Finnish death metal band Torture Killer has provided an update on their new EP:


"It's now been nine years since our last release, Phobia (2013) - after a long creative dry season, as we were approaching the end of the decade, we finally had some fresh ideas for new Torture Killer music. Going back to the analog recording was something that had been on the back of our minds for some time. When we heard that Santeri (the guy who recorded Phobia and I Chose Death) had left the business - it was the time to explore that path. Now or never. None of us liked where the modern production had gone, and if the best of the best, our idols couldn't get it right... what did we have to lose? In February 2019 we entered Astia Studios with hopes to come out with a new, all analog EP. The beginning of a nightmare that would last for the next two years.


Some of the unorthodox approaches of recording that were done during the Astia sessions were instantly apparent when listening to the final mixes. We let our guard down at a moment when we should've known better. Rather than having a ready-to-go master in our hands, we had a reel of sub-bar level recording that had cost us the amount of a full length album. I'd burn that reel in an oil-barrel before having anyone else hear it the way it was. A disappointment like that takes the life out of you for months. You don´t even want to think about it. But as the months rolled on, we started to look for options where to fix the problems we had. Analog studios are few and far between. The ones that could run the reel we had were even fewer. But at the end we found a place, and in January 2020 we entered JJ Studios.




While we fixed the original flaws of the Astia sessions, we still struggled with the mix and at the end decided we had no choice but the let go of the all-analog dream and mix the EP ourselves with a help of a friend, Taneli Hatakka, who runs a home studio near the place we live. During the winter months of 2021 we finally finished the EP.


Like I said earlier, it´s been a nightmare, but it was worth it. We took a financial hit but fuck it. It's the end result that matters. Love the songs on the EP, love the sound and can´t wait for you to hear it.


Right now we are waiting our label to announce its release. Why the wait then? Because of the comeback of the vinyl format, all the pressing plants have a line of 4-6 months for all releases. We have an amazing cover art for this done by our old friend, Wes Benscoter, the same guy who did our cover art for Swarm! - and we want this done the right way - CD and LP. More news as they come.


So, in conclusion, thanks for sticking with us - we are still here and are about to drag you into the void."


(Picture by Toni Forssell, courtesy of Torture Killer's official Facebook page)


 

Kid Rock has threatened to cancel concerts on his upcoming tour if venues require fans to show proof of vaccine or potentially have other COVID-19 safety protocols in place.

In a Facebook video, Kid Rock assured fans that he and his team did extensive research and are confident that they hadn't booked a gig at a venue with a hard vaccine mandate.

"If there are any venues — I'm not aware of any — they're gonna be gone by the time we get to your city," he said. "If they're not, you don't have to worry, you'll be getting your money back — because I won't be showing up either. If you think I'm going to sit out there and sing 'Don't Tell Me How To Live' and 'We The People' while people are holding up their fucking vaccine cards and wearing masks — that shit ain't happening."

Kid Rock did not clarify whether he would play shows at venues where a negative COVID-19 test is required. However, according to Rolling Stone, several arenas where he is booked to perform — including PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, and the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts — require proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test from within 72 hours.

Kid Rock's U.S. tour with FOREIGNER and GRAND FUNK RAILROAD 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. JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING will appear on select dates on the 24-city "Bad Reputation Tour", with a special appearance by Trey Lewis at all shows.

Earlier this week, Kid Rock released three new songs: "We The People", "The Last Dance" and "Rockin'". The most controversial track of the three, "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, as well as mask mandates and COVID-19 restrictions.




New video message from Kid Rock regarding the upcoming tour, vax mandates, new music, and MORE. '

For tour info go to https://kidrock.com

To hear the new music go to https://smarturl.it/KR-NewMusic

Posted by Kid Rock on Thursday, January 27, 2022

In a major interview discussing KISS's classic "Destroyer" album, Paul Stanley admitted that he had a really hard time dealing with producer Bob Ezrin's decision to give the Stanley-penned classic song "God Of Thunder" to Gene Simmons to sing. "Let's put it mildly," Stanley says in the new issue of Rock Candy magazine. "It was crushing and devastating. We'd understood and agreed that the role of the producer on 'Destroyer' was to have final say and make decisions. When I played 'God Of Thunder', Bob immediately said, 'Oh, that's great. That's for Gene.' I was just devastated. The idea of a song so quickly being passed off from me to someone else… It was difficult, and it remained a sore point, even when I heard it finished."

When the "Destroyer" album was first released in March of 1976, "God Of Thunder" was quickly recognized as both a KISS classic and Gene's signature song. Soon Stanley was forced to admit that Ezrin's decision to give the bassist and vocalist the tune was absolutely right. "It's so much a Gene song," says Stanley. "It's truly a highlight of who Gene is, and it would never have been as great a song if I'd sung it. Never. Bob was right and Gene did a great job. And at least I have the satisfaction and the joy of knowing that the song that personifies Gene is mine."

In the Rock Candy cover feature, Stanley and Simmons go deep into the mechanics of making their breakthrough album, while also revealing the concerns they had at the time after some of the first people they played the album to weren't crazy about it. "They didn't find it heavy enough," admits Stanley. "And coming on the heels of 'Alive!', which really captured the rawness of the band, I understand. But we did what we needed to do."

Rock Candy also brought together five acknowledged KISS experts and fanatics to try to decide on the best albums the band have produced in their career of almost 50 years. The panel consisted of Michael Brandvold, former KISS webmaster and host of the much-loved KISS podcast "Three Sides Of The Coin"; Larry Mazer, erstwhile KISS manager; Frank Novinec, guitarist with HATEBREED and KISS obsessive; Ross Sampson, Rock Candy's digital supremo and lifelong KISS fan; Mark Cicchini, rabid KISS collector and "Three Sides Of The Coin" cohort. The unofficial KISS podcast "Three Sides Of The Coin" has over 7.5 million plays since it was founded in 2012, with over 450 weekly episodes.

Read this 12-page KISS feature and many other fascinating stories including SCORPIONS, ANTHRAX and Steve Vai in issue 30 of Rock Candy.

Rock Candy is a 100-page, full-color bi-monthly rock magazine, created in the U.K. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock music, the '70s and '80s. Put together by respected U.K. rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome — all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era — Rock Candy is available in print format with a free digital download version for anyone who buys the mag online at www.rockcandymag.com.

WHITESNAKE leader David Coverdale, who collaborated with Jimmy Page on a well-received album nearly 30 years ago, was asked in a recent interview with the "Radio Forrest" podcast whether it's fair to say that Robert Plant is the lone holdout for another LED ZEPPELIN reunion. Despite promoter-led attempts to get the band to reform for a series of concerts, Plant remains committed to his new musical direction in the roots and blues-based "Americana" field.

Coverdale said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's not my territory at all. All I can tell you is that I would love for Jimmy Page to have his dream fulfilled to once again tour with LED ZEPPELIN. And Jonesy [LED ZEPPELIN bassist John Paul Jones] — they're great. And Jason [Bonham] is the obvious choice [to play drums for a reunited LED ZEPPELIN] — you know, the gene pool. [Late LED ZEPPELIN drummer] John [Bonham] was such an integral part — much more important than some people are aware, to have a drummer like that. It makes you structure music entirely different so the drums breathe. [They made] beautiful, perfect records."

Circling back to the prospect of a LED ZEPPELIN reunion, Coverdale continued: "I have no idea why it isn't happening. I'm just very happy that I have a great friendship and relationship, supportive, a mutual admiration society, with Jimmy. I had the great pleasure of [getting] the rights back to the COVERDALE PAGE record, and now we could do whatever we want with it. Because in 2023, it's the 30th anniversary [of the release of COVERDALE PAGE's eponymously titled LP]. And we have unreleased songs. We'll be doing a box set for that, as you can imagine."

Upon its release, "Coverdale Page" sold strongly, peaking at No. 4 on the U.K. album chart and No. 5 in the U.S. The album eventually went platinum in the U.S., despite the fact that the project as a whole was marred by the "LED ZEPPELIN clone" tag, including from Plant, who openly expressed his disdain for Coverdale, referring to him as "David Cover-version." Coverdale was equally vitriolic in his response, saying about the LED ZEPPELIN singer, "There's certainly no love lost between myself and Robert… I wouldn't send him cat food if he was starving."

Coverdale later apologized to Plant, saying in a 2013 interview with TeamRock Radio's "Classic Rock Magazine Show": "I hold [Plant] in the highest esteem as a human being, and as an artist, and I really would like to, you know, sit down, buy him a drink, shake hands and say: 'I'm really sorry," you know, "Can we be friends again?' I don't hold any animosity, just disappointment in myself that I took the bait and ran with some ugly things. Because it's not appropriate for somebody I respect so much."

LED ZEPPELIN's December 10, 2007 performance during the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert was chronicled on the band's 2012 "Celebration Day" CD and DVD. The set, which featured Jason Bonham subbing for his late father on drums, marked Plant, Page and Jones's first full-scale show together since John Bonham's 1980 death.

After the the O2 Arena concert, Page and Jones were looking for a way to keep working and tried out several singers, including AEROSMITH's Steven Tyler and ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy.

The option for a three-quarter ZEPPELIN reunion ended when Jones accepted an offer to form THEM CROOKED VULTURES with Dave Grohl and Josh Homme. Page later said: "I guess that was a pretty definitive statement."

In a new interview with Montreal Rocks, guitarist Andreas Kisser was asked what makes a "perfect SEPULTURA show." He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It depends. There are so many variables during a day. I think the perfect show is when you really put everything out of the normal life or the normal day and you put yourself, during an hour and a half, in a different world and you really go to the stage and you go to a different place — you act different and you feel different. Every artist will tell you that. If you see somebody on stage, off stage is very different characteristics and atmosphere. So, once we are able to do that, that's great — that we're gonna enjoy ourselves and really sing the lyrics with our fans and lights and all the stuff and really be there without really thinking anything else. And I have to say we are like that naturally."

He continued: "It really helps, the whole atmosphere of being on stage, celebrating music and stuff and really enjoy ourselves and really play the songs that we want to play and not really think about, 'What's the formation of the band of this music or this album, which label and stuff?' We don't do like, let's say, a political setlist — we play [songs] from 'Bestial Devastation' to 'Quadra', everything; whatever we feel pleased like and whatever the concept of the tour is. And the fans, they don't wanna know about all this bullshit that happens backstage, like fights with labels and managers and all that crap; they wanna go there and really enjoy the music, and that's what we do. And as long as we keep this feeling and this spirit, it's gonna be a great show, for sure."

Formed in 1984 in Brazil, SEPULTURA has gone on to sell over millions of records and solidify its legacy as one of the greatest metal bands of the 1980s, 1990s, and beyond. Today, SEPULTURA is still going strong, 15 albums deep into one of the hardest-hitting discographies in history.

While the pandemic paralyzed the entire world and prevented bands from touring, Latin America's biggest metal export SEPULTURA refused to sit back and feel like animals trapped in a cage. Therefore, in early 2020, the band seized the moment to start its own weekly "SepulQuarta" video podcast in which they invited other famous musicians from all over the world to not only discuss important topics but also perform a track from SEPULTURA's massive catalog together with the group. The resulting full-length compilation was released in August 2021, with the album containing 15 classics featuring internationally renowned guests and friends.

SEPULTURA comprises Kisser, vocalist Derrick Green, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr., and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

SEPULTURA was formed in Belo Horizonte by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are no longer with the band.

Geoff Tate says that he doesn't expect a reunion of QUEENSRŸCHE's classic lineup to ever materialize.

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Fellow original QUEENSRŸCHE members Michael Wilton (guitar), Scott Rockenfield (drums) and Eddie Jackson (bass) responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

During a January 24 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Tate was asked if he is hopeful that a QUEENSRŸCHE reunion will happen someday. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm honestly not really expecting that to happen, basically because we've been offered just obscene amounts of money to get back together and do one tour — one tour and we'd never have to tour again. And a couple of people in the band turned it down; they're not interested in doing it. So that would really be, I think, the only motivation that would get everybody together was an obscene amount of money. But that didn't work, so [laughs] there's really no hope for it after that, I think… Money is not the motivator, and getting together for an artistic dream isn't a motivator either, so what do you have? You have nothing. Obviously, both camps are happy in the position they're at. I know for myself, I love my life — I love what I'm doing and I love traveling and playing music for people. And so far, I'm still kicking it at 63, still happy and healthy."

Geoff went on to say that he is fine with the prospect of never returning to QUEENSRŸCHE and continuing to pursue his solo career and other projects for the rest of his time as a performing artist.

"We did hold it together for years and years and years," he said. "It was a really, really tightly run ship and it was very lucrative and we had a lot of great records and did a lot of world touring and made a lot of friends and played a lot of music together. And we had our time, and I'll aways be grateful for that time that we had. That was a time, and it doesn't mean that that time has to go on forever. There's new times to be had and there's more music to be made, there's more songs to be sung and more audiences to play music for."

Tate has gone back and forth on the subject of a reunion with QUEENSRŸCHE, telling The Rock Vault in November 2019 about the possibility of rejoining his former bandmates: "I think that would be something that makes sense, and I think it would be an interesting thing to do, if everybody could get in the same room and actually talk to each other." However, just eight months earlier, he dismissed the chances of a QUEENSRŸCHE reunion, telling Greece's "TV War" that he had "no interest in that. No. Not at all. [I have] absolutely no reason to," he said. "I don't need the money. That'd be the only reason to do it. Maybe if they paid me, like, 10 million dollars or something like that. [Laughs]"

He continued: "It was a good thing for a long time, and then it went really bad. And I just don't want that kind of negativity in my life. My life is so good, and I have such great friends and family. I travel the world and sing songs for a living. I mean, it's lovely. I have wonderful, positive people in my life, and to go back and be in that negative land again… aargh, I just couldn't do it. It's not worth it."

Tate previously described his time in QUEENSRŸCHE as "a strange, strange sort of relationship." He told The Metal Gods Meltdown: "We weren't really friends, you know — we were business associates. We had a wonderful entity that we shared called QUEENSRŸCHE, but it wasn't an equal sort of partnership as far as involvement goes. You know, so there wasn't a real camaraderie amongst everybody in the band… From my perspective and my involvement, it wasn't an emotional sort of brotherhood kind of thing that some people might think existed. That wasn't my reality with them."

Last year, current QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre told "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" about the chances of Tate's return to QUEENSRŸCHE: "It's funny. I always hear, 'There'll definitely be an all-original lineup reunion. Every band does it.' And I'm thinking, if you knew what I know, I don't think that's gonna happen. And other than the optics of it, why? What's the point? We saw for 15 years what it sounded like."

In October, Rockenfield, who stepped away from QUEENSRŸCHE's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son, filed a lawsuit against Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. Rockfenfield also claimed that Wilton and Jackson did not include him in the recording QUEENSRŸCHE's latest album, "The Verdict", "despite his availability and willingness to participate."

The drum tracks on "The Verdict" were laid down primarily by La Torre.

QUEENSRŸCHE has used former KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo for touring purposes since April 2

Sabaton have released a new lyric video for "No Bullets", originally featured on the bonus version of the band's 2014 album, Heroes.


Historical fact: The story of Franz Stigler, a German pilot who risked his life in three different ways when he was ordered to chase and shoot down an American B17 bomber, piloted by 2nd Lt. Charlie Brown, returning from a successful air raid. When he came close enough he realised that the bomber had been severely damaged by anti aircraft fire during the raid and then he decided to escort it out of harms way instead of shooting it down. In doing this he risked both being court martialed, which most likely would have led to execution, and being shot down by the gunners of the B17 as well as being targeted by friendly anti aircraft fire.







The band previously released released a lyric video for "Night Witches", also featured on the bonus version of Heroes.


Historical fact: The story of the Russian female pilots of the 588th bomber regiment. Their nickname “Night Witches” comes from the characteristic sound of their bomb planes that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids since they set their engines to idle and would glide through the night to their target. This sound brought the enemies thoughts to the broomsticks of witches, and they called them “Nachthexen”.





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


Pre-order the album here.





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


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





The War To End All Wars tracklisting:


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


"Soldier Of Heaven" lyric video:





"Soldier Of Heaven" video:





"Christmas Truce" animated story video:





"Christmas Truce" lyric video:





"Christmas Truce" music video:





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


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, EXODUS singer Steve "Zetro" Souza spoke about the community that exists between heavy metal fans and musicians, and what it means to be a true metalhead. He said: "It doesn't exist without each other. It's the only form of music that has to have both [fans and musicians in order for the scene to thrive]. The musicians, we couldn't survive without the fans, and the fans aren't gonna get it anywhere else, because there's no media that plays it for them. Nobody cares. So, we have each other, which is fine.

"You've never heard a guy come up and go, 'Yeah, man, I was into SLAYER last summer,'" he continued. "That doesn't happen. You're either a fucking metalhead or you're not. I mean, look at Rob Halford [of JUDAS PRIEST]. Go on his Instagram or his Facebook. Every single day, Rob's got 'metal this' or 'metal that', or 'this is what I'm listening to today.' He's a pure ambassador, and he's 70-plus years old."

Souza added: "It's your mindset. And that's how we all look at it. I know the metal fans will always be there. There's not gonna be anybody that's ever said, 'Yeah, I listened to you guys when as a kid, but I don't really listen to you anymore.' That was never a fan. He listened because everybody else did back in the day. If you're into it, you're still into it, 'cause I'm still into it. It never passed me — ever. It's your religion. Even if you're into God or whatever, it's a religion because you believe in it that much. And that's the way it is."

EXODUS's latest album, "Persona Non Grata" was released in November. It is the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap. For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork.

In July 2021, EXODUS drummer Tom Hunting underwent a successful total gastrectomy in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach. He rejoined his bandmates on stage in October at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.

EXODUS tapped John Tempesta to play drums for the band at Psycho Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada in August and at Full Terror Assault in Cave In Rock, Illinois in September while Hunting was recovering from surgery. Tempesta was a member of EXODUS from 1989 until 1993 and played on the band's albums "Impact Is Imminent" (1990) and "Force Of Habit" (1992).

A GoFundMe campaign to help Hunting with medical expenses had raised more than $114,000 — including $5,000 from Tom's former EXODUS bandmate, current METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett, and $1,500 from FOZZY singer and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho.

SHINEDOWN performed its new single, "Planet Zero", live for the first time last night (Wednesday, January 26) at the opening show of its "Shinedown Live In Concert" tour at The Warfield in San Francisco, California. Fan-filmed video and photos of the performance can be found below.

"Planet Zero" is the title track of SHINEDOWN's seventh album, which will be released on April 22 via Atlantic Records.

Vocalist Brent Smith stated about the new disc: "If we shut each other down and allow ourselves to be divided by the information we consume and the way we talk to each other, we lose our humanity. When you look outside of your phone, you'll see there are so many people doing good things and trying to take care of each other. But we're starting to see parts of society slip into an unknown. 'Planet Zero' was written for all of us. The fact is that we're all here on this planet no matter what, so it's time to actually move forward together with empathy, perseverance and strength. With that said… welcome to PLANET ZERO."

Last month, Smith told 95.9 The Rat's Carl Craft about the new LP's more "stripped-down" approach: "We wanted to push everything to the front. And what I mean by that is we've proven that we can make these records that there's a lot of musicianship involved in it, and we have layered our records over the years because we love music and we love sound and we try to make really cinematic records. So with that, you have a lot of instrumentation that is not just drums, bass, guitar and vocals — we use orchestras, we use a lot of synthesizers, we use a lot of techniques that… We don't believe in… Don't tie your hands up when you're making a record. Make the record that you wanna make. And ultimately, though, what we wanted to do with this album was make it just as ferocious as the other records but not utilizing so much of some of the style that we've done in the past with layering and layering guitars, adding lots of synth beds, stacking the vocals."

He continued: "I come from the Freddie Mercury school when it comes to vocals and layering and backgrounds and things of that nature because I try — I say 'try' — try to use my voice as an instrument. But this is about really less is more. So the majority of this record is authentically drums, bass, guitar. There are piano songs; there's two really, really very intense-subject-matter piano songs that are gonna be in SHINEDOWN seven. But we wanted to make a real rock record, we wanted to make a real record where we focus on just making sure that the band is being heard the way the band needs to be heard. So, not a lot of layering. It doesn't mean it's any less powerful; it's just we're not dealing with a lot of stacks. We're just putting things left to right stereo, pushing everything to the front. The vocals aren't layered a ton — not a lot of effects on the vocals, so not a lot of delays and reverbs and things like that. A lot of the vocals on the record are dry and kind of right up in your face."

Smith also talked about the lyrical themes covered on the new SHINEDOWN album, saying they were inspired at least in part by the ongoing pandemic and resulting impact on the community, residents and businesses.

"Going through everything that the world went through last year, and we wrote the majority of the record last year, and this year, we couldn't turn a blind eye to everything that was going on," he said. "And we talk on this record, and we express on this record — we're not trying to dance around certain subject matter. We're trying to be very honest and very real. In a lot of ways, this is a very humanitarian record."

Asked if SHINEDOWN will "piss people off" with some of the lyrical positions that are taken on the upcoming LP, Smith said: "Possibly. But the thing about it is I don't necessarily think it's about pissing people off; it's about understanding what we all went through but where we need to go now. I think that it gets lost. It's never supposed to be about… And I say this because I'm being very, very bold and very honest about it. This country, it's not called the Divided States Of America; it's called the United States Of America, and we want people to understand that that comes down to the people; that comes down to us. And us being able to not only work with each other, to grow with one another. But when you have certain people in power that do not have your best interests in mind, you have to stand up and make your voice heard. When I see what's going on in regards to people's freedom of speech and it being censored and people being pushed into a corner because of their opinions and what have you. You need to be able to have constructive conversations with each other in order to get actual action to happen for positive change."

Regarding the first single from SHINEDOWN's seventh album, Brent said: "It honestly addresses everything that society has dealt with from a planetary platform, if you will — not just here in the U.S., but the whole world — what the last 18 months has been like, and, at least in our opinion, how we've gotta move forward.

"Listen, the record… We're talking about things that we've never talked about before," he revealed. "We're opening up the conversation into different subject matters that SHINEDOWN has never addressed. We have the full support of our label, our management and hopefully our fanbase, whether they've been there from day one or they're just kind of finding out who we are. But it's a record that I think some people will consider controversial, I think some people will consider to be very provocative, especially for SHINEDOWN, but it's also something that we feel that it is very important and that it is necessary… Don't get me wrong either — there's a lot of triumph on this record, but there's also a lot of having to take a step back and go, 'What's really going on? And how do we stop it from happening if it's going to be something negative on the human race as a whole?' Our society, the way that we live with one another, we share this planet with a lot of different organisms and creatures. It's not just about us. It's important that everybody really takes a step back and doesn't always make it about them. We have to work together — like, all of us; we've really gotta start working together with each other and really creating a positive change forward for not only society but also for this beautiful planet that we've been given."

The follow-up to 2018's "Attention Attention" was recorded in part at a new studio in Charleston, South Carolina spearheaded by the group's bassist and producer Eric Bass.










Shinedown @ The Warfield

Posted by Capital Chaos TV on Thursday, January 27, 2022



A few photos of Shinedown from the opening night of the 2022 tour at The Warfield last night. Full review and pictorial coming soon to Mayhem Music Magazine

Posted by Mayhem Music Magazine on Thursday, January 27, 2022

Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess has shared another piano arrangement from home. Check it out below.


Jordan: "Film composer and friend Brian Tyler shared his beautiful main them to the film  Redeeming Love with me a couple nights ago. I was very inspired by it so much that the next morning I transcribed it and recorded it on the piano."


Redeeming Love is a 2022 American Christian Western romance film directed by D. J. Caruso, who co-wrote the screenplay with Francine Rivers. The film is based on Rivers' 1991 novel of the same name and is set in the American Old West during the California Gold Rush. It stars Abigail Cowen, Tom Lewis and Logan Marshall-Green.










Following on from their third Grammy nomination, millions-selling progressive music titans, Dream Theater, are sharing another music video from their recently released 15th studio album, A View From The Top Of The World.


”Transcending Time” is the fourth video unveiled from the band’s latest album and is another CGI creation by long-time collaborator Wayne Joyner. The song has been a fan-favourite since the album was released and is the shortest track on the band’s latest album clocking in at 6:24 seconds. The performance showcases the band’s musical influences while being quintessential Dream Theater. The video for “Transcending Time” can be seen below:

During an appearance on this past Thursday's (January 27) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", legendary rocker Alice Cooper confirmed that he is putting together ideas for the follow-up to last year's "Detroit Stories" LP. "I'm working on two albums right now, actually — two studio albums," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And all I can say is that one is written — totally written — and we'll be doing bed tracks for that one pretty soon. And then the other one is just a touch in the future, but that's being written right now too. They're two entirely different kinds of albums, but they're Alice Cooper pure rock and roll albums. The two albums will really be hard rock albums."

The 73-year-old singer went on to say that his longtime producer Bob Ezrin will once again be involved with both LPs, the first one of which will arrive later this year.

"It's kind of like the old days when you're touring and putting out records at the same time," Alice explained. "It kind of takes me back to when you're doing 'Love It To Death' and then you tour for 'Love It To Death'. While you're doing 'Love It To Death', you're writing 'Killer'. When 'Love It To Death' is over, 'Killer' comes out and then you go support that. And while you're doing 'Killer', you're writing 'School's Out'. So we're kind of piggybacking everything. And I kind of like that. It keeps everything moving. I don't like those big chunks of time when there's nothing going on."

Earlier this month, Alice's guitarist Nita Strauss revealed to Detroit's WRIF radio station that she and her Cooper bandmates "recorded quite a bit of music" for his upcoming album. "The band did also have a huge part in the writing this time, which is the first time that's happened in the eight years that I've been in the band," she said. "So it was really, really fun — really exciting for us to get to work with a legend like Bob Ezrin. [It was] a huge, huge honor to be in the studio with him and Alice creating what we hope will be some more Alice Cooper music to just add to his legacy."

She added: "I'm on the [Alice Cooper] live DVD. I'm on the live album releases, the live tracks that are bonus tracks and stuff, but [this is my] first studio album with Alice. I'm actually the only person in the [current lineup of Alice's] band that hasn't recorded anything with Alice before, so this is huge for me. [I'm] very, very honored."

Less than a year ago, Alice told Australia's Heavy that he wanted to record his next album on the road with the current lineup of his solo band. "I like it — I like the idea," he said. "I brought up the idea because my stage band is so tight. They're not even on ['Detroit Stories']. But they're so tight that they can play anything. And I said, 'Well, then why don't we write the songs on the road about the road? Let's write the songs about what happens on the road.' Or just it could be funny, it could be tragic, it could be whatever. I said, 'But let's make this album rock, like you guys do. And I'd love to play it live during soundchecks.' Instead of playing 'Eighteen' or 'School's Out' or doing a soundcheck every day, I said, 'Let's rehearse these songs.' And then, at one point, somewhere on the road when we have two days off, we'll set up the next gig and record them all — record them live in a venue.' And I said, 'That would be unique. Nobody's ever done that. So let's do something nobody's ever done.'"

Alice went on to say that he had every confidence that the members of his current solo band — Strauss, Tommy Henriksen (guitar), Ryan Roxie (guitar), Chuck Garric (bass) and Glen Sobel (drums) — would be able to rise to the occasion and make an album while on tour. "If you get the right players, you can do anything," he said. "I've got Nita Strauss in there. Nita is just a monster guitar player. She was voted 'Guitarist Of The Decade' magazine in Guitar magazine, and my drummer was voted 'Best Drummer In Rock' last year. And the great thing about this band is they never have a bad night; they're good every night. And they're all best friends. I never hear an argument; I never hear an ego pop up; I never hear anybody yelling at anybody unless it's funny. All I hear backstage is laughing."

Released in February 2021, "Detroit Stories" was recorded with Ezrin, mostly in Royal Oak with Detroit musicians and featuring a mix of original material alongside covers of songs by Bob Seger, the MC5, Mitch Ryder's DETROIT and OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY.

In 2018, Cooper issued "A Paranormal Evening At The Olympia Paris", a recording of his December 7, 2017 concert at the world-renowned Olympia venue in France. The effort captured Cooper and his current bandmates performing a choice selection of classic Cooper hits, in addition to some highlights from 2017's "Paranormal" album. Alice later said that he wanted to release a document of his band's onstage prowess because they "deserved a live alb

Swedish metal band, Secret Society, recently announced that guitarist/engineer/producer Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) is mixing and co-producing the band's new single, "Devil's Call", at Sweden's Sonic Train Studios.


The "Devil's Call" single will be released on January 28. A lyric video for the song is streaming below:







Secret Society features Rick Altzi (Masterplan, Herman Frank), Morten Sandager (ex-Pretty Maids, Ronnie Atkins) and Paul Sabu (Alice Cooper, David Bowie). Stay tuned for updates.