In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2018's "Firepower" album. He said: "The epidemic really halted the writing process. But the band was kicking ideas around before that. I think it's what every PRIEST fan would want to hear. There's no attempt to be clever or try and do something too risky. It's just down and out PRIEST. And as I say, I think it will be what every PRIEST fan will want."

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

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

In February, Faulkner told Canada's The Metal Voice about the progress of the songwriting sessions for PRIEST's next album: "Since the 'Firepower' tour, we all went our separate ways, like we do, and we've always got ideas coming up; me, Rob and Glenn, we sort of start to put ideas down. And we got together in early 2020 — me, Rob and Glenn; and [co-producer and touring guitarist] Andy Sneap was there as well — and we pooled all our ideas together and we started the first writing session. So we got together a batch of songs that were by no means finished, but they were developed enough that we could call them songs. So we could give them working titles. They were demos, if that makes sense. So we had a batch of demos. And then since then, we've been trying to find an opportunity where we can all get together and develop 'em further and record them. But, obviously, with the restrictions of the lockdown and the pandemic…"

He continued: "We wanna be together as a band to iron out those creases. If the three of us got together with a group of songs and we played them together, it's, like, 'Oh, that one needs a bit of fat trimmed there,' 'That's too long' or 'We need to put some more guitar solos in there.' It becomes evident when you play together what songs need. So we've been looking for an opportunity to do that. It's been tough with the travel restrictions — some of us live over here; some of us live over there — so it's been tough. But we have started recording some and getting it put together with those restrictions, because we wanna get it done, but it's obviously taking longer than we'd like, really, because of the pandemic. Obviously, now we've got the tour coming up and hopefully we can get on the road and stay on the road, so we're gonna work around that flow. So I wouldn't like to say when it's gonna be finished and when it's gonna be out, but we are working on it and we are dedicated to getting it done, getting those songs down and then getting it out to the world. But, obviously, we're nowhere near a release date, but we are dedicated on working on it and getting it done to the best of our ability, for sure."

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

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

In March 2021, Halford confirmed that PRIEST's next album will see the band reuniting with the "Firepower" production team consisting of Sneap, longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH).

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

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

Some of the other members of PRIEST have also dealt with various health setbacks in recent years. Halford recently publicly revealed that he battled prostate cancer during the pandemic. He previously mentioned his cancer battle in the new chapter added to the updated paperback edition of his autobiography, "Confess". In "Confess", Halford revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer after experiencing symptoms for at least a couple of years.

In July 2020, Rob underwent prostatectomy, an operation where the entire prostate gland is removed plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles. After more cancer was found last year, he went through radiation treatments in April and May 2021 and eventually got then all-clear in June 2021. He also had an appendectomy after a tumor was discovered on his appendix.

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

Saxon performed at Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival 2021 on Sunday, August 15, and you can now watch professionally filmed footage of the band's full set.


Setlist:


"Motorcycle Man"
"Battering Ram"
"Wheels Of Steel"
"They Played Rock And Roll"
"Strong Arm Of The Law"
"Denim And Leather"
"Thunderbolt"
"Never Surrender"
"The Eagle Has Landed"
"Dogs Of War"
"Solid Ball Of Rock"
"And The Bands Played On"
"Power And The Glory"
"747 (Strangers In The Night)"
"Princess Of The Night"







Saxon recently released their new album, Carpe Diem, via Silver Lining Music. Carpe Diem is available in a variety of formats and orders can be placed here.


Cover art by Paul R. Gregory.





Tracklisting:


"Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)"
"Age Of Steam"
"The Pilgrimage"
"Dambusters"
"Remember The Fallen"
"Super Nova"
"Lady In Gray"
"All For One"
"Black Is The Night"
"Living On the Limit"


"The Pilgrimage" video:





“Remember The Fallen” video:





"Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)" video:





Saxon lineup:


Biff Byford - Vocals
Paul Quinn - Guitar
Nigel Glockler - Drums
Doug Scarratt - Guitar
Nibbs Carter - Bass

Norwegian metallers Manifest premiered their new single “L.G.A.D.” via BraveWords! The song is a tribute to fallen Entombed legend L.G. Petrov, who passed away 1 year ago after battling cancer.


Manifest have issued the following comment regarding the song: “The death of L.G. Petrov in March last year came as very, very sad news. With his inhumane voice and unique charisma, L.G. was one of the greatest frontmen ever to be seen! We are sure he is giving the devil, and all of his friends, one hell of a time and we are dedicating this song to him. The legacy of L.G. Petrov deserves to live on forever!”


“L.G.A.D.” was produced by Manifest & Per Borten and mixed/mastered by Grammy award winning producer Oz Fritz. The track is now available on all streaming outlets. “L.G.A.D.” was recorded in Sørgården Studio, Norway, during the recording sessions for the new Manifest album, set for release later in the year via ViciSolum Productions/Sound Pollution distribution.

On January 21, Battle Beast unleashed their brand new masterpiece, Circus Of Doom, via Nuclear Blast. In true Battle Beast fashion, the 10 tracks blend true heavy metal with pop and rock-vibes, paired with Noora Louhimo’s unique voice.


Today, they release their brand new stand-alone single "The Lightbringer", that is also featured on the bonus version of Circus of Doom set to be released on April 29th. Check out the song here.


The band comments: "We’re really happy to present you these two missing pieces of Circus of Doom that didn’t quite fit the album, but still deserve to be blasted from loudspeakers around the world. 'Lightbringer' presents the more dark and orchestral side of Battle Beast, that knocks you down with a catchy chorus and an absolute hurricane of guitars. Hope you all dig this one!"




The bonus version of Circus of Doom features two previously unreleased tracks and will also be released on vinyl. You can pre-order it now on iTunes here.





Since its release, the album has entered the charts worldwide, including #1 in their home country, Finland. Below is an overview of official chart results:


Finland: #1
UK: #1 (Rock), #6 (Indie)
Sweden: #1 (Hard Rock), #5 (Physical)
Switzerland: #5
Germany: #9
US: #7 (Current Hard Music), #10 (Top New Artist)


Eero Sipilä comments: "We are so grateful to our fans around the world for making Circus of Doom such a huge success. We can’t wait to take this album on the road and get to thank all of you face-to-face! The circus is coming to town!”





Circus Of Doom was recorded at JKB Studios in Helsinki, Finland and produced and mixed by keyboardist Janne Björkroth, while the stunning artwork was created by Jan Yrlund.


Order/save Circus Of Doom digitally here. Order physical copies of the album in the format of you choice here.





Tracklisting:


"Circus Of Doom"
"Wings Of Light"
"Master Of Illusion"
"Where Angels Fear To Fly"
"Eye Of The Storm"
"Russian Roulette"
"Freedom"
"The Road To Avalon"
"Armageddon"
"Place That We Call Home"


"Wings Of Light" video:





"Where Angels Fear To Fly" video:





"Eye Of The Storm" video:





"Master Of Illusion" video:

Tama Drums has shared a playthrough video featuring Dimmu Borgir drummer Dariusz "Daray" Brzozowski  performing "The Empyrean Phoenix". Check it out below.





Black River, the Polish blackened rock ‘n’ roll band featuring Tomasz 'Orion' Wróblewski (Behemoth) and Dariusz "Daray" Brzozowski (Dimmu Borgir) are set to release their new single, "Joker", on March 22nd, via Crusader Records / Golden Robot Records. 'Joker' will be available on all digital platforms, and is available for pre-order/add/save now here.




"Joker" describes how we live in a seemingly nice world, where we can focus on self-development, earning money, and gigantic compulsive consumption; but in reality, this is an illusion that we choose to accept because it is easier to bear than the truth. "Joker" is fast and furious with an aggressive punk edge to it.





In December 2021, the band released the single, "Crossover Love". Check out the official video below.





Black River is another music band export product from Poland. The band consists of musicians from bands such as Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Vesania, Rootwater and Neolithic. Playing mean rock/metal with each new release the band gains a lot of new fans. They debuted in 2008 with the album Black River, which gained a lot of positive reviews and firmly established the band's position on the market, and not just in Poland.


After the success with their first album, they entered the studio once again in 2009 and the world saw another album entitled Black 'N' Roll. The album was released all over the world and received only positive reviews that brought the band to ever wider waters. Unfortunately, at that moment, the singer's health problems stopped Black River's activities for several years. They came back with a big bang in 2019 with their new album Humanoid and proved that they still know how one should use instruments to play Metal, the music that flows in their veins. Their music is a true and unbridled tribute to the tradition of heavy playing, on which Black River musicians grew up. Playing live concerts is their true strength where the band's professionalism and skills puts them at the top of the performers in its genre.2020 brings their new product Generation aXe that will get to know the world thanks to cooperation with Golden Robot Records.


Vocalist Maciej Taff about Generation aXe: "... one night I woke up very F***ing angry and couldn't sleep anymore, I realised that the level of this absurdity that surrounds us has exceeded all boundaries, that it is already unbearable, that this is not a world where we, our families and friends want to live. Half the world is starving, 70% of the population of known species have died out in the last 50 years, in many places there is nothing to breathe and the so-called civilisation does not deal with anything other than earning money at all costs. We met together and it was clear we all had the same anger, the same disagreement, the same fucking anger. We decided to express it in our music, to record a 3-4-track EP, vomit all this venom. We met for the first time during the rehearsal, we started talking, playing and ... after 2 weeks we were already in the studio, instead of 3 songs we wrote 11 without calculation, in full anger. I thought when we recorded it, it would "pass".... it hasn't passed...!"


Black River are:


Dariusz 'Daray' Brzozowski (drums)
Tomasz 'Orion' Wróblewski (bass)
Artur 'Art' Kempa (guitar)
Piotr 'Kay' Wtulich (guitar)
Maciej Taff (vocals)

Svart Records will debut Mother Of Light, the epic first album by dark folk songstress Anne K. O’Neill, under her Serpentent banner. As Serpentent, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Anne K. O'Neill weaves a deep cinematic spell of gothic folk, combining elements of European folk music and neoclassical influences. 


Transfigured by her extraordinary, evocative vocal style, Serpentent’s Mother of Light is a lush saga. Unfastening her industrial roots, Serpentent sees O’Neill conjure monumental sonic narratives that are magnificently visual but fiercely vulnerable, her voice commanding an unconquerable presence. Emotionally charged, Serpentent sets the stage with songs of love and grief, magically distilled through eloquent landscapes of sound. Gothic classical neofolk or 80s-tinged neoclassical dark pop, only the listener can experience for themselves. Serpentent are that unique paradox, almost beyond genre, leaving you speechless and struggling to find words that can describe sheer beauty. 


With nods to Jung, Bataille, Camus, and Krishnamurti, Mother of Light’s themes serve as a rumination on the meanings of life and death making this debut Serpentent album an opus of philosophical observation. Featuring accompaniments by Joseph M. D'Auria on drums, Dylan Desmond on bass, and guest appearances from Lorraine Rath, Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe, Kakophonix, and Joy Von Spain, Mother of Light Together with artwork created by Anne K. O'Neill, Serpentent’s Mother of Light is an unflinching masterwork of artistry from cover to cover. 




O’Neill’s dark folk soundtracks, with her song-craft and voice bringing to mind Lisa Gerrard and Jocelyn Pook will appeal to fans of everything from Chelsea Wolfe, Darkher, Lindy-Fay Hella and Dead Can Dance to Emma Ruth Rundle, Enya, Mazzy Star and even Svart Records own Hexvessel. It’s hard not to believe that Serpentent is a prescient star whose moment has arrived. Mother of Light is a shining gem of darkness waiting to be discovered and explode into the mainstream. As explorer’s who have been there discovering many new artists as they emerge, take our word for it that Serpentent is one to seek out, to be there as the levee breaks. Allow Mother Of Light’s wave of life and death illuminate you.


The album Ancient Tomes Vol. 1: Mother Of Light is out on CD, double vinyl and digital formats on May 20, 2022. Preorder on Svart Records.


“Rise & Fall” video:

Denver, Colorado-based melodic death metal unit Nightwraith has unveiled their latest video for “Genesthai.” The track comes off the band’s upcoming full-length, Offering, set for release on March 25 through Reaping Scythe Records.


A sonic experience that is both aggressive and textural, the songwriting on Offering is deliberate, concise, and thoughtful, while remaining heavy enough to please the death metal audience for which it was intended. Pulling inspiration from a wide array of bands and genres, Nightwraith has been refined into something truly unique. "It's like we took all the heavy parts from bands like Carcass and Enslaved and combined it with the warmth of classic bands like Thin Lizzy and Blue Oyster Cult," explains founding member Benjamin Pitts. "It has been really fun inserting rock guitar and organ tones into a genre that typically avoids these types of sounds."


Adds Pitts of latest single, “Genesthai,” “During the process of writing this song, I knew we were making something special. The chorus is reminiscent of some early 2000s material from bands we grew up listening to, like Poison The Well and Cave In. It has an emotional element to it that I don’t often hear from bands that identify as death metal. There’s some fun guitar work in this track, especially in the bridge section where there are two different melodies that sit on top of each other perfectly. The lead section, written by [guitarist] Igor [Panasewicz], holds influences akin to the styles of guitar legends like Eddie Van Halen and Glenn Tipton. There are also acoustic guitars that serve as rhythm accompaniment during the lead section, which is all very ‘on brand’ for our style of blackened dad rock!




“The production of the video is much more artistic and serious than our previous video release, ‘Hedonic Adaptation,’" he continues. “I think this showcases our range and I love how it primarily focuses on us playing our instruments, rather than us just ‘rocking out.’ It kind of ties together with the song’s lyrical theme, which is basically death of the ego. The line, ‘the ego dies,’ is important to the song because it means that we are able to see beyond ourselves and realize the bigger picture: that everything is connected and life is fleeting, yet beautiful. I love how the visual concept of the video revolves around water, this is also part of the lyrical theme and represents how we are constantly moving in parallel with our surroundings and becoming part of something greater than our individual selves.”


Offering was tracked at The Shadow Temple, engineered, mixed, and produced by Jacob St. Amand and mastered by Pete deBoer at World Famous Studios. The record comes cloaked in the cover art of Jerianne Fulton and includes guest vocals by Grant Netzorg of In The Company Of Serpents on the track, "The Snake And The Rope."


Offering will be released on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats. Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Offering”
“Hedonic Adapation”
“Beguiler”
“Genesthai”
“The Great Acceleration”
“Shavano”
“Maranasati”
“The Snape And The Rope”


"Genesthai" video:





“Hedonic Adaptation” video:





(Photo by Holden Kudla)

Silver City, New Mexico-based underground rock group, TombSnakes, will release its debut EP, No Graves, on Friday, March 18 via Blank City Records.


Born during the Great Quarantine on 16 acres of harsh desert land and featuring members of True Widow, The Saint James Society, Form & Fate, and Vigilantics, TombSnakes packs a punch harder than ice picks and stilettos, with sounds borne of environments that exist beyond the pale of decent society - motels, roadside bars, sun-drenched small towns, places for outcasts. The No Graves EP is available for pre-order here.


The EP opener, "Concrete", is available for streaming below.




Says the band: "'Concrete' is two and a half minutes of sludgy punk rock riffs and post-hardcore energy with a vocal delivery reminiscent of Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto. There’s an abrasive guitar solo, punchy rhythms and lots of energy in sneering aggression. Put another way: It kicks ass."


"'Concrete’ is about that feelin’ of being locked in the city, and pushed in a corner," says TombSnakes vocalist Rafael Vigilantics. "We tried to write a song that felt like the moment when the scales tip from being brutalized by civilization to seeing anything as a weapon to free us from it; our voices, our instruments, our knuckles, shovels.”





"At the height of the pandemic, a small group of friends comprised of members from the Saint James Society, Vigilantics, Form & Fate and True Widow were shacked up together in Silver City, New Mexico, trying to make the best of lockdown," says TombSnakes bassist Brandon Burkart. "One day, we received a care package in the mail from Billy Gould of Faith No More. He has a company named YEBIGA that makes and imports a spirit called rakija, which is native to Eastern Europe. Later that day, while we're sitting around a table shooting dice and bullshitting, Nicole Estill from True Widow got a text that Riley Gale of Power Trip had passed away. He and Nicole were old Dallas friends. Each of us had actually been at the very last Power Trip show in Dallas before the shutdown. It was a fucking tragedy to get that news, even for those of us that didn't know him, personally. Naturally, we put on a Power Trip record and just drank and raged and headbanged and screamed. We got primitive out there. After crushing the better part of two bottles of Yebiga, [Power Trip's] 'If Not Us Then Who' came on where the lyric is 'If not now than when, if not us, then who?' In our drunken stomp, we took that literally, pulled out some instruments and wrote this track 'Two Shakes.' Sonically, we made no attempt to sound like any other band, but ethically we wanted to just get busy right then and there. I think that's translated in the urgency and immediacy of 'Two Shakes.' It felt like we had to write that song exactly when we did."


In addition to multi-instrumentalist Burkart, TombSnakes features poet/vocalist Raf Vigilantics, and guitarist Antonio Matta. The gang descended on a small recording studio in the Mimbres Valley and emerged having created one of the most honest, knuckle dragging, street punk records in some time. TombSnakes' debut EP, No Graves, is full of howling mantras and knife jab guitar riffs. The sound of TombSnakes is a rugged blend of punk, rock n roll, concrete, and psychedelic violence featuring bold notes of disdain and fear with a rowdy finish that is perfect for any real party. This is music for the sleepless; for those who feel something stirring in them, who long for fellowship and something real in the new America. Above being driving, vengeful, and dangerous, this record is just plain fuckin' fun. Pairs well with sex and street fights.





Tracklisting:


"Concrete"
"Two Shakes"
"Pulling Teeth"
"No Graves"
"Numbers"


"Two Shakes" video:

UK thrash / hardcore crossover band Cage Fight, which features TesseracT guitarist James Monteith and former Eths vocalist Rachel Aspe, will release their self-titled debut album on May 13 via Candlelight.


The band have released the video for new single, "Respect Ends". The video, satisfyingly played out by Cage Fight vocalist Rachel Aspe, arrives as a warning to those that attempt to prey on others.


The singer explains, "This song is dedicated to men (or in fact anyone) who thinks it's ok to harass, abuse, make inappropriate comments, or not take no for an answer, both in the real world but also online. It's also a message of solidarity to those who have been victims of such behavior. The video is symbolic of the frustration and damage this can cause, and it's something we, as a society, should not and will not accept. The final message is clear. If this is how you behave, stay the f**k away. Otherwise, you will regret it."







One of the most furious hardcore records to emerge from the UK in recent years, the anger and frustration of Cage Fight's self-titled debut album is the perfect catharsis for our times.


The album's artwork — a grabbing hand with the Cage Fight logo tattooed on the palm — visually portrays the violent rage at the core of the band's music. Legitimately inked by Aspe, a tattoo artist by trade, the process of creating the image is as impactful as the final artwork itself.





Tracklisting:


"Intro" (Feat. Jeremy Sylvester)
"The Mirror Shattered"
"Killer"
"Hope Castrated"
"Make A Decision"
"Guillotine"
"Cage Fight!"
"Shine Don’t Fade"
"One Minute"
"Tell Me What Real Is"
"Respect Ends"
"Eating Me Alive" (Feat. Trevor Strnad The Black Dahlia Murder)
"My Dreams"
"Bitch In The Pit" (Body Count cover)


"Shine Don’t Fade" video:

Icons of British hard rock, Thunder, have shared the second taste of their upcoming new album, Dopamine, out April 29 via BMG - a slab of optimistic arena-rock, "Dancing In The Sunshine".





The band have also shared a lyric video for the track, which is a perfect pick-you-up and rallying cry against the current gloomy period of human history. Listen to the song here, see the lyric video below:







Dopamine is Thunder’s first ever double-album, and consists of 16 tracks - something that is resonant with the album’s themes.


Guitarist, songwriter and Thunder co-founder Luke Morley says: “'We didn’t set out to make a double album but as the writing and recording process went on we wandered into some interesting areas and then it became a case of 'can we afford to leave any of this off?’ In the end we did reduce it from 20 tunes to 16 but it wasn’t an easy choice.”


Satirical and urgent but never downcast, Dopamine was inspired by the world’s mass retreat to social media during the pandemic lockdowns, endlessly hunting for the next hit of happy hormones.


“I read a fascinating article by an American psychologist,” says Luke, “who said that social media forces us to become dopamine addicts. We’re validated and liked on social media, which releases the dopamine – and so we get addicted to it. We take more and more selfies in the hope of more and more validation, and the album cover reflects this. People are surrounded by amazing things that they’re missing because they’re so self-obsessed. Of course, you’ll have to get your hands on the physical album to see all of the amazing things I’m referring to.”


The new album comes at the perfect time for Thunder, whose lineup for the last quarter-century and more has been Luke and Danny Bowes (singer), plus Ben Matthews (guitar and keyboards), Chris Childs (bass) and Harry James (drums).


They’ve been riding a wave of success since their 2015 comeback album Wonder Days, releasing the acclaimed All The Right Noises last year. The record went Top 3 in the UK Albums Chart; a quite incredible feat for a British hard rock band into their 4th decade. Globally, it was one of their most successful albums to date. Giving them their first top 10 in Germany and Switzerland; their highest chart entry in Japan, Belgium, and Austria; and for the first time they charted in markets including France and Spain.


And make no mistake - the last 30 years have been a rollercoaster ride. Thunder had a start in life like few other bands, delivering a killer debut LP with 1990’s Backstreet Symphony and scoring a US record deal with the help of a keen fan, Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses. Songs like "Dirty Love" and "Low Life In High Places" - according to the late radio legend Tommy Vance, “the greatest ever single released by a rock band” – have gone on to enter the British rock canon.


Despite these early triumphs, rewarded with gold awards and one of the most enduring fanbases on the planet, changes in musical fashions and two breakups made Thunder’s progress a rocky road indeed.


All that changed with the current sequence of albums that kicked off seven years ago with Wonder Days. Too vital to be simply labelled veterans, too varied in style to be just another classic rock band.


Thunder are at the very peak of their considerable form, still offering fans doses of Dopamine after all these years.


The album will be available in CD and double LP vinyl, with exclusive lenticular cover versions available only from the Thunder online store, here.





Tracklisting:


CD1 / LP1
"The Western Sky"
"One Day We'll Be Free Again"
"Even If It Takes A Lifetime"
"Black"
"Unraveling"
"The Dead City"
"Last Orders"
"All The Way"


CD2 / LP2
"Dancing In The Sunshine"
"Big Pink Supermoon"
"Across The Nation"
"Just A Grifter"
"I Don't Believe The World"
"Disconnected"
"Is Anybody Out There?"
"No Smoke Without Fire"


"The Western Sky" video:

Ultimate Jam Night paid tribute to Randy Rhoads on March 15 at its long time residency location, The Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. On the night, former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young (and friends) performed the Ozzy Osbourne song, "Revelation (Mother Earth)". Watch video below.


A message from Jeff states: "Having the opportunity to honor Randy's music & memory on the very same stage where the young maestro cut his teeth with Quiet Riot was a true privilege. I met all these fine musicians, not 1 hour before we stepped on stage together, unrehearsed to throw down this Blizzard of Ozz EPIC... hope you enjoy the impromptu synergy."


Lineup:




Lucia Marco - Vocals
Jeff Young - Electric Guitar
Luis E. Villegas - Acoustic Guitar
Holly West - Bass
Tosha Jones - Drums
Chris Turbis - Keys
Emily V - Violin

In a new interview with Drew Stone of The New York Hardcore Chronicles Live!, former PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo was asked if he is working on any music at the moment. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I just pretty much had a new studio installed next door [to my house], and we're working all kind of bugs out and whatnot. So I tell my guy, my engineer, I tell him, I said, 'Just program some drums, man. Give me some drums. Give me a different drum beat every day — up beat, down beat, whatever. Give me something.' So I'll walk in, there's a drumbeat, and I'll just pick up any instrument and just go right off the cuff. And it is some of the worst music you can imagine.

"I don't know, man," he continued. "I'm this close, man [holds two fingers close together] — I'm this close. I'm feeling something. We'll see what it is. I've got a couple of options. I just don't know, man. If it's gonna be metal, I wanna do it old school, man. I've been kind of feeling more [Rob] Halford lately, man, vocal-wise, just singing, using my range again. So, we'll see. It's gotta be right."

Less than two years ago, Anselmo told Revolver magazine that Halford is "hands down" the greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time. "Absolutely," he said and then hesitated for a few seconds before also giving major props to late BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and HEAVEN & HELL singer Ronnie James Dio. "Dio. Ronnie James Dio — my Lord, what a powerful presence. [Rob and Ronnie] both — if you were standing on the side [of the stage], they were the loudest freaking thing on that stage. If you went around the front, they were the loudest thing on that stage. So it was amazingly powerful."

In a 2010 interview with Antiquiet, Anselmo said about Dio: "Ronnie James Dio was probably one of the coolest motherfuckers in the biz. A lot of people could say that and just be talking nice, but I'm being very sincere here. PANTERA first did a gig with BLACK SABBATH and Dio in '93, I believe. It was in Italy. He was just the most down-to-earth motherfucker. He toked weed with us after the gig, he sent 'War Pigs' out to me. He was just a very, very engaging person. Really, really sweet, real down to earth. He kept in touch throughout the years, and DOWN ended up playing some shows with SABBATH and Dio a couple years ago. Once again, I just wanna let everybody know that this guy was just one of the true good guys of this entire fuckin' business, man."

Back in 2014, Anselmo told Rock Scene that Halford was a huge influence on him when he first started developing his singing style.

"I don't think I started maturing as a vocalist till I was 15," he said. "And then after I started to mature, everything happened really quickly, and my range grew mightily. And it was quick, it happened quick. By that time, I'd started jamming with older guys, whatnot, and I would come home from school every day and practice JUDAS PRIEST's 'Unleashed In The East' front to back and do it the way Rob Halford did it.

"People who think Rob Halford uses falsetto are sadly mistaken; that's a full-out voice, and that's how I learned," he continued. "And I never had falsetto; I've always sang full out. Eventually, when I found and wanted and needed to find my own identity, I purposely kind of abandoned that style because, in my mind, it had already been done before and done the best it could be.

"There's only one Rob Halford," he added. "I know there's some other guys that could sing very well and whatnot, but that style, I thought, had been done to death, and heavy metal needed a new attitude, I guess, brought to it instead. And it was already there; there was already the first METALLICA record and SLAYER, for sure and whatnot. And don't get me wrong, Tom [Araya] could hit those high falsetto notes, but that's not what SLAYER was about; it was more about aggression, especially vocally. So it was all happening around me. I just needed to get that perfect blend, man, of hardcore attitude from bands like AGNOSTIC FRONT, CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER… shit… obviously BLACK FLAG and… so many others. It's unbelievable how many influences I used and incorporated. I even used death metal moments and whatnot, cup the mic, shit like that, for effect. So I always evolved."

Italian guitarist Luke Fortini will release his new album, Technical Supremacy, through Lion Music on April 29 on digipak CD. 


Fortini comments on the new album:


“My new record Technical Supremacy is a totally instrumental project, with hints of neoclassical and progressive metal. This is a very technical release, a world that has always attracted me. In my small way, I think I have had musical experiences not just, nothing huge to be clear, but still some tours in Europe in the past and album recordings with metal bands, primarily with Hyperion and Imago Imperii (Italian metal bands where I already play for several years). Before the pandemic I also played in commercial cover bands, to make evenings in clubs and even weddings.”




On his main influences:


“My musical influences are varied, I try to make a complete list: Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne with Randy Rhoads, Yngwie Malmsteen, Slash, Joe Satriani, Jason Becker, Guns N 'Roses, Death, Cannibal Corpse, Allan Holdsworth, Savatage , Gary Moore, Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius (not the latest, but the original ones with Timo Tolkki), Michael Jackson, Toto, Dream Theater, NicolÚ Paganini, Igor Stravinsky, Edvard Grieg and Alfred Schnittke.”





Tracklisting:


“Prelude”
“Technical Supremacy”
“Revenge”
“Megalodon”
“Opus Omnia”
“Il Diavolo”
“A Different Way”
“Mysterious Life Forms”
“Serial Killer”
“Walking On The Bridge”

Warner Music Entertainment (WME), the television and film division of Warner Music Group, has partnered with Highway West Entertainment on a forthcoming new feature-length documentary, "Far Behind: The Candlebox Story". The film will explore the beginnings of what the world would come to know as the grunge scene, following the iconic band CANDLEBOX on their rise to fame.

Guy Oseary, manager of legendary artists such as U2, Madonna and the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, will serve as executive producer on the project, along with Jack Piatt, director/producer and founder of Highway West Entertainment, who initiated the collaboration with CANDLEBOX frontman Kevin Martin.

Martin said: ""The story of CANDLEBOX is one that's long overdue for a telling, and I cannot wait to share this documentary with the world — no holds barred, honest, painful, and as real as it gets. Ours is the story of an unknown band of young men who took the world by storm on their very first voyage, only to lose their way in an unforgiving ocean of bad decisions and disagreements over who would captain the ship. Though I've kept the CANDLEBOX name alive in the years since the original lineup split at the turn of the millennium — continuing to release relevant music and perform for legions of fans with the help of some of the most talented musicians around — there was magic between us four original guys. And now that we're touring together for the 30th anniversary, CANDLEBOX is a story of redemption as well."

Oseary added: "At 20 years old, I signed CANDLEBOX to Maverick Records. Their debut album sold more than four million copies, which gave me a spectacular start to my journey in the music business. For that I will always be indebted to them."

Piatt added: "I was in high school when the early '90s Seattle sound made its way to rural Ohio, and it left a huge impression on my life musically. CANDLEBOX plays a key role in this historic legacy. This is an important story for a lot of people, and I'm honored to have the opportunity to tell it."

Warner Music Entertainment president Charlie Cohen said: "CANDLEBOX's impact on the music scene in Seattle and beyond is undeniable. They helped mold the grunge sound into the globally renowned genre that it became, and we are incredibly excited to help tell their story with Guy, Jack, and the fantastic team at Highway West Entertainment."

CANDLEBOX first formed in 1990 and helped lay the groundwork for the grunge genre, alongside notable bands such as PEARL JAM, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, and others. "Far Behind: The Candlebox Story" will feature footage and interviews with original band members Kevin Martin, Peter Klett, Scott Mercado and Bardi Martin, in addition to Guy Oseary, famed SOUNDGARDEN/ALICE IN CHAINS manager Susan Silver, and others. The band has sold over seven million albums worldwide, scoring the megahits "Far Behind" and "You", which have garnered over 100 million streams, decades after their initial release. The band's new album, "Wolves", has been in the top 10 on two Billboard charts (Hard Music Albums and Alternative Albums). The band is gearing up for a new tour starting this May.

Oseary and Piatt are joined by CANDLEBOX's manager and longtime music industry veteran Amy Decker, who will also serve as executive producer with fellow producer Caroline Hoste (founder, Hello Stranger Creative) as well as executive producer Charlie Cohen (WME).

The film went into production in summer 2021 and is gearing up for a fall 2022 rele

Silver City, New Mexico-based underground rock group, TombSnakes, will release its debut EP, No Graves, on March 18 via Blank City Records.


Born during the Great Quarantine on 16 acres of harsh desert land and featuring members of True Widow, The Saint James Society, Form & Fate, and Vigilantics, TombSnakes packs a punch harder than ice picks and stilettos, with sounds borne of environments that exist beyond the pale of decent society - motels, roadside bars, sun-drenched small towns, places for outcasts. The No Graves EP is available for pre-order here.


The first single/video from TombSnakes' No Graves EP is the dangerously electric "Two Shakes", which features guest vocals from True Widow's Nicole Estill. The song was written spontaneously the night the group heard of the passing of Power Trip frontman Riley Gale as TombSnakes bassist Brandon Burkart describes below.




“I didn’t make the record with these guys, but I happened to be with them before, during and afterwards, and I witnessed both the discipline and balls-out approach they had toward the whole thing; open to wherever the music was taking them, period," says Faith No More's Billy Gould. "This might also be the first American band to do something like this fueled on rakija, but whatever the case, they did it, and they created a great document.”


Watch the video below.


"At the height of the pandemic, a small group of friends comprised of members from the Saint James Society, Vigilantics, Form & Fate and True Widow were shacked up together in Silver City, New Mexico, trying to make the best of lockdown," says TombSnakes bassist Brandon Burkart. "One day, we received a care package in the mail from Billy Gould of Faith No More. He has a company named YEBIGA that makes and imports a spirit called rakija, which is native to Eastern Europe. Later that day, while we're sitting around a table shooting dice and bullshitting, Nicole Estill from True Widow got a text that Riley Gale of Power Trip had passed away. He and Nicole were old Dallas friends. Each of us had actually been at the very last Power Trip show in Dallas before the shutdown. It was a fucking tragedy to get that news, even for those of us that didn't know him, personally. Naturally, we put on a Power Trip record and just drank and raged and headbanged and screamed. We got primitive out there. After crushing the better part of two bottles of Yebiga, [Power Trip's] 'If Not Us Then Who' came on where the lyric is 'If not now than when, if not us, then who?' In our drunken stomp, we took that literally, pulled out some instruments and wrote this track 'Two Shakes.' Sonically, we made no attempt to sound like any other band, but ethically we wanted to just get busy right then and there. I think that's translated in the urgency and immediacy of 'Two Shakes.' It felt like we had to write that song exactly when we did."


In addition to multi-instrumentalist Burkart, TombSnakes features poet/vocalist Raf Vigilantics, and guitarist Antonio Matta. The gang descended on a small recording studio in the Mimbres Valley and emerged having created one of the most honest, knuckle dragging, street punk records in some time. TombSnakes' debut EP, No Graves, is full of howling mantras and knife jab guitar riffs. The sound of TombSnakes is a rugged blend of punk, rock n roll, concrete, and psychedelic violence featuring bold notes of disdain and fear with a rowdy finish that is perfect for any real party. This is music for the sleepless; for those who feel something stirring in them, who long for fellowship and something real in the new America. Above being driving, vengeful, and dangerous, this record is just plain fuckin' fun. Pairs well with sex and street fights.





Tracklisting:


"Concrete"
"Two Shakes"
"Pulling Teeth"
"No Graves"
"Numbers"


"Two Shakes" video:

HEART's Ann Wilson says that she offered to audition to become the vocalist of a new project featuring LED ZEPPELIN members.

Back in 2008, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were looking for a way to keep working following LED ZEPPELIN's incredible one-off performance at the O2 Arena in London in December 2007.

Although there were rumors of staggering sums being offered to the group for a full tour, singer Robert Plant elected to continue with his solo career instead.

Page has not divulged the full list of singers who jammed with him, Jones and drummer Jason Bonham, but ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy has publicly acknowledged rehearsing with the group, as has AEROSMITH's Steven Tyler.

Now, in a new interview with Liz Barnes, host of Planet Rock 's "My Planet Rocks", Ann revealed that she "threw [her] hat in the ring” when she heard Page and Jones were looking for a new singer almost 15 years ago. She made the comment while discussing "The Battle Of Evermore", the only LED ZEPPELIN track to feature a guest vocalist.

"Yeah, it's such a boy's club," Ann said. "ZEPPELIN always was a boy's club. I know that because there was a minute when the rumor was that they were auditioning singers and I just threw my hat in the ring. I went, 'I'm here!’ and it was crickets," she added, using the term that means absolute silence or no communication.

When Liz commented that LED ZEPPELIN should have at least said, "Come on in, Ann, and let's do a few numbers", Ann responded: "Who knows what went on there? But anyway, who would want to hire somebody that could sing just like Plant? I don't think that's what they were into, you know? I don't think they want it to be a caricature of LED ZEPPELIN."

Back in December 2012, Ann and her sister, HEART guitarist Nancy Wilson, delivered a moving rendition of "Stairway To Heaven", LED ZEPPELIN's signature song, at the Kennedy Center Honors. They were joined by Jason Bonham, son of original drummer John and the drummer for LED ZEPPELIN's 2007 reunion show. Their version of the track gradually grew to include a string section, a horde of backup singers and the Joyce Garrett Youth Choir. Page, Plant and Jones sat watching from the balcony and were visibly moved, particularly Plant, who had tears welling up in his eyes.

Despite the fact that both Tyler and Kennedy had gone public about their time working with the ZEP members, it seems that the majority of the work was done before any vocalist entered the picture. Back in 2017, Page explained to Classic Rock: "Certainly for Jason, myself, and John Paul Jones; Robert had his Alison Krauss project to promote. It seemed the right thing to go in and start playing new material. I thought we really should play to our strengths here, which was the music. But there were a lot of movements to bring in singers and do this, that and the other. And that would've changed the character too early from what we were doing. I won't say there was pressure, but there was a lot of hinting about this singer and that singer. For me it was more a question of, let's see what we can really do. And I don't think we got a chance to do that. Of course we would've played LED ZEPPELIN material, but you want to be playing some really, really good new music beforehand."

Jones added that once it was clear that Plant was not going to be joining the exploratory rehearsals featuring the new material, it was never going to be merely a LED ZEPPELIN project with a new lead singer. "Not at all," he said. "That's a total misunderstanding. I said, 'Of course, if we go out (on the road), we're going to have to do some ZEPPELIN numbers.' And there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, we rehearsed 'Carouselambra' (from 'In Through The Out Door'), which we've never done live before, and we had a bunch of new material done. But Jimmy and I couldn't agree on singers. . . I quite liked Myles Kennedy. He's got the range, but his voice is completely different than Robert's. Which was fine by me, because it was going to be a completely different band. But it didn't work out and we all moved on."

This past December, MESHUGGAH announced that it was postponing its previously announced U.S. tour, originally planned for early 2022, to September/October 2022. At the time, the Swedish extreme tech-metal pioneers said that they needed "to prioritize the physical health of one of the band members who is currently undergoing medical treatment related to a skin condition on his hands, hindering him from rehearsals and from all in all playing his instrument."

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake opened up about his ailment, saying: "I have this eczema inside my hands. I've got to tape up all my fingers and put on gloves just to mess around on the kit, even. That means I haven't really touched the drums since we recorded the album, and that was, like, early April. So I'm almost a year out, without even hitting a drum."

According to Haake, he's been suffering from the condition for nearly two years and he has yet to get any clear answers from any of his doctors. "I've been to so many specialists and dermatologists about this at this point and they're all, like, 'Huh?' They say it looks like contact eczema, but we've ruled that out because I've done all the tests that you can do, as far as anything that I might come in contact with. It goes up and down, but it's a bummer, for sure, whether you're a drummer or not. I mean, we all need our hands to function for daily life."

Tomas added that his "hands are bumming me out, man. I try to stay positive about things like this and not allow myself to just get all depressed over it," he said. "It is what it is. We'll see if some new doctor has something important to tell me that helps me clear this up. But, yeah, I mean, if not, I will still have to play."

MESHUGGAH's ninth studio album, "Immutable", will be released on April 1 via Atomic Fire. The follow-up to 2016's "The Violent Sleep Of Reason" was recorded at Sweetspot Studios in Halmstad, Sweden; mixed by Rickard Bengtsson and Staffan Karlsson; and mastered by multiple Grammy Award winner Vlado Meller (METALLICA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SYSTEM OF A DOWN). Visionary artist Luminokaya once again created the cover artw

GRETA VAN FLEET guitarist Jake Kiszka has been hospitalized with pneumonia.

The band shared the news of the musician's diagnosis earlier today on social media following yesterday's announcement that it was postponing its remaining two Michigan concerts on the "Dreams In Gold" world tour.

GRETA VAN FLEET postponed last night's Flint concert and tonight's Ypsilanti show last night's Flint concert after revealing that Jake and singer Josh Kiszka had woken up with a non-COVID-related illness. The band later issued an update, saying that while Josh has mostly recovered, Jake Kiszka's condition has worsened to the point he had to be hospitalized.

"Jake's diagnosis is more complex," GRETA VAN FLEET said in a statement. "What started as a small cough on Tuesday rapidly progressed overnight requiring his admission to the hospital yesterday. The last 24 hours have been arduous as doctors were unsure of the exact illness. Fortunately, after further evaluation, they are confident in their diagnosis of pneumonia and an optimal course of treatment has been determined."

The group has now also postponed Saturday's concert in Huntington, West Virginia until August 10. The Flint gig will take place on September 13 and Ypsilanti on September 13.

GRETA VAN FLEET launched its U.S. tour on March 10 at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The band supported METALLICA on February 25 in Las Vegas and recently announced two additional dates with the California metal giants.

GRETA VAN FLEET will be joined by a host of acclaimed artists on their fall tour, including THE PRETTY RECKLESS, HOUNDMOUTH, DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS, FRUIT BATS, Robert Finley, CROWN LANDS and Hannah Wicklund.

The group is touring in support of their acclaimed sophomore album, "The Battle At Garden's Gate", released last year to extensive chart and critical success. The album debuted at No. 1 Billboard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Hard Rock Album, No. 1 Billboard Vinyl Album, No. 2 Billboard Top Album Sales and in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. The album currently has 275,000 in sales, with streaming numbers at 200 million and continuing to climb.




pic.twitter.com/F9OeswbH3U

— Greta Van Fleet (@GretaVanFleet) March 16, 2022








pic.twitter.com/lH4f9gYVry

— Greta Van Fleet (@GretaVanFleet) March 17, 2022

In a new interview with Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio, SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo was asked how he feels about people still calling for a reunion with the band's former singer Sebastian Bach. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's been 23 years [since SKID ROW reformed], so to say that I'm over it would be an understatement. We attempted [a reunion] slightly [back in 2016]. We dipped our toes in the water and realized that it didn't feel so good. It's just one of those things where we still could not see eye to eye; we couldn't even get past the point of simple texting.

"I am really, really happy where we are," Snake continued. "I'm very proud of our past, and all due credit to everybody who's been involved in every aspect of our career, whoever that may be, 'cause it all led to where we are now.

"I've been asked a thousand times: 'What about the payday [of a reunion with Sebastian]?' And that's all well and good, but if that's why I did this — if that's why we did this; I can speak for everybody — we probably wouldn't be doing it," Sabo explained. "I wanna be happy, and I am very, very happy. And so are the guys; everybody's really happy.

"The music climate is what it is, and we're a classic rock band, and I'm proud of that. And we're still able to make music. I mean, Jeez — I live a very, very blessed life, man," Snake added. "I have nothing but gratitude and humility for what we have achieved and for what we're able to continue to do. So while there may be people out there who are flashing dollar signs with a lot of zeroes, I still have to be happy doing it, and I am. And that's what's most important. I need to be happy being in a band with the people I'm in a band with. A lot of other bands can go out and they don't see each other till they're on stage and travel on separate buses and all that stuff, and that's all well and good, but I don't wanna live my life like that. I don't wanna be up onstage and kind of living a lie; it just doesn't feel good. So, while I'm thankful for people's interest and whatnot, I'm even more thankful that we still get to play music for a living under our terms."

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY.

In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger.

SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I.

Last summer, Bach told Florida's 98.7 The Gater radio station that "there's no reason" for the classic SKID ROW not to reunite. "When those guys [in SKID ROW] try to say [about me], 'He's difficult to work with,' let me just say this one more time. We have not been in the same room together since the year 1996," he said. "Shut the eff up about you thinking you know what I'm like. You don't know anything about what I'm like. And the 'Gilmore Girls' think I'm okay to work with; Broadway thinks I'm okay to work with; the 'Trailer Park Boys' think I'm okay; GUNS N' ROSES think I'm pretty cool. We're not getting any younger."

Sebastian went on to say that a SKID ROW reunion "should" happen "for the fans. And we are absolutely running out of bands — bands that can play in sheds," he said. "The fact that we are all still alive and we are all in our 50s — some closer to 60 than others — but that, to me, is selfish that we're not together.

"I can play with anyone. I do play with everyone [laughs] — except for them."

Less than two years ago, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan also confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Three years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."

Sabo added: "It was already a miserable experience, and we didn't even get on the phone."

Last year, Bach completed a U.S. tour during which he celebrated the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's sophomore album, "Slave To The Grind".