Bassist Lexxi Foxx has left California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER.

The band announced Foxx's departure in a tongue-in-cheek social media post earlier today (Saturday, July 17).

STEEL PANTHER wrote: "The End of an Era

"The great pandemic of 2020-2037 has affected all of us. For some though, it has opened doors of opportunity and been a catalyst to seek out one's true calling in life. This is Lexxi's story. He started his side business, 'Sexy Lexxi's Prettiest Pets,' to bring in money for Botox during the lockdown. But something miraculous happened. He realized that his love for making pets pretty was greater than his love for being pretty himself. Lexxi discovered a greater love. Possibly, the greatest love of all.

"Lexxi has chosen to hang up his mirror and focus on his newfound passion. Making ugly dogs pretty. Anyway, after nearly 40 years of rocking together and taking STEEL PANTHER from the Viper Room to headlining Wembley Arena, it is with heavy hearts —but great heavy metal memories — that we bid Lexxi Foxx farewell. We love you and we wish you a wonderful future putting eyeliner on chihuahuas.

"STEEL PANTHER will continue to rock the world. And though we may not ever find a bassist quite as beautiful as Lexxi, it shouldn't be hard to find one to match his towering intellect.

"Good Luck… And goodbye Lexxi Foxx!!"

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

Last December, STEEL PANTHER released a re-worked version of its song "Fuck Everybody" from its latest album, "Heavy Metal Rules", now re-titled "Fuck 2020". The newly recorded version included updated verses that reflect the insanity of last year.

"Heavy Metal Rules" was released in September 2019. The disc, which is described in a press release as a "heavy metal version of a self-help manual and ultimate party album combined," was once again produced by Jay Ruston, who collaborated with the band on all of its previous recordings, including 2017's "Lower The Bar".

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

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

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

COHEED AND CAMBRIA frontman Claudio Sanchez has confirmed to Consequence Of Sound that he and his bandmates have been working on new music during the coronavirus downtime. Regarding what fans can expect, he said: "I'll be honest. A lot of times, with bands who've been around and built a strong fanbase like we have, I think there might be a tendency, intentionally or unintentionally, to try to give the fans what they want and not take too many risks. But after making music for so long and entering a pandemic, we didn't want limitations to the creative process. The [next] record is going to be what I hope people perceive this band to be in 2021/2022."

He added: "It's a modern record. It's a COHEED AND CAMBRIA record, but it's looking forward, not backwards."

As for what is influencing COHEED AND CAMBRIA's new music, Claudio said: "I think the biggest influence of the record is my son and navigating parenthood within this strange new world we all found ourselves in."

It's been over two years since COHEED AND CAMBRIA's 2018 album, "Vaxis I: The Unheavenly Creatures", was released as the band's "return to concept" album. After stepping away with a more introspective album in 2015, Sanchez and the band returned to the sci-fi universe of "The Amory Wars" in what was said to be the first of a five-part series of albums. With 2021 upon us, and a major summer tour now announced, the volume of fans' chatter for "Vaxis 2" and what and when that will entail are loading up the band's social media pages.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA is a rare band whose music can transcend "scenes" and effortlessly cross genres of rock — from indie to progressive, to metal and pop-punk to classic rock. The band is frequently compared to progressive, operatic rock bands of the '70s, ala QUEEN, SUPERTRAMP or RUSH, due to their thrilling concept albums that take you on a grand journey of sounds and often clock-in around 110 mins, but still somehow include sugary pop-laden hooks.

The group's following has grown steadily every album, partly due to their ferocious live show that brings fans to their knees with an equally expansive light show. This summer, the band will be performing songs from their expansive catalog, and we can only imagine they'll pull a few new tricks from up their slee

SEETHER will release "Wasteland - The Purgatory" EP digitally and on CD July 30 and on vinyl October 22 via Fantasy Records. The five-track set includes the fan favorite "Wasteland", from the band's most recent album, and features three never-before-heard songs, and an alternate/stripped down version of "Wasteland". Written and produced by Shaun Morgan, engineered by the band's newest member Corey Lowery, and mixed by Matt Hyde, "Wasteland - The Purgatory" EP follows the August 2020 release of SEETHER's eighth album, the acclaimed "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum" ("If You Want Peace, Prepare For War.") The first two singles from the album both hit No. 1 on the Active Rock and Rock charts: the anthemic "Dangerous" and hard-hitting "Bruised And Bloodied".

The second single from the "Wasteland - The Purgatory" EP, "Feast Or Famine", can be streamed below.

"Wasteland - The Purgatory" EP special vinyl edition will be released on 45rpm 12-inch vinyl on October 22. The band's online store will have a 500-unit super limited-edition custom Smoke and Translucent Red split color vinyl and a limited-edition Custom Clear with Smoky White Swirls color vinyl, while record stores will carry Custom Mixed Translucent Red with Smoky Black Swirls color vinyl.

SEETHER frontman Shaun Morgan comments on this new release: "We are really excited to release 'The Purgatory' EP as a companion to our latest single, 'Wasteland'. I'm especially proud of how the alternate version of the track turned out and really happy that people will finally hear it!"

"Wasteland - The Purgatory" EP demonstrates SEETHER's dynamism and creative versatility. Seething with dark muscularity, the urgent "What Would You Do?" is a beautiful and cathartic baptism-by-fire that never lets up. With PIXIES undertones and BEATLES accents, "Will It Ever End?" is a startling, pandemic appropriate head trip that, like the voice in your head, goes to places unforeseen and unforgiven. "Feast Or Famine" sounds like the unholy progeny of AC/DC and Ozzy Osbourne-era BLACK SABBATH. The EP is bookended by two versions of "Wasteland", the original album version and a stripped-down alternate version that features touches of piano and cello, but still retains the original's tormented drive. This latest release finds SEETHER, one of hard rock's most enduring and prolific bands, at the very top of their very productive game.

Last month, SEETHER announced they will join 3 DOORS DOWN on the latter band's "The Better Life" 20th-anniversary tour as special guests on select dates throughout the summer. These shows kick off on July 17 in Huber Heights, Ohio and will see the bands play amphitheaters in major markets across the U.S. Additionally, this fall will see SEETHER play several festivals, including Louder Than Life 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky and the sold-out Aftershock festival 2021 in Sacramento, California.

"Wasteland - The Purgatory" EP track listing:

01. Wasteland (original album version)

02. What Would You Do?

03. Will It Ever End?

04. Feast Or Famine

05. Wasteland (alternate version)

Photo credit: Laura E. Partain

THE WILDHEARTS will release a new studio album, "21st Century Love Songs", on September 3 through Graphite Records. It is the follow-up to "Renaissance Men", THE WILDHEARTS' highest-charting album since 1994's "P.H.U.Q.", which debuted at No. 11.

The LP's latest single, "Sort Your Fucking Shit Out", can be streamed below.

THE WILDHEARTS frontman Ginger (real name David Walls) said: "We all have habits or irritating behavioural patterns that we know we ought to quit. Whether it's smoking, drinking/eating too much or simply having a shit temper, at some point we point the finger at ourselves. This song is about that moment, giving yourself a bollocking. It's important to give yourself a stern talking to. Unless your problem is talking to yourself, of course. In which case you probably ignore this advice."

With THE WILDHEARTS' classic line up of Ginger, CJ, Ritchie and Danny still holding strong, this creatively brilliant band, who helped change the landscape of British rock through the '90s, is showing no sign of slowing down.

"21st Century Love Songs" will be available in usual CD and vinyl formats plus an exclusive limited-edition red vinyl. There's also signed photocards with each format whilst stock lasts, as well as t-shirt bundles available from the band's webstore.

Ginger previously stated about "21st Century Love Songs": "'Renaissance Men' reminded me of our first album, 'Earth Vs The Wildhearts'. No one knew how the fans and press would receive it, so it was balls-to-the-wall rock, and fuck 'em if they don't like it. Going in again, for '21st Century Love Songs', naturally reminded me of our second album, 'P.H.U.Q.', where we got to flex our creative muscle and show everyone what we're capable of. This time we let the songs simmer until absolutely ready. We let the theme of the album present itself. There's a subtlety to this album, something that people don't often associate with THE WILDHEARTS, and a sense of adventure in the unorthodox arrangements of the songs. This is where I become a fan of the band, when we ditch the rule book and just follow our instinct. Sarcastic, fun, angry, proud, experimental and belligerent, all wrapped up in a big 'fuck you', this is the sound of the band in their natural habitat. This time we're in control."

To celebrate the release of "21st Century Love Songs", THE WILDHEARTS will embark on an 18-date U.K. tour in September. The tour will start in Cardiff on Friday, September 3 and conclude in Southampton on Saturday, September 25.

ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna joined STEEL PANTHER on stage on Thursday, July 15 at the Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin to perform a cover version of the JOURNEY classic "Don't Stop Believin'". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube user "Concert Mania").

Two months ago, Belladonna told "The Johnny Dare Morning Show" thar his recently launched JOURNEY tribute band called JOEY BELLADONNA'S BEYOND THE BAND (formerly JOURNEY BEYOND) was "working on some recordings."

JOEY BELLADONNA'S BEYOND THE BAND, which also features keyboardist Doug Carter, bassist Paul Arntz, guitarist Matt Basford and drummer Justin Ward, made its live debut in March 2020 at The Beacon Theatre in Hopewell, Virginia.

Belladonna also touched upon his reasons for launching a JOURNEY tribute band, saying: "People ask why the hell I do it. I just like the songs. I've liked the band forever. And I just wanted to do it because I think it's a cool challenge and it's just fun music. I can't think of many bands that I'd like to do a whole evening of without trying to dress up and do everything they do. We just wanna be a band that plays that music. I don't care about the whole lookalike-type stuff. It's just about music. That's really all it is."

In an April 2020 interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Belladonna stated about his approach to singing material that was originally written and recorded by Steve Perry: "Obviously, when you do [something like this], there's always open ground for [people to say], 'You didn't do that part, 'You didn't do this.' [But] I didn't wanna copy it note for note. Sometimes I just like to do my own thing with it. Represent it and do what you can, but I love to mess around with things. Not so much to try to be too different, but just make it cool and do it your own way versus trying to get every note. I'm sure some guys study every second of it. Even with ANTHRAX, I do songs different a lot of times. It's just fun that way. To do things off the cuff is fun for me versus trying to follow everything… I can study it all day, but I just don't feel like doing that. I wanna have a little fun doing my own thing with it."

When he is not busy touring and recording with ANTHRAX, Belladonna has been spending time playing drums and singing for a classic-rock covers band called CHIEF BIG WAY. The upstate New York-based group, which also features Dave Mickelson on bass, Joe Precourt on guitar and John Goodwin on keyboards, plays versions of songs from JOURNEY, AC/DC, ZZ TOP, BOSTON, CHEAP TRICK, FOREIGNER, PINK FLOYD, VAN HALEN, COLLECTIVE SOUL, THE WHO, THE DOORS, SHINEDOWN and BON JOVI, among others.

In a 2005 interview with MusicDish, Belladonna was asked about the rumor that he came to the table with a JOURNEY tune during his 1985 audition for ANTHRAX. "Actually, what happened was I went into the room and they said, 'Just go on in,' and they hadn't heard me sing," he said. "They'd heard of me and they asked me to come in, but we were going in to start tracking and stuff, to get the mic set up and all that and they said, 'Let's get you in there and get you warmed up.' I hit the mic and belted out some JOURNEY… I think it was [the song] 'Lights'. I didn't know what the hell I was getting into in the first place. I just wanted to lay some vocals or something. Just to kinda give an idea and that's what happened. It wasn't really anything more than that. I just kinda belched it out. I think I did 'Oh Sherrie' [written by Steve Perry], too, or something. I dunno why, but I just did. It was something off the top of my head I could do a cappella and it was kinda challenging. I thought maybe in range or something that would be kind of intriguing. It was definitely one they weren't expecting."

ANTHRAX's 2013 EP "Anthems" EP included the band's cover version of JOURNEY's "Keep On Runnin'" alongside classics by RUSH, THIN LIZZY, AC/DC, CHEAP TRICK and BOSTON.

KORN played its first show with Roberto "Ra" Díaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) last night (Friday, July 16) at the Upheaval festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of the "BREWtally Speaking" podcast).

Díaz is filling in for Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu on KORN's current tour. Fieldy announced last month that he would sit out the trek in order to "heal" after "falling back" on some of his "bad habits."

"We appreciate your kind words of support in response to the recent tour update about @Fieldykorn," KORN wrote in a social media post on July 12. "While our brother takes some time to heal, we wanted to let you know that we are bringing our friend @Ra_Diaz from @SuicidalTendencies out with us this summer to fill in on KORN bass duties. We've all been rehearsing to get ready to bring the heat, and we can't wait to see you next month."

On June 21, Fieldy broke the news of his absence from the trek, writing in a social media update: "To all KORN fans worldwide. The past 6 years I've been dealing with some personal issues that at times have caused me to fall back on some of my bad habits and has caused some tension with the people around me. It's been suggested to me to take some time off to heal. I'm going to respect what was asked of me and take that time. Unfortunately you will not see me on stage with my band. I will be working towards getting the bad habits out of my system. In the meantime I will be staying creative to keep my mind & soul in a good place.

"I'm thankful for all of your support, patience & understanding as we all have something that we deal with.

"Jonathan, Munky, Ray and Head, I love you and I don't want to bring any tension or bad vibes to the circle."

A short time later, KORN's official social media shared Fieldy's statement, along with the following message: "We love and support our brother, Fieldy. Health and family always comes first."

In May, KORN announced a U.S. summer tour featuring special guests STAIND on all dates. Produced by Live Nation, the coast-to-coast 28-city outing will kick off August 5 in West Palm Beach, Florida and make stops in Long Island, Detroit, Irvine, Phoenix, Austin and more, before wrapping up with a performance at Dallas' Dos Equis Pavilion on September 21. Furthermore, both bands will perform at Louisville, Kentucky's Louder Than Life festival on September 23.

Back in 2017, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo's then-12-year-old son Tye Trujillo filled in on bass for KORN's South American tour after Fieldy was unable to make the shows due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Fieldy's 2009 memoir, "Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn", detailed his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction during KORN's early years and how he became a born-again Christian to help get his life together and get sober.

Fieldy's STILLWELL side project released its third album, "Supernatural Miracle", last September.

KORN's latest LP, "The Nothing", arrived in September 2019 via Roadrunner/Elektra. The follow-up to 2016's "The Serenity Of Suffering" was once again produced by Nick Raskulinecz.

Fan-filmed video footage of POP EVIL's July 16 performance at the Upheaval festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan can be seen below.

POP EVIL's current touring lineup includes two session musicians: drummer Jason Hartless (TED NUGENT) and bassist Joey "Chicago" Walser of EGYPT CENTRAL and DEVOUR THE DAY.

Last weekend, 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 is being forced to miss the first couple of weeks of the band's U.S. tour because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The U.K.-based musician, who joined the Michigan rockers in 2016, announced her absence from the first shows of the trek in a social media post on July 8.

She wrote: "Hey everyone! As I'm sure some of you have noticed, POP EVIL have started rehearsals yet I'm still here in the UK. So I just want to fill you all in with where we are at with regards to some travel logistics back to America.

"We have been able to secure a meeting with the consulate on the 21st of July to get my P1 visa renewed. The embassy is extremely backed up due to the pandemic, but our immigration team have really delivered. Some people are still waiting to obtain an appointment! This does mean unfortunately I will be missing the first couple of weeks of tour.

"I can't wait to get back to play shows in front of you all again. In the meantime, a fantastic drummer Jason Hartless will be filling in for me and will deliver a kick ass performance for sure!!

"I want to encourage you to continually show your love, encouragement and support to bands, musicians, crews and venues. We need all the help you can give to rebuild our precious yet vulnerable music industry. Live music in particular!

"Big love to you all. See you soon."

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 will come 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".






We got Jason M Hartless on drums dough

Miss you Chuck Alkazian!!!!

Posted by Tom Marsh on Friday, July 16, 2021

HALESTORM played its first concert in almost two years last night (Friday, July 16) at The Basement East in Nashville, Tennessee. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance is available below.

Earlier in the day, HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale tweeted: "Tonight's the night. Our first show back in almost two years. Emotions are running hot. I can't even believe it's real. See you there!"

The setlist for the gig was as follows:

01. Mayhem

02. Apocalyptic

03. Mz. Hyde

04. Do Not Disturb

05. I Get Off

06. I Am the Fire

07. I Like It Heavy

08. Break In / Dear Daughter

09. Familiar Taste of Poison

10. Drum Solo

11. Freak Like Me

12. Uncomfortable

13. Love Bites (So Do I)

Encore:

14. Here's To Us

15. Amen

16. I Miss The Misery

HALESTORM has spent the last few months recording its new album for a tentative late 2021 release. The LP's first single will arrive in August.

During an appearance on the June 11 edition of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation Virtual Invasion", Lzzy spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for HALESTORM's follow-up to 2018's "Vicious" album. She said: "It's going great. We're actually kind of in the eleventh hour. Everything is starting to really congeal and just reveal itself. So we're at the tail end of it. We already have a first single picked; that just happened. So you're definitely going to be hearing music sooner than later. As far as the release date of the record, I don't have that yet."

Hale went on to reflect on the songwriting process for the new HALESTORM LP, some of which took part after touring was shut down due to coronavirus precautions. She said: "I think a lot of us [artists] were questioning, over the past year and change, about why am I still doing this? Who am I without touring? Who am I without all of the normal things that make my life normal? And we took, or at least I — I can't speak for the guys — but I took writing when there was no real schedules, 'cause we didn't know what was gonna open up, I took to writing to kind of have that be my escape, have that be my stage. So what you're going to hear on this record is a lot of that, a lot of me placing myself in this spot, in this communion of people that I feel most comfortable, and just surrounded by everyone that loves the same music that I do."

Lzzy also talked about once again working with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who first helmed HALESTORM's 2017 effort "ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP" and was previously described by Hale as the group's "fifth member."

"He's so passionate and he's just a fan of music," she said. "And I know that sounds surprising — oh, yeah, a music producer that isn't a fan of music. There are a lot of those; there are a lot of those types of producers that are not fans of your music, let alone really listening to your genre. So it's just great to be working with a producer that just loves the same kind of music and knows what we can do.

"We've written so much material for this record, and a lot of it we end up throwing out and then rewriting and whatever," she explained. "What people don't understand is you have to be willing to work so hard just to throw it all away and do it again and make sure it's right, 'cause it has to be right. 'Cause you don't wanna look back and be, like, 'Oh, I should have said something about that.'"

HALESTORM's latest release was last year's "Halestorm Reimagined", a collection of the band's reworked original songs as well as a cover of "I Will Always Love You", the love ballad made famous by Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton.

Lzzy and her brother Arejay formed the band in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

In December 2018, HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable". Six years earlier, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". According to the Grammy web site, Lzzy became the first woman to earn a Grammy in the category.




Tonight’s the night. Our first show back in almost two years. Emotions are running hot. I can’t even believe it’s real. See you there!

— Lzzy Hale (@LZZYHALE) July 16, 2021












And then Friday was a wrap. Halestorm at Beast. Lzzy totally bringin’ it.

Posted by Michael Jude Grimes on Saturday, July 17, 2021

Finnish melodic death metal pioneers INSOMNIUM have released a new single, "The Antagonist". The track, along with previously issued singles "The Conjurer" and "The Reticent", will appear on the band's upcoming EP, "Argent Moon", due on September 17 via Century Media Records.

INSOMNIUM frontman Niilo Sevänen stated about the "Argent Moon" EP: "When the corona outbreak forced us to cancel all the tours and shows, we pretty soon adopted a mindset that we better do something and keep ourselves in motion. We wanted to try how the streaming shows might work. We wanted to see what kind of new music might grow in the darkness and misery of the quarantine. And soon these vibes were channeled into songs that came to be the 'Argent Moon' EP. We wanted to try something a bit different so all the four songs on this release represent the softer side of INSOMNIUM. The ballads and the mellow tunes. Acoustic guitars and clean vocals. The sorrow and agony that creeps into your heart when the nights grow longer. But fear not, we haven't changed our style. Next album will be something different again. We used all the ballad ideas here so maybe it will be pure blast beats. We shall see. 'The Antagonist' video is something new and fresh too, since we worked with director and mastermind Ville Lipiäinen for the first time ever. The result is a bit different kind of INSOMNIUM montage."

After reaching pole position on official Finnish album charts and hitting German Top 10 with the acclaimed album "Heart Like A Grave" in October 2019, INSOMNIUM was once again supposed to entertain the legions of metal addicts all around the world. And that's what these gentlemen did for the time being: there was definitely no absence of severe headbanging... well, until mid-March 2020 when the good old world abruptly closed its curtains.

Drummer Markus Hirvonen previously told Sonic Perspectives about "Heart Like A Grave": "In my opinion, this is easily the strongest INSOMNIUM record we have ever done. There weren't any plans for diversifying or anything. Maybe the recording of the [2016] 'Winter's Gate' [album] kind of opened the gates in a way for us that we could prove to us that, 'Okay, there are no boundaries in a way. We can explore all the directions we want. I'm not saying we went like full-on to some weird directions, but yeah, it kind of opened the treasure box for us in a way that we can expand tempo-wise and the timings of the songs, we can play slower and faster and so. Also, maybe explore with the time signatures a bit more, but still keeping the INSOMNIUM [feeling] behind it. It wasn't like a decision that we were going to diversify our material, but it came up."

INSOMNIUM is:

Markus Hirvonen - Drums

Ville Friman - Guitars

Niilo Sevänen - Vocals, Bass

Markus Vanhala - Guitars

Jani Liimatainen - Guitars, Vocals

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine makes a guest appearance on the new album from John 5.

The former MARILYN MANSON and current ROB ZOMBIE guitarist revealed Mustaine's participation in the project during a new interview with Marci Wiser of the 95.5 KLOS radio station.

Speaking about his upcoming LP, which is titled "Sinner" and is due on Halloween, John 5 said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm very excited about it. It's all instrumental, like my crazy stuff that I do. We have [original KISS drummer] Peter Criss playing drums on 'Georgia On My Mind'. And we just got it finished yesterday — hopefully nobody's upset I'm gonna talk about it — but we have Dave Mustaine doing a little vocal thing. 'Cause we have these little vocal hooks in each song. So it's super cool. And Mustaine did it. And it sounds so good. I love MEGADETH so much, so I was, like, 'Oh my God. We've gotta see if Mustaine will do it.' And he kills it."

John 5, whose real name is John William Lowery, first discussed Criss's involvement with "Sinner" during an appearance last month on Sirius XM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said: "Peter Criss is playing drums on the song 'Georgia On My Mind', which is the last song on the record. And I'm telling you… This guy… Barry Pointer, my producer, flew out to Peter's house, set up a couple of mics. Now, this is a jazz type of song, and Peter is known for that jazz feel he has. I shit you not, he sat behind those drums, played two takes. Barry's mouth was dropped open. Wait till you hear this. I mean, it was perfect."

John 5 continued: "It's something you can't teach, is this feel and this vibe. And he nailed it in two takes. And Barry was, like, 'Well, what do we do now?' It took him, like, literally probably eight minutes. And it was just perfect. He was, like, 'There's nothing else we can do. That was perfect.'"

In a 2014 interview, Criss said that he had been working with John 5 on material for a new rock solo album, which he promised would be "heavier" than the stuff he had done in the past.

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

JOHN 5 AND THE CREATURES' latest album, "Invasion", was released in July 2019.

As the drummer of the legendary rock band SCORPIONS, Herman Rarebell was the rhythmic backbone of the band for many years and remains one of the most influential drummers in the rock world today. Recorded 40 years ago, his first solo album "Nip In The Bud" will be re-released this year, remastered and available digitally for the first time. "Nip In The Bud" will be released on August 27 via Aviator Management.

"It was an amazing feeling," Rarebell describes the moment of holding his own solo record in his hands. "I'm extremely proud of this album. Even after 40 years, the album sounds totally fresh and exciting and tracks like 'I'll Say Goodbye' or the ballad 'Messing Around' are still absolute hard rock classics, even today."

Rarebell's drumming style was influenced by bands such as LED ZEPPELIN and he has always felt at home playing classic hard rock. A clear and direct sound is still his passion today. Many of the songs, which were written by Rarebell in the early '70s, did not fit into the concept of the SCORPIONS at that time and so the idea of a solo album was born.

To mark the announcement, Herman has released the single "Rock Your All" and you can listen to it below.

Herman says: "'Rock Your All' is one of my favorite-ever singles and contains one of my favorite riffs of all time."

The two other musicians on his album were Pedro Schemm alias George Philips (vocals and bass) and David "D.H." Cooper (guitarist). Rarebell and George Phillips were childhood friends and played together in bands such as THE MASTERMEN and the legendary krautrock band RS RINDFLEISCH with George on vocals and Rarebell on drums. Both later moved to England, where they played in various bands and met guitarist David "DH" Cooper.

Rarebell knew immediately that this trio would be the optimal lineup for his first solo album.

"Nip In The Bud" was recorded live in a 16-track studio in Rarebell's hometown of Lebach. The chemistry between the musicians was perfect with all three working in harmony to create an honest, live hard rock album. Within two weeks, the basic tracks were finished. The last overdubs were done in Dieter Dirks's studio near Cologne and Herman Rarebell's first solo album was ready to mix. The final mix was done by Gerd Rautenbach, who was also responsible for the unique sound on the legendary SCORPIONS albums "Blackout" and "Love At The First Sting". Both Rarebell and Rautenbach's goal was to give the songs the LED ZEPPELIN sound, "so the drums are way up front in a big room," Herman says. "The idea was to capture both the live feeling as well as the pressure from the drums."

The artwork was created by Storm Thorgerson's team at Hipgnosis, who also created legendary album covers for PINK FLOYD, ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA and LED ZEPPELIN.

Track listing:

01. Messing Around (remastered version)

02. Two Timer (remastered version)

03. Havin' A Good Time (remastered version)

04. Rock Your All (remastered version)

05. Triangle (remastered version)

06. Slob (remastered version)

07. Junk Funk (remastered version)

08. Do It (remastered version)

09. Pancake (remastered version)

10. I'll Say Goodbye (remastered version)

Rarebell was born on November 18, 1949 (a Scorpio) in Saarbrucken, Germany. He wrote the lyrics for some of SCORPIONS' most classic songs such as "Rock You Like A Hurricane", "Make It Real", "Dynamite", "Blackout", "Arizona", "Bad Boys Running Wild", "Don't Stop At The Top", "Tease Me Please Me" and other songs. In 1981, he released his first solo album "Nip In The Bud" (which he later re-recorded as HERMAN ZE GERMAN & FRIENDS). In April 1996, he left the SCORPIONS after an incredible 32 million sold albums. Together with Prince Albert of Monaco he co-founded Monaco Records releasing a second solo album under the label Stings Like a Scorpion.

The SCORPIONS reunited their classic lineup at the Wacken Open Air festival on August 3, 2006, billed as "A Night To Remember: A Journey In Time". Herman was invited by his old friends to join them on stage and the band performed many classic songs also featuring Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker.

Photo credit: Nico Mass

Krokus frontman Marc Storace recently participated in a career-spanning interview with Andrew DiCecco of Vinyl Writer Music; an excerpt follows:

Headhunter proved to be the band’s breakthrough album and has incredibly stood the test of time. What do you recall from the recording of the 1983 classic?

"That was the recording process that I loved most, and I had actually not experienced it in that way since the TEA days with Dieter Dierks; he had a big studio up in Cologne, where the Scorpions would go to, and everyone had his own booth. So, to start off the recording, the first thing you do is, you have the drummer in the middle of the biggest room and all the amps are in different rooms. And the band stands around the drummer, and you go through the paces. I have my lyrics, and I kind of do a little bit of directing, letting the band know the chorus is coming now; now it’s the bridge; now it’s the verse. With sign language! This whole shit is really exciting, and I miss that. And that happened again for the Headhunter album. So, what I do in that first stage, whilst we’re laying down the basic tracks, is I concentrate more on the arrangements. So, it’s the guide vocals that I’m singing, which I then repeat everything else. I go over the whole stuff again, but this time, I’m alone in the booth wearing headphones, and I have all the basic tracks of the band. And everyone else has gone home, in the hotel, or in the club, or whatever. And I’m in the studio alone; I was alone with Tom Allom, and Chris used to hang out there, and Fernando [von Arb] to go over the whole thing.

I was really happy. I think five of those were first takes. 'Screaming In The Night' was also one of them, and 'Eat The Rich' was one of them and a couple of the others. And there were others that I repeated just because I wanted to repeat them and try maybe different angles and different approaches, but they were kind of rejected later on. In the end, you sit in a control room and start jumping tracks. You record maybe 3-5 tracks of one song and start choosing the best sentences out of five tracks, or you throw out the obviously bad ones and start narrowing it down until you have the favorite track. It’s a process that I like, and it still works the same, only today you have pro tools.

But the recording I’m doing now for my solo album, the basic tracks have been done the same way as I did in Florida in Bee Jay Studios for the Headhunter album. With the whole band in one big room, and I’m behind the glass and helping them with the guide vocals to know what’s coming next. You’re so into this stuff sometimes, you’re not reading your notes, maybe."

The video for “Screaming In The Night” received heavy rotation on MTV and exemplifies the band’s innate musicianship. Tell us about your memories from the video shoot.

"Oh yeah, I remember that very well. It was one of my favorite video recording experiences. It was recorded by Joe Dea. He’s from San Francisco; we’re still in touch. He’s an artist now. We were put together by the record company, I guess, and we met in Los Angeles. We were rehearsing for the tour at SIR Studios on Sunset Boulevard, somewhere close to the Chinese Theatre. Joe came in and we started talking, he asked me about the lyrics and stuff, and he said, 'Well, here’s an idea. It’s not gonna literally be following your lyrics.' I said, 'Well, I don’t care. As long as it makes sense and it’s rock ‘n’ roll.' So, he came up with this concept that reminds one of the Road Warriors movie. It’s like after the Holocaust or after the end of the world, or after a big, nuclear war; humankind has to do with whatever’s left and you’re still fighting evil, as always. It was a great concept, and what was really special to me, was the part where my chains are broken and I put on my Nikes. [Laughs] and climb down the ladder into that diner, then go walking over all the guys' breakfasts after seeing see my loved one is alive reading the news on TV… crossing dimensions!"

To read the complete interview, visit this location.

 




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STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis performed his controversial new solo single, "Am I The Only One", on The Daily Wire's "Candace" show. You can now watch video of his appearance below.

According to Billboard, "Am I The Only One" bowed at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart after posting blockbuster first-week sales of 59,300. The track, which which Lewis wrote with Ira Dean and Jeffrey Steele, also topped Billboard's airplay-, sales- and streaming-based Hot Country Songs chart (dated July 17). It opened atop Country Digital Song Sales and at No. 2 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales ranking. "Am I The Only One" also drew 4 million U.S. streams in the tracking week.

The outspoken conservative rocker, who reinvented himself as a solo country artist in the last decade, debuted the song in March at a solo concert in Texas — a state which removed all pandemic restrictions that same month.

"Am I The Only One" finds Aaron asking if he is the only one fed up with the state of the country right now, featuring such lyrics as: "Am I the only one, who can't take no more, screaming, 'If you don't like it there's the fucking door.' It's not the freedom we've been fightin' for

It was somethin' more, yeah, it was somethin' more.'

Apparently addressing the removal of Confederate statues, Lewis sings in the song: " I'm not the only one, willin' to fight for my love of the red and white and the blue, burnin' on the ground as a statue's comin' down in a town near you. Watchin' the threads of Old Glory come undone, I'm not the only one. I can't be the only one."

Lewis also criticizes Bruce Springsteen at the end of the track, singing: "Am I the only one who quits singin' along every time they play a Springsteen song."

Springsteen can best be described as Lewis's political polar opposite, having been a vocal opponent to former U.S. president Donald Trump on many occasions. Last August, Bruce went as far as to allow the use of his song "The Rising" in a video that aired during night one of the Democratic National Convention.

Lewis, who is widely considered to be one of the most politically conservative musicians in rock, told the Anchorage Press in a January 2020 interview that he considered the first Trump impeachment by the House Of Representatives as the clearest representation of what's wrong with America these days.

Lewis was a staunch critic of President Barack Obama, telling a crowd at one of his solo concerts in 2016: "Barack Obama should have been impeached a long fucking time ago. Every fucking decision he makes is against the Constitution, it's against what's good for our fucking country, and he is truly the worst fucking president that we have ever had in the history of this fucking country."

That same year, Lewis told Billboard that he would support Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race, even though he was "disappointed" by the real estate mogul "with the bickering and the name-calling." Lewis added that he voted for Senator Ted Cruz, Trump's closest competitor in the Republican nomination race, in the Massachusetts primary.

Last month, Lewis made headlines when he accused the U.S. Democratic Party of fighting against every major civil rights initiative and of having a long history of discrimination.

The power metal trailblazers Airborn from Turin, Italy, have dropped the “Metal Haters” video from the upcoming live album and DVD, Live Animals. Watch the clip below. The publication, announced a few days ago, was first planned in 2020 on their 25th anniversary, but then postponed due to the global pandemic and finally set this August.

Live Animals is already available for pre-order, exclusively at Airborn’s webstore, here.

Live Animals will be published as a CD + DVD digisleeve and for digital download at arpmusic.bandcamp.com and on the main platforms. The album features three bonus tracks recorded at Airborn’s Born To Fly Festival 2018, the last one for audio CD only. The physical format includes a heartwarming introduction by Turin’s metal poet Walter Olivetti as well as a copy of the setlist handsigned by the band.

Live Animals will be published as a CD + DVD digisleeve and for digital download at arpmusic.bandcamp.com and on the main platforms. It will be available for preorder from July 19 exclusively at Airborn’s web store airborn.bigcartel.com. The album features three bonus tracks recorded at Airborn’s Born To Fly Festival 2018, the last one for audio CD only. The physical format incudes a heartwarming introduction by Turin’s metal poet Walter Olivetti as well as a copy of the setlist handsigned by the band.

Live Animals represents the second effort the band took on a live album, after the successful Dinosaurs they published on their 20th anniversary. A release party and a streaming session on Airborn’s YouTube channel are being defined, details will be revealed further on.

Tracklisting:

“The Hero”
“Heavy Metal Wars”
“Who We Are”
“Lizard Secret”
“King Of Fear”
“Wolf Child”
“Here Comes The Claw”
“Sword Of Justice”
“Reign Of The Human Race”
“Terrifying Manhunt”
“Mess We’re In”
“Metal Haters”
“Against The World”

Bonus (Recorded At Born To Fly Festival 2019)
“Defenders Of Planet Earth”
“Born To Fly”
“Metal Gods” (CD only)

"Metal Haters" video:




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Blind Illusion, featuring ex-Heathen guitarist Doug Piercy, performed on July 17th at Holy Diver in Sacramento, California. The band's line-up now features former Death Angel drummer Andy Galeon. Check out video of the band performing the Blind Illusion classic "Smash The Crystal", courtesy of Capital Chaos TV.

Blind Illusion was formed in 1978 by frontman Mark Biedermann. The band has had several lineup changes, with Biedermann being the only constant member. Blind Illusion is also notable for featuring future Primus members Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde, who performed bass and guitar respectively on their 1988 debut album, The Sane Asylum. After a 20-year hiatus, Biedermann reformed Blind Illusion in 2009. A new EP entitled 2018 was released in February 2019 and includes remakes of some of their older songs. In August 2020, Blind Illusion announced they were in the studio recording their third album, tentatively titled Wrath Of The Gods, which will include Galeon.

Andy Galeon a founding member of Death Angel's, which was formed in 1982. He left the band in May 2009 for personal reasons, stating in a September 2009 interview: "We had a tour booked, and basically, I had personal things I had to deal with. I had a newborn baby, and I just was like, 'Well, I've gotta do stuff at home.' We (the members of Death Angel) weren't communicating well. I wasn't about to ask them to not go (on the road), so I just said, 'I'll just leave then.'" Galeon was replaced by Will Carroll, formerly of Scarecrow, Old Grandad and Vicious Rumors.




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Ushering in a new generation of classic southern rock steeped in soul and the blues, The Georgia Thunderbolts are set to release their debut full-length album, Can We Get A Witness, out October 15th on digipack CD via Mascot Records. A vinyl edition of the album, with bonus track “Better Run From The Beast,” will be out November 26th. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

The Georgia Thunderbolts’ debut album features their scorching signature style steeped in soulful southern swagger, blistering blues, and raw rock with a wide swath of inspirations, ranging from southern gospel and Hank Williams to Merle Haggard, Neil Young, Little Feat and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The album comprises thirteen undeniable anthems doused in anthemic riffs, wild harmonica, and pulse-pounding drums. The Georgia Thunderbolts rustle up a new era of rock ‘n’ roll, informed by their history in Rome, GA - a town with a deep agricultural history. So when they sing, "Spirit Of A Workin' Man," you better believe they mean it.

Tracklisting:

"Take It Slow"
"Lend A Hand"
"So You Wanna Change The World"
"Looking For An Old Friend"
"Spirit Of A Workin’ Man"
"Midnight Rider"
"Be Good To Yourself"
"Half Glass Woman"
"Dancin’ With The Devil"
"Can I Get A Witness"
"Walk Tall Man"
"It’s Alright"
"Set Me Free"
"Better Run From The Beast" (Vinyl Bonus Track)

The album title, Can We Get A Witness, represents "overcoming the obstacles in life," says vocalist TJ Lyle. "Everybody has their ups and downs, but it's how you persevere and prosper through adversity that shows your true colors. The song ‘Can I Get A Witness’ is a statement that goes out to anyone who has the desire and faith in themselves and others to be successful."

"There's a message to what we're doing," comments drummer Bristol Perry. "It's okay to be yourself. If you're going through hard times, the music will always be there. We'd love to remind everyone of that.” 

Check out The Georgia Thunderbolts version of the Frankie Miller classic "Be Good To Yourself", from their upcoming album, Can We Get A Witness, out everywhere October 15th.

 

 




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GENERATION KILL, the band featuring former EXODUS frontman Rob Dukes, has released the official music video for a new song called "Rat King". The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "MKUltra", due on September 27 via Blood Blast Distribution.

Dukes commented: "I watched the documentary 'Rats' by filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, and it impacted me so much that I was immediately inspired to write a song about rats, maggots, and roaches taking over the planet Earth. Shortly after finishing the lyrics, our guitarist Jay Velez just so happened to send me the music he had been working on and it ended up matching perfectly with the lyrics. Feedback on the song so far has been overwhelmingly positive and I think our fans are gonna really dig it."

GENERATION KILL was formed by Dukes in New York City in 2008. Rob, on hiatus from touring with EXODUS, wanted to funnel his excess creative energy and aggression into something new. After the inclusion of Jason Trenczer, Lou Lehman and Sam Inzerra, the band began writing and recording its first album, "Red, White, & Blood", featuring several singles, including "Feast For The Wolves" and "Hate" as well as a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS track "Wish" which enjoyed heavy radio rotation.

Due to creative differences with Inzerra and the untimely death of guitarist Lou Lehman, Jay Velez and Jim DeMaria (HEATHEN) joined and began recording GENERATION KILL's sophomore album, "We're All Gonna Die", with renowned producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED). Shortly after its release, the band embarked on a European tour with fellow EXODUS member Lee Altus's band HEATHEN. The album spawned several successful singles, including "Prophets Of War" which went to No. 1 on SiriusXM Liquid Metal's "Dirty Dozen" and remained one of the top requested songs on the channel.

Following the success of "We're All Gonna Die", drummer Rob Youells joined GENERATION KILL and they went into the studio, this time with ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal to record an album with a founding member of RUN-D.M.C., Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels. The project was initially titled DMC GENERATION KILL before becoming its own entity, later renamed FRAGILE MORTALS.

Currently, GENERATION KILL is recording "MK-Ultra", teaming up once again with Zeuss, Youells returning on the drums and with a new member, Max Velez, on bass.

Polish tech death masters DECAPITATED have pushed back against attempts by unnamed individals to force the cancelation of the band's recently announced European 25th-anniversary tour.

The controversy stems from the fact all four members of DECAPITATED were accused by a woman of gang-raping her after a concert in 2017 in Spokane, Washington. In January 2018, rape and kidnapping charges against the musicians were dropped by prosecutors in Washington state. At the time, the prosecutors filed a motion in Spokane County Superior Court dismissing the charges, citing only the "well-being of the victim" as the reason.

Earlier today, DECAPITATED released the following statement: "As many of you may or may not be aware, back in 2017 in the midst of our USA tour we had the worst experience of our lives during the time we got arrested and jailed after being falsely accused of sexual assault. We went through hell and back. After all charges got dropped when evidence that would prove our innocence came to light and we were able to return to Poland, we made a short statement about the situation and had decided not to go into any sort of detail. The band had not been found guilty and we didn't want to share much, if any, of the details of what we had to go through. We have known the truth and the truth will always win.

"Unfortunately, it has been brought to our attention that a small group of people, who know nothing about our case or have any connection to it or us, have been reaching out directly to some of our beloved UK venues and promoters of the 25 year anniversary EU/UK tour that we announced earlier this week, bringing up old articles from when we got arrested, in an attempt to cause damage to the band and our shows.

"Over the past weeks and months, we've heard about several industry players (be it bands, promoters or agents) rightfully coming under fire after severe allegations of unacceptable misconduct. This is absolutely unrelated to DECAPITATED. We have nothing to do with this and don't deserve to be dragged through the mud again.

"The band has ZERO interest in rehashing the past and certainly, the scars need to be kept closed. We value the emotional and mental health of our band members and ALL involved in their lives. We will not go back to one of the, if not, the worst times of our lives. It hurts us that some people are forcing us to go relive all those terrible feelings again, while we moved on and have been working very hard to rebuild this band.

"Our members, family, label, closest fans, friends and people from the music industry have helped every step of the way to keep us afloat, as well as mentally and emotionally strong.

"DECAPITATED has never used and will never build their strategy and recognition, or look for media attention, by talking about private life, being scandalists, or provoking and offending others. But once and for all to set the record straight: We strongly stand with the victims of ACTUAL sexual abuse, homophobia, racism and strongly condemn any actions or sentiment of this kind, ALWAYS! There is NO room for this in our beloved metal community (or anywhere else). Accusations related to any kind of abuse or assault should always be taken seriously. Sexual harassment does happen and it is horrible. But false accusations do also happen and can also very easily and rapidly destroy lives, relationships and careers. Unfortunately, we experienced this first hand and this keeps chasing us to this very day. It is very unfortunate and disrespectful that some people are trying to take this away from real survivors of abuse.

"After months of hard work together with our team, we were very excited to announce our 25 year anniversary tour this week. In case some venue or promoter would still want to cancel our show, it would sadden us deeply but we will respect that decision and move on.

"We cannot wait to hit the road again after these challenging Covid times and hope to see many of you on one (or more) of our below tour dates.

Thank you once again to everyone who has supported us over the years."

The woman alleged she was gang-raped by the musicians in their tour bus bathroom after DECAPITATED's August 31, 2017 concert with THY ART IS MURDER at The Pin concert venue in downtown Spokane as part of the two bands' "Double Homicide" tour. The woman said entered the bus for drinks with the band before each member forced themselves on her.

Deputies later stated the victim had "significant bruising to her upper arms consistent with being restrained" and "small abrasions on her knuckles that were scabbed over."

Andy Marsh, a member of THY ART IS MURDER, provided testimony for the defense, saying he saw the woman violently dancing in the mosh pit in front of the stage. "She was smashing her hands, arms and body against the metal barricade between the audience and the stage," he said in the court documents.

All four members of DECAPITATED were arrested on September 9, 2017 in Santa Ana, California after performing at the Observatory. They were held in Los Angeles County Jail before being extradited to Spokane.

The musicians were released from jail last month as they awaited trial. As part of their release conditions, they were ordered to stay in Washington and were required to turn in their passports. In the event that they did return to Poland, they were ordered to sign waivers of extradition, meaning they were agreeing to be extradited to the U.S.

The DECAPITATED members were released on their own recognizance and did not have to post a bond.

Their trial was scheduled to begin on January 16, 2018.




pic.twitter.com/kB2BUKfcg5

— Decapitated (@decapitated) July 17, 2021

The surviving members of CINDERELLA have commented on the passing of the band's touring keyboardist Gary Corbett.

Corbett died on Wednesday, July 14 after battling a very aggressive form of lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain and hip. His passing came on the same day that the CINDERELLA guitarist Jeff LaBar was found dead by his wife, Debinique Salazar-LaBar, inside his apartment in Nashville.

On Thursday (July 15), CINDERELLA vocalist/guitarist Tom Keifer, bassist Eric Brittingham and drummer Fred Coury issued the following statement: "Late [Wednesday] night, while we were still trying to process the sad news of losing Jeff, we got word that our long time keyboard player Gary Corbett lost his battle with cancer.

"Gary was a talented musician and good hearted friend. He toured with CINDERELLA on and off for many years.

"Our deepest condolences go out to Gary's wife Lenora and his family and loved ones. RIP Gary."

According to LA Weekly, Corbett played offstage keyboards and handled background vocals on KISS tours promoting late-'80s and early-'90s LPs "Crazy Nights", "Hot In The Shade" and "Revenge". Before that, his credits included co-writing Cyndi Lauper's Top 5 hit "She Bop" and working with the solo band of former FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm, who recommended Corbett to KISS frontman Paul Stanley.

"There seemed to be a trend in the '80s that bands didn't want the image of having a keyboard player onstage," Corbett told LA Weekly. "Some people think keyboards aren't as much of a rock instrument as a guitar. Gene Simmons is definitely of that mindset. At every soundcheck, if the soundman asked me, 'Could you just give me a couple of notes,' [Simmons] would immediately put his hands behind his back and act like he was ice skating around a rink."

In his interview with LA Weekly, Corbett recounted a particularly memorable experience playing with KISS at the 1988 "Monsters Of Rock" festival. "It was such a big show that they had big Diamond Vision screens on each side of the stage," he said. "So when the guys that were working the cameras on the side of the stage were roaming around and filming everything, I guess nobody told them that they weren't supposed to be filming me. So during 'Rock And Roll All Nite', I'm standing there singing and playing and having a good time. And later I found out I was on the big screens in front of, like, 60,000 people, which I don't think made the guys very happy."

Corbett got a couple of Grammys for his work with reggae legends Damian and Stephen Marley.




Sadly we’ve lost another... pic.twitter.com/dgslxMaXaO

— Tom Keifer (@TomKeiferMusic) July 16, 2021

Publishing house Faber has purchased the rights to SONIC YOUTH founding member Thurston Moore's memoir "Sonic Life". According to publishing industry site The Bookseller, "Sonic Life" will be released in 2023 and will detail the "wild music and endless wonder" of Moore's life and career.

The synopsis states: "From his infatuation and engagement with the 1970s punk and 'no wave' scenes in New York City, to the 1981 formation of his legendary rock group, to 30 years of relentless recording, touring, and musical experimentation, birthing the NIRVANA era of alternative rock, and beyond, it is all told via the personal prism of the author's intensive archives and research."

Last year, Moore told Vulture that he had begun working on the book. "This downtime period allowed me to do this, so I have this manuscript called 'Sonic Life' that I probably will publish at some point in 2021," he said at the time.

Moore's most recent solo album, "By The Fire", came out last f

From the vault of bassist Chip Z'Nuff and vocalist Donnie Vie comes this long-buried treasure of early '80s demos that chronicle the very birth of melodic glam rockers ENUFF Z'NUFF. "Never Enuff - Rarities & Demos", officially scheduled for release on August 27, features high-quality studio recordings consisting entirely of previously unreleased, original material written by Z'Nuff and Vie as they honed their songcraft in the years leading up to their 1989 Atlantic Records self-titled debut album, which featured the massive hit singles "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle". All of the band's elements were present in these early days — THE BEATLES-esque melodies, the dynamic harmonies, and the feel-good, hippy-vibe energy — all of which have served to make ENUFF Z'NUFF one of the longest-lasting acts to emerge from the glam metal explosion. Just give a listen to the melodic rocker "Bye Bye Love" that the band shares today on digital platforms. No, it's not a cover of THE EVERLY BROTHERS' well-known song but its melody is just as effervescent and unforgettable, and but a taste of things to come.

The "Never Enuff" box comes in both physical formats, as either a 3CD set or 4LP vinyl set with spectacular psychedelic colored vinyl. Both formats include a deluxe booklet featuring numerous rare and unseen photos of the band, many of them shot by veteran photographer Paul Natkin, as well as fan-submitted photos from over the years. The booklet's liner notes were penned by Z'Nuff and Vie themselves, sharing details about their early struggles in making a name for themselves, defining and refining the band's sound, and surviving their hard-partying youth.

Track listing:

Disc 1: McNulty's Basement

01. Bye Bye Love

02. I Won't Forget

03. Say It Isn't So

04. Girl Crazy

05. Tears Away

06. New Night Tonight

07. Just What You Want

08. Love On Your Mind

09. I Want You Back

10. Never Let You Go

11. Everyone Says No

12. I Can't Get Over You

Disc 2: Prairie Street

01. Temporarily Disconnected

02. The Real Thing

03. Number One

04. Higher

05. Enough's Enough

06. Why Does It Have To End

07. Million Miles Away

08. Misery

09. Soldier's Story

10. Valentine

11. Tossed In My Face

12. Maybe Someday

13. Fallin' In Love

14. Will You Remember

15. 1, 2, 3

Disc 3: Longwood Towers

01. Crazy Night

02. Still Lovers

03. Somewhere Else For Me

04. Help

05. Holdin' Out 4 More

06. Yesterday's Gone

07. How Does It Feel

08. I Don't Mind

09. So Fine

10. Cupid's Laughing

11. Tara Nichole

12. No Girl Of Mine

13. Look What You Do

HBO's "Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage", the first film in the Music Box series, directed by Garret Price ("Love, Antosha") and executive produced by Bill Simmons (HBO's "Andre The Giant", "Showbiz Kids"), tells the story of Woodstock 99, a three-day music festival promoted to echo unity and counterculture idealism of the original 1969 concert but instead devolved into riots, looting and sexual assaults. The grim outcome earned the event the infamous distinction of "the day the nineties died."

"Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage" focuses a spotlight on American youth at the end of the millennium, in the shadow of Columbine and the looming hysteria of Y2K, pinpointing a moment in time when the angst of a generation galvanized into a seismic, cultural shift. Set to a soundtrack of the era's most aggressive rock bands, the film also reappraises the 1960s mythos, revealing hard truths about the dangers of rose-tinted nostalgia in the age of commercialism and bottom-line profits.

To coincide with the 22nd anniversary of the festival, "Music Box: Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage" debuts Friday, July 23, (9:00 - 10:50 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The film kicks off Music Box, a collection of documentary films created by Bill Simmons, debuting in fall of this year.

"Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage" unfolds over three blazing hot days and nights of nonstop performances and heaving mosh pits in July 1999, and examines how the festival eventually collapsed under the weight of its own misguided ambition. The musical lineup reflected acts that dominated MTV and radio airwaves at the time and leaned heavily towards artists catering to a young, male demographic. Intense heat, lack of adequate sanitation and access to free drinking water agitated a crowd already at a breaking point. Shortcuts and cost-cutting measures had diminished security, allowing the anger and frustration of the mob to explode into unchecked rioting and destruction. As much as Woodstock 69 became known as a celebration of peace and inclusion, Woodstock 99 became a flashpoint for burgeoning white toxic masculinity.

Brimming with the high-energy vibrancy of a rock documentary, the film takes us onstage with the bands, behind-the-scenes with the organizers and to the cramped campsites, overflowing bathrooms and marauding groups of young men with alarming immediacy and access. The film includes expert insight from multiple points of view, including from organizers Michael Lang and John Scher, as well as from culture critics Wesley Morris, Maureen Callahan and Steven Hyden. First-hand accounts from musicians, including THE ROOTS' Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, KORN's Jonathan Davis, Moby, Jewel, THE OFFSPRING, CREED's Scott Stapp and festival attendees give an unfiltered perspective of the events, shedding light on how a weekend rooted in music and unity descended into chaos.

Woodstock 99 embodied the zeitgeist not only of the music of the time, but also the angst and attitudes of a generation. The documentary examines if an event rooted in the sentiment and ethos of the 1960s was actually the beginning of a darker sea change in American culture.

Subsequent films in the Music Box series, each helmed by a different director, will start airing in late fall 2021.

HBO Documentary Films' presents a Ringer Films Production in association with Polygram Entertainment. Music Box series created by Bill Simmons; "Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage" directed by Garret Price; produced by Sean Keegan and Adam Gibbs; executive produced by Bill Simmons, Jody Gerson and Marc Cimino; co-executive produced by Geoff Chow, Sean Fennessey and Noah Malale for HBO: senior producer, Tina Nguyen; executive producers, Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller.

Gold-certified Los Angeles-bred and Nashville-based BADFLOWER siphons stress, sleeplessness, sex, sadness, mania, pain, and truth into revelatory alternative anthems. Lead singer/guitarist Josh Katz's quivering confessions seep into climactic distortion and, like any good rush, you need more. They deliver this rush on their forthcoming second full-length offering, "This Is How The World Ends", which is is slated for a September 24 release via Big Machine/John Varvatos Records. The official music video for the disc's first single, "Family", can be seen below.

Beauty blooms from discomfort. The second we squirm at the utterance of a lyric or the echo of a guitar chord is the moment we learn about our limits and, perhaps, make a change in our lives. BADFLOWER aren't afraid of making anybody uncomfortable. Comprised of Katz, Joey Morrow (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Espiritu (bass) and Anthony Sonetti (drums), BADFLOWER continue to commit body, blood, mind, and soul to their art.

"Family" hovers over an ominous drum beat as Katz's voice barely breaks a whisper. Clean guitar glows through the bass line as he confesses, "affection makes me nauseous, believe me, I don't want this," before an exhale of distorted catharsis, "'Cuz I let you down, and I lost my fucking mind…What happened to this family?"

With a poignant video accompanying the track, Katz puts his family dynamics under a microscope for the world to dissect. Directing the video, he lets the viewer in on intimate scenes from a happy childhood that turns lonely.

Expressing his feelings behind the track he penned, Katz explains: "This song is very important to me. I've spent a lot of years of my life trying to understand certain qualities about myself. Why I constantly distance myself from the people I care about the most. Why interacting with my family feels so uncomfortable as an adult. Why the simplest acts of kindness or words of affirmation feel like impossible tasks that I'd rather just avoid. I'm an extremely empathetic person but I only show that side of myself to strangers because actual vulnerability is too… vulnerable. That insecurity is turning me into a selfish, lonely person that I don't want to be. It's a lot easier to play the victim and blame other people, stress, childhood trauma etc. rather than just admit I'm responsible for it. I'm the one that owes the apologies. I let it get this bad. I still don't know exactly how to fix it, all I know how to do is articulate the way it feels through music. For now… Its gonna be impossible for me NOT to confront it now that the song is out for my whole family to hear. Which is terrifying, but it's what needs to happen. I'm fucking 30, I have deal with my shit eventually.

"I hope the song helps someone else with similar issues on either end. As a way to start the conversation or even just inspire people to be a little more mindful of the people we love and who love us. Especially now in these insanely divided times. We could all use a reminder. Families and friendships are SO important."

After forming in Los Angeles during 2014, BADFLOWER dropped two EPs before sending shockwaves throughout rock with its 2019 full-length debut, "OK, I'm Sick". Loudwire hailed it among the "50 Best Rock Albums of 2019," while the singles "The Jester", "Heroin" and "Ghost" vaulted to No. 1 at rock radio. Not to mention, the latter picked up a gold certification from the RIAA and win as iHeartRadio Music Awards "Rock Song Of The Year." Along the way, they garnered further acclaim from Nylon, Alternative Press, Music Connection and Substream magazine and performed on "The Late Late Show With James Corden" as well as "Last Call With Carson Daly". They're the rare act who can ignite a crowd at Kaboo Del Mar or Sonic Temple in addition to sharing bills with the likes of CAGE THE ELEPHANT, GHOST, NOTHING MORE, SHINEDOWN, SOUNDGARDEN, and many more. Thus far, they've also gathered over 280 million streams and counting.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. Shadows has confirmed that the band's next album will be released before the summer of 2022.

The singer touched upon a possible timeline for the new LP's release while appearing on "That Space Zebra Show", hosted by Bobby Schubenski (Blackcraft founder), Wes Borland (LIMP BIZKIT) and Josh Balz (STRANGE KIDS, ex-MOTIONLESS IN WHITE).

Addressing the fact that not much information has been revealed about AVENGED SEVENFOLD's new music, M. Shadows said (as per Kerrang!): "The reason we don't say much about the music is because we find that every single word we say about it just gets spun off, and there's no way to describe music; it's, like, 'Oh, it's heavy, it's fast…' What are we gonna say about it?' It's a work of art that we've worked on for a long time, we had a bunch of personal things that we'll explain later… But we're booking shows for next summer, and the record will be out before then."

This past February, M. Shadows told the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X that "70 percent" of the follow-up to 2016's "The Stage" album was "done." He said: "We're working on stuff. We have some things we can't finish right now 'cause of COVID — string players, et cetera. We know Andy [Wallace, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's longtime mixer] doesn't wanna travel, or his management doesn't want him to travel because of COVID. So there's just a lot of things going on."

As for when fans can expect to see the new AVENGED SEVENFOLD LP released, M. Shadows said: "It doesn't make sense for us right now to put out a record and not be able to tour it. The world has changed. Putting out a record on Spotify without touring for a rock band, it just doesn't make sense to us. So we're gonna wait till everything is back, then we'll come out with the record, finish it up, and all will be good."

Also in February, AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance told Detroit's WRIF radio station that he and his bandmates have done "lots and lots of writing — at a lot slower pacer than usual" — during the coronavirus pandemic. "Now that we are a little bit older, we move around a little bit slower, but [we've done] tons of writing," he said. "We've gone to the studio. It was kind of a weird time to do anything in 2020, but that's when we felt like it was a good time to go out there and start tracking all the stuff that we had in us.

"But, like I said, we're doing it at a slow pace, so we're still in the process of recording," he explained. "We're taking it really, really slow, making sure everything is the way we like it. We're not in a big rush to get anything out, mainly 'cause we wanna get on the road, and we wanna be able to bring it to life. We wanna tour, we wanna travel, we wanna play songs that people wanna hear; we wanna expose them to some new stuff. 'Cause I just feel like rushing to put something out right now and letting it dissipate because of the void, while people are worried about where their next meal is coming from or the paycheck, the last thing in the world on people's minds is, 'AVENGED SEVENFOLD's gonna put out a new album, and that's gonna be the saving grace for us all.' And I feel like we'll take it slow, let the world get a little bit back to normal, and when people are ready, we'll know — we have a good sense of that. We'll slowly finish it up, and then unleash it when the world's ready."

Last December, M. Shadows told Kerrang! magazine about the musical direction of the new AVENGED material: "The [new] record sounds nothing like 'The Stage' — it's a completely new direction, and it sounds nothing like anything we've done. That's all I'll say about it: it's over the top, and it's very eclectic and wild."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD kept a low profile during 2019 and will likely not return to the road until the end of this year or early 2022. A blood blister on M. Shadows's vocal cords forced the band to cancel a summer 2018 tour with PROPHETS OF RAGE and THREE DAYS GRACE.

Asked if he is fully healed up now, M. Shadows told 93X: "I feel good, man. I'm just working on a new technique so that I can make sure I don't have any problems anymore. For the last year, that's what I've been doing — is switching up a lot of things, singing from a different place, and just making sure that when I hit the stage again, I don't resort back to old bad habits."

"The Stage" was surprise-released in October 2016. The release of the disc, which was announced the night it went on sale, earned the lowest sales of an AVENGED SEVENFOLD album in 11 years. It sold 76 thousand copies in its first week, 73 thousand of which were physical.

"The Stage", AVENGED's debut for Capitol, sold less than half as many copies in its first week as the group's two previous efforts, 2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King".

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of METALLICA's self-titled album, the Grammy-winning, 16-times-platinum-certified LP is receiving its definitive re-release on September 10 via the band's own Blackened Recordings. 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. Pre-orders will instantly receive multi-platinum selling recording artist, songwriter, philanthropist and trailblazer Miley Cyrus's version of "Nothing Else Matters" featuring Andrew Watt, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith, and Colombian-born rock/pop superstar, and winner of 20+ Grammy and Latin Music Grammy Awards Juanes's interpretation of "Enter Sandman".

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

Two new instant-gratification tracks now available with "The Metallica Blacklist" album pre-orders: "Holier Than Thou" covers by BIFFY CLYRO and OFF!. They can be heard below.

Last year when everyone else was stuck at home, your Lords and Masters GWAR braved the pandemic to reunite with their lost Scumdog brethren for an evening of pure shock rock madness they dubbed "Scumdogs XXX Live". The show, which was billed as a "once-in-a-lifetime" pay-per-view event, was filmed in an empty crack house in Richmond, Virginia and featured the return of beloved GWAR characters Slymenstra Hymen, Sleazy P. Martini, Sexecutioner and Techno Destructo. Watch a live video for the first single from the album "Love Surgery" below.

Now you, the Bohabs, have a chance to relive this event over and over again with the release of "Scumdogs Live", on September 10 via Pit Records. This amazing release is available in three formats and can be pre-ordered here.

The Berserker Blóthar, lead throat thing of GWAR, had this to say about the release: "This thing was a three-ring gangbang circus from the drop. I just wanted to hang around with our old friends and get blasted, but of course, we had to face all of our 'Scumdogs'-era villains; Techno Destucto, the Redneck From Hell, and the Bad Biker Bitch, to name a few. All was well until Slymenstra lit me on fire during her torch dance. With friends like that, who needs enemies?"

Live event track listing:

* The Salamanizer

* The Years Without Light

* Sexecutioner

* Black And Huge

* Vlad The Impaler

* Death Pod

* Maggots

* Love Surgery

* Horror Of Yig

* King Queen

* Sick Of You

* Techno's Song

* U Ain't Shit

* Cool Place To Park

* Slaughterama

With bonus content on the DVD and Blu-ray:

* Behind The Scenes With Sleazy P Martini

* The Return Of Techno Destructo

* Bälsäc And Jizmak Meet A Young Fan

* Backstage With The Bad Biker Bitch

* Pustulus Amp Check

* Bonesnapper Meets The Sexecutioner

* Slymenstra's Green Room

Plus

* Behind The Murder

* Ronan On Scumdogs

* Espresso Destructo Coffee

* Vinyl To Die For

* Liquid Death - Keep The Underworld Beautiful

Special Bonus

* A Glimpse Behind The (Actual) Scenes

* Audio Commentary From GWAR

* Audio Commentary From GWAR

Don't miss GWAR this fall on the "Scumdogs 30th Anniversary" tour, featuring support from NAPALM DEATH, EYEHATEGOD and MADBALL on select dates.

The clip below features new Cradle Of Filth backing vocalist / keyboardist Anabelle covering the Kate Bush classic "Wuthering Heights". The song was Kate Bush's debut single, released in November 1977, and was inspired by the 1847 Emily Brontë novel of the same name. The track appears on her 1978 debut album, The Kick Inside. 

Back in May, Cradle Of Filth announced Anabelle Iratni (Devilment, Veile) as their permanent replacement for former keyboardist, Lindsay Schoolcraft.

Anabelle recently checked in with a new video clip along with the following message:

"This week's quickfire Cradle of Filth keys tutorial is for 'Saffron's Curse'. It comes in two parts: one played at normal speed followed by a breakdown of the parts. Using Roland FA-06 keyboard with a custom patch I made by blending a piano and harpsichord sample.

Each week, in one minute (or less), I'll show you how to play iconic Cradle of Filth key parts. I want to make this as accessible as possible for all ability levels!"

"Saffron's Curse" is taken from Cradle Of Filth's fourth album, Midian, released in 2000.




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Summoner's Circle’s third full-length album Chaos Vector is being released this year and they have left no detail out. Accompanying the album is a Lovecraft-style cosmic horror short story written by the band where each chapter correlates to a song. This story marks a new chapter in The Lore of The Six and sets a foundation for them conceptually moving forward. The first single off this release is the title track. Preorder here.

The single was intentionally written as a shorter song because they needed an extra short song for their set on the 2019 Hexed Tour with Children of Bodom. It was well-received on tour and they felt the chaotic nature and strong hook made it an obvious choice as the first single for the album. They continue to explain: 

“Given the worldly turmoil of 2020, Chaos Vector seemed apropos to choose as the title track of the album. The drums for this song were originally written by Yanic Bercier of Gone in April and Quo Vadis and were performed on this album by our current drummer, Invictus, who still performs the original Bercier beats. Yanic also appears in the music video as the drummer for this song. Chaos Vector tells the story of a man who has been driven mad through his practices in the occult. And while he tries tirelessly to warn others of the impending doom he wrought upon this world; he is only perceived as a madman sounding off.”

This album was conceived over two years ago, but the global turmoil slowed down its creation. Now that it is ready for release, the band couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. They are eager to share with fans their love of storytelling and cosmic horror in a concept album that vocalist Blind has been percolating since their formation in 2015. They say that they have scratched every creative itch with this record, and hope fans get the same satisfaction from it.

Tracklisting:

“The Message”
“Of Black Horizons”
“Vessel”
“The Hierophants”
“Apostasy”
“Chaos Vector”
“Terminus Egress”
“Chrysalis”
“The Beyond”

“Chaos Vector” video:

(Photo Credit: Rachel Craig Media/Joshua Winstead Photography)




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On the latest episode of the "J-Bunny's Music Hub" podcast, KILL DEVIL HILL guitarist Mark Zavon replied to Vinny Appice's assertion that the legendary drummer quit the band because the other members of the group couldn't get to rehearsals and live shows on time.

Shortly after he left KILL DEVIL HILL in early 2014, Vinny said that the band's inability to gain significant traction with its music was a major factor in his decision. However, more recently, Vinny has suggested that he exited the group because he "couldn't deal with" the fact that some of his bandmates were consistently tardy for KILL DEVIL HILL activities by an hour and a half or even longer.

Asked to respond to Appice's latest comments and address the fact that the drummer's explanation for why he left the band appears to have evolved over time, Mark told "J-Bunny's Music Hub": "Well, both [of his stated reasons] are true. And he's right. And there was [tardiness]. Dewey [Bragg], our singer, at the time, was kind of going through some hard times and some personal difficulties, and he did have a hard time showing up sometimes. And even when we were on tour, he was — I don't know, man — just having a little bit of trouble. He's a totally changed man now, and now he's the first guy, anywhere we go, he's the one telling us, 'Hey, man, we're gonna be late for soundcheck.' But in those days, yeah, it was a little harder to wrangle him. So Vinny was right. And Vinny, he doesn't really put up with that. He's a name guy — he's got a history and a reputation. He's a pro. He's a star. So you can't blame the guy for that. I certainly didn't. I was the first one there [for rehearsals and live shows], 'cause I was stoked to play with those guys. Are you kidding me? Vinny Appice and Rex Brown in a room, and I get to play guitar?"

He continued: "So, anyway, I wish it could have kept going, but sometimes things don't work out, and everything happens for a reason. So I try not to question it. We've got great guys in the band now, and everything happens for a reason. So I'm looking forward to putting out this new record and people hearing what we can do without those guys in the band."

Vinny, who had previously played with BLACK SABBATH, DIO and HEAVEN & HELL, left KILL DEVIL HILL in March 2014. He has since been replaced by Johnny Kelly (DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE).

KILL DEVIL HILL, which also initially featured former PANTERA and DOWN bassist Rex Brown, released its sophomore album, "Revolution Rise", in October 2013 via Century Media Records.

Back in 2019, Zavon confirmed that KILL DEVIL HILL had recruited Nico D'Arnese to play bass following the departure of Brown.

Metal Blade Records welcomes Cryptic Shift to its worldwide roster.

Founded by Xander Bradley and Ryan Sheperson, and later joined by John Riley and Joss Farrington, Cryptic Shift have become a continual leading force in the next generation of extreme music. 2016's EP, Beyond The Celestial Realms, and 2017's single, "Cosmic Dreams", built anticipation for Cryptic Shift's debut full-length record, Visitations From Enceladus - one of the highest critically acclaimed debut releases of the last decade. Showcasing Cryptic Shift's unique take on progressive and technical death/thrash metal and sci-fi themes, Visitations From Enceladus takes listeners beyond the limits of planet Earth musically and conceptually - the first episode of perhaps the greatest musical sci-fi adventure of all time...

Now, after having signed with Metal Blade Records, Cryptic Shift are working towards building on their previously established phenomenal die-mensionominal Astrodeath, following on from the themes and concepts found on their debut record, Visitations From Enceladus.

Cryptic Shift comments: "We are pleased to announce we have signed with none other than Metal Blade Records. We are looking forward to developing Astrodeath alongside one of the greatest record labels on planet Earth and continuing our cosmic crusade across the hemispheres. Writing for the conceptual follow up of Visitations From Enceladus has begun, and we look forward to performing worldwide in the near future!"

Stay tuned for more news to come - the saga continues.

In the meantime, fans can catch the first performances of Visitations from Enceladus - in its entirety - on Cryptic Shift's headlining Return To Earth 2021 UK tour this September.

Cryptic Shift lineup:

Xander Bradley - Vocals & Guitars
Joss Farrington - Guitars
Ryan Sheperson - Drums
John Riley - Bass

(Photo - Mark Wheelwright / ISO Photographic)




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