Symphonic pirate metallers, Crusade Of Bards, will be sailing high tide on February 18 with the release of their sophomore album, Tales Of The Seven Seas, via Rockshots Records. With an emotional and energetic live-action production for all kinds of audiences from power to folk, from gothic to pagan, the band has been making a name for themselves with touring and festival performances in Germany, Switzerland, France, and their home country of Spain.


Today, in preview to their full-length's release, Crusade Of Bards are unveiling their next single, "Lies & Ashes" feat. Fabio Lione (Angra, Rhapsody Of Fire).


“During the pre-production of this song we felt like we already had some great oppositions between Eleanor’s and Eduardo’s voices. We needed something more powerful and we thought…well, why not try with the most iconic voice of “power”? After a quick message, Fabio was on board and he recorded some amazing vocal tracks that twisted completely the feeling of the song. Having one of our teenage heroes on board is just an overwhelming sensation. This theme is also the fastest and heaviest one of this album and really gives the listener the idea of how wide our musical boundaries are.” adds the band.




Watch the video for "Lies & Ashes" feat. Fabio Lione below.


Crusade Of Bards was formed in 2016 by Paolo Andreotti (keyboards & vocals) and Eleanor Tenebre (vocals) to create music that could mix all their favorite styles and concepts. Initially just a studio project, it soon grew into a full live production that the band describes as witnessing the “Wien-Orchestra directed by Davy Jones”.


“The live-action is definitely one of our biggest assets. Don’t expect the classical symphonic metal act filled with solemnity, blue strobes, and thick smoke. Our piracy side, our Mediterranean background, it all comes out into an energetic, vibrant, and dynamic set. Don’t get me wrong, we are not the typical Hollywoodian stereotyped pirates, and we do get serious when it is necessary…just don’t expect a liturgy.” adds the band.


On this second album, Crusade Of Bards has a mix of history-inspired songs and social themes. Paolo Andreotti (keyboards & vocals) is the lyricist and he loves history and geography so the whole concept of the record revolves around the 7 seas, 2 songs for every sea, and each of them about stories that took place or refer to the area washed by them. As you dig deeper into the lyrics, the structure chosen tends to use the same rhetorical figures of romanticism and neo-realism with a strong connection between the sound of a certain word and its meaning. This leads to inner references that may be appreciated by just reading the lyrics, even without the music.


Tales Of The Seven Seas is the band’s second album inside the “Tales” saga, a broader concept that started with their first album Tales Of Bards & Beasts. It revolves around the figure of the “Bard” and the different tales, songs, and myths that the storyteller would present to the public of the different towns and villages visited. While the first album “Tales of Bards & Beasts” was more about myths and legends, Tales Of The Seven Seas is mainly based on true historical events that have happened in each of them. The concept can be also found in the musical aspects where traditional instruments, scales, or sounds coming from the cultures that live or lived on the shores of the seven mentioned seas are blended into the songs to create the perfect environment for the listener.


The band explains further: “With this album, we want to make a statement, we want the fans to really understand who Crusade Of Bards is both musically and visually. We want them to open their minds, join us on our journeys through space and time, discover new stories and understand that we, as human beings, have changed very little. Our sins, our mistakes, our victories, and our feelings are not new or undiscovered. They are just there, floating on the ocean, waiting for us to collect them”.


Tales Of The Seven Seas is due out on February 18, and is recommended for fans of Epica, Eluveitie, Alestorm.





Tracklisting:​


"Anuri"
"The Northwest Passage"
"An Ocean Between Us – Part III – A New World"
"Dunkirk Privateers"
"Vento Aureo"
"Naupaktos"
"Manti" (interlude)
"The Red Charade"
"Hasard"
"Samudr Ka Mandir"
"Lies & Ashes"
"Leap Of Faith"
"The White Witch"
"As Above, So Below" (outro)


"Lies & Ashes" video:





"The Red Charade" lyric video:

Andorra’s extreme progressive metal unit, Persefone, are known for technical precision at its highest levels, and with their newest single, “Katabasis” - out today alongside an astounding new music video created with the support of SDADV - draw dramatic, cinematic soundscapes mixed with electronic influences. The soft, clear vocals of Marc Martins alternate with sharp growls and bleak yet dynamic riffs. This ride ties in with the well-received first single “Merkabah” and leaves you anxiously awaiting Persefone’s upcoming album, metanoia, out on February 4.


Persefone on “Katabasis”: “"Katabasis" stands as the opening track of the new album and marks an important event when it comes to the concept of metanoia, as it led us to the depths of the being. This song displays many of the elements that can be heard throughout the album, and we hope that it welcomes the listener to the journey we want to offer with all this new music.”







Outstanding progressive/melodic death metal outfit Persefone is known for their band of rich soundscapes and technically precise work that sets new standards in modern extreme progressive metal. Founded in 2001, Persefone has released five studio albums, each one showcasing the band’s myriad of musical principles: high technicality, distinct melodies, plenty of head-turning riffs and musical acrobatics. The band has toured worldwide with notable acts like Obituary and Leprous, has hit stages at important festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Metal Days, Brutal Assault, ProgPower and 70,000 Tons of Metal, and is now set to release their new album, metanoia.


metanoia sets off with the opulent opener "Katabasis”, drawing dramatic, cinematic soundscapes mixed with electronic influences. The soft, clear vocals of Miguel Espinosa alternate with sharp growls and pierce through constantly changing riffs. Persefone balances soft passages with intense walls of sound on tracks like "Aware of Being Watched” - in which clean vocals and jazzy sections alternate with intense riffing carried by dense drumming - while solid, rich sound takes on orchestral dimensions on songs such as "Leap of Faith”. Vivid and dynamic instrumentation, tempo and rhythm make up the intense ride "Merkabah”, showcasing the band’s hardest yet most vulnerable sides as screams and blast beats are followed by soft instrumentation - spanning the song’s intensity to its maximum. A special surprise is the 11-minute masterpiece "Consciousness Pt III”, which continues a series of songs from the band’s fourth album Spiritual Migration (2013). The album closes with another opulent set of songs, "Anabasis Part I”, "Anabasis Part II” and "Anabasis Part III”. "Anabasis Part I” starts off with calm, dreamy piano sounds, drifting over to the intense "Anabasis Part II” and leading seamlessly into "Anabasis Part III”, gently closing the album with a cinematic outro.


Persefone about the new album: "metanoia is the next step in our personal pursuit for existential growth through music. This album is a call for a deep change, a call for an inner journey through fear and pain, a call for a leap into a meaningful and rooted place. Making this album has forced us to face many  musical and personal hurdles and fears, and the result of that confrontation lives within all the notes and words captured on this new chapter in our journey.  May you will find meaning in all this musical chaos.”





metanoia will be available in the following formats:


- Digipack
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- 2LP Gatefold Clear (incl. Slipmat & Logopatch)
- 2LP Gatefold Marbled White & Black
- Digipack & Shirt Bundle
- Digital Full Length Album


Pre-order here.





metanoia tracklisting:


"Metanoia" ft. Einar Solberg
"Katabasis"
"Architecture Of The I"
"Leap Of Faith"
"Aware Of Being Watched"
"Merkabah"
"Consciousness Part III"
"Anabasis Part I"
"Anabasis Part II" ft. Steffen Kummerer, Angel Vivaldi und Merethe Soltvedt
"Anabasis Part III"


"Merkabah" video:





Persefone is:


Marc Martins - vocals
Miguel "Moe” Espinosa - keyboards and vocals
Carlos Lozano - guitar
Filipe Baldaia - guitar
Toni Mestre - bass
Sergi " Bobby” Verdeguer - drums


(Photo - Èric Rossell)

Volbeat have released a lyric video for "The Devil Rages On", featured on their new album, Servant Of The Mind, out now via EMI Records. Watch the clip below:





Servant Of The Mind is available in standard/digipack CD, deluxe 2LP vinyl (with various limited-edition variants, more info below), a deluxe digital edition, plus a special box set (including 2CD digipack, 28pg booklet, bandana, and hip flask, housed in a metal box, available from the official Volbeat store). Order the album here.







Tracklisting:


"Temple Of Ekur"
"Wait A Minute My Girl"
"The Sacred Stones"
"Shotgun Blues"
"The Devil Rages On"
"Say No More"
"Heaven’s Descent"
"Dagen Før" (feat. Stine Bramsen)
"The Passenger"
"Step Into Light"
"Becoming"
"Mindlock"
"Lasse’s Birgitta"
 
Deluxe 2 CD/2 LP and Digital Deluxe bonus tracks:


"Return To None" (Wolfbrigade cover)
"Domino" (The Cramps/Roy Orbison cover)
"Shotgun Blues" (feat. Dave Matrise from Jungle Rot)
"Dagen Før" (Michael Vox Version)


"The Scared Stones" lyric video:





"Temple Of Ekur" lyric video:





"Shotgun Blues" video:





"Becoming" lyric video:





"Shotgun Blues” lyric video:





"Wait A Minute My Girl" video:





"Dagen Før" lyric video:

Venom Prison have released a video for "Nemesis", featured on their upcoming album, Erebos, out worldwide on February 4.


“This song is about the urge to hurt the person who has caused you irreparable harm and has changed your life forever. It deals with having been left to fix the damage done to you all by yourself. This specifically relates to experiencing narcissistic abuse and the trauma resulting from it”, says the band.


The video was directed and produced by Thomas Coe-Brooker, and can be viewed below:







Venom Prison has carved an uncompromising space for themselves over the course of two full-length albums, Animus (2016) and Samsara (2019) with 2020’s Primeval reinvigorating the band’s earlier EPs with two newly written tracks added. What began as an explosive collaboration between Russian-born vocalist Larissa Stupar and guitarist Ash Gray (with the lineup rounded out by guitarist Ben Thomas, bassist Mike Jefferies and drummer Joe Bills) has exploded into a force to be reckoned with as vitriolic and outspoken lyrically as they are musically.


Order the new album here.





Tracklisting:


“Born From Chaos”
“Judges Of The Underworld”
“Nemesis”
“Comfort Of Complicity”
“Pain Of Oizys”
“Golden Apples Of The Hesperides”
“Castigated In Steel And Concrete”
“Gorgon Sisters”
“Veil Of Night”
“Technologies Of Death”


"Pain Of Oizys" video:





"Judges Of The Underworld":





Lineup:


Larissa Stupar - lead vocals
Ash Gray - guitar
Ben Thomas - guitar
Mike Jefferies - bass
Joe Bills - drums


(Photo - Andy Ford)

Silent Skies, the cinematic ambient project of Evergrey’s Tom S. Englund and classically trained pianist and composer Vikram Shankar (Redemption), have just released another new single, “Leaving”, cut from their luminescent upcoming second studio album and label debut, Nectar, out February 4 via Napalm Records.


This infinite, heartfelt full-length enchants with sounds like pure poetry lifting off the page and wrapping around its listener with a gentle glow as it combines the reminiscence of the likes of producers and composers such as Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm and Ludovico Einaudi, and bands ranging from Sigur Rós to Anathema. The balance between haunting instrumentals and vocal intensity that complement each other in perfect harmony walks a delicate line where listeners are treated to the best of both worlds.


The intense second single “Leaving” combines gloomy ambient and infectious pop influences, all topped by Englund's outstanding vocal interpretation, that embodies fragility and strength at the same time and creates a setting where the meaning of time and space does not matter any longer. Blended with the sensitive atmosphere of renowned pianist Vikram Shankar, the composition creates a sonic universe in which one only wants to dive deep into and get lost forever.




Silent Skies on “Leaving”: “And now for something rather different: we present our second single from Nectar, the dark and brooding 'Leaving'. Our most intense and powerful song to date is paired with a stunning video by the ever-talented Patric Ullaeus, who helped set our most fiery track yet to an appropriate visual. 'Leaving' is a song about closure, moving on and finding a new peace - we hope that you find this song as satisfying to listen to as we felt making it.”





In 2017, the paths of Swedish progressive band Evergrey's vocalist Tom S. Englund and multi-instrumentalist Vikram Shankar crossed fatefully. Both artists set themselves free from limitations to captivate their listener with Nectar - a soulful ten-track offering, produced by Englund and Shankar themselves and mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios.


Silent Skies on the new album: “We are tremendously proud to announce our second record, Nectar, will be released on February 4th, 2022. Nectar represents an expansion and an elevation of all things that make us who we are; simultaneously grander and more intimate, more futuristic yet more organic and thoughtful. This record represents who we are, and it means so much to both of us, that we cannot wait for you to experience it.”


With Gothenburg’s Evergrey known as one of the most prolific bands in progressive metal, Englund is by far no stranger to the scene. After partnering with North Carolina, USA-based piano player Vikram Shankar – who had already worked with greats like Anneke van Giersbergen – this fateful encounter, now known as Silent Skies, set its first milestone with the release of their spine-tingling debut Satellites back in 2020. Two years later, this fruitful collaboration returns with Nectar, marking the sequel of something that’s far more than just a side project of Englund’s. Rather, it’s the brainchild of two highly talented individual artists with deep knowledge and many years of experience, whose creativity and spirit culminates in an exceptional form of musical expression. Shankar’s sensitive yet intense piano tunes merge with the poignant vocal interpretation of Tom S. Englund to take the listener on a touching, melancholic ride that wanders through the darkest facets of life, while always leaving a spark of hope to hold on to. This otherworldly sonic collaboration is graced by the outstanding contributions of Leprous' cello player Raphael Weinroth-Browne, who appears on nearly every track of the album to spice up the stirring sound even more.


Silent Skies’ sophomore full-length sets off with the soulful, ethereal “Fallen From Heart”, immediately creating a tapestry of sound to get lost in. Tracks like delicate “Taper” and shimmering “Neverending” are dominated by the yearning vocals of Englund, but never fail to give Shankar’s instrumental virtuosity the well-deserved space to shine bright like the first sunray welcoming the day. Beautifully honest “Let It Hurt” addicts with its remarkable chorus hitting on point, blending cinematic strings and piano with hooky modern vocals. Darker realms lure with heart-breaking “Leaving”, combining gloomy ambient and infectious pop influences, and dramatically accented, heart-beating “Cold”, with its lingering electronic elements that build a tangible, gripping maelstrom of emotions. Instrumental title track “Nectar” closes this new chapter of Silent Skies but leaves its audience with a long-lasting impact and the key to a door that’s worth entering over and over again.





Nectar will be available in the following formats:


- 6p Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Fallen From Heart"
"Taper"
"Neverending"
"Let It Hurt"
"The One"
"Leaving"
"Cold"
"Better Days"
"Closer"
"Nectar"


"Taper" video:





(Photo - Patric Ullaeus)

Steve Vai and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group have released an official visualizer for "Zeus In Chains". The composition is featured on Vai's upcoming studio album titled "Inviolate" which will be released digitally and on CD on January 28. The vinyl will follow on March 18.

Vai states: "The title for this track 'Zeus In Chains' was told to me by the track when I was listening back and asked it… 'What's your name?' This happened during the heavy guitar breakdown with the dissonant high note that happens right before the solo. It sounded like Zeus in chains. Hey, it's art. You can make up anything you want and it's legitimate."

Over the course of a more than 40-year career, Vai has routinely transformed what would appear to be outrageously impossible into something very, very possible… and still also pretty outrageous. From his days as Frank Zappa's "stunt guitar" player to his more recent expansive and exploratory solo work, Vai has continually challenged notions of traditional guitar playing and composition — and on more than one occasion even reimagined the very instrument itself.

Which, he'll admit, is not necessarily his intention. "I don't sit around and say, 'Okay, what can I do now that pushes the boundaries?" Vai explains about his approach to the guitar. "What I do say to myself is, 'Okay, Vai — what are you going to do now that's going to interest you, that's going to fascinate you, and that's different than anything you've done before?" The answer to that question comes in the form of Vai's newest and 10th solo album, "Inviolate", a nine-song opus that (sorry Steve) does indeed push the boundaries of instrumental guitar music — this time out, Vai quite literally invented not just a new guitar, but also a new guitar-playing technique.

At the same time, "Inviolate" presents his most focused, streamlined and perhaps invigorating music in years. "It's very 'Vai,' whatever that means," he says, and then laughs. "Someone else might be better than me at explaining what that is. But it's just very honest music. Because a lot of my records, they're long and there's a lot of concepts and playing around with stories. This one has none of that. This is nine pretty dense all-instrumental compositions that I wanted to capture and record so I could get out there and play them live for people."

The album's mesmeric opener, "Teeth Of The Hydra", a sinuous, Latin-fusion-tinged composition that Vai wrote and recorded with a one-of-a-kind custom guitar he coined the Hydra. But calling the Hydra a mere guitar is selling it way, way, way short. Built in conjunction with the designers at Hoshino and based on a "steampunk motif" idea of Vai's, the Hydra is a beast of an instrument — a one-bodied, two-headstock-ed, three-neck-ed creature that encompasses, among other things: seven- and 12-string guitars; a four-string bass; sympathetic harp strings; half-fretless necks; single-coil, humbucking, piezo and sustainer pickups; floating and hardtail tremolo bridges; phase splitters; and much, much more. "It's an incredibly-built machine," Vai says. "I told the guys at Hoshino, 'Anything that you think is conventional, don't do that.' This was an opportunity to exercise brutal creativity. And they went beyond."

As did Vai in his performance. Throughout the track he employs the Hydra's full range of tone and timbres to craft a guitar part that sounds, in its expansiveness and expressiveness, positively alive. "The interesting thing about the song and the guitar is that it all came at the same time," Vai says. "It was one of those 'inviolate' inspirations — boom!"

That said, he continues, "I knew that I needed to create something with the Hydra that sounded like a real piece of music. It couldn't be just a novelty. Because if you knew what my hands were doing, and how I'm using my left hand to create phrasings that work when I can't pick a note because my right hand is off somewhere else…my god. But the finished piece had to stand on its own. It couldn't sound like I was just trying to juggle stuff."

Over the course of 2021, several of these compositions were shared publicly. Vai composed and recorded the song "Knappsack", following his shoulder surgery, at a time when his right arm was in a sling (or, as his surgeon, Dr. Knapp, called it, a "knappsack"), and thus was able to use only his left hand when playing the piece. He released a one-handed performance video. He says with a laugh, "pretty soon after I started to see some clips of young kids pulling it off, too. It's really fascinating."

Those kids will likely face a greater challenge attempting to take on another "Inviolate" track, "Candle Power". For this one, Vai not only set up parameters outside of his comfort zone (Strat-style guitar; clean tone; no whammy bar; no pick), but also — why not? — developed an entirely new guitar technique that he calls "joint shifting." The core concept there, he explains, is to enact simultaneous multiple string bends in opposite directions, which "requires bending only the top joint of the finger independently from any other finger." And while he acknowledges that bending multiple strings is not a new concept in and of itself, "I had not seen any of it done in the way I envisioned it," he says.

Like "Knappsack", Vai released "Candle Power" an accompanying performance video earlier in 2021. But he added a little something extra to the version that appears on "Inviolate", with a newly recorded drum track from fellow Zappa alumnus Terry Bozzio (to that end, additional crack players who lent a hand to the record include bassists Bryan Beller, Philip Bynoe and Henrik Linder, keyboardist David Rosenthal and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta).

On "Apollo In Color", Vai's soaring runs on his Ibanez PIA signature guitar (the newly-designed model's first appearance on a Vai studio album are surrounded by filigrees of sound played on all manner of exotic stringed instruments. "I thought, 'Okay, what can I do to color this thing up?'" Vai says. "So, I pulled out all these little acoustic instruments I've collected through the years and I said, 'I'm going to use every one of them somehow.'" These included a cavaquinho, a saz, a sitar, an oud and more. "Some of the instruments, I don't even know their names," Vai admits with a laugh.

In essence, it all comes down to finding your own voice, and then having the courage and conviction to follow your musical and creative instincts wherever they may take you — something Vai has never been shy about in his playing. "One of the great things about the guitar is you don't need to be a virtuoso to express your creative vision," he says. "I mean, Bob Dylan plays the guitar perfectly well for his expression. So does John McLaughlin. You just need to decide how much technique you want or need to get there. For myself, I came out of the chute wanting and needing it all. When it comes to my music, I don't feel like I have to prove anything or conform to anything. I just love to think up creative ideas, and then use whatever skill I have to manifest them."

"An inviolate inspiration is one that comes to you completely pure," Vai explains. "It appears almost in its completeness, and there's a recognition of it as being right for you — perfectly right for you. There's no excuses in it. There's no fantasy in it. There's just a recognition of 'yes.' And then you capture that in a way that's authentic to your unique creativity. Hopefully, that's what I've done with this record."

"Inviolate" track listing:

01. Teeth Of The Hydra

02. Zeus In Chains

03. Little Pretty

04. Candle Power

05. Apollo In Color

06. Avalancha

07. Greenish Blues

08. Knappsack

09. Sandman Cloud Mist

Vai will begin an extensive tour of the U.S., with 54 scheduled appearances on January 27 at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas. Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar / keys), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums). Vai shares: "A performer thrives on performing. It's been my life for the past 49 years, with the exception of the last two years, so we are chomping at the bit to get out there and play for people. A music concert has the ability to dissolve the many challenges we face, and celebrate one of the good things in life, live music."

"Call Off The Dogs", another song from SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS' upcoming album, titled "4", can be streamed below. Due on February 11 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG, "4" is Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).

In October, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS released the official music video for the LP's first single, "The River Is Rising", shot on location in downtown Los Angeles with Gibson TV director Todd Harapiak.

For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile), revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.

The band's previous albums over the last decade — "Apocalyptic Love", "World On Fire" and "Living The Dream" — have continued on an upward trajectory, all achieving Top 5 Billboard charting debuts in the U.S. and reaching the Top 10 on 12 major charts across the globe. To date, the three SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS albums have now garnered 10 consecutive Top 5 Radio singles, spawned sold-out world tours, and have earned Slash and the band the best critical acclaim of their career with their latest album "Living The Dream" (2018) singled out by the Los Angeles Times, Classic Rock, Guitar World, Loudwire, LA Weekly, and more, as their best songs to date.

The new album "4" has the added history-making distinction of being the first-ever album to be released on the new Gibson Records label, which is headquartered in the iconic American instrument brand Gibson's hometown of Music City, Nashville. In light of the 30-year partnership between Gibson and the Grammy Award-winning Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Slash, it makes sense the new SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS' album "4" will be released via Gibson Records.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS will kick off a North American headlining tour on February 8, in Portland, Oregon and hit 28 major cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, Dallas, Austin, Houston, and more, before wrapping up March 26 in Orlando, Florida.

PEARL JAM singer Eddie Vedder has released a new solo single titled "Brother The Cloud". It heralds the arrival of his highly anticipated new album, "Earthling", available on February 11 via Seattle Surf/Republic Records. The digital pre-order/pre-save for "Earthling" just went live on all streaming platforms.

"Earthling", which was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Andrew Watt, is Vedder's first album since 2011's "Ukulele Songs". The track is the latest single off the LP and joins previously released tracks "Long Way", which Variety noted, "the strident, guitar-driven 'Long Way' finds Vedder narrating a tale of a man haunted by a lost love," and "The Haves", which Stereogum described "a searching heart ballad about personal connection, and it addresses the increasing divide between rich and poor."

"Earthling" illuminates every side of Vedder and includes collaborations with some of music's most iconic legends including Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, Elton John, as well as Andrew Watt, Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer.

In order to bring the album to life on stage, Vedder and bandmates THE EARTHLINGS will hit the road in a series of U.S. concert dates in February for "The Earthlings" tour 2022. The shows kick off on February 3 in New York and wrap up on February 22 in Vedder's hometown of Seattle. Special guest Glen Hansard will open the shows.

THE EARTHLINGS are drummer Chad Smith, keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Josh Klinghoffer, bassist Chris Chaney, guitarist/vocalist Glen Hansard, and guitarist Andrew Watt. The newly formed group gave their live debut at Vedder's own Ohana Festival this past September.

"Earthling" track listing:

01. Invincible

02. Power Of Right

03. Long Way

04. Brother The Cloud

05. Fallout Today

06. The Dark

07. The Haves

08. Good And Evil

09. Rose Of Jericho

10. Try

11. Picture (feat. Elton John)

12. Mrs. Mills

13. On My Way

Vedder has served as PEARL JAM's frontman, in addition to a guitarist and primary lyricist, since 1990. Inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017 as a member of PEARL JAM, Vedder's trademark vocal style inspired a generation. His energetic and unvarnished stage presence coupled with his honest conversations with the audience led PEARL JAM as pioneers in live performances and social justice.

Vedder's signature ethos carries into his solo work. His first project came out in 2007 with the soundtrack album for the film "Into The Wild" and earned him a Golden Globe for the song "Guaranteed". In 2012, Vedder's sophomore solo album, "Ukulele Songs", received a Grammy nomination for "Best Folk Album." Most recently, he collaborated with Glen Hansard for the "Flag Day Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" and has released tracks off his forthcoming solo album "Earthling".

Vedder's lyrics address many of the key issues of our times including gun violence, racism, and climate change. In addition to the activism inherent to the music, Vedder is an outspoken advocate for several progressive, social, and political causes, most notably abortion access and the environment. A longtime supporter of Surfrider Foundation, Vedder has most recently been vocal in banning offshore drilling along the U.S. coast.

"Though some may think there should be a separation between art, music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest," Vedder says.

In addition to his activism, Vedder and his wife Jill McCormick Vedder co-founded the EB Research Partnership, dedicated to finding a cure for epidermolysis bullosa, a family of rare genetic disorders that affects the skin. The Vedder family is active in supporting both the work of the organization and the children who are impacted by the disorder.

Vedder and his wife reside in Seattle with their two daughters.

Photo credit: Danny Clinch

Dave Mustaine has confirmed that James LoMenzo will play bass for MEGADETH when the band returns to the road in April for the second U.S. leg of "The Metal Tour Of The Year". Joining them will be co-headliners LAMB OF GOD along with special guests TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES.

Earlier today, Mustaine took to social media to wish James a happy 63rd birthday, and he included the following message: "With 'The Metal Tour Of The Year' starting again soon, we'll celebrate your birthday with the fans! Wishing you all the best, brother. @bassmonsterr".

LoMenzo joined MEGADETH in 2006 and appeared on two of the group's studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame". He was fired from the band in 2010 and replaced with returning original MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.

In addition to MEGADETH, LoMenzo has played with Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde and WHITE LION. For the past nine years, LoMenzo has been performing with iconic rocker John Fogerty.

LoMenzo played his first show with MEGADETH in nearly 12 years last August in Austin, Texas. The concert took place three months following Ellefson's dismissal from MEGADETH after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving him were posted on Twitter.

Asked in an interview with Melodic.net what it has been like for him to play with MEGADETH on "The Metal Tour Of The Year" last summer after such a long absence from the band, James said: "Well, I'm really having the best time. Dave's [Mustaine] been really welcoming and supportive, and the band as a whole is just fantastic. It's a real powerhouse. Dirk [Verbeuren, MEGADETH drummer] is a dream drummer for this type of music, and Kiko's [Loureiro, MEGADETH guitarist] just so musically deep. Dave's playing as good or better than ever and now that he's on those Gibson guitars, his sound is so much more gut punching then I remember it."

Regarding how he ended up returning to MEGADETH, James said: "Dave's management reached out at first to see if I'd even be available, which I really wasn't, but after a call with Dave, I realized how important for MEGADETH and even for myself this would be. Time was ticking, so I knew it would be a crunch, but having been here once before the re-learning curve was a tad less steep. I made some arrangements with the Fogerty camp, and they were gracious enough to allow me a leave to do this."

Mustaine has yet to reveal who played bass on MEGADETH's new album after Ellefson's tracks were removed from the LP following his exit from the group.

Ellefson laid down his bass tracks on MEGADETH's sixteenth LP in May 2020 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

In July 2021, Mustaine announced during an episode of his Gimme Radio program "The Dave Mustaine Show" that Ellefson's bass tracks would not be used on the new MEGADETH LP.

In early May 2021, Ellefson released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan.

On May 24, 2021, Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — announced the bassist's departure from the band.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the group's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

"The Metal Tour Of The Year" was originally announced and planned for 2020 but was halted by the pandemic. Fans waited patiently for touring to return and in the summer of 2021 were granted their wish. "The Metal Tour Of The Year" was one of the first national amphitheatre tours to hit the road in 2021 and saw co-headliners MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD hit 29 cities across North America with special guests TRIVIUM and HATEBREED, who stepped in to replace IN FLAMES who couldn't join the tour due to travel restrictions. The tour was met with enormous acclaim, truly living up to its name and playing to a whopping 172,000 metal fans in the process.

Produced by Live Nation, the second leg of this epic metal trek will kick off on Saturday, April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada and hit a further 21 cities before wrapping in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sunday, May 15. Full tour itinerary below.
























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Hip-hop legend Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (RUN-DMC) is preparing to release a new single called "She Gets Me High". A remake of "Black Betty" by RAM JAM, it features McDaniels, Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) on vocals, Mick Mars (MÖTLEY CRÜE) on guitar, Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) on bass and Travis Barker (BLINK-182) on drums.

Said Bach: "It kicks complete and total ass in every way!! I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU ALL TO CRANK THIS UP!!!!!"

Regarding how Barker came to be involved with the project, McDaniels told SPIN: "I went to a party. Travis is there. He walks up to me and says, 'Most people jumped on the [RUN-DMC] bandwagon with 'Walk This Way', but I was there since 'Rock Box'. When I heard 'Rock Box', I knew I could be a rock star.' And he said, 'If there's ever anything I could do for you.' I go, 'Oh, by the way, me and Sebastian are doing this thing.' He's, like, 'I'm in.' That showed me that what I did in '85 was resonating two generations below me. But we was always wholesome. We were dominant, we were godlike, but you didn't see a celebrity; you felt like you was down with us."

Although an early recording of "Black Betty" goes back to 1939, courtesy of bluesman Huddie Ledbetter, it was later tackled by MANFRED MANN in the early 1970s before becoming a hit in the hands of the New York City outfit RAM JAM in 1977.

This is not the first time Sebastian and Duff have recorded together. Back in 2014, McKagan played on Bach's "Give 'Em Hell" solo album. Duff and Sebastian also previously collaborated on McKagan's 1993 solo album "Believe In Me".

Nearly 20 years ago, McKagan confirmed that Bach was at one point being considered for the lead-singer position in VELVET REVOLVER prior to the arrival of Scott Weiland.

"[Sebastian] did some amazing, fantastic stuff on [the music we gave him to record vocals over during the VELVET REVOLVER singer-audition process] and, you know, he's an old friend of ours and I love the guy dearly," Duff said. "The problems we ran up against is, it's, kind of, with Baz, we sounded like SKID ROW, and we don't want to go down that [road]… We're forging forward, you know, [and] we want to try to break some new ground."
























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YouTube registered user Dennis Justus has just uploaded fan-filmed video of JUDAS PRIEST's entire September 9, 2021 concert at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia. You can watch the footage below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Battle Hymn/One Shot At Glory

02. Lightning Strike

03. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

04. Freewheel Burning

05. Turbo Lover

06. Hell Patrol

07. The Sentinel

08. A Touch Of Evil

09. Rocka Rolla

10. Victim Of Changes

11. Desert Plains

12. Blood Red Skies

13. Invader

14. Painkiller

Encore:

15. The Hellion/Electric Eye

16. Hell Bent For Leather

17. Breaking The Law

18. Living After Midnight

This past Monday (January 10), JUDAS PRIEST announced that it will perform as a four-piece on its upcoming tour. A few hours later, the band's former touring guitarist Andy Sneap, who co-produced the British heavy metal legends' 2018 album "Firepower", released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET in which he said that he wasn't involved in PRIEST's decision to carry on as a quartet and thanked the Rob Halford-fronted outfit for the "mind-blowing" opportunity to share the stage with one of his favorite bands.

Sneap said: "Rob called me last Monday and said they wanted to move on as a four-piece, which I find incredibly disappointing after this amount of time but I respect his decision as they obviously have a vision how they want this to play out.

"This always was a temporary situation, and like I've said before, I'll always help the band any way I can, and that applies going forward also," he continued.

"I've been a huge fan of the band since the early '80s and it was mind-blowing to play onstage with the guys and quite frankly terrifying in the beginning at such short notice.

"We are moving forward with the new album next month and look forward to making a killer follow-up to 'Firepower'," he added.

Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT, began touring with PRIEST four years ago after longtime guitarist Glenn Tipton — who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower".

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Founding guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Richie Faulkner.

Two and a half years ago, Sneap said that he would continue to play guitar for JUDAS PRIEST "as long as they want me to." During an appearance on the "Talking Bollocks" podcast, Sneap stated: "It'd be great if Glenn was up there doing it. That's the thing that really… it's always in the back of my mind; it really is. But it's just nice that he asked me to do it. As long as they want me to help out, I'll help 'em out. That's kind of the way I'm looking at it, really."

Last June, Halford told Metal Pilgrim that Sneap would likely continue being the second guitarist for PRIEST in a live situation. "Andy is still standing in that spot for Glenn with Glenn's blessing," he said. "It's pretty much a given [that Andy will be going out on tour with us again]. And my gratitude to Andy. It couldn't have happened in a better way, if you wanna try and make something good out of it. It was a really important day when Glenn said, 'I think it's probably best if I step to the side and maybe we should let Andy come in.' That was just a really beautiful act of selflessness. That's Glenn treasuring PRIEST and PRIEST's reputation, particularly in live concert more than anything else. So bless Glenn for that. And as a result, Andy stepped in and did amazing work on the 'Firepower' tour, and we're looking forward to doing the same thing with him on this 50th-anniversary [tour]. And don't discount the fact that Glenn can show up. He plays the guitar differently, but there's no reason why Glenn can't show up and do some work. I mean, I've said to Glenn, 'Just walk out on stage and do that to everybody [flashes devil horns], and the people will just go fucking crazy, 'cause you are loved so much.' But I've got a feeling that Glenn's gonna be making the occasional appearance on this 50th-anniversary [tour]."

In 2019, Hill said that it was up to Sneap to decide if he wanted to carry on playing guitar for JUDAS PRIEST after the completion of the "Firepower" tour. "It is something to be discussed, really," he told "Talking Metal". "I mean, Andy is now, these days, first and foremost a producer. Whether he wants to go back and do that full time or not, it'll be a mutual decision when the time comes. Andy will be more than welcome to stay. He's done a tremendous job over the last year or so, really. He's done a great job stepping in for Glenn. It would have been very difficult if he hadn't been there, on such short notice, because we didn't realize that Glenn couldn't handle the intensity of touring anymore until… We were only about three weeks away from starting the tour [laughs], and Andy stepped in and did a great job. He pulled a real rabbit out of the hat in learning a complete setlist of songs in such a short period of time. He pulled it off anyway. And as time's gone on, obviously, his stage presence, he got more comfortable with that, and he's performing great now. So when the time comes… We'll give it to the end of this run and then see what everybody wants to do. As I say, he'll be more than welcome to carry on with us if that's his plan."

Last November, JUDAS PRIEST announced the rescheduled "50 Heavy Metal Years" North American tour dates for March-April 2022. Support on the trek will come from QUEENSRŸCHE.

In a recent interview with Rock Show Critique, former MÖTLEY CRÜE singer John Corabi spoke about his nearly decade-long stint (2001-2008) as the rhythm guitarist in RATT. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET) "For the eight years that I was in the band, even when Jizzy [Pearl] was there [singing for the group], RATT was just constantly bickering and fighting within… Now, in the beginning, it was just Warren [DeMartini, guitar] and Bobby [Blotzer, drums]. Warren would say, 'Bobby, you're playing the songs too fast.' And Bobby would go, 'You're playing 'em too slow.' And they would go back and forth. And then meanwhile, our crew guy Craig and me, Robbie [Crane, then-bassist] and Jizzy would go get a sandwich, go home and make a Bundt cake and literally shave, shit and shower and then come back, and they'd still be arguing about the tempos of the songs. Well, then, six or seven years later, Stephen [Pearcy, RATT singer] comes into the mix, and it was still the same thing. Without sounding derogatory, it was always just a pissing contest between the original members."

Corabi continued: "We did the last tour with Stephen. One of the last shows we did was at the House Of Blues in L.A. And we got offered a record deal. I flew back to Nashville, and I just had a — I don't wanna say a panic attack, but I was just sitting there going, 'Oh, shit. They want us to go somewhere for, like, three months and live together, write together and record together a new album.' And personally, I just went, 'These guys can't get through a fucking rehearsal without wanting to kill each other. I can't do this.' So I called them on the phone. I go, 'Yeah, I'm out.' And they were shocked. They were, like, 'Dude, we just got a record deal.' And I'm, like, 'Yeah, I know. I'm still out. Whatever.' And as it turned out, they just bickered and fought with each other through the whole thing."

John added: "I love Warren — separately. I love Bobby — separately. I love Stephen — separately. I even love Juan [Croucier, RATT bassist] separately. I know all of those guys. But until they realize that it's not 1985 anymore or not 1987 anymore… The fans would like to see the original guys do their thing, go out and play the songs that everybody grew up listening to. And check your egos at the door, guys. It doesn't matter. It's not Stephen alone, it's not Warren alone, it's not Bobby alone, it's not Juan alone — it's RATT. Figure it out. Figure out how to make it work, just like MÖTLEY [CRÜE], and go out and do your thing. Fans would be nothing but happy if you could just put your differences aside and just go out on stage and play for an hour and a half, two hours a night and then go to the next city and do the same thing without flipping each other off behind the stage. Just make it work.

"I love those guys to death, but… I mean, look at them right now. Stephen's, like, 'All right. If we're gonna do RATT, let's do RATT. Let's get the four guys in a room and make it happen. Let's write a record, or do a record, and get out and tour as RATT.' I've seen some interviews he's done recently. And they just shoot themselves in the foot all the time. And it's sad. But I just didn't want any part of it. I can't do it."

Back in 2017, Corabi told the "Music Mania" podcast that he was less than pleased with Blotzer for reasons that he didn't disclose. "Without getting into too much, whatever, I'm not real happy with Bobby Blotzer right now," he said. "I did a gig with him, and him and I left the gig like… I walked in there… I just remember walking in, I bought him a drink at the bar, and then by the end of the night, we wanted to kill each other. So I'll just leave it at that."

Pearcy and Croucier are the sole remaining original members in RATT's current lineup, which made its live debut in July 2018 in Mulvane, Kansas. Joining them in the band are drummer Pete Holmes (BLACK 'N BLUE, RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER) and guitarists Jordan Ziff (RAZER) and Frankie Lindia.

RATT — featuring Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini — played a number of shows in 2017 after reforming a year earlier in the midst of a highly publicized legal battle with Blotzer over the rights to the RATT name. They were joined at the gigs by guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.

Michael Sweet of openly Christian hard rockers STRYPER has completed the songwriting process for the band's upcoming album. The follow-up to last year's "Even The Devil Believes" will once again be recorded at SpiritHouse Recording Studios in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Earlier today, the 58-year-old guitarist/vocalist posted the following update on his social media: "I'm happy to say that all the songs (music) for the new STRYPER album are complete. I started work on everything 2 weeks after my eye surgery (once I could lift my head) so it's taken a little longer than usual (3 weeks) and also due to the holidays. Of course we will fine tune them once we get together for rehearsal. Usually we rehearse at my house and then we head to Spirithouse to record. This time around we'll be rehearsing at Spirithouse and we'll be working though a few songs at a time and then tracking them once the band learns them. Very different yet most likely very effective.

"What do the songs sound like? Killer!" he continued. "Lots of riffs, grooves, up tempo and mid tempo and everything has a great feel to it. I've only sent music to the guys so they haven't heard any melodies yet but the melodies are strong and powerful.

"It's always a little strange talking about your own music but I can say that I'm really excited about the direction of this album! I know you will be too. We've tuned down to D so the tuning makes it all sound a little fatter and heavier. There are a few songs with the low E string dropped down another step (C) so those songs have a bit more meat and potato's as well;-) There are a few ballads but they're not your typical 'piano' or 'acoustic' ballads. They're heavy as well and definitely guitar driven.

"Even though there have been obstacles along the way, this album really has shaped up to be an amazing piece of work," Sweet added. "We're a long way out but man, I can't wait for all of you to hear this!! It may very well be our best yet".

Last March, STRYPER and Frontiers Music Srl announced that they have extended their working relationship for the release of more new studio albums together.

STRYPER and Frontiers originally joined forces in 2013 for the release of "Second Coming", an album comprised of new recordings of 14 songs from the band's early years, as well as two brand new songs. What followed has been a string of critically and commercially successful studio albums, including "No More Hell To Pay" (2013), "Fallen" (2015), "God Damn Evil" (2018) and "Even The Devil Believes" (2020). Additionally, a live album and long-form video, "Live At The Whisky" (2014) was made available. Every one of the albums released on Frontiers in the past eight years has successfully charted on the Billboard 200 chart and topped the Hot 100, Rock, Hard Rock, Current and Christian Music album charts.

STRYPER is one of the most well-known metal bands to emerge from the fertile '80s metal renaissance over three decades ago. The band first landed on the global scene in 1984 and and is responsible for such classic '80s metal albums as "Soldiers Under Command", "To Hell With The Devil" and "In God We Trust" and hit singles/videos such as "Calling On You", "Free" and "Honestly". To date, the band has sold upwards of eight million records worldwide and is a Dove Award winner and Grammy nominee. STRYPER was also the first band to have two songs in MTV's "Top 10 Video Countdown" simultaneously.

After being on a hiatus for much of the '90s, STRYPER returned stronger than ever in the early 21st century. Musically, the band has progressed and grown their fan base steadily and continuously, being one of the few "classic" metal bands of the '80s that managed to keep themselves front and center thanks to the consistency of their musical output.

Michael is joined in STRYPER by his brother Robert Sweet (drums), Oz Fox (guitars) and Perry Richardson (bass).


I'm happy to say that all the songs (music) for the new Stryper album are complete. I started work on everything 2 weeks...

Posted by Michael Sweet on Thursday, December 30, 2021

Ted Nugent has defended his recent comments about Joan Jett, saying that he was only being "honest" when he questioned her inclusion on a list of the world's top guitar players.

Late last month, Ted blasted Rolling Stone magazine for including Jett on its list of "100 Greatest Guitarists". The 73-year-old rocker, whose recent time in the spotlight has been more for his political views than his music, railed against Jett's appearance on the list during his December 30 YouTube livestream. He said: "How do you list the top 100 guitar players and not list Derek St. Holmes? How do you do that? You do that by lying. The same way you get Grandmaster Flash in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. You do that by lying. You have to be a liar. You have to have shit for brains and you have to be a soulless, soulless prick to put Joan Jett… [I] love Joan. Some of my greatest memories include lesbians. I love the lesbians; it's a cocktail of wonderment. [I] love Joan Jett — 'put another diamond in the jukebox, baby'; great rock and roller — but as a top 100 guitar player, but you don't list Rickey Medlocke [LYNYRD SKYNYRD] or Dave Amato [REO SPEEDWAGON]. Really? Or Dick Wagner? Dick Wagner and THE FROST from Detroit. Or Mark Farner? Mark Farner from GRAND FUNK RAILROAD. Joan Jett is on the list but not Mark Farner? Grandmaster Flash is in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame but not GRAND FUNK RAILROAD? [Laughs]

"By the way, if Grandmaster Flash is in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and Joan Jett is on the list of top 100 guitar players, then I'm Caitlyn Jenner's boy toy," he concluded.

After Nugent was widely criticized for singling out Jett as someone who didn't deserve to be on the Rolling Stone list, he doubled down on his comments during an interview with Dave Spuria of The Real Music Observer. Addressing the negative feedback he received for his remarks, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I started off by praising Joan Jett's genuine shitkicker, down-to-earth, all-American rock and roll credentials. I started off by praising her. I even saluted the lesbian thing.

"Here's the question: how on God's good green earth could someone listen to what I say and then claim it's about hate and about knocking and belittling? Joan's awesome. I mean, THE RUNAWAYS. Her whole, 'Put another diamond in the jukebox, baby.' I mean, she's the real rock and roll McCoy. But belonging on the 'top 100 guitar player' list anywhere on planet earth, even 'Boring' Stone before genuine virtuosos of the six-string? That was my statement. I was only using Joan as an example because she happens to be a perfect one."

Addressing Spuria directly, Nugent continued: "I think I can tell that you are a real music lover — you love spirit and soul, defiance, middle fingers on fire, genuine musical authority, all that combination that represents that dynamic and majestic soundtrack to our lives, our American Dream, and if there is a German or a Spanish Dream, I hope they get a soundtrack as well. But Joan Jett represents that. But on the top 100 guitar players list, before Tommy Shaw [STYX], before Rickey Medlocke and before Derek St. Holmes — I can go on with a hundred examples… I was only using that beautiful young lady as an example, and people literally went berserk trying to twist it into hate.

"There was no hate," Ted added. "I don't have any hate. I had my hate amputated when I was five years old. No hate — all love and compassion and honesty. That's what drives people crazy: my honesty."

Nugent's December 2021 comments weren't the first time he had been critical of Rolling Stone editor David Fricke's choices for "100 Greatest Guitarists". Four years ago, he said that he hasn't gotten the recognition that he deserves as a guitar player, explaining: "This isn't ego. I have an ego, because I have self-esteem, because I put my heart and soul into being the best that I can be. If you run a race and your chest breaks the ribbon and you've won the race, I think you can look in the camera and go, 'Man, I'm fast. Man, I ran good.' I think that should be celebrated. Excellence should always be celebrated. But remember, those people in the musical [sic] industry who make those decisions about who's best and who is in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, they hate me because I'm against dope. And I am against dope. I don't think it's good. I don't want my sons and daughters, I don't want my grandkids, I don't want my pilots, I don't want my band, I don't want my crew stoned. I don't want them comfortably numb. I don't wanna have to wake 'em up three times to get to the gig. I don't wanna have to remind 'em how the song goes. I've had this all my life. And these people in charge of deciding this, they don't like me because I'm on the board of directors with the highest votes for 25 years on the National Rifle Association. They somehow blame inanimate tools on crime."

He continued: "I know that Jimi Hendrix was a god, and Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley and Joe Perry and Joe Bonamassa and Rickey Medlocke and Billy Gibbons and Eddie Van Halen and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Of course they're the best. Steve Vai. Joe Satriani. Hell, Vic [Johnson] in Sammy Hagar's band is an unbelievable guitar player. Derek St. Holmes is an unbelievable guitar player. Brad Whitford… I could go on and on and on — unlimited. But to think that I don't qualify in the top one hundred of guitar players in America is just a stupid lie. Case closed."

Nugent's new studio album, "Detroit Muscle", is due on April 29 via Pavement Music. The follow-up to 2018's "The Music Made Me Do It" was recorded with Ted's current band, which includes bassist Greg Smith and drummer Jason Hartless.

Frontiers Music Srl will release Before The Sun Sets, the debut album from City Of Lights, on February 11. A lyric video for the new single, "Heat Of The Night", can be found below.


City Of Lights is a new melodic hard rock collaboration between British newcomer songwriter/guitarist Neil Austin and Greek vocal sensation Manos Fatsis (Odyssey Desperado, Hideaway). They deliver hard-edged melodic anthems driven by crunchy riffs and lush keyboard textures combined with soaring, passion-filled vocal melodies.


Pre-order/save Before The Sun Sets here.




City Of Lights was born when Austin, armed with a collection of songs inspired by the classic hard rock sounds of the '80s and the new wave of current AOR bands, began the search for a vocalist who possessed the tone, range and emotion to take the songs to the next level. After hearing Fatsis' work on Odyssey Desperado's Don't Miss The Sunset and Hideaway's self-titled debut, he knew he had found the right man. The two connected via Facebook and together began working on honing the songs to perfection. When the time came to find a rhythm section, Austin reached out to members of his favourite band, brothers Robin (bass) and Mats (drums) Eriksson from modern Swedish melodic rock monsters degreed and after hearing the demos, both agreed to contribute to the album.


Guest guitar soloists Nathan Doyle, Daniel Johansson (degreed), Christoffer Borg (Taste/ex-Art Nation), and Mike Kyriakou join in on the fun and the album also features appearances from Creye's Joel Selfors (piano) and degreed/Paralydium's Mikael Blanc (keyboards).


Mixed and mastered by AOR producer extraordinaire Erik Gavfelin Wiss (Creye, Cruzh, Cap Outrun).





Tracklisting:


"Racing On The Redline"
"Heart's On Fire"
"Emily"
"Heat Of The Night"
"Dying Light"
"Give Me Back My Heart"
"Put Your Heart On The Line"
"Snake Eyes"
"Joanna"
"Midnight Club"
"How To Love"
"Before The Sun Sets"


"Heat Of The Night" lyric video:





"Heart's On Fire" video:

In a new interview with Travis Failey of KNAC.COM, ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello, who is currently promoting his memoir, "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, And Anthrax", spoke about his first time meeting the members of KISS. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My first time meeting KISS was so influential for me; it was so big. And Steve Harris [IRON MAIDEN bassist], because those guys taught me how to treat fans, 'cause I was such a fan. And how kind they were to me, just talking to me. They made me feel like I was one on one, even though they were elevated in my life — they were the gods; they were the heroes. They brought me to a real human place. And that's why I'll always remember that.

"I say it in the book, that taught me the lesson right back then — if you ever get any kind of success in this business, this is how you treat your fans; this is how you treat people one on one and be cool to them," he continued. "'Cause nobody's better than anybody in this life. It's, like, look, we're fortunate enough to play music for a living and all that. They're supporting you. Why would you be a dick? I've heard these dick stories, of these people being not so cool to fans, and it doesn't really make sense. And everybody's got their bad days — I've had my bad days — but for the most part, just be normal.

"My first time meeting KISS — my first time meeting Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] and Aucoin Management in [New York City]. That was pretty, 'Oh my God,'" Bello added. "That was bigger than life. They were my heroes. I'm actually meeting my heroes. Those were the days… Remember, they weren't seen without their makeup, and they'd cover their faces [in photos]. We were fortunate enough to see them without their makeup, and we felt extra special. Because we're getting to see something that nobody else has seen right now. I see Paul Stanley's face without the star. It was these little things that go through your mind when you're a fan. How does Gene look without his makeup on? That's Gene Simmons? I could see his hair — it's without the ponytail on top, and you kind of think these things. So those were very special times for me, specifically the first time, 'cause I got to se something that I never thought I'd see — KISS without their makeup. It was very special."

"Fathers, Brothers, And Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, And Anthrax" was released on November 2 via Rare Bird. The foreword was written by Simmons.

ANTHRAX is working on material for the follow-up to 2016's "For All Kings" album, tentatively due later this year.

Polish death metal legends Vader have issued their Happy New Year message to their fans, also revealing plans for this year, read below.


"Vader Maniax! Happy New Year 2022. We really really hope, that all the global situation with pandemia won’t ground tours and shows for the next months. It is about time to hit the road again, isn’t it?" 


And what are Vader's plans for 2022?




"Together with Massive Music, we will try to start late February in Poland with some very special setlists, bringing back memories from early days. Besides a list of Polish songs we’d like to bring back, some tunes from Revelations (20th anniversary in 2022). Of course, this is just a supplement to the regular list presenting songs from the new album, or still expected De Profundis."


"In March - as you already know - we’ll be back on the United Titans Tour, with our friends Marduk, to visit around 20 cities in Europe. Some of the dates were already posted, and more are coming soon. In Spring, we’d love to be back on American soil and Canada. We are in progress with arranging that, more info asap. Summer time is festival time. For Autumn, together with Creative Music, we plan a huge tour in Scandinavia, all around the Baltic Sea. Right after, we’re gonna fly to the Far East to visit the eastern part of our beautiful Earth including Australia or Japan."


"In 2022, in co-operation with Nuclear Blast, we’ll bring back Vader’s classic „Black to the Blind” album for its 25th anniversary. Expect a real beautiful edition indeed! A new edition of the legendary Sothis EP will be available as well. We can’t forget about the 30th anniversary of the Vader debut, The Ultimate Incantation. Of course, we are still thinking what can we do to commemorate this event? This will definitely follow with some special events. And this is not all. So keep your fingers crossed and… see you in the pit!"


 


The new United Titans Tour 2022 dates are as listed:


March
10 - Helmond, Holland - Cacao Fabriek
11 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
12 - Weinheim, Germany - Central Cafe
13 - Aarlon, Belgium - L'Entrepot
14 - London, UK - The Garage
15 - Glasgow, Scotland - Slay
16 - Birmingham, UK - Castle & Falcon
17 - Manchester, UK - Rebellion
18 - Lille-Wasquehal, France - The Black Lab   
20 - Paris, France - La Machine du Moulin Rouge