Death metal legends, Obituary, announce two new live albums - Slowly We Rot - Live & Rotting, and Cause Of Death - Live Infection. Both landmark albums are available for pre-order on LP/CD and Blu-Ray/CS & full digital audio is on all streaming services.


Physical pre-orders are out August 26 and available via Relapse.com, here. Video footage is presented in high resolution HD video, pressed on Blu-Ray.


Slowly We Rot - Live & Rotting and Cause Of Death - Live Infection were filmed by Odd Life Studios and directed by Lief Thomason on HD video in October 2020. Recorded and mixed by long time producer Joe Cincotta, and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, both live albums capture Obituary as one of death metal's most ripping and unrelenting bands.




Digital Downloads/Streaming for Slowly We Rot - Live & Rotting is available here, and Cause Of Death - Live Infection here.





Slowly We Rot - Live & Rotting tracklisting:


Intro
"Internal Bleeding"
"Godly Beings"
"Til Death"
"Immortal Visions"
"Gates To Hell"
"Words Of Evil"
"Suffocation"
"Intoxicated"
"Deadly Intentions"
"Bloodsoaked "
"Stinkupuss"
"Slowly We Rot"
"Redneck Stomp" (Live) [Bonus Track]
"Dethroned Emperor" (Live) [Bonus Track]
"A Dying World" (Live) [Bonus Track]








Cause Of Death - Live Infection tracklisting:


"Infected"
"Body Bag"
"Chopped In Half"
"Circle Of The Tyrants"
"Dying"
"Find The Arise"
"Cause Of Death "
"Memories Remain"
"Turned Inside Out"
"Straight To Hell" (Live) [Bonus Track]
"Threatening Skies" (Live) [Bonus Track]
"By The Light" (Live) [Bonus Track]
"I’m In Pain" (Live) [Bonus Track]





Additionally, Obituary have announced new North America Winter tour dates with Amon Amarth, Carcass & Cattle Decapitation! Tickets are on sale this Friday, July 15 at 10 AM.











(Photo - Ester Segarra)

Although considered as one of the ultimate ’album’ bands, Emerson, Lake & Palmer also crafted some stellar 7” singles across their illustrious career and on August 26, BMG marks the occasion with the release of the group’s first ever singles box set, a deluxe collection featuring 12 reproduced 2-sided 7” singles pulled from UK & international pressings complete with rare original picture sleeves and label artwork.


The box set also contains an extended booklet with detailed notes, a foreword from Carl Palmer, rare band photos plus 12 x 7"; companion artcards, inspired from the original single sleeves.


Released in celebration of ELP’s 50th anniversary, this 1971-1992 career spanning collection of 45’s have all been remastered by world-renowned ELP mastering engineer Andy Pearce and include amongst others, the majestic "From The Beginning" alongside fan favorites "C’est La Vie", "Lucky Man", "Jerusalem", "Stones Of Years", "Tiger In The Spotlight", B-side curio "Living Sin" and the UK Chart #2 classic "Fanfare For The Common Man".




Listening back again to the 7” mix of "Fanfare" re-affirms its position as one of the most memorable instrumentals to grace the history of the UK charts and one that holds it own when placed alongside other non-vocal chart busting masterpieces such as Booker T & The MG’s "Green Onions", Fleetwood Mac’s "Albatross" or the Average White Band’s "Pick Up The Pieces". From the minute Keith Emerson’s Yamaha GX1 synth gurgles into life after the trumpet intro, the track still rocks like a beast, the 45-edit bringing with it an even punchier dynamic to Greg Lake & Carl Palmer’s immensely powerful rhythm section.


Each member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer had their own personal history and relationship with the 7” prior to the formation of progressive rock’s first supergroup. With The Nice, Keith Emerson’s fiery Hammond organ was on several singles, most notably their 1968 cover of Leonard Bernstein’s "America". Greg Lake harboured his own aspirations of stardom covering Janis Ian’s "Too Old To Go ‘Way Little Girl" with The Shame in 1967 and the following year with The Shy Limbs on "Reputation". Carl Palmer’s first band, Craig, had a 1966 shot at the charts with "I Must Be Mad", a thunderous rumble of freakbeat pop underpinned by the then-15-year-old drummer.


Bringing things full circle on the role of the humble 7” in ELP’s history, Carl Palmer observes, “This box set of singles is very important to the development of ELP. The music that you will hear opened the door to radio around the world, and then the musical concept of ELP was born."


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


Single One
A. "Lucky Man"
B. "Knife Edge​"


Single Two​
A. "Stones Of Years"
B. "A Time And A Place​"


Single Three​
A. "From The Beginning"
B. "Living Sin​"


Single Four​
A. "Jerusalem"
B. "When The Apple Blossoms Bloom In The Windmills Of Your Mind I'll Be Your Valentine"


Single Five​
A. "Fanfare For The Common Man"
B. "Brain Salad Surgery​"


Single Six
A. "C’est La Vie"
B. "Hallowed Be Thy Name​"


Single Seven
A. "Brain Salad Surgery"
B. "Still… You Turn Me On​"


Single Eight​
A. "Tiger In A Spotlight"
B. "So Far To Fall​"


Single Nine
A1.  "I Believe In Father Christmas"
A2. "Jerusalem"
B. "When The Apple Blossoms Bloom In The Windmills Of Your Mind I'll Be Your Valentine​"


Single Ten​
A. "Canario"
B. "All I Want Is You​"


Single Eleven
A. "Black Moon"
B. "Black Moon" (Album Version)


Single Twelve
A. "Affairs Of The Heart"
B. "Better Days"

PRETTY MAIDS singer Ronnie Atkins, who is battling stage four cancer, spoke about his condition during a new interview with Chaoszine conducted on July 8 at the Sauna Open Air in Tampere, Finland. Regarding his prognosis. Ronnie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know about my own situation. I'm living in intervals of three months — from scan to scan. You never know what's gonna happen. I never know what they're gonna tell me next time I turn up. I feel okay now, but it can happen pretty fast sometimes. The red light's been flashing a couple of times. They didn't find anything. The last two years I've been cancer-free, so to speak. It's still there; I've got metastasis in my bones — it's spread to the bone now, which is very bad. But I had immunotherapy for two years, which is probably why I'm still here. Now I'm not getting any treatments. I'm just saying that the future is very unpredictable."

Atkins went on to say that he is battling "constant pain issues" but added, "I've got 20 pills a day to keep it under control. It's nerve damage from the surgery and all the radiation therapy. Everything comes with a price. But [at least] I'm alive."

Asked how long he thinks he can keep recording music and touring, Atkins said: "I'm happy every day I can open up my eyes. That's just the conditions of my life now. The cancer thing is totally a game changer, not just for me but for my family too. It's there 24-7 in your subconscious. But I feel good. It's not that I'm whining all the time or anything like that. I just go ahead and try to live my life as I used to, as much as I can. And that's it. It's not that I'm sitting [and saying], 'I've got half a year left.' I don't know how [long I have]. I'm not terminal. I just take it as it comes, really. That's all I can do."

He continued: "If you read the statistics, four or five percent [of the people with my type of cancer] are alive after five years. That's not really good. I'm on my third year now. So I try not to think about that. As I say, I take it as it comes."

Regarding how much of his daily thought process is occupied by his cancer battle, Ronnie said: "It's in your subconscious, 'cause you get reminded every day. Now I'm doing an interview with you, and we're talking about it. So I can never really let it go. I might meet somebody at the grocery store [and they ask you], 'Hey, how are you doing?' and stuff like that. You go on the Internet, and somebody died of cancer. You get constantly reminded about it. So that, of course… it's a bit of a dagger hanging above your head. But it is what is, and I can't change that. I'm alive."

Ronnie previously opened up about his cancer battle in a March 2022 interview with "The Bay Ragni Show". Reflecting on how he was first diagnosed with the disease. Ronnie said: "When I first got it… I knew there was something wrong during the summer of 2019. I had back issues for years, but I had this kind of non-pain, strange pain. It's something you know yourself if there's something wrong. My mother had the same thing, and she died of it. I was 22, actually; my mother was 57. So I went to the doctor, and he said, 'I think you just struck a nerve or something.' I said, 'We should check it out.' And they sent me off. And then, the very same day, they said they found a spot in the lungs. Then I had to go through the whole thing. I had two biopsies, having a needle stuck into my lungs. It was just a very bad experience."

He continued: "I'd been smoking for 40 years at the time — or 35 years at that time. I actually quit smoking, but I'd been a heavy smoker for years. And I also had my share of alcohol; that's no secret. And those two things combined is deadly. But I lived a fucking rock and roll life. I don't regret my life, because I had a great life; I had a great run. And that's also what some of the songs [on my solo albums] are all about. We take everything for granted. That's what life is all about. That's what we do — when we're good and we're healthy — and that's the way it should be; we shouldn't walk around thinking about death. So when I finally was told it was cancer, I wasn't surprised. But then again, I had some panic attacks. It took me a long time to kind of cope with it. But music helped me through it."

Asked if it's difficult for him to talk about his cancer battle now, Atkins said: "When I did [my] 'One Shot' [solo] album [in 2020], it's maybe a little bit more emotional and melancholic and reflecting than [my latest] album ['Make It Count'] is, but this album is as well 'cause it's still in my head. But I was kind of weak when I did that album in the summer of 2020. When we did this one. I kind of learned how to cope with it — if you can ever learn to cope with it. You've just gotta be realistic and say, 'Okay, it is what it is.' I can't change that. I can just hope that science can prolong my life as much as possible. I do everything I can myself… Well, I don't. I train every day. I still have a glass of wine and a beer and stuff like that. I don't smoke anymore, of course. So I hope that with the help of the higher powers and the good doctors and science that I'll be allowed some more years in life 'cause I've got a lot more to offer.

"I'm very realistic about the situation, so I can talk to people," he explained. "People come and say to me, 'But you look good.' I had immunotherapy and that kind of fucked things up in my body, but I was never really sick from the chemo and the radiation and the immunotherapy. Sometimes I was, but basically when I look at a lot of other people with cancer, I've been very fortunate. So I basically have been feeling good — as good as I can."

After being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019, the now-57-year-old Atkins underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments in the fall of that year before being declared cancer-free. In October 2020, he announced that his cancer had returned.

In a 2013 interview with Myglobalmind, Atkins joked that the secret to keeping his voice in shape was "twenty cigarettes a day and little drink now and then."

Formed in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS' third album, 1987's "Future World", is still today regarded as a "classic."

During the ensuing years, PRETTY MAIDS continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours.

PRETTY MAIDS' latest album, "Undress Your Madness", came out in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

"Make It Count" was released in March via Frontiers Music Srl.

Orange County, CA metal band Leatherwolf have released a lyric video for the song "Hit The Dirt" off their forthcoming new studio album, Kill The Hunted, due out this fall.





Kill The Hunted, with artwork by Marc Sasso (Dio, Rob Rock, Cage), introduces powerful new vocalist, Keith Adamiak, alongside long-time guitarist, Rob Math, co-guitarist Luke Man (ex-Railgun) who first joined the fold in 2017 as a touring member, founding member/drummer, Dean Roberts, and veteran bassist, Barry Sparks (MSG, Dokken, Yngwie Malmsteen). The current Leatherwolf live line-up which had its baptism of fire at this year's M3 Festival in Columbia MD also features Wayne Findlay (MSG, Dream Child, Slavior) on guitar and keyboards and bassist BDrafts rice Snyder (ex-Railgun), on loan from thrashers Art of Shock.




"I feel like ‘Hit The Dirt’ is a great track to re-introduce Leatherwolf to the metal public with a vengeance.  I mean, we've been out there and played live until Covid shut everything down but's it's been a while since we've had a new album", says Roberts. "‘Hit The Dirt’ pulls no punches and the trademark Leatherwolf elements are there: The combination of great riffage, twin guitar lines, ripping leads, strong vocals, and a chorus that'll stick in your head - it's all in there. We wanted to make a heavy album without sacrificing melody and variety and I think we've achieved that."





Produced by Roberts who's been the band's primary driving force for many years, Kill The Hunted took the better part of 3 years to complete from the initial writing and demo sessions in 2019 before things came full circle in early 2022 when legendary producer/engineer, Randy Burns (Megadeth, Kreator, Helstar), entered the picture some 40 years after first working with the group.


"Re-connecting with Randy was pure coincidence and a classic case of "everything happens for a reason", laughs Roberts. “We had been talking to a couple of other mixers, including Jacob Hansen over in Denmark who had done 'World Asylum' for us, when our manager found out that Randy was back in business. We love the original Tropical EP so we thought, "what the hell - let's get in touch with him and see what he can do with this stuff if he's available." It only took a couple of test mixes to know that he was exactly what we were looking for. Randy had it dialed real fast and was super easy to work with. We couldn't be more pleased with the end result. And then we handed it off to Tom Baker who been our mastering guy for years for the final polish. I think the fans will be as stoked as we are once they hear the album."


In related news, the band has announced that they have been forced to pull out of their two European shows, Headbangers Open Air near Hamburg, Germany and Rampa Kultura in Goleniów, Poland, at the end of July due to drummer Dean Roberts sustaining a severe wrist injury which will see him out of commission for several weeks.


"We were briefly contemplating doing the shows with a fill-in drummer so we wouldn't have to cancel, let people down, and lose money due to flight cancellations. Unfortunately, it just was not feasible for various reasons. Number one being that we simply would not have had enough time to properly rehearse a full set of 60-plus minutes of music and be confident enough to represent Leatherwolf at the sort of level we expect from ourselves and our fans rightfully expect from us. Our sincere apologies to everyone who was looking forward to seeing us but especially the organizers, Thomas and the HOA crew and Pawel and the Rock Hard Ride Free people, for putting them in a bind. So sorry, guys! We'll see you in 2023!"


(Photo – Kara Uhrlen)

In a new interview with Rocking With Jam Man, PRIEST vocalist Linton Rubino, who played bass in GHOST as one of the Nameless Ghouls under the stage name Water, was asked if it was hard for me to be in a band like GHOST knowing that he was just a "cog in the machine" and that he could be replaced at any time. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, that wasn't the case when I was in the band, 'cause there wasn't a culture of being changeable. When I was in the band, it was very clear that it was a band and nobody was a hired gun. So nobody felt that you were gonna be replaced all the time. Because the bass player before me, he quit by himself because of personal reasons. And then I got the chance to join the band — and not as a hired gun. I really thought I was a member of GHOST when I [was] in GHOST. After that, and after all the other stuff that happened, then that perception, I think, [was] changed, and now everybody believes that there was one boss and everybody was hired. But at the time, that wasn't the feeling or the culture that was in the band; it was more like we are one band. Maybe one person had more to say about the creative stuff and the business part of it, but we were still one band. So I didn't have that feeling [that I was just a hired gun]. Now I can understand, if you're a Ghoul today, you must have another view of it. But not back then, actually."

Linton also talked about his recent comment that he had to undergo six months of therapy after getting fired from GHOST. Asked how he is doing today, he said: "I'm doing just fine. And when I said that, it really sounds like I was in some kind of institution. I wasn't. It was only half an hour, once a week, and it was not only about GHOST or being fired; it was the whole life situation. It was a big change just to not have a job anymore and to be at home, not knowing what to do. I think everyone going through something like that, it's good to talk to someone. And I think it goes for everyone. I recommend it. But it took one or two months. I was back on track pretty fast. It was no big deal, really. I'm doing just fine today. Remember, this was seven years ago, so it's a long time ago. I don't think about it so much, to be honest."

Asked if the "media" took his comments about needing therapy a little "too far," Linton said: "Whatever works. All P.R. is good P.R., as the saying [goes]. And if we can sell some more [copies] of [PRIEST's new album] 'Body Machine' because of that, that's a good thing in the long run. But I wasn't institutionalized or anything. I had a therapist I went to once a week for half an hour. It was a very simply procedure… I wasn't locked in — never. It was only conversation — no medicines or anything like that. It was only conversations — half an hour, once a week."

Earlier this month, Linton told Dr. Music that he wasn't involved in the 2017 lawsuit filed against GHOST leader Tobias Forge by four former members of the band after being dismissed by the group's founder the previous December. "I was fired in 2015 from GHOST, so I wasn't a part of that process. But I have a family member and a close friend that was in that process, in the trial," he said, apparently referring to his father, Mauro Rubino, who was the keyboardist Air in GHOST from 2011 until 2016, and Simon Söderberg, who played guitar for GHOST from 2010 until 2016. "So, yeah, I was involved emotionally, you can say. But otherwise from that, I wasn't a part of that process."

Asked if it was difficult to deal with the fact that nobody knew his identity while he was in GHOST and he had to virtually start from scratch again once he was out of the band, Linton said: "I actually went through therapy for six months after that 'cause I felt that I'm nobody. We were up there playing with METALLICA and IRON MAIDEN and everything, and they know who we are, all the people backstage know who we are, but nobody else [does]. So it was just like being up [at the top] and then you're basically [on your own once you are out of the band]. And then I didn't have a job or anything and then it was cold turkey money-wise. So I had to really restart from bottom. Every breakup takes a while, right?! Then you're back on track in a couple of months. And you just roll up your sleeves and get at it again. You don't have much of a choice."

The four former members of GHOST who sued Forge were Söderberg, Mauro Rubino, Henrik Palm (Eather; member of GHOST from 2015 until 2016) and Martin Hjertstedt (Earth; member of GHOST from 2014 until 2016). They accused the singer of cheating them out of their rightful share of the profits from the band's album releases and world tours.

The original lawsuit, which was filed in the district court of Linköping, where GHOST was originally based, claimed that Forge solely controlled the band's business affairs without input from anyone else in the group. The four musicians furthermore stated that a partnership agreement existed between them and Forge which put Tobias in charge of carrying out the company's management duties.

In June 2017, Forge filed an official response to the lawsuit, claiming that "no legal partnership" ever existed between him and the four musicians regarding the activities of GHOST and explaining that "none of the plaintiffs were present at the time of the" group's formation and that their sole task was to "perform" and "execute" the musical works and the image that Forge had created, produced and decided, all according to his instructions. For their efforts, he said, the musicians were paid a fixed salary.

In August 2017, the four ex-GHOST members presented an answer of their own, dismissing Forge's claim that GHOST is a solo project as "not [being] in accordance with the truth." "Forge has certainly been the band's main songwriter, he has had the role of the band's cinematic front figure 'Papa Emeritus,' has been a driving force in the band's business, as well as in the handling of the band's business affairs," the musicians wrote. "However, the activities carried out with respect to GHOST were extensively handled jointly by the members — for example, by making decisions jointly regarding the band's image, by participating in interviews, and by the fact that every member has, at certain times, contributed when recording the band's albums and singles and by touring together almost continuously since 2011."

The four ex-members, known previously only as Nameless Ghouls, claimed that between the years of 2010 and 2016, Forge never told them that he viewed GHOST as a one-man business and solo project. "To the contrary, Tobias Forge has always emphasized that it was a collaboration that everyone was involved in and would share in the profit of once the business became profitable," they wrote. "The first time Tobias Forge, through the band's management, mentioned that he saw them as hired musicians rather than full-fledged members of GHOST was in the context of a contract proposal presented in April 2016." This proposal was later rejected.

The trial in Linköping District Court lasted for six days, and on October 17, 2018, a 108-page decision was released dismissing the case. The four former GHOST members were also ordered to pay Forge's legal fees, which at the time was said to be approximately $146,000.

In February 2019, an appeals court rejected the former GHOST members' argument that the judge who ordered the dismissal of their lawsuit against Forge had a conflict of interest in overseeing the case.

In May 2018, Linton blasted GHOST's then-latest album "Prequelle", saying he was "ashamed to have been part of that" and calling the music "a joke" and "mainstream shit."

PRIEST's new full-length album, "Body Machine", will arrive on July 15 via Cleopatra Records.

German bashers Heaven Shall Burn performed at the 2022 edition of Hellfest in Clisson, France on June 25. You can watch professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set below.


Setlist:


"Hunters Will Be Hunted"
"Black Tears"
"Übermacht"
"Voice Of The Voiceless"
"My Heart And The Ocean"
"Corium"
"Behind A Wall Of Silence"
"Awoken"
"Endzeit"

This Friday, July 15, sees Irish post-rock maestros God Is An Astronaut release a very special anniversary album: With 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, the four-piece comes full circle with their new live studio epos, The Beginning Of The End. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.


To shorten your wait until the record finally arrives this Friday via Napalm Records, today, God Is An Astronaut have premiered a brand new music video for their classic "Route 666”. The new live studio version kicks off with its praised synth and dark wave beat, taking the listener on a ride into the otherworldly sounds God Is An Astronaut has created for two decades.


"‘Route 666’ is the oldest God Is An Astronaut song. It was written in 1999 before God Is An Astronaut was formed,” Torsten Kinsella reveals.




"Initially Niels and I came up with the name / subject matter after watching US Televangelist Don Stewart pitching his green prosperity prayer handkerchief on the TV which we found obviously ludicrous, equally entertaining and humorous. 


“Back in the early years when we would play ‘Route 666’ live we would use some old film clips from the 1968 Horror film The Devil Rides Out. Needless to say the whole vibe was satirical.”


God Is An Astronaut's upcoming release provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Stage classics such as "From Dust to the Beyond", "Coda or "Route 666" can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.


Niels adds: "When we recorded the The End of the Beginning we only had limited equipment; we couldn't even record full live performances,“ bassist Niels Kinsella reveals. "The Beginning Of The End gave us the opportunity to perform the whole album live and allowed us to bring more feeling and expression to the music and songs. We're very excited to share this with everyone."


The release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned "From Dust To The Beyond", as well as album title track "The End Of The Beginning" – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.


Torsten Kinsella adds: "From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we are now seeing the same unfold once again."





The Beginning Of The End will be available in these varying formats in various territories:


- 1CD Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- 2LP Gatefold Gold - limited to 300
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled Orange Transparent & Black - limited to 500
- Shirt & 2LP Gatefold in Black
- Shirt & Digisleeve
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





The Beginning Of The End tracklisting:


"The End Of The Beginning"
"From Dust To The Beyond"
"Ascend To Oblivion"
"Coda"
"Remembrance"
"Point Pleasant"
"Fall From The Stars"
"Twilight"
"Coma"
"Route 666"
"Lost Symphony"


"Route 666":





"From Dust To The Beyond" video:





Lineup:


Torsten Kinsella - Guitar, Piano/Synths
Niels Kinsella - Bass
Lloyd Hanney - Drums
Jamie Dean - Guitar, Piano


(Photo - Brian Meade)

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt says that SLAYER "had a lot more music in them" before calling it quits nearly three years ago.

Last October, Kerry King made headlines in the metal world when he said that SLAYER retired "too early." While recording a short video message to congratulate MACHINE HEAD on the San Francisco Bay Area act's 30th anniversary, SLAYER's founding guitarist said: "So, I hear congratulations are in order for my friends in MACHINE HEAD. Apparently, it's 30 years, which is quite an achievement. Not a lot of bands get there. We did, and then we quit too early. Fuck us. Fuck me. I hate fucking not playing."

Holt, who spent almost nine years touring with SLAYER, was asked about Kerry's comment in a new interview with Guitar World magazine. He said: "Did the band stop too soon? That's for them to decide. I know that's how Kerry feels. Maybe [bassist and vocalist] Tom [Araya] doesn't agree. I think the band had a lot more music in them, but you know what they say. It's better to go out too soon than too late. The band went out firing on four cylinders. Better to do that than milk it for a few more years when everybody knows you're milking it. That would tarnish the legacy of the band. This way they went out in peak form. Maybe that's best."

Asked if there is anything he misses now about being in SLAYER, Holt said: "Yeah, man. I've been friends with those guys since we were kids. And, I had one job in SLAYER and one job only. Go out, play killer, bang your head and play a little bit of a guitar hero role. One thing I was shocked with was how many SLAYER solos there are. There are songs that I played three solos in and at one point I'd be, like, 'All right, I'm just going to go shred and play this one behind my head 'cause I'm out of ideas.' [Laughs] But yeah, it was fun and relatively easy. I wear a lot more hats in EXODUS and have a lot more responsibility. Fortunately, I love it — but it's not always easy."

Holt began filling in for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at live shows in 2011, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS. Holt played on SLAYER's final album, "Repentless", which came out in 2015.

Holt previously weighed in on Kerry's "we quit too early" comment in an interview with Metal Hammer last fall. He said: "I'd have to agree [that SLAYER called it quits prematurely]. We were still playing at the top of our game, we were totally killing it. The band had a lot of years left in it, but I guess when it's time, it's time. When you decide to walk away from something, walk away. I can't tell anybody they made the wrong decision. Better to go out on top than go out unable to play your own songs, and this shit isn't easy. Playing 'Angel Of Death' at 70 years old would be fucking hard. But it was time for me to come back, let's put it that way. I was really missing my first family."

Back in March, Gary told Headbangers Con that he would be open to playing with SLAYER again if the band ever decided to come back. "Look, if the powers that be ever — like, in a year or something — said, 'Hey, you know what? We feel like playing some shows,' I'm there to do it," Holt said. "But those aren't decisions for me to make, or even me to really speculate on. As far as my knowledge, the band is over, and the final show was November 30th, 2019. And I'm full speed ahead with EXODUS now."

SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry's wife 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, SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph confirmed that he is involved in a brand new project headed up by Kerry King. The duo spent much of the last two years working on music with the hopes of recording it properly once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.

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.

THE DARKNESS singer Justin Hawkins says that opening for DISTURBED in London was his "worst experience as a support act."

The 47-year-old British-born rocker who currently lives in Switzerland recalled sharing the stage with the David Draiman-fronted outfit via his YouTube series "Justin Hawkins Rides Again" where he shares a mixture of serious musician analysis and fun hot takes to his 166,000 subscribers.

Asked by one viewed what his worst experience was as a support act, Hawkins said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "THE DARKNESS supported DISTURBED [in 2002] at Brixton Academy. And I really love Brixton Academy; I think it's probably my favorite venue. It was the worst and also one of the best experiences because people were just throwing stuff. But some of the things they were throwing were, like, shoes, bottles and coins and stuff. But the thing about coins is it's money, so in a way that was a good thing, really. It's funny, though, 'cause I was right at the front of the stage. It kind of made me perform more, which made them more angry. And somebody — one of the DISTURBED fans who… I've got a lot of time for DISTURBED as a band; I think they're just brilliant — if you like that sort of thing. But one of their fans threw a piece of chewing gum that presumably had been in their mouth, and it actually landed in my mouth. I was singing [makes choking sound]. It was just a brilliant shot; I had to respect it, really. And then afterwards, David Draiman wasn't very pleased with me. I don't know; I think I may have issued an admonishment to the throng, which didn't go down very well with me. But what are you gonna do? Who gives a fuck? I'm just kidding."

Justin added: "When things like that happen… If a band is supporting my band and then our crowd is not very nice to them, I would always go and apologize. That didn't happen with DISTURBED. I think it actually had the opposite effect and they were angry with us. But… not my problem."

Nearly two decades ago, Draiman slammed THE DARKNESS as "a joke" and took issue with the British rock band's alleged characterization of DISTURBED as a band that symbolizes "this whole wave of nu-metal that is near its death." Speaking to Metal Edge magazine for its May 2004 issue, Draiman said: "To be perfectly honest with you, I think that THE DARKNESS is a joke, and that's, unfortunately, exactly what the world wants. The world wants rock bands to be idiots. The world wants rock bands to be these bumbling buffoons, these morons who made fun of themselves and their music and their art and don't take themselves seriously in any way. It's all supposed to be a joke. It's all supposed to be a joke. It's unfortunate. I think that there's always a time to be tongue-in-cheek, and there's always time for humor, but there's a time to be serious and a time for emotional content.

"And it's funny, I wouldn't even go ahead and say anything about them per se, unless they had already laid down the gauntlet," David continued. "I heard of late that they have decided to start slinging shit in our direction, that we are an example of one of the bands that they're completely against. That to them, we symbolize this whole wave of nu-metal that is near its death. Are you fucking kidding me? The irony is that they opened up for us in London at Brixton Academy, and here they are talking shit about us. I like [THE DARKNESS's single]. I have nothing against the song. I can't argue that it's a catchy goddamn song, but it's not metal. It's pop-rock. How dare they call themselves metal? That's not metal. It'll never be metal."

Draiman added: "They're a great band. I have nothing against them. But don't claim to be something you're not. Don't claim to be metal. Don't claim that you're authentic and we're not. Fuck you! Who the hell do you think you are? You consider yourselves and you treat yourselves and you conduct yourselves like clowns. And I enjoy laughing, because it's funny and the music is catchy. I even enjoyed them when they opened for us, even though the crowd was booing them to high hell. They were ready to lynch them! We're not looking to pick fights with anybody. We respect everybody. We don't talk shit about anybody."

Hawkins previously touched upon THE DARKNESS's experience opening for DISTURBED in a 2011 interview with Music Radar. He said at the time: "We played Brixton Academy with DISTURBED and their fans were a strange bunch. I think half of them despised us and the other half loved it. There was stuff being thrown at us and fights breaking out. We knew it would happen; we were expecting that kind of reaction from the start. But those bottles still hurt."

Celebrating their 40th anniversary plus one (due to COVID of course), we caught up with legendary Anthrax drummer (and guitarist) Charlie Benante for a BraveWords' Streaming For Vengeance chat that will air later today (Saturday, July 9th) at 3:33 PM EST on the BraveWords Facebook page or the BraveWords YouTube channel. Anthrax are about to release the Livestream concert, Anthrax XL, which marks the anniversary moment. The release will be available in North America on Blu-Ray / CD / Digital on July 15 (Megaforce), and will have a European digital release on July 15 (Nuclear Blast), followed by a Blu-Ray release later this year. 


Longtime fan “Metal” Tim Henderson covered a bunch of topics with Charlie including the band’s storied 40-year history, his need for speed and of course plenty of talk about his idols including Rush and the late Neil Peart. Here is an excerpt: 




BraveWords: How would you rank yourself out of ten as a drummer and as a guitar player?




Benante: "I feel like drumming, I'm always learning. I'm always learning, that's the thing. I'll go and scroll through like Instagram and I'll see this dude come up and play something where I'm like, 'I would have never thought of that, that's fucking cool', and bam! Inspired me. As a guitar player, I wish I was a better lead guitar player, because rhythm-wise I'm a drummer so I'm very  rhythmic when it comes to the riffs and stuff like that, but as a lead player, I wish I was Michael Schenker."


BraveWords: Wow. I love that quote. I'll bring up Neil again because I know you love him. He always said he built the Rush parts so hard so that it would continue to be interesting on the road every night. How cool and forward-thinking was that? 


Benante: "It's the greatest thing because what he did for other drummers, he would show that it's not all about the singer or the guitar player, it's also about that guy in the back right there, that people are taking notice to. I mean, let's face it, between Neil and Phil Collins, they invented air drumming. There's no way that you can sit and watch Rush and not, when that part comes up, you can't help doing the fills. I mean, at a Rush show, you'll see a lot of drummers just doing the fills. But Neil did so much for drumming, and I think a lot of other drummers understand and appreciate him for that."


BraveWords: What do you think is the hardest Rush song to drum, and is there a drum part that you can't figure out?


Benante: "There's - I think one of the most, the hardest songs to play, and it's not because the parts are difficult, it's just that there's so many, is Natural Science. It has different movements in the song, and Neil's playing and the fills that he chose for that song, ah, they're just perfect. It ends with such a great tom roll [mimics roll] - it's just perfect Neil. So, I would say Natural Science is one of the songs that I think is the hardest to play."


BraveWords: And is there one you can't play?


Benante: "Um, ‘Different Strings’? (Laughs) No, I can. I love that song. His playing in that is awesome. I think I can play all the Rush songs, but of course you had to sit down and it was 'What was that little piece right there?'. ‘Freewill’ is another one, that middle section is a monster."

For more information about Streaming For Vengeance, visit this location.



Anthrax' 40th anniversary Livestream concert, Anthrax XL features the following tracklisting:


"Time/Fight Em ’Til You Can’t"
"Madhouse"
"Caught In A Mosh"
"Metal Thrashing Mad"
"Got The Time"
"I Am The Law"
"Keep It In The Family"
"Lone Justice"
"The Devil You Know"
"Be All End All"
"Now It’s Dark"
"Antisocial"
"In The End"
"Medusa"
"Evil Twin"
"Indians"
"Skeletons In The Closet"
"Blood Eagle Wings"
"Bring The Noise"
"A.I.R."
"Among The Living"


"The Devil You Know" live video:





"Aftershock" live video:





Credits:


Anthrax:
Scott Ian - guitars
Charlie Benante - drums
Frank Bello - bass
Joey Belladonna - vocals
Jon Donais - guitars


- Produced by Jack Bennett, Mike Monterulo, Anthrax
- Directed by Jack Bennett
- Mixed by Jay Ruston
- Running time:  2h 5m 34s


Anthrax celebrated its 40th-anniversary last year, July 18, 2021, but due to COVID, had to cancel its global touring plans, scheduled for the band to celebrate its milestone with their fans all around the world. While the band is about six months into its 41st year, the band - Joey Belladonna, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Charlie Benante, and guitarist Jon Donais are due to finally head out on that global anniversary tour. In late July, Anthrax will kick off its 26-date co-headline North American tour with Black Label Society and joined by Hatebreed, and then heads to the UK and Europe in late September to headline a five-week run. Tickets and VIP packages can be purchased at anthrax.com.


(Photo - Travis Shinn)

Helloween have released the new video below, stating: "Make some noise! Now, here's for a loud, sweaty and thrilling heavy metal party with Helloween at the O2 Arena in Prague!"





Find Helloween's tour itinerary and ticket links here.







Helloween recently released a special vinyl single, “Best Time”, via Atomic Fire. The single features a 2022 remix of its title track on side A as well as an exclusive alternative vocal remix of the song on side B. Order at this location.





The new video for "Best Time", directed by Martin Häusler ("Skyfall"), is an extreme cool 3D-roadmovie and sees the cameo of the Arch Enemy frontwoman, Alissa White-Gluz. Watch a behind the scenes video, as well as the official video, below:

Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini has shared another drum cam video accompanied by the following message:


"For people that do not know this song and have seen my video versions of this with and without the click track, I mixed my live drums from this EU 2022 Show with the album music from our 2011 Dream Theater release, A Dramatic Turn Of Events. The pic-in-pic view isn't the easiest to see, but it is there so drummers can see which foot I'm using and when. I switch my left foot to being the 'main' one to entertain myself, to work it out so it doesn't just sit there all night, and also because it keeps me focussed and alert."







Mangini previously shared the video clip below.


Mangini: "Here are isolated drums to the middle section of 'Ministry Of Lost Souls' by Dream Theater from one of our 2022 European shows.  This is one of my favorite Portnoy drum compositions to perform from his DT era."

Earlier this week, the undisputed masters of blackened deathcore, Carnifex, announced their Dead In My Arms 15-year anniversary tour, with Spite and Oceano. What better way to celebrate the announcement and anniversary than to release the re-recorded version for the track "Lie To My Face" featuring Adam Warren of Oceano.





Scott Ian Lewis comments, “We couldn’t be happier to be celebrating 15 years of Dead In My Arms with a special version of LTMF featuring our good friend Adam Warren of Oceano. This new version is a thank you to the best fans in the world for keeping us alive all these years. Enjoy the song, see you on the DIMA 15-year anniversary tour!”




The song release (and below tour announcement) comes alongside a merch collection celebrating 15 years of the debut LP Dead In My Arms, exhuming old designs and breathing new life into concepts from that era.


Every $20 spent on the Carnifex Indie Merchstore will earn one entry into a contest to win one of three prizes consisting of JBL Audio gear and credit for Indie Merch. A free entry can be earned by signing up for the band's email list. More info can be found at carnifexmetal.com.





On September 23, Carnifex will kick off their 32-date US tour with Spite and Oceano. The trek will make stops in Denver, Cleveland, and Richmond before concluding at The Glasshouse in Pomona, California on October 26. Opening the tour is Left To Suffer, and Crown Magentar.


Tickets for the tour go on sale this Friday, July 15 at 10 AM local time carnifexmetal.com.

DISTURBED has released "Hey You", the first single off the band's upcoming studio album. The official music video for the song, directed by Josiahx, can be seen below.

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman stated about the track: "It's a wake-up call. We've become our own worst enemies. Civil discourse has become the exception instead of the norm. People have lost themselves in outrage addiction."

All four members of DISTURBED were in Los Angeles on June 14 to film the "Hey You" music video.

Guitarist Dan Donegan and bassist John Moyer both shared photos from before and during the shoot, with Dan writing: "Time to make a music video! First single off the new album coming in the very near future." Moyer added in a separate post: "Band performance about to go down! New DISTURBED coming soon!!"

Earlier last month, Draiman said that DISTURBED's upcoming album, which is tentatively due in November, will contain a "surprise track" that will "blow [fans'] minds."

On June 2, the 49-year-old frontman took to his Twitter to write about DISTURBED's follow-up to 2018's "Evolution": "Listening back to the mixes. Amazing record. Very proud. (Also, there's a surprise track on here that's going to blow your minds)".

In May, Draiman told the audience at DISTURBED's concert in Camden, New Jersey that the band's new LP will be released "soon." He added: "It's about 90 percent heavy as fuck. Now there's still 10 percent of caring, loving goodness [laughs] — 10 percent. Hey, for everybody that fell in love with 'The Sound Of Silence' [SIMON & GARFUNKEL] cover, I figured, you know… But the rest of it? 'Sickness'-, 'Ten Thousand Fists'-era DISTURBED, for sure. You excited about that? 'Cause I'll tell you we're really fucking excited about it."

In April, DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren told "The Mistress Carrie Podcast" that he and his bandmates are "definitely in the middle of the process" of making a new album. "We have been writing, we have been recording," he said. "I'm very excited about everything that we're coming up with right now. It's feeling great, it's sounding great."

He continued: "We don't necessarily have a definitive time frame right now [for the album's release]. Coming off two years of a pandemic, we just have been taking our time in trying to put out the best record of our careers and top everything that we've ever done before.

"I think people are gonna be pleasantly surprised when they finally get a chance to hear this," Mike added.

Wengren's comments came just days after Draiman confirmed that DISTURBED has completed recording the new LP. Prior to that, Draiman shared a since-deleted Instagram photo of a whiteboard — which appeared to have been taken in a recording studio — charting DISTURBED's progress with recording. On the board, 10 songs were listed, featuring such titles as "Hey You", "Love To Hate" and "Part Of Me". David captioned the picture: "And that's a wrap people. #HolyShitIsThisGood #epic @disturbed". Also included on the whiteboard was the guitar tuning for each track, with most of them using "Standard C#", "Drop C#" or "Drop C" tuning. One track was also recorded in "Drop A#" tuning, while another is in "Drop B".

Draiman spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the new DISTURBED album during a recent appearance on "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie. Regarding what it has been like for him and his bandmates to regroup in person after such a long time apart and once again launch the creative process, he said: "There's really nothing that replaces it. It was a continuing theme of conversation over the course of the week that we had together between our couple of shows we played in Indiana [in early November] and our performance over in Daytona for [the] Welcome To Rockville [festival]. There really is no substitute. There isn't. The energy and that realization when you've got something. Compare it to fishing, and you finally land a big one. [Laughs] It's incredibly, incredibly exciting. And we were on fire."

As for the musical direction of the new DISTURBED songs, Draiman said: "The material is somewhere between 'The Sickness' and 'Ten Thousand Fists' as far as where I would identify it as sonically. It's rhythmic, it's pummeling, it's anthemic, it's polysyncopated. It's meat-and-potatoes DISTURBED."

David also discussed DISTURBED's apparent decision to pursue a more aggressive musical approach on its next LP compared to "Evolution", on which nearly half the songs were either acoustic or semi-acoustic.

"It's a different sort of itch you're scratching," he said. "You can have the satisfaction that comes with, let's say, playing with your children peacefully somewhere and you can have a different sort of satisfaction in engaging in full-contact football with your buddies. It's just a different feel. They're both equally as gratifying but sometimes you just get a little taste more for one than the other. And right now we are definitely — we've got our teeth dug in to that style. We were dying to do the more aggressive stuff. We wanted to go back home. We wanted to go back to the 'groove so hard that you can't stop bobbing your head' kind of stuff. So, we're there, and we're loving it."

Prior to DISTURBED's appearance at the 2021 edition of Welcome To Rockville last November, Draiman told Lou Brutus of HardDrive Radio that the band will likely do things slightly differently with the upcoming release. "The way that I see it happening is we're probably not gonna put out something in the traditional full-length; we're probably gonna be doing two separate releases," he explained. "So we'll probably have one geared for release — if everything works as planned — by the fall, and then maybe something the following year as well." When Brutus asked Draiman to clarify if that means that the next DISTURBED release will be an EP, David said: "Define it what you want, but it would like five or six songs at a pop — something like that.

"We live in an environment right now and in an age where people's consumption of music has been very soundbitish and very track-driven and very single-driven," he continued. "And there's definitely some beauty towards continuing to try and [make] things like concept records and telling a long story over the duration of a series of songs — there's huge merit to that — but I think that when you write 10 songs and three of them actually get worked at radio and maybe, if you're lucky, the fans are really familiar with half the record and the rest ends up sitting on a shelf, and if you do end up pulling it out one day, it's like an obscure, weird moment during the set, and it's almost like gratuitous for yourself. I don't wanna do that anymore. I wanna make everything count. I wanna make sure that we get the biggest bang for everything we're putting out there. I think that that should be easily attainable. It seems to be where the environment is going, and it seems to be — whether we like it or not — what the digital age has funneled us into."

DISTURBED performed live for the first time in nearly two years last September as one of the headliners of the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

In March 2021, DISTURBED's "The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was officially canceled. The amphitheater tour, with very special guest STAIND and BAD WOLVES, was originally slated to take place in the summer of 2020 but was rescheduled to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was eventually scrapped altogether.

"The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was supposed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of DISTURBED's seminal album "The Sickness". On the tour, the band was expected to perform songs off the album, as well as tracks from "Evolution" and DISTURBED's extensive catalog.

Former ENTOMBED and ENTOMBED A.D. bassist Victor Brandt has created a tribute beer for Lars-Göran Petrov. The pioneering ENTOMBED and ENTOMBED A.D. frontman died on March 7, 2021 after a battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49 years old.

The beer will receive its exclusive premiere at this weekend's Gefle Metal Festival in Gävle, Sweden where ENTOMBED will play a "exclusive show".

Brandt said: "I want there to be an LG beer, a tribute beer for LG Petrov and now it has finally become reality. LG Petrov's estate has been included in the entire process and they are very happy with the result. It's a pilsner that I know LG really would have liked and it is brewed by the excellent brewery Stigbergets Bryggeri. Another thing he would have liked is that part of the profit will be donated to Barncancerfonden (the Child Cancer Foundation) in LG's name.

"I took the photo that we used as the label in Chicago on a U.S. tour we did in 2016.

"I got to play in a band with LG for twelve years. In ENTOMBED that later turned into ENTOMBED A.D. and in FIRESPAWN. This beer is for him. Thanks to everyone involved."

ENTOMBED A.D. was formed in 2014 when Petrov and other members of ENTOMBED decided to change the band's name in order to avoid a legal battle with ENTOMBED guitarist Alex Hellid who didn't want his former bandmates to use the ENTOMBED moniker.

ENTOMBED A.D.'s latest album, "Bowels Of Earth", was released in August 2019 via Century Media.

In August 2020, Petrov told Metal Hammer about how he found out about his cancer: "A couple of months ago. I felt a lump in my solar plexus. And I was, like, 'Okay, I'll ignore it.' But then it started to hurt, so I went to the doctor, and they X-rayed it quickly and said, 'You have to go to the specialist.' That was weird. You can't imagine what it feels like. Your whole body goes warm. It's, like, 'Fucking hell.'"

Although Petrov revealed his cancer was "incurable," he said that the doctors were "hoping" they would be able to treat it. "Being young, the doctor said there's hopefully a way to control it so it doesn't spread, or maybe even make it smaller," he said.

ENTOMBED's lineup for the Gefle Metal Festival performance will include original members Alex Hellid (guitar),Uffe Cederlund (guitar) and Nicke Andersson (drums) plus former ENTOMBED bassist Jörgen Sandström, who previously played with the band between 1995 and 2004. There will also be guest appearances by other former ENTOMBED members and various well-known musicians.

"LG was a central figure in Swedish metal who left a huge void behind," Gefle Metal Festival CEO Edward Janson said. "When we started Gefle Metal Festival 2016, FIRESPAWN with LG was the very first band to play and at the last festival in 2019, he was on stage with his ENTOMBED A.D. In between, he was in attendance as an enthusiastic fan. It feels good to be able to pay tribute to LG and his contributions to metal with this concert."

Hellid, Cederlund and Andersson played ENTOMBED's groundbreaking 1991 album, "Clandestine", in its entirety at Malmö Live in Malmö, Sweden in November 2016. Joining them at the show were Robert Andersson (vocals) and Nicke's half brother Edvin Aftonfalk (bass),both formerly of the Swedish death metal band MORBUS CHRON. Two weeks earlier, the most recent Hellid-led lineup of ENTOMBED made its live debut on the Close-Up Båten cruise.

Hellid and Petrov had been embroiled in a legal battle over the ENTOMBED name for several years. In 2014, Petrov was reportedly awarded the right to use the band name in connection with future recording and touring activities, a decision which Hellid appealed without success. The guitarist then went on to register a trademark for spirits production under the "Entombed" name. This move did not sit well with Hellid's former bandmate, who filed a letter of protest against Alex's registration of the name, claiming that it could be confused with band activities. He also said that Hellid acted in "bad faith" when he registered name and that there was a desire to "deceive the public." Petrov's protest, however, found no favor with the Swedish Patent And Registration Office, which rejected his claims on the issue in a March 2016 ruling.

In an interview with Revolution-Music.dk, Petrov defended his group's decision to release albums and tour under the name ENTOMBED A.D. in order to avoid a legal battle with Hellid who didn't want his former bandmates to use the ENTOMBED moniker: "It had to be done, because without an album you can't tour," he explained. "I mean, you can tour, but if there's seven years between albums, it's ridiculously long. So we did the right thing, and we did what bands should do, and still do — release an album and go on tour and headbang and have a good time with friends, and that's what it's all about."

Cronos (VENOM),Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES),Scott Carlson (REPULSION),Johnny Hedlund (UNLEASHED) and Urskogr (SERPENT OMEGA) are among the special guests who performed with influential Swedish metallers ENTOMBED at their exclusive show last night (Thursday, July 14) at the Gefle Metal Festival in Gävle, Sweden.

ENTOMBED's core lineup for the Gefle Metal Festival concert included original members Alex Hellid (guitar),Uffe Cederlund (guitar) and Nicke Andersson (drums) plus former ENTOMBED bassist Jörgen Sandström, who previously played with the band between 1995 and 2004.

The setlist for the performance was as follows:

01. Left Hand Path (Jörgen Sandström on vocals)
02. But Life Goes On (with Tomas Lindberg)
03. Out Of Hand (with Tomas Lindberg)
04. Living Dead (with Tomas Lindberg)
05. Like This With The Devil (with Tomas Lindberg)
06. The Truth Beyond (with Tomas Lindberg)
07. Eyemaster (with Scott Carlson)
08. Abnormally Deceased (with Scott Carlson)
09. Serpent Speech (with Scott Carlson)
10. Black Breath (with Scott Carlson)
11. Damn Deal Done (with Scott Carlson)
12. Chief Rebel Angel (with Pia Stjärnvind a.k.a. Urskogr)
13. Stranger Aeons (with Pia Stjärnvind a.k.a. Urskogr)
14. To Ride, Shoot Straight And Speak The Truth (with Johnny Hedlund)
15. Revel In Flesh (with Johnny Hedlund)
16. Wolverine Blues (with Johnny Hedlund)
17. Supposed To Rot (with Johnny Hedlund)
18. Night Of The Vampire (ROKY ERICKSON AND THE ALIENS cover) (with Johnny Hedlund)

Encore:

19. Bursting Out (VENOM cover) (with Cronos)
20. Countess Bathory (VENOM cover) (with Cronos)

Encore 2:

21. Witching Hour (VENOM cover) (with Cronos)

Pioneering ENTOMBED and ENTOMBED A.D. frontman Lars-Göran Petrov died on March 7, 2021 after a battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49 years old.

When ENTOMBED's appearance at Gefle Metal Festival was first announced last year, CEO Edward Janson said in a statement: "LG was a central figure in Swedish metal who left a huge void behind. When we started Gefle Metal Festival 2016, FIRESPAWN with LG was the very first band to play and at the last festival in 2019, he was on stage with his ENTOMBED A.D. In between, he was in attendance as an enthusiastic fan. It feels good to be able to pay tribute to LG and his contributions to metal with this concert."

ENTOMBED A.D. was formed in 2014 when Petrov and other members of ENTOMBED decided to change the band's name in order to avoid a legal battle with ENTOMBED guitarist Alex Hellid who didn't want his former bandmates to use the ENTOMBED moniker.

In August 2020, Petrov told Metal Hammer about how he found out about his cancer: "A couple of months ago. I felt a lump in my solar plexus. And I was, like, 'Okay, I'll ignore it.' But then it started to hurt, so I went to the doctor, and they X-rayed it quickly and said, 'You have to go to the specialist.' That was weird. You can't imagine what it feels like. Your whole body goes warm. It's, like, 'Fucking hell.'"

Although Petrov revealed his cancer was "incurable," he said that the doctors were "hoping" they would be able to treat it. "Being young, the doctor said there's hopefully a way to control it so it doesn't spread, or maybe even make it smaller," he said.

Less than six years ago, Hellid, Cederlund and Andersson played ENTOMBED's groundbreaking 1991 album, "Clandestine", in its entirety at Malmö Live in Malmö, Sweden. Joining them at that show were Robert Andersson (vocals) and Nicke's half brother Edvin Aftonfalk (bass),both formerly of the Swedish death metal band MORBUS CHRON. Two weeks earlier, the Hellid-led lineup of ENTOMBED made its live debut on the Close-Up Båten cruise.

Hellid and Petrov had been embroiled in a legal battle over the ENTOMBED name for several years. In 2014, Petrov was reportedly awarded the right to use the band name in connection with future recording and touring activities, a decision which Hellid appealed without success. The guitarist then went on to register a trademark for spirits production under the "Entombed" name. This move did not sit well with Hellid's former bandmate, who filed a letter of protest against Alex's registration of the name, claiming that it could be confused with band activities. He also said that Hellid acted in "bad faith" when he registered name and that there was a desire to "deceive the public." Petrov's protest, however, found no favor with the Swedish Patent And Registration Office, which rejected his claims on the issue in a March 2016 ruling.

In an interview with Revolution-Music.dk, Petrov defended his group's decision to release albums and tour under the name ENTOMBED A.D. in order to avoid a legal battle with Hellid who didn't want his former bandmates to use the ENTOMBED moniker: "It had to be done, because without an album you can't tour," he explained. "I mean, you can tour, but if there's seven years between albums, it's ridiculously long. So we did the right thing, and we did what bands should do, and still do — release an album and go on tour and headbang and have a good time with friends, and that's what it's all about."

PRIEST, the synthwave act featuring former members of the Grammy Award-winning Swedish rock act GHOST, has released the official music video for the song "Nightcrawler". The track is taken from PRIEST's new full-length album, "Body Machine", which arrives today (Friday, July 15) on all formats, including CD, vinyl and digital.

The LP's early singles "A Signal In The Noise" and "Techno Girl" have already been generating a major buzz across both the metal and electronic music worlds, preparing the path for the full-length release. Produced by Simon Söderberg, another GHOST alumnus, "Body Machine" is the band’s third studio album and their first to be released in conjunction with U.S. indie label juggernaut Cleopatra Records.

PRIEST had this to say about "Body Machine": "We're excited to finally release our diverse and heavy rhythm-driven third album! 'Body Machine' is steeped in darkness, but it also shows glimpses of hope through the black, hovering smog of polluted future cities."

"Body Machine" track listing:

01. A Signal In The Noise
02. Ghost Writer
03. Hell Awaits
04. Phantom Pain
05. Blacklisted
06. Perfect Body Machine
07. Techno Girl
08. Crystalline Lace
09. Nightcrawler
10. Keep On Burning

Hailing from the same icy darkness of the Scandinavian inland that birthed GHOST, PRIEST consists of a trio of musicians — vocalist Mercury, who was known as Water when he played bass for GHOST, keyboardist Salt, formerly known as GHOST keyboardist Air, and programmer/ keyboardist Sulfur — who came together in 2017 and started releasing their own unique brew of electronic music that bears little sonic resemblance to their former band yet still shares the same creative DNA. But whereas GHOST borrowed their theatrics from old school horror and '80s rock, PRIEST comes steeped in cyberpunk and industrial music.

In 2020, PRIEST released a new album called "Cyberhead", the follow-up to its debut, "New Flesh". "Cyberhead" was the first album since original singer Tom Åsberg (also known as Ginger Khan) left the band to pursue other projects. PRIEST mastermind Linton Rubino has taken over on vocals, which are performed by a masked character they call Mercury.

Back in 2017, GHOST leader Tobias Forge was sued by four former members of the band after being dismissed by the group's founder the previous December. They accused the singer of cheating them out of their rightful share of the profits from the band's album releases and world tours. The lawsuit was filed in the district court of Linköping, Sweden, where GHOST was originally based. It claimed that a partnership agreement existed between Forge and the four former members, all of whom performed anonymously in the band as Nameless Ghouls. As a result of the lawsuit, Forge was forced to reveal his identity after years of performing in a mask as Papa Emeritus. He has maintained that "no legal partnership" ever existed between him and the other members.

In May 2018, Linton, who played bass live in GHOST from 2013 to 2014 in the role of the Nameless Ghoul Water, blasted the band's 2018 album "Prequelle", saying he was "ashamed to have been part of that" and calling the music "a joke" and "mainstream shit."

VENDED, the band fronted by Griffin Taylor, the son of SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor, has released a new single, "Ded To Me", ahead of its first-ever European dates.

VENDED states about the track: "This song is unforgiving and uncompromising. We are back and better than ever. This is a straight fuck you!"

Next week, the five-piece — which also includes Simon Crahan (drums; son of SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan) and Jeremiah Pugh (bass),Cole Espeland (lead guitar) and Connor Grodzicki (rhythm guitar) — will cross the pond to mainland Europe, kicking off in Bucharest, Romania on July 20. In August, they will find themselves on U.K. shores for their first British festival, opening the Ronnie James Dio main stage at the U.K.'s biggest extreme music fest, Bloodstock Open Air, on Sunday, August 14. They will then play headline shows in London and Bournemouth before continuing their touring back out in mainland Europe.

VENDED says: "We've spent the past year playing shows, touring, releasing music, and meeting fans in the U.S. Now it's time to start world domination and hit Europe with the same energy. Hope you're ready, here we come…!"

Late last year, VENDED dropped a duo of singles ("Asylum" and "Burn My Misery") ahead of its five-track debut EP, "What Is It / Kill It", which arrived at DSPs on November 12. The much-acclaimed collection was recorded with Griffin Landa of THE ACACIA STRAIN. The two singles bookended VENDED's first U.S. headline tour, after which the band went on to open the day's proceedings at the huge Knotfest Los Angeles show at the Banc Of California Stadium, playing alongside SLIPKNOT, BRING ME THE HORIZON, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333, CODE ORANGE and CHERRY BOMBS.

VENDED summer 2022 European tour:

Jul. 20 - Bucharest (RO) - RomExpo ##
Jul. 21- Plovdiv (BG) - Hills Of Rock
Jul. 23 - Athens (GR) - Release Festival
Jul. 26 - Villafranca Di Verona (IT) - Castello Scaligero ##
Jul. 27 - Graz (AT) - Messe Open Air ##
Jul. 28 - Prague (CZ) - O2 Arena ##
Jul. 30 - Oberhausen (DE) - Knotfest Germany ##
Aug. 01 - Geneve (CH) - Arena ##
Aug. 04 - Alicante (ESP) - Leyendas Del Rock
Aug. 06 - Wacken (DE) - Wacken Festival
Aug. 07 - Gdansk (PL) - Ergo Arena ##
Aug. 09 - Kranj (SL) - Supernova Open Air **
Aug. 10 - Budapest (HU) - Barba Negra **
Aug. 13 - Kortrijk (BE) - Alcatraz Festival
Aug. 14 - Burton On Trent (UK) - Bloodstock Festival
Aug. 15 - London (UK) - The Black Heart
Aug. 17 - Bournemouth (UK) The Anvil
Aug. 19 - Dinkelsbuhl (DE) - Summer Breeze Festival
Aug. 20 - Eindhoven (NL) - Dynamo Metalfest
Aug. 21 - Saint-Nolff (FR) - Motorcultor Festival

## With SLIPKNOT
** With LAMB OF GOD and KREATOR

VENDED's fresh and unique sound heralds in a new era and the arrival of the next generation of brutality to hail from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in February of 2018, VENDED exhibits a furiously heavy sound built upon the foundations laid by the speed, power and precision of the rhythm section, layered with ferocious guitars, soul crushing solos and gutteral-yet-melodic vocals that portray the hardships and the harsh realities of life.

VENDED had its first mainstream exposure in 2020 when they performed as part of Knotfest.com's virtual "Pulse Of The Maggots" festival.

VENDED played its first headlining show in March 2020 at the iconic local club Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines, Iowa.

Griffin, who looks a lot like his father, previously showcased his skills when he joined Corey onstage during STONE SOUR shows in 2017 and 2018. According to The Pulse Of Radio, he's also played cover tunes with Simon Crahan, while Clown's daughter Alexandria Crahan-Conway has snapped some of VENDED's previous press pics.

Sinnery is a four-piece Israeli metal band that draws influences from thrash, melodic death, and modern core and churns them into a catchy yet abrasive, groovy yet aggressive unique blend of high-impact metal. Together since 2012, they are getting ready to release their second album later this year via Exitus Stratagem Records, and right now they are serving up the second single and title track, “Black Bile”.


Sinnery’s lyrics come from very different places but on this record, vocalist/guitarist Alon Karnieli really focused on inner feelings and inner demons. The overarching lyrical concept for the album was to touch and exaggerate everything that is bad within them and show it out in the open.


They expand on this in relation to the single: "'Black Bile' was picked to be our title track since the whole concept of the album is represented in the lyrics, it talks about killing the worst in yourself, all while keeping the finger pointed at the one who’s to blame - yourself. While musically “Black Bile” also represents what we love about modern metal and the essence of what our music turned out to be. It’s a heavy, upbeat banger that keeps attacking you right until the very end of the song.”




Musically, the album delivers what metal/rock fans want. Heavy riffs, high energy, melodies, and a great production that makes the passion and musicianship shine through. Each song is a story, and together they make a cohesive album that is non-stop headbanging from start to finish.


Black Bile will be released on September 16 via Exitus Stratagem Records. Pre-save here.





Tracklisting:


"The Burning"
"Black Bile"
"Who Will Be Eaten First"
"Sever"
"Anti Tribe"
"Mouthful Of Nails"
"Hanged From The Sun"
"Bleak"
"Here Below"
"Holes"


"Black Bile" video:





(Photo – Or Shankerman)