MÖTLEY CRÜE and SIXX:A.M. founder Nikki Sixx is now a four-time New York Times best-selling author with his new book, "The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx" entering the coveted list at No. 8 on the Hardcover chart and No. 11 on the Combined Print And Ebook List. "The First 21" joins Sixx's other three bestsellers, "The Heroin Diaries", "This Is Gonna Hurt" and the MÖTLEY CRÜE biography "The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band". In addition, "The First 21" quickly rose to Amazon's bestsellers list since its release on October 19, occupying the top spot on Amazon's rock music books chart and in the Top 40 overall biographies and memoirs chart. "The First 21" is also No. 22 on USA Today's best-selling books top 150 list, as well as No. 9 on Canada's The Globe And Mail bestsellers list.

"I am such a fan of books and storytelling," Nikki said. "The whole process is extremely creative from the beginning to the end, which allowed me to open up candidly in the memoir about addiction, sobriety and reflect about the formative years of my life, while unpacking the complicated childhood that had some twists and turns along the way. I am really happy 'The First 21' connected with people in such a deep way.”

In "The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx", Sixx tells his origin story: how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx, chronicling his fascinating journey from irrepressible Idaho farm boy to the man who formed the revolutionary rock group MÖTLEY CRÜE.

Nikki is one of the most respected, recognizable, and entrepreneurial icons in the music industry. As the founder of MÖTLEY CRÜE who is now in his twenty-first year of sobriety, Sixx is incredibly passionate about his craft and wonderfully open about his life in rock and roll, and as a person of the world. Born Franklin Carlton Feranna on December 11, 1958, young Frankie was abandoned by his father and partly raised by his mother, a woman who was ahead of her time but deeply troubled. Frankie ended up living with his grandparents, bouncing from farm to farm and state to state. He was an all-American kid — hunting, fishing, chasing girls, and playing football — but underneath it all, there was a burning desire for more, and that more was music. He eventually took a Greyhound bound for Hollywood.

In Los Angeles, Frank lived with his aunt and his uncle — the president of Capitol Records — for a short time. But there was no easy path to the top. He was soon on his own. There were dead-end jobs: dipping circuit boards, clerking at liquor and record stores, selling used light bulbs, and hustling to survive. But at night, Frank honed his craft, joining SISTER, a band formed by fellow hard rock veteran Blackie Lawless, and formed a group of his own: LONDON, the precursor to MÖTLEY CRÜE. Turning down an offer to join Randy Rhoads's band, Frank changed his name to Nikki London, Nikki Nine, and, finally, Nikki Sixx. Like Huck Finn with a stolen guitar, he had a vision: a group that combined punk, glam, and hard rock into the biggest, most theatrical, and irresistible package the world had ever seen. With hard work, passion, and some luck, the vision manifested in reality — and this is a profound true story of finding identity, of how Frank Feranna became Nikki Sixx. It's also a road map to the ways you can overcome anything, and achieve all your goals, if only you put your mind to it.

"You've heard the tales of excess and debauchery. All the peaks and the valleys that came with rock and roll stardom and my life in one of the world's biggest bands. This is the story that you haven't heard. The one that led up to those stories," said Sixx. "It's the intimate, personal story of how an innocent Idaho farm boy with a burning dream and desire — for music, for love, and for fame — became the notorious Nikki Sixx. I believe our first twenty-one years have a lot to do with shaping who we become. These are my first twenty-one, and it's my hope that they thrill and inspire you to invest in your own, biggest dreams."

Sweden's Black Lion Records has checked in with the following update:


"We are super happy to announce the signing of German death metal group,  Credic.


Credic is a five-piece melodic death metal juggernaut from Stuttgart that sounds like the early Gothenburg scene taking a stroll through the sonic netherworld of Stranger Things. The band was brought to our attention from our promotional department All- Noir and we instantly felt that this was something very fitting both musical style wise but also storywise. So it's with great pride we welcome them into Black Lion Records.




Credic's sound is perhaps best linked to bands such as Amorphis and Dark Tranquillity, but the band takes things much deeper path. You might wanna call it arcade death metal or not: This is a first, not only in the cosmos of melodic death metal. 


We cannot imagine a better place to unleash this beast and put all our trust in the hands of the mighty Black Lion Records."


Credic has issued the following statement:


"We’re more than stoked to reveal that a new era in our career begins. Inspired by the sounds from Gothenburg in our early days we come full circle back to Sweden where we found the home for our upcoming album."


For information on Credic go to this location.








Photo by Thomas Kettner Photographer

Ross Jennings, vocalist and co-songwriter for internationally renowned progressive metallers, Haken, will release his debut solo album. A Shadow Of My Future Self on November 19th via Graphite Records. He has released an official video for the new single, "Catcher In The Rye". Check it out below.





In contrast to his prog metal day job, Ross has a major soft spot for American AOR, mainstream 90’s arena rock and indie pop. All of which have influenced the direction of A Shadow Of My Future Self.




Of the song, Ross says "'Catcher In The Rye' is probably my favourite piece on the album for a number of reasons. It came to me as I was making final decisions on which songs to put on the album and which order etc… and as if something tapped me on the shoulder as if to say "you’re album isn’t done” another song just came to me. It’s an all too familiar tale of the songs that take 15 minutes to write… this was one of those! 
 
Musically 'Catcher In the Rye' is somewhat of a cross between ‘Everybody’s Talkin’ by Harry Nilsson and Elbow’s ‘Sad Captains’, most evident in the inclusion of a brass solo performed by Norwegians ‘Blasemafian'. Vikram Shankar performed my piano ideas deliciously, adding some Bruce Springsteen-esque influence to the choruses too. I’m more than proud to wear those influences on my sleeve here.
 
The lyrics aren’t based on the famous novel J.D Salinger, but the song does share its title because it was the last book a late friend of mine lent to me before sadly passing away. The lyrics are about how much I miss him, touching on some memories we had and the ones we never made. I deeply feel like this song was his gift to me from the great beyond which is why it’s such a special one for me.
 
After several unfortunate cancellations and schedule clashes with various film-makers, in the end I was forced to get creative and shoot the video myself. Despite not being the initial vision for the video, this ended up being a far more fitting visual companion than what I had in my head. I fortunately have some film-making experience but most importantly I had the last minute help of Kyros’ Shelby Logan Warne to edit my footage, and she absolutely amazingly brought it all to life. Amidst the stress of deadlines, sometimes you just have to have faith and trust that things will work out for the best."


A Shadow Of My Future Self finds Ross on a musical journey fans have not heard him explore professionally before, writing very personal songs in what can only be described as a love letter to Ross’s extensive record collection and eclectic musical upbringing that were the foundation to his musical inspiration. This album in question starts on the fringe of a country road, navigates indie pop, anthemic rock, power ballads, and culminates in some epic prog.


Ross has the following to say about the project: “Despite my history, I rarely regard myself as a metal singer, so I was in desperate need to scratch a long time itch and make a record that appeals to the broader spectrum of my musical palette. With A Shadow Of My Future Self, I unashamedly wear my influences on my sleeve but this is the kind of music I always imagined I’d be making before I took the path less traveled into prog metal… Needless to say, this is somewhat more accessible and radio-friendly stuff!”


 

SLIPKNOT has launched a mysterious new web site containing what appear to be snippets of new music.

The official web site of the band's Knotfest festival is hosting a banner that reads "Read All About It If You Want To Know…" which takes you to the thechapeltownrag.com page, apparently an online marketplace for SLIPKNOT NFTs. Once there, you can either "play" or "redeem" three — out of a total of nine — spinning graphics, each containing a non-fungible token sample of previously unreleased music that is very reminiscent of SLIPKNOT.

SLIPKNOT's last album, "We Are Not Your Kind", was released in August 2019, and singer Corey Taylor recently confirmed that new music would be arriving soon. Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" in late September, Taylor stated about the band's next LP: "It's pretty much done. I'd say it's probably about 80 percent done. We're finishing up some music [and] I've got a couple more songs to sing. However, I will say this: don't be surprised if in the next month or so you hear something new."

Taylor also offered a hint as to what the album's lead single might sound like, saying it has "a 'let's-bludgeon-everybody-and-remind-them-why-we're-still-SLIPKNOT' kind of vibe."

"We Are Not Your Kind" sold 118,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Furthermore, the album made an impact worldwide with No. 1 debuts in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Japan, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Finland, as well as Top 5 debuts in Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and New Zealand.

SLIPKNOT is currently headlining the "Knotfest Roadshow" tour, featuring support from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333 and CODE ORANGE. The 29-date run, produced by Live Nation, kicked off following the band's Knotfest Iowa hometown show in Des Moines on September 25, and will wrap up at Knotfest Los Angeles on November 5 at Banc Of California Stad

On October 30, pole dancer, actress and model Diana Lynn Band Candy conducted an interview with former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson at the Chiller Theatre convention at the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany, New Jersey. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked what the first concert was that he ever went to, Ellefson said: "KISS. I think it was February 6th or 7th, 1977 at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, which is in Minneapolis, on the 'Rock And Roll Over' tour. URIAH HEEP opened. I was 13, and I remember the tickets were five dollars and six dollars. Big bucks, right? I think I got the five-dollar [tickets]. I bought 'em well in advance. My mom and a friend of hers took me, my good friend Greg — we were grade school KISS fans — and my brother and one of his friends. My brother wasn't really a fan — he liked Elton John and the BAY CITY ROLLERS."

Ellefson, who was promoting his found-footage horror film "Dwellers" at the Chiller Theatre convention, joined THE DEAD ELVI, the Chiller house band which performs original music and serves as the backup group for musical guests on Saturday nights, to play a cover version of the Alice Cooper classic "I'm Eighteen". It marked the 56-year-old bassist's first live performance since being fired from MEGADETH

Ellefson was dismissed from MEGADETH six months ago, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. At the time, Ellefson released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, when the claim "David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile" appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was fired.

Two days after MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine announced Ellefson's latest departure from the band, the bassist released a follow-up statement in which he vowed to file a "defamation lawsuit" against the person who "illegally posted a very private video" of the bassist and made "false allegations" against him. He also said he was working with the police in Scottsdale "in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted the video. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Ellefson wrote. He went on to say that he was "taking this time to be with my family" and wished his "bandmates" the best with their tour.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe joined French progressive metallers GOJIRA on stage last night (Monday, November 1) at Knotfest Iowa at at The National in Richmond, Virginia to perform the song "Adoration For None" live for the first time. Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below (courtesy of David Fritzson).

Blythe, who had previously played the track "Backbone" with GOJIRA in late September at Knotfest Iowa, co-wrote and appeared on "Adoration For None" on GOJIRA's 2008 album "The Way Of All Flesh".

Earlier this year, Blythe praised GOJIRA's seventh studio LP, "Fortitude", to Metal Hammer magazine, saying that is "succeeds in achieving what very few metal albums do: without sacrificing a single ounce of earth-shattering heaviness." He added that GOJIRA has once again "raised the bar that defines this genre."

Blythe had previously said that he had "publicly supported [GOJIRA] from the second I first heard them."

"Fortitude" entered Billboard's Top Albums chart at No. 1, while also claiming the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Current Albums, Current Rock Albums and Current Hard Music Albums tallies. The release also marked a career high debut on the Billboard 200 for GOJIRA, arriving at No. 12, with several career-high chart positions and Top 10 debuts in countries around the globe including: France (No. 2), United Kingdom (No. 6), Australia (No. 3), Germany (No. 8), Belgium (No. 2), Netherlands (No. 4), Denmark (No. 3), Portugal (No. 4), Finland (No. 2) and Norway (No. 10).

Devin Townsend performed as the Friday headliner (August 13th) at the 2021 edition of Bloodstock Open Air at Catton Park in Derbyshire, UK. Check out pro-shot video of Strapping Young Lad's "Almost Again" from the show below.





Townsend recently announced that he has been invited by Dream Theater to join them on their upcoming European Top Of The World Tour as their very special guest.




Townsend comments: "Hey all, Devin here. As absurd as it may sound in this day and age, I am (cautiously) pleased to announce a tour with Dream Theater. Over the past few years, I've found myself in the company of those cats, and I think they're good people and of course, a monster band. I look forward to playing things from the multiple new releases coming up, as well as from my entire catalog. It's a tour that will be sure to yield great musical moments, and confusion for all. Thanks for the opportunity, DT. See you soon with DT featuring DT.


Also, I know so many of you have been understanding and patient as we reschedule the headline shows from more than a year ago. It has been chaos on every level, but its beginning to see the dawn as dates as being proposed. Please hang on just a little longer and we'll have information for you soon.


This does mean that most of the European Lightwork headline shows will now be rescheduled to a later date. Tickets already purchased will remain vaild. Please check with your ticketing vendor for their refund policy.


Headline shows in Dublin, Glasgow and London are unaffected. More info and ticket links can be found here."

The Upper Austrian hard rockers Sergeant Steel are back in the studio of their guitarist Jack Power, who oversees the recordings artistically and technically. The band is currently working on the recording of ten new songs. Completion is planned for mid-2022.


After regular producer Michael Wagener (including Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row) said goodbye to his well-deserved retirement, an era also ended for Sergeant Steel. The German American was responsible for the mix of three studio albums by the sextet between 2011 and 2020. For the next release, Jack Power will also take care of mixing the songs.


The "Backseat Lover" home video provides a look back at the almost 10-year collaboration between Sergeant Steel and Wagener. In addition to glimpses behind the scenes, the actual song is followed by a humorous, very final interview with the maestro.

Clive Nolan & Oliver Wakeman’s Dark Fables will be released on November 5, 2021. This standalone release was originally the third CD from Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman’s Tales By Gaslight box set released earlier this year.


Dark Fables contains over 30 minutes of music conceived for the abandoned Frankenstein album which would have joined the duo’s Jabberwocky and Hound Of The Baskervilles collaborations. As with the previous albums, Dark Fables features the duo’s virtuosic keyboard playing with sublime performances from Gordon Giltrap, Paul Manzi (The Sweet, Arena, Oliver Wakeman Band). Andy Sears (Twelfth Night), Karl Groom (Threshold), David Mark Pearce (Oliver Wakeman Band, Munroe's Thunder) and Charlotte Dickerson.


The set also includes unused pieces from their The Hound Of The Baskervilles album; “The Man Called Sherlock”, which was the original version of the “Overture”, and “221B”, inspired by Sherlock Holmes’ famous address in Baker Street. In addition, the release also features Rick Wakeman narrating the “Jabberwocky Poem” in full, a perfect way to round off the twists and turns of another Nolan/Wakeman project.




Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena) and Oliver Wakeman (YES, Strawbs) first combined their considerable keyboard and compositional talents to create the two aforementioned rock opera/concept albums in 1999 and 2002. Peter Pracownik was the creative behind the original The Hound Of The Baskervilles artwork 20 years ago and has employed his talents again for the sleeve of Dark Fables.


Purchase the CD at cherryred.co.uk.





Tracklisting:


“The Overture”
“I’d Give You Anything”
“The Mirror”
“Elizabeth”
“Why Do You Hate Me?”
“The Wedding Approaches”
“Time Passe”
“A Descent Into Madness”
“221B”
“The Man Called Sherlock”
“The Baker Street Irregulars”
“The Jabberwocky”


“Why Do You Hate Me?”:

Frontiers Music Srl signed Kandia, an alternative metal band from Portugal, to a multi-album deal in late 2020. The band have released their new single, "Fight Or Flight". Watch a video for the song below:





"Fight Or Flight" is the new single from Kandia's upcoming studio album, Quaternary, out in January via Frontiers. Pre-order here.







Tracklisting:


"Anthropocene"
"Obliterate"
"The Flood"
"Fight Or Flight"
"Until The End"
"Turn Of The Tide"
"Pbp"
"Deathwish"
"Murderers" Feat Jorgen Munkeby
"A New Dawn"
"Holocene"


"The Flood" lyric video:

Earache Records recently announced their first release from The Temperance Movement in over three years. Put together with the help of guitarist and founding member Paul Sayer, Covers & Rarities (out November 26) is a treasured collection of rare and unheard gems, some of which have never been available before on CD or vinyl. Listen to the band's take on the Blur song, "Tender", below.


Alongside The Temperance Movement's enchanting songwriting, from waltzing rock lullabies to sunbursting rock 'n' roll anthems, Covers & Rarities features an irresistible rendition of Deep Purple's "You Fool No One", featuring Deep Purple's very own drum virtuoso Ian Paice. Watch the video below.


This compilation journeys through various special tributes to some of Britain's all-time favourite bands and artists, including Led Zeppelin and David Bowie, all performed with the vibrant, hip-charming energy that The Temperance Movement are known and loved for.




Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"You Fool No One" (feat. Ian Paice) (Deep Purple cover)
"Up In The Sky" (Oasis cover)
"Tender" (Blur cover)
"Houses Of The Holy" (Led Zeppelin cover)
"Ziggy Stardust" (Live) (David Bowie cover)
"Already Know"
"Mother's Eyes"
"Turn"
"Centrefold"
"Do The Revelation"
"Time Won't Leave"


"Tender":





"Up In The Sky":





"You Fool No One" video:

Berlin-based progressive metal act, The Ocean, have released "Jurassic / Cretaceous", the second video from their upcoming live album, Phanerozoic Live, set for release on November 26. Watch below.


The live album is a showcase of two live events performed by The Ocean - Live In Bremen (Part I) and Live At Roadburn Redux (Part II), and will be released by Metal Blade Records digitally worldwide. Fans eager for physical copies can pre-order the album in various formats at Pelagic Records, here.







Tracklisting:


Phanerozoic Part I - Live in Bremen:
"The Cambrian Explosion"
"Cambrian II"
"Ordovicium"
"Silurian"
"Devonian"
"The Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse"
"Permian"


Phanerozoic Part II - Live At Roadburn Redux:
"Triassic"
"Jurassic | Cretaceous"
"Palaeocene"
"Eocene"
"Oligocene"
"Miocene | Pliocene"
"Pleistocene"
"Holocene"


"Jurassic | Cretaceous" video:





"Devonian" video:





In early 2021 with no end of lockdowns in sight, The Ocean decided to thank their fans for the support with two streaming concerts, performing both Phanerozoic albums in their entirety: Phanerozoic I was streamed live from Pier 2, a big hall in the port of Bremen, Germany on March 25, 2021. With more than 1,500 tickets sold, it was the most successful show of the popular "Club 100" streaming events series thus far.


The day after this event, the band rehearsed and recorded Phanerozoic II in its entirety. This performance aired on April 16th as part of the digital edition of Roadburn Festival (this year aptly named Roadburn Redux). Both shows couldn't have been more different: where the first part boasts with a pompous, mesmerizing lighting production on a big stage, the second part is quite the opposite: intimate, almost cozy, focused on musicianship rather than performance. "We wanted to give people two totally different experiences", says band leader Robin Staps. "In Bremen, we had the chance to record a proper live show, the way people know us. We played facing towards the front of the stage, to an invisible crowd, essentially to a huge empty room… but we knew people were watching, even if we didn't see them. There was the same rush of adrenaline right before going on stage as you get before going on any stage, maybe with a little extra anxiety added, because knowing that so many people are watching you without being able to see them yourself was super weird."


The fans response to these special events was another testimony to how much The Ocean connect with their crowd at home in this very intense way was an experience that was "oddly beautiful and frustrating in equal measure," according to Staps. Now as restrictions begin to lift worldwide, The Ocean are more than ready to show fans in-person the power of Phanerozoic Live, with select shows starting this December.

Touch was the first band to play at the inaugural Monsters Of Rock Festival at Castle Donington in 1980, along with Rainbow, Scorpions, Judas Priest and Saxon. A live version of their hit, "Don't You Know What Love Is", appeared on the compilation LP Monsters Of Rock, documenting the performances at the festival.


Touch's first album was released on Atco Records and their first singles, "Don't You Know What Love Is" and "When The Spirit Moves You", charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Their follow-up album was recorded in 1982 and produced by Todd Rundgren, The record never came out and Touch disbanded thereafter.


The original band recently reformed after almost 40 years to create the new album, Tomorrow Never Comes, out now. Today, the band releases a music video for the song, "Trippin' Over Shadows".  Check it out below, and get the new album here.







Tomorrow Never Comes tracklisting:


"Tomorrow Never Comes"
"Let It Come"
"Swan Song"
"Try To Let Go"
"Fire and Ice"
"Trippin' Over Shadows"
"Frozen Ground"
"Lil Bit of Rock N Roll"
"Glass"
"Scream at the Sky"
"Wanna Hear You Say"
"Run For Your Life"


"Trippin' Over Shadows" video:





“Let It Come” lyric video:





"Tomorrow Never Comes" video:

Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon) is back with a new Star One album, titled Revel In Time. The new album comes more than 10 years since the previous release and is due out on February 18 via InsideOutMusic.


Arjen has revealed that Unleash The Archers singer, Brittney Slayes, sings all lead and backing vocals on the track, "Fate Of Man". Check out the video below to hear part of the track and her video message.


Says Arjen: "For me, Brittney is one of the best power singers in the world right now and she’s such a great person as well. A true discovery for me."







Revel In Time will be available for pre-order on December 17 and it will come as Ltd. 2CD Digipak, Ltd. Deluxe 3CD+Blu-Ray Artbook (incl. a poster of the cover artwork), and as 180g Gatefold 2LP (incl. the album on CD & an LP-Booklet).


CD 2 features alternate versions of the same songs as CD 1, but with different vocalists. Also available will be a 5.1 mix, a high-res audio version, and an exclusive, hour-long Behind the Scenes video, on the Blu-ray included in the Artbook.





Revel In Time tracklisting:


CD1:


"Fate Of Man"
"28 Days (Till The End Of Time)"
"Prescient"
"Back From The Past"
"Revel In Time"
"The Year Of ’41"
"Bridge Of Life"
"Today Is Yesterday"
"A Hand On The Clock"
"Beyond The Edge Of It All"
"Lost Children Of The Universe"


CD 2 features the same songs as CD 1, but with different vocalists.


"Lost Children Of The Universe" lyric video:

Little Caesar are best remembered for their version of the soul music song, "Chain Of Fools", a 1989 hit single from their self-titled debut album on DGC Records, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. John Kalodner did A&R work for the group, and Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe, etc.) produced their debut self-titled album, which was released to positive reviews. On the strength of the singles "Chain Of Fools" (a cover of the Aretha Franklin song) and "In Your Arms", Little Caesar hit #139 on the US Billboard 200 in 1990.


The band reformed for some live shows in 2001, and released a new album, Redemption in 2009. Now the band is set to reissue Redemption,  remastered and repackaged for this limited “Deluxe Edition”, which features four live Redemption tracks including the stand out track “Supersonic”, plus “Every Picture Tells A Story”, “Sick And Tired”, and “Real Rock Drive”.


Lead Singer Ron Young had this to say, “We are really excited to rerelease this album along with some corresponding live tracks. Having the listener get to hear 2 different moments in time, the different energies and emotions while performing the songs was a very interesting concept for us to get to do on this album."




This is the first of a series of reissues coming through the bands new imprint label Dirty Deeds Records/Deko Entertainment. Next up will be 2012’s American Dream, set for release in early 2022.


The band’s manager Jeff Keller states, “Partnering with Deko was a great situation. We are excited to re-issue re-mastered deluxe versions of these fantastic albums complete with new artwork and bonus tracks”.


Deko Entertainment president Bruce Pucciarello continues, “This is tight perfect formula rock, Little Caesar style. You lean back to listen and when it’s done, you wonder how you ended up leaning off of the front of your chair. Jeff Keller is the ultimate manager and matchmaker so thanks for this one Jeff.”


There are limited edition bundles (while supplies last) for Redemption, which can be ordered here.


Product Includes:


- (1) CD Album of Little Caesar's - Redemption (Deluxe Edition) - Autographed
- (1) Little Caesar T-Shirt
- (1) Little Caesar Sticker





Tracklisting:


"Same Old Story"
"Supersonic"
"Loving You Is Killing Me"
"Redemption"
"Sick And Tired"
"Real Rock Drive"
"Every Picture Tells A Story - Happy"
"Woodstock"
"Just Like A Woman"
"Supersonic" (Live)
"Every Picture Tells a Story" (Live)
"Sick And Tired" (Live)
"Real Rock Drive" (Live)

The Dead Daisies are currently on their UK tour, the first since 2018. The band have released the first in a series of weekly recap videos from their Like No Other UK tour. Watch below:





UK tour dates, with special guests The Quireboys (all dates but Cardiff) and Gun (Cardiff only):




November
3 - O2 Academy - Bristol, England   
4 - O2 Academy - Oxford, England
6 - The Waterfron - Norwich, England
7 - Rock City - Nottingham, England  
10 - Shepherd’s Bush Empire - London, England
11 - Tramshed - Cardiff, Wales


Tickets here. Find The Dead Daisies' complete tour itinerary here.

“If you ain’t a metal head, then you might as well be dead”, proclaimed Canuck thrashers Piledriver in 1984 when they released their legendary debut, Metal Inquisition. Shadow Kingdom Records has made the album available again as a digital download, cassette, CD, various vinyl versions, along with new apparel.  


You can pre-order here now and they expect to start shipping items next May.







Metal Inquisition tracklisting:


“Metal Inquisition”
“Sex With Satan”    
“Sodomize The Dead”
“Witch Hunt”
“Pile Driver”
“Human Sacrifice”
“Alien Rape”
“Alien Rape” (Live in Toronto)
“Metal Inquisition” (Live in Toronto)
“Sex With Satan” (Live in Toronto)

Danish / American singer, Maryann Cotton, has released the new single, "Danger Us". Listen here, and/or below:





Maryann recently announced that he has parted ways with his band. A message follows:




''I’m going to make this short, but I’ve decided to break up with the band, mainly due to lack of enthusiasm. I will continue as a solo artist as the former lineup will no longer be part of the band.


"Although my bassist Hal Patino has some major things coming up but will (at least) still be involved in songwriting. I haven’t seen or talked to the rest of the guys in over a year since February 2020.


"I’m sorry it’s been so long since you have heard any new music, but I promise the wait is over and brand new songs are coming very soon. I have an all American crew and whole new organization and team behind me. I’ve been working tirelessly, and I’m so excited for you to hear all my new music.


"Have faith, I love you all and I’ll see you on tour before you know it."

The lyric video for "Voidgazer", a track from Impact Approved's new album Into The Fray, out now via Wormholedeath, can be seen below.


"Uwe (Reese, drummer) composed 'Voidgazer' in December 2018 / January 2019. Back then, Uwe named the song 'Lonely Wolf' as a project title. Philipp (Kock, vocalist) was inspired to write lyrics in connection to this project title, so the general lyrical concept of 'Lonely Wolf' / 'Voidgazer' was hugely inspired by the epic Liam Neeson movie, The Grey.


But somehow, 'Voidgazer' sounded a bit cooler than 'Lonely Wolf' and the lyrical concept evolved into an even more philosophical perspective (but still originating from the deep message of The Grey) about unpleasant truths regarding the meaning of life and that you're supposed to never give up, no matter how bleak and desperate a situation might be. Try to stay strong. Always. And surround yourselves with people who want the best for you. Peace!" - Impact Approved







Into The Fray artwork and tracklisting:






"Flame Of Madness"
"Golden Age"
"Last Good Fight"
"Bodybag"
"Final Stand"
"Non Serviam"
"Voidgazer"
"Divide Et Impera"
"Maker's Hand"
 


 

Mad Margritt has just released a new video for their song, "Thief In The Night". The track is from the band's new album, Mad Margritt: Best Of 1999-2021. The CD is being released on November 19th via Perris Records, while the digital download is available now on all streaming services including iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. 


Mad Margritt: Best Of 1999-2021 is a collection of songs from the band's previous CDs, beginning with 1999's In The Name Of Rock, all the way up to Love, Hate And Deception, which came out in 2016. It also includes three new tracks: "Thief In The Night", "Rock The Block" (which the band performed earlier this year on the HGTV show Rock The Block- Season 2), and a song that was recorded in 2005 called "Lonely:, which was previously only available for purchase at shows.










Tracklisting:


"Thief In The Night"
"The One You Love To Hate"
"Never Enough"
"Liar"
"It's Time I Told You Goodbye"
"I Can't Get Enough"
"Don't Say A Word"
"Loaded Gun"
"Animal"
"Lonely"
"Nothing Can Keep Me Away"
"Cold Sweat"
"One Look In Your Eyes"
"Anyway (That You Want Me)"
"Rock The Block"


Catch Mad Margritt live at the following shows:


November 
12 - Roccos - Jasper, GA
20 - 278 South - Hiram, GA
26 - Rock N Taco - Roswell, GA


December 
11 - Shawn O'Brians Roadhouse - Jackson, GA
18 - Bankhead Grill - Carrollton, GA


 

KISS Kruise X, which was due to sail from Miami to Harvest Caye, Belize & Roatan, Honduras from October 30th - November 4th, 2020 aboard Norwegian Pearl, kicked off on October 29th and concludes on November 3rd. 


On November 2nd, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick and current KISS drummer Eric Singer - one half of the Revenge line-up - performed "Domino" from that album on the Kruise. Check out the fan-filmed video below.







Mike Brunn, who runs the The Rock Experience with Mike Brunn, has shared footage from KISS Kruise X featuring Kulick joining the band on stage for "Tears Are Falling" and "Heavens On Fire". Check it out below.

On Halloween (Sunday, October 31), Polish heretics Behemoth raised their own livestream bar with the premiere of their second streaming spectacle, XXX Years Ov Blasphemy, hosted by the premium social live media platform, Moment House. The event marked their 30th Anniversary with three separate sets in three amazing locations, commemorating the band's three decades making music and art, with an unfettered dedication to a superior aesthetic.


Today, they dropped a fearsome taster of that event, via the footage of "Christians To The Lions", and have extended the window to watch the spectacular until Sunday, November 7, allowing more of the band's legions ample time to watch at their convenience.


Having blown everyone away with 2020's In Absentia Dei stream, arguably the most ambitious and critically lauded livestream of the year, Behemoth's legions know that the band don't do things by halves. XXX Years Ov Blasphemy is without doubt Behemoth's biggest, most extravagant production to date.




Tickets go off sale at the following times on Sunday, November 7:


Asia + Australia + New Zealand
Tickets off sale – 3 PM, JST / 5 PM, AEDT
VOD offline – 6 PM, JST / 8 PM, AEDT


UK + Europe + Africa
Tickets off sale – 3 PM, GMT / 4 PM, CET
VOD offline – 6 PM, GMT / 7 PM, CET


North + South America
Tickets off sale – 3 PM, PDT / 6 PM, EDT
VOD offline – 6 PM, PDT / 9 PM, EDT


Watch "Christians To The Lions" below and secure your ticket here.





With each set, Behemoth showcase their glorious 30-year history and focus on each decade, starting with the early day of pagan and black metal sounds of Pandemonic Incantations through their international breakthroughs; The Apostasy and Evangelion, up to their most recent masterpiece, 2018's I Loved You At Your Darkest. Three times over, Behemoth invoked musical demons from the past as they explored the depths of their discography. The event was directed by Dariusz Szermanowicz (G13 Production House).

Shortly after the release of their most successful album to date, Judas (#2 in the German album charts), Lord Of The Lost deliver their next highlight with the BluRay/DVD/CD release of their almost two-hour Sinister Summer livestreaming concert under the name The Sacrament Of Judas, on December 10. Now, the Hamburg based band has yet another highlight to offer - the Trve Western Version of "Viva Vendetta".


Backed by the most elaborately produced music video in the band's history so far, Lord Of The Lost go one better and release "Viva Vendetta" as an authentic soundtrack to the completely Western-style video. A musical recreation of the famous Ennio Morricone soundtrack style, the band creates an unmistakably honest western flick that couldn't have hit the mark more precisely, proving that they are quite capable of venturing into new territories without losing their personal trademarks.


Chris Harms on the new version: "As we are confronted with more and more hate on the internet that comes with our increasing success, we see more often that we are ‘too dark’ for the rock scene, ‘too colorful’ for the gothic scene and ‘not hard enough’ for the metal scene. We’re told we look way ‘too gay’ and are ‘not true', whatever that means. We love to dance between the chairs, and will never voluntarily sit in just one of them, ergo that's perfectly fine for us. As is so often the case, things get rolling for us spontaneously through crazy ideas. During an extremely entertaining discussion about the dusty meaning of 'trueness', we realized that there is nothing 'truer' for a western video than an authentic-sounding western soundtrack variant of the song. And so, we spared no expense or effort, and with extreme attention to detail, created the Trve Western Version of 'Viva Vendetta'."







The Sacrament Of Judas will be available on December 10 in a limited edition format exclusively via Napalm Records Mailorder, as well as the band’s store as a digipack including BluRay, DVD and 2 CDs.





Pre-order here.





The Sacrament Of Judas tracklisting:


"Priest"
"For They Know Not What They Do"
"Born With A Broken Heart"
"2000 Years A Pyre"
"Viva Vendetta"
"The Heartbeat Of The Devil"
"The Gospel Of Judas"
"Euphoria"
"A World Where We Belong"
"Your Star Has Led You Astray"
"In The Field Of Blood"
"And It Was Night"
"My Constellation"
"Loreley"
"Morgana"
"Drag Me To Hell"
"Die Tomorrow"
"One Day Everything Will Be Okay"
"Dry The Rain"
"Prison"
"Six Feet Underground"
"Sex On Legs"
"La Bomba"
"Ordinary World"


 Lord Of The Lost are:


Chris Harms - vocals, guitar, cello
Pi Stoffers - guitar
Class Grenayde - bass
Gared Dirge - piano, synthesizer, percussion, guitar
Niklas Kahl - drums

Originally released on Halloween 1981, Cirith Ungol are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their landmark album, Frost And Fire, with special, multi-format reissue packages set for release on December 17, 2021. Find preorders at metalblade.com.


In 1981, Cirith Ungol, a little-known visionary quartet in Ventura, CA, released their debut album, Frost And Fire, via their own Liquid Flames Records imprint. In that unassuming moment, the course of heavy metal history changed forever. 40 years on, legions of fans worldwide have been enraptured by these masters of the dark arts, and now Cirith Ungol invites fans to ride the black machine for a fond look back at the epic album Frost And Fire.


Frost and Fire will be available in an array of formats - 2 CD digibook with 20-page booklet, all digital platforms, and 2 LP with 8-page vinyl booklet. All of these editions include both the 40th anniversary remix of the album and the album remastered from the original analog tapes. US vinyl variants will be available in two colors - leaf green marbled, and Midnight blue marbled. European versions will have five variants: 180g black, camouflage green marbled, light grey marbled, golden yellow marbled, and silver.




Culled from the Cirith Ungol's private archives, a special limited-edition hardbound 50-page book will also be available - packed with rare photos, flyers and memorabilia, as well as detailed liner notes and essays by the band. This artbook will be packaged with 4 CDs and 2 LPs (including all material from the regular editions), plus 2 additional CDs containing 14 demos of the album tracks and bonus content - interview, radio drops, answering machine tapes, phone calls.


Complete Variant Options:
- Digibook CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- Camouflage green marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)
- Light grey marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- Golden yellow marbled vinyl (High Roller Records exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- Silver vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- Leaf green marbled (US exclusive)
- Midnight blue marbled (US exclusive)
- Artbook 4CD/2LP - Frost blue and fire orange marbled vinyl (limited to 2000 copies)





Tracklisting:


CD1 – 40th Anniversary Remix
“Frost And Fire”
“I’m Alive”
“A Little Fire”
“What Does It Take” (Goldmine Mix)
“Edge Of A Knife”
“Better Off Dead” (Goldmine Mix)
“Maybe That’s Why”


CD2 – 2021 Remaster From Original Tapes
“Frost And Fire”
“I’m Alive”
“A Little Fire”
“What Does It Take” 
“Edge Of A Knife”
“Better Off Dead” 
“Maybe That’s Why”


CD3 – Frost And Fire Demos
“I’m Alive” (Demo – April 23, 1977)
“A Little Fire” (Take 2 - April 23, 1977)
“Edge Of A Knife” (Take 2 - April 23, 1977)
“I'm Alive” (Demo - Sept 1980)
“A Little Fire” (Demo - Sept 1980)
“Edge Of A Knife” (Demo - Sept 1980)
“Maybe That's Why” (Demo - Full Band - Sept 1980)
“Frost And Fire” (Demo - Unknown Date)
“A Little Fire” (Guitar Demo)
“What Does It Take” (Demo - Unknown Date)
“Better Off Dead” (Demo - Unknown Date)
“Maybe That's Why” (Demo - Unknown Date)


CD4 – Rare Interviews And Fan Tapes
KKBZ Radio Interview – Ventura, CA
KLOS Radio Local Show – Los Angeles, CA
Rock Punto 7 Radio Interview – CDMX, Mexico
Answering Machine Fan Messages 

Swedish black metal legends, Dark Funeral, have announced that their brand new full-length album, We Are The Apocalypse, will be released on March 18. Only one day later, on March 19, they will play a very special album release show at Fållan in Stockholm, Sweden, supported by special guest Samael and support act Eleine.





About the release show Dark Funeral comment: “Inch by inch we are opening the gates to unleash the fires of Hell and we are proud to present to you, the great artists that will join us on March 19! Samael from Switzerland should need no further introduction, they are genuine legends and a band that never stopped evolving. We are incredibly proud to have them with us as special guests! The Swedish symphonic metal band Eleine will be opening the night and contribute in showing that the Devil’s Music have both width and depth.”




Further the band states, “We are looking forward to an incredibly powerful experience on the 19th of March and we encourage you all to secure your tickets to join us. Our new album is finally ready and we can’t wait to include our new music in our set lists. This event will open those gates and we want you to be there with us! Make sure to follow the event page as we will provide information in a steady stream in both Swedish and English. Meanwhile, we will work incessantly in the background.”


Samael further adds: “Our friends in Dark Funeral will have a new album out next year, and we're excited to celebrate this with them. On that occasion, we will come back to Sweden to share the stage with them for a massive night of black metal supremacy!”


Eleine comment, ”It is with great honor we share the stage with the legends of Dark Funeral. Their release party will be nothing short of epic. Eleine as a dark symphonic metal band opening for Dark Funeral will be one of the most rare and interesting events in recent Swedish metal history.”


Order your tickets here. To stay updated, follow the event page here, where a steady stream of information will be provided.


Dark Funeral lineup:


Lord Ahriman - Guitars
Heljarmadr - Vocals
Chaq Mol - Guitars
Jalomaah - Drums
Adra Melek - Bass

Fan-filmed video footage of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP's October 30 concert at KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, Untied Kingdom as part of his 50th-anniversary "Immortal" tour can be seen below.

The setlist was as follows:

01. Ascension (MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST)

02. Cry For The Nations

03. Doctor Doctor (UFO cover)

04. Sleeping With The Lights On (MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST)

05. Assault Attack

06. We Are The Voice (MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST)

07. Looking For Love

08. Warrior (MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST)

09. Into The Arena

10. Red Sky

11. In Search Of The Peace Of Mind (SCORPIONS cover)

12. Lights Out (UFO cover)

13. After The Rain

14. Armed And Ready

15. Sail The Darkness

16. Rock You To The Ground

17. Drilled To Kill

18. Rock Bottom (UFO cover)

19. Shoot Shoot (UFO cover)

20. Let It Roll (UFO cover)

21. Natural Thing (UFO cover)

22. Too Hot To Handle (UFO cover)

23. Only You Can Rock Me (UFO cover)

Earlier this year, Michael Schenker released a new MSG (MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) album, "Immortal", via Nuclear Blast. The LP was predominantly recorded at the Kidroom Studio in Germany, with Michael's longtime partner Michael Voss, who co-produced the album and also sings on two tracks.

"Immortal" continues the tradition of the previous two MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST records "Resurrection" and "Revelation" and features a big list of friends and guests. The album's main vocalist is the Chilean-born talent Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW), along with Michael Voss (MAD MAX), Scheepers and Joe Lynn Turner (ex-DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW) singing on two tracks each. Besides Michael Schenker himself, the album was recorded with Steve Mann (keyboards), Barry Sparks (bass, DOKKEN), as well as the three drummers, Bodo Schopf, Simon Philipps (ex-TOTO) and Brian Tichy (ex-WHITESNAKE). The latest addition to the record was keyboard player Derek Sherinian (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, SONS OF APOLLO, DREAM THEATER), who plays on the album's opening track, featuring German power machine Ralf Scheepers on vocals.

In a recent interview with Dead Rhetoric, Schenker stated about Romero: "He can sing like anybody, and that's why I think Ritchie Blackmore wanted him [for RAINBOW]. He can sing like Joe Lynn Turner, Graham Bonnet, Ronnie James Dio. [Romero] will be the right person for me [for the 50th-anniversary tour]. Ronnie will be the main singer, to be the perfect person for the 50th anniversary of Michael Schenker live."
















































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British heavy metal legends SAXON will release their 23rd studio album, "Carpe Diem", on February 4, 2022 via Silver Lining Music. Comprised of 10 titanic tracks bristling with seel-clad riffery and pround intent, the Barnsely, U.K.-born band draw on a variety of integredients from the career to forget what is their most dynamic release in many a year.

"It all starts with the riff," says frontman and co-founder Biff Byford. "If the riff speaks to me, then we're on our way. It's a very intense album, and that's all down to the fact that the essence of a great metal song is the riff that starts it, and this album has loads of them."

Unleashing today the title track's roll-back attack, this is SAXON at their purest and most definitive; aggressively parading the pure metal flag and imploring fans old and new to gather and celebrate the very best of both SAXON and the genre itself.

"In Latin, it means 'seize the day' and I think it's a great thing to say," continues Biff. "It's what the Romans used to say to each other on a regular basis, apparently. Never having met one, I wouldn't know. But we're gonna do the 'Seize The Day' world tour, the album's 'Carpe Diem', this song's called 'Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)', and it's such a powerful thing to say."

Produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) at Backstage Recording Studios in Derbyshire with Byford and Sneap mixing and mastering, "Carpe Diem" strikes the ear as one of the most essential British metal statements of the last few years and not lacking in pace or bite, an album which will ignite the joy in stalwart supporters and attract a whole new legion to the SAXON fold.

"We want every album we make to go platinum," says Biff defiantly. "We never make an album that we don't expect to be fantastic because there are no laurels around here, and as a band, we're always trying to do something a little bit new, a little bit daring. I love fast metal like 'Princess Of The Night' and '20,000 Feet', and I try and bring that style of SAXON into the music now, but in a more modern style. We don't sound like an old band on records because we're not sitting back on our past success, we're always trying to make a great album."

The genesis of "Carpe Diem"'s fierce intensity lies in two extremely significant life events.

"It's been a difficult two years," offers Biff with considerable understatement, "because I had the heart attack back in September 2019, so things went a bit pear-shaped for the band. And then COVID hit two or three months later, but luckily, we started writing and recording this album before COVID. We did the drums in Germany and we did the guitars in various places. I was doing a lot of writing while I was in the hospital bed, and we spent quite a long time writing and arranging the ideas that we all had. I do think it's a very intense album, and maybe some of that intensity comes from the frustration of not being able to do anything in the COVID period."

"Carpe Diem" track listing:

01. Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)

02. Age Of Steam

03. The Pilgrimage

04. Dambusters

05. Remember The Fallen

06. Super Nova

07. Lady In Gray

08. All For One

09. Black Is The Night

10. Living On The Limit

Produced by Andy Sneap and Biff Byford

Album mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap

Guitars recorded by Andy Sneap at Backstage Recording Studios, Derbyshire (U.K.); vocals recorded by Seb Byford at Big Silver Barn, York (U.K.); drums recorded by Jacky Lehmann (Audiosound) at Velbyproductions, Grünenplan (Germany).

All lyrics by Biff Byford. Backing vocals by Seb Byford