KISS frontman Paul Stanley has publicly questioned whether Elon Musk could have helped end world hunger with the $44 billion he bid to purchase Twitter.
If the deal officially goes through, it will make Musk — the Tesla and SpaceX founder and the world's richest man — the new owner of the social media site that hosts more than 200 million users.
Earlier today, Stanley took to his Twitter account to share a Reuters news story about the acquisition, and he included the following message: "I May Be Missing Something (please tell me). Rather than funding a personal acquisition, Wouldn't our world be better advanced by using far less than 44 BILLION DOLLARS to eradicate world hunger?, cure cancer? The list is long & the possibilities endless."
A few other notable rock musicians were in apparent disagreement with Paul, with SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers chiming in: "Paul … you're probably one of my favorite people I've ever toured with But A. Telling citizens what to do with their money isn't our job B. Even with 44 trillion. You're not ending world hunger."
Ex-JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens was equally unconvinced by Paul's take, writing: "Well he is selling Teslas, but I'm sure they won't be buying those now either. It's cool you live in a 1 bedroom 800 square foot house and most of your money goes to fixing world hunger. That's awesome. Instead of fans buying any of your stuff give it to charity instead".
Meanwhile, SACRED REICH frontman Phil Rind weighed in: "These people don't care. Does anyone need a $500M yacht? Do people need $100M homes? These guys don't even want to let their workers unionize because they might have to pay them fairly. World hunger? Homelessness? Those are other people's problems. All power to the people".
Last October, David Beasley, the director of the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP),told CNN that it would only take "$6 billion to help 42 million people that are literally going to die," and that billionaires — citing specifically the world's two richest men, Musk and Jeff Bezos — need to "step up now, on a one-time basis." When the CNN article was shared on Twitter, Musk responded that he would sell Tesla stock if the WFP could provide a plan to end world hunger for $6 billion. But Beasley later clarified that he never meant Musk could actually solve world hunger with such a donation, but that the money could have definitely helped millions. "$6B will not solve world hunger, but it WILL prevent geopolitical instability, mass migration and save 42 million people on the brink of starvation," Beasley tweeted.
Stanley's reaction to the news of Musk's Twitter purchase is in sharp contrast to that of his KISS bandmate Gene Simmons, who tweeted on Thursday in response to the acquisition: "Fantastic news, at the outset. @elonmusk is now the proud owner of @twitter. Free speech, important. But, Hate speech, factual misinformation (lies) should not be part of Free Speech, in my humble opinion. Good luck to Elon."
After one fan responded that free speech means "it's either all of it or none of it", Gene fired back: "You're talking out of your ass. You do not have the right to stand up in a movie theater and yell FIRE, just because you feel like it. That's Incitement To Riot. You know that, right?"
Musk, who has called himself a "free speech absolutist," has said that Twitter could champion freedom as a private company. Opponents to the acquisition have theorized that Musk will allow users on the platform to spread misinformation and hate speech under the guise of protecting free speech.I May Be Missing Something (please tell me). Rather than funding a personal acquisition, Wouldn’t our world be better advanced by using far less than 44 BILLION DOLLARS to eradicate world hunger?, cure cancer? The list is long & the possibilities endless. https://t.co/gy3OiQdZNI
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 26, 2022
Paul … you’re probably one of my favorite people I’ve ever toured with
But
A. Telling citizens what to do with their money isn’t our job
B. Even with 44 trillion. You’re not ending world hunger.
— Zach Myers (@ZMyersOfficial) April 26, 2022
Well he is selling Teslas, but I’m sure they won’t be buying those now either 🤷🏽‍♂️. It’s cool you live in a 1 bedroom 800 square foot house and most of your money goes to fixing world hunger. That’s awesome 🤘🏾. Instead of fans buying any of your stuff give it to charity instead
— Tim 'Ripper' Owens (@TimRipperOwens) April 26, 2022
These people don't care. Does anyone need a $500M yacht? Do people need $100M homes? These guys don't even want to let their workers unionize because they might have to pay them fairly. World hunger? Homelessness? Those are other people's problems. All power to the people ✊🏼
— Sacred Reich (@SacredReich) April 26, 2022

Ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy attended the group's concert on March 4 at Beacon Theatre in New York City. It was the first time Portnoy witnessed his former bandmates perform live since his exit from the iconic progressive metal outfit more than 11 years ago.

According to DREAM THEATER fans who attended the show, singer James LaBrie gave Portnoy a shoutout from the stage and Mike waved. Several fans also took pictures of Portnoy at the venue, with Mike and his wife reportedly watching the performance from near the Beacon Theatre soundboard.

The next day, Portnoy shared a few backstage photos from the concert and he included the following message: "After 36 years, I finally got to see my 1st DREAM THEATER show last night! It was a wonderful evening and it was such a pleasure to spend time with my old friends again".

Asked in a new interview with The Razor's Edge what it was like for him and his bandmates to see Portnoy at the New York concert, DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess said: "I'm so glad he [came out]. What a cool thing to be able to see a DREAM THEATER show — something that I never get to do… So I was thinking it was probably pretty cool for Mike to see DREAM THEATER. And it was really nice of him to come out and I think it was great he healed the dynamics with everybody as well. Yeah, it was great."

As for his personal relationship with Portnoy, Rudess said: "Mike and I continue to work together. We've done the LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT not all that long ago, and we had a great time doing it. It was almost like we never skipped a bit. So, he and I are friends, and we just kind of kept out relationship going.

Earlier in the month, LaBrie told Sonic Perspectives that it was "great" to reconnect with Portnoy at the New York show. "The thing is that you get to a point in life where you've gotta… You can't carry around that. Don't carry around hate; don't carry around negativity," LaBrie said. "We carried it around far too long, as far as I'm concerned, and it didn't serve any purpose; it just served frickin' division. It was very divisive and very damaging.

"So, it's great to be back," James added. "We're talking to one another, we're chatting and all that stuff. And that's the kind of world that I wanna live in as opposed to negativity, hate and frickin'… It's just not worth it. It's not worth it."

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER 37 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He has since been replaced by Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME, STEVE VAI).

Portnoy was a guest on Petrucci's second solo album, "Terminal Velocity", which was released in August 2020 via Sound Mind Music/The Orchard. The effort marked the first time Petrucci and Portnoy recorded together in over a decade, as well as their first time playing together since Portnoy departed DREAM THEATER.

In a 2017 interview with Rockhok, Portnoy insisted that had "no longing to reunite" with DREAM THEATER but said that he would return to his former band "for the fans." He explained: "The ball's in their court, to be honest. I have no longing to reunite with them; it's not something I necessarily am looking to do or want to do. I'm very content with all the eighty-seven bands I currently have going, so it's something I need. But I would do it for the fans, because I'm a very sentimental person and I have a lot of great, fond memories of those guys and the times. I'm a sentimental guy, so I would never close the door on it. So, really, the ball's in their court, honestly. [But] if you're asking me the odds [of a reunion happening], I would say, don't bet on it, because I know their personalities as well and I don't think they're the type that are looking backwards."

A couple of years ago, Portnoy told Loud that he left DREAM THEATER because he wanted to expand his musical horizons. "[I didn't] want to go to my grave and just be the drummer from DREAM THEATER," he said. "I knew there was way more to what I had to offer."

Since the 2010 departure of Portnoy, Petrucci, along with Rudess, has taken on much of the songwriting load for DREAM THEATER, including 2016's controversial double concept album, "The Astonishing", 2019's "Distance Over Time" and the band's latest LP, 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World".

A year before Meat Loaf made good with his 1977 release, Bat Out Of Hell,, he was the lead singer on the Ted Nugent album, Free-For-All. For his work on an album that would go on to sell over 2,000,000 copies, Meat Loaf was paid $1000.


In his 2010 Noise11.com interview, Meat Loaf told the story of his time working on Ted Nugent’s Free-For-All. “I’ll tell you exactly how that came about. I bet they owe me a fortune. Well, I bet they don’t owe for a fortune because at the time I had no money and they said, ‘I’ll give you $1000 to come and sing the lead vocals on this album’. I went “$1000? Really? Okay.”


The whole thing was finished in a couple of days. “I did all those vocals in two days,” Meat Loaf said. “I could never do that now. But all they sent me were lyric sheets and tracks. There was no reference vocals, there was no melodies, there was no anything. So I went in, all of those melodies are mine. I say ‘do you have any idea how long it is until the vocal comes in’. They’d say ‘eight bars, four bars…’. I had to wait four bars before I’d start a vocal."




Read the full story at Noise11.com.

Available for pre-order now from SubLevel Records, shipping May 6th, the Return To Metalopolis Guitar Book features guitar tab and notation for all 10 original songs from the classic Chris Poland instrumental album.


All songs were transcribed note for note from the original recordings by Ernie Ball's Match the Master award winner Evan Bradley, and personally reviewed by Chris Poland himself. Learn how to play the songs exactly as Chris played them with these 100% accurate transcriptions! Presented in multi-guitar format so you can learn to play every riff and solo just as Chris played them on the album. Includes a foreword written by Chris Poland as well. The Print Edition is 234 pages.


The Deluxe Print Edition of the book also includes a custom Chris Poland signature guitar pick, a Return To Metalopolis bookmark, and a Digital Copy of the guitar book in PDF format. The Deluxe Print Edition is only available through SubLevel Records!







Songs included:


"Club Ded"
"Alexandria"
"Return To Metalopolis"
"Heinous Interruptus"
"The Fall Of Babylon"
"Row Of Crows"
"Theatré Of The Damned"
"Beelzebub Bop"
"Apparition Station"
"Khazad Dûm"


Return To Metalopolis is the first studio album by former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland, released in 1990 through Enigma Records in The United States, and Pony Canyon in Japan.


 

TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy discussed the return of drummer Dave Lombardo to the group's ranks in a new interview with Brian Aberback of The Aquarian Weekly.

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.

Asked about the possibility of Lombardo being involved in the writing and recording of TESTAMENT's next studio album, Chuck said: "Yeah, we've talked about that. We're not making plans, so let's just see what happens. We're enjoying jamming and hanging out and going out on the road and having some fun. Eric [Peterson, TESTAMENT guitarist] does just happen to have a bunch of riffs so maybe sometime on tour they could jam and see what happens.

"In '99 when we wrote 'The Gathering', up to that point Eric did a lot of songwriting with a drum machine and handed the parts to the drummers and said here you go, make them your own now. When Dave came into 'The Gathering' sessions, Eric didn't have to do that. Dave was, like, 'Let's just jam, just play,' so that's what they did, and started playing and created this great record. So I'm hoping that's the energy that comes backs again and revisits that little magic that he created for 'The Gathering'.

"Dave brings a different energy than [former TESTAMENT drummer] Gene [Hoglan]. Gene is a really meticulous, precision drummer. Dave's a little more loose, a little more organic. He's always been like that. It's a totally different style, and he hits really hard and tunes his drums a little lower. It makes for this bigger sound which I think brings some more power to the bottom end of the band."

Last month, Billy told the WSOU 89.5 FM radio station that he didn't expect Lombardo to focus only on TESTAMENT in the coming months. "I'm not holding my breath that Dave just is in TESTAMENT only but we're gonna have to kind of maneuver around what happens," he said. "But then again, this is the beginning of the relationship. We might be busy enough and he might just be happy enough just working with us and it works out. So we're just kind of taking it one day at a time, one tour at a time. We know he's gonna be with us for the next three tours — we know that for sure — so we'll see what happens after that."

In early March, Lombardo told SiriusXM's Liquid Metal that he reached out to the TESTAMENT camp the same day that the band announced it was splitting with Hoglan.

"I was still asleep, and my wife, she just said, 'Hey, Gene just left TESTAMENT,'" Dave recalled. "And she's been always telling me, 'Man, I can't wait for you guys to get together for that 'Gathering' reunion.' 'Cause we had been talking about this two and a half, three years ago — before the pandemic. And so I immediately — I didn't even get my other eye open and I was texting Chuck. I said, 'Hey, man, what's going on?' I don't know exactly what I mentioned in my text, but it was very simple, 'Hey, what's happening?' And he immediately called me back. And I remember Tiffany [Chuck's wife] was on the phone; Chuck was on the phone. We were, like, 'Hey.' It was a great come-together moment, like, 'Hey, here we go. This is the moment we've been waiting for.'"

Dave went on to say that the timing was right for his return to TESTAMENT.

"'The Gathering' reunion didn't have to happen putting Gene out, separating Gene and saying, 'Gene, we're gonna go with Dave for a while now.' Nothing like that happened," he said. "This happened organically. And it happened at a time where my other bands, two of the bands that I have, MR. BUNGLE and DEAD CROSS, [Mike] Patton sings in them and he's trying to get healthy and is taking a little hiatus. And SUICIDAL TENDENCIES hasn't been touring much lately. So that leaves me with a lot of little odd projects here and there that I work on in my free time. So it just felt like the right moment.

"I know it can be deceiving because I am in so many different bands, but there's 24 hours in a day and I only sleep eight hours, or seven to eight hours, so that leaves me 16 other hours," he explained. "And I don't take Saturdays and Sundays off. So it was a no-brainer."

Chuck said that he was surprised to hear from Dave so quickly after TESTAMENT made the news of its split with Gene public.

"Right when it happened, it was within minutes after the announcement," Billy recalled. "And Dave doesn't remember, but [his text message to me was] simply 'Lombardo?' That was the text. I'm, like, 'You're shitting me. Tiffany, Lombardo just wrote me, 'Lombardo?'' I called him right away. I said, 'Hey, dude, what's happening?' He was, like, 'Dude, I heard the news.' I'm, like, 'Dude, I would have called you right away, but I just thought it was kind of far-fetched for you to kind of jam because I know you're probably pretty busy with all the other projects going on.' And he was, like, 'No. I've got a big opening and I'd love to get back.' And we talked about 'The Gathering', doing that again. And here we are — it could be a reality to get to play 'The Gathering' like we spoke of."

"The Gathering" was widely considered to be an improvement over 1997's "Demonic", an album that saw Billy employ a more guttural style of vocals and was released at a time when thrash acts as TESTAMENT had fallen out of favor.

Hoglan originally played drums on "Demonic", but didn't stick around long enough to do any touring with the band. He officially joined TESTAMENT in 2011 and played on the group's last three albums: 2012's "Dark Roots Of Earth", 2016's "Brotherhood Of The Snake" and 2020's "Titans Of Creation".

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.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

Progressive rockers, Haken, announce the release of their brand new single, "Nightingale". The latest single showcases the first new material the band have presented with returning keyboard player, Pete Jones, and the first since the release of their last album, Virus, back in 2020.


Watch the video below, and stream/download the track here.







The band comments: "'Nightingale' was the first track Pete Jones presented to the band after rejoining Haken this year. The initial song idea quickly inspired of the classic Haken sound and naturally evolved into some new harmonic territory. The song ranges from delicate moments to monstrous riffs.


We enlisted Jens Bogren to mix Nightingale and, as always, he’s blown us away by capturing every detail while delivering power and energy. We couldn’t be happier with the finished product.


Lyrically, the song reflects on the creative process itself; with a message that although it may be difficult of late, we must remember to be thankful for the positives in life; be they big or small."





In March, the band announced the initial details of "Nightingale", as well as held a competition for fans to submit their own original artwork for the forthcoming single. The winning artwork as chosen by the band themselves, from Belgium’s Rein Van Oyen, can be seen above.


The band was recently forced to announce the postponement of their European tour dates, with new dates soon to be announced. Their upcoming North American tour begins with Cruise To The Edge leaving port on May 2, followed by an expansive trek alongside Symphony X set to go ahead starting May 10 in New York City, running through the month and ending June 12 in New Jersey.


Find the full list of dates here.


Haken are:


Ross Jennings
Richard Henshall
Charlie Griffiths
Pete Jones
Conner Green
Ray Hearne

Although GUNS N' ROSES never officially split up, guitarist Slash left in 1996, drummer Matt Sorum was fired in 1997 and bassist Duff McKagan quit later that year. Asked in a new interview with SPIN what misconceptions about the band he wanted to clear up in his autobiography, "Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver", Sorum said: "It's nobody's fault, really. The band was way too big at the time. There's a lot of people with their paws in the pie, a lot of distractions, too much money, and too many drugs and alcohol. Young guys don't make clear decisions. I look back and go, 'If that was me now, I'd make a phone call and have a conversation,' but it just didn't seem that easy in those days to do that. To be able to explain things between each other, to help mediate a problem instead of being egotistical about it or being arrogant. It could have gone a different way if there was more communication. Once you're out of a situation like that, you realize that, 'Good God, that was a great fucking band, and I wish we could have kept it together.'"

He continued: "If you ask any band that stayed together, they have to go through those struggles, just like any other relationship. You gotta figure it out if you want to keep it together, like, how much is it worth to you? At the same time, when I talk about things that went down, I want to give accolades to people in the group. In the 'Use Your Illusion' era, we were at the height of our game. Axl [Rose, vocals], Slash and Duff — and even Izzy Stradlin [guitar] and Gilby [Clarke, guitar] — personalities that stand on their own, and sometimes those personalities mix and sometimes they don't."

Sorum, who has also played with THE CULT, VELVET REVOLVER and HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, is not involved with GN'R's hugely successful reunion, which features singer Axl Rose, Slash and McKagan alongside drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

The 61-year-old musician, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Matt was among the GUNS N' ROSES members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. He, Adler, Slash and McKagan attended the ceremony, while Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

Last October, Sorum told "Dennis Miller +1" about his time with GUNS N' ROSES: "God, you know when you used to watch those VH1 'Behind The Music' [episodes], and [you'd go], 'Oh, God. There it goes again.' Sorry, it happened to me too. [Laughs] It was, like, do as much as you can until you can't do it anymore. Things got crazy, and believe it or not, everybody in GUNS N' ROSES is still alive. And that blows my mind. I got out alive.

"It was probably the greatest period of my life to actually be in a band like that," he added. "I remember playing Madison Square Garden [in New York City]. We did four nights there, sold out. And I remember driving up that ramp. Remember [the LED ZEPPELIN movie] 'The Song Remains The Same' where they go, 'Tour dates tomorrow and tomorrow'? And next thing they're opening with 'Rock And Roll'. I was driving up that same ramp with my bass player, Duff [McKagan]. And I look and I go, 'Oh my God. We're in the movie.' It was beyond anyone's wildest expectations or dreams as a kid wanting to be in a rock and roll band when you have those experiences."

Photo credit: Zack Whitford

Bruce Kulick has just released the following video footage of the second set at the Stardust Theater aboard the KISS Kruise X. Filmed from the balcony by Bruce's wife Lisa, along with Mike Wren, here’s the closing two songs from KKX Set 2.


As Kulick recalls, "Zach Throne sings 'Spit', and we go into 'SSB' KISS Alive III style. It was an epic performance on the KISS Kruise, so much fun for us. Todd Kerns, Brent Fitz and Zach were amazing, and more of these kinds of gigs are coming in 2022 and 2023."







Bruce Kulick and his band have performed on the last three KISS Kruises. KKXIII, KKIX, and KKX. His band plays songs from the '80s and '90s that aren't usually performed by KISS from the vast catalog of this iconic band. The fans are always excited to hear deep tracks from the Bruce Kulick era of KISS. On KKX he even included some from Lick It Up.


On KKX, the band featured a medley of songs related to Bruce's late brother Bob Kulick. It was 25 minutes long. Bruce also performed a medley dedicated to Eric Carr, since the 30th anniversary of his passing was on November 24th, 1991. These medleys and the many songs that are worked on by his band are always fan favorites on the KISS Kruise.


Watch previous videos from the Kruise:





























In addition to the last onboard KISS performance... don't miss out on Bruce Kulick, Buckcherry, Stryper, Micky James and more, sailing October 29 - November 3, 2022 from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico.





A message states: "The iconic KISS Kruise XI is setting sail for another unforgettable adventure at sea, and we invite you, KISS Navy! We're sailing aboard Norwegian Jewel, October 29th - November 3rd, 2022 on the very first KISS Kruise sailing from Los Angeles, California to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico. Prior to sailing, enjoy time exploring the star-studded city of Los Angeles, California! Visit sites rich in musical history as you prepare to enjoy the hottest vacation on Earth. Once on board, you can look forward to five days of Rock n' Rollin' All Nite and Partying Every Day as we visit brand new west coast port stops!"


"Don't miss the unique activities with your favorite bands, unforgettable shows, and brand new port stops with beautiful beaches make this vacation one you just can’t find anywhere else. Join the Starchild, Demon, Spaceman and Catman, along with your KISS Navy family for the vacation of a lifetime!"





Watch an announcement video below, and sign up now at this location.





 

Iconic Auctions is currently offering the Alpha and Omega of music memorabilia, coming in the form of a 1967 Fender Stratocaster that was once owned and played in studio by none other than the legendary Jimi Hendrix himself. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Brian Levine, who manages the estate of Hendrix’s US Manager, Bob Levine, and his trusted long-time assistant Kathy Eberth (Levine). Brian states within his detailed letter recounting the guitar’s relation to Hendrix:


My father arranged Jimi’s studio sessions, locating session musicians and gear, if needed. My father told me that this guitar was used at TTG Studios in Los Angeles, CA, in October of 1968, in jams and recordings for “Calling All The Devil’s Children” which was also called “Devil’s Jam” and “Mr. Lost Soul” also entitled “Mr. Bad Luck” later to be renamed “Look Over Yonder”.







The Hendrix estate has released the recording from this session, which they pinpoint to October 21, 1968 on a release entitled West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology. Research into this session shows that Hendrix used a number of guitars during the week-long session, including a black Strat, and Gibson SG, and as pictured, a sunburst Fender Strat.


The guitar itself stands in overall good condition with obvious signs of usage including two cigarette burns on the headstock and assorted areas of wear to the sunburst painted finish as shown. The guitar remains in the same condition it was left when recovered by the Levine’s from Jimi’s New York City apartment after his passing and remains strung backwards to accommodate for Jimi’s left-handed playing technique. Additionally, the guitar is accompanied by the original red bungee-style guitar cord that was included with the case when the guitar was recovered from Hendrix’s apartment.





 

Former IRON MAIDEN frontman Paul Di'Anno, who has been receiving lymphatic drainage treatments in Zagreb, Croatia in preparation for his upcoming knee surgery, is "thrilled and very optimistic" about his progress after recently being fitted for a custom leg brace.

Stjepan Juras, a MAIDEN fan and author of many MAIDEN-related books, who is taking care of Paul during his stay in Croatia, has issued the following update regarding Paul's condition: "After more than five months of Paul's stay in Croatia, Croatian medical team at Poliklinika Ribnjak - centar za ortopedsku medicinu i sportsku dijagnostiku came to final and definitive conclusions about Paul's overall condition and what his further recovery might look like.

"Paul's progress in treatments is really visible and he recently tried a new orthosis that allows him to walk better. Paul took his first steps with an orthosis and he is thrilled and very optimistic with progress, because every day he walks better and better. The orthosis is further adjusted, according to Paul's requirements, and he is now doing intense walking exercises with it, in order to walk completely on his own in May or during the summer of 2022.

"As we all know, Paul's first knee surgery was planned in late April 2022. It was about removing the cement from the knee, so that his venous circulation would be good again, which is a prerequisite for a successful second operation, a revision operation to install an endoprosthesis or an artificial knee. For the purpose of the planned operation, in accordance with the rules of the profession, diagnostic processing was performed which showed serious hidden problems with circulation and that is why the cement removal operation is necessary, because it complicates plans for already complex surgery and encourages constant swelling of the leg. Figuratively speaking, the situation in Paul's knee resembles a 'war zone'. Paul has no joint, the spacer presses on the veins and the leg swells as a result. Staff in Poliklinika 'Ribnjak' has been making tremendous recovery efforts for over 4 months. Therefore, the removal of spacer in the knee should be performed in order to reduce the pressure on the venous circulation and thus reduce the swelling of the leg. That is basic. In this way, healthy relationships are achieved for further recovery and possible second endoprosthesis implant surgery.

"Dr Milošević said to us: 'At the moment, we are of the opinion that we should wait with such an operation, because depending on the reaction and recovery of the body, it can occur in a few months or even years, and sometimes the conditions are not created at all. Paul's desire for recovery in just four months is very visible, so we all agree that this operation should be considered. The first of the steps is an orthosis, which Paul is now using and he is practice walking intensively.

"The second step is the previously mentioned surgical procedure to remove spacer, ie cement in the knee, which would enable the connection of bones into a kind of so-called 'pseudarthrosis'. Such a joint, in addition to Paul's specially designed orthosis, can allow it to move independently and much easier. That idea was suggested to Paul and he agreed. However, just before that operation, which was supposed to take place in a few days, a detailed treatment of his blood vessels was done, the so-called angiography, which showed good arterial circulation but also compressed leg veins. But the most important novelty in these preparations for surgery is that a rather large thrombus (blod clot) was found in his pelvic vein.

"A thrombus, as we all know, poses a great danger of embolism if surgery is performed, which can end in heart attack, stroke (…) or death. The existence of this thrombus is a new finding, which has not been discovered so far and drastically changes the whole treatment situation, however, fortunately, it is not an obstacle to further treatment if we make good preparations and prevent the danger.

"According to the rules of the profession, if a space removal operation is performed, it is necessary to insure Paul against possible embolism by installing a so-called special 'umbrella' in his body, specifically in the vena cava. This procedure is performed by vascular surgeons, practically at the same time as the spacer is removed, which means that this operation must be done with a whole team of coordinated operators of various disciplines and that it is an extremely difficult and demanding task. After that operation, it is necessary to stay in the hospital for about 14 days. Such surgeries carry some risk; however, this is the only correct way of surgical treatment if one wants to act properly and not put Paul in life-threatening condition. The cost of installing an 'umbrella' in a vein costs several thousand Euros, plus cost of the hospital, but we will, with our colleagues, try to find the best prices and conditions, so as not to burden your budget for the treatment.

"Mr. Juras and Paul are informed about the whole situation at the meeting with the medical team and it was concluded that, given all the information, it is best to continue with Paul's verticalization until the conditions for the first operation are created. Paul will be in much better shape by rehearsing and walking after his concert on 21.05. depending on his desire and possibilities of operations can be in May or June 2022 or whenever he choose. Our recommendation is that it be shortly after the concert, because Paul will already be in much better shape with walking and moving. An orthosis made especially to his measurements can be worn for a long time, months or even years without any problems.'

"Also, Paul on Thursday, April 28th will begin a complete tooth reconstruction. Due to impaired health and accelerated decay, encouraged by long-term use of heavy medical, Paul's teeth rotted, mostly fell out and in order to resume a normal life and be able to bite normally, dental reconstruction is necessary. He has been suffering from huge, constant pain in recent months, and now a top Arena Stomatološka Poliklinika team has been selected to take care of Paul and completely reconstruct his teeth with a very complex procedure. At the clinic, they came out to meet the prices that Paul says are at least four times lower than in the UK, for which we are grateful. By the end of April, Paul will have mostly new teeth, but the second part of the procedure (because the rules of the profession after the installation of 4 implants require it),will finally be finished in about six months. As early as the beginning of May 2022, we will be able to see Paul's new smile, which will greatly contribute to self-confidence, a better atmosphere and extra strength ahead of important knee surgery.

"At the very beginning, none of us was aware of how severe Paul's condition really was, but his treatment showed that and that is why the treatments and recovery take longer. Precisely because of this, the initial estimate of the funds that should have been spent on recovery was lower, and this is precisely the reason why the campaign is being reactivated. It will be conducted in the current way of raising funds at this website created by Kastro Pergjoni.

"We strongly urge you to click and help as much as you can.
Also, on www.maidencroatia.com a new signed book will be launched!
Also, special event t-shirts (strictly limited edition) and his new single 'Stop The War' on DVD together with 'Stop The War' Video will be presented at Paul's concert in Zagreb. DVD single will also be strictly limited and signed by Paul Di'Anno and his band mates from the new band WARHORSE. We ask all those who can help in one way or another to get involved. This is the right time to save one life!"

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN — a self-titled effort in 1980 and "Killers" in 1981 — before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

In January 2021, Kastro Pergjoni, operations director of the Cart & Horses pub in Stratford, London, England where IRON MAIDEN made its live debut in 1976, launched a crowdfunding campaign on JustGiving for Di'Anno to be treated privately. More than £13,000 was raised — roughly the cost for surgery on one of Paul's knees. A second crowdfunding campaign was launched last summer and has raised more than £13,000 of a £26,000 target.

In February, Di'Anno told the "Još Jedan" podcast that his health was "better" than it was just a couple of months earlier but noted that he still "a lot of work to do — a lot of physio and stuff like that."

Paul went on to blast the U.K.'s free-at-the-point-of-use National Health Service (NHS),saying: "Fucking NHS sucks. I was a defender of them big time. But the nurses are awesome and all the workers. It's the fucking bureaucracy bullshit — the management and the people who run the NHS are just total assholes. But the poor heroes — the nurses and the staff — they're great, but their hands are tied. So they didn't know what to do. They just dumped me."

Di'Anno, who will turn 64 in May, outlined some of the recent health issues he has battled that have kept him from performing for seven years.

"I caught sepsis [when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body] in 2015, and it almost killed me," he said. "And I spent eight months in a hospital in England. You've got a crucial 45 minutes to get as many antibiotics in you before you die, and they managed to do that, which was great. Then I spent eight months in a hospital, and then another three months in a care home. And while I was in there getting things done, on hospital visits, I caught MRSA [Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, an infection caused by a type of staph bacteria that's become resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary staph infections] there twice, in the hospital. So that was it. So it kept delaying things and delaying things… And then they took this knee out put this cement thing in. And it was only supposed to be in there for a year. And the first time they put that in, it broke, so they cut me open again and put another in. And that one is still in here. And while it's been in there this long, it's going toxic. So, what the fuck are they doing over there at the NHS?"

According to Paul, his doctors in Zagreb found evidence of surgical instruments mistakenly being left within his body, potentially opening the door for him to pursue compensation through a lawsuit of medical malpractice.

"When I arrived here [in Croatia] at the clinic and they were looking me over, they found a fucking staple in my leg which was in there from the operation from four years ago. What's going on?" he said.

"There's gonna be a lawsuit, by the way. [Laughs]"

Di'Anno reportedly underwent an operation in 2016 to remove a "rugby ball-sized abscess" on his lungs and required a knee-replacement operation on both knees after getting involved in several motorcycle accidents over the years. As a result, Di'Anno was forced to sit down while performing at his most recent shows.

Hello everyone
After more than five months of Paul's stay in Croatia, Croatian medical team at Poliklinika Ribnjak -...

Posted by Stjepan Juras on Tuesday, April 26, 2022

BULLETBOYS frontman Marq Torien joined STEEL PANTHER on stage yesterday (Sunday, April 24) at the Rainbow Bar & Grill 50th-anniversary part in West Hollywood, California to perform the BULLETBOYS classic "Smooth Up In Ya". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

In April 1972, Mario Maglieri, along with Whisky co-founder Elmer Valentine, Lou Adler and others, started the Rainbow Bar & Grill with a party for Elton John. It has been a second home for actors and musicians, their fans, friends and entourages ever since. Celebrities including John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Keith Moon, John Belushi, Grace Slick, Ringo Starr, Neil Diamond, LED ZEPPELIN, Alice Cooper, GUNS N' ROSES, VAN HALEN, MÖTLEY CRÜE and B-Real have all been sighted there, and the restaurant and bar continue to draw customers from around the world. Late MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy reportedly moved to West Hollywood to be able to walk to the bar. A memorial statue to him was erected on the back patio in 2016, and a mural of him graces the exterior of the building.

A documentary about the Rainbow Bar & Grill was released in 2019. Titled "The Rainbow", the film featured Lemmy, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, Gene Simmons and others, and explored the history of the Hollywood establishment and Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip. Both iconic venues were founded by Maglieri.

Truly a lover of music and the arts, Mario — known as the King of the Sunset Strip — helped hundreds of artists get their start in Los Angeles. Hopefuls from all over the world came to the Rainbow with the desire of being discovered. He frequently came across talented musicians who went on to become platinum sellers. Their pictures line the walls of the Rainbow.

Bay-area thrashers, Vio-Lence, have released the new video below, in which Phil Demmel and Bobby Gustafson riff through the title track from the Let The World Burn EP.





The duo previously released a playthrough for the EP track, "Flesh From Bone".







Vio-Lence released their new 5-song EP via Metal Blade Records. Stream now and purchase the following formats at Metal Blade Records, here:


- Digipak-CD
- Orange/red marbled (US exclusive)
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- Crimson marbled (EU exclusive - limited to 400)
- Firefly glow marbled (EU exclusive - limited to 300)
- Deep violet marbled (EU exclusive - limited to 200)
- Ochre brown marbled (EU exclusive - limited to 200)
- All digital platforms (Spotify, iTunes, etc)





Let The World Burn tracklisting:


"Flesh From Bone"
"Screaming Always"
"Upon Their Cross"
"Gato Negro"
"Let The World Burn"


"Let The World Burn" video:





"Flesh From Bone" lyric video:





This November, Vio-Lence invade Europe as they headline the MTV Headbangers Ball 2022 Tour with Whiplash and Artillery, with more to be announced. The trek starts November 23. Tickets on sale now.





Tour dates:


November
23 - Amersfoot, Netherlands - Fluor
24 - Hamburg, Germany - Kulturpalast
25 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion Complex
26 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Masters Of Rock Café
27 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
28 - Regensburg, Germany - Airport Eventhall
29 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn
30 - Zurich, Switzerland - Alte Kaserne


December
1 - Brussels, Belgium - La Madeleine
2 - Essen, Germany - Turock
3 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall
4 - Stockholm, Sweden - Slaktkyrkan
5 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Trädgarn


(Photo - Harold O.)


 

Progressive metalcore project ONI has released a new track, "Secrets", featuring guest vocals from punk icon Iggy Pop and LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe. The single, along with previously released songs "The Lie" and "War Ender", featuring New York city trap metal squad CITY MORGUE, are taken from the band's forthcoming second album, "Loathing Light", which is set to land on June 17 via Ironshore Records.

ONI leader Jake Oni had initially invited Blythe to bring his vocal skills to "Secrets", and as the song came together, the idea of a second guest voice to add another dimension to the track was discussed.

"Iggy's vocals are so iconic and instantly recognizable, his style is what we were after," Jake said. "But we figured, let's see if we can get the man himself to check it out?" They did, and THE STOOGES legendary leader and 'Godfather of Punk' loved the track. Jake continued: "He came down, we had some food and just chilled. And then he did his thing all over the song. He asked me for ideas about how to approach it, which was just crazy and cool. It all worked so well and came out sick."

Blythe stated about the experience: "It was awesome to work with Jake again, and of course the usual suspects, my compatriots Mark Morton and Josh Wilbur always a good time. But to be on a track and film a video with one of my biggest influences as frontman, the OG godfather of punk and living legend Iggy Pop? Completely priceless."

Check out the official video, also featuring Blythe and Pop, below.

With "Loathing Light", ONI has delivered a body of work that boasts an even bigger sound than its debut. The collection arrives with conviction, passion and depth, swaying wildly back and forth between vast, uplifting anthems and dark, raw confessions. It will go down as a mission statement for the young band, created by Oni, together with his closest allies, producer Josh Wilbur (MEGADETH, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, GOJIRA) and LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton.

Jake explained: "The songs are very much written from the first person, with a lot of 'I' and 'me' in the lyrics as opposed to 'us' or 'you. The music encompasses many different vibes, both light and dark. I really challenged myself to address difficult things I've gone through over the years."

The result is 10 tracks spanning an emotional gamut, from all-out brutality to introspective desperation. Songs like "Against My Sins" and "Heart To Stone" wouldn't sound totally out of place in a playlist alongside OF MICE & MEN or LINKIN PARK. Yet the bludgeoning technicality — which earned ONI fans while touring with technical heavyweights GOJIRA — remains, making "Loathing Light" a diverse and definitive album.

"Mark [Morton] helped me through a lot of stuff with mental health and addiction, things he's gone through himself," Jake said. "He's definitely been a big support for me. I worked with him before with a full band, but this time, it was just he and I, writing an entire album together, which was killer. I don't want anyone in there besides Mark and Josh when I'm recording vocals. They get what I can do. They know my limitations and how to utilize my talents like nobody else really can fully."

Jake and Mark had previously collaborated on Morton's debut solo album, "Anesthetic", with Jake executive producing and cowriting the collection's No. 6 Active Rock radio hit "Cross Off" with Morton, Wilbur and the late Chester Bennington.

"Music is such a gift," Jake said thoughtfully. "If you can make music, and people respond to it? I've learned not to take that for granted. Count your blessings because the opportunity to make music is such a great one. We should always be grateful. Because it's the coolest job anyone could do."

"Loathing Light" track listing:

01. The Lie
02. Against My Sins
03. Secrets (feat. Randy Blythe & Iggy Pop)
04. Awaken
05. War Ender (feat. City Morgue)
06. Heart To Stone
07. Battery Tomb
08. Sequence Static
09. Gasoline
10. Golden

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Ozzy Osbourne has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

The news of the legendary heavy metal singer's diagnosis was shared by his wife and manager Sharon earlier today (Thursday, April 28) on her new show "The Talk UK".

"Ozzy was only diagnosed... It was, like, middle of the night [U.K.] time. I spoke to him and he's okay," she said in a clip uploaded by TMZ.

"I am very worried about Ozzy right now," she added. "We've gone two years without him catching COVID and it's just Ozzy's luck he would get it now."

When asked what the first thing is that she will do when she flies back to Los Angeles from the U.K., Sharon said: "[I will] hold him and kiss him with about three masks on, I think.

"My family is my life," she added.

As for the fact that she will be missing her new show, she said: "I can't believe my luck that I'm missing the show. I've only been there three days. I can't believe it — three days and I'm missing the show. But I will be back. I know I will. It'll take me a week to get my old man on his feet again and I will be back in a week."

Speaking about how the rest of the Osbourne family is coping with Ozzy's diagnosis, Sharon said: "Unfortunately, he was diagnosed in the middle of the night — they're all sleeping — so I haven't spoken to them yet, but they'll rally around. They'll be with him."

Regarding when people can expect to see her back on television, she said: "You're gonna see me back on air in a week 'cause I know my husband... we're gonna get him back on his feet and we're gonna get a negative test by next week."

Sharon herself was diagnosed with COVID-19 in December 2020. At the time, she said she said she was hospitalized for the infectious disease for a short time and was isolating away from Ozzy, who had tested negative.

In November 2020, prior to getting vaccinated for COVID-19, Ozzy told GQ magazine that he suffers from a respiratory disease which puts him at an increased risk of severe pneumonia and poor outcomes if he was to get infected with the novel coronavirus.

"I've got emphysema, so if I get this virus, I'm fucked," he said, referring to the type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) lung disease that makes it hard to breathe and gets worse over time.

Ozzy previously joked that Satan helped him ward off COVID-19 for the first two years of the pandemic. "My wife had the virus; my daughter had the virus and I never got it," he told Metal Hammer magazine last October. "Being a devil worshipper does have its good points."

In February 2021, Ozzy confirmed he received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, saying he "felt relieved " to get the jab.

Ozzy's COVID-19 diagnosis comes just one day after Sharon told Piers Morgan during an interview on his new show "Uncensored" that Ozzy is "dying to come home" to the U.K.

"He's doing okay. He sends you his love," Sharon said of the 73-year-old musician. "He's got one more operation left to do and then he's dying to come back home."

In January 2020, Ozzy revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He has also been suffering debilitating mobility issues following a recent back and neck surgery.

Ozzy has had other health battles in recent years, including the flu, pneumonia, a life-threatening staph infection in his thumb and a nasty fall.

Guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow of Canadian metal legends ANVIL was asked in a new interview with the "Heavy Metal Mayhem" radio show if he thinks the band would still exist if it hadn't been for the success of their documentary, "Anvil! The Story Of Anvil". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Of course we would still exist. We existed before the movie for fucking 13 albums, man, so why wouldn't we exist after it?

"Actually, you know what's really interesting, and this is something people should consider: if the band was shit and really was meaningless, the movie would never have been made to begin with," he continued. "That's the first step. And it was because of the music and the breakthrough and the amazingness that the band possessed that drove a kid to come back 30-something years later and make a movie about the injustice to something that deserved fame, the injustice that happened. Want to right a wrong — that's what it was all about; that's what the whole thing was about. It's not that the band was undeserving. We got fucked by the business. And you can perceive it and look at it any fucking way you want, but you weren't in the fucking car so you didn't see what the fuck happened when it got wrecked. You weren't there. You didn't witness the accident. I was in the accident — I witnessed it — so I know what the fuck happened. So you wanna blame it on the band? No. You can't blame it on the band; the band had huge, huge potential at a particular point in time and then had the rug pulled out underneath them at the worst time that it could have ever happened — in 1983. Bye. We were opening for fucking AEROSMITH, everything is happening, and then all of a sudden we're not. No record company, no fucking tours, no fucking nothing. It's over. And you don't put out another record for four fucking years, the most important years in heavy metal?"

"Anvil! The Story of Anvil" was named one of 2009's best documentaries by a slew of film critics associations across the continent, including critics in Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, and Las Vegas, as well as the International Documentary Association, the Online Film Critics Society, and the National Society of Film Critics. It also made the year-end Top 10 lists in publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, and Village Voice.

"Anvil! The Story of Anvil" was the directorial debut of screenwriter Sacha Gervasi ("The Terminal") and was produced by Rebecca Yeldham ("The Kite Runner" and "The Motorcycle Diaries"). The film follows Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner and their band, ANVIL, which released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982's "Metal on Metal". The album influenced an entire musical generation of rock bands, including METALLICA, SLAYER, and ANTHRAX, who all went on to sell millions of records. ANVIL, on the other hand, took a different path — straight to obscurity. The film was both entertaining and touching as it followed their last-ditch quest for the fame and fortune that has been so elusive to them.

ANVIL's new album, "Impact Is Imminent", will arrive on May 20 via AFM Records.

Like its three predecessors, "Anvil Is Anvil" (2016), "Pounding The Pavement" (2018) and "Legal At Last" (2019), "Impact Is Imminent" was produced by Martin "Mattes" Pfeiffer and Jörg Uken at Uken's Soundlodge studios in Germany.

Melodic rock 'n' roll band, Donna Cannone, celebrate the release of their new single '"Is It True" feat. Mia Karlsson (Crucified Barbara) with a new music video.





Mia Karlsson and Donna Cannone about the single:




"After years away from the music scene, I couldn't wish for a better way to return than with this super group of talented musicians and friends. Their positive vibe and genuine passion is so inspiring. I am so happy and lucky to be a part of this song!” - Mia Karlsson


"Sometimes life takes turns that seem so unreal and it makes you wonder whether you'd be able to get yourself through it all... by yourself..." - Donna Cannone


Stream "Is It True" via optional platforms here, and watch the video below:





"It all started as a game, something fun to do. As it should be."


And with that, Donna Cannone was born. Former Thundermother member Giorgia Cateri (guitars) and her fellow Italian ex-pat Luca D’Andria found themselves heading to a rehearsal room to play some music and, in their own words, "have some fun." Giorgia’s former Thundermother bandmate Tilda Stenqvist was brought in on drums as the trio began putting together a number of new songs. A knock at the door brought a surprise as, guitar in hand, Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork, The Nightflight Orchestra) had heard what the band were up to and wanted in. Keen to express himself as a lead guitarist, the world-renowned singer was impressed with what he’d heard the fledgling trio coming up with and soon the quartet were recording demos. One of these demos fell into the hands of Swedish label Despotz Records and a deal was soon done.


The first fruits of this deal were a brace of well-received singles – "Cross The Line" and "Nothing To Do", both of which saw the band picking up support across the world and alerting everyone to the presence of Donna Cannone.


May 27, 2022 will see the release of the band’s debut album via Despotz Records. It’s ten tracks of hook-laden songs, bristling with a punk attitude and a keen ear for melodic rock ‘n roll. Like every other band, Donna Cannone have been in a holding pattern with the album, waiting for the optimum time to launch their eponymous debut into the world. There will be a third single in the shape of "Is It True", (featuring a guest appearance from former Crucified Barbara singer/guitarist Mia Karlsson) before the band head out on tour with a string of live appearances booked across Europe.


The album has been mixed by celebrated Swedish producer Chris Laney and mastered by the equally revered Dan Swano at Unisound. The cover art can be seen below.





"Cross The Line"





"Nothing To Do"





Donna Cannone is:


Vocals/Bass - Luca D’Andria
Electric Guitar - Giorgia Carteri
Electric Guitar - Björn 'Speed' Strid
Drums - Tilda Nilke Nordlund

Coheed And Cambria have shared an acoustic version of their new Top 25 single, "The Liars Club", which is available today on all streaming platforms. Peeling back the layers on the anthemic track, Coheed And Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez reimagines "The Liars Club" with sweeping acoustics as he suspends disbelief and immerses listeners into a new reality.


Listen here, and watch the video below.


For reference, in the band’s forthcoming new album, Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind, The Liars Club is a crime syndicate run by a mob boss called Candelaria. The Club’s leadership achieves their endless endurance by draining the essence from youthful blood. Youth which they’ve lured to their doorstop via Inaugura, a raucous party aboard Candelaria’s floating city called The Cotillion.




As to why the acoustic touch, Claudio remarked, “It’s fun for me to try and reimagine songs I’ve written… ‘The Liars Club’ felt like the perfect candidate for the treatment.”





"The Liars Club: is featured on the band’s new album, Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind, which will now be released worldwide on June 24 due to ongoing global vinyl delays.


Coheed And Cambria commented on the new release date explaining, “Due to the ongoing issues with vinyl manufacturing, Covid shutdowns in China and supply-chain disruptions, we have pushed the release date for Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind to June 24th. We did everything we could to make the May date happen, but it’s beyond our control and we are excited you’ll have vinyl and the beautiful box set available on release date. We couldn’t be prouder of this new album, and we hope you will feel it was worth the wait. We will drop another song in the meantime to carry you through. Thank you for your never ending support.”


Pre-orders for the album on DSPs and for the collection’s deeply immersive Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set are available now.





Coheed And Cambria also launched an official pre-order for their “Marmalade Glow” limited edition colored vinyl variant of the new album. The double vinyl, triple gatefold baby blue and orange vinyl is exclusive to the band’s website.





Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind welcomes us back to “The Amory Wars” as the 2nd installment of the five-part “Vaxis” arc about a couple on the run from tyrannical forces and their mysterious new addition. The album’s limited edition deluxe box set [packaging shot below] includes the exclusive 96-page illustrated hardcover novel “A Window of the Waking Mind” which was developed by Sanchez and written by his wife Chondra Echert with strikingly realistic color artwork by Chase Stone. The 9” x 12” box set also houses an exclusive Quintillan Speaker Containment Unit Lamp (approx. 8” diameter), a 3-panel fold out poster of expanded album cover art, and the A Window of the Waking Mind Black Card which will allow all card holders early access to tickets and early entry to Coheed and Cambria headline dates. All box sets will also come with a CD copy and download of Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind along with an official Certificate of Authenticity. Furthermore, fans who pre-order the limited edition box set before January 23, will receive autographed copies and have their name included within the pages of the accompanying illustrated hardcover novel. For more information on Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set, visit coheedandcambria.com.


For the last 20 years, Coheed and Cambria have continuously broken the mold of what a rock band can be, forging their own path and building a universe around their music unlike any other. Whether it is in the way their genre-spanning approach to songwriting has allowed them to bridge worlds without being contained to one, or the multifaceted story arc of their albums and comic book series which mark the longest running concept story in music, Coheed and Cambria have consistently shaped new standards, never conformed. Comprised of Claudio Sanchez (Vocals / Guitar), Travis Stever (Guitar), Josh Eppard (Drums) and Zach Cooper (Bass) the band has gripped listeners and press around the globe with their visionary compositions and conceptual mastery. In 2018, Coheed and Cambria made a stunning debut with their album Vaxis I: The Unheavenly Creatures, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s “Hard Rock Albums” chart, #6 current sales and Top 15 on the “Billboard 200” chart.





Tracklisting:


“The Embers Of Fire”
“Beautiful Losers”
“Comatose”
“Shoulders”
“A Disappearing Act”
“Love Murder One”
“Blood”
“The Liars Club”
“Bad Man”
“Our Love”
“Ladders Of Supremacy”
“Rise, Naianasha (Cut The Cord)”
“Window Of The Waking Mind”


 “The Liars Club” video:





“Rise, Naianasha (Cut The Cord)” video:





“Shoulders” video:





Coheed And Cambria have also announced details of a massive 2022 North American summer headline tour. Deemed the “A Window Of The Waking Mind Tour”, it’s the band’s first major headline tour in five years. The upcoming trek will kick off on July 12 and see the band performing at some of the largest venues of their career in major cities across the continent including Boston, Philadelphia, Nashville, Denver, Queens, Toronto, Los Angeles and more.


Featuring support from Dance Gavin Dance and Mothica, tickets are on sale now.


Coheed And Cambria are currently out on “The Great Destroyer Tour”, a US headline run with special guests Sheer Mag which is set continue through mid-March giving audiences an opportunity to see the band live in intimate clubs across the US . For tickets and more information on Coheed and Cambria’s upcoming tour dates, head here.





“A Window Of The Waking Mind Tour” dates:


July
12 - FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park - Miami, FL
13 - MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre - Tampa, FL
15 - 713 Music Hall - Houston, TX
16 - Whitewater Amphitheater - New Braunfels, TX
17 - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory - Irving, TX​
19 - Coca-Cola Roxy - Atlanta, GA
23 - Nashville Municipal Auditorium - Nashville, TN
24 - Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre - Charlotte, NC
26 - The Anthem - Washington, DC
27 - The Liacouras Center - Philadelphia, PA
29 - Agganis Arena - Boston, MA
30 - Forest Hills Stadium - Queens, NY


August
1 - Stage AE Outdoors - Pittsburgh, PA
2 - Crofoot Festival Grounds - Pontiac, MI
3 - RBC Echo Beach - Toronto, ON
5 - Armory - Minneapolis, MN
6 - SeatGeek Stadium - Bridgeview, IL
7 - Saint Louis Music Park - St Louis, MO
9 - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre - Denver, CO
10 - The Lot at The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
12 - Shrine LA Outdoors - Los Angeles, CA
13 - Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre - San Diego, CA
14 - Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA
16 - Marymoor Park - Seattle, WA
17 - Edgefield - Troutdale, OR


(Photo - Alexandra Gavillet)

Symphonic metal masters After Forever are soon approaching the 15th anniversary of their self-titled swansong album, After Forever (2007), and to celebrate this anniversary, the band will release a special reissue of the album - completely remastered by Darius van Helfteren and featuring two rare Japanese bonus tracks. The first is the beautiful piano ballad, "Lonely", and the other is a catchy progressive symphonic metal anthem named "Sweet Enclosure", which has been released today. Listen here, and below.


Singer Floor Jansen comments: "I am very glad to see this album revamped and presented once again. I am still so proud of it and consider it our best work! It brings back happy memories of rehearsal sessions in extreme temperatures with good laughs and wonderful recording sessions in the middle of the Dutch countryside. Singing these songs live is something I will miss forever and rocking with our loyal fans too. Thank you for all the magnificent years and I hope you can enjoy this album, maybe for the first time, maybe once again!"


Out May 27, the album will be released digitally, on CD and vinyl. Pre-order here.







Tracklisting:


"Discord"
"Evoke"
"Transitory"
"Energize Me"
"Equally Destructive"
"Withering Time"
"De-Energized"
"Cry With A Smile"
"Envision"
"Who I Am"
"Dreamflight"
"Empty Memories"
"Lonely"
"Sweet Enclosure"


"Sweet Enclosure":





After Forever are:


Floor Jansen - Vocals
Sander Gommans - Guitar, Grunts
Bas Maas - Guitar, Vocals
Luuk van Gerven - Bass
André Borgman - Drums
Joost van den Broek - Keyboard

Former SKID ROW singer Tony Harnell has weighed in on the band's decision to enlist Erik Grönwall as its latest frontman, calling it "a very smart and innovative idea."

Grönwall, who auditioned for the competition show "Swedish Idol" back in 2009 by singing a cover of SKID ROW's "18 And Life", joined the group this past January as the replacement for ZP Theart, who had been in SKID ROW for more than six years.

Last month, SKID ROW released its first single with Grönwall, "The Gang's All Here". The song is the title track of the band's upcoming album, which will arrive on October 14 via earMUSIC.

During an appearance on the latest episode of the GUNS N' ROSES-centric "Appetite For Distortion" podcast, Harnell — who fronted SKID ROW for less than a year — stated about the band's newest addition (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think that they made a great decision. I've admired Erik from afar, and I think it's the best choice they could have possibly made at this stage of the game. I mean, look, everybody knows what [fans] want with that particular situation," apparently referencing fans' constant call for a reunion with former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach, "but it doesn't look like it's ever gonna happen. So in lieu of that happening, I think this was a very smart and innovative idea for them to grab a younger guy who has a lot of fire onstage and he has a great voice — very versatile. I'm impressed, and I think it's a great choice."

SKID ROW, which played its first show with Grönwall on March 26, recorded "The Gang's All Here" in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

Last September, Grönwall released his cover version of SKID ROW's "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms.

In 2018, Grönwall debuted in the U.S. for 10 million viewers in NBC's live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Along with John Legend, Alice Cooper, Sara Bareilles and others, Erik played the key role of Simon Zealotes.

Theart, a former member of DRAGONFORCE, joined SKID ROW in 2016 following the departure of Harnell.

Harnell previously said that his drinking was partly responsible for him quitting SKID ROW via social media, explaining that it was "a really dumb" and "very unprofessional" thing to do.