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


They are set to release two new singles on February 15th: 'One Tattoo' and 'Born To Be (RLK)'. Both tracks were originally released in 2014 under the name Rave La Kill and both will be released with accompanying lyric videos.


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







Pre-order the singles below.


- "One Tattoo"
- "Born To Be (RLK)"

Legendary GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER guitarist Slash, who released his self-titled memoir, "Slash", in 2007, was asked in a new interview with Barbara Caserta of Italy's Linea Rock if there are any other rock autobiographies that he is particularly fond of. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "To tell you the truth, I don't read rock and roll books. I've read a book about national artists and I've read books about rock and roll, but I've never read anybody else's… Well, I read the Jim Morrison one, and I read the most recent Joe Perry one, but for the most part, I stay away from autobiographies. A lot of it is because I know people — I know the people that wrote them — and it feels like spying on them. [Laughs] It's like following people on their Instagram; if you know them, it feels like spying. But I also used to think that rock and roll books were 75 percent bullshit too, and I didn't want to get into… 'Cause autobiographies are largely written by other people, or biographies are totally written by other people, so it's their own fantasy that they're sort of building up in these books. That sort of inspired me to write my book myself and not rely too much on a ghost writer — to be as honest as possible. So they inspired me in that way."

Back in 2008, Slash told the Los Angeles Times about the process of writing his own book: "It was a different experience. I was resigned to writing the book due to the fact that some guy came out with an unauthorized Slash book. So, I just decided to do my own book, because doing an interview or press release to offset any of this stuff didn't work. The guy who I wrote the book with [Anthony Bozza] had such a genuine zeal for my whole story. Not just the cliché stuff. It was a real collaboration between us. I wrote entire chapters of the book on my Blackberry… sending it to my co-writer. But you know, it was worth it, because finally after all my input, it turned out good."

Shortly before the book's release, Slash told E! Online that it would include a bunch of stuff about his years with GUNS 'N' ROSES, but not necessarily because he was feeling nostalgic on the occasion of what was at the time the 20th anniversary of "Appetite For Destruction".

"I never wanted to write a book, because it would be too final," Slash explained. "The only reason I wrote it is because a lot of the stuff I was reading and seeing about the band got pretty frustrating. I just had to straighten out some shit."

"It almost reads like a journal, except for the fact that I never wrote anything down," Slash said. "It was a hard book to make, because I was pretty fucked up from 1980 to 2000-something. I really had to dig deep to try and remember a lot of shit."

Bozza told BostonNow.com that the greatest thing for him as a writer working on Slash's book was that the iconic axeman "never really gave it up in the press. He didn't talk about the stuff that went on behind the scenes with himself or with the band," Anthony said. "To be honest, I don't think he ever really cared about that kind of stuff."

Getting the soft-spoken musician to open up for the book wasn't easy, Bozza admitted. Part of the problem was that when they first met, Slash was heavily into his oxycontin phase, "binging" on the synthetic heroin on a daily basis, according to Bozza. "So when he agreed to write the book, I wasn't sure it would really happen," he said. "But right after we met, he went into rehab and was sober — or not on oxycontin, when we did the interviews."

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

In a new interview with Columbus Alive, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson was asked if there was something that he learned, good or bad, from a global pandemic over the course of the last two years. He responded: "Well, in IRON MAIDEN, we kind of already predicted this would happen [on our latest album, 'Senjutsu', which was recorded in 2019, before the pandemic]. We didn't exactly know what it was going to be. 'The Writing On The Wall' [and] 'Hell On Earth' were both tracks that were predictive of what's happening now."

He continued: "I curiously found that there were things about lockdown that I enjoyed. Everything was shut down, so everything was slow, and I spent time just sitting around with my partner. It was great. And even though I've now got 42 shows and I'm going to be running around all over the place, there's a little part of my brain that has just been tweaked and says that it's alright to slow down. Although, having said that, I now have a million things to do."

In late January, Dickinson kicked off a two-month North American spoken-word tour.

"Senjutsu" was released in September via BMG. The band's first LP in six years was recorded three years ago in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris.

Dickinson, who had a golf gall-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck, got the all-clear in May 2015 after radiation and nine weeks of chemotherapy.

Bruce's second wife, Paddy was found dead in May 2020 at the home they once shared in Chiswick, West London, following a "tragic accident." London Ambulance Service confirmed that the patient was pronounced dead on arrival.

Bruce and Paddy had married in 1990 after two years of dating and shared three children: Austin, Griffin and Kia. They tied the knot after dating for two years following Bruce's split from first wife Jane.

Dickinson is believed to have split from Bowden privately in 2018, although their breakup wasn't made public until November 2019.

Bruce, 63, now reportedly lives in Paris with fitness instructor Leana Dolci

In a new interview with Music Feeds, KORN singer Jonathan Davis was asked if there were there any records that he and his bandmates released after the commercial highs of the first decade of KORN's where he felt a bit flattened by the reaction. He responded: "I think [2010's] "Korn III[: Remember Who You Are]'. That was hard because we were trying to recapture something and it was way in the past and we failed miserably. I mean, I like the record, but it wasn't fun to make because [producer] Ross [Robinson] was doing his methods and he really turned them on really hard. And it was just a fucked up, weird time in the band when we did that."

Davis previously opened up about his issues with "Korn III: Remember Who You Are" in a 2017 interview with Independent. At the time, he said: "I think it would have been a much better album if [Ross Robinson] hadn't been so fucking hard and let us have a bit of fun… That record sounds forced to me and it took me to a very dark place that I didn't want to go back to."

Davis told The Pulse Of Radio a while back why "Korn III" didn't work for him. "I think with 'Korn III', it was something we wanted to do just to see what happened if we worked with Ross again, and it came out but it seemed kind of forced," he said. "Seemed like he was on a mission to take us back to '94, '95. It wasn't a pleasant experience for me. Not that it was Ross's fault, 'cause I love him to death, but I think it was kind of forced. It just proved to us when we did that record that we need to experiment and keep doing what we're doing. We're not scared to try new things and different things."

In the Independent interview, Davis said that 2002's "Untouchables" was the KORN album he was most proud of. He explained: "We spent a lot of money making that record and it took us two years to make; I remember we spent a month just getting drum sounds. [Michael] Beinhorn is my favorite producer ever. He's just got a great ear and he's not afraid to tell you if you suck."

Davis added: "I'd do vocal takes and think they were the best and then he'd tell me to go home because he thought my voice wasn't right. I'd get so mad at him, but I love him. It was so much work. If I can find the footage, I'm going to put a little documentary together about that record because it's a one-of-a-kind that will never be made again."

KORN's new album, "Requiem", will be released on February 4 via Loma Vista Recordings. The band will celebrate the LP's arrival with a special record-release event this coming Thursday, February 3 at the Hollywood United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California. "Requiem Mass" will see the Southern California heavy music pioneers perform an intimate set in front of a 300 attendees.

KORN kicked off a short run of shows with SYSTEM OF A DOWN Monday night (January 31) in Phoenix, followed by dates in San Diego (February 1) and Los Angeles (February 4 and February 5). KORN's headlining tour with CHEVELLE and CODE ORANGE will launch Marc

Slovenian thrashers Thraw, feat. Tilen Hudrap (U.D.O, Dirkschneider, ex- Pestilence, ex-Paradox, Testament (live), ex-Vicious Rumors) have released an official music video for their new single, "Century Of Enslavement". Watch the clip below.





Formed by Domen Hudrap (younger brother of the iconic Slovenian bassist Tilen Hudrap in 2006, Thraw immediately rose to the forefront of the 00's resurrected thrash movement at the very beginning of their existence. Throughout the following three years the band played numerous shows across the country as well as abroad and landed spots at some of the most famous open air festivals, including the legendary MetalCamp, where the band shared the stage with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Opeth, Morbid Angel, Tankard and many more, as well as many other festivals i.e Metal Mania Open Air (with Exodus, Pro-Pain…). The band directly supported one of their biggest early influences, the bay area thrash gods Heathen shortly after that and released highly acclaimed EP's Injecting Hate and Encephalic Opressions, which cemented their place among the best newer thrash acts of the new millennium.




Thraw always had a unique sound and take on thrash, adding a plethora of musical elements with absolutely no limits, which was clearly shown on their debut full length album, Decoding The Past, mastered and co-produced by the world renowned American producer Juan Urteaga (Exodus, Machine Head, Testament, Sadus), released in 2013 to international acclaim and distributed globally via Metal Tank Records.


Thraw continued putting out selected released through the years (Doomsday Code, Transforming Reality and Gunshot Treatment, to name a few) and remained artistically active, yet 2021 (which marked the 15th anniversary of the band) brought a lineup change: Thraw was joined by Lenart Mlinar, lifelong friend of the band, who joined the Hudrap brothers and O. Paternus on drums. With the new found energy, resulting from many ideas comprised during the corona virus pandemic the band hit the studio and recorded an offering that easily competes with the high standard of their past releases and quite possibly surpasses them: "Century Of Enslavement".

In a new interview with the "Loaded Radio" podcast, former TYPE O NEGATIVE drummer Johnny Kelly was asked if there has ever been any talk of staging a concert in honor of the band's late frontman Peter Steele. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Coffee talk. There was never any serious consideration, like, should we do something? Is there even a point of doing it? Or also, is it just a blatant cash grab? So all these things go through your head.

"People celebrate [Peter] all the time," he continued. "They do it daily. I see it online all the time and the impact that he had.

"Maybe somewhere down the road there may be something that's… I don't know. But I know that for me, it would have to include Kenny [Hickey, guitar] and Josh [Silver, keyboards] as well. Anything that we do, it would have to be the three of us. And there's no way you're getting Josh to do anything like that. [Laughs]"

Asked who would handle Peter's vocal parts if they ever did end up doing a tribute concert, Johnny said: "I don't know. I'd want a girl to do it. I'd want a female vocalist — like Ann Wilson [HEART] or something like that. [Laughs] But even so, that's the first thing. When you think about doing some kind of tribute show, you're just gonna get all these people… Yes, Peter was very highly regarded by our peers and stuff like that, and you'll just get a bunch of dudes up there just trying to sound like Peter. And you can't do that. And it's, like, all right, so what's the most remote thing from Peter? You'd have to do something completely abstract. And I would say get a female vocalist. I think Peter would get a kick out of… He would get off on seeing a girl sing his songs, seeing a female sing them. And it would really stress the point of doing something as a tribute instead of trying to recreate something."

Steele passed away in April 2010 from heart failure at the age of 48. Born Petrus T. Ratajczyk on January 4, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York, he stood 6' 7" (201 cm) tall, and had a low, bass-heavy voice, which was one of the most recognizable features in TYPE O NEGATIVE's music.

Before forming TYPE O NEGATIVE, Steele played for the metal group FALLOUT and the thrash band CARNIVORE.

"Going through a midlife crisis and having many things change very quickly made me realize my mortality," Steele told Decibel magazine in 2007. "And when you start to think about death, you start to think about what's after it. And then you start hoping there is a God. For me, it's a frightening thought to go nowhere. I also can't believe that people like Stalin and Hitler are gonna go to the same place as Mother Teresa."

In a 2020 interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Kelly said about Steele: "Peter, for the most part, he was a clown. He was always joking around — sarcastic, very self-deprecating humor. Just the opposite of what the music portrayed. When we were working on music and stuff, the end result, he was very serious about what he wanted, how he wanted something to sound. Other times, he was a clown.

"I always said that he wanted to be a normal person, but because he was Peter, that was just not in the cards for him; it was completely impossible," he continued. "I bet he would love to just be able to hang out, go to the bar, have a few drinks. And we would try to do that, and the minute he would come out to the bar, everybody gravitated towards him. He couldn't go to the store by his house without something happening to him."

Asked if that was because of Peter's size, Johnny said: "I think so. He just had this very striking look. He didn't look normal. And he had fangs. [Laughs] He was six and a half feet tall, [had] long black hair and fangs. You're not gonna get the normal response when you're going grocery shopping."

TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon has canceled his previously announced solo shows in February, including his appearance on the Monsters Of Rock cruise, due to "the ongoing and changing COVID issues."

The 55-year-old musician, who battled the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus last year, shared the news of his change of plans in a social media post earlier today. He wrote: "My FEB SHOWS POSTPONED: I will not be performing live shows during the month of February, including the MORC. As I will be spending this time with my family. With the ongoing and changing Covid issues, contagiousness of the virus, I must put the safety of my family and fans as first priority. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes anyone. See you on the road later this year. Sincerely, Frank".

This year's Monsters Of Rock cruise is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Departing out of Miami, Florida, the five-day/five-night full ship charter cruise will set sail February 9-14 aboard Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, visit two ports in CocoCay, Bahamas and Labadee, Haiti, and feature performances from rock icon Alice Cooper, along with appearances by over 35 artists.

Last September, Hannon said that he and his TESLA bandmates went through "COVID hell" after being infected with coronavirus.

In August, TESLA announced it was postponing a few shows after Frank tested positive for COVID-19. At the time, Hannon wrote in a social media post that he had "not been able to move all week" and revealed that he woke up with a 102-degree fever and could "hardly breathe" on the day that TESLA was scheduled to leave for tour.

Hannon later opened up about his COVID-19 battle in an interview with Marci Wiser of the 95.5 KLOS radio station, saying: "We went through COVID hell, and luckily none of us died from it. I just lost another friend who died from COVID. This is a real thing, man. People that are anti-vaxxers and all that — I was on the wrong side of that fence, listening to all the baloney. But we went through it and we survived it.

"Our friends in STYX and our friends in these bands that have been successfully touring, they've given us some advice that we follow [while we are on the road now]," he continued.

"As much as you hate wearing a mask, you've just gotta do it when you're close to people. And so we're doing that. We're all vaccinated now. And we're being careful but we're trying to live our lives too."

Hannon also elaborated on his battle with COVID-19, saying: "I wanna describe it, 'cause I got some flak from some clown on the Internet, saying, 'All you had was the flu. All it is is the flu. Quit making a big deal about it.' And that's the biggest crock. I'm telling you, man — it was a month of hell. It was a hard one.

"It affects everybody differently," he continued. "Like I said, unfortunately, sadly a lot of people are dying from it. But for me, it was like a month-long hangover. Imagine drinking all the tequila and whiskey and smoking a pack of Pall Mall non-filters for three days — imagine that — and then waking up hung over from that for a month. That's what it felt like."

Earlier in September, Hannon told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station that he "got vaccinated" before going on the road with TESLA, but admitted "it was a little too late. I was not wanting to get vaccinated, and I put it off too long. I got vaccinated and about a week later I played a gig and caught COVID and took it to the band by accident. And everybody got sick. It knocked me down for a month, man. It was a month of hell, not being able to breathe and in a lot of pain."

He continued: "People dismiss it as being, 'Oh, it's only a flu,' or, 'It's a cold,' or whatever, but I just lost three more friends — people in the industry that have died from it. So it's a very serious thing. And I don't take it lightly anymore, that's for damn sure."

TESLA played the first two shows of its summer 2021 tour without Frank. Filling in for him was Howie Simon (JEFF SCOTT SOTO, GRAHAM BONNET, STRYPER), who previously stood in for Hannon in September 2018.

"Myself, I didn't even do one show [of the summer run]," Frank told WRIF. "The morning that we were leaving to go on tour, I came down with a 102 fever. So I called one of my friends that plays guitar, and he filled in for me. They did another show up in Oregon, and they got sick. So we got the kibosh put on TESLA right away."

In August, TESLA released the official music video for its brand new single, "Cold Blue Steel". The clip was directed by Brandon Gullion and produced by Hannon.

TESLA's latest album, "Shock", was released in March 2019 via UMe. The follow-up to 2014's "Simplicity" was produced by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen.
























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A post shared by Frank Hannon (@frankhannonofficial)








He’s a Modern Day Cowboy.. but heading to sea with us, please welcome Frank Hannon to the Monsters Of Rock Cruise!...

Posted by Monsters of Rock Cruise on Friday, December 24, 2021

Guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen has shared video of his guitar solo recorded for Alcratrazz's Live In Japan 1984 album as the outro of "Kree Nakoorie" and "Coming Bach". Check it out below.





Malmsteen will be back in The United States with a whole new tour this Spring. Check out just some of the new dates below... ticket links coming soon.




And for the rest of the world... more dates are coming for you... stay tuned!


May
3 - Patchogue Theater - Patchogue, NY
4 - Tally Ho Theater - Leesburg, VA
6 - Wall St Theater - Norwalk, CT
8 - M3 - Columbia, MD
9 - Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center - Chester, NY
11 - Stranahan Theater - Toledo, OH
12 - Arcada Theater - St. Charles, IL<
14 - The Odeon - Cleveland, OH
16 - Oriental Theater - Denver, CO
18 - Virginia Street Brewhouse - Reno, NV
19 - Canyon Agoura - Agoura Hills, CA
20 - Canyon Montclair - Montclair, CA
21 - Tower Theater - Fresno, CA
22 - Canyon Santa Clarita - Santa Clarita, CA
24 - The Marquee - Tempe, AZ
25 - Rialto Theater - Tucson, AZ
29 - Casa Loma Theater - St. Louis, MO


June
3 - Plaza Live - Orlando, FL
4 - Parker Playhouse - Ft. Lauderdale, FL


"Also, if you don't see a date near to you - and this also goes for other territories like Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, etc... be patient," says Yngwie. "We'll be announcing more dates as soon as we're able. I promise we're not avoiding you, we just have to come at the right time!"

Symphonic metal act Vivaldi Metal Project has released a video for new single “Tears To Splendor” featuring guest singer Jeff Scott Soto. The song is based on Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", Op. 95, B. 178, by Antonín Dvořák.


-Composed by Antonín Dvořák, Frank Caruso, Jeff Scott Soto
-Lyrics written by Jeff Scott Soto
-Arranged by Frank Caruso







Vivaldi Metal Project will release their new album EpiClassica will be released on February 22 via Sifare Music Publishing.


Preorders are available on Bandcamp.





EpiClassica is a double-album (18 tracks ~ 95 minutes) that collects the immense talent of about two-hundred musicians involved including soloists, orchestras, and choirs.





At this point in production, many renowned artists are already slotted to record. This list includes such sensations as Mike Portnoy, Rob Rock, Jeff Scott Soto, Mike Terrana, Mark Boals, Roy Z (B. Dickinson), Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), Anders Johansson (Manowar), Michele Guaitoli (Visions of Atlantis/Temperance), Rolf Pilve (Stratovarius), Gerit Lamm / Aeva Maurelle (Xandria), Steve Di Giorgio (Testament), Zaher Zorgati (Myrath), Emma Zoldan / Nils Courbaron (Sirenia), Coen Janssen (Epica), Jennifer Batten, Joe Stump (Alcatrazz), Nick Z Marino (Y. Malmsteen), Allan Sorensen (Pretty Maids), Chris Caffery (Savatage), Mark Cross (ex-Firewind), Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Elina Siirala (Leaves' Eyes), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Jorn, Revolution Saints), Fabio D’Amore (Serenity), Melissa Ferlaak (Plague of Stars), Philip Bynoe (S. Vai), Kelly Simonz, Matt Bissonette (E. John/J. Satriani), Giacomo Voli / Roberto De Micheli (Rhapsody of Fire), Felipe Andreoli (Angra), David Folchitto (Fleshgod Apocalypse), Roger Staffelbach (Artension), Marco Sfogli (J. Labrie), Andreas Passmark (Royal Hunt), Marcelo Moreira (Z. Stevens), Bob Katsionis (Firewind), Henrik Klingenberg (Sonata Arctica), Milan Polak, Andrea Martongelli (D. Ellefson), and many more.


The Vivaldi Metal Project is an international symphonic-metal group conceived and produced by Italian keyboard player, composer and producer Mistheria (Bruce Dickinson, Roy Z, Rob Rock, Mark Boals, Artlantica, Joe Stump’s Tower of Babel).

Multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist, Aldo Nova, has set April 1 as the release date for the first chapter of his larger-than-life rock opera, a 10-song EP titled The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage.


An official music video for the first single, "Free Your Mind", can be viewed below. Says Aldo: "Here is the official video for 'Free Your Mind' featuring Jack Frost on guitar, Dario Seixas on bass, Ange E. Curcio on drums, and me of course."







In addition to the The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage EP, the iconic Montreal maverick will subsequently release the triple disc Aldo Nova 2.0 Reloaded on April 19. It will feature 2.0 versions of nine classic songs from Aldo’s catalog, plus another disc with no lead vocal track and a third disc with no lead guitar track so fans can either sing along or play along with him.


Up first this year for Aldo - who has spent more than four decades in music with dozens of classic songs and hundreds of shows - is the release of the first 10 tracks (nine songs, one bonus cut) from The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage rock opera. It tells the story of Eddie Gage, a prodigious ingénue who breaks into the music industry only to be preyed upon by a nefarious suit Andy Christos, manipulated by a corporate overlord M.F. Stophalis, and tempted by a succubus Rati Ayida. Drugs, alcohol, and excess plunge him into despair until he realizes redemption on his own terms. Look for the newly released “Free Your Mind” single available now everywhere. Listen here, and below. The song is a high-energy rocker packed with Aldo’s thunderous guitar work, soaring vocals and lyrics about fictional rocker Eddie Gage.


Aldo explains, “The date is July the 1st of 1982, when only three months after the release of his 1st album, simply titled Eddie Gage, Eddie has achieved superstar status. This is him playing in front of 10,000 fans and singing about the fact that it’s time for people to expand their minds towards a more spiritual side of reality because society has become corrupt, a direction that his record company, Daedalus Records did not want him to take. The lyrics say it all, and Eddie and his band show a level of musicianship far above the norm.


The musical journey of The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage began in 2008, when Aldo started to assemble what would become 25 songs (which Aldo will eventually release). Throughout the work, Aldo distills his often-unbelievable musical journey into the allegory of the rock opera, which he wrote, produced, arranged, engineered, and mixed entirely. The recording includes a 40-piece orchestra, a full gospel choir, Lee Levin on drums and mastering from the legendary Bob Ludwig. In addition, a one song bonus disc will accompany the collection with the soaring instrumental song "Les Anges.”


“I feel really comfortable in my own skin, and my music is who I am,” Aldo says. “The record was done from pure inspiration he says, I felt like was connected somewhere. I was truly channeling some place away from myself. It was almost as if something above connected to me and gave me these songs.”


Following the release of The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage, Aldo will turn the page on the next chapter of this story with the three-disc Aldo Nova 2.0 Reloaded. The three-disc recording features nine classics from his catalog new recordings - not only as the 2.0 versions of the songs, but also as alternate versions with no lead vocal track and another with no lead guitar track so fans can finally either sing along or play with him.


“Nobody’s ever done this,” Aldo says. “You can basically sing with me as your backing band or play along as a backing track. No other artist has given his tracks to fans in this way. I want to encourage kids to improvise and learn. You can play the record if you want, or you can be a part of it. It’s a new concept.”


Ultimately, Aldo is no stranger to new concepts, and he continues to break ground.


“When you hear any of this, I want you to feel like I took it to another level,” he leaves off. “I didn’t just come back and do the same thing. I didn’t stay stagnant. I’m sixty-five-years-old, but I feel like I’m thirty-years-old. I’m bringing everything to a whole new universe. I’m comfortable. I’m happy in my independence. I am who I am. I’m Aldo Nova, because my real name is too hard to say,” he laughs.





The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage tracklisting:
 
"Hey Ladi Dadi"
"Free Your Mind"
"Follow The Road"
"King Of Deceit"
"The Bitch In Black"
"On The Way To The Psycho Ward"
"When All Is Said And Done"
"Say A Little Prayer"
"Burn Like The Sun"


Bonus Track: "Les Anges" (Composed, Arranged and Performed by Aldo Nova)





Aldo Nova 2.0 Reloaded tracklisting:
 
Disc One
"Blood On The Bricks" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Monkey On Your Back" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Under The Gun - War Suite" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Foolin' Yourself" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Ball And Chain" 2.0 Reloaded
"Paradise" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Modern World" 2.0 - Reloaded
"Fantasy" 2.0 - Reloaded
"I'm A Survivor" 2.0 – Reloaded
 
Disc Two
"Blood On The Bricks" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Monkey On Your Back" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Under The Gun - War Suite" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Foolin' Yourself" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Ball And Chain" 2.0 Reloaded - No Ld Vocal
"Modern World" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"Fantasy" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
"I'm A Survivor" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Vocal
 
Disc Three
"Blood On The Bricks" 2.0 Reloaded - No Ld Guitar
"Monkey On Your Back" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Under The Gun - War Suite" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Foolin' Yourself" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Ball And Chain" 2.0 Reloaded - No Ld Guitar
"Paradise" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Modern World" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"Fantasy" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar
"I'm A Survivor" 2.0 Reloaded No Ld Guitar

BLACK VEIL BRIDES frontman Andy Biersack recently went on the first video episode of the podcast "Side Jams With Bryan Reesman" to discuss his love for Batman. He mentioned that two his favorite subjects are Batman and theology. He connected the two in explaining how the superhero was a big influence on him growing up.

"This is not to be political or to be dismissive of any kind of religion, but for me, as someone who's non-theistic, I had these heroes like Batman who [were] a reference point for parables or tales of how to live your life," said Biersack. "The thing that impacted me the most as a kid was, create something more of yourself. Even if you're afraid, even if people don't respect you or like you or make fun of you – make something that you're really proud of and wear that outside so that you can eventually become that thing that you want to be. As a teenager and as a kid growing up, wearing my MISFITS shirts and eyeliner, and everybody's throwing stuff at me and making fun of me at school in Ohio, I felt like that was my Batsuit. That was the thing that, regardless of what anybody else thought about it, that was how I projected myself to the world. And that was my giant cape and pointy ears. It was the thing that I thought, 'I don't care if they're freaked out by me or whatever it is. I'm gonna use this as my iconography, the way that I see the world.' And so, in many other ways, just the self-belief, the idea of making something of yourself, not having superpowers. I was not born with a beautiful singing voice. I never opened my mouth and sang in a beautiful soprano voice or a tenor voice, but I figured I could teach myself how to do something that I liked the way it sounded. And I didn't need superpowers to do that. So there's many, many ways that that character has been influential."

When asked about his favorite Christopher Nolan "Batman" movie, he replied: "It's so bizarre because Christian Bale is not my favorite Batman. I don't really like the suit. But I love those three movies so much — the totality of them. My least favorite is 'Batman Begins'. That tends to be everyone's favorite who are Batman fans. 'Dark Knight' is obviously the most famous of the series and one of the most successful movies of all time. But if you talk to dedicated Batman fans, they all say 'Batman Begins' is the best. I really like the third one the most because we go back to my entry point into Batman was 'Knightfall'. That is the 'Knightfall' movie. That's Bane breaking down Batman, breaking his back. I got to see the shot in a live action movie of Bane been holding up Bruce Wayne and breaking his spine, just like on the cover of the first comic book I ever got as a kid. So for me personally, even though ['Dark Knight] Rises' is not seen as the greatest film, I fucking love it. I'll watch it every day."

Biersack also addressed the controversy with some Superman fans over the fact that Kal-El's son recently came out as bisexual.

"The thing that I never understand is the fervor and anger that people have giving people an opportunity to see themselves in these characters that we've loved forever," he said. "Why not have an opportunity for someone who loves this character to see something of themselves in it? It boggles my mind that it would ever change your interpretation of the character for someone else to get to feel more close to them. There's a million different iterations of all these characters. Why not allow people to have the opportunity to be reflected and feel some representation there?"

Tom Taylor, who wrote the November 9, 2021 issue of "Superman: Son Of Kal-El" in which Clark Kent's son, Jon Kent, comes out as bisexual, said in a statement: "I've always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes, and I'm very grateful DC and Warner Bros. share this idea.

"Superman's symbol has always stood for hope, for truth and for justice. Today, that symbol represents something more. Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics."

Not everybody has been happy with DC Comics' decision to have a bisexual Superman. Arizona senator Wendy Rogers came out against the move, saying, "Hollywood is trying to make Superman gay and he is not." Additionally, actor Dean Cain, known for roles on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman" and the CW's "Supergirl", condemned the decision and accused DC Comics of "bandwagoning."

BLACK VEIL BRIDES' latest album, "The Phantom Tomorrow", was released in October via Sumerian Records.

Former BLACK SABBATH singer Tony Martin, who sang on six of the band's albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s, was asked in a new interview with Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece if he had an inkling he would be fired after the release of 1995's "Forbidden" in order to allow guitarist Tony Iommi to reunite with SABBATH's fellow original members. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I asked Tony directly. I said, 'Are you guys planning to do something with Ozzy [Osbourne] again?' I said, 'Just tell me so then I can plan what I'm gonna do.' He said, 'No, no, no, no. It's all just rumors.' Yeah, right. Everybody's talking in the business about it. My manager had told me. So I kind of knew it was coming; I just didn't know when. I don't think they really knew when. But they sort of denied it and denied it. But then it was gonna happen anyway."

Martin continued: "To be honest, I think getting Ozzy back after that, that was the right thing to do. It couldn't go anywhere else. They couldn't get another singer and start again. I think it was the right thing to do. And I still think there's an opportunity out there for them, because they're all still alive. Bill [Ward, original SABBATH drummer] is still out there. And if you think about what DEF LEPPARD did with their drummer. They've got a one-armed drummer, DEF LEPPARD, and they waited until they got a drum kit and he could play with one hand. If they can do that for a one-armed drummer, it's possible they could do something with Bill. It's just time. That's all, really. So I still think there's an opportunity there."

Bill was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced more than 10 years ago but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.

All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him.

Last March, Bill admitted to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he no longer had the "chops" and the "ability" to perform with BLACK SABBATH. "I have to be back to 60 years old to be able to do that," he said.

Martin recently confirmed that a new record deal has been secured to reissue the albums he recorded with SABBATH: "The Eternal Idol" (1987), "Headless Cross" (1989), "Tyr" (1990), "Cross Purposes" (1994), "Cross Purposes Live" (1995) and "Forbidden" (1995).

Six years ago, Iommi told I Heart Guitar that "it's a shame" that "it took a lot for people to accept" Martin as SABBATH's vocalist. "It's taken all these years later for people to say, 'Oh blimey, that was a good band with good singing.' So it took a long time to get people to really realize how good it was."

In 2018, Iommi spent time in the studio remixing "Forbidden" for a future release. The LP, which features Martin, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray, is often regarded as SABBATH's worst studio recording.

Martin's new solo album, "Thorns", arrived on January 14 via Battlegod Productions and Dark Star Records.

Atmospheric UK black metal outfit, Crimson Throne, are set to release their Instinct EP on February 18 via Apocalyptic Witchcraft.


Instinct was recorded & mixed by Misha Hering at Holy Mountain Studios and mastered by Cult Of Luna's Magnus Lindberg (Cult Of Luna, Tribulation, Refused, Russian Circles).


The artwork for the 4-track EP, which will be released on cassette and in digital format, is done by New Zealand illustrator and artist Set33.
Pre-orders are available here.







Instinct EP tracklisting:


"I.H"
"T.E"
"F.C"
"Instinct"


In support of the forthcoming EP, Crimson Throne will be playing a 5-date strong run of UK shows at the end of February together with label mates The Infernal Sea & Burial. Additional dates with The Infernal Sea are booked for early April, including a performance at York's The Ruins Of Jorvik Fest on April 10. See below for a full listing of all 2022 tour dates.





The Apocalyptic Tour 2022 with The Infernal Sea & Burial


February
23 - Milton Keynes, UK - Craufurd Arms
24 - Bristol, UK - Exchange (Basement)
25 - London, UK - 229
26 - Nottingham, UK - The Salutation Inn
27 - Leeds, UK - Boom





The Unholy Crusade 2022 with The Infernal Sea & Wolvencrown:


April
7 - Sheffield, UK - TBC
8 - Manchester, UK - Aatma
9 - Glasgow, UK - Audios
10 - York, UK - The Ruins Of Jorvik Fest @ Fulford Arms

Silent Skies, the cinematic ambient project of Evergrey’s Tom S. Englund and classically trained pianist and composer Vikram Shankar (Redemption), will release their second studio album, Nectar, on February 4 via Napalm Records. Watch an unboxing video below:





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, will be released on February 4th, 2022. 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 for you to experience 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 will be available in the following formats:


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


Pre-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)

Celebrate 10 years of "Storm The Sorrow" by watching this original behind-the-scenes video for the official music video from symphonic metallers Epica. The track is featured on the 2012 album, Requiem For The Indifferent.





Full video:







For their 20th band anniversary in 2022, symphonic metal titans, Epica, have prepared a massive celebration from January to December, with plenty of surprises, new projects, and of course some new music too that will all be revealed throughout the year.


In the clip below, watch guitarist Isaac Delahaye walk you through the things that happened during the launch month of the Epica Universe. Also, find out what's yet to come...





After recently relaunching their first three albums, the now-classic The Phantom Agony, Consign To Oblivion and The Score 2.0, via Nuclear Blast, with an extensive physical re-release on CD, vinyl, as well as strictly limited earbooks and boxsets later this year.


Epica have started the year with launching nothing less than, well, their own universe: “We truly feel like there’s a universe within the band, a world of our own, and we want to invite our lifeblood to be citizens - Epicans, if you will”, the band explains. “Think of it as a sequel to past Epica fan clubs like “The Fantom Agony” and “The French Crusade” but updated for the modern era; it’s more fan community than a club. Epica Universe will give Epicans insight into our lives, both personal and professional, through exclusive behind-the-scenes photos, podcasts, polls, vlogs, live hangouts and much more. There’s even a (super limited) tier that includes one-on-one video calls with a band member each month!"


Join the Epica Universe here. Get a first glimpse of what’s to expect via this trailer, presented by the whole band:





And what would a 20th anniversary be without a proper celebration live and in full color? The massive anniversary show is taking place at the same venue as Epica played their first show back in the day, supporting Anathema: the 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Tickets are moving fast, so get yours here.





(Photo -  Tim Tronckoe)

Andorra’s extreme progressive metal unit, Persefone, have returned with the next single from their upcoming album, metanoia, entering the last round before its long-awaited release this Friday.


The third single, “Architecture Of The I”, features grim growling, sharp screams and technically precise riffing - creating dark sound walls that alternate with calmer atmospheric parts underlined with electronic elements - once again showcasing the band’s variety in just one epic song. Underlining this opus of sound is a mesmerizing visualizer video that enters another universe - just a sneak peak of what’s to come with their new album metanoia.


Says the band: “‘Architecture Of The I’ represents one of the most progressive songs on metanoia. On this track, we really let the song come alive as we were writing, and because of that, the listener will find in there a huge dynamic range from one of the most fast and heavy riffs in the whole album, to some of the most introspective passages. This song has been a challenge for us to write and perform, and we are sure that it will also present a challenge for the listener to keep track with its particular pace and structure. Now it's up to you to find the purpose of all those notes within the album. The stunning video was created by our guitar player Filipe and his partner K (DeadFlag Studios and Gráfica de Ferro).”







Persefone are known for technical precision at its highest levels, and with their newest single, “Katabasis” - out today alongside an astounding new music video created with the support of SDADV - draw dramatic, cinematic soundscapes mixed with electronic influences. The soft, clear vocals of Marc Martins alternate with sharp growls and bleak yet dynamic riffs. This ride ties in with the well-received first single “Merkabah” and leaves you anxiously awaiting Persefone’s upcoming album, metanoia, out on February 4.


Persefone on “Katabasis”: “"Katabasis" stands as the opening track of the new album and marks an important event when it comes to the concept of metanoia, as it led us to the depths of the being. This song displays many of the elements that can be heard throughout the album, and we hope that it welcomes the listener to the journey we want to offer with all this new music.”


Persefone is known for their brand of rich soundscapes and technically precise work, setting new standards in modern extreme progressive metal. Founded in 2001, Persefone has released five studio albums, each showcasing the band’s myriad of musical principles: high technicality, distinct melodies, plenty of head-turning riffs and musical acrobatics. The band has toured worldwide with notable acts like Obituary and Leprous, has hit stages at important festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Metal Days, Brutal Assault, ProgPower and 70,000 Tons of Metal, and is now set to release their new album, metanoia!


Featuring collaborations with standout artists like Steffen Kummerer (Obscura, Thulcandra), Einar Solberg (Leprous), Angel Vivaldi and Merethe Soltvedt (Two Steps From Hell), metanoia exploits the full potential of contrasts in every song, with each track representing a story evolving from beginning to end and constantly growing in strength - redefining typical musical boundaries. Mixed by David Castillo (Leprous, Soen, Opeth) and mastered by Tony Lindgren (Enslaved, Ihsahn, Sepultura), the new full-length stretches over 10 songs, each appearing to glide seamlessly from one to the next.


metanoia sets off with the opulent opener “Katabasis”, drawing dramatic, cinematic soundscapes mixed with electronic influences. The soft, clear vocals of Miguel Espinosa alternate with sharp growls and pierce through constantly changing riffs. Persefone balances soft passages with intense walls of sound on tracks like “Aware of Being Watched” – in which clean vocals and jazzy sections alternate with intense riffing carried by dense drumming – while solid, rich sound takes on orchestral dimensions on songs such as “Leap of Faith”. Vivid and dynamic instrumentation, tempo and rhythm make up the intense ride “Merkabah”, showcasing the band’s hardest yet most vulnerable sides as screams and blast beats are followed by soft instrumentation – spanning the song’s intensity to its maximum. A special surprise is the 11-minute masterpiece “Consciousness Pt III”, which continues a series of songs from the band’s fourth album Spiritual Migration (2013). The album closes with another opulent set of songs, “Anabasis Part I”, “Anabasis Part II” and “Anabasis Part III”. “Anabasis Part I” starts off with calm, dreamy piano sounds, drifting over to the intense “Anabasis Part II” and leading seamlessly into “Anabasis Part III”, gently closing the album with a cinematic outro.


Persefone about the new album: “metanoia is the next step in our personal pursuit for existential growth through music. This album is a call for a deep change, a call for an inner journey through fear and pain, a call for a leap into a meaningful and rooted place. Making this album has forced us to face many musical and personal hurdles and fears, and the result of that confrontation lives within all the notes and words captured on this new chapter in our journey.  May you will find meaning in all this musical chaos.”





metanoia will be available in the following formats:


- Digipack
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- 2LP Gatefold Clear (incl. Slipmat & Logopatch)
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled White & Black
- Digipack & Shirt Bundle
- Digital Full Length Album


Pre-order here.





metanoia tracklisting:


"Metanoia" ft. Einar Solberg
"Katabasis"
"Architecture Of The I"
"Leap Of Faith"
"Aware Of Being Watched"
"Merkabah"
"Consciousness Part III"
"Anabasis Part I"
"Anabasis Part II" ft. Steffen Kummerer, Angel Vivaldi und Merethe Soltvedt
"Anabasis Part III"


“Katabasis” video:





"Merkabah" video:





Persefone is:


Marc Martins - vocals
Miguel "Moe” Espinosa - keyboards and vocals
Carlos Lozano - guitar
Filipe Baldaia - guitar
Toni Mestre - bass
Sergi " Bobby” Verdeguer - drums


(Photo - Èric Rossell)

Old-school brutal death metal outfit, Embryonic Autopsy, have released a lyric video for their new single, "Cauterized Womb Impalement", which features a guest solo by James Murphy (ex-Death, Obituary, Testament). Watch the clip below.


The song is taken from the upcoming album, Prophecies Of The Conjoined, out on February 18 via Massacre Records. It contains a total of ten songs, and will be available as CD Digipak, limited edition vinyl LP as well as in digital formats. Pre-order here.


Nine of the ten songs were mixed by Scott Roberts, whereas Ulrich Wild mixed the remaining song. All songs were mastered by Jason Z at TVR Studios. The album's cover artwork - available below - was designed by Diego Gedoz de Souza.




Embryonic Autopsy are focused on bringing back the style that made death metal so popular back in the early ‘90s, so get ready for blazing guitars, guttural vocals and lightning fast drumming galore.





Tracklisting:


"Regurgitated And Reprocessed"
"Cauterized Womb Impalement"
"Prophecies Of The Conjoined"
"Craving Of The Mutated Fetus"
"Upon The Mayan Throne"
"Splicing The Alien Gene"
"Telekinetic Insemination"
"Cannibalized By Octuplets"
"Cauterized Womb Impalement (Genetically Altered)"
"Recombination Sequence Complete"


"Cauterized Womb Impalement" lyric video:





"Regurgitated And Reprocessed" video: