New York's Sanhedrin has issued a guitar playthrough video for "Correction", the first single from their upcoming Metal Blade Records album, Lights On, set for worldwide release on March 4. Watch below:





The Brooklyn power trio do metal the old school way, channeling the greats that preceded them to create something that is instantly familiar, yet with a new, modern energy to it. On this particular track, vocalist / bassist Erica Stoltz explains, "The pandemic put the unbridled excess of humanity on hold. The reference was a play on the term 'correction' as used in economics. The comparison is between the slow roll of global death by virus and other man-made instantaneous destructors like atomic bombs."




Rounded out by Jeremy Sosville on guitars, and drummer Nathan Honor, the band states, "In a time where the world around you feels like it's aflame, when our heavy metal heroes are beginning to disappear to failing health or changing social norms, we, Sanhedrin, stand here as a shining light through the dark. We are prepared to fly the flag of heavy metal in these trying and uncertain times and have only begun to show the world what we are capable of."





Lights On can be pre-ordered in the following formats at this location.


- jewelcase-CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- pale blue grey marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- clear ochre brown marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- orange red brown marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- deep violet marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- clear gray brown marbled vinyl (US exclusive)





Tracklisting:


"Correction"
"Lights On"
"Lost At Sea"
"Change Takes Forever"
"Code Blue"
"Scythian Women"
"Hero's End"
"Death Is A Door"


"Correction":





Sanhedrin is slated for festival appearances across Europe and the US this year, with full-fledged tours in the works on both sides of the Atlantic. Details of confirmed concerts can be found here.


(Photo - Suzanne Abramson)

Swedish prog-rock legends, The Flower Kings, return with the latest full-length offering in their 25-year history, By Royal Decree, out on March 4 via InsideOut Music. Order the album here, and watch a video for the third single, "Revolution", below.


Lead singer and guitarist Roine Stolt comments: “The songs on the new double album come from a whole lot of different places in time and space, often a combination of themes gathered from older ideas born before The Flower Kings emerged in 1994, mixed with brand new ideas. 'Revolution’ is that kind of a song; a mini epic that is reflecting a number of themes spanning this album, cinematic and sometimes bombastic. A celebration of creation and the evolution, making the world what it is, through the million years of  fire, brimstone, ice ages, floods, devastation, pain and finally… beauty, colors, flowers, the vast oceans of life and new life out of the darkness & raging volcanos. The miracle! The song is yet another piece of the larger scale composition that is By Royal Decree - a sort of modern 2022 Rock Opera if you will. A landmark album from this band that we’re all incredibly proud of!”


"Revolution" also features a guest appearance from Jonas Lindberg, who plays bass on this track.







The group’s third studio record since introducing drummer Mirko DeMaio and keyboardist Zach Kamins into the lineup is a vintage affair in many respects. With virtually no touring to endeavour upon for the last two years, the band was free to focus on recording new material, as well as reviewing things left on the cutting room floor from previous sessions.


Roine Stolt elaborates on going into the way back machine for the new record, saying, “It was great to dig into that old treasure island of 'forgotten TFK music before TFK ever existed’ and re-connecting made me realize why and what The Flower Kings are. This album is a journey through my history as a writer and my ‘middle age’ saga reflecting on that.”


Another significant change is that founding member Michael Stolt returns after more than two decades to contribute bass and vocals, splitting duties with current bassist Jonas Reingold.


Available on Limited 2CD Digipal, Limited 180g 3LP+2CD Box-set & as Digital Album.





Tracklisting:


Disc 1
"The Great Pretender"
"World Gone Crazy"
"Blinded"
"A Million Stars"
"The Soldier"
"The Darkness In You"
"We Can Make It Work"
"Peacock On Parade"
"Revolution"


Disc 2
"Time The Great Healer"
"Letter"
"Evolution"
"Silent Ways"
"Moth"
"The Big Funk"
"Open Your Heart"
"Shrine"
"Funeral Pyres"


"A Million Stars" video:





"The Great Pretender":





(Photo - Lillian Forsberg)

Respected Danish hard rock singer/songwriter, Ronnie Atkins of Pretty Maids, has released a video for the title track of his upcoming studio album, Make It Count, out March 18. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Make It Count on CD/LP/Digital here.


The electrifying melodic hard rock masterpiece Make It Count will be released almost one year to the day after the release of Atkins' last solo album, the critically acclaimed One Shot. Rather than hyperbole from the record label, we'll let Ronnie tell the story of Make It Count in his own words....


"Me and my great team of musicians followed exactly the same procedure as we did with One Shot, since I still feel a bit like I am racing against time because of my diagnosis. So, I basically sent my songs to Chris [Laney, producer], who would then work on a demo. When we were satisfied with the arrangements, I would then record the vocals and then the individual musicians laid down their tracks. I already had quite a few ideas from when One Shot was released back in March 2021 and continued writing on and off through the spring and summer of 2021. The album was then recorded between April and October 2021," explains Atkins.




"Let me also state that I felt pretty good during the whole process, at least physically. And this time, I had the chance to actually meet with some of the musicians in-person because the Covid-19 restrictions were not as tough as they were back in 2020 when we recorded the last album," adds Atkins.


As for the music, Ronnie says, "Once again it was quite an easy going process!! Some of the songs were written on piano and some of them on guitar. I write the way I write, which means that the melodies and toplines are the first priority. If I feel I got a good song with the right chord structure and a strong melody that sticks in my head, then I know I’m on to something good and from there it can only get better. And that’s when I send it on to Chris Laney, who then listens to it with a new set of ears and comes back with his input about the arrangement and additional little bits and pieces. As said, it is an easy going process since we’re on the same page and that’s a great way of collaborating. Style wise, it’s basically just melodic pop/rock songs, so to speak, that we turn into something suitable for those who followed me all those years. To me, a good song is a good song and then it’s a matter of how you wrap it up."


He continues, "Finally, the great thing about doing this is that I don’t have to argue with anyone whether it’s too pop or too lightweight, etc. I do what I do, 'cause that’s what I like and I’m my own boss for these solo albums and therefore, also the only one to take responsibility if it doesn’t live up to people's expectations. But, this is what I wanna do at this stage of my life and I think I’m convinced that “Make It Count“ is a great melodic rock album and I hope the fans won’t be disappointed."


As to the lyrical themes on the album, Ronnie says, "The lyrics are always the hardest part of an album from my perspective!! It’s way easier for me to write a song than a lyric, to be honest. But of course it varies. Sometimes you already have the title and the topic when you’re writing the song and at other times you’re just out of ideas. This time, it was tough at times since my health issues are somehow in my subconsciousness 24/7. No matter what I do, I’m being confronted with it everyday one way or the other. So, some of the songs are touching on this issue of course, can’t help it. That said, I’m also trying to give it a positive twist, meaning that we just have to get the best out of life and love the one we’re with while we’re here. It’s just impossible to write about sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll or whatever living with a life threatening disease and a dagger hangin' above your head!!! Or it is for me, at least! So, bottom line, I guess the lyrical content on this album is partly about the aforementioned topics, the climate, and in general, topics that make sense to everyone without being political."


Since the start of his rock 'n roll journey with Pretty Maids, Ronnie Atkins has consistently gifted fans with quality, melodic rock and Make It Count delivers again in spades.





Tracklisting:


"I've Hurt Myself (By Hurting You)"
"Unsung Heroes"
"Rising Tide"
"Remain To Remind Me"
"The Tracks We Leave Behind"
"All I Ask Of You"
"Grace"
"Let Love Lead The Way"
"Blood Cries Out"
"Easier To Leave (Than Being Left Behind)"
"Fallen"
"Make It Count"


"Make It Count" video:





"Rising Tide" video:





"Unsung Heroes" video:





Lineup:


Ronnie Atkins: Lead and backing vocals
Chris Laney: Rhythm & Lead guitar, keyboards
Allan Sørensen: Drums
Pontus Egberg: Bass
Morten Sandager: Keyboards
Linnéa Vikström Egg: Backing vocals
John Berg: Guitars
Oliver Hartmann: Guitars
Pontus Norgren: Guitars
Anders Ringman: Acoustic guitars


(Photo - Tallee Savage)

On March 25, Southern California metal masters, Night Demon, will release a special compilation album - titled Year Of The Demon - via Century Media Records. Comprised of the band's five standalone 7" singles from 2020, this 10-track collection features original songs, cover tunes, and previously unheard live recordings. Pre-order Year Of The Demon here.


For a preview of the record, Night Demon has launched a new single - a cover version of Thin Lizzy's classic "The Sun Goes Down" - which can be heard below:


:




Jarvis Leatherby (vocals / bass) comments: "2020 was certainly the 'Year Of The Demon' in so many ways! Never in our wildest imagination would we be releasing (5) 7" singles in a calendar year, and nowhere in our fans' imagination would one of the hardest touring bands of the last decade be sidelined (along with the rest of the world) by this virus that demonized our lives. We are proud to finally release these songs as a complete collection and include the rare B-sides that only saw the light of day on the collector's record player. Here's to 2022 and the future bringing us all something more to hope for. We have a lot more to come this year!"


When the world came to a gut-wrenching halt in March 2020, Night Demon's extensive touring plans were derailed; however, their creative flame burned brighter than ever. In the spring and summer of 2020, the band unleashed a series of five standalone, limited 7" singles, which their loyal legions voraciously devoured; all physical product sold out instantly. Aside from the original songs (which were also released on digital/streaming platforms), the single recordings were exclusive to the 7" vinyl pressings; they have never been made available to the public for purchase in any other format - until now, with Year Of The Demon.


Year of the Demon formats:


- Digital Album
- Ltd. CD Edition
- Black LP
- Silver LP [limited run: available at Nuclear Blast (100 units) and USA outlets (1000 units)]
- Lilac LP [limited run: available at CM Distro (500 units)]
- Sky Blue LP [limited run: band exclusive (300 units)]


Art by Don Phury.





Tracklisting:


“Empires Fall”
“Kill The Pain”
“Are You Out There”
“Vysteria”
“In Trance” (Scorpions cover, live feat. Uli Jon Roth)
“Fast Bikes” (LeGriffe cover)
“100 MPH” (Cirith Ungol cover feat. Tim Baker)
“The Sun Goes Down” (Thin Lizzy cover)
“Wasted Years” (Iron Maiden cover, live)
“Top Of The Bill” (Scorpions cover, live feat. Uli Jon Roth)


“100 MPH”:





(Photo – Peter Beste)

Italian progressive death metal legends Sadist (feat. Obscura's Jeroen Paul Thesseling and ex-Necrophagist's Romain Goulon) have released a lyric video for the new single, "Finger Food". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, Firescorched, out May 20 via Agonia Records.





Firescorched is the fastest, highly experimental and most extreme album of Sadist's career. The songs are fresh, embrace blast beats and give away a horror vibe, in combination with gloomy and anguished lyrics. The band's adventurous style, featuring jazz and Middle-Eastern influences, pierces through a veil of progressive death metal that cloaks nine new compositions (eleven, if counting two bonus songs).




The band's personnel includes - besides constant member, co-founder, guitarist and keyboardist Tommy Talamanca - long-running vocalist Trevor Sadist (with the band since 1996), new virtuoso drummer Romain Goulon (ex-Necrophagist, ex-Benighted) and fretless bass master Jeroen Paul Thesseling (Obscura, ex-Pestilence).


"Firescorched can be described as Sadist 2.0," comments Talamanca. "It's not a real concept album in the classical meaning of the word, despite the fact that most of the lyrics are somehow connected. Some of them are real horror stories, and the whole album sounds really creepy. We all love the cover artwork, which adds to that feeling."


The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Tommy Talamanca at Nadir Music Studios in Genoa (Italy) with artwork design by Paolo Puppo.





 A full list of available album formats, alongside pre-orders, can be found here.





Tracklisting:


“Accabadora”
“Fleshbound”
“Finger Food”
“Burial Of A Clown”
“Loa”
“Aggression/Regression”
“Three Mothers And The Old Devil Father”
“Trauma (Impaired Mind Functionality”
“Firescorched”
“Rerek”*
“Accabadora (Atitai)*


* Box CD bonus tracks


(Photo by Maridelsole; edited by Svetlana Fomina)

Dagoba return with the fourth single from their upcoming album, By Night, entering the last round before the album’s release tomorrow. The new single, “City Lights”, shines as a catchy hymn driven by shredding guitar riffs and rough vocal power – just one example that proves By Night is modern metal at its absolute finest!


Dagoba on “City Lights”: "Fasten your seatbelts and play our fourth single as loud as possible! Tight riffing and singalong chorus vocal lines - we are proud to present you what we love doing: pure Dagoba music!"







Dagoba on the release of By Night: "We are super stoked to finally release our eighth studio album! The wait has been long since we gave you Black Nova, but now it's time for a new Dagoba era. Join our story, dive into our universe, and discover By Night as a full journey. We are beyond proud of this new album, and we can't wait to play it live for our fans!"


Dagoba deftly aces the balancing act between harsh breakdowns, dense walls of sound and grooving passages with ease. Even in its hardest passages, the album never gets too overwhelming - one smashing track is followed by the next, moving breathlessly with ease. By Night is a beast of an album showcasing how far Dagoba can take a multitude of influences and styles and combine them effortlessly. This is a must-have for true fans of searing modern metal.


Dagoba on the creation process of By Night: “We live in challenging times, and that’s not only because of the strength-sapping pandemic. Sometimes the world seems to be a dark place. We know it’s an ambitious project, but we really want our fans to feel good, and contribute to their happiness. Therefore, we deliver our blend of metal music. During the weeks and months in the lockdown period we had so much time to have a focus on the album production. We could look at every detail in each track, and after all By Night has become our most accomplished album so far. We are really happy with the new record and cannot wait to share it with our fans and the world.”





Varying in individual territories, By Night will be available digitally, as a CD (bundled with an exclusive t-shirt), as well as black and exclusive red transparent vinyl. Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Neons"
"The Hunt"
"Sunfall"
"Bellflower Drive"
"On The Run"
"Break"
"City Lights"
"Nightclub"
"Summer's Gone"
"The Last Crossing"
"Stellar"


“On The Run” video:





"The Last Crossing" video:





"The Hunt" video:





Dagoba is:


Shawter - vocals/machines
Ritch DM - guitar
Kawa - bass
Theo - drums





(Photo - Morgane Khouni)

Goth 'n' Roll pioneers The 69 Eyes have been haunting stages all over the world for 33 years and seem to be a truly immortal part of the dark rock/metal scene. Widely known as the Helsinki Vampires, the quintet gained several platinum albums with Blessed Be and Paris Kills, and not only reached #1 of the single and album charts in their home country of Finland, but also plunged the world into a sinful cosmos of love, death and melancholy, while outliving any other band emerging from the goth hype of the early 2000s.


By developing their sound further into sleaze rock on Devils (2004) and Angels (2007) and not shying away from pitch black Elvis allusions in singer Jyrki 69’s dark voice and unique onstage dance moves, the band has established a worldwide following. Over the course of over three decades, the band has toured relentlessly throughout Europe, America, Asia and Australia and released 12 full-length studio albums.


Today, The 69 Eyes announce their signing to Atomic Fire Records (worldwide excluding Finland). Singer Jyrki 69 comments this unholy new alliance:




"We are back in a full swing!! Our paths here in Helsinki crossed with our old A&R guy Gabi Hakanen who was with us when we released our highest selling albums Devils and Angels, so as he heard our new demos, we sort of just continued like right after last time. So he got us on his label's studio right away now at Vallila Music House (Hanoi Rocks' Sami Yaffa, Ville Valo & The Agents etc). Simultaneously, we also hooked up with the brand new Atomic Fire Records label which has our classic former Nuclear Blast dream team there, so this 'new' and fresh beginning for The 69 Eyes sounds like a dream, really! New big-time rocking music comes out very soon!”


CEO and A&R Markus Wosgien adds:


"We are more than happy to welcome our beloved Helsinki Vampires, the most unique and by far coolest Gothic band in hell and on earth. We worked together for more than ten years and their latest four studio albums, and will continue now, reunited under the Atomic Fire banner. This feels like coming home to all of us and we are honored to continue our long term relationship."





The 69 Eyes are:


Jyrki 69 - vocals
Bazie - guitars
Timo Timo - guitars
Archzie - bass
Jussi 69 - drums

Ted Nugent has once again spoken out aganist the campaign to kick podcast host Joe Rogan off Spotify for allegedly spreading false narratives about the coronavirus.

Last month, critics said Joe uses his "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast to peddle dangerous misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines to his millions of listeners. A backlash followed, including legendary rocker Neil Young removing his music from the streaming platform and a petition demanding action from Spotify signed by hundreds of doctors, scientists and public health professionals.

Nugent weighed in on the controversy swirling around Rogan's podcast during today's (Wednesday, February 14) edition of "The Nightly Nuge", a news-style clip in which Ted offers his take on the news of our world every night "in a concise, fiery fashion that [is] totally Ted." He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have great admiration and respect for Joe. He's carved out a meaningful, positive force that's not just good for his family and friends, but I think it's good for America; I think it's good for humankind because his podcast is the number one podcast on planet Earth. And what is a podcast but a celebration of dialogue and communication — not just a respect and indulgence of alternative points of views, but the pursuit and celebration of alternative points of view. So he's really cut a niche for himself that goes far beyond anybody else I can really think of."

Ted, who has been a guest on Joe's show three times, continued: "I was on Howard Stern's radio show going all the way back to the '70s and I've watched him turn into an isolated jackass, really, not really respecting alternative points of view and presuming and falsely accusing me, for example. So, where I've had a good time with people like Howard Stern, who's a powerful force in the media, but he was never a journalist, he was never a truth seeker. And Joe Rogan has accomplished that with much aplomb, dare I say.

"Joe Rogan was brave and courageous and unafraid to bring on other people's views and experiences and points of views, including word-class, revered epidemiologists and virologists to bring in truth about certain medicines and certain emergency shots," Nugent added. "So, God bless Joe Rogan.

"Be afraid of nothing. Get all the information you possibly can. And if you rely on your instinct, data, footage, documents, evidence… You can go to the Nuremberg trial for some information, I suspect.

"Joe Rogan has been a pioneer, a paradigm pusher, a paradigm destroyer, and I love that, because the most important thing for knowledge to power — critical thinking. Joe Rogan is a great critical thinker. That's why the propaganda ministry can't stand him. Perfect."

This is not the first time Nugent has been critical of Stern. Back in January 2014, Ted took to his Facebook page to write in a since-deleted post: "Howard Stern is a punkass liar making absurd claims about me he knows damn well are 180' contrary to my universally known beliefs & clearly articulated statements in 1000s of interviews over more than 40 years about guns including many on his own shows. Can the guy be so dishonest as to pretend he doesn't know? I dare the liar to attempt to debate me instead of lying in the safe TedFreeZone of his studio protected by the guns he & his securityboys carry. Mighty dumb & hypocritical by an otherwise smartguy. Cmon Howy, I dare ya. Invite me to go Peirs Morgan on your lyin ass live on your show ASAP."

Two years earlier, Stern called Nugent a "big pussy" after the conservative rocker came under fire for comments he made about the 2012 election at a National Rifle Association convention, including that he would "either be dead or in jail by this time next year" if President Barack Obama was re-elected. On his SiriusXM morning show, Howard said about Ted: "I love that guy. He's nuts… He's one of those guys who kills deer, so he thinks he's, like, a tough guy… During the Vietnam War, he admits that he peed his own pants and shit his pants for a week and went down there and got out of the draft. If he's so tough, why don't you go in the fucking military… He talks about fighting for his freedoms. Who is he fighting — deer? I mean, who is he fighting? As far as I know, he's fighting deer… Why doesn't he sign up for Afghanistan? He should be playing 'Cat Scratch Fever' at some fair, which is probably what frustrates him most…Just a big pussy with a fucking gun."

In response to the controversy surrounding his podcast, Rogan promised to "do my best, in the future, to balance things out," while Spotify said it would add content advisories to podcast episodes with information about COVID-19. In an almost 10-minute-long Instagram video, Rogan said he would "try harder to get people with differing opinions on" on his show, which averages 11 million listeners per episode.

Earlier in the month, Stern himself weighed in on the controversy over COVID-19 misinformation on "The Joe Rogan Experience". Speaking on his SiriusXM radio show, Stern said Rogan should say: "I'm wrong, and go get the vaccine before you die."

"The whole thing with Joe Rogan is so silly to me," Stern said. "Even the apology he just should've said, 'You know what? Listen, I'm a comedian... And I have no idea what I'm talking about'."

"I have no medical background whatsoever to be telling people what to do with their health.

Stern compared the situation to getting medical treatment for his elderly mother. "I'm dealing with my mom and I'm trying to make medical decisions, and I realize I'm not at all qualified to make medical decisions," he said.

"The Joe Rogan Experience" became a Spotify exclusive in 2020, when Rogan signed a multi-year exclusive licensing deal with the streaming giant.

Spotify company's chief executive Daniel Ek has defended Rogan in the past, including after an episode that featured the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in 2020.

"We want creators to create," Ek told The Financial Times at the time. "It's what they do best. We're not looking to play a role in what they should say."


Mainstream Media Is Targeting Joe Rogan And Ted Won’t Have It

Ted calls Joe Rogan “brave, unafraid and courageous” for hosting a wide variety of guests on his podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience” as mainstream media is condemning him. Also, learn about Shemane Nugent’s new documentary, “Killer House”.

Posted by The Nightly Nuge on Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Canadian prog metal Trailight mastermind Omer Cordell has checked in with a new update on his next album: 


"I am very excited to share with you the very first official Trailight music video for the title track of the new album, Chasing Daylight, which will see the light of day next Tuesday, February 22, 2022."







Chasing Daylight features guest performances by Archetype guitarist Toño Tejeda, The Astral Light drummer Steven Parent, cellist Anna Kuchkova (Alchemy Chamber), and Cyanotic guitarist Cory McBain.


Check out Trailight's 2015 cover of "The Weeping Song" below.

In a new interview with Alicia Atout, DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie explained the origins of the nickname "Pirate," which was given to him by one of his bandmates. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have a proclivity of being somewhat… I guess I can be moody at times, but normally I'm usually straight and even and a real nice guy. But there's this tendency of me, depending on what's going on on the road, and it's usually if I'm not feeling well — like anybody — I can get moody. So Jordan Rudess, our esteemed keyboard player… One day I was in one of those moods, just, like, 'Hey, just leave me alone. I'm dealing with stuff. I've got a really wicked cold,' and whatever; that whole singer syndrome bullshit that goes on. So he started calling me, he goes, 'No problem there, Pirate.' And I looked over and I go, 'What? What did you say?' And he called me a pirate, 'cause he goes, 'Well, you're like an angry pirate.' And I said, 'Okay. Whatever.' And then he just started calling me that all the time. So the days went on, and he'd just say, 'Hey, Pirate.' And then somebody else on the crew would hear him and they'd go, 'Oh, Pirate. What, are you calling James 'Pirate'?' That's how it started — like, seriously. It was that easy… It's nothing like the band started going, 'Hey, man. James, you remind me of a pirate.' It all came from Jordan. And it stuck… Well, he calls me 'Captain' sometimes too. 'Hey, Captain.'"

DREAM THEATER kicked off its "Top Of The World" 2022 North American tour on February 2 at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

The rescheduled dates for DREAM THEATER's postponed North American leg of the "Top Of The World" tour will run seven weeks before ending in Austin, Texas on March 21. The tour will also make stops in Los Angeles, California; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; New York City and Dallas, Texas, among others, and will mark the first live performances of music from DREAM THEATER's latest release, "A View From The Top Of The World". ARCH ECHO is the opener on all dates in the United States and FALSET will be the opener on all of the dates in Canada. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found at www.dreamtheater.net.

Last November, DREAM THEATER was announced as one of the "Best Metal Performance" nominees at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, which will be held on April 3, 2022 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The progressive metal legends were nominated for their song "The Alien", the first single from "A View From The Top Of The World", which came out in October.

DREAM THEATER's previous Grammy nominations were for the song "On The Backs Of Angels", from 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album, and the single "The Enemy Inside" from 2013's "Dream Theater".

"A View From The Top Of The World" marked DREAM THEATER's second studio album with InsideOut Music/Sony Music. The artwork was created by longtime cover collaborator Hugh Syme (RUSH, IRON MAIDEN, STONE SOUR). "A View From The Top Of The World" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, with engineering and additional production by James "Jimmy T" Meslin and mixing and mastering by Andy Sneap.

A week ago, longtime VIXEN bassist Share Ross announced that she was "taking a hiatus" from the band. Her replacement is Julia Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock group BARRA DE SAIA and wife of Richie Kotzen.

During an appearance last Friday (February 11), on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Julia spoke about how she ended up hooking up with VIXEN, saying: "Share is taking a hiatus. She wants to do her thing [and focus on her real estate career]. She's kicking ass. She's gonna be writing and playing forever — I mean, she's a badass artist and bass player, singer, everything, songwriter. So I got the invitation, and I'm, like, 'Yeah, of course I'm gonna join. Of course.'"

Asked how the other members of VIXEN reached out to her about joining the band, Julia said: "Well, actually, funnily enough, before [guitarist] Britt [Lightning, a.k.a. Brittany Denaro] joined VIXEN, me and her tried to put together a band, right when she moved to L.A. But that didn't work out, and then she joined VIXEN, and I was super happy for her. So, fast forward, she actually called me a few months ago and she told me about the scenario, and I was, like, 'Yeah. I would love [to do it]. I mean, it's an honor for me to join VIXEN.' So that happened. And that was it. It was that quick. And I was just, 'Okay. Sign me in. Where can I go?' [Laughs]"

Lage also reflected on her first performance with VIXEN, which took place on February 8 at the pre-Monsters Of Rock cruise concert at Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida. She said: "[Share played] a little more than half of the set, and then [before] the last three songs, she stopped [the show] and talked about [her plans] a little bit and told everybody what's gonna happen and introduced me. And then I stepped in and played the last three songs with them. And then actually she came back for the last song and sang along with us. It was just very nice. I thought it was very emotional too. It was a good way to transition."

Pressed about whether her position with VIXEN is just a temporary one or she will join the band permanently, Julia said: "We didn't really discuss that, but [Share is] taking her time. She might come back; she might [not]. I don't know. Whenever they need me, I'm there for them. And I'm gonna do my best to honor her bass lines and everything. And I'm gonna be having with it, that's for sure."

When Ross made the news of her departure public at the aforementioned pre-Monsters Of Rock cruise concert, she told the crowd that "life got a little complicated" and that "something has to give," resulting to her decision to "step away from VIXEN for a while." She then introduced her "amazing" replacement and urged the VIXEN fans to "graciously" open their arms and welcome Lage to the group. At that point, Julia and her new bandmates launched into the track "Streets In Paradise" and played the last couple of songs of the set with Ross watching the proceedings from the side of the stage.

The only remaining member of VIXEN's "classic" lineup is drummer Roxy Petrucci, who is also joined in the group by Lightning and singer Lorraine Lewis.

In January 2019, VIXEN recruited Lewis as its new lead singer following the departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

Prior to Lewis's addition to VIXEN, Petrucci, Ross and Denaro vowed to "expand upon the VIXEN legacy while remaining true to our musical roots."

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988), "Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".








It was announced at the start of the pre-party that Vixen had a big surprise during their show.

I've been to thousands...

Posted by Gary Allen on Tuesday, February 8, 2022





Vixen with NEW bassist.. Julia Lage-Oficial

Posted by Will To Rock on Tuesday, February 8, 2022



Vixen with their new bass player, Julia Lage! ?

Posted by Melissa Corcino Petersen on Tuesday, February 8, 2022





Good night ladies! @OfficialVixen at @MonstersCruise pre cruise party! #monstersofrockcruise pic.twitter.com/aP7BgwQ9Nl

— monstersofrockcruise (@MonstersCruise) February 9, 2022

During a recent interview with Germany's Metal Hammer magazine, SABATON singer Joakim Brodén was shown covers of several old issues of Metal Hammer and was asked to comment on each one. When he saw a cover featuring iconic MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, Joakim said: "I met him the first time [in] 2005 or '03 at the Sweden Rock Festival. I saw him coming. I was standing in the backstage bar. He was coming up and about to order a drink. And I knew he liked the Maker's Mark whisky. I mean, he likes Jack Daniel's, and that's what he usually drinks, but he also liked the Maker's Mark. So I ordered him a double from the other bar, and when he got it, the bartender sort of showed [to Lemmy], 'It's from him.' So he came up and we talked for a while. And he taught me a lesson about being an artist. That was being very nice and polite even though you don't know the person. And we spent the time drinking. I was telling him, 'You don't have to stand here and hang out with me all the time.' And he was, like, 'I think it's a nice thing. You bought me a nice whisky. And I'm having a good time.' So I asked him, sort of, 'What do you mean?' [He said], 'Yeah, I can spend the time to drink the whisky that you bought me with you. Or I can say no.' It was a pretty gentleman kind of thing to say. Then I asked, 'What would happen if I would have been an asshole?' And he was, like, 'I can drink whisky really fast.' [Laughs]"

SABATON's tenth studio album, "The War To End All Wars", will be released on March 4 via Nuclear Blast Records. Written and recorded during the COVID-19 global pandemic, the concept album of 11 brand-new songs once again dives deep into the atrocities, miracles, and events tied to the early 20th century's World War I. The tenth album of the Falun-based five-piece will be available in an impressive variety of exclusive formats, including CD, vinyl, and cassette, with most available in limited editions.

SABATON is considered to be one the most important bands to emerge from the Swedish modern metal scene, having been honored with five Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards (including "Best Live Band" three different years) and nominated several times for the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards, the Grammis. In 2016, SABATON's "The Last Stand" album debuted at No. 1 in three different European countries and cracked the Top 3 in four others. Joakim Brodén (vocals), Pär Sundström (bass), Chris Rörland (guitar), Hannes Van Dahl (drums) and Tommy Johansson (guitar) curate a festival of their own, Sabaton Open Air, that started back in 2008, as well as their own forward-thinking Sabaton Cruise which has been held since 2009.

Ahead of the release of their new album, DAMNUM (out February 25), Allegaeon have released this new video, in which Greg Burgess and Michael Stancel perform the track "Into Embers":





Pre-order the new album here.







DAMNUM tracklisting:


"Bastards Of The Earth"
"Of Beasts And Worms"
"Into Embers"
"To Carry My Grief Through Torpor And Silence"
"Vermin"
"Called Home"
"Blight"
"The Dopamine Void Pt. 1"
"The Dopamine Void Pt. 2"
"Saturnine"
"In Mourning"
"Only Loss"


"Of Beasts And Worms" video:





"Into Embers" video:





Unboxing video:





Catch Allegaeon as their first tour behind DAMNUM kick offs with the band supporting Omnium Gatherum, beginning February 26 in Brooklyn, NY.





Tour dates:


February
26 - Brooklyn, NY - The Kingsland
27 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
28 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506


March
1 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Hell)
2 - Orlando, FL - The Haven
4 - Austin, TX - Come and Take it Live!
5 - Houston, TX - Satellite Bar
6 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
8 - Denver, CO - Oriental Theater
9 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar & Grill
10 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theater
11 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
12 - Los Angeles, CA - Catch One @ Jewel
13 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
14 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
15 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
16 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
18 - Calgary, AB - Dickens
19 - Regina, SK - The Exchange
20 - Winnipeg, MB - Park Theater
21 - Minneapolis, MN - Amsterdam Bar & Hall
22 - Madison, WI - The Crucible
23 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
24 - Toronto, ON - Velvet Underground
25 - Montreal, QC - The Ritz
26 - Quebec City, QC - Source de la Martiniere
27 - Boston, MA - Middle East Downstairs

On Record Store day this year, legendary rock band The Who are releasing a special 40th Anniversary edition of their 1982 album, It's Hard.





The 2LP release includes a half-speed master of the album along with rare and unreleased material, including the Roger Daltrey vocal version of "Eminence Front". Find it in your local record store from April 23 onwards.










The Who recently announced a brand new tour for 2022, The Who Hits Back!  The iconic band’s upcoming North American trek promises to be another rock n’ roll knockout, bringing singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend back to U.S. venues two years after their acclaimed Moving On! Tour, which wowed audiences with a series of sold-out dates. The Who Hits Back! Tour (see complete list of dates below) will again share the stage with some of the finest orchestras in the US and Canada. Produced by Live Nation, the kick-off date is April 22 in Hollywood, FL at the Hard Rock Live for the spring leg of the tour and returns in the fall on October 2 in Toronto, ON at Scotiabank Arena. Tickets on sale now at LiveNation.com.


The Who are hitting most of the cities they were set to play in 2020 with multiple new stops, including shows in New Orleans, LA at the New Orleans Jazz Festival on April 30, and a much-anticipated performance at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on May 26. After a summer break, The Who will continue in the fall, including stops in Chicago, IL at United Center on October 12, and in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl on November 1.  The Who Hits Back! Tour winds down with two shows in Las Vegas, NV on November 4 + 5 at Dolby Live at Park MGM.


The Who Hits Back! Tour will feature The Who’s full live band comprised of guitarist/backup singer Simon Townshend, keyboardist Loren Gold, second keyboardist Emily Marshall, bassist Jon Button, drummer Zak Starkey and backing vocals by Billy Nicholls along with orchestra conductor Keith Levenson, lead violinist Katie Jacoby and lead cellist Audrey Snyder, passionately delivering The Who’s many classics, as well as songs from their most recent album, titled WHO.


Commenting on The Who Hits Back! Tour, Roger Daltrey says, “Pete and I said we’d be back, but we didn't think we'd have to wait for two years for the privilege. This is making the chance to perform feel even more special this time around. So many livelihoods have been impacted due to Covid, so we are thrilled to get everyone back together - the band, the crew and the fans.  We’re gearing up for a great show that hits back in the only way The Who know how.  By giving it everything we got.”


The Who’s wildly successful 2019 Moving On! Tour  brought the band’s iconic brand of incomparable rock through 29 cities, including a rollicking sold-out show in Boston’s historic Fenway Park, and a memorable Seattle show where Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder joined them onstage for a rousing version of “The Punk And the Godfather.” The tour generated the most unanimous outpouring of acclaim from critics and fans of any live rock show in 2019, winning raves across North America for the orchestral dynamic as well as the duo’s cathartic rock firepower and intimate acoustic numbers.





Tour dates:


April
22 - Hard Rock Live - Ft. Hollywood, FL
24 - VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena - Jacksonville, FL
27 - Amalie Arena - Tampa, FL
30 - New Orleans Jazz Festival


May
3 - Moody Center ATX - Austin, TX
5 - American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX
8 - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - The Woodlands, TX
10 - Paycom Center - Oklahoma City, TX
13 - FedEx Forum - Memphis, TN
15 - TQL Stadium - Cincinnati, OH
18 - TD Garden - Boston, MA
20 - Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, PA
23 - Capital One Arena - Washington, D.C.
26 - Madison Square Garden - New York City, NY
28 - Bethel Woods Center of the Arts - Bethel, NY


October
2 - Scotiabank Arena - Toronto, ON
4 - Little Caesars Arena - Detroit, MI
7 - UBS Arena - Elmont, NY
9 - Schottenstein Center - Columbus, OH
12 - United Center - Chicago, IL
14 - Enterprise Center - St. Louis, MO
17 - Ball Arena - Denver, CO
20 - Moda Center - Portland, OR
22 - Climate Pledge Arena - Seattle, WA
26 - Golden 1 Center - Sacramento, CA
28 - Honda Center - Anaheim, CA


November
1 - Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA
4 - Dolby Live - Las Vegas, NV
5 - Dolby Live - Las Vegas, NV

DISTURBED's David Draiman has blasted Trevor Noah as "a hypocritical, self-righteous, pathetic man" after "The Daily Show" host implied podcaster Joe Rogan is guilty of racism.

Over the weekend, Rogan apologized after a montage of clips showed him repeatedly using the N-word over the years. Rogan also addressed a 2013 clip from his podcast in which he discussed going to see a "Planet Of The Apes" movie in a predominantly black neighborhood. He said that walking into the movie theater was like walking into "Planet Of The Apes". In Rogan's apology, he denied calling black people "apes" and insisted it "wasn't a racist story, but it sounded terrible," explaining he was "just trying to be entertaining."

On Monday's (February 7) episode of "The Daily Show", Noah called out Rogan for his apology, saying: "First of all, he said he would never say that black people are apes, but he said that. That's literally what he said. It's not just racist. That's O.G. racism. That's the original, old-school racism. That's on the Mount Rushmore of racism. 'Black people are apes' is right next to burning crosses and every Bugs Bunny cartoon from the 1940s." Noah went on to say that he found Rogan's assertion that he wasn't being "racist" but just "being entertaining" particularly "illuminating."

"No, Joe, I think you were using racism to be entertaining," Noah said. Even if Rogan wasn't specifically trying to "offend" black people, Noah said, "you knew that offending black people would get a laugh out of those white friends that you were with."

Earlier today, Draiman shared a video of Noah's "The Daily Show" segment and included screenshots of a series of Trevor's that resurfaced when he was selected to succeed Jon Stewart as the host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show". They included Jewish jokes, such as, "Almost bumped a Jewish kid crossing the road. He didn't look b4 crossing but I still would hav felt so bad in my German car." Noah also made jokes about domestic violence, white women and suggesting women should "fear" his penis because "the more you fear something, the bigger it appears."

Draiman wrote: "You're a hypocritical, self righteous, pathetic man @Trevornoah

"The rules should be the same for everyone Be it @joerogan OR @Trevornoah .

"What I can't stomach is holier than thou hypocrisy, claiming your shit doesn't stink, but the other guy's does. I don't want either cancelled.

"Make all the jokes you want, but when @Trevornoah thinks his rhetoric is fine, but @joerogan 's isn't, or he doubts the sincerity of Joe's apology when Trevor never even offered one, I have no problem calling him (Trevor) out for the self righteous hypocrite he is."

When Noah's tweets first surfaced in 2015, he wanted his critics to know the comments didn't represent him. "To reduce my views to a handful of jokes that didn't land is not a true reflection of my character," he said, "nor my evolution as a comedian."

At the time, Comedy Central also released a statement defending Noah and warning people not to prematurely judge him. "Like many comedians, Trevor Noah pushes boundaries; he is provocative and spares no one, himself included," the network said. "To judge him or his comedy based on a handful of jokes is unfair. Trevor is a talented comedian with a bright future at Comedy Central."

On Sunday, the chief executive of Spotify addressed Rogan's past use of racial slurs, telling staff in a memo that while he found the comments "incredibly hurtful" and inconsistent with company values, he did not believe "silencing" the podcaster was the answer.

Joe's podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience" became a Spotify exclusive in 2020, when Rogan signed a multi-year exclusive licensing deal with the streaming giant.




You’re a hypocritical, self righteous, pathetic man @Trevornoah pic.twitter.com/z6BTabyhQp

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) February 9, 2022








Make all the jokes you want, but when @Trevornoah thinks his rhetoric is fine, but @joerogan ‘s isn’t, or he doubts the sincerity of Joe’s apology when Trevor never even offered one, I have no problem calling him (Trevor) out for the self righteous hypocrite he is.

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) February 9, 2022

Wildstreet had a huge 2021 and are set to follow suit in 2022. They released their new album, Wildstreet III, via Golden Robot Records and spent most of 2021 on tour in the USA, but they remarkably also toured in Europe performing at Swiss Rock Cruise in Switzerland, France and Belgium.  


They have released two new singles on February 15th: "One Tattoo" and "Born To Be (RLK)"along with accompanying lyric videos.  Both tracks were originally released in 2014 under the name Rave La Kill.


"One Tattoo" is an electronic love song which is slick and modern. On "Born To Be (RLK)", the song structure is identical to the version on Wildstreet III. This version has a more modern and electronic vibe, with all the arena hooks one would expect from Wildstreet. Both singles were mixed by Kyle Kelso and mastered by Howie Weinberg.




"One Tattoo"





"Born To Be (RLK)"

K.K. Downing says that he feels very strongly about making sure the Tim "Ripper" Owens-era JUDAS PRIEST albums are available to the public.

The Ohio-based singer created two studio albums with the British heavy metal legends — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before the band reunited with Rob Halford.

Asked by Jamey Jasta of "The Jasta Show" who owns the rights to LPs Owens made with PRIEST, Downing said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's a good question. CMC [International Records, which released 'Jugulator' in the USA] and the guys that were the labels are defunct now, so the rights to the albums reverted back to us, JUDAS PRIEST."

When Jasta pressed Downing about the fact that he owns partial rights to "Jugulator" and "Demolition", K.K. said: "I'm a 25 percent shareholder [in Judas Priest Music Limited] but I don't have a say in what goes on. I was a director until year and they kicked me off the board because there's three of them and one of me, which is a bit mean.

"But, yeah, I would fight for the right every day to have those albums [available], 'cause I'm a part of them," he continued. "And so the ongoing fight to have those albums in a public domain is something I feel very, very strong about, and obviously Ripper does, and everybody should that played on those records.

"Why would you denounce albums that you spent years working on or were a part of?" Downing added. "It doesn't make any sense."

Last year, Downing discussed Owens's time with PRIEST during an interview with Rodrigo Altaf of Sonic Perspectives. After Rodrigo noted that "Jugulator" and "Demolition" were "unfairly" criticized upon their original release, K.K. said: "I think lots of bands release things either too late or too early. Timing is very, very important, and maybe the timing wasn't quite right. But it was a big thing, obviously, for Ripper to step into. It wasn't so much that Ripper was there; it was the fact that Halford wasn't there, I think. It was the familiarity of the voice, which I know and I understand. But Rob left and formed three bands — not one, not two but three. And playing PRIEST songs as well. But, yeah, I think things have turned around now and fans revisit [those albums]. Yeah, there's a lot of guitar parts on those [records] — apart from the vocals — a lot of guitar riffs and a lot of guitar work, which, obviously, we're immensely proud of."

A couple of years ago, Tim said that he was a little miffed by the fact that fans cannot find the music that he made with PRIEST on any of the music-streaming services or other online retailers. "My issue is I would like to buy the records," he said. "I'd like to buy some to even sell when I'm touring solo, but you can't when they're kind of gone. And that's only the thing I talk about… If they were out there, I could maybe buy 'em at cost and sell 'em at my concerts. That would be kind of cool. Then I'd have my whole catalog."

PRIEST bassist Ian Hill concurred, saying in a separate interview: "There's some good material on both of those albums. And Ripper is a terrific vocalist, and he did a tremendous job on 'Jugulator' and 'Demolition' .And why they're not for sale has got nothing to do with us — put it like that. Whether it's a contractual thing between Sony and whoever owns the copyrights to those albums, I don't know. But it is a shame, because there's some good material there. And as a band, it's still JUDAS PRIEST. I know it wasn't the trademark lineup, but it was still JUDAS PRIEST nonetheless. So, it's disappointing — if that's true that the material is not available. It really is."

Downing and Owens are reunited in a new band called KK'S PRIEST in which they are joined by guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST released its debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", last October via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Detroit-based 'Progressive Super Metal' quintet Imminent Sonic Destruction will release their third studio album, titled The Sun Will Always Set, on April 15, 2022. The follow-up to their 2016 sophomore effort Triumphia, the new record was produced by Nick Hagen and features guest appearances from Battlecross guitarist Tony Asta and touring cellist for Leprous Raphael Weinroth-Browne, to name a few.


In support of the upcoming full-length, the band has dropped the first single from The Sun Will Always Set - fans can check out "Fledgling" below. Preorder on Bandcamp.


"'Fledgling' represents everything we are as a band, while simultaneously forging into some new territory. It's a great intro to the new album, in my opinion. Tony and I trading vocals between the verse and chorus really adds an interesting twist to our sound. And of course, keeping our Progressive Super Metal™ street cred fully armed and operational means that we found a way to incorporate drum breaks, keyboard and guitar solos, instrumental passages, and big harmonies. It's like a mini-album all by itself."







Tracklisting:


“Arise”
“Fledgling”
“usl4r2172624 – Source”
“The Core”
“Solitude”
“Nightshade”
“The Sun Will Always Set”


“Fledgling”:


The Sun Will Always Set by Imminent Sonic Destruction