Jeff Rouse’s dark, post-punk project,  The Gemini Affair, have released their new single, a cover of Peter Gabriel’s "Digging In The Dirt" from The Gemini Affair’s upcoming EP release. Buy/stream the single here. Listen below.

“I've always liked the way that Peter Gabriel looked into the dark side of himself in the song and the juxtaposition of how the lyrics and song felt against each other. I had it on a playlist and was listening to it on the way to the studio. So when we found ourselves with a little extra time, we gave it a try and it turned out fantastic. It just felt right in the context of the other songs we had recorded for the EP,” said Jeff Rouse.

With strong praise from Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan, Buckcherry’s Josh Todd and radio stations like KJR 950 AM and KISW 99.9 FM, The Gemini Affair have a new six-song EP To… cut, mixed and mastered for fans, and set for release from G4L Records.

Mike McCready debuted the EP’s first single, “You’re Perfect,” on his boutique vinyl record label Hockeytalkter, and on the Sirius XM Radio Pearl Jam Channel. All songs and upcoming EP To… are being released digitally by G4L Records.

What they're saying...

"The members of Seattle's The Gemini Affair are not only incredible musicians, but they are dear friends of mine. I've been fortunate to share the stage with Jeff Rouse & Keith Ash countless times, and I'm stoked to release a single with them! The songs "You're Perfect" and "A Whisper To A Moan" exhibit a modern take on their classic rock influences! Enjoy the songs and look for them live sometime down the road!" - Mike McCready, Pearl Jam

“Jeff worked very hard to find his sound on this brilliant record. The confluence of his post-punk heroes 'The Cure" and ' Killing Joke', mixed with the straight-up rock n roll motherfucker that he is, makes for the really godamn epic 'Gemini.” - Duff McKagan, Guns N Roses/ Loaded

“I love the melodies and the EP’s interesting take on the concept kept me totally engaged!” - Josh Todd, Buckcherry

The Gemini Affair are a Seattle based band founded by Jeff Rouse. Members include:

Jeff Rouse: Vocals, Guitar (Member of Duff McKagan’s Loaded (Bass, Backup Vocals), Alien Crime Syndicate, Fozzy, Vendetta Red). He has also shared the stage with Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), Corey Taylor (Slipknot/ Stone Sour), Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, QOTSA, Mad Season), Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart) and many more at major festivals and shows worldwide.
Keith Ash: Bass (Star Anna, Guessing Game)
Donn Gunn: Drums (Death Cab for Cutie, Peter Frampton, Soundgarden, King Crimson)
Ryan Waters: Guitar (Sade, Heart, Liv Warfield)
Davey French: Guitar (Everclear)




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"Tragedy rocks sweet balls and can do no wrong! They are great fun!" - Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden

If you’ve never headbanged to the tunes of Slayer’s thunderous riff-fest “Raining Blood” combined with “It’s Raining Men” by American duo The Weather Girls, it's about time. Get wild with the world's hottest metal tribute to The Bee Gees and beyond, as New York based cover song reinventors Tragedy have just released a remastered version of this insane mash up, “Raining Blood" / "It's Raining Men”.

The song is taken from their remastered favorites album, Disco Balls To The Wall, to be released this Friday, July 30 via Napalm Records. Born out of the impenetrable divide of disco and metal, these fearsome brothers fearlessly take disco, soft-rock and pop classics and completely reimagine them as glorious, red-hot heavy metal. Their music is sure to get your head bangin’, your booty shakin’, and put a smile on your face immediately!

Tragedy on “Raining Blood" / "It's Raining Men”: “What happens when we mix Slayer with The Weather Girls? A sensual downpour of the unexpected! Hot metal riffs meet goddess sexuality. Hormones rage. Worldviews collapse. Underwear becomes irrelevant. Tragedy will get you absolutely soaking wet!”

It doesn’t matter at all if you love or hate disco or metal - you will unabashedly love Tragedy and their bombastic, crazy mix of disco, metal, glitter and revelry. The band’s first offering with Napalm Records will include Tragedy’s unique twist on hits such as Abba’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” and “Dancing Queen”, Toto’s “Africa”, Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” and Adele’s intense super-hymn ''Skyfall”, just to name a few. These fearsome brothers drop the perfect selection of all-time favorite disco, soft-rock and pop favorites - completely reimagining them as glorious, red-hot heavy metal treatments.

Get your body shaking when Tragedy start to rock out with The Bee Gee’s “Stayin' Alive”, “How Deep Is Your Love” and “Tragedy”, and headbang to the tunes of Slayer’s heavy riffing thrash thunder “Raining Blood” combined with “It’s Raining Men” from American duo The Weather Girls in a way absolutely never heard before. Disco Balls To The Wall is finally topped by a smashing live version of Donna Summer’s fabulous “Hot Stuff”, featuring Alex Skolnick of Testament on lead guitar.

The band adds: "Disco Balls To The Wall is the biggest, sexiest collection of hits we've ever released. It’s as if the Bee Gees turned into werewolves, ate some teens, then bred with the local dog population; thus creating the world's most beastly recordings of disco and soft-rock songs ever made. Sharing this album with your friends and lovers will make you 500% more desirable.”

Disco Balls To The Wall will be available in the following formats:

- 2-LP Gatefold (Orange transparent) - strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide
- 1-CD Digipack
- Digital Album

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
"You're The One That I Want"
"Evil / Baker Street"
"Stayin' Alive"
"Sweet Caroline"
"Raining Blood" / "It's Raining Men"
"How Deep Is Your Love"
"Aquarius" / "Let The Sunshine In"
"Africa"
"Total Eclipse Of The Heart"
"Tragedy"
"Dancing Queen"
"Skyfall"
"Hot Stuff"

“Sweet Caroline” video:

"Stayin' Alive" video:

"You're The One That I Want" video:

Tragedy is:

Disco Mountain Man - lead vocals, lead keyboards
Mo'Royce Peterson - lead vocals, lead guitar
Andy Gibbous Waning - lead bass, lead vocals
Garry Bibb - lead guitar, lead vocals
The Lord Gibbeth - lead drums
Lance - towel boy, complete idiot

(Photo - Michael Blase)




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Inglorious will release their first ever covers album, Heroine, on September 10 via Frontiers Music Srl. The album sees the band tackling covers by a varied selection of female artists whom they respect and admire. Today, fans can get a taste of the album with the release of the single and video for their take on Heart's classic, "Barracuda". Watch the video below:

Pre-order/save Heroine on CD/Color Vinyl/Digital here. The band has two different color LPs available exclusively on their webstore and is donating £1 from every copy sold on their webstore to the fantastic charity Women's Aid, who do amazing work supporting women and young girls.

The following LP colors are available:

- Blue (everywhere)
- Red (Band exclusive)
- Gold (Band exclusive)

Additionally, the band will play A Newday Festival on August 22, Stormin The Castle on September 4, and head out on a headline run in September and October before playing Winterstorm on November 26. Latest tour dates for the band and links to buy tickets can be found here.

Hot on the heels of the successful February 2021 release of Inglorious' fourth studio album, We Will Ride, their first with the new line-up of Nathan James, Phil Beaver, Danny De La Cruz, Dan Stevens, and Vinnie Colla, the band headed right back into the studio to record a very special new album. The up-and-coming British hard rockers' new release, titled Heroine, is a tribute to the various outstanding female musicians who have influenced the band either musically and/or vocally. From putting their own hard rock imprint on pop hits from Whitney Houston, Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne, and Christina Aguilera to taking on timeless classic rock songs by Tina Turner, Heart, and Joan Jett, and contemporary rock by the likes of Evanescence, Alanis Morissette, and Halestorm, Inglorious showcase their versatility with the song selections for this covers album.

"First things first, we know it is impossible to make these songs better, the originals are perfect and the performances legendary, so acknowledging that we weren't even gonna come close to the magic of the originals took the pressure off and we could just enjoy making this super fun album. It's about bowing to these incredible artists and, for me personally, saying thank you for sharing their gifts with the world. People assume that the singers I idolise are bluesy rock men, but they couldn't be more wrong. Everyone of these artists has inspired me as a performer, writer, singer, or person. Whether it be the unbeatable voice of Whitney, the charisma of Tina, the honesty of Alanis, the intensity of Lzzy, or the control of Amy Lee. I love the fire all these women bring to their music and that's what we wanted to say thanks for. Not only to these artists, but the awesome women in all of our lives who have loved us and continue to support us. With this in mind we are donating a pound from every copy sold on our webstore to the fantastic charity Women's Aid (https://www.womensaid.org.uk/), who do amazing work supporting women and young girls," says vocalist Nathan James.

The band's new lineup is now more gelled and cohesive after having toured the band's third album, writing and recording together for the fourth album, and now the recording of this fifth album. The guitar duo of Danny Dela Cruz and Dan Stevens interplay and feel shines and the rhythm section of Phil Beaver and Vinnie Colla is tighter than ever. Vocalist Nathan James takes on the daunting task of performing songs originally done by such amazing singers with respect and confidence. The overall results are astounding and a pleasant surprise for the band's fans, who likely weren't expecting a new batch of recorded music this quickly.

Inglorious are five young men with a mutual love and respect for two long-running tentpoles of hard rock music: big guitar riffs and soulful vocals. Formed in February 2014, the band is fronted by Nathan James, who made a name for himself having sung for the multi-platinum selling Trans-Siberian Orchestra and legendary Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth. Nathan was looking for like-minded musicians that desired to make incredible rock music in a very honest fashion. The band’s self-titled debut album received critical and fan acclaim. The follow up album, II, was another well received affair and was followed by the band’s third album, Ride To Nowhere. Their fourth studio album, We Will Ride was released in February 2021 and charted in the UK, US, and several European countries.

Tracklisting:

"Queen Of The Night (Whitney Houston cover)
"Barracuda" (Heart cover)
"Midnight Sky" (Miley Cyrus cover)
"Nutbush City Limits" (Tina Turner cover)
"Bring Me To Life" (Evanescence cover)
"Fighter" (Christina Aguilera cover)
"I'm With You" (Avril Lavigne cover)
"I Hate Myself For Loving You" (Joan Jett cover)
"I Am The Fire" (Halestorm cover)
"Time After Time" (Cyndi Lauper cover)
"Uninvited" (Alanis Morissette cover)

"Midnight Sky" video:

Lineup:

Nathan James - Lead Vocals
Danny De La Cruz - Guitar
Dan Stevens - Guitar
Vinnie Colla - Bass Guitar
Phil Beaver - Drums/Percussion




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German heavy/speed metal bringers Ritual Steel have announced that their vocalist John Cason (also Exiled) has passed away. John was in the band since 2006.

Band statement about his death: ''On July 15th our longtime singer and metal brother John Cason passed away after a short serious illness at the age of 49. He sang on the last 3 Ritual Steel albums, our "Knights of Steel" single and the two songs from the Metal Or Death sampler! Also on the Z-IRON Split-LP 2003.

"He was one of the most professional and nicest musician we have ever met. I am sure that one day we will rock together in heaven again! Rest in Peace, Brother!"

inished the songwriting for their upcoming album and enter the studio to record the follow-up to 2015's Ascension Lost. The fourth long player is scheduled for a 2021 worldwide release via Napalm Records. The band tapped producer Dan Swanö and booked illustrious Unisound Studio to mix and master the new effort. The band will enter FiveLakes Tonstudio, located in Munich this month to track drums before heading once again into Klangfabrik Landshut where Ascension Lost was recorded.

Frontman Steffen Kummerer states: "For the very first time we collaborate with Swedish legend Dan Swanö at renowned Unisound Studio to capture a certain feel and sound you will recognize in a heartbeat. Our fourth album contains more twin guitars, blast beats, and twists in arrangements than ever, so watch out for upcoming studio footage, music videos, and, most important. don't miss our festival shows in 2021!"

EMN (Every Mother's Nightmare) have released the fourth video from their latest record, Resurrect The Faithful. Check out "Drown By Luv" below:

Recorded at Supernova Sound Memphis, Resurrect The Faithful differs from any of its predecessors. With a unique wall of guitars and a thunderous rhythm section, Resurrect The Faithful stands above anything the band has written and crosses various musical boundaries. The lyrical content delves into profound subject matter that can be determined by the listener as it relates to their own lives and situations. Each song takes on a life of their own – 11 scorching tracks of pure rock ‘n roll bliss at its finest and perhaps the most defining record in the bands career.

Tracklisting:

"Getaway"
"Breathe"
"Here's To The Ones"
"Sin In My Heart"
"When It Goes Away"
"Resurrect The Faithful"
"Fray"
"Sorry Today"
"Unstained"
"Drown By Luv"
"Love Can Make You Blind" (2020)

"Sin In My Heart" video:

"Breathe" video:

"Here's To The Ones" video:




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Wendy Dio, wife and longtime manager of Ronnie James Dio, has confirmed that there are "about three songs" from the legendary heavy metal singer that may eventually see the light of day.

Ronnie James Dio, best known for his work with BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and DIO, died of stomach cancer 11 years ago at the age of 67.

During a brand new interview with LiveSigning to promote Ronnie's just-released memoir, "Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography", Wendy was asked if any unreleased Dio material may one day be made available to the public. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, there are about three songs that Ronnie was… Ronnie was working on a song with [former DIO and RAINBOW bassist] Jimmy Bain before Jimmy passed away. That was one. Craig [Goldy, former DIO guitarist] were working together on a song; they were working on some material and stuff, and it got pushed to the side. And I think the last thing Ronnie was working on was with [former DIO guitarist] Doug Aldrich, and they were working on a song.

"All things are in a vault," she explained. "I have to go into the vault… We are taking the necessary steps — we are having it all itemized and categorized. And Wyn Davis, who was Ronnie's engineer, who loved Ronnie to death and Ronnie loved working with him. He's the only person I really trust to do that. So he's going there, going through the stuff, and he will listen to those songs and tell me if those are what Ronnie would approve. Because Ronnie was a perfectionist, so it has to be something that Ronnie would put out. We're not gonna shove something out because it's got Ronnie's name on it; that's not what Ronnie would want, and I would never do that to Ronnie. But if the lyrics are there and Ronnie sang the parts, we can always have the band go in and play the music. But we have to make sure that it's sung properly."

Four years ago, Aldrich, who was a member of DIO for a short period between 2002 and 2006, revealed the existence of a previously unreleased Ronnie James Dio demo recording. The track in question was written during the sessions for DIO's "Magica II", a sequel to 2000's "Magica" that was left unfinished when Ronnie died in 2010. A "Magica II" track titled "Electra" made it on to 2012's "The Very Best Of Dio Vol 2", but Aldrich said more material may surface from the sessions.

Ronnie was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer was diagnosed with cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

"Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography" was released on July 27 via Permuted Press. It was written with longtime friend of 30 years and esteemed music writer Mick Wall, who took up the mantle after Ronnie's passing.

Swedish hard rock band, Steel Rhino, featuring Herbie Langhans (Firewind, Avantasia, SinBreed) on vocals, have announced the release of their self-titled debut album on August 20 via GMR Music.

Steel Rhino is the solo band of Mikael Rosengren (Dirty Passion, Revolverlution, Bai Bang), the whole concept was to create and play a heavier rock n’ roll sound leaning into metal with the attitude in the music that makes people bang their heads, put their hands in the air, and just let loose to have a great time.

With an attitude, heavy grooves and insane vocals, Steel Rhino is here to take the world by storm. This new hard rock project started with an idea, a heavy drum track, a catchy guitar riff and a heavy bass line to fill up the cracks.

The only thing that was missing was a killer vocalist to match the intensity of the music. The search for the perfect vocalist ended when the insanely talented Herbie Langhans agreed to lend his vocals to be featured on the album. His range and power provided the missing piece Steel Rhino needed to get the sound they wanted.

With influences from European and American hard rock and metal bands, Rosengren found his own sound that mixes the great hard rock sound from the past with the present. With his experience from playing with other bands for nearly 15 years while touring in Europe, North America, and playing at the biggest festivals like Wacken Open Air, Mikael felt it was time to write and make the music he wanted and put his own sound into the world.

The album can be pre-ordered/saved here.

Tracklisting:

"Rhino Attack"
"Arrival"
"Lovin Easy"
"Steel Rhino"
"Bells Of Midnight"
"Fire And Ice"
"Ghost From The Past"
"Sands of Time"
"Life We Choose"
"Boom Boom"
"New Tomorrow"

Music recorded at Loud Drums Studios in Sweden and vocals recorded in Germany at Herbie Langhans personal studio. Produced by Mikael Rosengren, mixed by Jakob Herrmann at Top Floor Studios in Gothenburg Sweden and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios Denmark.

Lineup:

Herbie Langhans – Vocals (Firewind, Avantasia, SinBreed, Radiant)
Mikael Rosengren - Drums (Dirty Passion, Revolverlution, Bai Bang)
Filip Vilhelmsson - Guitar, Bass (Revolverlution, Bai Bang, Damien)




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Guesting on Full In Bloom, legendary Blue Öyster Cult drummer Albert Bouchard looked back on the 1980 Blue Öyster Cult / Black Sabbath ttour (dubbed the Black And Blue tour), Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Vinny Appice, Elf, Prophets, The Dictators, Ross the Boss, Joey DeMaio, Manowar, and more.

On the the band's co-headlining tour with Black Sabbath

Bouchard: "It wasn't okay, it was not fun. I loved Black Sabbath, I idolized Ronnie Dio, but there was a lot of tension, maybe because Sandy (Pearlman / manager, producer) had talked them into a co-headlining thing where one day Blue Öyster Cult would headline, depending on the market. And one day, for instance, we played Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. Now, as big as Black Sabbath were on Long Island, Blue Öyster Cult at that time was a bigger band on Long Island. It was justified. But when we played in the city, Madison Square Garden, they were the headliners. Now, what was happening every time was that when we were the headliners, they would come on late and play long - every time, and we would have to cut our set. I was like, by halfway through the tour, I said to Sandy, 'Why don't we just open every show? Just open the show, and they might be more friendly if we let them do that...' He said, 'No, that's what the promoters want.' So, that was the source of tension with those guys and I think that they tried to sabotage us when they would open by going out late and playing long. 

But there was also an issue with Ronnie Dio, one of our roadies had made some remark that he took offense to. I'm told it was some 'short' remark, which is kind of odd because Ronnie Dio is the same size as me; we're all short, so I don't know why he would be offended or even why the roadie would say something. It seemed a little stupid, so we had to 'fire' the roadie. We didn't really fire him, we just took him off that tour. That was the first day, pulling all this crap.

And I got into some hassle with Tony, too. I was playing my guitar in my hotel room and he was next door, he was mad. It's like he's got a hot date, and I guess I was breaking the mood (laughs). I was playing Steely Dan songs, he couldn't handle it."

fullinbloom · Blue Öyster Cult Drummer Talks 1980 Black Sabbath Tour, Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Elf, Interview

The three founding members of legendary New York hard rock/proto-punk rockers The Dictators - singer/bassist/songwriter Andy Shernoff, rhythm guitarist Scott Kempner, and lead guitarist/Manowar icon Ross the Boss - are back, with legendary Blue Öyster Cult drummer Albert Bouchard on board. New single “God Damn New York” out now.

Called by critic John Dougan as "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth”, the Dictators are releasing their first new music in 20 years. The groups’ three founding members, Andy Shernoff, Ross Friedman and Scott Kempner are joined on drums by founding Blue Öyster Cult member Albert Bouchard, the man who played the infamous cowbell on ”Don’t Fear The Reaper”. The Dictators and the Blue Öyster Cult have known each other since the early days when they both shared the patronage of producer/manager Sandy Pearlman.

“Scott and I had lost touch with Ross but we were brought together by some Dictators business”, explains Andy. “Once it was settled, Ross suggested we play together again. It was literally the last thing on my mind, but Scott was enthusiastic, so I sat on it and eventually said ok and damn, I am so glad I did as it's kept me busy during the pandemic."

“I wrote ‘God Damn New York’ with my wife before we got married for a video that never got made. When I was presenting new song ideas to everybody, this one got a thumbs up. So I changed the key, re-wrote the lyrics to give it some Dictators swagger, and voila, the first new Dictators song in 20 years. It’s sort of a love/hate letter to New York City."

And the band’s next single, "Let's Get The Band Back Together", is released today (with a music video for the track below).

“My buddy Jesse Bates had a song called ‘Let’s Get The Band Back Together.’ I thought it was really clever and funny so I asked him if I could fool around with it and put my spin on it.  He said go for it, so I made few changes and recorded it on my own a few years ago but it was just so perfect for the Dictators that we couldn’t resist.”

“For me, ‘Let’s Get the Band Back Together’ has the same exuberance and joy ‘Go Girl Crazy’ has!,” adds Ross.

Stream the song here.

Known for their sarcastic lyrics and aggressive sound, The Dictators released The Dictators Go Girl Crazy, in 1975 – a full year before The Ramones. Having played shows early on with the Stooges and New York Dolls, they became regulars at CBGB’s, while influencing bands around the world.

The Dictators released two more records (Manifest Destiny and Bloodbrothers) in the 70’s before breaking up. Ross went on to found heavy metal overlords Manowar, while Scott started roots rock pioneers The Del Lords. Andy worked as a producer and songwriter while also performing with Joey Ramone and The Fleshtones.

An early ‘80s get-together produced the classic live album Fuck ‘Em If They Can’t Take A Joke, and the band performed sporadically until 1995 when, realizing the extent of its fan base and influence, once again reformed full time. Numerous international tours culminated in 2001’s D.F.F.D., the band’s last studio album. After playing the final weekend of CBGB’s in 2006, they once again went their separate ways.

It took a worldwide pandemic to once again unite the band. After a socially distanced recording session, the band finished the new recordings by trading files over the internet. The first release is “God Damn New York” – a love/hate song to the band’s home town. The reunited Dictators’ second single release, “Let’s Get The Band Back Together”, had its debut on Little Steven’s Underground Garage Radio show on April 12. More music will come out later in 2021 and the band looks forward to touring in 2022!

“We have a song ready to be released in July and a special seasonal song about the holidays set up for December. We hope to record 4 more tracks in June and just keep on releasing cool new tunes and videos, until things are completely open.”




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Green Lung have re-emerged from their mulchy catacombs to present the follow-up to their debut album, Woodland Rites. Black Harvest will be released on October 22 via Svart Records. Black Harvest will be available on heavy-weight vinyl, CD, and digital formats, and is available to pre-order here. Listen to the new single "Reaper's Scythe" below.

Green Lung vocalist Tom Templar comments: "After reissuing Woodland Rites we were beset by the plague and the cancellation of our tour schedule. But these events gave us the chance to hide away like hermits in the middle of nowhere and create the definitive soundtrack to the folk horror film in our heads. We are grateful to all our fans for their patience, and we can’t wait to finally bring these songs to life onstage later this year."

Recorded at Giant Wafer Studios in rural mid-Wales over the course of two weeks with longtime producer Wayne Adams (Petbrick, Big Lad), before being mastered by John Davis at Metropolis (Led Zeppelin, Royal Blood), it’s a more expansive and textured record than anything the band have done before, boasting a cinematic quality and more attention to detail. All samples were sourced from the local countryside and from instruments found in the studio, including the haunting opening vocal of The Harrowing which was recorded on a whim after the band broke into the local church (the organ can be heard creaking in the background).

Picking up where the self-released Woodland Rites left off, on Black Harvest, Green Lung continues to draw inspiration from Britain's rich history of folklore, from witchcraft, and from cultish horror films. Nature - as always - is woven into the fabric of the songs; this time around the album was recorded in late autumn, and the seasonal atmosphere seeped into the music, which is redolent of mists, falling leaves, and the crumbling glory of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, the city the band calls home.

Tracklisting:

“The Harrowing”
“Old Gods”
“Leaders Of The Blind”
“Upon The Altar”
“Graveyard Sun”
“Black Harvest”
“You Bear The Mark”
"Reaper’s Scythe"
“Doomsayer”
“Born To A Dying World”

"Reaper’s Scythe":

Green Lung will play a series of dates to support the album in September, including an album launch show at The Dome, Tufnell Park on September 1.

Dates:

Septemer
1 – London – The Dome
2 – Manchester – The Bread Shed
3 – Edinburgh – Opium
4 – Glasgow – Ivory Blacks
5 – Bristol – The Exchange




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Longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder spoke to Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's next studio LP. He said: "We're about halfway through working on another big album, which is, basically, I guess, a sequel to 'Mellon Collie [And The Infinite Sadness]' and 'Machina', so it's the third in a trilogy — more of a concept-based album. And this one is 33 songs. We've been working for a long — almost, basically, the whole year on it. But we're in the middle of real tracking and stuff right now. James [Iha, guitar] and I are working out here in L.A. Drums are basically done, so Jimmy's [Chamberlin] done his part. But Billy [Corgan, SMASHING PUMPKINS mainman] is working in Chicago, and I'm out here in L.A., and James is in L.A., so we're plowing through it. That'll probably take most of the rest of the year, 'cause it's a big, sprawling thing.

"It's been very challenging to work on a piece that big, because even for me as a guitar player, usually you're always kind of working on things and you have a bunch of ideas to try on these new tracks," he continued. "And then, after four songs, you're like, 'Okay, I've gotta come up with some other stuff.' So, then you work hard and get through the first 11 songs, and you're. like, 'Oh, wait a second. That's only the first act. I've got two more acts to go!' [Laughs]

"So, you've really gotta dig in deep," he added. "You've gotta dig deep in to your soul to find out what is in there. What's this song calling for? How can I listen to this song differently than I listened to the last one? And it really pushes you artistically. Some days it's hard, and we fail. I fail. And then you come back the next day and try again, and it's rewarding when you go, 'Wow, yesterday sucked, and today is actually quite good on the same song.' So it can be fun."

Asked what it's like to work with Corgan, Schroeder said: "It's transformed the way that I work in that he is relentless for greatness. One thing that I always tell people is — 'cause he has maybe a reputation for being difficult in the studio or something like that — but he absolutely doesn't put any expectations on anybody else that he doesn't put on himself, as far as quality of performance. He relentlessly, from an artistic standpoint, pursues his ideas, and that is the best lesson to learn. And then another one would be that he's unabashedly unique. And that's another thing that I've learned is that there's different types of musicians and there's musicians that will go out and get hired by a band to be a backing band guitarist or drummer, and those are very valid and great ways to earn a living and make a living. But then there's also musicians of a different ilk that maybe bring a different sort of quality to the table, and that is being absolutely unique.

"I feel legends like Billy are born out of that ilk where there is only one person that can be Billy Corgan, and it's Billy Corgan," he continued. "From the second he plays the guitar, from the second he sings, it's only one person. And that's really inspiring. And that takes a lot of courage, devotion and dedication to cultivate that type of uniqueness, because it's scary, it's vulnerable, whereas it's easier to copy other people. But to be completely unique and be yourself is the hardest thing to do. And he's been quite successful at it. So, that's something that I definitely don't not notice every day... And Jimmy Chamberlain is the same way, and James Iha is the same way, too, as far as they do all these things that are are completely idiosyncratic and unique to them. And so it creates a sound. And then, for me, that's been something that I have tried to… I would never be in a position to evaluate myself to see if I'm successful or not at it, but I think in pursuit of greatness, those are the types of things that I've learned from being in a band with those [people]: with Billy and Jimmy and James."

SMASHING PUMPKINS' latest album, "Cyr", was released in November via Sumerian Records. The 20-song follow-up to 2018's "Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun." was produced by Corgan.

Italian folk metallers Elvenking checked in with the following update on July 23rd:

"Dear Elvenlegions, today it's a very important day in our history: Heathenreel, our debut album, reaches its 20th Anniversary. What an incredible milestone.  To celebrate this crucial day, later this year we will re-release the album in a very special edition. We will soon reveal all the details about this release, and more. Stay with us."

Tracklist:

"To Oak Woods Bestowed"
"Pagan Purity"
"The Dweller Of Rhymes"
"The Regality Dance"
"White Willow"
"Skywards"
"Oakenshield"
"Hobs An' Feathers"
"Conjuring Of The 14th"
"A Dreadful Strain"
"Seasonspeech"

 




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Ted Nugent says that he won't take the COVID-19 vaccine because the shots that are available in the United States have been authorized on an emergency basis but have yet to be fully approved.

Like antivaccine activists, talk show hosts, and far-right politicians, Ted — who spoke openly about his battle with COVID-19 three months ago — has made the vaccines' "experimental" nature a talking point.

"Somebody asked me, 'Are you vaccinated?' Yeah," Ted said in his July 26 YouTube livestream (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "My name is Ted Nugent. I am completely vaccinated — I've had all my vaccinations. I haven't had any unauthorized guinea pig test shots, but I've had all my vaccinations. I've had all my shots that qualify and are vaccinations, but I haven't had any experimental shots, and I won't take any experimental shots. Not only because I know it's my right, but I think the Nuremberg trials [a series of military tribunals held after World War II to convict Nazis of their war crimes, including six million Jews and other minorities for medical trials] proved that no man, no Nazi or people who try to be Nazis can force anybody to take any medicine or experiment on human beings with untried medicines."

All three vaccines available in the United States — made by Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) — have been given an emergency use authorization (EUA), which FDA (Food and Drug Administration) offers during crises as a quick way to give people access to potentially lifesaving medicines. Full FDA approval occurs when a product has been determined to provide benefits that outweigh its known and potential risks for the intended population. Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the White House, recently said he expected full approval for Pfizer in a month or so, by August, and Moderna to follow thereafter.

In April, Nugent talked about the darkest days of his battle with COVID-19, saying that he had "never been so scared" in his entire life. The 72-year-old pro-gun activist, who had previously claimed the virus was "not a real pandemic," said: "It was really scary. I didn't think I was gonna make it. I literally couldn't function for about 20 hours, and then they came and they rescued me… The six-foot-two, 225-pound headache [this time] was like nothing I have ever experienced. I mean, from my tip of my toes to the top of my hair, I literally was dizzy and weak and struggled to get up to go to the bathroom. And I would lay in the bathtub a couple of times a day with the water as hot as I could take it just to divert."

Ted also said that he was being treated for COVID-19 by a group of doctors who made a video last year calling for the use of hydroxychloroquine to battle the novel coronavirus, despite warnings from public health experts. Nugent went on to detail his clinical management of COVID-19, saying he was taking hydroxychloroquine, "a proven drug for 65 years," as well as ivermectin, "another proven drug."

Hydroxychloroquine is the malaria drug pushed by then-president Donald Trump that proved ineffective against COVID-19. In April 2020, the Food and Drug Administration issued a safety warning, saying the drugs could cause heart-rhythm problems and warning they should be used only in the hospital setting or in clinical trials.

Ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug used to treat several neglected tropical diseases in humans is also used in veterinary medicine. According to The Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration said at least three people were hospitalized in February after taking the veterinary formulation. It warned that high doses can cause allergic reactions, seizures, liver injury and even death.

In the past, Nugent, a staunch Donald Trump supporter, had referred to the virus as a "leftist scam to destroy" America's 45th president. He had also repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated.

NIGHTWISH played a special "secret" concert earlier tonight (Wednesday, July 28) in Oulu, Finland. The Finnish/British/Dutch symphonic metallers performed at Club Teatria disguised as a NIGHTWISH cover band called NEVSKI & THE PROSPECTS, although speculation about the group's actual identity was strong enough to cause the event to sell out.

NIGHTWISH played the Oulu show as a warm-up for its festival appearances in Finland this week: July 30 at Qstock and July 31 at Kuopiorock.

The Oulu gig marked NIGHTWISH's first fan-attended show in more than two a half years. It was also NIGHTWISH's first proper concert with session bassist Jukka Koskinen's (WINTERSUN), who stepped into the group as the replacement for longtime NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marko "Marco" Hietala. Hietala announced his departure from the band in January, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now."

Koskinen made his live debut with NIGHTWISH at the band's two interactive experiences in late May. The shows reportedly drew 150,000 viewers, setting the record for the largest paid virtual concert in Finland's history. Most of the viewers came from Europe and North America, but the performance was a truly global event, with fans in 108 countries purchasing tickets to the show and the box office gross exceeding one million euro.

In May, NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave the band "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December last year [that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

NIGHTWISH's latest album, "Human. :II: Nature.", was released in April 2020. The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", "Human. :II: Nature." is a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.

Lita Ford spoke to QFM96's "Torg & Elliott" radio show about what it felt like to return to the live stage after more than a year of being unable to tour due to the coronavirus pandemic. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, God. It was magic. I mean, it still is. But the first few shows, we were just, like… In [March] 2020, we were on a cruise ship, and that's when the whole COVID thing came down. Five bands were canceled on the cruise ship, and we were just sent home. We were just, like, 'Okay, your year is canceled. There are no gatherings of 250 people or more, and there's not gonna be any rock shows.' And we were just, like, 'Oh, what? We've gotta go home? And do what? And wait. And just wait it out.'

"I mean, we're thrilled to be back on tour," she continued. "And we're so happy that there's fans out there that feel the same way we do. And the audiences have just been rocking — really great."

Asked how she occupied her time during the pandemic, Lita said: "Honestly, I didn't realize it, but I really needed a rest. And we'd been on tour for 10 years. And it's, like, 'Wait a minute. So now we're not on tour now?' And so there's nowhere to go, there's nothing to do, no one can come over. And so you have to just kind of keep your wits about yourself and eat healthy. I took a lot of vitamins and rode my bike. I ride my mountain bike. So I'd just go out and I'd ride through the mountains and come home and rest. And it really did us all a lot of good. But I'm really happy it's over."

Lita recently completed recording her long-awaited new solo album. The follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" was once again helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc, alongside the rest of Ford's backing band, which continues to consist of guitarist Patrick Kennison, drummer Bobby Rock and bassist Marty O'Brien.

This past January, Lita told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that her new album contains "some of the best guitar playing" she has heard "in decades." She added: "And I'm not blowing smoke up my own ass, but Gary and I just nailed it with the guitar playing on this record.

"I'm a huge fan of people like Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter from Alice Cooper's 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. I mean, there's some really great duo guitar players — [JUDAS PRIEST's] Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing… Those guitar players don't exist anymore — they just don't exist. If you wanna hear them, you have to go back in time a little bit and dig them up into your favorite library, favorite music catalog. But I think Gary and I really nailed it on this next record. It's, like, oh my God. I'm crying — I'm just, like, crying listening to this stuff. It's so badass."

Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.

Five years ago, Lita released an autobiography, "Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir", via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books), an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

EXODUS drummer Tom Hunting says that it's "presumptuous" to say he is already "cancer free," more than two weeks after he underwent a successful total gastrectomy in his battle with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach.

Hunting offered a clarification regarding his health in response to a July 26 Instagram post from his EXODUS bandmate Gary Holt who referred to the drummer as now being "cancer free" after his surgery.

Earlier today (Wednesday, July 28), Hunting released the following statement via Holt's Instagram: "Hello Y'all. I just wanted to thank everyone for taking part in the BLIND ILLUSION [benefit] show [in Sacramento for Tom]. I'm blown away by all the love and support from everyone in this community! It really propels me in this fight!

"So I had a full gastrectomy on July 12th. I've been healing up good, relearning my relationship with food, smaller portions more spaced out, lotsa proteins, etc... The science of all this continues to blow my mind on a daily basis. Like how can someone even be out walking around 2 weeks after the surgery?? HAHA!! Anyway, I'm super thankful!! I've learned that so many people don't even get a surgical option. The doctors had a good plan, they went in, and they've told me they got it all!! Fuck Yesss, sounds good to me!!

"But it's presumptuous to say CANCER FREE at this point. I really hope to make that statement myself soon down the road. But let's not jinx it! I'm still in the middle of this fight. The hardest part is over with still 4 outro chemo treatments pending. After that, I'll have another scan that'll hopefully show that Cancers Ass has been evicted from my body and kicked down the road!!

"I can't wait to see you all soon and play some of the new EXODUS music live!!! Much Love!!!!

In the same Instagram post, Holt himself acknowledged that he "may have in my excitement jumped the gun" on saying Hunting was already cancer free, but expressed his optimism that the disease would eventually be "kicked to the curb."

According to Cancer.org, a total gastrectomy is done if the cancer has spread widely in the stomach. It is also often advised if the cancer is in the upper part of the stomach, near the esophagus.

On July 5, Hunting said that he had four rounds of chemotherapy and that "the mass [had] shrunk to less than half the size it was in March… After recovery [from gastrectomy], I get four more treatments, then I can resume my life cancer-free."

He added: "I can't wait to travel the world, playing music, enjoying every moment of this crazy journey!! I'll check in soon again and share how thing's are going. THANKS AND MUCH LOVE TO EVERYONE!!! CHEERS!!!!"

According to Cancer.org, a total gastrectomy involves the surgeon removing the entire stomach, nearby lymph nodes, and the omentum, and possibly removing the spleen and parts of the esophagus, intestines, pancreas, or other nearby organs if the cancer has reached them. The end of the esophagus is then attached to part of the small intestine. This allows food to move down the intestinal tract. But people who have had their stomach removed can only eat a small amount of food at a time. Because of this, they will need to eat more often.

A GoFundMe campaign to help Hunting with medical expenses had previously raised more than $108,000 — including $5,000 from Tom's former EXODUS bandmate, current METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett, and $1,500 from FOZZY singer and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho.

After Hunting went public with his diagnosis, Holt said that EXODUS will "delay" the release of its recently completed new album, "Persona Non Grata", "so that when Tom has defeated this, he will be back to full strength to hit the road and pummel his drums like only he can! When he has kicked cancer's ass like we know he will, we will resume kicking YOUR asses with the sickest record yet!" he said.

The squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach is a very uncommon entity, with worldwide incidence of 0.04% to 0.07% of all gastric cancers.

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

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
























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Finnish legendary melodic metal band Dark The Suns have released an official video for "Enkelsiipi", taken from their fourth studio album, Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä, which was released on April 9th via Inverse Records. Check it out below. 

Mikko Ojala comments: "'Enkelsiipi' is the last song from our latest album, Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä. The music video is filmed in the beautiful Finnish nature. It was really athmospheric evening, the Sun was setting down and everywhere was silent."

Tracklist:

"Spirit In The Dark"
"Everywhere"
"Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä"
"Hope In Our Hands"
"The Secrets Of Time"
"Seeker"
"Storm Of Fire"
"Taivas Itki Tulta"
"Shadows In The Void"
"Enkelsiipi"

Go to the official Dark The Suns Facebook page here.

Photo by Inka Ojala




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Always striving to gather a relevant and talented group of names in it's catalog, Mighty Music recently announced the enlistment of E-Force, the band led by ex-Voivod vocalist/bassist Eric Forrest, into its ranks. The first release under this partnership will be E-Force's fifth studio album, Mindbender, to be released on November 19th, 2021.

Forrest comments: "Very proud to announce the fact that the new E-Force Mindbender release will be a collaboration/cooperation with Mighty Music. This s**t is going to kill you! Impulsive E-Force trademarks, with a side-order of Voivod! This dosage of mayhem is going to f**k you up! Not to mention, a hidden treasure... 'Insect 2021'! Beware...".

Mighty Music has checked in with the following update:

"Welcome to E-Forde 5.0. 'Provocation' is the first song releasing from the upcoming album of the band led by ex-Voivod vocalist/bassist Eric Forrest. It's a fast, thrash attack with the typical sci-fi sound and mood of E-Force. A great appetizer for the album, Mindbender, to be released later this year. The single is out August 6th, and you can pre-save it by clicking here.

E-Force was formed in Montreal, Canada in 2001 by vocalist/bassist, Eric Forrest, upon his departure from the legendary Canadian cyber metallers Voivod. In all Eric appeared on two studio masterpieces, Negatron and Phobos, on the live album, Voivod Lives and on the compilation: Kronik. When leaving Voivod, Forrest used his nickname, E-Force, as the name for his new band.

Labeled monsters of thrash, Eric Forrest’s wide array of musical influences and vocal capabilities set E-Force apart from the pack and ensure that this band is very original. E-Force released their debut album Evil Forces in 2003. Soon after Forrest relocated to France, resulting in a line-up change.

In 2008, E-Force released their follow-up, Modified Poison. The album further expanded the intensity of the band.

In 2014 the band released their third album The Curse, on Mausoleum Records. Curse was a concept album based on a collection of songs describing the power and temptation of, and obsession with the female race.

The fourth album was released in 2015 on Mausoleum Records: Demonikhol, lyrically another concept album with alcohol as the subject matter, illustrating the ravages and destruction of all kinds it is capable of causing. Musically E-Force has become an intense and shatteringly percussive killing machine, driven by battering ram guitars, supporting Eric's primal screaming vocal assault.

In 2017, to celebrate the anniversary of Voivod’s legendary album Phobos, Forrest led a European tour performing songs from Negatron and Phobos albums by Voivod. The band assembled for that tour was operating under the name, E-Force Performing Voivod. In 2018 the tour was part of the Brutal Assault Festival (Czech Republic).

Throughout the band’s 20 year career (performing in 20 countries, 250+ shows and several festival appearances) as well as some guests on different E-Force albums (Glen Drover, Kristian Niemann), Eric will now return with the opus Mindbender, released in 2021 on Mighty Music Records and involving the E-Force Performing Voivod line-up: Patrick Friedrich on drums and Sébastien Chiffot on guitars. Mindbender will still be in the catchy vein characterizing the E-Force style, but will also add slower tempo parts and particular ambiences, making the connection with Eric’s venture as a cult member of Voivod.




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On Saturday, July 17, Los Angeles-based band WARRIOR reunited to celebrate the life of its bass player Rob Farr at Cooks Corner in Trabuco Canyon, California. This was the first time WARRIOR has performed live since its performance at the Keep It True festival in Germany, on April 26, 2014.

Farr was very well liked and frequented the Southern California rock scene, playing in a variety of bands over the years. His other band NATIONAL DUST and RADIO EIGHTIES also performed on July 17 at Cooks Corner. Roy Z and Ira Black headed up an all-star jam to finish off the day.

The WARRIOR lineup included founding member Joe Floyd, AC Alexander (LIZZY BORDEN) on guitar, Dave Ducey (RHINO BUCKET) on drums, Mike Davis (HALFORD, LIZZY BORDEN, DEATH DEALER) on bass and Sean Peck (CAGE, DEATH DEALER, THE THREE TREMORS) on vocals. There are suggestions that WARRIOR may be preparing new original material for release and booking additional live performances in the near future.

The WARRIOR setlist was as follows:

01. Fight Or Fall

02. Mind Over Matter

03. Only The Strong Survive

04. Cold Fire

05. Defenders Of Creation

06. Fighting For The Earth

07. Welcome Aboard

Farr grew up in the San Fernando Valley era of Los Angeles but was a resident of Oceanside, California at the time of his death. He began playing in bands at the age of 13 and was part of the bustling 1980s L.A. music as a member of thrash pioneers DÉTENTE, HIT & RUN and TIGER ROSE. He joined WARRIOR in time for the band most recent album, "The Wars Of Gods And Men", which featured Marc Storace of KROKUS on lead vocals, and subsequently recorded three albums with biker rockers NATIONAL DUST between 2005 and 2012.

Grammy-winning rock band GRETA VAN FLEET has released a new live performance video for album track "Built By Nations". The song was the top single debut for GRETA VAN FLEET with more than two million streams during its first week. It has since gone on to surpass 8.5 million streams.

GRETA VAN FLEET's sophomore studio album, "The Battle At Garden's Gate", came out in April via Lava/Republic Records.

A bold evolution from the band's 2018 full-length debut "Anthem Of The Peaceful Army", "The Battle At Garden's Gate" came together primarily on the road or while in the studio after the runaway success of 2017's "Highway Tune" led to the band packing up, leaving home, and eagerly soaking up new experiences on an extended road trip around the world.

Over the past three years, GRETA VAN FLEET — vocalist Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, bassist Sam Kiszka, and drummer Danny Wagner — played to hundreds of thousands of people across North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, South America and New Zealand. While driving to gigs, the first-time world travelers passed many unfamiliar sights, from the favelas in Sao Paulo to the Gold Coast of Australia and everywhere in between, meeting and enjoying conversations with fans and other musicians that opened up new worlds to them. To cap off the change-filled era, the quartet moved from Michigan to Nashville, immersing themselves in Music City's rich history. The melding of all these experiences opened their eyes to amazing new worlds of culture, history, philosophy and spirituality — and ushered in an entirely new way of looking at life and the approach to their music.

Accordingly, GRETA VAN FLEET poured everything they experienced into these new songs - the music reflects their spiritual and intellectual growth, increased awareness of the inequalities plaguing the modern world, and deep empathy for what other people are going through.

Sonically, "The Battle At Garden's Gate" also feels bracingly modern, an embodiment of genre-blended musical freedom. Recorded in Los Angeles with Greg Kurstin (FOO FIGHTERS, PAUL MCCARTNEY), the album is ambitious and expansive, marked by epic journeys such as the second single, "Age Of Machine", and the Top 5 rock hit "My Way, Soon", which boasts a towering chorus hook and rip-it-up-and-start-again lyrics.

ZZ TOP will carry on following the passing of the band's bassist Dusty Hill.

Hill died in his sleep at home in Houston, Texas, according to the band's official web site. He was 72.

Earlier this evening, SiriusXM radio personality Eddie Trunk shared a message he received from ZZ TOP frontman Billy Gibbons about the group's future plans.

Trunk tweeted: "Received this just now via text from @BillyFGibbons regarding passing of Dusty Hill @ZZTop . Billy told me okay to share w/fans: As Dusty said upon his departure, 'Let the show go on!'.and…with respect, we'll do well to get beyond this and honor his wishes."

The ZZ TOP concert scheduled to take place tonight (Wednesday, July 28) in Simpsonville, South Carolina has been canceled in the wake of Hill's sudden death. Refunds are available at points of purchase. Tickets purchased at LiveNation.com or Ticketmaster.com will be automatically refunded.

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. Filling in for him at the gig was longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis.

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 less than 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. In the fall, the legendary act, which was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame by Keith Richards of THE ROLLING STONES, will play dates in the East, South and in their native Texas. A residency at The Venetian Theater in Las Vegas that had been postponed from last year is now set to start in early October. Looking ahead to 2022, a coast-to-coast Canadian tour has been announced for April and May.

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."




Received this just now via text from @BillyFGibbons regarding passing of Dusty Hill @ZZTop . Billy told me okay to share w/fans: As Dusty said upon his departure, “ Let the show go on!”.and…with respect, we’ll do well to get beyond this and honor his wishes.

— Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) July 28, 2021

UK-based guitariust / producer Fraser Edwards has checked in with the following update:

"Legendary drummer Dave Mackintosh (DragonForce, Bal-Sagoth) and myself have decided to team up and work on a new project! We have no idea what it is yet but we know we want to create something new, exciting and most importantly - super catchy! We hope you'll join us on our journey from the ground up as we aim to create an awesome album and have loads of fun in the process!"

Dave Mackintosh was with DragonForce from 2003 – 2014, recording six albums with the band: Valley of the Damned (2003), Sonic Firestorm (2004), Inhuman Rampage (2005), Ultra Beatdown (2008), The Power Within (2012), and Maximum Overload (2014).

Fraser Edwards released The Architect album on June 5th, 2020. The official video for the first single, "Stop Saying We Sound Like Dragonforce", can be viewed below.

Tracklisting:

"The Architect"
"Stop Saying We Sound Like Dragonforce"
"Warzone"
"The Death Zone"
"Ruination"
"Dio Volendo Lo Faro"
"Among The Stars"
"This World Can Be Ours"
"Sorrow Of The Lonliest Dragon"
"Crouching Comrades, Hidden Dragonforce"
"On My Own" (Bonus Track)
"Your Song" (Bonus Track)

The album features several guests, including Andrew Scott (King King, Paul Gilbert) on drums, Ricki Carnie (Ascension, Sharky Sharky) on vocals, Graeme McDonald (Rise with Honour) on vocals, Sergey Boykov (Vital Science) on keyboards and Dick Gilchrist (Ascension, Barque of Dante) on drums.

Fraser Edwards achieved international acclaim as one of the lead guitarists of British Power Metal band Ascension as well as being the guitarist and co-creator behind the children's rock band Sharky Sharky. In 2012 Fraser completed an honours degree in Popular Music at Edinburgh Napier Univeristy with guitar as principal study. As well as being extremely busy with his bands and as a music producer, Fraser has also played guitar for chart-toppers such as Janet Devlin and SHY & DRS amongst many others. Fraser has experience touring internationally, performing on TV and radio and working in recording studios all over the world with Grammy nominated and world renowned producers such as Andy La Roque (King Diamond, Falconer, Evergrey), Tim Debney (Lily Allen, Biffy Clyro, Iron Maiden) and Tony Lindgren (Dragonforce, Marty Friedman, Angra).




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