Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen's project SMITH/KOTZEN played the second show of its U.S. West Coast tour last night (Saturday, January 22) at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada. Joining Smith and Kotzen as part of their touring band is Richie's wife, internationally acclaimed bass player Julia Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock band BARRA DE SAIA. With a strong pedigree in rock, Lage has played alongside the likes of Pat Travers, Elliot Easton (THE CARS), Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME) and Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY). In addition, SMITH/KOTZEN has enlisted drummer Bruno Valverde of ANGRA for the U.S. West Coast dates.

Fan-filmed video footage of the Las Vegas concert, including SMITH/KOTZEN's rendition of the IRON MAIDEN classic "Wasted Years", with Smith on lead vocals, can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Metal Edge magazine's "Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley", Richie stated about how the short tour came together (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What happened was it was all just by timing. Nathalie [Dufresne-Smith, Adrian's wife] and Adrian came into town, and Adrian said, 'Hey, we're gonna be there for a couple of months. You wanna write some more songs?' And we did get together and we did about seven things that are in the works; we have some demo stuff that are in the works. And then we started thinking, 'Man, we're here. Why don't we play?' Julia was in the house and we were talking about it. And it just kind of — boom. It just made sense. 'Let's go. Call Bruno.' And we put it together. It was real easy."

Adrian added that fans can definitely expect to hear more music from SMITH/KOTZEN, which released a full-length album and an EP during 2021.

"We started writing with a view to doing another album, and then we got sidetracked on dates," Smith said. "Like Richie said, we've got six or seven things. It's just taking where we left off with the EP — just writing as we do.

"I don't wanna change the world," he added. "I just wanna make good rock music. It's n there, and you've just gotta do it. You just have to do it, really. It's one of those things."

SMITH/KOTZEN remaining West Coast tour dates:

Jan. 23 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA

Jan. 26 - Goldfield Trading Post - Roseville, CA

Jan. 27 - The Siren - Morro Bay, CA

Jan. 28 - Ventura Theatre - Ventura, CA (postponed from Jan. 15)

SMITH/KOTZEN's eponymous debut album was released globally through BMG in March 2021 to media and fan acclaim, charting No. 10 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in the U.S., Top 20 in the U.K. as well as in other major markets such as Germany, Japan and Canada. A follow-up EP, "Better Days", featuring four new tracks was released on November 26 in conjunction with international Record Store Day's Black Friday event.

Smith is best known as one of IRON MAIDEN's principal guitarists, having also enjoyed success as a solo artist. Kotzen is the frontman for THE WINERY DOGS as well as having been the guitarist for both MR. BIG and POISON during his long and acclaimed career, which has to date seen him release more than 20 solo albums. Both artists are also prolific songwriters.

German black thrash unit, Desaster, have released an official video for "Learn To Love The Void", the opening track of their latest album, Churches Without Saints, released in June last year via Metal Blade Records.


Comments Desaster guitarist Infernal: "Enjoy our new video clip, filmed at one of the rare live concerts in 2021, PartySan Herbstoffensive in Weimar, Germany. It was great to enter the stage again, we hope you can feel the hellfire burning and learn to love the void!"







Since 1989, Germany's Desaster have been churning out their unique and unholy blend of extreme metal, and in 2021 they return with perhaps their most powerful album to-date, the towering Churches Without Saints. "It's a typical Desaster old school black-death-thrash metal album, with a lot of aggression, but also great atmosphere and epic tunes!" enthuses guitarist and founding member Infernal. With a simple remit of making an album full of "neck-breaking songs", the quartet have once again proven themselves leaders in their chosen genres, giving their faithful and newcomers alike plenty to salivate over.


With a five-year gap elapsing since they dropped last album The Oath Of An Iron Ritual, fans have had to be very patient, but will find the results more than worth the wait. This new effort also features Hont taking over behind the kit from previous drummer Tormentor, bringing a welcome change to the way they work. "He's a very skilled drummer and can play really anything. Whereas in the past the songwriting was a lot of 'trial and error' with testing many rhythms, we nowadays can work much more efficiently. Hont knows what rhythms fit to the riffs immediately. He has studied Desaster's music in detail and knows what works best, but he is not just copying Tormentor's style - he brings his own skilled style into the music, and also some new rhythms and figures. That of course brings some fresh wind into the songs."


The record was tracked in the band's rehearsal room and was recorded, mixed and mastered by their live mixer Jan "Janosch" Gensheimer. This led to a very relaxed atmosphere throughout the whole process, having rehearsed a lot prior to recording and also doing a full pre-production demo with their own equipment, meaning they could record very fast and without many mistakes. They did however change things up a little, sonically speaking. "It was a big goal for me to change the sound a bit," says Infernal. "Whereas the last albums had a very harsh sound, where the mid and high frequencies were dominating, I wanted a warmer and smoother sound this time. I always liked the sound of our 'Tyrants of the Netherworld' album from 2000 very much, and the new album is an effort to develop this sound with more details and different instruments. On 'Tyrants', we had the rough mud of deepest hellish caves, now we present you the black lava which is flowing around the throne of Satan himself!" And having achieved everything they set out to, Churches Without Saints definitively starts a new and exciting chapter in one of extreme metal's most consistently thrilling bands.


The record can be ordered here.





Churches Without Saints tracklisting:


"The Grace Of Sin"
"Learn To Love The Void"
"Failing Trinity"
"Exile Is Imminent"
"Churches Without Saints"
"Hellputa"
"Sadistic Salvation"
"Armed Architects Of Annihilation"
"Primordial Obscurity"
"Endless Awakening"
"Aus Asche"


"Endless Awakening" lyric video:





"Learn To Love The Void" visualizer:





Desaster lineup:


Infernal - guitar
Sataniac - vocals
Odin - bass
Hont - drums


(Photo - Diana Mennicke)

Following their powerful single “The Last Crossing”, Dagoba’s brand new track, “On The Run”, marks a melodic moment for the French modern metal upstarts on their upcoming album, By Night, out February 18 via Napalm Records. A harmonic duet of soothing juxtaposed vocals shows Dagoba breaking free from genre limitations once more, proving them to be on the cusp of entering the hall of fame of modern metal.


The band have released a drum playthrough video for "On The Run". Watch below:







Dagoba on the single “On The Run”:  “I always wanted to release a track which verses only contain a piano and vocals and now it’s done! The main idea was to create a contrast between the calm of the vers and the huge chords leading to the chorus, where the voice is the main line. From the begining of the writing process, I knew that a female vocalist would join me on that track, and that is also brand new for us. On The Run is a daring track, but it will make you want to play it on repeat!”


After putting their stamp on the metal scene with their unique blend of metal and neckbreaking grooves, and relentlessly touring and sharing the stage with legendary acts like Metallica, Machine Head and In Flames, the French four-piece is gearing up to reach the next level with their most ambitious material yet.


Watch the music video for “On The Run”:





Dagoba deftly aces the balancing act between harsh breakdowns, dense walls of sound and grooving passages with ease. Even in its hardest passages, the album never gets too overwhelming - one smashing track is followed by the next, moving breathlessly with ease. By Night is a beast of an album showcasing how far Dagoba can take a multitude of influences and styles and combine them effortlessly. This is a must-have for true fans of searing modern metal.


Dagoba on the creation process of By Night: “We live in challenging times, and that’s not only because of the strength-sapping pandemic. Sometimes the world seems to be a dark place. We know it’s an ambitious project, but we really want our fans to feel good, and contribute to their happiness. Therefore, we deliver our blend of metal music. During the weeks and months in the lockdown period we had so much time to have a focus on the album production. We could look at every detail in each track, and after all By Night has become our most accomplished album so far. We are really happy with the new record and cannot wait to share it with our fans and the world.”





Varying in individual territories, By Night will be available digitally, as a CD (bundled with an exclusive t-shirt), as well as black and exclusive red transparent vinyl. Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Neons"
"The Hunt"
"Sunfall"
"Bellflower Drive"
"On The Run"
"Break"
"City Lights"
"Nightclub"
"Summer's Gone"
"The Last Crossing"
"Stellar"


"The Last Crossing" video:





"The Hunt" video:





Dagoba is:


Shawter - vocals/machines
Ritch DM - guitar
Kawa - bass
Theo - drums





(Photo - Morgane Khouni)

Reunited thrashers, Mantic Ritual, have unveiled a visualizer video for their cover of the Mercyful Fate classic, “Black Funeral.” The video was created by Raf Orteaga of Ecliptic Visions.


The track is the B-side of the 7" vinyl release for their recently-revealed single, “Crusader”. The limited-edition of 300 collector’s 7" vinyl with “Crusader” - the band's first new music in 12 years from the reunited group featuring original members Dan Wetmore (vocals/guitars), Jeff Potts (guitars), and Ben Mottsman (bass) alongside new drummer Carlos Cruz (Warbringer, Machine Head, Power Trip) - as the A-side and “Black Funeral” released January 28.


"I can't think of a metal band I like more than Mercyful Fate; melodic, dark, and shockingly heavy at times," explains guitarist/vocalist Dan Wetmore. “We've covered ‘Doomed By The Living Dead’ and ‘Gypsy’ in the past, but I wanted something direct and short. ‘Black Funeral’ really delivers. Heavy as hell, straight to the punch and then it ends with two beautiful leads. Perfect. We wanted to do this largely note for note, true to the original, just a bit faster. My vocal style has changed a bit. I scream less, and I sing more. And my range is much bigger. This seemed a challenge, but it came out in just a few takes. All hail Satan!!”

Former CANNIBAL CORPSE singer Chris Barnes says that watching a recent video discussion about the state of death metal featuring some of the genre's top vocalists, including his CC replacement, George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, made him "physically ill."

On January 19, Knotfest livestreamed "A Death Metal Round Table" hosted by Staypuft Mallow and featuring appearances by Fisher, Trevor Strnad from THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, Chase Mason from GATECREEPER and Alex Jones from UNDEATH. According to Knotfest, the four singers discussed "their early influences, the accessibility of the genre, inspiration from the weirdest places, live show between-song patter, their upcoming releases and tours and much, much more."

Earlier today, Barnes — who exited CANNIBAL CORPSE in 1995, one year after the release of the band's "The Bleeding" album — took to his Twitter to write: "I just watched a 'death metal' podcast on YouTube that was done about a week ago with the 'top' death metal vocalists .. it made me physically ill. I despise what this genre has become." A short time later, HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, who hosts a popular video podcast called "The Jasta Show" and who co-produced Fisher's upcoming debut solo album, replied: "come on the podcast & discuss". Chris responded: "No thanks brother. I have no need to jump on that bandwagon you guys got that". Jasta fired back with "Weak", to which Barnes said: "Ain't here to play that game. You have fun tho bro." Jasta then wrote: "you're the one playing games, you 'hate what the genre has become' but do you ever promote or discuss new bands or try & help build anything in the genre?" This prompted Chris to respond: "Lol promote lol hahahahaha". Jasta then countered: "Oh right that’s beneath you lol", to which Barnes said: "Nah I'm just not a shill..."

After Barnes left CANNIBAL CORPSE to form SIX FEET UNDER, he was replaced in the former band by Fisher.

Five years ago, Barnes spoke about the possibility of SIX FEET UNDER and CANNIBAL CORPSE one day touring together, telling "The Chainsaw Symphony" radio program: "That would be a tough one to put together, my friend. [Laughs] You wouldn't have any problems from my side of things, but I don't think other people would be agreeable to that."

He continued: "I don't think there's animosity [between us]. I think there's just protecting other people's feelings. I think that everyone knows certain things about everything and they'd like to see things a certain way, and that wouldn't portray things a certain way that they would wanna portray them. So… I'm being very general and trying to be diplomatic about it."

Barnes also talked about the circumstances behind his departure from CANNIBAL CORPSE. He said: "I just didn't like being around them, because I was being ridiculed, and I just didn't feel comfortable being in the same room with people that weren't very nice to me personally. And I was part of that too, so we had all of our own type of differences, personally, and I don't think it was gonna be able to be worked out. You know, mutual respect goes a far way when it comes to being in close quarters with people."

He continued: "I'm sure we'd do things differently [today] — I mean, I know we would. It's just the way things worked out. And I don't have any animosity towards those guys at all, and I don't think they do towards me. It's just that… It would be too confusing for things [if we were to tour together], I think, from their perspective."

Barnes added: "I'd do anything. I just like to see a lot of people out there with smiles on their faces; that's the only thing that's important to me, man. Like, seriously, if I see a big crowd of people that everyone's smiling, like, 'Oh, yeah! This is what we've been waiting for,' I'm ready then, man. If I see a small room of people that are just fired up to go, man, it just gets me going on stage, you know. And that's all I'm there for — that feeling, that sharing of energy, man. And I'll go for it any which way to get that any way I can with any person I can get it with. And if it gets to that means to an end, that's all that's important, man — that transference. And some people just don't see it that way, man, and it's cool.

"I'm not gonna be mean to anybody, and I never wanted to be. I'm my own person, and sometimes I'm put at fault for that, and I think we all are in our own way. And that's just life; those are the things we deal with as people."

SIX FEET UNDER's current lineup also includes another former CANNIBAL CORPSE member, guitarist Jack Owen.

SIX FEET UNDER's latest album, "Nightmares Of The Decomposed", was released in October 2020 via Metal Blade Records.

Fisher's solo album, titled "Corpsegrinder", will be released on February 25. The 10-song effort was co-produced by Nick Bellmore (DEE SNIDER, KINGDOM OF SORROW) and Jasta and will be made available through Jamey's new label, Perseverance Music Group.






I just watched a “death metal” podcast on YouTube that was done about a week ago with the “top” death metal vocalists .. it made me physically ill. I despise what this genre has become.

— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) January 27, 2022








No thanks brother. I have no need to jump on that bandwagon you guys got that

— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) January 27, 2022








Ain’t here to play that game. You have fun tho bro.

— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) January 27, 2022








Lol promote lol hahahahaha

— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) January 27, 2022








Nah I’m just not a shill...

— Chris Barnes (@sixfeetofficial) January 27, 2022




























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by George CorpseGrinder (@georgecorpsegrinder)

Jazz Sabbath's 50-year-streak of misfortune ended in 2020 when their long-lost debut album was finally released; proving the songs made famous by a metal band from Birmingham were actually written by this jazz trio.


Now, reunited after 52 years, Jazz Sabbath entered the studio and finished their sophomore album, which was also being recorded in 1969, but due to legal disputes with a session player had to be abandoned and never saw the light of day... until now.


With the theft by the band from Birmingham exposed, Milton Keanes and colleagues can now present these songs in their original form, replenished with 52 years of experience, vigor... and rage.




The tranquil "Symptom Of The Universe", the full 8-minute version of "Paranoid" (not that metal afterthought version everyone knows), and of course the song that other band so blatantly named themselves after.





Jazz Sabbath Vol. 2 will be released April 22 through Blacklake Records on Vinyl, CD, Cassette and all streaming/download platforms. The track "Black Sabbath" is streaming on all digital platforms (and below) now.


Pre-order as LP, CD, Tape or Digital here.





Tracklisting:


"Paranoid"
"Snowblind"
"Behind the Wall of Sleep"
"Sabbra Cadabra"
"Symptom of the Universe"
"N.I.B."
"Black Sabbath"


"Black Sabbath":





A promo interview with Milton has surfaced on YouTube. However, the interview was cut short when the interviewer, despite Milton's protests, showed a clip from a TV show appearance in 1985.





The reunited Jazz Sabbath will embark on their first EU/UK tour since 1969 in October; fittingly closing the tour in Birmingham on November 26. Tickets here.





Tour dates (with more to be announced):


October
27 - Tilburg, NL - Paradox Jazz Club
29 - Utrecht, NL - TivoliVredenburg


November
16  - London, UK - PizzaExpress Live
18 - Fletching, UK - Trading Boundaries
20 - Devizes, UK - Corn Exchange
21 - Cardiff, UK - Acapela Studio
24 - Milton Keynes, UK - The Stables
26 - Birmingham, UK - The Crescent Theatre


Since 2020, many news sources have stated Milton Keanes is actually the alter ego of long-time Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath keyboard player Adam Wakeman. Adam even has openly claimed in interviews that he made up the character. When confronted with these claims Milton Keanes merely replied: “Plagiarism, identity theft... these things seem to be a constant in my life since 1970, so I tend not to pay much attention to them these days.”

Toronto-based heavy metal unit, Skull Fist, has more guts and balls than the police allow. Since their leg-busting beginnings in 2006, dungeon keeper Zach Schottler and his shredding gang of reckless accomplices have released three archetypal heavy metal almanacs, eaten more dust than is good for their health, endured hardships, and propped up countless beers in countless bars in countless cities. Now, after fifteen years on behalf of steel, the trio signs a worldwide record deal with Atomic Fire Records.


Schottler comments, "Pretty stoked about this. The world and music industry is sketchy as hell so its nice to be working with someone that isn't considering stabbing me for a few bucks. Markus and Flori are rad dudes and so far, the rest of their team are genuinely more interested in music than dollars. It's nice to see, so let’s see."


Florian Milz, label manager of Atomic Fire Records, adds. "I've known Zach and the band for a long time and have worked with them in the past. I love their music and am very happy that we get to release the new upcoming album through Atomic Fire Records. The Fist is the law!"




The new Skull Fist album will be released this April with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.


Skull Fist lineup:


Zach Slaughter - vocals, guitar
Casey Guest - bass
JJ Tartaglia - drums


(Photo - Sharon Ehman)

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash says that he was "blown away" by Axl Rose's performance as the fill-in singer for the end of AC/DC's "Rock Or Bust" tour.

AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after frontman Brian Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with the GUNS N' ROSES frontman as a "guest vocalist."

In a new interview with Classic Rock magazine, Slash said about Axl's pairing with AC/DC: "I came out to a gig in London, and it was phenomenal. I was blown away, especially when he sang the Bon Scott stuff. That was a very proud moment, actually."

Asked by Classic Rock writer Paul Elliott if it felt weird seeing Rose fronting another band so soon after GN'R launched its reunion tour, the guitarist said: "Not at all. It was AC/DC, man.

"The fact that he got asked to do that was very cool," Slash continued. "And he worked his ass off doing it, too. He really adhered to the whole AC/DC regimen and pulled it off.

"In the moment, when it first came up, it was a little jarring, I have to say," the guitarist admitted. "I was super-proud that he was doing it, but how that was gonna happen and go right into the GUNS thing, I really didn't know. But anyway, it worked out. So it wasn't like a big deal.

"In all these years that we've been apart, he's become super-fucking professional. And he's never missed a beat during this whole time. So it's been great. There has been a sort of synergy that's been happening this last six years that we never had in our first incarnation."

AC/DC's North American tour ended in Philadelphia in September 2016, and despite initial fan trepidation, Axl got generally good reviews for his performances. Guitarist Angus Young said at the time: "I mean, under the situation that we had, it was very good that he volunteered and said, 'Hey, if I can help, let me try.' So he's been very good. And he had to learn a lot of songs very quickly, and he's done a great job."

Duff McKagan, who is one-third of the reunited partial classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES, got a chance to watch Rose and AC/DC play in June 2016 in London, England and in September 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Duff spoke about Axl's collaboration with AC/DC during a 2019 appearance on "The Church Of What's Happening Now" podcast. He said: "The way [Axl] did that was amazing. He was, like, 'If you guys don't mind, I'm gonna go try out. They need a hand here.' [Late AC/DC frontman] Bon Scott's his all-time [hero]. [We said], 'Dude, you know you don't really have to try out for AC/DC.' But he was really nervous. 'I'm gonna go try out. It fits in with our touring perfect.' And Slash and I were, like, 'You've got the gig.' But he went to Atlanta and tried out, quote-unquote, and got the gig. I saw him twice on that tour. I flew to London to see him, and I flew to Cleveland to see that. It was great."

McKagan added: "I think what it did for [Axl]… We got to know Angus through that. Angus has now come out and played with us a bunch of times. That was that thing when he was 14 or 15, 'Man, one day, if I ever got to be in AC/DC…' He was singing with a broom, and he finally got to do it. Amazing."

AC/DC released its long-awaited comeback album, "Power Up", in November 2020.

TNT guitarist Ronni Le Tekrø will release his first solo album in six years, "Bigfoot TV", on March 18 through TBC Records via Cargo Records.

Backed by Ronni's tight band, "Bigfoot TV" sounds inspired and vibrant, with Le Tekrø's brilliant guitar work threading through the album and a musical nod to everyone from TNT to THIN LIZZY, THE BEATLES, David Bowie and Ronni's own progressive rock albums.

Le Tekrø is considered one of the world's most influential metal guitarists, first and foremost with his band TNT, but also in collaboration with jazz guitarist Terje Rypdal and as a diligently used studio musician. Le Tekrø has sold over four million albums with TNT and was named one of the world's 25 best guitarists in its genre in 2009.

The lyrics on "Bigfoot TV" are about Ronni's own life and values and is a musical evolution of his progressive rock sound, a continuation from his solo albums "Mein Ampf" 1 and 2.

Le Tekrø's new single, "Life On Long Island", will be released on February 18.

Ronni said: "My life on Long Island was in Bayshore from 1984 to 1993. Since then, I haven't been there. The song is about the summer of '85 when everything seemed possible and hard rock ruled the world. My tribute to my American family."

Ronni Le Tekrø's band lineup:

Ronni Le Tekrø - Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Vocals

Markus O. Klyve - Keyboards

Henrik Fossum - Drums, Percussion

Ove Husemoen - Bass

Jon Johannessen - add Guitar

Leif Knashaug - Additional Vocals, Backing Vocals

Guest appearances:

Rodmar Johansen - Lead vocals on "Not Today"

Bjørn Kristiansen - Guitar solo on "New Day In The Morning"

Tim Scott McConnell - backing vocals on "Life On Long Island"

Produced and mixed by Ronni Le Tekrø & Kjartan Hesthagen

Engineered by Kjartan Hesthagen

Recorded and mixed at Studio Studio Nyhagen

TNT's latest studio album, "XIII", came out in June 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl. The band's thirteenth LP was TNT's first to feature new vocalist Baol Bardot Bulsara, who replaced Tony Harnell. Baol is a Spanish vocalist whose debut with TNT happened in front of 8,000 fans in November 2017 when the band opened for German hard rock legends the SCORPIONS in Oslo, Norway.

LAMB OF GOD has recruited Phil Demmel (VIO-LENCE, ex-MACHINE HEAD) to play guitar for the band on this year's ShipRocked cruise, which set sail from Galveston, Texas on January 22 and includes stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. Demmel is filling in for LAMB OF GOD's regular guitarist Willie Adler who was unable to make the trip for reasons that have not been disclosed.

Since Carnival Cruise Line's Have Fun Be Safe protocols and procedures currently require that guests are fully vaccinated and tested before their cruise on all sailings through February 28, 2022, some fans have speculated that Adler's COVID-19 vaccination status was the main reason he was excluded from this year's ShipRocked.

Fan-filmed video footage and photos of LAMB OF GOD's January 24 performance aboard the Carnival Breeze ship can be seen below.

Last October, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe urged everyone coming to see his band perform to get vaccinated against COVID-19. "I believe in fucking science," he said during an appearance on MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn's "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast. "And I have friends who are doctors and scientists and nurses, and these are people I'm going to listen to — not someone on social media, not another musician, not a talking head on CNN, Fox News, USA Today, PBS; none of this stuff. I talk to my friends who are molecular biologists, immunologists, emergency room doctors, and I have friends who are nurses, one of whom works in a COVID ward — and someone very close to me. These are not my friends' neighbors' second cousin's buddy [saying], 'I heard this or that or the other'; these are people who are friends of mine I talk to directly. They're, like, 'This is real. This is the science. This is the data. This is what I see. These are the people I see dying.' So I'm going to listen to my friends 'cause they're a lot smarter than me.

"For me, everybody has to quote-unquote do their own research, I guess," he laughed. "My research involves talking to friends of mine who spent years of their lives pursuing degrees that cost them thousands and thousands of dollars, or who dedicate their lives to the service of others in the medical profession. And this is what these people are telling me. So I don't have to filter through all this data, through all these different media sources; I just talk to my friends. 'Are you vaccinated?' 'Yes.' 'Tell me about this vaccine. Tell me about the technology.' And I've had these conversations.

"When the vaccine came out very rapidly, comparatively, like anyone else, I was, like, 'Well, that's quick,'" Randy admitted. "But then some friends of mine explained to me, 'This is old technology. They've been working on this for 15 fucking years. It's not new. So cut it out with that.' And also, this is not just an American or one country's or one corporation's push; this is a massive international effort to get this vaccine ready — different ones ready — for distribution.

"I have a friend who works in intelligence — pretty high-level intelligence — and one of their jobs right now is helping out with COVAX, which is the international vaccine distribution arm. And he [was] talking to one of his co-workers from COVAX, and it was just, like, it's very frustrating with certain places where the vaccine is available and people don't wanna take it, and there are countries that are begging for it.

"All that aside, for me, like I said, it's a matter of talking to my friends and being, like, 'What's the deal with this?'" Blythe added. "Because these are people I trust, and they're a lot smarter than me… So I'm going to listen to them — I'm just gonna."

LAMB OF GOD's latest, self-titled album was released in June 2020 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. The follow-up to "VII: Sturm Und Drang" marked LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band in July 2019 as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

"Lamb Of God" was recorded with longtime producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM) and includes special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).

Photo: Bryce Hall






Lamb of God for Mike Buchan

Posted by Orville Acton on Monday, January 24, 2022



Ship Shows with Lamb of God

#ShipRocked

#LambOfGod

Posted by James Nichols on Monday, January 24, 2022



Lamb of God on the main stage, absolutely insane set

Posted by Steve Damerell on Tuesday, January 25, 2022



Lamb of God closing their set with Redneck as the rain went nuts

Posted by Steve Damerell on Tuesday, January 25, 2022



Then the rains came and Lamb of God plowed thru it and the audience was dancing and it was tribal. One of my favorite...

Posted by Justin Press on Monday, January 24, 2022

GWAR will release its ambitious new album, "The New Dark Ages", on June 3 on CD and digital, and on September 16 on vinyl and cassette via GWAR's own label Pit Records. Pre-orders are available at this location. The album concept is tied to a companion graphic novel, "GWAR In The Duoverse Of Absurdity", which will be released by Z2 Comics on June 3. In the graphic novel, the bandmembers are sucked off into an alternate universe to do battle with their evil twins and the specter of rogue technology. On "The New Dark Ages", our heroes floorboard it through a kaleidoscope of hard-driving heavy metal, and rock and fucking roll, building on their hilarious mythos, introducing cool new characters, and cataloging mankind’s hapless abandonment of their passions, rituals, and beliefs.

The Berserker Blóthar says: "This is the greatest rock record of all time. These are the songs for a new age, a New Dark Age, when men live by the dimming light of a technology destined to betray them. Listen, as we have a rock and roll orgy in the ruins of the world to celebrate humanity’s descent into an age of darkness, disease, ignorance, and death."

"The New Dark Ages" is available for pre-order on cassette, CD and multiple different colors of vinyl (whiskey, sunbolt and black/gold marble) and the graphic novel as both soft and hard cover. Bundles are available including ones with Blóthar bobbleheads, and a one-of-a-kind Beefcake helmet.

"GWAR In The Duoverse Of Absurdity" chronicles the epic battle between GWAR and their doppelgangers from an alternate universe the band discovers behind their treasured Magic Mirror. The book uses an innovative storytelling technique that combines words and pictures printed on paper (made from real trees!) in a seamless format we are calling a "graphic novel." The tale is illustrated by the masterful talents of Andy MacDonald ("Wolverine", "Dr Strange", "Wonder Woman"), Shane White ("Things Undone", "Braun", "Endless Summer"), Matt Maguire (GWAR) and Bob Gorman (GWAR). Z2 Comics (JUDAS PRIEST, DIO, ANTHRAX) have teamed up with GWAR to produce what will surely be known as the ultimate illustrated saga of the beloved Scumdogs Of The Duoverse.

Says Bälsäc The Jaws 'O Death: "This was the most utterly engrossing book I've ever read! I couldn't wait until I'd read what was on the page before I was compelled to turn it! This novel has the one element that is missing in so many so-called literary masterpieces: It's about me!"

Swedish, epically overpowering dark symphonic metal unit Eleine has joined the Atomic Fire Records roster.


Founded and led by charismatic vocalist Madeleine Liljestam and guitarist / growler Rikard Ekberg, Eleine has released three successful, multifaceted albums since 2015, all of which illuminate the remarkably sorted and exquisitely balanced dark mixture the collective is capable of producing. Indeed, the authors push their high-class, intense, cinematic flair to the extreme, manifesting a singular, atmospheric world where dark, thrash, black, and death metal influences collide in a fantastically captivating fashion. The unquestionable originality of Eleine’s output reveals itself quite effortlessly in every single moment of listening.


“Signing with Atomic Fire Records is a huge step in the right direction for Eleine,” Liljestam comments. “We’re entering a new era of metal, not only with this new, mighty label but also in a world where we have faced challenges as a music industry alongside our dedicated and loyal fans. Finding a label that agrees that both the physical and digital media world actually work together, and don’t have to exclude each other, made us feel that this is a label that will stay true to metal and at the same time evolve alongside the industry and us as a band."




Says Atomic Fire CEO, Markus Wosgien, "We are in touch for a few years now and I followed their amazing career almost from the start. Especially after I saw Eleine live on the Sabaton Open Air in 2018, I knew that this band is truly unique and something really special. I love their strong belief in themselves, their do-it-yourself attitude, and finally, their music. Eleine is an experience; something intense that you feel and inspires you. On top, they are lovely people with their hearts in the right place.”


2022 will find the band touring alongside Firewind, performing at several festivals, and a tour through Finland before joining their new labelmates Sonata Arctica as special guests on their European acoustic tour. For a complete list of live dates, visit Eleine's tour page.


"We feel very confident in this new collaboration and we are very proud,” notes Ekberg, adding, "While we work on our next full-length album, we will keep busy releasing an acoustic spin-off EP, all in honor of the upcoming acoustic tour as special guests to Sonata Arctica in Fall / Winter of 2022.” 


 

Singer / songwriter Mike Tramp (White Lion, Freak Of Nature) will release the new song "Min By", sung in Danish, on February 4th.


"I can’t tell you exactly when the idea awoke in me," begins Tramp. "But it’s safe to say, that it was within the first two years of my rock’n’roll journey as a member of Mabel, my first professional 24/7/365 days a year band. Now why it would take 45 years to finally happen. That you will have to wait for all the interviews that soon will start. I know I will have to figure it out myself, as I am not completely sure why it happen, but I know how.


With all that aside. 'Min By' (My Town) is the first song that anyone will hear from the this new and my first, all Danish (lyrical) album ever, titled, For Første Gang (For The First Time). In many ways the lyrics of 'Min By' are similar to the subject of 'Cobblestone Street'. But this is the four hour Directors Cut, it covers everything in great details, about growing up in the streets of Vesterbro, Copenhagen in the '60s & '70s, no holds barred. One final word, this album is not a Danish language version of my other 12 solo albums. It is something very different, it is its own master, not to be compared to anything I’ve ever done before".




You can pre-save "Min By" here.





 
 

Frontiers Music Srl will release the new solo album from Chip Z'Nuff, "Perfectly Imperfect", on March 18. The first single and video from the album, "Heaven In A Bottle", is out today.

The songs for "Perfectly Imperfect" were written by Chip, except for "Heaven In A Bottle", which is an older track written with former ENUFF Z'NUFF vocalist Donnie Vie, and "Honaloochie Boogie", which is a MOTT THE HOOPLE cover. The album includes guest appearances from Joel Hoekstra (WHITESNAKE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), Steven Adler (ADLER'S APPETITE, ex-GUNS 'N ROSES), Daxx Nielsen (CHEAP TRICK) and Daniel Hill (ENUFF Z'NUFF).

"All songs are written as I see the world through my rose-colored glasses. It’s my heroin letter to the new generation," says Chip.

Chip Z'Nuff is an American singer, songwriter, bassist, producer, and radio personality. Having founded the popular glam rock band ENUFF Z’NUFF in 1984 in the illustrious city of Chicago, the band saw its self-titled major label debut released in the summer of 1989. Chip has released over twenty albums with ENUFF Z'NUFF, as well as having toured with such acts as MISSING PERSONS, Steven Adler, CHEAP TRICK, POISON, THE TRAGICALLY HIP, FOREIGNER, ALICE COOPER, REO SPEEDWAGON, Ace Frehley, and others. The Grammy-nominated artist has produced dozens of records throughout his robust career and had his music hailed by former late night television host David Letterman and the popular radio personality Howard Stern. In addition to writing, recording and touring with ENUFF Z'NUFF, Chip also currently hosts the Monsters Of Rock radio show on the Dash Radio Network, playing the finest hits in hard rock and heavy metal to a collective audience of over 800,000.

"Perfectly Imperfect" track listing:

01. The Church

02. Welcome To The Party

03. Doctor (I'm Going Down Can You Save Me?)

04. Ordinary Man

05. Heaven In A Bottle

06. Roll On

07. I Still Hail You

08. 3 Way

09. Heroin

10. Honaloochie Boogie

Recording lineup:

Chip Z'Nuff - Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Melotron

Joel Hoekstra - Lead Guitar on Tracks 2, 6, & 8

Daxx Nielsen - Acoustic Drums on Tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, & 9

Daniel Hill - Drums, Percussion, and Orchestration on Tracks 1, 2, 7, & 8

Steven Adler - Acoustic Drums on Track 10

Oakland, California-based melodic death metal band, Darkness Everywhere, prepares for the release of their debut EP, The Seventh Circle, in late February through Creator-Destructor Records. As the album closes in, band has released a visualizer for the new single, “The Grand Impact”, which features Darkest Hour’s vocalist, John Henry.


Darkness Everywhere unites vocalist/guitarist/drummer Ben Murray, guitarist Cameron Stucky, and renowned producer engineer Zack Ohren on bass. The Seventh Circle refers to Dante’s Seventh Layer Of Hell, where acts of violence in life are punished in death. The endless torture inflicted upon human souls for their past sins of hatred is an all-consuming reality in the lyrical themes of the seven songs on the band’s debut EP. The record was recorded in late 2020 at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, engineered and produced by Zack Ohren, and completed with cover artwork by Samuel Nelson. Additionally, The Seventh Circle features guest vocals from Laura Nichol (Light This City) on “Survival Of The Sun,” by X on “The Seventh Circle,” and by John Henry (Darkest Hour) on the new single, “The Grand Impact.”


With the track’s debut, Stucky reveals, "'The Grand Impact' perfectly exemplifies the sound and approach of this band: riff-driven and straight to the point. I personally enjoy when bands unashamedly flaunt their influences, and we definitely achieved that with this song. For that reason, it made perfect sense to have John Henry from Darkest Hour throw down some vocals, every time I hear it my inner teenager cracks a huge smile!"




Murray adds, "'This song is one of my favorites on the record, and definitely the heaviest. Lyrically it deals with the idea of rising above the toxic energy that one can unintentionally surround themselves with in life and cleansing yourself of ineffective people that drain your spirit. The tone of this track felt darker and more ominous from the start, so I knew I had to draw from personal experiences to get the right feelings across, lyrically. I love the way it came out, and John’s vocals really gave it that extra intensity it needed."





The Seventh Circle will see digital release on February 25 through Creator-Destructor - the label owned and operated by the band’s Ben Murray - with a vinyl version to follow shortly after. Find digital pre-orders here.





The Seventh Circle tracklisting:


"Apocalyptic Nightmares"
"Darkness Everywhere"
"The Grand Impact"
"Lost Dimensions"
"Reign Of Chaos"
"Survival Of The Sun"
"The Seventh Circle"


"Reign Of Chaos":





Lineup:


Ben Murray – guitar/drums/vocals
Cameron Stucky – guitar
Zack Ohren – bass


(Photo - Michelle Nisbet)

American heavy metal five-piece, Lords Of The Trident, have shared the news of their upcoming studio album. The Wisconsin-based band will independently release their fifth full-length effort, The Offering, on April 1. However, always eager to build a stronger bond between their loyal fans, the band has launched a Patreon that will offer a treasure chest of rewards; most notably an immediate digital copy of The Offering, along with their previous three albums.


Talking about their new album, The Offering, the band comments: "The Offering is, beyond a doubt, a big risk for us as a band. It's the most complex and technically difficult album we've ever made, our first record with Jacob Hansen at the helm, AND our first concept record. It's also a tragic tale, which fans of our style of music may not be used to. But honestly, we couldn't be happier with the result. We designed this album to push the boundaries of our music while also being ABSOLUTELY filled with hooks, and we succeeded on all accounts. We know you'll enjoy the tale we've woven. 'Sit with me now, and watch as the story unfolds...'"


To give a first taste of their new album, Lords Of The Trident have released a new music video for the first single from the record, titled "Power Of Evil". The track is one of three from the album that features guest vocals from Unleash The Archers guitarist Grant Truesdell. Watch the video  below.




The full album (The Offering) is available right now for members of the Lords Of The Trident Patreon who pledge $5 or more. This pledge not only gets you an immediate copy of the new album, but also their three previous albums (Shadows From The Past, Pull The Plug, and Power Outage) as well as 20+ internet-exclusive singles, 25+ full-concert bootlegs, and a mountain of exclusive content for Patreon backers only. The full album will not be released publicly until April, so being a backer is the only way to hear it before it releases. 100% of the money pledged goes directly to the band and helps them play more shows, make more content, and survive the evils of the music industry.


More info here.


The Offering is the fifth full-length album by Lords Of The Trident (and their 10th release overall). This medieval concept album weaves a tragic story of a young boy sold into servitude, his arduous training to become a "Guardian", and the city that betrays him. Mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated Jacob Hansen (engineer for Avantasia, Unleash the Archers, Volbeat, Amaranthe, and more), this is one of the best-sounding epics you'll hear. Filled with blazing solos, soaring vocals, complex drumming, and multi-layer musical composition, The Offering will take you on a heroic and tragic musical journey that will stay in your mind long after the album has finished.





The Offering tracklisting:


"Legend"
"Acolyte"
"Charlatan"
"Feed The Wolves"
"Carry the Weight"
"Offering To The Void"
"Champion"
"The Invitation"
"Dance Of Control"
"These Tower Walls"
"Power Of Evil"
"The Blade"
"Heart Of Ashes"


"Power Of Evil" video:

On December 30th, 2021 Canada's Imonolith parted ways with guitarist Brian 'Beav' Waddell and bassist Scott Whalen. Their official statment is available below. 


"We would like to introduce you all to two new members joining Imonolith:


Oswin Wong (Threat Signal, Plaguebringer) - guitar
Conan Freeman (Punchdrunk, Cyanotic) - bass 




Oswin is one of the current guitar players in Threat Signal and Plaguebringer. He’s an accomplished Berklee Music Graduate, a guitar teacher and a team player when it comes to being in a band.


Conan has been a respected musician playing in the local Vancouver Metal Scene for many years. He’s a solid, technical and creative bassist. He’s also a great team player, like Oswin. 


We’re stoked to have them both in Imonolith. Stay posted for feature posts on both of our new members.


Brian 'Beav' Waddell and Scott Whalen are no longer in Imonolith. It was an amicable, mutual split with zero hard feelings from either side. We’re very grateful for the contributions both members made in the band and wish them both the best in their future endeavours.


Thanks to both Brian and Scott for helping get Imonolith started on the right foot. They’ll always be close friends and a healthy staple of Imonolith’s history. We are excited to move on with Oswin and Conan. Getting on tour ASAP and releasing the ‘Progressions’ EP in early 2022 are our top priorities."


Both Brian and Scott both issued statement regarding making the choice to move on:


Beav: "I am writing this to let you all know I have parted ways with Imonolith. No drama or anything exciting. I just feel with the industry the way its been hit, and travel being constantly changed and whatnot I have decided to stop touring. I've honestly never been a big fan of the travel to begin with, and with how things are trending I think it's time for me to check out of the game. 


I wish Imonolith all the best and I am super proud of the State Of Being record we put out together. Even though I may not be in the band now, there is always a recording of a time I was. 


Thanks for letting me share some music with ya!" 


Scott: "Although I love the guys and team surrounding the band. I have decided to move on from Imonolith to focus on other projects and go back to school. 


Since Covid is still a very real thing and the ups & downs of the musical landscape has drastically altered in the world over the last couple of years, I feel like now is a very appropriate time in my life to shift focus and pursue a different path than the one I’ve been on with my Imonolith boys over the last 3 years.


I’m very grateful for the opportunities presented to me while I was in the band and wish them only love and success in the future with everything! See you down the road somewhere. I love you!" 





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.


Photo by Erich Saide Photography