Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW),Billy Gibbons (ZZ TOP),Matt Sorum (GUNS N' ROSES) and Gilby Clarke (GUNS N' ROSES) performed at a private event on September 3 at Usina Monte Alegre, a 400,000-square-meter space in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The concert served as the launch of ViralCure, an impact-first DeSci (Decentralized Science) platform to support healthcare-oriented research and development in alternative ways. The event was staged by Sthorm, a mission-driven special unit leveraging blockchain technologies for the advancement and dissemination of social and environmentally applied sciences, and it was attended by only 300 guests, including soccer player Ronaldo Fenômeno, socialite Ana Paula Junqueira, artist Tulio Dek and wingsuit champion Gabriel Lott.

Professionally filmed video of Bach, Sorum and Clarke performing the GUNS N' ROSES classic "Patience" can be seen below.

One of the invited guests, Paulo Baron, head honcho of entertainment company Top Link Music, previously shared video footage of the performance by Bach, Gibbons, Sorum and Clarke as well as several photos from the party.

Sorum is the co-founder of Sthorm, which has been described as a global hub of future-minded entrepreneurs, scientists, cypherpunks, and artists collaborating to drive disruptive solutions that have a genuine impact on society.

Sorum, who has also played with THE CULT, VELVET REVOLVER and HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, is not involved with GN'R's hugely successful reunion, which features singer Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan alongside drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

The 61-year-old musician, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Matt was among the GUNS N' ROSES members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. He, Adler, Slash and McKagan attended the ceremony, while Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

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In a new interview with Lou Brutus of HardDrive Radio, ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti was asked if he would consider one day releasing an autobiography. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, you never know. I'll have to live a little bit more life before that happens. I wanna write my fictional book first."

Tremonti went on to clarify that he previously wrote a full-length work of fiction with John Shirley based on "A Dying Machine", a concept album released in 2018 by his TREMONTI project. "We printed up I don't know how many copies of it, sold 'em out and then people advised me, 'If you wanna get a publishing deal, you've gotta stop selling 'em so you can get that deal,'" he explained. "I've written a new story.

"One of the toughest things in my creative career, if you wanna call it that, was getting this publishing deal. I've been up and down and left and right and gone through every — I've done everything to try to make this thing happen. And getting a publishing deal is — it seems way harder than getting a record deal.

"Not a lot of people buy books anymore. I love buying actual books, but a lot of people just buy the Kindle versions or whatever it is — just download it online.

"So that's one of my missions, Mark added. "I'm actively trying to get that book deal so I can get these books out again."

Four years ago, Tremonti spoke about how he turned the "A Dying Machine" album's concept into a full-length work of fiction. "The story itself that happens throughout the book — it was hard to figure out where I was going to go, but it was an exciting and cool adventure I was going to go on," he told "The Classic Metal Show". "When I decided that I wanted to do a novel, at first I was, like, 'I can do it. I can work around the clock and get it done.' Then I realized the record is coming out in six, seven months, back then, seven months, so I said, 'I have to partner up with somebody.' At first, I was going to hire a ghostwriter, just tell him the story bit by bit, then finally, I contacted my agent, my booking agent. He's part of UTA, which is United Talent Agency, which houses a literary department, so I said, 'Do you guys have any authors that fit this genre that I can partner up?' I think we went through about nine authors before we got to John Shirley. I looked at his resume and read a lot of his stuff and he is a specialist in futurism. He knows where technology is going. The book has a lot to do with where technology is going. When I explained the story, he helped me connect the dots of the story, so it wasn't just a pie-in-the-sky idea. He helped me make it make sense and believable."

The "A Dying Machine" story takes place in a future world where technology has advanced to the point where we can fuse man and machine into a life form called "vessels." They're encrypted with specific purposes from companion to security. But what happens when there's a flaw in the design? And when a recall angers the strongest and most intelligent of the vessels? Can humanity withstand an uprising? Or have they sealed their own fate?

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

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

Tremonti recently partnered with National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to release an album of Frank Sinatra covers titled "Tremonti Sings Sinatra". The LP of selections from Frank Sinatra's catalog was made available in May as part of a new charity initiative created by Tremonti called Take A Chance For Charity. Proceeds from the album go to support NDSS and the work they do to advocate for and support individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor says that "the world is less cool without" Joey Jordison in it.

The founding SLIPKNOT drummer died "peacefully in his sleep" in July 2021 of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.

Taylor addressed Jordison's death in a new interview with Zane Lowe of Apple Music 1. He said: "As you get older, you start to appreciate what you do have and you lament the losses. You lament the fact that you never had to truly make peace with the people who you lost, and that's something that I've been doing just in my own life, is reaching out to people who I haven't talked to in a while and really burying hatchets because that will just fucking weigh you down.

"Me and Joey, we had talked over the years every now and then — it would just be random — but we never said to each other what we needed to say to each other," Corey admitted. "At least I didn't say it to Joe. But that was the complicated thing about Joey, was the fact that he was so many different people in one person, but it was hard to get a beat on what was going on at any given time. He had demons that would've killed normal people. He was one of the true musical geniuses I'd ever met. He was just complicated.

"Everybody likes to sugarcoat a lot of shit after the fact, but you don't realize that what you're doing is you're dehumanizing them," Taylor added. "I can't do that because I have lived with these guys. And the goddamn tragedy of it is that we did everything we could to try and be there. Not only for him, but for Paul [Gray, late SLIPKNOT bassist]. I mean, we would rally and we would rally and we would rally, and it's just a shame, man. The world is less cool without him in it."

Corey previously talked about Jordison's death publicly during a February 2022 question-and-answer session at the annual Mad Monster Party, a three-day fan convention which took place at the Embassy Suites in Concord, North Carolina. Asked how he has dealt with the loss of his longtime bandmate, Corey said: "That's a tough one. It hit me hard, even though I hadn't seen him or talked to him in a very long time. And I won't get into certain things, but I will say that it hit us all really hard. The first person that I called was Clown [SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn Crahan] to make sure he was okay. Because those guys… I can remember going down and seeing them both at the gas station that Joey worked at — like, way back in the day. And he would work the overnights. When I wasn't working at the porn shop, I would go down. And they were always scheming; they would always sit together scheming. It's, like, 'I've got this fucking idea. All right? We're gonna set our faces on fire.' And I was, like, 'No. You're really not gonna do that.'"

He continued: "All that history and all the memories came back then. And his health was obviously part of that. And it was sad because this man was probably one of the most gifted people I've ever seen in my life… It was far, far too soon. And it broke my heart. Regardless of what had gone down between us, it broke my heart. It was a hard… It's still hard to think about. I think about it now and it doesn't seem real. So it hit us just as hard. It's one of the reasons why we pay homage to him andPaul [Gray, late SLIPKNOT bassist] at the end of [each SLIPKNOT] show — to make sure that people realize that even though he was gone, he's still part of the family, and he always will be."

Corey initially opened up about Joey's death during a September 2021 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". At the time, he said: "Our first concern was obviously his family, so we reached out immediately to make sure that they were okay, to let them know if they needed anything from us, they could absolutely ask.

"It's a damn tragedy," Taylor continued. "He was way too young, and he was way too talented to lose him like this.

"I know a lot of people wonder about the circumstances that led to him not being in the band anymore, and it's, like, we're not gonna talk about that, because I'd rather talk about his legacy, which is that he helped create this band that we all have fought to keep out there and keep going.

"Just the fact that he's not here now, it's still — I still can't believe it," Corey added.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Several years ago, Jordison overcame the neurological condition acute transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord which damages nerve fibers, which ultimately led to the drummer temporarily losing the use of his legs.

Jordison and the members of SLIPKNOT had been silent and evasive about the reasons for his dismissal from the band, but Joey finally spoke about it in 2016 while accepting an award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in London, England.

At the time, Joey claimed that he was fired from SLIPKNOT without a band meeting or "anything from management." He said: "All I got was a stupid fucking e-mail saying I was out of the band that I busted my ass my whole life to fucking create. That's exactly what happened and it was hurtful. I didn't deserve that shit after what I'd done and everything I'd been through.

"They got confused about my health issues and obviously even I didn't know what it was at first," he continued. "They thought I was fucked up on drugs, which I wasn't at all.

"I've been through so many things with those guys and I love them very much. What's hurtful is the way it went down was not fucking right. That's all I want to say. The way they did it was fucking cowardly. It was fucked up."

Back in 2014, Taylor told Metal Hammer that firing Jordison after 18 years was "one of the hardest decisions" the group ever made, adding that Joey is "in a place in his life" which is "not where we are."

Taylor said he could not get into specifics for legal reasons, but admitted, "It's when a relationship hits that T-section and one person's going one way and you're going the other. And try as you might to either get them to go your way or try and go their way, at some point you've got to go in the direction that works for you. This is me speaking in the broadest terms, with respect to Joey. I guess to sum it up, it was one of the hardest decisions we ever made."

Taylor said that the band is "happy right now and we hope that he is . . . he's just in a place in his life, right now, that's not where we are."

The singer would not answer whether drug use played a role in Jordison's dismissal, and confessed that he had not been in touch with his former bandmate. Taylor said, "I haven't talked to Joey in a while, to be honest. That's how different we are. It's not because I don't love him and I don't miss him. And it is painful; we talk about him all the time, but at the same time, do we miss him or do we miss the old him? That's what it really comes down to."

Four years ago, Joey revealed that he was working on his first-ever book.

In 2018, Jordison completed a European tour with the international death metal supergroup SINSAENUM.

More than a year ago, Joey's SINSAENUM bandmate Frédéric Leclercq blasted TMZ for sharing the audio of the 911 call placed by the former SLIPKNOT drummer's ex-girlfriend after she found him dead. On July 29, 2021, the tabloid site posted the two-and-a-half-minute phone call in which the ex-girlfriend — who continued taking care of Joey's bills and maintaining his house in Iowa even after their split — could be heard getting very emotional when she went to his home to check on him after he hadn't returned her messages. During the call, she indicated that Joey was "a really bad alcoholic" with "health issues," and she revealed that the motion sensors on the house hadn't detected any activity in days.

The same year that he exited SLIPKNOT, Jordison launched the band SCAR THE MARTYR and later, VIMIC.

Robert DeLeo, bassist and principal songwriter of the iconic band STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, will release his first solo album, "Lessons Learned", on October 21. Listen to debut single "Love Is Not Made Of Gold" below.

If you've been paying attention since the 1990s, you already know that DeLeo's range was always there in the hints of sophistication sparkling beneath the surface of the sound that cemented STP's place as one of the defining bands of their era. Now for the first time, he's pulling back the curtain to reveal the full breadth of his range. "Lessons Learned" bears many shades of DeLeo in his full glory as a multi-instrumentalist.

STP listeners will recognize the signature chord changes right away, with new songs like "She Brings The Rain", "What Will Be" and "What'll I Do", shifting course and ascending ever so gracefully to the upper ozone of the musical spectrum, where gorgeous hummable melodies spill over into an array of reflective moods.

"The past few years of life have revealed many changes," says Robert. "This collection of songs represents what has transpired. The journey and gift of songwriting has played such an important role for me. It's been a close companion throughout my life."

Robert played virtually all the instruments on the album, complemented by guest musicians and vocalists, all of which lend to the undeniable intimacy of the music. "Love Is Not Made Of Gold" features vocalist Jimmy Gnecco.

"I needed to confess my feelings on that ever so mystical word…LOVE," says Robert. "I wanted this song to come across in such a way that really hits where it hurts."

Like so much of DeLeo's body of work, "Lessons Learned" is the kind of record that feels so alive in the present and instantly soundtracks the moment for the listener.

"The path of love is unknown," Robert concludes. "Your heart leads you in many different directions. These are my lessons learned."

"Lessons Learned" track listing:

01. Big Sky Woman
02. She Brings The Rain
03. Love Is Not Made Of Gold
04. Anew
05. Put Aside Your Sorrows
06. Lessons Learned
07. What Will Be
08. Everything
09. What'll I Do
10. Is This Goodbye

This past March, Robert spoke to AXS TV's "At Home And Social With" about his upcoming solo album. The 56-year-old musician said: "Through this pandemic, there's been a lot of time and a lot of free time. And it gave me a chance to pick up all my acoustic instruments and kind of talk to them a little bit and see what they had to say back. And before I knew it, I had a bunch of songs together of my own — acoustic-based songs. And I had some friends of mine, who are very talented, do some vocal stuff. So I have different vocalists — about five different vocalists — through the record, and great, great, very talented people helping me out with this."

Asked if he wanted to name some of the singers that appear on the LP, DeLeo said: "I'm gonna keep that a secret right now, but I'm about 10 songs out of 12 done. And hopefully later this year [I'll be able to] present that. And I'm really excited about that. I'm playing guitar and bass, and I sang one song and kind of laid it all out on my own, using different instruments that I have. And it's been really therapeutic."

In February, DeLeo revealed on his Instagram that his solo album would include a guest appearance by Kara Britz, who has worked as a backing singer on NBC's "The Voice" and has backed up country artist Blake Shelton, as well as piano playing by producer, engineer and mixer Bill Appleberry and cello playing of Dave Eggar.

In the summer of 2021, DeLeo discussed his upcoming solo album in an interview with Bass Player magazine. At the time, he stated about the set: "It's all acoustic bass, and I got a chance to sharpen up my acoustic guitar skills too. I wound up finding a guitarrón — you know, the Mexican bass? I found one that was converted to four strings and it was fretted, and it sounds unbelievable. I've reached out to people that I really wanted to write and collaborate with."

DeLeo has been discussing the possibility of releasing a solo album for at least the last two decades. Back in 2002, he said that he was "compiling a number of songs" that had not made their way on to STP records, "not because they're bad songs, [but] just because they never found a place. Though they're different from STP, they still mean a lot to me," he explained.

Last December, Robert revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. He later said that "it was rather mild, like flu mild."

In November, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS scrapped the remaining shows on their tour — including an appearance at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida — after a "member" of the band's "organization" tested positive for COVID-19.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — Robert DeLeo, guitarist Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz.

Singer Jeff Gutt, a 46-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.

Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.

Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS released their first all-acoustic album, titled "Perdida", in February 2020. The disc was Gutt's second with STP. His recording debut with the group was on its self-titled seventh album, which arrived in March 2018.

Photo credit: Duke DeLeo

Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice recently spoke to legendary vocalist Graham Bonnet about his time with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, the slow disintegration of the band after the making of the bands commercially successful album Down To Earth and the possibility of a  Blackmore reunion. His musical highs and drunken days in The Michael Schenker Group and exposing his private parts. As well as song writing with Yngwie Malmsteen  vs Steve Vai in Bonnet's own ‘80s band Alcatrtrazz. Bonnet goes on to tell The Metal Voice about the making of his new EP My Kingdom Come and his thoughts on his recent reunion on stage, with Michael Schenker after 38 years on, in Japan on June 14.

 When asked on why he decided to leave Rainbow at the beginning of rehearsals of Difficult To Cure:

“Cozy Powell left the band.  Cozy , Don Airy and I were very close friends, Don said to me if Cozy leaves the band I’m going to leave.  The rehearsals were going nowhere, every day was unproductive, we never made any melodies, any kind of arrangements. Nothing was happening.  Ritchie didn’t turn up to song writing rehearsals  The interest was gone  because  Cozy left, a lot of the fire was gone cause we were a bunch of friends. Ritchie Blackmore wasn’t fun for some reason. I said well I think I’m gonna go home now. I don’t see anything happening here”

When asked if he would do a reunite with Ritchie Blackmore:

“Absolutely, I’d love to play with Ritchie again it would be fantastic but I don’t see that happening because he has moved on also. If he ever wanted to call me. Absolutely”

On his thoughts on Joe Lynn Turner Rainbow Reunion:

“Joe Lynn Turner spoke about this years ago saying well I think Rainbow should reform and I should be the guy that sings. I said no if anybody should be singing it should be Ronnie Dio when Ronnie was still alive I said that would be the original Rainbow”

How Michael Schenker fired him after his first show in 1982 for being drunk and exposing his penis on stage:

“What you read or heard is absolutely true because I was completely out of it. I’ve been drinking all day and I had a bit of an argument with Michael. And when it came to show time, I had all the lyrics on the stage stuck to and the audience pushed forward and all my lyrics screwed up because the monitors shifted, so I was screwed at that point in the first song or something, my fly broke and out comes my penis because I don’t wear underwear and out it popped, I made it part of the act. Everybody was telling me to fuck off The whole thing was in shambles, I started swearing at the audience and they were swearing back at me. I got off the stage. So I ran to a hotel where next morning I was put on train back to Kings Cross Station and my manager met me there and told me I would be fired from the band. I said I am sorry for what happened it was just a bad day.”

When asked what was it like reuniting with Michael Schenker on stage after 38 years:

“It was amazing. We smiled at each other in a knowing way if you know what I mean. We both looked at each other and said, yeah this is good. There was a broad smile that came across his face; I haven’t seen that smile in a long time. It was magical.”

When asked who he preferred  more to work with  in his Alcatrazz years Yngwie Malmsteen  or Steve Vai:

“Steve Vai because he had the same mindset in music as I did. Vai was a pleasure to work with but at first so was Yngwie but then he got this ego thing going on that was the problem, he wants a band member he was a soloist and he needs to be a soloist Steve Vai was a band member.”

On September 27th, Arch Enemy launched their European Siege 2022 in Dublin, Ireland at The Olympia Theatre. The band has since issued an official video recap, along with the following statement:


"What an amazing way to kick off the European Siege Tour 2022 in Dublin, Ireland! Thank you all so much for coming out and selling out the first show of the tour; we can't wait to do it again!"







High quality fan-filmed video of select songs from Arch Enemy's show in Dublin, Ireland has surfaced online and can be enjoyed below. Their setlist was as follows:


"Deceiver, Deceiver"
"War Eternal"
"Ravenous"
"In The Eye Of The Storm"
"House Of Mirrors"
"My Apocalypse"
"The Watcher"
"The Eagle Flies Alone"
"Handshake With Hell"
"Sunset Over The Empire"
"As The Pages Burn"
"Snow Bound"
"Nemesis"
"Fields Of Desolation"





Don't miss Arch Enemy on The European Siege 2022 alongside Behemoth, Carcass, and Unto Others. Dates can be seen in the official poster below.





A collection of 11 tracks that are ruthlessly catchy and mercilessly violent, Deceivers stands toe-to-toe with the highlights of the band's storied catalogue. Roaring to life with "Handshake With Hell", Arch Enemy make it clear they are out for blood, and every track is a hit, from the moody "Poisoned Arrow" to the titanically anthemic "One Last Time". Sounding more energized than ever, the quintet is operating at the highest level, delivering a maelstrom of diamond-hard riffing wrapped around cinematic melodies, thunderous drumming and towering vocals. Arch Enemy has proved, yet again, that they are unstoppable.


Deceivers can be ordered in various formats here.





Deceivers tracklisting:


"Handshake With Hell"
"Deceiver, Deceiver"
"In The Eye Of The Storm"
"The Watcher"
"Poisoned Arrow"
"Sunset Over The Empire"
"House Of Mirrors"
"Spreading Black Wings"
"Mourning Star"
"One Last Time"
"Exiled From Earth"


"Deceiver, Deceiver" video:





"House Of Mirrors" video:





"Handshake With Hell" video:





"Sunset Over The Empire" video:





"The Watcher" video:





 

Canadian classic rock roots and blues rock band The Commoners release the title track single "Find A Better Way", the third single taken from the forthcoming album Find A Better Way on Friday, September 30th. The single is mixed by legendary producer Kevin Shirley (Joe Bonamassa, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin) and is available to buy and stream at this location.


The album will be released on CD, limited edition vinyl and digital by Gypsy Soul Records on Friday November 4th. The CD and vinyl editions are available to pre-order from TheCommoners.ca. Pre-save the album digitally here.


The Commoners’ lead singer, Chris Medhurst, describes the "Find A Better Way" single as follows: “Our current world throws a lot of challenges at us all. We don’t have control over that, but we do have control over how we respond. 'Find A Better Way' is a powerful rock anthem that speaks to the challenges we must overcome and our need in humanity to find a better way.”







Possessing a sound tapped from the oaken belly of a whiskey barrel, The Commoners are a four-piece roots / blues rock band from Toronto, Canada.


Described as “a classic rock and roll affair,” the nine songs take the listener on a sonic voyage through the lives of the band, from the dusty back roads of rural Ontario to the bright lights of the big city. Offering their own blend of rock and roll, southern blues, and roots music, the Toronto-based four-piece band are known for their high-energy riffs, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies. The result is an authentic Southern-style rock experience. 


The group was cobbled together over the course of a decade, adapting through numerous obstacles to form the unit as it exists today: Chris Medhurst (vocals/guitar), Ben Spiller (bass), Ross Hayes Citrullo (lead guitar), and Adam Cannon (drums). Often joined by their friend, organist Miles Evans-Branagh, The Commoners unite under a shared dream: to write, perform, and share music that is an authentic nod to the greats who paved the way before them.





“The new album authentically embodies the rock and roll, soul, and blues rock experience,” says the band’s lead singer, Chris Medhurst. “That’s something we really wanted to bring back. That’s the roots. That’s what we listen to.”


The Black Crowes are a considerable influence for us,” says Medhurst. “Derek Trucks, Marcus King, Led Zeppelin, and The Allman Brothers Band, too. These are the bands that we wear on our sleeves as we aspire to create our own music and sound.”


Find A Better Way is an album that demands attention from the first note. The opening lines “If I scream at the top of my lungs, and stamp my feet, ’til the floor comes undone,” immediately inform that a wild ride lies ahead. The album was recorded and produced at RHC Music in Toronto by the band’s guitarist Ross Hayes Citrullo. Ross collaborated with executive producer Renan Yildizdogan to strike the perfect balance of new and old recording treatments. The goal was to create something that felt new and original, yet still familiar to their target classic roots rock and blues rock audience.


“The vision from the beginning was to marry old and new southern rock together in a way that was unique to the band’s Canadian roots,” explains Citrullo. “By adding the soul and rock elements of the Black Crowes, and the southern blues rock undertones of the Allman Brothers to a production style akin to Blackberry Smoke and Rival Sons, I think we developed an authentic sound that compares sonically to some of our favourite records across all of those music genres.” 


The album’s lyrical themes drill into the essence of humanity: love, regret, ambition, and fear. Circling the forever challenge of doubt vs. desire, The Commoners place themselves into the shoes of the everyman. The result? Nine tracks that function as a comfort and companion through all of life’s trials and tribulations, with melodic solos, soaring organ, and a punchy rhythm section to drive the messages home.


Drummer Adam Cannon says, “Music, like so much in life, is about the exchange of energy,” and The Commoners make more than a fair trade. Striving to present an impactful, memorable, and downright exhilarating live experience that accurately represents their recorded works, the band carries the listener over spirited choruses and group chants, before returning them back to earth in need of a shot of something smooth. You can expect to leave fully satisfied, sweat drenched, and heart racing, a good time guaranteed—just what we all need.





The Commoners enlisted a handful of Toronto’s finest musicians to help bring their record to life. On the title track Find A Better Way, the band brought on keyboardist Jeff Heisholt (The Trews) to lay down an iconic organ track. For the rest of the album, keyboardist Miles Evans-Branagh performed organ, piano, and Rhodes.


To accompany Ben and Adam on backup vocals, The Commoners called upon three of Canada’s top backup singers. Tash Lorayne and Shezelle Weekes (The Arkells), and Chantal Williams joined in to arrange vocal parts and enliven the mix with their vivacious voices resulting in a spine-tingling performance. 


The Commoners also invited local legend Michael Eckert to lend his pedal steel talents on I Won’t and Alive. Adding the final cherry on top, renowned multi-instrumentalist Ben Healey treated Deadlines to a guitar solo worthy of the world’s greatest stadiums. Though these songs were all written by The Commoners, the contributions of these amazing guest musicians make the album something special.


“Every time we brought an outside player into the studio, they would offer their own unique instincts and interpretations of each song. This helped the album grow into a collaborative art piece that continues to surprise us with every listen.”


A rock anthem to its core, the title track, "Find A Better Way", carries a message that encapsulates the entirety of the record. With growing uncertainties, society faces challenges previously unseen, leaving the collective in a perpetual state of questioning, with doubt directed towards governments, public leaders, and our neighbours. From the aftermath of COVID-19, the increasing mental health crisis in North America, war crimes in Ukraine, and the explosion of social movements and protests, one thought unites us all—we need to find a better way to co-exist on this planet. Find A Better Way takes an inward look at confronting our tumultuous past and accepting personal accountabilities to uncover the strength needed to seek a solution.


"Find A Better Way" is the only track on the record to mixed outside of Canada. The band worked with legendary producer / mixer Kevin Shirley (The Black Crowes, Joe Bonamassa, Led Zeppelin) at Caveman Studios in Sydney, Australia. Kevin’s mix helped set the perfect tone for the album, which Ross Hayes Citrullo was then able to follow for the rest of the record. Kevin’s involvement set The Commoners on the right path with this epic title track.


Mastering was also an important consideration for the band and their label. For this stage, the team sent their record all the way to Nashville, Tennessee to Pete Lyman (Tedeschi Trucks, Blackberry Smoke, Chris Stapleton, Rival Sons) at Infrasonic Sound. Pete’s specialty for mastering southern rock made the mixes come alive, making them sonically competitive to the band’s influences.


As a collective, we find ourselves emerging into a changed society, with uncertainty looming and shadowing the future. In their upcoming release, The Commoners remind us that music has a unique ability to heal, a medicine of extraordinary merit, and balm for the soul during dark times. Every major movement in history gave rise to change makers, and The Commoners are taking their stand, here to lead and inspire us all to Find A Better Way.





Tracklisting:


"Find A Better Way" 
"Fill My Cup" 
"More Than Mistakes" 
"Too Much" 
"Naturally" 
"I  Won’t" 
"Deadlines" 
"Hangin’ On Again" 
"Alive" 








The Commoners will be touring Europe over the next two months. Their live itinerary is as follows:


October
12 - Norderstedt, Germany - Music Star
13 - Hoganas, Sweden - Garage Bar TBC
14 - Varberg, Sweden - Maja’s
15 - Avesta, Sweden - Kulturgaraget
16 - Stockholm, Sweden - TBC
18 - Malmo, Sweden - Folk & Rock
19 - Hamburg, Germany - Cowboy und Indianer TBC
20 - Hamburg, Germany - Cowboy und Indianer TBC
21 - Asendorf, Germany - Break Out
22 - Singwitz, Germany - Kesselhaus
23 - Burglengenfeld, Germany - RockStürbl
24 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Muzeum Ochbodu
26 - Bremen, Germany - Meisenfrei
27 - Köln, Germany TBC
28 - Rimsting,Germany TBC
29 - Fiesch, Switzerland - Inch Bar
30 - Switzerland TBC
31 - Solothurn, Switzerland TBC


November
3 - Barcelona, Spain - Sala Textil
4 - Castellon, Spain - Sala Because
5 - Orihuela, Spain - La Gramola
6 - Valladollid, Spain - Puerta Caeli
7 - Leon, Spain - Babylon
8 - Ourense, Spain - Cafe Auriense
10 - A Coruna, Spain - Sala Mardi Gras
11 - Cangas, Spain - Salason
12 - Valles, Spain - Bocanegra
13 - Vitoria, Spain - Urban Rock
15 - Chambery, France - Brin de Zinc
16 - Besançon, France - Bar De L’U
17 - Metz, France TBC
18 - Krefeld, Germany - Kulturrampe
19 - Ostend, Belgium TBC


For further details, visit The Commoners on Facebook.


 

The electrifying quartet of Iron Kingdom has a hot new album, The Blood Of Creation, coming out in the winter and in order to get fans as excited about it as they are, are releasing a drum playthrough of their first single, "In The Grip of Nightmares", so folks at home can watch Max Friesen bring the thunder. Along with this they also released a mini-documentary about the making of the album on social media last week.


Iron Kingdom wanted to create music in a style of metal that seemed to have been forgotten when they were kids. Since no one else seemed to be doing it, they decided to play metal the way it used to be played in the 70s and 80s. They combine this classic sound with dark lyrics surrounding a variety of topics including myths, historical events, and fantasy books. The single "In the Grip Of Nightmares" spins off a character in Michael Moorcock's "Elric of Melnibonè" book series. The band explains further: "We started writing this song during the 'On The Hunt' sessions back in 2019, however, the song had a different energy than the rest of the album so we decided it would be best to come back to it at a later date. In late 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, we took a second look at what was to become 'In The Grip Of Nightmares'. We rewrote the tune to be what it is today. It tells the tale of the legendary sentient sword 'Stormbringer' and its relationship to Elric. The two are bound together by fate. A fate that twists Chaos and Law, and leaves Elric in the grip of nightmares. Musically, this song is relatively progressive, I'd say it has some Helloween and Fates Warning like feelings. It is quite fast and driving, but also quite melodic with lots of leads and solos."


Drummer Max Friesen also adds about the track: "This song was one of the first we worked on as a group. It was one where I tried to make a good first impression haha. The kicks go for quite the gallop at a middle tempo so It's a bit of an endurance run with full leg motion. I tried to feature both rides in this track and took influence from a cymbal riff by Amanda Osterman from the song "At The Gates" off of the 2013 album 'Gates of Eternity'."







"The Blood Of Creation" is the fifth album from the Vancouver-based band and over the years they have moved from being a hard rock band, then taking a progressive metal dive, going fully classic metal, and ultimately bringing all of those together in the latest. They lean into dark themes, dark topics, dark vibes, and a dark cover, and at the end is just a wall of music. Iron Kingdom is recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Helloween, and Judas Priest.


Pre-order the album here, or here.





Tracklisting:


"Tides Of Desolation"
"Sheathe The Sword"
"Queen Of The Crystal Throne"
"Hunter And Prey"
"Witching Hour"
"In The Grip Of Nightmares"
"Primordial"
"The Blood Of Creation"


"In The Grip Of Nightmares":





Teaser:





In additional news, Iron Kingdom have announced their album launch show for November 4 in Vancouver, BC, at the Wise Hall. For more info, head here.





(Photo - Caitlin Delaplace)

Gothenburg-based melodic metal force DRAGONLAND is currently gearing up to return with their brand new album, The Power Of The Nightstar, to be released on October 14, 2022 through AFM Records. It's the band's first full-length studio album after more than 10 years.

Such a long time span without a new record could be reason enough for a band to fall into oblivion, unless of course they left a lasting impression before their hiatus. In case of DRAGONLAND, who have inspired their extensive fanbase repeatedly since the release of their debut The Battle Of The Ivory Plains in 2001, the anticipation of new material has continued to grow from year to year and following their 2011-album, Under The Grey Banner. Finally, your wait is over and DRAGONLAND returns to the heavy music scene, with their colossal, new album The Power Of The Nightstar!


Previously-released, first singles, "Flight From Destruction" and the epic album title track, already showcased the band's incredible energy for a sensational comeback, with an album of an amazing range of wonderfully haunting, fast-paced melodic metal they are known and loved for. Today, the Swedes have shared a new single taken of The Power Of The Nightstar, and reveal:

"This third single, entitled “The Scattering of Darkness” showcases a more progressive side of “The Power Of The Nightstar”. We are here at a point in the story where our protagonists are exploring a new planet to which fate has led them. They are digging deep into the very planetary core, in search of a fabled artifact - its existence prophesied by mumbling sages.

The initial mood of the track is thus a bit exploratory in nature, with the verse modulating in key several times, before finding its way back to the tonic key just in time for the glorious chorus - Dragonland songwriting at its very finest!"

Their upcoming album, The Power Of The Nightstar impressively illustrates, that DRAGONLAND continues to be among the most energetic and passionate bands of their genre. It's not only the band’s longest and most elaborate record to date, it also documents a remarkable artistic development. “The overall approach is a bit more cinematic sound-wise than our earlier releases,” keyboardist Elias Holmlid explains, adding: “Compared to ‘Under The Grey Banner’, the new album features more electronic elements while retaining and refining the symphonic parts. Fans of Dragonland will definitely recognize the songwriting style, which we’ve taken to even more epic proportions this time around, with dense choirs and maximized production values.”

DRAGONLAND's new magnum opus was mixed and mastered by studio icon Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, and will be available on October 14, 2022 through AFM Records.

Following the release of "Patient Number 9", Ozzy Osbourne is providing an inside look into the making of the album with a three-part video series featuring interviews and in-studio clips with some of featured performers. The series includes exclusive interviews with Ozzy and the album's producer Andrew Watt. Sharon Osbourne, Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH),Ozzy's longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) and Mike McCready (PEARL JAM) also offer insight into the making of the album. The series was created and produced by Jack Osbourne with interviews conducted by renowned British journalist Phil Alexander. Watch the third part, "Live Forever", below.

Released September 9 and marking Ozzy's 13th solo studio album, "Patient Number 9" triumphantly sets new career highs for Ozzy. In the U.S., the album debuted at No. 1 on multiple charts: Top Album Sales (Ozzy's first No. 1 ever on this chart),Top Current Album Sales (another first),Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Vinyl Albums and Tastemaker Albums charts; and at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Globally, the album charted at No. 1 in Canada (Ozzy's first-ever No. 1 there); career-high No. 2 entries in the U.K., Australia, Finland and Italy; No. 6 in the Netherlands and New Zealand; No. 8 in Belgium; and No. 14 France. Other highlights include No. 2 Austria, Germany and Sweden; No. 3 in Switzerland; and No. 4 in Norway.

Produced by Watt (who handled the same duties on 2020's "Ordinary Man") and released on Epic, "Patient Number 9" boasts guitarists Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mike McCready of PEARL JAM, and longstanding righthand man and six-string beast Zakk Wylde who plays on the majority of the tracks. For the bulk of the album, Chad Smith held down drums, while the late Taylor Hawkins of FOO FIGHTERS made an appearance. Old friend and one-time Ozzy bandmember Robert Trujillo plays bass on most of the album's tracks, with Duff McKagan of GUNS N' ROSES and Chris Chaney of JANE'S ADDICTION supplying bass on a few songs. For the first time ever, BLACK SABBATH co-founder, guitarist and riff lord Tony Iommi appears on an Ozzy solo album.

The "Patient Number 9" title track was written by Ozzy, Watt, Trujillo, Smith and Ali Tamposi and features a riveting solo from Beck. The accompanying music video marked the first collaboration from the project with artist and comic book creator Todd McFarlane. It was highlighted by McFarlane's signature illustrations interspersed with live Ozzy vignettes in the role of "Patient Number 9," which the revolutionary creative force in the world of comics and toys also filmed. In addition, this was the first-ever video to incorporate Ozzy's artwork: his hand-drawn demons were animated and could be seen during the Jeff Beck solo in the song.

"Patient Number 9" track listing:

01. Patient Number 9 (feat. Jeff Beck)
02. Immortal (feat. Mike McCready)
03. Parasite (feat. Zakk Wylde)
04. Mr. Darkness (feat. Zakk Wylde)
05. One Of Those Days (feat. Eric Clapton)
06. A Thousand Shades (feat. Jeff Beck)
07. No Escape From Now (feat. Tony Iommi)
08. Nothing Feels Right (feat. Zakk Wylde)
09. Evil Shuffle (feat. Zakk Wylde)
10. Degradation Rules (feat. Tony Iommi)
11. Dead And Gone
12. God Only Knows
13. Darkside Blues

As previously reported, Ozzy performed at halftime of the Los Angeles Rams season opener on September 8 at SoFi Stadium. Fans in the stadium were treated to a multi-song medley from Osbourne while viewers at home saw a portion of the performance on NBC and Peacock during halftime.Ozzy opened with the title track of his new album, "Patient Number 9", backed by Andrew Watt on guitar, Chris Chaney on bass and Tommy Clufetos on drums. Longtime Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde then joined them onstage to play the singer's classic track "Crazy Train".

Prior to the halftime show, the 73-year-old Ozzy last performed in August when he made a surprise appearance at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in his former hometown of Birmingham, England.

Earlier in the month, Ozzy and his wife/manager Sharon announced their return to TV with a 10-part reality series called "Home To Roost". Set to air on BBC One and iPlayer, the show will document the Osbournes' journey back to Britain, alongside daughter Kelly and son Jack's efforts to support them.

Ozzy has sold over 100 million records, is one of a handful of artists who has had Top 10 albums in last six decades, received induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a co-founder of BLACK SABBATH, won three Grammy Awards, earned the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors, set a Guinness World Record, and claimed real estate on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and Birmingham Walk Of Stars. He's played for royalty (even the Queen of England) and dignitaries around the world, interacted with presidents and performed to millions of devoted fans on five continents. Earlier this year, Ozzy's CrytoBatz NFT launched as one the biggest Celebrity NFT project ever created; it's currently ranked in the top 100 biggest NFT projects ever and is valued at over $40 million.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

Hard rock group POP EVIL has released a new single, "Paranoid (Crash & Burn)". The track will appear on the band's upcoming album, due in early 2023 via MNRK Heavy.

Following "Eye Of The Storm", which recently reached No. 1 at Active Rock, "Paranoid (Crash & Burn)" oscillates from something more melodic and rhythmic to pure aggression — that "get out of my head" scream is certainly going to resonate. "It's about the voices in our head — we all have 'em, but do we act on them?" says frontman Leigh Kakaty. "It's a cautionary tale, about processing those voices in a positive way. It's very aggro and uptempo, and I think it speaks to the depression and anxiety a lot of us have at this stage in our lives."

POP EVIL teamed up with filmmaker Jensen Noen for the official music video that will be shared later.

The band wrapped up its North American run with DAUGHTRY and is set to begin a European headlining tour on November 1.

POP EVIL has massive anthems and built a new rock'n'roll institution on a foundation of showmanship, raw relatability, and hard rock hooks, both forward-thinking and timeless from Kakaty, lead guitarist Nick Fuelling, rhythm guitarist Dave Grahs, bassist Joey "Chicago" Walser and drummer Hayley Cramer. No matter the headline-grabbing declarations from legendary icons, lamenting the changing of the guard, the slow-burning success of POP EVIL demonstrates the hunger for hard-hitting honest music persisting worldwide.

Their 2011 album, "War Of Angels", debuted at No. 8 on Billboard Top Rock Albums with three singles landing on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Top 10, including "Last Man Standing", "Monster You Made" and "Boss's Daughter". The momentum continued with their 2013 album "Onyx", landing them on the Top 40 of the Billboard 200 for the first time, plus it was No. 9 on the Billboard Independent Albums in America and No. 25 on the Billboard 200. The album included three No. 1 Billboard Mainstream Rock singles "Trenches", "Deal With The Devil" and "Torn To Pieces". In 2015, the band released its album "Up", which would make its way to No. 1 on Billboard Independent Albums, with four Top 5 Billboard singles such as "Ways To Get High", "Take It All" and "If Only For Now". The hit single "Footsteps" is still one of the biggest songs to date and returned POP EVIL to Billboard's No. 1 spot for four weeks. Their 2018 self-titled album landed three singles on Billboard Mainstream Rock, "Waking Lions" at No. 1 with "Be Legendary" peaking at No. 2 and "A Crime To Remember" peaking at No. 7.

POP EVIL's recent No. 1 single includes "Survivor", which also topped Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart in late 2021, joining previous Top 10 single "Work" and No. 1 single "Breathe Again" from their album "Versatile", out now via MNRK Heavy. Over the course of their career, the band has achieved four gold singles with "Torn To Pieces" and "Trenches" from "Onyx", "Footsteps" from "Up", and, "100 In A 55" from their debut studio album, "Lipstick On The Mirror".

Photo credit: Nick Fancher

Formed in 1968, the original ALICE COOPER band forged a theatrical brand of hard rock that was destined to shock and had never been seen before. Within five years, they would release no fewer than seven studio albums, amongst them their international breakthrough "School's Out" (including the Top 10 hit of the same name) and the U.S. No. 1 "Billion Dollar Babies" (1973).

By 1974, the band had risen to the upper echelon of rock stardom... and then it dissolved.

In October 2015, over 40 years later, record store owner and superfan Chris Penn convinced the original lineup to reunite for a very special performance at Good Records, his record store in Dallas, Texas. Alice Cooper (vocals),Michael Bruce (guitar),Dennis Dunaway (bass) and Neal Smith (drums) were joined on stage by Alice's current guitarist Ryan Roxie (standing in for the late Glen Buxton). A packed audience was expecting to attend Dennis Dunaway's "Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs!" book signing. But they ended up witnessing a full-blown happening.

The legendary reunion show, including all-time classics such as "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "I'm Eighteen" and "School's Out", is now becoming available for the very first time worldwide on September 30.

Luckily, the event was also filmed. The documentary movie "Live From The Astroturf, Alice Cooper" (edited and directed by Steven Gaddis) was very warmly welcomed at film festivals all over the world by music fans as well as rock journalists. The documentary won multiple awards for its coverage of the historic event. The movie is included in the live album's first print CD and vinyl LP editions.

Track listing:

CD:

01. Caught In A Dream (Vinyl Side A)
02. Be My Lover
03. I'm Eighteen
04. Is It My Body
05. No More Mr. Nice Guy
06. Under My Wheels (Vinyl Side B)
07. School's Out
08. Elected
09. Desperado (Intro Bonus Track)

DVD/Blu-ray (running time: over 100 minutes):

Documentary With All Live Performances + Extras:

* Music video for "I'm Eighteen"
* "(Live From The Astroturf)"
* Music video for "Under My Wheels (Live From The Astroturf)"
* Extensive interview with Dennis, Michael and Neal

The "Under My Wheels (Live From The Astroturf)" video can now be seen below.

Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he's best known for. With a schedule that includes six months each year on the road, Cooper brings his own brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock rock, Cooper (in both the original ALICE COOPER band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie, even in an era where CNN can present real-life shocking images. His latest album, "Detroit Stories", is out via earMUSIC.

Inspired by celebrated crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and VELVET REVOLVER singer Scott Weiland recorded a deeply personal album of holiday standards in 2011 titled "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year". The original 10-song collection will be expanded with four unreleased recordings for its vinyl debut this holiday season, marking the first posthumous music to be released from the Weiland vault.

Due October 21, "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year: Deluxe Edition" will be released as two vinyl versions, one red and one green. One of the previously unreleased tracks featured on the "Deluxe Edition" is Weiland's stirring cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's anti-war anthem "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)". Sadly, the song's message is as relevant today as it was when it was released in 1971. Weiland's version is available today on all digital download and streaming services along with a new animated video for the track.

The other unreleased tracks debuting on the upcoming "Deluxe Edition" were recorded at Weiland's Lavish Studio during rehearsals for "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year". They offer alternate versions of three album tracks: "White Christmas", "Winter Wonderland" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". In addition to the bonus tracks, the "Deluxe Edition" also features newly updated album artwork.

Initially, the idea to record a holiday album grew out of Weiland's 2009 performance of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno". The singer said Sinatra's legendary 1957 recording of the song, which featured an orchestra conducted by Gordon Jenkins, inspired his take on this sentimental favorite.

Likewise, many of the songs on "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" share similarly lush orchestrations, including horn and string arrangements by Michael Birnbryer and Jessica Catron, respectively. Weiland adds his honeyed baritone into the mix on timeless classics like "The Christmas Song", "I'll Be Home For Christmas", "White Christmas" and the title track.

Elsewhere on the album, Weiland delivers some surprising reinterpretations of holiday standards with his reggae version of "O Holy Night" complete with steel drums, "Silent Night" propelled by a spritely bossa nova beat, and a jazzy "What Child Is This?" The collection also features the original "Happy Christmas And Many More", a song Weiland co-wrote with Doug Grean, who also co-produced the album with him.

"The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year: Deluxe Edition" LP track listing:

Side A

01. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) *
02. The Christmas Song
03. I'll Be Home For Christmas
04. White Christmas
05. Silent Night
06. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
07. What Child Is This?

Side B

01. Winter Wonderland
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
03. Happy Christmas And Many More
04. O Holy Night
05. White Christmas - Lavish Studio Rehearsal *
06. Winter Wonderland - Lavish Studio Rehearsal*
07. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Lavish Studio Rehearsal *

* previously unreleased

Weiland was found dead on his tour bus in December 2015 at the age of 48 from a toxic mix of drugs and alcohol. The vocalist, who was on the road with his solo band THE WILDABOUTS, was also dealing with self-medication, estrangement from his children, financial difficulties and a steadily increasing drinking problem.

A January 2016 report from Billboard revealed that Scott was dealing with hepatitis C, mental illness and the knowledge that both his parents had cancer in the final months of his life. The article featured interviews with Scott's widow Jamie, his mother Sharon, his WILDABOUTS bandmates Tommy Black and Nick Maybury, tour manager Aaron Mohler and others.

Jamie said that Scott had been experiencing episodes of paranoia and mania caused by bipolar disorder. She explained: "At one point, it was so bad I had to move out because he was unstable." Eventually they found a medication that leveled him out, with Jamie adding "For the last couple of years, he was doing pretty great."

In addition to STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, Scott fronted VELVET REVOLVER from 2004 through 2008. He rejoined STP in 2008 after a six-year hiatus, but was dismissed from the group in 2013 due to his erratic behavior.

Slipknot have released their new album, The End, So Far, via Roadrunner Records. Find individual track visualizers and videos below.


Produced By Slipknot and Joe Barresi, The End, So Far is available to order now, with several vinyl variants available at slipknot1.com. The End, So Far includes the band’s 2021 surprise single “The Chapeltown Rag” and follows their widely celebrated 2019 album We Are Not Your Kind, which marked Slipknot’s third consecutive #1 on the Billboard 200. The release made a massive global impact with #1 debuts in the Official Album Charts of twelve countries around the world, including the UK, Australia, Canada and Mexico, with Top 5 debuts in an additional twelve countries including Germany, France and Sweden.







Tracklisting:


“Adderall”
“The Dying Song (Time To Sing)”
“The Chapeltown Rag”
“Yen”
“Hivemind”
“Warranty”
“Medicine For The Dead”
“Acidic”
“Heirloom”
“H377”
“De Sade”
“Finale”


“Adderall”:





“The Dying Song (Time To Sing)” video:





“The Chapeltown Rag” visualizer:





“Yen” video





“Hivemind”:





“Warranty”:





“Medicine For The Dead”:





“Acidic”:





“Heirloom”:





“H377”:





“De Sade”:





“Finale”:





Slipknot's remaining Knotfest Roadshow Fall 2022 dates are listed below.





October
1 - Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater
2 - Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion
4 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre
6 - Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival
7 - Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheater


(Photo - Anthony Scanga)

On September 24th, Machine Head performed at Hovet in Stockholm, Sweden. During the show, Ola Englund, guitarist for The Haunted, joined them on stage for the second last song of the night, "Davidian". Fan-filmed video is available below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Become The Firestorm"
"Imperium"
"Ten Ton Hammer"
"I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)"
"Blood For Blood"
"Darkness Within"
"Now We Die"
"From This Day"
"Davidian" (with Ola Englund)
"Halo"







Machine Head's next show is today, September 30th, in Oberhausen, Germany. To view their full itinerary, visit machinehead1.com.


"I had an excellent Coffee With Ola meetup with Robb Flynn of Machine Head," Englund said recently, sharing a new video. "What a story teller! We talked about the new album, anime, gear, and also he shared a great Dimebag story."





 

Stockholm, Sweden's Metalite will release their new live EP, Live At Sweden Rock Festival 2022, on October 28 via AFM Records.


The second single from the EP, "Far From The Sanctuary", is available Friday. Pre-save here, watch the official video below, and stay tuned for updates.







Watch a video for the previous single, "We Bring You The Stars", below:

Wolfgang Van Halen joined Dave Grohl, THE DARKNESS singer Justin Hawkins and acclaimed session drummer Josh Freese at the second Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at Los Angeles's Kia Forum on September 27 to perform two classic VAN HALEN songs, "Hot For Teacher" and "Panama". Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

Earlier this month, the same four musicians played "On Fire" and "Hot For Teacher" as a tribute to Taylor at the late FOO FIGHTERS drummer's memorial concert in London.

After celebrating Hawkins's memory and music with a special six-hour gig in London on September 3, last night's gig saw many of rock, heavy metal and pop music's biggest names unite in honor of Hawkins, who died earlier this year while on tour with the FOO FIGHTERS. Among the musicians who appeared at the Los Angeles event were QUEEN's Brian May and Roger Taylor, MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee, SOUNDGARDEN's Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith, Wolfgang Van Halen, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Josh Homme, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk, RUSH's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich, former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach, Miley Cyrus, Pink and Kesha.

The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts ticket and merchandise sales are benefiting charities chosen by the Hawkins family: Music Support and MusiCares.

FOO FIGHTERS frequently covered VAN HALEN in concert, including during their 2015 tour when "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" was a staple of the Grohl-fronted band's setlist.

Earlier this summer, Wolfgang spoke to Rolling Stone magazine about why he is adamant about not playing VAN HALEN covers when touring with his own band MAMMOTH WVH.

"People are like, 'Oh, don't mention VAN HALEN. He hates VAN HALEN.' It's, like, 'It's my fucking name. Why would I hate it? It's my dad. I love my dad. I was in the fucking band.' I don't hate it at all."

He continued: "All I've ever said is I don't want to play VAN HALEN music at MAMMOTH shows. I'd rather bomb with my own stuff than gain attention for playing dad's. Expecting to hear VAN HALEN at a MAMMOTH show is like expecting to hear NIRVANA at a FOO FIGHTERS concert. And getting pissed off that they didn't play NIRVANA."

Elsewhere in the discussion, Wolfgang addressed rumors of a potential tribute concert for his father, who died in October 2020 after a years-long cancer battle.

"What I can say is that there was an attempt at doing something," he said. "But, you know, I don't like to speak negatively about people, but there are some people that make it very difficult to do anything when it comes to VAN HALEN.

"After being in VAN HALEN for a long time, I really have strived to have an environment where there is no walking on eggshells and there is no personality that you have to deal with," he added. "It's just guys having fun making music and just having a good time. From my time in VAN HALEN, there was always some stuff that gets in the way from just making music and having a good time. And, I think, that's what happened."

Eddie died at the age of 65. The legendary VAN HALEN guitarist passed away at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California.

Eddie was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000 and had tongue surgery. He later battled lung cancer and had been receiving radiation treatment in Germany. Things took a turn for the worse in early 2019 when Eddie got in a motorcycle accident. He was subsequently diagnosed with a brain tumor, and received gamma knife radiosurgery to treat the illness.

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


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.


A new single and video for the title track is out today. Watch the clip 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"


"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

BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich and former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach joined Dave Grohl and some of his FOO FIGHTERS bandmates on stage at last night's (Tuesday, September 27) Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California to perform two classic SABBATH songs: "Paranoid" and "Supernaut". Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

After celebrating Hawkins's memory and music with a special six-hour gig in London earlier this month (September 3),last night's gig saw many of rock, heavy metal and pop music's biggest names unite in honor of Hawkins, who died earlier this year while on tour with the FOO FIGHTERS. Among the musicians who appeared at the Los Angeles event were QUEEN's Brian May and Roger Taylor, MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee, SOUNDGARDEN's Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith, Wolfgang Van Halen, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Josh Homme, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk and RUSH's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Miley Cyrus, Pink and Kesha.

The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts ticket and merchandise sales are benefiting charities chosen by the Hawkins family: Music Support and MusiCares.

As one of the most respected and beloved figures in modern music, Taylor's monolithic talent and magnetic personality endeared him to millions of fans, peers, friends and fellow musical legends the world over. Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolized. The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts united several of those artists, the Hawkins family and, of course, his FOO FIGHTERS brothers in celebration of Taylor's memory and his legacy as a global rock icon — his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life.

Hawkins was found dead at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel in Bogota.

An official cause of death for Hawkins hasn't yet been released. But on March 26, Colombia's attorney general's office released a preliminary toxicology report, saying that medical examiners found evidence of 10 types of substances in Hawkins's body, including opioids, benzodiazepines, marijuana and antidepressants.

Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.

Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.

Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".

Taylor Hawkins Los Angeles tribute concert setlist:

Violet Grohl and Alain Johannes

01. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)

Joan Jett with Travis Barker plus FOO FIGHTERS

02. Cherry Bomb (RUNAWAYS cover)
03. Bad Reputation

CHEVY METAL

04. Riff Raff (AC/DC cover)
05. Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Yes cover) (featuring Jon Davison)
06. "Heroes" (David Bowie cover) (featuring Kesha)

COATTAIL RIDERS / Greg Kurstin / Rufus Taylor / Justin Hawkins

07. Range Rover Bitch (Taylor Hawkins cover)
08. It's Over
09. Something About You (LEVEL 42 cover) (featuring Mark King)
10. I Believe In A Thing Called Love (THE DARKNESS cover)

James Gang

11. Walk Away
12. The Bomber: Closet Queen / Bolero / Cast Your Fate to the Wind
13. Funk #49 (featuring Dave Grohl)

Mark Ronson / Andrew Watt / Roger Manning / Dave Grohl

14. Right On Down The Line (Gerry Rafferty cover)

THEM CROOKED VULTURES / Greg Kurstin

15. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (ELTON JOHN cover)
16. Dead End Friends
17. Long Slow Goodbye (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE cover)

Wolfgang Van Halen / Josh Freese / Justin Hawkins / Dave Grohl

18. Panama (VAN HALEN cover)
19. Hot For Teacher (VAN HALEN cover)

DEF LEPPARD / FOO FIGHTERS

20. Rock Of Ages
21. Photograph (featuring Miley Cyrus)

Nikki Sixx / Tommy Lee / Derek Day / FOO FIGHTERS

22. Live Wire
23. Home Sweet Home

Elliot Easton / FOO FIGHTERS / Josh Homme

24. Shake It Up (THE CARS cover)
25. Just What I Needed

Nancy Wilson / Pink / FOO FIGHTERS / John Theodore

26. Barracuda (HEART cover)

Stewart Copeland / FOO FIGHTERS

27. Next to You (THE POLICE cover)
28. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (THE POLICE cover) (featuring Jon Davison)

Alanis Morissette / Chris Chaney / Chad Smith / FOO FIGHTERS

29. You Oughta Know

Sebastian Bach / Geezer Butler / Lars Ulrich / FOO FIGHTERS

30. Supernaut (BLACK SABBATH cover)
31. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH cover)

RUSH

32. 2112 Part I: Overture (featuring Dave Grohl)
33. Working Man (featuring Chad Smith)
34. YYZ (featuring Danny Carey)

Matt Cameron / Kim Thayil / Krist Novoselic / Taylor Momsen / Pat Smear / Dave Grohl

35. The Day I Tried To Live (SOUNDGARDEN cover)
36. Black Hole Sun (SOUNDGARDEN cover)

QUEEN / FOO FIGHTERS

37. We Will Rock You
38. I'm In Love With My Car (featuring Rufus Taylor)
39. Under Pressure (featuring Justin Hawkins)
40. Somebody To Love (featuring Pink)
41. Love Of My Life

FOO FIGHTERS

42. All My Life
43. The Pretender (featuring Pink)
44. Walk (with featuring Barker)
45. Low (with featuring Cameron)
46. This Is A Call (featuring Brad Wilk)
47. The Sky Is a Neighborhood (featuring Pat Wilson)
48. Creep (RADIOHEAD cover, featuring Dave Chapelle)
49. Run (featuring Omar Hakim)
50. Best Of You (featuring Rufus Taylor)
51. My Hero (featuring Shane Hawkins)
52. I'll Stick Around (featuring Shane Hawkins)
53. Everlong (featuring Chad Smith)

Mötley Crüe have released an HD remastered version of the music video for "Dr. Feelgood", the title track of the band's fifth studio album, released in 1989. Watch below:





The band previously released remastered videos for "Home Sweet Home" and "Smoking' In The Boys Room" from 1985's Theatre Of Pain, "Live Wire" from 1981's Too Fast For Love, and "Too Young To Fall In Love" and "Looks That Kill", both from 1983's Shout At The Devil. Watch below:

West Virginia-based Screaming Butterfly Entertainment has announced a 2023 release for the upcoming feature-length documentary film "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza", an uncensored documentary focusing on late MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza's life.

Executive producer, director and editor Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment stated in a video that can be seen below: "We've been working really hard, traveling across the country, getting interviews out in L. A., Seattle and Florida, collecting all the awesome stories about Nick that I can't wait to share with all of you. Right now, we're in the post-production phase, editing interviews and putting all the topics together."

She added: "I'm trying to make a complete film and it's going along very well. There's a lot of footage and a lot of great stories that will be very interesting to hear. I'm excited to make this film for the Menza family and all the fans, look for the complete film at the beginning of next year sometime. Go to www.thiswasmylifefilm.com for more information, so stay tuned!"

Ellefson previously stated about his involvement with the film: "The making of the Nick Menza documentary has been such a joy for all of us, like a sort of MEGA family reunion where we shared stories, laughs and even a few tears around Nick and what he meant to so many of us. I think this film and soundtrack will touch the hearts of the fans and viewers in the same way, as we remember his larger-than-life character behind the drum kit, but also his lovable charm and warmth that made him the beloved one of a treasured musical legacy."

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

Menza's longtime personal manager Robert Bolger said: "Nick loved his fans and always said none of this would have been possible without the fans. I really think Nick's fans will enjoy this journey through his life".

"This Was My Life" will be the first-ever film to memorialize Menza's legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was. It is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic 'Rust In Peace' lineup."

"This Was My Life" will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow bandmembers, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with.

Ellefson signed on as a co-producer of the film and also provides narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of the late drummer's life and musical career.

Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed behind his drum kit after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Menza rightfully earned his place as heavy metal's fiercest drummer during MEGADETH's 10-year peak at the top. The highlight of his career, Nick said, was playing Rock In Rio before more than 100,000 people. The lowest point was being fired by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine while he was still in a hospital bed after surgery to remove what doctors feared was a cancerous growth.

Following their headlining set at the Bloodstock Open Air festival in August, Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD have now shared a live video for "Omens", the title track of their upcoming album. With their set both crushing and scorching in equal measure, the video footage was captured during that performance and premieres for the first time today.

When the "Omens" single was first released, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe commented: "I think a lot of the messes human beings find ourselves in could be very easily prevented simply by paying attention to obvious repeating patterns, both in our personal lives and in a broader sociohistorical context. What some call 'omens' are really just manifestations of the fact that there is nothing new under the sun. It's foolish to ignore this, but we all do it."

LAMB OF GOD recently announced "The Making Of: Omens", a short film documenting the recording of their upcoming album. The documentary will premiere with a livestream event on October 6 and be available to watch on-demand throughout the month of October at watch.lamb-of-god.com.

All physical CD and vinyl copies of "Omens" will include a free access code to watch the documentary, and fans who pre-order through shop.lamb-of-god.com will also receive their code via email before October 6. Standalone livestream and video-on-demand tickets will go on-sale September 22.

The documentary will include four full-song performances recorded in the live room at Henson Studios: "Nevermore", "Omens", "Vanishing" and "Gomorrah".

Speaking to the WSOU 89.5 FM radio station about LAMB OF GOD's decision to document the making of "Omens", guitarist Mark Morton said: "It started, really, because we knew the way we were gonna record it — we knew we were gonna be all together [in the studio recording at the same time]. I don't know if the average music listener pays attention to that kind of thing, but it's not really a very common way to make a record these days. To be all playing at the same time and recording every piece of it at the same time and saving parts of each performance, that's the way things used to be done, but very rarely are they done like that. So I think we felt internally it would be cool to document that process, knowing we were gonna be doing it that way. And also there's just a history of behind-the-scenes documentary within LAMB OF GOD, just historically. Back in 2000s, DVD days, we were really open with having cameras around and filming ourselves for better or worse and kind of letting our fans see what it's like every step of the way, really — sometimes to a fault. And I think that access is really early in what kind of helped create such a bond between us and a lot of our fans is because they feel like they know us because they've been given so much access. So it had been some time since we'd done anything like that, but deciding to do so felt pretty natural."

Last month, LAMB OF GOD bassist John Campbell told Germany's EMP that "Omens" is "a fairly dynamic record. There's a few other little surprises and tweaks and things to come in October," he said. "But we recorded it differently this time. We went to Los Angeles and all of us in the same room and same time recording, which gave us some leeway to make changes as things happened and just kind of feel it out in a different way than we've done in the past, which would be everybody kind of going in their corner recording and it gets assembled later. So it was a real team effort on this one, in the recording — all the way through it's been a team effort — and in the recording especially, when we were all in the same room doing that stuff, it was great. I got to spend three and a half weeks working on a record instead of four or five days — working on the recording of the record."

Also in August, Campbell was asked by Knotfest what led to the decision to record "Omens" live in the studio. John responded: "Well, we've been doing this so fucking long, we had to do something different. I believe that was Josh Wilbur's idea to do that. I know he had a great place worked out to do that in. And we had just kind of been doing it the same way over and over and over again, and we were looking to get a little more excitement into it and maybe see if that couldn't produce a different feel on the record."

LAMB OF GOD is supporting the new album with a massive Live Nation-produced U.S. headlining tour featuring special guests KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on all dates. Different legs will also see support from BARONESS, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, SPIRITBOX, ANIMALS AS LEADERS as well as SUICIDE SILENCE and FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY. The tour kicked off September 9 in Brooklyn and will run through October 20.

"Omens" will be the follow-up to LAMB OF GOD's self-titled album, which was released in June 2020 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. That LP marked LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with drummer Art Cruz, who joined the band in July 2019 as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

Over the course of little more than three years between 1984 and 1987, Celtic Frost established themselves as one of the most important bands in extreme and experimental music of that era. Danse Macabre brings together the band’s recordings from those years, capturing their boundary-pushing ambition and creative zeal.


On paper, the story of Celtic Frost’s early years is as unlikely as it is extraordinary: a tale of how teenagers from rural Switzerland, at once audaciously ambitious and ferociously uncompromising, took heavy metal into new, exciting and unquestionably extreme territory. That they did so in the face of adversity at almost every turn makes this story even more incredible.


From its very inception mid-way through 1984, following Tom Gabriel Warrior and Martin Eric Ain’s decision to dissolve Hellhammer, Celtic Frost set out to give expression - both musically and aesthetically - to a uniquely extreme artistic vision which the pair delineated in forensic detail in a document which was presented to Noise Records, with whom Hellhammer had released ‘Apocalyptic Raids’, in order to demonstrate to the label that their new band was a viable project.




Convinced, Noise asked Celtic Frost to record a mini-LP, even though that hadn’t formed part of Warrior and Ain’s concept document. Undeterred, and propelled by a burning urgency, Celtic Frost set out to write and record a full length LP in a matter of a few months. Morbid Tales was recorded with Horst Müller in Berlin and was unlike anything else. Intensely heavy, nuanced and experimental, the record was a radical musical statement of intent; a stunning synthesis of Warrior and Ain’s disparate influences. From the furious opening riff of "Into The Crypts Of Rays" through to the avant-garde experimentation of "Danse Macabre", Morbid Tales heralded the arrival of Celtic Frost as a profoundly unique and uncompromising band.


New Yorker Reed St Mark joined Celtic Frost as a permanent member in February 1985, replacing session drummer Stephen Priestly, and the trio recorded the Emperor’s Return EP in April ‘85, at Noise’s request. Featuring the first recording of the essential "Circle Of The Tyrants", the EP is a solid snap shot of the sheer fanaticism that was the lifeblood of Tom and Martin in particular.


To Mega Therion was Celtic Frost’s next album, recorded in September ‘85. Due to personal difficulties, Martin was not in the band at that point, and so bass duties for the recording were carried out by session player Dominic Steiner. Martin’s absence also meant that Tom was responsible for the music and virtually all of the lyrics. But despite difficult circumstances, the resulting album, however, was a triumph. Replete with iconic cover art by HR Giger, To Mega Therion imposes its dark majesty from the off with the orchestral bombast of "Innocence And Wrath", before launching into the savagery of the hook-laden "The Usurper". Daring, dark and superlatively heavy, To Mega Therion is a sophisticated expression of Celtic Frost’s inherent drive to eschew genre limitations and, instead, define art on their own terms.


Martin Ain was soon brought back into the fold and a few songs from To Mega Therion were re-recorded and remixed with Harris Johns, emerging as the excellent sounding Tragic Serenades EP. It, and Celtic Frost’s previous releases, increasingly received critical acclaim, which emboldened the band to take more risks, to push the boundaries of heavy music even further with their next album.


Recorded in Hanover at the start of 1987, Into The Pandemonium was not an easy album to make; the band’s experimental ambitions often at odds with their label’s concerns. But, despite these obstacles, the band defended their artistic vision and the result is an astonishing piece of avant-garde art. The album’s experimentation is still striking today, challenging how we perceive heavy music and what it means to take music risks. Only Celtic Frost could create an album which kicks off with a singular cover of a New Wave song (Wall Of Voodoo’s "Mexican Radio") and immediately follow it up with the mournful tragedy of "Mesmerized".


Into The Pandemonium was the last recording made by this era of Celtic Frost, bringing to an end a period of incredible creative and artistic growth over what was a remarkably brief period of time. That the teenagers who recorded "The Third Of The Storm" and "Triumph Of Death" for the Hellhammer EP would, despite constant turmoil, be recording the jaw-dropping Rex Irae just three years later is astonishing.





Danse Macabre captures the radical ambition and evolution of Celtic Frost from 1984 through to 1987. In addition to the albums Morbid Tales, To Mega Therion and ‘nto The Pandemonium, the 7 marble colour vinyl box set also includes the Emperor’s Return, Tragic Serenades and I Won’t Dance EPs, along with The Collectors Celtic Frost compilation, a 7” of "Visual Aggression" and a cassette of rehearsals recorded at the band’s Grave Hill Bunker.  A 12” x 12”, 40 page book, brings together photography - some previously unseen - from the era and brand new interviews with Tom Gabriel Warrior and Reed St Mark. A Heptagram USB drive contains MP3 audio of all the albums, including bonus tracks. A Danse Macabre woven patch, a double sided poster, and a Necromaniac Union fan club enamel badge complete the set. Danse Macabre is also available as a 5 CD box set, with 40 page book, badge, poster and patch.


Available on October 28 in the UK and Europe, and November 25 in North America, you can pre-order the box here. A new unboxing video video can be found below.





The LP Box Set includes:


- Morbid Tales (1LP red & black galaxy vinyl)
- To Mega Therion (1LP gatefold Silver & black swirl vinyl)
- Into The Pandemonium (1LP gatefold on orange and beige galaxy vinyl)
- Emperor’s Return (Back on vinyl for the first time in 37 years. Green & black galaxy)
- Tragic Serenades (12” EP on pink and black swirl vinyl)
- I Won’t Dance (12” EP, back on vinyl for the first time in 35 years. White & black swirl vinyl)
- The Collector’s Celtic Frost (12” single, back on vinyl for the first time in 35 years. Marble vinyl with silk screen print on Side B)
- "Visual Aggression" (7” single with new artwork and on grey vinyl)
- Grave Hill Bunker Rehearsals (Four track rehearsal demo cassette from 1984)
- 12” x 12” 40 page book of brand new interviews with founding member Tom G Warrior and drummer Reed St Mark. Contains rare and previously unseen photos from the era.
- ‘Heptagram’ figurine USB drive containing MP3 audio of all the albums, including bonus tracks.
- Two sided, A2 poster.
- ‘Necromaniac Union’ fan club enamel badge.
- Danse Macabre sew on woven patch.





The CD Box Set includes:


- Morbid Tales (Full album, remastered)
- To Mega Therion (Full album plus Tragic Serenades bonus tracks, remastered)
- Into The Pandemonium (Full album plus I Won’t Dance bonus tracks, remastered)
- Emperor’s Return (Full EP plus bonus tracks, remastered)
- Grave Hill Bunker Rehearsals (1984 rehearsal tracks)
- 40 page book of brand new interviews with founding member Tom G Warrior and drummer Reed St Mark. Contains rare and unseen photos from the era.  
- Two sided poster.
- ‘Necromaniac Union’ fan club enamel badge.
- Danse Macabre sew on woven patch.


A very limited edition Glow In The Dark vinyl variant edition of the LP box set will be available via EMP and Nuclear Blast online. This is limited to 1,000 units.








In addition to Danse Macabre, Triptykon have announced for the first time ever they will perform a full tribute set of early Celtic Frost songs from Morbid Tales and To Mega Therion at Hell’s Heroes festival on March 25m 2023. This is being held at White Oak Music Hall in Houston, Texas.

Canada’s Hunting Giants have released three killer singles in support of their upcoming album Mythos and now the entire record awaits ears. Musically, it’s very diverse ranging from intense white-knuckled metal tracks, down to gentle instrumental tracks peppered with melodic piano and haunting cello, all the way to epic ballads tastefully complimented by choirs, strings, and bells. Lyrically, it explores archetypes, both heroic and villainous, that affect the world around us, as well as the inevitable fates which arise when these values are heinously held and expressed.


The band continues:


“Mythos is the crowning achievement of our musical work as a band and we are incredibly excited to finally share it. This album is the product of years of writing and recording while gigging and enduring as a band under quarantine. We have crafted thirteen energetic tracks with diverse emotional and thematic textures. We give special thanks to our producer Kirby J. Kaye for his wisdom and patience. Mythos is a mosaic of archetypes; an exploration of varying values and beliefs and the results that these actions have upon our lives, all set within a context of mythological fantasy.”







Each one of the thirteen tracks on the album was carefully crafted as a potent musical movement contributing to an overarching collective story. A story that is told with passion, anger, strength, and fragility. Each song stands strongly on its own while remaining an important part of the powerful whole. These selections come from a vast vault of ideas and compositions that Hunting Giants expects to be pulling from again in the near future.


Not just a powerhouse in the recording studio, the band offers a full, engaging live experience that stands out from other bands. They employ a complete repertoire of stunning visuals which exemplify the masterfully performed music. Each song exhibits its own uniquely stylized visual arrangement that moves and stays in perfect sync with the music from the first beat to beyond the last. Fans of theatrics, they aim to be a memorable spectacle.


Mythos was produced by Kirby J. Kaye for Aztech Productions, mixed by John Webster, and mastered by Richard Addison at Trillium Mastering and the artwork was done by Kacper Gilka. It is recommended listening for fans of Muse, Tool, and Alice In Chains.


The album Mythos is due out on September 30, 2022, and can be heard in full before its official release exclusively through BraveWords!


Preorder the CD at huntinggiants.com.


Mythos by Hunting Giants


(Photo – Bradley Trivett)

FILTER will release a new single, "For The Beaten", on October 14 via Golden Robot Records. The track is described in a press release as "nothing short of classic FILTER and exactly what hardcore fans of the band have been anticipating for over two years." "For The Beaten" showcases FILTER founder Richard Patrick's signature tenor screams coupled with the band's unique chugging guitar riffs.

"I spent a lot of time in the studio the last two years working on various projects and collaborations but at the core of it all, there is always FILTER," says Patrick, "We chose 'For The Beaten' as the first single because it's dynamic, dark, and heavy, just like the moment we are in. I look forward to working with Golden Robot and can't wait for everyone to hear the full album."

The song, co-written by Patrick and newcomer Zack Munowitz, was co-produced by Patrick and long-time collaborator Brian Virtue and was mastered by Grammy Award winner Howie Weinberg.

This release is the first for FILTER under the Golden Robot umbrella with CEO and president Mark Alexander-Erber previously expressing his excitement at working with the band, stating, "We are over the moon to sign Richard and FILTER to Golden Robot Records for new music, and working with him and his manager Marc Pollack is an honor. I'm more than excited to let the world hear the new music that's currently being produced."

"For The Beaten" comes just mere days after Patrick reunited with his former bandmates in NINE INCH NAILS for the first time in over 25 years. Patrick, the first guitarist to ever tour with Trent Reznor and NINE INCH NAILS, was in the band for four years before departing to form FILTER.

On September 23, Patrick was invited to join NINE INCH NAILS for a special fan day question-and-answer session at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The following night Reznor had Patrick and other former and current NIN bandmembers joined him for a special performance at the Blossom Center in Cleveland, Ohio, where the band was originally formed. The expanded NINE INCH NAILS performed such staples as "Eraser", "Wish", "Sin", "Gave Up", "Head Like A Hole" and a cover of FILTER's 1994 monster hit "Hey Man Nice Shot".

Patrick's career is a vision of multifaceted creativity, which he has delivered throughout his 30-plus years producing music professionally through his band FILTER, various collaborations, side projects, super groups, scoring films and writing for soundtracks.

Patrick's initial foray into the public eye was as NINE INCH NAILS' first touring guitarist. Patrick had met Reznor in the late '80s in a music store in Cleveland. The two became close friends and then bandmates. Patrick played with the band from 1989 to 1993, appearing in numerous music videos including "Down In It", "Head Like A Hole", "Wish" and "Gave Up".

FILTER's debut album, "Short Bus", was released in 1995 and went platinum, largely due to the success of the first single "Hey Man Nice Shot". The follow-up, 1999's "Title Of Record", also went platinum driven by the huge crossover success of the song "Take A Picture". FILTER's third album, "The Amalgamut", is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The album spawned such classic songs as "Where Do We Go From Here" and "American Cliché".

In 2006, the ARMY OF ANYONE project — a supergroup led by Patrick with Dean and Robert DeLeo of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and Ray Luzier of KORN — came to light, releasing one album and a tour before each went back to their respective bands. Patrick refocused on FILTER, releasing "Anthems For The Damned" in 2008, "The Trouble With Angels" in 2010, "The Sun Comes Out Tonight" in 2013 and "Crazy Eyes" in 2016, and two singles in 2020.

Patrick is in the middle of recording a much-anticipated new FILTER album (set for release in 2023 on Golden Robot Records). He also continues to score films, produce, write, record, and collaborate with other musicians in all musical genres.

Sadly, Piledriver founder / mastermind Gord Kirchin, a legend on the Canadian metal scene, passed away on September 22, a day shy of his 61st birthday. In celebration of Kirchin's life, Kenz Vidz has shared footage of Piledriver performing at the Metal On Metal 25th Anniversary Concert, which took place on Saturday, September 15th, 2007 at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio.


Line-up:


The Exalted Piledriver (vokills)
Kinky Pork Cream (guitars)
Lobo Elf Schnort (bass)
Glace Frothfritter (drums)







Annick Giroux - who serves as the editor of Morbid Tales fanzine, as well as the vocalist for Cauchemar - shared the tragic news of Kirchin's passing along with the following image:





GORD "Piledriver" KIRCHIN
September 23, 1961 - September 22, 2022


"I have some sad news for you guys... Our beloved Gord 'Piledriver' Kirchin has passed away today. I am so heart broken. I had the honor of knowing him for a long time; booked Piledriver a few times, designed some merch for him and even did the reissue of Metal Inquisition. I got to know him well and he was such a sweetheart. He was an amazing musician, and was well loved by his wife, family and friends. Gord, you will be missed so much... fuck. I wish I could have said goodbye. It truly hurts...


Please, everyone, spin Metal Inquisition, light one up in his honor, and celebrate our dear friend Gord!"


According to a Facebook update from Kirchin's beloved Denise, otherwise known as Pilewench, a memorial gathering will be held  on October 1st  at Cadieux Funeral Home, 185 Maloney West Blvd., in Gatineau, Québec from 13:00 to 15:00.


Earlier this month, just prior to the Labour Day long weekend, Piledriver founder / mastermind Gord Kirchin posted what looked like a reassuring update:


"Milestone day!!!! Last round of chemo!!!


It's been a brutal chemical battle, chemo reeeeally sucks, but we near the end of the war! Three weeks of horrid yuck from its side effects, then in six weeks we scan to see if we got it all. I'm not without my battle scars to carry for the rest of my days; severe scarring in the lungs from the initial infection on top of the scarring from radiation, and it severely reducing my oxygen uptake leaving me gasping after even light exertion, and the radiation damage to my esophagus, windpipe and throat possibly ending my live singing career... so... gonna have to shift gears and purpose. Anyone need mixing / mastering / turd polishing done? I'm your old school man!


But... and... also...


The crux of the biscuit is I'm alive! I'm still here! I'm vertical and mobile! I still got me some great living to do! Let's get past the next 8-10 weeks of recovery and get back to living!!!


Fuuuuuuuuuuuck cancer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Heartfelt thanks and profound appreciation to and for my hundreds of supporters in this battle, you made it easier to keep my spirits up and positive and surely aided conquest in my battle! Thank you!!! I love you all!"


“If you ain’t a metal head, then you might as well be dead”, proclaimed Canuck thrashers Piledriver in 1984 when they released their legendary debut, Metal Inquisition. In late 2021, Shadow Kingdom Records made the album available again as a digital download, cassette, CD, various vinyl versions, along with new apparel.


Order the album here.





Metal Inquisition tracklisting:


“Metal Inquisition”
“Sex With Satan”    
“Sodomize The Dead”
“Witch Hunt”
“Pile Driver”
“Human Sacrifice”
“Alien Rape”
“Alien Rape” (Live in Toronto)
“Metal Inquisition” (Live in Toronto)
“Sex With Satan” (Live in Toronto)

RUSH members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson teamed up with three of modern rock's top drummers Dave Grohl (NIRVANA),Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and Danny Carey (TOOL),at last night's (Tuesday, September 27) Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at in Los Angeles to perform three classic RUSH tracks.

After an introduction by Jack Black, the RUSH portion of the evening kicked off with "2112 Part I: Overture", the first movement of the 1976 prog-rock epic, with Grohl on drums and THE BIRD AND THE BEE's Greg Kurstin on keyboards. Grohl was then replaced by Smith behind the kit for a rendition of "Working Man". After that, Lee addressed the crowd, saying, "I'd just like to cast back to a moment in time, 2008, when we were contacted by the FOO FIGHTERS to see if we would go down to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and play Taylor Hawkins favorite song with him onstage. That was the beginning of quite a beautiful friendship. So in honor of that and in honor of our own lost brother, we'd like to bring out Danny Carey to play 'YYZ'."

Lee and Lifeson previously played the same three tracks at the first Hawkins tribute concert on September 3 at London's Wembley Stadium. Grohl and Omar Hakim handled the drums for that performance.

This past April, Lee reflected on Hawkins's passing in an interview with "House Of Strombo", a free-form radio talk program hosted by Canadian television and radio personality George Stroumboulopoulos. Geddy said: "Heartbreaking — just heartbreaking. That really broke my heart, his passing. [He was] so full of file. I remember when he presented the [Rock And Roll] Hall Of Fame award to us in 2013 and we came up on stage, he was literally jumping up and down like a two-year-old — he was jumping up and down, he was so happy — and that was him. He was so full of admiration and rock and roll joy juice. And it just seems wrong that he left us."

Hawkins and FOO FIGHTERS leader Dave Grohl gave the speech for RUSH when the prog-rock legends were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and the FOO FIGHTERS duo then performed "2112" alongside RUSH during the Rock Hall ceremony.

After Stroumboulopoulos asked Lee what Hawkins said to him when he presented him with the Rock Hall award, Geddy said: "He just gave me a big hug. He just sent me an e-mail like a month ago — just checking in. That's what he would do; he would just check in."

When Hawkins's death was first announced in late March, Lee released a statement on social media in which he said: "We are so very shocked and saddened to hear the devastating news of the sudden passing of our musical brother Taylor Hawkins. He was such an incredibly positive source of music, energy and love, and a true artist to his very core…there are simply no words to adequately express just how much he will be missed by all — including Alex, myself and the entire RUSH family. Our hearts, love and sympathy go out to Taylor's family as well the Grohls, and the extended FOOs family…"

In a separate post on his personal Instagram account, Lee reflected on the time he and Lifeson joined the FOO FIGHTERS onstage during a concert in Toronto.

"My heart is truly breaking at the news of Taylor's passing. A sweetheart of a man that radiated good vibes, a love of music, and a total monster on the drums," Lee wrote. "He was so, so happy the night Alex and I came up onstage to play YYZ with him during the FOOs show at the Air Canada Centre on March 23rd, 2008… His excitement was almost impossible for him to contain. Brother, you left us way, way too soon… rest in peace my friend…"

When Peart died in January 2020, Hawkins said in a statement to Rolling Stone: "Neil Peart had the hands of God. End of story."

Rattlesnake Venom Trip has issued their "Dead Empire" video. The song and debut album were recorded by Micah Carli of Hawthorne Heights and mixed by Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage.





Kevin Schindel, vocalist and guitarist for RVT shares "Dead Empire is about getting older and seeing that life has passed you by. Pouring all your time and effort into your work and realizing you don’t have anything to show for it at the end. The video is capturing you looking back at yourself with heavy judgment and wishing to change your outcome. If only you could warn yourself somehow."   




Based out of Dayton, Ohio, the band formed in September of 2019. Rattlesnake Venom Trip is a heavy rock/metal band with a lot of variety, saluting to classic bands like early Metallica, Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains, to more modern bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Mastodon, and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. RVT's collective love of classic rock, heavy metal, and psychedelic music has helped craft a compilation of songs with a wide array of musical dynamics. With each track the band ventures into new territory, creating a unique landscape for listeners to explore.


Although Rattlesnake Venom Trip is a new band, its members are certainly not strangers to the road, the stage, or the recording studio. They each have a long history of playing in bands and releasing music over the years. Featuring members of the metalcore act Twelve Tribes, post metal outfit Mouth of the Architect, and stoner rock band Neon Warship, the band plans on continuing from where their previous projects left off and making their own mark in time. "We cannot wait to see where this new music takes us,” shares RVT.





Dead Empire is coming to streaming services on October 19.


Rattlesnake Venom Trip is:  
Kevin Schindel – Vocals and Guitar
Evan Davell – Guitar
Shane Shook – Drums
Matt Tackett – Bass


(Photo – Matt Foiles)

Miley Cyrus joined members of DEF LEPPARD on stage at last night's (Tuesday, September 27) Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California to perform the band's 1983 hit "Photograph". Sharing the stage with Cyrus, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage and Phil Collen for the "Photograph" rendition were Dave Grohl, WEEZER drummer Pat Wilson and FOO FIGHTERS guitarists Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, who had also played "Rock Of Ages" with the DEF LEPPARD musicians.

Cyrus previously paid tribute to Hawkins during her performance at the Lollapalooza Brasil festival shortly after his death in late March. In addition to dedicating her set to the late FOO FIGHTERS drummer, Cyrus performed "Angels Like You" with a photograph of him displayed in the background.

After celebrating Hawkins's memory and music with a special six-hour gig in London earlier this month (September 3),last night's gig saw many of rock, heavy metal and pop music's biggest names unite in honor of Hawkins, who died earlier this year while on tour with the FOO FIGHTERS. Among the musicians who appeared at the Los Angeles event were QUEEN's Brian May and Roger Taylor, MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee, SOUNDGARDEN's Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith, Wolfgang Van Halen, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Josh Homme, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk and RUSH's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich, former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach, Pink and Kesha.

The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts ticket and merchandise sales are benefiting charities chosen by the Hawkins family: Music Support and MusiCares.

As one of the most respected and beloved figures in modern music, Taylor's monolithic talent and magnetic personality endeared him to millions of fans, peers, friends and fellow musical legends the world over. Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolized. The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts united several of those artists, the Hawkins family and, of course, his FOO FIGHTERS brothers in celebration of Taylor's memory and his legacy as a global rock icon — his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life.

Hawkins was found dead at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel in Bogota.

An official cause of death for Hawkins hasn't yet been released. But on March 26, Colombia's attorney general's office released a preliminary toxicology report, saying that medical examiners found evidence of 10 types of substances in Hawkins's body, including opioids, benzodiazepines, marijuana and antidepressants.

Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.

Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.

Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".

Fan-filmed video of HEART's Ann Wilson performing a cover of LED ZEPPELIN's "Black Dog" with her solo band on September 25 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, Texas can be seen below.

Earlier this year, Ann said that she offered to audition to become the vocalist of a new project featuring LED ZEPPELIN members.

Back in 2008, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were looking for a way to keep working following LED ZEPPELIN's incredible one-off performance at the O2 Arena in London in December 2007.

Although there were rumors of staggering sums being offered to the group for a full tour, singer Robert Plant elected to continue with his solo career instead.

Page has not divulged the full list of singers who jammed with him, Jones and drummer Jason Bonham, but ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy has publicly acknowledged rehearsing with the group, as has AEROSMITH's Steven Tyler.

In a recent interview with Liz Barnes, host of Planet Rock 's "My Planet Rocks", Ann revealed that she "threw [her] hat in the ring” when she heard Page and Jones were looking for a new singer almost 15 years ago. She made the comment while discussing "The Battle Of Evermore", the only LED ZEPPELIN track to feature a guest vocalist.

"Yeah, it's such a boy's club," Ann said. "ZEPPELIN always was a boy's club. I know that because there was a minute when the rumor was that they were auditioning singers and I just threw my hat in the ring. I went, 'I'm here!’ and it was crickets," she added, using the term that means absolute silence or no communication.

When Liz commented that LED ZEPPELIN should have at least said, "Come on in, Ann, and let's do a few numbers", Ann responded: "Who knows what went on there? But anyway, who would want to hire somebody that could sing just like Plant? I don't think that's what they were into, you know? I don't think they want it to be a caricature of LED ZEPPELIN."

Back in December 2012, Ann and her sister, HEART guitarist Nancy Wilson, delivered a moving rendition of "Stairway To Heaven", LED ZEPPELIN's signature song, at the Kennedy Center Honors. They were joined by Jason Bonham, son of original drummer John and the drummer for LED ZEPPELIN's 2007 reunion show. Their version of the track gradually grew to include a string section, a horde of backup singers and the Joyce Garrett Youth Choir. Page, Plant and Jones sat watching from the balcony and were visibly moved, particularly Plant, who had tears welling up in his eyes.

Despite the fact that both Tyler and Kennedy had gone public about their time working with the ZEP members, it seems that the majority of the work was done before any vocalist entered the picture. Back in 2017, Page explained to Classic Rock: "Certainly for Jason, myself, and John Paul Jones; Robert had his Alison Krauss project to promote. It seemed the right thing to go in and start playing new material. I thought we really should play to our strengths here, which was the music. But there were a lot of movements to bring in singers and do this, that and the other. And that would've changed the character too early from what we were doing. I won't say there was pressure, but there was a lot of hinting about this singer and that singer. For me it was more a question of, let's see what we can really do. And I don't think we got a chance to do that. Of course we would've played LED ZEPPELIN material, but you want to be playing some really, really good new music beforehand."

Jones added that once it was clear that Plant was not going to be joining the exploratory rehearsals featuring the new material, it was never going to be merely a LED ZEPPELIN project with a new lead singer. "Not at all," he said. "That's a total misunderstanding. I said, 'Of course, if we go out (on the road),we're going to have to do some ZEPPELIN numbers.' And there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, we rehearsed 'Carouselambra' (from 'In Through The Out Door'),which we've never done live before, and we had a bunch of new material done. But Jimmy and I couldn't agree on singers. . . I quite liked Myles Kennedy. He's got the range, but his voice is completely different than Robert's. Which was fine by me, because it was going to be a completely different band. But it didn't work out and we all moved on."