Alice Cooper, Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST) and Scott Stapp (CREED) are among the artists who performed on April 30 at CoopStock 2 on at Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona. The evening's festivities comprised a silent auction, food trucks, and live celebrity entertainment, including appearances by Larry The Cable Guy, Ed Roland of COLLECTIVE SOUL, Mike Mills of R.E.M., Danny Seraphine of CHICAGO, the comedy and music of Gary Mule Deer, SIXWIRE and Adrian Young of NO DOUBT. Proceeds from the concert benefited Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Teen Centers in Mesa and Phoenix.

Mark "Weissguy" Weiss of Rock Scene magazine has uploaded new video ofCooper, Halford, Stapp and others performing a cover version of THE DOORS classic "Roadhouse Blues" at the event. Check it out below.

The Phoenix location of Alice Cooper's The Rock Teen Center was built in partnership with Genesis Church and Cooper's Solid Rock Foundation. The 22,000-square-foot teen center, which opened in 2012, was meant to offer teens an outlet for their creativity and get them off the streets.

A year ago, the Mesa location of Alice Cooper's The Rock Teen Center opened, showcasing more than 11,000 square feet of space in partnership with Mesa Public Schools.

"Every kid out here," Alice said, "has got talent. Somewhere in you, there’s a talent that you want to get out. We invite you to come in and find your talent. It might not be music. It might be art. It might be dance. Whatever it is, you can discover it at Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Teen Centers."

Asked in a new interview with Business Jet Traveler what prompted him to start his nonprofit, the Solid Rock Foundation, in 1995, Alice said: "I saw a very awkward drug deal go down between two 16-year-old kids, and it came to me: How does that kid not know he could be the best guitar player in town? Because he never picked up a guitar. The other kid could be the best drummer. Solid Rock provides these kids a place to change their life. One of our first success stories was Jordin Sparks, who won 'American Idol'. She started with us when she was 14. It just shows the other kids you can start from nothing and become something really important."



Posted by Lea Woodford on Saturday, April 30, 2022



Posted by Lea Woodford on Saturday, April 30, 2022



Alice Cooper’s Rock & Roll Fundraiser Bash….❤️
Coopstock 2022 🎵🎼🎶

#AliceCooper #CreedScottStapp #PatrickWarburton #JudasPriest #LarryTheCableGuy #GaryTheMule #CollectiveSoul #REMMikeMills #MesaArizona #AliceCooperSolidRockTeenCenter

Posted by Suzie Curtin on Saturday, April 30, 2022



Yes there are perks to creating magazines . Here I am at Alice Cooper's Solid Rock non-profit. So excited to see my son's favorite band in his teens. Creed. Here is Scott Stapp.. love you PJ. Naomi Chirico

Posted by Lea Woodford on Saturday, April 30, 2022



Posted by Lea Woodford on Saturday, April 30, 2022



Posted by Lea Woodford on Saturday, April 30, 2022

Alice Cooper’s Coopstock 2 was as Advertised!! 😎👉🏼

Posted by Chris Edwards on Saturday, April 30, 2022

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Tickets are still on sale for Coopstock 2 on April 30th at Las Sendas Golf Club. Wear your grooviest outfits! Tickets and info at https://www.alicecoopersolidrock.com/event/rock-and-roll-bash-coopstock-2/

Posted by Alice Cooper's Solid Rock on Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Members of TESTAMENT, SUICIDE SILENCE, EXODUS, HATEBREED, AMON AMARTH and QUEENSRŸCHE are among the musicians who have reacted on social media to the passing of Trevor Strnad, vocalist of the Michigan death metal band THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER.

Strnad's death was announced by his bandmates on social media earlier today. They wrote: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Trevor Scott Strnad. Beloved son, brother, and Shepard of good times, he was loved by all that met him. A walking encyclopedia of all things music. He was a hugger, a writer, and truly one of the world’s greatest entertainers. His lyrics provided the world with stories and spells and horror and whimsy. It was his life to be your show." The band also shared the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER guitarist Brandon Ellis wrote in a separate post: "I can not even begin to process this... In total shock and disbelief. It has been my greatest honor to spend the last six and a half years in a band with this absolute icon and legend. A brother. A best friend. One of the funniest and most entertaining people to walk the earth. The life of the party that is THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, as well as any given room he happens to occupy. A lyrical mastermind. A champion of the entire culture of heavy music. Also my biggest supporter. This man changed my life and believed in me more than I do myself. I can not believe there will no more laughs had, songs written together, or stages decimated with Trevor at the helm. I hope he knew how much he was loved the world over."

Last November, Strnad shared on social media that he was having a difficult time dealing with the passing of his mother, who had "died a few weeks" earlier "very abruptly." "Even at 40 years old, it's still hard," he wrote. "We were close. I feel like a lost little kid. Props to the many of you out there who have dealt with this and made it out the other side."

In an April 2021 interview with Metal Injection, Strnad spoke about his battle with depression and alcohol dependence. At the time, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "At the rate I drink while we're gone on tour, it's just not sustainable for getting older. Being 40-plus and being able to do what I do well and not look like a shithead, I've gotta be better to myself. So that's really the impetus [for quitting drinking]. That's the heart of it. It's not that… I know I'm no fun [when I'm drinking].

"I did an eight-month stint with no alcohol out there, but at that time it was more to save a relationship; it wasn't something I really, really wanted to do and really invested myself in. I was embittered by having to do it after a while and kind of resentful of my partner. But this is full-on my choice. I want to have the excitement I had before I ever drank. When we started this band, I was a fucking weird straight-edge kid. And now it's become kind of like… it's a lubricant for me to get up on stage and be funny and be kind of carefree and be the wild guy that [fans] expect of us, that they've seen from our DVDs and shit, which is really just a compilation of the good times. So if you expect any band that's just raging full-on like that all the time, they're not — it's just not sustainable. But it's to the point where I'm having 10 drinks a day plus to go on stage. And two weeks into it, I've been hung over every single day. I'm chasing that hangover with just more liquor, until the end of the tour [by which time] I have doubled my intake just to get by, basically. And it's not fun — it's disgusting; it sucks. It starts as fun. The three of us that drink in the band are, like, 'Yeah, bro. Sipping time.' And it is fun, but it's not sustainable. I've seen photos of myself, videos of myself where I'm, like, 'Yeah, you look like shit.' I don't wanna look like shit. From here on out, it's only gonna get harder to meet people's standards physically.

"Even though it's a death metal band, there are so many eyes on us and so much judgment, it's insane," he continued. "We're not a boy band. I'm not supposed to be fucking handsome. Who gives a fuck? But people berate you. I can't tell you how many times I've been called fat on the Internet. It's insane — literally. You've gotta have a thick skin to do what I do. But also it does wear you down over time, man. Doing all the social media myself and taking the brunt of whatever anonymous abuse, it's accumulated in some self-doubt, it's accumulated in more anxiety, for me, as the band has gotten bigger and bigger and there's more eyes and more pressure."

Trevor went on to say that his 40th birthday was a turning point for him. He explained: "I wanted my 40s to be awesome. I wanna look presentable; I wanna be a better frontman; I want to be more physically fit; I want to go into my 40 screaming. I don't want anyone snickering at me. I don't wanna be in W.A.S.P. I want this band to keep going at this tremendous speed, and I wanna segue into being an older metalhead gracefully. Luckily, in metal you can be an older metalhead. It's not like pop music where they just throw you away. Thankfully, this music is just as much about the past as it is about the present and the future. People are always gonna love the classic metal records. And that's one thing I enjoy about it. It's not this disposable music that you like for a week and throw away.

"I see this band going for another 20 years. But to physically be able to do it at this level and not top out at all is gonna take a focus on health and longevity and sanity too. [Laughs]"

He added: "Being left alone with my thoughts all this time [during the pandemic] has just been so dangerous for me."

Strnad also revealed that he was about to undergo ketamine therapy as a way of treating his depression. "It's intravenous," he said. "They pump ketamine into you over the course of two weeks — three days a week for two weeks. And they put you in this euphoric state for a couple of hours. And eventually you've done it enough to where your brain makes new passageways, new synapses, and you stop doing these cyclic kind of thinking — self-defeating. I've been a lot better now, but there was times when shit got pretty fucking dark for me over the last two years.

"You can go there as an emergency if you're ideating suicide really crazily — they can take you in on an emergency basis. You're basically high as fuck and euphoric as fuck, and they just give you all these great chemicals — you release all these happy chemicals and stuff like that. And they just keep doing that to you until you kind of rewrite the way you think.

"Really, this put the nail in the coffin for me about the way I look at the world, and it's been heavy as fuck," he continued, referring to his life during the pandemic. "I feel like there's no happy ending for any of us in the way that we've set everything up — government and just everything. I feel like it's just gonna be darker and darker from here on out. And that's a lot for a person to think about all the time. It basically stole whatever little bit of innocence I had left or any little blinder I had on to the way shit is. It's been heavy, dude. This has been a heavy fucking thing for me… I'm arrested by all of this right now and by my own feelings. It's just brought my anxiety to an ultimate head, basically. It's to the point where I've gotta do something."

Formed in 2000, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER — named after the infamous 1947 unsolved murder of actress Elizabeth Smart — had a number of shows scheduled for later this year, including a May 20 appearance at Daytona Beach, Florida's Welcome To Rockville festival.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's latest album, "Verminous", came out in 2020. It was described in a press release as the band's "most dynamic, rousing and emotional release to date."
RIP Trevor Strnad, you’ll be missed dearly, my deepest condolences to TDBM, his family, friends & fans. Thanks for all the laughs, the stories, the music, & so much more. ❤️❤️❤️

— Jamey Jasta (@jameyjasta) May 11, 2022


Totally shocking news. Truly great guy/artist. Testament was supposed to tour with the band (derailed by Covid) and it was a blast to work with him in @metalallegiance. Huge loss.
RiP @TrevorTBDMhttps://t.co/PTBESRWWNv

— Alex Skolnick 🇺🇦 (@AlexSkolnick) May 11, 2022


Trevor was nothing but a lover and an amazing, talented human. We will miss him. Our hearts go out to the band, his family and all his fans around the world.⁣
⁣
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline⁣
800-273-8255 pic.twitter.com/g9IQCXhQOV

— Suicide Silence (@suicidesilence) May 11, 2022


Shocked and saddened to hear of Trevor Strands passing.
RIP 🤘@bdmmetal

— Johan Hegg 🇺🇦 (@AmonJohan) May 11, 2022


RIP to our beloved brother Trevor Strnad. We are at a loss for words.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-8255 pic.twitter.com/K7Csrg3Vg8

— Metal Allegiance (@metalallegiance) May 11, 2022


Our hearts go out to Trevor Strnad’s family and loved ones. He lit up stages and grimy green rooms alike. We were once privileged to see him do so nightly, many years ago during a special time in our young lives. Rest easy old friend. 🖤

— Throwdown (@Throwdown) May 11, 2022


This is absolutely devastating.

Our deepest thoughts are with Brian, Alan, Brandon and Max.

Ciao Trevor. pic.twitter.com/HyV5L7JyMh

— Fleshgod Apocalypse (@FApocalypse) May 11, 2022


We love you so much, Trevor.

Thank you for your passion, your generosity, your humor, your immense talent and your indomitable spirit. pic.twitter.com/iwPq3qkJxf

— UNDEATH (@undeathNY) May 11, 2022


Rest easy, Trevor. As long as there’s a young metalhead out there getting introduced to the good stuff by someone even the tiniest fraction as cool and inspiring as you were, you’ll never really be gone.

— UNDEATH (@undeathNY) May 11, 2022


RIP Trevor Strnad @TrevorTBDM - I’m just stunned by this. What a tremendous loss. Sending my love & condolences to everyone. 💔 https://t.co/ns6joaqAhI

— Monte Pittman (@montepittman) May 11, 2022


Deepest condolences to the band and his family. May his memory be a blessing #trevorstrnad

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) May 11, 2022


RIPhttps://t.co/Sr9aesJ1KN

— Todd La Torre (@ToddLaTorre) May 11, 2022



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Absolutely shocked to hear of the passing of Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder 😢 Trevor was part of the Metal…

Posted by Mike Portnoy on Wednesday, May 11, 2022

It’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to TREVOR STRNAD of The Black Dahlia Murder.

Trevor was one of the...

Posted by Broken Hope on Wednesday, May 11, 2022

THE DARKNESS singer Justin Hawkins has weighed in on Jon Bon Jovi's vocal performances during BON JOVI's recent U.S. tour which kicked off April 2 in Omaha, Nebraska. The tour was in support of the album "2020", which was released in October of that year.

The 47-year-old British-born rocker, who currently lives in Switzerland, offered his assessment of Jon's singing ability via his YouTube series "Justin Hawkins Rides Again" where he shares a mixture of serious musician analysis and fun hot takes to his 120,000 subscribers.

After watching a couple of fan-filmed videos of BON JOVI's 2022 tour, Hawkins said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My career is not as long as Jon Bon Jovi's, and not as big as well. Even at the level that we've experienced, if you're in a situation like that and you can't deliver the goods and you can't give your audience what they deserve, that's horrible — it's a horrible feeling — and you don't enjoy touring in that condition; you just wanna go home. And I expect he's feeling the same way, really. But there must be a huge machine around BON JOVI that stops him from being able to pull the plug on it, really, which is what needs to happen, I think. I mean, I'm not talking about pull the plug forever.

"It sounds like he needs some kind of therapy," Justin continued. "And I think a lot of the time, a situation like that… It doesn't sound like it's a polyp or some sort of lump on his vocal cords 'cause that would be more unpredictable — he would be hitting the notes and then it would squeak off and it would do something unexpected. You know that sort of sound when you're entering puberty and your voice becomes unpredictable. Sometimes when you have a growth or a lump on your vocal cords, it can cause that kind of… Unexpected things happen to your voice. Even if you're an experienced singer and you can just hold a note, it will squeak off when you're not expecting it, and it's very hard to sing around those things. But that's not what's happening here. This sounds like he's super tired. Everything's [tuned] down, but he's still… You have to sing a lot with an adjusted key like that to find the sort of muscle memory in your vocal cords anyway, but he's struggling with that, not because it's low; it's just 'cause he's tired. And I think he's psychologically… I don't know… It sounds like something he's gonna need some therapy with — actually talk to somebody and try and coax the performances back out. It doesn't sound to me like there's damage in there. I'm not a doctor but I've experienced voice problems before. And to hold a note with it being off key suggests some pitching issues that might be to do with hearing as well.

"It's not fun to watch this and it isn't fun to regard one of the greats. He's a great singer — he always has been — but this sounds like something is eating away at him from the inside. And I don't think it's a voice injury; I think it's more of something like a manifestation of performance anxiety that's stopping him from delivering his trademark Gale Force 10 mega vocal that you need on these huge tracks, these anthemic mega hits. And I feel like the people around him need to tell him to stop. It must be difficult when… I suppose if you're afraid of getting the sack, I suppose it's difficult to talk to a singer in that way. I don't know what the dynamic is in their organization, but I think if I was working for Jon Bon Jovi and I cared about the 'brand,' I would ask him to consider canceling the tour and getting some medical attention.

"It saddens me to see it," Justin added. "I'm sure we're all disappointed."

In his review of BON JOVI's April 3 concert at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Ross Raihala of the Pioneer Press called Jon's vocals "shockingly poor," adding that Bon Jovi "struggled throughout the two-plus-hour show. He wasn't just butchering the older stuff, which the band now plays in a lower key, but the fresh material as well… Quite frankly, it felt like he had forgotten how to sing."

Théoden Janes of The Charlotte Observer was a bit kinder in his assessment of Jon's voice at the fourth concert on the new tour, which came to Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on April 8. In his review of the performance, Janes wrote: "Throughout the band's rendition of 2004 promo single 'The Radio Saved My Life Tonight', it felt like [Jon] was searching for the right note and only finding it 60 to 70% of the time. During every chorus of megahit 'You Give Love A Bad Name', he seemed to unintentionally be singing a little behind the beat, and on top of that, there wasn't much punch to his vocals — yet he inexplicably seemed somewhat out of breath in spots. On another big anthem — 'It's My Life' — he once again was quite clearly veering into and out of key. And those were just three out of the first five songs."

Kevin Coffey reviewed BON JOVI's tour kick-off concert for Omaha World-Herald and noted that "[Jon's] voice's heft, which carried choruses of songs like 'Livin' On a Prayer' and 'It's My Life' is now reedy. He sounds thin. There's not a lot of tone in his voice. He can't quite hit the notes… Luckily for Jon Bon Jovi, he had the help of six additional musicians and their considerable vocal abilities to keep him afloat."

BON JOVI's recent tour marked the band's first full-scale run of shows of the pandemic era. Dubbed simply "Bon Jovi 2022 Tour", the 15-date trek concluded on April 30 in Nashville.

After BON JOVI's summer 2020 tour was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the now-60-year-old singer remained in the public eye by performing at benefit shows, livestreamed gigs and taking part in promotional appearances.

Last October, Jon Bon Jovi canceled his appearance at a Miami Beach concert after testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The singer, who is said to be fully vaccinated, pulled out of the fan event minutes before he was supposed to take the stage for an acoustic Halloween performance at the Loews South Beach.

Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen has shared another cover song from her growing catalogue of solo performances. It is taken from Germany's Sing Meinen Song program. Check it out below.


Floor: "Getting to know Elif in South Africa was so good. Her determination, attitude and way with words was inspiring and a pleasure to experience. I hope you like this performance of her song, 'Freunde'!"










Jansen released her first ever original solo track, "Fire", on March 25th. The live performance of "Fire" below took place at  HLF8 on Dutch television. Backing Jansen up are Ivo Maarhuis (drums), Joost van den Broek (keyboards), Levy Simon (guitar) and Jelle Stokhof (bass)

In a new interview with Jave Patterson of Two Doods Reviews, FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho discussed his recent admission that he and his bandmates use "backing tracks for some songs" during their live performances. The conversation took place a month after SiriusXM radio personality Eddie Trunk blasted the rock band SANTA CRUZ for allegedly using pre-recorded tracks during a recent concert, saying it's "unreal" how fans and promoters are seemingly okay with the practice.

While most of Trunk's social media followers were in complete agreement with him on the topic when he first broached it in relation to SANTA CRUZ on April 8, several took the opportunity to criticize him for failing to call out Jericho — whom Eddie has repeatedly referred to as a "close friend" in the past — for confirming that FOZZY utilizes backing tracks and insisting that "everybody" else does as well. Jericho was a guest on the April 4 episode of Trunk's SiriusXM show "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" but was not questioned about the backing-tracks comments that he had made just days earlier.

When asked by Patterson to clarify how much FOZZY relies on backing tracks and whether running backing tracks means being able to do a show or not do a show for a band like FOZZY, Jericho responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I think there's a real misconception… You used the word 'rely' — that's also the wrong word to use as well. And Eddie Trunk actually came to our show at Asbury Park and did a whole show about FOZZY in that we're all playing and singing a thousand percent. What we use tracks for is background noises, keyboards, industrial sounds for [our cover of FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD's song] 'Relax' — ambience, that sort of thing. And that's what bands use… That's what we use backing tracks for. Take the tracks away… As a matter of fact, in Aurora, Illinois on this tour, the tracks completely shut down — we did the entire set exactly the way that it was, and it sounded great. It's just you have the ear candy and little extra nuances that makes the show just better. It makes it sound better because you're hearing things that you can't do if you don't have a keyboard player or a string section. 'Army Of One' has a whole symphony on it. What are we gonna do? Pack up 15 guys in a tour bus and take them with us down to wherever the hell we are? Obviously, some bands do use them more. SANTA CRUZ was using 'em — that's the band. We toured with SANTA CRUZ.

"I think in this day and age there's so much of a debate about it where most people really don't care," Chris continued. "It just adds to the show. And most people don't analyze it like that. But for the Eddie Trunk thing, you can go listen to his Sirius show and listen to him when he came to the Asbury Park show [at] the Stone Pony that we had. And he said, 'I came to see the show, and I was analyzing it and they were singing and playing, and it was great. And they're an awesome band.'

"For whatever reason, we got lumped into this whole discussion — because I said we use tracks," Jericho added. "Ask Zach [Myers] from SHINEDOWN if they use tracks. Ask Matt [M. Shadows] from AVENGED SEVENFOLD. It's just how bands work. Unless you're gonna go out there like THE [ROLLING] STONES with 17 people, and we can't do that. It's not plausible. It's not practical. And like I said, this is rock and roll. If I wanna put fucking strings on a song, I'm gonna do it and play it on the track.

"Guess what — when QUEEN was touring in the '70s and they did 'Bohemian Rhapsody', they didn't have five opera singers going, 'Scaramouche, Scaramouche.' They used tracks. Would you say QUEEN is a track band? No. But they used tracks. It's okay. People, it's okay."

Back in July 2020, Jericho was accused by Sebastian Bach of using pre-recorded lead vocal tracks during live performances. The former SKID ROW frontman initially claimed Jericho was "miming to a tape" at FOZZY concerts in a social media post. In response, the wrestler-turned-rocker insisted that he had "never mimed anything ever" and challenged Bach to a "singoff" with "no effects, no tuning, no bullshit", saying "Bas is a great singer...but I'm better".

In the months that ensued, Bach brought up Jericho's alleged lip syncing on several occasions, most recently in January 2021 in an interview with The Aquarian Weekly. Asked specifically about his feud with Chris, Sebastian said: "I have an open mind about everyone. If I read on Blabbermouth.com [sic] that some band says, 'We're the future of rock 'n' roll and we are the next thing after THE ROLLING STONES,' I think, this must be incredible! What have I been missing out on? So, I checked out one video during which the singer was 100% miming to a tape on stage at The Rockpile in Toronto. I thought to myself, 'That's weird, that's not the next ROLLING STONES.' So, I watch another video where he was opening up for NICKELBACK in an arena and, again, he's miming to a tape. You can go watch it for yourself. Then someone said, 'Here's a clip of him singing live. Legit, bro.' And it's him miming to a tape again. It's crazy obvious. It is not my opinion, it's fact. It is not me starting a fight. But don't tell me what singing live is, 'cause I have never used tape. I don't even know how to do that."

Jericho's most public reaction to Bach's criticism came in a January 2021 tweet. At the time, he wrote: "I've been told that @sebastianbach continues to go out of his way to bury me. My response is this...be my guest! You are entitled to ur opinion & it doesn't affect me either way. I still dig ur work on the first 3 @OfficialSkidRow albums & look forward to ur new record."

When Bach first went public with his Jericho accusation, FOZZY guitarist Rich Ward called Sebastian "universally disliked" and said that seeing Bach "publicly go after the only guy that I have ever witness utter a nice word about him is sad."

Sebastian, who has been outspoken about rock bands using pre-recorded backing tracks during live shows, later tried to explain his outburst, writing: "I'm not trying to beat anybody at anything. I'm actually trying to say hey Chris maybe you're right maybe I'll stop singing live and prance around while the tape is playing just like you do Chris. I'm tired of trying so hard it's like beating my head against the wall."

After a self-proclaimed Bach fan called Sebastian "an asshat" on Twitter for firing "the first shots" in his war of words with Jericho, Bach came back with: "Hey man f*** you. I have spent my life learning how to sing live on stage. When someone comes along and mimes to a tape it sucks for all of the rest of us that don't. You want to go see a wrestling match good. Don't call it rock and roll".

Miljenko Matijević is a world-class vocalist who embodies Steelheart and has performed as the lead singer for the current-day Doors and as the singer for the ‘fictional’ band Steel Dragon from the film Rock Star (starring Mark Wahlberg) which also includes Zakk Wylde, Matt Sorum and Jeff Pilson. 


The Croatian rocker has lived in Korea and is now living in Los Angeles as he pursues music and acting opportunities.  Matijevic has dedicated his most recent material to bringing the world together – releasing “Trust In Love”. The epic video is a love-letter to Korean culture, Directed/Produced by Matijevic along with Director of photography Robert Reed Altman (son of legendary director, Robert Altman).







Over two years in the making, the song was originally conceived as a plea for the peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula, but the song has evolved into a wider-reaching message for the masses. Amidst the current geopolitical climate, and the invasion and war on Ukraine in particular, Matijević’s song is inspirational and highly relevant. “One night after watching the news on television, I was saddened to hear about the pain and suffering that the people of North and South Korea are going through,” says Matijević. “I turned off the television and sat down at my piano, immediately the song started writing itself. The words ‘Trust in Love’ came to me, and I knew this song was meant for the Korean people. And now, in light of what’s happening in Ukraine, I feel that this message is something meant for the entire world.”


The song has been released in English and Korean on all major music streaming and downloading platforms.  The Mandarin Chinese version is out today.  Set to top the Guinness World Record for languages one song is recorded in, the verses of “Trust In Love” have been recorded in 13 languages, among them English, Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Hindi, Croatian, French, German, Swedish, Russian and Ukrainian (the 14th) is in development. 


A Steelheart 30th Anniversary album, with a remake of Steel Dragon’s “We All Die Young” is in the works.  Matijevic is also preparing for two feature film roles in the coming months.

Bret Michaels was joined by POISON cover band SHOT OF POISON on stage during his April 28 concert at Six String Grill & Stage in Foxborough, Massachusetts to perform the POISON classic "Nothin' But A Good Time".

Four days later, SHOT OF POISON shared video and photos of the performance on social media, writing in an accompanying message: "SHOT OF POISON was honored and humbled to join Bret Michaels and the Bret Michaels Band live on stage performing Nothin' But a Good Time at the Six String Stage, Patriot Place, at Gillette Stadium on Draft Day! The room was packed with friends, family and fans and the vibe was electric! Bret promised to bring the party to town and he sure did. SOP enjoyed every moment of this amazing night and are so honored to receive Bret's kindness, friendship and support! Thank You Bret Michaels!"

Bret originally invited SHOT OF POISON to perform with him after watching E! network's "Clash Of The Cover Bands" last December. SHOT OF POISON didn't win the competition — they lost to a DEPECHE MODE cover band — but Michaels made sure they went home with more than nothing, but a good time. Michaels invited SHOT OF POISON to join him on stage for one of his upcoming solo shows.

"For all your hard work and dedication to making a POISON show look incredible and everything that you do, I want to invite you on stage to a Bret Michaels show, and we will do 'Nothin' But A Good Time' on my 'Nothin' But A Good Vibe' tour," Michaels tweeted on December 2, 2021.

"They play great live music and I love the energy they brought to 'Clash Of The Cover Bands'," he added.

"Thank you for the shout-out, and we'd be HONORED to play 'Nothin' But A Good Time' on stage with you during a stop on your upcoming 'Nothin' But S Good Vibe' tour," SHOT OF POISON responded.

SHOT OF POISON is a group of talented, veteran, local rock musicians and innovative musical businessmen who've created a top-shelf tribute to the 35th anniversary of the greatest, hard-rocking, glam-slam party band ever — POISON. SHOT OF POISON's full intention is to bring audiences the look and sound they expect, to make the best modern-day POISON experience in the world.

E! 's "Clash Of The Cover Bands" pits two cover bands head to head for a chance to win $10,000. The series airs on E!

While preparing for POISON's upcoming stadium tour, which begins on June 16 in Atlanta, Georgia, Michaels has many projects, including select solo performances, private engagements, a development deal, and several documentaries in the works.

Shot of Poison was honored and humbled to join Bret Michaels and the Bret Michaels Band live on stage performing Nothin'...

Posted by Shot of Poison on Friday, April 29, 2022

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello will be among this year's recipients of the Spirit Of John Brown Freedom Award. The award will be presented May 14 at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site, located just outside the village of Lake Placid in New York state's Adirondack Mountains. Also set to be honored are choreographer Tiffany Rea-Fisher and visual artist Karen Davidson Seward.

The Spirit Of John Brown Freedom Award honors women and men whose work invokes the passion and conviction of the 19th-century abolitionist and celebrates leaders and innovators in civil and human rights whose courage, creativity, and commitment are models for others to follow. Established in 2016, the award is given annually at John Brown Day.

"John Brown was not only anti-slavery, he was not only an abolitionist, but he was a true egalitarian," said Martha Swan, executive director of John Brown Lives! "So the spirit of John Brown, that commitment to justice, that commitment to equality and the egalitarian community is something that we really try to lift up with the Spirit Of John Brown Freedom Award."

John Brown Day events at the Historic Site are free and open to the public. They will be followed by a fundraising reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Smoke Signals restaurant in Lake Placid. Tickets are $100 per person or $160 for two people.

Morello is a founding member and guitarist of the rock bands RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE. The two bands are responsible for multiple Grammy Awards and a combined 30 million albums sold worldwide. Morello has also received critical acclaim as a solo artist known as THE NIGHTWATCHMAN. Widely celebrated for his unique voice as a master electric guitarist, he is recognized by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "100 Greatest Guitar Players of All Time (#26)." He was also one of only two guitarists featured as a playable animated character in the overwhelmingly popular Activision video game "Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock".

Tom graduated from Harvard University with honors as a political science major and has been a widely recognized political activist throughout his career. With SYSTEM OF A DOWN's Serj Tankian, Morello formed Axis Of Justice, an organization whose purpose is to bring together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice.

Photo credit: Eitan Miskevich

Enigmatic dark metal outfit, Deathwhite, will release their third studio album, Grey Everlasting, on June 10 via Season Of Mist. The band is now sharing the song "White Sleep", which you can listen to below.


Says the band: "It is our utter distinction to share the third single from Grey Everlasting, ‘White Sleep.’ Like ‘Earthtomb,’ ‘White Sleep’ explores new territory, most notably on the vocal front. We have long been wedded to clean vocals, but ‘White Sleep’ provided the opportunity to try something more aggressive. The song is our encapsulation of the last several years when the desire to remain in a state of eternal sleep sometimes outweighed dealing with the reality that is the world and its innumerable, unsolvable issues. It is no doubt a struggle many have experienced. In the end though, it is a far greater achievement to pull oneself up by the proverbial boot straps and forge ahead.







Written just as the global lockdown began in March 2020, Grey Everlasting is an album of diversity and depth. While the band’s clean vocal delivery set to the backdrop of unyielding dark metal remains ever-present, some new wrinkles are added to Deathwhite’s sound. Extreme metal elements - a reference to the band’s musical background - as well as heavy keyboard orchestration have been brought to the fore. The album also treads more atmospheric paths while staying true to Deathwhite’s melodic underpinnings.


Pre-order the new album here, pre-save here.





Grey Everlasting tracklisting:


"Nihil"
"Earthtomb"
"No Thought Or Memory"
"Quietly, Suddenly"
"Grey Everlasting"
"White Sleep"
"Immemorial"
"Formless"
"So We Forget"
"Blood And Ruin"
"Asunder"


"No Thought Or Memory" visualizer:





"Earthtomb" video:





(Photo - Shane Mayer)

Frontiers Music Srl will release "Live From Hollywood", a new live album and long-form video from internationally renowned rock guitarist Orianthi, on CD/DVD and Blu-ray on July 15. The performance was captured on January 8, 2022 at the Bourbon Room in Hollywood, California and sees the guitarist and her excellent backing band in fine form, playing songs from Orianthi's most recent release "O" and cuts like her hit "According To You".

This new live release serves as an appetizer for Orianthi's upcoming new studio album, which will be released later in 2022.

Orianthi's first major solo artist success, as a singer-songwriter and guitarist, was with the Geffen Records release of "According To You", which is now RIAA-certified platinum and has over 17 million streams on Spotify. Her music's ability to transcend time and remain relevant cannot be more clear than its recent resurgence on TikTok. There are over 83 million views on the "According To You" hashtag, making it a viral trend that is introducing Gen Z to Orianthi for the first time in a big way. Career-long fans are used to seeing their favorite world-class guitarist playing arenas with rock royalty and global superstars like Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana, Carrie Underwood, Alice Cooper and more. The juxtaposition of her newly arrived online popularity and her lifelong pursuit of artistic credibility is the nebulous of this shining star.

"Live From Hollywood" track listing:

01. Contagious
02. Sinners Hymn
03. Heaven In This Hell
04. Think Like A Man
05. You Don't Wanna Know
06. What's It Gonna Be
07. Courage
08. Blow
09. Impulsive
10. Blues Won't Leave Me Alone
11. According To You
12. How Do You Sleep

Recording lineup:

Orianthi - Guitar, Vocals
Nick Mayfield - Guitar
Carmen Vandenberg - Guitar
Justin Andres - Bass
Michael Bearden - Keyboards
Glen Sobel - Drums

Orianthi's first new studio album in seven years and her first new music as a solo artist in six years, "O", came out in November 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl.

In April 2020, Orianthi told the "Australian Rock Show" about her fourth solo album: "I'm so excited about this record — really excited. "We did it in 28 days in Nashville. [I made the record with] Marti Frederiksen, who's a dear friend of mine, an amazing songwriter, producer. I just go out to Nashville, where my management is at, and I love it over there. I made actually my last record too, with Dave Stewart there, at Blackbird [studio]. There's some kind of energy in Nashville — it's just a great feeling when you get there. So many musicians are there. And we just jumped right into the studio. Marti and I wrote and recorded, in 28 days, all the songs. And, yeah, it was just a great, fun experience."

Regarding the musical direction of her latest material, Orianthi said: "This record is not too much of a departure from my past stuff, but it is different. So I think people will get what they sort of expect, with that heavy riffage and big solos, but there's a lot of different sounds going on and textures, with drum loops and synths. It's not just staying with one tone throughout the whole record… There's some heavy tracks on there. There's some lighter tracks [and] bluesy tracks. As I said, it's different, but it's kind of what people were sort of expecting.

"The thing is you have to keep on evolving and changing," she explained. "You don't make the same record over and over again; I would just bore the hell out of myself and everyone else. So I wanna keep on changing."

Born in Australia, Orianthi was inspired to learn guitar at a young age after discovering her father's vinyl collection. She rose to international fame at age 24 after the release of her hit single "According To You" and a high-energy performance backing Carrie Underwood at the 2009 Grammy Awards. Although she had already been invited to jam with the likes of Carlos Santana and Steve Vai, mainstream audiences had not previously heard of this captivating guitar prodigy.

Her recognition increased even further when Michael Jackson called with an offer to be his guitarist for his dates at the O2 Arena in London. Although the concert series was not to be, the release of the behind-the-scenes documentary "Michael Jackson's This Is It" showcased Orianthi's masterful playing as well as her creativity and collaboration.

Former MEGADETH members David Ellefson and Jeff Young reunited on stage last night (Tuesday, May 10) at Ultimate Jam Night, the long-running community-oriented show in residency at the famed Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, as part of a special tribute to the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. The event marked the first time David and Jeff have played MEGADETH songs together on stage since the U.K.'s Monsters Of Rock festival on August 20, 1988.

According to the Whisky A Go Go Facebook page, last night's concert featured appearances by the following "very special guests":

* David Ellefson (MEGADETH)
* Jeff Young (MEGADETH)
* Neil Turbin (DEATHRIDERS, BLEED THE HUNGER, ANTHRAX)
* Mike Heller (FEAR FACTORY)
* Bryan Beller (DETHKLOK, JOE SATRIANI, STEVE VAI)
* Ira Black (METAL CHURCH, HEATHEN, I AM MORBID)
* Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES, GOD FORBID)
* Paulie Z (BOHEMIAN QUEEN, SWEET)
* Fred Aching (POWERFLO, BILLY BIO, CULPRIT)
* Patrick Stone (BUDDERSIDE)
* Jordan Ziff (MARTY FRIEDMAN, RATT)
* Mike Dupke (DEE SNIDER, W.A.S.P.)
* Philip Näslund (MULTI-PLATINUM PRODUCER)
* Rick Thorne (PRO BMX-ER)
* Ricky Bonazza (BUTCHER BABIES)
* Gregory Coates (LEMMO, ROCK OF AGES)
* Miles Schon
* Lonny Pasillas (ZOLTO)
* Victor Wichmann (ROCK VOICE BRAZIL, SUN CHASKY)
* Gabriel Colon (CULPRIT)
* Gabriel Connor (RED DEVIL VORTEX)
* JD McGibney (ANGELS ON THE BATTLEFIELD)
* Johnny Blade (NIGHTSWORD, OZZMANIA)
* Adi Argelazi (WHITE WITCH, 27 CLUB)
* Eduardo Baldo (RED DEVIL VORTEX)
* Luis Kalil (RED DEVIL VORTEX)
* Danny Almanza (MOTORBREATH, DAMAGE, INC)
* Frank Valdez (MOTORBREATH)
* Neil Metcalf (HIRAX)
* Natalie Nova (BEYOND THE ROOTS)
* Robert Madrigal (DIE BY THE SWORD)
* Chaz Leon (WOKE UP DEAD)
* Dino Gonzalez (NEIL TURBIN)
* Eleazar Llerenas (NEIL TURBIN)
* Frank Gastelum (NEIL TURBIN)
* Kevin Mayorga (NEIL TURBIN)
* Francis Cassol (RAGE IN MY EYES)
* Freddy Scott (RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, SHERMANS SHOWCASE AMC)
* Yohai Portal (GREENBLACK, ASHENMOON)
* Adrian Villanueva (DEEP CUTS, ENGRAVE)
* Anthony Vera (BULLET BUMPS)
* Ira Black Jr (CORRUPT)
* Efren Corrupt (CORRUPT)
* Vincent Salazar (VEXXUM)
* Matt Anderson (VEXXUM)
* Edgar Delgado (VEXXUM)
* Geremi Perez (VEXXUM)

The Whisky A Go Go concert came four months after Ellefson and Young reunited in Los Angeles for interviews to be included in the upcoming feature-length documentary "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza". Ellefson has signed on as a co-producer of the film, and also will provide narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of the late MEGADETH drummer's life.

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH a year ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Dave Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.



My buddy, Chaz Leon killing it with Jeff Young and David Ellefson on "In My Darkest Hour!" Wow! What a treat!

Posted by Brad Schecter on Tuesday, May 10, 2022

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford says that he is "so grateful and honored to be" finally getting inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

PRIEST will receive the Musical Excellence Award at the fall 2022 event, which will honor Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

In an interview with Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame museum president and CEO Greg Harris, Halford stated about the honor (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The fact that we have some more heavy metal in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, that's something that us metal maniacs have been longing for and we still long for. We know at some point our wish list of our other friends will maybe have the opportunity to get into the hallowed Halls. But this is not just for JUDAS PRIEST — this is for heavy metal music.

"Heavy metal music is such an important part of the culture and fabric of the United States — so much so that you get a band like PRIEST on 'The Simpsons'. That's the reach that this band has — we'll come into your home at any moment. And that's the great love affair that we've had with America since we first set foot on the shores in the mid-to-late '70s. We keep coming back because we love the United States and we love rock and roll in America. And the fact that we're still here speaks volumes for endurance and believing in yourself and having the great love and support of your fans that have kept us alive and strong and proud in JUDAS PRIEST and for heavy metal.

"So, yes — it's many things rolled into one for this beautiful opportunity, and we're so grateful and honored to be, at long last, in the heavy metal Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."

The award for Musical Excellence — which was originally titled the "Sidemen" category when it debuted — is given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.

Back in 2010, when the Sidemen category was renamed the award for Musical Excellence, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation president Joel Peresman told The Plain Dealer the category "gives us flexibility to dive into some things and recognize some people who might not ordinarily get recognized."

JUDAS PRIEST is the second band to receive the award for Musical Excellence; the E STREET BAND was the first. Last year, late OZZY OSBOURNE and QUIET RIOT guitarist Randy Rhoads was one of the recipients of the Musical Excellence Award.

The induction ceremony will be held on November 5, 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. It will air at a later date on HBO and stream on HBO Max. There will also be a radio simulcast on SiriusXM's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Radio channel 310.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the JUDAS PRIEST members that will get inducted include current members Halford, Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members K.K. Downing (guitar),Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

JUDAS PRIEST was previously on the ballot for Rock Hall induction in 2020, but failed to receive enough votes to make that year's class.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was also on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination.

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

Arizona sludge/desert metallers Healing Magic will release their Volume I: Fire full-length via Blood Blast on May 27th.


Healing Magic are a natural force of raw sludge, splicing fuzzed-out riffage, ritualistic rhythms, and colossal heaviness amidst drifts of smoke and psychedelics. The duo, hailing from the deserts of Arizona, take influence from the majesty of the mountains, mesas, and spirit of the Canyon State, imparting the music with a blazing desert vibe. Each song is like a trip into a dark fantasy world, a world teeming with a sense of despair, urgency, and unknown dangers -- truly a unique sound, rife with crunching overdrive that is only complimented by subtle melodies and epic song structuring. 


Riff-writer and storyteller Igor Amadeus Cavalera wields his guitar and array of amplifiers like a powerful mage, blasting out sonic magic through his speakers while also commanding incantations, shrieking like a witch, and chanting in ways that will leave you entranced under his spell. Drum and cymbal destroyer Johnny Valles smashes and crashes like a hammer wielding warrior, delivering earth shattering drumbeats with ease, and holding down rhythms that shake the very building he’s in. The duo together is a true marvel to witness live, and nearly impossible to believe that so much raw noise and energy could come from just two people. A magic all their own.




Lyrically, the band is centered around the story of The Healer and The Tyrant, in an ever-constant struggle between light and dark. Volume 1: Fire is the first album in the epic saga which will unfold in the years to come. Dealing heavily in mysticism, adventure and pain, the words are sure to strike a chord with you as much as the music.


Comments Cavalera, "Volume 1: Fire was as spectacular to create as it is to listen to now. It truly showcases what Johnny and I are capable of and sets the stage for our four-album saga. Immerse yourself into the story of The Healer; a tale of adventure, knowledge, spirituality and loss, accompanied by a roaring soundscape. As fiery and blazing as the barren Arizona wastes, it will leave you scorched!"


Adds Valles, “The writing of this album is something I’ll cherish forever. The hard work and dedication that went into this shines from beginning to end and it sets the perfect, aural atmosphere for this triumphant tale.”


In advance of the release of Volume 1: Fire, Healing Magic has unveiled, “A Guiding Flame (In A Dim Corridor)”. 





Volume 1: Fire was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Today Is The Day’s Steve Austin and will be released digitally with physical editions to follow at a later date. Find digital pre-orders at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Mystic Desert"
"Smoke Horns"
"Resting Beside Embers"
"A Guiding Flame (In A Dim Corridor)"
"Wolf Coven"
"The Lion’s Throne"
"Solar Valley"
"Volcanic"
"Leaving Ashes"


Coinciding with the release of Volume I: Fire, Healing Magic will appear on Max And Iggor Cavalera’s 2022 Return Beneath Arise US Tour. The month-long journey runs from May 22nd in Albuquerque, New Mexico and runs through June 25th in Tempe, Arizona. Additional support will be provided by Destruction, Warbringer, and Cephalic Carnage on select dates. As an added bonus, the CD version of Healing Magic’s Volume I: Fire will be available for purchase throughout the tour. See all confirmed dates below.





May
22 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
23 - Lubbock, TX - Jake's
24 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
25 - Little Rock, AR - Little Rock Music Hall
26 - Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl
27 - Huntington, WV - The Loud
28 - Baltimore, MD - Maryland Deathfest
31 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre


June
1 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
2 - Harrisburg, PA - XL Live
3 - Columbus, OH - The King Of Clubs
4 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
5 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Piere's Event Center
6 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
8 - Lincoln, NE - Royal Grove
10 - Denver, CO - The Oriental Theater
11 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
13 - Tacoma, WA - Elks Temple at Spanish Ballroom
14 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
16 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
17 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
18 - Los Angeles, CA - The Belasco
21 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
22 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
23 - San Antonio, TX - The Rock Box
24 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Outside
25 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee


(Photo by Joey Nugent)


 

TESTAMENT was joined by EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza for its performance of the song "Over The Wall" on May 2 at the House Of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts. The concert was part of the two bands' joint U.S. tour, "The Bay Strikes Back", also featuring DEATH ANGEL.

Souza fronted the pre-TESTAMENT band LEGACY and performed "Over The Wall" live with the latter group before leaving to join EXODUS as the replacement for Paul Baloff. Billy joined TESTAMENT in 1986, just after they had changed their name from LEGACY following Souza's departure.

Regarding how he came to join TESTAMENT, Billy told Metal Hammer in a 2020 interview: "Zet was my younger brother's best friend, so I went to see their gig in Alameda. It was Eric [Peterson] and his brother Derek on guitar, and they all wore priest collars. It was very entertaining. Like, 'Wow, these guys are pretty good.' Shortly after that, Alex [Skolnick, guitar] joined the band and did the demo, and that's when Zet played me the demo with three songs. I was, like, 'Wow, these are really mature songs for those kids I saw playing not too long ago.'

"When Zet decided to leave to join EXODUS, he kind of handed me the baton: 'Call Alex. They need a singer now.’ At that point, I was, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna find a band that I'm gonna join and be a part of it.' And I walked right into that band. The timing was perfect."

Recalling his TESTAMENT audition, Chuck said: "Those guys were wearing leather jackets and into SLAYER and MERCYFUL FATE. They were, like, 'I don't know about this guy. He wears spandex and he's got a streak in his hair.' They were so against me not being the singer. But I got the audition.

"I went down there but the room was so small that all of us couldn't fit in the room. I just put my PA speakers in the room and I stood in the hallway looking in the door, and I did the three songs that they'd done on the demo, and I thought I killed it. They said, 'Okay, you've got it but you've got to dress different. You've gotta wear Levi's and a leather jacket and a T-shirt. No more spandex.' That was a turning point in my life."

TESTAMENT, EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL kicked off the 2022 edition of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" on April 9 at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California. The show marked TESTAMENT's first appearance with drummer Dave Lombardo since he rejoined the group earlier this year.

An original member of thrash metal legends SLAYER, Lombardo was the guest drummer on TESTAMENT's 1999 studio album "The Gathering", which also marked the first time the band worked with then-up-and-coming British producer/engineer Andy Sneap.

"The Bay Strikes Back Tour" was originally scheduled to take place last October and November before being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

When "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" was postponed from its original time frame, Peterson said in a statement: "We were really on the fence with this decision. But seeing other bands make it through with a few mild cases and other bigger bands just canceling their entire tours, we felt it is in our best interest to postpone these shows to '22."

Guitarist Thomas Zwijsen has released the new video below, in which he performs an acoustic cover of "The Evil That Men Do", featured on Iron Maiden's 1988 album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.





Zwijsen previously released an acoustic classical guitar cover of Maiden's "Lost In A Lost World", as well as an acoustic rendition of "Arc Of Space", from Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson's Accident Of Birth album. Watch both below:

Cave In are set to return with their Relapse Records debut, Heavy Pendulum, their first full studio record in over a decade. Today, the band share a music video for the album cut, "Reckoning", the first Cave In song to be fully written by guitarist Adam McGrath.


Guitarist/vocalist Adam McGrath comments: “‘Reckoning’ started as a demo I sent to the band for consideration while mapping out the tracklist for Heavy Pendulum. It was inspired by the idea of adding a song to the acoustic/electric live sets Steve and I had been performing on and off for the last 20 years. A fresh song with that set-up (acoustic/electric guitar) seemed exciting to pursue. Somewhere between Led Zeppelin’s ‘Battle of Evermore’ and Mad Season’s ‘Long Gone Day’ is the birth of ‘Reckoning,’ a song about digesting huge loss and forging paths into unknown futures.”







Heavy Pendulum is out May 20 on DLX 2xLP/2xLP/CD/CS/Digital. Physical pre-orders are available via Relapse.com here. Digital downloads/streaming here. Deluxe 2xLP comes with a poster and album slipmat.


Produced by Kurt Ballou at God City, Heavy Pendulum showcases everything that has long established Cave In as one of the best contemporary rock, hardcore, and metal bands since their monumental 1998 debut Until Your Heart Stops. From the driving tracks such as crushing opener "New Reality" to the metallic edge of "Blood Spiller", Heavy Pendulum sees the band look back at their discography and capture their most memorable, visceral, and forward-thinking moments to create a record that is all at once familiar and in true Cave In fashion, ahead of the mainstream.





Tracklisting:


"New Reality"
"Blood Spiller"
"Floating Skulls"
"Heavy Pendulum"
"Pendulambient"
"Careless Offering"
"Blinded By A Blaze"
"Amaranthine"
"Searchers Of Hell"
"Nightmare Eyes"
"Days Of Nothing"
"Waiting For Love"
"Reckoning"
"Wavering Angel"


"Blood Spiller" video:





"Blinded By A Blaze" video:





"New Reality" video:





Lineup:


Stephen Brodsky - Guitar/Vocals
Adam McGrath - Guitar/Vocals
John-Robert Conners - Drums
Nate Newton - Bass/Vocals


(Photo - Jay Zucco)

Melodic metal quintet The Raven Age are making their return to the stage with 23 festival and support appearances over the summer. The tour sees them feature at seven major festivals including main stage appearances at Download and Mystic Festival, as well as featuring as special guests to Volbeat and Tremonti across their respective headline shows.
 
The tour news is accompanied with the announcement of a new guitarist. Tommy Gentry will be the permanent replacement for Tony Maue, who has decided to pursue his career as a vocalist.
 
Manager Dan Wright comments: “Bringing Tommy Gentry into the fold is a huge moment for the band. Not only is he a world class guitarist but he is also a long-term friend and an incredible all-round musician. He will undoubtably bring a world of creativity to The Raven Age and we’re very excited to hit the stage with our new line up this summer. Tommy was also very influential on the successful ‘Exile’ streaming event that took place last year and it’s great that we can now develop our relationship further. The band and I are sad to see Tony leave but were always aware of his desire to be a lead vocalist. We will always remain close friends and would like to thank him for his dedication to TRA over the past 5 years. We wish him all the best for the future.”
 
New guitarist Tommy Gentry comments: “The Raven Age have been widely considered the next big British metal band and when the opportunity came up it was a no brainer. I’ve been close friends with the boys for years, pretty much feel like family to me - I love their passion for storytelling and their attention to detail when it comes to every part of the band. I’ve been lucky to have worked with them on previous campaigns and now look forward to being part of their future success! It’s been amazing to have an insight into what is planned for the next few years - both musically and theatrically. The fans are going to be blown away with what’s around the corner…”
 
The band also confirm that they have been in the studio with Matt Hyde and the highly anticipated third album is almost finished.


Guitarist George Harris comments: “Blood, sweat and tears have gone into this record and as a result we really are sitting on something special. Our last album 'Conspiracy' elevated us to a new level, and we've seen a surge of new fans that are now patiently awaiting this next chapter... they certainly won't be disappointed! The excitement and confidence in the camp is sky high right now, we know this next album is going to hit hard. There also may be one or two surprises in store… this is just the beginning of what’s yet to come and we'll have more news on this later in the summer.”


The band's tour schedule is as follows:




*Special Guests to Volbeat
**Special Guests to Tremonti


May
24 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie *
25 - Rouen, France - Le 106 *
27 - Clermont-Ferrand, France - La Cooperative De Mai *
28 | Toulouse, France - Le Bikini *
30 | Lille, France - Le Splendid *
31 | Nancy, France - L’Autre Canal *


June
2 - Rockfest - Finland 
3 - Mystic Festival - Poland
4 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Theatre **
7 - Cologne, Germany - Kantine **
8 - Luxembourg - Rockhal **
11 - Download Festival - UK
14 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur **
17 - Alkmaar, Netherlands - Victory **
18 - Copenhell Festival -  Denmark
20 - Manchester, UK - O2 Ritz  **
27 - Bristol, UK - O2 Academy  **
29 - London, UK - O2 Academy  **


July
1 - Resurrection Festival - Spain
2 - Lisbon, Portugal - VOA Festival 
4 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA **
6 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz **


August
14 - Alcatraz Festival - Belgium





Photo by John McMurtrie

Purity Through Fire presents Written In Torment's fourth album, Black Command, on CD and vinyl LP formats. The CD version will be released on July 4th, while the vinyl will follow later this year.


Hailing from the oft-overlooked UK black metal scene, Written In Torment have been patiently perfecting their craft for nearly 20 years now. A demo and EP followed in quick succession in 2006, followed by a hiatus until 2013, when the debut album Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes was released. Written In Torment is helmed by mainman Leviathan, and he kept pace with a split in 2014, a demo in 2015, and then two full-lengths, Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum and Maledictus Dies Illa, in 2017 and 2019, respectively.


And now, at long last, Written In Torment deliver their masterwork: Black Command. Presciently titled, Black Command finds Leviathan hitting a fever pitch of creativity, recasting old ghosts of '90s epic/melodic black metal - Throne Of Ahaz, Abyssos, Midvinter, Prophanity, and Amsvartner among others - into dazzling new shapes. Rest assured, in word and deed is Black Command black metal to the hilt, but by no means does it strident traditionalism hinder it in the least.




Ripping chops and deft textural layering take center stage across the album's six-song / 41-minute runtime, creating a compact canvas that's somehow vast, which is to say nothing of the well-timed incorporation of acoustic guitars and cinematic synths. All this is filtered into a thematic framework focusing on the life and crimes of Jonathan Martin, the infamous arsonist of the Minster Cathedral in York. Joining Leviathan here - and no doubt adding further fuel to the fire - are Prometheus on lead guitars and keyboards and drummer Storm (Blasphemer, Bal-Sagoth, My Dying Bride).


Graced with austere-yet-gorgeous artwork courtesy of Andrej Bartulović, Black Command should surely herald the grand arrival of Written In Torment.





Tracklisting:


"Anger Road" 
"Contra Passo" 
"The Allure Of The Dark" 
"Mors Ultima" 
"Black Command" 
"Dies Irae"


Listen to "Contra Passo" now:

Swedish progressive metal band All Things Fallen has just released a lyric video for "The Sentinel", the second single from their new album, Shadow Way, due on June 3rd via Blackoak Records.





All Things Fallen was started in 2017 by Markus Sigfridsson (Darkwater, Harmony, Lance King). On their self-titled debut album, released in 2019 via Blackoak Records, Leo Margarit (Pain Of Salvation) joined on drums, along with Erik Tordsson on lead vocals. 




Shadow Way is even more melancholic and melodic, and has a darker vibe to it than the first album. It also flirts with the '70s Rainbow style, but with modern production. 


Joining Markus, Leo and Erik on Shadow Way is Raphael Dafras (Edu Falschi, Almah) on bass. As on the first album, you will also find an amazing guest appearance by Maria Grigoryeva on violin. The album was mixed and mastered by Dennis Koehne (Orden Ogan, Sodom).





Tracklisting:


"The Sentinel"
"Rebirth"
"Chaos System"
"Pandemonium"
"Path Of Dismay"
"Narcissistic Ritual"
"Kiss Of Death"
"Desert Of The Real"
"Shadow Way"





 

Former CHILDREN OF BODOM members Jaska Raatikainen (drums),Henri "Henkka T. Blacksmith" Seppälä (bass) and Janne Wirman (keyboards) have opened up about the real reasons behind the band's breakup, explaining that "the fans have a right to know what happened."

Raatikainen, Seppälä and Wirman announced their departures from CHILDREN OF BODOM in October 2019. A couple of months later, they issued a statement denying that they quit because they had families to support or wanted to retire. "Music is our profession and our lives, and all our families know that," they said at the time.

CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho passed away on December 29, 2020 in his home in Helsinki, Finland. He died of alcohol-induced degeneration of the liver and pancreas connective tissue. Furthermore, Laiho had a cocktail of painkillers, opioids and insomnia medication in his system. He had suffered from long-term health issues leading up to his death.

In a brand new in-depth interview with Finland's Helsingin Sanomat, Raatikainen, Seppälä and Wirman discussed publicly for the first time the circumstances that led to CHILDREN OF BODOM's split and ultimately Laiho's death.

According to the three surviving members of CHILDREN OF BODOM, the real reason for the band's breakup was not that they wanted to stop touring in order to spend more time with their families, which is how Laiho explained it to Helsingin Sanomat in November 2019. Instead, what caused the group to split was Laiho's substance abuse, and that is also what eventually killed him a year after they went their separate ways.

Laiho's addiction began to take a serious toll on CHIDLREN OF BODOM in 2008, when the band was the support act on a SLIPKNOT tour. In the ensuing years, Laiho promised his bandmates that he would not drink on the road anymore. Although he kept his word for a few years, Alexi "went into a tailspin again in 2016," according to Wirman. Laiho, who had a substantial income as COB's main songwriter (all other income, from gigs to merchandise, was split equally),repeatedly complained that his income was declining and threatened to pull himself out of the limited liability company, AA & Sewira Consulting Oy, he and the other members formed in 2003.

After CHILDREN OF BODOM's manager brought up Laiho's substance abuse at a business meeting in New York in early 2019, Alexi refused to go into rehabilitation but did agree to see a doctor. He was diagnosed with diabetes, and he began taking medication to treat the condition.

In the summer of 2019, Laiho filed an application with the Finnish Patent And Registration Office to register the CHILDREN OF BODOM name to Laiho. This infuriated his bandmates who saw this as an attempt to hijack the name and brand that was controlled by the group's LLC.

During CHILDREN OF BODOM's tour of Russia in October 2019, Laiho "was hitting the bottle like back in 2008," his bandmates told Helsingin Sanomat.

"I told Alexi that you don't usually drink starting at breakfast before a gig, and now you don't even warm up with the guitar before going on stage like you always do," Raatikainen recalled.

Laiho later apologized and stopped drinking for the last concerts of the tour.

"His hands were shaking for two days, but the gigs in Moscow and St Petersburg went pretty well," Raatikainen said.

Raatikainen, Seppälä and Wirman decided to go with Alexi's wish from a few years back and buy him out of the LLC. Laiho retained the rights to his music and was paid royalties on performances and record sales as before, but sold his part of the LLC that owns the name of the band and the merchandising rights.

According to the trio, Alexi was sober for CHILDREN OF BODOM's entire final tour of Finland in December 2019 and he "exchanged cordial messages" with them even after the start of the pandemic.

Alexi's sister Anna Laiho told Helsingin Sanomat that the three surviving members of CHILDREN OF BODOM "have the full support of our family."

Anna, Alexi's Australian wife Kelli Wright-Laiho and a few close friends attempted to get him professional help in the fall of 2020, but he refused.

"At heart, he was a warm and caring person, always ready to help others. But he had his demons, and he wanted to fight those alone", Alexi's sister said. "He wanted to make his own choices. For better or worse."

Read Helsingin Sanomat's entire in-depth article at this location.

Alexi's ashes were buried in December 2021 — nearly a year after his tragic passing. He was laid to rest at the Malmi Cemetery, a large cemetery located in the Malmi district in Helsinki, Finland.

Alexi and Jaska founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert in December of 2019. In 2020, Alexi put together BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, which recorded three songs and shot one music video, all of which were released posthumously.

Besides CHILDREN OF BODOM, Laiho had played in such acts as WARMEN, SINERGY, KYLÄHULLUT and THE LOCAL BAND. Awarded with a Metal Hammer Golden God and several other international prizes, the guitarist was also the main star, leading a group of one hundred guitar players at the Helsinki Festival in 2015 in "100 Guitars From Hel" — a massive concert piece he composed.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's latest album, "Hexed", came out in March 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Frontiers Music Srl announces the upcoming release of Perfect Storm, the debut album from Crossing Rubicon, a new collaboration featuring multi-instrumentalist/producer Cenk Eroglu (ex-Winger, Xcarnation) and singer John Bisaha (The Babys), on July 8.


Today, the band has released a new single and video for the title track as well as a second single for the track, "100 Thousand Years". Find both below.


Eroglu was introduced to Bisaha through Frontiers and they started Crossing Rubicon, their new musical partnership which is going to deliver pure and unadulterated melodic rock with a freshness and feel of 'today'. Eroglu's oldest son Efe (guitars, keyboards), his youngest son Reis Ali (drums), and special guest musicians Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, ex-Mr. Mister), Ray Coburn (Honeymoon Suite), Holly Bisaha, and McKenna Bisaha also contribute.




"As a composer and producer I've worked on many different styles of music, but in my heart I have always been a melodic rock musician,” says Cenk Eroglu. "I recorded demos in this style between 1984 and 1998 and wrote more than 500 songs, all of which are pure, classic melodic rock. I tried to find the right singer/songwriter partner for years and it was an impossible mission. Meeting John Bisaha was a miracle. He is not only an amazing singer/songwriter, but also, spiritually, he was the missing piece for my reason to write songs. Together, we chose 11 songs for this album and I truly believe they are really unique. We called our band Crossing Rubicon (yes, that river in Italy that Caesar crossed - if you know the story). I was on the edge of that river for many years and I crossed it when John and I joined forces. If you are in love with real melodic rock, then this is it! I am so thankful that I found John and Frontiers to lead the way. I can't wait to share these songs with you!"


"As a child born in the early 60's, I have had the pleasure of being exposed to an extraordinary range of music and styles. "From Bach to Rock", as many say. When I REALLY started getting into music, I locked myself in my room in my teen years to absorb as much as I could and sing as many styles as I could. I naturally gravitated to the 'then' styles of rock, which are now considered 'classic/melodic/album-oriented'. We really had no genre name for it back then! When my 'style' of music left for a sabbatical when the flannel shirts and rap took over the airwaves, I knew I had to recreate myself and hoped the day would come for a rebirth of my style of music. I have followed Frontiers for quite awhile now and hoped for the day that I could become part of the family and bring a bit of myself (and my family!) to the party. Once I was contacted by Mario and put in touch with Cenk, all of the pieces fell together. It just felt RIGHT! I've partnered up with a great songwriter, musician, producer, but more importantly, a friend and partner, something that is rarely found these days. Thank you Mario, Serafino, and the rest of The Frontiers Family for this opportunity. I think you'll enjoy what comes out of this," says vocalist John Bisaha.





Perfect Storm tracklisting:


"Perfect Storm"
"Reason To Die"
"Scar"
"Too Late"
"On The Run"
"100 Thousand Years"
"Never Again"
"Cry Me A River"
"Get Away"
"Crash & Burn" (Feat Holly Bisaha)
"Time (Without You)"


"Perfect Storm" video:





"100 Thousand Years":





Lineup:


John Bisaha - Lead Vocals, Bass
Cenk Eroglu - Guitars, Keyboards, Background Vocals


Additional Musicians :


Efe Eroglu - Guitars, Keyboards
Reis Ali Eroglu - Drums


All Songs written by Cenk Eroglu & John Bisaha, except "100 Thousand Years" written by Efe Eroglu & John Bisaha. Album produced & mixed by Cenk Eroglu.

As many artists have experienced, the past two years hit the entire music and culture industry hard. But My Sleeping Karma – they have truly faced the abyss. Formed almost 20 years ago as a strong bond of best friends with a steady line-up ever since, the band has amassed an incredibly successful back catalogue of five highly acclaimed records and a live album in 2017, as well as extensive touring performances at sold-out venues and prestigious festivals that have marked them as one of the most well-respected instrumental post- and hypnotic rock bands within the heavy music community.


Closing a seven-year gap since their latest studio album, Moksha, My Sleeping Karma have announced the release their most emotional, deep, and darkest record to date, inspired by tragic events, on July 29 via Napalm Records.


The new album, entitled Atma, describes the (absolute) self, the indestructible, eternal essence of the spirit, and is often translated as the "soul". Sickness, death, and existential fear had brought the band to a point in music and life at which they were close to parting ways. But their will to survive has been recorded on Atma – a record the band wasn’t even sure would see the light of day when they started working on it back in 2017, and if it did, would’ve never been for industry sales, fame or success. Atma tells the story of their lives, processing the trauma of personal tragedies, deepest pain and fear of four best friends that have been going through their darkest days since their band existence.




Today, My Sleeping Karma have released the first single taken from Atma. "Prema" excels with a wide sound spectrum ranging between hard-hitting rock moments, ambient vibes and synth post-rock grandeur that bridge majestic texture and fast-paced dynamics. Watch the haunting music video for "Prema", created by Johanna Amberg & Gabriel Sahm, below.


"We already started working on the video content back in 2018. The world is full of hate, envy, fear and greed and it seems the competition never stops,” the band comments.


"Society is becoming more and more lost in a dog eat dog jungle, and back then we would have never thought that in 2022, it would be even worse. Besides the latest pandemic or the Russian/Ukrainian war, so many individuals are facing massive conflicts on a daily basis.


In the end, there´s always hope that the world will become better again, once mankind understands. Love is the key and peace starts inside of everyone. The video track ‘Prema’ tells that story and the entire album is all about this. "Atma" goes out with love to our dear families, friends and fans. Thanks for supporting us over the years and especially in the latest dark times.”


Most of the six new album tracks near the 10-minute mark and shine in distinctive My Sleeping Karma fashion – from crystal clear, otherworldly intros bursting into bittersweet melodies of vulnerable beauty to imposing soundspheres of mesmerizing heaviness with entrancing undercurrents. From the album’s first tone, it’s immediately evident that Atma isn’t just another new My Sleeping Karma record – it’s an infinite darkness, despair and sadness that furiously drives the German four-piece on studio album number six.  As Dave Wyndorf once said, My Sleeping Karma is ART – and their new, cathartic record not only captures the zeitgeist of the times, but leaves a little light for hope, love, beauty and strength amid all the ugly facets of our vulnerable lives.


Atma was produced, recorded and mixed by drummer Steffen Weigand at New Life Studios, and was mastered by Andreas Balaskas at Masterlab Studios in Berlin. The album artwork has been created by incredibly talented artist Sebastian Jerke. The pre-sale of Atma has just started here.





The album will be available in the following formats:


- Digisleeve CD Edition
- 1LP Gatefold Black & 12 Page Booklet
- 1LP Gatefold & 12 Page Booklet Gold LTD 300 Copies
- 1LP Gatefold & 12 Page Booklet Transparent Turquoise Purple Splatter LTD 500 Copies
- Vinyl Hardcover Book (1LP Gatefold CLEAR plus 10" Vinyl Clear (2 Bonus Tracks) - 48 Page Booklet LTD 500 Copies
- Digisleeve CD Edition & Canvas Edition (Napalm EU Only)
- Digisleeve CD Edition & Shirt (Napalm EU Only)
- Digital





Tracklisting:


"Maya Shakti"
"Prema"
"Mukti"
"Avatara"
"Pralaya"
"Ananda"


"Prema" video:





Lineup:


Matte – Bass
Seppi – Guitar
Steffen – Drums
Norman – Soundboard


(Photo - Ingo Spörl / Hard Media)