US modern deathcore heavyweights, Signs Of The Swarm, have released a guitar playthrough video for "Boundless Manifestations", featured on their new album, Absolvere, out now via Unique Leader. Watch below:





Order / save Absolvere here.







Tracklisting:


"Hymns Ov Invocation"
"Boundless Manifestations"
"Dreaming Desecration"
"Totem"
"Nameless"
"Absolvere"
"Revelations Ov A Silent King"
"Hollow Prison" (Feat. Alex Erian of Despised Icon)
"Blood Seal"
"Death Whistle"


"Hymns Ov Invocation" video:





"Death Whistle" video:





"Hollow Prison" video:





"Totem" video:

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 has revealed a second single, entitled "Broken Sword", alongside another new music video. 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)

Turmion Kätilöt is back to save us from the winter blues with their stunningly explosive cocktail of Industrial Metal infused with pounding techno beats. Today, the Finnish sensation drops your salvation in the form of their new single "Hengitä".





“As long as the head is on the surface you are forced to breathe, the only option to stop it is to drown in your own pity and grief. Breathing is easier than arguing against. Surrender is not an option. Death is obligatory and everything good and evil before that is necessary", MC Raaka Pee explains.







Turmion Katilöt released their last album Global Warning in spring 2020 reaching the heights of several album charts all over Europe including landing a #1 in Finland.

UK’s Venom Prison have released “Judges Of The Underworld”, the first song and video taken from their upcoming album, Erebos, that will be out worldwide on February 4.





The song is available on all DSPs, and the video can be viewed below. The clip was directed and produced Thomas Coe Brooker with creative input coming from Venom Prison’s own Larissa Stupar (vocals).




The band comments “’Judges Of The Underworld’ deals with the crippling reality of people who face incarceration, who oftentimes are followed by violence over a lifetime. This violence can present itself as a dominating factor in a context of structural poverty and racial inequality, creating roles in an individual’s  life where they are not only the victim, but also witness and offender at different times in different situations. But the violence we address in our courts and prisons is judged out of social context and can therefore not lead to a fair and personalised resolution for people who are stuck in a cycle of violence and systematic oppression.


It was important for us to visualise this feeling of isolation, anxiety and repeated violence in the music video for ’Judges Of The Underworld’ and the idea was to show an individual that is stripped down to their basic needs and instincts. Consumed by their helplessness to navigate in an everyday situation, feeling isolated within themselves whilst going under in a sea of people that face similar conditions. This is where Thomas Coe Brooker comes in as a director and cinematographer, with his unique eye for detail he was able to bring out this combative helplessness and aggressiveness of said individual. He was able to convey the feeling of being alone in a crowd, suffering the same fate as many others, where isolation becomes your existence and a vicious cycle of your life at the hands of systematic violence.”





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


Lineup:


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


(Photo - Andy Ford)

Rockshots Records will be releasing Greece's Thirty Fates' new album Circus Black on December 10, 2021. The upcoming full-length is a nine track anniversary record to celebrate the trio consisting of brothers Elias and Nick Tzintzilonis and Stelios Papakostas 30 years in heavy metal as friends and bandmates.


In preview to the record's release, the band is sharing their third single "Be Free" featuring guest vocals from Tim “Ripper” Owens.


"The guest appearance of Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, with crushing vocals makes the song flairs to priest alike, and we are happy he found it great. Freedom translated in different ways to each other, there are many ways to be free, but you must find the one way to be free yourself," adds the band.




The history of Thirty Fates begins in 1988 when they introduced themselves to the world in a band named Metal Invaders, which was soon changed to Black Fate. Under that moniker, they released a 4-track demo (1991), but soon after Elias (guitars) continued on to other various bands. Stelios (vocals) went on to a solo pop career releasing singles and touring all around Greece, along with forming the band Blow. Nick (drums) went on to other rock-heavy-pop bands, touring also as a freelancer and continuing on with Black Fate with four amazing musicians, where they released a self-titled EP (2001) and four full-lengths "Uncover" (2002) (Secret Port Records), "Deliverance of Soul" (2009) (Asiral), Between Visions & Lies (2014) (Ulterium Records) and "Ithaca" (2020) (Rockshots Records).


The trio of Thirty Fates explain how their reunion came to be:


"We felt the need to reform the band after so long time for our thirst of playing music together again. It came out spontaneously when we met each other five years ago, rehearsing the old staff reminiscing the good old times. Then we decided to re-record our first demo and some spare old songs, as we had all the efforts for making a record come to life. Seemed from the beginning we knew what exactly we wanted to do. Making music after so long, was a joyful ride from the past to the present & we really enjoyed it. For all our friends & loyal fans, who have followed for thirty years & also for our new friends. We hope you enjoy our music. It’s worth a listen."


Circus Black is nine tracks of classic melodic heavy metal, with four tracks (Indifferent People, The Edge of Destiny, Be Free, The Pretender) from their 1991 demo, two unreleased tracks from the ’80s, and three tracks from Black Fate's 2001’s rare ep along with a brand-new song. The album is for those who truly enjoy ‘80s classic heavy metal in the vein of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Queensryche, Dio, and Ozzy Osbourne.


"This did not happen on purpose, but if you follow the track listing, it'll feel like a concept album. From the circus visual till the last song, it represents the simple human needs, the ways someone searching himself, how intensifies himself in the society trying to find substance. For sure this belongs to the metal community," adds the band.


Find preorder options here.





Tracklisting:


“Circus Of Fate (Intro)”
“Indifferent People” feat. Angel Wolf Black
“The Pretender”
“Just For A Little”
“Sign Of Rebellion”
“The Edge Of Destiny”
“Be Free”
“Depression”
“Because We Fly”


“Be Free”:

“Gilbert” is the debut single by Crown Compass.





The band, featuring vocalist Daniël de Jongh (ex-Textures and Cilice), guitarist Joe Tal (ex-Textures), bassist Robin Zielhorst (ex-Cynic, Exivious and currently with Our Oceans) and drummer Yuma van Eekelen (ex-Pestilence, Exivious and currently with Our Oceans) offers a unique blend of progressive thrash metal and alternative rock.




Their debut album is expected in 2022.

A Pale Horse Named Death, the doom metal band led by founding Type O Negative and Life of Agony member Sal Abruscato, released their new album, Infernum In Terra, back in September 24 via Long Branch Records / SPV. The song, "Slave To The Master", is now available for streaming. Listen below.


Sal Abruscato about the new single: “This song is up there for one of my favorites, I ended up doing something very different by having the piano dominate this song and keeping it very open feeling with little guitar. It's about the inner turmoils I go through, the self destructive nihilistic behavior I can possess at times, my inner battles with self esteem, getting older and trying to fight my inner demons since childhood. For me it is a very beautiful song and I love it!"







Infernum In Terra is the fourth studio album from A Pale Horse Named Death, and has been mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Meat Loaf, Yes, Sepultura, Halford etc.) at Maor Appelbaum Mastering (California,USA) while the artwork was done by Kelvin Doran of Serpent Tusk Studios (Dublin, Ireland).


"The album to me represents a new beginning, turning a new leaf shall we say with the same vibe from past albums but with a fresh open minded approach," says Abruscato. He adds: "There is no real concrete specific concept, it touches on some personal topics in my life long, my interest in the dark arts, that to have light you must have darkness to balance everything. With daylight comes nightfall, with heaven there is hell and at this moment the world seems to be in a very dark place hence the title of the album Infernum In Terra. This is a very dark album, but what else is new I always write dark music to sooth a dark soul!"


Order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"Infernum"
"Believe In Something (You Are Lost)"
"Cast Out From The Sky"
"Shards Of Glass"
"Lucifer's Sun"
"It Is Done"
"Two Headed Snake (Propofol Dreams)"
"Slave To The Master"
"Devil's Deed"
"Reflections Of The Dead"
"Souls In The Abyss"


"Shards Of Glass":





"Reflections Of The Dead":





"Believe In Something (You Are Lost)":





A Pale Horse Named Death lineup:


Sal Abruscato - Vocals Guitar
Eddie Heedles - Guitar
Joe Taylor - Guitar
Chris Hamilton - Drums
Oddie McLaughlin - Bass


(Photo - Mischa Linares)

Memoria Avenue is a new melodic rock/AOR band from Norway showcasing an artistic union between guitarist Tor Talle and singer Jan Le’Brandt. The band's self-titled debut album is out now via Frontiers Music Srl. Today, the band has released a music video for the song, "The Air That I Breathe". Watch the video below, and order/save Memoria Avenue here.





Memoria Avenue is yet another newcomer to the AOR scene brought to you by Frontiers Music Srl. Comprised of guitarist Tor Talle, vocalist Jan Le'Brandt, keyboardist Dag Selboskar, bassist Svenn Huneide, and drummer Bjørn Olav Lauvdal, Memoria Avenue create have a sound and style that will particularly appeal to fans of stylish, '80s oriented melodic rock bands (think Journey and newer bands like Perfect Plan and Work of Art) with a hint of that breezy, feel good sound of yesteryear. Listening to these songs will transport you to the feeling of driving by the sea with the windows rolled down without a care in the world. Certainly not a bad feeling in this day and age...




Tor is a skilled and well known musician, best known for the Northern Light project and the band Skyscraper. He has also worked, either writing songs and/or performing with, on records from melodic rock giants such as Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Fergie Frederiksen (ex-Toto), Rob Moratti (ex-Saga), Steve Overland (FM), and the late Tony Mills (TNT, Shy).


Jan Le’Brandt, a relative newcomer to the melodic rock scene, has a voice that is sometimes hoarse and rough, but can also move into a more delicate and sensitive style. Jan masters the whole spectrum to the fullest, with his soulful presence both on stage and in the studio. He has already previously released some material as a solo artist, appeared with the cover band Svigermord, and formerly sang for Big City (also signed to Frontiers recently), but Memoria Avenue is his chance to truly shine.


Keyboard player Dag Selboskar (who also plays in Zelbo, another new signing to Frontiers), has been touring since 1980 with several bands including Da Vinci, Evenrude, Street Legal, and Trine Rein. He started his own band, Zelbo a couple of years ago with Ken Hensley and Wonderworld guitarist Ken Ingwersen.


Bassist Svenn Huneide started touring in his early teens and has released several albums with Norwegian AOR band Stoneflower. He has released solo albums spanning from pop to rock to country and played bass with Norwegian AOR legends Da Vinci.


Bjørn Olav Lauvdal is one of the most experienced heavy rock drummers in Norway and is known as a heavy hitter. He started playing drums at an early age and toured the club circuit in Norway early in his career. He has toured, recorded, and released albums with Street Legal, The Wheel, and Da Vinci. He has also recorded album tracks on releases by Carnivora and Ken’s Dojo, among others. Live, he has also played with Evenrude, Ozzmosis, Dee Snider, etc.


Melodic Rock and AOR fans will have much to enjoy with the self-titled debut from these talented Norwegians.





Tracklisting:


"Stuck"
"Stranded"
"Can't Blame It On The Rain"
"The Air That Breathe"
"Waiting Forever"
"Nathalia"
"Sometimes"
"Run With Me"
"If You Fall"
"Someday"
"High As A Kite"
"Picket Fence"


"The Air That Breathe" video:





"Nathalia" video:





"Stranded" video:





"Stuck" video:





Lineup:


Jan Le’Brandt: Lead vocal and Backing Vocals
Tor Talle: Guitars, Keyboard and Bass
Dag Selboskar: Keyboards
Svenn Huneide: Bass
Bjørn Olav Lauvdal: Drums


Additional Musicians:


Mick Devine: Backing and Harmony Vocals
Mats Ericsson: Drums on Stuck
Bengt Risåsen: Bass on Sometimes
Marianne Hagen: Female voice on If You Fall

Frontiers Music Srl has released Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx's new album, Street Lethal. Listen to the title track below, and order/save Street Lethal on CD/LP/Digital here.


The LP version of Street Lethal is a 180g, yellow vinyl in gatefold sleeve that is exclusive to the label's webstores. Limited to 300 copies worldwide.


Chock full of huge choruses, memorable hooks and riffs, and wailing, emotive guitar solos, fans of the band will be thrilled and delighted by what is on offer with Street Lethal. Massive production comes courtesy of Danny Rexon, who, over the past couple of years, has really turned into a master craftsman in the studio. With Tobias Lindell (H.E.A.T, Europe, Hardcore Superstar etc.) handling the mix, this album is sure to resonate with old fans and new listeners alike.




With Street Lethal, Crazy Lixx surpasses all expectations for new music from the band and surpasses their own revered and celebrated catalog. It’s an album that is confident, slick, and full of passion. Here, Crazy Lixx prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’re not just one of the pack, but that they are right there at the front of it. No one does what they do quite as well...


Album after album, Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx have continuously carved in stone their reputation as true leaders of the Scandinavian led ‘80s hard rock revival. With views in the millions for popular videos like “Wild Child” and “Hunter of the Heart” on YouTube, outstanding streaming numbers for tracks like “Blame It On Love”, "Hell Raising Women”, and “XIII”, and "Wild Child" being featured in the Nicolas Cage horror movie “Willy’s Wonderland,” Crazy Lixx are steadily continuing on their march for world domination.





Tracklisting:
 
"Enter The Dojo"
"Rise Above"
"Anthem For America"
"The Power"
"Reach Out"
"Final Fury"
"Street Lethal"
"Caught Between The Rock N' Roll"
"In The Middle Of Nothing"
"One Fire - One Goal"
"Thief In The Night"


"Street Lethal":





"Rise Above" video:





"Reach Out":





"Anthem For America" video:





Lineup:


Danny Rexon - Vocals
Jens Anderson - Bass
Joél Cirera - Drums
Chrisse Olsson - Guitar
Jens Lundgren - Guitar

Canadian deathcore pioneers, Despised Icon, celebrate their 20th anniversary in 2022, so it’s about time to re-discover the beginnings of the band…


Despised Icon’s debut album, Consumed By Your Poison (2002), and their sophomore album, The Healing Process (2005), are now being released again worldwide on January 7 via Century Media Records.


Both reissues will be available on limited coloured 180g vinyl variants with new vinyl mastering (+ Bonus CD), in the CD format and as Digital Albums - The Healing Process comes in an alternate, previously unreleased mix version! - with selected additional live-tracks from the band’s 2008 DVD-show as bonus.




Despised Icon checked in with the following comment: “To commemorate our 20th anniversary, we are releasing our debut album “Consumed By Your Poison” as well as our sophomore album “The Healing Process” again. “Consumed By Your Poison” is out on vinyl for the very first time and with the original artwork. “The Healing Process” comes with a completely different mix and mastering, a long lost mix version Yannick St-Amand did at the end of the recording session in June 2004. We hope you enjoy these pieces of the band’s history that changed our lives forever…“





Consumed By Your Poison will be available in the following vinyl variants:


- Yellow-Transparent Blue Marbled - All outlets
- White-Black Marbled - 300x copies via CM Distro & CM Webshop
- Transparent Green-Black Marbled - 300x copies via Bandshop at Impericon (Europe) & IndieMerch (North America)





The Healing Process will be available in the following vinyl variants:


- Transparent Dark Amber - All outlets
- Golden-Black Marbled - 300x copies via CM Distro & CM Webshop
- Natural Clear-Orange Marbled - 300x copies via Bandshop at Impericon (Europe) & IndieMerch (North America)


The pre-order for these reissue editions starts today, here.











Despised Icon lineup:


Alex Erian - Vocals
Steve Marois - Vocals
Eric Jarrin - Guitar
Ben Landreville - Guitar
Sebastien Piché - Bass
Alex Pelletier - Drums


(Photo - Eric Sanchez)

The new 8CD box set, Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride: The Dunhill / ABC Years 1967-1971, will be released on November 19 via Cherry Red.


Steppenwolf was formed in 1967 in LA by John Kay (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Goldy McJohn (organ, piano) and Jerry Edmonton (drums) who were previously members of the Canadian band The Sparrows. They were joined by Michael Monarch (lead guitar) and Rushton Moreve (bass). The band signed to Dunhill/ABC the same year and with producer Gabriel Mekler they recorded their self-titled debut album. The band were propelled to success with their classic single “Born To Be Wild” (a #2 hit in the US) and became even wider known when the track was featured, along with their version of “The Pusher” in the classic 1969 counterculture film Easy Rider.


The Second was released in October ‘68 and featured the hit single “Magic Carpet Ride” (another US #2 hit). In March ‘69 “At Your Birthday Party” was released to further success and was their first record to feature Nick St Nicholas on bass and their last to feature Michael Monarch. The July 1969 release “Early Steppenwolf” featured live recordings made at The Matrix in San Francisco in May 1967 and featured a 20-minute version of “The Pusher”.




The band’s next studio album, Monster, was issued in November 1969 and dealt with America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. 1970 saw the band release two albums, the double LP Steppenwolf Live and Steppenwolf 7. By the release of the latter the band’s popularity began to wane slightly, although they would retain a large and loyal fan base. Their November 1971 album For Ladies Only was their last for Dunhill/ABC and Steppenwolf disbanded in February 1972 only to reform in 1974.


Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride: The Dunhill / ABC Years 1967-1971, 8CD Box Set will be released via Cherry Red on


Find the complete tracklisting, and pre-order the set, here.

Kissin' Dynamite are gearing up for the release of their new album, Not The End Of The Road, and today, bring the excitement to the next level with their new charity single, "Good Life", alongside a bombastic music video.
 
For some time now, Kissin' Dynamite have fought against childhood cancer through the power of their music. Today, the band furthers this imperative campaign with the release of the album track and new charity awareness single “Good Life”, featuring high-caliber guests Charlotte Wessels, Alea der Bescheidene (Saltatio Mortis) and Guernica Mancini (Thundermother). With this meaningful power ballad, the German powerhouse showcases their softer side by delivering a song that could easily be heard on any mainstream rock radio station.





Kissin' Dynamite have partnered with the Förderverein für krebskranke Kinder Tübingen e.V., a charity organization that supports children with cancer in their hometown. In conjunction with the release of “Good Life”, the band has created a campaign shirt (see above), which is now available for purchase here. 100% of the proceeds from the shirt and a portion of the proceeds received from downloads and streams of "Good Life" itself will be donated to to the Förderverein für krebskranke Kinder e.V. in Tübingen.




Says the band about “Good Life”: "The message of our song ‘Good Life' concerns ALL people, regardless of gender, age, size, weight, sexuality, origin or skin color. Therefore, it is important for us to continue the cooperation we started in 2020 with the Förderverein für krebskranke Kinder e.V., an organization that supports children with cancer in our hometown. With that, all of the proceeds from the campaign shirt and a portion of the proceeds from the charity awareness song, which features three well-known artists, will go directly to the organization."





Founded in 2007, German heavy metal formation Kissin' Dynamite have made more than just a name for themselves in the scene: With six studio albums and various chart entries, the band established their trademark style - characterized by modern sound, massive anthems and catchy hooks paired with an 80s stadium rock attitude and eccentric look. Now, the five piece is ready to release their Napalm Records debut, Not The End Of The Road, and usher in heavy metal in 2022.


The new studio album was produced, recorded and mixed by vocalist Hannes Braun (Südland Music) himself, who has also worked with bands like Santiano, The Kelly Family and Beyond The Black. Mastering was completed by Grammy Award winning producer Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, known for his work with bands like Volbeat and many more.


Ande Braun on the new album: "Not The End Of The Road is an album, which accurately describes our experiences as a band since Ecstasy 2018. First and foremost, we highlight with songs like “Not The End Of The Road”, “What Goes Up”, “Yoko Ono” and “Only The Dead”: We're up for it, we're pulling together and we want to reach the rock Olympus! Titles like “Coming Home”, “Gone For Good” and “Scars”, on the other hand, deal with real feelings like loneliness, homesickness and sadness, which are also part of life."


Hannes Braun adds: "With Ecstasy we already didn't make any compromises and just wanted to compose music that speaks from us. Not The End Of The Road seamlessly picks up exactly here."


With Not The End Of The Road, Kissin' Dynamite set another milestone in their successful discography: In guitar-driven power metal fashion, the tune of the intro and title track “Not The End Of The Road” prepares the listener for a thrilling road trip and new anthems straight from the heart of the Kissin' Dynamite universe. Crusher “What Goes Up” takes its listener into the truly spectacular soundscapes that make stadiums shake and convinces with Aerosmith-like guitar attacks and an anthemic hook. But Kissin' Dynamite are also not afraid to show their mellower side, as heard on delightfully tranquil tracks like “Good Life” and “Gone For Good” - not only showcasing the almost calm touches pervading the melodies, but also presenting the softer side of Braun’s vocal repertoire. While tracks like “No One Dies A Virgin” and “Yoko Ono” symbolize catchy party hymns, standouts “Coming Home” and “Defeat It” underline their origins of stadium rock without being pigeonholed. “Voodoo Spell” manifests the variety of the band and their different influences - starting with strong dark rock elements, the song becomes an opus that easily competes with the biggest stadium giants. The album’s closer, “Scars”, proves once again that Kissin' Dynamite can reach the depths and showcase lyrical vulnerability - an impressive ending that screams to be played live.


Not The End Of The Road will be available in North America in the following formats:


- CD Digipack
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- LP Gatefold Vinyl White
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Glow In The Dark
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Red/Black + Slipmat
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Crystal Clear
- Box
- MC
- Digital album


Pre-order here.





Not The End Of The Road tracklisting:


"Not The End Of The Road"
"What Goes Up"
"Only The Dead"
"Good Life"
"Yoko Ono"
"Coming Home"
"All For A Halleluja"
"No One Dies A Virgin"
"Gone For Good"
"Defeat It"
"Voodoo Spell"
"Scars"


“What Goes Up” video:





"Not The End Of The Road" video:





On Not The End Of The Road, Kissin' Dynamite continue the cooperation with the Förderverein für krebskranke Kinder Tübingen e.V., a charity organization that supports children with cancer in the rockers' hometown. The song “Good Life” picks up the topic perfectly. The complete proceeds of the title are to be donated to the association.


The album and the album title thus have a real meaning that touches people on several levels and has the right song ready for every personal life situation.


Lineup:


Hannes Braun - vocals
Ande Braun - guitar
Jim Müller - guitar
Steffen Haile - bass
Sebastian Berg - drums


(Photo - Holger Fichtner & Patrick Schneiderwind)

Former DEATH members will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the passing of the band's mastermind Chuck Schuldiner by playing two special shows in Florida next month. James Murphy (guitar) and Terry Butler (bass) will perform DEATH's classic third album, "Spiritual Healing" (1990), in its entirety under the LIVING MONSTROSITY banner, while Steve DiGiorgio (bass), Bobby Koelble (guitar) and Kelly Conlon (bass) will join forces as SYMBOLIC to play songs from "Human" (1991), "Individual Thought Patterns" (1993), "Symbolic" (1995) and "The Sound Of Perseverance" (1998).

SYMBOLIC lineup:

* Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH; bass on "Human", "Individual Thought Patterns"; CONTROL DENIED - bass on "The Fragile Art Of Existence")

* Bobby Koelble (DEATH; guitars on "Symbolic")

* Kelly Conlon (DEATH; bass on "Symbolic")

* Dirk Verbeuren (MEGADETH, SOILWORK - drums)

* Max Phelps (EXIST; guitars and vocals)

* Leo Lozano (SYMBOLIC; guitars and vocals)

LIVING MONSTROSITY lineup:

* James Murphy (DEATH; guitars on "Spiritual Healing")

* Terry Butler (DEATH; bass on "Spiritual Healing")

* Gus Rios (GRUESOME; drums)

* Matt Harvey (GRUESOME, EXHUMED; guitar, vocals)

Originally released in 1990, "Spiritual Healing" marked a new turn in the DEATH discography, one which ushered in cleaner production, a new level of boundary pushing musicianship and songwriting skills that were previously unimaginable from a metal band. "Spiritual Healing" sets the standard for riffs, insane time changes and, of course, Schuldiner's masterful guitar solos. Reissued in 2012 as a double CD housed in super deluxe packaging featuring brand new liner notes from Murphy and Butler, Chuck's sister Beth Schuldiner and VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen, Disc 1 featured a completely new remaster of the original album and Disc 2 contained 16 previously unreleased rehearsal, outtakes and studio instrumentals.

In addition to the two-disc edition, a limited-edition (2000 machine-numbered copies) triple-CD digipak was made available exclusively from Relapse.com. The third CD featured a never-before-released live set recorded in 1990 featuring the "Spiritual Healing" DEATH lineup. An iTunes deluxe edition was also released containing five additional previously unreleased pre-"Human" rehearsal tracks not available on either of the CD versions.

Schuldiner died on December 13, 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.

In recent years, DEATH's storied catalog has undergone a meticulous reissue campaign via Relapse Records.

Relapse released the first-ever fully authorized DEATH tab book, featuring 21 classic songs tabbed out for guitar from the band's entire discography. The book, which includes traditional notation as well as tablature, also comes with a digital download of all tracks.

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 revealed that Symphony X guitarist, Michael Romeo, performs a solo on the song, "Fate Of Man".


Says Arjen: "Michael Romeo plays this guitar solo on the track ‘Fate Of Man’ on the new Star One album Revel In Time. Check out this video to see him play the solo! A true honor and pleasure to once again work with this maestro."







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:

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and JOURNEY bandmember Jonathan Cain has released the official lyric video for the song "Beautiful Thunder". The track is taken from his new six-song EP, "Oh Lord Lead Us", available now via Identity Records with The Fuel Music distribution. The EP precedes Cain's upcoming and sixth solo album in as many years (release date to be announced) and continues this iconic artist's offerings of faith-inspired new music.

Following the release of his biggest solo hit to date with the title track "Oh Lord Lead Us", Cain's new EP is a beautifully crafted musical invitation to prayer, renewal and commitment.

"It's not just 'I go to church,' it's a love exchange, a love surrender," shares Cain, who leads worship weekly at City Of Destiny where his wife, Paula White-Cain, is the senior pastor. "We have a 24/7 God, and every year we need to reestablish a covenant with our faith and recommit with praise, worship and prayer. The more you can commit, the more blessed you will be."

Cain, who is earning his pilot's license, likens it to flying an airplane. "You can't just halfway be a pilot, you have to be all in."

Sharing his personal faith story along with new music in December on the debut episode of the Pure Flix show "Rockin On Heavens Door", Cain's "Oh Lord Lead Us" will also serve as the show's theme song, opening each episode that is set to feature other well-known musical guests.

In addition to the title song, "Oh Lord Lead Us" includes "Something Greater", named after and inspired by his wife's acclaimed book, and the American Songwriter-premiered "Beautiful Thunder".

"There's a conversation going on up there as sound waves roll across the land," thought Cain as he watched a recent storm near his home in Florida. "You can feel the earth shake, the ground beneath your feet rolling. It's one of the only places you can see power like that. This is a way that God can get to us, how He got to me. Next time people hear a thunderstorm, I hope they think of this song."

Produced by Cain, mixed by David Kalmusky (Justin Bieber, The Fray, Keith Urban), mastered by Grammy Award-winning Adam Ayan (Paul McCartney, Carrie Underwood, FOO FIGHTERS), "Oh Lord Lead Us" was recorded at Cain's state-of-the-art Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville with select parts done remotely.

The full "Oh Lord Lead Us" EP track listing follows:

01. Oh Lord Lead Us

02. Pray To The Father

03. Worship Our Way

04. Beautiful Thunder

05. Something Greater

06. No One But You Jesus

With more solo music, a songwriting event and a Christmas concert to be announced in the near future, Cain, with his band JOURNEY, closed the second and final night of the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas September 18 in an iHeart-lauded "epic performance." Featured this week in The Wall Street Journal, Cain also led worship during the Unleashed Conference hosted by Paula White Ministries (Sept. 30 – Oct. 3).

Cain is further host of the "Anchored" podcast, sharing his heart on topics of faith, family, marriage, manhood and music, and is featured on his wife's television shows "Paula Today" and "Faithfully" seen on the Life Network For Women and Daystar Television.

Releasing five solo albums over the last several years, including his 2019, Billboard-featured "More Like Jesus" that Parade calls a "triumphant new album," the solo recordings follow a long line of hits that bear this iconic artist's signature. As a member of JOURNEY, Cain has written or co-written such massive radio hits as the best-selling catalog rock song in iTunes' history, "Don't Stop Believin'", "Who's Crying Now", "Open Arms", "Faithfully" and many more.

Mark Lanegan will release a memoir titled "Devil In A Coma" on December 14 via U.K. publisher White Rabbit. The book details a "terrifying account" of his battle with COVID-19 which left the former SCREAMING TREES frontman and erstwhile member of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE "slipping in and out of a coma."

"Devil In A Coma" is written in vignettes of prose and poetry, with the official synopsis describing the book thusly: "One blindingly bright morning in Ireland in March 2021 Mark Lanegan woke up and walked into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. Having gone completely deaf during the illness that had been slowly devouring his sick body, he found himself floored with cracked ribs, unable to breathe. His body, burdened with a gigantic dose of COVID-19, was quickly taken to Kerry Hospital with little hope of survival.

"Slipping in and out of a coma, Lanegan's mind and body were left oscillating between life and death, unable to walk or function for several months. As his situation becomes more intolerable over the course of that bleakest of springs he is assaulted by nightmares, visions and regrets about a life lived on the edge of chaos and disorder. He is prompted to consider his predicament and how, in his sixth decade, his lifelong battle with mortality has led to this final banal encounter with a disease that has done for millions, when he has apparently been cheating death for his whole existence."

Lee Brackstone, publisher of White Rabbit, said: "'Devil In A Coma' is the latest work by a master of many forms, who has once again made art out of suffering and the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Unsparing — of both himself and the world we now find ourselves in — and grotesquely compelling, this book could not be more visceral and intense if it were written in blood."

According to reports, Lanegan's condition has improved. "He has gotten his hearing back now but his health is up and down," his book publicist said.

Lanegan's previous memoir, "Sing Backwards And Weep", was published in 2020 by White Rabbit.

Photo by Steve Gullick

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to unleash the new EP from infernal blackened death/thrashers Dead War. Grandfather Of War is up now for preorder and will be released December 3 on CD and Digital formats.


Returning to the battle grounds and into the inferno of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Dead War unleash six new tracks of blackened death/thrash. Grandfather Of War follows up on the band's debut release The Triumph Of Death, with even more old school raw underground metal showcasing crushing blast beats, thunderous bass guitar and searing guitar solos. Guttural vocals lead the onslaught through clear marching orders of execution, tank attacks, molding toxicity and a leader of generations that all have followed into battle. Dead War again bring the element of classical trained musicianship to offer a “Death Of The World” moment of clarity amidst the carnage. Grandfather Of War was recorded by Jason Bursese and mastered by Dan Randall at Mammoth Sound Mastering (Exhumed, Ghoul, Iron Reagan, Necrot).


Find preorders on Bandcamp.







Tracklisting:


“Point Blank Penance”
“Armored Warfare”
“The Black Growth Of Decay”
“Funebris Terrarum”
“One Bullet Can Change The World”
“Grandfather Of War” 


“Point Blank Penance”:

Frontiers Music Srl recently welcomed the new Italian symphonic metal band, Agarthic, to the label's roster. The Inner Side, the band's debut album which was recorded under the direction of producer Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Archon Angel, Timo Tolkki’s Avalon, etc.), will be released on December 10.


Today, the band is streaming the song, "The Ancient Secret Scroll". Listen below, and pre-order/save The Inner Side here.


Based in Northern Italy, Agarthic was founded in 2019 by composer and bassist Mattia Gosetti and vocalist Valeriano De Zordo. The two musicians, tied by a strong friendship, had already worked together several times over the past years, but mostly just some shows and theatrical performances and never a proper band.




"As a big fan of rock and metal music, I've always followed with great enthusiasm the release of albums by labels. I remember reading album booklets when I was just a kid, dreaming to see my name printed on one of those one day... who would have ever imagined that happening with one of the most important labels of today?" says vocalist Valeriano De Zordo. "For several years, I've been really interested in knowing all the ancient legends and mysteries about the forgotten history of our planet, especially the theories about the hollow earth. I've always been fascinated by it. And when this chance to make an album was offered, the task was quite easy....all I had to do was to combine my two major passions and turn all these themes finally into music!" continues De Zordo.


Adds composer and bassist Mattia Gosetti, "My greatest passion is to write musical stories, to create soundtracks for romantic adventures and fascinating places. I am really proud to have been noticed by a successful label like Frontiers Music, in whose roster there are many of the most famous bands in the world. The enthusiasm for the signing of the contract and the collaboration with Aldo Lonobile, an artist that I have always esteemed and admired, has been fundamental for the realization of this symphonic metal concept. I am experiencing an artistic growth that I would have never hoped for and I will never be grateful enough for all this.”


Valeriano has been active in several bands in the area of Belluno, singing both covers and original music, which brought him recognition thanks to his melodic timbre and great ability as a performer.


Mattia is a symphonic rock composer, with his works mostly dedicated to the history of land located on the Alps, musical tales that he often presents in theater settings. His deep passion for symphonic rock has always been apparent, but in particular when he and his wife won the "Elan Cover Contest”, an international competition organized by Nightwish.


The band's line up is rounded out by two other talented Italian musicians, Jesai Fiabane on guitar and Denis Novello on drums.


Agarthic's music is strongly inspired by the nature that surrounds them, in particular by the Dolomites, a mountain range in Italy. Their compositions tell stories of fantasy and mysteries of humanity, a romantic and enveloping soundtrack that will take you on a thrilling journey with cinematic flavor.





Tracklisting:


"The Beginning Of All"
"The Ancient Secret Scroll"
"A Journey To The End Of The World"
"A Heaven Inside This Earth"
"Through The Mystical Forest"
"Message From The Gods"
"Back Home"
"Negotiations Failed"
"Escape To Antarctica"
"Last Journey"
"Illuminati's Reign"


"The Ancient Secret Scroll":





"A Journey To The End Of The World" video:





Lineup:


Valeriano De Zordo - Vocals
Mattia Gosetti - Bass, Orchestral Synth
Jesai Fiabane - Guitars
Denis Novello - Drums


Guest vocals on “Negotiations Failed” by Fabio Lione
Guitar solo on “Negotiations Failed” by Aldo Lonobile
Rhythm Guitars by Federico Maraucci
All choirs by Valeriano De Zordo, Mattia Gosetti, Marco Pastorino and Sonia Da Col

Frontiers Music Srl will release Swedish rock band Cap Outrun's new album, High On Deception, on December 10. High On Deception is a distinctive record filled with playful odd time signatures and interesting harmonies, but it never loses its core of strong melodies and an exceptional groove.


Today, the band has released the vide for the album opener, "Crazy Enough". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save High On Deception here.


”It feels great to work with Frontiers on this release and I’m anxious to hear what the label’s followers will say about it. Ever since Mr. Big, who’s one of my all time favorite bands, released their What If record, I’ve been following the label’s awesome releases and I’m both impressed and grateful for what they’re doing for the rock music scene today. I’m thrilled about joining them with Cap Outrun and everybody in the band is very excited about this!” says guitarist Andrée Theander.







The writing and production process for the album was a very successful collaboration between founding members Andrée Theander and Erik Gafvelin Wiss. Although Erik is still involved in Cap Outrun, he has decided to take a step back as the main keyboardist to focus on his production work. His spot has been given to the very talented session player André Egbo. Vocalist Chandler Mogel (Double Vision, Outloud), bassist Linus ”Mr. Gul” Abrahamson (Andromeda, Constanica), and drummer Johan Ludvig Rask round out the line-up.


Musical influences are everything from Swedish progressive rock bands Kaipa and Karmakanic to legendary American bands like Toto and Boston. Some of Andrée’s and Erik’s friends have even mentioned Dirty Loops when they’ve dropped around Erik’s studio in Stockholm while the album was still in the making. [Who knows, maybe it could have something to do with bass player Linus’ close collaboration with the Dirty Loops members Henrik Linder and Aron Mellergård for their newly released bass and drum transcription books?]


Cap Outrun formed in Sweden in 2007 when Andrée Theander and Erik Gafvelin Wiss met at a Swedish university for music production and started to make music together. The two youngsters wrote and recorded a lot of songs and with a little help from a bunch of friends, six of the songs ended up on the very first Cap Outrun release, Influence Grind (2008). The music was somewhat complex with odd time signatures and unexpected song structures, but still contained memorable melodies and pop-flavored choruses. This perfect blend of rock, metal, and jazz made them fairly well-known within the underground world of prog rock lovers for a period of time. Andrée and Erik graduated from university and they decided to go their separate musical ways. Since then, they have stayed good friends, but were working on their own careers: Andrée as a session player, guitar teacher and with his own AOR/Westcoast project Theander Expression, while Erik started to build his own studio and mainly focus on producing and mixing records by other bands, like Creye, Cruzh, and Arctic Rain to name a few. Cap Outrun was essentially on hiatus after that self-released EP… until now.





Tracklisting:


"Crazy Enough"
"High On Deception"
"Disaster Mindset"
"In The Shade Of The Masquerade"
"Shadows On The Wall"
"Our Brightest Day"
"My Destination"
"Run Before We Walk"
"As Long As You Believe"
"Dopamine Overflow"


"Crazy Enough" video:





"High On Deception" video:





Lineup:
Chandler Mogel - Lead vocals
Andrée Theander - Guitars and backing vocals
Linus Abrahamson - Bass
Johan Ludvig Rask - Drums and percussion
André Egbo – Keyboards

CABIN BOY JUMPED SHIP and AFM Records are announcing to team up for common future plans. The English quartet takes their chances to make the next giant leap and will release their upcoming record through AFM Records. With the new label and new distribution channels through Soulfood and Believe options for the young Electronic/Metal newcomers are increasing heavily. BAD (Bash Artist Development) will carry on their work as management and booking agency for the auspicious Brits.

CABIN BOY JUMPED SHIP from Leicestershire, UK exploded into the scene in late 2013 and since then have toured across the world (e.g. Europe, UK, Russia, Philippines & Download- / Impericon-Festival) and shared stages with some of the metal scenes greatest acts (e.g. The Devil Wears Prada, Eskimo Callboy, Deez Nuts). So far the band has released 2 EPs and 1 intense full length album called “The Heartless” in 2019, that garnered millions of plays across streaming platforms and 60.000+ followers on Facebook/Instagram. The album includes features from such artists as Fronz (Atilla) & James Harrsion (Oceans Ate Alaska) to name a few.

“The band’s upcoming album will be their best work to date”, states Nils Wasko, executive label manager of AFM Records. “We’ve been able to listen to the new record obviously and it’s stunning. We kept an eye on those guys for quite some time now. They got everything needed to take the next big step in music business with this new strong album, we strongly feel that.”

DISTURBED frontman David Draiman says that he is "itching" to begin work on material for the band's next studio album.

Draiman, who resides in Hawaii with his wife and their son, discussed DISTURBED's plans for the follow-up to 2018's "Evolution" album while promoting his collaboration with Nita Strauss during a November 2 live chat with the DW Presents Twitch channel.

"I'm very much looking forward to writing with the [other DISTURBED] guys during the downtime in between [gigs]," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We have plans to do so. I'm itching — I've been itching to do it for a very long time, to get back with the guys that are my writing partners for life."

Asked if he has to physically be in the same space as his bandmates in order to work on new music, Draiman said: "No, but it's always best. I mean, you can do it remotely, [but] it's not recommended for anybody. You've gotta have vibe and energy and be in front of the person at some point… It's always preferred to be in person."

In October 2020, Draiman told "Loudwire Nights" that DISTURBED's new music would be "blisteringly angry" and added that he was "dying" to sink his teeth into "new, original, angry, ferocious, brutal material."

Four months earlier, Draiman told Download Festival TV that he has spent some of his downtime during the coronavirus pandemic "having conversations with the other guys in DISTURBED about getting some new material going, and we've got some stuff in its infancy. One song, definitely, that's killer in our back pocket; we just haven't tracked it," he said. "And we've got a few more song ideas, [but] nothing that's been hashed out enough."

Draiman went on to say that making music over the Internet had presented its own set of problems, especially since most of DISTURBED's last couple of albums were composed with the core members in a room together bouncing ideas off each other.

"We kind of need to get back into the rhythm of being able to do stuff like this in Zoom format or online as opposed to in person," he said at the time. "At least it's some kind of real-time connection so that you can be creating together improvisationally to an extent, but there's still issues with audio — it's not as clear as you want it sometimes, there's too much compression and you lose level; it's a challenge — and the vibe isn't there. There's nothing that replaces you being in front of your co-songwriter and being able to feed off each other's energy and create in person."

DISTURBED performed live for the first time in nearly two years on September 25 as one of the headliners of the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

In March, DISTURBED's "The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was officially canceled. The amphitheater tour, with very special guest STAIND and BAD WOLVES, was originally slated to take place in the summer of 2020 but was rescheduled to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was eventually scrapped altogether.

"The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was supposed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of DISTURBED's seminal album "The Sickness". On this tour, the band was expected to perform songs off the album, as well as tracks from "Evolution" and DISTURBED's extensive catalog.

In September 2020, DISTURBED released a cover version of Sting's 1993 single "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You".

QUIET RIOT's longtime bassist Chuck Wright has signed with Cleopatra Records for his debut solo album, "Chuck Wright's Sheltering Sky", to be released in early 2022.

Wright has worked alongside such rock music luminaries as Alice Cooper, Greg Allman and various members of GUNS N' ROSES and KISS to name a few, and now embarks on his first-ever solo excursion.

Wright's first single is a hard-rocking, intense interpretation of Björk's 1995 hit "Army Of Me" and the accompanying video represent Wright's exploration into disorder and parallels with the chaotic state of world affairs. The visuals include a 3D animation of an "army" of Ruth Bader Ginsburgs, the late Supreme Court Justice, feminist icon, and steadfast advocate for women's rights and gender equality.

Wright says: "I chose to recognize the late Justice Ginsburg in this video as she was such a formidable presence on and off the bench; she challenged the status quo knocking down legal obstacles to women's equality and inspired an army of believers."

"Army Of Me" features several of Wright's musical peers, including the late Pat Torpey (MR. BIG) on drums, guitarist Lanny Cordola (HOUSE OF LORDS) and keyboardist Seven Martin (Jonathan Davis) along with songstress Whitney Tai, the recent "Best Vocalist" winner at the Intercontinental Music Awards. The digital single for "Army of Me" and the full-length video are scheduled for release on November 18.

"Chuck Wright's Sheltering Sky" features over 30 guest performers, including members of MR. BIG, SKID ROW, TESLA, DREAM THEATER, GREAT WHITE, ASIA, JEFFERSON STARSHIP and others. Wright is stepping out on his own with a wide range of genres, be it jazz fusion, prog, funk or in-your-face hard rock, which was in itself one of the things that led him to wanting to forge his own way and create this unique collection of songs within his "Sheltering Sky" project.

HALESTORM has released an "unplugged" version of the band's latest single, "Back From The Dead". You can check it out below.

Released in August, "Back From The Dead" is taken from HALESTORM's upcoming fifth full-length album, due in 2022. Directed by Dustin Haney (Noah Cyrus, Luke Combs) and produced by Revolution Pictures, the song's official music video features frontwoman Lzzy Hale and the rest of the band in a morgue and cemetery somewhere between life and death.

Lzzy said: "'Back From The Dead' is about survival, not in a physical sense, even though I know we all have been touched by death especially these last few years. This song is personal and written from a mental health perspective. I wanted to give myself and the world a hard rock song we could shout out loud as the gates opened again. I was on the edge of this world getting completely lost in oblivion, but even though it was the harder of two choices, I didn't just let the darkness and depression in my mind dig me an early grave. I didn't just sit and let it take me. I've erased my name from my headstone, so save your prayers, I'm back! I hope this song, as I pass it on to you, reminds YOU of your strength individually and that you are not alone."

She continued: "The video was so much fun to film! Dustin Haney is an amazing director. Dustin and his team really helped bring my words to life and the video is one of the most cinematic pieces we've done in years! I hope this song, as I pass it on…reminds YOU of YOUR individual strength and that you are not Alone. Raise your horns!"

By breaking rules, bucking trends, and busting down doors, HALESTORM has surged through rock 'n' roll on a singular path without compromise or apology. Along the way, the Pennsylvania-bred and Nashville-based quartet — Lzzy Hale (vocals, guitar), Arejay Hale (drums), Joe Hottinger (guitar) and Josh Smith (bass) — has collected a Grammy Award, scored successive number ones at radio, garnered multiple gold and platinum certifications, and performed to sold out crowds on five continents.

Going against the grain again in 2021, the band weathered the flames of chaos in 2020 and returned stronger than ever with their most empowering and undeniable anthems to date.

"Throughout the pandemic, I was writing a lot of melancholic and hopeless songs about the ups and downs of the world," admits Lzzy. "I've been in this group longer than I haven't been in it. We've always had shows. Even when I was 13 years old, we had a couple of bowling alley gigs once a month. This was the first time I didn't know if we would ever play again. However, I started to use music in the same way I did as a teenager—to get myself through this situation that was plaguing us all. I sidestepped and said, 'Let's keep our heads up, get our attitude back, be a light in the dark for a second, and celebrate the fact we're surviving and there's hope for the future.' So, we started to write songs that were a reminder to ourselves of who we are and what we're capable of. That became the mission statement."

In a way, it's always been the mission statement…

Since roaring to life in 1998, HALESTORM has uplifted audiences with a combination of sonic ass-kicking, provocative songwriting, and unshakable hooks. The four-piece received a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". The song also minted them as the first female-fronted band to hit #1 on the Active Rock radio charts. Thus far, their discography spans two gold albums "Halestorm" and "The Strange Case Of..." , a platinum single "I Miss The Misery", and two gold singles "Here's To Us" and "I Get Off". Between surpassing one billion cumulative streams worldwide, they've notched two consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with "Into The Wild Life" (2015) and "Vicious" (2018). The latter represented a critical high watermark with Rolling Stone citing it as "a muscular, adventurous, and especially relevant rock record." In its wake, "Uncomfortable" emerged as their fourth #1 at rock radio and earned their second Grammy Award nomination, while Loudwire christened HALESTORM "Rock Artist Of The Decade" in 2019. Not to mention, they have supported everyone from HEAVEN & HELL and Alice Cooper to Joan Jett on the road.

Even as the world went dormant during 2020, Lzzy remained prolific. She lent her voice to collaborations with everyone from Dee Snider of TWISTED SISTER, IN THIS MOMENT, APOCALYPTICA, and Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD to EVANESCENCE, Cory Marks, and Mongolian phenomenon THE HU. Additionally, she joined forces with a trio of legends — Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT, Scott Ian of ANTHRAX and original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo — for the theme song to Netflix's "Thunder Force". Plus, the group contributed a cover of THE WHO's "Long Live Rock" to the documentary of the same name. Expanding her presence across television, she hosted the AXS TV "A Year In Music" series, joined the cast of Hit Parader's "No Cover" as a judge, provided the singing voice for Bella Thorne in the Prime Video hit "Paradise City" and launched her own show "Raise Your Horns" on Rolling Live. On the channel, she appeared in Mike Garson's David Bowie tribute with a performance of "Moonage Daydream" alongside Broadway star Lena Hall. She also participated in the platform's Ronnie James Dio tribute, supporting the Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.

At the same time, she remained a huge proponent of encouraging the dialogue around mental health. She participated in a Grammy Mental Health panel and empowered the next generation of rock musicians as the keynote speaker at the Little Kids Rock Modern Band Summit. She also made history as Gibson Guitars' first-ever female ambassador.

"I've learned a lot about myself through all of these different projects," she admitted. "I said 'yes' to various adventures, and it made me a better artist."

Working out of her home studio in Nashville, Lzzy and the band channeled this renewed spirit into the music at the onset of 2021. Collaborating with Scott Stevens of THE EXIES, the musicians hit their stride and cooked up the single 'Back From The Dead'. Dramatic distortion and drums rumble as she screams, "I'm back from the dead!" HALESTORM come out swinging as punchy verses give way to a call-and-response chorus shocked to life with a searing solo and thunderous groove.

"We needed a reintroduction," she exclaimed. "We needed something that simply said, 'Hey, we're back'. The live show is the time we feel as truly alive as we can be. When you walk out on stage with your guitar strapped on, your guys are next to you, and you have an audience looking at you, it's everything. We're celebrating the fact we're all back together again. Whatever it is that was trying to destroy that part of myself and my bandmates that our fans need couldn't do it. It failed miserably. We're fucking back."

From the moment the band graced the stage at a secret Nashville gig, they were indeed "back," albeit louder, heavier, and emboldened by an unbelievable year. Amped up to jump back in, their tour schedule took shape with festival dates followed by a co-headline run with EVANESCENCE in the fall.

Readying their fifth full-length album, they're delivering the soundtrack for a world ready to roar again.

"We've lost a lot of people, but we can start healing again," she left off. "I appreciate the little things even more. I don't only feel this confidence in myself, but also in every one of my band members. We're not the same people, none of us could ever be. HALESTORM is my source of my joy. It's my connection. It's the closest thing to my religion. We're moving forward. With this next album, I hope we're able to create a greater sense of community. We have a beautiful opportunity. When you listen to it, I want you to feel like you can walk through any fire."

Grammy Award-winning producer / guitarist and KISS collaborator Bob Kulick passed away on May 28, 2020 at the age of 70, from natural causes due to heart disease.


Mike Brunn, who runs the The Rock Experience with Mike Brunn, has shared footage from KISS Kruise X featuring former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick paying tribute to his older brother. Check out the set below.







Bob Kulick took a chance in late 1972 and auditioned for the lead guitar spot in a then-new band called KISS. The band - Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss, - was impressed by his performance, but Ace Frehley (who auditioned immediately after him) was chosen to fill the open guitarist spot. Kulick later played (uncredited) on three KISS albums: Alive II (three of the five studio tracks), Killers (all four new studio tracks), and some minimal work on Creatures of the Night. He also played on Paul Stanley's 1978 solo album and on his 1989 solo tour.

Symphonic metal outfit, Ad Infinitum, released their bewitching second offering, Chapter II - Legacy, last week via Napalm Records. Adrian Thessenvitz plays through the track "Inferno" in this exclusive new playthrough for Guitar World.





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







Chapter II - Legacy is available in the following formats:


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


Order here.





Tracklisting:


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


"Animals" video:





“Afterlife” video:





"Unstoppable" video:





Ad Infinitum are:


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

Former GUNS N' ROSES and current SIXX:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba has released the official music video for his new single, "Bella Ciao". Produced by Ashba, the reimagined track gives a modern day EDM-driven makeover to the Italian folk classic, complemented by DJ's signature guitar work, creating a dance/rock hybrid called GDM (Guitar Dance Music). The new single marks Ashba's first release of 2021 and follows a series of tracks that released in late 2020 through Edgeout Records/UMG/UMe, including "Hypnotic", "Let's Dance" and "A Christmas Storm".

"After becoming completely obsessed with 'Money Heist', I became so inspired by 'Bella Ciao' and the history of the song," stated Ashba. "I couldn't wait to get into the studio and make my own GDM version. I wanted it to be epic and dramatic, with big bass, bone-crushing guitar, and an infectious beat that I know the fans will go crazy for. After it was complete, I was telling my friend, famous Disney artist Craig Fraser, about my new version of this classic song, and him being a fan of the show as well, got inspired, and created me this one-of-a-kind painting of the iconic mask from 'Money Heist'. I was so blown away; I thought it would make the perfect cover for this single."

Ashba will support the single with his first headlining show scheduled for November 12 at the Epic Event Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. All ticket and meet-and-greet packages are available on www.ashba.us.

Last December, Ashba told "The Mark And HooGie Show" that he isn't concerned about getting any pushback from his rock fans over the musical direction of his new venture: "Honestly, I'm at a point in my career where I could give two fucks," he said. "I could care less. If people don't like it, kiss my ass. Go listen to SIXX:A.M. If what I'm doing right now isn't rock enough, I've got a rock band. They can go listen to that then.

"My fanbase, thank God, has been, throughout my whole career, just very, very accepting," he continued. "They know me — they know I'm always trying to really push myself as an artist outside the box.

"If I had to live within this box, I'd rather honestly not play music. Playing music is a form of art, and if I can't truly be an artist and be true to what it is inside — whatever that is that keeps me going… I have to stay inspired. You can only write so many three-chord rock songs. So, to me, this is something that I'm kind of more doing for myself, and I feel like I kind of have earned that at this point in my career. And I'm just having fun.

"Surprisingly… It was weird. I was totally expecting for all my fanbase just to hate it — not get it," Ashba added. "'Cause I really, really go deep down in EDM — I stayed very, very true to the EDM sound — and I really thought they were gonna hate it, and I was okay with that. 'Cause in my mind, I'm writing this for the EDM, the young kids that go to those festivals. This is full-on festival music. And surprisingly, I got no pushback. My rock fans really, really were freaking out on it, which kind of freaked me out. I was expecting them to really not get it or maybe push it aside. But they've been nothing but supportive. I'm very thankful that they gave it a chance."

ASHBA's "Let's Dance" single featured a guest appearance by James Michael, co-founder and lead singer of SIXX:A.M., which he and DJ formed with Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE).

Ashba told the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the musical approach of his new effort: "I would go to a lot of EDM concerts, and their shows are so over the top and, you know, all these young kids just losing their minds, right? And the one thing that I've noticed is … it lacks guitar, you know, and I saw an opportunity, like five years ago, going, 'If I could take what I do and somehow inject it into this world.' A lot of kids are not being exposed to a lot of guitar in that world."

Although Ashba initially started work on the project as a collaboration with Michael — under the band name PYROMANTIC — it has since evolved into an Ashba solo venture, with Michael announcing in 2018 that he was stepping away from the group.

It's been 20 years since the last full-length STABBING WESTWARD album was released in 2001, and the wait is finally over as the band today announces details for their much-anticipated new record. "Chasing Ghosts" will be out March 18, 2022 via COP International Records, featuring 10 tracks that have the industrial rock band's characteristic sound with a modern sheen that picks up right where they left off.

In celebration of the news, STABBING WESTWARD gives a taste of the upcoming material by sharing single "I Am Nothing" alongside a new lyric video. See it below.

"Chasing Ghosts" will feature brand-new songs as well as reworkings of the band's acclaimed 2020 reunion EP "Dead And Gone" that finds original founding members Christopher Hall (vocals/guitar) and Walter Flakus (keyboards/programming) honing in on the incredible partnership that once produced a string of hits that dominated alternative radio and film soundtracks, including "Shame", "Save Yourself" and "What Do I Have to Do?" — and resulted in two gold records.

To recreate that original chemistry, the band recruited the legendary producer John Fryer to again helm "Chasing Ghosts". Fryer, whose production credits include DEPECHE MODE, NINE INCH NAILS, 4AD, COCTEAU TWINS and LOVE AND ROCKETS, originally worked with STABBING WESTWARD on their best-selling early releases "Ungod" (1994) and "Wither Blister Burn + Peel" (1996). "Chasing Ghosts" was also mastered by Tom Baker who, like Fryer, worked with STABBING WESTWARD on their early releases and is part of the reassembled production team on the latest album. The current STABBING WESTWARD band lineup includes Carlton Bost (guitars and programming) and Bobby Amaro (drums).

Says Flakus: "It seems like we've been working on this album for a long time, trying to get it just right. With the help of John Fryer and COP International, everything fell into place. We are so excited for the world to finally hear the album. The single 'I Am Nothing' is just the tip of the iceberg."

Adds Hall: "It's great to be back, and working with John Fryer and Tom Baker again was awesome and felt like making a pure old-school STABBING WESTWARD album. I am excited to see how people will receive the new songs."

Presales for "Chasing Ghosts" will begin in early January and fans are encouraged to sign up now for e-mail reminders. The album, featuring artwork by David Seidman (an artist who has also worked with COHEED AND CAMBRIA and is known for his ethereal and surrealistic imagery) will be available in digital, CD and vinyl formats, with full details and exclusive, limited-edition merch to be announced soon.

The full track listing for "Chasing Ghosts" is as follows:

01. I Am Nothing

02. Damaged Goods

03. Cold

04. Push

05. Wasteland

06. Ctrl Z

07. Crawl

08. Dead & Gone

09. Ghost

10. The End

RISE AGAINST will release a new EP, "Nowhere Sessions", a live expansion of its acclaimed latest album, "Nowhere Generation", on November 12 via Loma Vista Recordings. Inspired by the album's success and this summer's triumphant U.S. tour playing various sold-out amphitheatres and major festival stages nationwide, the EP captures and celebrates the anthemic intensity of the band's renowned performances, shown here in peak form. A performance video for first single "Talking To Ourselves (Nowhere Sessions)" , a live version of the band's current radio single and one of three "Nowhere Generation" tracks featured on the EP, can be seen below.

Of the song, singer/guitarist Tim McIlrath says: "'Talking To Ourselves' is about watching yourself and the people around you fall into complacency. Despite your best efforts to get people's attention, it feels like no one is listening. Sometimes we feel the urge to do something crazy, to disturb the peace, to jostle the world around us awake. Our actions might be seen as out of the ordinary, but they are acts of desperation when all else failed."

Other songs on "Nowhere Sessions" include RISE AGAINST's 2009 breakout hit "Savior", which has accumulated nearly one billion streams to date and held its place at No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart for a staggering 65 consecutive weeks, as well as fiery covers of MISFITS' "Hybrid Moments" and CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL's "Fortunate Son". The EP also features a live version of their soaring, impassioned rock hit "Nowhere Generation" (the original climbed to No. 1 at Rock radio and No. 7 at Alternative radio, where it held in the Top 10 for 10 consecutive weeks).

"Our songs take on so many different patinas when we play them live or strip them down," says McIlrath of the new EP. "In some ways, every time we play it is different. It was fun to document one of those sessions and we're excited to share it with the world."

McIlrath and Zach Blair of RISE AGAINST will next play three intimate U.K. album-release shows in November in support of "Nowhere Generation". The full band will close out 2021 by playing Chicago's Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom on December 10 as part of WKQX's "The Nights We Stole Christmas" festival. A current itinerary is below, including an initial set of 2022 live dates.

On "Nowhere Generation", released in June, the multi-gold and platinum band draws a line in the sand with its blazing and aggressive punk rock and lyrics that shine a spotlight on the social and economical deck that has been stacked against our younger generations' pursuit of The American Dream. The album debuted at the top of multiple Billboard charts with its first-week sales (No. 1 on Rock, No. 3 on Top Current Albums, No. 3 on Vinyl, and the Top 40 of the Top 200), and has been earning the band great press from outlets including Revolver, Consequence, Brooklyn Vegan, Grammy.com, American Songwriter, The Line Of Best Fit, Clash, Kerrang!, and All Music, while June 4 was declared "Rise Against Day" In Chicago, the band's original hometown.

"Nowhere Sessions" EP track listing:

01. Talking To Ourselves (Nowhere Sessions)

02. Broken Dreams, Inc. (Nowhere Sessions)

03. Fortunate Son (Nowhere Sessions)

04. Nowhere Generation (Nowhere Sessions)

05. Hybrid Moments (Nowhere Sessions)

06. Savior (Nowhere Sessions)