Night Cobra plays uncaged music for an age of discontent. The Houston heavy metal band will release its debut full length LP, Dawn Of The Serpent, on February 11 via Irongrip Records/High Roller Records. BraveWords is premiering new video for "Electric Rite" - get shocked below!





Vocalist Christian Larson comments on “Electric Rite”: "Modern society worships at the altar of technology, this song is about living in that."




Featuring current and former members of Eternal Champion, Necrofier, Venomous Maximus, and more, Night Cobra plays a fiery blend of scorching rock 'n' roll and blistering metal. With Dawn Of The Serpent, Night Cobra delivers high-tech, low life heavy metal that sounds like it was made on the concrete streets of a city. Ominous cover artwork by Adam Burke (Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats) portends the calamity that the record promises.


Preorder Dawn Of The Serpent on Bandcamp.





Dawn Of The Serpent tracklisting:


"Run The Blade"
"The Serpent's Kiss"
"Lost In Time"
"Black Venom Dreams"
"The Neuromancer's  Curse"
"For Those Who Walk The Night"
"Mortal Danger"
"Acid Rain"
"Electric Rite"
 
"Run The Blade":





"The Neuromancer's  Curse" video:





"Mortal Danger" video:





"The Serpent's Kiss":





(Photo - Violeta Alvarez)

NHC, the new band featuring JANE'S ADDICTION members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney alongside FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins, has announced the release of its debut EP, "Intakes & Outtakes". In addition to two new tracks, the Los Angeles-based group is sharing two covers, LEVEL 42's "Something About You" and PINK FLOYD's "Fearless". The EP continues the sonic trajectory that the band laid down over four original songs released last year, showcasing each of these players at their absolute best, and featuring Hawkins on lead vocals/drums, Navarro on guitar and Chaney on bass.

About the EP, Navarro said: "I'm really proud of this collection of songs as they really showcase the range that we like to explore collectively." Chaney added: "This is a great batch of songs that covers an amalgamation of our combined styles and influences."

"If you can't see the connection between what we do, what PINK FLOYD does and what LEVEL 42 did, well, then you're just not getting it. We had tons of fun as usual creating these little gems."

NHC — an acronym for Navarro, Hawkins and Chaney — is the result of pure, unharnessed creativity and the world's biggest Mutual Appreciation Society; the guys — who all knew each other socially as staples of the Los Angeles rock world — came together over the last year and just played, giving themselves no rules or limits. For Hawkins, who had played alongside Chaney in the mid-'90s in Alanis Morissette's band, it was a chance to play with the one and only Dave Navarro, whom Hawkins calls "the best lead guitarist in alternative rock." For Navarro, it was an awakening of everything he loved about playing – feeling his own playing had plateaued, NHC's song creation brought him back to his instrument in new and inspiring ways.

Indeed, "new and inspiring" are the best adjectives to describe these three legends when they are together in the same room. Often finishing each other's sentences, the trio have found unfettered joy working on music together, and could not be more excited to get this project out into the world.

Last year, the supergroup debuted with tracks "Feed The Cruel" and "Better Move On", soon to be followed by "Devil That You Know" and "Lazy Eyes". These songs lead to the band's first headlining show at the Troubadour last November, selling out instantly.

"Intakes & Outtakes" track listing:

01. One And The Same

02. I Could Be Someone Else

03. Something About You

04. Fearless

Hawkins and Chaney previously played together in Alanis Morisette's band in the mid-1990s and are bandmates in Hawkins's solo project, TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS.

Last October, NHC played a seven-song set at Eddie Vedder's Ohana Festival. The trio delivered five songs off its yet-to-released debut album and covers of QUEEN's "Keep Yourself Alive" and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' "My Friends".

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

Guitarist Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE, INHUMAN CONDITION), who recently joined Florida death metal veterans DEICIDE, spoke about how he landed the gig in a new interview with "The Zach Moonshine Show". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "In 2019, my band THE ABSENCE toured with DEICIDE in the U.S. And we got to know the guys and got along really well. And I actually found out that Glen [Benton, DEICIDE frontman] lives, like, two streets over from Jeramie [Kling, THE ABSENCE drummer] and I, where we live. So Jeramie and Glen became good buddies and they ride bikes all the times. It's a funny little thing, thinking about that. But long story short, [previous DEICIDE guitarist] Chris [Cannella], I believe he's the head of A&R at Dean Guitars so he's focusing on that for right now. I heard that they needed a guitar player, so I learned a couple of songs, made a couple of videos, and Glen saw 'em and liked what he saw. So we had a couple of practices, and bing bang boom, here we are."

Asked if he has worked on any new material with DEICIDE or if he has just been focusing on getting the old songs down, Taylor said: "Well, when they first asked me to start learning songs, they said, 'Start learning [the] 'Legion' [album], because this year is the 30th anniversary of 'Legion'. So later on in the year, we're gonna be playing it start to finish live. So that's been the main focus over the last couple of weeks — just hammering down those 'Legion' songs, which that's been a blast to just delve into those tunes and that songwriting… Right now, we're focusing on the 'Legion' stuff and then, obviously, me just trying to learn a full set. Otherwise, there is new songs that we've been working on. Like I said, we're kind of just focusing on the 'Legion' stuff for right now, but there's definitely a ton of killer new material on the way. I don't know what the time frame is — when we'll record or anything like that — but there is new music, and it's killer so far."

Cannella amicably left DEICIDE last month after a three-year run.

When Benton first announced Nordberg's addition to DEICIDE, he said in a statement: "We are pleased to announce and welcome Taylor Nordberg to the DEICIDE family! An amazing and accomplished guitarist who takes our sound to the next level and brings a profound level of professionalism that completes and compliments the DEICIDE machine!"

Cannella said in a separate statement: "Yes, it is true. I am no longer in DEICIDE. There is no drama and we all kept it quiet as to not lead into drama or speculation.

"I have all the love and respect for Glen, Steve and Kevin. I had so many great times over the last three years I cherish for a lifetime, especially the friendship.

"Cheers to all and thanks for all the love and support. I'm excited for what's to come."

Cannella joined DEICIDE in 2019 following the departure of guitarist Mark English.

English became a member of DEICIDE in 2016 after the exit of longtime guitarist Jack Owen.

DEICIDE's latest album, "Overtures Of Blasphemy", was released in September 2018 via Century Media.

Photo credit: Deidra Kling (courtesy of Infecting Cells PR)

KEEL frontman Ron Keel has launched a new record label/multi-media company called RFK Media LLC. The first release from this new venture is "Keeled", a five-track EP by RON KEEL BAND which features new versions of 1980s KEEL classics such as "The Right To Rock" and "Tears Of Fire". RFK Media has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Amplified Distribution, and "Keeled" is now available worldwide on all major digital outlets, retail, and streaming platforms.

The label's first signing is THE FIFTH, featuring vocalist Roy Cathey (COLD SWEAT). These hard rockers have been terrorizing the southeastern U.S. for years and are now set to break out with their first release on RFK later this year.

"Roy has the pipes, personality and passion required to be a world-class frontman," Ron explains, "and he's part of the KEEL family tree. The band, the songs, the style and the image are all killer, and we couldn't be more excited about our first signing to the RFK roster."

Keel and his partners have also joined forces with Uncontrolled Noize to unleash KRFK, a state-of-the-art online streaming station that will feature a massive playlist of all rock from all genres and top-rated syndicated programming. KRFK is the only exclusively online station with broadcast rights to "House Of Hair With Dee Snider" and "The Joe Elliott Show"; the station will, of course, be home to Keel's "Streets Of Rock N Roll" radio show each week.

RFK Media plans to release brand new music from RON KEEL BAND, KEEL, STEELER, IRONHORSE and other projects from Ron's history, with a succession of singles in 2022 leading up to the compilation album "Keelworld" in January 2023, which will be a collection of all-new tracks from those bands.

"It's time," Ron insists. "When HighVol Music chief Bill Chavis died [along with his wife Lori, from COVID-19] we lost not only two dear friends but our record deal as well. My business partners and I decided to take the bull by the horns and do this our way, and I believe we have the experience, brains and balls to get it done right."

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett has recorded "Portals", a four-song instrumental EP, and will be celebrating Record Store Day with its worldwide release exclusively at your favorite local independent retailer and in the Met Store on Saturday, April 23. Available across digital platforms, on CD, and as an ocean blue vinyl EP (including a download card), you'll be able to pick up a copy at your friendly local record store that day or place an order on Metallica.com to be delivered to your front door just as soon as the postman can get there.

Says Hammett: "Initially, before I even had the idea for a solo EP, I was inspired by the need to create some sort of soundtrack music to accompany The Kirk Hammett Collection for the first 'It's Alive' exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, 2017. I wanted to conceive music to play on a loop in the background as people walked through the exhibit. I sat down one night with a progression, and before I knew it, all the parts were there for 'Maiden And The Monster'.

"The initial concept for 'Portals' started with that one song. Following that, I realized I could create different soundtrack moments. These songs are what I call 'audio cinematic'; I'm creating sounds and pieces of music for the movies playing in my head. Hopefully they'll create movies in other people's heads in a similar fashion."

True to its title, "Portals" is a collection of gateways to musical and psychic destinations. Recorded around the world, from Los Angeles to Paris to Oahu, "Portals" is the result of Kirk's life's journeys and an invitation to tap into your own inner world. Heavily influenced by classical music, soundtracks, horror movies, and maybe a little Ennio Morricone, Kirk wanted the EP to span the decades and touch upon all the horror he loves. The idea behind the EP was to have all the songs flow into each other, so he relied on a whole cast of his friends to record the four songs.

Produced by Kirk, "Portals" is comprised of the songs "Maiden And The Monster" and "The Jinn" on side A, followed by "High Plains Drifter" and "The Incantation" on side B. The latter two were co-written with Edwin Outwater, whom you may remember from "S&M²". Outwater also contributed keyboards and led the orchestral players from the LA Philharmonic on "Portals".

Other familiar names amongst the "Portals" players include drummers Jon Theodore (Kirk's fellow WEDDING BAND member) and Abraham Laboriel, Greg Fidelman on bass, Emmy-winning arranger Blake Neely and Bob Rock.

"Portals" will be available to order on the Met Store and the Probity U.K. shop on Saturday, April 23.

One of the great up-and-coming hard rock singers of our time, Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, LORDS OF BLACK, SUNSTORM, THE FERRYMEN) has announced the release of a unique covers album, "Raised On Radio" on April 15 via Frontiers Music Srl. The first single and video from the album, "No Smoke Without A Fire", a BAD COMPANY cover, is out today.

"Raised On Radio" features covers of classics that have meant something special to Romero over the years and helped forge this talented singer's musical style. Songs by legendary acts like SURVIVOR, BAD COMPANY, FOREIGNER, QUEEN, LED ZEPPELIN and more are given Romero's talented vocal treatment here. Joining Romero is a stellar cast of musicians, including Srdjan Brankovic (THE BIG DEAL, ALOGIA) on guitar, Javi Garcia on bass, Andy C (ex-LORDS OF BLACK) on drums, and keyboards by Alessandro Del Vecchio, who also handled production, mixing and mastering.

Serafino Perugino, president and head of A&R for Frontiers, obviously already had a working relationship with Romero through LORDS OF BLACK and THE FERRYMEN, but knew Romero had the pipes to sing melodic rock/AOR (hence why he brought him in to sing for 2020's "Afterlife" by SUNSTORM). As the two discussed Romero working on a solo album for the label, Perugino brought forward the idea of Romero covering classic AOR and classic rock artists for a covers album. Romero, being a fan of these styles already and influenced by them in his formative years, knew he could easily pick a killer list of songs that suited his tastes and thus "Raised On Radio" was born.

Through Romero's career thus far, he has performed killer renditions of several rock classics as part of his shows fronting legendary acts like RAINBOW and the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (MSG). He's also covered classic songs by JOURNEY, QUEEN, RAINBOW and more with Spanish metallers LORDS OF BLACK. So, with trying his hand at covers by legendary artists being familiar territory already, "Raised On Radio" were waters that Romero was already comfortable wading into.

But rather than go for covers of well-known mega-hits, Romero and company went for, in most cases, lesser known, deep cuts from these legendary bands. Because after all, when you truly love a band, you know those gems buried beneath the surface on their hit albums. Such gems by QUEEN, KANSAS, ELF, URIAH HEEP, BAD COMPANY, FOREIGNER and more are taken on here with passion and enthusiasm by Ronnie and his backing band of supremely talented players.

Romero's voice and prolific musical activity have brought him to the forefront of the hard rock/metal scene where he can be seen/heard with LORDS OF BLACK, THE FERRYMEN, SUNSTORM, RAINBOW and the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. Ambitious and driven as always, this record is a special treat for fans while Romero continues work on his proper debut solo album of original material, which is being worked on at the moment.

Track listing:

01. Sin's A Good Man's Brother (GRAND FUNK RAILROAD)

02. Backstreet Love Affair (SURVIVOR)

03. No Smoke Without A Fire (BAD COMPANY)

04. I Was Born To Love You (QUEEN)

05. Play The Game Tonight (KANSAS)

06. Carolina County Ball (ELF)

07. Girl On The Moon (FOREIGNER)

08. Gypsy (URIAH HEEP)

09. Voices (Russ Ballard)

10. All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan)

11. Since I've Been Loving You (LED ZEPPELIN)

Recording lineup:

Ronnie Romero - vocals

Srdjan Brankovic - guitars

Javi Garcia - bass

Andy C - drums

Alessandro Del Vecchio - keyboards

Additional musicians:

Danny Gómez - lead guitar on "I Was Born To Love You"

Javier Reyes - lead guitar on "All Along The Watchtower"

Corina Minda - backing vocals on "All Along The Watchtower"

In a brand new interview with Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, KISS frontman Paul Stanley recalled the first time he saw LED ZEPPELIN when he was just 17 years old and living in New York.

"I saw ZEPPELIN in, I think it was August of '69 — between the first and second [records]," Stanley said. "And they were actually playing 'What Is And What Should Never Be', a couple of those tracks, and Jimmy [Page] had his bow and they were panning his guitar left and right so he could point it.

"I was just absolutely blown away," he continued. "To this day, I've never seen anything that was that perfect. Not just in terms of the synchronicity and the fact that everybody was so much on the same playing field — it was the sexual energy that was coming off the stage, the flamboyance, the cocksure attitude. They backed it up. I think they knew how great they were. And I was just…

"First of all, the band was spectacular and played — I won't use any profanity — but they played tighter than a something… So, they were amazing. And Robert Plant was singing like something from another planet. He was sitting notes effortlessly, and there was such bravado in everything they were doing, it just blew me away."

Stanley also talked about his friendship with the LED ZEPPELIN guitarist and what it has meant to him to connect with his idol on a personal level.

"It's amazing to have been a young kid seeing ZEPPELIN and then play London and have Jimmy watching us… Jimmy saw [KISS], I think it was the tour before last," he said. "And subsequent to that, we've had dinner and gone out for tea and lunch.

"There's an old adage that you should be weary of meeting your heroes and the people you look up to, because, quite frankly, a lot of them are assholes," Stanley added. "Jimmy is the complete opposite. He lives and breathes music, and he's a terrific, terrific guy, and I would argue the most important and influential guitar player, not only in terms of playing, but in terms of vision. What he created was symphonic. It's not as simple as a guitar, bass and drums and a singer. What he did on those records was multilayered and a tapeastry of sorts. He's painted with an amazing brush and amazing palette of colors. So he's right up there at the top for me."

Nearly a decade ago, Stanley told the Las Vegas Sun that he first met Page back in 1976 while KISS was recording its "Destroyer" album and LED ZEPPELIN was putting together the "The Song Remains The Same" soundtrack, and the two happened to be across each other in the lobby of the recording studio.

"We were in the lobby, and Jimmy came up and he knew who I was, and who the band was," Stanley remembered. "It was stunning. Not five years earlier, I was in the audience, watching LED ZEPPELIN with my mouth open, just not believing it."

This past January, KISS kicked off its second farewell tour, dubbed "End Of The Road", which is expected to run through the end of 2021.

During his February 3 YouTube livestream, outspoken conservative rocker Ted Nugent discussed his plans to hit the road in support of his new album, "Detroit Muscle", which is due on April 29 via Pavement Music. The follow-up to 2018's "The Music Made Me Do It" was recorded with Ted's current band, which includes bassist Greg Smith and drummer Jason Hartless.

"Tickets go on sale tomorrow, I think, for this gonzo beach party rock and roll concert headlined by Ted Nugent in Panama City [Florida] on April 29th," Ted said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Write that down. That's confirmed. There'll be no mask mandates; there'll be no bullshit. And the next night, the headliner is my buddy Kid Rock. I'm not promising anything except we're gonna rock your brains out, but on the 30th when Kid Rock is headlining Panama City, the big beach party concert, he always plays [Nugent's classic song] 'Cat Scratch Fever' every night, so maybe I'll stick around and go up there and show him how to play it. It's a possibility."

Ted, who battled COVID-19 in April 2021, went on to say that he and his representatives are "working" on a full tour to promote "Detroit Muscle". "We've got a lot of dates," he said.

"2020, the communist Chinese in the White House wouldn't let the tour happen," he continued. "Well, some people went on tour. And they played a place where you had to show paperwork or wear a mask. I'm not playing a place that plays Nazi jackboot. If there's some kind of unconstitutional mandate… By the way, mandates… You can't mandate shit. You can't mandate anything to me. You have no mandate authority. This isn't communist China, even though Joe Biden thinks it is, and he's helping it become that. But if there's a mandate for a mask that's been proven scientifically not to work… There's guys out on motorcycles doing 60 miles an hour with a mask… That's a country music fan, if ever there was one.

"So, hopefully the Uncle Ted shitkicker American campfire 'Detroit Muscle' tour 20-clusterfuck-22 will finally happen after the communist Chinese Biden gang canceled it in 2020 and 20-clusterfuck-21," Nugent added. "Let's hope. 'Cause we've got a lot of dates in June, July and August."

Last May, Nugent said that he beat COVID-19 by following "intelligent, professionally guided care from the Frontline Doctors," referring to a group of doctors who made a video in July 2020 calling for the use of hydroxychloroquine to battle the novel coronavirus, despite warnings from public health experts.

In December, Nugent told the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3 that he got over COVID-19 by "listen[ing] to what the government told me to do and [doing] just the opposite. And whatever the government told me not to do, that's exactly what I did do, and I was cured in about two days."

Nugent, an outspoken conspiracy theorist who has refused to take the vaccine, also once again falsely claimed that public health measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic violate the Nuremberg code, a set of medical experimentation guidelines set after World War Two, as the vaccine is experimental.

In April 2021, Nugent talked about the darkest days of his battle with COVID-19, saying that he had "never been so scared" in his entire life. The 73-year-old pro-gun activist, who had previously claimed the virus was "not a real pandemic," said: "It was really scary. I didn't think I was gonna make it. I literally couldn't function for about 20 hours, and then they came and they rescued me… The six-foot-two, 225-pound headache [this time] was like nothing I have ever experienced. I mean, from my tip of my toes to the top of my hair, I literally was dizzy and weak and struggled to get up to go to the bathroom. And I would lay in the bathtub a couple of times a day with the water as hot as I could take it just to divert."

In the past, Nugent had referred to the virus as a "leftist scam to destroy" Trump. He had also repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated.




CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT FRIDAY!!

Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally proudly welcomes rock legend Ted Nugent to the Spring...

Posted by Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally on Friday, February 4, 2022

Crystal Viper have released a lyric video for their cover of the King Diamond classic, "Welcome Home". Watch below.


Says the band: "Okay, our version of this ultimate King Diamond classic already came out few months ago (it’s available as a bonus track on our latest studio album The Cult) but since so many of you seems to like our humble tribute, we decided to revisit it, and do this lyric video. Let us add that it’s a huge, huge honor that the great Andy La Rocque accepted our invitation, and joined us for this recording!"







Crystal Viper was founded by the singer and guitarist Marta Gabriel, and released its debut album in 2007. Since then, they toured in more than 15 countries, played in both tiny clubs and at huge open air festivals, released eight studio albums, and bunch of singles. So one thing is sure: they are one of the most hard working and most determined bands of their generation.


Their newest release, The Last Axeman, officially is a mini-LP, but it actually includes more material than many full-length albums. Side A starts with a new version of the early Crystal Viper classic and fan favorite, "The Last Axeman", and is followed by a brand new song entitled "In The Haunted Chapel" (which like all the songs from the newest album The Cult has lyrics inspired by an H.P. Lovecraft story).


The band knows their brand of metal very well, so the MLP includes a surprise cover song, a remake of "Ulitsa Roz", originally recorded by the Russian heavy metal heroes, Aria. All those three songs are exclusive and will be available on this MLP only. Side A however includes one more bonus song, a remake of "It’s Electric", the classic headbanger of the NWOBHM heroes, Diamond Head.


Side B includes four songs taken from The Cult album, but recorded live in studio, as part of the #RockOutSessions series. These new, stripped down and rough versions of "The Cult", "Asenath Waite", "Whispers From Beyond" and "Flaring Madness", show the pure and untamed energy of the band, and were also released as a 20 minutes long music video which can be seen below.


The Last Axeman will be released on LP / CD / Digital on March 25 via Listenable Records.





Tracklisting:


"The Last Axeman" (2022)
"In The Haunted Chapel"
"Улица Роз / Ulitsa Roz" (Aria cover)
"It’s Electric" (Diamond Head cover)
"The Cult" (live in studio)
"Asenath Waite" (live in studio)
"Whispers From Beyond" (live in studio)
"Flaring Madness" (live in studio)

The Two Minutes To Late Night crew are back with a cover of Van Halen's "Unchained". Watch below.


A message states: "Of all the one time super groups we've created I bet you never expected this one! Please enjoy our 54th bedroom cover made with the support of Patreon. Become a Patreon patron today and get access to exclusive rewards like patches, t-shirts, even custom songs! Plus, you get to see every cover we make before it publicly premieres."


This cover features:




- Matt Pike (High On Fire, Sleep)
- Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy, Racetraitor, The Damned Things)
- Mike Sullivan (Russian Circles)
- Jordan Olds aka Gwarsenio Hall

In a new interview with Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks, former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland reflected on the lawsuit he reportedly filed against Dave Mustaine over the 2004 reissue of the band's "Rust In Peace" album, which contained demos on which Chris performed.

"I know there was some flak after when [Dave] released the demo solos or whatever," Poland said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I couldn't get hold of Dave. I called his manager 10 times and finally, on the eleventh time, I left a message. I said, 'If you don't call me back, you're gonna be hearing from [my attorney].' And so he calls me back. And then he insults me and tells me, 'Well, Chris, all you did was a couple of solos and Dave and us thought that you would just do it for the fans.' And I'm, like, 'Hey, I did it for the fans, but everybody else is getting paid. I'd like to get paid for it.' So then [it got] totally blown out of proportion. I got belittled by everybody, and it's, like, 'C'mon. Really?'" He added: "People love drama, I guess. I don't know."

Chris went on to say that he hasn't had any contact with Mustaine in nearly two decades. "I haven't spoken with Dave since… I can't remember when. I guess back when I made 'The System [Has Failed]'," he said. "[After the dispute over the 2004 'Rust In Peace' reissue], he was, like, 'That's it. [Chris has] ruined our friendship.' And I'm, like, 'C'mon. Really?' But… whatever."

Poland was a member of MEGADETH from 1984 to 1987, during which time he performed on the band's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" He is also a featured soloist on the group's 2004 album, "The System Has Failed".

In a September 2020 interview with Darren Paltrowitz (host of the "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" podcast), Mustaine singled out Poland, saying: "Chris Poland, as much as I don't really like the guy, he was a great guitar player, and I wanted to give him a shot when we did the 2004 reissues for 'Peace Sells' and 'Rust In Peace', and I wanted to put that song out on the 'Rust In Peace' reissue. He got involved in a nuisance lawsuit, I think it was, and we just ended our friendship. And I thought, 'God, that was such a waste.'

"There was a little teeny mountain that was right out by where we live, and I said I could have just as soon bought that piece of dirt there than sell Chris's friendship, and I'm so bummed that this happened," Mustaine added. "'Cause I thought it would have been terrific to have him on the record. [When] people say, 'Hey, this sounds like Marty Friedman.' No, Marty Friedman sounded like this, because Chris played it first."

Back in 2004, Poland and/or his management and attorney filed a lawsuit against Mustaine regarding the use of the three "Rust In Peace" demos on the album's reissue without Chris's permission. According to MEGADETH's webmaster, Mustaine included the demos because he thought Chris would be "thankful for the promotion, the tipping of the hat, and showing the fans how Marty [Friedman, MEGADETH's guitarist during some of the post-Poland years] had actually been influenced by some of Chris's solo selections for those songs." Chris also allegedly tried to sue Dave for defamation of character because Dave called him a "thief," but Chris's attorney "dropped that after he found out that Chris had actually taken the band's gear and sold it for drugs," according to MEGADETH's webmaster. "Remember, there is a confession in the VH1 'Behind the Music' on MEGADETH," the webmaster said. Chris eventually settled for $9,500 and thereby ended a professional relationship with Dave and MEGADETH.

Poland previously discussed the legal issues surrounding the 2004 reissue of "Rust In Peace" in a 2018 interview with the As The Story Grows podcast. He said: "When I did 'The System Has Failed', [Dave] was working on adding the demos to a re-release of 'Rust In Peace'. And I wasn't going to get paid, but I didn't realize that until it came out. I was like, 'Wait a minute — I'm not getting paid for this.' And I tried to call Dave at least a dozen times, and I never heard back from him. Then I called Dave's manager a dozen times, and he wouldn't get back to me. The last time I called him, I said, 'Hey, man. If you don't call me back, I'm going to call [my lawyer], and we're going to have to get into it.' [The manager] calls me back and totally insults me, saying, 'You played a couple solos. So what?' And I'm like, 'What do you mean, 'So what?'' 'Well, Dave thought that you would do it for the fans.' I said, 'Okay. Is everybody else that played on that demo doing it for the fans? Are they getting paid?' He said, 'Chris, that's not the point.' I said, 'Listen, man, we have to do something here. I'm not just going to walk away. I love the fans, but I'm just not going to do it. If everybody else is getting a performance royalty for this, I want one.' I want everybody to know that it wasn't a nuisance suit, it wasn't anything like that. I made every attempt to work it out, and they just ignored me."

For the past couple of decades, Poland's main musical focus has been the fusion band OHM:, which has released several full-length studio albums to date.

The official lyric video for "In The Lonely Light Of Mourning", the title track from former TROUBLE singer Eric Wagner's posthumous solo album, can be seen below. The song features a guest solo from PLACE OF SKULLS/ex-PENTAGRAM guitarist Victor Griffin.

"The title track is lyrically foreboding musically, vocally raw and emotional," says Dave Snyder, who co-wrote the entire album with Wagner. "It's intentionally spacious. We talked about the 'less is more' approach,' leaving space to breathe. When we were putting this one together, Eric said once the chorus kicks in, 'it's gut-wrenching.' I love that!

"Being a huge fan of Eric and Victor's work, I was ecstatic when Eric told me Victor was on board for this one. I'm not sure it gets much heavier than those two together! To be a part of that is a complete privilege and honor. I am forever grateful."

Griffin originally met Wagner in 1985 when PENTAGRAM and TROUBLE shared the stage at the Seagull Inn in Essex, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore.

"Eric messaged me initially to see if I was interested in doing a solo on one of the songs, then we discussed it on the phone," says Griffin. "He sent me the rough mix to check out and honestly, the first thing that struck me was the lyrics. Speaking of kinship, I really felt it with those lyrics. It kinda reminded me of a song I wrote on PLACE OF SKULLS' first album called 'Dead'."

"I'm not sure we were overdue to work together," he continues. "Things have a way of working out the way they should most of the time. Prior to this, we got together briefly in 2009 when I invited him to sing for DEATH ROW for a one-off show at the Hammer Of Doom fest in Germany. Some of that show can be seen on YouTube. We also worked on another brief project with Ron Holzner and Henry Vasquez. I think it was Eric's idea to get the four of us together, so those guys came down to my place for a couple of days and we worked up some pretty cool riffs. In the end, the idea sort of dissolved for whatever reason but we did get some photos during that one session."

The "In The Lonely Light Of Mourning" track also features former TROUBLE bassists Ron Holzner and Chuck Robinson, who played rhythm guitars. The title track is a highlight for the musicians involved in Wagner's solo record.

"I think it turned out great, and the song really means a lot, especially under the circumstances," says Griffin. "It reminds me...I was working on the solo one evening and texted Eric to tell him how much I liked the song...the lyrics, his emotional vocal melody, and all the other instrumentation. He came back and said, 'I picked that one for you for a reason.' It seems as odd now as it did then, but we both just left it at that. I never replied back about what he meant, and he never offered an explanation...it was never brought up again. For whatever reason, I guess we both had peace with ending the conversation that way. I still think about it sometimes but feel good about how we left it. I guess I'll know the reason when it's time."

"In The Lonely Light Of Mourning" will be released March 18 in North America on Cruz Del Sur Music. The album will arrive in Europe on March 4.

Recorded at Alpha Sound Services and Aardvark Recording, "In The Lonely Light Of Mourning" was completed and delivered to Cruz Del Sur Music a month before Eric's untimely passing. Initially scheduled for a November 2021 release, Cruz Del Sur Music — in cooperation with Eric's manager, Mike Smith — agreed to move the release date to March 2022 to give it the attention it deserves.

The solo endeavor — a longtime goal of Eric's — serves as a fitting testament to one of doom metal's most respected voices. Eric tapped former TROUBLE/current BLACKFINGER drummer David Snyder to help him assemble the album's eight cuts. Along the way, Eric brought in some of his favorite musicians as guests — including past and present members of TROUBLE, BLACKFINGER, THE SKULL, LID, PENTAGRAM, DEATH ROW and PLACE OF SKULLS.

Track listing:

01. Rest In Place

02. Maybe Tomorrow

03. Isolation

04. If You Lost It All

05. Strain Theory

06. Walk With Me To The Sun

07. In The Lonely Light Of Mourning

08. Wish You Well

Eric, who was TROUBLE's original singer, died in August after a battle with COVID pneumonia. He was 62 years old.

According to Holzner, Eric was generally opposed to institutionalized medicine but he wouldn't make an exception for the COVID vaccine.

"We argued about it, and he stood his ground on the matter," Holzner told the Chicago Reader. "I always joked, 'The World According To Eric Wagner — you should write a book.' He lived his life his way."

Wagner, who smoked cigarettes and occasionally drank and vaped, had health issues, but had begun taking better care of himself and switching to a plant-based diet, Holzner said.

Less than a week before Wagner's death, his bandmates in THE SKULL went public with the fact that he was infected by the novel coronavirus.

Unvaccinated people, like Wagner was, are far more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 than people who are fully vaccinated.

TROUBLE formed in 1979 and released several classic albums like "Trouble", "Manic Frustration" and "Plastic Green Head".

Wagner left TROUBLE in April 2008, citing his disdain for the touring life as the main reason for his departure.

Eric was one of the guest singers on Dave Grohl's (NIRVANA, FOO FIGHTERS) heavy metal side project PROBOT, whose 2004 album featured heavy metal vocalists from the '80s and '90s.

In 2020, TROUBLE partnered with Hammerheart Records to re-release the legendary doom legends' entire musical catalog, in addition to their upcoming album. This partnership that will see the distribution of the band's entire library of music that spans over three decades.

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing says that he is "over the moon" about the fact that he has been nominated for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction for the third time.

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

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

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 Rob Halford (vocals), Ian Hill (bass), Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums), along with former members K.K. Downing (guitar), Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

Earlier today (Saturday, February 5), Downing, who launched a new band called KK'S PRIEST in 2021, took to his social media to share a video message for his fans. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hey everyone. It's K.K. here just stopping by to say a big hello. And yeah, I'm over the moon at the nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. So third time lucky. Here we go. Who knows? And I'm just working on a new album for you guys. I'm really excited about that. I hope everyone enjoyed the debut album, 'Sermons Of The Sinner', [from] KK'S PRIEST. We're certainly looking forward to coming and playing some gigs for you as soon as we possibly can. So until then, hang tight."

Earlier this week, Hill and Halford told Billboard that they would be happy to stand alongside 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."

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 that."

Downing is joined in KK'S PRIEST by former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals), along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).




#heavymetal #kkspriest #rrhof #heavyrock #judaspriest pic.twitter.com/XLz8AX9lnJ

— K.K.Downing (@kkdowning_metal) February 5, 2022

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER kicked off their "Top Of The World" 2022 North American tour this past Wednesday night (February 2) at the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

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

In October, DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie told The Metal Voice about the band's decision to push back the tour: "It just came down to how comfortable we were with going out. We were getting kind of mixed messages from promoters and our agencies. Our management was looking into it across the board with people that were out there, tours that were going on, tours that had come down.

"When you put together a tour, the amount of money that's put into a tour, it's astronomical," he continued. "And the kind of production that we go out with is pretty big; it's pretty substantial. We were just getting a lot of indication that the bands that had been going out were out for a week or two and somebody within the band or the crew came down with COVID and then the whole camp had to be shut down up to 10 days. Well, that's financially disabling for any tour of any magnitude, that you can just pull down a whole camp of, let's say, 30-something people and the amount of money that's generated while you're out there. You're talking 10 days where you're just dead in the water.

"So it didn't make sense to us. One, we were still concerned with our health, going out. And even though we're all fully inoculated, so to speak, we were still concerned with one of us coming down, getting sick and not being able to proceed. And then the business side of things.

"I mean, if I wanna be completely honest with you, it wasn't a unanimous decision," LaBrie admitted. "There were three guys in the band that said, 'No. We don't wanna tour. We're not going out.' And there were two other guys in the band that said, 'C'mon, let's do it. Let's go for it. We're all for it.' And that's what it came down to — is that it was a majority vote that said, 'No. We're not about to go out.'"

James also addressed guitarist John Petrucci's recent comment that the the tour postponement was "unfortunate" and not a unanimous decision, with Petrucci and bassist John Myung being willing to return to the road as soon as possible and the other three guys opting to stay home.

"It comes down to sometimes you're gonna have to agree to disagree, and granted, as he put it — I saw it; fans forwarded it to my site — as he said, he was frustrated," James said. "Well, truth be known, we're all frustrated that we're not out there touring. That's what we love to do — we love to be out. But some of us felt that we weren't willing to take that risk and come down with this unfortunate virus. It just didn't seem to me, and to the other two guys that were on the side of the fence that I was on, it didn't make sense to risk it at this point. But everything is being rescheduled. It's been postponed, and everything is coming back online in February. And I think we're gonna be closer to not only more people being vaccinated but also herd immunity. So let's see what happens."

In October, Petrucci told Robert Cavuoto of Sonic Perspectives about the DREAM THEATER tour postponement: "Well, it's an unfortunate decision. John [Myung] and I really wanted to tour, and are dying to tour — dying to get out there and support the [new DREAM THEATER] record. And unfortunately, we couldn't convince the other guys that it was safe. So, it wasn't a unanimous decision, unfortunately.

"It's frustrating for me, because everything has opened up and concerts are going on, and theaters and arenas and clubs and everything is open," he continued. "Bands are out there, and a lot of my friends are touring successfully. And there are ways to do it safely, which we were very prepared to do. But, like I said, we couldn't convince the other guys it'd be safe, and so we had to push it off.

"I'm the type of person where I hate disappointing people, I hate disappointing our fans. So, it was definitely an unfortunate decision."

"A View From The Top Of The World" was released in October.

Guitar legend Steve Vai says that the train has "left the station" when it comes to a proposed reunion of VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth's solo band following the cancelation of their November 2015 performance in Hollywood.

Roth's "Eat 'Em And Smile" reunion at the Lucky Strike Live nearly seven years ago was called off at the last minute by the fire marshal. The show would have marked the first time in three decades that Roth joined Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan, drummer Greg Bissonette (RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STARR BAND) and keyboardist Brett Tuggle to perform some of the hits from the classic LP.

Asked in a new interview with Barbara Caserta of Italy's Linea Rock about the possibility of a "Eat 'Em And Smile"-era band reunion, Vai said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You never know about these things. And we touched on it in the past. It's a logistical thing too, because Dave had VAN HALEN, I had my solo career, Billy has… everybody is kind of busy. And I would only have done it with the 'Eat 'Em And Smile' [lineup], I think. And the idea was very intriguing, and I never rule out anything. But as time went on, the train kind of left the station. I understand now that Dave is retiring so I don't know when something like that could happen. It's a long shot."

Vai, Sheehan and Bissonette reunited on in January 2019 for a two-song performance at "Ultimate NAMM Night" in Anaheim, California. They were joined by singer Jeff Scott Soto (SONS OF APOLLO, TALISMAN, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) to play a cover of the QUEEN classic "Tie Your Mother Down" and the Sheehan-penned TALAS headbanger "Shy Boy" which appeared on the "Eat 'Em And Smile" album.

"Eat 'Em And Smile" was the first of two Roth albums to feature the duo of Vai and Sheehan on guitar and bass.

Billy said in a 2017 interview with Songfacts that he was "ready to go" if Roth ever decided to do some shows with the "Eat 'Em And Smile" band. "We have a great respect and love for Dave and what he did for us," he continued. "There's no secret undercurrent thing going on that I'm not talking about. The fact of the matter is it's Dave's call. If he chooses to do so, I couldn't be happier."

Last month, Roth issued a brief statement after the cancelation of the remaining farewell shows he was set to play at the House Of Blues at Mandalay Bay. The 67-year-old VAN HALEN frontman had previously scrapped concerts scheduled for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day and was to play a total of nine shows as he vowed to retire from performing live.

When asked if Roth's farewell performances will take place at a later date, he told Fox News Digital in a statement: "It's not about me anymore. When the benefits for Kentucky, Colorado, and Farm Aid kick in; Call me."

In a similarly worded statement to EW, Roth said about the cancelation of his Vegas residency: "Sometimes you win, Sometimes you lose, We got rained out.. "Covid cancelled.

"Future shows? When the benefit concerts for Colorado, Farm Aid, and hospital workers 'everywhere' come up; Call me..," he added.

In October, the legendary VAN HALEN singer announced that he was ending his career with his Vegas shows during the first weeks of January. "I am throwing in the shoes. I'm retiring," Roth told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "These are my last shows." He added: "I'm not going to explain the statement. The explanation is in a safe."

A MetOnTour video edit of METALLICA performing the song "King Nothing" on December 17, 2021 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California can be seen below. The show was the first of METALLICA's two 40th-anniversary concerts which featured different setlists. They were part of METALLICA's "San Francisco Takeover", a four-day citywide celebration of the band's 40th anniversary that also included a film festival, photo exhibit and curated lineup of smaller venue shows featuring other acts.

The 40th-anniversary shows marked METALLICA's return to Chase Center for the first time since the September 2019 "S&M²" concerts that also served as the venue's grand opening. Those two shows grossed more than $4.1 million over the course of its two nights, according to reports submitted to Pollstar's Boxoffice, and the band ranked at No. 4 on Pollstar's worldwide touring chart that same year with a global gross of $175 million.

Formed in 1981 by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, METALLICA has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, having sold nearly 120 million albums worldwide and generating more than 2.5 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on literally all seven continents. The band's several multi-platinum albums include "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "… And Justice For All", "Metallica" (commonly referred to as The Black Album), "Load", "Reload", "St. Anger", "Death Magnetic" and "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", released in November 2016 and charting at No. 1 in 32 countries.

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

On December 16, San Francisco mayor London Breed presented Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo with a special declaration marking the day as "Metallica Day" in the city.

"When you talk about San Francisco," Breed said at the news conference, "you talk about cable cars and then you talk about METALLICA."

Airacobra has released "Midwestern Steel," the dastardly and pummeling title track and first single from the upcoming album Midwestern Steel. This is Airacobra's first full-length album. The band has previously released three EPs and several singles. The single is available now on all the major streaming services: Spotify, Apple, Amazon.


“‘Midwestern Steel’ is a barn burner of a song that encompasses everything that I like about metal. Fast paced, catchy hooks, heavy grooves and ripping guitar work,” shares drummer Zakk Burke. Vocalist, Dusty Raymer adds “‘Midwestern Steel’ is a proclamation of war against anything watered down. It’s a black flag waving in a field of all things plastic and weak. A badge for those who plan to go to the grave with a metal heart.”


Airacobra has described themselves as an "Apocalyptic Sleaze Metal Band".




Airacobra will be appearing, again, at the Full Terror Assault Open Air 2022 Festival. It is their sophomore installment at the biggest and heaviest metal party in the woods which will run from September 7 through September 10 in Cave-in-Rock, Illinois.


Order the album at airacobraofficial.com.


Artwork by Misanthropic Art:





Tracklisting:


“Midwestern Steel”
“Nailed To The Thieves Cross”
“Airacobra”
“You Belong To The Earth”
“Master Of The Blade”
“Treacherous Waters Of The Soul Divide”
“Wrath Of The Wraith”
“Wolves Of Sabbat”
“Put Out The Eastern Pyres” 


“Midwestern Steel” lyric video:





(Photo – Kaylee Williamson)

Ahead of the release of their new album, DAMNUM (out February 25), Allegaeon have released an unboxing video. Watch below:





Pre-order the new album here.







DAMNUM tracklisting:


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


"Of Beasts And Worms" video:





"Into Embers" video:





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





Tour dates:


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


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

Super7 will release a ReAction figure of late METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton on Thursday, February 10.

Cliff was asked to join METALLICA in 1982 after the band saw him perform with his group at the time, TRAUMA.

The bassist was not willing to move to Los Angeles, where METALLICA was based, so they decided to move to the San Francisco area so that he would join.

Burton played on METALLICA's first three studio albums — "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning" and "Master Of Puppets" — and co-wrote classic songs like "Ride The Lightning", "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Fade To Black", "Creeping Death" and "Master Of Puppets".

His life was tragically cut short at the age of 24 in a tour bus crash on September 27, 1986 in Sweden.

Burton's initial replacement in the group was Jason Newsted, who stayed in the lineup until 2001. Robert Trujillo joined in 2003 and remains in the band to this day.

February 10, 2018 was proclaimed "Cliff Burton Day" by Alameda County supervisors. The late METALLICA bassist would have turned 56 years old on that date had he lived.

Back in 2016, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke to Seattle's KISW 99.9 radio station about Burton's tragic loss when METALLICA's tour bus skidded on ice while the group was on tour in Scandinavia and Cliff was thrown out the window and crushed. Lars said: "We were so shocked and stunned that we didn't know what hit us. And, like most, I guess, kids in their early 20s who get ambushed with that type of thing, we jumped into a bottle of, in this case, vodka, for me, and stayed in there for quite some time. We weren't mature enough or seasoned in life enough to know how to deal with this other than just to sort of, basically, almost hide behind the alcohol and compartmentalized it. So the next few months were very difficult, and it was crazy, but we just put the blinders on and started auditioning bass players. And we knew in our hearts that Cliff would be the first one to kick us in the ass and tell us to keep going, if he could see us mope. And so there was no moping; we just kept going the best we knew how to."

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield was asked in an interview with TeamRock what he thinks Burton might have thought about the drastic changes in its look and sound that METALLICA made through the 1990s and early 2000s with albums like "Load", "Reload" and "St. Anger". Hetfield replied: "Well, I certainly would have thought there would have been some resistance, for sure. I think the 'Black Album' was a great album and I appreciate the fact that we did have the balls to do that… I would certainly think that the 'Load' and 'Reload' [era], I would have had an ally that was very against it all — the reinvention or the U2 version of METALLICA."

Asked if Hetfield was personally comfortable with the more "alternative" image and music METALLICA made on those albums, the singer/guitarist replied: "No, no, not at all. There’s some great, great songs on there but my opinion is that all of the imagery and stuff like that was not necessary. And the amount of songs that were written was… it diluted the potency of the poison of METALLICA. And I think Cliff would have agreed with that."

Burton's huge talent and achievements were chronicled in book form with the 2009 global publication of "To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton", written by U.K.-based author Joel McIver and published by Jawbone Press. The foreword was provided by Hammett.
























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