Musical icons Danny Elfman and Trent Reznor have joined forces for a brand new version of "Native Intelligence", the duo's second collaborative reimagining of music from Eflman's ambitious double album "Big Mess" (ANTI- / Epitaph Records). Featuring a lead vocal from Reznor and backing vocals from Elfman that soar over a precise syncopated orchestral arrangement and blistering rock instrumentation, the never-before-heard song serves as a fitting encore to the duo's collaboration of "True" last year. Listen to the track now below.

Both of Elfman and Reznor's versions of "Native Intelligence" and "True" are featured within the brand new collector's edition box set of "Big Mess", along with all 18 original songs from "Big Mess" and bonus discs containing additional unreleased reinterpretations and remixes of tracks from the album. Limited to 1500 copies worldwide, the stunning release offers fans the ultimate window into the creation and visuals of the groundbreaking project and is available for purchase now.

Included within the box set is a 60-page, hardcover artbook containing never-before-seen renderings of the distinctively unsettling digital sculptures of Elfman done by artist Sarah Sitkin, a 20-page stitched soft cover lyric book with behind-the-scenes photos, a 12" x 9" art print signed by Danny himself, a detailed life-sized light up model of Elfman's peculiar hand designed to be a stand-alone showpiece or one-of-a-kind night-light, a code which provides downloadable digital audio files and a behind-the-scenes mini documentary on the making of "Big Mess", and four LPs on exclusive color variants. The bonus discs are comprised of new remixes from HEALTH, clipping. and more, as well as never-before-released songs with featured vocalists including Rebekah Del Rio, FEVER 333, Blixa Bargeld and the aforementioned Trent Reznor.

On the horizon for Elfman is "Danny Elfman: From Boingo To Batman To Big Mess And Beyond!", a pair of momentous concert performances at this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 16 and April 23, 2022 that will see him perform tracks from "Big Mess" live for the first time ever along with OINGO BOINGO songs, which he has not performed since their 1995 farewell tour, as well as other music spanning his entire career. The 2020 festival notably served as the impetus for "Big Mess" over two years ago, when the cancellation and quarantine that followed triggered the creation of what would become the "Big Mess" double album.

Elfman officially unleashed "Big Mess" in June 2021. Clocking in at 18 tracks, the sprawling double album finds the four-times-Oscar-nominated, Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning composer breaking bold new ground as both a songwriter and a performer. Joined on the album by drummer Josh Freese (DEVO, WEEZER, THE VANDALS), bassist Stu Brooks (DUB TRIO, Lady Gaga, Lauryn Hill), and guitarists Robin Finck (NINE INCH NAILS, GUNS N' ROSES) and Nili Brosh (Tony MacAlpine, Paul Gilbert), the project has garnered widespread praise since its release including the Los Angeles Times, who called it a "a fiercely political work filled with bombastic peaks and strikingly meditative valleys."

The songs on "Big Mess" unite both harmonically complex arrangements and simple high energy driving music with biting, acerbic wit as they reckon with the chaos and confusion of the modern world. Elfman paired each single with groundbreaking music videos that channel the record's unique visual journey, including the artificial-intelligence-generated "In Time" (Zev Deans), "Happy" (Aron Johnson), "Sorry" (Jesse Kanda), "Love In The Time of Covid" (Sven Gutjahr), "Kick Me" (Petros Papahadjopoulos), "True" (Sarah Sitkin), "Insects" (Sam & Andy Rolfes), and reimagined duet version of "True" featuring Trent Reznor (Aron Johnson). Led overall by Elfman's creative director Berit Gwendolyn Gilma, each of the video's directors have created individual statements that shape a diverse but cohesive whole; all of which channel the feelings of anger, angst and frustration that pulse throughout the album. The "Big Mess" album and visuals were produced by Danny Elfman and executive produced by Elfman's longtime manager Laura Engel.

Danny Elfman photo credit: Jacob Boll

Grammy Award-winning musician, producer, author as well as founding member of hard rock bands ALTER BRIDGE, CREED and TREMONTI, Mark Tremonti is "stepping out" with his most-ambitious and challenging project to date. Mark has partnered with National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) as he releases an album of Frank Sinatra covers titled "Tremonti Sings Sinatra". The album of selections from Frank Sinatra's catalog is being released as part of a new charity initiative created by Tremonti called Take A Chance For Charity. Proceeds from the album — scheduled for release on May 27 — will go to support NDSS and the work they do to advocate for and support individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Mark and his family were blessed to welcome their first daughter Stella last March — who was born with Down syndrome — and the idea for the project was born. A video sharing the story of Take A Chance For Charity can be seen below.

"For years, I've loved singing along to Frank's songs," Mark explains. "One night, I found an old video of him performing 'The Song Is You' from 1944. It made me want to dive into his vocal approach. I was all in and I wanted to do something with it. When we found out about our daughter Stella's Down syndrome diagnosis, the stars aligned. My obsession with Sinatra had its reason. Frank Sinatra raised more than a billion dollars for charity and that is a fact I wish the public the public knew more about. Beneath his cool and calm persona, he had a big heart. Doing this charity in his name was another way the stars had aligned. I decided to do this record to raise funds for families and individuals with Down syndrome. This project is the start of a new purpose that I will have for the rest of my life."

Tremonti has come together with surviving members of Frank Sinatra's orchestra, creating new takes on some of the classics and some deeper cuts from Frank's catalog. From the opening horns and piano of "I've Got You Under My Skin" to final vocal outro of "All Or Nothing At All", Tremonti showcases the signature vocal approach and exemplary musicianship that made Sinatra's work timeless. To see his vision through, Mark reached out to Sinatra's musical director Mike Smith who collected as many remaining members as possible of Frank's touring band to record the music for "Tremonti Sings Sinatra". Popular standards like "I've Got The World On A String", "My Way" and "That's Life" find new life in the hands of these incredible musicians. Tremonti — known for his guitar work that has won him countless accolades — leaves the instrument behind and just sings on the 14-track album. The artwork on the album cover is an original painting that Tremonti created especially for this project. A video for the first track "I've Got You Under My Skin" can be seen below.

The track listing for "Tremonti Sings Sinatra" is:

01. I've Got You Under My Skin

02. I've Got The World On A String

03. I Fall In Love Too Easily

04. Wave

05. Fly Me To The Moon

06. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)

07. My Way

08. You Make Me Feel So Young

09. Luck Be A Lady

10. That's Life

11. Come Fly With Me

12. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

13. The Song Is You

14. All Or Nothing At All

Take A Chance For Charity is a new charity focused on giving artists, actors, athletes and anyone with a platform the ability to get out of their comfort zone. The idea is to have people get out of the genre they are known for to raise funds and awareness for the charity of their choice. An actor can sing, an athlete can dance, a musician can perform a song out of their musical genre - any artistic interpretation. This gives participants the ability to do something out of the ordinary — in fact, extraordinary — all in the name of charity. "Tremonti Sings Sinatra" will be the first release for the cause, the recipient being NDSS.

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome. NDSS envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of welcoming communities. Founded in 1979, NDSS supports and advocates for the Down syndrome community by focusing on three key areas of programming: resources & support, policy and advocacy, and community engagement. Within these focus areas, NDSS engages in various activities, events, and programs on topics that are critical to our community such as federal and state advocacy and public policy, health and wellness, education, and employment. NDSS creates resources to support individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and caregivers across the lifespan and hosts awareness and engagement events throughout the country including the National Buddy Walk Program, the Times Square Video presentation and New York City Buddy Walk, Racing for 3.21 on World Down Syndrome Day, Run for 3.21, DC Golf Outing, the annual NDSS Gala & Auction, and various other events. Visit www.ndss.org for more information about NDSS.

Some quotes about "Tremonti Sings Sinatra":

Hank Cattaneo, Frank Sinatra's "Duets" producer: "Mark did a fantastic job on this record, His voice and take on the tunes are amazing!"

Slash (GUNS N' ROSES): "Mark's take on Sinatra is nothing short of uncanny. I could never have expected one of my fave metal guitarists to do such faithful renditions of Sinatra classics. Not only instrumentally, but vocally! And these recordings are for a cause near and dear to my heart; I was very close to an uncle who had Down syndrome when I was growing up. I fully appreciate and support Mark's commitment to NDSS."

Kirk Hammett (METALLICA): "Holy shit, I knew Mark was a ripping guitar player, but no way did I ever have a notion that he had golden pipes as well!!! Totally blown away. Totally into it. Let's hear more, Mark."

Chris Daughtry: "When Mark first played me a track from this project, my jaw dropped. Gave me chills! This is a side of Mark's voice that people need to hear and I'm certain they will be just as blown away as I was."

John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER): "Wow! I am absolutely blown away by Mark's performance on this album!! He delivers the songs authentically, embodying all that is Frank but giving us a glimpse of his own personality as well. I love the arrangements and the fact that some of Frank's original band members contributed to these tracks. Honestly, I've known Mark for a long time and know he is super talented but had no idea he was capable of channeling Old' Blue Eyes like that! Just absolutely beautifully done and what makes everything even that much more touching is the cause. I bet Mark's daughter Stella was in his heart during every step of the recording processes. Incredible!"

Tyler Connolly: "Okay this is so frickin' good! I had a smile on my face when I heard marks voice come in on 'I've Got You Under My Skin'. The production is fantastic, and I love that he has gifted the album to the NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society) Not surprised that he's killed it on this one. Congrats, Mark. This is amazing!"

Brent Smith (SHINEDOWN): "Once again, Mark Tremonti never ceases to amaze me. These renditions of some of the most beloved Sinatra tunes, are so eloquently done that it is remarkable. And what a beautiful gift to the NDSS. Much love, respect, and success to this incredible project."

James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER): "I met Mark around 10 years ago. First thing that struck me was his easy going, down-to-earth, respectful nature. That, to me, is a priority and a true measure of one's makeup. Mark's talent precedes him, I've listened to him since the '90s 'til present day. It wasn't until I listened to Mark's solo albums that I was able to fully realize his vocal abilities. What a great voice!!! A beautiful and unique sound, alongside perfect delivery, dynamics and feel.

"When asked for my take on Mark's Sinatra project, I really didn't know what to expect. I went into this from the perspective of what I've heard. I was asked to listen to two tracks. I listened to the whole damn thing!!! I was completely blown away. He sounds just like Frank, with just enough of his own vocal characteristics to infuse just the right amount of himself while honoring Frank's musicality. Mark did absolute justice to the number one iconic, legendary crooner of all time. A stellar job, nailing the inflections, nuances and all the subtleties in Frank's delivery that made him unparalleled. Bravo, Mark. An admirable endeavor and cause for NDSS. All the best, Mark, Vicky and lovely Stella."

Damian Muziani of BLACK SABBATH fan site Black-Sabbath.com has shared a four-minute report on the world premiere of "Dio: Dreamers Never Die", the career-spanning documentary on the life and times of the legendary rock icon Ronnie James Dio, which took place this past Thursday (March 17) at this year's SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. You can watch the video below.

On Friday, several music personalities who were involved in the making of the film — Dio's wife and longtime manager Wendy Dio, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler and former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach — took part in a panel, "Dreamers Never Die: The Enduring Power Of Metal" panel, hosted by SiriusXM's Eddie Trunk at Austin Convention Center.

Damian, who was the last person to conduct a post-show interview with Ronnie James Dio after his final performance ever in 2009, asked Butler for his memories of Ronnie. The 72-year-old musician said: "I was really glad that me and Ronnie had made up and all the past was in the past. At the end of the film, I was so glad that we got together in HEAVEN & HELL and sorted everything out. It was great."

Photos from both days can be found below. More pictures of the "Dreamers Never Die: The Enduring Power Of Metal" panel are available at Shutterstock.

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" is the first documentary about Dio to be fully authorized by the artist's estate. According to the film's official description, it "delves deep into his incredible rise from '50s doo-wop crooner to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH, to finally cement his legend with DIO. Ronnie's biography is completely unique to the tired sex, drugs and rock and roll clichés. The film is about perseverance, dreams and the power to believe in yourself."

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" was financed solely by BMG and was helmed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton ("Framing John DeLorean", "Believer", "Last Days Here"), produced by Don Argott and Sheena Joyce for 9.14 Pictures, and executive produced by Wendy Dio for Niji Productions and Kathy Rivkin Daum for BMG.

Ronnie James Dio's story transcends the standard rock documentary. Set against the backdrop of Dio's autobiography — half finished by Ronnie before his untimely death from stomach cancer in 2010 — the film chronicles the inspiring journey of his life, love, and storied career. Whether playing sold-out stadiums or battling illness, his powerful voice and gentle heart have had a profound influence on his family, friends, and fans around the world.

Wendy Dio recently told Argentinian journalist Lucas Gordon about "Dio: Dreamers Never Die": "I saw the first cut of it. It was very emotional. It's very different from [Dio's autobiography]. 'Cause the book finishes in 1986, with Ronnie playing Madison Square Garden. But the documentary goes all the way through his life till the end. And it was very emotional. I was watching it with my publicist and a person from BMG, who are funding the documentary. And we all cried. It was very emotional. But it's really interesting and really good. Rob Halford is great in it, talking about stories. Lita Ford [and] Jack Black [are also in it]. Eddie Trunk and Mick Wall [author of Dio's autobiography] both kind of narrated it and everything. I'm very pleased with it."

Last August, Wendy told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about what fans can expect to see in the documentary: "There's a bunch of stuff from [old] Super 8 [tapes] and some other stuff. There's fantastic interviews with all kinds of different people about when they were working with Ronnie or what they were doing at the time, maybe supporting Ronnie. It's totally different to the [recently released Dio] book. And I'm very interested to see this cut. I'm excited, actually, to see it. And I think it's gonna be great."

In October 2019, Wendy told the WSOU radio station that the documentary "will go from Ronnie's childhood all the way through [to the end of his life]. I think they interviewed Jack Black, and I think they interviewed all of Ronnie's bandmembers and Doug Aldrich and, I think, Jeff Pilson. They were getting ready to go to Arizona to interview Rob Halford and Lita Ford. And then they were going into England to interview Tony Iommi. They already did Geezer. So there will be very interesting stories from different people. I think it'll be a great thing, and it'll show people a lot of things that people have never seen before."

Ronnie James Dio passed away of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer, who was recording and touring with BLACK SABBATH offshoot HEAVEN & HELL prior to his illness, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

Dio's autobiography, titled "Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography", was released last July via Permuted Press.




Great time in Austin, TX at @sxsw with Wendy Dio at the World-Premiere of Dio: Dreamers Never Die. #hostlife? #actorslife #journalist #heavymetal #sxsw #movies

Posted by Damianemcee on Friday, March 18, 2022



Great time in Austin, TX at @sxsw with Wendy Dio at the World-Premiere of Dio: Dreamers Never Die. #hostlife? #actorslife #journalist #heavymetal #sxsw #movies

Posted by Damianemcee on Friday, March 18, 2022



Interviewing legendary Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler @sxsw #dio #dreamersneverdie die #sxsw2022 #hostlife?

Posted by Damianemcee on Friday, March 18, 2022



We had a surreal time premiering Dio: Dreamers Never Die at SXSW. Thanks to everyone who came to support the film. It…

Posted by Demian Fenton on Sunday, March 20, 2022



DIO DREAMERS NEVER DIE DIO DREAMERS NEVER DIE was not one of the films I picked for the SXSW dance card. It was so low...

Posted by Reel News Daily on Sunday, March 20, 2022



Tonight's the night! Ronnie's documentary, DIO: Dreamers Never Die has it's world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX at the The Paramount Theater!

Fo the full SXSW schedule, visit SXSW.com.

Posted by Ronnie James Dio on Thursday, March 17, 2022



Next week, Ronnie's documentary, DIO: Dreamers Never Die has it's world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin,...

Posted by Ronnie James Dio on Tuesday, March 8, 2022



Ronnie James Dio Dreamers Never Die!

So pleased to meet the fabulous, gracious, kindhearted boss lady Wendy Dio after a…

Posted by Noa Durban on Friday, March 18, 2022



At SxSW Honoring the late great

Ronnie James Dio ??

with Sebastian Bach & Eddie Trunk & Mrs. Ronnie James Dio and daughter.. Such a good time! Thanks? Eddie Trunk Sebastian Bach

Posted by Keefe Norman on Thursday, March 17, 2022



Sebastian Bach from Skid Row in Austin for the Premiere of DIO: Dreamers Never Die

He has a great spirit and was easy...

Posted by Keefe Norman on Friday, March 18, 2022



Posted by Eddie Trunk on Friday, March 18, 2022



Posted by Gilberto Manzano Ibarra on Thursday, March 17, 2022



The Dio clan here..

Breaking bread last night at SXSW..

Jeffrey,Sebastian,Eddie,

Good times???

#eddietrunk #sebastianbach

Posted by Oni Logan on Friday, March 18, 2022

























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Eddie Trunk (@eddietrunk)






























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Eddie Trunk (@eddietrunk)

MACHINE HEAD celebrated the 25th anniversary of the band's second studio LP, "The More Things Change…", with a special full-album play-through this past Friday, March 18 at 3:00 p.m. PDT. Joining MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern for the event was original "The More Things Change…" guitarist Logan Mader. You can watch the full performance below.

Released in 1997, "The More Things Change..." was MACHINE HEAD's last LP to feature Mader, and the first to feature drummer Dave McClain. The album reached No. 138 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1997, and as of 2002 had sold over 115,000 copies in the United States. In 2020, it was named one of the 20 best metal albums of 1997 by Metal Hammer magazine.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Flynn has been staging "Acoustic Happy Hour" solo sessions every Friday, during which he has performed a number of MH tunes as well as covers of other artists' songs.

Flynn told Kerrang! magazine about "Acoustic Happy Hour": "It's just basically a free show on Facebook. I try to learn two new songs every Friday. I take requests, and I try to play MACHINE HEAD songs that have never been played live acoustic. Last week I covered MUSE, TOOL and LYNYRD SKYNYRD. It's been fucking awesome. The first three or four were horrible — I knew they were — but I knew that if I kept sucking for six weeks I would get past it.

"For the first 20 years of my career, I never took singing lessons," he continued. "Then I did some about 10 years ago. With these acoustic shows, I've been back in contact with my old singing teacher to try and figure out why I can do a three-and-a-half hour MACHINE HEAD show, but this clean singing is kicking my ass. It's been an opportunity to un-learn all the wrong shit and get an opportunity to do things right."

MACHINE HEAD recently completed work on a new full-length album for a tentative summer release. The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis" will include the three songs that were featured on last summer's "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky". Much of the new MACHINE HEAD LP was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with producer Zack Ohren.

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.


The More Things Change, 25th Anniversary Play-Through - March 18, 2022 ?????????

The More Things Change, 25th Anniversary Play-Through - March 18, 2022 ????????? • Celebrating the 25th anniversary of The More Things Change, Robb and Jared are joined by OG guitar player Logan Mader, for an in-full and in correct running order play through of the band's second album.

All of the album's tracks, like openers and live set staples "Ten Ton Hammer" and "Take My Scars", through to album closing tracks and mega deep cuts "Blistering" and "Blood of the Zodiac" are given the Electric Happy Hour treatment in a not-to-be-missed show.

Rounding out the show, the boyz jammed through six tracks from their classic debut album, "Burn My Eyes", making this a perfect setlist for fans of the earliest era of the band. Again, this is an Electric Happy Hour not-to-be-missed!!

Beers Up!!

Support the boyz, leave ‘em some beer money!??

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/backmachinehead

Visit Ten Ton Trading Co. - The OFFICIAL Machine Head Store

https://tentontradingco.com/

We're goin' on tour in '22!!

https://www.machinehead1.com/pages/tour

Posted by Machine Head on Friday, March 18, 2022

According to Variety, Dave Grohl's metal album that he recorded as the fictional band DREAM WIDOW in the FOO FIGHTERS' horror-comedy film "Studio 666" will be made available digitally next Friday, March 25, with a physical release to follow later this year. The LP's first single, "March Of The Insane", came out last month.

In "Studio 666", FOO FIGHTERS move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock and roll history to record their much-anticipated tenth album. Once in the house, Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces related to related to the studio's former residents — the aforementioned fictional act DREAM WINDOW — that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the FOO FIGHTERS.

"I wind up finding this creepy basement. And I go into the basement, I find this tape by a band [DREAM WIDOW] from 25 years ago that recorded there," Grohl told Howard Stern. "And there's this song that, if recorded and completed, the fucking demon in the house is unleashed, and then, whatever, all hell breaks loose."

Grohl also revealed a bit about DREAM WINDOW, saying: "The singer went crazy and murdered his whole band because of creative differences… We come in 25 years later to record, having no idea what happened 25 years ago, and I start becoming possessed by the spirit of the guy from 25 years ago and the spirit of the house. But this song, 'March Of The Insane', this is their lost record. This is the record they were making before their singer murdered [them]."

Dave told Rolling Stone about the DREAM WIDOW LP: "It will be the lost album. It'll be the album they were making before he fucking killed the entire band." According to Grohl, "some of it sounds like [doom-metal pioneers] TROUBLE; some of it sounds like CORROSION OF CONFORMITY; some of it has a KYUSS vibe."

"Studio 666" stars Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee.

Released domestically in more than 2,000 theatres on February 25, the film's all-star cast also includes Whitney Cummings, Leslie Grossman, Will Forte, Jenna Ortega and Jeff Garlin.

In 2004, Dave's then-metal side-project PROBOT released its self-titled album. The LP featured Grohl, ex-ZWAN guitarist Matt Sweeney and FOO FIGHTERS producer Adam Kasper accompanying some of metal's most celebrated and respected frontmen, including Lemmy (MOTÖRHEAD), Scott "Wino" Weinrich (THE OBSESSED), Denis "Snake" Bélanger (VOIVOD), Conrad "Cronos" Lant (VENOM), Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, ex-SEPULTURA), Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST), Eric Wagner (TROUBLE), King Diamond (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND), Lee Dorrian (CATHEDRAL, ex-NAPALM DEATH), Mike Dean (CORROSION OF CONFORMITY) and Kurt Brecht (D.R.I.).

In a new interview with Elliott Fullam of Little Punk People, MESHUGGAH's Tomas Haake was asked if he naturally keeps count of everyday tasks since he's a drummer. He responded: "Not really. I do have one weird thing, though. I don't necessarily see the connection with me being a drummer, but maybe there is. And that's… I really can't walk up staircases without counting the steps. And for a while, actually, I used to count my steps when I was just walking too. But that would be the only thing where I have some kind of weird OCD that kind of kicks in. But you can ask me, all the staircases that I use in life, that I've used more than a couple times, you could ask me, and I would tell you the exact amount of steps for all of them. Anything that's in my neighborhood, I know 'em all."

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 artwork.

Last 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." Haake has since confirmed to Rolling Stone that he is suffering from hand eczema. "I've got to tape up all my fingers and put on gloves just to mess around on the kit, even," he explained. "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."

LIMP BIZKIT frontman Fred Durst debuted his new look during the band's first concert of 2022, which took place last night (Saturday, March 19) at the Vive Latino festival in Mexico City.

Professionally filmed video of the entire concert is available below.

LIMP BIZKIT's setlist was as follows:

01. Out Of Style - 00:38

02. Dirty Rotten Bizkit - 04:16

03. Turn It Up - 07:24

04. Dad Vibes - 08:42

05. Break Stuff - 13:49

06. My Generation - 19:08

07. Livin' It Up - 23:41

08. Nookie - 32:44

09. Hot Dog - 37:00

10. My Way - 42:20

11. Rollin' - 48:50

12. Take A Look Around - 53:51

As previously reported, LIMP BIZKIT will return to the road this April for the month-long "Still Sucks Tour". The AEG Presents trek will kick off in the band's former home state of Florida and will include a stop in New York City at Madison Square Garden (May 13) as well as cross-country shows in Baltimore (May 15) and Las Vegas (May 28) before concluding with a Los Angeles-area date (Ontario on May 31). LIMP BIZKIT will be supported by SCOWL, WARGASM UK, $NOT, DYING WISH and YUNG GRAVY for various shows.

Later this year, LIMP BIZKIT will follow the U.S. shows with a European run of dates.

Last October, LIMP BIZKIT released its long-awaited new album, "Limp Bizkit Still Sucks".

LIMP BIZKIT had not released a new studio LP since 2011's "Gold Cobra", although the band has spent a lot of time writing and recording music over the past decade.

Last September, LIMP BIZKIT released a single called "Dad Vibes". The track, which was originally premiered during the band's concert at Lollapalooza in July, was made available via Suretone Records and ADA.

"Dad Vibes" arrived weeks after LIMP BIZKIT canceled all of its previously announced live appearances for 2021, explaining in a statement that it was doing so "out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of the band, crew and most of all the fans."

LIMP BIZKIT was scheduled to appear at several festivals last summer and fall, including Aftershock, Blue Ridge, Rebel Rock and Rocklahoma.

A few days after the summer 2021 shows were called off, Durst told Billboard about the decision: "In short, the system is still very flawed. Even if the performers, crews, staff, and promoters do their best to ensure safety on and behind the stage, that doesn't ensure the safety of the audience as a whole. We are all in this together, and we all — individually and as a whole — have to make our best efforts to be as responsible and proactive as possible moving forward to combat and stop spreading COVID."

Durst also denied that there was a specific incident that prompted him and his bandmates to pull the plug on the trek, saying it was "just perception."

Durst made headlines in late July when he debuted a new look at the band's concert at Metro in Chicago, with the frontman sporting wavy salt-and-pepper locks accompanied by a horseshoe-style mustache.






#ViveLatino2022 ??? | #LimpBizkit la rompió en el Foro Sol y hasta invitó a un fan mexicano a subirse al exico o para cantar Rollin'

? Alejandro Aguilar

Sigue nuestra cobertura especial aquí ??: https://t.co/MHJoxtEKVu pic.twitter.com/pq8eArDqOD

— El Sol de México (@elsolde_mexico) March 20, 2022








Limp Bizkit en el vive latino pic.twitter.com/s0duDwwIGD

— ☠️Pepito MaLo ☠️ (@malo_pepito) March 20, 2022








Limp Bizkit pic.twitter.com/55lPZ5rBwd

— Palmerita (@AleDeLaReguera) March 20, 2022

It was back in 1974 when AC/DC, then fronted by Dave Evans, performed its own interpretation of "Heartbreak Hotel", a classic hit song by Elvis Presley, which got a special mention in the newspaper review of AC/DC's performance at the Sydney Opera House and became such a success at every concert. And despite the talked-about intention, AC/DC has never recorded this cover.

Paying tribute to AC/DC's upcoming 50th anniversary, Evans chose to record the song in almost the exact way the band used to perform it live. The music was recorded as a collaboration with musicians from Denmark and produced by Danish sound engineer, record producer and Grammy Award winner Flemming Rasmussen, recording engineer of the album "Difficult To Cure" by RAINBOW and producer of METALLICA's albums "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets" and "…And Justice For All". As the final layer, the vocal tracks were recorded earlier this week by Evans on the Caribbean island of Aruba at Studio Tiss.

Evans's version of "Heartbreak Hotel" will be released later in the year.

Dave recorded AC/DC's first two singles, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl" and "Baby, Please Don't Go". But in October 1974, less than a year after AC/DC's first gig, Evans was out of the band. He was replaced by Bon Scott, who sang on AC/DC's first six studio albums and became a legend himself after his death in 1980.

Last year, Dave was asked in an interview with The Rocker Diaries if he thought "that would be it" for AC/DC after Bon's death in 1980. He responded: "No, not at all. I mean, we all keep going. And AC/DC has had that many players through [the history of] the band. I don't know how many. 20? And three singers, plus a stand-in singer as well.

"We were always ambitious when we first started," he continued. "We always wanted to be the best in the world — all of us. And after me, Bon Scott got his chance. He did great with the band. And when he died, I just thought, 'Who are they gonna get?' I never thought [I would be approached about it] myself, because that's water under the bridge. And I was busy with bands as well at the time, and doing my own music and recording. I was just wondering who it would be. I had heard of [Brian Johnson's pre-AC/DC band] GEORDIE — just the name GEORDIE. I'd never heard of Brian. And then Brian popped up and, of course, the 'Back In Black' album came out, which was a massive album around the world, and they were off and running with Brian. But if Brian quit, they'd get another singer, and another singer. [They've gone through] different bass players [and] different drummers.

"The drive was always Malcolm Young," Dave added. "I remember Malcolm when I first met him. He was such a driving force. Just a tiny little guy — just a little touch over five foot tall — but, boy, he had a big heart and a big personality. And he was tough, too — Malcolm was very tough. And no matter what, he was AC/DC through and through. And, of course, once he passed away, which is very sad, AC/DC, of course, will never, ever be the same without Malcolm. How can it be?"

Last May, Evans released a new compilation album called "BADASS Greatest Hits". The effort contains "20 massive hits on one album," including Dave's version of "Rockin' In The Parlour", the song that originally appeared as the B-side of the "Can I Sit Next to You Girl" sin

Drum-cam footage of SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph performing the song "Hell Awaits" with his bandmates can be seen below. The video was apparently filmed when former MACHINE HEAD guitarist Phil Demmel filled in for SLAYER guitarist Gary Holt for four European shows in the fall of 2018 after Gary returned home to be with his dying father.

In August 2020, Bostaph confirmed that he is involved in a brand new project headed up by his SLAYER bandmate Kerry King. The duo has spent the last couple of years working on music with the hopes of recording it properly once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.

The drummer opened up about his latest collaboration with King in an interview with Australia's Riff Crew. Asked to describe the musical direction of the music he has been working on with the founding SLAYER guitarist, Bostaph said: "I guess the best way to put it is Kerry writes what he writes. Is this gonna be a rock and roll record? No. Is it gonna be what you want it to be? Yes. Is it gonna be what you expect it to be? Yes. It's not gonna be some rehashed stuff… It's gonna sound like SLAYER without it being SLAYER — but not intentionally so. I mean, Kerry's been writing songs in SLAYER his entire career, and he has a style. And that style, as a songwriter, you just don't change your style because your band is done. But that's what you love to write.

"Are things gonna maybe morph over time? Yeah. I would imagine so," he continued. "I don't think the first song Kerry wrote as a kid is the same as the last song he wrote for [SLAYER's final album, 2015's] 'Repentless'. Songwriters do change over time based on their influences and how they feel at the time.

"Kerry's on fire right now. So, all I can say is if you like heavy music and you like SLAYER, you'll like this. Is it gonna be SLAYER? It's not gonna be SLAYER — SLAYER is done; they retired…

"The thing about it is that we don't wanna sound like 'Baby SLAYER,' you know what I mean?" he added. "There is SLAYER. But it's gonna be good — it's gonna be really good. I've been listening to the music and I just cannot wait to get into the room and start jamming with Kerry.

"Part of it for me is that I don't have to… And this is not an insult; it's definitely a compliment… I don't have to drum under the show of [original SLAYER drummer] Dave's [Lombardo] drumming badassery. That's a good thing to do, but I might be able to stretch out a little bit and do some things that I like to do and still make it fit within the framework of what we're doing. I'm looking forward to trying some things that I've wanted to try within SLAYER but couldn't, just because I didn't have it developed well enough. And we'll see if I can make some of that stick in some of the new music."

Asked if his songwriting approach with King has changed compared to how it was within the confines of SLAYER, Bostaph said: "Right now, the formula's gonna be the same. I know how Kerry writes.

"When I first joined SLAYER, before we did [1994's] 'Divine Intervention', Kerry and I were roommates, and we barely knew each other," he explained. "And we spent a lot of time together, on a friendship level and jamming musically. I know what he wants out of a song, and we have that formula, and it's a good formula that works, and we're not gonna change it. If it's not broke, don't fix it. You know what I mean?"

Around the same time, Kerry told Dean Guitars that he had plenty of musical ideas for his upcoming project. "I've been very, very lucky with riffs in 2020," he said. "Maybe because I can't go anywhere — I don't know — but riffs have certainly not been a problem. And looking forward into the future, what that means for me is I'm gonna be able to cherrypick the best stuff. And it's good stuff. I've got more than two records' worth of music, but to be able to go through that and cherrypick the best 11 or 12 [songs]… That first record should be smoking."

According to Kerry, who recently partnered with Dean Guitars as a signature artist, most of the songwriting for his next project so far has been a solitary effort.

"Right now, I'm the only lyricist, because I'm the only one writing music, because I'm not positive who everybody is that's gonna be playing with me," he said. "So it's all on me at the moment. So, actually, I've actually gotta cherrypick those songs, pick my 10 or 12 favorites and actually start trying to put lyrics on them, just to move the process forward."

SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry's wife, Ayesha King, said that there is "not a chance in hell" that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances.

When SLAYER first announced that it was embarking on its final tour back in January 2018, Ayesha assured fans that they would "always get music" from her husband.

King has said in previous interviews that his post-SLAYER musical efforts would not be much different from the sound fans have grown accustomed to hearing from him.

"If someone quit, I'm not going to go around with a made-up SLAYER," he told AZCentral.com back in 2010. "But my next band would sound like SLAYER, that's all I know."

Arizona thrashers SACRED REICH have canceled two shows on their North American tour with SEPULTURA after frontman Phil Rind was hospitalized with a non-COVID-19-related illness. The trek, which kicked off on March 4 in Sacramento, California, also features support from CROWBAR and ART OF SHOCK.

Earlier today (Saturday, March 19), Phil released the following statement via social media: "Hi everyone, I have been battling a non-Covid illness since last Sunday in Pittsburgh. I have been doing my best every night because as they say 'the show must go on' even though my asthma has been getting progressively worse.

"I went to the hospital this morning in Philadelphia and have been admitted. As a result SACRED REICH will not be performing tonight in Philadelphia or tomorrow night in Baltimore on the Quadra Tour with SEPULTURA, CROWBAR and ART OF SHOCK.

"We are very disappointed to let you down. It sucks.

"Have a great time at the shows and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

"Peace and love, Phil & SACRED REICH".

SACRED REICH's tour with SEPULTURA, CROWBAR and ART OF SHOCK is scheduled to conclude on April 9 in Berkeley, California.

SACRED REICH's latest album, "Awakening", was released in August 2019 via Metal Blade Records. The band's first LP in 23 years was produced by Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, POWER TRIP and CODE ORANGE, among others. The album marks SACRED REICH's first release since the return of drummer Dave McClain.

"Awakening" was described in a press release as "a timeless collection comprised of blistering thrash, crushing grooves, killer solos and socially conscious lyrics that demonstrate a true understanding of everything that matters most in the world today."

"Awakening" was engineered by John Aquilino and was mastered by Maor Appelbaum.

In 2019, SACRED REICH guitarist and founding member Jason Rainey exited the band for "health reasons" and was replaced by Joey Radziwill. Rainey died in March 2020 of an apparent heart attack.


We are very sorry. Have fun at the shows with @sepultura @crowbarmusic @artofshock #quadratour #asthmasucks

Posted by Sacred Reich on Saturday, March 19, 2022

Former QUIET RIOT singer and "American Idol" finalist James Durbin has joined forces with STRYPER members Robert Sweet and Perry Richardson (bass; also ex-FIREHOUSE) and RIOT guitarist Mike Flyntz in a new project called CLEANBREAK. The band's debut single and video will be released next month via Frontiers Music Srl.

FAITHSEDGE singer/songwriter Giancarlo Floridia, who was involved in the songwriting process for CLEANBREAK, took to his Facebook on Wednesday (March 16) to write: "After months of not being able to say anything I’m proud to announce my songwriting debut for Frontiers records. These new songs will be on the CLEANBREAK debut album featuring 'American Idol' finalists James Durbin, STRYPER drummer Robert Sweet, FIREHOUSE/STRYPER bass player Perry Richardson and the guitar monster Mike Flyntz of RIOT!

"It's an amazing thing to be writing songs for your multi platinum MTV heroes and I know you guys are going to love the result.

"Thank you Alessandro for taking me on board and thank you Seann Nicols for helping me with all the demos for the album.

"I am hoping to bring to the songwriting table my history of working with band members of STRYPER, RATT and yes DOKKEN. And there is more to come as I am working on more songs with Alessandro !!

"Please join the CLEANBREAK Facebook page or Instagram page below ! Never ever ever ever give up on yourself to my friends! Now let's rockkkkkk !!!"

CLEANBREAK is:

James Durbin (QUIET RIOT) - Vocals

Mike Flyntz (RIOT) - Guitar

Perry Richardson (STRYPER, FIREHOUSE) - Bass

Robert Sweet (STRYPER) – Drums

Durbin recorded two studio albums with QUIET RIOT — 2017's "Road Rage" and 2019's "Hollywood Cowboys" — during his three-year stint with the group. In September 2019, QUIET RIOT parted ways with Durbin and replaced him with Jizzy Pearl. Pearl previously fronted QUIET RIOT from 2013 until October 2016, when he was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of Durbin.

Richardson joined STRYPER in the fall of 2017 as the replacement for longtime bassist Tim Gaines.

Photo credit: Giancarlo Floridia


Music Video Shenanigans with @perryrichardson777 #CLEANBREAK @frontiersmusicsrl

? @giancarlosongs

Posted by James Durbin on Sunday, March 13, 2022



After months of not being able to say anything I’m proud to announce my songwriting debut for Frontiers records. These...

Posted by Giancarlo Floridia on Wednesday, March 16, 2022



Cleanbreak is:

James Durbin - Vocals

Mike Flyntz - Guitar

Perry Richardson - Bass

Robert Sweet - Drums

Instagram: instagram.com/cleanbreakofficial

Posted by Cleanbreak on Wednesday, March 16, 2022

"Impera", the fifth album from Swedish occult rockers GHOST, has registered the following first-week chart positions in Europe, according to the band's record label, Loma Vista Recordings:

* Germany: #1 (the band's highest-ever position in Germany)

* Sweden: #1

* U.K.: #2 (the band's highest-ever position in the UK)

* Netherlands: #2 (the band's highest-ever position in Netherlands)

* Belgium: #2 (the band's highest-ever position in Belgium)

* Norway: #2

* Australia: #3 (the band's highest-ever position in Australia)

* France: #5 (the band's highest-ever position in France)

* Ireland: #5 (the band's highest-ever position in Ireland)

* Italy: #20 (the band's highest-ever position in Italy)

"Impera" was released on March 11. The 12-song effort was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.

In a recent interview with El Paso Inc., GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge spoke his decision to record "Impera" with Åhlund, who also sat behind the desk for 2015's acclaimed "Meliora" effort. Asked why he chose to end his streak of working with a different producer on each new GHOST LP, Tobias said: "The thing is you need to keep moving so that you don't get stuck in friendly comfortable mode. 'Meliora', the record I made with Klas, was really good, but the recording and the production itself left a few things to be improved. When time came to record 'Impera', the writing and demoing had been done in 2020. But in early 2021, the American producer who was supposed to make the record couldn't come because of the travel restrictions, and I couldn't go to America. And because Klas is also a very scheduled person, he had a project lined up that fell through. All of a sudden, he had a few months off, and I was, like, 'That is well-timed, because I don't have a producer. Would you like to produce the record?'"

Forge worked on the follow-up to 2018's "Prequelle" with Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Regarding his collaboration with Åhlund, Al Fakir and Pontare, as well as OPETH's Fredrik Åkesson who was brought in to sharpen the album's guitar attack, Forge recently told St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "I found that I can work really well with someone I respect, who is always pushing for the best. They make me want to write better, to get my game up a little."

GHOST's co-headlining tour with VOLBEAT kicked off on January 25 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada and concluded on March 3 in Anaheim, California.

In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the new character who is fronting the act for its "Impera" album phase.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of "Prequelle".

Photo credit: Mikael Eriksson




congrats @thebandGHOST fans everywhere. impera is their biggest album yet. we cannot do it without you! pic.twitter.com/kaUxkX2mvD

— Loma Vista Recordings (@LomaVistaRC) March 18, 2022

Mastodon released their new album Hushed And Grim, which landed on our BravePicks 2021 list at #9, back in October. They have shared an acoustic version of the track "Teardrinker", which can be heard below.





You can order Hushed And Grim here.







Tracklisting:


"Pain With An Anchor"
"The Crux"
"Sickle And Peace"
"More Than I Could Chew"
"The Beast"
"Skeleton Of Splendor"
"Teardrinker"
"Pushing The Tides"
"Peace And Tranquility"
"Dagger"
"Had It All"
"Savage Lands"
"Gobblers Of Dregs"
"Eyes Of Serpents"
"Gigantium"


"Teardrinker" video:





"Sickle And Peace":





"Pushing The Tides" video:

Malta-based metal band, DiggerThings, have released their new single, "Time Will Tell", featuring The Three Tremors / former Judas Priest voaclist Tim "Ripper" Owens. A video for the song can be found below.





DiggerThings is a music collaboration between David Cassar Torreggiani (also guitarist and songwriter with Scar, ElderWater, and TodaMusica) and David Depasquale (also producer and guitarist with ClubMurder, and Abysmal Torment). This studio project has David CT as songwriter and guitars, and David D on drums and production, where guest singers collaborate to create varied mix of edgy rock and metal.




Guest singers so far have been... Mark Parlato Trigona, singer in a band with David CT in the 90's called NightWing; Nigel "In Noogie" Buttigieg, Kersten Graham, and Gianni Zammit. There have also been guest bass players, such as Antoine Tonna, Robert Galea,and Philip Bagigu.


DiggerThings gained ground with their initial song releases, and hooked up with Blaze Bayley (Wolfsbane 1984 / 1994, and then replacing Bruce Dickinson with the mighty Iron Maiden 1994 till 1999) who recorded his awesome vocals on "Three Days Of Judgement". This track was well received and promoted on many world wide metal and heavy mock music platforms.


Check out "Ruby Eyes" featuring Blaze Bayley below.

Swedish power metal warriors Brothers Of Metal have released a brand new single.


Following their latest the Emblas Saga (2020) – taking the listener on an epic trip into the realms of Northern Mytholgy and Viking adventures – today the Falun-based collective fronted by the voice of the Valkyries, Ylva Eriksson, surprised with a stunning new song entitled "The Other Son Of Odin". A sign for a new album to come in the not so distant future? 


Eriksson reveals about the song: "Vidar is a mysterious cool god that we hadn't heard of before. We thought it would be fun to write a song about one of the lesser known gods. He is one of the few that survives Ragnarök. And WHO can resist his very odd gimmick of having ONE enormous boot!?"







Furthermore, Brothers Of Metal have announced a new show on March 27 in Stockholm, Sweden. If you’re around, make sure to catch them live.


Brothers Of Metal were formed in 2012, with just two records under their belt, they took the heavy music scene by storm. Countless and frenetically acclaimed shows and more than 100 million (!) streams to date, one must have lived under a rock if haven’t heard of the extraordinary 8-piece yet. Stay tuned for more info and hopefully some new album details to follow soon.

Jeremy Edge has released a new single "The World Is Gone" with his band "The Jeremy Edge Project'', which will be the first sneak peak of Coral Castles Vol 1 and 2 with an expected 2022 release. 





This will mark the first offering since the debut "Jeremy Edge Project" album released in 2020. The debut record's "Firedancer" peaked at #22 on Billboard's Rock Indicator charts.




“The World Is Gone” harkens to a more traditional blues ballad invoking Ray Charles inspired chord progressions and soulful singing but with blistering guitar work on the song's outro.
Unlike the previous offering Edge takes over vocal duties on this new album but will be recruiting more surprise guest players to add flavor to the album alongside bassist John Delowery and Drummer Ray Gieda. The album promises to offer more ‘70s inspired bluesy rock blended with soul, hard rock and other stylistic blends.


"I wanted to do something kinda stripped down that is a more traditional jazz / blues progression. We put the rhythm guitar, bass and drums in the room and just jammed this one and I wanted to really capture the sound of the room, like the band was playing in a small club. I approached this lyrically from the perspective of a couple who had big plans and dreams and had those disrupted by some of the events that happened in the world, thus changing all of those plans and creating a distance."





Jeremy will return to the studio this month with Grammy nominated producer/engineer Mike Feretti to finish work on the record.


The trio will be promoting the release with a string of dates in northern PA and NY state this summer, including appearances with Jackyl and Randy Hansen.


"The World Is Gone", is now available on all streaming outlets.


Jeremy Edge live:


May
7 – Pottsville, PA – Crimson House
22 – Reading, PA – Reverb (with Jackyl)
28 – Hazelton, PA – Tap at Humboldt Depot


June
5 – Lewistown, PA – Shy Bear Brewing
24 – Elmira, NY – Alive After Five Concert Series
25 – Addison, NY – Moe Town


July
30 – Morris Run, PA – Oregon Hill Winery


August
26 – Austin, PA – Austin Dam Show

Hell In The Club have released their new EP, Kamikaze - 10 Years In The Slums, which includes two new songs, two covers (Alice Cooper and W.A.S.P.), and a re-recorded track from their debut.


The EP is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the band's first album, Let The Games Begin. The new EP is available on all digital platforms with physical versions to follow this June. Physical copies are available on the band's Bandcamp page.


Order/save all formats here, and watch a music video for "10 Years in The Slums" below.




The band previously said: "We are relieved to finally be able to announce this EP. We thought it would have been nice to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of our first album Let the Games Begin by releasing something new. Not a new album, but something with which we could take stock of where we are now, ten years after we started our journey. So, together with Frontiers we planned this nice little EP that includes two brand new songs ('Kamikaze' and '10 Years In The Slums'), two cover songs (Alice Cooper and W.A.S.P.), and a reworked version of 'In Your Eyes', a track we love so much and that was released as a bonus track on the Japanese version of our first album. As for the covers, we chose 'He's Back' by Alice Cooper (already released as a special Halloween digital single treat) and 'Chainsaw Charlie' by W.A.S.P., since we all agreed that The Crimson Idol is definitely one of our favorite albums ever. The plan was to release it exactly 10 years after the first album, so in 2021, but because of the prevalent situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the production process of vinyls underwent several disruptions, thus we were forced to postpone it again and again. After a long wait we can finally say that Kamikaze (10 Years In The Slums) will be released on March 18, 2022 on all digital platforms and on June 20, 2022 on very limited edition vinyl plus as an ultra limited bundle which will include the vinyl, the cassette (yeah, back to the 80’s!), and other goodies. Thanks for sticking with us for the last ten years!" - HITC 2022


Hell In The Club is an Italian hard rock/heavy metal band featuring members of Elvenking and Secret Sphere. The band has released five albums and is currently celebrating 10 years as a band after the release of their debut album Let The Games Begin in 2011. With Dave on vocals, Andy on bass, Mark on drums and Picco on the guitar, Hell In The Club will delight you, they'll make you dance, sing, and bang your heads with their songs. They mix classic hard rock and modern sounds, heavy metal and party songs, fifties rock’n’roll, and anything in between. Rock ‘n roll is all about fun and that is what has been on display throughout their musical career.





Kamikaze - 10 Years In The Slums EP tracklisting:


"Kamikaze"
"10 Years In The Slums"
"He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)" [Alice Cooper cover]
"Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)" [W.A.S.P. cover]
"In Your Eyes - 2021"


"10 Years in The Slums" video:





"Kamikaze" video:





"He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)":





Lineup:


Dave - Vocals
Andy - Bass
Picco - Guitars
Mark – Drums

Sabaton write history again: With their latest masterpiece, The War To End All Wars, that was released via Nuclear Blast Records on March 4, the band climbs the international charts securing #1 positions in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Poland, Hungary and Finland.


Achieving the top positions in Germany and Sweden for the second time in a row, Sabaton hits #1 in Finland, Poland, Hungary and Austria for the first time in their career. This and additional outstanding results in other territories make The War To End All War the most successful album of the Swedish band so far.


Marcus Hammer, CEO of Nuclear Blast, about this huge success: "Once again, Sabaton delivered a very strong album, thus we see outstanding international chart results and another #1 in Germany. The whole Nuclear Blast team cordially congratulates the band around Pär and Joakim as well as the whole Sabaton team to this huge success and milestone in their career."





Full chart overview:


#1 Germany
#1 Sweden
#1 Finland
#1 Austria
#1 Poland
#1 Hungary
#2 Norway
#2 USA Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums
#4 Switzerland
#4 Belgium
#6 Netherlands
#6 Czech Republic
#16 UK


Sabaton have announced "The Tour To End All Tours - North America 2022", a 25-date North American trek that will include a special headline show at Montreal's Place Bell, the band's first-ever arena headline concert in Canada. The tour, produced by FPC Live, kicks off on Thursday, September 15 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA, and will wrap up at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on October 23. Supporting Sabaton on all dates will be special guest Epica, the renowned Dutch symphonic metal band. Tickets on sale now; go to sabaton.net/tour/ for information.


Known for its high energy and electrifying live shows, each song is an epic tale of real-life military encounters and the men and women who lived them. Despite the thousands of shows Sabaton has performed, the line-up - Joakim Brodén/vocals, keys, Pär Sundström/bass, Chris Rörland/guitar, Tommy Johansson/guitar, and Hannes Van Dahl/drums - not only sets a potent tone of power and velocity while having so much fun on stage, but a communal one, not just interacting with each other, but engaging those in the audience and playing every show with the intensity of their first.


"We're all looking forward to this tour," said the band's Pär Sundström. "It will have been three years since we've brought our headline show to America, so we are more ready than ever. And, with the release of our new album, we now have a vault full of new songs to play."


"The Tour To End All Tours" is in support of Sabaton's tenth album, The War To End All Wars, which was released March 4 (Nuclear Blast) and is receiving glowing reviews.


“With our last album, The Great War,” added Brodén, “we found that we had only scratched the surface in terms of the powerful stories of courage and bravery and also the horrors that took place during the first World War. Fans would contact us and tell us these amazing stories from World War One that none of us had ever heard of before. Incredible stories about everyday people who were willing to give their lives for something bigger than themselves. These were stories of a frightening and liberating time in history that had to be told.”





North American tour dates:


September
15 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA
16 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR
17 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR
19 - Revolution Concert House - Boise, ID
21 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA
23 - Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA
24 - Arizona Federal Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
25 - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas, NV
27 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
28 - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
30 - South Side Ballroom - Dallas, TX


October
1 - Bayou Music Center - Houston, TX
3 - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
4 - Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
6 - The Fillmore Silver Spring - Silver Spring, MD
8 - The Andrew J Brady Music Center - Cincinnati, OH
10 - The Fillmore - Detroit, MI
11 - GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, MI
13 - The Fillmore - Minneapolis, MN
15 - Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, IL
17 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA
18 - The Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
21 - MGM Music Hall at Fenway - Boston, MA
22 - Place Bell - Montreal, QC
23 - Hammerstein Ballroom - New York, NY


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner has praised Dolly Parton for taking herself out of the running for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's 2022 class of inductees.

On Monday (March 14), the 76-year-old country music legend asked the Hall to withdraw her name from the 2022 ballot, saying "I don't feel that I have earned the right. I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out."

Parton was one of 17 artists nominated for the Rock Hall class of 2022, along with JUDAS PRIEST, Eminem, Lionel Richie, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and Beck, among others.

Ballots are cast by an international voting body of more than 1,000 artists — including previous inductees — historians, music industry members and critics. Factors considered by voters consider include "an artist's musical influence on other artists, length and depth of career and the body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique," according to a statement issued by the Hall.

Faulkner, who joined PRIEST in 2011 and would not be inducted into the Rock Hall along with the other members of the current lineup, was asked about Parton's decision to bow out of the highly esteemed honor in a new interview with "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it was a classy move, really. I think she recognizes her brand, and it didn't necessarily fit into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And I think it raises questions to what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's brand is as well.

"To call it the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and not have bands like JUDAS PRIEST in it from day one, I think, is a weird thing," Richie continued. "I've said this before. It's shocking, really. I don't know how you can call it the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame without having bands like that in it as default; they sort of spawned the genre. But, you know, I'm not eligible, so I can sort of say what I want about it I just think bands like that — [IRON] MAIDEN, PRIEST, MOTÖRHEAD — there's a few bands that are not in, and a few artists that are, maybe it shouldn't be called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I don't know.

"I've said this before, but I think the greatest accolade any band can have… You've toured the world for 50 years, you've put out music for 50 years, you've got a loyal fanbase for 50 years," Faulkner added. "No one's more grateful that these guys in this band, and I know that. They're still putting out music, they're still making music, they're still touring the world. And I'm repeating myself here, and I apologize, but I think that's more of an accolade than a trophy on a shelf; I really do. I think that's worth much more than getting in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. That's just my opinion. And I know the [rest of the] band don't share that opinion; that's just my opinion. It's a loyal fanbase for 50 years. What more can you ask for?"

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1996 or earlier.

Inductees will be announced in May. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 2022 induction ceremony will take place this fall. The date, venue, and on-sale information will be announced later.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the JUDAS PRIEST members that would get inducted would include current members Rob Halford (vocals), Ian Hill (bass), Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums), along with former members K.K. Downing (guitar), Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

JUDAS PRIEST was previously on the ballot for Rock Hall induction in 2020, but failed to receive enough votes to make that year's class.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was also on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

Back in October 2020, Halford said that the heavy metal genre "hasn't been respected enough" by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Asked in an interview with Word In Your Ear if he was "bothered" by the fact that PRIEST hasn't been inducted into the Rock Hall yet, Halford said: "Well, let's put it this way. You have all of these institutions here in America — you've got the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for music; you've got the Basketball Hall Of Fame; you've got the Baseball Hall Of Fame; Football — you've got all of these places where, I think essentially, it's just a really nice, cool recognition of what you've done, the work that you've done and the things that you've achieved, the place that you've been put at, and so on and so forth.

"So, am I bothered if we ever get in? Not really. But I think we do deserve to be in there. Because I look at the list of people that are in there, and I feel that we have a place. And it would not only be for JUDAS PRIEST — it would be for British music, particularly British heavy metal music, and that's a beautiful achievement. [BLACK] SABBATH are in there, which is great. But I've always said that as far as what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame represents, the genre of heavy metal music hasn't really been looked after enough and respected enough.

"So, I'd like to feel that eventually we will get in."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

FOZZY has released a new single, "I Still Burn". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Boombox", which is due on April 15.

FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho comments: "'I Still Burn' is the story of the dreams, the passion and the fire that lie within all of us to be the absolute best we can be...and to do WHATEVER it takes to achieve the goals that make our dreams come true! The sacrifices, the losses, and the triumphs that we have all experienced make up the lyrical DNA of this song. #IStillBurn is FOZZY's mission statement, our life's work and our destiny...and we are so proud to share this message of victory with our FOZZY family!! Plus, Rich's [Ward] guitar solo fuckin rules!!!"

Ward adds: "My entire career has been about pushing to the summit of the climb, never satisfied with boiling water with the Sherpas at Base Camp 2. I've been touring and making records for three decades, and I remain as passionate as ever. 'I Still Burn' is the story of the fire that fuels that passion. This is our story!"

"Boombox", which includes the top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane", was once again produced by Johnny Andrews.

Jericho previously stated about the LP: "'Judas'…both the album & the song…was a HUGE breakthrough for FOZZY. It took us to the next level and positioned us as legit players at rock radio and as a live draw. As a result, we knew that we had to follow up with the album of a lifetime… 'Boombox' is that album!! You've already heard the top ten singles 'Nowhere To Run' and 'Sane' — kick-ass, hooky songs that set the tone for this record. But it's 'I Still Burn', 'Army Of One' and 'Relax' that, in my opinion, are going to take this album and this band even further up the rock 'n' roll ladder.

"I firmly believe this is the third best album of our entire career!! (Of course I think it's our best… but I always wanted to hear a band say that.) So crank the volume and hold the 'Boombox' up to your earholes!! It's gonna be a wild ride."

FOZZY recently announced the "Save The World" 2022 U.S. tour. The trek, featuring special guests GFM, KRASHKARMA and THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR, will start on March 31 in Detroit, Michigan and wrap on May 16 in Sauget, Illinois. Additionally, to celebrate the arrival of "Boombox", FOZZY will play an album-release party on April 11 at Irving Plaza in New York City, where fans will be able to purchase and listen to the full album exclusively in advance of the release.

FOZZY debuted a brand new song, "Purifier", during its September 18 concert in Flint, Michigan and has been performing it live ever since. Back in July, FOZZY played another new song, "The Vulture Club", during its concert in Iowa City, Iowa. The band also performed its latest single, "Sane", live for the first time.

In May, 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.

This past January, FOZZY parted ways with longtime drummer Frank Fontsere and replaced him with Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE).

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

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

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