Richie Faulkner says that he is feeling " feeling very strong and positive" less than two months after undergoing a life-saving surgery.

On September 26, the JUDAS PRIEST guitarist suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during a performance at the Louder Than Life festival, just a short distance from Rudd Heart and Lung Center at UofL Health - Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. It took the hospital's cardiothoracic surgery team, led by Dr. Siddharth Pahwa and also including Drs. Brian Ganzel and Mark Slaughter, approximately 10 hours to complete the surgery, an aortic valve and ascending aorta replacement with hemiarch replacement.

Faulkner, who is now recovering at home in Nashville, offered an update on his condition in a social media post earlier today. He wrote: "Hello there maniacs! I just wanted to post, and I've had many of you asking for an update on how my recovery is going.

"I was able to return home from hospital 10 days after my surgery to continue recovery at home. It has now been 7 weeks since the night it all happened and I'm feeling very strong and positive. My incisions have healed very well and I can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm walking well and moving freely, I'm pretty active and I'm starting cardiac therapy very soon. I'm playing guitar everyday and with the love and support of my family, the continued support from you guys and the inspiration that I get from the guitar, I'll be back on stage in no time! My surgeons are very pleased with my progress and have all reserved front row tickets for the next PRIEST show haha.

"It's Thanksgiving this month, and whether you celebrate it or not, I have a lot to give thanks for this year; Including all of you for your patience, your love and your support. Lots of love and I'll see you down the front soon, horns held high."

Faulkner's medical episode happened while he was performing the closing song of PRIEST's set on the final day of Louder Than Life. Faulkner later said in a statement: "As I watch footage from the Louder Than Life Festival in Kentucky, I can see in my face the confusion and anguish I was feeling whilst playing 'Painkiller' as my aorta ruptured and started to spill blood into my chest cavity."

Two weeks after his surgery, Faulkner told reporters about how he felt while performing "Painkiller" with his bandmates at Louder Than Life: "I became a bit light-headed. It didn't go away. I've never fainted before. I've never passed out, but I knew that this felt like I was going to pass out in a minute.

"Luckily, it was about half way into the song," he continued. "So obviously, I had to finish the song. If I had known how important it was, maybe I would have got off there a bit quicker. But I think that's the whole point for me. I had no idea whatsoever what it was."

Faulkner said that he experienced a sharp pain as he was stepping off the stage. "That's when it exploded," he said.

"The more I read about it, the more astonishing it is to me to think that I even made it to the hospital," he added. "The amount of time when I actually go the pain and when I turned up in the hospital and when we were actually operating, it was quite a lot of time. The more I read about it, the more unbelievable — that amount of time — I don't know how I'm still around today."

Aortic aneurysms are "balloon-like bulges in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Dissections happen when the "force of blood pumping can split the layers of the artery wall, allowing blood to leak in between them."

After Louder Than Life, JUDAS PRIEST postponed the remainder of the U.S. dates on its rescheduled 50th anniversary tour, dubbed "50 Heavy Metal Years". The trek kicked off on September 8 in Reading, Pennsylvania and was slated to run through October before concluding on November 5 in Hamilton, Ontario.
























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JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford has offered an update on Richie Faulkner's recovery after the PRIEST guitarist suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky in late September. Faulkner was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.

Speaking to the "SpeedFreaks" radio show, Rob said about his bandmate (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "He's doing remarkably well. He saw his doctors recently again, who performed this miracle of surgery, and they're over the moon in the way that he's repairing and healing.

"It was an unbelievable night," Halford continued. "We had this fantastic show at the Louder Than Life festival up in Kentucky. And the show was going great. And then we came offstage. 'Where's Richie?' The paramedics are looking after him. Something's happening. Without going into too much lengthy detail, less than an hour later, he was in almost 11 hours of heart surgery.

"I'll tell you what's a miracle about that. The Lord intervened, because it's all about timing. He was barely 10 minutes away from one of the greatest heart surgeons in the world — a team, a great team of people — so they got in there quickly.

"When I was talking to him, he was getting undressed and dressed to go to the hospital, and at that time, his aorta had ruptured and his chest was filling with blood. But his doctor said he was so high on adrenaline — and this happens in sports; guys play with a broken whatever; your adrenaline is pushing you through. So he got to the hospital and then this incredible dream team of surgeons saved his life. It is an absolute miracle.

"Because you know what it's like. With guys — I suppose everybody, to a certain extent — but with guys, 'Oh, I'll be all…' 'Cause we were gonna go to Denver that night — we were gonna take the plane and fly to Denver. He could have said, 'Let's figure this out when we get into Denver.' What would have happened if he had made that move. He followed the advice.

"Always listen to these professionals, especially now," Rob added. "Listen to them — something that is so valuable, listen to the experts, 'cause they know the best solutions.

"So, thank you. He's doing good, he's doing well. All those dates that we had to shuffle around are being shuffled around as we speak, and we should be making an announcement fairly soon about the rescheduling of the dates.

"We thank our fans for being so patient for us. Everybody's rooting for Richie around the world — there's been a lot of love and prayers for this guy — and it's working out great."

Faulkner had "an aortic aneurysm and complete aortic dissection" while performing the closing song of PRIEST's set on the final day of Louder Than Life. Faulkner later said in a statement: "As I watch footage from the Louder Than Life Festival in Kentucky, I can see in my face the confusion and anguish I was feeling whilst playing 'Painkiller' as my aorta ruptured and started to spill blood into my chest cavity."

Two weeks after his surgery, Faulkner told reporters about how he felt while performing "Painkiller" with his bandmates at Louder Than Life: "I became a bit light-headed. It didn't go away. I've never fainted before. I've never passed out, but I knew that this felt like I was going to pass out in a minute.

"Luckily, it was about half way into the song," he continued. "So obviously, I had to finish the song. If I had known how important it was, maybe I would have got off there a bit quicker. But I think that's the whole point for me. I had no idea whatsoever what it was."

Faulkner said that he experienced a sharp pain as he was stepping off the stage. "That's when it exploded," he said.

"The more I read about it, the more astonishing it is to me to think that I even made it to the hospital," he added. "The amount of time when I actually go the pain and when I turned up in the hospital and when we were actually operating, it was quite a lot of time. The more I read about it, the more unbelievable — that amount of time — I don't know how I'm still around today."

Aortic aneurysms are "balloon-like bulges in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Dissections happen when the "force of blood pumping can split the layers of the artery wall, allowing blood to leak in between them."

After Louder Than Life, JUDAS PRIEST postponed the remainder of the U.S. dates on its rescheduled 50th anniversary tour, dubbed "50 Heavy Metal Years". The trek kicked off on September 8 in Reading, Pennsylvania and was slated to run through October before concluding on November 5 in Hamilton, Ontario.

MANOWAR will return to Greece next June for a headlining performance at the Release Athens 2022 festival at Plateia Nerou.

In a press conference held in Athens, MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio announced that the band will bring a crushing new production, killer setlist and a special gift for the Greek fans to commemorate a truly outstanding year in music history.

As metal fans will know, 2022 marks the 30th year since the release of "The Triumph Of Steel". With this album, MANOWAR surprised its fans with the over-28-minute-long track "Achilles, Agony And Ecstasy In Eight Parts", inspired by Homer's ancient Greek poem "The Iliad". In celebration of this memorable anniversary and as a "thank you" for the steadfast and passionate support of the Greek Manowarriors, MANOWAR has now taken on "The Odyssey", Homer's tale of the great hero Odysseus and his long and perilous quest to return to his wife and son.

"We are extremely excited to return to Greece and sharing our tribute to this country's amazing past," said DeMaio. "The welcome we received at Release Athens 2019 was fantastic as always. That show, and being surrounded by Greece's unique culture and history again inspired us to revisit Homer, as we had long planned."

For this project, MANOWAR went to great lengths: not only did they record a song titled "The Revenge Of Odysseus" for their upcoming new studio album, DeMaio also traveled to Athens to record a narration with father-and-son team Kostas and Konstantinos Kazakos. Kostas, hailed in Greece for his participation in many movies and as an accomplished theater actor and writer, and his son Kostantinos, who is also a talented actor, narrated a touching dialogue between Odysseus and his son Telemachus. And to honor the historic source material, they did so in Ancient Greek, translated from English by Sakis Tolis of Greek metal band ROTTING CHRIST.

"It was a pleasure and privilege to work with Kostas and Konstantinos, Sakis and everyone else who was involved in this narration," said DeMaio. "I call Kostas 'the Greek Orson Welles', not only because these two giants share many remarkable talents and outstanding voices, but also for being equally passionate to deliver a perfect narration while being humble and kind at the same time! We can't wait to share everything with our fans."

A behind-the-scenes peek into the making of the narration for "The Revenge Of Odysseus" from the upcoming MANOWAR album can be seen below.

MANOWAR released a new EP, "The Final Battle I", in March 2019. Parts II and III of the trilogy will arrive at a later date, inspired by MANOWAR's adventures on the remainder of "The Final Battle".

In 2019, MANOWAR recruited Anders Johansson as the band's new drummer.

The Swedish musician made his live debut with MANOWAR in March 2019 in Brno, Czech Republic.

Johansson can be heard on "The Final Battle I", which was initially made available in an exclusive pre-sale at the merchandise booth of the band's "The Final Battle" world tour.

Former MANOWAR guitarist Karl Logan was arrested in August 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina and charged with six counts of third-degree exploitation of a minor. He was jailed after pleading guilty to two child-pornography counts.

A few days after Karl's arrest was made public, MANOWAR issued a statement saying that he would no longer perform with the group. He has since been replaced by E.V. Martel, who previously played in a MANOWAR tribute band.

Swedish progressive rock outfit, Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side, have signed with InsideOutMusic for the release of the upcoming new album, Miles From Nowhere, due out on February 18.


Led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Jonas Lindberg, the new album consists of seven songs which spans the full range of the progressive rock landscape - from the soaring ”Summer Queen” (led by Jenny Storm), to the folksy instrumental ”Astral Journey” to the closing title track; a sprawling 25 minute epic which features none other than Roine Stolt Pale Rider (The Flower Kings, Transatlantic) on lead guitar.


Jonas Lindberg on signing with the label: “It’s a great honor to be on this label alongside such great acts like Dream Theater, Yes, Jethro Tull among others! Being a fan of the genre myself, many of the bands on the label are big influences and longtime favorites of mine.”




Miles From Nowhere will be available to pre-order from December 17 on CD, Gatefold 2LP+CD & as Digital Album.


Lindberg had this to say about the new album: "Miles From Nowhere is my fourth release and second full length album with my progressive rock project Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side. It was recorded between 2019 and 2020, in part during the pandemic, and is a followup to my 2016 release called Pathfinder. This album is much more "symphonic" in a way with much longer songs and it even features a couple of epics. The lyrics are also much more personal in a way, and reflects a lot upon things happening in my life between both albums. While I considered Pathfinder to be a band effort at the time, on this one I'm playing a lot of the instruments myself and even singing lead vocals on a couple of tracks. In part due to logistical difficulties caused by the pandemic. It also features some more guest musicians than just the lineup of my original project members, with one of my biggest influences in the genre, Roine Stolt guesting on the epic title track."


”It’s such an honor to have one of my biggest influences in the genre playing on one of the tracks! I’m so happy that he wanted to do it. Roine’s solo follows one of Jonas Sundqvist’s strongest vocal tracks ever, and he somehow managed to top that. Such a great guitar player,” says Lindberg.





Tracklisting:


"Secret Motive Man"
"Little Man"
"Summer Queen"
"Oceans Of Time"
"Astral Journey"
"Why I’m Here"
"Miles From Nowhere"
PT I - Overture
PT II - Don’t Walk Away
PT III - I Don’t Know Where You Are
PT IV - Memories
PT V - Miles From Nowhere


Album teaser:

Firewind played their first show in nearly two years at UrRock Musik Festival, which took place November 11 - 14 in Sarnen, Switzerland. The band have released this recap video:





"New Found Power", the title of Firewind's new single and music video, perfectly describes the current spirit of the Greek power metal masters.




The band’s latest incarnation, since 2019, of course led by former Ozzy Osbourne axeman Gus G. is fronted by singer Herbie Langhans (Avantasia), a powerhouse vocalist par excellence. Langhans‘ addition to the group’s ranks gave a new kind of energy to Firewind and after the release of the band’s latest (self-titled) album in May 2020, now the new single, "New Found Power", continues the Firewind legacy with a heavy, uplifting power metal track of highest quality.


"New Found Power" is also part of the AFM Records label compilation, 25 Years Metal Addiction, which includes 30 rare or previously unreleased tracks and comes as 2CD digipak (out now).


"We recently met in our rehearsal room in Thessaloniki, Greece, to film what we all missed so much: playing together. That’s why the 'New Found Power' music video comes without fancy effects or anything: it’s just the four of us playing this cool new song and embracing it", Gus G. comments. "We really hope to see all our fans on the upcoming 20th anniversary tour. It’s been way too long and we can’t wait to celebrate 20 years of Firewind with a wild ride through our history."

In a new interview with Rocking With Jam Man, former KORN drummer David Silveria, who left the band a decade and a half ago, was asked if there is any chance of him rejoining KORN in time for the group's 30th anniversary in 2023. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It would obviously take all of us talking. So far, I don't see any of that even happening. But you never know. You just never know."

Silveria also talked about his decision to exit KORN back in 2006. He said: "I left the band for a few reasons. One of them was because when we started out, we were all equal members and everything was supposed to be voted on and everyone had equal say in everything. And that slowly turned into a different way of things working that I totally, a hundred percent disagreed with. And at the same time, three days before I filmed the last video on [2005's] 'See You On The Other Side' [album], I was lifting weights in my garage and I was squatting, holding dumbbells and there was a TV above me. And I squatted down. Something on the TV got my attention and I fell backwards and I hit the ground. And I actually broke four bones in my lower back… It was actually a few years that went by before I had my back repaired. But I was in so much pain, I couldn't even do anything."

In 2019, Silveria revealed that he apologized to his former bandmates for the "wrong and mean" things he had said about them since his split from KORN. The drummer was said to be especially upset over the fact that the band welcomed back guitarist Brian "Head" Welch eight years ago but wouldn't do the same for him. Welch left the group in 2005 and continued as a solo artist before rejoining in 2013.

"I was immature, hurt and mad that after Head [rejoined KORN,] they wouldn't let me back in," Silveria wrote in an Instagram post. "Specifically, because the year before Head came back, I personally talked to Head and tried to get him to, along with me, talk to the guys about both of us going back to KORN. At that time, Head said, 'David, you and I are good friends. But don't call me if you are only going to try to get me to go back to KORN. I will never go back.' Then, less than a year later, he goes back to KORN. On our phone call, he said very negative things about KORN, which I won't repeat. The things I said were wrong and mean. I haven't said anything negative about KORN in years now. I have the utmost respect for the guys and an appreciation for every one of those guys."

In June 2019, Silveria, said that he would be willing to mend fences with his former bandmates. "Yeah, I would have no problem with it any way whatsoever," he said during an appearance on the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast. "I have no problem with anybody whatsoever. I just think at some point our comminications broke down so bad that our managers were calling other bandmembers, saying, 'Okay, we talked to Jon [singer Jonathan Davis] about this or that. He wants to do this or that.' And I'm thinking, 'Why isn't Jon talking to us? Why is it happening like this?' And it just got worse and worse, to the point where we weren't even talking at all — nobody was even talking. It was so weird. I don't even know why the hell it ever got like that. It was so many years ago, I couldn't even imagine, at my age, ever having a relationship break down that bad and not just go up and say, 'Hey, we've gotta work this shit out. This is ridiculous.'"

Asked why he couldn't rekindle his relationship with his former bandmates, even if it's just on a friendship level, David said: "I really don't know why. I guess you have to ask those guys."

Silveria sued KORN in February 2015, insisting that his exit from the group was merely a hiatus and that he was rebuffed when he tried to return to the band in 2013. David said he still had ownership interest in KORN and asked a judge to force the band to reveal how much money they've made since he left so that he can get his rightful share. KORN countersued and the two sides reached an agreement in 2016 that called for Silveria to give up his rights to KORN royalties going forward in exchange for a lump sum.

A few years ago, Davis told The Pulse Of Radio that he believed Silveria had lost his passion for playing music, saying, "The first two albums, I think, he really enjoyed playing drums and then after that he just lost his love for playing drums. It happens."

David told fans in 2013 that KORN was not the same since he left, saying, "Until they have the real 'funky drummer' it's just not gonna groove the way it could. I've made it clear that I would come back and restore the groove."

Silveria recently launched a new band called BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE. He is joined in the Orange County, California-based group by bassist Chris Dorame, guitarists Joe Taback and Mike Martin and singer Rich Nguyen.

ICED EARTH guitarist Jon Schaffer, who pleaded guilty seven months ago to his role in the Capitol riot, is continuing to cooperate with authorities while on pre-trial release.

In a joint status update filed on Friday (November 12) in federal court in Washington, D.C., Schaffer's attorney Andrew C. Marcantel of Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm wrote: "The Defendant remains on release under the supervision of the District of Columbia Pre-Trial Services Department. He has remained compliant with pre-trial release conditions. He has remained cooperative with law enforcement since his release.

"Multiple defendants charged in the case in which the Defendant is cooperating have been presented before the Court; several are in the process of exploring case resolutions and a trial date has yet to be set. Accordingly, the parties request to file a joint status update on

or about January 8, 2022."

According to AttorneysForFreedom.com, Marcantel is "a criminal defense attorney with a passion for freedom, individual rights, and government accountability. As an attorney for The Attorneys For Freedom Law Firm, Andrew avidly serves his community by defending its citizens' rights and holding the government to the standards imposed by the state and federal Constitutions."

As part of his April 2021 plea deal, Jon entered into a cooperation agreement with the government.

Although Schaffer was initially charged with six crimes, including engaging in an act of physical violence and targeting police with bear spray, he pleaded guilty to only two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon. The first charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, while the second carries up to a 10-year prison term.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer acknowledged that on January 6, 2021 he was in Washington to attend the "Stop The Steal" rally at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. to protest the results of the presidential election, which he believed were fraudulent. Schaffer wore a tactical vest and carried bear spray, a dangerous weapon and chemical irritant used to ward off bears. When the rally finished, Schaffer joined a large crowd that marched from the Ellipse to the Capitol, where a joint session of Congress, presided over by Vice President Michael Pence, was in session to certify the electoral college vote results. Shortly after 2:00 p.m., members of the mob forced entry into the Capitol building, disrupting the joint session and causing members of Congress and the Vice President to be evacuated from the House and Senate chambers.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer admitted that after arriving on Capitol grounds, he walked past barriers intended to restrict access to the public and to a set of locked doors on the Capitol's west side. At approximately 2:40 p.m., Schaffer positioned himself at the front of a crowd that broke open a set of doors being guarded by four U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers wearing riot gear. Schaffer admitted to being among the first individuals to push past the damaged doors and into the Capitol building, forcing officers to retreat. Schaffer and others advanced toward five or six backpedaling USCP officers while members of the mob swelled inside of the Capitol and overwhelmed the officers. The officers ultimately deployed a chemical irritant to disperse the mob. Schaffer was among the people who were sprayed in the face, after which he exited while holding his own bear spray in his hands.

After pleading guilty, Schaffer was released on the following conditions:

* Schaffer must submit to court supervision in the Northem Dlstrict of Indiana.

* Schaffer will surrender his passport and any other international travel documents.

* Must stay outside of D.C. except for court hearings and meetings with attorneys.

* Will be permitted to travel within the continental United States with notice to pretrial services.

* Schaffer cannot possess any firearms or explosive devices, including legally owned firearms. Any firearms must be removed from his home.

As part of the plea deal, Schaffer agreed to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in related criminal cases, according to CNN. In return for Schaffer's assistance, the Justice Department might later urge the judge to show leniency during his sentencing.

As part of the agreement, the Justice Department has offered to sponsor Schaffer for the witness protection program.

The 53-year-old musician was the first Capitol riot defendant to reach a plea deal.

The Indiana chapter of the Oath Keepers distanced itself from Schaffer after his arrest, claiming he was not a member of the local group. But the national organization, which sells lifetime memberships for $1,200, has not commented on his alleged affiliation with the group.

At a November 2020 Donald Trump rally in Washington, D.C., Schaffer was videotaped walking behind a Florida couple, Kelly Meggs and Connie Meggs, who were accused of being among 10 members of the Oath Keepers to have played a leading role in the Capitol assault. According to federal authorities, Kelly and Connie Meggs plotted for weeks ahead of the attack, attended training sessions and recruited others. Kelly Meggs is the head of the Oath Keepers' chapter in Florida.

Following the initial reports that Schaffer was involved in the riot, his ICED EARTH bandmates distanced themselves from his actions. Singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton later posted separate statements on social media announcing their resignations. BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch also quit DEMONS & WIZARDS, his long-running project with Schaffer. The allegations also apparently affected Schaffer's relationship with his longtime record label Century Media, which had released albums from both ICED EARTH and DEMONS & WIZARDS. As of mid-January, the Century Media artist roster page did not list either band.

On November 26, the four-time Grammy-winning and diamond-certified rock legends AEROSMITH will release "Aerosmith - 1971: The Road Starts Hear" (UMe), a rare and previously unheard rehearsal from 1971 as part of Record Store Day 2021.

Recently discovered in the AEROSMITH vaults, the original tape had not been touched in decades. This historic recording features seven extraordinary tracks showcasing the early, unbridled talent of the future Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame members including a nascent version of "Dream On", which they would later record and release on their 1973 eponymous major label debut. AEROSMITH is one of the few bands to chart with the same song five decades later; the song was a hit in 1973, reaching No. 59 on Billboard's Hot 100, and re-entered the charts in 2020 at No. 4 on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart.

"The Road Starts Hear", produced by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Steve Berkowitz, will be available on both vinyl and as a limited-edition cassette for Record Store Day. It features previously unseen archived photos, images of the original tape box, and liner notes written by Rolling Stone's David Fricke with new interviews and comments from the band about this long-forgotten recording. As an early treat for fans, the raw adrenaline of the 1971 rehearsal recording of "Movin' Out" is available on AEROSMITH's official YouTube channel and can be streamed below.

The landmark early recording was made with Perry's Wollensak reel-to-reel tape machine in 1971 by Mark Lehman who owned the infamous van and became AEROSMITH's one-man road crew, either in the band's Boston rehearsal room in front of a few select friends or at a rehearsal the band did during a soundcheck for an early show. All that is certain is that the tape captures a young, hungry rock band one year before being discovered and signing with Columbia Records and two years before their self-titled major label debut was released that helped catapult the band to one of the biggest rock acts of all time.

"The Road Starts Hear" features early recordings of gems such as "Somebody", "Movin' Out", "Walkin' The Dog", "Mama Kin" and an early version of AEROSMITH's classic ballad "Dream On", all of which would later be recorded for their landmark debut. Other tracks include "Reefer Head Woman", which would later be recorded for their 1979 album "Night In The Ruts", and the track "Major Barbara", a song that would be featured on their 1986 release "Classics Live".

Celebrating their 50th anniversary, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees AEROSMITH have sold more than 150 million albums around the world, produced genre-defining music videos such as "Amazing", "Crazy", "Janie's Got A Gun", "Livin' On The Edge" and "Love In An Elevator", and launched extravagant record-shattering global tours, most recently with their smash hit Las Vegas residency. The band has broken numerous boundaries, including becoming the first rock band with a massive commercially successful hip-hop collaboration with RUN-D.M.C. on "Walk This Way" and the first hard rock band to appear during a Super Bowl halftime show with their 2001 performance, and in 1999, AEROSMITH became the first band to have their own themed attraction at Disney World in Florida, and later Paris with the launch of the Rock 'N' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.

"Aerosmith - 1971: The Road Starts Hear" track listing:

Side A:

01. Intro - Somebody

02. Reefer Head Woman

03. Walkin' The Dog

Side B:

01. Movin' Out

02. Major Barbara

03. Dream On

04. Mama Kin

L.A. GUNS frontman Phil Lewis says that Axl Rose did a "fantastic" job filling in for Brian Johnson at the end of AC/DC's "Rock Or Bust" tour.

AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with the GUNS N' ROSES frontman as a "guest vocalist."

In a new interview with the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS), Lewis told McMaster (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Your voice is legendary. When Axl stood in for Brian in AC/DC, I was rooting for you. I think you would have done a much better job, personally."

After McMaster said that Rose "kicked it in the ass" singing for AC/DC, Phil concurred. "He's fantastic," he said. "Axl is a singer's singer. And people that don't sing don't get it, because they think he sounds nasally and he has got that funny vibrato. But he's a singer's singer. We're talking, like, seven octaves. He did that AC/DC stuff on his head; it was effortless for him. And you can't help feeling bad for old Brian puffing around up there. I've toured with him, and after about the third or fourth night, he's hurting. And it's a tough gig for anyone, especially somebody at that age. But, yeah, Axl just came in and nailed it." Lewis then once again praised McMaster, saying: "But you could have done it too, though."

AC/DC's North American tour ended in Philadelphia in September 2016, and despite initial fan trepidation, Axl got generally good reviews for his performances. Guitarist Angus Young said at the time: "I mean, under the situation that we had, it was very good that he volunteered and said, 'Hey, if I can help, let me try.' So he's been very good. And he had to learn a lot of songs very quickly, and he's done a great job."

Duff McKagan, who is one-third of the reunited partial classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES, got a chance to watch Rose and AC/DC play in June 2016 in London, England and in September 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Duff spoke about Axl's collaboration with AC/DC during a 2019 appearance on "The Church Of What's Happening Now" podcast. He said: "The way [Axl] did that was amazing. He was, like, 'If you guys don't mind, I'm gonna go try out. They need a hand here.' [Late AC/DC frontman] Bon Scott's his all-time [hero]. [We said], 'Dude, you know you don't really have to try out for AC/DC.' But he was really nervous. 'I'm gonna go try out. It fits in with our touring perfect.' And Slash and I were, like, 'You've got the gig.' But he went to Atlanta and tried out, quote-unquote, and got the gig. I saw him twice on that tour. I flew to London to see him, and I flew to Cleveland to see that. It was great."

McKagan added: "I think what it did for [Axl]… We got to know Angus through that. Angus has now come out and played with us a bunch of times. That was that thing when he was 14 or 15, 'Man, one day, if I ever got to be in AC/DC…' He was singing with a broom, and he finally got to do it. Amazing."

AC/DC released its long-awaited comeback album, "Power Up", in November 2020.

Zakk Wylde says that he is "really happy" with his contributions to 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 early 2022, Wylde talked about his involvement with the LP during a chat with "The Cassius Morris Show". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "On this one, I didn't have anything to do with… Basically, everything was already written. I would change a few things here and there, going into certain riffs or something like that — you know, do my own thing to 'em. But it was pretty much already done. But kind of how we did — [2001's] 'Down To Earth', I think, was more like that where everything was pretty much written before I got in there. So I just do my thing, put my solos and everything like that. But it was great in regards that Eric Clapton is on it, Jeff Beck and Tony Iommi. If you have told 14-year-old me growing up in my parents' house practicing in my bedroom that I was gonna be on a record with all my heroes, [I] would have been, 'Forget about it.' So, it was definitely an honor playing rhythm guitar on those tracks with the guys. But, yeah, I'm really happy with the way it came out."

Zakk also confirmed that he laid down his parts for the new Ozzy LP at his own home studio, the Black Vatican, which he has used for most of the recent BLACK LABEL SOCIETY recordings.

Asked how Osbourne is doing health-wise after suffering from several medical issues last year, including a fall, neck surgery and hospitalization for the flu, Wylde said: "I text him and just make sure he's doing okay with his working out and everything like that and doing everything the doctors tell him to do as far as his therapy and everything to get his neck and everything like that better and back on track. He wants to get back out and start touring again. The last show we did was going into 2019, New Year's Eve at the Forum [in Los Angeles]. And we had a blast. And Ozz was, like, 'Man, we should do this every year' and everything like that. So he was super pumped for that. And that's where it ended. The gameplan is, obviously, to get him back up and running so we can go back out and start playing again, doing what he wants… I just said, like, 'Ozz, just wait until you're ready.' There's no sense in rushing it. No one is going away. As soon as they announce that Ozz is gonna be doing some shows, everyone's gonna go to the show. So I was just, like, 'Ozz, everybody loves you. I don't you have anything to worry about. When you're ready and you feel like you're ready to get back up on the lifting platform for your benches and squat and your deadlift, then we'll go do what we've gotta do."

Ozzy recently revealed that 15 songs have been recorded for his upcoming LP which is once again being produced by Watt.

Zakk previously told Music Radar about his contributions to the new Ozzy album: "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. 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."

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, SEPULTURA frontman Derrick Green, who resides in Los Angeles, spoke about how the coronavirus pandemic is continuing to affect everyday life. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's slowly getting there. There's definitely those ups and downs. After Fourth of July, people were, like, 'Oh, yeah, we're out of the woods,' and then two weeks after Fourth of July, half the people I knew had COVID and were really screwed up. The delta variant really wiped a lot of people I know — it really wrecked them. Some of the people I know still can't smell, can't taste, have a lot of lung problems still. And these are healthy people. So this was kind of terrifying.

"A lot of people here are really taking [the pandemic] seriously, but then again, there's people that don't and they're doing whatever they wanna do," he continued. "It's something I always expected — that people are gonna really not sometimes see the big picture. It's hard when you're confined in a space for such a long period of time. And especially in the U.S. — being confined within the U.S. and not being able to see how this is playing worldwide, it can really warp your perception of how things really are. But I guess people are going from where they are locally. So now people are going out. They're still masked up a lot of places.

"I've gone to a few concerts," Derrick added. "I went to my first indoor-type concert a week ago. I went and saw JINJER and SUICIDE SILENCE play. And it was great — a great show. But I was masked up. There were some young people there that were just, like, 'All right. I don't give a damn. Life is back,' in the pit and everything. But, of course, to meet up with those guys [in JINJER], I had to take a COVID test and show my vaccinated card and everything to get into the show and then do a COVID test to see those guys backstage. Because they're on tour, and most of the bands I know that are touring, somebody gets it. [JINJER's] drummer already got it, and he was vaxxed, but his recovery was three days, and he was back playing again… And those guys are coming from the Ukraine into the U.S., so I don't even know how they managed to do that with all the restrictions and everything, but they were able to make that tour happen. And they're packed — sold-out shows.

"So, I think things are getting back to normal. I think here in the U.S., things are changing rapidly — quicker in getting back to some type of normal faster than other places. So that's a good thing."

Green also talked about his decision to take the COVID-19 vaccine, saying: "I've never been into putting things into my body chemically, as far as stuff like that. So it was difficult, but it was not that difficult. Because I have. I was, like, 'I don't wanna be a hypocrite, but let me think about all the horrible things that I put into my body that I never questioned.' … But I was just, like, 'You know what? It's not gonna be a big deal.' I've taken vaccines to travel the world — yellow fever and hepatitis and things like that — and those are horrible; I felt like crap after taking those. But I survived and they worked. So I was, like, 'You know what? Let's do it.' I didn't wanna have any restrictions in where I'm gonna go. I'm gonna need to travel, so I was just, like, 'Yeah. I'm not gonna mess around. I just wanna do this.' And take care of myself at the same time."

Green went on to take issue with people who are defiantly against taking the COVID-19 vaccine, saying: "There's a lot of things people are eating that, I'm sure, are much worse — all this processed food that gave everybody all these pre-existing conditions, like high blood pressure. All that was happening way before COVID. If you asked any doctor, like, 'What are they in here for?' [it would usually be] some type of heart disease or some type of blood — something that is very connected with their lifestyle and the food that they need. Horribly overprocessed food, chemically induced. It's just, like, come on. You're gonna whine about a vaccine, you're eating at fucking McDonald's and shit. It's not rational."

Three months ago, Green told "The MetalSucks Podcast" that "it's really important that each person takes responsibility of being as safe as possible. So if you're going to a [concert], then it shouldn't be a problem to take a test," he said. "And if you have a card, then just show your card. I think in these times, it's different from any other times, so you have to take precautions because you don't wanna get other people sick. And you have to be selfless. A lot of times people are just thinking of themselves — unfortunately, only themselves — and they feel that they need to go out and do what they need to do regardless of the consequences that may cause other people. And that's a horrible attitude, I've gotta say. It's really frustrating dealing with people that have this type of 'me, me, me, me' attitude, and it's really slowed a lot of things down. So I think if people are able to just take precaution, have some restraint and just be safe, including the bands, then we can get through this a little bit faster and we can get back to enjoying some type of normalcy in our lives. I don't even know if 'normalcy' is a word [laughs] — or normality in our lives."

Cleveland native Green went from fronting hardcore band OUTFACE in Ohio to relocating to New York and then living in São Paulo, Brazil for nearly two decades before moving to Los Angeles in 2018.

Last year, SEPULTURA launched "SepulQuarta", a weekly event where the band gave insight into its colorful history, took part in question-and-answer sessions with fans and performed music while in quarantine. Some of the musical collaborations, including those with members of MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, TRIVIUM and SACRED REICH, was released as a full-length album, also titled "SepulQuarta", in August.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe has shared some of what he called "practical information" regarding concert safety following the tragic crowd surge at a Travis Scott performance in Houston earlier in the month.

The rapper's November 5 set at his Astroworld event left nine people dead and several more fighting for their lives. Since then, dozens of lawsuits have been filed and a slew of questions remain unanswered about what went wrong.

Blythe, who spent five weeks in a Czech prison nearly a decade ago after he was arrested and charged with manslaughter for allegedly pushing a 19-year-old fan offstage at a show, addressed the Astroworld tragedy while preparing to perform Saturday (November 13) at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida in front of an anticipated 40,000 fans.

In a post to his Instagram, Randy wrote: "Tonight my band @lambofgod will play in front of thousands of people at the @welcometorockville festival in Florida. In light of the deaths at the Astroworld Fest in Houston, I'm posting some practical info. I will not retroactively armchair quarterback the whole Astroworld thing- suffice it to say, A LOT of shit went wrong in many ways. However, I BELIEVE THE BUCK ULTIMATELY STOPS WITH THE PERSON HOLDING THE MIC- anyone who knows my story knows that I have very sad, personal experience with not stopping an out of control show- it's something I will carry with me to my grave. Being a spokesperson for safer shows is both my responsibility as a good man & the fulfillment of a face-to-face promise I made to the family of a dead fan. SO TO THAT END:

"#1) From personal experience, I can say that from the performer's perspective onstage at a huge festival, it can be VERY DIFFICULT to tell if something has gone wrong in the audience- the noise of the music, the roar of the crowd, the lights in your face, the thousands of people moving all at once- it makes it very hard to ascertain if there is a problem or if people are just having a good time.

"If someone is hurt, screaming 'STOP THE SHOW!' at the band onstage doesn't really work, because unless the entire audience is chanting that, it's just gonna blend into all the noise.

"Waving your hands frantically in the air doesn't really help either— it just looks like more movement in a sea of movement.

"What DOES help the audience let a performer know that something has gone wrong in the crowd?

"A SIGNAL. Here are 2 signals I've personally seen from the stage that have let me know that someone was injured in the crowd. We then COMPLETELY STOPPED the show until that person could be removed:

"A) arms held in an 'x' above your head (picture 1). This is a fairly universal signal that means STOP.

"B) the 'time-out' signal (picture 2- fingertips of one hand speared into the palm of the other)

"When I've seen several people doing these signals in a crowd together, it looks DIFFERENT than everyone else, & I've known something was wrong.

"#2) if someone falls, pick them up. That is how WE do it in OUR COMMUNITY.

"Nuff said."

Blythe spent 37 days in a Prague prison before ultimately being found not guilty in 2013. His prison experience inspired two songs on LAMB OF GOD's 2015 album "VII: Sturm Und Drang": "512", one of his three prison cell numbers, and "Still Echoes", written while he was in Pankrac Prison, a dilapidated facility built in the 1880s that had been used for executions by the Nazis during World War II. It also led him to write his 2015 memoir, "Dark Days: A Memoir", in which he shared his whole side of the story publicly for the first time.
























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Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has shared an unfounded conspiracy theory that the deaths at a Travis Scott concert earlier in the month were part of a satanic ritual.

The rapper November 5 set at his Astroworld event left nine people dead and several more fighting for their lives. Since then, dozens of lawsuits have been filed and a slew of questions remain unanswered about what went wrong.

On Friday (November 12), Ace took to his Facebook to share a photo of what appears to be his right foot covered in a sock emblazoned with the words "Not Today Satan", and he included the following message: "On tour w/ [my daughter] Monique & [my girlfriend] Lara…In regard to what happened in Houston TX…Our prayers go out to all the families who lost loved ones at the concert!…Seems like it was a 'Satanic Ritual' gone very wrong! They'll Be Hell To Pay!!! For everyone who let those kids die! All people of every faith & religion should band together to stop this from ever happening again in America ??…God Bless!!!"

The conspiracy theory about a connection between Satan and what happened at Astroworld has been spreading online, with some TikTok videos including the hashtag #SaveTheChildren, a QAnon conspiracy theory that falsely alleges celebrities and politicians are running a child sex trafficking ring that harvests children's blood in satanic rituals. Other videos on TikTok claimed that the stage, which looked like an upside down cross, opened a "portal to hell." "The concert last night was a straight up satanic ritual and Scott didn't even stop playing as people were dying and chaos broke out," a Facebook post said. "8 people were killed at Travis Scott Astroworld Satanic concert," another post claimed.

"If you don't believe that there was nothing demonic about that whole concert, you are spiritually blind and I pray that God opens your eyes," a man wrote in a post on TikTok that drew more than a million views in a day.

In Rolling Stone's November 8 article headlined "Satan, Not Travis Scott, Is to Blame for Astroworld Tragedy, TikTok Geniuses Declare", the magazine wrote in part: "People have said the stage was shaped like an inverted cross leading to a portal to Hell, which they believe was represented by the arch-shaped set onstage. They also point to a shirt Scott wore at the show that depicts human figures walking through a door and emerging with what look like horns as further evidence that Scott was leading fans to hell and sacrificing people's lives intentionally."

Unsurprisingly, the "Satan" conspiracy theory has no credible basis. According to the Houston Chronicle, police and fire officials said a massive crowd started surging toward the stage around 9 p.m. leaving some panicked, struggling to breathe or underfoot, after they fell. A criminal investigation into the incident is underway, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

A week ago, Scott released a statement and a video offering condolences to the loved ones of the people who died. "I'm absolutely devastated by what took place last night," he tweeted. "My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival."


On tour w/Monique & Lara…In regard to what happened in Houston TX…Our prayers ? go out to all the families who lost...

Posted by Ace Frehley on Friday, November 12, 2021

Earlier this month, THE HALO EFFECT, the new project featuring five former members of the Swedish metal band IN FLAMES — Jesper Strömblad (guitar), Daniel Svensson (drums), Peter Iwers (bass), Niclas Engelin (guitar) and Mikael Stanne (vocals) — released its debut single, "Shadowminds". The track, the official music video for which can be seen below, will appear on THE HALO EFFECT's first album, due in 2022 via Nuclear Blast.

Regarding how THE HALO EFFECT came together, Stanne told the "Heavy Hops" podcast (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This is basically all my old friends from the area. Gothenburg is small, and it's always been very incestuous in terms of members, back and forth, in bands.

"I got asked by Niclas Engelin, who I've known since he… We played our first-ever show together with his old band; they were called SARCAZM, and we were still SEPTIC BROILER, before DARK TRANQUILLITY. So that's how far back we go. So he asked me, like, 'Let's play some music together.' And I was, like, 'Sure. It would be nice.' I was really deep into the writing and recording of the latest DARK TRANQUILLITY album, 'Moment', but I said, 'I'll be done soon.' 'Cause I was still kind of in the mode of sitting at home, recording and singing. So I was, like, 'Send me some songs. I'll see what I can do.' And then Peter Iwers called me as well and he was, like, 'I'm probably gonna be a part of this thing with Niclas. And it would be great if we could do it seriously. And we can probably get Daniel as well,' who played in IN FLAMES as well, 'and then maybe Jesper Strömblad as well.' And I was, like, 'That sounds fucking awesome.' That's totally old school. Even though we never played in that constellation in the early days of IN FLAMES, I was there, and Jesper was there, and then the other guys kind of joined later. So it was kind of, like, 'All right. Yeah, why not? Let's see what we can come up with.' So it's basically all the kind of old ex, weird members of IN FLAMES. But for me, it really is like… Daniel was in my younger brother's class when we grew up, so I started getting to know him because he got into death metal and he started his band SACRILEGE that I really loved. And Niclas was always kind of like a really, really proficient, great guitar player, playing in SARCAZM and tons of other bands that I always went to see, and we always hung out in the late '80s and early '90s. And Peter, of course, I knew, because he was the brother of Anders, who's been my friend forever. And Jesper I met during our first-ever shows in maybe '87, '88 — or something like that — hanging out at Valvet, which was the only kind of underground metal place here in Gothenburg in the late '80s and early '90s. So it kind of made perfect sense. So when we started talking about playing together, it was, like, 'Okay. What do we do then?' Should we just see if we can kind of pick up — not where we left off, but what we wanted to back then and see if we can update with what we have learned [through] our collective experiences. So that was kind of the idea. And it's been a blast — just being able to hang out with old friends. Because of touring schedules and all the stuff, in the recent 15 years or so, we never really get to see each other that much. But now we have. So it's been super, super, super cool."

On the topic of THE HALO EFFECT's musical direction, Mikael said: "Niclas started writing a few songs, just based on what he has and what he kind of digs. And I immediately felt, like, 'Oh, this is super cool. We're on to something here.' It's super heavy, it's melodic — it's all those things that we kind of grew up trying to do. Then Jesper got involved and he started changing a little bit of that or adding stuff to it. And we were, like, 'Okay, this is awesome.' It doesn't feel new at all, it doesn't feel super different, but at the same time, why should we? Let's focus on the things that we know best and try to kind of recapture that feeling that we had when we were kids, when we wanted to play together and that kind of playful atmosphere. Because the longer you play together with your main band or what have you, you try to constantly reinvent yourself, and so much energy goes into trying to be different from what you have done before. Whereas starting something new like this with a very familiar genre of music meant that you could be very free about it. It doesn't have to be anything in particular, it doesn't have to conform to any rules — it just needs to fucking kick ass and feel good. So that was the starting point. And then I tried, lyrically, to sing about or write about how it was growing up and how we felt and what was the thing that drove us to this extreme kind of music and all those things. It became kind of a thing that we always talked about: 'Do you remember this? Do you remember that old show? Do you remember that venue where we used to go and the long bus [ride] that took us all the way to that shitty youth center where we saw those bands?' or whatever. So it really became partly nostalgia but also kind of an appreciation for where we came from and how things turned out."

Stanne also talked about "Shadowminds", which was accompanied by a music video directed by Lucas Englund. He said: "It was one of the first songs that we wrote. We decided, like, 'Let's record a few songs, see if it works, see how it feels, see what we can come up with.' So we recorded three songs, and 'Shadowminds' was one of those. And we were really happy with all three of them. And we were, like, 'This feels great.' Because everything was written really fast. We went into the studio. Jesper put his spin on it. Then I wrote some lyrics in a day or in a couple of hours, sang it on a demo version and sent it to them, and they were, like, 'All right. Cool. Yeah. Let's record this super fast and see what happens.' Then we recorded a few more songs. And we couldn't decide on what would be the first single, because when we initially recorded these demos, it was just a way for us to present something to a label, see if someone is interested. So we were, like, 'Okay, but what song is most representative of this music, this band that we hardly even know yet.' So we played five songs to a bunch of friends and people who work in music, and they all kind of agreed this is probably the one. This feels most representative of what we are. It's a really intense song, it's melodic, it's heavy, and it's the first song that we eventually finished where we felt, like, 'Okay, this is a good direction. This is a good way of moving forward. And if we can have the songs be at least this kind of quality but in a different way, then we should be fine.' So that felt good. It was a great starting point — starting off with something that we were instantly very proud of and we felt like this is gonna be a song that's gonna stick for a while."

A founding member of IN FLAMES, Strömblad quit the band in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.

Svensson, who joined IN FLAMES in 1998, announced in 2015 that he was leaving the group to focus on his family life.

A member of IN FLAMES since 1997, Iwers issued a statement in November 2016 saying that he was exiting the band "to pursue other endeavors."

Engelin has been sitting out IN FLAMES' tour dates for the past two and a half years but has never officially confirmed his departure from the band. Engelin's replacement for IN FLAMES' live shows for most of 2019 and early 2020 has been former MEGADETH and current ACT OF DEFIANCE guitarist Chris Broderick.

When Engelin was asked in an August 2020 interview with the "MetalBreak" podcast what his "future" with IN FLAMES was, he responded, "I choose to pass on that [question]," before quickly adding, "I'm still in the band."

As of last year, Engelin was not listed as a member of IN FLAMES on the band's Facebook page (Broderick was), and he is not featured in any of IN FLAMES' current promotional photos from the group's record label, Nuclear Blast.

Shortly after leaving IN FLAMES, Iwers joined CYHRA, the band featuring vocalist Jake E (ex-AMARANTHE) and Strömblad. He announced his departure from that band in May 2018.

THE HALO EFFECT's first-ever tour will be as the support act for Swedish death metal giants AMON AMARTH and U.S. metallers MACHINE HEAD on 31 dates throughout Europe in the summer and fall of 2022.


























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KISS have released a preview of "Rock N’ Rolls Royce", a previously unreleased demo of from Gene Simmons' personal archive, featured on the upcoming Destroyer 45th Deluxe Editions. Listen below:





Celebrating its 45 anniversary, Destroyer was originally released in 1976 and is considered to be one of the quintessential KISS albums. It is the band’s first album to sell one million copies in its first year and holds the title of being their all-time best selling studio album. Packed with concert staples and KISS Army favorites including “Detroit Rock City,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “God Of Thunder” and “Beth,” on November 19 UMe will release KISS – Destroyer 45th in the form of a Super Deluxe 4CD + Blu-ray Audio box set as well as on standard double black vinyl and limited edition yellow and red double colored vinyl, 2-CD set, and digital. Destroyer 45th can be pre-ordered here.




For the recording of Destroyer, Bob Ezrin was brought in as KISS’s new producer, helping the band reach new levels, both sonically and creatively. The album also showed the band’s growth as musicians and songwriters, experimenting with new sounds which came in the form of the softer side of songs like “Do You Love Me?,” and songs heavy with orchestral arrangements including “Great Expectations” and their Billboard No. 7 hit single “Beth.” Following the breakthrough success of 1975’s No. 9 Billboard charting Alive!, Destroyer was the KISS album that brought them to the forefront of the mainstream and transformed them into global rock icons. For its anniversary, UMe celebrates this seminal album’s legacy with a staggering amount of bonus material.


CD1 includes the original album newly remastered at Abbey Road Mastering, while CD2 features 15 demos from Paul Stanley’s and Gene Simmons’s personal archives – 9 of which are unreleased. CD3 is packed with studio outtakes, alternate versions / mixes and single edits – most notably a brand-new stripped-down mix for “Beth (Acoustic Mix),” and CD4 contains an electrifying performance from the band’s visit to Paris France at the L’Olympia on May 22, 1976. For the Blu-ray Audio disc, Steven Wilson was brought in to create a first-ever Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround mix of the original studio album plus 2 bonus tracks “Beth (Acoustic Mix)” and “Sweet Pain (Original Guitar Solo)” the latter featuring Ace Frehley’s original recorded guitar solo that was not released on the studio album (this track is available on the 2012 Destroyer: Resurrected project.)





Additionally, the Super Deluxe box features an extravagant array of collectable KISS memorabilia and ephemera, including a complete recreation of the original KISS Army Kit with the original folder and following items:


- KISS Army newsletter Volume 1 – No 2 announcing Destroyer
- 2x 8”x10” Destroyer Press Photos
- Discography Sheet
- Gene, Paul, Ace & Peter Bio Sheet
- KISS Army Member Certificate
- KISS Army Membership Card


Also included in the Super Deluxe set:


- KISS logo Iron-on
- KISS Army Sticker
- “Detroit Rock City” Bumper Sticker
- Destroyer Cover Sticker
- 11”x17” KISS on Westminster Bridge UK Poster
- 4 brand new 8”x10” Band Member Photos
- 8”x12” Destroyer Foil Flyer
- 8”x12” Destroyer Canadian Flyer (super rare)
- 4x Band Member Trading Cards (newly created for this boxset)
- 16”x24” KISS Over New York Skyline Poster
- 16”x24” KISS Halloween 1976 Concert Poster
- 2x 9”x12” Destroyer Tour Stage Blueprints on Transparent Vellum (never been seen before)
- 16-page Destroyer 1976 Tour Program
- Gotham Rock City News Volume 1 Newspaper that is a track-by-track interview with all 4 band members, Bob Ezrin and crew
- 68-page hardcover book with extensive liner notes by Paul Elliott & Ken Sharp featuring interviews from Gene, Paul, Ace, Peter, then-manager Bill Aucoin, album producer Bob Ezrin, and many more about the album’s writing and production process, U.S. and European tours, photo shoots, promotional stories, band member memories from their TV appearance on The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, and an intoxicating amount of unreleased photos and imagery


The entire contents are housed in a lift top- style box and features artist Ken Kelly’s original Destroyer cover art, arguably one of the most iconic album covers in rock, making this the ultimate KISS Destroyer souvenir.


KISS is America’s #1 Gold Record Award winning group of all time in every category and have sold over 100 million records worldwide. Peerless as a live act, the band’s illustrious legacy is marked by record breaking global tours. Now, after an astonishing 48-year career, KISS - Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer - are currently in the midst of their End Of The Road tour.





Tracklisting:


Disc One: Destroyer - Original Album Remastered


"Detroit Rock City"
"King of The Night Time World"
"God of Thunder"
"Great Expectations"
"Flaming Youth"
"Sweet Pain"
"Shout It Out Loud"
"Beth"
"Do You Love Me?"


Disc Two: Destroyer-Era - Demos


Paul Stanley Demos
"Doncha Hesitate"
"God Of Thunder And Rock And Roll"
"It’s The Fire"*
"Detroit Rock City"*
"Love Is Alright"*


Gene Simmons Demos
"Bad, Bad Lovin’"
"Man Of A Thousand Faces"
"I Don’t Want No Romance"*
"Burnin’ Up With Fever"*
"Rock N’ Rolls Royce"*
"Mad Dog"
"Night Boy"*
"Star"*
"Howlin’ For Your Love"*
"True Confessions"


Disc Three: Destroyer - Outtakes, Alternate Versions / Mixes, Single Edits


"Beth" (Acoustic Mix)*
"Shout It Out Loud" (Single Edit)
"Flaming Youth" (Single Edit)
"Detroit Rock City" (Single Edit)
"Shout It Out Loud" (Mono Single Edit)
"Flaming Youth" (Mono Single Edit)
"Detroit Rock City" (Mono Single Edit)
"Beth" (Mono)
"King Of The Night Time World" (Live Rehearsal Instrumental)*
"Do You Love Me?" (Mono Instrumental)*
"God Of Thunder" (Early Instrumental Mix)*
"Ain’t None Of Your Business" (Instrumental)*
"Detroit Rock City" (Instrumental)*
"King Of The Night Time World" (Alternate Mix)*
"Great Expectations" (Early Version)*
"Flaming Youth" (Early Version)*
"Do You Love Me?" (Early Version)*
"Shout It Out Loud" (Alternate Mix)*
"Ain’t None Of Your Business" (Outtake)*
"Beth" (Take 6 – Instrumental)*
"Beth" (Instrumental)*
"Do You Love Me?" (Alternate Mix)*


Disc Four: Live In Paris - L’Olympia – 22 May, 1976*


"Deuce"
"Strutter"
"Flaming Youth"
"Hotter Than Hell"
"Firehouse"
"She" / Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
"Nothin' To Lose"
"Shout It Out Loud" / Gene Simmons Bass Solo
"100,000 Years" / Peter Criss Drum Solo
"Black Diamond"
"Detroit Rock City"
"Rock and Roll All Nite"


Blu-Ray Audio: Destroyer - *Dolby Atmos 48kHz 24-bit, *Dolby True HD 5.1 96kHz 24-bit, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 96kHz 24-bit, PCM Stereo 96kHz 24-bit


"Detroit Rock City"
"King Of The Night Time World"
"God Of Thunder"
"Great Expectations"
"Flaming Youth"
"Sweet Pain"
"Shout It Out Loud"
"Beth"
"Do You Love Me?"


Bonus Tracks:
"Beth" (Acoustic)
"Sweet Pain" (Original Guitar Solo)


* Previously unreleased


Deluxe Edition 2CD tracklisting:


Disc One: Destroyer - Original Album Remastered


"Detroit Rock City"
"King of The Night Time World"
"God of Thunder"
"Great Expectations"
"Flaming Youth"
"Sweet Pain"
"Shout It Out Loud"
"Beth"
"Do You Love Me?"


Disc Two:


Paul Stanley Demos
"God Of Thunder And Rock And Roll"
"Detroit Rock City"*
"Love Is Alright"*


Gene Simmons Demos
"I Don’t Want No Romance"*
"Rock N’ Rolls Royce"*
"Star"*


Rarities
"Beth" (Acoustic Mix)*
"Shout It Out Loud" (Mono Single Edit)
"King Of The Night Time World" (Live Rehearsal Instrumental)*
"Detroit Rock City" (Instrumental)*
"Flaming Youth" (Early Version)*
"Shout It Out Loud" (Alternate Mix)*


Live In Paris - L’Olympia –- May 22, 1976*
"Deuce"
"Strutter"
"Flaming Youth"
"Hotter Than Hell"


* Previously Unreleased


Deluxe Edition 2LP tracklisting:


LP One: Destroyer - Original Album Remastered


Side One
"Detroit Rock City"
"King of The Night Time World"
"God of Thunder"
"Great Expectations"


Side Two
"Flaming Youth"
"Sweet Pain"
"Shout It Out Loud"
"Beth"
"Do You Love Me?"


LP Two:


Side Three


Paul Stanley Demos
"God Of Thunder And Rock And Roll"
"Detroit Rock City"*
"Love Is Alright"*


Gene Simmons Demos
"I Don’t Want No Romance"*
"Rock N’ Rolls Royce"*
"Star"*


Side Four - Rarities
"Beth" (Acoustic Mix)*
"Shout It Out Loud" (Mono Single Edit)
"King Of The Night Time World" (Live Rehearsal Instrumental)*
"Detroit Rock City" (Instrumental)*
"Flaming Youth" (Early Version)*
"Shout It Out Loud" (Alternate Mix)*


* Previously Unreleased


Dolby Atmos - Streaming


Destroyer: *Dolby Atmos 48kHz 24-bit
"Detroit Rock City"
"King Of The Night Time World"
"God Of Thunder"
"Great Expectations"
"Flaming Youth"
"Sweet Pain"
"Shout It Out Loud"
"Beth"
"Do You Love Me?"


Bonus Tracks:
"Beth" (Acoustic Mix)
"Sweet Pain" (Original Guitar Solo)


* Previously unreleased


“Beth" (Acoustic Mix):





Trailer:

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

When Demmel's participation in the concert was first announced two weeks ago, OVERKILL singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth commented: "We had a few issues getting this rescheduled show together. But to hell with the issues, we all have problems. And wouldn't you know it, our bro and yours Phil Demmel to the rescue. The show must and will go on. See you at the Welmomt Jersey..."

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

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

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

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

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

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




OVERKILL " ROTTEN TO THE CORE " AT WELLMONT THEATER IN MONTCLAIR NEW JERSEY

Posted by Scott Winnies on Sunday, November 14, 2021



Thanks to our brother Phil Demmel ?????

Posted by Overkill on Monday, November 15, 2021



Posted by The Wellmont Theater on Monday, November 15, 2021



Posted by The Wellmont Theater on Monday, November 15, 2021



Guest guitarist Phil Demmel of Machine Head fame.

Posted by Rich St Van on Sunday, November 14, 2021

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, who has been living and recording music in Japan since 2003, recently took part in the fourth event in Cardiff University's Cardiff-Japanese Lecture Series where he spoke about how the mastery of the Japanese language unlocked opportunities for his life and career. You can now watch the question-and-answer session below.

Asked if he experiences culture shock when he returns to his former home country of America, Marty said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I moved to Japan, I completely was encompassed by Japanese culture. No one I worked with spoke English. No one around me spoke English. The only time I spoke English was when I was doing international promotion or international tours or international interviews. So 24/7, it was all Japanese. And when that goes on for years and years, you start to dream in Japanese. My wife's Japanese, and we speak only Japanese. So, cultural things also become a part of you, because when you live somewhere, you become a part of the culture. And the things that matter in Japan are not the things that matter in America. Or the things that matter in Europe are not the things that matter in South America. So things that matter on a day-to-day basis are different. So culture 'shock' is kind of a shocking word, so I don't really feel shocked. But I feel like I'm very blessed, because when I go to America, I'm an American, so I can feel all the great things about being American. But I've lived in Japan for almost 20 years, and before I came here, I've been in so many Japanese situations that there's a definite part of me that is really a part of the Japanese culture so I can really feel both of them.

"You should never think that you're trying to belong," he continued. "Because it doesn't matter how perfect my Japanese is — and it's not perfect — but I'm never, ever gonna be Japanese. I feel a part of me is definitely influenced by Japan very much, but if your goal is to belong in another society, I think you're gonna be let down very, very much. Because as hard as you try, Japan is a one-race society and you just look different and you're born in a different place and you have different things in you. So the goal is not belonging; the goal is to add what you have to Japan. If you're trying to belong to something like that, I think you're gonna be let down. But it's not a letdown. You only really belong to yourself. And belonging to something is overrated. So I think you'll enjoy your Japan experience a whole lot more if you celebrate your differences while understanding Japan and enjoying the great things that you're able to enjoy about Japan. And don't be let down when sometimes people are not necessarily so friendly to foreigners. This happens to every country. You just have to let it be; it's just the way it is, especially with older generations. They're, like, 'Oh, the world is changing. Now there's English in the taxicabs. Oh my God.' People fear change. But you can't let that bother you. It's never bothered me once. I'm completely fine being a gaijin [a Japanese word for foreigners and non-Japanese citizens in Japan, specifically non-East Asian foreigners such as white and black people]; it hasn't stopped me from anything. So culture shock, it's not really as bad as people think it is. I enjoy being in America, and I enjoy being in Japan because both things have given me a lot of great things in my life. So learning English — English is the language of the world, so that's helped me everywhere. But in Japan, it's the opposite — in Japan, Japanese is the language, so it's a must. So culture shock is not really that big of a thing."

Marty's latest album, "Tokyo Jukebox 3", received a North American release in April via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. The record, which was made available in Japan in October 2020, is the third in a series that began with "Tokyo Jukebox" in 2009, and then "Tokyo Jukebox 2" following in 2011. The trilogy presents Friedman's inspired performances to Japanese repertoire he's chosen to cover.

Marty has spent the last few years working on a documentary called "Spacefox". The film, which is being directed by Jeremy Frindel, the founder of Substratum Films, follows Friedman's reinvention from lead guitarist in MEGADETH to one of the most famous TV personalities in Japan.

Want to get up every morning with DISTURBED? Well, now you can! The Grammy-nominated rock band has partnered with the team at Dead Sled Coffee to bring their fans the "Get Up: Dark Java Blend". The coffee is from the Indonesian island of Java, located between Sumatra and Bali. Fans of DISTURBED who love a heavy body, nutty aroma, and bright acidity in their coffee will love this brew. "Get Up" is available in either ground or whole bean options and is on sale now for $22 via the retailer's website. International fans don't need to worry, Dead Sled ships worldwide!

"Get Up: Dark Java Blend" celebrates the band's quadruple-platinum debut album "The Sickness" — the LP that is a favorite of Mike Thorwart, co-owner of Dead Sled Coffee. He says: "Stationed in Korea at the time, the album had a huge impact on both my life and those around me. It was something we had never heard before." He goes on: "DISTURBED changed the game and continue to push boundaries while staying true to their sound. It is my pleasure to welcome DISTURBED to the Dead Sled family and help launch their 'Get Up: Dark Java Blend' to the world."

DISTURBED's Mike Wengren added: "Working with Dead Sled has been a great opportunity for me to share another passion of mine in coffee. It was fun tasting many of the flavors. I'm proud to put our stamp on a coffee that represents my own personal palette and embodies the DISTURBED attitude."

Primary Wave Music's VP of brand partnerships Lisa Fruggiero worked with Mike and his team on this exciting project, adding: "We are thrilled to bring together DISTURBED and Dead Sled Coffee to create the new coffee line, 'Get Up'. This partnership connects music and coffee like never before. Watch out for more hard-hitting flavors to come in 2022."

Dead Sled Coffee is distinguished quality coffee for the exceptional and unconventional. The company prides itself for using only the highest quality of coffee beans while partnering up with both musical and horror icons.

Dead Sled Coffee has launched official coffees with musical icons such as KISS, CYPRESS HILL and Rob Zombie, along with horror icons such as Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Kane Hodder (Jason Voorhees), Elvira and more.

For more information, visit deadsledcoffee.com.

Karkaos has taken their mastery of the Quebec metal scene to the next level with the addition of new vocalist, Morgan Lander of Kittie. The band is coming back more fierce and focused than ever, ushering in a devastating new era of power, presence and brutality. They have been working on a new album and have checked in with the following update:


"Part 1 of the Karkaos studio vocal session update!  We entered the studio with Christian Donaldson in October 2021 to record vocals for our forthcoming album.  And cheese.  


Vocals are finally finished for the forthcoming album.  We accomplished it all with the help of so many amazing friends and family.  We can’t wait for you to hearthis beast!"







On September 21st, 2019 Karkaos hit the stage at Théatre Fairmont in Montréal, Quebec with Lander leading the charge. Fan-filmed video is available below.








Lander is thrilled to be brought into the fold. "Joining Karkaos has been a true honour for me. It feels so incredibly good to be back in the metal game after a number of years away, and I cannot wait to step on the stage once again with these amazing musicians."


The rest of the band feels the same. “We already knew how talented Morgan was when we began talking to her about joining the band,” says band founder, Vincent Harnois. “When she sent us her first demos, we realized that this was going to be something extremely special. She is an absolute pleasure to work with and she brings a whole new dimension to our songs. It is an honor to have her with us and we are thrilled to start the next chapter or our band together.”


Forged out of the ashes of a much earlier band incarnation by Harnois in 2003, Karkaos has quickly evolved into one of the most respected and celebrated metal acts from Montreal, Canada. Mixing elements of death metal, power metal and hard rock, this female-fronted band succeeds in bridging the gap between extreme darkness and light, beauty and terror. Karkaos has performed alongside international acts such as Into Eternity, Enslaved, The Agonist, UneXpect, Unleash the Archers, Delain and Leaves Eyes. The band is brutally punishing audiences with an incredible live show, enabling them to establish a strong following both locally and abroad within a few short years.


The band released their first EP, entitled In Burning Skies, in 2010, closely followed by a professionally shot music video and a live appearance on Montreal’s prestigious music television station Musique Plus. Striking while the iron was hot, the band returned to the studio to record their critically acclaimed debut full-length album Empire, in 2013, led by the single and subsequent music video for “Depths Of Madness”. After years of crafting their live show and refining their sound, once again Karkaos managed to come back stronger and more accomplished than ever with the release of their second full length album, Children Of The Void, in 2017, a testament to their work ethic and strength as a band, diversifying their sound with the addition of the immensely talented and seasoned drummer Justine Ethier (Blackguard, Sykode).


Karkaos is ready to push the boundaries of extreme melodic metal with their upcoming follow up to Children Of The Void. The band entered Silverwings studio in September 2019 to demo and work on pre-production on eight new songs.

Up and coming Los Angeles metal band Anubis are carving their own path by organically blending power and thrash metal together. Founded in 2018, the band is comprised of bassist and vocalist Devin Reiche, guitarists Justin Escamilla and Eleazar Llerenas, and drummer Zed Amarin. The hybrid metal band’s newest single “The Great Divide” is available now.





“The Great Divide” is the first song written by then-incoming guitarist Justin Escamilla. Lead singer Reiche shares that, “We were just finishing recording the solos on the previous EP when he showed me some riffs that he had never ended up using that sounded like classic Amon Amarth, and I knew that it would be a perfect direction to go in musically.” With hard-hitting guitar solos, aggressive drums, visceral lyrics, and Reiche’s impressive vocal range, Anubis’ diverse metal influences assemble to create a distinct and unforgettable track on “The Great Divide.”




Reiche adds that, “Lyrically this is loosely based on an old sci-fi story from the ‘90s about an avian alien race split into two factions: a warlike, predator faction and a spiritual, pacifistic faction, and the war between them.” The song’s eccentric sci-fi theme further makes Anubis stand out and lends the listener sounds and lyrics fit for war. With lines such as “Empathy has long since died, no prayer no mercy for our father’s sons,” the listener is transported to the trenches with a killer soundtrack as company. The immersive experience of this song is intentional with Reiche concluding, “I love geeky metal shit like that.”





Anubis takes their musicianship seriously. Both guitarists are classically trained, Reiche was the original bassist for international thrash band Hatchet, and Amarin is a spokesman for Axis Percussion. They credit artists from across the metal spectrum as influences in their music: Blind Guardian, Helloween, Testament, Metallica, and Dead Kennedys to name a few. This melting pot of metal sounds sets them apart and garners excitement from fans and audiences.  Their earlier single “Ashes” is a testament to this with Reiche commenting, "We've always thought that Ashes was one of our strongest songs, and definitely one of the most well-received live.”


“The Great Divide” showcases the band’s development of this sound and advances their reputation as budding trailblazers. Listeners are due for a treat as Reiche reveals that a re-recording of “Ashes” will be featured on the B-side of the record. Reiche elaborates, “I was never satisfied with the lyrics or the vocal performance on the recording [of “Ashes”]. Now seemed like as good a time as any to do a re-recording and get it sounding the way I'd always envisioned it." Anubis is making steady progress and they are the new band to watch in the LA metal scene.





 

Images Of Eden has premiered their video for “Animation In A Still World". This is the fourth video from the band's latest album Angel Born. 


Images Of Eden hopes to open people's eyes with their video and make a positive impact on listeners everywhere. "Animation In A Still World" makes some bold statements on the media. Images Of Eden says, "This video is a very accurate (and current) snapshot of our world today. We can no longer trust the media to tell the truth because it is no longer ‘information’ but has become a platform for propaganda instead. Trust your senses and do your research.”







Catch Images Of Eden live this fall. The band will be touring with metal legend Yngwie Malmsteen, as well as NYC metal band Sunlord. Confirmed dates are as listed:


November
16 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
18 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
19 – Buffalo, NY – Showplace Theater
20 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance Theater
22 – New York, NY – Sony Hall
23 – Harrisburg, PA – HMAC
24 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie Homestead Music Hall
26 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall
27 – Newton, NJ – Newton Theater
28 – Richmond, VA – The National
30 – Ashwaubenon, WI – EPIC Event Center


December
2 – Des Plaines, IL – Des Plaines Theatre
3 – Columbus, OH – King of Clubs
4 – Belvidere, IL – The Apollo Theatre
6 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater
8 – Reno, NV – Virginia Street Theater
9 – Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon Club
10 – Fresno, CA – Tower Theater
11 – Montclair, CA – The Canyon Club
12 – Santa Clarita, CA – The Canyon Club
14 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
16 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey
17 – Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Theater
18 – Houston, TX – Rise Rooftop


Angel Born artwork and tracklisting:





“Autumn Is Burning”
“Angel Born”
“My Promise”
“Where Dreams Begin”
“If?”
“Killing God”
“Fight The Good Fight”
“War Room”
“Serenity Reign”
“Animation In A Still World”
“Marigold Sun”
“In Memory Of Me”


Secure your copy now at this location.


“Autumn Is Burning”:





“My Promise”:





“Fight The Good Fight”:





 

In celebration of their special release show tonight at La Boule Noire in Paris, French / Irish alternative/progressive rock outfit Molybaron shared the last episode of their studio sessions. Watch them perform “Prosperity Gospel” below:





Morybaron, who recently signed a worldwide deal with InsideOut Music / Sony Music Entertainment, already caused a big stir internationally with their two albums Molybaron (2018) and The Mutiny (2021). The sound of the band is multifaceted and ranges from influences from Tool, to Mastodon, Gojira and Muse. With a big partner behind them, they are now ready to take the next big step.







The band comments their new deal as follows: “We’re over the moon. Every kid who picks up a guitar dreams of joining a big label one day and after 6 years of hard grind, we’ve finally done it! We want to give a massive thanks to our formidable manager Richard Gamba (Sphere Manage), who saw something special in this band and made this deal possible. We are so excited about our future together! To Thomas Waber and InsideOut Music for putting his trust and faith in us. To our publisher Nicolas Ramaget (Editions Hurlantes), for his tireless support and counsel. But of course, none of this could happen without the unbreakable support and belief of our families, friends and our fans! Thank you all and let’s get to work!”





The Mutiny tracklisting:


"Animals"
"Lucifer"
"Amongst The Boys And The Dead Flowers"
"Prosperity Gospel"
"The Lighthouse"
"Slave To The Algorithm"
"Something For The Pain"
"The Hand That Feeds You"
"Twenty Four Hours" (feat. Whitfield Crane)
"Ordinary Madness"


"Lucifer" video:





"Slave To The Algorithm" studio session video:





"Amongst The Boys And The Dead Flowers" studio session video:





Molybaron is


Gary Kelly - Guitar/Vocals
Steven Andre - Guitar
Sébastien de Saint-Angel - Bass
Camille Greneron - Drums

Stockholm, Sweden-based band, Mass Worship, have released a guitar playthrough video for the new single, "Portal Toms". Watch below:





Mass Worship are primed and ready to unleash their second full-length assault. Due for release on February 4, Portal Tombs is a terrifying but electrifying exploration of the gloomy depths of human nature: a monolithic manifestation of the musical force that is Mass Worship.







Drawing inspiration from bands such as At The Gates, Mastodon and Meshuggah, Mass Worship could be likened to many bands, but somehow forge their musical identity into something exceptionally distinctive and transcendent, and with enough confidence and conviction to win over even the most orthodox fans of the genre.


Enter the “Portal Tombs” and check out the first track and music video below. The clip was directed and produced by Miles Skarin of Crystal Spotlight and Mass Worship while the song features guest vocals from Mark “Barney” Greenway (Napalm Death).


The band comments: “We as humans are approaching a state where we don’t believe in anything, and we can’t seem to envision any alternatives. Our elected leaders are merely there to sustain a seemingly perpetual status quo, and to grab whatever opportunity they can to shift our focus away from what’s important. What happens behind the scenes is a slow and steady collapse of our financial, political, ecological, spiritual and cultural world. We’re all perfectly aware of where we are heading, but we can’t seem to envision any alternative -- it’s far too late, and far too terrifying to try to stop what has been started. ‘Portal Tombs’ symbolises that Death is the only true way forward. Mass Worship is an attempt at putting the current state of humanity’s affairs and suppressed emotional state into music and words. We want to capture the fears, the pain, the uncertainty and the total disbelief in the future of mankind. As we spiral towards an abyss of our own making, Mass Worship is the soundtrack that will resonate loudest of all.”





Pre-orders for Portal Tombs will be launched in due time.


Mass Worship are:


Gustav Eriksson - Guitar
Dadde Stark - Bass
Claes Nordin - Vocals
Fred Forsberg - Drums

In a new interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg spoke about the recent passing of his predecessor, SLIPKNOT's founding drummer Joey Jordison. Asked how Jordison's death has changed his "sense of curating" Joey's legacy, Jay said: "I think with Joey's tragic passing, of course, we're all affected. And I would never wanna speak for my older brothers who started this band with Joey, but certainly, it has been heavy. And I think, to me, the way of preserving Joey's legacy, Paul's [Gray, SLIPKNOT bassist, who died in 2010] legacy is really just committing my full self to the ethos and spirit of this band. They live through this music, without a doubt. So, to me, that's the most true tribute we can give. As a collective to their memory, their art, their music, what they contributed to this world that has, and will forever have, a lasting impact is just to give all of ourselves to this music. To me, that's the most tried-and-true way to honor those who have fallen."

Joey's family confirmed that he died "peacefully in his sleep" on July 26 of an unspecified cause.

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father Max, who has been a member of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND since 1974. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Jordison in 2014.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

In September, SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor called Jordison's death "a damn tragedy. "He was way too young, and he was way too talented to lose him like this," Corey added in an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". "I know a lot of people wonder about the circumstances that led to him not being in the band anymore, and it's, like, we're not gonna talk about that, because I'd rather talk about his legacy, which is that he helped create this band that we all have fought to keep out there and keep going. Just the fact that he's not here now, it's still — I still can't believe it," Corey said.

The same year that he exited SLIPKNOT, Jordison launched the band SCAR THE MARTYR and later, VIMIC.

Trepanation Recordings has announced that they will be working with Hypaethral Records to release Resilience & Despair, by Los Angeles-based atmospheric doom maestros, Qaalm, in early 2022. Hypaethral Records will be releasing on vinyl with Trepanation handling the CD and cassette release.


The first single, “Existence Asunder”, will be released as an edited version of the epic 20-minute album track with an accompanying music video. The full album is set for an early 2022 release, with specific details regarding pre-order and limited edition vinyl versions coming in the next couple of months.


Despite featuring current/former members of notable metal bands Act Of Defiance, Harassor, and Seven Sisters Of Sleep, no musical comparison can be made to Qaalm, who have forged a sound unlike any of the member’s previous efforts.




Combining the crushing heaviness of sludge, the melancholic harmonies of funeral doom, with the atmosphere and intensity of black metal, Qaalm have created a gloomy, depressive, and unique interpretation of the doom metal genre.


Formed in 2012, Hypaethral Records, are purveyors of doom and blackened metal. Qaalm are a perfect fit for the label, alongside the stalwarts of doom Olde, the blackened hardcore of Spread the Disease, the crust/black metal of Ramlord, and the suffocating drone of Gates.


Listen to the Qaalm demo here.


Lineup:


Pete Majors - Lead Vocals
Henry Derek Elis - Lead Guitars / Vocals
Brock Elmore - Rhythm Guitars / Vocals
David Huet - Bass
Dave Ferrara - Drums

Canadian prog metal Trailight mastermind Omer Cordell has checked in with the following update on his new album, the follow-up to last year's Sophia:


"Rather quiet while here as the album is being mixed by Dave (Padden). We've had some setbacks with some logistical issues but we're back on track and making progress.


Release date for Chasing Daylight has been set to February 22, 2022 with two singles to be released beforehand. One will be the title track of the album and the other, a cover of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds' "The Weeping Song" featuring Dave Padden and Burton C. Bell on vocals."







Chasing Daylight features guest performances by Devin Townsend, former Strapping Young Lad guitarist Jed Simon, Archetype guitarist Toño Tejeda, The Astral Light drummer Steven Parent, cellist Anna Kuchkova (Alchemy Chamber), and Cyanotic guitarist Cory McBain.


Check out Trailight's 2015 cover of "The Weeping Song" below.

Last night (Friday, November 12), Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar kicked off his final weekend of sold-out performances as part of the "Sammy Hagar & Friends" residency at The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hagar was joined at the show by Grammy winner Rick Springfield as they performed with Hagar's band THE WABOS, featuring guitarist Vic Johnson, drummer David Lauser and bassist Mona Gnader. The crowd erupted when Springfield and THE WABOS played Rick's iconic hit "Jessie's Girl". Fans also rocked out to Hagar's songs, including "I'll Fall In Love Again", "Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy" and "Mas Tequila".

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.

An additional show is scheduled for tonight (Saturday, November 13) 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.

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."

Produced by industry leader SPI Entertainment and Hagar's manager, Tom Consolo of TC Management, "Sammy Hagar & Friends" sold out each show in under two hours. New dates will be announced for 2022.




Some more live Sammy Hagar and joined onstage by Rick Springfield for some Jesse's Girl.Wow.???⭐???

Posted by Ashi Minhas on Friday, November 12, 2021





When you’re Sammy Hagar, Rick Springfield comes to join in…

Posted by Eric Hausten on Friday, November 12, 2021

In a new interview with NewsNation's "Banfield", TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider, who was famously called to testify before the U.S. Senate against the proposition to have warning labels be placed on albums deemed "offensive" to listeners, once again spoke about the rise of political correctness in the social media era. Asked for his opinion of cancel culture, which is the idea that someone, usually a celebrity or a public figure, whose ideas or comments are considered offensive should be boycotted, Dee said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's censorship. And censorship has changed quite a bit. I mean, you go to when I was in Washington testifying. By the way, it was a bipartisan effort — it was the Democrats and Republicans who were joined together in putting a leash on rock and roll. But it was definitely a conservative attitude — it was a more conservative attitude, wanting to censor music. Now censorship still exists, but it's gone from the right more to the left. We're in this P.C. [politically correct] world where we have to be careful about what we say and who we offend, and it's a very odd thing."

He continued: "I've been working on lyrics for my new album, 'Leave A Scar', which comes out in July, and I found myself questioning the metaphors I was using — metaphors. I mean, where is art without metaphor? Where is lyrics and writing without metaphor? Yet I was going, 'Can I say this? Can I say this?' I have a song called 'In For The Kill', and it has all these metaphorical [lines], 'Fire at will, I'm in for the kill.' And I was talking about going for it — just going for it — yet here I was censoring myself lyrically because of the current state of things.

"What is censorship? What's not censorship?" Dee added. "Boy, I would say, as long as you're not screaming 'fire' in a crowded movie theater, you're cool."

Last year, Dee told Canada's The Metal Voice that a movie like "Blazing Saddles", the 1974 American satirical Western black comedy film directed by Mel Brooks "could not be made today — it literally could not be made, because it would offend too many people.

"I remember seeing that movie the first time in a theater full of African-Americans in a black neighborhood in a black theater; me and my brother were the only two white people," he continued. "And I was laughing my ass off. And my friend said, 'Stop laughing. We're gonna get our asses kicked.' And I looked around the theater, and everybody was laughing. I said, 'Everybody's laughing.' It's funny. Funny is funny.

"It's odd, because conservatism was ultra-right back in the '80s. Now it's shifted toward the left, where you've got the liberals saying, 'Oh, you can't say that, and you can't say that, and you can't say that.'

"So, yeah, [censorship] still around, it's still an issue. But we've just gotta continue to push back and fight."

In 1985, the Parents' Music Resource Center (PMRC), led by Tipper Gore, was trying to introduce a parental warning system that would label all albums containing "offensive material." The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc.), which resulted in the "Parental Advisory" sticker now found on new album releases with "questionable content." The incongruous trio of Snider, Frank Zappa and John Denver were called before Congress to testify in defense of music.

In 2015, Snider wrote an Op-Ed story for HuffingtonPost.com about his experience, saying: "Thirty years later, everything and nothing has changed. The ultra-conservatives still want to dictate to the masses what they deem acceptable for the general public to see and hear. The record industry is a mere shadow of its former self (apt punishment for its cowardice), and CDs and vinyl albums have almost become 'novelties’ in a world driven by downloads. Yet, the warning labels still adorn individual track listings and albums online.

"While initially my appearance at those Senate hearings was damaging to my career and reputation, long term it was beneficial, showing people for the first time that I was much more than a screaming 'Raggedy Ann on acid' and a fairly intelligent, sentient human being. Fortunately, I have gone on to better things."

TWISTED SISTER called it quits in 2016 after completing a farewell 40th-anniversary tour.

Fan-filmed video footage of METALLICA's November 12 performance at the Welcome To Rockville festival at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Whiplash

02. Ride The Lightning

03. Harvester Of Sorrow

04. Cyanide

05. The Memory Remains

06. One

07. Frantic

08. Moth Into Flame

09. No Leaf Clover

10. For Whom The Bell Tolls

11. Whiskey In The Jar

12. Fade To Black

13. Master Of Puppets

Encore:

14. Fight Fire With Fire

15. Fuel

16. Seek & Destroy

Welcome To Rockville, a four-day rock festival, kicked off its 10th edition on Thursday (November 11) at a new home in Daytona Beach.

METALLICA will play another show at Welcome To Rockville with a different setlist on Sunday, November 14.

Along with two nights of METALLICA, this year's Welcome To Rockville features DISTURBED, SLIPKNOT, A DAY TO REMEMBER, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, LAMB OF GOD, SOCIAL DISTORTION, MASTODON and many others. The event is also being livestreamed on Danny Wimmer Presents's Twitch channel, featuring select performances, interviews and behind-the-scenes content at twitch.tv/DWPresents.

This past September, METALLICA's Lars Ulrich said that it was "way too early" to talk about a new studio album from the band. The 57-year-old drummer touched upon a possible follow-up to 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" while speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked if there is a new METALLICA LP in the works, Lars said: "We're on that path. I don't know if it's cohesive enough to call a record, but we're dipping our toes. We've been trying to stay busy. We did the drive-in thing last summer. We did an All Within My Hands event in November. We did '[The Late Show With Stephen] Colbert'. We're doing '[Jimmy] Kimmel [Live!]' tomorrow. We're engaged. And we are creating at some level. It's way too early to talk about a record or a timeline or anything. But we're staying busy. And it's exciting to just think of the possibilities. Right now we're so rejuvenated and just ready to get back in."

Earlier this year, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield told "The Fierce Life" podcast that he and his bandmates had written "quite a few songs" during the coronavirus quarantine. "We'll see how many we like first, and then we'll put 'em out," he said. "We're pretty selfish that way; we like what we write as well."

This past July, guitarist Kirk Hammett told Classic Rock magazine that he and his bandmates have been staying creative during the pandemic. "We've tried to make the most of the COVID year and a half, and we've been pretty successful," he said. "We've got together remotely and worked, and we've got together [properly] and worked. Things are moving really well. I would say that the music we're coming up with is very appropriate for the times."

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release.