BEAST IN BLACK, the Helsinki, Finland-based metal group led by former BATTLE BEAST guitarist Anton Kabanen, released its third album, "Dark Connection", last Friday (October 29). The official music video for the LP's third single, "Hardcore", can be seen below.

Kabanen comments: "Welcome to the next century. Dark connections and prohibited pleasures is the name of this ultimate game, a reality within reality. Some things are just too irresistible not to taste, even when it's your own life that is at stake. Time to reveal the naked truth and face the judgment. What you're about to witness is the result of an unapologetic and unforgiving vision inspired by the mind-bending works of Hajime Sorayama and raw cyberpunk animes of the '90's, namely 'AD Police Files: The Phantom Woman'. For your pleasure, or your slight, we present you: 'Hardcore'!"

Produced, recorded and mixed by Kabanen and mastered by Emil Pohjalainen (Amethyst Sound Productions), "Dark Connection" features the most prominent synths of all of BEAST IN BLACK's recordings so far, especially in the form of the Italo disco, Euro beat and symphonic elements that the band is so widely loved for. Despite that, at its core, it's still all about simple heavy metal. The kind of ageless melodies that Kabanen has always been able to create once again melt with heroic stories that are rooted in sci-fi, fantasy and cyberpunk, that are represented in the artwork of the band's longtime collaborator Roman Ismailov.

Kabanen previously said about "Dark Connection": "Enter cyberpunk. Flying cars, sprawling metropolis, valleys of neon lights, emotionless killers, gynoids, femmes fatales, shadowy characters, lethal lust, forbidden passion, love larger than life, space travel... All this and much more is what 'Dark Connection' holds within. Such cyberpunk animes as Armitage III, Cyber City Oedo 808, AD Police, Battle Angel Alita and Bubblegum Crisis have essentially served as sources of inspiration, as well as the immortal classic film by Ridley Scott, 'Blade Runner'. And as always, a BEAST IN BLACK album wouldn't be a BEAST IN BLACK album without a heavy impact of Berserk, the manga and anime creation of Kentaro Miura. Sadly, the beloved author passed away while we were still making this album. Thus, 'Dark Connection' is dedicated to Kentaro Miura."

Anton stated about the artwork: "The instantly captivating album artwork was once again done by Roman Ismailov. Its visual emphasis significantly correlates with the recurring themes of 'Dark Connection'. The tense gaze shared between the Beast and the drop-dead gorgeous femme fatale gynoid Cynthia speaks of an exciting, arousing, dangerous, mysterious and even questionable connection on a physical, emotional and moral level. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well, this certainly is the case!"

"Dark Connection" track listing:

01. Blade Runner

02. Bella Donna

03. Highway To Mars

04. Hardcore

05. One Night In Tokyo

06. Moonlight Rendezvous

07. Revengeance Machine

08. Dark New World

09. To The Last Drop Of Blood

10. Broken Survivors

11. My Dystopia

12. Battle Hymn (MANOWAR cover)

13. They Don't Care About Us (MICHAEL JACKSON cover)

BEAST IN BLACK is:

Yannis Papadopoulos - vocals

Mate Molnar - bass

Atte Palokangas - drums

Kasperi Heikkinen - guitar

Anton Kabanen - guitar, vocals

With a career that spans more than a decade, Sinaya had been known for its sound strongly influenced by thrash and death metal. In the midst of the pandemic, the band found itself facing its own obstacles. The end result was their complete redesign, with a great transformation and evolution in their sound.


With the fusion of death metal and deathcore in their most recent work - currently inspired by a more modern strand of metal - Sinaya becomes then the first deathcore band in the world formed only by women.


“Afterlife” is the first single from Sinaya’s upcoming second studio album, featuring CJ McMahon from Thy Art Is Murder.







Vocalist Mylena Monaco comments on the band’s new era:


''Deathcore is a style that I've been listening to a lot in the last few years, and I'm falling in love with more and more every day. It's a newer style, but more difficult to sing because it covers a lot of vocal techniques, and I've been studying a lot lately. With Helena Nagagata joining the band in 2020, migrating to this style made it even easier, as she is a very versatile guitarist who has a background in progressive metal and its variations. She brought to this new album songs with heavier tunings, which lined up very well with my vocal ideas in this more deathcore style. After a lot of talking, we have decided together to start taking the band to this new modern sound."


"When we went to Fusão Studio in April 2021 to start recording the new album with the old lineup, we faced some technical unforeseen events and had to hire a sub to record the drums at the very last minute. Now migrating to this style, we needed a drummer who, technically, could live up to the new sounds. Two months later, after many auditions with drummers from all around the world, Amanda Imamura officially joined the band. She's a drummer that I've been trying to bring to Sinaya for four years and now it finally happened. She has already played a lot of this modern style, she is very technical and precise and at the same time, she’s very strong and has a heavy hand."


"Amanda Melo is a bassist who was already a fan of Sinaya, and is an extremely competent musician - in September 2021 - two months after she joined the band, we went back to the studio so she could record the bass lines and she managed to play amazingly, recording the songs mostly in one take."


"With this new album, we’re here to show that the woman in extreme metal is technical, has a lot of strength (both physically and mentally), and knows how to take a high-level band seriously."


"Now we're exploring another style of metal that we like, at a much higher level than what we used to do, and for that reason, I've decided to be a full-time vocalist, to be able to explore these new techniques even further. We had the support of great members of renowned deathcore bands, and one of them was CJ McMahon, lead singer of Thy Art Is Murder, who you'll be able to check out on this release. We are very happy with his featuring, as he is a huge reference for us and for the deathcore scene worldwide."


"With this work, we still play metal for all tastes. Some of the songs still sound mostly death metal, others sound more deathcore. But the next ones will be focused much more on deathcore and its strands."





For the single's artwork, the band opted for a more minimalist concept, fleeing from the idea of traditional metal covers. Purple was chosen for this work, because of the symbology of the colors, it refers to spirituality - since the song deals with the theme ‘’Afterlife’’. This color also means freedom from internal fears and other human concerns and transformation, which is what the band and the world faced after the beginning of the pandemic.


The artwork was done by Artur Fontenelle from Dead Mouse Design, who has already worked with Brazilian bands such as Oitão, Torture Squad and Claustrofobia.


The full-length album is scheduled to be released in 2022, more details will be announced shortly.


 

VOLBEAT's Michael Poulsen has confirmed that the band's new song "Becoming" is a "tribute" to the legendary Swedish death metal band ENTOMBED, whose lead singer Lars-Göran "LG" Petrov died eight months ago after a battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49 years old.

In a new video explaining the inspiration for "Becoming", Poulsen said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[The song] is, as you probably noticed, a tribute to the mighty ENTOMBED and our good friend L.G. Petrov who sadly passed away. But, yeah, it's one of those riffs where you can definitely hear the inspiration from the 'Clandestine' album, which [was] L.G.'s favorite ENTOMBED record, which is quite funny because he doesn't sing on this album.

"L.G. was a great guy, a great human being, a good friend. And wherever you are out there, friend, dear brother, I hope that you're doing good down there or up there.

"Let's all raise our glasses for Mr. L.G.

"'Becoming' is for you, my dear friend. Cheers!"

"Becoming" is taken from VOLBEAT's eighth studio album, "Servant Of The Mind", which is due on December 3 via Republic Records.

A few years ago, Poulsen, who played extreme metal with his first band, DOMINUS, back in the early '90s, said that he wouldn't rule out a return to death metal in future. "I do have things at home — I can pick up some few death metal riffs here and there," he told Heavy TV. "I've got so many good friends in the death metal scene, and I've been talking to some of them to one day, when the time is right, sit down and write some old-school death metal. When that's going to happen, I don't know. It will happen; it's just timing is everything."

Back in 2011, Poulsen told Soundspike about his pre-VOLBEAT act: "[DOMINUS] was straight metal. On the third record, we were starting to flirt around with making a little bit with some rock 'n' roll stuff. What I wanted to do was keep the door wide open and see what happens. I didn't want to paint myself into a corner. If I wanted a song to start like a country song and let it burst into a metal song, that's what I did. Right now it comes very naturally. That's the most important thing — that you don't sit and try too hard to provoke it out of you. It has to come as a normal flow, and that's actually what happened."

Zakk Wylde reportedly plays on every song on the upcoming Ozzy Osbourne album.

The guitarist, who has been a member of Ozzy's solo band on and off for nearly 35 years, was excluded from the legendary heavy metal singer's 2020 LP "Ordinary Man", which was the first Osbourne effort to be produced by Andrew Watt.

After Ozzy recently confirmed that Zakk makes an appearance on his "work-in-progress" follow-up to "Ordinary Man", which is tentatively due in 2022, Diary Of The Madmen - The Ultimate Ozzy Osbourne Podcast recently posed the question on social media: "Does Zakk play all of the rhythm guitars on the new album?" Someone handling Ozzy's verified account apparently responded" "Yes Zakk plays on the entire new record" and added, "He was home from tour this time unlike when I did Ordinary Man". You can see a screenshot of the exchange below.

Ozzy recently revealed that 15 songs have been recorded for his upcoming LP. He is once again working with Watt on the album, which will include additional guest appearances by Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Tony Iommi.

Asked about his contributions to the new Ozzy LP, Zakk told Music Radar: "The new Ozzy stuff is sounding great. And for sure, it's an honor to play on a record with all my heroes. It's pretty cool… I can't wait for everyone to hear it. I've always loved 'Blow By Blow' and 'Wired', but honestly, every record Jeff Beck has put out is amazing."

Wylde went on to say that Beck "definitely sounds slamming" on the upcoming Ozzy album. "The same goes for all the guys — what Tony Iommi played, and then Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, it's all killer, for sure. On those tracks I'm playing rhythm guitar for my heroes… it's crazy! It sounds awesome and I'm beyond honored to be doing it."

Last month, Ozzy told Metal Hammer magazine that his new album will be "similar in tone to 'Ordinary Man', but I can't describe it completely. I've not heard it for a while because it keeps going over to the next person to add their parts — we're fucking around with it all the time," he said.

Watt connected with Osbourne after meeting Ozzy's daughter Kelly at a friend's party and pitching her on the idea of Post Malone and Ozzy collaborating together.

Seven months ago, Ozzy told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine that he and Andrew had completed more than a dozen for his next studio LP. "My only concern right now is finishing the bloody thing," he said. "We've got the same production time as the last time, so there's definitely going to be some similarities. But you'll just have to wait and see what you think."

In December 2020, Watt told Guitar World that he and the BLACK SABBATH legend were "halfway through" the new LP. "There's some songs on there that are like eight or nine minutes long that are these really crazy journeys. I'm really excited about it," he said.

Like "Ordinary Man", which featured Watt on guitar, Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) on bass and Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) on drums, Ozzy's next album will feature guest appearances by a number of other notable musicians. "There's a bunch of people involved," Andrew told Guitar World. "I can't say for sure until the end, but I started doing a bunch of basic tracks with Chad and Robert Trujillo [METALLICA], who used to play in Ozzy's band. And Taylor Hawkins [FOO FIGHTERS] also came in and played a bunch on the record as well, which adds a different flair — it kind of harkened back to Ozzy's '80s era, in a great way. And I think it's so cool for a rock fan to be able to listen to half an album with Chad Smith on drums, and then you flip it over and you get to hear Taylor Hawkins. And you know, the last album was really special for everyone involved. And so there was no point in Ozzy or me doing this again unless we thought we could bring something new to the table. And I feel like we're achieving that."

Wylde previously told Classic Rock that he wasn't disappointed to be excluded from "Ordinary Man". "Not at all," he said. "I thought he and Andrew Watt did a great job. And I'm not on the new one either. Again it's Ozz and Andrew. I understand why I'm not in the studio. Ozz once said to me that he didn't want to be the lead singer in BLACK LABEL SOCIETY: 'You have your own thing now, so go to it.'

"I don't have to be involved in everything Ozz does. I'll always be there for him and Sharon. If they call now and ask me to go over to feed their dogs for three days… I'm there."

This past April, Zakk told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he checked out some of the songs on "Ordinary Man" and liked what he heard. "It came out cool," he said. "I saw the videos and everything like that. It's cool, man. And Andrew and everything like that — yeah, it was rocking."

Photo credit: Mark Weiss Photography


Ozzy CONFIRMS directly to Diary of the Madmen - The Ultimate Ozzy Podcast that Zakk Wylde does indeed play guitar on every track on his upcoming album! ?#Ozzy #ZakkWylde

Posted by Diary Of The Madmen - The Ultimate Ozzy Osbourne Podcast on Friday, October 29, 2021

The Metal Voice East Coast journalist Kenny Kessel conducted an interview with former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and filmmaker Drew Fortier at the Chiller Theatre convention at the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany, New Jersey on October 30. Asked if he he is bothered by the fact that MEGADETH removed his bass tracks from the band's upcoming studio album following his dismissal from the group, Ellefson said: "They did what they did. I don't think they had to do that. I asked them not to. But they did what they did. It's the path they chose."

As for whether he would ever return to MEGADETH if he got the call again from MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine, Ellefson said: "Look, I don't have — believe it or not; people might find this hard to believe — I don't have any ill will toward him [Mustaine] or them [the rest of MEGADETH]. I really don't."

Ellefson laid down his bass tracks on MEGADETH's sixteenth LP in May 2020 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

In July, Mustaine announced during an episode of his Gimme Radio program "The Dave Mustaine Show" that Ellefson's bass tracks would not be used on the new MEGADETH LP.

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH five 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.

Earlier this month, Ellefson spoke to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the circumstances that led to his exit from MEGADETH. He said: "I ran toward the bullets and dealt with it right away. The night [the messages and video were leaked online], a couple of people said, 'Hey, don't say anything.' In particular, the MEGADETH camp didn't want me to say anything. But my legal [advisers] said, 'Hey, I think you should say something. I think some people have done some really shitty things here and made some false allegations about you, and you have every right to defend yourself.' And I did. Ultimately, that led to my dismissal from MEGADETH. But I have every right, as anyone does, to defend yourself, especially when somebody is making false allegations about you like that. So I dealt with it that night, and quite honestly, that was it — it was over, and it was really kind of done. But then, as the MEGADETH camp in particular jumped in and had addressed it — and not that they shouldn't, but they did. That pretty quickly led to them making the decision to part ways with me and to move away from it.

"We had originally talked about doing a joint statement of sorts, and, of course, that was not what happened," David continued. "So I was disappointed in probably the way it went down.

"Ironically, things are fine between [me and MEGADETH]. We parted ways, and they took their road. And there's not ill will between us, believe it or not. And I think any fights and those things, that was 20 years go — lawsuits and all that crap.

"Look, they moved forward [with 'The Metal Tour Of The Year']," Ellefson added. "I wished them well in my [original] statement to them, and I mean it. It's a group I helped form almost 40 years coming up here for the band. And the songs that are on the radio that I see come up are songs that I had a participation in, and we built a big legacy. I still consider them family, and my DNA is all over that. I don't think you build something of that size together and then suddenly you're just out and that's it."

Ellefson also talked about the statement Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — released on May 24 announced the bassist's departure from the band. In the statement, Dave said: "We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward." Asked if he was aware of any tension between him and Mustaine and whether he "felt like the ice was getting ready to break again," Ellefson said: "I did not. I think one of the things — and this probably started 20 years ago, when MEGADETH was disbanded in 2002 and then put back together in 2004, it was very clear in 2004 that it was gonna be reframed around Dave unilaterally, one hundred percent being the boss and running the show. Gone were the days of the partnership, the '90s, where it was me, Nick [Menza], Marty [Friedman], Dave — kind of 'the four horsemen ride again' kind of mentality… That day was done; it was not gonna be that anymore. And that's where we fell apart in 2004 and I wasn't with the group through those years. Coming back to it in 2010, now we're a few years older, [with] a little more maturity in the situation, realizing that we're better together, that even though it's not, on paper, a partnership, there's a kind of visual partnership — the optics of it are kind of, like, 'Yeah, this looks better as MEGADETH with me and Dave together. We're one of those bands that, although Dave is the quarterback and the quarterback still plays, the overall feeling and likability and I think everything about it just feels better when it's Dave and Dave together, because we've been together from the beginning for so many years. And I think that worked really well for the last decade. At the same time, Dave and I are grown men, and we have opinions. It's not the thing where it's just Dave and three side guys when it's me and the band. And apparently, they didn't want that anymore — they wanted it to not be that. And I can't speak for them, 'cause I don't know. I'm not trying to put words in anybody's mouth about that. But it just seemed like 'there's just too much history here, and let's just part ways now and let MEGADETH move forward on a new day with kind of a new marching order.' So rather than fight it, which is what happened 20 years ago, 'cause we were dissolving a partnership at that point, we're not dissolving a partnership [this time]. It's, like, 'Hey, we don't want you here. There's the door. Don't come to work on Monday.' So, it's, like, 'Okay. Fine.' And that's just how I viewed it, and that's how I view it today. I don't have any sour grapes over it, and I'm not bitter about it."

Two days after Mustaine announced Ellefson's latest departure from MEGADETH, 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.

In July, Mustaine addressed the possibility of Ellefson returning to MEGADETH while filming a video message on Cameo, which lets users hire celebrities to record brief, personalized video messages about virtually any topic. Asked by Rock Feed if Ellefson could once again play with MEGADETH at some point down the line, Mustaine said: "Any chance on Ellefson coming back later on? The answer to that is no."

Former VAN HALEN frontman Sammy Hagar says that he has "no problem" with the band's original singer, David Lee Roth. The 74-year-old Red Rocker, who just kicked off his Las Vegas residency, discussed his relationship with Roth in a new interview with "The Mike & Carla Morning Show" on the 96.3 KKLZ radio station. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Him and I don't even have a feud. To be honest with you, I have no problem with Dave. I don't know what he's got going with me, but I think he always feels competitive. I think he feels like he has to raise his flag, like, 'I'm VAN HALEN.' 'Cause I had a solo career before VAN HALEN. I was in MONTROSE before VAN HALEN. I've had CHICKENFOOT. Dave has got VAN HALEN, so I think he has to hold on to that kind of tight. But I don't care about that. If someone said, 'Oh, I never knew you [were] in VAN HALEN,' I'd say, 'Eh…'"

Hagar replaced Roth in VAN HALEN in 1985 and recorded four studio albums with the band — "5150", "OU812", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and "Balance" — all of which topped the U.S. chart. The highest-charting Roth-led VAN HALEN album was a No. 2, and it took until "1984" to achieve that. (2012's "A Different Kind Of Truth" also landed at No. 2.)

This past June, Hagar blasted Roth, saying his voice "hasn't aged well" and describing the original VAN HALEN singer's onstage persona as "totally bullshit." He told Brazil's "Inside With Paulo Baron" Internet show: "[David is] a real character. He's a showman. He's all show. I enjoy him. But you talk about cringing. I can't imagine how he feels when he looks at some of them old videos, the way he was dancing and moving, and the way he was singing live sometimes. I don't know how he feels about all that, but I don't think he cares. The difference between him and I [is] I sincerely care — I care about everything I do and I care how it affects people and I care what they think. I care that it touches them and it makes them happy. And what is important to me is enlightening and elevating people spiritually and making them happy and making them have big dreams, making them want to be better themselves. And that's my goal with everything I do — is to bring that to people and change their life, if I can. I don't think he cares about anything like that. And that's the difference between our presence. He's very much into himself, very much into being a showman and doesn't really care. I don't know what he cares about; I really don't. I don't know him. I have no idea who that guy is; I don't think anyone does. But he entertains me. I enjoy watching him do stupid shit."

Asked what he thinks when he sees the way David presents himself to the public, Sammy said: "Well, the first thing I'd say is I look at him and I think, 'Wow. He's a strange person. He's a strange character.' He's not what he's saying he is; he's pretending. He's totally bullshit. Everything he does is thought up and it's an image. It's nothing to do with who he is; he's not exposing who and what he is. And I know this for a fact. I knew that the first time I saw him. I said, 'This guy, he's putting on an image, putting on a show.' He goes back home and goes in his house, and he's a whole different guy — nothing to do with that guy [you see on stage]. He's not honest about his image and his performance. That's what I see when I see him; that's how I feel. But I tried to be friends."

Referring to the time when he and Roth teamed up for the "Song For Song, The Undisputed Heavyweight Champs Of Rock And Roll!" co-headlining tour in 2002, Sammy continued: "When we did our together, I thought it was gonna be so much fun. I thought, 'If he's anything like he claims to be, we're gonna have a good time.' But he wasn't. He was the worst guy to be around. He wasn't ever around. He hides out. You never see him. He puts on this whole big front and comes out, 'I'm here. David Lee Roth is here,' and then he goes and hides again. I don't think he's happy. He's never been married; never had a relationship; never had children. It's, like, man, how do you live like that? I don't know. I'm a family man. And I love women — I love women and children… He hasn't aged well — his voice. [Laughs] I don't know. It's hard."

According to Hagar, he has tried a number of times to be respectful to Roth, particularly because of David's immeasaurable contribution to VAN HALEN's legacy.

"I used to not wanna cause trouble," he said. "First, in the old days, before I was in VAN HALEN, I ripped him through the fucking coals when I [did] the press, before I ever was in that band. And then when I joined the band, I tried to be nice. And then when I left the band, I tried to be nice about him. And then we did our together, and then I fucking said, 'Fuck this guy. He's an asshole. You can't get along with him. He's no fun. He's full of shit.' And then now, after [VAN HALEN guitarist] Eddie's [Van Halen] death, I feel, once again, he's part of the VAN HALEN legacy and he's important. So I wouldn't wanna ruin anything to do with what he brought to that legacy. I want VAN HALEN to go down as one of the greatest rock bands of all time — but not just my [era]; Dave's era [as well]. I want Eddie to be the legend and get the respect that he deserves, and the only way to preserve that is by being kind about the past. And, like in my [2011's autobiography, 'Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock'], like I said, that's the only thing I would probably [change in the book if I was writing it now is I would] soften it up [as it relates to Eddie]. But it's too late — it is what it is. And it's honest. So I'm not lying, I'm not backpedaling — nope, nope. It's all true. But God rest his soul. He brought a lot to this planet, to this business of rock and roll, Eddie Van Halen did. And Dave was a part of it. It's too bad what he's become. [Laughs] But that's different. It's not VAN HALEN anymore."

Last November, Eddie's son Wolfgang revealed that his father had contemplated a "kitchen-sink tour" that would have included classic-era bassist Michael Anthony, as well as vocal turns from both Hagar and Roth. There was even talk about bringing back Gary Cherone, who sang with VAN HALEN on one poorly received album, 1998's "Van Halen III".

Eddie died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

SEVENDUST frontman Lajon Witherspoon spoke to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for his long-in-the-works debut solo album. He said: "I'll start writing again after this [SEVENDUST] tour. I've got a couple of more sessions I wanna do, a couple of people I'd like to write with. And I'm taking my time on it. It's fun. It's exciting. I'm gonna leak out another song probably in a month or so and let some people start feeling it a little bit."

Most of the early sessions for Witherspoon's solo LP were overseen by RA's Daniel "Sahaj" Ticotin.

This past January, Lajon released a solo single, a cover of British singer Jacob Banks's 2017 song "Chainsmoking".

In September 2020, Lajon told Talking Metal that working on his solo LP has been fun. "I've not had any pressure," he said. "It hasn't been something that, 'Oh, I have to do this.' This is something I've done on my own.

"I've been working with a very close friend of mine, Sahaj, [who] is the lead singer from the band RA, which I think a lot of people out there would know," he continued. "[He's] an incredible friend and artist, and we write well together."

Asked about the musical direction of his solo material, Lajon said: "You can be on the avenue and hang out with my solo stuff. It's rock. It's a little bit of heavy, but I think it lends more towards a bluesy, soulful, more radio friendly… I'm not saying SEVENDUST isn't radio friendly, but I think this is more of a radio friendly… I don't know. It's a lot, a lot, a lot of melody. It's cool."

Witherspoon released the standalone solo single "Love Song" in 2017.

SEVENDUST's 13th studio album, "Blood & Stone", was released in October 2020 via Rise Records. The follow-up to 2018's "All I See Is War" was once again tracked at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

David Coverdale says that he was shocked to hear about the death of actress Julie E. "Tawny" Kitaen, who is best known in the rock world for her appearance in the band's video for "Here I Go Again".

While WHITESNAKE was working on it 1987 self-titled album, Coverdale started dating Kitaen, who had recently starred opposite Tom Hanks in the movie "Bachelor Party". Kitaen soon appeared in several of WHITESNAKE's music videos, including those for "Here I Go Again", "Is This Love" and "Still Of The Night". Footage of Kitaen writhing around on the hood of a Jaguar in the "Here I Go Again" clip has been called one of the most iconic — and sexiest — video moments ever filmed.

Coverdale discussed Kitaen's passing in a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's radio station WRIF. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I got a text late at night, and I thought, 'Oh my God.' Really, to be honest, there had been no communication for over 30 years. I've been deeply invested, and continue to be invested, in my marriage to [my current wife] Cindy. I think it would have been different had Tawny and I had a child, but we didn't. And I sent my condolences out to her family and friends and made a modest public statement because it really wasn't my place to do anything else.

"As you know, Tawny is synonymous with WHITESNAKE, with MTV," he continued. "This iconic, amazing beauty who brought so much attention to my music. Once you go, 'Oh my God, she's gorgeous,' you go, 'Wow, the songs aren't bad either.'

"Yeah, so that was a shock — there was no question," David added. "I didn't see that one coming. But then, sadly, I'm losing a lot of people. At this age, it's so weird the amount of people I know who are checking out, privately or professionally. It's pretty crazy. But it's onwards and forwards — it has to be my philosophy."

Earlier this month, a spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff's Department in California said that Tawny's cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy. The manner of death was ruled natural.

According to the spokesman, other significant conditions included mild coronary atherosclerosis (clogged arteries); mirtazapine (antidepressant), mirtazapine metabolite, alprazolam (Xanax), acetaminophen (Tylenol), pregabalin (nerve pain medication) and hydrocodone (opioid).

Kitaen died on May 7 at her home in Newport Beach, California.

Tawny's children — Wynter and Raine Finley, whom she shared with ex-husband, baseball player Chuck Finley — confirmed their mother's passing, writing in a statement: "We are heartbroken and saddened to announce the death of our mom. We just want to say thank you for all of you, her fans and her friends, for always showing her such support and love. You gave her life everyday. We miss her and love her and we know her legacy will live on forever."

In June 2020, Tawny told "Ouch, You're On My Hair" about how she ended up being featured in the WHITESNAKE videos: "Ironically, I started dating David. He was two million dollars in debt to David Geffen at that time. I was working and had more money than David at that time, so I kind of supported us a little. And when I heard the album and I was allowed to go in and help mix the album… You know how when you sing different tracks, they give you a piece of paper and you pick the word from the best track. So I was able to do that. And John Kalodner, who was the biggest A&R guy in the business, who works for David Geffen, in my 'E! True Hollywood Story' called me Yoko Ono — because I picked the album covers, I picked the single, I picked the photographer. I made the rule that no girls were allowed backstage, so the groupies must have hated me.

"I'll tell you how I came to be in the video," she continued. "Marty Callner, the director of all the WHITESNAKE videos, had it all planned out — had the girl, had everything. The night before the shoot, David said, 'Will you come with me to Marty, the director of the video's house? We have to go over the story boards.' So we went over to his Bel Air mansion, and he opens up the door, and without even saying hi or hello, he pointed at me and he said, 'You're her.' And I'm, like, 'I'm who?' And he said, 'You're the girl.' And I was already an actress. I had turned down a couple of bands from not being in their video, because I was an actress. 'I'm not gonna do a rock video. Are you kidding?' That was the mentality. But it was my boyfriend at the time's video, so I thought, 'All right, I've already helped my boyfriend on all the RATT album covers' — referring to her former boyfriend, late RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby — "why can't I help my boyfriend in his videos?' And so that's how it happened. And this poor girl got a call that she was no longer gonna be in it, and here I was."

In a 2019 interview with Consequence Of Sound, Coverdale confirmed that Kitaen was not the first choice for the female figure featured in the video. "Claudia Schiffer was supposed to be 'the WHITESNAKE woman,' when she was the Guess jeans girl," he said. "But that fell apart near the actual shoot. And I was taking Tawny out for dinner, when Marty Callner called me, and said, 'You have to stop by, we have problems.' We went to his house on the way to dinner, he opened the door, his jaw hit the floor — as you know, Tawny was an absolute beauty — and he said, 'That's her! She's the WHITESNAKE woman!' And I said, 'Marty, this is a friend of mine. She's an actress.' And she said, 'No, David. I'm happy to do it!' So, sorry Claudia — you did very well afterwards, too."

Coverdale and Kitaen tied the knot in 1989 but the union only lasted two years. Kitaen married Finley in 1997 and divorced him in 2002, not long after she was arrested for allegedly attacking her husband in their SUV a few blocks from their home. According to the Los Angeles Times, Kitaen pleaded not guilty to the charges of domestic violence, and the case was dismissed in 2003 after she attended court-mandated counseling. When she and Finley divorced, she released a statement saying she was being treated for a dependency on prescription drugs and vowed to become "the healthiest and the best mother possible" to her two daughters.

Prior to hooking up with Coverdale, Kitaen appeared in RATT's "Back For More" music video. She was also featured in several reality shows, including "The Surreal Life", "Botched" and "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew". She had several other run-ins with the law, including a charge for cocaine possession in 2006 and driving under the influence in 2009.

One of the Jaguars from the "Here I Go Again" video was dusted off for WHITESNAKE's clip for "Shut Up & Kiss Me", from 2019's "Flesh & Blood" album.

The day after Kitaen's passing, Coverdale tweeted: "Just woke up to some very sad, unexpected news… My sincere condolences to her children, her family, friends & fans…"

ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell was the featured guest on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" during the "Rock God" segment. Jerry picked THE ROLLING STONES frontman Mick Jagger and stated about his choice: "I had the good fortune to see him perform with THE STONES in Los Angeles a couple of days ago. I've been lucky enough to catch a few STONES shows over the years, but it was really great to be reminded of their place in rock and roll history and Mick's place as the genesis, I believe, of what fronting a rock and roll band really looks like. It's amazing, the longevity, the attitude, just his ability to connect with the audience, to work a room, I don't think you'd have Steven Tyler or David Lee Roth or any epic frontman without Mick Jagger. He is the archetype and the forerunner for what fronting a rock and roll band is all about."

Last year, Cantrell discussed his early musical influences during an interview about his career for Gibson's "Icon" series. He stated at the time: "Music was something that was always in our house from a very early age. By that time, I was heavily into rock, like AC/DC and KISS and all the English metal. And I grew up on bands that wrote good riffs. I just wanted to play guitar, write songs, and I'm proud to have sprung from the community and so many of my friends. And the reasons and the meaning behind why we all do it, where we all come from and what that means, that's not lost on any of us."

Jerry's new solo album, "Brighten", was made available on October 29. The LP was co-produced by Jerry over the past year with film composer Tyler Bates and Cantrell's longtime engineer Paul Figueroa. They welcomed a dynamic cast of supporting players, including drummers Gil Sharone and Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul McCartney), pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer, and organ. Other rock legends added to the fun of this LP, including Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) on select bass tracks, Greg Puciato (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) handling all of the background vocals and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) overseeing the mixing of "Brighten". Together, they recorded eight originals and the LP closes with an approved-by-Elton John cover of his classic "Goodbye" as the fin

Jon Bon Jovi canceled his appearance at a Miami Beach concert Saturday night (October 30) after testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The 58-year-old BON JOVI frontman, who is said to be fully vaccinated, pulled out of the fan event minutes before he was supposed to take the stage for an acoustic Halloween performance at the Loews South Beach.

According to the Asbury Park Press, Jon's brother Matt Bongiovi took the stage and told the audience the singer had tested positive for the virus after Jon and his backing band had all taken a rapid test. Bongiovi added that Jon "feels great" but was headed "to bed," according to WSVN.

Jon's positive COVID-19 test was confirmed by a BON JOVI representative, who added that he is "fully vaccinated and feeling fine."

A video posted on Twitter shows Bon Jovi leaving the venue. He reportedly then got into a yellow Maserati driven by his brother.

The event, dubbed "Runaway With JBJ" and put on by Runaway Tours, was scheduled to include an acoustic storyteller performance, question-and-answer session and photo-op with Jon, in addition to a Halloween costume welcome party.

Jon's publicist told DailyMail.com: 'This was a Runaway concert which means it is a smaller more intimate type acoustic show for the top levels of his fan club, so he is backed by on these by a group of musicians called the KINGS OF SUBURBIA, not by 'BON JOVI' — and out of an abundance of caution they did not perform without Jon."

Last year, Jon's 18-year-old son Jacob tested positive for COVID-19, as did BON JOVI keyboard player David Bryan and percussionist Everett Bradley.




Jon Bon Jovi cancels Miami concert. Tested positive for COVID according to staff. ⁦@jonbonjovi⁩ ⁦@wsvn⁩ pic.twitter.com/Hrvn7ETEwG

— Jessica Holly (@JhollyW) October 30, 2021

Legendary Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads was posthumously inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame during the 2021 ceremony.

Rhoads, who played in Ozzy's band four decades ago, received the Musical Excellence Award at this year's event, which was held yesterday (Saturday, October 30) at Cleveland, Ohio's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

The Musical Excellence Award is given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.

Rhoads was inducted into the Rock Hall by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello who stated in a video message. "Randy Rhoads is a peerless talent. He revived Ozzy Osbourne's career as his gunslinger sideman. And it was Randy Rhoads's poster that I had on my wall... You could study Randy's songs in a university-level musicology class and bang your heads to them in a 7-11 parking lot."

Also offering a video tribute was METALLICA's Kirk Hammett, who stated about Randy's death: "All of a sudden, the curtain came down unexpectedly and the show was over before it really, really got going." Longtime Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde spoke highly about his predecessor, saying "Randy, hands down, sits at" the round table of greatness in the Hall Of Fame alongside Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Eddie Van Halen.

Rhoads played on Osbourne's seminal records "Blizzard Of Ozz" (1980) and "Diary Of A Madman" but tragically died in a plane crash when he was just 25 years old, on March 19, 1982. He influenced many musicians and is considered one of the greatest guitartists of all time. His death was a huge shock to the world and Ozzy wrote in his autobiography "I Am Ozzy" that he almost quit music after Randy's passing.

Shortly after Rhoads's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was announced, Ozzy told Rolling Stone: "I knew him for a very short amount of time. But what he gave me in that short amount of time was immeasurable in fucking greatness. To get somebody like Randy Rhoads to play on two albums, and for those two albums to sound as good as the day they were recorded, is something else. And I'm forever in gratitude for that. God only knows where that man would be today. The very fact that he’s not here to breathe the air is just a fucking crime.

"Thank God that he's getting recognized by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He finally got there in the end. I'm sad that his mother was not alive to see it, because he was very close to his mom. I know his brother, Kelle, and his sister, Kathy, are going to be really chuffed about it. It shows that he's not been forgotten. He was a dedicated, true musician, and he was a lovely guy. I still think about him all the time."

The induction ceremony will air November 20 on HBO and stream on HBO Max alongside a radio simulcast on SiriusXM.




— Randy Rhoads I Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Posted by Scott Weaver on Sunday, October 31, 2021



























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A post shared by Kathy Rhoads D’Argenzio (@dargmama)

San Diego, California-based extreme metal/progressive unit Cave Bastard has unveiled a startling new video for “Anti-Vaxxtermination”. The timely track appears on the band’s sophomore full-length, Wrath Of The Bastard, set for release November 12th via Antrum Records.


Recorded by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio in March 2020, Wrath Of The Bastard is composed of a series of morbid pulverizing movements completely separate from previous efforts, while telling tales of torment ending with the obliteration of humankind.


Comments the band of “Anti-Vaxxtermination”: “Written during the summer of 2019 -- well before the first COVID-19 cases were reported -- the concept behind ‘Anti-Vaxxtermination’ was inspired by the ‘wellness’ community, which is notoriously anti-vaccine and promotes unproven treatments with unsubstantiated claims for several different diseases and ailments, often with the motive of profit by snake-oil salesmen. Diseases such as measles -- virtually eradicated by the year 2000 in the US -- rose drastically within the last fifteen years, prompting a travel advisory warning for foreigners traveling into the United States. The idea of deadlier and severely crippling diseases returning unchecked came to mind, wiping out a majority of the population whilst humanity tears itself apart, resulting in vulnerability to existential threats. Unbeknownst to us that a global pandemic was right around the corner, we’ve unfortunately seen the continuation of the spread of anti-vaccine rhetoric.”







Wrath Of The Bastard artwork and tracklisting:





"Contaminate-Annihilate"
"Anti-Vaxxtermination"
"Chaos Unearthed" 
"A Horrible Light"
"Fools Of Enslavement"
"Wrath Of The Bastard"
"The Kreist"
"Welcome To Oblivion"
"Futility En Masse"


[Photo by Chad Kelco]


 

Persistence breeds Proselytism. From Zeolite’s humble Tasmanian beginnings, the now Melbourne based band’s sound has evolved through groove oriented origins to a unique and distinctly dissonant take on technical death metal.


“To ‘proselytise’ is a concept detailing the minimal degrees of separation between mainstream religion, cultism, corporate entities and the tactics they use to seduce and control people,” explains guitarist Grant McGuinness. “This concept is allegorically told across Proselytism with an eldritch twist.”


Proselytism is a gargantuan record, and began as a clean slate for new vocalist Daniel MacDonald, his absolutely searing bellow seamlessly shifting into raw hisses and inhuman distortions across the ten tracks.




Undoubtedly suffocating, the atmosphere that overhangs every second is discordant and harsh - a constant sense of dread and anxiety that leads to supercharged releases of jagged tension that set the band apart from their influences.


We all know far too well that the future is uncertain, but having previously toured Australia in support of such acts as The Black Dahlia Murder, Aborted, Vulvodynia, and To The Grave, the bar has been set at a high level that is undeniably met by this release.


The earth will further crumble in the wake of Proselytism on October 29, as the weight of it is pummeled into listeners worldwide via EVP Recordings. 





Tracklisting:


"Hope Syndrome"
"Indoctrinated"
"Legion"
"Sculpture Of Torment"
"Depths Of The Fog"
"The Atrocious One"
"The Bellowing Void"
"Nightmare" feat. Dylan Gillies-Parsons
"Hecatomb"
"Deceit"


"Indoctrinated":





"Sculpture Of Torment":





"The Bellowing Void":





"Nightmare" feat. Dylan Gillies-Parsons:





For further details, visit Zeolite on Facebook.


 


 

Prepare for the most monumental metal tour of 2022. Two of the world’s most revered heavy bands, Bay Area metal icons Machine Head and Sweden’s Viking metal overlords Amon Amarth are teaming up for the colossal co-headline Vikings And Lionhearts arena tour set to rampage across Europe in September & October 2022.  


Joining the metallic pairing to open the show are The Halo Effect, a new band featuring five luminaries of Swedish melodic death metal and pioneers of the genre; Peter Iwers, Daniel Svensson, Jesper Stromblad, Niclas Engelin and Mikael Stanne.  


Tickets go on general sale here on Friday 5th November at 10am local time, with artist & venue pre-sales available from 10am Wednesday 3rd November and Live Nation’s pre-sale at 10am on Thursday 4th. Machine Head will close the show on all UK dates. Check out the tour trailer below.




Machine Head frontman, Robb Flynn declares; “Head Cases and Lionhearts rejoice! It is with great pleasure we announce our triumphant return to your land to crush skulls, pummel circle pits, and deplete your beer supply!! Only this time we will not be alone. That’s right! For the first time in nearly a decade, Machine Head will be foregoing our usual “Evenings with…” to join forces with our battle-hardened brothers in the all-powerful Amon Amarth, plus their fellow countrymen, The Halo Effect. This absolute monster of a tour will kick off Autumn 2022 and will be the most devastating night of your metal lives. So get ready to raise your fists, raise your glasses, and bang your heads with us at the heaviest tour of the year! No one can resist the pure power of this epic alliance. We are coming for you!”





Amon Amarth are equally looking forward to it, stating “Vikings, we are called to raid again! They said it couldn’t be done, but epic measures must be taken in these turbulent times. Amon Amarth is joining forces with our long-time lion-hearted friends in the almighty Machine Head to carve a path of destruction across Europe next Autumn. Your heathen souls must witness the full display of production by both bands, for what will be the most monumental metal event of the year. Joining the plunder will be Sweden’s The Halo Effect who absolutely embody the spirit of the legendary Gothenburg sound. Keep an eye out for more news from us, as it’s almost time to grab your oars and row to victory. Stay safe, stay strong and raise your horns!”


Similarly thrilled are The Halo Effect, who inform us, “We are incredibly excited to announce that we will present this new band of ours on stages throughout Europe supporting the amazing Machine Head and Amon Amarth next fall. This band started with an idea between old friends about doing something cool together, to somehow recapture the creativity and energy we felt growing up with metal in Gothenburg. Teaming up with two of the most respected and seasoned bands in the world of metal will be the perfect way to show what we are all about. See you in the front row!”


Tickets available Friday, November 5 at 10 AM.





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

Pacific Southwest prog metal trailblazer, Dessiderium, is pleased to announce that they've signed with The Artisan Era. The brainchild of Southern California native Alex Haddad, Dessiderium started out as a passion project for the multi-faceted artist, with the band's first two albums (Life Was A Blu & 'Rain Gates) being recorded and produced in his bedroom. However, the band's third LP, Shadow Burn, would establish it as a legitimate force within the underground metal scene - highlighting elements of melodic arrangements, hyper-aggressive death instrumentals, and emotionally vulnerable lyrical themes.


Today, Dessiderium has announced that their fourth full-length album, Aria, will see a December 10 release on The Artisan Era. Wasting no time giving listeners their first taste of what will be the band's most unrelenting and ambitious effort to date, Haddad has released the album's first single, "Moon Lust Delirium". Fans can listen to the new track, which clocks in at over nine minutes, via the lyric below.


Speaking about signing with The Artisan Era, Haddad shares how the experience has been a perfect fit from the start, saying: "Signing with The Artisan Era is a dream come true. When I first discovered the label back in 2018, I instantly felt a sense of belonging. Their entire roster of bands showcased a style that seemed directly tailored to what I enjoy about metal music. In 2019, I had the honor of joining forces with the label through Arkaik, and now in 2021, I have the honor of bringing my solo efforts to the family through Dessiderium. Beyond all of this, it is simply a pleasure to share such a high-quality label with many of my favorite bands in metal today."




Musically, Aria marks a return to the long-form style of songwriting from Dessiderium. Songs weave in and out of acrobatic riffing, calming transitions, and dense walls of sound, all while forming a cohesive narrative. The story is told episodically, following the song-to-song evolution of a nameless protagonist who forms an ever-growing obsession with a reoccurring lucid dream figure named Aria. It is through this concept that the album explores broader themes of love, lust, infatuation, isolation, nostalgia, and death. Ultimately, through its music and words, Aria pays recognition to both the esoteric beauty and inevitable damage of living life through escapism.  


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"White Morning"
"Pale"
"Aria"
"Moon Lust Delirium"
"The Persecution Complex"


"Moon Lust Delirium" lyric video:

Born Of Osiris released their new album, Angel Or Alien, back in July via Sumerian Records. Today, the band share an official live video for the song "Oathbreaker". Watch below:





Order the new album here, and check out the preview below.







Tracklisting:


"Poster Child"
"White Nile"
"Angel Or Alien"
"Waves"
"Oathbreaker"
"Threat Of Your Presence"
"Love Story"
"Crossface"
"Echobreather"
"Lost Souls"
"In For The Kill"
"You Are The Narrative"
"Truth And Denial"
"Shadowmourne"


"Angel Or Alien" video:





"White Nile" video:

In November, BBC Two will broadcast "Freddie Mercury: The Final Act" — the story of the extraordinary final chapter of Freddie Mercury's life, as well as the journey leading up to the Freddie Mercury tribute concert at Wembley Stadium that followed.

Thirty years after Freddie died (in November 1991) from complications of AIDS, "Freddie Mercury: The Final Act" movingly captures the last years of Freddie's life. The film follows the story from Freddie's last concert to the tribute concert itself which took place on April 20, 1992. The documentary features new interviews with many of those who were closest to Freddie, including QUEEN members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Freddie's sister Kashmira Bulsara, his friends Anita Dobson and David Wigg and his PA, Peter Freestone. We also hear from those who performed at the epic gig, including Gary Cherone (EXTREME), Roger Daltrey (THE WHO), Joe Elliott (DEF LEPPARD), Lisa Stansfield and Paul Young, as well as the concert's promoter, Harvey Goldsmith. The film also hears from those who saw the impact of HIV/AIDS first hand, either as medical practitioners, survivors, or human rights campaigners, including Peter Tatchell. The film starts in 1986, as QUEEN's "Magic" tour reaches its awesome climax at Knebworth Stadium in Hertfordshire and Freddie Mercury proves himself to be one of the greatest rock performers that the world has known.

Speaking in the program, Brian May says: "Freddie opened up his heart and gave it everything he had. He was a musician through and through and through. He lived for his music. He loved his music, and he was proud of himself as a musician above everything else."

Over the next few years however, he would secretly battle HIV/AIDS — a disease that was killing millions and intensifying homophobia. In the tragic aftermath of Freddie's death, Roger Taylor started approaching a range of stellar artists, including Elton John, David Bowie and Annie Lennox, and then along with bandmate Brian May, and QUEEN's manager Jim Beach, the three of them devised a plan to commemorate their friend's life with what would become one of the biggest concerts in history.

The Freddie Mercury tribute concert was attended by over 70,000 people, with over a billion viewers on television. With one collective voice, for four glorious hours, the concert not only celebrated Freddie, but it also placed HIV/AIDS clearly in the spotlight and raised awareness of the disease. About the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS at the time, Roger Taylor says: "We were very angry and we had to stick up for our friend — our best friend. I became fixated with the idea of giving him a hell of a send-off."

"Freddie Mercury: The Final Act" is a story about friendship, love and a fight against prejudice — shown by the way in which Freddie's friends created a joyful celebration of his life, which not only burnished his reputation as one of the world's great musical performers, but which also helped change social attitudes.

Jan Younghusband, head of commissioning at BBC Music TV, says: "James Rogan's film 'Freddie Mercury: The Final Act' is a poignant story of one of music's most popular and talented musicians, and the legacy he left. Not only does it shine new light on Freddie Mercury's brave journey through those final five years of his life, it also tells a wider — and hugely important — story of the emergence of AIDS at the time and how the incredible tribute concert after his death, helped to change for the better public opinion about the crisis. The artists of QUEEN and others who were there, speak candidly for the first time."

Director James Rogan said: "Making 'Freddie Mercury: The Final Act' has been an extraordinary journey into the final chapter of one of rock music's greatest icons. Working with QUEEN and getting to see behind the scenes of some of their greatest performances and the legendary Freddie Mercury tribute concert was a rare privilege. Equally important was speaking to the people who had lived through the eye of the storm of the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS, with all its resonances with COVID today. Freddie's death and the tribute that QUEEN organized for him helped to change global awareness of this terrible disease at a critical time."

To accompany "Freddie: The Final Act", BBC Two will also show "Queen At The BBC" in November. "Queen At The BBC" is a one-hour special, featuring some of the greatest musical moments from Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon that have been shown on the BBC over the years. The legendary band's huge international status and punishing touring schedules meant they made surprisingly few appearances on programs like "Top Of The Pops" and frustratingly for fans, several of those performances were lost or never recorded.

This collection celebrates the very best of what's survived from one of most enduring and best-loved acts in British rock — and perhaps the most charismatic and best-loved frontman of all time. Among the gems are moments from the band's celebrated 1975 concert at Hammersmith Odeon, London and highlights from the prestigious Montreux Pop Festival, where Freddie and the boys showed the rest how live performance was done. Songs in this program include the band's first-ever U.K. hit, "Seven Seas Of Rye", "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" — frequently voted the nation's favorite song.

"Freddie Mercury: The Final Act" is produced by Rogan Productions. Directed by James Rogan, executive producers are Soleta Rogan, Mark Hedgecoe and Simon Lupton. The producer is Dan Hall. It was commissioned by Owen Courtney, commissioning executive, BBC Music.

Broadcasting date and times will be announced la

KISS's second Las Vegas residency has been canceled. Tickets for the legendary rockers' engagement at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood, which was scheduled to launch at the end of December, have been taken down from the Caesars Entertainment/Ticketmaster link and fans who already purchased tickets via Ticketmaster have been notified that the shows are no longer taking place.

Zappos Theater representatives have told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that ticket providers will contact purchasers with refund information.

According to Las Vegas Review-Journal writer John Katsilometes, "soft ticket sales" are reportedly the reason the run has been called off.

The following 12 shows have been canceled:

December 2021: 29, 31

January 2022: 1, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, 29

February 2022: 2, 4, 5

The legendary rockers previously set up shop in Sin City in November 2014 at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel And Casino. The nine-show run was captured for the "Kiss Rocks Vegas" DVD and Blu-ray set, which arrived in August 2016.

Earlier this month, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons spoke to Beond TV about what fans could expect to see this time around. "We hired a big technical staff, and to the extent that the concert facility is gonna allow us, we're gonna blow the roof off the joint," he said. "There are gonna be things that are gonna be lifted and separated — in other words, the show is gonna come into the audience. I don't wanna say too much about that. So wherever you are, even in the upper areas and stuff, the show is coming at you. Usually shows stay on stage. You'll see what I mean."

Asked by Rolling Stone what brought KISS back to Las Vegas for another residency, Simmons said: "There are matters of the heart and then there are matters of the pocket and it's nice when they both converge. So it's a very nice payday. They pay well and that's reason enough. But it's also easier for the band because you don't have the wear and tear of traveling."

As for what kind of production the residency would have and whether it would be scaled down or on par with the touring show, Gene told 95.5 KLOS's "New & Approved" show: "The plus side of Vegas is that now, the culture of Vegas has changed so that it welcomes punk bands and rap and all kinds of stuff and lets them do their art their way, instead of saying that Vegas is about showgirls and magicians and stuff like that. Yes, it is, but it's also about other artists, comedians and people coming in — Mike Tyson had a talk show there; he's a friend. If they don't tell you what the rules are, you make the rules. You can come in and do it your way. So that's exactly what we're gonna do. We're gonna be KISS, 'cause that's all we know how to do. THE [ROLLING] STONES already exist, and [LED] ZEPPELIN already existed, so doing second best isn't a good idea. But we can be the best KISS, and that's what we're gonna do when we come in and play New Year's Eve right there at Planet Hollywood, and we're gonna do a bunch of shows through January and February. And our good friends the fire department promised to sort of extend the limits of what you can do indoors, and it's gonna be safe. If you're an asshole and don't wanna wear a mask and stay safe and do that stuff, you're not gonna be allowed in. We wanna keep everybody safe, responsible and have the best party on earth."

KISS is in the middle of its "End Of The Road" farewell tour, which 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.

(Thanks: The Music Room)






I know, I'm so sorry. ? ?

— Zappos Theater (@ZapposTheater) October 30, 2021








We miss you too! ❤️

— Zappos Theater (@ZapposTheater) October 30, 2021

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH will celebrate their 30-year career with a massive livestream event called "XXX Years Ov Blasphemy" this Halloween, October 31. The event will feature three separate sets in three spectacular locations, commemorating the band's three decades making music and art.

In the nine-minute video below, BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski looks back on the band's first three decades by going over old photos and discussing BEHEMOTH's musical evolution.

He said in part: "Three decades, it just went that fast. [Snaps fingers] And sitting here retrospecting some of the stories, picking up those photos and going through all that and trying to remember facts, it just feels amazing. It feels very fulfilling to be part of that history."

With each "XXX Years Ov Blasphemy" set, BEHEMOTH will showcase its glorious 30-year history and focus on each decade, starting with the early day of pagan and black metal sounds of "Pandemonic Incantations" through their international breakthroughs "The Apostasy" and "Evangelion", up to their most recent masterpiece, 2018's "I Loved You At Your Darkest". The event is directed by Dariusz Szermanowicz (Grupa 13 Production House).

BEHEMOTH's Moment will be broadcast to various territories around the world including North and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and Europe and Africa. Following the initial airing, the Moment will be available on VOD for 24 hours.

Fans will also have the ability to purchase a number of VIP ticket options available, including an online meet-and-greet, limited to 30 fans only. Also available as an option is a post-show "XXX Years Ov Blasphemy - Behind The Scenes" bonus event for an additional $5, and will be available to watch on demand for 24 hours. An array of event merchandise is also available, with the first 500 merch customers receiving a free "Burning Cross" sticker with their purchase.

Darski's dark folk/blues/Americana-influenced solo project ME AND THAT MAN will release its third full-length studio album, "New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 2", on November 19 via Napalm Records.

Top musicians and producers throughout the industry are joining forces with the Metal Hall Of Fame to launch the "Metal Hall Of Fame All-Stars", a charity CD to help bring free music programs to special needs children isolated by the COVID lockdown. The first single from the "Metal Hall Of Fame All Stars" charity CD will be released October 31, 2021 and is titled "Attack Of The Witch". It will be available as streaming digital download at Bandcamp for $1.00.

The celebrated musicians and producers featured on the first single include Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Neil Kernon (JUDAS PRIEST, DOKKEN, YES, QUEENSRŸCHE), bassist Bob Daisley (OZZY OSBOURNE, RAINBOW), guitarist Tony MacAlpine ("G3" tour, Steve Vai), vocalist Mike Tirelli (RIOT, HOLY MOTHER), drummer and Metal Hall Of Fame/D.A.D. founder Pat Gesualdo, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, SONS OF APOLLO).

Additional musicians to record on future released tracks for the project include Rudy Sarzo (WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT), Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE) and Bjorn Englen (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DIO DISCIPLES), among others. Chandler Mogel (Punky Meadows) and Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY X), who recorded on Gesualdo's solo project, will be featured as well. The complete CD with several original and cover songs will be released early 2022. 100 percent of the proceeds goes to the CD project, which will feature a combination of original and cover songs.

"The Metal Hall Of Fame All-Stars charity CD unites great musicians for a great cause," says Metal Hall Of Fame spokesperson Owen Kennedy. " The initiative brings music programs for special needs children that were isolated by the lockdown. The programs will help children suffering from various disabilities to develop retention, coordination, and physical and cognitive ability. We always make sure to include our non-profit parent charity organization D.A.D. (Drums And Disabilities) in everything we do."

The Metal Hall Of Fame was founded by Gesualdo. The Metal Hall Of Fame holds the annual Metal Hall Of Fame celebrity charity gala. It is dedicated to forever enshrining the iconic musicians and music industry executives responsible for making hard rock and heavy metal music what it is today. Their contribution to the genre is invaluable, and they continue to inspire fans throughout the world, from generation to generation.

The Metal Hall Of Fame is part of the 501 (C)(3) non-profit organization D.A.D. (Drums And Disabilities). D.A.D. provides free therapy and advocacy services for special needs children and wounded veterans in health facilities, schools, and community centers in over 15 countries.

Doctors, psychologists, special needs therapists, and teachers in over 15 countries use Gesualdo's pioneering drum therapy techniques and D.A.D. program to help the special needs children and adults to develop physical and cognitive functioning. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State has brought Gesualdo and the D.A.D. program to various regions of the world to help disabled children, and the United States Department of Defense calls on him to train and certify U.S. Military health professionals. Alfred Music Publishing publishes Gesualdo's groundbreaking book "Drum Therapy, Healing With The Drumset" which helps drummers and special needs therapists on a global basis teach special needs drum students.

Gesualdo wrote the first law in the United States to help bring additional protection to the special needs population. He is an artist/clinician with Zildjian cymbals, Promark drumsticks, and Evans drumheads, and lectures and performs in drum clinics throughout the world. Gesualdo also appears in various Metal Hall Of Fame events and inductions.

Attack of The Witch by Metal Hall of Fame All Stars

EXODUS drummer Tom Hunting says that says that he is "thankful for the science" that helped him in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach. The 56-year-old made the comment just three weeks after he rejoined his bandmates on stage at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California. The concert marked the musician's first appearance with EXODUS since undergoing a successful total gastrectomy in July.

Tom discussed his cancer battle during an October 27 interview with "The Classic Metal Show". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's just some stuff that some of us are gonna have to go through. I'm very thankful for the science and what they were able to do to turn a bad situation around for me. I think I got lucky — I'm a lot more lucky than brave, that's for sure.

"As far as perspective changes, I definitely don't think I sweat the small stuff anymore as much," he continued. "Things that used to stress me out or whatever, it just ain't worth it anymore. But I'm in a good place now. I was able to rejoin the band, and that felt great. I got to do one show with them back so far, and we're doing another one next month.

"I don't have any limitations — dietary, physical or whatever," Hunting explained. "I'm in a good place right now. I'm pretty lucky. They can't find cancer in me right now. And believe me — they're poking and prodding and doing screenshots of my guts and innards all the time. They use words like 'markers' and 'margins,' and all of my markers and margins are just good right now. They got it all; that's what they told me. I won't say [I'm] cancer free, because I don't wanna jinx it. But they're cautiously optimistic. They say I have a lot to celebrate right now, so I'm celebrating, bro."

EXODUS tapped John Tempesta to play drums for the band at Psycho Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada in August and at Full Terror Assault in Cave In Rock, Illinois in September while Hunting was recovering from surgery. Tempesta was a member of EXODUS from 1989 until 1993 and played on the band's albums "Impact Is Imminent" (1990) and "Force Of Habit" (1992).

When Hunting announced his absence from Psycho Las Vegas and Full Terror Assault, he said in a statement: "I need to manage my own expectations, and then work my very core back into shape to be fully ready for action. I have no doubt I'll bounce back and get there."

A GoFundMe campaign to help Hunting with medical expenses had previously raised more than $114,000 — including $5,000 from Tom's former EXODUS bandmate, current METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett, and $1,500 from FOZZY singer and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho.

EXODUS will release its new album, "Persona Non Grata", on November 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap. For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork.

"Persona Non Grata" is the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Former NIGHTWISH frontwoman Tarja Turunen has opened up about the stroke she suffered in late 2018 following the completion of her U.S. tour.

The 44-year-old Finnish-born singer, who currently lives in Spain (after previously residing in both Finland and Argentina), told Chaoszine in a new interview that she decided to address her experience in order to raise awareness of the third leading cause of death for women.

"Luckily I was at home [when it happened]," she said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I just returned home from a U.S. tour. It was a quite difficult, demanding tour, and I felt like I was completely exhausted. Usually I am exhausted after tours — I need some days and really recovery time and all that. But I'm not 20 anymore — there is a change. Even though I've been always taking care of my body, physique and I feel like I'm in a good condition and all that, but still… I would have never thought that this kind of thing could happen to me, but it's absolutely possible for anybody — and very common, actually, today for women, even in their 40s.

"I decided to talk about it now — I didn't do it then — because I think it's something very important to talk [about]. The awareness of this thing is important. So it was a shock for me, certainly."

According to Tarja, it didn't take very long for her to get over the physical effects of the stroke. "I didn't suffer," she said. "I was super lucky. I didn't have any defects. Seriously, I was really lucky. And thank God I was at home; it happened at home. [My husband] saw what's going on and he brought me to the hospital immediately. And they helped me, and it was all good. They did all that was necessary. They didn't find out what was the cause of it; they didn't find out that.

"I left the hospital after three days," she continued. "I signed myself out and I said, 'Okay, I have 22 concerts to do in Europe.' And the doctor said, 'No, you're not going anywhere.' But I had to — I had to. And I wanted to. I felt good."

Tarja has just released her first book, "Singing In My Blood", via Rocket 88. Written and compiled over the past year of lockdown, Tarja has searched through scores of photos and memories to create a big, deluxe book about her life in music. There are contributions from friends and colleagues who've played a part in her music on stage, in the studio and at home, alongside lots of previously unseen intimate photos from childhood to the present day.

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she s

Former VIXEN frontwoman Janet Gardner has opened up about the surgery she underwent nearly four years ago to remove blood clots in her brain, a condition known as a subdural hematoma.

Subdural hematomas result from bleeding on the surface of the brain, and the condition is most often due to a serious fall or head injury. According to Healthline, the condition can be very serious, as blood filling up the space around the brain can put pressure on vital brain tissue. The severity of a subdural hematoma is related to how extreme and rapid the bleeding is.

On January 12, 2018 — the day after playing a successful show with her solo band at the Whisky A Go Go in West Holywood, California — Janet was rushed to the hospital where she had to have a hole drilled into her skull to relieve the hematoma and put a titanium plate to cover the hole.

Gardner discussed her experience during an appearance this past Thursday (October 28) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk".

"I woke up and I had a crushing headache — absolutely," she recalled (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I'd never felt that before. My head was crushing. And then, all of a sudden, I couldn't feel my hands. Everything was just going wrong. My eyesight was going screwy. I knew something was seriously wrong. So I said to [my husband and bandmate] Justin, 'I think we need an ambulance.' And he was, like, 'Just lay down for a minute.' And I took some Advil or something, and I threw that up instantly. I was in the bathroom. And I knew something was wrong. So the ambulance came, and by then I couldn't even remember the ambulance trip to the hospital. And then they woke me up there and a bunch of different doctors were looking in my eyes and doing this and that — all different things. And finally the neurosurgeon that was on staff at Cedars-Sinai [Medical Center in Los Angeles] came in and said, 'Let's just take a CT scan,' and then immediately was, like, 'Well, we know what's wrong. You need surgery now.' And, of course, I said, 'What's the alternative, if I don't have surgery?' And he was, like, 'No. You will not survive. So you need to do this now.'"

Asked if the recovery was "rough," Janet said: "Yeah. It was not fun. It had squished my brain, so it took time for my brain to repopulate my head properly — and things like that. And, of course, I have plates and screws and things going on in there. But, all things considered, I was okay after about six weeks. [The first] two weeks were completely rough — I really couldn't do anything; I couldn't think right; I couldn't talk; I couldn't eat right; my muscles were not doing anything right. And then they did some therapies — different OT kind of physical therapy things with my hands and small motor things, and talking. And six weeks later, I was pretty much a hundred percent."

Janet left VIXEN in January 2019. At the time, she said in a statement that she wanted to step aside and let drummer Roxy Petrucci and bassist Share Ross "pursue their vision for the future of VIXEN."

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

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

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

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

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

RATT singer Stephen Pearcy joined Sammy Hagar and THE CIRCLE on stage last night (Friday, October 29) during the opening night of the Red Rocker's Las Vegas residency at The STRAT to perform a cover of the LED ZEPPELIN classic "Rock And Roll". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

Pearcy took to his Instagram after the concert to share a few onstage and backstage photos of him with Hagar and other members of THE CIRCLE, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Great hanging with @mad_anthony_bassman @sammyhagar and band tonight with my beautiful @misstruthadare great jamming, appreciate Sammy. The band sounded great first night of his residence in Vegas."

The STRAT Theater has a capacity of about 800 people. The theater was designed to capture the beach vibe Hagar's synonymous with, including elements of his famed Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, home to his epic annual birthday bash.

Additional shows are scheduled on October 30, November 5, November 6, November 12 and November 13, all at 9 p.m.

"Sammy & Friends" celebrates Hagar's career, spanning four decades, from his solo career, MONTROSE, VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT, THE CIRCLE, and surprise additions to the setlist depending on which of his musician friends take the stage with him. Produced by industry leader SPI Entertainment and Hagar's manager, Tom Consolo, of TC Management, the show transports the audience to Baja, where you never know who will join Hagar on stage.

Speaking to the Las Vegas Sun about what fans can expect from the residency concerts, Hagar said: "Nobody is going to hear the same thing twice. One night we're going to come out and play VAN HALEN for an hour, then start cherry picking. Another night, we might just play MONTROSE, which will be fun because that's only about 35 minutes of music. I want to do it with a different theme every night and really mix it up.

"The team at The STRAT has been awesome and they've really allowed us to come in and do what we want to do," he added. "That room is great and I looked at every room that was available in Las Vegas. My fans, the Redheads, they come from all over the world, and you want them to be in a place like Vegas where they can have a good time before and after the show. The experience in Vegas is like no other town. If you can't find something to do here, you're either broke or in a really bad mood."

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Hagar has invited such guest stars as Toby Keith, Rick Springfield, Kenny Chesney, Vince Neil (MÖTLEY CRÜE) and Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS) to the party.




Sammy Hagar with special guest Stephen Pearcy from heavy metal band Ratt joining him on the Led Zeppelin classic “ Rock n Roll”followed up by “There’s only one way to rock”.

Posted by Jeffrey Bennett on Saturday, October 30, 2021

























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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

01. Oh Lord Lead Us

02. Pray To The Father

03. Worship Our Way

04. Beautiful Thunder

05. Something Greater

06. No One But You Jesus

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

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

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

SUPERJOINT guitarist Jimmy Bower says that the band is "done" for good.

SUPERJOINT's latest album, "Caught Up In The Gears Of Application", came out in November 2016 via singer Philip Anselmo's Housecore record label. Since then, Anselmo and bassist Stephen Taylor have focused primarily on Anselmo's PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS solo project, which released its second album, "Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue", in 2019.

Asked in a new interview with Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks if there are any updates on SUPERJOINT's future activities, Bower said: "SUPERJOINT's done, man." When Gutiérrez pressed Bower about whether he means that the band is done "for good," Jimmy responded: "Uh huh. We don't wanna do it anymore. We got back together, did a new record and we toured for, like, two or three years. And that's it. [Philip and Stephen are] focusing on THE ILLEGALS and I'm doing EYEHATEGOD."

Bower'a comments come more than a year after Taylor said that he had "no idea" if SUPERJOINT would ever make more music or tour again.

"I think the response [to 'Caught Up In The Gears Of Application'] was a little less than expected, maybe," Stephen said during an August 2020 appearance on the "Not These Two Fucking Guys" podcast. "I don't know if the record did as well as they anticipated. I don't know what happened. I guess it got a mixed reception, and we just never expanded on another one. And Jimmy started doing EYEHATEGOD, and then we just kept on with the ILLEGALS, and then we started writing the EN MINOR stuff, which is basically all the same people — just revolving to different bands."

Asked if SUPERJOINT — which was formerly known as SUPERJOINT RITUAL — is "retired for right now," Stephen replied: "I'm not sure. Never say never, man. But we haven't wrote anything or discussed anything about any of that. I'm not sure if it's a dead issue or not, man. I really can't say. I have no idea."

Back in June 2019, Anselmo told Metal Underground that he didn't "really feel like doing SUPERJOINT anymore."

"Caught Up In The Gears Of Application" was recorded at Philip's New Orleans-area studio, Nodferatu's Lair and was produced by Anselmo and Stephen Berrigan. The effort was mastered by Scott Hull (AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, PIG DESTROYER) at Visceral Sounds.

SUPERJOINT's most recent lineup included guitarists Kevin Bond (CHRIST INVERSION, ARTIMUS PYLEDRIVER) and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD), drummer José Manuel Gonzalez (WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) and bassist Stephen Taylor (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, WOVEN HAND, 16 HORSE POWER).

Anselmo told Decibel magazine that SUPERJOINT was forced to drop the "RITUAL" from its name was "because there's a bloodsucking leech out there who took advantage of a situation. But we're all at fault as well for signing a document that basically has a zero sunset clause, meaning that this person is privy to a cut of any money a 'SUPERJOINT RITUAL' would make. Hence getting rid of the 'RITUAL,' coming back as SUPERJOINT, and cutting out that cancer."

BAD WOLVES have dropped a music video for the song "If Tomorrow Never Comes". The track is taken from the band's third album, "Dear Monsters", which is being released today (Friday, October 29) via Better Noise Music. It makes BAD WOLVES' first full-length release with new singer Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz.

The project was preceded by the release of first single "Lifeline" last month, which earned rave reviews for the frontman's powerful vocals. Loudwire wrote, "DL's vocals help to bring a soaring and uplifting quality to the track." The song was met with immediate support from radio and sits currently in the top 10 on U.S. active rock radio.

Laskiewicz has carved out an impressive career for himself over the last 15-plus years, most notably as a founding member and lead guitarist of metalcore band THE ACACIA STRAIN, of which he was a member from 2001 to 2013. A talented songwriter and producer, he's also worked on projects with ALL THAT REMAINS, LEGION, FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS and collaborated with BAD WOLVES on their 2019 studio album "N.A.T.I.O.N.", where the creative relationship with the band started.

Boasting an impressive 1.5 billion streams globally, BAD WOLVES continues to grow, reaching over 5 million streams across platforms for the first single since its release last month.

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" is a reflective statement about whether or not someone needs to make a change in their life, showcasing the band's poignant lyricism. Other tracks that boast the creative and artistic songwriting and musical heights of the band in its current chapter include "Springfield Summer", which explores the need to transition from one part of your life to the next and grapples with the uncertainty that brings, and <"In The Middle", a personal piece of music about the mother and father of band guitarist Doc Coyle. Both of Coyle's parents passed away within the past year, and the song is about wanting another moment you can't have and expressing the endless love that will never be forgotten.

John Boecklin, co-founding member of BAD WOLVES and the band’s drummer, said the following of the new album: "'Dear Monsters' is an album conceived through a tumultuous two-year ride. A ride that now represents victory and perseverance as we celebrate its release. Get your hands on this record and dive into our new singer DL. There is a lot to take in and Can't wait for you to hear all of his performances on this one."

Excited to connect with fans, BAD WOLVES are preparing to bring the new album to life on the road next year. They will join PAPA ROACH and HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD for a slate of North America dates. More information on those dates, venues and tickets will be announced soon. They are also set to join TREMONTI on their European tour starting in January, hitting major markets including London, Berlin, Milan Glasgow, and more.

BAD WOLVES broke the news of Laskiewicz's addition to the band via a statement on social media in June. The group wrote: "DL is a tremendous songwriter and singer, and we can confidently say that the album we are working on, titled 'Dear Monsters', is the best BAD WOLVES album to date.

"DL is one of the most talented and hard-working people we have ever had the pleasure to know. He is a team player, a creative force, and overall a great human being who fits perfectly with our BW family. It feels incredible to be surrounded with such positive energy and the music we've made is certainly reflective of this new-found optimism and collaborative spirit. This new album shows a more cohesive and unique reflection of the band. There is a lot to prove and expectations are high with a new singer coming in. And we nailed it. The songs speak for themselves, and if you're a B"AD WOLVES fan, we know you won't be disappointed.

"Dear Monsters" track listing:

01. Sacred Kiss

02. Never Be The Same

03. Lifeline

04. Wildfire

05. Comatose

06. Gone

07. On The Case

08. If Tomorrow Never Comes

09. Springfield Summer

10. House Of Cards

11. Classica

12. In The Middle

BAD WOLVES broke through in 2018 with a cover of THE CRANBERRIES hit "Zombie". CRANBERRIES vocalist Dolores O'Riordan was supposed to contribute to the track but died the day she was supposed to go into the studio.

A public funeral service for QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali will be on Monday, November 15 at 2:30 p.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California.

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

Banali, who joined QUIET RIOT in 1982 and played on its breakthrough album, 1983's "Metal Health", died in August 2020 after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer. One day after his passing, Frankie's wife Regina spoke about plans for his memorial service during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". She stated at the time: "Funnily enough, he had already bought and paid for and planned his entire services at Forest Lawn [cemetery in Los Angeles] before his [cancer] diagnosis. He was gonna get the same kind of funeral that Ronnie [James Dio] got and Jimmy Bain and all those funerals that we've been to many times. He was saying we're gonna rent the [legendary West Hollywood restaurant and bar] Rainbow and have laminated passes and [have a] send-off in the rock and roll way that he arrived in L.A.," she continued. "He had a lot of history with the Rainbow."

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

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

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

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

Banali's history with QUIET RIOT spanned over 37 years and he had the distinction of being the only member of the band to have recorded on every single QUIET RIOT release from 1983's "Metal Health", which was the first heavy metal album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard chart, through 2019's "Hollywood Cowboys". He also recorded seven albums with W.A.S.P. between 1989 and 2004.

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

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

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

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

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

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
























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Ex-KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick rejoined his bandmates on stage yesterday (Friday, October 29) aboard the "Kiss Kruise X" to perform two of the group's classic songs: "Tears Are Falling" and "Heaven's On Fire". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

KISS's annual "Kiss Kruise" event — in which the group performs aboard a cruise ship’s pool deck — kicked off on Friday. Fans need to be vaccinated to attend, bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told The New York Post a few days ago.

Bruce joined KISS in 1984, and accompanied the band on the "Animalize" tour and continued with them until the reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology - Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning their historic four-decade-plus career.

Earlier this year, Kulick spoke to Rockin' Metal Revival about how the band's reunion with Peter Criss and Ace Frehley for an episode of MTV's "Unplugged" in 1995 paved the way for a KISS tour that would exclude him and drummer Eric Singer.

"[KISS's official] convention tour [in 1995, where Criss rejoined KISS for two songs in a surprise appearance] was what triggered the opportunity for 'Unplugged', but, quite honestly, it also was the catalyst for the reunion tour, which meant the end of my [time with the band]," Kulick said. "That's the bittersweet [part about it]. Now, you've gotta remember, those guys [Ace and Peter] were always, like, 'Hey, I'd love to be back in the band,' this kind of thing. Or, 'What do you think about a reunion?' And I don't think Gene and Paul [Stanley] really cared to entertain that until the 'Unplugged' thing came around and MTV really wanted those guys involved. And then, all of a sudden, people were interested; promoters were throwing big offers to the guys. So it was kind of weird. Eric Singer and I, in January of '96 is when we were told that they were gonna make the announcement at the Grammys, or something, the next month, and we were finishing 'Carnival Of Souls'. So it really was a weird time of my life and everything."

Bruce remains philosophical about his exit from KISS, saying it had nothing to do with his ability or the chemistry he had with the rest of the band.

"I wasn't not going to be in KISS because I didn't play well enough or I didn't get along with the guys; it was purely a business thing," he said. "I always like to say sometimes that it seems like 'Star Wars' went away for a long time, and then, 20 years later, all of a sudden, the franchise retools and there's more 'Star Wars' movies. So the makeup KISS, it was time for that to come back, and, as you know, the numbers don't lie — they did tremendous business. That might have been the end of me actually being in the band, but my connection to the band's been very strong all these years."

"Carnival Of Souls" was recorded in 1995 but wasn't released until 1997, under the title "Carnival Of Souls: The Final Sessions". There was no accompanying tour to support the album, and none of the songs on "Carnival Of Souls" have ever been performed live by KISS.

Back in 1996, Gene called "Carnival Of Souls" "the heaviest disc we've done," and Paul called it "arguably our best studio album in the last 10 years."




Kiss "Tears are falling" featuring Bruce Kulick

Posted by Carlos Aguilera on Friday, October 29, 2021





Kiss -Heavens on Fire! With Bruce Kulick.

Posted by Joel Steele on Friday, October 29, 2021





I got the stage set list from tonight’s show! #KissNavy #KISSarmy #KISSKruise #KISSKruiseX pic.twitter.com/Z7NxCLI4aW

— Anthony Gizinski (@BlackBeltAnton) October 30, 2021




























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