Former ALICE COOPER guitarist Nita Strauss played her first full live show with Demi Lovato last night (Saturday, August 13) at the Grandstand at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Illinois. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Shortly after the performance, Nita took to her Twitter to share a short clip of the gig and she wrote in an accompanying message: "Had a blast on opening night with @ddlovato !"

Nita made her live debut with Demi on July 14 with a performance of Lovato's new single, "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.

Lovato has just hit the road in support of her eighth studio album, "Holy Fvck", which will be released on August 19 via Island Records. The LP's first single, "Skin Of My Teeth", was made available in June.

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."

Lovato recently announced a fall tour in support of "Holy Fvck" featuring special guests DEAD SARA and ROYAL & THE SERPENT. The trek will launch September 22 in Wheatland, California and through November 6 in Irving, Texas. Prior to that, Demi will make an appearance at the Iowa State Fair on August 14. She also has a seven-date South American tour scheduled for late August and early September.

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.
Sorry (Not Sorry 🙃)
Had a blast on opening night with @ddlovato! 🎸🎸🎸🎸

🎥 Ryan DeFrain pic.twitter.com/oswP88WzoI

— Nita Strauss (@hurricanenita) August 14, 2022

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx has fired back at Andy McCoy, saying HANOI ROCKS guitarist is "just trying to sell a book, a album or club tour".

In recent weeks, McCoy had given several interviews in which he slammed Sixx over his account of his heroin overdose, as published in CRÜE's best-selling band autobiography, "The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band" and "The Dirt" biopic.

On Saturday (August 13), Nikki took to his Twitter to write: "Andy Mcoy has been on a rant saying I never thanked him for saving my life after a heroin http://overdose.It's true.I also never thanked him for getting me the drug's during my deadly addiction that night..I get it, he's just trying to sell a book ,a album or club tour…"

Less than two weeks earlier, Nikki seemingly also called out Andy for saying negative things about MÖTLEY CRÜE in recent interviews. Without ever mentioning the guitarist by name, Sixx tweeted: "Whenever other musicians start to slag us I usually look them up and realize they are in the middle of trying to sell a book, music, tour or something to YOU using my or our name. Things that make you go hmmmmm!!"

McCoy previously discussed his relationship with Nikki in an interview with IndiePower. McCoy said: "I'm not a farm boy like Nikki Sixx; I'm from the inner city. And I can't stand bullshit — like his books; [they're] full of lies. I saved the guy's life," he added, apparently touching upon a time when he supposedly revived Sixx after a heroin overdose. "And he makes up stories."

Referring to another one of Sixx's tales — of supposedly getting pummeled with a baseball bat on the floor of a London dealer's flat after another overdose — Andy said: "I mean, I used to play baseball. You think someone would survive if I [hit] him with a baseball bat? Hell no! Hell no, man."

Circling back to the time when he "saved" Nikki's life, Andy said: "I fucking got him revived, got his heart beating again. And the thank you I've gotten has been 'de nada'. I mean, de nada," he reiterated, using the Spanish phrase for "it's nothing." "And that makes him a second-class citizen in my eyes. 'Cause he only thinks about the buck."

HANOI ROCKS drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley was killed and two other people were seriously injured when CRÜE singer Vince Neil, whose blood alcohol level was 0.17, which was over the legal limit, smashed his car into another vehicle in Redondo Beach, California in December 1984. Last month, Andy told Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! that he "never even got as much as an apology from that motherfucker. You know who I'm talking about," he said. "I'm not gonna give any names. Why would I give him fame? Fuck him!

"Every time I see him, he runs away," he continued. "Because he knows what I'd do. But that's our business."

Referencing the fact that Neil and GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose publicly traded insults in 1989 after Vince reportedly accused then-GN'R guitarist Izzy Stradlin of assaulting his wife, Andy said that he would never do anything "like Axl did" with the epic GUNS N' ROSES diss track "Get In The Ring". "No. I'm a freakfire," he said. "I'm from the inner city. [Vince is] from fucking suburban California. You can never compare us, what we know. You read me, bro."

Also last month, McCoy called CRÜE "fucking ripoffs" for embarking on "their 25th goodbye tour or something," referencing CRÜE's current North American shows as part of "The Stadium Tour".

When "Waste Some Time With Jason Green" video podcast host Jason Green noted that he likes the fact that Andy is "so open" about his feelings about the CRÜE, McCoy said: "I speak the truth, mate. I don't lie, like Nikki Sixx, through my fucking teeth."

The 59-year-old Finnish-born musician, whose real name is Antti Hulkko, was then asked about CRÜE's decision to title their box set "Music To Crash Your Car To", a move that HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe had previously called "beyond disrespectful". "I thought, and Michael Monroe thought, [that] was the tackiest title, thinking about what had happened… That was in real tacky, bad taste," Andy said. "If you're European like me, it's something you don't do. You respect other people. You just don't wanna make a buck for yourself. You respect other people."

Speaking about the two people who sustained lifelong injuries in Neil's car crash, Andy said: "People forget about those two. I remember. I never forget. People tend to forget about them. And that was horrible. It was just plainly wrong. Fifty yards to the liquor store. I thought they'd walk. But no, this motherfucker — I don't care to mention his name; you know who he is — had to show off his second-hand fucking ugly Pantera, which ain't even a nice car to me."

When Green mentioned that the circumstances surrounding the incident were exaggerated in both the "The Dirt" autobiography and biopic, Andy said: "Like the party in that movie, the MÖTLEY CRÜE movie, in some mansion. You know what really happened? We were in a two-bedroom apartment. It was five people there. When I saw that movie, or clips of it, I was, like, 'I don't wanna see the whole movie. This is bullshit again. Hollywood bullshit.' [HANOI ROCKS bassist] Sami [Yaffa] was passed out on the sofa, and Vince's pregnant wife, who was on her seventh or eighth month. That's who was there, [along with me and MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee]. So the movie is just pure lies and bollocks again. And I can't go for that kind of crap. I want the reality out."

When Green mentioned that it is obvious how much of an influence HANOI ROCKS had been on MÖTLEY CRÜE in the early years, Andy said: "You can bloody see, can't you?"

Sixx previously addressed McCoy's criticisms of "The Dirt" in a 2005 interview with Wisconsin-Music.com. Asked about Andy's claim that certain things that are described in "The Dirt" are "pure lies", Sixx laughed and said: "You know what I love about that? You've got a has-been that never was just fuckin' grabbing at straws to get attention. I mean, c'mon, man. And nothing he says makes any fucking sense. You ever read the interview where he said that his band sold more records than our band? I was like, 'Dude, are you crazy!' [mimics McCoy] 'We sold fifty million records and they sold forty, we were a bigger band than them.' And I'm like, 'Dude, why do you care about my ass so bad? You won't stop talking about it.' He's got a fuckin' crush on me or something."

When the interviewer noted that HANOI's association with MÖTLEY CRÜE came about primarily because of the car accident that killed Razzle, Nikki said: "Sure. It's a very sad thing to happen, but dude, stop already trying to get attention for yourself. He's like the drunk chick at a party that won't stop splashing everybody. But she has bad tits. Stop! [Laughs] No one's gonna fuck ya. No matter — Andy, no matter how much you talk about MÖTLEY CRÜE, your band still isn't gonna make it. Figure it out. I mean, go talk about Keith Richards; maybe that will give you another fuckin' one album sale. [Laughs]"

In a 2005 interview with Metal Express, Andy called the description of the events surrounding the tragic car accident caused by Neil in CRÜE's autobiography "bullshit" and "pure lies." He explained: "I was there. What happened was Razzle disappeared, and so did Vince. The rest of us were chilling out, man. And he had a wife who was seven months pregnant. After an hour or so, she started getting worried. So me and T-Bone, Tommy Lee, took his car and we went looking for him. We drove past this accident. So I was like, 'What color was the car he was driving around?' 'Hey, man, we just passed the fucking scene of an accident with a bright red sports car all smashed up.' I saw Razzle's hat on the street, I went up, 'What the fuck's happened?' They said, 'You have to go to this and this hospital.' In the hospital, I walk in with Tommy, and I was asking about Razzle, and this doctor walks up, 'Anybody here know this guy called Razzle?' I said, 'Yeah, I do, his family.' 'Sorry, your friend has passed away.' I thought he might have a broken leg or something. I had to call the band, and you don't tell this kind of news over the telephone. I asked them to come to the hospital. And it was a pretty sad scene altogether."

In the same interview, McCoy was asked if he had spoken to any of the members of MÖTLEY CRÜE since publicly voicing his displeasure over "Music To Crash Your Car To". "The only one I talk to nowadays is Tommy Lee," Andy replied. "I don't know… Nikki Sixx has got something against me. Maybe he doesn't like that I tell the truth about his fucking heroin overdose. He was never beat up with no fucking baseball bats. The only place he got beat was on his heart to keep it going and with my hands, and giving him a breath of life. And he's a lard-ass anyway, so it wasn't easy carrying him around and trying to get him to wake up — fucking dragging him to the shower and shit. And then having to read how he was O.D.ed and beaten up with baseball bats and all this crap. C'mon, wake up. I warned him that the stuff was strong. But he wanted to be a tough boy, but with that kind of shit, you don't wanna be a tough boy, 'cause it might be a very thin line between life and death you're playing with. Is it worth it? No."

For his role in the Redondo Beach crash, Vince was charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol. His blood alcohol level was 0.17, which was over the legal limit. Neil served half of a 30-day jail sentence, received five years probation and had to pay $2.6 million in restitution, as well as perform 200 hours of community service.

Two years ago, Monroe told "The Classic Metal Show" that he was "not interested at all" in seeing "The Dirt". Monroe went on to say that the car accident "certainly destroyed a lot of people's lives. I've never blamed anybody — you can't blame anybody for an accident — but a lot of people's lives were shattered, "he said. "As well as the two teenagers who got paralyzed in the accident; I've heard that there was no mention of them either [in the film].

"It's a depressing subject and it's always like opening a can of worms," Michael continued. "And I just don't wanna get into all that. It's just useless."

Back in 2004, Monroe slammed MÖTLEY CRÜE for the band's decision to title a box set "Music To Crash Your Car To", calling the move beyond disrespectful and referring to Sixx as "shallow," "ignorant" and "stupid". "The 'Mostly Crude' gotta be as dumb as they are to have done that," he told Metal Sludge. "I'm not only talking about Razzle, but also for the other families involved in the accident... As we've previously stated: The most tasteless and murderous gimmick to cash in on the past we've ever heard of. There's nothing 'cool' or 'funny' about death or winding up a paraplegic for life. How low can you go? I'd say this gave bad taste a bad name."

Three years later, Monroe publicly apologized to Sixx, saying that his "unflattering comments" about the bassist were "really childish and stupid." He explained: "I just took it a bit personally when they called their album at the time 'Music to Crash Your Car To'. I thought it was inappropriate since it came across as if they were making fun of the accident, which I'm sure was not their intention."

In 2011, Monroe gave Sleaze Roxx his take on what happened that night: "There was an accident, and unfortunately our drummer was killed. As far as Vince Neil, I have nothing to say. It was an accident. What happened happened, and it can't be changed. Everybody suffered from the whole thing."

Even though HANOI ROCKS was formed in Finland, their trashy, hedonistic, decadent hard rock/pop-metal boogie influenced many Los Angeles acts, including CRÜE and GUNS N' ROSES.

HANOI ROCKS originally broke on to the hard rock scene in the first half of the 1980s, becoming one of the first Finnish bands to make an international impact. HANOI ROCKS's career was subsequently derailed after the death of Razzle. Internal tensions and the commercial disappointment that was 1985's "Rock & Roll Divorce" led to Monroe leaving the band that year, thus putting an early end to HANOI ROCKS.

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

Nikki Sixx photo courtesy of Jason Shaltz / SiriusXM
Andy Mcoy has been on a rant saying I never thanked him for saving my life after a heroin https://t.co/dCE0SUAcAP’s true.I also never thanked him for getting me the drug’s during my deadly addiction that night..I get it, he’s just trying to sell a book ,a album or club tour…

— 📷 (@NikkiSixx) August 14, 2022


Whenever other musicians start to slag us I usually look them up and realize they are in the middle of trying to sell a book, music, tour or something to YOU using my or our name. Things that make you go hmmmmm!!😂

— 📷 (@NikkiSixx) August 3, 2022

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has turned down an opportunity to appear on "Dancing With The Stars".

"Dancing With The Stars" is one of the most popular shows in the United States. It features a whole host of celebrities competing to be the best dancing couple with their professional dancing partner. Dance couples look to earn votes from the audience and assigned judges.

Earlier today (Friday, August 12), Simmons took to his Twitter to write: "Thank you @officialdwts Dancing With The Stars for the offer to be on the show. Respectfully passing. Wouldn't be fair to the other contestants. I won the Twist contest back in the Stone Age".

Since 2005, "Dancing With The Stars" has aired on ABC as the U.S. version of the U.K.'s "Strictly Come Dancing". Earlier this year, it was announced that "Dancing With The Stars" will move over to streaming service Disney+, the network's corporate sibling. It will be the first live series on Disney+.

During a recent appearance on the "Kicking It With The Koves" podcast, FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho reflected on his experience transitioning from the wrestling ring to the dance floor on season 12 of "Dancing With The Stars" in 2011.

Asked if he enjoyed his time on "Dancing With The Stars", Chris said: "I did, but it was hard, man. It is not easy to do. And I turned it down twice. 'Cause I was really good friends with Stacy Keibler, who was in the WWE, and she did 'Dancing With The Stars'. And she was a huge hit. If you go back and watch, she was one of the first kind of breakout stars from 'Dancing With The Stars'. Her legs were weapons of mass destruction, was what they called her legs. So she had a lot of influence on the show, and she kept suggesting me to the casting directors. And I turned it down a couple of times. When I finally accepted it, I remember I was on tour with FOZZY in Ireland and I was outside on the street talking about it. And I was, like, 'Listen, I've gotta do this. Because if I don't, I'll always wonder. And now I'm just a dick if I turn them down. They obviously really want me to do it, they really think that I can do it, so let me give it a try.'"

Despite his best efforts, Jericho was eliminated from the "Dancing With The Stars" competition one night after landing in last place on the hit ABC show. On an April 2011 episode, he and his professional dance partner, Cheryl Burke, collected 22 points out of 30 for a tango that one judge described as "cold, uneventful and a bit lumpy."

"I think one of the reasons why I did fairly good — I think I lasted six weeks or seven weeks — was because dancing is choreography, which wrestling has a lot of choreography, and you have to understand the timing of music: how to stay on the beat, stay off the beat, stay behind the beat," Chris told "Kicking It With The Koves". "And, obviously, as a musician and as a singer, that's what you've gotta do — you've gotta sing in time with where the music is, and that's kind of what dancing is as well.

"I don't think they expected me to do as well as I did," Jericho continued. "'Cause right out of the gate I have one chance to do something here. And it's hard — the first one is very hard. 'Can I do this?' And you do it, and you're just waiting for what the judges are gonna say.

"I enjoyed it, but, man, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done," Chris admitted. "Anybody that's done it, I don't care if you're on for one week or if you win the damn thing, it is not easy to be on 'Dancing With The Stars'. And you have to put the time into it… Even if you put the time into it, you still might not succeed. But if you aren't a hundred percent focused on this, you're not gonna last. And that's even if you have any aptitude for it, 'cause it's very difficult. It was a lot of fun, but it was very hard though."
Thank you @officialdwts Dancing With The Stars for the offer to be on the show. Respectfully passing. Wouldn’t be fair to the other contestants. I won the Twist contest back in the Stone Age 🤟😎.

— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) August 12, 2022

GRIM REAPER's founding guitarist Nick Bowcott has paid tribute to the band's singer Steve Grimmett who died on Monday (August 15) at the age of 62.

Last night, Bowcott took to his Instagram to write: "STEVE GRIMMETT (Aug 19th, 1959 - Aug 15th, 2022): REST IN PEACE, MATE. REST IN PEACE...

"This heartbreaking news has rendered me speechless ever since it was broken to me. And, to be frank, it has literally broken me, so I'm just gonna let the words flow from my heart and see what happens...

"Only the good die young - or so it is said. At the age of 62, Steve was young - too darned young. And, he wasn't just good - he was GREAT - freaking great: not only as a singer, but as a human being. IMHO, the only thing bigger than his amazing voice was his heart.

"As a metal fledgling, I first became (very!) aware of Steve in a local 'rival' band - he was in MEDUSA and I was in the band I co-founded, GRIM REAPER. The reason I put '' around the word rival is simply because we actually weren't rivals at all! GRIM REAPER always cheered on MEDUSA and vice-versa.

"Through good fortune (actually, I feel 'destiny' is a better word),a few years later, Steve joined GRIM REAPER and due to his voice, REAPER's music morphed from something that was very much THIN LIZZY & VAN HALEN inspired, to pure melodic metal a la MAIDEN and, of course, the mighty PRIEST. Then we co-wrote 'See You In Hell' and everything slowly but surely changed...forever.

"I've always said that my 5 favorite metal singers are: Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio, John Bush, David Wayne and - of course, Steve. Yep, IMHO he was, is and always will be that freaking good. Still can't believe he's gone - and my heart, thoughts and prayers are with his dear wife, Millie, his family, loved ones and friends....damn.

"Heaven came down today and took back an angel with a mighty roar. What a man, what a voice, what an honor, what a pleasure.

"Thanks for everything Steve, mate - you will be forever missed and your voice will always live on. Until we meet again - Rest In Peace, my dear, dear friend and comrade in metal arms."

Steve's passing was confirmed by his brother Mark Grimmett, who wrote on social media: "I don't really know where to start so I guess I will just come right out with it. It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart that I have to tell you all as many of you know him my very talented brother Steve Grimmett very sadly passed away today, my heart goes out to Millie his wife my Mum and Dad, Russell , Sami and Ethan . I will miss you more than words will ever say , love you bro xx".

Steve's son Russ Grimmett also shared the news, writing: "We can't begin to put into words the current feelings. But as dad was so well known the news is starting to reach out earlier than we would have liked. Unfortunately, our dad passed away today and leaves a massive hole in the world and our hearts. We are utterly heartbroken. Sleep tight dad. We we always love you xxx".

Steve's wife Millie wrote: "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to write but it's with a heavy & shattered heart to say that my beloved Steve died suddenly & unexpectedly on Monday 15th August.

"Wait for me my love. Until we are together again. Your Millie xxx

"(The family appreciate all the messages we’ve had so far but ask that you allow us to morn)."

Producer Max Norman, who worked on GRIM REAPER's classic third album, 1987's "Rock You To Hell", weighed in on Steve's death, writing: "Very distressed to hear that old friend and singer for GRIM REAPER, Steve Grimmett has left us... A terrific vocalist, and all around perfect gentleman - you will be missed my friend. Condolences to Mark and Millie and friends and family - a very very sad loss..."

Grimmett's passing comes more than five years after he had his right leg partially amputated in January 2017 when an infected wound on his foot spread to the bones in his leg partway through the group's five-week tour of South America. The life-saving surgery was carried out in Ecuador and the frontman was in hospital for just over a month while fans raised $14,000 to bring him home after his insurance company refused to pay because of the type of work he was doing.

GRIM REAPER's story bgan in 1979 after successfully fighting off hundreds of bands in a local Battle Of The Bands competition. This win, combined with an already sizeable following, aroused the interest of Ebony Records. Signing with the small U.K. label, GRIM REAPER released three albums in rapid succession to international acclaim. Due to legal turmoil with Ebony, GRIM REAPER would disband in 1988. Grimmett would go on to record with ONSLAUGHT, LIONSHEART and more recently THE SANITY DAYS. His renowed vocal range remains one of metal's most identifiable with loyal fans turning out in numbers to hear him perform.

GRIM REAPER was part of the "Hell On Wheels" tour which crossed the States in 1987, alongside ARMORED SAINT and HELLOWEEN.

Grimmett reformed GRIM REAPER in 2006 as STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER following an amicable decision between the singer and Bowcott, who both agreed that using the original name minus the other members of the classic lineup wouldn't be a proper reunion.

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER released two studio albums, 2016's "Walking In The Shadows" and 2019's "At The Gates".

Since 2006, STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER had made a number of European festival appearances and toured all around the world.

Earlier this year, Steve told VWMusic that he had "no regrets whatsoever" about how his career panned out. "I should by rights be a millionaire, but I haven't got a penny to my name," he revealed. "I'm on welfare at the moment because of COVID, and a lot of people do think that I am a millionaire, but I can tell you now, I'm not. I've never received a penny — not one penny — from GRIM REAPER, so that says it all, doesn't it? But still, no regrets. I still love getting up there and playing. I still love watching the smiling faces in front of me. That says it all and does it all for me."

Photo courtesy of Nick Bowcott

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Guitarist Chad Gilbert of the long-running pop-punk band NEW FOUND GLORY has been diagnosed with a new tumor in the spine.

Gilbert's latest health setback comes less than a year after he was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma, a rare type of tumor that develops in the adrenal glands, small glands on the top of the kidneys. A week after his December 2021 diagnosis, the now-41-year-old musician underwent successful surgery to remove the tumor and declared in late January that he was "cancer free".

Earlier today (Monday, August 15),Chad released the following statement via social media: "Dear friends! Was having really intense bad back pain on tour (which can happen from jumping around carrying a heavy guitar). I flew home early for an MRI. Unfortunately we found a new Pheochromocytoma tumor in the 12th vertebrae of my spine pinching on my nerve bad. I'll be headed into surgery tomorrow to get almost all of it out then hit what's left with some fancy radiation. Scary stuff but it's all about the little wins.

"Each day we've been having fun in the hospital and feel lucky with so many things and God's timing with all of this. If I didn't go on tour and inflame my tumor, I wouldn't have known early enough it was there! Then my band's love and support got me home to get scanned. Knowing me, if pain is making me not play a show, it's bad. We also discovered I have some very tiny nodules on my lungs but my amazing team feel very confident that it's manageable and at an early stage compared to where I was last time. My vitals and heart are great this time. Moving forward with today's amazing technology, I can be on a lifelong treatment that just keeps it all at bay. Like living with an illness but it's not life-threatening. I no longer have to guess if it will return and can just relax.

"So I ask for all the prayers, hopes, fingers crossed, or whatever you do for people you care about in times like these. For my rock solid angel of a wife @lisacimorelli and our beautiful dream of a baby, Lily Gilbert. Hoping to be home recovering Friday or Saturday!

"For everyone out there struggling with intense health issues and disease. I'm right there with you. Do your best to make the most of it and try not to waste too much time on fear. Process your emotions but no one's time is ever certain, with or without good health. We are all the same. Try to love and impact where you're at and what's around you and look for the depth of the people around you. See how incredible it is that all these people have been on their own journeys and are now connected to you for some reason. From doctors to nurses to the person cleaning your hospital room, everyone's story is impactful.

"Much love to everyone out there! Can't wait to be back out. See you soon!"

Last year's pheochromocytoma diagnosis was not Gilbert's first cancer scare. Back in 2010, he underwent thyroid surgery to remove a suspicious lump. While he was recovering from that operation, guitarist Anthony Raneri of BAYSIDE stepped in for Gilbert on NEW FOUND GLORY's tour.

In December 2021, NEW FOUND GLORY gave fans an early Christmas gift — a holiday album, "December's Here", out now via Hopeless Records. NEW FOUND GLORY helped fans get into the holiday spirit with eleven original songs, including singles "Somber Christmas" and "Holiday Records".

Earlier in 2021, NEW FOUND GLORY released a new deluxe album, "Forever And Ever x Infinity...And Beyond!!!""Forever And Ever x Infinity...And Beyond!!!" featured six new songs that the band wrote and recorded during the pandemic, including singles "Backseat" and "The Last Redeye".

NEW FOUND GLORY is Gilbert, Jordan Pundik (lead vocals),Ian Grushka (bass guitar) and Cyrus Bolooki (drums).

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Frontiers Music Srl has announced the upcoming release of Killer Kings' debut album, Burn For Love on October 14. Pre-order/save the album here.


Killer Kings is a musical alliance between Gregory Lynn Hall (ex-101 South) and Tristan Avakian (ex-Red Dawn, Queen Extravaganza). The band has released not one, but two new singles to introduce themselves to fans. Listen to "Burn For Love", and watch the video for "I Will Be Stronger" - which features a guest spot from guitarist Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Iconic) - below.


Killer Kings first came about when Frontiers Records President, Serafino Perugino, thought of bringing Gregory Lynn Hall, the former singer of 101 South, an AOR band who released three albums between 2000 and 2009, and Tristan Avakian, a very gifted guitarist who made his name in the '90s with the melodic hard rock band Red Dawn, together. Musically, Killer Kings mixes the AOR approach of both Red Dawn and 101 South with some interesting twists.




Gregory Lynn Hall has had a long history in the music industry, in all areas from studio work to live performances. Gregory pounded the pavement in the thriving '80s Hollywood rock scene, playing at all the rock venues from Gazzaris to the Troubadour to The Country Club. He eventually left L.A. after the '80s hard rock scene died down and became a session vocalist, singing on many well known Christian artists' albums. In the late '90s, he returned to California and in 1999, while doing a session in Malibu, he met Roger Scott Craig (ex-Fortune) and thus 101 South was born. Shortly after the first 101 South album (2000) was finished, Gregory was asked to join the band Heaven & Earth as their bass player and toured with them to support the Windows To The World album. He would then go on to record two more acclaimed 101 South albums and one solo record in 2014.


Tristan Avakian is a professional musician of many years with extensive experience in theater, touring, writing, and producing. Cirque du Soleil, Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Biohazard are just some of the names from the varied genres and artists he has immersed himself in. He has also worked with producers such as Steve Thompson and Rob Thomas and joined the Queen Extravaganza show in the USA. He is also known for being the guitarist of '90s melodic hard rockers Red Dawn, a band formed by former Rainbow keyboardist David Rosenthal, together with other two Rainbow alumni Chuck Burgi and Greg Smith, which released a critically acclaimed album for EMI Toshiba in Japan in 1993.





Burn For Love tracklisting:


"Burn For Love"
"I Will Be Stronger"
"Higher"
"In A Different World"
"Another Night, Another Fight"
"Phoenix"
"Two Ships"
"Losing Me"
"Do Or Die"
"The Pains Of Yesterday"
"Ain’t No End In Sight"


"I Will Be Stronger" video:





"Burn For Love":





Lineup:


Gregory Lynn Hall - Vocals
Tristan Avakian - Guitars
Alessandro Del Vecchio - Bass, Keyboards
Nicholas Papapicco - Drums


Additional Musicians:


Tommy Denander - Keyboards on "Burn For Love"

New York’s Streetlight Circus has inked a deal with UK-based label Escape Music and is set to release its third full-length album, Super Fine Sugar, on September 23.


The album features 12 songs written by singer/bassist David Shaw and arranged by Shaw, along with guitarists George Giannoulis and Alex Rude and drummer Erik Fehrenbach.


Recorded at Snake Mountain Studios in New York, Super Fine Sugar was mixed and mastered by Grammy-winning producer Bob St. John. The album features guest appearances by Tony Harnell (TNT), Brian Forsythe (Kix), Berton Averre (The Knack), Jon Auer (The Posies), and Jesper and Jacob Binzer (D-A-D).




Streetlight Circus plans to release a video for the title track in the coming weeks. Escape Music has released a visualizer clip of the song "Dirty Earth," featuring Tony Harnell. Watch below.


Pre-orders for the forthcoming Streetlight Circus album are available now at Escape-Music.com. The label will release and distribute the album throughout Europe, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Super Fine Sugar will also be available on all major streaming platforms. Streetlight Circus will soon feature pre-order bundles at StreetlightCircus.com.





Tracklisting:


"Super Fine Sugar"
"Drive It Like I Stole It"
"Cherry Cola"
"Ex Machina"
"Pay My Rent"
"Dirty Earth"
"Take Me To The River"
"This Means War"
"Trouble"
"Clown Parade"
"Zero At The Bone"
"Rattle The Cage"


"Dirty Earth":





Streetlight Circus has established itself as a force among the new wave of classic hard rock bands. The band has toured the United States and the United Kingdom, having independently released two acclaimed full-length albums and one EP. Streetlight Circus has rocked the stages at major U.S. festivals such as Rock Fest (Wisconsin), M3 Rock Festival (Maryland), Rock N Derby (New York), Rock Carnival (New Jersey), and Wolf Fest (Colorado). The band has shared bills with countless venerated artists as heavy as Megadeth, Anthrax, and Avatar and as accessible as Night Ranger, The Doobie Brothers, and Bret Michaels. Super Fine Sugar represents an exciting step forward for Streetlight Circus and the band looks forward to touring and supporting this electrifying new release.

Fan-filmed video of ANTHRAX's entire August 12 performance at House Of Blues in Orlando, Florida as part of the band's North American tour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and HATEBREED can be seen below.

ANTHRAX's setlist was as follows:

01. Among The Living
02. Caught In A Mosh
03. Madhouse
04. Metal Thrashing Mad
05. Keep It In The Family
06. Antisocial (TRUST cover)
07. I Am The Law
08. In The End
09. Only
10. Got The Time (Joe Jackson cover)
11. Bring The Noise (PUBLIC ENEMY cover)
12. Indians

Last week, ANTHRAX was forced to cancel two concerts on the tour — in Austin and in Dallas — "due to a medical concern."

ANTHRAX kicked off its tour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on July 26 at Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona.

ANTHRAX's setlist on the trek includes the addition of the John Bush-era track "Only", which hadn't been performed live since 2011.

"Only" originally appeared on 1993's "Sound Of White Noise", one of four albums Bush recorded with ANTHRAX during his 13-year tenure with the band.

ANTHRAX's tour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will wrap up in Philadelphia at the Fillmore on Sunday, August 28. Both bands are playing headline sets. HATEBREED, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the "Perseverance" album, is the special guest.

ANTHRAX's latest album, "For All Kings", which features current singer Joey Belladonna, came out in February 2016 via Nuclear Blast.

ANTHRAX celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021 with a number of special activities and events. Formed by Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, New York on July 18, 1981, ANTHRAX was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH.

Active over the past five decades, ANTHRAX has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple gold and platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with the "Big Four".

"For All Kings" was called by some critics ANTHRAX's strongest album to date. Its arrival followed a five-year period during which the group experienced a rebirth of sorts, beginning with ANTHRAX's inclusion on the "Big Four" tour, and continuing with the release of comeback LP "Worship Music".

TONIGHT - FRIDAY 8/12! Anthrax & Black Label Society presented by WJRR at House of Blues Orlando!

🔊 If you're...

Posted by House of Blues Orlando on Friday, August 12, 2022

Scorpions have released the official fan video for "Rock Believer, the title track of the band's latest album. Says the band: "Thank you for sharing your videos with us, seeing you all rocking out to our tracks means the world to us."





Scorpions previously released a lyric video for their new single, "Hammersmith", a bonus track on the UK edition of Rock Believer. Stream the single here, and watch the clip below.




The new single is not just an anthem to an iconic music venue, it is also a contemporary manifesto, showing just how much enthusiasm they still have for hard rock, the roots of their fame and original metal. “The song,” says Klaus Meine, “takes us back to a time when we played in the smallest clubs, just dreaming about being able to perform in the Temple of Rock, the Hammersmith Odeon.”





Whitesnake has canceled their upcoming North American tour supporting the Scorpions due to David Coverdale’s “persistent upper respiratory infection.” Scorpions will still play all the shows on the trek, featuring support from the Swedish Thundermother, beginning on August 21 in Toronto, and ending on October 21 in Las Vegas.





Tour dates:


August
21 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage
24 - Quebec City, QC - Centre Videotron
27 - Montreal, QC - Bell Center
30 - Detroit, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre


September
1 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena
5 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Casino **
7 - Belmont Park, NY - UBS Arena
9 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino **
12 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live
14 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena
17 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
19 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center
21 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Arena
24 - San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum
27 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
29 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena


October
1 - San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena
4 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum
7 - Fresno, CA - Save Mart Cente
9 - Portland, OR - Moda Center
13 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena
15 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome
18 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Coliseum
21 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay


** Scorpions only

Maryland groove rockers CLUTCH have the official music video for their spirited new single, "Slaughter Beach". Chock-full of bluesy rock swagger, the brand new track is available from all streaming services now.

Discussing the song, frontman Neil Fallon states: "The lyrics for 'Slaughter Beach' were inspired by a late night walk along the southern Delaware Bay. Odd things happen there."

The "Slaughter Beach" clip was directed by My Good Eye's David Brodsky and embraces the band's trademark story-telling skill. The track is included on CLUTCH's upcoming thirteenth studio album — "Sunrise On Slaughter Beach" — a slamming summary of everything that makes the band great and another giant leap forward into career longevity. It is set for worldwide release on September 16 via Weathermaker.

New bangers like "Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone)", "Nosferatu Madre", "Skeletons On Mars", "Jackhammer Our Names" and "Mercy Brown" take their rightful place alongside CLUTCH classics. "Sunrise On Slaughter Beach" is the natural culmination of what CLUTCH began as teenagers in the early '90s.

Recorded at the The Magpie Cage Recording Studio in Baltimore, Maryland, the album was produced and mixed by Grammy-nominated Tom Dalgety (GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD, PIXIES) with additional engineering by J Robbins (JAWBREAKER, AGAINST ME!, THE SWORD).

Track listing:

01. Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone)
02. Slaughter Beach
03. Mountain Of Bone
04. Nosferatu Madre
05. Mercy Brown
06. We Strive For Excellence
07. Skeletons On Mars
08. Three Golden Horns
09. Jackhammer Our Names

Drummer Jean-Paul Gaster initially thought album thirteen would be an opposite reaction to the polarization and uncertainty of the pandemic years. Perhaps something more upbeat, in the vein of 2013's "Earth Rocker". "The more the songs took shape, the less I saw that kind of an album," he said. "Something different took shape. The record we ended up with is, in some ways, the most different record we've made in a long time."

"Sunrise On Slaughter Beach" introduces some "firsts" into the CLUTCH canon: vibraphone (from Gaster),theremin (J. Robbins),and female backup vocals from singers Deborah Bond and Frenchie Davis. The album’s nine songs are a diverse ride, destined to please long-time fans and intrigue newcomers alike. It’s a new chapter in an ever-unfolding story which means as much to the fans as it does to the band.

CLUTCH has extensive tour plans to support the new album, including a set of U.S. headline dates this fall. Joining them on that 26-date run will be HELMET and QUICKSAND who will be rotating the main support slot nightly and special guest JD Pinkus.

CLUTCH shares more in common with THE GRATEFUL DEAD, RUSH and THE ALLMAN BROTHERS than their heavy riffs and heady twists-of-phrase might suggest. Because like those bands, the supporters who adore CLUTCH are there for the experience, community, and authentic connection. To love CLUTCH is to feel a sense of ownership, membership, and belonging.

Seneca Valley High School classmates Neil Fallon (vocals),Tim Sult (guitar),Dan Maines (bass),and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums) share an unshakeable musical and personal bond now three decades strong. Shaped by the same region which birthed BAD BRAINS, MINOR THREAT and RITES OF SPRING, CLUTCH crafts hyper-literate and libertine jams informed by hardcore fury and fuzzy, athletic, stoner rock.

Fallon likens CLUTCH's longevity to the story of The Three Little Pigs. "You can quickly build a house with sticks, but it falls apart. It takes a lot longer to build it out of stone. I feel like that's what we've done. This has been a marathon. It took a long time to build, but it's gonna be here for a long time."

Frontiers Music Srl announces the signing of Enemy Eyes, a new melodic metal band fronted by vocalist Johnny Gioeli (Hardline, Axel Rudi Pell, Crush 40). Johnny is currently putting the finishing touches on Enemy Eyes' debut album, which will be released this fall.





In the meantime, the band is pleased to present their debut single, "Here We Are" for your listening pleasure. Stream it on your preferred digital music service, and/or below.




Of note, this will be Gioeli's 100th official release as a recording artist after decades of multi-platinum, gold, and critically acclaimed albums. A true landmark recording in his discography and also the beginning of a new chapter.





Johnny Gioeli first came to prominence with Hardline, a melodic hard rock band that he formed with his brother Joey and which famously featured Journey guitarist Neal Schon on the band's debut album, Double Eclipse. Johnny has continued to front Hardline since the release of their debut album in 1992, including their most recent release, 2021's Heart, Mind And Soul. In addition to Hardline, Johnny has been fronting both German guitarist Axel Rudi Pell's solo band and Japanese-American band Crush 40 since 1998. He also released his first solo album, One Voice in 2018.


Lineup:


Johnny Gioeli - Vocals
Marcos Rodrigues - Guitar
Alessandro Del Vecchio - Bass, Keyboards
Fabio Alessandrini - Drums

International all-star melodic death metal project Act Of Denial - founded by lead guitarist and songwriter Voi Cox (Koziak, Victim) and guitarist Luger (Koziak, Benighted-Cro) - has entered the studio and started working on a new album that will be released in early-2023.


The band lineup is a metal who’s who and features vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork), bassist Steve Di Giorgio (Death, Testament), drummer Kerim "Krimh" Lechner (Septicflesh) and keyboardist John Lönnmyr (The Night Flight Orchestra).


The band's debut album, Negative, is available on all digital platforms and CD via Crusader Records. Negative was mixed at Studio Fredman by legendary producer Fredrik Nordström (At The Gates, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy). The album cover artwork was created by Carlos Del Olmo Holmberg.







Tracklist:


"Puzzle Heart"
"Controlled"
"Down That Line"
"Negative"
"Reflection Wall"
"In The Depths Of Destruction"
"Lost Circle"
"Your Dark Desires"
"Slave"
"Clutching At Rails Of Light"


"Puzzle Heart"





"Controlled"





"Down That Line"





"Slave"

Speed thrash death metalers Beltfed Weapon, featuring Frank Hetzel and his revolving band of legends, have released the new single and lyric video, "Head First Into Hell", from their upcoming Darkened Demise EP.





Frank Hetzel explains, "'Head First Into Hell' emerged from a side project idea with my friend Dagna Silesia who plays bass. She wrote half the riffs and I added my ideas and structured it out. The side project didn't happen, but I felt this song, 'Head First Into Hell' was very good and wanted to add it to the upcoming EP. I then reached out to Tim Aymar, as I really love his vocals, and asked him if he would be interested in doing vocals and he was on board, and Kragen and Bryan were on board as well. It is a honor to have all involved, not only on this song but the whole EP!"




"Head First Into Hell" features Frank Hetzel on rhythm guitar, Tim Aymar (Control Denied) vocals, Dagna Silesia (Warrel Dane, Ray Adler) on bass, Kragen Lum (Heathen, Exodus) on the main solo, Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, Nevermore) on the end solo, and Bryan Newberry (Into Eternity) on drums.





Beltfed Weapon's Darkened Demise EP, mixed by Juan Urtega, also features Steve Tucker (Morbid Angel), Jason Viebrooks (Exhorder/Grip Inc), and JD DeServio (Black Label Society).





"Frank Hetzel has put together an incredible lineup of musicians for the Beltfed Weapon EP Darkened Demise. When I heard the killer music and saw the list of talent involved in the project it was a no brainer for me to participate. Who wouldn’t want to do trade-off solos with Jeff Loomis on a couple of songs, right?! Metal fans should definitely check this out when it’s available!" - Kragen Lum


"I first met Frank Hetzel in the early 2000’s through some mutual friends. I learned he was a Nevermore fan and also a guitarist, so we hit it off right away. I consider Frank to be one of my closest friends and someone I can always trust and count on. He’s a great dude and I’m very happy to have played some solos on his new EP. The longer solo in accept your insanity was something I obviously spent a lot of time on as it needed some kind of storyline to it. I quickly found myself working away at it on a cold rainy day in Seattle, which is always the most perfect vibe and time to write anything dark in our ever changing weather conditions. I think the final takes turned out killer and adds a cool flow to the song. Frank has come a long way with his writing and I’m super proud of him with all his efforts and great work ethic. For fans of Thrash and just good metal in general, I highly recommend giving this a spin. In the words of the late Chuck Schuldiner, “Keep the metal flowing” Frank, and I’m proud to call you a friend." - Jeff Loomis


"Years ago I was searching on YouTube for projects Ronny Munroe former metal church vocalist was involved with then, and I found Beltfed Weapon's P.O.W. and I was impressed. So I checked out more of their stuff. Somewhere along the line Guitarist Frank Hetzel friended me on Facebook and he contacted me about writing lyrics and singing on some of his stuff. I just loved the riffs he came up with. so it didn't take long to get him my tracks. He didn't mention it at first, but I secretly hoped it was for Beltfed Weapon, and my wish came true. I hope to do much more with Frank and the gang in the future." - Tim Aymar


"When the world went nuts in 2019, I moved to the country and started farming to focus on sustainability. My guitar player Tim Roth from Into Eternity messaged me and said “Hey Newbs, my good buddy Frank Hetzel is looking for a drummer for his Death/Thrash band and I thought you would be a good fit.” I said “Ok sick I’ll check it out!” I met with Frank online and we clicked instantly, super easy going guy with a plethora of INSANE riffs! As soon as I heard the music I was hooked. Shortly after that I had my Engineer JB at Divergent Sounds Studios come to my farm and record me in my basement. Three hours later, we finished tracking drums for the brand new BELTFED WEAPON album! I am super stoked on these tracks and so thankful to be on a record with Frank, Jeff Loomis and JD DeServio to name a few! Get ready to have your ears blown away! WATCH IT GO!" - NEWBS


"After knowing Frank for many years, we finally sat down and wrote a song together and I’m stoked that it’s making it onto the new Beltfed Weapon EP. “Head first into hell” was lots of fun and pretty easy to put together. I admire Frank’s ability to assemble all the people, music and visual concept to drive his idea forward. The result is powerful and bone crushing metal and I’m honored to be a part of it." - Dagna Silesia


"My buddy Andy Beech put Frank in touch with me! The tune is ripping! It’s my first thrash bass track I ever recorded and I dig it!! 🤘🏼" - JD DeServio


"Being involved with Beltfed Weapon has been a killer time with killer friends. The songs are heavy and still maintain a hook as well. I'm super proud of what we've done and I for one am looking forward to bringing the stuff to the live stage in the future" - Jason Viebrooks


(Photo - Ylana Glickman)

Earlier today, August 15th, Portuguese dark metal masters, Moonspell, announced the cancellation of their planned North American tour.


Says Moonspell: "We have no other option than to cancel our American Fullmoon tour with Swallow The Sun and Witherfall that would start August 25th in NY and end September 19th in Boston. Unsolvable logistic and transportation problems are the cause behind this cancellation.


Together with our agency, Moonspell and STS management tried all the options available but we have no other solution than cancelling. We thank you for your understanding and apologize for all the trouble caused."




Witherfall has since issued their own statement, which reads: "Witherfall has absolutely nothing to do with this tour cancellation. We found out during rehearsals that the tour had been pulled, one week before the band were set to fly out to pick up our Bus. Witherfall had every last production detail on our end completely solidified. Airline tickets, Bus, Trailer, Driver, Tour manager, Shipping of Tour merchandise (which has dates printed on them that no longer exist!!!) Rehearsals, Witherfall Beer at venues and countless other expenses that will not be reimbursed. Needless to say, we are devastated by this news.


Each one of the aforementioned pieces took months of planning and every detail was carefully managed making this endeavor very time consuming and VERY expensive. The reality of the math is Witherfall will need to eat the upfront costs of over $12K not including what our crew, and band members will lose because they turned down other work. None of these expenses will be recouped.


We apologize to our fans that has had plans that were affected. We had every intention of bearing the cost to put the band out on the road. Again, we had everything planned and were ready and excited to get to play and meet the fans coming out. We are extremely upset by this last minute rug pull. Even the best case scenario the band would still be operating at a loss but that is the price of bringing our music to you all.


If you'd like to purchase a souvenir of tour and support the band (Tour Funeral Expenses) you can get one of these packages or a shirt here."








 

Portuguese dark metal masters, Moonspell, have announced the cancellation of their planned North American tour.


Says Moonspell: "We have no other option than to cancel our American Fullmoon tour with Swallow The Sun and Witherfall that would start August 25th in NY and end September 19th in Boston. Unsolvable logistic and transportation problems are the cause behind this cancellation.


Together with our agency, Moonspell and STS management tried all the options available but we have no other solution than cancelling. We thank you for your understanding and apologize for all the trouble caused.




We are already working on a North American tour for 2023. Will keep you posted. Please contact your ticket provider for reimbursements. See you under better circumstances, under the spell!


Note: Moonspell will play Candelabrum Metal Fest ,Léon, Mexico as a stand alone show on September 3rd."





Moonspell recently announced a very special Blu-Ray/DVD and album release: September 23 will see them present their latest studio album, Hermitage (2021), in its live form with From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep via Napalm Records.


Recorded live at Grutas de Mira D'Aire, one of Portugal’s seven natural wonders, From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep invites you on a memorable adventure worthy of a Guinness Book record. The recording boasts a one of kind sound and visual sensation, with its heavy dose of cinematic flavor, unreal atmosphere and the encircling, resounding nature in its raw form. Tracks such as “Entitlement”, “Hermitage” and “Apoptheghmata” perfectly settle in with the album‘s unique environment.


From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep is not only an epic live momentum of Hermitage - one of the deepest, heaviest and most sincerely heart-breaking records the band has ever written - but a truly revolutionary experience, as Moonspell brought along a select number of fans and a production team (literally) underground. Brilliantly directed by Guilherme Henrique, From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep is something truly special that you have never, ever seen or heard before.


"While the world agonized at home, we went deep down below, to a cave to record a DVD with some of our bravest fans watching it,“ vocalist Fernando Ribeiro comments. "Entitlement is the first advance of an unreal show, a performance like you’ve never watched, in the peace and quiet of a wet and dark natural gallery. From deep down below, our new live album and DVD is something never tried before and we hope it darkly entertains you until our next album comes in 2023."





From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep will be available in the following formats:


- BD/DVD Digipak incl. 2xDVD, 1xBluRay, 1xCD (plus a lot of bonus material)
- 2 LP Gatefold Black
- 2 LP Gatefold Marbled White/Black incl. Poster
- Earbook incl. 2xDVD/1xBluRay
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"The Greater Good"
"Common Prayers"
"All Or Nothing"
"Hermitage"
"Entitlement"
"Solitarian"
"The Hermit Saints"
"Apophthegmata"
"Without Rule"
"The Great Leap Forward"


"Entitlement" video:





Lineup:


Fernando Ribeiro - Vocals
Ricardo Amorim - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Pedro Paixão - Keys, Guitar
Aires Pereira - Bass
Hugo Ribeiro - Drums


(Photo - Rui Vasco)

Fan-filmed video of original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm's July 28 performance at the Ozark Empire Fair in Springfield, Missouri can be seen below (courtesy of Facebook users Gary Dean Ash and Kevin Matz).

In an interview earlier this month with John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com, Gramm was asked what he thinks of FOREIGNER's current frontman, Kelly Hansen, who has been in the group for nearly two decades. "Kelly is all right," Lou said. "He's a good singer. But I think Mick [Jones, FOREIGNER's founding guitarist and leader] really told Kelly, when he first got in the band, that he had to study me, because he sings those songs with the same musical innuendos and vocal licks and ad-libs as I have. He's mimicking me. His voice doesn't sound like me, but he's singing the songs the way I would sing them.

"Some people say, 'Well, take it as a compliment, Lou.' I don't take it as a compliment," Gramm continued. "You're a singer with a big band like that — use your voice and your style. Don't hang your coat on my hook.

"I don't think he should sing the songs verbatim like me," Lou added. "Maybe sing a couple of parts. But let his own influences show — show the fans that he's the new singer now, not me."

Asked what it was like to share the stage with Hansen and other members of the current and original FOREIGNER lineup in 2017 and 2018 to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary, Lou said: "It was okay. [Kelly] was bouncing off the walls. He couldn't stand still or sit still. After a song ended, I couldn't even get a word to thank the audience or tell 'em that I was happy to be part of the reunion. At the end of the song, the last song hit, and there wasn't a quarter of a second of space before he was yapping away to the audience… It was, like, 'Jeez, will you quiet down for a minute?'"

Pressed about whether it is "over now" for him and FOREIGNER, Lou said: "I think so, yeah. I don't wanna be a part of it. Well, Ian [McDonald, guitar] has passed away and Ed Gagliardi [bass] passed away, even though he wasn't part of the reunions. Two original members of the six are now gone. And Mick is in very poor health. I think when the new FOREIGNER plays, I've heard that he comes on for one song and then waves and goes offstage. [In the recent past] he would play the whole last half of the set. But then he was in the hospital again for weeks. He had some heart problems and his recovery time was very long and tedious. And I heard that he comes out for one song now — when he comes on. Most of the time FOREIGNER has no original FOREIGNER members in it."

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want to Know What Love Is".

The 72-year-old Gramm left FOREIGNER for good in 2002 and has battled health issues in recent years, including the removal of a non-cancerous tumor. He told the Democrat & Chronicle in 2018 that he was planning to retire, but still reunited with FOREIGNER for several shows that year.

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Hansen in 2005. Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012.

Gramm and Jones's June 2013 performance of "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Juke Box Hero" at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City marked the first time the pair performed together in a decade after Gramm left FOREIGNER for a second time. Hansen has fronted the group for the past 17 years.



Lou Gramm
Ozark Empire Fair
Springfield, Missouri
2022

Head Games

Posted by Gary Dean Ash on Monday, August 1, 2022



My Favorite Foreignor song off the album Agent Provocateur-That Was Yesterday
Performed by Lou Gramm last night at Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, truly Awesome night full of the hits!!! 😁😁

Posted by Kevin Matz on Friday, July 29, 2022



Lou Gramm
Ozark Empire Fair
Springfield, Missouri
2022

Feel Like the First Time

Posted by Gary Dean Ash on Saturday, July 30, 2022



Lou Gramm
Ozark Empire Fair
Springfield, Missouri
2022

Juke Box Hero

Posted by Gary Dean Ash on Monday, August 1, 2022



Lou Gramm
Ozark Empire Fair
Springfield, Missouri
2022

I Want to Know What Love Is

Posted by Gary Dean Ash on Saturday, July 30, 2022



Lou Gramm last night in Springfield. At 72 outdoing singers half his age. Mick Jones is really missing out on not having him in Foreignor…. He invited Everyone to come down In front of stage…. Excellent concert if you couldn’t tell.

Posted by Kevin Matz on Friday, July 29, 2022

Lou Gramm, Original singer for the band Foreigner
Springfield Missouri
Ozark Empire Fair

Posted by Gary Dean Ash on Friday, July 29, 2022

BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has revealed why Geezer Butler didn't perform at the closing ceremony of this year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

On August 8, Iommi and BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne reunited in their original hometown of Birmingham, England to perform the band's classic song "Paranoid" — preceded by a truncated version of "Iron Man". They were joined by two musicians from the band's final tour, Adam Wakeman, who played bass and keyboards, and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

Speaking to BirminghamLive about Butler's absence from the event, Iommi said: "I don't think he wanted to come over as he hadn't been well with Covid. He'd been on holiday to Kenya and to Italy and had had an accident on a boat, cracking or breaking a rib about three weeks ago, so he was not quite in fine fettle to come over to play. It's a shame because we'd talked for a long time about the possibility of playing at the Commonwealth Games."

A few years ago, Ozzy said that he was open to the possibility of a SABBATH reunion at the Commonwealth Games, telling ITV that it "would be fantastic" to play at the the opening ceremony for the 2022 Games. "With BLACK SABBATH or on my own," he said at the time.

Late last month, Iommi took part in the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. Iommi and acclaimed saxophonist Soweto Kinch led a "dream sequence" piece, titled "Hear My Voice", based on the lead track from the 2020 film "Trial Of The Chicago Seven" at the event on July 28. After Tony and Soweto played an extended instrumental lead-in, they were joined by the City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and a 700-strong community choir.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games saw around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 sports and eight para-sports across 15 competition venues from July 28 July until August 8.

Sharon Osbourne spoke about her husband's appearance at the Games on Talk TV, telling the channel: "They asked us six months ago, and Ozzy couldn't possibly have done it till after his last operation. They saw Ozzy was at Comic-Con and they said, 'All right. Come on. Get him over.' And we were, like, 'All right.' And literally it was six days from their phone call to getting him there. It was just incredible."

Tony said about Ozzy's appearance at the event: "I never thought that Ozzy would be able to come and perform at the Commonwealth Games because of his operation. And then when he said he was coming over we were asked to keep it all a secret so that nobody would know."

Last year, Iommi was asked by The Mercury News about the possibility of another BLACK SABBATH tour at some point in the not-too-distant future. He laughed and replied: "I wouldn't think so. But it's a strange thing with SABBATH — how many times we thought we were with Ozzy, then we had [Ronnie James] Dio, then back to Ozzy, then Dio again, and then Ian Gillan and Tony Martin and Dio and back to Tony Martin. It's gone backwards and forwards at different stages. So, you just never know.

"I think it's highly unlikely that we'd get back onstage again," he said. "It certainly wouldn't be touring. We'd only do so many shows, if anything.

"I would like to play with the guys again. But I can't see that happening.

"The reason we stopped touring in the first place was basically my fault, because I had to be careful of my health," Iommi explained. "When you book a tour — and it's always an 18-month tour — it doesn't sound a lot when you talk about it at first. But when you get out there, and you are touring, it's bloody hard work. And it wasn't particularly good for my health, because of the blood cancer. So, I said, 'Look, you know, this should the last tour, I think.' But I really do miss it. I really miss playing onstage. I miss seeing the audience."

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

According to CNN, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's decision to post a nude photo on social media has sparked a debate, with critics accusing Instagram and Facebook of delaying its removal and double standards.

After Lee shared the full-frontal selfie on Thursday, with the caption "Ooooopppsss", Instagram and Facebook took it down within hours for violating nudity rules.

However, the graphic image, which showed the heavily tattooed musician naked while sitting on the edge of a tub, was up for at least four hours, which was described by one Twitter user as "an insane amount of time." This has led to an outcry against social media companies for applying what critics say is a double standard in platform guidelines that favor cisgender men.

One user commented that Lee's penis picture "was on Instagram for 5+ hours before being pulled yet queer artists get banned all the time for art that doesn't even show genitalia."

"Girls can't post photos with cleavage on Instagram without it being taken down but Tommy Lee can post THAT. nah," another wrote.

Another person said: "@instagram literally has the clearest double standard among their community guidelines."

Many of the 59-year-old drummer's 1.5 million Instagram followers called Lee out for sharing the image in the comments of the controversial post.

"Instagram guidelines said idgaf today," one user wrote.

"So we just gon pretend nothing happened huh," added a second user.

"following tommy lee on instagram is interesting enough but i- sigh. that was traumatizing. how is it still up," wrote a Twitter user who posted a meme of a person washing their eyes out with bleach.

"So Tommy Lee can post a picture of his penis on @instagram that's still up three hours later but a picture of my curvy booty in a thong bikini gets taken down? Cool, cool," tweeted journalist Lola Méndez. She also compared seeing Tommy's picture on social media to getting an unsolicited picture of a penis.

Before the photo was removed, Lee's wife, Brittany Furlan, commented on the picture with "OH MY GOD," and the dating app Grindr responded with, "Wrong app, babe".

Instagram explicitly states that it does not allow nude photos.

"This includes photos, videos, and some digitally-created content that show sexual intercourse, genitals, and close-ups of fully-nude buttocks," it says on its web site. "It also includes some photos of female nipples, but photos in the context of breastfeeding, birth giving and after-birth moments, health-related situations or an act of protest are allowed."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen and drummer Kai Hahto spoke to Knotfest about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." album. Tuomas said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, actually, for the past few weeks, we have been listening to a demo of the next album. Because of COVID, lots of free time, I decided to use that well, so I wrote all the songs for the next album, demoed it, wrote the lyrics, and now we have been brainstorming over it with these guys," he added, referring to Hahto and the rest of NIGHTWISH.

Added Kai: "Yeah, it's been great. The six of us, in the same room, listening to fresh demos for the upcoming album, checking the lyrics and the vocal parts and stuff like that. So it's been wonderful. This man [Tuomas] has been really productive."

Earlier in the month, Tuomas told Rock Sverige that he spent "about a year" working on the music and lyrics for the next NIGHTWISH album, "and then we finished the demos about two months ago. We're hitting the studio next summer, so in about a year from now," he revealed. "Like I said, might as well use the time for something."

Asked if he got any kind of inspiration from the pandemic, Tuomas said: "Yeah, lyrically there's a couple of things that reflects the pandemic, but not in the way you would expect."

"Human. :II: Nature." was released in April 2020. The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.

In July 2021, NIGHTWISH played a special "secret" concert in Oulu, Finland as a warm-up for its festival appearances in Finland. The gig marked NIGHTWISH's first fan-attended show in more than two and a half years. It was also NIGHTWISH's first proper concert with session bassist Jukka Koskinen's (WINTERSUN),who stepped into the group as the replacement for longtime NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marko "Marco" Hietala. Hietala announced his departure from the band in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now."

Koskinen made his live debut with NIGHTWISH at the band's two interactive experiences in May 2021. The shows reportedly drew 150,000 viewers, setting the record for the largest paid virtual concert in Finland's history. Most of the viewers came from Europe and North America, but the performance was a truly global event, with fans in 108 countries purchasing tickets to the show and the box office gross exceeding one million euro.

In May 2021, Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave NIGHTWISH "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December [of 2020 that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

Video of KISSER CLAN, the project featuring SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser and his 24-year-old son Yohan Kisser, performing a cover of the METALLICA classic "The Call Of Ktulu" on August 7 at eFestival in São Paulo, Brazil can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube channel EuViajandoComVc).

As previously reported, Andreas rejoined his SEPULTURA bandmates on stage for the first time since the death of his wife on July 27 at the Festival de Inverno de Garanhuns in São José, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Patricia Perissinoto Kisser passed away on July 3 after a battle with colon cancer. She had just turned 52 years old one day earlier.

Andreas and the couple's three children, Giulia, Yohan and Enzo, announced Patricia's death in a social media post. They wrote: "It is with deep sadness that we have to share that Patricia Perissinoto Kisser passed away this morning. She will remain in are memories forever.

"We want to thank all our friends and family for all the support and messages of love.

"We ask for privacy during this difficult time."

In a separate Portuguese-language post on his personal Instagram, Andreas called Patricia his "best friend and "inspiration" and praised her for facing her illness "head on, with strength and determination." He added: "My admiration for you is eternal. I'm sure we'll cross paths again in some dimension beyond this earth."

Andreas and Patricia had been together for 32 years after first getting together in 1990. They married in 1994.

In late June, Andreas left SEPULTURA's European tour due to what was described at the time as a "family emergency." He was temporarily replaced on the road by Jean Patton of fellow São Paulo, Brazil-based heavy metal act PROJECT46.

Last September, Andreas revealed during an appearance on TRIVIUM frontman Matt Heafy's "GLHF" podcast that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer in February 2021. He said at the time: "She's going through chemo, like surgeries and stuff. She's doing great; she's doing well; the treatment is fantastic. But it's an atomic bomb one after another — pandemic, cancer and stuff. And regardless of that, we're strong. We're very united, we are growing as a band and as a family, and myself as a human being."

In July 2021, Kisser told A&P Reacts that he quit drinking alcohol right before the pandemic hit. At the time, he said that getting sober "was one of the best decisions I made in my life" and added that it improved his relationships with everyone around him, including his family.

"The stuff that I have with my wife and my kids, that I'm never home [when SEPULTURA is in the middle of an album cycle], I'm always here now," he said. "It was a difficult time, but we recreated ourselves kind of. We are a better family now — a much better family now. And that's very special. And I have to be thankful for that somehow, that I was able really to make the best out of something so terrible."

Kisser joined SEPULTURA in 1987 as the replacement for Jairo Guedz. Kisser's first studio outing with SEPULTURA was the same year's "Schizophrenia", an album that demonstrated a marked improvement from the band's 1986 "Morbid Visions" debut, not only in the lead-guitar department but in songwriting and production. Kisser's lead playing would go on to figure more prominently on ensuing SEPULTURA releases, particularly 1989's "Beneath The Remains" and 1991's "Arise", serving as the ideal complement to Max Cavalera's rhythm guitar work. Kisser has since assumed virtually all guitar duties since Cavalera's acrimonious 1996 split from SEPULTURA and now serves as the band's main songwriter. Today, Kisser and bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. are the only holdovers from SEPULTURA's classic lineup.

Although DEATH is considered to be one of the most important and influential death metal acts of all time, the Florida-based band did not release its debut album, "Scream Bloody Gore", until 1987 — two years after the arrival of "Seven Churches" by California's POSSESSED, whose bassist/vocalist, Jeff Becerra, is credited by some with initially creating the term "death metal" in 1983. In a new interview with the "Fantasm" podcast, Kam Lee, who was a member of an early version of DEATH as well as the pre-DEATH band MANTAS alongside guitarist/vocalist Chuck Schuldiner and guitarist Rick Rozz, once again weighed in on the never-ending debate on who can lay claim to being the first "true" death metal band: DEATH or POSSESSED. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "POSSESSED came first, because we all heard the POSSESSED demo in the tape trading. We were tape trading and we got the POSSESSED demo. And there's where you can hear the change, because we were sounding different — we were sounding very much like VENOM in the first MANTAS demo; very, veryVENOM cloning. As soon as we heard that POSSESSED demo… It was two bands, actually, that literally changed everything in DEATH — the POSSESSED demo and SLAYER's 'Show No Mercy'. Those two things right there changed everything. Because once we heard SLAYER's 'Show No Mercy', as far as the speed and aggression, and we heard POSSESSED, as far as the technicality of the guitars and the way that Jeff was singing, that's when we changed. We said, 'Okay, we need to be a combination of all three of these — we need to be a combination of the rawness of VENOM, the fast energy of SLAYER and that just evil, screechy and guitar ripping ways of POSSESSED. That literally was it. There's the three bands that are the blueprint of death metal, as far as I'm concerned."

A little over a month ago, Kam was asked to elaborate on his recent comment during an appearance on "That Metal Interview" podcast that "Chuck ripped off POSSESSED"

"I guess that was actually a bad choice of wording," Kam admitted to VWMusic. "Saying 'ripped off' makes it sound bad. I guess the proper wording should be 'took heavy influence from.' Although you could say that I ripped off HELLHAMMER and Tom G. Warrior, and I'm not going to get butthurt about it. I won't because it's fact. Yet some people don't care about facts. They just want to keep believing the fiction they bought into because it fits the messianic mold their 'hero-worshipping' icons have been fitted for. It disrupts their ideology and topples the tower when they hear their gods might not be as almighty as they once believed. It's that same sunken feeling when a kid for the first time is discovering that just maybe Santa Claus is not real. It hurts their feelings. Worse yet are those others out there manipulating those people who are hurt. Some people are just trying to jump on the pity party bandwagon with that one."

He continued: "I got a lot of hate from that statement, though it wasn't intended to downplay Chuck's influence on music, but rather to end the debate of who came first, DEATH or POSSESSED. Sadly, morons spun it to change the narrative, to fit their agenda, and to further instigate and cause strife."

Lee added: "Do I feel Chuck's influence is overstated? Let me put it this way — for the 'product and commodity,' his legacy became post mortem. In order to keep reselling and repressing albums, it's exactly what it's being marketed as. No, it's actually exactly what one should expect from a product sales pitch. I mean, you've got to make sure that your product is the people's choice, right? It's Coca-Cola vs Pepsi. McDonald's vs Burger King. Starbucks vs Dunkin Donuts. In the end, the company with the better commercial is always going to win over the masses."

In a recent interview with the "The Haunting Chapel" podcast, Becerra, who was shot in a robbery in 1989, leaving him partially paralyzed and wheelchair-bound, weighed in on the "DEATH vs. POSSESSED" debate. He said in part: "We [POSSESSED] were selling ourselves as a death metal band, and that was what we went with. And to this day, it's both a blessing and a curse because it's highly debated and contested. And we literally, after I got shot, certain revisionists tried to block me out of history. The POSSESSED Wiki is the most vandalized page of Wikipedia. There was a certain person — he recently passed away — that was just relentlessly retitling our YouTube, moving our dates forward, messing with the timeline. It was like a battle. When I left, we were the death metal guys. When I came back, it was no more. So I had to fight for my own history back, which was weird. 'Cause there's no cool way to do that, because it sounds like you're tooting your own horn.

"I'm not saying I created death metal; I'm saying POSSESSED was the first death metal band," Jeff explained. "And it's a bone of contention with many DEATH fans. And because of the way that their management spun it and the way that the magazines spun it… Remember, me and Chuck [Schuldiner, DEATH guitarist/vocalist] were friends. He literally was like my protégé. He moved out to Antioch [California from Orlando]; he lived at the [house of the then-]POSSESSED fan club [president Krystal Mahoney]. He was pen paling for a while and tape trading. And he very much modeled himself after me. I was so honored because, remember, I'm just a young teenager. But he was the first person to really get what we were doing, what I was doing, and he was the first person that really understood what it was about. And he was so smart that way because it was undefined and so hard to explain what it is, without putting rules on it, because the last thing you wanna do is put rules on anything and stifle it. But he would just grasp it; he loved it. He said, 'Listen, Jeff. I sound just like you.' And he was proud of that. And I was proud of him. And there was a bromance going there. It was a respect.

"I've never been jealous of another band," Becerra clarified. "I've never claimed anything that wasn't mine. And it's just so obscure to see people trying to claim what they know they wouldn't do in front of me. They know what they didn't do; I was fucking there. And I'm not hating on anybody, but it's a very coveted position.

"What makes me mad is when the magazines spin this 'DEATH or POSSESSED, DEATH versus POSSESSED.' And it even tainted the relationship between DEATH and POSSESSED, and that pisses me off, because we were friends.

"I realize that metal is supposed to be fun," Jeff added. "But there's also something very valid about true history and not revising stuff — not just with POSSESSED but any band. And the way it's spun is, like, bands will exaggerate what they did and the writers will be eager to impress who they're writing about, because the last thing a writer wants is for the band to go, 'This is fucking fucked up.'

"In the old days, it was very truthful. People did their research. They didn't have clickbait. There was no 'POSSESSED versus DEATH.' I hate that shit. Because if Chuck was alive today, I'd like [us to] collaborate. And I don't like it fucking with my remembrance of what it really was. I like the history. Maybe I'm being weird about it, but I think that the truth is so much better than the tale."

Becerra told Antihero in 2017 that Schuldiner cited POSSESSED as a "primary influence" in "countless" magazine interviews. But even though DEATH was inspired by POSSESSED, "they ran with it and went in their own direction and created their own vibe," Jeff said. "To go a step further: Chuck used ['80s death/thrash producer] Randy Burns, who did 'Seven Churches' to do 'Scream Bloody Gore', his first album. He also did a cover of [POSSESSED's] 'The Exorcist'."

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

POSSESSED originally split in 1987, leaving behind a short but highly influential legacy, most notably "Seven Churches". Internal tensions after the release of 1987's "The Eyes Of Horror" EP led to the band's dissolution, with guitarist Larry Lalonde joining Bay Area tech-thrashers BLIND ILLUSION, then PRIMUS, while Becerra, guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus each going separate directions.

Two years after POSSESSED's split, Becerra was the victim of the aforementioned failed armed robbery attempt, sending him into a spiral of drug and alcohol abuse. POSSESSED was reactivated by Torrao in 1990 with a completely different lineup, but only released two demos before dissolving in 1993. Becerra then reformed POSSESSED in 2007 with his own lineup, which released its first studio album in 33 years, "Revelations Of Oblivion", in 2019.

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Chuck Shute Podcast", guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the third album from THE WINERY DOGS, his power trio with legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, TALAS, DAVID LEE ROTH) and drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD). He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "THE WINERY DOGS, the third album, the music exists. It's been mixed. It's been approved, and it has been mastered. So what we're looking at now is when are we going to put it out? But the consensus seems to be that next year, 2023, will be THE WINERY DOGS year. I think the three of us really are excited about getting back at it. It's been way too long." Kotzen went on to say that dates are being put together for THE WINERY DOGS' upcoming tour, which is expected to kick off early next year.

This past February, Kotzen told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that THE WINERY DOGS recorded 10 songs for their third album. "But we did actually talk about maybe getting together again, just 'cause we like spending time together," he said. "So I don't know if there's gonna be more. But there's 10 that I'm very happy with, and I think people that like the band will be happy with it as well."

In January, Richie told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the musical direction of the new WINERY DOGS material and how it compares to the band's first two albums: "Well, you know, we never discuss direction; we just go and write and see what comes out. But in sitting back and listening to it, as it is now in its current state, it reminds me more of the first album than the second album, only because on the second album, I think, the production, we went into a few different directions. Some of the songs — I don't know — I think we explored some territory on the second record that didn't exist on the first record. And this stuff, to me, sounds a little more raw, I guess you'd say — maybe more true to what the band sounds like live, like a trio. It might be 'cause I didn't really do a lot of overdubs — it's really just guitar, bass and drums. Like I said, I don't know where it's gonna end up, 'cause there's still plenty of opportunity for me to totally fuck this thing up. Nah, I think it's gonna be good; I think people are gonna like it. I play it in my car here and there, and I like it. Like I said, it's just a matter of getting their voices on there — some harmonies — and some percussion. Maybe a couple of little guitar [bits] — maybe I'll double a couple of lines here or there; that sort of thing. But I'm trying to keep it pretty raw, pretty power trio-sounding."

THE WINERY DOGS were founded in 2012 after Portnoy and Sheehan — who initially aimed to collaborate with former WHITESNAKE and BLUE MURDER guitarist John Sykes — reached out to Kotzen, who played with Sheehan in MR. BIG from 1997 to 2002. The group's self-titled debut reached No. 27 on the Billboard 200 after selling more than 10,000 copies in the U.S. during its first week of availability. The initial sales of follow-up effort "Hot Streak" were even better, as the album debuted at No. 30 in late 2015 after shifting 13,000 equivalent album units in America during its first week of availability.

Last September, Mike told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the new WINERY OGS music: "I would say somewhere [between the first and the second albums]. It's hard for me to have that real perspective that anybody listening does 'cause when you're writing and recording it, it all becomes important to you. It's hard to tell; it's hard to have that perspective.

"The first album is just song after song after song — there's no moments of weakness at any point — whereas 'Hot Streak', I guess, we did some more experimental stuff, songs like 'Spiral' or 'War Machine', songs on the back end that were more kind of experimental things," he explained. "So I would say, if I had to compare it, it's probably more like the first album because we also consciously decided to stop at around 10 or 11 songs. 'Cause both the first album and 'Hot Streak', I think, had 13 or 14 songs. People like you and I, we love everything, we love music and we dig in, but for a lot of people, the attention span for a 14-song album could be a bit much. So when writing this album, we decided, let's just come up with 10 or 11 that are really super strong. Nothing too experimental, nothing too off the beaten path from what people expect from THE WINERY DOGS. So I think everything on this album is super strong from top to bottom."

NEW YEARS DAY has released its first new song in three years. The official music video for the track, titled "Hurts Like Hell", was directed by Robyn August, who has previously worked with NOTHING MORE, Snoop Dogg and Pitbull.

NEW YEARS DAY singer Ash Costello said: "'Hurts Like Hell' might seem like a song about a relationship on the surface; in a way, it is, I suppose.

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

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

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

NEW YEARS DAY's latest album, "Unbreakable", was released in April 2019 to critical acclaim. The band enlisted powerhouse producers Mitchell Marlow (ALL THAT REMAINS, IN THIS MOMENT) and Scott Stevens to create an album that combined heavy rock with pop sensibilities.

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

Deep Purple have released the video below, stating: "From the Vault: this restored video, filmed during the Rapture Of The Deep Tour (3 September 2005 at Polo Express, Düsseldorf, Germany) was used for the album TV promotion in Europe. This version has not been released on any Deep Purple CD or video. We hope you enjoy it!"





Deep Purple recently announced that Steve Morse will be stepping back from the band, having been its guitarist for more than a quarter of a century.




Steve’s personal circumstances have made it impossible for him to commit to the band’s schedule throughout 2022 and beyond. A few months ago, Steve openly shared with the band´s fans the sad fact that his wife, Janine, is battling cancer and, in his own words, “I simply must be there with her.”


Since joining the band in 1994, Steve has written and recorded eight studio albums with the band.


Steve Morse: “Last autumn, I suddenly left the Purple writing session in Germany because my wife was having a real medical crisis. Almost a year later, we are learning to accept stage 4 aggressive cancer and chemo treatment for the rest of her life.  We both miss being at shows, but I simply couldn't commit to long, or far away tours, since things can change quickly at home. I suggested lining up a substitute guitarist last autumn, hoping we could see the miraculous cancer cure all of us have heard about. As time went by, I could see the way things were heading though, after 28 years of being in the band.


“I've already played my last show with Purple back in Florida on the Rock Legends Cruise. I wish to thank the listeners who so strongly supported live music and turned every show from a dress rehearsal to a thundering, exciting experience. I'll miss everybody in the band and crew but being Janine's helper and advocate has made a real difference at many key points.


“As Janine adjusts to her limitations, she is able to do many things on her own, so we will try to play some shorter nearby concert tours with friends to, hopefully, get both of us out of the house! I know Simon has the gig nailed already, but I'm now handing over the keys to the vault which holds the secret of how Ritchie's ‘Smoke On The Water’ intro was recorded. I guess you have to jiggle the key just right because I never got it open.”


Ian Gillan: “In circumstances like these it is normally difficult to find the right words, but not in the case of Steve Morse; I know what I want to say.


“He came from a different background to the rest of us in Deep Purple and yet his musical genius has been somehow compatible and played a big part in the fresh direction adopted by the group when he joined and made his first album with us in 1996, and then onwards, for over a quarter of a century, enjoying the longest incumbency of any DP guitarist and contributing to the longest unchanging line-up, which started when Don Airey replaced Jon Lord - who retired in 2002 - until the present day.


“I first became aware of Steve through the Dixie Dregs, particularly the track ‘Take It Off The Top’ which was the theme tune for Tommy Vance’s BBC rock show and impressed me mightily. I didn’t realise at the time that one day I would be lucky enough to stand on stage with Steve and enjoy his consummate skills up close and dangerous.


“I got to know him as a very kind man, full of ideas and the patience to see them developed. He would say, ‘You never know until you try it’. We sure had some fun debating that approach, but mostly in good humour and he always gave as good as he got.


“Steve has a legacy with Deep Purple that can never be forgotten, and that smile will be missed. It would be wrong to comment on his personal circumstances, suffice to say he’s in a bad place right now but dealing with it bravely and as best he can; we all admire his devotion; he’s been a strong family man all his life.


“All this has come at a terrible time for everybody, including the other musicians in Deep Purple. After two years off the road because of quarantines everywhere, we had to get back to what we do, and that is perform live around the world and make music in the way we have always done, since 1968. As we get older, we realise that we’re much closer to the end, and that triggers an urgency that won’t be tamed. From Steve’s perspective, I can only imagine that there is no possible ‘nice’ way of continuing with a new man, but it is either that or call it a day, because the lack of momentum was gradually becoming something more significant; it felt terminal. The best way I can describe this is by using Steve’s own words; when I sent him a love letter a few weeks ago, he replied that it was weird being at home whilst we guys were out there, but ‘reality intervenes’… and that’s what has happened. I can only put out love and respect, and positive vibes at the memories of good times together.”


Ian Paice: “From the moment Steve joined us in Purple, it was obvious he could open up new musical possibilities for us. Like most great creative musicians, he has the ability to come up with musical ideas that no one else has thought of.


“I think the easiest way to say it is he’s always ‘thinking outside the box.’ Not many of us can do that!


“We learnt he is also an incredibly nice man, who put up with our lack of knowledge of US sports teams and stars, and our continual talk of UK football, (soccer to our US friends!), with great patience. But there is one important truth here and that is ‘family comes first.’ Steve is adhering to that truth with his wife Janine’s health situation. We will miss him.”


Roger Glover: “In the early ‘80s, on tour with Rainbow in Germany, I heard ‘Go For Baroque’ by the Dixie Dregs on a car radio. I was captivated and immediately bought Unsung Heroes.  Then I bought Steve’s first solo album. What a guitar player. Never could I have dreamed that twelve years later we would be in a band together.


“Deep Purple was at a pivotal point in the mid-‘90s and needed to refresh itself. Steve was an inspired choice and brought his talent and limitless imagination to us - evidenced by Purpendicular, a favourite album of mine – enabling the band to start an amazing journey for the next twenty-eight years… no mean feat. He’s a teacher, he inspired us, me in particular, with his energy, encouragement and wisdom, and his contribution and legacy in this band is beyond words. He will be missed but our friendship will remain.


“Sadly, life has intervened, and different challenges are upon us. Janine needs him now, and my best wishes and thoughts go out to them.”


Don Airey: “Thanks Steve for being such a shining light both musically and personally to me over the last few (20!!) years. All I can do is wish you and Janine the best for the future, in the new course that life has taken you. I know it would take a lot more than this to extinguish your talent and your music, so hopefully we'll see you down the road a-piece.”

GRIM REAPER singer Steve Grimmett has died at the age of 62.

Steve's passing was confirmed by his brother Mark Grimmett, who wrote on social media: "I don't really know where to start so I guess I will just come right out with it. It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart that I have to tell you all as many of you know him my very talented brother Steve Grimmett very sadly passed away today, my heart goes out to Millie his wife my Mum and Dad, Russell , Sami and Ethan . I will miss you more than words will ever say , love you bro xx".

Steve's son Russ Grimmett also shared the news, writing: "We can't begin to put into words the current feelings. But as dad was so well known the news is starting to reach out earlier than we would have liked. Unfortunately, our dad passed away today and leaves a massive hole in the world and our hearts. We are utterly heartbroken. Sleep tight dad. We we always love you xxx".

Steve's wife Millie wrote: "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to write but it's with a heavy & shattered heart to say that my beloved Steve died suddenly & unexpectedly on Monday 15th August.

"Wait for me my love. Until we are together again. Your Millie xxx

"(The family appreciate all the messages we’ve had so far but ask that you allow us to morn)."

Producer Max Norman, who worked on GRIM REAPER's classic third album, 1987's "Rock You To Hell", weighed in on Steve's death, writing: "Very distressed to hear that old friend and singer for GRIM REAPER, Steve Grimmett has left us... A terrific vocalist, and all around perfect gentleman - you will be missed my friend. Condolences to Mark and Millie and friends and family - a very very sad loss..."

Grimmett's passing comes more than five years after he had his right leg partially amputated in January 2017 when an infected wound on his foot spread to the bones in his leg partway through the group's five-week tour of South America. The life-saving surgery was carried out in Ecuador and the frontman was in hospital for just over a month while fans raised $14,000 to bring him home after his insurance company refused to pay because of the type of work he was doing.

GRIM REAPER's story begins in 1979 after successfully fighting off hundreds of bands in a local Battle Of The Bands competition. This win, combined with an already sizeable following, aroused the interest of Ebony Records. Signing with the small U.K. label, GRIM REAPER released three albums in rapid succession to international acclaim. Due to legal turmoil with Ebony, GRIM REAPER would disband in 1988. Grimmett would go on to record with ONSLAUGHT, LIONSHEART and more recently THE SANITY DAYS. His renowed vocal range remains one of metal's most identifiable with loyal fans turning out in numbers to hear him perform.

GRIM REAPER was part of the "Hell On Wheels" tour which crossed the States in 1987, alongside ARMORED SAINT and HELLOWEEN.

Grimmett reformed GRIM REAPER in 2006 as STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER following an amicable decision between the singer and original GRIM REAPER guitarist Nick Bowcott, who both agreed that using the original name minus the other members of the classic lineup wouldn't be a proper reunion.

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER released two studio albums, 2016's "Walking In The Shadows" and 2019's "At The Gates".

Since 2006, STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER had made a number of European festival appearances and toured all around the world.

Earlier this year, Steve told VWMusic that he had "no regrets whatsoever" about how his career panned out. "I should by rights be a millionaire, but I haven't got a penny to my name," he revealed. "I'm on welfare at the moment because of COVID, and a lot of people do think that I am a millionaire, but I can tell you now, I'm not. I've never received a penny — not one penny — from GRIM REAPER, so that says it all, doesn't it? But still, no regrets. I still love getting up there and playing. I still love watching the smiling faces in front of me. That says it all and does it all for me."

Grimmett also had plans to get back to touring in 2022, saying: "I'm just doing some deals at the moment in regards to doing a tour in America, and then we'll be doing a tour in South America and Europe. All of these need my people to come together, sort dates out, and just get on, book it, and go for it. There will be lots more releases as well from GRIM REAPER, apparently."

He added: "I just wanna say thank you to my fans for the loyal support that you show me and give me. I can't wait to come and see you for real, face to face. Take care, and stay safe."

This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to write but it’s with a heavy & shattered heart to say that my beloved Steve...

Posted by Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper on Monday, August 15, 2022

We can’t begin to put into words the current feelings. But as dad was so well known the news is starting to reach out...

Posted by Russ Grimmett on Monday, August 15, 2022

We lost our Dear friend and one hell of a singer Steve Grimmett. I will miss you buddy 😢 RIP my friend

Posted by Tim Ripper Owens on Monday, August 15, 2022

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release a remastered 30th-anniversary 2LP 12" black vinyl edition of ALICE IN CHAINS' landmark album "Dirt" on Friday, September 23.

Originally released through Columbia Records on September 29, 1992, ALICE IN CHAINS' second full-length studio album established the band as formidable frontrunners in the alt-rock music revolution rolling out of the Pacific Northwest, achieving multi-platinum mainstream success while remaining true to an uncompromising underground sound and vision. "Dirt" was the last ALICE IN CHAINS album to be recorded with the Seattle group's core four founding members: Jerry Cantrell (guitar, vocals),Sean Kinney (drums),Mike Starr (bass) and Layne Staley (lead vocals).

Walmart will be offering customers an exclusive apple red variant pressing of the 2LP 12" vinyl 30th-anniversary edition of "Dirt".

ALICE IN CHAINS will release an exclusive translucent orange variant of the 2LP 12" vinyl 30th anniversary edition of "Dirt" as a D2C offering on the band's web site. The AIC exclusive translucent orange pressing of "Dirt" will be available as a stand-alone purchase as well as a component in the ultimate "Dirt"super deluxe package which also includes a resin figurine custom sculpted girl from the album cover as a vinyl topper and magnet, four show posters, a 24" square poster featuring the album cover and band photo, four reimagined "Dirt" album cover prints, a "Dirt" hardcover book with never-before-seen photos, CD with remastered audio, and the album's five 7" vinyl singles: "Them Bones", "Down In A Hole", "Rooster", "Angry Chair" and "Would?" Each of the singles has been released with a music video, all previously up-rezzed to HD.

Box includes:

* Box with lid filled with metal shavings. Move shavings around to create your own dirt design using magnetic cover figurine
* Resin cover figurine fits atop vinyl records on your record player
* "Dirt" on orange 2LP for the first time with remastered audio
* "Dirt" on CD with remastered audio
* Five 7" singles with brand new artwork on various colored vinyl: "Them Bones", "Down In A Hole", "Rooster", "Angry Chair" and "Would?"
* 80-page hardbound book
* Exclusive "Dirt"-inspired art prints by Cody Melick, Victor Melendez, Brent McKee, and Eric Wolfe Sahlsten
* 2-sided foldout poster
* 8x10 band photo glossy
* Four reprinted show posters
* Reprinted setlist
* "Dirt" tour laminate

ALICE IN CHAINS began recording "Dirt" in the spring of 1992, working again with producer Dave Jerden, who'd helmed their debut studio album, "Facelift", in 1990. Laying down tracks for "Dirt" at Eldorado Recording Studio in Burbank, California, London Bridge Studio in Seattle, and One On One Studios in Los Angeles from April to July 1992, ALICE IN CHAINS surpassed all expectations, creating one of the foundational albums of grunge and the best-selling album of the group's career.

"Dirt" peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the Billboard charts for nearly two years. The album was voted Kerrang! Critic's Choice Album of the Year for 1992 and in October 2011, Guitar World ranked "Dirt" as the #1 guitar album of 1992.

Two years ago, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich stated about "Dirt": "It's so inspiring. I think it's crazy just how transparent and courageous the lyrics are, and it's a cohesive piece of work. It still sounds as raw, transparent, honest, and courageous to my ears as ever before. I think in the earlier days I was just listening to the music and the riffs and now, hearing the vocals, lyrics, and themes, what an incredible record. It just still sounds so timely. It sounds literally like this could have been made last week."

Over the course of its remarkable career, ALICE IN CHAINS has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and amassed a diehard international fanbase whose members number in the millions. Their discography features some of the biggest and most important albums in rock history, including 1992's quadruple-platinum-certified "Dirt", 1994's triple-platinum-certified EP "Jar Of Flies", which was the first EP in music history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and 1995's self-titled double-platinum-certified "Alice In Chains", which also entered the Billboard Top 200 at No. 1. They returned in grand style in 2009 with the critically acclaimed "Black Gives Way To Blue", which hit No. 1 across the rock and alternative charts, earned a Grammy nomination, was certified gold and hailed by Vice as "a record that's as powerful as anything the band has done." The band’s latest album released in 2018, "Rainier Fog", hit No. 1 across Billboard's Rock, Alternative and Hard Music charts and No. 1 on the iTunes Rock album chart and earned them a Grammy nod for "Best Rock Album." ALICE IN CHAINS remains one of the most successful and influential American rock bands of all time.

ALICE IN CHAINS has just hit the road for a co-headline tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN and special guest BUSH, running from August 10 through October 8. The band also recently partnered with Funko to launch a Pop! Album Deluxe to commemorate the "Dirt" anniversary featuring the four bandmembers.

MACHINE HEAD played a surprise set at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Walton-on-Trent, United Kingdom.

Earlier today (Friday, August 12), three members of MACHINE HEAD — frontman Robb Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern and drummer Matt Alston — who are in the U.K. rehearsing for their upcoming European tour, played a secret mid-afternoon set on the Sophie Lancaster Stage at the long-running festival. Polish guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka couldn't join MACHINE HEAD at the show because he was scheduled to perform with DECAPITATED at Czech Republic's Brutal Assault festival the same day.

MACHINE HEAD's setlist included one song from the band's upcoming album, "Of Kingdom And Crown", which will be released on August 26 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings.

Back in 2018, Flynn told U.K.'s Independent that he "hated" playing festivals. "The last festival we ever did I just wanted to get offstage as soon as possible," he explained at the time. "It was pouring with rain, I was freezing my fucking ass off, there's water getting in all our gear, everybody's there in their parkas standing in a foot of fucking mud and I'm just thinking, 'When did metal become this?' It sucks for us and it sucks for the people standing out there watching us. Don't get me wrong, there are some great festivals out there that create their own culture and their own vibe and I love that. But there's a lot of festivals out there that are just thrown-together bullshit and you can't afford to not do those ones when you're out on the circuit; that's the shit that grinds you down."

According to Flynn, he "just didn't feel any connection with the people" MACHINE HEAD was playing to on the festival circuit. "We've done festivals for 23 years but we got to a point where we had to try something else," he told Independent four years ago. "Just because it worked for us 15 years ago or 10 years ago or even 5 years ago, it doesn't mean it's going to work for us now. Everything's changing at such a rapid pace; I've been in the music business for 32 years and I've never seen as much change as we've had in these last five years. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I'm not saying it's a good thing but it is what it is and we've got to constantly re-evaluate and ask ourselves what's right for us. Believe me, we're making way less money and we're playing to way less people than we would be if we were playing a festival, but if that connection between us and our audience isn't there, then there's no point in us even being there. We might be playing to 3,000 people instead of 30,000 but those 3,000 people are losing their fucking minds and I feel this unbelievable bond when that happens. That's the sole reason why I do this, to feel that connection and that sense of release that unites us all."

The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis", "Of Kingdom And Crown" includes the three songs that were featured on last year's "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky". Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/producer Zack Ohren.

Back in December 2021, drummer Navene Koperweis (ANIMALS AS LEADERS, ENTHEOS, ANIMOSITY) joined Flynn, MacEachern and Ohren at Sharkbite Studios to jam on the final tracks for "Of Kingdom And Crown" and add some finishing touches to the songs.

MACHINE HEAD will team up with Sweden's Viking metal overlords AMON AMARTH for a co-headline "Vikings And Lionhearts" European arena tour in September and October. Support on the trek will come from THE HALO EFFECT, the new band featuring five former members of IN FLAMES: Peter Iwers, Daniel Svensson, Jesper Strömblad, Niclas Engelin and Mikael Stanne.