Yngwie Malmsteen will release his new studio album titled "Parabellum" on July 23 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. The disc's latest single, "(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum", can be streamed below.

Malmsteen states: "'(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum' is a piece of great difficulty. Octave arpeggios it is very satisfying to apply this extremely challenging violin technique to my own composition. Starting in B harmonic minor, it transposes to D natural major and then into F# Phrygian. It is a natural flow within the chord progression of relative keys and modes.

It was very challenging and exciting to perform this piece and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do."

The name of Yngwie Malmsteen has always stood for uncompromising excellence. In a career that now spans more than 40 years he has proven himself to be a unique artist. You can try to categorize him in any way you wish. But the manner in which this supreme Swedish craftsman has continually developed his music makes Malmsteen sublimely transcend any definition you attempt to impose.

He now has a catalog of 21 solo studio albums, each of which has much to commend. Moreover, the guitarist played a crucial role in helping to establish ALCATRAZZ as a significant force in the 1980s. Malmsteen's artistry has always clearly incorporated a healthy virtuosity, but his talent goes well beyond a comprehensive control of the guitar. The man is a fine composer and, on recent releases, has also showcased a strong vocal presence.

One aspect of his approach has always shone through, and that is an abidingly deep respect for the music he plays. Malmsteen has constantly done whatever it takes to bring out all of the color, shade and hue embedded in each one of his compositions. Merely doing a very good job isn't an option. He wants to go — and does go — well beyond such limitations, into the rarefied realms inhabited by an elite number of timeless masters. This has never been more focused and informed than on "Parabellum". Malmsteen shares, "I always try to push myself on every album I do, and attempt things which are more extreme than previously. But what has helped this time is that I wasn't able to go on the road because of the pandemic. It meant I could take much longer in the studio, both to write and record. Because I am usually always on tour, which is great, I haven't had the luxury of spending a lot of time working on new music for more than 20 years. But I suddenly had no pressure at all on that front. And I feel the album has benefited enormously as a result."

There are instances when musicians can have so much time available to them for the purposes of recording and writing that what comes out of the process is a little stilted and overthought. But that is never the case here. He reflects: "I am the sort of person who doesn't like to do take after take after take of any track. If something isn't to my satisfaction, I'll move on. But there were occasions with this album when I dismissed something because I thought it was a stinker. I went back a couple of days later, listened to it and wondered why I thought it stank in the first place! That's the beauty of having everything available you've done through Pro Tools. Nothing is lost. Things were changing all the time. Song titles, tempos. Everything was fluid. I would listen to a part I had done for one specific song, and realize it worked better if I transposed it into another track."

Four of the songs here feature vocals. But once more, this wasn't mapped out in advance. Malmsteen offers: "I love to listen back to what I've done in the car. Sometimes I find myself singing along to what was supposed to be an instrumental. That's when I realize this song does need vocals. The opposite happens as well."

On occasion, it does sound as if Malmsteen has surely incorporated keyboards into the fabric of the album's sonic tapestry. But this is not the case. He reveals: "I can assure you that, while it may seem as if there are keyboards, everything has been done by myself on guitar. Even what sounds like a piano intro to 'Wolves At The Door', the opening track, has been played on guitar." This particular composition also includes a clever reference to 19th century classical master Paganini. "It's the sort of thing I love to do. It's my way of paying homage to him. And here it works very well within the flow of the track."

The album title "Parabellum" is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War". "There's a track on the album called '(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum'," he says. "This translates as 'If you want peace, then prepare for war.' It was a last-minute decision to make this the album title. But I think it fits very well."

The striking portrait on the cover was painted by the accliamed artist David Benegas. Malmsteen states: "That was my wife April's idea. David lives near us in Florida, and we were talking to him about other projects. I did a photo shoot with Mark Weiss, who I think is a great photographer and someone I've worked with for a long time. Then David based the portrait on this. The painting itself is huge, and we've had the idea to use it to raise money for the April Way Children's Foundation ('dedicated to bringing the artists of the world together to give hope to kids, teens, and young adults that have been orphaned or are in foster care all across the world')."

In closing, he shares: "The bottom line for me is that the passion I feel for the music I make has to be obvious. I am the sort of person who lives in the moment. I wanted this album to have a joyous, spontaneous atmosphere. This must never sound as if it's been rehearsed so much that it becomes routine. I hope people will put on this record at the start and listen right through to the end, from start to finish. I recorded this as a singular piece of art. Not as a collection of 10 tracks you can hear in any order you want. I was asked by Mascot what song would be the lead track. The one for which I'd do a video. You know what? I'd like to do videos for everything here. I view this album as having a natural flow from start to finish. It's not to be cut up into little pieces. I want fans to experience the delight I had in making it."

The complete track listing includes "Wolves At The Door", "Presto Vivace in C# Minor", "Relentless Fury", "(Si Vis Pacem) Parabellum", "Eternal Bliss", "Toccata", "Good Particle", "Magic Bullet", "(Fight) The Good Fight" and "Sea Of Tranquility". The album will be available on CD, red tranparent LP and digital.

Florida-based Grammy-nominated band TRIVIUM has released a new single "In The Court Of The Dragon". The song is available at all DSPs and is accompanied by an official short film music video directed by Ryan Mackfall. Watch it below.

"In The Court Of The Dragon" represents everything fans have come to know and love about TRIVIUM. It's a summit of masterful melodies, miles of riffs and solos, thought-provoking lyrics, intricate storytelling, and a tiered vocal attack.

"We started putting together the riffs for what would become 'In The Court Of The Dragon' last year with no touring on the horizon," says bassist Paolo Gregoletto about the song's earliest origins during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. "We decided to use the uncertainty to our advantage and to create without any of the limitations and commitments that would normally be eating away at our time in the jam room."

About the deeper meaning, he continues, "The title of the song came from a short story by Robert W. Chambers. The story is filled with dread and uncertainty, and that felt fitting for the times we've all been living in for the last year. Rather than a direct re-telling, we decided to go a different route and build our own narrative around the music that we were creating."

He finishes, "Similar to some of our past songs and albums, this song began with lyrics rooted in mythology. But unlike the past, we decided to create our own myth to fit the music. Being free to create the story and write the music without a deadline, due to a once-in-a-lifetime event, really led to one of the most rewarding writing and recording experiences we have ever had. We hope it lives up to your expectations."

Guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy weighed in about the single's artwork and its unique relationship to the track, saying, "While the music of 'In The Court Of The Dragon' was taking shape, we knew we needed epic artwork of the type that you might see on the wall of an important museum from a long-dead renaissance master."

The track and video also feature an epic intro composed and orchestrated by Ihsahn (EMPEROR).

TRIVIUM is continuing to work on material for its upcoming tenth album.

The band will make its long-awaited return to the road this summer with MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD and IN FLAMES.

Austin hard rockers, Black Heart Saints, who packed a one-two punch with the release of their recent hit singles “Misery” and “Lines”, are kicking off their summer tour dates with Saliva, The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and more with the announcement of a brand-new song and video.

Described by the band as a “groove-infested tune with a heavier, modern feel," “Reach The End” is released first as a video (see below), and then made available for download on all DSPs Friday, July 16.

“We can’t think of a better way to celebrate going back out on the road and performing live for our fans than by releasing our new single,” said Guitarist Mark Sean. “’Reach The End’ blends the hook-laden, heavy sound that we are known for with an edgy vibe that we think will appeal to a broader audience.”

To capture the song’s more progressive sound, Black Heart Saints turned, once again, to Award-Winning Film Maker Taylor Fredricks from Static Heart Productions to film the video. According to the band, while it is “a commentary on the inner-workings of the music industry, where artists have to ‘sell themselves’ to get to the next level,” it is also filled with the same dark humor that the group has become known for.

“Our last music video series premiered at Alamo Drafthouse theaters, so we knew we had to step up our game with this latest release,” said Sean. “For ‘Reach The End’ we worked with Taylor to put together a website and hotline phone number to promote the single and music video, which can be found here."

The Texas rockers also re-enlisted Producer Omar Vallejo at 512 Studios in Austin, TX, who worked with the band on their last album Misery (2019), for the single. Calling Vallejo the “real deal,” Sean says “he brings out the best of us every single time.”

“Reach The End” is the first new music since Black Heart Saints’ successful EP Misery in 2019. Not only did it land the band in the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts twice but its commercial success also paved the way for appearances at SXSW, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and serving as the support act for such national artists as Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, Sevendust, Steel Panther, Pop Evil, Buckcherry, Dirty Honey, and more.

This year, Black Heart Saints will hit the road performing shows and festivals across the US and have plans to release additional singles and videos as a part of new collection of music.

Official Black Heart Saints tour dates include:

July
23 - The Haute Spot - Cedar Park, TX (with Saliva)

August
6-14 - Full Throttle Saloon - Sturgis, SD (with Colt Ford, Saliva, Tesla, Jackyl, Insane Clown Posse - Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
11 - Main Stage At Full Throttle Saloon - Sturgis, SD (with Wynonna Judd - Sturgis Motorcycle Rally)           
19 - Melody Inn - Indianapolis, IN
20 - Illinois State Fair - Springfield, IL
21 - Tater Patch - Rolla, MO

September
9 - New Mexico State Fair - Albuquerque, NM
10 - Skooterz - Amarillo, TX
11 - The Deadhorse - San Angelo, TX

October
3 - Come & Take It Live - Austin, TX (with The Dead Daisies)

* Schedule subject to change

Lineup:

Josh Ross – Vocals
Mark Sean – Guitar
Nathan Flores – Drums
Ian C.G. – Bass




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Dave Mustaine has confirmed that David Ellefson's long-completed bass tracks on the upcoming MEGADETH album have been removed and re-recorded by another bassist prior to the record's release.

Mustaine made the revelation while filming a new video message on Cameo, which lets users hire celebrities to record brief, personalized video messages about virtually any topic.

Addressing a fan named Tina, whose friend David ordered the Cameo from Mustaine, Dave said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I hear you're a big pretty fan of [the MEGADETH song] 'Fatal Illusion' right now. That's cool. Actually, we've got one song on the new album — it's called 'The Dogs Of Chernobyl' — which is very similar to 'Fatal Illusion' in aggression. So I hope you like that song when you get the new record. It won't be long. It's a matter of finishing the parts when I get home [to Tennessee from vacationing in Florida] today and tomorrow. Our bass parts are all done. And it won't be long."

Ellefson laid down his bass tracks on MEGADETH's sixteenth LP in May 2020 at a studio in Nashville, Tennessee. A short time later, he raved about his performance on the record, telling the 96.7 KCAL-FM radio program "Wired In The Empire" that his musical chemistry with MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren was comparable to the interplay between Geddy Lee and Neil Peart on classic RUSH albums. "I feel like on the new MEGADETH record, me and Dirk have those same moments," he said. "It's MEGADETH — it's not RUSH, obviously — but in the field of what we do, there were these moments that I was just going, 'Oh, my God.' This is me as a kid going, 'This is my Geddy/Neil moment right here.'"

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

"I just wanna thank you for all the kinds words and support as we get ready for this next tour and continue to hunt for a new bass player," the MEGADETH leader said. "We are making progress. The record's being completed, and we're gonna have someone coming in in a couple of weeks to replace the bass tracks that we had. Which should be relatively quick because the person we're talking to is a stellar bass player. And hopefully this will be an ongoing thing after the recording. Or we will find someone prior to the recording that will be our permanent guy going forward."

Ellefson was dismissed from MEGADETH in late May, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. The longtime MEGADETH member later released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of Ellefson by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual "masturbating encounters" without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) The 56-year-old Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, when the claim "David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile" appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was fired.

On May 24, Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — announced the bassist's departure from the band, saying, "We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward," Mustaine wrote. Two days later, Ellefson released a follow-up statement in which he vowed to file a "defamation lawsuit" against the person who "illegally posted a very private video" of the bassist and made "false allegations" against him. He also said he was working with the police in Scottsdale "in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted the video. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Ellefson wrote. He went on to say that he was "taking this time to be with my family" and wished his "bandmates" the best with their upcoming tour.

MEGADETH is currently scheduled to take part in "The Metal Tour Of The Year" with LAMB OF GOD, beginning on August 20 in Austin. MEGADETH is also slated to appear at the SLIPKNOT-curated Knotfest in September in Iowa.

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

David, who studied for a year at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis nearly a decade ago, and his wife Julie Ellefson have been married for 27 years. They have two children.









https://starboard-media.s3.amazonaws.com/video/video-60e67af30fa502001d475f4b-KK76VnqBj-4fAOROBo5-wm.mp4

IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith recently went on "Side Jams With Bryan Reesman" to discuss his book "Monsters Of River & Rock: My Life As Iron Maiden's Compulsive Angler", his love for fishing, the importance of conservation, and meeting a real Tasmanian Devil.

Smith was asked about the types of fisherman and fishing behaviors he has seen across the globe. "One thing that does depress me when I go to places — you see it all over the world, unfortunately you're seeing it more in Britain now — is the rubbish and discarded fishing tackle," he explained. "People leave big loads of line and wildlife get tangled up. You get people who go fishing but they don't really understand the ethics of it. For me, I call myself an angler. While you're actually catching fish, apart from that, you are in sync with the whole thing. You've got to be a bit conservation minded. That's what I write about in the book — [with] fishing you get the guys out there, they'll be cleaning up the rubbish, and making sure the water flow is good and the spawning habitat for the future stocks [is good]. But I do get a bit depressed about rubbish. It's not just the anglers, it's just everyday people. It's getting more of a problem in England, and that's something that upsets me and something I'd like to get into doing something about. The only thing I can do at the moment is go out with a rubbish bag and pick stuff up. In the '70s, we used to have a thing called 'Keep Britain Tidy' which was advertised on the telly — clear your crap up after you. If people did that, everyone would be in a better mood. Small steps, you know."

Reesman brought up a British newspaper article that mentioned how British anglers wanted to ban otters who had been depleting fish stocks over there. It is evidently still an issue now.

"They [otters] were hunted to extinction several hundred years ago in England, and they've been reintroduced," Smith told Reesman. "The trouble is that the fish stocks in England have got different pressure on them than they had a few hundred years ago. They probably didn't have the industrial pollution. We have a problem with a cormorant invasion, these seagoing birds are coming inland because of the depletion of the fish stocks in the sea. They're coming in and decimating, and I mean, decimating freshwater [fish]. So we've got an invasive species of crayfish. It's an American crayfish that was brought into the U.K. a few years ago for the table, but instead of being controlled, they escaped because they could walk across land. So they escaped from the ponds into the rivers. They erode all the banks, they eat the spawn of the fish. In the last 20 years, whereas I could go down to my local river and catch a few fish, you'd be lucky now to see any because the population has been decimated already. Now you've got the otters, and the thing about the otters, they'll take a big fish, which has taken 20 years to grow, drag it out of the river, eat a small part of it and leave it. They're only doing what otters do. It's not their fault. It's just that people have been reintroducing them. It could have done with a bit more thought, because, yes, otters were there first, but that was a different time. Now there's more pressure on the fish stocks. I saw an otter actually, for the first time on my local river. It was late at night, and it was big. This thing was like a seal coming down a river. They are fast as well. They're very efficient hunters."

Smith also spoke about "Monsters Of River & Rock", in which he described various trips to different parts of the world. And once, he encountered a real-life Tasmanian Devil.

"This was incredible," recalled Smith. "We stayed at this lodge in Tasmania called London Lakes. Beautiful lakes, very wild country out in the middle of nowhere. Silence. We would be watching large groups of kangaroos from the trees. One night, one of the guys [wanted to go on] a late-night safari after dinner. So we jumped into his truck, and he had the big lights on the truck. We saw wombats. They were incredible things. Loads of kangaroos. He said, 'I think we found something special here' and he edged towards this clearing in the forest. There was this Tasmanian Devil eating away a dead kangaroo. We got right up close to it. You could hear this thing crunching bones. They don't leave anything. They eat the bones. They're scavengers, filling their role, cleaning up the dead animals. This kangaroo probably died. Devils don't hunt, they just clean up. They're not fast. There was also an animal called the Tasmanian Tiger which is thought to be extinct now. We didn't see one of those. That fascinates me as well. But it's a horrible story. They just got hunted to extinction. So you probably won't see like one of them. And they were like a big sort of coyote with stripes. But we saw the Devil. And lived."

"Monsters Of River & Rock" arrived last September via Virgin Books.

Smith was born in Hackney, East London, on February 27, 1957. He joined IRON MAIDEN at the end of 1980. Adrian is the bandmember who has collaborated on the most side projects outside of IRON MAIDEN, as well as writing and recording a series of albums in the early '90s, before rejoining the band. IRON MAIDEN has sold 100 million albums, and tour the world playing to millions of fans. Onstage, Adrian uses Jackson and Gibson guitars. Offstage, he is an avid tennis player. However, his main hobby is fishing.

Adrian's collaboration with Richie Kotzen, SMITH/KOTZEN, released its self-titled debut album in March via BMG.

In a new interview with Sonic Dorms, former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing was asked if he ever considered making his new band KK'S PRIEST a one-guitar outfit instead of hiring another musician to play guitar in the group. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's so strange you mention that, because I could have gone that route, couldn't I? It never entered my head. I've gotta be perfectly honest. [Laughs] Why didn't it enter my head to do that? I mean, we [JUDAS PRIEST] were a four-piece back in the day with myself, Rob [Halford] and Ian [Hill] and John Hinch, and with Al Atkins we were a four-piece. It never entered my head, strangely enough. But it would have been an option. I could have been the sole guitar player; yes, I could. But, obviously, I always knew that I would be playing some stuff from the past, and I would want to do that. But I still could have done solos for both guitar players; that wouldn't have been a problem.

"But I'm very, very happy, 'cause A.J. [Mills, KK'S PRIEST's other guitarist] is — obviously, I love him, he's great, and we can do all of these, I was gonna call it trickery, but cool guitar things together. And when you do some of the stuff that we do, that we've done on the album, in quite an abundance, it is fun, and it's gonna be very cool to play this stuff, just as it was in JUDAS PRIEST. And myself and Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] did some of these really cool kind of dual-guitar parts and trade-off stuff and all of that. And I always did like that and, obviously, it was a concession of mine to bring another guitar in prior to the first album, to get our teeth stuck into these really cool things.

"The two-guitar-player thing generally came across as quite kind of commercial and kind of a bit lightweight with the harmonies," Downing explained. "And I say that in the nicest possible way, because WISHBONE ASH was a great — not a favorite band of mine at the time. I was probably listening to the GRATEFUL DEAD and the JAMES GANG and different guys. [There were] lots of dual guitar players in the States, [but] not so much in the U.K. I always thought there was an option to do a heavy version of a two-guitar band, so I wanted to research that. And that's what we did, with myself and Glenn."

Downing also talked about how he and Mills split the lead guitar work in KK'S PRIEST and how it differs from the arrangement he had with Tipton in JUDAS PRIEST.

"I think there was a bone of contention that crept in, really, over the years; I didn't really feel as though I had my fair share of lead work [in JUDAS PRIEST]," he said. "And I should have, really, because, obviously, I can do this stuff. And on this [KK'S PRIEST] album, it's inundated with what I like to think is a lot of cool guitar work, but it's kind of more evenly shared out between myself and A.J., because that's the way I like to be. Because when the audience see a band, they don't just wanna see a guitar player and a support guitar player. They wanna see two guys that can really rip it up together, that have lead capabilities. So that's what happens on this record, and that's what will happen live."

KK'S PRIEST's lineup is rounded out by former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens, bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", will be released on August 20 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records. The LP's first single, "Hellfire Thunderbolt", was released in May. The title track followed last month.

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

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

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

Downing's autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", was released in September 2018 via Da Capo Press.

Angel guitarist Punky Meadows is featured in a career-spanning interview with Andrew DiCecco. An excerpt from the chat is available below.

You had an offer to join KISS, one of the world’s most renowned rock acts. Why did that opportunity never come to fruition?

Punky: "Well, what happened with KISS was, Angel had broken up and Gregg (Giuffria - keyboards), Barry (Brandt - drums), and I stuck together. We put a band together with Ricky Phillips from The Babys and Fergie Frederiksen, who was a great singer, too, and Gregg and myself. So, we put this band together and were getting ready to shop a deal. KISS and Gene, those guys all loved me so much; they always raved about me. And I loved them, too. Gene and Paul were in the studio recording and Barry Levine was their photographer. He did all the pictures for KISS and Angel and he was a friend of ours, too. He was in the studio with Gene and Paul, so he calls me up one day. He said, 'Hey, Punky. I guess you heard that KISS is looking for a guitar player.' They put an ad out in some music paper in L.A. and they had some people come down and audition. So, Barry says, I mentioned your name to Gene, and he said, 'That’s a great idea!' So, Barry Levine called me and said, 'They’re looking for a guitar player and Gene thinks it would be a great idea if you sat in with him and played.' I said, 'Well, have Gene call me.' So, Gene calls me up and says, 'Hey, yeah, it would be great to have you come and play with the band.' He said, 'Just learn one side of the KISS Alive! album. Doesn’t matter which side it is. Any side.' So, I had to tune my guitar a half-step down because they always did; I never did. [Laughs]."

"So, I learned a couple of their songs and said, 'Okay, I’ll go down,' because Gene asked me to go and we were friends. I went down to SIR Studios, I think that’s where it was, and I walked in and they were playing 'Communication Breakdown' by Led Zeppelin. It was just Paul and Gene; Eric Carr was on the drums. So, I walked in and I plugged up and played. It went great; sounded great. So, Gene comes over to me and says, 'Let’s sit down and talk business. You got the gig.' I said, 'Well, Gene, you know, I have to talk to Gregg first. Gregg and I are getting ready to shop a deal. I have to talk to him first.' As soon as I said that I insulted Gene, I guess. Gene got up and said, 'Come on, Paul. Let’s go.' So, they left. They stormed out. Then I went home and Barry Levine calls me up and he goes, 'Punky, what’d you do?' I said, 'What do you mean?' He goes, 'Paul and Gene came back with their jaws to the floor. Gene said no one’s ever turned down KISS!' And I said, 'I didn’t turn them down, Barry, I just said that I was with Gregg, we put this band together and were getting ready to shop a deal, and he just left.' He goes, 'They were gonna give you $200,000 a year plus points.' At the time, I was broke. I said, 'Well, I didn’t mean to do that. I don’t know what to say.' So, that was the end of that; I never followed back up on it."

Read the complete in-depth interview here.

 

 




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A New Zealand mother has reportedly named her three children Metallica, Slayer and Pantera.

The news of the unidentified woman's choice of names for her kids was first broken by New Zealand journalist and documentary filmmaker David Farrier (Netflix's "Dark Tourist").

"Proud to report that a New Zealand mother has named her children Metallica, Pantera and Slayer," Farrier wrote on his Twitter. "She told me, 'It's not easy raising three of the heaviest bands.'"

Farrier went on to say that he has seen the birth certificates of all three kids and admitted that he was was initially suspicious, especially after noticing that Metallica had a middle name of "And Justice For All", in honor of the band's fourth album.

"I reached out to the Registrar-General himself, asking if there are any restrictions naming babies after band names, or albums," Farrier wrote. New Zealand Registrar-General Jeff Montgomery answered that "there are no restrictions on naming babies after bands or albums, as long as the word used is not generally considered to be offensive or does not resemble an official rank or title."

Farrier shared a photo of the woman and included the following message: "I think it's important to note (as you can see in the photo in my article) this mother is also a big fan of crossbows, which are also truly metal, and she deserves our complete and utter respect for this (and for raising three kids)."

According to Good Housekeeping, very few baby names in the United States are actually forbidden, with naming laws set by each state and some states having more requirements than others. In some other countries, however, there are much stricter naming laws, with some requiring parents to choose from a pre-approved list of names, or petition the government to add a name to the list.

Most U.S. states prohibit using baby names with numerals in it, obscenities, and some states have character limits for the first name.




thread 1/4: proud to report that a new zealand mother has named her children metallica, pantera and slayer. she told me "it’s not easy raising three of the heaviest bands": https://t.co/kiXGTrr60A

— David Farrier (@davidfarrier) July 7, 2021








thread 2/4: i become a bit suspicious when she also included @metallica's best album "...and justice for all" in her kid's name too, but new zealand's registrar-general seems to confirm it's a real thing: pic.twitter.com/1jOy5AUWxT

— David Farrier (@davidfarrier) July 7, 2021








thread 3/4: ... plus, i've seen the birth certificates. anyway, waiting for comment from @metallica , @slayer and @pantera as clearly this metal mother (and her kids) deserve free metal gigs for life

— David Farrier (@davidfarrier) July 7, 2021








thread 4/4: finally, i think it's important to note (as you can see in the photo in my article) this mother is also a big fan of crossbows which are also truly metal and she deserves our complete and utter respect for this (and for raising three kids): https://t.co/kiXGTrr60A

— David Farrier (@davidfarrier) July 7, 2021

In a new interview with U.K.'s TotalRock, former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke spoke about his daughter Frankie Clarke who is following in his footsteps with her band FRANKIE AND THE STUDS.

"She's more on the punk rock side — she likes bands like GREEN DAY and PARAMORE and RANCID and the DISTILLERS; that's kind of where she's going," Gilby said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "So it's more on the pop-punk rock side.

"I helped her record in the very beginning, but she's carving her own path now, which I encourage," he continued. "I tell her, 'This is the good stuff. You have to get out there and meet people.' It's nice that you can talk to a few people and say, 'Oh, my Dad is this guy,' but this is her life. I think it's important that she gets out there.

"I always tell her, 'All those great stories myself and your mother tell you is all from when we were your age and we were out there doing our thing. We had no money, playing in bands, playing for no money and touring in vans. This is the stuff you're gonna look back on and you're gonna enjoy.' So that's what she has.

"She has a deal, and they released their first single called 'Victim'," Gilby added. "They're just about to drop another single, I think, fairly quickly. But it's a single deal, so she's kind of doing song by song right now."

Last year, Frankie told Guitar Girl Magazine about how she first got into music: "I took an interest in playing music when I was four years old, but I didn't start playing guitar until I was ten. I was always drawn to guitar, but my parents thought piano would be a good introduction for me. Then I saw the movie 'School Of Rock' when I was ten and thought, 'If those kids can play in a rock band, then so can I.' I started my first band with my fifth-grade classmates, which was an all-girl band called SWEET GONE SOUR. We had a couple of original songs, one of them being titled 'School Sucks', but we also played covers like 'American Idiot' by GREEN DAY and 'Cherry Bomb' by THE RUNAWAYS."

Clarke replaced Izzy Stradlin in the GUNS lineup in 1991, during the "Use Your Illusion" tour, and stayed with the band for three years. After exiting GUNS N' ROSES, Clarke continued as a producer and solo artist, while also playing in SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA, HEART and other acts.

Clarke, along with Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and former GN'R drummers Steven Adler and Sorum, performed three "Appetite For Destruction" songs with Myles Kennedy at the GUNS Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in April 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. Kennedy, who handles lead vocals in Slash's solo band and ALTER BRIDGE, sang "Mr. Brownstone", "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City", with "Use Your Illusion"-era member Sorum sitting behind the drum kit on "Brownstone" and the man he replaced in GN'R, Adler, pounding the skins for the other two songs.

Clarke's new solo album, "The Gospel Truth", was released in April via Golden Robot Records.

BUCKCHERRY singer Josh Todd, who will celebrate his 27th year of sobriety in November, spoke to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how he spent his coronavirus downtime. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I got into action. I'm not one that really sits around for too long. I never get on the pity potty. I just go, 'Okay, what am I gonna do with this time? I've got all this time. How can I utilize it wisely?' And making the 'Hellbound' record [with BUCKCHERRY] was one of them. And as far as recovery, I'm always in it. So I did a lot of Zoom meetings in that time; a lot of recovery went to Zoom meetings. And I did a lot of Zoom meetings; I stayed in action. I did a lot of step work during that time to feel good in my head. And I picked up the game of tennis again; I played a lot of tennis, which was really good for my mental health. And a lot of things. I learned a new trade too. I became a certified phlebotomist during the lockdown, and I served L.A. County for four months out at a COVID clinic. So I did that as well, after the 'Hellbound' record was written. A lot of interesting things I did during the lockdown. But that was one of 'em. [It was] very interesting, and [I] learned a lot."

Asked about the steps that are involved in getting certified in phlebotomy, which is the drawing of blood by venipuncture for transfusion, diagnostic testing or experimental procedures, Josh said: "I went to a two-week program where you stick and you get stuck a lot by students. And then you've gotta take a national exam, and I did that as well, and I passed that. And then you get out in the field and do your thing. And that's what I did for, like I said, four months out in downtown L.A.; I worked at a COVID clinic. And it was interesting.

"I've always been a worker — I've worked since I was 13 — so not working is not good for me," he explained. "And I always became interested in it. I always go to Quest Diagnostics. I get my bloodwork annually there, because the best phlebotomists are there. I remember this one big, tall tattoed dude came out and drew my blood one time, and I literally didn't even feel it; he was so good. And we started chatting, and I just became interested in it — a long time ago, way before the pandemic. And then I was just, like, 'I'm gonna go learn this. I'm gonna learn it.' And so I did it."

"Hellbound" was released on June 25 via Round Hill Records. The follow-up to 2019's "Warpaint" was recorded last fall in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many oth

In a new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, KIX frontman Steve Whiteman was asked if the band will ever release a follow-up album to 2014's "Rock Your Face Off". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think so. Right now it's the business end of it you have to look at, because in order to have [producer] Taylor Rhodes involved, his fee is pretty steep, and we don't expect him to do it for nothing, so you've gotta weigh it out. I mean, we can record for relatively nothing, but having Brian [Forsythe, guitar] fly in from Nashville and paying Taylor Rhodes, it's, like, can we recoup the money? Because it's not about making money; it's about not losing money. So I guess all that would have to be worked out. And if we can do it and feel confident enough that people are gonna buy the damn thing, we'd love to give fans new music, but it's gotta make good business as well."

KIX was founded in 1977 and released its first, self-titled album on Atlantic Records nearly 40 years ago. Their breakthrough came with 1988's "Blow My Fuse", which sold nearly a million copies, thanks to "Don't Close Your Eyes". The band continued to ride the hard-rock wave until 1995, when KIX took a hiatus. Nearly 10 years later, KIX reunited and started touring regionally. A 2008 performance at the Rocklahoma festival led to more gigs and the release of a live DVD/CD called "Live In Baltimore" in 2012.

In 2014, KIX released its seventh full-length album, "Rock Your Face Off" (Loud & Proud Records), the band's first studio effort since 1995's "Show Business".

KIX guitarist Ronnie Younkins is currently unable to tour with the band because he has been placed under house arrest after repeatedly getting in trouble with the police. He is being temporarily replaced by Bob Paré, an accomplished musician who studied at the Music Institute in Los Angeles and taught music theory and guitar at several institutions, including Western Maryland College and Maryland Institute of Music.

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has criticized actress Phylicia Rashad for tweeting in celebration of Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction being overturned.

After news surfaced on Wednesday (June 30) that Cosby's sentence for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman years earlier would be vacated, Rashad tweeted, "FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!", along with a photo of Cosby. Following that first tweet, which was met with criticism by some online, Rashad later shared another statement.

"I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward," Rashad wrote in a subsequent tweet.

"My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth," she wrote. "Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing."

That same day, Stanley retweeted Rashad's comments and added the following message: "When someone feigns sympathy by speaking of 'your' truth they are actually saying they don't believe you. SIXTY women came forward with basically identical accounts of being drugged & raped. THAT is THE truth. Legal technicalities & friendship with the rapist can't change that."

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out Cosby's sexual assault conviction after it ruled a previous agreement between him and the then-district attorney prevented the subsequent district attorney from proceeding with criminal charges.

Cosby, 83, had been in prison for nearly three years after being found guilty of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004.

Rashad has twice played Cosby's wife on television: from 1984 to 1992 on the NBC sitcom "The Cosby Show" and from 1996 to 2000 on the CBS sitcom "Cosby".




When someone feigns sympathy by speaking of “your” truth they are actually saying they don’t believe you. SIXTY women came forward with basically identical accounts of being drugged & raped. THAT is THE truth. Legal technicalities & friendship with the rapist can’t change that. https://t.co/sMCRs3nq8e

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) July 1, 2021








WHAT?!? What a travesty. My sympathy to all those brave women who came forward only to now be assaulted again. https://t.co/fmJ4FUQByi

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) June 30, 2021

In a new interview with the "Do You Know Jack?" podcast, KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch discussed the 25th anniversary of the band's second album, "Life Is Peachy". Asked how he and his bandmates avoided the dreaded sophomore jinx while making the follow-up to 1994's double-platinum self-titled debut, Brian said: "Defintely it was a thing where [the record company and management] tried to scare us. They were, like, 'Sophomore jinx. You don't want that. So you guys need to go work. But at the same time, we need you to have an album ready in six weeks.' And we didn't write nothing yet. The first record we had our whole early 20s to write, and now we had two months to write and record a record. We did it so fast. And the management was — they weren't pressuring us, but they were, like, 'It would be really helpful if you guys could just bring it.' We told the producer and everything. And Ross [Robinson, producer] back then, he was young; we were all young. We were, like, 'Yeah. Let's go do it. Let's go tear it up.' And once we had 'A.D.I.D.A.S.' and 'Twist' and 'No Place To Hide', we were, like, 'Okay.' 'Cause once [singer Jonathan Davis] did [the scat vocals on] 'Twist', it was, like, 'What in the hell was that?' And we were, like, 'Let's open the record with that. And people will be, like, 'What? What is this?' No one ever has done that… We looked at [Jonathan after he had recorded his vocals]. We were, like, 'Who are you?' So, we were just, like, 'Okay. It doesn't sound like nobody else.' And that's a key for music. Back then, anyway, and even now, I'd say, if you have something unique and it makes you feel something, it's gonna stand out above the rest. But more than anything, we felt it. We were, like, 'Oh my God. We can't wait to play this onstage,' no matter if there was two hundred people there or thousands."

He added: "I feel like that's not the best record as far as sounding and production-wise and everything. If it weren't for those three or four songs, we would be in trouble, I think."

Between 1994 and 1998, KORN released four studio albums — the aforementioned "Korn" and "Life Is Peachy", plus "Follow The Leader" and "Issues" — all of which were huge critical and commercial successes and paved the way for countless other nu metal bands.

KORN will embark on a North American tour with STAIND throughout August and September 2021.

The band's latest studio LP, "The Nothing", came out in September 2019.

Late last month, KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu announced that he was taking a hiatus from the band while he deals with some "personal issues." The 51-year-old musician has been a member of KORN since its inception in 1993.

Southern California rockers THE OFFSPRING have released the official Samuel Bayer-directed music video for the song "This Is Not Utopia". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", which arrived in April via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Days Go By" was once again produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band's last two LPs.

In a recent interview with Forbes, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland stated about "This Is Not Utopia", which talks about the roots of American "hysteria": "Look around. It's obvious this is not utopia. To put it a nicer way, we could do better. We could do better, right?

"It's important for us to not come across as political," he continued. "I never want to be preachy, I never want to tell you that you should think like this, that you should do something or act a certain way, but I do want to throw the observations out there and you can draw your own point — whether you are a liberal or a conservative — to think about the things that we can all do to make things better."

Holland, guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, drummer Pete Parada and new bassist Todd Morse wrote and recorded "Let The Bad Times Roll" in the last few years at various locations, including the band's studio in Huntington Beach, California.

Speaking about the long gap between "Let The Bad Times Roll" and the previous OFFSPRING album, Noodles told the 100.3 The X Rocks radio station: "We've been working on it for a while. Really, about two or three years ago, everything started really kind of clicking, and we had a really creative period — then and since, actually. We were hoping to have the record done probably five years ago, ultimately, and it just took longer to make something that we really felt was strong and representative of the band in the best light."

Added Dexter: "I think that's it. It had to feel right before we wanted to put it out. We're not really under a deadline. We didn't even have a label, actually — we were sort of floating out there. So it was a good time to just take our time and make the right record."

Asked how hard it was for them to sit on those songs for so long without being able to share them with their fans, Dexter said: "There really is this feeling, when you have something that you're really happy with… 'Cause sometimes you go through a bunch of stuff that, 'Oh, this song needs work. This needs work.' When you have something that's clicking, you're, like, 'Oh, man. I can't wait to get this out.' But you just kind of have to sit on it for a while. I mean, we basically sat on this since the pandemic started, 'cause we kind of thought, 'This is probably not the best time to release a record, 'cause we can't go out and tour, we can't promote it, can't be there to play it for the people,' so we've kind of been sitting on it for the better part of a year. Although we kept on going back and tweaking it, and it actually got better over that year. But we decided, well, we can't wait forever if we're gonna put this out."

Regarding the inspiration for the "Let The Bad Times Roll" album title, Dexter told HardDrive Radio: "We had a song two albums ago [on 2008's 'Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace'] called 'Shit Is Fucked Up'. We wrote that 'cause we thought how terrible things were in the world back then. But it actually got worse. So we had to come up with a new title, 'Let The Bad Times Roll'.

"You can apply it to a lot of things," he explained. "I mean, we're not a political band. Some people would apply it to the last administration. Some people would apply it to things that are going on today, or just how messed up everything is, trying to fix our pandemic and all that kind of stuff."

Added Noodles: "But really, it's not just an American-centric thing either, cause you're seeing stuff happening around the world. There's unrest happening literally everywhere — on all continents. You're seeing unrest, and then you're also seeing anti-democratic forces kind of taking power in some places, in which case causes more unrest. So, yeah, the whole world is a little bit of a scary place right now."

Dexter continued: "That's right. Climate change, climate deniers, vaccine, anti-vaxxers — whatever you want, it's out there."

Asphalt Valentine have announced their new guitarist, Victor Adriel. Says the band, "Hailing from São Paulo, Brazil, Victor joined the band just a couple of weeks ago and is ready to hit the road for all the upcoming shows. We are super stoked to have him a part of the AV crew!"

Vocalist Joe Flynt states: “The whole band is excited that we released another record. It’s been years or since we did the Into The Red EP and a lot has changed with the band. We almost called it a day a while back but then I got a call from another band from the area to fill in on vocals. While I was out on the road with them my creative energy started to flow again. When I got back from the road, I was so fired up and ready to get back at it I called the guys up and we started to finish writing and recording Twisted Road. It all came together pretty quickly once everyone was back in band mode. I feel like we’ve put together something really special, and I’m looking forward to hearing what the fans think about it. We’re all so proud of this album. It’s definitely a big jump from our previous efforts and the material is so much stronger now and adding Victor has made all of us step up our game."

Asphalt Valentine released their latest studio effort, Twisted Road, on February 28, 2020 along with three videos.




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Frontiers Music Srl recently released the first ever live album and video from Finland's One Desire, One Night Only - Live In Helsinki. Check out a live video for "Apologize" from the release below. Order CD/DVD, Blu-ray, and LP versions of the album and save the digital version here.

Back in March 2020, One Desire had hit the road with The Night Flight Orchestra in Europe in support of their then forthcoming second album, Midnight Empire. Of course, anyone who sees 'March 2020' knows that the coronavirus pandemic was strengthening its grip on the globe at that moment in time. The tour was cut short and venues around the globe were being shut down. Unfortunately, upon getting home, the guys realized they had all caught COVID-19, but luckily, after some time, the guys all recovered.

While the Midnight Empire release in May 2020 was as successful as it could be given the complicated circumstances surrounding the album release at that moment in time due to the various territorial lockdowns in Europe, One Desire still had a yearning to show fans how these new songs sounded live. As they, and the rest of the world, adjusted to a new reality in terms of live performances, the idea of a special one-of-a-kind live product came to pass and a live recording was captured on October 3, 2020 in Helsinki, Finland at the On The Rocks Club. With just a minimal audience, as required for live events these days, the band kicked out a selection of their most beloved and acclaimed songs. One Night Only - Live In Helsinki also comes with a bunch of interesting bonus content.

Tracklisting:

"Shadowman"
"Apologize"
"Down And Dirty"
"Heroes"
"Godsent Extasy"
"This Is Where The Heartbreak Begins"
"Only When I Breathe"
"Falling Apart"
"After You’re Gone"
"Whenever I’m Dreaming"
"Hurt"
"Buried Alive"

"Apologize" (Live) video:

"Shadowman" (Live) video:

"Heroes" (Live) video:

"Hurt" (Live) video:

"After You're Gone" (Live) video:

Lineup:

André Linman – lead vocals, guitars
Jimmy Westerlund – guitars, background vocals
Ossi Sivula – drums
Jonas Kuhlberg – bass




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British death metal titans, Ingested, will release The Surreption II -  a reimagined recording of their vital second album, The Surreption - on July 30 via Unique Leader to celebrate its 10 year anniversary. Check out a drum playthrough video for "This Disgusting Revelation":

Vocalist Jason Evans previously stated: "As some of you may know, the tenth anniversary of our second album The Surreption is fast approaching, and what better way to celebrate than to unleash this beast upon the world once more? That's right, we have been holed up in the Ingested lockdown bunker hard at work to bring to you our second album the way we always wanted it to be. This isn't a remix, or a remaster, this is a complete re-recording, a reimagining of an important, but often forgotten step in the path of Ingested. We never got to do a music video for the original release of The Surreption and we think that's a shame, so feast your eyes and ears on our video for 'Manifesting Obscenity', and fire up the pre-orders for The Surreption II, because this bad motherf**ker is available July 30th on Unique Leader Records."

Tracklisting:

"Crowning The Abomination"
"Decline"
"The Consequence"
"A Coming Unperceived"
"This Disgusting Revelation"
"Castigation And Rebirth"
"Manifesting Obscenity"
"22"
"Kingmaker"
"The Alpha And Omega"

"Manifesting Obscenity" video:

Ingested are confirmed as support for Bleed From Within's The Fracture Tour, commencing November 2 in Cologne, Germany. Kill The Lights have been announced as openers. Confirmed venues can be found in the official poster below.




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European hard rock group Headless - composed of members who have performed alongside the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen, Geoff Tate (ex-Queensryche) and Elegy - have unveiled an animated music video for their newest single, “Streetlight Buzz”. The clip can be viewed below.

The song - which is now available for streaming and download on all digital platforms - is the second official preview of the band's new record (and M-Theory Audio debut) Square One, which will be released on September 24. The album - which showcases the band's blend of classic rock catchiness with heavier progressive metal influences - is now available for pre-order on CD, digital and limited-edition cloudy blue sky colored vinyl, and the limited exclusive Belt of Venus pink variant with autographed photo (only 100 made), here.

“The hype is real! The new Headless album will be released in September, with exceptional artists like Göran Edman (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) and Martin Helmantel (Elegy) working together on original music for the first time,” explains the guitar duo of Walter Cianciusi and Dario Parente. “The new single 'Streetlight Buzz' showcases the band's vast amount of hard rock influences stretching from Queensryche to Thin Lizzy, with hints of Judas Priest and guitar harmonies over fast double-bass work typical of '90s-era Helloween. The lyrics are inspired by Dostoevsky’s novel 'The Dream of a Ridiculous Man.' The video basically tells the story using neon technology and placing the characters invented by the genius of Dostoevsky in a futuristic context."

“Streetlight Buzz” is the second single to be released from Square One. Earlier this year, the group released the song “Woman In White”, an energetic rocker with a melodic power metal vibe and lyrics inspired by the works of classic American poet Emily Dickinson. A video, directed by Dimitar Stamenov (Sabaton, Motorhead), in which the ghost of the death-obsessed poetess is projected in a typical video game setting, can be viewed below.

The upcoming release of Square One is the latest chapter in the saga of a band whose members have amassed an impressive array of credits throughout their respective careers. Göran Edman has been the group's lead vocalist since 2011. The two Headless albums to which he has lent his melodic croons so far - 2013's Growing Apart and 2016's Melt The Ice Away - join a lengthy resume that began in the 1980s as a part of Swedish hard rockers Madison and Swedish Erotica; included stints during the 1990s as a vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen and John Norum (Europe); and continued with multiple groups into the 21st Century, most notably alongside members of The Flower Kings in the progressive metal band Karmakanic.

Tracklisting:

"A Leaf's Flight Path"
"Woman In White"
"Step Back From Me"
"Misdirection"
"Backseat Rhythm"
"Tail Down Low"
"Langeweile"
"Two's Up"
"Streetlight Buzz"
"Risin' Up"

"Streetlight Buzz" video:

    
“Woman In White” lyric video:

Lineup:

Göran Edman - vocals
Walter Cianciusi - guitars
Dario Parente - guitars
Martin Helmantel - bass guitar
Enrico Cianciusi - drums




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1349 guitarist Archaon and bassist Seidemann have teamed up with members of Chilean thrash outfit Nuclear and Hellman to perform a cover of Celtic Frost's "Usurper".

Seideman comments, “This version of the Celtic Frost classic doubles as a tribute to the legends themselves as well as a tribute to friendship and brotherhood. Metal music brings people from all over the world together and this combination of Nuclear and 1349 is no exception.”

Punto of Nuclear adds: "We're very pleased to pay tribute to one of the most influential acts in extreme metal history. This idea started as a simple chat in backstage when both bands were touring together in Europe. After that everything went black in pandemic and we put the things rolling to record the song and film this video. It was a real honour for us work alongside such talented musicians and cool guys.”




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Check out “’Bound By The Horror”, the brand new video and track that Gost released from Rites Of Love And Reverence, due for a release on August 13. Join the coven and be “’Bound By The Horror” below.

Gost comments: “’Bound by the Horror’ started the writing process for ‘Rites of Love and Reverence’.  I wanted a heavy baseline to really start things off for this record and ‘Bound by the Horror’ is the result.  ‘Bound by the Horror’ refers to how I started feeling boxed in creatively.  One of my favourites from the new album and a kind of goodbye to limiting expectations.”

The following formats are available for Rites Of Love And Reverence:

- Gatefold black LP+CD
- Gatefold neon yellow LP+CD (200) only available at centurymedia.store
- Gatefold transp. orange LP+CD (300) available at CM Distro Wholesale EU
- Digital Album

Click here for some selected presale links.

Tracklisting:

"Bell, Book And Candle" (feat. Bitchcraft)
"Bound By The Horror"
"The Fear"
"A Fleeting Whisper"
"We Are The Crypt"
"Blessed Be"
"November Is Death" (feat. Bitchcraft)
"Embrace The Blade"
"Coven"
"Burning Thyme"

"Coven" video:

"A Fleeting Whisper" video:

Rites Of Love And Reverence is both an album of beautifully crafted songs and a fascinating and intuitively gothic journey, rich with thoughts of supernatural wickedness and real world retribution.

“The lyrics were inspired by witchcraft themes,” says the man himself. “It’s mainly about how witchcraft has affected women throughout history. Witch trials and the subsequent executions throughout the ages terrify me. I fear, as a society, we are always on the verge of such horrible psychosis based on the misunderstanding and intolerance of one another. I try to educate myself on any historical subject I use as an influence, out of respect for the real people who actually lived through it.”

In keeping with its dark theme, Rites Of Love And Reverence arrives adorned with the most stunning image Gost has used to date, created by celebrated doyen of macabre art, Nona Limmen. Both eerily psychedelic and hazily mysterious, it’s the perfect visual representation of this extraordinary record’s grim but vivid depths.

The perfect soundtrack to these uncertain and frequently horrifying times, Rites Of Love And Reverence renders Gost’s post-synthwave exploits in kaleidoscopic technicolor, delivering all the glass-shattering grit, incisive melodic melancholy and tripped-out, electronic fervour that his ever-expanding army of admirers demand.




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Two decades into their journey as ritualistic black metal conjurers, Wolves In The Throne Room have emerged from the forest with Primordial Arcana, their most majestic album to date, and their first release via Century Media Records (outside of US and Canada) and Relapse Records (US and Canada) out August 20.

After releasing a first taste with “Mountain Magick” in June, the band has just launched “Spirit Of Lightning”, including a special visualizer that is diving deeper into the aesthetics of Primordial Arcana. Yet again the clip was was produced by Wolves In The Throne Room.

The band comments on the song itself: “’Spirit of Lightning’ returns briefly to the earthly plane as a tribute to the human connections forged in music. Metal is a community that’s bonded together through music and spirituality. This song is an homage to that community, that brotherhood and the virtues that can be espoused through it—going all the way back to the progenitors of the genre.”

Primordial Arcana is the band’s first completely self-contained work: In addition to composition and performance, brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver alongside guitarist Kody Keyworth handled all aspects of recording, producing and mixing at their own Owl Lodge Studios in the woods of Washington state.

Primordial Arcana is out August 20 via Century Media Records outside of USA/Canada and available in the following formats with the Ltd. Gatefold 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster variants being cut to 45rpm and coming with an additional track, “Skyclad Passage”:

- Ltd. Gatefold olive green 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 1.600)
- Ltd. Gatefold deep blood red 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 1.000) only available at Kings Road Merch Europe (Official Store)
- Ltd. Gatefold clear 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 300) available at Distro Wholesale EU
- Ltd. Gatefold dark green 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 200) only available at Supreme Chaos
- Ltd. Gatefold transp. light blue 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 200) only available at Evil Greed
- Ltd. Gatefold creamy white 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster (limited to 200) only available at EMP and Nuclear Blast
- Ltd. brown LP & LP-Booklet (limited to 300) available at all UK Indie outlets
- Ltd. transp. sun yellow LP & LP-Booklet (limited to 200) only available at Consouling Sounds
- Ltd. CD Mediabook
- Digital Album

September 24:

- black LP & LP-Booklet

Pre-order here.

Album cover art by Amjad Faur and Wolves In The Throne Room.

Tracklisting:

"Mountain Magick"
"Spirit Of Lightning"
"Through Eternal Fields"
"Primal Chasm (Gift Of Fire)"
"Underworld Aurora"
"Skyclad Passage" (additional track only available on the Ltd. Gatefold 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster variants)
"Masters Of Rain And Storm"
"Eostre"

“Mountain Magick” video:

Lineup:

Nathan Weaver - Lead Vocals/Guitar
Aaron Weaver - Drums/Synth/Voice
Kody Keyworth - Vocals/Guitar

(Photo - Dreaming God)




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Brazilian singer, Alirio, will release his Frontiers Music Srl debut, All Things Must Pass, on August 6. Watch a lyric video for the song "Grey" featuring Journey singer Arnel Pineda below, and pre-order/save All Things Must Pass here.

Alirio is a Brazilian singer and actor, one of the most recognized rock voices in Brazil and up-and-coming names amongst the greatest singers in the country. Whether it’s on stage, in the studio, or performing in musical theatre, Alirio makes a strong impression with his powerful voice, amazing range, and effortless control. "I consider myself a very eclectic songwriter when it comes to styles of rock. My favorite songwriters at the moment, and also huge influences, are Chris Cornell, George Harrison and, obviously, Queen," says Alirio.

Of the meaning behind the first single from the album, he continues, "Power is constantly shifting hands and you gotta try to make the most of it while you have it. But that too will pass, and, when it does, will you have been true to yourself or have been corrupted by the system?"

All Things Must Pass will be Alirio’s international album debut. It embraces a wide range of rock and hard rock styles, always allowing space for great melodies and soaring ballads. The musicians on the album include drummer Adriano Daga (Grammy award winner as a producer) and bassist Felipe Andreoli (Angra). And none other than Journey vocalist Arnel Pineda appears for a duet on the album.

"I am thrilled and truly heartfelt in being a part of the Frontiers family,” says Alirio. "This album is very special to me, not only for featuring really close friends who are well known worldwide, but specially for the passion and truth I put into every single note of this album. I have to say that this might be the most honest work of my career. Having a record label of this magnitude believe in my music in such a rough moment for the whole world is a huge blessing."

As a rock singer, Alirio has fronted the band Khallice, who had signed to the prog rock label Magna Carta for the release of their debut album, The Journey. Alirio was also in the metal band Age Of Artemis, who released two albums, one of them produced by renowned singer and producer Edu Falaschi (ex-Angra). More recently, he joined the band Shaman as a replacement for the departed Andre Matos.

Alirio has also participated in several musical theatre productions, including the lead “Galileo” in We Will Rock You, the official musical production by Queen. He was also later announced as the new lead singer for the band Queen Extravaganza, which led Roger Taylor to comment, “Alirio is not only a superlative singer, he is also a great showman.”

Alirio also dubbed to Portuguese the character “Lefu” in the Beauty And The Beast live action by Disney.

Additionally, Alirio has also played the role of Jesus in the official Mexican production of Jesus Christ Superstar. He also played the role of Judas in the official Brazilian production of the same show, for which he was nominated 2014's Best Lead Actor by the “Estado de São Paulo” newspaper. This led to doors opening for him in his home country, where performances soon followed on some of the main TV shows in Brazil. He performed on the biggest talk show in the country, hosted by Jo Soares, among various other TV shows including Altas Horas, Faustão, The Noite, Jornal Hoje, Jornal do SBT, Jornal da Globo, and Programa Todo Seu, and he also performed on the TV show Good Morning L.A. in the United States along with the Queen Extravaganza.

Tracklisting:

"All Things Must Pass"
"Let It All Burn" (Feat. Hugo Mariutti)
"Here I Am"
"Back To The Roots"
"The First Time"
"Edinburgh"
"Back To The Light" (Feat. Andria Busic)
"I'm Still Here" (Feat. Andria Busic)
"Grey" (Feat. Arnel Pineda)
"You Hate" (Feat. Alberto Rionda)
"Breeze" (Bonus Track Digital)
"Come With Me" (Bonus Track Digital)
"Gipsy" (Bonus Track Digital)
"Mentiras" (Feat. Alberto Rionda) (Bonus Track Digital)
"Nada Se Compara" (Bonus Track Digital)

"Grey" (Feat. Arnel Pineda) lyric video:

"All Things Must Pass" video:




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Legendary German thrash metal powerhouse, Destruction, is smashing an all devastating, neck-breaking Live Attack onto the masses. The new BluRay/CD live event, including some pre- and after-show bonus content, will be released on August 13.

Today, those scene-leading frontrunners evoke the second outburst out of this energetic offering and release the live-single and music video for bone-crushing “Reject Emotions”. The song was cut  from the set list for quite a long time and demanded by many fans since then. For their incomparable streaming event, Live Attack, the German thrash metal institution Destruction, with legendary founding members Schmier on vocals/bass and Mike on guitars, brought this anthem back to the stage.

Schmier states: “The die-hards voted for ‘Reject Emotions’ to be on the setlist at this special show on our social media pages. We did not perform this fan favorite in its full length since the 80s, cause it was written for two guitars. Most fans know, it is actually the first song we ever wrote as a four-piece. This is why we chose this as a single now for our BluRay release. It is a very rare live track, finally played again with the power of two axes, the way it was meant to be! A cult song that always had a special place in our metal-hearts!  The flashback shots from the 80s in honor of the old line up build a bridge to our history and will hopefully bring back some joy and good memories for many supporters!”

Watch the insanely thrashing live video for “Reject Emotions”:

Founded back in 1982 and since their first demo, followed by debut EP, Sentence Of Death (1984) and first full-length, Infernal Overkill (1985), the German foursome Destruction has turned heads and broken necks with their incredibly honest and uncompromising thrash metal power. Now, 39 years into their unstoppable rampage of a career, Destruction bring the power of hard-hitting drums, speedy riffs and punishing vocals to the comfort of your home on the new Blu-Ray & 2 Audio CD’s, Live Attack.

Destruction on their first release with Napalm Records: “This show at our fave club, the Z7 in Switzerland, was a really special one in the middle of this dreadful pandemic! When we recorded it as a live stream on the 1st of January, it gave us hope back and connected us with the fans worldwide! Many supporters demanded to release it in physical form, so we had to make it happen. The setlist reflects four decades of Destruction with an almost two hour best-of setlist, which includes some really rare live tracks! It was for sure a night to remember… we hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!"

When the music world was forced to shut down venues and cancel tours for an indefinite period of time, Destruction came through to deliver their outstanding power via live stream to their loyal fans at home – now available for you to enjoy on high-definition Blu-Ray! Witness Destruction ripping through their live set of 22 songs, including beloved classics like “Mad Butcher”, “Thrash Till Death”, “Born To Perish” and many more! Filmed and recorded at the legendary Z7 venue in Pratteln (Switzerland), Destruction spare no expense or effort to bring you a live show experience that will make you bang your head like you’re in the front row at the show, getting your ear drums penetrated by rumbling double-bass grooves! The Blu-Ray is filled with exclusive pre- and aftershow insights and behind the scenes footage from Destruction’s live show – a must-have for fans of true thrash metal!

Live Attack will be available in North America the following formats:

- 8 Page Digipack Blu-Ray & 2 Audio CD´s
- 3LP Gatefold Marbled GOLD/BLACK - limited to 200 copies with Etching
- 3LP Gatefold Marbled BLUE/BLACK - limited to 300 copies with Etching
- 3LP Gatefold BLACK with Etching
- Full digital album

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Born To Perish"
"Death Trap"
"Nailed To The Cross"
"Armageddonizer"
"Tormentor"
"Rotten"
"Mad Butcher"
"Reject Emotions"
"Thrash Till Death"
"Betrayal"
"Sign Of Fear"
"Damir’s Shred"
"Inspired By Death"
"Release From Agony"
"Life Without Sense"
"Antichrist"
"Invincible Force"
"Under Attack"
"Bestial Invasion"
"The Butcher Strikes Back"
"Curse The Gods"
"Total Desaster"

Live Attack Blu-Ray bonus content:

- Pre-Show
- After Show

"Mad Butcher" live video:

Destruction are:
Schmier - Bass, Vocals
Mike - Guitars
Randy Black - Drums
Damir Eskić - Guitars

(Photo - Gorka Photography)




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In a new interview with Sonic Perspectives, legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was asked if he would ever want to collaborate again with such musicians as Derek Sherinian (keyboards) and John Macaluso (drums). He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, 'cause I don't collaborate with people. I write all parts. Even when I hire people such as them, when they were hired to record with me, then I wrote the parts and sounds and so forth.

"Listen, I never say never to anything, but right now this is exactly where I wanna be."

Malmsteen also spoke about his reluctance to play a fashionable style of music, preferring instead to forge his own path.

"The thing is that I've done this for such a long time, and I was a very accomplished musician already — very young, but very accomplished; I was in junior high, I think — when the first punk wave came, SEX PISTOLS and stuff," he explained. "And I was going, 'What the fuck is this? Why don't you tune the guitar? Why do you sing like that?' And then, of course, that wore out. And then in 1991, the same exact thing happened again with the grunge wave. So, obviously, as you might already have figured out, I'm not a follower — I don't follow trends. If anything, I make trends; I don't follow. And I've always been very clear in my vision on where I wanna go and what I wanna do. And my art is too important to me to dilute with trying to follow other things. So I just don't do that."

Four years ago, Jeff Scott Soto, who sang on Yngwie's first two albums, 1984's "Rising Force" and 1985's "Marching Out", engaged in a war of words with the Swedish guitarist over the fact that Malmsteen claimed in an interview that he "always wrote everything," including the lyrics and melodies, and simply hired various vocalists to sing his material. Soto told the "US American Made Guitars" show that "it's false information" to suggest that he contributed nothing to Yngwie's early albums "because we co-wrote [some of] those songs together. I actually authored those songs," he said. "For him to say, 'I wrote every lyric, every melody,' it's absolute falsity. And he's speaking out of whatever anger or whatever throwaway conversation he might be having, but when it's put on text, it comes across as very crude and very arrogant. So, of course, I don't take that kind of stuff too personally."

In the days after Yngwie's original interview with Metal Wani was published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, several of the guitarist's other former singers — including Joe Lynn Turner and Tim "Ripper" Owens — responded on social media, with Turner describing Malmsteen's statements as "the rantings of a megalomaniac desperately trying to justify his own insecurity." This was followed by a retort from a member of Yngwie's management team, who wrote on Malmsteen's Facebook page that the three vocalists "came out enraged, spitting insults and profanities" at the guitarist because "Yngwie said something that they didn't like." The management representative added: " It's very unfortunate that these past hired vocalists must resort to mudslinging and insults to elicit any kind of media attention towards them. Such classless, puerile words are ungentlemanly at best and absolutely disgraceful at worst."

Yngwie's new album, "Parabellum", will be released on July 23 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. Only four of the songs on the LP feature vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".

After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist/vocalist Ralph Ciavolino and drummer Brian Wilson.

Last month, Yngwie announced a month-long fall 2021 U.S. tour. Support on the trek will come from former MARILYN MANSON and current ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5

DEF LEPPARD lead guitarist Phil Collen joined the iconic queen of funk Chaka Khan on stage during the Black Girls Rock! 15th-anniversary fundraising gala, which streamed on June 18 on the newly launched BGR!TV network.

The virtual gala, powered by Microsoft, was an illustrious celebration of black girl magic featuring additional musical performances by Grammy-nominated virtuosos Alice Smith and Maimouna Youssef, a.k.a. MuMu Fresh; D.C.'s all-woman go-go band BELA DONA; Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard; and celebrity DJ Aktive. The event was hosted by esteemed actress Tatyana Ali and hip-hop icon MC Lyte, with appearances by acclaimed actor Wood Harris, Grammy Award-winning artist Estelle, and more.

Asked in a new interview with The SDR Show how the Khan collaboration came about, Collen said: "[American DJ, businesswoman, producer, writer and former Wilhelmina model] Beverly Bond has got this thing that she created years ago called Black Girls Rock!, and it's empowerment for women of color, girls of color, that don't get a say. It's hard enough for a woman; it's even worse for a black woman, growing up and all these other things. So they just give a voice and they give empowerment and they give inspiration to young women of color.

"I'm the father of three black girls," he continued. "I have three daughters. Their moms are black. They're considered black women or little girls. So it's close to me. My wife is black.

"I've known Beverly, and my wife Helen has worked with her for years. This has come about [when she said], 'We're getting some acts, and it'd be great if you played guitar with Chaka.' I was, like, 'Oh my God. She's one of my idols.'"

When the event was first announced, Bond said: "Fifteen years ago, I created Black Girls Rock! to honor black women and to counter societal norms that too often marginalize our voices, images, and contributions. Black Girls Rock! triggered a seismic paradigm shift that exponentially elevated the stories, leadership, accomplishments, and inclusion of women of color. I am humbled by the tremendous global impact this movement has made in the lives of millions of women and girls.

"After fifteen years of advocating for black women's visibility and power, it's a fitting evolution to launch our own OTT network, BGR!TV. Owning our narrative whilst fostering black economic empowerment and equity is critical for our liberation. As the proud owner of this new media platform, I'm now able to scale my efforts to create content that reflects our audience and provide more opportunities for content creators and storytellers.

"I'm grateful to Microsoft for leading by example in its support of black women-owned businesses. Their sponsorship of this year's fundraising gala is a testament to how allyship looks in action. Our 15-year anniversary fundraising gala is headlined by the incomparable Chaka Khan and many other amazing artists will be joining us to punctuate this momentous milestone."

Chaka Khan said: "It is an honor to support Beverly Bond and this amazing organization and movement that she has built. I am so excited to headline Black Girls Rock!'s 15-year anniversary fundraising gala during the launch of BGR!TV, which will continue to be an inspiration to all generations, lifting legends, and making sure that black women's enormous contributions to society are acknowledged."

The Black Girls Rock! 15th-anniversary fundraising gala benefited the advocacy and philanthropic work that Black Girls Rock! continues to pioneer via its 501(c)(3) programs and initiatives.






Phil Collen takes a SUPER SEXY SOLO with Chaka Kahn on Black Girls Rock Awards show!

Chaka Khan Def Leppard Die Hard Fans Def Leppard's House of Rock #philcollen #defleppard #BGR #guitarsolo #rockgod

Posted by Lorelei Shellist on Saturday, June 19, 2021

Former TESLA guitarist Tommy Skeoch, who left the band in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues, has shot down the suggestion that he is still in the throes of addicition.

"I get the feeling people think I'm just out gettin' full-tilt boogie and wild all the time, and, really, man, my home life is very domesticated, especially with the kids," he said during a brand new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Now, there was a period when I was abusing drugs and all that, and I did it through all that domestication as well. But it's not what you think — it's not what one would think, I would think.

"That whole thing with the drugs and everything is so old hat for me, man — I'm so over it," he continued. "I don't even think about it anymore, and I don't do drugs anymore. And then people bring me up.

"God bless — I love [SiriusXM radio personality] Eddie Trunk, but I did an interview with him, and he brings it up all the time, almost with the implication that I just got done with a run or something. It's kind of old, man. I'm just done with it."

Skeoch also denied ever having suggested that TESLA had lost its hard-rocking attitude after his departure from the group.

"There's even people saying that guys in TESLA think I'm out there saying that when I left that all the band left the edge," Tommy said. "And I'm not saying that, but their fans are saying that… But it's true. I'm not trying to say anything bad about anybody. This is things the fans say. I'm just listening to it, man."

In a May 2020 interview with "The Classic Metal Show", Skeoch was asked if he thinks people are now more aware of the "edge" that he brought to TESLA while he was a member of the Sacramento-based act, on and off, for two decades. "Absolutely. Oh, yeah," he responded. "To me, it's been apparent from the get-go, but even early on, on my Facebook pages, just everyone, all they ever say is, 'We still love TESLA, but it's just a different band. There's no balls there now.' And these are not my words, man. I wasn't gonna say anything, 'cause it's just not appropriate. But, yeah, I think it's a different band, and maybe not for the best. That's my opinion. Everyone has an opinion. If they wanna listen to some more loungey, more kind of pop, lighter music, they're doing that now. And if people like that, then go for it. I like to rock hard."

This past February, TESLA bassist Brian Wheat told "The Chuck Shute Podcast" that he didn't think he would ever be friends with Skeoch again but that he harbored no resentment toward his former bandmate.

"He was in the band, and he got several chances to stay in the band, and he chose not to," Brian said. "And then he went around saying some not-nice things about me. Why he singled me out, I don't know, but he chose to. He didn't say bad things about other people in the band — he just wanted to use me as his target. Probably 'cause I was the one that was the most vocal and honest about his shenanigans. So, being that as it may, I don't have a desire to call him up and say. 'Hey, let's be friends.' If he called me and said, 'Hey, man, I'd like to clear the air,' I would accept it. And I'm not saying he has to call me. I'm not gonna call him, 'cause what I know of him, he'd probably tell me to fuck off, so I'm not gonna call him. But it's not like I have this deep desire to become friends with him, like there's something missing in my life, 'cause there's not. And I don't wish him any ill will — I don't have a voodoo doll of Tommy that I'm poking with a pin. I wish him all the best. I mean, I heard one of his songs the other day from his new band, and I thought it was really good. I was, like, 'Great. Fantastic. That's the Tommy Skeoch I know. That's the kind of work I'm used to him doing.' And then, after saying that, he calls TESLA — he says that the music we do now is lounge music. So every time I start to feel something for him, he opens his mouth and says something negative about the band or us. And I just figure, then again, he hasn't grown up. I don't know. The only time I really talk or think about him is when people like you bring it up. I don't sit around and contemplate what it would be like if Tommy was here."

Last September, TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon told Detroit's WRIF radio station that he didn't think the band would ever work with Skeoch again.

"I have to tell you, I love Tommy Skeoch," he said. "I just did an online masterclass — the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp — and I broke down 'Modern Day Cowboy' and how Tommy and myself collaborated and worked on that music together.

"When we were kids, Tommy Skeoch and myself, I was 16 and he was about 19 or 20," he continued. "I used to really look up to him — I was a huge fan of his style, and still am, a great fan of his guitar playing. We were like best buds. And then we would collaborate and write songs like 'Modern Day Cowboy' or any of those TESLA songs, we'd write 'em together. But as time went on, man, the egos and the problems — myself included — throughout the years, the competition, it really drove a wedge between us. And the drugs and alcohol just really destroyed our relationship, I've just gotta be honest. We weren't supposed to talk about this stuff, but now I figure it's been long enough.

"I don't see that TESLA will ever go back, because we love [Tommy's replacement] Dave Rude, and Dave has really been a great addition to the band. And it would be disrespectful to him to go backwards to a toxic thing, a relationship that really got very toxic.

"Unfortunately, I don't think that TESLA will work with Tommy again — ever," Frank reiterated. "But I will say that myself, personally, I have always loved Tommy and I just wish him the best. I'm so glad that he's still alive, and I know he's got a new band out [RESIST & BITE] that put a song out called 'The Myth I'm Livin''. It was kick-ass; it had Tommy's guitar. Look, I'm getting goosebumps right now. Every time I hear Tommy Skeoch play, it brings a smile to my face, 'cause he's freakin' awesome. As a musician, I have nothing but love and respect for the guy. But I don't think TESLA will ever work with him again. But I do wish him the best."

Skeoch recently launched a new band called RESIST & BITE in which he is joined by ex-LYNCH MOB lead vocalist Nathan Utz, guitarist Steve Stokes, drummer David Parks and bassist Brian Powell.

Last month, RESIST & BITE released the official music video for its second single, "Fate".

The band is currently mixing its debut album, which was recorded over a 21-period at Sound Stage Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and engineer Michael Rosen.

RESIST & BITE's debut single, "The Myth I'm Livin'", came out in March 2020.

In a brand new interview with Planet Rock's "My Planet Rocks", founding JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing once again elaborated on his decision to call his new band KK'S PRIEST, an obvious nod to his former group. His is joined in KK'S PRIEST by former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens, guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

Asked if it's fair to say that KK'S PRIEST is essentially his version of JUDAS PRIEST, Downing said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the last thing I wanted to be is an offshoot or an offspring, but the thing is that I'm here [and] I've offered up my services [to come back to JUDAS PRIEST], which have been turned down. All I can say is the fact that I didn't wanna just dispense with a PRIEST. I've been a PRIEST since 1968. I've spent my life evolving. JUDAS PRIEST became the archetypal heavy metal band with the leather and the studs, and I was the first one to don the leather and studs, with the image of the band. So I feel justified that I can, with this great band, [approach KK'S PRIEST] as a continuation of this wonderful music and a celebration of rock and metal that I've always been instrumental in and been a part of so proudly. And the fans are there. We've grown older together. Why stop or change? Let's just carry on."

He later added: "I could have called the band something totally obscure and not related, but when you hear the music and everything, you're automatically gonna think of K.K. Downing. And the music will speak for itself and the fans know what they like and I'm here to do what I like and give the fans what I sincerely hope that they like."

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", will be released on August 20 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records. The LP's first single, "Hellfire Thunderbolt", was released in May. The title track followed last month.

KK'S PRIEST will play select shows to mark the 50th anniversary of PRIEST and Downing's career as a founding member. KK'S PRIEST's setlist will consist of PRIEST classics and new songs.

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

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

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

Downing's autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", was released in September 2018 via Da Capo Press.