Fall of Stasis from Montreal, Canada will have a new album out on February 25, which is being premiered on BraveWords. The Chronophagist is the first release from the band since their demo in 2017 and it shows maturity, a wide arrangement of influences, and a high level of precision and dedication that the band prides itself on. The result is a relentless, fast, aggressive yet melodic, and symphonic opus with a different vibe and story for every track. Overall, each song blends well into the next one, yet they’re different enough to keep the listener involved for the duration of the album.


The black metal, symphonic, and folk interludes, along with proggy riffs all intertwine in a brutal yet unpredictable melodic composition that will unapologetically grab the listener’s attention from start to finish, and that will appeal to most metal enthusiasts. The band comments on the album:


“We couldn’t be more thrilled to finally release our first album. Our lineup has changed a lot throughout the years for various reasons, but we managed to find a strong lineup composed of talented and dedicated musicians. Consequently, many of our songs have improved thanks to the new members’ creative input. We definitely didn’t rush things as we firmly believe that nothing should compromise the quality of our songwriting.”




The album clocks in at 50 minutes, across ten songs each on a narrative journey into fictitious storytelling with nods to personal experiences. It was produced, mixed, and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy), and the album artwork was done by Roberto Napolitano.


Symphonic and unpredictable with a little bit of something for everyone, Fall of Stasis is recommended for fans of The Black Dahlia Murder, Unexpect, and Ne Obliviscaris.


The Chronophagist is streaming now below, and is officially being released on February 25, 2022. 


The Chronophagist by Fall Of Stasis


Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Wilted Forests”
“Fall Of Stasis”
“Drunken Howl”
“Baal Arise”
“The Cult”
“Twilight Carnival”
“Baron’
“The Last Waltz”
“Swarm Of Casualties”
“The Chronophagist” (Feat. Viky Boyer)


(Photo – Martin Trottier, Darkest Media)

During an appearance on talk show host Conan O'Brien's podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend" this past Monday (February 21), Slash opened up about his trademark black top hat, explaining that it dates back to 1985 when he first started playing shows with GUNS N' ROSES. "I stole it from a place called Retail Slut on Melrose [in Los Angeles]," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I remember this because there was two stores — there was Leathers And Treasures and Retail Slut next door. And Taime Downe, the singer from a band called FASTER PUSSYCAT, used to work at Retail Slut, so that's how I remember the name of it. And I went in there. I didn't have any money. I always used to wear some sort of a hat. It completed whatever look you had going on. And I went in there. And I just saw the top hat. And it just spoke to me, I guess. So I figured, what the fuck, I'll just walk out with it. And so I did. And then I went next door to Leathers And Treasures and I stole a Concho belt and then went back to the apartment me and Axl [Rose, GUNS N' ROSES singer] were living in at the time. And we had a show at the Whisky [A Go Go] that night, so I took the Concho belt and I cut it up and I put it around the hat and I wore it that night."

Slash added: "It just became a thing where I really identified with it; I wore it all the time. It was a way you pull it over your eyes; you could hide behind it if you were really high. I had no intention of it being this long-term thing… It was really something to hide behind for a long time. It was, just put the hat on and nobody knows who I am and what I'm doing and what I'm up to. I can see you, [but] you can't see me. And during the shows, it was great to have that, because to this day, I still can't look at the audience — like, straight into the audience. And so having the top hat, really, you just pull it down and you could just do your thing and you didn't feel as intimidated by the crowd."

Slash previously told HuffPost in a 2008 interview that it took him a while to find his signature look.

"I tried a couple different hats," he said. "I always thought bowlers and fedoras were cool, but nothing that stuck out as being my thing. You have to explore; trial and error until you find your own edge."

Asked if there are professional benefits to establishing a personal look, Slash told HuffPost: "Yeah, people know who you are pretty easily with an established look. I think my top hat is more famous than I am. There are benefits to having a look that people can identify with. I didn't see it coming. I did what I thought looked cool, and years later I became instantly synonymous with the top hat and that was a surprise to me. It's different, though, than KISS or Blue Man Group — they are wearing a costume. Although I would imagine that people do think I'm wearing a costume since people emulate it for Halloween."

Slash went on to say that he feels "more comfortable" with his hat on than without it. "I'm low-key by nature and not the most outspoken person," he explained. "As a guitar player, I'm pretty dynamic, and that's where I feel most expressive and comfortable, though I'm still hiding behind the guitar. The hat completed the whole thing and I felt much more comfortable in public and could deal with social situations. More than 'becoming Slash,' I just feel less insecure."

Slash is promoting the new album from SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS, titled "4", which was released on February 11 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG. "4" is Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS kicked off a North American headlining tour on February 8, in Portland, Oregon. The trek will hit 28 major cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, Dallas, Austin, Houston, and more, before wrapping up March 26 in Orlando, Florida.

Nearly two months ago, QUEENSRŸCHE entered the studio to begin recording its new album for a tentative late 2022 release. Helming the effort once again is Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with the band on 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict" LPs.

In a new interview with The Metal Summit, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre, who played drums on "The Verdict", offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for the new album. Asked if QUEENSRŸCHE's touring drummer of the past five years, Casey Grillo, played on the new effort, Todd said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Casey recorded all the drums for the new QUEENSRŸCHE album. The drum sound is fucking ridiculous… They just sound so, so thunderous and real. I don't know, man. You'll hear it when the record's done, but it's funny, because sometimes people will be, like, 'Oh, that sounds replaced' or 'that's sampled,' and if you knew the time that was taken into miking the drums to get the perfect sound. It's, like, no, our drum sounds are the sounds that you would wanna replace your sounds with.

"Casey played the drums on the record," La Torre repeated. "He was a part of all of the songwriting, a very integral part of the entire process. And yeah, it sounds great. I've got one chorus left to finish and a little ending to one song, and then I'm done. All the bass is done, guitars — everything's done. I'm the last guy here to finish, and we start rehearsals in two days [for the upcoming tour with JUDAS PRIEST]. So, yeah, it's been really, really just grueling and grinding it out to get this deadline."

Last November, La Torre told Canada's The Metal Voice about the musical direction of the new QUEENSRŸCHE material: "It doesn't sound like 'The Verdict'. It's its own new kind of thing. We really kind of just focused more on melodic hooks. I don't think we went in thinking, like, 'Oh, we need to sound old school or new or this.'"

He continued: "You know what we did on this record… Every other time, each guy would kind of submit their own song ideas and then we would kind of work on that. But what we did on this record was, other than Eddie [Jackson, bass] — Eddie has a couple of songs that are really cool that he wrote and then showed us kind of when they were pretty much done. And then Michael [Wilton, guitar] kind of wrote some interesting chords — still staying within the keys and everything. But we all got in a room with our here [in Florida], and we literally started from scratch. Like, 'Michael, what do you got?' [And he would] come up with a riff. And Casey [Grillo] would sit on the drums, or I would sit on the drums. We were all actually in a room and just tried it like the good old days. So this record was totally like that — the whole thing pretty much, minus one or two songs. And even that changed a little bit."

In early 2021, Wilton told The Metal Voice about the new QUEENSRŸCHE material: "Our producer, Zeuss, if this is any indication, he says it sounds like QUEENSRŸCHE … I think we're just going with our gut right now. You don't wanna take too many drastic chances in this day and age. So I think it's more of a continuation of 'The Verdict', maybe, in some sense. We're riding that wave. It's been good to us. [Laughs]"

In October, Wilton confirmed that returning guitarist Mike Stone would contribute guitar solos to the band's next studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past five years, Grillo has been filling in for QUEENSRŸCHE's original drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In early October, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against the band's fellow original members Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge.

QUEENSRŸCHE recently pulled out of SCORPIONS' rescheduled "Sin City Nights" Las Vegas residency in order to support JUDAS PRIEST on the "50 Heavy Metal Years" North American tour dates in March-April 2022. The tour will kick off on March 4 in Peoria, Illinois and conclude on April 13 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

In a recent interview with Japan's Young Guitar, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci was asked about his beard styling and grooming techniques. He responded (see video below): "I, for most of my career, have had some sort of beard. I started out just clean-shaven in the beginning, but even, I guess, from the 'Awake' days, which was pretty early on, I had a beard, I had a goatee. It wasn't until… I don't know how many years now, I've got the full kind of epic beard and mustache style — it's been many years now. But I've always been into that kind of thing — how it influences your look. And I just kind of fell into this thing where having a big old-school beard, I thought, looked good on me, and I got really into the lifestyle and the bearding culture — all the products and things like that; beard oils and bums; learning to trim your beard; experimenting with different shapes. It's actually a fun hobby, honestly.

"The important thing, to me, always is to have a look that it looks like you're doing it on purpose, where there's a style to your beard, even if it's a long beard and mustache, and not something that just looks like you got lazy and decided not to shave," he explained. "So I always try to have some sort of sense of style. I let it grow to varying lengths. It's pretty long right now. Will I let it grow all the way to [my belly button], like a wizard beard? I don't know. Sometimes when it gets that long, it becomes harder to handle. But it's all about, I think, if you're interested in growing a beard like this, it's kind of what goes well with your face shape, as far as the length and the style.

"If you at all do any research on this, you'll find that there's a lot of information out there — videos, tutorials, photos, blogs. Forget about it; you could really get into it. Products as well.

"Anyway, yeah, it's a fun hobby, and I'm keeping it going, as far as I know. I can't picture shaving this for a while."

Petrucci released his second solo album, "Terminal Velocity", on August 28 via Sound Mind Music/The Orchard. The follow-up to 2005's "Suspended Animation" features guest musicians Mike Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, ex-DREAM THEATER) on drums and Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) on bass. The effort marks the first time Petrucci and Portnoy recorded together in over a decade, as well as their first time playing together since Portnoy departed DREAM THEATER.

Billboard recently caught up with Ghost mastermind and frontman Tobias Forge to discuss the success of the band, his musical influences, and Satanism. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

On his musical influences

Forge: "KISS and Alice Cooper have had an enormous impact on me, ever since I was a tiny tad bigger than an infant. I like Blue Öyster Cult, but they were never as big of an influence as people think they were because they never had the significance for me as KISS or Alice Cooper had. It’s more a matter of (Ghost) being melodic rock but with a lot of multi-harmonized vocals that makes it sound like BOC.”

On Satanism

Forge: "The Satan that we are most commonly referring to in the Western world is obviously a product of Christianity. Within the confines and context of Christianity, no. They cannot exist without the other. That’s the problem with the entire concept of Satanism because, depending on who you’re talking to -- if you’re talking to a Bible thumper, Satan exists within the bras of women, and Satan exists within the confines of rock’n’roll music and drugs and everything that would be considered quote 'bad' and 'dangerous' and 'harmful'. And I think that in rock ’n’ roll and in pop culture, that is the thing that most people cling to.

Satan as a symbol or symbolic role model represents liberation and free thought and fun. Intellectualism as opposed to regression and stupidity. But if you’re talking about Satan as the main peddler and the prime motor for evil -- if I look at the world and I see evil, I think of ISIS and I think that’s pure evil, and that has nothing to do with a pop-cultural horned-goat half-man called Satan. So you really, really, really have to understand that the 'Satan' that has been embraced by artists in film, music, poetry and art going back centuries was made to scare people."

Read the complete interview here.

Ghost performed at Heavy Montreal 2019 this weekend at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Quebec. Capital Chaos TV has posted a 3-camera edit of the band performing their smash hit, "Rats".

The setlist on the night was as follows:

"Ashes"
"Rats"
"Absolution"
"Ritual"
"From the Pinnacle to the Pit"
"Faith"
"Cirice"
"Miasma"
"Year Zero"
"He Is"
"Mummy Dust"
"Dance Macabre"
"Square Hammer"

Encore:
"Monstrance Clock"

Ghost's Ultimate Tour Named Death North American headline arena tour starts on September 13 in Bakersfield, CA and will see an expanded theatrical production, a striking stage set resembling a medieval cathedral with a backdrop of illuminated stained-glass windows. In addition to rich costumes, special effects, and a spectacular light show tailor-made for arenas, the Cardinal, the Ghouls and the Ghoulettes will take advantage of series of multi-level platforms and walkways to prowl around on while performing some of Ghost's fan-favorite songs from the band's albums and EPs catalogs. The set list will include fan-favorites "Square Hammer," "Cirice," "Ashes," "He Is," "Year Zero," Rats," "Mummy Dust, "Life Eternal, "Dance Macabre," and "Faith." Ghost is also set to preform at the upcoming Heavy MTL festival in Montreal.

The band recently announced a fall European leg of The Ultimate Tour Named Death. Kicking off on November 16 in Nottingham, England, and wrapping up on December 19 in Toulous, France, support will be supplied by All Them Witches and Tribulation.

Find Ghost's tour itinerary here.




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On a recent episode of the "Loaded Radio" podcast, former DIO guitarist Doug Aldrich spoke to Scott Penfold about the two bands that were formed by other ex-DIO members in the years after singer Ronnie James Dio's death: LAST IN LINE and DIO DISCIPLES. Asked if he thinks both those acts are "cool," Doug replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. I think it was really cool when [LAST IN LINE] had [bassist] Jimmy Bain. Jimmy was one of those great players like Glenn [Hughes] in his own sense. Jimmy was a much simpler player — great songwriter, great guy. And him and Vivian [Campbell, guitar] together, with Vinny [Appice, drums], that was really cool. Especially when they played that [early DIO] stuff, it sounded really legit — as much as you can without having Ronnie. And then DIO DISCIPLES is great. They had been in the [DIO] band longer than anybody — Craig [Goldy, guitar] and Scott [Warren, keyboards] and Simon [Wright, drums]. So I support those guys, what they're doing, too."

Aldrich also spoke about the Ronnie James Dio hologram, which has played a number of shows in the U.S. and Europe in the last five years after being created by a company called Eyellusion.

"The hologram thing, there's a good side to it, but there's also a side where nothing's gonna compare to the real thing," Doug said. "And I know Ronnie was one of those guys that would be, like, 'If it's not me, then just don't do it.'"

He continued: "I just know [Ronnie]. Anything that you're doing, he would be, like, 'Why do it if it's not gonna be the best it can be?' That's just how he was."

The Dio hologram production uses audio of Ronnie's live performances from throughout his career, with the DIO band playing live, consisting of Goldy on guitar, Wright on drums and Warren on keyboards, along with Bjorn Englen on bass. Also appearing with them are former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens and ex-LYNCH MOB frontman Oni Logan.

After the tour's initial seven-date run was completed in December 2017, Ronnie's hologram is undergoing "some changes" before the launch of the next leg of the "Dio Returns" world tour.

In a 2015 interview with CrypticRock.com, Aldrich said that he was "only really in [DIO] for about a year, but in that year, we did do the 'Killing The Dragon' record. I got to contribute to that record with a couple of songs also, which was nice," he said. "We did a lot in that first year. We did that record, a bunch of touring, and a live DVD called 'Evil Or Divine - Live In New York City' [2005]. Then I joined WHITESNAKE, but I kept coming back to DIO. There was a couple of tours in 2005. Ronnie said, 'Would you come on tour with me?' I said, 'Absolutely, I just have to speak to David about it.' David said, 'Cool, just make sure you come back,' because we had talked about some new music and he did not want me to split."

Having also played with LION, HOUSE OF LORDS, BAD MOON RISING, HURRICANE and Glenn Hughes, Aldrich joined THE DEAD DAISIES in 2016 and can be heard on that band's last three albums, 2016's "Make Some Noise", 2018's "Burn It Down" and 2021's "Holy Ground".

Ronnie James Dio, best known for his work with BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and DIO, died of stomach cancer in May 2010 at the age of 67.

Rick Allen, legendary drummer of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees DEF LEPPARD, will make a number of special appearances next month at the Wentworth Galleries in Florida, starting with a stop in Fort Lauderdale on March 17 and March 18 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. These events are open to the public.

"Wings Of Hope", his new and extraordinary collection, houses originals, limited editions, the painted drum series, mixed media originals, plus the "Legends" series featuring new portraits of Charlie Watts, Eddie Van Halen, Kurt Cobain and Johnny Cash. A portion of each sale will benefit his Project Resiliency where for over the last 12 years Rick and his wife Lauren Monroe have worked passionately with veterans from Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. Allen and Wentworth Galleries will donate a portion of each and every acquisition to benefit the Foundation.

Speaking about his new art piece, "Saint Charlie", Allen remarked: "Losing Charlie is the end of an era… If it wasn't for Charlie, I wouldn't be a drummer… very sweet man who I had the honor of meeting."

Christian O'Mahony, principal at Wentworth Gallery, commented: "I am honored to host Rick and his art at my galleries. His art not only represents his own story of perseverance, resiliency and the human spirit but is also a beacon of hope for others."

In-gallery appearances by Rick Allen (artist will be in attendance at all showings)

Thursday, March 17

3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Las Olas

819 E Las Olas Blvd

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

954.468.0685

Friday, March 18

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

The Shoppes At The Guitar Hotel

5804 Seminole Way Suite 103

Hollywood, FL 33314

954.314.7210

All artwork currently on exhibition is available for acquisition

Allen became the drummer for DEF LEPPARD at age 15. As one of the world's best-selling music artists, DEF LEPPARD have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, two albums with RIAA diamond certification (10 million albums sold) and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2019.

At the height of worldwide fame in 1984, he had a car accident that changed his life. Rick lost an arm, but turned personal tragedy into spiritual transformation and continued his musical career. While he was already a hero to millions of young people, he soon added millions of new admirers. Since then, Rick has been reaching out and giving support to others all over the globe by sharing his personal experiences and his love of drumming. Over the past 13 years, Rick has reached out to teenage cancer patients, children with special needs, at-risk youth in crisis, families of domestic violence and veterans who have served in Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded the Humanitarian Award by Maria Shriver's Best Buddies of CA in 2002 and in 2012, was also awarded the prestigious Wounded Warrior Project's Carry It Forward Award. Rick continues his work helping wounded warriors through Project Resiliency's Warrior Resiliency Program sponsored by his charity foundation the Raven Drum Foundation.

An integral part of Rick's creative life went public in 2012. After years of personal photographic work, Allen ventured into the fine art world with a blockbuster debut collection of abstract artwork built from rhythm. Allen has become a pioneer in the new medium, utilizing drumsticks and rhythm to dictate abstract visuals on canvas.

That debut collection, in 2012 featured 300 pieces, quickly sold-out in its initial offering to the public and boasted a sold-out exhibition. A second collection, released in 2013 and titled "Rock-On-Canvas", met with a similar exceptional reception and helped to forge a relationship with America's leading fine art retailer Wentworth Galleries.

Rick said: "Music, art and photography have been passions of mine since I was a boy. My life has been a journey of transformation and my art is a reflection of the many facets of dreams and perceptions that have shaped me. Each piece has a story and a connection to my life from my roots in England, my life changing car accident, journey to America, travels around the globe and to my deep connection to Wounded Warriors and their struggle to heal. The collection intends to express messages of hope, transcendence and the human condition."

San Francisco Bay Area thrashers VIO-LENCE will release their new EP, "Let The World Burn", on March 4 via Metal Blade Records. The five-song collection, VIO-LENCE's first original release since 1993's "Nothing To Gain", was tracked at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS), mixed by Tue Madsen (DARK TRANQUILLITY, HEAVEN SHALL BURN) and mastered by Ted Jensen (ALICE IN CHAINS, DEATH ANGEL).

With the EP dropping next week, the band plans to tour as much as possible through the spring and summer, and is already writing a follow-up.

"I'd like to do another EP rather than an album, and we're working on the songs for it already, and hopefully we'll get in to record by next fall," VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel said. "We want to constantly be releasing music, and constantly doing shows. At this stage, we're excited for everybody who's still excited for this band. To them, I say thank you for still listening to and supporting us. We're excited to come play, so spread the VIO-LENCE."

Formed in 1985, VIO-LENCE helped define and refine what came to be known as the Bay Area sound, dropping three seminal albums before splitting in 1993. Leaving behind a heady legacy, they reformed briefly a couple of times in the intervening years before becoming a full-time going concern once more in 2019. After playing a string of successful shows, the quintet started to think about new music and will deliver "Let The World Burn", showcasing their first new material in 29 years.

Regarding how "Let The World Burn" recaptures VIO-LENCE's classic sound, Demmel said: "That came very naturally. I hadn't written a lot of thrash in the past 17 years or so, but being the main songwriter for the band over the years, I wanted that sound, I wanted that mid-'80s raw thing, but I also wanted to capture our signature notes and structures and stuff like that." Vocalist Sean Killian elaborated: "Each song has its own individual sound. They are all very thrash metal, there are grinding riffs, technical riffs, and plenty of speed. The lyrics are written freely with no restrictions and without compromise while the vocal patterns are typically unusual and delivered with a multitude of emotions."

Initially the plan was just to play a single show, as a thank you from Killian to those who had supported him through an extended illness that culminated in a liver transplant, giving him back his life.

"From the time I woke up from my liver transplant surgery, the one thing I kept thinking about was repaying everyone that supported me during my illness," Killian said. "Phil put together a charity golf tournament that raised a substantial amount of money that helped cover medical bills, and that event saved my family's lives from being negatively impacted by my illness, plus there was a benefit show which so many musical legends participated in. Fans selling out the venue for that show is something that could never be repaid except with the same passion and affinity, which playing live could enable me to give, and when I heard the news that Phil had left MACHINE HEAD and was available, I thought this was the moment for the return of VIO-LENCE. I sent the man a text that said 'Let's do a show.'"

With that show at The Metro selling out a thousand tickets in a few hours, VIO-LENCE announced a matinee show for the following day, which sold out just as quickly, making it clear that there was still a virulent hunger for VIO-LENCE and their unique take on killer thrash. "We figured, 'Holy crap, it's time to bring it," Demmel said. "It was just like the old days, it was just like 1986 again with people flying around, the energy and the reciprocation and the stage diving, and the horrible PA sound. It was fun. We got Gary Holt [of SLAYER and EXODUS] up to play a song. All in all, the reunion shows were amazing."

At that stage, the prospect of new music was not on the table, with the VIO-LENCE bandmembers instead just figuring out if they could get along, how the dynamic was going to work, if the chemistry for writing together even existed. However, tour offers were coming in and they jumped on several opportunities, Demmel referencing a show with SACRED REICH at The Regent in Los Angeles as the craziest they ever played, and having his mind blown that people were still going as crazy for the band all these years later. It was around that time that he and Killian started talking about the prospect of writing new material, concluding they were more disposed to making an EP.

"I didn't want to do a full-length," Demmel explained. "I figured three maybe four, and we settled on five tunes that could really encapsulate what we were doing. I went to Metal Blade and spoke with Brian Slagel, saying we wanted to do this with them. We weren't shopping labels, we weren't looking for a bidding war or anything like that; we just wanted to do a record with them, and they were all into it."

The sessions went smoothly, with Demmel tracking his solos at home. "It was nice to be able to play things fifty times," he said. "I wanted to play all the solos single pass, which is something that I hadn't done for a while. Everything had been kinda punched in and chopped up, so it's not all fluid, and these ones might not be first pass but they're one pass. I want to be able to play them the way they're supposed to be played, and I'm really proud of them."

Filling out the band's ranks on "Let The World Burn" alongside Demmel, Killian and original drummer Perry Strickland are former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson and former FEAR FACTORY bassist Christian Olde Wolbers.

"Bobby brings experience, he brings song structure, he knows how song structure works and riffs work, and he has ideas," Demmel said. "He's got an East Coast mentality. He was in a legendary band and he brings a new flavor, plus he's a solid dude, an awesome human. Christian is just a monster bass player. He has great musical sense and song structure sense. He recorded our cover of 'California Über Alles' in our jam room, and he just brings a real pedigree. He's a great dude and an awesome musician, a great package."

With Demmel acting as primary songwriter, the plan was to make something brutal and bludgeoning, a true thrash record, where the band were at when they wrote "Eternal Nightmare" in 1987. Each of the five songs is different to the last while remaining true to this remit, with "every beat, riff and note accounted for," opener "Flesh And Bone" setting the scene and making it clear just how ruthless the band are in 2022. Then there's "Screaming Always", which is classic "Eternal Nightmare"-esque VIO-LENCE, and the likes of the shorter "Gato Negro", which though briefer still has a lot going on, and packs a solid punch. Both guitarists contribute solos to the songs, and there are a lot of harmonies, the two working well together. Lyrics as always come courtesy of Killian, who skews toward the darker side of existence.

"When I write lyrics I try to get as dark and horrible as I can," Sean said. "Then I make changes and minor adjustments with words to bring the lyrics from pure evil to an emotional, painful suffering experience with the pure evil working to support it all. I want people to read the lyrics and create a picture in their mind that they wouldn't normally envision, I want them to create that visual art in their head. The goal is for that artwork that they created to stay with them, registered in their memories, and to be brought forward occasionally to enjoy, letting them pull that record out for decades to come."

"Let The World Burn" track listing

01. Flesh From Bone

02. Screaming Always

03. Upon Their Cross

04. Gato Negro

05. Let the World Burn

VIO-LENCE released three studio albums between 1988 and 1993. The group reunited soon after Demmel left MACHINE HEAD in late 2018.

Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE's classic incarnation and played on the band's debut album, "Eternal Nightmare", he wasn't approached about taking part in any of the comeback shows.

Killian underwent a successful liver transplant surgery in March 2018. The year before, Killian was diagnosed with stage four liver cirrhosis, which was caused in part by a genetic condition called hemochromatosis.

VIO-LENCE's last album, "Nothing To Gain", was recorded in August 1990, but wasn't released until 1993.

Photo credit: Gene Ambo

Punk stalwarts SILVERSTEIN will release their new album, "Misery Made Me", on May 6 via UNFD on CD, vinyl and digital formats. It was produced by Sam Guaiana at Jukasa Studios in rural Ontario, Canada and features guests Andrew Neufeld of COMEBACK KID on "Die Alone", singer/songwriter Trevor Daniel on "Cold Blood", THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's Mike Hranica on "Slow Motion" and nothing,nowhere. on "Live Like This".

Filled with moments of relentless energy throwing back to their punk and hardcore roots to visionary moments of modern heavy, "Misery Made Me" fastens SILVERSTEIN's status as torchbearers of the scene on all fronts. It's both intriguing and inspiring that a band — who could have merely rested on the impressive legacy they've already cemented — would continue to dig deep and find the inspiration to reach people in meaningful new ways.

Few bands on their 22nd lap around the scene could claim to be in "just getting started" mode as much as SILVERSTEIN. "Misery Made Me" finds the group spring-boarding off the heights they've reached over the past handful of years; their latest album (2020's "A Beautiful Place To Drown") adding 80 million streams to a mind-numbing career total of 500 million; it collecting a nomination for "Rock Album Of The Year" at the esteemed JUNO Awards.

SILVERSTEIN vocalist Shane Told states: "For the first time in our career, we truly put it all out there. We went into this with no rules and no preconceived notions of what SILVERSTEIN is or what it could be. The results are bold. We somehow wrote the heaviest, saddest, catchiest, and most emotional songs in 22 years of being a band … all on the same album.

The album's lead single, "Ultraviolet", is about feeling powerless and under the control of the chemicals in your brain, and it dives deep into feelings of desperation, describing the utter helplessness of losing control to anxiety. Guitarist Paul Marc explains: "'Ultraviolet' being invisible felt like the right way to describe it — to get lost in this unseeable thing. 'Ultraviolet' light also causes physical damage to our skin, so it serves as a sort of 'proof' that something invisible like anxiety can hurt us."

"Ultraviolet" is available to stream today via UNFD and in Canada via SILVERSTEIN's own label, NSEW Recordings, alongside a striking video directed by Wyatt Clough.

Ironically, amid all the positivity and connectivity injected into the creation of "Misery Made Me", there comes a dark set of themes underpinning the album, as its title might suggest. The album is a depiction of SILVERSTEIN's — and the world at large's — collective turmoil, frustration, and anxiety.

Says Told: "I wanted to explore the meaning of 'misery' as a main theme throughout the album. Despite the mountains climbed and boulders pushed during recent years, we were confronted by the weight and misery of staying relatively in the same place for a long period of time. Finding peace in the reality of this misery became important. The record is about the acceptance of a new reality and adapting to it."

Ultimately, "Misery Made Me" finds the band trying to navigate the ever-worsening challenges of our modern world — angst, doom scrolling, and disassociation. It's a record that is a product of the moment in time in which it was created yet doesn’t feel like it will date itself anytime soon, as many of its topics of loneliness, anxiety and isolation are eternal human struggles.

Exemplified by the anthemic opener "Our Song", "Misery Made Me" is part acceptance of the band's personal miseries, and part declaration that they will not be buried by them. At the back end of the record lies "Live Like This" (featuring nothing,nowhere.) and arguably its most bleak and haunting lyric: I don't want to die, but I can't live like this.

"Misery Made Me" is a campaign hinged on SILVERSTEIN's reflection and gratitude for their roots, their honoring of their earliest fans, and their staunch desire to explore forward-thinking and adventurous ways to connect with new ones.

"Misery Made Me" track listing:

01. Our Song

02. Die Alone (ft. Andrew Neufeld)

03. Ultraviolet

04. Cold Blood (ft. Trevor Daniel)

05. It's Over

06. The Altar / Mary

07. Slow Motion (ft. Mike Hranica)

08. Don't Wait Up

09. Bankrupt

10. Live Like This (ft. nothing,nowhere.)

11. Misery

SILVERSTEIN will hit the road in support of "Misery Made Me" on March 26. The run includes spring U.S. dates with BEARTOOTH, a European summer leg and fall performances at When We Were Young festival and the Emo's Not Dead cruise.

Z2 Comics reaches "a new level" in 2022 with the release of an ambitious graphic anthology paying tribute to one of the biggest bands in the history of heavy metal, whose innovative fusion of groove and hardcore served as one of the defining sounds of the 1990s: PANTERA.

"We're really happy and excited to have this graphic novel come out for the fans, and to be a part of something special, as it pertains to its artists and creators," PANTERA vocalist Philip Anselmo explains.

"Check out our killer new 'Vulgar' graphic novel. Can't wait to check all of it out!! And neither will you!!" PANTERA bassist Rex Brown says.

In the grand tradition established by Z2, the "Vulgar Display Of Power" graphic novel unites famous fans of the band throughout comics and music to team up on adaptations of all eleven of the album's tracks. Creators including Alan Robert (LIFE OF AGONY), Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT), Keith Buckley (EVERY TIME I DIE), Burton C. Bell (FEAR FACTORY) and Steve Niles ("30 Days Of Night"), and illustrators Brian Ewing, Erik Rodriguez, Ryan Kelly, Steve Chanks, Kevin Mellon, John Pearson and Danijel Zezelj will each offer a unique interpretation inspired by the lyrics and music to create a whole new way to experience this landmark work of heavy art.

Fronting this legacy of admiration and talent, legendary tattoo artist and friend of the band Paul Booth provides the stunning cover art, showing the grisly aftermath of the sucker-punch cover photo from the original album.

"I'm not sure I can even express what a tremendous honor it has been to work on this project for PANTERA," Booth says. "The first music tour I ever went out on, PANTERA headlined. That was back in '94 with SEPULTURA and BIOHAZARD. To this day, I still compare every tour I've been on to that one as it really was the most special for me. This project has been an awesome experience and I greatly thank everyone involved."

"Vulgar Display Of Power" marked another turning point in PANTERA's sound, as Anselmo traded his moments of falsetto for a commanding hardcore vocal assault, backed by the trademark guitar crunch of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and rounded out by Brown and drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott. The resulting sound was every bit as powerful as the album's visceral cover art. Their most commercially successful record to that point, the album laid the groundwork for the band's further domination of heavy radio and video airplay. Certified gold only a year later, this album has stood the test of time as one of the defining moments for the band and for the enduring legacy of heavy metal.

Z2 and PANTERA present "Vulgar Display Of Power" in both softcover and hardcover formats, as well as deluxe, super deluxe, and platinum editions packaged with an exclusive vinyl variant LP of the classic album, gallery-ready prints by Zezelj, Rodriguez and Robert, signed editions from Anselmo and Brown, plus more available exclusively through Z2's webstore. Also available in a limited and numbered edition will be a one-time release of a special "punch action" resin statue paying tribute to the album's iconic cover art.

The preeminent metal band of the early to mid-'90s, PANTERA put to rest any and all remnants of the '80s metal scene, almost single-handedly demolishing any notion that hair metal, speed metal, power metal, et al., were anything but passé. Loathe to admit it, the Texas band had in fact been one of those '80s metal bands, releasing fairly unsuccessful (and later disowned) glam-inspired music throughout much of the decade. The about-face came with the addition of Anselmo, and the key turning point was the band's major-label debut, "Cowboys From Hell" (1990). PANTERA's mainstream breakthrough came next with "Vulgar Display Of Power" (1992), their second major-label album, which thrust the band to the forefront of the metal scene, alongside such veteran bands as METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX, as well as fellow up-and-comers SEPULTURA and WHITE ZOMBIE. By the time PANTERA unleashed "Far Beyond Driven" (1994), after two long years of touring, they were the most popular metal band in the land: the new album debuted atop the Billboard Top 200 as its lead single, "I'm Broken", was getting massive airplay.

At the height of their popularity and influence, PANTERA began to self-destruct. Less than two months after the release of "The Great Southern Trendkill" (1996) — an album ridden with allusions to drug abuse and personal destruction — Anselmo overdosed on heroin after a homecoming concert in Texas, and as tensions rose between him and his fellow bandmembers, he began engaging with a growing list of side projects that kept him away from PANTERA. A live album, "Official Live: 101 Proof" (1997), was compiled for release when it became evident that no new studio album was forthcoming any time soon. One final studio album did result, "Reinventing The Steel" (2000), but that was more or less it for the briefly reunited PANTERA. The bandmembers once again went their separate ways, continuing with such bands as DAMAGEPLAN, DOWN and SUPERJOINT RITUAL.

The end of PANTERA then became official on December 8, 2004, when Dimebag was murdered on-stage by a deranged fan. This much-publicized murder shone the spotlight back on PANTERA for an extended moment, and amid all of the emotional outpouring and tributes, a consensus arose: in retrospect, there was no greater metal band during the early to mid-'90s than PANTERA, who inspired a legion of rabid fans and whose oft-termed "groove metal" style bucked all prevailing trends of the day — from hair metal and grunge to nu-metal and rap-metal — and remains singular to this day, as defined by the vocals of Anselmo as it is by the guitar of Dimebag.

CROWBAR will release its new album, "Zero And Below", on March 4 via MNRK Heavy (formerly eOne Music). The official music video for the LP's latest single, "Bleeding From Every Hole", can be seen below.

Produced, mixed, and mastered by Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording And Production in Metairie, Louisiana, "Zero And Below" is reverently old school, counterbalanced by a resonant melodicism that's stunningly mature. Songs like "Chemical Godz", "Bleeding From Every Hole" and "It's Always Worth The Gain" demonstrate what CROWBAR does better than any other band: powerful, evocative, and crushingly heavy music. Celebrating a recent 30th anniversary, CROWBAR is led by one of the most beloved figures in heavy metal, riff overlord Kirk Windstein, whose menacing bellow and smooth drawl put resilient, unrepentant strength behind even the most somber odes to suffering.

Comments Windstein about "Bleeding From Every Hole": "I really love this track. It's kind of strange that it was written before the COVID epidemic because the song is basically what so many people went through in a metaphorical way during the shutdowns, loss of work, and social life. Things seemed so bad that no matter which way you turned, it was the wrong direction. I wanted to express that there are people that feel that things are hopeless… but they do get better in the end. Your inner strength is there. It needs to be let out. I hope everyone enjoys the song. It is really one of my favorites."

CROWBAR songs are unapologetic emotional outpourings, with a bare-knuckle resolve alongside its soul-searching vulnerability, reliably delivered with crushing heaviness. "Zero And Below", which cements the band's dense catalog as exactly one dozen studio albums deep, is the most unforgivably doomy CROWBAR record since the group's landmark 1998 effort "Odd Fellows Rest".

"Zero And Below" track listing:

01. The Fear That Binds You

02. Her Evil Is Sacred

03. Confess To Nothing

04. Chemical Godz

05. Denial Of The Truth

06. Bleeding From Every Hole

07. It's Always Worth The Gain

08. Crush Negativity

09. Reanimating A Lie

10. Zero And Below

A year and a half ago, Windstein told the "Does It Doom?" podcast that he was really happy with the band's then-just-completed new album. "It's really a killer record — I love it," he said. "It's got a lot of [guitar] harmonies and it's got a lot more doomy riffs. We only had one proper fast song — one of our more upbeat, hardcore-type, MOTÖRHEAD speed, I call it, type tunes; we've only got one like that. Out of all 10 tracks, besides that one tune, there's only maybe two other fast, what I would consider fast, songs on the whole record. So it's kind of a throwback but a modern, more mature touch on it."

He continued: "We're all super, super happy with the way it came out. The production's amazing, again from Duane Simoneaux. The guitar tone's amazing. The songs themselves are great; I'm really happy. It's really one of the only CROWBAR records that I'm really happy with everything — every riff, I'm happy with the tones, with the production, with the lyrics, with the way I sang; the whole nine yards. So I'm really just loving it, to be honest — I really am."

Earlier in 2020, Windstein told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show that he got "a lot of help" from guitarist Matt Brunson and bassist Shane Wesley during the songwriting process for CROWBAR's new album.

CROWBAR's last LP, "The Serpent Only Lies", was released in 2016 via eOne.

Windstein issued his debut solo album, "Dream In Motion", in January 2020.