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





 

THE ROLLING STONES will be honored with a set of 12 stamps to mark the band's 60th anniversary.

Later this month, Royal Mail will issue the stamps, eight of which will feature images of THE ROLLING STONES' most famous performances, including 1969 in London's Hyde Park, a 1995 concert in Rotterdam, and a gig at the 1976 Knebworth Festival. Four more stamps will be available in miniature sheet format, featuring two photos of the band together and two of their worldwide tour posters.

David Gold, Royal Mail's director of public affairs and policy, said: "Few bands in the history of rock have managed to carve out a career as rich and expansive as that of THE ROLLING STONES. They have created some of modern music's most iconic and inspirational albums, with groundbreaking live performances to match."

"In 2005, THE ROLLING STONES were awarded the accolade of greatest touring band of all time at the World Music Awards," the press release announcing the stamps added. "They have sold an estimated 250 million records and in the U.K. have eight no.1 singles and 13 No. 1 albums. Their countless awards include four Grammys, three MTV Music Awards and nine NME Awards. They were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1989.

"Since they began as a group," the announcement continued, "their singles and albums have produced a string of evergreen rock classics, powered by some of the greatest guitar riffs ever written."

Last year, THE STONES resumed their "No Filter" tour in the U.S., marking the first time they have performed without founding drummer Charlie Watts, who died in August at the age of 80.

THE ROLLING STONES are the fourth band to be honored in a dedicated stamp issue, following THE BEATLES in 2007, PINK FLOYD in 2016, and QUEEN in 2020.

The stamps, which were created in close collaboration with THE ROLLING STONES members Sir Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards, will go on sale from January

A new trailer for the FOO FIGHTERS horror comedy "Studio 666", starring Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee, is available below.

Open Road Films acquired worldwide rights to the film, directed by BJ McDonnell, which is set for a wide domestic theatrical release in more than 2,000 theatres on February 25. The all-star cast also includes Whitney Cummings, Leslie Grossman, Will Forte, Jenna Ortega and Jeff Garlin. The announcement was made by Open Road's Tom Ortenberg and FOO FIGHTERS.

In "Studio 666", the legendary rock band FOO FIGHTERS move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock and roll history to record their much-anticipated 10th album. Once in the house, Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the band.

"After decades of ridiculous music videos and numerous music documentaries under our collective belts, it was finally time to take it to the next level… A full-length feature horror comedy film," said Grohl. "Like most things FOO, 'Studio 666' began with a far-fetched idea that blossomed into something bigger than we ever imagined possible. Filmed at the same house where we recorded our latest album 'Medicine At Midnight' (told you that place was haunted!), we wanted to recapture the classic magic that all of our favorite rock and roll movies had, but with a twist: hilarious gore that fucking ROCKS. And now, with the help of Tom Ortenberg and the team at Open Road Films, we can finally let this cat out of the bag after keeping it our best-kept secret for two years. Be ready to laugh, scream, and headbang in your popcorn. 'Studio 666' will fuck you up."

"We couldn't be more excited to team up with FOO FIGHTERS for a movie sure to make audiences scream and laugh," said Ortenberg. "The FOOs bring their comedic chemistry and the musical talent we all love to the big screen in this hysterical horror film."

Commented McDonnell: "'Studio 666' is a perfect combination of all things I love. Rock, horror, and comedy all tied together in a very thrilling motion picture. I am so excited to have teamed up with the FOO FIGHTERS to create an old school 'band' movie. It's been years since we've seen something like THE BEATLES 'Help!', THE MONKEES 'Head', or 'Kiss Meets The Phantom Of The Park'. Take that '60s / '70s old-school band film fun, mix it with horror and 'Studio 666' is born! I am so ecstatic for audiences of film and music to come together and enjoy our film."

"Over the past decade we have had the good fortune to collaborate with FOO FIGHTERS on a variety of great projects," said producers John Ramsay and James A. Rota. "Whether it be documentary films, TV series or music videos, they always bring their great talents and legendary sense of humor. 'Studio 666' takes this to a whole new level and we couldn't be more proud of this movie. We can't wait to share it with the world."

Based on a story by Grohl and screenplay by Jeff Buhler and Rebecca Hughes, "Studio 666" is produced by Roswell Films' and Therapy Studios' John Ramsay and James A. Rota. Executive producers are John Silva, Kristen Welsh, John Cutcliffe, Gaby Skolnek, Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, James Masciello, Matthew Sidari, Mitchell Zhang and Tom Ortenberg.

The deal was negotiated by Tom Ortenberg and Matthew Sidari on behalf of Open Road Films and by WME Independent on behalf of the filmmakers.

Knoxville, Tennessee rockers 10 YEARS have released a visualizer for the song "Déjà Vu" from the album "Violent Allies". Guitarist Brian Vodinh states: "'Déjà Vu' is a song about trying to tune out the monotonous stuff we face in our everyday lives, and find inspiration in new ways. This relates to our songwriting process, but also to our personal lives as well. We can get stuck in the repetitive cycle of reading the same news, looking at social media, and hearing a rehashed version of the same stories over and over. Sometimes it feels good to check-out, turn off your brain, and connect to other aspects of life."

The lead single from "Violent Allies", "The Shift", has been streamed over 9.1 million times on Spotify, with 15.9 million collective plays across all platforms. Repertoire from "Violent Allies" has been streamed 15.8 million times on Spotify, while collective streams across all platforms exceeds 28.6 million.

10 YEARS will return to the road this spring with an extensive run of the U.S. that will play 33 markets. BLACK MAP has been confirmed as direct support, with VRSTY opening. Prior to the launch of the trek, 10 YEARS will appear on ShipRocked 2022 from January 22-27. On April 8, the Official Fan Summit will be staged in Las Vegas at 24 Oxford, where the band will perform its "Feeding The Wolves" album in its entirety, featuring the singles "Fix Me" and "Shoot It Out", for the first, and likely only time ever.

Confirmed appearances include:

Mar. 14 - Pittsburgh, PA - Crafthouse

Mar. 15 - Hampton Beach NH - Wally's

Mar. 16 - Portland, ME - Aura

Mar. 18 - Lititz, PA - Mickey's Black Box

Mar. 19 - Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Lanes

Mar. 21 - Baltimore, MD - Ottabar

Mar. 22 - Knoxville, TN - The Concourse

Mar. 23 - Nashville, TN - Basement East

Mar. 25 - Jacksonville, NC - Limelight

Mar. 26 - Atlanta, GA - The Loft

Mar. 27 - Destin, FL - Club LA

Mar. 29 - Fayetteville AR - George's Majestic

Mar. 30 - Tulsa, OK - Vanguard

Apr. 01 - Dallas, TX - Trees

Apr. 02 - San Antonio, TX - The Rock Box

Apr. 03 - Corpus Christi, TX - Brewster Ice House

Apr. 06 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent

Apr. 08 - Las Vegas, NV - 24 Oxford (Fan Summit)

Apr. 09 - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction

Apr. 10 - Sacramento, CA - Goldfield

Apr. 12 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon

Apr. 13 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater

Apr. 15 - Missoula, MT - Wilma

Apr. 16 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory

Apr. 17 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory

Apr. 19 - Denver, CO - Oriental

Apr. 20 - Colorado Springs, CO - Black Sheep

Apr. 22 - Sauget, IL - Pop's

Apr. 23 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue

Apr. 24 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge

Apr. 26 - Flint, MI - Machine Shop

Apr. 27 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Piere's

Apr. 29 - Harrison, OH - The Blue Note

10 YEARS' latest album, "Violent Allies", was released in September 2020 via Mascot Records. The disc was recorded at West Valley Recording Studios in Woodland Hills, California with Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson, who previously worked on 10 YEARS' 2010 effort, "Feeding The Wolves".

10 YEARS' major label debut, 2005's "The Autumn Effect", featured the single "Wasteland", which topped Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. The follow-up effort, "Division", was also a success, with the single "Beautiful" cracking the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

10 YEARS' 2017 album, "(How To Live) As Ghosts", earned the band a Top 5 mainstream rock hit in the song "Novacaine", while the LP itself also went Top 5 on the Hard Rock album chart.

Tom McKay has released a new single featuring former Cradle Of Filth keyboardist / backing vocalist Lindsay Schoolcraft called “The Benighted One”.  The song is from his upcoming album, Call To The Dæmon Sultan, which will be released on February 18th.


Tom comments: “'The Benighted One' deals with isolation. Specifically distancing yourself from those around you, eventually finding yourself all alone with nobody to hear your screams. Given the subject matter, bringing on another voice could seem counter intuitive (how can you be alone if it’s not just you, am I right?), but at the same time Lindsay’s beautiful ethereal voice adds a bit of calm to those desolate thoughts, a smooth and gorgeous texture I didn’t even plan on when I asked her to sing on the song. Needless to say, the song turned out better than I could’ve ever dreamed of, and I was so happy to have her and her amazing talent bring so much to the song, more than can even be heard at a first listen.”


Lindsay further comments: “Tom’s work is epic, thoughtful, groovy, well composed, and has something to offer every metal fan. 'The Benighted One' is a sorrowful journey through a world that could be of our own or another world entirely. Absolutely worth checking out.”




Listen to “The Benighted One” via the Bandcamp audio player below.


Call To The Dæmon Sultan by Tom McKay


Tom McKay delves into the realms of idolism, isolation, mental illness, existentialism with his new album Call To The Dæmon Sultan. His heaviest release so far, the new album also features special guests Nathan Gross and Lindsay Schoolcraft.


“I’ve been meaning to put together a collection of songs for some time, but up until now have never had enough material I was proud of to do so. Now, after a year of writing, recording and writing again, my debut EP has brought forth the heaviest songs I’ve ever written, both musically and emotionally. Allow me to take you on a deep dive into how I view the world and myself through three songs of teeth cutting vocals, playful riffs and melodies, and soaring orchestral work. He awaits at the edge of time, for the Dæmon Sultan is benign, but ever present.”


From the dramatic orchestration of “Call To The Dæmon Sultan” to the demonic heaviness of “The Benighted One”, the record delivers an array of dramatic soundscapes. The ethereal qualities interweave among the metal instrumentation enhancing the overall sound with powerful impact. Tom’s clean and harsh vocals complement the numerous musical styles throughout adapting aptly to the mood of each track. Lindsay’s vocals emerge to offer an extra dimension in the final track, enhancing the dynamic narrative themes.


Call To The Dæmon Sultan descends into the dark underworld but also offers a tantalising glimpse of light. Each track enters a different realm with its own distinctive atmosphere, while remaining cohesive as an overall listening experience.





Tracklisting:


"Call To The Dæmon Sultan" 
"Dishonoured King" 
"Faith In The Faceless" 
"The Benighted One" (feat. Lindsay Schoolcraft)


For further details, visit Tom McKay on Facebook.


 

THE LUCID, the four-piece hard rock band featuring bassist David Ellefson (ex-MEGADETH), vocalist Vinnie Dombroski (SPONGE), guitarist Drew Fortier and drummer Mike Heller (RAVEN, FEAR FACTORY), has released a music video for the song "Deaths Of Despair". The clip, which was directed by Fortier, can be seen below.

In other news, THE LUCID has announced a short U.S. tour in May. The band will play the following shows, with more to be announced:

May 20 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz

May 21 - New Bedford, MA - The Vault

May 26 - West Dundee, IL - Rochaus

May 27 - Westland, MI - The Token Lounge

May 28 - Akron, OH - Empire Concert Club

Last month, THE LUCID filmed four new music videos. Three of the tracks are taken from THE LUCID's self-titled debut album, which was released on October 15 via SpoilerHead Records.

Ellefson announced the completion of the videos in a social media post in December. He wrote: "THE LUCID knocked out 4 music videos in L.A. over the weekend. 3 songs from our debut album and one that is a total off the wall cover that will see the light of day in a few months. What a great time it was!"

"The Lucid" was produced by Heller and mixed/mastered by Lasse Lammert.

Ellefson previously stated about the LP: "It's been a real blast making a record with these guys and I must say that it’s refreshing to explore some new musical avenues… to step out a bit from what each of us have done stylistically in our own careers. There was an effortless synergy that came with creating these songs together which is always amazing when working with new people. I'm looking forward to everyone checking it out!"

During a November 2020 appearance on "The Chuck Schute Podcast", Ellefson stated about how he got involved with THE LUCID: "Drew sent me a track and said, 'Hey, can you throw a bass on here?' And I was writing a new ELLEFSON solo record at the time, so my studio ears were on. I was plugged in and ready to go. He sent it over and I was, like, 'Yeah, this is freaking cool, man.' I'd seen Drew play, I know his BANG TANGO history and the other stuff he's done. But this was really cool stuff that spoke to me. And then he called me up and he said, 'Hey, Vinnie is gonna come in and write some vocals and lyrics and lay down some tracks.' And it turned into a thing."

"I love [Vinnie]. I love SPONGE," David continued. "He's such a rock star. He's just a cool guy. And he writes such great lyrics — very trippy lyrics. He's the type of lyricist I'd never worked with before, so it's fun with that. And Drew is a great guitar player. Mike Heller — he's good friends with [MEGADETH drummer] Dirk Verbeuren. And Dirk's, like, 'Mike's awesome.' They're good friends. We all met in L.A. We got the songs together and we all met in L.A. in mid-July. I plugged in and banged out 10 songs in two days. And it was fun. Mike was very good in the studio; he really knows his way around."

As for THE LUCID's musical direction, Ellefson said: "It's cool stuff, and it's very different. It's, obviously, not thrash metal, hence the name LUCID. [The name] kind of feels like what the music sounds like."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH last spring after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. At the time, Ellefson was accused of grooming an underage girl through videos and online messages. David has denied the allegation and has repeatedly said the woman in question had been a willing, consenting adult at the time of their virtual sexual encounter. Ellefson accompanied his denial with an alleged screenshot of a statement from the woman with whom he was supposedly involved at the time. In it, the woman admitted to recording the alleged intimate communications she had with Ellefson and called herself "naïve" for sharing them with a friend without the musician's permission.

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

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Dave Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH frontman shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

David, a Christian who launched the Mega Life Ministries worship group in 2007, studied for a year at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis a decade ago.

Hatebreed has released an official live video for their track “Instinctive (Slaugherlust)”, taken from their 2020 album Weight Of The False Self.





The band says, “Thanks to all of our diehards who came out to see us in 2021. We look forward to seeing everyone on the road in 2022.”




Hatebreed rhythm guitarist, Frank Novinec, guested on an episode of Three Sides Of The Coin - the unofficial KISS podcast that celebrates the hottest band in the world, KISS in November.


A message states: "Frank Novinec from Hatebreed is back and this week he offers up his review of KISS Kruise X. Frank also offers his opinion of the Rolling Stone article and what COVID and COVID protocols have meant to him as a touring musician."


Frank also issued an update on what Hatebreed are up to these days. Watch below:

Blacktop Mojo has issued a lyric video for their brand new, stand-alone single, "Strike Me". The song is available to stream now at this location.





"‘Strike Me’ was recorded in our sessions for our self-titled album (released in 2021) at Sound Emporium in Nashville, TN and we had the privilege to add the background singing of the world famous McCrary Sisters on the track, who were an honor to work with. It was our first time bringing in outside background singing," says Blacktop Mojo vocalist Matt James.




“The song is a sardonic answer to living through the great many turmoils we’ve all dealt with, especially in the last two years. It’s essentially us observing the world around us and exclaiming, ‘I’m coming, Elizabeth!’ to quote the late, great Redd Foxx.”


In live news, Blacktop Mojo will be performing aboard the Shiprocked Cruise which runs January 22 - 27, sailing from Galveston to Costa Rica to Cozumel, and back to Galveston. Complete details can be found here.