In a brand new interview with the Brazilian journalist Igor Miranda, former GUNS N' ROSES and current SONS OF APOLLO guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal revealed that he has spent some of the coronavirus downtime working on a new solo instrumental album.

"I haven't done a full instrumental album since 1995, so it's pretty overdue," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I've been working on that slowly while doing everything else and collaborating with people and doing all kinds of other things.

"I tend to put myself last," he continued. "If I have a load of work to do, rarely will I say, 'Nope. Can't do that. I've gotta work on my own thing.' I'm trying to do that more, because my own album is never gonna get done, because I'm always putting my own things aside and saying, 'Oh, yeah, let me help you with that. Let me do this with you.' So I'm trying to put myself into that equation as well and say, 'Oh, let me do something for me,' and not forget about me and my own music. So I'm working on that. I'm slowly getting there. Hopefully next year I'll have an album to release of my own music, I'm hoping."

Thal joined GUNS N' ROSES in 2006 and appeared on 2008's "Chinese Democracy", an effort which contained music that had been written before he came into the group. The disc took 13 years to make and was only a modest seller, moving just around half a million copies.

Thal never officially announced his departure from the GN'R, but a source confirmed to Detroit music writer Gary Graff back in 2015 that the guitarist had been out since the end of the band's second Las Vegas residency in 2014.

Thal later revealed that he was focusing on his solo career and other projects after spending eight years playing in GUNS.

Thal is currently a member of SONS OF APOLLO, which also features drummer Mike Portnoy, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and bassist Billy Sheehan. SONS OF APOLLO released its second studio album, "MMXX" (pronounced: 20/20),in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.

A year ago, Thal told "The Chuck Shute Podcast" that not being able to play live shows during the pandemic had affected his outlook on the touring lifestyle.

"This break has been quite a reflective time for a lot of people, and I think it changed a lot of people's perspective on things," he said. "For me, I don't wanna tour anymore. I don't wanna tour so much.

"Being home for the first time for so long and reconnecting to family, and to myself, and to be in the studio every day, be creative again, as opposed to just living this life of 24-hour increments with…

"I wanna keep making music, and I'm not gonna spend so much time on the road," he explained. "It's no life; you don't have a real life. It's not how I wanna live anymore. I've done enough of it. And I'll still go out and play, but now I'm pacing [myself]. I'm saying 'no' a lot more. I used to spend my whole damn life just living out of a suitcase. That was no fucking life at all. Everything passed me by, and I missed it all. And I'm not doing that anymore."

ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann was interviewed by Chaoszine before the band's show July 28 concert in Tampere, Finland. Asked if had used any of the coronavirus downtime to work on new music, Wolf said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wish I had, but I was in a sort of hold-and-hurry-up-and-wait situation. The new album [2021's 'Too Mean To Die'] was just done. I was proud. I was happy. It's all in the can. I wanted to go out on the road. And then that didn't happen. So then I didn't feel like, 'Let me write another album.' It's, like, 'No. I'm not quite in the mood yet.' I wasn't. So I got some stuff done but not a whole lot. And now that I'm out on the road and we're all out here touring and seeing the audience reactions, now I'm fired up. And as a matter of fact, I was just upstairs in my room writing some stuff because I'm in the saddle again. But I was basically in a funk these last couple of years."

Wolf went on to say that ACCEPT is planning to release a follow-up effort to "Too Mean To Die" before too long. "That's why I'm writing upstairs," he said. "Any chance I get, I'm collecting ideas and we definitely wanna go into the studio, maybe after this next tour, and record some new stuff, for sure… We'll have to wait and see when we're ready. We're ready when we're ready. There's no sense in pumping out album after album, I think also for the audience. I always think it's better to have quality over quantity. I don't wanna just release stuff to have it out. You really wanna make sure it's done right and you're in the right place and the audience is ready for it and all that kind of stuff."

As previously reported, ACCEPT will embark on a North American tour in the fall. The trek, featuring support from NARCOTIC WASTELAND, will kick off on September 29 in Nashville, Tennessee and conclude on October 29 in Columbus, Ohio. Fans can expect a career-spanning setlist of new and classic tracks, including mega-hits "Balls To The Wall", "Princess Of The Dawn", "Fast As A Shark" and many more.

This past February, it was announced that ACCEPT had inked a worldwide deal with Napalm Records.

"Too Mean To Die" came out in January 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was the group's first without bassist Peter Baltes, who exited ACCEPT in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during 2019's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

"Too Mean To Die" was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with British producer Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH),who has been responsible for the studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010.

Mark Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original lead singer, Udo Dirkscheider. He can be heard on ACCEPT's last five studio albums, "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017) and "Too Mean To Die".

In a new interview with Rock Sverige, NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main composer Tuomas Holopainen was asked if he has commenced work on the material for the follow-up to 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." album. He responded: "I've got all the songs done during the pandemic. I might as well use that time. We listened to the demos for the first time with the whole band about three weeks ago when we were in America. Things are rolling."

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

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

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

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

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

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

StormbounD have been together since 2018 and after a lot of work over the years, have a debut album ready to share with the world. December is a whirlwind of symphonic metal capturing all the elements one could desire in the genre. Cascading riffs echo against soaring soprano vocals, which are further complimented by deep gritty vocals and the thunder of drums that will have any metalhead whipping their hair around in delight. BraveWords is streaming December in full ahead of its release tomorrow, August 5. Listen below!


DECEMBER by StormbounD


The band explains the album in their own words:




“The lyrics on the album tell some interesting stories, some more personal and some global, convey some harsh messages and themes, and deliver a wide array of emotions. We did our best to bring all of that into a cohesive musical environment within the realm of metal. 'Child's Play' is about the victory of creation, the libidinal energy and one's motivation over negativity and scorn."


StormbounD cites that it was a long writing process to get the exact sound that they wanted but they are very pleased with the result and its unique atmosphere and depth. For them, their main focus is on the experience they provide for the listener. It’s about the music, not egos.


Together since 2018, StormbounD has been working hard to make their name known in the local scene by playing many live shows, most recently opening for Epica in Tel Aviv this past June, along with national festivals including Metal 4 Peace and Israeli Metal Fest, they have also had their songs top local metal charts.


December is a diverse, and melodic prophecy of wrath with epic highs, and despondent lows. StormbounD masterfully takes symphonic metal to new heights while staying grounded in their roots and remaining accessible. They recommended listening for fans of Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Delain.





Tracklisting:


"Desert's Roar"
"Altar Of Innocence"
"Sacred Lies"
"Away From Here"
"December"
"Shadows"
"Flying High"
"Fragments"
"Child's Play"


"Child's Play" video:





"Flying High" video:

Fan-filmed video of W.A.S.P.'s entire July 30 performance at Skogsröjet festival in Rejmyre, Sweden can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. On Your Knees / Inside The Electric Circus
02. The Real Me (THE WHO cover)
03. L.O.V.E. Machine
04. Crazy
05. The Idol
06. Hellion / I Don't Need No Doctor
07. Arena Of Pleasure

Encore:

08. Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)
09. The Great Misconceptions Of Me

Encore 2:

10. Wild Child
11. I Wanna Be Somebody

W.A.S.P.'s first live performance since December 2019 took place on July 23 at Skansen in Stockholm, Sweden.

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

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

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

In a May 2022 interview Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Lawless spoke about the status of his long-in-the-works autobiography. He said: "It's taken a whole lot longer than I thought it would, but it's been one of the most fun things I've ever done in my life. It's a tremendous amount of work because there's so many things, over the course of a lifetime, that you forget about, especially when you do what we do for a living. Anybody that does what we do, it's not like the average person out there where you go to work and you do your thing and you get into a routine. And there's nothing wrong with that; it's different.

"I've often said that I've already… because of the schedule and the way that any band has to do things — you're here today; you're somewhere else tomorrow — it's like you've already lived four or five of somebody else's lifetimes," he explained. "And because of the amount of intensity that goes into the same amount of space that everybody has. Twenty-four hours for somebody that does this is not the same as twenty-four hours for somebody that's in a routine. And it can get a little on the insane side.

"The first thing I did was interview everybody that I could think of and said, 'What are your memories of this?'" Blackie revealed. "So I got those. But then where I got the majority of it from was really going back in my own head. And the deeper I got into it, the more things I had totally forgotten about. Because, like I said, there's so many things that will happen in a given day that the only thing you remember is the most intense thing. But maybe the two or three other things that were just under it were just as intense, but you don't remember it. You remember being on the flight the time the guys got angry with a stewardess and stuffed her in the overhead bin, but you don't remember the two or three things that happened under that. That's a true story, by the way."

Asked what he has learned about himself from digging into his life while writing his book, Blackie said: "In the preface of the book, I write that this has been a process of discovery — both good and bad. I would say, after it's all said and done, that it's been far, far more good than bad, because what it's done for me, it's been like writing a script to a movie. And again, like I said, there's a lot of stuff you forget about. But also at the same time, what it does is it helps you connect the dots of your own life, of maybe things that you didn't really think about were connected, and you go back and you look at it and you go, 'This is as plain as the nose on my face. Why couldn't I have seen this before?' And there's been a number of incidences like that — just things that are personal that might not be something that you could share with anybody else, because it wouldn't make sense to them. But then again there may be things that are. So I'm hoping that when people read this, they'll see a lot of themselves in it."

As for whether fans can expect to see Blackie's book and a new W.A.S.P. album released simultaneously, Lawless said: "That was the plan to begin with, but the book is taking way much longer than I thought. We were talking about doing records and trying to get 'em right. Well, it's the same with this — I'm gonna do it once, and I want it to be right."

Canada’s Greber are the no-holds-barred, to-the-point hardcore grind band that you have been waiting for, and for those uninitiated, they are a ferocious duo that keeps it on the low end, saturated with gritty vocals and a no-bullshit attitude.


Steve Vargas (drums/vocals) (The Great Sabatini, BIIPIIGWAN) and Marc Bourgon (bass, vocals) (ex-F*ck The Facts, Cancelled) have put out several albums, both full-lengths and splits with an admirable array of bands. Their newest contribution is Fright Without, ten succinct tracks that may surprise longtime fans of the band. They cite, in relation to their evolution, that since 2006 it’s been an involved process and that having just one melodic instrument it’s sometimes as limiting as it is freeing. Right when Bourgon feels like he’s run out of ideas, another one emerges and Greber keeps puttering along. He explains the third single off Fright Without - “Fabricated Purpose”:


“Honestly, this is our best attempt at Masakari worship. The beginning hits the mark but invariably comes off the rails towards the end. The end needed something special and we’ve always been huge fans of all that is Kevin Keegan. He was kind enough to lend his golden voice to the track and we couldn’t possibly be more chuffed. When I sent Kurt the song he asked if it was Danko Jones on that part. I told him it wasn’t but was stoked that he knew who Danko was. The outro has some atmospheric drones courtesy of Sean Pearson.”




When asked how they will expect fans to take the new album, with its slightly divergent sound compared to their previous work, they explain that they have no idea, it’s the same but different. They muse that perhaps they are “over the hill and should pack it in, maybe this is the best shit we've ever written, maybe hard trance has always been the best fit for us”. It’s up to listeners to decide now, and those with an interest in Black Sheep Wall, Primitive Man, and Cult Leader should take note.


Fright Without is slated for September 9, 2022, and will be available from the following labels: Ancient Temple and Nofuneral for Vinyl, CD, and Cassette in Canada, Hibernation Release for Vinyl in the USA, and 7 Degrees and Fresh Outbreak for Vinyl in Europe. Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Form”
“Aging Debt”
“Fabricated Purpose”
“Into Silence”
“Bush Cord Of Entrails”
“Larkinitis”
“Dark Corners”
“Rats Of Subversion”
“Nosebleed”
“Tree Carving”


"Fabricated Purpose":





“Into Silence”:





(Photo – Austin Gibson / Editing – Youth and Rust)

PAPA ROACH bassist Tobin Esperance spoke to the Z93 radio station about how he and his bandmates manage to stay motivated to write new material nearly three decades into the group's existence.

"Really what it comes down to is feeling just really grateful that throughout our whole career we've stayed inspired and excited about making music," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Whether it's a number one song or not, it's just, like, okay, if people like the music, that's that extra bonus, but just the fact that we're excited to jam and write new songs… We're not one of those bands who just wants to kind of regurgitate the same stuff and live off of the success of the early hits or whatever. Just the fact that we still have fun making records, writing new songs and touring after all these years is pretty wild. And I'm still there — I'm already thinking about what we're gonna do next. I'm really excited to get in the studio and make some new [songs], which I'm hoping to do this year — the end of this year."

Last month, PAPA ROACH and FALLING IN REVERSE kicked off a co-headlining U.S. tour. Dubbed the "Rockzilla Summer Tour", the bill also includes HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD and BAD WOLVES. The trek launched on July 27 in East Providence, Rhode Island, with dates booked in 24 cities across the U.S. before a final show on August 31 in Nashville, Tennessee.

After two years of work and nearly 10 months of building up excitement with fans, PAPA ROACH recently celebrated the release of its 11th studio album, "Ego Trip". An album that sprouted almost by mistake in the throes of a global lockdown, its seeds were planted when the quartet entered a COVID-secure mansion in Temecula, California, in the summer of 2020.

PAPA ROACH are two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling leaders in alternative hard rock music, who in 2020 celebrated the 20th anniversary of their iconic album "Infest".

"Ego Trip" was released in April via New Noize Records in partnership with ADA Worldwide (WMG's independent label and artist services arm).

PAPA ROACH is completed by guitarist Jerry Horton, singer Jacoby Shaddix and drummer Tony Palermo.

"Ego Trip" is the follow-up to "Who Do You Trust?", which came out in January 2019. That disc was produced by Colin "Doc" Brittain and Nick Furlong except for the song "Top Of The World", which was helmed by Jason Evigan.

PAPA ROACH's second greatest-hits collection, "Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The Better Noise Years", was released in March 2021 on Better Noise Music. "Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - The Better Noise Years" included 12 of the band's top 10 hits released between 2010 to 2019 as well as three previously unreleased remixes and two unreleased acoustic recordings recorded live at the YouTube Studios in New York City.

In December 2020, PAPA ROACH released a five-song EP, "20/20", featuring "new takes on old jams," including "Last Resort" and "Scars".

In a new interview with Riff X's "Metal XS", KORN guitarists James "Munky" Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch spoke about the enduring popularity of the heavy metal genre, as evidenced by Hellfest, an annual open-air festival held in Clisson, France and one of the biggest metal festivals in all of Europe.

"Definitely it's gotten bigger," Munky said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I think people have kind of embraced it. And I think this stigmata, the taboo of metal bands has kind of gone away for the most part. I think people that aren't into that music, they associate the skulls and the fire [with heavy metal]… And it's not that. We resonate with this type of music. It makes us feel sort of like a complete person when you have this aggressive music, or whatever you wanna call it. It makes us feel like — I don't know. It completes our soul, I guess."

Added Head: "It is a community, though. There's religion and there's politics out there, and there's so much division. And the metal community is so inclusive and united. We just played the other night with JUDAS PRIEST and KISS and KORN, and they loved every single band, in Denmark, 'cause they have respect for the metal community and the different styles and whatnot. And that's not always the case, but the majority [of the time] it is the case. I love that about our community."

KORN is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Requiem", which was released on February 4 via Loma Vista Recordings. The band celebrated the LP's arrival with a special record-release event on February 3 at the Hollywood United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California. "Requiem Mass" saw the Southern California heavy music pioneers perform an intimate set in front of a 300 attendees.

"Requiem", which was produced by Chris Collier and KORN, entered Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart at No. 1. The band sold 23,000 equivalent album units in the February 4-10 tracking week, according to Billboard. Of that sum, 20,000 units were from album sales. "Requiem" also landed at No. 2 on the Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts. On the all-format Billboard 200, it arrived at No. 14.

KORN recently announced a summer tour with fellow rock culture icons EVANESCENCE, produced by Live Nation. Accompanied by special guests varying across select dates, the 18-city tour kicks off on August 16 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, making stops across the U.S. in Boston, Chicago, Houston and more before wrapping up in Ridgefield, Washington on September 16.

KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu announced in June 2021 that he would sit out the band's touring activities in order to "heal" after "falling back" on some of his "bad habits." He is being temporarily replaced by Roberto "Ra" Díaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES).

Despite the fact that he hasn't performed with his KORN bandmates for more than a year, Fieldy did play on "Requiem".

Paul Stanley has once again slammed American mainstream media outlets for only reporting one political side of the story with bias.

Earlier today (Wednesday, August 3), the KISS frontman, who is in the middle of the band's "End Of The Road" farewell trek, took to his Twitter to share the logos of several major cable news networks — specifically Fox News, CNN and MSNBC — and he included the following message: "WANT TO HAVE A MORE UNIFIED COUNTRY? Have a more unified news! Not poisonous bickering & slanted distortions on BOTH sides. How can we form educated points of view when we're not getting the unbiased truth? We don't need networks pushing opinions. We need ACCURACY. We need FACTS."

DISTURBED's David Draiman, who officially reactivated his Twitter account in January after a nearly seven-year absence, concurred, tweeting simply "Hallelujah brother" and including the "devil horns" emoji.

This is not the first time Stanley has been critical of the way the American media reports its stories. Back in January 2020, Paul wrote on Twitter: "The divisive and dangerous climate in America is in large part the result of 24 HOUR 'NEWS' CHANNELS WHICH ARE IN FACT SKEWED AND BIASED POLITICAL OUTLETS . Any point of view can be backed up with some sort of documentation and 'expert' analysis and that is the key problem. News?!? No. We are watching slick entertainment channels pushing their own agenda and a reality which then becomes yours."

In June 2019, Paul tweeted out the BBC News logo along with the following message: "If You're Ready For News With Far Less Of The Game Show Slickness And Bias Of Our 24 News Networks You Might Try One Of The BBC Outlets. Less Exciting? YES! But Filling 24 Hours Is An Unnecessary Challenge That Has Turned Outlets Into Biased Fast Food Providers."

Last month, a Gallup poll found that only 16 percent of U.S. adults have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in newspapers, and even fewer Americans —11 percent — have that kind of confidence in television news.

In August 2018, Stanley said that he does not believe the press is the enemy of the American people, presumably in response to then-U.S. president Donald Trump, who has regularly derided the media as such.

Stanley offered his opinion in two separate tweets, writing: "JOURNALISTS And The Media Are NOT The Enemy Of The People. Without the opportunity to hear all points of view we can't find the truth. Those who want to silence opposition and questions or turn the public against them ARE The Enemy Of The People And Of [email protected] @FoxNews"

He added: "Because ALL media coverage of politics is clearly biased now, we should accept that EVERYONE is participating and NOBODY is innocent. THAT is all the more reason we need to hear it all."

While he was president, Trump frequently took issue with outlets like CNN and The New York Times for publishing critical stories about his administration and has continued to call journalists "the enemy of the people," despite criticism and fear that he was stoking tension and violence.
WANT TO HAVE A MORE UNIFIED COUNTRY? Have a more unified news! Not poisonous bickering & slanted distortions on BOTH sides. How can we form educated points of view when we’re not getting the unbiased truth? We don’t need networks pushing opinions. We need ACCURACY. We need FACTS. pic.twitter.com/exh3Ma1xRX

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) August 3, 2022


Hallelujah brother 🤘🏻

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) August 3, 2022

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss joined former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick and his solo band on stage on May 29 at this year's Creatures Fest at Nashville's Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel. Together they performed the song "Hooked On Rock 'N' Roll", which originally appeared on Criss's 1978 solo album. Multi-camera video of the performance, courtesy of Kulick's official YouTube channel, can be seen below.

Kulick's group, which also features singer and guitarist Todd Kerns, bassist and singer Zach Throne and drummer Brent Fitz, performed mostly songs from Kulick's 1980s and 1990s KISS era.

Criss first left KISS in 1980. Since then he's worked with other bands and released solo albums. He teamed up with KISS again for a reunion tour in the 1990s and most recently in 2004. He was replaced by Eric Singer.

In addition to playing drums in KISS, Peter also provided lead vocals for a number the band's most popular and memorable songs, including "Beth", "Black Diamond" and "Hard Luck Woman".

Criss, who was known as "Catman," released his last solo CD, titled "One For All", in 2007. Peter produced the album himself for the first time, and was joined by guest musicians that included keyboardist Paul Shaffer and bassist Will Lee of "Late Night With David Letterman". The album featured a range of styles, from rock and jazz to blues and Broadway, and included covers of "What A Difference A Day Makes" and "Send In The Clowns".

Criss played what was being billed as his final full U.S. concert in June 2017 at the Cutting Room in New York City.

Bruce joined KISS in 1984 and accompanied the band on the "Animalize" tour and continued with them until the reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology – Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning their historic four-decade-plus career.

Whitesnake revisit its multi-platinum career as it remixes some of its biggest hits for the new collection that spotlights updated versions of classic tracks like “Still Of The Night,” “Here I Go Again,” and “Is This Love.”


Whitesnake's Greatest Hits is available now on digital and streaming services, on CD, 2LP, and fans are invited to order the collection by going here.


The band have released this remastered video for "You're Gonna Break My Heart Again":







In another clip, David Coverdale looks back on "You're Gonna Break My Heart Again":





David Coverdale had 16 tracks remixed and remastered for this collection. He explains: “We’ve definitely expanded on the original Greatest Hits, took them all out of the sonic time capsule of the ’80s and ’90s, and brought them up to date, sound-wise … as always, we have the original albums for those who consider them holy relics.”


Keyboardist Derek Sherinian, who also appeared on Whitesnake’s recent Red, White and Blues trilogy, adds Hammond organ to more than half the songs on the collection. His scorching contributions can be heard on the #1 smash “Here I Go Again,” “Fool For Your Loving,” “You’re Gonna Break My Heart Again,” and more. New performances by former Whitesnake guitarist Adrian Vandenberg can also be heard on “The Deeper The Love” and “Judgement Day” from the 1989 album, Slip Of The Tongue.


Along with those new additions, Coverdale also went back to the vault to unearth vintage performances by guitarist John Sykes that didn’t appear on the original recordings, including a solo on “Slide It In” and rhythm guitar on “Give Me All Your Love.”


Whitesnake Greatest Hits focuses extensively on three blockbuster albums the band released during the 1980s: 1984’s Slide It In (2x platinum), 1987’s Whitesnake (8x platinum), and 1989’s Slip Of The Tongue (platinum). But the collection goes deeper with songs like “Sweet Lady Luck,” a b-side on the 12” single for “The Deeper The Love,” and “Forevermore,” the title track from the band’s 2011 album.


Whitesnake have embarked upon a farewell tour with special guest, Europe. Coverdale said: “I pray every day we can all make this happen & once again, share unforgettable evenings together & celebrate the amazing journey we have been on for almost 50 years!!!”





CD/Blu-ray tracklisting:


“Still Of The Night”
“Here I Go Again”
“Is This Love”
“Give Me All Your Love”
“Love Ain’t No Stranger”
“Slide It In”
“Slow An’ Easy”
“Guilty Of Love”
“Fool For Your Loving”
“Judgment Day”
“The Deeper The Love”
“Now You’re Gone”
“You’re Gonna Break My Heart Again”
“Sweet Lady Luck”
“Crying In The Rain”
“Forevermore”


"The Deeper The Love" remastered video::





"Judgement Day" remastered video:





"Fool For Your Loving" remastered video:





"Guilty Of Love" remastered video:





"Slow An' Easy" remastered video:





"Slide It In" remastered video:





"Love Ain't No Stranger" remastered video:





"Give Me All Your Love" remastered video:





"Is This Love" remastered video:





“Here I Go Again” remastered video:





"Still Of The Night" remastered video:

Dutch metal legends, Martyr, have undergone a lineup change.


On behalf of the band, guitarist/founding member Rick Bouwman states: “Unfortunately Rick Valcon recently informed us he made the decision to lay down his drum activities. We would like to thank Rick for over 4 years of dedication and all the good times we shared in Martyr. We are, however, very fortunate to inform you we already found a killer replacement in Elwin ‘Hellwin’ Molenaar."


The new kid on the block already started playing drums in his teens and has gained a lot of live- and studio experience throughout the years in acts such as Crucified Corpse, Her Enchantment and Thronar. Current other bands where Hellwin is involved in are Deem Index (melodic death metal) and The Banned Buskers (bluegrass).




Molenaar: “I see myself as a drummer that does what needs to be done to the best of my capabilities, without any over the top drumming."


Please welcome Hellwin Molenaar and watch him pound some metal and hear him raise some hell on the upcoming Martyr shows:


August
19 - Festival Zeeltje - Deest, Netherlands


September
3 - Metal Experience Fest (Leiden, Netherlands
23 - Fuizenfest (Riel, Netherlands


More shows in the Netherlands and abroad will be announced soon.

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler has publicly addressed his absence from the band's summer 2022 European tour.

Earlier this week, it was announced that former MACHINE HEAD and current VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel will be filling in for Adler on nearly a dozen European LAMB OF GOD shows later this month. Demmel previously stepped in for Adler during LOG's January appearance on the ShipRocked cruise and in May for the Canadian portion of LAMB OF GOD's "The Metal Tour Of The Year" with MEGADETH.

Late Wednesday night (August 3),Adler released the following statement via the LAMB OF GODTwitter: "Hey everyone. I'm thrilled with the love we've been seeing for the two new LAMB songs we've dropped so far.

"I can't wait for everyone to hear the entire 'Omens' album. We're all super proud of it.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make the trip to Europe for the upcoming shows this month, I've got some things that I need to be home for and I appreciate the band supporting my decision.

"I will 100% be back on stage for the 'Omens' tour in September & October. See y'all there!"

LAMB OF GOD summer 2022 European dates:

Aug. 05 - RO - Rasnov - Rockstadt Extreme Fest
Aug. 07 - BE - Lokeren - Lokerse Festival
Aug. 09 - SK - Ljubljana - Cvetličarna
Aug. 10 - HU - Budapest - Barba Negra Track
Aug. 12 - FI - Turku - Knotfest
Aug. 14 - UK - Walton-on-Trent - Bloodstock Open Air
Aug. 18 - DE - Nürnberg - Z-Bau
Aug. 19 - DE - Köln - Live Music Hall
Aug. 20 - DE - Sulingen - Reload Festival
Aug. 21 - NL - Eindhoven - Dynamo Metalfest

Although the rest of LAMB OF GOD has not officially commented on Adler's absence from the shows, VIO-LENCE singer Sean Killian revealed in an interview in April that Willie is "not down with doing the vaxx," referring to the COVID-19 vaccine, and is being replaced by Demmel for dates in those countries that still require proof of vaccination from U.S. travelers.

In April, Demmel also filled in for LAMB OF GOD's John Campbell when the bassist had to miss a couple of shows on "The Metal Tour Of The Year" in order to "take care a family matter back home."

Demmel's appearance with LAMB OF GOD marks his third high-profile fill-in gig in four years. Demmel stepped in for SLAYER guitarist Gary Holt for four European shows in the fall of 2018 after Gary returned home to be with his dying father. Demmel also subbed for Dave Linsk at OVERKILL's November 13, 2021 concert at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey and on the band's spring 2022 U.S. tour.

In a February 2022 interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Demmel discussed how he became the go-to fill-in guy for LAMB OF GOD.

"The LAMB OF GOD gig, that was a big deal," he said. "They had approached me before their MEGADETH States tour last summer and wanted me to learn both parts, Mark [Morton] and Willie's, just in case one got sick, they didn't want to cancel their tour. That's where I am: I'm their bullpen guy when one of them can't make the shows, I'm ready to go. It's such a high-profile band. I didn't want to go out there and blow it. I wanted the band to sound good. I wanted to keep that pride in what they are and not have a drop-off. Willie and I play differently. There's different vibrato in our left hand and pinkies. I didn't want there to be a drop-off. I wanted people to be not bummed that he wasn't there. And that's not a slag on Willie. If I went to see one of my favorite bands, let's say QUEENSRŸCHE. I want to see [Chris] DeGarmo, I want to see Michael Wilton. No slight against the other dudes, but they better fucking bring it if they're not going to be out there."

LAMB OF GOD will release its new album, "Omens", on October 7 via Epic Records.
pic.twitter.com/Z4u7P3Q8rO

— Lamb Of God (@lambofgod) August 4, 2022

Gary Moore delighted entire generations with his passionate guitar playing, from the driving rock of THIN LIZZY in the 1970s to his explorations in subsequent decades of jazz fusion, heavy metal, hard rock, blues rock, and more. Throughout that time, he could be seen on the world's biggest stages, yet the real Gary Moore was always hidden in plain sight, giving little away. Now, however, through extensive and revealing interviews with family members, friends and fellow musicians — including Ian Paice, Sharon Osbourne, Greg Lake, Glenn Hughes and members of THIN LIZZY — acclaimed rock biographer Harry Shapiro is able to take readers right to the heart of Gary's life and career.

Despite his early death in 2011, Moore still has legions of devoted fans across the world who will be enthralled by this unique insight into the life of a guitar genius who did it his way, and whose music lives on. Beginning with Gary as a teenage guitar prodigy in war-torn Ireland and continuing through the many highs and lows of more than forty years in rock, Shapiro paints an intimate portrait of a musician widely hailed as one of the greatest Irish bluesmen of all time.

Authorized by and written with the full cooperation of his estate, and featuring in-depth analysis of his instruments and equipment, "Gary Moore: The Official Biography" (due on September 27 via Jawbone Press) is the definitive biography of the last great guitar hero.

Moore enjoyed a spectacular career with bands such as SKID ROW, THIN LIZZY and G-FORCE, and predominately as a solo artist during which time he effortlessly switched from heavy rock to blues, taking his denim-clad fans along for what would be a hugely successful journey.

Moore's guitar mastery saw him collaborate with stars like B.B. King and Albert King, Peter Green, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton.

Moore passed away in his sleep on February 6, 2011, hours after checking into the five-star Kempinski Hotel in Estepona on the Costa del Sol, Spain with a female friend. He reportedly suffered a heart attack brought on by a massive amount of alcohol he consumed prior to being found dead in bed.

METALLICA's Kirk Hammett said: "Gary Moore is definitely in my list of top five guitar influences, right up there with Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Michael Schenker. He just blew me away from the first time I heard him."

Jack Bruce said: "The most powerful, genuine authentic blues-rock guitarist of his day."

DEF LEPPARD's Vivian Campbell stated: "He was a huge guitar influence. I probably ripped off Gary Moore more than any other guitar player."

Joe Bonamassa commented: "Gary opened the door for me and a lot of other blues-rock guitarists. He was a legend, a musical titan and a very nice man."

Harry Shapiro is a music writer and journalist. His biography "Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy" was nominated for the Ralph J Gleason Music Book Award, while "Waiting For The Man: The Story Of Drugs And Popular Music" was voted best music book of the twentieth century by the BBC Millennium web site. "Jack Bruce: Composing Himself" was published by Jawbone in 2010. His other books include biographies of Eric Clapton, Alexis Korner and Graham Bond.

Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD have shared the official lyric video for their latest single, the title track of their upcoming album, "Omens".

LAMB OF GOD frontman D. Randall Blythe stated about the track: "I think a lot of the messes human beings find ourselves in could be very easily prevented simply by paying attention to obvious repeating patterns, both in our personal lives and in a broader sociohistorical context. What some call 'omens' are really just manifestations of the fact that there is nothing new under the sun. It's foolish to ignore this, but we all do it."

The "Omens" album will be released on October 7 via Epic Records.

Densely muscular, soaked in unnerving spite, with a pessimistic eye toward inner struggles and global affairs alike, "Omens" is a furious entry in the LAMB OF GOD catalog, perhaps the band's angriest album yet.

"The world is crazy and keeps changing. 'Omens' is a reaction to the state of the world," explains Blythe. "It's a very pissed-off record." He pauses for emphasis. "It is extremely pissed off."

"Omens" is also LAMB OF GOD's most diverse affair. The band tracked with longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH) live in the room together at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.

"The inner workings of the band have never been better," explains guitarist Mark Morton. "You can hear it in 'Omens'. You can see it in our performances, and if you're around us for five minutes, you can feel it."

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

"Omens" track listing:

01. Nevermore
02. Vanishing
03. To The Grave
04. Ditch
05. Omens
06. Gomorrah
07. Ill Designs
08. Grayscale
09. Denial Mechanism
10. September Song

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

Morton said: "Two decades ago, LAMB OF GOD, along with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, were a part of a new wave of American heavy metal music. Our scene grew from a small, loosely connected network of underground shows in basements and warehouses, into a global phenomenon that helped define an entire generation of modern heavy metal. We are thrilled to announce the 'Omens' tour, which celebrates not only the perseverance and impact of that original movement, but also the creativity and originality of the bands that it influenced. Heavy metal is alive and well. The 'Omens' tour proudly showcases the depth and diversity of our scene. This is not a tour to miss."

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

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

Two years ago, LAMB OF GOD bassist John Campbell told Media Mikes about the band's continuing working relationship with Josh: "I would have to look on the Internet to see how long we have been working with him. [Laughs] I want to say that he first started working with us on 'Sacrament'. That was in 2006 and we have been working with him ever since."

He added: "Josh Wilbur is an amazing person professionally and as a human. He is incredibly creative and very aware of things like this. He goes in to an album to try and create the best possible piece of art he can. Josh is great with suggestions and helping us along in the process. He understands the band and all of our personalities very well and that's a godsend."

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Vancouver’s Thirteen Goats recently released their debut album Servants Of The Outer Dark, which they describe as a love letter to old-school Florida death metal, classic ‘80s thrash, and a spattering of other genres. Now, the band has unleashed a new music video for the title track, bringing their creative songwriting and entertaining lyrics to life with visuals that recall hit arthouse horror films from recent years. 


Lead vocalist/guitarist Graham K. Miles explains the single:


“‘Servant Of The Outer Dark’ chronicles the exploits of a certain dark sorcerer in his quest to return our universe to its natural state: complete and utter chaos. Mike came up with the foundation for this, and Rob contributed some really nasty guitar work that helped take it to the next level. I handled the vocal arrangement and the lyrics. They’re an homage to my favourite Stephen King villain, who was also a source of inspiration for our mascot and the broader concept behind the band.”




The video, directed by Nessa Aref & Alysson Hall, features Miles as a gun-toting adventurer who pursues a mysterious man in black (played by guitarist/vocalist Rob Fitz-Gerald) through a series of alternate realities where space and time keep shifting. Along the way, he receives a cryptic tarot card reading and encounters supernatural entities that either help or hinder his progress. The song itself opens with a thunderclap and a bell ringing while an acoustic guitar plays softly—until it is interrupted by the main riff and pounding toms. It’s full-tilt from that point forward as the chase gets underway.


Although they’re not directly adapting any existing works, the band and their creative team hope to clearly and respectfully tip their horns to the material that inspired them. There are plenty of Easter eggs for horror aficionados here—in addition to Stephen King, the filmmakers count Akira Kurosawa, and Ari Aster among their influences.


"Servant Of The Outer Dark" is also an introduction to the types of stories the band is interested in exploring. According to Thirteen Goats, the common theme running through their music is the transformative power of darkness—whether they’re writing about unsettling events in our world or in worlds beyond. It’s all summed up by their interdimensional, goat-skull-wearing demon mascot, Shepherd, and by the big catchy vocal hook in the single’s chorus: “Come fire, ice, and blackness, this universe must die; there’s such delicious madness waiting on the other side”.


“We hope this song inspires each listener to find and embrace the sinister magician within themselves,” says Miles, “because even though that person might be dangerous, that’s not always a bad thing—they can also be very empowering and a lot of fun."


Servants Of The Outer Dark was released on July 1, 2022. Order on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Servant Of The Outer Dark”
“Challenge The Executioner”
“Return To Ruin”
“Prisoner’s Anthem”
“Sub-Being”
“Unholy Mass”
“Constant Torment”
“Vacuum-Induced Head Explosion”
“Through The Meat Grinder…The Recipe”


"Servant Of The Outer Dark" video:





"Unholy Mass" lyric video:





“Return To Ruin” lyric video:





(Photo – Caitlin Delaplace)

Former SAMSON singer Nicky Moore has died at the age 75.

Moore passed away Wednesday morning (August 3) after battling Parkinson's Disease.

Moore's death was confirmed on his official Facebook page.

"It is with immense sadness and almost unbearably heavy hearts that we have to let you all know that Nicky — a man larger than life in body and spirit — has sadly passed away this morning," a statement reads. "A man that lived a thousand lifetimes in just one has decided he needed a rest. Rest well, dear friend. We will all miss you x".

Moore famously joined SAMSON as its lead singer in 1981 following the departure of Bruce Dickinson, who had left to join IRON MAIDEN. Moore left SAMSON in the late 1980s and rejoined in the late 1990s.

After his initial departure from SAMSON, Moore sang in the band MAMMOTH, which also featured former GILLAN bassist John McCoy. MAMMOTH released two albums before splitting up in 1989.

In 2006, Moore teamed up with former NAZARETH guitarist Manny Charlton and three musicians from the Swedish band LOCOMOTIVE BREATH to record an album under the band name FROM BEHIND. The band performed at the Sweden Rock Festival that same year.

Since 1994, Moore had been working with his own band, NICKY MOORE AND THE BLUES CORPORATION, who were voted "Top Live Blues Band" by BBC Radio 2 listeners in the year 2000.

Moore is survived by his sons Nick Jr. and Timmy.

It is with immense sadness and almost unbearably heavy hearts that we have to let you all know that Nicky - a man...

Posted by Nicky Moore - Samson and Hackensack, Tiger, Mammoth, Blues Corp on Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Legendary thrash drummer Tom Hunting (Exodus) releases his first solo album EP, Hunting Party, featuring covers of some of his favorite songs. The band includes guitarist C. Will Harden and drummer Gator McKlusky.


Darryl "DMC" McDaniels not only lends his vocals to the classic, "Jungle Love" (Purple Rain), but wrote his own lyrics for this classic by Morris Day And The Time.


Jack Gibson (Exodus) lends his bass to "East Bound And Down", joining his bandmate for this classic by Jerry Reed. Jack’s love for Smokey And The Bandit helped bring an authentic tone to this heavy remake. 




Dan Lorenzo (Hades / Non-Fiction) plays bass on the Stevie Wonder classic "You Haven’t Done Nothin'", plus the guitar parts behind DMC on "Jungle Love", adding to that crushing original section of the track.


Jonny Rod (Return To Darkness) takes on the killer solo for "East Bound And Down", staying true to the classic. He also kills it on bass for "Jungle Love" and "Boys Are Back In Town" by The BusBoys, from the film 48 hrs. 


James Arthur (Wheelhouse Junction) closes the album with his vocal tribute in "East Bound And Down".


Tom worked closely with drummer Gator McKlusky, who also produced and engineered the album, to make sure everything best represented these classics. Look for the first music video "Boys Are Back In Town" featuring Chuck Billy (Testament) and Steve “Zetro” Souza (Exodus) on backing vocals. Video created by Craig Cefola.





The tracklist is as follows:


"You Haven’t Done Nothin'"
"Boys Are Back In Town"
"Jungle Love"
"East Bound And Down"





In the interview below, Tom Hunting about the project, along with his rebound from cancer, touring this year, along with some of his favorite films and inspirations. Drummer Gator McKlusky conducted the interview from a recent Exodus tour at the Hard Rock in Orlando, Florida, where they also shot the video for "Boys are Back In Town".

Sweden's Crowne will release a special live EP, Live From Studio Gröndahl, on August 19. The release is a little treat to hold fans over while they await the release of the band's second album, which is currently in the works.


A live performance of "Kings In The North" from the EP is available now on all digital platforms. Watch a video of the performance below, and pre-order/save Live From Studio Gröndahl, a digital only release, here.


In 2021, Crowne unleashed their debut album Kings In The North, which fully delivered on the promise of the combination of the members' pedigrees. Comprised of vocalist Alexander Strandell (Art Nation), guitarist/keyboardist/producer Jona Tee (H.E.A.T.), bassist John Levén (Europe), and drummer Christian Lundqvist (The Poodles), the debut was a true tour de force of Scandinavian melodic hard rock. The debut album also featured Love Magnusson (Dynazty) providing guitar solos and as the band commences work on a follow-up, Magnusson has fully joined the fold as the band's lead guitarist.




While fans eagerly await the arrival of the band's follow-up album, the band gathered in the studio to record the special live EP, Live From Studio Gröndahl. Featuring the now five-piece band tearing through five incredible tracks from Kings In The North, this EP allows the fans to hear (and see, in the accompanying video performance) a glimpse of the band playing live together in an intimate setting.





Live From Studio Gröndahl tracklisting:


"Kings In The North"
"Sharoline"
"Perceval"
"Mad World"
"Save Me From Myself"


"Kings In The North" live video:





Lineup:


Alexander Strandell - Lead Vocals
Love Magnusson - Guitar
Jona Tee - Guitar/Keyboards/Backing Vocals
John Levén - Bass
Christian “Kicken” Lundqvist - Drums

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


With the release of the record only two weeks away, the band are releasing one final track prior to fans getting to hear the album in full. Watch the video for "China" below.


Robert Berry comments: “The song 'China' came about differently than most of our songs. Ian had sent me a very cool finger picking type riff, which was playing repeatedly in my head as I tried to go to sleep one night. Earlier that evening the television news ran a story about China, including the appalling oppression of the Uyghur Muslims. I couldn’t get that out of my head either. I have many Chinese friends who do not agree with what the government of China is doing. Suddenly, inspired by Ian’s finger picking, this heavy riff came to mind. Then, as I paired it with the news story, the lyric just poured out. Born from anger and disbelief but also with respect for my Chinese friends, this song came to me in one big flash. When Ian heard the basic writing demo he immediately headed into new territory with the guitar solo. It’s angry, edgy, and totally psychotic in nature - a perfect fit!  And of course we all must say ‘goodnight’ and good riddance to any government that treats its people so harshly.”







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





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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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





Tracklisting:


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


"Save The Night" video:





"Yearning To Fly" video:





Band interview series:








Background:


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


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


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


(Photo - Dave Lepori)