During an appearance Tuesday (October 19) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", David Ellefson opened up about his dismissal from MEGADETH five months ago, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist and a woman that is not his wife were posted on Twitter. Shortly after explicit video of him emerged online, Ellefson released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, when the claim "David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile" appeared on Instagram.

Ellefson told "Trunk Nation" host Eddie Trunk that he "didn't even know what" the word "grooming" was, adding that he "had no idea" about the meaning of the term experts use to refer to the actions that sexual abusers take to get close to and gain the trust of those they are interested in. "And any allegations of anything being illegal [are false]," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "There was nothing. And that's why I immediately hired a criminal lawyer. I went right to the police department. And just for the record, the bad guy doesn't go to the police department. Okay? So, just to be clear. The guy who didn't do anything wrong, he goes to the police department. That's why I went to the police department and filed a police report and let them deal with it.

"I think there was a big fear of — there's always this talk of cancel culture and all this stuff," he continued. "And I was, like, 'Listen, that was not me.' And I had every right to stand up against that and defend myself against it. And I just turned that over to the lawyers and police department and let them deal with it, and they did."

David also addressed his decision to step away from social media and stop doing interviews for a few months while things settled, both personally and professionally.

"Look, certainly time heals wounds in these things, which is good," he said. "And that was the thing — I was, like, look, I didn't do anything wrong; there was nothing illegal here; and you let it go. And for me to just kind of take some time away and go dark. I got off all social media. I have one Facebook account that I don't even run, just for kind of professional purposes and everything, but I'm off of that. And I think that helps."

When Trunk brought up the point that the only apparent "illegality" in this case lies with the person who actually leaked the above-mentioned video, Ellefson said: "A hundred percent. That's why I didn't hire a civil lawyer to sue people for a million bucks. I hired a criminal lawyer, and what they do is prosecute to put people in jail. 'Cause those were the crimes. You can't just go do shit like that — put stuff out there, content — and not have a penalty. That is the crime. And I think people just think they can — and not everybody; I'm not saying all people — but there is a faction that they just think that that could be just done as a joke and for fun, and it can't. Of course, it's the Internet, so people live in foreign countries; there's all this stuff. That's why the best thing, I think, is to, first of all, just get away from those platforms because that is a breeding ground for that society to do that."

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

Asked by Trunk if there are still ongoing legal proceedings in the case, Ellefson said: "It's been resolved. We took the steps necessary, walked through that process, which was necessary to do, and that's all landed and, as of now, that's fine."

David, who studied for a year at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis nearly a decade ago, also wanted to address one specific "misconception" about him that has been repeatedly raised in the months since his masturbation videos were posted online. He said: "There's a misconception that I'm a pastor. I am not a pastor. I did a year of seminary, and they made it real clear, 'If you are gonna continue at seminary, you need to quit MEGADETH,' so I quit seminary to be in MEGADETH. And I remember telling my mom that, when she was still alive — God rest her soul. I said, 'Hey, I withdrew out of seminary,' in good standing, to continue being in MEGADETH. And she was actually very disappointed. She was, like, 'You know what? MEGADETH is holding you back. That's too bad. You should have stayed in seminary.' Turns out maybe I should have listened to my mom; I don't know. [Laughs] Of course, mom wants the best for you.

"Who knows? Whatever," he continued. "I'm a rock and roller, man. I'm a founding member of MEGADETH. It's who I am. It's what I do. It's part of my life. It's part of my existence. So I have no regrets about any of that. But I think that was a misconception. People started throwing that around. And so I've never been an ordained pastor. Yes. I did explore that world for a time."

David went on to say that there is a perception that people of faith must set a higher standard of how they live with and treat others. "It's almost like you're this entity that's floating up toward the heavens: 'Oh, he's such a wonderful man. He's a man of faith. He's got his family. And then this happens.' It's, like, 'What the hell is this?'

"I mean, look, admittedly I've sort of trained the public to think that I'm one of the more well-behaved rock stars out there, and for the most part I have been," he continued. "But at the same time, and this isn't to claim anything other than just, oops, shit happens. That is what it is.

"In the season that I was away from MEGADETH, in the 2000s, I got involved in other things in church, and raising my family, and blah blah blah, these things, and so by nature, I kind of became more of a suburban homebody — the dad guy," David added. "And then I went back to MEGADETH in 2010. And the thing is to try to reconcile that you're not one guy at home and another guy on the road, that you're the same guy. And I think for anybody who spent any time on the road — whether you're a rock star, a traveling salesman or whoever you may be — that is the challenge, and it's a real challenge, to keep your life in order when every day your toothbrush is in a new zip code."

David and his wife Julie Ellefson have been married for 27 years. They have two child

Back in 1990, Megadeth appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show, the American syndicated late-night talk show created by and starring comedian Arsenio Hall, to promote their album, Rust In Peace. Rare footage of the band performing "Hangar 18" on the program, courtesy of Menza Nation, can now be seen below:





Screaming Butterfly Entertainment recently announced their partnership with former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson / Ellefson Films on their upcoming feature length documentary, This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza. Ellefson has signed on as a co-producer of the film, and also will provide narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of Nick's life.




Ellefson stated: "In forty-second promo clip, that can be seen below. I am proud to announce I will narrate / co-produce the upcoming documentary film This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza and I look forward to sharing together with you the life story of one of musics most celebrated rock star drummers of all time Nick Menza."


Menza's longtime personal manager Robert Bolger said: "I am very happy to connect David Ellefson with Screaming Butterfly Entertainment to narrate / co-produce the project. Ellefson's involvement and knowledge will secure the authenticity of the film. They both spent a lot of personal time together touring world and if anyone knew Nick at best, it's David Ellefson. Nick loved his fans and always said without the fans none this would be possible. I really think Nick's fans will enjoy this journey through his life."


Executive Producer/Director Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment added: "I am very happy to welcome David Ellefson to the "This Was My Life" team. He brings with him a wealth of in-depth knowledge and personal experience that will be so valuable to making this film something very special for the fans and Nick's family. I believe that his involvement will be an extremely positive addition to the project, and am excited to collaborate with him on the film."





In conjunction with the announcement of Ellefson's attachment to the film, an Indiegogo campaign has been launched to raise funding for the completion of the film. Fans have the opportunity to support the production of the film directly, as well as obtain some rare, official Nick Menza memorabilia.


These items include various Nick Menza personally owned items - some with authentic signatures from Nick himself. In addition to memorabilia, fans can purchase brand new Nick Menza merchandise including hats, posters, and even Nick Menza skateboard decks. Fans can even have their names and a message added to the end credits of the film.


The campaign can be found here and is now live.





"This Was My Life" will be the first-ever film to memorialize Menza's legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was. It is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic Rust In Peace lineup."


"This Was My Life" will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow bandmembers, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with. A screenshot from the film was recently released that featured an interview with former Lamb Of God/Megadeth drummer Chris Adler.


Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons spoke to The Wall Street Journal about his decision to sell his Southern Nevada estate, only five months after buying it.

Simmons paid a combined $10.8 million for the home and a lot adjacent to it back in May and is now asking $14.95 million for it. Among the improvements Simmons made to the Vegas house is installing all new floors and ripping up wall-to-wall carpeting in some of the rooms.

According to Gene, his wife and their two adult children never wanted to spend time in Las Vegas, preferring to stay at the family's other homes, an extensive portfolio which includes a modern lake house in Whistler, British Columbia, a home in Malibu and two houses in L.A. that Gene bought for the Simmons kids, Nick and Sophie.

"They're not fans of 115-degree weather," Simmons told The Wall Street Journal.

Because of KISS's touring schedule and his business travel, Gene said he never spent more than a few weeks total in Las Vegas. He went on to say that he had no regrets about selling the property so soon after the purchase, adding: "How many houses do you need anyway?"

Last month, Simmons sold his Los Angeles mansion for $16 million, almost a year after he first put it on the market for $22 million. He later relisted it for $25 million after it never sold and he reportedly invested a lot of money in making improvements.

Gene bought the Los Angeles property back in October 1986 for $1,337,500.

Simmons has been very vocal about his desire to leave California for some time due to wanting a quieter lifestyle and to get away from being listed on celebrity maps or having to deal with Beverly Hills tour buses. He also said that part of the reason he and his wife listed the two-acre property in Benedict Canyon because the home had become too big for the both of them since their children had grown up.

"It's a big property, and the kids were literally raised here," he said about the Beverly Hills house. "Now they've moved on, and they both have their own homes next to each other in the Hollywood Hills. They borrow a cup of sugar and all that. They love each other and support each other like the best kids you could imagine."

"They've got their own lives, and now we've got this big house. And if I want to talk to [my wife] Shannon, I've got to hit an intercom because she's at the other end of the house," he continued. "It's happy and it's also sad. When you're a kid and you live at home, you love your mom and dad, but at some point you've got to move out. It's sad because you're moving from home, but you're also looking forward to the future, and we really hope the next family that lives here is going to get as much joy as we have from this place."

Gene and Shannon were married in 2011 after dating since 1975.

Gene, Shannon and their kids all appeared on the reality TV series "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" from 2006 until 2012.

Photo credit: courtesy of Stetson Ybarra Photography

For all the fans around the globe unable to be present as SLIPKNOT performs the biggest headline performance of its career to date, the band have announced today that Knotfest Los Angeles at the Banc of California Stadium will be streamed live on Friday, November 5. SLIPKNOT's first-ever livestream, the event will allow fans to share all the excitement of a SLIPKNOT gig, both live as it happens, and for a full 72 hours after. Tickets are on sale now at knotfest.veeps.com, priced at a discounted pre-sale cost of $15, with on-the-day tickets being $20. Knotfest members are eligible to purchase at a discounted price of $12. Tickets bundled with event merch are also available.

As part of the broadcast, ticket holders not only get to see SLIPKNOT's incendiary new production, live from Los Angeles, but also a selection of songs each from a stacked supporting bill of the hottest bands in heavy music, including KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333, CODE ORANGE, VENDED and a special performance from CHERRY BOMBS. Check out the trailer below.

Ticket holders can still watch the stream up to 72 hours post event, so don't worry if you can't watch "live" on the night.

In late August, the Grammy Award-winning Iowan icons took Knotfest back to their home state for Knotfest Iowa, selling out an expanded capacity show at the National Balloon Classic Field in Indianola. The band ia currently on the "Knotfest Roadshow" tour, which is snaking its way across the USA, culminating at the Banc Of California Stadium show for this very special event.

If you're in Southern California, you can still pick up remaining tickets to attend in person.

"Knotfest Roadshow" features support from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333 and CODE ORANGE. The 28-date run, produced by Live Nation, kicked off following Knotfest Iowa on September 25, and will wrap up in Arizona in early November.

SLIPKNOT has spent the last few months working on a new studio album, tentatively due in 2022. The band's latest LP, "We Are Not Your Kind", came out in August 2019. The disc sold 118,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Furthermore, the album made an impact worldwide with No. 1 debuts in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Japan, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Finland, as well as Top 5 debuts in Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and New Zealand.

British rock band MAGNUM will release its new studio album, "The Monster Roars", on January 14, 2022 via SPV/Steamhammer. A couple of singles will precede the full-length effort: "I Won't Let You Down", a typically deep melodic midtempo song featuring a memorable chorus with stylish string accompaniment for added lustre, will arrive on November 12, followed five weeks later, on December 17, by a second pre-release track, "No Steppin' Stones", also including a lyric video.

"The Monster Roars" features twelve new songs in total from guitarist Tony Clarkin, singer Bob Catley and their comrades in arms Rick Benton (keyboards), Dennis Ward (bass) and Lee Morris (drums), with a few little surprises thrown in. On top of the regular disc, MAGNUM will release a limited box set with three extra bonus tracks, including a new version of "Days Of No Trust", the opener of the 1988 album classic "Wings Of Heaven", a new remastered version of "Sweets For My Sweet", the very first single of their career from 1975, and a previously unreleased track from the same era. And from March 2022, the band will finally be returning to Europe for a major tour.

Track listing:

01. The Monster Roars (3:57)

02. Remember (5:05)

03. All You Believe In (5:01)

04. I Won't Let You Down (3:57)

05. The Present Not The Past (5:27)

06. No Steppin' Stones (3:57)

07. That Freedom Word (4:52)

08. Your Blood Is Violence (6:44)

09. Walk The Silent Hours (4:51)

10. The Day After The Night Before (4:23)

11. Come Holy Men (5:01)

12. Can't Buy Yourself Heaven (5:00)

Iconic singer, songwriter, guitarist, and ALICE IN CHAINS co-founder Jerry Cantrell has released "Siren Song", the third and final song before next week's release of his new album "Brighten". The album will be made available on October 29.

"Siren Song" begins with a soft, finger-picked acoustic guitar, as a lead into the heavy distorted sound that follows. Jerry's soaring vocals take listeners on an epic journey — "She don't lie she walks on. A passerby in a dream. You feel as though it'll never die. In my dark you are the light. Funny how the feeling never goes. When I'm wrong you are the right. Carry the memory in my soul."

"Brighten" was co-produced by Jerry over the past year with film composer Tyler Bates and Cantrell's longtime engineer Paul Figueroa. They welcomed a dynamic cast of supporting players, including drummers Gil Sharone and Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul McCartney), pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer, and organ. Other rock legends added to the fun of this LP, including Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) on select bass tracks, Greg Puciato (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) handling all of the background vocals and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) overseeing the mixing of "Brighten". Together, they recorded eight originals and the LP closes with an approved-by-Elton John cover of his classic "Goodbye" as the finale.

"Siren Song" is performed by Cantrell (guitar, vocals, bass) along with Sharone (drums, percussion), Puciato (backing vocals), Rozon (pedal steel), Jordan Lewis (piano) and Barresi (triangle).

Cantrell played a pair of sold-out solo shows in Los Angeles joined by an eclectic group of musicians and friends, several of whom appear on "Brighten".

"It was fun to play tunes I hadn't performed in years from 'Boggy Depot' and 'Degradation Trip'," Jerry continues. "Tyler Bates not only introduced me to a lot of cool players, he also helped me put the band together for the shows, and performed with me."

"Brighten" spawned from those gigs.

"It was like an old-school '70s record where a multitude of musicians played," smiles Cantrell. "So it's not a set band. I got to make music with a bunch of people I never had before, along with friends like Duff, Tyler and Gil who I've worked with previously."

Jerry's expansive sonic palette incorporates everything from moments of moody organ and powerful pedal steel to the cathartic choruses and airtight riffs which is the hallmark of Cantrell's sound.

"Brighten" track listing:

01. Atone

02. Brighten

03. Prism of Doubt

04. Black Hearts and Evil Done

05. Siren Song

06. Had To Know

07. Nobody Breaks You

08. Dismembered

09. Goodbye (Elton John cover)

The cast of players on "Brighten"

* Jerry Cantrell - Guitar, bass, vocals, keys

* Greg Puciato - Background vocals

* Duff McKagan - Bass

* Gil Sharone - Drums

* Abe Laboriel Jr. - Drums

* Tyler Bates - Strings, percussion, guitar

* Vincent Jones - Piano, keys, & strings

* Jordan Lewis - Piano

* Michael Rozon - Pedal steel

* Lola Bates - Background vocals

* Matias Ambrogi-Torres - Strings

Jerry's upcoming effort will mark his first full-length release since "Degradation Trip", the epic solo album he made in 2002 with future METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin.

Cantrell announced the new LP's completion in an Instagram post in March.

Jerry's career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell's first solo album, "Boggy Depot", was released in 1998, followed by his second album, the aforementioned "Degradation Trip". In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including "Spider-Man", "The Cable Guy", "John Wick 2", "Last Action Hero" and "The Punisher".

ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.

VIRGIN STEELE's forthcoming metal opus, The Black Light Bacchanalia will be released on October 22 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and the rest of Europe on October 25 and on Novemeber 9 in North America.

Leader David DeFeis checks in from the studio: "This has been one tense week for us to say the least! Josh (Block) and I have worked like demons from the farthest crypts of Hades and Vikings on a rampage to complete this album. Due to some freaky electrical malfunctions caused by the various late summer storms we have had here, we lost various tracks from the majority of the songs on the album, including information on drives that were the backups. The gods and goddesses of all things involving the Currents of the earth and sky are not always kind. Luckily we had enough material from earlier sessions baked up on other drives, to be able to go in and frantically begin work again, re-recording over the past three or four days about 75-80-% of the album all over again in terms of vocals, guitars and a few stray bits of orchestration. Now after a harrowing week, we are in the home stretch and once again racing to the finish line in our attempt to make our deadline. While we are in for another major league insane day and night, this actually looks possible.

The end result of all this manic activity, is that an already raw and passionate album is even more raw and passionate! Listening back last night, I was reminded of the untamed fury and pure unadulterated energy of albums like LED ZEPPELIN 2, or the early VAN HALEN albums. Not that Virgin Steele sounds like that per say, but that spontaneity, that abandon, is captured here. If Zeppelin came back today as a barbaric-romantic metal band and were releasing there first album, they might have made an album like we are making now. It sounds like a debut album in many ways. It is very honest and overflowing with exuberance. It is heavy when it needs to be, atmospheric on occasion, epic in all directions, violent, tender, proud and ultimately defiant.

I want to express my thanks to my friend and bandmate Josh Block for his dedication, determination, and for hanging in there with me, not only playing wicked guitar on the record, but also contributing his exceptional engineering skills throughout the recording and mixing process. I also wish to thank our good Friend and long time recording engineer Ed Warrin for his tireless assistance, keen ears, great wit, and Noble skills in helping to bring this album to a proper close.

I also wish to send out a royal thanks and a round of drinks to: our drummer Frank Gilchriest who contributed amazing drum performances even while suffering from a severely injured ankle. He is the new and indestructible Keith Moon, and he shall remain Invictus. And thanks and cheers to Edward (Van Dorian) Pursino for his passionate guitar work and positive vibes throughout these past several months of traveling and recording.

We hope that you will all enjoy the fruits of our summer of madness."

YouTube channel Heavy Metal Hill has uploaded video footage of Geoff Tate's October 15 performance at The Canyon in Agoura Hills, California.

Tate's current tour is celebrating the 30th anniversary of QUEENSRŸCHE's "Empire" and "Rage For Order" albums.

1986's "Rage For Order" introduced a much more polished look and sound for QUEENSRŸCHE. The album featured keyboards as prominently as guitars, and the group adopted an image more closely associated with glam rock or glam metal than with heavy metal (of which glam metal was a subgenre). A video was filmed for the song "Gonna Get Close to You", originally recorded in 1984 by DALBELLO.

Released in 1990, "Empire" included the hit ballad "Silent Lucidity", which reached No. 9 on the Billboard singles chart, helped propel "Empire" to No. 7 on the album chart and earned two Grammy Award nominations.

Prior to the launch of the trek in early 2020, Tate told MisplacedStraws.com that he would take the "Empire 30th Anniversary Tour" to "as many countries as I can and playing the album in its entirety, which I've never done before. So that'll be real fun. In fact, I think there's some songs on that album that I've never, ever played live before, so it'll be a treat — for me, as well, I think, for the audience too," the former QUEENSRŸCHE singer said. "I'm really looking forward to that."

Tate told Eonmusic that one song from "Empire" that was rarely performed live is "Anybody Listening?" "When QUEENSRŸCHE was together, we never really put that song in our set," he said. "We just had a hard time playing it, for some reason; it just never jelled or felt right. And I'd really like to play that song again, and play it right."

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Original QUEENSRŸCHE members Michael Wilton (guitar), Scott Rockenfield (drums) and Eddie Jackson (bass) responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Tate was replaced in QUEENSRŸCHE by former CRIMSON GLORY singer Todd La Torre.

Geoff recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Operation: Mindcrime" on European and U.S. tours.

Andrea Haugen, who previously was married to Samoth (EMPEROR, ZYKLON), will release her third album under the NEBELHEXË moniker, "Dead Waters", on May 5. The effort will be made available through Amber Autumn, which is a subdivision of Candlelight Records.

Despite her popularity in the metal scene, Haugen's music is often refered to as "ambient/folk/rock/gothic." She describes "Dead Waters" as "very own, very dark, very organic, very strange. 'Dead Waters' certainly turned out to be more organic, kind of like a mix of dreamy ambient, tribal, and a darker form of country... or something like that... maybe it was the influence of that Texas snake beer we were drinking in the studio (cool stuff!) and the hot weather. The songs, as usual, embrace many of my deep and dark thoughts, dreams... and recent experiences... I have a talent for ending up in unusual, interesting and weird situations... always kinda stressy when it happens... but they always makes the best and entertaining stories afterwards."

Through Nebelhexë, Haugen has released three albums so far: "Laguz - Within the Lake", "Essensual" and now "Dead Waters". Her lyrics talk about her real experiences, dreams, magical visions, vampires and animalistic impulses, dream gods, animal abuse, yearn for freedom, fears and her thoughts about society...

She is a writer of thought-provoking publications and articles about the darker aspects of human nature, animalistic instincts and other esoteric/taboo subjects which became quite popular in the alternative and metal music scenes. She also wrote a book about the understanding of northern myths, traditions and goddess worship, which became very popular. She has a column in a Norwegian gothic magazine, called "Seriously - The Things That Irritate Nebelhexë", yet she prefers to write her dark surrealistic stories, such as her comic "One Autumn Day".

"Dead Waters" track listing:

01. Against The Wall
02. Skindeep
03. Digital Sleep
04. Dead Waters
05. Charmed (Again)
06. In My Dreams I Am Free
07. 19th Century Ghost
08. Beyond The Ninth Wave
09. Fallen
10. The Nightguard

Horror metal band First Jason, featuring Friday The 13th’s original “Jason Voorhees” Ari Lehman, has announced the release of its new video for their latest single “The Price Of Peace.” Describing the song as embodying a harder edge than the band’s recent projects, Lehman says he is particularly proud of this track as it is reminiscent of the group’s earlier work.


“It’s kind of like us almost returning to our original formula, like ‘Jason Never Dies,’ which has most of our biggest hits where we’re on a little more hardcore than a heavy metal sound. Maybe even a little bit of a nu metal sound in there, admittedly, because I’ve been very impressed by bands like Nonpoint, Ice Kills Nine, who I did a collaboration with, and just looking at different sounds that are out there,” Lehman said.





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



What’s also different about the “Price Of Peace” is its subject matter. Written during quarantine, the song explores today’s turbulent times. Lehman said “It asks the question, ‘Is this the price of peace that we have to pay?’ And it says the only way to pay the price is to sacrifice your pride, so it’s a philosophical song, which kind of reveals a lot about me.”


T

Frontiers Music Srl announced the signing of Kandia, an alternative metal band from Portugal, to a multi-album deal in late 2020. The band released a single, "The Flood", along with an official lyric video.


Today, the band release a video for the acoustic version of "The Flood", which can be viewed below:





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 lyric video for "The Flood":





Kandia is one of the first bands signed through the Frontiers & Beyond initiative, which was launched by the label with the intent to sign bands who will be part of the next generation of hard rock and metal.


“We are excited and very eager to work with Frontiers," says the band. "The label is passionate about music and we are proud to be part of the family. Our new album will definitely have our identity, but we always like to experiment with new things. These hard times that we are going through are giving us much inspiration, so this record will be filled with different emotions."


Kandia started in November 2007, founded by singer Nya Cruz and guitarist André Da Cruz. They decided to name the band Kandia - to obfuscate, to blind by light - as they felt it would represent the positivity they wa

Frontiers Music Srl will release of the sophomore album from Groundbreaker, Soul To Soul, on November 12. Today, the melodic rock project centered around the vocal talents of Steve Overland (FM) have released the song, "There's No Tomorrow". Listen below, and pre-order/save Soul To Soul here.


Groundbreaker's new album, Soul To Soul, is once again centered around the fantastic vocal talents of Steve Overland (FM) with stunning production by Alessandro Del Vecchio. While the self-titled debut was a collaboration with Robert Sall (Work of Art, W.E.T), on the songwriting side, joining Steve and Alessandro this time are Stefano Lionetti (Lionville), Pete Alpenborg (Arctic Rain), Jan Akesson (Infinite & Divine), and Kristian Fyhr (Seventh Crystal). The resulting album is simply everything that a melodic rock fan could hope and dream for. Expect nothing less than soaring hooklines, magnificent melodies, and amazing instrumental performances. Mixing the best of the European melodic rock traditions, Soul To Soul is easily one of the melodic rock highlights of the year.


The lineup on the new album includes Sven Larsson (ex-Street Talk) on guitars, Nalley Pahlsson (ex- Vindictiv, Therion) on bass, Herman Furin (Work of Art) on drums, and Alessandro Del Vecchio on keyboards. Steve Overland plays lead guitar on the track “Wild World” too.


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



Groundbreaker started with a conversation between Frontiers President Serafino Perugino and Overland. Perugino was eager to start a top notch collaboration with well-respected musicians from the European melodic rock scene and highlight Overland's absolutely stunning vocal talents. Robert Sall of Work of Art was brought into the picture to craft the songs and to be paired with Alessandro Del Vecchio’s production. Overland immediately loved the material that was submitted to him and consequently, they started to work on finishing the songs. The band's debut album was greeted warmly by the melodic rock community and now, those same fans can prepare themselves for another delightful entry into the melodic roc

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson and DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover will take part in a performance of Jon Lord's "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" in Győr, Hungary on November 5, 2021. Adding DEEP PURPLE tracks, the concert will be performed by the Győr Symphony Orchestra together with Kaitner Z Doka (JON LORD, IAN PAICE, DON AIREY) on guitar and Bernhard Welz (JON LORD, DON AIREY) on drums. Also appearing at the event will be conductor Paul Mann, a close friend of Jon's.

A new video message from Dickinson promoting the show can be seen below.

"Hello. It's Bruce Dickinson here from IRON MAIDEN," the singer says in the clip. "But on the 5th of November — that's fireworks night in the United Kingdom. Well, fireworks night with a symphony orchestra, with the Győr Symphony Orchestra in Győr, we're gonna be performing Jon Lord's 'Concerto For Group And Orchestra', and we're gonna be doing some PURPLE classics at the end of the show as well. It's gonna be a fabulous night. I'll let you in to a secret: I've done it twice before, and it was mega. But this is gonna be even more mega than it was before. Oh yes!"

In November 2019, Bruce performed at the Palais Montcalm in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada as part of the 50th-anniversary celebration of "Concerto For Group And Orchestra". Joining him at the event were Mann, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra (QSQ) and the PAUL DESLAURIERS BAND.

When the Quebec City concert was first announced, Dickinson said: "It's a great honor to participate in the 50th anniversary of the 'Concerto For Group And Orchestra'. When Paul Mann contacted me about the Quebec event, I said yes immediately.

"As many people know, DEEP PURPLE have been a major, ongoing influence in my life since I was a teenager, and down the years, I have been fortunate enough to become good friends with all of the band, most especially in my collaborations with Jon Lord.

"[I] am looking forward to seeing everyone at this very special commemorative evening."

Added Mann: "My long collaboration with Jon Lord, and in particular his innovative, genre-defying 'Concerto', has been one of the greatest joys of my musical life. Jon's spirit will definitely be with us."

After the November 21, 2019 concert went on sale in April of that year, it sold out immediately and a second show — on November 22, 2019 — was added.

During a September 2018 spoken-word gig in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dickinson was asked about his relationship with Lord. He responded: "Jon Lord was a wonderful gentleman, and we were close friends. And he sadly died of… He had pancreatic cancer, but he survived for a year and a half — much against what everybody had said would happen. And actually, at the end, he didn't die of pancreatic cancer — he died, unfortunately, of some terrible blood collapse that happened with him, possibly as a result of treatment. But we had all kinds of crazy plans, including me going out on tour with him, singing DEEP PURPLE songs with an orchestra, which he was planning to do; that was one of the things we were planning to do. But it all got interrupted and canceled, and [it was] obviously very sad. He was a wonderful man."

Lord died on July 16, 2012 at age 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Lord, who was known for his keyboard virtuosity and his reinvention of the Hammond B-3 organ sound, co-wrote such PURPLE classics as "Smoke On The Water" and "Child In Time", among others. Lord and drummer Ian Paice were the only original members to last through the band's initial run from 1968 to 1976. He was on board for their 1984 reunion and stayed on through to his 2002 retirement from the band, after which he worked primarily in the classical field.






Drummer Bernhard Welz has just announced a new performance of Jon Lord's “Concerto For Group And Orchestra" in Győr,...

Posted by Jon Lord on Thursday, July 22, 2021

California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER have recruited Rikki Dazzle as their new bassist following the departure of Lexxi Foxx.

Fan-filmed video footage of some of STEEL PANTHER's recent live performances, featuring Dazzle on bass, can be seen below.

Earlier this month, Lexxi — whose real name is Travis Haley — told Rocking With Jam Man that he hadn't spoken with his former bandmates since his exit. "I still talk to the singer [Michael Starr] a little bit; I have in the past," he said. "But I think that those scars and I think that the departure, the way that it went down, I think there's some sore spots. But that's tough for me to talk about.

"That was something that I'm very proud of — to be that character for such a long period of time, and to play with those cats," he continued. "They're all amazing musicians. And I just think that it is different to not have that [in my life] — I'd been in character for so long — but I have to say it's a little refreshing as well."

When STEEL PANTHER first announced Lexxi's exit in July, the band jokingly said that Foxx "started his side business, 'Sexy Lexxi's Prettiest Pets,' to bring in money for Botox during the lockdown." After realizing that "his love for making pets pretty was greater than his love for being pretty himself," he chose "to hang up his mirror and focus on his newfound passion: making ugly dogs pretty," the group wrote in a statement.

Back in December 2018, Lexxi sat out a STEEL PANTHER tour after being admitted to "sex rehab." The real reason for his absence was never officially disclosed.

During an appearance on a recent episode of the "2020'd" podcast, STEEL PANTHER guitarist Satchel stated about Lexxi's departure: "We didn't want him to quit. Nobody wanted him to quit, including a lot of fans. I'm sure a lot of fans are very sad that he left. But he's the guy who left the band. I think he's got his own things he's dealing with, and he just wanted to go and do that. So, I don't know… I can't answer for Lexxi Foxx. But we will all miss Lexxi Foxx, and we all wish him the best in everything that he does. But we didn't fire him; he quit the band. So we're gonna have to move on and get somebody else who's younger and foxier and doesn't need as much Botox," referencing the drug doctors have been using for years to treat wrinkles and facial creases.

Formed in 2000, STEEL PANTHER specializes in imitating and exaggerating the less flattering aspects of 1980s hair metal, with unrepentantly crude, non-PC sexual content as a favorite lyrical theme.

The group's music has been described as "VAN HALEN meets MÖTLEY CRÜE meets RATT meets 'Wayne's World', complete with operatic shrieks, misogyny, shredding guitar solos and libidinal overdrive."

Thirteen years ago, STEEL PANTHER changed its name from METAL SKOOL to its current moniker and shifted the focus of its act from '80s metal covers to originals.

Haley, who was an original member of STEEL PANTHER, recently announced the formation of his new band HOLLYWOOD GODS N' MONSTERS with longtime friend and television celebrity from MTV's "Pimp My Ride", Diggity Dave.












Steel Panthers new bass player Rikki Dazzle is PUUUURRRRFECT! Wow I’m bl... https://t.co/AfIX2HiTcn via @YouTube

— ᗰiᑕᕼᗩEᒪ ᔕTᗩᖇᖇ (@MichaelStarrr) October 19, 2021

Finnish metal legends Nightwish have checked in with the following announcement:


"Dearest fans,


We are happy to confirm the following European concert dates for 2021:




November
14 - Oslo, Norway -Spektrum
22 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome (SOLD OUT) 
23 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome (SOLD OUT) 
30 - Budapest, Hungary -  Budapest Sportaréna


December
10 - Antwerp, Belgium - Lotto Arena
13 - London, England - SSE Arena Wembley
19 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
20 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena
29 - Tampere, Finland - Uros Areena (SOLD OUT)
30 - Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall





These are the only shows for 2021. Due to various Covid restrictions, we have had to postpone the rest of the European tour dates to 2022 and we will announce the new dates as soon as possible. Hold on to your tickets! 


We would also like to kindly remind you that proof of vaccination and / or recovery will be required to enter these shows. We heartily thank you for your patience in these peculiar times and hope to see as many of you as possible very soon!"

Swedish band, Mad Invasion, combines classic 70’s hard rock influences with a modern approach and soundscape. The vast experience of the band members as musicians, songwriters and performing artists - includes numerous album releases and tours over the years.


In September, Mad Invasion released their long-awaited debut album, Edge Of The World, an album that offers a wide range of heavy songs with bone crushing guitars, airy keyboards, and a dynamic rhythm section - adding the final touches to the very distinct Mad Invasion sound.


Today, the band premier their new video for the song, "Walking In The Shadows". This heavy and dark song describes the constant battle between good and evil... where more often than not – evil wins. It’s about how lonely it can be when you  feel overwhelmed with dispair and dark thoughts... when it seems like there’s no way out. In that darkness is also where the demons appear, haunting and taunting, in all shapes and forms... The band represent the champions for good in a world where evil is always close and lurking.




The video was partly filmed in Prague and the dark story is emphasized by the elements of this classic city, with all its dark history. This video is also special in that this is where the ’Fallen Angel’ is born... the angel in white who went from an innocent little girl to being turned by the dark side... This happens in the ending part of the video, after a massive song outro, building towards the final climax... Variations of her final transformation, showing when good turns to evil - has  become a signature trademark for the band, being used at the end of several videos as well in marketing material.





Stream the Edge Of The World album on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Amazon Music. Order the CD/LP here.





Tracklisting:


"Edge Of The World"
"Scream'n Shout"
"Crazy & Wild"
"Devil's Calling"
"Destruction"
"Until The End"
"Fallen Angel"
"Walking In The Shadows"
"Trial By Fire"
"Cry Mercy"











Mad Invasion lineup:


Pete Sandberg - Vocals
Björn Dahlberg - Guitar
Hal Marabel - Guitar / Keyboards
Mats Jeppsson - Bass
Mats Bergentz - Drums

Finland's Tolkien-inspired metallers Battlelore, who announced they were taking an an indefinite break in 2011 and made a one-off appearance at the Metal Female Voices Fest XIII in October 2016, confirmed back in July 2020 they were gearing up for a return. 


A photo of vocalists Tomi Mykkänen and Kaisa Jouhki was uploaded via the band's official Facebook page back in February 2020. When asked by a fan if a new album was in the works, they responded with a cryptic "Might be. Who knows?".


On July 8th, 2020 the band posted the photo below online, and when asked by a fan if a new album was on the way Battlelore responded "At least some new music." 










The timeline continues with new photos uploaded to Facebook:


"More demoing and getting ready for studio with The Kaiser."





"So, it’s starting. #newalbum #recording @soundsupremestudio."





Stay tuned for more.

Sam Astaroth, the Toronto-based frontman for Astaroth Incarnate, has checekd in with a message for the fans:


"R.I.P. Astaroth Incarnate 2013-2021


Thank you, spawns, for the years of support.




Due to creative differences, the members of the band are going their separate ways and focusing on their individual projects.


From our humble beginnings back in 2013 with vocalist Sam Astaroth and first drummer Jake Theo and guitarist Pablo Sagastume (Netherheart) and his cousin Louis auditioning each other to Belphegor's Stigma Diabolicum to have come to this point, there are nothing but great memories to be reflected upon.


Our bassist Sergio (Where The Light Fades) joining the fold afterwards to finding our first live drummer Marina, getting the taste of playing shows, the exhilarating rush of connecting with our fans from on and off the stage, the feeling couldn't be compared to anything else.


Our drummer Emile Giordan (Working Girl) originally joined as a second guitarist and played one live show before switching to permanent drum duties. Our previous guitarist Ric Galvez (Malice Divine) being a part of our first EP Omnipotence to contributing solos on our second EP, a lot of epic Extreme Metal shows were had. Once Ashley Williams (Autumnal Reflection) joined as keyboardist, the band took a symphonic extreme metal direction and with the help of Spencer Creaghan's orchestration, we released our second EP Ascendance and our live shows took yet another leap forward with bloodwitches and surreal metaphoric theatrics.


During the covid lockdown being away from shows, we mostly spent time writing and recording new musical ideas and when we put all our ideas together and assessed how we want to represent ourselves and move forward with our musical careers, we felt like we've all grown differently so it felt best to go our separate ways.





As the visionary member of this band; I, Astaroth, couldn't have asked for a better experience for the last 8 years, being that this is the first band I have ever been in which I had the pleasure of seeing it grow from it's inception to re-creating my persona as Astaroth (from my pro-gaming days as t3h_mAstArOth since I was 16) and seeing my artistic career flourish thanks to this band.


I want everyone to check out all the other band member's individual projects I tagged,and if you like what you hear then show them some support as they are all great musicians and I am very thankful to have been able to spend quality time jamming, hanging out, playing shows and creating memorable experiences with such awesome people.


I also want to thank our producers Alex Oprea and Tyler Williams for handling our 2 EPs so professionally, all the promoters such as Dina, Gualberto (r.i.p.), Tristan, Jess, Kelly, Cristina, Craig, Max, Gillian, Shawn, JJ, Daniel, Aaron, Karina, Noel, etc who supported us with all the shows we played, all the venues we played at, our previous record label CDN Records, Train Records for printing our CDs, Chase from Threads of Society for all the merch we printed from you, our artists Dee Gozali (r.i.p.) and Marie Cherniy for our album artworks, our PR companies Kim & Jason and Curtis that helped with our album releases, Reka, Mike, Joe and Alan for all our music videos, Jordy, Jerome and Andrew for all the themed band photos, all the bloodwitches who ever performed with me on stage, Timothy, Gaia and Alina for singing with me on stage and all the amazing musicians and sick metal bands that we have ever shared the staged with. Thank you for your support, you all rule!


Most importantly, I can't end this post without showing my utmost gratitude to each and everyone of you Spawns for believing in Astaroth Incarnate and making my first band experience memorable for a lifetime! I have had the best time getting to know you, meet you at shows, talk to you online and in person, genuinely connect with you and thoroughly enjoy your positive energy towards this band. I am a fan of you! never stop being your awesome self!


This is a new beginning for me and aside from the musical projects I am currently involved in or which I have contributed my vocals to (Iomair, Haven Dream, My Frost, In Veil). I feel like I am about to embark on a very personal adventure and fully discover myself in a newly reinvigorated dark Demonic light. I would love for you to be a part of this exciting new stage of my musical career so come follow my activities Linktr.ee/SamAstaroth as I'll be able to connect with you more closely than ever before. The artistic journey of Astaroth shall continue as a solo project under my artist name Sam Astaroth. 


It's been a wild ride and none of it would have been possible without your love and support. Thank you so much, spawns!

German doom / sludge metal quartet Confusion Master has issued a new video for the mammoth “Viking X”. The song serves as the new single from the band’s impending second LP, Haunted, set for a November 19th release through Exile On Mainstream.


Haunted was recorded during the encompassing Winter desolation of 2020, captured by Lutz Baumann at various live sessions in multiple rooms and practice studios, after which it was mastered by James Plotkin (Khanate, Pelican). Clearly not to be mistaken for a love and peace affair, but channeling hardcore anger in its purity, the result is a bonafide gain in horror cosmic doom with a strong Lovecraftian existential swirl, as reflected in the stunning cover illustration by Antonio Ilievsky / Pig Hands.


The lead track on Haunted, “Viking X”, is a thundering, groove heavy, ten-and-a-half-minute movement that encompasses the Confusion Master sound. “The layers of human condition rightly placed anger against evil,” says the band. “Those of us who choose differently never surrender.”







Haunted will see release through Exile On Mainstream on November 19th through all digital services as well as 12” vinyl, with a bundled CD which features one bonus track not on the vinyl. Additionally, two limited fan editions of the album will also be released, each including with special pressing/packaging attributes, additional bonus material and merch, and a cassette release, Live At Fusion Festival.


Find pre-orders for all physical editions of Confusion Master’s Haunted at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Viking X"
"The Cannibal County Maniac"
"Casket Down"
"Jaw On A Hook"
"Haunted" (Digital / CD / Limited fan's edition bonus track)
"Under The Sign Of The Reptile Master" (Digital / Limited fan's edition bonus track)


 

Stepping into the brand-new Marshall Studio with producer Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Gun, Feeder), Bad Touch have recorded a rocking cover of The Allman Brothers Band classic "Midnight Rider".


Vocalist Stevie Westwood said, “The original is one of mine and Chris Sheldon’s all-time favourite songs, and I’m thrilled with how our version came out. It’s got harmonies out the wazoo, it’s heavy, dirty and Rob’s guitar solo is a belter. It might bother the Allman Brothers purists, but hopefully everyone loves it one eighth of as much as I do.”


Stream "Midnight Rider" now at this location.







Speaking on the upcoming tour, Stevie added, “I honestly cannot describe to you the feeling of being back at it with my brothers, we’re overjoyed. We’re fired up and cannot wait to be playing to all of you.”


Bad Touch will tour the UK in November and December 2021, previously rescheduled from April 2021 (all original tickets remain valid). Special guests on all shows except Leo’s Red Lion are Piston. 


Bad Touch will perform songs from their current studio album Kiss The Sky, as well as songs from their vast catalogue. Known for having a reputation as one of the UK’s hardest working bands, Bad Touch are looking forward to performing live for their UK fans in November and December.





(Photo credit: Will Ireland)


 

French heavy metal combo, Enemy Of The Enemy, have signed a licensing deal with Wormholedeath for their album, The Last Dance.


Says the band: "Enemy Of The Enemy is happy and honored to sign a deal with the Italian label WormHoleDeath for the upcoming album, The Last Dance, second album of the band and fifth production. We hope this is just the beginning of an adventure that will make Enemy Of The Enemy known by a larger public, we’re lucky to cross their way; to sign a disc-contract on these days is not common.


"The upcoming album The Last Dance is the result of several years of work, the main direction of Enemy Of The Enemy has always been the observation of the world we’re livin’, the human characters and the situations that makes us as humans, difficult spirits, with a lot of contradictions and also the consciousness of the Earth’s care; the ecology takes a huge part of the lyrics.




"With the help of WormHoleDeath and all the team, we know that the next album is going to be more powerful than ever, the art-pieces of The Last Dance are going to be  complete and we hope it will lead to a masterpiece."





Tracklisting:


"A Bright Warning"
"The Last Dance"
"Alien"
"BlackStars"
"Outta Here"
"Redemption"
"The Devil In Me"
"The Choice"
"SuperGreen"
"Believe"
"Born Unchained"
"When The Sun Goes Down"


"When The Sun Goes Down" video teaser:





Lineup:


Adrian "Kal" Cavalier - vocals
Nicolas "BnV" Benedetti - guitars
Fabien "Baf" Grunzweig - bass
César "Zarc" Boishus - drums

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, DREAM THEATER's James LaBrie was asked if there was ever any talk of him trying out for the singer position in IRON MAIDEN when Bruce Dickinson left the British heavy metal legends back in 1993. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, sure. Absolutely there was. Because at the time, we were being looked at to be managed by IRON MAIDEN's management. And so, [MAIDEN's manager] Rod Smallwood, at the time, we were playing darts, and he took me aside and he said, 'What do you think about…?'

"You've gotta remember — I was in a very bizarre situation," he continued. "DREAM THEATER, we had already recorded [1992's] 'Images And Words', we were looking for management, we were getting ready to try and set up a tour and get out there. And I remember him saying to me — he takes me aside, and the rest of the guys in DREAM THEATER were there too, playing darts, because we were looking at him for management. And he says, 'I just wanna throw something at you.' And he had his assistant with him too — Merck — at the time. And they were both standing there. They were going, 'What do you think about being the singer with IRON MAIDEN?' And I said, 'What? What are we talking about here? I'm confused. Are you not here for the reason that you might start managing DREAM THEATER? Or are you here to get me to become…?' And I had already recorded the [DREAM THEATER] album. Can you imagine how bizarre that was?'

LaBrie said: "Anyways, so I just said, 'No. No way. You know what? I'm gonna tell you the reasons why I'm not going to do this.' And they said, 'What's that?' And I said, 'One: DREAM THEATER. That's it. Period.' And I said, 'But if I need to go any further with this, way back when I was 22 years old, I sang for a band called CONEY HATCH for a year. And I walked [in as the replacement for] another singer [named] Carl Dixon,' and I said, 'and basically what I felt like was a glorified jukebox.' And I said, 'Because I came into the band, I was able to sing all that stuff no problem — no problem — but there was never that 'This is me. And this is what I created.' It was about, 'Are you looking at me for who and what I am?' I don't think so. And I don't think you ever will.

"Bruce and I have mutual respect for one another. We've met several times. We've done several shows. I remember doing the BBC show with him. And there was that mutual respect between the two of us. And I remember just thinking, 'I'm not gonna get out there and be singing MAIDEN every night — even though I think they're a great band, and Bruce is a great singer. No, thank you.' I need to create something that I can say, 'No, this is what I created from the beginning.' And we all know, okay, I wasn't on the first [DREAM THEATER] album, 'When Dream And Day Unite'."

James added: "And [the offer to audition for MAIDEN] came and went. As fast as it was asked, it was dismissed. And they went, 'All respect. Totally get it. No problem.' Boom. And we moved on."

After Dickinson left MAIDEN, the job went to WOLFSBANE vocalist Blaze Bayley, an odd choice considering that Blaze's singing voice is quite clearly a baritone in contrast to Bruce's tenor/alto range.

Bayley recorded two studio albums with IRON MAIDEN — 1995's "The X Factor" 1998's and "Virtual XI" — before Dickinson returned to the group. The MAIDEN albums Blaze appeared on sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

Back in October 2002, DREAM THEATER performed the entire "The Number Of The Beast" album by IRON MAIDEN during its appearance at the London Astoria. The progressive rock heavyweights played the material exactly as per the original album, with the exception of "Gangland", which was done in a jazz style. DREAM THEATER, who feature a sole guitarist in the shape of the very-capable John Petrucci, reproduced the second-guitar parts by having keyboardist Jordan Rudess play them on the keys, including the solos.

Following an intermission in the regular set, then-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy took the stage wearing a MAIDEN shirt, after which the classic "The Number Of The Beast" spoken intro kicked in. "The Number of The Beast" album cover was projected behind the group, but with DREAM THEATER in the style of the IRON MAIDEN logo.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN has been forced to postpone this coming weekend's Los Angeles concerts to next February after singer Serj Tankian tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The band shared the news of the postponement earlier today (Thursday, October 21) in a social media post. The group wrote: "It is with great regret that we must reschedule our Los Angeles performances to February 4th and 5th, 2022. Despite multiple precautionary measures, Serj has unfortunately tested positive for COVID.

"We're sorry to disappoint our amazing fans with this last minute news, as we could not wait to finally play for you. However, the health of our band, crew, venue staff, and all of our fans is our top priority.

"All tickets will be honored for the rescheduled dates. Refund availability will be sent to all ticket buyers via email."

Tankian added in a separate statement: "After having 3 really fun shows, I got back to LA with flu-like symptoms.

"I am shocked that it could even be Covid as I am not just vaccinated but also incredibly careful.

"I am so sorry to have to push these dates yet again especially to those who made sacrifices to be here from out of town.

"Touring is not something I intend to continue doing down the line so these handful of shows have meant the world to me.

"Thank you for your love and understanding . Peace".

SYSTEM OF A DOWN's two shows at the Banc Of California stadium with KORN, HELMET and RUSSIAN CIRCLES were initially slated to take place in May 2020, and were rescheduled to May 21 and 22, 2021 and then once again to October 22 and 23, 2021.

Also originally scheduled to appear was FAITH NO MORE, but the band pulled out of the shows in September, saying frontman Mike Patton was unable to perform as hoped due to mental health issues, partially exacerbated by the pandemic.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 16 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Released last November, the tracks were motivated by the recently erupted conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they have raised over $600,000.


After having 3 really fun shows, I got back to LA with flu-like symptoms. I am shocked that it could even be Covid as I...

Posted by Serj Tankian on Thursday, October 21, 2021