In a new interview with Jon Marchewka of Rock In The FastLane, former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. frontman Udo Dirkschneider was asked what he would like his legacy to be. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I always try to be normal. I'm not a typical rock and roll star, [sporting] sunsglasses and [telling people], 'Hey, man…' I try to be a normal, normal person. But what I [know] is that I inspired a lot of bands — with ACCEPT and also now with U.D.O. That makes you proud that you did something in this business — inspired other musicians, and also really well-known musicians. And that was really, like, 'Woah! Okay.' That makes you proud. And then you know that you did something in this business. So, that's it for me. It's, like, okay, thank you very much."

U.D.O.'s latest album, "Game Over", was released on October 22 via AFM Records.

Last year, U.D.O. collaborated with Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr, the military band of the German federal armed forces, on an album called "We Are One", which was released in July 2020 via AFM Records/Soulfood Music.

U.D.O.'s current lineup includes Udo's son and drummer Sven Dirkschneider, bassist Tilen Hudrap and guitarists Andrey Smirnov and Dee Dammers.

Udo's DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG project, in which he is joined be fellow former ACCEPT members Peter Baltes (bass) and Stefan Kaufmann (guitar), recently released a new single and video, "Every Heart Is Burning".

DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG, which is rounded out by Udo's son Sven Dirkschneider (drums), Manuela Bibert (vocals) and Mathias Dieth (guitar), issued its debut single, "Where The Angels Fly", in September 2020. A second single, "Face Of A Stranger", followed in April. On August 27, all three songs were released as the "Arising" CD, a 12-inch vinyl and a download.

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.


Today, Arjen is pleased to share the first single and video, for the album’s closing track, “Lost Children Of The Universe", which you can see below.


Arjen has this to say about the track: “This 10-minute epic is the first video clip/single of the new Star One album Revel in Time. The lyrics are inspired by the movie Interstellar. This is a slightly different version than on the CD. On CD1, Roy Khan sings the lead vocals and on CD2, Tony Martin sings the lead vocals. For this YouTube version I combined their voices. Both such great singers, I just couldn’t choose! Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for your attention!”




Revel In Time will be available for pre-order on December 17th 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:

The Design Abstract melds together narrative sci-fi with Gothenburg-esque melodic death metal, resulting in ambiguous concept albums that sound completely different from other artists in the genre. Their latest album Metemtechnosis continues the Technotheism (2021) storyline after an indeterminate amount of time in the universe. The band compares this new album to the last, and lets us know what’s coming next:


“Many people had many positive things to say about Technotheism upon its release, and we feel that Metemtechnosis is a worthy successor to it. Compositionally, we have refined many elements and parts of the processes, and from a technical standpoint, we have really stepped up a lot. Those who wanted to hear more of the killer guitar work will assuredly not be disappointed. Metemtechnosis also carries on the story of Technotheism in part two of what will be a trilogy. Everything that was present in Technotheism has been brought back in more compelling ways, and the performances are more on-point than ever before.”


Similar to Technotheism, the tracks were written as necessary to touch on the major story beats of the album; an overarching science-fiction story about a far future where technological advancement puts into question a lot of things taken for granted, like the definition of humanity, individuality, progress, and the line between all of these things. After the third album in the trilogy is released, The Design Abstract will move to a different fictional setting, but the music will continue to experiment with the elements they use in new and innovative ways.




All songs on Metemtechnosis were written and performed by Voiicide (vocals/bass/programming), Logan Mayhem (guitars/modular synthesis), and Matt Ngo (guitars). It was produced, mixed, and mastered by Voiicide at Abstrakted Records and the album artwork was done by Yuta Shimpo.


The Design Abstract has a sound that is distinctively theirs and is recommended for fans of Soilwork, Septicflesh, and Divine Disorder.


BraveWords is premiering the album stream of Metemtechnosis; listen below:


Metemtechnosis by The Design Abstract


Metemtechnosis drops on October 29, 2021 via Abstrakted Records. Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Digital Dawn”
“Born Of Machines”
“The Hybrid Awakening”
“Organic Data Fusion”
“Metropolis II”
“Aberration Omega”
“Upheaval (Instrumental)”
“Sentinels”
“Decryptor” 


“Decryptor”:





(Photo: Tami Martin)

Swedish avant-garde metallers Diablo Swing Orchestra will release their fifth album, Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole, on November 2 via Candlelight / Spinefarm. They have checked in with the following message: 


"Our new single 'Speed Dating An Arsonist' is live on Youtube. We'd like to thank our dear friend Etienne Visora for working day and night with this awesome, wonderful video. We couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Now it's time for us all to dance!"







The spirited, progressive eight-piece Swedish ensemble are known for pairing elements of jazz, swing, classical, and progressive rock with just about everything in between. Since their foundation in 2003 the band have released four studio albums which push musical boundaries to the extreme with humour, creativity, and a healthy dose of positive aggression. Their debut, The Butcher's Ballroom, was a breath of fresh air when it came out in 2006 to worldwide critical acclaim. Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole is the band's fifth effort and is by far their most ambitious undertaking, which pays tribute to all four previous releases and adds some new colors to their already broad pallet of sounds.


DSO have once again teamed up with producer Roberto Laghi (In Flames, Hardcore Superstars), who has become almost the ninth member of the orchestra. Together, they've dug deeply into each of the genres explored in the 13 album tracks and worked hard to find the appealing genre characteristics to forge their own sound. This approach has resulted in an impressive list of guest musicians and some very interesting clashes between sounds which, at least on paper, shouldn't work. Listeners with an open mind will be rewarded by numerous goodies littered throughout the album, ranging from the tribal assault that is "War Painted Valentine" to the Zeppelin-gospel-infused "Snake Oil Baptism."





Tracklist:


"Sightseeing In The Apocalypse"
"War Painted Valentine"
"Celebremos Lo Inevitable"
"Speed Dating An Arsonist"
"Jig Of The Century"
"The Sound Of An Unconditional Surrender"
"Malign Monologues"
"Out Came The Hummingbirds"
"Snake Oil Baptism"
"Les Invulnéables"
"Saluting The Reckoning"
"The Prima Donna Gauntlet"
"Overture To A Ceasefire"


"War Painted Valentine"





"Celebremos Lo Inevitable"





Photo by Jens Rydén Photography

Metal on Metal Records have signed technical thrashers from Finland Home Style Surgery. The band's new album Brain Drill Poetry is slated for the release on November 19.


The band put a teaser for the album on their YouTube channel and the label featured a fragment of an exclusive song ("Subconscious Atrocity") from the same recording sessions that will be out on the Compendium of Metal Vol. 14 CD.







Commented Jowita Kaminska-Peruzzi of Metal on Metal Records:


"We are happy to announce the signing of an exceptionally talented band which also happens to be the first Finnish band we're working with. Home Style Surgery have been honing their craft for 13 years now, so for as long as Metal on Metal Records exists, starting out playing raw speed/thrash metal and becoming one of the most impressive technical thrash acts we've heard. However, Brain Drill Poetry is only their second full-length, following multiple demos and EPs and 2018's Trauma Gallery CD released by Punishment 18 Records. Anybody who's into bands like Toxik, Stone, Forbidden, Coroner, classic Voivod, Annihilator or Despair should definitely check them out."


The band added:


"Home Style Surgery is proud to announce that we have teamed up with Metal on Metal Records to release our new album Brain Drill Poetry. It has been a long process for us, but we are beyond satisfied with the result: songwriting is tighter, riffs are crazier and there is no slowing down in tempo either. Brain Drill Poetry goes to another level with new singer Kami (Brainthrash) who definitely brings a breeze of fresh air to our sound. There's no other album that sounds like it, yet you can still hear the various influences we had when crafting these songs."

Learn how to play Tesla’s new song “Cold Blue Steel”. Here’s a fun video of guitarists Frank Hannon and Dave Rude going over the parts.





“'Cold Blue Steel' is influenced by current events of the world, just like our debut single 'Modern Day Cowboy' (1986) and touches on the subject fairly and open-minded by asking 'what’s to blame?' when it comes to violence in the world,” states founding member Frank Hannon. “More importantly, the recording and production of the song and video are kept raw and real, just the way Tesla fans want to see and hear us. We are survivors and have been rocking for 35+ years!”




Stream and/or download “Cold Blue Steel” at this location.





Catch Tesla on tour across The United States next month. Confirmed shows are as listed:


November
5 - Knoxville , TN - Thompson Bowling Center
6 - Charleston , WV - Charleston Coliseum
9 - Charlotte , NC - The Fillmore
11 - Columbus , OH - Express Live
13 - Greensboro , NC - Greensboro Coliseum
14 - Atlanta , GA - Coca Cola Roxy
16 - Huntsville , AL - Mars Music Hall
17 - Mobile , AL - Soul Kitchen
19 - Bossier City , LA - CenturyLink Center
20 - Tupelo , MS - BancorpSouth Arena





 

John 5 has pulled out of his previously announced U.S. tour as the support act for legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen.

The trek, also featuring IMAGES OF EDEN and SUNLORD, was slated to kick off on November 16 in Atlanta, Georgia and conclude on December 18 in Houston, Texas.

John 5 announced his withdrawal from the tour in a statement posted on social media on Friday (October 20). The former MARILYN MANSON and current ROB ZOMBIE guitarist wrote: "Due to unforeseen circumstances and out of an abundance of caution I am sad to announce that i will no longer be joining Yngwie on the upcoming US tour.

"The health concerns for artists and their crew that come with travelling extensively from city to city during this time have meant that myself and my team feel this is the best course of action to keep everybody on my tour team safe and well.

"I am certain that these Yngwie shows will be amazing, as they always are. I'm sorry i won't be there to share my new music with you all. I'll be back out on the road as soon as is safe and possible."

John 5 will release his new solo album, "Sinner", on October 29 via Big Machine Records. The first single from the album, the epic "Qué Pasa", revolves around a distinctive vocal refrain. Originally built with a sample, John opted to have it reworked by Grammy-winning MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine.

"Sinner" was produced and mixed by Barry Pointer at Riott House Studio in North Hollywood. Drums were engineered by ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke at Redrum Recording in Los Angeles. The LP also features a guest appearance by original KISS drummer Peter Criss on a cover of "Georgia On My Mind", a 1930s classic by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell that's become famous thanks to Ray Charles decades later.

John 5 has worked with a varied range of artists, performing as guitarist for some of the biggest headlining rock bands in the world such as ROB ZOMBIE and MARILYN MANSON, as well as playing session with Paul Stanley, Rod Stewart, LYNYRD SKYNYRD and more. Slash has called John 5 "one of the most mind-blowing guitarists around," and Rob Zombie has dubbed him "a fucking shredder." John 5 has released nine solo albums to date, as well as a remix album, and has written music for the likes of Avril Lavigne, GARBAGE, Ricky Martin and others.
























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The Los Angeles melodic heavy band, Ninth Circle, have returned to the studio to record their fifth full-length album. They spent the majority of the pandemic shutdown writing material for the follow up of their successful Echo Black record which was released in June of 2020.  


Bassist, Frank Forray, describes what the band went through during that time, “Being in lockdown was fucking miserable. At first you figured, two fucking weeks… fine. Then it just never seemed to end. I had done some fun online videos of “guess that bassline” from songs way outside of heavy metal such as, Burning Love from Elvis, Just a Gigolo from David Lee Roth and Nite Klub from The Specials. Playing these songs inspired me to start writing new songs for the next record.”  


Frank goes on to explain, “After figuring out that we had a brand new record out in the middle for this miserable period and no way to promote it by playing live, I decide it was best to put my time and efforts into writing new material. A lot of the material just flowed out of me. In a matter of months, I probably had about 25 songs.  I started talking to the guys about getting together in the rehearsal studio and knocking out the new stuff. Luckily, the boys were up for it and we spent the better half of 2020 and 2021 jamming out new material.”  




“One of the signature sounds of Ninth Circle comes from the brain and fingers of Mr.Dennis Brown”, says Frank while describing the writing process for the band. “Jeff Prentice, our producer, pointed out on Echo Black that we didn’t have a signature song like a Frontman or All or Nothing. Those songs come directly from the hands and brain of Dennis. Our songwriting styles are different. I’m a bit all over the place with thrash, power metal, and little bit of glam and straight ahead rock n roll. Whereas, when Dennis writes a song it’s very unique. You can tell it’s Dennis in the same way you can tell Eddie’s (Van Halen) styles. Once you hear it, you know exactly who it is.”  


Drummer, Richie Brooks adds, "I feel like Dennis is like what Steve Clark was to Def Leppard. He has a signature feel and vibe to his songs."


Frank goes on, “So after hearing that from Jeff, I made a conscious effort to leave more space for Dennis to throw in some ideas and encourage him to really push himself this time. Dennis has crafted about five great Ninth Circle songs this time around. All of which I anticipate will make the record, they always do!”  


Dennis adds" We are definitely looking forward to bringing these songs to life! With Richie now involved in the process, we've been able to focus our efforts on new ideas and songs that we all feel have great potential. We didn't force ideas where we may have in the past.” 
 
“One of the things I’m really looking forward to this time is working with Richie [Brooks] in the studio,” explains Frank. “He’s a musician’s musician. He plays multiple instruments proficiently. He can sing like nobody’s business. He’s a super enthusiastic and positive guy too! It’s going to be a really nice adventure this time.”  


Richie describes his thoughts on recording, "This will be my first go around with these guys and I really want to put out a great album!! I'm working hard on a lot of stuff in my drumming and trying to bring a little of each of my influences into the recordings. We are doing the recording a different way than usual for Ninth Circle. I will be last to record, so I will have a virtual blank canvas to work from. Should be a really fun time!

David Shankle, the mastermind behind the David Shankle Group, confirmed the passing of their former drummer Michael McCarron. He was 56 years old.

David Shankle's statement as follows: Absolutely devastated one of my best friends, Michael R McCarran, I am in shock before I can even speak my words - yet to gain my composure - of my best friend, musical friend, that I've known for over 40 years of my life is gone. My heart is completely shattered. He also played drums on the track the Hitman from the last DSG CD Still a Warrior and has done pre- production with me on every DSG record I've ever done alongside Jay Walsh. You will truly be missed and love you my brother."

Genocide Pact return with their eponymous new, Self-Titled album out December 3. Listen to Genocide Pact’s new song “Purged Flesh” below.


Vocalist/Guitarist Tim Mullaney comments on the new song:


"This was the first song to materialize for this record. It was kind of a mashup of two ideas- one being a heavy, standard verse chorus rock and roll ass beater and the other being psychedelic but in a negative way. I guess my idea was to have it sound like Jimi Hendrix if he hated everything and had a horrible attitude. Lyrically, this song deals with getting dealt a shitty hand in life and trying to self-medicate and eventually realizing that you are running away from your problems on a treadmill and getting nowhere."




The fury behind Genocide Pact captures the band's collective frustrations and personal journeys through these turbulent times.


"You turn on the news and see mass shootings, a global pandemic, endless war, and corporations and politicians trying to sell you bullshit. You pick up your phone and another friend or family member has died. On top of that, you’re broke as fuck and work endlessly for a boss that doesn’t even know your name. You find yourself paranoid, pissed off, and embracing nihilism," Tim Mullaney says.


Genocide Pact have learned to embrace the negativity, churning out one of 2021's ugliest and unforgiving records.


Genocide Pact is out December 3 on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical pre-orders are available here. Digital downloads / streaming here.





Tracklisting:


"Led To Extinction"
"Perverse Dominion"
"Fossilized Future"
"Mutilated Vision"
"Deprive / Degrade"
"Purged Flesh"
"Barbaric Regression"
"Industrial Obedience"


"Purged Flesh":





"Perverse Dominion" video:





Genocide Pact is:


Mike Nolan - Bass
Connor Donegan - Drums
Tim Mullaney - Guitars/Vocals
Demir Soyer - Guitars


(Photo - Brian Boeckman)

Rockshots Records has announced their signing of Amoth for the release of their third album The Hour Of The Wolf on January 28, 2022.


Amoth is a melodic progressive heavy metal band with progressive elements from Helsinki, Finland. Their upcoming album The Hour Of The Wolf is a huge leap forward compared to their previous recordings Revenge (2016), Crossing Over (2011), and Wounded Faith (EP) (2008).


"This is by far our best album yet! Superior performances from all of the musicians. Much better production and songwriting. It’s not a fast-food album. Some of the songs are quite complex so it takes probably more than one listen to really get into!” comments Amoth guitarist and main songwriter Tomi Ihanamäki.




Amoth’s roots are strongly founded on ‘80s heavy metal, but branch out in different directions with elements from progressive rock, thrash, and even jazz brought to the table.


The new album features Pekka Montin of Ensiferum once again as the lead vocalist and for the first time, there are also keyboards on an Amoth recording. Fans can expect insane vocals and virtuoso-like playing from all members of the band. The nine songs are very diverse, taking sudden twists and turns into unexplored territory. Amoth even offers up two Steve Vai / Joe Satriani-style instrumentals on this new full-length with tracks "Wind Serenade Part I" and "Wind Serenade Part II".


The band is currently streaming the first single "The Man Who Watches The World Burn", a track loosely based on the Joker character from the Batman movies. It is also the only down-tuned song on the whole album and has a bass solo.


"The world is burning before your very eyes, how do you react? It’s a new world and it’s in chaos and you must adjust to that idea."


Preorder at Rockshots Records.





Tracklisting:


“Alice”
“The Man Who Watches The World Burn”
“Wounded Faith”
“Wind Serenade Part I”
“Wind Serenade Part II”
“We Own The Night”
“It Ain’t Over Yet”
“Traces In The Snow”
“The Hour Of The Wolf”


“The Man Who Watches The World Burn” video:

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the addition of SheWolf to the label's roster. SheWolf is a new band built around the unique, powerful, and versatile voice of the Greek singer Angel Wolf - Black (Bare Infinity, Vivaldi Metal Project, and more). Combining a mixture of symphonic elements, folk vibes, and heavy/power metal riffing, SheWolf’s music stands out for its superb personality and bombastic impact.


Supported by her unknown wolves, The Hunter (guitars), The Predator (bass), and The Alpha (drums), Angel, The Shaman, is summoning the forces of nature to roam every known land and bring the music of SheWolf to the world.


Angel Wolf-Black says, "Every 116 years the stars align. It is time for the Shaman to rise again and call the Gathering of the Wolves. From the East to the West, the North to the South, we meet at our sacred place to renew our vows. We are the night. We are the cry. We are the beast. We are SheWolf.”




The band's label debut is currently planned for release in 2022.

California trad metallers White Wizzard wish to make the following statement in regard to their plans for 2022 and beyond.


Bassist and founder Jon Leon:


“I’m super excited to welcome Giles Lavery to the White Wizzard fold as our new lead singer and also as it happens... our worldwide manager. 




“As a manager Giles has built up a steady roster and proven himself to people in the industry worldwide as a solid dependable person that gets shit done ... after that, as we searched for the right singer, coupled with my listening deeply to his last band he sang for called Dragonsclaw, and seeing what I feel is so much potential in him, I offered him the lead vocalist role.


“I feel, merged with me as a writer....that he can ascend into a world class frontman and bring us into the stratosphere, it’s a perfect pairing both musically and professionally. He is a pros pro and that’s what WW needs on the mic. 


“We have been a band that, though we have had four world class well reviewed and revered albums released, has gone through a bit of madness and hell, and we have lacked a manager that was a true professional with vision, and Giles I believe has what it takes to fill that void to complete the circle for us to finally realize the goal of this band I set when I formed it in 2007. 


“I have remained the consistent sole songwriter of this band in spite of our setbacks, and I’m writing the most smoking inspired material of my life right now, our guitarists are also contributing more. 


“To that end we are armed with what I feel is the best two lead guitar tandem in our genre right now in original member and most underrated guitarist James J LaRue and the complementary blistering fire of Will Wallner... In a couple years those guys will be more respected worldwide I can promise you that. And let’s not forget our other new addition Jonathan Brown on drums. He looks like the love child of Ginger Baker and he plays efficient and energetic with glistening red testicles of steel, Ladies are spellbound by his chops and “skills” both on and off the stage. 


“We plan on releasing albums until we drop dead …..and we are on a mission. This band was started for one reason, that being; musical passion. 


“This is a lineup of good guys that I’m confident will not let the fan base down like the past, be it pulling out of tours last minute or choosing addictions or ulterior motives over the fans. That won’t happen with this group of people. 


“And in the words of the late great genius Norm Macdonald - Don’t do crack….”


Giles Lavery adds:


“I am very excited to get back to doing what got me into this business in the first place, and that is singing, although my management business is thriving and remains a strong focus, I remain first and foremost a singer and musician... One example, as much as I admire Rod Smallwood, I had a picture of Bruce on my wall as a teenager not Rod! 


“We are now going to get busy with the new White Wizzard tunes and I’m currently getting up to speed with their catalog, of course which I am a fan of....I was singing ‘Kings Of The Highway’ just today! I am thrilled to be a part of Jon's vision and appreciate the faith he has put in me.”

US modern deathcore heavyweights, Signs Of The Swarm, have released a video for "Hymns Ov Invocation", the opening track of their new album, Absolvere, out now via Unique Leader. Watch the clip below, and order / save Absolvere here.





Tracklisting:




"Hymns Ov Invocation"
"Boundless Manifestations"
"Dreaming Desecration"
"Totem"
"Nameless"
"Absolvere"
"Revelations Ov A Silent King"
"Hollow Prison" (Feat. Alex Erian of Despised Icon)
"Blood Seal"
"Death Whistle"


"Hymns Ov Invocation" video:





"Death Whistle" video:





"Hollow Prison" video:





"Totem" video:

Halestorm recently launched the new video series, Tales From The Dead. The third episode is now available. Watch all three segments below.


Says the band: "Who else loves the spooky season?!! Here are Tales From the Dead with Halestorm."













Halestorm recently revealed “Back From The Dead”, their first new song since 2018’s Vicious album, and the first single from their upcoming album expected in 2022.





The band have released behind the scenes footage from the video shoot for “Back From The Dead”, which can be seen below, along with the official video. Directed by Dustin Haney (Noah Cyrus, Luke Combs) and produced by Revolution Pictures, the clip features Lzzy and the band in a morgue and cemetery somewhere between life and death.


“’Back From The Dead’ is about survival, not in a physical sense, even though I know we all have been touched by death especially these last few years,” said Lzzy Hale. “This song is personal and written from a mental health perspective. I wanted to give myself and the world a hard rock song we could shout out loud as the gates opened again. I was on the edge of this world getting completely lost in oblivion, but even though it was the harder of two choices, I didn’t just let the darkness and depression in my mind dig me an early grave. I didn’t just sit and let it take me. I’ve erased my name from my headstone, so save your prayers, I’m back! I hope this song, as I pass it on to you, reminds YOU of your strength individually and that you are not alone.”








(Photo - Jimmy Fontaine)

Exodus return with their eleventh studio album, Persona Non Grata, out November 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. In this new video trailer, guitarist Lee Altus talks about the making of the album:





Literally translating to “an unwelcome” or “unacceptable” person, Persona Non Grata touches on themes of modern societal disgust and degradation. The band gathered at Tom Hunting's house in the mountains where they produced and recorded Persona Non Grata from three home-built studios . Steve Lagudi was at the helm of engineering while the band enlisted Andy Sneap of Backstage Studios to mix the album. For the third time in the band’s history, they returned to Swedish artist Par Olofsson to create the album artwork.







Persona Non Grata will be available in the following formats:


- CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!)
- T-Shirt + CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!)
- T-Shirt
- Cassette – Tinted Red
- CD Jewel + Blu-ray Bonus Disc (Jam Camp!) Long Box (Decibel Magazine Exclusive)
- Double LP
 * Black
 * Red & Mustard Swirl W/ Black Splatter
 * Electric Blue W/ Black & Bone
 * Gold & Bone Swirl W. Black and Mint Green Splatter
 * Green in Mustard W/ Red Splatter
 * Mint Green & Brown W/ Cyan Splatter (EMP Exclusive)
 * Purple & Yellow Swirl W/ Mint Green & Bone Splatter (UK Indie Exclusive)
 * Bone & Beer Swirl W/ Red & Brown Splatter (Revolver Magazine Exclusive)
 * Red & Mustard Swirl W/ Black Splatter (Rebellion Republic Exclusive)
 * Blue Swirl W/ Bone * Black Splatter (U.S. Indie Exclusive)
- Mail Order Boxset – Limited to 2,000 pieces worldwide
 * Orange, Red Swirl W/ Black Splatter
 * 20 page booklet
 * Slipmat
 * CD + Blu-ray Bonus Disc
 * Patch
 * Flag


Pre-order here. Pre-save here.





Tracklisting:


"Persona Non Grata"
"R.E.M.F."
"Slipping Into Madness"
"Elitist"
"Prescribing Horror"
"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)"
"The Years of Death and Dying"
"Clickbait"
"Cosa Del Pantano"
"Lunatic-Liar-Lord"
"The Fires of Division"
"Antiseed"


"The Years Of Death And Dying" lyric video:





"Clickbait" lyric video:





"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)":





"The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)" video:





Trailers:

Symphonic metal outfit, Ad Infinitum, return with their bewitching second offering, Chapter II - Legacy, out this Friday, October 29, via Napalm Records. The band have released a video for the new single, "Animals".


"Animals" leaves a lasting impression right from the very first second with its remarkable, powerful opening. The song nourishes itself on an orchestral foundation of epic strings and poignant piano, steadily accompanied by thundering drums and passionate guitar riffs. In harmony with frontwoman Melissa Bonny's multi-faceted voice, which ranges from lovely, goosebump-inducing highs to vibrant growls, "Animals" becomes a brilliant symphony of energetic and melodic soundscapes with an added metalcore-like touch without losing Ad Infinitum’s signature roots.
 
Ad Infinitum on the new single: “The release of Chapter II - Legacy is just around the corner but before we unveil this second album, we have one more song to present. 'Animals' is a powerful cinematic track that will transport you from Heaven to Hell and back. Would you exchange your humanity for immortality?”







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.





Tracklisting:


"Reinvented"
"Unstoppable"
"Inferno"
"Your Enemy"
"Afterlife" (feat. Nils Molin)
"Breathe"
"Animals"
"Into The Night"
"Son Of Wallachia"
"My Justice, Your Pain"
"Haunted"
"Lullaby"


“Afterlife” video:





"Unstoppable" video:





Ad Infinitum are:


Melissa Bonny - Vocals
Adrian Thessenvitz - Guitars
Korbinian Benedict - Bass
Niklas Müller – Drums


(Photo - Nat Enemede - Fine Art)

Orphaned Land celebrate their 30th anniversary. Three decades of creating music, performing live shows around the globe and spreading the message of peace.


For this very special occasion the band releases a Ltd. CD box set including eight CDs featuring six full-length albums and a bonus song collection from the past 30 years on two extra CDs. The box also contains an extended 112-page booklet with special liner notes for each album from Kobi Farhi.







Being proud of their career and happy about this special anniversary frontman Kobi Farhi states: “Wow... it's unbelievable 30 years have gone already! Looking back, we feel so proud we succeeded to extend the metal scene from the well-known American, South American, European & Scandinavian scenes, we made it wider when we started the 'Oriental Metal’ genre and introduced metal from the Middle East to the world, since 1991. Cheers for the next 30 years!“


World famous stars commented on the musical work of the band. These are only a few statements from the past:


Kirk Hammett (Metallica) - "Orphaned Land are singing about the troubles in the Middle East and I really like what they are doing!"


Ozzy Osbourne - "The Best Hardrock band came out of the Middle East"


Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) - "One of the best metal bands not just in Israel, but in the whole world"


Steve Hackett (Genesis) - "Orphaned Land combines an operatic quality and world music exotica with driving rock sensibility"


Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) - "What keeps me so thrilled about it is this perfect blend of different musical cultures and the constant wave of emotions these guys have woven together in a stroke of genius. All of their work is a strong statement for humanity"


Available in December, 30 Years Of Oriental Metal will be available as Ltd. 8CD Box Set including a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity and can be pre-ordered here.





Lineup:


Kobi Farhi - Vocals
Chen Balbus - Guitars
Idan Amsalem - Guitars
Uri Zelcha Bass -
Matan Shmuely - Drums


(Photo - Zohar Ron / Zoharon - Photograph)

WarCall is not done with 2021 just yet... they still have more fight in them and fury of metal to unleash upon the masses with part 2 from their Dead End EP series.


Standing up for all the fights we are fighting on a daily basis. WarCall represents the struggle in life and the challenges we have to rise to. We get called to war every day and it is up to us to step up and face our fears. The DIY Canadian quartet heeds this mantra, consistently pushing boundaries with their fast and dramatic metal music. 


Unleashed via their own label Plan B Music, the beginning of the "Dead End" series, Pt.1 was unveiled in April, which was in-your-face, old-school-inspired metal, whereas Pt. 2, slated for November 26 is more progressive and atmospheric. 




The band comments: 


“Overall, the two EPs together are a collection of 9 songs, 9 stories about struggle. We have let the events of 2020 influence the process and the mood of the two EPs, while still aiming for a timeless production that will age well in time. The title and artwork represent the doom and gloom of life in the year 2020 and how the human race reacts in the face of death and uncertainty. With the impossibility to meet to even take a band picture, WarCall presents themselves as fictional post-apocalyptic warriors, a subtle comment and nod to the current events that marked the year 2020. And while more atmospheric in their nature, the 5 songs from Dead End pt. 2 are delivered in a raw package. At first, we wanted to work on the songs a little more in order to achieve a different atmosphere than Dead End pt. 1. We experimented with sounds and textures to add in the places we thought needed it, but each time, we preferred the original version. In the end, we chose to go ahead with the songs as they are in their purest form."


In preview to Dead End Pt. 2, WarCall is sharing its lead single "Intoxicated" with a DIY music video. The band explains further:


"The first single from Dead End pt. 2, ‘Intoxicated’ is a good representation of the thrash metal side of the band with its fast-paced riffing for a no-nonsense mosher. The challenge we gave ourselves for this song was to be able to come up with something interesting, not too repetitive with only four riffs. Interesting approach. For the video clip, it is a not-too-serious, DIY film about the gig scene every underground band is going through these days."


BraveWords is premiering the new video for “Intoxicated” – grab a beer and watch below!





Totally authentic, with a wide range of influences ranging from old-school death and thrash metal, WarCall is recommended for fans of Testament, Exodus, Anthrax and Dissection.


Dead End Pt. 2 will only be released digitally on November 26, 2021 via Plan B Music.





Tracklisting:


“Intoxicated”
“Black Amber”
“Off Road”
“Control Denied”
“Venom”


(Photo credit / artwork: Timur Khabirov)

Musclebound metal superhero Thor may have finally met his match! In a fantastic new animated video, perfectly timed for the Halloween season, the metal deity is kidnapped by a dark, mysterious figure who turns out to be none other than the dreaded “Queen Of The Spiders,” as heard about on Thor’s newest album, this year’s Alliance! 


The evil seductress traps our hero in a hellish lair while her spidery minions creepily crawl over webs in an apparent attempt to feast on the legendary metal singer. With twists and turns aplenty, the video is a dazzlingly inventive showcase for both the superb design skills of Brazilian animator Steve Cavalcanti of Tivo Studios as well as the classic metal stylings of Thor that is sure to get your spine tingling this Halloween season!







Be sure to check out Alliance, which features stellar guest appearances from the likes of W.A.S.P.'s Chris Holmes, Raven vocalist John Gallagher, Danko Jones, Anthrax's Neil Turbin, Ross “The Boss” Friedman and many more.


Order the CD and vinyl here. Order/save the digital edition here.





Tracklisting:


“We Need Musclerock” feat. John Gallagher (Raven)
“Niflhel (Realm Of The Dead)” feat. Björn Strid (Soilwork)
“The Ultimate Alliance” feat. Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P.), Ross “The Boss” Friedman (Manowar), Nina Osegueda (A Sound Of Thunder) & Fang VonWrathenstein (Lords Of The Trident)
“Ode To Odin” feat. Dan Cleary (Striker)
“We Will Fight Forever” feat. Neil Turbin (Anthrax)
“Because We Are Strong”
“Rock Around The World” feat. Danko Jones
“Queen Of The Spiders” feat. Frank Soda (The Imps)
“Power Hungry”
“Bounty Hunter” feat. Frank Meyer (The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs) & Dennis Post (Warrior Soul)
“Battlements” feat. Trevor William Church (Haunt)
“Thor vs. The Juggernaut (War Of The Gods)” feat. Sean Peck (Death Dealer)
“Generation Now” feat. Joey Killingsworth (Joecephus & The George Jonestown Massacre)
“After The Laughter” feat. Martin Gummesson (Thundermaker)
“Good Stuff” feat. Al Harlow (Prism)
“Congregate” feat. Joey Roads & Sheldon Byer (Roadrash)
“We Will Fight Forever” (Reprise)


“Because We Are Strong” video:





Niflhel (Realm Of The Dead)":





“The Ultimate Alliance” video:

In a new interview with Joshua Toomey of the "Talk Toomey" podcast, David Ellefson was asked if he was nervous to see what people were going to say following his dismissal from MEGADETH five months ago, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist and a woman that is not his wife were posted on Twitter. "A hundred percent," the bassist responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Back in May, I was nervous to go to Starbucks. I went way off the radar and I just shut everything down. And I sought some counseling and therapy. I'm in the recovery community, and thank God they were very supportive, of course, 'cause that's what we do.

"[When] these big challenges come along in life, as we all have, whatever they are, you're forced to go, 'All right, This is bigger than me. This is more than I can deal with,'" he continued. "So, to go seek outside help — just go, 'What the fuck, man? I don't know. A bomb just went off and I'm fucking bleeding and my house burned down and there's shrapnel everywhere' — I'm glad that I had that.

"A lot of people, they would text and send me stuff. [And I was, like], 'Would you please stop sending me this shit? You're not helping me. You think you're my friend. If you wanna be my friend… Leave me alone or be supportive.' So that, I think, didn't help — the news frenzy that happens around this stuff. I think it's more for their fun than mine. Look, I'm glad I was able to provide such entertainment for everybody — a couple of weeks of some top news stories. You're welcome. And that gets shitty — the stuff that that gets pulled, and pulling my family into it.

"But, you know, look, it's rock and roll, man," Ellefson added. "You wanted to be a rock star, you wanted to be a musician, you wanted to be out there doing it… When you're in our line of work, if you're at all in the spotlight, be ready for the dark shades of the spotlight to swoop over you at times too — 'cause it does, and that's the reality of it.

"That's the thing, is I think all of us, we all look at someone else's life and go, 'Wouldn't it be great to be them?' And it's, like, man, if you only knew what was going on in their life, you'd probably gladly take all your problems back. You'd go, 'Yeah, that doesn't look as good as I thought, when it's behind the scenes.'

"We're all human. We've all got stuff. And I think that's what happens with these things — there are these moments when your humanness comes out. We all have our idols, we all have our heroes, but lo and behold, they bleed too. They're human, and that's kind of the way it goes."

Shortly after explicit video of him emerged online, 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.

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.

David and his wife have been married for 27 years. They have two children.

BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski was recently interviewed by the band's former guitarist Mateusz Śmierzchalski for the latter's "h23" podcast. During the lengthy conversation, which can be seen in two parts below, Nergal touched upon his policy for how he deals with fans when they approach him during dinner at restaurants to ask for a photo. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My good friend, he was telling me some stories with some iconic people in L.A. And one of my absolutely favorite stories from his is… He was just a kiddo waiting outside some shows, and he would just come across Ozzy Osbourne. And he's telling me, 'Man, Ozzy Osbourne was cool. He [let me] take a photo. And they were super friendly and cool. And then I ended up at this party and I see there's fucking Anthony Kiedis [RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS] standing in front of me, so I just approached him in the most polite way, and I just asked him' — that is amazing; I love it — I just patted him on the back and he just turned towards me, and I just asked him in a super-polite way, 'Anthony, would you mind if I take a photo with you?' And he goes, like, [in an assertive way] 'Absolutely not.'"

Nergal went on to say that he appreciated Anthony's direct approach in turning down his friend's photo request. "I can't love it more than I do," he said. "I think it's amazing. You know why? Because you actually… I mean, it's cool if people do that [take pictures with fans]. I usually do that, but on many occasions, fans, they're just all over you. They don't know where the boundaries are; they don't feel that. You're in a restaurant having a date with a lady, and [they approach you excitedly], 'Can we take a photo?' 'No.' And somehow [the Kiedis story] inspired me to say 'no' in a very assertive but polite way. So I have no problems with saying, 'I'm sorry. This is a private meeting. I'm having a date. Hopefully next time.' And I'm happy to see their reactions, which, nine out of 10 [times], are, like, 'I respect that. Sorry for disturbing. See you next time. Can I just shake your hand?' 'Of course you can.' And that is cool. And I developed that skill to say 'no' in a polite way because sometimes you must say no."

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

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

During an interview with TWISTED SISTER bassist Mark "The Animal" Mendoza's Internet show "22 Now", former DREAM THEATER and current THE WINERY DOGS drummer Mike Portnoy once again spoke about a hypothetical scenario in which he would be chosen to tour with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson as the replacement for late RUSH drummer Neil Peart. Asked if he would be interested in taking that gig, Portnoy said: "Of course. That would be a dream to play with those guys. But I don't wanna see the Blabbermouth headline right now, me thinking that I deserve the gig. I'm not saying that. You're asking me a question. Hypothetically, of course, it would be a dream come true. Neil was my hero, and always will be, and Geddy and Alex are as well.

"I don't think in a million years they'll play without him; I really don't," he continued. "But in a hypothetical dream scenario, I mean, come on — of course. But I don't think in a zillion years it will happen. But it's a nice dream to hypothetically wonder about. But I honestly don't think it would ever happen. But who knows? You never know.

"As much as hypothetically it would be fun, it would be amazing, it would also be an impossible role to fill," Portnoy added. "It's a no-win situation. Really, it would be impossible, 'cause his fans are as obsessive as they get — and count me amongst them. So, yeah, that would be a tough one."

Mike also talked about RUSH's final tour which concluded at the Forum in Los Angeles on August 1, 2015. Peart indicated at the time that he wanted to retire while he was still able to play well, along with a desire to spend more time at home with his young daughter.

"They went out on such a high," Portnoy said. "Their last tour was a farewell tour. I don't think anybody expected Neil to pass, but they wanted to stop touring, so they really went out with such an amazing tour. That tour was just so well done, so perfectly executed, and they went out with all three of them still at the top of their game. So I give them all the credit in the world for that. It's just sad that Neil didn't get many years to enjoy the retirement before he got sick. That saddens me."

A year and a half ago, Portnoy spoke to World Prog-Nation about how Peart influenced him on a musical and personal level. He said: "I spent 20, 30 years idolizing him and being his biggest fan. And all those years, it was mainly the drum kit — the drum kit was such a fascination for me. He always built such amazing kits and put so much thought into it. I'd always get the tour programs where he'd write about the kit and what the new things were on it, and I would just look at those photos. Most other kids were looking at Playboy centerfolds; I was looking at Neil Peart drum kits. And then, obviously, his playing — it goes without saying. I learned how to really develop parts and orchestrate drum parts to build and change and develop within the song. So that was the biggest stuff for me as a fan. And then later on, once I got to know him, I was so inspired by what a gracious person he was."

Mike added: "He had this reputation that he was sort of quiet and isolated and private, and he was, and it was very important for him to guard that. But once you were somehow allowed into that inner cicle, he was always so sweet and kind and generous. He'd always send me holiday e-mails and he would always send me his new books and stuff like that. It was a relationship that I'll always cherish and I was honored to have."

RUSH announced Peart's passing on January 10, 2020, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.


22 NOW | Ep. 80: Mike Portnoy

Mark sits down with special guest Mike Portnoy for a brand new episode of 22 NOW!

Posted by Area 22 Productions on Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Former JUDAS PRIEST and ICED EARTH singer Tim "Ripper" Owens spoke to the "Rock Down South" podcast about the worst show he has ever played in his career. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The ICED EARTH show that I did at the Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan. It was the last show of the tour — probably 'The Glorious Burden' tour, maybe, I think. And I lost my voice. When I got there, I had no voice at all. It was just horrible. I'll never forget it. And then I had a JUDAS PRIEST show like that too. We did an American run when I made the band for the 'Jugulator' tour. And then we went to Europe. And the second show, I think it was, I'd lost my voice. And at that time, I'd never really lost my voice on something like that. And I was so embarrassed and upset. I thought, 'These guys are gonna yell at me.' We were on stage and I remember [telling] Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist], 'I don't think I can do 'Victim Of Changes'.' I'd never taken a song out of our setlist in my life. I could sing 'Breaking The Law' or 'Grinder' — there's plenty of songs I can do without… The problem is 'Victim Of Changes' has that high note at the end, and if nothing comes out of my mouth, it's gonna be pretty embarrassing. But that was really bad. So those two shows still stick out… Not that I've not had crappy shows since then — shows that I've probably lost my voice — but that show, I really think about that all the time."

In a 2015 interview with CantonRep.com, Owens said that he discovered he could sing in such a high register when he was still in high school. "I just started singing along to those PRIEST records," he said. "It kind of came natural for me to sing that way. The good thing now is I can sing all kinds of styles. Sometimes I look at it now and wish I didn't sing those high notes. [Laughs] But if I had done that or done a different style, I probably wouldn't be here today."

Asked if it was hard to keep his voice in shape singing the way he does, Owens said: "It's easier when I'm touring, strangely enough. When you're on tour, you live that. I sleep a lot. I drink a lot of water. I really live to sing. That's my job, so I better do it good. When I'm home, it's a lot harder to sing for the occassional show. It's harder to maintain."

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

Owens is currently in a new band called KK'S PRIEST with ex-JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing, along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", was released on October 1 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records

ANTHRAX's Frank Bello has commented on the band's 1992 split with singer Joey Belladonna, saying "it was tough, but at that time that needed to happen." The bassist reflected on Belladonna's exit while chatting to Eonmusic about his just-published autobiography "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons - Surviving Anguish, Abandonment And Anthrax". Frank also spoke about how much his loves both eras of the band: the Belladonna years, and the John Bush period, which ran from 1992 until 2005.

Said Bello: "I see ANTHRAX as two different bands — as a fan, not only as a bandmember. I just think they're two different bands that I'm a big fan of. I really love all the songs from each band. With John, you have a different voice — you have more of a raspy voice — and Joey's got the cleaner [tone]."

Going on to talk about the Bush-fronted catalog, Bello said: "I really enjoy — now I can listen to it — seeing John. I love John. This is all a family thing, you know what I mean? Sometimes families separate and come back. With John Bush, that was a good time in our life."

He continued: "We came back with Joey, this is the ANTHRAX that we know and love, and I love the John Bush ANTHRAX, so for me, it's a win-win. People have their favorites — I get it — but for me, both are my favorites because I think there's such a great catalog of music, and I really enjoyed both terms."

When asked how it was for him, personally, when Belladonna departed, he admitted: "It was tough. Nobody wants to make that move. It was a very tough time in the band. But you know what, at that time, that needed to happen."

Finally, when asked what his favorite Bush-era tracks are, Frank offered: "'Room For One More', 'Only'. There's the big ones. There's just so many. The thing is, I'm proud to say in my band, ANTHRAX, there's a plethora of songs that I would love to play. 'Inside Out', I love that song. It's just a fun song, it's heavy as hell, it punches you in the face. There's so many like that. I can go back and look at these records, and for me, when I think of these songs it brings be back to the studio time and then the writing of it. We've had nothing but great times in the history, writing this stuff and recording them."

Read the entire in-depth chat at Eonmusic.

Back in March 2010 — just a couple of months before Belladonna rejoined ANTHRAX — ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian and his wife Pearl Aday appeared on an episode of VH1's "That Metal Show" and took part in the program's "The Throwdown" feature, where the guests and the hosts debated who was the best singer for ANTHRAX: Bush or Belladonna. Countering co-host Eddie Trunk's point that ANTHRAX was in a unique position with Belladonna in the band of being able to "play incredible speed metal" while having "someone who could sing like a bird," Ian said: "We didn't need a bird; we needed a lion." After Pearl offered that she was a "huge fan" of "The Greater Of Two Evils", a collection of re-recorded older ANTHRAX tunes with Bush on vocals instead of Belladonna, Ian said: "And that's the way we, as ANTHRAX, wanted to hear those songs."

Belladonna, whose most recent return to ANTHRAX was officially announced in May 2010, was originally the lead singer of ANTHRAX from 1984 to 1992, and was considered part of the band's classic lineup (alongside Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante), which reunited and toured during 2005 and 2006. His voice was featured on over 10 albums, which reportedly sold eight million copies worldwide.

Speaking to Radio Metal in August 2011, ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante was asked about Ian's "That Metal Show" comments. He said: "I think Scott had to eat some of the words he said about that. But he only said that because I think he left things off with Joey kind of bad, and their relationship wasn't very well back then when he said that. And I think Scott just harbored some ill feelings towards Joey and I think that's kind of why he made that statement, you kn

Yngwie Malmsteen has once again praised Eddie Van Halen, saying the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist "changed everything."

The 58-year-old Swedish axeman, who is promoting his latest album, "Parabellum", discussed Eddie's impact on guitar playing during a live YouTube chat with fans on Thursday (October 21).

He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What can you say about Eddie? I mean, he changed everything. I had already been playing for a while when I heard him. And it was a complete, like, it was, like, 'Wow!' The whole band, when it came out — the first [VAN HALEN] album. Everybody I knew would hack up their Strats and put humbuckers and start tapping and stuff like this. I didn't wanna do that, because that's Eddie and let Eddie be Eddie. But he influenced me in other ways — just to be spontaneous, which I've always been anyway.

"The way they made those first two albums, I loved everything about it. It was so live-in-the-studio kind of thing. And I really love that. It was great — the whole thing.

"Eddie was amazing. God bless him. Amazing. There aren't enough words, really."

Back in May, Yngwie spoke to Aftershocks TV about how he was compared to Eddie early in his career. Asked if he felt the comparisons were justified, Yngwie: "I don't believe in comparing anybody with anybody, because it's supposed to be an artform. However, in art, in any art, there will be trendsetters, basically — there will be people who come around and kind of, like, turn everything upside down, and Edward was definitely one of them. And I brought something different to the table also.

"I personally loved Eddie Van Halen — I thought he was amazing," Yngwie continued. "I loved everything he did since the first time I heard him. But I don't think it's a logical thing to compare artists. It's like [comparing Pablo] Picasso and [Leonardo] Da Vinci, which are completely different styles, but they're very well-regarded artists in their own right. It's a crazy thing to do."

Back in 2019, Malmsteen named Van Halen as one of the 10 guitarists who impressed him the most.

"I was 13 years old when that first fuckin' [VAN HALEN] album came out and it definitely caught my attention," Yngwie told Music Radar. "I wasn't into guitar players back then; it was all about classical. But what I loved about them was the rawness of it all — no overdubs; they just went in and fucking did it.

"He didn't have a Floyd Rose for those early records; it was just a vintage Fender bridge. I found those kind of locking vibrato arms kills the sound of the guitar. I use vintage trems and float my bridges quite a bit — usually about 5mm up so you can pull up, but not the whole way. Eddie's tone was great: just a 1959 Marshall all the way up and nothing turned down."

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

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx says that Vince Neil is "on the mend" after breaking his ribs during a concert earlier in the month.

Fan-filmed video showed the 60-year-old CRÜE singer walking to the front of the stage while performing with his solo band on October 15 at the Monsters On The Mountain festival at LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. With his guitar strapped around him, Neil was encouraging the crowd to clap along while playing the 1989 MÖTLEY CRÜE hit "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" when he suddenly fell and dropped out of the camera's view almost instantly.

TMZ later reported that there was a small gap between the speaker and the stage that Neil didn't notice. His roadie and a security guy helped him get to his feet, and Vince "limped away."

Now, in a new interview with Billboard, Sixx said the festival crew didn't put down reflective tape to mark the edge of the stage, which led to the fall.

"Without that, it's all completely black, so you can walk forward thinking there's still stage there and fall off," Sixx explained. "I've done that myself. Vince and I were laughing about one time we both fell off the stage at the same show. But he was really lucky. He said if it wasn't a song that he was playing rhythm guitar on it could've been his head, which would've been a worse injury. The guitar broke his fall. But he'll heal up and we'll be ready to go on tour [with MÖTLEY CRÜE] in June."

According to Nikki, he and his CRÜE bandmates are looking foreard to "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, which was originally scheduled to take place last summer but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"This tour's been (postponed) twice," he said. "We just didn't have enough information at the time, with protocols and all, to go and do a stadium tour. We're all feeling good about it now, and we can't wait, man."

This past May, Neil apologized to fans at his first pandemic-era performance when he began losing his voice several songs into his set.

Last month, Vince revealed that he was trying out a new toning machine in an apparent effort to get in shape for "The Stadium Tour". The singer said he was using Emsculpt Neo, a revolutionary new treatment which supposedly builds muscle and reduces fat using both radio frequency and high-intensity electromagnetic energies.

It's not clear how long Neil will need to recover from his injuries, but Mayo Clinic claims broken ribs usually heal on their own in one or two months.






That explains why I lost track of him in this video. I apparently captured the fall at the end of this clip. Totally agree that he looked great and was singing great. Hope the X-rays are clear and you bounce back quickly @thevinceneil pic.twitter.com/jfWT6c3rVb

— Darrell Jenkins (@bigdoftn) October 16, 2021








So, Vince Neil took the stage tonight and into the third song he fell off the stage and broke his ribs.

Check it out

Posted by Joe Wintrow on Friday, October 15, 2021





Breaking News from Metal Sludge!

Vince Neil has fallen at tonight’s Monsters on the Mountain festival and is being taken to a local area hospital now. pic.twitter.com/ahERWH34jr

— metalsludge (@MetalSludge) October 16, 2021

Fan-filmed video footage of QUEENSRŸCHE's October 23 performance at Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Washington can be seen below.

For the past four and a half years, Casey Grillo has been filling in for QUEENSRŸCHE's original drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

As previously reported, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against the band's fellow original members Michael Wilton (guitar) and Eddie Jackson (bass) two weeks ago, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge.

In the complaint, which has been obtained by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Rockenfield claims that he took paternal leave of absence from QUEENSRŸCHE in February 2017 after his fiancée experienced complications during the birth of their son and had to have an emergency Cesarean delivery. According to the drummer, his leave of absence was approved by the members of QUEENSRŸCHE and he was to retain an equal one-third interest in all QUEENSRŸCHE companies (QR Companies), including Tri-Ryche Corporation, Melodisc LTD., Queensryche Merchandising, Inc., EMS Music, LLC and Queensryche Holdings, LLC.

Scott alleges that or about October 11, 2018, Wilton and Jackson purportedly "voted to dismiss Rockenfield from the QR Companies due in whole or in part to his taking of approved family leave. Rockenfield was informed of his purported dismissal from the QR Companies in a letter dated November 3, 2018."

Rockfenfield also claims that Wilton and Jackson did not include him in the recording QUEENSRŸCHE's latest album, "The Verdict", "despite his availability and willingness to participate."

The drum tracks on "The Verdict" were laid down by QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre.

Last week, QUEENSRŸCHE's Michael Wilton confirmed that guitarist Mike Stone will likely contribute guitar solos to the band's next studio album.

Since late May, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.
















Preshow with Queensrÿche! Shoutout to 102.5 KZOK: The Classic Rock Station’s Waldo for hanging with the guys before they hit the stage tonight!

Posted by Snoqualmie Casino on Saturday, October 23, 2021

Slash says that GUNS N' ROSES has yet to begin writing new material after recently releasing two reworked songs from the "Chinese Democracy"-era sessions.

Last month, the guitarist and his bandmates dropped "Hard Skool", which came more than a month after their performance and subsequent official release of "Absurd", a reworking of GUNS N' ROSES previously unreleased "Silkworms".

Slash, who is promoting the upcoming "4" album from his solo band SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS, discussed the status of new GUNS N' ROSES music while speaking to Audacy Check In host Remy Maxwell.

"As far as new GUNS is concerned, we haven't even gotten to that point of really in earnest sitting down and writing," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We've been doing a lot of material that's been sort of sitting around for a while. So that will be a whole focused endeavor unto itself."

As for how "Hard Skool" and "Absurd" came about, Slash said: "They both have a lot of history. What happened was Axl [Rose, GUNS singer] has all these songs that he recorded at some point along the way. And so Duff [McKagan, GUNS bassist] and I went in and re-did them, basically… Like, I wrote my own kind of parts to what else is going on, and [we] just sort of took the drums and re-did everything else."

Written by Rose and co-produced by Rose and Caram Costanzo, "Hard Skool", which had the working title "Jackie Chan", was originally recorded during GN'R's "Chinese Democracy" era but was eventually omitted from that album. Short clips of the song were later posted online and a full version was leaked in August 2019.

On "Hard Skool", Axl sings: "But you had to play it cool, had to do it your way/Had to be a fool, had to throw it all away/Too hard school and you thought you were here to stay/ If that were true, it wouldn't matter anyway."

"Hard Skool" is the title track of a new GUNS N' ROSES four-song EP which will be released on February 25, 2022. The effort, which is exclusive to the GUNS N' ROSES official store, contains the two new songs the band released in the last two months — "Hard Skool" and "Absurd" (stylized as "ABSUЯD") — as well as live versions of "Don't Cry" and "You're Crazy".

"Hard Skool" EP track listing:

01. Hard Skool

02. ABSUЯD

03. Don't Cry (Live)

04. You're Crazy (Live)

"Absurd" came out on August 6, three days after GUNS N' ROSES performed the tune live for the first time during its concert at Boston's Fenway Park.

GUNS N' ROSES last performed "Silkworms", which was also reportedly written during the "Chinese Democracy" sessions, in 2001.

If and when it happens, the new GUNS N' ROSES studio album will be the first under the GUNS banner since "Chinese Democracy" and the first to feature Rose, Slash and McKagan since 1993.