Steve Vai and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group have presented an official music video for "Little Pretty". The composition is featured on Vai's upcoming studio album titled "Inviolate" which will be released digitally and on CD January 28, 2022. The LP will follow on March 18. The clip, which captures Vai performing in his inner sanctum also known as "Harmony Hut", can be seen below.

The recording is a dark-toned fusion-funk workout. Vai states: "In writing the chord changes for the solo section, and the solo itself, I dug deep into my academic music theory mind to create a set of chord changes where the harmonic atmosphere shifted on every change. The dense chord structures required a series of synthetic modes to navigate. This approach is along the lines of jazz and fusion players, but I knew I did not want it to sound anything like that and the solo had to be totally melodic. The results were pretty powerful in that the entire solo section evokes melodic atmospheric changes that shift dramatically but work together well."

Looking towards the holidays and a new year, he shares: "I am also wishing all a very happy and restful holiday season. You will need it because I predict in 2022, we will all be out there working together again and blowing up that bridge!"

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, 2022 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."

According to USA Today, an image on social media purporting to show a skull face formed by clouds during the recent storms in Arkansas is actually a doctored image combining an IRON MAIDEN album cover with a photo of a 2019 storm in Pennsylvania.

A December 10 Facebook post containing the altered photo was accompanied by a caption claiming: "my sister took a picture of this today in lake village Arkansas while I was fixing her roof. look at the detail of this picture. if u turn the picture upside down and zoom in on it you'll see Jesus in the middle with his arms wide open.. people if this is not a good enough sign then y'all better get right with the lord... it's so crazy how he gives us signs but we're to blind to see..."

The post was shared nearly 6,000 times within a week.

The same photo was previously posted on Facebook in June 2019 by someone claiming it was "a real picture taken in California" with "no edit". That time, the post was shared more than 164,000 times.

As USA Today points out, grinning, skull-like face in the manipulated image comes from the cover design for MAIDEN's "Brave New World" while the image of the clouds during a storm was taken from the web site of Pennsylvania's The Patriot-News a newspaper, capturing a May 2019 storm over Kutztown University.

As it has become easier than ever to edit photos and videos, fake or manipulated images shared on social media have the capacity to deceive, emotionally distress, and influence public opinions and actions.

Some online sleuths have launched dedicated communities for spotting manipulated images, particularly in advertising materials, magazine photo spreads and celebrity social media posts.

Generally speaking, who are more familiar with photo editing techniques are better equipped to identify fakery.

If an image has been recirculated from another web site, or repurposed for whatever disaster has most recently struck, they can be discovered with a reverse image search using Google Images.


my sister Sam Lumley took a picture of this today in lake village Arkansas while I was fixing her roof. look at the...

Posted by Jimmy Lumley on Friday, December 10, 2021



This is a real picture taken in California ?‍♀️ wow, is all I can say!! No edit ?

Posted by Lorna Adams Kraemer on Thursday, June 6, 2019

Gathering Of Kings will release a new song, "Vagabond Rise", on Sunday, January 2. The track is the first single from the band's upcoming, yet untitled third studio album, set for release in May.


"Vagabond Rise" was produced by Thomas "Plec" Johansson at The Panic Room in Skövde with Ron Dahlgren, Nina Dahlgren & Victor Olsson as executive producers. The track was written by Victor Olsson and the lyrics were written by Victor and Alexander Frisborg. Drums were recorded at Nordic Sound Lab by Mikko Viitala and Victor Olsson.


The cover artwork for the single was created by Markus Vesper Art.







Guitarist and songwriter Victor Olsson commented on the new single: "The song itself is a story of empowerment, domestic abuse and taking matters into your own hands, despite leaving yourself vulnerable and homeless. A story that came to me after watching the Netflix show "Maid", I felt very strongly about the subject and wanted to put it in an empowering 80s rock costume! Hopefully you'll all sense the vibe and feel what we feel."


Gathering Of Kings was created and is supervised by Ron Dahlgren and Nina Dahlgren, bringing together top musicians from the current hard rock scene in Sweden. The idea was to create an AOR/melodic hard rock project/band like Tom Galley's Phenomena or even Tobias Sammet's Avantasia, with multiple vocalists and instrumentalists. Victor Olsson is the main songwriter, with Alexander Frisborg co-writing the lyrics.


Lineup on "Vagabond Rise":


Jonny Lindkvist - Lead Vocals
Victor Olsson - Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals
Magnus Mild - Rhythm Guitar
Mikael Planefeldt - Bass
Joel Selsfors - Keyboards
Jonas Källsbäck - Drums
Rick Altzi - Backing Vocals
Alexander Frisborg - Backing Vocals


Special Appearance:


Theresia Svensson - Backing Vocals


Gathering Of Kings began work on the third album a couple of months ago and continues their creative relationship with producer Thomas "Plec" Johansson, who has previously worked with Soilwork, Nocturnal Rites, Dynazty, Hank von Hell, The Night Flight Orchestra, Thundermother, Saffire and Eleine among many others.


Gathering Of Kings are now booking shows for 2022 and 2023 to support the band's third studio album. Interested parties should contact Ron Dahlgren & Nina Dahlgren via gatheringofkingssweden@gmail.com.


Gathering Of Kings are:


Jonny Lindkvist (Nocturnal Rites) - Lead Vocals
Rick Altzi (Masterplan, Herman Frank) - Lead Vocals
Apollo Papathanasio (Spiritual Beggars, ex-Firewind) - Lead Vocals
Tobias Jansson (Saffire) - Lead Vocals
Alexander Frisborg (Karess, Helldog) - Lead Vocals
Victor Olsson (Saffire) - Guitar
Magnus Mild (Perpetual Etude, Air Raid) - Guitar
Mikael Planefeldt (NorthTale, Perpetual Etude) - Bass
Joel Selsfors (Creye) - Keyboards
Jonas Källsbäck (The Night Flight Orchestra) - Drums
Efraim Larsson (Saffire) - Drums

Symphonic metal outfit, Ad Infinitum, recently released their bewitching second offering, Chapter II - Legacy, via Napalm Records. Today, the band deliver a singthrough video for the song, "Animals".


Says vocalist Melissa Bonny: "'Animals' is one of my favorite tracks from Ad Infinitum’s new record Chapter II - Legacy and it is currently in my top three to sing on stage! Here is a one take singthrough for you, recorded at home. I hope you enjoy!"







Chapter II - Legacy once again showcases the indispensable creativity of Ad Infinitum - featuring twelve complex, tracks highlighting their sonic development and undeniable symphonic strength. Such talent can be witnessed with opener “Reinvented”, lurking with lovely piano tunes and erupting in intense riffage in the blink of an eye. Right away, the music reflects the extremely multifaceted voice of Melissa Bonny - ranging from crystal clear vocals to impressively powerful screams and menacing growls. Hailing from hell, hard-hitting “Afterlife” features the vocal power of Nils Molin (Amaranthe, Dynazty), merging in perfect harmony with Melissa’s incredibly haunting delivery. Songs like “Your Enemy” and cinematic grand finale “Lullaby” leave no scope for weakness and unveil the heaviest side of Ad Infinitum to date. This grasping hymn is far from lulling you to sleep, as the eclectically versatile sonic world of Ad Infinitum immediately induces you to listen to Chapter II - Legacy again, right from the beginning.





Chapter II - Legacy is available in the following formats:


- 1 CD Digipak
- 1 LP Gatefold BLACK
- 1 CD Digipak + Patch (limited to 200 copies worldwide)
- Digital Album


Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Reinvented"
"Unstoppable"
"Inferno"
"Your Enemy"
"Afterlife" (feat. Nils Molin)
"Breathe"
"Animals"
"Into The Night"
"Son Of Wallachia"
"My Justice, Your Pain"
"Haunted"
"Lullaby"


"Inferno" video:





"Animals" video:





“Afterlife” video:





"Unstoppable" video:





Ad Infinitum are:


Melissa Bonny - Vocals
Adrian Thessenvitz - Guitars
Korbinian Benedict - Bass
Niklas Müller – Drums


(Photo - Nat Enemede - Fine Art)

Thomas Zwijsen has released a new video, featuring an orchestral rendition of "Hallowed Be Thy Name", featured on Iron Maiden's 1982 classic, The Number Of The Beast.





Zwijsen previously released covers of Iron Maiden's Senjutsu album tracks, "The Writing On The Wall" and "Darkest Hour". Watch below

Last month, Ted Nugent released the official lyric video for his new song "Come And Take It". The track will appear on Nugent's recently completed new studio album called "Detroit Muscle", which is due on April 29, 2022 via Pavement Music. The follow-up to 2018's "The Music Made Me Do It" was recorded with Ted's current band, which includes bassist Greg Smith and drummer Jason Hartless.

In a new interview with Kevin McKay of Florida's 99 Rock WKSM radio station, Nugent stated about his new single (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "'Come And Take It' is a love song to the punks in our government who think that they have the right to infringe on our constitutionally guaranteed, God-given individual freedoms. So I sent them a love song. In fact, I sent a copy of 'Come And Take It' to [U.S. president] Joe Biden and [Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. representative from El Paso] Beto O'Rourke. And I said, 'If you're gonna infringe on our Second Amendment, start with me.'"

Nugent, who is the national spokesman for pro-hunting lobbying group Hunter Nation, went on to say that "people love" "Come And Take It". "I think it really represents the heartbeat, the pulse, the heartbreak, really, of thoughtful, critical-thinking Americans," he explained. "Which, by the way, if you're not a critical thinker, you should probably move to Cuba where you're not allowed to be. Critical-thinking Americans that are rock solid in the asset column love this song — they love me, they love freedom, they love defiance, they love my middle finger on fire."

In recent months, Nugent has been selling hats emblazoned with the words "Come And Take It", a slogan which originated in the Texas Revolution in 1835 and is now used as a symbol of gun-rights advocates and the NRA.

"Come And Take It" lyrics:

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Go ahead and try go ahead and die

Come and take it

Welcome back to the Concord bridge

Don't you even try it, don't you tread on me

You can do or die it in the land of the free

Come and take it

Come and take it

No more kings, no tyrants, no more jackboot thugs

We will unleash violence for the freedom that we love

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Go ahead and try go ahead and die

Come and take it

Welcome back to the Concord bridge

Come and take it

Go ahead and try go ahead and die

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it

Come and take it [End of lyrics]

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

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

Nugent, known as the "Motor City Madman," moved to Texas from Michigan more than 18 years ago.

In a new interview with Guitar World, KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer was asked what he thinks his legacy will be with KISS. He responded: "I don't know if many people realize this, but I've been the lead guitarist in KISS longer than any other KISS guitar player. But I will always be known as 'the new guy' though — no matter what happens. I'm 'the Ronnie Wood' of KISS.

"My legacy will be a guy who came in, worked hard, and was the glue that kept the band together for a long period of time," he continued. "I think the kind of character and personality that I have is that of a team player and somebody who can bring people together and bind things together.

"And I think the reason that we've done so well and so consistently in the last 20 years is because of the personalities, the give and take, and the ability to keep everybody happy… and keep working together on a professional level.

"It works well. I'll probably be that guy that has been in the band longer than anybody else besides Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley], that kept things together, and was the glue that made it work."

Nearly three years ago, Thayer admitted to Argus Leader in an interview that his addition to KISS in 2003 as the replacement for Ace Frehley was met with some backlash from the band's fans. However, now that he has been in KISS even longer than Frehley's combined years, he said that he has become more comfortable in the lead guitar role.

"I have to be honest, when I first came into the band, there was some pressure," Thayer said. "It was kind of a no-win situation when you're replacing somebody like that. There's a lot of fans who are unhappy with this and I understand. They followed the band for a long time and it's hard to see things like that change sometimes. After a few years went by, I got more confident and more comfortable in the situation, as time goes on, it continues to be a growing experience and something that I get more used to."

Back in October 2018, Frehley told Yahoo! Entertainment that he had "nothing bad to say about Tommy… You know, it'd be one thing if Tommy would have invented his own character, invented his own guitar solos," he said. "But unfortunately, he's copying everything I do, note for note. There's not much leeway for anybody to say what he's doing is original. I don't know how I could handle that, you know? I don't think I could step into a situation and be somebody else. It's almost like being a robot. Poor Tommy. My heart bleeds for him."

Thayer told Rolling Stone magazine that he had no discomfort about wearing Frehley's makeup. He explained: "First of all, I didn't have any input on that. That was a decision that those guys made. There was not even a conversation about it, because I think it was so obvious, that they weren't going to introduce new characters 30 years into the band. I never thought that there should be some new designs or something. I thought that would have been ridiculous. And the only thing is, you've got a lot of push-back from some of the diehards. And that's understandable. Hey, you know, if you lived in the seventies and KISS was your favorite band, and that's what you grew up with, and suddenly there's another guy wearing that makeup, I can understand how some people, it might not have appealed to them as much. But as time as gone by, a lot of people have changed their mind."

Back in 2015, Thayer refused to criticize Frehley after Ace spoke out against Tommy in an interview, describing him as "just a guy up there copying me and trying to move like me and trying to sing like me and trying to play like me."

Thayer told Australia's The Herald: "I don't want to get into a back-and-forth, but I'm sure you can kind of assess what you think when you hear all that.

"I think [Ace] had every opportunity in the world to continue in KISS and be in KISS as long as he did the right thing, but it worked out better for me and he has to lead his life," he continued.

"As far as the jabs and all that, he can say that stuff and I'm not going to say anything bad about him. I just wish all the best to everybody in whatever they're doi

Steve Perry's new holiday album, The Season, recently landed at #1 on Billboard’s Seasonal Chart. The former Journey’s singer’s album also hit at #3 on Billboard’s Current Pop Album Chart, # 6 on Billboard’s Current Album Sales Chart, and #80 on the Billboard Top 200.


Today, Perry releases a visualizer for the album closer, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Watch below:







An unboxing video for the vinyl edition of the album can be viewed below:





Co-produced by Perry and engineer Thom Flowers, The Season embodies an immaculately arranged and richly nuanced sound inspired by such time-honored holiday albums as Nat King Cole’s The Magic of Christmas. “All the songs on this record were my favorites growing up,” says Perry, who hails from Central California. “I used to hear them on the Philco radio that my grandmother always had on in the kitchen when she was cooking the most amazing holiday food, and because of that they hold a very emotional place in my heart. I wanted to make sure to record them all in a simple way that honors how I first heard and fell in love with them as a child.”


For both artist and audience alike, The Season ultimately serves as a form of emotional time travel, a direct conduit for the kind of memories that sustain the spirit and restore a sense of joyous serenity. “Music has always been something that rescues me in difficult times,” says Perry. “I hope when people hear this record, they’re teleported in the same way I was when I recorded all these songs—I hope it brings them back to those golden moments with their loved ones, and gives them that feeling of joy and connection and comfort that we all need so much.”


Order here.





Tracklisting:


"The Christmas Song"
"I’ll Be Home For Christmas"
"Auld Lang Syne"
"Winter Wonderland"
"What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve"
"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
"Silver Bells"
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"


"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" visualizer:





"The Christmas Song" visualizer:





"Winter Wonderland" visualizer:





"I'll Be Home For Christmas":

Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon) is back with a new Star One album, titled Revel In Time. The new album comes more than 10 years since the previous release and is due out on February 18 via InsideOutMusic.


An update from Arjen, introducing Joost van den Broek, states: "Joost plays a solo in the track ‘A Hand On The Clock’ on the new Star One album, Revel in Time. Check out this video to see him play this solo and don’t miss his cool message at the end. Thanks again, good friend! Eh… I mean… how do you dare ruin my album, LUL!"







The album will come as Ltd. 2CD Digipak, Ltd. Deluxe 3CD+Blu-Ray Artbook (incl. a poster of the cover artwork), and as 180g Gatefold 2LP (incl. the album on CD & an LP-Booklet).


CD2 features alternate versions of the same songs as CD1, but with different vocalists. Also available will be a 5.1 mix, a high-res audio version, and an exclusive, hour-long Behind The Scenes video, on the Blu-ray included in the Artbook.


Pre-order here.





Revel In Time tracklisting:


CD1:


"Fate Of Man"
"28 Days (Till The End Of Time)"
"Prescient"
"Back From The Past"
"Revel In Time"
"The Year Of ’41"
"Bridge Of Life"
"Today Is Yesterday"
"A Hand On The Clock"
"Beyond The Edge Of It All"
"Lost Children Of The Universe"


CD 2 features the same songs as CD 1, but with different vocalists.


"Prescient" video:





"Fate Of Man" video:





"Lost Children Of The Universe" lyric video:

Last Friday, Powerwolf launched a stream with real event character that reaches dimensions that have never been seen before. While other bands compensate the circumstance of not being able to perform in front of an audience within the given circumstances with filmed live performances, the wolves take several gigantic steps further.





The band is taking their fans on a journey into the depths of Powerwolf's world with a fantastic setlist performed in a stage setting that is an epic highlight on its own with its visuals, size, equipment and production. In months of hard and detailed work, a story was created - told in several chapters based on Powerwolf’s music and opulent film scenes, which are smoothly integrated into the show. All show effects, actors and locations go hand in hand with each other and bring the medium of live music to an unprecedented level. From battles with clergy to stories of nuns and monks to burning angels - cinematic images are delivered that immediately capture the viewer while literally abducting them.







Who thought to have already seen everything in live music is loudly and visually proved wrong. Powerwolf deliver the new benchmark for music streaming events.


Due to the high demand this even goes into extension. Until January 2, you can still access this masterpiece, and who wants to get an idea in advance, can watch the video for “Fire And Forgive” below:





On powerwolfstream.com you can find all further info, the trailers, as well as tickets for The Monumental Mass: A Cinematic Metal Event. This show is a true must-see for every metal fan.





Powerwolf are:


Attila Dorn - vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel - organ
Charles Greywolf - guitar
Matthew Greywolf - guitar
Roel van Helden - drums


(Photos - Christian Ripkens)

German rock icons, Scorpions, will release their new album, Rock Believer, on February 25. Pre-order here.


The band has launched a three-part documentary, detailing the journey of making the new album. Part 1  can be viewed below.


Says the band: "For our new album Rock Believer we all came back together in the studio like in the old days and captured that journey on camera. Today we release the first part 1 of 3. Maybe you discover some unreleased music snippets from our new album in it…"







Scorpions recently released their new single, "Peacemaker", to whet fans' appetite for Rock Believer. In this new video, singer Klaus Meine reveals the meaning behind the song:





"Peacemaker" has turned into much more than simply a lead single. It's a showcase number that has Scorpions celebrate their legendary tried and tested DNA in a fresh, tough sonic guise, a musical foretaste of their new album that promises to forge an arc between yesterday and tomorrow.





Listen to "Peacemaker" here, and watch the music video below:





Does a band whose musical career will span 50 years from the release of their first phenomenal album success Lonesome Crow to the arrival of Rock Believer in February 2022 still have the bite, the toughness, and the brute force that it takes to create and record one or two dozen brand new tracks? Aren't their 18 studio albums to date, their platinum and double-platinum awards, garnered around the globe, enough for these relentless musicians? Is there still enough gas in the tank to keep going? One of their songs provides the answer to these questions: "Let's play it louder play it hard / Laid back and a little dark / Give me a dirty riff my friend / There's gotta be more gas in the tank."


And indeed, "Peacemaker" sounds like it's been freshly reimported from the heyday of a legendary hard rock band. "The first thing that came to my mind," remembers singer Klaus Meine, who wrote the lyrics to the song (music courtesy of Rudolf Schenker and Pawel Maciwoda) and produced the band with the support of Hans-Martin Buff, "was the hook line. 'Peacemaker, peacemaker / Bury the undertaker.' I was just playing around with those words. At a time when so many people have died and are still dying of COVID, from devastating wars and other senseless crimes, it makes you feel that the undertaker must be working overtime. In a peaceful world after the pandemic, it will be time for the peacemaker to rule... that's an image that really appeals to me," says Meine.





Scorpions are one of the world's most important rock bands of recent decades, having sold more than 120 million records to date, played over 5,000 concerts, and created a timeless classic in their legendary single "Wind Of Change," which dominated the international charts and still is the best-selling single worldwide by a German artist. Countless awards, a star on the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame, and more, hits such as "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and "Still Loving You," among others, followed. Their success to date impressively underlines the influence that the Scorpions continue to have on the rock music scene. Their latest album Rock Believer will be out on Universal's Spinefarm label in the US.


The Scorpions will kick off their Rock Believer World Tour in March 2022 in Las Vegas, where the band will play nine shows as part of their residency at Planet Hollywood Hotel. Afterwards, they will cross the Atlantic to Europe where they will play six concerts in France and six shows in Germany supported by Wolfgang Van Halen’s new band, Mammoth WVH.


Skid Row will be the opening band for all nine shows of Scorpions' Sin City Nights 2022 Las Vegas residency, thereby replacing previously announced support act, Queensrÿche. Scorpions' stint in Vegas was originally supposed to happen in July 2020, then it got pushed back to May 2021, only to be rescheduled to March - April 2022 at Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.


Tour dates:


March
​26 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV
30 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV


April
1 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV
3 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV
7 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV
9 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV
12 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV
14 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV
16 - Zappos Theater - Las Vegas, NV


May
10 - Altice Arena - Lisbon, Portugal
13 - Zenith Toulouse Metropole - Toulouse, France
15 - Zenith De Lille - Lille, France
17 - Accorhotels Arena - Paris, France
21 - Hallenstadion - Zurich, Switzerland
23 - Arena Di Verona - Verona, Italy
26 - O2 Arena - Prague, Czech Republic
28 - Tauron Arena - Kraków, Poland
30 - Laszlo Papp Sports Arena - Budapest, Hungary


June
3 - Rockfest - Helsinki, Finland
8 - Schleyerhalle - Stuttgart, Germany*
10 - Olympiahalle - Munich, Germany*
12 - Festhalle - Frankfurt, Germany*
16 - Mercedes-Benz Arena - Berlin, Germany*
17 - Zag Arena - Hannover, Germany*
19 - Westfalenhalle - Dortmund, Germany*
23 - Hellfest - Clisson, France
25 - Rock Imperium Festival - Cartagena, Spain
28 - Palais Nikaia - Nice, France
30 - Le Galaxie - Amneville, France


July
2 - Zenith D'Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand, France


* with Mammoth WVH

Ted Nugent says that Alec Baldwin should spend the rest of his life in prison for shooting and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust".

Earlier in the month, Baldwin made a surprising claim during his first major interview since the fatal shooting, saying that "the trigger wasn't pulled" when a "live round" was discharged and ended up mortally wounding Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza in the October 21 tragedy.

Nugent, who is the national spokesman for pro-hunting lobbying group Hunter Nation, touched upon the incident in a new interview with Rock Titan TV. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's only one gun law you need on planet earth, and that is never point a weapon at anything you're not willing to destroy.

"Hey, Alec Baldwin, you prick. You soulless, nasty, rotten prick," he continued. "You were pointing the gun at a human being. You killed her. You're guilty. I don't wanna hear about the hammer; I don't wanna hear about that trigger. You were pointing it at a human being. You're guilty. You should be in a cage for the rest of your rotten punk-ass life."

In an in-depth interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin said that he had started to cock the gun and released the hammer but that "I never pulled the trigger."

A script supervisor has sued producers, including Baldwin, saying scene did not call for gun to be fired.

Other people have blamed Baldwin for Hutchins's death, including former U.S. president Donald Trump, whom Baldwin famously enraged with his long-running "Saturday Night Live" impression.

In an interview last month, Trump slammed Baldwin as a "cuckoo-bird" and a "nutjob," adding, "usually, when there's somebody like that, you know, in my opinion, he had something to do with it."

"But if nothing else, how do you take a gun and just, whether it's loaded or not loaded, how do you take a gun, point it at somebody that's not even in the movie and just point it at this person and pull the trigger and now she's dead?" he added.

Following Hutchins's death, the former president's son, Donald Trump Jr., made headlines when he sold t-shirts on his web site that mocked the shooting. The $28 shirts featured the message: "Guns don't kill people, Alec Baldwin kills people."

Nugent has called Donald Trump "the greatest president in our lifetime." He also said the billionaire real estate mogul represents "the heart and soul of the best American families out there."

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

Last month, Nugent, who recently resigned from the board of the National Rifle Association (NRA) after 26 years, released the official lyric video for his new song "Come And Take It". The track will appear on Nugent's recently completed new studio album called "Detroit Muscle", which is due on April 29, 2022 via Pavement Music.

In recent months, Nugent has been selling hats emblazoned with the words "Come And Take It", a slogan which originated in the Texas Revolution in 1835 and is now used as a symbol of gun-rights advocates and the NRA.

Chugger is a five-piece death machine hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden. Sonically they walk the razor-wired border between groove metal and death metal, expertly navigating and picking between the two. Like a bastard child of Lamb Of God and Machine Head, fused with a healthy dose of old-school At The Gates, this groove death metal monster proves that the golden days of Gothenburg metal is far from over.


Visually, the band dips their blood stained fists in buckets filled with Rammstein, Slipknot and the horror movies we all love to hate. On stage, Chugger is a well-oiled machine that has delivered intense performances across multiple continents. If you have the opportunity to catch them live - buckle up. You're in for a treat!


The lyric video for "Bleed (Reborn)" can be seen below:










Chugger is:


David Dahl – lead vocals
Robert Bjärmyr – lead guitars / backup vocals
Robin Lagerborg – rhythm guitars
Eric Skjuttorp – drums
Lars Skjuttorp – bass / backup vocals


 

Canadian hard rockers Shot Down Twice have released their video for "Undermine/Overthrow". The song is taken from their upcoming self-titled EP which will be released on January 21, 2022.


The band comments: "We’re proud and embarrassed to present our most fun and foolish video yet. Let it be a reminder to all you kids out there that dreams do come true! You can be Dee Snider's long lost love child and you can play dress-up while shredding guitar.”







Watch the video for the first single "Talk To Me":








 

Orianthi will be filming a live concert DVD for Frontiers Music on January 8, 2022 at The Bourbon Room in Los Angeles, California. Get your tickets now at this location.





In other news, Orianthi promises, "Lots of new music coming out next year."




 

Just before the Christmas holidays, Finnish poetic extreme metal act, Marto, strikes with six songs of pure aggression and rhythmic hooks. The band's debut EP is titled Sine Nomine, and is released by Rockhopper Music, a label that is back after being on a hiatus for a decade.


Hailing from Pori, Finland, Marto was formed less than a year ago at rehearsals by four members of post-metal band atlases (signed to Lifeforce Records). After spending years playing atmospheric metal, the members decided to try something different and started to write music that blends grind, metalcore, melancholy and Finnish poetry. New music started to flow and soon after the band had recorded its first EP.


Marto is heavily influenced by the work of melancholic poet Saima Harmaja.







Tracklisting:


"Portaali"
"Solus"
"Kointähti"
"Ikaria"
"Siluetti"
"Ääriviivat"


"Portaali" video:





"Solus" lyric video:





Lineup:


Nico Brander - guitar (Atlases)
Ville-Veikko Laaksonen - guitar (Atlases)
Arttu Leppänen - drums (Atlases)
Jesse Simola - vocals (Atlases)
Ville Vuorinen - bass

Axl Rose (GUNS N' ROSES), Tom Keifer (CINDERELLA), Matt Heafy (TRIVIUM) and Myles Kennedy (ALTER BRIDGE) are among the musicians who have paid tribute to vocal coach Ron Anderson who died on Sunday (December 19) at the age of 75. No cause of death has been revealed.

Anderson, one of the world's most accomplished and in-demand vocal coaches, has helped many of the music's biggest stars to achieve extraordinary range and exquisite control. Over the past 40 years, he has worked with major artists from across all genres. Pop royalty like Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani to R&B legends such as Mary J. Blige and Alicia Keys were among his students. He also worked with rock and roll icons like Ozzy Osbourne and Rose.

Axl took to his Twitter on Monday (December 20) to share the following statement: "Very sad to learn of the passing of my friend and vocal coach Ron Anderson. I knew Ron for 35 years. He was always there when I needed him. To say Ron really knew his craft is a huge understatement.

"Thanks Ron for always having the right answer when it was needed most! You're already missed!" he continued. "However good God's choir might be, I know you'll make it a hell of a lot better!!!"

Keifer also paid tribute to Anderson on Twitter, writing: "I'm saddened to hear that my vocal coach and friend Ron Anderson has passed. Sometimes life brings just the right person to you when you need it most. Ron literally re-taught me how to sing at a time I didn't think I would ever be able to sing again. There are really no words that could possibly begin to thank him for how he changed my life. I know there are many other singers who feel the same way. He was an inspirational teacher and a wonderful human being. Condolences to his family and friends. RIP Ron Anderson".

Heafy wrote on Instagram: "Rest In Peace to Ron Anderson - a man who saved my career and life.

"My heart and condolences go out to Pipe and Ron's entire family - especially every artist he's ever trained (and likely saved).

"In 2014, I blew my voice out and had to cancel the rest of a tour - sending crew and band home; fans without shows. I got a text from Matt from [AVENGED SEVENFOLD] saying 'I heard what happened. How can I help?' I asked Matt what he did when this happened to him - he connected me instantly with Ron.

"Ron is one of the most caring, sweet, genuine, talented, knowledgeable people I've had had the privilege of learning from. It was an honor when he asked if I'd help demo his amazing app, site, and method.

"Ron. You will be forever missed. Thank you for saving my career. You will be missed and forever loved."

Kennedy wrote: "Ron Anderson was the musical equivalent of a Jedi Master. He had the ability to unlock a singer's potential with his incredible wealth of knowledge about the human voice which ultimately allowed his students to express themselves through the power of music. I will be forever grateful for his mentoring and friendship over the last 25 years. A wonderful human and teacher who's big voice and infinite wisdom had a profound effect on so many of us. Rest In Peace my friend."

Anderson's career began over 50 years ago as an opera singer. Ron was a baritone but soon transitioned to a demanding tenor role, and then he performed in some of the most renowned opera houses across Europe and North America. Ron initially studied under the world's finest voice teachers, including Dr. Fritz Zweig, Raimund Herincx and Benvenuto Finelli.

Utilizing his intimate knowledge of the body and vocal cords, Ron began training top performers in the mid-1970s in cities including Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami, New York, London, and Moscow. Known for delivering astoundingly fast yet sustainable results, Anderson also established himself as a leading vocal producer, with countless artists calling on him for help in reaching peak performance during the recording process. With many Grammy Award-winning and platinum-selling albums under his belt, he had also become a go-to vocal coach for the film and TV industry, working with such A-list actors as Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Brad Pitt and Anne Hathaway in preparing for roles involving singing.

Anderson had also devoted a great deal of time to touring with artists, accompanying his students on the road to provide regular vocal tune-ups and hands-on instruction in properly protecting the voice.




pic.twitter.com/Mt7zKdzIUU

— Axl Rose (@axlrose) December 20, 2021








pic.twitter.com/tbHag3tz0g

— Tom Keifer (@TomKeiferMusic) December 21, 2021




























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Matthew kiichichaos Heafy (@matthewkheafy)






























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Myles Kennedy (@officialmyleskennedy)










Rest In Peace #RonAnderson ?????? https://t.co/0FtdgsXglI

— Rudy Sarzo (@rudysarzo) December 20, 2021








- RIP Ron Anderson -This guy completely changed my life. He taught me the difference. I learned so much from him. I continue to uncover things all the times from our lessons. It just keeps going. I’m so grateful. pic.twitter.com/CQUT0RUy5O

— Monte Pittman (@montepittman) December 20, 2021

TEG Dainty’s Guns N’ Roses Australian arena tour and a range of music festival organizers are among the recipients of funding in the sixth round of the federal government’s Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) scheme, reports NME.


Announced yesterday (December 21), 63 organizations will share in over $19.5million in federal funding in the latest round. Among them, concert promoters TEG Dainty have received $600,000 to to assist with rescheduling their Guns N’ Roses arena tour, which has long been delayed due to COVID-19.


The tour was initially scheduled to kick off last month, but was pushed back to a year to November 2022 due to the pandemic. In a statement at the time, CEO Paul Dainty said that while they “worked for months” with state government to try and make the tour feasible, it became clear the tour would not be able to proceed as planned.




“It has taken time to finalise a plan where we could be confident of completing a national tour of Australia next year,” he said. “This will be the biggest stadium rock tour of summer 2022 with hundreds of people on the road, a massive production and logistics involved.”


Read more at NME, and find Guns N' Roses' tour itinerary here.

Primalfrost, the one-man melodic death shredding unit created by Canadian guitarist Dean Paul Arnold (touring guitarist Belphegor, Operus, ex-Vital Remains) announces the release of the first full-length in seven years. Entitled Lost Elegies, this third album follows 2014's Prosperous Visions and features eight tracks packing their own punch.


"I aimed for there to be no fillers/empty space on the album whatsoever. I want it to be memorable from start to finish," says Arnold


As the sole composer/multi-instrumentalist, Arnold had songs composed solely on guitar pro, as well as written and arranged in an actual recorded pre-production setting. There are songs on Lost Elegies that are both years old and completely new, as well as material hashed together from both old/new ideas.




For the album's recording, Arnold teamed up with Jonathan Lefrancois-Leduc (Blackguard, Ex Deo) for mixing & mastering as well as Jan Yrlund (Manowar, Tyr, Korpiklaani) for artwork. A powerhouse of melodic metal with blistering riffs, guitar solos, orchestration, & more, this new offering is sure to be enjoyed by many.


"I’m sure it will be received very well, it’s definitely a solid continuation of the band's sound, but definitely in a matured/refined way. I’ve had plenty of time to really hone and refine every aspect of the sound, and to make sure it has the production quality/performance on my end to meet those requirements. If you’ve heard Primalfrost before it’s quite obvious there’s the influence of bands like Wintersun, Ensiferum, Kalmah, etc. My goal is to take influence from those sounds but add elements of grit, intensity, speed, & heaviness found in the more extreme genre."


Lost Elegies is due out on December 28. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Maelstrom"
"Bringer Of Immensity"
"Nomad"
"Stormbearer"
"Voyage Into Ruin"
"Solace Kingdom"
"As Embers Wane"
"Tenebrous Skies"


"Stormbearer" video:





"Nomad":





"Maelstrom":





Album credits:


Dean Arnold - All Instruments, Vocals, & Orchestration
Recorded by Dean Arnold in Toronto, Canada
Mixed & Mastered by Jonathan Lefrancois-Leduc of Silverwings Studios in Montreal, Canada
Additional Orchestration by Jonathan Lefrancois-Leduc


(Photo - Dark Moon Productions)

Guitarist Gus G. (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne) recently released a video for "Chronesthesia", featured on his new album, Quantum Leap. Today, Gus shares a live playthrough video for the track. Watch below:





Quantum Leap album art, tracklisting, and videos below.







"Into The Unknown"
"Exosphere"
"Quantum Leap"
"Chronesthesia"
"Enigma Of Life"
"Judgement Day"
"Fierce"
"Demon Stomp"
"Night Driver"
"Not Forgotten"
"Force Majeure" (feat. Vinnie Moore)


"Chronesthesia" video:





"Into The Unknown" video:





"Enigma Of Life" video:





"Fierce" video:





"Exosphere" video:

Thrash metal band, Crisix, have released a new video game, available in the Android Appstore.





Drive your motorbike through the streets of Barcelona and kill zombies with pizzas. Make it into the high score top list and get rewards. Download it to your phone free. Download here. Play on your browser here.




Crisix lineup:


Juli Bazooka: Vocals
Javi Carry: Drums
B.B. Plaza: Guitars
Albert Requena: Guitars
Pla Vinseiro: Bass


(Photo - Remy Grandroques)

Swedish metallers, Saffire, have signed with ROAR! Rock of Angels Records.


Saffire was born in Gothenburg, 2005 when Victor Olsson and Dino Zuzic were in school together. The idea was to form a band based on old school melodic hard rock and heavy metal but add a modern twist to it. After months of searching and auditioning, the duo was joined by Magnus Carlsson, Martin Järbur and Gustav Elowson. In 2007 they recorded a first demo but soon after, Gustav had to leave the band and was replaced by then 17-year old Anton Roos. Another demo was recorded in 2008 and Saffire started playing shows in the local area, slowly making a name for themselves.


In 2010 Martin was replaced by Tobias Jansson, and an EP was recorded and released. The band kept playing lots of live shows and finally in 2013, Saffire signed with Inner Wound Recordings for the release of their debut album, From Ashes To Fire. The album was highly praised all over the world.. Saffire went on to tour all over Sweden, playing some of the biggest festivals alongside bands like Slayer, Steel Panther, At the Gates and Sabaton.




Two more albums; For The Greater Good (2015) and Where The Monsters Dwell (2018) were released, and once again with loads of praise from media and critics. During these years the band toured with bands like The Night Flight Orchestra and Spiritual Beggars and performed at festivals like Sweden Rock Festival, Tons Of Rock and Skogsröjet. Tobias Jansson and Victor Olsson were in 2018 selected to be in the big Swedish AOR-project Gathering Of Kings which was how they met Efraim Larsson, who became the new Saffire drummer in 2019.


Since then, with all that's been going on in the world, the band has put all their focus, time and soul into making a new album. A heavy, yet melodic and groovy piece and a logical continuation of the Saffire sound.


Saffire lineup:


Victor Olsson - Guitar
Tobias Jansson - Vocals
Efraim Larsson - Drums
Magnus Carlsson - Bass
Dino Zuzic - Keyboards


(Photo - Robert Hellström)

David Lee Roth (Van Halen) has released the new song, "One Piece Thermo-Molded Country Plastic Chair", along with a video, which can be seen below.


A message states: "Dedicated to all who are affected by and recovering from the Kentucky tornadoes."







David Lee Roth recently announced four more dates for his upcoming Las Vegas residency. The run launches on New Year's Eve at House Of Blues inside Mandalay Bay. The new dates include January 14, 15, 21 & 22.


Pre-sale for the new dates starts on December 8 with the pre-sale code: DLRVEGAS. Public on sale is set for December 10. Ticket links for all four shows can be found here.


Speaking with the The Las Vegas Review Journal, Roth announced his retirement in a feature published on October 1.


Roth: "I'm retiring. This is the first, and only, official announcement. You've got the news. Share it with the world. "I'm not going to explain the statement. The explanation is in a safe. These are my last five shows. I am encouraged and compelled to really come to grips with how short time is, and my time is probably even shorter. I know that when I am in the audience, whether you come out with a ukelele or a marching band, all I ask is you give me everything you've got to give. That's what I did for the last 50 years. I'll give you all I've got to give. It's been an amazing, great run; no regrets, nothing to say about anybody. I'll miss y'all. Stay frosty."





Roth's Las Vegas dates:


December 2021
31 - HOB (Sold Out)


January 2022
1 - HOB (Sold Out)
5 - HOB (Sold Out)
7 - HOB (Sold Out)
8 - HOB (Sold Out)
14 - HOB
15 - HOB
21 - HOB
22 - HOB

Video of former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens belting out an a cappella version of the song "Blood Stained" from the band's 1997 album "Jugulator" can be seen below.

Owens sang a couple of lines from the track while filming a new video message on Cameo, which lets users hire celebrities to record brief, personalized video messages about virtually any topic.

Tim recently told Metal Express Radio that he "loves" making videos for Cameo. The 54-year-old vocalist is charging purchasers $40 per video and he is offering a "24-hour delivery." Tim is charging $245 for a video for business use.

"I would love to get some [Cameo requests for videos as a way to] break up with somebody or something like that, or 'I hate you' or any of those," he said. "I haven't gotten any of those. They're almost all… [Wishing someone a] happy birthday is, obviously, [a common request] or a happy anniversary — just to cheer people up. Some people have gotten bad news and they want their buddy to be cheered up."

He continued: "It's really fun. I enjoy doing them. I usually do 'em right before or after I walk into the gym, so I'm always in my car and my sweat clothes. But I love doing 'em, and I usually make 'em worth it. Sometimes I realize I'm talking for three or four minutes on these things. If you watch the other ones, they're really quick, and mine just goes forever… I enjoy it, and people get a good one."

The brainchild of founder Steven Galanis, Chicago-based Cameo has been around since 2017. It reportedly features more than 40,000 celebrities — from musicians and actors to drag queens and from YouTubers to Olympic gold medallists — who, for fees from $1 to $2,500, will offer video messages that mention another person by name. Happy birthday messages are common, as are baby announcements, but some celebrities have also recorded messages for Cameo users looking to quit their jobs or ask a potential date to a prom. The price for a video is determined by the celebrity. In 2020 alone, the company fulfilled more Cameos than throughout its four-year history, with Cameos delivered on every continent in the world and it raised over $1 million for worthy nonprofits and causes through its Cameo Cares program.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — the aforementioned "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

Owens is currently in a new band called KK'S PRIEST with ex-JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing, along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", was released on October 1 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.