Avantasia mastermind Tobias Sammet recently checked in with a new update, calling the new Avantasia album "one of my strongest albums ever." He opens up about the album in a new interview, which will be released this summer. An excerpt is available below.


Q: Is the new album a conceptual continuation of your most recent effort, Moonglow?


Tobias: "Yes, in a way it is that, but it's far from being just more of the same. It's new and fresh, a good mix of fantasy and poetry, but with each song having autobiographical chracteristics too. I am very proud of those lyrics, they mean a lot to me and even though they have a fantastic approach I reveal a lot about myself."




Q: What can you say about the new music?


Tobias: "It's always hard to judge your own work when you're still so close to it. Some of it is quite heavy, it clearly shows my power metal sides, not just as a writer but also as a vocalist. A friend of mine just said that some of the stuff sounds like my earlier stuff, Avantasia or Edguy at the turn of the millenium."


Q: Was that an intentional move?


Tobias: "No, it wasn't at all. I guess it just happened because I was deeply involved in every tiny little step of the realization and production as in the earlier days. I was locked in at home and I had the time to deal with a lot of the details. It bears my trademarks and it's a very personal album."


Q: So what else can you tell your fans about the new album? 


Tobias: "The album is called A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society. At first our label was wondering if we couldn't come up with a longer album title maybe (laughs). Given the attention span of the brave new world it's not very memorable perhaps, but it's the concept and the title was on my mind for quite a while. Most fans know that I have never taken the easy way just to deliver things bite-sized for what the market can handle. Our fans are smart enough to memorize the title. As an artist you need to follow your vision, otherwise you get an ulcer and ulcers kill creativity."


Q: Can you tell us anything about the guests?


Tobias: "There are many, some you would expect, some you would not expect. We'll announce them in due time. But they all delievered. When I listen to the final master I am astounded myself how we could have come up with something as energetic and uplifting as this album in these two years of isolation."


Read the complete interview here.


Wacken TV continues to share pro-shot video from the Wacken Open Air archives, and they recently posted footage of Avantasia performing "Dying For An Angel" at the 2014 edition of the festival. Check it out below.

DEFTONES have parted ways with their longtime bassist Sergio Vega.

The 51-year-old musician, who officially joined DEFTONES in 2009, confirmed his exit Tuesday night (March 8), just days after a new photo of the band without him emerged online on various digital service providers (see below).

In a video message posted to his Instagram, Sergio said: "Hi everybody. I hope this finds you well. I didn't wanna have to make a video about this, but after the recent band photo posted on DEFTONES' Spotify, I feel the need to clear the air. I'm not very good at this, so I wrote out a statement and I will read it to you now.

"To give a brief history about me and my friendship with DEFTONES. We met in 1995. I filled in for [late DEFTONES bassist] Chi [Cheng] — rest in peace — in 1999 and was asked to work with the band after his tragedy in 2009. Because of the love they have for QUICKSAND, I was asked to bring the same approach as a songwriter and arranger to them as well. I was also told that, similarly to Frank [Delgado, DEFTONES keyboardist and turntablist], I would be brought in over time to become an official member. I had worked with the band for 12 years, and at the start of every album cycle, I asked about becoming an official member, but the contract would be improved instead.

"COVID was a breaking point for a lot of people and I started to question my place in the band and the future that I wanted for my career. I really started to need something stable, because, at that point, my contract with them was canceled. One day I got a call from the guys about an internal band situation, and they asked me if I was solid and that I would have to fly out to L.A. to help work it out right away. I said, of course, I was all in, and 'we can handle my situation later. But I can't go back to my old contract.' Our respective management had a conversation to discuss a new contract and they offered me the same deal. At that point, it was clear there was no opportunity for growth for me, so I declined the offer. And then I called the guys immediately to see where the miscommunication was to resolve it but there was no response. A couple of days later, I received an e-mail from their lawyer that their offer was withdrawn and that they wished me the best. So I left the band early last year and since then I've been focused on my band QUICKSAND as well as working as a producer and writer for other artists and projects. And I'm mentioning this because there was some speculation about me selling my gear and quitting music altogether.

"Out of respect for the people who have held tickets for this tour the past couple of years and everyone who supports the band, I felt it important to bring some clarity to the situation.

"Lots of love and thanks to DEFTONES' amazing fanbase for always being engaged and supportive of the band through good times and bad. I appreciate every single one of you. All my love to the fans that have become friends, the people that have supported my other projects. It brought me so much joy to see DEFTONES shirts at QUICKSAND shows and I will cherish this forever.

"Lastly, thanks so much to the 'TONES. I wish they had the chance to tell you this in person. I want you to know that I appreciate all the years we spent together, writing, performing, being taken into your worlds. I learned a lot from each one of you. When you brought me in, you created a new sense of passion for music that I will always cherish and carry with me. You truly changed my life."

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

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

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

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

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
























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IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain joined Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen's project SMITH/KOTZEN on stage earlier tonight (Tuesday, March 8) at Islington Assembly Hall in London, United Kingdom to perform the MAIDEN classic "Wasted Years". Video of his appearance can be seen below (courtesy of, among others, Eonmusic).

Joining Smith and Kotzen as part of SMITH/KOTZEN's touring band is Richie's wife, internationally acclaimed bass player Julia Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock band BARRA DE SAIA. With a strong pedigree in rock, Lage has played alongside the likes of Pat Travers, Elliot Easton (THE CARS), Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME) and Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY) and VIXEN. In addition, SMITH/KOTZEN has enlisted drummer Bruno Valverde of ANGRA for its U.S. West Coast and European dates.

In a recent interview with Metal Edge magazine's "Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley", Richie stated about how the short tour came together: "What happened was it was all just by timing. Nathalie [Dufresne-Smith, Adrian's wife] and Adrian came into town, and Adrian said, 'Hey, we're gonna be there for a couple of months. You wanna write some more songs?' And we did get together and we did about seven things that are in the works; we have some demo stuff that are in the works. And then we started thinking, 'Man, we're here. Why don't we play?' Julia was in the house and we were talking about it. And it just kind of — boom. It just made sense. 'Let's go. Call Bruno.' And we put it together. It was real easy."

Adrian added that fans can definitely expect to hear more music from SMITH/KOTZEN, which released a full-length album and an EP during 2021.

"We started writing with a view to doing another album, and then we got sidetracked on dates," Smith said. "Like Richie said, we've got six or seven things. It's just taking where we left off with the EP — just writing as we do.

"I don't wanna change the world," he added. "I just wanna make good rock music. It's n there, and you've just gotta do it. You just have to do it, really. It's one of those things."

SMITH/KOTZEN's eponymous debut album was released globally through BMG in March 2021 to media and fan acclaim, charting No. 10 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in the U.S., Top 20 in the U.K. as well as in other major markets such as Germany, Japan and Canada. A follow-up EP, "Better Days", featuring four new tracks was released on November 26 in conjunction with international Record Store Day's Black Friday event.

Smith is best known as one of IRON MAIDEN's principal guitarists, having also enjoyed success as a solo artist. Kotzen is the frontman for THE WINERY DOGS as well as having been the guitarist for both MR. BIG and POISON during his long and acclaimed career, which has to date seen him release more than 20 solo albums. Both artists are also prolific songwriters.






EXCLUSIVE: Nicko McBrain joins Smith Kotzen on stage in London #ironmaiden #wastedyears #Smith Kotzen

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Legendary guitarist Pat Travers and his band have just released a blazing new single, "Push Yourself". Built around Travers's trademark Fender Strat, the track crackles with intensity and bravado. The guitar playing is matched in grittiness and power by Travers's own vocals, which ring out like a wakeup call to anyone thinking that this veteran blues rocker will be resting on his laurels.

As Travers himself puts it: "'Push Yourself' is a mantra I use when I need to get my ass in gear and get stuff done. Pretty simple."

The "Push Yourself" music video, which was assembled using recent live footage of Travers tearing up the stage intercut with scenes from the recent LYNYRD SKYNYRD dramatization "Street Survivors: The True Story Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash", can be seen below.

In addition to the single being available on all digital platforms, it will also be pressed on limited-edition red seven-inch vinyl backed with another new cut, "Full Spectrum", both of which are set to appear on Travers's new studio album coming later this year.

PAT TRAVERS BAND has scheduled a number of concerts this spring and summer, including select dates with CACTUS.

Upcoming shows:

March 12 - Kent Stage, Kent, OH (with CACTUS)

March 13 - Sellersville Theatre, Sellersville, PA (with CACTUS)

March 26 - Uptown Art Expo Fest Altamonte Springs, FL (PAT TRAVERS BAND only)

April 22 - Tampa Bay Seafood & Music Festival - Tampa, FL (PAT TRAVERS BAND only)

April 29 - Backseat Bar & Grill- Winchester, VA (PAT TRAVERS BAND only)

May 20 - Ramona Mainstage- Ramona, CA (PAT TRAVERS BAND only)

June 11 - Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, OH (with CACTUS)

June 12 - Token Lounge, Westland, MI (with CACTUS)

June 16 – Reggie's Rock Club, Chicago, IL (with CACTUS)

June 17 - Wildey Theater- Edwardsville, IL (with CACTUS)

June 18 - The Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL (with CACTUS)

METALLICA played its first concert of 2022 on February 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show, which was reportedly attended by 60,000 fans, featured support from GRETA VAN FLEET and ICE NINE KILLS.

Professionally filmed video of METALLICA's performance of the song "Battery" from the Vegas gig can be seen below.

METALLICA's setlist was as follows:

01. Whiplash

02. Ride The Lightning

03. The Memory Remains

04. Seek & Destroy

05. Fuel

06. One

07. Sad But True

08. Moth Into Flame

09. Wherever I May Roam

10. For Whom The Bell Tolls

11. Creeping Death

12. Fade To Black

13. Master Of Puppets

Encore:

14. Battery

15. Nothing Else Matters

16. Enter Sandman

The Las Vegas show took place more than two months after METALLICA's two 40th-anniversary concerts at Chase Center in San Francisco, California which featured different setlists. They were part of METALLICA's "San Francisco Takeover", a four-day citywide celebration of the band's 40th anniversary that also included a film festival, photo exhibit and curated lineup of smaller venue shows featuring other acts.

Last month, METALLICA announced it will perform only two summer stadium shows in 2022: Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, New York on August 11, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 14. Both shows will feature special guests GRETA VAN FLEET and ICE NINE KILLS.

METALLICA previously played at Highmark Stadium on July 25, 1992, and Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium on July 26, 1992.

This spring, METALLICA will perform at the BottleRock festival in Napa on May 27 and Boston Calling on May 29. The band also has a number of South America and European dates scheduled for spring and early summer.

Formed in 1981 by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, METALLICA has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, having sold nearly 120 million albums worldwide and generating more than 15 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents. The band's several multi-platinum albums include "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "… And Justice For All", "Metallica" (commonly referred to as The Black Album), "Load", "Reload", "St. Anger", "Death Magnetic" and "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", released in November 2016 and charting at No. 1 in 32 countries.

METALLICA's awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, and its 2009 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In June of 2018, the band was awarded one of the most prestigious musical honors in the world: Sweden's Polar Music Prize.

During the question-and-answer portion of his March 1 spoken-word show at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, California, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson was asked how his technique of hitting the high notes has changed over the years as his voice has aged. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I'm not sure it has changed that much. When your voice is very young — I discovered my voice, when I was young, as being quite tinny; it didn't have a lot of [depth] to it. And your voice, it thickens a bit as you get older. And obviously talking for two and a half hours doesn't help. But when you get to hitting high notes… My high end… When I was in the early days — SAMSON and stuff like that — I used to go into my little falsetto thing, but that got blown out of the water when I did [MAIDEN's] 'The Number Of The Beast' [album], because I pushed up into my high register, which is not like a cash register; it's a bit that actually happens in your voice. But it is a kind of high register. As my publisher said — he was a South African gentleman called Ralph Simon, and he worked with Zomba Music. And Ralph, he managed other producers, so he managed Martin Birch and they also managed the guy that did all the DEF LEPPARD albums ['Mutt' Lange]. So, anyway, he would chat to me about this stuff, and when we would do the MAIDEN things, like we'd do 'Run To The Hills', he'd come up [to me and say], [adopts South African accent] 'You have this thing that Mutt does with all of his bands. It's the high frequency thing that makes the Americans go raving mad. You've got that high octave. When you go into it, like 'Run To The Hills', and when you sing, 'Run to the hills, run for your life,' it makes the Americans go raving mad; they can't help themselves.' So I took that advice. I thought, I'd just go to that high octave that makes the Americans go raving mad."

Dickinson's two-month North American spoken-word tour kicked off on January 17 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and will run through the end of March.

Bruce's spoken-word show is split into two parts. The first section sees him take a humorous and often satirical look at the world from his own very personal perspective, treating the audience to private insights into his drive and ambition, peppered with plenty of MAIDEN anecdotes, and a myriad of other experiences encompassing not just the giddy heights but also the extreme lows, as told first-hand in his inimitable anarchic style, punctuated with photographs, videos and sometimes even erupting into song a cappella, to illustrate a point. The final section of the evening is devoted entirely to the aforementioned question-and-answer session, with the opportunity to pose questions on any subject whatsoever. As Bruce's answers are all completely improvised — the more left-field and quirky the question, the more interesting and compelling the response is likely to be.

ZZ TOP will release a new album titled "Raw" that was recorded in connection with the band's wildly popular and critically lauded 2019 Netflix documentary "That Little Ol' Band From Texas". The Grammy-nominated feature from Banger Films and director Sam Dunn includes an interlude that finds the group's classic lineup — Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and the late Dusty Hill — gathering for a very intimate session at Gruene Hall, "the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas." That performance provided the basis for the "Raw" album release.

The album's title is derived from the unfettered and straightforward manner in which the tracks were recorded. As seen in the film, the bandmembers played, for the most part, together within sight of each other in the course of one day. The methodology employed was something of an homage to the way ZZ TOP recorded at the start of its epic five plus decades run at the pinnacle of rock's pantheon.

Billy F. Gibbons served as producer with engineering by Jake Mann and Gary Moon; "Raw" was mixed by Ryan Hewitt. The album's 12 tracks recall the very beginning of the band's recording career ("Brown Sugar" and "Certified Blues" from ZZ TOP's first album) and include many of their major hits ("Legs", "Tush", "La Grange", "Gimme All Your Lovin'") with a definite blues skew ("Blue Jean Blues", "Just Got Paid", "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide") as well as some up-tempo house rockers ("Tube Snake Boogie", "Thunderbird").

"Raw" will be released July 22 by Shelter Records/BMG on 180-gram vinyl, CD and through digital platforms and is dedicated "in righteous memory of Dusty Hill."

The album's liner notes by Billy and Frank explain the approach: "It was, in a very real way, a return to our roots. Just us and the music, no audience of thousands, no concession stands, no parking lot social hour, no phalanx of tour busses. Just us and the music. We knew right then it was a very special circumstance, all of us in the same place at the same time and what a time it most certainly was! It was as bare bones as when we first started touring in a behemoth Chrysler station wagon, driving vast stretches between those early far-flung shows under blackened Texas skies and first hearing our records on the radio. We were bonded as brothers.

"'The Dust' may have left the building but he's still very much with us."

"Raw" track listing:

Side 1

01. Brown Sugar

02. Just Got Paid

03. Heard It On The X

04. La Grange

05. Tush

06. Thunderbird

Side 2

01. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide

02. Gimme All Your Lovin'

03. Blue Jean Blues

04. Certified Blues

05. Tube Snake Boogie

At the same time the new album is being announced, the band's forthcoming "Raw Whisky" tour has been revealed. The first leg of the tour, starting on May 27 in San Diego, California, will see the band on stage in 50 markets across North America, more dates to be announced soon. The tour's title is a hat tip to both the forthcoming album as well as the recent release of ZZ TOP Tres Hombres whisky from Balcones Distilling of Waco, Texas, a flavorful 100 proof mash bill of roasted blue corn, malted barley and rye.

Tickets are on sale for most markets starting March 11.

Tour dates:

May 06 - Niagara Falls, ON - Fallsview Casino Resort

May 29 - Paso Robles, CA - Vina Robles Amphitheatre

Jun. 01 - Redding, CA - Redding Civic Auditorium

Jun. 02 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery

Jun. 05 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Pavilion

Jun. 07 - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Jun. 08 - Walla Walla, WA - Wine Country Amphitheater

Jun. 09 - Spokane, WA - First Interstate Center for the Arts

Jun. 12 - Billings, MT - MetraPark – First Interstate Arena

Jun. 14 - Grand Junction, CO - Las Colonias Park Amphitheater

Jun. 17 - Tucson, AZ - Casino Del Sol's AVA Amphitheater

Jun. 19 - Colorado Springs, CO - Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts

Jun. 21 - Loveland, CO - Budweiser Events Center

Jun. 22 - Grand Island, NE - Fonner Park – Heartland Events Center

Jun. 24 - Park City, KS - Hartman Arena

Jun. 25 - Oklahoma City, OK - Zoo Amphitheatre

Jun. 26 - Little Rock, AR - First Security Amphitheater

Jun. 29 - Rogers, AR - Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion

Jul. 01 - Toledo, OH - Toledo Zoo & Aquarium – Amphitheater

Jul. 02 - Sterling Heights, MI - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Jul. 05 - Fort Wayne, IN - Foellinger Theater

Jul. 09 - Greenville, WI - Greenville Lion's Park

Jul. 22 - Boston, MA - Leader Bank Pavilion

Jul. 23 - Watertown, NY - Watertown Fairgrounds Baseball Diamond

Aug. 27 - Beaver Dam, KY - Beaver Dam Amphitheater

During an interview with Danny Wimmer Presents conducted at last September's Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky, ANTHRAX's Scott Ian and Frank Bello reflected on their first pandemic-era performance which took place two months earlier at Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin.

Scott said: "The first date back was [July] 15th [of 2021], and I think it had been literally 20 months to the day for us since we had finished the 'For All Kings' tour. So, yeah, it was definitely exciting. It was very unreal — that's how it felt for me — because it had been seemingly a long time. I don't know that we've ever gone 20 months in our 40 years [without playing a show]."

Asked if they felt nervous prior to taking the stage at Rock Fest after not performing for so long, Frank said: "Honestly, I did. To be honest with you, I did, because it was so long. And what was it like again. And it was weird to step on the stage. It was, like, 'Am I gonna be all right? Was I in [good] enough shape?' All that stuff. 'Is everything okay? Am I gonna break down?' All that good stuff comes in. But after the first song, it all comes back."

Added Scott: "Similar to Frankie, I was worried about my physical condition, because when you don't use certain muscles for a long time. I do my fair share of headbanging, I guess, at home, if I'm listening to SLAYER or something, but not like being on stage. I was actually worried about hurting myself. But I was okay."

Formed by Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, New York on July 18, 1981, ANTHRAX was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH.

Active over the past five decades, ANTHRAX has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple gold and platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with the "Big Four".

The arrival of 2016's "For All Kings" followed a five-year period during which the group experienced a rebirth of sorts, beginning with ANTHRAX's inclusion on the "Big Four" tour, and continuing with the 2011 release of comeback LP "Worship Music".

GHOST leader Tobias Forge has confirmed to Rolling Stone that the band's new song "Grift Wood", from the upcoming album "Impera", takes aim at Donald Trump-era U.S. vice president Mike Pence who led Christian evangelicals into becoming apologists for what many believe was the most destructive president of modern times, while at the same time preaching righteousness and goodness.

"Let's just say that it can be about someone like him who is ready to serve his entire life's work in pursuit of power, and then justify it by claiming some sort of a religious connection," Forge said. "He's a great example of someone like that. Every basement he has reached, he miraculously finds a new one. It's one of the most evil things I've ever seen — tricking people into believing that they're on their side."

Forge previously revealed the Pence inspiration for "Grift Wood" in a January 2022 interview with Kerrang! magazine. At the time, he said: "That song's about him and anyone like him who's willing to soil everything they've worked for. They definitely qualify for a front-row ticket to Hell. Which is so ironic, because that's what they believe in. [People like that] completely demean themselves, and just eat shit out of someone's ass in order to achieve whatever they're trying to achieve.

"Again, he stands as a symbol for people of all times, where the end game is wrapped with some sort of religious [thing]," Tobias continued. "He's known as this sort of Bible thumper, believing that he has strong faith, and he's just this awful, awful person in any way. He tries to tell the world that he serves God, that he's part of the good side. Whereas at the end of the day, the only thing he wants is power. But it doesn't have to necessarily be all about him. It's about people like him: a lot of politicians, lot of preachers, a lot of clergymen throughout the history of time."

Back in 2018, Forge stated about GHOST's religious imagery: "As a very imaginative kid and grown-up, I just have a natural sort of gravity towards history and religion and stories. The same way that I'm interested in 'Star Wars', I found The Bible compelling. My mom is and has always been very interested in art, so where she has never really been religious, she is extremely liberal, and there was no censorship at home in terms of culture. There was French films playing on TV with people sort of halfway screwing each other, and there was rock and roll music all the time. There was a lot of grown-up culture in my home. She always used to work in art, and she was always very keen on taking me to church — not for mass, but for art. She was interested in the artifacts. I think it's from spending a lot of time in cathedrals and churches. In my hometown where I grew up, there's a very old Catholic church. It has all that sort of lavish Catholic splendor and that sort of flaunting. Every time I'm back in town, I try to go there, because it's an old church and has a lot of history in there. The walls are literally whispering to you. A lot of that was inspirational for what we do now."

"Impera" will be released on March 11 via Loma Vista.

GHOST has just completed its U.S. co-headlining tour with VOLBEAT.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of GHOST'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 2018's "Prequelle".

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 will front the act for its next LP ph

According to Mirror, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife/manager Sharon are leaving Los Angeles and returning to their native United Kingdom due to rising taxes in California.

The legendary heavy metal singer and his wife will reportedly spend most of their time at their home Welders House, in Buckinghamshire.

"We are leaving L.A.," the 73-year-old BLACK SABBATH frontman said, according to Mirror. "We are a bit sad. But the tax is getting too much. I am sad because I really, really like staying and living there."

He added: "If they do the taxes better, then I may come back. I do not know. I am taking my recording studio with me. I am going to build a barn there and make my own studio at Welders. I will still be making music and my band will come over."

Ozzy and Sharon reportedly purchased Welders House from two-time Academy Award-winning special effects legend John Stears in 1993. In her 2013 autobiography, "Extreme: My Autobiography", Sharon said she purchased the home due to its "extreme" distance from any public houses nearby.

Last October, Variety reported that Ozzy and Sharon had partnered with Sony Pictures and Polygram Entertainment for their upcoming biopic. The as-yet-untitled film, which will focus on the love story between the BLACK SABBATH frontman and his wife and manager, will be scripted by Lee Hall, who previously worked on Elton John's "Rocketman". The film is being produced by Sharon and her children Jack and Aimée Osbourne via their label Osbourne Media (which was also behind the Showtime documentary "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" and A&E's "Biography: The Nine Lives Of Ozzy Osbourne"), alongside Michele Anthony and David Blackman on behalf of Polygram Entertainment. Andrea Giannetti is overseeing development for Sony.

In 2020, Ozzy stated about the biopic: "From what I understand, it's about Sharon and I and our relationship. It's how we met, fell in love, and how we married. She's my other half. She grew up a lot with me, and I grew up a lot with her."

"I hope it will be a story that everybody can relate to," Sharon said. "You don't have to be a fan of the music, because it's a story about a survivor. No matter what life throws at you, you pick yourself up and you start again. It's just an amazing story of overcoming everything that's thrown at you in your life."

Sharon added that the film will be "a lot more real" than the QUEEN biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody". "We don't want it to be squeaky, shiny clean and all of that," she said. "We're not making it for kids. It's an adult movie for adults."

Sharon's father, former music mogul Don Arden, became known as the "Al Capone of pop" and the "English Godfather" for his tough-guy business practices while overseeing the careers of acts ranging from ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA to BLACK SABBATH. Arden and his daughter became estranged in 1982 after she took over the management of Ozzy's solo career, also marrying the singer. Father and daughter were not on good terms for nearly 20 years until reconciling in 2002.

Sharon had to pay her father $1 million in a court settlement after she gained control of Ozzy's affa

In a new interview with Metal Edge, MINISTRY leader Al Jourgensen confirmed that he has already commenced work on the follow-up to "Moral Hygiene", which was released last October via Nuclear Blast Records. "We have eight songs recorded right now, and even my engineer went, 'This is total arena rock, dude,'" he said. "And I really feel like after that one, we have one more in us, which would be our 19th album. I don't think I'm gonna hit 20, but I'm pretty certain we're gonna have 19 by the time we're done. So we'll see. I mean, who knows, man? The world is just in such a state of fucking flux. You don't know what's gonna happen next fucking week. But this new record, it's fun stuff."

Asked if he was into any arena rock or hair metal stuff back in the 1980s, Al said: "No, not at all. I didn't know any of... to this day, outside of 'Girls, Girls, Girls' or something, I couldn't even name you a MÖTLEY CRÜE song. That's not something that I would listen to. I'm sure it's really great and all that, but when I say arena rock, I don't mean that this album's going to be a hair-band fucking album. I mean, it's MINISTRY, right? I'm just saying that the chord progressions and the sound of it is just much more… we don't go off on eclectic tangents as much. These are hard-hitting beats that are in your face, and that you could visualize 20,000 people knowing the lyrics to the songs and chanting along. So the music lends itself more towards a larger stadium atmosphere."

MINISTRY's "Industrial Strength" tour kicked off on March 2. In addition to Jourgensen, MINISTRY's touring lineup includes drummer Roy Mayorga, guitarists Cesar Soto and Monte Pittman, bassist Paul D'Amour and keyboardist John Bechdel. Due to overwhelming demand, MINISTRY added 13 new dates with the tour now running through April 18.

"Moral Hygiene" is MINISTRY's 15th studio album and added to many "best of 2021" year-end lists, including Loudwire, Consequence Of Sound, Punk News and XS Rock (where it was ranked the No. 1 album of the year). It features some of the project's strongest and most inspired material to date, the creative masterwork of founder and creator Jourgensen who spent the pandemic pause ruminating on the new world we as a society have found ourselves in — while pondering just what we are going to do about it.

The 10 tracks are a follow-up to 2018's lauded "AmeriKKKant" and put forth Jourgensen's societal manifesto and plea for civilization to get back to a set of standards that lives up to and embraces our humanity. Singles have included "Alert Level" (sounding the alarm on the state society is in), "Good Trouble" (a rallying cry to fight for human rights in homage to civil rights leader John Lewis), "Disinformation" (the dangers of consuming mass media without critical thinking) and "Search And Destroy" (the unique take on THE STOOGES classic). The latter features guitar virtuoso Billy Morrison (Billy Idol, ROYAL MACHINES) who is also heavily featured on a number of songs on the al

Hardcore legends TERROR will release their eighth full-length album, "Pain Into Power", on May 6 via Pure Noise Records. The LP finds the band reuniting with founding guitarist and current NAILS mastermind Todd Jones who produced the explosive new record. The resulting album is TERROR boiled down to their most primal and viscerally effective form: 20 minutes of unrelenting hardcore fury that never goes out of style.

To mark the announcement, TERROR has shared the album's pummeling first single, "Can't Help But Hate", which features guest vocals from none other than George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher of CANNIBAL CORPSE. Clocking in at a minute and 26 seconds, "Can't Help But Hate" wastes no time in making it clear that TERROR are as vitriolic as ever. The song flies out of the gate with a crushing riff before launching into a blistering verse and a chorus assisted by Fisher's guttural roar.

TERROR vocalist Scott Vogel states: "Todd is super intense and focused and analyzes all angles of songs and band situations. Sometimes I think he might know more about TERROR than I do! Watching him create songs is inspiring because he was so invested in this album. And that was what we needed because TERROR has done this so many times.

"This song is a fusion of Jordan and Todd Jones's riffs. Pushed forward by possibly the fastest drumming TERROR has ever had. Lyrics that everyone can easily relate to while living in a world crashing deeper into insanity day after day. And, of course, the addition of Corpsegrinder's vocals makes this minute and twenty six second track super unique for TERROR's eighth LP."

For two decades, TERROR has been a constant presence in the world of hardcore. The long-running band has toured and released new music relentlessly, managing to keep up an unparalleled level of intensity that's made them one of the genre's most respected bands. Now with "Pain Into Power", the band is drawing a line between their past and present. Where many bands would rest on their well-earned laurels, TERROR pushes forward, and with Jones returning to the fold they've created created an extraordinarily aggressive album that's essential to longtime fans and new listeners alike.

"Power Into Pain" track listing:

01. Pain Into Power

02. Unashamed

03. Boundless Contempt

04. Outside The Lies

05. One Thousand Lies

06. Can't Let It Go

07. Can't Help But Hate

08. The Hardest Truth

09. On The Verge of Violence

10. Prepare For The Worst

11. Dead At Birth

TERROR — whose current lineup is made up of vocalist Scott Vogel, drummer Nick Jett, guitarists Martin Stewart and Jordan Posner, and bassist Chris Linkovich — was founded in 2002 by Vogel, Jett, and Jones, with the latter leaving the band a few years later and eventually forming the brutal hardcore-by-way-of-death-metal outfit NAILS. When the world was put on hold at the start of 2020, Vogel reached out to Jones about the idea of working on a project. They began writing songs together again and quickly found their old creative chemistry was more than intact. TERROR and Jones marked the moment with 2021's "Trapped In A World", a live-in-the-studio rerecording of songs from the band's earliest releases, and the experience was so satisfying that the team soon turned their attention to making a brand new TERROR album.

With Jones at the production helm and Matt Hyde engineering/mixing (whose previous work includes TERROR's landmark album "Keepers Of The Faith", as well as releases from the DEFTONES, SLAYER, HATEBREED, and more), the band convened at Jett's Jet To Mars Studio with the goal of making an album that captures the unhinged kinetic energy of TERROR's earlier work filtered through 20 years of seasoned musicianship.

"Todd's whole approach to, and vision for, this record was to make it just full-on aggression from the minute it starts to the minute it ends," Vogel explains. "That goes back to our first EP, 'Lowest Of The Low', which Todd was writing on. This album is maybe even more turned-up, even faster, even more abrasive. TERROR post-Todd has stayed the course along that aggressive, hard-hitting, fast, in-your-face hardcore that doesn't stray from the path too much–but he really wanted this one to be straight insanity that doesn't let up."

And it doesn't. Clocking in at a lean 20 minutes, "Pain Into Power" is TERROR boiled down to their most primal and effective state. The title track and opener offers the perfect introduction, just 53 seconds of crushing hardcore that demonstrates the band's unparalleled intensity and the undeniable spark in their work with Jones.

"I obviously know TERROR," says Vogel, "but this album still hit me harder than I expected. When people listen to this album, I hope they think 'this is TERROR, but this is the TERROR record I was hoping for and needed,' and it hits them harder than we've hit them before."

The pummeling sound isn't the only source of fury found on "Pain Into Power". Whereas in the past Vogel's lyrics have often pushed through darkness to channel a sense of positivity, the vocalist found that sentiment to be in shorter supply.

"We've always walked that line between positivity and negativity," Vogel says. "
Songs that are pure anger and songs that say 'the world's a shitty place but you've got the inner strength — and maybe this music and this scene — to help you through it.' But a lot of these new songs are very angry and dark. I've tried my best to stay positive but, with this vibe of unrelenting musical destruction, it was a little bit harder to bring out that positive side."

But "Pain Into Power" doesn't lack TERROR's unstoppable sense of defiance. Amidst all of the personal and societal bleakness addressed on the album, there's also resilience. "On The Verge of Violence" takes a hard look at the overwhelming issues of addiction, violence, and prejudice that permeate the country, while elsewhere "Outside The Lies" acts as a rejection of the corrupt institutions that exacerbate them; the former offering a chorus as memorable as it is vicious and the latter a 45-second blastbeat-to-breakdown stomper. On "Unashamed", Vogel reaffirms his lifelong devotion to hardcore and the sense of community and solidarity he found within it. The song fittingly includes guest vocals from YEAR OF THE KNIFE's Madison Watkins and INITIATE's Crystal Pak, two of modern hardcore's most exciting new bands. Another album highlight, "Can't Help But Hate", features a guttural appearance from CANNIBAL CORPSE vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, making his colossal presence felt amongst the frenzied music. The album's guest vocalists highlight TERROR's unique ability to draw a line between different eras and styles of aggressive music. It's an example of the genuine dedication to both platforming new groups and fostering an appreciation for the greats that has allowed TERROR to connect with longtime fans and new listeners alike for so many years.

"Genuinely loving hardcore and what it's all about is important," Vogel says. "It keeps us in touch and wanting to stay involved in the current climate and stay engaged with the younger bands and the vibe they bring to the scene."

The final guest vocal appearance on "Pain Into Power" comes from Jones himself, who puts his roaring stamp on late album standout "The Hardest Truth". It's a full-circle moment that brings the band's history into lockstep with their relentless drive to move forward.

Where many bands would be content to rest on a well-earned legacy, TERROR have kept pushing themselves while also staying one hundred percent true to who they are, who they've always been, and who they'll always be. Even after 20 years, TERROR's thirst for riffs, self-expression, and stage dives remains unquenched, or at Vogel succinctly puts it: "I want kids to connect with the lyrics because they know they're coming from a genuine person, and I want them to get floored by the music so that when they see us play live they can't help but jump off someone's head."

THE DEAD DAISIES have entered a North Hollywood, California studio to begin recording their new album. The follow-up to 2021's "Holy Ground" is tentatively due later this year.

"Holy Ground" was released in January 2021. Recorded at La Fabrique Studios in the south of France with producer Ben Grosse, the LP was the band's first to feature Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), who joined the group in 2019 as its new bassist and vocalist, replacing John Corabi (MÖTLEY CRÜE) and Marco Mendoza (THIN LIZZY).

Drummer Deen Castronovo (JOURNEY) announced his exit from THE DEAD DAISIES in January 2021, two days after the band's publicist revealed that Tommy Clufetos (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK SABBATH) would rejoin THE DEAD DAISIES when they hit the road in support of "Holy Ground". Clufetos previously toured with THE DEAD DAISIES in 2015.

Two months ago, THE DEAD DAISIES announced the return of drummer extraordinaire Brian Tichy to the musical collective of Hughes, Doug Aldrich (guitar) and David Lowy (guitar).

Brian first joined THE DEAD DAISIES in 2013 during the U.S. "Uproar" tour and has regularly played with the band ever since, including highlights in Cuba, in Poland with an immense orchestra at the Woodstock Festival (Poland) and performed on the "Revolución" and "Make Some Noise" albums. He is also known for playing with WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER and OZZY OSBOURNE, among others.




Brian & Doug hit the LA studios... Set up drums today and gettin' sounds tomorrow before the recording process starts!! ????

Let the ROCK begin! ⚡️⚡️#TheDeadDaisies #InTheStudio pic.twitter.com/O2sqjDADpZ

— The Dead Daisies (@TheDeadDaisies) March 7, 2022








Officially day 1 in the studio for the new Dead Daisies record! We can’t wait for you to hear it! ??? pic.twitter.com/q6z4XLCFwv

— The Dead Daisies (@TheDeadDaisies) March 8, 2022




























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GRAHAM BONNET BAND will release a new studio album, "Day Out In Nowhere", on May 13 via Frontiers Music Srl. The official music video for the LP's first single, "Imposter", can be seen below.

Graham is joined by longtime bandmates Beth-Ami Heavenstone (bass) and Conrado Pesinato (guitar) on this new opus, as well as keyboardist Alessandro Bertoni and drummer Shane Gaalaas. "Day Out In Nowhere" also sees performance and co-writing guest appearances from Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE), John Tempesta (THE CULT, WHITE ZOMBIE), Mike Tempesta (POWERMAN 5000), Roy Z (HALFORD, BRUCE DICKINSON) and Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW), to name a few.

Explains Bonnet of the new album: "Similar to the first two [GRAHAM BONNET BAND] albums, it will reflect different eras of my career, but with a contemporary twist. I'm also delighted to be playing with the original members of the GRAHAM BONNET BAND: Beth-Ami Heavenstone who has been my constant partner (on and off stage) since meeting back in 2012 and guitarist Conrado Pesinato, whose innate musical style elicits some of my best songwriting. Conrado and Beth-Ami also produced this record which made the process seamless."

Bonnet is a hard rock legend with a pedigree to back that statement up. His solo offerings and stints with RAINBOW, MSG, ALCATRAZZ and IMPELLITTERI prove he is one of the finest rock vocalists and songwriters of his generation. From his late 60s into his 70s, Graham has written and recorded three of the best albums he's ever done, including a reunion album with ALCATRAZZ called "Born Innocent" in 2020, along with two regal, rocking and yet irresistibly sophisticated records with his cherished GRAHAM BONNET BAND. "The Book", which was met with zeal by fans the world over, arrived in 2016, followed by the well-loved "Meanwhile, Back In The Garage" in 2018.

It is with this elegant late-career outfit, GRAHAM BONNET BAND, that this consummate powerhouse of a vocalist and charmer of a frontman brings us "Day Out In Nowhere".

Expect Graham to hit the tour trail with his usual passion and energy combining the classics with some new gems.

"Day Out In Nowhere" track listing:

01. Imposter

02. 12 Steps To Heaven

03. Brave New World (feat. Roy Z

04. Uncle John

05. Day Out In Nowhere

06. The Sky Is Alive

07. David's Mom

08. When We're Asleep (feat. Mike Tempesta, John Tempesta)

09. It's Just a Frickin' Song (feat. Don Airey)

10. Jester (feat. Jeff Loomis, Kyle Hughes)

11. Suzy

GRAHAM BONNET BAND is:

Vocals: Graham Bonnet

Guitars: Conrado Pesinato

Bass: Beth-Ami Heavenstone

Guest musicians:

Keys: Alessandro Bertoni

Drums: Levi Dokus

Drums: Shane Gaalaas

Guitars: Jeff Loomis

Acoustic Guitar: Takanori Ozaki

Drums: Kyle Hughes

Drums: John Tempesta

Guitars: Mike Tempesta

Guitars: Roy Z

Orchestral Arrangement: Shota Nakama and Antonio Teoli

GENERATION KILL, the band featuring former EXODUS frontman Rob Dukes, has released the official music video for the single "Dogs Of War" featuring John Joseph (CRO-MAGS, BLOODCLOT). The track is taken from GENERATION KILL's new album, "MKUltra", which is out now via Blood Blast Distribution and Art Is War Records. The album features additional guest appearances by Gary Holt (SLAYER, EXODUS), Chris Poland (MEGADETH, OHM:) and Grammy Award-winning pianist Ronnie King, who guests on the final track, "La Fin Du Monde".

Dukes commented: "'Dogs Of War' was so much fun to write and create with the boys. I said, 'I want a song that John Joseph will sing on,' so that's what Jay Velez and the boys delivered. Then I wrote the lyrics, recorded it and then called John to ask if he will sing on the song. I sent him the track and then 10 minutes later, he called to say that he loved it, so we got him in the studio and he killed it. John has such a distinct voice and style that it just killed on this track. It's such an honor to have one of the entire band's hero on our album."

Joseph added: "GENERATION KILL's new record, 'MKultra', is fucking brutal on so many levels — hard riffs and lyrics that mean something. The pit is going to get extremely violent over this one."

GENERATION KILL was formed by Dukes in New York City in 2008. Rob, on hiatus from touring with EXODUS, wanted to funnel his excess creative energy and aggression into something new. After the inclusion of Jason Trenczer, Lou Lehman and Sam Inzerra, the band began writing and recording its first album, "Red, White, & Blood", featuring several singles, including "Feast For The Wolves" and "Hate" as well as a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS track "Wish" which enjoyed heavy radio rotation.

Due to creative differences with Inzerra and the untimely death of guitarist Lou Lehman, Jay Velez and Jim DeMaria (HEATHEN) joined and began recording GENERATION KILL's sophomore album, "We're All Gonna Die", with renowned producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED). Shortly after its release, the band embarked on a European tour with fellow EXODUS member Lee Altus's band HEATHEN. The album spawned several successful singles, including "Prophets Of War" which went to No. 1 on SiriusXM Liquid Metal's "Dirty Dozen" and remained one of the top requested songs on the channel.

Following the success of "We're All Gonna Die", drummer Rob Youells joined GENERATION KILL and they went into the studio, this time with ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal to record an album with a founding member of RUN-D.M.C., Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels. The project was initially titled DMC GENERATION KILL before becoming its own entity, later renamed FRAGILE MORTALS.

Recorded once again with Nick Bellmore (HATEBREED, CORPSEGRINDER), "MKUltra" incorporates everything an aficionado of the thrash metal genre has been longing to hear for the last decade: crunchy riffing, capturing melodies and killer solos mixed with brutal, thought-provoking lyrics. Their heaviest album to date, the album showcases the diverse musical backgrounds of each seasoned band member, a signature sound which has defined and allowed GENERATION KILL to remain a band without limitations.

Photo credit: Melody Myers