Steve Vai kicked off his Inviolate World Tour with a European leg of appearances beginning in Glasgow, Scotland on June 4th. He’ll be on the road into mid-July, staging performances in the UK, Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain.


Fan-filmed video from the kick-off show in Glasgow is available below. The setlist on the night was as follows:


Set 1
"Avalancha"
"Giant Balls of Gold"
"Little Pretty"
"Tender Surrender"
"Lights Are On"
"Candlepower"
- Dave Solo -
"Building the Church"




Set 2
"Greenish Blues"
"Bad Horsie"
"I'm Becoming"
"Sandman Cloud Mist"
"Dyin’ Day"
Play Video"
- Drum Solo - 
"Zeus in Chains"
"Liberty"
"For the Love of God"


Encore:
"Fire Garden Suite IV - Taurus Bulba"











For tickets and a variety of EVO Experience VIP bundles available visit vai.com. Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar / keys), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums).


Vai shares, “It’s amazing to realize that after three years of not performing our show on a stage, that it’s now on the horizon, and will start to unfold in Europe this summer. I can feel the road now and the enthusiastic audiences that we will be will be connecting with."





Tour dates:


June
7 - London, UK - Palladium
9 - Bristol, UK - o2 Academy
10 - Dublin, Ireland - Academy
11 - Belfast, UK - The Limelight
13 - Paris, France - Le Trianon
14 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
16 - Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
17 - Bergen, Norway - USF Verftet
18 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pustervik
19 - Stockholm, Sweden - Fållan
20 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Amager Bio
22 - Lille, France - Splendid
23 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
24 - Bordeaux-Cenon, France - Rocher de Palmer
25 - Nimes, France - Paloma
26 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur
28 - Nuremberg, Germany - Hirsch
29 - Linz, Austria - Posthof


July
1 - Udine, Italy - Castello
2 - Macerata, Italy - Sferisterio
3 - Bari, Italy - Teatro Petruzzelli
4 - Firenze, Italy - Ultravox Arena
5 - Gardone Riviera, Italy - Anfiteatro del Vittoriale
6 - Zurich, Switzerland - Komplex
8 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Theatre
9 - Weert, Netherlands - Bospop Festival
10 - Antwerp, Belgium - OLT Rivierenhof
12 - Toulouse, France - Le Bikini
14 - Sancti Petri, Spain - Concert Music Festival
16 - Valencia, Spain - Jardin de Viveros
17 - Vigo, Spain - Auditorio Mar do Vigo
19 - Barcelona, Spain - Teatro Tivoli


Vai recently released his new studio album, Inviolate, via Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group. The LP will follow on March 18.


Inviolate is a nine-song opus that pushes the boundaries of instrumental guitar music. The body of work presents his most focused, streamlined and perhaps invigorating music in years. “It’s very ‘Vai,’ whatever that means,” he says, and then laughs. “Someone else might be better than me at explaining what that is. But it’s just very honest music. Because a lot of my records, they're long and there's a lot of concepts and playing around with stories. This one has none of that. This is nine pretty dense all-instrumental compositions that I wanted to capture and record so I could get out there and play them live for people.”


In essence, it all comes down to finding your own voice, and then having the courage and conviction to follow your musical and creative instincts wherever they may take you – something Vai has never been shy about in his playing. “One of the great things about the guitar is you don't need to be a virtuoso to express your creative vision,” he says. “I mean, Bob Dylan plays the guitar perfectly well for his expression. So does John McLaughlin. You just need to decide how much technique you want or need to get there. For myself, I came out of the chute wanting and needing it all. When it comes to my music, I don’t feel like I have to prove anything or conform to anything. I just love to think up creative ideas, and then use whatever skill I have to manifest them.”


“An inviolate inspiration is one that comes to you completely pure,” Vai explains. “It appears almost in its completeness, and there’s a recognition of it as being right for you – perfectly right for you. There’s no excuses in it. There's no fantasy in it. There's just a recognition of ‘yes.’ And then you capture that in a way that’s authentic to your unique creativity. Hopefully, that’s what I’ve done with this record.”


Inviolate can be ordered in various formats, here.





Tracklisting:


"Teeth Of The Hydra"
"Zeus In Chains"
"Little Pretty"
"Candle Power"
"Apollo In Color"
"Avalancha"
"Greenish Blues"
"Knappsack"
"Sandman Cloud Mist"


"Teeth Of The Hydra" visualizer:





“Zeus In Chains” visualizer:





"Little Pretty" video:





"Candle Power":





"Knappsack"

Drummer Anders Johannson has announced that he will be unable to join MANOWAR on the band's upcoming "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" due to "family commitments." He will be replaced on the trek by Dave Chedrick, who has previously played with RAVEN and KILL RITUAL, among others.

Earlier today (Saturday, June 4), Anders issued the following statement via social media: "Hello friends. Family commitments make it necessary that I remain as close as possible to my home in Sweden at this time. I will therefore not be able to perform on MANOWAR's upcoming tour.

"The support from MANOWAR, their crew and fans has been overwhelming from the beginning. Everyone involved has welcomed me into their hearts without hesitation, and I have made friends for life.

"Thank you all for the great times.

"Hail and Kill!"

In a separate statement, MANOWAR band leader and bassist Joey DeMaio said: "Anders is a rare combination of intelligence, kindness, humor and talent. It has been a pleasure working with him. He is part of our brotherhood, now and forever! We support his commitment to his family."

Based in Los Angeles, Chedrick has been a metal addict his entire life. Early influences include John Bonham, Neil Peart and, most of all, late MANOWAR drummer Scott Columbus. An accomplished studio musician, Dave is praised for his professionalism, easy-going spirit, and willingness to always go the extra mile in the quest for the perfect sound.

DeMaio said: "Dave's drumming is a combination of speed, power and the spirit of true metal that we believe our fans will enjoy."

Added Chedrick: "The Manowarriors are legendary. I am honored that I will be playing for the greatest fans in the world!"

Johansson joined MANOWAR more than three years ago. The Swedish musician made his live debut with the band in March 2019 in Brno, Czech Republic.

Johansson can be heard on MANOWAR's "The Final Battle I" EP, which was initially made available in an exclusive pre-sale at the merchandise booth of "The Final Battle" world tour.

MANOWAR's "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" celebrates the band's over-four-decades-long career with focus on four signature MANOWAR albums and their anniversaries: 40th anniversary of "Battle Hymns", 35th anniversary of "Fighting The World", 30th anniversary of "The Triumph Of Steel", 20th anniversary of "Warriors Of The World".

Last November, MANOWAR announced that it had recorded a song titled "The Revenge Of Odysseus" for the band's upcoming studio album. DeMaio also traveled to Athens to record a narration with father-and-son team Kostas and Konstantinos Kazakos. Kostas, hailed in Greece for his participation in many movies and as an accomplished theater actor and writer, and his son Kostantinos, who is also a talented actor, narrated a touching dialogue between Odysseus and his son Telemachus. And to honor the historic source material, they did so in Ancient Greek, translated from English by Sakis Tolis of Greek metal band ROTTING CHRIST.

Asked in a recent interview with Metal Hammer Greece's TV show "TV War" if the next MANOWAR release will be a full-length album or if it will be the previously planned follow-up to 2019's "The Final Battle I" EP, Joey said: "That's a very good question. You're the first person to ask that. And right now, I truly don't know what is coming next, because we had the inspiration to write this song, which I was thinking could be a very long normal song — like maybe 10 minutes — 'The Revenge Of Odysseus'. And it just got out of hand — it just kept growing and growing. It started out with, 'Maybe it'll just be in English.' Then it was, 'Maybe it'll be in Greek.' And then it became not just Greek — ancient Greek. And then something like famous narrators. And then it became, 'No, we're gonna take one of the most famous, if not the most famous actor in Greece.' And then his son is gonna play the part of Telemachus. And it just got bigger and bigger and bigger. And now, when they came into the studio here in Athens and recorded, it just turned out so amazing. And now I'm stuck with a big problem — there's so much incredible stuff that these guys performed… So the reality, just hearing words has given me the challenge, now how can I match this great performance with music that's gonna be worthy of these beautiful, beautiful performances? So, it's a big fucking problem. So I'm looking forward to getting back into the studio and trying to serve this in the best way that I can."

As metal fans will know, 2022 marks the 30th year since the release of "The Triumph Of Steel". With this album, MANOWAR surprised its fans with the over-28-minute-long track "Achilles, Agony And Ecstasy In Eight Parts", inspired by Homer's ancient Greek poem "The Iliad". In celebration of this memorable anniversary and as a "thank you" for the steadfast and passionate support of the Greek Manowarriors, MANOWAR has now taken on "The Odyssey", Homer's tale of the great hero Odysseus and his long and perilous quest to return to his wife and son.

"The Final Battle I" came out in March 2019. At the time of its release, it was announced that parts II and III of the trilogy would arrive at a later date, inspired by MANOWAR's adventures on the remainder of "The Final Battle".

Former MANOWAR guitarist Karl Logan was arrested in August 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina and charged with six counts of third-degree exploitation of a minor. He was jailed after pleading guilty to two child-pornography counts.

A few days after Karl's arrest was made public, MANOWAR issued a statement saying that he would no longer perform with the group. He has since been replaced by E.V. Martel, who previously played in a MANOWAR tribute band.

Hello friends.

Family commitments make it necessary that I remain as close as possible to my home in Sweden at this...

Posted by Anders Johansson on Friday, June 3, 2022

Following an announcement by drummer Anders Johannson that he will be unable to participate in MANOWAR’s upcoming...

Posted by MANOWAR on Saturday, June 4, 2022

Torn Between Two Worlds, featuring former Angtoria bandmates Sarah Jezebel Deva and Chris Rehn, have released a new EP, entitled As If We Never Existed. It is now available via Bandcamp here.


Check out the official video for new single "The Woman That Never Was" below.







The tracklist is as follows:


"The Beauty Of Deception"
"Transparent"
"The Woman That Never Was"
"All Eyes On Me"
"Hello"


"The Woman That Never Was"





"Transparent"





"The Beauty Of Deception"





"All Eyes On Me"





"Hello"

Mike Levine, bassist for the Canadian power trio Triumph, has issued an update on the forthcoming tribute album celebrating his band’s music, which is being overseen by producer Mike Clink, best known for his work on most of Guns N’ Roses‘ albums.


Levine tells ABC Audio that Clink, who also produced Triumph’s 1986 album Sport Of Kings, is working on the project in Los Angeles, and that it’s “close to being finished.”


“[The album] got delayed like everything else during COVID because nobody wanted to go to the studio, but everybody seems to want to play again,” Mike notes. “So he’s getting near the finish line with it. So we’re hoping to see that early next year.”




Levine reveals that among the guest artists who have contributed to the record are Starship singer Mickey Thomas and ex-Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach. He also reports that a number of “top-draw players” also have contributed to the album, including longtime John Fogerty touring drummer Kenny Aronoff and Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X.


Read more, here.


Levine previously spoke with The Metal Voice about the tribute album, stating: "I can only speak a bit about it cause it is still in production. We have been talking to producer Mike Clink over the years (Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake) and we were talking about maybe doing a tribute album. So  Mike Clink is producing it and it has been recorded in L.A. There will be some great artists on it. It's going to be a real cool project. Our only parameter from a band point of view was do your own take on the song, we don't want to hear someone copy what we did, we want an interpretation. A lot of the money from the tribute album will be going to a charity called Musicares in the States, it's a huge organization that supports artists in trouble."


Stay tuned for updates.

Melodic power metal masters, Dragonland, return with their new single, "The Power Of The Nightstar". Get the song on all digital platforms here, and watch a video below.


More than ten years without a new studio album could be reason enough for a band to fall into oblivion, unless of course they left a lasting impression on their fans before their hiatus. In case of Swedish act Dragonland, who have inspired their extensive following repeatedly since the release of their debut The Battle Of The Ivory Plains (2001), the anticipation of new material has continued to grow from year to year since their 2011 release Under The Grey Banner. Now, Dragonland returns to the heavy music scene, with their brand new, colossal single, "The Power Of The Nightstar".







The song impressively illustrates why Dragonland still belongs to one of the most energetic and passionate bands of their genre, unleashing epic, fast-paced power metal with gripping melodies. "The Power Of The Nightstar" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at renowned Hansen Studios, and sees the band continue as the lineup consisting of keyboardist Elias Holmlid, bassist Anders Hammer, vocalist Jonas Heidgert and guitarists Olof Mörck and Jesse Lindskog, complemented by drummer Johan Nunez (Firewind, ex-Nightrage), who joined Dragonland in 2014.


“We’re thrilled to finally unveil a small part of our forthcoming album," the band reveals. "This explosive track is a centerpiece of the story line and presents a turning point for our protagonists whose new found hope is expressed in the uplifting chorus."

Detroit death-doom force Temple Of Void’s Relapse debut, Summoning The Slayer, is out now. Listen on all streaming services and via the YouTube video below:





The Michigan-based quintet featuring Alex Awn (guitars), Don Durr (guitars), Mike Erdody (vocals), Jason Pearce (drums), and Brent Satterly (bass), hunkered down during the last two years, expanding upon their brand of fusty, artfully brutish death-doom with equal parts process and imagination. The outcome is an album that feels massive yet sepulchral, exploratory yet distinguishable—as if crafted deep below and inspired by all the things (mentally and physically) that come with their subterranean endeavor. Summoning The Slayer creepily evolves Temple Of Void.




Produced, mixed, and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Sumerlands, Candy), Summoning The Slayer pairs long-time influences and a bevy of non-metal vectors into hulking columns of heavy and desolation. Focus tracks “Deathtouch”, “Hex, Curse, & Conjuration” and “The Transcending Horror” showcases Temple Of Void’s death-doom at its heights and their massive, crushing lows. But the group’s fourth album is more than that. The album’s capper, “Dissolution”, is one example of the Detroiters stretching out, the song’s ‘70s rock/singer-songwriter motifs hitting The Moody Blues and Nick Drake hard. Lyrically, Summoning The Slayer eschews commonplace horror tropes with a deeper, broader psychological discussion of the self. Temple Of Void’s ultimate death-doom metal journey is now complete.


Summoning The Slayer is out on LP/CD/CS/Digital. Physical orders via Relapse.com are available here. Digital downloads/streaming at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Behind The Eye"
"Deathtouch"
"Engulfed"
"A Sequence Of Rot"
"Hex, Curse, & Conjuration"
"The Transcending Horror"
"Dissolution"


“Hex, Curse, & Conjuration”:





"Deathtouch" video:





(Photo - Brian Sheehan)

On July 1, traditional heavy metal's Haunt will release their seventh full-length, Windows Of Your Heart, via Iron Grip // Church Recordings. A lyric video for the track "Mercenaries" is streaming below.


To pre-order a copy of Windows of Your Heart, please visit Haunt’s Bandcamp or The Heavy Metal Store’s Bandcamp where the album is available in the following formats:


--digital album
--cassette (limited to 100 copies; Haunt Bandcamp exclusive)
--jewelcase CD (signed copies available exclusively at The Heavy Metal Store's Bandcamp)
--black vinyl (limited to 100 copies)
--milky clear w/ black & red splatter vinyl (limited to 250 copies)
--silver vinyl (limited to 200 copies; retail exclusive)
--transparent red w/ black pinwheel vinyl (limited to 200 copies)
--transparent red vinyl (limited to 200 copies; retail exclusive)
--half/half black/milky clear w/ red splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies; Haunt Bandcamp exclusive)
--half/half red/milky clear w/ black splatter vinyl (limited to 300 copies; Haunt Bandcamp exclusive)
--picture disc vinyl (limited to 200 copies; Haunt Bandcamp exclusive)




Based in Fresno, California, Haunt is the brainchild of singer/guitarist Trevor William Church, and in July 2022, he proudly returns with new album, Windows Of Your Heart. For the most part, Church adhered to his tried-and-true methodologies for writing and recording this full-length - but, discerning listeners will notice a difference in the guitar solos this time around. Whereas on past Haunt records, the lead breaks were constructed around two-guitar tradeoffs, this time Church reinvented the solos with a single guitar, relying on pinch harmonics and whammy bar as key elements. However, longtime fans will be relieved to know that Haunt's trademark guitar harmonies remain fully intact and unsullied.


As on previous albums, Church built Windows Of Your Heart around a few key songs to be featured in the live set. The title track is one such foundational piece, featuring catchy riffs, big hooks and a slightly different guitar approach for Haunt that straddles the line between heavy metal and hard rock. As for other standout songs on the record, Church quickly points to the barn-burning opener, "Mercenaries", plus "Father Time" - which treads familiar lyrical territory for Haunt by musing on the dizzying speed with which time flies by. The single is also noteworthy for the readily discernible Ozzy-isms in Church's vocal melodies and timbre. The resemblance is not coincidental, but is an intentional tribute to the Prince of Darkness. Church explains, "Ozzy Osbourne gave me the courage to be a singer. He taught me how to be a singer. My music naturally goes toward that."


Album art by Brouemaster Visual Decay:





Tracklisting:


“Mercenaries”
“Running Hard”
“Barricade”
“Father Time”
“Windows Of Your Heart”
“Catch Me”
“No Control”
“Dream On It”
“Frozen In Time”
“Defender” 


"Mercenaries" lyric video:





“Windows Of Your Heart” lyric video:





On the live front, Church assembled a new line-up consisting of his longtime Beastmaker bandmate Andy Saldate on drums, Andy Lei on guitars, and Chris Fletcher on bass. "This is Haunt version 2.0," Church says. This new live configuration has already been battle-tested with eight shows under their belts, and many more to come - including a 20-date run through the western half of North America in April 2022, supported by Screamer, Traveler and Saber. The trek is highlighted by a stop at the prestigious Hell's Heroes Festival in Houston, Texas on April 23.


Dates:


April
7- Eugene, OR - Old Nick's Pub
8 - Vancouver, BC - The Wise Hall & Lounge
9 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
10 - Portland, OR - The High Water Marks
12 - Oakland, CA - Elbo Room Jack London 
13 - Sacramento, CA - Cafe Colonial
14 - Costa Mesa, CA - The Wayfarer
15 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
16 - Scottsdale, AZ - Pub Rock Live
17 - Albuquerque, NM - Moonlight Lounge
19 - El Paso, TX - Raves Club
20 - San Antonio, TX - 502 Bar
21 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It
22 - Dallas, TX - Three Links
23 - Houston, TX - Hell's Heroes Festival
26 - Denver, CO - HQ
27 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
28 - Las Vegas, NV - Count's Vamp'd
29 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon
30 - Fresno, CA - Strummer's


(Photo – Andy Lei)

Members of KISS, MANOWAR, RAINBOW and ANTHRAX are among the musicians who have paid tribute to Ken Kelly, one of the most successful fantasy artists of all time, who died on Thursday (June 2) at the age of 76.

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss wrote on his web site: "I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of my dear friend Ken Kelly. He was an amazing man and talent. A gentle, kind, funny honorable man. A man of integrity and grace. I loved him so much. His art work graced the cover of two of our iconic albums. He brought out the super heros in us. He will live on through his incredible work. My prayers and love go out to his family and fans. May he rest in peace with the Lord. God Bless, Peter Criss".

MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio said in a statement: "Deeply saddened by the passing of the great Ken Kelly. He was a giant and will live forever through his art and the memories he left with those who got to know him. I will never forget our years together. Condolences to his family. RIP, Ken. Valhalla awaits you."

RAINBOW leader Ritchie Blackmore said about Kelly: "He was a very nice man. Very easy to work with. I gave him a simple idea, which he turned into a magical picture. He shall be greatly missed. RIP Ken Kelly".

Over Kelly's 50-plus-year career, he has focused in particular on paintings in the sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy subgenres.

Early in his career, he was able to study the paintings of Frank Frazetta in the latter's studio, but Frazetta never let out his trade secrets. In the early 1970s, he did a couple of cover paintings for Castle Of Frankenstein magazine. Throughout the 1970s, he was one of the foremost cover artists on Warren Publishing's Creepy and Eerie magazines.

Kelly has depicted Conan The Barbarian and Tarzan while also creating the artwork for KISS's "Destroyer" and "Love Gun", RAINBOW's "Rising", several albums from MANOWAR, and Ace Frehley's "Space Invader" record.

His work often portrayed exotic, enchanted locales and primal battlefields. He developed the artwork for COHEED AND CAMBRIA's album "Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow", and a painting of his was used as the cover art for ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY's 2007 release "Open Fire". In 2012, one of Kelly's paintings was used for the cover of ELECTRIC MAGMA's 12-inch vinyl release "Canadian Samurai II".

Kelly has been a guest at the Kiss By Monster Mini Golf course in Las Vegas, Nevada, doing autograph signings of prints for the classic KISS albums he has drawn cover artwork for.
Sad to find out Ken Kelly, who painted our Destroyer album cover passed away. A kind and beloved gentleman. Rest In Peace. https://t.co/rNxoDve2T8

— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) June 4, 2022


A moment to remember the great Ken Kelly. His fantasy art captured the larger than life image of KISS perfectly. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/6KawKXdOjE

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) June 4, 2022


Deeply saddened by the passing of the great Ken Kelly. He was a giant and will live forever through his art and the memories he left with those who got to know him. I will never forget our years together. Condolences to his family.

RIP, Ken. Valhalla awaits you.

— Joey DeMaio (@realJoeyDeMaio) June 4, 2022


RIP Ken Kelly, artist for No World for Tomorrow. 💔 pic.twitter.com/LqNHmNgMCl

— Coheed and Cambria (@Coheed) June 4, 2022


R.I.P. #kenkelly one of the all time greats. The art he created was my guide to drawing #destroyer#lovegun#rainbowrising@kisshttps://t.co/T11QTLPoSZ

— Charlie Benante (@skisum) June 4, 2022


He was a very nice man. Very easy to work with. I gave him a simple idea, which he turned into a magical picture. He shall be greatly missed. RIP Ken Kelly https://t.co/RTnjG8PavZ

— Official Ritchie Blackmore (@TheRealRitchieB) June 4, 2022


So sad to hear #RIPhttps://t.co/tWSlpLyiVb

— Candice Night (@TruCandiceNight) June 4, 2022



Ken Kelly the artist that painted Burning Starr's last 3 album covers has passed away, He was a great artist and helped…

Posted by Jack Starr on Friday, June 3, 2022

We are saddened to hear of the passing of our brother Ken Kelly.

No words can express what a terrible loss this is, not...

Posted by MANOWAR on Saturday, June 4, 2022

from PeterCriss.NET
---------
Ken Kelly
May 19, 1946 - June 2, 2022
I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of my dear...

Posted by Peter Criss JAPAN on Friday, June 3, 2022

MTV's seminal, Gen X-defining "Beavis And Butt-Head" about two cartoon teenagers famous for their nasally laughs and love of heavy metal will return with an all-new movie, "Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe", which is set to premiere on June 23 via Paramount+. The movie will also be available to stream internationally in all territories where the service is available. In addition to the new movie, the full library of over 200 remastered "Beavis And Butt-Head" episodes will stream exclusively on the service, along with a new series coming later this year.

A tale that technically spans two centuries, "Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe" promises to sit atop all future lists of the "Dumbest Science Fiction Movies Ever Made." The saga begins when Beavis and Butt-Head wind up at space camp through "creative sentencing" from a juvenile court judge in 1998. Mistaking a docking simulator for something else (huh huh),Beavis and Butt-Head excel at it and are asked to join the space shuttle mission in a PR move. After ruining the mission, they are left for dead in space and end up going through a black hole and reemerging back on Earth in 2022, only to discover a very different world — and find themselves considered Buttholes of Interest by the NSA, the governor of Texas, and a highly intelligent version of themselves from a parallel universe. Also they almost lose their virginity, but don't.

"Beavis and Butt-Head were defining voices of a generation, and to this day, the show is one of the most well-known and beloved animated IPs of all time," said Chris McCarthy, president/CEO, Paramount Media Networks and MTV Entertainment Studios. "Mike Judge has reimagined this dynamic duo in a way that is sure to have both old fans and new ones alike laughing out loud — and we couldn't be more excited to bring them back into our rapidly expanding arsenal of hit adult animation."

"Reuniting Beavis and Butt-Head is the smartest dumb move one could make, and we jumped at the opportunity," said Tanya Giles, chief programming officer of streaming for Paramount+. "Only a duo this iconic would bring us to space and back and we're so excited to share their epic, nacho-filled journey with audiences."

"Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe" features the voices of Mike Judge, Gary Cole, Chris Diamantopoulos, Nat Faxon, Brian Huskey, Chi McBride, Tig Notaro, Stephen Root, Andrea Savage, Martin Starr and Jimmy O. Yang.

An exclusive look at the new movie will debut during the 2022 "MTV Movie & TV Awards", which air live Sunday, June 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Created and voiced by writer, producer and director Mike Judge, the characters of Beavis and Butt-Head originated in Judge's 1992 short film "Frog Baseball", which was broadcast by MTV's animation showcase "Liquid Television". After MTV commissioned a full series around the characters, "Beavis And Butt-Head" ran for seven seasons from March 8, 1993, to November 28, 1997. The series was revived in 2011 with an eighth season airing on MTV. During its initial run, "Beavis And Butt-Head" received widespread critical acclaim for its satirical, scathing commentary on society. The show's popularity spawned various related media, including the theatrical film "Beavis And Butt-Head Do America" in 1996.

"Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe" is executive-produced by Mike Judge, Lew Morton and Michael Rotenberg, and Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Ben Kalina and Antonio Canobbio for Titmouse.

Human Scum, today is the day! The New Dark Ages has finally been unleashed on the public. The album is available digitally today. It will be released on CD July 15 and vinyl and cassette on September 16 via the band’s own Pit Records. Order and stream the album here.


In celebration of the album’s release, GWAR has released a video for their big-time, sell-out, soon-to-be hit radio single, “Ratcatcher". Watch the clip below.


Lead singer Blóthar sez: “What better way to celebrate the end of human existence than a little reminder of your dark and violent past from the disease-ridden middle ages! 'Ratcatcher' is the true story of the mysterious Pied Piper of Hamelin. HA! It was GWAR all along! This tune, and every single song on this album is red hot molten lead poured directly into your ears! GWAR is eternal!”







"The New Dark Ages" chronicles GWAR's adventures in the Duoverse, where the band rediscovers old powers such as Blóthar’s terrifying Berserker Mode, and encounter new allies, such as the murderous maven known as The Cutter. Along the way, they battle the living monuments of a lost cause and armies of undead soldiers who Rise Again to fight a New Civil War.





The New Dark Ages tracklisting:


"New Dark Age
"Blood Libel
"Berserker Mode
"Mother Fucking Liar
"Unto The Breach
"Completely Fucked
"The Cutter
"Rise Again
"The Beast Will Eat Itself
"The Venom Of The Platypus
"Ratcatcher
"Bored To Death
Death Whistle Suite:
"Temple Ascent"
"Starving Gods"
"Deus Ex Monstrum"


"Berserker Mode" visualizer:





"Mother Fucking Liar" visualizer:





For all of you thirsty fans, GWAR has heard your call and have now partnered up with Devils Backbone to create a true intergalactic elixir of the gods. Behold, Blood Geyser, an intergalactic Blood Orange IPA from GWAR and Devils Backbone. Designed to save the planet from being sucked dry by Bohabs, this delicious swill is brewed to the specific gravity of blood, using hops, blood orange and pure “Berserker Rage.”


Singer Blóthar says, “This is a delicious and heady brew! Grab a tankard of this fine and fruity ale, get loose and kick up your feet and watch the world die, GWAR style!”


GWAR are out now on “The Black Death Rager World Tour'', which hits Washington, DC on Friday, June 10 at the 9:30 Club. Before the show, GWAR will host a limited number of humans at what will be a uniquely infamous GWAR-B-Q event. Food will include Pulled Pork, Smoked Chicken Thighs, BBQ Spare Ribs, BBQ Beans, Collard Greens, Cornbread Biscuits and “Blood Geyser” BBQ Sauce. Be one of the first lucky freaks to tickle their tastebuds with “Blood Geyser” Blood Orange IPA. Get your tickets here.

The Guardian is reporting that Jeff Beck has announced the release date for an album he has made with Johnny Depp, the day after the conclusion of the actor’s high-profile defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard.


Speaking at a concert in Gateshead on Thursday, where Depp made a guest appearance on stage, Beck said: “I met this guy five years ago and we’ve never stopped laughing since. We actually made an album. I don’t know how it happened. It will be out in July.”
The Guardian view on Depp v Heard: an abusive spectacle
Read more


As Depp’s trial has reached its conclusion, the actor has been touring the UK with Beck, appearing on stage to perform cover versions including Jimi Hendrix’s "Little Wing" and Marvin Gaye’s "What’s Going On".




At the Gateshead concert, Depp did not make reference to the judgment reached the previous day, but Beck said “what a result”.


Beck and Depp’s album was first announced in April 2020, by Depp in his Instagram post. He described Beck then as “my dear friend and my brother … one of my all time guitar heroes”.


The pair released one track from the sessions alongside the announcement, a cover of John Lennon’s Isolation, chosen for early release because of its resonances with the lockdowns in the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Lennon’s prophetic words are pure poetry; the profundity of his lyrics seemed to Jeff and me especially fitting for what’s happening right now,” Depp said at the time.

Texas death unit I Am will release their Eternal Steel full-length September 9 via MNRK Heavy, today unveiling the record’s artwork, tracklisting, and first single.


Brandishing a unique blend of furious thrash and death metal like a weapon of mass destruction, I Am is purely no-nonsense in their patented “Texas Death” assault. 


Across three full-length slabs of bludgeoning intensity and snarling rage, I Am puts a Southern stamp and revitalized swagger into deathcore, a subgenre rarely as raw, energized, and diverse as this band. In the spirit of fellow Southern icons Pantera and newer Texan heroes Power Trip, I AM channels discontent and anger into empowering anthems, as likely to inspire a grueling workout as to incite the pit. Reminiscent of the combination of death metal heaviness and thrash metal speed found in the early catalog of Sepultura, I Am mines the heaviness of Morbid Angel and the dexterity of the Big 4 to create something groundbreaking of their own. Vocalist Andrew Hileman -- who started the band in 2011 -- guitarists Tom Reyes and Chris Burgess, bassist Erik Rodriguez, and drummer Ian Scott deliver their Texas Death in clubs, theaters, and festivals, with bands like The Acacia Strain and Kublai Khan.




Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Randy Leboeuf (Kublai Khan, Sentinels, The Acacia Strain), Eternal Steel, the quintet’s debut for MNRK Heavy, combines the onslaught of the band’s well-received Hard 2 Kill (2018) with the primal bite of Life Through Torment (2017) into a singular statement of intent.


“We took what we did well on Hard 2 Kill to new extremes on Eternal Steel,” notes Reyes. “It’s faster than the last album, it’s heavier than the last album, and it expands on every other aspect of our sound. ‘Heavy’ doesn’t always have to mean ‘slow.’ Frequently for us, the faster parts are equally as heavy.”


In advance of the release of Eternal Steel, today I Am unveils a video for the record’s first single, “The Iron Gate”.


Comments Hileman, “When searching for solace and protection, I tend to find it’s often met with opposite hostility. The process of growth only occurs when forced into these uncomfortable situations. ‘The Iron Gate’ is that place of cruelty that I find so beautiful for the soul. Beware and enter if you dare.”


Eternal Steel will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digitally. Preorder at iam-eternalsteel.com.





Tracklisting:


“The Primal Wave”
“Surrender To The Blade”
“The Iron Gate”
“Eternal Steel”
“Vicious Instinct”
“Infernal Panther”
“Queen Incarnate”
“Heaven On Earth”
“Price Of Pain”
“Eye Candy”
“Manic Cure”


“The Iron Gate” video:





(Photo – Kevyn Reece)

Celebrate 20 years of Epica with reissues of the first three albums (including unreleased bonus tracks), plus Live At Paradiso and We Will Take You With Us. Head to epicamerch.com to preorder The Phantom Agony, Consign To Oblivion, The Score and the unreleased/rare live albums on a variety of (limited!) formats. It's all out September 2 via Nuclear Blast. 


Live At Paradiso is the 2006 Amsterdam show that is mythical among Epicans, as it's never been officially released. Now, the holy grail is available as a part of We Still Take You With Us, which bundles it together with their (long sold-out) first major TV performance/DVD release, We Will Take You With Us, as well as their first three albums: The Phantom Agony, Consign To Oblivion and The Score.







Pre-order it on an 11-disc vinyl box set, Earbook with 36-pages and 8 discs or 8-CD box clamshell. Live At Paradiso and We Will Take You With Us will also be available to download or stream, while Live At Paradiso will be released on 2-CD+Blu-ray, too.


Check out the video for "Sensorium" (Live At Paradiso):

UK rockers, Wayward Sons, have released a video for "Can't Take It Anymore" featured on the upcoming Score Settled EP, out on June 17. Watch the clip below.


The EP features three new, unreleased songs that were recorded during the sessions for Even Up The Score, as well as three tracks that were previously only released on a physical format, and a live studio version of a track previously released as a studio bonus track in Japan. See tracklisting below for more details.


Physical pre-orders are available now, exclusively from the band's webstore here, and Frontiers Music Srl's EU webstore here. Digital pre-orders and a new music video will be released on June 3.




Fronted by vocalist/guitarist Toby Jepson, who is joined by Nic Wastell (bass), Phil Martini (drums), and Sam Wood (guitar), Wayward Sons deal in energetic rock 'n roll coupled with thoughtful, insightful lyrics.Passionate, honest music made by passionate honest musicians who have come together to create rock music that reflects their heroes from the ‘70s and ‘80s, while also touching on the present – modernity through homage, if you will.


The return of former Little Angels singer Toby Jepson to the UK rock scene with Wayward Sons was a welcome event in the British hard rock music scene when it transpired some six years ago. After the overwhelming success of Little Angels, including a number one album, millions of records sold, massive sell out shows and numerous hit singles, Toby had been busy in the prior years in movie work as well as performing with Fastway, Gun, and Dio’s Disciples and producing albums for numerous bands (Saxon, Fastway, The Virginmarys, Toseland, and more). His heart, however, was always in writing and performing and so the concept of Wayward Sons was born – a new band, built for playing live. A new direction with Toby’s songs taking center stage was introduced on the debut album Ghosts Of Yet To Come. The album was greeted with outstanding critical acclaim and earned Wayward Sons the title of "Best New Band" at the Planet Rock awards 2018. More and increasing success followed with the release of the sophomore album, The Truth Ain’t What It Used to Be and their third opus, Even Up The Score.


In support of their release, the band as played an outstanding number of shows in and outside the UK, either as a supporting act for Saxon, Inglorious, Steel Panther, Living Color and UFO or at such festivals as Download and Ramblin Man Fair and of course their own runs of headlining dates.





Score Settled EP tracklisting:


"Beaten To The Punch"
"Can’t Take It Anymore"
"Real Go-Getta"
"Standby Heart" (previously available on vinyl only, "Don't Wanna Go" 12" Picture Disc)
"Radio Denial" (previously available on vinyl only, "Don't Wanna Go" 12" Picture Disc)
"Totally Screwed" (previously available on vinyl only, "Totally Screwed" 7" Flex-Disc)
"Backslide" (Live In the Studio) (live version of Japan Bonus Track for "Ghosts Of Yet To Come")


"Can’t Take It Anymore" video:





LIneup:


Toby Jepson - Vocals, Guitars
Sam Wood - Guitars
Nic Wastell - Bass
Philip Martini - Drums and Percussion

Tech-death masters, Origin, have released their new album, Chaosmos. The long-standing outfit celebrates not only a return to Nuclear Blast (World excluding Europe) and Agonia Records (Europe), but also rings in their 25th year on Chaosmos.


Paul Ryan comments, "Origin is super excited about releasing our latest album Chaosmos to our friends and fans worldwide! We've been on the road for a month now and would like to say thanks to everyone for all the support and positive feedback on each of the singles we've already released! We can't wait for everyone to experience the album as a whole - enjoy Chaosmos!"


Check out a new track video for "Cullscape":







Origin re-tapped Kansas City-based studio guru Rob Rebeck to engineer, produce and mix Chaosmos. The production team holed up in GFM Recording Studios in Blue Springs, Missouri, and Chapter 2 Recording in Lenexa, Kansas, over 14 days. Robeck worked the mix over four days, while Colin Maarten at Menegroth, The Thousand Caves in Queens, New York, mastered Chaosmos in two. The cover artwork was created by Santiago Jaramillo, Triple Seis Design.


Orderhere, save here.





Chaosmos tracklisting:


"Ecophagy"
"Chaosmos"
"Cogito Tamen Non Sum"
"Panoptical"
"Decolonizer"
"Cullscape"
"Nostalgia for Oblivion"
"Heat Death"


"Chaosmos" video:





"Ecophagy":

On August 6, 2021, three-time Grammy-nominated hard rock heavyweights and platinum-selling band, Killswitch Engage, unleashed a streaming event that took fans by storm. The event took place at The Palladium in Worcester in the band's native Massachusetts, which has been the site of many iconic KsE shows throughout the band's history. The performance setlist consists of 2019's Atonement in full, along with their 2000-released, self-titled debut album in full - with some fun and unexpected surprises along the way. This special event was directed by David Brodsky and Allison Woest for MyGoodEye.


Today, the band has shared the video for "As Sure As The Sun Will Rise". Watch below.


"This was an uplifting song for me as soon as I heard the demo," says singer Jesse Leach. "It's about spiritual redemption and hope amidst this troubled world. It's a call to arms for those who seek a just and righteous path in this life. The message is fight through the darkness and perils to overcome the war of spirit and flesh."







This compelling performance will be available for the first time digitally, on 2LP, and 2CD/Blu-ray on June 3 via Metal Blade. Pre-order it here and here.





Tracklisting:


"Unleashed"
"The Signal Fire"
"Us Against The World"
"The Crownless King"
"I Am Broken Too"
"As Sure As The Sun Will Rise"
"Know Your Enemy"
"Take Control"
"Ravenous"
"I Can't Be The Only One"
"Bite The Hand That Feeds"
"Temple From The Within"
"Vide Infra"
"Irreversal"
"Rusted Embrace"
"Prelude"
"Soilborn"
"Numb Sickened Eyes"
"In The Unblind"
"Just Barely Breathing"


"Vide Infra" video:





"Know Your Enemy" video:

Joe Bouchard is best known as a former member of Blue Öyster Cult. The original lineup sold millions of albums for Columbia Records, with such classic songs as “Don’t Fear The Reaper” and the #1 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, “Burning for You". Bouchard contributed to songwriting and lead vocals on some of BOC’s greatest songs, such as “Hot Rails To Hell”.


Today, Bouchard releases his new album, American Rocker, via his brother’s (Albert Bouchard) and his imprint Rockheart Records and Deko Entertainment (ADA/Warner Music Group). Watch a lyric video for the song "Deadly Kisses" below:







American Rocker sees the return of Mickey Curry (Bryan Adams, Hall and Oates, Alice Cooper) on drums, and sees Bouchard taking a look back at the heyday of the 70’s with BÖC on tracks like “In the Golden Age”, and “Rocket To Fame”.


Pick up the new album American Rocker and other Joe Bouchard merch here.





Tracklisting:


“My Way Is The Highway”
“In The Golden Age”
“Deadly Kisses”
“Love Out Of Thin Air”
“Off Season Hotel”
“Hounds Of Hell”
“Conspiracy”
“Rocket To Fame”
“The Devil's In The Details”
“Katherine”
“Hey There Suzi Dear”


“In The Golden Age” lyric video:





“My Way Is The Highway” video:

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.


In this new video, Whitesnake founder and lead singer David 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:

Billy Howerdel, offering a final preview of his forthcoming solo album, What Normal Was (June 10, Alchemy Recordings/Rise Records/BMG), has released the track “The Same Again”. Watch a visualizer below:





What Normal Was album pre-orders and pre-saves, which include an array of limited-edition vinyl variants, and other physical formats, are available here.







What Normal Was tracklisting:


"Selfish Heart"
"Free And Weightless"
"Ani"
"Beautiful Mistake"
"The Same Again"
"Poison Flowers"
"Follower"
"Bring Honor Back Home"
"EXP"
"Stars"


“Selfish Hearts” visualizer:





“Beautiful Mistake” visualizer:





"Poison Flowers" video:





"Free And Weightless" visualizer:





For tickets and ticket info for Howerdel's upcoming tour, including VIP packages, please visit billyhowerdel.com.





Tour dates:


June
11 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Music Hall
12 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre *
14 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
15 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
16 - Roseville, CA - Goldfield Trading Post
18 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
19 - Seattle, WA - Neumos
21 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
22 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
24 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Café
25 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest
26 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
28 - Chicago, IL - Cabaret Metro
29 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall


July
1 - Rochester Hills, MI - Meadow Brook Amphitheatre *
2 - Toronto, ON - Axis Club
3 - Montreal, QC - Café Campus
5 - Allston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
6 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
8 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts
9 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
10 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground
12 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
14 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
15 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall – Inside Downstairs
16 - Dallas, TX - The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
17 - Austin, TX - Emos
20 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom


* with Puscifer


New Jersey-born and Los Angeles-based vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer Billy Howerdel has quietly asserted himself as an alternative music auteur whose knack for massive hooks believes a keen emotional understanding and sonic acuity. Devoting his life to music after witnessing Pink Floyd live, he acted as something of a behind-the-scenes journeyman, working as an in-demand touring and studio tech for the likes of David Bowie, Guns N’ Roses, and Nine Inch Nails.


Striking up a friendship with Maynard James Keenan when Tool opened for Fishbone (for whom Billy served as a tech), he occupied a room in a North Hollywood cottage with Maynard. Billy founded A Perfect Circle with Maynard in 1999. The group’s seminal full-length debut, Mer de Noms, went platinum and made history as the “highest Billboard Top 200 bow for a rock band’s debut.” They followed it with the platinum Thirteenth Step [2003] and gold Emotive [2004]. The group made their return with 2018’s Eat The Elephant, marking their fourth consecutive Top 5 debut on the Top 200.


In between, Billy’s music has also appeared in video games and on the big screen. During 2008, he made his first solo statement under the moniker Ashes Divide with Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright. In the next decade, the album quietly pervaded as a cult favorite with millions of streams and the odd sold out “reunion” show. On his 2022 proper full-length solo debut, What Normal Was [Alchemy Recordings/Rise Records/BMG], he inhabits a space that’s reverent of his past, present, and future all at once. After all of these years, songs, and shows, Billy is ready to introduce himself.


(Photo - Erica Weitz)

The surviving members of LED ZEPPELIN were approached with the idea of staging an ABBA-style digital avatar show, guitarist Jimmy Pagehas revealed.

At the annual Welsh literature event the Hay Festival on Thursday (June 2), Page said that he and his bandmates were asked to do "that sort of thing," referring to the "ABBA Voyage" virtual concert residency launched last week by the Swedish pop group ABBA. However, the project "didn't really get moving," the 78-year-old guitarist added, because he and singer Robert Plant and bassist John Paul Jones couldn't agree. He also spoke positively about Elvis Presley's hologram performance. "I bet that was good, but I didn't see it," he said.

ABBA's virtual show sees the four members of the group — Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad — turned into digital "ABBAtars". The digital performance, which opened last Friday (May 27) in the custom-built ABBA Arena in London's Queen Elizabeth Park, took over a billion hours of processing time to complete, and the members of ABBA spent five hours a day in front of 160 motion-capture units over the course of a month.

Hologram world tours have previously been announced, but never come to fruition. In 2015, there was talk that Whitney Houston would go on the road in holographic form, but a leak of a duet with Christina Aguilera, which suggested the hologram was not up to scratch, led to the withdrawal of the Houston hologram by her estate.

Last year, Christopher Dalston, a booking agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA),revealed to Rolling Stone that he was once approached with the idea of "an AC/DC hologram of Bon Scott," referring to the band's singer who died in 1980. Although he didn't say which hologram company approached him, Dalston added: "We asked ourselves, 'Do we want to represent something with Bon Scott?' And it just wasn't right for us at that point. It's a very personal thing to the groups. … You have to be careful what you do there. AC/DC is still a very current band with Brian Johnson singing."

Ronnie James Dio's wife and manager Wendy Dio, who is affiliated with Eyellusion, the company that created a hologram of the late heavy metal singer, said in a 2017 interview that it was only a matter of time before other rock legends returned to life through holograms, the three-dimensional light projections that have opened new frontiers for the live music and other industries. "Absolutely," she said. "I think the company that we're working with is talking to a lot of different people. And I think it's the way of the future. It's like people were, 'Ooooh…' when the eight-track came out, 'Ooooh, what's this?' And then cassette. 'Oooh, what's this?' And digital, 'What's this? Oh, we don't wanna do that. We only want analog. We don't want digital.' But you know what? It's technology. And also, we're losing our legends day by day; we're losing the innovators of metal and hard rock music; we're losing 'em every day. What are we gonna do? I don't see a lot of bands coming up to take their place."

The Dio hologram made its debut at the Wacken Open Air festival in August 2016 in front of more than 75,000 fans. The hologram production used audio of Ronnie's live performances from throughout his career, with the DIO band playing live, consisting of Craig Goldy on guitar, Simon Wright on drums and Scott Warren on keyboards, along with Bjorn Englen on bass. Also appearing with them are former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens and LYNCH MOB frontman Oni Logan.

After the "Dio Returns" tour's initial seven-date run was completed in December 2017, Ronnie's hologram underwent some changes before the launch of the 2019 leg of the trek, which took place in May and June of that year.

Two former DIO guitarists have publicly expressed their doubts about the Ronnie James Dio hologram. In December 2019, Tracy "G" Grijalva, who played for DIO from 1993 through 1999, said that the hologram "looks creepy" and resembles "a puppet." Nine months earlier, Doug Aldrich, who was in DIO between 2002 and 2006, told XS Rock that "Ronnie would probably not" like the hologram. "He would probably be, like, 'This is not what I signed up for.' A hologram? It's not really what he would want to be. I'm just guessing, you know, that it's something that Wendy thought about and she decided that Ronnie would be fine with it. But I knew Ronnie well enough to know that he was very particular and he would prefer for them to let him just die and be in peace."

In 2020, TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick, who toured with Ronnie on two separate occasions a decade and a half apart — in 1992 when Dio fronted BLACK SABBATH and again in 2008 when Ronnie was the singer of SABBATH offshoot band HEAVEN & HELL — offered his opinion on the Dio hologram on Twitter, writing: "I don't believe in those hologram shows. It would be one thing if the artist was still alive, chose not to tour for whatever reason, gave his or her approval & maybe even had a hand in the process. But Dio had no say." Skolnick also added a thumbs-down emoji as a way of voicing his disapproval.

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman said in a 2016 interview that he had mixed feelings about concerts featuring the Dio hologram. He stated about the prospect of seeing a holographic version of Ronnie: "It makes me sad. I'm always happy to hear any music from anybody that's left us, that we've lost. But I don't know… The hologram thing, to me, it almost isn't letting the dead be dead." He added, "It just seems weird... Is there a difference between a hologram and a guy dressing up like Ronnie James and doing it?"

Last year, Wendy said that she decided to pull the plug on the Dio hologram because she "wanted to see real Ronnie." Speaking about how her reaction to the hologram evolved over the years, she told the "Hangin' & Bangin': Artists On Lockdown" online show: "When I first saw it, I cried. Then I got used to it because it wasn't Ronnie. And then we took it out [on tour]. The first [version] was not that good. The second one was a lot better. But I decided that I don't wanna do it anymore; I decided I want real Ronnie. So we're working on a stage with the DIO band, which will be going out [later in 2022]. Instead of having a hologram, it will have film of Ronnie with the live band playing and with special effects and everything else. So that's what we're working on. We're working on it with Paul Dexter [who was Ronnie's lighting designer and stage designer for years] and a bunch of other people. And also the Eyellusion people, who did do the hologram, are doing a bunch of special effects for us with it."

Wendy continued: "I never say never [about bringing back the hologram], but technology gets different every day, every day, every day. And I just decided that I wanted to see real Ronnie. … QUEEN does [something similar, using footage of Freddie Mercury]. Ours will be a little bit different to that because we have all these great effects, 3D effects. It's almost like going into — what's that ride at Disneyland, when you go through, and it's like a 3D effect? That's what we're working on right now."

Original BON JOVI bassist Alec John Such has died at the age of 70.

The news of Alec's passing was broken by BON JOVI leader Jon Bon Jovi who took to his social media earlier today (Sunday, June 5) to write: "We are heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of our dear friend Alec John Such. He was an original. As a founding member of BON JOVI, Alec was integral to the formation of the band. … To be honest, we found our way to each other thru him — He was a childhood friend of Tico [Torres] and brought Richie [Sambora] to see us perform. Alec was always wild and full of life. Today these special memories bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. We will miss him dearly."

John Such, who also played in an earlier band with Sambora, THE MESSAGE, before ultimately joining BON JOVI, remained in the latter group until his departure in 1994. He was replaced by bassist Hugh McDonald, who became an official member of the band in 2016.

"When I was 43, I started to get burned out," John Such told The Asbury Park Press in 2000. "It felt like work, and I didn't want to work. The reason I got into a band to begin with is because I didn't want to work."

John Such was in BON JOVI when the band released its third album, "Slippery When Wet", a massive hit which sold 12 million copies. Its follow-up, 1988's "New Jersey", was just as successful.

John Such was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2018 along with the rest of the original BON JOVI band. At the time, he said in his acceptance speech: "When Jon Bon Jovi called me up and asked me to be in his band many years ago, I soon realized how serious he was and he had a vision that he wanted to bring us to, and I am too happy to have been a part of that vision."

He continued: "These guys are the best. We had so many great times together and we wouldn't be here if it wasn’t for those guys. Love them to death and always will."
Alec, you will be missed pic.twitter.com/ilfTeYyQhR

— Bon Jovi (@BonJovi) June 5, 2022


❤️ pic.twitter.com/W5guCSgmq9

— Bon Jovi (@BonJovi) June 5, 2022

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN were the headliners Saturday night (June 4) at the Rockfest in Hyvinkää, Finland. Fan-filmed video of the concert 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.

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT kicked off the open-air Platinum Jubilee concert outside Buckingham Palace in London on Saturday (June 4),performing a medley of classic songs, including "We Will Rock You", "Don't Stop Me Now" and "We Are The Champions". Diana Ross, Sir Rod Stewart and DURAN DURAN were among the other big names at the event.

The Platinum Party at the Palace is part of the Platinum Jubilee weekend, which celebrates the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ascension to the throne. The national bank holiday began on Thursday and will conclude on Sunday.

Lambert, along with QUEEN legends Brian May and Roger Taylor, were interviewed by Express just before last night's spectacular show. Brian, who previously performed atop Buckingham Palace 20 years ago during a concert marking the Queen's Golden Jubilee, said: "It’s wonderful to be back. We have some new presentation ideas, so it's going to be very interesting… And we have some songs which everyone knows and they have a special relevance tonight because it's about the Queen and how amazing she has been and how we all want her to carry on."

Adam talked about playing for such a special occasion and his role in the band.

"It's wild," he said. "We're on tour right now so we're ready to go, we're very warm and it always feels great to be a guest of Brian and Roger on the stages around the world. And now to be a guest of the United Kingdom for the Jubilee, it's a huge honor.

"What I've learned about the Queen [is] what an impressive lady, what a graceful and powerful presence in this country. I'm thrilled...

"As I was on stage [rehearsing earlier], I turned around I realized I was in the gate of the palace and thought this is definitely the most surreal thing I have done in a while."

Closing the two-and-half-hour show was legend Ross with her first U.K. live performance in fifteen years.

Hosts Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp led live coverage of the Platinum Party at the Palace which was broadcast live across the BBC. 22,000 people attended the event, including 10,000 tickets allocated in a public ballot and over 7,500 tickets for key workers, members of the Armed Forces, volunteers, and charities.

The unique Platinum Party stage design consisted of three stages, linked by walkways, which created a 360-degree experience in front of Buckingham Palace and The Queen Victoria Memorial. Linking the stages together into one overall design were 70 columns representing Her Majesty's 70-year reign that can be illuminated to provide a full formation of lights and beams. For the first time, two of the three stages sat immediately in front of Buckingham Palace, framing the iconic home of the Queen.

BEARTOOTH singer and principal songwriter Caleb Shomo spoke to Rock Sound at this weekend's Slam Dunk Festival about when fans can expect to hear some new music from his band. He said: "It's coming real soon… [The album is] done. The music video is shot. The photo shoot [is] done. The album art is finished.

"There is a whole new era, a whole new everything — a complete overhaul — new shit coming real soon," he continued. "I'm very excited. No one is fucking ready for what we're about to drop, I'll tell you that — I will tell you that."

Shomo's latest comments come three months after he told WSOU 89.5 FM radio station that "half" of BEARTOOTH's next record was done. "I went out to L.A. — over the last month, I spent about three weeks there in total — and I've just been writing and working and coming up with kind of the new sound for this record," he explained back in March. "And it's just been happening really, really fast. And it's my favorite stuff I've ever written. I know a lot of people say that about their new stuff that's not out yet, but truly for me, it just couldn't describe more about where I'm at in my life, and I think the sound reflects that."

The 29-year-old frontman, who writes, performs, records and mixes everything that goes into BEARTOOTH's albums, elaborated on the musical direction of the band's new material, saying: "I'm trying to kind of push myself in a lot of ways, try new things that I've never tried before, try and show off different parts of my voice that I haven't used before. Yeah, it's going to be a wild ride."

With nearly two million monthly listeners on Spotify, BEARTOOTH has released four albums thus far: "Disgusting" (2014),"Aggressive" (2016),"Disease" (2018) and "Below" (2021).

The Ohio act recently released a deluxe edition of "Below". "Below Deluxe" is expanded to include 32 tracks. For this edition, BEARTOOTH added two new bonus tracks, "Fighting Back" and "Permanently Sealed", as well as a refreshed version of current radio single "Skin (Alternate Universe Version)", which mixes acoustics and electrics. It also includes the full, 17-track live recordings from the "Live From The Journey Below" livestream, recorded at the historic Clyde Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana in July 2021. An exclusive 52-track "Special Video Edition" Apple eMix bundle includes all the official videos plus the videos from "Live From The Journey Below".

METALLICA headlined the BottleRock Napa Valley music festival on May 27 at the Napa Valley Expo in Northern California. Fan-filmed video of the band's performance of the song Hardwired can be seen below.

The setlist was as follows:

01. Hardwired
02. The Memory Remains
03. Wherever I May Roam
04. Seek & Destroy
05. Fuel
06. One
07. Sad But True
08. Whiskey In The Jar
09. The Unforgiven
10. For Whom The Bell Tolls
11. Creeping Death
12. Fade To Black
13. Master Of Puppets

Encore:

14. Battery
15. Nothing Else Matters
16. Enter Sandman

METALLICA recently completed a six-date South American tour, which kicked off on April 27 in Santiago, Chile.

METALLICA played its first concert of 2022 on February 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show, which was reportedly attended by 60,000 fans, featured support from GRETA VAN FLEET and ICE NINE KILLS.

The Las Vegas show took place more than two months after METALLICA's two 40th-anniversary concerts at Chase Center in San Francisco, California which featured different setlists. They were part of METALLICA's "San Francisco Takeover", a four-day citywide celebration of the band's 40th anniversary that also included a film festival, photo exhibit and curated lineup of smaller venue shows featuring other acts.

In February, METALLICA announced it will perform only two summer stadium shows in 2022: Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, New York on August 11, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 14. Both shows will feature special guests GRETA VAN FLEET and ICE NINE KILLS.

METALLICA previously played at Highmark Stadium on July 25, 1992, and Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium on July 26, 1992.

Formed in 1981 by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, METALLICA has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, having sold nearly 120 million albums worldwide and generating more than 15 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents. The band's several multi-platinum albums include "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "… And Justice For All", "Metallica" (commonly referred to as The Black Album),"Load", "Reload", "St. Anger", "Death Magnetic" and "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", released in November 2016 and charting at No. 1 in 32 countries.

METALLICA's awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, and its 2009 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In June of 2018, the band was awarded one of the most prestigious musical honors in the world: Sweden's Polar Music Prize.

METALLICA has a number of European dates scheduled for June and July.

In a brand new interview with "The Eric Zane Show", SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor was asked what his "favorite cover song of all time" is to perform. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's tough, man, because I am a rabid lover of doing covers and whatnot, especially in the right song and the right register — you're not singing outside of it — and you get the right group of people. Or doing a cool acoustic version of one of them. I'm hard pressed to [pick one]. I will say, obviously, one of my favorite songs of all time is 'Would?' by ALICE IN CHAINS, and I got to play that with [ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist] Jerry Cantrell one night at a CAMP FREDDY show many, many moons ago. And it was probably the highlight of my life. Because he wasn't even gonna play, and then some people talked him into jumping up and playing it. And I was just, like, [makes wheezing sound]. This is my moment.' It's still to me one of my favorite, favorite moments."

Taylor previously praised ALICE IN CHAINS during the question-and-answer portion of his December 2021 appearance at Jo Ann Davidson Theatre at the Riffe Center in Columbus, Ohio. When asked to name his favorite of the "big four" Seattle grunge bands — SOUNDGARDEN, ALICE IN CHAINS, PEARL JAM and NIRVANA, he responded: "It has to be ALICE IN CHAINS. ALICE IN CHAINS, to me, is one of the greatest rock bands that ever was. And I don't just mean that from a grunge standpoint or metal or anything like that. They revolutionized so much musically and they inspired me to change the way I write music. I mean, full stop, period, the end of sentence. [Late ALICE IN CHAINS frontman] Layne Staley is still one of the greatest fucking singers that ever lived. Now, that is not a reflection of the demons that he had to fight, obviously, and that's everything to do with his talent. He just made it look so fucking easy, and he could sing anything, he could write anything, and the shit that he was writing about was killing him, and yet we loved it. To me, that was the greatest baring of the soul that I ever listened to. And if you need any more proof of that, all you need to do is listen to 'Nutshell'. It's one of the greatest songs ever written. And that's not even my favorite ALICE IN CHAINS song. My favorite ALICE IN CHAINS song is 'Would?' Full stop. That song is fucking incredible. But 'Nutshell' is such an outpouring of trying to share with you the darkness that's in his heart. And even though you're hearing it, it's so light, you're just, like, 'Fuck. Where is he?' And we never knew. And that's the great tragedy of people like Layne. It's not just Layne, obviously; there's so many people that came from that generation of artists. The pain they dealt with — some of them won, some of them didn't. But the great thing is that we can listen to their music and it can help us get past our own pain. And there's probably not a day that goes by that I don't listen to ALICE IN CHAINS. It's still just that good. And the fact that I know those guys now is just icing on the cake. It's rad to be able to hang out with your favorite band."

Back in 2015, Taylor said that he "would love" to collaborate with Cantrell. He said: "We're really good friends. I've known those guys for quite a while, and ALICE IN CHAINS is one of my favorite bands of all time. I would love to create something cool and dark with him, and just have fun with it. So if I had a chance to, man, I would totally be down with that."

This past February, Taylor released a solo album of covers and acoustic recordings, titled "CMFB…Sides", via Roadrunner Records. "CMFB…Sides" opens with a rendition of METALLICA's "Holier Than Thou" and also features covers from DEAD BOYS, Eddie Money, RED RIDER, KISS and JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND.

In a recent interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen was asked if fans can expect to see the band touring South America in support of the group's latest LP, "Diamond Star Halos". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Definitely. Obviously, this year we're touring the States with MÖTLEY CRÜE, POISON and Joan Jett. And that starts in a couple of [weeks]… But the tour is gonna be three years — at least three years — for the album. [We're doing] America this [year]. Definitely next summer is gonna be Europe. And then South America, Australia [and] Japan — next year, hopefully at some point, we'll be playing all of those markets."

When asked to clarify that the same package that is touring the U.S. will be hitting all the other markets as well, Phil said: "That's what they're talking about. Obviously, I can say, 'Yeah, let's do that,' but we've gotta ask them as well. But I think MÖTLEY CRÜE have signed up. So hopefully that's all gonna come, and Joan Jett and POISON. That would be amazing."

DEF LEPPARD is set to launch "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE and guests POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS on June 16 in Atlanta, Georgia. The 36-date trek, which is due to wrap September 9 in Las Vegas, was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus crisis.

When it happens, "The Stadium Tour" will mark the CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. CRÜE toured with POISON back in 2011 and DEF LEPPARD teamed up with POISON for a string of road dates in 2017, but the upcoming jaunt marks the first time all four acts have hit the road together for an extended tour.

Last July, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx told the 95.5 KLOS radio station that his band and DEF LEPPARD "might even drag" the same tour "to Europe, South America, Japan," but he cautioned, "We don't know yet. Right now it's a little far off. But us and DEF LEPPARD are super close; that's great. And we'll just see what version of 'The Stadium Tour' might fit for other countries, if we decide to go. Maybe it'll be the same lineup. I know people are super stoked for the lineup. It's a good outdoor fun party evening."

As of January 30, 2020, "The Stadium Tour" had already grossed $130 million from one million tickets sold, plus another $5 million worth of VIP seats, according to Billboard.

Tickets ranged from $150 to $400, not counting some varied pricing that reflected demand as part of "dynamic pricing."

CRÜE fans who shelled out for the band's 2014/2015 "farewell" tour were led to believe that the group would never return after playing its final show on December 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band touted the signing of a pre-tour "cessation of touring" agreement as cementing the fact it truly was the end of CRÜE's life on the road.

In May 2021, DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that promoters "made the right decision" by postponing "The Stadium Tour" for a second time. "I think the primary focus has gotta be people's health and well-being," he said. "So I understand why they made that decision. I think if we had gone out [in 2021], it may have been a bit more of a patchwork of a tour as opposed to being able to play the whole thing from start to finish. So, it's a bummer, but here we are."

Allen went on to say that he and his DEF LEPPARD bandmates were disappointed that they wouldn't be able to perform live again in the U.S. until 2022. "We're really bummed, 'cause, obviously, we wanted to get out there," he said. "It's been a long time. And I know — our fans are so loyal. It's incredible. The fact that we got the largest vote for the [Rock And Roll] Hall Of Fame — the fan vote. So our fans are just particularly special; I mean, they've always been a rock. So I feel for them. And I feel for us. But I just want people to come out and be safe."

BRITISH LION, the side project of IRON MAIDEN bassist and founder Steve Harris, performed yesterday (June 3) at the Rockfest in Hyvinkää, Finland. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

The three-day Rockfest festival is being headlined by NIGHTWISH (Thursday, June 2),SCORPIONS (June 3) and IRON MAIDEN (Saturday, June 4).

Last fall, BRITISH LION completed a U.K. headlining tour with support from AIRFORCE.

In October, BRITISH LION withdrew from a U.K. tour with THE DARKNESS, citing "completely unacceptable" tour "protocols."

BRITISH LION's second album, "The Burning", came out in January 2020 in digipack CD, double gatefold vinyl and digital download formats via Explorer1 Music (E1). The LP was recorded, engineered and mixed at Barnyard Studios by Tony Newton and produced by Steve Harris.

BRITISH LION's first U.S. tour took place in January and February 2020.

BRITISH LION comprises singer Richard Taylor, guitarists David Hawkins and Grahame Leslie, Harris on bass and keyboards, and drummer Simon Dawson.

Asked by the Tampa Bay Times what the itch is that BRITISH LION scratches that he doesn't get in his job with MAIDEN, Harris said: "I suppose playing small clubs and being close and personal with the audience. I love playing big places as well. I enjoy them all, and I'm very lucky that I can do them all. But also, it's clubs that I never played with MAIDEN, even in Europe. There's a famous club called the Milky Way in Amsterdam, which I managed to play with BRITISH LION, but I never did that with MAIDEN. There's places now that I'm going to be playing on this [U.S.] tour that I've never played before. So it's all new ground. It's a challenge. It's nice. I like a challenge."

HALESTORM's sophomore album, 2012's "The Strange Case Of...", was certified platinum on June 2 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of a million copies. The LP was previously certified gold in March 2016.

HALESTORM has one other platinum certification: the "I Miss The Misery" single, which appears on "The Strange Case Of...", was certified platinum in March 2019. Two other singles went gold — "Here's To Us" (also from "The Strange Case Of…") and "I Get Off" (from HALESTORM's 2009 self-titled debut album) — while the "Halestorm" LP also was certified gold in March 2016.

The RIAA developed its gold and platinum awards program in 1958 to honor artists and create a standard by which to measure the commercial success of a sound recording. The program trademarked the gold record and formalized the industry practice of presenting awards to artists for music sales achievements.

Presently, the RIAA awards a gold honor for 500,000 units sold, a platinum honor for 1 million units sold and a diamond award for more than 10 million units sold.

In the streaming age, each permanent digital album or physical album sale count as 1 unit for certification purposes, 10 permanent track downloads from the album count as 1 unit for certification purposes, and 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams from the album count as 1 unit. For songs, 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams count as 1 unit for certification purposes.

HALESTORM won the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" Grammy in 2013 for "Love Bites (So Do I)", the first single from "The Strange Case Of...".

HALESTORM's fifth studio album album, "Back From The Dead", was released on May 6 via Atlantic. The follow-up to 2018's "Vicious" was produced by Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, MASTODON, ALICE IN CHAINS) with co-production by Scott Stevens (SHINEDOWN, DAUGHTRY, NEW YEARS DAY).

HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale (guitar/vocals) and her brother Arejay (drums) formed the band in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

In December 2018, HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable".