Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, the company which creates "beautiful lullaby versions of your favorite artists," has just released "Lullaby Versions Of King Diamond & Mercyful Fate" via Roma Music Group.

"Lullaby Versions Of King Diamond & Mercyful Fate" track listing:

01. Abigail (KING DIAMOND)

02. Welcome Home (KING DIAMOND)

03. Halloween (KING DIAMOND)

04. Sleepless Nights (KING DIAMOND)

05. Eye Of The Witch (KING DIAMOND)

06. Dreams (KING DIAMOND)

07. The Family Ghost (KING DIAMOND)

08. Evil (MERCYFUL FATE)

09. A Dangerous Meeting (MERCYFUL FATE)

10. Curse Of The Pharaohs (MERCYFUL FATE)

11. Come To The Sabbath (MERCYFUL FATE)

12. Melissa (MERCYFUL FATE)

The song "Abigail" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star was born for the parent that wants to pass along their biggest passion to their child, music. Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star transforms popular music into instrumental lullabies perfect for babies, yoga or just relaxation. Now, parents can enjoy the music from LADY GAGA to METALLICA in soothing lullaby style. With over 135 titles to choose from, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star is the largest line of pop, rock, metal and jamband music lullabies in the world.

These aren't novelty recordings. They are cute, they are soft but these are serious recordings. Roma Music Group, which releases Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, is run by two music industry veterans who put the fidelity of these recording at the top of the priority list. Let's face it, much like the brand name clothes you buy for your infant, this music is really for you. Whether you are raising a metal baby, rocker or hippie baby, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star has your music transformed from arena anthems into nursery classics.

Australian progressive metal band, Teramaze, fronted by guitarist and band founder Dean Wells, alongside Chris Zoupa, Andrew Cameron and Nick Ross, have released a brand new song, "Ticket To The Next Apocalypse", featuring guest vocalist Jason Wisdom of Death Therapy. Watch the visualizer below:





The band previously released the song "Battle". A video can be found below.




Said Dean Wells: “The song ’Battle’ was written during the extensive lockdowns that happened in Australia in 2021. Our lockdowns were especially harsh and drawn out in Melbourne where we live. The song was birthed from watching all of the protests, and people fighting for their basic human rights and freedoms. This whole event made me realize, more than ever before, the sheer power of the media and its utter manipulation of the public. It's so much greater than I ever thought it could be. ‘Battle’ is an anthem written to give hope and inspire people to stand and fight for what they truly believe in, even against all odds."

COHEED AND CAMBRIA has announced details of its widely anticipated new album, "Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind". The ambitious 13-track epic was produced by the band's own Claudio Sanchez and Zakk Cervini, and will be released worldwide on May 27.

Today the band has launched pre-orders for the album on DSPs and for the collection's deeply immersive "Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind" limited-edition deluxe box set.

"Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind" welcomes us back to "The Amory Wars" as the second installment of the five-part "Vaxis" arc about a couple on the run from tyrannical forces and their mysterious new addition. The album's limited-edition deluxe box set includes the exclusive 96-page illustrated hardcover novel "A Window Of The Waking Mind" which was developed by Sanchez and written by his wife Chondra Echert with strikingly realistic color artwork by Chase Stone. The 9" x 12" box set also houses an exclusive Quintillan Speaker Containment Unit Lamp (approximately 8" diameter), a three-panel fold out poster of expanded album cover art, and the "A Window Of The Waking Mind" black card which will allow all card holders early access to tickets and early entry to COHEED AND CAMBRIA headline dates. All box sets will also come with a CD copy and download of "Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind" along with an official Certificate Of Authenticity. Furthermore, fans who pre-order the limited-edition box set before January 23 will receive autographed copies and have their name included within the pages of the accompanying illustrated hardcover novel.

Named one of Revolver's "Most Anticipated Albums Of 2022," "Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind" includes the recently released singles "Rise, Naianasha (Cut The Cord)" and "Shoulders", the latter of which vaulted into the Top 10 at Active Rock Radio, marking the group's career highest radio chart position to date. "(It) masterfully pairs heavy metal-infused riffs with sweeping, melodic vocals in a way that only COHEED can," declared MTV who placed "Shoulders" in their 2021 Favorites round-up. "COHEED AND CAMBRIA are back, and they're heavy as ever," asserted Billboard, with Guitar World attesting "COHEED AND CAMBRIA have come out swinging." Brooklyn Vegan observed, "It finds the band embracing their love of classic heavy metal riffage, before exploding into the kind of soaring chorus that COHEED have been churning out since day one… they sound pretty damn inspired."

COHEED AND CAMBRIA will celebrate the forthcoming LP with "The Great Destroyer Tour", a U.S. headline run which will feature support from special guests SHEER MAG. The coast-to-coast trek is set to get underway on February 16 with a sold-out show at the legendary Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown, California and will continue through mid-March, giving audiences an opportunity to see the band live in intimate clubs across the U.S.

For the last 20 years, COHEED AND CAMBRIA have continuously broken the mold of what a rock band can be, forging their own path and building a universe around their music unlike any other. Whether it is in the way their genre-spanning approach to songwriting has allowed them to bridge worlds without being contained to one, or the multifaceted story arc of their albums and comic book series which mark the longest running concept story in music, COHEED AND CAMBRIA have consistently shaped new standards, never conformed. Comprised of Claudio Sanchez (vocals / guitar), Travis Stever (guitar), Josh Eppard (drums) and Zach Cooper (bass), the band has gripped listeners and press around the globe with their visionary compositions and conceptual mastery. In 2018, COHEED AND CAMBRIA made a stunning debut with their album "Vaxis I: The Unheavenly Creatures", which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart, No. 6 current sales and Top 15 on the Billboard 200 chart.

"Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind" track listing:

01. The Embers Of Fire

02. Beautiful Losers

03. Comatose

04. Shoulders

05. A Disappearing Act

06. Love Murder One

07. Blood

08. The Liars Club

09. Bad Man

10. Our Love

11. Ladders Of Supremacy

12. Rise, Naianasha (Cut The Cord)

13. Window Of The Waking Mind

Photo credit: Alexandra Gavillet

Released in August 1971 just two months after it was recorded, Fillmore East - June 1971 was Frank Zappa and The Mothers’ masterstroke conceptual live album, a well-oiled and well-edited aural treatise chronicling the prurient feast and famine of a certain band’s somewhat salacious life on (and off) the road. In effect, it was the seemly predecessor to October 1971’s expansive, groundbreaking magnum opus, 200 Motels, the surrealistic documentary and soundtrack which ultimately took on a life of its own. Even so, Fillmore East - June 1971, the landmark live recording with the scrawled “penzil” cover art made to resemble a bootleg of the day, managed to capture its own level of then-modern zeitgeist in patented Zappa-reconstructed form.


The ever-touring Mothers closed out 1971 with a European jaunt that saw them hitting Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, and Austria before rolling into Switzerland for a December 4, 1971 show at the Montreaux Casino that will forever live in infamy in both song and legend. This was due to an errant fan setting off a flare gun and burning the place to the ground – along with destroying all The Mothers’ gear and equipment, sans one solitary cowbell.


Thankfully, the band and audience were relatively unhurt, but subsequent shows in France and Belgium were cancelled and The Mothers had to resort to wrestling with rented equipment for a planned pair of shows slated for December 10-11, 1971 at the Rainbow Theatre in London, England. Only the December 10th show came to pass, however, due to an event that changed the course of Zappa’s life forever. After the band played a cover of The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” a crazed fan attacked him by violently shoving him off the stage into the orchestra pit 12 feet below. For some time, nobody knew whether Zappa was alive and there was complete confusion inside and outside the theater. As Zappa recounted in his 1989 autobiography, “The Real Frank Zappa Book:” “My head was over on my shoulder and my neck was bent like it was broken. I had a gash in my chin, a hole in the back of my head, a broken rib and a fractured leg. One arm was paralyzed.” Once he could finally leave the hospital and be returned to the States, he spent the better part of a year in a wheelchair and a leg brace. When all was said and done, he permanently sustained a lower pitched voice, one leg shorter than the other and chronic back pain. The Rainbow Theatre show would end up being the last ever performed by the Flo and Eddie lineup as the group disbanded while Zappa was in the hospital as they needed to continue to work while he recuperated. Once Zappa recovered from his injuries he ventured into other musical territories.




It's these intriguing, intertwining roads that will be explored, examined, and celebrated like never before with the monumental and definitive new eight-disc/digital collection, The Mothers 1971, a new Super Deluxe Edition boxed set due March 18 via Zappa Records/UMe that showcases these special 1971 lineups and commemorates these storied chapters in Zappa’s legacy. Overseen by the Zappa Trust and produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers, the 100-track, nearly 10-hour set brings together every note of the fabled four shows that closed down the vaunted Fillmore East in New York City on June 5-6, 1971, including the entire John Lennon and Yoko Ono encore, along with the full Rainbow Theatre performance in London, England, on December 10, 1971. Also included is an unreleased hybrid concert culled from June 1 and June 3, 1971 performances in Scranton and Harrisburg, Penn., which denote the first time Mothers shows were recorded on Zappa’s preferred, then-newly purchased ½-inch 4-track tape machine (throughout the ’70s, this was the main tape recorder used to document shows if the budget allowed). The extensive collection is rounded out with the original rare single for “Tears Began To Fall” and its non-album-track B-side “Junier Mintz Boogie,” signifying the single’s first re-release in 50 years and digital debut, as well as a homemade radio spot and its related outtakes. This release is significant for marking the first time the complete back-to-back double-header Fillmore East concerts have been released in their entirety, allowing fans to hear the full performances that Zappa edited the album from, and for the very first time anywhere, contains the official audio of the Rainbow Theatre show’s truly shocking ending which was thought to have not been recorded until recently discovered while putting this project together.


The Mothers 1971 will also be available digitally for streaming and download, in both standard and hi-res audio (96kHz/24-bit). Pre-order is available here.





The majority of the box set’s unedited live tracks have been newly mixed from scratch by longtime Zappa Trust associate Craig Parker Adams at Winslow Ct. Studios and mastered by John Polito at Audio Mechanics. The complete historical Rainbow Theatre concert was newly mixed by legendary producer/engineer Eddie Kramer (his first Zappa Trust project to date) and mastered by Bernie Grundman. All recordings included on The Mothers 1971 were sourced from their original 2-inch, 16-track, 1-inch 8-track, and ¼-inch 2-track stereo analog master tapes discovered in The Vault and digitally transferred and compiled by Joe Travers in 2020, who then supervised the mixes in early 2021.


The Mothers 1971 boxed set comes in a CD size slimcase with all eight discs residing in their own respective mini-jackets, which are collectively housed within an inner slipcase, along with a comprehensive 68-page booklet showcasing a quite revealing, in-depth interview with key Mothers 1971 bandmember Ian Underwood as conducted by Ahmet Zappa, in addition to separate recollections and learned musings from Eddie Kramer and then-bassist Jim Pons alongside detailed, tape-by-tape liner notes from the ever-irrepressible Joe Travers, and historical photos from famed photographer Henry Diltz.


The Mothers lineup that ruled the Fillmore East roost in New York City for four extraordinary sets across two back-to-back nights on June 5-6, 1971 consisted of Ian Underwood (winds/keyboards), Aynsley Dunbar (drums), Jim Pons (bass/vocals/dialog), Bob Harris (keyboards/vocals) and was rounded out by Howard Kaylan (lead vocals/dialog) and Mark Volman (lead vocals/dialog), aka Flo & Eddie of The Turtles, with special guest Don Preston. It was a fitting Mothers collective chosen to close the renowned NYC venue, and they performed such iconic tracks like “The Mud Shark,” “Bwana Dik,” and the groupie routine labeled as “Do You Like My New Car?” (For his part, Don Preston provided Mini-Moog at Fillmore East, then rejoined The Mothers fulltime to take over for Bob Harris on keyboards and vocals for the band’s ensuing summertime dates and onward, through that December.)


The June 1971 Fillmore East finale was made even more special thanks to John Lennon and Yoko Ono appearing alongside Zappa and The Mothers to perform a final encore for the unsuspecting crowd, including a red hot version of Walter Ward's "Well" led by John on vocals (an old Beatles live favorite from the Cavern Club in Liverpool) with two solos by Zappa, a seminal reading of “King Kong” that soon enough metamorphosized into an extended jam ultimately called “Scumbag” as well as further improvisational vocal ululations from Yoko with guitar feedback by John and backing from The Mothers.


Zappa had plans to release this historical encore in its entirety after mixing it in 1971, but shelved it after John and Yoko released their own encore mixes on Side 4 of June 1972’s Sometime in New York City. Zappa eventually released his version of the encore as part of October 1992’s Compact Disc, Playground Psychotics.


After being awarded the rights to his back catalogue in the early 1980s, Zappa mulled other plans for releasing the encore, but upon inspection of the returned Fillmore East masters, it was discovered the Lennon encore tape was missing from its master tape box. In 2021 following a request via Universal, the Lennon Estate kindly provided the Zappa Trust and UMe with a high-resolution transfer of the multi-track safety reel (which FZ had made for them in 1971), thus ensuring that, for the first time in 50 years, the full encore performance could be heard, remixed, in its entirety.


Vinyl lovers will also be able to get their fill via a pair of concurrently released individual 3LP configurations. First, the expanded 50th anniversary 3LP vinyl edition of Fillmore East – June 1971 will have a remaster of the original 1971 live album on LP1 along with 2 LPs of bonus tracks, including the John Lennon and Yoko Ono encore and the complete masterpiece “Billy The Mountain,” plus liner notes by Joe Travers. Significantly, the vinyl version of Fillmore East has been expanded to include vintage, period-perfect Zappa mixes, some of which are not included in the CD box set and can’t be found anywhere else. The original album appears on Sides 1 and 2, while Sides 3, 4, 5, and 6 contain the original “Billy The Mountain” as well as Zappa’s original version of the John & Yoko encore along with other material from the original mix sessions of the Fillmore East album. The Fillmore East 50th Anniversary Edition 3LP set was cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering.


Second, Rainbow Theatre is the 3LP vinyl equivalent to the CD box’s contents, featuring a brand new 2021 mix and liner notes by Eddie Kramer. The Rainbow Theatre 3LP set was cut by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Both vinyl sets were pressed on 180-gram high-grade vinyl by Optimal: Media in Germany.


As Travers keenly confirmed in his always enlightening liner notes, the Fillmore East 1971 tapes were “the first time that The Mothers were recorded live on 16-track analog tape. Previously, all live recordings were captured on 1-inch 8-track or lower.” Barry Keene, the recording engineer for these dates, also used a ¼-inch 2-track machine to capture a line mix. Though not all of the 16-track tapes have survived over the years, Travers and company were able to utilize the 2-track board tapes to fill in any missing gaps.


In his truly illuminating interview with Ahmet Zappa in The Mothers 1971 booklet, Ian Underwood zeroed in on Frank’s inherent talent for writing out all his original music perfectly, note for note, a la Mozart – music Underwood was always more than happy to play for its originator. “He knew what he wanted. He didn’t have to worry about mistakes,” marveled Underwood in the Ahmet Q&A. “Frank had a clear idea and he could just write it down. That is an amazing thing to be able to do.”


For his part, bassist Jim Pons synopsized the crux of Zappa’s creative biscuit. “Frank himself always seemed carefully guarded but I found he was an astute observer of the human condition – something I really admired,” Pons wrote in his portion of the liners.


Though it all came crashing down to an untimely end, The Mothers’ masterful musicianship that was on full display during multiple critical junctures in the latter half of 1971 has now been brought together for the first time in this riveting new collection, The Mothers 1971.

Author & Punisher unveil a second track from the outfit’s new album, Krüller, due February 11 via Relapse Records, with today’s release of the drone-drenched love song, “Maiden Star”.


Tristan Shone offers insight into the track and its place on the album:  “’Maiden Star’ continues the trudge of escape and survival from ‘Drone Carrying Dread’, but with a focus on the vital interpersonal conflicts and triumphs that exist in times of war and peace. This track, my personal favorite from the balance of the heavy and the melodic, is deeply personal and painful at the same time. The first note both lifts me up and beats the sh*t out of me.”







Shone began work on Krüller after returning from his opening slot with Tool across the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, before being cut short due to the March 2020 lockdowns. "Melody has been and is still a part of my sound," says Shone. "I've always bathed them in a lot of reverb, delay, and distortion, though. This time around, I was bothered by the wall of distortion I had created. I wanted a little more clarity. I wanted to refine the sound. I wanted to step back from my own show and analyze it a bit. I had all these competing distortions that I wanted to streamline. I like contrast and wanted the vocals to be immediately noticeable. There's something about mixing punishing drones and rumble with a mellow thing on top that I really like on Krüller.”


Shone’s digitized snarls rightfully had their place on earlier tracks like “Doppler”, “Terrorbird”, and “Nihil Strength”, but contrasting mellow vocals atop Author & Punisher’s unparalleled heft made dynamic sense. Indeed, with Shone’s singing on songs like “Drone Carrying Dread”, “Maiden Star”, and the exceptional translation of Portishead hit “Glory Box”, Author & Punisher have projected an air of uncertainty around the steely, often slow-motion grind. 


Part of the Krüller revamp included refining the machines that have become synonymous with Author & Punisher. As a result, Shone is also launching a bespoke audio gear company called Drone Machines to coincide with the release of Krüller. The gear company launch follows nearly two decades of Author & Punisher honing in on his craft - meticulously inventing, machining, experimenting, and creating custom musical instruments for his incredible live performances and recordings.


Krüller pre-orders are available now at this location, with the 8-song, 52 minute collection available on a selection of limited-edition vinyl variants, CD, cassette and digitally. 





Tracklisting:


“Drone Carrying Dread”
“Incinerator”
“Centurion”
“Maiden Star”
“Misery”
“Glorybox” (Portishead cover)
“Blacksmith”
“Krüller”


“Drone Carrying Dread” video:





(Photo by: Becky DiGiglio)


 

Mass Worship has released the music video for their new track “Orcus Mouth”, off their upcoming album Portal Tombs. The video clip accompanying the release is the logical continuation of their previous track release, “Revel In Fear”. The video, which was self-produced by the band in true DIY style, with their live guitarist Niklas Sandin, can be seen below.


"In the midst of chaos, there’s comfort to be found in the cosmic, careless nothingness surrounding us — our daily struggles are of no significance in the great scheme of things," states Mass Worship about “Orcus Mouth”. 


The band adds about the music video, "Shot partly in old ruins in Stockholm during a bitterly cold December day, and partly in the middle of the night on an old, abandoned school theatre scene, with the help of our good friend and collaborator Niklas Sandin, we really went all in with our creative endeavours on this one and it ended up being an extremely cathartic experience for all of us!”




Coincidentally, Jonas Stålhammar of At The Gates practices in the same building and came by to put his magic touch on “Orcus Mouth”. The other guest on the track is Jonas Renkse of Katatonia / Bloodbath doing clean vocals. “It’s pretty mind-blowing to have members of such inspirational pioneers on our own album”, states the band.





Portal Tombs artwork and tracklisting:





"Specular Void" 
"Portal Tombs" 
"Revel In Fear"
"Orcus Mouth" 
"Unholy Mass" 
"Dunes Of Bone" 
"Scorched Earth" 
"Empyrean Halls" 
"Deliverence" 


Pre-order your copy of Portal Tombs now at this location.


"Portal Tombs"  guitar playthrough video:





 

ONCE HUMAN has released "Erasure", the fourth single from the band's upcoming "Scar Weaver" album, due on February 11.

ONCE HUMAN vocalist Lauren Hart states: "'Erasure' is a song about blood diamonds. It's about the clear-cut, horrific message that a rock is worth more than a life to their producers. Although today there are human rights laws and regulations that have eased the violent unearthing of these stones, it is still happening in certain parts of the world. My heart broke as I dove into the meaning of why it's called a 'blood diamond', and I felt compelled to tell its story."

Pieced together over the last two years, "Scar Weaver" represents a massive step forward for the band. Blessed (or perhaps cursed) with plenty of additional time during last year's lockdown situation, the band have been able to refine and redefine their sound, inspired by a sudden creative surge from latest recruit Max Karon. The result is a gloriously idiosyncratic modern metal record, with Hart's career-best vocal performance just one of its dazzling revelations. With ONCE HUMAN's most intense and explosive music to work with, the singer has pushed herself to new heights, showcasing a vastly expanded vocal range in the process.

As its title suggests, "Scar Weaver" is an album that brims and bulges with notions of pain, trauma and darkness. Lauren has once again penned a stunning collection of emotionally raw diatribes, but in contrast to "Evolution"'s overriding concept, the new record takes a more scattershot approach, reflecting the chaos of the modern world along the way. From visceral opener "Eidolon" to the corrosive claustrophobia of the closing "Only In Death", all human life is alive and screaming on "Scar Weaver".

One instant highlight of the new ONCE HUMAN record is preview single "Deadlock", featuring a typically imperious vocal cameo from MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn. ONCE HUMAN guitarist Logan Mader's history with MACHINE HEAD is well documented, not least in recent times when he toured the globe with Robb for the San Francisco Bay Area band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour. As a result, this new collaboration needs no explanation, but Lauren remains thrilled by the whole experience.

"It was absolutely amazing. Are you kidding?" she grins. "I didn't believe it was happening until he sent something back and I heard his voice on our song. I was like, 'Holy crap! This is real!' He came back with a new chorus and it was so much better than mine, so my chorus was gone! [Laughs] But then performing with him in the video, that was insane. The energy he brings on stage, he brings in person too. It was a great experience and his energy is so powerful. The video came out amazing!"

As the world begins to open back up, ONCE HUMAN, fresh off CRADLE OF FILTH's "Lustmord And Tourgasm" tour, are in the strongest position of their careers so far. "Scar Weaver" is a manifestly superior piece of work, with countless unforgettable hooks, riffs and moments of warped savagery (if the riff at the end of "Deserted" doesn't make you want to run through a brick wall, check your pulse!) colliding to create a record of true originality and rare intensity.

"We've gotten through so many things along the way, we're in a really strong place," Logan avows. "Nothing can fuck us up now. That's an important factor in this band — that internal energy."

The perfect, invigorating antidote to the state of stasis that we've all endured over the last two years, "Scar Weaver" is the sound of a great band becoming greater, hitting their stride and discovering new levels of power, passion and punch in the process. As the world begins to open its doors once more, ONCE HUMAN are fully equipped to launch their biggest and most life-affirming assault on the world's senses.

"We have an amazing record, we're ready to crush it, we have a really good chemistry between all of us," says Logan. "We're really good friends, and that's really important. I think you can feel that when you see us onstage, like, 'These guys are actually happy to be here and they like each other!' That's a bonus. It doesn't have to be like that. But luckily, we have a really cool, strong bond. It's so important for us to get out there and connect with people in a real-life environment."

Formed in 2014, ONCE HUMAN has steadily established itself as one of the most distinctive and destructive metal bands of the modern era. Founded by Mader and Hart, the quintet has had noses to the grindstone throughout its existence, exhibiting a tireless dedication to live performance and a meticulous approach to capturing their crushing anthems for posterity.

Over the course of two full-length albums — 2015's widely hailed debut "The Life I Remember", and 2017's conceptual tour de force "Evolution" — ONCE HUMAN has pursued a militantly individual path, eschewing contemporary cliché in favor of a versatile and sinewy new strain of brutal but accessible metal, with Lauren's coruscating vocals providing an endlessly emotive and humane focal point.

Four years on from their last album, ONCE HUMAN is primed and ready to launch a fresh assault on hearts and ears. With a lineup completed by long-time bassist Damien Rainaud, drummer Dillon Trollope and second guitarist (and now chief riff writer) Max Karon, the band has mutated into an even more devastating beast, as demonstrated with face-ripping aplomb on "Scar Weaver".

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

MEMPHIS MAY FIRE has released a new single, "The American Dream". The band has shared the performance video for the song, which boasts rapid-fire riffing, potent breakdowns, unpredictable electronic flashes, and melodic nuances.

"We are thrilled to be dropping our sixth new single 'The American Dream'," says singer Matty Mullins. "This song was fueled by the current state of our country, and the desire to fight for resolution rather than fighting our fellow man. We are donating 100 percent of the proceeds from a new t-shirt that will be coming soon to our merch store to The Veterans Project, whose mission is to capture the legacies of veterans of the American military and tell the stories of all Allied countries and their warrior classes, as well."

In 2021, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE released a handful of new songs through its longtime label Rise Records. The band dropped a one-two punch with a pair of explosive songs — "Blood & Water" and "Death Inside". The full-on riff fest "Bleed Me Dry" followed suit. "Blood & Water" became one the fastest-growing hits of the band's career. It was accompanied by a powerful video and cruised onto the SiriusXM Octane airwaves. Revolver called it a "return to form" and noted that the song boasted an "absurdly melodic lead lick that cuts through the chugging breakdowns like a hot knife on butter." Meanwhile, "Death Inside" reminded fans of the band's sonic heft. "Somebody" arrived in the fall and features all the sonic hallmarks fans know and love about MEMPHIS MAY FIRE. The band closed 2021 with the equally explosive "Left For Dead".

All told, these four new tracks have accumulated over 28 million combined streams across platforms. Each song drop has had a philanthropic element and has been accompanied by a piece of charity-driven merch, available at the band's online store.

Swedish high-energy rock and rollers THE HELLACOPTERS will release a new studio album, "Eyes Of Oblivion", on April 1 via Nuclear Blast. It will mark their first full-length collection of new material since 2008's "Head Off". The official music video for the LP's second single, the title track, can be seen below.

THE HELLACOPTERS guitarist/vocalist Nicke Andersson states: "The album has 10 songs, and although it's obviously not easy to be objective at all, I think musically it sums up everything we've touched upon from the start in 1994 up until now. Some of the songs date back as far as 10 years or more, and some were written more recently. It's rock and roll played with high energy, so for lack of a better term, I say high-energy rock and roll. You could say it sounds like THE BEATLES meets JUDAS PRIEST or LYNYRD SKYNYRD meets the RAMONES but the best way to describe this album is that it sounds like THE HELLACOPTERS today."

Last month, THE HELLACOPTERS shared the album's first single, the anthemic album opener "Reap A Hurricane". The track continues the good old HELLACOPTERS tradition of releasing physical seven-inch singles in each album cycle. The seven-inch vinyl of "Reap A Hurricane" will be released on February 4 and it features an exclusive song called "Done Fighting" as a B-side. The seven-inch is available in two different color variants, red and green, which applies to both the vinyl and the respective cover.

THE HELLACOPTERS were formed in 1994 by ENTOMBED drummer Andersson and BACKYARD BABIES guitarist Dregen.

THE HELLACOPTERS' second album, 1997's "Payin' The Dues", was the band's last studio effort to feature Dregen before his departure to focus full-time on BACKYARD BABIES.

In October 2007, THE HELLACOPTERS announced that they would be breaking up after the release of their seventh full-length album, "Head Off", a collection of cover songs. Eight years later, the band reunited, initially for an exclusive performance at the Sweden Rock Festival to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their debut album, "Supershitty To The Max!"

Robert "Strängen" Dahlqvist, who played guitar for THE HELLACOPTERS for nearly a decade, died in February 2017 at the age of 40.

Dahlqvist was a member of THE HELLACOPTERS from 1999 until the group disbanded in 2008.

THE HELLACOPTERS achieved two gold certifications, won the Swedish Grammy equivalent and a Kerrang! award, and have amassed 100 million streams to date.

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


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


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




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


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


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


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


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


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


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





Tracklisting:​


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


"Lies & Ashes" video:





"The Red Charade" lyric video:

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


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







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


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


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





metanoia will be available in the following formats:


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


Pre-order here.





metanoia tracklisting:


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


"Merkabah" video:





Persefone is:


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


(Photo - Èric Rossell)

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





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







Tracklisting:


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


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


"The Scared Stones" lyric video:





"Temple Of Ekur" lyric video:





"Shotgun Blues" video:





"Becoming" lyric video:





"Shotgun Blues” lyric video:





"Wait A Minute My Girl" video:





"Dagen Før" lyric video:

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


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


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







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


Order the new album here.





Tracklisting:


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


"Pain Of Oizys" video:





"Judges Of The Underworld":





Lineup:


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


(Photo - Andy Ford)

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


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


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




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





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


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


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


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





Nectar will be available in the following formats:


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


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


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


"Taper" video:





(Photo - Patric Ullaeus)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Inviolate" track listing:

01. Teeth Of The Hydra

02. Zeus In Chains

03. Little Pretty

04. Candle Power

05. Apollo In Color

06. Avalancha

07. Greenish Blues

08. Knappsack

09. Sandman Cloud Mist

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