Arc Of Life, a progressive rock group featuring vocalist Jon Davison, bassist/vocalist Billy Sherwood, drummer Jay Schellen, keyboardist Dave Kerzner, and guitarist Jimmy Haun, recently announced the upcoming release of their sophomore album, Don't Look Down, on November 18.


The band have released a music video for the single, "All Things Considered". Watch below, and pre-order/save Don't Look Down here.


Jon Davison and Billy Sherwood are both currently members of the legendary progressive rock band YES, while Jay Schellen serves as YES' live drummer. Dave Kerzner made quite the name for himself in the progressive rock scene via some high profile collaborations and ultimately his work with the well-regarded band Sound Of Contact. And Jimmy Haun is known for his work with YES and Circa. These five prog musicians brought their cumulative experiences together to craft their own brand of progressive music, with YES being a common influence amongst all, but not the sole touch point of what they aspired to be musically. The band's mission was to acknowledge their influences while simultaneously reaching beyond them.




Arc Of Life's self-titled debut album was released on February 12, 2021. The concept behind the album was, in keeping with the progressive rock philosophy, to craft creative, challenging, and ear-pleasing music that pushes boundaries. A lot of musical comparisons could be made to describe Arc Of Life’s grandiose and epic approach to music on their debut, but those descriptions are best left to the listeners to discern for themselves as repeat listens will reveal more layers. And such is the case again with their forthcoming sophomore album, "Don't Look Down", making Arc Of Life a true garden of delight for all progressive rock fans.





Tracklisting:


"Real Time World"
"Don't Look Down"
"All Things Considered"
"Colors Come Alive"
"Let Live"
"Arc Of Life"


"All Things Considered" video:





Lineup:


Jon Davison - Vocals
Jimmy Haun - Guitars
Billy Sherwood - Bass and vocals
Dave Kerzner - Keyboards
Jay Schellen - Drums

Melbourne, Australia-based progressive metal band Teramaze have released the third single, "For The Thrill", from their forthcoming 10th album, Flight Of The Wounded. The single will be released through Wells Music and will be available for purchase and streaming on October 6. A music video for the track can be viewed below.


Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Dean Wells commented on the single by saying: “This song came together super fast. We were throwing some riffs, keys and grooves back and forth as we usually do, and things just happened to click. After we’d finished demoing it, me and the guys knew it would be one of the main singles for the next album… it just felt super fun and catchy. Without giving too much away, I wanted to write a song about standing you ground and backing your convictions, even if it makes you the scapegoat or a loner. “Stick to your guns”, without being too cheesy. As a band we like to write music from a place of hope, healing and self belief.”







Flight Of The Wounded will be released independently in early October 2022, via Wells Music. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Flight Of The Wounded"
"Gold"
"The Thieves Are Out"
"Until The Lights"
"Ticket To The Next Apocalypse"
"For The Thrill"
"Dangerous Me"
"Battle"
"In The Ruins Of Angels"


"The Thieves Are Out" video:





"Gold" lyric video:





Teramaze’s lineup is as follows:


Dean Wells (Vocals & Guitar)
Chris Zoupa (Guitar)
Andrew Cameron (Bass)
Nick Ross (Drums)

Following a string of acclaimed stand-alone singles heavy metal masters Veil Of The Serpent, hailing from Germany and the USA, have announced their debut EP, set for release October 31. Just in time for Halloween the trio delivers Gallery Of Sin - a concept EP containing a frightening horror story about a detective hunting down a serial killer that makes paintings using the blood of his victims.


Consisting of JD Stafford (vocals), Gene (guitars) and Felix (drums), Veil Of The Serpent are out to carve their own path in the heavy metal music scene. Having already gained a rapidly growing fanbase from previous singles "When Fear Becomes The Law", "Into The Moon", "Enter The Culling" and "The Scarred", Veil Of The Serpent is reeling to bring the true handmade heavy metal spirit back from the grave.


Their debut EP Gallery Of Sin will be released digitally via all major streaming platforms.







Tracklisting:


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


“Profiling A Demon” serves as the first single and will be released on October 4. Pre-save at distrokid.com.


Trailer:

Hard rock, genre defying band LYLVC release their third single “Undertow” from their upcoming EP Perfect Drug, due out later in 2022.


LYLVC’s dual lead vocalists Alyse Zavala and Oscar Romero alternate back and forth between melodic and anthemic choruses and rapidfire introspective verses throughout “Undertow”. The instrumentals kick off with a catchy synth playing the main melody before the guitars and drums kick in to create an energetic and emotional performance that does not let up until the end.


The music video, directed by Scott Hansen at Digital Thunderdome, depicts the members of LYLVC being trapped in an asylum and at one point, literally ‘drowning’. The video directly correlates to the lyrics, showing a visual representation of being stuck at a point in one's life, or ‘drowning’ under pressure that one cannot escape from.




LYLVC recently announced their first cross-country tour, alongside New Years Day. The tour kicks off at Transplants Brewery in Palmdale, CA on October 8 and will cover the southern United States, eventually finishing at Hooligan’s in Jacksonville, NC on October 23. LYLVC will be providing direct support for each date of the tour.


Prior to the release of “Undertow” LYLVC released two singles, “Perfect Drug” and “Heirloom”. They saw early success with the release of their debut single “Perfect Drug”, which has surpassed 1 million views on YouTube, and continued on to release their second single “Heirloom”. Hollywood Life lauded “Heirloom” in their exclusive premiere, “The band delivers an emotionally-fueled anthem for those who are doing their best to keep it together despite all the demons living behind their eyes.”


“Heirloom” along with “Perfect Drug” was recorded at Multi Platinum Grammy-nominated Producer Howard Benson’s LA studio West Valley and was produced by Mike Plotnikoff and Joe Rickard.


LYLVC will be releasing more new music this fall. 





Lylvc live (tickets available lylvc.com) :


October
8 – Palmdale, CA – Transplants Brewery
11 – Phoenix, AZ – Last Exit
12 – Albuquerque, NM – The Launchpad
13 – El Paso, TX – Rock House
15 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City
18 – Pensacola, FL – The Handlebar
19 – Orlando, FL – The Haven
20 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug
22 – Greensboro, NC – The Blind Tiger
23 – Jacksonville, FL – Hooligan’s 

UK black metal act Abduction have landed on the roster of one of extreme metal’s most famous labels, Candlelight Records, and are launching their first full length in over three years, Black Blood.


 


Despite a staggeringly prolific catalog since forming in 2017, the new, explosive Black Blood, is truly their most ambitious and rewarding release to date. Known for intense, ritualistic, and immersive performances, Black Blood pushes Abduction into new territories without straying from the core sound that broke them into the wider consciousness of both the UK and international black metal fanbases years ago.




 


A nightmarish yet entrancing listen from the hypnotically earnest and haunting opener "In Exaltation Of The Supreme Being", to the blend of uncompromising stripped down black metal and slower, almost post-metal textures of "Psylocybic Death", it is an intense and dynamic experience.


 


States A|V, the band’s vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist: "Rather than continue to exist in the well-established sphere I’ve grown comfortable in, I decided that now is the time to take a leap into the unknown. Much like the narratives of the songs, there is both trepidation and elation. Time will be the judge…"


 


Black Blood will be released on October 21st.


 





 


Tracklist:


 


"Kernos Crown"


"Dismantling the Corpse of Demeter"


"Plutonian Gate"


"Lightless at the Grand Conjunction"


"A Psylacybic Death"


"In Exaltation of the Supreme Being"





Formed in 2016 as a shadowy single-man entity, Abduction have made astonishingly fast progress, carving a fearsome reputation for themselves as a standout act in an increasingly crowded extreme metal scene.


 


Signing to a respected overseas label almost instantly (Lithuania’s Inferna Profundus) before releasing 2017’s caustic debut To Further Dreams of Failure, the outfit have remained staggeringly prolific. Releasing two more full-lengths the next two years, 2018’s Crown of Curses and, in particular, 2019’s All Pain As Penance broke into the wider consciousness of both the UK and international black metal fanbases.


 


Performing alone in the early years – a rare sight, despite the many one-man bands in the genre ­– Abduction’s central protagonist A|V then expanded the band into a full live outfit, to better create intense, ritualistic and immersive performances, both at underground shows and larger festivals.


 


The intervening years have not seen the band slow in its output, with limited cassette-only releases, digital singles and a split with Canada’s Nocturnal Prayer seeing the light of day. The band has, however, gone for an unprecedented period without a full-length release… until now.


 


Cue the explosive Black Blood, Abduction’s most ambitious and rewarding album to date. Recorded ­– like its predecessor – by Ian Boult at Stuck on a Name Studios in Nottingham, this nightmarish yet entrancing listen is pushes Abduction into new territories without straying from their core sound. From the hypnotically earnest and haunting opener ‘In Exaltation of the Supreme Being’, to the expansive 11 minute epic ‘Plutonian Gate’, with its marked progressive and psychedelic overtones, to the blend of uncompromising stripped down black metal and slower, almost post-metal textures of ‘Psylocybic Death’, it is an intense and dynamic experience.


 


“I’m an avid listener of ‘raw’ black metal,” explains vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist A|V, “particularly the way that unintentional noise and lack of clarity can draw you in and provoke the imagination. On the other hand, the evolution of what Abduction has become requires something less indecipherable. With this record, I’ve implied a greater story, without explicitly describing each chapter.”


 


Thus Black Blood draws both from the band’s roots and new inspirations. The fact that members of British black metal bands The Sun’s Journey Through the Night and Revenant Marquis appear is a welcome nod to where Abduction come from, yet the fact that the band are atypical for a UKBM act ­– no rousing odes to England or 90s Scandinavian formulas here ­– is perhaps their most precious attribute. Their distinctive qualities have also earnt them a place on the roster of one of extreme metal’s most famous labels, Candlelight Records, a definite milestone.


 

Austrian rock and metal empire, Napalm Records, is thrilled to announce its exciting latest signing - death thrash force Dieth - featuring the iconic lineup of Grammy Award winning bassist David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth), Swedish Grammy nominated guitarist/vocalist Guilherme Miranda (former Entombed A.D.) and drummer Michał Łysejko (ex-Decapitated).


Dieth have pushed beyond the stereotypes of their genres to create a charismatic new sound, one rich with inventive guitar riffs, tight drum grooves, technical prowess, guttural vocals and catchy melodies. Seeking new musical projects, the band members came together in early 2022 after being introduced by mutual friends in the music industry, and immediately began sharing creative ideas - shifting things into high gear this year with the release of their debut track, "In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents", and an accompanying music video.


Following its heavy acclaim and fan response, Dieth knew the only way to move was up, and now plan to drop their debut album in 2023 via new label partner Napalm Records. The album is currently in progress with producer Kristian Kohle at Kohlekeller Studio in Frankfurt, Germany, and will feature "In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents".




Dieth says about the signing: "We are stoked to announce that we've signed a multi-album international record deal with Napalm Records, who will release our debut album in 2023. Their approach to music and devotion to metal made Napalm the perfect, most suitable place for us and our music. Last but not least, we would like to thank each one of you that are giving us this massive support. More info and details about the album will follow soon. Stay tuned!"


Sebastian Muench, A&R, Napalm Records adds: "The term "supergroup” feels overused nowadays, but with the formation of Dieth, it correctly and justifiably describes the coming together of these three extremely talented musicians. The first single, "In the Hall of the Hanging Serpents”, underlines that the debut album could become a death-thrash metal masterpiece. Napalm Records is pleased and proud to partner with Dieth, to establish the band and make the new album a success. Personally, as a lifelong Megadeth fan, this signing is a dream come true."


Stay tuned for more Dieth news coming very soon from Napalm Records.





Dieth is:


Guilherme Miranda – Vocals/Guitar
David Ellefson - Bass
Michał Łysejko – Drums


(Photo - Maciej Pieloch)

Royal Hunt will release their new studio album, Dystopia - Part II, on October 26 via King Records (Japan/SE Asia) and on October 28 via NorthPoint Productions (EU/N & S America).


The band have shared footage of Mats Levén recording guest vocals for the album. Says Royal Hunt: "We've been graced - once again - with a guest appearance by no other but Mats Levén himself. Excellent performance - as usual, mind you - and such a pleasure to work with. Here's a little video of him spreading the joy over one of the songs from our upcoming album."


Watch a preview here. A longer bonus video is available via the crowdfunding campaign for Dystopia - Part II, which is almost completed.




Levén made a guest appearance on Royal Hunt's previous album Dystopia - Part I where he introduced his character in the story of Dystopia.  


The second and final part of the concept will again feature guest performers: Mats Leven (TSO, Skyblood, Vandenberg), Mark Boals (Y.J. Malmsteen, Ring Of Fire, Royal Hunt), Henrik Brockman (Royal Hunt, Evil Masquerade, N´Tribe), Kenny Lubcke (Narita, Zoser Mez) and Alexandra Andersen (Royal Hunt, JSP).


Dystopia - Part II will be released in following formats: regular CD, various Deluxe editions/bundles and a gatefold, heavy vinyl double LP (availability date pending).


Royal Hunt keep expanding their trademark sound. As the story which inspired the project - Ray Bradbury´s classic novel “Fahrenheit 451” - gets more intense towards the end, the music turns into more dynamic, heavier direction. Once again the guest singers add even more dramatic contrasts to an already cinematic yet solidly rocking soundscape. Simply a “must have” for any symfo/prog/power fan out there.





Tracklisting:


"Midway (Resumption)"
"Thorn In My Heart"
"The Key Of Insanity"
"Live Another Day"
"The Purge"
"One More Shot"
"Scream Of Anger" ("Hit And Run" / "The Thrill Of The Chase")
"Left In The Wind"
"Resurrection F451"


Says the band: “Thinking back to the release date of the “Part I” back in 2020 makes you realize what a crazy time we all went through just during the last two years: who could have imagined that our “Dystopia” - project would reflect the harsh reality in such detail? And the madness is still ongoing. In any case, Dystopia - Part II is even more relevant today than ever: we followed the general concept yet filled it up with images of current events in order to make it resonate with every person, everybody living through 2020 to 2022 and watching insanity to unfold in real time."


Listening parties and bonus videos are available at Royal Hunt Camp 2022 - a crowdfunding campaign at royalhunt.com. Join the Camp by pre-ordering a Deluxe Edition or any bundle to support the release and listen to studio sessions already now.


Lineup:


André Andersen - keyboards
DC Cooper - vocals
Andreas Passmark - bass
Jonas Larsen - guitars
Andreas HABO Johansson - drums

Frost* are set to hit the road in the UK later this year, for their much anticipated live-return. The band will be celebrating the release of their 2021 album, Day And Age, and in advance of these tour dates they have launched a brand new video for the track, "Skywards". Watch below.


Jem Godfrey comments: “It will have been 5 years and 3 days since we last played in the UK when we go onstage in Wolverhampton on November 27th so we figured we’d do something special. To that end Craig Blundell has re-joined the band and we’ll be playing Milliontown, Black Light Machine, Hyperventilate and a few other classics from the repertoire to celebrate alongside a good chunk of the new album. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”


Dates:




November
27 - Wolverhampton, UK - Steel Mill
28 - Edinburgh, UK - Queens Hall
29 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
30 - Bath, UK - Komedia


December
1 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall


Tickets available from MyTicket.co.uk





(Photo - Tom Barnes)

St. Louis, MO-based black metal duo Stormruler - consisting of midwestern scene stalwarts Jason Asberry (vocals/guitars/bass) and Jesse Schobel (drums/vocals) - recently announced their return with the upcoming new album, Sacred Rites & Black Magick, out October 14 via Napalm Records. Sacred Rites & Black Magick weaves epic tales of war, history, black magick and sorcery beyond the standard confines of black metal, birthing an unforgettable conceptual journey of legend that any metal fan would be remiss to ignore.


Following the album's epic first single and music video for title track "Sacred Rites & Black Magick", which dropped last month, Stormruler have dropped a second single - the grandiose "Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers". The track shines with heavy bass and blast beats before cascading into icy atmosphere topped by smoke-cloaked vocals. Entrancing guitars match an ebb and flow of carefully paced interludes and merciless, speeding fury, showcasing standout leads and a blazing solo.


Stormruler says about "Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers": "Fulmination was chosen both as our next single and as the album's opener for the attention that it demands and the journey upon which it will take the listener. It has a commanding delivery carried triumphantly by its soaring leads, stoic howling vocals and ice cold trem. An embodiment of what we consider to be true imperial black metal warfare."







Stormruler  broke out in 2021 with the avid subterranean support of their debut full-length, Under A Burning Eclipse – subsequently garnering scores of acclaim upon its wide re-release via Napalm Records. The album introduced Stormruler’s beyond-their-years execution of raw, atmospheric black metal doused in extravagant lyricism.


Produced, mixed and mastered by Gabe Usery at Encapsulated Studios and featuring stunning artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, Sacred Rites & Black Magick blisters with more unrelenting intensity while maintaining a haunting, visceral aura more ancient and foreboding than ever. As on Under A Burning Eclipse, between each song on Sacred Rites & Black Magick is an intricately positioned interlude building the ambiance and steering the thematic intensity of the album.


Stormruler says about Sacred Rites & Black Magick: "This album is on another level in comparison to our previous offering. It falls in the same vein of the melodic second wave black metal worship of Under The Burning Eclipse, but with a more intense and darker touch. It's got the high speed buzzsaw attack we love, crushing grooves, solid leads, ambience within the interludes and acoustic passages, as well as lyrics that tell a story."





Sacred Rites & Black Magick is available for pre-order in the following formats:
- 4 page CD Digipak
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled White/Black/Blue - Napalm Mailorder only, limited to 300 worldwide
- Digipak & Shirt Bundle - Napalm RoW Mailorder only
- Full Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Sacred Rites & Black Magick tracklisting:


"Hymns Of The Slumbering Race"
"Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers"
"Adrift Dark Halls Of Vinheim"
"To Bear The Twin Faces Of The Dragon"
"In Light Of Paleblood"
"Entranced Within The Moon Presence"
"Invocation Of The Black Sacrament"
"Sacred Rites & Black Magick"
"Oathpact"
"Ten Heralds, Ten Desolations"
"The Waters Of Iolamita"
"In The Shaded Vlasian Forest"
"Amid A Smear Of Crimson Cloud"
"Apparitions Across The Ravencrest"
"Sanguinare Vampiris"
"Upon Frozen Shores"
"Shadow Of The Golden Eagle"
"Along The Appian Way"
"By Winters Long Passed"
"A Malice Dead & Cold"


"Sacred Rites & Black Magick" video:





Stormruler is:


Jason Asberry - Vocals, Guitars and Bass
Jesse Schobel - Drums & Vocals


(Photo - JT Ibanez)

Exhumed returns from the depths with their macabre new album, To The Dead, out October 21 via Relapse Records. In advance of the record’s release, today the band unleashes a lyric video for the new single, “Carbonized". Watch below.


Frontman Matt Harvey comments, “For me, the most exciting thing about To The Dead is that it’s the most collaborative record we’ve ever done. Our own six-string slime-slinger Sebastian Phillips disgorged the riffs for ‘Carbonized,’ the disgusting little ditty we’ve selected as the second single from the album. Then Ross, Mike, and I worked out the lyrics, so this ode to cerebral incineration is truly a group effort -- which takes some of the blame away from yours truly if you guys hate it! For the optimal carbonizing experience, turn out the lights, crank up the volume, spark a bowl, and this tune will vaporize what’s left of your senses and sanity!”







Matt Harvey, “Like a lingering infection, we’ve returned to excruciate your eardrums and splatter your senses! The lads and I are very stoked to excrete our latest audio abortion onto the collective face of the underground. We’ve dialed up the ‘gross-o-meter’ to 666, so if gore-soaked blastbeats, disgusting vocals, and meat-cleaving riffs are your idea of a good time, you’re in for a fucken treat!”





To The Dead will be available on CD, LP, and digital formats. Physical pre-orders are available at Relapse.com here. Find digital pre-orders here.





To The Dead tracklisting:


"Putrescine And Cadaverine"
"Drained Of Color"
"Carbonized"
"Rank And Defiled"
"Lurid, Shocking, And Vile"
"Undertaking The Overkilled"
"Nerotica"
"No Headstone Unturned"
"Defecated"
"Disgusted"


"Drained Of Color" video:





Additionally, Exhumed will kick off a US headlining tour this fall. The journey runs from November 11 through December 17. Support will be provided by Hulder and Vitriol as well as Molder from November 11 through November 22 and Castrator from November 23 through the tour’s conclusion. Tickets on sale now.





Exhumed are the pioneers of blood-soaked gore metal and the band's storied career needs no introduction. To the Dead is the culmination of decades upon decades of nightmarish riffs, obliterating blastbeats, and hellish screams from the very depths the band crawled out from!


"To The Dead is a destination," notes Harvey. "A rotting world populated by the grotesquely twisted truths of our waking world and the decaying fallout of our most deranged ambitions. But it's also a title that evokes a celebration of, and an invitation into, the gore-soaked world of Exhumed."


The very celebration of Exhumed's history is ever-present on this album. "We've expanded the writing team on the record to include former members Mike Beams, Leon del Muerte, Matt Widener, and Bud Burke in an effort to celebrate the band's history -- at this point decades of it -- and I think the resulting record is an excellent testament to the surprising longevity of Gore Fucking Metal!"


So please, accept the band's humble invitation and sink six feet down to their level. Exhumed can't wait for you to get a whiff of what they've cooked up - this will be the most fun you've ever had being disgusted!


Exhumed:


Matt Harvey - guitar, vocals
Ross Sewage - bass, vocals
Mike Hamilton - drums
Sebastian Phillips - guitar

The Dwarven lords hailing from Pisa, Italy, Wind Rose, emerge from the Mines of Moria with a brand new lyric video for their monumental classic, “Son Of A Thousand Nights”. With this lyric video the mighty Dwarves announce the reissuing of their foundational albums, Shadows Over Lothadruin and Wardens Of The West Wind, to be released via Napalm Records on November 4 on CD and on December 9 on LP.


Get ready to venture back to Middle-Earth with Wind Rose as the band sweeps through orc armies with thunderous drums, soaring guitars, and belting vocals full of power metal glory!


Watch the lyric video below, and pre-order your Wind Rose reissues here.




About Shadows Over Lothadruin...


Wind Rose’s debut album continues the musical tradition of the symphonic and neoclassical styles of Italian power metal bands Rhapsody of Fire, Labyrinth, Vision Divine and Thy Majestie, presenting power metal elements of fast riffing, heavy guitars, haunting atmospheres, vocal harmonies, and fantasy lyrics but with a twist of progressive elements to deliver an exciting new experience. Shadows Over Lothadruin presents long and monumental pieces such as the almost ten minute long “Majesty”, changes from flowing softness to plodding heaviness in “The Fourth Vanguard” and “Close to the End”, and knee-jerking syncopated rhythms in “Endless Prophecy” and “Led by Light”. Claudio Falconcini’s crunchy guitar tone provides stellar riff work, sweeping arpeggios, and soaring solos alongside Federico Meranda’s keys that create harmonic trills and the perfect atmosphere for the album. Daniele Visconti’s drums prod along with fast galloping sections and a slow, hard rock style accompanied by Alessio Consani’s bass work. And the incredible Francesco Cavalieri leads the battle with his powerful voice that commands the warriors off to fight for glory.


Shadows Over Lothadruin will be available in the following formats:


- Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled Transparent Red Black (limited to 300 copies)
- Digisleeve & Cover Shirt





Shadows Over Lothadruin  tracklisting:


"Awakening"
"The Endless Prophecy"
"Siderion"
"Son Of A Thousand Nights"
"The Fourth Vanguard"
"Majesty"
"Oath To Betray"
"Led By Light"
"Moontear Sanctuary"
"Close To The End"


"Son Of A Thousand Nights" lyric video:





About Wardens Of The West Wind...


Following their breakout album, Wind Rose quickly became one of Italy’s rising power metal acts, with many fans anticipating what the band would bring with their next release - and they were not disappointed! Wardens Of The West Wind is a massive, bombastic, epic and outrageous album packed with large riffs, symphonic layers, guitar solos, and bold vocal arrangements! The amazing musicians of Wind Rose crafted elaborate songs that contain twists and turns to further push their unique sound of progressive power metal to their current fans and any new fans they amass! The band’s debut album made waves in the power metal scene, and Wardens Of The West Wind kept their storm of progressive power metal churning, poising the band to become one of the modern key players of the power metal scene.


Wardens Of The West Wind will be available in the following formats:


- Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled Ocean Blue Black (limited to 300 copies)
- Digisleeve & Cover Shirt





Wardens Of The West Wind tracklisting:


"Where Dawn And Shadows Begin"
"The Age Of Conquest"
"Heavenly Minds"
"The Breed Of Durin"
"Ode To The West Wind"
"Skull And Crossbones"
"The Slave And The Republic"
"Spartacus"
"Born In The Cradle Of Storms"
"Rebel And Free"


Wind Rose is:


Francesco Cavalieri - Vocals
Claudio Falconcini - Guitars
Federico Meranda - Keyboards
Cristiano Bertocchi - Bass
Federico Gatti – Drums

Simon Wright says that young Ronnie James Dio fans were very appreciative of DIO DISCIPLES' decision to go on the road with a hologram of the legendary heavy metal singer.

Dio died in 2010 at the age of 67 from stomach cancer. His hologram was created by a company called Eyellusion and made its debut at the Wacken Open Air festival in August 2016 in front of more than 75,000 fans.

The "Dio Returns: The World Tour" production, which launched in 2017, featured audio of Ronnie's live performances from throughout his career, with the DIO DISCIPLES band playing live, consisting of Craig Goldy on guitar, Wright on drums and Scott Warren on keyboards, along with Bjorn Englen on bass. Also appearing with them are singers Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) and LYNCH MOB's Oni Logan.

Speaking to the "Everblack" podcast, Wright said about his continuing efforts to keep the Ronnie James Dio legacy alive (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The band we had, DIO DISCIPLES, we kind of shifted away from that and we were doing a project called 'Dio Returns', which was an actual hologram of Ronnie. And we did a pretty good tour of the U.S. in 2019. And it was great, because you get a real cross-match of people — you get the older generation and then the younger and then even young, young kids who never got a chance to see Ronnie. So they were very appreciative and thanked us a lot for bringing that kind of show out on the road, 'cause they didn't get a chance to see Ronnie. So it just makes everything worthwhile, when you're speaking to people like that who are so excited about things. It was great."

Asked if it was emotional for him to perform along to Ronnie's vocal tracks, Wright said: "Yeah, it was… When you're doing the show, you've gotta do the business. And this show was much different to what I'd been playing other shows before that, because I had to play along to a click track for that show — wear these headphones; I don't like in-ears, so I wore headphones. So I had to really sit back and concentrate, because the click was… ran to Ronnie's voice, which was taken from different parts of his career and time. There were a couple of ebbs and flows, so you had to really lock in with it. But you got to learn it after a while. It was after the shows, when you meet the people, like I said earlier; they were so grateful that you came along and you did a show like that."

Simon also confirmed that there are plans for the same musicians to return to the road in 2023 and play more Dio tribute shows, albeit this time without the hologram.

"I'm not sure what it's gonna be called — it might be 'Dio Returns' again — with the LED screens," he said. "And there's also some 3D imaging that's been brought in. And I've seen a bit of it, and it's freakin' amazing. So it should be quite a show. And we'll probably have two singers again singing. So that will probably be next year."

Two months ago, Ronnie James Dio's former wife and longtime manager Wendy Dio told the "The Rockman Power Hour" online show that the Ronnie hologram was "an experiment that we did. It was 50/50 — some people hated it; some people loved it. It was something we did. I don't wanna do it again. This time now I'm gonna do real Ronnie. I've got all this video footage from RAINBOW and some [BLACK] SABBATH and DIO and even some ELF stuff, and I wanna put that together with a live band and take that out. 'Cause I think that'll be something that kids will really wanna see — stuff that they've never seen before as well."

Wendy previously discussed the status of the Ronnie James Dio hologram during a September 2021 appearance on an episode of the "Hangin' & Bangin': Artists On Lockdown" online show. Speaking about how her reaction to the hologram evolved over the years, she said: "When I first saw it, I cried. Then I got used to it because it wasn't Ronnie. And then we took it out [on tour]. The first [version] was not that good. The second one was a lot better. But I decided that I don't wanna do it anymore; I decided I want real Ronnie. So we're working on a stage with the DIO band. Instead of having a hologram, it will have film of Ronnie with the live band playing and with special effects and everything else. So that's what we're working on. We're working on it with Paul Dexter [who was Ronnie's lighting designer and stage designer for years] and a bunch of other people. And also the Eyellusion people, who did do the hologram, are doing a bunch of special effects for us with it."

Wendy continued: "I never say never [about bringing back the hologram], but technology gets different every day, every day, every day. And I just decided that I wanted to see real Ronnie. … QUEEN does [something similar, using footage of Freddie Mercury]. Ours will be a little bit different to that because we have all these great effects, 3D effects. It's almost like going into — what's that ride at Disneyland, when you go through, and it's like a 3D effect? That's what we're working on right now."

Two former DIO guitarists have publicly expressed their doubts about the Ronnie James Dio hologram. In December 2019, Tracy "G" Grijalva, who played for DIO from 1993 through 1999, said that the hologram "looks creepy" and resembles "a puppet." Nine months earlier, Doug Aldrich, who was in DIO between 2002 and 2006, told XS Rock that "Ronnie would probably not" like the hologram. "He would probably be, like, 'This is not what I signed up for.' A hologram? It's not really what he would want to be. I'm just guessing, you know, that it's something that Wendy thought about and she decided that Ronnie would be fine with it. But I knew Ronnie well enough to know that he was very particular and he would prefer for them to let him just die and be in peace."

After the "Dio Returns" tour's initial seven-date run was completed in December 2017, Ronnie's hologram underwent some changes before the launch of the 2019 leg of the trek, which took place in May and June of that year.

The "Dio Returns" 17-song set consisted of seven tunes sung by the Dio hologram — the rest featured Owens and Logan separately or together — and encompassed material from Dio's lengthy career, including his earlier days in RAINBOW and BLACK SABBATH.

In 2020, TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick, who toured with Ronnie on two separate occasions a decade and a half apart — in 1992 when Dio fronted BLACK SABBATH and again in 2008 when Ronnie was the singer of SABBATH offshoot band HEAVEN & HELL — offered his opinion on the Dio hologram on Twitter, writing: "I don't believe in those hologram shows. It would be one thing if the artist was still alive, chose not to tour for whatever reason, gave his or her approval & maybe even had a hand in the process. But Dio had no say." Skolnick also added a thumbs-down emoji as a way of voicing his disapproval.

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman said in a 2016 interview that he had mixed feelings about concerts featuring the Dio hologram. He said about the prospect of seeing a holographic version of Ronnie: "It makes me sad. I'm always happy to hear any music from anybody that's left us, that we've lost. But I don't know… The hologram thing, to me, it almost isn't letting the dead be dead." He added, "It just seems weird... Is there a difference between a hologram and a guy dressing up like Ronnie James and doing it?"

Blackened American Whiskey continues to push the boundaries of whiskey with the second release in its "Masters Of Whiskey Series," introducing Blackened x Wes Henderson Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey finished in white port wine casks. The limited-edition expression was created in partnership with Blackened American Whiskey's master distiller and blender Rob Dietrich and recently retired Angel's Envy co-founder and Kentucky Bourbon Hall Of Fame member Wes Henderson marking his first project post-retirement.

Blackened American Whiskey's "Masters Of Whiskey Series" builds upon the brand's core tenant of collaboration, converging the passions, talents, and skills of two master whiskey makers to create new, distinctive expressions. This latest release is crafted from a base of six-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon and finished in white port wine casks. Dietrich and Henderson both have extensive backgrounds in port wine finishes and knew they wanted to use that expertise for this whiskey. After exploring several finishes, they jointly sourced and selected a unique white port wine as the cask finish, that balanced well with the depth of the bourbon. The resulting whiskey features notes of pear, raisin, cinnamon, and cigar box on the nose and hints of pear, honey, chipotle cinnamon, vanilla, barn hay, and walnut on the palate.

During finishing, the whiskey undergoes a sonic enhancement process in which the finishing barrels are pummeled by the low hertz frequencies of METALLICA's music. The sound waves cause vibrations that shake the finishing barrels, causing greater interaction between the whiskey and the wood, thereby extracting more flavors and color. The expression is bottled at cask strength and is non-chill filtered.

"I love rye, so for the first release of the Masters Of Whiskey Series, we created a cask-finished rye," explained Dietrich. "It was only natural that our next release should be a bourbon. But like everything we do, we couldn't create just any bourbon; it needed to be uniquely different. To do that, we partnered with one of the most renowned names in the industry: Wes Henderson. It was a true honor getting to work with Wes and learn how our palates aligned together in the process. His close friendship with Dave Pickerell sparked some of the concepts we designed for this whiskey. We've created something truly special that I hope whiskey enthusiasts will enjoy as much as we did making it."

"We don't do anything halfway," said METALLICA's lead guitarist Kirk Hammett. "We partnered with our co-founder, the late, great Dave Pickerell to bring you our badass original blend — now helmed by the amazing Rob Dietrich, Willett Distillery to bring you an explosive rye, and Wes Henderson to create this outstanding bourbon. That's the really cool thing about the 'Masters Of Whiskey Series' — we build on our core idea of collaboration, getting to work with these insane master distillers and blenders to innovate and bring new expressions to our fans and whiskey drinkers."

The inspiration for the collaboration with Henderson came from Pickerell. Henderson and Pickerell were close friends and were both revered in the whiskey industry as innovators and makers. Further, Henderson's background in bourbon made him a natural partner for the project. Kentucky whiskey royalty, he represents several generations of distilling provenance and was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall Of Fame, joining his father, Lincoln Henderson, as one of the few father/son inductees in the history of the industry.

Given so many connections to Kentucky, and as much of the region is still recovering from 2021's devastating tornadoes, the team at Blackened, Dietrich and Henderson felt it was of the utmost importance to help the community through this release. With Dietrich a veteran of the 10th Mountain Division and Henderson a first responder and death coroner, Blackened reached out to METALLICA's nonprofit All Within My Hands Foundation for suggestions on organizations who serve Kentucky and who align with their values and goals. They were introduced to Team Rubicon, a veteran-led, non-profit organization that serves global communities before, during and after disasters and crises.

To support the team and specifically the rebuild efforts in Western Kentucky, Blackened will donate $25,000 to Team Rubicon. METALLICA and All Within My Hands will match this donation in kind, making the overall total donation $50,000.

"I didn't think I'd be working on another whiskey so soon after my retirement, but I couldn't pass this up," said Henderson, co-founder and former chief innovation officer of Angel's Envy. "As a close friend of Dave's, I've been watching Blackened for a while now and have been impressed with Rob, the team, and with what they've created. It was an incredible experience getting to work closely with Rob, compare palates and use our respective skill sets in cask finishing to develop this flavor profile. We both have a very similar approach to whiskey — that it takes drinkers on a journey. I believe we accomplished that with this expression, and the fact we were able to tie-in a charity that's serving the community of Western Kentucky, which is so near and dear to my heart, is amazing. I can't wait for others to try it!"

This expression follows the inaugural release, the Blackened x Willett Kentucky straight rye whiskey finished in madeira casks, created in collaboration with Willett Distillery and master distiller Drew Kulsveen. The Blackened x Wes Henderson Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey finished in white port wine casks is available in limited quantities for a suggested retail price of $99.99.

In a new interview with Sick Drummer Magazine, MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren spoke about what it has been like for him to have been involved with the writing and recording of the band's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm just humbled. I'm just thankful to be here. That's the best way I can put it. I can't even say that this is a dream come true, 'cause I don't think I ever dreamed anything crazy like [this]. I was just happy to be playing drums and trying to make a living off of doing it, and [that] in itself was a gratifying thing for me. It wasn't always easy, and I don't think any good job is always easy; it was a struggle sometimes. But I never thought, like, 'Oh, I should be in this major band', so when it kind of just happened, I'm still kind of pinching myself to this day. At the same time, I have to say that I worked really hard my whole life. I've always been somebody who I think when I do something I do it one hundred percent. To persevere through the hard times and always try to keep my head up and try to keep learning new things, it's paid off in the long run."

He continued: "There have been times when I wanted to give up, like anybody, when things seem a bit hopeless. There was a few times I told my wife where I thought maybe I should just get a normal job and life would be a bit more simple and I can just stay home and not struggle to try and pay the bills and work my ass off 24/7 — no weekends [off], no time [off] — and just have a normal family life. But in the end, I know where my passion is and so I wouldn't give up. And I have to give a lot of credit to my parents and my wife and my teachers and my friends — everybody who supported me and my family over the years doing this — I owe it to them 'cause they've helped me so tremendously so many times and talked me back into doing what I wanted to do when it seemed a bit hopeless.

"But to answer your question, it's an incredible feeling," Dirk added. "I'm so stoked that people are enjoying the new album overall, and I'm just happy to be a part of that. I'm happy to have contributed to it, because I didn't know, going into this, how that part would be. Being on tour with the band was one thing — you play the songs, here's the songs, it's cool. You get to know the guys, you get to know the way the band operates on the road. Now, going into the recording studio, or first rather into the band room and start writing stuff, I had no idea. And Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] said early on to us — to me and Kiko [Loureiro, MEGADETH guitarist] and David [Ellefson, former MEGADETH bassist] at the time — 'Bring stuff. Bring ideas. I want your ideas.' And I'm, like, 'Cool.' I wrote some stuff. I play a little bit of guitar, so I made some demos at home, recorded some riffs, recorded some song ideas, brought them on. I didn't anticipate that any of my stuff would go anywhere, because, I mean, c'mon, this is Dave Mustaine we're talking about. Who am I on guitar compared to Dave Mustaine? Or Kiko Loureiro for that matter, who's, like, one of the best guitar players in the world; I'm nothing compared to that. Nevertheless, I ended up with some stuff on the album. Like the song 'Life In Hell', which is the second song on the record, is based on a demo I wrote. And then I also have a riff in the third song, 'Night Stalkers', which everybody just enjoyed that riff and was, like, 'We need to use this.' So my mind is just blown 'cause I didn't anticipate that. But again, I'm happy I just went for it. I listened to Dave and tried and went along with his idea and proposed some things. That's the proof that you have to believe in yourself. You have to believe that you can do what you wanna do. And I did wanna contribute. I mean, I was, like, 'It would be cool if I could. Because this is a band I love, and if some of my ideas can inspire the other guys and we can make a song together, hey, that's freakin' cool. If I can do something else than just write the drum parts on the album, that's freakin' cool.' So here we are — it actually happened, and people are loving the thrashy direction of this record in general. And I'm not ashamed to say that I'm definitely a part of kind of pushing that envelope, because that's the MEGADETH I grew up with — 'Peace Sells', 'Killing Is My Business'; the next couple of albums after that, that's the MEGADETH I enjoyed that I saw live back in 1990 on the 'Clash Of The Titans' tour for the 'Rust In Peace' album. So, yeah, it's a wonderful feeling. I'm thankful every day, and I enjoy every single day we're out here [on the road]."

According to Billboard, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marks the band's eighth top 10-charting album. Of "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!"'s 48,000 units earned for the week, album sales comprise 45,000, SEA units comprise 3,000 and TEA units comprise a neglible sum.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown to Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

"The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" arrived on September 2 via UMe.

Ride the "Last Tide" of progressive avant-garde metal from Italy's MindAheaD with their second single off their forthcoming sophomore album "6119 Part 1" being released via Rockshots Records at the end of October.


The latest track to be previewed off their upcoming full-length record, "Last Tide" is an emotional ballad that tells the next chapter of the concept album's character "6119". The band explains in further detail:


"Lost in a kind of frame, like an endless instant, 'Last Tide' describes where ‘6119’ finds himself on the seashore, watching the waves and the sunset. He reflects on the natural change of things that, just like the waves of the sea, never stop changing, and thinks back with nostalgia and hope to the female figure seen in the desert. But this sudden and almost unique carefree situation is the result of an error, a power surge in the Machine's connections that allow ‘6119’ to have an independent vision of the program, an autonomous thought, you can say. Soon (in fact, it is the shortest track on the album), as soon as the sun went down, the Machine reestablishes itself and again takes control of ‘6119's’ consciousness."




Progressive avant-garde metallers, Italy's MindAhead return in 2022 with their sophomore album 6119 Part 1 via Rockshots Records to follow their 2017 debut full-length Reflections released on Roman label Revalve Records. Just like its predecessor, the band's new offering is once again a concept album with a complex, personal and unusual sound to test the limits of their songwriting. 6119 Part 1 is a continuation of the previous work on Reflections, which will tell us the story of 6119, the main character, through a surreal, oneiric journey, always poised between physical space and the realm of the mind. Trapped in this dreamlike kaleidoscope, he proceeds heedless of the consequences, hoping to find at the end of the journey (the Part II, currently in production) the reason why all this is happening to him.


Merging different aspects, sometimes opposite, of human feeling, bringing them together in a colorful and personal musical proposal, which has its roots in influences ranging from prog ‘70s to death metal, the band explains the new album in further detail:


"This album is a concept realized with the aim of telling a story that straddles the line between dystopian science fiction and the psychological investigation of the human mind, so the music and lyrics were created in order to reach these goals. We would like the listening experience to be completely immersive. We would like the listener to be able to take a break from the real world and step into another dimension, one that is distant but at the same time well known, not alien, but almost familiar. The listener should passionately follow the events of 6119 in its inner and outer search for reality, in a story that began in the previous album Reflections and will end in the band's next release, so as to complete a narrative trilogy."


Having shared the stage with bands such as Jinjer, Vision Divine, Deathless Legacy, Domine, Pino Scotto, MindAhead is recommended for fans of Opeth, Ayreon, Haken, Katatonia and Pink Floyd. 6119 Part 1 is due out October 28, 2022 via Rockshots Records.


Preorder at the Rockshots Records webshop.





Tracklisting:


“Prologue”
“Burning Horizon”
“Dancing In The Desert”
“What You Are”
“The Last Tide”
“Beautiful Mistake”
“Innocence”
“At The Gates Of Night Part I (The Old Poet) & II (At The Gates)”
“At The Gates Of Night Part III (Lost In The Loop)”


"The Last Tide" video:





“What You Are”:

With Autopsy's highly anticipated new album Morbidity Triumphant due for release imminently, the band have premiered the disturbing, blood-soaked video for the track “Knife Slice Axe Chop.”


Chris Reifert laughingly says “Ever headbanged and barfed at the same time? Check out the video for our new song ‘Knife Slice, Axe Chop’ and see how it feels.  Our buddy Cam and his crew of lunatics at Rabidog Films and The Butchers Shop have given us the blood ‘n guts fest that we’ve always wanted and we can’t wait for you, our beloved Autopsy freaks to shove this nightmare into your eyes and ears. Tell yer pals!”







“Knife Slice Axe Chop” will be available as a digital single on all streaming platforms on Wednesday, September 21.


Since first bursting onto the death metal scene with the now genre classic Severed Survival back in 1989 and following up with the equally revered Mental Funeral album, the influential quartet has carved an unwavering legacy over three decades as masters and purveyors of the vile sides of the extreme metal spectrum. And now, Autopsy marks its reinvigorated return, presenting the first new full-length studio opus since 2014’s Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves with Morbidity Triumphant; a savage offering of brutal death, showing the US legends still have an unbridled hunger for the sadistic, never reluctant to step beyond the threshold of decency.


Morbidity Triumphant, the band’s eighth album, is truly a dark delight for seasoned and new listeners alike, with a raw organic sound perfectly encapsulating what makes Autopsy so distinguishable among its peers, for what could easily be considered one of its strongest offerings to date.


The driving force of Autopsy as ever is the virtuoso guitar pairing of Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles, effortlessly trading off their schizophrenic leads and switching from all-out death metal madness to groove-laden heavy doom, with unmistakable drum/vocal legend Chris Reifert being master of proceedings, spewing his own infinitely creative maniacal musings. Morbidity Triumphant also notably marks the first album to feature new bassist Greg Wilkinson, currently also seen in Static Abyss along with Chris “working with Greg on the Autopsy record was totally different than the Static Abyss one, mostly since Autopsy is a complete band with their own pre-established ways of doing things – we just abducted him into the band and had him roll with our ways, which he took to like a fish to gasoline so much so that he contributed a song musically which fit in perfectly with the rest of the sickening anthems on the album.”


Morbidity Triumphant was recorded at Opus Studios, with long-associated engineer Adam Munoz at the helm. Mastering was completed by Ken Lee.


The cover artwork appears courtesy of Wes Benscoter (Slayer, Bloodbath), with a new work of twisted and sinister genius. Chris exclaims, “Wes delivered another stunner. What a maniac!” He explains, “We didn’t give him much to work with as usual. I think, maybe, just a couple of song titles and themes maybe and his imagination did most of the work. The album title came along after the fact. After having our minds blown by Wes’ art we arrived at “Morbidity Triumphant” which seemed to fit the theme of the painting as well as the way we feel about the state of the band in general. We’ve been working hard at our sick craft with zero compromise and it seems we’re still hitting our stride somehow.”


Turn out the lights, crank it up until your speakers puke and see where it takes you. You might be surprised at the thoughts and visions that enter your head. Get the ticket, take the ride and be prepared for your mind to eat itself alive.


Morbidity Triumphant will be released in the following formats: CD / black vinyl LP / ltd edition violet coloured LP – exclusive to the Peaceville label stores / other colours available in various territories / cassette / digital. Pre-order here.





Morbidity Triumphant tracklisting:


"Stab The Brain"
"Final Frost"
"The Voracious One"
"Born In Blood"
"Flesh Strewn Temple"
"Tapestry Of Scars"
"Knife Slice, Axe Chop"
"Skin By Skin"
"Maggots In The Mirror"
"Slaughterer Of Souls"
"Your Eyes Will Turn To Dust"


"Knife Slice Axe Chop" video:





"Skin By Skin":





Trailer:

Neurot Recordings, in conjunction with Rocket Recordings, presents Liminal, the second LP from UK-based industrial/electronic hybrid act Petbrick, formed by Wayne Adams (Big Lad, Johnny Broke) and Iggor Cavalera (Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulwax).


With the album confirmed for release this Friday, the new single, “Distorted Peace” featuring Rakta’s Paula Rebbeledo, is now playing. Listen below:







With eleven futuristic, dystopian movements, Petbrick’s Liminal unloads an intense but organic biomechanical sound possibly derived from the realms of industrial, death metal, hardcore, EDM, ambient, and more while defying any direct genre confines, as heard on their prior LP, multiple EPs and singles, collaborations with labelmates Deafkids, and more.


Liminal was recorded and mixed by Wayne Adams at Bearbiteshorse Studio in London, mastered by Stephen Kerrison at Tall Trees Audio Mastering, and completed with art direction/design by Chris Reeder and Petbrick and Liminal logo by Iggor Cavalera. The record contains guest contributions from Steve Von Till (Neurosis), Jacob Bannon (Converge), Paula Rebbeledo (Rakta), and rappers Lord Goat and Truck Jewelz.


Liminal will see release on vinyl and digital formats September 23 in North America through Neurot Recordings and in Europe via Rocket Recordings. Find North American pre-orders here and international pre-orders here.





Tracklisting:


"Primer"
"Arboria"
"Pigeon Kick"
"Raijin"
"Lysergic Aura" (featuring Lord Goat and Truck Jewelz)
"Damballa"
"Ayan"
"Grind You Dull" (featuring Jake Bannon)
"Chemical Returns"
"Distorted Peace" (featuring Paula Rebellato)
"Reckoning" (featuring Steve Von Till)


"Primer" video:





Petbrick has also confirmed tour dates supporting Converge and Full Of Hell this Fall, the tour running from November 6 through the 13th.
Watch for additional live actions to be confirmed over the weeks ahead.





Dates:


November
6 - Electric Brixton - London, UK
7 - La Cigale - Paris, France
8 - Vooruit - Ghent, Belgium
9 - Doornroosje - Nijmegen, Netherlands
10 - Columbia Theater - Berlin, Germany
11 - Felsenkeller - Leipzig, Germany
12 - Kulturfabrik - Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
13 - Essigfabrik - Köln, Germany


(Photo - Al Overdrive)

A-Z, the new band formed by Fates Warning icons Ray Alder and Mark Zonder, have released a lyric video for "The Far Side Of The Horizon", featured on their self-titled debut album, available via Metal Blade Records. Watch below:





In early 2020, famed former drummer for Fates Warning and Warlord, Mark Zonder, began working on new material with the vision of beginning a new, full-time band that would offer something different from his current catalog. The mission was to deliver straightforward, no-frills hard rock that speaks to a broader audience. The end result, which sees Zonder reunite with Fates Warning lead vocalist Ray Alder, along with bassist Philip Bynoe (Steve Vai, Warlord), guitarist Joop Wolters, and keyboardist Vivien Lalu, is A-Z.




Order the album here.





A-Z tracklisting:


"Trial By Fire"
"The Far Side Of The Horizon"
"The Machine Gunner"
"Rise Again"
"Window Panes"
"Run Away"
"Stranded"
"At The Waters Edge"
"Borrowed Time"
"Sometimes"
"The Silence Broken" (Bonus Track)


Album sampler:





"Stranded" video:





"Trial By Fire" video:





"The Machine Gunner" video:





When Mark Zonder, famed former Fates Warning and Warlord drummer, started working on material in early 2020 he had a very clear vision for the band he wanted to put together. "I was thinking beer commercials, car commercials, and Cobra Kai. I wanted to have a very accessible band that would appeal to the masses and would lead to the ability to tour larger venues and build a second and third record off the success of the first. I did not want to hear things like, 'I don't hear a single, it is too proggy, I just don't get it, let me listen to it a few more times'. I knew from myself and the others that I would recruit, it would have some sophisticated music parts but the big hook was the main priority." The result was A-Z, and while Zonder is adamant it is not a supergroup that is doing a 'one and done' record it has a stellar lineup, reuniting him with Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder, Warlord/Steve Vai/Ring of Fire bassist Philip Bynoe, guitarist Joop Wolters and keyboardist Vivien Lalu, the combination of these players stirring up a very specific kind of magic that could not be replicated.


Things came together smoothly from the start, Zonder sending drum patterns and grooves to first recruit Lalu, and he would write songs using guitar sounds so between the two of them they had basic song structures pretty quickly. Zonder knew Bynoe would jump on board as they have a long history and mutual respect and Lalu had worked with Wolters for years, recruiting him for the band. Both Wolters and Lalu brought in great musical ideas that were turned into songs. The goal was always the same: shorter songs and getting right to the chorus, no twelve-minute songs, and everyone found it easy working to this remit. With everything else coming together nicely, finding the right singer was the hardest aspect of the whole process.


"I had sent out a basic song to over 20 different singers, some popular named singers and some unknown, but completely struck out," says Zonder. "Then I just decided to call Ray as I was not sure what he was up to. I figured it could not hurt to get in touch. I do remember speaking with him back in the day and him talking about how he loved this kind of music. I sent him a track or two and he just killed it." Adds Alder, "I found this a chance to do something completely different than what I am used to, being in a prog metal band for 30 years. I find the blend of the 80s, 90s and a touch of 70s style of music very cool, and it is great to work with Mark after all of these years." Thrilled to have him on board, Zonder did not have a list of demands. "My only words to him were 'do whatever you want.' I was not going to tell him what to do. Same for all of the others guys. Yes, there has to be some editing and making decisions, but when it came to the music I just wanted everyone to do what they do best." The results are undeniable, from the high octane stomper "The Machine Gunner", to the gorgeous sway of "Rise Again" or the towering "Stranded", every track an anthem that sounds like only the biggest venues could contain them.


The band's name came courtesy of Alder - A-Z = Alder thru Zonder - and it fit straight away. "What I liked is that it did not limit what someone would think of the band. If we named the band Scary Serpent it would give a certain direction and I did not want people to prejudge the band and record," Zonder says. Likewise, self-titling the record made sense. "I did not want to give a direction idea to the audience. If we named the album Far Side of the Horizon, people would probably think 'prog band'. But if you named it The Machine Gunner, it would give a totally different direction for thought." For artwork, wanting to again get the best possible contributor, they turned to the famed Hugh Syme (Rush, Fates Warning), who delivered the vivid image of a zebra eating an apple, encompassing the band name in a sly way. "Again, hire the best people you can find and just let them do what they do. The artwork is absolutely fantastic and really fits the whole concept. He is truly the best. Just a great guy to work with."





A-Z lineup:


Ray Alder - Lead and Backing Vocals
Philip Bynoe - Bass Guitar
Vivien Lalu - Keyboards
Joop Wolters - Guitars
Mark Zonder - Drums

In the new video below from AXS TV, Sammy Hagar meets up with Greg Grunberg and friends before Rick Springfield joins the party. Later, Rick and Sammy take the stage to perform Rick's classic, "Jessie's Girl".





Sammy Hagar & The Circle will release their new album, Crazy Times, via UMe on CD/Digital on September 30, and on vinyl on October 28.




In the video below, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony invite you to their talkshoplive event on September 28 at 3 PM, ET. Join in on the action and tune into the livestream where they'll be interviewed by Steve Harkins, answering YOUR questions, with autographed copies of Crazy Times available. Pre-order yours and tune in, here.





Pre-order the new album here.





Tracklisting:


"Intro: The Beginning Of The End"
"Slow Drain"
"Feed Your Head"
"Pump It Up"
"Be Still"
"You Get What You Pay For"
"Crazy Times"
"Funky Feng Shui"
"Father Time"
"Childhoods End"
"2120" (bonus track)
"Father Time" - Acoustic Demo (bonus track)


"Funky Feng Shui" video:





"Crazy Times" video:





"Pump It Up" video:

Tattoo The Scars has released their third single, "Culture Of Fear" to all major platforms via TLG/INgrooves. The band features Jesse Rush (vocals) formerly of Allele, guitarist Billy Grey of Fozzy, drummer Dusty Winterrowd formerly of Allele and bassist Tyler Hensley formerly of Year of the Locust.





“'Culture Of Fear' is a high energy, in your face song that touches on world problems we as humans face in everyday life," says the band.







Tattoo The Scars is a Jacksonville, Florida based hard rock/heavy metal band featuring members of Fozzy and Allele. Both of the band's previous singles, "Bridges Burned" and "Cheers To The Tragedy" were featured in rotation on radio, including Octane, and both have well over 2,000,000 streams.

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee spoke to Entertainment Tonight 's Kevin Frazier about what it has been like for them to return to the road as part of the band's recently completed stadium tour. The musicians announced the trek in 2019, just months after they supposedly noticed a massive surge in interest following the huge success of their Netflix biopic "The Dirt".

"It's been unbelievable," Sixx said. "I'm so grateful to be doing this, and it started, like, three years ago when the movie came out — two and a half years ago. We kind of, we broke up the band. We just decided to quit touring. We’ve been doing it for, god, 35 years at that point."

According to Sixx, he was initially opposed to the idea of touring again with MÖTLEY CRÜE, especially since CRÜE fans who shelled out for the band's 2014/2015 "farewell" tour were led to believe that the group would never return after playing its final show on December 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band touted the signing of a pre-tour "cessation of touring" agreement as cementing the fact it truly was the end of CRÜE's life on the road.

"Tommy does other stuff, and I do other stuff, and I remember getting the phone call from management, and I was, like, 'No,'" Sixx said. "And they go, 'You haven't even heard what I have to say.'"

"We were done. We were done," Lee said.

"And we were friends, and we were fine and everything's good," Sixx continued. "We're just like, 'No, it’s a lot of work.' When you see the show out there, you're gonna go, 'Wow.' I mean, it's years of work putting it together, and then they were like, 'No, not eight arenas, eight stadiums,' and I was like, 'Let me call Tommy.'"

He continued: "I was like, 'Hey, dude, they're talking about us touring,' and he's like, 'No.' Because we wanted to be — stand by what we said, and then it was 16 and 36, which we just entered our 36th stadium, and there's, what, another 120 next year and the year after that, so, we're grateful we said yes."

"We're having a blast," Sixx said. "How can you say no to stadiums?" Lee agreed.

Sixx continued: "I mean, we're all having a blast, everyone's just having a good time...it's amazing to be 41 years together? I mean, sometimes it's just like, 'What?' Stepping into some sacred territory there."

CRÜE's long-delayed North American trek with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021 and then to 2022.

Earlier this month, MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil said the band will continue touring internationally with DEF LEPPARD in 2023, through Mexico and South America in the spring and soccer stadiums in Europe next summer. Plans are for MÖTLEY CRÜE to return to U.S. for more shows in 2024.

In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Sixx said "the most important thing about a farewell tour is that the band doesn't lie to the fans, and the band doesn't tour and then come back years later. That's what's important for us, planning what's the right time to go out."

Three years ago, Sixx said that "The Dirt", about MÖTLEY CRÜE's formative years, sparked a renewed interest from younger fans who wanted to see them live, contributing to the band's decision to renege on its infamous "cessation of touring" contract.

Former OZZY OSBOURNE and current LAST IN LINE bassist Phil Soussan has apologized to Nikki Sixx for making a disparaging comment about MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Stadium Tour".

After attending CRÜE's September 9 concert with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS in Las Vegas, Soussan took to his social media to share a few photos from the show, and he included the following message (as per Metal Sludge): "Went to see these guys yesterday at #allegiantstadium 2nd row center was pretty awesome! #poison were literally nothing but a good time – Bret and CC were terrific. #defleppard of course we're spectacular and pristine! Motley sadly not so much…never seen a place empty out so fast after only a few songs."

Sixx caught wind of Soussan's post on Instagram and responded by simply writing "Thanks Phil" and adding a middle-finger emoji.

Phil addressed his CRÜE remarks in a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! Speaking about the Las Vegas gig, which marked the final date of the 2022 leg of "The Stadium Tour", he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a great show. It was good. Where I was, the sound wasn't that great. I was actually right in the front, but the sound was… either [because of] where I was sitting or [they had a] bad soundman. I said something about that inadvertently, without thinking, just really stupid, and I think I might have offended Nikki. So I wrote to him. I said, 'Man, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to say anything.' It wasn't bad; it was just, like, [I was] hoping it was gonna be better [than it was]."

Soussan continued: "I've always tried to go through this world just trying to say something positive, bring something positive… You've gotta say something nice about things. And then sometimes you don't think and you say something without thinking. And mea culpa; I have to own that stuff. My bad — totally my bad.

"It's just one of those silly things," he added. "You say a thousand nice things and nobody remembers them; you say one bad thing and everyone still makes a comment [about it]… And thank God for, like, Blabbermouth. I open up my mouth and that's some kind of newsworthy shit? Are you kidding me? Who are these people? Aggregate all this nasty stuff and just try to stir the pot."

Soussan went on to say that he has "a lot of respect for the guys in MÖTLEY CRÜE. I've got a lot of history with them," he explained. "I always wish them the best going forward. I hope they continue going forward and [continue] doing well. And like I said, if I offended anybody, I felt… The minute I saw that, I pulled it right down and wrote a letter of apology. I mean, that's it. It's, like, c'mon."

Phil also praised Nikki personally, saying: "He is a marketing genius. He's a songwriter. He's the guy who keeps that whole machine going. And again, mea culpa. And for me to say something unnecessary and careless, yeah — my bad."

Three and a half years ago, Soussan opened up about his contributions to Vince Neil's debut solo album, 1993's "Exposed". Despite the fact that he co-wrote five of the 11 songs on the MÖTLEY CRÜE singer's disc, Soussan isn't credited with having played on the record. Claiming that he laid down "some" the bass tracks that ended up on "Exposed", Soussan said that the story of his involvement with the LP "was an unfortunate one. I had put the whole project together with Vince and we started writing songs and many of those songs were songs that were leftover that I had been writing for Ozzy," he said. "When I left Ozzy, I took those songs with me. That's why a lot of that material comes in. So, when you listen to 'The Edge', it's 'S.A.T.O.', when you listen to 'The Look In Her Eyes', it's like 'Bark At The Moon'. Equivalent tracks. And you can hear that. The unfortunate thing is Steve Stevens [Neil's guitarist for the album], who turned out to be, you know, a bit of a snake in the grass. I don't know what his personal issues were, but he walked into the project and once he got in there, he basically had expressed his frustration. He was planning on writing all the songs and playing bass on the record and doing all these things. And I said, 'No, that's not how it's gonna work. It's gonna work as a band.' He said, 'Well, that's how I do it with Billy Idol.' I said, 'Okay, that's Billy Idol. That's not Vince Neil.' And then he started a process of manipulation. Not a pleasant guy. I don't know to this day why he did that. I sort of backed out."

He continued: "At a certain point, it looked like it was going to be very challenging going forward. We had so many problems. The manager had just passed away — Bruce Bird. He was keeping Vince and everybody together, and at that point, it started becoming a mess, and I backed out. And that would've been the end of it. Then one day my business manager called me up and said, 'Oh, you need to know that Steve Stevens has not only put his name on some of your songs, but he's cut you out.' I said, 'That's it,' and I served an injunction on Warner Brothers. He had no evidence to support his claim. We had everything. We had all the demos. We had all the lyrics. We had tapes that were recorded that were pre-dated Steve being in the band. He had no way of substantiating this. At the end of the day, that's how it worked out. But, unfortunately, if you look on the credits on the album, his name is on a bunch of songs even though he did not participate. There's nothing I can do about that."

Soussan added: "It's sad when you meet somebody who's kind of a jerk and that's kind of how he was. Nothing against Vince. I still see Vince all the time. And the guys in the band as well. Robbie [Crane]. I love Robbie, who was originally playing guitar in the band [before switching to bass]."

Neil recruited Stevens, Crane and rhythm guitarist Dave Marshall for the "Exposed" tour, which saw Neil opening for VAN HALEN.

A critically acclaimed effort, "Exposed" peaked at No. 13 on the U.S. album chart and failed to earn gold certification.

Neil eventually rejoined MÖTLEY CRÜE in 1997.

Nikki Sixx photo credit: Jason Shaltz / SiriusXM / Screenshot below courtesy of Metal Sludge

THE HALO EFFECT, the new project featuring five former members of the Swedish metal band IN FLAMES — Jesper Strömblad (guitar),Daniel Svensson (drums),Peter Iwers (bass),Niclas Engelin (guitar) and Mikael Stanne (vocals) — is planning to enter the studio before the end of the year to record a new EP. The upcoming effort will be the follow-up to THE HALO EFFECT's debut album, "Days Of The Lost", which recently entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 1. This was believed to be the first time a debut LP from a metal act had ever topped the chart in Sweden in its first week of release. "Days Of The Lost" also landed at No. 6 in Germany.

Speaking to Overdrive.ie 's Oran O'Beirne after THE HALO EFFECT's September 13 performance in Dublin as the support act for AMON AMARTH and MACHINE HEAD, Peter stated about THE HALO EFFECT's plans for the coming months (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're gonna try and go back into the studio and finish up the next record. Maybe not a full-length, but like an EP or something " Mikael added: "I'm gonna be on tour [this] winter with DARK TRANQUILLITY. But then at the end of the year, we're gonna record some new stuff and hopefully have something ready before next summer so that we can play longer sets, basically… Because it's been weird playing the entire album at some of the festival shows we've done. Also, we did it before the album came out, which nobody does. So, yeah, that was kind of strange."

"Days Of The Lost" came out on August 12 via Nuclear Blast.

Asked in a recent interview with Tomar Uma if THE HALO EFFECT is a "band" or just a "project", Mikael said: "It is definitely a new band. It started out as a project or an idea, but because of the time we had, I think we made it into a proper band and we wanna treat it as such because we want to make sure that we do everything we possibly can to make this as good as it possibly can be. We wanna do some tours; we wanna do cool festivals. And we're already starting to plan for more recordings and the next album and that kind of stuff. So everybody's just excited. And because it felt good and we were on a roll… You really can't hold Niclas and Jesper back once they get started. So they've already started writing new stuff. Let's keep up. It's gonna be a lot of work [laughs] the next couple of years, that's for sure."

Stanne was also asked if "Reroute To Remain", IN FLAMES' sixth album, which came out in 2002 and featured Jesper, Peter and Daniel, was an influence on the way THE HALO EFFECT approached the songwriting process. He responded: "I don't think so. I love that album — I think it's fantastic — but no, I don't think so. But, obviously, the other guys were a big part of it, so maybe that's something… They had that experience, so that will color and will somehow affect them. But I don't think it ever came up, so I don't think that was a particular influence. But, of course, everything is a part of what you do, right?!"

In June, Iwers was asked in an interview with Australia's "Scars And Guitars" podcast if he would agree that "Days Of The Lost" is, in some ways, a "spiritual successor" to "Reroute To Remain". Peter said: "Ooh, interesting. I haven't really thought about it. When you make music, like we do, you tend not to overthink stuff — you just go in and you write music and kind of know that what comes out will sound a certain way because of the style that we are playing and how we are playing and performing our music. So I haven't really thought about it, but maybe — maybe. It was definitely nothing intentional. We just went in. We had a bunch of ideas and we came out with a bunch of songs that happen to sound a certain way. But none of us really overthought it and it was never meant to 'it's gonna sound like this' or 'it's gonna sound like that.' We just [went], 'Let's write this music and see what happens.' And because of, like I said, how we're playing, it will sound a certain way."

Added Daniel: "A lot of people like to analyze music, and, of course, it sounds Gothenburg metal-ish because we all are from that genre and we are some of the people that kind of created it. So, of course, it will sound Gothenburg metal-ish, IN FLAMES-ish. And then which era, I don't know. And as Peter said, we don't really think about how it should sound. This is how we sound today, and with our legacy this is inevitable, that we sound as we do."

Continued Peter: "Obviously, people like to do a lot of comparing between us… It's a difficult topic to discuss because none of us have — even though we've all been in IN FLAMES at some point, none of us have really thought about this as what you're saying. But then a lot of people that we speak to say it. So it's a little hard to take in, as we've been very thorough in just writing music. But I'd say it's a little flattering to hear it."

Svensson, who joined IN FLAMES in 1998, announced in 2015 that he was leaving the group to focus on his family life.

A member of IN FLAMES since 1997, Iwers issued a statement in November 2016 saying that he was exiting the band "to pursue other endeavors."

A founding member of IN FLAMES, Strömblad quit the band in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.

Strömblad's THE HALO EFFECT bandmates have been supportive in his ongoing battle with the bottle, going so far as to hire THE HAUNTED's Patrik Jensen to fill in for him at any gigs he is unable to play,

Engelin has been sitting out IN FLAMES' tour dates for the past three and a half years but has never officially confirmed his departure from the band. Engelin's replacement for IN FLAMES' live shows since then has been former MEGADETH and current ACT OF DEFIANCE guitarist Chris Broderick.

Photo credit: Markus Esselmark

THE HALO EFFECT TALK DEBUT ALBUM SUCCESS

** VIDEO INTERVIEW - THE HALO EFFECT **
We sat down with The Halo Effect on Tuesday night after their debut Irish performance on The Vikings and Lionhearts Tour' featuring co-headliners, Machine Head and Amon Amarth in the 3Arena.

In this video interview, Mikael and Peter talk about the success of their debut album, the Gothenburg scene, and much more.

Simply click and watch.

For more news, interviews, reviews, competitions and much more like / follow Overdrive here or on Insta [@overdrive.ie].

Web - www.overdrive.ie - The Home of Heavy.

Video/Editing - COSMOPALACE

Their debut album 'Days of the Lost' it out now via Nuclear Blast

Posted by Overdrive on Friday, September 16, 2022

On Saturday, September 17, the original MISFITS headlined Riot Fest 2022 in Chicago, Illinois, performing their landmark first album "Walk Among Us" in full. The 1982 record, celebrating its 40th anniversary next year, is hailed by MISFITS fans — as well as by publications like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, in recent years — as one of the greatest punk records of all time.

After the "Walk Among Us" portion of the set, the MISFITSplayed another 12 classics, including "Bullet", "Hybrid Moments", "Some Kinda Hate", "Halloween", "Last Caress", "Horror Business" and "We Are 138" as well as "Earth A.D." cuts like "Die, Die My Darling" and the title track.

The initial comeback performance by MISFITS, featuring singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig and original bassist Jerry Only with Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein on guitar, took place at the 2016 Riot Fest. The estranged bandmates played together for the first time since 1983 and were backed by former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo and guitarist Acey Slade.

Since then, the original lineup of the MISFITS has reunited for scattered dates, with the most recent pre-Riot Fest 2022 one taking place in October 2021 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento.

Prior to the Riot Fest concerts, Glenn, Jerry and Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein last performed together on October 29, 1983.

Two years ago, Danzig told Rolling Stone magazine that he was happy with the way the MISFITS shows have been going. "Shit, we sold out Madison Square Garden," he said. "As a matter of fact, we oversold it. Back in the day, all the bigwig promoters and record label people were, like, 'A punk band will never headline Madison Square Garden.' And, of course, we're the first punk band to headline there. And not only did we sell it out, we oversold it. So a big fuck you to all those assholes, who are probably selling hotdogs on Sixth Avenue."

The original MISFITS band broke up in 1983, and Only brought forth a new version of the MISFITS in 1995. Various members have come and gone, but Only, along with BLACK FLAG's Dez Cadena, has kept some form of the MISFITS in the recording studio and on the road for most of the last two and half decades.

In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Only said about working with Danzig again: "Glenn is Glenn. We dealt with Glenn in the beginning and it's the same dealing with Glenn now. It doesn't change. It's just a different perspective. If we let Glenn be Glenn and do what we're supposed to do, it's gonna work. You don't argue with each other. I think we're over that. I think we're old enough now."

Asked what it was like keeping the MISFITS going for 20 years without Glenn, Only said: "There was always that hole. When Glenn split, there was always that feeling we were missing a component of what makes us what we are. And I'm sure the same goes on for him. In the other bands he was in, he's changed people left and right. When we play together, it's just us."



End Day Two of Riot Fest with The Misfits

Posted by Eric Hartman on Saturday, September 17, 2022



Misfits at Riot Fest in Chicago

Posted by Garyth Shawn Thompson on Saturday, September 17, 2022

The Original Misfits…Riot Fest, Chicago

Posted by Brian Felhandler on Saturday, September 17, 2022

The Original Misfits at Riotfest. An absolutely incredible show!!!

Posted by Cory Pierce Giese on Saturday, September 17, 2022

NEW YEARS DAY singer Ash Costello spoke to Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2019's "Unbreakable" album. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're about halfway through the [new] album right now.

"I'd been touring basically for six solid years hardcore straight — we're talking eight months out of the year; never home for my birthday; miss my mom all the time; miss my dogs. And I kind of took COVID as… I was relieved, honestly," she continued. "And I think I needed to rest and I needed to stop. And I'm not the kind of person that would ever do it on my own; I would need some sort of natural disaster to get me to actually stop and rest, which is what happened. So I took my time. I let life happen to me. And I got married. And so now I have nothing, romantic relationship-wise, to be angry about anymore, which is predominantly what used to inspire my songwriting. And so I tapped into something else that I never had before, and it was a positivity and a hopefulness that I was starting to feel reveal itself in me — finally, after so many years of just kind of surviving. Which is totally what I was doing — I was just on survival mode. And the music reflects that, especially on 'Unbreakable'. I look back and there's some guitar riffs on there where I definitely was expressing my unhappiness and my anger with those guitar riffs — particularly on a song called 'Unbreakable', because it's almost unlistenable, 'cause it's so heavy and ugly and angry. And so we've now switched to a really positive, happy, energetic, full-of-life sound. And I can't believe I even made it to this point in my life, let alone musically."

Costello previously talked about the upcoming NEW YEARS DAY album in an interview last month with Rock Sound. At the time she said: "We're not rushing it. We've just been kind of coasting through [it]. We've probably written about 30 songs; maybe seven have made the cut. So I'm being very picky — I'm being very, very, very picky on what I wanna put out there this time around, where before it was, like, 'Hurry up. Make a record and we can tour. Put out what you can.' Not this time. I'm really taking my time. And I'm in love with all the music. We've already chosen the next single and I cannot wait. I think it's even better [than the recently released 'Hurts Like Hell']. This one was like an introduction into what we're doing. The next one is, like, 'We're here. We're not going anywhere. This is the sound.'"

Elaborating on the songwriting process for the upcoming NEW YEARS DAY album, Ash said: "Jeremy Valentyne, who is now back in the band, has been a writer this whole time. He never really left the band completely; he just wasn't touring. So he helped write our 'Diary Of A Creep' EP [2018] and our 'Unbreakable' album, so we're continuing to write with Jeremy. And the same two producers I used on 'Unbreakable', which is Mitch Marlow, who's responsible for bands like IN THIS MOMENT, and Scott Stevens. Scott Stevens [has co-written with] DOROTHY, DIAMANTE, IN THIS MOMENT, SHINEDOWN, HALESTORM, LILITH CZAR. You name it — you name it, especially a woman in rock, he's helped her create the vision. So we're continuing on working with him."

Asked what she learned from the making of "Unbreakable" that she is applying to the new NEW YEARS DAY material, Ash said: "I feel like 'Unbreakable' was the first time I really was daring. Songs like 'Unbreakable' where I said, 'I wanna make a guitar riff that's unlistenable. I want it to be so ugly and terrible sounding that it's just enough where you can kind of fathom it.' And so I felt like we experimented a lot with that sound. And then I feel like with 'Shut Up' where we had experimented with a more pop sound — not pop-rock, but a pop element and then giving it a rock twist. So it's gonna be a lot more of that on this record. So we're going way heavy and way pop all at the same time. It's hard to walk the fine line, but when you nail it, it's very rewarding, I think."

The official music video for "Hurts Like Hell" was directed by Robyn August, who has previously worked with NOTHING MORE, Snoop Dogg and Pitbull.

Costello previously stated about the track: "'Hurts Like Hell' might seem like a song about a relationship on the surface; in a way, it is, I suppose.

"As I struggled to navigate how to continue to pursue my passion during the pandemic, I realized that chaos is where I thrive. I will stare down any obstacle, even if I look like a crazy person to subject myself to it.

"Eleanor Roosevelt said, 'We all know people who are so afraid of pain that they shut themselves up and shrink until life is a mere living death.' Turning pain into progress and tragedy into triumph is a particularly satisfying victory. As the saying goes: 'nothing worth having comes easy.' That is what 'Hurts Like Hell' means to me. The song is an acceptance and celebration of my relationship with chaos."

NEW YEARS DAY will hit the road later this month as the support act for HALESTORM. A headlining run of shows will kick off on October 8 in Palmdale, California and run through October 23 in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

In January 2020, NEW YEARS DAY released "Through The Years", a limited-edition box set featuring all seven of NEW YEARS DAY's albums on custom-colored vinyl, a Blu-ray of their beloved music videos and a four-page picture book of never-before-seen photos of Ash and NEW YEARS DAY from their humble beginnings. The photos were handpicked and the captions were hand written by Costello.

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 US #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.


Pre-order options can be found here. Watch the official live video for "I'm Eighteen" below.





Formats: Ltd. CD+Blu-ray Digipak/Ltd. Apricot 1LP+DVD Gatefold/Ltd. Glow In The Dark 1LP+DVD/Ltd. Gold 1LP+DVD Gatefold.





Tracklisting:


CD:
"Caught In a Dream" (Vinyl Side A)
"Be My Lover"
"I'm Eighteen"
"Is It My Body"
"No More Mr. Nice Guy"
"Under My Wheels" (Vinyl Side B)
"School's Out"
"Elected"
"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





Alice Cooper's fall 2022 "Detroit Muscle" tour is underway. Get tickets here.

Swedish metallers SABATON have announced that for the last two years, they have been busy working on an exciting, large-scale project.
In 2023, SABATON will release "The War To End All Wars" movie, a full-length musical motion picture featuring songs from the band's tenth studio album, "The War To End All Wars". This movie vividly tells the stories of World War I by way of animation and live action. It will give the viewer a better understanding of what the band’s songs on the album are about — it is a musical and historical adventure.

Currently in post-production, the movie is being made in collaboration with Yarnhub animation studio. SABATON previously worked with the studio on other projects, including the most recent animated story video for "The Red Baron".

"The War To End All Wars" movie is on a completely different scale that neither the band nor Yarnhub have ever attempted before.

SABATON bassist Pär Sundström said: "We premiered an early version of this movie to journalists during a preview session for our latest album, 'The War To End All Wars', at the Royal Military Museum in Brussels. Witnessing their reaction to it was priceless — they were speechless — so we decided to take it to the next level and push the boundaries even further for a global audience."

Added David Webb of Yarnhub: "When SABATON asked us to go beyond anything we had produced before and jointly create a film for their new album, we were filled with excitement and trepidation. It was a massive undertaking that required new people, technology, and skills. But we couldn't miss the opportunity. We often say our mission is to harvest goosebumps, and our work with SABATON has always been the most successful in that regard. It's been two years in the making, but after spending many late nights and weekends in meetings with the band, the end result is something unique. A new way to listen to the album; a deeper understanding that helps the viewer experience the bravery and tragedy that was the inspiration for SABATON's latest masterwork."

"The War To End All Wars" movie is a cohesive, thought-provoking and emotionally charged piece with a heavy focus on storytelling. It features members of the band, both in real life and animated, and a lot of research and effort has been put into it to ensure it depicts history in the most accurate way possible — this is something that the band is very passionate about.

SABATON had a dream of creating something that's entertaining but with great educational value, and that dream has become a reality after two years of hard work.

SABATON climbed the international charts with "The War To End All Wars", securing No. 1 positions in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Poland, Hungary and Finland. Having achieved the top position for the second time in Germany, Sweden and Finland, the album peaked at No. 1 in Poland, Hungary and Austria for the first time in the band’s career. This and additional outstanding results in other territories have made "The War To End All Wars" SABATON's most successful album so far.

SABATON announced the rescheduled dates for the European leg of their tour, known as "The Tour To End All Tours", as well as an extension of "The Great Sweden Tour" with 20 additional shows in 20 more cities taking place in early 2023.

In an interview with Spain's The Metal Circus TV, former DELAIN frontwoman Charlotte Wessels was asked how she feels about the fact that the band recently made a comeback with a new lineup. Last month, DELAIN released a single, "The Quest And The Curse", featuring keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt alongside new singer Diana Leah, original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer, plus bassist Ludovico Cioffi. Charlotte said: "I'm trying not to engage with it too much, honestly. I've seen positive responses about it, which I think is good. But I do try to keep some distance and just focus on what I'm doing rather than checking that out, because I still don't feel like that will make me happier per se."

In February 2021, Westerholt announced the dissolution of DELAIN's previous lineup. At the time, he explained: "For the last year or so, the collaboration within the band ceased to work as well as it once had. Some of us were no longer happy with the current roles in the band. We all tried very hard to find a solution for over a year, but sadly we were unable to find one. As a result, we will all be going our own ways and pursuing our own endeavors.

"I am very sad our cooperation has come to end, but at the same time I am very grateful for all the years we were able to work together. Together we toured the world, shared highs and lows, and met with many successes as well as times that pushed us to learn and grow. We all enjoyed meeting our fans and making new friends all over the globe."

At the time, Wessels said about her departure: "I know that you might have questions about the 'why' in all of this. I fully understand and respect that. Simply put, it is the sad conclusion of more than a year of trying to find solutions to built-up grievances. Part of me feels like I'm letting all of you down, I'd like you to know that this decision was not taken lightly and I apologize to those of you who had high hopes of seeing all of us together live on stage again after lockdown. Until recently, I thought this might still be in the cards for us as well."

The new DELAIN lineup made its official live debut on August 27 at the Riverside festival in Aarburg, Switzerland.

Leah answered a few fan-submitted questions via the band's YouTube channel, including how she joined the long-running Dutch metal act. She said: "It's really simple, actually. I knew they were looking for a singer so I just left a comment on their Instagram page. So a couple of days later I received an e-mail from Martijn, and we talked a bit about how I could audition and he sent me some material that I could sing on. And the rest is history."

Asked how she decided to sing in a metal band, the 32-year-old Diana said: "Well, I've always wanted to sing in a metal band. It was really my desire to do it. In fact, I did sing in a couple of rock bands, but it wasn't really heavy music, which I loved at the time. It was really hard to find the right people to form a band with and also to get along together and all that. But I've always wanted to be in a metal band. Always."

Leah also talked a bit about her background, saying: "I was born in Romania, in a city called Alba Iulia. It's in the middle of Transylvania. And then I moved to Italy when I was 15, and I lived in Italy for, I think, 10 years or something. And then I moved to Canada, in Ottawa, and I lived there for five years. And then I came back to Italy. And now I currently live in Italy, near Torino, so up north."

Wessels will release her second full-length solo album, "Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II", on October 7 via Napalm Records. The LP is described in a press release as an "immersive piece of rock, pop, metal and beyond." Besides her own prominent creative impact, the album also features delicate guitar work by Charlotte's ex-DELAIN bandmate Timo Somers.

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson became the latest object of the peculiar practice of throwing Dr. Simi stuffed toys as a gift to the artists on stage during massive events in Mexico.

While performing with his bandmates on September 7 at Foro Sol in
Mexico City, Dickinson noticed the Dr. Simi plushy which was thrown on stage by one of the concert attendees. Although he initially appeared to be confused about what the doll represented, he quickly took the cue from the audience and decided to dance with the toy and even made him "sing."

Dr. Simi dolls are doctor plushies that are otherwise known as the official mascot of Mexican pharmacy chain Farmacias Similares. With a white mustache, a doctor's coat and a cute smile, Dr. Simi has been around for a while, famously representing the pharmacy chain's head Víctor González Torres.

Dr. Simi toys have become something of a meme for Mexican music fans, who throw them at their favorite artists during concerts as a way of welcoming them to the country.

According to Remezcla, a number of other international artists have received Dr. Simi dolls during their performances, including Spanish singer and songwriter Rosalía, who was welcomed with not only one but three stuffed animals during her performance at Mexico City's Auditorio Nacional on August 14.

The gesture has reportedly been traced back to Mexico City's Corona Capital festival in 2021 when a fan threw the stuffed animal to Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora. Since then, other famous global artists have been unknowingly (or knowingly) part of the now Mexican meme trend, including COLDPLAY, THE KILLERS, GORILLAZ and Mac DeMarco, to name a few.



Bruce Dickinson feliz con su Dr. Simi 😂😍

Posted by Carolina Harrison on Thursday, September 8, 2022

Bruce Dickinson recibe su Dr. Simi

Este es el momento en que Bruce Dickinson, vocalista de Iron Maiden recibe su Dr. Simi en el concierto de ayer en el Foro Sol y le acerca el micrófono para ponerlo a cantar. 🤘😎🎸

📸: Jesus Smith

Posted by Sopitas on Thursday, September 8, 2022

💥 Iron Maiden hizo retumbar el Foro Sol con su 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐, donde el vocalista, Bruce Dickinson, puso...

Posted by Vanguardia De Veracruz on Thursday, September 8, 2022

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Ozzy Osbourne has topped his previous chart entries with record-breaking numbers around the world for his critically acclaimed new album "Patient Number 9".

Released September 9 and marking Ozzy's 13th solo studio album, it 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 Andrew 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