Earlier this year, Frontiers Music Srl made an announcement welcoming the legendary '80s hard rockers Autograph to the label's roster. The band, at the time, featuring vocalist Simon Daniels, guitarist Jimi Bell, bassist Randy Rand, and drummer Marc Wieland, were close to wrapping up work on their brand new studio album, Beyond, which the label had slated for release later in the year.


Just past mid-April 2022, Randy delivered the final masters and artwork for Beyond and was sorting out plans for the release with the label when he received some news about his health. And then, shockingly, just a few days later, on April 26, 2022, Randy Rand, a founding member of the band, passed away. Before his untimely passing, he shared with his bandmates that if something was to happen to him before the release plans were finalized, he wanted them to release Beyond, his last recorded work.


And so, with bittersweet emotions, Frontiers Music Srl announced the forthcoming release of Autograph's new studio album, Beyond, the last album to feature founding member and bassist Randy Rand, on November 18.




Watch a lyric video for the new single "To Be Together" below, and pre-order/save Beyond, here.


Autograph, whose hit "Turn Up The Radio" was a staple of the hard rock soundtrack of the '80s, disbanded in 1989, but in 2011, founding members bassist Randy Rand and guitarist Steve Lynch decided to meet up at the NAMM show in Anaheim, CA. They rekindled their friendship first before even thinking about a musical reunion. With their personal relationship rebuilt, they made a collective decision to play again.


“We approached our original singer Steve Plunkett about a reunion,” recalled Rand. “He didn’t have the time to join the band again due to his busy schedule. He did give us his blessing to move forward though, and that was important. We missed our fans. This is for them.”


Fully embracing the future, the remaining members begin a search for a new singer. They discovered some videos of singer/guitarist/songwriter Simon Daniels (of Jailhouse, Flood, 1RKO) on YouTube and instantly, they sensed a connection and knew that he was the right fit for the band.


“He was perfect to front Autograph," smiled Rand. "His hard-edged, bluesy voice and massive riffing sharpen our edge. He’s given us a new energy, and he impressed us immediately. We all had a euphoric feeling after the first rehearsal,” Rand added.


Rand said that during his long-lived career, he has only loved playing with two drummers; one is the great late Randy Castillo, and then there is Autograph's new drummer Marc Wieland. As Rand put it, “We’re heavier than before. At the same time, the melodic vocals and catchy hooks are still an integral part of our sound.”


In 2019, Lynch decided to leave the group to pursue different musical styles and was replaced by international monster shredder guitarist Jimi Bell (House of Lords). The band didn't skip a beat and went on to record a new album, Beyond, with this lineup before Rand's untimely passing on April 26, 2022.


Autograph, the platinum-selling Southern California hard rock band who gave the world the ubiquitous hit "Turn Up The Radio", has released seminal albums such as Sign In Please [1984], That’s The Stuff [1985], and Loud and Clear [1987]. Over the course of their career, they have played shows with everybody from Mötley Crüe and Ronnie James Dio to Van Halen and Aerosmith. Successfully touring again since the beginning of 2014, Autograph has strived and shined at arenas, casinos, major music festivals such as M3, Monsters of Rock Cruise, The Moondance Jam, 80’s in the Park, Grand Rock Tember, Cat Club Festival at Irvine Meadows, and Firefest UK, among others. In 2017, Autograph released a new album on ex-Megadeth member David Ellefson's EMP Label Group, hitting # 21 on the Billboard Classic Rock Sales Chart, as well as placing two new singles on the top 10 Hard Rock Mediabase Radio Chart.





Tracklisting:


"This Ain’t The Place I Wanna Be"
"Your Slave Tonight"
"Everything"
"Gotta Getcha"
"Take Me Higher"
"Run For Your Life"
"Beautiful Disaster"
"Love Is A Double Edge Sword"
"Heart Of Stone"
"Feels So Good"
"Flying High"
"To Be Together"
"Mind Of Fear" (Bonus Track Digital only)


"To Be Together" lyric video:





"This Ain't The Place I Wanna Be" video:





Lineup:


Randy Rand - Bass
Simon Daniels - Vocals
Jimi Bell - Guitar
Marc Wieland - Drums

Sharon Osbourne has opened up about husband Ozzy's Parkinson's disease diagnosis.

Ozzy was first diagnosed with the neurological disorder back in 2003, but the legendary singer didn't disclose that he was stricken with the disease until a January 2020 appearance on "Good Morning America".

Sharon was asked about the effect her husband's diagnosis had had on her during a candid conversation with broadcaster Jeremy Paxman, who was diagnosed 18 months ago, in his ITV documentary "Paxman: Putting Up With Parkinson's".

She said: 'I just think of my husband, who was very energetic, loved to go out for walks, did a two-hour show on stage every night, running around like a crazy man. Suddenly, your life just stops — life as you knew it."

She added: "When I look at my husband, my heart breaks for him. I'm sad for myself to see him that way, but what he goes through is worse. When I look at him and he doesn't know, I'm, like, crying.'

When asked about the positives about the disease, Sharon responded: "The positive thing is we spend much more time together as a family and I love my husband more than I do three years ago."

Sharon also revealed that Ozzy uses cannabidiol, known as CBD, a cannabinoid derived from the hemp plant that has no psychoactive effects, because he experiences unsettling dreams as a result of Parkinson's,

She said: "[Ozzy] was always on something, he always loved to dabble with the old drugs. But now he takes this stuff at night. What's this stuff that everybody smokes? Marijuana. It is something from that — cannabidiol."

"Paxman: Putting Up With Parkinson's" follows Jeremy's story of living with the degenerative disease, which affects one in 500 people and causes the brain to become damaged over the years.

Seventeen years ago, Ozzy said that he had been diagnosed with Parkin syndrome, a genetic condition which has symptoms similar to that of Parkinson's disease, such as body shakes. At the time, he said that he was relieved his debilitating body tremors were from Parkin and not his lifetime of drug abuse.

In January 2020, Ozzy told U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine that he thinks about death a lot, but he doesn't worry about it. "I won't be here in another 15 years or whatever, not that much longer, but I don't dwell on it," he explained. "It's gonna happen to us all.

"Am I happy now? No. I haven't got my health," he continued. "That thing knocked the shit out of me, man, but I'm still here. In fact, I worried about [death] more when I was younger than I do now. I just try to enjoy things as much as possible, even though that's so fucking hard sometimes."

In a recent interview with Powerful Reactions, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia discussed how she feels about online trolls. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A lot of people say that if you have haters, it means that you made it. And we don't really have haters. Yes, we have haters, we have some people commenting, but I never put together haters [with] success, because people can hate on you for free without even caring about you. And the fact that we don't have real negativity in our community makes me really, really proud, because it shows that you can convince people with your work and with your attitude that you don't need to be a dick just because you have been able to have more opportunities than others, only because you're privileged and you're lucky to be doing, as a job, what you love. So, honestly, there is no space for negativity and hate in our family."

She added: "It is true that most haters usually love whoever they are criticizing, because there would be no point. I mean, if you don't care about something or if you don't like it, you do other stuff. You don't even waste the time to comment on something that you don't like."

Scabbia previously talked about the pitfalls of social media in a 2019 interview with Loud TV. At the time she said: "Sometimes I think that the new generation is kind of fucked, especially with social media. They've lost control. They sometimes have no idea how real life is. They're always ready to judge everyone else. Everyone has an opinion even if they have no idea what they are talking about. Everybody is a judge and everybody is ready to jump on the train of haters. This is kind of fucked up.

"A lot of people are saying, 'Don't feed the trolls.' I have the opposite attitude," she explained. "If someone comes to my pages or to a LACUNA COIL page, just like there to throw shit to us, I react. I'm not the person that is, like, 'Okay, I'll block you.' I will answer you. I don't mind if other fans will jump on board and will kick your ass. You did something that wasn't right, so you have to understand that what you did was wrong. And if I block you and I delete your message, it's like I'm not paying attention to you. But what I want to do is 'I paid attention to you. You're an idiot. You have to realize that whatever you do brings a consequence.' So, if the consequence is me answering and giving you two minutes of attention, it's not too bad if other people tell you're an asshole and will maybe make you think twice about what you did."

"Comalies XX", a "deconstructed" and "transported" version of LACUNA COIL's third album, "Comalies", was made available on October 14 via Century Media Records.

Back in 2002, LACUNA COIL released an album which is now undeniably an anthem-laden millennial classic that established them as a band with the stamina to go the distance. Now, 20 years later, the current lineup of LACUNA COIL decided to revisit the songs, but not to just re-record them as they were but deconstruct and transport them into 2022.

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

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

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

In a new interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global, SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo spoke about the decline of the music industry as consumers value access over ownership and experiences over assets. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm a fan of streaming — I'm a fan of the streaming services, whether it's Apple Music or Spotify or Pandora or Deezer or whatever. I think the only issue is being able to have visibility, to be able to let people know somehow that your music is out there and to give it a listen. That's the hard part — is getting through all the traffic, really. But that's the way it is for mostly any artist.

"All you can do is do your best to let people know that you have new music and it's worthy of their time, and that's word of mouth," he explained. "Someone will give the song a chance, and the next thing you know, they're telling their friends about it and people are streaming it. We've seen it on Spotify, and it's been amazing.

"Look, you have to adjust and adapt to your environment, and that's the environment we're in right now," Snake added. "So I have no interest in fighting it, because I enjoy streaming music myself. I think it's a great way to have 20 million songs at your fingertips. The choices are never-ending. But I just also think that with that, there's a lot of noise out there too that you have to sort of navigate through. But that's the way it is. So you do it."

SKID ROW's latest album "The Gang's All Here", arrived on October 14 via earMUSIC. The group recorded most of the LP in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

Swedish singer Erik Grönwall joined SKID ROW in January as the replacement for ZP Theart, who had been in the group for more than six years. Theart played his final gig with SKID ROW in February before being officially given the boot.

Grönwall was a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. with whom he recorded four studio albums — "Address The Nation" (2012),"Tearing Down The Walls" (2014),"Into The Great Unknown" (2017) and "H.E.A.T II" (2020) — before exiting the group in October 2020.

Grönwall was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. Six months later, he announced that he was cancer free after receiving a bone marrow transplant in August 2021.

In September 2021, Grönwall released his cover version of "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms.

In 2018, Grönwall debuted in the U.S. for 10 million viewers in NBC's live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Along with John Legend, Alice Cooper, Sara Bareilles and others, Erik played the key role of Simon Zealotes.

Bruce Kulick has opened up about leaving KISS and not being approached to to return following the collapse of the reunion of the band's original lineup. Speaking in a brand new interview with Eonmusic, the guitarist said he did wonder whether they would "ask me to become the Spaceman" when Ace Frehley left the band in 2002.

Bruce said that he wasn't shocked at how it came about that the original four bandmembers — Frehley, along with drummer Peter Criss and band leaders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons — regrouped in 1996.

"The whole time that I was in KISS, there was always this, 'When's the reunion?'" he admitted. "It was just something. It wasn't a big, big shock when I realized, 'Oh, okay, it's actually happening.'"

Going on to talk about the infamous 1995 "MTV Unplugged" performance that featured the original band plus Kulick and drummer Eric Singer, who was a member of KISS prior to the reunion, he said: "Eric and I weren't aware that the reunion tour was going to come out of MTV that night. They were negotiating and wisely so because the offer was there. The truth is, Eric and I weren't aware that it was so linked to the 'MTV Unplugged' thing, but that was the catalyst because once MTV scored having Ace and Peter there, then everybody knew that if they could do that, why don't they go put the make-up on and go tour? 'We offer you millions of dollars. Sign here.' So that's what they did."

Regarding the "MTV Unplugged" performance, Bruce said: "That night, I wasn't really that awkward about it because I wasn't really clear that that was my last gig, but I was clear that there was romantic love for the original four, and let's be honest, I wouldn't have my opportunity if they didn't establish KISS as a huge band. I'm still so proud of what Eric and I did with Gene and Paul that night; that set we did was magical."

When asked if he was disappointed to have never gotten to wear the KISS make-up or to be asked back when Ace left the band again in 2002, Bruce was philosophical. "That's a great question a lot of fans ask, and they're a little confused about it, like, why wasn't it me?" he said.

"When I knew that Ace was causing problems for them, I heard the rumblings from people I knew that were close to the band, and I was always wondering like, would they really ask me to become the Spaceman, but basically negating everything from my era. Because I would then have to shoot rockets from my guitar; I would never play a whammy-bar solo in that outfit; I would then be playing Ace, maybe more note for note, something I never had to do.

"I really think they made the right choice, knowing what they were trying to do, which was just trying to sell the characters and the make-up version of the band," Bruce said. " By going with Tommy [Thayer, current KISS guitarist], it was no harm, no foul; there's no connection to any era that wasn't when they were doing the make-up. I was sad that I wouldn't be in KISS, and somebody else would now be in KISS instead of the original guy."

As for Singer's return to KISS following the departure of Criss, Kulick said: "I think with Eric Singer it was much more natural behind the kit. They did tell him, 'No double-bass drums. Play it a little more meat and potatoes.' And then Eric sings real well, which helps out, because Peter sang. So, it was the right choice for them."

Concluding, Bruce said: "Outside of me missing being in KISS, because that was something very much appropriate for the non-make-up years, me becoming the Spaceman I think would have been very awkward for me, and I think it would have almost stained my era."

In 1984, Bruce joined KISS, where he remained as their lead guitarist for more than a decade, accompanying the band on the "Animalize" tour and continuing with the band until the 1996 reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology - Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning KISS's historic 49-year career.

Kulick joined GRAND FUNK RAILROAD in 2000 and continues to perform with the group to this day.

According to Rolling Stone, SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor has bought the rights to the Famous Monsters brand and will be relaunching the magazine, as well as using the name for making toys, producing films, and hosting festivals. In addition to Famous Monsters, Taylor and his business partner, Eben McGarr — owner of Mad Monsters magazine and convention — also bought the rights to Captain Company and the life story of Famous Monsters founding editor Forrest Ackerman.

The 48-year-old Taylor, who has had a lifelong obsession with horror movies, told Rolling Stone: "Our job is to build a foundation to bring Famous Monsters into the modern age, while also honoring the legacy that came before. It's the whole reason that we were fans to begin with."

Plans are for Taylor to digitize every issue of Famous Monsters and making them available to read for free. He also wants to reestablish a Famous Monsters convention, where he hopes to pay tribute to Ackerman and founding publisher Jim Warren and celebrate the title's history. There are also plans to relaunch the magazine as an annual or biannual publication, using editorial concepts from past issues in new ways.

Taylor, who was featured prominently in the "In Search Of Darkness" documentary, which came out in 2019, told Syfy network's "Metal Crush Mondays" how he first got into horror movies: "My mom took me to see the 'Buck Rogers [In The 25th Century]' movie when I was a kid. I must've been four or five, but the trailer before the movie was John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. You've just got these incredible visuals, this sense of it's autumn, it's Halloween and there's just this dude in the background of every shot. I can remember as a five-year-old just being transfixed. Like, I suddenly didn't care about Buck Rogers. I think it was the one moment in my life that really galvanized my taste in what my young mind thought was cool. It was actually a couple years later that I actually got to watch it and to this day it's one of my favorite movies."

In a new interview with the 107.7 The Bone radio station, TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for his upcoming first-ever solo album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've actually talked to over a dozen guitar players that have songs for me that they're writing and creating. But TESTAMENT takes priority first. Once I have time — it's not a big priority; it's just something I'd love to do. 'Cause I've only wrote music with Eric [Peterson, TESTAMENT guitarist] for 35-plus years, and I wanna write something and do something that's not TESTAMENT, that's totally different. I want it to be old-school-sounding, [with] dry drums, no samples, no triggers, like the old vinyls we used to have when we were younger. I just want it to be raw and real, one-take kind of stuff. So that's in the books. And I'm slowly working on that. But that'll be down the line."

Billy previously talked about his upcoming solo LP this past April in an interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic. At the time he said: "I recruited guitar players and I told guitar players that I've recruited, 'Just write me a song. But don't write a TESTAMENT song and a thrash song. I wanna write something different than that. Write me something either bluesy, real heavy, more rock. I grew up in an era of loving THIN LIZZY and UFO and bands like that, so write some cool THIN LIZZY-style riffs.' But I really wanted it to be a record where it really took it back, kept it simple, kept it dry — no sampled drums and triggered kicks. Just make it rock, like the old records you used to be — just clean, that you can crank up and they sound good. I want it to be where someone puts it on and goes, 'Oh, that's Chuck?' Kind of listening to it. That's kind of what I'm looking for."

Elaborating on how different his vocal approach might be on his solo album compared to the music he has written and recorded with TESTAMENT, Chuck said: "Speed metal and thrash metal is based on a lot of cadence — it's the timing and the beat of the song — so I've learned how to sing in cadence, really, where other rock songs [have] more melody or maybe there's more note changing in the guitar playing where I can carry different melodies and things like that. I guess I'm looking for a challenge and something that I'll actually be proud of."

Billy went on to say that his debut solo album will "definitely happen. I just thought maybe during COVID [I would have more time to work on it… But you just get busy in life, and I just didn't focus on it," he explained. "But I do have a lot of people reaching out to me going, 'I'd like to contribute a song.' It's, like, 'Write it and just send it to me. And we'll take it from there.'"

In March, Billy told the "Let There Be Talk" podcast that he had spoken to such guitar players as Gary Holt (EXODUS, SLAYER),Mark Morton (LAMB OF GOD) and Joe Bonamassa about collaborating with him on his solo album.

Billy originally discussed his plans for a solo album during a summer 2021 appearance on the "Not These Two Fucking Guys" podcast. At the time, he said: "Well, it started [to be] in the works, but then things just kind of got held up. I was recruiting some guitar players over the last six months to write a record with me, and I was gonna use a different guitar player on every song to help me write songs. Mark Morton, I've talked to him; he wants to work [with me]. I also want Gary Holt to write some songs with me. Glen Drover [ex-MEGADETH] is gonna write some songs… I haven't approached my cousin Stef [Stephen Carpenter] from the DEFTONES yet, but I'm gonna see if he'll wanna write a song with me. I tried to reach out to Joe Bonamassa [to see if he wants to] write a song with me."

As for the musical direction of his solo LP, Billy said: "I want it to be different. And what I've told all these guys [is] that I wanna do a solo record, but I don't want it to resemble TESTAMENT; I wanna do something different. And the direction I wanna go is the old classic vinyl-sounding records — just real, clean and dry and big. Real tones — not compressed digital stuff. I want it to be classic sounding, but have it rock, have it bluesy. Have some metal, but just have it where [it doesn't sound like what people are used to hearing from me]."

He continued: "I've done these compilation records for this Cleopatra label, and I've done anything from Michael Jackson to Christmas songs. And every time people hear it, they go, 'Man, that's kind of cool.' And I was thinking about it — it's fun to do, and it's challenging and different. So when I think of a solo record, I want it to be different — I want every song to kind of have its own personality and stand on their own. So that was kind of my goal. If I do a solo record — maybe I'll do a few, but if I do one solo record, I want it to really be something that [is] challenging to me, different for me and different from [people's] expectations, when somebody puts it on, [but] that they'll enjoy it still.

"So that's what I wanted to do," Chuck added. "So I've been telling [the various guitar players], 'Just start writing. Put the song together for me. But don't think metal. Don't think TESTAMENT. Don't think the bands you're in. Just write something cool that's got a vibe. And give it to me. Let me do my thing on it.'"

Fan-filmed video of LYNCH MOB's October 15 concert at the Buffalo Thunder Resort in Santa Fe, New Mexico as the support act for DOKKEN can be seen below. Joining legendary DOKKEN axeman George Lynch at the gig were his longtime drummer Jimmy D'Anda (BULLETBOYS) along with TANTRIC bassist Jaron Gulino, and singer Gabriel Colon.

Over the weekend, Lynch shared a short video of the Santa Fe performance, and he included the following message: "super fun and intense show tonight in santa fe nm @lynchmob @dokken @buffaloruncasino @jimmydanda".

The news of LYNCH MOB's return was first reported by the Metal Sludge web site on October 1.

For much of the last year and a half, George had played dates around the U.S. under the name ELECTRIC FREEDOM, which he previously said was the new name of his "touring entity" after deciding to retire the LYNCH MOB band name in 2020.

In August 2021, Lynch announced that he was ending LYNCH MOB due to the racial insensitivity of the moniker, saying he would no longer record or perform under that name.

A few months later, Lynch offered a lengthy explanation for why he was ending LYNCH MOB during an interview with George Dionne of Metal Express Radio. Addressing questions about why it took him three decades to call it quits with LYNCH MOB, George said: "When we first formed the band in '89, the name had sort of already been around. While I was in DOKKEN, it's what I called our little group of guitar fans — I had picks made; it was kind of a little subculture within DOKKEN. When we started working on developing and building the band after DOKKEN broke up, that was just the name that we always thought we'd use, 'cause it was a perfect fit — it's my name, and it describes it pretty well. And, of course, the negative connotations were always there, and I was aware of 'em, but not as aware as I probably should have been. [Laughs]

"I had made numerous attempts over the decades to kind of let that name go and had walked that back for multiple reasons — usually because of business considerations," he continued. "For instance, if you try to go out on a tour and not use the name, promoters aren't gonna be happy with you changing it. People aren't gonna know who you are. They're not gonna show up, because what's THE GEORGE LYNCH EXPERIENCE, or whatever you call it. Or record labels are not interested, because it's a brand that they can count on and sell a certain many albums or whatever.

"For instance, the LYNCH MOB record 'Smoke This' that came out, I think, in '99 or 2000, that was not supposed to be a LYNCH MOB record; that really wasn't anything to do with LYNCH MOB. At the end of the day, after the record was done and we were delivering it to the label, they insisted on using that name as insurance. And if I hadn't agreed to that, we wouldn't have had a record. That's the kind of pressure I'm talking about.

"But then, with the onset of everything that's happened in the last year, I didn't have that kind of pressure anymore," George added. "I could take it or leave it at this point. And I didn't really feel comfortable with it; I didn't feel comfortable with the name. 'Cause I'm a very progressive person politically, and it just so flies in the face of everything I believe in, and it makes it hard. It makes it hard to have relationships with people and explain yourself, and I got tired of rationalizing it. I think the music is bigger than that, and it's had a great run.

"Another reason, too, is the band fell apart again. The band has fallen apart so many times, I can't even count. And it was just, like, 'No more Oni [Logan, vocals], no more Brian Tichy [drums], no more this guy, no more that guy. Oh, great. Now what do I do?' It's, like, 'Okay, build another band from scratch, call it LYNCH MOB?' No. How about just build something new? It gives me a lot more freedom to basically play anything I want live… I can go out and play everything from my catalog — new, old, covers, jams, you name it, and go deep and have fun and change it up every night."

Oni first hooked up with LYNCH MOB in 1990, but exited the group after the release of its first album, only to rejoin the outfit in the late 2000s.

Logan is featured on five of LYNCH MOB's eight albums, including 1990's "Wicked Sensation", as well as 2009's "Smoke And Mirrors", 2014's "Sun Red Sun", 2015's "Rebel" and 2017's "The Brotherhood".

In August 2021, LYNCH MOB celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Wicked Sensation" with a special limited print/deluxe edition of the album. "Wicked Sensation Reimagined" features re-worked and re-recorded versions of the LP's classic songs, and was made available via Rat Pak Records.

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🌵TONIGHT!! Rocking Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Santa Fe, NM with the Lynch Mob & Dokken. We hit at 8pm, see ya there!!
•
#lynchmob
#dokken
#buffalothunderresort

Posted by Jaron Gulino on Saturday, October 15, 2022

Posted by Emerald Theatre on Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Zakk Wylde has once again said that he is "honored" to take part in the upcoming PANTERA tour.

In July, it was reported that Wylde and ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante, along with PANTERA's surviving members, singer Philip Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, will tour as PANTERA, headlining a number of major festivals across North America and Europe and staging some of their own headline concerts.

According to a report by Billboard, Wylde and Benante's involvement in the project has been approved by the estates of PANTERA's late co-founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

Zakk discussed his participation in the PANTERA celebration tour during an appearance on The SDR Show. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had nothing to do with [putting the PANTERA thing together]. I'm friends with the guys. It'd be like if Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell were gonna do a tribute to Jimi [Hendrix] and they [asked] Eric Clapton, 'Eric, would you sing and play Jimi's stuff? We're gonna put this tribute thing together.' It's just, like, of course Eric would [do it]. 'Just let me know when you wanna do it.' It's just like anything. Like when we do 'Experience Hendrix', we do anything like that, it's just, like, 'Would you guys like to go out and honor Jimi Hendrix?' It's just, like, 'Yeah. And why wouldn't we?'"

He continued: "Yeah, of course. I'm gonna be honored. Even if it was a festival they were putting together and they wanted BLACK LABEL to come up and have Phil sing and they were gonna have all the different bands up there — LAMB OF GOD, BLACK LABEL, ANTHRAX — and all the bands were gonna play a PANTERA song and Phil's gonna sing. Of course we'd be involved. Why wouldn't we be involved?"

Zakk went on to clarify that he has yet to learn how to play the PANTERA material, despite the fact that he was close friends with Dimebag.

"I don't know [how to play] the songs," he said. "If Dime had to play the 'No More Tears' solo and 'Mama, I'm Coming Home' and 'Miracle Man' and 'Perry Mason' and play 'Suicide Messiah', it'd be, like, 'You must know Zakk's stuff.' He [would be], like, 'No. I don't know any of his stuff. Zakk's my buddy, but no, I don't know any of his stuff.'"

Benante told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how he plans to approach the PANTERA gig: "I can't go do this as the drummer from ANTHRAX because it would be a different sound completely. So the way I'm gonna do that is if you close your eyes, it's gonna sound like it's Vinnie, basically. And that's how it's gonna be. The sound is gonna sound exactly like him."

Wylde said that he had a similar mindset. "You approach it the same way as you do when I'm playing with Ozzy," he said. "Obviously I've gotta learn [Randy] Rhoads's stuff and I've gotta learn Jake's [E. Lee] stuff, and when I was doing the [BLACK] SABBATH stuff, you learn it and do it as faithful as you can. Charlie's gotta learn all of Vinnie's parts. You approach it as if you're in a cover band. When we do the ZAKK SABBATH stuff," referring to his BLACK SABBATH cover band, "I don't start changing lyrics midway through 'War Pigs'. You learn the songs — so that's what you do."

As previously reported, PANTERA will co-headline the first night of Hell & Heaven Metal Fest. The reactivated band will share the stage with SCORPIONS, MESHUGGAH, ARCH ENEMY, EPICA and CRADLE OF FILTH, among other artists, on December 2 at Foro Pegaso in Toluca. PANTERA will also perform at the Monterrey Metal Fest on December 6 at Estadio Mobil Super in Monterrey, Mexico. Also scheduled to appear are JUDAS PRIEST, MERCYFUL FATE, BEHEMOTH and STRYPER, among others.

Other festivals PANTERA has been confirmed for are Knotfest Colombia, Knotfest Chile and Knotfest Brasil, all of which will take place in December. Knotfest Colombia is scheduled for Friday, December 9 at Campin Circuit of Bogotá. Knotfest Chile is slated to take place on Sunday, December 11 at Estadio Monumental in Santiago. Knotfest Brasil will follow on Sunday, December 18 at Sambódromo do Anhembi in São Paulo.

Talk about a possible PANTERA "reunion" intensified when Anselmo regularly joined Wylde's BLACK LABEL SOCIETY to perform PANTERA's song "I'm Broken" during DOWN's 2014 stint on the "Revolver Golden Gods Tour". That buzz only got stronger after Brown joined the jam on May 23, 2014 when the tour swung through Texas.

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

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

In a new interview with the Illinois Entertainer, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe spoke about the humanity's failure to do a total or at least a partial reset following the harrowing experience of the past couple of years during the global pandemic. "This is something that I'm currently struggling with, very hard, as I'm writing a new book," he said. "I'm working on a new non-fiction book — I wanted to write fiction, but my agent said, 'You need another non-fiction book.' And he was pushing me toward what they call, I guess, an 'inspirational memoir' or whatever. So I'm writing this book, and it's about different perspectives from other people that I've tried to incorporate into my own life and take something from. Something positive from — things I have learned from people other than me. And it's been very difficult to maintain any sort of positivity for a while now. It really has."

He continued: "Things have just gotten screwier and screwier and screwier. And I'm thinking, like, 'What is the cause of this? Why are people acting the way they do?' And I think that there's a cult of toxic, narcissistic individualism that has made people think, for some insane reason, that their uneducated opinions are just as valid as those of world-renowned experts. On a bunch of different topics, everything from medicine to foreign policy to economics. I mean, I am in full possession of the fact that I am a man of average intelligence. But I'm smart enough and emotionally stable enough to realize that if I don't know something, I need to refer to someone smarter than myself. But I think in today's societal climate, people just don't want to accept that. And they don't want to accept uncertainty in their lives, so they go looking for answers and wind up finding some kook conspiracy theorist who provides them with a really strange, in my mind, explanation for things for which there are no concrete answers. It's like a security blanket for the witless. I think people don't like feeling insecure, unsure, et cetera, so they're looking for someone to give them an answer that reassures them that none of their problems are their own fault, that someone else is to blame."

This past May, Blythe, whose 2015 memoir, "Dark Days: A Memoir", focused on his ordeal in a Czech Republic prison and his subsequent acquittal, was asked by Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show how writing prose is different from writing lyrics. He responded: "Well, they're two different things — two very different things. I always say that writing a book makes writing an album look like going to kindergarten. It is a much more intense, much more sustained [and] much more nerve-racking extended creative effort. There's pros and cons to it, of course. And the thing that I dislike about it, just as a lazy bum, is I'm having to do it all by myself. If there's something bad in the book or it doesn't work, then I can't blame it on my bandmates. 'Cause we're a democracy — we really are a democracy — and if someone is unhappy with something, then we won't move forward with it creatively, if they're really emphatic about that. That being said, we make a lot of compromises with each other in order to work as a band. So, if there's something that I don't particularly like in one of our songs or on an album or a song that I'm not particularly feeling great about but the rest of [the guys] love the song, then I'm, like, 'Oh well. So be it.' It's part of the business of being in a band. And then if it comes out and I still don't like it, I can be, like, 'Well it was their decision, not mine.' When you write a book, if you screw up something or something's not good or something later you review and it doesn't pass muster, that's on you. So it's a bit more nerve-racking. No, conversely, that's kind of the same thing I like about it, because I don't have to bounce my ideas off of anyone else. I say exactly what I want to say without having to go through any sort of filtration process with anyone else — it's just me. So, in a way, it's a much more creative process — or a purely creative process, I would say — because it's just you and the blank page. But it is nerve-racking — it really is. And also, as I get older, I just enjoy quiet more and more and more, and writing is a very quiet and solitary activity — at least it is for me. So I enjoy that. My ears don't ring after writing a book, but they sure as hell do after writing an album."

In July 2021, Blythe said in an Instagram post that he was about to begin writing his second book. The now-51-year-old singer wrote: "It's been six years since my 1st book, Dark Days, came out. I've been kinda busy but I can't screw around any longer- it's finally time to write a new one. The proposal is done, the publishers accepted it, & the contract is hammered out & in the mail.

"Shit- that means I actually have to write this thing! All I'll say is: A) it's another non-fiction book, & B) I just spent over two weeks utterly consumed by writing the freaking introduction. 2,296 words in 15 days- that not a lot, but I want it to be RIGHT. Plus, I'm just stretching the old muscles, getting back in shape for the brutal long haul that lies ahead. The sustained creative heavy lifting required to write a book makes writing the lyrics for an album look like preschool finger painting. Plus, if what you're doing is turning out shitty, you can't just blame the rest of your band. (sorry dudes)

"Most books on writing of are bullshit, collections of pointless 'exercises' from people who haven't sold any other books of their own (I should know, I've bought most of them.) No book on earth is gonna turn you into a good writer. There is no magic pill. Just like playing music, shooting photos, or pursuing any other creative endeavor- the ONLY way to find out if you're any good is to DO IT. You gotta write, & the hardest part of writing is sitting your ass down to do it, & then repeating that process day after day after day."

In 2012, Blythe was arrested in the Czech Republic and charged with manslaughter for allegedly pushing a 19-year-old fan offstage at a show two year prior and causing injuries that led to the fan's death. Blythe spent 37 days in a Prague prison before ultimately being found not guilty in 2013.

Blythe's prison experience inspired two songs on LAMB OF GOD's 2015 album "VII: Sturm Und Drang": "512", one of his three prison cell numbers, and "Still Echoes", written while he was in Pankrac Prison, a dilapidated facility built in the 1880s that had been used for executions by the Nazis during World War II. It also led him to write the aforementioned "Dark Days", in which he shared his whole side of the story publicly for the first time.

Originally set for release in July of 2022, before the heartbreaking and untimely death of beloved frontman Trevor Strnad, The Black Dahlia Murder's Yule 'Em All: A Holiday Variety Extravaganza will now be available on DVD digipak and digital/streaming on November 11. Check out a preview video below.


Detroit's Kings of the Underworld, The Black Dahlia Murder, present their Yule 'Em All: A Holiday Variety Extravaganza program hosted by Neil Hamburger (Pick Of Destiny, Tim and Eric). This feel-good metal holiday special contains live performances of 16 beloved tracks from the band's extensive catalog, original comedy skits featuring band members, and a special appearance by George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher (Cannibal Corpse). The DVD version also comes with a special commentary track by band members and producers of the special. Raise your glass of eggnog and prepare to toast to the season's finest offering of Yuletide joy and laughter.







On October 28th at Saint Andrew's Hall in Detroit, Michigan's The Black Dahlia Murder will be playing their first show since Trevor's passing. The show will be a celebration of the life and legacy of Trevor Strnad who was lost to us all on May 11th this year. This show also marks the first performance with the band's new/old lineup with founding member Brian Eschbach taking on lead vocals and the return of Ryan Knight on guitar along with long-time members Max Lavelle on bass, Alan Cassidy on drums, and Brandon Ellis on lead guitar and backing vocals. Support for the show will come from Darkest Hour and Plague Years.

Swedish death metallers, Defleshed, have set October 28 as the release date for their new full-length, Grind Over Matter. The band have released a guitar playthrough video for the single, "Grind Over Matter". Check it out below:





Grind Over Matter was tracked at Rorysound Studios, Uppsala, Sweden, with Lawrence Mackrory, with two weeks devoted to drums, another two for guitar and bass and two three-day sessions for vocals. "It was pretty straightforward, the hardest part was to not get carried away by impulsive ideas too much, but stay put to the original plan," says Jorde.







Grind Over Matter can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:


- jewelcase-CD
- 180g black vinyl
- ochre brown marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- gold black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- gold silver splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- blood splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- clear red brown w/black swirls vinyl (Sound Pollution Sweden exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- smoky grey w/black swirls vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 700 copies)





Tracklisting:


"Bent Out Of Shape"
"Grind Over Matter"
"One Grave To Fit Them All"
"Heavy Haul"
"Dear Devil"
"Staring Blind"
"Blood Well Spent"
"Unburdened By Genius"
"Behind Dead Eyes"
"Blast Beast"
"Last Nail In The Coffin"


"Bent Out Of Shape" lyric video:





"Grind Over Matter" video:





Defleshed lineup:


Gustaf Jorde - vocals/bass
Lars Löfven - guitars
Matte Modin - drums


(Photo - Evelina Szczesik for EveR Vision)

K.K. Downing has confirmed to Ultimate Classic Rock that he will perform with JUDAS PRIEST at the band's upcoming Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony. "I think we've probably got eight or nine minutes," he said. "I'm not even going to be able to break a sweat. The main thing is to represent the attitude and hopefully the legend of what JUDAS PRIEST is and has become and what it means to everybody who's been on that very long journey through the decades with the band. And hopefully it will just kind of remind people and bring back some cherished memories of the heavy metal parking lots all around the world."

Downing said that Les Binks, PRIEST's drummer from 1977 to 1979, will also perform with the band at the event and added that it will be like riding the proverbial bicycle, more than a decade after the guitarist last played with PRIEST. "It's what I've done so many times," Downing said. "It's almost like cracking a beer, let alone riding a bike. It's embedded in me. It's what I do. So it'll be quite something to look forward to, just to get up there and crank the amps up and just do it once again, for that short moment in time."

PRIEST will receive the Musical Excellence Award at next month's 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, Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, Binks 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.

Earlier in the month, Halford told Ultimate Classic Rock that the PRIEST camp has been in touch with Downing and Binks about the upcoming induction, and "everybody's been very cool and agreeing. There's just been [an attitude of], 'Let's just relish this opportunity and jam and put everything on 11,'" he said.

Although Halford could confirm yet whether Downing or Binks will join PRIEST onstage during its Rock Hall performance, the singer said both former members will be involved in some capacity.

"We are gonna play live because there is all this roar: How are we gonna do it? Because we want to try and make the best things happen," Halford said. "So the best things to happen are to bring in all of the people that are included in the induction — which includes, obviously, K.K. and Les, and Dave. So, we've been able to work things out, so we will be playing live. We've got, like, eight minutes and 24 seconds and a half-second to play live."

He added: "We've got a couple of cool things that are gonna take place on the night that will be held under wraps like most people do because you don't want to give everything away. But yeah, look: A bunch of guys from the U.K., from the West Midlands, a Birmingham band of heavy metal, is being inducted into this great institution. So we're gonna make the most of it and have a great night out and live a lot of metal memories."

Earlier this month, Travis told the "Rocker Morning Show"'s Mark Frankhouse of the 107.7 RKR radio station that PRIEST will play "a medley" of "PRIEST classics" at the Rock Hall induction ceremony.

This past May, just days after it was announced that PRIEST would be inducted into the Rock Hall this year, Downing was asked which song or songs he would like to perform with PRIEST at the induction ceremony. He responded: "Oh, wow. I don't really know what the setup would or could be — whether Glenn" — who's battling Parkinson's disease but was on the road playing during the encores of PRIEST's latest North American tour, performing "Metal Gods", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight" — "would be there and we all would… I know Glenn is just playing some of the more shorter kind of songs. And if that's the situation, then I'm sure the songs would be whatever Glenn would be able to feel comfortable with. And that's okay, and that's fine. But I don't think it's about, really, what the repertoire would be; I think it's just about would this and could this happen in the way that people want to and expect it to happen. We'll have to see. And it depends what people want to happen, myself included. I'm gonna have a good think."

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.

In February, Hill and Halford told Billboard that they would be happy to stand alongside Downing at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction later this year. "It's not a problem to us, no," Hill said. "Ken was an integral part of this band for a very, very long time. He deserves to be there along with the rest of us." Halford predicted that, "It won't be as awkward as Ace [Frehley] and Peter [Criss with KISS's Rock Hall induction]. I don't think it'll be awkward at all. I think you have to let all of that go because it's the night that matters. It's the moment that matters — but, again, the proverbial saying, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

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.

In 2019, Halford was asked by Fox Sports 910's "Freak Nation" if fans could expect to see any of the former PRIEST members joining the band on stage during a hypothetical Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. He responded: "With something like the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, there's a tinge of 'what if' [and] 'whatever.' It's an open book.

"I know what you're alluding to, and as I've had to [say] in the past, it's just a case of 'wait and see,'" he continued. "But it's a celebration, and it's 50 years of PRIEST, and, man, it's gonna be great. Should we get in, it's gonna be amazing."

After host Kenny Sargent brought up the original KISS lineup's controversial 2014 Rock Hall induction which was at least partly overshadowed by the musicians' decision not to perform, Halford said: "[PRIEST is] not the first band that this has happened to, and on the day, some things turn out the way a lot of people want 'em.

"I was thinking about this the other day," Halford added. "And this thing came into my head: 'Jim, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or of the one.' Spock [in] 'Star Trek'. When he goes in the radiation room. Isn't that great? … That's a t-shirt, or an inspirational card."

Downing previously told Rockin' Metal Revival that there was a very good chance that he would perform with his former bandmates again if PRIEST got the nod. "Oh, I think absolutely," he said. "I mean, why wouldn't you, really? It's a special thing. We're all of an age now. These opportunities only come once in a lifetime. And it seemingly takes a lifetime to get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I've always said, there's no such thing as a young legend, right? [Laughs] So, while we're still here, it would be great to receive that accolade and put on a great performance and put that one to bed."

In his 2018 autobiography "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", Downing wrote that he told Tipton and PRIEST co-manager Jayne Andrews that he had "hated" them both "since 1985." Last year, he explained his outburst to Classic Rock magazine: "I was angry. Glenn had formed a relationship with Jayne from day one, and it felt a bit like a John-and-Yoko situation. I didn't like that."

"GUYS! Episode 3 of our US/CA tour vlog is out," begins an update from Sabaton. "Catch a glimpse of our tour buddies, Epica, while they rock the stage in Phoenix, watch Joakim’s groovy pre-show dance and take a look at what we get up to in Vegas. Watch it now!"





Sabaton recently made an exciting announcement:




With their fascination for the stories of World War I and two dedicated studio albums filled to the brim with stories from this conflict, the band from Falun have decided to dive even deeper into this topic with their newest release: The EP trilogy entitled Echoes Of The Great War.


This new EP trilogy features new songs specifically about World War I, coupled with topically related catalogue music. You read that right; Sabaton has been busy in the studio recording some new music for their fans. With this WWI collection, the band aims to present this music in a different way, enabling the listener to familiarise themselves with these incredible war stories, while simultaneously quenching the thirst for metal music.


Commenting on the new project, Pär Sundström states:


“This trilogy complements our two studio albums The Great War and The War To End All Wars. We were definitely not ready to close our World War I chapter. We wanted to continue the journey and let it echo a little longer in the hearts and minds of our fans."


The first in the series, Weapons Of The Modern Age, is out now. In times of conflict, science is very much linked to the war system. The First World War witnessed some of the biggest leaps in scientific evolution, weaponizing land, sea and skies in ways never witnessed before. This EP sheds light on the powerful and devastating tactics used to fight the war, and kicking off this release is SABATON's new track, "Father".


Sharing his insight on the track, Joakim Broden declares:


“Our new song, 'Father', is a dark track about a very controversial person. Fritz Haber, the man who weaponized lethal gas, is responsible for about 4 billion people being alive today thanks to the Haber-Bosch process that he won a Nobel Prize for. It takes some serious thought to wrap your head around his story. Things aren’t always easy to understand or simply black and white, but rather all shades of grey. 'Father' really forces you to think a bit more than the average song you hear on the radio."


Weapons Of The Modern Age is available at all streaming platforms found here. Watch the "Father" lyric video below.





Tracklist:


"Father"
"The Red Baron"
"Dreadnought"
"The Attack of the Dead Men"
"The Future of Warfare"
"Stormtroopers"

Spirit In The Room has unveiled a video for the track “Venting.” The hymn comes by way of the band’s Flamingo EP, recently released by Housecore Records.





If you ever wondered what goes on in the head of a film noir hitman, horror novel asylum inmate, or a golden age silver screen villain, it might sound something like Spirit In The Room. The vision of Louisiana-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Dennis R. Sanders unfurls through cigarette smoke, cheap booze, and distortion like an anachronistic fever dream soundtracked by a collision of gothic vocal hues, immersive alternative architecture, and jarring metallic catharsis. It’s scary at times. It’s sad at other times. However, it’s always unpredictable— especially on Spirit In The Room’s 2022 debut EP for Housecore Records, Flamingo.




“Flamingo is a character,” notes Sanders. “It could be anybody who lives a chaotic-slash-exotic lifestyle. There has been a bird presence in my family for the longest time. You’ve seen flamingos; they’re beautiful and strange. Flamingo could be a stripper or an errand boy for some really scandalous entity. To me, Flamingo is just very after hours.”


Describes Sanders of “Venting” in part, “Escaping from the back of an old pickup truck on a lost highway through the desert, ‘Venting’ hits the ground running. It’s a sci-fi cowboy western surfing extravaganza: Volatile, paranoid and vengeful. Pushing back, pushing forward. Fine line tightrope walking over a sea of dirty needles. Run, Motherfucker. Run!”


Flamingo is available on CD, LP, and digitally. Order at the Housecore Records webshop.


(Photo – Ekaterina Gorbacheva)

Quebec City's melodic death metal act Born Divided comes from the remains of Blinded By Faith when bassist Tommy Demers decided to pick up the bass instead of staying solely on vocal duties. He brought in guitarist Michael Beaudoin, also from Blinded By Faith; guitarist Fred Bedard; drummer Lucas Biron; and Maxim Levesque on vocals. Together they are bringing forth a debut album “Impending Doom”. The single “Human Masquerade” is their first single and music video that will let the world hear and see what Born Divided is all about. The song represents them well with its aggressiveness, the rhythmical intro, the harmonies, its epic side, and the incredible vocal melodies that bomb into brutal screams. They explain the albums:


“We are very proud to show our first album Impending Doom. A lot of work went into this. We really wanted to incorporate our musical influences into this. We wanted every riff and beat to have its own colour. We like to go from prog to death, brutal to melodic. We like to surprise the listener with some radical changes in terms of sub-genre while keeping the listening experience as entertaining as possible.”


With Impending Doom, Born Divided intends to deliver the kind of experience that will feel new and unique. An experience that doesn’t feel like something you’ve heard before. They kind of just came to be, Demers had written some of these songs around 2015 and brought those forward for the album. Fans can expect a second album coming at a much quicker pace as they have already started the writing process of the next one.




Within Impending Doom, listeners can expect some clean singing along with some deadly growls, riffs that rip, and amazing and tasteful drumming that breathes music. It is recommended for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Symphony X, and Opeth.


Impending Doom is out on October 14, 2022, and available on all digital platforms at distrokid.com.





Tracklisting:


“Impending Doom”
“The Scars That Unite Us”
“Old Remorse”
“Censorshit”
“Human Masquerade”
“We’ll Exist”
“We’ve Seen You”


“Impending Doom” video:

The Night Flight Orchestra, featuring Soilwork vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid, performed at Bloodstock Open Air 2022 on August 14. The festival has shared pro-shot video of the band performing their song "Black Stars". Check it out below:





Previously posted footage of the band performing "Divinyls" at the fest can be viewed below:







Guitarist David Andersson, of Soilwork and The Night Flight Orchestra, passed away on September 14 at 47 years of age. Strid paid tribute to Andersson with the following mesage:


"Good night dear Dr Andersson. Really hope you can rest now. Together we created magic until that dark hole couldn’t be filled anymore. The alcohol and your mental illness took you away from us. It hurt so much to witness it. So glad I got to see you one last time at the hospital and have one last hour of classics and listen to some old hits from the past, before you fell asleep. I kissed your forehead and said 'See you on the river side' like my grandmother used to say. My grandmother, whom you invited on New Year's Eve probably 10 years ago, when you flamed beets in Gammeldansk. Will do my utmost to carry on our common musical legacy. Thank you for everything you taught me and the unforgettable travels we made together. Taxi trip to Palm Springs. A staircase in St Petersburg. A bridge in New Jersey. We tuned all that and much, much more. Thank you."

STORY OF THE YEAR will release its sixth studio album, "Tear Me To Pieces", out March 10, 2023 via SharpTone Records. The LP is distinctly, invitingly, loudly STORY OF THE YEAR. Heartache, desperation, motivation, toxic relationships, pain, loss, anger — all of the essential ingredients of the classic STORY OF THE YEAR sound propel "Tear Me to Pieces" in dazzling new ways.

"I think this album will be a defining moment in our career," says guitarist Ryan Phillips. "When our fans hear it, they'll be, like, 'Oh, shit, these dudes are ready to go!' This is the sound of a band putting everything into it. If a new band came out with this album, I'd be texting everyone in my band about it."

To celebrate the announcement, STORY OF THE YEAR has shared lead single and title track "Tear Me To Pieces". The track sets the tone for the entire album — hard-hitting, catchy, and unforgettable.

On the new track, Phillips explains: "Perhaps more than any song on the record, 'Tear Me To Pieces' checks all of the boxes in regards to what best defines STORY OF THE YEAR — anthemic pop choruses balanced with guttural screams, high-energy punk rock-inspired drums, dark-ish lyrics, and aggressive guitar riffs. This one song runs the gamut."

"This song fully represents the lyrical and musical vibe of the entire album," adds vocalist Dan Marsala. "That's why we chose it to be the opening track and album title as well. 'Tear Me To Pieces' puts you in the right mindset to hear the best record STORY OF THE YEAR has recorded in a long time."

The announcement follows the recent release of "Real Life", the band's first single with SharpTone Records. The track highlights everything that fans have grown to love about STORY OF THE YEAR over their impressive career — addictive instrumentals, powerful vocals, and a story that listeners can relate to.

"'Real Life' is a return to form for STORY OF THE YEAR," says Marsala. "It evokes the same emotion and energy of 'Page Avenue' but with a brand new and exciting feel. It's a song about the constant struggle of making a relationship work. The ups and downs of being in love. Not every day is full of sunshine, but if you fight through the pain together, you can make it out alive with a smile on your face."

"Tear Me To Pieces" track listing:

01. Tear Me To Pieces
02. Real Life
03. Afterglow
04. Dead And Gone
05. War
06. Can't Save You
07. 2005
08. Sorry About Me
09. Take The Ride
10. Knives Out
11. Use Me

STORY OF THE YEAR's debut album, "Page Avenue", was one of the first of its kind to sell a million copies. "Until The Day I Die" endures as both an anthem and mission statement. Tours with LINKIN PARK, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, DEFTONES and THE USED cemented STORY OF THE YEAR's reputation as a stunning and engaging live act. The connection between the band and audience transformed STORY OF THE YEAR from teenagers working in a St. Louis pizza chain franchise into hard rock headliners. Fans grew together with Dan Marsala, Ryan Philips, Josh Wills and Adam Russell, from "Page Avenue" (2003),"In The Wake Of Determination" (2005),"The Black Swan" (2008),"The Constant" (2010) to "Wolves" (2017). They specialize in intense, passionate, confessional compositions that inspire and empower. Songs like "The Antidote", "Real Life", "Miracle", "The Ghost Of You And I", "Anthem Of Our Dying Day" and "Take Me Back" resonate with anyone.

Photo credit: Ryan Phillips

"Mirror", the new Juan Azulay-directed music video from THE CULT, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's latest album, "Under The Midnight Sun", which arrived on October 7 via Black Hill Records. The LP was produced by Tom Dalgety (PIXIES, GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD).

When the sun just wouldn't leave the sky one evening in Finland, THE CULT singer Ian Astbury took notice. Walking the grounds of the Provinssirock festival, Astbury found himself revelling in the surreal, almost occult moment that comes with the "midnight sun," the summer stretch where the sun doesn't go down north of the Arctic Circle.

"It's three in the morning, the sun's up, and there's all these beautiful people in this halcyon moment," Astbury remembered. "People are laying on the grass, making out, drinking, smoking. There were rows of flowers at the front of the stage from the performances earlier that evening. It was an incredible moment." While reviewing archival footage of the performance, Astbury found new mysticism in that moment and imbued it into the forthcoming "Under The Midnight Sun".

Leading to 2020, THE CULT had been on a rolling cycle of releasing albums, touring, and recording. As the world shut down, everyone was forced to reprioritize the way they approached life and work.

"When the world stopped, I had this moment to write in real time, to calculate," said Astbury. When lockdown lifted and the group could meet to record, they teamed up with Dalgety. "I was compelled by this vision, this anomaly, this memory, of being under the midnight sun. Tom helped us bring a new musical shape and frequency to our process."

Lyrically, "Under The Midnight Sun" bolsters that new musical dexterity by building out from the idyllic and surreal vision at its title. Throughout, Astbury pulls in influences from Brian Jones, Brion Gysin, William Burroughs, Buddhism, the Beats, and the Age of Aquarius, all shaded with the lingering threat of the present and the timeless CULT color palette.

As THE CULT is now returning to performing live and sharing "Under The Midnight Sun", Astbury hopes that the record connects to something deep within and subconscious in their listeners — something Astbury found within himself when given the moment to look for it.

"At the core of it all, music contains the vibrational frequency of how we once communicated before we could even speak," he said. "Bird songs, animal calls, string theory, quantum physics, psychedelics. The record ultimately is about finding and uniting beauty in those strangely natural moments."

Astbury praised Dalgety's contributions to "Under The Midnight Sun" in a recent interview with Dayton Daily News, saying: "There are very few guys doing guitar-based music in the U.K. There are a lot of great digital producers, electronic producers, hip-hop producers and pop producers, but when it comes to guitars and vocals, it's a very particular animal. You really have to be in the room. You really have to be present. Sometimes you become a member of the band. Tom Dalgety immersed himself into the infrastructure and ecosystem of the band. He became like another member. He did some dope work on this record."

Astbury added that having a break from touring during the coronavirus pandemic gave the members of THE CULT more time to work on the material with Dalgety.

"We got the opportunity to really let songs be fully realized," Astbury said. "Usually, pre-pandemic, you're on a cycle of tour, record, tour, record, tour, record, but with this album, we had a lot more time for introspection. A lot went into this record. I believe the subject matter and the sound of it will resonate with people. True to form, we're not repeating ourselves. There will be some familiar stuff, but it's not like people will be able to access it very quickly. It's very strong on content. There are strong guitars. It's quite visceral, very emotional, because it's channeling the moment. I guess it's our take on that."

KINGS OF THRASH, the new band featuring former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar), is preparing to enter 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 Ghost Cult magazine, Young stated about KINGS OF THRASH's recording plans (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're going in the studio Thursday to lay down the rhythm guitar one and drums to the first original. And we're doing it to two-inch tape analog-style, live in a room like real men, they used to do… They're just demos right now with my guitar and bass and a click track. Soon they'll have drums and it'll be a real version of the first song. But people we've let hear it are really digging it. 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."

According to Jeff, the studio where KINGS OF THRASH is recording its first music "has a really cool back story. It's a mom-and-pop operation nestled in a residential area in North Hollywood," he explained. "[Legendary producer] Eddie Kramer, who's done a few up-and-comers over his career — THE BEATLES, THE [ROLLING] STONES, all the posthumous Jimi Hendrix recordings and albums have been mixed at this studio. So the great news is that the engineer who we're using is his protégé; he's been mentoring and apprenticing with Eddie Kramer. So for a fraction of the price, my friends, you're gonna get the Eddie Kramer tones and analog two-inch, like in the good old days, for the first KINGS OF THRASH release."

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 recent 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 (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "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."

In a separate interview with Yes! You CAN Play Guitar!, Ellefson stated about how KINGS OF THRASH came together: "[Jeff] and I got along well. We roomed together a lot, 'cause back on the 'So Far, So Good… So What!' tour, band and crew was always shacking up, sharing rooms together. So he and I had spent a lot of time together. I did a lot of guitar playing with him; I learned a lot of stuff from him, which was fun. So now to connect with him all these years later… We connected through the [making of the upcoming] Nick Menza movie [about the late MEGADETH drummer], quite honestly. And I'd stayed in touched with him. We even jammed together once at a Ronnie Montrose tribute thing at NAMM a few years ago. So we've not been completely estranged from each other."

According to Ellefson, the idea for KINGS OF THRASH materialized after he and Young reunited on stage on May 10 at Ultimate Jam Night, the long-running community-oriented show in residency at the famed Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, as part of a special tribute to the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. The event marked the first time David and Jeff had played MEGADETH songs together on stage since the U.K.'s Monsters Of Rock festival on August 20, 1988. "That spawned, basically, the KINGS OF THRASH," he said. "It was, like, 'Wow! That was frickin' cool, and that was a lot of fun.'"

David went on to say that he started thinking about a way to perform some of MEGADETH's classic material last year. "This idea had come to me — and it came to me last fall," he explained. "I was at an autograph show on the East Coast, and people were bringing me 'Killing Is My Business' records left and right. And it just reminded me, this record needs to be played; it needs to be performed. Same as 'So Far, So Good… So What!' To me, those are kind of these two really special records that — they never went unnoticed, but they didn't get the big fanfare like 'Peace Sells' and 'Rust In Peace' and all this stuff. So, to me, I made it my mission. I was, like, 'You know what? Let's unearth these things and let's bring these up on the stage and play them.'

"[Jeff] told me, he said, after MEGADETH, I think he said he intentionally forgot how to play MEGADETH songs; he just wanted to move on," Ellefson continued. "'Cause when you come into the band, it is a deep dive and it is a heavy compression. You really have to live that music in and out, day in, day out, all the time in order to really grasp what it is. And he did that. And then when the gig ended for him, he moved on.

David clarified 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, MEGADETH leader] 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."

As for KINGS OF THRASH's approach to performing material that was originally written and recorded more than three decades ago, Ellefson said: "I've gotta say, man, 'Killing Is My Business', there is a lot of deep stuff on that record, but because of the tempos and because of the speed, a lot of that kind of gets a bit glossed over, because the production of the record wasn't super great, because we didn't have a lot of money to do it at the time. Now live, going into it, there are some rhythmic figures and some grooves that I think are coming out in a live setting that are so hip. There's this almost funk, kind of R&B vibe to some of the rhythms that are so cool.

"When we wrote those songs, especially 'The Skull Beneath The Skin' and even 'Looking Down The Cross', these songs were written very slow; the original tempos were [much slower]," he revealed. "So they were really cool. So one of the things we're focusing on is bringing out the sleazy, slinky, greasy groove that's in there — because it really is in there. And I think our drummer Fred is helping a lot with that. I think people are gonna really enjoy what they're gonna hear."

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.

2022 saw the unholy return of the German extreme metal band Mystic Circle, releasing their self-titled new studio-album and marking a furious return, which even made them enter the offical German album charts on a sensational #78.


The inspiration kept flowing and the two main members Beelzebub and A. Blackwarcreated nine new tracks for their ninth studio album, which will be called Erzdämon and see the light of day in March 2023 on their new label, Fireflash Records.


"This new album is a logical continuation and further development of the previous album, more detailed and leading more into the world of horror. The satanic, demonic themes got combined with mystical legends of old stories that will make your blood run cold. Musically this is evoked with new and darker sounds and samples as well as classic heavy metal parts“, comments the band and describes their new journey as a mixture of Drachenblut, Infernal Satanic Verses and Mystic Circle. "We gave the the album a German title, because we wanna close a circle and go back to our early days. "Erzdämon" sounds powerful and sublime and represents the album 100%."




For the album cover, Mystic Circle worked with Rafael Tavares again, who came up with the perfect artwork. The production with Nils Lesser continues seamlessly from the previous album: bombastic, brutal and massive! "The new record contains the fastest, but also the most doomy songs in the band's history", the band sums up.


Erzämon will be released on the new founded label Fireflash Records, a sub-label of Atomic Fire Records. "After working closely with Markus Wosgien on Atomic Fire Records, our new album will be released on his own label Fireflash Records. Markus is all in one: a friend, fan and mentor of the band, knowing us very well since the beginning and has also studied our development from afar. With his experience and his power we are ready to continue our way straight and uncompromising. We are all highly motivated and now, this new album is in great hands", comments the band.


"We know each other for ages and back in the days I was doing the publicity work for the Mystic Circle‘s first three studio albums on Last Episode. We became friends and I also had them on the cover of my old fanzine "Circle Of The Tyrants". When I heard the new songs, I was completely blown away. I mean, the band did some real classics and their reunion album was a deadly strike, but this new record tops it all and is simply the best they ever did. The songs are even more versatile, fast and brutal, dark as hell – but also super catchy and pure Mystic Circle. You get addicted immediately", adds Markus Wosgien of Fireflash Records.


Along the release of the new studio album, Fireflash Records will also re-release the Mystic Circle classic Drachenblut on coloured vinyl. More news soon.