ELLEFSON-SOTO, David Ellefson's collaboration with Jeff Scott Soto, will release a full-length album, "Vacation In The Underworld", on October 7 via Rat Pak Records. The duo is joined by Andy Martongelli on guitar and keyboards and Paulo Caridi on drums.

"Vacation In The Underworld" was produced by Chris Collier and features eleven tracks and three bonus recordings.

From the fiery guitar lead of the album opener "Vacation In The Underworld" to the prog-metal fury of closer "Rise To Win", ELLEFSON-SOTO's debut showcases the various influences David and Jeff have picked up over their four decades in music. Giada Jade Etro from the Italian power metal band FROZEN CROWN makes a guest appearance on "The Day Before Tomorrow". Steve Conley and Ken Mary from FLOTSAM AND JETSAM perform on the title track, "Vacation In The Underworld".

"Vacation In The Underworld" track listing:

01. Vacation In The Underworld
02. Like A Bullet
03. Sharpen The Sword
04. The Reason
05. S.T.N.
06. The Revolution
07. Celebrity Trash
08. Live To Die Another Day
09. The Day Before Tomorrow
10. Hercules
11. Rise To Win
12. Out Of The Blue (Bonus Track)
13. Lone Star (Bonus Track)
14. Writing On The Wall (Bonus Track)

To officially launch the project, Ellefson and Soto will play two exclusive concerts in September in Italy where they will perform some of the new music as well as run through various catalog highlights, including selections from MEGADETH and Yngwie Malmsteen. They will be joined by Martongelli as the musical director, as well as Caridi on drums and Valerio De Rosa on rhythm guitar.

In March 2021 — two months before the former MEGADETH bassist found himself embroiled in a sex video scandal — Ellefson and Soto announced that they had been collaborating on some new material under the moniker ELLEFSON-SOTO. The ELLEFSON-SOTO version of the RIOT classic "Swords & Tequila" was simultaneously released across all digital streaming outlets via Ellefson's Combat Records.

In a May 2022 interview with KNAC.COM, Soto offered an update on his collaboration with Ellefson, saying: "I can confirm that it's actually happening. I can confirm that it's gonna be released this year. And I can confirm that it's a full-fledged album, it's a full-fledged commitment that we both put into it. We will be doing shows and dates, et cetera. But that's about all I can give you right now."

Jeff's latest comments came seven months after he was asked in an interview with Dr. Music if the rest of the material he recorded with Ellefson would eventually see the light of day. At the time, Soto said: "I'm hoping it will at some point. I've given David, as many people have, the space and the time to kind of deal with his own things.

"We were full-on getting that thing ready to bounce and to drop, et cetera, and, obviously, things were put on hold for that reason," he explained. "And it's just better for things to just kind of go away and kind of calm down, because we don't need the kind of press that comes with it, especially the comments [from] the Internet cowboys out there. Let it go away, let it just kind of slip under the rug, and I'm sure that stuff is gonna resurface. And the idea of it will resurface and get us out there… I'm sure we'll revisit it when the time is right."

This past January, Soto shared an Instagram photo of him with Ellefson and he captioned it: "Something brewing in Los Angeles today....#davidellefson".

When Ellefson's collaboration with Soto was first announced, David said in a statement: "Jeff and I have been friends for so many years that it's great to finally collaborate on some material together. He has such a distinctive voice and perfect style for some new ideas my guitarist Andy Martongelli and I have been composing. We are excited about the progress of it all and thought this would be a perfect time to give a little sneak preview."

At the time, Jeff added: "As COVID-19 became a big negative around the globe, it actually offered many artists a chance to finally collaborate with one another that might have never happened otherwise… As I have known David for many years, I knew from our other efforts outside of our day jobs that we could come up with some badass jams…and here we are, letting you in on our cool little secret."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH in May 2021 after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. At the time, Ellefson was accused of grooming an underage girl through videos and online messages. David has denied the allegation and has repeatedly said the woman in question had been a willing, consenting adult at the time of their virtual sexual encounter. Ellefson accompanied his denial with an alleged screenshot of a statement from the woman with whom he was supposedly involved at the time. In it, the woman admitted to recording the alleged intimate communications she had with Ellefson and called herself "naïve" for sharing them with a friend without the musician's permission.

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



Debut album from Ellefson-Soto (David Ellefson / Jeff Scott Soto),details coming soon!

Posted by Rat Pak Records on Thursday, August 4, 2022

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German power metal band, Rage, have released their new single & video, for the song "To Live And To Die". The song is featured on the band's upcoming Spreading The Plague EP. Watch below.


Rage have come up with a special surprise for its followers to thank them for their loyalty and patience during the long wait enforced by the pandemic: In time for their major co-headlining tour alongside Brainstorm in October and November 2022 and as an appetizer for the things that await their fans, singer/bassist Peavy Wagner and his bandmates Jean Borman, Stefan Weber (both guitars) and Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos (drums) are set to launch their Spreading The Plague EP, featuring three previously unreleased new songs as well as three exciting bonus tracks.


Says Peavy, “This is a thank-you to our fans who have stood by Rage for so many years. We really look forward to seeing everybody again at our upcoming shows.”




Spreading The Plague consists of the songs "To Live And To Die", "Spreading The Plague" and "The King Has Lost His Crown", all three from the production phase of Rage’s 2021 album Resurrection Day and previously unreleased.


Peavy explains: “These are numbers that we recorded at the same studio quality level as our Resurrection Day material but have deliberately held back until now to have something special up our sleeve for our fans when we’ll be able to tour again at last.”


Resurrection Day was a major success for Rage: The album scored high chart positions in a number of countries in September 2021, such as number 14 in Germany, number 12 in Japan, number 38 in Switzerland, and a more than impressive number 46 and 81 in the US and Canada, respectively.


The new EP is complemented by three bonus tracks: "A New Land" is a new unplugged version; "The Price Of War 2.0." was first released a few months ago as a digital single, including a video clip to introduce new band members Jean Borman and Stefan Weber, but has not yet been available on any physical record, same as the Rage classic "Straight To Hell", a live stream from the Balve Cave venue in July 2020.


So there are plenty of exciting things in the offing: a new EP (complete with exciting cover artwork courtesy of Karim König, who has also designed The Devil Strikes Back and Seasons Of The Black, among others) as well as a big European tour in October / November 2022. It’s safe to say that Rage fans have plenty to look forward to...





Spreading The Plague will be released on September 30 via SPV/Steamhammer in the following configurations:


- DigiPak
- LP, 140 g ,black vinyl, printed inner sleeve
- Download / Streaming


Pre-order here.


- Exclusive CD/LP Bundle with a shirt only at the Steamhammer shop


Pre-order here.





Spreading The Plague tracklisting:


"To Live And To Die"
"Spreading The Plague"
"The King Has Lost His Crown"
"A New Land" (acoustic version)
"The Price Of War 2.0"
"Straight To Hell" (Live from the Cave)


"To Live And To Die" video:





Find the complete Rage live itinerary here.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have released the official music video for their new single "Tippa My Tongue". The psychedelic clip was directed by Malia James — who also helmed the band's video for "These Are The Ways" earlier this year —and features animation from Julien Calemard and Thami Nabil. The track is taken from RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' upcoming second album of 2022, "Return Of The Dream Canteen", which will be made available on October 14. The LP will arrive just six months after the release of "Unlimited Love".

Like "Unlimited Love", "Return Of The Dream Canteen" was produced by Rick Rubin, who also helmed past RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS albums such as 1991's "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" and 1999's "Californication".

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS frontman Anthony Kiedis announced "Return Of The Dream Canteen" from the stage at a sold-out concert at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado in late July.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS said in a statement: "We went in search of ourselves as the band that we have somehow always been. Just for the fun of it we jammed and learned some old songs. Before long we started the mysterious process of building new songs. A beautiful bit of chemistry meddling that had befriended us hundreds of times along the way. Once we found that slip stream of sound and vision, we just kept mining."

The band continued: "With time turned into an elastic waist band of oversized underwear, we had no reason to stop writing and rocking. It felt like a dream. When all was said and done, our moody love for each other and the magic of music had gifted us with more songs than we knew what to do with. Well we figured it out. 2 double albums released back to back. The second of which is easily as meaningful as the first or should that be reversed."

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS added: "'Return Of The Dream Canteen' is everything we are and ever dreamed of being. It's packed. Made with the blood of our hearts, yours truly, the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS."

"Return Of The Dream Canteen" marks the second RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS album since the return of guitarist John Frusciante, who rejoined the band in late 2019.

Pre-orders for "Return Of The Dream Canteen" have begun via the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS web site. It's available on double vinyl, CD, cassette or digital download.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS had previously said that they recorded 48 songs during the sessions that produced "Unlimited Love", with Frusciante claiming that "some of the best stuff" would surface on the follow-up album.

"Unlimited Love" entered the Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 1 with sales of 97,500 album equivalent units, marking the band's first LP to top the chart since 2016's "Stadium Arcadium".

The Denver concert was the launch of the North American leg of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' stadium tour. Guests on the trek, which runs through September, include HAIM, BECK, THUNDERCAT, THE STROKES, KING PRINCESS, ST. VINCENT and POST MALONE.

EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee has opened up about the recent departure of guitarist Jen Majura, explaining that "sometimes you have to listen to the universe."

Majura's exit from EVANESCENCE was announced in late May, with the band saying in a statement that " we have decided it's time to go our separate ways."

EVANESCENCE's new lineup includes Emma Anzai of SICK PUPPIES on bass and EVANESCENCE's longtime bassist Tim McCord on guitar.

Amy addressed EVANESCENCE's split with Jen in a new interview with Revolver magazine. Speaking about the band's new lineup, she said: "I am so happy, we are all so, so grateful. Emma Anzai is from the band SICK PUPPIES and we are old friends. We toured together in 2007 and she's just an excellent musician. We're all fans of her and just fits us on a personal level really well.

"We did a little European run in June and then we did a few shows here and had our first photo shoot with the new lineup just two weeks ago," she continued. "Some things are just meant to be. Something I'm getting better at as I get older is not trying to control everything so much. Sometimes you just sort of have to listen to the universe and what's going on and go, 'You know what? Okay, I need to live in the reality of what's happening now and make something great out of it instead of constantly trying to pull things the way I think they ought to go.'

"It's hard to explain what I'm saying without being specific. And we all love Jen; we had a great time with Jen. [I] don't want to make it like it's anything negative there. But sometimes that chapter just ends, and when you feel that and you know that as a band, that's how you keep things going. That's how you keep your team, your band, and everything healthy and moving the way it's supposed to move. It's complicated but at the same time you just need to follow your heart. At the end of the day, when you follow your heart and trust each other, you can move forward into a better place than you could've imagined for.

"This is big time new for us because I've had Tim on bass for 16 years and for the first time he is on guitar, which is fantastic," Lee added. "It's his original instrument, he's great on it, he gets into that position when we're in the writing room a lot. And Emma is just this amazing, seamless ... it's just amazingly cool and the other guys are just thrilled with it as well. We're all really happy right now, we're in a healthy new chapter moment. Those are always really energizing, so we've got a lot of energy and are feeling inspired and excited for the future."

In late June, Majura discussed her exit from EVANESCENCE during an appearance on THE HAUNTED guitarist Ola Englund's YouTube show "Coffee With Ola". At the time she said that she was "still in shock, kind of, because after being married six years, all of a sudden you're divorced."

Asked how she found out that her services were no longer needed in EVANESCENCE, Jen said: "Honestly, I was cleaning my apartment, and I got the phone call. And first of all, I was, like, 'Is this a bad joke?' And I remember, after I got the news, I hung up, and I have this hallway in between my studio and my living room, and I just lay there on the floor, staring at the ceiling, wondering what that was, and literally looking over to my suitcase that I had already started packing, because I was two weeks from going out on the road until pretty much the end of the year."

Asked by Ola if she was "okay" with the fact that her tenure with EVANESCENCE had come to an end, Jen said: "I'm hurt. I'm hurt and still in this blurry confusion of what just happened." But she added: "I'm getting there. Like I said, it would be wrong of me if I would play the 'hey, I'm totally okay' Jen. It's tough. And like I said, I'm still not great. But I'm getting there every day with tiny little things that make life beautiful."

Majura, a self-described "half-Asian living in Germany," joined EVANESCENCE in August 2015 as the replacement for Terry Balsamo.

Majura has released two solo albums thus far, 2014's "Jen Majura" and 2017's "InZENity".

Last year, EVANESCENCE released "The Bitter Truth", its first album in 10 years.

EVANESCENCE has just kicked off a U.S. tour with KORN.

Founding JANE'S ADDICTION bassist Eric Avery appears to have rejoined the band.

Earlier today (Wednesday, August 17),the JANE'S ADDICTION social media was updated with a short video of Avery apparently working on new music with JANE'S ADDICTION singer Perry Farrell. The clip, in which the actual sound was intentionally replaced by feedback, can be seen below.

Avery initially returned to JANE'S ADDICTION when it reactivated in 2009, but he quit the following year.

JANE'S ADDICTION hasn't released a studio album since 2011's "The Great Escape Artist". It was JANE'S ADDICTION's first all-new studio effort since 2003's "Strays".

"The Great Escape Artist" was only JANE'S ADDICTION's fourth album of original material in 20 years.

The most recent JANE'S ADDICTION lineup featured original members Farrell, drummer Stephen Perkins and guitarist Dave Navarro, along with bassist Chris Chaney.

Dave Sitek of TV ON THE RADIO played bass on and co-produced "The Great Escape Artist".

Back in 2013, Navarro blasted Avery on his online radio show "Dark Matter", saying that Eric "has constantly talked shit about me, Stephen and Perry, and quit our band twice to quote-unquote pursue all of these really intense solo creative artistic output. All these different mediums that he's going to get into or whatever. Where is it? Where's all the shit that he's doing? I don't know. I wouldn't be so vocal about it if he didn't do a feature-length film talking shit about all three of us."

Navarro added, "He quits JANE'S. He got thrown out of GARBAGE, he got rehired by GARBAGE, he's in [NINE INCH] NAILS, now he's out of NAILS. I mean, what the fuck is the problem here? You know what I mean? Me, Perk and Perry have managed to put everything aside for 30 years."

He concluded: "The guy's entitled to do whatever the fuck he wants to do, and it's fine, but keep your fucking mouth shut. I don't really care. You can quit every band in the world.

"I don't wish him any harm. I have a lot of fond memories with him. But if you're going to fucking open your mouth about the inner workings and dynamics of something that has been very, very good to you for a lot of years, and then not follow through on anything else, you've got it coming."
pic.twitter.com/MDWlMDO5nT

— Jane's Addiction (@janesaddiction) August 17, 2022



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W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless has penned a blog post about one of the most iconic figures in American music, Elvis Presley, who passed away in 1977 at age 42.

Lawless, whose real name is Steven Duren, wrote: "This August 16th will mark the 45th year of the passing of Elvis Presley, the undisputed 'King of Rock and Roll'. There is really nothing that I can say about him that has not already been written about his life or his genius. Those that know me know I am a huge, huge BEATLES fan. The basic 2 part vocal harmonies that they did would become the foundation of what W.A.S.P. has done for 40 years. They too had a multi generational genius that will resonate as long as there are people with ears to hear. But I'm writing this to mark the passing of what myself, and many, many others believe was the greatest single entertainer and influence of our time and possibly in the history of the World. We look at images of him, movies and documentaries about him, the recordings that have been soundtracks to all of our lives (wether we're conscious of it or not) and most of us understand that we were seeing something we will most likely never ever see again.

"I mentioned THE BEATLES earlier. They and Elvis Presley are the only artists to sell over 1 Billion records each. There is a small rarified group of artists that have broken the 100 million sales mark, but none of them are over 200 million. Those are remarkable careers and numbers that few will ever obtain. With the current state of record sales it's doubtful any future artists will ever break 100 million again. Elvis Presley record sales now sit at approximately 1.8 Billion. None of us will ever witness anything like him ever again. Whatever anyone may feel about him, we were, without question, privileged to see this truly supernatural force of nature.

"About 15 years ago I had the opportunity to buy the house he owned in Palm Springs, Ca. I kick myself now for not buying it when I had the chance. But I was privileged to buy the furniture that belonged to his Master Bedroom. I bought the Master bed, the chest of drawers, end tables, chairs and lamps. I have it set up in one of the rooms in my house and sometimes I'll go in there and just look at it and try to imagine what may have been going through his head at that point in his life. I never had the chance to meet him, but I've studied him all my life. My mother told me that when I was 2 years old she would take me to the grocery store and I'd crawl down out of the cart and there would be a crowd of people standing around me as I was performing 'Hound [Dog]' complete with all the moves. She later said she should have known then what I was going to do for a living.

"The new movie 'Elvis' is terrific and Austin Butler should without debate, win the Oscar for Best Male Actor. But the movie tells a sad, but accurate account of a man that was just given way too many gifts. No human being should ever be cursed to carry that monumental degree of burden. Some say it was the drugs that took his life at such a young age. But I believe those were only the symptoms. It was the gifts that took him away.

"'Without Dreams Men Perish'. The Bible also tells a cautionary tale of another King. King Solomon. The description of him is eerily similar to Elvis. He also was given way to many gifts, and they too eventually took his life. Another historical account says, 'And Alexander wept, seeing as he had no more worlds to conquer' speaking of Alexander the Great. These were men who suffered this 'thing' most of us aspire to be. But as humans, we can resist anything… except temptation.

"There have many, many great Rock and Roll artists that without whom Rock as we know it today would never have happened. But none greater than 'The King'. Without him, it just simply would not exist… Long Live the King!"

W.A.S.P.'s first live performance since December 2019 took place on July 23 at Skansen in Stockholm, Sweden. A week later (July 30),W.A.S.P. also played at Skogsröjet festival in Rejmyre, Sweden.

W.A.S.P. recently postponed its European 40th-anniversary tour, originally scheduled for spring of 2022, until the spring of 2023. The new dates will take place in March, April and May of 2023. All tickets previously purchased for the 2022 tour will be valid at the rescheduled 2023 shows.

W.A.S.P. will embark on its first U.S. tour in a decade this fall. The trek will coincide the band's 40th anniversary and will include support from ARMORED SAINT and MICHAEL SCHENKER on select shows.

Lawless has led W.A.S.P. as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold-out shows across the globe for four decades. He is joined in W.A.S.P.'s current lineup by bassist Mike Duda and guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band span 26 and 18 years respectively, along with drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE recent shows in New York City have raised $1 million for charity.

As was the case with the rest of the concerts on RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's North American "Public Service Announcement" tour, 10% of tickets sold for the five dates at Madison Square Garden earlier this month were made available at "charity pricing". These tickets were sold at a much higher price than general admission entries as a way of combating ticket touts while raising vital funds for local charities.

"Charity tickets purchased by our fans for our five night Madison Square Garden residency raised $1,000,000," the band wrote in a statement on Instagram. "These funds will be distributed to the Immigrant Defense Project and by WhyHunger to Neighbors Together and The Campaign Against Hunger in New York City."

Known as the most overtly political band of its generation, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE donated nearly half a million dollars to a number of organizations fighting to protect reproductive rights following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE frontman Zack De La Rocha reportedly tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during the band's July 11 concert in Chicago. The incident occurred during the fourth song of the second show on the group's long-delayed "Public Service Announcement" reunion tour. Ever since then, Zack has been performing while seated and the shows have gone off without a hitch, even though stagehands have had to carry the vocalist on and off the stage every night.

Last week, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE canceled the August and September 2022 European leg of the band's tour to allow De La Rocha to recover from his injury.

13 European shows were scrapped, including appearances at Britain's Reading and Leeds festivals.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE kicked off "Public Service Announcement" on July 9 in front of roughly 30,000 fans at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. The band opened its first show in 11 years with "Bombtrack", a song from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's classic 1992 debut album, and closed the set with "Killing In The Name". Other tracks performed during the concert included "Bulls On Parade", "Guerrilla Radio", "Sleep Now In The Fire", "Wake Up", "Testify" and a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost Of Tom Joad".

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's comeback tour marks the first time the reunited rap-metal quartet has hit the road together since 2011.

Prior to the current tour, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE last played together at L.A. Rising and has resisted calls for a reunion, with De La Rocha previously believed to be the lone holdout. Guitarist Tom Morello and his fellow RAGE bandmates Tim Commerford (bass) and Brad Wilk (drums) have since teamed up with PUBLIC ENEMY's Chuck D. and CYPRESS HILL's B-Real in the similarly styled PROPHETS OF RAGE.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE recorded three original studio albums and one set of covers before breaking up in 2000. The group reformed in 2007 but only played sporadic gigs and never a full tour.

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Former ALICE COOPER guitarist Nita Strauss played with Demi Lovato on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Tuesday night (August 16). They performed Demi's recently released single "Substance", which arrived ahead of her highly anticipated new album, "Holy Fvck", due this Friday, August 19 via Island Records.

Demi will make the TV performance debut of her latest single, "29" on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" tomorrow night (August 18). The performance is part of Demi's three-night takeover on the show, which will include an appearance as co-host tonight (August 17),taking part in the monologue and guest interviews. Demi will then stop by "Good Morning America" for the Summer Concert Series in Central Park this Friday, August 19.

Nita played her first full live show with Demi last Saturday night (August 13) at the Grandstand at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Illinois.

Nita made her live debut with Demi on July 14 with a performance of "Substance" on ABC's Emmy Award-winning late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

Nita's new gig was first reported as a rumor on July 11 on the Metal Sludge web site.

The follow-up to last year's "Dancing With The Devil…The Art Of Starting Over", "Holy Fvck" is reportedly a departure from Lovato's typical pop aesthetic and features a more punk-rock-flavored sound.

Lovato implied that "Holy Fvck" would usher in a new era for her after she posted a photo in January along with the caption, "A funeral for my pop music." She later told Rolling Stone that fans can expect to hear some "heaviness" in her new sound.

"It's a new era reminiscent of my first era," she said. "I'm ever-evolving, ever-changing. I'd like to put the rest of my music behind me and start fresh in this new era for this next album — but I do that every album cycle."

Demi will bring the album to fans across South America and North America this fall on the "Holy Fvck" tour. Fans can expect to hear new songs from the album as well as reimagined rock versions of Lovato's hits, including "Sorry Not Sorry", "Cool For The Summer" and more.

Produced by Live Nation, the 32-date tour kicked off this past Saturday at the Illinois State Fair. The tour will continue to South America with stops in Belo Horizonte, Bogotá, and more before hitting North America on Thursday, September 22 in Wheatland, California at the Hard Rock Live Sacramento. The North American leg includes stops in New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Nashville and more before wrapping up in Irving, Texas at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory on Sunday, November 6. ROYAL & THE SERPENT and DEAD SARA will serve as special guests on select North American dates.

On July 11, Nita announced that she would sit out Cooper's fall 2022 tour. She has also scrapped the festival dates her solo band had planned for the rest of the year. The 35-year-old said in a statement that her "touring year" was "still VERY full" and revealed that she was "on a flight straight into the next adventure," adding cryptically that she would "be on stage again much sooner than you think."

A couple of Nita's Cooper bandmates commented on her post, with guitarist Ryan Roxie writing: "No words — just notes... and lord knows we harmonized a lot of them over the years... nothing but love and respect." Drummer Glen Sobel added: "You're super pro and prepared no matter what the situation. We're gonna miss you but we're also proud to be associated with Hurricane."

Strauss had been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

Last October, Nita shared "Dead Inside", her first new solo music since the release of her debut album, 2018's "Controlled Chaos". The track is her first-ever solo collaboration with a vocalist, David Draiman, frontman of Grammy-nominated rock icons DISTURBED.

Nita released "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".

As well as performing with Cooper, Nita has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings FEMME FATALE, video game supergroup CRITICAL HIT and popular tribute band THE IRON MAIDENS.

In April 2020, Nita launched "Rock Guitar Fundamentals" — a three-module online guitar teaching program suitable for learners of all levels. The course is available at www.iwanttoplayguitar.com.

Nita's solo live show is mostly instrumental in nature, combining originals with covers.
And now, here’s your host 💁🏼‍♀️

Had a wonderful time on @FallonTonight alongside birthday badass @ddlovato and the awesome band!

Tune in again tonight and tomorrow as Demi co-hosts, there is lots more to come before the tour officially kicks off at the end of the month in Brazil! pic.twitter.com/j4yfkMciKF

— Nita Strauss (@hurricanenita) August 17, 2022

SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs spoke to Joe Rock of The Eagle 103.3 radio station about what it has been like for him and his bandmates to return to performing live after a two-year pandemic-related break. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "After a two-year break due to the pandemic, while we were using at least the majority of the time to record a new album, write new songs, it was a fantastic feeling earlier this year, in March, to hit the stage again finally after the longest break we've ever had. We played a residency in Las Vegas — nine shows in one month — and it was just a great feeling to come back on stage."

Regarding how he is getting ready for SCORPIONS' upcoming North American headlining tour, which will kick off on August 21 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and end on October 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Matthias said: "We are having this break, a couple of weeks here, and the break is over very soon. And since yesterday I went back to the studio, to just make sure the fingertips are fine. So I play and get into the playing mode.

"I'm always taking a break after a longer tour just to refresh your mind," he revealed. "If you play the same set for months, it's good to not touch the guitar for at least two weeks. But then you have to worry about your skin, and then you start playing again. So I have to now rehearse and warm up to be ready for the first show and for our tour."

SCORPIONS's latest album, "Rock Believer", was released in February. The LP was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.

SCORPIONS' new album marks their first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of new and classic material.

SCORPIONS' previous full-length collection of new recordings was "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.

Paramount will join forces with FOO FIGHTERS and the Hawkins family to present the all-star global music event, The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert, across the global media and entertainment company's portfolio of leading broadcast, cable, streaming and digital brands. Captured live September 3 at Wembley Stadium in London, directed by Joel Gallen and produced by Emer Patten for EP-PIC Films And Creative, the concert will feature the biggest names in music joining together in celebration of the life, music and love of one of modern music's most beloved figures.

"Music is a powerful connector, and we are honored to commemorate Taylor Hawkins's enduring legacy by bringing together Paramount's portfolio of brands and assets to build even deeper connections with his global fan base," said Bob Bakish, president and CEO, Paramount. "From our broad mix of platforms to the universal strength of our brands, Paramount is uniquely positioned to maximize the reach and impact of content worldwide, and we look forward to sharing this meaningful music experience with audiences across every touchpoint."

"Taylor was not only an incredible drummer and musician but truly one of the most passionate super fans of music the world has seen. His infectious energy and unique talent will continue to live on through his vast body of work," said Bruce Gillmer, president of music, music talent, programming & events, Paramount and chief content officer, music, Paramount+. "Together with the FOO FIGHTERS and the Hawkins family, we look forward to leveraging Paramount's global scale to mirror Taylor's worldwide impact through this special tribute concert for audiences everywhere."

The full Wembley Stadium show will be available to stream live and on demand across Paramount's streaming and digital platforms, including:

* Live coverage across Paramount+ (domestically),Pluto TV (internationally) and MTV brand YouTube channels (globally) beginning Saturday, September 3 (11:30 a.m. EDT / 4:30 p.m. BST).

* On-demand access globally via Paramount+ on Saturday, September 3 and on Pluto TV and MTV TV VOD starting the week of September 5.

Special editions of the concert will air in prime time across Paramount's broadcast and cable channels globally:

* CBS television network will broadcast highlights from the tribute concert on Saturday, September 3 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT).

* MTV will also air the one-hour special across its channels around the world starting in Latin America on Saturday, September 3 and other international territories on Sunday, September 4, followed by an extended two-hour compilation that will air globally in September.

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

Paramount+ premium subscribers will have access to the simulcast stream via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service.

Newly announced artists who will appear at the event include Travis Barker, Martin Chambers, Stewart Copeland, Josh Freese, Violet Grohl, Justin Hawkins, James Gang, Brian Johnson, Kesha, Luke Spiller, Lars Ulrich and Taylor Hawkins's son, Shane, who performed FOO FIGHTERS' "My Hero" as a tribute to his late father at a block party in July.

Another Taylor Hawkins tribute concert will take place on September 27 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. An updated list of guests for both shows can be found in the poster below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lacuna Coil performed at the  Alcatraz Metal Festival 2022 in Kortrijk, Belgium on August 14th. Pro-shot video of their full show can be viewed below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Blood, Tears, Dust"
"Reckless"
"Trip the Darkness"
"Apocalypse"
"Layers of Time"
"Heaven's a Lie"
"Tight Rope XX"
"Veneficium"
"Sword of Anger"
"Our Truth"
"Nothing Stands in Our Way"







Lacuna Coil have released a music video for the new version of "Tight Rope", to be featured on Comalies XX, out on October 14 via Century Media Records. The Trilathera-directed clip can be viewed below,.


Back in 2002, Lacuna Coil released an album which is now undeniably an anthem laden millennial classic that established them as a band with the stamina to go the distance and much of the climbing that still lay ahead back then. Now, 20 years later, Lacunca Coil decided to revisit the songs, but not to just re-record the songs as they were, but deconstruct and transport them into 2022.


“This is not a reboot or a spin-off or anything like that,’ says vocalist Cristina Scabbia. “We just wanted to give these songs a 2022 dress and see how this guy or girl who was born 20 years ago would still look fucking slick in 2022.”


Pre-order at the Century Media webshop.





Tracklisting:


CD1
“Swamped XX”
“Heaven’s A Lie XX”
“Daylight Dancer XX”
“Humane XX”
“Self Deception XX”
“Aeon XX”
“Tight Rope XX”
“The Ghost Woman And The Hunter XX”
“Unspoken XX”
“Entwined XX”
“The Prophet Said XX”
“Angel’s Punishment XX”
“Comalies XX”


CD2
“Swamped”
“Heaven's A Lie”
“Daylight Dancer”
“Humane”
“Self Deception”
“Aeon”
“Tight Rope”
“The Ghost Woman And The Hunter”
“Unspoken”
“Entwined”
“The Prophet Said”
“Angel's Punishment”
“Comalies”

Polish band Baalzagoth has published a new video from their debut album titled Morbid Persecutions. This record was released April 15, 2022 by Mara Productions (webstore) on CD (jewelcase, digipak with slipcase).


Music was recorded, mixed and mastered by Filip “Heinrich” Hałucha at Heinrich House Studio. In the past he cooperated with such bands as Azarath, Behemoth, Deus Mortem and Hate. Cover artwork by Jesus Lhysta “Rotted Artist” (Codex Nero, Hegony).


A new video for the track “Suffering” is available below. Video in the field by Kuna - Studio Kreatywne and post-production by Temira De Temirin.

Golden Robot Records has announced the signing of the eclectic trio, Melody Brothers. 


The band are no strangers to the industry with the band comprising of  Brett Scallions the original lead singer of Fuel, Eddie Wohl who is a five time Emmy Award winning songwriter, composer, producer & mixer, whose projects have sold over 6 million units and Billy Harvey completing the trio, producing records for artists like Crystal Bowersox (finalist on season nine of American Idol), Bob Schneider, Pat Byrne (winner of the first series of The Voice of Ireland), Charlie Mars, and Steve Poltz. 


Melody Brothers first got together in 2016, when Eddie invited Brett and Billy to his studio for a writing session. Though Brett and Billy had just met, Eddie’s suspicions were spot-on: after just a few days in a room, the trio had three new songs to share. Conflicting commitments saw the band put their project on hold until the world shut down in 2020. 




The band refused to let anything get in their way this time. The project was revving up again, and even distance proved a surmountable hurdle. With Billy in Nashville and Eddie and Brett both in California, the group decided to pursue the project virtually, via Zoom and FaceTime calls. Their mentality: “never let anyone tell you that you have to be in a room together to write or record an album.” They started writing, and before you know it, they had written—and recorded—18 songs.


Having already gone through their individual trials and tribulations in the entertainment industry, the band knew exactly what they were looking for when entrusting a label with this project with Scallions commenting "Melody Brothers couldn’t be more excited and proud to be part of the Golden Robot family. As an artist, you are always searching for a team thriving on passion and love for what they do as well as for the music you provide. We have definitely found such traits in the Golden Robot team. The future certainly looks bright for Melody Brothers. Here…we…come.”


The excitement of Melody Brothers joining the Golden Robot Records umbrella can be traced straight into the office of Golden Robot Global Entertainment Group CEO and President Mark Alexander-Erber saying, "From the moment I met Brett in Los Angeles I understood why he is known as one of the nicest guys in rock n roll and I wanted to work with him, so signing him and the band to Golden Robot Records is wonderful and being a fan of each members accomplishments will also make this journey even more exciting. We can’t wait for the world to hear what the Melody Brothers has to share with them." 


The band is being overseen by well-established manager Paul Geary who is also excited by the blossoming relationship between Golden Robot Records and Melody Brothers stating "I am thrilled that Melody Brothers have signed a deal with Golden Robot Records.  These days it is very difficult to find a record label willing to dig in on the ground level with a new act; and GRR are one of those rare labels.  With A-level song writing, performances and an aggressive visionary label leader in Mark Alexander-Erber, the possibilities are endless.”


Melody Brothers are expected to release their first single via Golden Robot Records before the end of 2022.  

Adelaide’s Echoes In Eternity have dropped their video for “Reapers Release” on their official YouTube channel. Featuring ex members of Double Dragon, Acid Wolf, Closed Casket and Apophis , Echoes In Eternity have been smashing the content in the last 12 months - releasing their debut full length album Into The Negative through Dark Escapes Publishing and also dropping singles and covers songs of  Faith No More, Marilyn Manson and Neil Young to name a few.





Earlier this year Echoes In Eternity parted ways with their original drummer Andy Parkinson and recruited former Closed Casket drummer Scott Belmont, in preparation to their debut festival appearance alongside Alestorm, King Parrot and Skeletal Remains at the upcoming Froth N Fury Festival in their hometown of Adelaide. Find tickets at frothandfuryfest.com.




Comments Bassist Jason Moon “It’s been a very busy few months with the lineup change and completing the video for ‘Reapers Release’. The video was a fun process, we worked with local hip hop videographer Shagz and it was great fun shooting the video. The song itself is lyrically dark, and deals with the topic of suicide but from the point of view of immediate family at the scene first responders and the cleanup team. We can’t wait to get on the stage with all the other incredible acts on the line up.”

Japanese metal band Bridear have announced the addition of shows in France, Germany and the Netherlands to their forthcoming September tour of the UK.


They have also recruited brand new guitarist Moe after the departure of Misaki earlier this year. Lead singer Kimi comments, “Moe brings a real love of heavy metal to the band and is a great technical guitarist. Her power is second to none and we can't wait for fans to hear us come together live this September!"


Moe herself adds, "I'm so happy to be a part of Bridear and to tour overseas! Bridear fans are the best and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone!”




Having become the first Japanese band to tour internationally last year, Bridear blew UK & EU audiences away with their 2021 shows. Now, in celebration of their 10th Anniversary, they return this September armed with their brand new album Aegis Of Athena, which was released in May.


With the addition of three new European shows, the Decide To Survive tour will be a must-see experience for fans of J-Metal both here and in the EU. Bassist Haru says, "We have added shows in France, Germany, and the Netherlands after our exciting return to the UK! Come bang your head with us!”





Dates:


September
6 – Glagow, UK – The Attic
7 – Manchester, UK – Academy 3
9 – Huddersfield, UK – The Parish
10 – London, UK – Boston Music Rooms
11 – Birmingham, UK – Castle & Falcon
14 – Paris, France – Olympic Café
17 – Dusseldorf, Germany – Ratinger Hof
19 – The Hague – Musicon 


The London show at the Boston Music Rooms will be extra special as the performance will be recorded for a forthcoming live album. Kimi says, "This will be our first ever live album and there is no better place for it than London. London holds a special place in our hearts and we always have such amazing crowds. Don't miss it as we make Bridear history!"

Hamilton, ON’s Aquila return in 2022, after taking a short vow of silence since releasing two EPs in 2020 Valle Mortalitatis (Feb) and Jewel Of The Empire’s Crown (July).The band recently unleashed this past June their latest offering entitled The Great Fire, which continues their love affair with historical stories of the Roman Empire.


"We write about Roman events and themes like battles and certain emperors. It was brutal times back then, so the listener gets a little history lesson as well. I write my own twists and spice things up for the story in the song," adds vocalist Mark Arruda.


The Great Fire is a concept record of four songs about the Roman Emperor Nero who is known for killing Christians and The Great Fire of Rome (Jul 18, 64 AD – Jul 23, 64 AD). This recording is musically the most brutal and progressive material the band has written emphasizing the METAL into METALcore once again.




"This is our best material to date. It's brutal, heavy, and catchy and it's a rollercoaster ride. It has the Aquila sound still with some added influences to our sound. We have matured as people and as songwriters during this time of the pandemic. To be honest, this EP saved us from going crazy during these troubled times. It helped us stay focused and motivated through it all. I hope people give it a listen, we are metal fans and metal lovers. I've been in metal bands since 1999 and I'm, I mean, WE are so proud of this EP." comments Arruda.


The opening and title track "The Great Fire" starts off slow and then it explodes. It is the band's traditional straightforward in-your-face track with a Power Trip style breakdown in the middle of the song. The lyrics are about Nero causing the fire and that he wanted it to happen. From there you enter the "Emperor's Curse". This song starts off brutal and it is a rollercoaster of a track, traveling into Tool-like drumming and guitars with a catchy hook at the end of it. It's the most progressive song Aquila has ever written and was inspired by their own song, "Bound For Glory", from their 2009 debut album "Imperium". After a very brutal beheading and crucifixion of Christians to Nero taking his own life, track 3 "A City Risen" is about what Nero is thinking before he takes his life or even after his death. The song is at a slower pace, but hits heavy with many hooks. "I think it's my best vocal performance ever. I used my singing range for this one, not just straight death metal vocals for this one," says Arruda.





EP closer, "The Plague of Galen" was written when vocalist Mark Arruda and drummer Mark McGuire reconnected just before the Covid pandemic and felt it was fitting to write a song about a plague that happened in Rome many centuries ago. The song has a melodic death metal feel to it that you can certainly headbang to. The breakdown in the middle is crushing, ending with Iron Maiden-influenced guitar playing.


With all its fury and melodic groove, "The Great Fire" is just the next taster for fans old and new alike, as the band continues writing for a full-length album to be released in the near future. The band adds:


"We want our listeners to experience the emotions on this EP, there are elements to headbang to and elements of anger and sadness as well. Each track is different from one another with a lot of hills and valleys."


And local fans in Hamilton, ON will be able to experience them live for the first time since 2014. The band will be performing on September 2 at Doors pub alongside Kings In Graves, With Fists Open, and Demise of Ourselves.


The band's new music video for the EP's title track can be seen below:





The Great Fire is available on Bandcamp.

SiX By SiX, the exciting new trio formed by Ian Crichton (Saga), Nigel Glockler (Saxon) & Robert Berry (3; Emerson, Berry, Palmer), will release their eponymous debut album this Friday, August 19, via InsideOutMusic/Sony Music. Watch an unboxing video below:





SiX By SiX recently announced the publication of The Journey Internal, a graphic novel, as a companion to their forthcoming album. The Journey Internal will be published on September 30.  







The Journey Internal, A Graphic Novel is based on the songs of SiX By SiX, and is the result of a collaboration between the band and renowned Chicago-based artist J.C. Baez.


Though not conceived as a concept album, the band and the artist have woven the songs into a compelling tale of one man’s adventures and struggles. The Journey Internal is a poignant and captivating story of his quest to find beauty and peace.  Drawn in dramatic graphic detail, it chronicles the journey of Reign searching for sunlight in a very dark world. Following him from the highest highs to the lowest lows. The pages turn from battles of fire to demons in dungeons, from the confines of Reign’s inner mind to the realities encountered on the streets. From his solitude in battle to finding inspiration from a dream not yet realized.


Ian Crichton comments: “This graphic novel is amazing. The way that J.C Baez has blended the lyrics and captured the emotion of each song into a visually stunning graphic interpretation is simply amazing.


Nigel Glockler comments: “ One word sums up this incredible visual feast: stunning!!!


Robert Berry comments: “When J.C. approached us we were intrigued to see what he would come up with based on our songs. The results are masterful.”


J.C. Baez, a Chicago-based artist has collaborated with Jon Anderson of YES, Steve Hackett of Genesis, and Walter Koenig, of Star Trek fame, and now Six By Six.


J.C. Baez comments: “I am fortunate to be working with Ian, Nigel, and Robert, bringing their amazing musical ideas into the visual realm. The process has been very much a collaboration and I've been made to feel like part of the Six By Six family. This story is dynamic and exciting and I'm thrilled to work on this graphic novel which is in the vein of Genesis’s ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and other classic albums.”


The Journey Internal will be available for purchase on October 1 through www.StNicksPicks.com for customers in North America and through Burning Shed worldwide.


The roots of SiX By SiX can be traced back several decades to when Glockler and Berry were together as part of YES guitarist Steve Howe’s continuation of the band GTR. Then there’s the Asia connection, where Crichton and Glockler contributed to sessions and recordings, while Berry was the link for his guitarist friend Pat Thrall joining that band.


Time marches on, paths cross and fate brings these three musicians together, born from a conversation with an industry insider in the UK who connected Ian Crichton in the Toronto area with Robert Berry outside San Francisco, who in turn reached Glockler at his home on the south coast of England.


Powered by Glockler’s dynamic drumming, the result is an expansive guitar-driven pallet, paired sonically with the unique flavour of the Crichton/Berry songwriting collaboration, which they are very excited to present on this debut album.


Ian Crichton comments: “Throughout my career, I’ve been very selective about what to get involved in outside Saga and when opportunities have arisen, I have said ‘no’ far more often than I have said ‘yes’. When Robert's manager contacted me in 2020 and explained what Robert was seeking to do creatively and how my guitar could be central to the musical vision, I was intrigued. Now it’s over 18 months and many Zoom calls later, but crucially Robert, Nigel and I have also spent plenty of time together at Robert’s base in northern California. We’re three experienced players from three different countries, and with our six hands, we’re here to break the rock music mould. SiX By SiX is a band that we’ve built together and nurtured into a unique style that I'm very proud of.”


Nigel Glockler continues: “When Robert and Ian first approached me about becoming part of this band, I felt very honoured to be asked and absolutely thrilled to be working with a couple of guys I’ve admired for a long time. Robert and I first met during GTR days and we’ve kept in touch ever since. My path has crossed with Ian many times on the road over the years, so once the three of us got together in California it was like a meeting of old friends. Musically it immediately clicked and working within the framework of a three piece allows us to branch out in all directions and really push ourselves. I’m best known as the Saxon drummer, but I’ve always been a massive fan of progressive rock – Genesis and PFM are amongst my favourite bands! SiX By SiX is just the beginning of an exciting journey - bring it on!!”


Robert Berry adds: “After working with the genius of Keith Emerson and losing that musical partnership in 2016 following Keith’s death, I faced a daunting question: whether to bring down the curtain creatively or seek something inspiring which would reach new musical heights. My intuition was to lean into a dramatically more guitar oriented direction. But which guitarist is as impressive as Keith was as a keyboardist? At my manager’s suggestion, an incredible meeting of minds, style and future goals was struck with Ian Crichton. Was it luck, timing or destiny? I think it was all three because 3 is my lucky number. Ian and I were determined to keep this a 3 piece band (there’s that number again) and needed a drummer with a similar mindset and who is a solid, heavy hitter. My friend Nigel Glockler was the perfect fit. And with this extraordinary combination of friendship, musicality, and humor, a Brit, a Canadian and an American have come together as the brand new band SiX By SiX.”


Available as a Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g LP & as a Digital Album, now available to pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Yearning To Fly"
"China"
"Reason To Feel Calm Again"
"The Upside Of Down"
"Casino"
"Live Forever"
"The Last Words On Earth"
"Skyfall"
"Battle Of A Lifetime"
"Save The Night"


"China" video:





"Save The Night" video:





"Yearning To Fly" video:





Band interview series:








Background:


Ian Crichton is best known as one of the founding members of Saga, alongside his brother Jim. Saga went on to sell roughly 10 million albums world-wide and continue to perform around the world. As the driving force behind SiX By SiX, Ian takes a cunning turn, in assembling another potent band but one that focuses on his guitar prowess. This time with established players, each with a celebrated past, refined skills, and unlimited potential.


Nigel Glockler began his career in 1980 as the drummer for the British band Krakatoa. In 1981 he found an opportunity with singer Toyah. By the end of the year, he joined metal legends, Saxon. Except for two brief absences, Nigel has been behind his massive drum kit as an integral part of Saxon ever since. His powerhouse drumming is the engine that drives SiX By SiX’s songs forwards relentlessly.


Robert Berry first gained international attention with San Francisco-based Hush, releasing well-received recordings and then touring the USA. In the mid-1980s Berry’s first solo album garnered positive reviews in the most influential trade publications and attracted the attention of several major labels. At the suggestion of one of those labels, Robert moved to the UK to work with guitarist Steve Howe (of Yes fame) along with drummer Nigel Glockler in an effort to revitalize GTR. When GTR stalled, Robert partnered with British rock legends Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer to form ‘3’. With Emerson and Palmer, Robert achieved a top ten charting single and toured the USA. Robert’s melodic sensibilities complement Ian’s extraordinary guitar and Nigel’s signature drumming perfectly.


(Photo - Dave Lepori)

Ingested will release their new album, Ashes Lie Still, on November 4 via Metal Blade. Today, the band has shared a drum playthrough video for the first single, "Shadows In Time". Watch below:





Watch a guitar playthrough for the single:







Ingested offered a deeper insight into Ashes Lie Still as a whole, as well. "This is our most personal offering yet - 10 tracks of dark, brutal, and atmospheric extreme metal, written during some of the most difficult periods of our life and career as a band," Ingested explain. "We've sweat every ounce of passion into this record, and we can't wait for you to hear it in its entirety."


Ingested are the flagbearers of modern UK death metal. They have been churning out bilious anti-anthems for more than a decade-and-a-half, dropping a string of releases that have helped shape the genre. They return with Ashes Lie Still, their most dynamic, inventive, and daring release to date, holding nothing back. The band describes it as "a modern essential. It still has the core Ingested elements of groovy slamming riffs, quick drumming, and guttural vocals but there's also atmosphere, ethereal moments, and some raw old school aggression."


Over the course of 10 tracks, Ingested hack, slash, and steamroll through everything in their path, and Ashes Lie Still easily stands as the highpoint of an already impressive career.


Founded in 2006 in Manchester, England, Ingested have since toured extensively with Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Nile, Carnifex, and Revocation, and have been seen on European festival stages including Summer Breeze Open Air. Slimmed down to a three-piece, the band feels it is in the best place it ever has been, enabling the members to work at the top of their game.


Ashes Lie Still was co-produced by the band and previous collaborator Nico Beninato, with drummer Lyn Jeffs living close to Beninato's studio in Mallorca and recording his drums there, while Sean Hynes recorded his guitars at home in the UK with the producer assisting remotely. Vocal tracking was interrupted by Jason Evans falling seriously ill when finally making it to Mallorca and was ultimately tracked back in Manchester. Bass was again supplied by Dominic Grimard (Ion Dissonance/The Last Felony).


Ingested succinctly encapsulate their existence, saying, "We've always been the underdogs, always fighting for scraps. Well it's time to get out of the fucking way, because now it's our turn to eat at the table."





The album will come in several vinyl variants, all listed below:


* Clear with Black Smoke (US exclusive)
* Sunset Peach Marble (US exclusive)
* Violet purple marbled (EU exclusive ltd to 1000)
* Natural clear w/ white splatter (EU exclusive ltd to 250)
* White/orange color in color (EU exclusive ltd to 250)
* Natural clear w/ blue-purple, orange & black splatter (EU exclusive ltd to 250)


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Ashes Lie Still" (Feat. Julia Frau)
"Shadows In Time"
"You'll Never Learn"
"Tides Of Glass"
"From Hollow Words" (Feat. Sven de Caluwé)
"Sea Of Stone"
"All I've Lost" (Feat. Matthew K. Heafy)
"With Broken Wings"
"Echoes Of Hate"
"Scratch The Vein"
"Rebirth" (Digital version only; new mix by Christian Donaldson)


"Shadows In Time" video:





LIneup:


Jason Evans - Vocals
Sean Hynes - Guitars + Backing Vocals
Lyn Jeffs - Drums

Swedish heavy metallers, Trial (Swe), have set September 2 as the release date for their new full-length, Feed The Fire. The band recently released a video for the single "In The Highest", and today they share a guitar playthrough video for the track. Watch both below:










Twin guitars, romping rhythms, towering vocals and distinctive melodies - heavy metal is alive and well in the hands of Trial (Swe). Returning five years after 2017's 'Motherless' with new vocalist Arthur W. Andersson on board, the quintet is hungry, and it shows in the tracks that comprise the mighty Feed The Fire, perhaps the most urgent record in their repertoire.


"Hearing Arthur's voice made me want to write more up-tempo songs," explains lead guitarist Alexander Ellström. "That desire didn't occur to me prior to him joining. We owe him a lot in shaping the new record after his voice. The result is a fast-paced, ferocious yet melodic album, and is about giving everything for something you hold dear, and letting it ruin you. This is visualized through a canticle of a goddess. For me, the goddess is very specific, I know who the goddess is, and what she means for me. Are you willing to find your equivalent and let it engulf you? I will happily feed the fire knowing what I get in return."


Recorded at Welfare Sounds in Gothenburg, with Per Stålberg, Kalle Lilja and Olle Björk as engineers and producers, the band were in the studio every day for almost two weeks, and they approached recording differently than before. "On this album we focused more on playing with feel rather than perfection. In the past, we could spend too much time on parts that ultimately didn't end up better than the first takes we did. This time around we all felt much more relaxed about the situation, knowing what was needed of us to perform." The band also recruited none other than Tomas "Tompa" Lindberg from At The Gates to do some vocals on the song "Snare Of The Fowler".





Feed The Fire will be available in the following formats:


- digipak-CD w/ 2 bonus tracks
- 180g black vinyl (limited to 500 copies)
- transparent violet vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 400 copies)
- transparent orange/red splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 250 copies)
- wood brown marbled vinyl (Kingsroad & US exclusive - limited to 250 copies)


Pre-order here.





Feed The Fire tracklisting:


"Tria Prima"
"Sulphery"
"Thrice Great Path"
"In The Highest"
"Snare Of The Fowler"
"Feed The Fire"
"The Faustus Hood"
"Quadrivium"
"The Crystal Sea"


CD Bonus Tracks:


"Sisters Of The Moon"
"Die Young"


"Sulphery" video:





Trial (Swe) lineup:


Arthur W. Andersson - Vocals
Alexander Ellstrom - Guitars
Andreas Johnsson - Guitars
Andreas Olsson - Bass
Martin Svensson - Drums

Morbikon, the evil new blackened death metal project featuring guitarist/bassist Phil “Land Phil” Hall (Municipal Waste, Cannabis Corpse, Iron Reagan), drummer Dave Witte (Municipal Waste, Discordance Axis), and vocalist Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns (Finntroll, …And Oceans), today unleashes their debut video/single, “Universal Funeral”. The single serves as a teaser to the band’s imminent new full-length.


A creative effort of Land Phil exploring the dark corners of extreme music, Morbikon is guided by the second wave of Scandinavia’s black metal and melodic death metal scenes of the ‘90s.


Comments Hall, "Over the past seventeen years, I’ve had the great fortune of playing thrash and death metal all over the world and I’ve appreciated every moment of it! It’s no secret that I am a fan of almost every stylistic corner of metal, and there is one dark and evil corner in particular that I wanted to try my hand in. Morbikon was born from my love of the classic bands of the second wave of this style as well as from my newly budding interest in creating animation. It was a very challenging endeavor to write these epic songs and create an equally epic animated video. This first single is my very first foray into both artistic realms but I really enjoy the end result. I hope that you do too!”




Watch Morbikon’s animated “Universal Funeral” video below.





The “Universal Funeral” single is available as a lathe cut square 7” (limited to 100 copies), cassette (limited to 200 copies), and digitally. Find ordering options at the Tankcrimes webshop here, or Bandcamp here.


Details on the band's debut full-length will be revealed in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.





Morbikon:


Phil "Land Phil" Hall – guitars, bass
Dave Witte - drums
Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns - vocals
Quotidius - lyrics

Urferd is back with a new music video for "Strövtåg", a track taken from the Swede's debut album, Resan, released earlier this year. The video was produced by Andrea Mantelli. Watch below:





A concept waiting years to emerge, Urferd officially saw the light of day in late 2020. The first album, Resan, is a musical odyssey in both a literal and figurative sense. The album takes the listener on a journey through dark and olden nordic forests; where strife and hardships follow in our steps, yet where the beauty and vastness of the solemn nordic landscape persists and permeates.




From the album opening’s depiction of a serene morning’s dawn, to the closing track’s respite of a hearth at nightfall, Resan traverses a multitude of captivating musical landscapes and themes throughout its eight songs.


Urferd signifies the beginning of a new and additional musical chapter for its founder and sole member, Daniel Beckman, and brings a refreshing new perspective to the genre, challenging the boundaries of dark atmospheric folk music.


Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Gryning"
"Avfärd"
"Strövtåg"
"Hymn"
"Envig"
"Vaka"
"Hemfärd"
"Dvala"


"Gryning" video:





Trailer:

Little Caesar is best remembered for its version of the soul music song "Chain Of Fools,” a 1989 hit single from its self-titled debut album on DGC Records, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. John Kalodner did A&R work for the group, and Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe, etc.) produced its debut self-titled album, which was released to positive reviews. On the strength of the singles "Chain Of Fools" (a cover of the Aretha Franklin song) and "In Your Arms," Little Caesar hit #139 on the US Billboard 200 in 1990.


The band recently reissued its 2009 release Redemption and 2012’s American Dream. Both had been remastered and repackaged for a limited deluxe edition featuring four accompanying live tracks. Due to the great response to those releases, they are now remastering and releasing 1998’s This Time It’s Different in its entirety.


This album features the classic line up of Ron Young, Loren Molinare, Tom Morris, Fidel Paniagua, as well Earl Slick (David Bowie, John Lennon), and a guest appearance by Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive).




Ron Young had this to say, "We are excited to rerelease these oddball gems. It's sort of a behind the scenes look into our music and features some songs that had alternate lyrics, song demos, and tracks that the corporate ears passed on for a major release.”


This is the third in a series of reissues coming through the bands new imprint label Dirty Deeds Records/Deko Entertainment. The band will also be kicking off their European tour on September 8, in Belgium, making stops in France, Austria, Spain, and the Netherlands, before wrapping up in Germany on October 1.


There are limited edition bundles (while supplies last) for This Time It’s Different, which can be ordered here.


Product Includes:
- (1) CD Album of Little Caesar – This Time It’s Different - Autographed
- (1) Little Caesar T-Shirt
- (1) Little Caesar Sticker





Tracklisting:


“Hell To Pay”
“Downtown Mama”
“Ain't Got It”
“So Damn Tired”
“Tell Me That You Love Me”
“Same Old Story”
“Old Enough To Know Better”
“New Life”
“All Revved Up”
“Good Lickin’”
“Ridin' On”
“Down And Dirty (Live)”      
"Ballad Of Johnny (Live)”

American deathcore mainstays OCEANO have released a new song, "Mass Produced", via Sumerian Records. The official music video for the track, which was directed by Tim Burton (not the famous American filmmaker),can be seen below.

OCEANO vocalist Adam Warren commented: "As we unleash 'Mass Produced', it signifies a new chapter for OCEANO. I'm very excited for OCEANO fans everywhere to enjoy this song and video.

"To all the die-hards who connect with this band, thank you for your excitement. We have so much more to share with you on this journey. I'm fired up! Check our tour dates now! I'd love to see you while we're on tour soon, I hope!"

Fans will have the chance to see OCEANO at Kentucky Irate festival next weekend as well as on the "Dead In My Arms" 15th-anniversary tour with CARNIFEX, SPITE, LEFT TO SUFFER and CROWN MAGNETAR starting in September.

OCEANO's ability to encode such transmission within the framework of tight and technical heavy music remains a key to the band's success since 2006. Over the years, the group has ignited a diehard fan base. Picking up where critically acclaimed 2015's "Ascendants" and 2017's "Revelation" left off, the band expands its patented deathcore punch with brutal heaviness and moments of unrelenting technicality and precision in "Mass Produced".

Photo credit Nox Nohi

Destrage, who will release their 3DOT Recordings’ debut and sixth full-length album, SO MUCH. too much., on September 16, have shared a third and final preview of the forthcoming album with today’s release of “Private Party”, a track that features guest guitar player Devin Townsend. Listen here, and watch a visualizer below.


Federico Paulovich explains how the foursome came to work with Townsend: “We’re so excited to have Devin Townsend on one of our new songs! As the writing process for ‘Private Party’ was getting to its final stages, it started to feel evident that the song seemed to be written to feature his guest appearance. However, we knew that due to the insane amount of requests he constantly gets, Devin usually declines them all. The only reason he accepted this one was that I had the chance to record a song for his upcoming album and he thought it would be a good way to ‘return the favor.’ Devin is what I consider a true artist and a great source of inspiration of generations of musicians, we really can’t thank him enough for putting a bit of his magic into this song!”







Album pre-orders, which include two limited-edition vinyl variants, CDs and an album themed capsule collection of merchandise, are available now via the 3DOT Recordings’ webstore, here. Digital pre-saves can be found here.





SO MUCH. too much. tracklisting:


"A Commercial Break That Lasts Forever"
"Everything Sucks And I Think I’m A Big Part Of It"
"Venice Has Sunk"
"Italian Boi"
"Private Party" (feat. Devin Townsend)
"Sometimes I Forget What I Was About To"
"An Imposter"
"Is It Still Today"
"Vasoline"
"Rimashi"
"Unisex Unibrow"
"Everything Sucks Less"


"Italian Boi":





"Everything Sucks And I Think I’m A Big Part Of It" video:





Destrage is:


Paolo Colavolpe (vocals)
Matteo Di Gioia (guitar)
Federico Paulovich (drums)
Ralph Guido Salati (guitar)


(Photo - Pietro Agostini)

Wolfheart forms a raging blizzard of heavy metal with the release of second single, “The King”, cut from their upcoming full-length, King Of The North, out September 16 via Napalm Records. King Of The North picks up right where their last two releases - Wolves Of Karelia (2020) and the Skull Soldiers EP (2021) - left off, taking every aspect of their trademark blend of colossal melodies, earth-shaking vocals, gripping lyricism and driving rhythms to searing new levels.


Scorching gutturals from frontman Tuomas Saukkonen break through the ice on the new single as he is accompanied by epic orchestration packed with strings and horns. Heavy guitar chugs and powerful pummeling drums march through the track as Tuomas tells the tale of the hunt of the mighty forest god. “The King” is the album’s most glorious epic that unleashes Wolfheart’s exquisite balance of grandiose melodic atmosphere with crushing heavy guitars and pounding drums, premiering today alongside a new music video.


Wolfheart’s Tuomas Saukkonen about “The King”: "'The King' is about a broken sacred rule that forbids the hunt of a bear in winter. Hunter was only allowed to face the king when it was in its full strength. Bear was carried out from the forest head first because bears spirit was believed to live forever and only dead were carried feet first. The skull was hung in a sacred tree facing east where the spirits were believed to travel. Bear was truly the ruler of the woodlands and especially the death of the king was full of rituals and beliefs. The song also introduces our guitarist Vageliss as a vocalist in a leading role and his magnificent execution brings Wolfheart trademark sound into a new level."    







Each song on King Of The North is dedicated to a different story of Finnish mythology – underlined by Wolfheart’s grand, crushing songwriting and production. “The King”, for instance, tells the tale of the forest god with horns and pianos accompanying heavy guitar riffs and solos, before raising the energy levels once more on the relentless “Cold Flame” featuring Karl Sanders of legendary extreme metal group Nile. King Of The North is a true masterpiece of melodic death metal, crafted with loads of attention to detail and intricate mythology-driven storytelling – showcasing Wolfheart at never-before-heard artistic levels!


Tuomas Saukkonen about King Of The North: "After Wolves of Karelia it made a lot of sense to continue writing thematic albums, but this time I wanted to travel a lot further in history than 2nd world war and went straight to the tales about creation of nordic world, ancient gods of north and the majestic nature. The colorful theme also inspired me to write the musically most diverse Wolfheart album and also bring the biggest variation of vocals than ever before, putting Lauri and Vageliss in their well-earned spotlight."


King Of The North will be available in the following formats:


- LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Die-Hard Edition Marbled Crystal Clear/Black + Poster + Slipmat (limited to 300)
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Orange/Yellow
- CD 6-page Digisleeve
- Digital album


Pre-order here.





King Of The North tracklisting:


"Skyforger"
"Ancestor" feat. Jesse Leach
"Knell"
"Desolated Land"
"The King"
"Cold Flame" feat. Karl Sanders
"Headstones"
"Fires of the Fallen"
"Eternal Slumber"


"Ancestor" video:





Wolfheart are:


Tuomas Saukkonen - guitar, vocals
Joonas Kauppinen - drums
Lauri Silvonen - bass, vocals
Vagelis Karzis - guitar, vocals


(Photo - Teppo Ristola)