A little over a month 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.

Earlier today, the official QUEENSRŸCHE Instagram account shared a photo of singer Todd La Torre in the studio along with the following message: "Todd has 6 songs down on vocals so far for the new QUEENSRŸCHE album – things are progressing! @zeussproducer #queensryche #inthestudio #tracking #vocals #toddlatorre #tlt #thevoice #talentedaf #ryche4 #killingit #badassvocals #newalbum #centurymedia".

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 will likely 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.
























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Primal Fear / Voodoo Circle guitarist Alex Beyrodt will release the first solo instrumental album of his career, entitled Weekend Warrior, on April 1st via A1 Records. Details will be revealed soon. 


Work began on the album in January 2021. In July 2021, Beyrodt issued the following update:


"Just finished recordings for my very first instrumental album. I’m sure it’s gonna surprise some people. This was a huge challenge for myself as an guitarist and artist! Can’t wait for you guys to hear it!"




On January 15th, 2021 Voodoo Circle released their highly anticipated new album, Locked & Loaded, via AFM Records. An official video for the title track can be viewed below.


The band features Primal Fear members Alex Beyrodt (guitars, vocals) and Mat Sinner (bass), as well as Davd Readman (vocals) and Markus Kullmann (drums).





A lyric video for the album's first single, "Devil With An Angel Smile", can be found below.


Locked & Loaded will be available as digipak & ltd. colored vinyl. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Flesh & Bone"
"Wasting Time"
"Magic Woman Chile"
"Locked & Loaded"
"Devil With An Angel Smile"
"Straight For The Heart"
"Eyes Full Of Tears"
"Devil’s Cross"
"Trouble In The Moonlight"
"This Song Is For You"
"Children Of The Revolution"


"Devil With An Angel Smile" lyric video:





Photo by Heiko Roith

Polish guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED), who joined MACHINE HEAD's touring lineup prior to the launch of the band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour in late 2019, spoke to Metal 101 about his experience playing with the Robb Flynn-fronted outfit so far. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Since more than two years right now, I've become a member of the MACHINE HEAD. It was just great to join the band and it feels amazing to be part of that. I did two tours with them — a European tour and touring the United States — and it was amazing; it was a great experience.

"MACHINE HEAD have a new album ready, which makes me also really happy about feeling that I'm a part of the album," he continued. "I did a few riffs for two songs and I did a few solo parts.

"I have to say the album is amazing, and Robb and Jared [MacEachern, bass] did an amazing job. It's gonna be a really strong album and a really amazing comeback with the new songs and production. The production is amazing."

MACHINE HEAD's new full-length album is tentatively due this summer. The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis" will include the three songs that were featured on last summer's "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky".

Much of the new MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with producer Zack Ohren.

Earlier this month, MacEachern described the upcoming MACHINE HEAD album to Primordial Radio as a "pretty big-, epic-sounding" affair. "It's a ride — a really great, heavy, beautiful, melodic, raging, thrashing ride," he said.

Back in November 2019, Flynn told France's HEAVY1 that Vogg's MACHINE HEAD audition "just fucking blew my mind — it was so fucking tight and fucking accurate. He sent over [a recording of] 'Imperium' as his first song just as a test. We always had all the dudes do a sound test, just to make sure the levels are good and stuff. I was, like, 'Oh my God! This dude is playing 'Imperium' better than I can right now.' [Laughs] It was crazy. And we ended up talking. Super-nice guy."

Last May, Vogg told Finland's Kaaos TV that his addition to MACHINE HEAD's touring lineup was "a big surprise" for him, because he "didn't plan" to play with the band. "It kind of accidentally happened," he said.

"In 2019, when we started the summer festivals with DECAPITATED, I sent an e-mail to Robb Flynn about congratulations, because I heard about the upcoming 'Burn My Eyes' tour," he explained. "Because I'm still a huge fan of the first album, I just wanted to share my happiness about that with Robb. So I sent a message to him. And he replied, saying, 'Thanks, man.' And, 'Maybe you can play with us one song as a guest in Warsaw,' because they planned a Warsaw show. So we started to talk. And then it became a serious talking about the guitar player they were looking for, and I was sending my proposition that maybe I can help with that. So I did an audition. They sent me song requests for the audition, so I did it. And in a few days, I became a new guitar player of MACHINE HEAD. It was really fast. Because I didn't hear about that they were looking for a guitar player. I heard about Phil Demmel, the issues with Phil and the rest of the guys; they quit the band before. But I thought that the 'Burn My Eyes' anniversary tour was only the 'Burn My Eyes' lineup, and then I found out that it's also a second lineup to play [the other] songs. So, it was cool. It was [such] a positive shock for me."

Vogg went on to say that he was "so happy" to have been part of the "Burn My Eyes" anniversary tour "because I'm a huge fan of MACHINE HEAD since I was a kid. And to have the opportunity to go with them as a guitar player on tour which celebrates my favorite [MACHINE HEAD] album, which is probably one of my [favorite] ten albums ever, it was unbelievable," he said. "And it was such a great experience for me seeing a really big band on tour and seeing the pre-production process and traveling with all this huge crew and a few buses and trucks and all this equipment. It was really something new for me. Even [though] I'm an experienced musician, I had a big lesson from those guys and from the crew. It was such a great experience. It was such a great feeling being on stage in front of thousands of people every night. And then, after I finished my set, which includes the best songs from MACHINE HEAD — it takes two hours — then I go to change my clothes and come back to the side of the stage to see 'Burn My Eyes', the whole album, played by the original lineup. It was amazing. I have to say it was one of the best life experiences I had."

Forever May Fall has released their new single "Aftermath", co-written with and produced by Kile Odell (Motionless In White, Nita Strauss, Fozzy). The video was directed by Christian Lawrence and edited by Brandon Lane.


The desire for a more modern sound brought Forever May Fall to Kile Odell as the band sought a different message to send out to the world. “Aftermath” is the rebranding of Forever May Fall, or the rebirth - a word that has stuck with guitarist Colt Crevar since becoming a member of the band in late 2020. "We’ve all had some incredibly crappy things happen over the last few years and overcoming them, seeing where we are now, how blessed we’ve become, truly gives 'Aftermath' a passionate meaning," says Colt.







Vocalist Jillyan explains, "Initially, 'Aftermath' wasn’t intended to be a song of strength or reprieve. In fact, I was probably at my lowest when I went to the studio to write it. The initial demo was about being locked inside my head and consistently leading myself to failure."


Kile approached the message from a completely different direction, and with the help of Zach Williams (vocalist for Dead Eyes) the lyrics and song took shape into this anthem of power. This anthem of “No, I’m not doing this sad crap again, I’m going to make something out of this,” as evidenced by the lyric “I’ll break myself, I’ll make myself the Aftermath.”


"'Aftermath' has become this anthem of rebirth, for all of us. The definition of 'Aftermath' always seemed so grim and dismal, but we’ve made it something to be proud of. You are the aftermath of every choice you make in life," says Jillyan. "I struggled with drinking for a few years. I’d drown myself in it whether it was due to stress from my daytime job or bad relationships or whatever minor inconvenience I decided to blow up into a major meltdown. I had to entirely break the hell down to realize that I needed a change. I barely drink now, and the strength and positivity I feel from letting go of that crutch is incredible; I feel like a completely different person. I feel stronger, kinder, and more focused on being present in the moment".


Forever May Fall made the choices to make changes in their lifestyles, in attitudes, in positivity, in striving to be better than who they were yesterday, every single day. Jillyan shares "We’ve surrounded ourselves with some incredibly talented musicians and inspiring, motivating friends. We love the 'aftermath' of who we were. We’re excited to break back out into the industry and we look forward to creating music that everyone can connect to."





(Photo credit: Maq Brown) 


 

Swedish progressive rock outfit, Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side, will release their new album, Miles From Nowhere, on February 18 via InsideOutMusic.


Today, the group release the third single and video from the album, for the track "Secret Motive Man".


Jonas comments: "A song written by myself and Jonas Sundqvist about a man who's intentions aren't entirely clear. This track contains lots of odd time signatures and folky melodies along with some great drumming from Jonathan Lundberg."







Led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Jonas Lindberg, the new album consists of seven songs which spans the full range of the progressive rock landscape - from the soaring ”Summer Queen” (led by Jenny Storm), to the folksy instrumental ”Astral Journey” to the closing title track; a sprawling 25 minute epic which features none other than Roine Stolt Pale Rider (The Flower Kings, Transatlantic) on lead guitar.


Miles From Nowhere is available for pre-order here on CD, Gatefold 2LP+CD & as Digital Album.





Tracklisting:


"Secret Motive Man"
"Little Man"
"Summer Queen"
"Oceans Of Time"
"Astral Journey"
"Why I’m Here"
"Miles From Nowhere"
PT I - Overture
PT II - Don’t Walk Away
PT III - I Don’t Know Where You Are
PT IV - Memories
PT V - Miles From Nowhere


“Why I’m Here” video:





"Oceans Of Time" video:





Album teaser:





(Photo - Thorleif Robertsson)

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor has revealed that he will release a solo album of covers and acoustic recordings at the end of this month. "CMFT is putting out a B-sides album which has all the covers that we've done and some acoustic versions of some of the songs that are on 'CMFT'," he said during an appearance this past Wednesday (February 2) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET), referencing his debut solo LP, "CMFT", an acronym for "Corey Mother Fucking Taylor", which arrived in October 2020. "The first single will actually be February 11th, and people will be able to download that. It's our cover of 'On The Dark Side' by JOHN CAFFERY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND, which is one of the best rock tunes ever. It's one of our favorites to play live… The 'CMFT' B-sides will come out February 25th. It'll be available everywhere. We're really stoked on that too."

Asked if there are plans for him to do more solo shows in the coming months, Corey said: "We're doing little stuff here and there. We just did ShipRocked, which was a lot of fun… It's looking like we're gonna do a handful of shows in the U.K. in October, kind of threaded around the SLIPKNOT schedule. So we're just gonna do it here and there while we kind of gear up [for the next album].

"'CMFT 2' is written, it's demoed, it's ready to go," he added. "Plus we're constantly writing new stuff. So we're gonna be in a great position, next year probably, to go in and record 'CMFT 2' and just be ready to kind of do that. But that's obviously after SLIPKNOT has kind of done its thing."

"CMFT" made impressive debuts on charts around the world in October 2020, entering at No. 1 on Billboard's Current Hard Rock Albums chart, while claiming No. 2 on Current Rock Albums, No. 6 on Vinyl Albums, and No. 9 on the Top Albums charts. Furthermore, "CMFT" landed Top 10 on the official album charts in Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with Top 20 debuts in the United Kingdom, Finland and Japan (international chart).

"CMFT" was recorded at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with producer Jay Ruston and Christian Martucci (guitar), Zach Throne (guitar), Jason Christopher (bass), and Dustin Schoenhofer (drums).

"CMFT" had been a long time coming for Taylor, with newly written tracks alongside some dating back to his teens. The album was highlighted by the singles "Culture Head", "HWY 666", "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (featuring Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie), and the Active Rock radio hit "Black Eyes Blue". Taylor also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Songwriters chart following the unprecedented debut of "Black Eyes Blue" and "CMFT Must Be Stopped". Furthermore, Taylor debuted the pummeling "Culture Head" during WWE's NXT broadcast on the USA network, illuminating yet another facet of "CMFT" and showcasing the broad spectrum of this fiery and fearless rock 'n' roll opus, as Taylor touched on lifelong influences ranging from hard rock to classic rock, punk rock to hip-hop. 14-time world champion and EVP of global talent strategy and development at WWE, Triple H, also shared a WWE exclusive performance of Taylor and his band tearing through the MOTÖRHEAD classic "Ace Of Spades".

Last year, Taylor made history as he reached No. 1 at Active Rock Radio with his powerful single "Black Eyes Blue". The achievement put Taylor in a class all his own, making him the first artist in the history of the format to reach No. 1 with three separate projects, following chart-topping efforts from SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR.

Featured in Rolling Stone's "Fall Album Preview 2020," "CMFT" has been garnering widespread critical applause, with Forbes affirming, "Corey Taylor's singing is undeniably the best it's ever been. From SLIPKNOT's last album to his new solo material, Taylor is easily among the best sounding rock singers alive." Kerrang! raved, "Corey Taylor certainly couldn't have predicted how important a sense of uninhibited joy would be on his debut solo effort, it's just what 2020 needs — and, even more importantly, exactly what he delivers." The Daily Beast attested, "'CMFT' finds the singer broadening his horizons and showing off his considerable versatility," while Stereogum noted, "Corey Taylor's lived several lives in the span that it takes most of us to push through just one, and it's clear that he cherishes every experience he's had so far." New York magazine added that "CMFT" "bridges his vast tastes and influences, dabbling in punk rock, metal, reflective acoustic tunes, plaintive piano ballads, and hip-hop, with Taylor's power-house vocals and introspective lyrics acting as a guide."

Canadian rockers THREE DAYS GRACE will release their seventh studio album, "Explosions", on May 6 via RCA Records. The official lyric video for the LP's first single, "So Called Life", can be seen below. The song is the first new original music from THREE DAYS GRACE since the Juno Award-nominated "Outsider" album came out in 2018.

When "So Called Life" was first released last November, it was accompanied by a Jon Vulpine-directed music video. At the time, THREE DAYS GRACE singer Matt Walst stated about the track: "In these crazy and divided times, everyone needs something to take the edge off."

Vulpine added: "I wanted to make this video really raw and stripped down. Something high energy with extreme angles and fast movements. A bunch of old analog gear in this '70s apartment that looked like some hoarder died in it 20 years ago and the guys just came in and recorded. I didn't want to go for a clean and super polished look, so Justin Jones, my DP, suggested these rehoused 1960s Japanese lenses for a grittier more contrasty feel. That, along with different lens distortions and attachments, just added to the diversity of shots."

THREE DAYS GRACE bassist Brad Walst told Jave Patterson of Two Doods Reviews about "So Called Life": "It's a little different. It's a pretty heavy song and definitely full of emotions and frustrations of everyday life. It was actually the first song we wrote on this record, going back almost pre-pandemic. We started jamming, actually, beside Neil's [Sanderson, drums] pool and it turned out really angry. [Laughs] I think it's a great tune. I think the fans are gonna relate to it. And it's gonna be a fun one live, I know that."

Asked how much of THREE DAYS GRACE's upcoming album was inspired by the pandemic, Brad said: "We didn't really direct the songs towards there, but we're a pretty honest band and we like to write about our true emotions and what we're going through. So, naturally, being stuck at home and stuck on Zoom with each other, some pretty emotional songs came out of it. We wrote the first half of the record remotely. We recorded it remotely, which we'd never done. And then we just got back together a couple of months ago and did the rest. But it was interesting, man, and definitely a different vibe. And I think some great songs came out of it."

THREE DAYS GRACE has announced more than a dozen U.S. dates for April and May, including a number of headlining concerts and radio shows as the support act for GODSMACK.

Prior to the arrival of "So Called Life", THREE DAYS GRACE's most recent release was a cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know", which came out in July 2020. The official music video for THREE DAYS GRACE's version of the track was directed by Mike Filsinger.

In 2019, THREE DAYS GRACE extended its record for the most No. 1s in the 38-year history of Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart, with "Right Left Wrong" its 15th No. 1 single on the tally.

"Right Left Wrong" is featured on "Outsider", THREE DAYS GRACE's sixth full-length album and fifth consecutive Top 40-charting LP on the Billboard Top 200.

THREE DAYS GRACE's other No. 1 singles include "Misery Loves My Company", "Chalk Outline", "World So Cold", "Never Too Late", "Just Like You", "Animal", "Pain", "Home" and "Infra-Red".

Fan-filmed video footage of NILE's February 5 performance at Haven Lounge in Winter Park, Florida can be seen below.

NILE guitarist/vocalist Brian Kingsland is sitting out the band's current U.S. tour in order to spend time with his newborn son. Filling in for him is Scott Eames (THY ANTICHRIST, NEVALRA). Featuring support from INCANTATION, SANGUISUGABOGG and I AM, the trek kicked off on February 3 in Nashville, Tennessee, visiting several major cities before wrapping in Spartanburg, South Carolina on March 12.

Last Tuesday (February 1), NILE released the following statement via social media: "Congratulations to Brian Kingsland on the arrival of his newborn son! While Brian takes time for family, veteran metal guitarist Scott Eames will be joining us on Guitar and Vocals. Scott is an exceptionally talented motherfucker who has worked his ass off and earned his spot on stage with NILE. The band is as strong as ever and we are primed and ready to bring Metal to the fans on our upcoming tour starting in Nashville, TN on February 3rd! See you on the road! \m/"

Originally hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, international death metal legends NILE have become one of the most revered names in the worldwide heavy metal scene today, combining extreme traditional and technical death metal styles with their trademarked blend of Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern soundscapes and historical mysticism.

NILE's ninth studio album, "Vile Nilotic Rites", was released in November 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was recorded and produced by Karl Sanders at Serpent Headed Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, with the exception of the drums which were recorded at Esoteron Music Studios in Athens, Greece with engineering handled by Jim Touras and George Dovolos. The album was mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis at MRL Studios. For the album artwork, the band returned to artist Michal "Xaay" Loranc who had worked with the band for over 10 years.

Last September, NILE announced that it had signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records.

In a new interview with Liz Barnes of Planet Rock's "My Planet Rocks", SCORPIONS singer Klaus Meine was asked if the title of the band's new album, "Rock Believer", is a message of sorts for the group's fans around the world. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Maybe that's because of the pandemic, it's all a dialogue with the fans. Especially [since] we are blocked away from the world of touring for such a long time, it's like you wanna stay in touch with your fanbase. And through the social media today — with the Facebooks, Instagrams and even TikTok [laughs], whatever comes along the way — you have a chance to be in touch with your fanbase and it's a pretty cool dialogue. You get some feedback to what you say, and maybe it's good, sometimes it's maybe not so good."

He continued: "I'll tell you a story. In the middle of the pandemic, and way before we recorded the first track of this album, I wrote a little song in my studio back home just to put something out on the social media without saying, 'Here's a new single from the SCORPIONS.' It was just a little song. And the song was 'Sign Of Hope'. It was maybe two minutes something — not a big song. And I wanted to get in touch and just say, 'Stay strong. Take good care of yourself. We'll see you again. Let's go through this pandemic together.' And by the end of the year, we put out three ['Sign Of Hope'] fan videos and reached a lot of people. And it was such a nice interaction with the fans. And the same goes for the lyrics in 'Rock Believer'. We are the essence of rock believers, yes, but also we've heard so many years: 'Rock is dead.' There is grunge, there is hip-hop, there is rap. Yes, those genres are very popular these days, no question about it — especially hip-hop and rap — but we see every time we go on the road rock is not dead at all; it's well and alive. And 'Rock Believer' is directed to this community, saying, 'We love you and we hope you love this new album as much as we do. And I'm a rock believer just like you.' It's a clear message."

"Rock Believer" will be released on February 25. The LP was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

SCORPIONS' new album will mark their first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of new and classic material.

SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.

Meine previously told Talking Metal that the goal with using Fidelman to produce "Rock Believer" was to bring "the old vibe from albums like 'Blackout', 'Love At First Sting' or even 'Lovedrive'. We try to focus on those albums and this attitude," he said. "If we get there, who knows — it's so many years later. But it's the spirit and it's the whole vibe around this album. This time, the focus is on the harder songs."

SCORPIONS will kick off their "Rock Believer" world tour in March in Las Vegas where the band will play nine shows as part of their residency at Planet Hollywood Hotel. Afterwards they will cross the Atlantic to Europe where they will play six concerts in France and six shows In Germany supported by Wolfgang Van Halen's new band MAMMOTH WVH.

SCORPIONS' last full-length collection of new recordings was the aforementioned "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.

After two crushing tours with Unleash The Archers in the US, Seven Kingdoms will launch the crowdfunding campaign for their upcoming studio album, Zenith, set to open on February 15 on Kickstarter.com and end on March 22 at midnight.


Zenith is the fifth studio album from Seven Kingdoms, and is scheduled to be released worldwide in June after the crowdfunding has completed. The band will complete crowdfunding before their US tour with Beast In Black and spend the months of April and May promoting the release for June.


Today, Seven Kingdoms also releases the video for "I Hate Myself For Loving You", a cover of the Joan Jett & The Blackhearts song that can be found on the upcoming release. Watch below. This cover song was funded on the last Kickstarter Campaign and is now fulfilled. The cover art and tracklisting will be revealed on February 10.




Commented Guitarist Camden Cruz, “We are stoked to drop this first video! It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to release a full length album and we’re finally here! We put a lot of time into this release and are currently putting the team in place that will help us bring this material worldwide over the upcoming years! We are thankful for the opportunities we have been able to have, and for our wonderful fans that have given us 4 previous successful crowdfunding campaigns - this will be our 5th! We can’t wait to start the release process!”

Sabaton have released a new lyric video for "The Ballad Of Bull", originally featured on the bonus version of the band's 2014 album, Heroes.


Historical fact: Leslie “Bull” Allen was an Australian stretcher bearer who served in the pacific, and his actions on mount Tambu in New Guinea is something quite extraordinary. During one day at the front he ran straight into enemy fire alone, time after time to pick up wounded American soldiers. 12 times he went up the hill, and 12 times he came down with a wounded allied soldier on his shoulder. For this selfless act he was awarded with the US Silver star.







The band previously released lyric videos for "Inmate 4859", "Night Witches" and "No Bullets", also featured on the bonus version of Heroes.











Sabaton’s tenth album, The War To End All Wars, will be released on March 4 via Nuclear Blast Records. Once again, Sabaton will dive deep into the atrocities, miracles, and happenings around WWI and take the listener on an emotional and exciting 11-track ride.


Pre-order the album here.





The War To End All Wars will be available in the following formats:


- Jewelcase CD
- Limited Gold CD [Supporter Edition - various versions with translated booklets]
- History Edition
- NB Mailorder Exclusive Edition [ltd. to 1500 copies]
- Earbook [limited to 6000 copies]
- Black Vinyl
- Azure Blue Vinyl [bandshop exclusive, ltd. to 300 copies]
- Inca Gold Vinyl [bandshop exclusive, ltd. to 500 copies]
- Copper Vinyl [ltd. to 500 copies]
- Fluorescent Orange Vinyl [ltd. to 500 copies]
- Leaf Green Vinyl [Sweden exclusive]
- Fluorescent Yellow Vinyl [Ginza exclusive]
- Dusk Vinyl [Levik exclusive]
- Soft Grey Vinyl [Nordics exclusive]
- Lavender Vinyl [FNAC exclusive]
- Rosewood Vinyl [Mystic exclusive]
- Fluorescent Green Vinyl [UK exclusive]
- Pacific Blue Vinyl
- Polar White Vinyl [limited to 300 copies]
- Dewdrop Vinyl [limited to 500 copies, EMP exclusive]
- Blue cassette [limited to 100 copies, bandshop exclusive]
- Green cassette [limited to 100 copies]
- Grey cassette [limited to 300 copies]
- Red cassette [limited to 500 copies]
- Black cassette [limited to 250 copies]
- Smokey cassette [limited to 200 copies]
- White cassette [limited 100 copies]





The War To End All Wars tracklisting:


"Sarajevo"
"Stormtroopers"
"Dreadnought"
"The Unkillable Soldier"
"Soldier Of Heaven"
"Hellfighters"
"Race To The Sea"
"Lady Of The Dark"
"The Valley Of Death"
"Christmas Truce"
"Versailles"


"Soldier Of Heaven" lyric video:





"Soldier Of Heaven" video:





"Christmas Truce" animated story video:





"Christmas Truce" lyric video:





"Christmas Truce" music video:





Following a 29-date headline tour of Sweden, Sabaton will launch the March 4, 2022 release of the new album with The Tour To End All Tours, a massive five-week European trek supported by The Hu and Lordi. Complete dates and ticket information are available here.


 

Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train, ex-Spock’s Beard), Neal Morse (Transatlantic, NMB, ex-Spock’s Beard), and Ross Jennings (Haken, Novena) will release their debut album, Troika, on February 25.  


Today, the band share the video for the album’s third single, “You Set My Soul On Fire”, directed by Christian Rios.


Nick D’Virgilio had this to say about the track: "'You Set My Soul On Fire' is simply put, a love song. It's a song about love being able to warm even the coldest heart if you open the door and let it in. It is the first song I wrote for this project. Knowing that Neal and Ross would be adding their voices to the mix gave me real inspiration."







Recorded during lockdown, the process began with Neal Morse writing some acoustic songs that he thought would be enhanced by strong vocal harmonies. He already knew how well his voice blended with former Spock's Beard band-mate and Big Big Train drummer/ vocalist, Nick D'Virgilio who came on board and, considering a third man, the Americans sought out Haken's Ross Jennings from the UK to complete the trio. All three found they had songs that would benefit from the three part harmonic blend, and so they pooled their resources, inputting creatively into each others compositions.





The tracks took shape with the musicians recording all of the music and vocals separately, yet the eclectic performances burst with the energy and excitement of the collaboration. Acoustic anthems, charged rockers and sensitive ballads are all part of the mix, and the unique blend of Ross, Neal and Nick's voices and styles have created an album in which you will encounter these musicians in a way you've never heard before.


Troika will be available as Ltd. CD Edition / Gatefold 2LP+CD / Digital Album. Each format includes a bonus alternative version of the track "Julia" and is available for pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Everything I Am"
"Julia"
"You Set My Soul On Fire"
"One Time Less"
"Another Trip Around The Sun"
"A Change Is Gonna Come"
"If I Could"
"King For A Day"
"Second Hand Sons"
"My Guardian"
"What You Leave Behind"


“Everything I Am” video:





"Julia" video:





The Troika Interview:








(Top photos by Chad Hoerner, Yulia Jennings, Chad Jenkins)

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched for former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, who has been diagnosed with a cancer in throat and neck.

The campaign was organized by the 63-year-old musician's wife and manager, Cathy-Sarah Holmes, who first shared the news of his diagnosis in a social media post on Saturday (February 5).

In a message on the GoFundMe page, Holmes's drummer Steve Jackson wrote: "Hi Everyone, this is a tough message to write. You probably won't know me but for the past 4 years I have been playing drums for Chris Holmes or you may know him as the 'Mean Man'. In the time I've spent getting to know Chris, I can assure you this is so far from the truth, as many of you who have met Chris will agree. He has a lot of time for his fans and I wanted to do something to help out after his recent Cancer diagnosis. The medical bills are coming in quickly, as they are working to get Chris the Cancer treatment he needs, as soon as possible.

"As he is unable to tour during this time and he is going to have 7 weeks of extensive treatment, he is gonna need a little extra support to help to get himself back to full health and to kick cancers ass!! This is where hopefully you can help out! If you feel you can afford to donate something, I'd be very grateful and I know both Chris and Cathy would be too. Anything you can give would be a massive help, while he is undergoing his treatment.

"Please feel free to share this to anyone, you know is a fan or friend of Chris, or of the music he has been a part of during his 40+ year career.

"I thank you for all of your kind words that you have sent Chris so far. I know he has seen many of the messages and the extra positivity will help him and Cathy during this tough time. We will keep you updated as treatment progresses."

Launched earlier today (Monday, February 7), the GoFundMe campaign has only raised €690 toward its €20,000 goal as of this publishing.

As a result of his diagnosis, Holmes has canceled his appearance aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. However, Holmes still expects to be able to complete his previously announced Canadian tour, which is scheduled to launch in Quebec City on May 5 and wrap up in Vancouver on May 28.

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

In October 2020, Chris said that he would never consider returning to W.A.S.P. unless Lawless agreed to pay him the publishing royalties that he allegedly owes him. He told Canada's The Metal Voice: "A lot of people think I made money from W.A.S.P. I've never gotten my royalties, or even my songwriting. All the stuff that I wrote, I've never gotten paid one penny. And you know whose fault it is? It's my my fault for not knowing the business, how it is. I trusted somebody.

"After every album, when the album is done, how they split up the publishing with the publishing contracts, the publishing companies — that's where the money comes from," he continued. "I was never told about when that meeting was. Because the other guys in the band never wrote — I was the only one [other than Blackie]. So I'm the only one that they have to screw over to get all the publishing. So I was never told. Then when I dug into it in about 2006 or [2007], I went into Sanctuary Music, had a lawyer go in to find out where all my publishing is, and I was written in as a session player into all the records. And if you don't know about it, and you're not told, and you don't see, you don't know. So I trusted Blackie Lawless about that. And when I found out, it really kind of yanked me wrong. It yanks me wrong — it makes me see he was sticking a knife in my back from the first day, from the first album, and not telling me, and being my best friend."

Last month, Lawless shot down Holmes's claim that the guitarist was "screwed" out of receiving royalties on the W.A.S.P. albums that he performed on. Lawless discussed Holmes's tenure with W.A.S.P. in an interview with "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked to respond to Holmes's assertion in Chris's recently released documentary "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes" that he was financially taken advantage of during his time in the band, Lawless said: "I don't really know much about… I spoke to [former W.A.S.P. guitarist] Randy Piper a couple of years ago. I don't really know what's going on with the rest of the guys. And I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about with Chris about not being paid.

"Chris, at two different points in his musical career, received settlements from this band; he signed documents as such," Blackie explained. "And he was paid quite well.

"I haven't seen what you're talking about. The answer I'm giving you right now is based on what you just said to me."

The W.A.S.P. frontman went on to confirm that he hasn't seen Chris's documentary and was once again asked about Holmes's claim that there is money and songwriting credits that he didn't get that he's due. Lawless said simply: "That is not true."

During a November 2017 press conference in Moscow, Russia, Lawless was asked what he would say to those W.A.S.P. fans who continue to call for the band to reunite with Holmes. He responded: "People get divorced for certain reasons, and there's times when the kids want the parents to get back together, but sometimes it never happens. And this is one of those [times]. Sor

Once Human have released a new teaser video for their upcoming new studio album, Scar Weaver, hitting the streets this Friday, February 11. Watch below:





Pieced together over the last two years, Scar Weaver represents a massive step forward for the band. Blessed (or perhaps cursed) with plenty of additional time during last year’s lockdown situation, the band have been able to refine and redefine their sound, inspired by a sudden creative surge from latest recruit Max Karon. The result is an gloriously idiosyncratic modern metal record, with Lauren Hart’s career-best vocal performance just one of its dazzling revelations. With Once Human’s most intense and explosive music to work with, the singer has pushed herself to new heights, showcasing a vastly expanded vocal range in the process.




As its title suggests, Scar Weaver is an album that brims and bulges with notions of pain, trauma and darkness. Lauren has once again penned a stunning collection of emotionally raw diatribes, but in contrast to Evolution’s overriding concept, the new record takes a more scattershot approach, reflecting the chaos of the modern world along the way. From visceral opener "Eidolon" to the corrosive claustrophobia of the closing "Only In Death", all human life is alive and screaming on Scar Weaver.


Pre-order / pre-save Scar Weaver at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Eidolon"
"Deadlock"
"Scar Weaver"
"Bottom Feeder"
"Where The Bones Lie"
"Erasure"
"Deserted"
"We Ride"
"Cold Arrival"
"Only In Death"


"Erasure" video:





"Deadlock" video:





"Cold Arrival" video:





"Only In Death" video:

Shield Of Wings press forward to their imminent album release with third single and video,  "Crushing Hail". Presented here, in the form of a powerful lyric video / full band playthrough, this single comes from  their debut full-length album. Unfinished is set to be released on February 11. 


Guitarist James Gregor said of the track, "High energy and full of life, 'Crushing Hail' is the first track of our upcoming album. It sets the stage for the dynamic and emotional journey housed within the rest of Unfinished. So, bang your heads with us as we go forward, unheeding, through the wind and hail!"







Shield Of Wings will begin the year of 2022 with their epic symphonic metal resurrection, and their debut full-length album, Unfinished. 


Each song from Unfinished explores themes of growth through self-examination, regret, sacrificial death and rebirth. From the "Crushing Hail" of the suffering which is inherent in life, the listener is carried through this journey, until the final track expounds upon the realization that we are all, in ways, "The Scarred Clay Reshaping". With bold, vast orchestral compositions soaring over chugging guitars, Shield Of Wings makes it abundantly clear that they are Unfinished, in more ways than one.


Pre-order Unfinished now at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Crushing Hail"
"Native Colossus"
"Breathing"
"Frozen Harbor"
"Cedar"
"Wetland"
"Mind Of Myth"
"Sunfire Shower"
"Come Home"
"The Scarred Clay Reshaping"


"Wetland":





"Mind Of Myth":

HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris was asked in a new interview with the "Metal Command" podcast if he thinks the reunited expanded classic lineup of the German power metal band will eventually make another album to follow up last year's acclaimed self-titled effort. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I would strongly hope so. I mean, as long as the vibe is great, chemistry is great and everybody's having fun with each other, it would be a crime not to do so and not to plan for a future together.

"'Pumpkins United' is not only the name for the last tour, I think that's something like a brand," he continued. "HELLOWEEN 'Pumpkins United', that's something like a band — a new or something like [that] growing from the old band."

Regarding how HELLOWEEN has managed to pull off the seemingly impossible by uniting returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble, Andi said: "I just can tell you getting along with each other, I think it's rooted in the matter of fact that we're finally too old for the other shit. [Laughs] From a certain age on, you let other people live and you don't take everything personal. Talking for [myself], whenever somebody told me something that could be looked at in a negative way, I took it the negative way. Even though when you look at it from the positive side of you, you could say, 'Well, man, maybe it was even a compliment, because have you seen it from that side?' 'No.' That's what happens when you're getting older — you don't take everything on the negative side: 'Oh, he's attacking me' or 'he's meaning bad' or 'he's meaning to annihilate you or intimidate you' or whatever. Everybody in the band, even together now with seven people, I have to say everybody is old enough to not always look at it from the negative [point of view] but also try to realize who's talking. So I cannot imagine that the boys are meaning bad if they speak about me in a sense that I could take negatively, but because I like everybody, I personally think, 'Well, I don't think they're talking negatively.' So I try to find the sense in a positive way, and most of the time — 99.9 percent [of the time] — it's exactly that. It's nothing negative; it's positive. But back in the day, everything I took was negative — when I was in my 20s and 30s. Then when you get [to] 40, it's getting better. [Laughs] Or maybe it's just you don't give a shit anymore."

Upon its release last June, "Helloween" landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the latest HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).

"Helloween" saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analogue and Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.

The "Pumpkins United" tour marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, had been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set featured several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sang a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)".

HELLOWEEN's European "United Alive World Tour Part II", which was originally scheduled to take place in September and October 2021 will now take place later this year.

Scott Gorham says that he left BLACK STAR RIDERS in order to "put a hundred percent concentration and effort" into getting THIN LIZZY back on the road.

Gorham was in BLACK STAR RIDERS for nearly a decade, having formed the band in 2013 with other THIN LIZZY members after deciding to write and record new music under a new moniker. BLACK STAR RIDERS' original lineup was completed by vocalist Ricky Warwick, guitarist Damon Johnson, bassist Marco Mendoza and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso.

BLACK STAR RIDERS announced Gorham's departure last September, with Warwick saying in a statement: "We are very sad to see Scott go, but we discussed a very heavy world touring commitment on the new record and Scott decided he wanted to concentrate just on THIN LIZZY — and being the legend he is, none of us can blame him."

Gorham discussed his decision to leave BLACK STAR RIDERS in a new interview with "The Hook Rocks!" podcast. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was right in the beginning of the whole pandemic thing. I know Ricky wanted to do an album straight off the bat. And I said, 'Well, I can't and I won't get on a plane right now, for god's sakes. We've got this thing raging around all of us. It's kind of impossible.' And I did not wanna do an album by Zoom; I didn't even wanna contemplate on that. Plus, I did wanna start concentrating on THIN LIZZY, to get out there and show people these really great songs. So I thought it would be unfair to try to really put a hundred percent concentration and effort into one and then the other is kind of flailing there on the side. So I thought, well, I've done four albums with BLACK STAR RIDERS. I love 'em and I love the guys. I've proved the point with BLACK STAR RIDERS. Now it's time to concentrate a little bit more on THIN LIZZY and see what we can do. 'Cause there are so many really great musicians who want to be in this band called THIN LIZZY. They've listened to the songs their whole life, and to be able to get up on a stage and for real play the songs… It's really kind of heartwarming that I know that I can reach out and there's so many guys who wanna get up there and sit up there shoulder to shoulder with me, paying homage to Phil [Lynott] and Gary [Moore] and everybody else that was in the band. And it's not an easy thing as you would think to pick who's going to do it. It really is picking the right person for the right tour when we do THIN LIZZY."

Asked when fans can expect to see THIN LIZZY back on the road, Scott said: "I'm gonna try for the end of this year. And if that doesn't happen, it will definitely, definitely be in '23. There's still things to work out — different contracts and all that — there's always some little rut in the road that you've gotta bounce over. But hopefully the latest it's going to be is sort of mid-'23. But hopefully it'll be latter 22. I think we still have enough time to set up a tour for '22 in some part of the world, but we'll see. I know that our management is working hard on it, so it will happen. I just can't tell you when. [Laughs]"

According to Gorham, THIN LIZZY's lineup will continue to include Warwick and Johnson, with the drummer and bassist positions yet to be filled.

BLACK STAR RIDERS said that they would not seek a replacement for Gorham and would instead carry on as a four-piece, with Ricky handling a lot of the guitar parts alongside Christian Martucci, who joined the band after album number three in 2018.

BLACK STAR RIDERS entered the studio in Los Angeles last October with longtime producer Jay Ruston (STONE SOUR, STEEL PANTHER, URIAH HEEP, ANTHRAX) to record the follow-up to 2019's "Another State Of Grace". The as-yet untitled fifth album will arrive in early 2023, and dates are booked to start within a couple of weeks of release. Los Angeles drummer Zak St. John joined BLACK STAR RIDERS to track the new album.

Legendary Symphony X guitarist, Michael Romeo, will release his new album, War Of The Worlds, Part 2, on March 25 via InsideOut Music. The record features guest vocals by Dino Jelusick.


Today, Michael shares a guitar playthrough video for the lead single, "Divide & Conquer". Watch below:







Michael Romeo on his new solo album: "I'm really excited to finally release the new solo album, War Of The Worlds, Part 2. After many delays, lockdowns, new variants, etc... ha! It looks like things are getting back on track. I'm hoping this new music will put some smiles on some faces in these uncertain times. My best wishes to everyone for 2022!"





War Of The Worlds, Part 2 is now available for pre-order as:


- 180g black 2LP Gatefold
- Ltd. 2CD PocketPak (incl. Instrumental version of the album)
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Introduction - Part II"
"Divide & Conquer"
"Destroyer"
"Metamorphosis"
"Mothership"
"Just Before the Dawn"
"Hybrids"
"Hunted"
"Maschinenmensch"
"Parasite"


"Brave New World" (Outro)


Bonus tracks:


"The Perfect Weapon"
"Alien DeathRay"


"Divide & Conquer" video:





In his groundbreaking work with Symphony X, Romeo established himself as one of heavy metals most exciting maverick guitarists. Influenced by the likes of axe gods Randy Rhoads, Yngwie Malmsteen, Dimebag Darrell and Uli Jon Roth, he’s also steeped in the works of Beethoven, Ravel and Stravinsky. But there’s yet another side to the New Jersey axe wizard and composer, one who’s enamored of film score giants such as Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer. Romeo put it all in a Cuisinart for his first musical homage to H.G. Wells, and with War Of The Worlds, Part II, he’s flipped the switch to infinity and beyond.


“The title feels a little more prophetic than usual”, he says. “Just by taking a look around at what’s going on in the world. For the most part, there’s a strong sci-fi element to the album, but on a few songs I’m kind of like, ‘Maybe the aliens can just sit this one out while we fight among ourselves…ha.’”


For WOTW2, Romeo welcomes a couple of returning players – drummer John Macaluso and bassist John “JD” DeServio – but the album marks the first time he worked with Croatian singer Dino Jelusick. “I go way back with John and JD, so they were the obvious choices, but this time I wanted to try something different with the vocals”, Romeo says. “Dino came highly recommended, and he totally nailed it! He really brought an exciting element to the music.”


Summing up the album, Romeo says, “It takes the first record deeper into the journey. It’s H.G. Wells with modern-day sci-fi, and there’s a lot of super-heavy cinematic music and, obviously, lots of guitars. Put it on and forget where you are. Let’s go somewhere else. The real world will still be here.”


(Photo - Danny Sanchez)

JUDAS PRIEST's Ian Hill and Rob Halford have told Billboard that they would be happy to stand alongside founding guitarist K.K. Downing at a hypothetical Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction later this year. "It's not a problem to us, no," Hill said. "Ken was an integral part of this band for a very, very long time. He deserves to be there along with the rest of us." Halford predicted that, "It won't be as awkward as Ace [Frehley] and Peter [Criss with KISS's Rock Hall induction]. I don't think it'll be awkward at all. I think you have to let all of that go because it's the night that matters. It's the moment that matters — but, again, the proverbial saying, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

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

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

On Wednesday (February 2), it was announced that JUDAS PRIEST is among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's class of 2022. Inductees will be announced in May. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 2022 induction ceremony will take place this fall. The date, venue, and on-sale information will be announced later.

Once again, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has named the individual bandmembers that will enter should their group get inducted.

For JUDAS PRIEST, they picked current members Halford (vocals), Hill (bass), Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums), along with former members Downing (guitar), Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

In 2019, Halford was asked by Fox Sports 910's "Freak Nation" if fans could expect to see any of the former PRIEST members joining the band on stage during a hypothetical Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. He responded: "With something like the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, there's a tinge of 'what if' [and] 'whatever.' It's an open book.

"I know what you're alluding to, and as I've had to [say] in the past, it's just a case of 'wait and see,'" he continued. "But it's a celebration, and it's 50 years of PRIEST, and, man, it's gonna be great. Should we get in, it's gonna be amazing."

After host Kenny Sargent brought up the original KISS lineup's controversial 2014 Rock Hall induction which was at least partly overshadowed by the musicians' decision not to perform, Halford said: "[PRIEST is] not the first band that this has happened to, and on the day, some things turn out the way a lot of people want 'em.

"I was thinking about this the other day," Halford added. "And this thing came into my head: 'Jim, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or of the one.' Spock [in] 'Star Trek'. When he goes in the radiation room. Isn't that great? … That's a t-shirt, or an inspirational card."

Downing previously told Rockin' Metal Revival that there is a very good chance that he would perform with his former bandmates again if PRIEST gets the nod. "Oh, I think absolutely," he said. "I mean, why wouldn't you, really? It's a special thing. We're all of an age now. These opportunities only come once in a lifetime. And it seemingly takes a lifetime to get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I've always said, there's no such thing as a young legend, right? [Laughs] So, while we're still here, it would be great to receive that accolade and put on a great performance and put that one to bed."

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

In his 2018 autobiography "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", Downing wrote that he told Tipton and PRIEST co-manager Jayne Andrews that he had "hated" them both "since 1985." Last year, he explained his outburst to Classic Rock magazine: "I was angry. Glenn had formed a relationship with Jayne from day one, and it felt a bit like a John-and-Yoko situation. I didn't like th

The clip below features Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen performing at her solo show at AFAS Live in Amsterdam, Netherlands on September 1st, 2021.


Floor: "Perhaps one of my favorite tracks to perform this show, 'Winner', which is written by Tim Akkerman for his brother is a celebration of perseverance and strength, and singing this to him at Beste Zangers was a touching and beautiful experience. Now sharing this all with you live is just as nice and I hope you'll raise your hands!"







The setlist was as follows:


Set 1:


"Ever Dream" (Nightwish)
"Storm In A Glass" (Northward) 
"Nemo" (Nightwish) 
"Mama" (Samantha Steenwijk cover) 
"Sweet Curse" (ReVamp song - with Henk Poort) 
"Dangerous Game" (from Jekyll & Hyde - with Henk Poort) 
"Euphoria" (Loreen)
"Face Your Demons" (After Forever)
"Winner" (Tim Akkerman cover)


Set 2:


"Slow, Love, Slow" (Nightwish)
"Shallow" (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper cover)
"Strong" (After Forever) 
"Élan" (Nightwish) 
"Energize Me" (After Forever) 
"Qué Se Siente" (Rolf Sanchez)
"Bridle Passion" (Northward) 
"Our Decades In The Sun" (Nightwish)
"Wolf And Dog" (ReVamp) 
"The Phantom Of The Opera" (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover - with Henk Poort)


"Ever Dream"





"Storm In A Glass"





"Dangerous Game"

"Monument In Time" is the latest brand new Conception track from the forthcoming release of the State of Deception deluxe album. Vocalist Roy Khan describes it as "a compressed document of joy, challenges and hardships we have encountered and overcome as a band. It also constitutes the spirit of which we approach every song we make." 


Describing the writing process, guitarist Tore Østby explained: "When composing this piece I combined my love for orchestral music and dramatic choirs with hard rock. It’s an exciting way of writing that I am exploring, which also allows me to expand my expression. We are super proud of it and curious about how it will be perceived!"







Conception released their full length comeback album, State Of Deception, on April 3, 2020. It followed 2018’s successful EP release My Dark Symphony, both released via their own Conception Sound Factory label. They recently launched a crowdfunding campaign for an expanded edition of State Of Deception planned for 2022. This new version of the record will include new songs, re-recordings and live tracks.


Conception recently issued the following update:


"The latest release for our campaign is out! 'Gethsemane' was always one of the highlights from the Flow album, and this particular version comes from a very special night in Gjøvik back in 2019. The track is available via digital platforms found here."





Check out the crowdfunding campaign here.


Frontman Roy Khan: "We've been lucky enough to have such loyal fans. They have been incredibly generous in supporting us, and we've tried really hard to acknowledge that by making some particularly distinctive items and experiences available to them. The centrepiece of the campaign will be an all new deluxe box set version of State of Deception, packed full of new and exclusive goodies and new tracks! As you might be able to tell, we’re just a little bit excited about it all!"





State Of Deception follows a twenty year interval during which band members Roy Khan, Tore Østby, Ingar Amlien and Arve Heimdal remained friends throughout, and the album release marks the full-circle evolution of the band. Lead singer Roy Khan: "The reception we’ve had from fans made recording a new album almost inevitable; they’d have rioted if we didn’t get this out! But we’re mightily proud of what we have put together here; I actually think it’s the best thing I’ve ever been involved in. We can’t wait to share it with everyone!"


In fact, reflecting the band’s desire for an entirely direct relationship with their fans, the album is wholly fan-funded. Moreover, State Of Deception is wholly self-produced, benefits from the stellar mix skills of Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein, Within Temptation, Europe etc), and is comprised of 9 tracks in total. Guitarist Tore Østby explains further, "Producing this new album has been an emotional and exciting process, digging deeper into the heart and soul of the band than ever before. The result is dynamic and intense!”


State Of Deception perfectly captures the band’s trademark breadth of progressive sound, from symphonic melodrama to rock riff utopia, and also features eminent Amaranthe vocalist Elize Ryd.





State Of Deception tracklist:


“In Deception”
“Of Raven And Pigs”
“Waywardly Broken”
“No Rewind”
“The Mansion” (featuring Elize Ryd)
“By The Blues”
“Anybody Out There”
“She Dragoon”
“Feather Moves” (remastered)


State Of Deception is a nine track tour de force which lead singer Roy Khan describes as, “probably the best thing I’ve ever been involved in!” The bar is set high then, but the band are more than happy to do so, as guitarist Tore Østby explains; “If we didn’t think we were capable of surpassing our previous work, we wouldn’t be here! We’re super proud of every single track on this album.”


"No Rewind"





"By The Blues"

Silent Skies, the cinematic ambient project of Evergrey’s Tom S. Englund and classically trained pianist and composer Vikram Shankar (Redemption), have finally unveiled their second studio album and label debut, Nectar, via Napalm Records.


This spectacular full-length soaked in a melancholic atmosphere showcases the touching intensity of Silent Skies’ musical expression without holding anything back. Infinite, heartfelt Nectar enchants with sounds like pure poetry lifting off the page and wrapping around its listener with a gentle glow as it combines the reminiscence of the likes of producers and composers such as Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm and Ludovico Einaudi, and bands ranging from Sigur Rós to Anathema. The balance between haunting instrumentals and vocal intensity that complement each other in perfect harmony walks a delicate line where listeners are treated to the best of both worlds.


To accompany the release of Nectar, Silent Skies' emotive third single “Let It Hurt” has been released together with an intense official music video. “Let It Hurt” addicts with an intimate intro possible due to Tom S. Englund's heartbreaking vibrato, quickly developing dramatically and wrapping the listener in a multitude of evocative sounds, blending cinematic strings and piano with hooky modern vocals.




Vikram Shankar on “Let It Hurt”: “To celebrate the release of Nectar, we are thrilled to unveil this video for 'Let It Hurt', directed with a subtle and artistic touch by our dear friend Patric Ullaeus. 'Let It Hurt' was one of the first pieces of music written for Nectar, and its composition was a dramatic catalyst for the way the rest of the album would turn out; writing and listening back to 'Let It Hurt' gave us immediate and intuitive visions of some of the new ground Nectar was to cover. It provides a window into some of the new sonic possibilities of the record, while simultaneously harkening back to the intimate core nucleus of Silent Skies that fans know well: piano, vocals, strings, and heart-rending honesty. We hope you enjoy Nectar as much as we enjoyed making it!”


Dive into the sonic universe of Silent Skies and watch the official video for “Let It Hurt”:





In 2017, the paths of Swedish progressive band Evergrey's vocalist Tom S. Englund and multi-instrumentalist Vikram Shankar crossed fatefully. Both artists set themselves free from limitations to captivate their listener with Nectar - a soulful ten-track offering, produced by Englund and Shankar themselves and mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios.


Silent Skies on the new album: “We are tremendously proud to announce our second record, Nectar, is out now! Nectar represents an expansion and an elevation of all things that make us who we are; simultaneously grander and more intimate, more futuristic yet more organic and thoughtful. This record represents who we are, and it means so much to both of us, that we cannot wait to hear your feedback on it.”


With Gothenburg’s Evergrey known as one of the most prolific bands in progressive metal, Englund is by far no stranger to the scene. After partnering with North Carolina, USA-based piano player Vikram Shankar – who had already worked with greats like Anneke van Giersbergen – this fateful encounter, now known as Silent Skies, set its first milestone with the release of their spine-tingling debut Satellites back in 2020. Two years later, this fruitful collaboration returns with Nectar, marking the sequel of something that’s far more than just a side project of Englund’s. Rather, it’s the brainchild of two highly talented individual artists with deep knowledge and many years of experience, whose creativity and spirit culminates in an exceptional form of musical expression. Shankar’s sensitive yet intense piano tunes merge with the poignant vocal interpretation of Tom S. Englund to take the listener on a touching, melancholic ride that wanders through the darkest facets of life, while always leaving a spark of hope to hold on to. This otherworldly sonic collaboration is graced by the outstanding contributions of Leprous' cello player Raphael Weinroth-Browne, who appears on nearly every track of the album to spice up the stirring sound even more.


Silent Skies’ sophomore full-length sets off with the soulful, ethereal “Fallen From Heart”, immediately creating a tapestry of sound to get lost in. Tracks like delicate “Taper” and shimmering “Neverending” are dominated by the yearning vocals of Englund, but never fail to give Shankar’s instrumental virtuosity the well-deserved space to shine bright like the first sunray welcoming the day. Beautifully honest “Let It Hurt” addicts with its remarkable chorus hitting on point, blending cinematic strings and piano with hooky modern vocals. Darker realms lure with heart-breaking “Leaving”, combining gloomy ambient and infectious pop influences, and dramatically accented, heart-beating “Cold”, with its lingering electronic elements that build a tangible, gripping maelstrom of emotions. Instrumental title track “Nectar” closes this new chapter of Silent Skies but leaves its audience with a long-lasting impact and the key to a door that’s worth entering over and over again.





Nectar is available in the following formats:


- 6p Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- Digital Album


Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Fallen From Heart"
"Taper"
"Neverending"
"Let It Hurt"
"The One"
"Leaving"
"Cold"
"Better Days"
"Closer"
"Nectar"


"Leaving" video:





"Taper" video:





(Photo - Patric Ullaeus)

When word got back to Neil Young and his band that their 1989 concert performance scheduled to take place in the Soviet Union had been cancelled by antagonistic government authorities, Young’s guitar player Frank Sampedro replied to the news with “well, I guess we’ll have to keep on rockin’ in the free world.” And thus, one of the most legendary and fiercely defiant rock anthems of the 20th century was born.


The song became the bookends of Young’s brilliant studio album, Freedom, with an acoustic version kicking it off and an electric version closing it and would eventually be celebrated as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time (#216).


Now that Young’s music has fallen silent on the world’s most prominent musical platform, Spotify, another band has stepped forward to make sure that Young’s rebellious spirit continues to live on with a powerful new version of “Rockin’ In The Free World”. Chicago alternative metal kings SOiL have released their own version of the song to all digital platforms, keeping the fire lit for future generations of rebels and iconoclasts.




As the band explains “Over the years, SOiL has considered covering Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ many times. It was a song that really struck a nerve with us individually in our younger days before SOiL was even a band. The song still stands the test of time and is as powerful today as it was back then. This version we recorded was scheduled to be released as part of a special upcoming album due out later this year, but we decided that now would be a good time to let everyone hear our take on the Neil Young classic with the SOiL twist. We hope you all enjoy it!”


Stream/download the single here. Listen below: