FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares will once again play guitar for SOULFLY on the Max Cavalera-fronted outfit's upcoming U.S. tour. He previously performed with SOULFLY on the group's last U.S. run of dates, which took place in August and September of 2021.

SOULFLY will kick off its 35-date U.S. tour on February 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The trek will make stops in Seattle, Minneapolis, Nashville, and Baton Rouge before concluding in Gallup, New Mexico on March 19. Joining the band for select dates are SHORT FUSE and 200 STAB WOUNDS.

Cavalera comments: "SOULFLY would like to welcome back our brother/legend Dino Cazares to share the stage once again with us! Round One was amazing! The Tribe in other cities will now get the chance to see this epic lineup, playing classic trax and some surprises from our new record!"

Cazares adds: "I will reenter the riff vortex with the SOULFLY Tribe! I look forward to rejoining Max and La Familia on their U.S. tour, destroying stages with an avalanche of classic anthems and brand new songs."

Earlier this month, Max told Zippo Encore's "Art Of Rock" livestream series: "It's so cool that we have amazing friends like [Dino] in the industry. That you can call Dino up and he's available. So [it's] just really great… [Touring with him last year] was so much fun, man, because Dino… We grew up together. I was a huge FEAR FACTORY fan. I helped them get signed [to Roadrunner]. And then, of course, he plays on 'Eye For An Eye' on the first SOULFLY [album]; he plays guitars on it. So when we invited him to do that tour, it was a perfect match. And the fans, they lost their shit. It was so cool. Sometimes I would stay on the bus and I'd watch Dino get out of the bus and he'd just get mobbed; 10 kids would just surround him. I was, like, 'Oh, this is cool, man. This is what's up. This is some true metal shit right here.'"

In August, SOULFLY parted ways with longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to personal differences. He later told "The Ex-Man" podcast about the circumstances that led to his exit from the band: "I definitely was putting in more than what I [was] getting out, obviously, and I think the fans have recognized that. They see the live show turned into that, the records turned into that. It's pretty obvious what was going on. I've got hundreds of fans writing me every day understanding online here. It is what it is. It's the politics of the band. It's Max's band — that's definitely his thing. Was I doing more as the years went on? Absolutely. And, obviously, you can see that in live shows."

Marc went on to say that his working relationship with SOULFLY simply "ran its course. Honestly, I think I stayed too long," he said. "I probably should have quit — I wanted to quit about five [or] six years ago. That's when things, in my opinion, just started to go downhill. There's a lot of things that are just obvious, again, if you watch the live show that I'm not even nitpicking about — the fans are talking about. If you go to any message board, the fans always talk about the same things about the live show. I think five or six years ago, I really probably should have split. But I felt bad, and I felt I had some loyalty to everybody and I didn't wanna leave everybody hanging. Obviously, I had a major part in the riffing in the live show and on the records. But, thankfully, everything went down the way it did. COVID opened my eyes to a lot of things, and I'm in a way better place now."

In August, Max told Metal Kaoz that Marc has been spewing out "lies and bullshit" in some of his recent interviews regarding his departure from SOULFLY. "All these accusations — it hurts," he said. "It hurts to hear. After everything that we did for him, which was a lot — we put him on all the records and always took really good care of him, always really, really gave good treatment to him. To hear him backstabbing us like that, it's just not nice. He's obviously trying to get fans to be against me and make him the victim… It just sucks to hear all that. It definitely hurts me when I hear all these accusations that I know are lies and bullshit; it's all fabricated by his crazy mind. I don't know. It's a strange situation."

He added: "I don't want to turn this into an ugly thing. I don't wanna talk bad about him; I really don't. Of course I don't like those accusations, and it's bullshit, but he has the right to say whatever. But I think we treated him really good through all those years. We put him on the map pretty much. When he joined the band, not many people knew him. Just a little bit of gratitude would have been nice. Because even on 'Max Trax' [Cavalera's twice-weekly Internet video series in which he discusses the inspiration for many of the songs spanning his nearly 40-year music career], when I mentioned that I fired him, I thanked him for the 18 years of SOULFLY, and I said good luck on his projects. I'm not bitter. I don't wanna be a bitter guy."

Rizzo joined SOULFLY in 2004, and has since appeared on all of the band's subsequent records, including "Prophecy" (2004), "Dark Ages" (2005), "Conquer" (2008), "Omen" (2010), "Enslaved" (2012), "Savages" (2013), "Archangel" (2015) and "Ritual" (2018). In 2007, Rizzo became a member of CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, the side project of SEPULTURA co-founders, brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, and has performed on all CAVALERA CONSPIRACY releases including "Inflikted", "Blunt Force Trauma", "Pandemonium" and the critically acclaimed 2017 LP "Psychosis".

Max and his bandmates have spent the last few months working on the follow-up to 2018's "Ritual" at Platinum Underground in Phoenix, Arizona with producer Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, POWER TRIP and CODE ORANGE.

WARRIOR SOUL, the band fronted by legendary singer Kory Clarke, will release its new album, "Out On Bail", on March 4 via Livewire/Cargo Records UK. The LP's first single, "We're Alive", arrived in December.

"Out On Bail" is described in a press release as "a statement of considerable intent" from Clarke, who is "one of rock 'n' roll's most prolific, prophetic and controversial songwriters." Poetic and timely, "Out On Bail" speaks to us as survivors and fighters, celebrating in success and yet wary of things to come. It is a perfect gateway into the mind and soul of this unique songwriter and groundbreaking band.

"Out On Bail" track listing:

01. We're Alive (Arling / Clarke) (5:10)

02. One More For The Road (Post / Polachek / Clarke) (4:07)

03. Hip Hip Hurray (Clarke / Post) (3:33)

04. Out On Bail (Hodgson / Clarke) (4:20)

05. Cancelled Culture (Polachek / Clarke) (3:41)

06. End Of The World (Kimmett / Post / Clarke) (4:50)

07. YoYo (Clarke / Peter Jay) (4:40)

08. The New Paradigm (Mark Gemini Thwaite / Paul Raven / Clarke) (4:35)

"Out On Bail" was produced by Clarke, with additional production by Dennis Post. It was mixed and mastered by Rune Buck.

Recording lineup:

* Kory Clarke - Vocals, Drums on "One More For The Road"

* Dennis "El Guapo" Post - Guitars

* Christian Kimmett - Bass

* Ivan Tambac - Drums on "Paradigm", "End Of The World"

* John Besser - Drums on "We're Alive", "Hip Hip Hurray", "Out On Bail", "Cancelled Culture", "YoYo"

* John "Baby H" Hodgson - Guitars on "Out On Bail"

* Adam Arling - Guitars on "We're Alive", "Paradigm"

* John "Full Throttle" Polachek - Guitars on "One More For The Road", "Cancelled Culture"

* Maria Hatzina - Special Guest Vocals on "Hip Hip Hurray"

WARRIOR SOUL released a trio of albums on the Geffen major label during the '90s, beginning with its classic 1990 debut, "Last Decade Dead Century".

Having initially split in 1995 following the release of "The Space Age Playboys", WARRIOR SOUL was resurrected in 2007 by Clarke, who has issued several albums since: "Destroy The War Machine" (2008), "Stiff Middle Finger" (2012), "Back On The Lash" (2017), "Rock 'N' Roll Disease" (2019), "Cocaine And Other Good Stuff" (2020) and "Out On Bail".

A couple of years ago, Clarke told TotalRock that WARRIOR SOUL translates better in front of U.K. audiences. "For some reason, people in England like me a lot, more than Americans like me," he said. "I always thought it was because of my criticism of the social situation in America and the guts to actually say what I feel about it."

GODSMACK will embark on a European headlining tour in October.

Fan presales start this Wednesday, January 26 at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. at Godsmack.com. Presale code: smackthis2022. General public on-sales start Friday, January 28 at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Tour dates:

Oct. 05 - Cologne, Germany - Palladium

Oct. 06 - Paris, France - Casino de Paris

Oct. 08 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy

Oct. 09 - Manchester, UK - Academy

Oct. 11 - London, UK - Roundhouse

Oct. 12 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy

Oct. 14 - Brussels, Belgium - AB

Oct. 15 - Offenbach, Germany - Stadthalle

Oct. 16 - Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle

Oct. 18 - Munich, Germany - Zenith

Oct. 19 - Zurich, Switzerland - Komplex 457

Oct. 20 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz

Oct. 22 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer

Oct. 23 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra Club

Oct. 25 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arena Armeets

Oct. 26 - Bucharest, Romania - Arenele Romanes Marquee

Oct. 28 - Kyiv, Ukraine - Stereoplaza

Oct. 30 - Moscow, Russia - Adrenaline Stadium

Oct. 31 - St. Petersburg, Russia - A2

Last November, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna spoke to Minneapolis. Minnesota's 93X radio station about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's new studio album. He said: "People always ask us about this gap of how come it takes GODSMACK four years to put out new music. Well, for us, it's a blink of an eye. And the reason is because we take about six months to a year to write and record a record, 'cause we go for quality most of the time, not quantity. And then it's touring on it, which lasts another 18 months to two years. And then, obviously, when coming off a big world tour like that, before we do another record, we're taking six months off or something like that, and then it's another six months to a year to write [a new album]. So four years goes by very quickly is my point. Obviously, with COVID, it even bumped it up a little bit more. So, in a nutshell, the plan is gonna be we have some shows we're gonna honor this April and May coming up from back when COVID hit and we had to cancel some — just a handful. And then we are planning to hopefully release something late '22, with the intentions of getting out there by early '23 — in the States. We may start a little sooner in Europe first, but the States, I think, '23 for a big new-look world tour kind of thing [in support of a] new album."

Erna went on to say that GODSMACK had originally planned on putting out new music in 2021 but decided against it once it became obvious that touring would be delayed further by the ongoing pandemic.

"When this [pandemic] thing happened, then we were, like, 'Okay, well, this gives us some time, 'cause I wanna set up this place and get the band ready in a new studio' and whatever," Sully explained. "Then we finished the studio and we went right to work. We were in there for two, three months or whatever, and we started grinding and pumping out music, and then we were going, like, 'Wait a minute here. Why are we in such a hurry? We're not gonna tour yet for a while.' And Tony [Rombola, guitar] was, like, 'Yeah, I wanna kind of do some projects around my house,' and Shannon [Larkin, drums] the same, and Robbie [Merrill, bass] was going through something, rebuilding his personal life. And I'm, like, 'There's no reason. We just toured for more than two decades straight, and now we're rushing to get right out there during a pandemic when we're not gonna be able to get out there?' So we just went, 'Eh. Shut it off. See you next year. Let's go enjoy our summer. Let's enjoy our families and our friends and our houses.' And we took this year off. So now we've committed to getting in there January 2nd and we're gonna work through the end of April to try to button up a record. And that's why we're looking at probably like a late summer, early fall release for a new single. And then [a full-length] record following that."

Last September, GODSMACK's latest album, "When Legends Rise", was certified gold on by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies. In addition, two more of the LP's singles (the title track and "Under Your Scars") were also officially certified gold by the RIAA. The album's first single "Bulletproof" earned a platinum digital single award in September 2020 and was previously certified gold in the U.S.

"When Legends Rise" was the seventh studio album from GODSMACK. Produced by Erik Ron and Erna, it was the band's first release in four years and was recorded at their now-former headquarters (GSHQ) in Derry, New Hampshire. The album went on to garner a multitude of career milestones for the group: four No. 1 rock tracks (an accomplishment that makes GODSMACK one of only four rock acts to achieve this), and a record 11 No. 1 singles in the band's career with the album's fourth single, "Unforgettable". "When Legends Rise" entered the Billboard Top 200 album chart in the top ten (No. 8), with four No. 1 placements on other charts: Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Music Albums, Top Independent Albums and Top Alternative Albums.

Photo credit: Paris Visone

Fan-filmed video footage of Bruce Dickinson belting out an a cappella version of the IRON MAIDEN song "Revelations" during his January 17 spoken-word show at Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida can be seen below.

Fort Lauderdale was the kick-off of Dickinson's two-month North American spoken-word tour which will run through the end of March.

Dickinson is considered one of the world's most storied musicians. Aside from decades spent delivering high-octane performances with his larger-than-life persona in IRON MAIDEN, Bruce has lived an extraordinary off-stage existence too. A true polymath, his accomplishments include: pilot and airline captain, aviation entrepreneur, beer brewer, motivational speaker, film scriptwriter, twice-published novelist and Sunday Times best-selling author, radio presenter, TV actor, sports commentator and international fencer… to name but a few.

So there's plenty to be entertained by, throughout the evening's cornucopia of fascinating tales and derring-do exploits, all delivered by Bruce with characteristically infectious enthusiasm and wry wit.

Split into two parts, the first section of the show sees Bruce taking a humorous and often satirical look at the world from his own very personal perspective, treating the audience to private insights into his drive and ambition, peppered with plenty of MAIDEN anecdotes, and a myriad of other experiences encompassing not just the giddy heights but also the extreme lows, as told first-hand in his inimitable anarchic style, punctuated with photographs, videos and sometimes even erupting into song a-capella, to illustrate a point.

The final section of the evening is devoted entirely to the aforementioned question-and-answer session, with the opportunity to pose questions on any subject whatsoever. As Bruce's answers will all be completely improvised — the more left-field and quirky the question, the more interesting and compelling the response is likely to be.

Remaining tour dates:

Jan. 20 - Tampa, FL @ Theatre

Jan. 21 - Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theatre

Jan. 23 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle

Jan. 24 - Raleigh, NC @ Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center

Jan. 26 - Nashville, TN @ Polk Theater

Jan. 27 – Columbus, OH @ Jo Ann Davidson Theatre

Jan. 29 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead

Jan. 30 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore

Feb. 01 - Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY @ Buffalo State Performing Arts Center

Feb. 02 - Albany, NY @ The Egg

Feb. 04 - New York City, NY @ The Town Hall

Feb. 05 - Boston, MA @ Schubert Theatre at the Boch Center

Feb. 07 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore

Feb. 08 – Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre

Feb. 10 - Cleveland, OH @ MGM Northfield Park

Feb. 11 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre

Feb. 13 - Minneapolis, MN @ Pantages Theatre

Feb. 14 - Milwaukee-Racine, WI @ Pabst Theater

Feb. 16 - Des Moines, IA @ Hoyt Sherman Place Theatre

Feb. 17 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Rose State College Hudiberg Chevrolet Center

Feb. 19 - Kansas City, KS @ Uptown Theater

Feb. 20 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre

Feb. 22 - Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre

Feb. 23 - Houston, TX @ Stafford Centre

Feb. 24 - Austin, TX @ Paramount Theatre

Feb. 26 - Phoenix, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center

Feb. 28 - San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre

Mar. 01 - Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre

Mar. 03 - San Francisco, CA @ Palace Of Fine Arts

Mar. 04 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Mar. 06 - Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre

Mar. 12 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues

Mar. 14 - Vancouver (New Westminster), BC @ Massey Theatre

Mar. 16 - Victoria, BC @ Royal Theatre

Mar. 18 - Edmonton, AB @ Winspear Centre

Mar. 20 - Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre

Mar. 21 - Calgary, AB @ Jack Singer Concert Hall

Mar. 23 - Montreal, QC @ MTELUS

Mar. 26 - Ottawa, ON @ Algonquin Commons Theatre

Mar. 27 - Quebec City, QC @ Palais Montcalm

Mar. 29 - Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Concert Hall

Mar. 30 - Kitchener, Centre In The Square

Dickinson recently told Pablo of the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X about his latest spoken-word tour, which kicked off in his native United Kingdom in August: "It's hopefully reasonably amusing. It's a look at how a spotty kid from the middle of nowhere ended up being the singer in IRON MAIDEN wearing crazy trousers, and all points in between. And it covers the cancer thing. It covers a lot of the early-days stuff, like how I learned to sing, all the weird stuff that happened to me at school and what formed your personality [and] character — all done with a very dark sense of humor, I hope. And then we take a break, and then the last 45 minutes, one hour-ish is basically improv. And so what I do is I take cue cards from the audience they write on the night, and I arrange them into kind of an improv script. Then I do that. That's the show."

Back in October/November 2017, Dickinson read from his autobiography, "What Does This Button Do?", talked about the experience of writing it and answered questions from the audience at half a dozen U.S. appearances, including in New York City and Los Angeles.

Six years ago, Dickinson had surgery to remove a cancerous lump on his throat. The rocker, who had a golf gall-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck, got the all-clear in May 2015 after radiation and nine weeks of chemotherapy.

Bruce previously told iNews that he wanted to cover his cancer battle in his 2017 autobiography to raise awareness of the condition, which affects people who often have no or minimal history of tobacco or alcohol abuse. The individuals with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer who undergo treatment have a disease-free survival rate of 85 to 90 percent over five years. Dickinson also expressed disdain for some of the media outlets that suggested he may have gotten tongue cancer from performing oral sex on women.

IRON MAIDEN's 17th studio album, "Senjutsu", was released in September via BMG. The band's first LP in six years was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris.

THE OFFSPRING guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman has blasted parents who believe masks are harmful to their children and claim that they reinforce an environment of stress and fear.

Earlier today (Thursday, January 20), Noodles took to his Twitter to write: "It is Covid that is killing people, not masks. If you think masks are more dangerous than Covid, then you are an idiot. If you are for #UNMASKOURCHILDREN then you are an irresponsible parent and a lousy fellow human."

Because most countries do not vaccinate children under 12, proponents of mask-wearing argue that masks protect the wearer and those around them from COVID-19.

Studies have repeatedly shown that in-school spread of COVID-19 can be contained through masking, sanitation and distancing.

Earlier this week, the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement strongly recommending that school-aged children, regardless of vaccination status, wear a well-fitting face mask while attending school.

"Face masks remain safe and reliable, and children have demonstrated their ability to wear them effectively," the statement read. "In addition to protecting a child, face mask use significantly reduces the spread of SARS-CoV2 and other respiratory infections, thus keeping schools operational and ensuring children do not miss in-person school."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its mask guidance, stating KN95s offer more protection than surgical and cloth masks and that respirators such as N95s offer the highest level of protection.

On Monday (January 17), THE OFFSPRING shared a three-minute video in which singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland, who has a Ph.D. in molecular biology and wrote his thesis on microRNA in HIV genomes, explained the science behind the band's decision to scrap its Canadian tour. Specifically, he discussed the R-naught or R0 value, which indicates the number of people an infected person can spread the disease to. A pandemic is considered to end if this value goes below 1.

Although there is no reliable estimate right now for the R-naught value for the omicron variant, figures for other variants vary, but it is estimated at roughly six for delta.

Holland's 175-page research paper, titled "Identification of Human MicroRNA-Like Sequences Embedded within the Protein-Encoding Genes of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus", had been published in PLoS One. He had received his Ph.D. from University of Southern California in 2017.

In October, THE OFFSPRING canceled its concerts in Denver and Salt Lake City after Noodles tested positive for COVID-19.

Two months earlier, longtime THE OFFSPRING drummer Pete Parada announced that was being dropped from the band's touring lineup after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons.




It is Covid that is killing people, not masks. If you think masks are more dangerous than Covid, then you are an idiot. If you are for #UNMASKOURCHILDREN then you are an irresponsible parent and a lousy fellow human.

— Gnudz fears democracy is in decline. ? (@TheGnudz) January 20, 2022

Giant, the powerhouse rock quartet, have unleashed their fifth studio album, Shifting Time. Now, anchored by founding members David Huff and Mike Brignardello, the two are joined by guitarist John Roth (Winger, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, Jimi Jamison) and vocalist Kent Hilli (Perfect Plan).


After more than a decade since their last album, the band is back with new music that showcases their perfect blend of the melodic rock sound. Founding member Dann Huff has given his seal of approval and appears on lead guitar on the song "Never Die Young".


Watch a video for "The Price Of Love" below, and order/save Shifting Time on CD/LP/Cassette/Digital here.




It has been over a decade since Giant has released new music and drummer David Huff says, "We are very excited for people to hear "Shifting Time"! It has been way too long in between Giant albums and we hope you find it worth the wait. Thanks to everyone at Frontiers and especially the fans for their undying support of Giant!! We would love to follow up with some live dates in 2022, if that is something the fans would like to see, so hopefully we'll see you out there!"


"We have worked so hard and we are very happy and proud of this record", continues Huff. "I was so impressed with Kent’s vocals when I first heard him! He was a natural fit with our sound and we are thrilled to have him on board," he adds about new vocalist Kent Hilli.


”Wow, man, what can I say? To be asked to be the new singer for my all-time favorite band Giant was, and still is, mind-blowing! I still have a hard time grasping it all. I am tempted to use a certain film quote ("You know, I'm just a regular guy who grew up with the posters of these guys on my wall...and now I'm one of them! That's right, I'm standing here, living proof that if you work hard enough, and you want it bad enough…dreams do come true, so follow your dreams.”), but I won’t, haha. But seriously, that is exactly how I feel. I still remember hearing Giant's first album, ”Last Of The Runaways”, in 1989 which totally blew me off the chair I was sitting on. Since then, I have probably listened to their music every week. And now working with David, Mike, John, and also Alessandro has been a blessing and I am very proud of the album and the music we have created together. These guys are true professionals and I am blessed beyond words to be a part of this and David, Mike, and John have been so supportive and welcoming. I am also very grateful to Frontiers for making this happen and giving me and us this opportunity and I can’t wait to release the songs for everyone to hear,” says Kent Hilli of joining Giant.


Originally formed in the late '80s by brothers Dann and David Huff, together with the experienced jazz and rock keyboardist Alan Pasqua and Nashville session bass player Mike Brignardello, Giant would become, with the release of their debut album "Last of The Runaways" (A&M Records, 1989), one of the most respected bands of the melodic hard rock scene. Following countless live performances in support of their debut, the band released the follow-up "Time to Burn" (Epic, 1991), an album still regarded as a main source of influence for many melodic and hard rock bands who came after. With the sudden change of musical climate in the early '90s, Giant disbanded with their members becoming involved in different projects, with both Dann and David Huff becoming well respected producers.


In 2001, Frontiers prompted Giant to release "III", an album that would prove to be a landmark in the growth of the new era Melodic Rock scene, particularly in Europe. Unfortunately, Dann's busy schedule along with the other members' commitments, made the reunion impossible to carry on as had originally been planned; however, the vision of bringing Giant back as a band with a recording and touring line-up was something that the band was still open to exploring, even if Dann had to step away. Thus, original members, drummer David Huff and bassist Mike Brignardello, with the blessing of Dann started an endless research for the right musicians that could be part of a renewed Giant line-up. In the end, the choice fell on vocalist Terry Brock (Strangeways, Seventh Key) and guitarist John Roth (Winger, Starship). The resulting album, “Promise Land” soon became a fan favorite, showcasing top quality songwriting and performances. Giant, however, went into hibernation again, with the exception of a one-off show in 2017, where the original band members reunited on a Nashville club stage for a charity event.


Even prior to that one-off live appearance, Serafino Perugino, President and Head of A&R for Frontiers Records, had been persistently contacting David Huff to do another Giant album. (Literally, years and years spent convincing David that fans wanted another Giant album.) With the one-off live event piquing fan interest again, Serafino and David Huff resumed talks to see if they could manage to find the right formula for a new album from Giant. When the Swedish band Perfect Plan released a cover version of the Giant’s original hit “Stay” in 2019, then all pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place. Serafino knew Giant was Kent's favorite band of all-time and vocally, Hilli certainly had the chops to fill the very big shoes of Dann Huff, so he presented him to David Huff and Mike Brignardello. They were impressed with Hilli and were keen on the idea of him handling lead vocals for the next Giant release. Kent also brought his songwriting talents to the fold and together with other songwriters such as Alessandro Del Vecchio, Kristian Fyhr, and Pete Alpenborg (and contributions from Jonas Eriksson and Mike Palace), the resulting album will be an absolute joy and delight for melodic rock lovers.


Truly, the production, songwriting, and performances shine throughout Shifting Time.


Shifting Time was produced by David Huff, Mike Brignardello and Alessandro Del Vecchio. Mixing and mastering was done by Del Vecchio for Frontiers Productions. Serafino Perugino serves as executive producer.





Tracklisting:


"Shifting Time"
"Let Our Love Win"
"Never Die Young"
"Don’t Say A Word"
"My Breath Away"
"Highway Of Love"
"It’s Not Over"
"The Price Of Love"
"Standing Tall"
"Anna Lee"
"Don’t Wanna Lose You"
"I Walk Alone"


"The Price Of Love" video:





"Never Die Young" video:





"Let Our Love Win" video:





Lineup:


Kent Hilli - Lead Vocals
John Roth - Guitar
Mike Brignardello - Bass
David Huff - Drums


Special Guest:


Alessandro Del Vecchio - Keyboards, Background Vocals

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the release of the second studio album from Shining Black, Postcards From The End Of The World, on March 18.


Shining Black is a melodic metal band featuring vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring Of Fire, Royal Hunt) and guitarist Olaf Thorsen (Labyrinth, Vision Divine). The first single and video from the album, for the title track, is out today.


Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Postcards From The End Of The World here.




Their self-titled debut (2020) showcased cutting edge melodic metal songwriting techniques from Thorsen combined with the outstanding vocal abilities of Boals. Thorsen and Boals now present Postcards From The End Of The World, their sophomore album, which again highlights the outstanding collaboration between the two musicians. This album takes up where the debut left off, comprising ten songs of modern power metal with the combination of Boals’ lung-busting vocals and Thorsen’s blistering guitar skills. Completing the lineup are Oleg Smirnoff on keyboards & piano, Nik Mazzucconi on bass, and Matt Peruzzi on drums.





Tracklisting:


"Postcards From The End Of The World"
"Higher Than The World"
"We Are Death Angels"
"Summer Solstice Under Delphi's Sky"
"Like Leaves In November"
"A Hundred Thousand Shades Of Black"
"Faded Pictures Of Me"
"Mirror Of Time"
"Fear And Loathing"
"Time Heals, They Say"


"Postcards From The End Of The World" video:





Lineup:


Mark Boals – Vocals
Olaf Thorsen – Guitars
Oleg Smirnoff – Keyboards & Piano
Nik Mazzucconi – Bass
Matt Peruzzi – Drums

On March 4, Midnight will release their fifth full-length, Let There Be Witchery, via Metal Blade Records. For a first preview of the album, the new single, "Szex Witchery", is available for streaming below.


Filthy, belligerent and obnoxious, Midnight make music to start fights to. Since 2003, one-man-band Athenar has been churning out an ungodly racket, dropping countless demos, splits and EPs - and in 2022 he returns, delivering a catchy mixture of black metal, speed metal, and dirty punk rock. "I always want it to be loud and nasty," he asserts. "That kinda thing never gets old with me. How funny will that look to see me at age 77 - if I reach that point - sitting on the porch blasting Hellhammer?"


The title is a combination of the song titles "Let There Be Sodomy" and "Szex Witchery", Athenar wanting to maintain the tradition of using six syllables. Lyrically, the record is "unfiltered savage animalisticness", and the deeper the listener delves, the dirtier they get, which is just the way it should be. When it came to tracking the record, Athenar returned to Mercenary Studios in Cleveland, OH and producer Noah Buchanan, who makes it very easy for him to cut loose and make noise, choosing to once again record all the instruments himself despite having a live band that could step in and help out. "It's still just me and my science project gone awry. I realize I'm musically handicapped, but there's a charm to it."




Mulling over the question as to why anyone should actually give a shit about Midnight, he once again comes up with a typically Athenar answer: "If I were to give actual good advice, I would say stay clear of anything to do with Midnight. But I'm not a rational thinker, so as usual, I will give terrible advice and say punish your earholes and play this album as loud as your stereo goes, go out to a gig and mingle with others that you don't know, lick their faces and rub upon each other's sweaty torsos to the hellish, neanderthalish noise of a band called Midnight! You gotta release your demons somehow! That's why you should give a shit, or two."





Formats:


- jewelcase-CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- green marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 666 copies)
- indigo marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- wine red marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 400 copies)
- violet marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- clear lavender vinyl (Metal Blade Shop exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- clear lilac vinyl (High Roller Records exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- light grey marbled vinyl (Decibel exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- coke bottle clear vinyl (US exclusive)
- purple / black blend vinyl (US exclusive)
- clear / black haze vinyl (Band exclusive - limited to 200 copies - USA | International)


Pre-order here.





Let There Be Witchery tracklisting:


"Telepathic Nightmare"
"Frothing Foulness"
"In Sinful Secrecy"
"Nocturnal Molestation"
"More Torment"
"Let There Be Sodomy"
"Devil Virgin"
"Snake Obsession"
"Villainy Wretched Villainy"
"Szex Witchery"


"Szex Witchery":





Shortly after record release, Midnight will head out on the road with Mayhem and Watain for the Sanguine Sodomy f North America" tour. See below for all dates.





Tour dates:


March
7 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom
8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
9 - Phoenix, AZ - The Nile Theater
11 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
12 - Denver, CO - The Summit Music Hall
14 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live
15 - Austin, TX - Mohawk
16 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
18 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
19 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
20 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground
22 - Montreal, QC - Club Soda                
23 - Toronto, ON - The Phoenix
25 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
26 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
27 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
29 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
30 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Roxian
31 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic


April
1 - Chicago, IL - The Vic
2 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theatre
3 - Joliet, IL - The Forge


(Photo - Hannah Verbeuren)

When the gates of the world slammed shut in 2020, German metal spearheads, Caliban, focused their energies in the studio. The results were nothing short of prolific: at first, Zeitgeister, a collection of classic Caliban songs re-done in their native German, but more importantly, a brand-new album, Dystopia.


The band have also just released their new track, “Ascent Of The Blessed”, which is available on all DSPs now. Additionally, the music video, which was directed by Daniel Prieß, can be viewed below.


Caliban vocalist Andreas Dörner states about “Ascent Of The Blessed”: “This song is inspired by my imagination of a near-death-experience and the question about my life. It’s about the question if one is a good or an evil person.”







The approach to Dystopia was instinctive and organic. The result was simply darker and heavier. A state of the world address and a sign of these locked-down times. The band members worked in relative isolation, not being able to meet up for writing sessions. Ideas were passed around via the internet. Yet, the anxiety and angst they were all feeling came through. Hence the opening line of the album title track and war-cry: “Welcome Dystopia – Come show me who you are!” Amidst the anger and sonic wreckage, there’s still a ghost of hopefulness as the band searches for identity, solidarity and ultimately rising from dystopian ashes. A long running fixture in the European metal scene, Caliban have reemerged with a furious vision for these dark days. Welcome Dystopia.





Dystopia was produced by Benjamin Richter (Moonspell, Emil Bulls) and guitarist Marc Görtz, as well as co-produced by Callan Orr (Dream On, Dreamer). The eye-catching artwork was crafted by the creative team of Season Zero, who designed the artwork for Zeitgeister.


Caliban is:


Andreas Dörner (vocals)
Marco Schaller (bass)
Denis Schmidt (guitar)
Marc Görtz (guitar)
Patrick Grün (drums)

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman, who produced TRIVIUM's "Vengeance Falls" album nearly a decade ago, was asked in a new interview with AXS TV's "Rock & Tell" if he gravitates to listening to the vocals first when he is working with an artist or if he is able to block that out and listen to something else first. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it all depends on the type of music you're approaching, number one. Obviously, if we're talking about something instrumental, then it's a moot point. But if you're talking about a vocal-driven song, and that's the way 99.9 percent of all music, is vocally driven, then I think any producer, whether it's me or anyone else, is going to start with the vocals. The musical bed has to be powerful, it has to be complex, it has to be artistic, it has to be telling a story of its own and have its own color and all those things, but at the end of the day, people remember hooks. And usually — usually — and don't get me wrong, there are certain instances where there are exceptions, but the vocal carries the hook, for the most part. In fact, so much so that I would say that most producers will tend to strip away aspects of musicality in cases to accommodate the vocal where it is so strong that things get in the way. And I think if you don't do that, then you're kind of shooting yourself in the foot."

He continued: "Don't get me wrong — it's like the focal point of the laser; if it doesn't have the rest of the machine, it doesn't work, and it's not anywhere near as powerful; it doesn't become the laser. But when you have the rest of the machine working with it, it'll burn through you."

DISTURBED performed live for the first time in nearly two years in late September as one of the headliners of the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

In March 2021, DISTURBED's "The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was officially canceled. The amphitheater tour, with very special guest STAIND and BAD WOLVES, was originally slated to take place in the summer of 2020 but was rescheduled to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was eventually scrapped altogether.

"The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was supposed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of DISTURBED's seminal album "The Sickness". On this tour, the band was expected to perform songs off the album, as well as tracks from "Evolution" and DISTURBED's extensive catalog.

In September 2020, DISTURBED released a cover version of Sting's 1993 single "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You".

STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis passed a kidney stone earlier today (Tuesday, January 18) — less than a week after having his appendix removed.

Kidney stones, which are hardened or calcified deposits of certain minerals, salts, and other materials, develop in the kidneys themselves before traveling through the ureter and into the bladder, where they are ultimately passed from the body in the urine.

Lewis shared the news of his kidney stone in an Instagram post. He wrote: "Laying here recovering from having my appendix out. On top of that, I've had a kidney stone SLOWLY snaking it's way through me for the last 4 days. After intense like-I've-never-experienced-pain, I successfully passed this kidney stone today."

Lewis was scheduled to play in Davenport, Iowa last Friday (January 14), Inman, Kansas on Saturday (January 15) and in Springfield, Missouri on Sunday (January 16) but had to pull out so that he could recover after being diagnosed with appendicitis and undergoing surgery.

Lewis, an outspoken rocker who reinvented himself as a solo country artist in the last decade, made headlines in September when he urged his fans to chant "Fuck Joe Biden" during a STAIND concert in Pennsylvania.

Widely considered to be one of the most politically conservative musicians in rock, Aaron told the Anchorage Press in a January 2020 interview that he considered the first Donald Trump impeachment by the House Of Representatives as the clearest representation of what's wrong with America these days.

Lewis was a staunch critic of President Barack Obama, telling a crowd at one of his solo concerts in 2016: "Barack Obama should have been impeached a long fucking time ago. Every fucking decision he makes is against the Constitution, it's against what's good for our fucking country, and he is truly the worst fucking president that we have ever had in the history of this fucking country."

That same year, Lewis told Billboard that he would support Trump in the U.S. presidential race, even though he was "disappointed" by the real estate mogul "with the bickering and the name-calling." Lewis added that he voted for Senator Ted Cruz, Trump's closest competitor in the Republican nomination race, in the Massachusetts primary.

Lewis's new solo album, "Frayed At Both Ends", is due on January 28.
























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A post shared by Aaron Lewis (@aaronlewismusic)

Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen's project SMITH/KOTZEN will kick off its U.S. West Coast tour on Thursday, January 20 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. 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.

In a brand new 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 West Coast tour dates:

Jan. 20 - Whisky A Go Go - West Hollywood, CA

Jan. 22 - Count's Vamp'd - Las Vegas, NV

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)

There will be local support for each show in the U.S.

For all on sales and ticketing information, go here.

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.

Fan-filmed video of Lita Ford's January 17 performance at RokIsland Fest in Key West, Florida can be seen below.

Lita recently completed recording her long-awaited new solo album. The follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" was once again helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc, alongside the rest of Ford's backing band, which continues to consist of guitarist Patrick Kennison, drummer Bobby Rock and bassist Marty O'Brien.

In January 2021, Lita told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that her new album contains "some of the best guitar playing" she has heard "in decades." She added: "And I'm not blowing smoke up my own ass, but Gary and I just nailed it with the guitar playing on this record.

"I'm a huge fan of people like Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter from Alice Cooper's 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. I mean, there's some really great duo guitar players — [JUDAS PRIEST's] Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing… Those guitar players don't exist anymore — they just don't exist. If you wanna hear them, you have to go back in time a little bit and dig them up into your favorite library, favorite music catalog. But I think Gary and I really nailed it on this next record. It's, like, oh my God. I'm crying — I'm just, like, crying listening to this stuff. It's so badass."

Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.

Six years ago, Lita released an autobiography, "Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir", via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books), an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

The 64th annual Grammy Awards, originally scheduled for late January in Los Angeles, have been rescheduled and will now be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3.

The following is a statement from Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.: "I'm so pleased to let you know that the 64th annual Grammy Awards have been rescheduled and will now be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Trevor Noah, the Emmy Award-winning host of 'The Daily Show', will return as master of ceremonies for Music's Biggest Night.

"Additional details about the dates and locations of other official Grammy Week events, including the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony, MusiCares' Person of the Year, and the Pre-Grammy Gala, will be announced soon.

"We are excited to take the Grammys to Las Vegas for the very first time, and to put on a world-class show. From the moment we announced the postponement of the original show date, we have been inundated with heartfelt messages of support and solidarity from the artist community. We are humbled by their generosity and grateful for their unwavering commitment to the Grammy Awards and the Academy's mission. We appreciate the leadership CBS and our production partners at Fulwell 73 have shown during these challenging weeks and the flexibility of everyone who worked toward this solution."

This year's Grammy nominations were announced on November 23, 2021. The nominations were announced during a livestream from the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, which featured Mason and Board Of Trustees chair Tammy Hurt, as well as some special guests.

Up for the the "Best Metal Performance" award at the 64th annual Grammy Awards are DEFTONES, DREAM THEATER, GOJIRA, MASTODON and ROB ZOMBIE.

The eligibility period for the 64th annual Grammy Awards was September 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021.

The 2022 ceremony will be the first since The Recording Academy announced that it has made significant changes to its awards process to ensure that the Grammy Awards rules and guidelines are transparent and equitable. The show no longer uses anonymous review committees to determine its nominees. Now, all nominees are based solely on thousands of votes from the Academy's voting members. They also changed the number of categories in which Academy members can vote and added two new awards.

In January 2020, former Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan filed a discrimination charge against the Recording Academy of Arts & Sciences, alleging she was being retaliated against for reporting misconduct within the Academy. In the 46-page complaint, Dugan further alleged that "the Grammy voting process is ripe with corruption," detailing secret committees the group used to "push forward artists with whom it has relationships." She said that as many as 30 artists who were not selected by the 12,000 voting members were added to the possible nomination l

Steve Vai has postponed his planned tour of North America until the fall. The first U.S. leg of dates will now begin on Wednesday, September 28 in El Cajon, California and wrap the first week of December. The itinerary will now feature performances in 52 markets as opposed to the initial plan of staging 54 shows. All ticket and VIP purchases will be honored for the rescheduled date. Vai's performance in Atlanta, Georgia will now take place at the Variety Playhouse instead of The Eastern and due to scheduling conflicts, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Billings, Montana shows will no longer be a part of the tour.

Approximately one year ago, Vai underwent shoulder surgery to repair an injury. That procedure was successful, enabling him to record the upcoming studio album release of "Inviolate" (Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group). In preparing for the tour, it became clear that a new injury emerged that requires another surgery, prohibiting the tour to be staged as previously announced.

Vai shares: "I'm gutted that we have to move this tour, but I also know it's in the best interests for us and the fans that we do."

The following appearances are confirmed:

Sep. 28 - El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia

Sep. 30 - Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center

Oct. 01 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues

Oct. 02 - Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre

Oct. 04 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Rockwell at The Complex

Oct. 05 - Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater

Oct. 07 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Tower Theatre

Oct. 08 - Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues

Oct. 09 - San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theatre

Oct. 11 - Austin, TX @ Paramount Theatre

Oct. 12 - Houston, TX @ House Of Blues

Oct. 14 - Birmingham, AL @ Lyric Theatre

Oct. 15 - Macon, GA @ Hargray Capitol Theatre

Oct. 16 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

Oct. 18 - Clearwater, FL @ Bilheimer Capitol Theatre

Oct. 19 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ The Parker

Oct. 20 - Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live

Oct. 21 - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

Oct. 22 - Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Hall

Oct. 23 - Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte

Oct. 25 - Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere

Oct. 26 - Harrisburg, PA @ [to be determined]

Oct. 27 - Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre

Oct. 28 - Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre

Oct. 29 - Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre

Oct. 30 - Huntington, NY @ The Paramount

Nov. 01 - New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall

Nov. 02 - Providence, RI @ The Strand

Nov. 03 - Boston, MA @ The Wilbur

Nov. 04 - Rochester, NY @ Kodak Center

Nov. 05 - Albany, NY @ The Egg

Nov. 07 - Greensburg, PA @ Palace Theatre

Nov. 08 - Warren, OH @ Packard Music Hall

Nov. 10 - Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre

Nov. 11 - Morgantown, WV @ Metropolitan Theatre

Nov. 12 - Nashville, TN @ CMA Theatre

Nov. 13 - Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

Nov. 14 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant

Nov. 16 - Chicago, IL @ Copernicus Center

Nov. 18 - St. Paul, MN @ Fitzgerald Theater

Nov. 19 - Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre

Nov. 20 - Kansas City, MO @ The Uptown Theater

Nov. 21 - Sioux Falls, SD @ The District

Nov. 22 - Des Moines, IA @ Hoyt Sherman Place

Nov. 23 - Fargo, ND @ Fargo Theatre

Nov. 25 - Bozeman, MT @ The ELM

Nov. 26 - Missoula, MT @ The Wilma

Nov. 27 - Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre

Nov. 28 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

Nov. 30 - Turlock, CA @ Turlock Community Theatre

Dec. 02 - Napa, CA @ Uptown Theatre Napa

Dec. 03 - Los Angeles, CA @ Theatre at Ace Hotel

Last February, Vai revealed that he had undergone shoulder and trigger finger surgeries, explaining that his shoulder had been "screwed up."

During an appearance on Tyler Larson's "Guitar Villains" podcast, Vai said that he sustained the finger injury by holding a tough chord for too long.

"I was doing this fun thing, and I had to put my thumb in this really weird position," he said. "And I had to kind of hold this chord really for a long time — I was meditating on it. And I knew it was a hard position, and I just kept sitting there and playing it and playing and playing, and 20 minutes later, I'd kind of come out, and I [felt pain in my hand]. So I kind of sprained this, and then, all of a sudden, I developed trigger finger. My wife said, 'Don't show anybody,' 'cause they did that operation and they cut in there, and the guy's fooling around with everything in there, and it's really bizarre. But it's all fine — it's something very simple that they can fix. But I won't be able to play for a while."

The U.S. government requested and was granted permission to share sealed materials from the case involving ICED EARTH guitarist Jon Schaffer's role in the U.S. Capitol riot case as discovery to the three main Oath Keepers cases.

Discovery is the legal term used to describe the different processes that require parties in a lawsuit to exchange information that each side possesses.

In their January 13 court filing related to Schaffer, government attorneys wrote: "The United States of America respectfully moves for entry by this Court of an order permitting the disclosure in discovery of materials protected by Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e). The United States also requests permission to provide in discovery in United States, Thomas Caldwell, et. al., sealed materials related to the above-captioned case, pursuant to the previously entered protective order governing discovery. Finally, the United States requests that any order granting this motion be made applicable to co-defendants who may later be joined. The United States is authorized to represent to the Court that Defendant [Schaffer] does not oppose this motion or the entry of the attached order. Wherefore, the United States respectfully requests an order authorizing the disclosure in discovery of the materials described above."

A day later, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta granted the motion to disclose materials from the Schaffer case in the case against Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of the right-wing Oath Keepers extremist group, and several of his deputies, who were charged with seditious conspiracy for their role in the U.S. Capitol Riot. That indictment, which was unsealed last week, alleges Rhodes and his co-defendants brought small arms to the Washington, D.C. area; engaged in combat training to prepare for the attack; and made plans to stage quick-reaction forces to support insurrectionists.

Last month, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. accusing 31 members of Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys — including Schaffer — of "conspiring to terrorize the District" on January 6, 2021, calling their actions "a coordinated act of domestic terrorism." According to CNN, the lawsuit cites the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, a federal law created after the Civil War to protect civil rights and, as Racine noted, "to protect against vigilantes and insurrectionists."

"I think the damages are substantial," Racine told The Washington Post. "If it so happens that it bankrupts or puts these individuals and entities in financial peril, so be it."

The 84-page complaint, which can be found at this location, describes Schaffer as "a founding, lifetime member of the Oath Keepers." It goes on to say: "Schaffer was criminally charged and indicted for his role in perpetrating the January 6th Attack. In connection with a promise to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in criminal cases related to the conspiracy to commit the January 6th Attack, Schaffer pleaded guilty to the entire Statement of Offense in the criminal action brought against him, which included two felony offenses: (1) trespass of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon and (2) obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress. The Criminal Complaint filed against Schaffer—as well as Schaffer's Plea Agreement and the accompanying Statement of Offense describing his conduct—are publicly available documents that are hereby incorporated into the Complaint by reference."

"No one bore the brunt of this gutless attack more than the courageous law enforcement officers including the men and women of the DC Metropolitan Police Department who went into the fire and violence with one objective in mind: remove the violent mob and restore our country's fragile democracy," Racine said at a news conference.

"The defendants, as you know, were not tourists, nor were they acting patriotically," he added. "They were vigilantes, members of a mob, insurrectionists who sought to crush our country's freedoms."

As part of his April 2021 plea deal, Jon entered into a cooperation agreement with the government.

Although Schaffer was initially charged with six crimes, including engaging in an act of physical violence and targeting police with bear spray, he pleaded guilty to only two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon. The first charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, while the second carries up to a 10-year prison term.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer acknowledged that on January 6, 2021 he was in Washington to attend the "Stop The Steal" rally at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. to protest the results of the presidential election, which he believed were fraudulent. Schaffer wore a tactical vest and carried bear spray, a dangerous weapon and chemical irritant used to ward off bears. When the rally finished, Schaffer joined a large crowd that marched from the Ellipse to the Capitol, where a joint session of Congress, presided over by Vice President Michael Pence, was in session to certify the electoral college vote results. Shortly after 2:00 p.m., members of the mob forced entry into the Capitol building, disrupting the joint session and causing members of Congress and the Vice President to be evacuated from the House and Senate chambers.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer admitted that after arriving on Capitol grounds, he walked past barriers intended to restrict access to the public and to a set of locked doors on the Capitol's west side. At approximately 2:40 p.m., Schaffer positioned himself at the front of a crowd that broke open a set of doors being guarded by four U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers wearing riot gear. Schaffer admitted to being among the first individuals to push past the damaged doors and into the Capitol building, forcing officers to retreat. Schaffer and others advanced toward five or six backpedaling USCP officers while members of the mob swelled inside of the Capitol and overwhelmed the officers. The officers ultimately deployed a chemical irritant to disperse the mob. Schaffer was among the people who were sprayed in the face, after which he exited while holding his own bear spray in his hands.

As part of the plea deal, Schaffer agreed to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in related criminal cases, according to CNN. In return for Schaffer's assistance, the Justice Department might later urge the judge to show leniency during his sentencing.

Also as part of the agreement, the Justice Department has offered to sponsor Schaffer for the witness protection program.

The 53-year-old musician was the first Capitol riot defendant to reach a plea deal.

The Indiana chapter of the Oath Keepers distanced itself from Schaffer after his arrest, claiming he was not a member of the local group. But the national organization, which sells lifetime memberships for $1,200, has not commented on his alleged affiliation with the group.

At a November 2020 Donald Trump rally in Washington, D.C., Schaffer was videotaped walking behind a Florida couple, Kelly Meggs and Connie Meggs, who were accused of being among 10 members of the Oath Keepers to have played a leading role in the Capitol assault. According to federal authorities, Kelly and Connie Meggs plotted for weeks ahead of the attack, attended training sessions and recruited others. Kelly Meggs is the head of the Oath Keepers' chapter in Florida.

Following the initial reports that Schaffer was involved in the riot, his ICED EARTH bandmates distanced themselves from his actions. Singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton later posted separate statements on social media announcing their resignations. BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch also quit DEMONS & WIZARDS, his long-running project with Schaffer. The allegations also apparently affected Schaffer's relationship with his longtime record label Century Media, which had released albums from both ICED EARTH and DEMONS & WIZARDS. As of mid-January, the Century Media artist roster page did not list either band.

Fan-filmed video of SKID ROW's January 15 performance at RokIsland Fest in Key West, Florida can be seen below.

As previously reported, SKID ROW has replaced QUEENSRŸCHE as the support act on the rescheduled dates for SCORPIONS' "Sin City Nights" Las Vegas residency. The run of shows, which was originally slated to take place in July 2020 and was later pushed back to May 2021, will now happen in March-April, 2022 at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

SKID ROW is continuing work on its long-awaited new album for a tentative early 2022 release. The band is recording its new album in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

SKID ROW's new LP will mark its first release with South African-born, British-based vocalist ZP Theart (DRAGONFORCE, TANK, I AM I), who joined the band in 2016 following the departure of Tony Harnell (TNT, STARBREAKER).

Unlike 2014's "Rise Of The Damnation Army - United World Rebellion: Chapter Two" and 2013's "United World Rebellion: Chapter One", SKID ROW's forthcoming release will be a full-length record.

SKID ROW's new LP will be released via earMUSIC, the recorded music label of German entertainment group Edel AG which boasts a roster of global artists including DEEP PURPLE, Alice Cooper, BABYMETAL, THUNDER, STATUS QUO and many more.

SKID ROW previously collaborated with several outside songwriters on its new material, including Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR) and Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of HALESTORM, a group that covered the title track of "Slave To The Grind" on its "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP" in 2011. SKID ROW also worked with songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow.

Last August, SKID ROW celebrated the 30th anniversary of its classic second album, "Slave To The Grind", by performing it in its entirety at The Amphitheater at Rolling Hills Casino And Resort in Corning, California.

Spikerot Records is stoked to announce the reissue of this timeless classic of Avantgarde Metal. 20 years after its recordings, Solefald's fourth album, In Harmonia Universali, will be finally available on vinyl for the first time ever.


Solefald are a wilful and truly unapologetical one-of-a-kind band, defying all known genre definitions with each release. In Harmonia Universaliis one of their most complex works to date, layered and eclectic, it stems from the band’s obsession with Progressive Rock, making its way through art, history and philosophy with lyrics touching five different languages. An unheard-of blend of extreme metal with bombastic passages, Gothic mystique, acoustic interludes, and the fearless use of instruments like saxophone, hammond and piano, make this album a crucial step in the band’s career.


Lazare: "In Harmonia Universali is one of the most ambitious albums we have created together. And more than anything it’s a statement of what happens when ambition meets possibility. The world has changed since its release, but In Harmonia… still rises above convention and keeps on being itself."




This long awaited release comes on double vinyl in two different color variants, housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve with exclusive and extensive liner notes by Cornelius and Lazare, and including a 4-panel insert with lyrics.


Pre-order the album here. Release date is April 8th, 2022.





Tracklist:


"Nutrisco et Extinguo"
"Mont Blanc Providence Crow"
"Christiania (Edvard Munch Commemoration)"
"Epictetus & Irreversibility"
"Dionysify This Night of Spring"
"Red Music Diabolos"
"Buy My Sperm"
"Fraternité de la grande lumière"
"The Liberation of Destiny"
"Sonnenuntergang im Weltraum"

Korpiklaani violinist, composer and ethnomusicologist Tuomas Rounakari has finished recording his next solo album, Bear Awakener. he has issued a brief studio recap:


"January 13th. The midpoint of hybernation and winter. A perfect day to finish recording the Bear Awakener album. Most grateful for everything! Working at Verde Studio with Mika Rintala, a legend in audio engineering, was exactly what I was looking after: effortless, fun, inspiring and explorative.


We lost a day from the schedule as the raw-gut violin strings arrived in the very last minute. These strings took the violin modifications to a next level and the sound was a perfect match with the custom equipment by Verde Audio."




The planned release date of Bear Awakener is on March 13th. According to an ancient Finnish bear calendar, this date marked the end of winter hibernation and awakening of the bears. 





Back in December 2021, Rounakari shared two videos. The first episode tells about the first explorers in Siberia from the 17th century onwards and what made the Finnish explorers different from others. The second episode gives an example of archive studies and what makes the archived materials inspiring. In the middle of it all we learn about bear- related myths and ceremonies of the indigenous Khanty and Mansi people as well as the pre-christian Finns.


Episode 1





Episode 2





Pre-Order the Bear Awakener album here.


Korpiklaani released their 11th studio album, Jylhä, back in February 2021. The album was hailed by critics and fans alike as the most elaborate and mature Korpiklaani album to date. While this might be true, it doesn't mean the band forgot how to party: during the Jylhä sessions they took the classic Anthrax banger "Got The Time" (a song originally released in 1978 by British musician Joe Jackson) and converted it into a typical Korpiklaani tune called "Ennen" ("Before"). But that's not all - they've filmed a wild and very entertaining video, shot by Markku Kirves and again starring actor Yrjänä Ermala, which is being released along with the cover song.


“This was the first time a video producer encouraged us to drink while on a video shoot and we were very happy to do as directed!” - Jonne (Korpiklaani)


Says video director Markku Kirves: "Our old man wakes up and feels dizzy after last nights party. Suddenly, a knock on the door. Memory is weak and because he sees only blurry figures walking around the house, he decides to hide. But is there anything to drink…"


Watch the video below, and stream the song here.








Jylhä tracklisting:


"Verikoira"
"Niemi"
"Leväluhta"
"Mylly"
"Tuuleton"
"Sanaton Maa"
"Kiuru"
"Miero"
"Pohja"
"Huolettomat"
"Anolan Aukeat"
"Pidot"
"Juuret"


"Tuuleton" video:





"Niemi" video:





"Mylly" video:





"Leväluhta" video:

With two well-received singles out already, Circa Arcana are putting out a lyric video for “The Tower” off their upcoming EP entitled Bridget Vīgintī. The five tracks on the record take inspiration from the occult and tarot, exemplified in the track names. The “arena metal” track “The Tower” is no exception, and tells one hell of a story as you listen closely to its lyrics. Guitarist Johny Serna explains it in further detail:


“The song ties in clean ambient hooks with a melodic chorus, a plethora of synth and string production and finishes with a death punch of a breakdown. It really shows off the multitude of influences based within our music and captures a little of everything for the listener to enjoy! The song started off with the opening lead. Originally all I had written was probably the first 30 seconds to the track and after I showed the rest of the guys we quickly figured out a pattern for it and knocked it out. Frankie actually came up with that breakdown for it, still one of my favorites. The entire song is a headbanger from start to finish. Personally, my favorite thing about this song is when we play it live people can easily catch on to the chorus and sing along.”


Over the course of Circa Arcana's forthcoming EP Bridget Vīgintī, there is a bit of everything, from groovy melodic parts to catchy choruses and hard-hitting breakdowns, definitely something for everyone. Circa Arcana works well together, having had a similar musical vision from the start and quickly getting used to writing and doing things online because of the Covid pandemic. They look to keep their breakdowns heavy and aggressive and contrast that with catchy clean vocals that are easy to pick up and sing along to.




Being five seasoned musicians, Circa Arcana are dedicated to putting on a tight and engaging live show and have already been getting out on stages. They always try to up the ante and throw in different things for each show so no other is like the next.


A little bit melodic to offset the heavy, Circa Arcana is recommended for fans of Blessthefall, Wage War and Like Moths To Flames.


The EP Bridget Viginti will be available on all digital platforms on February 18, 2022.





Tracklisting:


“Ten Of Swords”
“The Tower”
“The Chariot”
“Luna”
“Esoteric”


“The Tower” lyric video:





(Photo – Bryan Castro)

The debut of the Italian esoteric/Mediterranean metal project Dramanduhr has finally come with "Ixaltirud", the first single of a long series leading up to the release of Dramanduhr's debut full-length.





"Ixaltirud" is the first emanation of the project: a song with an esoteric and Mediterranean sound, sung in a glossolalia-driven evocative language. A remarkable fresh style, hardly definable within the main metal genres but unusual, transcendental and avant-garde.

Austrian heavy metallers Venator have revealed the new track "Manic Man." The track is the second to be revealed from the band's debut album, Echoes From The Gutter, set for international release on February 25 via Dying Victims Productions. 


Despite forming in 2016, it was not until 2020 when Venator made their recorded debut with the EP Paradiser. Nevertheless, the three songs contained therein were an incredibly auspicious first start, showing Venator as a band seemingly thawed out from 1983, so authentic and skyward was their songwriting. Wrapped in a uniquely retro-futuristic production, Paradiser pointed the way forward for Venator, and the buzz began to build.


Graced with yet another amazingly era-authentic artwork courtesy of frontman Hans Huemer, Echoes From The Gutter takes the melody and moodiness of its no-less-inconsiderable predecessor to uncharted heights (and depths!) of glory, both grimy and gleaming. Right from the record’s very first seconds, Venator burst and bristle with an electricity that’s positively, stunningly addicting; anthem after anthem is doled out with almost laissez-faireease, each hook hoisted heavenly and then brought back down to – yes – the gutter. It’s the kind of album that walks that fine line between street-level and upwardly-mobile, much like heavy metal’s forerunning bands of the early 1980s, when the landscape of conquest from club to stadium was still a special dream. 




Anyone pining for the 1983/’84 peak of the likes of Tokyo Blade, Grim Reaper, OZ, Witch Cross, Heavy Load, and even Judas Priest but adding to that hallowed lineage rather than plagiarizing it, you’ve found your new modern classic in Venator’s Echoes From The Gutter.





Tracklisting:


“Howl At The Rain”
“Seventh Seal”
“Red And Black”
“Nightrider”
“Manic Man”
“Made Of Light”
“The Rising”
“The Hexx”
“Streets Of Gold”


“Manic Man”:

Prog ensemble Vast Conduit, featuring keyboardist/vocalist Bill Jenkins, best known for his work with Enchant and Thought Chamber, will be releasing their debut album, Always Be Therem on February 16.


This album is dedicated to the notion of doing whatever we can to build and cherish all parent/child relationships, regardless of circumstance. There are so many different ways these can suffer – death, divorce, illness, self-centeredness, etc. – yet they are so vital to our happiness and well-being. Every moment we have to support each other and make each other's lives better is precious.


Says Bill, “The songs ‘Always Be There’ and also ‘Early Eclipse’ convey the main message of the album. The release date is the 40th anniversary of my father’s passing, which set in motion a path through life and philosophy described by the songs on the album. I had the basic song ideas in place for almost all of these songs sitting around for years and it was simply time to finally make it all happen.”




The Fates conspired and a fortuitous set of circumstances created a vast conduit, galvanizing what might have otherwise been a run-of-the-mill progressive rock project with an abundance of musical talent and prowess. Keyboardist Bill Jenkins (Enchant, Thought Chamber), musing over some material near to heart, enlisted the talents of these amazing musicians to bring that material to light: Adding everything from scorching leads to subtle emoting is virtuosic guitarist Michael Harris (Arch Rival, Thought Chamber, Darkology, Michael Harris Tranz-Fusion). Laying the foundation with solid grooves and making odd time signatures seem effortless and feel natural is drummer Will Jenkins (Ghost and the City, Great Wall). The venerable Jeff Plant solidifies that foundation with electric and fretless bass (also from Thought Chamber and whose pedigree otherwise is too long to list here and whose amazing bass playing simply speaks for itself). Adding just the right amount of smoke and fire off his rosined bow is violinist Jim Hurley (who has performed with the likes of Ritchie Blackmore, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Ancient Future, and Queen Ida’s Grammy-winning Bon Temps Zydeco Band, among many others). Rounding out the list are the satiny vocals of Friel (a truly rare gem of vocal talent to have somehow, somewhere, out of the blue, been found for this project).


With the players in place, a cross-country recording project began, finishing with Vast Conduit’s initial studio album release Always Be There - a centrally themed album that explores several musical genres. Although progressive rock in nature, when pressed for a singular genre, Michael jokingly suggested “smooth prog.” After the requisite laughter, the recognition of how apropos of a description it was settled in, and laughter shifted to nods of approval as it was fully embraced by the band.


The album started as just an EP project, and recording of 3 of the songs with demo vocals started several years ago. Then covid happened and opened up the opportunity and availability to expand it to a full album.


Along with the core ensemble, the album features some guest artists. Having known the California Guitar Trio guys for some time, and loving their sound, Bill had always hoped to get them involved in a song. Bert Lams agreed to add his acoustic guitar to “Early Eclipse,” and helped in adjusting the arrangement to work even better with the addition of his parts.


Bill’s brother Tom Abraira plays the lead on trumpet on the track “Philly Etymology.” There were two spots for a female voice on this album. Says Bill, “I heard Manon’s singing in High Hopes Acapella, and invited her to sing the female part in ‘Barrier.’ Having worked with Betsy Walter previously, I already had an earlier demo of ‘Early Eclipse’ with her voice in it and used her part from under the solo in that song and it fit perfectly.”


Finally, there was an old recording of the instrumental idea that became “Wesley Save Us” that had Jessica Jenkins’ voice when they were a toddler. “With Jess’s voice being my association with that song for so many years, and given the theme of the album, working a few of those samples in just had to happen.”


Work has already begun on writing for the next album. After the release, the band will look into opportunities for live performances. In closing Bill has this to say, “If our listeners enjoy the music even half as much as we enjoyed creating it, that would be amazing!”


Watch the trailer for Vast Conduit’s Always Be There below. Order at Bandcamp or the Vast Conduit website.





Tracklisting:


"Barrier" (with lyrics)
"Soul Tuck" (instrumental)
"Always Be There" (with lyrics)
"Endless Days"(with lyrics)
"Too Busy" (instrumental)
"Odessa" (with lyrics)
"500 Miles" (with lyrics)
"Philly Etymology" (instrumental)
"Early Eclipse" (with lyrics)
"Of A Feather" (instrumental)
"Wesley Save Us" (with lyrics)


Trailer:





Band members:


Friel: Vocals
Bill Jenkins: Keys, backing vocals
Will Jenkins: Drums
Michael Harris: Guitars
Jeff Plant: Bass
Jim Hurley: Violin


Guest artists:


Tom Abraira - Trumpet on “Philly Etymology”
Bert Lams - Acoustic Guitar on “Early Eclipse”
Manon Roem -Vocals on “Barrier”  
Betsy Walter - Vocals on “Early Eclipse”