Internationally acclaimed artist Julia Lage has released her infectious new single, “Wake Up”. The multi-instrumentalist Lage wrote, recorded, and produced this mid-paced hard rocker, showcasing her versatility as both a songwriter and musician, taking on all vocal, guitar and bass duties, with drums provided by Michael Odabashian. “Wake Up” is available digitally and can be streamed and downloaded, here.


Recorded earlier this year, “Wake Up” carries a positive message to anyone feeling they are stuck in their lives and encourages everyone to look around and see that there are ways to move on and to change, but YOU must be that change. No one else can help you if you don’t want to “Wake Up” for your own life.


“This song has been on my hard drive incomplete for a few years now,” says Julia Lage. “I was recently struck with inspiration and felt it was the right time to finish and release it. I believe we are living in very complicated times after the pandemic and other issues in the world in general. I believe that the change starts with us and “Wake Up” represents that “push” some might need. ‘Wake Up for your life, Wake Up for your rights, Wake Up do it right, Wake Up you’re alright!’ Let’s be the change folks!”







To accompany the single, Julia Lage filmed and released the official video for “Wake Up”. Conceived and directed by both Lage and cinematographer Jose Andres Cortez, the video portrays her trying to “clean” and fix a place that is in ruins and looking outside wondering what it would be to get out of that reality. At a certain point she decides to leave that “inner place” and face her life! “The King is on the ground and you’re standing tall and proud.”


“I always loved the whole creative process,” says Lage. “The music. The writing. The video conception. All of this makes me so happy. I love watching an idea take shape into something concrete.”





Julia Lage has played and recorded alongside such diverse artists as Grammy Award winner Alejandra Guzmán, pop star Janelle Monáe and rapper Jidenna, as well as rock legends such as Pat Travers, Elliot Easton (The Cars) and Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme). She is currently the bassist of the platinum selling rock band Vixen and has recently joined Smith/Kotzen, featuring Richie Kotzen and Adrian Smith, as the band’s touring bass player performing sold out shows throughout England as well as west coast dates in the U.S. including a sold-out show at The World Famous Whisky A Go-Go.  





(Photo credit: Erin & Jake Photography)


 

LAMB OF GOD has joined forces with MEGADETH to remake a true classic. Originally released in 1986, "Wake Up Dead" was the lead single from MEGADETH's iconic multi-platinum selling album "Peace Sells… But Who's Buying?" And now, one week before the second installment of "The Metal Tour Of The Year" is set to commence, LAMB OF GOD has released "Wake Up Dead" featuring MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine as well as the other three members of the current lineup of MEGADETH. LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell and drummer Art Cruz recorded the MEGADETH classic remotely and recruited the MEGADETH frontman himself to feature guitar and vocals on the song. Mustaine lent his signature vocal to the track, with lead guitar work on the various solos by Morton, as well as Mustaine and MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro. The recording also includes vocal contributions from Loureiro and other MEGADETH members Dirk Verbeuren and James LoMenzo.

Commented Mustaine: "We had a blast playing with LAMB OF GOD on their cover of 'Wake Up Dead'. Almost as much fun as we're going to have playing every night on 'The Metal Tour Of The Year'. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!"

Added Blythe: "The first leg of 'The Metal Tour Of The Year' back in 2021 was a total blast, and we're about to take it on the road again. What better way to kick it off than a little inter-band jam session? All nine members of MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD are on the thrash classic 'Wake Up Dead'. Turn it up, and we'll see you on the road!”

Said Morton: "'Wake Up Dead' was a massively important song for me as an aspiring young guitar player. It was one of the first songs that began my lifelong love of thrash metal and helped reinforce for me that, while solos may be fun, my allegiance is to the RIFF! So you can imagine what a thrill it's been for LAMB to cover this legendary song with Dave and the rest of the MEGADETH guys. Truly an honor. We all had a lot of fun putting this together and I think you can hear that energy in the track. I hope everybody enjoys this one and we can’t wait to see y'all on 'The Metal Tour Of The Year'."

The 2022 leg of LAMB OF GOD's "The Metal Tour Of The Year" with MEGADETH 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 15.

LAMB OF GOD recently entered a California studio with longtime producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM) to record some of its brand music, tentatively due later in the year.

LAMB OF GOD's upcoming effort will be the follow-up to the band's self-titled album, which was released in June 2020 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. That LP marked LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band in July 2019 as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

"Lamb Of God" was recorded with Wilbur and included special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).

FOZZY played its first show with the band's new drummer Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE) last night (Thursday, March 31) at the Diesel Concert Lounge in Chesterfield, Michigan. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

Brooks joined FOZZY in January as the replacement for the group's longtime drummer Frank Fontsere.

Frank discussed his departure from FOZZY in a recent interview with the "Talk Toomey" podcast. The 54-year-old musician said: "I've been doing it a long time, and I still love playing, and I still love playing live, but I've never been the biggest fan of the traveling. I'm not Dora The Explorer; I don't really care about seeing exotic places or all that stuff. For me, it was always about the shows. I used to think, 'Man, it would be nice if I could just teleport to every show.' And especially having a kid — he's seven years old — I was missing him. We weren't spending tremendous amounts of time on the road, but still, it was just getting harder. And there were other factors too; there were other things I wanted to pursue. I kind of needed to figure out who I was, who Frank Fontsere was as opposed to Frank the drummer for FOZZY. That was the entirety of my identity, and I needed to figure out who I was and can I just go out there in the world and do something completely on my own.

"It had been years and years and years of 'the kind of success that will sustain me is just around the corner' or 'the kind of success that will sustain us is just around the corner' — it was always 'just around the corner.' And I couldn't take that anymore," he continued. "'Cause the band is doing well, but it's not like we flew around on private jets and stuff like that; there were still things to deal with. We would have tour buses and they were nice and everything, but there was still a lot of showering at truck stops and gyms and things like that. I'm not a snob — it's not like that's some kind of true hardship — but it just wears on you after a while when you get to be in your 50s, especially when you don't have any skin in the game. I didn't have any songwriting credits — I'm not a songwriter — and I had no control over what the band did at all; I had no say over what the band does. It was, like, when they say 'jump,' I say 'how high?' And it's not like they were dictators or anything like that — we had a good relationship — but ultimately, I feel like I'm working toward something, or at least I was trying to work toward something and I didn't have any real control over the outcome."

Frank added: "They say, 'Well, if you're gonna fail, fail on your own terms.' The band that follows their heart and does the music that means something to them, they think, 'Well, if we sell no records, at least I have the records and at least I can be proud of that.' And I didn't really have that; I had no real investment in what was going on."

Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having formed the group in 1999 with singer Chris Jericho and guitarist Rich Ward.

When FOZZY announced Fontsere's departure, the band said that he was "stepping down to focus on his family and other projects."

In a separate statement on his personal Facebook page, Brooks said that he was "super excited" about his new gig. He wrote: "So thankful for this amazing opportunity! Huge shoutout to Rich Ward, aka The Duke and Chris Jericho for reaching out to me and offering me the gig."

FOZZY will release its new album, "Boombox", on May 6. The LP, which includes the top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane", was once again produced by Johnny Andrews.

FOZZY's "Save The World" 2022 U.S. tour, featuring special guests GFM, KRASHKARMA and THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR, will wrap on May 16 in Sauget, Illinois.

FOZZY debuted a brand new song, "Purifier", during its September 2021 concert in Flint, Michigan and has been performing it live ever since. Back in July 2021, FOZZY played another new song, "The Vulture Club", during its concert in Iowa City, Iowa. The band also performed its previous single, "Sane", live for the first time.

In May 2021, FOZZY dropped a video for its first new song in two years, the aforementioned "Sane", which hit one million views in its first two weeks. This first-of-its-kind video was filmed on the longest wooden roller coaster on the planet today.

In the summer of 2020, Chris revealed that FOZZY's next LP would contain 12 songs, including a cover of FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD's "Relax".

Ward and Andrews once again did "the lion's share" of the songwriting for the new LP, which was recorded primarily in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to producing "Judas", Andrews previously co-wrote FOZZY's "Lights Go Out" track back in 2014. He has also written songs with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE and HALESTORM.

In November 2020, FOZZY appeared in its first global live streaming event from Madison Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

FOZZY is Chris Jericho (vocals), Rich Ward (guitars, vocals), Grant Brooks (drums), Billy Grey (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).












I was there at tonight’s Fozzy concert in Detroit Michigan & it was amazing! Thanks @FOZZYROCK for the amazing performance and for giving us a night to remember! And thanks @IAmJericho you’re the best in the world at everything you do indeed!!! #dieselconcerttheatre #fozzyrock pic.twitter.com/p4iT2UAAnc

— Sarah Ann (@Its_sarahann95) April 1, 2022








Thank you, #Detroit and @DieselLoungeMI! pic.twitter.com/rN8EbcX6Mw

— FOZZY (@FOZZYROCK) April 1, 2022

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have released the official Malia James-directed music video for their latest single, "These Are the Ways". The song is taken from the band's new album, "Unlimited Love", which arrives today (Friday, April 1) via Warner.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS's first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006's "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."

On lead track "Black Summer", ethereal guitar underlines introspective lyrics as the rhythm unlocks a hypnotic drum groove highlighted by evocative bass. It quietly inhales only to exhale with a massive refrain, "It's been a long time since I made a new friend, waiting on another black summer to end," before a guitar solo echoes to the heavens and back. For the music video, the group teamed up with acclaimed director Deborah Chow (Disney+'s "The Mandalorian", "Obi-Wan Kenobi"). The result continues a tradition of captivating cinematic visuals — with a twist.

The interplay between the band borders on intergalactic once again — yet elevated to another stratosphere altogether. "Unlimited Love" represents the united spirit of four individual souls still fearlessly exploring the future of their eternal friendship and musical congregation.

"Here Ever After" follows a staccato bassline down a rhythmic wormhole as the hook promises, "She's the kinda girl that make you wanna go faster now." And whether it be wrangling wild horns and boisterous bass on "Aquatic Mouth Dance" or the poetic dreamscape of confessional ballad "Not The One", the album twists and turns with gleeful unpredictability. On "Poster Child", a funky riff spiked with wah pedal magic wobbles in tandem with the delivery as a blissful chorus takes hold. "The Great Apes" charges forward towards a primal clarion call. For nearly six minutes, "It's Only Natural" slips in and out of hypnotic harmonies and magnetic grooves. The slinky funk of "She's A Lover" bleeds into a chantable gang vocal and dancefloor-ready refrain, while "These Are The Ways" sees a soft melody give way to guitar and vocal catharsis.

"Whatchu Thinkin'" leans on head-nodding percussion as the vocals flutter with the tempo only for guitar to ignite the chorus. An analog synth choir colors the intro of "Bastards Of Light" while a heavenly crescendo elevates "White Braids & Pillow Chair" beyond the clouds. Hitting the highways, "One Way Traffic" revs up funk at an intersection of airy bass and drums. "Veronica" trades the band's sunny Los Angeles for the South Side of Chicago and a near-cinematic story about the title character. Then, there's "Let 'Em Cry" where trumpet punctuates the momentum before peaking on an emotionally charged guitar solo. "The Heavy Wing" takes flight on a climactic burst of distortion and vocal conjurations. The ride culminates on "Tangelo". Threaded together with delicate guitar and emotionally charged vocals, this otherworldly lullaby leaves off on a vibrant, vulnerable, and vital final note as it slips into the arms of feedback.

"Unlimited Love" track listing:

01. Black Summer

02. Here Ever After

03. Aquatic Mouth Dance

04. Not The One

05. Poster Child

06. The Great Apes

07. It's Only Natural

08. She's A Lover

09. These Are The Ways

10. Whatchu Thinkin'

11. Bastards Of Light

12. White Braids & Pillow Chair

13. One Way Traffic

14. Veronica

15. Let 'Em Cry

16. The Heavy Wing

17. Tangelo

Last fall, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith told Rolling Stone that the four members of the band were "getting along great", and were "really listening to each other in a new way".

"All of our records are just real good snapshots of where we're at that time," he said. "You can't really go, 'Oh, gee, I hope it's as good as...' Then you're starting to have preconceived notions about what you want to write.

"Look, John hasn't been in our group in 10 years. That's a long time. So of course it's going to sound different, but it's going to sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but it's different and new, and to me that's great.

"We really like it and we're proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn't sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we're all really happy with the record."

Regarding the return of Frusciante, Smith said: "He is so dedicated. He's so into it. He's working so hard. We're all working hard, but he's in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings."

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.

In October 2020, Frusciante told the Australian digital radio station Double J that playing with his RHCP bandmates Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Smith once again was like "returning to family. I'm extremely comfortable with those people. It was as if no time had gone by at all when we started playing, pretty much, with a couple of minor exceptions, like how Chad and I gradually got our communication together in a new way. Basically, we're all just as comfortable with each other as we ever were, and it just felt like that right off the bat."

Photo credit: Sandy Kim

Critically acclaimed rock band ISLANDER has released a new album today called "It's Not Easy Being Human" via Better Noise Music. The heavy rock act also dropped a new lyric video for their track "Skin Crawl", featuring Brian "Head" Welch of KORN, Dan Weyandt of ZAO and Bruce Fithugh of LIVING SACRIFICE. Currently touring with ATTILA, HE IS LEGEND and CROWN MEGATAR across North America, the band is excited to share their latest body of work, and third album, as they reconnect with fans on stage this spring. Earning over 16 million streams worldwide, this next album leans into their unique ability to offer meditative art amidst the chaos in the world, striking a vulnerable tone as they call for empathy amongst their ever–growing global fanbase and invite their musical peers to join them in sending out this message. "It's Not Easy Being Human" is now available for streaming and download across all digital platforms.

Lead singer Mikey Carvajal shared his thoughts on the band's new album: "It's not easy being human. It's something everyone can relate to. We know that this life isn't easy, and as frequently as we've all heard the saying, 'people are dealing with their own struggles that we may never know about,' we want to actually apply that knowledge into choosing to be good to one another. It's as simple as the title says… It's Not Easy Being Human, so we hope it encourages everyone to show each other a little grace in this crazy life. We included a ton of our friends on the record from KORN, UNDEROATH, ZAO, P.O.D., I PREVAIL, BAD BRAINS, LIVING SACRIFICE, Lacey Sturm, FIRE FROM THE GODS, and Hyro The Hero. I've always been interested in seeing my favorite artists work together and we wanted to do that on this record, by leaning on one another, supporting one another, and just having a musical party. We even had the wrestling icon Sting star in a video for one of the tracks. A lot of rap albums have guests all over them, so we were like 'why not just do that with our friends?'"

Partnering with To Write Love on Her Arms, ISLANDER previously released "What Do You Gotta Lose?" last spring, dropping a stunning visual for the track produced by 12 Inch Media with artwork by John Wellman that pointed viewers to resources for anyone dealing with anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts. The song mixed deeply personal songwriting with their loud, infectious sound to create an anthem about moving forward in the face of mental health challenges. The band also released "The Outsider" last year, a tribute to why the band originally gravitated towards rock music and an embrace of anyone feeling like an outcast within the community of listeners the group has formed.

"It's Not Easy Being Human" track listing:

01. We Scream (feat. Spencer Chamberlain of UNDEROATH) (2:41)

02. Evil (2:49)

03. It's Not Easy Being Human (feat. Lacey Sturm) (2:54)

04. Lookin' For Love (3:14)

05. Lights, Camera, Action (feat. Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D.) (2:58)

06. Skin Crawl (feat. Brian "Head" Welch of KORN, Dan Weyandt of ZAO, Bruce Fitzhugh of LIVING SACRIFICE) (4:11)

07. Black Scorpion (2:57)

08. Skateboard Flowers (feat. HR of BAD BRAINS) (2:39)

09. What Do You Gotta Lose? (3:42)

10. Mayday (3:43)

11. Crazy Crazy World (3:32)

12. Y'all (feat. Hyro The Hero) (2:30)

13. My Friends (feat. Eric Vanlerberghe of I PREVAIL) (2:31)

14. Tear It Down (2:47)

15. Freedom (feat. AJ Channer of FIRE FROM THE GODS) (3:22)

16. No Sleep (3:15)

17. The Outsider (2:53)

ISLANDER understands that complacency is the deadly enemy of progress. The South Carolina band — Mikey Carvajal, Chris Carvajal and Erik Shea — refuses to grow stagnant with time by challenging themselves to evolve continually. No two singles are alike, yet the group finds a way to make the combination of their vast influences work together in a manner unlike anyone else. You cannot call what ISLANDER does rock or rap or even nu–metal. They make music that moves people, plain and simple, and that's all they want to do.

"We're a very intimate band in that I want to be there and hear people's stories," says Mikey Carvajal. I'm not in this to be a rock star. If that were ever the case, and it were about money or fame, I just wouldn't do it. I'm only here because I genuinely love people, and I want to see them do good in their lives. I want us to continue to spread love, hopefully on a higher level than before."

Now a decade into a career built with that mission in mind, ISLANDER continues to grow a global fanbase. The band writes from a place of love and empathy channeled into raucous music that can incite mosh pits and comfort those who feel alone. It's a delicate balance between chaos and focused effort that only ISLANDER can perfect, and it's because of that combination that the group remains one of the most versatile names in entertainment today.

"If you speak about real things, they will remain relevant," says Carvajal. "We all have skin and bones and blood. We're all human beings trying to make it in this world. The most important thing is being there for people, and our music allows us to do that."

ISLANDER heads into the new year with high hopes and a bevy of material. Four years of writing and recording has given the band their most diverse and collaborative music to date. From the rallying cries of "Freedom" to the meditative flow of "Crazy Crazy World" and beyond, ISLANDER is creating a space for listeners to process the madness of today and find hope for a better tomorrow.

Photo credit: Seth Meyers

THE ROLLING STONES frontman Mick Jagger has co-written, recorded and performed the theme song for the highly anticipated Apple Original series "Slow Horses" with Academy Award-nominated film composer Daniel Pemberton. The brand-new track, titled "Strange Game", was released today (Friday, April 1) via Polydor Records / Universal Music to coincide with the series premiere of "Slow Horses", which will launch globally on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday.

The official lyric video for "Strange Game" can be seen below.

Based on a series of acclaimed books by Mick Herron and starring Academy Award winner Gary Oldman, "Slow Horses" follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 — Slough House on the outskirts of London. Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but irascible leader of the spies who end up in Slough House due to their career ending mistakes. The six-part series also stars Kristen Scott Thomas, Jonathan Pryce, Olivia Cook and Jack Lowden.

The atmospheric and infectious title track "Strange Game" captures the series' dark and mischievous premise, and the surreal world of espionage and exclusion the main characters find themselves in. Underpinned by Jagger's powerful and eerie vocals, the poignant, moodily strutting theme tune, which references elements of the show's original score, encompasses both contemporary off-kilter sound design and delicate piano arrangements, highlighting the narrative of yearning for the days to "dance with the big boys again". Jagger and Pemberton have created a title theme that not only feels instantly iconic but one that also cleverly references many aspects of the show's multiple storylines.

Pemberton states: "Working with Mick Jagger has been one of the most exciting collaborations of my professional career. I think we have managed to create an incredibly unique and original title's theme and I cannot wait for the rest of the world to hear it."

Series director James Hawes adds: "We always wanted a song to set the tone for the show and there was only ever one name in my mind — Mick Jagger. Hearing the track for the first time was utterly thrilling. Mick's lyrics and performance have totally nailed the mood of 'Slow Horses' with all the humor and swagger I dreamed of."

Track producer and co-writer Pemberton, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2021 for his work with the singer Celeste on the song "Hear My Voice" and recently nominated for a BAFTA for his score to "Being The Ricardos", is best known for his work as a film composer, where his credits include "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse", "The Trial Of The Chicago 7", "Oceans 8" and "Yesterday". He is also responsible for creating the original score and soundtrack of "Slow Horses", to be released soon via Universal Music. The sync of the series' title track "Strange Game" was secured by BMG.

New York / New Jersey metal collective Tombs has unveiled a music video for their brand new song, "Ex Oblivion", inspired by the haunting H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name. The single is the first of Tombs' upcoming Ex-Oblivion digital EP, for which the final single will be made available on July 13. All songs will be available via Bandcamp, YouTube, and across all streaming services while a vinyl counterpart will be announced at a later date. 





The cover artwork for Ex Oblivion was created by Mike Goncalves and can be found below, along with the tracklist.







"Ex Oblivion"
"Killed By Death" (Motörhead cover) 
"Commit Suicide" (GG Allin cover) 
"Sombre Ruins Nothing Remains" (RKGD audio remix) 
"Murder Legendre" 


In addition, Tombs is welcoming new member Todd Stern (Psycroptic, Hammer Fight, Abacinate) on second guitar, Stern will make his debut with the band on their upcoming U.S. co-headliner with Cloak, which kicks off on April 5 in Providence, RI.


Tombs will be hitting the road in the States next month for a co-headlining run with label-mates Cloak, and will return again in May for a full tour in support of Origin along with label-mates Abysmal Dawn. The full itinerary can be found below.


Tombs / Cloak:


April
5 - Providence, RI - Dusk
6 - Philadelphia, PA - Silk City 
7 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery 
8 - Winston Salem, NC - Break Time 
9 - Greenville, SC - Radio Room 
10 - Atlanta, GA - Boggs 
16 - Brooklyn, NY - Kingsland* 
*Tombs only, no Cloak 


Tombs + Abysmal Dawn (supporting Origin):


May
23 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad 
25 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar & Grill 
26 - Denver, CO - HQ 
27 - Colorado Springs, CO - The Black Sheep 
28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall 
29 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Underground 
30 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720 
31 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick 


June
1 - Fresno, CA - Full Circle Brewery District 
2 - San Francisco, CA - The Great Northern 
3 - Portland, OR - Dantes
4 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon 
5 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater 
7 - Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room 
8 - Calgary, AB - Dickens 
10 - Winnipeg, MB - Good Will 
11 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze 
12 - Madison, WI - Crucible 
13 - Iowa City, IA - Wildwood 
14 - Sioux Falls, SD - Bigs Bar 
15 - Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck 


(Photo - Dan Higgins)

Greek powerhouse, Suicidal Angels, are happy to announce their return to the Nuclear Blast family, after over a decade. The band around mastermind Nick Melissourgos has been busy lately with writing the new album and is now ready to hit the studio in Athens in April.


The band comments on the signing news: "Through the weirdest of times, we didn’t lay low, we didn’t lay back and wait. With hard work, a never-ending passion for what we love to do, we reach the point where we can share some amazing news with you. After a dozen years, we are in the same exciting position, as in the past, to announce our return to Nuclear Blast. We renewed our vows and we are about to take the bull by the horns and do what we know best! Keep your eyes and ears open, more is yet to come. No matter what, onwards, always!”


Jaap Wagemaker, A&R Nuclear Blast continues: "Nuclear Blast proudly presents the signing of Greek thrashers Suicidal Angels! Already back in 2009, we released their album Sanctify The Darkness! After that, the band worked very hard building up their name across Europe releasing very strong albums like Dead Again, Bloodbath, Division of Blood, and especially their last album Years of Aggression which secured the band their highest charts entries in Germany, Austria, and Swiss. Live the band worked very hard on becoming a force to be reckoned with which they clearly showed at their tours with Satyricon and several thrash packages and their shows at some big festivals across Europe. The band has used their downtime during the pandemic really well and is ready to go into the studio again to record their 8th album and is hungry to confirm that they are one of the best Thrash bands in Europe! Although the band was founded in 2001 and they just celebrated their 20th anniversary the band is still young and with re-signing to Nuclear Blast the band is ready to go to the next level!"




Catch the band live on various club shows and festivals this spring and summer.


Lineup:


Nick Melissourgos - vocals, guitar
Gus Drax - guitar
Angel Lelikakis - bass
Orpheas Tzortzopoulos - drums

Tomorrow, Friday, April 1, The Dead Daisies will released a new digital single, "Long Way To Go" (Live From Daisyland). A video for the song can be viewed below.





Says the band: "Drum roll... the next single from our Live From Daisyland EP is out on your favourite digital platforms on Friday! Check out 'Long Way To Go' (Live), with the amazing crowd at Rock City Nottingham UK. There's also a-rockin' clip! Check it out!"







The Dead Daisies kick off their summer in style with a massive pan European jaunt that’s set to radiate some heat. The first string of dates are a combination of arena and amphitheatre shows with Judas Priest, Foreigner and Whitesnake, performing at some of the most famous and coveted festivals such as Graspop Belgium and Hellfest France.


Debuting in Germany, the band will also play a series of headline performances. Rejoining The Dead Daisies is drummer extraordinaire Brian Tichy who will unite with Glenn, Doug and David for a massive dose of undiluted rock, the first in Europe since 2018. These will also be the first shows with this lineup.


“What a great way to start off 2022. I’m excited to get behind the drum kit and do some powerful, groovy rocking with my good friends Doug Aldrich, Glenn Hughes and David Lowy in The Dead Daisies! Looking forward to seeing you all out on tour this year!” - Brian Tichy


If you love to rock, then you’re in for one hell of a ride when the Daisies bring their hits, along with songs from Holy Ground and a couple of new tracks from the upcoming album to a venue near you.


“Hey loved ones, we cannot wait to come to Europe this summer and play for you all once again. There are so many beautiful cities to visit along the way. We are currently making a new record, so who knows hopefully we can bring a couple of new songs to you too!” - Glenn Hughes


The band are currently in LA recording a new album with producer Ben Grosse, which is slated for release in August, with first single out late May to coincide with the tour. This will be the Daisies sixth studio album and it’s set to stun.


“It’s already been too long since we played live and I’m ready to go…. But first we are making the new record, we will see you soon! Get your tickets asap! We are coming for ya!!” - Doug Aldrich


You can book tickets here.





Tour dates:


June
3 - Stadtpark Freilichtbühne - Hamburg, Germany (with Foreigner)
4 - Spardawelt Freilichtbühne Killesberg - Stuttgart, Germany (with Foreigner)
5 - Buderus Arena - Wetzlar, Germany (with Foreigner)
8 - Zitadelle Spandau - Berlin, Germany (with Foreigner)
10 - Freilichtbühne Peißnitzinsel - Halle (Saale), Germany (with Foreigner)
13 - Matrix - Bochum, Germany
14 - Hirsch - Nuremberg, Germany
16 - Schlossgarten / Schloss - Bruchsal, Germany (with Foreigner)
18 - Hellfest - Clisson, France
19 - Graspop Festival - Dessel, Belgium
22 - Rockhal - Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg (with Judas Priest)
23 - Garage - Saarbrucken, Germany
25 - God Save The Kouign Fest - Penmarch, France
27 - Zenith - Munich, Germany (with Judas Priest)
29 - Conrad Sohm - Dornbirn, Austria
30 - Komma - Woergl, Austria


July
2 - Fabrique - Milan, Italy
3 - Castello Di San Giusto - Trieste, Italy
6 - SRC Tasmajdan - Belgrade, Serbia (with Whitesnake)
8 - Masters Of Rock - Vizovice, Czech Republic
9 - Hype Park - Krakow, Poland
11 - Budapest Arena - Budapest, Hungary, (with Judas Priest)
12 - Dvorana Stozice - Ljubljana, Slovenia (with Judas Priest)
15 - Faliro Olympic Indoor Hall - Athens, Greece (with Judas Priest)
17 - Midalidare Rock - Mogilovo, Bulgaria (with Judas Priest)
18 - Arenele Romane - Bucharest, Romania (with Judas Priest)
19 - Skenderija - Sarajevo, Bosnia (with Whitesnake)
26 - Theatre Antique - Vienne, France (with Judas Priest)
27 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
28 - Substage - Karlsruhe, Germany
30 - Freilichtbuhne Peißnitzinsel - Halle (Saale), Germany (with Judas Priest)
31 - Rudolf Weber Arena - Oberhausen, Germany (with Judas Priest)


August
2 - Brose Arena (Bab Bamberg Arena MBH) - Bamberg, Germany (with Judas Priest)
5 - Time To Rock Festival - Knislinge, Sweden


The Dead Daisies are Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple/Black Country Communion) on lead vocals and bass, lead guitarist Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake/Dio), rhythm guitar player David Lowy (Mink/Red Phoenix) and drummer Brian Tichy (Foreigner/Ozzy Osbourne).

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame earlier today (Thursday, March 31). The ceremony was held at 6212 Hollywood Boulevard, adjacent to Amoeba Records.

The CHILI PEPPERS star was unveiled by George Clinton, who produced the band's 1985 record "Freaky Styley", alongside Woody Harrelson, Bob Forrest and Hollywood Chamber Of Commerce chairwoman Nicole Mihalka.

Watch video of the ceremony below, courtesy of Variety.

Singer Anthony Kiedis told Variety: "I'm pretty sure that I have inadvertently vomited on Hollywood Walk Of Fame stars in my lifetime. I've certainly slept on top of Hollywood Boulevard Walk Of Fame stars in my lifetime. I've trod upon them not as a tourist but as a person running from the authorities or possibly running from somebody that I owed money to."

Hollywood Walk Of Fame producer Ana Martinez said in a statement: "Our hometown Hollywood boys are finally coming to collect their star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. We have been waiting for them to break away from their busy schedules to dedicate their star, and we are thrilled to welcome them to our Walk Of Fame family."

The honor comea one day before the release of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' new album, "Unlimited Love". Due on April 1 via Warner, the band's first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006's "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".

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.

According to Rolling Stone, FOO FIGHTERS have canceled their appearance at Sunday's (April 3) Grammy Awards following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins.

Although the FOO FIGHTERS will no longer appear at the event, the Grammy telecast will still pay tribute to Hawkins. CBS executive Jack Sussman told Variety: "We will honor his memory in some way. We want to figure out what is the right thing to do that is respectful to everyone involved. We're patient. We'll be planning right up until the very end."

Twelve-time Grammy winners FOO FIGHTERS earned three nominations this year for "Best Rock Performance" ("Making A Fire"), "Best Rock Song" ("Waiting On A War"), and "Best Rock Album" ("Medicine At Midnight").

FOO FIGHTERS' Grammy cancelation comes two days after the band officially scrapped all of its previously announced shows, explaining that they were taking "this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close, and to appreciate all the music and memories we've made together.

Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on Friday (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 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

For the first time in over 20 years, 20 of SEX PISTOLS' recordings from 1976 to 1978 are collected together to tell the story of one of the world's most influential and extraordinary bands.

"Sex Pistols: The Original Recordings" covers a historic period when the band were rarely out of the news or the charts.

SEX PISTOLS left the British establishment shaking when they exploded onto the music scene, kickstarting what later became known as punk — a term the band was never comfortable with. Young people ripped up not just their musical forebears but their social ones too and SEX PISTOLS were the snarling, ferocious figurehead of the revolution.

They made one perfect, 40-minute album for the ages in 1977's "Never Mind The Bollocks" and from its artwork to the individual players, the attitude and music — every bit of it influenced the world we live in today.

The record is frequently listed as one of the most influential albums of all time with musicians from JOY DIVISION and NEW ORDER to Kurt Cobain, Noel Gallagher, GREEN DAY to Yungblud all citing them as key inspiration. And this was not just musically — punk showed that anyone could create and many took the hint across fashion, art and design and more.

SEX PISTOLS' 1977 single "God Save the Queen" was banned by the BBC and reached No. 1 on the U.K.'s NME chart, but appeared at No. 2 on the official U.K. singles chart, leading to accusations that the song was purposely kept off the top spot. For the only time in chart history, the track was listed as a blank, to avoid offence to the establishment.

The collection soundtracks the period and features key singles "Anarchy In The UK", "God Save The Queen", "Pretty Vacant" and "Holidays In The Sun", essential tracks from "Never Mind The Bollocks", further originals and covers from "The Great Rock & Roll Swindle" soundtrack album and some essential B-sides in "I Wanna Be Me" (the flipside of "Anarchy…"), "Satellite" (the B-side of "Holidays In The Sun") and "Did You No Wrong" (from "God Save The Queen").

Track listing:

01. Pretty Vacant

02. God Save The Queen

03. Bodies

04. No Feelings

05. I Wanna Be Me

06. Anarchy In The UK

07. Submission

08. No Fun

09. (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone

10. Holidays In The Sun

11. New York

12. Problems

13. Lonely Boy

14. Silly Thing

15. Something Else

16. C'Mon Everybody

17. Satellite

18. Did You No Wrong

19. Substitute

20. My Way

Formats:

* CD

* 2LP (Black vinyl)

* 2LP (Transparent Green)

* 2LP (Transparent Yellow)

* Cassette - 5 with individual artwork

* Digital

Photo credit: Barry Plummer / Outside Organisation

Radiant are back with their second studio album Written By Life, due for release on April 22 via Massacre Records. New single and video for “Nightshift” is streaming below.


In life, there's often just a fine line between happiness, pain, sorrow and fulfillment, and our ups and downs have made us who we are today. This album tells the stories of Radiant's personal and musical adventures, milestones, and tragedies. 
Written By Life is a concept album about the band members’ lives since they started playing music. Everyone in the band wrote down two-three personal stories for this album. They all wrote the songs together in the rehearsal room where they played, jammed, laughed, and had a few beers together.  


This album is a big step forward for Radiant. The songwriting is diverse, the songs are very catchy, and the album is full of uplifting melodies, great instrumental work, and very personal stories as well as a powerful, dynamic, transparent, old-school and at the same time modern sound.







Tracklisting:


“Nightshift”
“Don’t Stop The Daydream”
“Real Passion Will Never Die”
“Live The Adventure”
“Stand That Fight”
“Because Of You”
“Contagioned”
“Rock And Win”
“Dare To Fail”
“Twice A Week”
“Hang Around With Friends”


“Nightshift” video:

Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his solo performance of Gary Moore's 1986 classic "Out In The Fields". Check it out below.





 




Johansson previously shared his solo performance of Gary Moore's 1986 classic "Over The Hills And Far Away".


 


 





 

In April of 2020, Norwegian black 'n roll brigade, Vreid, were invited by the Norwegian Nobel Peace Center and the Inferno Festival to  perform a cover song of their choosing as a part of the “Songs That Change The World” series. Unfortunately, this illustrious event was swiped off the earth by the plague that has pestered the world the last years.


Nevertheless, being true rock soldiers, Vreid decided to continue this creative path and recorded the song, which has never been released.







The song the band decided to interpret is the rock anthem "Paint It Black" by the The Rolling Stones, as the band regards this track among one of the most important pioneer songs for rock n´ roll, and a blueprint from where this tree of heavy music culture has grown into a many headed beast for 7 decades now.


This song and video are a celebration of the fantastic creativity that started in the 1960s and have been developed by so many great artists and bands ever since. Vreid has incorporated their humble respect to many of rock 'n' roll's greatest musicians.


Stream "Paint it Black" here, and watch the video below:

Tomorrow, Friday, April 1, multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist, Aldo Nova, will release the 10-song EP, The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage. Get it here.


Today he has rolled out a video recap of the EP’s three clips for “Burn Like The Sun,” “Free Your Mind,” and “King Of Deceit.” Watch the trailer below:







The songs on The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage mark the first chapter of Aldo Nova's larger-than-life rock opera. The iconic Montreal maverick will subsequently release the triple disc Aldo Nova 2.0 Reloaded on April 19. It will feature 2.0 versions of nine classic songs from Aldo’s catalog, plus another disc with no lead vocal track and a third disc with no lead guitar track so fans can either sing along or play along with him.


The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage rock opera tells the story of Eddie Gage, a prodigious ingénue who breaks into the music industry only to be preyed upon by a nefarious suit Andy Christos, manipulated by a corporate overlord M.F. Stophalis, and tempted by a succubus Rati Ayida. Drugs, alcohol, and excess plunge him into despair until he realizes redemption on his own terms.


The musical journey of The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage began in 2008, when Aldo started to assemble what would become 25 songs (which Aldo will eventually release). Throughout the work, Aldo distills his often-unbelievable musical journey into the allegory of the rock opera, which he wrote, produced, arranged, engineered, and mixed entirely. The recording includes a 40-piece orchestra, a full gospel choir, Lee Levin on drums and mastering from the legendary Bob Ludwig. In addition, a one song bonus disc will accompany the collection with the soaring instrumental song "Les Anges.”


Following the release of The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage, Aldo will turn the page on the next chapter of this story with the three-disc Aldo Nova 2.0 Reloaded. The three-disc recording features nine classics from his catalog new recordings - not only as the 2.0 versions of the songs, but also as alternate versions with no lead vocal track and another with no lead guitar track so fans can finally either sing along or play with him.





The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage tracklisting:


"Hey Ladi Dadi"
"Free Your Mind"
"Follow The Road"
"King Of Deceit"
"The Bitch In Black"
"On The Way To The Psycho Ward"
"When All Is Said And Done"
"Say A Little Prayer"
"Burn Like The Sun"


Bonus Track: "Les Anges" (Composed, Arranged and Performed by Aldo Nova)


"King Of Deceit" video:





“Burn Like The Sun” video:





"Free Your Mind" video:








Aldo Nova 2.0 Reloaded tracklisting:
 
Disc One
"Blood On The Bricks" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Monkey On Your Back" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Under The Gun - War Suite" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Foolin' Yourself" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Ball And Chain" 2.0 Reloaded
"Paradise" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Modern World" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Fantasy" 2.0 - Reloaded
"I'm A Survivor" 2.0 – Reloaded
 
Disc Two
"Blood On The Bricks" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Monkey On Your Back" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Under The Gun - War Suite" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Foolin' Yourself" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Ball And Chain" 2.0 Reloaded - No Ld Vocal
"Modern World" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Fantasy" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"I'm A Survivor" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
 
Disc Three
"Blood On The Bricks" 2.0 Reloaded - No Ld Guitar
"Monkey On Your Back" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Under The Gun - War Suite" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Foolin' Yourself" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Ball And Chain" 2.0 Reloaded - No Ld Guitar
"Paradise" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Modern World" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Fantasy" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"I'm A Survivor" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar

Audio Reign, in conjunction with MR Records, recently issued the digital edition of the repackaged International Deluxe Edition of their self-titled album, Audio Reign, with a brand new single "Angel". BraveWords is premiering the new music video for "Angel". The video was written and directed by Eva Grzelak and cinematography by Rebecca Duncker - watch below!


 


"Angel is available now to purchase and stream here. The physical release of the album will occur on March 31. Pre-order here.




"MR Records is extremely proud to release Audio Reign’s ‘International Deluxe Edition’ CD. The original CD was previously only available in the Australia market. A new EP was in production and after deep discussions within the label, it was decided that the debut album deserved to be redesigned, repackaged and introduced to the world. This new edition consists 14 tracks including three unreleased bonus tracks, completely new artwork, designed by world renowned album designer Nello Dell’Omo." - Peter Naylor, MR Records


Although Audio Reigns’ self-titled debut album release was well received in Australia, MR Records believed this album was a powerhouse and deserved world recognition. As such, the album has been completely redesigned and repackaged as an International Deluxe Edition with some brand-new bonus tracks for world release 2022.


The album already boasts some explosive singles like "Betrayal", a hard rock tour de force. Hard-hitting and relentless, it sets a musical and lyrical tone that is abundant throughout the album: raw emotion and undiluted power. Vivisecting an act of treachery, the song casts a stark light on a shadowy deception, delivered by the unmistakable voice of frontman/guitarist Jake Fleming. Driving his vocals like a battering ram; the irreplaceable legion of Alek Dyrynda (lead guitar), Ash Lovett (bass) and Dieter Schoell (drums).


The release of Audio Reigns International Deluxe Edition sees a brand-new single emerge into the light. "Angel" is a truly authentic hard rock ballad which begs an answer to a declaration of love. This heartfelt offering once again harnesses the raw emotion of the band and delivers the dynamics and spine-tingling heights that you would expect from such a song. Although the International Deluxe Edition will release a radio edit of "Angel", the band are currently working on another album which will contain the full album version.





Tracklisting:


"Betrayal"
"Pill"
"Senses"
"One Way"
"Broken"
"The Portrait"
"Shining Light"
"Make Me Feel"
"Falling"
"Breaks Me"
"Jezebel"


Bonus tracks:


"Relentless" [Radio edit]
"Angel" [Radio edit]
"Forgotten You"


Audio Reign is:


Ashley Lovett (bass/backing vocals
Jake Fleming (vocals/rhythm guitar)
Alek Dyrynda (lead guitar)
Dieter Schoell (drums/backing vocals)

In a recent Cameo video message requested by Jonathan Montenegro of Sobre La Dosis, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser commented on the band's enduring musical influence, especially within the heavy metal scene. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I feel very proud that SEPULTURA, after almost 40 years — we're at 37 years now — of a career, is still relevant. People talk about our old stuff, our new stuff. We have a very rich history with some changes in lineups and characteristics in music, using the Brazilian influence of our music — percussion and et cetera — which put SEPULTURA in a different place compared to other bands, especially outside Brazil. So, yeah, it's cool that we created something new on the business, on the scene, on the heavy music scene. So it's great that many, many bands mention SEPULTURA as an influence for them to start a career or start writing music. And that's very fantastic; it's amazing."

Formed in 1984 in Brazil, SEPULTURA has gone on to sell over millions of records and solidify its legacy as one of the greatest metal bands of the 1980s, 1990s, and beyond. Today, SEPULTURA is still going strong, 15 albums deep into one of the hardest-hitting discographies in history.

While the pandemic paralyzed the entire world and prevented bands from touring, the members of SEPULTURA refused to sit back and feel like animals trapped in a cage. Therefore, in early 2020, the band seized the moment to start its own weekly "SepulQuarta" video podcast in which they invited other famous musicians from all over the world to not only discuss important topics but also perform a track from SEPULTURA's massive catalog together with the group. The resulting full-length compilation was released in August 2021, with the album containing 15 classics featuring internationally renowned guests and friends.

SEPULTURA comprises Kisser, vocalist Derrick Green, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr., and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

SEPULTURA was formed in Belo Horizonte by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are no longer with the band.

Multi-Grammy-nominated rock act NOTHING MORE has dropped the official music video for their new song "Turn It Up Like (Stand In The Fire)". The track, released via Better Noise Music on Friday, gives fans a first taste of the band's long-awaited new studio album due later this year. The new visual, directed by Robyn August (Snoop Dogg, Pitbull), continues the band's striking red and white color schemes used on their last album and showcases the intense and urgent energy of the song's lyrics. Co-written by all four band members, the track is an unapologetic sonic rejection of the divisive, digitally-drowned state of the world with lyrics like: "All my friends are dead / They all got fucked by the Internet / All my friends are dead / Our brain's bein' bugged by the media."

Billboard gave an exclusive look at the music video this past weekend, including some statements from NOTHING MORE frontman Jonny Hawkins. He said: "Something we've always pushed for as a band is to question everything. And I think we've just gone through a period where it had been unfashionable to question things. Because if you did, you were the pariah, you were the outcast, the other. For the last few years, I've felt like an animal in a cage, just pacing, and my teeth are showing more. I had nowhere to vent that rage and that frustration until we put it into this song. I think a lot of people feel this way. You saw it spill over into riots and protests. There's all this stuff just pent up inside people. Thankfully, we're going back out on the road soon, so I'll have somewhere to put it."

The new track comes ahead of the album's official first radio single, which is set for an April 29 release across streaming and digital platforms. Stay tuned for more details coming from the band's official social media channels.

Fans will be able to hear the new music live on the band's recently announced co-headlining U.S. tour this spring, with Better Noise Music label mates ASKING ALEXANDRIA, featuring support from ATREYU and EVA UNDER FIRE . The tour is set to kick off in Kansas City, Missouri on May 13 and end in Houston, Texas on June 19, with other stops planned in Nashville, Denver, Atlanta, New Orleans, and more.

Rock audiences count NOTHING MORE among the most cherished acts, the kind of band who straddle the line between populism and intimacy with every performance. The San Antonio, Texas-born quartet builds unapologetically massive anthems from catchy hooks. Crowd pleasers clear a path for heady, confessional, thought-provoking emotionalism. Fresh rewards reveal themselves with repeat listens, welcoming like-minded seekers with rich melodicism, like the best of DEFTONES or TOOL.

Those who saw the band on tour with hard rock heavyweights like SHINEDOWN, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, BREAKING BENJAMIN, PAPA ROACH and DISTURBED will attest to what The Guardian observed: "There's a sophistication to NOTHING MORE's angst that raises them above the tumult-tossed pit."

Kerrang! named NOTHING MORE one of "22 Artists Shaping The Future Of Rock", alongside NINE INCH NAILS, TWENTY ONE PILOTS and BRING ME THE HORIZON. And Hawkins, who met guitarist Mark Vollelunga before they were old enough to drive, appeared with Billie Joe Armstrong, Dave Grohl and Hayley Williams in the English tastemaker's "Top 50 Greatest Rock Stars In The World".

Hawkins and Vollelunga started the band in 2003 and were quickly joined by bassist Daniel Oliver and later by drummer Ben Anderson. The band's blend of explosive bombast and nuanced storytelling resulted in a half dozen Top 10 singles at Mainstream Rock Radio, including the No. 1 hit "Go To War" and the SiriusXM Octane song of the decade and Active Rock chart-topper "This Is The Time (Ballast)".

NOTHING MORE appeals to fans of LINKIN PARK, INCUBUS, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and all crucial acts that stoke relatable passion with authenticity and integrity.

Photo credit: Jody Domingue

In a new interview with the "Metal From The Inside" podcast, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2018's "Firepower" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's still in the process. And it's been slowed down a lot because of, obviously, the pandemic. We wanted to get together, like we did on 'Firepower', and record it together, but, obviously, the lockdowns and everything like that slowed that process [down]. Some of us live in the U.S., some of us live in the U.K., so getting together proved to be a bit difficult over the last couple of years. Now everything is kind of opening up, it's a bit easier, but now we're on the road, so we've got a touring cycle [to get through]. So, if we can, we might be able to do it in between the touring cycles."

As for when fans can expect to get the next PRIEST album, Faulkner said: "We don't have a release date. It's not finished. We've got the songs, but we've gotta record it. We've got drums down. I don't know if that's even been said yet. So we're gonna try and build it up as we move through this touring cycle. But as Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer] always says, it'll be finished when it's finished. At this point in their career, there's no point in rushing anything, especially when we've waited this long through the pandemic to start doing it. It'll be done when it's done. But there will be another PRIEST record. We've got some great songs."

Regarding the musical direction of the new PRIEST material, Richie said: "It's different to 'Firepower', but it's definitely… You can hear where it's coming from. It's not even 'Firepower 2'… It's hard to say anything these days without people getting… If I say it's like a continuation of 'Firepower', people think it's 'Firepower 2'. It's got its own character, it's got its own legs, and we're looking forward to releasing it on to the world when it's done."

Last month, Halford was asked by Remy Maxwell of Audacy Check In if he agreed with Faulkner's recent comment that the band's upcoming album will be more musically "progressive" than "Firepower". He responded: "Yeah, the metal is there. But here's the thing: we've tried our best not to replicate anything that we've done. From 'Rocka Rolla' all the way through to 'Firepower', each record has had a distinctive character. And it's tough because fans go, 'We want another 'Painkiller',' 'We want another 'British Steel'.' And [it's, like], 'Dude, we've already done that.'

"Fans know that we're a band that is always full of adventure and trying new stuff," he continued. "And so, yeah, this has got probably some more progressive elements that we've never really delved into before. And that's exciting, because, again, it gives us and our fans another opportunity to see a different side of PRIEST. But it's still metal. There's just more of it. There are more notes than there were before."

Earlier last month, Faulkner told Canada's The Metal Voice about the overall sound of the new PRIEST music: "Whenever you start a record, you never know how it's gonna turn out. So you might start with an idea of what it's gonna be, and as it kind of rolls on, it comes out something different. So you don't quite know. And also it's really hard to sum up your own music, I find, without sounding really pretentious. But I think this one — it's not 'Firepower 2', I don't think. It's its own thing, it's its own animal. If anything, I would say it's a bit more progressive in places, and in places it's got a bit more of that 'Killing Machine' swagger."

Faulkner added: "I know everyone says, 'Oh, is it the next 'Painkiller'?' or 'Is it the next…?' whatever… I don't know if they'd ever done it, but I know we've never done it when I've been in the band; we've never tried to recreate an album. It's always we try to create an album that stands on its own legs. So I think it's definitely a little bit more progressive than 'Firepower' and, as I said, in places it's got a little bit of that 'Killing Machine' angry swagger attitude going on. But again, as I said, we're waiting to see what it turns out like, 'cause it could turn out completely different."

A year ago, Halford confirmed that PRIEST's next album will see the band reuniting with the "Firepower" production team consisting of Andy Sneap, longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH).

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Founding guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier. Tipton announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". He was replaced by Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in late September. He was was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.

Fan-filmed video of PUDDLE OF MUDD performing a cover version of BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs" during the band's headlining set on March 18 at the Honeymoon Rock Fest in Oklahoma City can be seen below.

Last November, PUDDLE OF MUDD frontman Wes Scantlin made headlines when he walked offstage midconcert at the EPIC Event Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin after complaining about the venue's lights.

Wes had almost non-stop problems with the law, alcohol, finances and other issues, before claiming to have gotten sober in 2017. Scantlin said that he ended up going back to rehab and receiving treatment "because there's really nowhere else to go." He also credited his family and fans for giving him the strength to try to get better.

Scantlin was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in September 2017 after he attempted to board a plane with a BB gun. He pleaded no contest and was banned from LAX unless it involved traveling for work.

Before that, there have been a few tumultuous years for the singer and guitarist. In January of 2016, he was arrested on suspicion of breaking into his former home and vandalizing some of the property.

He skipped two court dates related to the charges later that spring, which led to another arrest.

Prior to that, Scantlin was arrested in December 2015 for possession of a controlled substance and had several previous busts that same year for driving under the influence.

Additionally, he was arrested at a Denver airport in 2015 for taking a joyride on a baggage carousel and taken into custody as far back as 2012 for an altercation with a flight attendant.

He also ended a number of PUDDLE OF MUDD shows in 2016 early with various meltdowns, including one in which he accused a fan of stealing his house

PUDDLE OF MUDD was formed in 1991 in Kansas City by Scantlin, the only original member still with the band. The group into the mainstream with 2001's "Come Clean", which yielded three hits — "Control", "Blurry" and "She Hates Me".

PUDDLE OF MUDD's latest album, "Welcome To Galvania", was released in 2019 via Pavement Entertainment.

Lisbon-based retro rock bringers Miss Lava have unveiled new video for “Sleepy Warm.” The track comes off the band’s most recent full-length, Doom Machine, released last year via Small Stone Records and Kozmik Artifactz.





"Sleepy Warm" video was captured during the Evil Twins Tour with Dollar Llama.
The week-long trek saw both bands play some of Portugal's most iconic clubs. "Sleepy Warm" was directed, filmed, and edited by Manuel Portugal at RCA Club in Lisbon and Salão Brazil in Coimbra with extra camera work at RCA Club by Pedro Lopes.




Elaborates guitarist K. Raffah, “It was awesome to get back on the road after Covid, especially on this tour with our brothers Dollar Llama. I guess this video is a great way to celebrate the Portuguese rock ‘n’ roll spirit!”





Adds director Manuel Portugal, “My main goal was to capture the energy of the band live, so that everyone that sees the video can channel the same vibrations as those who watch the show.”


(Photo – Manuel Portugal)

“Caustic Poison” is the opening track from Deadly Intrusions, the debut album from Quebec black/thrash metal duo Skumstrike. The track hits the public ahead of the album’s release in early April through Selfmadegod Records.


Deadly Intrusions combines rapid-fire thrash with the heft of early Celtic Frost and moon-worshiping abandon of Darkthrone. A crackling vein of high-voltage hardcore punk runs through the record, perfectly portrayed with a reckless cover of Poison Idea's “Nothing is Final,” while the wild spirit of Japanese acts ranging from Sabbat to GISM animate the unhinged vocals.


Recorded and Mixed July-August 2021 in Montreal by Pat McDowall and mastered by Enormous Door, Deadly Intrusions is completed with cover artwork by renowned Indonesian artist Ibay Arifin.




The band delivers with the new track, “'Caustic Poison' is the very tip of the spear: the first track from Skumstrike's debut album Deadly Intrusions. First time listeners will be introduced to the band's sickening fusion of violent proto-thrash and speedy hardcore, with the ghosts of Japanese legends GISM invoked in a manic vocal performance that descends into mayhem.”


Deadly Intrusions will see release on CD and digital formats through Polish extreme merchants Selfmadegod on April 8, with the band’s US allies Caligari Records handling the cassette version. Watch for additional audio previews, preorders, and more to post over the coming days.


Fully armed with this new arsenal, with JK of Spectral Wound and Profane Order handling bass assaults, Skumstrike plans a vengeful return to the live stage in 2022.





Tracklisting:


“Caustic Poison”
“Blood Red Vision”
“(Ensnared In) Endless Night”
“Panic Obsession”
“Another Shot Of Fear”
“Ritual Murder”
“Mental Wound Submission”
“Lobotomize”
“The Infestor”
“Deadly Intrusions”
“Nothing Is Final” (Poison Idea cover)


"Caustic Poison":





“Blood Red Vision”:

Progressive, aggressive, experimental, and melodic, Calgary, Canada's Caveat has been making music together for the better part of two decades and in that time they have now put out five records (four Albums, one EP). Their latest is Alchemy released on February 11.


Today, in support of their latest full-length, the band is premiering their new lyric video for "Silver".







"One of the more melodic songs on the album with catchy hooks, verses, and an infectious chorus that touches on the silver lining of your actions and how they create the foundation for one’s existence," adds guitarist Greg Musgrave.


Having worked together for so long, the music comes organically to Caveat, according to them they write music until they feel like we have a cohesive collection of songs that work well together and then assemble that into a cohesive listening experience. Even after all this time together, they still enjoy writing and playing together, so new music is always on the horizon.


Caveat is both experimental and engaging and recommended for fans of Meshuggah, Opeth, and Cynic.





(Photo: Monika Deviat)

New Mexico-based desert rockers, Blue Heron, will release their first full-length album, Ephemeral, via Seeing Red Records (US) and Kozmik Artifactz (Germany) on May 27. The album's first single, "Futurola", is now streaming on digital services, along with an interpretive animated video hosted by 666MrDoom. Watch the clip below.





Ephemeral is an 8-track, 47-minute exploration of heavy rock at its fullest. Excavating the far reaches and connected strata of stoner rock, sludge, doom, heavy psych and post-metal, Blue Heron transmute years of engagement with rock and metal's profuse branches into a singular, sand-scorching epic. With lyrical threads ranging from mortality and failed civilizations to mythic fables and cinematic re-imaginations, Ephemeral is stylistically diverse, thematically ambitious and unassailably relentless in its raw, desert power.




Ephemeral arrives May 27 on limited edition vinyl from Seeing Red Records in North America and Kozmik Artifactz in Europe and on all digital services. Pre-orders are available now via the labels and the Blue Heron Bandcamp, here.





Blue Heron is:


Mike Chavez - Guitar
Ricardo Sanchez - Drums
Steve Schmidlapp - Bass
Jadd Shickler - Vocals