Grammy-winning hard rock band HALESTORM, which currently has the No. 1 rock song in the country with "Back From The Dead", has announced a one-night-only streamed concert on December 23. Tickets for the "Happy Hale-i-days" concert stream, recorded in September at the Brown County Music Center in Nashville, Indiana, are available starting this Friday at Mandolin.com.

A special BLABBERMOUTH.NET presale will begin on Thursday, November 4 at 10:00 a.m. EDT and end on Thursday, November 11 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. When prompted, type in the presale code "BLABBER" to get 15% off.

Today HALESTORM also announced a second set of virtual meet-and-greets from their upcoming tour dates for fans who'd like a one-on-one experience with the band before they hit the stage, also available via Mandolin. Prior to the streamed concert on December 23, fans will also have the option to purchase tickets for a VIP Party an hour before showtime. For all details, visit Mandolin.com.

This week, HALESTORM claimed its sixth No. 1 at rock radio with "Back From The Dead". Today the band unveiled an acoustic, re-imagined version of the song.

"Back From The Dead" remains the first and only glimpse yet of HALESTORM's new album due in 2022. Rolling Stone called it "a biting, cathartic howler about overcoming obstacles — even death," and Consequence praised frontwoman Lzzy Hale's "powerhouse pipes" and lead guitarist Joe Hottinger's "blistering solo." Revolver declared it a "raucous, hard-rock rager about staying strong in the face of crushing adversity."

HALESTORM begins its final leg of 2021 touring tomorrow night with a show in Garden City, Idaho, and on Friday the band joins with EVANESCENCE to kick off the two bands' arena co-headline tour in Portland, Oregon, running through December 18 in Worcester, Massachuse

Finnish melancholic progressive metallers AMORPHIS will release their fourteenth studio album, "Halo", on February 11, 2022 via Atomic Fire Records.

In the past, mythology and legend took the role of today's pop culture: Stories and a set of values uniting us by giving us a voice and a tapestry on which we can find each other and identify with something. By weaving the tales of Finnish national epos "Kalevala" into their songs and interpreting them in a timeless way, AMORPHIS combine the role of ancient minstrels and luminaries of the modern world, honoring tradition without getting stuck in the past.

The vibrant, lively, and touching beauty that is "Halo" highlights their musical and storytelling mastership on a once again soaring level: It's a progressive, melodic, and quintessentially melancholic heavy metal masterwork plucked from the fickle void of inspiration by original guitarists Esa Holopainen and Tomi Koivusaari, bassist Olli-Pekka Laine, drummer Jan Rechberger, longtime keyboardist Santeri Kallio and vocalist Tomi Joutsen, the band's long-standing lyrical consciousness Pekka Kainulainen and a selected group of world class audio professionals led by renowned Swedish producer Jens Bogren. Considering the band's prolonged journey in the forefront of innovative metal music, it's difficult to grasp how AMORPHIS manages to raise the proverbial bar time and time again, presenting a more than worthy finale to the trilogy begun with 2015's "Under The Red Cloud" followed by 2018's "Queen Of Time".

"It really is a great feeling that we can still produce very decent music as a band," says Holopainen, a founding member of the band. "Perhaps a certain kind of self-criticism and long experience culminate in these latest albums." To the songwriter himself, "Halo" sounds both familiar and different. "It is thoroughly recognizable AMORPHIS from beginning to end but the general atmosphere is a little bit heavier and more progressive and also organic compared to its predecessor," he elaborates.

Tomi Joutsen, the man with vocal cords capable of unleashing colossal, bear-like growls as well as singing soothing, mesmerising lullabies, adds, "To me, 'Halo' sounds a little more stripped down compared to 'Queen Of Time' and 'Under The Red Cloud'. However, don't get me wrong: when a certain song needs to sound big, then it sounds very big." He's right, of course: By stripping down some of the arrangements, the monumental moments become even more monumental.

That's of course also thanks to producing renaissance man Jens Bogren who harvested the thirteen final tracks from a batch of thirty songs AMORPHIS offered him. "Jens is very demanding, but I really like to work with him," says Holopainen. "He takes care of the whole project from start to finish, and he allows the musician to focus on just playing. I may not be able to thank Jens enough. Everything we've done together has been really great, and this co-operation has carried AMORPHIS significantly forward."

Indeed. Setting off with the stormy grandeur of opener "Northwards", AMORPHIS take us on an epic journey through the lands of the north, their rich cultural and historical heritage and musical traditions. This is not only an album for fans or metal connoisseurs. It's a must for every imaginative mind out there with a soft spot for cinematic soundscapes, triumphant melodies and breathtaking dynamics measuring the borderlands of light and dark.

However, no AMORPHIS album would be complete without the imaginative and poetic storytelling of renowned lyricist and "Kalevala" expert Pekka Kainulainen. "From day one, Pekka has always been an enthusiastic and prolific lyricist for AMORPHIS," says Joutsen. "It is a slow process of translating archaic Finnish poetry into English and adapting it our progressive rhythms. Fortunately, Pekka does everything on time and with great care." Since 2007's "Silent Waters", Kainulainen has been navigating the mythological waters of his homeland with great skill and respect. For "Halo", he outdid himself once again. "'Halo' is a loose-themed record filled with adventurous tales about the mythical North tens of thousands of years ago," he explains. "The lyrics tell of an ancient time when man wandered to these abandoned boreal frontiers after the ice age. While describing the revival of a seminal culture in a world of new opportunities, I also try to reach the sempiternal forces of the human mind."

Thirty-one years after their inception, with uncounted global tours under their belt and fourteen albums deep in their career, AMORPHIS still proves to be the musical fountain of youth, an extraordinary band constantly reinventing itself without abandoning its mystical roots. With "Halo", they deliver an astonishing album that deserves to be played everywhere, transcending the realms of metal and rock by its sheer profoundness and musicality.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Northwards

02. On The Dark Waters

03. The Moon

04. Windmane

05. A New Land

06. When The Gods Came

07. Seven Roads Come Together

08. War

09. Halo

10. The Wolf

11. My Name Is Night

AMORPHIS is:

Tomi Joutsen - vocals

Esa Holopainen - guitars

Tomi Koivusaari - guitars

Santeri Kallio - Keyboards

Olli-Pekka Laine - bass

Jan Rechberger - drums

SLIPKNOT will release a new single, "The Chapeltown Rag", on Friday, November 5. The track was produced by Joe Baressi, who has previously worked with AVENGED SEVENFOLD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and CHEVELLE, among many others.

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor described the song to Knotfest.com as "a punisher," saying it documents what happens when the distortions of mass media circulate within the echo chambers of social media.

"It's classic SLIPKNOT," said Corey. "And it's frenetic. But lyrically, it's coming from a point of talking about the various manipulations that can happen when social media meets media itself. And the different ways that these manipulations can try to pull us in different directions, in the fact that we're all becoming addicts to it, which is very, very dangerous."

According to Knotfest.com writer Dan Franklin, "The Chapeltown Rag" chorus sees Corey experimenting with vocal approaches he had never taken before.

"I wasn't even sure if that part was going to be the chorus, to be honest," Corey said. "But I just love the way that the chord progression lent itself this weird, chromatic, minor vibe to it, which I had never really done before. I played with it on 'Vermilion' years ago, but I had never really given it a little more aggression. The harmony that I created for it was just so fucking weird as well that it just gives it that slight dissonant vibe, but it's also very, very melodic and hummable. Writing and pulling yourself out of trying to keep it in some sort of structure allows you to just fucking rip the scab off and let the wound be what it is. Then obviously, the big breakdown at the end where it just fucking goes off the rails is is so heavy, dude."

SLIPKNOT's last album, "We Are Not Your Kind", was released in August 2019, and Taylor recently confirmed that new music would be arriving soon. Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" in late September, Taylor stated about the band's next LP: "It's pretty much done. I'd say it's probably about 80 percent done. We're finishing up some music [and] I've got a couple more songs to sing. However, I will say this: don't be surprised if in the next month or so you hear something new."

Taylor also offered a hint as to what the album's lead single might sound like, saying it has "a 'let's-bludgeon-everybody-and-remind-them-why-we're-still-SLIPKNOT' kind of vibe."

"We Are Not Your Kind" sold 118,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Furthermore, the album made an impact worldwide with No. 1 debuts in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Japan, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Finland, as well as Top 5 debuts in Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and New Zealand.

SLIPKNOT is currently headlining the "Knotfest Roadshow" tour, featuring support from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333 and CODE ORANGE. The 29-date run, produced by Live Nation, kicked off following the band's Knotfest Iowa hometown show in Des Moines on September 25, and will wrap up at Knotfest Los Angeles on November 5 at Banc Of California Stad

STATIC-X has released the official music video for the song "Terminator Oscillator". The track is taken from the band's latest album "Project Regeneration Vol. 1", which came out in July 2020.

"Terminator Oscillator" has become a fan favorite and the Godzilla-inspired music video was directed by Edsel Dope and co-directed by Matt Zane. The clip follows a giant X-faced monster wreaking havoc on an entire city, while chasing down the members of STATIC-X.

"We wanted to do something outside of what you would generally expect to see from a metal band music video," explains STATIC-X. "The video really captures the quirky, sci-fi spirit of STATIC-X and is unlike anything that we’ve ever seen from bands in our genre."

The first of two volumes, "Project Regeneration Vol. 1" features 12 brand new tracks, containing many of the final vocal performances and musical compositions of late STATIC-X frontman Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup of bassist Tony Campos, drummer Ken Jay, and guitarist Koichi Fukuda. Both volumes are being worked on by longtime STATIC-X producer Ulrich Wild.

In total, "Project Regeneration" volumes one and two will consist of more than 20 brand new or previously unreleased STATIC-X songs and will feature all of the remaining works left behind by Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" band lineup. The individual albums are expected to contain creative packaging elements that will allow fans to marry the two volumes together.

STATIC-X will bring more of its self-proclaimed "Evil Disco" to the masses with its "Rise Of The Machine" North American tour 2022. The 37-date run, produced by Live Nation, kicks off on February 21 in Portland, Oregon and runs over five weeks, wrapping up on April 3 in San Francisco, California.

The tour will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band's RIAA-gold-certified sophomore album "Machine" which is being re-released next year and will serve as a continuation of their memorial tribute to honor Wayne Static. Joining STATIC-X on the bill will be fellow industrial metal pioneers FEAR FACTORY and DOPE, along with special guests MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID (appearing on select dates).

The 20th-anniversary release of "Machine" — scheduled for February 18, 2022 — features newly remastered audio by Ulrich Wild and features all 12 tracks from the original release, as well as three new bonus tracks: "Wisconsin Death Trip (Live 2019 Regeneration featuring Wayne Static)", "Sweat Of The Bud (Live 2019 Xer0)" and "I'm With Stupid (Live 2019 Regeneration Featuring Wayne Static)".

Originally released in 2001, "Machine" would ultimately turn out to be the last album recorded by the four original members of STATIC-X. All of the lead vocals and guitars on "Machine" were performed by Static, while bass, backing vocals, drums, and programming contributions came from founding members Campos, Jay and Fukuda. The limited-edition release will have packaging featuring fully reimagined artwork and will be available in multiple configurations, including multiple color vinyl sequenced on two discs, with an etching of the STATIC-X Shock symbol on side D.

In 2019, STATIC-X wrapped up a world tour comprised of nearly 100 mostly sold-out dates in celebration of the 20th anniversary of its platinum-selling debut album "Wisconsin Death Trip". The shows also served as a traveling memorial for Wayne, who passed away seven years ago.

While the identity of STATIC-X's touring singer Xer0 has not been officially revealed, strong rumors suggest that DOPE frontman Edsel Dope is the one performing with Jay, Fukuda and Campos and appearing in all of STATIC-X's promotional videos.

Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old Static, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

SCORPIONS have unveiled the cover artwork for their 19th studio album, "Rock Believer", which will be issued on February 25, 2022 (postponed from the previously announced February 11). The LP's first single, "Peacemaker" will arrive tomorrow (Thursday, November 4), with the accompanying music video following a day later.

During the pandemic the band retreated to the studio in their German hometown in Hanover and started working on new songs.

"The album was written and recorded in the SCORPIONS DNA with core [Rudolf] Schenker/[Klaus] Meine compositions," said singer Klaus Meine. "We recorded the album as a band live in one room, like we did in the '80s."

"Rock Believer" was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

SCORPIONS' new album will mark their first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of new and classic material.

SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.

Meine previously told Talking Metal that the goal with using Fidelman to produce "Rock Believer" was to bring "the old vibe from albums like 'Blackout', 'Love At First Sting' or even 'Lovedrive'. We try to focus on those albums and this attitude," he said. "If we get there, who knows — it's so many years later. But it's the spirit and it's the whole vibe around this album. This time, the focus is on the harder songs."

According to Meine, SCORPIONS' new LP features "no outside writers at all," unlike 2015's "Return To Forever", which was largely co-written by the album's producers, Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen.

SCORPIONS will kick off their "Rock Believer" world tour in March 2022 in Las Vegas where the band will play nine shows as part of their residency at Planet Hollywood Hotel. Afterwards they will cross the Atlantic to Europe where they will play six concerts in France and six shows In Germany supported by Wolfgang Van Halen's new band MAMMOTH WVH.

SCORPIONS' last full-length collection of new recordings was the aforementioned "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.






This is a call for all ROCK BELIEVERS out there: We are excited to announce that our new album ROCK BELIEVER will be out 25th February 2022. The pre-order for the album starts tomorrow 4pm CET.

? More exciting news will drop tomorrow.

? stay tuned pic.twitter.com/u2EZgm2tPN

— Scorpions (@scorpions) November 3, 2021

In a new interview with Vikram Chandrasekar of Tales From The Road, URIAH HEEP guitarist Mick Box spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the legendary progressive rockers' 26th album. "We recently have just been in the studio with Jay Ruston, who did our last album, 'Living The Dream', as a producer, and we just recorded a new album," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And it's over in L.A. now being mixed. So a new album is on the horizon."

As for a possible release date for the new URIAH HEEP LP, Box said: "We're not sure yet, because it's all down to the record label, of course. It's in L.A. now being mixed, and then we've gotta find a title and get the artwork together; that'll take a few months. And then next year when we do start touring, we'll start touring [to celebrate] the 50th anniversary, which we couldn't do two years ago. It'll be 52 years, [but] we'll still call it the 50th anniversary. And we need to tour that. And then I think the record label, being business people, will decide where to insert that to get the maximum effect out of it. But the good thing is it's in the bag now, and we're very happy with it. So it's cool."

"Living The Dream" was released in September 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl. The LP was helmed by Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR and STEEL PANTHER, among others.

Box is the original guitarist and sole remaining founding member of URIAH HEEP. He, vocalist Bernie Shaw and keyboardist/vocalist Phil Lanzon have formed the nucleus of the band for more than 34 years and released 17 albums together.

URIAH HEEP debuted in 1970 with the release of one of hard rock's milestones, "Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble", and has since sold in excess of 40 million albums worldwide. They constantly tour the world, playing up to 125 shows a year to more than 500,000 fans. The band's live set features the classic tracks from the '70s and is a musical journey from the band's beginnings to the present day.

URIAH HEEP is:

Mick Box - Lead Guitar/Vocals

Phil Lanzon - Keyboards/Vocals

Bernie Shaw - Lead Vocals

Dave Rimmer - Bass Guitar/Vocals

Russell Gilbrook - Drums, Percussion

This past June, AC/DC's drummer for the "Rock Or Bust" tour, Chris Slade, was intervewed by France's United Rock Nations. The chat took place just several weeks before AC/DC members Brian Johnson, Phil Rudd, Angus Young and Stevie Young were all photographed outside Vancouver's Warehouse Studios.

Asked by United Rock Nations what the "mood" is like right now within the AC/DC camp, Slade responded (see video below): "It was very sad when Malcolm [Young, AC/DC rhythm guitarist] passed, of course — very, very sad. He was a genius — an absolute genius. And the combination of him and Angus was magic — it was a magic combination. And, of course, the same with Cliff [Williams, bass]. It's sad [he left], but I understand. He wants to go fishing [laughs] all the time. His son is a fisherman, so he wants to enjoy time with his children and maybe grandchildren — who knows? [Laughs] He's been there 40 years. But the thing is, you must remember there's been five years between every album and tour.

"The mood, it's absolutely fine," he continued. "The last time time I saw the guys was at the end of the 'Rock Or Bust' tour. Yeah, everybody was fine. Malcolm hadn't passed yet, and, of course, I'm sure it hit Angus very, very hard — as with all of us, actually. And just before him, brother George [Young] also died, so it was a very sad time. So I think the mood is probably appropriate for those things that have happened. And as people say, time is a great healer. So you never forget them."

Asked what the future holds for AC/DC, Slade said: "You'll have to wait and see. Along with everybody else — including myself."

Based on the recent photos that have surfaced online from Warehouse, the assumption is that AC/DC is in the midst of making — or at least planning — another album, with Rudd and Johnson both back in the lineup.

Ever since AC/DC completed the tour cycle for its 2014 album "Rock Or Bust" nearly two years ago — a turbulent trek that weathered the forced retirement and eventual death of co-founder Malcolm Young, plus the departures of Johnson, Rudd and Williams — fans have wondered whether sole remaining founding member Angus Young would keep the band going or decide it was time for AC/DC to pack it in.

Johnson was forced to leave AC/DC mid-tour due to a dangerous level of hearing loss, and was eventually replaced on the road by GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose, while Williams decided to retire at the end of the cycle.

Rudd's spot behind the kit for AC/DC's "Rock Or Bust" world tour was taken by Slade in 2015 after Rudd was arrested for drug possession and threatening to kill an employee.

Angus has not said publicly what he has planned for the future of AC/DC.


Slade followed Simon Wright in AC/DC's lineup, joining in time to play on 1990's "The Razor's Edge" album. When Rudd returned in 1995, Slade was shown the door and harbored some bad feelings about that for a while. Although he's 71, he still hits the drums as hard as ever.

Slade has been busy touring with his band THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE, which finds him performing selections across his five-decade career.

FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho joined STRYPER on stage during the "Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager At Sea: Triple Whammy" cruise at the end of October to sing a cover version of the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Breaking The Law". Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

Back in July 2020, STRYPER's Michael Sweet came to Jericho's defense after Sebastian Bach accused FOZZY's lead singer of using pre-recorded vocal tracks during live performances. At the time, Sweet wrote on his social media: "You know it's funny, @chrisjerichofozzy doesn't have anything to prove as a singer, a wrestler or a person. He's achieved success and made quite the name for himself. He's about as active as anyone I know and is also a great guy with a big heart. He's also my friend. @stryper had him up on stage to perform with us at @hobanaheim and I was honored to have him sing on one of my solo songs a few years back as well.

"My point? Chris is a very talented individual and a grounded human being. He doesn't need validation from anyone. He's made his mark and will continue to do so. He was at my wedding in 2010 and we had our own 'sing off' on the dance floor to the @bonjovi classic, 'Living On A Prayer' - Remember this Chris? Good times.

"Anyway, I just wanted to say that Chris is the man, and a good one at that. Love ya buddy".

In 2012, Jericho brought up STRYPER while discussing his faith in an interview with Beliefnet, which is described as "a large multi-faith e-community that aims to provide a free forum for religious information and inspiration, spiritual tools, and discussions and dialogue groups." He said: "I basically got into Christianity through Christian rock, which is another reason why music has always been important to me; it was through STRYPER. And Michael Sweet and I have become really, really good friends.

"When I was in high school, it was ambition and fate. And my ambition was to play bass guitar in a Christian metal band. And I vividly remember having a deam that I was in STRYPER. And here I am, whatever it was — 20, 25 years later — on stage singing with STRYPER. It blew my mind. It blew my freaking mind, man. I even said that on the microphone: '25 years ago, I had a dream that I would be playing in STRYPER, and now I am.'

"I have been a Christian for years and years and years," he added. "That's how I've been able to get this far — by always having God have my back. And I haven't always been the best of Christians, but at the end of the day, I know who the boss is. And he has granted me two wishes, to where if I died tomorrow, how many [other] people can say they've done this, and the answer is zero. How many people have been a world champion in the WWE and had a record that was No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers charts? I mean, there might be a novelty thing, but for a real band, I think I'm the only one; I think I am."

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have launched a unique web activation called Judas Priest's Guide To Heavy Metal. The graphic novel-inspired interactive web experience, allows you to explore six chapters of storytelling, guitar tutorials, video question-and-answer sessions and more that show you how to become the ultimate metal maniac. Headphones are recommended for the full experience.

According to PRIEST, Judas Priest's Guide To Heavy Metal "aims to put JUDAS PRIEST's story and, of course, their music in front of a new audience, who may already be fans of the genre, but want to explore and widen their discovery further, with the chance to delve into albums, playlists and gain a deeper understanding into the wider impact the band had across fashion, culture and more, because, after all, metal isn't just about the music, it's a way of life!"

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Singer Rob Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Founding guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Richie Faulkner.

PRIEST's current touring lineup consists of Hill, Halford, guitarists Andy Sneap and Faulkner, and drummer Scott Travis.

PRIEST and Rufus Publications recently published the first-ever official book documenting the band's extensive history over the last 50 years. Titled "Judas Priest - 50 Heavy Metal Years", the book has been put together by David Silver, Ross Halfin and Jayne Andrews. This huge, 648-page coffee table book chronicles the history of the world’s foremost heavy metal band using hundreds of previously unseen, unpublished photographs from rock's greatest photographers including Halfin, Neil Zlozower, Mark Weiss, Fin Costello, Oliver Halfin and many more. With a linking text by renowned journalist Mark Blake, the book explores the bands exciting history on stage and off in a unique photo documentary designed to excite fans and devotees of true heavy metal the world over. Current bandmembers have all contributed to the book, with written pieces detailing their love and passion for the band, making this an extraordinary artefact for their legions of followers. The book features an exclusive cover by Mark Wilkinson, who has worked with the band for many years

In a new interview with "The Classic Metal Show", ANTHRAX guitarist Jonathan Donais was asked how the music that band is working on for its upcoming album compares to the group's last two efforts, 2011's "Worship Music" and 2016's "For All Kings". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I haven't heard any music yet, so I couldn't tell you. But I know they recently got together — those guys recently got together — and were working on it. I'm anxious to hear it. I can't wait to hear it."

When "The Classic Metal Show" host Chris Akin asked Donais if he is actively involved in the songwriting process for ANTHRAX's next LP, the guitarist responded: "Nope. Nope. Nope. All bands work different, man. They have a way that's worked, and they've [had a] strong 40-year career. So, if it's not broken, don't mess with it."

Donais, who joined ANTHRAX in 2013 as the replacement for Rob Caggiano (now in VOLBEAT), contributed lead guitar to "For All Kings", which came out via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Megaforce in the U.S. At the time of the record's release, his ANTHRAX bandmates praised his playing, with bassist Frank Bello saying: "I think Jon has brought a great energy to the band. He stepped up and then some on this record." Guitarist Scott Ian added: "Jon's approach towards lead guitar playing, he's more of a guy who's looking to construct something that makes sense and helps a song rather than the 45 seconds for him to be showing off how many notes he can play in X amount of measures."

On the topic of the "For All Kings" recording process, Donais told Distorted Sound Magazine: "It was real easy. It was my first time working with Jay Ruston, the guy who produced it, and the way we did it was he would give me the demos of the songs and then I would start writing the leads and then send them to Charlie [Benante, drums]. Charlie would then tell me what direction the leads should go in, there were a few times where it would take a couple of attempts to get him happy."

He added: "I didn't know how they worked or necessarily know what they were looking for. So I just did what I did, and if Charlie wasn't happy, we just got on the phone and discussed the direction that he wanted to go in, and most of the stuff didn't take more than three demos to get right."

Hot on the heels of the first-ever commercial release earlier this year of a rare acoustic set from 2001, "Unplugged In Boston", metal giants MEGADETH have another treat in store for fans: a monster, fully electrified and electrifying concert extravaganza filmed in Argentina 2005 to a stadium full of 25,000 adoring fans. Due on November 26, "A Night In Buenos Aires" finds founder/vocalist Dave Mustaine leading his band of metal magicians — guitarist Glen Drover, drummer Shawn Drover, and bassist James MacDonough — through several of MEGADETH's best-loved tracks, including "Symphony Of Destruction", "Tornado Of Souls" and "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due", plus tracks from the then-brand-new album "The System Has Failed".

The concert is being released on all formats, including digital, on CD as a two-disc gatefold wallet, and in a deluxe three-LP vinyl set that comes in a variety of colors from 180-gram black to purple splatter to clear, red and blue, as well as a deluxe multi-media box set that includes a Blu-ray, a DVD and two CDs. Each release comes with a complete set of liner notes written by Mustaine reflecting on this historic and memorable live performance.

For a sneak preview of this killer live album, just check out the group’s phenomenal version of the longtime fan favorite "Holy Wars…The Punishment Due", which has been released today on all digital stores and on YouTube in a clip from the Blu-ray.

Track listing:

01. Blackmail The Universe

02. Set The World Afire

03. Wake Up Dead

04. In My Darkest Hour

05. She-Wolf

06. Reckoning Day

07. À Toute Le Monde

08. Hangar 18

09. Return To Hangar

10. I'll Be There

11. Tornado Of Souls

12. Trust

13. Something That I'm Not

14. Kick The Chair

15. Coming Home (To Argentina)

16. Symphony Of Destruction

17. Peace Sells

18. Holy Wars...The Punishment Due

19. Symphony Of Destruction (Alternate Version)

MEGADETH played its first show with bassist James LoMenzo in nearly 12 years on August 20 in Austin, Texas at the opening concert of "The Metal Tour Of The Year".

LoMenzo joined MEGADETH in 2006 and appeared on two of the group's studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame". He was fired from the band in 2010 and replaced with returning original MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.

In addition to MEGADETH, LoMenzo has played with Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde and WHITE LION. For the past eight years, LoMenzo has been performing with iconic rocker John Fogerty.

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine has yet to reveal who played bass on the band's new album after Ellefson's tracks were removed from the LP following his dismissal from the group in late May.

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

The last three shows of "The Metal Tour Of The Year" — in Toronto, Laval and Quebec City — were postponed to spring 2022 due to restrictions in the Quebec province and international logistical issues.

The official lyric video for "The River Is Rising", the opening track and first single from SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS' new album, titled "4", can be seen below. Due on February 11, 2022, via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG, "4" is Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).

Last month, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS released the official music video for "The River Is Rising", shot on location in downtown Los Angeles with Gibson TV director Todd Harapiak.

In a "Behind The Track" clip uploaded to Slash's official YouTube channel, he stated about "The River Is Rising": "'The River Is Rising' is the newest song that I wrote on the record. Right before we went into pre-production, I just made up this riff and it turned into 'The River Is Rising'. So it's the most recent-written song on the record.

"It's very spontaneous. I can't even remember how it all came together; it came together really quickly. But it rocks. And I thought it would be a good track for the opening of the record."

Slash previously said about the creation of "The River Is Rising": "There's two or three songs on the record that were written during the pandemic; everything else was written before. 'The River is Rising' was one of the last songs I wrote before we started pre-production, and because it was so fresh and has a certain groove and energy to it, it was the first thing we really attacked. It's the newest song on the record, and as for the double-time part, that was something that I came up with and tagged onto the end of the arrangement. Then when we were over at RCA, Dave Cobb suggested we do it right after the breakdown. So, we went straight into the fast part, and I just started doing the guitar solo over it. It was one of those things where we were jamming around, trying to fish out the arrangement, and it just happened." While Myles Kennedy adds, "The lyric ultimately explores how humans can be brainwashed or indoctrinated by some sort of dangerous idea. Once we shot the demo back and forth a few times, I personally felt confident that we had the album opener. To me, it's an important track."

For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile), revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.

The band's previous albums over the last decade — "Apocalyptic Love", "World On Fire" and "Living The Dream" — have continued on an upward trajectory, all achieving Top 5 Billboard charting debuts in the U.S. and reaching the Top 10 on 12 major charts across the globe. To date, the three SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS albums have now garnered 10 consecutive Top 5 Radio singles, spawned sold-out world tours, and have earned Slash and the band the best critical acclaim of their career with their latest album "Living The Dream" (2018) singled out by the Los Angeles Times, Classic Rock, Guitar World, Loudwire, LA Weekly, and more, as their best songs to date.

The new album "4" has the added history-making distinction of being the first-ever album to be released on the new Gibson Records label, which is headquartered in the iconic American instrument brand Gibson's hometown of Music City, Nashville. In light of the 30-year partnership between Gibson and the Grammy Award-winning Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Slash, it makes sense the new SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS' album "4" will be released via Gibson Records.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS will kick off a North American headlining tour on February 8, in Portland, Oregon and hit 28 major cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, Dallas, Austin, Houston, and more, before wrapping up March 26 in Orlando, Florida.

ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5 has released a cinematic music video for his solo song "Land Of The Misfit Toys". The clip is set in 1980 and tells the tale of a young John Lowery who stumbles into a haunted house and becomes possessed by an entity. This entity gradually turns him into the guitar-shredding face-painted icon we all now know as John 5.

"Land Of The Misfit Toys" is taken from John 5's brand new solo album, "Sinner", which was released on Friday, October 29 via Big Machine Records and is available everywhere now.

Speaking on the new track and accompanying video, John 5 shares: "'Land of The Misfit Toys' is my favorite track on the record. It's a real epic and the longest track on the new album.

"I was watching a documentary on David Foster and how he would produce, arrange and build songs which really influenced me on the arrangement and production of this track.

"The camera that was used to film the video for 'Land Of The Misfit Toys' was the same camera that was used to film the new 'Matrix' movie that is coming out in December, which is pretty cool.

"The video tells the story of the 10-year-old John Lowery (played by my producer's son), who stumbles into this haunted house and becomes possessed by an entity that causes him to start playing guitar and wearing the makeup. At the end of the video, he fully becomes John 5.

"Everybody knows that I'm a big fan of horror so this was a really fun video to make alongside director Chantal Savage."

Commenting on "Sinner" and the incredible reaction to it, John 5 continues: "I'm so excited that the record is finally out. We had such a great time making it.

"I didn't want to punch in with this record so each track is a full-performance. So if I started from the beginning and messed up, I would start again at the beginning until I got a great take all the way through. With a lot of time on my hands due to lockdown, I was able to really practice and focus on making the record the very best it could be.

"I'm so happy that the fans really love the album because I do this for the love of the guitar and the love of music and without the fans, it wouldn't be anything. So thank you again to the fans. I will see you all on the road soon."

The first single from "Sinner", the epic "Qué Pasa", revolves around a distinctive vocal refrain. Originally built with a sample, John opted to have it reworked by Grammy-winning MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine.

"Sinner" was produced and mixed by Barry Pointer at Riott House Studio in North Hollywood. Drums were engineered by ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke at Redrum Recording in Los Angeles. The LP also features a guest appearance by original KISS drummer Peter Criss on a cover of "Georgia On My Mind", a 1930s classic by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell that's become famous thanks to Ray Charles decades later.

John 5 has worked with a varied range of artists, performing as guitarist for some of the biggest headlining rock bands in the world such as ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON, as well as playing session with Paul Stanley, Rod Stewart, LYNYRD SKYNYRD and more. Slash has called John 5 "one of the most mind-blowing guitarists around," and Rob Zombie has dubbed him "a fucking shredder." John 5 has released nine solo albums to date, as well as a remix album, and has written music for the likes of Avril Lavigne, GARBAGE, Ricky Martin and others.

Former MACHINE HEAD and current VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel will fill in for Dave Linsk at OVERKILL's November 13 concert at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey. The gig will mark OVERKILL's first pandemic-era performance — "609 f!!kin' days" after they were supposed to play the same venue before the coronavirus crisis forced everything to shut down.

OVERKILL singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth comments: "We had a few issues getting this rescheduled show together. But to hell with the issues, we all have problems. And wouldn't you know it, our bro and yours Phil Demmel to the rescue. The show must and will go on. See you at the Welmomt Jersey..."

Demmel states: "So excited to jam with my bros in OVERKILL in New Jersey. I'm neck-deep in learning the parts and expect a raging show."

OVERKILL drummer Jason Bittner says: "Even though I am disappointed that our very own Dave Linsk can not participate in this show, I am more than psyched and confident that my longtime friend Phil Demmel will get the job done for us. We have a long history together playing a bunch of NAMM events and have toured together in the past, so this should be a lot of fun."

Ellsworth and Demmel are bandmates in BPMD which released its debut album, "American Made", in June 2020 via Napalm Records. Also featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, SONS OF APOLLO) and bassist Mark Menghi (METAL ALLEGIANCE), the LP was previously described as a "10-track homage to some of rock music's greatest treasures."

OVERKILL has spent the last few months recording its new studio album for a tentative early 2022 release.

In November 2020, OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni told MetalAsylum.net that the band's new LP would be mixed by Colin Richardson. "He did a couple of records for us, and he's great," Verni said.

Richardson previously worked with OVERKILL on 1997's "From The Underground And Below", 2000's "Bloodletting" and 2003's "Killbox 13".

Puck Hcky, the hockey-based fashion brand, has released a new collection of gear with MOTÖRHEAD.

Matt Marini, CEO of Puck Hcky, says: "Crank it up to 11, everybody! We here at Puck Hcky cannot be more proud to release this amazing collaboration with rock and roll legends MOTÖRHEAD. The impact MOTÖRHEAD has had, and continues to have, in the music world is astounding due to how powerful, genre-bending, and lasting the songs they created are. Not only are the songs they created unforgettable, the band imagery is also instantly recognizable. We love this collaboration, and are truly honored to have the chance to add our Puck Hcky twist to the collection, making it a unique find for MOTÖRHEAD fans all over the world! Wear it LOUD everyone!

The Motörhead x Puck Hcky collection features pro-quality crested jerseys, hoodies, flannels, joggers, shorts, hats, raglans and tees.

The entire collection is available at www.puckhcky.com.

Based in Royal Oak, Michigan, about 10 minutes north of Detroit, Puck Hcky started in 2015 when Marini decided that the hockey world needed a "cool" fashion brand and his partner, Puck Hcky president Amy Steffek, pushed to "go for it." "So we jumped in, and Puck Hcky was born," Marini told California Rubber. "We are having an absolute blast with the brand and growing day by day. We have an amazing crew here, too. Everyone is totally focused on making Puck Hcky the go-to hockey-fashion brand for the masses."

Regarding Puck Hcky's artist collaborations, Marini said: "What makes all of the collaborations special is that we truly get each partner to participate in the creation of the designs, which brings a certain level of authenticity to the end-products. We refuse to put any product out for sale until they are 100 percent approved by each partner we work with. It's awesome."

MÖTLEY CRÜE and SIXX:A.M. founder Nikki Sixx is now a four-time New York Times best-selling author with his new book, "The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx" entering the coveted list at No. 8 on the Hardcover chart and No. 11 on the Combined Print And Ebook List. "The First 21" joins Sixx's other three bestsellers, "The Heroin Diaries", "This Is Gonna Hurt" and the MÖTLEY CRÜE biography "The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band". In addition, "The First 21" quickly rose to Amazon's bestsellers list since its release on October 19, occupying the top spot on Amazon's rock music books chart and in the Top 40 overall biographies and memoirs chart. "The First 21" is also No. 22 on USA Today's best-selling books top 150 list, as well as No. 9 on Canada's The Globe And Mail bestsellers list.

"I am such a fan of books and storytelling," Nikki said. "The whole process is extremely creative from the beginning to the end, which allowed me to open up candidly in the memoir about addiction, sobriety and reflect about the formative years of my life, while unpacking the complicated childhood that had some twists and turns along the way. I am really happy 'The First 21' connected with people in such a deep way.”

In "The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx", Sixx tells his origin story: how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx, chronicling his fascinating journey from irrepressible Idaho farm boy to the man who formed the revolutionary rock group MÖTLEY CRÜE.

Nikki is one of the most respected, recognizable, and entrepreneurial icons in the music industry. As the founder of MÖTLEY CRÜE who is now in his twenty-first year of sobriety, Sixx is incredibly passionate about his craft and wonderfully open about his life in rock and roll, and as a person of the world. Born Franklin Carlton Feranna on December 11, 1958, young Frankie was abandoned by his father and partly raised by his mother, a woman who was ahead of her time but deeply troubled. Frankie ended up living with his grandparents, bouncing from farm to farm and state to state. He was an all-American kid — hunting, fishing, chasing girls, and playing football — but underneath it all, there was a burning desire for more, and that more was music. He eventually took a Greyhound bound for Hollywood.

In Los Angeles, Frank lived with his aunt and his uncle — the president of Capitol Records — for a short time. But there was no easy path to the top. He was soon on his own. There were dead-end jobs: dipping circuit boards, clerking at liquor and record stores, selling used light bulbs, and hustling to survive. But at night, Frank honed his craft, joining SISTER, a band formed by fellow hard rock veteran Blackie Lawless, and formed a group of his own: LONDON, the precursor to MÖTLEY CRÜE. Turning down an offer to join Randy Rhoads's band, Frank changed his name to Nikki London, Nikki Nine, and, finally, Nikki Sixx. Like Huck Finn with a stolen guitar, he had a vision: a group that combined punk, glam, and hard rock into the biggest, most theatrical, and irresistible package the world had ever seen. With hard work, passion, and some luck, the vision manifested in reality — and this is a profound true story of finding identity, of how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx. It's also a road map to the ways you can overcome anything, and achieve all your goals, if only you put your mind to it.

"You've heard the tales of excess and debauchery. All the peaks and the valleys that came with rock and roll stardom and my life in one of the world's biggest bands. This is the story that you haven't heard. The one that led up to those stories," said Sixx. "It's the intimate, personal story of how an innocent Idaho farm boy with a burning dream and desire — for music, for love, and for fame — became the notorious Nikki Sixx. I believe our first twenty-one years have a lot to do with shaping who we become. These are my first twenty-one, and it's my hope that they thrill and inspire you to invest in your own, biggest dreams."

Sweden's Black Lion Records has checked in with the following update:


"We are super happy to announce the signing of German death metal group,  Credic.


Credic is a five-piece melodic death metal juggernaut from Stuttgart that sounds like the early Gothenburg scene taking a stroll through the sonic netherworld of Stranger Things. The band was brought to our attention from our promotional department All- Noir and we instantly felt that this was something very fitting both musical style wise but also storywise. So it's with great pride we welcome them into Black Lion Records.




Credic's sound is perhaps best linked to bands such as Amorphis and Dark Tranquillity, but the band takes things much deeper path. You might wanna call it arcade death metal or not: This is a first, not only in the cosmos of melodic death metal. 


We cannot imagine a better place to unleash this beast and put all our trust in the hands of the mighty Black Lion Records."


Credic has issued the following statement:


"We’re more than stoked to reveal that a new era in our career begins. Inspired by the sounds from Gothenburg in our early days we come full circle back to Sweden where we found the home for our upcoming album."


For information on Credic go to this location.








Photo by Thomas Kettner Photographer

Ross Jennings, vocalist and co-songwriter for internationally renowned progressive metallers, Haken, will release his debut solo album. A Shadow Of My Future Self on November 19th via Graphite Records. He has released an official video for the new single, "Catcher In The Rye". Check it out below.





In contrast to his prog metal day job, Ross has a major soft spot for American AOR, mainstream 90’s arena rock and indie pop. All of which have influenced the direction of A Shadow Of My Future Self.




Of the song, Ross says "'Catcher In The Rye' is probably my favourite piece on the album for a number of reasons. It came to me as I was making final decisions on which songs to put on the album and which order etc… and as if something tapped me on the shoulder as if to say "you’re album isn’t done” another song just came to me. It’s an all too familiar tale of the songs that take 15 minutes to write… this was one of those! 
 
Musically 'Catcher In the Rye' is somewhat of a cross between ‘Everybody’s Talkin’ by Harry Nilsson and Elbow’s ‘Sad Captains’, most evident in the inclusion of a brass solo performed by Norwegians ‘Blasemafian'. Vikram Shankar performed my piano ideas deliciously, adding some Bruce Springsteen-esque influence to the choruses too. I’m more than proud to wear those influences on my sleeve here.
 
The lyrics aren’t based on the famous novel J.D Salinger, but the song does share its title because it was the last book a late friend of mine lent to me before sadly passing away. The lyrics are about how much I miss him, touching on some memories we had and the ones we never made. I deeply feel like this song was his gift to me from the great beyond which is why it’s such a special one for me.
 
After several unfortunate cancellations and schedule clashes with various film-makers, in the end I was forced to get creative and shoot the video myself. Despite not being the initial vision for the video, this ended up being a far more fitting visual companion than what I had in my head. I fortunately have some film-making experience but most importantly I had the last minute help of Kyros’ Shelby Logan Warne to edit my footage, and she absolutely amazingly brought it all to life. Amidst the stress of deadlines, sometimes you just have to have faith and trust that things will work out for the best."


A Shadow Of My Future Self finds Ross on a musical journey fans have not heard him explore professionally before, writing very personal songs in what can only be described as a love letter to Ross’s extensive record collection and eclectic musical upbringing that were the foundation to his musical inspiration. This album in question starts on the fringe of a country road, navigates indie pop, anthemic rock, power ballads, and culminates in some epic prog.


Ross has the following to say about the project: “Despite my history, I rarely regard myself as a metal singer, so I was in desperate need to scratch a long time itch and make a record that appeals to the broader spectrum of my musical palette. With A Shadow Of My Future Self, I unashamedly wear my influences on my sleeve but this is the kind of music I always imagined I’d be making before I took the path less traveled into prog metal… Needless to say, this is somewhat more accessible and radio-friendly stuff!”


 

SLIPKNOT has launched a mysterious new web site containing what appear to be snippets of new music.

The official web site of the band's Knotfest festival is hosting a banner that reads "Read All About It If You Want To Know…" which takes you to the thechapeltownrag.com page, apparently an online marketplace for SLIPKNOT NFTs. Once there, you can either "play" or "redeem" three — out of a total of nine — spinning graphics, each containing a non-fungible token sample of previously unreleased music that is very reminiscent of SLIPKNOT.

SLIPKNOT's last album, "We Are Not Your Kind", was released in August 2019, and singer Corey Taylor recently confirmed that new music would be arriving soon. Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" in late September, Taylor stated about the band's next LP: "It's pretty much done. I'd say it's probably about 80 percent done. We're finishing up some music [and] I've got a couple more songs to sing. However, I will say this: don't be surprised if in the next month or so you hear something new."

Taylor also offered a hint as to what the album's lead single might sound like, saying it has "a 'let's-bludgeon-everybody-and-remind-them-why-we're-still-SLIPKNOT' kind of vibe."

"We Are Not Your Kind" sold 118,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Furthermore, the album made an impact worldwide with No. 1 debuts in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Japan, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Finland, as well as Top 5 debuts in Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and New Zealand.

SLIPKNOT is currently headlining the "Knotfest Roadshow" tour, featuring support from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333 and CODE ORANGE. The 29-date run, produced by Live Nation, kicked off following the band's Knotfest Iowa hometown show in Des Moines on September 25, and will wrap up at Knotfest Los Angeles on November 5 at Banc Of California Stad

On October 30, pole dancer, actress and model Diana Lynn Band Candy conducted an interview with former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson at the Chiller Theatre convention at the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany, New Jersey. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked what the first concert was that he ever went to, Ellefson said: "KISS. I think it was February 6th or 7th, 1977 at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, which is in Minneapolis, on the 'Rock And Roll Over' tour. URIAH HEEP opened. I was 13, and I remember the tickets were five dollars and six dollars. Big bucks, right? I think I got the five-dollar [tickets]. I bought 'em well in advance. My mom and a friend of hers took me, my good friend Greg — we were grade school KISS fans — and my brother and one of his friends. My brother wasn't really a fan — he liked Elton John and the BAY CITY ROLLERS."

Ellefson, who was promoting his found-footage horror film "Dwellers" at the Chiller Theatre convention, joined THE DEAD ELVI, the Chiller house band which performs original music and serves as the backup group for musical guests on Saturday nights, to play a cover version of the Alice Cooper classic "I'm Eighteen". It marked the 56-year-old bassist's first live performance since being fired from MEGADETH

Ellefson was dismissed from MEGADETH six months ago, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. At the time, Ellefson released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, when the claim "David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile" appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was fired.

Two days after MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine announced Ellefson's latest departure from the band, the bassist released a follow-up statement in which he vowed to file a "defamation lawsuit" against the person who "illegally posted a very private video" of the bassist and made "false allegations" against him. He also said he was working with the police in Scottsdale "in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted the video. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Ellefson wrote. He went on to say that he was "taking this time to be with my family" and wished his "bandmates" the best with their tour.

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

LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe joined French progressive metallers GOJIRA on stage last night (Monday, November 1) at Knotfest Iowa at at The National in Richmond, Virginia to perform the song "Adoration For None" live for the first time. Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below (courtesy of David Fritzson).

Blythe, who had previously played the track "Backbone" with GOJIRA in late September at Knotfest Iowa, co-wrote and appeared on "Adoration For None" on GOJIRA's 2008 album "The Way Of All Flesh".

Earlier this year, Blythe praised GOJIRA's seventh studio LP, "Fortitude", to Metal Hammer magazine, saying that is "succeeds in achieving what very few metal albums do: without sacrificing a single ounce of earth-shattering heaviness." He added that GOJIRA has once again "raised the bar that defines this genre."

Blythe had previously said that he had "publicly supported [GOJIRA] from the second I first heard them."

"Fortitude" entered Billboard's Top Albums chart at No. 1, while also claiming the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Current Albums, Current Rock Albums and Current Hard Music Albums tallies. The release also marked a career high debut on the Billboard 200 for GOJIRA, arriving at No. 12, with several career-high chart positions and Top 10 debuts in countries around the globe including: France (No. 2), United Kingdom (No. 6), Australia (No. 3), Germany (No. 8), Belgium (No. 2), Netherlands (No. 4), Denmark (No. 3), Portugal (No. 4), Finland (No. 2) and Norway (No. 10).

Devin Townsend performed as the Friday headliner (August 13th) at the 2021 edition of Bloodstock Open Air at Catton Park in Derbyshire, UK. Check out pro-shot video of Strapping Young Lad's "Almost Again" from the show below.





Townsend recently announced that he has been invited by Dream Theater to join them on their upcoming European Top Of The World Tour as their very special guest.




Townsend comments: "Hey all, Devin here. As absurd as it may sound in this day and age, I am (cautiously) pleased to announce a tour with Dream Theater. Over the past few years, I've found myself in the company of those cats, and I think they're good people and of course, a monster band. I look forward to playing things from the multiple new releases coming up, as well as from my entire catalog. It's a tour that will be sure to yield great musical moments, and confusion for all. Thanks for the opportunity, DT. See you soon with DT featuring DT.


Also, I know so many of you have been understanding and patient as we reschedule the headline shows from more than a year ago. It has been chaos on every level, but its beginning to see the dawn as dates as being proposed. Please hang on just a little longer and we'll have information for you soon.


This does mean that most of the European Lightwork headline shows will now be rescheduled to a later date. Tickets already purchased will remain vaild. Please check with your ticketing vendor for their refund policy.


Headline shows in Dublin, Glasgow and London are unaffected. More info and ticket links can be found here."

The Upper Austrian hard rockers Sergeant Steel are back in the studio of their guitarist Jack Power, who oversees the recordings artistically and technically. The band is currently working on the recording of ten new songs. Completion is planned for mid-2022.


After regular producer Michael Wagener (including Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row) said goodbye to his well-deserved retirement, an era also ended for Sergeant Steel. The German American was responsible for the mix of three studio albums by the sextet between 2011 and 2020. For the next release, Jack Power will also take care of mixing the songs.


The "Backseat Lover" home video provides a look back at the almost 10-year collaboration between Sergeant Steel and Wagener. In addition to glimpses behind the scenes, the actual song is followed by a humorous, very final interview with the maestro.

Clive Nolan & Oliver Wakeman’s Dark Fables will be released on November 5, 2021. This standalone release was originally the third CD from Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman’s Tales By Gaslight box set released earlier this year.


Dark Fables contains over 30 minutes of music conceived for the abandoned Frankenstein album which would have joined the duo’s Jabberwocky and Hound Of The Baskervilles collaborations. As with the previous albums, Dark Fables features the duo’s virtuosic keyboard playing with sublime performances from Gordon Giltrap, Paul Manzi (The Sweet, Arena, Oliver Wakeman Band). Andy Sears (Twelfth Night), Karl Groom (Threshold), David Mark Pearce (Oliver Wakeman Band, Munroe's Thunder) and Charlotte Dickerson.


The set also includes unused pieces from their The Hound Of The Baskervilles album; “The Man Called Sherlock”, which was the original version of the “Overture”, and “221B”, inspired by Sherlock Holmes’ famous address in Baker Street. In addition, the release also features Rick Wakeman narrating the “Jabberwocky Poem” in full, a perfect way to round off the twists and turns of another Nolan/Wakeman project.




Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena) and Oliver Wakeman (YES, Strawbs) first combined their considerable keyboard and compositional talents to create the two aforementioned rock opera/concept albums in 1999 and 2002. Peter Pracownik was the creative behind the original The Hound Of The Baskervilles artwork 20 years ago and has employed his talents again for the sleeve of Dark Fables.


Purchase the CD at cherryred.co.uk.





Tracklisting:


“The Overture”
“I’d Give You Anything”
“The Mirror”
“Elizabeth”
“Why Do You Hate Me?”
“The Wedding Approaches”
“Time Passe”
“A Descent Into Madness”
“221B”
“The Man Called Sherlock”
“The Baker Street Irregulars”
“The Jabberwocky”


“Why Do You Hate Me?”:

Frontiers Music Srl signed Kandia, an alternative metal band from Portugal, to a multi-album deal in late 2020. The band have released their new single, "Fight Or Flight". Watch a video for the song below:





"Fight Or Flight" is the new single from Kandia's upcoming studio album, Quaternary, out in January via Frontiers. Pre-order here.







Tracklisting:


"Anthropocene"
"Obliterate"
"The Flood"
"Fight Or Flight"
"Until The End"
"Turn Of The Tide"
"Pbp"
"Deathwish"
"Murderers" Feat Jorgen Munkeby
"A New Dawn"
"Holocene"


"The Flood" lyric video:

Earache Records recently announced their first release from The Temperance Movement in over three years. Put together with the help of guitarist and founding member Paul Sayer, Covers & Rarities (out November 26) is a treasured collection of rare and unheard gems, some of which have never been available before on CD or vinyl. Listen to the band's take on the Blur song, "Tender", below.


Alongside The Temperance Movement's enchanting songwriting, from waltzing rock lullabies to sunbursting rock 'n' roll anthems, Covers & Rarities features an irresistible rendition of Deep Purple's "You Fool No One", featuring Deep Purple's very own drum virtuoso Ian Paice. Watch the video below.


This compilation journeys through various special tributes to some of Britain's all-time favourite bands and artists, including Led Zeppelin and David Bowie, all performed with the vibrant, hip-charming energy that The Temperance Movement are known and loved for.




Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"You Fool No One" (feat. Ian Paice) (Deep Purple cover)
"Up In The Sky" (Oasis cover)
"Tender" (Blur cover)
"Houses Of The Holy" (Led Zeppelin cover)
"Ziggy Stardust" (Live) (David Bowie cover)
"Already Know"
"Mother's Eyes"
"Turn"
"Centrefold"
"Do The Revelation"
"Time Won't Leave"


"Tender":





"Up In The Sky":





"You Fool No One" video:

Berlin-based progressive metal act, The Ocean, have released "Jurassic / Cretaceous", the second video from their upcoming live album, Phanerozoic Live, set for release on November 26. Watch below.


The live album is a showcase of two live events performed by The Ocean - Live In Bremen (Part I) and Live At Roadburn Redux (Part II), and will be released by Metal Blade Records digitally worldwide. Fans eager for physical copies can pre-order the album in various formats at Pelagic Records, here.







Tracklisting:


Phanerozoic Part I - Live in Bremen:
"The Cambrian Explosion"
"Cambrian II"
"Ordovicium"
"Silurian"
"Devonian"
"The Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse"
"Permian"


Phanerozoic Part II - Live At Roadburn Redux:
"Triassic"
"Jurassic | Cretaceous"
"Palaeocene"
"Eocene"
"Oligocene"
"Miocene | Pliocene"
"Pleistocene"
"Holocene"


"Jurassic | Cretaceous" video:





"Devonian" video:





In early 2021 with no end of lockdowns in sight, The Ocean decided to thank their fans for the support with two streaming concerts, performing both Phanerozoic albums in their entirety: Phanerozoic I was streamed live from Pier 2, a big hall in the port of Bremen, Germany on March 25, 2021. With more than 1,500 tickets sold, it was the most successful show of the popular "Club 100" streaming events series thus far.


The day after this event, the band rehearsed and recorded Phanerozoic II in its entirety. This performance aired on April 16th as part of the digital edition of Roadburn Festival (this year aptly named Roadburn Redux). Both shows couldn't have been more different: where the first part boasts with a pompous, mesmerizing lighting production on a big stage, the second part is quite the opposite: intimate, almost cozy, focused on musicianship rather than performance. "We wanted to give people two totally different experiences", says band leader Robin Staps. "In Bremen, we had the chance to record a proper live show, the way people know us. We played facing towards the front of the stage, to an invisible crowd, essentially to a huge empty room… but we knew people were watching, even if we didn't see them. There was the same rush of adrenaline right before going on stage as you get before going on any stage, maybe with a little extra anxiety added, because knowing that so many people are watching you without being able to see them yourself was super weird."


The fans response to these special events was another testimony to how much The Ocean connect with their crowd at home in this very intense way was an experience that was "oddly beautiful and frustrating in equal measure," according to Staps. Now as restrictions begin to lift worldwide, The Ocean are more than ready to show fans in-person the power of Phanerozoic Live, with select shows starting this December.

Touch was the first band to play at the inaugural Monsters Of Rock Festival at Castle Donington in 1980, along with Rainbow, Scorpions, Judas Priest and Saxon. A live version of their hit, "Don't You Know What Love Is", appeared on the compilation LP Monsters Of Rock, documenting the performances at the festival.


Touch's first album was released on Atco Records and their first singles, "Don't You Know What Love Is" and "When The Spirit Moves You", charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Their follow-up album was recorded in 1982 and produced by Todd Rundgren, The record never came out and Touch disbanded thereafter.


The original band recently reformed after almost 40 years to create the new album, Tomorrow Never Comes, out now. Today, the band releases a music video for the song, "Trippin' Over Shadows".  Check it out below, and get the new album here.







Tomorrow Never Comes tracklisting:


"Tomorrow Never Comes"
"Let It Come"
"Swan Song"
"Try To Let Go"
"Fire and Ice"
"Trippin' Over Shadows"
"Frozen Ground"
"Lil Bit of Rock N Roll"
"Glass"
"Scream at the Sky"
"Wanna Hear You Say"
"Run For Your Life"


"Trippin' Over Shadows" video:





“Let It Come” lyric video:





"Tomorrow Never Comes" video:

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 Unleash The Archers singer, Brittney Slayes, sings all lead and backing vocals on the track, "Fate Of Man". Check out the video below to hear part of the track and her video message.


Says Arjen: "For me, Brittney is one of the best power singers in the world right now and she’s such a great person as well. A true discovery for me."







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:

Little Caesar are best remembered for their version of the soul music song, "Chain Of Fools", a 1989 hit single from their self-titled debut album on DGC Records, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. John Kalodner did A&R work for the group, and Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe, etc.) produced their debut self-titled album, which was released to positive reviews. On the strength of the singles "Chain Of Fools" (a cover of the Aretha Franklin song) and "In Your Arms", Little Caesar hit #139 on the US Billboard 200 in 1990.


The band reformed for some live shows in 2001, and released a new album, Redemption in 2009. Now the band is set to reissue Redemption,  remastered and repackaged for this limited “Deluxe Edition”, which features four live Redemption tracks including the stand out track “Supersonic”, plus “Every Picture Tells A Story”, “Sick And Tired”, and “Real Rock Drive”.


Lead Singer Ron Young had this to say, “We are really excited to rerelease this album along with some corresponding live tracks. Having the listener get to hear 2 different moments in time, the different energies and emotions while performing the songs was a very interesting concept for us to get to do on this album."




This is the first of a series of reissues coming through the bands new imprint label Dirty Deeds Records/Deko Entertainment. Next up will be 2012’s American Dream, set for release in early 2022.


The band’s manager Jeff Keller states, “Partnering with Deko was a great situation. We are excited to re-issue re-mastered deluxe versions of these fantastic albums complete with new artwork and bonus tracks”.


Deko Entertainment president Bruce Pucciarello continues, “This is tight perfect formula rock, Little Caesar style. You lean back to listen and when it’s done, you wonder how you ended up leaning off of the front of your chair. Jeff Keller is the ultimate manager and matchmaker so thanks for this one Jeff.”


There are limited edition bundles (while supplies last) for Redemption, which can be ordered here.


Product Includes:


- (1) CD Album of Little Caesar's - Redemption (Deluxe Edition) - Autographed
- (1) Little Caesar T-Shirt
- (1) Little Caesar Sticker





Tracklisting:


"Same Old Story"
"Supersonic"
"Loving You Is Killing Me"
"Redemption"
"Sick And Tired"
"Real Rock Drive"
"Every Picture Tells A Story - Happy"
"Woodstock"
"Just Like A Woman"
"Supersonic" (Live)
"Every Picture Tells a Story" (Live)
"Sick And Tired" (Live)
"Real Rock Drive" (Live)