New York stoner rock outfit, Black Water Rising, have released a new single, "You Found The Sun". The track is the second offering from the band's upcoming studio album, which will see an early 2022 release and features original guitarist John Fattoruso, who rejoined BWR in 2019.





Black Water Rising's new material promises to be more melodic, yet still as riff-heavy as previous BWR albums; featuring hooks and catchy choruses to pull you in, all while retaining a musical identity of its own.


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Watch the lyric video for "You Found The Sun" below.


Singer/guitarist Rob Traynor, "Once again, we are psyched to be releasing some new music. 'You Found The Sun'

Symphonic metal outfit, Ad Infinitum, return with their bewitching second offering, Chapter II - Legacy, out October 29 via Napalm Records. The band have released a bass playthrough video for the new single, “Afterlife”, which can be seen below:





The official video for "Afterlife", which features frontwoman Melissa Bonny performing alongside fellow vocal powerhouse Nils Molin of modern metal frontrunners Amaranthe and power metal outfit Dynazty, can be found below.


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Ad Infinitum are no stranger to the scene. With their spellbinding debut album, Chapter I - Monarchy (2020), brought to life in the middle of a global pandemic, the foursome reached millions of plays on streaming platforms. Furthermore, frontwoman Melissa Bonny is consistently drawn to exciting musical collaborations, as she recently unveiled the brand new band The Dark Side Of The Moon and their bittersweet reinterpretation of Florence & The Machine's Game Of Thrones soundtrack song, "Jenny Of Oldstones". In addition, Bonny's exciting feature with Feuerschwanz on the song “Ding” (Seed-cover) has already gained over 2.6 million views on YouTube since its release. Now, she sets her focus back to her main musical force as Ad Infinitum - with Adrian Thessenvitz (guitars), Korbinian Benedict (bass) and Niklas Müller (drums) - will unveil its new opus, Chapter II - Legacy.


Chapter II - Legacy surprises with a melting pot of different influences and a contrast between super heavy riffs, sometimes even djent/metalcore-like touches and catchy hook lines and melodies, giving the band's sophomore album a modern and equally timeless touch. The lyrics have, just like on their debut album, been inspired by a historical figure: the paradoxical life and afterlife of Vlad The Impaler, also known as Dracula, inspired the themes and questions of this album.


Ad Infinitum add: “Chapter II - Legacy holds a very special place in our heart. It represents months and months of hard work of four bandmates, for a result that we are proud to call “self-produced”. For this record, we decided to work without the influence of an external producer during the songwriting process and to team up with Elias Holmlid for the beautiful and epic orchestrations and of course with Jacob Hansen who recorded [vocals], mixed, mastered and participated to the post production. A younger and heavier sound that defines Ad Infinitum like never before.”


Chapter II - Legacy once again showcases the indispensable creativity of Ad Infinitum - featuring twelve complex, marvelous tracks highlighting their sonic development and undeniable symphonic strength. Such talent can be witnessed with opener “Reinvented”, lurking with lovely piano tunes and erupting in intense riffage in the blink of an eye. Right away, the music reflects the extremely multifaceted voice of Melissa Bonny - ranging from crystal clear vocals to impressively powerful screams and menacing growls. Hailing from hell, hard-hitting “Afterlife” features the vocal power of Nils Molin (Amaranthe, Dynazty), merging in perfect harmony with Melissa’s incredibly haunting delivery. Songs like “Your Enemy” and cinematic grand finale “Lullaby” leave no scope for weakness and unveil the heaviest side of Ad Infinitum to date. This grasping hymn is far from lulling you to sleep, as the eclectically versatile sonic world of Ad Infinitum immediately induces you to listen to Chapter II - Legacy again, right from the beginning.





Chapter II - Legacy will be available in the following formats:


- 1 CD Digipak
- 1 LP Gatefold BLACK
- 1 CD Digipak + Patch (limited to 200 copies worldwide)
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King says that his next project "will be fucking good."

The 57-year-old discussed his new music while speaking to Metal Hammer magazine about what he has been doing in the two years since SLAYER completed its farewell tour, "The Final Campaign".

"I had picks that I threw out at those shows — 'The Final Campaign' — at the end of the show," he said. "And in every city, I threw out two that said, 'Reborn in 2020,' because that was my plan — I planned on touring in 2020. Then the pandemic came up and we were into 2021, because I want everybody to get the bumps out of the road before I go out. Here we are at the end of 2021 and I'm looking at the end of 2022 now. And we'll see what happens next year because it's evolving. I don't want to go out and feel stuff out, I want to go out and have a good time. I'm not being selfish, I don't mean it like that. I mean that whatever the new rules are, I want them to be smooth before I go out."

As for why he hasn't said more about his future plans yet, King explained: "I'm dragging my feet on letting the world know what I'm doing because there's no rush. I have a tour that I'm considering doing, but I'm not going to announce a band, I'm not going to announce a record, I'm not going to announce anything. But you will see me in the future — it will be fucking good."

Kerry made headlines earlier this week when he said that SLAYER retired "too early." While recording a short video message to congratulate MACHINE HEAD on the San Francisco Bay Area act's 30th anniversary, he said: "So, I hear congratulations are in order for my friends in MACHINE HEAD. Apparently, it's 30 years, which is quite an achievement. Not a lot of bands get there. We did, and then we quit too early. Fuck us. Fuck me. I hate fucking not playing."

SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry's wife Ayesha King said that there is "not a chance in hell" that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances. In August 2020, she once again shot down the possibility of her husband and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya sharing the stage ever again under the SLAYER banner.

After Ayesha shared three photos of Kerry holding their cat in slideshow-type Instagram post, a fan wrote: "No Tom, No SLAYER Kerry. Stop thinking SLAYER without @tomarayaofficial". Ayesha then replied: "don't worry, they'll never be SLAYER again! You can rest easy".

That same month, SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph confimed that he is involved in a brand new project headed up by Kerry King. The duo spent much of the last year and a half working on music with the hopes of recording it properly once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.

Bostaph told Australia's Riff Crew that the new band will "sound like SLAYER without it being SLAYER — but not intentionally so. I mean, Kerry's been writing songs in SLAYER his entire career, and he has a style," he explained. "And that style, as a songwriter, you just don't change your style because your band is done… So, all I can say is if you like heavy music and you like SLAYER, you'll like this."

Just a few days earlier, Kerry told Dean Guitars that he had plenty of musical ideas for his upcoming project. "I've been very, very lucky with riffs in 2020," he said. "Maybe because I can't go anywhere — I don't know — but riffs have certainly not been a problem. And looking forward into the future, what that means for me is I'm gonna be able to cherrypick the best stuff. And it's good stuff. I've got more than two records' worth of music, but to be able to go through that and cherrypick the best 11 or 12 [songs]… That first record should be smoking."

When SLAYER first announced that it was embarking on its final tour back in January 2018, Ayesha assured fans that they would "always get music" from her husband.

King has said in previous interviews that his post-SLAYER musical efforts would not be much different from the sound fans have grown accustomed to hearing from him.

"If someone quit, I'm not going to go around with a made-up SLAYER," he told AZCentral.com back in 2010. "But my next band would sound like SLAYER, that's all I know."

SLAYER's final world tour began on May 10, 2018 with the band's intention to play as many places as possible, to make it easy for the fans to see one last SLAYER show and say goodbye. By the time the 18-month trek wrapped at the Forum, the band had completed seven tour legs plus a series of one-off major summer festivals, performing more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states.

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS will release their new album, "Persona Non Grata", on November 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. The official lyric video for the disc's third single, "The Years Of Death And Dying", can be viewed below.

Drummer Tom Hunting comments: "'The Years Of Death And Dying' started out as a poem, from the perspective of Death, being a thinking entity, always watching and looking for weakness and opportunity to come calling for people. A Grim Reaper story. We were losing legends: Bowie, Cash, Petty, Prince, Frey… the list goes on and on. Then we started losing family members and friends in our own orbit. Anyway, the title came first, then the poem, which became a song. I shared the lyrics with Gary [Holt, guitar], who helped inspire me with phrasing to finish it, and the guys loved it. The song is really long, and more legends kept passing right up into the moments Zet [singer Steve 'Zetro' Souza] was singing it, so I had to keep writing until I had enough to complete the song. We hope you enjoy our tribute to the fallen!"

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

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap. For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork.

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

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

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

"Persona Non Grata" track listing:

01. Persona Non Grata

02. R.E.M.F.

03. Slipping Into Madness

04. Elitist

05. Prescribing Horror

06. The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)

07. The Years Of Death And Dying

08. Clickbait

09. Cosa Del Pantano

10. Lunatic-Liar-Lord

11. The Fires Of Division

12. Antiseed

CODE ORANGE has canceled five previously announced headlining shows due to "newly enhanced COVID protocols" on the band's U.S. tour as the support act for SLIPKNOT.

This past July, CODE ORANGE announced a handful of fall 2021 headline tour dates that were supposed to see the band making stops in several markets as they simultaneously traversed the country on "Knotfest Roadshow".

The "Knotfest Roadshow" tour, also featuring KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and FEVER 333, kicked off in late September and is scheduled to wrap up in Arizona in early November.

Earlier today, CODE ORANGE released the following statement via social media: "ANNOUNCEMENT: due to newly enhanced COVID protocols on the Knotfest Roadshow Tour, we are no longer able to perform at our upcoming headline shows in Columbia, Jacksonville, Memphis, San Antonio and Tucson. this is not our call and we will be back soon. all tickets will be refunded from the point of purchase."

CODE ORANGE's latest album, "Underneath", was released in March 2020 via Roadrunner Records. Produced by drummer/vocalist Jami Morgan and Nick Raskulinecz with co-producer Will Yip, the LP features additional programming from Chris Vrenna, and was mixed by Yip and Balderose.

"Underneath" is available on all streaming platforms, and features the singles "Swallowing The Rabbit Whole", "Underneath" and "Sulfur Surrounding". In its wake, the band performed multiple livestream experiences, including "Back Inside The Glass" an all-immersive environmental experience placing CODE ORANGE's live show at the center of awe-inspiring virtual landscapes. It marked CODE ORANGE's third livestream of 2020, following their empty-venue record-release show "Last Ones Left: In Fear Of The End" and "Under The Skin", their first-ever stripped down performance, which is available now as a digital album on all streaming platforms. Additionally, CODE ORANGE has continued to reach fans across the globe through its "You And You Alone" livestream series, which features collaborative performances, playthroughs, and in-depth discussions and fan question-and-answer sessions broadcasting regularly on the band's official Twitch channel.

In 2019, CODE ORANGE made headlines in the professional wrestling world with the release of "Let Me In", their official entrance theme for WWE superstar "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt. CODE ORANGE previously featured at WWE's NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III performing a rendition of wrestler Aleister Black's entrance theme alongside Incendiary's Brendan Garrone. "Let Me In" followed CODE ORANGE's 2018 release of "The Hurt Will Go On", a digital EP featuring "3 Knives" and "The Hunt" featuring Corey Taylor, as well as "The Hurt Will Go On" (Shade Remix), an official remix of CODE ORANGE's "Hurt Goes On" helmed by the band's guitarist and vocalist Shade.

In 2017, CODE ORANGE flipped the heavy music world on its head with their breakthrough album "Forever", a collection that masterfully mixed hardcore aggression with urgent industrial textures, earning the band a breakthrough Grammy nomination and top placement on several "Best of 2017" lists, including Rolling Stone's "20 Best Metal Albums of 2017", Revolver's "20 Best Albums of 2017" and The Independent's "Top 20 Rock & Metal Albums of 2017."




UPCOMING HEADLINE SHOWS CANCELED pic.twitter.com/4MAtXi3TBV

— Code Orange (@codeorangetoth) October 15, 2021

Decibel Books has announced the publication of "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary", the fully authorized biography of Tampa, Florida death metal institution OBITUARY.

Propelled by the inhuman vocals of John Tardy, the obscenely brutal guitar tone of Trevor Peres and rhythmic brilliance of drummer Donald Tardy, OBITUARY redefined heaviness throughout the 1990s. From undisputed classics "Slowly We Rot" and "Cause Of Death", through an unexpected hiatus to their current creative renaissance, OBITUARY has pioneered, defined and expanded extreme metal, becoming one of the underground's most recognized and respected acts.

"This is the first time that we, as a band, have ever officially opened up to the fans," says Donald Tardy. "We took a look at the past, remembering how it all began in Tampa. We shared stories from the studio and the road, and also the mayhem throughout our career like it really was: the good, the bad and the ugly. 'Turned Inside Out' sets the record straight after 35 years — these are the events that made us who we are and the facts that made it history."

David E. Gehlke — author of "Damn The Machine: The Story Of Noise Records" and "No Celebration: The Official Story Of Paradise Lost" — provides an unprecedented look at the death metal legends through all-new, in-depth interviews with band members past and present, recording engineers, scene contemporaries and music industry veterans who've worked directly with the band throughout OBITUARY's nearly four-decade career.

Packed with hundreds of rare and never-before-seen photos, as well as a foreword from Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, SEPULTURA), the 328-page hardcover "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary" is exclusively available for pre-order now via decibelmagazine.com. Copies are expected to ship in early January.

This past March, John Tardy told France's United Rock Nations that OBITUARY has used some of the downtime during the coronavirus pandemic to work on material for a new studio album. "We've definitely been working on new tunes, and we've been taking our time," he said. "We didn't feel like releasing [a new album] now in the middle of the pandemic when you can't go on tour and support it is not what we wanted to do, so we're in no hurry. But by the time next year comes around, we're gonna be hitting the road again. We're getting tours set up, and we will be releasing another album next year before we hit the road and start touring again. So we are currently working on new material."

Asked what fans can expect from the follow-up to OBITUARY's 2017 self-titled album, John said: "I think it's just gonna sound like OBITUARY. [Laughs] You know us — we're kind of cavemen; we don't like to evolve too much. We like to change it up and do a little here and there, but we're getting too old to change too much, I think. So as long as it's heavy and pounding, then that's what you can expect."

Iconic singer-songwriter Steve Perry has shared "Winter Wonderland", from his forthcoming holiday album "The Season", out November 5 via Fantasy Records. Watch the animated video below. The track is the second song to be unveiled from the inspired and joyous new record, and marks the first-ever Christmas album from the beloved rock legend.

Perry's interpretation of "Winter Wonderland" captures the song's timelessness, while simultaneously putting his own personal spin on the track. Perry's signature vocals are on full display, set against a smooth and steady tempo and warm harmonies. Perry comments: "'Winter Wonderland' is one of my favorite tracks on 'The Season'. I have always felt a close love for Motown's music and how it shaped my early school years. This track is a homage to that."

"The Season" features exuberant, new interpretations of holiday classics that hold significant meaning for Perry, along with millions across the globe. All eight tracks on the record come straight from the heart, transporting listeners to a familiar place of comfort and familiarity associated with loved ones and meaningful traditions shared during the holidays.

It's fitting that Perry also works tirelessly on charitable efforts close to his heart as the holiday season approaches. In September he partnered with the San Francisco Giants/The Giants Community Fund on a specialty car auction. The online auction, organized by the Fund's car donation partner, CARS, featured Perry's beloved 1979 Mercedes 450SL, along with a custom-made touring tuxedo tails jacket worn by Perry during past concert performances and an autographed copy of "The Season". The classic silver convertible was driven to many JOURNEY writing, recording, and rehearsal sessions.

The Giants Community Fund has been grateful for Perry's support for nearly 20 years. Sue Petersen, executive director, said: "Steve's not only an inspiration to Giants fans; he's a believer in the Fund's work and a dedicated friend and supporter. What a cool and creative way to share something personal with fans and help the community at the same time." Proceeds from the auction support the Junior Giants program, which provides a free, noncompetitive baseball and softball program for nearly 24,000 kids, ages 5-18 years old, in more than 85 leagues in underserved communities.

For Steve, the most vivid memories of holidays remind him of his grandmother's home. The sentiment is evident throughout the record, including the first track released ahead of the album, "I'll Be Home For Christmas". He explains: "When I was recording vocals for 'I'll be Home For Christmas' as I was singing 'Please have snow and mistletoe and presents under the tree.' I was emotionally thrown into standing in my grandmothers' house staring through the door that I always hung mistletoe on. And then I saw her beautiful Christmas tree in front of her living room window. I had to stop singing because it felt like I was really there ... I was a bit stunned… back home for Christmas is where everyone wants to be."

One of the most recognizable voices in rock and roll history, Perry has captivated generations with the sheer power of his range and extraordinary tone. One of Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, he fronted JOURNEY during the band's most massively successful era, and gained entry into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Perry returned to music in 2018 with the release of his Fantasy album "Traces", which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard album charts and No. 6 overall — a personal best for his solo work.

"The Season" track listing:

01. The Christmas Song

02. I'll Be Home For Christmas

03. Auld Lang Syne

04. Winter Wonderland

05. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

06. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

07. Silver Bells

08. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Perry credited his late girlfriend, psychologist Kellie Nash, who died more than eight years ago, with helping him want to sing again; she'd made him promise he wouldn't go back into isolation when she passed.

Perry dated Nash for nearly two years before she died in December 2012 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. He mourned for two years, and then began recording again.

Perry reunited with JOURNEY for the first time in years as they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2017. The iconic singer appeared onstage with his former bandmates as they each gave speeches, but did not perform with the group later in the event.

Photo credit: Myriam Santos

Frontiers Music Srl will release Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx's new album, Street Lethal, on November 5. Watch a video for the song "Rise Above" below, and pre-order/save Street Lethal on CD/LP/Digital here.


The LP version of Street Lethal is a 180g, yellow vinyl in gatefold sleeve that is exclusive to the label's webstores. Limited to 300 copies worldwide.


Chock full of huge choruses, memorable hooks and riffs, and wailing, emotive guitar solos, fans of the band will be thrilled and delighted by what is on offer with Street Lethal. Massive production comes courtesy of Danny Rexon, who, over the past couple of years, has really turned into a master craftsman in the studio. With Tobias Lindell (H.E.A.T, Europe, Hardcore Superstar etc.) handling the mix, this album is sure to resonate with old fans and new listeners alike.


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With Street Lethal, Crazy Lixx surpasses all expectations for new music from the band and surpasses their own revered and celebrated catalog. It’s an album that is confident, slick, and full of passion. Here, Crazy Lixx prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’re not just one of the pack, but that they are right there at the front of it. No one does what they do quite as well...


Album after album, Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx have continuously carved in stone their reputation as true leaders of the Scandinavian led ‘80s hard rock revival. With views in the millions for popular videos like “Wild Child” and “Hunter of the Heart” on YouTube, outstanding streaming numbers for tracks like “Blame It On Love”, "Hell Raising Women”, and “XIII”, and "Wild Child" being featured in the Nicolas Cage horror movie “Willy’s Wonderland,” Crazy Lixx are steadily continuing on their march for world domination.





Tracklisting:
 
"Enter The Dojo"
"Rise Above"
"Anthem For America"
"The Power"
"Reach Out"
"Final Fury"
"Street Lethal"
"Caught Between The Rock N' Roll"
"In The Middle Of Nothing"
"One Fire - One Goal"
"Thief In The Night"


"Rise Above" video:

Australian heavy rockers, Wicked Smile, have released a video for "Date With The Devil", the opening track of their debut album, Wait For The Night, available now. Order the album here, and watch the video below.





Tracklisting:


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On Friday, October 15, Aeon will release their new album, God Ends Here, via Metal Blade Records. An advanced album stream can be found below.


With 2012's Aeons Black standing as one of the defining death metal albums of the twenty-first century, it has been a long wait for the follow up. In 2021, Sweden's Aeon finally return with its successor, God Ends Here, and in doing so only up the ante with a record that is bigger, harder and stronger in every way. A darker, even more epic collection, it is everything an Aeon fan could want with a few surprises in store, pushing the genre in new directions, and once again asserting that they are one of the most important bands in extreme metal.


The main reason for the gap between records lies in finding the right drummer, having had a few pass through their ranks in the interim, Dark Funeral/Imperium drummer Janne Jaloma now manning the kit. Making his recording debut with the band is also bassist Tony Östman, who joined in 2013, during the touring cycle for Aeons Black. Guitarist Daniel Dlimi, who departed the Aeon fold in 2013, also returned to the band's ranks in 2019, which inspired guitarist Zeb Nilsson to write, having really missed collaborating with him.


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Drums were recorded in Jaloma's own Studio Starköl, guitars and bass in the band's own Rise to Dominate Studio, and the vocals were recorded at Metallfabriken Studio, where some guitar re-amping was also done. Producer Ronnie Björnström, who presided over Aeons Black, once again oversaw proceedings, making sure everything sounded as big as possible. Expanding the sonic palette are strings and choirs, the orchestral elements primarily programmed by Nilsson with Dlimi handling those on "Mephistopheles", while Nilsson wrote the choir parts. With dramatic artwork by Italian artist Paolo Girardi the final piece of the puzzle, the finished package extends Aeon's legacy and gives the genre the push that was intended from the outset. They may have been gone a long time but make no mistake: Aeon are back, and God Ends Here will lay waste to all.





God Ends Here can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:


- jewelcase-CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- gold vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- orange w/ red splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- gold / black melt vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- gold w/ black splatter vinyl (US exclusive)





God Ends Here tracklisting:


"The Nihilist"
"Liar's Den"
"Let It Burn"
"Orpheus Indu Inferis"
"Church Of Horror"
"Deny Them Eternity"
"Forsaker"
"Into The Void"
"God Ends Here"
"Severed"
"Just One Kill"
"Mephistopheles"
"Let The Torturing Begin"
"Despise The Cross"
"Overture: Magnum Reginae"
"Queen Of Lies"


Album stream:

Six years after announcing that he would embark on a special tour during which he would perform ACCEPT songs one last time under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner before closing that chapter for good, former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider is continuing to play ACCEPT material at select shows, including at the September 18, 2020 U.D.O. concert in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which was released on DVD and Blu-ray this past March. Speaking to El Cuartel Del Metal about why the ACCEPT tracks are still finding their way into the U.D.O. setlist, Udo said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I know I said I after the DIRKSCHNEIDER thing — we did it for nearly three years and nearly three hundred shows — after that, I said, 'Okay. Come on. That's enough. I don't wanna play ACCEPT songs anymore.' But in the meanwhile, it's already, yeah, nearly three years ago, and now the people say, 'Well, maybe you can play 'Balls [To The Wall]' and 'Metal Heart', 'Princess [Of The Dawn]' and 'Fast As A Shark'.' Yeah, okay. In a way, I mean, give the people what they want — let's say it in this way. And the people wanna hear that — they wanna hear old classic stuff. But it's getting more and more — more songs. But we try always to make it as interesting as possible. And in the end, of course, some people come up and [say], 'Oh, why are you not playing this song? Why are you not playing this song? And this song?' But, yeah, okay. Here we go."

This past March, Udo confirmed to Canada's The Metal Voice that U.D.O. will "definitely" play some ACCEPT songs if the band's North American tour materializes in 2022.

When he first announced the DIRKSCHNEIDER tour more than half a decade ago, Udo said that had "to make a clear break for myself — close the book and this is it. And I have the problem that people come to me and ask me to play more ACCEPT songs," he explained. "Other people ask me why I play ACCEPT songs at all, because there are [more than] fifteen U.D.O. records. I want to avoid such things and avoid the repeating questions concerning ACCEPT. I just can't stand that anymore. There is nothing more to be said. U.D.O. exists longer than ACCEPT. We have more records than ACCEPT."

While acknowledging that some ACCEPT fans want to hear the band's classic songs performed by the group's original singer, Dirkschneider explained at the time that "you always have these comparisons [between how these songs are played by ACCEPT and U.D.O.]. I don't want this anymore either. [The current lineup of ACCEPT] also play 'Metal Heart', they play 'Balls To The Wall' and 'Princess Of The Dawn'. And then some people tell me, 'Oh, [current ACCEPT singer Mark Tornillo] is doing it better than you.' And I go, 'That's fine. Enjoy yourself.' But I don't want this anymore. And to avoid all of this in the future, I said, 'We are doing this one more time.'"

Dirkschneider said in 2016 that his vow to never play ACCEPT material again came with one caveat. "If the band ACCEPT dissolves one day in the near future and I am still around with U.D.O., then there is a chance that I put ACCEPT songs back in the setlist," he said. "But currently there is ACCEPT, so go see them [if you want to see those songs performed live]. They are playing these songs."

Udo previously said the original plan was for DIRKSCHNEIDER to only "a few shows," and "then [the tour] got bigger and bigger [due to demand]." But, he added, "I don't want to complain about that."

Back in 2018, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann declined to comment on Dirkschneider's decision to embark on one final tour during which the singer would perform nothing but ACCEPT songs. "I have lots of thoughts about that, but I'm not gonna share 'em with you," he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". "I'd rather not comment on that, because that seems so much 'back and forth,' and I think I should stay away from it… You can draw your own conclusions all day long, but I'm not gonna get into it; it's just not worth it.

"I get asked [about Udo] so many times, and, man, it's been so many years — it's such an old story by now," Wolf continued. "We've moved on way past that, and we've had 10 brilliant years [with Mark Tornillo], we're making cool albums; I think we're doing fine. So I don't spend any time thinking about it.

"I'm very proud of the history we have together and all that, but I'm just not gonna get into the current 'he said, she said' whatever — it's not worth it," Hoffmann concluded.

SKID ROW is continuing work on its long-awaited new album for a tentative early 2022 release. The band is recording its new album in Nashville, Tennesse with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

SKID ROW's new LP will mark its first release with South African-born, British-based vocalist ZP Theart (DRAGONFORCE, TANK, I AM I), who joined the band in 2016 following the departure of Tony Harnell (TNT, STARBREAKER).

Unlike 2014's "Rise Of The Damnation Army - United World Rebellion: Chapter Two" and 2013's "United World Rebellion: Chapter One", SKID ROW's forthcoming release will be a full-length record.

Bassist Rachel Bolan offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for the LP in a new interview with Adika Live! Speaking about working with Raskulinecz, Rachel said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's an incredible experience. It's really cool, because he was a fan when he was young. So we're going in, we'll have riffs and we'll play him a song or whatever, and he's, like, '[It's] not SKID ROW.' [Laughs<] It's just such a weird dynamic. He's, like, 'That sounds like it could be a song for so-and-so,' and this and that and the other thing. And I'm, like, 'Man, he's right.'

"He told me right off the bat, he was, like, 'Man, I'm just gonna say stuff. I don't wanna hurt your feelings about stuff,'" Bolan continued. "He said it to all of us. He goes, 'But I'm just coming from a different perspective — one as a fan, two as a producer. And I wanna make a kick-ass SKID ROW record.' We went in with a couple of ballad ideas, and he's, like, 'Let's just rock this — let's just rock this out.' It's, like, cool. We're into it.

"His process is different than what we've done in the past, and it's just amazing, man. It's coming out so good, [and] I'm so stoked."

SKID ROW's new LP will be released via earMUSIC, the recorded music label of German entertainment group Edel AG which boasts a roster of global artists including DEEP PURPLE, Alice Cooper, BABYMETAL, THUNDER, STATUS QUO and many more.

"We're cranking on all eight cylinders, man," Rachel said. We've got great songs we're happy with. We've got a killer producer, making a killer record. We love our label. And bands don't say that a lot, but we love their whole way of doing things. And we're just looking to get back out there. But the album's gonna be out probably first quarter of '22.

"It's kick-ass," he repeated. "I haven't been this excited about our songs in quite some time. And we're all sharing the same excitement, which is great."

SKID ROW previously collaborated with several outside songwriters on its new material, including Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR) and Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of HALESTORM, a group that covered the title track of "Slave To The Grind" on its "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP" in 2011. SKID ROW also worked with songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow.

In early August, SKID ROW celebrated the 30th anniversary of its classic second album, "Slave To The Grind", by performing it in its entirety at The Amphitheater at Rolling Hills Casino And Resort in Corning, California.

Last summer, Bolan told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he and his bandmates would embark on a "Slave To The Grind" 30th-anniversary tour in 2021.

AGNOSTIC FRONT vocalist Roger Miret says that fans' support is helping him get through his battle with cancer.

Earlier today (Thursday, October 14), AGNOSTIC FRONT's official Instagram shared a photo of Miret in a hospital bed, and included the following message from the singer: "After another short trip to the ER I just wanted to say that all your love and support is getting me through this. I got this and I'll see you in the pit very soon!!!"

Earlier this year, Miret was diagnosed with cancer. A long road of tests and diagnoses led to a complex initial surgery and lengthy hospital stay. Even though the original surgery was complicated, the results were extremely positive. The cancer was successfully removed and Roger is now in complete remission and all signs of cancer have disappeared.

In early October, Roger said that he underwent another surgery after "running a fever for two weeks straight" and developing "an infection."

A GoFundMe page has been launched where fans can donate to help Roger pay medical care costs.

Born in Cuba, Miret fled with his family to the U.S. to escape the Castro regime. He joined AGNOSTIC FRONT in 1983, and the seminal New York harcore group released classics like "United Blood", "Victim In Pain" and "Cause For Alarm" over the next several years.

In 2017, Miret released a memoir, "My Riot: Agnostic Front, Grit, Guts, And Glory", which documented his struggles to adapt to life in the U.S. after his family fled the Castro regime. According to the Phoenix New Times, the book delved into many facets of Miret's life: the grinding poverty of his childhood; living as a teenager squatter; becoming deeply enmeshed in downtown New York’s hardcore scene; and later turning to drug-running to support his family.

In addition to fronting AGNOSTIC FRONT, Miret has also played with ROGER MIRET AND THE DISASTERS and is a member of THE ALLIGATORS.

For the past several years, Roger has resided in Scottsdale, Arizona.
























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Frank Sidoris, who plays rhythm guitar for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS and MAMMOTH WVH, and his wife, Alexandria, were involved in a serious car accident on Saturday (October 9) en route to Los Angeles, resulting in a fracture of her L1 vertebrae and a small fracture in her right ring finger.

Sidoris described the scary crash in a post on his Instagram. He wrote: "A small pickup truck was towing a van of illegal weight on a single axle trailer without brake lights or turn signals in the middle lane of the 15 South just before Baker, CA. The driver hit his brakes on a downhill causing the weight of the van and trailer to push the pickup directly in front of us, making him completely perpendicular to the left lane we were in giving us nowhere to go except the desert median. We clipped the front of his pickup truck which sent us airborne over a drainage ditch, crashing head-on in to the other side."

He continued: "It was a truly traumatic experience, but at least we are alive and Allie's injuries are mendable through surgery and months of physical therapy. Her surgeon is one of the best there is and considering my wife's strength and how she's been an absolute superhero through everything she's gone through, I know she'll be able to bounce back with time. I'm hopeful the road ahead won't be a long one.

"Thank you to each and every one of you for reaching out and for all of the amazing support you've given us over the years during the hardest times of our lives, it means the world."

Back in June 2019, Sidoris missed the remainder of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS' European tour as he traveled back to the U.S. to be with his wife for her first full-on chemotherapy treatment in her battle with with cervical cancer. Cory Churko, who plays alongside CONSPIRATORS members Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz in the cover band TOQUE, filled in for Sidoris.

Frank told the Las Vegas Sun that he got a call from Wolfgang Van Halen five years ago about possibly jamming with this new band. The Vegas-based guitarist eventually got a chance to spend time with Wolfgang's father Eddie Van Halen, who passed away a year ago after a long battle with cancer.

"Playing guitar in front of one of the guitar players is definitely nerve-wracking," Sidoris said. "If we were playing for a week, Ed came down three out of the five days we jammed and he was just the best. He's such a good father, too. I just liked watching him and Wolf hang."
























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In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna was asked if he has ever thought about the possibility of his band one day being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded: "I've never had a discussion with anybody about it. I don't think anybody's even been... Maybe on their own time, they might have talked to someone or they had a discussion. I've never had any. Once in a while, I might have said to somebody, 'You wonder if, by the time your time is up, are you gonna get in?' And at the same time, what is the Hall Of Fame now? Sometimes I don't know… Like when they pick stuff, sometimes you've got the FOUR TOPS in there or an R&B band; there's all kinds of different genres [in there]. It's, like, 'Who's next?' And there's a lot of bands that we both can name that should be in there but are not. Who is worthy of it? That kind of stuff. I hate even thinking about that stuff. I mean, hell, RUSH just got in there not too long ago. I wouldn't even wanna put myself in that position to even compare anything.

"I don't know how they pick [artists to induct into the Rock Hall]," he continued. "I'd love to sit around and listen to a roundtable [about] how they figure out who should be [in there] and what time is their time or whatever.

"We've done some cool stuff. If we were to get in, by any chance, I think there's a nice story there. There's some cool stuff there."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

PRIEST was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction last year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2020.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was previously on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

IRON MAIDEN was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction this year, but didn't make the class of 2021.

A memorial honoring legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen in his former hometown of Pasadena, California was officially unveiled this morning (Monday, October 11) — a little over a year after his death.

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and council members Tyrone Hampton, Andy Wilson, Gene Masuda and Felicia Williams watched as a plaque was presented near the city Convention Center, which is next to the Civic Auditorium, where VAN HALEN played a number of times between 1975 and 1978.

"This event brings together history and community to celebrate a world-renowned artist," Williams said, according to Pasadena Now. "It's not just the history of Eddie as a guitar legend, but also the challenges he faced growing up mixed race in Pasadena, which always spoke to me. And the community support and initiative to make this happen is inspiring. Thank you to everyone."

The text on the plaque reads: "The Van Halen family emigrated from the Netherlands to Pasadena in 1962. Alex and Eddie Van Halen attended schools in Pasadena and began playing music together with Eddie on guitar and Alex on drums. Years later, the brothers formed the band VAN HALEN, along with bassist Michael Anthony and vocalist David Lee Roth. Between 1975 and 1978, VAN HALEN performed 14 concerts at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and Conference Center. Regarded as one of the most successful bands of all time, VAN HALEN will forever be remembered for reinventing Rock 'n' Roll and their connection to Pasadena."

The public was not invited to the ceremony due to coronavirus protocols. The musician's family was also not present due to scheduling conflicts, officials said.

The memorial tribute push was spearheaded by Randa Schmalfeld and Julie Kimura, two Pasadena residents who raised $6,500 through GoFundMe donations from fans from around the world for a permanent memorial in the city.

This past April, Pasadena Now reported that the Eddie Van Halen memorial near the city Convention Center could not — due to legal issues — contain Van Halen's likeness or his famous "Frankenstrat" guitar.

A couple of weeks after Van Halen's passing, a City Council meeting was held in Pasadena where a memorial honoring Eddie was discussed.

City manager Steve Mermell was directed to come up with ideas for how to best honor the musician, who died earlier that same month at the age of 65.

In the first three weeks after Eddie's death, the city was bombarded with requests to pay tribute to the guitarist "to recognize both his local connection to Pasadena, as well as the impact that his artistry had on music," Mermell wrote in a report.

"Recognizing Van Halen the band and/or individual members should be considered," according to the report. "With his passing, Eddie Van Halen's international recognition as a musical artist is noted for the significant impact he had on the Rock & Roll genre and his legacy is a source of hometown pride for the city."

"Given the band's connection to Pasadena," city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said Thursday, "we agreed it was appropriate to place a plaque outside the Civic Auditorium."

Following Eddie's death after a long battle with cancer, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and Alex scratched their band's name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.


BREAKING: Mayor, Councilmembers Help Unveil Eddie Van Halen Memorial

https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/mayor-councilmembers-help-unveil-van-halen-memorial

Posted by Pasadena Now on Monday, October 11, 2021



Posted by Felicia Williams - Pasadena City Council District 2 on Monday, October 11, 2021



Posted by David Carrido on Monday, October 11, 2021



Posted by David Carrido on Monday, October 11, 2021

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford says that he is "still shook up" after guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival. Faulkner was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.

"The good news is he's healing, and his therapy will be picking up the guitar and getting back into these new songs for PRIEST and getting ready for the next batch of road work," Halford told Consequence. "I've had a couple of conversations with him, and he sounds great. I'm waiting to hear that he's picked up the guitar — he's probably picked up the guitar already and his doctors are saying, 'Put that guitar down!'"

The 41-year-old 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 in Louisville. 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."

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."

Halford told Consequence that he has not yet seen the video that showed Faulkner's health scare in real time. "I can't look at that yet," he said. "I'm still shook up, emotionally. Eventually I'll try to watch the footage, but [Richie] says in his own words when he looked at that footage he sees a dying man, which is basically what it was."

Rob continued: "It's just incredible that he got through that song and he came to the dressing room and he got changed. Even after the paramedics told him he needs to go the hospital and get a proper look at the stuff, he was like, 'Yeah, I'll be back. I'm going home for a couple days after this show, I'll see you guys in Denver' and walked out the door and then probably less than an hour later he was having over 10 hours of heart surgery. It's just unbelievable."

Faulkner, who is now resting at home in Nashville, spoke to reporters via a video link at the end of last week. He said about the final song of the Louder Than Life concert: "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.

"Luckily, it was a short set, and we would have come off stage anyway," Faulkner said. "Otherwise, I don't know I would have come off stage."

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."

Faulkner also once again encouraged fans to learn from his experience and closely monitor their heart health.

"Listen, I'm 41 with no history," he said. "You could be the same. Go and get checked. Get in front of it if there's anything like that. If there's not, great. Take it from me: Just go and get yourself checked out."

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.

Faulkner joined PRIEST in 2011 as the replacement for original guitarist K.K. Downing.

Faulkner and his girlfriend Mariah Lynch, daughter of former DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch, welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Daisy Mae, in July 2

KIX frontman Steve Whiteman spoke to Adika Live! about the band's return to the live stage during the pandemic. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we're all vaccinated, and I preach it. 'We're able to be here tonight because there is a vaccination, and I really encourage everybody to take it.' And I've had people walk out and want their money back because I tell people that I think it's really important that we all get vaccinated. And people who are offended by it, they're just some people that won't do it. And they're the ones [who are] holding everything up.

"We keep our distance," he continued. "We won't do meet-and-greets anymore. We keep our distance backstage. Traveling, you have to get on a plane, you have to wear a mask, but I'm not that worried about it 'cause I am vaccinated. And if I do get it, I don't think it'll be that bad."

Last month, KIX canceled two shows due to a member of the band contracting COVID-19.

Whiteman released a solo album, "You're Welcome", in July. The 12-song LP was co-produced by Whiteman along with his trusted collaborators Brad Divens, Jimmy Chalfant and Bob Paré; it was recorded and mixed by Divens at Fixintogetmixin Studio.

Though the recent pandemic essentially derailed the last year-plus of KIX's touring plans, it gave Whiteman the chance to settle in at home for a critical period of time and vocal rest, the results of which he was able to channel directly into writing and recording "You're Welcome".

KIX drummer Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant suffered a heart attack last month at his home and was rushed to the hospital. He had immediate surgery to insert two stents in his heart then another surgery the next day for another stent. He is being temporarily replaced on the road by Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, SLAUGHTER) and John Allen (STONE HORSES, CHILD'S PLAY, SR-71).

KIX was founded in 1977 and released its first, self-titled album on Atlantic Records nearly 40 years ago. Their breakthrough came with 1988's "Blow My Fuse", which sold nearly a million copies, thanks to "Don't Close Your Eyes". The band continued to ride the hard-rock wave until 1995, when KIX took a hiatus. Nearly 10 years later, KIX reunited and started touring regionally. A 2008 performance at the Rocklahoma festival led to more gigs and the release of a live DVD/CD called "Live In Baltimore" in 2012.

In 2014, KIX released its seventh full-length album, "Rock Your Face Off" (Loud & Proud Records), the band's first studio effort since 1995's "Show Business".

Photo credit: Mark Weiss

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, singer Jeff Gutt spoke about his experience of fronting STONE TEMPLE PILOTS for the past four years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It took a long time for me to get in there and for them to ask me to be their singer. So it was a long time of getting to know each other and getting to trust each other. We kind of became like a family and spending all the time that we have — 'cause we did a lot of touring before the whole COVID thing. We went around the world together. When you do that with people and you write records and you share intimate writing times with people, it's a good connection to have. And these guys, their musical vocabulary is ridiculous, so it takes a lot off my plate. Whereas before I would try to micromanage everything I had going on around me, but now everything's pretty much handled. I just have to come in and just listen to the music. And when they're writing it, it's pretty much spot-on."

Asked if STONE TEMPLE PILOTS have been working on new music during the pandemic, Gutt said: "I haven't had enough time with the guys to hear all their ideas. But I'm always writing, and I know they're always writing. And they always come in with a million things. So I'm excited for when that happens, 'cause it's gonna be like the floodgates opening and it'll be a real creative time. Right now it's more of a time just to get our bearings together after having all that time off, and just remembering how to do it. [Laughs] And just getting out there and trying to enjoy playing in front of crowds — not that it's hard to enjoy it, but it was taken away, so to have it back is all we wanna do right now. Speaking for myself, of course, I just wanna get out there and get in front of people and play these songs that I love."

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo and drummer Eric KretzGutt, a 45-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.

Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.

Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS released their first all-acoustic album, titled "Perdida", in February 2020. The disc was Gutt's second with STP. His recording debut with the group was on its self-titled seventh album, which arrived in March 2018.

During an appearance on the 100th episode of the "Infectious Groove" podcast, former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal discussed one album that had "a huge impact" on his life: VAN HALEN's fourth LP, 1981's "Fair Warning". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was 12 years old, and up to this point, I was sort of like an Angus Young [AC/DC] kind of guitar player. I remember I was at a band practice, and there was a kid hanging out there who asked me if I heard VAN HALEN. I hadn't heard them before, so he played me a recording of the intro to 'Mean Street' on the just-released 'Fair Warning' album. And just like anybody that heard VAN HALEN for the first time, it blew my mind. I never heard that kind of guitar playing before. Still, to this day, I've never heard that kind of guitar playing ever again. That intro was just a sound I had never heard before, and it opened my eyes, my ears, my mind, my spirit, my entire being. It just changed the course of everything and how I looked at playing guitar and making music and the role that guitar has in a song and in music. And from there, I became a different kind of player. I started really experimenting and digging deep to find who I was. It will always be one of my favorite albums. And I am so grateful that I got to be on earth at the same time VAN HALEN was."

Thal previously spoke about Eddie Van Halen's influence on his playing in an October 2020 interview with the WDHA radio station. He stated at the time: "I heard 'Eruption' and I was just blown away immediately. It changed my life — it really changed my life, that moment, and I remember it vividly. I got a cassette of 'Eruption' and I went home and I spent months learning it. Just little by little and just hearing a couple of notes on a cassette, I would find 'em on the guitar, and a few more, and a few more, until I had the whole thing. Then I opened up the cassette, I unscrewed the four little screws on it, and I opened it up and I flipped the reel the other direction and I put it back together, so now everything was backwards, and then I learned it backwards."

He continued: "I had a cover band when I was 13 years old called PARADOX. And we played — half the set was RUSH and the other half was a bunch of VAN HALEN. [I was] the hugest VAN HALEN fan. I subscribed to Guitar World magazine and would read every Eddie Van Halen interview. And I started innovating — I started taking apart my guitar, then doing all the tricks that he was doing, [like] dipping your pickups in wax to change the amount of feedback, and all kinds of crazy stuff. And that's what made me start to really experiment and dig deep and try and find my own voice. Because nobody had as much of a personality and identity and unique spirit in their playing that they put out as he did as a guitar player. You can argue that, sure, but if you think about it, everything that he brought to the table — the guitar tone, the way he used a Variac to change the voltage and bring a different sound out of a Marshall amp and he created this new kind of tone that was called the 'brown sound.' And just the originality of his style — the way he played, the way he phrased everything, just what his fingers did and all the tapping that he did, like the big ending of 'Eruption' and then things like the intro to 'Little Guitars', quickly picking one string and hitting on notes on another string, like [there were] two people playing one guitar. There was so many things that he did. And also, the guitar's role in a song was completely different. It used to be, 'Okay, here's your rhythm track, and you overdub the leads.' But he made it this live personality of just this ripping high-energy entity in a song. And on albums too — he changed the way a guitar's role was on an album, where you would have breaks in between songs with little unique guitar parts and his long guitar intros and things that you just did not hear on rock albums — at least not like that. He absolutely was the number one game changer. And from that point on, after he was on the radar, everything changed."

Thal joined GUNS N' ROSES in 2006 and appeared on 2008's "Chinese Democracy", an effort which contained music that had been written before he came into the group. The disc took 13 years to make and was only a modest seller, moving just around half a million copies.

Thal is currently a member of SONS OF APOLLO, which also features drummer Mike Portnoy, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and bassist Billy Sheehan. SONS OF APOLLO released its second studio album, "MMXX" (pronounced: 20/20), in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

A memorial honoring Eddie in his former hometown of Pasadena, California was officially unveiled Monday morning (October 11).

KORN drummer Ray Luzier will miss the band's next three shows after testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Filling in for him will be FEVER 333's Aric Improta.

Earlier today, KORN issued the following statement via social media: "Unfortunately, Ray has tested positive for COVID, and he will not be playing the next three shows in Vegas, Fresno, and Oakland. KORN will be continuing on as scheduled despite these circumstances.

"We are anticipating a quick recovery for Ray and he should be back to play the Los Angeles shows with us.

"Aric Improta from FEVER 333 will be filling in so we won't miss a beat."

Luzier is the third member of KORN to sit out shows on the band's current tour after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Last month, guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer missed several dates and was temporarily replaced by J.R. Bareis, who is also in the band LOVE AND DEATH with KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. Bareis previously stepped in for Shaffer in August 2019 when Munky was forced to miss several KORN shows due to the impending birth of his child. In early August, singer Jonathan Davis contracted the virus, forcing the postponement of six dates and cancelation of two on KORN's U.S. tour.

At some of KORN's shows, Davis had been taking a seat on a custom throne near the drum riser due to lingering effects of his bout with COVID-19. In video footage of KORN's August 27 concert in Tinley Park, Illinois — his first gig back after revealing his positive diagnosis — Davis could be seen walking slowly around the stage, coughing and appearing to take a minute to catch his breath. According to TMZ, Davis also took occasional hits from an oxygen tank set up near this throne.

Bareis was not the only session musician to play with KORN on the current tour. Bassist Roberto "Ra" Díaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) is filling in for Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu after Fieldy announced in June that he would sit out the trek in order to "heal" after "falling back" on some of his "bad habits."

Upcoming KORN shows:

Oct. 15 - Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena

Oct. 16 - Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center

Oct. 18 - Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena

Oct. 22 - Los Angeles, CA – Banc Of California Stadium

Oct. 23 - Los Angeles, CA – Banc Of California Stadium
























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Legendary Swedish death metallers ENTOMBED will play "one exclusive show" at next year's edition of the Gefle Metal Festival, set to take place July 14-16, 2022 in Gävle, Sweden. The band says: "It will be quite special. See you there!"

ENTOMBED's lineup for the performance will include original members Alex Hellid (guitar), Uffe Cederlund (guitar) and Nicke Andersson (drums) plus former ENTOMBED bassist Jörgen Sandström, who previously played with the band between 1995 and 2004. There will also be guest appearances by other former ENTOMBED members and various well-known musicians.

Gefle Metal Festival festival general manager Chris Rotenius said in a statement: "Next year, it will be six years since the last time ENTOMBED was on a stage. Now we have managed to gather the core with Uffe, Alex, Nicke and Jörgen to create the perfect opportunity to perform a concert beyond the ordinary. At Gefle Metal Festival next summer you can expect a unique ENTOMBED gig. This is going to be a death metal evening you don't want to miss."

ENTOMBED's performance at Gefle Metal Festival will mark the band's first appearance since singer Lars-Göran "LG" Petrov died on March 7 after a battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49 years old.

"LG was a central figure in Swedish metal who left a huge void behind," Gefle Metal Festival CEO Edward Janson said. "When we started Gefle Metal Festival 2016, FIRESPAWN with LG was the very first band to play and at the last festival in 2019, he was on stage with his ENTOMBED A.D. In between, he was in attendance as an enthusiastic fan. It feels good to be able to pay tribute to LG and his contributions to metal with this concert."

Hellid, Cederlund and Andersson played the band's groundbreaking 1991 album, "Clandestine", in its entirety at Malmö Live in Malmö, Sweden in November 2016. Joining them at the show were Robert Andersson (vocals) and Nicke's half brother Edvin Aftonfalk (bass), both formerly of the Swedish death metal band MORBUS CHRON. Two weeks earlier, the most recent Hellid-led lineup of ENTOMBED made its live debut on the Close-Up Båten cruise.

Hellid and Petrov had been embroiled in a legal battle over the ENTOMBED name for several years. In 2014, Petrov was reportedly awarded the right to use the band name in connection with future recording and touring activities, a decision which Hellid appealed without success. The guitarist then went on to register a trademark for spirits production under the "Entombed" name. This move did not sit well with Hellid's former bandmate, who filed a letter of protest against Alex's registration of the name, claiming that it could be confused with band activities. He also said that Hellid acted in "bad faith" when he registered name and that there was a desire to "deceive the public." Petrov's protest, however, found no favor with the Swedish Patent And Registration Office, which rejected his claims on the issue in a March 2016 ruling.

In an interview with Revolution-Music.dk, Petrov defended his group's decision to release albums and tour under the name ENTOMBED A.D. in order to avoid a legal battle with Hellid who didn't want his former bandmates to use the ENTOMBED moniker: "It had to be done, because without an album you can't tour," he explained. "I mean, you can tour, but if there's seven years between albums, it's ridiculously long. So we did the right thing, and we did what bands should do, and still do — release an album and go on tour and headbang and have a good time with friends, and that's what it's all about."


Entombed at Gefle Metal Festival 2022 (Gävle, Sweden)

Next summer we will take the stage at Gefle Metal Festival for one exclusive show. It will be quite special. See you there!

For tickets and info https://www.geflemetalfestival.se/

Posted by Entombed Clandestine on Thursday, October 14, 2021

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "For Whom The Bell Tolls" on October 8 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California can be seen below.

Around 40,000 people attended each day over the course of the four-day event starting on October 7 at Sacramento's Discovery Park.

A number of COVID protocols were in place for this year's Aftershock, with Sacramento County Public Health issuing a statement saying they provided the festival organizers "information regarding the current California Department of Public Health guidance for mega-events which include requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test."

Chamie McCurry, chief marketing officer with production company Danny Wimmer Presents, said: "From the beginning of the year, as long as we were going to be allowed by the local authorities, we were going to be bringing this event back and we were going to be doing it safely."

McCurry said that METALLICA was the biggest draw this year, performing two nights of the festival.

"It's a truly unique experience for METALLICA fans to be able to see them two nights, never repeat a song. Two completely different sets," McCurry told KCRA. "This is something that's part of history."

Mike Testa, president and CEO of Visit Sacramento, said that this year's Aftershock was expected to generate an economic impact of close to $30 million.

In August, Danny Wimmer Presents announced that the sold-out Aftershock would require attendees, staff, crew and artists to provide proof they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or a negative test within 72 hours of their first day at the festival. The festival also added a section to its web site about virus safety guidelines.

In a statement posted on social media, Danny Wimmer Presents founder Danny Wimmer said: "We are at an unprecedented crossroads with uncertainty about whether or not our festivals will happen this Fall. It is not my nature to idly sit back and let others decide our fate. Instead, I am going to do everything in my power to ensure that our festivals happen, even if that means enacting policies that some people may not agree with. But before you react negatively to our policy, please consider this. What I see is that the fans feel the world needs music festivals now more than ever. We need to bring people back together to heal from the past 18 months. We need to get the people and artists whose livelihoods depend on live events back to work. I am confident that these requirements are what is needed to guarantee that we have fun and safe festivals this Fall."

Finnish melodic death metal masters, Insomnium, have announced the cancellation of their upcoming European Tour with Omnium Gatherum, which was supposed to start on November 26.

The band states: "Dear Fans, We were looking forward to hitting the road again next month together with our brother in OG. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, we are forced to cancel the tour and take a break for a couple of months to re-group. We were excited to be back on stage but this will take a little longer than expected. We can't wait to see you again next year."

Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.