Canadian thrashers Hyperia, formerly of Calgary, AB, now residing in Vancouver, BC released their new album Silhouettes Of Horror independently in March 2022. The full-length follows their 2020’s Insanitorium unleashed via Sliptrick Records and their 2019 EP Fish Creek Frenzy.


Check out the guitar playthrough video for the track "Experiment 77" below.







Silhouettes of Horror sees guitarist Colin Ryley behind the soundboard producing and mixing the record with mastering done by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland (Children of Bodom, Nightwish, Battle Beast). Album artwork was created by Andrei Bouzikov (Vektor, Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch, Toxic Holocaust).


“We think that we have polished our sound and pushed ourselves to create what we believe is a newly refined vision. This record has pushed the whole band to their limits, and the songwriting, performance, and production value is a huge step up. We feel the fans will enjoy this new album even more than our first full-length,” adds Collin Ryley.


Energetic, melodic, fast, psychotic, and dynamic are the elements that make Silhouettes Of Horror that old and new fans of thrash, NWOBHM, and power metal will appreciate. The band even included a cover hommage of Abba’s “Gimme Gimme Gimme”. For the recording of Silhouettes Of Horror, Hyperia also recruited good friend and session drummer Gord Alexander (Tessitura, Tides of Kharon, Immunize).


Most of the lyrical themes on the album revolve around inhumane government experiments, sleep disorders, and night terrors.





Tracklisting:


"Hypnagogia" 
"Intoxication Therapy" 
"Experiment 77" 
"Severed" 
"Prisoner Of The Mind" 
"Terror Serum" 
"Whitecoat" 
"Silhouettes Of Horror" 
"Operation Midnight" 
"Pleonexia" 
"Gimme Gimme Gimme" (Abba cover)


"Prisoner Of The Mind":





"Experiment 77":

San Francisco Bay Area metal titans MACHINE HEAD will release their tenth studio album, "Of Kingdom And Crown", on August 26 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings. The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis" includes the three songs that were featured on last year's "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky". Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with producer Zack Ohren.

The official music video for the song "Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate" can be viewed below.

"Of Kingdom And Crown" is a 13-track concept album set in a decimated futuristic wasteland where the sky is stained crimson red. The crux of the story is based on two main characters: the first and main character is Ares (pronounced Aries), who loses the love of his life (Amethyst) and goes on a murderous rampage against the vile sect responsible for her murder; the second character is the perpetrator Eros (pronounced Arrows), who loses his mother to a drug overdose and becomes radicalized in the aftermath. Eros goes off the deep end manifesting his own killing spree. The lyrics detail how their lives intertwine.

MACHINE HEAD founder Robb Flynn comments: "Thanks to my two teenage boys, my family has become obsessed with this awesome Japanese anime series called 'Attack On Titan'. The album's concept was loosely inspired by the series in the sense that in the storyline there is no 'good' or 'bad' guy; both characters believe they're doing the right thing as it applies to their being, but make no mistake, both are committing acts of pure atrocity and evil. The opening track 'Slaughter The Martyr' is basically our character No. 1's origin story.”

The colossal concept comes with a list of equally colossal packaging for various physical formats including 16 different worldwide vinyl formats, deluxe vinyl box set (with bonus tracks), CDs (both old-school longbox and jewel box options), multi-color cassettes, and a limited-edition digipak with bonus tracks. CDs, digipak, cassettes, and all digital formats will be available on August 26, with all vinyl formats arriving on November 25.

"Of Kingdom And Crown" track listing:

01. Slaughter The Martyr

02. Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate

03. Become The Firestorm

04. Overdose

05. My Hands Are Empty

06. Unhallowed

07. Assimilate

08. Kill Thy Enemies

09. No Gods, No Masters

10. Bloodshot

11. Rotten

12. Terminus

13. Arrows In Words From The Sky

Digipak CD bonus tracks:

14. Exteroception *

15. Arrows In Words From The Sky (acoustic)*

Flynn recently told Metal Hammer magazine about the musical direction of the new MACHINE HEAD material: "It's similar to [2003's 'Through The Ashes Of Empires' and 2007's 'The Blackening'] in that we're moving forward into something fresh and new but it's got that classic MACHINE HEAD vibe. We have a lot to deliver and expectations are very high, so I'm lucky to have great people surrounding me. Jared [MacEachern, bassist] really stepped up and wrote some great riffs and great vocals. Vogg [guitarist Wacław Kiełtyka] contributed a few ideas and brought some really great songs."

He continued: "It's fucking heavy, probably the heaviest we've been in a few albums. I've been playing so much guitar recently; I do Electric Happy Hours every Friday and sometimes you play a song you haven't played in 10, 20 years, or go through a whole album from top to bottom. When we toured 'Burn My Eyes', it took me back to where I was writing that music. I don't think I can ever be in that place again lyrically, but riff-wise, I think that all spilled into this album."

This past February, MacEachern told Primordial Radio about his contributions to MACHINE HEAD's new album: "I think that I was very aware from day one that Robb is the leader, he's the creative leader, the musical leader… We all have our inputs but I think it's always understood that ultimately the decision is up to him for how things go. But, yeah, I definitely made contributions and I feel great about those contributions and I'm asked about my opinion on certain things. But, like I said, I'm following his lead."

As for the sound of the new MACHINE HEAD LP, Jared said: "It's a pretty — to use Robb's word… I believe he used the word 'colossal' the other day. It's a pretty big-, epic-sounding album. We've been toying around with the order, but I've been listening, sitting down, taking the time to listen to it all the way through, and the way it goes, it's a ride — a really great, heavy, beautiful, melodic, raging, thrashing ride."

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

MACHINE HEAD will team up with Sweden's Viking metal overlords AMON AMARTH for a co-headline "Vikings And Lionhearts" European arena tour in September and October. Support on the trek will come from THE HALO EFFECT, the new band featuring five former members of IN FLAMES: Peter Iwers, Daniel Svensson, Jesper Strömblad, Niclas Engelin and Mikael Stanne.

"Catharsis" was the final album to feature guitarist Phil Demmel and drummer Dave McClain, who both left MACHINE HEAD in October 2018.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine says that he "peed on the floor" of the White House bathroom three decades ago.

The 60-year-old guitarist/vocalist, who went to the White House in 1992 with the "Rock The Vote" campaign for the Democratic National Convention coverage, made the outrageous claim while introducing the song "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" during MEGADETH's concert last night (Sunday, April 10) at the Tucson Arena in Tucson, Arizona.

Mustaine said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I want you guys to know that I've lived through a lot of different eras in the United States and seen different things, and one thing that makes me the most proud of everything here in our country is you guys, the way that you are handling yourselves and the way that… as the metal community. There's a lot of people that go out there and they say things and they totally embarrass themselves. And I want you guys to know how proud I am to represent you."

He continued: "When I went up to the White House, I was so proud to be able to go up there and say, 'Fuck you. You think we're stupid? We are not stupid.'

"By the way, when I went into the White House, I went into the royal — whatever the fuck it's called — White House bathroom, and I peed on the floor. I had to. I had to."

Three years ago, Dave, who has attracted a fair amount of media attention over the years for his political thoughts, said that he and other public figures have fallen victim to so-called negative partisanship, in which people identify as being against the opposing political party, and vocalize their beliefs through anger or loathing.

"I've got this reputation that I'm a right-winger," Mustaine told Ron Keel of the "Streets Of Rock 'N' Roll" radio show. "Well, check my voting record to see that I've voted Democrat and Republican. And it's just a shame that people are trying to destroy people's careers because of a vote."

Mustaine has consistently denied that he is a Republican, telling Artisan News in a 2012 interview: "I'm an independent, not a Republican — I've never been a Republican. I've always said that. I don't belong to any party — I'm non-partisan. And for me, the sad thing is, instead of voting for the best man, I have to vote for the lesser of two evils."

Back in 2016, Mustaine refused to say if was going to vote for Donald Trump in that year's U.S. presidential election but called the billionaire real estate mogul "a very successful businessman." He also said that he wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton.

Four years earlier, Mustaine made headlines when he voiced his support for ultraconservative Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum. He explained at the time that the Pennsylvania politician looked "like he could be a really cool president… kind of like a JFK kind of guy." That same year, he drew ire on social media when he suggested onstage at a concert in Singapore that President Obama was behind the mass shootings in Aurora and at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.

Mustaine later blamed media outlets for taking his statements out of context, explaining that he never said he officially "endorsed" Santorum. As for the Singapore concert, he claimed to have been repeating the theories of Larry Pratt, a pro-gun activist who runs the organization Gun Owners Of America.

Also in 2012, Mustaine revealed his "birther" opinions on a talk show, saying he doubted President Obama was born in the United States. He told radio host Alex Jones: "With all of the proof about his birth certificate being fake… And you see the signs in Kenya that say 'the birthplace of Barack Obama.' Hello?! C'mon, guys. How stupid are we right now?"

In October 2011, as Occupy Wall Street protests were raging across the country, Mustaine railed against what he saw as the president's inappropriate support for the populist movement, calling Obama the most divisive president we've ever had. "I've never, in my 50 years of being alive, listened to an American president try and turn one class of people against another class of people," he said. "I've never — never — heard a president say, 'Go down and join the protesters down at Wall Street,' knowing that there are Nazis down there, knowing that there are people down there who are trust-fund babies, that are super, super wealthy and they're going down there and pretending that they really care; they just wanna be part of the 'movement.'"

Mark Dean recently spoke with TNT guitarist, Ronni Le Tekrø, for Antihero. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow...


Mark Dean: I think as well, what's been going on over the last two years, artists always sought inspiration from the world around them. Has what's been going on in the world with the pandemic, has that impacted on your creativity? Is it difficult? Has it made your writing, your style, your creation darker and more negative?


Ronni Le Tekrø: "Yeah. I think it's darker, definitely, the lyrics. And more than just a topic in one way. But on the other hand, it's more melodic too. I don't know. And also, I think I play more guitar solos on this album than in a while. So I think it was an outlet for creativity."




Mark Dean: Does (TNT) still have a future in terms of recording new music, doing gigs? Obviously you've had in the band, your fair share of personal tragedy over the years.


Ronni Le Tekrø: "Yeah, definitely. We've had some tragedy, some serious illness for different members. But I think maybe in the future that we could make the very last album. We're obviously going to continue touring in whatever lineup, with whatever lineup. But if there's going to be new music, I'm not sure. I've started writing some stuff."


Read more at Antihero.


Le Tekrø released his new solo album, Bigfoot TV, back in March via TBC Records via Cargo Records. Bigfoot TV is Le Tekrø’s first solo album in six years, and old and new fans are in for a treat. Together with his tight band, Bigfoot TV sounds inspired and vibrant, Ronni's brilliant guitar is a red thread through the album and you’ll find references to everything from TNT to Thin Lizzy, The Beatles, David Bowie and his own progressive rock albums.





Tracklisting:


"Life On Long Island"
"Demons"
"Moving Like A Cat"
"The Black Rose"
"A Handful Of Time"
"A New Day In The Morning"
"U.F.O."
"Not Today"
"Eyes Of The Woods"
"Come On Go On" (Bandcamp Exclusive)


"Moving Like A Cat"





(Photo - Carl Eek)

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine, who has been collaborating with the Canadian brewery Unibroue on a beer called À Tout Le Monde for the past seven years, says that his partnership with the Québec-based company is about to come to an end.

The 60-year-old guitarist/vocalist discussed the status of the MEGADETH beer during a March 30 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We went to Unibroue up in Canada and selected that company because we felt that they were a good company. And we got a deal with them. It was for quite a long period of time. And that's expiring, I think, in a couple of more months. And we're going to be looking for a new company to manufacture our beer.

"I love the taste of cold beer when it's hot," he continued. "That was one of the things I loved about our beers because they were saisons, which were the summer refreshment blends that the Belgian monks would make for themselves during the really bloody hot summer months.

"So, yeah, we're wrapping things up with Unibroue, and we're gonna be looking for something back down here in the States now," Mustaine explained. "Because there was a lot of stuff that just really restricted us growing to what we wanted to do, because they were a Canadian company and us being an American band that was an international success. You've got people sending you these really helpful messages, 'Hey, my friend on the corner has a bar, and he says he could sell your beer.' And for me, I think to myself, 'Well, that's great, if we had distribution down here.' But it's a little company from Canada.

"When we set out to do this, we had no idea it was gonna be so successful. So we're hoping this carries on in the States," Dave added. "But if not, it's just another feather in our cap for things done and done well."

When MEGADETH's collaboration with Unibroue was first announced, Unibroue's brewmaster Jerry Vietz said that he listened to MEGADETH in high school, and as a budding guitarist, viewed Mustaine as a legend.

Three years ago, Unibroue announced the release of its second collaboration with Mustaine, Saison 13. While the first Unibroue/MEGADETH collaboration, À Tout Le Monde, was a year-round brand, Saison 13 was a seasonal beer that was only made available for a limited time.

A few years ago, Mustaine told Kilpop that he was "really, really little" the first time he had a beer. "Actually, my mom and dad got divorced when I was 4, so I was with my mom," he said. "And we lived in Huntington Beach and she worked many cities away, so she would commute from where she worked back to the house, and I came home from school and she would have beer in the fridge. But we were super poor, so it was those beer cans that were white and had the blue letters on it that said 'beer.' The only other beer I can remember at that period was Meister Brau, which was really another awful beer. So it was generic beer and Meister Brau back then, 'cause, like I said, we were really poor. And being of German heritage, beer is kind of like running water for me anyway."

Regarding what he looks for in a good beer, Mustaine told Kilpop: "Well, I'm kind of spoiled now with our beer, because we use the yeast only one time. Most beer makers, they'll reuse the yeast over and over again. And most batches will be anywhere from the first one to seven batches that they'll use that same yeast. And for us, it's very high quality, it's very crisp. We make sure that the date that when it's finished distilling to when it's packaged to when it's put into the marketplace, there's a timeline for that. Nothing is rushed. It's not about getting it out there and making mass production of this liquid. It's about making sure that… See, it's like art to Jerry. Jerry Vietz's the beer meister. So there's a lot of ties there."

The 2022 leg of MEGADETH's "The Metal Tour Of The Year" with LAMB OF GOD will kick off on Saturday, April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada and hit a further 21 cities before wrapping in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sunday, May

Former W.A.S.P. lead guitarist Chris Holmes has released the official music video for the song "I Am What I Am". The track is taken from his latest studio album, "Unbearable Influences", which came out last September.

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

This past weekend, Holmes completed his fifth week of radiation therapy in his battle with cancer in throat and neck.

Last year, Holmes told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that W.A.S.P. was "a group, a band" on the first LP. "And after that, the second album, it wasn't a group — it was a one-man show," he said. "And it's been a one-man show after that ever since. It's the way it is. Look at the records. It's the way it is in that band.

"W.A.S.P. never played any shows until I was in the band, so where does a band start — when they record or when they do their first show?" he continued. "I came in before the first show, and it was 'one for all, all for one.' But then when money came into it and fame, people changed — they change real bad. And I never changed. I don't change. I haven't changed the way I think, the way I am. I'm not gonna change. I am what I am.

"During the [making of the] second [album], I was told the manager wants to use Blackie's [Lawless, W.A.S.P. frontman] image [on the cover], which the manager didn't tell me that — Blackie told me that."

According to Chris, he, guitarist Randy Piper, drummer Tony Richards and Blackie were all part of W.A.S.P. initial management contract, but Blackie was the only one signed to the record label. "Everybody thinks we [all] signed to the label, but it wasn't [like that]," Holmes told "Trunk Nation".

"I never learned about the business till about 10 years ago," he explained. "How do you learn about the business? You've gotta be in there with the manager and all that stuff, so I was always kept from that… I put my trust into somebody, and [I found out later that he was] sticking a knife in my back. I didn't find that out until 2010 or '11.

"Once [W.A.S.P.] became [all about] one person, [my attitude was] 'Hey, I'll just do my thing, and leave me alone. I'll play my guitar.'"

Despite the fact that he only got songwriting credit on a a couple of the songs on each of the first four W.A.S.P. records, Holmes was adamant that his input was essential to the band's overall sound.

"If I would have quit after the first album, the way I play guitar, the way I play is really important to writing those songs," he told "Trunk Nation".

"If I hadn't joined in the beginning, it would have never worked. Blackie told me that the first day, when he came and talked to me to play in W.A.S.P. He says, 'I've got this band. It's not gonna work unless you're in it.' He told me that to my face."

In October 2020, Chris said that he would never consider returning to W.A.S.P. unless Lawless agreed to pay him the publishing royalties that he allegedly owes him. He told Canada's The Metal Voice: "A lot of people think I made money from W.A.S.P. I've never gotten my royalties, or even my songwriting. All the stuff that I wrote, I've never gotten paid one penny. And you know whose fault it is? It's my my fault for not knowing the business, how it is. I trusted somebody.

"After every album, when the album is done, how they split up the publishing with the publishing contracts, the publishing companies — that's where the money comes from," he continued. "I was never told about when that meeting was. Because the other guys in the band never wrote — I was the only one [other than Blackie]. So I'm the only one that they have to screw over to get all the publishing. So I was never told. Then when I dug into it in about 2006 or [2007], I went into Sanctuary Music, had a lawyer go in to find out where all my publishing is, and I was written in as a session player into all the records. And if you don't know about it, and you're not told, and you don't see, you don't know. So I trusted Blackie Lawless about that. And when I found out, it really kind of yanked me wrong. It yanks me wrong — it makes me see he was sticking a knife in my back from the first day, from the first album, and not telling me, and being my best friend."

This past February, Lawless shot down Holmes's claim that the guitarist was "screwed" out of receiving royalties on the W.A.S.P. albums that he performed on. Lawless discussed Holmes's tenure with W.A.S.P. in an interview with "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked to respond to Holmes's assertion in Chris's recently released documentary "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes" that he was financially taken advantage of during his time in the band, Lawless said: "I don't really know much about… I spoke to [former W.A.S.P. guitarist] Randy Piper a couple of years ago. I don't really know what's going on with the rest of the guys. And I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about with Chris about not being paid.

"Chris, at two different points in his musical career, received settlements from this band; he signed documents as such," Blackie explained. "And he was paid quite well.

"I haven't seen what you're talking about. The answer I'm giving you right now is based on what you just said to me."

The W.A.S.P. frontman went on to confirm that he hasn't seen Chris's documentary and was once again asked about Holmes's claim that there is money and songwriting credits that he didn't get that he's due. Lawless said simply: "That is not true."

During a November 2017 press conference in Moscow, Russia, Lawless was asked what he would say to those W.A.S.P. fans who continue to call for the band to reunite with Holmes. He responded: "People get divorced for certain reasons, and there's times when the kids want the parents to get back together, but sometimes it never happens. And this is one of those [times]. Sorry."

ASHES OF ARES, the band featuring former ICED EARTH members Matt Barlow and Freddie Vidales, has released the official music video for the title track of its third studio album, "Emperors And Fools". Barlow was filmed by David Brodsky and Allison Woest for My Good Eye: Music Visuals; Vidales was filmed by Adon Fanion. The clip was produced by Woest (Barlow) and Fanion (Vidales).

The "Emperors And Fools" LP, which was made available on January 21, 2022 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels, ends with the eleven-minute-long epic "Monster's Lament" which features the long-imagined joining of forces between Barlow and another former ICED EARTH singer, Tim "Ripper" Owens.

Speaking to Metalheads Forever about how the collaboration with Owens came about, Matt said: "Tim and I and Freddie, we keep in contact through social media and all that stuff anyway. And we have a lot of like interests and things, obviously, outside of that connection with ICED EARTH. We're all in this together right now, especially going through COVID and all that.

"Tim does music for a living. So we just thought it might be cool. We've been talking about doing a collaboration for a while. It just seemed like the right time because we could actually pay him as a musician and get him to participate. And we did that for a couple of musicians that had done guest spots.

"We just thought that this was a good idea," he continued. "This was a song that actually Freddie has had for a while. Freddie wrote the lyrics for it. He had the concept, this idea of a duet-type thing. It's a duet, but not really. I mean, it is, but it's two separate characters — Tim and I are playing two separate characters. And it's quite lengthy, but it's really cool too. It's got the face-ripping parts and then more mellow stuff and kind of coming back up. It's over 11 minutes long. I think it really is a very cool composition. And I hope that people like it.

"Freddie had lyrics but he didn't necessarily have the vocal melodies, so I worked the melodies out," Matt added. "And then the stuff that I worked out, I worked out for Tim and I and then I gave it to Tim. But I didn't hold him in kind of contraints — I didn't say, 'Hey, man, use this kind of voice' or 'Do this.' I just wanted him to do Tim. Whatever struck him the way that it struck him and just kind of following at least the template and staying within certain boundaries but letting him be himself. And I think that really played off. I was able to kind of do something almost point-counterpoint to what he's doing. So Tim's doing Tim and Matt's doing Matt, and so hopefully it hits people in the right way that we were trying to create something that was ebb and flow. We're not competing against each other. We're weaving it so that it's making a cohesive song with different characters involved. So I'm hoping that people dig it."

"Emperors And Fools" was released as a digipak CD, limited turquoise/black splatter vinyl (300 copies worldwide), limited red/black splatter vinyl (300 copies worldwide) and digital streaming and download format.

"Emperors And Fools" was produced by ASHES OF ARES, and mixed and mastered by Byron Filson at Villain Recording in Phoenix, Arizona. The cover artwork was created by Kamil Pietruczynik.

Track listing:

01. A City In Decay (intro)

02. I Am The Night

03. Our Last Sunrise

04. Primed

05. Where God Fears To Go

06. Emperors And Fools

07. By My Blade

08. What Tomorrow Will Bring

09. The Iron Throne

10. Gone

11. Throne Of Iniquity (CD-exclusive track)

12. Monster's Lament

ASHES OF ARES is:

Matt Barlow - Vocals

Freddie Vidales - Guitars, Bass

Guests:

* Drums on all tracks by Van Williams

* Keyboard intro composed by Jonah Weingarten

* First solo "The Iron Throne" by Wiley Arnett of SACRED REICH

* Second solo "The Iron Throne" by Charlie Mark

* Second solo "Monster's Lament" by Bill Hudson

* Guest vocals "Monster's Lament" by Tim "Ripper" Owens

* Keyboards "Monster's Lament" by Brian Trainor

In December 2020, ASHES OF ARES released the 12-inch black vinyl EP, "Throne Of Iniquity". Limited to 300 copies, the EP contained one new ASHES OF ARES song, "Throne Of Iniquity", as well as two cover tracks, CHICAGO's "25 Or 6 To 4" and KANSAS's "Dust In The Wind".

ASHES OF ARES's second album, "Well Of Souls", came out in November 2018 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels. It was the follow-up to ASHES OF ARES's self-titled debut album, which was released in September 2013 via Nuclear Blast.

Three years ago, Barlow told "The Classic Metal Show" about ASHES OF ARES: "Sometimes it's hard to escape the comparisons [to ICED EARTH], because my voice is still my voice no matter what, and I'm still gonna deliver things emotionally like I have before, so people are always gonna draw comparisons with ICED EARTH, and that's fine; I'm completely cool with that. I'm proud of my time in ICED EARTH, proud of everything that I've done with them, proud of them right now, going on and kicking ass. So I don't have any problem with that whatsoever — the comparisons. But that being said, I want ASHES to have its own identity as well. I think, again, as my writing partner, Freddie deserves that — he deserves to have his own identity in ASHES — and I think that's really important; that's what we're striving to do. And also, hey, man, there's already an ICED EARTH out there; they're touring and they're kicking ass, as I stated before. Why would I wanna do ICED EARTH stuff?"

Swedish occult rockers GHOST performed the songs "Spillways" and "Call Me Little Sunshine" live for the first time during the kick-off concert of their European tour on Saturday, April 9 at the AO Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. Fan-filmed video is available below.

"Spillways" and "Call Me Little Sunshine" are both taken from GHOST's fifth album, "Impera", whcih sold 70,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked the third top 10 album — and fifth top 40-charting set — for the Swedish act.

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

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

GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge worked on the follow-up to 2018's "Prequelle" with Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

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

GHOST's U.S. co-headlining tour with VOLBEAT kicked off on January 25 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada and concluded on March 3 in Anaheim, California.

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

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

Photo credit: Mikael Eriksson

The New Black guitarist / Who Brought The Dog frontman Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz kept himself busy during lockdown with more musical experimentation. He recently released unleashed a full lenghth album, ROAR!, via RetroSynth Records.


Schwarz has followed up with a non-album single, "Five Best Things", featuring The New Black vocalist Fludid, and lyrics penned by The New Black guitarist CHristof Leim.







Pick up "Five Best Things" via Bandcamnp here.


The album cover artwork, tracklist and the line-up of guest vocalists for ROAR! are available below.





Tracklist:


"Hate Me In Return" (Fludid / The New Black)
"Skull And Bones" (Bina / Savanna Skean)
"Third Eye" (Alen Ljubic / Gloomball)
"A Man Of Power" (Charly Steinhauer /Paradox)
"Home Is Not A Place"
"Laserlust" (Fludid / The New Black)
"Runaway" (Bina / Savanna Skean)
"Disco Blue" (Fludid / The New Black)


"Hate Me In Return"





The New Black is a hard rock band hailing from Würzburg, Germany, launched in 2007 by Schwarz and guitarist Christof Leim. They have released four albums to date via AFM Records: The New Black (2009), II: Better in Black (2011), III: Cut Loose (2013) and A Monster’s Life (2016).

THE BLACK CROWES will release a new Amazon Original EP, "1972", on May 4. A tribute to the 50th anniversary of some of the best rock and roll during its prime, the project was recorded at the Sunset Sound in Los Angeles in January 2022 and is a collection of six songs that were specifically selected through a collaboration between the band and Amazon Music. The first single, a soulful cover of "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" by THE TEMPTATIONS is out today.

"1972" will be available exclusively on Amazon Music digitally. Vinyl and physical CD are also set for release everywhere on May 6 via the band's label Silver Arrow.

THE BLACK CROWES singer Chris Robinson said: "The year 1972 was a watershed moment, some of the greatest rock and roll songs ever made came out of that year. To get our band back together in the studio, it had to be a celebration of rock and roll. This record is about love and devotion to something that makes us feel good. We hope that it makes fans around the world feel the same."

Stephen Brower, global co-head of artist relations for Amazon Music, said: "THE BLACK CROWES have been celebrating their influences for their entire career, and a whole generation of fans (this one included) surely discovered Otis Redding's 'Hard To Handle' and Bob Marley's 'Time Will Tell' through their versions. To work with them to re-visit 1972, a truly magical year in music, was an absolute thrill. I can't imagine another band having the skill and the swagger to take on these songs and pull it off so spectacularly."

Join THE BLACK CROWES on May 4 at 10:00 p.m. EST / 7:00 p.m. PST for a performance of the EP live from the historic Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles via Amazon Music's channel on Twitch. May 4 also marks the 50th anniversary of a renowned LITTLE FEAT performance at the famed venue in 1972.

"1972" physical albums along with exclusive merchandise will be available for public purchase during the stream. Directed by Joseph Llanes, fans can also watch an exclusive, behind-scenes-look at the group in studio for the first time in over a decade below.

"1972" track listing:

01. Rocks Off (THE ROLLING STONES)

02. The Slider (T.REX)

03. You Wear It Well (ROD STEWART)

04. Easy To Slip (LITTLE FEAT)

05. Moonage Daydream (DAVID BOWIE)

06. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone (THE TEMPTATIONS)

Fans can hear THE BLACK CROWES' covers by simply asking "Alexa, play the Amazon Originals from THE BLACK CROWES" in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android, and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to the new track, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals, featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.

As for new original music from THE BLACK CROWES, the plan is for the Robinson brothers to hit the studio in January, with Chris telling Rolling Stone that he has finished his portion of "15 or 20" songs.

THE BLACK CROWES recently announced a 2022 North American tour celebrating their classic 1990 debut album, "Shake Your Money Maker". The 34-date trek will kick off on June 9 and run through July 24 before picking up again on August 13 and concluding on August 27.

The 2021 leg of THE BLACK CROWES' "Shake Your Money Maker" tour ended last September at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York.

Joining Chris and Rich in the new BLACK CROWES lineup are longtime bassist Sven Pipien, who played with the band live from 1997 up until the band's hiatus in 2015, along with Brian Griffin on drums, Joel Robinow on keyboards and Isaiah Mitchell on guitar, plus backup singers Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant.

Rich told Cleveland.com that he and his brother wanted to re-start THE BLACK CROWES with a clean slate. "There was a strong agenda in the band [previously] to keep Chris and I apart and keep Chris and I fighting," he said. "We just didn't want to have to deal with any of that negative [stuff], so it had to be this way in order for it to be what we want."

"Shake Your Money Maker" was re-released in multi-formats sets in February 2021 through UMe/American Recordings. The album, fueled by singles "Jealous Again", "Twice As Hard", "She Talks To Angels" and a cover of fellow Georgian Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle", has sold over five million copies.

Last month, former THE BLACK CROWES drummer Steve Gorman filed a lawsuit against the paid over unpaid royalties. In his complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against Chris and Rich and The Black Crowes Partnership, Gorman claimed faulty accounting resulted in him missing out on royalties from THE BLACK CROWES' classic albums.

Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL played their first show in front of an audience in more than two years last night (Thursday, April 7) as the support act for APOCALYPTICA at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia. Fan-filmed video is available below.

Prior to last night's concert, the last time LACUNA COIL played together was at the group's special September 2020 livestream event where the bandmembers performed their latest album, "Black Anima", in its entirety with no audience in attendance at the Alcatraz Club in Milan, Italy. That show was released as a live album, "Live From The Apocalypse", via Century Media.

LACUNA COIL hadn't played in front of a crowd since the completion of the band's South American tour in February 2020.

Less than two months ago, LACUNA COIL said that it had entered the studio to begin recording "a very special project." No further details have been made available.

Last June, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia told Revolver that she and her bandmates didn't use the coronavirus downtime to work on new music. "We didn't want to force the fact that because we were home, we had to write music," she explained. "We always thought that to write music, you need to be inspired. And inspiration comes from the outside, comes from experiences that you have, things that you live. At least this is valid for us.

"Everything we do in a regular life, in a normal life enriches us and gives us input that we can put in our music," she said. "And also we like to write together. So, if Marco [Coti Zelati, bass] creates the basis of the music together with the other musicians in the band, then Andrea [Ferro, vocals] and I jump in with the lyrics and vocal lines. But we do that together. We need to enter in songwriting mode. So we didn't really like the fact that we had to write separately just because we have to put a record [together] because it's quarantine. Now we are starting to collect ideas 'cause we feel a little bit happier."

Scabbia continued: "We didn't want anything connected to the negativity of the pandemic… That's why I used my time to do something completely different. Because I know that what I did that it's completely different from what I usually do will make me start again to do what I did before with passion — with the same passion. I was just afraid that if I would have used all the downtime making music when I didn't really want to, it would have had a negative influence on me. And it would have been, like, 'I really don't want to do that.' And I also wanted to prove to myself that, yeah, music is main passion. I love what I do for a living, and I hope that I can do it until the day I die. But I also wanted to show myself that I can be capable of doing something else as well."

In February 2021, LACUNA COIL took part in an initiative dubbed "L'Ultimo Concerto?" (Last Concert) to highlight the increasingly uncertain future of music venues. Instead of delivering live performances as part of a scheduled free virtual stream, each of around 130 Italian artists was filmed taking the stage at a different venue and then standing there in silence as a way of commemorating the one-year mark since the first Italian venues closed.






Lacuna Coil. So good.

Posted by Gary Book on Thursday, April 7, 2022

KITTIE guitarist/vocalist Morgan Lander and drummer Mercedes Lander held their first rehearsal together since 2017 over the weekend. Earlier today, a short video of the session was posted on the band's Instagram, and it was accompanied by the message: "We look like we're jamming at a construction site! This is the first time we've played together like this in 5 years. The feeling is unbelievable! #whatialwayswanted #underconstruction #kittie".

Last month, Morgan confirmed to Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio that KITTIE will play more shows beyond the already announced appearances at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in September and at the When We Were Young festival in October. "That's it for this year," Morgan said. "But next year, we definitely will. But I think those opportunities will come later on.

"We don't have anything set in stone, but I think it's something that, like I said before, once these doors are open, I think we can expect to feel comfortable doing a few more little things here and there and hopefully we'll be able to do some more one-offs in the States and Europe and that type of thing," she explained. "So the possibilities are endless."

Joining Morgan and her sister Mercedes at the above-mentioned shows in the fall will be guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Asked in a recent interview with the "Talk Toomey" podcast what led to Vujic returning to KITTIE for the upcoming dates, Lander said: "Ivy played on two of our albums, the last two albums that we did. She left the band right before the very last big tour that we ended up doing; she did the Soundwave Festival [in Australia] with us in 2012, and those were the last shows that we did with her. And she just kind of settled into her life, started a family, got married, and so that's sort of been what she's been up to. But Ivy's a metal girl at heart and she's always been super, super easygoing about stuff. I just sent her a message and I was, like, 'Hey, can we talk?' And we had a really, really great phone call and I just sort of explained the situation, explained what was going on. I asked her if she'd be into doing it, and she was, like, 'Yeah. Sounds great.' … It's very much one of those things where you don't talk that often anymore, you don't see each other that often, but then, when you all get together again, that chemistry and that vibe is always there."

Morgan continued: "I feel like that lineup of KITTIE in particular was always very super pro, super chill — no stress, no drama. Just, like, 'You know what? We're gonna go out there and we're gonna sound amazing.'

"She's an incredible bass player. I don't think that Ivy gets enough credit. She is absolutely incredible. So it's gonna be great."

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

When We Were Young will be held on the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on the Strip on October 22, October 23 and October 29.

When the lineup for When We Were Young was first revealed, KITTIE said: "Thanks for your patience with our silence friends. The truth is we've been in full on crisis mode the past week and weren't sure if we'd actually be able to make this happen but it's true and we'll be there to melt your face off and we hope you got your tickets."

KITTIE has not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

In January, the original lineup of KITTIE — Morgan, Mercedes, Fallon Bowman (guitar) and Tanya Candler (bass) — reunited for an online chat to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of its gold-certified 2000 debut album, "Spit".

Candler left KITTIE after the release of "Spit" in order to finish high school and was replaced by Talena Atfield.

Bowman exited KITTIE in 2001 and started her own industrial/electronic project, AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for 2011's "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

"I've Failed You" sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 178 on The Billboard 200 chart.
























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According to Billboard, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' new album, "Unlimited Love", sold 97,500 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marks the band's first chart-topping effort since 2006's "Stadium Arcadium".

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

Of "Unlimited Love"'s 97,500 units earned for the week, album sales comprise 82,500; SEA units comprise 14,500; and TEA units comprise 500.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS's first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since "Stadium Arcadium" was once again produced by Rick Rubin who previously worked on "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (1991), "Californication" (1999), "By The Way" (2002) and the aforementioned "Stadium Arcadium".

The band stated about the new record: "Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We (John, Anthony, Chad and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could. Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.

"We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album 'Unlimited Love' is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe. This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it."

Frusciante said: "When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, THE KINKS, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, Richard Barrett and others. Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other."

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS will embark on a world tour this summer. The North American leg will kick off in Denver, Colorado on July 23 at Empower Field at Mile High. It will conclude in Arlington, Texas on September 18 at Globe Life Field.

Frusciante originally joined RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS following the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak in 1988. This lineup recorded two highly successful albums that brought the group mainstream popularity: "Mother's Milk" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Sadly, Frusciante fell into a deep heroin addiction that caused him to leave the band while touring to support "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Frusciante rejoined CHILI PEPPERS six years later, playing on 1999 album "Californication", 2002's "By The Way" and 2006's "Stadium Arcadium" before quitting the band again in September 2009.

Photo credit: Sandy Kim

Bay Area natives, Aenimus, will release their Sacrificial EP on May 6 via Nuclear Blast. Today, the band release their third single, "Wasteland", featuring David Benites. Watch the lyric video below.


Aenimus comments, "'Wasteland' is the heaviest and darkest song Aenimus has written. The lyrics are very melancholy and touch heavily on the dark place where depression and addiction can lead people. The music is fast-paced and relentless from beginning to end and I think listeners will enjoy this darker side of Aenimus."







Sacrificial was recorded at Grimzee Studios with Brian Gosling handling the producing and mixing. The cover artwork was created by Mark Erskine of Erskine Designs. Pre-save the EP here.





Aenimus will join Allegaeon on their Terrestrial Takeover Tour. The 26-date trek will kick off in Anaheim and make stops in Austin, Atlanta, and Brooklyn before concluding on July 1 in Fresno. The package includes direct support Arkaik and openers Summoning The Lich.


Aenimus comments, “We are so excited to announce the 'Terrestrial Take Over' tour, where we will be supporting Allegaeon alongside Arkaik and Summoning The Lich. After 902 days since our last show, we will finally return to the stage on June 1st at 1720 in Los Angeles CA, and make our way around the country to finish the tour July 1st at Full Circle Brewery in Fresno. We look forward to performing new music off our upcoming EP Sacrificial and some fan favorites from Dreamcatcher and Transcend Reality and more than anything, we can’t wait to see all of you at a show!”


Prior to the tour, Aenimus will also play a show with The Faceless, and Allegaeon on June 1 at 1720.





Dates:


June
4 - Doll Hut - Anaheim, CA
5 - Nile Underground - Mesa, AZ
6 - Tumbleroot Brewing - Santa Fe, NM
7 - Amplified Live - Dallas, TX
8 - Come And Take It Live - Austin, TX
9 - White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX
10 - Onyx Theater - Baton Rouge, LA
11 - Boggs Social - Atlanta, GA
12 - The Haven - Orlando, FL
14 - The Blind Tiger - Greensboro, NC
15 - Metro Gallery - Baltimore, MD
16 - Dingbatz - Clifton, NJ
17 - The Meadows - Brooklyn, NY
18 - Jewel Nightclub - Manchester, NH
19 - The Crafthouse - Pittsburgh, PA
20 - The Sanctuary - Detroit, MI
21 - Reggies - Chicago, IL
22 - Amsterdam Bar & Hall - St. Paul, MN
23 - Wildwood - Iowa City, IA
24 - The Royal Grove - Lincoln, NE
25 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO
26 - Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UT
28 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
29 - Dante's - Portland, OR
30 - The X Bar - Cupertino, CA


July
1 - Full Circle Brewing District - Fresno, CA

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his singer wife Toyah Willcox are back with another episode in their "Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch" series. This time they take on Living Colour's "Cult Of Personality". Watch below:





A selection of Robert & Toyah's previous Sunday Lunch videos can be seen below:

On April 4th, Judas Priest was forced to cancel their show in Lowell, MA due to frontman Rob Halford battling a cold. The tour resumed on April 7th in Halifax, NS at Scotiabank Centre. Fan-filmed video is available below.













Remaining dates on the tour are as follows:


April
10 - Videotron Center - Quebec City, Quebec
11 - Place Bell - Montreal, Quebec
13 - FirstOntario Centre - Hamilton, Ontario

Lena Scissorhands Featuring Death Dealer Union have released a video for the new single, "Borderlines". Buy stream the song here, and watch the video below.





"My first song in collaboration with Death Dealer Union... It didn’t just help me stay busy and creative in the times of a big global depression but also worked as therapy in the times of need. I had fun collaborating with new musicians! Please enjoy 'Borderlines.'" - Lena Scissorhands




"With all the amazing and talented bands of the last decade, we wanted to stand apart by capturing some of the foundational aspects of Metal and yet weave a strong thread of modern female fronted Nu-Metal but with no rules!" - CC McKenna





Lena Scissorhands featuring Death Dealer Union is an alternative power metal collaboration envisioned by drummer and main songwriter CC McKenna, a skilled veteran Los Angeles musician with vast experience as an actor, model and businessman.


Everything started when CC and the guitarist Doug Weiand started to compose music together during studio jam sessions. After a few songs took shape in the recording studio, they auditioned several lead vocalists before the awesome Lena Scissorhands, a true rock/metal queen, wrote and featured some phenomenal lead vocals on Death Dealer Union songs.


The rest is history.


(Photo - Jeremy Saffer)