BRING ME THE HORIZON continues the carefully executed next phase of its highly successful EP series with the launch of a new single titled "DiE4u". Recorded remotely during the pandemic with frontman Oli Sykes stuck in Brazil and keyboardist Jordan Fish in the U.K., "DiE4u" is part of the second phase of the "Post Human" EP campaign.

The new single, out today via Columbia Records, is another perfectly crafted future emo masterpiece by the U.K. five-piece and comes with a video, shot in Kiev and directed by Sykes.

Oli says: "''DiE4u' is a song about toxic obsessions, vices and things you can't kick. I think a lot of people went through very similar struggles while in lockdown, coming face to face with yourself and seeing who you really are and what's important. The song is a triumphant and emotional one for me because it was a time of realization to kick the things that were no good, and to take the choice in bettering myself. It also connects to a deeper theme about us as a society, and how we need to look at the way we treat ourselves, each other as well as the world."

BRING ME THE HORIZON recently celebrated a U.K. No. 1 with its EP "Post Human: Survival Horror", which has been streamed over 450 million times and sold over 300,000 globally, showcasing the band's incredible drive to explore and push its own creative boundaries during the height of the global pandemic. The EP became one of their most intricate, varied pieces of music thus far and scored them critical acclaim.

The four singles alone from "Post Human: Survival Horror" racked up over 250 million streams across platforms to date.

"DiE4u" comes ahead of a sold-out arena tour in the U.K. and BRING ME THE HORIZON's appearance at SLIPKNOT's Knotfest at Los Angeles's Banc Of California Stadium on November 5.

Photo credit: Reece Owen

In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was asked what it was like to perform the title track of the band's debut album, "Rocka Rolla", for the first time in 45 years at last month's Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Walton-on-Trent, United Kingdom. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I threw that out. We all had a list. I threw that out, and Glenn [Tipton, guitar] went, 'I don't think that's gonna work.' I said, 'I don't think it's gonna work either.' I said, 'But wouldn't it be so cool if we did it, because there is the title track of the first album this band ever made?' And so when we got up into rehearsals and we jammed it, and then Richie [Faulkner, guitar] put a bit of a twist on it — double tempo and made this little bit of an arrangement adjustment — I thought, 'Oh, man. This is definitely gonna work.' So when I did make a little tiny of a blab before we played that song at Bloodstock and then he came in, it just felt euphoric. We'd never, ever, ever in the history of the band played it live, and yet here was… That was when your foot connected with the heavy metal football, and the game was on. So I really loved that.

"I'll tell you what I liked about the arrangement," he continued. "On the flight back to America, I was watching this really cool show that Robert Plant did with the SENSATIONAL SHAPE SHIFTERS at Austin City Limits, and the way that he takes the [LED] ZEPPELIN material and he restructures it. There are still important aspects of the songs that you connect with, but he takes you on a little bit of an adventure. And that's what I felt. When I was on the flight back, I was thinking about 'Rocka Rolla'. And then my mind's going, 'Is there anything else we can do like that?' What's another track that we can possibly look at that might take that kind of twist from something way back in the '70s to 2021. Endless opportunities in music."

For the Bloodstock Open Air appearance, JUDAS PRIEST was rejoined by Tipton for three songs.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's seven years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of JUDAS PRIEST's latest studio album, "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

JUDAS PRIEST's first pandemic-era tour, the rescheduled "50 Heavy Metal Years" North American trek, kicked off this past Wednesday night (September 8) at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania.

In early April, JUDAS PRIEST's European tour, which was scheduled to kick off in late May, was once again postponed due to "ongoing COVID-19 vaccine issues." The trek will now run from May 27, 2022 in Moscow, Russia until July 31, 2022 in Oberhausen, Germany.

ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello, who is currently promoting his upcoming memoir, "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, And Anthrax", spoke to Waste Some Time With Jason Green about his desire to keep his political opinions to himself and focus on uniting people in a time of crisis.

"All I've ever wanted to do is just be a musician to make people feel good," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I wanna be the distraction from the rest of that world — politics, COVID. I wanna be the distraction that gets you away from that; that's what means everything to me. I want you to put on a record, or maybe pick up a bass… If I can inspire that — if this book inspires you to do something proactive and creatively, dude, come on, that's what it's about. 'Cause I think people — get everything out of the way: your politics, I don't give a shit, whatever it is.

"We have one life," he continued. "That's the way I look at it. I have some people, some good friends of mine, who passed from COVID. It's time to just get the politics out of the way and get back together again. It's really important. And think for yourself. You have one life. Use it, man."

"Fathers, Brothers, And Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, And Anthrax" is due on October 12 via Rare Bird. The foreword was written by KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons.

Bello, a member of ANTHRAX since 1984, has sold over ten million albums, traveled the globe more times than he cares to count, and enthralled audiences from the world's biggest stages. His long-awaited memoir would be a gripping read even if its pages only contained stories about his life as a recording and touring musician. While those stories are indeed included — and will blow your mind — Bello also focuses on deeper subjects in "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons". Once you've heard his life story, you'll understand why.

Born into a family of five, Frank grew up in difficult circumstances. His father abandoned his wife and children, and Frank's mother moved heaven and earth to keep them fed and educated. Left with no male role model, Frank found inspiration in heavy metal bass players, following their example and forging a career with ANTHRAX from his early teens — first as a roadie, and then as the group's bass player.

International stardom came Frank's way by the mid-to-late 1980s, when he was still in his early twenties, but tragedy struck in 1996 when his brother Anthony was murdered in New York. Although the case went to trial, the suspected killer was released without charge after a witness, intimidated by violent elements, withdrew his testimony.

Two decades later, Frank is a father himself to a young son. Like many men who grew up without the guidance of a dad, he asks himself important questions about the meaning of fatherhood and how to do the job well. This is the wisdom which "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons" offers readers.

Despite the emotive nature of these topics, "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons" is a funny, entertaining read. A man with a keen sense of humor and the perspective to know how surreal his story has been, Frank doesn't preach or seek sympathy in his book. Instead, he simply passes on the wisdom gained from a lifetime of turbulence, paying tribute to his loved ones in a way that will resonate with us all.

To pre-order a copy, go to this location.

Former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens has clarified his recent comments about Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly changing his COVID-19 recommendations.

Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical advisor, has received criticism from Republican leaders throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with some of them asking him to resign over his handling of COVID-19.

On September 3, Owens, who frequently "likes" tweets that amplify Republican talking points and that are derogatory to Democrats, offered his opinion on the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director while responding to a headline from conservative media outlet The Blaze about Fauci's recent comment that three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are likely needed for full protection.

Tim tweeted: "He changes what he says over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. So we find out masks don't work and vaccines don't work. So wear 5 masks and get 5 vaccines. ( just so you know I'm vaccinated and I wore a mask, oh yea and I've had Covid )".

The 53-year-old singer, who lives in Akron, Ohio, elaborated on his Fauci comments during a brand new interview with Sofa King Cool. When the interviewer said that it's "frustrating" to see official recommendations constantly changing, Owens said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It is frustrating. But then if you say anything about it changing every day, those people will go, 'Oh, you're anti-science 'cause you bring up that it's changing.' And it's, like, no, it just changes every day. I mean, I understand why it's changing every day: we're dealing with something that we don't know what we're dealing with."

He continued: "My girlfriend's a paramedic and my good friend's a doctor. I understand everything that goes on. But these same people that get mad at people [for pointing out the fact that recommendations are constantly changing]… If you went to [an auto mechanic] and got your car fixed, and they said, 'It's gonna be 95 dollars,' and then they called you and said, 'It's gonna be 150,' and you're, like, 'Okay.' And then you picked it up and they go, 'That's two thousand dollars you owe me.' And you're, like, 'What?' And they're, like, 'Well, we found things along the way that changed, and now it's two thousand.' Would those people be, like, 'Okay, I understand. You're a mechanic and things change'? No, they would be pissed off because it's changing.

"I think it's the way we're told," Tim explained. "We're told that this will work and then it doesn't. But instead of saying, 'This might work.' That's the issue. There was no, 'The vaccines might work.' No. When you got a vaccine originally, it was a hundred percent this was gonna clear everything up. I think it's the way it's worded [that is the problem].

"I understand things change," Owens repeated. "I got vaccinated and I wear masks when I have to, just because I wanna go back to work — I wanna tour. I got COVID last year. I had more effects from Mexican food than I did from getting COVID, but I got COVID. I believe it's there. It doesn't hurt me to wear a mask in a supermarket. But it's just things change and it's what we're told. It's crazy what's being said. So nobody knows what's going on. Right now we just wanna get some kind of normalcy. Because we do see no maks being worn when it's all right to riot and loot and protest or go to birthday parties or go to an NBA game or an NFL game or a college football game. Of course, I guess college football games, it isn't okay; now, all of a sudden, they're mad at that. We don't know what the rules are — when concerts are okay, when concerts are not okay.

"Listen, I am, like I said, vaccinated and I call myself a superspreader. Because us vaccinated people are running around town, like, 'Yeah, we're vaccinated,' spreading the shit all over the place. So, it's, like, 'Look at me go. I'm the king.' I probably killed more people last week than Charles Manson did.

"Listen, I get to say all this because I am vaccinated, I do wear a mask and I believe the COVID stuff. But I'm also not stupid to say that vaccinated people are spreading this shit all over the place."

Owens went on to say that "people should get vaccinated. I think especially if you're older or you're unhealthy or you have underlying conditions, you should get vaccinated. I want the world to go back to normal. I wanna tour. I wanna be able to go to the store now and find something on the shelf. I mean, the shelves are empty. I go to my grocery store, and they're fucking empty, man.

"It's funny 'cause you can still be pro-vaccine, believe in COVID, pro-mask, but if you say Fauci changes his mind, you get death threats. That's the way the world is now. 'Oh, you're anti-science.' No. I understand why he changes his mind, but the fucker changes his mind. I mean, one mask, two masks, three masks, eight… I mean, what do we get now? Ten vaccines to make it work? I get it why — we don't know what we're dealing with. Ten years from now, we're still gonna be learning what we're dealing with. Pretty soon, we're gonna have to have a flashing light coming out of our assholes to say that we've been vaccinated and [provide] blood samples to go get a Big Mac."

Tim stressed that he is not opposing local mandates. "I say we do anything we can now to fix things," he said. "But I think everybody's so confused. When the doctor tells people out of the gate masks don't work, and then, a month later, he says everybody wear a mask. I mean, that's the issues we have.

"This isn't about politics," he continued. "And that's the other thing: if you don't like Fauci, that means you're a Republican. If you wear a mask and believe in vaccines, that means you're a Democrat. I've got everybody fucking fucked up, because I wear a mask and got vaccinated and I don't like Fauci.

"Again, like I told you, I understand why he changes his mind. It's science. We don't understand it. Everybody's fine with that… I get it. It's science. I get why he changes things. But don't tell us. Don't come out and tell everybody, 'Masks don't work and you don't have to wear a mask.' Be a little more truthful — I think that's the issue. That's why everybody's confused."

With the original strain of the virus, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were about 90% to 95% effective in preventing symptomatic disease. As a result of the delta variant, that efficacy rate has dropped to 66%. Still, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that unvaccinated people are almost five times more likely to contract symptomatic COVID compared to a fully vaccinated person.

Fully vaccinated people are 29 times less likely to be hospitalized because of the virus compared to those are unvaccinated, according to a study released by the CDC this week.

Research shows that fully vaccinated people experience milder symptoms and are half as likely to develop several symptoms in the first week of illness compared to unvaccinated people.

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", will be released on October 1 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

In a new interview with the WGRD 97.9 radio station, IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain spoke about how he and his bandmates managed to keep the details of their new album, "Senjutsu", under wraps for more than two years after completing it in early 2019 during a break in their "Legacy Of The Beast" tour. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Basically, what happened [was] Steve [Harris, MAIDEN bassist and founder] has had the only copy that he took on his computer of the album — the finished product. That was it. There were no copies sent to anyone. There was no advance media — of course, there was no advance listenings for any of the record companies around the world. So it was all kept under wraps. I got my digital download of it from Steve three and a half months ago. Only the band — each of the members of the band — had a copy of it. Bruce [Dickinson, MAIDEN singer] had a copy earlier in the year, obviously, when Steve went over to England prior to the COVID really getting bad, Bruce did have a copy of it on his computer. But we were all sworn to absolute secrecy with it. We couldn't even tell our friends about it, like, 'Oh, we've got a new album. It's done. And this is the title of it,' and whatnot. So we had to keep it a secret. And I think we did a pretty damn good job of that."

"Senjutsu" was released on September 3 via BMG. IRON MAIDEN's first LP in six years was recorded in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by Harris. It was preceded in July by a highly acclaimed animated video for the first single "The Writing On The Wall" made by BlinkInk based on a concept by Dickinson with two former Pixar executives. It followed a month-long teaser campaign and global "treasure hunt" for clues about the track title and concept.

For "Senjutsu" — loosely translated as "tactics and strategy" — the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Harris. With a running time of a little under 82 minutes, "Senjutsu", like their previous record "The Book Of Souls", is a double CD/triple vinyl album.

Back in May 2019, Italian web site Maiden Concerts first speculated that IRON MAIDEN was putting the finishing touches on a new album. The site concluded that the LP was nearing completion after gathering social media evidence that all six members of the band, their wives and Shirley were in Paris at the same time. The producer even posted new pictures of Guillaume Tell Studios, where MAIDEN recorded "Brave New World" (2000) and "The Book Of Souls", saying he was finalizing a major project.

During MAIDEN's summer 2019 North American tour, Dickinson hinted at new material, telling the crowd at the group's Oakland, California concert: "New IRON MAIDEN songs — sooner than you think." At MAIDEN's Nashville show in August 2019, Dickinson said that fresh music from the band wasn't "beyond the bounds of possibility," adding that a new MAIDEN record was essentially a "certainty."

"Senjutsu" marks MAIDEN's sixth album to be produced by Shirley, who has worked with MAIDEN for the past two decades.

In addition to MAIDEN, Shirley has collaborated with dozens of notable acts, including Joe Bonamassa, JOURNEY, DREAM THEATER and LED ZEPPELIN.

During the making of "The Book Of Souls", Dickinson was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor at the back of his tongue. He recorded all the vocals for the album with the tumor before undergoing treatment and making a full recovery in time for the LP's release in September 2015.

The pandemic that has gripped and enveloped the world for the past year-plus has actually birthed lots of creativity and allowed artists to further execute their unique visions in other spaces. The time in quarantine has not been for naught. It has fostered ideas and encouraged art. New lifestyle company Blackgoatwear is one such positive product of the pandemic.

During the lockdown, HELLYEAH guitarist Tom Maxwell and his friends Tim Buchenroth and Luke Fletcher came up with an idea for a boutique-style merch company that leaned into the darker side of life — in terms of its imagery and aesthetics. The trio wanted to create not only wearables but also one-a-kind pieces, like shadow boxes and self-care items like handmade, all-natural soaps, as well as gourmet spice rubs and hot sauces, along with original comic prints, custom glass pieces, and more. There truly is something for everyone when it comes to Blackgoatwear's carefully curated and highly edited offerings.

Imagine if Etsy and Deviant Art procreated, without the constraints of typical e-commerce and with a passion for the mysterious, the mystical, the paranormal, the occult, and the "What Ifs" that define life as we know it. That's Blackgoatwear. It's truly a creepy and cool endeavor, one that is bound to connect with hard rock, metal, industrial, and goth music fans — and more.

If you can never quite find what you are looking for and have an appreciation for this style and aesthetic, then Blackgoatwear will be your new favorite brand. If you love being asked, "Oh my god, where did you get that?" when people visit your home or when sizing up your attire, or if you simply have a hankering for custom, one-a-kind, and totally different decor and that you can't get at the local big box retailer, then Blackgoatwear is decidedly for you.

The company's focus will be on craftsmanship as much as it will be about customer service, with the goal of offering shoppers unique pieces of art that they will be proud to wear, display, and use at their dark dinner parties.

For more information, visit www.blackgoatwear.com.

Currently out on the Butcher Babies vs Goliath Tour 2021 in the US, Butcher Babies vocalist Heidi Shepherd took to Instagram to respond to a fan for complaints regarding required Covid-19 tests at a recent show.


Heidi: "Just so everyone understands: every single venue we have played on this tour has had different requirements for live music. I am at a new venue everyday. It would be in YOUR best interest to check these requirements with the venue that you are attending. Ten times out of 10, we don't know!!! It's not our rule, it's YOUR local guideline! 


We have had our info submitted to all promoters before this tour started. Every artist on tour right now is going through the exact same shit and dealing with backlash every day. We're just trying to get back to our careers after 1.5 years. Do your part and figure it out ahead of time! This passive aggressive bullshit makes you out to be the dickhead. Not me!"


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});





 

 
 

 


View this post on Instagram

 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

Out Of This World: Live (1970-1997) is a new 10LP and 7CD Deluxe Box Set released by BMG on October 29 as part of Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s 50th Anniversary celebrations.


Out Of This World: Live (1970-1997) pulls together five of the biggest and most important shows ELP played across their 50 illustrious years. Not only dynamic on record and in the studio, ELP’s audacious live performances provided validation that they could really rock with the greatest. It was a facet of the band which often set them apart from their early 70s peers such as Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull, and yet, as you will hear over the five wonderful live shows contained in this set, it wasn’t all gung-ho bombast. The band members own fondness for classical and jazz allowed Emerson, Lake & Palmer moments of compelling depth.


Each album has been reimagined with impressive new artwork, reflecting various aspects of the band and their epic, ground-breaking music. The LP box contains 5 x deluxe gatefold double LPs with high quality, fully-restored audio mastered by ELP expert and renowned mastering engineer Andy Pearce.


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



Most of the LPs are previously unreleased on vinyl, Phoenix 1997 has never been released. The CDs have been out of print for many years and never released to this standard of artwork and audio. Each Box Set comes complete with a 32-page, glossy photobook, featuring many intimate, rare and unseen images of the band from legendary photographers including Lynn Goldsmith and Neil Preston. Liner notes are provided by Jerry Ewing, editor of Prog Magazine.


“I could not think of a better way to celebrate this anniversary period for ELP. The box set is one of my proudest moments.  I know Keith and Greg would agree with me! ‘Out of this World’ is something I will remember for a long time to come. For me, this shows ELP at their very best throughout years of touring and recording. The box set represents the lifeline of our music in our time.” - Carl Palmer





Produced in association with ELP Management


1. Isle Of Wight Festival, Newport, England 29 August 1970
Emerson, Lake & Palmer got off to a dream start with their second ever live show, at the 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival in front of 600,000 fans. If their debut live show at Plymouth Guildhall a week previous had been a success, then the Isle Of Wight show brought the group of already celebrated musicians greater and wider acclaim than their roles in The Nice, Atomic Rooster and King Crimson had previously done. As Carl Palmer noted: “From the second concert we were an international success. It went from nothing to something overnight!”


2. California Jam, California, USA 1974
With no less than five incredible albums under their belts - Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970), Tarkus and Pictures At An Exhibition (both 1971), Trilogy (1972), and Brain Salad Surgery (1973), it’s little wonder they were invited to headline the inaugural California Jam Festival at the Ontario Motor Speedway in California on April 6, 1974 on a bill that also featured Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, The Eagles and Black Oak Arkansas.


This particular live set is widely lauded in the annals of ELP gig history, the prodigious musicianship and showmanship was second to none and included powerful solo spots from Palmer and Emerson, the latter performing on a spinning piano suspended 50 feet above the celebrating crowd.


3. Works Live Montreal, Montreal, Canada 1977
The playing field had changed somewhat by the time ELP arrived at Quebec’s Stade de Olympique, Montréal in August 1977. ELP had taken a break following their gruelling tour in support of Brain Salad Surgery. They convened in 1976 to begin work on their Works project, which would highlight their individual talents over three sides of vinyl and their collaborative genius on the fourth.


However, stadium-filling rock giants were no longer flavour of the month in 1977. When the band headed out on the road with an orchestra and choir in tow, punk was really starting to make its presence felt. The behemothic tour might have stretched the band’s resources, but by the time they hit Montréal’s Olympic Stadium, their majestic pomp was still on display for all to

On the first single from the forthcoming MER Redux Series instalment, Back In Black [Redux] (out on December 3), Atlanta's Whores are joined by Mastodon co-founder Bill Kelliher for their sludgy, stomping take on the AC/DC cover, "Have a Drink on Me". More information about this album can be found below.





Meanwhile, Witchskull have released the AC/DC cover "Sin City" as the first digital single taken from Best Of AC/DC, a companion volume to the forthcoming Back In Black [Redux].


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});






The complete tracklistings for both releases paying impassioned homage to AC/DC feature exciting contributions from, among many others, Red Fang, Supersuckers, Whores featuring Mastodon's Bill Kelliher, Bob Balch (Fu Manchu) & Tony Reed (Mos Generator), and Howling Giant collaborating with legendary former Accept shouter Udo Dirkschneider.


Jadd Shickler comments: "Our Redux releases have always been and will always be works of pure love and respect for truly amazing bands and albums, our way of celebrating classics and paying proper homage to the artists who've made some of the most meaningful music of our lives", states the Magnetic Eye Records label director. "We take the overwhelming response as a sign of trust and support for the dedication that goes into the Redux series, and we're thankful for the amazing response!  Even with the industry-wide delays on vinyl production, we'll be making our strongest efforts to deliver these albums into everyone's hands before the end of 2021."





Back In Black [Redux] tracklisting:


"Hells Bells" - Red Fang
"Shoot To Thrill" - Howling Giant feat. Udo Dirkschneider
"What Do You Do For Money Honey" - Supersuckers
"Givin The Dog A Bone" - Smoking Lightning
"Let Me Put My Love Into You" - Heavy Temple feat. Valient Himself
"Back In Black" - Besvärjelsen
"You Shook Me All Night Long" - Jakethehawk feat. Patrick Waters
"Have A Drink On Me" - Whores feat. Bill Kelliher
"Shake A Leg" - Early Man
"Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" - Earthride





Best Of AC/DC tracklisting:


"Sin City" - Witchskull
"It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n Roll)" - Kal-el
"What's Next To The Moon" - Bob Balch & Tony Ree

Black/death metal veterans, Thulcandra, are back! After six years of silence, the band’s brand new studio album, A Dying Wish, will be released on October 29, via Napalm Records - once again carrying the burning torch of the glorious death metal era.


Since their foundation by Obscura mastermind Steffen Kummerer in 2003, Thulcandra became an indispensable protagonist in the European extreme metal-sphere that reaches way back to the magnificent origins of their genre. Thulcandra are musically and visually shaped by bands like Entombed, Sacramentum and Unanimated, but mainly influenced by genre carving act Dissection.


A Dying Wish was produced at Unisound Studio by Dan Swanö, keeping the black flame of Jon Nödtveidt alive and worthy. A Dying Wish transports the listener right into an icy soundscape of a never ending, severe winter. With 10 blood-freezing tracks delivering clashing guitar riffs, epic slow moments driven by atmospheric acoustic guitars and rapid outbursts of dark and raspy screams, Thulcandra creates another record that continues the great legacy of true death metal.


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



Today, Thulcandra releases their staggering opener track from A Dying Wish, entitled "Funeral Pyre", alongside a strong music video. The track swiftly showcases clear direction: a mystic intro launches the calm before the snowstorm, which arrives seconds later with freezing riffs, grim growls and powerful drums.


Steffen Kummerer on the first single: “With 'Funeral Pyre' we present you the opening track of A Dying Wish and show you a first glimpse of new music in years. With a foul, unpolished and rotten attitude 'Funeral Pyre' takes you on a ride between bitter sweet melodies, fast forward pushing up-tempo blast beats and a sheer steamrolled performance.”


Watch the new music video for "Funeral Pyre” below.


A Dying Wish guarantees instant frostbites just as the first glance at the thrilling icy-blue cover artwork promises. After the listener is buried under the opener’s avalanche, Thulcandra spans a dark arc between acoustic interludes and harsh blackened death metal parts. The quiet interlude “In Bleak Misery” marches into “A Shining Abyss”, that guides its listeners like a torch through the night. Dramatic riffing and the screeching growls of Steffen Kummerer create dark and dense walls of sound as up-tempo tracks like “The Slivering Silver” and “Devouring Darkness” offer strong leads, driving riffs and engaging drums that let the storm rage on without mercy. The final, title track “A Dying Wish” provides a great finale that covers everyone and everything under a massive layer of cold, leaving the world behind in nothing but ice and snow.


Thulcandra on the album: “We return with an album full of eerie cold melodies, ice-cold vibes and an over the top production by Swedish legend Dan Swanö at Unisound Studios! Within the first album in 5 years we celebrate the essence of pure black & death metal, adorned with more twin guitars, blast beats and filthy arrangements than ever. We celebrate the release of A Dying Wish with excessive shows and embark on a European tour to perform for all our loyal fans and supporters in the upcoming months.”





A Dying Wish will be available in the following formats:


- 1 CD Jewelcase (RePress)
- 1 CD Digipak + Bonustrack
- 1 LP Gatefold Black
- 1 LP Gatefold Blue + 7 inch + Slipmat
- 1 CD Digipak + Bonustracks + Plecs
- 1 LP Gatefold Gold
- Digital Full Length Album
- Digital Full Length Deluxe Al

Swedish blackened death metal force, Unanimated, just finished up work on their follow-up to 2018's Annihilation EP. This marks their first full-length album in over 10 years.


The album was again produced by Fredrik Folkare in his own Chrome Studios in Stockholm. The 12-track album offers an atmospheric journey that promises everything you can expect from Unanimated.


This is the beginning of a new chapter for the band, which will skillfully follow the legendary albums In The Forest Of The Dreaming Dead and Ancient God Of Evil.


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Artic

Ohio, US-based project Untamed Land - the world’s very first metal band incorporating the feral sounds of classic, old western cinematics - recently announced its sophomore release, Like Creatures Seeking Their Own Forms, scheduled for release via Napalm Records on October 8.


Today, following soaring recent single, “Clothed In Smoke”, Untamed Land has revealed a second single, entitled "A Nameless Shape", alongside an official music video. The track blends ghostly acoustics, doom-drenched riffs and icy screams as it cascades into a wave of blast beats, rhythmic guitars and operatic accent vocals, making it one of the key epics on the record!


Project mastermind Patrick Kern says about the track: "With a thundering march-like drum pattern and aggressive full chord guitar strumming, the first two minutes of this song set the stage for the rest of the album. The lyrics tell a tale of isolation and spiritual crisis set against the backdrop of the mythical Old West. This video only serves as a teaser however, and you will have to pick up the album itself to see how the story for this song ends."


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



Watch the official music video for “A Nameless Shape”:





While exploring influence and nuances from various strains of atmospheric metal, Untamed Land traverses wild new frontiers - evoking the ambiance of classic Ennio Morricone/Spaghetti Western soundtracks and traditional old western instrumentals. While some listeners may be quick to label this a purely black metal album before diving into its depths, this description only scratches the surface.


Untamed Land mastermind, composer and sole performer of all instruments (except for accented violin performances by Rita Torrens and vocal contributions by Caroline Joy and Jacob Wherley), Patrick Kern, was initially inspired by what he describes as pagan, cosmic and even “doomy” black metal when writing the album, but the material bloomed in a way that is much more multifaceted to be categorized so singularly.


Patrick Kern adds about the album: “I would hesitate to call this a black metal album. It's meant to be a cinematic journey into a dark and fantastical old west setting, and various genres and sounds are used to bring that story to life. Lyrically, whereas the previous album dealt with the eternal struggle of the solar hero, this time we delve into a sort of gnostic "Beauty and the Beast" story, ultimately revolving around the feminine role in creation and the tension between the world of matter and the world of forms. The album ended up reflecting my own spiritual journey that occurred all throughout the writing and production process. I had a great time experimenting with many different styles and sounds for this release and am excited to share this new chapter in the Untamed Land world!"


The album begins with a haunting, yet whimsical old western inspired introduction, “Once Upon A Time In The Kenoma”, before ascending into the grimly epic, piano-laden "A Nameless Shape" - blending ghostly acoustics, doom-drenched riffs and icy screams as it cascades into a wave of blast beats, rhythmic guitars and operatic accent vocals. The track closes with a backing of dominant horns before leading into the introductory organs and forsaken rhythms of the dynamic, ebbing and flowing "Clothed In Smoke" - one of the album’s most movielike offerings. 15-minute standout “The Heavenly Coil” entrances with organ, harpsichord and acoustics before intertwining with progressive blackened metal ingredients instilled with outlaw temper. Like the veil of first

British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH will release their 13th studio album, "Existence Is Futile", on October 22. The official music video for the disc's second single, "Necromantic Fantasies", can be seen below. Directed by Vicente Cordero, this clip was shot back to back with his previous work for the band, the horribly apocalyptic "Crawling King Chaos", though both are remarkably contrasting.

CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth stated: "This is a very different video from its predecessor, sporting more of a narrative amid leaning back toward a dark Victorian gothic vibe, showcasing the second of many unique tracks on this, our 13th album. It's very cinematic, much like 'Crawling King Chaos', but walking a much more 'dark faerytale' path. The director Vicente has done such an amazing job bringing the storyline together with the band and the incredible sets. It looks gorgeous. And the song is pretty good too!"

Pieced together in isolation, at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk with studio guru Scott Atkins (DEVILMENT, BENEDICTION, VADER), "Existence Is Futile" is a pitch-black, perverse and at times absurdly brutal and extreme masterpiece following a truly nihilistic concept:

"The album is about existentialism, existential dread and fear of the unknown," Dani explained. "The concept wasn't created by the pandemic. We'd written it long before that began, but the pandemic is the tip of the cotton-bud as far as the way the world is headed, you know? I guess the title, 'Existence Is Futile', does sound a little morbid. But again, it's more about recognizing that truth and saying that everything is permitted because nothing really matters, which mimics the occultist Aleister Crowley's maxim. We all know we're going to die, so we might as well indulge life while we possess it. The final track on the album — 'Us, Dark, Invincible' — really drives that point home. Also, the artwork for this record was created by the Latvian visionary Arthur Berzinsh, who also dressed the last two albums, and that reeks of the exceedingly beautiful yet apocalyptic too."

Diehard fans will be thrilled to learn that horror icon Doug "Pinhead" Bradley makes a welcome return to the CRADLE fold, lending his dulcet tones to the band's most politically astute song to date, the epic "Suffer Our Dominion" as well as the album bonus track "Sisters Of The Mist", which is the conclusion to the "Her Ghost In The Fog" trilogy that started over 20 years ago on the infamous and classic "Midian".

"Existence Is Futile" consists of 12 new tracks with a total playing time of 54 minutes:

01. The Fate Of The World On Our Shoulders

02. Existential Terror

03. Necromantic Fantasies

04. Crawling King Chaos

05. Here Comes A Candle… (Infernal Lullaby)

06. Black Smoke Curling From The Lips Of War

07. Discourse Between A Man And His Soul

08. The Dying Of The Embers

09. Ashen Mortality

10. How Many Tears To Nurture A Rose?

11. Suffer Our Dominion

12. Us, Dark, Invincible

13. Sisters Of The Mist (Bonus track)

14. Unleash The Hellion (Bonus track)

Four months ago, CRADLE OF FILTH announced the addition of keyboardist Anabelle Iratni to the band's ranks.

Iratni, who previously played alongside CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth in DEVILMENT, as well as her own group VEILE, made her live debut with CRADLE OF FILTH on May 12 during the band's livestreamed concert.

Anabelle joined CRADLE OF FILTH as the replacement for Lindsay Schoolcraft, who announced her departure from the group in February 2020 after a seven-year run.

Last December, Dani said that isolation and lack of live touring amid the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to making CRADLE OF FILTH's upcoming LP "our best album of current years, if not all time." He wrote on CRADLE's Facebook page: "There was absolutely no pressure to turn the album in. In fact, there really was nothing better to do than indulge our creative juices and thus a huge swathe of the year was spent in the sultry depths of the Suffolk countryside polishing and perfecting our latest musical excretion.

"It's an absolute killer of an album (if you forgive my self-flattery), with an immense production courtesy of Scott Atkins and Grindstone studios once again, and I'd like to be able to describe it to you but there is so much bubbling intently in this album," he continued. "Fast and slow parts (and faster still), new delectable flavours and those reminiscent of earlier COF albums galore, massive choruses and melancholic drop-downs, old skool melodic NWOBM amid furious, scathing black metal amid apocalyptic groove and we as a band can't wait for everyone to hear it…. And more importantly, experience our birthed monster live."

In October 2020, Dani told Metal Injection that CRADLE OF FILTH's follow-up to "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay" was turning out to be "fantastic" and "probably the best album we've written. We've had the opportunity to really dig deep into it and work hard on the tracks, and, if necessary, rewrite parts, which we have done," he said. "I certainly have rewritten parts and have no qualms about Scott saying this just isn't good enough compared to all the other songs on the record. But I would say it's not very different from 'Cryptoriana'. It's not as intricately laced. That album spoke of the times it was trying to assimilate and represent. This album is about existential terror. The threat of everything. The end of the world, the end of one's life, existential dread. A little hope, I guess in there. It's a CRADLE OF FILTH record. The songs are strong. They're extreme, but it's a mixture of everything."

Regarding what is has been like working with Atkins again, Dani said: "It's very comfortable recording with him. You know, he's very free and easy with how he talks to me. There's no pandering; we're good friends and we can talk to each other how we want. His studio is not far from where I live. It's in the countryside, so during lockdown, I was able to travel to and from the studio. We had less hours to work. We had nothing more that we could do. There was no pubs that we could saddle off to over lunch time — it was just work, work, work. And it was nice, relaxed and, fortunately, lockdown in England's been okay, because we've had some fantastic weather this year."

CRADLE OF FILTH 2021 is:

Dani Filth - Vocals

Richard Shaw - Guitar

Ashok - Guitar

Daniel Firth - Bass

Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka - Drums

Anabelle - Keyboards & backing vocals

Ian Gillan says that a DEEP PURPLE reunion with Ritchie Blackmore would be a "circus" and "it would be no fun at all."

Blackmore is a co-founder of DEEP PURPLE and wrote many of their most memorable riffs, including "Smoke On The Water", but he has not played with the group since his 1993 exit. Steve Morse effectively took over Blackmore's slot in 1994 and has since been in the group longer than Ritchie.

Gillan addressed his longstanding feud with Blackmore in a new interview with Vikram Chandrasekar of Tales From The Road. Asked if he is still in contact with Ritchie and whether there is any chance at all of the guitarist ever sharing the stage with DEEP PURPLE again, Ian said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. The answer to your question is yes, we are in touch. Tensions eased quite a lot after we got hold of our business affairs and sorted everything out. There were previous managers from the past who had not done things exactly as you would like. I didn't get paid for 10 years when I was with DEEP PURPLE — in the big years — and goodness knows what happened to all that. And there were other tensions too. And needless to say, it was all pretty nasty when we finished and Ritchie walked out. But we're too old for that now. We've both written some pleasant notes via our managers. I can't write to Ritchie or phone him because he doesn't have a telephone, he doesn't have a computer. He lives in a world of greensleeves — he lives in a medieval world, and he has messages given to him and that sort of thing. But he's sent some pleasant words to me, and I've sent some pleasant words to him. There are still issues; there are still bones of contention. I've seen a lot of rubbish being spoken — it's not worth even rising to the occasion — but I hear [former DEEP PURPLE singer] David Coverdale and others talking about what happened at the Rock And Roll Of Fame. Well, we were very kind to everybody, the current band. And we did invite Ritchie to play 'Smoke On The Water' with us at the ceremony, but he declined. So, [those] are just opportunistic remarks from the others.

"We've never had any antagonism towards Ritchie," Ian clarified. "He has his own interpretations, and the rest of us have our interpretations, so it's really not worth being fired up about it. But I think probably this late in our career, and with things moving along so pleasantly for the band, it would naturally enough — we discussed this years and years ago when it was first talked about — it would be a circus and it would be a distraction to everything we're doing, to be honest. It would be no fun at all, because we don't work that way anymore."

Blackmore previously suggested that PURPLE's manager had blocked him from joining his former bandmates onstage during the 2016 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, and he used that as an excuse for not attending the event.

Despite Blackmore being a no-show at Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich, who inducted DEEP PURPLE into the institution, praised "Ritchie fucking Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".

Late last year, Coverdale expressed his exasperation at DEEP PURPLE for how he and Glenn Hughes were treated by their former band ahead of their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction. The singer, who played with DEEP PURPLE along with Hughes from 1973 to 1976, said: "Once it had been announced that we were officially being inducted into it, the current DEEP PURPLE refused to go if Ritchie Blackmore was going to be there. And this was, like, 72 hours before, when I was ready to fly with my family. And this cost me, like, $75,000 [or] $85,000, because you have to pay for all the tables apart from the one you're on, and I had my daughter fly in from Germany, my son came out of college. It was a family affair."

He continued: "Suddenly, Glenn Hughes and I were told, 'Well, we don't want you singing with us.' Initially, I'd spoken to Ian [Gillan] about coming up and singing the backgrounds of 'Smoke On The Water', because originally they were going to close the show. So, that suddenly was pulled, the plug. They tried to stop us doing speeches, and my wife was fucking furious, apart from the fact she spent a fortune on posh dresses. [Laughs] And I said, 'Fuck it! Nobody's going to keep us off.' I got in touch with Carole, Ritchie's manager, and I said, 'Tell him to come with me. Nobody's going to fucking touch him. Tell him to come with me,' and he didn't want to do it."

Coverdale added: "The first thing I said when I was up there, was, 'None of us would have been standing here without Ritchie Blackmore,' and I made sure of that point. Steve Morse and Don Airey [current DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] were more complimentary to Glenn and I than the other guys. We had a blast; we had a fucking great time. I'm very happy that I am who I am, and I just talked to Glenn the other day about it: 'What the fuck was up their ass?!'"

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine recently spoke with Music Radar and offered five key tips for guitarists. Following is an excerpt from his rundown.


Do it right or not at all


Mustaine: "When it comes to guitar playing, doing something badly for a long period of time will only lead you being able to do it bad. So start slow, do it properly, use a metronome and look at the technique you’re doing properly. Some people will play their guitar so low and almost sideways, their fingers perpendicular to the fretlines, and I think that’s one of the things that will decrease your speed, approaching the guitar from that angle.


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



The other thing is when you’re picking your notes, a lot of guitarists try to play fast with the right-hand fingers sticking out. Well, it stands to reason that having those fingers sticking out is going to cause mass and slow you down. Pull those fingers in and you’ll be able to start going a lot faster."


Go with the flow and you might surprise yourself


Mustaine: "I was not pursuing the frontman role in Megadeth; I had my fair share of doing stuff like talking to the audience in Metallica, purely because James (Hetfield) simply wouldn’t. So my role was that of a lead guitar player who did a bit of background vocals.


When it came time for me to learn how to sing, it was almost an afterthought. I have vocalists I've looked up to over my life – Sean Harris from Diamond Head, Chris Cornell, John Bush from Anthrax a little bit, too. But to play guitar and sing at the same time is like rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time… or whatever that co-ordination thing is that people do! I think the greatest reward for me is not doing things that other people can’t do, but rather watching their faces while I do it. Because I like to entertain people and see them go, 'Fuck! That’s the gnarliest thing I’ve seen in my life, bro!'"


Read the complete list here.


In the new video below, Megadeth's Dave Mustaine gives a lesson on how to play the main riff in the band's song, "Tornado Of Souls". The footage filmed backstage in Reno, NV on August 31.





Dates for Megadeth's Tour Of The Year with Lamb Of God, Trivium and Hatebreed are listed below.


Upcoming Tour Of The Year dates are listed below.





September
15 - Camden, NJ - BB&T Pavilion
16 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
18 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center
19 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
20 - Cincinnati, OH - PNC Pavilion
22 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP
24 - Mount Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino Amphitheatre
26 - St. Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis
28 - Minneapolis, MN - Armory
30 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage


October
1 - Laval, QC - Place Bell
2 - Quebec City, QC - Centre Videotron


* Festival Date featuring all 4 bands.








propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('bravewords_content_2'); });



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing has offered more words of support for David Ellefson who was fired from MEGADETH in May after sexually explicit photos and video of the bassist leaked online along with allegations that he had been grooming a fan, which he vehemently denied.

Ellefson performed a full-length set of PRIEST classics with Downing, former PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens and ex-JUDAS PRIEST drummer Les Binks in November 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. A couple of months later, Downing, Owens and Binks announced the formation of a new band called KK'S PRIEST, along with bassist Tony Newton, a founding member of the long-running British hard rock act VOODOO SIX. At the time, it was assumed that Ellefson's non-involvement with KK'S PRIEST was down to the fact that his main priority was MEGADETH, which was working on a new studio album.

Asked in a new interview with Vikram Chandrasekar of Tales From The Road if Ellefson will participate in any KK'S PRIEST activities now that David is no longer a member of MEGADETH, Downing replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Dave, when we played together [two years ago], people called it the MEGAPRIEST performance, which we did. And I loved that, but it was MEGADETH and JUDAS PRIEST — it was like a hybrid — so that didn't really work for me. And plus Dave was still in MEGADETH, and I didn't wanna interfere with that. And they were going out on the road with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, then they were gonna do their own tour, with LAMB OF GOD supporting. So, obviously, I recruited another great bass player, Tony Newton, and I'm really happy with Tony. But if I was looking for a bass player now, I wouldn't hesitate to ask Dave [to join]. Whatever shit happens with him, it's behind closed doors. Everybody else does it. And if you turn the clock back 10 or 20 years, it would just be called rock and roll. So, that doesn't bother me at all. But we've been, obviously, together now for over a year and a half, and Tony's great — he's great in the studio, and he's got lots of attributes. And he's a bass giant. So we're good to go."

Downing added: "But I hope things really do work out well for Dave, because he's loved all over the planet. He's a gentleman and a great bass player. And I wish him well."

A short time after after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving him were posted on Twitter, Ellefson 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.

Ellefson laid down his bass tracks on MEGADETH's sixteenth LP in May 2020 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee.

In July, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine announced during an episode of his Gimme Radio program "The Dave Mustaine Show" that Ellefson's bass tracks would not be used on the new MEGADETH LP.

On May 24, Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — announced the bassist's departure from the band.

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

Workwear brand Carhartt teamed up with METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation this Labor Day with the goal of training a new generation of skilled workers. A total of $377,450 was raised from online sales and will be donated to the foundation's Metallica Scholars workforce education program, which connects students to hands-on learning and provides support to 23 schools via the American Association of Community Colleges.

Drawing inspiration from the 1981 "musicians wanted" ad that formed METALLICA, Carhartt and All Within My Hands created a want ad aimed at raising funds and connecting people to workforce education opportunities. The reimagined ad featured bandmembers from METALLICA paired with copy that harkens back to the original ad with a World War-era "We Want You" feel. Job seekers and supporters alike were directed to visit Carhartt.com to learn more about how to get involved with Metallica Scholars.

As one of the biggest touring acts of all time, METALLICA knows that stage crews and skilled workers are the backbone of the live events industry. To show just how essential these jobs are, Carhartt and All Within My Hands recruited a few lucky job seekers to build a mock METALLICA stage piece at Upstaging, Inc., a production and transportation company who helps put on shows for some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment business. The workshop experience is documented in a video, "Hard Rock Is Hard Work," and provides a look at the various trade jobs in live events that are also transferrable to the larger job market — including welding and fabrication, lighting and electrical, construction, transportation and more.

Carhartt's Labor Day campaign came after millions of people in the live events industry were put out of work as concerts, sporting events, plays and all other events were shut down due to the pandemic. The need also applies to the country at large as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 943,000 new jobs in July 2021, many of which are in industries that require skilled labor.

"To build the workforce of the future, we need to connect more people to the training and education that helps fill essential jobs," said Janet Ries, vice president of marketing at Carhartt. "With our partnership, we're sending the message that whether you're in high school looking for a first step, or out of work looking for a new start: come join the skilled trades. What better time to recruit job seekers into these exciting, high-demand opportunities than on Labor Day?"

"Carhartt and All Within My Hands are bound by our shared passion for supporting workforce education," said Dr. Edward Frank, executive director at All Within My Hands Foundation. "As two organizations dedicated to providing opportunity, we hope to expand the Metallica Scholars program to include even more schools this year, and to get even more students trained for a career in the skilled trades."




THANK YOU, @CARHARTT! THANK YOU, SHOPPERS! THANK YOU, #AWMH SUPPORTERS! You raised $377,450 & we're excited to turn that into more training, tools & certifications for people interested in the skilled trades. #LaborDay #HardRockIsHardWork #MetallicaGivesBack #MetallicaScholars pic.twitter.com/LFywVGnD6k

— All Within My Hands Foundation (@AWMHFoundation) September 8, 2021

SMILE EMPTY SOUL guitarist and lead singer Sean Danielsen has defended his band's decision to cancel a few of its previously booked shows because the concert venues in question were requiring a COVID-19 vaccine for fans. A number of bars and clubs have adopted the new protocol because the owners say the music industry and the artists demand a safe environment to perform.

Last month, Danielsen released a statement via social media in which he explained that he was scrapping the shows because "I stand 100% for freedom, and medical freedom is especially important to me. I believe that you should get the vaccine if you want it, but should not have to if you don't want it."

Now, in a new interview with the "Hall Of Mears" podcast, Danielsen elaborated on SMILE EMPTY SOUL's refusal to play vaccinated-only shows, saying that "allowing the government free rein on just mandating one vaccine gives them free rein to mandate any vaccine they want in the future."

Addressing the fact that he chose to publicly oppose the idea of allowing only the vaccinated to attend concerts, Sean said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have several tours booked right now. We have an October/November run. We have a February run. And we have an April run. We stay very busy; we stay on the road. And it's just started happening where some of the clubs that we're supposed to be playing, even though they're small clubs, have been announcing that they're gonna be requiring proof of vaccination. And I just felt like, rather than just vaguely canceling those shows, 'cause I can't stand for that, as I think that freedom, and medical freedom specifically, is so important.

"The track record that the government has is not one to allow them to infringe upon your right to reject medical injections, medical procedures of any kind," he continued.

"Allowing the government free rein on just mandating one vaccine gives them free rein to mandate any vaccine they want in the future, and I don't think people really follow that timeline forward the way that they should be. Allowing them to mandate one is allowing them to mandate endless boosters on top of whatever else they come up with in the future. And I don't know about you guys, but I just have mistrust for the government in general.

"It only makes sense if you understand that these people are power hungry," Danielsen added. "They aren't your uncle and your aunt or your grandma. I think people are losing sight of that these days and they're looking at these politicians like, 'They care. They just want what's best for society.' They don't. They want what's best for their own power and their own wealth and their own ability to control. So, I feel like you need to question their motives and where they're coming from.

"Our country is great — it is so great for the freedoms that we've had, that the Constitution has set up and allowed us over the two hundred-plus years, and when you start allowing those freedoms to be knocked down, the end result of that is gonna be really ugly. And I don't think people realize what they're signing their kids and their grandkids, and even us in the very near future, up for by fighting for government-mandated vaccines.

"So, anyway, that's the longform version of why I decided that I had to explain to people why I was gonna be canceling a couple of these shows. Because if I just canceled them and didn't explain, there would be questions, and I'm not gonna sit there and just dodge the questions out of fear of being canceled, because it's just not the right thing to do; it's not the right way to go. The right thing to do is to stand up for what I believe is right. So I did."

A vaccine passport is a physical or digital document that displays whether someone is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Critics say that such passports are a violation of privacy and an example of government overreach. Meanwhile, supporters point out that federal immigration law already requires that immigrants provide proof of vaccination status for several diseases.

There's plenty of precedent for having to show proof of vaccination whether for work or travel. For a century, nearly every school in the U.S. has been requiring proof of vaccinations for students to enroll. Dozens of countries across the globe require a "Yellow Fever Card" to enter their borders.

Proponents of vaccine passports, including several high-profile heavy metal musicians, have touted them as one of the most effective ways to reopen the nation's economy in a safe manner.

A number of hard rock and heavy metal artists have canceled shows or whole tours as the concert industry is rethinking its approach to live shows while the delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading nationwide.

Last month, Live Nation Entertainment, one of the country's largest concert and ticketing companies, announced that it will require all artists and concertgoers to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test starting in early October.

Live Nation's announcement came one day after AEG Presents said that it will be requiring proof of vaccination for entry into its owned and operated clubs, theaters and festivals. The decision was made on the heels of the dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases as the delta variant spreads throughout the United States.

While vaccines are exceptionally effective in preventing death and severe illness from the coronavirus and its known variants, some are far from foolproof in preventing infection altogether.

Most of the people with so-called "breakthrough" infections are asymptomatic.

According to Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), large-scale clinical studies found that COVID-19 vaccination prevented most people from getting COVID-19. Research also provides growing evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) offer similar protection in real-world conditions. While these vaccines are effective, no vaccine prevents illness 100% of the time. For any vaccine, there are breakthrough cases.

HELMET's first official live album, "Live And Rare", will be released on November 26 via earMUSIC. It will be made available on heavyweight black vinyl as well as a CD digipak edition and digital.

Frontman Page Hamilton, who formed HELMET in early 1989, recalls: "After persuading our label folks in Hamburg to bake these old tapes, we finally managed to mix two live shows for release. Side 1 was recorded at CBGBs, which was our neighborhood club, a 10-minute walk from home. We all spent plenty of time at CBs and though this is not our audition night set, it captures the early frenetic energy of the band as well as my lack of scintillating stage banter.

"In 1989, I walked in off Bowery through the creaky swinging doors and plastic-slat, meat locker-style curtain into the greatest rock club in the world, CBGBs. Apparently, David Byrne (a musical hero of mine) was not sympathetic to the rent scandal that ultimately forced CBs to close but I am a maudlin old fool and have great memories from our time there. We became a better band by playing that stage a lot and I saw some of the best shows ever in that room.

"Owner Hilly Crystal and manager/booker Louise Parnassa sat facing each other, west and east at desks up front and barely looked up to acknowledge me. Louise, a very pretty and seemingly dour (I got to know her a bit and she is sweet and lovely when she's not dealing with hundreds of dipshits in rock bands) Jersey girl said, 'Can I help you?' I handed her our first recorded music on a cassette tape with hand silk-screen torture helmet artwork from a Spanish Inquisition book and an umlaut over the 'M.' The songs 'Born Annoying', 'Rumble', 'Shirley Maclaine' and 'Geisha To Go' were done at Don Fury's 8-track Soho basement studio. She said, 'I might listen in a couple of weeks. If you wanna play sooner, audition.' She signed us up for the first available date, which was that Sunday. (Maybe Monday?)

"We played with a NIGHT RANGER-style rock band, one dude wore a thigh bandana and a singer/songwriter girl wearing a long Loretta Lynn-kinda dress. Mike Kirkland and Tommy Victor of the band PRONG did the door and FOH that night. Mike later told me he wrote in the CBs notebook, 'Cool band, book with COP SHOOT COP or UNSANE.' Louise told me a few years later we were like 'ice picks in her forehead,' but she thought I was cute (paraphrasing here, think Jersey alphabet...fuckin' A, fuckin' B, fuckin' C) so she booked us almost monthly. 'Murder', 'Repetition' and 'Sinatra' were brand new, so this show was pre-'Strap It On', year zero. Henry probably still had dreadlocks; Peter wore Beatle boots and skinny legged pants; John and I always dressed like 12-year-olds, so no, it wasn’t some brilliant HELMET marketing scheme as a few bitter downtown hipster turds claimed. For $50, the FOH engineer would record your set on CBs 2", 16-track tape machine. I'm pretty sure our friend Brian Childers who was the singer for a cool band called CRAWLPAPPY was manning the desk.

"I'm glad we shelled out the money; if you were one of the 30 people there, you helped pay for this live album. Thanks.

"Side 2 is part of the set from the Big Day Out festival in Melbourne, Australia. Our first trip down under is a bit of a blur after almost 30 years but the memories I have are fond. A brief escape from the frigid NYC January dreariness was welcome relief. Unbundling at Bondi beach, surrounded by beautiful topless women sunbathing next to the clear, clean, warm water of the Tasman Sea was soundly beating the 6-flight walk-up, grocery-schlep to my East Village apartment while wrapped up like 'Nanook of the North.' The shows, hmmmm. My performance was no doubt effected by all the fun in the sun and copious amounts of alcohol (red label Coopers mate). Someone did manage to run a 2" 24-track tape machine during our set at the Melbourne Big Day Out; thanks are due to those folks. We've had these tapes collecting dust in the band locker (New Jersey pre-2001, North Hollywood since) for all these years so we enlisted our talented pal Toshi Kasai to mix some of the set and Golden Mastering to polish things up."

Although HELMET disbanded in 1997, Hamilton revived the band in 2004, and the group has continued to tour and record.

HELMET's latest album, "Dead To The World", was released in October 2016 via earMUSIC.

Rudy Sarzo has has dismissed as untrue allegations of racism on the part of Sharon Osbourne.

This past March, journalist Yashar Ali published a report alleging that Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager referred to her former "The Talk" co-host Julie Chen as "wonton" and "slanty eyes," citing multiple unnamed sources, including another former "The Talk" co-host Leah Remini. Sharon later called the claims "crap, all crap" in an interview with Daily Mail, saying that it was "a pile-on. People want to add fuel to the fire and it comes with the territory and that's fine," she said.

Sarzo discussed Sharon's allegedly racist behavior in a new interview with Ultimate Guitar. While looking back on his 1981-1982 stint in Ozzy Osbourne's band and how he joined the fold only at the recommendation of Randy Rhoads, Rudy was asked how Sharon was viewed within the band. He replied: "Okay, I'm going to tell you this one from experience. I wasn't only in the band, I used to live with them [Sharon and Ozzy].

"I went from sleeping on the floor in Kevin's [DuBrow, QUIET RIOT singer] apartment to living at [Sharon's father and Ozzy manager] Don Arden's mansion. I had my own bungalow.

"The night I got the gig, I was staying at Don Arden's house with them. That's how much they trusted Randy, to bring this guy who had no resume.

"The only resume I had was that I played with Randy in QUIET RIOT," he continued. "They knew nothing about me. I got that gig because they trusted Randy. So they allowed me into their home and I was living with them.

"When you live with someone, you really know them. We only had one tour bus with everybody on it — so I lived with them on the road too.

"I'm Cuban, and I was even more Cuban 40 years ago. I had been 20 years in the country when I got the Ozzy gig. I wasn't even an American citizen then! I didn't even have a passport. As a matter of fact, Sharon said we were going to Europe and I had to tell her I didn't have a passport because I wasn't a citizen. She said, 'Don't worry about it.' So they gave me a re-entry permit. It was just a piece of paper that said I could return to the United States because I had a green card.

"So here I am, I land in Germany, and there were a lot of airplane hijackings going on at the time, and they were taking the planes to Cuba. So I landed in Hamburg and I was the last guy in the band going through customs. The agent asked for my passport and I handed him this piece of paper and he starts looking at it and throwing it around the desk and before I knew it, there were guys with machine guns pointing at me. I thought they were going to send me back to Cuba. I was freaking out. Finally, the promoter shows up and pays the guys and gives me my visa, and gets me into the country. So once I got back to the U.S., I got my citizenship and got my passport.

"My point in all this is that there has been a lot of gossip — and I say gossip because it's not true — about Sharon being racist," Rudy added.

"Name me an artist who has had more diverse members in their band. I was Cuban, [guitarist] Jake E. Lee was half-Japanese, Randy Castillo who was Native American [Apache], Robert Trujillo, Mike Inez... If there was even a molecule of racism from Sharon, that wouldn't have happened, because not only are you in the band, but you're also living with these people. We lived with Sharon and Ozzy, we were part of their lives and if Sharon was racist, that would never have happened, and I can guarantee that.

"As far as being tough, if a male manager were to make the same decisions that Sharon has made for the past 40 years, he would be considered a great businessman. But if a woman makes those decisions it is seen in a different way. I won't use the word, but...

"They were fantastic with me. I owe them my career. I really do."

In March, Sharon was forced out of "The Talk" following her emotional defense of pal Piers Morgan's criticism of Meghan Markle.

When former "The Talk" co-host Holly Robinson Peete alleged that Sharon had called her too "ghetto" to be on the show and responsible for her eventual ousting, Osbourne tweeted: "Never in my life did I utter the words that Holly was 'too ghetto' to be on 'The Talk', as well as not having her fired." Osbourne also denied all other claims and said that she was "disappointed but unfazed and hardly surprised by the lies, the recasting of history and the bitterness coming out at this mome

Former ANTHRAX bassist Dan Lilker, who was also one-quarter of the mid-'80s side project STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH, spoke to Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks about the rise of political correctness in the social media era. Asked for his opinion of the current state of "censorship," including the cancel culture, which is the idea that someone, usually a celebrity or a public figure, whose ideas or comments are considered offensive should be boycotted, Danny said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Something like the [debut] S.O.D. record ['Speak English Or Die'], yeah, I mean, sure, you could never do that now. Just trying to be obnoxious and just be a bit of an asshole and be provocative, you can't do that anymore because everyone thinks that you're completely serious and full of hatred.

"When NUCLEAR ASSAULT did a festival in Recife, Brazil, I was talking to a couple of young metalheads in the lobby of the hotel, and they said, 'On your first album [1986's 'Game Over'], you had an extra song on the cassette, and it was called 'Lesbians'. Why? Did you have a problem with lesbians?' And I'm, like, 'We wrote that song in 1985 before you were even fucking born.' The point being that no, of course, we don't [have a problem with lesbians]. But that's when it was okay… It was never okay, but it was a stupid song. And, of course, we didn't mean it. It was just being obnoxious and provocative. And you can't do that [anymore]."

He continued: "I would hope that people understand that just because you have a position in a song that's obviously funny or outlandish that you're not really like that every day.

"I don't care. I'm not ashamed of anything I've done. It's all been in fun when it was obnoxious, and I wouldn't take any of it back. I mean, 'Fuck The Middle East'," he said, referencing a song on the first S.O.D. album, "but it's still true.

"I think some people have made a whole industry out of being offended," Lilker added. "I think a lot of people try to impress their older friends: 'Oh, did you see what they said? Oh, that's horrible.' I think some people are using this stuff. MARDUK and INCANTATION [were] shut down from a show in Oakland because 25 years ago INCANTATION had a guy in the band who later — much, much later — got into some crappy 'white power' shit that all the other guys were, like, 'What the fuck happened to this guy?' But because of this ancient association, now they're on some list, and that, to me, is ridiculous."

In a 2018 interview with the "Let There Be Talk" podcast, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian, who was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH, defended the lyrics on "Speak English Or Die", saying: "You've gotta understand, this was a character — I was writing for a character. This isn't how I feel, as Scott Ian. I created a guy named Sargent D, who I was writing a comic book about and I wrote songs based on it. And if you don't get it, go fuck yourself. I will never apologize, because that's where it comes from."

STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH (a.k.a. S.O.D.) was a satirical 1980s metal band which consisted of Ian (guitar), Lilker (bass), ANTHRAX's Charlie Benante (drums), and M.O.D.'s Billy Milano (vocals).

STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The track "March Of The S.O.D." from the group's debut LP, "Speak English Or Die", was the "Headbangers Ball" intro song for many years.

STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH was formed shortly after Ian finished his guitar tracks on the ANTHRAX album "Spreading The Disease". He would draw pictures of the face of a character known as "Sargent D," and the pictures would be accompanied by slogans such as "I'm not racist; I hate everyone" and "Speak English Or Die." Ian would then wrote lyrics about this character. He decided to form a hardcore band based on Sargent D, so he recruited Benante, Lilker and Milano.

The 30th-anniversary edition of "Speak English Or Die" was made available in November 2015 via Megaforce. The set included the original album as well as the demo recordings from the pre-STROMTROOPERS OF DEATH project CRAB SOCIETY NORTH.

EXODUS and SLAYER guitarist Gary Holt has once again opened up about his decision to quit drinking alcohol. The 57-year-old musician, who resides in Northern California, discussed his newfound sobriety in a new interview with Revolver magazine.

Holt said: "I feel fucking great. It's actually been quite easy; I mean, I'm not saying that I'm anything special, but it hasn't been hard for me. I'd been seeing signs for a while that it was time to do this — before the pandemic, usually if I would drink at home, it'd be like because we're having a big barbecue, or I'm having like two or three beers while watching the fucking 49ers game. But now I'm living here in the hills, and it's really beautiful and the weather's really nice, and my wife would be at work and I'd get all kinds of shit done; so then I'd sit to have a beer, and the next thing you know I'm on number twelve…

"When we were making the [new EXODUS] album ['Persona Non Grata'], during one of our first nights with everybody there, Tom [Hunting, EXODUS drummer] goes to me, 'Man, your beer-drinking level is impressive.' [Laughs] I'd drink eight or nine of these really strong double IPAs, the 10% alcohol beers, and I wouldn't even appear drunk. But it was just getting to the point where I was just drinking way too much, by myself, being kind of a dickhead around my wife, and sometimes it led to depression — I guess it's because my whole livelihood been taken away from me, and I didn't know how much I would miss it until it was gone.

"So basically, my wife said, 'It's time,' and I agreed. I am smoking a little bit of weed again though now, and that's all right. [Laughs] I have found that one of the things that prevents me from being triggered and helps me deal with stress is the taste of beer — it's not even the alcohol in it — and there's some really good non-alcoholic beers out there now. Like, they had a benefit show for Tom in Sacramento, and I felt a little bit overwhelmed walking into this tiny club; but I grabbed a non-alcoholic Heineken and drank it, and it was like, 'Okay, I got this!'"

Asked if he thinks he will be able to maintain his sobriety once he goes back on the road, Gary said: "Yeah. I'm kind of stubborn in my own belief of not fucking shit up, you know? And since I've already publicly stated it, I'd look at it as a total abject failure now if I had another fucking beer. [Laughs] But you know, I'm fine about it. I've been partying since high school, and the party isn't over — just the alcohol part. And we're talking some serious drug abuse, too. I quit all that, and I quit smoking, and quitting drinking was a lot easier for me than quitting meth or cigarettes!

"There is part of me that might be a little nervous about getting back on the road, not about slipping and drinking again, but just, 'How am I going to deal with other people when they're wasted?' [Laughs] Because someone's really ripped — your best friend, a complete stranger, it doesn't matter — they're always annoying. But, you know, three-fifths of us are alcohol-free now, and Tom's not drinking right now because alcohol absorption is completely different when you don't have a stomach. And when I came out publicly about not drinking, I received a lot of support from a lot of guys in bands that I didn't even know were sober. So there will definitely be people that I can hang out with."

Holt's announcement that he had given up alcohol came seven months after his wife Lisa revealed that she had quit drinking in 2012 after using alcohol since she was 13 years old. She also thanked her husband and credited him for making her "want to be a better person. I definitely wouldn't have him or anything kick-ass in my life today if I hadn't made this choice [to quit drinking] 8 years ago," she wrote.

In Wiederhorn's book "Raising Hell (Backstage Tales From The Lives Of Metal Legends)", Holt reminisced about the lengths he and his onetime EXODUS bandmate Kirk Hammett (now in METALLICA) would go to nearly 40 years ago in order to get free alcohol.

"Near where we lived, we had a local liquor store called the Wagon Wheel that burned down," Holt recalled. "We had nothing to do with that, but we waded through the burnt rubble of this condemned building, risking life and limb to get to the alcohol. The bottles with plastic caps were all melted. Kirk had this old Buick Skylark. We called it the Skymobile. And we filled his trunk with gallons of whiskey bottles with these black melted caps on them. We were scavengers. It's part of what made EXODUS great, that hunger and ambition."

Holt began filling in for SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman at live shows in 2011, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS. Holt played on SLAYER's final album, "Repentless", which came out in 2015.

"Persona Non Grata" will be released on November 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. It will be the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap.

In July, Hunting underwent a successful total gastrectomy in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stom

Three years after the release of "The Hunt For White Christ" (2018), Swedish death metal veterans UNLEASHED return with their new studio album, "No Sign Of Life", due out November 12 via Napalm Records.

Led by founding frontman Johnny Hedlund, and featuring drummer Anders Schultz and two guitarists Tomas Måsgard and Fredrik Folkare, UNLEASHED transports the listener straight into an outraging battle with 11 forceful tracks that revive the essentials of death metal, facing the sheer brutality of war. UNLEASHED is back to defend its throne, forging another uncompromising musical weapon that continues the marvelous legacy of Vikings.

To satisfy the bloodthirst, UNLEASHED just released their staggering brand new track from "No Sign Of Life", titled "The King Lost His Crown", alongside a sharp lyric music video. The track dives right in without mercy, dominated by destructive guitars, blasting drums and the well-known chunky and brutal screams of Hedlund.

Johnny on the first single: "In the aftermath of the battle of Jorsala, where the Midgard Warriors stood victorious, White Christ is now being hunted from the once so holy city. The enemy flees towards the desert, and his armies are about to lose faith in their leader. It seems that the king lost his crown."

The silence gets crushed right within the first notes of the album opener "The King Lost His Crown" and invents a paving rage that leaves no time to catch your breath during its entire playing time. The album unfolds with "Where Can You Flee" as an unstoppable war battalion and builds upon UNLEASHED's well-established trademark sound and strong lyrics. Bare-boned screams are accompanied by epic shouts praising Odin and heavy guitar riffs as the journey of clashes continues in "The Highest Ideal", until the album reaches its glorious peak with "Here At The End Of The World" as a fading hymn for the victorious march that leaves the battlefield behind in ashes.

UNLEASHED on the album: "It is our hope that our warriors all over the world will enjoy the new album just like they have our previous ones. We have, as always, tried to stick to our roots while testing our steel to develop the genre of Viking death metal even further. Hail Odin!"

"No Sign Of Life" track listing:

01. The King Lost His Crown

02. The Shepherd Has Left the Flock

03. Where Can You Flee?

04. You Are The Warrior!

05. No Sign Of Life

06. The Highest Ideal

07. Midgard Warriors For Life

08. Did You Struggle With God?

09. Tyr Wields The Sword

10. It is Finished

11. Here At The End Of The World

UNLEASHED is:

Johnny Hedlund - bass, vocals

Anders Schultz - drums

Tomas Måsgard - rhythm guitar

Fredrik Folkare - lead guitar

Photo credit: Jens Rydén

One of the new songs on Serious Black’s upcoming studio album Vengeance Is Mine is called “Album Of Our Life” and hits the nail on the head in several aspects. On the one hand, the international power metal band surrounding bassist and founder Mario Lochert has succeeded in creating what is probably the most powerful and imaginative work of its career so far, with loads of great guitar riffs, grooving rhythms and anthemic melodies. 


On the other hand, the album’s lyrics venture into territories previously uncharted by the band. Lochert: “This time, I have allowed more insights into my emotions and private life than ever before, i.e. into how I think, how I feel, how I am, and how difficult it can be to keep a band going when you aren’t well yourself. The lyrics on ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ reflect the past four or five years. This, of course, had an impact on the songwriting, which has become even more intense and emotional.”


In addition to the private insight of the band’s soul, another new aspect came into play: Nikola Mijić, a powerful vocalist from Serbia, has recently become the front man of the band. Mijić is the successor to Urban Breed, who separated from the band in spring 2021. "Nikola is a very talented and experienced singer," Lochert reports proudly.


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



And so has at last come together what belongs together - in Serious Black: Nikola Mijić’s expressive timbre, the rapid riffs and hooks of the guitarists Dominik Sebastian and Bob Katsionis, the driving grooves of drummer Ramy Ali with bassist and producer Mario Lochert. Due to these elements and on top the collective diverse songwriting, ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ has turned into a prime example of a deeply melodic and at the same time powerfully dynamic power metal album.


Vengenance Is Mine was produced and mixed by Lochert at his Serious Black Studio in Kirchseeon. The guitars were recorded by Dominik Sebastian at his own studio and all orchestral arrangements and keyboards were done by Bob Katsionis in Greece.


Along with the CD, a limited box set will also be available. In addition to the CD digipak, it contains a microfiber towel (160x80cm), the bonus cover album CD Rock With Us Tonight, a sticker, an original signed autograph card and the certificate of authenticity.   


Preorder at AFM Records.





Tracklisting:


“Rock With Us Tonight”
“Out Of The Ashes”
“Fallen Hero”
“Senso Della Vita”
“Ray Of Light”
“Soul Divider”
“Tonight I’m Ready To Fight”
“Just For You”
“Soldiers Of Eternal Light”
“The Story”
“Queen Of Lies”
“Album Of Our Life”
“Alea Lacta Est”


Bonus CD tracklisting:


“Boys Of Summer” (Don Henley)
“Take On Me” (A-Ha)
“Wonderful Life” (Black)
“Rockin’ In The Free World” (Neil Young)
“Spending My Time” (Roxette)
“The Look” (Roxette)
“Driver’s Seat” (Sniff ‘N’ The Tears)
“Dirt Diana” (Michael Jackson) 





propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('bravewords_content_2'); });



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

On October 15, Aeon will release their new album, God Ends Here, via Metal Blade Records. The band have released a video for the title track, which can be found below.


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


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


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



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





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


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





God Ends Here tracklisting:


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


"God Ends Here" video:





"Church Of Horror" lyric video:





Aeon lineup:


Tommy Dahlström - vocals
Zeb Nilsson - guitars
Daniel Dlimi - guitars
Tony Östman - bass
Janne Jaloma - drums (session)


(Photo - Tony Östman)





propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('bravewords_content_2'); });



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Earlier this year, Napalm Records presented the next chapter in psychedelic rock icons Monster Magnet’s rabbit hole deep dive, A Better Dystopia (out now) - a delightfully (and psychotically) curated collection of 60’s and 70’s proto-metal and late-era psych obscurities covered by the heavy New Jersey legends themselves. A Better Dystopia sees the band pay homage to some of their favourite songs of all time, while reflecting on the paranoia, dystopia and revolution of both now – and then.


Today, Monster Magnet releases the lyric video for their version of The Scientists’ “Solid Gold Hell”.


Frontman Dave Wyndorf says: "I’m a huge fan of The Scientists and I just love the hell out of this song. It’s hypnotic, dark and sexual with a unique and amazing groove. In a cooler world we’d hear stuff like this blasting out of everyone’s speakers. I’d love to hear Billie Eilish take a crack at this one…”


window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



Regarding the video, he continues: “Joe Tait’s art is so damned interesting… Where else can one find Hieronymus Bosch, Pam Grier, Cold War Soviet monuments, the Dr. Strangelove war room, astronauts, dinosaurs AND rockers all in the same video?”





Order the album here.





A Better Dystopia tracklisting:


"The Diamond Mine"
"Born To Go"
"Epitaph For A Head"
"Solid Gold Hell"       
"Be Forewarned"      
"Mr. Destroyer"        
"When The Wolf Sits"
"Death"         
"Situation"    
"It’s Trash"  
"Motorcycle (Straight To Hell)"       
"Learning To Die"    
"Welcome To The Void" (Bonus Track)


“Learning To Die” lyric video:





"Mr. Destroyer" lyric video:





Monster Magnet is:


Dave Wyndorf - Vocals, Guitar
Phil Caivano - Guitar
Garret Sweeny - Guitar
Alec Morton - Bass
Bob Pantella - Drums





propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('bravewords_content_2'); });



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Baron Carta have released their new single, "Altrincham" complete with a powerful lyric video that tells the true story of Lord Altrincham taking on Queen Elizabeth II. The song is from Baron Carta’s forthcoming release, In A Concrete Room, the follow-up to their debut, Step Into The Plague.


The new song is available right now on all major streaming and digital music platforms here, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, TikTok, and more. It was mixed and mastered by Grammy Nominated Jacob Hansen and produced by Jono Bacon.





window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



"Altrincham" was written and recorded by Baron Carta founder, Jono Bacon, and features the incredible near-four-octave range of legendary singer, Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear) and the solid rhythmic foundation of Morten Gade Sorensen (Pyramaze, Anubis Gate)


Right out of the gate "Altrincham" takes a firm kick to the gut with an upbeat, driving rhythm before launching into Scheepers’ gritty yet melodic vocals telling the story of the tension between Lord Altrincham and the Queen. The song is powered by heavy, Drop-A tuned guitars, combining upbeat grinding metal with huge choruses and harmonized guitar melodies. The low-end is held up competently with rich, melodic bass lines and a huge drum sound. "Altrincham" is no one-trick pony: it shows the versatility of Baron Carta’s writing.


Jono Bacon, founder of Baron Carta says, “'Altrincham is the first song on our upcoming record for a very specific reason: it lulls you into a false sense of security of what it is going to be, and then breaks that expectation as the song explores a range of modalities”. Bacon continues, “This is another step towards what I want Baron Carta to be: unrestrained by any specific genre or formula...just solid, heavy metal that can both snarl and surprise you in the same song.”





Baron Carta is changing the rules with how bands release music. Instead of a new album every two years, the band are releasing EPs twice a year.


“Fans want music more often”, says Jono Bacon, “Everywhere else...like Netflix, podcasts and beyond...we get content drip-fed to us. We want to take a bite out of that cherry and deliver heavy metal more regularly to Baron Carta fans. We are hoping other bands do the same”.


"Altrincham" is the first single from their forthcoming record, In a Concrete Room, which is released later this month. It is the follow-up to their debut, Step Into The Plague.








propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('bravewords_content_2'); });



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Melodic death/doom metal band Coldbound have shared a new update from the studio:


"We are excited to share with you some fragments of our music. Should our music see soon the light of the day ? It will, eventually, but for the time being let's throw a little riddle, shall we?  𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 who are the people involved behind this track (except Meiju and Pauli)?" 





window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'alternating-rec-reel-3n4-a',
container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});



Coldbound recently released the single “Slumber Of Decay”, which marked the metal comeback of Liv Kristine (Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves' Eyes) and Meiju Enho (Ensiferum). Coldbound mastermind Pauli Souka checked in with the following update:


"We move on with the album progress. To finally reveal the scale of this project we give you some numbers for the double album.


The album process got launched almost exactly three years ago, July 2018. The whole entity consists of approximately 17 songs, with the work being based on a script structure, with a hint of a soundtrack twist, making it a full storyline presented through music. Yet again, it’s a full blown metal production.


The number of instruments used on this album is uncountable, everything from acoustic and orchestral instruments, to electric and analog and metal music gear.


The approximate number of tracks per song is 200-400.


The number of guests participating is over 50.


The tracks have been recorded both within continental Europe and North America.


Thousands and thousands of working hours, and now we finally see the last part of this road opening ahead of us. More information will soon be revealed, so be prepared for more detailed news and album glimpses.


There are no limitations, only passion to make music."


Coldbound recently revealed they have parted ways with Liv Kristine, releasing the following statement:


"As all of us know, these two years have been affected by the situation of the global pandemic. Traveling restrictions have been of a huge obstacle, hence caused multiple delays concerning the music writing aspect. There has been lots of changes within the general aspect, up to a point that we simply cannot come up with further options how to conduct the work that has started several years ago.


This process involves dozens of musicians / artists and already it has taken a big chunk of monetary value and a lot of time and effort. With all the respect to all people involved and to the music itself, which is the main driving force, and seen all this work being at stake, we have, in mutual understanding, come to the difficult situation to finalize this work without the presence of Liv Kristine.


This painful decision has to be done in order to develop and move forward. As future is not carved in any stone, there is always the possibility to collaborate in one way or another with Liv Kristine. This decision is purely music-driven to ensure the completion of the only purpose of Coldbound; the music.


We like to thank deep from our hearts any single contribution of Liv Kristine, and no one knows what the future might reveal in our expressionistic crossroads."


"Slumber Of Decay" featuring Liv Kristine was released back in February. Check out the official video below.








propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('bravewords_content_2'); });



window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

During an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation Virtual Invasion", IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson was asked why he and his bandmates keep going back to producer Kevin Shirley album after album, including the group's latest effort, "Senjutsu". Bruce said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Kevin's a very good producer; he's a very good, knowledgeable, technical producer. But we are difficult to work with. I haven't worked with that many bands, but I've worked with a fair number of musicians, and I know in general how people tend to work. Nobody works like we do. We are definitely a one-off. The way things get put together, all the funny little protocols, the little politics within the band. Not in a bad way — this is just the way it works. I imagine it's kind of the same in THE ROLLING STONES. I imagine THE ROLLING STONES, it's not like working with anybody else. It's, like, 'What are they doing now?' They always do that on Thursday. And they've done it for 45 years; that's what they do on a Thursday, and nobody interferes with that. And it's the same with us; we have all these little eccentricities. I don't think we could work any other way."

He continued: "I do albums — obviously, I've done solo albums and things, working with [producer/guitarist] Roy [Z] and some great musicians, and you work in a more kind of traditional way. And Adrian's [Smith, MAIDEN guitarist] done records and worked in a more traditional way. But we, as a band, need to get together and play in a big room and actually make a lot of noise and do… I mean, it's old-school stuff. And when people say, 'You're kind of like dinosaur rock,' I'm, like, 'Yeah. Yeah. It's good.' And that's not a bad thing. How many dinosaurs are there left in the world? If you're gonna be a dinosaur, you wanna be a [Tyrannosaurus] rex. What do you feed a T. rex? Anything it wants. And it's kind of like that with being a producer of IRON MAIDEN — you're part of the team but you've gotta play by our rules. And there's a lot of producers that couldn't cope. Not that they're incapable of doing stuff, but they would rapidly come up against a brick wall with some of our opinions and practices in the studio."

"Senjutsu" marks MAIDEN's sixth album to be produced by Shirley, who has worked with MAIDEN for the past two decades.

In addition to MAIDEN, Shirley has collaborated with dozens of notable acts, including Joe Bonamassa, JOURNEY, DREAM THEATER and LED ZEPPELIN.

Back in 1983, Dickinson told Canadian writer Steve Newton that it would be "unthinkable" for IRON MAIDEN to make an album without producer Martin Birch, who had helmed the previous "Killers" and "The Number Of The Beast" LPs. Birch retired in 1992 after co-producing MAIDEN's "Fear Of The Dark" with bassist Steve Harris.

"Senjutsu" is being released today (Friday, September 3) via BMG

METALLICA performed its classic song "Nothing Else Matters" with pop star Miley Cyrus on SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show" yesterday morning (Thursday, September 9). You can watch video of the performance below.

METALLICA and Miley's appearance was in celebration of release of the remastered deluxe box set of METALLICA's self-titled fifth album — also known as "The Black Album" — which is being made available today (Friday, September 10) via the band's own Blackened Recordings. Also included is a companion set titled "The Metallica Blacklist", which is packed with covers by major recording artists. Cyrus is among the 53 musicians included in the covers set, which includes her version of "Nothing Else Matters", also featuring Elton John, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith, frequent collaborator Andrew Watt and METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo.

Appearing via video link, Elton told Howard his decision to play piano on the star-studded cover was an absolute "no-brainer." "This is one of the best songs ever written, to me. It's a song that never gets old. Playing on this track I just couldn't wait because the chord structure, the melodies, the time changes — it's got drama written all over it," he said.

Miley, meanwhile, lent her voice to the song for other reasons. While sitting next to METALLICA singer James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bassist Robert Trujillo in SiriusXM's West Coast studios, she told Howard she first performed "Nothing Else Matters" in 2019 at England's Glastonbury festival during a pivotal moment in her life.

"It was right before actually that the world knew I was getting a divorce, but I knew that I was," Miley said. "I had just lost my house in the fires … I was so heartbroken and my purpose was coming from this performance. I got sober at that time. I really pulled my fucking shit together. This song was what drove me to that place."

"My life in regards to love was falling apart, but I had my love for music," she added.

Elton said he cherished collaborating with Miley on the METALLICA song. "When I heard her sing 'Nothing Else Matters', I just couldn't believe it," he told Howard. "It's just astonishing, her voice. She's probably the best rock and roll singer out there, without question."

He had plenty more kind words for METALLICA, too. "You can't really define them," Elton said. "[They're] not a heavy metal band; they're a musical band. Their songs aren't just heavy metal; they're beautiful songs. This is just such a melodic song. It's fucking great, actually."