In a new interview with the "I Ask No One" video podcast, Swedish multi-instrumentalist Peter Tägtgren was asked about the final tour he played with LINDEMANN, his collaborative project with vocalist Till Lindemann of German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was very successful — definitely. It was not really my cup of tea at all, to be honest. And that's why we're not playing anymore together. So he can go on with his stuff; I go on with my stuff. To keep it very simple."

Last November, Tägtgren and Lindemann confirmed that they were ending their collaboration on the LINDEMANN project.

LINDEMANN's second album, "F & M", was released in November 2019. The follow-up to 2015's "Skills In Pills" was once again produced and mixed by Tägtgren.

"Skills In Pills" reached gold status in Germany and was entirely in English. On the second opus, Lindemann went back to singing exclusively in German.

LINDEMANN had received some criticism due to its use of pornography during its second album cycle, with the music video for "Platz Eins" described by one site as "full-on art porn — slick and stylish, weird and experimental, and definitely X-rated."

LINDEMANN released a concert film, "Live In Moscow", in May on Blu-ray. The set included professionally filmed video footage of LINDEMANN's March 15, 2020 performance at Moscow, Russia's VTB Arena.

STYX graces the cover of issue 27 of Rock Candy magazine in a 16-page extravaganza featuring interviews with all six members of the legendary band. And guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw doesn't pull any punches when addressing the thorny issue of the lack of recognition the multi-million selling band has received from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Despite being one of the most commercially successful acts of the '70s and '80s, thanks to hits such as "Come Sail Away", "Babe" and "The Best Of Times", STYX remains unheralded by the Cleveland institution.

"Well we'd love to be in it," admits Shaw in an exclusive interview with Rock Candy writer Malcolm Dome. "But I certainly don't lose any sleep over it. To be honest, I hope we get inducted after I've died. Then at least I won't have to pay $5,000 for the 'honor' of attending the ceremony. Or $10,000, if I want to take my wife."

Despite the fact that there have been over 300 inductees — including acts such as BON JOVI, CHEAP TRICK, DEF LEPPARD and JOURNEY — since the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was established back in 1983, STYX still hasn't been honoured. "That's an absolute travesty," says Rock Candy editor Howard Johnson. "STYX was one of the first U.S. bands to blend progressive rock with AOR, and the commercial success the group achieved pays testament to the special place they hold in the hearts of all rock fans. With eight Billboard Top 10 songs to their name and over 54 million albums sold worldwide in a career spanning almost 50 years, not to mention a fantastic new album, 'Crash Of The Crown', what more does this band have to do to get the recognition they so richly deserve?"

Last month, STYX co-founder Dennis DeYoung told the "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" that he "would like to be acknowledged by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. STYX deserves to be in there," he said. "Put us in. We qualify on any possible measure. Now, does this sound desperate from an old guy? I hope it doesn't. It's just there are too many of our peers — and I mean peers — many who didn't do as well as we did. And it's time to put us in, that's all. And will they? I have no idea."

Shaw told Meltdown of the Detroit radio station WRIF in a 2020 interview that he is "kind of numb" to the idea of being inducted into the Rock Hall. "And I've been to some of them before," he said. "It was nice to see a bunch of people that I know.

"You know what it's good for? When you go out later and they say, 'members of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.' That's what's great about it," he continued. "But the idea of going there and going through that process, I'm not really looking forward to that. I'd love to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and I'd go do it, but that part, it just doesn't appeal to me. It's one of those things where you sit in judgment there, and our fans have voted with their feet and with their wallets time after time. So it's the fans that I respect more than a bunch of guys [going], 'Thumbs up, thumbs down,' year after year.

"I just don't understand their standards," he added. "They'll have some songs that aren't a rock and roll song — one guy had one song, and they put them in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And I'm not bitter about it. But it's just frustrating to be held up to those kinds of standards when all we really care about is our fans."

Still, if he does one day get the call that STYX is being inducted into the Rock Hall, "I'll be honored, I'll go [and] I'll do it," he said. "But I kind of stopped paying attention to whether we qualify for being in there."

Last year, STYX guitarist James "J.Y." Young told the Arizona Republic that DeYoung "deserves" to be in the Rock Hall along with the rest of the band if they eventually get inducted. But he ruled out a possible reunion with the singer, saying: "Highly unlikely. The man sued us in federal court over the use of the name. We settled out of court. So we control the name and he can use it in limited ways, which are very strictly outlined.

"Dennis hates being away from home," Young explained. "I don't need to be next to unhappiness. We have a joyful thing now and I have no economic incentive to do it. It would be throwing the Joker back into the deck to bring him in. And I'm not interested in that.

"A lot of times great works of art come from tortured souls or tortured situations," he added. "And being in STYX was a tortured situation. It really was. A lot of us were very unhappy. In all the success we had, there was no joy. And now there's nothing but joy. From what I've read, a lot of these great works of literature were made by tortured souls. And Dennis is kind of a tortured genius."

Charleen McCrory, the widow of ZZ TOP's Dusty Hill, has offered her first public comments since the bassist's death.

On Monday (August 2), McCrory released a statement via ZZ TOP's social media thanking fans, friends and colleagues for their "overwhelming outpouring of love" following the passing of her husband.

She wrote: "After 19 wonderful years of marriage that ended too soon, I've decided to step out into Dusty's spotlight to thank all of his fans, colleagues and friends for the overwhelming outpouring of love for The Dust. It makes me hopeful he will not be forgotten.

"He was the kindest, most gentle and caring man a woman could ever hope to find in a lifetime. Many don't believe in fairy tale marriages but Dusty and I truly lived one! We were inseparable.

"He wasn't supposed to leave me or all of you. That wasn't the plan he and I had. The plan was for another round of physical therapy, with a different approach, to help his chronic bursitis. The plan was he would return to the second leg of the tour in September.

"Early Wednesday morning my world and yours would lose a great musician and I would lose my greatest love. He woke me up and we talked and as he was sweetly chatting with me he suddenly stopped and he was gone in an instant. So, while I feel numb and lost and alone and in a million pieces, I know he will always be with me in my heart and soul and I will join him when the Lord calls me home to be with them. It is my hope you will always keep him in your hearts. He loved his fans and always remembered that without fans music is not heard. So, know he truly appreciated each and every one of you.

"Dusty was an avid tv and movie buff…always quoting lines and so I share an embellished quote from 'This Is Us' as my last love letter I send with him to his final resting place.

"My Sweet Dusty,

"The single most extraordinary thing I have ever done in my life is fall in love with you. The single most extraordinary gift I have ever received in my life was for you to ask me to marry you. I have never been seen so completely, loved so passionately and protected so fiercely.

"I will be with you again.

"Love you to infinity and back.

"Your wife, Chuck

"I will lay my husband to rest tomorrow. I would ask that you look to the heavens at noon and wish Dusty Godspeed.

"With great love, respect and appreciation to Dusty's fans, colleagues and friends,

"Mrs. The Dust"

ZZ TOP played its first show following Hill's death on July 30 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. illing in for Hill at the Tuscaloosa show was ZZ TOP's longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis, who has worked with the band for more than two decades. According to the band, Francis will continue to play bass for ZZ TOP for the foreseeable future.

ZZ TOP canceled a show on July 28 in South Carolina after learning that the 72-year-old Hill had died at his Houston, Texas home.

Francis made his live debut with ZZ TOP on July 23 at the Village Commons in New Lenox, Illinois after Hill was forced to return to Texas to address a hip issue.

On July 21, ZZ TOP canceled its concert in Evansville, Indiana because of a "health issue within the band," according to local news outlet Evansville Courier & Press.

ZZ TOP kicked off its latest tour three weeks ago in Manchester, Iowa. The trek, dubbed "A Celebration With ZZ Top", will continue in August with dates in the South, Midwest and Far West.

When ZZ TOP announced the tour, Hill — who joined the band a year after its formation in 1969 — commented: "They shut the door right after our 50th-anniversary tour and now it's back open. We're excited to get out there and play our music for everybody."


After 19 wonderful years of marriage that ended too soon, I’ve decided to step out into Dusty’s spotlight to thank all...

Posted by ZZ Top on Monday, August 2, 2021

ZZ TOP frontman Billy Gibbons spoke to Variety about the passing of the band's longtime bassist Dusty Hill. On Wednesday, it was revealed that Hill died in his sleep at home in Houston of indeterminate causes. On Thursday, remaining members Gibbons and Frank Beard announced that their recently launched tour would resume Friday, with their guitar tech of three decades Elwood Francis filling in.

Gibbons said that Hill played the first two shows of the tour. "And then he requested dismissing himself," Billy recalled. "He said, 'Yeah, let me go check this out.' And of course I said, 'Hey, man, health is number one. Go do your thing.' And I could tell through those first two valiant attempts, if he's not giving it 110%, he was the first one to kind of say, 'Gee whiz. Let's go take care of this.'"

He continued: "It's no secret that over the past few years he had a pretty rough go with a broken shoulder, followed with a broken hip. And he had some problems with some ulcers. So he's been kind of tiptoeing through keeping himself ship-shape, best he could. But I think that this was a real challenge. And by throwing in the towel, it might've caught up with him. Who knows? I'm just glad he's in a good spot."

Asked if there an official cause of death now, or is it just Dusty really fell asleep and didn't wake up, Billy said: "That's about all they can determine. Let's face it, you don't necessarily pass away from a broken shoulder or broken hip. Although the attending physician had earlier warned him that bursitis was not uncommon, even arthritis, and they said it's not a very comfortable place to be. And I could tell that he was moving a little slow. He said, 'Boy, this shoulder and hip are really starting to become a problem.' But, as of this juncture, yeah, it was off to dreamland and beyond."

Funeral arrangements for Hill have not yet been publicly announced.

ZZ TOP played without Hill last Friday night (July 23) at the Village Commons in New Lenox, Illinois after he was forced to return to Texas to address a hip issue.

On July 21, ZZ TOP canceled its concert in Evansville, Indiana because of a "health issue within the band," according to local news outlet Evansville Courier & Press.

ZZ TOP kicked off its latest tour two weeks ago in Manchester, Iowa. The trek, dubbed "A Celebration With ZZ Top", will continue in August with dates in the South, Midwest and Far West.

When ZZ TOP announced the tour, Hill — who joined the band a year after its formation in 1969 — commented: "They shut the door right after our 50th-anniversary tour and now it's back open. We're excited to get out there and play our music for everybody."

SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan says that plans are still afoot to put out a set of 11 previously unreleased songs recorded by four members of the band during the sessions for its 2008 LP "All Hope Is Gone".

Crahan revealed the existence of the music in 2018, saying that he, singer Corey Taylor, guitarist Jim Root and DJ Sid Wilson wrote and laid down the more psychedelic-flavored tunes at a separate studio during an impasse in the recording of "All Hope Is Gone".

While speaking to Terry "Beez" Bezer of Knotfest.com's "Mosh Talks With Beez", Crahan stated about plans to issue the unreleased material, tentatively titled "Look Outside Your Window" (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The reason why we never can commit to a date or anything is because — don't make it confusing. Don't make it something it's not. Don't call it something it's not. Accept it. It's music. It's art. It doesn't carry the SLIPKNOT name. Joey [Jordison, then-SLIPKNOT drummer] wasn't up the hill playing drums. He doesn't know anything about the songs. I think he's only been to the house once or twice. It's a completely different project. It was never held to piss people off. It was never held to prove a point.

"It's been mixed. It's been mastered. It's ready to go," he revealed. "We wanna put it out. But it's only gonna be put out when the priority is created correctly. It's up to everyone to sort of shut their mouths and not make it confusing. Don't let it affect SLIPKNOT. That's the priority — SLIPKNOT, SLIPKNOT, SLIPKNOT, SLIPKNOT. Everything else is just beautiful things that branch off of it. Everyone, quit confusing it. Accept it. We are an anomaly. We're too much. We're everything and anything at the same time and no time at all."

When Beez pointed out to Crahan that the pandemic would have been the perfect time to release a project like "Look Outside Your Window", Shawn said: "Well, okay, you put me in a hard position, but I think I can talk about it as an adult, 'cause I'm an adult, and everybody's an adult, and these are facts — these are facts, and I'm gonna speak facts.

"We have never really had a tentative [release date]. We speculate. So we get a speculation. We get a date under speculation. But we don't even really make it tentative. We just kind of throw it out there — speculate. But then someone like Corey might wanna do his solo album earlier. I love that. Let's not get this confused. We really don't have to go much more into it than that. I love that he wants to do his thing. I've got the rest of my life to do 'Look Outside Your Window' with him. But he may only have right now, maybe in his mind, to do what he wants to do. It's not up to me to dictate what he may or may not want to do with his life, his career, even though we're so together with one thing, bonded by one. We never make everything confusing; everybody else does.

"So, I will tell you that we speculated many times during the pandemic very decent dates [that would include sufficient] marketing. But remember, I have my whole life to be able to do this with him, and Jim, and for all of us…

"It was created because we wanted to create art, and we did, and it ended up being something that everybody's gonna want, and they're gonna get it when it's right," Crahan explained. "Like we should think about having babies — only do it when we know we can be good mothers and fathers, when we know we're not gonna walk away from each other, when we know we're gonna be there for a reward for the child and give all of ourselves. That's the way we tried to do it, and we did — we tried to get it out.

"The reason why I'm holding out is because it's absolutely beautiful — I'm very proud of it; I'm so proud of everybody in it — and it just needs to be represented correctly," he added. "It needs not affect anybody negative. Nobody should be affected by it in any negative way; I won't allow it. And if it means people are going to, it will never see the light of day. 'Cause people make things confusing, and I won't allow it. Because when you grow older, you become wiser."

One of the songs from "Look Outside Your Window", "'Til We Die", surfaced on the digipak of "All Hope Is Gone", but the rest have not been made available anywhere.

In 2019, Taylor described the material on "Look Outside Your Window" to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" as "experimental," "super vibey" and "super melodic." He added: "There's something about those songs. They're very solemn, very energetic, very artistic. For people who are used to a certain way of SLIPKNOT sounding, this doesn't sound anything like that. It's much more of a rock vibe. Honestly, it's much more of a RADIOHEAD vibe, to be honest."

According to Taylor, the music that was recorded for "Look Outside Your Window" was originally supposed to be released simultaneously with the "All Hope Is Gone" tracks, but the plan never quite came together.

"Man, I tried like hell to make those two worlds come together — 'All Hope Is Gone' and 'Look Outside Your Window' — to the point where I was taking songs from both and kind of putting them together, like arrangement, sequencing," Corey told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". "I had two different versions of 'All Hope Is Gone' that I had put together with songs from that. And just honestly, because of the emotional rifts that were in the band, the turmoil that was going on, nobody wanted to try and make that work. So what we ended up with was 'All Hope Is Gone' and then this unreleased album, which we've been trying to find a way to release this for a really long time."

Prior to the start of the pandemic, SLIPKNOT was touring in support of its latest album, "We Are Not Your Kind", which was released in August 2019 via Roadrunner.

During an appearance on a recent episode of the "Breaking Absolutes With Peter Orullian" podcast, NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen discussed some of the things she would still like to accomplish in her career, both with the band and away from it. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Short term, I've been working on a solo album since the beginning of the pandemic, or let's say a little bit before that when the solo career [picked up] in the Netherlands. And it really kickstarted my own creativity that I haven't really been able to use over the years. It's nice that it gets out. And I would like to do more of that and actually finish that album and make those steps and find a way to combine a solo career with NIGHTWISH and my life at home, which I even more value after spending so much time here in this green heaven [in Sweden] where I live."

She continued: "And long-term, my biggest desire is to keep doing this in a good balance between everything. And that maybe sounds a bit cheesy or, 'Yeah, of course,' but if I see how difficult that is for everybody that's been doing this for a long, long time, to keep a certain mental health, to keep a certain connection to the rest of the world, but not 'we're in a tour situation' world but the world outside of that bubble, that would be something I highly envision and to not lose my mind halfway being Mrs. Rock Star or whatever. And being a very, very high-sensitive person, I'd like to keep my sanity in the overflow of impulses and impressions that I get throughout these days. And, yeah, if I can still come home to where I'm coming home to now, that would be a long-term dream."

Floor played her first pandemic-era solo concert last month at Het Zomertheater in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.

Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon.

Floor officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013 and made her recording debut with the group on 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" album.

NIGHTWISH's ninth studio album, "Human. :II: Nature." , was released in April 2020 via Nuclear Blast. The effort is a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters on CD 2.

Last Year, Jansen released a Dutch-language song called "De Beelden Blijven" which she recorded for the documentary "Kinderen In Oorlog: 75 Jaar Later" in cooperation with War Child.

Before joining NIGHTWISH, Jansen served as the vocalist in the Dutch bands AFTER FOREVER and REVAMP. More recently, she released a one-off album with a duo called NORTHWARD, in which she was joined by Jørn Viggo Lofstad, the guitarist of Norwegian band PAGAN'S MIND.

Fan-filmed video footage of THE BLACK CROWES' July 28 performance at The Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

Produced by Live Nation, THE BLACK CROWES' "Shake Your Money Maker" tour is playing 37-dates across the country before ending the tour at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York on September 25. The band is also set to perform at the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest on Friday, October 8 and Stagecoach on May 1, 2022.

Joining Chris and Rich Robinson in the new BLACK CROWES lineup are longtime bassist Sven Pipien, who played with the band live from 1997 up until the band's hiatus in 2015, along with Brian Griffin on drums, Joel Robinow on keyboards and Isaiah Mitchell on guitar, plus backup singers Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant.

Rich told Cleveland.com that he and his brother wanted to re-start THE BLACK CROWES with a clean slate. "There was a strong agenda in the band [previously] to keep Chris and I apart and keep Chris and I fighting," he said. "We just didn't want to have to deal with any of that negative [stuff], so it had to be this way in order for it to be what we want."

BLACK CROWES' debut album, "Shake Your Money Maker" was re-released in multi-formats sets in February through UMe/American Recordings. The album, fueled by singles "Jealous Again", "Twice As Hard", "She Talks To Angels" and a cover of fellow Georgian Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle", has sold over five million copies.

Chris Robinson recently confirmed to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that there are tentative plans to record a new BLACK CROWES album.

During an appearance on "The Adventures Of Pipeman" podcast, former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing discussed the songwriting process for "Sermons Of The Sinner", the upcoming debut album from his new band KK'S PRIEST. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The coolest thing for me, on this new record, is when I sat down on my own to put as much material together as I possibly could, first of all, it came very automatic. It was easy and natural. And it was kind of interesting for me to listen to, really, doing it on my own, especially doing it so fast. Because I had the backbone, in four or five days, of all the songs. And then I was able to compare, while I was listening to everything I had done previously, and I'm thinking, 'Okay, this all sounds quite familiar. It all sounds extremely familiar,' which I think I was really pleased about, really, to be honest. And I've already started writing… I had a session at the end of February — just a few days; two or three days this time — and I put down a whole another bunch of songs. And it all kind of just sounds like a continuation of this record, which I'm really pleased about as well. Now I'm joking with everybody — I'm going, 'That's it. I'm not gonna make individual albums ever again. It's just all gonna be one long album.' I'm interested to do that. And maybe — maybe — if anybody says, 'K.K., let's do a box set of the albums for KK'S PRIEST,' if it has to be an MP3 or some new technology, it'll just be one long record. That would be really cool to do that."

KK'S PRIEST also features former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens, along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

"Sermons Of The Sinner" will be released on October 1 (postponed from the previously announced August 20) via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's upcoming 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

In a new interview with Heavy New York, Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey of BUTCHER BABIES' discussed whether they feel the term "female-fronted," which is used to lump together disparate bands based on the presence of a female vocalist or frontperson, is empowering or restrictive. Carla said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it discounts the men in the band. Just because you have a female vocalist doesn't mean you're a female metal band. But it is what it is. And if it brings someone in the door and they find our music because of that, then whatever."

Added Heidi: "You're absolutely right about that, Carla. That's something that always bugs me, because Henry [Flury, BUTCHER BABIES guitarist and Heidi's boyfriend] is one of the very few good eight-string guitar players in metal at all — in any genre, really. And he doesn't really get that recognition that he deserves because people are so focused on, 'Oh, it's female-fronted.'"

She continued: "I don't necessarily hate the term — I don't really care anymore. When we first started, of course, we were, like, 'Don't say that.' Now I don't look at it as a negative thing; I look at it as this is, and has been, a movement that we've been a part of for 12 years now. So I'm not looking at this kind of offended that people would say 'female-fronted.' To me, like I said, it's a movement. So, that's fine. We sound different than DOROTHY. DOROTHY sounds different than ARCH ENEMY and all these girls that are in the industry. Even though we sound different, we have created this little girls' club where we support each other. Even the female guitar player Nita Strauss, she said something to me one time that really hit me hard was, 'Queens straighten each other's crowns.' And I'll never forget that, because that's the reality of how it's been for us our entire careers. We've all gotten along with the girls in the bands and always been the supportive ones cheering each other on. And that's a beautiful thing. So I'm not offended by the term 'female-fronted,' because I look at it as such a positive thing. We have a club. We all sound different, but we have a club, and we support each other."

Last month, BUTCHER BABIES announced a headlining tour, "Butcher Babies Vs. Goliath", which will feature the band performing its debut album, "Goliath" — released in 2013 via Century Media Records — in its entirety along with recent hit singles and new material. The tour will stretch from August 28 to October 8 and will see the group stop at several of the largest U.S. rock festivals, including Rocklahoma, Louder Than Life, Aftershock and more. Shepherd and Harvey will continue to showcase fellow leading ladies by enlisting support from female-fronted acts INFECTED RAIN and STITCHED UP HEART. KALEIDO will also appear on select dates.

Hailing from the City of Angels, BUTCHER BABIES have released two EPs and three albums to date, with their latest 2017 LP, "Lilith", debuting at #1 on iTunes Metal chart and #7 on iTunes Rock chart. The band kicked off 2021 by independently releasing a handful of newly energized singles produced and co-written by Matt Good (FROM FIRST TO LAST), including the most recent track "Last Dance" in April. Along with previously released singles "Yorktown", "Sleeping With The Enemy" and "Bottom Of A Bottle", all are to be featured on their upcoming self-released EP.

Former METAL CHURCH vocalist Ronny Munroe has reflected on the recent passing of Mike Howe, calling it a "tragic loss."

Munroe, who left METAL CHURCH in 2014 to "pursue other interests", discussed Howe's sudden death in a new interview with The Metal Voice.

He said: "What a tragedy. Quick story: I met Mike and hung out with him one time. Basically, I believe it was in 2006. He came out to Reno, and we shared the stage and we did 'Date With Poverty' together. After the gig, we all went out to a club and had some drinks and just sat and talked shop. And he was a sweetheart. I never heard anybody say anything bad about the guy."

He continued: "What a tragic loss. But you never know what's going on with people. I feel really bad for — I believe he has a couple of sons and a wife — he's got a family — and that's devastating. So I wish the family the best and I send my condolences out to all Mike's family, friends and fans."

Howe was found dead at his home in Eureka, California on July 26. According to TMZ, Howe's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to hanging. A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept. told the site authorities are calling it a suicide.

TMZ stated that cops in Eureka got a call just after 10 a.m. on July 26 reporting an unexpected death at a home. By the time deputies arrived, they found the 55-year-old dead at the scene.

According to police, drugs and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the death and no controlled substances or paraphernalia were located at the scene.

Howe, who fronted METAL CHURCH from 1988 until 1994, officially rejoined the band in April 2015.

Prior to joining METAL CHURCH more than three decades ago, Howe spent two years fronting California metal act HERETIC.

Munroe first came to prominence in the metal world when he stepped into the role of frontman for the legendary band METAL CHURCH. During an audition for a project principal METAL CHURCH member Kurdt Vanderhoof was working on, Ronny was first put on Kurdt's radar. After watching Munroe's performance, Vanderhoof decided to resurrect METAL CHURCH with Ronnie on lead vocals. He would go on to sing four albums with the band, "The Weight Of The World" (2004), "A Light In The Dark" (2006), "This Present Wasteland" (2008) and "Generation Nothing" (2013). Ronnie would also wind up singing for Vanderhoof's progressive rock project, PRESTO BALLET, further showcasing his vocal talents.

World-renowned guitarist/songwriter Mark Tremonti will release the fifth album from his solo band TREMONTI, titled "Marching In Time", on September 24, 2021 via Napalm Records. The official music video for the LP's second single, the title track, can be seen below. The song clocks in at 7:34 and tells the story of a father having a child during a global pandemic and how he prepares for life during that time — something Tremonti recently experienced in his own life.

Tremonti is no stranger to storytelling. Throughout his years with top-charting bands ALTER BRIDGE and CREED, and most recently his solo band, Mark has never strayed from his love of writing memorable songs. With "Marching In Time", the band looks to continue this trend while exploring their love for heavy music, drawing from current events from the last year to form the basis of each song. While its predecessor, "A Dying Machine", was an overall concept album seeped in darker sentiments and story, the vibe of "Marching In Time" is different — emerging as a charging rock/metal offering that takes the listener on 12 individual journeys.

From the driving drum beat of opener "A World Away" to the epic closer "Marching In Time", the new album is a reflective look at the world around us today. TREMONTI's unmatched musicianship bleeds through the album, showcased on tracks like "Thrown Further", "In One Piece" and the thought-provoking "Would You Kill". Alternatively, the band displays their softer side on pensive tracks "The Last One Of Us" and "Not Afraid to Lose". Epic title track "Marching In Time" tells the story of a father having a child during a global pandemic and how he prepares for life during that time — something Mark Tremonti recently experienced in his own life — while upcoming single "If Not For You" shows the evolution of the TREMONTI sound in 2021.

"Marching In Time" was produced by longtime friend and collaborator Michael "Elvis" Baskette — the producer Mark has worked with exclusively since 2007.

"Marching In Time" track listing:

01. A World Away

02. Now And Forever

03. If Not For You

04. Thrown Further

05. Let That Be Us

06. The Last One Of Us

07. In One Piece

08. Under The Sun

09. Not Afraid To Lose

10. Bleak

11. Would You Kill

12. Marching In Time

TREMONTI will hit the road in advance of the release of "Marching In Time", starting on September 3 in the U.S. with longtime friends SEVENDUST.

Photo credit: Scott Diussa

In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, AEROSMITH's Joe Perry offered his opinion on VAN HALEN as well as the legacy of the band's late guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.

"Eddie was the leader in a whole new generation of guitar players and changed guitar playing — his style, everything," Joe said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

"It was funny, 'cause when I heard some of his stuff, I said, 'Wow, I heard that effect before; I've heard that before,' but he's the one that put it all together. And it was new.

"Man, I thought that VAN HALEN was an incredible band. David Lee Roth was like the Jimi Hendrix of the mouth. When they were at their peak, they were the best — they were rocking."

Eddie passed away last October at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Eddie and Alex formed VAN HALEN in 1972 in Pasadena, California, with Roth on lead vocals and Michael Anthony on bass.

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

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

METALLICA has shared "Through The Never (Sacramento, CA - January 11, 1992)", taken from the "Live At Arco Arena" 3CD included in the remastered deluxe box set of its self-titled fifth album — also known as "The Black Album" — due on September 10 via the band's own Blackened Recordings. The track was recorded live at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California on January 11, 1992. Check it out below.

The Black Album is one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed records of all time. Its 1991 release not only gave METALLICA its first No. 1 album in no fewer than 10 countries, including a four-week run at No. 1 in the U.S., its unrelenting series of singles — "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" and "Sad But True" — fueled the band's rise to stadium headlining, radio and MTV dominating household name status. The album's reception from the press was similarly charged, building over the years from the top 10 of the 1991 Village Voice Pazz & Jop national critics poll to becoming a constant presence in the likes of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. The album's impact and relevance continue to grow — as proven by one indisputable fact: The Black Album remains unchallenged as the best-selling album in the history of Nielsen SoundScan, outselling every release in every genre over the past 30 years.

To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the Grammy-winning, 16-times-platinum-certified Black Album is receiving its definitive re-release. Remastered for ultimate sound quality, The Black Album remaster will be available in multiple configurations including 180-gram double vinyl LP, standard CD and 3 CD expanded edition, digital, and limited-edition deluxe box set (containing the album remastered on 180-gram 2LP, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs (containing rough mixes, demos, interviews, live shows), 6 DVDs (containing outtakes, behind the scenes, official videos, live shows), a 120-page hardcover book, four tour laminates, three lithos, three guitar picks, a METALLICA lanyard, a folder with lyric sheets, and a download card).

Much more than a mere tribute album, "The Metallica Blacklist" celebrates the enduring influence of this musical milestone with one of the most ambitious projects ever conceived by the METALLICA team: An unprecedented 50+ artists spanning an unbelievably vast range of genres, generations, cultures, continents and more, each contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite Black Album cut.

"The Metallica Blacklist" offers up new dimensions of the record whose gravitational pull first drew the mainstream to METALLICA — and provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal that kept it there: the boundary-smashing influence these 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes. "The Metallica Blacklist"'s 53 tracks find singer songwriters, country artists, electronic and hip hop artists sharing their love of these songs alongside punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music and many, many more… and for 50+ good causes: Profits will be divided evenly between charities of the artist's choice and METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation.

"The Metallica Blacklist" is a fitting and limitless homage, one that features bands who've shared stages with METALLICA alongside artists who are younger than the original album. It's a truly staggering, at times mystifying assemblage of musicians, dozens of whom have little to nothing in common other than the shared passion for the music that's united them for this album: 1 Album. 12 Songs. 53 Artists. Unlimited Possibilities.

"The Metallica Blacklist" will be available in formats including digital, four-CD and a limited-edition seven-LP vinyl pressing.

All profits from "The Metallica Blacklist" will be split evenly between the All Within My Hands foundation and 50+ charities chosen by the artists who play on the album. All Within My Hands was founded by the band in 2017 as a way for the entire METALLICA family to give back to communities that have supported the band by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.

"The Metallica Blacklist" features the following tracks:

* ALESSIA CARA & THE WARNING - Enter Sandman

* MAC DEMARCO - Enter Sandman

* GHOST - Enter Sandman

* JUANES - Enter Sandman

* RINA SAWAYAMA - Enter Sandman

* WEEZER - Enter Sandman

* SAM FENDER - Sad But True (Live)

* JASON ISBELL - Sad But True

* MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND FEAT. LA PERLA & GERA MX - Sad But True

* ROYAL BLOOD - Sad But True

* ST. VINCENT - Sad But True

* WHITE REAPER - Sad But True

* YB - Sad But True

* BIFFY CLYRO - Holier Than Thou

* THE CHATS - Holier Than Thou

* OFF! - Holier Than Thou

* PUP - Holier Than Thou

* COREY TAYLOR - Holier Than Thou

* CAGE THE ELEPHANT - The Unforgiven

* VISHAL DADLANI, DIVINE, SHOR POLICE - The Unforgiven

* DIET CIG - The Unforgiven

* FLATBUSH ZOMBIES FEAT. DJ SCRATCH - The Unforgiven

* HA*ASH - The Unforgiven

* JOSÉ MADERO - The Unforgiven

* MOSES SUMNEY - The Unforgiven

* J BALVIN - Wherever I May Roam

* CHASE & STATUS FEAT. BACKROAD GEE - Wherever I May Roam

* THE NEPTUNES - Wherever I May Roam

* JON PARDI - Wherever I May Roam

* SEBASTIAN - Don't Tread On Else Matters

* PORTUGAL. THE MAN FEAT. AARON BEAM - Don't Tread On Me

* VOLBEAT - Don't Tread On Me

* THE HU - Through The Never

* TOMI OWÓ - Through The Never

* PHOEBE BRIDGERS - Nothing Else Matters

* MILEY CYRUS FEAT. WATT, ELTON JOHN, YO-YO MA, ROBERT TRUJILLO, CHAD SMITH - Nothing Else Matters

* DAVE GAHAN - Nothing Else Matters

* MICKEY GUYTON - Nothing Else Matters

* DERMOT KENNEDY - Nothing Else Matters

* MON LAFERTE - Nothing Else Matters

* IGOR LEVIT - Nothing Else Matters

* MY MORNING JACKET - Nothing Else Matters

* PG ROXETTE - Nothing Else Matters

* DARIUS RUCKER - Nothing Else Matters

* CHRIS STAPLETON - Nothing Else Matters

* TRESOR - Nothing Else Matters

* GOODNIGHT, TEXAS - Of Wolf And Man

* IDLES - The God That Failed

* IMELDA MAY - the god that failed

* CHERRY GLAZERR - My Friend Of Misery

* IZÏA - My Friend Of Misery

* KAMASI WASHINGTON - My Friend Of Misery

* RODRIGO Y GABRIELA - The Struggle Within

Back in 2017, METALLICA announced that it was preparing deluxe remastered versions of its "…And Justice For All" (1988) and "Metallica" (1991) albums and reached out to its hardcore fans for help to get content for the new editions. "…And Justice For All" has since been reissued for its 30th anniversary in 2018.

METALLICA's self-titled LP in 2014 became the first album to sell 16 million copies since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991.

"Metallica" was already certified 16 times platinum on December 13, 2012 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for shipments in excess of 16 million copies in the U.S.

The album in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN's 1997 record, "Come On Over", as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era.

"Metallica" was the first of four collaborations with producer Bob Rock, with whom the band clashed throughout the recording of the disc.

METALLICA performed "the black album" in its entirety at a number of European festivals in 2012.

Full Of Hell return with their new album, Garden Of Burning Apparitions, out October 1 via Relapse Records. Pre-order here, and watch the “Industrial Messiah Complex” video below. Garden Of Burning Apparitions will be available on CD/LP/CS/Digital.

Frontman Dylan Walker comments: “'Industrial Messiah Complex' examines the commodification and weaponization of faith and spirituality. This misdirection is a ploy for control and power. Whether through some profit obsessed mega-church or via militaristic action, humanity is raked over the coals and bled out until there’s nothing left but cinders and dust."

Garden Of Burning Apparitions, a genre-bending blitzkrieg of hardcore, grind and death metal, sees the band expand upon the very elements that have propelled Full Of Hell to the forefront of extreme music over the last decade.

Produced by Seth Manchester at Machines With Magnets in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Garden of Burning Apparitions also sees Full Of Hell adding new dimensions to their warp-speed hellscape. Guitarist Spencer Hazard and bassist Sam DiGristine's monstrous riffs now have an added noise-rock influence, while drummer Dave Bland commands the rhythm section at blazing speeds.

Lyrically, Garden of Burning Apparitions sees vocalist Dylan Walker exploring (anti)religion, life's impermanence and the fear that comes with knowing death is inescapable. "Industrial Messiah Complex” grinds organized religion to a pulp in under 90 seconds, while Walker contemplates the commodification of spirituality seen in America’s vast network of garish mega-churches and how these practices are at odds with true spirituality. Meanwhile, “Reeking Tunnels” rides a strident noise rock riff down into the sewer. It’s a metaphor for the physical and mental space we become trapped in when we live in a perpetual state of fear and hate. Elsewhere, justifiable ochlophobia propels the guttural death metal blast of “Eroding Shell.” Lyrically, the song seeks to capture our fear of the violent, ignorant mob—a scene glimpsed far too often in this volatile era.

In the end, Full Of Hell’s boundary smashing has paid off again. “I think it’s good that we tried not to pigeonhole ourselves early on,” Walker reflects. “Because now, 10 years in, we have the opportunity to make whatever record we want, within reason, and people will follow along.”

Artwork by Mark McCoy.

Tracklisting:

"Guided Blight"
"Asphyxiant Blessing"
"Murmuring Foul Spring"
"Derelict Satellite"
"Burning Apparition"
"Eroding Shell"
"All Bells Ringing"
"Urchin Thrones"
"Industrial Messiah Complex"
"Reeking Tunnels"
"Non-Atomism"
"Celestial Heirarch"

"Industrial Messiah Complex" video:

Full Of Hell is:

Dylan Walker
Spencer Hazard
Dave Bland
Sam DiGristine

(Photo - Jess Dankmeyer)




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English extreme metal legends, Carcass, have released a new album trailer in which they discuss the origins of their new single, "Kelly's Meat Emporium". The song is featured on the band's impending seventh studio album, Torn Arteries, that's out September 17 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Watch below to see how one of the year's most devastating songs came together:

Ferocious and uncompromising in their execution, Carcass’s ability to intricately dissect the innards of death metal, and display them for us to sonically understand has been their point of excellence for over three decades. In 2019 the band released their first single in over 5 years “Under The Scalpel Blade,” followed by a 4-song EP entitled Despicable (October 2020), setting a potent precedent for the full length album coming in September: Torn Arteries. With the album title itself referencing an old demo created by original drummer Ken Owen back in the 80’s, Torn Arteries sits as a bookend on the modern side of the Carcass discography, connecting directly back to where everything began over 30 years ago.  

The album artwork also rings reminiscent of the grotesque photography that appears on classic Carcass album covers like Reek Of Putrefaction or Symphonies Of Sickness. Artist Zbigniew Bielak traveled outside his normal wheelhouse to bring forth a time lapsed set of photos showing vegetables shaped like a heart, rotting over time upon a white plate. This form of artwork was influenced by Japanese Kusôzu, meaning: ‘painting of the nine stages of a decaying corpse.’

“It’s very clean, white, which we’ve never done before,” explains vocalist and bassist Jeff Walker, “it doesn’t look evil, or typically death metal, but I like how clean it is; almost like a coffee table book.” This new album presents images, lyrics, and sounds that so distinctly scream Carcass, but ferry us into a new era of production, songwriting, and art all together.

“I think as our 7th album, it does stand out from the others both sonically and stylistically,” says Walker. “You can definitely tell that it’s Carcass; when you drop that needle on the vinyl, when you hear that guitar tone, you can tell it’s Bill Steer, but each album is always a product of its time.”

With Torn Arteries, each track stands unique from the rest in its approach to guitar, bass, vocals and drumming, along with all the finer details. Filthy and dominating guitar work creates thick layers of tone and melody, piling on top of each other like the weight of dead flesh in tracks like “Kelly’s Meat Emporium.”

“The working title for Kelly’s was originally ‘Stock Carcass,’” laughs Walker. “We knew that one was a real meat and potatoes track for the album.” Meanwhile the elevated speed and catchy beat in "Dance Of Ixtab" tell a robust and airier story, one that is certain to get a reaction from live crowds. “We built this song around the beat. We had an approach to each song that was a definite idea. It’s all about ‘what haven’t we done before?’”

Recording and production for Torn Arteries wasn’t as simple as sitting down for a few weeks and knocking it all out, but rather spread out over the course of approximately 1 year bouncing back and forth between England and Sweden. Initially, drummer Daniel Wilding did session work in Sweden at Studio Gröndahl with David Castillo while guitars were recorded at The Stationhouse with James Atkinson in Leeds, England. Eventually needing some form of residential location to finalize vocals, bass, and other guitarwork, the band headed back to studio Gröndahl in Sweden to continue work in a very relaxed atmosphere with Castillo. “There was no real big plan to do it this way, the process just organically grew on its own,” says Walker.

Most will find that the only real struggle when indulging in Torn Arteries is fighting the desire to start it over the second it finishes. It covers substantial new ground for a band with such a reputation, while still retaining that addictive, time honored Carcass sound that has come to represent the face of true death metal.

Torn Arteries is available for pre-order in a variety of bundles and formats, including CD, Box Set and limited edition vinyl pressings. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Torn Arteries"
"Dance Of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstances March No. 1)"
"Eleanor Rigor Mortis"
"Under The Scalpel Blade"
"The Devil Rides Out"
"Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited"
"Kelly's Meat Emporium"
"In God We Trust"
"Wake Up And Smell The Carcass / Caveat Emptor"
"The Scythe's Remorseless Swing"

"Kelly's Meat Emporium" visualizer:

"Kelly's Meat Emporium" drum playthrough video:

Lineup:

Bill Steer - Guitars
Jeff Walker - Bass/Vocals
Daniel Wilding - Drums
Tom Draper - Guitars

(Photo - Hannah Verbeuren)




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Black Country Communion are the rock supergroup comprised of vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple Black Sabbath, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Billy Idol, Alice Cooper) and blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa.

Three Black Country Communion albums will be reissued as part of the Black Country Communion Glow In The Dark Vinyl Series: On September 24, Black Country Communion and 2, and on October 22, their latest studio album, BCCIV.

Reissued albums available on limited edition Glow In The Dark double vinyl include Black Country Communion, 2, BCCIV or available as a bundle.

Pre-order here.

(Photo - Neil Zlozower)




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IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson kicked off his first-ever U.K. spoken-word tour Sunday night (August 1) at Theatre Royal in Brighton. A one-minute video featuring Bruce's impressions of the evening, as well as commentary from several of the fans who attended the event, can be seen below.

Dickinson is considered one of the world's most storied musicians after decades spent delivering high-octane performances with his larger-than-life persona in IRON MAIDEN. A true polymath, his accomplishments include: pilot and airline captain, aviation entrepreneur, beer brewer, motivational speaker, film scriptwriter, twice-published novelist and Sunday Times best-selling author, radio presenter, TV actor, sports commentator and international fencer….to name but a few.

So there's plenty to be entertained by throughout the evening's cornucopia of fascinating tales and derring-do exploits, all delivered by Bruce with characteristically infectious enthusiasm and wry wit.

Split into two parts, the first section of the show sees Bruce taking a humorous and often satirical look at the world from his own very personal perspective, as told first-hand in his inimitable anarchic style, punctuated with photographs, videos and sometimes even erupting into song a capella, to illustrate a point.

The final section of the evening is devoted entirely to a question-and-answer session, with the opportunity to pose questions on any subject whatsoever. The more left-field and quirky the question, the more interesting and compelling the response is likely to be.

Speaking about what fans can expect from his spoken-word tour, Dickinson said: "Mainly it's a sideways look at my life, which in some ways is pleasantly ridiculous. The show that is now the show has moved on quite a long way from what is just in [my autobiography]. Yes, it's a bit autobiographical but there's an awful lot more stuff. Part two gets interesting because it's, dare I say, a bit improv. I give you cue cards upon which you can write whatever you want — insults, advice, questions perhaps. And I then rearrange those like some sort of bizarre crossword puzzle into what becomes the third third of the show. So, basically, that's it — the last third of the show is created by you, with a little bit of help from me."

Dickinson's autobiography, "What Does This Button Do?", landed at No. 10 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list. It was released in the U.S. in October 2017 via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books), an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

"What Does This Button Do?" is Dickinson's third book. He has previously published two satirical novels, "The Adventures Of Lord Iffy Boatrace" about the English upper classes and "The Missionary Position" about televangelism.

Dickinson, who will turn 63 later this week, joined IRON MAIDEN in 1981, replacing Paul Di'Anno, and made his recording debut with the band on the 1982 album "The Number Of The Beast". He quit the band in 1993, pursuing several solo projects, and rejoined in 1999.

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the upcoming release of Lords Of Black's new album, Alchemy Of Souls, Part II, on October 15. Today, fans can get their first taste of the new album with the release of the single and music video, "Before That Time Can Come". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save the new album here.

Prog/power metal masters Lords Of Black are set to return in 2021 with a new album, the follow-up to 2020's incredibly well received Alchemy Of Souls, Part I. The new album, Alchemy Of Souls, Part II, is a continuation of the themes started on the previous album. With the downtime created by the global pandemic, Lords Of Black worked incredibly hard to create music that pushed past the boundaries of anything the band had done in the past showing a newfound musical maturity from the band, incorporating new musical elements into their style. Vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Sunstorm, The Ferrymen) delivers another vocal performance yet to be matched, guitarist Tony Hernando delivers some of the best melodic metal he has ever written, while bassist Dani Ciado and drummer Jo Nunez prove to be a powerful rhythm section so powerful who play with absolute finesse.

"You all know the old saying, "Second parts are never as good as the first parts"... but honestly, I think this record is an exception to that. This is a collection of very strong songs, sporting a variety of elements that, as a whole, make this second installment familiar yet different. The magic of every album lies in its own uniqueness, and that is ultimately our goal, to avoid repeating ourselves," says guitarist Tony Hernando.

"This album has obviously been influenced by the exceptional times we are living in, therefore the intent of every song is to try to be meaningful and powerful in their intention to make you experience wonder and enthusiasm, which is our ultimate goal," he continues.

Heavier and darker compared to the album that preceded it, Alchemy Of Souls, Part II enhances the perception that Lords Of Black are now ready to ascend to the upper tiers of European melodic metal. This is an album not to be missed by both melodic metal and progressive metal fans alike. An absolute delight for the ears and another classic in the making from these Spanish masters.

Upon their formation, Lords Of Black’s vision was to form a metal band with a modern approach blended with catchy, melodic, and progressive elements. After months of intense hard work on the songs, the band independently released their acclaimed self-titled debut in 2014, which was co-produced by Roland Grapow (Masterplan, Helloween).

The band supported the release with a series of successful live shows, including guest spots for a variety of high profile international acts. Later, legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Blackmore's Night) became aware of Ronnie Romero's vocal talents and invited him to front his, at the time, newly reformed Rainbow. This brought the band to the attention of international music media and in particular, the words from Blackmore describing Romero’s voice like “a cross between Ronnie James Dio and Freddie Mercury” piqued the curiosity of journalists and fans alike. While enjoying this new found attention, Romero and Hernando continued work on Lords Of Black and signed a worldwide deal with the Frontiers label. The first global release from the partnership was "II", an album which did and continues to blow the minds of fans of modern melodic metal.

Once again, co-produced, mixed, and mastered by Roland Grapow, the album created a stir in the metal scene and is still regarded as a true underground classic. The band played several European shows in support of the release and then headed back to the studio to create the follow up album, "Icons of the New Days". Upon its release, the album once again set a new standard for melodic metal with outstanding epic tracks mixed with glorious power/progressive metal songs.

Like its predecessor, Alchemy Of Souls, Part II is setting a new gold standard for melodic metal in the new decade.

Tracklisting:

"Prelude (Alchimia Confessio 1458 A.D.)"
"Maker Of Nothingness"
"What's Become Of Us"
"Bound To You"
"Before That Time Can Come"
"Mind Killer"
"Death Dealer"
"Prayers Turned To Whispers"
"In A Different Light"
"How Long Do I Have Now"
"Fated To Be Destroyed"
"No Hero Is Homeless"
"Sympathy" (Uriah Heep cover)

"Before That Time Can Come" video:

Lineup:
Ronnie Romero - vocals
Tony Hernando - guitars
Dani Criado - bass
Jo Nunez - drums




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QUIET RIOT is set to welcome Rudy Sarzo back into the band after an 18-year absence. Rudy was one of the original founding members of the legendary "Metal Health" lineup. He played bass on the "Metal Health" album, which sold over ten million copies and spawned the hits "Cum On Feel The Noize" and "Metal Health" and on the follow-up record "Condition Critical".

Sarzo appeared in the most notable music videos in the MTV age and toured with the band until 1985 and again from 1997 to 2003. During his years out of the band, Sarzo was a member of OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE, DIO, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, QUEENSRŸCHE and THE GUESS WHO. Rudy is looking forward to recording and touring with QUIET RIOT beginning in 2022.

With the move, longtime QUIET RIOT bassist Chuck Wright is graciously stepping aside to continue his recent solo efforts while heightening his role with his award-winning residency show "Ultimate Jam Night" at the legendary Whisky A Go-Go which all the members of QUIET RIOT fully support.

QUIET RIOT and their management would like to formally thank Chuck Wright for his many years of dedication and perseverance and, most importantly, his distinguished talent. Wright has served off and on with QUIET RIOT for nearly 40 years, appears on nine albums, and is known as the bassist for QUIET RIOT's mega-hit "Metal Health" (Bang Your Head) and "Don't Wanna Let You Go". He was a contributing songwriter on 1986's "QRIII" and appeared in the band's video for "The Wild And The Young", among others. Wright has been one of the band's longest touring and recording members and will continue touring with the band through the end of 2021. Chuck is and will always be an invaluable member of the QUIET RIOT family.

Sarzo discussed his return to QUIET RIOT earlier today (Monday, August 2) during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I am returning home, going home to QUIET RIOT in the beginning of 2022, next year." He also noted that "next year marks 50 years of my journey with QUIET RIOT, because that's when I met and I started playing with Frankie Banali, another founding member of the 'Metal Health' version of QUIET RIOT. To me, that was a turning point [for me] as a musician."

Regarding how his return to QUIET RIOT came about, Rudy said: "After Frankie told me in 2019 that he had pancreatic cancer, and then he started his fight, it was a daily fight. I mean, he would be taking multiple treatments to fight it, and he would be touring. And so it was really an exhausting thing. So we stopped kind of hanging out as much because, obviously, he was too tired. So we would text each other a lot, every day, and stay in touch.

"He let me know in April of 2019 [that he was diagnosed with cancer], and COVID happened in 2020," Rudy continued. "That really made it impossible for me to be in his presence. It wasn't until a couple of days before he passed away that I was able to go to his house. Regina [his wife] requested it, and I spent time with him. And then, the following day, when he was taken to the hospital, Regina made it possible for me to be with Frankie for his last hours. So, after Frankie passed away, I went over to Regina's house, and we talked, and she expressed to me that Frankie wanted me to come back to the band, that he wanted to have a founding member there in the band. So, we talked about that.

"I was already traumatized by Frankie's passing, so it was a decision that I had to take a lot of time to think about it — let the mourning period [pass]," Rudy added. "I had to do that. So, the time came when I was ready to accept the reality, that it's our responsibility, of us left behind, to carry on with the legacy and celebrate it. So that's when I decided. I said, 'Okay, it's time for me to come home.'"

Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, recentl announced its offering of the world-renowned rock drummer and lyricist Neil Peart's collection of classic cars at its 17th annual Pebble Beach Auctions. The opportunity to bid on these extraordinary classic cars, dubbed the "Silver Surfers" by the legendary musician, will take place at the company's two-day sale on August 13 and 14, 2021.

In a newly released video report from KABC, Gooding & Company president and founder David Gooding stated about the collection: "Neil clearly was an intelligent man, very bright, and he thought very carefully about every car that he wanted to have in his collection." Check out the report below.

Considered one of the greatest rock drummers of all time, Peart had a highly distinguished career as the percussionist and lyricist for the groundbreaking band RUSH, hailing from Toronto, Canada. Since its early days, RUSH achieved immense global success and established a legacy as pioneers of sound, a feat no doubt made possible due to Peart's musical genius. Throughout his legendary career spanning nearly five decades, Peart inspired countless numbers of fellow rock stars and aspiring young musicians alike. He and his bandmates were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013, and received numerous other honors, including the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honor.

Neil also had a formidable intellect which was conveyed in his lyrics, books and numerous articles for a variety of publications. He was a prolific writer who constantly worked on his craft during his down time from the band. His profound lyrics based on literature, science, philosophy and his own life experiences dubbed him the name "The Professor" by the fans. He was revered as much for his lyrics as he was for his drumming, as certain recurring themes such as alienation, the angst of growing up, and the loneliness of being an outsider deeply resonated with a generation of young fans.

Peart's love of cars was a lifelong passion, and his hunger for knowledge included learning everything there is to know about automobiles, inside and out. Classic cars were what he dreamed of owning for many years, and upon purchasing his first, the 1964 Aston Martin DB5, he exclaimed that he had dreamed of owning this car since he was a boy. Finally in a position to purchase classic cars of this quality, he slowly and carefully acquired each car until his dream collection, the "Silver Surfers," was complete. Sadly enough, after bravely battling brain cancer for three and a half years, Peart passed away on January 7, 2020.

On the naming of his collection, Peart wrote: "The title 'Silver Surfers' for my collection of cars occurred to me while driving the DB5 up and down the Pacific Ocean. Because it felt right to me, I guess — the idea that I was just one of the wave riders.

"I had moved from Toronto to Los Angeles in 2000 (cherchez la femme), and in search of natural peace I often drove out that way and up into the Santa Monica Mountains. Out past Malibu to Ventura County, I'd weave along barren ridges of rock and vegetation, the ocean always on one big side. Some days would be misted by the marine layer, while other days the sun blared through a clear sky. The waves were slow and gentle, or churned out a powerful, rolling rhythm… It was during one of these drives when out of nowhere, it just occurred to me that the color of the ocean had influenced the silver palette of the collection. What other color looks as good in a blue photo? Not black, not white — silver. And a fortunate risk for the framers' art, too: silver frames."

"We are beyond honored and humbled to be entrusted with the sale of Mr. Peart's beloved collection of classic cars," states Gooding & Company president and founder David Gooding. "Neil Peart touched the lives of so many through his groundbreaking career in music, including my own, and we are confident that his personal curation of classic cars will resonate with passionate collectors, finding them new homes with the same appreciation for them as the icon himself held."

For more information and photos, visit goodingco.com.

Guitar Techniques has shared a new video clip featuring ex-Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman. Check it out below.

Guitar Techniques: "This is Marty Friedman's solo from 'Majestical', a bespoke piece written for him by Jason Sidwell (their second piece together following 2019's 'Komorebi'). The full video, audio, backing track, transcription, chord chart and interview are featured in Guitar Techniques issue GT325, available as of July 28th."

Friedman: "Hey friends! I very rarely talk in this much depth about my thought process while soloing, but since the fine folks at Guitar Techniques created this nice little track for me to solo over, I got into some details. I hope you get something from this." 

The clip below, shot during Friedman's recent Tokyo Jukebox Tour 2021 through Japan, features Friedman performing the Crowded Houe classic "Don't Dream It's Over" with special remote guest Mateus Asato on guitar. The footage was shot on April 6th in Osaka at Bigcat and shared by AMSA Records.

Los Angeles-based Asato is a guitarist from Campo Grande, Brazil and rose to fame through by posting videos of himself playing guitar on Instagram, and amassed over one million followers before shutting the page down in February 2021. He has toured with several pop artists has his own signature model guitar through Suhr Guitars. In 2019, Guitar Magazine named him one of the 50 most exciting young guitarists in the world




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Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz appears on the new Powerwolf album, Call Of The Wild, as one of the guest singers on the bonus / companion album Missa Cantorem. She delivers her own rendition of the band's song "Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend", the official video for which can be viewed below.

Alissa recently shared an acoustic version of the song, issuing the following statement:

"Thank you to everyone who checked out the early release of my acoustic version of Powerwolf's song, 'Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend'! The counterpart to the heavy version that has well surpassed a million views on YouTube now. It is now available publicly. You can watch the lyric video here. Listen wherever you listen to music.

Many thanks to Oliver Palotai (Kamelot) for collaborating with me on this and arranging and playing all the instruments on this song, as well as mixing and mastering it. Thanks to Sascha Gerstner (Pace Arts) for taking this interesting portrait of me. Thanks to Powerwolf for inviting me to cover your music - have you checked out their new album yet??

And last but definitely not least, thank YOU for taking an interest in what I do!"

Alissa issued the following statement with regards to her participation on Missa Cantorem, expanding on her intial comments that appeared in the press release.

Alissa: "When Powerwolf invited me to cover one of their tunes, I had to first check out the song and familiarize myself with the overall vibe. I knew the play on words in the title was genius so I watched their music video dozens of times. I really liked the song but I felt the only way I could truthfully cover it would be if I were to interpret the song to praise and empower women rather than demonize or objectify them.

I agreed to cover the song but I took the liberty of reversing the gender roles in the lyrics with just a few subtle tweaks. I also suggested a role reversal video, in jest, when I presented my version to the band. I think my exact words were something like 'Here is the song but I expect a pile of naked monks at my feet in return!'  - to poke fun. I did not expect that they would not only appreciate my modifications but that we would actually make the video happen, too!

I have to give TONS of respect to Powerwolf for being so open to having another artist step in and completely re-interpret their music. Now I feel the original video has something to balance it out and they both work super well in conjunction! It’s actually quite exciting to watch one right after the other! It’s all in good fun, in the end."

Powerwolf keyboardist Falk Maria Schlegel on the video and the collaboration with Alissa White-Gluz: “It was a pleasure to work and perform together with Alissa for the very first time on our joint video shoot for 'Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend'. Immediately, there was a great energetic atmosphere on set! Alissa is such a wonderful artist and interacting with her during this shoot as well as re-interpreting this video together was an amazing experience.”




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Reunited thrashers Mantic Ritual have signed with M-Theory Audio. New music from the reunited group – featuring original members Dan Wetmore (vocals/guitars), Jeff Potts (guitars), and Ben Mottsman (bass) alongside new drummer Carlos Cruz (Warbringer, Exmortus, Hexen) – will be released later this year, but the first taste of the new riffs to come will be unveiled with a live performance on August 26th at Supply & Demand in Long Beach, California.

"This is Dan Wetmore with the first Mantic Ritual news in over ten years! We have reunited and are working on a new EP for later this year via our recent signing with M-Theory Audio. With over twelve original songs already written, this will set the path for an imminent full-length album next year. Reviving Mantic Ritual isn’t something we’re taking lightly, we intend to best our debut album, Executioner, in every way. The new material is true to our roots in heavy metal, thrash, speed and punk. This is in our blood and it’s time to share with everyone. Mantic Ritual is ecstatic to work with M-Theory Audio and thankful for the opportunity furnished by Founder/President, Marco Barbieri. Cheers!"

The early beginnings of Mantic Ritual were birthed in the band's hometown of Pittsburgh in 2005. Performing initially under the name Meltdown, the group began building a buzz with Northeast heavy metal fans over the next two years with their combination of boundless thrash enthusiasm and superb songsmanship. The band moved across the country to Los Angeles in 2007, where performances alongside leaders of the budding Southern California thrash revival such as Warbringer, Fueled By Fire, and Merciless Death earned them attention from discerning metal audiences and a record deal with Nuclear Blast Records.

The group soon changed their name to Mantic Ritual, and released their first – and so far only – full-length record Executioner, produced by Andy Classen (Asphyx, Tankard, Krisiun) in 2009. Mantic Ritual followed up the release of Executioner with live touring alongside heavy metal titans such as Rotting Christ and Destruction, before dissolving in 2010. Potts and Mottsman later went on to join Warbringer for their 2013 release, IV: Empires Collapse, with Potts himself also performing on Gygax's 2018 release, 2nd Edition. Potts, Mottsman, and Wetmore began writing and recording new music together - with Cruz (still a member of Warbringer) now joining them on drums – in the beginning of 2021.

The group's upcoming live performance on August 26th at Supply & Demand in Long Beach, CA – their first since a one-off reunion at Thrasho De Mayo 2013 in Los Angeles - is only the beginning of this exciting new chapter in the story of Mantic Ritual. More information on new music from Mantic Ritual will be unveiled in the weeks to come by M-Theory Audio.

 




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Fresh off of releasing their debut album Field Trip on California's Nomad Eel Records, Cassius King have just released their first full length video for the song "Cleopatra's Needle". The video was produced by Jason C. Stewart who also produced the "Last Ride" and "Torture King" videos off the last Vessel Of Light album. 

"Jason has become my go-to-guy the last year and a half." said guitarist Dan Lorenzo. "His enthusiasm is off the charts and at this point I let him do whatever he wanted for 'Cleopatra's Needle' and I think it's just as much fun to watch as it is to listen to".

Overkill's Bobby Blitz said, "It's really great, I even commented, which I never do... 'epic' got such an old school doom vibe, but never bores... love the journey!"

Former Hades founding member Dan Lorenzo has been using the Cassius King moniker for years. From his debut solo album to his endless cover song CDs with various lead vocalists. But it wasn't until 2021 when Lorenzo decided to make an all original album with vocalist Jason McMaster (Watchtower / Dangerous Toys / Broken Teeth). Lorenzo released four albums in three years with his doom band Vessel Of Light when Coronavirus prevented any more live shows.

"I had music to probably eight or nine more songs after VOL released Last Ride," Lorenzo said. "I didn't think the world was ready for a fifth Vessel Of Light album when we couldn't even play shows to support Last Ride. Jason sang multiple Cassius King cover songs with me and I had some music that was maybe a bit more like Hades, plus a bluesy song I sent off to Jason. I was shocked how quickly Jason wrote and sang the first few songs, so I recorded a few more brand new tunes. I asked Jason if he needed any help with melodies and he told me he did not. Jason said he could use some lyrical ideas though. I told that to Jimmy Schulman (Hades / Vessel Of Light) and he and Jason ended up collaborating lyrically on three songs."

Schulman commented, "When Dan mentioned Jason needed some lyrical ideas, I was excited to be part of that process. Jason and I came at it a few different ways. Sometimes it was just texting back-and-forth with a line or two at a time until it took on shape. Another time, a long poem was crafted into a song. However it went though, it proved to be a cool and interesting collaboration."

McMaster stated, "It was the kind of material I had been wanting to do for a long time. It feels a bit like Ozzy and Dio playing poker over some leftover Sabbath material. The melodies came to me quickly, as well as some of the lyrics. Things I already had fit the visions I had upon first listen and it all flowed immediately. I would not call it a full 'doom' application of terms, but, its heavy, it reminds me of what I love about Sabbath and Dio songs."

Drummer Ron Lipnicki (Overkill /Vessel Of Light) said, "I think this new album's got something for everyone; it's like the fruits all line up on the slot machine." That includes fans of Hades' seminal release Resisting Success, as Scott LePage plays leads on the songs "I Move With The Moon" and "King Of Lies".

Tracklisting:

"King Of Lies"
"Cleopatra's Needle"
"Below The Stones"
"Join The Exodus"
"Traveler (The Long Road)"
"Apocalyptic Nations"
"I Move With The Moon" 
"Six"
"Leave Of Absence"
"This Side Of Forever" 

"Traveler (The Long Road)":

 




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Featuring a blend of technique, aggressiveness, melody, and intensity without sticking to labels, Invisible Control has become a solid project that will continue the career beyond the pandemic era. It is one of the revelations of national death metal, which features a woman in front of the vocals, Daniela Serafim, Her vocal style is insane includes both growling and clean vocals. With lyrics that address political-religious issues, phobias and torments that afflict human beings, Invisible Control is one of the great bets of extreme metal.

The band is currently in the studio for the production of their debut album, which will feature eight copyrighted tracks, and is preparing for the release of the track "Behind The Wall of Sleep", a tribute to Black Sabbath, which is expected to be released to the end of 2021.Formed during the quarantine of the COVID-19 pandemic, Invisible Control is a death metal group that brings together artists from the Brazilian heavy music scene. The band made their debut during the sixth edition of the Roadie Crew Online Festival, where they presented the single “Killing Other Of Us”. Now they are releasing the song "Cold Blood", the first single from the new album.

Invisible Control chose this song to be the first release because it has a very strong relationship with the band's current experiences and how their attitudes or lack of them can cause very serious and even irreparable damage. “'Cold Blood' is a song that talks about cryogenics”, explains vocalist Daniela Serafim. “It has a double meaning, in addition to talking about all the processes a person goes through when going through cryogenics, until their body thaws and can go back to life. In the lyrics, we make an analogy with the uncertain or perhaps non-existent future that awaits us. As if we are living under the power of alienation and at some point we are going to ask ourselves 'who was I and who am I really?' 'Could I have done more to change anything?' Where humanity is further accused of having made the wrong choices of our rulers.”

The name of the song "Cold Blood" in addition to referring to the cold blood (in the literal sense) of cryogenics, refers to the cold blood of rulers, who promise a better future and for that they use hate speeches, preach prejudice and death. And the result is a hopeless future, a dead future. “Cold Blood” is available now on all digital platforms.

Featuring a blend of technique, aggressiveness, melody, and intensity without sticking to labels, Invisible Control has become a solid project that will continue their career beyond the pandemic era. It features a woman vocalist, Daniela Serafim. Her style includes both growling and clean vocals. With lyrics that address political-religious issues, phobias and torments that afflict human beings, Invisible Control is one of the great bets of extreme metal.

The band is currently in the studio for the production of their debut album, which will feature eight tracks, and is preparing for the release of the track "Behind The Wall Of Sleep", a tribute to Black Sabbath, which is expected to be released to the end of 2021.

 




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Jeffrey Nothing, former vocalist of industrial metal band Mushroomhead, has released the official music video for his newest single, "The Outage". Directed by Ian D. Sniesak and edited and shot by Jon Conner of A Hole in the Head Productions, with assisted videography by Thomas Church and Aj Taranto, the dark music saga features former members of Motograter and Skin alongside the frontman as well as former Mushroomhead guitarist, Thomas Church.

"We all come with an expiration date," begins Jeffrey Nothing. "From our first breath, til our last, we are a miracle in motion; full of emotion, fears, and an air of invincibility. How we treat our fellow man and our life matters. Other than love, you sincerely can’t take it with you. Above is a place I pray to one day be, not a circle I put myself in as I traverse this lifetime. Freedom means everything. All complexes aside, we have no owners. Dream big and share your soul… I, for one, will be listening."

"So many trash their bodies and minds and feel they just get to wake up from whatever mistake they just made no matter what. It is so heartbreaking to watch a generation be wiped out because they truly believe they are invincible. We are not. Risking oneself for that ever-elusive first high destroys far more than the singular self. Parents never want to outlive their children. You are not that invincible person who will beat any challenge, just because. Stop for one second and be that miracle baby again. Not the almost adult who crushed everyone’s dreams, all because you wanted to escape a temporary nightmare. Death is the end, not a new beginning. Ever." 

“Life is full of hardships, challenges, tribulations... It can be difficult in the moments of pain to see through to the other side, that there's a way to come out victorious," says vocalist Ian D Sniesak. "It can be easy to compromise or give in to something that offers a moment of relief; a temporary solution to a problem that might turn into a permanent consequence. It can be easy to think that you will remain in control but more often than not what we think we control ends up controlling us."

"Pain and trauma are the real gateway drugs and until we learn to face the pain and overcome we will continue the cycle of abuse, be it substance or other. If we don't, addiction ends up being in control. It destroys what's beautiful, and then dances and parades what remains around for all the world to see. It can be easy to become ensnared in the prisons of our mind. If we take a close look at ourselves in the midst of our addiction, it can seem as if we are suffocating, wrapped in the fake plastic of the lies we believe that have now led us to the predicament we are in. Acknowledging there is a problem is the first step. Then we must fight, for our freedom and for our lives, one day at a time.” 

 




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In a new interview with Cesar Gueikian, brand president of Gibson Brands, Kirk Hammett spoke about how METALLICA has spent its coronavirus downtime and its plans for the coming months. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Because of the unusual situation of the last couple of years, we were able to continue to communicate and be a band. We were able to get together on a somewhat regular basis, create a bubble that we could work in, get tested regularly every two or three days, and go in and function as a band. And in the last year or so, we've been doing that pretty consistently. And it's difficult and it's demanding to have to work under those situations, because when you're in a bubble, you can't really see anyone else. And when we're in the band bubble, it's just the band and 12 people allowed in the building at any given time. So it was a little weird, a little difficult, but we were able to really put all the events and all the feelings and emotions and experiences of the last year and a half into our music. And we're jamming, we're coming up with stuff, and we're really enjoying each other's company. And at this point in time, it's looking like it's gonna be more possible to play live shows, so we're getting to that. We're all very, very excited because we're craving that — we have a real hunger for that. And we're well aware of the fact that we're probably not the only ones in the world who really are craving something like that too. I know that I miss seeing bands live, and I miss playing live. And it's probably the sentiment of a lot of music lovers out there as well."

Last summer, Hammett told Metal Hammer magazine that there was "a lot of material" written for a possible follow-up to 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album, which marked METALLICA's first full-length collection of new music in eight years. "I know I have tons, because I totally overcompensated," he said. "You know, last time around, it was a real shock to my system losing all those musical ideas. [Editor's note: Kirk lost a phone with more than 300 pieces of music on it during the creative process for 'Hardwired…'] So, I was very determined to try and make up for lost time. I also felt that, creatively, I have so much more to offer this time around."

Bassist Robert Trujillo added that the songwriting process for the next album could be a decidedly more collective effort compared to "Hardwired…", which was largely composed by guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich.

"I'm not gonna speak on behalf of the other guys, but to me, it feels like this could be a very collaborative [writing process]," Robert said. "And for me personally, I love that. I love that we are in that head space to be more collaborative, and I think that's very exciting for where we're at now, the journey we're about to take, the fact that those doors are opening like that."

"It's taking a couple of months, literally, for me to go through all [my ideas]," added Kirk, who is is not credited on any of the songs on "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct". "I've got a wealth of material, and so, at any given point when we all decide, 'Okay, let's start formulating a schedule to start writing songs and recording it.' I'm ready. I'm there, from day one."

"Kirk has so many ideas," continued Trujillo. "It's funny because sometimes it's literally him in the kitchen and he's cooking, and at the same time he's playing you a riff, or you're sitting on the toilet and he's playing you some ideas. But when we started to understand that [the lockdown] was gonna happen, it was like, 'Hey, let's be creative', you know? Let's just get on it. A lot of times, when there's a band that's been around as long as METALLICA has, you find that one of the biggest problems is, 'Man I can't come up with a riff, I can't come up with any good lyrics, it's just harder to write songs', but that just doesn't seem to be the problem with us. Not taking anything away from any other bands, but sometimes our worst riff might be another band's A-list riff."

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release.

In a brand new interview with Knotfest.com's "Talk Toomey" podcast, SEPULTURA's Andreas Kisser reflected on the recent passing of former SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had the privilege to work very closely with Joey and [late SLIPKNOT bassist] Paul Gray on the 'Roadrunner United' album and party that was done in 2005 in New York, the special show. We spent two weeks in Los Angeles working. It was myself, Joey Jordison, Paul Gray, Dino Cazares [FEAR FACTORY] and Roy Mayorga [STONE SOUR, SOULFLY]. And we kind of organized the whole concert. I played, basically, the whole concert together with Dino. And Joey and Paul were big SEPULTURA fans; they knew everything about the band. We even changed the ending of 'Roots' by Joey's suggestion. [He said], 'I love that part at the end which is very slow. But it's too short. Let's make it longer.' And we did it. So it's a very special version of 'Roots', of course, that we have everybody together. It was the last song of the show and representing the whole historical meaning of SEPULTURA and Roadrunner. And a very special version because of him — because he wanted to do that change. And it happened that way.

"With Paul as well, we even were talking to do something together, a special project," he continued. "He was in my band HAIL!, with me and Tim 'Ripper' Owens [JUDAS PRIEST] and Paul Bostaph [SLAYER]. But it was the week he died. He was rehearsing for us to get together and go on tour in Europe and stuff. So we kind of were working togethers something. And HAIL! was the first thing that we started. And, unfortunately, it didn't happen.

"They were too young [to die]," Andreas added. "It's very shocking. They were so creative, so nice people, so sweet, so easy to work [with] — great ideas, and et cetera. Like I said, we spent two weeks together in Los Angeles, then we went to New York and we then we jammed on that fantastic show together. And we met each other on the road a few times.

"Yeah, my condolences to all the Knotfest people and the SLIPKNOT fans and everybody involved. It's a great loss for all of us. But I'll have great memories forever with them. And it's a fantastic duo."

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

The same year that he exited SLIPKNOT, Jordison launched the band SCAR THE MARTYR and later, VIMIC. He also collaborated with former DRAGONFORCE and current KREATOR bassist Frédéric Leclercq in SINSAENUM.

Jordison's family released a statement last Tuesday in which they wrote "To those that knew Joey, understood his quick wit, his gentle personality, giant heart and his love for all things family and music."

The family will have a private funeral service.

Alicia Taylor, the wife of SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor, says that she has been focusing on supporting her husband in the days since his former bandmate Joey Jordison was found dead.

The founding SLIPKNOT drummer's family confirmed that Jordinson passed away "peacefully in his sleep" on Monday (July 26) of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.

On Thursday, Alicia, who is a professional dancer and a member of the all-girl dance group CHERRY BOMBS, took to her Twitter to write: "As a fan, the news of of Joey has been heartbreaking, but I haven't had much time to process it yet. My focus has been supporting my husband, and pouring into our family.

"Things are tough, but they will get better in time- one day at a time.

"Rest easy, Joey."

Corey has yet to publicly comment on Joey's death, but he and his SLIPKNOT bandmates posted a black box on their social media sites in an apparent show of mourning.

According to TMZ, Joey's family said they will hold a private funeral service for him, but it's unclear when that will happen.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Back in 2014, Corey Taylor told Metal Hammer that firing Jordison after 18 years was "one of the hardest decisions" the group ever made, adding that Joey is "in a place in his life" which is "not where we are."

Taylor said he could not get into specifics for legal reasons, but admitted, "It's when a relationship hits that T-section and one person's going one way and you're going the other. And try as you might to either get them to go your way or try and go their way, at some point you've got to go in the direction that works for you. This is me speaking in the broadest terms, with respect to Joey. I guess to sum it up, it was one of the hardest decisions we ever made."

Taylor said that the band is "happy right now and we hope that he is . . . he's just in a place in his life, right now, that's not where we are."

The singer would not answer whether drug use played a role in Jordison's dismissal, and confessed that he had not been in touch with his former bandmate. Taylor said, "I haven't talked to Joey in a while, to be honest. That's how different we are. It's not because I don't love him and I don't miss him. And it is painful; we talk about him all the time, but at the same time, do we miss him or do we miss the old him? That's what it really comes down to."

POP EVIL performed a cover version of the METALLICA classic "For Whom The Bell Tolls" on July 29 at Warehouse Live in Houston, Texas. Joining POP EVIL on stage to handle lead vocals on the track was Justin Benlolo from support act BRKN LOVE. Fan-filmed video footage is available below.

For the first couple of weeks of its current tour, POP EVIL's lineup includes two session musicians: drummer Jason Hartless (TED NUGENT) and bassist Joey "Chicago" Walser of EGYPT CENTRAL and DEVOUR THE DAY.

Last month, POP EVIL's longtime bassist Matt DiRito announced his exit from the band, saying in a statement that "the details surrounding my departure are only known by a few people, and respectfully it will remain that way."

"Walking away from something I've helped build is not easy — but it is the best thing for the band, myself and our respective futures," he said. "POP EVIL will continue on and so will I, just not together."

POP EVIL drummer Hayley Cramer was forced to miss the first couple of weeks of the band's U.S. tour because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. She has since flown to the U.S. and joined her bandmates on the road.

POP EVIL's "Versatile" tour kicked off on July 14 with an outdoor show in Lake County, Illinois and will run across the U.S. until September 23 including stops at several of the major rock festivals — Rocklahoma, Aftershock and Inkcarceration — as well as supporting SHINEDOWN. Support on the trek comes from special guests ZERO 9:36, BRKN LOVE and LIKE MACHINES (on select dates).

POP EVIL's latest album, "Versatile", features the No. 1 mainstream rock hit single "Breathe Again" — the band's sixth No. 1 single to date — alongside heavyweight tracks "Set Me Free", "Let The Chaos Reign" and Top 10 single "Work".