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

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

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

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

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

VENDED summer 2022 European tour:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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




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


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





Tracklisting:


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


"Black Bile" video:





(Photo – Or Shankerman)

Finnish four piece, Apocalyptica, announce the release of their very own Cello-Metal reinterpretation of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s legendary 5th Symphony.





Eicca Toppinen says: “The beginning of the fifth symphony by Beethoven is one of the most iconic classical themes ever written. The process of rewriting and transforming it into a new perspective was a challenging but a really joyful ride. Beethoven was one of the first “metal-heads” in classical music which made it even more enjoyable to work out his theme with more modern sound and approach.”




Listen to Apocalyptica’s “Beethoven 5th” and watch the animated visualiser below. The previously released single “Bolero” as well as “Beethoven 5th” are going to be part of Apocalyptica’s upcoming EP named Metal Classic, Classic Metal.








Apocalyptica will be touring the US extensively in 2022, as well as playing multiple summer festivals, among other dates, before hitting Europe with the aptly named Epic Apocalypse Tour alongside Epica and Wheel.


(Photo - Ville Juurikkala)

Former W.A.S.P. drummer Mike Dupke has joined the touring band of heavy horror punk icon Wednesday 13.

Dupke announced his involvement with the former MURDERDOLLS frontman in a social media post earlier today (Wednesday, July 13). He wrote: "Guess what day it is!! GUESS! WHAT! DAY! IT! IS! That's right, it's WEDNESDAY the 13th!! Which is the perfect day to announce that I will be hitting the road this fall with none other than the Duke of Spook himself, WEDNESDAY 13 on his 20 Years of Fear tour!!! The U.S. run will go from Sept 4th thru Oct 23rd. Then it will be over to Europe in November to support the mighty MINISTRY on their tour! Can't wait to throw down with Wednesday and the boys! GET YOUR GRAVE ON!!!!"

WEDNESDAY 13 will release his as-yet-untitled ninth studio album on October 7 via Napalm Records. A single will precede the full-length effort in August.

Dupke is a Michigan-born drummer who began playing at age 13. After "basically living in the band room" through high school, Dupke enrolled in the Indiana University School of Music, where he began studying with Kenny Aronoff. At only 19 years old, Mike performed with John Mellencamp's band, playing percussion alongside Kenny. He performed on the MTV "Human Wheels" special, the "Arsenio Hall Show", and the "When Jesus Left Birmingham" video. Dupke also played drums for a track on Mellencamp's "Dance Naked" disc.

After college, Mike relocated to Nashville where he met CINDERELLA drummer Fred Coury. It was Coury who ended up pairing Dupke with Los Angeles-based rock band HAIR OF THE DOG. HAIR OF THE DOG got signed to Spitfire Records and recorded two more discs, 2000's "Rise" and 2001's "Ignite". After that group disbanded, Mike began backing slide-blues powerhouse Eric Sardinas, and got his first taste of international touring. In 2006, Dupke joined W.A.S.P., with mainman Blackie Lawless calling Dupke the only drummer he "ever hired on the spot." Mike recorded three discs with the band, 2007's "Dominator", 2009's "Babylon" and 2015's "Golgotha". As a member of W.A.S.P., he performed in nearly 30 countries around the globe.

When not on tour, Mike resides in the Los Angeles area, doing sessions and teaching students.

Metal Wani's Chuck Marshall recently conducted an interview with current SOULFLY/CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and former SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera. You can listen to the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether the recent "Max And Iggor Cavalera Return To Roots" tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of SEPULTURA's "Roots" had an impact on SOULFLY's forthcoming new studio album:

Max: "I think all the tours that we did had an impact on everything we do. I think the 'Roots' tour had a huge impact on CAVALERA [CONSPIRACY's latest album] 'Psychosis'. You don't really hear it in the music, but it's more on the energy and the attitude of the album. We felt that energy from the crowd, from the fans and we took it right to the studio and it was so killer to do it like that. The same with SOULFLY. I think we came out of the NAILBOMB tour and went right into the studio, then while in the studio, I kind of like, just remembered the great shows and the great crowds and why we do this. It's really cool, man. It's really meaningful, this whole metal music that we do. It reaches, touches so many people. The decision to do a little bit more tribal stuff, that was kind of like my own desire to go back. I was listening to some old SOULFLY stuff and it was really cool, especially the first record. I was really inspired by that record and I wanted to revisit that kind of sound a little bit with a mix of the stuff that I'm doing now that's really cool. The record did come out…it's a mix. There's some songs that have that tribal feeling, like really heavy, really groovy, all the killer percussion on top of it. And some of it is just crazy; there's even some hardcore, death metal, black metal, all mixed up. It's from all the stuff I listen to. I love metal in general. I've been listening to a lot of the new GENOCIDE PACT, which is awesome. HARMS WAY, IMMOLATION, SUFFOCATION, I love all that. So, it's like, it goes into my music, somehow. It just gets there and ends up there. So, there is a lot of cool, fast stuff. I was really happy because my son [Zyon] plays drums and I was pushing him to play fast and he did. There's a couple of blast beats on the record, which are pretty cool. On that part, I think the record is going to be cool. I kind of feel that it's going to be like some people are going to be digging tribal songs more and some people are going to dig the fast songs. I think it's a tribal thrash album, actually. It's kind of cool. It's never been quite done like that. The tribal stuff mixing with the thrash stuff in a huge way. I think that is the best kind of description of the new SOULFLY. Yeah, 'tribal thrash.' I think that sounds pretty cool."

On whether SOULFLY's new studio album will have any elements found on their 1998 self-titled debut:

Max: "I think so. It's not a copy of the first record, but there is some stuff that reminds me of it. I think the raw energy is real similar to the first album. I think it's perfect to make this record. I think it's appropriate and was the right record to make right now. Recording with Josh Wilbur, too, was great. He helped a lot on everything from the drums to a lot of cool ideas and it was a cool studio. We all felt really comfortable in it. I think it's a perfect record to come out after 20 years. It's our 11th album and we're very excited for it."

On SLAYER's recently announced "farewell tour":

Max: "I don't know; it's not for me. I probably will never retire. I want to die doing this. I want to play until I cannot do it anymore, then throw some dirt on me. [Laughs] But, it's a choice thing. It's their thing. It's what they want to do. You have to respect that. I love them. I think they're a great band. They're great guys. I met all of them, worked with Tom [Araya] on 'Terrorist' [from 2000's 'Primitive'] and it was great. It was a great honor. You know, there's a part of me that will be sad it's happening because they're such a great band and always releasing great music. I got to see them play live a bunch of times. It was great. We did the SOULFLY/SLAYER tour in the early 2000s. It was really killer. Yeah, we're going to miss them. But, I'm sure they'll find other things to do. I'm sure Kerry [King] will probably do something else with somebody else and find something else."

SOULFLY's new album tentatively due this summer via Nuclear Blast.

Max has just embarked on the Canadian leg of the "Point Blank With Soulfly" tour, where SOULFLY is performing NAILBOMB's lone studio album, 1994's "Point Blank", in full.

SHINEDOWN's "Planet Zero" has topped all four Billboard rock album charts in its first week of release: Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums.

The set sold 50,000 equivalent album units, according to Luminate. Of that sum, 43,000 are via album sales.

On the all-genre Billboard 200, "Planet Zero" came in at No. 5, marking SHINEDOWN's fifth top five title. It also landed at No. 1 on the all-genre Top Album Sales chart.

Billboard's Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart's history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated December 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.

"Planet Zero", was released on July 1. The LP is an incisive yet optimistic look at the fractures and frays of a society that has undergone many challenges in the last few years, seeing SHINEDOWN take on the forces that are keeping us divided at a time when we need to be coming together. The high-concept, viscerally charged album, produced by SHINEDOWN's Eric Bass, takes a hard look at the divisiveness among those of differing ideologies, cancel culture ran rampant, the toxicity of social media, the need for honesty in our public discourse, and the corrosive effects of these things on mental health and humanity. A dystopian saga that warns of dangerous dehumanizing consequences, "Planet Zero" is a reminder that if we shut each other down, we risk losing empathy, respect for one another, and our ability to communicate and unify in a way that leads to actual progress and understanding. The album also shares hope, perseverance, triumph, and reminders that we all need one another, like on "Daylight". After all, it is the band's impassioned striving for unity that has long been at the heart of their creative output.

The "Planet Zero" world tour (produced by Live Nation) begins in Bonner Springs, Kansas on September 3 with special guests JELLY ROLL and John Harvie, kicking off a U.S. run of fall shows that will see the record-breaking, chart-topping band bring their new music, No. 1 hits, fan favorites and biggest stage show yet to cities from coast to coast. The routing also includes festival performances at Louder Than Life on September 23 in Louisville, Kentucky and Aftershock on October 9 in Sacramento, California.

SHINEDOWN recently embarked on a Europe run of festival performances and select shows with IRON MAIDEN and will follow it by Canadian dates with special guests POP EVIL and AYRON JONES in July and August.

Photo credit: Sanjay Parikh

England’s doom metal masters, Conan, will release their fifth studio album, Evidence Of Immortality, on August 19 via Napalm Records.


Following the previously released first album single, “Levitation Hoax”, today the band has unleashed a brand new, colossal track and music video. “Righteous Alliance” emphasizes that Conan are the masters of their craft, while Jon Davis spits his lyrics over the uber-synchronized power chord changes and tempo shifts of the unholy trio of bass, drums and guitar.


“‘Righteous Alliance‘ is another track that we have been playing live,“ guitarist and singer Jon Davis comments. “It is all about war, and the hopelessness of it. However, a hero is coming and just as death is imminent, an unflinching saviour enters the fray and the day is saved, for now. We were keen to include some fan footage from over the years, thankfully they came through so thanks to everyone for being a part of it.”







Evidence Of Immortality was produced by Chris Fielding and mastered by James Plotkin. The album also sees former band member Dave Perry perform on the track “Grief Sequence”. The album’s artwork was provided by the skilled hand and mind of Tony Roberts, architect of the Conan visual style since day one and their debut release, Horseback Battle Hammer. Bow down and hail Conan, as their sound will live forever on the battlefield of doom. Their new album will be the ultimate Evidence Of Immortality.





Evidence Of Immortality will be available in the following formats:


- Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black (ltd 300)
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled Clear/Black (ltd 300)
- 2LP Gatefold Glow In The Dark (Band exclusive)
- Cassette Tape Edition
- Album Cover Shirt & Digisleeve Bundle (European webstore only)
- Digital


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"A Cleaved Head No Longer Plots"
"Levitation Hoax"
"Ritual Of Anonymity"
"Equilibrium Of Mankind"
"Righteous Alliance"
"Grief Sequence"


"Levitation Hoax" video:





Conan is:


Jon Davis – Guitar, Vocals
Chris Fielding – Bass
Johnny King – Drums


(Photo - Charley Shillabeer)

First reported as a rumor by BLABBERMOUTH.NET last night, it has now been confirmed that ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante and OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Zakk Wylde are the musicians who will join PANTERA's surviving members on a reunion tour.

Wylde and Benante, along with singer Philip Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, will tour as PANTERA, headlining a number of major festivals across North America and Europe and staging some of their own headline concerts.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, as well as Brown, who last year said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Benante and Wylde have both voiced their appreciation for PANTERA's musical legacy on a number of occasions in recent years. Back in June 2018, just one day after the death of Vinnie Paul, Benante told SiriusXM about the first time he met the PANTERA drummer: "The very first time, it was the first time we ever were in Texas. And those guys [PANTERA] were there. We played at this club, and I believe PANTERA were the opening band. A mutual friend of ours, who everybody knows now — Rita [Haney, longtime girlfriend of Dimebag] — she kind of was the conduit to grouping us together to become friendly. We've known those guys since 1985, and just the two of them, Darrell and Vinnie, after you met those two, it was like you had a friend in Texas, both of them, and they just made the experience so much better, and you immediately bonded. So throughout the years, we just remained friends."

Benante went on to draw a parallel between PANTERA and another legendary rock band which featured siblings who achieved notability together.

"I always equated Dime and Vinnie as, like, Alex and Eddie from VAN HALEN; I always thought PANTERA was like VAN HALEN reborn," he said. "They had a guitar player, who was a hero. The drummers were fucking awesome, but the thing about Vinnie that, I think, not a lot of people know — maybe they do — but from a technical side of things, Vinnie made those PANTERA records sound like that. He was the guy behind it all who was turning the knobs, EQing shit so that his kick drum wasn't fighting with Darrell's fucking chunky guitar. He was a lot of the brains and the glue that held that band together and, basically, pushed that band."

In 2019, Anselmo, who has spent the past few years playing a PANTERA-centric set with his solo band, THE ILLEGALS, told Chile's Humo Negro that he would consider getting together with Wylde and Brown and performing PANTERA's classic songs in concert. "Well, Zakk is a busy man," he said. "He does his own band, he does stuff with Ozzy and all that stuff. We spoke about it maybe one time. And I think everybody — everybody — is… I guess they're like me. Keep an open mind about it. We'll see. But I know from all the hard work with [Anselmo's] THE ILLEGALS [project] here to make those songs right, all of us, we would have to take time off and really practice together and get everything perfect. So it's a lot of work. And I'm doing a lot of bands, man, right now. [But] if everything was lined up, I would do it — sure. Fuck yeah! Why not?"

Zakk was also open to the idea, telling "The Cassius Morris Show" in October 2019: "When Saint Vinnie was still around, they were talking about it then. I mean, the way I always looked at it is it's a PANTERA celebration and an honor. I mean, every night I'm playing with Ozz, we honor Saint Rhoads [late Ozzy guitarist Randy Rhoads]. I'm playing the Randy stuff every night, and I'm blessed and it's an honor to do it. Basically, we're paying tribute to Randy every night — keeping his music alive.

"If we got together and we ended up doing it, it would be like… I just look at it like if Eric Clapton went out and was with Mitch [Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix's drummer] and Noel [Redding, Hendrix's bass player] and singing and playing Jimi's songs, and he's honoring Jimi, 'cause that was his buddy.

"No one's replacing anybody. No one's replacing Randy Rhoads — he was a one-off. Just like no one's replacing Jimi Hendrix and no one's replacing Dime — or Vinnie.

"If [LED] ZEPPELIN was going out, and if Jason's [Bonham] playing drums, no one's replacing his father. What they're doing is celebrating his father's greatness and what he achieved and all the mountains he conquered with ZEPPELIN. It's more of a tribute and a celebration than it is... You can't replace any of these people I'm talking about — they're all legendary guys. But, yeah, you're just celebrating all their achievements — that's all."

In April 2021, Rex told Eonmusic that he and Philip still get offers for a PANTERA tribute tour. "But if you don't have the other guys in the band, it's not going to sound the same," he said. "If we were ever to do something like that, it would have to be spot-on, or I wouldn't do it. It would be a tribute."

When Eonmusic interviewer Eamon O'Neill added that he wasn't about to ask the usual question about a reunion with Zakk Wylde taking the place of Dimebag, Rex offered: "It's going to come up, and it wouldn't be Zakk Wylde, I guarantee you that. I've just put it out there so we can get on past it."

In February 2020, Haney said she would "definitely" be in favor of Anselmo, Brown and Wylde teaming up for a PANTERA tribute tour. A few days later, Brown weighed in on her comments, writing on Twitter: "I wanna make sure that ppl understand what I'm about to tweet.. It's not up to Rita to say what will happen, only what Philip & I say...I'm in!! Dig?!?!?"

Rita discussed the possibility of the former PANTERA members and the OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist paying tribute to Dimebag and his brother Vinnie Paul Abbott while speaking to "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" on the red carpet of the Ronnie James Dio 10th Memorial Awards Gala at the Avalon in Los Angeles. She said: "I don't think there could be a PANTERA reunion, but I think that his two remaining brothers, Rex and Philip, if they wanted to honor Darrell and Vinnie, as far as where I'm coming from and what I believe Darrell would believe — because he was the most forgiving person that I know — I believe that he would be honored. It's kind of a cliché to say, but he truly would be grateful that he meant that much to them. And I think if they wanna honor their fallen brothers with a tribute, I think that that's great. But as far as trying to say put PANTERA back together, PANTERA tribute, this and that, no — that's distasteful without those other guys. But I think as a tribute, it would be a really great thing. Because I know, from a fan's point, if I hadn't been able to see them play or hear those songs — the songs, they mean so much to me; I can imagine [they do to] other people as well. I think it's great that they can at least see it performed, and by people that truly love 'em. So, yeah, I think it would be a really cool thing."

When asked to clarify if she would "be okay with a tour," she responded: "I definitely would. I'd wanna be at every show. [Laughs]"

Talk about a possible PANTERA "reunion" intensified when Anselmo regularly joined Wylde's BLACK LABEL SOCIETY to perform PANTERA's song "I'm Broken" during DOWN's 2014 stint on the "Revolver Golden Gods Tour". That buzz only got stronger after Brown joined the jam on May 23, 2014 when the tour swung through Texas.

Up until his passing, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

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