Rhys Fulber
"Disobey" - Disruptor Remix By Zardonic
"I Am The Nightrider "- Fuel Injected Suicide Machine Remix By Dualized/Zardonic
"Path To Salvation" - Purity Remix By Rhys Fulber
"Worthless" - End of Line Remix By Zardonic
"Empires Fall" - Collapse Remix By Tyrant Of Death
"System Assassin" - Aggression Continuum Remix By Rhys Fulber
"Hypocrisy Of Faith" - Manufactured Hope Remix By Rob GEE
"This Is My Life" - Cognitive Dissonance Remix By Zardonic
"Recoded" - Recode Remix By Blush Response


Limited edition vinyl contains two bonus tracks:


"Turbo Factory" - End Of Line Remix by Turboslash
"Break Off" - Disruptor Remix by Rhys Fulber


"Disobey" - Disruptor Remix By Zardonic video:

CNN is reporting that  Jerry Lee Lewis, the piano-pounding, foot-stomping singer who electrified early rock ‘n’ roll with hits like “Great Balls Of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” before marital scandal derailed his career, has died, according to a statement from his representative, Zach Farnum. He was 87.


Lewis passed away at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, south of Memphis, the statement said. Farnum told CNN that Lewis died of “natural causes” when reached by phone.


His seventh wife, Judith, was by his side when he died and Lewis “told her, in his final days, that he welcomed the hereafter, and that he was not afraid,” the statement added.




Along with Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and others, Lewis was one of the leading figures of the 1950s rock era and a master showman – nicknamed “The Killer” – whose raw, uninhibited performances drove young fans into spasmodic fits.


“I was born to be on a stage. I couldn’t wait to be on it. I dreamed about it. And I’ve been on one all my life,” Lewis said in “Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story,” a 2014 biography by Rick Bragg. “That’s where I’m the happiest.”  


But offstage, the singer’s personal life was turbulent. Lewis was near the peak of his popularity in 1958 when the public learned that he had married Myra Gale Brown, his first cousin. She was 13 at the time; Lewis was 22.


News of the marriage leaked in London, where Lewis had flown to play some concerts. Lewis told the press that Myra was 15, but the truth soon came out and caused an outcry, as newspapers blared such headlines as “Fans Aghast at Child Bride.” Audiences heckled Lewis, and the tour was canceled after three shows.


Lewis continued to record and tour over the next decade, but his rockabilly music didn’t sell in the Beatles era and he couldn’t regain the popularity of his early years – until he made an unlikely comeback as a country singer.


Read the full report at CNN.

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, legendary drummer Carmine Appice commented on the copyright dispute over whether LED ZEPPELIN's classic song "Stairway To Heaven" was a rip-off of SPIRIT's "Taurus".

Michael Skidmore, the trustee of "Taurus" songwriter Randy "California" Wolfe's estate, had brought the claims more than four decades after "Stairway To Heaven" appeared on LED ZEPPELIN's untitled album, better known as "Led Zeppelin IV".

In June 2016, a Los Angeles jury deliberated for about five hours before deciding unanimously in favor of LED ZEPPELIN. The case was revived in 2018 before a court of appeals upheld the original verdict in 2020. In October of that year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, definitively ending it.

Carmine, whose band VANILLA FUDGE took LED ZEPPELIN out on its first North American tour in 1968, stated about the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit: "That was all baloney… Those chords are a stock set of chords. There's not anything that's amazing about the chords. It's the melody on top and the lyrics and the way they arranged it that really made the song happen. So it's just, I guess, some guys trying to make some money because maybe they're hurtin'. Randy California died. Who else is in the band? Randy's father died. The surviving members probably didn't go on to do anything, so they thought, 'Well, maybe we could sue LED ZEPPELIN?' There were other lawsuits that meant more, like when Ozzy [Osbourne] got sued by [his former bandmates] Bob [Daisley] and Lee [Kerslake] for the first [Ozzy solo] album ['Blizzard Of Ozz']. [Editor's note: Appice is referring to Daisley and Kerslake's lawsuit against Ozzy and the singer's wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, over unpaid performance royalties.] That was legitimate. And they lost, when they shouldn't have lost."

LED ZEPPELIN singer Robert Plant testified in court that he had no recollection of ever hearing "Taurus" before. "I didn't remember it then, and I don't remember it now," he said. LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page also testified that he had not copied any part of "Taurus" even though he owned five discs by SPIRIT among his collection of 4,000 vinyl records.

Enrico Bonadio, a senior lecturer in law from City University London, told Newsweek in April 2016: "I don't think that it is appropriate to consider the act of devising a tune that simply has the same 'feel' and 'groove' as another as copyright infringement. This is how music creativity often works. Musicians frequently build upon earlier arrangements and styles, and so the increasing occurrence of cases such as these should give us pause."

After the 2016 trial, plaintiff's attorney Francis Malofiy claimed he lost his case on a technicality, insisting that it was unfair the jury was unable to listen to the sound recording of "Taurus" and instead was limited to hearing an expert performance of the registered sheet music.

Malofiy received over a hundred sustained objections and "multiple admonishments" during the ZEPPELIN trial, with the band's publishing company Warner/Chappell Music filing documents asking the judge to order the plaintiffs to pay over $613,000 in costs for defending against the lawsuit.

In various interviews over the years, Carmine has claimed that one of John Bonham's licks, a triplet bass drum motif used most prominently on "Good Times, Bad Times", the opening track on the first LED ZEPPELIN album, was inspired by something Carmine did on either the first VANILLA FUDGE LP or the "Renaissance" record.

Back in 2014, Carmine said that he would love to play with a reunited LED ZEPPELIN, claiming that he is a better fit to replace Bonham than John's son Jason.

VANILLA FUDGE released the album "Vanilla Zeppelin" digitally on September 30 via Golden Robot Records. The collection of reworked LED ZEPPELIN classics was described in a press release as "a great ode to one of the most respected and best bands of all time by one of the most respected and best bands of all time."

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson was asked if he has heard the band's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I heard bits and pieces of it as it was being put together — obviously, vocals and lyrics and things like that.

"I do not own a copy of the new one, nor will I," he continued. "Honestly, once I was let go, I moved on. And I didn't look back… For me, it's, like, 'Well, move on. I've been here before. I've been without MEGADETH once before. Everything worked out fine.' I think the difference was this time… The first time, I'd only done MEGADETH for almost 20 years, so when it ended, it was a pretty abrupt… the plane fell from the sky pretty frickin' hard for everybody. This time I was prepared for it. And the transition… I mean, look, we didn't work very much in the last five years I was in the band anyway — that album took almost five years to get it together and get it out. So honestly I'd been already working on a bunch of other stuff. I'd been doing Ellefson solo records, playing on other records, I worked with Al Jourgensen from MINISTRY, I wrote books. So my creative thing was really up and running and in motion. So it's kind of, like, 'Well, one gig went away. Oh, well. Next. Move on.' I don't have time to sit around and get all butthurt about it; I just fucking moved on. And that, I think, kind of just keeps me positive and moving forward."

Ellefson also talked about KINGS OF THRASH, his new project with former MEGADETH guitarist Jeff Young. Earlier this month, KINGS OF THRASH completed a four-date West Coast tour during which the band was joined for several songs by another former MEGADETH guitarist, Chris Poland. KINGS OF THRASH, which also includes drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon, performed MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" and "So Far, So Good… So What!" in their entirety.

"I think what we're doing with KINGS OF THRASH is we're honoring the legacy, in a way," David said. "I'm kind of trying to keep my arms around the legacy and keep it kind of pulled together, 'cause it's all of ours to share; it belongs to everybody. It's not just any one person's legacy; we were all there; we all created it; we were all part of it. And you can hear it, especially with KINGS OF THRASH. You go, 'My God. There it is. That's the sound.' And especially to bring in a couple of new guys, like Fred Aching on drums and Chaz on guitar. They're young; they appreciate it; they support it. And I'm grateful that the fans are there to support it. I listen to them; I hear what the fans are asking for. I tried to get a bunch of those songs in the set for the last five years, and it just didn't happen. And I'm, like, well, I know the fans wanna hear these songs. Fuck it. I'll go out and play 'em with my friends. And we'll have a great time doing it and we'll have fun and it'll make the fans happy. And at the end of the night, that's the ultimate hi-five."

Ellefson, who has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona since 1994, was fired from MEGADETH in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

Ellefson laid down his bass tracks on MEGADETH's sixteenth LP in May 2020 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

In July 2021, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine announced during an episode of his Gimme Radio program "The Dave Mustaine Show" that Ellefson's bass tracks would not be used on the new MEGADETH LP.

"The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" was released on September 2 via UMe. Just months after TESTAMENT bassist Steve DiGiorgio recorded his parts for the effort, former MEGADETH bassist James LoMenzo rejoined the band in time for the summer 2021 leg of "The Metal Tour Of The Year".

LoMenzo joined MEGADETH in 2006 and appeared on two of the group's studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame". He was fired from the band in 2010 and replaced with Ellefson.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play.

Mustaine reformed MEGADETH 18 years ago. Originally setting out to record a solo album, Mustaine enlisted studio musicians to play on what ultimately became MEGADETH's 2004 "The System Has Failed" comeback album, subsequently recruiting former ICED EARTH bassist James MacDonough to take Ellefeson's place for the album's touring cycle.

In 2004, Ellefson sued Mustaine for $18.5 million, alleging that Mustaine still owed him substantial merchandise and publishing royalties. In January 2005, the case was dismissed in court, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH.

In his lawsuit, Ellefson claimed that he "attempted to resolve his differences with Mustaine on an amicable basis and offered to continue to perform with [MEGADETH]." However, his "offers were met with verbal abuse, threats, lies and continued invective from Mustaine." Ellefson also said that Mustaine — a veteran of at least 17 drug rehab stints, according to the bassist — resented Ellefson, a former drug addict, for having kicked his own habit. According to Ellefson's court papers, the battle of the band spread to the Internet when Mustaine posted on Megadeth.com that Ellefson was trying to extort him.

Mustaine gave his version of why the 2004 reunion with Ellefson didn't pan out in a message posted on the MEGADETH web site. In lengthy essay, Mustaine claimed that Ellefson missed several deadlines to accept his offer, which included 20% of the artist royalties on "The System Has Failed", none of the publishing royalties and a $2,500-a-week salary while the band was on the road.

In a new interview with Germany's Rock Antenne, THE CULT frontman Ian Astbury was full of praise for the band's latest album, "Under The Midnight Sun", calling it "essential." He clarified: "If you're a fan of rock music, our new record's essential… I don't think there's any recent releases of rock music that come close to 'Under The Midnight Sun'. And to say that, it may sound like an arrogant statement, but I'm tired of this bullshit. Stop it. Stop phoning it in. Stop exploiting your fans. Stop patronizing your fans. And stop calling them fans. They're your benefactors. Our audience are our benefactors."

Astbury continued: "I have such incredible gratitude and respect to people who would actually pay their hard-earned money to walk through a door, buy a record, come to a show, buy a t-shirt. Are you kidding? I was one; I am one. I appreciate that. I appreciate them. And that's why we made this record, because we wanted it to be the best of the best of the best. It's a gift. Yeah, you've gotta pay for it. But I'm sorry, that's… it's society."

"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 previously spoke highly of "Under The Midnight Sun" this past July in an interview with Dayton Daily News. At the time, he said: "It is a different animal. It destroys 'Hidden City' and anything else we've done in quite a while. We dug deep and put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this record.

"It's a brave new world out there and we want to be a part of it, but you don't get to be a part of it unless you're doing your best work," he added. "There are no free passes for anyone. You're only as good as what's happening today."

In a separate interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, Astbury stated about "Under The Midnight Sun": "This new album is a really honest, authentic depiction of where we are today. It's a very focused record and it's layered, it's dense, it's celebratory and it gets dark. There's a lot in this record. It's an amalgamation of THE CULT's major influences, the DNA of the band all culminating in a very special moment."

Born out of the ashes of the U.K. post-punk scene, THE CULT evolved to become one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of the late 20th century, selling millions of albums, headlining arenas and stadiums around the world, infusing innovative possibilities into the worlds of music and art, and quickly ascending through the ranks of the indie music world to achieve global status. THE CULT, whose music transformed from punk rock to post-punk, psychedelia, heavy dance music and transcendental hard rock, became one of the handful of important bands in the U.S. post-modern and hard rock communities, and was embraced by a generation that was waking up to the influence of 1960s and 1970s rock icons like LED ZEPPELIN, THE NEW YORK DOLLS and David Bowie.

The constant core of THE CULT is the "head and heart" of the band, Astbury and guitarist/composer Billy Duffy. Attitude incarnate, the chemistry between these two vastly different artists — equal parts genuine affection and palpable tension — remains the source of their long-standing partnership. Duffy grounds Astbury's esoteric side with a hard rock perspective, and there is no doubt that at all times, these two have each other's back. THE CULT's current lineup also includes former WHITE ZOMBIE, EXODUS and TESTAMENT drummer John Tempesta.

"We're ready to hit the road! 🤘 Our tour with W.A.S.P. starts tomorrow at The House Of Blues Las Vegas! To celebrate, today we're unveiling another video filmed live at the Whisky A Go-Go, for 'Missile To Gun' 🔥 Enjoy, and we'll see ya down front!"





The tour launches on October 28, at House Of Blues in Las Vegas, NV. Find the complete itinerary here.

JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill says that he and his bandmates had no say in which former and current members of the group will get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

JUDAS PRIEST will be inducted into the Rock Hall next month. PRIEST will receive the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which will honor Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the JUDAS PRIEST members that will get inducted include current members Rob Halford (vocals),Hill, Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members K.K. Downing (guitar),Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

The 2022 Rock Hall induction ceremony will be held on November 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. It will air at a later date on HBO and stream on HBO Max. There will also be a radio simulcast on SiriusXM's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Radio channel 310.

Asked in a new interview with Rock 100.5 The KATT's Cameron Buchholtz if JUDAS PRIEST was involved in the decision-making process about who gets inducted into the Rock Hall, Hill said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. That's all the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame people. They induct who they think is worthy [laughs], for want of a better word. So Ken's [K.K.] gonna be there. He's been a huge part of the band from its inception right up until he left about 10 years now. And, of course, Les Binks is gonna be there as well. And it's a shame poor old Dave Holland, he didn't make it. He's being inducted [as well]. Unfortunately, he died a couple of years ago now, which is a shame, really. But, yeah, everybody that's up there deserves it greatly."

Pressed about whether he would personally do it differently, if he could, and make sure that current PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner and former PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens were also being inducted, Ian said: "Richie's gonna be there anyway. He's gonna be up on stage; he's gonna be playing with us anyway.

"I think one of the parameters is you have to have played for the band for 25 years or something like that, or over the last 25 years," Ian said. "And it's got nothing to do with us. If it was up to us, we probably would have inducted [Richie and] Ripper. But it's not up to us. We had no say, really. Pity, but it is what it is."

Ian also confirmed that PRIEST will perform with three guitarists and two drummers for the first time at the Rock Hall, with Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis set to be joined by Faulkner, Binks and Downing at the event. "It's gonna be special, I think," Hill said. "Either that or it will all implode. [Laughs]"

Asked if he has any hesitation about playing with K.K. again, Ian said: "Not really. He deserves to be up there with us. He really does. Like I say, he played an immense part in the band while he was there. So, yeah, I've got no problem with him being up there at all."

Earlier in the month, Travis told the "Rocker Morning Show"'s Mark Frankhouse of the 107.7 RKR radio station that he and his bandmates will perform "a medley" of PRIEST classics at the Rock Hall induction ceremony.

JUDAS PRIEST was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction in 2020, but failed to receive enough votes to make that year's class.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was also on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

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 Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Hammer King recently released their new studio album, Kingdemonium. Today, the band have released a drum playthrough video for the title track. Watch below:





Watch the official music video for “Kingdemonium”:







Kingdemonium highlights the core essence of Hammer King and fully reflects on the strengths of the band, kicking off with first track “Invisible King”. The title track, “Kingdemonium” then proves its pure power from the first note and goes all the way with thundering drums, riffs made of steel, and energetic vocals. Followed by “The Four Horsemen”, starting off slower, the track quickly picks up the pace mid-journey through the world of the Hammer King. “Guardians of the Realm" (featuring Ross The Boss), stands out from the rest with the vigorous vocals riddled with acoustic guitar elements, while "Live Long, Die Nasty" is a future live hit that will have all crowds screaming along immediately. An album made of pure steel in the name of the Hammer King.


Order the new album here.





Kingdemonium tracklisting:


"Invisible King"
"Pariah Is My Name"
"We Shall Rise"
"Live Long, Die Nasty"
"The 7th Of The 7 Kings"
"Kingdemonium"
"Other Kingdoms Fall"
"The Four Horsemen"
"Guardians Of The Realm"
"Age of Urizen"


Bonus tracks:


"Mark Of The Beast"
"Ashes Of My Oath"
"Holy Is The Hammer"
"Hammerschlag" (Gerre version)


“Invisible King” video:





"Pariah Is My Name" video:





Lineup:


Titan Fox V - vocals/guitar
Gino Wilde - guitar
Günt von Schratenau - bass
Dolph Aidan Macallan - drums


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

French black metal duo, Depressive Witches, have signed with Wormholedeath a deal for their album, Distant Kingdoms, due for release on November 25.


Says the band in regards to the signing: "We are proud to announce the release of our new album, Distant Kingdoms, on the Italian record label Wormholedeath, a subdivision of Aural music."


The band, speaking of the album, stated: “We are excited to reveal this new album, which is the perfect mix of our main influences: black’n’roll, heavy metal, and classic rock. Music is perfectly serving the album theme, which is focused on epicness, battles, and exploration of new worlds, as we did for songwriting. Distant Kingdoms is a black metal album with so many influences, really rare in this genre. We kept our punky sound and mixed it with folk melodies, always with this “in your face” style, this is why fans loved the first album. We see being a duo band as an intense and intimate way to play music, and not a reduction of sound diversity, so we’re not afraid to mix every sound we love.”




Even just being two musicians on stage, they leave nothing behind and can fill out the space with their massive sound and dynamic energy.





Depressive Witches was formed in 2018 in Picardy, France by brothers Sick Bab (Baptiste Robert) on vocals and guitar, and Torvuus (Paul Robert) on guitars and drums. Linked by both blood and a passion for black and extreme metal, creating music together was only natural. In 2021, they released their debut album Bad Flask, which leaned heavily into the traditional black metal influences of the duo and contained lyrical themes revolving around witchcraft, curses, and epic fights. The release was recorded by Jonas Sanders & Ivan Houben, and mixed/mastered by Jonas Sanders at Blackout Studio, in Brussels.


2022 witnesses a new album from the band. Distant Kingdoms was again recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jonas Sänders. In contrast to the first album, it pays homage to its rock influences and contains more solos and clean vocals. An anomaly in the black metal scene, it is a mix of black metal, punk, heavy metal, joyful & darkened riffs, like black’n’roll but more festive and epic. Lyrically it looks into adventures, magic battles/war, and high fantasy which take inspiration from RPG video games with medieval themes, nature, and black magic.





Tracklisting:


"Distant Kingdoms"
"In The Hall Of The Sleeping King"
"Oh My Dear Wyvern"
"Wizard! Open The Gates!"
"Pit Of Goblins"
"Tonight I Will Hide My Heart In Space"
"Forgotten Icebergs"
"Cancel Your Wedding And Fuck The Witch"
"A Land To Lead"


Album teaser:





Lineup:


Sick Bab – vocals, guitars
Torvuus – drums, guitars, vocals

On the eve of the release of their new album, 'Triggered!', Massive Wagons have shared the new single, "Skateboard" and its official video. The song is available now on all streaming platforms.Triggered! is available worldwide tomorrow, October 28 via Earache Records.


Frontman Barry "Baz" Mills reflects, "This was the first track to come out of the studio complete, it was the first one we heard. I remember sending it to our manger and she fell in love with it. It’s still her favourite I think, she said it reminded her of the stuff she listened to growing up in the 2000’s, which I thought was cool. It’s a proper great love track, bouncy and catchy! The middle section is my favourite part, which was a late addition. To be honest the song doesn't make a lot of sense - it's kinda about losing your marbles and going a bit mad dealing with what’s chucked at you - but it sounded good so I left it alone!"


Watch the video, created by Video Ink, below:







Triggered! is available for pre-order here on limited coloured vinyl (including green, orange and pink vinyl), black vinyl, signed CD, cassette and digital download. There are also six white vinyl editions available as part of a special collector's bundle, featuring six different front and back covers.





Tracklisting:


"Fuck The Haters"
"Please Stay Calm"
"Generation Prime"
"A.S.S.H.O.L.E."
"Skateboard"
"Gone Are The Days"
"Triggered"
"Giulia"
"Germ"
"Never Been A Problem"
"Big Time"
"Sawdust"
"No Friend Of Mine"


"Generation Prime" video:





"Please Stay Calm" video:





"Fuck The Haters" video:

Los Angeles-based shock rockers, Society 1, have announced Erik Kluiber (Void Vator, ex-Gypsyhawk, etc.) as their new guitar player, and have entered Skylit Studios to begin recording new material.


Kluiber will join the band on the upcoming "Rise Of The Machines" tour next year with Static-X, Fear Factory, and Dope.


"I've known about the insane shock rock of Society 1 for decades. The timing worked out perfectly for me to throw my hat in the ring and get involved," says Kluiber. "The new tunes kick ass, and I can't wait for us to hit the road for the Rise Of The Machines tour."




Check out Kluiber in the studio here, laying down impressive guitar work for the yet-to-be-released single, "The Fight
Within", due out January 2023.





Rise Of The Machine tour dates:


February
25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
27 - Portland, OR - Roseland
28 - Seattle, WA - Showbox


March
1 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
2 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
3 - Boise, ID - Revolution Concert Hall
4 - Reno, NV - Virginia Street Brewhouse
5 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
7 - Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren
8 - Albuquerque, NM - El Rey Theater
9 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
10 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
11 - San Antonio, TX - The Aztec Theater
12 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues
14 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
15 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live
16 - Charlotte, NC - Underground
17 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
18 - Philadelphia, PA - T.L.A.

Extreme metal outfit, Obsidious, will release their new album, Iconic, on Friday (October 28) via Season Of Mist. Pre-order the album here.


The band have released a new video for the track, "I Am". Obsidious comment: “The concept of the lyrics of this song is a little more abstract. It is the personification of a feeling speaking to its host, presenting itself and convincing the host to embrace it and ultimately succumb to it. It is like the biblical story of temptation being represented by the devil, but, in this case, without the willpower to resist.”


The video was shot during their performance at the Euroblast Festival last month and can be viewed below:







Obsidious are leading the charge for the modern evolution of progressive and technical metal with their debut album, Iconic. Featuring Linus Klausenitzer (bass), Rafael Trujillo (guitars), Sebastian Lanser (drums), and vocalist Javi Perera (vocals), the band has distinguished and lettered origins in Obscura, Alkaloid, Eternity’s End, and Juggernaut.


Obsidious, however, are a different creature entirely. Iconic is technical but not officious, and the album breathes intensity but expands upon it with mellifluent dexterity. With Obsidious, there’s always a hook: Iconic may build upon a prestigious foundation but its vision isn’t restricted to its tenets.


Cover artwork by Adrien Bousson.





Tracklisting:


"Under Black Skies"
"Sense Of Lust"
"Iconic"
"Bound By Fire"
"Iron & Dust"
"I Am"
"Delusion"
"Devotion"
"Nowhere"
"Lake Of Afterlife"


"Lake Of Afterlife" video:





"Bound By Fire" visualizer:





"Under Black Skies" lyric video:





"Devotion" band playthrough video:

On December 9, Frontiers Music Srl will release the debut solo album from vocalist Tommy DeCarlo, entitled Dancing In The Moonlight.


DeCarlo, best known for having performed with Boston since 2007, is a world class vocalist with vocal chops perfectly suited for the classic AOR style that dominated popular culture in the '70s and into the '80s.  He also fronts the band DeCarlo, in which his son Tommy DeCarlo, Jr. plays guitar.


Watch a lyric video for the song "The Game Is On" below, and pre-order/save Dancing In The Moonlight here.




Frontiers President & Head of A&R, Serafino Perugino was already well aware of DeCarlo's work and had signed his band DeCarlo to the label a few years back for the release of their debut album, Lightning Strikes Twice. Perugino had a vision for DeCarlo to do an album which would fall in line musically with the aforementioned classic '70s AOR rock sound, with an organic and "live" feel to it.


Dancing In The Moonlight'showcases a sound that is a bit different from the debut DeCarlo album but is also a wonderful presentation of Tommy’s vocal abilities backed by songs that bring back the magic of that classic era.


This will be Tommy's second release with the Frontiers label. His band DeCarlo, who originated in Charlotte, North Carolina, that he co-founded with his son and guitarist, Tommy DeCarlo Jr. released their debut album, Lightning Strikes Twice through the label in 2020.





Tracklisting:


"Dancing In The Moonlight"
"Change Our Fate"
"Beyond Forever"
"Life Is Just A Game"
"No Surrender"
"The Game Is On"
"The Road Will Lead To You"
"In The Hands Of Fate"
"Find The Love"
"Home To You"
"Spread Your Wings And Fly"
"You And Me"


"The Game Is On" lyric video:





"Dancing In The Moonlight" video:





Lineup:


Tommy DeCarlo - vocals
David Julian - guitars on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12
Martin Jepsen Andersen - guitars on tracks 3, 7, 8, 10
Alessandro Del Vecchio - bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Nicholas Papapicco - drums


Additional Musicians:


August Zadra - guitar solo on "Dancing In The Moonlight"


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