Prior to METALLICA's headlining performance Thursday (July 28) at this year's Lollapalooza festival in Chicago's Grant Park, drummer Lars Ulrich spoke to local radio station Rock 95.5 about TAIPEI HOUSTON, the new band featuring his sons Myles and Layne Ulrich. Earlier in the week, TAIPEI HOUSTON released its debut single, "As The Sun Sets", along with a music video directed by Victor Grossling.

"Well, obviously, I'm proud," Lars said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I'm happy that they're doing well. What they're creating is cool. At the same time, we have a very, I think, open and transparent relationship, and certainly a couple of times along the way I've expressed that maybe things could be better; I don't know if that's the right word. So it's not just, 'Oh my God! You guys are great.' And so [I've given them constructive criticism] maybe even to a fault — maybe too much constructive criticism. So I don't know exactly where you land on that.

"I can tell you everything that that project is came together, I'd say, the second half of the pandemic," he explained. "And when they came home from New York in March of '20, I guess, it was not quite as focused. And it took a while — I think it took about a year — for it to kind of take shape. There was lots of time spent and they really worked hard, but eventually they sort of zeroed in on the sound and their whole thing. And I think they've got something that's very unique.

"Their record is coming, I guess, in a couple of months, the full album, and it's a barnburner," Ulrich added. "There are songs on there that make [the first single] sound like SIMON & GARFUNKEL. So there's some crazy shit on there. And it's a very, very, very intense record. When you listen to it from beginning to end, it'll definitely give you a bit of a pummeling, which is good."

Formed in the Bay Area in Northern California, TAIPEI HOUSTON was born out of both brothers coming back to their childhood home during the pandemic. They then moved down to Los Angeles, and once able to perform live again, started playing shows throughout Southern California.

TAIPEI HOUSTON viscerally taps into all of the best parts of the last 30 years of rock 'n' roll, layering garage rock's frenetic sparsity with grunge's fuzzy overdrive, and psych rock's effortless instrumental sprawl. The band's megawatt, slinky songs instantly conjure other iconic duos, such as THE KILLS, DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 and, of course, THE WHITE STRIPES.

TAIPEI HOUSTON is set to play Reading and Leeds festivals this summer, in addition to their own headlining shows throughout the U.S. before the year is out.

Upcoming tour dates:

Aug 24 - London, UK @ Camden Assembly
Aug. 27-28 - Reading & Leeds Festival
Sep. 05 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall*
Sep. 06 - San Jose, CA @ The Ritz*
Sep. 07 - Bakersfield, CA @ Temblor Brewing Company*
Sep. 08 - Petaluma, CA @ Mystic Theatre*
Sep. 09 - Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall*
Sep. 10 - Fresno, CA @ Strummers*
Sep. 22 - Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life
Oct. 08 - Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock 2022
Oct. 09 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
Oct. 16 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits

* Supporting THE MELVINS

23-year-old Myles, who plays drums, has spent time at Berklee College Of Music, while 21-year-old Layne, who plays bass and sings, studied at NYU.

Asked what got him into singing, Layne told Concert Pipeline: "I was always really interested in singing. I mean, my main thing [was] literally just singing along to the radio as a kid and just listening to stuff. And I always felt very into that but I'd never been a singer or anything like that. And then when we were first starting out with our project, we were always anticipating getting a singer, and then when we realized it was just gonna be the two of us, it was, like, 'All right. Now we've gotta get this going, get some singing going.' So through kind of a long process, finding that, it was really cool."

Regarding the decision to make TAIPEI HOUSTON a two-piece, Myles said: "We wrote the majority of an album which we've now finished. And we're kind of figuring out how to play it all live because we just recorded all of it. And because we both play so much guitar and all the instruments, it was, like, 'Why don't we just scale it back and make it a crazy two-piece thing instead of trying to find more people that you jell with and that the vibe is right? Why don't we just keep it simple and weird?'"

Added Layne: "'Cause also that way we can hit the ground running. You've gotta find people you like, you've gotta get them into the stuff, you've gotta teach them it. That way, literally, just coming straight from us having written all of it together, we can just hit the ground running like that."

TAIPEI HOUSTON played its first show last September at Alex's Bar in Long Beach, California.

Since joining Instagram in August, TAIPEI HOUSTON has already amassed more than 15,000 followers.

Back in April 2020, Lars posted a video of Myles and Layne's blistering take on THE BEATLES classic "Eleanor Rigby". At the time, he described their rendition to Rolling Stone as "this insane, three-minute BLUE CHEER, crazy, garage-rock version of 'Eleanor Rigby'.

"Obviously, there's been some incredible versions of 'Eleanor Rigby' along the way, but I'm pretty sure there’s never been one that had this kind of sound, this kind of feel, this kind of energy and madness to it," he said. "I was, like, 'You know what, boys? You done me proud.'"

Lars had Myles and Layne with former wife Skylar Satenstein. He also has another son, 15-year-old Bryce, with "Gladiator" actress Connie Nielsen.

Lars and model Jessica Miller got engaged in July 2013 and married two years later. It is the third marriage for Lars, who was previously married to Debbie Jones and Satenstein.

Lars isn't the only member of METALLICA whose offspring have followed in their footsteps. Castor Hetfield, the son of METALLICA frontman James Hetfield, plays drums for BASTARDANE, while Tye Trujillo, the son of METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo, plays bass in OTTTO.

TAIPEI HOUSTON photo credit: Brit O'Brien

IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén spoke to MoreCore.TV about the band's upcoming fourteenth studio album, tentatively due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records. Asked if the LP's first single, "State Of Slow Decay", is a good representation of what fans can expect from the record, Anders said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "IN FLAMES has always been about melody and aggression. The short answer is yes, but it's not gonna be all fast. We try to explore all corners of metal with our music. Let's put it like this: if you're a fan of IN FLAMES, then you will love this album."

Elaborating on what fans can expect from the upcoming IN FLAMES album, Anders said: "This is the fourteenth album. So if you know IN FLAMES, you know sort of what you're gonna get. But I think this is a good mix of the past, the present and wherever we're going, and [it] has a little thing for everyone; it has the heavy, it has the melodic, it has the uptempo and the slow parts. I think it's amazing, and it really represents who we are at this time."

Asked if the pandemic influenced the songwriting process for the new IN FLAMES effort, Anders said: "Welll, in a certain way. Lyrically, for sure. I thought this two-year break would make us see us who we are as people and maybe come out on the other side being a little bit more nice and gentle and with more understanding, but I think it's the opposite. So it definitely inspired the lyrical side.

"Of course, a break like that, it's a pause, so when you get back into it, maybe unintentionally you have more energy across the board, [and] with the music as well," he explained.

IN FLAMES performed "State Of Slow Decay" — which was produced by Howard Benson, mixed by Joe Rickard and mastered by Ted Jensen — live for the first time on June 10 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

This past March, guitarist Björn Gelotte confirmed that IN FLAMES' upcoming album was once again recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Benson and Howard's longtime engineer Mike Plotnikoff.

In early July, Fridén told Chaoszine about the songwriting process for the new IN FLAMES album: "Me and Björn, we live on different sides of [Sweden] — he lives in Gothenburg; I live in Stockholm — and we only saw each other once or twice during the whole pandemic. But towards the end, when we kind of felt like it's gonna open up for real, we started talking and then we decided to take a trip to the U.S. and just get the machine rolling again — write some stuff; just get things out of our system. So we spent some time — like, three weeks — in L.A. And then we flew home and had Christmas and so on, and then we flew back again and started recording stuff for real. But as soon as we got together, a few weeks in the writing process, it felt like it always has."

Anders went on to say that he and Björn "had to be in the same room" in order to maximize their songwriting efforts. "We feed off each other's energies and ideas and so on, and I don't think we can write apart," he explained. "I mean, we can, but it won't be the same. So we have to get in the same room and be amongst everyone in the band… Me and Björn, we are the ones that are writing everything. The other guys are obviously partaking and bringing in their energy and their skills to the band, but when it comes to the writing, it's not much different."

Speaking in more detail about the contributions of IN FLAMES' three American members — drummer Tanner Wayne, bassist Bryce Paul and guitarist Chris Broderick — Anders said: "They are great individual musicians, so they bring in their skills and their way of playing, and it's very unique from person to person. And that's what they bring. And also the feeling — it's such a good atmosphere within the band; there's no arguments, really, and we're just having a good time being around each other. And that helps the whole creative process. And what they've done… I mean, you will hear it whenever we… We released one new song, but more to come. You can hear it, what they do. They're amazing guys and amazing musicians and really good friends."

Wayne joined IN FLAMES following the departure of Joe Rickard, who played on "I, The Mask" and 2016's "Battles".

Tanner made his live debut with IN FLAMES in July 2018 in Brno, Czech Republic.

Longtime IN FLAMES drummer Daniel Svensson announced in 2015 that he was leaving the band to focus on his family life.

Paul has been playing most of the shows with IN FLAMES since longtime bassist Peter Iwers's November 2016 exit.

As previously reported, IN FLAMES will embark on a North American tour this September. Support on the trek will come from FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED.

In August 2020, IN FLAMES released a special 20th-anniversary edition of its seminal, critically acclaimed album "Clayman". "Clayman 20th Anniversary Edition" came entirely remastered by Ted Jensen (PANTERA, DEFTONES, GOJIRA) and featured all-new artwork in a 16-page booklet, a brand-new instrumental medley plus four re-recorded versions of fan favorites such as "Only For The Weak" and "Pinball Map".

Fan-filmed video of STATIC-X's entire July 30 performance at Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts as the support act for ROB ZOMBIE and MUDVAYNE on the "Freaks On Parade" tour can be seen below.

Featured songs:

01. Bled For Days
02. Wisconsin Death Trip
03. Sweat Of The Bud
04. Love Dump
05. Cold
06. I'm With Stupid
07. Push It

This past January, STATIC-X postponed its "Rise Of The Machine" North American tour featuring FEAR FACTORY, DOPE, MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID. The trek, produced by Live Nation, was rescheduled due to the increase in the spread of COVID-19 and its continued effect on travel restrictions, public health, and fan safety. The 42-date trek will now kick off February 25, 2023, in San Francisco, California and wrap up April 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

The 20th-anniversary release of "Machine" — made available on February 18, 2022 — features newly remastered audio by Ulrich Wild and includes all 12 tracks from the original release, as well as three new bonus tracks: "Wisconsin Death Trip (Live 2019 Regeneration Featuring Wayne Static)" , "Sweat Of The Bud (Live 2019 Xer0)" and "I'm With Stupid (Live 2019 Regeneration Featuring Wayne Static)". Originally released in 2001, "Machine" would ultimately turn out to be the last album recorded by the four original members of STATIC-X. All of the lead vocals and guitars on "Machine" were performed by Wayne Static, while bass, backing vocals, drums, and programming contributions came from founding members Tony Campos, Ken Jay and Koichi Fukuda. The limited-edition release will have packaging featuring fully reimagined artwork and will be available in multiple configurations, including multiple color vinyl sequenced on two discs, with an etching of the STATIC-X Shock symbol on side D.

STATIC-X's latest album "Project Regeneration Vol. 1", came out in July 2020. The first of two volumes, it features 12 brand new tracks, containing many of the final vocal performances and musical compositions of late STATIC-X frontman Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup of bassist Campos, Jay, and guitarist Fukuda. Both volumes are being worked on by longtime STATIC-X producer Ulrich Wild.

In total, "Project Regeneration" volumes one and two will consist of more than 20 brand new or previously unreleased STATIC-X songs and will feature all of the remaining works left behind by Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" band lineup. The individual albums are expected to contain creative packaging elements that will allow fans to marry the two volumes together.

While the identity of STATIC-X's touring singer — who goes by the name Xer0 — has not been officially revealed, strong rumors suggest that DOPE frontman Edsel Dope is performing alongside Campos, Jay and Fukuda.

Campos discussed STATIC-X's comeback during an appearance on "The SDR Show". Speaking about how the idea of Xer0 wearing a mask in the likeness of Static came about, Tony said: "When we were trying to figure out how we were gonna do this live, the first thing that came up was the hologram thing, and that got shot down pretty quick.

"The thing about the band for us was the energy and the vibe that we all got from the interaction the four of us had on stage, and you just don't get that with a hologram. So that got chucked out the window pretty quickly. So we figured out it had to be somebody. Once we found Xer0 and saw and heard that he could do the job, we were, like, 'Cool. How do we present this in a cool way that doesn't make it about…?' 'Cause we didn't wanna come out and, like, 'Hey, here's STATIC-X with their new singer.' That's not what we were trying to do. It was about remembering Wayne and remembering the good times we had back in the early days and remembering the fun we all had together 20 years ago touring on 'Wisconsin Death Trip'. And so we really wanted to keep the focus on that and not on the new singer. So the idea of a mask came."

Campos continued: "Initially, we came up with a helmet that looked like the robot from the 'Push It' video and even shot some video footage of Xer0 wearing that, and it looked great. Logistically, it wasn't gonna work, though, 'cause you're blind in the thing. And so, what are you gonna do? Have somebody walk him out to the front of the stage, make sure he doesn't fall off the stage? So we were, like, 'Okay, what else can we do?' And so we thought of all these different merchandise items that we had, with skulls, with Wayne's hair and beard, and thought, 'Well, let's try something like that.' So we gave the idea to a friend of ours who designs masks for the SLIPKNOT guys, John 5, various other people, and she came back with that Xer0 mask. And then once we put the hair up, we were, like, 'Oh, yeah. Dude, that's it.' And so we went with that."

Asked if STATIC-X is still keeping Xer0's identity a secret even though "everyone knows" who he is, Tony said: "Yeah, but I still like to keep that distinction, 'cause, again, I'm trying to keep the focus [on remembering Wayne]."

According to Campos, Xer0 wasn't the only singer who was in the mix for the STATIC-X frontman job. "I had a few ideas in my head, but he was the first to come up and actually demonstrate that he could do the job," Tony explained. "So I was, like, 'I don't think I need to look any further.' [Laughs]"

Campos went on to say that he "knew there would be some negativity" on the Internet once STATIC-X had announced its comeback. "It was definitely a talking point, for sure," he said. "But I think once people heard our story and heard that Wayne's family had given us their blessing to do what we were doing, and then once they actually saw it, I think that was the big turning point. Once people came out and experienced the show and saw what we were doing, I think it made most of those people turn around."

Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

Terry Ilous says that he has "no regrets" about his time as the frontman of GREAT WHITE.

Ilous, who previously played with '80s L.A. hard rockers XYZ, joined GREAT WHITE in 2010 after replacing touring vocalist Jani Lane (WARRANT).

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was shown the door in July 2018 and replaced with Mitch Malloy.

Ilous discussed his exit from GREAT WHITE during a recent interview with Big Music Geek. He said: "GREAT WHITE was such a great opportunity for me. I'm very grateful for the fact that they called me and asked me to join the band. It was all very positive and I don't have any regrets at all. It was a great thing and I thank the band for the opportunity.

"I was with them for nine years and five hundred and sixty shows, most of which were sold out," he continued. "I did very well with those three albums, but they wanted something else, and I also wanted to do something else. They were looking for a different sound or different look, as they say. Whatever. They are happy, and I'm happy, and that's all that matters. I have no hard feelings whatsoever. Things happen. It happens to a lot of great singers. Lots of great musicians lose their gig, but you just cannot dwell on the past. You have to move forward and just say, 'All right, what's it for me now? What do I have to do to continue working?'. I'd realized that I had a good name, so I decided to go back to what I've been doing before, which was voice-over work. I went back to voice-over, doing jingles and then releasing songs. And I'm a happy guy. I have no regrets.

"I wish the band the very best," Terry added. "No hard feelings. I moved on. I mean, honestly, I moved on. I don't know what they're up to. I have no idea. I don't wish anything bad to the band or any members of the band. For me, it was a really great experience. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I am flattered and honored. That's all I can say."

Last November, GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall confirmed that Ilous was fired from the band via e-mail. Kendall went on to say that Ilous initially found out online that he no longer had a job with GREAT WHITE. "It got released on the Internet before we could tell him," Mark said. "It wasn't our publicist's fault. She released this information. So we hadn't told him yet, and she didn't know that. So he heard the information, and he's going, 'This is a hell of a way to tell [somebody he is out of the band].' And we were just [made out to look like] the bad guys all the way around. And so what do we do now? Go, 'Meet us somewhere, and we'll talk about it.' It was, like, 'He already knows.' So that was a tough situation. We're not bad people. We don't wanna hurt anyone."

Mark also defended GREAT WHITE's decision to part ways with Terry and hire Mitch, saying: "We had to look out for our music and make sure it's delivered the best it can be. We felt like with Mitch we could do it a little bit better. It's not that Terry is not awesome; nothing against him."

In April 2021, Ilous told Waste Some Time With Jason Green that he always made it a point to tell people that his primary focus was GREAT WHITE and not his solo career. "I was doing a lot of interviews, and I always said one thing, I said, 'I am the lead singer of GREAT WHITE. My priority is GREAT WHITE,'" he said. "I always made sure to say that, 'cause sometimes people can misinterpret what you wanna say. So I said, 'No. I am the lead singer of the band GREAT WHITE. My priority is GREAT WHITE. I'll be touring with GREAT WHITE. And if the band is not touring, then I will be doing that on my own. And that's it.' And that is the truth. But apparently someone got upset. I was touring, and eventually one day, I received an e-mail saying, 'Thank for for a great service. You're a great singer. Have a good life.' And that was it."

Terry said that he "had no idea at all" that he was going to be replaced. "Last time [I played with GREAT WHITE], we did a string of sold-out shows," he recalled. "In fact, one of the last shows we did was actually on a Thursday in Wisconsin. We did a summer fest, and there were 10 thousand people [there]. The crowd went crazy — 10 thousand people going nuts. And that day I sang so well. You know, sometimes you sing better than other days — that's the way it is as a singer — but that day I was really good. Not to be pretentious, but I was happy. I was, like, 'Ah, man. Great performance.' Friday and Saturday, we did two other shows — one in Las Vegas. We did a show with SLAUGHTER, and everybody gave me a big hug. 'Hey, brother, see you next week.' That's the last time I talked to anyone in the band. On Monday morning, I get an e-mail… The leader of the band, Mark, sent me the e-mail, but it [was] on behalf of everybody in the band. 'We think that you should be replaced by somebody else. And we wish you the best.' The e-mail was polite. 'Good luck to you. You will have no problem finding another band. Please don't say bad things about us. We will never say bad things about you.' And that was it."

Regarding his initial reaction to the e-mail, Ilous said: "I was surprised — I was a little surprised — because I said, wait a minute, I did three albums. I helped rebuild the brand. I gave my best for nine years. When I joined the band, I was not getting paid very well, and I said, 'I'm gonna do it anyway, because I wanna prove to myself, and I wanna prove to those guys I can do it.' So I did what I could do. I would have loved to get a phone call, at least, or maybe a meeting with the band, and said, 'Hey, it's not working out. Can you work on this? And maybe we'll give you another chance.' 'Okay.' I think it's fair — when you're a dedicated worker, and you do all that stuff, I think it's fair. You need a second chance. But second chance for what? I didn't do anything wrong. It's not like I had sex with any one of their wives. I'm not that type of person."

Terry went on to say that there were some personal differences within GREAT WHITE, but not enough to create a major issue when he and his then-bandmates were living in close proximity to one another on the road.

"For me, I was always in GREAT WHITE," he said. "I would say to myself, 'GREAT WHITE is GREAT WHITE. I love the band. I love the music, and I'm happy to be in the band.' I didn't expect anything. I knew I had an issue with one guy in the band, like a lot of people have issues with the same guy in that band. But I knew that. And I didn't think the guys would decide to say, 'Screw Terry, and let's get somebody else.' I didn't expect that at all. I was completely taken by surprise, to say the least. I was beside myself. But I didn't post anything negative. I didn't make stupid comments online; I didn't do anything like it. I said, 'Well, it is what it is. They have somebody else. I don't wish him anything bad,' which I would never do anyway."

Ironically, the first time Malloy performed with GREAT WHITE was on the Monsters Of Rock cruise in 2018, just a few short months before Terry was fired from the band. At Terry's invitation, Mitch got up on stage and joined GREAT WHITE for a rendition of their cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy".

"I'm the one who introduced Mitch to the band," Ilous recalled. "And I will never forget that day. I introduced Mitch to the band, and Mitch tried to upstage me on stage. I'm a stage performer, but I don't need to overdo things. It's like sex. Music is sex — the same thing. You don't need to try all different positions to please your partner. You do what you do, and that's it. But I realized that Mitch was trying to go crazy on stage, one side to the other, to prove that he was a great performer. And I have nothing against Mitch, by the way; I wish him the very best. But I said, 'Okay. Good for him.' I didn't expect that… It's okay. They did what they had to do. And honestly, to this day, I don't wish them anything bad at all. Even Mitch — I'm happy he's got the gig. It's not his fault. He just got hired."

Ilous relocated to Hollywood, California from Lyon, France in 1986, forming the metal band XYZ along with friend and bassist Pat Fontaine. Ilous quickly became a favorite on Sunset Strip scene in the late '80s before getting signed to Enigma/Capitol. After selling over 1.5 million records worldwide and touring with artists such as FOREIGNER and ALICE COOPER, Ilous continued to release albums well into the 2000s, along with film, songwriting and television work.

In 2009, Terry was contacted to play a handful of dates with GREAT WHITE, and within a couple of years, the lineup was made official. GREAT WHITE immediately headed out on an extensive year-long tour, followed by a new album, "Elation", in 2012 that was highly praised by the media and fans alike. "Full Circle" arrived five years later.

This past May, GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with Malloy and had replaced him with Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE).

On Friday (July 29), MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn teamed up the band's "The Burning Red"/"Supercharger"-era guitar player Ahrue Luster to celebrate 23 years of "The Burning Red" with a Facebook Live and YouTube playthrough of the entire album.

Reuniting for the first time in nearly 20 years, Robb and Ahrue delivered crushing renditions of the LP's 10 original songs, including contemporary live classics like "From This Day" and "The Blood, The Sweat, The Tears" alongside deep cuts "Devil With The King's Card" and "I Defy", plus the emotionally heavy "Five" and the title track. And if that wasn't enough, Robb and Ahrue treated viewers to some select "Supercharger" tracks like "Bulldozer" and "Crashing Around You", plus covers of SEPULTURA's "Roots Bloody Roots" and IRON MAIDEN's "The Number Of The Beast".

MACHINE HEAD bassist/backing vocalist Jared MacEachern contracted COVID-19 and was unable to attend the session. However, he managed to record his bass parts for the playthrough while convalescing at home, so the audio quality was not affected.

Released in 1999, "The Burning Red" included the singles "From This Day" and "Silver". The band chose the CD title, and particularly the color red, as a metaphor for the music on the album. "Typically, the color red represents a lot of things, like blood, death, and on the other side, it can represent like love and beauty and lust," Luster said in an interview that was published shortly after the LP's release. "We thought that this record had a lot of contrast to it because it has things that are really heavy going into things that are really beautiful and melodic. The color red is like a metaphor for the record. 'The burning red' just means that it is just that intensified."

MACHINE HEAD's work on its third album did not go unnoticed by the press. Don Kaye wrote in Metal Edge: "On 'The Burning Red', the band seems to have found the perfect balance of musicality, aggression, experimentation, and songcraft, melding an abundance of styles into a seamless whole that is MACHINE HEAD's heaviest, yet most accessible, work to date."

"I think that on this one, we went for it a lot harder and didn't hold anything back," Flynn told Blistering.com. "We tried to challenge ourselves and tried to go places that we hadn't been and other places that other bands were not going."

Back in February 2011, "The Burning Red" was certified silver by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) for sales in excess of 60,000 copies in the United Kingdom.

MACHINE HEAD's tenth studio album, "Of Kingdom And Crown", will be released on August 26 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings.

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.

Bassist Michael Bloodgood of Christian hard rockers BLOODGOOD has died.

According to his bandmates, Michael passed on Friday, July 29 at 8:15 a.m. CDT.

More than five months ago, Bloodgood suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and subsequent brain bleed. He was airlifted to hospital but never fully recovered.

"After a gallant fight that began with a severe hemorrhagic stroke in February 2022 he's gone home to be with our Heavenly Father," the band wrote in a social media post.

"We'll cherish Michael's generous spirit, off-beat sense of humor, and musical soul. His devotion to the Lord and sharing of the Gospel through his ministry as a pastor and musician touched countless lives."

Michael is survived by his wife of 46 years, Marilyn, their three sons and two grandchildren.

In a May post on the GiveSendGo fundraising web site, it was reported that Michael had begun speaking and was communicating with doctors.

BLOODGOOD was touring at the time of Michael's stroke and had been working on new material.

Though Bloodgood didn't intend on forming a Christian heavy metal group in 1984, that's what the music industry labeled them. Unfortunately, its faith-based lyrics caused a stir in mainstream music, especially among hard rock bands who thought BLOODGOOD was too soft for its ear-piercing, rocking genre. In addition, Christians believed BLOODGOOD's music was the evil doings of the devil and banned its music and picketed its concerts in the cities it toured.

BLOODGOOD pushed all that adversity aside and became one of the top four Christian heavy metal bands by 1988. The band's later lineup included guitarist Oz Fox, a member of STRYPER, arguably the most popular Christian metal band in music history.

In 1986, the band released the platinum-selling record "Detonation". They've also issued five other albums, including their latest, 2013's "Dangerously Close". In 2010, BLOODGOOD was inducted into the Christian Music Hall Of Fame.

In his biography on the BLOODGOOD web site, Michael wrote: "My musical direction took quite a different route half-way through my senior year in high school when I gave my life to Christ. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was to share my new life and spread the Gospel using rock 'n roll music, so the following year I started my first Christian band, CROSSROADS. There was very little contemporary Christian rock in those days that we were aware of, so we began rearranging old hymns by putting in rock guitar hooks, doing cover songs like 'Jesus Is Just Alright'. We played anywhere and everywhere we could, including parks, Christian coffee bars around Southern California and making our way down to the Naval Training Center in San Diego to share our faith with the sailors-in-training. The first time we played in a church, some folks walked out before we began when they spotted my electric guitar, considering it a 'tool of the devil'!"

Dear, Friends - It's with a heavy heart we share that we lost our beloved, Michael Bloodgood at 8:15am Central this...

Posted by BLOODGOOD on Friday, July 29, 2022

Last week,  The Dead Daisies announced that "the dreaded virus has hit the camp again with Glenn Hughes testing positive and unfortunately unable to continue.


The band added: "In the spirit of The Dead Daisies, 'The Show Must Go On'. As Yogi filled in for David when he was crook, we're forging forward with Yogi playing bass and Dino Jelusick (Whitesnake) joining us on vocals for the rest of these shows."


Jelusick has shared video of the band's July 26th performance at Théâtre Antique de Vienne in Vienne, France.




Jelusick: "First time singing 'Mistreated', no rehearsal. Got a call to do this gig a day before. Opening for Judas Priest."


Line-up:
David Lowy - Guitar
Doug Aldrich - Guitar
Dino Jelusick - Vocals
Yogi Lonich - Bass
Brian Tichy - Drums


Remaining tour dates are as follows:


August
2 - Bamberg, Germany - Brose Arena (special guest for Judas Priest)
5 - Knislinge, Sweden - Time To Rock Festival


The Dead Daisies are set to release their sixth studio album, Radiance, on September 30. Radiance is ten tracks of pure unadulterated brilliant rock. The power of Doug Aldrich and David Lowy’s dual guitars provide a wall of sonic nectar. Front man Glenn Hughes rock solid bass grooves and unmatched vocal intensity, still among the greatest rock singers of all time and the matrix of Brian Tichy’s drums set the engine room on fire!


Radiating heat, Radiance takes you on an exhilarating ride. The first singles off the album, "Radiance" and "Shine On" went straight to air on radio across the globe, were added to digital playlists and received with open arms by tens of thousands of fans and audiences on their EU Summer Tour when played live.


“The new album Radiance is our 2nd album with Ben Grosse producing from top to bottom. We had a great time composing and recording the record and I’m very excited for you all to hear what we put together. Definitely a heavy album but with some cool twists and turns! Hope you all like it.” - Doug Aldrich


Radiance is the second instalment The Daisies have recorded with esteemed producer Ben Grosse at the helm, recorded at The Mix Room in North Hollywood California. All the songs on Radiance are written by David Lowy, Doug Aldrich and Glenn Hughes. Hard-hitting drummer Brian Tichy returned to The Daisies in early 2022 to lay down the drums on Radiance.


“I am very much looking forward to the release of Radiance, the newest LP from The Dead Daisies! It was great to start off being back in the band by getting together with Doug, Glenn, David, and producer Ben Grosse at his studio dialling in the songs that make up Radiance. It was a very smooth, organized process of jamming with the guys getting all drum grooves and parts just right! The final result is another slab of butt-kicking rock! The guys all brought their A-Game and a tight, powerful record was created! I’m looking forward to everyone hearing it and playing more of these songs live in the near future!” - Brian Tichy


Radiance will be available as a Digipak CD with sticker, Gatefold black vinyl with printed inner sleeves and digitally from September 30. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Face Your Fear"
"Hypnotize Yourself"
"Shine On"
"Radiance"
"Born To Fly"
"Kiss The Sun"
"Courageous"
"Cascade"
"Not Human"
"Roll On"


"Shine On" video:





"Radiance" video:





US fall tour dates:


September
7 - Vineland, NJ - The Landis Theater
10 - Danville, VA - Blue Ridge Rock Festival
11 - Fall Church, VA - State Theatre
14 - Nashville, TN - Eastside Bowl
15 - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre
18 - Los Angeles, CA - The Vermont Hollywood
21 - Roseville, CA - Goldfield Trading Post
23 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
24 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile

The first music from Kerry King's new band sounds "crushing" and is "on par with SLAYER," according to an American radio DJ who got an early preview of the project.

Nikki Blakk, who pioneered San Francisco Bay Area's rock radio station 107.7 The Bone, heard most of the songs that will appear on the debut album from King's new group while visiting Kerry and his wife Ayesha at their home in New York City earlier this week.

On Friday (July 29), Nikki took to her Facebook page to share a photo of her with the couple, and she included the following message: "I heard the new #KerryKing songs last night & they are CRUSHING. The world hasn't been the same without SLAYER But, now I'm looking forward to 2023. …and yes, I know who's in the band, but NO, I won't tell you. Sorry Blabbermouth.net #AboutLastNight #Slayer #NotSlayer #Metal".

When pressed for more details about the music by some of her Facebook followers, Nikki added in the comments: "It sounds killer! I loved all of it. Not a clunker in the bunch! I think I heard 8 or 9 songs."

After one of her Facebook friends opined that late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman wrote the group's best songs "that will never be outdone by Kerry's new band" and that original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo is "the greatest thrash metal drummer ever", implying that Lombardo's replacement, Paul Bostaph, is an inferior musician, Blakk countered with: "Jeff wrote a lot of their greatest songs, but far from all of them. Not to mention, many were written by King/Hanneman together." She added: "I'm not going to have the Lombardo/Bostaph argument, cause they're both killer drummers, but they couldn't be more different in style, for 2 guys who played the same songs. Personally, I'm #TeamBostaph, but it's purely subjective. Lastly, Kerry was a major contributor to the SLAYER sound and towards the end, he orchestrated nearly all of it, so anything he does will be on par with SLAYER."

Earlier this month, Kerry spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about his post-SLAYER project, saying that "won't be dragging [his] feet much longer" when it comes to going back on the road.

Nearly two years after he revealed that he had more than two records' worth of music written for his new band, King stated about the new material's direction: "You know me, so you know what it's going to sound like. I played this new song for a buddy, and I said to him, 'If there's anything I've written in the last few years that sounds like SLAYER, it's this.' And he said, 'That sounds like you could have pulled it off of any SLAYER record.' I actually made that riff up backstage at a SLAYER show. We were walking to the stage and I got my phone out and recorded it so I wouldn't forget it."

While King was reluctant to reveal the rest of the lineup of his new band, he confirmed the involvement of Bostaph.

"We just started rehearsing and the only person I can give away is Paul because I took him from SLAYER and we work very well together," the 58-year-old guitarist said. "We didn't start rehearsing until the end of March, and that was the first time since that last SLAYER show at the end of 2019 that me and Paul finally got into a room together."

King went on to say that he expects his new band to start out by playing "much smaller" venues than SLAYER did at the end of its four-decade run.

"Had it have been up to me then I'd have been out in 2020," he said. "But that thing called the pandemic fucked everything up for everyone. You know, I waited on that, because it had to run its course. I didn't want to be the guinea pig; I didn't want to learn how to tour again. I already did my dues; I don't want to have to prove myself again.

"Have I been dragging my feet? Yeah, because I wanted this [pandemic] shit to get sorted. I won't be dragging my feet much longer."

SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Ayesha King said that there is "not a chance in hell" that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances. In August 2020, she once again shot down the possibility of her husband and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya sharing the stage ever again under the SLAYER banner.

After Ayesha shared three photos of Kerry holding their cat in slideshow-type Instagram post, a fan wrote: "No Tom, No SLAYER Kerry. Stop thinking SLAYER without @tomarayaofficial". Ayesha then replied: "don't worry, they'll never be SLAYER again! You can rest easy".

That same month, Bostaph confirmed that he is involved in a brand new project headed up by Kerry. Paul told Australia's Riff Crew that the new band will "sound like SLAYER without it being SLAYER — but not intentionally so. I mean, Kerry's been writing songs in SLAYER his entire career, and he has a style," he explained. "And that style, as a songwriter, you just don't change your style because your band is done… So, all I can say is if you like heavy music and you like SLAYER, you'll like this."

Just a few days earlier, Kerry told Dean Guitars that he had plenty of musical ideas for his upcoming project. "I've been very, very lucky with riffs in 2020," he said. "Maybe because I can't go anywhere — I don't know — but riffs have certainly not been a problem. And looking forward into the future, what that means for me is I'm gonna be able to cherrypick the best stuff. And it's good stuff. I've got more than two records' worth of music, but to be able to go through that and cherrypick the best 11 or 12 [songs]… That first record should be smoking."

When SLAYER first announced that it was embarking on its final tour back in January 2018, Ayesha assured fans that they would "always get music" from her husband.

King has said in previous interviews that his post-SLAYER musical efforts would not be much different from the sound fans have grown accustomed to hearing from him.

"If someone quit, I'm not going to go around with a made-up SLAYER," he told AZCentral.com back in 2010. "But my next band would sound like SLAYER, that's all I know."

SLAYER's final world tour began on May 10, 2018 with the band's intention to play as many places as possible, to make it easy for the fans to see one last SLAYER show and say goodbye. By the time the 18-month trek wrapped at the Forum, the band had completed seven tour legs plus a series of one-off major summer festivals, performing more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states.

Photo credit: Chad Lee for Dean Guitars

I heard the new #KerryKing songs last night & they are CRUSHING🤘😆🤘 The world hasn’t been the same without Slayer But,...

Posted by Nikki Blakk on Friday, July 29, 2022

Ontario based progressive outfit Taking Balfour are preparing to unveil their sophomore album Dawn Of Polaris on October 21st, 2022. With a newly completed lineup, the band offers a tantalizing taste with the first single and video, "The Watcher And The Witness".





Founding member and guitarist Noah Anderson comments: "The most challenging thing about creating a record is of course, what are we going to write about? In the early stages of brainstorming, we decided to take an approach on one of the most debated topics of all time; what it means to be human. This album is a journey, and one that we all buckle up for behind the wheel."  




"Dawn Of Polaris perfectly captures a bumpy ride; the exhilarating rollercoaster each and every one of us has to strap in for. We all are guilty of holding our belief systems so close to our hearts that sometimes we forget to look at the bigger picture. What is the bigger picture? Well, take a listen, you'd be surprised at what you may find." 


Taking Balfour elevate their music by exploring beyond the typical boundaries of metal. Breaking out synthesizers and organ parts alongside the metal instrumentation, the band produce a fiery sound with unceasing impact.  





Tracklisting:


"Echoes" 
"Neptune"
"The Watcher And The Witness"
"Awakening" 
"The Jester’s Fool"
"Polaris"
"Touch And Go"
"Light Years Away"
"T.O.A.D."
"Purge Of Darkness"


Taking Balfour create a wall of sound comprised of powerful percussion, thundering bass and epic guitar riffage, all accompanied by compelling synths and piano. “Echoes” is a beautifully haunting introduction to the album, building up anticipation ahead of the heavy thrills of “Neptune”. A gothic seductive tone manifests in “Awakening”, while “Light Years Away” explores contrasting sections of a serene, soaring nature, and high intensity. Blues and funk influences run through Dawn Of Polaris with “The Jester’s Fool” and “T.O.A.D.” prominently incorporating these musical styles. Each track ventures down a different path of Taking Balfour’s sound, revealing something new at every turn. The convergence of these elements is found in the concluding “Purge Of Darkness”. From driving percussion and delicate lead melodies, to immersive atmospheres and an explosive breakdown, this finale goes out with a bang.  


For further details, visit Taking Balfour on Facebook.


 

Chuck D of PUBLIC ENEMY joined ANTHRAX on stage last night (Friday, July 29) at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California to perform "Bring The Noise", the song ANTHRAX and PUBLIC ENEMY recorded together in 1991. Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

During the recording of ANTHRAX's "Persistence Of Time" album, guitarist Scott Ian suggested the band — all big PUBLIC ENEMY fans — record a cover of PUBLIC ENEMY's "Bring The Noise". He loved the idea of recording a metal version of the song, of melding his guitar sound with Chuck D's voice, plus, PUBLIC ENEMY had name-checked ANTHRAX in the lyrics. Once the demo was arranged and recorded, Scott sent a cassette of it to Chuck D with the pitch for Chuck and Flavor Flav to record a version of the track with ANTHRAX. After hearing the demo, Chuck D wholeheartedly agreed. In June, 1991, the ANTHRAX-PUBLIC ENEMY collaboration of "Bring The Noise" was released on ANTHRAX's B-sides/rarities album "Attack Of The Killer B's", and then on PUBLIC ENEMY's "Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black" album in October of that same year. The song blew up, and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance." Then, on September 24, 1991, as part of ANTHRAX's "Persistence Of Time" touring cycle, the two bands went out on the road together, the "Bring The Noise Tour" — ANTHRAX and PUBLIC ENEMY, with PRIMUS and the YOUNG BLACK TEENAGERS supporting. The shows ended with ANTHRAX and PUBLIC ENEMY on stage together performing "Bring The Noise".

Asked in a 2013 interview with The National Student if he thinks the backlash in the collaboration ANTHRAX did with PUBLIC ENEMY helped to form any of the nu-metal music today, Ian said: "You know, people ask us, do we think we created certain genres of music that the press named after we did what we did with PUBLIC ENEMY. I never thought we invented it. It certainly opened a door, even just a window for people to jump out of. I truly believe that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE were the band that drove a train through that door; they took the influences in their individuals and came together to make a band out of it. Whereas with us and PUBLIC ENEMY, it's not like ANTHRAX became a rap group and it's not like PUBLIC ENEMY became a metal group, we just collaborated together and did something great. We didn't then become one unit and continue to make music like that. Whereas, RAGE AGAINST were that unit and this is the music that they were creating from their souls which blew up massively on a worldwide level. So I think if anything, whether or not they'd want the credit for it, it's definitely RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE for me that created rap metal, nu-metal, whatever you want to call it. Everything that came after them showed that a direct line had to go back to RAGE. The only thing I can personally take credit for is, there have been guys in bands that have come up to me and personally told me the influence that we bring to them specifically some of the dudes from LINKIN PARK told me years and years ago that the first concert they ever saw was ANTHRAX and PUBLIC ENEMY in Los Angeles. And they left that show saying that's the kind of band we want me to make. I know the guys in RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and I know Tom [Morello, guitar] and he was a fan of ours and PUBLIC ENEMY's and what we did. I'm not saying 'Bring The Noise' was a direct responsibility for RAGE, but I know that it's something they are certainly fans of."

In a separate interview with the Cleveland Music Examiner, Ian stated about ANTHRAX's original decision to record a cover of "Bring The Noise": "By that point, there was a new audience, and we certainly reached a lot of new people with that PUBLIC ENEMY track. People who maybe weren't into what we'd done before, or who weren't metalheads. So that track crossed over for us and took us into a new zone. But it's funny, because we haven't done anything rap or crossed over since 'Bring The Noise', yet people once again still talk about it, which shows me how special it was. People still want to hear it and people still reference it all the time, and it's almost 25 years old. And sometimes we're categorized as a 'rap metal' band, when we only ever did the two songs — other then maybe screwing around with 'Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun' with the BEASTIE BOYS as a B-side — but yeah. People still talk about it as if that's what we do."

Bassists Alberto Rigoni and Michael Manring have announced that their Grains Of Sand album, featuring Mark Zonder and many other guests including Billy Sheehan, has been mixed and mastered and will be released on September 15th. It will be available in digital, Digipack CD and limited edition tape/cassette. You can pre-order Grains Of Sand now at this location.


Furthermore, Alberto Rigoni and Michael Manring have just released a new single and video for "No Escape" featuring Adam Nitti and Mark Zonder.







Alberto Rigoni says: "After the release of Song For Souls in memory of my father I said I was going to retire (at least for a bit) but well... I could not resist to make an album with one of the best bass player in the world like Michael. Hope you will enjoy it."


Michael Manring says: "Alberto is a prolific artist with a deep love of the bass. His enthusiasm is inspiring and it's always a pleasure to work with him."


Grains Of Sand artwork and tracklisting:





"Orphaned Land" 
"Grains Of Sand" (ft. Billy Sheehan) 
"Seven" (feat. Bryan Beller) 
"Parallels" (ft. Michael LePond)
"Bass Lullaby"
"InstruMind" (ft. Lars Lehmann)
"Carpathia"
"No Escape" (ft. Adam Nitti) 
"Angels" (ft. Stu Hamm)


"Grains Of Sand" (ft. Billy Sheehan) video:





 

Britain's fiercely independent alternative metal outfit Shadow Smile announce the release of their epic new single "Dearly Departed". A deeply heartfelt and emotionally charged track exploring the grief and loss of losing a close loved one.


Encompassing a fusion of classic metal and modern electronica - the Sheffield (UK) outfit continue to strive forward, pushing musical boundaries with their original-yet-timeless sound. A fast rising and exciting new rock act whose sonic concoctions will equally resonate with fans of contemporary metal-core acts like Bring Me The Horizon and While She Sleeps, as well as stadium metal heavyweights such as Ghost and Avenged Sevenfold. 







Produced by Daniel Jeffery and mixed by Jim Pinder at UK's renowned Treehouse Studios (Bullet For My Valentine, Bring Me The Horizon) - "Dearly Departed" is one of the band's stand alone single releases for fans whilst work is underway with their as-yet-untitled and entirely crowd-funded album expected in 2023.


For further details, visit Shadow Smile on Facebook.


 

Threeman Recordings' 25th anniversary edition of Entombed's classic album, DCLXVI: To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth, has entered the Swedish charts again as follows:


#6 - Album charts (both physical and digital)
#1 - Physical 
#1 - Vinyl 
#1 - Hard Rock 


Guitarist Alex Hellid comments: “We’re all seriously chuffed to see To Ride… top charts again!! Fantastic! Many thanks to everyone making it so. Thank you!”




Entombed was inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame in 2014 with the following motivation: "Hard Rock is just as typical of growing up in medium-sized Swedish towns as football and mopeds. Hard Rock is Swedish folk music with studded wrist bands instead of tasseled garters. After two decades of Anglo-Saxon hard rock a Swedish band, Entombed, became one of the world leaders in death metal. A subculture that has spread throughout the world, mutated in various forms, and after 20 years continues to be just as vital. Entombed is part of the heavier internationalization of Swedish popular music - all categories."


The band was founded in 1987 under the name of Nihilist. With its catchy, versatile but still rock-hard music Entombed pioneered Scandinavian death metal, which was different from its American counterpart mainly by the characteristic, chainsaw-like guitar sound. The special sound they got by tuning down their guitars three full steps (to C or less), by using a maxed-out Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal, in combination with a guitar running through a Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal. The debut album Left Hand Path was released in 1990 and followed up the following year with Clandestine and Wolverine Blues in 1993.


For the 25th anniversary of DCLXVI: To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth, the album is finally reissued and packaged as the band originally intended it.


The vinyl edition comes in a gatefold sleeve, while the CD version includes the classic poster booklet. The release was newly remastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios.





Tracklisting:


"To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth"
"Like This With The Devil"
"Lights Out"
"Wound"
"They"
"Somewhat Peculiar"
"DCLXVI"
"Parasight"
"Damn Deal Done"
"Put Me Out"
"Just As Sad"
"Boats"
"Uffe's Horrorshow"
"Wreckage"


Entombed is a Swedish death metal band which formed in 1987 under the name of Nihilist. Entombed began their career as an early pioneer of Scandinavian death metal which initially differed from its American counterpart by its distinct guitar tone.


"Much of our catalogue has not been available for a long time as we've been searching for the best option to re-release these albums for fans worldwide...for years. With Sound Pollution we've found the ideal partner that helps us to do it our own way, so that the fans can be sure that the reissues are fully controlled by Entombed with full support and co-operation from Threeman Recordings (our own evil empire version of a record company through which we've been releasing all our stuff since the To Ride album (our fourth) in 1996 or was it 1997? Wikipedia say 1997 so I guess that's the truth. Anyway, we want to present these albums in the best possible way, so we're going to remaster all of them. We may even make an alternative and/or re-mix of some tracks or album available along the way as well as dig out some demo versions. Personally, I just can't get enough of that stuff myself when it comes to other people's music. Just love to hear things in different ways and get a glimpse of the process...absolutely love that. It's going to be fun to work on all that and give you updates on how it's all playing out. Been waiting a really long time to do this and I am very very excited to finally be here!" - Alex Hellid


Lineup:


Uffe Cederlund - Guitar
Jörgen Sandström - Bass
L-G Petrov - Vocals
Alex Hellid - Guitar
Nicke Andersson - Drums

On June 1, France's Duke TV conducted an interview with ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz and guitarist Michael Amott in Paris. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about ARCH ENEMY's decision to release more singles than usual this time around, Alissa said: "I actually like singles anyways; I like that idea. As long as there's an album coming up, I like the idea of giving almost every song the time and attention that it needs, because when we're writing the album and recording it, every song gets an equal amount of time and attention. It's not like the two singles get more than the others; we dedicate ourselves fully to every song. So I'm happy to see more songs getting that kind of dedicated attention from the audience as well."

Added Michael: "It's kind of exciting to release songs one by one with these videos and streaming on the DSPs and stuff. Actually, it's worked out very, very well. And we noticed now when we had our concert tour in North America that… we were playing three of the singles — 'Handshake With Hell', 'House Of Mirrors' and 'Deceiver, Deceiver' — and they went down super well; [they were] very recognized by the fans and people singing along and so forth. So it was really great."

ARCH ENEMY's 11th studio album, "Deceivers", which will arrive on August 12 via Century Media Records.

In May, ARCH ENEMY released a new seven-inch single, "Sunset Over The Empire", with the title track also appearing on "Deceivers". The official music video for "Sunset Over The Empire", directed by Grupa13, was made available the same day.

ARCH ENEMY played the first show of "The North American Siege 2022" tour with BEHEMOTH and NAPALM DEATH on April 16 at The Marquee in Tempe, Arizona.

Amott previously stated about "Deceivers": "Having just celebrated our 25th anniversary as a group and now releasing our 11th studio album, one could easily assume that we would be cruising along and going through the motions at this point. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to ARCH ENEMY and our new album, 'Deceivers'.

"It is, without a doubt, always a challenge to raise the bar each time in both the songwriting and production side of things, and it can feel a bit daunting before we get into it. But once we do get started and fully immerse ourselves in the creative process, it's really like there is nothing else in the world and we are very focused. And believe it or not, for the most part, we have a ton of fun making this music! Creating 'Deceivers' was no different. Once again we shut out the outside world and went deep into the artistic zone. I believe we pulled out some really interesting musical and lyrical themes this time, a few things might even raise an eyebrow or two — while retaining all the signature elements of the band. In the end, it's ARCH ENEMY at full speed and power."

ARCH ENEMY is appearing at select summer festivals before embarking on the rescheduled "European Siege 2022" trek (with BEHEMOTH, CARCASS, UNTO OTHERS) in the fall.

Cradle Of Filth drummer Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka has shared drum cam footage of "Nocturnal Supremacy" performed live in Toronto on June 4th at The Opera House. Check it out below.










Austrian rock and metal empire, Napalm Records, recently announced their exciting new partnership with Cradle Of Filth, who have just signed a worldwide contract with the label.


Positioned firmly at the top of the extreme black metal genre, Cradle Of Filth - led and revolutionized by iconic frontman Dani Filth - reign supreme as one of the most revered, formative and notorious names in the scene, and are undeniably responsible for breaking ground for many of today’s top metal artists with their trademark mixture of grim blackened heaviness, macabre theatricality and scintillating gothic style. The rule of Filth began in 1991, followed by the unleashing of 1994’s The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh - humble beginnings that expanded into cinematic classics like Cruelty And The Beast and Midian.


The band’s unyielding international touring schedule has garnered them a massive following both in the cult underground and at the top of the mainstream, defying trends while staying true to their roots. More recent offerings such as 2015’s Hammer Of The Witches and 2017’s Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay continued to bolster the unremitting legacy of Filth, until the band, along with the rest of the universe, was abruptly halted by the global pandemic in 2020.


But, as is evident by the staggering response from their devoted legion of followers, that time was put to good use, spurring the emergence of the band’s latest, breathtakingly heavy offering, 2021’s Existence Is Futile. The album debuted at #20 on the Billboard 200 with Hard Rock Genre, on the Hard Music Albums charts at #4 in the US and #5 in Canada, #9 on the German Album charts, #3 and #5 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums chart and UK Independent Albums chart respectively, #4 on the Finnish Albums chart and many more, proving that Cradle Of Filth continue to own the dark.


Now, Napalm Records is honoured to deliver the band’s haunting hallmark to the masses as their musical panorama reaches into the future.


Cradle Of Filth mastermind Dani Filth says: “It is with great expectation and excitement that we announce our move to Napalm Records, having seen and heard a great deal of complimentary things about the label, which in turn leads us to believe that this will be the perfect nesting ground for Cradle Of Filth in 2022 and beyond. We’d like to thank all our fans for their continued support and trust in us doing the right thing for the band and its music. All hail the eternal ‘Filth!”


Thomas Caser, CEO, Napalm Records adds: “We are thrilled to welcome the most influential and iconic extreme metal band to our ever-growing Napalm Records family. Being a fan of the band since their very first album, it is with great honor and excitement that we’re able to work with them from now on! We are ready to conquer the metal world with Cradle Of Filth!”


 

Find A Better Way is the brand-new album by Canadian classic rock roots and blues rock band, The Commoners. The album will be released on CD, limited edition vinyl and digital by Gypsy Soul Records on November 4th and is available to pre-order from TheCommoners.ca. The first single "Fill My Cup" was released on July 29th and is available to stream here.


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







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


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


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


The first single "Fill My Cup" is the quintessential roots rock song, featuring high-energy guitar riffs, a groovy verse and an uplifting chorus rounded out with an inspiring full band chant. Showcasing a powerful vocal performance by lead singer Chris Medhurst, and the soulful harmonies of Chantal Williams, "Fill My Cup" is an impeccable introduction to The Commoners—a must listen.





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


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


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


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


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





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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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





Tracklisting:


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


For further details, visit The Commoners on Facebook.


 

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his solo performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom Of The Opera". Check it out below.


Johansson: "Last year I appeared on this cover together with symphonic power metal band Dream Ocean. I've always wanted to do this song by myself, and finally the times has come.


Recorded in a haunted house in Italy in the summer of 2022 with a full team behind me to make this happen. Big thanks to Mandy Spice, Team Gullmarsplan and Team Brandbergen for making this possible."







Johansson recently shared his solo performance of the Queen classic, "Show Must Go On". The song is taken from Queen's 1991 album, Innuendo.

Philadelphia metal outfit Prosper Or Perish has released a video for their new song “Goliath, Come Forth.” The track is taken from their new album, Shroud Of Serpents, out now via Jobson Productions. 


Artwork by Eliran Kantor:







Prosper Or Perish guitarist Eric Benites says, "This is one of my favorite songs on the album and it has a little bit of everything on it. Fierce drumming, grooving melodies, an adventurous guitar solo, and awesome screams. The director, Joe Fedele, said he had a vision for how we could blend a music video and a lyric video together and also incorporate the album cover artwork to bring the overall theme to life. I think Joe really knocked it out the park with this one. We hope you all enjoy it!"


Formed in 2007, Prosper Or Perish is an unyielding metal quintet from Philadelphia, PA. Since their inception, the sound they produce has progressed with the evolution of their lineup. The versatile writing pulls from a wide range of influences across an ample number of subgenres while remaining true to their focused vision. With their growth they have continued to hold firm in their roots of death and thrash laced with solid grooves, harmonies, and soulful elements. Each record has proved to be harder and faster than its predecessor. With therelease of Shroud Of Serpents, Prosper Or Perish again keep true to their namesake, forging ahead and grinding their axes for their most powerful album yet.





Prosper Or Perish is:
Armen Koroghlian - Drums 
Eric Benites - Guitar 
Steve Stanley – Vocals
Austin Perez - Guitar 
Chrissy Z. Duffin – Bass


(Photo – Ted Waters & Joe Fedele)

Swedish dark symphonic metal outfit Eleine will release their Acoustic In Hell EP on October 14 through Atomic Fire Records. The EP presents eight of their classic tracks in raw acoustic form, just in time for their extensive European acoustic tour with labelmates Sonata Arctica. In advance of the EP’s release, today the band unveils their first single and captivating music video for “All Shall Burn (Acoustic).”


Vocalist Madeleine Liljestam and vocalist/guitarist Rikard Ekberg comment, "The original 'All Shall Burn' quickly became a fan-proclaimed Eleine anthem, with its meaning, depth, and heavy groove. We felt it was a given that 'All Shall Burn' should receive the acoustic treatment, to show gratitude towards our fans and also to further peer into the meaning of the song: Perseverance and unity - with that together we can achieve greatness.


"The acoustic translation of 'All Shall Burn' was pretty straightforward. We wanted to keep it raw and authentic. The challenging part was to translate the main riff from electric to acoustic guitar since you really couldn't play it the same way without making it sound empty. The end result turned out great, and we are very proud to finally present 'All Shall Burn' in its acoustic raw and authentic form."




Recorded within only a week in January 2022 in their dear friend Thomas "Plec" Johansson’s The Panic Room Studio in Skara, Sweden, Acoustic In Hell gets elevated by a stellar performance courtesy of Liljestam who recorded all her vocals in just under three hours. More than anything, this shows the determination and the sheer will power with which things are done in camp Eleine. The EP will contain eight Eleine classics in a raw new acoustic gown.


Acoustic In Hell will be released on CD, LP (Yellow-Orange-Red Marbled w/ hand-signed insert) and digitally. Find preordering options at this location.


An exclusive vinyl edition of the record (Blue-White-Black Marbled) with hand-signed insert will be sold on Eleine's acoustic tour starting October 20.


Keep up with Eleine’s upcoming live performances at the band’s official website.





Tracklisting:


“Whisper My Child”
“Enemies”
“Memoriam”
“Ava Of Death”
“All Shall Burn”
“Death Incarnate”
“Break Take Live”
“Hell Moon”


"All Shall Burn":





Eleine:
Madeleine Liljestam – vocals
Rikard Ekberg – guitar, vocals
Jesper Sunnhagen - drums

Portuguese metallers Moonspell has shared a social media posting reflecting on the 26th anniversary of their 1996 gothic metal masterpiece Irreglious.





The band states:




“The almighty worldwide web reminded us today of Irreligious' 26th anniversary and we must oblige.


“A lot of things were written and said about this one. Good and bad and so-so yet one must agree this is a quite special one as we still play a lot of those songs live and we can agree that this album had a perfect timing when it was originally released back in 1996 at the peak of gothic metal.


“Fun facts about this album:
- It was supposed to be called Fullmoon Madness and not Irreligious
- It was Ricardo's [Amorim, guitarist] first studio album with us
- It was Ares’ [bassist] last album with us
- We got to support the mighty Type O Negative for their October Rust tour in Europe
- 'Raven Claws' is not inspired by Harry Potter but by Jim Morrison The Doors poetry ‘as smooth as raven claw’"
- ‘Opium’ was a German Radio DJ's favourite and made it even into karaoke lists in pubs
- We always hated the cover artwork but got used to it throughout the years
Enjoy your weekend and listen to Moonspell!
See you all at Wacken Open Air
Under a Fullmoon madness!”





(Photo - Rui Vasco)

Ryo Okumoto, long-time keyboardist for prog rock group Spock’s Beard, has released his new solo album, The Myth Of The Mostrophus, via InsideOutMusic. The six song prog extravaganza features Okumoto’s signature style accompanied by the talents of a who’s who of progressive rock.


To celebrate the album’s release, Ryo is pleased to share the breathtaking new video for the single, “Chrysalis”, created by Christian Rios.







The album features guest appearances by a number of incredible musicians including current and former Spock’s Beard bandmates:


Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train, Spock’s Beard) - Drums & Vocals
Al Morse (Spock’s Beard) - Guitar
Dave Meros (Spock’s Beard) - Bass
Ted Leonard (Spock’s Beard. Transatlantic) - Vocals
Jimmy Keegan (Spock’s Beard) - Vocals
Steve Hackett (Genesis) - Guitar
Michael Sadler (Saga, ProgJect) - Vocals
Mike Keneally (Steve Vai, Frank Zappa, ProgJect) - Guitar
Jonathan Mover (Joe Satriani, ProgJect) - Drums
Marc Bonila (Keith Emerson/Kevin Gilbert) - Guitar
Doug Wimbish (Living Colour) – Bass
Randy McStine (McStine & Minnemann, Porcupine Tree) – Guitars & Vocals
Lyle Workman (Todd Rundgren) – Guitar
Michael Whiteman (I Am the Manic Whale) – Guitars & Vocals


Twenty years since Ryo Okumoto’s last solo album Coming Home (2002), work on the new album began in November 2000, when Okumoto reached out to I Am The Manic Whale vocalist/bassist Michael Whiteman, following that band’s performance on a livestream event that Okumoto had taken part in.  An exchange of demos resulted in the writing of the initial tracks for the album. Okumoto then reached out the fellow Spock’s Beard bandmates (Nick D’Virgilio, Alan Morse, Dave Meros, Ted Leonard and Jimmy Keegan) to join in and the album started to take shape before rounding out with additional guest stars through his Okumoto’s new group ProgJect including Michael Sadler, Jonathan Mover and Mike Keneally. With the additions of Steve Hackett, Marc Bonila, Doug Wimbish, Randy McStine, and Lyle Workman, the star-studded lineup was complete. The result is a prog rock tour de force from one of the most entertaining and influential artists of prog’s modern era.


Engineered and mixed by Rich Mouser, the album can be ordered here.





Tracklisting:


"Mirror Mirror"
"Turning Point"
"The Watchmaker (Time On His Side)"
"Maximum Velocity"
"Chrysalis"
"The Myth Of The Mostrophus"


“The Watchmaker” lyric video:





(Photo - Alex Solca)

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his singer wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with another episode in their "Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch" series. This time they perform a cover of the Lenny Kravitz hit "Are You Gonna Go My Way". Watch below.





A selection of Robert & Toyah's previous Sunday Lunch videos can be seen below:




























 

With festival season well under way, The Night Flight Orchestra are here to deliver the ultimate summer hit with their brand new single, "Black Stars And Diamonds". Stream the song here, and below.


Frontman Björn Strid comments on the track: “This song is the ultimate weekend tribute, where fallen angels, dreams of glitter and late summer twilight unite in an exploding cocktail.”







This release also marks a change in the lineup with the addition of a new backing vocalist. Björn excitedly comments: “We are very thrilled to officially welcome the amazing Åsa Lundman to the fold! This marks a new era for the band as her and Anna Brygård unite as the unstoppable back up duo The Aeromanticas. Make sure you follow them on social media! We are very thrilled to share this new single with you, which debuts this amazing back up duo. The future looks so damn bright you ought to use the bottom of champagne bottles as goggles! Enjoy!”





Lineup:


Björn Strid – Lead and Backing vocals
David Andersson – Guitars
Sharlee D’Angelo – Bass
Sebastian Forslund – Guitars, percussion
Jonas Källsbäck – Drums
John Manhattan Lönnmyr – Keyboards
Anna Brygård – Backing Vocals
Åsa Lundman– Backing Vocals

A four-camera video of SLIPKNOT performing its latest single, "The Dying Song (Time To Sing)", live for the first time on July 28 at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube channel Bahomar).

"The Dying Song (Time To Sing)" is taken from SLIPKNOT's seventh studio album, "The End, So Far", which will be released on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind", it will be the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

The official music video for "The Dying Song (Time To Sing)" was directed by SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan.

Produced by SLIPKNOT and Joe Barresi, "The End, So Far" includes the band's 2021 surprise single "The Chapeltown Rag" and follows their widely celebrated 2019 album "We Are Not Your Kind", which marked SLIPKNOT's third consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The release made a massive global impact with No. 1 debuts in the official album charts of twelve countries around the world, including the U.K., Australia, Canada and Mexico, with Top 5 debuts in an additional twelve countries including Germany, France and Sweden.

Regarding the lyrical inspiration for "The Dying Song (Time To Sing)", SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor told Kerrang! magazine: "To me, it just seems like it's all the outrage and none of the punishment. For the last few years it's been very trendy to be offended and outraged by everything, and yet nothing happens – especially in my country, which is just fucking ridiculous. It's almost like the tables have turned, and the more angry people get, the more the people who they're mad at just double-down on the shit. Instead of there being cause and effect, or crime and punishment, now it's just like, 'Fuck you, we don't care.' I can't tell if that's a reaction because of the almost nihilistic isolation of the cultures themselves, where neither side is acknowledging any of the good parts of each other – they're just really honed in on the shit that they consider inflammatory. And it's almost like people are ringing the doomsday bell. You're sitting there going, 'Well, it's been fun! Everybody, pick up your trash when you're leaving, and I'll see you in Hell!' That's kind of what that song is. It's just like, 'If we don't figure it out, I'll see you when the meteor hits, basically.'"

As for SLIPKNOT's working relationship with Barresi, Taylor said: "He's one of those dudes who's got great ideas, but he also allows you to do what is on your mind. If he has an idea, he lets you pursue yours, but then he'll go, 'You know, just for me, try this and see if these things can live together.' He's very unassuming, which is kind of rare these days. Sometimes you can get a producer who's trying to enforce their will on it, but Joe just wants what's best for the album, and what's best for the song, and what's best for the performance."

Taylor went on to call "The End, So Far" a "darker version" of SLIPKNOT's third LP, 2004's "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)".

"To me, 'Vol. 3' was really the most expansive album that we had done, up to that point," he explained. "It was the thing that kind of pushed the boundaries for everybody, you know? We were able to experiment with different styles of music, and really show people that there was so much more depth to what we do. And I kind of feel like that's what this album is doing. In a way it is [also] an extension of 'We Are Not Your Kind', but to me, the songs are better, the structuring is better. We're able to kind of take it even further, and after 23 years professionally, being able to say that there's ground that we haven't covered yet, and there's ground that we're excited to cover, is cool."

Monster Truck have released the music video for their latest single, "Get My Things And Go”, via BMG.





The music video is directed and edited by Dave Lawrence, best known as the creator and star of FUBAR, and produced by Immanuela Lawrence. It brings the track to life, featuring children acting as adults living in a world solely populated by kids.




“We loved the idea of a ‘Kid World’. So we tried to follow the narrative of the song in a world solely populated by kids acting and dressing like adults. In ‘Kid World’, no adults exist except on “MonsterTube” which is populated with fun YouTube style videos kids love to watch made by the band. They play immature adults making a ton of easy money off “MonsterTube” to contrast with the working class struggles in ‘Kid World’,” said the music video director, Dave Lawrence. I really love how it all came together.”


“Working with Dave Lawrence has long been a dream of ours. He’s so effortlessly funny and creative, it’s always been inspiring to us. Dave brings a really amazing feeling of almost innocence to his projects even though the subject matter may be shot-gunning beers and smashing shit,” said Jon Harvey, bassist and lead singer of Monster Truck. “We’d wanted to do a video starring kids, but playing adults, since our second record in 2016, and the whimsical, storybook nature of the lyrics to ‘Get My Things And Go’ were the perfect match for this bizarro world concept. The end result speaks for itself.”





(Photo - James Heaslip)

Bullet For My Valentine will release a deluxe version of their current, self-titled album on August 5 via Spinefarm/Search and Destroy. This extended release features four brand new tracks, plus "Stitches", a song previously only available as a Japanese exclusive. Get it here and pre-save it here. Following the CD and digital releases, a vinyl pressing will launch on November 11.


Today, they have released the new single, "No More Tears to Cry". Listen here, and below.


"We're super happy to announce our new single 'No More Tears To Cry' is out," the band says. "The song is a dark but colorful story about dealing with mental health struggles. Musically, the track is very different from the other tracks on the album and has a lot of surprises on there, including slide guitar..."







Bullet For My Valentine's seventh studio record sees the band at their heaviest and most visceral, and these additional tracks are no different, offering another round of signature blistering Bullet.





Bullet For My Valentine (Deluxe Edition) tracklisting:


"Parasite"
"Knives"
"My Reverie"
"No Happy Ever After"
"Can't Escape The Waves"
"Bastards"
"Rainbow Veins"
"Shatter"
"Paralysed"
"Death By a Thousand Cuts "
"Omen"
"Stitches"
"No More Tears"
"Step Out From the Inside"
"This Means War"


"Stitches" visualizer:





"Omen" lyric video:

One of Norway’s most creative black metal bands, Dimmu Borgir, released the groundbreaking Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia album in 2001. The band celebrates this seminal album by releasing a brand-new sonic experience.


"Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny" has been remixed and remastered using modern methods, to create an altogether more improved listening experience with contemporary production quality. Stream the single here, and below.







Out on October 28, Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (Remixed & Remastered) will be available as a 3LP Box, CD Digipak and digital. Dust Of Cold Memories includes extensive bonus material, which includes the pre-production of Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia and instrumental rehearsals.


Pre-order Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (Remixed & Remastered) here.


"Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny":

Swedish metallers IN FLAMES have released a brand-new song titled "The Great Deceiver". The track is taken from IN FLAMES' upcoming fourteenth studio album, tentatively due later in the year via Nuclear Blast Records.

IN FLAMES vocalist Anders Fridén states: "'The Great Deceiver' was born out of frustration, basically a reaction to false flags but since then it has grown to represent several meanings. There's a line that says 'Bend the truth to fit your opinion' and I feel that speaks a lot to the narrative happening online, between people, and nations etc. today. We are more a part now than ever before yet it’s easier to communicate than in any other time in history."

In other news, IN FLAMES will embark on a fall 2022 European tour with support from AT THE GATES, IMMINENCE and ORBIT CULTURE.

The dates are as follows:

Nov. 12 - EE Tallinn – Helitehas
Nov. 13 - LV Riga – Palladium
Nov. 15 - PL Katowice – Mck
Nov. 16 - CZ Prague – Mala Sportovni Hala
Nov. 20 - UK London – O2 Academy Brixton
Nov. 21 - LU Esch-Sur-Alzette – Rockhal
Nov. 22 - FR Strasbourg – La Laiterie
Nov. 23 - FR Paris – Bataclan
Nov. 25 - ES Bilbao – Santana 27
Nov. 26 - ES Madrid – Riviera
Nov. 27 - ES Barcelona – Razzmatazz
Nov. 28 - FR Lyon – Transbo
Nov. 30 - CH Zurich – Samsung Hall
Dec. 01 - IT Milan – Alcatraz
Dec. 02 - AT Vienna – Gasometer
Dec. 03 - DE Leipzig – Haus Auensee
Dec. 04 - DE Cologne – Palladium
Dec. 06 - NL Tilburg – 013
Dec. 07 - BE Bruessels – AB
Dec. 08 - DE Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
Dec. 09 - DE Hamburg – Edel Optics Arena
Dec. 10 - DK Copenhagen – Store Vega
Dec. 11 - NL Oslo – Spektrum
Dec. 14 - FI Helsinki – Ice Hall
Dec. 16 - SE Stockholm – Hovet
Dec. 17 - SE Gothenburg - Scandinavium

Fridén recently spoke to MoreCore.TV about IN FLAMES' upcoming album,. Asked if the LP's first single, "State Of Slow Decay", is a good representation of what fans can expect from the record, Anders said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "IN FLAMES has always been about melody and aggression. The short answer is yes, but it's not gonna be all fast. We try to explore all corners of metal with our music. Let's put it like this: if you're a fan of IN FLAMES, then you will love this album."

Elaborating on what fans can expect from the upcoming IN FLAMES album, Anders said: "This is the fourteenth album. So if you know IN FLAMES, you know sort of what you're gonna get. But I think this is a good mix of the past, the present and wherever we're going, and [it] has a little thing for everyone; it has the heavy, it has the melodic, it has the uptempo and the slow parts. I think it's amazing, and it really represents who we are at this time."

Asked if the pandemic influenced the songwriting process for the new IN FLAMES effort, Anders said: "Welll, in a certain way. Lyrically, for sure. I thought this two-year break would make us see us who we are as people and maybe come out on the other side being a little bit more nice and gentle and with more understanding, but I think it's the opposite. So it definitely inspired the lyrical side.

"Of course, a break like that, it's a pause, so when you get back into it, maybe unintentionally you have more energy across the board, [and] with the music as well," he explained.

IN FLAMES performed "State Of Slow Decay" — which was produced by Howard Benson, mixed by Joe Rickard and mastered by Ted Jensen — live for the first time on June 10 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

This past March, guitarist Björn Gelotte confirmed that IN FLAMES' upcoming album was once again recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Benson and Howard's longtime engineer Mike Plotnikoff.

In early July, Fridén told Chaoszine about the songwriting process for the new IN FLAMES album: "Me and Björn, we live on different sides of [Sweden] — he lives in Gothenburg; I live in Stockholm — and we only saw each other once or twice during the whole pandemic. But towards the end, when we kind of felt like it's gonna open up for real, we started talking and then we decided to take a trip to the U.S. and just get the machine rolling again — write some stuff; just get things out of our system. So we spent some time — like, three weeks — in L.A. And then we flew home and had Christmas and so on, and then we flew back again and started recording stuff for real. But as soon as we got together, a few weeks in the writing process, it felt like it always has."

Anders went on to say that he and Björn "had to be in the same room" in order to maximize their songwriting efforts. "We feed off each other's energies and ideas and so on, and I don't think we can write apart," he explained. "I mean, we can, but it won't be the same. So we have to get in the same room and be amongst everyone in the band… Me and Björn, we are the ones that are writing everything. The other guys are obviously partaking and bringing in their energy and their skills to the band, but when it comes to the writing, it's not much different."

Speaking in more detail about the contributions of IN FLAMES' three American members — drummer Tanner Wayne, bassist Bryce Paul and guitarist Chris Broderick — Anders said: "They are great individual musicians, so they bring in their skills and their way of playing, and it's very unique from person to person. And that's what they bring. And also the feeling — it's such a good atmosphere within the band; there's no arguments, really, and we're just having a good time being around each other. And that helps the whole creative process. And what they've done… I mean, you will hear it whenever we… We released one new song, but more to come. You can hear it, what they do. They're amazing guys and amazing musicians and really good friends."

Wayne joined IN FLAMES following the departure of Joe Rickard, who played on "I, The Mask" and 2016's "Battles".

Tanner made his live debut with IN FLAMES in July 2018 in Brno, Czech Republic.

Longtime IN FLAMES drummer Daniel Svensson announced in 2015 that he was leaving the band to focus on his family life.

Paul has been playing most of the shows with IN FLAMES since longtime bassist Peter Iwers's November 2016 exit.

As previously reported, IN FLAMES will embark on a North American tour this September. Support on the trek will come from FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED.

In August 2020, IN FLAMES released a special 20th-anniversary edition of its seminal, critically acclaimed album "Clayman". "Clayman 20th Anniversary Edition" came entirely remastered by Ted Jensen (PANTERA, DEFTONES, GOJIRA) and featured all-new artwork in a 16-page booklet, a brand-new instrumental medley plus four re-recorded versions of fan favorites such as "Only For The Weak" and "Pinball Map".

Ex-IN FLAMES guitarist Jesper Strömblad sat out THE HALO EFFECT's July 27 appearance at the Metaldays festival in Tolmin, Slovenia. He was replaced at the gig by THE HAUNTED's Patrik Jensen.

Strömblad formed THE HALO EFFECT during the pandemic with fellow former IN FLAMES members Daniel Svensson (drums),Peter Iwers (bass),Niclas Engelin (guitar) and Mikael Stanne (vocals).

THE HALO EFFECT was officially launched last year, more than a decade after Strömblad quit IN FLAMES in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.

THE HALO EFFECT will release its debut album, "Days Of The Lost", on August 12 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Earlier this month, Jesper issued a statement saying that "has decided once and for all to deal with" his "addiction and other demons".

Asked in a recent interview with Australia's "Scars And Guitars" podcast how Jesper's health is nowadays, Niclas said: "It's an ongoing battle — it is. He has his demons to fight with. We're with him in this fight. We are supportive, and it's all about love. He is in the band, and he's a bandmember, but it's from day to day, I think — but mostly way better than it has been… It's full-on support and love. And he's in a better place now today than he has been, as I mentioned. So he will be on stage [with] us, as much as he can do it, feel strong about it. No pressure from us. It has to feel good for him."

As for how THE HALO EFFECT will handle future touring activities if Jesper is unable to go on the road, Niclas said: "Yeah, we have some ideas behind that. It's nothing I can talk about right here and now. We are solving that. But the main goal is to have Jesper on board as much as he can do and feel strong about it. And then if he can't make it somehow, we support him and we are with him all the way. And we will find solutions to that because we are… This is a collective of friends. This is just a Gothenburg scene death metal, and we are among friends here, as it was back in the '90s, early '90s. And we'll solve the things in a positive way."

Strömblad told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that the origins of THE HALO EFFECT began during the 2020 pandemic when its members had nothing to do and that he was the last one to join. Strömblad most recently was playing with CYHRA, the modern metal outfit fronted by former AMARANTHE vocalist Jake E, but was not performing live with the group.

When asked what it took for him to join a proper band again, Strömblad said: "There is a misunderstanding because I'm still in CYHRA. There was something going on, personal things that I don't have to get into. If you see promo pictures now, I am not in them. But I'm still in the band. It's always been the fact whether I can be on stage or not, but I'm always the musical motor, so to speak. When I heard about [THE HALO EFFECT's] lineup, there was no doubt."

Strömblad then talked about his musical chemistry with Engelin and how he sees himself fitting in THE HALO EFFECT's plans when touring activity ramps up. "It didn't take much thought from my side when it came to joining," he said. "Touring is always going to be, for the time being, an issue for me. We always are going to have a backup. I'm always going to be there in spirit with the band. I'm always going to be writing music and in there in the studio. But, when I heard Niclas's demos, I said, 'Yes, we have to do more of this.' They were phenomenal. It wasn't a repetition, either. There was no, 'Let's sound like we did 20 years ago.' It sounded so updated, fresh and good. I said, 'We can do this and get away from people saying we got this band together because we played in previous bands together.' This band stands on its own two feet. Maybe you can hear some of the influences, but that's not really weird because it's us playing together. That's how I write music."

THE HALO EFFECT made its live debut on June 11 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden. The show marked the first time in over a decade that Strömblad played with his former IN FLAMES bandmates. When asked how he thought the show went, the guitarist said: "I loved it. I love to be onstage. I haven't been on stage in a lot of years. If I could go back, I would be a little more active onstage. I prioritized playing well, to play the songs because they were brand new for Niclas and me. Nowadays, you write the riff and record it. Then you don't rehearse it. Now, you have to not only learn the songs but refresh your memory. For me, it was there 95 percent. I was kind of stiff. I wanted to nail the songs. It was a fantastic show and I had an amazing time. Just looking back and seeing Daniel smiling behind the drums and hearing Peter's rumbling bass… only he can get that sound, then seeing Niclas running around like a grasshopper. If you think about it, it was kind of cool that the band could play a festival on the big stage and fill it, more or less, and we didn't even have the album out yet. People haven't heard the songs. They heard four songs, tops. We did a signing session where we sat for one and a half hours signing autographs. It was a huge success for us, I think. It couldn't have been a better start."

Strömblad was then asked what the future held and whether THE HALO EFFECT would be his priority. "Yeah, it is," he said. "Maybe sometimes it will be a little puzzling if it clashes, but THE HALO EFFECT is my priority. I'm laying low with everything else right now. We started working on this album so long ago. We are already planning to start recording a new album."

THE HALO EFFECT's first-ever tour will be as the support act for Swedish death metal giants AMON AMARTH and U.S. metallers MACHINE HEAD on 31 dates throughout Europe in the summer and fall of 2022.

After leaving IN FLAMES, Strömblad formed THE RESISTANCE with Marco Aro (vocals, THE HAUNTED) and Glenn Ljungström (guitar, ex-IN FLAMES). Strömblad announced his departure from that group in March 2016, with the band's bassist, Rob Hakemo, saying in an interview that Jesper "saved" THE RESISTANCE by quitting and explaining that the guitarist is "an alcoholic" and "drug addict" who "doesn't want to [get] sober." Rob added: "[Jesper] thinks that two weeks [sober] is good, and then he can drink some. And then he's gone for a month, and then he's back and he's not drinking [for a short while]. It's a sad thing, and we really tried to help him and wanted the best [for him]. So when he told us that 'I'm leaving the band,' we were relieved. We were really relieved."