"The Blackened Fee" is the first single from Witchpit’s new album The Weight Of Death out March 25 on Heavy Pysch Sounds. This Blackened Fee is sacrificing and losing everything for something that doesn’t have your best interests – watch the video exclusively premiere on BraveWords!





Witchpit is a four piece sludge metal band from South Carolina whose unorthodox approach pushes the genre in exciting new directions. Their sound fuses the influence of high powered stoner rockers like High On Fire with the more moody and thoughtful work of Neurosis. With a heavy dose of tone worship and a passion for vintage gear, the band is able to conjure up classic tones that serve to bring the sound to an exciting new place.




Formed back in 2015 by Thomas White from The Sign of the Southern Cross , Your Chance To Die and his long lasting relationships from around the South Carolina heavy music community, Witchpit quickly became a serious force in their scene. After recording their first single “Infernal” in 2018 the band started to make waves, releasing the track through Weedian. Over the next few years the band dropped another pair of singles and started to receive some meaningful press and support from around the community. The band Nile has been outspoken in their support of the band and Youtubers Riffs Beards & Gear and Does It Doom have both come out and expressed their love for this project. In the meantime they picked up endorsements from Emperor Cabinets and Black Harbor Strings.


Now, Witchpit are gearing up to release their debut LP, with the help of Heavy Psych Sounds. They’ve worked hard to build up their reputation and refine their sound into something special and emotionally powerful. They’ve got music videos shot and even more on the way. It’s hard not to be charmed by Witchpit’s classic rock infused sludge metal assault. It marks the next step for a unique band who can’t help but to impress. Will you join them in their mission to bring the heavy all across the globe?

Finnish melodic metal icons, Sonata Arctica, should be closing their Acoustic Adventures European tour this week. Unfortunately, it had to be postponed to late 2022 due to obvious reasons. But fans need not worry as the band are bringing some cozy living room concert atmosphere to their homes in the form of the first part of their two-piece Acoustic Adventures album, due out on January 2 via Atomic Fire.


Comprising acoustic adaptions of twelve tracks leading through Sonata Arctica’s discography, Acoustic Adventures – Volume One was recorded and produced by Mikko Tegelman and the band at Studio57, Finland; Tegelman was also responsible for the album’s mix and mastering alongside bass player Pasi Kauppinen. The artwork by the quintet’s longtime collaborator and fellow countryman, Janne Pitkänen (Nightwish, Auri, etc.) rounds off the total experience charmingly.


The record’s first single, "The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me’" is available today. A lyric video can be viewed below.




States keyboardist Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg: “‘The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me’ was a song that first appeared as a bonus track for Japan back in 2003, just around the time I joined the band. When we started to arrange songs for the second Acoustic Adventures tour in 2019, this song somehow kept popping up and we decided to give it a go. Our dear friend Masi Hukari who joined us on stage for the tour did a lot of the work on this particular arrangement and I think that his input was really important in how this song turned out. For this record, we used the live arrangement as a starting point and I don’t think the song changed that much, so what you hear is a slightly refined version of the 2019 tour arrangement. We decided to use this song as the first single since it’s really different from the original studio version and as always, we prefer to offer something new and interesting for our fans and for ourselves as well."


Pre-order the album physically (CD-digipak, various colored vinyls), pre-save it or pre-order it digitally to receive "The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me" instantly, here, and at The Official Sonata Arctica Webshop with exclusive march bundles, here.





Tracklisting:


"The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me"
"For The Sake Of Revenge"
"A Little Less Understanding"
"Alone In Heaven"
"Tallulah"
"Don’t Say A Word"
"As If The World Wasn’t Ending"
"Paid In Full"
"Tonight I Dance Alone"
"The Wolves Die Young"
"Wolf & Raven"
"On The Faultline"


"The Rest Of The Sun Belongs To Me" lyric video:





(Photo - Jarkko Piipari)

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt spoke to Germany's "Pommesgabel" podcast about the lyrical inspiration for "The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)", the first single from the band's recently released album, "Persona Non Grata". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I was watching all the rioting and stuff, and the riot cops just beating people with sticks — a lot of peaceful protesters being beaten. And it just made me think. It's a slogan; I've seen it before — the beatings will continue until morale improves. And it just made me think of that slogan when I was watching that in the background. What do they hope to achieve? If you beat enough people, they'll submit and become compliant and submissive. That's not the way humankind works — we fight back. And it seemed so counterproductive for me. So the song was written kind of tongue in cheek based on what I felt they were, I guess, hoping to achieve. But it didn't work. It never does. You can't beat people into submission — not anymore."

The Black Lives Matter protests that swept across the nation last year following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and several victims of police brutality. While the unrest in some cities after some Black Lives Matter protests included vandalism and looting, the vast majority of demonstrations were peaceful and leading BLM activists repeatedly distanced themselves from agent provocateurs and instigators, ABC News reported.

"The rioting was all due to the Black Lives Matter movement 'cause they were protesting being killed for nothing," Gary said. "And it's horrible shit that they have to go through. I'm one of those guys who I'm a big supporter of law enforcement but I also understand that being a cop doesn't give you the right to drag a guy out of a car and kill him for a traffic stop. If you're killing a guy, it's supposed to be done to protect your own life or the well-being of the general population, not because the guy didn't wanna get out of his car. You're not supposed to put your knee on his neck and fucking kill him. So that was the angle I took it from — it was based on the protests."

Holt went on to address a call by some to defund police departments in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, explaining that it tended to lump all police officers together.

"There's a whole lot of good cops in this world and there's a lot of cops in the United States and they're not all bad," Gary said. "And all of a sudden, people wanna defund the police departments. Who are you gonna call when someone's stealing your car? We need some police sometimes. But our police need to do a better job — some of them — of how they handle situations with the use of force."

Released on November 19, "Persona Non Grata" is the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap. For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork.

In July, EXODUS drummer Tom Hunting underwent a successful total gastrectomy in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach. He rejoined his bandmates on stage on October 7 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.

Bassist Rudy Sarzo spoke to Lee Jackson's "Friday Night FeedBack" about his recent decision to rejoin the band after an 18-year absence. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I did my first show with the band, and it's a great band. We have Jizzy Pearl, who was in LOVE/HATE, the founding member [and] singer. We have Johnny Kelly, [whom late QUIET RIOT drummer] Frankie Banali handpicked to replace him. He played in DANZIG and TYPE O NEGATIVE, so he's got a beautiful résumé — a great drummer. And Alex Grossi, who's actually the third guitar player in QUIET RIOT — first Randy Rhoads, second Carlos Cavazo and third Alex Grossi. So he's been with the band for 18 years and he's a phenomenal guitar player [and] songwriter. So we have a really strong band. And by having that, we can go onstage and celebrate the memory of Frankie and Kevin [DuBrow] and Randy with dignity — with total dignity. So that, to me, it's a blessing to be able to do that."

Rudy played his first show back with QUIET RIOT on November 6 at The Groove Music Hall in Thornburg, Virginia.

Sarzo was one of the members of QUIET RIOT's "Metal Health" lineup. He played bass on the classic LP, which sold over ten million copies and spawned the hits "Cum On Feel The Noize" and "Metal Health" and on the follow-up record "Condition Critical".

Rudy appeared in the most notable music videos in the MTV age and toured with the band until 1985 and again from 1997 to 2003. During his years out of the band, Sarzo was a member of OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE, DIO, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, QUEENSRŸCHE and THE GUESS WHO.

Banali died in August 2020 after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Frankie's history with QUIET RIOT spanned over 37 years and he had the distinction of being the only member of the band to have recorded on every single QUIET RIOT release from 1983's "Metal Health", which was the first heavy metal album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard chart, through 2019's "Hollywood Cowboys".

Banali resurrected QUIET RIOT in 2010, three years after the death of singer and founding member Kevin DuBrow.

Sarzo discussed his return to QUIET RIOT in a recent interview with Adika Live!. He said: "My decision, in addition to [it] being [late QUIET RIOT drummer] Frankie's [Banali] request that I return to the band, was a decision that I had to meditate on it, because it is that important. Not meditate whether it was the right decision to make or not — no, that wasn't the point — it was to meditate about the timing of it. Because it could not be an abrupt decision that you drop everything you're doing and you change the band.

"Regina [Frankie's widow] and I, we sat and we talked about it, and we said, 'Okay, the best thing to do is to let everybody fulfill their commitments.' Because I have commitments to the band that I've been playing in for the last five years, THE GUESS WHO. And I wasn't about to tell them, 'Hey, I'm outta here, guys. Good luck.' I've never done that. So I have commitments with them. And QUIET RIOT has commitments with [longtime bassist] Chuck Wright. And we felt that the only thing that we can do, really — [we felt] that all these commitments must be fulfilled so our agreements with everybody is fulfilled."

Rudy went on to say that he has been "making the transition" and "embracing again the whole QUIET RIOT consciousness" by going "back and playing the songs" again. "And actually, it's been wonderful because, I've gotta tell you, to be able to go back to something that you did 40 years ago with the musician I am today, I'm looking at the songs a little bit different, as far as my own contributions," he said. "Of course, it's not gonna be something that is gonna turn into completely something else, but there are certain note choices that I can improve on."

As for what fans can expect to see when he returns to the road with QUIET RIOT, Rudy said: "At the core of the show is gonna be a celebration of the legacy of our bandmates. It's our responsibility as the ones left behind that we must celebrate. It's a must. So that is at the core of the show."

John Cooper, the frontman for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, has pushed back against the criticism he has received for his comments about COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

During an appearance on Apologia Radio, hosted by Luke Pierson, a pastor/elder at Apologia Church, the 46-year-old vocalist/bassist, who previously publicly revealed that he was unvaccinated, addressed the reaction he has gotten from the mainstream media and audience for his assertion that vaccines are a tool of government control.

Cooper said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's a crazy time because there's, like, a collective mind losing. It's true — the whole country, we've lost our minds.

"In general, I think, I'm a fairly gracious person, or I try to be, where it's, like, I really don't care, Luke, if you get the vaccine or not. And I don't know if you care if I get it. It doesn't matter to me. There's certain things that you can make a choice. But there's been this collective mind… I mean, people going crazy. I fully expect half the country to be eating grass.

"What's really weird to me is that I've been speaking out about my faith in Christ for a long, long time in the mainstream world," he continued. "Now, let's be honest — not everybody in the mainstream world is nuts about that. They don't necessarily love hearing about Jesus, but they have always put up with me — some have supported me even. But I'll tell you what: the most kickback I have ever received — ever — for my faith has been on my stance on vaccine mandates and mask mandates. It is as if I just — like the unforgivable sin.

"I said to my wife, I said the amazing thing that it shows me is that it wasn't the gospel quote, it wasn't the gospel of Christ that made them really, really angry — meaning, 'Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the father unless they come through him.' A lot of people didn't love that message, but they can deal with it. But they will not deal with you speaking out against the state. They will not deal with it. And what you're really witnessing is an actual you've spoken against their God. You did not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's idol of gold. And it is the one thing you're not allowed to do. It's just been really amazing to me.

"So a lot the bands, they just don't know what to do," Cooper added. "And when I say 'they,' I mean we're in there too. We just don't know what to do, because you're in an entertainment industry that's largely driven by social media and media at large. And you're not allowed to speak anything against… I mean, you've got RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE telling people that if they don't get a vaccine… RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has become the machine. It's crazy. I'm, like, wait a minute — I'm the revolutionary here? I'm the revolutionary and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE is just 'government rock' now. My older brother made up the term 'government rock,' which I find pretty awesome. I think it's pretty great — it's a great way to scoff at someone."

Last month, the Memphis, Tennessee-born Cooper, who lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, said that COVID-19 vaccine mandates are "much more about tyranny than they are actually keeping people safe."

During the summer, Cooper opened up about his reluctance to wear masks, saying: "The issue of the mask wearing, to me, is nothing more than theater. It is making me jump into an unreality, something that I do not believe, just to acquiesce to either the overlords — overlords meaning government, Big Tech [Editor's note: A name given to the five largest and most dominant companies in the information technology industry of the United States — namely Google (Alphabet), Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft], big business, big media, whatever — to acquiesce to what they want me to do. Even though I know that it's not true, but I'm gonna play the game. And every time I put my mask on, I know that I'm doing something that I do not believe in. In other words, I'm being forced to lie… I'm being forced to jump into something I don't believe, and I'm living by a lie — I'm living by a lie that this mask is actually gonna keep me safe from all harm. To acquiesce to the government, which says that I'm believing something that I know that I don't believe. So now I'm basically living in a fantasy world. That frightens me. And every time I put that mask on, that's basically what I think. I know I'm doing this, I know it's show, I know it's theater, I know my overlords don't even believe in it, because if they did, they wouldn't be breaking all of their own rules."

Experts have repeatedly said that mRNA vaccines are not new. In fact, they have been in development for decades — since the 1970s— and many mRNA vaccines were in phase 1, 2, and 3 trials before the COVID-19 vaccines were created. According to News Center Maine, messenger RNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response inside our bodies. Our cells break down mRNA and get rid of it within a few days after vaccination. As for the vaccines being "experimental," the U.S. FDA and CDC both said Pfizer and Moderna's data were highly scrutinized and that the shots were required to undergo the same testing, trials, and analysis before getting emergency use authorization.

Wearing face masks and coverings is recommended, or in some places mandatory, in public spaces to help stop the spread of COVID-19. But anti-maskers think government orders requiring face coverings in public spaces or those put in place by private businesses violate their constitutional rights.

Studies have shown that masks limit the spread of the coronavirus by blocking respiratory droplets that can travel through the air when someone coughs, sneezes or even just speaks. There is also strong evidence to suggest that masks help protect others from catching the virus from the person wearing the mask.

In a new interview with CNN, Slash said that GUNS N' ROSES' long-running reunion tour went incredibly well, in part thanks to the great relationship he, singer Axl Rose and the other bandmembers are currently enjoying.

"When we got back together, that whole chemistry and that thing that makes what GUNS N' ROSES is for me and Axl and Duff [McKagan, bass], it all just sort of came together," Slash said. "After that long a period of time, we'd sort of forgotten what that was like.

"Everybody got along great," he added. "That's actually why the tour has kept going, because initially it was just going to be a couple of shows."

GUNS launched its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour with an April 2016 club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

GUNS N' ROSES' reunion tour features classic-lineup members Slash, McKagan and Rose backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

In a 2020 interview with Guitar Player's "No Guitar Is Safe" podcast, Slash spoke about what it felt like for him to step back out on stage with GUNS N' ROSES for the first time in over two decades at the band's concert at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California.

"That was our first gig back," Slash said. "I think probably the last time that we ever played there was in 1985. I don't think we even played there in 1986. Probably '85 was the last time we played there. "[The April 2016 concert was] our first show together after 20 years. We obviously had more gear and more crew than we did back in the day, I'll tell you that much. And it was loud. But it was a lot of fun. It was an almost poignant moment to fucking stand there and look at that crowd in that sort of room and have that kind of nostalgic feeling."

In 2019, Slash told Guitar.com that his first concert back with GUNS N' ROSES was an "overwhelming" experience. "It was so cool," he said. "Because it was a long time — we're talking more than 20 years from the last show in 1994… it was 22 years since the last time we'd played together. And obviously I'd played with Duff [since then] but there's a certain dynamic in the three of us together. It was awesome, and it's a really great experience."

Slash and his bandmates played the final show of their "We're F'N Back" run on October 4 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

"We're F'N Back!" came on the heels of the "Not In This Lifetime" run that became the No. 3 highest-grossing tour in the history of Billboard Boxscore.

As previously reported, GUNS N' ROSES will release a new four-song EP, "Hard Skool", on February 25, 2022. The effort, which is exclusive to the GUNS N' ROSES official store, contains the two new songs the band released in the last two months — the title track and "Absurd" (stylized as "ABSUЯD") — as well as live versions of "Don't Cry" and "You're Crazy"

Billy F Gibbons, apart from his five decades-long role fronting ZZ TOP, has in recent years recorded three much-lauded solo albums for Concord Records, including "Hardware", released this past June. To cap off the year, Concord has released a singular single, "Jingle Bell Blues", on November 9. It's Billy's reworking of the eternal "Jingle Bells" with some significant modifications or "Kustom" touches. "Bells on hot rods ring" is one such and mention is made of a "drop-top" sleigh. While the song exudes holiday cheer, the gut- bucket vocal approach that Billy applies to the repertoire is nothing short of extraordinary. Billy's guitar solos can best be described as "epic" and should heat up virtually any holiday get-together whether indoors or out. Also of literal note is the harmonica solo that renders the recording something of an homage to Jimmy Reed in a sonically up-to-date context.

Recorded in Nashville this past June by Gibbons and Michael Fiorentino, the track is available digitally as well as a lavishly packaged 45 RPM single, pressed on red translucent vinyl. The cover art depicts multiple Cadillac Fleetwood Broughams stacked to reflect the shape of a traditional Christmas tree while the obverse is adorned by a swanky stylized wire wheel.

The official animated music video for "Jingle Bell Blues" can be seen below.

The use of "singular" is intentional as only one track, "Jingle Bell Blues", is offered. The "flip side" of the record is an etched surface that replicates the sidewall of a bias ply tire with raised letters spelling out the song title and Billy's name. Lastly, and of special note, is the fact that the red vinyl version comes with a Billy F Gibbons center hole adapter making it easy to play on any standard turntable.

"It dawned on us that everybody loves Christmas music," says Billy of the new single, "and everybody loves the Jimmy Reed blues vibe, so we figured we'd combine them. We threw in some hot rod references for good measure because our preferred sleigh is the horsepower-propelled kind.

"I suppose it could have been produced with a small hole and we wouldn’t have had to deal with the adapter, but this is, at its essence, a juke box record. It was even mixed with that in mind," he added.

"Around Christmas, it always seems that there are five to ten holiday selections listed in the lower right corner of a typical juke box in a typical juke joint, the song titles and artist names printed on wreath-bedecked title strips. Our hope is for 'Jingle Bell Blues' to be one of those records. Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Elvis, Brenda Lee, Jose Feliciano, Otis Redding, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, Gene Autry, and not forgetting Adam Sandler, need some company and we'd be thrilled to provide it in the spirit of the season."

Act Of Defiance / ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Broderick has shared new video clips to YouTube:


"Excerpts from the In Flames songs 'Pinball Map' and "Everything's Gone"; Part #6 of my Jackson / Fender Guitars Instagram takeover."










Back in September, Jackson Guitars introduced the new Chris Broderick Pro Series Soloists. See the Act Of Defiance/ex-Megadeth guitarist break down all of his new signature models in the video below, and click here to see all of their specs.


Chris Broderick has been one of the most influential Jackson artists for years now, with a bevy of Soloist models bearing his name that reflect his clear vision on modern metal. Now, the Act Of Defiance and In Flames guitarist has upped the ante with a refreshed line of signature Pro Series models that update his beloved axes.


The latest Chris Broderick Pro Series Soloist editions come in 6- and 7-string formats, in addition to giving you the ability to choose between a hardtail bridge or Floyd Rose tremolo system and a menacing Gloss Black or otherworldly Transparent Blue finish. And they all fall in line with Broderick’s unique takes on the venerable Soloist.


“I’ve always said, ‘Jackson Guitars was the brand that could,’ and they helped me design this guitar with no compromise,” said Broderick. “When [first] I came to them, I was looking at other companies, and all [the other companies] wanted to do was slap a sticker on an existing guitar that didn’t play exactly how I wanted it to.


“But Jackson, the whole time, had no problem doing anything I asked. Jackson came through.”

Torn Between Two Worlds, featuring former Angtoria bandmates Sarah Jezebel Deva and Chris Rehn, are gearing up to release new music. Sarah has issued the following update.


"We have set up, I hope, two options on Bandcamp for Bandcamp Friday which may appeal. You can pre-order the new single, 'Transparent', on its own or part of a 3-single deal. The 3-single deal may appeal to those who haven't bought anything yet or wasn't sure. 'Transparent' is released January 14th, but ya never know; you may just get it sent in advanced, too."







Sarah recently posted the following message:


"There are two people in this world that make me so proud and reduce me to tears on a regular basis.... my beautiful son and.... Chris Rehn.


If Chris and I had started Torn Between Two Worlds 10 years ago, maybe I wouldn't have lost so much faith in the music scene. I am so proud of 'Hello', so proud that yet again, I was reduced to tears, but proud tears. We love what we have done with it and yet again I can't praise Chris Rehn enough for his composing and vision.


I also wished my dad was still alive to hear this, he would have been so proud.


It's extremely likely we will do an EP..... for you..... and for us!


None of this would have been possible without your support and of course so many close friends pushing us. Thank you."


"The Beauty Of Deception"





"All Eyes On Me"





"Hello"





Photos used with kind permission of Sarah Jezebel Deva and Chris Rehn

Speaking with Ultimate Guitar, Behemoth frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski reflected on the band's 2020 support tour with Slipknot, calling it "maybe one of the best tours ever."


Nergal: "On a personal level, they're amazing, very helpful, you know - Corey Taylor would be so nice. He sang on the Me And That Man album (on 'How Come?' in 2020) and that was beautiful of him doing that, and he did a fantastic job. 


I'm friends with all of them - I mean, some are quite secluded, they stay away from crowds and parties, but (bassist Alessandro Venturella) V-Man is always there to get into trouble. Jay (Weinberg), the drummer, is fuckin' the nicest dude out there. Corey's amazing, and really, each one of them - and (percussionist Shawn Crahan) Clown - there's not enough compliments that I can say about how well it went. We were treated with the utmost respect. That was the highest-paid tour we've ever got, and they did that because they really wanted to bring the best out of us.




So, it's not one of those bands where they're like, 'We're gonna make Slipknot look better than you, we're gonna make you guys look like some unimportant band from ex-Soviet Union or whatever.' No. They're like, 'Hey, we're paying you more than what you usually get, but please, make sure you impress the fuck out of the crowd.' And we're like, 'You bet we will!' So, I'm extremely grateful for what Slipknot did to us. It was game-changing, it really gave us so much.


Every other person I talk to that's from Europe or the U.S. goes, 'Man, I saw you for the first time on the Slipknot tour and I became an instant fan!' Like, every other person. It really does work that way, so - Slipknot, thank you so much."

Artifas has issued their new music video for "Safe". The single was released via Imagen Records on October 22, 2021 and is from their forthcoming album, titled Reflections, due out January 14, 2022.


"'Safe' is about working to overcome obstacles in pursuit of a goal. For us the target of this song manifested itself as our career as a band, but its' core meaning is just about climbing that proverbial mountain and overcoming anything in your path to success," says the band.







Reflections artwork and tracklisting:





"Lament"
"Leave Me For Dead"
"Safe"
"Cut Me Out"
"Hollow"
"The Dark"
"Legacy"
"Inside The Machine"
"Angels (Lead The Way)"
"My Design" 
"Wannabe"








Catch Artifas live at the following shows:





 

Frontiers Music Srl announces the release of Hail To The Heroes, the upcoming new album from India's Girish And The Chronicles on February 11, 2022.


Earlier in 2021, frontman Girish Pradhan had this to say about Hail To The Heroes, ahead of the band heading into the studio: "It will have all the musical elements that we love to hear, in our day to day lives, which of course revolves around good old Rock 'n Roll. From the Sunset Strip to NWOBHM and more. Our audience can expect some great anthems!” 


And GATC has more than delivered on that promise. Hail To The Heroes, the band's third album overall, sees the band taking huge leaps forward from their previous album, Rock The Highway (2020). The album grabs you from the opening notes of "Primeval Desire" and never lets go, just like their musical heroes' classic albums have always done. Hail To The Heroes is a sonic journey that will thrill you over and over again.




Girish continues, "We are a hard rock / melodic rock / heavy metal band. We like making the kind of music that we grew up listening to, which revolves around the '80s. However, we do like including a song or two that may have a very different vibe. Could be in the form of a progressive song, or maybe a riff that has a bit of India in it. All in all, we think of it as a roller coaster ride with the meanest in-your-face songs to beautiful ballads. We feel no matter how dedicated we are to the art, we still should not stop ourselves from exploring more, but without losing the essence of what we truly love.”





Tracklisting:


"Primeval Desire"
"Children Of The Night"
"I'm Not The Devil"
"Love's Damnation"
"Clearing The Blur"
"Lovers’ Train"
"Rock And Roll Jack"
"Hail To The Heroes"
"Shamans Of Time"
"Heaven's Crying"
"Rock N' Roll Fever" ft. Chris Adler, Myrone, Rowan Robertson





Pre-order your copy of Hail To The Heroes at this location.


Starting off in the city of Gangtok in Sikkim, India, and now based out of Bengaluru in Karnataka, GATC are known for their soaring, powerful vocals, biting guitars, thunderous bass, and pounding drums, staying true to the authentic ‘80s heavy metal / hard rock sound which they grew up with.