John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock group SKILLET, recently spoke to blogger and podcaster Alisa Childers about the criticism he and his bandmates have faced for at times sharing the stage with "horrifically un-Christian" artists at various rock festival around the country. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There are people that criticize, and, honestly, I don't even mind it. It's never even crossed my mind to bother me, just because I'm, like, 'Hey, they don't get it and they don't need to.' … So I don't really mind it.

"My vision is this — part of what [the new SKILLET album] 'Dominion' is about, to me, the culture mandate, part of that, to me, and I know not all Christians agree with this, by the way, but this is just my thing, I believe that every area of life, every box, every nook and cranny belongs to Christ. I believe that rock and roll and the arts does not belong to the devil. The devil may have used it, he may have twisted it, he may have stolen something — which is what the devil does, of course; he comes in and he tries to do something kind of like what God does, right? But he wants to steal the glory and he twists it and he perverts it. I believe that the arts belong to God. Music belongs to God. It is for his glory. And so when I create art and I go and I play music, I believe that it is taking back something, bringing it back under the subjection to Lord Jesus Christ. It all belongs to him. It is for his glory. That world does not belong to the devil. Not everybody necessarily agrees with that.

"In terms of the bands, I have great friendships with so many atheist rock and roll singers who have shown me a ton of friendship and a ton of respect," he continued. "I've been very respected by people who, some of them are atheists and don't know that they hate the gospel. Some of them are atheists and they are what I would call 'angry atheists.' They know they hate the gospel and they are actively at war. Some of them, they just are atheists and they don't wanna fight. Even the angry atheists that I've met, we get along and they've always been respectful to me and they've always kind of said, 'John, I like your music because you sing about what you believe in, and that's what makes good art.' And I would say to them, likewise — some Christians get offended by this — but even if there's a song that offends me, when it's authentic, I recognize that is good art; it's provocative [and] it makes you think. It doesn't mean I wanna listen to it; it doesn't mean I want my kids listening to it; it's just an acknowledgement that they're making good art. A deeper subject would be that in the end, one way or the other, God is going to get the glory for that. Even for people who hate him, God will find — in his mysterious will, he finds a way to bring people to their knees, and he takes the glory… So that's kind of my take on it. I've got great friends in that world and 99 percent of them have shown me an incredible amount of respect and friendship."

In various interviews over the years, John has said that he "always had faith in God" and that his mother was a "Jesus fanatic." He also claimed that he was willing to put his career on the line to take a stand for Christ.

"Dominion" was released on January 14 via Atlantic. Produced by Kevin Churko (PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) with songs written by John Cooper, Korey Cooper, Kevin Churko and Kane Churko, the LP was created 100% remotely between the band's tour dates, home studio in Wisconsin, and the Churkos' studio in Las Vegas.

In a new interview with IndiePower.com, Steve Vai spoke about his years as the guitarist in David Lee Roth's post-VAN HALEN solo band, alongside former TALAS bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Gregg Bissonette. Asked what his favorite memories are of that period, Steve said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, there were so many. Touring, becoming a 'rock star' basically overnight by joining David Lee Roth's solo band when he left VAN HALEN was just a shocker. Every night on tour was just… Oh my God, it was something that I'm really glad I experienced. And there was a lot of other things. The camaraderie between me and Billy and Gregg was, and still is, very strong, and those are life relationships that you can't put a value on them. So that I got out of that. And one of the things I really enjoyed doing was learning things from Dave. I mean, he was an intense guy. We hung out a lot and would do things like go climbing — he was really into climbing mountains at the time. So we'd hire these fantastic guides and we'd go and do stuff like that. He got me into working out because I looked like a noodle when I joined the band. [Laughs] And I really enjoyed all of that. I really had a good time there."

Vai played with Roth on his 1986 album "Eat 'Em And Smile" as well as its 1988 follow-up, "Skyscraper".

A few years ago, Vai explained to the Examiner.com that he didn't expect the "Eat 'Em And Smile" band to come together when they first hooked up more than three and a half decades ago. He said: "Dave got the best musicians he could, who he thought was the best. And I thought it was a hell of a band… It was one of my favorite times in my whole musical career, because we were rock stars, you know? And touring with somebody like Dave, you can't even imagine what it was like. It was just glorious, man. And I knew it was fleeting, and I knew it was something that I wasn't going to be doing my whole life, because my brand of music in my own head is very different."

"Eat 'Em And Smile" was the first of two Roth albums to feature the duo of Vai and Billy Sheehan on guitar and bass. Throughout the LP, the two would often sync complicated bass lines together with the lead guitar parts, as on tracks such as "Shyboy" and "Elephant Gun".

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson, who flew his group around the world in their customized jumbo jet dubbed Ed Force One, named after MAIDEN's iconic mascot Eddie, has told the Associated Press that he will not be sitting in the pilot's seat when he and his bandmates return to the road later this year. "Oh, no, no, no, no," he said. "We're going to be flying and I'm going to be in the back. Hey, look, I'm 63 — I'm 64 in August. You know, when you get to 65, if you're an airline pilot, they just take you out the back and shoot, right? So, I'm going to be sitting in the back being the backseat driver."

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), commercial pilots have to retire at age 65. There is currently no maximum age limit for being a private pilot or for being an Air Force pilot.

Dickinson gained a commercial pilot's license after learning to fly in the 1990s. In 2012 he set up Cardiff Aviation, an aircraft maintenance company which has since changed its name to Caerdav.

Bruce, who spent a few years flying planes for Astraeus Airlines, told CNN in a 2007 interview: "Aviation's been kicking around my family for as long as I can remember; my uncle was in the RAF. But I always thought I was too stupid. I was useless at maths and majored in history at university, so I thought history majors don't become pilots, let alone rock stars. And then our drummer learned to fly, so I said, 'If a drummer can learn to fly, then anyone can.'"

Dickinson told Wales Online that he still gets a thrill out of flying, but that it's a totally different sensation to playing live.

"The satisfaction flying airplanes is getting the job done, but the satisfaction with playing live is external, looking out at all the people looking at you," he said. "With an airliner, it's all internal. If you've got passengers, nobody goes, 'Wow! Wasn't that great?' They're thinking about the rest of their day. Your job as an airline pilot is to deliver them safely and be invisible. That's quite nice for me because it's completely the opposite to what I do when I sing."

Bruce will hit the road with IRON MAIDEN for a new North American leg of the band's "Legacy Of The Beast" tour in September.

EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt says that he is working on two new solo projects, including a follow-up of sorts to his debut solo album, "Schizophonic", which came out in 1997 on A&M Records.

On Wednesday (January 26), Bettencourt took to his social media to write: "NEW MUSIC ANNOUNCEMENT 2022!!!

"I'm departing on a new and exciting journey. Working on two seperate solo projects. On one of them I have a full album already written and recorded and will form an exciting new band for it.

"I am doing a worldwide search for an incredible singer/frontman , an amazing Rthm section with a killer bass guitarist and drummer that can lock in together and sing bvs as well.

"Please submit a video of yourself killing it on stage and any music performance of you on your instrument or as a frontman performing live at [email protected] Show me what you're all about.

"My second project is ALL ME lol… truly solo and a real departure sonically … somewhat of a SCHIZOPHONIC part 2 for those who know.

"So pumped to share new music."

Bettencourt rose to rock superstardom as lead guitarist of the legendary rock band EXTREME. He has parlayed that success into an acclaimed career as a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum artist, songwriter, and producer, working alongside industry titans such as Sir Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, Kanye West, Robert Palmer, Rihanna, Janet Jackson and Perry Farrell, among others. Nuno is also the CEO and co-founder of Atlantis Entertainment, a full-service media and production company which creates and produces content through ventures integrating film and television, music, branded entertainment, commercials and digital content.

One of many career highlights for Nuno occurred when EXTREME performed, along with members of QUEEN, at Wembley Stadium at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert in 1992. Nuno was also invited to perform at the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize concert with Steven Tyler in 2014 as well as the 2015 Grammy Awards, side by side with Sir Paul McCartney, Rihanna and Kanye West, performing the No. 1 Billboard R&B/hip-hop song "FourFiveSeconds". As a producer and songwriter, Nuno has produced and performed on hit songs with such greats as Rihanna, Robert Palmer, Perry Ferrell and Janet Jackson, as well as currently producing a number of new and exciting, soon-to-be-released emerging pop artists and albums.
























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Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the release the fourth album, Lightning In A Bottle, from the melodic rock group, Find Me. Vocalist Robbie LaBlanc and drummer/producer Daniel Flores will release their new album on March 11. Today, the band has released a video for the new single, "Remember (It's Me)"


Watch the video below, and pre-order/save "Lightning In A Bottle" here


A delightful and massive melodic rock album, Lightning In A Bottle is chock full of mighty anthemic AOR songs featuring Robbie’s soaring vocals backed by amazing performances from Flores and his band. Sonically, this album touches on both the classic melodic rock/AOR style, while also showing influences from the new guard of the genre.  




Find Me is an ongoing collaboration between Swedish musician, songwriter, and producer Daniel Flores (The Murder Of My Sweet) and singer Robbie LaBlanc (Blanc Faces, ex-Fury) that was put together by Frontiers President, Serafino Perugino with a vision to unleash another AOR behemoth. Their partnership has yielded three absolute melodic rock gems in a row and "Lightning In A Bottle" will certainly be no exception.


"I really want to thank the band on this album, Jonny Trobro, Michael Palace (guitar), Rolf Staffan Pilotti, and the amazing voice, my friend, Robbie LaBlanc and, of course, our silent, but very vocal and important member, Serafino Perugino, for all the hard work on this release! But there is one person I really want to thank and that is Alessandro Del Vecchio, who is responsible for writing 10 amazing songs on this record. He will be featured heavily on my next work too. Yes, he likes to play!!! And is pretty lucky too! There is still one more BIG, BBBBBBBIG surprise on the album, featuring one of the best songwriters and keyboard players on earth at the moment, but I'll let the press team have that one...," says Daniel Flores.


The aforementioned special guest is Vince DiCola who plays keyboards on a cover of "Far From Over", a song by Frank Stallone from the Staying Alive soundtrack. Vince is actually a co-writer of the original along with Stallone.





Tracklisting:


"Survive"
"Far From Over" (Feat. Vince Di Cola)
"Sail Away"
"Back To You"
"Diana"
"Distant Echoes"
"Remember (It's Me)"
"You And I"
"Under A Bad Sign"
"Give My Heart"
"On The Run"


"Remember (It's Me)" video:





"Survive" video:





Lineup:


Robbie Lablanc - Vocals
Daniel Flores - Drums, Bass, Guitars, Keys

Imonolith features drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen (Devin Townsend Project), vocaklist Jon Howard (Threat Signal), guitarist Kai Huppunen (Methods of Mayhem, Noise Therapy), guitarist Oswin Wong, and bassist Conan Freeman.


On Friday, January 28th they will release "The Reign" (Remix) featuring Jens Kidman of Meshuggah taken from the forthcoming Progressions EP, which will be out in March 2022. Pre-save here.







Imonolith recently issued the following update:


"The Imonolith tour scheduled for November / December 2021 in the EU / UK has officially been moved to April / May 2022 due to the pandemic. Imonolith wants all of our followers to experience any show we play in the safest and healthiest conditions possible. Our friends in Once Awake and Ascend The Hollow will still be direct support on this rescheduled tour.


We felt playing in 2021 wasn’t safe enough for us to tour and not safe for you guys to see us. Everyone’s health is priority #1. We will see you all in Spring 2022 and we cannot wait!!!


Thanks for your support. Stay posted for another new single which will be dropping very soon."


The tour schedule is now as follows:


April
2 - Bournemouth, UK – The Anvil
3 - Stoke, UK – Underground
4 - Bristol, UK – Exchange
5 - Sheffield, UK – Corporation
6 - Newcastle, UK – Underground
7 - Edinburgh, UK – Bannermans
8 - Glasgow, UK – Broadcast
9 - Leeds, UK – The Key Club
10 - London, UK – The Black Heart
12 - Bilzen, Belgium – South Of Heaven
13 - Mainz, Germany – Schon Schon
14 - Lyon, France – Rock N Eat
15 - Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz 3
16 - Madrid, Spain – Sala Rockville
18 - Montepellier, Framce – Secret Place
19 - Martigny, Switzerland – Sunset Bar
20 - Modern, Italy – MK Live
21 - Ljubljana, Slovenia – Orto Bar
22 - Budapest, Hungary – Robot
23 - Skalica, Slovakia – Orlovna Club
25 - Zagreb, Croatia – Hard Place
26 - Salzburg, Austria – Rockhouse Bar
27 - Bochum, Germany – Die Trompete
28 - Munich, Germany – Backstage
29 - Cham, Germany – L.A. Live Style Cafe
30 - Dobeln, Germany – KL17


May
1 - Hamburg, Germany – Goldener Salon
3 - Copenhagen, Denmark – Beta
4 - Oslo, Norway – Krosset
5 - Stockholm, Sweden – Hus 7
7 - Helsinki, Finland – On The Rocks
8 - Tallinn, Estonia – Rockclub Tapper
9 - Riga, Latvia – Melna Piektdiena
11 - Warsaw, Poland – Hydrozagadka
12 - Prague, Czech Republic – Rock Cafe
15 - Geislingen, Germany – Miev
15 - Helmond, Netherlands – Cacaofabriek





Imonolith recently released a bass-heavy cover of Björk's "Army Of Me". Watch the lyric video below. Stream or purchase the single here.


Ryan: "Imonolith are excited to release our version of the classic Björk hit, 'Army Of Me'. I had an idea of how to cover the song back in 2011 and demoed it with a past project but never released it. I brought up this version to everyone in Imonolith, they dug it, so we re-recorded it with a few new twists. It’s basically a heavier version of the original song with some big modern day production. Jon did an incredible job paying respect to Björk’s vocal melodies. Musically, the chorus and a few other parts of the song get injected with some new energised patterns. We’re stoked on how it turned out and can’t wait for everyone to hear what we did with this classic song."

Voraath, the brutal horror-inspired extreme metal band featuring members from Nile, Xael, Rapheumets Well, Implosive Disgorgence, and Sweet Blood are unleashing their next single ,"The Barrens", to follow their debut single and music video, “Siren Head”, directed by drummer Joshua Nassaru Ward and released this past November.


As part of the band's vivid storytelling, "The Barrens" kickstarts another musical odyssey. Picture a dystopian Earth around the year 2136 and more than 80 percent of the world's population disappeared after the arrival of an alien species. The music follows a group of mercenaries employed by The Eos Corporation to locate and retrieve something referred to as "the nexus key" in which they run into some complicated and dangerous resistance. Since the arrival of the "Cosmic Architects" strange creatures now roam the dystopian planet. The music is meant to portray the dire and odd environment in which the story unfolds.


The track is just a preview from the otherworldly and experimental metal act based out of the Carolinas as they work on recording their forthcoming full length.




Listen to "The Barrens" at Bandcamp, Spotify, and/or below:





The music video for "Siren Head" can be viewed below. Single download and stream available here.





Coming together only during September 2021, Voraath features Brad Parris (Nile) on vocals and guitar, Joshua Nassaru Ward (Xael, Rapheumets Well) on drums, vocals and keys, along with Paul McBride (Implosive Disgorgence, Sweet Blood) on bass, and guitarists Daniel Presnell and Tylor Kohl. The band first began as a vessel for them as musicians to continue touring and writing.


"We wanted to explore even further integrating science fantasy, soundscapes, and metal. This will be something new bringing together emotional yet brutal music and science fantasy so we hope to appeal to both metal enthusiasts as well as those who appreciate the lore of the music," adds the band.


Transporting fans to a different world, Voraath plans to offer up both escapism and music that relates to them on a personal level. For their live performance, the band has lots of on-stage theatrics and costuming to bring the storytelling to life. It will be both intense and immersive.


Voraath is recommended for fans of death metal, black metal, and 80’s movie soundtracks.


Lineup:


Brad Parris - Vocalist, Guitarist
Joshua Nassaru Ward - Drummer/Vocals/ Keys
Tylor Kohl - Guitarist
Daniel Presnell - Guitarist, accompany instruments
Paul McBride - Bassist

While waiting for more shows to happen, amidst Covid-19 years, Electric Boys have decided to release a couple of new tracks. These are songs that the Swedish band recorded during the Ups!de Down sessions. The first one, "Favorite Hello, Worst Goodbye" is coming out on digital platforms on February 4t. If you are into old-school American hard rock, like Cheap Trick, this might tickle your fancy.





Formed in Stockholm in 1988, Electric Boys is a band with roots in 70s groove rock and 60s pop and psychedelia. Their critically acclaimed debut album, Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride, was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, The Cult, Mötley Crüe) and spawned the self-produced Billboard Top 20 single, “All Lips ’N’ Hips” that got them heavy rotation on MTV.




After extensive touring, the band entered legendary studio Abbey Road to record the follow-up Groovus Maximus, which gave the band another Billboard Top 30 single with the song, “Mary In The Mystery World”. The third album Freewheelin’ (also recorded in Abbey Road) peaked at #16 on the Official Swedish Album Chart before the band called it a day in 1994.


Guitarist and lead singer, Conny Bloom went solo until he, as well as bassist Andy Christell, joined legendary glamsters Hanoi Rocks in 2005. In 2009 they began the process of reuniting the Electric Boys. They released the album, And Them Boys Done Swang in 2011 and the critically acclaimed fan favourite Starflight United in 2014.


In all the years, the band has toured relentlessly opening for the likes of Metallica, Alice Cooper, Mr. Big, Hardline, Vixen and Thunder. In 2017, the band took part in the hugely popular Monsters Of Rock Cruise from Florida, it was a triumphant return Stateside.


In 2018 the return to studio albums finally happened, with The Ghost Ward Diaries, a record that not only topped the charts in Sweden and Denmark, but also brought back the distinctive sound of Electric Boys to their countless fans and to new listeners, who got hypnotised by their rocking musical mix. Roughly three years after, “Ups!de Down”, written already under lockdown, repeated the success, but brought a broader array of songs.


"Favourite Hello, Worst Goodbye” will be released as a digital single on February 4.


Lineup:


Conny Bloom - guitar, vocals
Andy Christell - bass
"Slim" Martin Thomander - guitar
Jolle Atlagic - drums


(Photo - Sven Isaksson)

Something truly wicked this way comes! East Coast metal is alive and well as the New Jersey-based quartet Pierced have just premiered the first track/video "You Can't Play God With Me" on BraveWords from their recently completed debut album, Cheers To Brutality, which will be released March 18.





Bass player Pete Rizzi shares, "We wanted to introduce the band with an in-your-face video that accurately depicts the intensity of our live show and the aggression we bring to the stage. That is where we are most comfortable, interacting with a crowd and going fucking ballistic!"




Singer Rob Middleton adds “'You Can’t Play God with Me' basically describes your modern day power trippers, the people who seek control over the majority of us, whether it’s corporations, so-called experts or our own government, telling us what they think is best for us. They use the fear machine to force conformity which for a guy like me, immediately triggers resistance."





Cheers To Brutality was produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob, Noturnall) at his state-of-the-art Sonic Stomp Studio in New York.


Pierced embellishes the power and integrity of old school thrash metal adding their unique blend of thunderous vocals, riveting guitar mastery, brutal power bass, and a relentless drum assault. The result is a sonic experience perhaps best described as an amplified and rejuvenated interpretation of combat metal with groove. Working class ethics, pride in their roots, and a defiant demeanor personify the boys of Pierced and their music conveys the essence of these values with a roar.

Danish metal quartet Defecto combines powerful, in-your-face attitude with meaningful songwriting. After releasing their third full-length album Duality in the fall of 2020, the quartet has taken a step back towards their progressive metal roots. Now they present the hard-hitting single "Ball Of Hatred" - watch the accompanying video below. 


“Blinded by power, blinded by selfishness, blinded by greed, humanity is violently suffocating the earth and its riches. 'Ball Of Hatred' tells this story through an aggressive, impactful yet melodic, powerful piece of music,” muses vocalist Nicklas Sonne.







"Ball Of Hatred" is released through Prime Collective, and available on all streaming services.


 

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and guitarist Chris Poland have come together to record one final song posthumously with their friend, late ex-MEGADETH drummer Gar Samuelson. The new track, "The Raven", is the latest single from FATAL OPERA, part of a new 12-song collection of demo material compiled as the group's final release, titled "Fatal Opera 3", out now on Combat Records.

Following his departure from MEGADETH in 1987, Gar assembled his new band FATAL OPERA, along with his brother Stew on guitar. Gar went on to produce the group's debut album in 1994, which also featured Dave Inman on vocals, Travis Karcher on bass and Billy Brehme on guitar. The group's second album, "Eleventh Hour", was released in 1997 and introduced Andy Freeman on vocals, reaching top 10 on European charts while the group continued building a loyal fan base touring across the USA that year. Sadly, in 1999 Gar became ill and passed away, at which point the group disbanded.

Then, in 2018, Andy and Stew set out to remix the "Eleventh Hour" LP and in the process discovered a collection of demos with Gar which were intended to become the band's third album before his passing. Although the demo tapes were damaged after many years of neglect, Freeman labored to revive the tracks with some songs lost forever. However, he was able to complete 12 tracks, inviting Ellefson and Poland to participate on "The Raven" as a way to conclude the legacy of Gar and FATAL OPERA.

Poland recalls: "Back in the day, long before MEGADETH, Gar and his brother Stew were the heart and soul of a heavy instrumental jazz/rock project called THE NEW YORKERS. I played guitar with them and Robbie 'Pag' Pagliari played fretless bass. It was everything we could do just to keep up. Stew's right hand was a machine. Flawless. And Gar was right there with him always pushing things to the next level. And again, these two brothers were the heart and soul of FATAL OPERA.

"It was a privilege to be a part of this release, and playing on 'The Raven' with David Ellefson made it that much more special. Gar was a true artist. Be it his amazing drumming, his painting or his wood sculpture pipe (he made by hand). Gar was one of a kind. And here Gar, Stew and crew push the limits of experimental metal. These songs are complex yet accessible. Music with a dark side that draws you into their world and keeps you wondering 'what's next!'" Poland also added additional guitar work to the track "Mask Of Time".

Ellefson adds: "This is a really cool moment for Chris and me to musically reunite with our friend Gar, now almost 35 years after our last studio session together, which was the 1987 re-recording of 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin'' for the 'Dudes' movie soundtrack, compiled by director Penelope Spheeris.

"Gar was always such a free spirit with his music; no click tracks or digital reinvention for him. And he seldom played the same thing twice; quite unusual for heavy metal. He just went for it with real gusto and that became the hallmark of his sound."

He continues: "When I was laying down the bass track for 'The Raven', it reminded me once again of Gar's spontaneity in the studio, as if we were recording live in the same room together. I'm super happy these tracks were brought to life so we could have one last go around with Gar behind the kit. It's a reminder that he truly was one of the greats."

Combat Records is the label which was home to many iconic thrash and metal albums in the 1980s and 1990s and was relaunched by Ellefson & Co. in 2017. It was also home to Samuelson's first full-length record with MEGADETH, their debut, "Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good" (1985). Ellefson states: "As a label, we are proud to release these final tracks from Gar. He was a masterful drummer who made an incredible impact on fans and musicians everywhere. I think it's appropriate that Combat would be home to his first and now final recordings."

"Fatal Opera 3" is available now across all digital outlets.

"Fatal Opera 3" track listing:

01. The Raven (feat. David Ellefson & Chris Poland)

02. Live Again

03. Mask Of Time (feat. Chris Poland)

04. Killers In The Night

05. Swept Away

06. Burning Of The Midnight Lamp

07. 10 Years Gone

08. Little Sister

09. Salt

10. Rise

11. Wings Of Pain

12. Jumped In The Pot

"Fatal Opera 3" lineup:

Andy Freeman - Vocals, Keyboard, Guitar

Stew Samuelson - Guitar

Billy Brehme - Guitar

Travis Karcher - Bass

Gar Samuelson - Drums

German dark metal frontrunners, Agathodaimon, will release their seventh studio album, The Seven, on March 18 via Napalm Records. The band have released this guitar playthrough video for the first single, "Ain't Death Grand":





Agathodaimon’s exceptional new strike maintains the old-school spirit of its predecessor, but can’t be pigeonholed due to its dynamic and widespread musical styles, evoking a gloomy atmosphere fuelled by sharp growls, epic clear vocals and a gripping, exceptional sonic universe.




Formed in 1995 and entering the scene with their debut, Blacken the Angel, in 1998, bandleader Sathonys was temporarily forced to put Agathodaimon on hold in 2014 due to private circumstances. But the irrevocable fire of the band and their fans never went out, seeking a reawakening of this sonic, seething beast.


Now, the gates of darkness have opened once again with the massive first single “Ain’t Death Grand” as a mouth-watering harbinger, alongside a hard-hitting music video. The song breaks in with evil screams spit from the devil himself while evoking a hellfire of thundering drums and razor-sharp riffs to create an intense mélange fueled with heroic symphonic black metal passages.


Sathonys on the first single: “'Ain’t Death Grand' was the first song we’ve written together after our reunion, so it rightfully became the first video clip. Especially as it acts as an excellent teaser for what’s still to come: As usual, the songs of The Seven won’t be one-dimensional, there’s a wide range of styles you can expect, just like we did it in the past. BUT this one has a lot of elements in common with the other songs: Dark atmosphere, melody, aggression, intensity, groove, some old school-vibe and respect for our roots, but also the inevitable longing for new musical grounds and heartfelt music in general.”


Watch the official video for “Ain’t Death Grand” below.


Agathodaimon's massive new outburst, The Seven, reveals extreme soundscapes amid a captivating concoction of evil, provoking, cutting dark metal and heroic symphonic black metal in the style of bands like Cradle of Filth and Carach Angren, but with their unique and very own multifaceted take. Thematically, as hinted by the album’s title, the full-length is centered around the momentous and symbolically powerful number seven and the seven deadly sins - sloth, greed, lust, gluttony, pride, wrath, envy - on ten tracks total, all addressed with religious topics that contrast with human beings and its original nature.


Sathonys about the album: “Well, we took our time in creating this album. We had to make sure we (can) work together as a band after all these years, that the chemistry is there, that it feels organic to release another album after such a long break. To cut it short, we’re really looking forward to have The Seven out, as we’re very satisfied with it. More than that, we’re proud of it. Typically, you can point a finger at one or two songs that really stand out from the rest, but here, you’ll feel the effort that was put into every song and every aspect. Not only in terms of songwriting, there’s also the artistic concept and visual artwork/realization delivered by the team of Credo Quia Absurdum, or the excellent production under the supervision of our friend Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner (Powerwolf, Aborted, Benighted etc.). Usually you have to be prepared to make compromises. The Seven is far from that, as it is our most ambitious album to date.”


Diving into this exciting construct with opener “La Haine”, the track lures the listener into the freezing, dark world of Agathodaimon, produced by long-time companion Kristian “Kohle” Bonifer (Aborted, Powerwolf, Hämatom amongst others), by building up a dense wall of thunderous sound, accented by a multifaceted vocal interpretation. Songs like raging “Wolf Within” and haunting “In my Dreams” roam between dense soundscapes, crushing instrumentals and intense lyricism. “Kyrie / Gloria” on the other hand stomps more towards heavy doom metal, calling for a black mass with creeping darkness and desperate screams turning into harsh black metal parts, all topped by the guest appearance of Benighted frontman Julien Truchan. Amid the tracklisting there's another special treat for fans lurking with epochal orchestration that paves the war for the remarkable performance of Agathodaimon’s former vocalist, Romanian Vlad Dracul, on “Mother of all Gods”. It’s not only this very first collaboration since 1999, but The Seven as a whole, that showcases that Agathodaimon absolutely acing the balancing act of incorporating their past into a bright and exciting future.





The Seven will be available in the following formats:


- 1 LP Gatefold Ocean Blue
- 1 CD Digipak + T-Shirt Bundle (Napalm Records exclusive)
- 1 CD Digipak
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





The Seven tracklisting:


"La Haine"
"Ain't Death Grand"
"Wolf Within"
"Ghosts Of Greed"
"Mother Of All Gods"
"Estrangement"
"In My Dreams (Part 1 - Prelude)"
"In My Dreams (Part 2 - In Bitterness)"
"Kyrie / Gloria"
"The Divine"


"Ain’t Death Grand" video:





Agathodaimon are:


Sathonys - Guitar, clean vocals
Nakhateth - Guitar
Von Yanesh - Bass
Ashtrael - Vocals
Mortos - Drums


(Photo - Andrea Reitmeyer)

On August 14, 2021, Wargasm performed on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air festival. You can now see pro-shot video of the band's full set, below.


Setlist:


"Rage All Over"
"Pyro Pyro"
"Your Patron Saints"
"Backyard Bastards"
"Lapdance" (N*E*R*D cover)
"Salma Hayek"

German medieval folk metal force, Feuerschwanz, have released a guitar + violin playthrough video for "Ultima Nocte", featured on their Memento Mori album. Watch below:





Memento Mori continues the success story of the medieval rockers from Germany / Franconia! On the new album, Feuerschwanz finally take a step away from the simpler humor of earlier days to become one of the most important bands in German folk rock.




With chanting violin playing, Memento Mori starts its heroic journey with its eponymous opener. The song turns out to be a melodic rock anthem with a well-known medieval character, a blazing guitar riff and life-affirming lyrics. On "Untot im Drachenboot", the squad around Captain Feuerschwanz sets off for new musical shores in a Viking ship full of undead warriors. "Rausch der Barberei", on the other hand delivers a violent, raw voice and driving drumming that send its listeners into unbridled frenzy. On "Krampus", Feuerschwanz sing in a canon of vocals and instruments about the ancient legend of the demonic companion of St. Nicholas, who is dressed in fur and a horned mask. On the ballad "Das Herz eines Drachen" (The Heart of a Dragon), the medieval folk rockers show their sensible side. In a fire lit by burning guitar sounds and flute melodies, a warrior mourns his fallen father with his head held high. "Hannibal" on the other hand embarks on a raging battle of powerful choirs, swirling violin and guitar solos and driving drums, led by army commander Hannibal. The crowning finale of the almost 40-minute adventure is provided by "Skaldenmet" with its proudly advancing bass.


In typical Feuerschwanz manner, Memento Mori is about great adventures, past battles and outstanding heroic deeds. Feuerschwanz manage to stay true to their trademarks and at the same time venture into new musical realms. Fans of the band can look forward to an extensive deluxe edition of the album, which extends the running time of Memento Moriby almost double! Two additional CDs feature instrumental versions of all eleven tracks as well as the cover CD Die Glorreichen Sieben (The Magnificent Seven), which includes seven epic reissues from Amon Amarth to Die Ärzte and The Weeknd.


Feuerschwanz on the new album: “You take nothing with you to your grave, except your coffin... Memento Mori is the direct successor to Die Letzte Schlacht! The world of Hauptmann Feuerschwanz is in flames, overrun by the living dead and scourged by religious zealots... All of this sounds frighteningly real, even in Anno Domini 2021, so it's time to defy the storm once again and celebrate life. Let's live here, let's live now - until death sharpens his knife!”


As a special highlight, some versions of Memento Mori feature a bonus CD with seven cover songs by Manowar, Amon Amarth, but also O-Zone, among others.


Memento Mori is available in the following formats:


- 2CD Mediabook + 40 pages booklet
- 1CD Jewel Case + 20 pages booklet
- Digital Album
- Digital Deluxe Album


Order here.





2CD tracklsiting:


Disc 1:
"Memento Mori"
"Untot im Drachenboot"
"Ultima Nocte"
"Rausch der Barbarei"
"Krampus"
"Feuer & Schwert"
"Das Herz eines Drachen"
"Rohirrim"
"Am Galgen"
"Hannibal"
"Skaldenmet"


Disc 2:
"Blinding Lights"
"Warriors of the World United"
"Twilight of the Thunder God"
"The Bad Touch"
"Dragostea Din Tei"
"Square Hammer"
"Der Graf"


"Dragostea Din Tei" video:





"Ultima Nocte":





"Memento Mori" video:





“Untot im Drachenboot” video:





"Warriors Of The World United" video:





Feuerschwanz are:


Hauptmann Feuerschwanz - vocals, guitar
Johanna von der Vögelweide - violin, hurdy-gurdy
Rollo - drums
Jarne Hodinsson - bass
Prinz Hodenherz - flutes, bagpipe, vocals, guitar
Hans der Aufrechte – guitar


(Photo - Nikolaj Georgiew)

Former FOZZY drummer Frank Fontsere has opened up about his departure from the band, saying he no longer wanted to spend time away from home.

Fontsere's exit from FOZZY was officially announced this past Monday (January 3). The band also named his replacement, former THROUGH FIRE drummer Grant Brooks.

Earlier today, Frank took to his Instagram to write: "Hello, As you may have already heard, I have decided to step down as the drummer for FOZZY. This was a very painful decision to make even though it was the correct one. Getting on stage with guys I love and making music I love is something I will miss terribly. I will also miss getting to meet and interact with all the wonderful people who came to see us over the years. FOZZY has the best fans in the world.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reached out with positivity and support over the last few days," he continued. "Your messages of encouragement mean more to me than you can imagine. I also would like to wish the guys in FOZZY and GUARDIANS OF THE JUKEBOX all the success they deserve. I admit it will be hard to watch from the sidelines, but it's the way it needs to be.

"As was mentioned in the post on Monday, the reason I need to step away is I no longer want to spend time away from home. If I'm honest, traveling was always my least favorite aspect of being in a band. Having a wife and son, especially a son who just turned 7 and is growing and changing day by day; touring was getting increasingly hard. It was affecting my mood and I was having a negative impact on the people around me. In a band situation, this is not good. It was also affecting my love of drumming. Drumming was starting to feel more like a job than a passion. In a band situation, this is lethal. I need a change.

"This is not the last you will hear from me however," Frank added. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. I have lots of plans for the future which include creating art and making drumming videos. In a lot of ways, I feel as though my life is just beginning.

"I sincerly hope you will continue forward on this journey with me. Much love to all and you'll be hearing from me again soon. Frank."

Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having formed the group in 1999 with singer Chris Jericho and guitarist Rich Ward.

When FOZZY announced Fontsere's departure, the band said that he was "stepping down to focus on his family and other projects."

In a separate statement on his personal Facebook page, Brooks said that he was "super excited" about his new gig. He wrote: "So thankful for this amazing opportunity! Huge shoutout to Rich Ward, aka The Duke and Chris Jericho for reaching out to me and offering me the gig.

"My first shows will be on the Jericho Cruise setting sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas on March 14-18!"

FOZZY will release its new album, "Boombox", on April 15. The LP, which includes the top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane", was once again produced by Johnny Andrews.

FOZZY's "Save The World" 2022 U.S. tour, featuring special guests GFM, KRASHKARMA and THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR, starts on March 31 in Detroit, Michigan and wraps on May 16 in Sauget, Illinois. Additionally, to celebrate the arrival of "Boombox", FOZZY will play an album-release party on April 11 at Irving Plaza in New York City, where fans will be able to purchase and listen to the full album exclusively in advance of the release.

FOZZY debuted a brand new song, "Purifier", during its September 2021 concert in Flint, Michigan and has been performing it live ever since. Back in July, FOZZY played another new song, "The Vulture Club", during its concert in Iowa City, Iowa. The band also performed its latest single, "Sane", live for the first time.

In May, FOZZY dropped a video for its first new song in two years, the aforementioned "Sane", which hit one million views in its first two weeks. This first-of-its-kind video was filmed on the longest wooden roller coaster on the planet today.

In the summer of 2020, Chris revealed that FOZZY's next LP would contain 12 songs, including one cover.

Ward and Andrews once again did "the lion's share" of the songwriting for the new LP, which was recorded primarily in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to producing "Judas", Andrews previously co-wrote FOZZY's "Lights Go Out" track back in 2014. He has also written songs with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE and HALESTORM.

In November 2020, FOZZY appeared in its first global live streaming event from Madison Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

FOZZY is Chris Jericho (vocals), Rich Ward (guitars, vocals), Grant Brooks (drums), Billy Grey (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).
























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A post shared by Frank Fontsere (@frankfontsere)

Kid Rock says that Donald Trump is "proud" of him over the success of his profanity-laced new single that bashes President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci over vaccine mandates and other policies.

"We The People" features the chorus of "Let's go, Brandon," conservative code for "Fuck Joe Biden" (born when a NASCAR reporter misheard a crowd, reporting that they chanted in support of racer Brandon Brown when they were actually chanting expletives toward the U.S. president), and also takes aim at the mainstream media, CNN, TMZ, Twitter and Facebook. The track was released on Monday, along with two others, to promote Kid Rock's upcoming "Bad Reputation" tour, which he claims could be his last.

Earlier today (Wednesday, January 26), Kid Rock took to his Twitter to write: "Oh, and by the way…. I just got off the phone with our 45th President (hopefully 47th) and he expressed how proud of me he was over 'We The People' being the #1 song on Itunes! Suck on that you trolls, critics and haters!" He added: "Thank you to all the fans, I can't wait to see you on tour! Pedal to the fuckin' metal, LETS GO!!"

In "We The People", Kid Rock shouts: "We the people in all we do reserve the right to scream, 'Fuck you!' Wear your mask. Take your pills. Now a whole generation is mentally ill," he adds.

Elsewhere in the song, he raps: "(Hey-yeah) man, Fuck Fauci (Hey-yeah). COVID's near. It's coming to town. We gotta act quick, shut our borders down. Joe Biden does, the media embraces. Big Don does it, and they call him racist.

"Inflation's up like the minimum wage. So it's all the same. Not a damn thing changed," he exclaims.

He then calls for politically polarized Americans to come together, saying: "We gotta keep fighting for right to be free. And every human being doesn't have to agree. We all bleed red, brother, listen to me. It's time for love and unity."

The track concludes with sampled crowd chanting, "Let's go, Brandon."

In a Facebook video announcing the new tracks, Kid Rock described "We The People" as a "hard rock-rap tune."

"[It's] about, well, all the craziness going on in our world in the last few years and the politics and the polarization and social justice," he said. "You know, constantly for just being a Trump fan attacked in the media day in day out."

He added: "I don't mind taking a punch, but I hit back, motherfucker, and I hit hard."

"We The People", "The Last Dance" and "Rockin'" are all expected to appear on Rock's new album, "Bad Reputation", which is due later this year.

Kid Rock will join forces with FOREIGNER and GRAND FUNK RAILROAD for a U.S. tour this spring summer. JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING will appear on select dates, with a special appearance by Trey Lewis at all shows. The 24-city "Bad Reputation Tour" will kick off on April 6 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, making stops across the U.S. in Nashville, Boston, Chicago, and more before wrapping up with two shows in Detroit.




Oh, and by the way…. I just got off the phone with our 45th President (hopefully 47th) and he expressed how proud of me he was over “We The People” being the #1 song on Itunes! Suck on that you trolls, critics and haters! Continued… (1/2)https://t.co/nlmw7vA1dS

— KidRock (@KidRock) January 26, 2022








(2/2)…. Thank you to all the fans, I can’t wait to see you on tour! Pedal to the fuckin’ metal, LETS GO!! -Kid Rock

Check out all THREE new songs herehttps://t.co/OYpJwCwFNz

— KidRock (@KidRock) January 26, 2022