Legendary Rotting Christ leader, Sakis Tolis, has released lyric videos for "Ad Astra" and "I Name You Under Our Cult", featured on his new solo album, Among The Fires Of Hell. Watch below.


A recent message from Sakis: "My dear friends, I can proudly announce the release of my first solo album, Among The Fires Of Hell, in full and exclusively free of charge via my socials."







Tracklisting:


"My Salvation"
"Among The Fires Of Hell"
"The Dawn Of A New Age"
"We The Fallen Angels"
"Ad Astra"
"Live With Passion (Die With Honour)"
"I Name You Under Our Cult"
"The Silence"
"Nocturnal Hecate"


"Ad Astra" lyric video:





"I Name You Under Our Cult" lyric video:





"Among The Fires Of Hell" video:





Album stream:

In a new interview with SPIN, AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry reflected on his 2016 health scare when he collapsed onstage with his other band the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, later citing dehydration and exhaustion. Asked if he was worried he wouldn't be able to perform after that, Perry said: "It was really a bummer. I let the guys down. And also my family was there, which is even more important. It woke me up to the fact that I'm not bulletproof. I discovered some physical things that I had to adjust. My mother had cholesterol problems early on. You know, just certain medications I take, and others can't. I mean, it was definitely a scare. But in my heart — and I'm saying that figuratively [laughs] — I knew I'll be back on my feet playing."

In November 2018, Perry was hospitalized following a performance with Billy Joel on stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Only minutes after guesting with Joel, Perry experienced shortness of breath and was treated by paramedics.

In 2019, Perry said his 2016 collapse was caused by "over-the-top fatigue," while his hospitalization after the Billy Joel concert happened because he "couldn't get my breath and I had to sit down. The next thing I know I'm getting oxygen. They call it COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. It's caused from smoking for years.

"I quit smoking," he added. "I haven't had a drink since that night. I'll be around for a while."

Perry's VAMPIRES bandmate Alice Cooper told Rolling Stone that Joe was exhausted when he fell ill at the 2016 gig at Brooklyn, New York's Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, and had not eaten in two days.

"I didn't realize AEROSMITH only did two shows a week," Alice said at the time. "Honestly, I just figured everybody was like me. I do five shows a week, and very physical shows. We were on our eighth show in 10 days. It was pretty brutal. I think [Joe] was dehydrated and basically exhausted. I talked to him before the show and he said, 'I don't think I've eaten anything in three days.' I went, 'Well, that's not smart.'"

As previously reported, AEROSMITH will bring its residency back to Las Vegas this summer. "Aerosmith: Deuces Are Wild" heads to Dolby Live at Park MGM for 24 dates beginning Friday, June 17. According to a press release, the show will be the first live concert experience presented in Dolby Atmos at Dolby Live. Dolby Live is one of the world's most technologically advanced performance venues for enjoying live music in Dolby At

On March 31, Madame Tussauds London unveiled its David Bowie figure.

Working in partnership with Bowie's estate and using information from his 1983 sitting, Madame Tussauds London's new figure is the second to be created of Bowie and immortalizes his alter ego, the extra-terrestrial rock star Ziggy Stardust. Fans of the icon of sound and vision will recognize the Starman's signature red hairstyle, cosmic jumpsuit and celestial makeup made famous in the 1970s.

Bowie's new figure marks the launch of Madame Tussauds's newly revamped Music Festival zone, the only place where guests can experience a truly impossible lineup of musical greats. From posing with Beyoncé and Amy Winehouse, jamming with Jimi Hendrix and Ed Sheeran to owning the stage alongside Freddie Mercury and Stormzy, this is a lineup that only Madame Tussauds London could create.

To celebrate the arrival of Bowie's new figure and the completion of the attraction's impossible festival lineup, Madame Tussauds revisited some of the capital's most iconic music venues.

* At the Hammersmith Apollo, nearly 50 years after his last performance there as Ziggy Stardust, Bowie's new figure was joined on stage by fellow South London boy Stormzy's figure.

* Studio 1 at Abbey Road Studios, played host to the figures of Ed Sheeran, Amy Winehouse and Freddie Mercury, who have all recorded at the iconic location.

* At Ronnie Scott's famous Jazz Club, Jimi Hendrix's figure graced the same stage where his real-life counterpart held his last ever performance in 1970. He is joined by the figure of one of Britain's biggest musicians, Dua Lipa.

* Portobello Road's Honest Jon's had two special customers as figures of reggae legend Bob Marley and music icon Beyoncé stood amongst the music mecca's revered vinyls.

Tim Waters, general manager at Madame Tussauds London, said: "David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust transcends generations and music genres, making him the ultimate headliner to launch our new Music Festival zone. We were honored to work with his estate in what would have been his 75th year and play our small part in keeping his inimitable legacy alive for generations to come.

"We know that guests love to meet their music heroes here at the attraction. With our new Music Festival experience, we've captured the magic of live music, with legends you literally could not see perform together anywhere else, in a way that only Madame Tussauds London could. There's also the added bonus of no muddy fields or main-stage clashes to contend with."

Bowie died in January 2016, two days after his 69th birthday.

He passed away just three days after releasing his 25th studio album, "Blackstar".

The singer, songwriter, actor and fashion icon reportedly kept his 18-month battle with cancer so private that even close friends weren't aware of his struggle.


MADAME TUSSAUDS LONDON UNVEILS NEW BOWIE FIGURE

“Can’t tell them apart at all...”

Madame Tussauds London announced...

Posted by David Bowie on Thursday, March 31, 2022

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner is our special guest on BraveWords' Streaming For Vengeance this Saturday as he discusses restarting the band’s 50 Heavy Metal Years tour after COVID temporarily put the Metal Gods on hold. But in early January, Judas Priest were quick to announce that guitarist Andy Sneap was going to “step away to refocus on studio work, including upcoming Judas Priest material,” which meant all eyes were on Faulkner (and occasionally Glenn Tipton) to riff away at all the Priest classics. Alone. As they tour as a “relentless four piece heavy metal band." So the uproar could be heard around the globe and Priest ended up changing their mind as social media platforms cried out and Rob Halford told Billboard, “That blew up in my face, didn’t it?” 



“Obviously we know about the kickback that came about from the fans,” Faulkner tells BraveWords in excerpt. “But there was a section of time there when that was what exactly was going to happen. That was the announcement that went out and it was my job to make it happen from a guitar point of view. We rethought that, but there was a time where that was exactly what was going to happen. I was thinking about how that was going to happen and how I was going to make that happen. And how it was going to be put into place. I had a few ideas about how that was going to happen. It was going to be a challenge of course. And obviously I don’t have four hands and there was going to be a different approach to it. Thank goodness there was that much concern. If there wasn’t that much passion from the fans it would’ve been a sad thing really. If there was a positive to take out of all that, it was it was that people cared so much about their band Judas Priest. We had no choice but to listen and it was a healthy thing to happen. Fair enough and all is well that ends well.


BraveWords: A rare example of social media having a positive purpose and a positive outcome. 




Faulkner: “Exactly! You can’t help but listen to a movement that strong. And it was really fast. It’s funny, if it was 1975 or 1980, you wouldn’t have had that response. It would’ve just happened and we would’ve gone out on the road like that and it would’ve been a different outcome. In 2022 we have the luxury of having that connection with the fan base and we can have the fans tell us what they think and we act accordingly. So, it’s quite a blessing really."



BraveWords: In 1975, you’d be waiting months after the fact, as this glut a fan mail shows up and you start opening it and realize that you made the wrong decision. 


Faulkner: “Absolutely. In 1975 it might’ve been one of those things where, the band would’ve made a decision and felt the consequences on the road. It’s just one of those things. Some bands didn’t stand the test of time for decisions that they made." 


BraveWords: So let’s be frank here. You and Sneap are like two kids in a candy store. Do you fanboy about this opportunity of a lifetime to be able to play some of the greatest heavy-metal songs of all time.


Faulkner: “Yes, and it’s interesting that you say that, because we talk about it all the time. We talk about how we can improve it, what can we do next, what songs we can do. It’s no secret the Priest have always gone out with one set and they stuck with that set for the duration of the tour. Only for the last couple of years, we’ve changed the set around as we move through the tour, and with different countries we change the set. I don’t know if it’s purely because of me and Andy’s influence, but we do give them a little bit of an elbow suggesting different songs. Like ‘What about that song or what about this song’. We’re always discussing songs like ‘Island Of Domination’ or ‘Tyrant’. And sometimes we have these discussions with the rest of the band and sometimes they find their way into the set. As fans and because we were on the outside for so long and now we are on the inside, we do have a different opinion and a different viewpoint. And we do talk about it quite a lot about what we can do differently. We are both really proud to be up there. It’s a huge honour to be up there playing and we have lots of enthusiasm playing with a band that is celebrating 50 years, one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time.”


Faulkner also chats with us about recording the new studio album and his thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and if he cares if Priest get the nod?


You can watch/listen to Richie Faulkner this Saturday, April 2nd at 3:33 PM EST on BraveWords' Streaming For Vengeance! Tune in on the BraveWords Facebook page or the BraveWords YouTube channel. 


For more information about Streaming For Vengeance, visit this location.


Upcoming Judas Priest dates are listed below.





March
30 - Prudential Center - Newark, NJ
31 - MGM National Harbor - Washington, DC


April
2 - Foxwoods Casino Arena - Mashantucket, CT
4 - Paul E. Tsongas Arena - Lowell, MA
7 - Halifax Scotiabank Centre - Halifax, Nova Scotia
10 - Videotron Center - Quebec City, Quebec
11 - Place Bell - Montreal, Quebec
13 - FirstOntario Centre - Hamilton, Ontario

OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni spoke to Hardrock Haven about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's 20th studio album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "All the drums are done. All the guitars are done. I still have to do the bass. Blitz [Bobby Ellsworth, OVERKILL singer] has gotta get to his vocals. But I had almost all of it written when we went out on the tour before COVID, 'cause that's where we were in our cycle. So I had to have my part — the music for the record — pretty much done. I had two songs left that I had to do when I got back home. 'Cause that's where we needed to be, 'cause the record was supposed to come out in the fall of that year or whenever. But then we were, like, 'We've got a little extra time.' And then we had more extra time."

He continued: "It was funny, because usually I'll kind of demo up everything at home, all the songs, and I'll send it out to the guys, and then they'll learn the stuff from the demo and then we'll get together and play. [And then we'll decide] 'Maybe it should be faster or slower' — we kind of noodle around till it feels good in the room. But we weren't able to do that 'cause of COVID. But now that it's taken so long, we could have done that. So, I don't know exactly… This one's still gonna be a bit of an odd record 'cause it was kind of done all remotely — everything. We're gonna put out a record of songs that we've not one single time stood in a room and played together."

As for the musical direction of the new OVERKILL material, Verni said: "Compared to the other ones… It's hard to say. It's maybe got a little bit more SABBATH-y kind of parts in it, a little bit more doomy.

"I know Colin Richardson's gonna mix it," he added. "Poor Colin. We thought we were gonna do it, and then we pushed him off, and then we pushed him off again, and then we pushed him off again. An we said, 'You know what? We'll call you when we're ready.' So whenever that's gonna be, we'll call him again. But we're psyched about that 'cause he's just great. He's a great mixer and a great producer. So if nothing else, it'll sound great."

Richardson previously worked with OVERKILL on 1997's "From The Underground And Below", 2000's "Bloodletting" and 2003's "Killbox 13".

Earlier this month, Blitz told 69 Faces Of Rock that OVERKILL's new album is tentatively scheduled for an April 2023 release, "followed by a European tour."

Regarding the sound of the new OVERKILL material, Blitz said: "It's gonna be hard to figure it out for me until it actually takes shape. It seems a little bit more eclectic for us. It's riff driven, not rhythm driven. The songs will contain two or three different riffs throughout it — the main [riff] and then two that are kind of secondary riffs, which I think is a little bit unique for us, to be singing over something like that. Heavy, of course. I mean, there's some sledgehammer stuff on it — that kind of big, thick groove. I think the other side of it is that it shows kind of experienced speed, would be the word. Some of them just take off."

In June 2020, Ellsworth told A&P Reacts that the band's new songs were "a natural progression from 'The Grinding Wheel' [2017] and 'The Wings Of War' [2019]. I think when we had done the 'Ironbound' record [2010], it almost became like a trilogy in there — it was kind of like 'Ironbound', 'The Electric Age' [2012] and 'White Devil Armory' [2014], and they seemed to be the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost kind of a thing," he said. "I think we kind of broke the mold a little bit with 'The Grinding Wheel', and then I think a little bit more with 'The Wings Of War'. And on this one, I see it way more. And what I mean by that is that we've used other tools from our toolshed in the past, and that's the slow grind that is coupled with that fast gallop. So it feels like a natural progression, but maybe two records ahead of what 'The Wings Of War' is. And that's probably as objective as I can be."

OVERKILL spent most of 2019 and early 2020 touring in support of its 19th studio LP, "The Wings Of War", which was released three years ago. The disc was recorded at Gear Recording Studio in New Jersey, SKH Studio in Florida and Jrod Productions with engineering handled by Verni and guitarist Dave Linsk. The album was produced by the band while Chris "Zeuss" Harris took care of the mixing and mastering. Travis Smith (NEVERMORE, OPETH, SOILWORK, DEATH) was again enlisted to create the artwork for the album.

"The Wings Of War" marked OVERKILL's recording debut with drummer Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM), who joined the band in 2017.

Last month, Blitz confirmed that guitarist Dave Linsk is sitting out OVERKILL's current U.S. tour due to "personal reasons" and is being temporarily replaced by former MACHINE HEAD and current VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel.

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson says that he is "really honored" to be involved in the making of the upcoming feature-length documentary "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza", which is described as an "exploration of the late MEGADETH drummer's life."

Menza, who was a member of MEGADETH from 1989 to 1998 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums, suffered a heart attack and collapsed during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: in May 2016 at the Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Ellefson reflected on Menza's passing in a new interview with The Claw's Corner. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Of course it's sad when someone leaves the planet 'cause we miss 'em. And I hear this footage with Nick, I see this footage, I hear interviews with him and stuff, and it's like he was sitting right here. So I feel that same thing. But how Nick died is… If you knew Nick and you lived on a tour bus with him, like we did, he would always say stuff like that: 'Oh, I'm gonna blow up on stage. I'm gonna blow your minds.' He'd say crazy stuff like 'Jesus was a hologram.' He would just say shit to just get a rise out of people and piss people off — just to see how far he could push it. So when he died on stage, I'm not gonna lie, I was kind of, like, 'Man, he freaking got away with it. He did it. He really did it.' And it's interesting, 'cause when he passed, he passed right away. They tried to revive him, and he was gone — I mean, he was probably gone before he hit the floor. And God bless him. That was it. Chris Poland told me about it, and I won't tell too much, 'cause a lot of the stuff's in the movie, but he told me the story about how they were kicking ass and having a great night and ready to start the next song, and then Nick was not there. It's a great story, and I don't wanna say really any more than that, because the story is great. The movie is gonna be really, really, really cool, and I'm really honored to be a part of it and to help tell the story of Nick's life and help out the family with grieving. They're kind of going through that whole process and get to the other side of it."

"This Was My Life" will be the first-ever film to memorialize Menza's legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was. It is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life Including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic 'Rust In Peace' lineup."

"This Was My Life" will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow bandmembers, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with.

The cover photo for the film was shot by Los Angeles music photographer Alex Solca and designed by Brazilian artwork designer Alcides Burn of Burn Artworks.

Los Angeles power / thrash metal band Anubis have debuted their sinister new single “I, Anachronism”, and its accompanying music video. This will be the first music video from their upcoming EP Eternal Youth, Eternal Night.


Founded in 2018, the band is comprised of bassist and vocalist Devin Reiche, guitarists Justin Escamilla and Eleazar Llerenas, bassist John Dolan, and drummer Zed Amarin. The ominous and apocalyptic music video was produced and directed by Tsunam Kyrdo of Tsunami Films and hosted by Tom Gaffey at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California. The entirety of the video was shot in the basement of the theater, a grim underbelly said to be one of the most haunted locations in America.







“This is the most ambitious project Anubis has ever undertaken,” says lead vocalist Devin Reiche, “We got three makeup artists and almost 30 extras and just took over the theater basement. I’m actually kind of shocked by how smooth the filming process was, and how sick the final result ended up being.” With twisting camera angles and blood-spattered chords, the music video plays like a prophetic horror film, an ode to the band’s foreboding sound.


 

On March 30, QUEEN drummer Roger Taylor was awarded an OBE — Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Roger was included in the 2020 New Years Honours list, which rewards a lineup of well-known figures from the worlds of art and sport.

The legendary musician was presented with the honor by the Prince Of Wales during an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle and he dedicated the honor to his late friend and fellow drummer Taylor Hawkins of FOO FIGHTERS.

Roger said in a statement: "My whole family and his whole family were very close. He was, [as] my wife called him, sunshine in human form. He was the most wonderful man, and I can't quite believe that I'm not going to see him again."

Roger also credited Taylor with being an "inspirational mentor" to his son, Rufus Taylor, who is the drummer for THE DARKNESS.

"He's done a lot to help my son, who's a great drummer, and he actually sort of mentored him," Roger said. "We're going to miss him so much."

Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on March 25. Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The 50-year-old FOO FIGHTERS drummer did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.

On March 26, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."

FOO FIGHTERS announced Hawkins's death on their Instagram account. "The FOO FIGHTERS family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the announcement read. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."

The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform on March 25 at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.

The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They were scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on March 27.

Hawkins has been open about his history of drug use. He overdosed on heroin in 2001 and spent a week in a coma, just four years after joining the FOO FIGHTERS.
























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In a new interview with Sofa King Cool Magazine, former MARILYN MANSON and current ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5 discussed the recent passing of FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was friends with Taylor and did some shows with him, with his band CHEVY METAL.

"It's just a shame, because Taylor was very, very special — he was so talented," he continued. "An incredible drummer, a great singer, just a great human being. And it just knocked me on my ass for two days. I didn't talk to anybody. I was just so bummed out about this because I loved Taylor so much. And I miss him. He was someone very special and he was such a great human. God, he was just such a great dude and so fun to be around and just always happy. It's just a terrible, terrible, terrible thing. He was a great person. People loved him, and he loved people."

Hawkins died on Friday, March 25 at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia. Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The 50-year-old FOO FIGHTERS drummer did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.

On Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."

FOO FIGHTERS announced Hawkins's death on their Instagram account. "The FOO FIGHTERS family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the announcement read. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."

The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.

The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They were scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).

Hawkins has been open about his history of drug use. He overdosed on heroin in 2001 and spent a week in a coma, just four years after joining the FOO FIGHTERS.


























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The Portland-based dark power metal group Silver Talon has announced a stellar slate of upcoming festival appearances on the horizon, and to celebrate these live performances, they have made their ripping cover of Savatage's 1985 classic anthem, “Power Of The Night” - originally released by the band at the beginning of 2021 as the B-side to their now sold-out 7” vinyl release of “Deceiver, I Am” and described by Savatage vocalist Jon Oliva as “the best  Savatage cover I've heard”- available for streaming on all digital platforms. 





Digital, CD, cassette and limited-edition vinyl copies of the band's full-length debut album, Decadence and Decay are available here.







Silver Talon has so far confirmed appearances at the following 2022 festivals, among other live performances to be announced at a later date:


April
15-17 – Vancouver, BC – Hyperspace Metal Festival III


May
13-14 – Chicago, IL – Legions Of Metal IV


November
19-20 – Tijuana, Mexico – Dragon Rojo Metalfest 

Frontiers Music Srl will release the self-titled debut album from the new international metal group, Venus 5, on June 10. A new single and video, "Because Of You", is out now. Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save the Venus 5 album here.


Venus 5 is composed of five singers, including Herma (also of Sick N' Beautiful, another Frontiers recording artist), Karmen Klinc, Jelena Milovanovic, Tezzi Persson (also of Infinite & Divine, another Frontiers recording artist), and Erina Seitllari. Each vocalist is an outstanding singer in their own right, so the combination of the five together produces stunning results.


"Recording this album was one of the best experiences for me. The whole team got along so well, everyone was very professional and relaxed at the same time. With the girls, we basically became like sisters and I think that’s the kind of energy you can also feel on the album. I think the album is a true masterpiece, and everyone can find something for their taste on it. It’s very powerful, emotional, energetic, joyful and motivational. It has something that really moves you in any possible way. After all, isn’t that what music’s all about?" - Karmen Klinc




"At the beginning, when we spoke about the Venus 5 project, one thing that we aimed for was to respect and enhance each girl's personality. This was something that once we met, was undeniably impossible to avoid - you can feel each of our energy in the songs and in the videos and I personally think that this is the most interesting fact about the band. There are so many shades of color in this album - and not only in our hairstyles, as some of you might joke about! ;)" - Herma


"I was quite nervous going to Italy to meet up with the rest of the girls, but that feeling vanished instantly when we met. Everything just felt so natural and easy and they truly are a fantastic group of girls. We bonded immediately. The songs have a “popish” metal vibe to it with melodies that get stuck in your head. I’m really happy about this album." - Tezzi Persson


"It's been an amazing experience getting to be a part of this thing. Us five, we saw each other and the connection was instant, the respect was instant. Everybody was so talented and genuine, crazy! I feel like the vibe you get from this album is different and probably heavier than you expect, so give it a play, be surprised!" - Jelena Milovanovic


“Being part of the band is totally awesome! Since the first moment we met, I felt a spark with each one of the girls! The album sounds great. It’s Rock N’ Roll dude!” - Erina Seitllari


Born from an idea dreamed up by Serafino Perugino, Frontiers’ President & Head of A&R, Venus 5 is primed to be one of the most fresh and exciting new musical prospects to emerge from the European rock and metal scene in recent years. Assembling the vocalists and musicians required a tremendous amount of time and energy as the right talent had to be in place to work together cohesively and with true chemistry. After all, this many lead singers in one band is a daunting task, but the end result is that five outstanding vocal stars in the making were brought together from different musical environments with the vision of creating a monster album.


Of course many people will see five women and instantly make references to this being a "metal version" of pop projects, but please make no mistake, the vocal talents of the singers and the music is front and center. Musically, the songs are a team effort by producer Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Timo Tolkki’s Avalon, Sweet Oblivion, etc.) and his team of writers, including Jake E. (Cyrha, ex-Amaranthe) who co-produced the vocals, Stefan Helleblad (Within Temptation, who also plays guitars on the album), and Per Aldeheim (Def Leppard, H.E.A.T, Stanfour, etc.).


Certainly, and highly recommended for all the lovers of the sounds of the current European hard rock/metal scene, Venus 5 is fist-in-the-air rock music destined to get stuck in your head.





Tracklisting:


"Lioness"
"The Simulation"
"Nothing But A Heartache"
"Bride With Blackened Eyes"
"Monster Under Your Bed"
"Inside"
"Tom And Ms. Amy Lee"
"Because Of You"
"We Are Dynamite"
"Save You"
"Bury Me"


"Because Of You" video:





"Tom And Ms. Amy Lee" video:





Lineup:


Vocals:
Herma
Karmen Klinc
Jelena Milovanovic
Terese 'Tezzi' Persson
Erina Seittlari


Guitars:
Stefan Helleblad
Aldo Lonobile
Gabriele Robotti


Bass:
Dann Arisi


Drums:
Alfonso Mocerino


Keyboards, Piano and Electro arrangements:
Antonio Agate

Former MANOWAR guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman has once again blasted re-recorded versions of the band's classic albums, saying they were "never gonna be as good as the original."

A founding member of MANOWAR, Ross recorded six albums with the band before leaving after 1988's "Kings Of Metal". His work with MANOWAR included such classic LPs as 1982's "Battle Hymns", 1983's "Into Glory Ride" and 1984's "Hail To England".

Friedman discussed MANOWAR's decision to re-record its classic albums during a recent interview with Rat Salad Review. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think the first thing that they should have done and he [MANOWAR leader/bassist Joey DeMaio] didn't do… I mean, if you're gonna do a classic old record that pretty much put your band on the map, why don't you just get the original lineup back? For 'Battle Hymns', he could have done it; he could have had the original lineup: me, Donnie [Hamzik, drums], Eric [Adams, vocals] and Joey. And having another guitar player and having detuned the songs, it's just not the same; you're not gonna recreate that same vibe, that same magic, that same chemistry that was on the first record. And 'Kings Of Metal' as well. Scott Columbus was the drummer, but we know Scott is not with us. But he still could have gotten either Donnie or Rhino. It's just not the same. And the excuse was, 'Oh, we're doing it for the sound, make the sound better.' You're not gonna get it; it's not gonna be the same. The results, it's never gonna be as good as the original — never. And I'll tell any band that. You're not gonna get the same results; it's just never gonna happen."

Asked what the reason was that he wasn't asked to participate in the re-recordings of "Battle Hymns" and "Kings Of Metal", Ross said: "[Joey and I] don't talk. I'll put it like that. They'll figure it out on Blabbermouth. All the geniuses there, the haters, everybody there, they'll get it."

Earlier in the month, Friedman was asked by Sofa King Cool about the chances of him reuniting with MANOWAR for a tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of "Battle Hymns". Ross said: "You wouldn't say that I don't have a good relationship with my old partner, but it's just not there. I'm not saying things can't magically patch up. But [Joey] doesn't want any part of me telling him what he should be doing. And it's okay. I'm happy with my band, I'm happy with DEATH DEALER, I'm happy with THE DICTATORS. Hopefully I'm gonna be very, very busy. I don't have to be in a band with a tyrant."

This was not the first time Friedman had been critical of his former band and DeMaio in particular. Last September, Friedman told Waste Some Time With Jason Green about the circumstances surrounding his exit from the group more than three decades ago: "When a band gets big and the money hits, greed, avarice and evil takes place. A guy that I thought was my partner wasn't," he said, referring to DeMaio. "So he wanted me [out]. He goes, 'You've gotta go.' I go, 'Really? I've gotta go why? I've gotta go why? We're equal partners, 50 percent. Why do I have to go? Why don't you go?' The whole thing is he was so — his antics and his bullshit was so insane that I had it up to [my neck] with him. When you have it up to [your neck] with someone, you've just gotta go, 'Get the fuck outta here. I can't take this anymore.'

"[It was] ego, greed, avarice, evil [that caused me to depart]," he explained. "When [Joey] met me, I had already four major albums. He had done zero. Joey DeMaio was nobody. When he met me, I had already done four. I had no will to fight him. If I were to fight him, I would have killed him. He's just a fucking pariah… You can't live with that. My heart couldn't take it. I can't take evil. And I know people are gonna be… [It's gonna be] hard [for them] to hear that, but I'm better off now. I really am."

Ross went on to say that he had never been approached about returning to MANOWAR. As for whether he would consider playing with the band again, he said: "Well, if the financial arrangements were right. But [Joey is] the kind of scumbag that would never have that… I'll never say no, but you never know. I just called him a scumbag, so… It's not gonna happen. He's secure in the fact that MANOWAR are mediocre fucking pieces of shit right now. What they're putting out to the public [is] just terrible."

After BLABBERMOUTH.NET published Ross's comments from the Waste Some Time With Jason Green interview, he sent a short statement conveying a more conciliatory tone. "I would like to apologize to MANOWAR, the fans and Joey for the insult," he wrote. "If anyone knows me, you know that's not my style for saying things like that. I violated my own rule. Again, I am truly sorry."

Ross later expressed his remorse further in an interview with Italy's TrueMetal.it, explaining that he never should have allowed his original comments to reach the general public.

"Let me say right from the start it came out of my mouth and I take full responsibility for what I said," Ross said. "But I usually edit all my interviews. Journalists will send it back to me. Jason Green is a good guy, and he said, 'I will send it back to you and we'll go over it.' 'Cause you never know if you want it to go out to the public. For some reason, I never did that in this situation with that interview. I know part one I did, and part two I didn't, for some reason. Now, if I would have saw that, do you think I would have let that out? No. But you know something? People say things, and sometimes they just say things. And I definitely said that.

"Let's just say MANOWAR's music now is different," he continued. "I'm not gonna say what I said; I'm just gonna call it different. It's different from my six records, the band that was playing when I was in the band. That's all I'm gonna say.

"And as far as my attack on Mr. DeMaio, well, that's my business with him. And I aired it, and I shouldn't have aired it — calling him the 's-bag' word. And it was quite unprofessional of me. And I violated my own rule. My own rule being… I always knew this. My father told me when I first started — God rest his soul — he goes, 'Ross, if you don't have anything good to say about someone, don't say it. You'll do better in life.' If I didn't have anything good to say, I shouldn't have said it. And it was unprofessional of me.

"I still think that MANOWAR is different, and I have my issues with Joey," Ross added. "But as far as everything else, I do apologize for my unprofessionality."

Ross was one of the pioneers of both punk rock and heavy metal. First crashing on the scene with THE DICTATORS and with such classic albums as 1975's "Go Girl Crazy!", 1977's "Manifest Destiny" and 1978's "Bloodbrothers", Ross helped trailblaze punk rock (just to put it all in perspective, "Go Girl Crazy!" arrived a full year before the RAMONES' debut, and two years before THE CLASH's and SEX PISTOLS' debuts). By the end of the '80s, Ross had reconnected with his DICTATORS bandmates in MANITOBA'S WILD KINGDOM, which served as a bridge between his love of punk and metal, as heard on the group's popular 1990 debut, "…And You?" Throughout the remainder of the decade, Ross also played with such groups as THE HELLACOPTERS and THE SPINATRAS, before THE DICTATORS reunited, which resulted in several new releases starting from the late '90s all the way through the early 21st century. Also around this time, Ross joined forces with former of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT drummer Albert Bouchard in the band BRAIN SURGEONS. With Ross's main focus turning to metal music at this time, two additional projects were launched — DEATH DEALER and his solo outfit, ROSS THE BOSS.

During an appearance on the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith, who played on Ozzy Osbourne's last studio album, 2020's "Ordinary Man", confirmed that he will also appear on the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer's follow-up effort. "We made another [Ozzy album], and it's getting mastered tomorrow," he said. "We've got Robert Trujillo [METALLICA] playing on some songs, who's been in Ozzy's band. Duff's [McKagan, GUNS N' ROSES bassist] on a couple again. Me and [producer/guitarist] Andrew [Watt] are doing it."

Chad went on to say that "the English royalty of guitar players" has been recruited to guest on Osbourne's new album. "Tony Iommi and Ozzy have never collaborated outside of BLACK SABBATH," he said. "Tony sent us a bunch of riffs and we took what we thought was the best of 'em, which was fucking great. So Andy's on the bass doing fucking great — the bass on the song is amazing. And Tony sent us the riffs — files; he's in England — and we played to it. It's fucking got everything. It's got all the stuff that you would want. Ozzy loves it. And so he's on that track. Then Eric Clapton plays a fucking wah-wah CREAM-type solo. We're, like, 'Eric, can you solo on this song? Wah-wah, please. Eric, what do you think about this, with the wah-wah?' Because that's his fucking thing. And so he's soloing all over this other track. Then Jeff Beck is on two songs. We tried to get Jimmy Page [LED ZEPPELIN], we tried to get the holy trinity, but I don't think Page plays anymore too much, unfortunately. But Mike McCready's [PEARL JAM] on a track. Josh Homme, my neighbor from QUEENS [OF THE STONE AGE], solos on a track. And then Zakk Wylde [BLACK LABEL SOCIETY] is on the record as well, all over it. So it's like if you're a guitar player, [it's] pretty fucking good."

Last year, Ozzy confirmed that 15 songs had been recorded for his follow-up to "Ordinary Man". In October, he told Metal Hammer magazine that his new album will be "similar in tone to 'Ordinary Man', but I can't describe it completely. I've not heard it for a while because it keeps going over to the next person to add their parts — we're fucking around with it all the time," he said.

Watt connected with Osbourne after meeting Ozzy's daughter Kelly at a friend's party and pitching her on the idea of Post Malone and Ozzy collaborating together.

In December 2020, Watt told Guitar World that Ozzy's next album would feature guest appearances by a number of notable musicians. "There's a bunch of people involved," he said. "I can't say for sure until the end, but I started doing a bunch of basic tracks with Chad and Robert Trujillo, who used to play in Ozzy's band. And Taylor Hawkins [FOO FIGHTERS] also came in and played a bunch on the record as well, which adds a different flair — it kind of harkened back to Ozzy's '80s era, in a great way. And I think it's so cool for a rock fan to be able to listen to half an album with Chad Smith on drums, and then you flip it over and you get to hear Taylor Hawkins. And you know, the last album was really special for everyone involved. And so there was no point in Ozzy or me doing this again unless we thought we could bring something new to the table. And I feel like we're achieving that."