The year of the corona-pandemic, when the music world was forced into a standstill, five old friends put in motion an old idea that had been lingering - and what eventually was to become a new band and powerhouse: The Halo Effect, who recently inked a contract with Nuclear Blast.


The members of The Halo Effect are not only masters of their domain, but also pioneers of the Gothenburg melodeath scene, who, at some point, have all been members of fellow Gothenburg icons In Flames: Lead guitarists Niclas Engelin (Engel) and Jesper Strömblad (Cyhra), lead singer and lyricist Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), the foundation of power, bassist Peter Iwers, and his partner in crime since twenty plus years, hard-hitting drummer Daniel Svensson.


"Having grown up alongside Nuclear Blast in the early days of extreme metal, it just makes perfect sense for The Halo Effect to partner with this prestigous label. Our music holds true to our roots and what made us who we are today while trusting our shared experiences to move forward. Joining our old and new friends at Nuclear Blast Records is an honour and a privilege and we look forward to to releasing this labour of love for metal together!", states the band.




Jens Prueter, Head of A&R Nuclear Blast Europe adds: “In 2009 I was going to Gothenburg to produce the Where Death Is Most Alive documentary for a Dark Tranquillity DVD. Getting deeper into the Gothenburg scene, going through hours of archive footage and listening to all the interviews, I though it was a jungle of incest. In the early 90s a bunch of guys moved between In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Ceremonial Oath, HammerFall and many more. We shouldn’t forget that most of the protagonists were still teenagers when they released their first 'Desecrator' or 'Septic Broiler' demo tapes. What looked like incest was just a group of friends who shared a deep passion for metal. You could call it an all-star band but it’s basically just an all-family band. Listening to The Halo Effect is like going to a New Year’s dinner enjoying the best food and drinks of the year. And it’s a pleasure to be invited and share the joy with the rest of the world. Cheers!”


The initial thought behind The Halo Effect was to go back to the roots and explore the classic Gothenburg Sound. The band delivers the goods in a brutally efficient display of heart pounding beats, melodic mayhem and furious growling at its best and the result is an exceptional sound to fans of melodeath, where the echoes of the Gothenburg Sound are evident.





The first single, 'Shadowminds' will be unveiled on November 9. Pre-save here.





To celebrate the signing, the band also announce their first ever tour, accompanying the Swedish death metal giants Amon Amarth and US thrashers Machine Head on 31 dates throughout Europe and the UK.


The band comments: "We could not be more excited to partner with Cobra Agency for our first tour of Europe together with metal giants Amon Amarth and Machine Head. Working together with people who are passionate about the road, the crews, the bands and the fans means a lot to us and doing this together is something we very much look forward to. See you in Sept/Oct!"





Tour dates:


September
8 - Nottingham, England - Motorpoint Arena
9 - Cardiff - Motorpoint Arena
10 - London, England - The SSE Arena, Wembley
12 - Manchester, England - Ao Arena
13 - Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena
16 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
17 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
18 - Krakow, Poland - Tauron Arena
20 - Tallinn, Slovenia - Saku Arena
21 - Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall
23 - Oslo, Norway - Spektrum
24 - Stockholm, Sweden - Hovet
26 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Forum Black Box
27 - Hamburg, Germany - Barclays Arena
28 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle
30 - Oberhausen, Germany - König Pilsener Arena


October
1 - Berlin, Germany - Velodrome
2 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Afas Live
4 - Milan, Italy - Lorenzini District
6 - Barcelona, Spain - Sant Jordi
7 - Madrid, Spain - Vistalegre
8 - La Coruna, Spain - Coliseum
9 - Lisbon, Portugal - Campo Pequeno
12 - Paris, France - Zenith
14 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
15 - Leipzig, Germany - Arena
16 - Prague, Czech Republic - Tipsport Arena
18 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
20 - Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg - Rockhal
21 - Brussels, Belgium - Forest National
22 - Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyerhalle

Swedish black metal act Rimfrost recently reunited after their split in 2019. The trio worked hard during the brightest months of 2021 to rev up the engine and dismount the breaks, and is now ready to go full throttle with two new tracks that depict the story of a killer. “Killer Instinct”, the first of those singles, can be heard below. 


Rimfrost informs: “When we started to write music for the comeback, we really didn’t know what we wanted to write about, but we quickly felt that we wanted and that we should continue on the horror path from ‘Expedition: Darkness’ since we all are huge horror fans, especially, we all share some extra love for '70s-'80's slasher / zombie horror.”


“After some discussions back and forth, we decided to create our own storyline that runs over two singles with our own made-up killer with inspiration from Michael Myers, Jason Vorhees, Leatherface, and all those classic killers. The story starts with ‘The Rise Of Evil’ (to be released later) and ends with ‘Killer Instinct’. It all ended up as ‘The Rise Of Evil: Killer Instinct’, and we are very happy and proud of how it all turned out!”







(Photo: Jonas Wångström)


 

NONPOINT has released the official Francesca Ludikar-directed music video for its cover version of "When Doves Cry". The single was originally released by PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION in 1984 and was one of the hit singles from the album "Purple Rain".

Vocalist Elias Soriano says: "Our fans throughout the years have always had a quiet romance with the songs we like to cover. Seeing that our biggest showing in that category, our cover of Phil Collins's 'In The Air Tonight', was a suggestion from a friend and fan of the band, we thought it only fitting we let all our fans have a chance to throw their hats in the ring this time. So in the middle of a global pandemic, we threw up a bracket-style voting tournament with a list of contenders from METALLICA to DMX. As fans voted over a few weeks, it was exciting to watch it go from 16 songs to the final two, METALLICA's 'Nothing Else Matters' vs Prince's 'When Doves Cry'. When they chose Prince, the real work began. We went through version after version. We knew we had to do it justice in the biggest way we could as tribute to Prince and still make it NONPOINT. I'm happy to report from initial response among the few who have heard, it is exciting and we look forward to our fans singing it for years to come."

Dr. Fink of PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION reacted by saying: "I just listened to 'Doves' and thought it was great! NONPOINT's revision of 'When Doves Cry' by PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION rocks like a champion bullfighter slaying a prized bull!"

In September, NONPOINT rescheduled just under a dozen shows on its current tour after "multiple members of the band" tested positive for COVID-19.

NONPOINT has toured with major acts like DISTURBED, PAPA ROACH, MUDVAYNE and SEVENDUST, to name a few. They have also been featured on the main stages and support stages of iconic festivals like Soundwave, Rock Am Park, Rock Am Ring, Ozzfest, Rock On The Range, Welcome To Rockville and many more.

In June, NONPOINT released the music video for "Ruthless", the title track off the band's upcoming EP. The single was made available through the group own label 361 Degrees Records LLC and was this year's featured track on AEW's "Blood And Guts" on TNT.

NONPOINT launched its independent record label 361 Degrees Records LLC in January of this year. They filmed the process of starting the label and making new music in a docu-series titled "A Path To Independence" that can be seen on the band's YouTube and official web site.

KISS performed the songs "She's So European" and "We Are One" live for the first time ever during the band's first indoor show aboard the ongoing "Kiss Kruise X". Also included in the group's setlist were rarely played tracks "Take It Off" and "Uh! All Night".

The full setlist was as follows:

01. Psycho Circus

02. Take It Off (first performance since 1995)

03. Watchin' You

04. Firehouse

05. She's So European (live debut)

06. Lick It Up

07. We Are One (live debut)

08. Cold Gin

09. Uh! All Night (first performance since 1986)

10. I Love It Loud

11. Say Yeah

12. War Machine

13. Black Diamond

14. Detroit Rock City

15. Rock And Roll All Nite

Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.

This year's edition of KISS's annual "Kiss Kruise" event kicked off on Friday, October 29. Fans need to be vaccinated to attend, bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told The New York Post a few days ago.

KISS has already announced the 2022 edition of the "Kiss Kruise". "Kiss Kruise XI" will set sail from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico from October 29, 2022 to November 3, 2022.

On Saturday (October 30), KISS's second Las Vegas residency was canceled, with fans who already purchased tickets via Ticketmaster having been notified that the shows are no longer taking place.

The cancelation came a day after Rolling Stone magazine published a story in which a group of KISS roadies suggested that the lack of COVID protocols enforced on the band's "End Of The Road" farewell tour led to the death of a longtime guitar tech, 53-year-old Francis Stueber. Stueber died of coronavirus in his Detroit hotel room on October 17, just two days after being quarantined.

The crew members claimed the tour didn't take strict enough safety measures, including not testing everyone regularly. In addition, some crew members allegedly disguised their illness and/or faked vaccine cards.

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

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

Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, drummer Peter Criss and lead guitarist Ace Frehley, KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.












.@TheKISSKruise X Stardust Theater Night 1 Setlist.

What do you think, #KISSNAVY? pic.twitter.com/ScTWHA5Eat

— KISS (@kiss) November 1, 2021








KISS KRUISE X. #1

Psycho Circus

Take it Off (since 1995)

Watchin’ You

Firehouse

She’s So European (live debut)

Lick It Up

We Are One (Live debut)

Cold Gin

Uh! All Night (first since 1986)

I Love It Loud

Say Yeah

War Machine

Black Diamond

Detroit Rock City

Rock and Roll All Nite

— Right Between The Eyes Podcast (@RBTEpodcast) November 1, 2021

This past weekend, David Ellefson performed live for the first time since being fired from MEGADETH, taking the stage at the Chiller Theatre convention at the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany, New Jersey.

The 56-year-old bassist, who was promoting his found-footage horror film "Dwellers" at the event, joined THE DEAD ELVI, the Chiller Theatre 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".

Fan-filmed video footage of Ellefson's appearance with THE DEAD ELVI can be seen below.

Ellefson was fired 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.

Ten long years after their last studio album, Don't Talk Science, legendary hard rock band VICTORY has announced their return to the scene with a brand new album, entitled Gods of Tomorrow, which will be out on November 26, 2021 through powerhouse label AFM Records!

The iconic band, formed in 1984, is one of the most distinctive hard'n'heavy acts and - beside Scorpions, Accept and Helloween - one of the most successful German groups, played countless arena and festival shows all over the world and released ten chart-breaking records to date. After several line-up changes and years on hiatus, in 2003 VICTORY announced their reunion. Don't Talk Science, released in 2011, was the latest record to feature the nucleus of the original line-up. But guitarist Herman Frank, who was also a longtime member of Accept, never gave up the idea of continuing with VICTORY once more. Newborn, heavier and stronger than ever, this Fall they will finally return, featuring a high class line-up consisting of Frank on guitar, vocalist Gianni Pontillo, guitarist Mike Pesin, Malte Frederik Burkert on bass and drummer Michael Stein.
VICTORY‘s exceptional talents prove that they can be the gods of today and also of tomorrow, but one can be sure, these new, thirteen album tracks will take you on a wild ride of unexpected power and classic rock grandeur!

After previously- released singles, "Cut To The Bone" as well as the album title track ( which came with 2 killer video clips ), the band has just premiered a brand new single alongside a music video! Incredibly energetic and soulful at the same time, the song "Love & Hate" describes the inner turmoil of a toxic coexistence. Power and the abuse of power - delivered in VICTORY's hard rock brilliance, culminating in an extremely catchy chorus.

Listen to "Love & Hate" here:

NEVERMORE's Jeff Loomis will contribute a guest guitar solo to the forthcoming album from Sydney, Australia's SWITCHBLADE entitled "Invictus Infinitum". Loomis will appear on the track "Reflective Curse".

"Invictus Infinitum" is currently being mixed in Chicago by producer/engineer Neil Kernon (QUEENSRŸCHE, NILE, NEVERMORE, DEICIDE) and is scheduled for release in April.

Commented SWITCHBLADE drummer Mat: "I don't think it's really sunk in yet that it's happened... We started off talking about this years ago with Jeff and after so long you think everyone would be too busy to make it happen, but Neil was into the idea and once we asked Jeff again he was still keen to do it. So we're really thankful that Neil and Jeff both took the time to make it happen. The solo is just incredible... Jeff's playing with NEVERMORE has been one of our major influences since day 1 so to work on this track together is just crazy. I can't wait for people to hear it!"

Kernon added: "I was up in Seattle working with Jeff Loomis on [his solo album] 'Zero Order Phase' when I first received an email from Mat from SWITCHBLADE about possibly mixing their album. Jeff knew the guys from working together in Australia and spoke highly of them, so I started planing on doing the mix for them. Just before I was sent the album to mix, I had a chat with the guys about the possibility of Jeff doing a solo on it, and I told them I'd talk to Jeff to see if we could make our schedules line up to make it work. As luck would have it, I was going to be in Seattle in mid-January to track drums for another album (with Mark Arrington, in fact) so Jeff and I planned on getting together during that visit to work on the solo together. I had previously sent Jeff a copy of the song so that he could start working out some ideas for it if he had the chance, and we ended up spending an afternoon building it out. It's a long section — over a minute in fact — so we had to figure out different ways to structure it so that it continued to hold the listener's interest, with harmonies, call and answer sections etc. It's a fantastic solo, and I think the fans are certainly going to love it."

The follow-up to 2005's "The End Of All Once Known", "Invictus Infinitum" features "nine tracks of blistering guitar solos, relentless down-tuned riffs and a vicious vocal attack, all while introducing a maturity and melodic sensibility not yet heard from this Sydney quintet," according to the band's official bio. The CD was produced by Darren "jENK" Jenkins (CRYOGENIC, MORTALITY).

"Invictus Infinitum" track listing:

01. II
02. Revelation
03. Coil Of The Serpent
04. The Cancer Benign
05. Solitary Existence
06. Reflective Curse
07. This Impure Design
08. Lacerate
09. As The Sun Dies...

SLIPKNOT will play the biggest headlining concert of its career to date on Friday, November 5 at the Knotfest Los Angeles at the Banc of California Stadium.

The Southern California edition of the traveling festival will feature additional performances by BRING ME THE HORIZON, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333, CODE ORANGE, VENDED and CHERRY BOMBS.

Earlier today (Thursday, October 28), SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor and BRING ME THE HORIZON frontman Oli Sykes discussed the upcoming event during a live chat with Knotfest.com's Ryan J. Downey. Asked what SLIPKNOT fans can expect from the show, Taylor said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The cool thing is that we really worked on a pretty fucking killer set to put together, which we kind of pieced together over some rehearsals — just kind of trial and error, putting the show together and really got it locked tight. But, having said that, we've got some cool surprises ready for Knotfest L.A. Just for the fact that our career's kind of been leading towards this now. And the fact that we have such a stacked lineup — not just BRING ME, but, obviously, KILLSWITCH, FEVER 333, CODE ORANGE, my son's band VENDED, my wife's dance [group] is gonna be doing an incredible show right before BRING ME plays.

"We're all really, really stoked that we're gonna be able to do something really special for L.A., and, honestly, our first real stadium show," he continued. "So that's what I'm most stoked about — not just our show, but just the fact that we're putting something on as a testimony to the music we love, the fans that we love to play for, and just hopefully the start of something massive in the future."

For all the fans around the globe unable to be present at Knotfest Los Angeles, the show will be streamed live. SLIPKNOT's first-ever livestream, the event will allow fans to share all the excitement of a SLIPKNOT gig, both live as it happens, and for a full 72 hours after. Tickets are on sale now at knotfest.veeps.com, priced at a discounted pre-sale cost of $15, with on-the-day tickets being $20. Knotfest members are eligible to purchase at a discounted price of $12. Tickets bundled with event merch are also available.

Ticket holders can still watch the stream up to 72 hours post event, so don't worry if you can't watch "live" on the night.

In late August, the Grammy Award-winning Iowan icons took Knotfest back to their home state for Knotfest Iowa, selling out an expanded capacity show at the National Balloon Classic Field in Indianola. The band is currently on the "Knotfest Roadshow" tour, which is snaking its way across the USA, culminating at the Banc Of California Stadium show for this very special event.

SLIPKNOT has spent the last few months working on a new studio album, tentatively due in 2022. The band's latest LP, "We Are Not Your Kind", came out in August 2019. The disc 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.
























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A post shared by KNOTFEST (@knotfest)

Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons have released the new video below, featuring a live studio version of Motörhead's "Born To Raise Hell", featuring new vocalist Joel Peters, recently announced as the replacement for previous singer, Neil Starr.


Watch the new clip below:







Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons will be kicking off their upcoming UK tour on November 4. All dates can be found below.


November
4 - Buckley - Tivoli
5 - Great Yarmouth - HRH Festival
6 - Manchester - Academy 3
8 - Aberdeen - Unit 51
9 - Glasgow - The Garage
10 - Carlisle - The Brickyard
12 - Birmingham - O2 Institute 2
13 - Bradford - Nightrain
14 - Sunderland - Independent
15 - Milton Keynes - The Craufurd Arms
17 - Nottingham - Rescue Rooms
18 - Bristol - Thekla
19 - Bournemouth - Old Fire Station
20 - Swansea - Patti Pavilion


Tickets for all shows are available now from PhilCampbell.net.

The first episode of "Psycho Schizo Espresso", a brand new podcast from IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson and Oxford University psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Kevin Dutton, officially launched across all podcast platforms on Sunday, October 31. New episodes will be made available every other Tuesday.

Episode One features New Testament scholar Professor Steven J. Friesen from the University of Texas, author of "Imperial Cults And The Apocalypse Of John - Reading Revelation In The Ruins", and expert on the Book Of Revelation. That episode will be the first of a two-parter exploring the devil's role in heavy metal and decoding one of the Bible's most impenetrable secrets — the hidden meaning behind 666, "The Number Of The Beast" — a number that's certainly featured prominently in Bruce's career.

In a preview clip, Bruce talked about why bands like IRON MAIDEN and BLACK SABBATH have explored Satanic imagery in their songs and seemingly reveled in the controversy that they generated. "'Cause it's really dramatic," he said. "And at a certain point in time, certainly for people of a certain age, like me, from what you might call a society which was — 'cause I'm 62, so going back to, like, the late '50s, Europe was broadly Christian; a lot more people went to church back then than do now. Probably four or five times, or even more, people would just turn up at church; they weren't deserted, as they are now. And they would generally believe in things like absolute evil and there being an absolute good, but nobody knew anybody who was absolutely good. But for sure, absolute evil existed somewhere, 'cause otherwise how could anybody be absolutely good. So you had to have something to measure yourself against.

"What heavy metal bands did by adopting imagery was they shocked people," he explained. "Because in the same way that the early Hammer movies reintroduced Dracula but with sex. So they actually had Dracula, blood, fangs, sex, the devil — all this stuff was, like, 'Oh my God. That is so shocking,' but it really kind of turns us on in secret. And, of course, as kids, you'd be forbidden to watch it, and, of course, it would be interesting, and you'd watch it. And then you'd just use your imagination to create stories. And then a whole raft of films came out — 'The Omen' and 'The Exorcist' and things like that — that all had this idea of an actual physical force of evil. And it was quite exciting, really — not because you wanted to be it, but to know that you could imagine your way into the drama and put that into music and dramatize it."

You can listen to "Psycho Schizo Espresso" wherever you get your podcasts, and the show is also available in Vodcast form on YouTube.

Head to this location to find the podcast on your favorite platform.

Official podcast description: "If psychology was a country, then it would be the world's top tourist destination bar none. It's an enchanted territory with something for everyone: from aliens to drug lords, from serial killers to conspiracy theories. Join intellectual explorers Bruce Dickinson and Dr. Kevin Dutton for an Indiana Jones style adventure through some of its most far-flung corners as they delve into the psyches of rock icons, sporting superstars, and special forces soldiers and get the latest tips and insights from some of the most respected thought leaders and brain scientists on the planet. If you've ever wondered whether psychopaths like Hannibal Lecter and Patrick Bateman really exist outside the imaginations of Hollywood screenwriters and film directors, why ghosts only seem to appear at night, and about the true meaning of the Book of Revelation's most enduring and enigmatic mystery — 666, the number of the beast — then welcome aboard Flight Psycho Schizo Espresso and observe the 'fasten seatbelt' sign!"

Dutton explained how the idea for the podcast came about: "Not long after meeting Bruce, it became instantly clear to me that we shared a number of wide-reaching interests and that we should channel that into a podcast. 'Psycho Schizo Espresso' is certainly a journey of exploration for the both of us, and we are sure our listeners are going to learn a lot from our guests. Whether from the music industry, academia or elsewhere — you may, for instance, share our interest in psychopaths, both good and bad — this is certainly a podcast that we feel everyone will enjoy and should go and subscribe to straight away."

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich, BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi, IRON MAIDEN, SAXON, FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares and Doro Pesch are among the heavy metal musicians who have reacted on social media to the passing of longtime music journalist Malcolm Dome. The veteran U.K. writer died over the weekend at the age of 66.

Dome has written about rock and heavy metal since 1979. In addition to publishing several books on such artists as AC/DC, METALLICA and LED ZEPPELIN he had contributed to a number of magazines, including Record Mirror, Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Classic Rock.

Dome is credited with inventing the term "thrash metal" while writing about the ANTHRAX song "Metal Thrashing Mad" in February 1984. Up until that point, bands like ANTHRAX and METALLICA had referred to their sound as "power metal." Malcolm also provided a sleeve notes for various reissues, including those by German thrashers KREATOR, whose frontman Mille Petrozza wrote: "Shocked to hear about Malcolm Dome’s passing today. Malcolm wrote all liner notes for the recent @kreatorofficial reissues, including 'Enemy Of God' and 'Hordes Of Chaos', still on the horizon. We talked on Skype for hours and Malcolm knew more about my band's past, than I could remember myself. He was a true music lover and one of the funniest people out there. Working with Malcolm never felt like actual work."

Ulrich said: "Extremely sad to hear of Malcolm Dome's passing. Not only was he an incredible talent who helped guide my relationship with heavy music, but he was also a great person. Today, I'm thinking of the fun, memorable times we spent together back in the day."

Iommi wrote: "Malcolm was a lovely guy, he interviewed me many times and was always positive about the music. He was one of the first journalists to totally get metal. We even worked together last year when he helped me sort out my Wikipedia entry. Sadly missed."

In 1980, Malcolm co-wrote the book "Encyclopedia Metallica", which some believe served as the inspiration for the METALLICA band name.




Words cannot express how sorry I feel to hear about the passing of Malcolm Dome. Rest In Peace. God Bless

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) November 1, 2021








Extremely sad to hear of Malcolm Dome’s passing. Not only was he an incredible talent who helped guide my relationship with heavy music, but he was also a great person. Today, I’m thinking of the fun, memorable times we spent together back in the day. https://t.co/9chlIVjSMm

— Lars Ulrich (@larsulrich) November 1, 2021








So sad to hear of the passing of Malcolm Dome, one of rock and metal's great journalists. It was always a pleasure giving interviews and generally having a chat. RIP Malcolm, you will be missed. pic.twitter.com/cmNGQ6bedp

— Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) November 2, 2021








Malcolm was a lovely guy, he interviewed me many times and was always positive about the music. He was one of the first journalists to totally get metal. We even worked together last year when he helped me sort out my Wikipedia entry. Sadly missed. - Tonyhttps://t.co/Te8hippkxB

— Tony Iommi (@tonyiommi) November 1, 2021








We are all very much saddened and shocked to hear about the passing of our friend Malcolm Dome. He was fearless, intrepid, passionate and forthright as a journalist and latterly a broadcaster and we respected him immensely. pic.twitter.com/NMRWqGT1zV

— Iron Maiden (@IronMaiden) November 1, 2021








Sad to hear about the passing of Malcolm Dome. He was such an important figure for all things rock and metal and championed so many bands over the years. RIP Malcolm https://t.co/Ogy4HSr7Eb

— Mötley Crüe (@MotleyCrue) November 2, 2021








"Very very sad news regarding the passing of iconic metal journalist Malcolm Dome today... a tireless promoter of so many bands .. ourselves included... and a genuine good guy" @official_raven https://t.co/ZJQ7aDTvCJ

— Raven (@official_raven) November 1, 2021








RIP to the great Malcolm Dome. He helped spread the word on us when MA first started and had this to say about our debut album "...one of the year’s best metal albums” in his @ClassicRockMag reivew back in 2015. After all, Malcolm did coin the term "thrash metal" pic.twitter.com/kowVSewtNP

— Metal Allegiance (@metalallegiance) November 1, 2021








I'm #so #sorry to hear of the #passing of #MalcolmDome. He was one of my best journalist friends. We knew each other since the early 80s. He was always so supportive & kind to me. I will miss you terribly. Keep on rocking in heaven.

???????

Love, Doro#doropesch#warlock pic.twitter.com/NX41q8Ta6w

— DORO (@DoroOfficial) November 1, 2021








I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Malcolm Dome. I have known Malcolm well over 30 years from the early days of The Almighty right up to the present day. He was a fine journalist and a fine human being. Condolences to Malcolm’s family. Rest easy mate.

— RICKY WARWICK ? (@rickywarwick) November 1, 2021








So sad to see Malcolm Dome has left us. He was an amazing writer, a passionate supporter of UK rock music and a great sport, even after we trashed his desk at the Kerrang! offices.

Another very dark day for UK rock music. I will miss him so much. ?

— Ginger Wildheart (@GingerWildheart) November 1, 2021






Very sorry to here that Malcolm Dome has left us. He was a champion of great rock music and a supporter of ⁦@myMotorhead⁩ all the way through to ⁦@PCATBS⁩. RIP Malcolm. https://t.co/C6v5F2eSqg

— Phil Campbell (@MotorheadPhil) November 1, 2021








We are saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Malcolm Dome.

Malcolm was a great supporter of Saxon, and will be missed by all.

Our sympathies to his family and friends in this terrible time.

Saxon https://t.co/RPHO3v6z0Z

— Saxon (@SaxonOfficial) November 1, 2021








Extremely sad to hear about the passing of legendary journalist/writer Malcolm Dome. He was a lovely, gentle man and time spent with him was always time well spent. We'll all miss him, a huge loss to the music world.

— THERAPY? (@therapyofficial) November 1, 2021








Today we lost another legend, Malcolm Dome is a great journalist who’s written many stories on Fear Factory since 1992 R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/BsJYFi0xBK

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) November 1, 2021








R.I.P. #MalcolmDome. One of great rock journalists of his time. I first met him in ‘90 and we did countless interviews over the years. Last saw him for an Arch Enemy interview in 2017. I always enjoyed our talks, the man REALLY knew his stuff… A sad day for Rock’N’Roll this. pic.twitter.com/xDxGpw1QCS

— ??????? ????? (@Michael_Amott) November 1, 2021








Shit. RIP Malcolm Dome. ?

— Devin Townsend (@dvntownsend) November 1, 2021








Saddened to hear of the passing of Malcolm Dome. I’ve done countless interviews with him throughout the 30+ years we’ve known each other and always enjoyed our discussions. RIP Malcolm ? pic.twitter.com/uwJddSPv1E

— Mike Portnoy ? (@MikePortnoy) November 1, 2021








Thank you and goodnight to Malcolm Dome. He was the first journalist to ever write about Thunder and a thoroughly nice bloke who genuinely cared about rock music.

— LukeMorley1 (@luzmor01) November 1, 2021








Very sad to hear about the passing of Malcolm Dome. Apart from his incredible knowledge of everything metal, he was also behind @OfficialPL right from the beginning, and always pleasant company to hang out with on our frequent weekend trips to London in the early '90s.

— ???? ?????? (@NickHolmesPL) November 1, 2021








Long time friend and Twisted Sister champion #MalcolmDome has just died. His liner notes are in many TS albums including our new release called #tearitloose. incredible loss of a champion of the metal community. RIP Mr. Dome

— Jay Jay French (@jayjayfrench) November 1, 2021








So sorry to hear of the passing of Malcolm Dome.

I knew Malcolm for forty plus years, he loved his music, was an accomplished writer and a fervent football man, so we had a lot in common.

I, and all he knew, mourn him. My deepest condolences to his family & many friends. RIP. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/i9gw7jnKjk

— Bernie Marsden (@Bernie_Marsden) November 1, 2021








R.I.P. Malcolm Dome. Legendary rock journalist https://t.co/t5zIX6v6Ul

— Gus G. (@gusgofficial) November 1, 2021








The man who invented the term thrash metal & most importantly, a dear friend, has passed away. A genuinely kind person with an encyclopedic mind for metal & a true legend. Rest In Power Malcolm Dome. Sending love to all who had the pleasure to know him ? https://t.co/WsLsKTdUKL

— Nuclear Blast Records (@nuclearblast) November 1, 2021








Malcolm Dome RIP. Really saddened by this news. We are forever grateful that Malcolm embraced and supported our label in the early days, and offered support and kind advice. A top journalist and fine fellow, he will be missed. https://t.co/ziI5X2vi6P #malcolmdomeRIP

— Earache Records ♠️ (@EaracheRecords) November 1, 2021








We are extremely sad to report the passing of our dear friend and colleague Malcolm Dome. He was a legend in the rock music world, a great writer and rock DJ, Malcolm's passion for music was boundless and his positive energy filled the lives of those of us close to him. pic.twitter.com/Gwv7H5ErMX

— [email protected] (@RockCandyMag) November 1, 2021








I never met Malcolm Dome, but whenever he was in a music doc I liked his views on things. Sounds like he was a good one.

— Jay Ruston (@jayruston) November 1, 2021








Malcolm Dome was one of the kindest people I've ever met. He always had time for people -- a generous giant of heavy metal, a good man and a real friend. The word legend is overused and for him it is inadequate. I wish I could summon better words but I will miss him dearly.

— Alexander Milas (@alexandermilas) November 1, 2021








Probably the hardest thing I've ever had to write. I shall miss my dear friend terribly but am thankful that I am left with over 30 years of amazing memories of this unique and wonderful man... https://t.co/uRwo4FXmlX

— Jerry Ewing (@TheJerryEwing) November 1, 2021








One of my favourite people. One of my favourite guests. One hell of a hole to fill. Sometimes when you've known someone so long, 30 years, you take them for granted. Not Malcolm, I always treasured our time together.

Miss you already mate #MalcolmDome pic.twitter.com/QczSgiHOAF

— TalkingBollocks (@TalkingBollockz) November 1, 2021








I'm sad to hear about the passing of legendary British rock journalist Malcolm Dome. He was only 66. We got connected through our weekly phone calls for @TotalRockOnline and later "The Art Of Metal" book. He loved heavy rock and enjoyed what he did. He lived for the music! R.I.P. pic.twitter.com/uP4HwTkeFO

— Bryan Reesman (@BryanReesman) November 1, 2021








Ah hell, RIP Malcolm Dome. Malcolm was one of the metal journalists I revered in my early life. Later he contributed to a couple of my books and I spent a couple of my best nights ever sucking down Jagermeister at the bar in the Crobar with him. Terrific journalist and a good man pic.twitter.com/niXe7U6vf0

— mark eglinton (@MarkEglinton) November 1, 2021








I hope he didn't die alone. He lived so much of his life alone, it was the first thing that went through my mind when I got the news. I hope someone was with him... BLOG: Malcolm Dome Is Dead https://t.co/9Z9vl7dmnW

— Mick Wall (@WallMick) November 1, 2021








We are sad to hear of the death of music journalist Malcolm Dome. A pioneering rock & heavy metal writer, we enjoyed working with him & relied on his encyclopaedic knowledge of music. He always had a kind word to say about CR & we'll miss him very much.

https://t.co/KizfNCNRCk pic.twitter.com/hcaggNvKiy

— Cherry Red Records (@CherryRedGroup) November 1, 2021








Listen up. Without Malcolm Dome, metal and metal journalism as you know it would not exist. #RIP #legend https://t.co/OSa1Q8GFU0

— Prosthetic Records (@ProstheticRcds) November 1, 2021








I'm so very sorry to hear that Malcolm Dome, one of my very favourite rock journalism colleagues, has passed away. Will write more about the legend that is Malcolm, once I've gathered my thoughts.

— Jason Arnopp - Ghoster and Jack Sparks author ? (@JasonArnopp) November 1, 2021




























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Exodus frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza recently spoke with Heavy New York about the band's new album, Persona Non Grata. he also looked back on the band's Good Friendly Violent Fun live album, which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year


On the band's 1989 tour for Fabulous Disaster


Zetro: "There were no rules - none - and we thought we were invincible. I shit you not, it was like... I would get a call from Gary (Holt / guitars): 'Guess what we're going to go do...?' One of those types of things. 




I remember one time we had to go to Cabo Wabo and play this four-day thing, and all we had to do was just play one set and show up for four days and go to all these cool events that fans pay to go to, to hang out with you. And I was like, 'Oh my god, come on, mom, give me a break, I'm flying to fucking Mexico. I'm 26 years old but getting paid for fans to hang out with me, I have to play one set, get fucked up, party, screw everything in fucking sight, oh my god!' That was the time period, and it was just one of those things... I would never change it for the world, but I don't know how the fuck we survived.


I remember the road manager going, it was the dawn of AIDS, and I remember him putting a fucking huge case of Trojans condoms up in the cabinet in the bus: 'Look, you fucking morons, make sure if you're going to slap it, wrap it. They're all fucking right here, use them, and I mean it, you idiots. You fucking guys want to fuck these girls, you go put these on your dicks - I mean it!' It was funny, and we had a name for him; we called him Johnny. We were like, 'Give me a Johnny, go on the bus and get a fucking Johnny and go do it.' It was a different mentality."








Literally translating to “an unwelcome” or “unacceptable” person, Persona Non Grata touches on themes of modern societal disgust and degradation. The band gathered at Tom Hunting's house in the mountains where they produced and recorded Persona Non Grata from three home-built studios . Steve Lagudi was at the helm of engineering while the band enlisted Andy Sneap of Backstage Studios to mix the album. For the third time in the band’s history, they returned to Swedish artist Par Olofsson to create the album artwork.





Persona Non Grata will be available in the following formats:


- CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!)
- T-Shirt + CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!)
- T-Shirt
- Cassette – Tinted Red
- CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!) Long Box (Decibel Magazine Exclusive)
- Double LP
 * Black
 * Red & Mustard Swirl W/ Black Splatter
 * Electric Blue W/ Black & Bone
 * Gold & Bone Swirl W. Black and Mint Green Splatter
 * Green in Mustard W/ Red Splatter
 * Mint Green & Brown W/ Cyan Splatter (EMP Exclusive)
 * Purple & Yellow Swirl W/ Mint Green & Bone Splatter (UK Indie Exclusive)
 * Bone & Beer Swirl W/ Red & Brown Splatter (Revolver Magazine Exclusive)
 * Red & Mustard Swirl W/ Black Splatter (Rebellion Republic Exclusive)
 * Blue Swirl W/ Bone * Black Splatter (U.S. Indie Exclusive)
- Mail Order Boxset – Limited to 2,000 pieces worldwide
 * Orange, Red Swirl W/ Black Splatter
 * 20 page booklet
 * Slipmat
 * CD + Blu-ray Bonus Disc
 * Patch
 * Flag


Pre-order here. Pre-save here.





Tracklisting:


"Persona Non Grata"
"R.E.M.F."
"Slipping Into Madness"
"Elitist"
"Prescribing Horror"
"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)"
"The Years of Death and Dying"
"Clickbait"
"Cosa Del Pantano"
"Lunatic-Liar-Lord"
"The Fires of Division"
"Antiseed"


"Clickbait" lyric video:





"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)":





"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)" video:

SEPULTURA has just released "Sepulnation: The Studio Albums 1998-2009", which celebrates the Derrick Green era of the band. A five-album box set (across eight slabs of vinyl or five CDs), it contains the albums "Against", "Nation", "Roorback", "Dante XXI" and "A-Lex", all of which are half speed cut, remastered and back on 180-gram vinyl for the first time in a decade and also as a collector's CD box. In addition, the "Roorback" album features the rare "Revolusongs" EP, which is available for the first time digitally and saw the band celebrate their influences with covers of bands as musically broad as DEVO, EXODUS, U2 and MASSIVE ATTACK.

Speaking to V13.net about his first impressions of Brazil shortly before he officially joined SEPULTURA in 1998, Derrick said: "It was incredible. I'd never been to Brazil. I knew nothing about the culture [or] the language. I didn't have any Brazilian friends. I didn't know anything about it. I was completely ignorant [of] Brazil. I probably even thought that they spoke Spanish there, [like] a lot of people assumed. But I went to the library, got out a few books, because there was no real Internet at the time. I had my library card. I was, like, 'Okay, let me see what this place is about.' And it didn't do it justice. It didn't really exist in my mind until I was actually able to set foot in the country and meet people and start to talk to them. And then the realization of what this place is about started to brew in my head. And then, after living there for 20 years, it radically changed my view of Brazil."

He continued: "From the first time being there, where I didn't really live there, and I was just getting interactions with people who were super fans of SEPULTURA, which was the whole country, it semed. And walking around with [the guys in SEPULTURA] and everyone recognizing them and honking their horns and asking for autographs all the time, that was a trip. I was, like, 'Oh my God. These guys are getting…' I didn't know that, because, again, there was no Internet or anything; it was just, like, I had to be there. Then, [after] moving there, that started happening to me. 'Cause it had been a few years; people started to know, like, 'Okay, this is the new face of SEPULTURA.' So I had to adjust my life [to] getting recognized and kind of analyzed every time I went out of the house. And that takes some getting used to. I never imagined that; I never thought that would be my life. So it was rough. I have to say I was a little depressed because I'm not that type of person. I kind of like to be the fly on the wall and kind of check everything out. So, I was, like, 'Oh, man. I don't wanna draw any attention,' but it was impossible not to. [I'm this huge guy], like, 6'3 with dreads and tattoos. And they were just, like, 'You're huge. It's impossible not to see that's you from over there.' So that drew attention as well — just the way that I looked, and not only being in the band. But it was every day. [And] the majority of the time, [the reaction from the people was] positive, positive, positive — I mean, 99 percent of the time. Brazil was a place that always kept its faith in SEPULTURA with all the changes that happened. They always wanted to see the best for the band because [SEPULTURA is] such a strong representation of Brazil outside of Brazil."

Despite being Brazil's biggest-ever heavy music export, when SEPULTURA lost its original frontman and founder Max Cavalera in 1996, and Max's brother and drummer Igor Cavalera in 2006, many thought the band would not recover from their departures. However, in Cleveland, Ohio punk and hardcore scene veteran Green, SEPULTURA found a formidable, towering force that would lead the band with power and conviction through this new era of their career.

Any fans who feared that this new lineup of SEPULTURA would see the band taming its intense and heavy approach were not left disappointed when "Against" came out of the traps in 1998. With the powerhouse that is Igor Cavalera still on drums (he remained for four of the five albums), Andreas Kisser's grinding guitars and bassist Paulo Jr.'s heavy bottom end powered behind Derrick Green's guttural roar and SEPULTURA sounded heavier and more forceful than ever. This period would see the band continue to push their sound forward and challenge new sounds and styles, but they never lost sight of what was the core of the band. The righteous, rebellious nature remained with the 1998 album "Nation" calling for "one nation, Sepulnation," — a rallying cry that stayed with the band throughout their long and challenging career.

"Sepulnation: The Studio Albums 1998-2009" brings the focus back on a period of the band that may have been missed by early supporters and shows that the fire continued to burn bright throughout.

Order "Sepulnation: The Studio Albums 1998-2009" here.

In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx was asked if he and his bandmates were surprised by the success of their "The Dirt" biopic. He responded: "Well, at that time, we'd been in the game 36 years — we're around 40, 41 years together now. We understand the allure [of] the moth to the flame. And it was accidental, but we were wired for fire and wired to fight and wired to drink and, in my case, wired to experiment with drugs. And there was no repercussions from destroying hotel rooms, rolled cars, drug overdoses, jail sentences. So when we survived ourselves and survived our youth, that became such a part of the culture of MÖTLEY CRÜE, and at times, frustrating, because we were, like, 'Have you heard how great the songs are that are on the new record?' And people were, like, 'Tell me about the time.' So, we knew that was gonna happen, that people wanted to watch the film for the blood and guts, but we also knew it was an opportunity to tell a story about a family, and that's my band. My band was my family after my family abandoned me."

As for what he thinks is the glue that has kept MÖTLEY CRÜE together all these years, Nikki said: "God if I know. [Laughs] I mean, honestly, I have no fucking idea. It's, like, I think we are on the plane, it's on fire, we're heading towards the mountain, we're gonna crash and burn, and then next thing you know, we're on another world tour, and we're together and we're getting along like brothers. And then it changes again. So we've been through so many versions. I think now that we're getting older... we're just happy to play together. [Laughs]

"[It was] very painful for me when the band has been on the verge of breaking up, because the band is — I threw my life into this band. And I threw my life as a lyricist into this band and exposed things about myself or things that I saw in this band," he continued.

"I'm so lucky that I met Tommy [Lee] and Vince [Neil] and Mick [Mars], and they've changed my life, and I've hopefully helped change their life. And we, really, maybe changed a lot of other people's lives, even on an entertainment level. So, yeah, the idea of MÖTLEY CRÜE not being in my life feels very strange."

Sixx is currently promoting "The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx", his new book which looks back at his formative years.

Two years ago, Sixx said that the CRÜE biopic sparked a renewed interest from younger fans who wanted to see the band live, contributing to the group's decision to renege on its infamous "cessation of touring" contract.

After vowing in 2015 never to play together again, CRÜE announced in December 2019 that they would be touring with fellow hard rock veterans DEF LEPPARD and POISON.

"The Stadium Tour" was originally scheduled to take place last summer but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Released in March 2019, "The Dirt" currently has a 36% critic score from 74 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the online review aggregation service that allows both critics and the public to rate movies. The same site has an 94% audience score for "The Dirt" from more than 6,000 reviews.

John Bush has spoken about his part in ANTHRAX's 40th-anniversary celebrations, calling the experience "really cool to be part of." The singer also talked about reconnecting with some of the ANTHRAX members, and how he's even in touch with current ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna. John, who fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the band reunited with Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour, made his comments while talking to Eonmusic about ARMORED SAINT's recently released "Symbol Of Salvation Live" album.

ANTHRAX's 40th-anniversary celebrations saw the thrash metal pioneers revisit their career with a weekly YouTube series, which went album by album, from their formation in the early 1980s until the present day.

Said John: "It was really cool to be part of the documentary. I think the way they did that was really cool in the sense that they went record by record. I think that was really a cool idea. Obviously, I made some records [with them], so it's cool that those records got some props and talked about, so I dug that. I was interviewed and got to tell some stories and share some funny memories."

When asked if he would have liked to have guested with the band during the ANTHRAX global livestream event in July, Bush commented; "The live performance, I wasn't too concerned about that. I know there was a couple of guests, but I didn't really feel slighted by it. They approached it the way they wanted to, and my relationships with those guys have all gotten a lot better, and I'm happy about that because there was a period of time where it was basically non-existent."

Elaborating on his harmonious relationship with his former bandmates, he continued: "Me and Scott [Ian, guitar] have always stayed in contact because he lives out here in L.A., and we run in some similar circles, but there was a period of time with Charlie [Benante, drums] and Frankie [Bello, bass] where we just didn't speak, and every now and then we'll text something funny, and then there's banter, and the relationship is a lot better. Especially after Charlie came up and played the METAL ALLEGIANCE show that we did in San Francisco, and he came up and played 'Only' and that was an awesome moment. So that kind of let the waters rest, and I was happy about that."

Bush further revealed his respect for Belladonna, stating: "I don't speak to Joey too often, but my wife and his wife have developed this relationship, and they're friends, which is ironic. They text and they just shoot the breeze, and they're always talking about kind of 'defusing' this battle that people like to create, and it's just not necessary because Joey's great, and I have the utmost respect for him."

He concluded: "I always say that he is the guy that should be in ANTHRAX — of course. It's the classic lineup! It's all worked out right. I yearn to not have too many enemies in my life, period, and I really don't think I do, and I certainly don't want those guys to be, because we just have too much history".

Read the entire interview, where John talks about the making of "Symbol Of Salvation", the new live set, plans for vinyl reissues, and more, on Eonmusic