After more than 10 years of playing and touring, Nitrogods felt that it was about time to release a live album. Ten Years Of Crap - Live will be released on May 27 via Massacre Records


The songs on this live double album were recorded by Jacky Lee Man, sound guy of Saxon, during two live shows in Berlin and Hannover, Germany, in 2019. Needless to say, that there was plenty of great material to fill a double album with a lot of rock 'n' roll. The album was mixed and mastered by a good friend of the band, Stefan Leibing (former guitarist of Primal Fear), who made sure that it became an incredibly powerful masterpiece that captures the power of the band's live sets perfectly. It is an album that was forged in the spirit of the classic 70's and early 80's live double albums Nitrogods used to love when they were young.


The band comments: "We may still look young but believe it or not: We're old. It's rock 'n' roll that kept us young. So DO that rock 'n' roll!... and enjoy this great album!"




Pre-order here, and watch an EPK video below.





Tracklisting:


CD1:


"Black Car Driving Man"
"Gasoline"
"At Least I'm Drunk"
"Breaking Loose"
"Boogeyman"
"A Los Muertos"
"Back Home"
"Rifle Down"
"Lipsynch Stars"


CD2:


"Nothing But Trouble"
"Damn Right"
"Rancid Rock"
Drum Solo
"Wheelin'"
"Rats & Rumours"
"Take It To The Highway"
"Whiskey Wonderland"
"Wasted In Berlin"
"We'll Bring The House Down"


EPK:





Lineup:


Claus "Oimel" Larcher - Vocals, Bass
Henny Wolter - Gitarren, Vocals
Klaus Sperling - Drums

Influential Danish metallers MERCYFUL FATE will embark on a European tour this spring and summer. The trek will kick off on June 2 in Hannover, Germany and will include shows in Poland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, France, Spain, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Norway, Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. A one-off appearance at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas, Nevada will follow in late August.

Confirmed dates:

Jun. 02 - Expo Plaza - Hannover, Germany (with VOLBEAT)

Jun. 04 - Mystic Festival - Gdańsk, Poland

Jun. 10 - Sweden Rock - Sölvesborg, Sweden

Jun. 14 - Wuhlheide - Berlin, Germany (with VOLBEAT)

Jun. 16 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium

Jun. 18 - Copenhell - Copenhagen, Denmark

Jun. 24 - Rock The Castle - Verona, Italy

Jun. 26 - Hellfest Open Air Festival - Clisson, France

Jul. 01 - Rock Fest Barcelona - Barcelona, Spain

Jul. 02 - Tuska Open Air - Helsinki, Finland

Jul. 22 - Hills Of Rock - Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Jul. 24 - Artmania Festival - Sibiu, Romania

Jul. 28 - Fezen Festival - Székesfehérvár, Hungary

Jul. 29 - Metaldays - Tolmin, Slovenia

Aug. 04 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany

Aug. 06 - Beyond The Gates - Bergen, Norway

Aug. 11 - Brutal Assault - Jaromer, Czech Republic

Aug. 13 - Bloodstock Open Air - Derbyshire, UK

Aug. 21 - Psycho Las Vegas - Las Vegas, NV

In 2019, it was announced ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera would be replacing original MERCYFUL FATE bassist Timi Hansen for the latter band's summer 2020 European festival appearances due to Hansen's cancer diagnosis. Hansen passed away in November 2019 and MERCYFUL FATE's 2020 summer festival appearances were initially rescheduled for 2021 before being moved back to 2022.

Back in October 2020, Vera told Dead Rhetoric about how he landed the MERCYFUL FATE gig: "I've been friends with [MERCYFUL FATE vocalist] King [Diamond] for some time. ARMORED SAINT did a tour with King back in 1988-89; we have been friends and labelmates forever. And so, he came to see me when I was on tour with FATES WARNING supporting QUEENSRŸCHE in Dallas where he lives. He came to see the show. [Metal Blade Records owner] Brian Slagel was in town. King pulled me aside backstage and told me the story of Timi going through chemotherapy and had a summer tour booked and wasn't sure he was going to be well enough to do it. If he wasn't, would I consider stepping in and helping out. Of course, I was flabbergasted and honored, yeah. I didn't have anything else going on — it was supposed to happen this summer. To honor Timi and help them out, thank you for asking me. In the back of my mind, I was thinking Timi would pull through, he would get enough energy to make it. I was sadly mistaken and it was devastating."

Two years ago, MERCYFUL FATE guitarist Hank Shermann confirmed that he was working on the first new music from the band in more than two decades. At the time, he said about the writing process: "First of all, King [Diamond, vocals] is living in Texas, in the States. I'm living here north of Copenhagen, in Denmark. The drummer [Bjarne T. Holm] is also here, so I work with him in the rehearsal room shaping the new songs. The other guitar player [Mike Wead] is in Stockholm, Sweden, and our new bass player [Joey Vera] is in Los Angeles. So everything is [being done via] Dropbox or e-mails."

He continued: "I think there's about six or seven [tracks that are] about to be ready. The first song has been sent to King after it's been mixed and all the guys played on the song. So I sent the files to Joey in Los Angeles; he did the bass. And then I sent the same files to Mike in Stockholm; he did his solos. And now King has the first song, evaluating for the vocals to be added. And then we will rearrange certain parts to be twice as long and stuff like that."

MERCYFUL FATE's last studio album, "9", was released in 1999.

MERCYFUL FATE will be remembered for its unquestionable mark on the history of metal with its innovative sound, complex arrangements, memorable melody, and its influence on bands that later took the genre to new heights.

In 1998, METALLICA paid tribute to MERCYFUL FATE by recording a medley of classic MERCYFUL FATE songs on the album "Garage Inc." Titled "Mercyful Fate", the medley included parts from "Satan's Fall", "Curse of the Pharaohs", "A Corpse Without Soul", "Into the Coven" and "Evil".

Lars Ulrich of METALLICA (a fellow Dane) played drums on a new version of MERCYFUL FATE's "Return of the Vampire" on the "In the Shadows" album, which came out in 1993.


The Sabbath comes to you across EU, UK, and US. Be ready and wait for the sound of the demon bell..

For tickets and information visit: mercyfulfatecoven.com

Posted by MERCYFUL FATE on Tuesday, April 19, 2022

The clip below features UK-based Venom Prison performing "Slayer Of Holofernes" om the Ronnie James Dio stage at Bloodstock 2021. The song is taken from the band's 2020 album, Primeval. 





On the album release day of their new album Erebos, Venom Prison unleashed a visualizer video for the song “Comfort Of Complicity”, filmed by singer Larissa Stupar.




Venom Prison comment, “‘Comfort Of Complicity’ is a song about the European and American immigration systems and the way they break families apart and criminalise vulnerable people for simply wanting to give a better life for their families. Musically, this song goes through many sounds and emotions, and making it as one piece was a challenge. The song wanted to sound like a journey through aggression to a more major key moment with some form of hope.”





About the release of their new album, Venom Prison enthuse, "We are extremely proud to have our 3rd full-length, Erebos, finally out in the world. Bringing Venom Prison forward on this release, we’ve explored new avenues and added more depth and layers to our sound which listeners will find a new experience; Erebos is full of surprises to say the least. It truly touches on social issues as expected, but this time it’s personal - with more emotion and attachment than ever before, anger with compassion. Balancing the darkness with light and showing a truer side to what really haunts through sound and words."


They continue, "Working with Scott Atkins on this record has been an absolute pleasure and really is the fulfilment plus more of what we had initially hoped to do when putting this record together. Thank you Eliran Kantor for continuously creating the incredible aesthetic and atmosphere to our artwork, expressing the sound perfectly in imagery. Massive thank you to Century Media for all their passion and contribution. For anyone that has checked out the singles, pre ordered, shouted about, that’s incredible, thank you.”


Venom Prison has carved an uncompromising space for themselves over the course of two full-length albums, Animus (2016) and Samsara (2019) with 2020’s Primeval reinvigorating the band’s earlier EPs with two newly written tracks added. What began as an explosive collaboration between Russian-born vocalist Larissa Stupar and guitarist Ash Gray (with the lineup rounded out by guitarist Ben Thomas, bassist Mike Jefferies and drummer Joe Bills) has exploded into a force to be reckoned with as vitriolic and outspoken lyrically as they are musically.


Order the new album here.





Tracklisting:


“Born From Chaos”
“Judges Of The Underworld”
“Nemesis”
“Comfort Of Complicity”
“Pain Of Oizys”
“Golden Apples Of The Hesperides”
“Castigated In Steel And Concrete”
“Gorgon Sisters”
“Veil Of Night”
“Technologies Of Death”


"Pain Of Oizys" video:





"Judges Of The Underworld":





Lineup:


Larissa Stupar - lead vocals
Ash Gray - guitar
Ben Thomas - guitar
Mike Jefferies - bass
Joe Bills - drums


(Photo - Andy Ford)

Manowar have released the 4-part mini-documentary below, stating: "3 years ago we traveled to Longyearbyen (Svalbard), the northernmost year-round settlement in the world, near the Arctic Circle. In celebration of this anniversary, we’re sharing never-before-seen footage."
















Manowar recently released an official video trailer for the Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour ’22/’23, which celebrates over forty years of true metal and anniversaries of eight immortal Manowar albums: Battle Hymns, Into Glory Ride, Fighting The World, Kings Of Metal, The Triumph Of Steel, Warriors Of The World, Gods Of War, The Lord Of Steel.


A mega-setlist will honor this unique alignment in history and cover the band’s entire career in a brand new, immersive stage production. For all tour details and ticket links, head here.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett will release his debut solo EP, "Portals", on April 23 via Blackened Recordings. Speaking to The Mercury News about what it feels like to be stepping out on his own for the first time in his career, Hammett said: "Usually when there is an album release — it's the four of us [in METALLICA]. We all have each other's backs. We are all supporting each other, because it's kind of a nerve-wracking sort of emotional and mental thing. Usually, during this time, we have each other to talk to about any sort of insecurities or whatnot. But now that I have put out a solo album, I am the guy who bears the whole burden of all that. I said to James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman], 'This is weird. I have an album release and usually I have you three other guys. But it's just me and it makes me feel insecure and nervous.' And James only had one reply: 'This is a growth and learning experience for you, bro.' And I go, 'Thank you for saying that because I didn't see it like that.'"

Produced by Kirk, "Portals" is comprised of the songs "Maiden And The Monster" and "The Jinn" on side A, followed by "High Plains Drifter" and "The Incantation" on side B. The latter two were co-written with Edwin Outwater, with whom Kirk had previously collaborated on METALLICA's "S&M²" concerts and releases. Outwater also contributed keyboards and led the orchestral players from the LA Philharmonic on "Portals".

Regarding the musical direction of "Portals", Hammett told The Mercury News: "I made a very conscious to have this music stand alone. ['Portals']) doesn't sound like METALLICA. It really doesn't. I should say, okay, I thought 95 percent of it does not sound like METALLICA. Just by proxy of who I am, as a member of METALLICA, some of it is going to be reminiscent of that. But that's the five percent that is kind of instinctual — it's kind of like bred into me. It was important to have a different vibe and a different approach."

"With this music, the vocabulary is wide open. There's a huge classical influence. There's also a flamenco influence. There's a little jazziness here and there. There are chords in this music that I would never think about using in METALLICA.

"['Portals'] breaks down the doors. I'm way into classical. I'm way into jazz, bossa nova, blues. I love old country.

"The sky is the limit at this point. And it's a pretty beautiful thing."

Other familiar names amongst the "Portals" players include drummer Abraham Laboriel, Greg Fidelman on bass, Emmy-winning arranger Blake Neely and Bob Rock.

Hammett previously stated about how his debut solo effort came about: "Initially, before I even had the idea for a solo EP, I was inspired by the need to create some sort of soundtrack music to accompany The Kirk Hammett Collection for the first 'It's Alive' exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, 2017. I wanted to conceive music to play on a loop in the background as people walked through the exhibit. I sat down one night with a progression, and before I knew it, all the parts were there for 'Maiden And The Monster'.

"The initial concept for 'Portals' started with that one song. Following that, I realized I could create different soundtrack moments. These songs are what I call 'audio cinematic'; I'm creating sounds and pieces of music for the movies playing in my head. Hopefully they'll create movies in other people's heads in a similar fashion."

"Portals" will be available to order on the Met Store and the Probity U.K. shop on Saturday, April 23.

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, RAINBOW singer Ronnie Romero was asked about the current status of the band, six years after the Ritchie Blackmore-led outfit first reformed to play sporadic shows. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We normally keep in contact — not very often, because, obviously, Ritchie is a very insulated person. But I don't think there's gonna be any plan in the near future because the pandemic was way complicated, obviously, for all the music business. And now it's like everything is getting back to normal but delayed two years. So there is a lot of shows happening. And until it gets completely back to normal, it's gonna happen at least a couple of years. So I think Ritchie is not too much into the idea to make anything so far. And he is focused right now with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT — they released an album recently, I think. There's no plan so far; we were not informed about any plan. So we're just waiting for… With Ritchie, you never know — maybe in a couple of days he's gonna come with an idea. You never know."

In May 2019, RAINBOW released a new digital single, "The Storm", via Minstrel Hall Music. The song was described as "a rocked-up remake" of an old BLACKMORE'S NIGHT track from the album "Fires At Midnight", which was issued back in 2001.

A month earlier, RAINBOW released a newly recorded version of its song "Black Sheep Of The Family".

The original recording of "Black Sheep Of The Family" — a cover of a track by the band QUATERMASS from 1970 — was included on RAINBOW's debut album, 1975's "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow".

The first new RAINBOW single since 1996, "Waiting For A Sign", came out in March 2018. The song was penned by Blackmore, with lyrics by Candice and vocals from Romero, who is originally from Chile but is now settled in Madrid.

The latest incarnation of RAINBOW released two new studio recordings in 2017, but they weren't original compositions; one was an instrumental song called "Land Of Hope And Glory", which was a reworking of the 1902 British patriotic song of the same name from Edward Elgar's "Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1", while the other was a re-recording of the RAINBOW classic "I Surrender", which was written by Russ Ballard and was first released by RAINBOW in 1981.

"Waiting For A Sign" is included on "Memories in Rock II", which was released in April 2018 via Minstrel Hall/Soulfood. The set also contains a double CD of the June 2017 U.K. RAINBOW concerts, a DVD containing over 80 minutes of interview footage with the band and crew, an additional backstage clip and a video for the 2017 studio version of "I Surrender".

Blackmore stepped away from his Renaissance-inspired brand of music with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT in 2016 to perform a handful of shows with a brand-new lineup of the band he had formed after quitting DEEP PURPLE.

Although Ritchie initially said that he had no plans to make a new RAINBOW album — explaining in early 2016 that he wanted to "just get back to playing the old songs one more time" — he revealed to Japan's Burrn! magazine that he changed his mind.

In addition to Blackmore and Romero, the current incarnation of RAINBOW includes STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith, bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT), and backing singers Candice Night and Lady Lynn.

The two shows RAINBOW played in Germany in June 2016 were caught on camera to produce "Memories In Rock - Live In Germany", which was released in November 2016 via Eagle Rock Entertainment on DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2CD, and digital formats.

After Ritchie left DEEP PURPLE for the final time in 1993, he reformed RAINBOW for one album (1995's "Stranger In Us All") and one tour, ending things in Denmark in 1997.

Romero released a covers album, "Raised On Radio" on April 15 via Frontiers Music Srl.