On a recent episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS), heavy horror punk icon Wednesday 13 spoke about the passing of his one-time MURDERDOLLS bandmate, original SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison. Asked if Joey's July 2021 death came as a shock to him or if he was aware of any underlying health issues that would have caused Jordison to die at the age of only 46, Wednesday said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Honestly, I don't know anything of him being in bad health. I know he had his health problems that he had talked about online over the past couple of years, but as far as that being anything that was putting him toward death or anything, I don't think anybody had that type of expectations.

"No one had been in touch with him at all, so when we all heard, it was all a shock," Wednesday continued. "I think he had recently just split up with his girlfriend, so he may have been living by himself for the first time [in] a long time. No one mentioned COVID. I have no idea. It was literally just 'he died in his sleep,' and that's the news they'd given to everybody. I hope that it's that simple and it was that easy for him to go out and just peaceful. But I have no idea — I have no idea what was going on with him. And everybody… When he passed, I had some people reach out to me, 'What happened?' I'm, like, 'I don't know.' A lot of people thought that he and I spoke constantly. I don't know anybody that he was in touch with. He was really like a recluse. So I don't know if we'll ever find out exactly other than just what they've said. And that's probably all we're ever gonna hear."

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

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

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

Wednesday 13 previously discussed Jordison's death in an April 2022 interview with the "On The Road To Rock" podcast. At the time, he said: "It's been a tough thing to swallow, knowing he's not here. But we got to do that second [MURDERDOLLS] record ['Women And Children Last'], which is my favorite — killer songs on that record.

"When that record ended, we kind of ended on ugly terms and stuff — I won't get into it — but we made up in 2018. We had two days off in Iowa and I went to his house. I brought the whole band over. We had a barbecue, we hung out, we made up and we had been talking, 'Hey, let's do MURDERDOLLS again. Let's do MURDERDOLLS again.' And literally a month before he died, he texted me, just out of the blue, watching 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. From his bed, he was, like, 'I just woke up and this was on.' He was just giggling watching The Hitchhiker. And he wrote me a message and said, 'Dude, I'm with you, brother. Horns up. Go out there and destroy it.' It was just a weird, out-of-the-blue thing. So I don't know what was going on with him then. And then I get the news [about his death]. I literally woke up and I had a bunch of messages going, 'Did you hear? Did you hear?' And I knew it.

"So, yeah, man, it's been a weird thing," Wednesday 13 added. "But getting to go out and play these songs and seeing people's reaction has been a healing thing. I needed that."

Three years ago, Wednesday 13 told the "Talk Toomey" podcast that he has fond memories of his time with the MURDERDOLLS. "That was such a special time for me — both times, both records," he said. "I mean, we did a lot of cool stuff. But that very first time we came out, and the things we did, it was when nu-metal was dying, and we were just kind of like… I won't say 'breath of fresh air,' 'cause it definitely wasn't fresh; it was smelly. But we were something that kind of came in, and it was really amazing in certain places. In the U.K., it made me feel like THE BEATLES for five seconds. It was something I'll never forget. I'll never forget having your van almost rocked over by a hundred fans in the middle of Piccadilly Circus in London. That was pretty nuts."

MURDERDOLLS had been inactive since completing the touring cycle in support of the aforementioned "Women And Children Last", which came out in August 2010 via Roadrunner Records.

In 2018, Joey told the "Talk Toomey" podcast that he wasn't opposed to the idea of collaborating with Wednesday 13 on new music. "Never say never, man — I mean, that's life," he said. "It's kind of funny, 'cause we have a bunch of songs that have been written and a bunch that are ready to go. Timing is everything, man — not necessarily anything about, 'Oh, we need to do this to impress people,' or, 'We need to put out this record or do something like that.' Timing in life is everything, so we'll see. Only time will tell."

Jordison told CrypticRock.com in 2017 that he "would love to do another record" with MURDERDOLLS. He explained: "I have this punk rock and pop side of me that I don't really get to get out in other areas in my life. When we did that band, it was just pretty much to express fun, have a great time, and kind of throw a monkeywrench into what was going on in rock and metal at the time, and it worked."

Jordison added that the tours he did with the MURDERDOLLS were "really awe-inspiring when you look in hindsight of what we accomplished in a short amount of time and the two records we did. I could not be more proud and happy of what we accomplished in that time," he said. "Everyone that was in that band, the couple of different personnels we employed, the MURDERDOLLS were killer."

Wednesday 13 reunited with onetime MURDERDOLLS members Eric Griffin and Acey Slade on stage for the first time in over a decade in August 2018 at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood. The event, which celebrated the life of former MURDERDOLLS drummer Ben Graves, saw the trio performing some of the group's classic songs.

Graves, who also worked with PRETTY BOY FLOYD and DOPE, passed away in May 2018 after a year-long battle with cancer. He was only 45 years old.

Had a great Memorial Day weekend and ran into an old friend. It’s been 7 years since we’ve all seen each other and we...

Posted by Wednesday 13 on Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Ohio hard rock outfit Eric Moore's The Godz have announced plans for a new album this fall, entitled Machines. The record will feature the final recordings of the band's founder, Eric Moore, who passed away from cancer in 2019.  The band have also announced the recent addition of renowned Tennessee rocker Charlie Bonnet III on guitar and vocals.  


Formed in 1976 by Eric Moore, the original line-up of The Godz were signed to Casablanca Records, releasing two landmark albums for the label, and touring with the likes of KISS, Cheap Trick, Blue Öyster Cult, Angel, and many more.  The band released many more albums throughout the years with a revolving door of musicians and record labels, with the one constant being Eric Moore.  The untimely death of Moore in 2019 brought the band to a temporary halt, with the legacy and future of the band left in the hands of long time manager John Gard, as well as guitarist / producer Jeff Westlake (Hydrogen).  


Following is an official statement issued via the official Eric Moore Facebook page:  




"The Directive as handed down by The Machine himself in March of 2019. It was everything your momma warned you about. The first new music since The Last Rights. It comes at a time when the collective needs it the most along with some long overdue re-worked material for the absolute maximum sonic overkill. Coming to you in the fall."





In May 2019, Eric Moore, frontman for cult Ohio biker band The Godz, died at the age of 67. Management released the following statement:


"Eric Moore, the lead singer of the hard rock band The Godz passes away after a long battle with bladder cancer.


It is with great sadness and heavy heart that John Gard Management and FnA Records announce the passing of a true rock-n-roll legend, Eric Moore of The Godz. Eric has been battling bladder cancer for many years. The official date of Eric’s passing was on May 17, 2019 in the early hours of the day – just after midnight. Eric was 67 years old.


Eric was known by his legions of fans as a beer-drinking, pistol carrying, blue collar rock-n-roller and the leader of the Godz fans worldwide known The Machines. Eric Moore was the lead singer of The Godz here on earth and he has now embarked on a triumphant return to the one and only God in heaven. Eric will be sorely missed.”


On March 18th, 2014, Eric Moore released a box set titled Godzology on Gard Dog Records. The boxset contains the first two releases of The Godz, and Nothing Is Sacred, in all new remastered forms and also has support shows included: Live from Laredo Texas 1978 and The Agora in Cleveland Ohio from 1979. Also included in the set is a bonus DVD. It is limited to 500 copies.

MoneyBag soda, the premium soda line launched in 2018 by KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons in cooperation with Niagara Falls, New York-based Rock Steady Sodas Inc. (a subsidiary of Johnnie Ryan Bottling Company),recently shipped its millionth bottle.

Simmons said: "Proud to let everyone know that we have sold over 1,000,000 million bottles of our MoneyBag sodas. Come celebrate with us. Go to MoneyBagSodas.com."

Added the MoneyBag soda team: "Gene Simmons is no stranger to selling millions of units. Our MoneyBag sodas team is excited to celebrate this milestone with him. Cheers to the next million bottles!!!"

Over the last few years, the explosion of artist-branded beverages has been incredible. Talking about the challenges of an artist-branded beverage, the MoneyBag soda team said: "In many instances the artists are not too involved with the product and leave it up to the manufacturers. Gene is personally involved with all aspects of MoneyBag sodas business. It is not just putting his name on the product. He has done buyer calls, store appearances, brings customers to KISS shows, does personal videos for all customers to use on social media, etc. Gene also uses his millions of followers on social media to promote product. He is a great business partner. Launching a non-artist brand is more challenging. It is pretty much up to how much cash you have to market. We have many of great stories to talk about."

MoneyBag is made with all-natural flavors, colors and sweeteners and packaged in eco-friendly glass bottles with painted labels. The flavor portfolio includes cola, diet cola, ginger ale, root beer, and cream soda. A new "blood" orange flavor is currently in development.

Among the retail outlets that have featured MoneyBag sodas are Hy-Vee, Tops Friendly Markets, Wegmans, Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop and 7-Eleven stores.

The collaboration between Simmons and partners Paul Janik Jr., John Janik and Chris Haick began with a chance meeting at Cleveland's "Wizard World" convention. The longtime KISS fans were in attendance with the hope of meeting their rock idol, who was a featured guest at the convention. Armed with their vintage posters ready for Simmons's autograph, John and Paul struck up a soda-centric conversation with the music legend. Simmons asked for their card, and a week later, Paul received a call from Simmons, who said he owned the trademark for the MoneyBag image and would be interested in having them create a MoneyBag premium soda line.

Paul and John have an impeccable work ethic, as well as a prowess in the premium soft drink marketplace," said Simmons. "The incredible flavor profiles they created and collectible packaging [are] a crowd pleaser. I am very proud of MoneyBag sodas and excited about my foray into the soda business."

MoneyBag sodas are bundled in vintage-style four-packs with custom crowns. They are manufactured in Niagara Falls, New York, at a single location.

Members of BLACK SABBATH, SAXON, DEF LEPPARD, STRYPER and THE OFFSPRING are among the musicians who have reacted on social media to the the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history, who died today at 96 years old.

"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement released today. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

Buckingham Palace released a statement today from His Majesty The King, in which he reflected on the passing of his mother.

"The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family," King Charles said. "We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms, and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world."

He added, "During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held."

Shortly after her death was announced, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared a tribute to the queen on the web site for their foundation, Archewell. The landing page of the site changed to a simple black background with small white text that read, "In loving memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022."
I mourn with my country the passing of our greatest Queen. With a heavy heart I say it is devastating the thought of England without Queen Elizabeth II pic.twitter.com/JZYXGRz2hb

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) September 8, 2022


Sad to hear of The Queen passing. I remember the street celebrations when she was crowned Queen. Always a staple of growing up in England. GSTQ- RIP pic.twitter.com/TEROdsZvGk

— Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) September 8, 2022


Cant help but think of Dads painting on this day. Hope the painting is still in good condition. RIP #QueenElizabeth a leader who brought the whole world together 🙏 https://t.co/KDD5a1cYSa

— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) September 8, 2022


"She has transcended eras with good grace and service to her country that is unparalleled anywhere or by anyone. Thank you your Majesty for a lifetime of great memories and leadership."

-Joe Elliott [2/2] pic.twitter.com/Y5IYXVHsK6

— Def Leppard (@DefLeppard) September 8, 2022


My sincere condolences to @clydetombaugh & all those who loved her. #QueenElizabeth

— Gnudz (@TheGnudz) September 8, 2022


Long live the Queen

— Zach Myers (@ZMyersOfficial) September 8, 2022


May God Save The Queen and may God Bless The Royal Family🙏

96 years! The longest serving monarch.

Amazing……. pic.twitter.com/GYVnNCvWBA

— MichaelSweet Stryper (@michaelhsweet) September 8, 2022


Send her victorious
Happy and glorious

— Synyster Gates (@SynysterGates) September 8, 2022


Rip queen 👑 pic.twitter.com/oFxQhXMka3

— orianthi (@orianthi) September 8, 2022


We mourn the passing of our beloved Queen.
RIP Your Majesty.

Saxon pic.twitter.com/9Bhd34PNpE

— Saxon (@SaxonOfficial) September 8, 2022


For my whole life Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II has always been there. In my childhood I can recall watching her wedding highlights on TV. I remember her as a beautiful young lady, to the much beloved grandmother of the nation. My deepest sympathies are with the Royal family. pic.twitter.com/3JLILZDKwK

— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) September 8, 2022


The Rolling Stones extend their deepest sympathy to the Royal family on the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, who was a constant presence in their lives as in countless others. pic.twitter.com/veCyfN8rjp

— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) September 8, 2022


Rest peacefully Queen Elizabeth II.
Godspeed King Charles III.

— Tony Franklin (@FretlessMonster) September 8, 2022


Paying respect… RIP Queen Elizabeth II https://t.co/8zE3wKQG7a

— Jeff Scott Soto (@jeffscottsoto) September 8, 2022


I was so proud to perform for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for her Platinum Jubilee only a few months ago. May you rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cmfZ2cgnsS

— Nandi Bushell (@Nandi_Bushell) September 8, 2022


pic.twitter.com/HGSfXApPI7

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) September 8, 2022


RIP 🇬🇧 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 God save the queen.

Repost @vyvyan_patrol_group @ England, UK https://t.co/uFE1njbO4X

— Marcos Curiel (@MarcosCuriel) September 8, 2022


Queen Elizabeth was the ultimate example of service and duty… today is a sad day. pic.twitter.com/1yS7RpNeCp

— Jon Bon Jovi (@jonbonjovi) September 8, 2022

Earlier this year, Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher released his debut solo album, Corpsegrinder. Now, Corpsegrinder returns with a new video for the album track, "Bottom Dweller".


Animated and directed by Andrew Ralph (MGK, Juice WRLD, Paramore), "Bottom Dweller" can be viewed below:







Purchase and stream Corpsegrinder here.





Corpsegrinder tracklisting


"Acid Vat" (feat. Erik Rutan)
"Bottom Dweller"
"On Wings Of Carnage"
"All Souls Get Torn"
"Death Is The Only Key"
"Crimson Proof"
"Devourer Of Souls"
"Defined By Your Demise"
"Master Of The Longest Night"
"Vaguely Human"


"Acid Vat" lyric video:





"On Wings Of Carnage":





(Album artwork by Dan Goldsworthy; concept by Corpsegrinder)

Sharpen your knives and prepare yourself for another Bloodbath. Massive death metal beasts, Bloodbath, are prepared to annihilate with their sixth full-length album, Survival Of The Sickest, out this Friday via Napalm Records. Vicious, unrelenting, and thrillingly violent, the critically-acclaimed, cult-followed band has no limitations, leaving the scene in shreds while skillfully fusing old-school Scandinavian harshness with a dose of Floridian US death metal.


Bloodbath have now revealed their most crushing track yet, “No God Before Me”, released alongside a brand new lyric video. On this relentless offering, “Old Nick” Holmes and his bandmates crucify with a blasphemic explosion, ensnaring with a sinister churning riff while coalescing elements of death and doom metal. Boasting one of the album’s most hair-raising solos, “No God Before Me” is a prime example of the band’s triumphant evolution.


Jonas Renkse on “No God Before Me”: "'No God Before Me' is a slow, churning hymn of death, a description of a godless afterlife as well as a massive nod to the masters of sickness themselves: Morbid Angel."




Watch the lyric video for “No God Before Me”:





The world is in flames, and Survival Of The Sickest, produced by Bloodbath and co-produced and mixed by Lawrence Mackrory at Rorysound Studios, offers no respite from the horrors of reality. Instead, with the addition of new guitarist Tomas ‘Plytet’ Åkvik (Lik) onboard, Bloodbath’s latest and greatest album gleefully confronts the slavering ghoul lurking in the shadows, and treats him to ten songs of ripping death metal frenzy. Alongside Bloodbath’s official alumni, Survival Of The Sickest boasts a smattering of irresistible cameos from the great, good and ghoulish of the metal underground, including Barney Greenway (Napalm Death), Luc Lemay (Gorguts) and Marc Grewe (Morgoth).


Bloodbath: "If there was a declaration of goods attached to this album, it would say Florida death metal exported from Sweden."





Survival Of The Sickest will be available in the following formats:    


- Digisleeve CD Edition
- Digital Full Length Album
- 1 Tape Edition - Brown Transparent with blue print - limited to 200, Napalm Records Shop exclusive
- Wooden Box Edition (incl. Digisleeve, Mouse Trap, Album Cover Flag, Cover Patch) - limited to 500, Napalm Records Shop exclusive
- 1LP Sky Blue - limited to 300, Napalm Records Shop exclusive
- 1LP Dark Green - limited to 500, Napalm Records Shop exclusive
- 1LP Picture Vinyl - limited to 500, Napalm Records Shop exclusive
- 1LP Black


Pre-order here.





Survival Of The Sickest tracklisting:


“Zombie Inferno“
“Putrefying Corpse“
“Dead Parade“
“Malignant Maggot Therapy“
“Carved“
“Born Infernal“
“To Die“
“Affliction of Extinction“
“Tales of Melting Flesh“
“Environcide“
“No God Before Me“


“Carved” video:





“Zombie Inferno” video:    





Bloodbath live dates:


September
9-10 - Hüttikon, Switzerland - Meh Suff! (performance day TBC)
24 - Monterrey, Mexico - Mexico Metal Fest


Bloodbath are:


Nick Holmes - vocals
Anders Nyström - guitar
Tomas Åkvik - guitar
Jonas Renkse - bass
Martin ‘Axe’ Axenrot - drums


(Photo - Ester Segarra)

Lee Aaron will release her new album, Elevate, on November 25 via Metalville Records.


Elevate: transitive verb


1: To lift up or make higher
2: to raise in rank or status
3: to improve morally, intellectually or culturally 4: to raise the spirits of




Lee Aaron is on a roll. The award-winning, songwriter, producer, and Canadian vocalist blazed back onto the rock scene in 2016 (after a ten-year hiatus to raise her family) with a wealth of original material and more firecracker energy than artists half her age. She’s since produced six new releases, including a live CD/DVD, with Elevate being the latest and possibly coolest addition to this renewed chapter in her illustrious career.


Elevate was written during the Covid lockdown, but rather than allowing that isolation to push the band into a negative place, Lee booked a studio lockout for the fall of 2021.


Elevate contains ten original tracks steeped in what has become Aaron’s signature sound: big guitar hooks, powerful, bluesy vocals, rich melodies and harmonies, and just enough sassy attitude to tip the scales. Aaron has always been known for digging a little deeper with her lyric content, and Elevate is no exception.


Elevate was recorded in Aaron’s traditional fashion: live off the floor with her crack band - Sean Kelly (guitar), Dave Reimer (bass), and John Cody (drums) - at the Armoury Studios in Vancouver with the finishing touches recorded at the band’s home studios. After forging a strong friendship and working relationship with Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams) on the last album, he once again teams up with Lee and the band for Elevate as recording and mix engineer.


About Elevate, Aaron explains, "I think it’s a shame how social media can divide good people. Analytics guarantee everyone has their own special ‘feed’ and you’re never hearing a different perspective – it polarizes people. Elevate is about not buying into that trap; it’s about choosing to lift each other up."


As the title track inspires, "It’s not too late to re-create, let’s celebrate, let’s Elevate - LET’S ELEVATE!"





Tracklisting:


"Rock Bottom Revolution"
"Trouble Maker"
"The Devil U Know"
"Freak Show"
"Heaven's Where We Are"
"Still Alive"
"Highway Rome"
"Red Dress"
"Spitfire Woman"
"Elevate"


Lineup:


Lee Aaron - lead vocals
Sean Kelly - guitars
Dave Reimer - bass
John Cody - drums


(Photo - Theresa Mitchell)

The first documentary covering Steve Vai's life from 1960 to 1990 is now available for streaming below.


The documentary has hundreds of Vai-centric facts and stories that even the most ardent fan will not have known. Complete with a Vai’esque quirky sense of humor, the video covers Vai’s life growing up, attending Berklee College, playing with several artists like Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, the David Lee Roth band, and Whitesnake, the recording of both his solo albums Flex-Able and Passion And Warfare, plus Vai’s role in the movie Crossroads, and how he helped create the JEM guitar.


Vai previously commented on the film, stating: "Alan Berry (The Tapes Archive) is a filmmaker and has created an informative, quasi-animated, and at times hilarious short film on the first 30 years of my career!"




More information, photos, etc. can be found here.

Ayreon's Universal Migrator Part I & II will be re-released in various formats on November 18. Pre-order here, and watch an official lyric video for "Into The Black Hole", featuring Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson, below.


Says mastermind Arjen Lucassen: "Dear Ayreonauts, sorry for the long silence… but I’ve got some good Ayreon news! I'm happy to tell you we're doing a very special re-release of Universal Migrator Part I & II. I have meticulously remixed and remastered the albums and they will be released in many different formats with lots of bonus tracks and a comic book. I'm so proud of the way this new release sounds and looks, I hope you’ll agree!"







Universal Migrator Pt 1: The Dream Sequencer and Universal Migrator Pt 2: Flight of the Migrator were released initially simultaneously in 2000, following the majestically sprawling hit album Into the Electric Castle two years previously. The Dream Sequencer continues the plot from The Final Experiment (1995), starting in the year 2084 when the final world war wiped out all life on Earth. Flight of the Migrator continues the story of the last living human being, the colonist on Mars and his decision to use the Dream Sequencer machine to travel back to before the universe was formed.


The two albums feature an extravaganza of stunning musicians and vocalists such as Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Edward Reekers (Kayak), Damian Wilson (Headspace/Threshold), Neal Morse (Spock's Beard/Transatlantic/Flying Colors), Russell Allen (Symphony X), Andi Deris (Helloween), Michael Romeo (Symphony X) and many more.


Arjen Lucassen continues his crusade of remixing and remastering his finest work to absolute perfection and Universal Migrator, Pt. I & 2 (2022 Remixed & Remastered) is a stunning addition to his spectacular canon. Thanks to advancements in technologyA, fans can now get the chance to hear the albums through the ears of Lucassen as he intended them.


The hardcover artbook has 56 pages, which include lyrics, liner notes, the newly designed comic by Élan López, and additional pages with Élan's "Process".





Limited Edition 56-page / 5CD / DVD Earbook tracklisting:


CD 1: The Dream Sequencer"
"The Dream Sequencer"
"My House On Mars"
"2084"
"One Small Step"
"The Shooting Company Of Captain Frans B. Cocq"
"Dragon On The Sea"
"Temple Of The Cat"
"Carried By The Wind"
"And The Druids Turn To Stone"
"The First Man On Earth"
"The Dream Sequencer Reprise"


CD 2: Flight of the Migrator
"Chaos"
"Dawn Of A Million Souls"
"Journey On The Waves Of Time"
"To The Quasar"
"Into The Black Hole"
"Through The Wormhole"
"Out Of The White Hole"
"To The Solar System"
"The New Migrator"


CD 3: Bonus & Unreleased
"Into The Black Hole" – Damian Wilson (previously unreleased)
"Journey On The Waves Of Time" – Ian Parry (previously unreleased)
"Out Of The White Hole" – Robert Soeterboek (remix)
"Dawn Of A Million Souls" – Ian Parry (previously unreleased)
"Temple Of The Cat" – Lana Lane (remix)
"Through The Wormhole" – Ian Parry (remix)
"Into The Black Hole" – Lana Lane (previously unreleased)
"Carpe Diem (Chaos)" – 1992 Home Demo (previously released on Ayreonauts Only)
"House On Mars" – Instrumental Primal Version (previously unreleased)
Untitled Instrumental (previously unreleased)


CD4: The Dream Sequencer (Instrumental)
CD5: Flight Of The Migrator (Instrumental)


DVD:


5.1 Surround Mix
"The Shooting Company Of Francis B. Cocq" (Binaural Headphone Mix)
"Into The Black Hole" (Binaural Headphone Mix)
"Into The Black Hole" (Music Video)
Making of the comic feat. Élan López





Limited edition 4LP Box Set contents:


- The Dream Sequencer (2LP on 'Pink Nebula' marble vinyl)
- Flight of the Migrator (2LP on 'Pink Nebula' marble vinyl)
- Bonus DVD (with 5.1 surround audio, binaural headphone mixes, music video and featurette with Élan Lopez)
- Comic book by Élan López
- Sticker sheet
- 1 Double-sided poster
- Box is numbered and limited to 1000 copies

In a new interview with Revolver magazine, singer Chad Gray and drummer Matthew McDonough spoke about the possibility of new music from the MUDVAYNE. The reunited metallers haven't released released any new material since 2009, which means we're coming up on nearly a decade and a half without a single fresh MUDVAYNE song.

"That's obviously something we got to cross, right?" Chad said. "There's two ways you can do it. You could go out, and you can go once around the rock and just play catalog. For sure, that's absolutely a possibility. Or you can try to put something together. You can gauge it, you can decide. I'm not going to say because I've been constantly writing, recording touring for the last 12 years with HELLYEAH. So I don't think my well's dry by any means. And I'm excited, I would be excited to write with these guys.

"We've done a little bit of file sharing or whatever. Just some riffs. Greg [Tribbett, guitar] went into the studio in Texas. He lived in Texas. He went in there and just laid some stuff down, sent it to Matt. Matt put just a really simple metronome drum beat to it. I was working on it. It's pretty rad, different stuff. I've got a few different angles that I'm working with kind of how I want it to be, my parts anyway. But it's cool, it's cool. And obviously we're not going to put something out if I don't feel like it stands up.

"It's going to have to fucking blow my hair back before I would put it out, because I wouldn't want to put anything out and then people are just, like, '[They] can't do it anymore.' You can be your own judge of that. And maybe it's not the first song, maybe it's not the third song, maybe it's the seventh song. That's like, okay, now we're on something, but we'll figure it out, man. We'll figure it out. We'll either do it or we won't. But yeah, I'm down for whatever right now, I'm having fun with it."

As for what a new MUDVAYNE album might sound like, McDonough said: "I can't honestly say. Some of the stuff that we have messed around is heavy. We messed around with some typical [sounds], people wouldn't be terribly shocked, but the opportunity to experiment and given our past success, I think I feel a sense of freedom. There hasn't been any kind of pressure from any professional direction to try to, 'You guys going to write another 'Dig'.' Or 'Not Falling' or whatever; nothing like that. So the headspace and the culture around the band right now is incredibly positive. So I personally just would like to be wide open and excited and positive about it. I want to be surprised."

MUDVAYNE recently completed a co-headlining U.S. tour with ROB ZOMBIE, dubbed "Freaks On Parade". Produced by Live Nation, the 21-city "Freaks On Parade" tour kicked off on July 20 at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, making stops across the U.S. in Tampa, Holmdel, Tinley Park, and more before wrapping up in The Woodlands at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on August 21. Support on the trek came from STATIC-X and POWERMAN 5000.

Gray fell off stage during MUDVAYNE's July 26 concert in Tampa, Florida. The incident happened when Chadand his bandmates were performing the song "Not Falling" at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre.

A few days after the incident, Gray joked about the irony of him falling off stage while singing "Not Falling", calling it "crazy" and "unbelievable".

MUDVAYNE formed in 1996 and has sold over six million records worldwide, earning gold certification for three albums ("L.D. 50", "The End Of All Things To Come", "Lost And Found"). The band is known for its sonic experimentation, innovative album art, face and body paint, masks and uniforms. MUDVAYNE is Gray, Tribbett , McDonough and Ryan Martinie (bass).

Gray spent 16 years fronting HELLYEAH, which released its sixth studio album, "Welcome Home", in September 2019 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marked the group's final effort with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away more than four years ago.

MUDVAYNE did not tour behind its fifth album, which was barely promoted and sold weakly upon release.

Previously unreleased drum-cam footage of late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza playing along to the band's classic song "Skin o' My Teeth" can be seen below. 


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







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


The unreleased video footage from the session will be a featured highlight in the recently announced official Menza documentary film, This Was My Life - The Story Of Nick Menza. It is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family.


From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic 'Rust In Peace' lineup." "This Was My Life - The Story of Nick Menza" is being produced/directed and edited by Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment.


David Ellefson has signed on as a co-producer of the film, and also will provide narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of the late Megadeth drummer's life.


Mollohan said: "'This Was My Life: The Story of Nick Menza' is now deep into the production phase of the film. The generous support of the fans during our Indiegogo campaign, as well as the amazing participation of the interviewees has enabled us to gather some truly unique memories and stories. For this, we are truly grateful.


The recent Los Angeles / Seattle portion of interviews went extremely well and we look forward to traveling to NYC, September 5th for the final set of interviews. This project is proving to be an interesting and rewarding one, and we look forward to sharing Nick's story."


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


The Menza family previously said: "We are excited for the fans to see the life Nick lived before, during, and after Megadeth, it was quite the journey. Stay tuned for an epic documentary. As Nick would say, 'It's gonna be RAD, Thank you everyone for the continued support in keeping Nick's legacy alive."'


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





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


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


The cover photo for the film was shot by Los Angeles music photographer Alex Solca and designed by Brazilian artwork designer Alcides Burn of Burn Artworks.


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


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

Former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar) recently announced the first four shows of the KINGS OF THRASH "The MEGA Years" tour. They will be joined at the dates by another former MEGADETH member, Chris Poland (guitar).

KINGS OF THRASH, which also includes drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon, will perform MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" and "So Far, So Good… So What!" in their entirety.

Ellefson, Young, Poland, Leon and Aching commenced rehearsals this week in Los Angeles released rehearsal footage today. Check out the video below.

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

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

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

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

"He has been doing a ton of heavy lifting on [the KINGS OF THRASH]. He is really working with our singer Chaz, the drummer Fred to get through this stuff. Even he and Chris Poland are working on this thing."

David clarified that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates.

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

Asked if there are plans for KINGS OF THRASH to play more shows after the already announced dates in October, Ellefson said: "I think so. That was the whole thing — let's pop four of these up, see if anybody cares. And it seems like everybody… The phone's blowing up — people are calling, the promoters are calling, and people wanna see it. It's interesting. It's cool. This is a deep dive into a very particular period of the band's history and catalog that may not get performed elsewhere. So it's, like, 'Hey, we'll do it.' And we're qualified. Certainly our resume and our pedigree and our history with the group — it's legitimate. And I've gotta say — it's fun, man. I think it's fun."

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

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

KINGS OF THRASH tour dates:

Oct. 12 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
Oct. 13 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
Oct. 14 - Las Vegas, NV - The Space
Oct. 15 - West Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go

VIP packages are available for all shows.

The Whisky A Go Go concert came four months after Ellefson and Young reunited in Los Angeles for interviews to be included in the upcoming feature-length documentary "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza". Ellefson has signed on as a co-producer of the film, and also will provide narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of the late MEGADETH drummer's life.

In June, Ellefson told The Neurotic Guitarist that he and Young "have been working on a couple of new songs."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LAMB OF GOD has released the third single, "Grayscale", from the upcoming "Omens" album, which is due out October 7 on Epic. The band tracked the effort with longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH) live in the room together at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler says: "'Grayscale' has just a smack you in the face, bit of hardcore feel to it. We had basically finished writing the record and I wrote this song thinking it won't necessarily be a LAMB song. I sent it to Josh Wilbur, our producer, to check out and he responded with, 'Perfect. This is the last song we need for the record.'"

The heavy "Grayscale" includes Randy Blythe's vibrantly unhinged vocal attack plus Mark Morton and Adler's threatening riffage to challenge and devastate headbangers alike and also features Art Cruz and John Campbell's unstoppable rhythms.

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

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

The "Omens" album pre-order is live at Lamb-Of-God.com, boasting several exclusive items, including a signed colored vinyl variant, shirt, hoodie, and signed CDs with an alternate color cover. All physical CD and vinyl releases will include a free access code to watch the livestream viewing of "The Making Of Omens" documentary, which will premiere the week of album release.

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

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

"Lamb Of God" was recorded with Wilbur and included special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Swedish occult rockers GHOST paid tribute to late DEATH mastermind Chuck Schuldiner during their concert in Tampa, Florida.

Before launching into the song "Cirice" at the Yuengling Center on Tuesday (September 6), one of GHOST's Nameless Ghoul guitarists played the opening riff of the DEATH classic "Zombie Ritual" in honor of Schuldiner, who founded his pioneering death metal outfit nearly four decades ago in nearby Orlando. Fan-filmed video of the tribute can be seen below.

Chuck died in December 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.

"Zombie Ritual" appeared on DEATH's debut album, "Scream Bloody Gore", which came out in 1987.

Four years ago, GHOST leader Tobias Forge said that he wanted his pre-GHOST death metal outfit REPUGNANT "to become a big band" similar to AMON AMARTH but lamented their stalled progress because they were "unfashionable" and "unprofessional."

Forge formed REPUGNANT in 1998 and performed under the name "Mary Goore", eventually releasing a few demos and an EP before recording their lone full-length "Epitome Of Darkness" in 2002. REPUGNANT called it quits in 2004, with Dutch independent Soulseller Records releasing "Epitome Of Darkness" two years later. The album — a veritable concoction of vintage Stockholm death metal with obscure, eerie melodies — had only mild impact upon its release but appears to have preceded the current crop of death metal bands who have parlayed largely the same formula to greater underground metal notoriety.

In an interview with David E. Gehlke, Forge was asked whether his success with GHOST ever made him reflect about his time with REPUGNANT. He said: "The one thing I don't think was very evident just because of how things played out with REPUGNANT, was that, if you asked me in 1999 or 2000 or 2001, I really wanted REPUGNANT to be signed up by a Roadrunner or Nuclear Blast or a big label. I wanted to be super-professional with the band. At the time, we were very unfashionable. It was just not asked for in that sort of realm and had things been played out differently or maybe I played my cards differently, because if I look back on how I did things, it was unprofessional and I didn't really have the foresight, I guess. I had the dream, but I didn't have the foresight. We were picked up by a real label at the time and got a manager and had everyone kept their ducks in a row, I would have loved to have that band, the closest example of a band like that could be comparable is like AMON AMARTH. A real band that was out touring. I always wanted that. I really wanted to become a big band. I wanted that, but I couldn't. I don't know if we were good enough or whatever. Now, knowing a lot of the things that is required, how many stars that need to align and all the decisions you have to make, I can definitely look back on myself as a 21-year-old and quickly see why I didn't achieve that with REPUGNANT. I wasn't mature. I wasn't thinking. I wasn't there yet."

The last-known lineup of REPUGNANT included current and former members of IN SOLITUDE, TRIBULATION and WATAIN, providing a mish-mash of some of Swedish metal's most critically acclaimed bands of the last decade. Forge said that he had repaired the relationship with his former bandmates after the split but warned against the idea of a full-blown REPUGNANT reunion. "I think the band that was REPUGNANT on 'Epitome Of Darkness', I think we are now better friends than we've been over the last ten years, at least, ten, fifteen years," he said. "We had various degrees of falling out for different reasons. It just sputtered out. We've had our disagreements and whatnot, the same shit that everybody goes through. But, nowadays, we don't really have much to do with each other anymore, but we're just friends. We're all, except for one of us, we all have kids, we're all married. We're old dudes. [Laughs] I don't feel very old. We're a little bit wiser now and maybe that alone gives us a reason to not sort of resuscitate that corpse again. Just let it lie."

Earlier today (Wednesday, September 7),QUEEN guitarist Brian May teamed up with SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian, SONS OF APOLLO vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, Graham Gouldman and opera singer Montserrat Martí to perform the QUEEN classic "The Show Must Go On" with the Armenian National Orchestra at the sixth edition of the Starmus festival in Yerevan, Armenia. Video of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of Victims Of A Down).

Starmus festival features presentations by legendary astronauts, Nobel Prize winners, prominent figures of science, technology, culture and arts.

Every edition of the festival is organized around a particular theme related to space exploration, and this year's topic is "50 Years On Mars".

May, who is an astrophysicist and Starmus co-founder, has performed at virtually all previous editions of the festival.

"Starmus VI: 50 Years On Mars" is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the first soft landing on Mars by "Mars 3" and the first orbiter "Mariner 9". "Mariner 9" took the first high-quality images of Mars while "Mars 3" brought the first rover, Prop-M, to the surface of Mars.

The Starmus advisory board includes Dr. Brian May, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Jill Tarter, Peter Gabriel, Richard Dawkins and Tony Fadell.

Speakers at Starmus VI include world-renowned astronauts, including social media-sensation Chris Hadfield; Charlie Duke (Apollo 16),the youngest man to walk on the moon; Jim Bagian, a former astronaut of Armenian descent; and Charles Bolden Jr., the former head of NASA. In addition, Starmus features a wide selection of Nobel Laureate scientists such as Kip Thorne, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Donna Strickland, iPod creator Tony Fadell and physicist and science communicator Brian Greene. Other musicians include rock band SONS OF APOLLO, legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman, revered jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan and Andrey Makarevich, founder of Russia's oldest active rock band, amongst other celebrities and renowned scientists.

Stephen Hawking, one of the most influential scientists of the 20th and early 21st centuries, was a Starmus advisory board member and became the inspiration for an ambitious award in 2016 that recognizes the merit of popular science at an international level. The Stephen Hawking Science Medal awarding ceremony is one of the key events of the festival, aimed at promoting science to everyone. Previous winners of the medal have included Hans Zimmer, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Buzz Aldrin and Brian Eno.

Armenia was selected for its contribution to astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. For much of the 20th century, it was home to the Soviet space program, and to this day it remains a key location for the international community, housing The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory and the Aragatz Station.

Israelian says: "Armenia has played an extraordinary role in the past, present and future of how we understand and explore our universe, and I'm looking forward to welcome this extraordinary range of thinkers and creatives to encounter this special place and share ideas."

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ALTER BRIDGE singer Myles Kennedy, who first collaborated with Slash in 2009 and has fronted the GUNS N' ROSES guitarist's solo band since 2010, was asked in a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio if he thinks Slash will continue to create solo music for years to come. Myles responded: "That's a good question. I honestly don't know. I think that we're all really grateful and to some degree surprised by the run that we've had."

He continued: "When I first signed on to do [the song] 'Starlight' [with Slash] back in 2009, and then we ended up doing 'Back From Cali' [for Slash's self-titled solo album], I thought that would pretty much be it. And then he brought up, 'Well, let's just do a tour together,' and I thought, 'Okay, there'll be a tour and that'll be it.' But if you had told me that 12 years down the road, 13 years down the road we would have had this long run and multiple records and tour the world a number of times, I would have been blown away. So, I guess time will tell how that continues."

Kennedy sang lead vocals on a pair of songs that appeared on Slash's eponymous solo debut album in 2010 before taking a more central role — under the SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS banner — on 2012's "Apocalyptic Love", 2014's "World On Fire", 2018's "Living The Dream" and 2022's "4".

The latest SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS album, the aforementioned "4", was released in February via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG. "4" is Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy (vocals),Brent Fitz (drums),Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).

For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile),revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.

Since reuniting with GUNS N' ROSES in 2016, Slash has toured regularly with both GUNS and SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS.

Michael Monroe, who turned 60 in June, will celebrate the milestone with a bang at the Helsinki Ice Hall on September 23. Now Monroe has revealed the big news: as the grand finale of the concert, the original lineup of HANOI ROCKS, one of Finland's most significant rock bands of all time, will take the stage: Monroe, Andy McCoy, Sami Yaffa, Nasty Suicide and Gyp Casino. The quintet, which started a historic chapter in the world's music scene, was seen on stage for the last time at Helsinki's Tavastia on July 27, 1982.

Internationally acclaimed throughout their career, HANOI ROCKS has had a great impact on the history of rock. Several international bands, such as FOO FIGHTERS, GUNS N' ROSES and SKID ROW, acknowledge the influence of HANOI ROCKS and hold the band in very high regard. For decades there has been an endless amount of requests to reform the original lineup and for the legendary band to perform live. An idea that has previously seemed impossible is now becoming a reality at Monroe's 60th-birthday concert.

"This is the only appropriate time and place for all five original members of HANOI ROCKS to get on stage to play together after a break of over forty years," says Michael. "This is not a HANOI ROCKS reunion, but a unique part of the anniversary concert. At first I planned to keep it a surprise but after giving it some more thought, I realized that it wouldn't be fair, especially to the fans, not to make this public in advance and that everybody should have the chance to be there."

Monroe and McCoy founded HANOI ROCKS in the late 1970s and the band's original lineup was established in 1980. HANOI ROCKS, the first Finnish rock band to make an international breakthrough, recorded their first three albums with the original lineup: "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks" (1981),"Oriental Beat" (1982) and "Self Destruction Blues" (1982). Casino was replaced in 1982 by Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley who became an integral member of HANOI ROCKS. Razzle died in a tragic accident in 1984. Unfortunately, this led to the band's untimely demise in early 1985.

Another big surprise for the unique 60th-birthday concert is that the "support band" for the show will be the legendary DEMOLITION 23 reunited. Led by Monroe, the band rose to great cult fame, although they only released one album ("Demolition 23") in 1994 and broke up shortly afterwards. This is the first performance of the band since the band's breakup in 1995.

At the 60th-birthday show, Monroe will mostly be accompanied by his longtime band consisting of Sami Yaffa, Karl Rockfist, Rich Jones and Steve Conte. In addition to the original HANOI ROCKS lineup and DEMOLITION 23, several top musicians and artists who have collaborated with Monroe over the years will take the stage. The almost-three-hour-long concert allows fans to hear many Monroe classics throughout evening. To top the event, the lights and visuals are designed by the internationally acclaimed worldwide phenomenon Mikki Kunttu.

HANOI ROCKS did reform once before in 2002, albeit with only Monroe and McCoy from the band's classic lineup, and released a comeback album, "Twelve Shots On The Rocks". The reunion lasted until 2009.

In a 2019 interview with Duke TV, Monroe stated about the band's "rebirth" two decades ago: "It was not planned. It just happened. I would never do a reunion to cash in on the reunion, so to speak, to cash in on the old name. It was interesting for me to see what we could accomplish with Andy because he had learned to respect my songwriting abilities, which he didn't in the past. It was cool to see what we could do. We had some old ideas, like from 1984, that we had left over, that I remembered, that we reworked and made into songs. Then it started slipping into the same old 'you'd be nothing without me' and all that shit. I was, like, 'Are you sure you want to start this? Let's do some farewell tours.' I was ready to commit to that for the rest of my life if it had continued being fun, but it came to a point where it wasn't fun anymore, so I called Andy and said, 'Let's put this thing to bed.'"

He continued: "After that, I haven't seen him. We haven't had much to do with him, unless it was business with HANOI or something that has to be taking care of, our name in the paper — fine; we'll deal with that. Obviously, we're not the best of friend-friends, not like with Sami. Sami, Nasty and me had this bond that was created in the first half of a year of HANOI ROCKS when we started living in the streets of Stockholm homeless. That made us had this street gang kind of vibe. Us against the world, looking out for each other."



Hanoi Rocks announcing a reunion with the original lineup…
#hanoirocks

Posted by Jyrki Hamalainen on Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Hanoi Rocks reunion press onference in Helsinki 2022. #hanoirocks #hanoirocksband #andymaccoy #michaelmonroe #samiyaffa…

Posted by Marko Syrjälä's Media and Photography on Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Hanoi Rocks!!!!!!!!’n reunion!!!!!!!!!! #hanoirocks #hanoirocksreunion

Posted by Kimmo Pulli Concert Pictures on Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Posted by Kasari & ysäri on Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Posted by Leena Keinänen Os Hård on Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Hanoi Rocks! The original line-up with Gyp Casino, Sami Yaffa, Nasty Suicide, Andy McCoy and Michael Monroe is back for...

Posted by Vesa Sirén on Wednesday, September 7, 2022

A previously unreleased Black ‘N Blue song, “Give Em The Old 1, 2, 3”, offers a new preview of the extensively researched, graphically-rich early ‘80s glam metal collection, Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip. The track can be heard via the visualizer below.


“’Give Em The Old 1, 2, 3’ is the very first song written and recorded by Black ‘N Blue in 1981, explains vocalist Jaime St. James. “This is also the year I went from drummer to singer. I’m looking forward to the release of this awesome box set as The Numero Group have done a great job with gathering killer, almost lost music from back in the day with fantastic packaging. Enjoy!”


Black ‘N Blue, originally from Portland, Ore., were influenced in part by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, proving too heavy and too loud for Portland and leading to the band setting up camp in Los Angeles. In 1982, the band landed a coveted slot on Brian Slagel’s inaugural Metal Massacre comp alongside other newbies including Metallica, Ratt and Bitch. Signed by the legendary Geffen A&R man, Jeff Kalodner, the band released four major label albums between 1984 and 1988. Gene Simmons produced the band’s 1985 album, Nasty Nasty, and probably uncoincidentally, guitar player Tommy Thayer went on to replace Ace Frehley in KISS.







Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip features 21-songs, spread across 2LPs, a collection that transports listeners to the era of excess, with music critic and co-author of Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal, Katherine Turman, providing the road map via a 144-page, full color book. Amidst those pages, the story of how the scene unfurled, and eventually imploded, is told via first-hand testimonials, show flyers, and hundreds of photos, which come from the lens of acclaimed rock photographer Kevin Estrada. Estrada also serves as co-producer of the boxset.


Artists featured include scene heavyweights Armored Saint, Black ‘N Blue and Lizzy Borden, alongside long lost tracks from Reddi Killowatt, Angeles, Max Havoc, SIN, and Romeo. Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip also pays particular attention to the female musicians who challenged the testosterone-laden world of the Strip, with entries and recollections from Lisa Baker, Jaded Lady, Leather Angel, Hellion, and Bitch. “We were not pop girls, we really loved the aggression and the passion of hard rock music,” explains Leather Angel and Jaded Lady’s Terry O’Leary. “As a band, and especially as an all-girl band, you know, we came to conquer.”


“The infamous Sunset Strip glam metal scene of the ‘80s is one that’s been covered excessively, and for a good reason. But usually, the analysis never goes too far past bands like Mötley Crüe, Poison, Quiet Riot, etc.,” explains Adam Luksetich, producer, and researcher behind the collection. “Our goal with Bound For Hell was to narrow in on the equally impressive independent or unsigned bands that thrived in that same scene but in most cases, never benefitted from the major label feeding frenzy. With a bounty of unseen photos, pages and pages of flyers, and detailed liner notes, these bands get more time in the spotlight.”


Pre-orders and digital pre-saves, for both Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip box set (2LPs and the accompanying book), as well as the Sheer Savage edition featuring a CD wallet with 12-panel, double-sided poster, without the book, and the streaming edition are available now, here. The Numero Group website will have an exclusive Poser Proof Die Hard color vinyl edition of the LP-based set, limited to 500 copies, which will include a bonus cassette featuring five additional tracks from Black ‘N Blue, Lisa Baker, Stormer, Odin and Leather Angel.





Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip tracklisting:


Side A


Stormer - "Going To The City" *
L.A. Rocks - "Cocaine"
Max Havoc - "Bound For Hell"
Jaded Lady - "Rock N Roll Ain’t Pretty" *
Steeler - "Ready To Explode"
Lizzy Borden - "No Time To Lose"


Side B


SIN - "On The Run" *
Black ‘N Blue - "Give Em The Old 1, 2, 3" *
Bitch - "Damnation Alley"
Romeo - "Feelin To Rock"
V.V.S.I. - "Savage Kind of Girl" *


Side C


Hellion - "Up From The Depths"
Angeles - "Blade Of Steel"
Knightmare II - "Cold Reception"
Witch - "Cinderella (In Black Leather)"
Reddi Killowatt - "Liquid Lady"


Side D


Armored Saint - "Lesson Well Learned"
Leather Angel - "We Came To Kill"
Rough Cutt - "Take It Or Leave It" *
Lisa Baker - "Fool Of Lies"
Odin - "Judgement Day"


Bonus Cassette:


Black ‘N Blue - "Rules Were Made To Be Broken" *
Lisa Baker - "Every Girl’s Got A Fantasy"
Stormer - "Driving" *
Odin - "Midnight Flight"
Leather Angel - "Need Your Love"


* previously unreleased

OTEP, the band led by singer, poet, illustrator, author and activist Otep Shamaya, is putting the finishing touches on its ninth album for a tentative early 2023 release. In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", Otep stated about the upcoming effort (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've just finished mixing, and we're about to go into mastering. And then it's really up to the label to decide when they're gonna release it, what they're gonna release, which single they're gonna release. I have some say as to, you know, what I recommend, but ultimately it lies on them. So I'm hoping for… I always want a Christmas release; labels always fight me on that. But I always think that's when people have money."

She continued: "Most of my fans are working-class people, and I grew up poverty class, working class. I never forgot my roots, and I always try to think about that. So hopefully I'm gonna try again pushing for if not a late 2022 release, then maybe something early next year. … We're definitely pushing for that — me and the producer of the record, who I worked with him on 'Generation Doom', which was my seventh record, I believe."

Regarding the songwriting process for OTEP's new album, Shamaya said: "This record actually was written with a couple of different songwriters, which I was really excited to work with. 'Kult 45' was my last album, which is four years old now. It's insane to believe that it's been four years, but it has. When I went back in the studio, the band had sort of dispersed at that point — everybody was trying to make a living and trying to find other jobs — and so I just went to the producer and we sat down and we found some really, really talented, creative people. And even though I've been doing this for a long time and have accomplished a lot — at least I think I have — I really work best with mentors. I like people that are, I feel, creatively better than I am so that I can have this sort of spiritual intercourse between all of us where we're sort of sharing ideas and I'm inspiring them and they're inspiring me."

OTEP will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band's 2002 debut studio album, "Sevas Tra", will a special concert on September 15 at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California. It will mark OTEP's first live performance in over three years.

Throughout the span of her career, Shamaya has been an undeniable force in bringing awareness via various acclaimed mediums to social and political injustices felt by various communities and subcultures. For years, publications such as Revolver magazine have lauded Shamaya for "following in the footsteps of outspoken musicians from folk singer Woody Guthrie to RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Zach de la Rocha, dubbing her "one of music's catalysts for social change".

OTEP's latest album, the aforementioned "Kult 45", was released in 2018. The LP was recorded at The Lair in Los Angeles, completely utilizing the same equipment used for OTEP's first album, "Sevas Tra" (down to Shamaya's vocal microphone, a SHURE Beta 58),in order to create a sound reminiscent of their roots. "Kult 45" was produced by the band, with assistant engineering from Larry Goetz, Nicolas Schilke and Lizzy Ostro.

British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST have parted ways with Finnish drummer Waltteri Väyrynen and have replaced him with Guido Montanarini (STRIGOI).

Waltteri has released the following statement regarding his decision to exit PARADISE LOST: "Dear fans and friends, I'm sad to announce that I'm leaving my position as the drummer of PARADISE LOST. It's been an incredible journey and I'm insanely proud to have been a part of this legendary band's history, playing hundreds of shows across the globe and recording the last two studio albums.

"It needs to be emphasized that my decision involves absolutely no bad blood or drama whatsoever and I will forever consider the guys in the band my friends and I'm gonna miss them all dearly.

"I'd like to express my gratitude to Nick, Greg, Steve, Aaron, the management and the crew for everything and making me feel like home for the past 7 and a half years. Last but not least; thanks to all the fans around the world for your support over the years, it means everything to me!

"I wish the band all the best in their future endeavours and I'm looking forward to hearing which direction they are heading next. As for myself, I guess you'll hear from me soon so this is not a goodbye.

"Cheers everyone!"

PARADISE LOST will kick off a European headlining tour on October 5 in Utrecht, Netherlands. The trek will conclude on November 13 in Lublin, Poland.

PARADISE LOST's latest album, "Obsidian", was released in May 2020 via Nuclear Blast.

In a 2017 interview with The Rockpit, PARADISE LOST guitarist Greg Mackintosh stated about the band's drummer changes: "Yeah, it's like a classic SPINAL TAP. The four of us are together the whole time, and if we haven't lost the first drummer, he would probably still be in the band, and then we just keep changing drummers. But it's all for natural reasons. It's all over a long period of time; it's not overnight."

He explained: "The first drummer left because the gigs were getting bigger and he wasn't handling the pressure too well. And the second drummer left because he went insane and turned to God. And then the next drummer left because he didn't have a family when he joined the band then he had loads of kids all close together and needed to go and be a family man."

Greg added: "It's all very natural reasons; none of it is contemptuous or anything like that or anything clandestine. It's just life gets in the way. You get to a certain age and you're a touring band, it's hard for people to just switch off life while on tour."

Photo credit: Anne C. Swallow
- ANNOUNCEMENT - Our drummer Waltteri has parted ways with Paradise Lost and we wish him all the best for the future 🤘

We welcome Guido Montanarini from Strigoi who will be taking up the drum stool for our upcoming European tour.

Waltteri has this message for our fans: pic.twitter.com/D0xB0eGW1g

— Paradise Lost (@OfficialPL) September 7, 2022

Swedish melodic death metallers AMON AMARTH played a surprise set at this year's Wacken Open Air festival on August 4 in Wacken, Germany. An official video recap of the performance is available below.

In a recent interview with Ireland's Overdrive, AMON AMARTH guitarist Olavi Makkonen spoke about the surprise set, saying: "We knew about it for about six months. And you know what? It was kept as a pretty solid secret for the best part of five and a half months or so. Which is not bad, considering how many people are involved in events like that."

According to Makkonen, the stripped-down performance was "more stressful" than a regular AMON AMARTH show because "there is a lot of pyro and lights that hides me [at a proper AMON AMARTH gig] if I want to be hidden for a while. But this was just us and the instruments and it was an intense feeling that so many eyes were on us in the sunlight."

He continued: "The original plan was that we wanted to play the smallest stage they had but there was a lot of concern for the safety of people, so it was decided that would put a small stage in the middle of the main two stages in the arena. It was a really awesome experience and we all had such a good time. We really didn't know how people were going to react but now looking back… it was incredible."

A few days before AMON AMARTH's appearance at Wacken Open Air, the Swedish death metallers teased the show as an appearance from a band called GUARDIANS OF ASGAARD, which, they said, would make "a brief appearance at Wacken on Thursday to play some of your favorite AMON AMARTH hits."

Wacken Open Air takes place annually in the village of Wacken, which has a population of just about 2,000.

Up to 85,000 people attend the event, which is 32 years old.

200 bands performed at this year's Wacken Open Air, including headliners SLIPKNOT, POWERWOLF and JUDAS PRIEST.

Wacken Open Air was forced to take a break for two years due to coronavirus restrictions.

AMON AMARTH has just released its twelfth studio album, "The Great Heathen Army", via Metal Blade Records. The LP was recorded with acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who previously worked with the band on 2013's "Deceiver Of The Gods" and 2016's "Jomsviking" albums.

AMON AMARTH will team up with MACHINE HEAD for the "Vikings And Lionhearts" co-headlining European arena tour in September and October. A North American tour with CARCASS, OBITUARY and CATTLE DECAPITATION will follow in November and December.

AMON AMARTH stands tall and unassailable: 30 years into a career that has seen them evolve from humble origins in the dark, dank rehearsal rooms of their native Tumba to their current status as explosive festival headliners and one of the metal world's most widely adored bands.

Formed in 1992, AMON AMARTH became modern metal greats the hard way. Ruthlessly dedicated to creating new music and taking it out on the road, the Swedes steadily built a formidable reputation as a ferocious live band and, as the years passed, were increasingly recognized for their recorded achievements too. Since the dawn of the millennium, AMON AMARTH has been unstoppable.

Breakthrough releases like 2006's "With Oden On Our Side" and its now-legendary follow-up, 2008's "Twilight Of The Thunder God" further cemented their popularity throughout the metal world, while the band's stage show evolved with each successive tour, transforming into one of modern metal's truly great spectacles. "Berserker" brought with it an epic, history-making trek across North America with fellow Swedes ARCH ENEMY, AT THE GATES and GRAND MAGUS and saw multiple sell-outs.
Heathens! Thank you for joining us today on the glorious battle ground of @Wacken for a surprise set. Until next time! - Amon Amarth (Guardians of Asgaard) ⚔️🛡 pic.twitter.com/paLw4dC1ib

— Amon Amarth (@AmonAmarthBand) August 5, 2022


Our raid on Wacken Open Air was a success! Thank you for helping us celebrate the release of ‘The Great Heathen Army’. Stream our latest album now at https://t.co/cVsJAelZMv ⚔️🛡 pic.twitter.com/vraeQr8lyg

— Amon Amarth (@AmonAmarthBand) August 5, 2022

The new BLACK STAR RIDERS album, titled "Wrong Side Of Paradise", will be released on Friday, January 20, 2023 via Earache Records. The LP's latest single, "Pay Dirt", can be streamed below.

BLACK STAR RIDERS frontman Ricky Warwick states: "We are overjoyed to be able to give you another track from our upcoming album 'Wrong Side Of Paradise'. 'Pay Dirt' is available for your listening pleasure on your favorite streaming service now. Christian Martucci and the late Todd Youth wrote the music for this. And when I heard it, it stank with defiance and attitude. It didn't need changing, just some words to echo the power of the chords. It's an ode to rock 'n' roll... but also a dig at those that don't learn their art and don't play from the heart!! Rock 'n' roll is my lover, friend, enemy, ally, religion and savior. Rock 'n' roll is my life. We hope you love it."

"Wrong Side Of Paradise", featuring 11 tracks, was recorded in the fall of 2021 at Studio 606 in Northridge, California and Toochtoon Sound in Redmond, Oregon with producer and longtime BLACK STAR RIDERS associate Jay Ruston.

Plenty of formats are available for pre-order, including limited colored vinyl (green, blue, red and black/white split),black vinyl, signed CD, cassette and digital download. A special edition of the album containing two bonus tracks can be found on CD (which comes with a 24-page booklet) and USB stick formats. Various collector bundles are also available.

The official music video for the LP's first single, "Better Than Saturday Night", featuring backing vocals from DEF LEPPARD's Joe Elliott, can be seen below.

Warwick previously said about "Better Than Saturday Night": "'Better Than Saturday Night' is a feel-good, uplifting tune about staying strong in the face of adversity, being true to yourself, and the power of positivity. I wrote it for my kids, but subliminally I think I also wrote it for myself and everyone for those days when we need to find a little bit of extra strength. We wanted to reflect the positivity, power, attitude and strength to endure sentiment in the lyrics of the song. And no better way to do that than BLACK STAR RIDERS rockin' out with the Los Angeles Roller Derby Dolls."

About the album, Ricky added: "I am very proud of this record, BLACK STAR RIDERS' fifth release and the first with our new and exciting relationship with Earache Records. As with all BSR albums, 'Wrong Side Of Paradise' is an anthemic statement of intent, driven by ferocious guitars and thundering drums. I can only write about my own personal experiences, my families, my friends and how I see a world that is unraveling and changing faster than we can comprehend. That being said, I'm a firm believer in the power of positivity, something that echoes throughout this album."

"Wrong Side Of Paradise" track listing:

01. Wrong Side Of Paradise
02. Hustle
03. Better Than Saturday Night
04. Riding Out The Storm
05. Pay Dirt
06. Catch Yourself On
07. Crazy Horses
08. Burning Rome
09. Don't Let The World
10. Green And Troubled Land
11. This Life Will Be The Death Of Me

In addition to releasing the new record, BLACK STAR RIDERS have some special plans to celebrate their 10th anniversary next year.

"Can you believe 2023 is 10 years of BLACK STAR RIDERS?" Warwick said. "How time flies while you are having fun! We decided to do something special to commemorate this occasion. For the U.K. tour only, to coincide with the album's release, we will be bringing back the legendary Scott Gorham (guitar) and Jimmy DeGrasso (drums) for the dates to make them extra special!"

“As we all know, the worldwide pandemic has changed so many things in all our lives, and when we brought Christian Martucci into the fold in 2018, we had planned to work the BSR cycle in rotation with Christian's Corey Taylor / STONE SOUR gig so he could do both. The two-year break in live music has unfortunately put paid to this plan and Christian has had to leave BLACK STAR RIDERS to concentrate on his work with Corey. We wish him all the best and he will forever remain part of the BSR family."

BLACK STAR RIDERS start their U.K. tour in Nottingham on February 13, 2023 in a tour package that includes very special guests Michael Monroe and PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS.

DIAMOND HEAD influenced a slew of early '80s thrash metal bands, in particular METALLICA, which recorded "Am I Evil?" as a B-side to their 1984 "Creeping Death" single and again included on the band's multi-platinum 1998 covers album "Garage Inc." METALLICA would record three additional DIAMOND HEAD songs: "Helpless" ("Garage Days", 1987),"The Prince" ("One" single B-side, 1989) and "It's Electric" ("Garage Inc.", 1998).

In a new interview with Metal Pilgrim, DIAMOND HEAD guitarist Brian Tatler was asked if he thinks his band would not have been able to continue as a viable business entity had METALLICA covered any of his songs. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think if METALLICA hadn't covered DIAMOND HEAD — the first cover was '84 when they did 'Am I Evil?' on the B-side of 'Creeping Death' — so I think if they hadn't, I may have looked elsewhere for employment. I think it would have been harder to keep DIAMOND HEAD going without that introduction to their fanbase. 'Cause that record sold millions of copies — versions of 'Am I Evil?' have sold millions of copies through METALLICA — and so so many more people know DIAMOND HEAD thanks to Lars [Ulrich] and Co. And it may be that a lot of the opportunities that we get now would not be there without that METALLICA connection. So I'm eternally grateful. Obviously, myself and Sean [Harris, original DIAMOND HEAD singer] still get writers' royalties, but even so, I just think it's helped DIAMOND HEAD as a name and a brand to get on more and more opportunities — get festivals and supports. Because they link it with METALLICA; they think, 'Okay, well, you're potentially tapping into a huge market.'"

Two years ago, Tatler said during an episode of "Tatler's Tales" about METALLICA's cover versions of his band's classic songs: "They're great. They're always more powerful and a little faster than the DIAMOND HEAD versions. I mean, they're a great band. They [have] their own sound. Of course, it was very flattering. The first song they covered was 'Am I Evil' They were the first band that ever covered a DIAMOND HEAD song. And it came out in 1984; it was on the 'Creeping Death' 12-inch single, which was on Music For Nations. And I was just really flattered that 'Lars's band' had covered one of our songs and done such a respectful job and worked out the guitar solo. Everything was really good — really close to our version, but a bit more modern, a bit tougher, [with] more attitude."

He added: "More power to them. Fantastic. It's done the band a huge favor."

According to Brian, the royalties that he receives from the DIAMOND HEAD back catalog, including the METALLICA recordings of his songs, are enough for him to live on. "It's my biggest source of income," he revealed in a 2019 interview. "It's great and I don't know what I would do without it. It gives me the freedom to do what I like. I'm very grateful."

A reimagined and re-recorded version of DIAMOND HEAD's "Lightning To The Nations" album was released in 2020 via Silver Lining Music. "Lightning To The Nations 2020" included four cover tracks, including METALLICA's "No Remorse".

"I wanted to cover a song from METALLICA's debut album, 'Kill 'Em All'," Tatler explained, "partly because METALLICA covered songs from DIAMOND HEAD's debut album 'Lightning To The Nations' and it felt like things have come full circle to me. None of the band members knew how to play any of the songs from 'Kill 'Em All', and I eventually decided we should all learn 'No Remorse'. Then when we got into the rehearsal room, we played 'No Remorse' and immediately it just sounded great; it was very 'DIAMOND HEAD' and it really suited us as a band. Of the four covers we ended up doing, 'No Remorse' sounded the best straight away. I've seen METALLICA live over twenty times and they don't play 'No Remorse' very often, but it's always great when they do!"

DIAMOND HEAD's latest collection of all-new material, "The Coffin Train", was released in May 2019 via Silver Lining Music. The album was recorded at Vigo Studios in Walsall, Circle Studios in Birmingham and Raw Sound Studio in London.