KISS Kruise X, which was due to sail from Miami to Harvest Caye, Belize & Roatan, Honduras from October 30th - November 4th, 2020 aboard Norwegian Pearl, kicked off on October 29th and concluded on November 3rd. 


Check out the full Q&A with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, shared by Mike Brunn, host of The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn.







Brunn has also shared footage of KISS performing live on October 31st. Check it out below.


The setlist on the night was as follows:


"Psycho Circus"
"Take It Off" (first time since 1995)
"Watchin' You"
"Firehouse"
"She's So European" (live debut)
"Lick It Up"
"We Are One" (live debut)
"Cold Gin"
"Uh! All Night" (first time since 1986)
"I Love It Loud"
"Say Yeah"
"War Machine"
"Black Diamond"
"Detroit Rock City"
"Rock and Roll All Nite"

Andorra’s extreme progressive metal unit, Persefone, have announced the upcoming release of their long-awaited Napalm Records debut, entitled metanoia. Scheduled for release on February 4, metanoia crosses genre boundaries with ease, mesmerizing the listener with dynamic songwriting and technical precision and proving Persefone’s worthy position as longstanding favorites of progressive metal.


Featuring collaborations with standout artists like Steffen Kummerer (Obscura, Thulcandra), Einar Solberg (Leprous), Angel Vivaldi and Merethe Soltvedt (Two Steps From Hell), metanoia exploits the full potential of contrasts in every song, with each track representing a story evolving from beginning to end and constantly growing in strength - redefining typical musical boundaries. Mixed by David Castillo (Leprous, Soen, Opeth) and mastered by Tony Lindgren (Enslaved, Ihsahn, Sepultura), the new full-length stretches over 10 songs, each appearing to glide seamlessly from one to the next.


First single "Merkabah" promises an intense ride that reveals both the heaviest and most vulnerable sides of Persefone. An atmospheric entrance carries Miguel Espinosa’s deep, majestic voice, transitioning into an interplay of Marc Martins evil growls and Miguel’s clean vocals. Flickering guitar riffs front a spherical orchestra, spanning the song’s intensity to its maximum. Persefone guide progressive metal to a new chapter.




Persefone on "Merkabah”: "metanoia is all about a musical journey for a spiritual breakthrough. Merkabah is a vehicle to elevate, Merkabah asks for meditation and trust in the process. With this song we wanted to mark a pivotal moment in the album and write about a personal detour from the old self, a painful and needed transformation to reach new heights, to leave fear behind, to embrace life as the amazing experience we have been gifted with... "on my knees, I still believe".”


Watch the music video for "Merkabah" below.


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)

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the release of progressive metal act Lalu's new album, Paint The Sky on January 21.


Lalu is a musical project originally founded in 2004 by the French composer and producer Vivien Lalu, son of Noelle and Michel Lalu (members of the ‘70s French progressive act Polène). Paint The Sky will be the first album, and third album overall from the band, released under the new partnership between Vivien and Frontiers.


Fans can get their first taste of music from the new album with the release of the single and video, "The Chosen Ones" featuring Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) and Simone Mularoni (DGM). Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Paint The Sky here.




Paint The Sky is easily the most accomplished and mature album put together by Vivien thus far in his career. Being the son of two progressive musicians from the '70s and growing up surrounded by progressive music, Vivien always wanted to craft a true-to-its-roots progressive rock album. He spent a lot of time laying down the basics for the new effort and along with this new album comes a change in vocalist specifically designed for this more progressive version of Lalu. In May 2020, Vivien announced Damian Wilson (Arena, Headspace, Threshold) as the lead vocalist for Paint The Sky. Lalu's lineup on the album is rounded out by Jelly Cardarelli (on drums) and Joop Wolters (guitars and bass).


Guests on Paint The Sky include Alessandro Del Vecchio, Alex Argento, Gary Wehrkamp, Jens Johansson, Jordan Rudess, Marco Sfogli, Simon Phillips, Simone Mularoni, Steve Walsh, Tony Franklin, and Vikram Shankar. See tracklisting below for details on which tracks they appear on.


Lalu's first full-length album, Oniric Metal (2005) garnered critical acclaim upon its release, and marked a new chapter for Vivien and his insatiable need to create mind-expanding, cinematic music. Lalu's second opus, Atomic Ark (2013) featured vocalist Martin LeMar, bassist Mike LePond (Symphony X), guitarist Simone Mularoni (DGM), and world class drummer Virgil Donati (Planet X, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth). Additional contributions came from Jens Johansson (Stratovarius), Joop Wolters, Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie), Mike Andersson (Cloudscape) and Peter Wildoer (James LaBrie).


Spring 2014 saw Vivien venturing out on a unique live tour, hosting only a few select shows featuring the all-star Atomic Ark line-up of Martin LeMar, Mike LePond, Simone Mularoni, and Virgil Donati, adding Joop Wolters as a second guitarist on stage. After a few weeks’ practice, the tour culminated in the live recording of their set during the final stop. Produced by Vivien and mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, the digital-only Live At P60 was released in June 2015.


Paint The Sky now marks the latest installment in the ever evolving musical odyssey that is Lalu. Come join the journey!





Tracklisting:


"Reset To Preset
"Won’t Rest Until The Heat Of The Earth Burns The Soles Of Our Feet Down To The Bone" (ft. Jens Johansson)
"Emotionalised"
"Paint The Sky" (ft. Steve Walsh, Tony Franklin, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Jens Johansson, Gary Wehrkamp)
"Witness To The World" (ft. Marco Sfogli)
"Lost In Conversation" (ft. Jens Johansson)
"Standing At The Gates Of Hell"
"The Chosen Ones" (ft. Jordan Rudess, Simone Mularoni)
"Sweet Asylum"
"We Are Strong"
"All Of The Lights" (ft. Vikram Shankar)
"Paint The Sky" [Instrumental] (ft. Tony Franklin, Simon Phillips, Alex Argento)


"The Chosen Ones" video:





Lineup:


Damian Wilson - Vocals
Jelly Cardarelli - Drums
Joop Wolters - Guitars & bass
Vivien Lalu - Keyboards

On their soaring, self-titled debut, melodic hard rock supergroup Out Of This World skillfully underlines the combination of well-made songs with passion: a perfect and rare constellation when the stars are aligned correctly. Forged by Kee Marcello of Europe fame, vocal thunder Tommy Heart (Fair Warning), bassist Ken Sandin (Alien), and drummer Darby Todd (Devin Townsend, Gary Moore, The Darkness), Out Of This World is a dream come true for everybody out there who is mourning the loss of quality melodic hard rock. It’s no wonder this record has already become a massive hit in Japan.


The group has announced their signing to Atomic Fire Records, who will release their self-titled debut album, including three bonus tracks as well as a seven-track bonus live album on January 14, 2022.







(Photo by; Ralf Oude Hendrikman)


"Our eponymous Out Of This World may sound like a hard promise to keep, but honestly, it describes it to a tee," comments Kee Marcello.


Tommy Heart states, "After having released our first record in Japan, we are super pumped to let our music be heard from the rest of the world as well. Very happy to be a part of the Atomic Fire Records family! We are working together since only a couple of months, but I can already tell, I have a great feeling about this team that understands our music and our vision so well!"


"Asked about my all-time favorite hard rock albums, I would always mention the self-titled Fair Warning classic from 1992, it's a true masterpiece," says Atomic Fire Records CEO and label manager Markus Wosgien. He adds, "And if we talk about Europe, I think everyone grew up with their ‘80s and early ‘90s classics. To be working with Kee Marcello as well as Tommy Heart now is a dream come true. Close your eyes, enjoy this beautiful album and you will feel like a lovestruck teenager again."


To mark the occasion, Out Of This World presents first single, “Hanging On” alongside a lyric video.


Preorder the album in various formats (2CD-digipak, blue 2LP), pre-save it, or preorder Out Of This World digitally to receive “Hanging On” instantly now at music.atomicfire-records.com.


It's no coincidence that Marcello's latest endeavor bears the name of that legendary multi-platinum Europe album released back in 1988. "When I told people about my new project, someone suggested I call it something like Kee Marcelo's Europe. But that's terrible," he laughs. "I hated it. Tommy suggested to call it Out Of This World, simple as that. Just as the Black Sabbath guys and Dio did with Heaven And Hell."


The same vibe, the same ear for melody, the same hooks permeate an album that was brought to life with the vigor and passion you wouldn't exactly expect in a rock star who's seen it all and done it all in the past forty years. "I've always concentrated on music, and my passion for that never changed," he says. "I've never changed style; I've never tried to do anything I'm not doing well."


Out Of This World beams with a freewheeling and overflowing sense of fun, musicianship, and togetherness. It's an effortless flux that's just not normally found on a debut. "You have to remember that Darby, Ken, and I go way back," the legendary axe-man notes of his rhythm section. "We did hundreds of gigs together and are as tight as a thumbscrew. Same thing goes for Tommy and I. We clicked instantly when working together for the first time a couple of years ago. We have this almost brotherly connection. We're literally reading each other's minds, man. There was no stumbling block, it was all a self-playing piano."


It’s the same for vocalist Tommy Heart who's been around in this game forever as well. "You meet, you play, and sparks begin to fly," he describes the chemistry between the members. "We don't even talk that much. We simply let the music speak. We touch our hearts when we play which is something that's incredibly rare to find. Nobody has to explain himself; everybody is doing just what anybody else would do at that moment." Heart was instantly hooked when he realized that Out Of This World was more than a one-off thing between bored musicians in lockdown. "I don't like these temporary projects," he muses. "This here is the real deal."


"With Out Of This World, though, it never felt like a project," says Marcello and he admits: "It felt like a band from day one. This is why the album turned out so well. It has a genuine band feel to it." At their very first rehearsal session in Marcello's hometown of Gothenburg, they sketched a couple of songs that would later wind up on their debut, namely “Twilight,” “Lighting Up My Dark,” and “In A Million Years.” "We actually found ourselves right in the middle of our first recording session without even knowing it," he marvels. "Everything felt so natural and so good that writing the rest of the songs was a walk in the park."


Graced by additional key wizardry courtesy of Deep Purple’s very own Don Airey and embellished by a Ron Nevison mix (Kiss, Bad Company, Ozzy Osbourne, Meat Loaf, Heart, Chicago, Damn Yankees, etc.) who reunited with Marcello for the first time since producing Europe's Out Of This World a staggering thirty-three years ago, the songs masterfully transport the bygone era of melody driven, anthemic hard rock into the present. From uptempo rocking first single “Hanging On” via “In A Million Years,” originally written for Europe's Prisoner In Paradise, to colossal anthem “Lighting Up My Dark,” and prog-rock playground “Staring At The Sun,” Out Of This World solitarily resurrect a genre we thought was lost long ago.





Tracklisting:


“Twilight”
“Hanging On”
“In A Million Years”
“Lighting Up My Dark”
“Staring At The Sun”
“The Warrior”
“Up To You”
“Ain’t Gonna Let You Go”
“Only You Can Teach Me How To Love Again”
“Not Tonight”
“Twilight” (Demo Version)*
“In A Million Years” (Demo Version)*
“Lighting Up My Dark” (Demo Version)*


*Bonus tracks


Bonus Live CD/LP
“Let The Good Times Rock”
“Burning Heart”
“Save Me”
“Open Your Heart”
“Momentum” (Instrumental)
“Superstitious”
“Ready Or Not”


“Hanging On” lyric video:

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch's LOVE AND DEATH side project will release "Perfectly Preserved Live", a live album and video recording of its first concert in eight years. The DVD and Blu-ray will be available for purchase at major retailers such as Walmart, Barnes & Noble and Amazon on Tuesday, November 16, with the audio recording hitting streaming services on Friday, November 19.

"For myself and all of the musicians and crew involved, this concert experience was a bright light in the middle of such a dark and divided world. What a gift to capture this show during a moment in time that the entire planet will never forget," Welch said. "Big shoutout to the entire LOVE & DEATH team for making this concert DVD and stream available for all our fans. One of the few positive experiences to come out after 2020!"

It's a sentiment that guitarist Jasen Rauch echoes. "Having the opportunity to play during the pandemic and connect with fans, even if only in a remote way, was not only an amazing experience, but incredibly exciting and needed," he said.

"Perfectly Preserved Live" captures the release concert celebrating the launch of "Perfectly Preserved", LOVE & DEATH's sophomore album, which earned rave reviews from media and listeners alike.

The exceptional caliber of LOVE & DEATH's musiciancianship is carried over into the live performance that is immortalized on "Perfectly Preserved Live". The collaborative approach was taken to the next level with multiple guest appearances on stage, including a feature from MEMPHIS MAY FIRE's Matty Mullins on the song "White Flag".

"It was an absolute honor to perform 'White Flag' with LOVE & DEATH on their livestream," Mullins said. "KORN has certainly influenced me, but getting to know Brian on a personal level and seeing his heart in action has inspired me on a whole new level. The new LOVE & DEATH record rips, and I'm so stoked for people to check out this live DVD!"

Other special appearances include Keith Wallen (BREAKING BENJAMIN), who reprised his collaborations from the studio recording, and Lacey Sturm (FLYLEAF), who carried her part of passionate suicide prevention track "Let Me Love You". The result is an unforgettable concert that captures not only the spirit of the raw and emotive album, but the heart of the rock community as a whole.

In addition to playing "Perfectly Preserved" highlights like "Down", "Let Me Love You" and "The Hunter", longtime LOVE & DEATH fans will be glad to see that older tracks like "Meltdown", "By The Way" and the LOVE & DEATH spin on DEVO's "Whip It" all made the setlist as well. Taken as a whole, the performance is a true testament to the musical quality and deep emotional connection that the band has created.

"We hope everyone loves the DVD and cherishes the memory as much as we will for many years to come," Welch concluded.

Florida metal titans Trivium - Matt Heafy (vocals, guitar), Corey Beaulieu (guitar), Paolo Gregoletto (bass), and Alex Bent (drums) - have released a performance video for "Feast Of Fire", taken from the band's new album, In The Court Of The Dragon. Watch below:





Trivium's tenth album, In The Court Of The Dragon, is out now via Roadrunner Records. The record was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur and recorded in autumn 2020 at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. Order In The Court Of The Dragon here.




The album cover is an original oil painting by French artist Mathieu Nozieres (@mathieunozieres on Instagram).





In The Court Of The Dragon tracklisting:


"X"
"In The Court Of The Dragon"
"Like A Sword Over Damocles"
"Feast Of Fire"
"A Crisis Of Revelation"
"The Shadow Of The Abattoir"  
"No Way Back Just Through"  
"Fall Into Your Hands"  
"From Dawn To Decadence"  
"The Phalanx"


"The Phalanx" video:





"Feast Of Fire" video:





"In The Court Of The Dragon" video:

Last month, Austin, Texas-based cult noise rock trio, Cherubs, released their new EP, SLO BLO 4 FRNZ & SXY, via Relapse Records. The band has released this new video for "Die Robbin'":





Physical orders for the new EP are available via Relapse.com here, and Digital Downloads / Streaming here.







A follow up to their Immaculada High (2019), the new EP capitalizes on the musical frenzy and shining moments of the latest full length, resulting in another dose of the legendary band's take on punk infused noise rock. SLO BLO 4 FRNZ & SXY digital version contains five songs cut at both 33 and 45rpm.


"Sooey Pig (Sad)" (Skrewed Version) video:





“A Pair Of Pear Tarts” video:





“Lazy Snakes (Skrewd Version)” video:





Lineup:


Kevin Whitley - Guitar, Vocals
Owen McMahon - Bass, Vocals
Brent Prager - Drums


(Photo - Alison Narro)

Richmond, Indiana’s Wolftooth recently announced the upcoming release of their colossal new Napalm Records debut, Blood & Iron, dropping December 3. Offering an immense slab of proto-metal influenced heaviness with a deep dose of doom essence and addictive stoner riffage, the album travels through a treasure trove of fantasy-themed lyrical influences - exploring mystical and often treacherous themes of mythology, lore and legend with a focus on sorcery, battle and non-stop adventure.


Following up on the release of victorious first single “The Voyage”, the band revealed a second single, entitled "Broken Sword", alongside another new music video. And today, the band release a guitar playthrough video for "Broken Sword". Watch below:







The thrash-injected track gallops towards soaring guitar melodies and an addictive chorus as the story's hero lays waste to all in his path.


Wolftooth says about “Broken Sword”: “The song 'Broken Sword' is about a young boy that escapes his village being ransacked and burnt to the ground, with most of the villagers being killed or taken into slavery. The boy journeys on a vision quest to heal his broken spirit. 20 years later, after much training both physically and mentally, he returns to take revenge for his ancestors. The broken sword symbolizes his broken spirit, and the blood on the sword symbolizes the freedom of his people."


Watch the official music video for “Broken Sword”:





Wolftooth launched onto the scene in 2017, swiftly grabbing the attention of fans, tastemakers and industry alike. Now, building upon the subterranean success of their lauded previous albums (2018’s Wolftooth and 2020’s Valhalla), the band unveils Blood & Iron, a true nod to classic, feel-good American heavy metal with modernized flair. If you enjoy your metal homegrown, larger-than-life and with a weighty dose of mystical storytelling.


Recorded, mixed and mastered by producer Jeremy Lovins, Blood & Iron begins ominously with “Ahab” - beckoning the listener to join Wolftooth’s fabled trek with an isolated guitar introduction before bursting into a sticky, metallic blues jam, instantly echoing the likes of Black Sabbath to Pallbearer while maintaining fresh delivery. The track effectively poises the album for greatness before leading into two tales of historic prevalence backed by trudging riffage - Xerces epic “Hellespont”, and mythical ode to triumphant Irish warrior Cú Chulainn, “Blood & Iron”. The tracks ebb and flow amid melodic solos, sludgy rhythms and charging drums, evident on songs like galloping, thrash-injected assault “Broken Sword” and headbang-inducing, lead-laden “A King’s Land”. Wolftooth continue their immense sonic storytelling with soaring saga “The Voyage” and frigid ballad “Winter White” before closing out the nine enormous tunes on Blood & Iron with two of its most standout offerings – cohesive and rhythmically-enticing “Garden Of Hesperides” and driving final epic “The Mare” - depicting stories of 100-headed dragons, witches, dark horses and mind control. What more could a true metalhead ask for?


Wolftooth adds about the album: "Blood & Iron is the culmination of all the work that we as a band have put into forging our sound over the last four years. Musically, we feel that we've honed what works well for us while expanding on what was already there. This album represents a more mature direction, relying on classic heavy metal influence with a strong nod to our proto-metal roots. Lyrically, the album focuses on kings, battle, conquest and myth. These elements together coalesce into a riff-laden slab of heavy metal that we are all proud of."





Blood & Iron will be available in the following formats:


- CD Digipack
- 1LP Gatefold Black
- 1LP Gatefold Gold Die Hard Edition w/ album cover slipmat and logo patch (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 100)
- 1LP Gatefold Marbled Gold & Black (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 200)
- CD Digipack & Shirt Bundle (Napalm EU/RoW Mailorder only)


Pre-order here.





Blood & Iron tracklisting:


"Ahab"
"Hellespont"
"Blood & Iron"
"A King's Land"
"Broken Sword"
"The Voyage"
"Winter White"
"Garden Of Hesperides"
"The Mare"


"The Voyage" video:





Indiana-local fans, take note! Wolftooth will perform a hometown show on November 6 at E Street Pub in Richmond, Indiana with Rattlesnake Venom Trip and Steel Aggressor. Check local venue listings for more information.


Lineup:


Jeff Cole - Guitars
Johnny Harrod - Vocals, Drums
Terry McDaniel - Bass
Chris Sullivan - Vocals, Guitars


(Photo - Stephanie Harrison)

During an appearance on Rock Dance Theatre TV's November 11 YouTube livestream, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson discussed how he chooses which projects to get involved with when the opportunities are presented to him. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Every time I made a music thing about money, there was never enough money and I certainly never liked the music. [Laughs] If you enjoy the music, if you enjoy the creative process, maybe there's not a lot of money in it, but I really don't care 'cause I'm really digging the hang. So I've learned… The bills somehow have always been paid. And it's just say yes, suit up, show up, get in a room, bring your bass, be in tune, be on time, look your best, play your best, be your best and walk in with your best attitude. Every gig is an audition for the next gig. So how you handle coming into a gig is important, and sometimes how you handle leaving a gig. 'Cause all things don't last forever, so how you depart or if there's a falling out and it doesn't work… I remember [legendary drummer] Vinny Appice saying that, 'cause he was talking about, I think, BLACK SABBATH and stuff. He said, he goes, 'You know, some people just fight their way out the door rather than just accepting, eh, that was then, and it's over.' In fact, even my friend Drew [Fortier], who's the guitar player in THE LUCID, we were talking about some stuff, and it's sort of, like, don't be sad it's over. Be glad it ever even happened. Sometimes when you look at that, it's, like, 'Yeah, that was pretty cool.' Whatever it is — whether it's a relationship, a band, a book. Be glad it even happened, man, and enjoy what was there and move on to the next one. There's gonna be more."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH earlier this year after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. At the time, Ellefson released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. Ellefson later admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.)

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

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

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

Speaking to Greece’s Rockpages, guitarist Bernie Marsden said “it would be nice” to work with former Whitesnake bandmate David Coverdale again.


When asked about working with Coverdale in the future, Marsden said, “Well, I don’t think about it really. We talk to each other, in fact he texted me earlier today. There is no issue with us, but he said he’s retiring next year, so there’s a Whitesnake final tour, which is being fixed as we speak. And after that, you never know… He might want to do something, I might call him up… you know when I wrote all the songs for Joe Bonamassa’s last album, some of those could have been very good David Coverdale songs for sure!


“Who knows? You know, I write with different people. I work with different people all the time. I think it would be nice for him and I to do something before we get old as they say in ‘My Generation’. I think we’re already a little bit older (laughs).”




Marsden formed Whitesnake with Coverdale in 1978 and released five full-length albums with the band before departing after 1982’s Saints & Sinners.


Conquest Music has announced the release of Chess, the follow-up album to Bernie Marsden’s superb, chart-topping, Kings. Kings reached #1 in the Amazon Blues Chart, #18 in the UK OCC Album Sales Chart and gained fantastic reviews and accolades following its release in July this year.


The forthcoming 12-track album, Chess, is due out on November 26, available on all digital platforms along with a Special Limited Edition Digipak CD accompanied by a 16-page booklet.


Chess is the second album in Bernie Marsden’s Inspiration Series, where he chooses and crafts his own interpretation of the iconic artists and songs that helped inspire and shape his own musical style and taste. Like the previous release in the series, Kings, Chess marks another collaboration between Conquest Music and Bernie Marsden’s Little House Music.


Listen to each of the Inspirations Series albums and you’ll find more than a carefully curated homage to music that means much to Bernie. You’ll hear his own, nuanced guitar virtuosity and his heartfelt vocals, along with the wonderful synergy with the top-tier musicians he’s brought together for the project.


Many will know Bernie Marsden for being a founder member of Whitesnake, co-writing the iconic global smash, "Here I Go Again". He is undeniably one of Britain’s premier blues guitarists, praised by B.B. King for both his musicianship and innate understanding of the soul and feel of the blues. Bernie has written and recorded with some of the biggest names in the industry, and also composed music for film & TV. He’s also a bestselling author, an in-demand writer and producer and has amassed a priceless collection of guitars.


Chess is the second album of Bernie Marsden’s Inspirations Series’(a concept sparked by a backstage conversation with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons about influences and heroes). Bernie created the Inspirations Series to showcase the rich veins of music of those who inspired him during his formative years. In Kings, Bernie turned the spotlight on Freddie, Albert and B.B King; in Chess, he moves focus to tracks and artists on the fabled Chess label.


The album features 10 tracks that were originally released on Chess by greats such as Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf , Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters & Elmore James. What’s more, two Bernie Marsden-penned instrumentals appear as bonus tracks on the album. Chess was recorded ‘the old way’: with a band of truly gifted musicians, all in one room, over a handful of days. It’s led to a subtle, tasteful and a superbly delivered reimagining of these classic songs.





Tracklisting:


"Just Your Fool"
"Back In The USA"
"Grits Ain’t Groceries"
"I’m Ready"
"You Can’t Judge A Book"
"I Can’t Hold Out"
"Won’t Be Hanging Around"
"Fattening Frogs For Snakes"
"That’s Alright"
"Who’s Been Talking"
"Lester"
"Johnny"


Lineup:


Guitar & Vocals: Bernie Marsden
Bass Guitar: John Gordon
Drums: Jim Russell
Keyboards: Bob Haddrell
Harmonica: Alan Glen


The Inspirations Series is an ongoing sequence of albums released by Conquest Music where Bernie Marsden pays tribute to those whose music shaped his taste and guitar playing. Not one to hang around, Bernie has begun sessions for the next Inspirations album, which will be out in 2022.


(Photo - Fabio Gianardi)

Fan-filmed video footage of PHILIP H. ANSELMO AND THE ILLEGALS performing their "A Vulgar Display Of Pantera" set on Friday, November 12 at Vibes Event Center in San Antonio, Texas can be seen below.

"A Vulgar Display Of Pantera" finds singer Philip Anselmo and his solo group celebrating the legacy of PANTERA with a set featuring select cuts from the iconic metal band's five classic albums: "Cowboys From Hell", "Vulgar Display Of Power", "Far Beyond Driven", "The Great Southern Trendkill" and "Reinventing The Steel".

In a recent interview with The News-Herald, Anselmo said that part of the reason for performing PANTERA classics is to honor the band's guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, who was killed in 2004, and drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who died in 2018.

"It's one of those cases where you have to say it is what it is," Anselmo said. "All of that stuff is terribly sad. It's (expletive) very tough to wrap my mind around even listening back to PANTERA stuff. The truth of it is, I learned a while back dealing with Dimebag's death that I could muck around and stay in the past and wallow, but it's not healthy. And in turn, when I play these songs, for me it's all about celebrating the life of Dimebag and Vince. I have to do the best I can for my brothers who have fallen and for all of our fans. I have to do the best I can and look at the bright side."

Up until his death, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for the murder of Dimebag, who was his brother.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Vinnie Paul died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS features Anselmo with guitarists Stephen Taylor (SUPERJOINT) and Mike DeLeon (FLESH HOARDER, BEING KILLED, ex-MOD), drummer José Manuel "Blue" Gonzalez (SUPERJOINT, WARBEAST), and bassist Derek Engemann (SCOUR, ex-CATTLE DECAPITATION). The band's most recent full-length, the critically acclaimed "Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue", was released in 2018 via Anselmo's own Housecore Records.






PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS at Vibes Event Center: “Strength Beyond Strength,” “Goddamn Electric,” Becoming,” “This Love,” “Victim of Changes” (Judas Priest) & “I’m Broken”

Posted by Jay K. Nanda on Friday, November 12, 2021