METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett has released a first taste of his upcoming debut solo EP in the form of "High Plains Drifter". The track opens the second side of "Portals", Kirk's four-song EP, which will arrive on April 23 via Blackened Recordings across digital platforms, on CD, and as a Record Store Day-exclusive ocean blue vinyl EP (including a download card).

Featuring contributions from Edwin Outwater (with whom Kirk had previously collaborated on METALLICA's "S&M²" concerts and releases), Jon Theodore of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE (and Kirk's THE WEDDING BAND bandmate), members of the LA Philharmonic and more, "High Plains Drifter" shares a unique inspirational relationship with the 1973 cinematic classic of the same name. The song, Kirk explains, "was not meant to be specifically music for that film, but it was once it was written, I immediately thought it conveyed the same sentiment as the film, so the piece was christened accordingly.

"The music for 'High Plains Drifter' initially came from a flamenco piece I had written," he continues. "It was a two-and-a-half-minute piece, and I really liked it, but it was one of those riffs that would be hard to integrate into METALLICA. I knew I wanted to do something with it, even though it came out spontaneously. I had been sitting outside messing around with a flamenco acoustic guitar I'd just bought, and it flowed out in the moment. I was determined it would have a life. It would have its moment."

True to its title, "Portals" is a collection of gateways to musical and psychic destinations. Recorded around the world, from Los Angeles to Paris to Oahu, "Portals" is the result of Kirk's life's journeys and an invitation to tap into your own inner world. Heavily influenced by classical music, soundtracks, horror movies, and maybe a little Ennio Morricone, Kirk wanted the EP to span the decades and touch upon all the horror he loves. The idea behind the EP was to have all the songs flow into each other, so he relied on a whole cast of his friends to record the four songs.

Produced by Kirk, "Portals" is comprised of the songs "Maiden And The Monster" and "The Jinn" on side A, followed by "High Plains Drifter" and "The Incantation" on side B. The latter two were co-written with Outwater, who also contributed keyboards and led the orchestral players from the LA Philharmonic on "Portals".

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

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

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

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

SANTA CRUZ frontman Archie Cruz has fired back at reports that he was "miming" to a track during the band's performance last week in West Hollywood, California.

On April 6, SANTA CRUZ — whose current lineup consists of Cruz along with new recruits Jerry Jade (guitar), Tommy Bradley (bass) and Randy McDemian (drums) — played a show at the legendary Whisky A Go Go venue. The following day, a fan-filmed video of SANTA CRUZ performing the song "Under The Gun" was posted on the "concertsrock" YouTube channel, showing Cruz at one point walking away from the microphone while the singing continued to be heard through the P.A. until Cruz, Jade and Bradley returned to their microphones for what was the song's chorus section.

Two days after the concert, SiriusXM radio personality Eddie Trunk took to his Facebook to share the concertsrock video of the "Under The Gun" performance, and he included the following message: "This is beyond words … everyone I guess just okay with this?! As I've said and have been saying this has become an epidemic that needs to stop . So bad it's to the point this band doesn't event attempt to fake their lip synching.. stunning. Imagine paying to see a band you love 'live' and it's anything but. What's the point? Imagine you are a band that puts the work in to be live, and others don't, play to a computer , and fans talk about how great they sound.. pathetic. It's the norm in pop, it's gotta stop in rock. Bands, fans and promoters have to care that a live rock show is live or it will only get worse. Madness."

After initially suggesting in an Instagram Story that the whole thing was planned and intentional, Archie, whose real name is Arttu Kuosmanen, finally addressed the criticism in a video message posted to his social media on Tuesday (April 12). In the two-minute video, which can be seen below, he said: "I just feel like I need to clear some shit out. Obviously, there's been a lot of backlash after our show at the Whisky last Wednesday. And we've been accused of 'miming' on the track, which is not true. We did have backing tracks, but we just had some layers, and that is literally what every fucking big band is doing right now, which just happened to fuck up the timing, so I feel like I need to clear that out right now."

Archie then reproduced his vocal track from the section of "Under The Gun" where the alleged "miming" took place, and explained: "This is my vocal. This is what I do live. That's my track. That's 100 percent live. And what we had in the P.A. was an octave-lower harmony and an octave-higher harmony to back that shit up." He went on to play a recording of what he said was on tape to back up his live performance during the Whisky concert, and he added: "So, please do not talk about something you don't know anything about or do not accuse us of doing something that's not true. So, piss off and shut the fuck up."

In addition to uploading a video message explaining the Whisky mishap, Archie shared an Instagram Story in which he publicly apologized to Trunk for telling him last week in a social media post that he "fucked with the wrong crew" and that his "career will be over soon". "Even though I don't think he was in the right for what he did," Archie said of Eddie, "calling him names was NOT the move and not how one should behave."

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

"Under The Gun" is the first single from SANTA CRUZ's new album, "The Return Of The Kings", which will be released this fall via M-Theory Audio. Cruz recorded the follow-up to 2019's "Katharsis" as a one-man studio project throughout 2021 in his native Finland.
























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Archie Cruz (@archiecruzz)












As I said during my show yesterday this issue is way beyond just @SantaCruzBand . I actually like the band & had Archie on once. I appreciate the apology but I personally will always believe live rock should be live. And a TON of bands do NOT play to tracks. https://t.co/X40ZMv6rV7

— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) April 13, 2022








This is beyond words … everyone I guess just okay with this?! As I’ve said and have been saying this has become an...

Posted by Eddie Trunk on Friday, April 8, 2022





I have long railed against the epidemic of bands using tracks live. And how fans & promoters just accept “live” acts & paying to see a band “live” and it’s anything but. This is how bad it’s become. Everyone okay with this?! Unreal! https://t.co/EHp6zW57i4 v

— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) April 8, 2022

Progressive metal quartet OU (pronunciation: “O”) will release their debut album, one, on May 6 via InsideOutMusic. The band recently released the first single, “Travel”, and now are excited to share the album’s second single, “Mountain”.


Drummer Anthony Vanacore says this about the new song: “'Mountain' is absolutely one of our favorite tracks on the album, we are so proud of how this song came out! I think it really captures the spirit of OU and I’m pretty sure you’ve never heard anything quite like it.”







Hailing from Beijing, China, the group combine a variety of elements and influences (Devin Townsend, The Gathering, Radiohead to name a few), to create their extremely unique sound.


Formed by drummer and songwriter Anthony Vanacore, the idea behind OU came from each member having a long history of playing in local house bands and seeking new challenges in their growth as musicians. Vanacore would go on to recruit talented guitarist and fellow house band veteran Jing Zhang, as well as highly sought-after bassist Chris Cui, with the three of them laying the initial groundwork for the song structure and creative approach. OU recruited highly talented singer Lynn Wu to front the project, who brings with her ethereal vocals that contrast with the dynamic and engaging music, delivering a powerful and soaring sound. On their debut, OU set out with only one clear goal in mind, and that was to make certain that every song had its own unique identity.


one will be available as Ltd. Edition CD Digipak, 180g Gatefold LP Edition and as Digital Album. Pre-order





Tracklisting:


"Travel 穿"
"Farewell 夔"
"Mountain 山"
"Ghost 灵"
"Euphoria 兴"
"Prejudice 豸"
"Dark 暗"
"Light 光"


Teaser:





OU lineup:


Lynn Wu – Vocals
Anthony Vanacore – Drums, Prod
Zhang Jing – Guitars
Chris Cui - Bass


(Top photo - Frank Mao)

New SKID ROW singer Erik Grönwall spoke to Liz Berg of Smarts & Entertainment about what it's been like for him to join his favorite band and immediately start working on a new album, along with beginning to prepare for SKID ROW's current Las Vegas residency as the support act for the SCORPIONS. "It's insane," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Surreal, definitely. I grew up listening to SKID ROW, and when I wanted to become a singer, I was trying to sing like [former SKID ROW singer] Sebastian Bach. And that's what I did. I did that at karaoke nights [back home in Sweden]. So it's just surreal, because I come into the band and I started to do a new album straight away. I don't just have to rehearse the old songs; I'm doing a new album. So it's my voice on that. It's surreal, and I'm so honored."

Grönwall joined SKID ROW just weeks ago as the replacement for ZP Theart, who had been in the group for more than six years.

SKID ROW played its first show with Grönwall on March 26. During its nine-song set, SKID ROW performed its new single, "The Gang's All Here", which was made available last month. The song is the title track of the band's upcoming album, which will arrive on October 14 via earMUSIC.

SKID ROW recorded most of "The Gang's All Here" in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan recently told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about Grönwall's addition to the band: "Just the way he does things and his work ethic is one I've never seen other than the four of us that are already in the band. He just doesn't stop until he gets things absolutely right. Whether it's his version, what he thinks is right, or what we think is right, he works hard — he works hard. And you can see why he had the success he did overseas because he's a really, really hard-working singer that takes care of his instrument and that takes pride in his craft."

Rachel also reflected on SKID ROW's first live performance with Grönwall, saying: "Honestly, dude, from the minute he opened his mouth… His timing is impeccable. We knew it was gonna be cool. And each show has gotten even better, 'cause we're learning each other's rhythm on stage. When I walked away from that show, I said to Erik, I go, 'This was show one. I cannot wait for show one hundred. It's gonna be amazing.'"

Bolan previously talked about how Erik came to join SKID ROW during an appearance on the latest episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation L.A. Invasion", recorded just hours before SKID ROW's first performance with the Swedish singer. "We toured together. H.E.A.T. was on tour with SKID ROW. What year was that? '18? And we'd hear him every night from the dressing room," he said. "And a couple of times, I was, like, 'Man, listen to this guy sing. He's phenomenal.' And then, I forget who told me, someone that was with us, 'Yeah, he won 'Idol' in Sweden.' And I was, like, 'Man, he's got pipes.' And I was listening. Then I went behind the monitor board a couple of times. And in my head, I'm, like, 'Wow! When SKID ROW has some downtime, I'm gonna get in touch with this dude and start a side project with him.' And obviously, that never happened. But as time went on and we got to the point to where we were with ZP and stuff, Erik was our first… I told Snake, I go, 'We've gotta check this guy out.' And along with Snake and the rest of the guys, and Nick, our producer, Nick Raskulinecz, were, like, 'He's the guy, man. Send him some songs.' So we sent him some songs that we were recording, just with a guide vocal on it, and it came back about 24 hours later, and we were, like, 'All right. He's the guy. Get him on a plane. Let's do this.'"

Grönwall sang on H.E.A.T.'s last four studio albums — "Address The Nation" (2012), "Tearing Down The Walls" (2014), "Into The Great Unknown" (2017) and "H.E.A.T II" (2020) — before exiting the group in October 2020.

Grönwall was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. A short time later, he wrote on his social media: "I am extremely privileged and grateful to live at a day and age where a disease like this is curable. There's been so much progress made in this field. My body is reacting well to the treatment but it's a long treatment and it's going to be the toughest challenge of my life so far, for me and my family."

Last September, Grönwall released his cover version of SKID ROW's "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms. At the time, he said about his version of the track: "This song was basically the starting point of my professional career as an artist. I performed this song during my 'Swedish Idol' audition back in 2009. 12 years later it's time to give this bad boy a try again. Here's my version of the SKID ROW song '18 And Life'."

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

Onslaught headlined the Sophie Stage at Britain's Bloodstock Open Air 2021 on August 11. You can now watch professionally filmed footage of the band's full performance.


Setlist:


"Rise To Power"
"Killing Peace"
"Strike Fast Strike Hard"
"Let There Be Death"
"Destroyer Of Worlds"
"Bow Down To The Clowns"
"A Perfect Day To Die"
"Metal Forces"
"66'Fucking'6"
"The Sound Of Violence"
"Religiousuicide"
"Burn"
"Damnation / Onslaught (Power From Hell)"

Northern symphonic rock ensemble, Winter In Eden, has released its new studio album, Social Fake. The band crafted the album over a long period, including during lockdown, but the end result takes their music to a new level.


Containing all new material which builds and further refines the unique style that is Winter In Eden, from delightful symphonic instrumentals to crunching aggressive rock. With compelling vocals, muscular riffs, memorable hooks, and swirling keyboards coupled with pounding bass and thunderous drums; the result is powerful, modern and perfectly balanced.







Social Fake is the band’s fourth album and features a lineup of Vicky Johnson, Steve Johnson, Steve Hauxwell, Benji Lynch and Ian Heddle.  Its release coincides with the launch of the band’s new webstore.


Lead singer Vicky Johnson said of the release: “Social Fake is a very special album for us. We poured our blood, sweat and tears into this project and the results make me feel incredibly proud. I love every single song on this album. The sound has evolved but it is still Winter In Eden at its best. We can't wait for everyone to hear it.”


The album is available on CD and on Digital Platforms including Amazon CD, Apple Music, and Spotify.


A video for the title track can be seen below:

HIM mastermind Ville Valo spoke to Metal Hammer about his new single, "Loveletting", which he released under the VV banner. "Loveletting" is taken from VV's forthcoming debut album, "Neon Noir", which won't arrive before 2023.

"'Loveletting' is one of the more mellow songs," Ville said. "I've always been shit with picking singles — I'm always wrong, so I let the label choose that and everybody was smiling when they heard it the first time, so they suggested it. I'm hoping the next one will be a lot more rock 'n' roll, harder hitting."

"Loveletting" marks Ville's first new music in over two years, following the arrival of the three-track "Gothica Fennica Vol. 1" EP, also released under the VV banner, in March 2020.

"Gothica Fennica Vol. 1" bore a strong musical resemblance to HIM and featured the tracks "Salute The Sanguine", "Run Away From The Sun" and "Saturnine Saturnalia".

Regarding the musical direction of "Neon Noir", Ville told Metal Hammer: "The new stuff definitely does sound like HIM. But I did write most of the songs, so… I'm to blame for that. It's a continuous journey from HIM for me. A lot of people when they move on to solo projects want to distance themselves from the past, burn bridges and start their solo career. It's different for me. VV is me building a bridge between HIM and the future. That's what 'Neon Noir' is."

Ville recently spoke to Spotify about why it has taken him so long to complete "Neon Noir". "Since the pandemic hit, I started working on the album," he explained. "I actually learned how to record — I learned how to record drums and bass and guitar because I wasn't able to get any musicians; I had to do it solo — literally solo. So I'm really sorry but it did take me two and a half years to get the album done. 'Loveletting' is the first single. It's kind of what I normally do — it's a loud love song; it's a very sad and melancholy wistful one, but sort of maybe light at the end of the tunnel which is hopefully not the oncoming train.

"So there's not much new under the sun of VV, but I love it. [Laughs]"

"Loveletting" is now available across all digital platforms. An official music video can be seen below.

VV's headline tour dates will take place next year across Europe and North America. Naturally starting in Helsinki, Finland, the 2023 extensive run reaches the U.K. in March before heading to America come April.

HIM completed a farewell tour in 2017, closing the final chapter on the band's 26-year career. At the time, Ville explained to Kerrang! magazine why the band decided to call it a day. "We were tired of the same shit," he said. "When you've done it for a long time, at some point it doesn't taste good anymore. We started working on some stuff, it didn't sound good enough, and we didn't get the teenage buzz you're supposed get."

He also discussed the future of his artistic and musical endeavors.

"I'll be figuring out the emotions I'll be going through after the HIM period is done," he said. "That's how I experience life. I experience it through music, I'll pick up the guitar and start writing and I'm sure some of the emotions that come out of this wild ride will come through. My life is not done yet. The HIM part is done, as it is now, the chapter is closed, but the book is still unfinished…"

Formed in 1991 by Valo, guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström and bassist Mikko "Migé" Paananen, HIM offered the world a new take on the metal genre, which became known as "love metal" (also the title of their fourth album).

HIM in 2015 parted ways with its longtime drummer, Mika Kristian Karppinen (a.k.a. Gas Lipstick), and replaced him with Jukka "Kosmo" Kröger (formerly of HERRA YLPPÖ & IHMISET).

Three years ago, Valo teamed up with guitar legend Esa Pulliainen to record an album based on songs by the late, legendary Finnish singer Rauli "Badding" Somerjoki. The self-titled album by VILLE VALO & AGENTS was released in February 2019 and was followed by a short tour.

Houston-bred rock/hip-hop fusion artist Hyro The Hero has released a new version of the title track off his "Kids Against The Monsters" project with a feature from SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor. The release is the culmination of a series of singles featuring high-profile fellow artists that Hyro The Hero has dropped over the past year. The project originated as a mixtape, inspired from his Houston underground hip-hop roots, and is now available in full as an EP to stream and download across digital platforms.

The "Kids Against The Monsters" track was recorded remotely during lockdown in 2020, after Ben Bruce of ASKING ALEXANDRIA, a mentor to Hyro, reached out to Taylor. The answer was an immediate yes. Late last year, fans got an early listen to the track when it appeared in episode eight of Apple TV+'s basketball drama series "Swagger", executive produced by Kevin Durant and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Reggie Rock Bythewood. An official video for the track was also released today.

Thrilled to be sharing the latest version of "Kids Against The Monsters" with Taylor, Hyro said: "Working with Corey Taylor was absolutely incredible. When I first heard him sing the words of the chorus we created, I got chills.

"'Kids Against The Monsters' is about the problems we deal with from generation to generation. This generation is trying to find peace and fix past mistakes. When you press play and listen to my music, I want you to feel the positivity and love."

Taylor also gave his thoughts on teaming up with Hyro on the track, saying: "It's always nice to collaborate with up-and-coming talent, especially when you're a genuine fan. I was stoked to hop on this song with Hyro The Hero. He embodies what a true artist is meant to do: make you feel something. This song is a great reminder that we're stronger together when facing our demons."

In addition to capturing the attention of his musical peers, Hyro's music has piqued the interest of influential media such as The Houston Chronicle, his hometown paper, who profiled the artist at the top of this year writing, "Over the years, Hyro — born Hyron Louis Fenton Jr. — has built on that mashup [rock and hip-hop] and become a full-fledged rock star." True to that sentiment, Hyro brings together a unique blend of influences across rap, rock, punk, and hip hop on this EP, gathering a group of iconic artists to join him on a collection of songs that speak to the racism, class discrimination, and political division in our society, and hopes to inspire a way forward, encouraging all the kids to unite.

The "Kids Against The Monsters" mixtape includes previously released tracks such as the incendiary "FU2 (feat. AJ Channer of Fire From The Gods)", "We Believe (feat. David Draiman of Distubed)" and "Fight (feat. Chad Gray of Hellyeah)". Hyro announced the project in a reflective piece published by Knotfest last year, explaining how his Houston roots introduced him to the idea of the mixtape and expressing how sacred that concept is in the hip-hop community to reaching new fans. The mixtape is an embodiment of Hyro's growth as a musician, as he stayed true to the hip-hop ideology embedded in his DNA, while also fulfilling the emotional pull he felt towards rock music in his teens. Additionally, Knotfest aired a series of interviews with Hyro and his collaborators to dive deeper into the project and the inspiration behind each track.

"Kids Against The Monsters" EP track listing:

01. Kids Against The Monsters (feat. Corey Taylor of Slipknot)

02. FU 2 (feat. AJ Channer of Fire From The Gods)

03. We Believe (feat. David Draiman of Distrubed)

04. Fight (feat. Chad Gray of Hellyeah)

After non-stop touring in support of his last album, Hyro dove right into the studio with producer Matt Good (ASKING ALEXANDRIA, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, FROM FIRST TO LAST). Under a flurry of inspiration, they recorded an entire album over the course of just two weeks. In the process, he expanded his sound dramatically.

"You can see and hear the growth in this album," he says. "I had to go through everything that brought me to this point and I've really learned how to focus on storylines and approach records structurally and lyrically. All of my experience built up respect to work with some of my heroes on the new material." He grins and says, "I want to have my name in this game for a lifetime."

GREY DAZE, Chester Bennington's pre-LINKIN PARK band, will release a new album, "The Phoenix", on June 17 via Loma Vista Recordings. It is the follow-up to 2020's "Amends", which featured newly recorded music with remastered vocals from the group's long out-of-print and largely undiscovered catalog.

"'Amends' was more emotional and reflective," explains drummer and songwriter Sean Dowdell of the different mood and feel displayed on "The Phoenix", which also sees contributions from JANE'S ADDICTION's Dave Navarro, FILTER's Richard Patrick and Bennington's daughters, Lily and Lila Bennington. "We felt sad when we were writing it. Now that we're a couple of years removed, it's very clear what we were going through. We were at a different stage of grief. We went through the shock and the sadness. Now, we're back to gratitude. So, 'The Phoenix' is more of a celebration of our friend, his talent, and the music. It captures Chester's angst and energy that people fell in love with. It's much more aggressive. If you love Chester's scream, you'll love this record."

A preview of "The Phoenix" arrives with today's release of "Saturation (Strange Love)" and its Marc Silverstein-directed video. The track, evocative of the shift in energy between "Amends" and "The Phoenix", showcases a younger Chester and the raw, astounding talent was already in possession of, as Dowdell notes: "It's going to surprise a lot of people because it gets back to Chester's core. One of the things that people love about him was his unique ability to scream in key… and this song brings you back to everything you love about that scream. You feel that angst and raw emotion he brought to everything he did."

Over the course of GREY DAZE's first incarnation, which ran 1994 to 1997, the group recorded and released two albums. It is those albums that serve as a foundation for both "Amends" and "The Phoenix". Prior to Bennington's passing, he publicly announced GREY DAZE's return, which included re-recording the band's largely undiscovered discography. With Chester's widow Talinda Bennington's blessing, and working with producer Esjay Jones, the surviving bandmembers — Dowdell, bass player Mace Beyers and guitar player Cristin Davis — moved forward, as both a way to pay tribute to their fallen brother and bandmate, but also to expose his fans to another dimension of the dynamic singer. "Amends" arrived in 2020, with Rolling Stone, Revolver, Billboard and Kerrang! praising the collection. NME summed it up best as "a great modern rock record fronted by one of the best vocalists in the game." In late 2020, the trio reconvened with Jones re-recording, and re-working the remaining 10 tracks that would become "The Phoenix".

"The Phoenix" track listing:

01. Saturation (Strange Love)

02. Starting To Fly

03. Be Your Man

04. Holding You (featuring Dave Navarro)

05. Hole (featuring Lily & Lila Bennington)

06. Drag

07. Believe Me (featuring Richard Patrick)

08. Anything, Anything

09. Spin

10. Wake Me

In a 2001 interview with Revolver magazine, Chester described GREY DAZE's musical style as "early-'90s -style rock. It wasn't pop rock, it wasn't heavy metal. It was in between grunge and good rock. We didn't know what we were doing. We were just writing songs and singing. It was a four-piece band. Some of our songs were more rock. Others were more, I don't know, alternative? I've always been into punk and classic rock. The first few years of being a musician, it was all cover band stuff, and we'd throw in a few originals. The last band I was in, I was in it for almost eight years. We made two albums, and tried really hard."

He added: "I definitely know why it didn't go anywhere: We all wanted to make it, but we all wanted to make it for different reasons. It wasn't all about making good songs, where anything else that comes from that is a fringe benefit."

Bennington was found dead in his Los Angeles-area home in July 2017 after hanging himself.

LINKIN PARK headlined an all-star tribute concert for Bennington in October 2017 in Los Angeles but has not announced any future plans for recording or touring.

Photo credit: Tom Preston

Finnish Heinola-based metal band Where's My Bible released their third single and yet another impressive music video, "Chapter III: Nest". The track is taken from their upcoming Circle EP, which is set to be released on May 13th via Inverse Records. There will be four tracks on EP and music video is done for each song. 


Singer Jussi Matilainen comments: "Winter, death, deep end. Story gets to the breakdown. Exhaustion and hopelessness dance around hand in hand and it's so dark that it's hard to remember existence of light. Hope a distant memory and journey so heavy, like something is dragging you. Towards the end. As a song this is hands down the heaviest and darkest we have gone, which is close to my heart, and I feel like I'm on my area of strength with this one. I have waited releasing this part extremely much and I'm excited to see the reaction."


Drummer Teppo Ristola continues: "Before I told the band that I was interested in a regular place as a drummer, I knew the upcoming songs would be strong and the band would take a step forward. This particular song most influenced my decision to inquire if the permanent drummer’s seat would still be open. I think the song combines exactly the new and darker side that the band represents today. The journey is just beginning!" 







Tracklist:


"Chapter I: Escape"
"Chapter II: Void"
"Chapter III: Nest"
"Chapter IV: Origin"


"Chapter I: Escape"





"Chapter II: Void"





Chapter III: Nest"

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has released the official lyric video for "AfterLife", the title track of the band's upcoming studio album. Check it out below.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's follow-up to 2020's "F8" was once again recorded at the Hideout Recording Studio, the Las Vegas, Nevada facility owned and operated by Kevin Churko, the Canadian record producer/engineer and songwriter who has worked on all of FIVE FINGER's albums beginning with the band's sophomore release, 2009's "War Is The Answer".

"AfterLife" will be FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's first album with its latest addition, renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who replaced Jason Hook in 2020. James was previously featured on "Broken World", a song that was included on the second installment of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction – Volume 2", which came out in the fall of 2020.

Since FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's debut album, "The Way Of The Fist", came out in 2007, the band has released six consecutive albums that were certified gold or platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as well as two chart-topping greatest-hits albums. In addition, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has earned numerous national and international awards and honors over the last decade, such as the prestigious Soldier Appreciation Award by the Association Of The United States Army, an honor bestowed upon only one other recording artist before them: Elvis Presley.

"F8" debuted at No. 1 on rock charts around the world, with Top 10 mainstream chart debuts in the USA, Austria, Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K. and more. It produced four No. 1 hit singles with "Inside Out", "A Little Bit Off", "Living The Dream" and "Darkness Settles In", the latter of which saw the band tie DISTURBED's record for most consecutive No. 1s on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with seven chart-toppers in a row. The band has amassed over eight billion streams and three billion video views to date and has sold over one million tickets between 2018 and 2020 alone.

Earlier this week, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced a 2022 U.S. headlining tour presented by Live Nation. Kicking off in Portland, Oregon on August 19, the trek will span over 30 dates, closing out on October 15 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The band will be joined on tour by rock icons MEGADETH, with additional support from THE HU and FIRE FROM THE GODS, promising an intense multi-faceted night of heavy rock music. Tickets go on sale starting today (Friday, April 15) at 10 a.m. local time at FiveFingerDeathPunch.com.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

DEFTONES have recruited Fred Sablan as their new touring bassist following the recent departure of Sergio Vega.

Sablan made his live debut with the DEFTONES Thursday night (April 14) at the opening concert of the band's spring 2022 U.S. tour at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter in Portland, Oregon.

Sablan is best known as the former bassist for MARILYN MANSON, having toured and recorded with the shock rocker between 2010 and 2014. He has also played bass for CHELSEA WOLFE and PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT, and is a member of the punk-rock supergroup HEAVENS BLADE alongside YOUTH CODE singer Sara Taylor, ROB ZOMBIE bassist Piggy D. (on guitar) and SUICIDE SILENCE drummer Alex Lopez.

Vega, who officially joined DEFTONES in 2009, confirmed his exit last month, just days after a new photo of the band without him emerged online on various digital service providers. At the time, the 51-year-old musician claimed that he had been led to believe he would eventually be brought in as a full-time member, but, in 12 years' time, that never happened. "It was clear there was no opportunity for growth for me," he said. Vega also thanked his former DEFTONES bandmates, adding that he wished he could have spoken to them in person. "I want you to know that I appreciate all the years we spent together: writing, performing, being taken into your worlds," he said. "I learned a lot from each one of you, when you brought me in, you created a new sense of passion for music that I will always cherish and carry with me. You truly changed my life."

Vega cut his teeth in the New York City hardcore scene in the late 1980s before going on to play in the influential post-hardcore trio QUICKSAND. QUICKSAND released two major-label albums ("Manic Compression" and "Slip") before calling it a day. Soon after, Vega found himself filling in with the DEFTONES and eventually joined the band as the full-time replacement for Chi Cheng.

QUICKSAND reformed in 2012 and released a comeback album, "Interiors", in 2017, ending the band's 22-year interval between LPs. A follow-up effort, "Distant Populations", arrived last August.

Chi died in April 2013 at the age of 42. He had been in a semi-comatose state for more than four years after being seriously injured in a car accident in November 2008. In addition to not recovering full consciousness, Cheng had been in and out of hospitals for various infections as his family has struggled with the mounting costs of care since he had lost his health insurance a few months after the accident.

Cheng required surgery after the car accident to remove part of his brain, but his recovery was strong enough that he was taken off life support seven months later.

Over the course of the last couple of years of his life, Cheng emerged from his coma for brief intervals. He was able to open his eyes and apparently could see and hear things going on around him but could not respond verbally.
























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Germany’s Die Apokalyptischen Reiter are getting ready to release Wilde Kinder (=“Wild Children”), their new album due out on April 22. Today, they announce a unique environmental protection project that is put into practice in cooperation with Wilderness International.


"We want to protect an area of primeval forest as large as the Wacken festival forever".


The band and their community of fans want to preserve 50,000 square meters of the unique and irretrievable wilderness forever. An area as large as the entire Wacken Open Air festival. Tropical and temperate primary forest areas in Canada and Peru will be legally purchased by the environmental foundation and protected from deforestation. People can invest in a sponsorship and enter the display name #Reiterwald (=riders' forest) to become part of the fan movement for the preservation of primary forests. Participants will receive a personalized sponsorship certificate with an aerial photo and geo-coordinates of the exact piece of forest and a donation receipt. They can track exactly which piece of unique wilderness has been preserved forever.
 
Check out the Reiterwald project here.




Pre-order Wilde Kinder in your format of choice here.





Tracklisting:


“Von Freiheit Will Ich Singen”
“Volle Kraft”
“Alles Iit Gut”
“Wilde Kinder”
“Leinen Los”
“Euer Gott Ist Der Tod”
“Nur Frohen Mutes”
“Blau”
“Der Eisenhans”
“Ich Bin Ein Mensch”


"Euer Gott ist der Tod" video:





“Wilde Kinder”:





“Volle Kraft” video:





To celebrate the record’s release, a special streaming event has been announced, which is set to be the ultimate experience of Reitermania’s live power.


For the first time ever, the band will perform not only fan favorites but also brand new songs from their upcoming album Wilde Kinder. Fans from all over the world will have the chance to join this unique online event.


The band commented: "A few weeks ago, we had to cancel our 25th-anniversary show due to the pandemic. Sadly, it’s still very difficult to play shows in closed rooms in Germany. But since our fans can’t come to us, we must find a way to go to them. For weeks we have been working on 'The March For Freedom' - a very special and absolutely unique Reiter show. We will of course be playing some of our classics, but also some songs from our new album Wilde Kinder, that have never been played live before. The show will start on Sunday, May 1st, and will be available online for one week. So, if you’re alone or have some friends around if you’re sitting on your couch or watching on your phone from somewhere else – we will come to you. We’re so excited already!"


Get your tickets here.





Die Apokalyptischen Reiter:
Fuchs - Lyrics, vocals, guitars
Ady - guitars, keyboards
Volk-Man - bass
Sir G. - drums, programming, keyboards


Studio Session Guests:
Dr. Pest - keyboards - Wilde Kinder, Der Eisenhans, Alles ist gut
Chris Harms - Spoken Words - Blau
Sabine Scherer - Vocals - Euer Gott ist der Tod
Corvin Bahn - Keyboards – Von Freiheit will ich singen, Euer Gott ist der Tod, Blau