In celebration of “Come On Come On” being featured on the Peacemaker series (out now on HBO Max) and with permission from director James Gunn himself, Action Show Studios decided to make an insane video. Watch this!





When director James Gunn was looking for a truly rocking and raunchy song to include as part of the Peacemaker show on HBO Max (starring WWE wrestler John Cena as the role of Christopher Smith/Peacemaker), he couldn’t have made a better selection than the Nashville Pussy classic, “Come On Come On”.




It appears that Gunn is a fan of The Pussy, in a Twitter exchange between mutual friend actor Earl W. Brown (‘Deadwood,’ ‘Something About Mary’), Gunn admitted to personally choosing the Grammy-nominated Nashville Pussy and song “Come On Come On” for the Peacemaker’series, and texted, “It has great placement in the first episode.”


The first episode, entitled A Whole New Whirled, premiered on Thursday, January 13, and the song (which was originally included on the band’s 2005 album, Get Some!) was included as part of the show’s official Spotify playlist last week.





The release of the official (and explicit) Red Band trailer for Peacemaker, which can be seen below, perfectly coincides with the release of Nashville Pussy’s latest album, Eaten Alive (of which the CD was issued on December 24, and the double gatefold vinyl on January 14). Recorded in the UK, this is Nashville Pussy’s Live at Leeds and one of most unrelenting concert albums since Motörhead’s No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith. To order, head here.


Nashville Pussy is especially honored to be included in Peacemaker. “It’s great seeing someone who shares our sense of humor, and it is especially an honor to have our lyrics used as actual dialogue by John Cena!”





 

Seattle heavy metal practitioners Dark Meditation have unveiled their new video for “Desolation Days”, which can be seen below. The track comes by way of the band’s Polluted Temples full-length, set for release January 28th via Satanik Royalty Records.


Dark Meditation may hail from Seattle, but their sound is steeped in traditions associated with other corners of the globe — England’s working-class cities, frosty Scandinavian towns, Southern California meccas of the ‘80s. Or as the band puts it, Dark Meditation sounds like the bastard amalgamation of Venom and Judas Priest fighting it out on the Sunset Strip while Danzig and King Diamond cheer them on. While such reference points may suggest a nexus of evil kitsch and arena-level theatrics, the band’s debut album Polluted Temples comes from a place of down-and-out urgency and punk ethics, adopting the gloomy anthems and riff worship of heavy metal titans for their sonic exorcisms rather than their rock n’ roll panache. It’s an album that basks in big hooks, righteous guitar work, and an arena-level stomp without compromising any grit, grime, or guts.


Comments the band of their latest single, “‘Desolation Days’ is a commentary on the disparity between people and our continued march to oblivion, how no matter hard you might try it seems like you can’t keep up with the world and in each passing day, people or institutions manipulate emotions/relationships to get what they want without a care for the toll it takes on society. Fittingly, it’s a righteous strut of mid-tempo death rock with heavy metal flourishes culminating in a fitting chant for the end of days."







Originally conceived by vocalist A.D. Vick, guitarist Rane, and guitarist/synth player Ian as a recording project intended to provide personal catharsis, Dark Meditation came to serve as a crucial artistic outlet for the entire five-piece band — a salve during trying times. Along with compatriots JW Mullett (bass), and Will Klintberg (drums), the founding trio poured four years of blood, sweat, and equity into Polluted Temples, though the inner-band relationships go back even further. The members of Dark Meditation all cut their teeth and crossed paths in various niches of the underground, churning out visceral and vitriolic bangers in acts like Emeralds (SEA), O.S.S., R.I.P., and Wildildlife. A punk ethos permeated their earlier acts, and while they may have excised some of that primitivism in their current project, the members of Dark Meditation have not skimped on the aural punishment and physical intensity.


Recorded over two weeks during Seattle’s record-breaking heatwave of June 2021 by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, The Sword, Soundgarden), Polluted Temples is the culmination of nearly half a decade’s worth of work. Not only does it represent a triumph over recent adversities, it serves as a negation of ingrained prejudices and social mores. “Most of our songs deal with personal consequences of our actions and how it effects the world around us,” Vick says of his lyrics. “But there is also the looming specter of evangelical Christianity that I was brought up in and trying to break away from the dogmatic concepts that were pushed upon me in childhood.”


These themes are displayed on songs like “Haunt Of Fear,” where Vick explores the idea of the devil as an invented boogeyman used to govern by fear and instill hatred in the populace while the band lays down a thunderous foundation of first-wave black metal riffage, wailing pinch harmonics, and dueling guitar solos. On a similar tip, the album’s title track—a perfect blend of melodic gloom and pounding force bolstered by synth-colored choruses and heroic guitars—uses the biblical metaphor of the body as a temple to examine how physical pleasure-seeking turns people inward and away from the rest of humanity. This kind of social commentary manifests in the relentless chug of “Babalon.Money.Magick,” where the increasing disparity between the haves and have-nots is reflected Seattle’s new construction and tent cities. And it pops up again in the mid-tempo death rock strut of “Desolation Days,” where manipulative institutions and power-hungry people are brought to task for valuing the dollar over human lives.


Ultimately, Dark Meditation’s true power lies in their razor-sharp musicianship, addictive songwriting, and fist-pumping instrumentation. It’s no small wonder that the band’s early demos warranted an official release by Austria’s boutique black metal label Doctrina Carnis before they’d even played their first live show. Polluted Temples marks a substantial progression in both performance and production, and with that evolution comes the requisite support of a strong stateside label.


Polluted Temples will be released on LP and digital formats. Pre-order at the Satanik Royalty webshop.





Tracklisting:


“Horus Rising (Prelude)”
“Babalon.Money.Magick”
“Haunt Of Fear”
“Strange Caress (Of The Night)”
“Masters Coil”
“Desolation Days”
“The Howling Wild”
“Drink Of The Blade”
“Nocturnal Forever”
“Polluted Temples” 


“Haunt Of Fear” video:





(Photo by: Sarah Hammel)


 

Cosmic metallers Vanderlust, featuring members of S91 and Dreal, will be rocketing their self-titled debut album on April 15 via Rockshots Records.


Inviting fans into their universe with their first single "Scavengers of Kuiper Belt" this past December, the space musicians are ready to share their next musical constellation entitled "The Last Ganymedian", which is one of the two ballads on the album.


"It starts like a country-acoustic song (played by acoustic guitar) and then goes into metal riffing. This is a 90’s oriented song, slow and grungy. No prog-technical parts but very dynamic vocals and epic atmospheres. The last Ganymedian... should we still consider him a human being?," adds the band.




Find a visualizer for "The Last Ganymedian" below.


Birthed to travel the cosmos, Italy's Vanderlust is a power-heavy metal band with prog-thrash influences that tells tales of space travels, astronomy, space engineering, and sci-fi adventures.


"We tried to mix a prog-thrashy riffing in the roots of Megadeth, Vektor and Tool with epic vocal parts like Iron Maiden, Helloween, Angra, and Lione’s Rhapsody. We also put sci-fi elements in our songs, so you can hear also something from Voivod." adds the band.


This debut recording is like a stellar system with 12 different planets. The star at the center of the system represents the heavy-power metal around all the songs revolving. Despite all the tracks being irradiated by the same light, they are all different from each other. Vanderlust has fast thrash, slow and doom, shiny and brilliant to grunge, and darker songs. Like planets, which appear like simple small bright spots, but in reality, are all big worlds, Vanderlust's songs are more complex than they sound at first listen. In fact, you can easily sing along to some of the choruses even if there are complex riffs in the background. Vanderlust is particularly proud of the participation of opera singer Letizia Cappellini who does vocals on select tracks and helps the band further expand the vocal register of their compositions. The band also adds the presence of synths and electronic elements to the compositions to set the sci-fi mood of the lyrics.


"The main goal was to start a metal band that could be an inspiration for young people, a band that could tell them stories from the future when mankind will have overcome its limits and the solar system will be an entire human colony. This idea came to mind to founding members Francesco and Santo when they began their search for other members that could fit. Drummer Giacomo Mezzetti joined the space odyssey right before the covid-19 outbreak. Vocalist Riccardo Morello joined the band during the first lockdown in Italy, so the first song was entirely composed online, using videocalls and file sharing." adds the band.





Tracklisting:


Intro
"High Hopes"
"Orphan Planet"
"Forgotten Breed"
"The Last Ganymedian"
"Scavengers Of Kuiper Belt"
"Mass Effect Destruction"
"Requiem For An Ancient World"
"3 Suns"
"Dyson's Swarm"
"Ringworld"
"Ten Years Back"
"Zima Blue"

The Temperance Movement's White Bear-era YouTube acoustic session is available for streaming in full below. The video includes never-before-released footage of tracks such as "Three Bulleits" (Acoustic) and "Battle Lines" (Acoustic)".





The Temperance Movement have released their new collection Caught On Stage: Live & Acoustic, and recorded at the legendary Metropolis Studios in London.




This special release features a collection of rare live tracks recorded from various locations including intimate acoustic live shows, radio sessions with Planet Rock and rehearsal room recordings, compiled with the help of founding member and guitarist Paul Sayer. Simply a must-have for any fan of The Temperance Movement.


Order your copy here.





Tracklisting:


"Magnify" (Live Bear)
"Modern Massacre" (Live Bear)
"The Sun and Moon Roll around Too Soon" (Live Bear)
"I Hope I'm Not Losing My Mind" (Live Bear)
"Midnight Black" (Amazon Session)
"Only Friend" (Amazon Session)
"Ain't No Telling" (Live at Kore)
"Modern Massacre" (Live at Metropolis)
"Smouldering" (Planet Rock Session)
"Stay With Me" (Planet Rock Session)
"Take It Back"
"Lovers And Fighters" (Live in the Living Room)
"Only Friend" (Rehearsal Session)
"Battle Lines" (Acoustic)
"Do The Revelation" (Acoustic)
"Get Yourself Free" (Acoustic)
"Three Bulleits" (Acoustic)
"Time Won't Leave" (Acoustic)
"White Bear" (Acoustic)


"Modern Massacre" (Live at Metropolis):

Canada’s My Hollow has a new album coming out, entitled Fighting The Monsters, which they are anxious to release upon the world this year. Taking inspiration from modern death metal bands, they are continuously evolving and this next release from them is no exception.


The first single “Vultures”, came about when guitarist Greg Gallagher set out to write something heavy based on a black metal fast tremolo guitar riff that, as he puts it, just totally crushed. This was one of the more difficult songs for him to write, but the finished product made the struggle completely worthwhile. Humorous and lighthearted, the video contrasts the pummelling drums and harsh riffs throughout the song, making the single heavily engaging both visually and sonically.


The video for the single was created by Jennifer White, the wife of vocalist Graham. She created all of the puppets, props and backgrounds by hand, all while serving as de facto director for the video.




The band explains further: “The music video for ‘Vultures’ was single-handedly designed and created by Graham’s amazing wife and very talented tattoo artist, Jennifer White. She has been creating our artwork for almost as long as we’ve been a band. Jen and Graham went over the details and she came back with a storyboard complete with different acts and scenes and it was clear at that moment that her talents were definitely not limited to static artwork. Then we saw the puppets she had created to go along with the storyboard; she poured hours into it and we think it turned out amazing. The level of detail in these puppets was way more than we were expecting, and it's so cool to see ourselves represented as puppets.”


Watch the video below.


Fighting The Monsters was mixed and mastered by Tyler Williams at Monolithic Productions and the artwork was done by Jennifer White. The EP is slated for release this coming spring.





​Tracklisting:​


"Vultures"
"Fighting The Monsters" ft. Björn Strid (Soilwork)
"Hell Or High Water"
"Faded Through"
"The Iron Harvest"


"Vultures" video:





(Photo - Brett Teskey)

Romanian metal band, Scarlet Aura, have released a music video for "In The Line Of Fire", featured on the band's album, Genesis Of Time released last September digitally, and as special limited-edition CD-digipak and double black orange splatter heavy weight 180g vinyl via Universal Music Romania and Silver City Records. Watch the Eugen Dediu-directed clip below.





Says the band: "“We wanted to write a song that is a powerful encouragement and a message to anyone to not lose hope and keep fighting one’s own battles no matter what. We were broken but that only made us stronger, we were laughed at but we always showed up better, we jumped and fell but had the power to not only walk but to fly again higher and higher as any battle in and outside of yourself can be won if you stand up for what you believe in!“







Lineup:


Aura Danciulescu – Lead Vocals
Mihai Danciulescu – Lead guitar, special FX and keyboards
Rene Nistor – Bass
Matthias Klaus – Drums

THE HALO EFFECT, the new project featuring five former members of the Swedish metal band IN FLAMES — Jesper Strömblad (guitar), Daniel Svensson (drums), Peter Iwers (bass), Niclas Engelin (guitar) and Mikael Stanne (vocals) — has released its second single, "Feel What I Believe". The track, the official music video for which can be seen below, will appear on THE HALO EFFECT's first album, due later in the year via Nuclear Blast.

Stanne comments: "'Feel What I Believe' is basically about how it felt growing up and discovering extreme metal in our late teens. Delving into something that was both frightening and alluring at the same time. And having that as the sole focus as you started playing in a band and in essence decided who you wanted to be. That confidence and laser focus is what still fascinates me. I love that this somehow endured over the years. This is basically us at 19 screaming, 'How don't you understand this?' And even if people around us didn't get it at the time, at least they could see our passion for it and that's what this song is about."

He adds: "The video is also reminiscent of the videos we saw growing up. A bunch of long-haired people in an abandoned warehouse playing loud music while trying to look cool, basically. What we did here though is bring it to another level thanks to Theo Gabay and his amazing team. I love that it captures the vibe of us playing and really enjoying what we do. Also it looks spectacular."

Last November, THE HALO EFFECT released its debut single, "Shadowminds".

Regarding how THE HALO EFFECT came together, Stanne told the "Heavy Hops" podcast (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This is basically all my old friends from the area. Gothenburg is small, and it's always been very incestuous in terms of members, back and forth, in bands.

"I got asked by Niclas Engelin, who I've known since he… We played our first-ever show together with his old band; they were called SARCAZM, and we were still SEPTIC BROILER, before DARK TRANQUILLITY. So that's how far back we go. So he asked me, like, 'Let's play some music together.' And I was, like, 'Sure. It would be nice.' I was really deep into the writing and recording of the latest DARK TRANQUILLITY album, 'Moment', but I said, 'I'll be done soon.' 'Cause I was still kind of in the mode of sitting at home, recording and singing. So I was, like, 'Send me some songs. I'll see what I can do.' And then Peter Iwers called me as well and he was, like, 'I'm probably gonna be a part of this thing with Niclas. And it would be great if we could do it seriously. And we can probably get Daniel as well,' who played in IN FLAMES as well, 'and then maybe Jesper Strömblad as well.' And I was, like, 'That sounds fucking awesome.' That's totally old school. Even though we never played in that constellation in the early days of IN FLAMES, I was there, and Jesper was there, and then the other guys kind of joined later. So it was kind of, like, 'All right. Yeah, why not? Let's see what we can come up with.' So it's basically all the kind of old ex, weird members of IN FLAMES. But for me, it really is like… Daniel was in my younger brother's class when we grew up, so I started getting to know him because he got into death metal and he started his band SACRILEGE that I really loved. And Niclas was always kind of like a really, really proficient, great guitar player, playing in SARCAZM and tons of other bands that I always went to see, and we always hung out in the late '80s and early '90s. And Peter, of course, I knew, because he was the brother of Anders, who's been my friend forever. And Jesper I met during our first-ever shows in maybe '87, '88 — or something like that — hanging out at Valvet, which was the only kind of underground metal place here in Gothenburg in the late '80s and early '90s. So it kind of made perfect sense. So when we started talking about playing together, it was, like, 'Okay. What do we do then?' Should we just see if we can kind of pick up — not where we left off, but what we wanted to back then and see if we can update with what we have learned [through] our collective experiences. So that was kind of the idea. And it's been a blast — just being able to hang out with old friends. Because of touring schedules and all the stuff, in the recent 15 years or so, we never really get to see each other that much. But now we have. So it's been super, super, super cool."

On the topic of THE HALO EFFECT's musical direction, Mikael said: "Niclas started writing a few songs, just based on what he has and what he kind of digs. And I immediately felt, like, 'Oh, this is super cool. We're on to something here.' It's super heavy, it's melodic — it's all those things that we kind of grew up trying to do. Then Jesper got involved and he started changing a little bit of that or adding stuff to it. And we were, like, 'Okay, this is awesome.' It doesn't feel new at all, it doesn't feel super different, but at the same time, why should we? Let's focus on the things that we know best and try to kind of recapture that feeling that we had when we were kids, when we wanted to play together and that kind of playful atmosphere. Because the longer you play together with your main band or what have you, you try to constantly reinvent yourself, and so much energy goes into trying to be different from what you have done before. Whereas starting something new like this with a very familiar genre of music meant that you could be very free about it. It doesn't have to be anything in particular, it doesn't have to conform to any rules — it just needs to fucking kick ass and feel good. So that was the starting point. And then I tried, lyrically, to sing about or write about how it was growing up and how we felt and what was the thing that drove us to this extreme kind of music and all those things. It became kind of a thing that we always talked about: 'Do you remember this? Do you remember that old show? Do you remember that venue where we used to go and the long bus [ride] that took us all the way to that shitty youth center where we saw those bands?' or whatever. So it really became partly nostalgia but also kind of an appreciation for where we came from and how things turned out."

Stanne also talked about "Shadowminds", which was accompanied by a music video directed by Lucas Englund. He said: "It was one of the first songs that we wrote. We decided, like, 'Let's record a few songs, see if it works, see how it feels, see what we can come up with.' So we recorded three songs, and 'Shadowminds' was one of those. And we were really happy with all three of them. And we were, like, 'This feels great.' Because everything was written really fast. We went into the studio. Jesper put his spin on it. Then I wrote some lyrics in a day or in a couple of hours, sang it on a demo version and sent it to them, and they were, like, 'All right. Cool. Yeah. Let's record this super fast and see what happens.' Then we recorded a few more songs. And we couldn't decide on what would be the first single, because when we initially recorded these demos, it was just a way for us to present something to a label, see if someone is interested. So we were, like, 'Okay, but what song is most representative of this music, this band that we hardly even know yet.' So we played five songs to a bunch of friends and people who work in music, and they all kind of agreed this is probably the one. This feels most representative of what we are. It's a really intense song, it's melodic, it's heavy, and it's the first song that we eventually finished where we felt, like, 'Okay, this is a good direction. This is a good way of moving forward. And if we can have the songs be at least this kind of quality but in a different way, then we should be fine.' So that felt good. It was a great starting point — starting off with something that we were instantly very proud of and we felt like this is gonna be a song that's gonna stick for a while."

A founding member of IN FLAMES, Strömblad quit the band in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.

Svensson, who joined IN FLAMES in 1998, announced in 2015 that he was leaving the group to focus on his family life.

A member of IN FLAMES since 1997, Iwers issued a statement in November 2016 saying that he was exiting the band "to pursue other endeavors."

Engelin has been sitting out IN FLAMES' tour dates for the past two and a half years but has never officially confirmed his departure from the band. Engelin's replacement for IN FLAMES' live shows for most of 2019 and early 2020 has been former MEGADETH and current ACT OF DEFIANCE guitarist Chris Broderick.

When Engelin was asked in an August 2020 interview with the "MetalBreak" podcast what his "future" with IN FLAMES was, he responded, "I choose to pass on that [question]," before quickly adding, "I'm still in the band."

As of 2020, Engelin was not listed as a member of IN FLAMES on the band's Facebook page (Broderick was), and he is not featured in any of IN FLAMES' current promotional photos from the group's record label, Nuclear Blast.

Shortly after leaving IN FLAMES, Iwers joined CYHRA, the band featuring vocalist Jake E (ex-AMARANTHE) and Strömblad. He announced his departure from that band in May 2018.

THE HALO EFFECT's first-ever tour will be as the support act for Swedish death metal giants AMON AMARTH and U.S. metallers MACHINE HEAD on 31 dates throughout Europe in the summer and fall of 2022.

TESTAMENT has parted ways with its longtime drummer Gene Hoglan.

The veteran San Francisco Bay Area metallers announced Hoglan's exit from the group in a social media post earlier today.

The band wrote: "To all our TESTAMENT fans around the world,

"First off, we are beyond grateful to have had Gene Hoglan behind our drum throne for ten years, several albums and countless tour dates. Unfortunately, our brother Gene's additional tours and solo endeavors in 2022 conflict insurmountably with TESTAMENT's rescheduled dates after two years of lost time due to the pandemic. Rather than TESTAMENT having to reschedule upcoming dates (yet again) or Gene having to cancel his own plans, we have decided to amicably part ways.

"We understand that this announcement will cause some disappointment but rest assured: There is no drama, only the best of vibes between us. As Gene embarks upon a new chapter, we thank him from the bottom of our hearts for bringing the most powerful drum beats to TESTAMENT and heavy metal. We have no doubt he will continue to bring it as only he can. Gene Hoglan will always be family and we ask all of you to join us in wishing him only the best of luck going forward! Also rest assured that we will continue to deliver yet another top notch addition to TESTAMENT and will reveal soon!

"We will see you all on tour very soon!"

Hoglan added in a separate statement: "It's been a great ten years folks, and now it's time for me to move on from the mighty TESTAMENT. It merely comes down to the fact that schedules can be challenging to align for in-demand dudes like yours truly.

"I wish Chuck, Eric, Alex and Stevie D the absolute best of luck as they will continue to crush as always.

"I'm moving into an exciting new chapter of my career and free agency, with all that it will entail.

"I'll freely admit, I'm psyched. And I'm greatly looking forward to all the new opportunities the coming months and years are looking to bring, and again I wish my friends and family in TESTAMENT and their crew a fantastic future and all the best in '22 and beyond.

"Thank you gentlemen, for a great ride together."

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

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

Two years ago, TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson told Midlands Metalheads Radio about the songwriting process for the band's latest album, 2020's "Titans Of Creation": "Since I write most of the material, having different drummers in the band [over the years] and different styles, getting Gene in the band, who is kind of like a human drum machine — I mean, he can pretty much play anything. So my imagination is kind of limitless as far as what I can picture [the drum patterns being behind the] guitar. And a lot of the times, too, I play a riff, he's worked with me so long now, he knows exactly in the ballpark of what beat is gonna go where. So it's a lot of fun."

Hoglan previously stated about how he approached his drumming with TESTAMENT: "With TESTAMENT, I try to be as 'Gene Hoglan' as I can be. I definitely want the drums to sound like what Eric's looking for and I'm always trying to capture and enhance his vision. So I don't mind when I get songs really demoed out. Cool, lemme learn what you put on the demo and lemme Gene-ize it and we'll take it from there. Touring with TESTAMENT is very enjoyable. It's a well-oiled, solid metal machine that knows what it's doing."


To all our Testament fans around the world,

First off, we are beyond grateful to have had Gene Hoglan ''Official...

Posted by Testament on Friday, January 21, 2022



For immediate release

It’s been a great ten years folks, and now it’s time for me to move on from the mighty...

Posted by Gene Hoglan ''Official Page'' on Friday, January 21, 2022

The first in a series of videos documenting the making of MACHINE HEAD's as-yet-untitled tenth studio album can be seen below.

Back in June 2021, MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern entered Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with producer Zack Ohren to demo some new ideas for the band's follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis". With not a whole lot to track, things were off to a slow start, but eventually ideas started to flow.

MACHINE HEAD's next LP is tentatively due in the summer. Last month, Flynn offered an update on the album's progress during an episode of his "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast. He said: "I'm in the studio right now. In fact, we started yesterday — Zack and I were in the recording studio finishing up the new album, working on the new album. It's coming along. Right now, they're setting up in there. They've got Navene Koperweis [of] ENTHEOS, ANIMALS AS LEADERS and a million other bands — he is setting up drums and he's gonna be laying down some heat with the drums. Yeah, it's going really good — [it's] been really, really productive. And we're kind of getting towards the end here, man — we're getting towards the finish line. The finish line is in sight, and I haven't been able to say that for a long time."

He continued: "If you recall, Navene is the dude who played on '[Become The] Firestorm', 'Arrows In Words From The Sky', 'My Hands Are Empty', he played on 'Circle The Drain'. Yeah, it's comfortable. [He's] a local guy, which really helps.

"We're probably gonna be dropping some new songs pretty soon," Robb added. "Then the record will be dropping probably end of summer. We've gotta wait till the vinyl all lines up 'cause the vinyl takes fucking forever now. Nine-month lead time on vinyl. Adele just shifted 130 thousand copies of vinyl first week. Dude, it's crazy. All these fucking major labels are clogging up all of the vinyl pressing plants now. So, yeah, it's been a challenge. But we'll be dropping some songs on the DSPs, digital service providers."

Flynn and MacEachern previously said that they were "making great progress on at least six different new songs, including a 10-minute-plus epic."

Last June, MACHINE HEAD released the "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single. Featuring the tracks "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky", the effort was recorded at Sharkbite.

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a new single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

According to Flynn, all three tracks from "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single — "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and the title track — as well as "My Hands Are Empty", will be included on the band's next full-length studio album. "And the other stuff is just gonna stay kind of in whatever void it came out in — and probably be released on a collection of songs with a bunch of other B-sides at some point, a physical version," he told the "Behind The Vinyl" podcast last June. "But for now, these four songs, and then some future songs, are gonna make up the next record."

Asked if the "turbulent" nature of the last couple of years was a good thing for him creatively, Flynn said: "Oh, totally. I'm an impatient man. [Laughs] I want it, and I want it now. And the music business can be mind-numbingly slow at times. And certainly with the pandemic now, just the lead time to set up a record is, like, seven months. Vinyl is fucking seven months. If I turned in a record today — done, mastered, finished, artwork, everything — we're not gonna get the vinyl until seven months from now. I'm, like, 'This is fucking crazy.' And I don't wanna wait; I just wanna put it out.

"When I started in the [1980s] thrash scene, bands put out demos and fucking rehearsals and new songs every month or two," he explained. "I had every EXODUS song released just from bootlegs and from demos and stuff like that. Same with METALLICA. And it was just so much faster. And the world has just kind of shifted into this extremely slow — certainly the metal world has. And I wanted to bring it back to that… Yes, I'm not releasing a cassette tape, but yeah, I'm putting it out so that if the diehards wanna hear it, you can fucking hear it. And consistently do that — consistently put out music so that it's constantly giving the fans, the diehard fans, the Head Cases, the ones who fucking live and breathe this shit, something to chew on every three or four months. And I really dig it. I think it's amazing. And I think that we have the technology — thanks to Spotify and all the streaming services now — [so that] we can do this shit. So why not?"

Seven months ago, MACHINE HEAD announced that it was abandoning plans to resume its "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour now that the pandemic is slowing down. Flynn said that the "Burn My Eyes" tour, which saw him and MacEachern play the band's classic debut album in its entirety for the first time ever, with original "Burn My Eyes"-era drummer Chris Kontos and Mader joining in, would not pick up at such a time as MACHINE HEAD can continue touring. Flynn also confirmed that MacEachern is still a member of MACHINE HEAD alongside new recruits, guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED) and British drummer Matt Alston.

MACHINE HEAD will team up with Sweden's Viking metal overlords AMON AMARTH for a co-headline "Vikings And Lionhearts" European arena tour in September and October. Support on the trek will come from THE HALO EFFECT, the new band featuring five former members of IN FLAMES: Peter Iwers, Daniel Svensson, Jesper Strömblad, Niclas Engelin and Mikael Stanne.

Finnish Heinola-based metal band Where's My Bible have released a new single and music video, "Chapter I: Escape". The track is taken from their upcoming Circle EP, which is set to be released on May 13th via Inverse Records. There will be four tracks on EP and music video is done for each song. 


Check out "Chapter I: Escape" below.







Singer Jussi Matilainen comments: "When it comes to the storyline of EP and videos they are all connected to each other and it tells a multidimensional story about mental health problems, mainly focusing on depression. I love to use metaphors in lyrics so Circle is more diverse than you might imagine at the first hear. I believe listening / watching after times it opens up over and over again to the listener. Fun to see what kind of experiences people will have from Circle."


Guitarist Pasi Löfgrén continues: "In new material the band have taken new direction to a more modern metal but still having our own sound. The new material will be definitely darker than earlier stuff, serving bigger sound elements including some brutal, melodic and some fast stuff. It will be bigger and heavier W.M.B than ever than before."


Guitarist Toni Hinkkala concludes: "I'm not saying that the journey with this release has been easy but now at the time of the release I can proudly say that everything has been worth it...A step to the dark side can also bring something beautiful with it..." 





Tracklist:


"Chapter I: Escape"
"Chapter II: Void"
"Chapter III: Nest"
"Chapter IV: Origin"

Brian May (QUEEN), Slash (GUNS N' ROSES), David Draiman (DISTURBED), Frank Bello (ANTHRAX), Dino Cazares (FEAR FACTORY), Todd La Torre (QUEENSRŸCHE) and SCORPIONS are among the rockers who have reacted to the passing of iconic rock singer Meat Loaf. He died on Thursday at the age of 74.

According to TMZ, Meat Loaf was "seriously ill" with COVID-19 just days before his death. The singer was due to attend a business dinner earlier this week for a show he was working on based on his classic hit "I'd Do Anything For Love" but canceled after becoming sick.

Meat Loaf had reportedly been outspoken about vaccine mandates. In May, he posted a clip of Eric Clapton and Van Morrison's anti-lockdown song "Stand & Deliver", writing, "Listen and Learn."

The news of his passing was confirmed on the musician's Facebook page by his family.

"Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends," the post said.

Meat Loaf is survived by his daughters, his son-in-law Scott Ian (ANTHRAX) and grandson Revel Young Ian.

Meat Loaf's amazing career spanned six decades and saw him sell over 100 million albums worldwide and star in over 65 movies, including "Fight Club", "Focus", "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Wayne's World".

His "Bat Out Of Hell" remains one of the 10 top-selling albums of all time.

"We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man," the family's post added.

No cause of death has yet been revealed.

The Dallas-born singer's real name was Marvin Lee Aday.

His 1993 hit "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" earned him a Grammy Award.

"Bat Out Of Hell" was also adapted as a stage musical, written by longtime collaborator Jim Steinman.




Damn it. That's quite enough 2022. #MeatLoafRIP

???https://t.co/UxgiJensdb

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) January 21, 2022








Very sad news.https://t.co/sgPsgX9ynR

— Todd La Torre (@ToddLaTorre) January 21, 2022








"And if life is just a highway, then the soul is just a car

And objects in the rear view mirror, may appear closer than they are"

? #Meatloaf

— ☆ ?????? ????? ☆ (@AshleyPurdy) January 21, 2022








? Another icon sadly gone. Remembering Meatloaf.

One of the first records I bought - 'Bat out of Hell'

One of the first major music artists I saw live at Monsters of Rock.

Incomparable, utterly unique. ?

RIP pic.twitter.com/tptnpk7knN

— Toby Jepson (@TobyJepson) January 21, 2022




























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Brian Harold May (@brianmayforreal)






























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A post shared by Slash (@slash)










Rest In Peace Meatloaf pic.twitter.com/s5GhrfU0RQ

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) January 21, 2022








R.I.P Meat Loaf. Thank you for everything.

My thoughts: https://t.co/ZgUrPk92op pic.twitter.com/GcLwRxh73A

— Justin Hawkins (@JustinHawkins) January 21, 2022




























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A post shared by SCORPIONS (@scorpions)






























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A post shared by Frank Bello (@thefrankbello)










From stage to screen, you filled us with so much entertainment and energy, a true inspiration in many ways, RIP Marvin Lee Aday, known to us all simply as #Meatloaf pic.twitter.com/Yxs3KfAZei

— Jeff Scott Soto (@jeffscottsoto) January 21, 2022








A gentle hearted powerhouse ockstar forever and ever. You were so kind. Your music will always be iconic. I'm sure you're singing concerts in the great beyond. Rest In Peace sir. #MeatLoafRIP #Meatloaf pic.twitter.com/9twdJcOeP1

— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) January 21, 2022








A complete original. Meatloaf was the exact opposite of what “success" in Rock & Roll was SUPPOSED to look like.The Anti-Plant. He WORKED being a Mystery Date “Dud" into the “100 Million Sold" that's the ONLY reason he's relevant to the Fancy Folk pretending to love him now.

? https://t.co/PkxHhLHVH1

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) January 21, 2022

The official Sergio Vega Reverb shop has launched, allowing fans of the DEFTONES and QUICKSAND bassist a chance to purchase basses, guitars, and more music gear from throughout Vega's career.

Gear in the shop includes:

* A Fractal Axe FX-II and Axe FX-II XL+ dual setup, complete with labeled Fractal Foot Controllers, that Vega used for live shows and recording. "They still contain all of my presets and patches throughout the years," said Vega — including ones used for the songs "Diamond Eyes", "Poltergeist" and "Tempest".

* A suite of Fender Jaguar basses from Vega's collection. Said Vega: "These are the basses I've recorded everything from 'Diamond Eyes' to 'Ohm', to 'Interiors' with QUICKSAND as well."

* A collection of Fender Squier Bass VIs. "These are things that I have loved and have been meticulously maintained over the years," Vega explained.

* Tour posters, a wardrobe case, and other road-worn memorabilia.

As Vega continues to build his collection of gear, he's realized that it's time to clean out the studio.

"The only reason I'm getting rid of [this gear] is because I find myself not using them as much, and also as you acquire more gear, you want to make space for that gear," he said.

In a 2021 interview with Bass Magazine, Sergio stated about being in a rhythm section with DEFTONES drummer Abe Cunningham: "It's a joy. We put a lot of effort into being a tight rhythm section. We call ourselves Too Right and we even got matching tattoos. We're very serious about it. Whether we're playing like a traditional rhythm section where I match his kick, or we're interplaying, it's mainly about keeping everything super tight. After a song is written, the final aspect of detailing for me is isolating Abe's drums and playing with them over and over, and making sure I'm locking in with every little thing he's doing. Steph [guitarist Stephen Carpenter] is the same way and he approaches guitar a lot like a bass."

Asked how he finds the space for his bass in DEFTONES's music, Sergio said: "If I'm coming in with a part, then everyone else is fitting in with how they hear it, but if someone else has a part, then it's my job to do that. Stephen and I have a lot of fun matching each other, and we do role bending where he'll play low and very rhythmically and I'll go high on the neck and make it more melodic. A lot of it isn't thought out; it's just what sounds best."

Belgian extreme heavy metal frontrunners, Evil Invaders, are back and ready to unleash their third album, Shattering Reflection, with full force on April 1 via Napalm Records.


With nearly five years having passed since the band’s last release, rest assured - Shattering Reflection is absolutely worth the wait. Evil Invaders deliver a brand-new collection of dynamic, classically inspired but undeniably fresh tracks, focusing on strong choruses, gripping lyrics and even progressive touches that will grab every extreme heavy metal fan by the throat and have them screaming for more. Standing out amid their modern contemporaries, Evil Invaders aren’t here to look backward - they practically ooze extreme and thrash/speed metal precision from their very pores, delivering an authentic amalgamation of fresh songs that fast track the genre into the future.


As a first glimpse of what can be expected, Evil Invaders have unveiled the addictive mid-tempo crusher “In Deepest Black”, delivering dramatic, melodic guitar lines topped by a catchy chorus that will never leave the listener’s head. Check out the new track, alongside a chilling music video chock full of instant replay-worthy throwback metal vibes.




Joe (vocalist & guitarist) about “In Deepest Black”: "‘In Deepest Black' is definitely one of the best songs we’ve written so far. Despite the fact that it’s something completely different from what we’ve done in the past, it feels very natural to play this song. I've always wanted to release some kind of 'heavy Evil Invaders ballad' and I think we finally nailed it with this one."


Watch the music video for “In Deepest Black” below.


Evil Invaders’s Shattering Reflection promises to be a game-changer for the Belgian four-piece, as the band finds their own formula - twisting heavy metal into yet another extreme direction. The album takes off with speeding banger “Hissing in Crescendo”, followed by the epic anthem “Die For Me”, already destined to become an Evil Invaders all-time classic. A calmer side is explored on tracks like mid-tempo opus “Forgotten Memories”, creating a dense, heavy wall of sound with equally piercing vocals and lyrics underlined by guitar solo virtuosity. That thrilling epos stands in line with “In Deepest Black”, further showcasing how the band has managed to craft a pure classic heavy metal anthem with melodic guitar lines and catchy choruses, creeping relentlessly into the listener’s head. It also proves that frontman Joe has undoubtedly matured vocally, as his voice enters a whole new dimension in all facets. On the contrary, “Sledgehammer Justice” is a furious outburst of classic thrash/speed metal in which the Belgian quartet goes full throttle with hammering rhythms and guitar solo madness. Another album highlight is dark opus “The Circle”, creating a horrifying atmosphere with stomping drums and excellent guitar lines. Fans of King Diamond will definitely dig this one. Throughout the album, the band manages to keep the balance between fast extreme heavy metal with sharp shredding and mosh-worthy tracks, as well as melodic, intense and chorus-oriented mid-tempo anthems.


Shattering Reflection is a monster of an album that indisputably proves that, within in a new generation of metal bands, Evil Invaders have developed and matured record after record, just like classic metal bands of yore. Fans will instantly clamor to hear Shattering Reflection in full, and see these sinister tracks performed live on stage.


Joe (vocalist & guitarist) on Shattering Reflection: "I’m very satisfied with what we achieved on Shattering Reflection. We’ve created a very versatile and surprising album. Because it had been so long since we’ve released anything new, we had a lot of demo material to choose from and I think that’s what made this record so interesting. We had the time to experiment with the songwriting, arrangements and vocal lines. Also the collaboration with Francesco Paoli as a producer was really cool. We managed to truly give the songs a unique vibe. It feels like we’re at the start of a new chapter for the band and I’m excited to hear people’s reactions to the new stuff. It was a long and heavy process but it was totally worth it."





Shattering Reflection will be available in the following formats:


- Jewel Case
- 1LP Sleeve Black
- 1LP Sleeve Marbled Black & Blue - limited to 300 copies worldwide
- Shirt & Jewel Case Bundle
- Digital Full Length Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Hissing In Crescendo"
"Die For Me"
"In Deepest Black"
"Sledgehammer Justice"
"Forgotten Memories"
"Realm of Shadows"
"Eternal Darkness"
"My World"
"Aeon"
"The Circle"


"In Deepest Black" video:





Lineup:


Joe - Vocals & Guitars
Senne Jacobs - Drums
Max - Guitars
Joeri - Bass


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has postponed the start date of its much-anticipated "Public Service Announcement" to this summer.

The North American leg of the trek was originally slated to begin in March 2020 before it was rescheduled several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trek will now kick off on July 9 in East Troy, Wisconsin.

19 RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE shows that were supposed to take place between March 31 and May 23 will be rescheduled.

In a statement from earlier today, the reunited quartet — Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford — said: "The RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE 'Public Service Announcement' North American tour with RUN THE JEWELS will now start on July 9, 2022 in East Troy, Wisconsin.

"Headline shows scheduled for March 31, 2022 through May 23, 2022 will be postponed and rescheduled. All tickets for the moved dates will be honored.

"For fans wishing to obtain a refund for the postponed dates, refunds are available for a 30-day window from the point of purchase only, starting today.

"We will be back to you soon with the rerouted dates."

The upcoming tour will mark the first time RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has hit the road together since 2011.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE last played together at L.A. Rising and has resisted calls for a reunion, with vocalist De La Rocha previously believed to be the lone holdout. Guitarist Morello and his fellow RAGE bandmates Commerford (bass) and Wilk (drums) have since teamed up with PUBLIC ENEMY's Chuck D. and CYPRESS HILL's B-Real in the similarly styled PROPHETS OF RAGE.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE recorded three original studio albums and one set of covers before breaking up in 2000. The group reformed in 2007 but only played sporadic gigs and never a full tour.


Posted by Rage Against The Machine on Thursday, January 20, 2022

METALLICA has stepped in to help a Los Angeles street performer after his drum kit was stolen.

Sheriff Drumman, who is famous for playing drums from the bed of his truck, had both his truck and drums stolen from in front of his Hawthorne apartment in December. Although he eventually he got his truck back, the drums were gone.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Sheriff spent nearly six years custom-building the four-wheeled drum set, hand-crafting the metal that made the setup possible, cutting, shaping and bending each slab before adding the details and the bright "#SheriffDrumman" sign above the vehicle.

After hearing about the theft, METALLICA gifted Drumman a new drum kit in Hollywood Tuesday night.

"Man, thank you guys so much," the artist born Anthony Eugene Sheriff said, according to NBC Los Angeles. "Thank you for taking the time and the resources to support and help what I do. I love you for that."

In response, METALLICA tweeted: "We're honored to be able to help out a fellow artist. Keep the music going, Sheriff Drumman!"

Back in 2016, Sheriff told LA Weekly that he was earning between $200 and $600 a day in tips.






We're honored to be able to help out a fellow artist. Keep the music going, Sheriff Drumman!https://t.co/EwlAhNnFKd

— Metallica (@Metallica) January 20, 2022

Arizona groove metal outfit, Incite, returns with new songs up their sleeves and have recently signed a contract with Atomic Fire Records. Following five relentless albums and an insane touring schedule under their belts, Richie Cavalera and his gang of misfits gear up for Wake Up Dead, set for release on March 25. This infectious collection of raucous new tracks and remastered gems from their fifteen-plus year career proves once again that Incite are indeed the missing link between Machine Head and Lamb Of God.


On their five albums The Slaughter (2009), All Out War (2012), Up In Hell (2014), Oppression (2016), and Built To Destroy (2019), Incite cemented their reputation as one of America’s leading groove armadas, heavily hitting home with their blend of old-school thrash majesty, frantic aggression, melody, skill, and bravado. What began as a band of greenhorns driving around the States in a shitty van, thrashing small clubs, has evolved into a band with the potential, the passion, and the power to become one of metal’s biggest acts.


Written in several bouts of feverish inspiration during last year’s pandemic chaos, Wake Up Dead delivers the goods in the most relentless way. With recording duties again handled by legendary producer Steve Evetts (who Richie Cavalera notes is, “the only guy who can simultaneously record The Cure and Suicide Silence and pull it off”) in Omen Room Studios just outside Los Angeles, here’s a band that couldn’t be more comfortable with the place they’re in right now. Kicking off the proceedings with the open fire that is “Fuck With Me (Wake Up Dead),” the record’s menacing second track, “War Soup,” will make a lasting impression on international heavy metal troops standing as the first Incite song ever to feature the vocals of both Richie and his step-father Max Cavalera, a historical gathering of heavy metal generations.




Comments Richie Cavalera, "Metalheads, we've held back this beast long enough! It's time! We've reworked the team, we've added more heavy metal, and couldn't be more fired up! Our new album Wake Up Dead will drop with MinusHead/Atomic Fire Records for the first time ever! This album is exactly what the metal worlds needs to kick off 2022 heavy AF!"


Atomic Fire Records CEO and founder Markus Wosgien adds, "When Dez Fafara, singer of DevilDriver and manager of acts like Cradle Of Filth, Jinjer, and 8 Kalacas, introduced us the new material of Incite, we were simply blown away. Those five new tracks simply were the shit! Each track was super catchy, straightforward, and massively brutal and aggressive. I couldn’t believe that I missed this incredible band over all these years and had a new mission: The metal world needs to know about Incite and how great they are. So, the idea starts to grow to not only do an EP, but also add the best of their old tracks, remaster them, and demonstrate what Incite is about. This new release is one of the best modern thrash metal releases of all time. This is both fresh, unique, and still somehow old-school as fuck. Fronted by Richie Cavalera, this band has an amazing singer with a serious history and well known parents. Check them out; you all will love them."





Wake Up Dead tracklisting:


"Fuck With Me (Wake Up Dead)"
"War Soup" [feat. Max Cavalera]
"Sucker Punched"
"Deadbeat"
"Mental Destruction"
"Built To Destroy"
"Stagnant"
"Fallen"
"The Aftermath"
"The Slaughter"


Stand by for album pre-orders and track previews to be launched in the coming weeks.


Lineup:


Richie Cavalera - vocals
Eli Santana - guitars
Christopher "EL" Elsten - bass
Lennon Lopez - drums


(Photo - Oleg Bogdan)

TOOL performed the song "Culling Voices" for the first time ever during the band's concert this past Saturday, January 15 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Fan-filmed video of the performance, which started off with all the members seated at the front of the stage and drummer Danny Carey playing guitar alongside Adam Jones, can be seen below.

"Culling Voices" is taken from TOOL's latest album, "Fear Inoculum", which arrived in August of 2019, following years of anticipation. The LP debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200, shattering sales and radio records while also earning widespread critical praise.

TOOL kicked off its 2022 tour in support of "Fear Inoculum" on January 10 at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. It marked the band's first live appearance since March 2020 when TOOL's trek was cut short following a gig in Portland, Oregon due to the burgeoning pandemic.

A year ago, TOOL singer Maynard James Keenan revealed that he battled COVID-19 twice in the span of just a few months. He told "Strombo" on Apple Music Hits that he suffered a second COVID-19 infection around "mid-November [2020] and ended up in the ER on December 1."

Keenan previously discussed his first bout with coronavirus in October 2020, telling AZ Central that he suffered symptoms of the disease in February 2020 and was still recovering eight months later. "I'm still dealing with the residual effects," he said at the time, "But it was ugly. I survived it, but it wasn't pretty. So I definitely had to deal with that."

Two weeks ago, it was reported that TOOL was one of several artists utilizing specially trained sniffer dogs to detect COVID-19 at their shows. The dogs are able to sniff for traces of the virus on anyone involved backstage, including members of the band’s crew and entourage.

TOOL was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in January 2020 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. TOOL was nominated for "7empest", a track from "Fear Inoculum".

TOOL already had three previous Grammy Awards under its belt: "Best Metal Performance" in 1997 and 2001 for "Ænima" and "Schism", respectively, and "Best Recording Package" in 2006 for "10,000 Days".

TOOL formed in 1990 and has released five studio albums thus far: "Undertow" (1993), "Ænima" (1996), "Lateralus" (2001), "10,000 Days" (2006) and "Fear Inoculum"; two EPs: "72826" (1991) and "Opiate" (1992); and the limited-edition boxset, "Salival" (2000). The band has won four Grammy Awards: Best Metal Performance (1998, "Ænima"), "Best Metal Performance" (2002, "Schism"), "Best Recording Package" (2007, "10,000 Days") and "Best Metal Performance" (2020, "7empest").

Continuing the musical journey introduced on their fall 2021 album "See What's On The Inside", acclaimed British rockers ASKING ALEXANDRIA have released a new EP titled "Never Gonna Learn" via Better Noise Music. In addition to the title track, the project includes a new collaboration with Maria Brink from IN THIS MOMENT.

Serving as the second and current single off their latest album, "Never Gonna Learn" and its video, in which the band performs the song in an intimate setting interspersed with polaroid images of the session, received attention a number of outlets upon its release, with many of them praising the song's immediate catchiness and declaring it a destined-to-be fan favorite.

ASKING ALEXANDRIA closed out 2021 by celebrating its first-ever No. 1 at U.S. active rock radio with hit single "Alone Again", taken from the band's seventh full-length studio album "See What's On The Inside". The song had the biggest first streaming day and week in the group's history and was a fitting first offering from its latest album. "See What's On The Inside" made a top 10 Spotify debut in both the U.S. and the U.K. upon release.

As ASKING ALEXANDRIA is excited to continue connecting with fans on the road in 2022, they're also eager to share more music, with guitarist Ben Bruce stating: "2021 was another strange year for everyone, so we wanted to do something special for our fans and kick the new year off with a bang! We are super excited to release the 'Never Gonna Learn' EP. Instead of just releasing our new single, we wanted to give you all something a little extra so we have included two brand new songs on this single EP, one of which we hold near and dear to our hearts, and another that we collaborated with our good friend Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT. To top it all off, we will be going out on our first U.S. headline run since 2018! We cannot wait to see you all soon and we hope you love these new songs as much as we do!"

Brink also commented on her collaboration with the band, saying: "We've known ASKING ALEXANDRIA for years and it's nice to finally collaborate together. They are incredibly talented and joining forces with them was a lot of fun. I can't wait for everyone to hear the song and I'm grateful to be a part of it."

"Never Gonna Learn" EP track listing:

01. Never Gonna Learn

02. New Devil (feat. Maria Brink)

03. Find Myself

04. Miles Away