In a recent interview with Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City", JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to 2018's "Firepower" LP. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This next PRIEST album will be just as full of separate character. JUDAS PRIEST is 'Painkiller'; JUDAS PRIEST is 'British Steel'; JUDAS PRIEST is 'Screaming For Vengeance'; JUDAS PRIEST is 'Sin After Sin'. Every album has its own legs, its own metal boots.

"We've always said that even though we're a heavy metal band, we don't let that confine us; we don't let heavy metal put us in a box," he continued. "We think heavy metal is freedom — musical freedom. So when we played [the] Bloodstock [Open Air festival in August] and twenty thousand metal maniacs were singing 'I'm your turbo lover,' it's metal. And then, twenty minutes later, twenty thousand metal maniacs are going, 'He is the painkiller,' it's metal. From two different worlds — from the 'Turbo' world and from the 'Painkiller' world — but it's still heavy metal. And this, I feel, has always been what sets JUDAS PRIEST in a place that no one else explores. And that's why I feel that when our Japanese fans hear that JUDAS PRIEST is making a new metal album, they know they're going to get something that they have never heard before, they're going to get the sounds, they're going to get the songs, they're going to get the compositions and the arrangements in a way that, again, is new; it's fresh.

"I feel that's also a part why we've lasted 50 years in own world, in the PRIEST world — is because when we start to sit down and write, like I've been writing with Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] and with Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist], internally, we know, we think about our fans, we think about the excitement that our fans are feeling, we think about what our fans are wondering this next PRIEST album will contain. And we know that our fans are also as full of adventure and acceptance and open-mindedness and freedom as JUDAS PRIEST is when we [come together] to make these new metal songs.

"So, yeah, every single PRIEST album — if you look at the cover of 'Point Of Entry', you can hear the songs in your head; if you look at the cover of 'Firepower', you can hear the songs in your head. It's the same band, but they're two different dimensions. And this is what makes JUDAS PRIEST, again, unique. There is no other band in heavy metal like JUDAS PRIEST, and we're very proud of that."

This past March, Halford confirmed that PRIEST's next album will see the band reuniting with the "Firepower" production team consisting of British producer Andy Sneap, longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH).

Halford recently went public with his battle with prostate cancer. In July 2020, Rob underwent prostatectomy, an operation where the entire prostate gland is removed plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles. After more cancer was found earlier this year, he went through radiation treatments in April and May and eventually got then all-clear in June. He also had an appendectomy after a tumor was discovered on his appendix.

PRIEST was forced to cancel the remainder of its fall 2021 U.S. tour after Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in late September. Faulkner was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.

Sweden’s power metal masters, Insania, return with their fifth album, the aptly titled V (Praeparatus Supervivet), which is their first with Frontiers Music Srl. Order/save V (Praeparatus Supervivet) here, and watch a lyric video for "Entering Paradise" below.


After a 14 year hiatus and feeling energized and inspired, Insania are back with a powerful new record full of speedy, soaring tracks in the classic European power metal style with double-bass drums, great hooks, and amazing solos. The band's current lineup consists of Mikko Korsbäck (drums), Tomas Stolt (bass), Niklas Dahlin (guitar), Ola Halén (vocals), Dimitri Keiski (vocals), and Peter Östros (guitar).


The first version of Insania was formed in 1992 by drum player Mikko Korsbäck and guitar player Henrik Juhano. Bass player Tomas Stolt was added to the line-up shortly after and a few other musicians were also part of the band for short periods of time. The band initially started off playing covers of their favorite bands such as Helloween and Iron Maiden, but eventually Mikko´s classmate Niklas Dahlin joined as a second guitar player and they started writing their own tunes. The band then added keyboard player Patrik Västilä and began to pursue a more melodic style. Mikko took it upon himself to sing, even if he was playing the drums at the same time, as the band had not found a vocalist to match their ambitions.




In 1997, the band approached singer David Henriksson to join the band. The union between the band's ambitions and David’s vocals were a match made in heaven. The band felt complete now and sought to find a way to reach a bigger crowd. Later, the band was offered a deal with House of Kicks (later known as MNW and then Sound Pollution) and their debut album "World of Ice" was released in 1999. The band would go on to release three more albums over the course of the coming years while enduring some line-up changes and eventually going on hiatus in 2007.


Now the band has reformed and is ready to bring their power metal stylings back to metalheads around the globe!





Tracklisting:


"Praeparatus Supervivet"
"Solur"
"Prometheus Rise"
"Moonlight Shadows"
"My Revelation"
"We Will Rise Again"
"Like A Rising Star"
"Blood, Tears And Agony"
"Entering Paradise"
"Power Of The Dragonborn"
"The Last Hymn To Life"


"Entering Paradise" lyric video:





"Solur" lyric video:





"Praeparatus Supervivet" video:





Lineup:


Ola Halén – Vocals  
Dimitri Keiski - Vocals
Peter Östros - Guitar
Niklas Dahlin - Guitar
Mikko Korsbäck - Drums
Tomas Stolt - Bass

The At The Movies project - launched by Pretty Maids guitarist Chris Laney due to the COVID-19 pandemic - caught fire over the course of 2020, featuring movie soundtrack cover songs from the '80s and '90s performed by members of Soilwork, Therion, HammerFall, Pretty Maids and King Diamond.


The core At The Movies players are:


Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork) - lead / backing vocals
Linnéa Vikström Egg (Therion) - lead / backing vocals
Chris Laney (Pretty Maids) - guitars
Allan Sørensen (Royal Hunt, Pretty Maids) - drums
Morten Sandager (Pretty Maids) - keyboards
Pontus Norgren (HammerFall) - guitars
Pontus Egberg (King Diamond) - bass




They have checked in with the following update:


"We are proud to finally announce the release of our second baby, Soundtrack Of Your Life - Vol. 2, on January 7th, 2022 through our partner - the new founded label Atomic Fire. You have been asking for this second album for a long time but as you know good things take some time. 


On the same day we will officially reissue our first album Soundtrack Of Your Life - Vol. 1  with the bonus track 'Last Christmas'. As the world seems to go mad again these days we strongly hope we will give you the chance to escape reality with our takes on some movie hits from the last century.


Today we are kicking of the pre-order for both albums as well as for the limited 7" coloured vinyl single 'Last Christmas' (B-Side: 'Waiting For A Star To Fall'), which is available from November 19th, 2021 on at the Atomic Fire Records webshop.


Both albums are available as CD/DVD digipak (DVD with all tracks as video clips), coloured vinyl, digital."





The Soundtrack Of Your Life - Vol. 1 (Re-Release) tracklist:


"Intro"
"No Easy Way Out"
"Maniac"
"St. Elmo's Fire"
"A View To A Kill"
"(I've Had) The Time Of My Life"
"Wouldn't It Be Good"
"We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)"
"The Power Of Love"
"The Heat Is On"
"The Neverending Story"
"Far From Over"
"Last Christmas" (Bonus Track)


Pre-order Vol. 1 (re-release)





The Soundtrack Of Your Life - Vol. 2 tracklist:


"Waiting For A Star To Fall"
"King Of Wishful Thinking"
"The One And Only"
"When You Say Nothing At All"
"(I Just) Died In Your Arms"
"(You Drive Me) Crazy"
"Heaven Is A Place On Earth"
"Crush"
"I've Been Thinking About You"
"Venus"
"I Want It That Way"


Pre-order Vol. 2

L.A. Guns have released their new album, Checkered Past. Order / save your copy on CD / Color Vinyl / Digital here, and listen to the song, "If It's Over Now", below:





Written and recorded during late 2020 and early 2021, Checkered Past sees Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, and company continuing with the darker lyrical tone of the preceding studio albums, The Devil You Know and The Missing Peace, while incorporating their classic rock influences into the mix. Heavier songs are mixed with bluesier, boogie inducing tracks and dark, introspective ballads, often harkening back to the first three albums the band made, but also pushing the band forward. When fans absorb the album as a whole, they'll see that the tracklisting is divided up into 'sets' or 'suites', where a sonic style is explored across multiple songs before moving on to the next, making for a remarkable listening experience.




Feeling inspired and excited like they did when they first started out, but with many years of wisdom and experience under their belts, and most importantly, a renewed and stronger creative and personal relationship, Guns and Lewis are maintaining a creative peak that started with The Missing Peace. Checkered Past shows a band invigorated and ready to bash you over the head, as well as “wow” you with some epic, slower songs, and even make you dance a bit to some rock 'n roll.


Since their self-titled debut in 1988 to the widely praised comeback albums The Missing Peace and The Devil You Know, L.A. Guns, led by Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis, have always delivered solid rock ‘n roll to their fans. This current incarnation of the band has been touring non-stop, with a notable break coinciding with all other touring bands, and the cohesiveness of the unit, not to mention Phil’s stunning and unique vocals and Guns’ mind-bending guitar playing, are on full display here. A must hear and listen for all fans of the band, both new and old.


L.A. Guns never looked like the pretty poster boys that so many of their peers did, but more the band that you would be terrified to bump into in an alley as they would likely be carrying switchblades and ready for a fight. But despite having many songs to back up that image, the band could also write powerful ballads (see the smash hit, “The Ballad Of Jayne” for Exhibit A of this argument) that showed there were some serious songwriting chops in the band. Those chops are on full display on the band's two most recent studio albums and the upcoming new album, Checkered Past, arguably one of the most vital and exciting releases in the band’s catalog.





Tracklisting:


"Cannonball"
"Bad Luck Charm"
"Living Right Now"
"Get Along"
"If It's Over Now"
"Better Than You"
"Knock Me Down"
"Dog"
"Let You Down"
"That Ain’t Why"
"Physical Itch"


"Get Along" video:





"Cannonball" video:





"Knock Me Down":





Tour dates:


November
12 - Indio, CA - Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
26 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - Coach House
27 - Long Beach, CA - Gaslamp


December
3 - Las Vegas, NV - Count's Vamp'd
4 - Las Vegas, NV - Count's Vamp'd
31 - West Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go


February
9-14 - Port of Miami, FL - Monsters of Rock Cruise 2022


Lineup:


Phil Lewis - vocals
Tracii Guns - guitar
Ace Von Johnson - guitar
Johnny Martin - bass
Scot Coogan - drums


(Photo - Dustin Jack)

Frontiers Music Srl has released the sophomore album from Groundbreaker, entitled Soul To Soul. The melodic rock project centered around the vocal talents of Steve Overland (FM) are streaming the song, "Captain Of Our Love". Listen below, and order/save Soul To Soul here.


Groundbreaker's new album, Soul To Soul, is once again centered around the fantastic vocal talents of Steve Overland (FM) with stunning production by Alessandro Del Vecchio. While the self-titled debut was a collaboration with Robert Sall (Work of Art, W.E.T), on the songwriting side, joining Steve and Alessandro this time are Stefano Lionetti (Lionville), Pete Alpenborg (Arctic Rain), Jan Akesson (Infinite & Divine), and Kristian Fyhr (Seventh Crystal). The resulting album is simply everything that a melodic rock fan could hope and dream for. Expect nothing less than soaring hooklines, magnificent melodies, and amazing instrumental performances. Mixing the best of the European melodic rock traditions, Soul To Soul is easily one of the melodic rock highlights of the year.


The lineup on the new album includes Sven Larsson (ex-Street Talk) on guitars, Nalley Pahlsson (ex- Vindictiv, Therion) on bass, Herman Furin (Work of Art) on drums, and Alessandro Del Vecchio on keyboards. Steve Overland plays lead guitar on the track “Wild World” too.




Groundbreaker started with a conversation between Frontiers President Serafino Perugino and Overland. Perugino was eager to start a top notch collaboration with well-respected musicians from the European melodic rock scene and highlight Overland's absolutely stunning vocal talents. Robert Sall of Work of Art was brought into the picture to craft the songs and to be paired with Alessandro Del Vecchio’s production. Overland immediately loved the material that was submitted to him and consequently, they started to work on finishing the songs. The band's debut album was greeted warmly by the melodic rock community and now, those same fans can prepare themselves for another delightful entry into the melodic rock realm.





Tracklisting:


"Standing On The Edge Of A Broken Dream"
"Soul To Soul"
"Captain Of Our Love"
"Evermore"
"Wild World"
"Carrie"
"Fighting For Love"
"It Don't Get Better Than This"
"There's No Tomorrow"
"When Lightning Strikes"
"Til The End Of Time"
"Leap Of Faith"


"Captain Of Our Love":





"There's No Tomorrow" video:





"Soul To Soul":





"Standing On The Edge Of A Broken Dream" video:





Lineup:


Steve Overland - vocals, lead guitar on Wild World
Sven Larsson - guitars
Nalle Pahlsson - bass
Herman Furin - drums
Alessandro Del Vecchio - keyboards

Gypsy Pistoleros, the swashbuckling renegade flamenco rock rumba punk 'n' roll pioneers are aiming for the Christmas #1 spot with a cracking version of the world anthem and Ricky Martin hit, “Livin’ la Vida Loca”.





These sleazers are unashamedly going for a Christmas hit, with a “Day Of The Dead” inspired video. The single will be fully released on December 17. It is backed by the Guru of XMas Hits Jon Morter. With all proceeds going to Shelter.




Morter is best known for his gatecrashing of the music industry in 2009 with his phenomenal Rage Against The X Factor campaign, sweeping rap/metal band Rage Against The Machine into the sought after UK Christmas No.1 spot.  This success opened the door for Jon to work on campaigns for some big artists in the industry including Nirvana, Sex Pistols, Rod Stewart, David Essex, a No.1 album for The Rolling Stones, AC/DC's highest-ever chart placing in the UK singles chart, Rik Mayall's 2010 World Cup single (which incidentally Jon campaigned for again after Rik's death making the UK No.7 in 2014), and the 2012 Christmas No.1 campaign for The Justice Collective.


Gypsy Pistoleros may be best described as being the ideal house band for the fictitious Titty Twister bar of Rodriguez's From Dusk Til Dawn. Between the nods to Morricone's tense, tumbleweed atmospheres and the Gypsy Kings' manic Mediterranean energy, a New York Dolls raw glam spark and a surplus of prime G 'n' R attitude.


The sound is flamenco & rumba in a head-on collision with punk/rock riffs, pounding bass and thrashing drums. The songs span madly in the best rock 'n' roll tradition with big hooks, attitude, and sleaze. Yet those flamenco breaks got into your head and refuse to leave - this unique hybrid rocks.

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.


Arjen has issued the following update: "Joe Lynn Tuner sings lead vocals on the track ‘The Year Of ‘41’ of the new Star One album Revel In Time. Check out this video to hear part of his vocals and don’t miss his wonderful message at the end! I’m so excited about this, I’ve been a fan of Joe’s soulful melodic voice ever since I first heard the Rainbow album Difficult To Cure back in 1981. Another dream come true!"







Revel In Time will be available for pre-order on December 17 and it 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).


CD 2 features alternate versions of the same songs as CD 1, 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.





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.


"Lost Children Of The Universe" lyric video:

Enuff Z’Nuff's fondness for the legendary rock 'n roll band The Beatles has been more than well documented over the years. The band, now led by co-founder Chip Z'Nuff, decided to go all in on that fandom and have released Enuff Z’Nuff’s Hardrock Nite, a covers album of some of their favorite Beatles songs as well as songs from Beatles’ members post-Beatles bands.


Another taste of music from the album is available with the release the cover of the Paul McCartney & Wings classic, "Jet". Listen below, and order/save Enuff Z'Nuff's Hardrock Nite on CD/Color Vinyl/Digital here. Please note, due to worldwide delays with the manufacturing of vinyl, the LP version will be released on December 10.


On Enuff Z'Nuff's Hardrock Nite, the band offers their reinterpretation of tracks from the world famous Liverpool musician's repertoire with no samples, no synthesizers, no wizards behind the curtain, just four cats in the studio paying respect to their heroes. Enuff Z’Nuff’s Hardrock Nite is a colorful Cadillac Escalade driving 100 mph on the freeway without rules or regulation and just livin' the dream.




When the band first emerged on the wider scene, Enuff Z’Nuff were acclaimed as rock’s 'Next Big Thing'. They were power-pop princes in glam-metal clothing and aptly described as The Beatles and Cheap Trick combined and reinvented for late 80’s US hard rock musical landscape. Long-time fans of the band have yearned, begged, and wished for a Beatles covers album from the band and now, finally, Enuff Z’ Nuff pay tribute to their main inspiration and musical heroes with Enuff Z’Nuff’s Hardrock Nite in their own inimitable and rocking fashion. Enjoy the ride!


Enuff Z’nuff are the living, breathing example of what a rock ‘n roll group should be. Now centered around bass player and vocalist Chip Z’nuff, Enuff Z’nuff are still delivering the band’s patented power pop melded with hard rock stylings. Originally formed in 1984 in Chicago, IL, the band received their big break in 1989 when they signed to Atco/Atlantic Records. Founding members, Chip Z'Nuff and Donnie Vie were joined by guitarist Derek Frigo and drummer Vikki Foxx and they commenced work on their major label debut. The self-titled album was a monster hit and spawned two evergreen singles, “New Thing” and “Fly High Michelle”. Both received constant airplay on radio and heavy rotation on MTV, spending over 60 weeks in the Top 10. 1991 saw the band release their sophomore album, Strength. The album had more of a hard rock overtone and sustained the success achieved on the first album. The band made high profile television and radio appearances on the likes of David Letterman and Howard Stern and were featured in Rolling Stone’s Hot Issue as ‘The Next Big Thing'. The band soldiered on during the new musical climates of the ‘90s and have since gone on to release over a dozen more studio records.





Tracklisting:


"Magical Mystery Tour"
"Cold Turkey"
"Eleanor Rigby"
"Live And Let Die"
"Dear Prudence"
"Helter Skelter"
"Jet"
"Revolution"
"Back In The U.S.S.R."
"With A Little Help From My Friends"


"Jet":





"Back In The U.S.S.R." video:





"Cold Turkey" video:





Lineup:


Chip Z’Nuff – Vocals, Fender bass, & electric guitar
Tony Fennell – Rhythm & lead guitar, vox, keyboards, & strings
Tory Stoffregen - Lead guitar, slide
Daniel Benjamin Hill – Drums & Percussion

Led Zeppelin have released Episode 4 of the new video series, The History Of Led Zeppelin IV.


A message states: "This is Zeppelin's all-time classic and undoubtedly one of the finest tracks by any group this year." - NME, November 1971







Watch Episodes 1 - 3 below:

Helloween have released a lyric video for the song "Indestructible", featured on their new self-titled album, available via Nuclear Blast. Watch the clip below, and head here to order Helloween in your format of choice.





Tracklisting:




"Out For The Glory"
"Fear Of The Fallen"
"Best Time"
"Mass Pollution"
"Angels"
"Rise Without Chains"
"Indestructible"
"Robot King"
"Cyanide"
"Down In The Dumps"
"Orbit"
"Skyfall"


Bonus tracks Mediabook & Vinyl:
"Golden Times"
"Save My Hide"


Bonus tracks Earbook:
"Golden Times"
"Save My Hide"
"Pumpkins United"


"Indestructible" lyric video:





"Rise Without Chains" lyric video:





"Angels" lyric video:





"Mass Pollution" lyric video:


   


"Best Time lyric video:





"Fear Of The Fallen" lyric video:





"Skyfall" video:





(Photo - Martin Häusler)

Norway’s avant-garde black metal innovators, Borknagar, have released a special 25th Anniversary reissue of their pioneering self-titled debut album Borknagar, out for the first time ever worldwide via the band’s longtime label partner Century Media Records.


Check out a visualizer clip for the track “Dauden" (Remaster 2021), created by Wanderley Perna / W Designer, below.


Borknagar founder and mastermind Øystein G. Brun commented about “Dauden” as follows: “If there is one song that has shaped my sound and inspired my career as a musician that is 'Dauden'. Even though this was not the first song written for the debut, 'Dauden' was the first song I carved out on my, then newly bought, Fostex multitrack recorder. This opened a new world to me, to be able to sit in solitude and work out layers of guitar arrangements without the typical fuzz and chaos of a rehearsal room. I still remember the grandiose feeling of musical excitement when the mid-section of this song fell into place. A notion that music can derive from “nothing” to become an entity bigger than life. This exact notion has kept my flame burning throughout all these years. Furthermore, when first talking with Kristoffer “Garm” Rygg about him doing the vocals and joining the band, 'Dauden' was the song we were talking about, this was the musical trigger so to speak. He was seriously into this song. And I can clearly remember as if it was yesterday, Garm dancing around in studio in awe doing choirs. There was something magical about this one…And still is!”







Øystein G. Brun previously commented on this special re-release: “Throughout the years I have received countless requests for a re-release of this album…but because this album represents such a personal and treacherous part of my life, I wanted it to be done with dignity. And here we are: This is the definitive re-release of the debut album of Borknagar. This release contains a genuine re-master of the debut album, based on the original mix tapes. This has been done with the uttermost care and love by yours sincerely to maintain the original sound and flavour of the album, and solely to improve the listening experience. Working on this re-release has been an emotional ride. While always maintaining a good feeling about the project it has been times of frustration and technical obstacles. Hours has been spent finding and compiling old pictures, dealing with tapes and equipment that has not been played or used in over 25 years. But now it is done, and I hope you all enjoy and appreciate this release as much as I do.”


Initially released in 1996, "Borknagar" saw Øystein G. Brun recruiting a phenomenal cast of like-minded musicians such as Garm (Ulver, ex Arcturus) doing the vocals, drummer Grim (ex-Immortal, Gorgoroth and Ancient), Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) on keyboards and bassist Infernus (who played in Gorgoroth) to enter the notorious halls of Grieghallen Studios with the goal of rupturing the peripheries of what was then deemed “traditional” black metal.


The new deluxe edition of the album, now entitled Borknagar (25th Anniversary Reissue 2021) marks the definitive version of this pioneering Norwegian metal classic, as it includes a careful remaster of the 10 album songs courtesy of Øystein G. Brun himself, a makeover for the original artwork, profound liner notes, exclusive photos and a bonus disc full of previously unheard material from the band vaults.


The limited Digipak 2CD (with 12 bonus tracks / 60 min.) and the limited Gatefold 2LP on 180g black vinyl (with 8 bonus tracks / 37 min.) can be ordered here.


Below are the tracklistings of the Anniversary release.





2CD Digipak & Digital Album:


CD1 – Borknagar (Remaster 2021):
"Vintervredets Sjelesagn" (Remaster 2021) (06:47)
"Tanker mot Tind - Kvelding" (Remaster 2021) (03:43)
"Svartskogs Gilde" (Remaster 2021) (05:52)
"Ved Steingard" (Remaster 2021) (02:18)
"Krigsstev" (Remaster 2021) (02:02)
"Dauden" (Remaster 2021) (05:49)
"Grimskalle Trell" (Remaster 2021) (05:39)
"Nord Naagauk" (Remaster 2021) (03:07)
"Fandens Allheim" (Remaster 2021) (06:22)
"Tanker mot Tind - Gryning" (Remaster 2021) (03:01)


CD2 – Borknagar (25th Anniversary Bonus Material):
"Vintervredets Sjelesagn" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (06:46)
"Svartskogs Gilde" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:51)
"Krigsstev" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (02:02)
"Dauden" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:51)
"Grimskalle Trell" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:45)
"Fandens Allheim" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:53)
"Ved Steingard" (Alternate Mix) (02:13)
"Nord Naagauk" (Alternate Mix) (03:28)
"Vintervredets Sjelesagn" (Rehearsal 1994) (06:59)
"Grimskalle Trell" (Rehearsal 1994) (06:14)
"Ved Steingard" (First ever recording 1994) (02:18)
"Vintervredets Sjelesagn" (Alternate Mix) (06:49)


Gatefold 2LP:


LP 1 – Borknagar (Remaster 2021):


Side A:
"Vintervredets Sjelesagn" (Remaster 2021) (06:47)
"Tanker mot Tind - Kvelding "(Remaster 2021) (03:43)
"Svartskogs Gilde" (Remaster 2021) (05:52)
"Ved Steingard" (Remaster 2021) (02:18)
"Krigsstev" (Remaster 2021) (02:02)


Side B:
"Dauden" (Remaster 2021) (05:49)
"Grimskalle Trell" (Remaster 2021) (05:39)
"Nord Naagauk" (Remaster 2021) (03:07)
"Fandens Allheim" (Remaster 2021) (06:22)
"Tanker mot Tind - Gryning" (Remaster 2021) (03:01)


LP 2 – Borknagar (25th Anniversary Bonus Material):


Side C:
"Vintervredets Sjelesagn" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (06:46)
"Svartskogs Gilde" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:51)
"Krigsstev" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (02:02)
"Dauden" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:51)


Side D:
"Grimskalle Trell" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:45)
"Fandens Allheim" (Live Session at Grieghallen Studios 1995) (05:53)
"Ved Steingard" (Alternate Mix) (02:13)
"Nord Naagauk" (Alternate Mix) (03:10)


Borknagar will be joining the Devastation On The Nation North America Tour 2022. The band will be direct support to Rotting Christ and will be joined by Wolfheart, Abigail Williams starting April 21 in Berkeley, CA and wrapping on May 22 in Los Angeles. Tickets are available to purchase, here.





Tour dates:


April
21 - Berkeley, CA - Cornerstone
22 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
23 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
24 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
26 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
27 - Denver, CO - The Roxy Theater
29 - Minneapolis, MN - Skyway Theatre
30 - Chicago, IL - Reggies


May
1 - Detroit, MI - Sanctuary
3 - Toronto, ON - Lees Palace
4 - Montreal, QC - Foufounes Electriques
5 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial
6 - Manchester, NH - Jewel
7 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus Bar
8 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
10 - Greensboro, NC - Blind Tiger
11 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
12 - Birmingham, AL - Zydeco
13 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Hell)
14 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
16 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
17 - Fort Worth, TX - Haltom Theater
18 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It Live
19 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar
20 - Phoenix, AZ - Nile Theater
21 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
22 - Los Angeles, CA -1720


(Photo - Jørn Veberg)

New York death metal pioneers, Suffocation, have released their new live album, Live In North America, via Nuclear Blast Records.  In celebration, the band releases the track video for the single, "Infecting The Crypts", which can be seen below.


Terrance Hobbs comments, "'Infecting The Crypts' happens to be one of the earliest Suffocation songs. It stood the test of time for us and our fans, it just seems fitting to highlight this song off this album as it has become a classic Death Metal favorite. We hope our fans enjoy the Live in North America release as we think this represents Suffocation's strengths as a live performing band as well as the energy the fans give to us and we give back to them in return."







Suffocation created the template for the brutal death metal genre in the early 90s. Landmark albums such as Effigy Of The Forgotten and Pierced From Within also went on to inspire the birth of the tech-death and slam death metal genres. With the departure of original vocalist Frank Mullen, the band marks an end of an era with a live album recorded live during his last North American tour. Mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Beyond Creation, Cryptopsy) this release plays like a “best of”, and is the perfect farewell to one of the most influential singers in extreme music. The artwork for the album was created by Jon Zig.





Live In North America is available in the following formats:


- CD Jewel
- Double LP
 * Gold W Black Splatter (Limited to 1200)
 * Gold (Limited to 300)
 * Silver/Black/ Marble (Limited to 200)
 * Black
- Tinted Black Cassette (Limited to 250)


Order your copy here. Save the album and listen here.





Live In North America tracklisting:


"Thrones Of Blood"
"Effigy Of The Forgotten"
"Funeral Inception"
"Pierced From Within"
"Surgery Of Impalement"
"Dismal Dream"
"Jesus Wept"
"As Grace Descends"
"Liege Of Inveracity"
"Breeding The Spawn"
"Catatonia"
"Souls To Deny"
"Infecting The Crypts"


"Pierced From Within" track video:





"Funeral Inception" track video:





Suffocation is:


Frank Mullen - Vocals
Terrance Hobbs - Guitar
Charlie Errigo - Guitar
Derek Boyer - Bass
Eric Morotti - Drums

Sixx:A.M. have released a new lyric video for their track “Penetrate”, taken from their recently released Sixx:A.M. Hits album via Better Noise Music. The new lyric visual captures the dark and emotional desperation painted by the song. The song is about trying to reconnect with somebody, going in deeper, penetrating their soul. Musically it is a throwback to some of Sixx:A.M.'s heavier music.





Sixx:A.M. - featuring Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, vocalist James Michael, and former Guns N' Roses guitarist DJ Ashba - are releasing the album as a companion piece to Sixx’s memoir The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx, available via Hachette Books.




After 21 years of sobriety, Sixx, also a founding member of the legendary music group Mötley Crüe, is incredibly passionate about his craft and an open book about his life in rock and roll. In the memoir, Sixx fills in the earlier parts of his fascinating true-life story, telling the inspirational story of his first 21 years, how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx. Combining his work as a writer and a musician, The First 21 continues Sixx’s tradition of setting the soundtrack to his own life, offering multi-layered pieces of art.





In 2007, Sixx:A.M. released The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack, alongside Sixx’s best-selling memoir The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star, introducing the concept of a book soundtrack into popular culture. Both the book and the album were successes upon release, with the book instantly becoming a New York Times-best seller in its first week, selling out in bookstores around the U.S. The album spawned the #1 single “Life Is Beautiful”, eventually achieving Gold certification in the U.S. Expanding this artistic signature move, The First 21 now get its own soundtrack with the Hits album.





Tracklisting:


"Life Is Beautiful"
"This Is Gonna Hurt"
"Lies Of The Beautiful People"
"Pray For Me"
"Rise"
"Stars"
"Maybe It's Time"
"Skin"
"Belly Of The Beast"
"Are You With Me Now"
"Girl With Golden Eyes"
"Accidents Can Happen"
"Gotta Get It Right"
"We Will Not Go Quietly"
"The First 21" (previously unreleased)
"Talk To Me" (Radio Mix - previously unreleased)
"Penetrate" (previously unreleased)
"Waiting All My Life" (previously unreleased)
"Skin" (Rock Mix -  previously unreleased)
"Life Is Beautiful" (piano / vocal - previously unreleased)


Waiting All My Life" lyric video:





“The First 21” lyric video:





“Pray For Me” lyric video:





"Skin" (Rock Mix):





(Photo - Dustin Jack)

Japanese thrash metal combo, Shady Glimpse, recently signed a licensing deal with Wormholedeath for the reissue of their album, Supreme Gift, which is due for re-release on December 17 via Wormholedeath worldwide. A new video for "Shocking!" is streaming below.


Shady Glimpse' music is based on the 80's Bay Area: digests and absorbs punk, funk, disco, hard rock, and death metal. As the name Shady Glimpse suggests, it will be a light that gives color to the underground.







Tracklisting:


"The New World"
"DIOVig-C"
"S.S.D -System Shakedown-"
"Solar & Green"
"Killing After Midnight"
"Shocking!"
"Silver & Gold"
"Route 56"
"Liar's Desire"
"Stairway To Stupid"
"One Night Magician"
"H8! I'm D1"
"G.G Blues"


"Shocking!" video:





"DIOVig-C" video:





Shady Glimpse are:


Shinya Sakai - Guitar
Yuichi Takei - Vocals
Tomohide Shimizu - Bass
Yasuhiro Nishiyama - Drums

Power metal newcomers Northtale have released their new album, Eternal Flame, via Nuclear Blast. Produced by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Unisonic), the album features 12 brand new tracks and a whole range of new influences, from thrash metal, classical citations, and Brazilian traditional music, all fused into Northtale's own brand of melodic power metal.





To celebrate the occasion, the band also reveal a lyric video for their new single, "Future Calls", which features Kai Hansen (Helloween, Gamma Ray) and his son Tim Kanoa Hansen (Induction). Get the single digitally, here, and watch the clip below.




Bill Hudson states: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s finally time to unveil Eternal Flame to the world. Two years of hard work, a lineup change, a global pandemic but we did it! This baby is now out there and I can’t wait for all of you to hear it! And to celebrate, we chose 'Future Calls' as the new single! There’s a very special reason for this: Kai Hansen is a childhood hero of mine and a few years ago we had a chance to become friends. It only made sense to me to have him as a guest on the album, and when he suggested his son Tim Kanoa Hansen came along too, I thought I’d sure love to host a family reunion! I hope the fans enjoy this album as much as we did!”





Eternal Flame also features guest appearances from Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland), and Mary Zimmer (Helion Prime). The album artwork was created by Gustavo Sazes (Machine Head, Amaranthe, Kamelot). Order here.





Tracklisting:


“Only Human”
“Wings Of Salvation”
“Future Calls” (feat. Tim and Kai Hansen)
“The Land Of Mystic Rites”
“Midnight Bells”
“Eternal Flame”
“In The Name Of God”
“Ride The Storm”
“King Of Your Illusion”
“Judas Be My Guide” (Iron Maiden cover feat. Jonas Heidgert)
“Nature’s Revenge”
“Ivy (Outro)”


“Midnight Bells” lyric video:





“Only Human” lyric video:

At every stop on HALESTORM's recently launched U.S. tour with EVANESCENCE, HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale has been joining EVANESCENCE on stage to perform a cover version of LINKIN PARK's "Heavy". Lzzy spoke about the decision to cover the track in a new interview with the 105.7 The Point radio station. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee and I] were lobbing a couple of ideas back and forth and then, all of a sudden, we landed on LINKIN PARK. And [we thought], you know what? That would be really cool because inadvertently it would be a tribute to [late LINKIN PARK singer] Chester [Bennington], but also, everything that this song has been about, we've all been through that — everybody. And so it's almost this like very church moment where you walk out onstage and you're, like, 'All right. This is my church. These are my people. We're all doing this together.'"

Hale also talked about her musical chemistry with Lee, saying: "There's something otherworldly that happens when I sing with her live onstage. And it's something that I can't necessarily put my finger on, that feeling. I've done thousands of other collaborations in my life, and this is very, very special. She is, obviously, a phenomenal singer; that's not even cutting it — phenomenal. But there's something that happens when we sing together because of the different personalities; it's almost like this dance that happens. Amy has likened it to a well-matched tennis match where we both have that trust because we both know that no matter what, both of us bring it; we're always on a hundred and ten. And so to be able to feel that again with her after so many years of not touring together and doing this… I don't know — I think I leave my body. When I'm onstage when that happens, all of a sudden the song's over and I'm, like, 'Wait. Did I just blank out? What happened?'"

EVANESCENCE and HALESTORM's U.S. co-headlining tour will run through December 18 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

EVANESCENCE and HALESTORM first toured together in 2012. Lee later guested on the track "Break In" on HALESTORM's 2020 "Reimagined" EP and Hale lent backing vocals to the EVANESCENCE song "Use My Voice" and appeared in the accompanying music video.

EVANESCENCE is on tour supporting this year's "The Bitter Truth" album. HALESTORM is promoting its latest single, "Back From The Dead", which recently became the band's sixth No. 1 at rock radio.

Former QUIET RIOT bassist Chuck Wright has shared a six-and-half-minute video tribute to the band's late drummer Frankie Banali, who died in August 2020 after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer. You can watch it below.

As previously reported, a public funeral service for Banali — who joined QUIET RIOT in 1982 and played on the group's breakthrough album, 1983's "Metal Health" — will be held on Monday, November 15 at 2:30 p.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California.

SiriusXM personality Eddie Trunk shared the invite on his Instagram and wrote in an accompanying message: "Honored to have been asked to host this. If you are in the LA area 11/15 you are welcome to attend this service for our dear departed friend @fbanali @quietriotband".

One day after Banali's passing, his wife Regina spoke about plans for his memorial service during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". She stated at the time: "Funnily enough, he had already bought and paid for and planned his entire services at Forest Lawn [cemetery in Los Angeles] before his [cancer] diagnosis. He was gonna get the same kind of funeral that Ronnie [James Dio] got and Jimmy Bain and all those funerals that we've been to many times. He was saying we're gonna rent the [legendary West Hollywood restaurant and bar] Rainbow and have laminated passes and [have a] send-off in the rock and roll way that he arrived in L.A.," she continued. "He had a lot of history with the Rainbow."

Regina went on to say that there would likely be a large-scale memorial event in Frankie's honor once the coronavirus pandemic had subsided.

"I think it's better to go big, even if it's later," she explained to "Trunk Nation". "'Cause I think people will still care. And I think he deserves the honor and recognition that he's earned."

Frankie was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer on April 17, 2019 and given six months to live. He put up an inspiringly brave and courageous battle to the end and continued playing live as long as he could. Standard chemotherapy stopped working and a series of strokes made the continuation on a clinical trial impossible. He ultimately lost the fight at 7:18 p.m. on August 20, 2020 in Los Angeles surrounded by his wife and daughter.

Banali was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after going to the emergency room for shortness of breath, leg pain and loss of energy. A scan of his lungs caught an image of his liver, which is where the first spots were seen. Then came the discovery of a tumor on his pancreas. He had been in treatment since the spring of 2019 and completed his 21st round of chemotherapy not long before his death with the hopes of shrinking or controlling the cancer.

Banali'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". He also recorded seven albums with W.A.S.P. between 1989 and 2004.

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

QUIET RIOT's latest studio album, "Hollywood Cowboys" was released in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

A month after Banali's death, QUIET RIOT announced that it would carry on. The group, which now features drummer Johnny Kelly (DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE) and returning bassist Rudy Sarzo, has a number of dates scheduled in late 2021 and early 2022.

QUIET RIOT initially featured the late guitar legend Randy Rhoads and went through some early lineup shifts before securing the musicians that recorded "Metal Health".

Prior to Sarzo's return, Wright had been a part of QUIET RIOT, on and off, since 1982, having initially been involved in the "Metal Health" recordings (he played bass on the tracks "Metal Health" and "Don't Wanna Let You Go"). Guitarist Alex Grossi was in the last version of the band, from 2004 through 2007, before Kevin passed away, and was asked by Banali to return in 2010.

QUIET RIOT went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before settling on Jizzy Pearl in 2013. Pearl announced his exit from QUIET RIOT in October 2016 and was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of "American Idol" finalist James Durbin. Pearl returned to QUIET RIOT in September 2019.


























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Eddie Trunk (@eddietrunk)

Ted Nugent has 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.

"Detroit Muscle" track listing:

01. Detroit Muscle

02. Come And Take It

03. Born In The Motor City

04. Just Leave Me Alone

05. American Campfire

06. Driving Blind

07. Alaska

08. Leave The Lights On

09. Winter Spring Summer Fall

10. Feedback Grind Fire

A snippet of "American Campfire" is available at this location.

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]

"Feedback Grind Fire" features such lyrics as: "Tell me what you want, tell me what you need, tell me all your wildest dreams. Give me some feedback grind fire. Tell me what all of this means. Did it feel good? Did it feel right? Did I set your soul on fire? Did you fall in love? Did you live your dreams? Give me some feedback grind fire."

Back in April, Nugent said that his next album would be titled "Handsome Devil" after a public compliment paid to him by former President Donald Trump, of whom Ted is an ardent supporter.

Nugent has repeatedly said that he is "very proud" of his new album as well as the LP's "musical integrity and the spirit and the attitude."

Released via Round Hill Records, "The Music Made Me Do It" was Nugent's first studio album in four years. Accompanying the CD was a bonus DVD, "Live At Freedom Hill", a full-length concert captured at Freedom Hill Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Frontiers Music Srl will release Swedish prog metal band Mercury X's new album, Imprisoned, on December 10. The band has released a lyric video for the song "Sound Of Nothing". Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save Imprisoned here.


Mercury X is an outstanding progressive metal band hailing from Sweden. Mercury X's music and sound takes inspiration from the early '80s progressive metal bands as well as modern metal. The new album, "Imprisoned", is based on their lives during the making of the album, taking the listener through different emotional stages with simple and beautiful melodies accompanied by rough riffs.


Mercury X originally formed in 2013 in Norrtälje, outside of Stockholm. Guitarist/lead vocalist/violinist Martin Björklund, bassist Alfonso Flores, guitarist Jonas Vedin, and drummer/lead vocalist Denis Diaz met for the first time when they were studying music together in high school. They soon formed a band together, but eventually everyone followed their course of studies in different cities. When they all came back home, they decided to start a band again and thus formed Mercury X. Since then, the band has made two albums, both released independently.




More recently, they started writing an epic twenty minute long song called “Imprisoned,” which was originally supposed to be a stand-alone EP release. After it was written, they decided to record an additional four songs and make a proper (for progressive metal) full length album.


As the album neared completion, they started to realize that it was a big step up from their previous releases, both in musical and songwriting quality in general, so they started to shop themselves around for a record deal. Eventually, they got in contact with Frontiers, who were deeply impressed with the quality of the material and signed the band.





Tracklisting:


“Until The Break Of Day”
“The Light In Your Eyes”
“Lonely”
“Imprisoned”
“The Sound Of Nothing”


“The Sound Of Nothing” lyric video:





“Lonely” video:

Canada’s Hammerdrone is releasing a new EP this year, A Trinity Of Rage, which contains three concise, pummeling melodic death metal tracks that take a deep dive into the passion of anger. This is a concept EP – the intent is that listeners first read the short story, Eversor (available as a download from Bandcamp when you purchase the EP), and then listen to the EP with the lyrics in hand.  Eversor is basically the prequel to the EP – or the EP is the sequel to the story, however, you prefer to look at it. 


The first look of the journey that is set out through A Trinity Of Rage is the first track “Part I - Rage, Corporeal”, which opens with brutal intent diving straight into some Obituary-esque riffage, before opening into a more melodious mid-section, complete with ripping solo, and then ending with a briefly restrained interlude that climbs into a monstrous, vocal-led crescendo. Vocalist and lyricist Graham, who also penned the original short story, Eversor that accompanies the EP, comments:


“This song came together so easily and is musically full of intense, blistering rage, perfectly representing the intent of the song as the opening track to our concept EP, A Trinity Of Rage.  The protagonist in our story has dedicated most of his life to an insane and heretical idea, suppressing his anger and grief for decades, and finally finds himself where he wants to be; in the afterlife and armed with the weapons to wreak bloody vengeance upon God.  Imagine the explosion of pure hatred and wrath that results – that’s this song. This is one of the shortest songs we’ve written, clocking in at only 3.5 minutes, but we packed a lot into this slab of death metal and it sets up the musical and lyrical journey of the rest of the EP.”




Hammerdrone has concreted their position in the Canadian metal scene with steady releases since 2012, appearances at festivals including Calgary Metalfest and Loud As Hell, and making it to second place in the Canadian Wacken Metal Battle and winning Metal Recording of the Year through the YYC Music Awards. Witnesses to their live shows can expect to be pummelled into the dirt by a blistering and professional performance. They have worked hard to craft a memorable show without relying on gimmicks or costumes to do so, so they are always in motion and always trying to play to the crowd.


Epic, and aggressive, Hammerdrone is recommended for fans of Be’lakor, Carcass and Amon Amarth. A Trinity Of Rage will be released in full on December 10, 2021.





Tracklisting:


“Part I – Rage, Corporeal”
“Part II – Rage, Besieged”
“Part III – Rage, Consummated” 


“Part I – Rage, Corporeal”:





(Photo: Suzie Cardellini)

British rock icons, Magnum, have released a new single and lyric video for the song "I Won't Let You Down", which is taken from the band's upcoming studio album, The Monster Roars. Watch the clip below.





The Monster Roars features twelve new songs in total, with a few little surprises thrown in! On top of the regular disc, Magnum are releasing a limited box set with three extra bonus tracks, including a new version of "Days Of No Trust", the opener of the 1988 album classic Wings Of Heaven, a new remastered version of "Sweets For My Sweet", the very first single of their career from 1975, and a previously unreleased track from the same era. And from March 2022, the band will finally be returning to Europe for a major tour (see below for dates).







The Monster Roars will be released on January 14 via SPV/Steamhammer in the following configurations:


- CD DigiPak
- Limited Box Set
- 2LP Gatefold, 140 g, red vinyl, printed inner sleeves
- Download / Streaming


Pre-order here.


- Exclusive CD/LP Bundle with a shirt only at the Steamhammer shop


Pre-order here


- 2LP Gatefold exclusive coloured edition only at the Napalm shop


Pre-order here


- Exclusive 2LP Gatefold exclusive coloured edition only for the UK


Pre-order here





Tracklisting:


"The Monster Roars"
"Remember"
"All You Believe In"
"I Won't Let You Down"
"The Present Not The Past"
"No Steppin' Stones"
"That Freedom Word"
"Your Blood Is Violence"
"Walk The Silent Hours"
"The Day After The Night Before"
"Come Holy Men"
"Can't Buy Yourself Heaven"


"I Won’t Let You Down" lyric video:





Tour dates:


March
28 - Cambridge, UK - Junction
29 - Norwich, UK - Waterfront
30 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
31 - Birmingham, UK - Symphony Hall


April
3 - Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms
4 - Cardiff, UK - Tramshed
17 - Weert, Netherlands - De Bosuil
18 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp (with Gotthard)
19 - Fürth, Germany - Stadthalle (with Gotthard)
20 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol (with Gotthard)
22 - Singen, Germany - Stadthalle (with Gotthard)
23 - Balingen, Germany - Volksbankmesse (with Gotthard)
24 - Regensburg, Germany - Airport Obertraubling (with Gotthard)
26 - Munich, Germany - Tonhalle (with Gotthard)
27 - Cologne, Germany - Carlswerk (with Gotthard)
28 - Stuttgart, Germany - Im Wizemann
29 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7


May
1 - Prague, Czech Republic - Club Storm
2 - Hamburg, Germany - Edel Optics Arena (with Gotthard)
3 - Berlin, Germany - Tempodrom (with Gotthard)
5 - Milan, Italy - Legend
6 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage (with Gotthard)
7 - Schwalmstadt, Germany - Die Schwalm Rockt!
8 - Bremen, Germany - Pier II (with Gotthard)
10 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pustervik
11 - Oslo, Norway - Vulkan
12 - Huskvarna, Sweden - Folkets Park
13 - Stockholm, Sweden - Fryshuset Klubben
14 - Karlstad , Sweden- Nöjesfabriken
16 - Malmö, Sweden - Babel


September
9 - Belfast, UK - Limelight 1
10 - Dublin, Ireland - Voodoo Lounge
12 - Glasgow, UK - Garage
13 - Sheffield, UK - Leadmill
14 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
16 - Holmfirth, UK - Picturedome
17 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2

Paul Stanley says that there is no need for KISS to release a new studio album.

KISS hasn't issued a full-length disc of new music since 2012's "Monster", which sold 56,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous LP, "Sonic Boom", opened with 108,000 units back in October 2009 to enter the chart at No. 2. It was KISS's highest-charting LP ever.

Stanley, who recently released the debut album from his SOUL STATION project, was asked during a question-and-answer session on this year's Kiss Kruise if there are any plans for KISS to produce new music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Why would we need a new KISS album? Any big classic band with a history, you go, 'Oh, put out a new album.' You know, if THE [ROLLING] STONES put out a new album, you go, 'Oh, that's great. Play 'Brown Sugar'.' … Yeah, maybe not now," apparently referencing the fact that THE ROLLING STONES recently retired one of their most popular songs due to lyrics that depict the horrors of slavery. "But the same is true for us. You can have great songs on the more recent albums, but people then go, 'Great. Play 'Love Gun'.'

"The reality is you really love the old songs, and nobody is going to embrace new material, no matter how good it is, like you do the past, because those songs are part — those are like snapshots from your past, and you're connected to them in a way new material never could be," he explained. We're happy going out and playing. That's where we live; that's our turf, is the stage."

Paul's latest comments echo those he made this past March when he told USA Today in an interview that he doesn't really see a "reason" for KISS to make any new music. "For the most part, when classic bands put out new albums, they're looked at and listened to and thrown away because they don't have the gravitas, they don't have the age that comes with something being a time capsule or being attached to a certain period of your life," he said. "I'm not alone in that. When you see any classic bands on TV or if there's a concert video, turn off the sound and I'll tell you every time they're playing a new song because the audience sits down.

"So it's odd to me that people always want you to do a new album, but then they go, 'That's great. Now play your hits.' So honestly, at this point, there isn't a real reward in it. There's much more of a reward in changing lanes — I'm still going forward. But in terms of recording more KISS material, I kind of go, 'Why?' I thought 'Modern Day Delilah' or 'Hell Or Hallelujah' were as good as anything I've written and as good as anything we recorded, but understandably, it's like new wine. It just hasn't aged. So I'd rather not try to roll a stone up the hill."

Paul had previously expressed uncertainty about the idea of making another KISS album in a number of other interviews, telling the "Loudwire Podcast": "If we're going to do an album, it would be because we want to do an album, not because of sales. I think we're living in a time, obviously, now where albums don't sell what they once did, so you either do it because it's a creative outlet and because it satisfies something in you, or not. If you're doing it purely for sales, then you're probably doing it for the wrong reason."

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has agreed with his bandmate, saying in an interview that he was "not incentivized" to release another KISS disc unless there are some major changes in the way music is consumed. He said: "The idea that you work your ass off and then someone with freckles on their face decides they want to download your music and file share — that's not what I work for. How'd you like to be a plumber, come over somebody's house and work all day to fix their plumbing and then when it's time to get paid, they say, 'No, I just wanted to say thank you.' No."

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but is now expected to last well into 2022 and possibly into early 2023.

KISS's current lineup consists of original members Stanley and Simmons, alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about METALLICA's 40th anniversary and the relationship between the two bands, having emerged from the same early 1980s underground heavy metal scene in Southern California. Asked what his reaction was to METALLICA's 1991 self-titled album, also known as The Black Album, King said: "I may not have been super-stoked on it, but I never hated it the way a lot of people did. To this day, I like that record a lot. I think it's METALLICA but I don't think it's thrash METALLICA. You can hear where all the influences come from, from all of their older stuff. They just super-slowed it down and made it super-heavy; they made it super-catchy. That record probably sold more than all of my records combined. [Laughs] There was so much grief over that when it came out. And to be honest with you, everything that came out after that for a long time, that's what I have a problem with. But The Black Album? It's still heavy. It's got some fast stuff on it."

King also talked about METALLICA's greatest accomplishment, saying: "Man, they've had so many. One that I can say we were a part of was the 'Big Four' show at [New York's] Yankee Stadium. I think we were the first musical concert at the new Yankee Stadium and I think that was big for METALLICA, so I'm happy to be a part of that with them. But their greatest achievement, I would say, has got to be The Black Album. That's the biggest level of success for them. It may not be my thing, but it's the first thing that comes to mind."

Kerry previously discussed his relationship with METALLICA in a 2003 interview with Metal Edge magazine. At the time, he said: "We've never been close friends. We've pretty much been acquaintances, at best. It's not like we cross paths that often.

"I loved METALLICA in the beginning," he continued. "I used to go to Woodstock in Orange County and watch them when [Dave] Mustaine was in the band. I thought Mustaine's shit didn't stink — and so did Mustaine; that's his problem. I was just blown away. Me and Jeff [Hannemann, SLAYER guitarist] would go up to Woodstock and pay money just to go see METALLICA, because Mustaine would be up there ripping through everything. Everything on that album, even the leads that are on the album, are what Mustaine played — not even looking at what he was playing, just ripping. We were just blown away by that. I was a fan, for sure. I mean, even through '[Master Of] Puppets', I was still a fan. When I was a kid, I was a PRIEST fan and a MAIDEN fan, but if I had a band I liked and they made a record I didn't like, I was just offended. When PRIEST put out 'Point Of Entry', I just burned it. I was like, 'How could you do this to me?' Then I kind of felt that way with '…And Justice For All'. It was kind of a letdown to me; the mix was kind of weird. There were some great songs on it, but to me, it wasn't better than 'Puppets'. Then when they did that whole 'Load'/'Reload' thing, I was just… There are probably a lot of people on this planet that were pretty put aside. I even like the 'Black' record. It's no 'Master Of Puppets', but it's got some fuckin' heavy shit on it."

Later in the Metal Edge interview, King brought up METALLICA's name once again, saying about the band's then-new "St. Anger" album: "You know what is really weird? I'll bring up the new METALLICA record again. How do you have one of the best guitar players on the planet and not let him play anything? You have 75 minutes of whatever you call it, and you're not letting Kirk [Hammett] play a lead? That's where you made your bread and butter for the last 20 years! How do you do that? I have no idea. I mean, I played that record ['St. Anger'] twice, and that's all I am ever going to play it. I played it once, and then I had to make sure, but I just don't' get it. This isn't METALLICA bashing — I mean, I am holding back, trust me."

Back in 2007, King famously told Norway's NRK P3TV that he refused to check out METALLICA's 2004 documentary "Some Kind Of Monster", which followed the members of the group through the three most turbulent years of their long career, during which they battled through addiction, lineup changes, fan backlash, personal turmoil and the near-disintegration of the group while making their "St. Anger" album. "I won't watch that movie because I don't want to think of them like that," he said. "I wanna think of fucking 'Battery' and 'Damage Inc.' and 'Ride The Lightning'. I don't wanna see these fragile fucking old men that can't have a cocktail anymore because they're afraid of what they'll become. Fuck th

Metallica frontman Jams Hetfield recently shared his thoughts with SiriusXM on The Metallica Blacklist, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Metallica's Black Album. Check out the clip below.


Hetfield: "I love the fact that people enjoy the music, they've taken it in, they've digested it, and they've to spit it out in their way what works best for them. Whether it's in Spanish, or it's in rap, or it's in a country twang or a crazy remix kind of thing...


I love the fact that they're all really, really different. And the people that did them, the artists, they took the time. They took the time to make it theirs, and they didn't just phone it in and say, 'Oh, we'll just cover it how it's supposed to sound.' They took it in and made it theirs. That, to me, is beautiful."







Taken from The Metallica Blacklist, a four-hour, 53-song collection of the Black Album covers spanning a vast range of genres, generations, cultures and continents, the clip below is Ghost's rendition of "Enter Sandman".





Says Metallica: "Can you believe it’s been almost thirty years since its original release? Neither can we! Then off we went to hit the road for a massive 300+ show tour, and the ‘Tallica experience went to a whole new level. To celebrate this milestone, we had to go all out with a wide variety of configurations for all your listening pleasure, including 180-gram double vinyl LP, standard CD and 3CD expanded edition, and digital (including high-def versions).





"There’s also the ultimate release for die-hard fans: a Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set containing over 24 hours of music including the album remastered on 180-gram 2LP, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs (containing rough mixes, demos, interviews, and live shows), 6 DVDs (containing outtakes, behind the scenes, official videos, and live shows), a 120-page hardcover book, four different tour laminates, three unique lithos, three guitar picks, a Metallica lanyard, a folder with lyric sheets, and a download card.


"But wait… of course there’s more! In addition to the reissue of The Black Album, we’re also pretty pumped about the release of The Metallica Blacklist which features an unprecedented 50+ artists spanning an unbelievably vast range of genres, generations, continents, and more, each contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite Black Album cut.


"Everyone who pre-orders any configuration of either release will receive digital instant grats delivered right to your inbox throughout the summer. Keep watching this site and our socials for lots of video and audio previews as well as all kinds of other Black Album related activities… it’s definitely going to be one black summer!"


Available now for pre-order, digital formats hit the internet toady (September 10th), CDs and LPs in stores and at your favorite online retailer on October 1st.





"With contributions from countries all over the globe from the US to Nigeria, there are tracks from singer-songwriters, country artists, electronic, and hip-hop artists alongside punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music, and many, many more covering the entire spectrum from musicians we’ve shared the stage with, to some who were not even born yet when the original album was released!


"The Metallica Blacklist will be available in multiple formats including digital (standard and high-def versions), 4CD, and a limited edition 7LP vinyl pressing. Pre-orders will instantly receive multi-platinum selling recording artist, songwriter, philanthropist, and trailblazer Miley Cyrus’ version of “Nothing Else Matters” featuring Watt, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo, and Chad Smith, as well as Columbian-born rock/pop superstar, and winner of 20+ Grammy & Latin Music Grammy Awards, Juanes’ interpretation of “Enter Sandman.” Additional digital instant grat tracks will be delivered right to your inbox throughout the summer.


"One hundred percent of the profits go to charity – 50% to our own All Within My Hands and 50% to a charity of each artist’s choice. In addition to raising money for charity, we wanted to show that Metallica’s music transcends genres, distance, and cultures, and we like to think that – with everyone’s help – we’ve done just that. It was important to us that the artists could choose whichever song they most connected to; it didn’t matter if we already had multiple versions of a song, if an artist wanted to cover that song, so be it. We were honored to have artists of this caliber want to be a part of the project and we hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed putting it all together!


"One album, 12 songs, 53 artists, unlimited possibilities."

THE WHO's Roger Daltrey joined The Coda Collection for a new career-spanning conversation. The icon discussed feeling belittled as a singer, why he's "the number one hater of the Internet," drug use in the band and a heated encounter with Keith Moon after flushing amphetamines down the toilet, the band's performance in New York City following 9/11, why Mick Jagger is the number one rock and roll performer, Jimi Hendrix "stealing" Pete Townshend's stage act, his current relationship with Townshend and the possibility of THE WHO releasing new music and much more.

Asked if he sees more music coming from THE WHO in the future, Roger said: "There's no point in making any music if you can't earn a living out of it — for me, anyway. What's the point? On the last record, it cost me money to make it. I don't see the point in doing much of that, you know? I'm too working class for that. I've been working since my 15th birthday, and to go out and not get paid for a job… I don't mind if it's a charity, but I have a family to feed as well — a lot of grandchildren and a lot of children. So it's tricky. I don't know whether we will ever make any more new music, but I never say never — let's put it that way.

"I speak to Pete once a year," the 77-year-old singer continued. "I haven't seen him for two years. I miss him, seeing him. Always enjoy seeing him. But we're not that kind of friend. We don't need to be. We know we're there for each other. I've always been a bit of a loner anyway."

In October 2020, THE WHO released a new version of the 2019 album "Who" featuring an updated version of "Beads On One String" newly remixed by Pete Townshend and acoustic tracks from the band's only live shows of 2020.

The songs on the deluxe version of "Who" were recorded in Kingston on Valentine's Day this year exactly 50 years to the day since THE WHO's seminal show at Leeds which became the infamous live album "Live At Leeds".

In December 2019, "Who" entered the U.K. chart at position No. 3, becoming the band's highest-charting U.K. LP in 38 years.

"Who" was THE WHO's first set of new material since 2006's "Endless Wire", which debuted at No. 9 in November of that year.

This past April, Townshend was asked by Rolling Stone about reports that he was working on material for THE WHO's next album. He responded: "I'm not working on the next WHO record. I think what happened is that when I did an interview for Uncut about 'The Who Sell Out', I was asked whether or not I was preparing any material or writing anything. I said, at the time, which is where I was since I did this interview before Christmas, that I had an idea for a series of songs. I'd written a series of essays and I was working on it. And subsequently, I had a conversation with Roger [Daltrey, vocals] and flew the idea past him, and he half-liked it, and said it would be interesting to hear when the music comes. And then I started to read things that he was saying in the press, which were very much at odds with the conversation that we had face-to-face. I think we really need to have another proper conversation. Until we have that conversation, I don't think there's any real prospect of a Who album developing because it's all in my hands and I tend to do it, and then Roger comes along and sings the songs.

"I need to know that I'm … what's the word? I don't want to use the word 'servicing.' But I need to know that I'm facilitating Roger's needs as a singer," the 76-year-old continued. "There's only two of us now. And these days, he insists on having music to sing, which he believes in, completely and utterly, that he can get inside. Unless he can inhabit the story of the song, he can't do a good job. And so it means that I have to, in a sense, work as as tailor. I'm not really that free to write whatever comes off the end of my tape machine.

"And so that's where I am at the moment. I do a have a number of ideas. For the last year, I've been working on a variety of things. I did some work with some other artists. I've been working on my own piece for 'The Age Of Anxiety' based on the novel. I don't know whether there will be another WHO album. It needs Roger to be on it. And I think he was even complaining that he didn't make any money out of it. I was, like, 'Who does make money out of fuckin' records anymore?' I don't know who does. Maybe two or three people, but not many."

Legendary bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, who has been clean and sober for more than two decades, wrote about his path to sobriety in his autobiography, titled "Deep Purple And Beyond: Scenes From The Life Of A Rock Star", which came out in 2011. In a new interview with Brazil's "Lokaos Rock Show", Hughes said that he wanted to recount his adventures and misadventures with honesty and without glossing over the darker moments of his life.

"When I wrote the book, my publisher asked me is there anything I'm keeping a secret," he said. "[And I thought] maybe I need to go deeper and tell everything. So I had to really go deeper and be very, very, very honest. So for me to tell you the truth — which there has to be the truth in everything we do — and to tell you about the things I didn't do great; not just the things I did great and how great it was, but there was some dark stuff. I had to die to come back. So when I was very honest with myself in the book, it was really a great opportunity to me to tell you about making my amends to people. Even if people are dead, I had to make amends to them too, 'cause they were really close friends to me. But there's nothing in the book that's not real; I had to be very honest."

Hughes admitted that "it was painful" being so highly personal in his book, "but I had to tell the truth. Sometimes it's not pretty to tell people the real truth," he explained. "My book — it needs to be told. So I wanted to make sure that everything is exactly the way it was. It's not pretty — some things in life are not pretty. But you've gotta face it. You have to tell what is the real deal."

Hughes made his live debut with THE DEAD DAISIES in June in Boca Raton, Florida. He is joined in the band's current lineup includes Doug Aldrich (DIO, WHITESNAKE) on guitar, Tommy Clufetos (BLACK SABBATH, OZZY OSBOURNE) on drums and David Lowy (RED PHOENIX, MINK) on guitar.

THE DEAD DAISIES' latest album, "Holy Ground", was released in January. Recorded at La Fabrique Studios in the south of France with producer Ben Grosse, the LP is the band's first to feature Hughes, who joined the group in 2019 as its new bassist and vocalist, replacing John Corabi (MÖTLEY CRÜE) and Marco Mendoza (THIN LIZZY).

Photo credit: Oliver Halfin

Janet Gardner has opened up to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about her departure from VIXEN. The singer, who released her debut self-titled solo album in 2017, broke the news of her exit in a social media post in January 2019.

Elaborating on her reasons for leaving the band, Janet said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The summer of 2018 was insane with life in general. 'Cause between [me and my husband Justin James], we have three kids [and regular] jobs… And [Justin and I] were doing our [project]. And VIXEN, we were doing tons of the great, the big festivals — we did Graspop, we did Sweden Rock, we did a whole bunch of… Barcelona, whatever… Lots of stuff was going on. And we were still trying to do shows. It was just insane. And I was so stressed out. I literally went to work — my job as a dental hygienist — didn't have time to change clothes. Went to [John F.] Kennedy airport [in New York], got on a plane, flew to Spain. Then we did a bunch of shows. We had a 2:30 in the morning lobby call, and we got to Germany and had to get in a van and drive and do a 90-minute show. I couldn't do that when I was 25. And then a few other times, [Justin and I] had a show and then I had to get on a plane and fly somewhere else and do a VIXEN show, like, in the afternoon. And literally one time I didn't even get a shower. I wore my makeup from the night before on stage the next day. It was that bad. No sleep, no nothing."

Janet went on to say that she is still on good terms with her former bandmates in VIXEN. "Absolutely. I love 'em to death," she said.

When Janet announced her departure from VIXEN, she said in a statement that it was time for her to step aside and let drummer Roxy Petrucci and bassist Share Ross "pursue their vision for the future of VIXEN."

In January 2018, Gardner underwent surgery to remove blood clots in her brain, a condition known as a subdural hematoma.

While Gardner was recovering from her surgery, VIXEN played a show in Durant, Oklahoma in March 2018 with a fill-in singer, Lorraine Lewis of FEMME FATALE. In January 2019, Lewis was announced as Gardner's official replacement.

Asked if she had anything to do with Lorraine replacing her in VIXEN, Janet told "Trunk Nation": "No. It was totally their call. I expected it. She filled in when I had brain surgery. And they were all comfortable together. Roxy had worked with Lorraine in a different project. Share had worked with Lorraine in a different project. So they all knew each other, and I wasn't surprised at all that that's how it all happened. And I love Lorraine — I think she's great. She's a great singer, a fantastic talent, great frontwoman and a nice person. So I'm happy for them — all of 'em."

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988), "Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".

Last year, Janet's collaborative project with her husband, GARDNER/JAMES, released its latest album, "Synergy", via Pavement Entertainment.

"Synergy" is the first Gardner/James album to be released under the GARDNER/JAMES banner. The couple previously collaborated on Janet's first two solo albums, 2018's "Janet Gardner" and 2019's "Your Place In The Sun"