Swedish heavy metal veterans, Stalker, have signed a licensing deal with Wormholedeath Records for their self-titled album, Stalker, due for release on February 11.


Says the band: "We are so excited over this deal with Wormholedeath, and hope to get this machine going as soon as possible. we can't wait! The album is about everything. To describe the concept of it all would be very hard. Live your life to the fullest every day. To morrow it might be to late. The music is a blend of what we grew up with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Van Halen, KISS, Pantera just to name a couple of bands that made an impact on us. We just write and record what comes out with no other agenda but having fun."


To celebrate the occasion, Stalker have released the single & video for "Black Room". The song is available on all digital platforms here, and you can watch the video below.







Tracklisting:


"Black Room"
"Dance"
"Alone"
"Shred"
"Liar"
"Lost Not Found"
"My Mind"
"Pain"
"Missing The Point"
"Instrumental Jam"


"Black Room" video:

In the new episode of Jackson Guitars' Behind The Riff, Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, ex-Nevermore) dives into the chorus riff of "Born" by Nevermore. Be sure to check out his signature series here.





In a previous clip, Loomis teaches us how to play "Born", the lead-off track of Nevermore's 2005 album, This Godless Endeavor:

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





Tracklisting:




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


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


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


"Robot King" lyric video:





"Indestructible" lyric video:





"Rise Without Chains" lyric video:





"Angels" lyric video:





"Mass Pollution" lyric video:


   


"Best Time lyric video:





"Fear Of The Fallen" lyric video:





"Skyfall" video:





(Photo - Martin Häusler)

MEGADETH's Dave Mustaine was asked by a fan on Cameo if "Youthanasia" is lyrically his most personal album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know. There's a lot of personal songs that I have. But as far as most personal? Each song, they have their degree on how deep I go with what I reveal with myself. Some songs aren't about me, and some of the songs that have been really deep personally, if they're not about me, it's about someone else, then it's not really that personal to me, but it's probably a more endearing song, if you know what I mean."

MEGADETH's sixth album, "Youthanasia" was released on November 1, 1994 through Capitol Records. The single "Train Of Consequences" hit No. 29 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart while "À Tout Le Monde" reached No. 31.

In 2004, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of "Youthanasia", MEGADETH released a remixed and remastered version of the album which included four bonus tracks: the previously unreleased "Millennium Of The Blind" and "Absolution" (an instrumental) and demos of "New World Order" and "À Tout Le Monde".

Cameo is the online platform that allows fans to buy personalized video messages from celebrities. The 60-year-old Mustaine is charging purchasers $299 per "personal use" video and is charging $2,093 for a video for business use.

The brainchild of founder Steven Galanis, Chicago-based Cameo has been around since 2017. It reportedly features more than 40,000 celebrities — from musicians and actors to drag queens and from YouTubers to Olympic gold medallists — who, for fees from $1 to $2,500, will offer video messages that mention another person by name. Happy birthday messages are common, as are baby announcements, but some celebrities have also recorded messages for Cameo users looking to quit their jobs or ask a potential date to a prom. The price for a video is determined by the celebrity. In 2020 alone, the company fulfilled more Cameos than throughout its four-year history, with Cameos delivered on every continent in the world and it raised over $1 million for worthy nonprofits and causes through its Cameo Cares program.

Z2 Comics has announced that JUDAS PRIEST will team with the rapidly growing entertainment brand for an original graphic novel to be released in 2022, in time for the anniversary of the British heavy metal legends' highest-selling album, the indisputable classic "Screaming For Vengeance".

Teaming with writers Rantz Hoseley ("Comic Book Tattoo", "The Heroin Diaries") and Neil Kleid ("Savor"), and artist Christopher Mitten ("Hellboy And The B.P.R.D."), JUDAS PRIEST bestows upon its generations of fans the band's first-ever graphic novel.

500 years from now, a ring of cities orbit high above the surface of a dead world, controlled by a ruling elite that maintains power through manipulation and brutality. When a naïve engineer inadvertently threatens the status quo with his vital scientific discovery… a bloodstone... he is betrayed by those he trusted and cast out to the broken planet below. In the wreckage and desolation of a broken world where every day is a battle for survival, he must choose between accepting his new life in exile…or screaming for vengeance.

"I cannot overstate what an inspiration JUDAS PRIEST has been to me, personally," said Hoseley. "I was already a fan of the band when 'Screaming For Vengeance' was released, but no one was ready for the impact it had. That incredible cover art? Those songs? That album became my daily soundtrack and creative fuel, to the point where I wore the cassette out in my car. To be able to contribute to a project inspired by these songs that mean so much to me? Well, that is an honor and a responsibility I take very seriously."

To further celebrate the creative legacy of this monumental album and landmark anniversary, the graphic novel includes an extensive interview with original cover artist Doug Johnson in which he discusses the process of creating the award-winning album cover design, and the origin of the metallic bird of prey, now known as "The Hellion." Additionally, as part of the expansion of Z2's product offerings, newly appointed Z2 vice president of collectibles and Aggronautix founder Clint Weiler has designed a detailed Hellion statue, with working "electric eyes" in celebration of both the original album design, and the dramatic conclusion of the story in the "Screaming For Vengeance" graphic novel.

Certified double platinum in the United States, "Screaming For Vengeance" was released in July of 1982, and marked the beginning of the band's success in North America, transcending the "new wave of British heavy metal" sound they had come to define, and moving them into the mainstream despite a heavier-than-ever sound. The album's first single, "You've Got Another Thing Coming", would prove to be one of the biggest hard rock hits in history and continues to inspire fists in the air around the world to this day. The album was ranked No. 3 on Rolling Stone's 2017 list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time," and is celebrated throughout the world as one of the genre's most defining moments, ushering in the success of heavy music in the 1980s up through today.

"Judas Priest: Screaming For Vengeance" will be released in both softcover and hardcover formats in finer bookstores, comic shops and record stores everywhere in July 2022, with special limited deluxe and super deluxe versions featuring an exclusive anniversary vinyl LP, prints and more available to preorder now exclusively through the Z2 web site.

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "Holier Than Thou" on the second night of ATLive on November 6 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Whiplash

02. Ride The Lightning

03. The Memory Remains

04. Seek & Destroy

05. Holier Than Thou

06. One

07. Sad But True

08. Moth Into Flame

09. No Leaf Clover

10. For Whom The Bell Tolls

11. Fuel

12. Fade To Black

13. Master Of Puppets

Encore:

14. Blackened

15. Nothing Else Matters

16. Enter Sandman

When the event was first announced in July, METALLICA said in a statement: "We're honored to be part of the second annual ATLive two-day festival — featuring two unique, separately ticketed events — this fall when we'll be hitting the stage with our friends CAGE THE ELEPHANT and GRETA VAN FLEET. Night one features country music's finest with George Strait, Eric Church and Caitlyn Smith kicking off the weekend.

"Presented by AMB Sports and Entertainment, the organization will generously be donating a portion of the proceeds from ATLive to All Within My Hands to help our foundation further its work in the fight against hunger."

The second annual ATLive feature iconic artists from both country and rock on back-to-back nights.

ATLive, a multi-genre concert series developed and promoted by AMB Sports and Entertainment, is the premier destination concert series for the city of Atlanta. The event also provides the opportunity to give back through purpose-driven philanthropic initiatives, aligning with the organization's core values. This year, AMBSE is partnering with George Strait and his longstanding partners at the Military Warriors Support Foundation as well as METALLICA's All Within My Hands nonprofit to donate a portion of the proceeds from ATLive to providing housing for wounded veterans and feeding the hungry.

Tim Zulawski, chief revenue officer for AMB Sports and Entertainment, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the idea for ATLive began percolating about five years ago.

"You have 365 days in a calendar year and yes, we want to make the stadium full every day to make money, but also because it means you're putting on great content," Zulawski said. "There are only so many pieces of content that puts 50,000 people in a building and [live music] is one of them."

Season Of Mist will release Cynic's new album, Ascension Codes, on November 26. Pre-order the album here or here. The album is streaming in full ahead of the album's release date on Friday - listen below:





Cynic's Ascension Codes is a remarkably far-reaching work, and if nothing else, a clear indication that they have landed in a place of mastery. The album, paradoxically, acts as both swan song and rebirth.




Michael Berberian, president and founder of Season of Mist: “I have, by now, released close to one thousand albums. None have been more dramatic, none have even been more difficult than this one. I can’t listen to Ascension Codes without goosebumps, a mixed feeling of pride – because it’s a musical milestone, but it also contains a lingering layer of sadness. I hear Paul’s pain on this record. I can feel it, I can touch it. But it’s transcended. 'Art is to console those who are broken by life,' said Van Gogh. Here is a demonstration of that.”





Tracklisting:


"Mu-54*"
"The Winged Ones"
"A'-va432"
"Elements And Their Inhabitants"
"Ha-144"
"Mythical Serpents"
"Sha48*"
"6th Dimensional Archetype"
"DNA Activation Template"
"Shar-216"
"Architects Of Consciousness"
"DA'z-a86.4"
"Aurora"
"DU-*61.714285"
"In A Multiverse Where Atoms Sing"
"A'jha108"
"Diamond Light Body"
"Ec-ka72"


"Mythical Serpents":

Swedish power metal brigade HammerFall are back in the studio working on the follow-up to 2019’s Dominion. The studio album will be released early next year through Napalm Records.





A band update reads:




“Out of the five of us, Fredrik [Larsson, bassist] was probably the most excited about finally being back in the studio, and it really showed! He did a tremendous job recording, his bass lines creating the perfect foundation to build the rest upon.


“Special HammerFall TV [the band's YouTube channel] episode on Sunday, November 28, where we will talk a bit more in depth about the recording. Stay tuned for details!”


21 years ago, the Swedish heavy metal powerhouse, HammerFall, travelled to Nashville to record their third album with legendary producer Michael Wagner, leaving the safe space that was Studio Fredman in Göteborg. Fredrik Nordström had recorded the two previous records, so naturally that was a huge change for the band. The Wagner experience and the Renegade album turned out great, as we all know today. For this anniversary edition, the band felt that they needed to close the circle and have Fredrik remix the Renegade album.


The result is Renegade 2.0, out now via Nuclear Blast Records in many beautiful formats and with a brand new album artwork made by famous cover artist Andreas Marshall, which makes every HammerFall fan heart beats faster.


In these new videos, Oscar and Joacim discusses how the success of Renegade changed the metal climate, and "The Way Of The Warrior" and how the Mandalorians stole the phrase.








Order the album here.





Tracklistings:


Disc 1 (The 2020 Remix) CD, Vinyl, Digital


"Templars Of Steel"
"Keep The Flame Burning"
"Renegade"
"Living In Victory"
"Always Will Be"
"The Way Of The Warrior"
"Destined For Glory"
"The Champion"
"Raise The Hammer"
"A Legend Reborn"


Disc 2 (The Original Album & Bonus Tracks) Vinyl As Bonus LP In Boxset Only


"Templars Of Steel"
"Keep The Flame Burning"
"Renegade"
"Living In Victory"
"Always Will Be"
"The Way Of The Warrior"
"Destined For Glory"
"The Champion"
"Raise The Hammer"
"A Legend Reborn"


Bonus tracks:
"Run With The Devil" (from "Renegade" Single)
"Head Over Heels" (from "Renegade" Single)
"Templars Of Steel" (from "The Templar Renegade Crusades" EP)
"Let The Hammer Fall" (from "The Templar Renegade Crusades" EP)
"Renegade" (from "The Templar Renegade Crusades" EP)
"Hammerfall" (from "The Templar Renegade Crusades" EP)


Disc 3 (The Templar Renegade Crusades DVD) CD/DVD Only


"I Want Out" (Video Montage from Hansen Studios)
"Unchained" (Live in Switzerland)
"Legacy of Kings" (Live in U.S.A.)
"Remember Yesterday" (Live in Japan)
"Warriors Of Faith" (Live in Chile)
"Let The Hammer Fall" (Live in Sweden)
"I Believe" (Live in Sweden)
"Breaking The Law" (Video Montage)
"WireWorld Studios" (The Making of "Renegade")
"Renegade" (Video Clip)
"Always Will Be" (Video Clip)
"Raise The Hammer" (Live in Switzerland)
"Stronger Than All" (Live in Chile)
"Templars Of Steel" (Live in Germany)
"Let The Hammer Fall" (Live in Germany)
"Renegade" (Live in Germany)
"HammerFall" (Live in Germany)
"Heeding The Call" (Live in Sweden, Acoustic Version)
"Gold Album Party"
"A Legend Reborn" (Video Montage)
"Renegade" (Live)
"Slaktmora"
"Castle Garden"
"Bed-Lam"
Making of "Renegade"

BraveWords is premiering the video for "A Space In The Silence", the new single from twin metal duo, Dianthus. The track will be featured on the band's upcoming album, Realms, scheduled for release in January. Watch the clip below:





The synergistic sound and seemingly-telepathic energy behind Dianthus can be traced to their beginnings in the heart of Riverside, California. Inspired by the well-known perennial flower, twin sisters (Jackie and Jessica Parry) bring forth delicate, yet dominant voices to the metal scene. Since forming, Dianthus has gained the likes of well respected musicians such as Matt Sorum (Guns ‘N Roses/Velvet Revolver/Hollywood Vampires/The Cult), and Jeremy ‘Jinxx’ Ferguson (Black Veil Brides) who produced their debut album, Worth Living For.







Their brand new album, Realms, was produced by Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Symphony X, Butcher Babies), and mastered by Alan Douches (YES, Fates Warning, The Dillinger Escape Plan).

The Eagles - Don Henley, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit, with Deacon Frey and Vince Gill - announce the band’s Hotel California 2022 Tour, produced by Live Nation. Concerts have been set in Savannah, GA; Charlotte, NC; Orlando. FL; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Tampa, FL; Raleigh, NC; Atlanta, GA; and Austin, TX. A listing of 2022 concerts can be found below.


Each night’s concert will feature Hotel California, played from beginning to end, accompanied by an orchestra and choir. There will be a brief intermission followed by an additional set of the band’s greatest hits. The shows are scheduled to begin at 8 PM. Tickets go on sale Friday, December 3 at 10 AM, local time. A variety of pre-sales are available starting Thursday, December 2. Check Eagles.com for complete tour and ticket information.  
 
A limited number of VIP packages will be available starting Thursday, December 2 at 10 AM, local. VIP packages include premium seats, exclusive merchandise, parking & more.


The Eagles performed three initial Hotel California concerts in 2019 in Las Vegas to rave reviews and critical acclaim. To date, the band has performed more than 30 concerts across 15 US cities.




Hotel California is the third best-selling US album in history, certified 26-times Platinum by the RIAA. After its release in 1976, it topped the charts and won two Grammy Awards for "New Kid in Town" and "Hotel California". Several of the songs from the album have never been performed since the original Hotel California tour. The band’s Their Greatest Hits 1971-1977 is the best-selling US album in history, with the RIAA certifying the collection at 38-times Platinum.


In today’s faddish, fractured, rock landscape, the Eagles retain an appeal that transcends both generation and genre, cementing the band’s role as enduring musical icons. As the best-selling American band of the ’70s, and one of the top-selling acts of all time, the Eagles have sold more than 150 million albums worldwide, scored six #1 albums and topped the singles charts five times. They have won six Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1998, in their first year of eligibility, and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2016.





Hotel California 2022 tour dates


February
19 - Savannah, GA - Enmarket Arena
21 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center
24 - Orlando, FL - Amway Center
25 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - FLA Live Arena
28 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena


March
2 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena
4 - Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena


May
19 - Austin, TX - Moody Center ATX


(Photo - Ron Koch)

Crystal Faith, Canada's poster men for heavy metal existential intellectualism, return from the trauma of confinement with a work that is as tricky as an over-stimulated amygdala and as memorable as a shot of glucocorticoids.


"My Memory, My Enemy" tells the story of a trauma victim's difficulties in coming to terms with painful past events and choosing to try to live a life where remembrances are something to be avoided, being unable to manage the anxiety that becomes emotionally overwhelming, rather than work through them for a chance at a better tomorrow.


With mental health still being the red-headed step child no one wants to talk about at the dinner table during family reunions, and with many sufferers still choosing silent self-medication over therapy, Crystal Faith's "My Memory, My Enemy" brings forth a subject that touches every one, whether you suffer from PTSD and other anxiety disorders or know someone who suffers from them and desperately need help just to reach the end of the day: Mental health issues are as common as people on this planet and no one is immune to them. Always remember that the worst thing anyone can do is go through it alone: don't isolate and reach out to someone else for help.




Another serious subject successfully brought to fruition by the two-headed, heavy metal sasquatch that is Erik Simard and Patrice Lord, told in a manner to educate and entertain anyone who will take the time to listen at what can be a distressful reality for many. This month, let's talk about all the work that went into the composing, writing, performing, recording, mixing, mastering, and producing of this song and remember the catchy melody of "My Memory, My Enemy".

Sabaton recently released the limited-edition, live-in-concert, double-DVD/Blu-Ray, The Great Show, and The 20th Anniversary Show, via Nuclear Blast. Both titles were filmed during the band’s 2019-2020 The Great Tour world trek, and both feature special guest performers. Orders can be placed here.


Sabaton have released this official live video for "Fields Of Verdun", filmed at The Great Tour show in Prague, Czech Republic in 2020:







Sabaton recently released a lyric video for "Christmas Truce", featured on the band's upcoming new album, The War To End All Wars, out on March 4 via Nuclear Blast Records. Watch the video below, and pre-order the album here.


Number One positions in 11 countries with their last record, Swedish Grammis nominations, sold-out arena shows: Sabaton indisputably wrote their very own fairytale during the last years, making it to the top of modern metal and beyond.


Written and recorded during the COVID global pandemic, Sabaton has crafted a concept album of 11 brand-new songs that once again dive deep into the atrocities, miracles, and events tied to the early 20th century’s World War I. The tenth album of the Falun-based five-piece will be available in an impressive variety of exclusive formats, including CD, vinyl, and cassette, with most available in limited editions. See below for all formats.





The War To End All Wars will be available in the following formats:


- Jewelcase CD
- Limited Gold CD [Supporter Edition - various versions with translated booklets]
- History Edition
- NB Mailorder Exclusive Edition [ltd. to 1500 copies]
- Earbook [limited to 6000 copies]
- Black Vinyl
- Azure Blue Vinyl [bandshop exclusive, ltd. to 300 copies]
- Inca Gold Vinyl [bandshop exclusive, ltd. to 500 copies]
- Copper Vinyl [ltd. to 500 copies]
- Fluorescent Orange Vinyl [ltd. to 500 copies]
- Leaf Green Vinyl [Sweden exclusive]
- Fluorescent Yellow Vinyl [Ginza exclusive]
- Dusk Vinyl [Levik exclusive]
- Soft Grey Vinyl [Nordics exclusive]
- Lavender Vinyl [FNAC exclusive]
- Rosewood Vinyl [Mystic exclusive]
- Fluorescent Green Vinyl [UK exclusive]
- Pacific Blue Vinyl
- Polar White Vinyl [limited to 300 copies]
- Dewdrop Vinyl [limited to 500 copies, EMP exclusive]
- Blue cassette [limited to 100 copies, bandshop exclusive]
- Green cassette [limited to 100 copies]
- Grey cassette [limited to 300 copies]
- Red cassette [limited to 500 copies]
- Black cassette [limited to 250 copies]
- Smokey cassette [limited to 200 copies]
- White cassette [limited 100 copies]





The War To End All Wars tracklisting:


"Sarajevo"
"Stormtroopers"
"Dreadnought"
"The Unkillable Soldier"
"Soldier Of Heaven"
"Hellfighters"
"Race To The Sea"
"Lady Of The Dark"
"The Valley Of Death"
"Christmas Truce"
"Versailles"


"Christmas Truce" lyric video:





"Christmas Truce" music video:





Following a 29-date headline tour of Sweden, Sabaton will launch the March 4, 2022 release of the new album with The Tour To End All Tours, a massive five-week European trek supported by The Hu and Lordi. Complete dates and ticket information are available here.

Frontiers Music Srl welcomes Finland's Rust N' Rage to the label's ever-growing stable of exciting new young talent. The band has recently wrapped up recording their label debut with producer Jimmy Westerlund (One Desire).


Ahead of an announcement about the aforementioned album, the band has released a single and video for the track "Heartbreaker". Watch the video below, and stream or download "Heartbreaker" here.







Through lots of hard work and gigging, Rust n' Rage have been starting to make a name for themselves in their home country of Finland. With energetic live shows and anthemic songwriting, this rock n’ roll-quartet is ready to introduce themselves to the world more than ever before. Be sure to stay tuned for their Jimmy Westerlund produced debut album, which will be chock full of anthemic, hard rocking, melodic tunes.


Coming from a small town in Finland called Pori, Rust n’ Rage is made up of four guys who all live for a similar cause: Rock n’ Roll. While individually practicing a lifestyle of hard rockin’ and playing their hearts out around their small town, it didn’t take long for Vince, Johnny, Jezzie, and Eddy to meet and realize they had a shared musical vision. Their musical influences originate from the '80s, with their idols being such legends as Guns n’ Roses, Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe, Dokken, and the like. Rather than merely be the sum of their influences though, Rust n' Rage concentrates their songwriting on being separate from their influences, while still maintaining those awesome hard rock riffs and high-pitched vocal screams.


In 2020, things started rolling for the band, having found a new manager and a new producer to help them get their musical vision properly recorded. Based on the strength of their newly created/recorded singles, the band caught the interest of Frontiers Music Srl, who have signed them to a worldwide deal. Signing with Frontiers is an opportunity to release their music to a global audience and to show the world what they are made of. Stay tuned for more exciting things to come from these Finnish rockers in 2022.





Lineup:


Vince - Vocals
Johnny - Guitar
Eddy - Bass
Jezzie - Drums

Legendary hard rock vocalist Joe Lynn Turner spoke to Greece's RockPages.gr about his collaboration with Swedish producer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Tägtgren on a new album, tentatively due next year. Asked why it has taken him so long to release a new studio LP, Joe said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's been a long time — purposely it's been a long time. I took some time to live life, because I was crazy for all those years working really hard, and doing different projects here and there — for Cleopatra [Records], et cetera; a song here [and] a song there — and writing with Peter Tägtgren from PAIN and HYPOCRISY. Finally we had a chance to do 11 songs and master them, and they're ready to go. Now we're dealing with Nuclear Blast, but we'll see what happens."

Regarding the musical direction of his project with Tägtgren, Joe said: "It's a more heavy, darker… I'm using a different voice a lot of times because I wanted to get away from everything I was doing. An artist has to change or he dies. So I'm glad that the time period happened so it kind of put that in the past and it's gonna bring this into the future. And I think a lot of people will be pretty surprised that I have this other voice that I'm using."

Earlier this year, Joe told Metal From The Inside that his collaboration with Tägtgren came about naturally. "What happened was I played a gig for Tommy, [Peter's] brother — he's a big fan of mine — in Sweden," he recalled. "And we got to be friends, Peter and I. And driving back to the train to go back down to Stockholm, he gave me a cassette with a track on it that he wasn't using, and he said, 'Why don't you write something to this?' I said, 'Okay.' So, about a month later, I sent something back, and he just went, 'Woah! Really?' And I went, 'Yeah. I think this is good stuff.' And it's gonna be the lead-off track — it's incredible. So anyway, we said, 'Let's do something.'

"Meanwhile, he's touring like crazy with two bands, I'm touring. We were writing a track here and so on and so forth," he continued. "I finally got up to Borlänge [in Sweden] again, and we got in the studio and the chemistry was unbelievable. We just wrote two or three tracks in two days — I mean, soup to nuts; just as you're gonna hear them on the record is the way we did them. So we knew we had something."

Joe added that he was thrilled with how the music was turning out, saying: "I think it's exciting. It's different. It doesn't sound like anyone else. I really mean that. Just because of the input where Peter comes as a writer, artist and producer. And, of course, it's still melodic, because I make sure that I've got those melodies and choruses. When I say 'heavier' or 'darker,' [it's] mostly because of the times we live in, [so there were] all these subjects [to write about]. So it is a real piece of art, in a sense of the word, because art should always be a reflection of its time; this is exactly what all great art has been through the ages.

"All I can say is that we're very excited about it," he added. "We think people are gonna absolutely love it, because it has all of the building blocks. It's got a bit of industrial metal, it's got a bit of classic rock vocals, it's got subject matter. It's darker, it's deeper, it's broader. So, we think it's gonna raise some eyebrows."

Turner's career spans more than 40 years and includes collaborations with the likes of RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Tägtgren is the founder and co-founder of PAIN, HYPOCRISY and LINDEMANN, as well as the owner of a successful recording studio in Sweden. Most of his time is devoted to The Abyss studio, where has worked on many classic albums, including those by DIMMU BORGIR, IMMORTAL, ENSLAVED, DARK FUNERAL and CHILDREN OF BODOM.

Audio samples of all the songs that will appear on DEEP PURPLE's next studio effort, an album of covers titled "Turning To Crime", are available in the YouTube clip below. Due on November 26 via earMUSIC, the LP will contain DEEP PURPLE's versions of great rock classics and musical jewels — including songs originally recorded by Bob Dylan, FLEETWOOD MAC, Bob Seger, CREAM and THE YARDBIRDS — carefully chosen by each member of the band.

Produced by Bob Ezrin, "Turning To Crime" arrives only 15 months after "Whoosh!", DEEP PURPLE's 21st studio album, which received acclaim by critics who praised the creative strength of a band that continues evolving with every release, and prestigious chart achievements (third consecutive No. 1 in Germany, No. 4 in the U.K., and topped the U.S. Independent Album and Hard Music Albums charts).

DEEP PURPLE's "time trilogy", consisting of "NOW What?!" (2013), "inFinite" (2017) and "Whoosh!" has sold over 1 million albums, topped the charts 11 times and achieved more than 40 Top 10 positions worldwide.

"Turning To Crime" track listing:

01. 7 And 7 Is (LOVE)

02. Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu (Huey "Piano" Smith)

03. Oh Well (FLEETWOOD MAC)

04. Jenny Take A Ride! (MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS)

05. Watching The River Flow (Bob Dylan)

06. Let The Good Times Roll (Ray Charles & Quincy Jones)

07. Dixie Chicken (LITTLE FEAT)

08. Shapes Of Things (THE YARDBIRDS)

09. The Battle Of New Orleans (Lonnie Donegan/Johnny Horton)

10. Lucifer (BOB SEGER SYSTEM)

11. White Room (CREAM)

12. Caught In The Act [Medley: Going Down / Green Onions / Hot 'Lanta / Dazed And Confused / Gimme Some Lovin']

A 40-minute documentary, "Locked Up: The Making Of Turning To Crime", produced by SkyFire76 in association with earMUSIC, is available as a DVD digipak and Blu-ray, each limited and numbered to 1,000 copies worldwide. The DVD is also part of the exclusive and limited 5x12-inch vinyl box set and includes the new song "(I'm A) Roadrunner". These formats are available exclusively on the band's official album shop.

METAL CHURCH drummer Stet Howland says that he and the members of the band are beginning to "communicate again" for the first time since the recent passing of singer Mike Howe. "I just talked to Kurdt [Vanderhoof, guitar] last night; we just had an amazing conversation," Stet told Chris Akin of "The Classic Metal Show" in a new interview (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And that's where we're at — we're all talking again. That's where we're at. But we were so broken, man — I mean, all of us. When I talked to Kurdt a few weeks ago, he was, like, '[Mike is] in Barbados.' We were trying to digest the loss of Mike, because he was so much more than just our singer. He was Uncle Mike here at my house, and he was my friend. He would talk me down when I'd get heated, and I'd talk him down when he'd get heated. And he was such an amazing human.

"So we're all digesting that in our own way," he continued. "I had just lost my mom — I had a couple of losses — so I was fairly fresh at facing the realities associated with death and loss. Not everybody — everybody handles it different in our band. For some of our members, Mike 's in Barbados on vacation. And so we're all slowly digesting… And we just started talking again a few weeks ago, and we're barely talking about anything except making jokes. We have our banter, and we're starting to joke and communicate again together. And building on the future will come. But right now it's just… We're just hugging right now. We're all, like, 'I love you, man. I love you too.' That's kind of where we're at. I know everybody wants to know more. When there's more, you'll hear about it."

Howe was found dead at his home in Eureka, California on July 26. According to TMZ, Howe's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept. told the site authorities are calling it a suicide. He was only 55 years old.

TMZ stated that cops in Eureka got a call just after 10 a.m. reporting an unexpected death at a home. By the time deputies arrived, they found Howe dead at the scene.

According to police, drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the death and no controlled substances or paraphernalia were located at the scene.

Four days after Howe's death, the surviving members of METAL CHURCH shared a statement on social media in which they blamed his suicide on the fact that he "was victimized by a failing health-care system and subsequently poisoned by the venom of Big Pharma," a term which refers collectively to the global pharmaceutical industry. "In short and in essence, he fell prey to the real 'Fake Healer'."

METAL CHURCH's statement was quickly met with criticism from some of the band's fans who felt that the long-running metal act was using Howe's death as a platform to assert its political views. As a result, METAL CHUCH pulled its original post from social media and replaced it with a revised version, in which the musicians said they were "in no way, shape or form referring to anything in relation to vaccinations, COVID or politics. We were saying our brother was hurting and while he was seeking medical care for it, the treatments he was utilizing did not protect him," they wrote. "Otherwise, he would still be with us today."

Howe, who fronted METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, officially rejoined the band in April 2015.

Prior to joining METAL CHURCH more than three decades ago, Howe spent two years fronting California metal act HERETIC.

The reunion between Mike and METAL CHURCH was put in motion in July of 2014 when Mike started working with Vanderhoof on a side project Kurdt was forming with Nigel Glockler from SAXON. Through these initial conversations, Kurdt convinced Mike to ultimately return to METAL CHURCH. The idea was to see if they could recapture some of the magic from the three albums METAL CHURCH released in the late '80s: "The Human Factor", "Blessing In Disguise" and "Hanging In The Balance". Out of those sessions, 2016's "XI" was born and captured the sound that made the band fan favorites in the '80s and mixed it with a new, invigorated sound.

METAL CHURCH's latest release was "From The Vault", which arrived in April 2020 via Rat Pak Records. The effort was a special-edition compilation album that featured 14 previously unreleased songs from the Howe era, including four newly recorded studio tracks, among them a redux of the band's fan favorite classic "Conductor".

Howe is not the first singer of METAL CHURCH to die. David Wayne passed away in May 2005 from complications following a car crash. He was 47 years old.

Wayne sang on METAL CHURCH's first two classic offerings (1984's "Metal Church" and 1986's "The Dark") before leaving the group and being replaced by Howe.

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch and singer Jonathan Davis spoke to Kerrang! magazine about the current status of the band's bassist, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu. Fieldy announced in June that he would sit out KORN's recent tour in order to "heal" after "falling back" on some of his "bad habits."

"The best thing to do is stay at home, be with your family, and start processing," Head said. "He's got to find that healing. I still struggle with it. I had a few slip-ups with my 'bad habits' three to four years ago, so I understand it, but I dealt with it by hitting it head-on and stopping it from becoming a problem. I'm not concerned because I know he's going to be okay."

Jonathan expressed a more worried outlook on Fieldy's predicament, saying: "I love him; he's my brother. But I watched somebody I care about die and I'm not going to fucking do that again. I refuse to. I will feel guilt for the rest of my fucking life because of that. I tried my hardest but perhaps if I'd been a little bit tougher there'd have been a different outcome. I pray that he can figure it out and get better and come back and be a huge part of this band again."

Despite the fact that he didn't join his KORN bandmates on their recent tour, Fieldy did play on the group's upcoming album, "Requiem", including first single "Start The Healing", which was released earlier this month.

Last week, KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told "Loudwire Nights" host Toni Gonzalez about Fieldy: "Right now he's just taking some time to kinda figure out what makes him happy and figure out his happiness and what he wants to do with his life, I guess is the best way to put it. And make sure his mental health is at its best, because if your mental health isn't good, or you're not clear, you're gonna make bad choices.

"I make an example," he continued. "I had my own challenges through the years, and once you get clarity, your life becomes a lot easier to manage. We're just giving him time to, like, no pressure, just figure out what you want to do because we can still work and we can still go out and tour. But we miss him. We love the guy, and we want him to just be healthy."

Regarding how KORN ended up recruiting Roberto "Ra" Díaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) to fill in for Fieldy, Welch told 97.9 GRD: "Well, there's COVID and everything, so when we started talking about it, it was a thing where we wanted to be careful still and whatnot. 'Cause it was a couple, a few months ago or whatever. So we just started brainstorming and hitting up friends and whatnot. We need the slap — we need the slap bass, we need the finger playing, we need someone, 'cause Fieldy is unique — very unique. So it just kind of happened that way, man, where Ra, he was open because SUICIDAL is not going out until next year. I think Mike Muir has a back surgery or something this year. So it just worked out, man. He came down, we jammed. He's a really humble guy, and just very talented. He can play anything — from jazz to slap to anything. He played all the songs with, like, three mistakes out of 10 songs or something — little mistakes. I mean, not even mistakes — it was just, like, 'I thought I heard it that way.' They weren't even mistakes. So we were, like, 'Okay. You got it down.'"

On June 21, Fieldy broke the news of his absence from the trek, writing in a social media update: "To all KORN fans worldwide. The past 6 years I've been dealing with some personal issues that at times have caused me to fall back on some of my bad habits and has caused some tension with the people around me. It's been suggested to me to take some time off to heal. I'm going to respect what was asked of me and take that time. Unfortunately you will not see me on stage with my band. I will be working towards getting the bad habits out of my system. In the meantime I will be staying creative to keep my mind & soul in a good place.

"I'm thankful for all of your support, patience & understanding as we all have something that we deal with.

"Jonathan, Munky, Ray and Head, I love you and I don't want to bring any tension or bad vibes to the circle."

A short time later, KORN's official social media shared Fieldy's statement, along with the following message: "We love and support our brother, Fieldy. Health and family always comes first."

Back in 2017, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo's then-12-year-old son Tye Trujillo filled in on bass for KORN's South American tour after Fieldy was unable to make the shows due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Fieldy's 2009 memoir, "Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn", detailed his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction during KORN's early years and how he became a born-again Christian to help get his life together and get sober.

Fieldy's STILLWELL side project released its third album, "Supernatural Miracle", in September 2020.

"Requiem" will be released on February 4, 2022 via Loma Vista Recordings

Fan-filmed video footage of Yngwie Malmsteen's November 23 performance at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

Yngwie has just kicked off a month-long fall 2021 U.S. tour — his first major run of shows in 20 months.

Malmsteen's latest album, "Parabellum", was released in July via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. Only four of the songs on the LP feature vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".

After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist Emilio Martinez and drummer Brian Wilson.

During a recent YouTube livestream for his 58th birthday, Malmsteen was asked if he would ever consider making an album that is reminiscent of his earlier efforts, as requested by some of his biggest fans. He responded: "Obviously, I'm very flattered that so many people like what I do, but I'm also aware that a lot of people don't like what I do. So what I end up doing is I don't make albums on request — except [2019's] 'Blue Lightning' [which paid homage to those from the blues world who have inspired him] was a little bit like a request album, a little bit, although I did what I wanted anyway. But especially on this last album, 'Parabellum', it's a very, very honest album. It's exactly what comes out of me — exactly. And some people have heard it and they say that it reminds them of the older days. And that's fine. And if it doesn't, it doesn't. It wasn't intentional."

He continued: "I just do what I feel like doing. And what I've done in the past is in the past. And I'm not gonna go back, 'Oh, yeah, maybe I should do that. Maybe I should not.' I don't work like that. I actually let it flow naturally. It has to come to me like a spontaneous thing for me to love it. And even though I actually could do things on request — if you want me to, I can write a country and western song right now; I could do that, but I don't want to do that. I wanna make music that comes from within me as a spontaneous, honest expression. And if people love it, I'm very happy. If they don't, I won't change it anyway."

Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick has honored the group's late drummer Eric Carr on the 30th anniversary of his death.

On Tuesday (November 23), Kulick shared an 11-minute video tribute to his former bandmate and he included the following message: "Eric Carr passed away 30 years ago, on November 24th, 1991. Although it sounds like a long period of time his presence has never left me. He was my dear friend and bandmate. My years traveling, working and playing in KISS with him, were unforgettable. Please enjoy my memories of this great man, and know his legend will always live on in the hearts and minds of his fans, family and friends."

Carr replaced Peter Criss in KISS in 1980 and made his recording debut with the band on 1981's "Music From 'The Elder'" album. His final recording with KISS was "God Gave Rock And Roll To You II". His last public appearance before his death was at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 1991.

Carr contributed his talent to the bands many gold and platinum albums during his tenure, and can be heard on the band's many hit songs from the 1980s, including "Lick It Up", "Heaven's On Fire", "Crazy Nights", "Tears Are Falling" and "Forever", to name a few. In addition to his musical contributions, Carr was equally known for his inviting personality and genuine love for the fans. From the time he joined the band to this very day, Carr remains one of the most beloved members of the KISS family.

Carr died on November 24, 1991 of a rare heart cancer. He was 41.

Back in 2011, on the 20th anniversary of Eric's passing, KISS frontman Paul Stanley stated about Carr: "At a time when KISS was in the midst of upheaval and turmoil, Eric brought calm and an optimism that refocused our priorities so we could move forward. I can't overstate his contribution to our rebirth. His dedication to his music was only matched by his dedication to his fans. He was a kind soul who couldn't say an unkind word about anyone and I think of him all the time."

Added KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons: "I never knew anyone more humble in my life. Eric Carr was a kind soul who never said anything bad about anybody. He was also a double threat on drums, and vocals. I miss him."

As previously reported, an official Eric Carr documentary, backed by the late KISS drummer's family, is in the works.

In 2000, MVD Visual released an Eric Carr documentary called "Inside The Tale Of The Fox: The Eric Carr Story". The 120-minute documentary, directed by Jack Edward Sawyers, included extra footage, outtakes, pictures and interviews, as well as previously unreleased music written and performed by Eric from his pre-KISS and KISS days, plus interviews with Bill Aucoin, Bruce Kulick, Carrie Stevens, members of SLAUGHTER, Fred Coury, and more.

Carr was inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame on September 12 via a free livestream event hosted by Cathy Rankin.

Simon Wright says that the world has been "righted again" now that AC/DC is apparently once again making music with singer Brian Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd.

Johnson and Rudd, along with guitarists Angus Young and Stevie Young, were photographed outside Vancouver's Warehouse Studios in August. Based on the pictures, the assumption is that AC/DC is in the midst of making — or at least planning — another album, with Rudd and Johnson both back in the lineup. Online reports have also indicated Angus Young will dedicate the new AC/DC album to his late brother.

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

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

peaking to "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" at the fourth annual "Bowl For Ronnie" celebrity bowling party on October 25 in Studio City, California, Wright, who played drums for AC/DC in the 1980s, weighed in on the current happenings in the AC/DC camp. He said (see video below): "Well, I'm not close anymore, but I thought when Axl came in, I thought he did an amazing job. It's really difficult to fill somebody's shoes like Brian, but he came in there, and I thought he did a great job. And I'm assuming he saved the tour, 'cause it's hard to carry on with no singer. So I think he did a really good job. As far as what's happening is now, I know as much as you [do] — I read it on the Internet and stuff — but if what they're saying is happening, I think it's fantastic. I think the world is righted again — they're together making music, and that's awesome."

Asked what AC/DC's work ethic was like when he was in the band, Wright said: "It was kind of relaxed. But, obviously, when we went on stage, it wasn't — it was just full-on exhaustion, two hours a night. Yeah, that part of it was really intense. But rehearsals were kind of laid back. They knew exactly what they were doing; I wasn't sure, but I did what I did, so… [Laughs]"

The drummer went on to say that he is still a huge fan of AC/DC. "Oh, yeah, they're fantastic," he said. "Best rock and roll band in the world."

Wright, currently of DIO DISCIPLES and also known for his work in DIO, RHINO BUCKET and UFO, landed the AC/DC drum spot in 1983 in place of Rudd. Wright, a then-unknown drummer whose first credits included Manchester, England metal outfit A II Z, joined AC/DC in time for the touring cycle for "Flick Of The Switch" and played with the Australian rockers throughout the '80s before leaving to join DIO in 1989.

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON performed the song "Teardrinker" on last night's (Tuesday, November 23) episode of "Late Night With Seth Meyers". You can now watch their appearance below.

"Teardrinker" is taken from MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", which came out on October 29. The follow-up to 2017's "Emperor Of Sand" was recorded at West End Sound, which is located inside of Ember City, the rehearsal facility that members of MASTODON manage in Atlanta. Helming the effort was Grammy-winning producer/mixer/engineer David Bottrill, who has previously worked with MUSE, DREAM THEATER and TOOL, among many others.

The "Hushed And Grim" artwork was created by longtime MASTODON collaborator Paul Romano, who also designed the sleeves for "Crack The Skye", "Blood Mountain", "Leviathan" and more.

"Emperor Of Sand" debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. That LP was nominated for the 2018 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album," and its opening track, "Sultan's Curse", won the Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance."

MASTODON drummer and vocalist Brann Dailor recently told NME about the band's musical approach on "Hushed And Grim" following their Grammy win: "There were no conversations about what something's going to sound like or what we're going to do. It's all a knee-jerk reaction. Sure, we'll sit in the studio and agonize over the arrangements once the songs are written but whatever comes out, comes out."

He continued: "It's funny, being put in the 'Rock' category meant people treated it like we'd leveled up, but for the most part, the Grammys was a fun night. It's cool to get an award knowing Stevie Wonder has the same thing and it means your parents, your grandparents can brag about you down at the hair salon. I guess there's a little bit of validation there, but it didn't put us under any more pressure."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's fourth album, 2006's "As Daylight Dies", has been certified platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) on November 23 for sales in excess of a million copies. The LP was previously certified gold in June 2009.

The RIAA developed its gold and platinum awards program in 1958 to honor artists and create a standard by which to measure the commercial success of a sound recording. The program trademarked the gold record and formalized the industry practice of presenting awards to artists for music sales achievements.

Presently, the RIAA awards a gold honor for 500,000 units sold, a platinum honor for 1 million units sold and a diamond award for more than 10 million units sold.

In the streaming age, each permanent digital album or physical album sale count as 1 unit for certification purposes, 10 permanent track downloads from the album count as 1 unit for certification purposes, and 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams from the album count as 1 unit. For songs, 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams count as 1 unit for certification purposes.

"As Daylight Dies" featured some of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's highest-charting radio singles, including "My Curse" and the fan favorite, a cover version of DIO's "Holy Diver".

Upon its release 15 years ago, "As Daylight Dies" opened with under 60,000 units to debut at position No. 32 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was the follow up to 2004's Grammy-nominated album "The End of Heartache", which has also been certified gold.

Earlier this month, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE announced its rescheduled headline tour for winter 2022. The band will now bring the "Atonement Tour" back on the road to clubs and theaters across the U.S. and into Canada beginning on January 28 in Pittsburgh and running through March 12 in Philadelphia. Support on the trek will come from AUGUST BURNS RED and LIGHT THE TORCH. As fans are more than well aware, LIGHT THE TORCH frontman Howard Jones served as KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's singer from 2002 through 2012.

This tour package was originally planned for spring 2020 but was ultimately postponed two dates into the original run due to the global shutdown that was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will now include all of the rescheduled dates as well as several new locations across the

WHITESNAKE has announced the addition of bassist Tanya O'Callaghan to the group's ranks.

Tanya joins the David Coverdale-fronted outfit as the replacement for longtime bassist Michael Devin whose departure was revealed over the weekend.

Coverdale said in a statement: "Well, well, well…ladies & gentlemen…boys & girls…we are very proud to announce & to introduce you all to our newest snake…or should I say…snakette!!! Please give a loud WHITESNAKE choir welcome to the Irish tornado!!! A whirling dervish of a performer whom we feel will bring a fresh, new, exciting musicality & welcome energy to the band, both in the studio & onstage… Here she is… Irish born & bred…the one & only… Tanya O'Callaghan!!!

"For whatever reason, WHITESNAKE has never featured a female musician in the band before… Bad boys!!!…But when we saw Tanya performing with our friend Steven Adler's band at the M3 festival in 2019 & we were all blown away… An electrifying performer… When WHITESNAKE & Michael Devin decided to go their separate ways, Tanya was the first person we reached out to & thankfully she accepted our invitation to become a snake…

"We are thrilled & delighted to welcome Tanya O'Callaghan to WHITESNAKE!!!

"Let the music do the talking!!!"

O'Callaghan commented on her addition to WHITESNAKE in a social media post. She wrote: "I guess the snake's out of the bag. What an absolute honor to be joining WHITESNAKE/David Coverdale for their worldwide farewell tour 2022/23.

"This small town gal still pinches herself over the amount of legends I've had the joy to work, tour and record with over the past few years since I made the terrifying solo leap across the Pacific with no clue how everything would unfold.

"It's been a wild ride and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, who calls, only feckin' WHITESNAKE! And the best part, to step into the snake shoes of my bass brothers Rudy Sarzo, Tony Franklin, Neil Murray and Michael Devin ... are you kidding me.. .what a f#*king honor beyond belief!!! My heart is exploding."

Coverdale, who turned 70 in September, recently confirmed that he plans to retire from touring after WHITESNAKE's next batch of concerts around the world.

Although Coverdale will no longer perform with WHITESNAKE, he is still planning on writing and recording fresh material once he has retired from the road.

Early last year, WHITESNAKE was forced to cancel its U.S. tour with SAMMY HAGAR & THE CIRCLE and NIGHT RANGER so that Coverdale could undergo surgery for bilateral inguinal hernia. Eventually, all of the shows were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.

WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.


I guess the snakes out of the bag ???

What an absolute honor to be joining Whitesnake/David Coverdale for their...

Posted by Tanya O Callaghan on Tuesday, November 23, 2021

MONSTER TRUCK frontman Jon Harvey says that he was "super offended" by Danko Jones's recent criticism of his collaboration with Kid Rock.

On Friday (November 19), Kid Rock released his latest single, "Don't Tell Me How to Live", in which he rants against "woke" culture and the mainstream media at a time when "every opinion has a millennial offended." The first new music from the Michigan-bred rap-rocker since 2017, which was recorded with MONSTER TRUCK and plays off the Canadian band's 2015 song of the same title, was accompanied by an official music video which features Kid Rock telling his critics to "kiss my ass" and "suck a dick sideways" while wearing a white fur coat, a nod to his "Devil Without A Cause" days, along with basketball shorts, tube socks, chains and a fedora. Rock and Harvey trade vocals, smoke cigars and generally seem to be having a good time as Rock compares himself to some of the greatest icons of our time in what Rolling Stone calls, "the most offensive verse in the terrible song." "I'm like Reverend Run or David Lee Roth / Like Springsteen bitch, I'm the motherfucking Boss," Kid Rock declares. "James Dean, shit / I'm more like Brad Pitt / A little less pretty but I slang more dick."

On Saturday (November 20), Danko Jones, who was born and raised in the eastern-Toronto borough Scarborough, took to his Twitter to offer his scathing opinion of Kid Rock's new song as well as to call out the members of MONSTER TRUCK for choosing to align themselves with the conservative rocker, saying it gets them "a lifetime membership in the douchebag hall of fame."

"Disappointed to hear of a certain band on a song with a certain musician who has been so public with his MAGA politics, including uttering the phrase 'Fuck Colin Kaepernick' during a live performance," Danko wrote. "It's tantamount to standing in solidarity with him. Gross. And the video of them posing as rednecks in fur coats is FUCKING EMBARRASSING Disappointed and embarrassed FOR that band.

"Just so you know, I DON'T FUCK WITH bands that buddy up next to a racist POS. Wearing fur coats, sporting guns and smoking cigars in the music video gets that band a lifetime membership in the douchebag hall of fame. Embarrassing.

"Kid Rock said 'Fuck Colin Kaepernick' during a concert," Danko added. "Colin Kaepernick sacrificed his career to draw attention to racial inequality. If you stand alongside Kid Rock in a music vid calling out 'snowflakes', sporting fur coats & guns, you're as big a piece of shit as Kid Rock."

Harvey, who hails from Hamilton, which, like Scarborough, is located in the Canadian province of Ontario, discussed his Kid Rock collaboration during an appearance on the "Loaded Radio" podcast. Regarding how he first reacted when he heard Kid Rock's reworked version of "Don't Tell Me How to Live", Jon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I read the lyrics and everything else, I'm, like, 'Okay. Crap. Here we go.' It seemed like a weird thing to me. It was conflicting, because it felt mad and angry. And we're not angry guys; we're like the fun guys. And I was, like, 'This is angry. Okay. Cool.' And even Kid Rock was, like, 'It's kind of mad, but that's the whole thing. The whole thing is to spice it up and get mad,' and things like that. I started reading through the lyrics and everything else, and it's like — I don't know — he's really kind of just talking about himself a lot. Like any hip-hop song would definitely be — 'I'm the best. This is what I do.' And then he says a couple of things, like 'snowflakes.' And I'm, like, 'Well, okay. Whatever. That could be taken in a weird way.'

"It's just one of those things. When you read it, you're, like, he's not really attacking anyone," Harvey continued. "He's kind of saying, 'This is who I am, and this is what I do.' And people are gonna take it as an attack, because everyone wants to feel attacked or feel like they need to fight back or say something all the time now. So he kind of played right in to that."

Harvey then addressed Jones's criticisms directly, saying: "I don't want this to come across the wrong way, but it feels a little opportunistic to me. It also feels like he's a very angry person. I don't subscribe to that, and I'm not an angry person. And to me, it feels like he kind of gets angry about a lot of things. As far as personal attacks go, I've never met this guy in my life. I have no idea what his values are or what his beliefs are, and nor do I care, 'cause that's his problem and his business. But, yeah, man, he went after me, didn't he?"

He continued: "That's my whole thing about it — the guy is upset because he thinks [the song] promotes hate, and he's getting that out by hating it. It's the most contradictory, hypocritical thing I've ever experienced. But also a lot of people are gonna be, like, 'Yeah, he's right.' And I'm just, like, 'Man, okay.' And then next week he'll be mad about something else James Hetfield did or something else someone else did. It's, like buddy, just simmer down. You've got some shit to sort… It's an opportunity — that's the issue I have with it. It's, like, he could have said nothing and just kept going with his life. But instead he's putting himself out there and putting that hate out there and it's creating an opportunity for him. That's super weird to me."

Jon added: "I've never called anyone a piece of shit to their face, I don't think, in real life. The dude didn't even use my name, didn't use the band name, and he said these harsh things to me personally. I don't know, man. I'm really hurt by that… It's super offensive. My mom's gonna read that article, and other people are, and this guy is really painting me out to be something… He's got no idea what I'm like; he's got no idea what my friends or my family are like. It's some pretty harsh shit."

Kid Rock, an ardent supporter of former president Donald Trump, made headlines earlier this year when his Nashville bar hosted Morgan Wallen for his first performance since being caught on camera saying the N-word back in February.

Back in November 2019, Rock was removed from the stage of the Honky Tonky bar in Nashville when he went on an explicit tirade against Oprah Winfrey, saying she could "suck a dick sideways." And in 2018, the rocker was fired as the grand marshal of the Nashville Christmas parade after calling Joy Behar, then-host of ABC's "The View", a "bitch" in an interview on Fox News.




Playing the victim days after releasing an “anti-snowflake” anthem coupled with gun imagery is right out of the alt-right playbook.

Also, framing me as “angry” is an old overused RACIST TROPE. It’s exactly what racists do.https://t.co/BduYOB4ycG

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 23, 2021








pic.twitter.com/BQsO7v3OsL

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 23, 2021












Disappointed to hear of a certain band on a song with a certain musician who has been so public with his MAGA politics, including uttering the phrase “Fuck Colin Kaepernick” during a live performance.

It's tantamount to standing in solidarity with him.

Gross.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 20, 2021








And the video of them posing as rednecks in fur coats is FUCKING EMBARRASSING

Disappointed and embarrassed FOR that band. https://t.co/KZEHIX8evz

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 20, 2021








I think it's fitting that Kid Rock's piece of shit song, “Don't Tell Me How To Live”, is released on the day of the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 20, 2021








Just so you know, I DON'T FUCK WITH bands that buddy up next to a racist POS.

Wearing fur coats, sporting guns and smoking cigars in the music video gets that band a lifetime membership in the douchebag hall of fame.

Embarrassing.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 20, 2021








Kid Rock said “Fuck Colin Kaepernick” during a concert.

Colin Kaepernick sacrificed his career to draw attention to racial inequality.

If you stand alongside Kid Rock in a music vid calling out “snowflakes”, sporting fur coats & guns, you're as big a piece of shit as Kid Rock.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 21, 2021








I have an aversion to racists and their enablers/protectors/sidekicks.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 21, 2021








I don’t support racists. It’s kinda my thing.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 21, 2021








It’s Kid Rock’s now.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 20, 2021








I’m glad they’re broadcasting their alt-right tendencies. It’s the heads up I need to avoid that band.

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 20, 2021








Aside from the absolute cluelessness of this tweet, having biracial kids doesn’t exempt one from being a racist.

As a mixed kid myself, I should know, as I’ve witnessed it firsthand. https://t.co/2kgdy1IxhK

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 21, 2021








As a POC speaking out against associating with racists, I should stay in my place, @JamesVerner2???

It’s astounding the amount of people who are salivating at the opportunity to cosplay as my overseer. https://t.co/TGjCBd5FhZ

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 21, 2021








This tweet is the perfect example of a Kid Rock fan. https://t.co/uwf1PXSniE

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) November 21, 2021

SubLevel Records has announced the brand new EXODUS "Persona Non Grata" guitar book, featuring guitar tab and notation for all 12 killer songs from the new EXODUS album. All songs were transcribed note for note from the original recordings by HEATHEN guitarist — and occasional EXODUS touring member — Kragen Lum and Ernie Ball's Match The Master award winner Evan Bradley.

Learn how to play the songs exactly as the band plays them with these 100% accurate transcriptions. Presented in two-guitar format so you can learn to play every riff and solo just as Gary Holt and Lee Altus (plus guest solos by Rick Hunolt and Kragen Lum) played them on the album. The 262-page print edition will begin shipping on December 17.

This deluxe print edition of the book also includes an EXODUS "Persona Non Grata" guitar pick and two-sided bookmark set plus a digital copy of the guitar book in PDF format. The deluxe print edition is only available through SubLevel Records.

Songs included:

* Persona Non Grata

* R.E.M.F.

* Slipping Into Madness

* Elitist

* Prescribing Horror

* The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)

* The Years Of Death And Dying

* Clickbait

* The Fires Of Division

* Cosa Del Pantano

* Lunatic-Liar-Lord

* Antiseed

"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.

"Persona Non Grata" 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.

In July, EXODUS drummer Tom Hunting underwent a successful total gastrectomy in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach. He rejoined his bandmates on stage on October 7 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.

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).

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.

Spencer Elden, the man who claims he was the baby featured on the cover of NIRVANA's "Nevermind" album, has amended his lawsuit against the band to include the allegation that the photographer hired to take the photo, Kirk Weddle, also shot images of Elden styled to look like Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. The new filing also drops former NIRVANA drummer Chad Channing as a defendant in the case.

According to Rolling Stone, Elden's updated complaint cites personal journal entries from late NIRVANA frontman Kurt Cobain, which were published by Riverhead Books in 2002, in an apparent attempt to prove the claim that the photographer intended the cover image to be sexual in nature.

"Undated journals written by Cobain sketch the album cover in a sexual manner, with semen all over it," the document states. "In several instances, the journals describe Cobain's twisted vision for the 'Nevermind' album cover, along with his emotional struggles: 'I like to make incisions into the belly of infants then fuck the incision until the child dies.'"

The documents also repeat the claim that Weddle intended to "trigger a visceral sexual response from the viewer" by activating "Spencer's 'gag reflex' before throwing him underwater in poses highlighting and emphasizing Spencer's exposed genitals." The documents add: "Weddle soon after produced photographs of Spencer dressed up and depicted as Hugh Hefner."

When Elden first filed his lawsuit against the surviving members of NIRVANA as well as the estate of Kurt Cobain in August, he alleged the photo of the baby reaching for a dollar in a swimming pool violated federal child pornography statutes and argued child sexual exploitation.

A month after filing his lawsuit, Elden, who is now 30, requested his genitalia be removed from "all future album covers" on the 30th anniversary of the project.

"Today, like each year on this date, our client Spencer Elden has had to brace himself for renewed unwanted attention from the media and fans alike throughout the world," his attorneys told USA Today. "This is a choice that he has never had."

The attorneys said that they plan on continuing the legal proceedings in order to "bring long-awaited privacy and dignity back to our client."

"We implore the NIRVANA defendants to right the wrongs of their past, by acknowledging the harm they have perpetrated and redacting the image of Mr. Elden's genitalia from further reproductions of 'Nevermind' because behind every cover is a person pleading for their privacy back," they added.

A deluxe 30th-anniversary reissue of "Nevermind", featuring its original cover artwork, was made available on November 12.

In Elden's complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court, he claimed that his "identity and legal name are forever tied to the commercial sexual exploitation he experienced as a minor which has been distributed and sold worldwide from the time he was a baby to the present day."

According to the suit, the defendants "knowingly produced, possessed, and advertised commercial child pornography depicting Spencer, and they knowingly received value in exchange for doing so. … Despite this knowledge, defendants failed to take reasonable steps to protect Spencer and prevent his widespread sexual exploitation and image trafficking."

Elden claimed that his parents never signed a release authorizing the use of the photos, which were taken in a Pasadena aquatic center in 1990. He alleged that the band promised to cover his genitals with a sticker, which was never incorporated into the album art.

The suit further alleged the defendants "used child pornography depicting Spencer as an essential element of a record promotion scheme commonly utilized in the music industry to get attention, wherein album covers posed children in a sexually provocative manner to gain notoriety, drive sales, and garner media attention, and critical reviews."

Elden is seeking damages of either $150,000 from each of the defendants or unspecified damages to be determined at trial, attorney fees, an injunction to prohibit all parties "from continuing to engage in the unlawful acts and practices described herein," and a trial by jury.

"The permanent harm he has proximately suffered includes but is not limited to extreme and permanent emotional distress with physical manifestations, interference with his normal development and educational progress, lifelong loss of income earning capacity, loss of past and future wages, past and future expenses for medical and psychological treatment, loss of enjoyment of life, and other losses to be described and proven at trial of this matter," the lawsuit stated.

Elden's parents were reportedly paid only $200 for the photos, and the shoot lasted around 15 seconds.

In a 2016 interview with Time magazine, Elden said: "It's a trip. Everyone involved in the album has tons and tons of money. I feel like I'm the last little bit of grunge rock. I'm living in my mom's house and driving a Honda Civic.

"It's hard not to get upset when you hear how much money was involved," Elden added. "I go to a baseball game and think about it: 'Man, everybody at this baseball game has probably seen my little baby penis,' I feel like I got part of my human rights revoked."

"Nevermind" has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and was certified diamond by the RIAA for sales in excess of 10 million copies in the U.S. al

During an appearance on "Loose Ends" on BBC Radio 4 earlier this week, Robert Plant commented on the copyright dispute over whether LED ZEPPELIN's classic song "Stairway To Heaven" was a rip-off of SPIRIT's "Taurus".

Michael Skidmore, the trustee of "Taurus" songwriter Randy "California" Wolfe's estate, had brought the claims more than four decades after "Stairway To Heaven" appeared on LED ZEPPELIN's untitled album, better known as "Led Zeppelin IV".

In June 2016, a Los Angeles jury deliberated for about five hours before deciding unanimously in favor of LED ZEPPELIN. The case was revived in 2018 before a court of appeals upheld the original verdict last year. In October 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, definitively ending it.

Asked "what sort of experience" it was to have to testify at the 2016 trial, Plant told "Loose Ends": "What can you do? I just had to sit there. I was instructed to sit directly opposite the jury: 'Don't look at them, but just don't look at anybody. Just sit there for eight hours.'

"As much as I am musical, I cannot comment on anything musical. I just sing," the LED ZEPPELIN frontman continued.

"There are zillions and zillions of songs that are carrying the same chord progression, so it was very unfortunate, and it was unpleasant for everybody."

Plant testified in court that he had no recollection of ever hearing "Taurus" before. "I didn't remember it then, and I don't remember it now," he said. LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page also testified that he had not copied any part of "Taurus" even though he owned five discs by SPIRIT among his collection of 4,000 vinyl records.

Enrico Bonadio, a senior lecturer in law from City University London, told Newsweek in April 2016: "I don't think that it is appropriate to consider the act of devising a tune that simply has the same 'feel' and 'groove' as another as copyright infringement. This is how music creativity often works. Musicians frequently build upon earlier arrangements and styles, and so the increasing occurrence of cases such as these should give us pause."

After the 2016 trial, plaintiff's attorney Francis Malofiy claimed he lost his case on a technicality, insisting that it was unfair the jury was unable to listen to the sound recording of "Taurus" and instead was limited to hearing an expert performance of the registered sheet music.

Malofiy received over a hundred sustained objections and "multiple admonishments" during the ZEPPELIN trial, with the band's publishing company Warner/Chappell Music filing documents asking the judge to order the plaintiffs to pay over $613,000 in costs for defending against the laws

SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan has blasted Los Angeles's vaccine mandate, saying it's akin to "self-imposed tyranny and mental slavery."

Angelenos visiting restaurants, movie theaters, malls, salons and several other venues in Los Angeles have to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative virus test to enter.

SafePassLA ordinance is one of the strictest mandates of its kind in the nation, and includes all individuals eligible for a COVID vaccine. It means that vaccine verification is needed at many more locations within the city's limits than in surrounding areas.

Under the ordinance, which was approved by the L.A. City Council in early October, patrons age 12 and older have to show either:

* A physical vaccination card from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

* A photocopy of a vaccination card or a photograph stored on their phone,

* A digital vaccination record issued by the state of California or a state, local or foreign jurisdiction, or an approved private company.

* Documentation of a COVID-19 vaccine from a healthcare provider.

Anyone age 18 and over also has to provide identification.

The ordinance also requires people to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend outdoor events with 5,000 or more people.

On Monday night (November 22), Dolmayan, who splits his time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, took to his Instagram to write: "Why does history repeat itself in the most tragic ways? People forget to capitalize on the lessons of the past and ignore the signs of a disastrous future.

"Today I went to a restaurant in Los Angeles that had a security guard that demanded paperwork for entry and watched as dozens of patrons capitulated and showed their 'papers'.

"Things really don't change do they? As long as you have a strong propaganda machine in place and find a way to take away basic rights even temporarily most people will do anything they are asked to gain back a sense of normalcy. The funny thing is three miles East in Glendale life is far more free and normal.

"Self imposed tyranny and mental slavery is rampant and infesting far too many places world wide. Hopefully this madness will pass".

82% of Los Angeles County residents aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, and 73% are fully vaccinated. Of the county's overall population of 10.3 million people, 71% have received at least one dose, and 63% are fully vaccinated.

Current figures show unvaccinated people are nine times more likely than vaccinated people to get infected, and 67 times more likely to be hospitalized.

There are exemptions to Los Angeles's mandate: Those who self-attest to having a medical or religious reason for not getting vaccinated can instead provide a negative coronavirus test taken during the 72 hours before entering an indoor space.

Patrons who aren't vaccinated and don't qualify for an exemption can still opt to use outdoor areas of the venues. And they can be allowed to briefly go inside the location to use the restroom, place an order or pick up an item if they're masked.

Beginning November 29, venues can be issued a citation for not implementing the requirement, and may be fined $1,000 for a second violation, and thousands more for subsequent violations, according to the ordinance.

In the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Dolmayan repeatedly defended Donald Trump, saying that the opponents of America's 45th president "perpetuated and instigated a total shutdown of the economy" in the hopes that it would crash and that he would be blamed. Dolmayan also praised Trump and accused Democrats of "demonizing" the former president and "blaming him for everything under the sun." In addition, John called Democrats "the true bigots" who "fought to maintain slavery" and were "directly responsible for 70 plus million abortions, a large majority of whom were black." Dolmayan also supported Trump's claim that his administration had done more for the African-American community "than any president since Abraham Lincoln."
























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John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, has once again railed against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, saying they are "much more about tyranny than they are actually keeping people safe."

The 46-year-old vocalist/bassist, who previously publicly revealed that he was unvaccinated, discussed his views on the COVID-19 vaccines during an appearance on the "Faith Vs. Culture With Dan Andros" show on CBN, which features 24-hour TV news from a Christian perspective.

"I've never told someone not to get a vaccine," Cooper said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). I've never told someone to get a vaccine. That's not my decision; that's your decision. But they're changing the definitions of what anti-vax means. I am not anti-vax. They've added a definition that says if you're against vaccine mandates, then you're now anti-vax.

"Us Christians, we need to get our brains ready for leftist authoritarianists do," he continued. "They come in [and] they change language. And by changing language, you can end up changing people's minds about stuff. Because you say it, and people might think you mean one thing, but what you're actually saying is another thing, and the more you repeat the propaganda, your brain gets used to it."

Cooper then once again floated the conspiracy theory — one that is regularly promoted by the anti-vaccine community — that vaccines are a tool of government control.

"The reason that I'm so passionate about this is because us Christians need to wake up to this incredible threat of tyranny that is happening from the government," he said. "Think about the way propaganda has worked here. Nine months ago, eight months ago maybe, the president himself was saying, 'No, we would not institute vaccine mandates. That's not what we do in America.' Doctor Fauci said the same thing. Jen Psaki [current White House press secretary] had repeated that thing. This is all within the last seven or eight months. Look at what has happened in such a short period of time that we went from, 'No, we wouldn't do that because that's not what America does' all the way to Christians saying, 'If you really love somebody, you'll mandate a vaccine.' That is the power of propaganda… The way that the government and the media has used propaganda to become idolatrous and to leave its sovereignty under God and invade other sovereigns' spheres. That would be namely my sphere over my body and my family to teach my kids what I wanna teach, to do what I wanna do. That's why I think these vaccine mandates are much more about tyranny than they are actually keeping people safe."

Cooper went on to say that getting a COVID-19 shot should be a personal choice and that he and other people like him shouldn't be subjected to potential vaccine side effects.

"I think that we need to have a spirit of generosity and [be] gracious towards one another on this issue," he said. "I've never told somebody not to get vaxxed. I've never said you should get vaxxed; that's your decision. The reason I say we need some generosity is because there's a lot… I look at it and I go, okay, we went into lockdown. And I look at that and I say I think there's been about five million COVID deaths in the world — I think — so far. But we also know that they say maybe near a hundred, a hundred and twenty million have been pushed to the brink of starvation because of COVID — because of lockdowns, is really what I should say, because of lockdowns, there wasn't enough agriculture, there wasn't enough shipping to send materials they needed [to send], medical supplies. That's a direct result of lockdown policy. We also know the U.K., they think ten thousand — at least — ten thousand cancer deaths will occur because people didn't go to get checked up during lockdown. Now they're ignoring what European countries are not ignoring, which is the harmful effects of the vaccine — mainly on boys [ages] twelve to fifteen with myocarditis. The U.K. has said, 'We recommend not getting the vaccine for boys twelve to fifteen' because they're four to times more likely to go to the hospital for myocarditis than if they had just gotten COVID in the first place. So I look at all of this stuff and I say, then why are we doing it when Europe is saying, 'We're putting a halt on this?' It makes people really, really nervous.

"Lastly, I'm not being a conspiracy theorist — it is impossible to know what may happen in the future. We don't know what happens in five years, ten years, because it's brand new — we've never done it before. So for the government to come in and demand to put something in my body that we don't know what it's going to do, when I know at my age group and the fact that I'm super ripped and in shape, I know I've got a 99.7 percent chance of being fine if I get it. My family already had it; we have natural immunity anyway; so it just makes it seem like there's something else going on."

Experts have repeatedly said that mRNA vaccines are not new. In fact, they have been in development for decades — since the 1970s— and many mRNA vaccines were in phase 1, 2, and 3 trials before the COVID-19 vaccines were created. According to News Center Maine, messenger RNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response inside our bodies. Our cells break down mRNA and get rid of it within a few days after vaccination. As for the vaccines being "experimental," the U.S. FDA and CDC both said Pfizer and Moderna's data were highly scrutinized and that the shots were required to undergo the same testing, trials, and analysis before getting emergency use authorization.