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


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


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




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


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


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


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


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


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


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





Tracklisting:


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


"Because Of You" video:





"Tom And Ms. Amy Lee" video:





Lineup:


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


Guitars:
Stefan Helleblad
Aldo Lonobile
Gabriele Robotti


Bass:
Dann Arisi


Drums:
Alfonso Mocerino


Keyboards, Piano and Electro arrangements:
Antonio Agate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)