On June 6, the 20th anniversary of the passing of RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby, singer Stephen Pearcy spoke to Atlantic City Weekly about his late friend, the glory days of RATT and his plans to continue touring with his solo band. He said: "As we celebrate Robbin's passing 20 years today, it's still Ratt & Roll. [The music's] got life … so we are kind of tripping in a good way. He was such an important part of the band. I knew we could play without him, but when he was gone, I knew the band was done. I knew we could go through the motions with different players, but I lost a real, true partner there — a driver in that machine. So, I continue to do the solo thing because I can write what I want and do solo records and tour when I want with who I want."

He continued: "We were supposed to do a big summer tour with RATT this year. I initiated doing something if the [surviving] guys [from the classic lineup] would get together. But there is no reason for them to do it or a need for them to do it, so I decided to just go out solo. And I am better off. Some of these guys [in my solo band] have been with me 18, 20 years. So if you want to Ratt & Roll, come see my shows."

Two months ago, Pearcy was asked once again during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if there has been any movement with regard to reuniting the band's classic lineup. He responded: "Well, I will give you a bit of something. There was an opportunity presented to all of us. Besides [it being] a lucrative thing, it would be amazing.

"I mean, I will not do another RATT record unless it's all of us," he explained. "There's no reason; you won't get the RATT sound. We got close. And people, I think, got a little pissy at me for saying that about [2010's] 'Infestation' [album], [that] I really didn't think we hit a home run. Warren [DeMartini, guitar] and I basically handled that record, but [Carlos] Cavazo [guitar] was [also] involved.

"To me, you can put a label on it, but it's not RATT," Pearcy explained. "It's identifiable to the guitars and the whatever sound. We didn't get there. And also it had to do with… The mind that all of us were in at the time wasn't so together doing that record. But we did the best we could. So, for everybody who gets pissy about 'Infestation', I love that record… But you put a label on it, just because a label's on it doesn't mean it's RATT."

Asked point blank to explain to fans why a classic RATT reunion can't happen, Stephen said: "Looks, if the fucking components don't work, I'm not going out there with broken parts, nor am I gonna go out there and mislead my audience or our audience and rip 'em off of the true legacy of the band. Granted, no disrespect, [we've had] great players [in the band over the years], great humans and all this and that, but business aside… You've got it right here. You've got four of the original guys. I'm not wanting to go, 'Hey, guys. Come on.' Whatever. If it happens, it happens. I don't give a shit. And I can go out [with my solo band] and deliver the goods. Because it got to be a little convoluted with these different guitar players — that's where that 'no disrespect' comes — different guitar players or a different drummer or a different bass player. And it's, like, well, holy shit. It's gonna stop. And that's all I did was just say, 'Just stop for a second here, man.' And then out of the blue we were presented with this opportunity recently, and I'm thinking, 'Wow. Maybe this might… For shits and giggles, the guys might dig it, besides lucratively.' But it just ain't gonna fly. And that's where you just leave it alone — leave it alone. Sorry. But that's life, man."

Asked if there is a "lack of communication" between the members of RATT's classic lineup, Stephen said: "There's a lack of something, but it has nothing to do... If it had to do with business, I'm in. If it has to do with, 'Hey, you're copacetic and you just wanna kick back now and enjoy your life or what legacy you have,' well, that's all bitchin' too. So I have no qualms either way. I keep moving."

When host Eddie Trunk asked Pearcy if it's fair to say that some of the members of the classic RATT lineup are simply "checked out" and are no longer interested in playing with the band, the singer said: "It could be that. All I can do is make my own assessment of the situation. When you make a phone call and you get no response — and I won't say with who or what or where or when or why — fuck it. I don't care. We're all alive. We're all healthy. We're all groovy. I don't know. I hope everybody's cool. But I just got tired of people coming and going, and 'this is RATT' and 'that's not RATT'. Because we have a whole new audience — every day all these young people — and they see that marquee or they see that brand and they think, 'Oh, it's those five guys with that blond dude and that Warren DeMartini guy,' and then you pull in and you're, like, 'What the fuck? That's the singer guy.' So I just stepped out for a bit. And hey, it's nobody's fault but the way things just happened. A tour didn't go down [because of] COVID, this, that. And I went, 'I have no time for this' to start up again, to rehash or do something. So be it. Make whatever assessment you can. But I love that the opportunity was presented. And hey, let's hope. 'Cause I will not let there be another RATT record unless all of us are involved, so you probably will never get one. All I can do is give you some of the archives, which will happen soon enough."

In April 2021, Pearcy was joined by his former bandmate Bobby Blotzer during the RATT singer's livestream concert from the world-famous Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip.

Pearcy and bassist Juan Croucier are the sole remaining original members in RATT's most recent lineup, which made its live debut in July 2018 in Mulvane, Kansas. Joining them in the band are drummer Pete Holmes (BLACK 'N BLUE, RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER) and guitarists Jordan Ziff (Marty Friedman) and Frankie Lindia (David Lee Roth).

RATT — featuring Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini — played a number of shows in 2017 after reforming a year earlier in the midst of a highly publicized legal battle with Blotzer over the rights to the RATT name. They were joined at the gigs by Cavazo, who played on "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN played a headlining concert last night (Tuesday, June 7) at Groupama Aréna in Budapest, Hungary. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

As has been the case on all the shows of the 2022 leg of MAIDEN's "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour so far, the band opened the set with "Senjutsu", the title track of its latest studio album, and followed it up with two more songs from the same LP, "Stratego" and "The Writing On The Wall".

Other tracks aired during MAIDEN's performance included "Revelations", "Blood Brothers", "Sign Of The Cross", "Flight Of Icarus", "Fear Of The Dark", "Hallowed Be Thy Name", "The Number Of The Beast" and "Iron Maiden".

MAIDEN also played two encores, consisting of "The Trooper", "The Clansman", "Run To The Hills" and the closing track of the night, "Aces High".

The full setlist was as follows:

01. Senjutsu
02. Stratego
03. The Writing On The Wall
04. Revelations
05. Blood Brothers
06. Sign Of The Cross
07. Flight Of Icarus
08. Fear Of The Dark
09. Hallowed Be Thy Name
10. The Number Of The Beast
11. Iron Maiden

Encore:

12. The Trooper
13. The Clansman
14. Run To The Hills

Encore 2:

15. Aces High

Prior to the "Legacy Of The Beast" kick-off concert on May 22 in Zagreb, Croatia, IRON MAIDEN hadn't performed live in two and a half years — since the completion of its South American tour in October 2019.

Earlier this year, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson confirmed that the band is planning to stage a tour where it will perform its new album, "Senjutsu", in its entirety. The 63-year-old singer told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast: "The plan we've got — it's not really a secret; I think everybody else has chatted about it — we will, I hope, we've talked about doing the entire ['Senjutsu'] album start to finish, but not this time around. And we all appreciate that that is something that really diehard fans will probably love and other people will go, 'Hmmm, I'm not gonna go see that.' So the answer is you play smaller venues so that they sell out with just your diehard fans. 'Cause it's a musical thing to do — it's a musical thing."

Dickinson went on to clarify that the 2022 leg of MAIDEN's "Legacy Of The Beast" tour, which is scheduled to hit North America in September and October, will once again focus primarily on a decades-spanning setlist of fan favorites.

"The 'Legacy Of The Beast' tour, people have all paid their money to see the 'Legacy Of The Beast' show, with Spitfires and flamethrowers and Icarus and everything that goes with," he said. "So they're gonna get all that. But the first three tracks are probably gonna be the first three tracks on the ['Senjutsu'] album. 'The Writing On The Wall' they already know, so everybody should know the first three tracks. And I just think [the] 'Senjutsu' [title track] is just such a great opening song — so dramatic. And then once you've done that — and we'll have a stage set to go with it — once you've done that, you're back to the kind of 'Legacy' world at that point. But I think 'The Writing On The Wall' is gonna be a great song — I mean, a crowd singalong song. You can imagine that. It'll be fantastic."

Addressing the fact that MAIDEN infuriated some fans by forcing them to sit through the band's then-new, 75-minute "A Matter Of Life And Death" album on tour in 2006, denying the crowd the greatest hits they'd come for, Bruce said: "Nobody has to buy a ticket. If you don't wanna go [see us play an entire new album live], you don't buy a ticket. It's gonna be plain as the nose on your face. This is gonna be what they're gonna do. So given that, don't complain that they did what they said they were gonna do."

Clocking in at a hefty 82 minutes, "Senjutsu" came out in September. It marks MAIDEN's second consecutive double album behind 2015's "The Book Of Souls" which is the longest MAIDEN album, with a running time of 92 minutes.

IRON MAIDEN's first album in six years, "Senjutsu" was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris. It features three tracks whose running time exceeds 10 minutes each.

For "Senjutsu" — loosely translated as "tactics and strategy" — the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai-themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Harris.

"Senjutsu" bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, charting higher than even the band's early classics like "Powerslave" and "The Number Of The Beast". Nearly 90 percent of the LP's 64,000 equivalent album units earned came from pure album sales. The critically acclaimed double album debuted one place higher than 2015's "The Book Of Souls" and 2010's "The Final Frontier", which both peaked at No. 4.

"Senjutsu" was MAIDEN's 13th album to top in the Top 40 in the U.S.

According to Billboard, "Senjutsu" logged the second-largest week of 2021 for a hard rock album in both equivalent album units earned and in traditional album sales.

"Senjutsu" topped the charts in several European countries upon its release, including in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

Coming out of Calgary, Alberta (Canada), Citizen Rage is giving us a sneak peak into their new album, Harsh Reality. BraveWords is premiering the band's new video, for the song "For Worse Or Better". Check it out below.





Designed and animated by visual genius Dion Coursen, "For Worse Or Better" is heavy, fast and a quick punch to the throat, according to singer Mark Russell. Being released on Toronto's Cursed Blessing Records, this first single has the undertones of 80's hardcore punk, mixed with CR's typical anthemic gang vocals.







Catch Citizen Rage as they hit the road with Canadian punk legends Dayglo Abortions this June through July. Check out their link tree for dates and ticket info.

Last month, Thirteen Goats stampeded out of Canada and onto the global metal scene with the hyperkinetic, politically-charged “Return To Ruin”. That single (from their upcoming debut record, “Servants of the Outer Dark”) was accompanied by an animated video that ended with a giant sunflower bursting out of Vladimir Putin’s skull—a deliberately unsubtle nod to the band’s Eastern European roots and aggressive anti-imperialist sensibilities.


The record’s newest single, “Unholy Mass”, takes the subgenre-hopping extreme metal maniacs in a different direction, momentarily setting politics aside to mount a blackened broadside against organized religion. Guitarist/vocalist Graham K. Miles explains in detail:


“This was the first song Rob [Fitz-Gerald, guitars/vocals] and I wrote together. He came up with almost all the riffs, and I wrote the lyrics, which tell the story of a priest determined to cleanse the world of sinners through gruesome murder. It’s about the hypocrisy of people who preach peace and love but enforce their values through violence. I also managed to sneak a Cryptopsy reference into the chorus—see if you can pick it out!”




The music itself combines sinister, slithering guitars with bone-breaking blast beats and some of the album’s most vicious vocals. According to Miles, “weird shit” happened while he was recording his takes—the studio lights kept flickering, and the temperature dropped noticeably. “I’m not superstitious,” he says, “but it felt spooky—like I wasn’t alone in there. And when I listened to the final tracks, they sounded a lot more evil than they had while I was doing them. So who knows?” he grins. “Maybe I had a little help from beyond.”


The single was written in a single session during the introductory jam between Miles and Fitz-Gerald, who are the band’s core songwriting duo. It cemented their friendship and got Thirteen Goats off the ground. Servants Of The Outer Dark is nine tracks of cathartic and multi-layered metal ranging from serious personal topics like suicide awareness on “Constant Torment” to balls-out camp on the hilariously literal “Vacuum-Induced Head Explosion”.


A hybrid of Florida death metal, UK grindcore, and classic ‘80s thrash, Thirteen Goats successfully combine their influences into something greater than the sum of their parts. They deliver an impressive force of blast beats, guitar solos, and grown men yelling ‘BLERGH’ alongside big, catchy hooks and choruses—maintaining the classic formula enough to impress old-school fans while keeping it fresh and accessible for newcomers.


BraveWords is premiering the lyric video for “Unholy Mass” – join the procession and watch below!





Servants Of The Outer Dark will be served up on July 1, 2022. Preorder 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”


“Return To Ruin” lyric video:





(Photo – Caitlin Delaplace)

Urferd, the Nordic folk solo project of Daniel Beckman, has released a new music video for the track "Gryning". The song is off of Urferd's debut album, Resan, which was released on April 15, 2022 via Black Lodge Records. Fans can check out the video for "Gryning", which was produced by Andrea Mantelli below.





Order here.




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


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


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





Trailer:

In a new interview with the "Everblack" podcast, KREATOR frontman Mille Petrozza spoke about what it has been like for him and his bandmates to return to the live stage after being forced to take a nearly two-year break due to the pandemic. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think what we experienced now is something that we… for some reason, we felt very safe in the way things were going. We thought things wouldn't change, and all of sudden the pandemic hit. And we were all, like, 'What the fuck?' Especially artists that couldn't go out and play for the fans anymore. And it was kind of like a shock. Nobody knew how long it would take. And it's still kind of not gone, but things are getting better; the world is opening back up. We played a couple of shows, and it's great to see people back together celebrating music, because that's also a very, very important thing in our lives. I think it's definitely not healthy to not go to live concerts. I just went to see RAMMSTEIN yesterday, and it gives you so much — it gives you so much power, so much energy. And it's an essential part of life — in my life at least — and I think in a lot of our fans' lives, or most of our fans' lives as well. It's great to see things are finally coming back — slowly but surely."

KREATOR's fifteenth studio album, "Hate Über Alles", will be released on June 10 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2017's "Gods Of Violence" was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.

Regarding the "Hate Über Alles" album title, Petrozza previously said: "'Hate Über Alles' reflects the time we're living in. Everything is really loud and aggressive. The way we communicate has changed, thanks to social media. It causes a lot of imbalance. The world is in a state of disrepair. Life is not harmonic right now, it's disharmonic… that's where I was going with the title."

The "Hate Über Alles" cover artwork was created by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

Last year, Petrozza told the official podcast of Italy's Metalitalia.com about the musical direction of the band's new LP: "It's definitely different. It's hard for me to describe, but I think it's definitely more thrash again. It has a lot of melody, and it has a lot of traditional parts, and it has a lot of ingredients of the last four or five albums. But it also has some very old-school moments. I think it's definitely the next step."

"Hate Über Alles" marks KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.

In September 2020, KREATOR guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö described the sessions for the band's new album to Italy's Poisoned Rock as "a lot of fun," adding that the "mood" in the band "is great. And the general vibe and the atmosphere is very good," he said. "[These are] creative times for KREATOR at the moment."

In March 2020, KREATOR surprise-released a new single, "666 - World Divided". The song was produced by Andy Sneap and Markus Ganter and was recorded at Hansa Tonstudios.

The music video for "666 - World Divided" was created under the direction of Jörn Heitmann, who was responsible for the music videos for "Radio" and "Ausländer" by RAMMSTEIN.

KREATOR played its first show with Leclercq in October 2019 in Santiago, Chile.

Before joining KREATOR, Leclercq rose to fame with U.K.-based extreme power metallers DRAGONFORCE for whom he handled bass duties from 2005 until August 2019.

KREATOR's previously announced "State Of Unrest" European tour with LAMB OF GOD has been rescheduled for November/December 2022 in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

KREATOR released a new live set, "London Apocalypticon - Live At The Roundhouse", in February 2020 via Nuclear Blast. The effort was professionally filmed and recorded on December 16, 2018 at the Roundhouse in London, England.

UXB Press has unearthed more footage from Toronto's The NewMusic. The clip below, from 1981, features Canadian rock legends Triumph, Rush, April Wine, and Prism.





UXB Press previously uploaded the video below, blowing the dust off Triumph's feature on The NewMusic in March 1980, in which host JD Roberts (now known as John Roberts and currently working for the Fox News Channel), pays the band a visit at Phase One Studios.




The NewMusic was a weekly music and culture television newsmagazine that aired on the Canadian television stations owned by CHUM Limited: MuchMusic, MuchMoreMusic, Citytv, A-Channel and CP24.

Crossover thrash outfit Rhythm Of Fear has joined the MNRK Heavy roster for the release of their impending studio album.


Rhythm Of Fear worships at the altar of thrash metal and crossover. Summoned from the sadistic swamps of Jacksonville, in the heavy metal-rich soil of the state of Florida, the masters of gargantuan groove conjure a reverence for the form unrivaled by their peers. Committed to unrelenting riffage, Rhythm Of Fear gleefully reinvigorates the timeless collision of speed, musicianship, and attitude.


Comments vocalist Jay Santiago on their union with MNRK Heavy, “We are beyond excited to officially be part of the MNRK Heavy family. We’ve been fans of the label and its killer roster for a long time, since the eOne days and everyone there has welcomed us with excitement and enthusiasm. The crew at MNRK has really made us feel like we’re part of a winning team and we know they believe in Rhythm Of Fear as much as we do.




“We can’t wait to drop this album and get out on the road to rip these new songs live,” he continues, “We have a whole lot of riffs that we are stoked to share with the world and feel confident that these songs will transcend and destroy any expectations that have been set. This will be the year of the FEAR!”


Stand by for further Rhythm Of Fear news and music to be unveiled in the coming weeks. In the meantime, catch the band on some upcoming live shows:


June
18 – Atlanta, GA – Boggs Social & Supply


July
6 – Jacksonville, FL – Archetype


September
20 – Jacksonville, FL – 1904 Music Hall 





(Photo – Marcus Marino) 

The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's Music Masters series brought an unforgettable blend of music, storytelling and magical moments together. Each year between 1996 and 2016, the Museum partnered with Case Western Reserve University to create this celebration of artists who changed the sound of American culture.


Music Masters explored the legacy of a pioneering rock and roll artist through exhibits, lectures, films and artist interviews, culminating with a tribute concert. Drawing together artists, experts, fans and friends, these events provided new perspectives on the most beloved and influential musicians of the past century.


In the video below, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss perform the folk classic, "In The Pines", at the 2004 Music Masters honoring Lead Belly.







Plant and Krauss recently announced a new string of US dates in support of their album, Raise The Roof. The new leg launches on August 15 in San Diego, CA, and concludes on September 4 in Austin, TX. Dates below.





August
15 - San Diego, CA - The Rady Shell @ Jacobs Park
17 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
18 - Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre
20 - Stateline, NV - Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s
21 - Berkeley, CA - The Greek Theatre
23 - Napa, CA - Oxbow Riverstage
25 - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater
27 - Troutdale, OR - Edgefield Amphitheater
28 - Redmond, WA - Marymoor Park
30 - Salt Lake City, UT - Sandy Amp


September
1 - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
3 - Grand Prairie, TX - Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie
4 - Austin, TX - Moody Amphitheater

Beyond the Storm Productions announce the signing of Italian power metal band, Kaledon, to the label. The band's new album, Legend Of The Forgotten Reign - Chapter VII: Evil Awakens, will be released on September 23 on CD and digital.


After five years of hard and dedicated work, Kaledon is ready to come back onto the market and release their new album: Chapter VII: Evil Awakens. This album marks the first chapter of a new trilogy based on The Legend Of The Forgotten Reign Saga.


The album contains powerful and fast songs, dynamic and energetic guitar riffs, new modern sounding keyboards, and much more. The album features special guests like Nicoletta Rosellini (Kalidia, Walk In Darkness) and James Mills (Hostile), respectively on "A Strike From The Unknown" and "The Story Comes To An End?".




Chapter VII: Evil Awakens was mixed and mastered by Michele Guaitoli at Groove Factory Studio and the production is a mix of modernity and power. The epic cover artwork was created by Oleg Shcherbakov.





Legend Of The Forgotten Reign - Chapter VII: Evil Awakens tracklisting:


"Renascentia Noctis"
"At The Gates Of The Realms"
"A Strike From The Unknown"
"The Eye Of The Storm"
"Emperor Of The Night"
"The Dawn Of Dawns"
"Life Or Death"
"The End Of Time"
"Blessed With Glory"
"The Sacrifice Of The King"
"The Story Comes To An End?"


Kaledon lineup:


Michele "Meek" Guaitoli (Temperance, Visions Of Atlantis) - Vocals
Alex Mele - Guitar
Tommy Nemesio - Guitar
Paolo Campitelli - Keyboards
Enrico Sandri - Bass
Manuele Di Ascenzo - Drums

Producer Billy Sherwood has helmed the massive prog rock supergroup The Prog Collective through an astonishing 10 years and 3 studio albums with an ever-evolving cast of 50+ elite-level musicians, vocalists, and creative minds. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: the project has always brought some of the most innovative musical arrangements, unique performances and cutting-edge production techniques, all in service of creating the most engaging, enthralling listening experience to the listener. The same holds true for the band’s newest effort, the gorgeous and sublime Songs We Were Taught.


As the title suggests, Sherwood and his cohort travel back in time to revisit some of the most formative and influential songs of the ‘60s & ‘70s. From Bob Dylan’s massively important “The Times They Are A-Changin’” to Simon & Garfunkel’s unforgettable classic “Sound Of Silence” to the folk standard-turned-chart-topping-rock-dirge “House Of The Rising Sun,” the compositions included here are not ones that would immediately be associated with the kind of progressive /art-rock players featured on Prog Collective albums. But just one listen to the astonishing musicianship Wishbone Ash’s Martin Turner and electric violinist Jerry Goodman bring to Dylan’s song or the mix of soul and atmosphere that David Clayton-Thomas and Steve Hillage add to “House Of The Rising Sun” and you’ll know why this album exists. Thankfully, the band has released “House Of The Rising Sun” as the album’s first single!


Check out the single here, and below.




Watch for Songs We Were Taught to be released on all formats, including CD, vinyl and digital, starting July 1. Pre-order the CD/vinyl here. Pre-order/pre-save the digital here.





Tracklisting:


"The Sound Of Silence" - Jon Davison (Yes) & Geoff Downes (Yes/Asia)    
"Year Of The Cat" - Billy Sherwood (Yes/Circa) & David Sancious (Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band)
"House Of The Rising Sun" - David Clayton-Thomas (Blood Sweat & Tears) & Steve Hillage (Gong)    
"In The Land Of Grey And Pink" - Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (Guns N' Roses)    
"Summer Breeze" - Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings) & Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs)
"Fire And Rain" - Sonja Kristina (Curved Air) & Martin Barre (Jethro Tull)
"The Weight" - Rod Argent (The Zombies) & Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (The Doobie Brothers)
"Wild World" - Rosalie Cunningham (Ipso Facto) & Patrick Moraz (The Moody Blues)    
"It's Too Late" - Candice Night (Blackmore's Night) & Dweezil Zappa    
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" - Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash) & Jerry Goodman (The Flock)


"House Of The Rising Sun":

Canadian rock outfit, Monster Truck, explode back onto the scene with their new song and music video for “Golden Woman” via BMG. Stream/share here, and watch the official music video for “Golden Woman” below.


"Golden Woman” is a fast paced, unrelenting, rock n roll jam and marks the first release off their highly anticipated forthcoming album and follows the band's recent global signing with BMG.







“The idea for “Golden Woman” came one afternoon as I was fiddling around on a kid’s guitar my father had bought my son. He got it at some garage sale and thought it perfect for little hands. I ended up picking it up, putting the strap over my head, and walking around with it all afternoon playing the main riff, and slowly crafting an arrangement. Jer and I then fine-tuned the song, and voila! Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere,” said Jon Harvey, bassist, and lead singer of Monster Truck. “The lyrics were born of my own personal experience with my partner, Simara. She saved me during a very rough time, and I am forever grateful for her, and the mystical revelations that only love can bring. Her hair colour is naturally blonde, so the title of the song is, like all Monster Truck songs, very literal.”





Since the release of their debut self-titled EP in 2010, Monster Truck, composed of bassist and lead singer Jon Harvey, guitarist Jeremy Widerman, keyboardist Brandon Bliss, and former drummer Steve Kiely, have become known as one of Canada’s hardest-working rock and roll bands, a reputation they've cemented by touring relentlessly and consistently upping their game over time.


In 2011, the Canadian rockers released The Brown EP, featuring tracks that soon became staples on Canadian rock radio and set the stage for their debut full-length album Furiosity. After its release, Furiosity rose to success, reaching #13 on the Canadian charts and leading to a JUNO Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year, and a nomination for JUNO Rock Album Of The Year.


Touring in support of Furiosity, the band played high-profile gigs such as UK’s Download Festival, landing supporting slots on the European tours of bands like Vista Chino, embarking on their first headlining tour of the continent, and heading across North America with the likes of Slash and Alice In Chains.


The band continued to deliver new music in 2016 with the release of Sittin’ Heavy and hit the road again with over 150 shows over the next 18 months on their own and in arenas supporting Nickelback, Billy Talent, and Deep Purple on their final European tour. They later released True Rockers in 2018, which further cemented their reputation as a hard-rocking band respected by their peers and progenitors.


Monster Truck’s profile has grown substantially in North America, landing headlining slots at Rock on the Range and Shiprocked in the US, and securing song placements for tracks "Sweet Mountain River", "Seven Seas Blues", and "Old Train", which appeared in Ubisoft’s game, Rocksmith 2014, EA Sports’ NHL 13 and the hit TV series, Orphan Black. Additionally, "Righteous Smoke" was featured on EA’s NHL 17, and "The Enforcer" became the goal song for The Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League.


Over time, Monster Truck has remained true to their core sound while continuously building on that foundation and stretching out, lyrically and sonically. Their ability to do so successfully and satisfyingly has only deepened the impact of their records and grown their audience globally as they gear up to release more music later this year and announce extensive touring plans.


(Photo - James Heaslip)

Korpiklaani have released a lyric video for "Interrogativa Cantilena" - an English version of the song "Pidot" - from their most recent album, Jylhä. "Interrogativa Cantilena" features guest vocals from none other than Kevin Ridley (Skyclad). You can watch the video below.


Jonne (Korpiklaani) comments: "Our last adventure before COViD was our Japan tour, where we shared the stage with the Original Folk Metal legends, Skyclad. Kevin & I bonded and worked on various projects since then, so it came natural to ask him to give us lyrics. We sent him the Jylhä record and simply said, you chose which song and you write what you want. So he did. In fact his demo is probably better than this version! Nevertheless, we are extremely happy with how this came out in the end. We hope you enjoy this as much as we do."


Kevin Ridley (Skyclad) adds: "'Interrogativa Cantilena' is actually the third collaboration I have done with Jonne over the last year. It all started when I asked him if he would contribute to the Theigns & Thralls track ‘Drinking’. Shortly after that, he was working with Kartsy on Waltari’s anniversary album, and they asked me to add some vocals to the song ‘So Fine’. Coincidently, during this period, I had been doing some research into old poems that were written anonymously and I had come across the words for 'Interrogativa Cantilena', and I immediately thought they would work in a song. Then, serendipitously, I was asked if I would like to rework a track from the latest Korpiklaani album ‘Jylha’, using English words. So, I listened through and found that, with a bit of rearranging, that the words fit perfectly to the song ‘Pidot’."







Order Jylhä here.





Jylhä tracklisting:


"Verikoira"
"Niemi"
"Leväluhta"
"Mylly"
"Tuuleton"
"Sanaton Maa"
"Kiuru"
"Miero"
"Pohja"
"Huolettomat"
"Anolan Aukeat"
"Pidot"
"Juuret"


"Tuuleton" video:





"Niemi" video:





"Mylly" video:





"Leväluhta" video:

In a new interview with Brazil's Rock On Board, FAITH NO MORE bassist Bill Gould was asked about the supposed influence of his band's "Angel Dust" album, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month, and FAITH NO MORE's earlier recordings on the so-called "nu metal" movement of the mid-to-late 1990s. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "If that's what happened, I'm okay with that. Sometimes I can listen to some things and I can say, 'Okay, I can see where they got this maybe for that — maybe.'

"I just think of us like us," he continued. "We are very unique. We have our own fingerprint, if that makes any sense. And it's really a combination of these people that come together and this is what we make.

"I just don't see us compared to nu metal," Gould added. "I mean, you can compare us to THE STRANGLERS maybe; maybe you can compare us to ROXY MUSIC, but not really — just in a very superficial way. And I think that we're just kind of our own thing, really."

In the past, KORN singer Jonathan Davis has been vocal about FAITH NO MORE's influence on the development of the hard rock genre, saying in a 2015 interview: "My favorite FAITH NO MORE record is 'The Real Thing'. That's when [singer] Mike Patton took over. That's the one. [Although] I do like 'We Care A Lot'. We got a lot of our influences from 'The Real Thing'. It showed everybody you could do heavy music and not be 'metal.' It was something completely different."

In a January 1997 interview with Guitar World, KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch listed "The Real Thing" as an album that changed his life, recalling: "I was about 17 when I first heard it, and [at the time I was] listening to a lot of METALLICA, 24-7 SPYZ, LIVING COLOUR and FISHBONE. I dug them all, but FAITH NO MORE moved me in a different way, a way more than anything else. It totally changed my direction. It said to me that you didn't have to follow a certain path, that you could just create anything, go out and mess around with anything, that there were no rules. I remember seeing them open up for METALLICA, and everyone started booing them going, 'Rap sucks.' I was so bummed. I felt like screaming at everyone, 'Quit fucking booing them and listen.' They all just heard the rap beat and didn't give them a chance. Then, six months later, they were all over MTV and the same fuckers who were booing were probably lining up to see them."

KORN's other guitarist, James "Munky" Shaffer, also praised "The Real Thing", recalling: "[KORN bassist] Fieldy and I were big FAITH NO MORE fans. In the late '80s, they were playing a kind of funk rock; so were the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but we tended to lean more towards the minor progressions. When Patton joined in '89, they dropped a single called 'From Out Of Nowhere' and we were sold all the way. At that point we became real fanatics — started researching the guy and going up to San Francisco to see them play. Every song on this record was super inspiring to us. The song structures and Patton's sense of melody — it was alternative metal at its best."

Last September, FAITH NO MORE scrapped all of its previously announced fall 2021 performances, saying Patton was unable to perform as hoped due to mental health issues, partially exacerbated by the pandemic. The other members of FAITH NO MORE issued a statement expressing their disappointment about the tour cancelation while also throwing their support behind their bandmate.

FAITH NO MORE initially reunited for touring purposes in 2009, 12 years after issuing its previous studio set, "Album Of The Year", and followed that up with 2015's "Sol Invictus".

Whitesnake continues to revisit its multi-platinum career as it remixes some of its biggest hits for a 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 CD/Blu-ray in Europe, and fans are invited to order the collection by going here.


The band have released this remastered video for "Love Ain't No Stranger":







In another clip, David Coverdale looks back on "Love Ain't No Stranger":





In the clip below, Coverdale unboxes his CD/Blu-ray:





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!!!”


- Digital now available worldwide
- CD out now in Europe
- 2LP out now in Europe
- CD/Blu-ray out now in Europe and July 15 in North America
- CD & 2LP out on June 17 in North America





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”


"Give Me All Your Love" remastered video:





"Is This Love" remastered video:





“Here I Go Again” remastered video:





"Still Of The Night" remastered video:

Jeff Beck found a kindred spirit in Johnny Depp when the two met in 2016. They bonded quickly over cars and guitars and spent most of their time together trying to make each other laugh. At the same time, Beck's appreciation grew for Depp's serious songwriting skills and his ear for music. That talent and their chemistry convinced Beck they should make an album together.

Depp agreed and they started in 2019. Over the next three years, they recorded a mix of Depp originals along with a wide range of covers that touches on everything from Celtic and Motown, to the BEACH BOYS and KILLING JOKE. In 2020, during the pandemic, they previewed their collaboration with their well-timed cover of John Lennon's "Isolation".

The duo's 13-track album, dubbed "18", will arrive on July 15. Beck explains the album title: "When Johnny and I started playing together, it really ignited our youthful spirit and creativity. We would joke about how we felt 18 again, so that just became the album title too."

"18" will be available on CD and digitally, with a 180-gram black vinyl version coming on September 30. The cover features an illustration of Beck and Depp as 18-year-olds that was drawn and designed by Beck's wife Sandra. All formats are available for pre-save/pre-add.

Leading up to the release of "18", Beck has launched a European tour, with Depp as special guest, which will conclude on July 25 at L'Olympia in Paris.

For the last 12 years, Depp has recorded and toured with the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, a band he started with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. The supergroup has released two studio albums that include guest appearances by some of rocks biggest names: Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh. The list also includes Beck, who played guitar on "Welcome To Bushwackers", a song on "Rise", the VAMPIRES' second album, which came out in 2019.

Soon after, Depp asked Beck to play lead on a tune he'd written, the album's first single "This Is A Song For Miss Hedy Lamarr", an homage to the actress/inventor. Beck says it was the catalyst for the collaboration and is one of his favorite songs on the new album. "I was blown away by it," he says. "That song is one of the reasons I asked him to make an album with me." The track is available today digitally, along with an accompanying music video. Watch it below.

Of Beck, Depp adds, "It's an extraordinary honor to play and write music with Jeff, one of the true greats and someone I am now privileged enough to call my brother."

In the studio, Beck says he and Depp challenged each other to leave their comfort zones with the songs they chose to cover. "I haven't had another creative partner like him for ages," Beck says. "He was a major force on this record. I just hope people will take him seriously as a musician because it's a hard thing for some people to accept that Johnny Depp can sing rock and roll."

Depp justifies Beck's faith on the new album by showing off his incredible emotional range on songs like THE VELVET UNDERGROUND's "Venus In Furs", THE EVERLY BROTHERS' ballad "Let It Be Me" and Marvin Gaye's soul classic "What's Going On". On the instrumentals, Beck demonstrates why he's universally revered as a guitar god with stunning versions of Davy Spillane's "Midnight Walker" and two songs from the BEACH BOYS' masterpiece "Pet Sounds" — "Caroline, No" and "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)".

"18" track listing

01. Midnight Walker (Davy Spillane cover)
02. Death And Resurrection Show (KILLING JOKE cover)
03. Time (Dennis Wilson cover)
04. Sad Motherfuckin' Parade (Johnny Depp original)
05. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) (BEACH BOYS cover)
06. This Is A Song For Miss Hedy Lamarr (Johnny Depp original)
07. Caroline, No (BEACH BOYS cover)
08. Ooo Baby Baby (THE MIRACLES cover)
09. What's Going On (Marvin Gaye cover)
10. Venus In Furs (THE VELVET UNDERGROUND cover)
11. Let It Be Me (THE EVERLY BROTHERS cover)
12. Stars (Janis Ian cover)
13. Isolation (John Lennon cover)*

* Available on digital and CD version only

Blackment was founded 2014 in Hyvinkää, Finland and they are ready to release their debut album, Plains Of Oblivion, on September 9th via Inverse Records. The band has unveiled the new single / video, "Clouds".





Guitarist Saalas Ruokangas: "'Clouds' represents the lighter side from the upcoming album, and it also has some rock vibes to it. I remember listening to a lot of Happoradio back when I made this song. Some of the listeners might find elements and influences from the artist. Regardless, this song doesn’t lack of Blackment’s unique guitar riffs, catchy melodies, and darker elements.




At first it was inspired by events of a fantasy novel series and the characters’ storm of emotions, but the director of the video saw it with a lot deeper, personal meaning. That was actually a very positive surprise, so the listeners might make their own interpretations of the lyrics as well."


Check out Blackment's previously release single, "Maw Of The Dead", below.





Blackment is:


Sami Vuorenheimo - vocals
Saalas Ruokangas – guitar
Allan Välimaa - guitar
Väinö Huhtanen – bass
Sebastian Nyandoto – keyboards
Akseli Aalto – drums


Photo by ​Joona Laitinen

Finnish post-hardcore ‘violent pop’ outfit, Blind Channel, have released a new single, “Don’t Fix Me”, off their forthcoming album Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous, out July 8 via Century Media Records.


“Don’t Fix Me” is a huge rock anthem, where mighty riffs and pummelling drums meet synths, captivating harmonies and a frenzied rap from vocalist Niko Moilanen. The music video captures the band on the road during their recent tours across the US and Europe. Purchase and stream the track here, and watch the video below.


“‘Don’t Fix Me’ continues the theme of brokeness, featured on the upcoming album. However, this time we decided to be empowering and uplifting and wrote something people wanna scream while having the craziest time of their lives. This song is the soundtrack for the wildest parties and the cure for the day-after’s hangover,” states Blind Channel about the new track.







"Don’t Fix Me” is the latest song to be released from the band’s upcoming fourth album, Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous. Artwork and tracklisting below.





Tracklisting:


“Opinions”
“Dark Side”
“Don’t Fix Me”
“Bad Idea”
“Alive Or Only Burning”
“Balboa”
“National Heroes”
“We Are No Saints”
“Autopsy”
“Glory For The Greedy”
“Thank You For The Pain”


“Bad Idea” video:

In a new interview with the Arizona Republic, TOOL frontman Maynard James Keenan revealed that he has spent a good portion of the past two years recovering from COVID-19.

"I just had it the fourth time," he said. "I got the European-flavored one. That was fun."

Maynard, who first got vaccinated against COVID-19 in March 2021, went on to say that he is feeling better now. "It was a flu," he said. "It's done."

According to Maynard, being infected with the coronavirus is another cost of doing business when you are in a touring band.

"I mean, when you're in a room full of thousands of people, it's being passed around," he said. "You get into a tube and you fly 10 hours in a contained environment, you're gonna get it. If somebody has it and you're gonna get it, you can get it. That's just the nature of what it is now. We need to embrace that and stop freaking the (expletive) out."

Back in February 2021, Maynard said that he battled COVID-19 twice in the span of just a few months before he got vaccinated. The TOOL frontman told "Strombo" on Apple Music Hits that he suffered a second COVID-19 infection around "mid-November" 2020 "and ended up in the ER on December 1" of that year.

"Ugly, ugly. Couldn't breathe," he said. "I could barely put two words together without going into a coughing fit that, you know? It ended up kind of also progressing into pneumonia. So, if I stayed in the hospital, they said, 'Okay, we can keep you here, but you're fighting 12 other people for a bed and a ventilator we don't have, so what do you want to do?' I'm like, 'Well, I need to breathe and I need to sleep.' So, you're just treating symptoms at that point. There's nothing you can do other than treat the symptom, so for a real cough medicine, not the crap over-the-counter and then like an inhaler, and some antibiotics to fight the pneumonia and strap the fuck in."

Keenan previously discussed his first bout with coronavirus in October 2020, telling AZ Central that he suffered symptoms of the disease in February of that year and was still recovering eight months later. "I'm still dealing with the residual effects," he said at the time, "But it was ugly. I survived it, but it wasn't pretty. So I definitely had to deal with that."

In a November 2020 interview with Consequence Of Sound, Keenan lamented the fact that political leaders depicted mask-wearing as a political act and publicly downplayed the risks of the virus.

"There's logic attached to just looking out for each other," he said. "I have a lot more questions than answers, honestly. Is this thing like a flame on a candle? If you stand in the corner far enough away from somebody, does the flame burn the candle down, and then it can no longer light your candle? Or is it not like that at all, and it's going to live on beyond its own cycle within you? I have no idea, but the idea of temporarily isolating and really adhering to the isolation, it seems like that would've worked."

He continued: "But we tend to be fairly arrogant. I knew what I went through and I know what I'm still going through, so I would recommend that you take this seriously, but I feel like that's just going to fall on deaf ears. It's just going to be a polarized, politicized statement, so it's pointless. In that case, I'm just going to worry about keeping my family safe and keeping my friends safe."

BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Earlier today (Wednesday, June 8),the 72-year-old British-born musician shared a photo of his positive test on social media, and he included the following message: "I'm not pregnant so guess I have Covid (again)."

It is not clear when Butler previously contracted the novel coronavirus.

Back in May 2021, Geezer's wife, Gloria Butler, recounted her husband's experience traveling to the United Kingdom earlier that month from their then-house in Los Angeles. Speaking on the "On The RAGS" podcast, she said: "My husband flew to England where they're having to quarantine still. When you land, you have to tell them where you're staying. He gave them our house address. My husband, for those of you that don't know, is reclusive; he doesn't answer phones or answer doors or anything… But all of a sudden, there's a knock at the door. He would never, ever, ever answer a door. And he's jetlagging so badly that it's shocking he wasn't even sleeping or he could have been in the shower. But he actually answered the door. And they were checking up on him. It was the COVID police. How funny is that? I mean, how funny, but how scary, because he maybe wouldn't have answered the door. So he had to show his ID so they knew it was really him. They asked if he was there on his own, which he was. And they asked — which I thought was lovely — they said, 'I know this is really hard doing this, isolating. Is there anything I can get you? Are you okay here?'"

Asked what would have happened if Geezer hadn't answered the door, Gloria said: "He would have been in trouble. He would have been fined."

On May 14, 2021, Geezer tweeted about his U.K. lockdown experience, writing: "Nice to be back in England, but stuck in quarantine & need 3 COVID tests, even tho I've had my jabs. #COVID #LifeGoesOn #ofcourseitisraining".

Geezer received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on February 12, 2021. At the time, the musician took to his Instagram to share that he got the final regular dose of the vaccine. He posted a photo of him wearing a face mask and sporting sticker on his left arm that read: "I got my COVID-19 vaccine!" He wrote in an accompanying caption: "Second vaccination completed. Can I go to England now? #please #missingtherain #longestivebeenaway".

A founding member of BLACK SABBATH, Geezer is also the lyricist of such SABBATH classics as "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Paranoid" and others.

Geezer, singer Ozzy Osbourne and guitarist Tony Iommi reunited in late 2011 and released a comeback album, "13", in June 2013.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and is currently in remission, can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Geezer recently completed work on his autobiography for a tentative early 2023 release.

Butler is the third member of the original SABBATH lineup to release an autobiography. Ozzy's memoir, "I Am Ozzy", debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times' "Hardcover Nonfiction" best-seller list. The book was published on January 25, 2010 in the U.S., nearly two years after it was first expected to arrive. Iommi's memoir, "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath", was released in hardback in November 2011. It landed at position No. 35 on the New York Times' "Hardcover Nonfiction" best-sellers list.
I’m not pregnant so guess I have Covid (again). pic.twitter.com/esNIb7vfbC

— Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) June 8, 2022

Three GHOST singles were certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) on June 7 for accumulating 500,000 certified units. The songs in question are "Cirice" (from GHOST's third album, 2015's "Meliora"),"Dance Macabre" (from 2018's "Prequelle") and "Square Hammer" (from 2016's "Popestar" EP). These mark GHOST's first RIAA certifications.

According to the RIAA, one equivalent song unit is equal to a single digital song sale, or 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams.

This past March, GHOST's fifth album, "Impera", sold 70,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked the third top 10 album — and fifth top 40-charting set — for the Swedish occult rock act.

"Impera" landed at position No. 1 in Germany and Sweden, No. 2 in the U.K., Netherlands, Belgium and Norway, No. 3 in Australia, No. 5 in France and Ireland, and No. 20 in Italy.

"Impera" was released on March 11. The 12-song effort was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.

In a recent interview with El Paso Inc., GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge spoke his decision to record "Impera" with Åhlund, who also sat behind the desk for "Meliora". Asked why he chose to end his streak of working with a different producer on each new GHOST LP, Tobias said: "The thing is you need to keep moving so that you don't get stuck in friendly comfortable mode. 'Meliora', the record I made with Klas, was really good, but the recording and the production itself left a few things to be improved. When time came to record 'Impera', the writing and demoing had been done in 2020. But in early 2021, the American producer who was supposed to make the record couldn't come because of the travel restrictions, and I couldn't go to America. And because Klas is also a very scheduled person, he had a project lined up that fell through. All of a sudden, he had a few months off, and I was, like, 'That is well-timed, because I don't have a producer. Would you like to produce the record?'"

Forge worked on the follow-up to "Prequelle" with Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Regarding his collaboration with Åhlund, Al Fakir and Pontare, as well as OPETH's Fredrik Åkesson who was brought in to sharpen the album's guitar attack, Forge recently told St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "I found that I can work really well with someone I respect, who is always pushing for the best. They make me want to write better, to get my game up a little."

In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the new character who is fronting the act for its "Impera" album phase.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of "Prequelle".

Photo credit: Mikael Eriksson

ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell has released the official music video for the song "Had To Know". The Jim Louvau-directed clip was filmed during Jerry's recent North American tour in support of his latest solo album, "Brighten", and is a compilation of memorable moments from many nights on the road.

Cantrell kicked off the "Brighten" tour on March 24 at the Palace Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jerry's band for the trek consisted of Tyler Bates (guitar),Greg Puciato (backing vocals),Gil Sharone (drums),George Adrian (bass),Michael Rozon (pedal steel) and Jason Achilles (keyboards). The set includes songs from Cantrell's latest solo album, "Brighten", along with favorite hits from Jerry's catalog.

"Brighten" came out last October. The LP has received praise from critics, including Kerrang!, which called it a "vivid, contemporary self-portrait of one of the most distinctive voices in hard rock. A long-overdue show of individual brilliance." Classic Rock proclaimed it "his best yet. The work of a songwriter who is happy within his life, it spans a broad arc of styles." The Sun commented: "A rich, organic album... 'Brighten' is brilliant."

"Brighten" is Jerry's first project without ALICE IN CHAINS in 19 years. Co-produced with film composer Tyler Bates and Paul Fig (longtime engineer),the LP got its beginnings just before the pandemic hit. They welcomed a dynamic cast of supporting players, including Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) on select bass tracks, Puciato contributing to backing vocals and drummers Sharone and Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul McCartney). Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) handled the mixing of "Brighten".

Jerry's new effort marks his first full-length release since "Degradation Trip", the epic solo album he made in 2002 with future METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin.

Jerry's career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two previous solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell's first solo album, "Boggy Depot", was released in 1998, followed by his second album, the aforementioned "Degradation Trip". In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including "Spider-Man", "The Cable Guy", "John Wick 2", "Last Action Hero" and "The Punisher".

ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.

Creatures Fest 2022 took place Memorial Day Weekend (May 27 - 29) in Nashville, Tennessee at the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel. Former KISS guitarist, Bruce Kulick, has shared the video below, in which he and his band are joined by his wife, Lisa Jane Kulick, at the Creatures Fest Pool Party for a performance of the KISS song, "Rock Bottom". Watch below:





On May 29, Bruce and his band - Todd Kerns, Zach Throne and Brent Fitz - performed the Revenge album in its entirety as well as other KISS classics. Check out the footage below.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has shared a short clip of the band rehearsing for its upcoming U.S. tour. A 34-second snippet of Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford playing "War Within A Breath" this past Tuesday (June 7) at their Southern California studio can be streamed below.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's comeback tour, which will mark the reunited rap-metal quartet's first live shows in over a decade, will kick off July 9 in East Troy, Wisconsin, and continue through mid-August. The massive trek will feature support from RUN THE JEWELS.

This past January, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE postponed the start date of the U.S. leg of its "Public Service Announcement" tour to this summer. The North American leg of the trek was originally slated to begin in March 2020 before it was rescheduled several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 19 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE shows that were supposed to take place between March 31 and May 23 will now take place in early 2023.

The upcoming tour will mark the first time RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has hit the road together since 2011.

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

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

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