To celebrate the new Ghost album Impera, KnuckleBonz has launched the Ghost Cardinal Copia Red Tuxedo (Variant) Rock Iconz collectible statue. Available for pre-order now, this is a highly limited edition; only 333 are made!


Estimated shipping date: late Spring / Summer 2022.







Each piece is hand-crafted. All Rock Iconz statues are officially licensed, limited edition collectibles. This is a fine-arts process where each statue is hand-cast, painted and numbered. These statues are created in 1/9 scale. Each statue comes with a certificate of authenticity on the base of the statue.


Product Dimensions:
9″ (h) x 7″ (w) x 7″ (d)





A video preview can be seen below:





 

California metallers SUICIDE SILENCE have come full circle and returned to their original label home, Century Media Records.

With nearly two decades of non-stop touring around the globe, hundreds of thousands of records sold and cementing themselves as a lynchpin band in modern extreme metal, the Riverside quintet has rejoined the label that released the highly acclaimed albums "The Cleansing" (2007), "No Time To Bleed" (2009) and "The Black Crown" (2011).

SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza states: "I can't believe how far we've all come since the band began 20 years ago. Today we're back where it all started — writing music together in the same room where the first three albums were created. We're incredibly excited to be working with Century Media Records once again as we enter the next chapter of our career."

Mike Gitter, Century Media vice president of A&R, adds: "SUICIDE SILENCE has long been an important band in heavy music, not only being the band that really put 'deathcore' on the map but a band that has continued to redefine themselves and beat the odds at every turn. The new music I've heard from them has all the intensity and earmarks of their past while continuing to push into the proverbial red."

"It feels great to welcome SUICIDE SILENCE, undeniably the most influential deathcore band ever, back to Century Media Records," says Philipp Schulte, Century Media vice president and global head. "Working with them again feels like reuniting what was never meant to be divided. We're happy being the band's supporting label home again. No pity for the cowards!"

SUICIDE SILENCE is currently working on material for the follow-up to 2020's "Become The Hunter" album, which was released via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. It will be the band's fourth LP with vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida (ex-ALL SHALL PERISH), who joined SUICIDE SILENCE following the passing of frontman Mitch Lucker. The band recently finished an extensive U.S. tour with JINJER and has just announced a co-headlining run on the U.S. 2022 "Chaos & Carnage" tour with CARNIFEX, labelmates LORNA SHORE, UPON A BURNING BODY, ANGELMAKER and DISTANT, beginning May 15 and running until June 4.

Photo by Lina Glasir

Kid Rock will join forces with FOREIGNER and GRAND FUNK RAILROAD for a U.S. tour this spring summer. JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING will appear on select dates, with a special appearance by Trey Lewis at all shows.

The 24-city "Bad Reputation Tour" will kick off on April 6 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, making stops across the U.S. in Nashville, Boston, Chicago, and more before wrapping up with two shows in Detroit where Kid Rock holds records for most shows in a single season and highest ticket sales in the state of Michigan.

FOREIGNER's Mick Jones said: "We are so looking forward to touring again with our good friend Kid Rock. Our 2015 tour across the U.S. introduced FOREIGNER to a whole new audience and I will never forget the wonderful times we had with him on his ten-show sold-out run in Detroit. I remember so well standing side stage watching some of his electrifying performances. I wrote 'Dirty White Boy' as a tribute to Elvis [Presley], but it also serves as a tribute to Kid Rock. I look forward to dedicating that song to him every night during the tour."

"Bad Reputation Tour" dates:

Apr. 06 - Evansville, IN - Ford Center^

Apr. 08 - Omaha, NE - CHI Health Center^

Apr. 09 - Saint Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center^

Apr. 15 - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena^

Apr. 16 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena^

May 20 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center#

May 21 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena#

Jun. 10 - West Palm Beach, FL - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre^

Jun. 11 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre^

Jun. 15 - Atlanta, GA - Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood^

Jun. 17 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion^

Jun. 18 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek^

Jun. 24 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion*

Jun. 25 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion*

Aug. 05 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center*

Aug. 06 - Burgettstown, PA - Pavilion at Star Lake*

Aug. 12 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center*

Aug. 17 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center*

Aug. 19 - Tinley Park, IL - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre*

Aug. 20 - St. Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre*

Aug. 24 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center*

Aug. 26 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live*

Aug. 27 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center*

Sep. 16 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre*

Sep. 17 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre*

* With FOREIGNER

^ With GRAND FUNK RAILROAD

# With JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING

All dates feature special appearance by Trey Lewis

Tickets go on sale on Friday, January 28 at 10 a.m. ET at Ticketmaster.com.

Kid Rock is a multi-platinum award-winning American rock 'n' roll icon. His music has been characterized as a melting pot of musical genres; from rap-rock in the '90s with singles "Bawitdaba" and "Cowboy" to the multi-chart hit "Picture", a collaboration with Sheryl Crow, to the global smash hit "All Summer Long", which charted at No. 1 in eight countries across Europe and Australia. Rock has sold almost 30 million records worldwide and has earned a reputation as one of the hardest-working acts in rock 'n' roll, blowing the roofs off arenas and stadiums on countless cross-country tours and treks around the globe. Kid Rock holds the Michigan record for most tickets sold with 150,000 for a run of ten consecutive sold-out shows, and set the Little Caesars Arena attendance record in his hometown of Detroit with 86,893 attendees in six sold-out shows. His newest album, "Bad Reputation", will be released in conjunction with his 2022 tour. Kid Rock is also a passionate supporter of those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to many other charitable causes.

In a new interview with The Underground Australia, Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) spoke what it has been like to return to the road during the pandemic. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We just gone done doing… We did 44 shows in 50 days right before… I guess in October and November. And it was great. Nobody got sick. The shows were great. We went out with our good friends in PRONG and OBITUARY. And we had a great time.

"The schedule is probably about five months from now we're going out to Europe and then come back to America," he continued. "And then hopefully be able to come down and see you guys in Australia and New Zealand, and then go to Asia and Russia — everywhere. Just tour for the next two years or so on the new album. And then we'll see where the Boss is at, with Ozzy, see how he's feeling. If he's ready to fire up the machine again, then we'll go out with the Boss as well. That's what the schedule is right now. So hopefully it'll happen."

Wylde also touched upon how he dealt with being in quarantine during the coronavirus lockdown. He said: "For me… 'Cause people were, like, 'Oh, you're not touring,' and this and that. I'm usually doing two hundred-plus shows or close to 300 shows a year. So for the time that we were home, I cherished every moment I had with my family, the dogs — just, like, walking them every day.

"I told my wife, I said, 'If you've never had a chance to sleep and have insane sex with a professional dog walker, now's your chance.' [Laughs]

"But, yeah, I love being on the road every night," Zakk added. "I thank the good Lord for being able to do what I love and everything like that. So I've never been one that, when I'm on the road, to go, 'Man, I wanna go home. I can't stand it.' I've never done that ever. That's what you put all the practice in; that's what you dream about doing. That's the reason why you have posters of Jimmy Page and all your heroes up on the wall. I still do. That's the reason why you're doing it. But when I'm home, I love being home. So for me, during the lockdown, it gave me more time to just roll with my family."

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY 11th studio album, "Doom Crew Inc.", was released in November via MNRK Heavy (formerly eOne Music).

"Doom Crew Inc." was made available digitally on CD and vinyl plus a deluxe edition that includes vinyl, CD longbox, cassette and more. The 12-track album is both a tribute to the band's "first to bleed, last to leave" road crew and a salute to the legion whose support, stretching back to 1998, rivals that of the KISS Army.

The songs are odes to celebration and mourning, the soundtracks to jubilant evenings and bewildering days recorded in Wylde's home studio, the Black Vatican. On this album, Zakk trades solos and twin-guitar parts with Dario Lorina, backed by the rumble of longtime bassist John "J.D." DeServio and powerhouse drummer Jeff Fabb.

TESTAMENT, EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL played the sole 2021 date of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" last November 27 at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. The gig took place less than two months after the three bands shared the stage at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento.

"The Bay Strikes Back Tour" was originally scheduled to kick off on October 6, 2021 at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California and make stops in Austin, New York, and Detroit before concluding in Oakland. The tour has since been rescheduled to take place in April and May 2022.

Earlier today, EXODUS singer Steve "Zetro" Souza uploaded the latest episode of his "Zetro's Toxic Vault" YouTube series in which he assured fans that "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" will in fact take place this spring. "We will continue the tour again with DEATH ANGEL and [TESTAMENT]," he said. "[Starting in] San Luis Obispo [on] April 9th, we will be continuing. I believe it's five and a half weeks. Again, DEATH ANGEL, EXODUS and TESTAMENT coming to your town. We are going. This is happening.

"I know there's tons of tours that are canceling," he continued. "When we postponed this tour from last October [and] November, I actually spoke with Chuck [Billy, TESTAMENT singer] and I said directly, 'We can [postpone the tour] now, but we cannot come up in April and cancel the tour. We have to do this. And we are."

Souza also reflected on the Oakland concert, saying it "was really basically the first 'Bay Area Strikes Back' show in the United States. It wasn't supposed to be — it was supposed to be the last one — but it ended up being the very first one.

"We finally got to play two new songs [during our set]," he continued. "We opened with 'The Beatings [Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)]' and went into 'Clickbait', but there will be more of that on there. DEATH ANGEL had an amazing set that night. In fact, I was telling Will [Carroll, DEATH ANGEL drummer] earlier today they sounded so great. And, of course, TESTAMENT."

Regarding what makes "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" so special, Zetro said: "The bands get along so well. Obviously, Chuck and my history… My history with LEGACY and TESTAMENT forever, and then obviously EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL, and LEGACY and DEATH ANGEL, and TESTAMENT and DEATH ANGEL, and then Will and [my AC/DC tribute band] AC/DZ. And so we're all kind of incestually fucking connected to each other. And it makes it fun. It makes it for the reason why I wanted to do this in the first place when I was a kid. I'm an old man now and I'm still fucking doing it and digging it even more."

"The Bay Strikes Back Tour" dates:

Apr. 09 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theater

Apr. 10 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues

Apr. 12 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues

Apr. 13 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues

Apr. 15 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre

Apr. 16 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater

Apr. 19 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom

Apr. 20 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

Apr. 21 - Austin, TX - Emo's

Apr. 22 - Dallas, TX - Amplified Live

Apr. 23 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues

Apr. 25 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live (new date)

Apr. 26 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade

Apr. 27 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz

Apr. 28 - Chattanooga, TN - The Signal (new date)

Apr. 30 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom

May 01 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage

May 02 - Boston, MA - House of Blues

May 03 - Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts

May 05 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount

May 06 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom

May 07 - Cincinnati, OH - Madison Theater

May 09 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE

May 10 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora

May 11 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall

May 12 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic Theatre

May 14 - Joliet, IL - The Forge

May 15 - Joliet, IL - The Forge

May 17 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theatre

May 19 - Denver, CO - Summit

May 20 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot

May 22 - Seattle, WA - Showbox (new date)

May 23 - Portland, OR - Roseland (new date)

May 25 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades (new date)

Last October, Billy and Souza released a 40-minute video in which they went in depth about the two bands' decision to postpone the North American leg of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" to 2022. Speaking about the thought process behind pushing back the tour, Chuck said: "I called Zet and I called Will and Ted [Aguilar, guitar] from DEATH ANGEL and just wanted to hear what everybody's thoughts were. And the most important thing, I think, came back as that when we did the European leg [in February/March 2020], we all had such a great time. It was the first time where you go out and there's not a band that you met that you've gotta get to know and hang out with. Where we came into it as, like, 'Hey, buddy.' We're all pals flying out together. It didn't feel like starting a tour. And at the end of it, we all had a good time. No attitudes, no problems.

"We said, 'This has gotta go to America. This has to go everywhere,'" he continued. "We were saying that. The most key thing was, you know what? Remember how much fun we had? I was talking to Tom [Hunting, EXODUS drummer] about it and Gary [Holt, EXODUS guitarist]. We had a great time. Do we wanna do America and not have fun, not enjoy ourselves?

"'Cause I did talk to other [bands who were recently] on tour, and the consensus was it wasn't fun. And we were, like, do we wanna go do that? We wanna have fun. I think we're bands that like to go out and talk to the fans. We don't hide and run from fans."

Added Zetro: "Then there's the whole cost factor. Buses cost money. Crew cost money. We're not rich rock stars. We live off the business, and we're very fortunate to do so, but we still have to look at it from that angle. And if we go out for three weeks, and we've printed all this merchandise with the dates on the back, and Chuck gets sick. Are you gonna get a new singer for TESTAMENT? You can't do that. You can't replace it. So the tour's now over with. 'Cause DEATH ANGEL and EXODUS are not gonna go, 'Well, TESTAMENT's dropping off. We're just gonna continue.' That's not the package. That's not how it works. Gary gets sick. Over with. Zetro gets sick. Over with. Tom, who's just coming back from his whole ordeal with cancer. Tom gets sick — done, over, tour over.

"And, again, we're talking to our friends on other tours. We're getting the feedback from the crews. And they're telling us what's going on and what a nightmare it is. 'And yes, we're there working, but we're isolated on the bus.'

"I've always said, as soon as it's not fun anymore, I don't wanna fucking do it anymore," Zetro said. "So if we're gonna go out there for five weeks, and you're gonna basically put me in a rolling prison, I can't do that. On days off, we have to be accountable for. I like going to the movies or going to games and stuff on days off. I can't do that, 'cause if I go out and I get exposed and I expose everybody, it's just the way… We have to tour in a bubble, basically."

Continued Chuck: "We really took our time thinking about, 'Do we wanna go and do this?' And I think at the end of the day, after all this talk, it just came down to, 'Let's go out and do this right. Let's go out and have some fun. Let's go out and do it for the fans that got to hang out that we've been doing this for for all this time.' And it just made more sense [to postpone it].

"So many restrictions in venues in different cities are different. You've either gotta have the shot or show proof… So, as time goes by, I think it's all gonna open up better.

"First of all, we've seen the world change. 'Okay, there's daylight. Things are getting normal.' And then the delta variant hits," Chuck added. "We're, like, 'Oh, here we go again.' Things are changing — shutdown, restrictions are coming back. We thought we booked this tour knowing by the time October comes around, it's gonna be free and clear. And it changed on us. So that was the sucky part for us."

According to RUSH fan blog Rush Is A Band, RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson has shared a new video update for his AlexLifeson.com newsletter subscribers. In the 12-minute video, the 68-year-old musician rambles on about a number of random subjects, including his ENVY OF NONE project, his new amp, his cat, getting vaccinated and other stuff.

Regarding his stance on getting the COVID-19 shot, Lifeson said in part: "Get vaccinated… Being vaccinated is a really good thing, and if you're not, you're not really doing a good thing at all."

ENVY OF NONE, in which Alex is joined by Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH), Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, will release its self-titled debut album on April 8 via Kscope.

RUSH drummer Neil Peart died in January 2020 in Santa Monica, California after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH's final show took place at the Forum in Los Angeles on August 1, 2015. Peart indicated at the time that he wanted to retire while he was still able to play well, along with a desire to spend more time at home with his young daughter.

Lifeson and bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee have repeatedly said that RUSH will never do a show unless all three musicians agree to take part. They haven't performed as RUSH without Peart since he joined the band in 1974.

Left To Die is a new band featuring classic Death members Terry Butler (Obituary) and Rick Rozz (ex-Massacre), paired with Gruesome founders Matt Harvey (Exhumed) and Gus Rios (ex-Malevolent Creation). The Florida-based band is currently writing an EP and planning a summer US tour, performing the classic Leprosy album in its entirety, along with cuts from Scream Bloody Gore.


Terry Butler had this to say about how the band came together: “After the recent Chuck Tribute shows that Matt, Gus, and myself did, Rick posed the question, "Would anyone would want to see some Leprosy shows?" With a resounding “yes!” the masses had spoken. Matt & Gus threw their hats in immediately and in my opinion they were the only real choice to bring this thing to life!! Left To Die coming your way soon!!”


Rick Rozz added: “It’s going to be an absolute honor and pleasure to play these 34+ year-old songs on stage with Terry after all these years, along with the talents of Matt and Gus - it’s gonna be brutal!”




Matt Harvey and Gus Rios were both very excited about the project coming together. Harvey reflected, “When Gus and I started Gruesome as a Death tribute, we never thought that it would lead to us playing some of our favorite songs alongside the guys that recorded them, but here we are - and I couldn’t be more stoked!”


Gus went even further to say, “When Rick contacted me about his idea I was immediately on board, since Leprosy is not only my favorite Death album, but my favorite Death Metal album of all time! I’m very grateful and stoked that Terry and Matt were also on board - the metal will flow this summer!”

MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil played his second concert of 2022 this past Saturday night (January 15) at Lawrenceburg Event Center in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

The Lawrenceburg show marked Neil's third live appearance since he reportedly broke his ribs while performing with his solo band at the Monsters On The Mountain festival at LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on October 15. Fan-filmed video of that gig showed the 60-year-old rocker walking to the front of the stage with his guitar strapped around him. He encouraged the crowd to clap along while playing the 1989 MÖTLEY CRÜE hit "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" when he suddenly fell and dropped out of the camera's view almost instantly. TMZ later reported that there was a small gap between the speaker and the stage that Neil didn't notice. His roadie and a security guy helped him get to his feet, and Vince "limped away."

Last May, Neil made headlines when he struggled to complete his solo concert at the Boone Iowa River Valley Festival in Boone. Based on fan-filmed video footage of the gig posted on YouTube, the rocker, who hadn't performed in more than a year and a half due to the COVID-19 pandemic, began losing his voice several songs into his set, which consisted exclusively of CRÜE classics and cover songs previously recorded by the band.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In December 2019, CRÜE manager Allen Kovac told Fox Business that "some of" the bandmembers had enlisted outside help to get in shape for the trek. Kovac was referring to criticism of Neil for his supposed diminished singing ability and weight gain, as well as the health status of guitarist Mick Mars, who has been dealing with a chronic form of arthritis that led him to undergo a hip replacement.

Kovac explained: "Some of them are working with a trainer, some of them are working with a nutritionist to make themselves the best they can be. The greatest insecurity for an artist is: Is anyone going to care about my music? Is anyone going to buy a ticket? We were in November [2019] when the discussions were happening, and these guys were already into regimens of how they get ready for a tour."

Speaking specifically about Neil, Kovac added: "Let's see what Vince sings like and looks like when the tour goes out."

CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx also said that Vince was "killing it" while working with "trainers" and "nutritionists" in preparation for "The Stadium Tour".

Outspoken rocker Ted Nugent has praised "dirtbag" Bruce Springsteen for always hiring the best musicians to help him deliver his songs live in concert.

Springsteen can best be described as Nugent's political polar opposite, having been a vocal opponent to former U.S. president Donald Trump on many occasions. In August 2020, Bruce went as far as to allow the use of his song "The Rising" in a video that aired during night one of the Democratic National Convention.

Ted, who is widely considered to be one of the most politically conservative musicians in rock, weighed in on The Boss during an appearance on the January 18 episode of "That Jamieson Show". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You couldn't get further apart ideologically, politically or truth, logic and common sense-wise than me and Bruce Springsteen, but here I'll show a little love for Bruce. I've been able to perform on the 'Conan' show with [Bruce's] E STREET BAND, which is one of the greatest joys of my life. I've always been surrounded by the best musicians, and that's the perfect example. We played 'Jenny Take A Ride' by Mitch Ryder, and Max [Weinberg] and the guys performed it with unbelievable accuracy and perfection and soulfulness. So I give him that salute for having that quality of virtuosos that deliver his music."

He continued: "Instead of going after Bruce for being a dirtbag and supporting communists like [Joe] Biden and [Barack] Obama, people that ruined quality of life, especially for minorities — how he can't see that, I don't know. But I would like to salute Bruce Springsteen because he always supported Mitch Ryder and THE DETROIT WHEELS, a foundational, fortified A-10 Warthog of musical authority in all great bands' lives… And if nothing else, if I met Bruce, I wouldn't punch him. I always have Mike Tyson with me, and I give him a hundred bucks to punch assholes. And I wouldn't have Mike punch him. I would say, 'Mike, take a minute off. Go find some other asshole to punch.' But I'm gonna say 'thank you' to Bruce Springsteen because we share the reverence and the admiration for musical integrity, enthusiasm. And you have to admit Bruce's career is based on his musical heart and soul. The delivery and content of his lyrics I don't abide by most of the time, but I would thank him for his enriching lives with powerful music. I wouldn't go into his communist predilections. I would also thank him for doing a 9/11 tribute. So he's got some great, great spirit."

Nugent isn't the only conservative rocker who has been critical of Springsteen. Last year, Aaron Lewis released a single, "Am I The Only One", in which the STAIND frontman calls out Springsteen at the end of the track, singing: "Am I the only one who quits singin' along every time they play a Springsteen song."

Nugent, who recently resigned from the board of the National Rifle Association (NRA) after 26 years, has called Donald Trump "the greatest president in our lifetime." He also said the billionaire real estate mogul represents "the heart and soul of the best American families out there."

Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Nugent teamed up with Donald Trump Jr. on the campaign trail.

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".