Breaking The Silent is a melodic metal band hailing from Edmonton, Alberta. The band formed in the fall of 2016 with writing influences such as Metallica, Slayer, Huntress, and Iron Maiden. The band has been honored to open for acts such as Wednesday 13, HED PE, Skarlett Riot, Into Eternity, and Fit For Autopsy.

The group debuted their first single/music video for "Cry Of Fear" in the fall of 2019, which was followed by a European tour. They released their debut 3-song EP in the spring of 2020 and played their last show at the Starlight Room in March 2020 before the pandemic shut all venues down.

Since then original drummer Shane Oranchuk has been replaced by special guest drummer Jono Webster (Striker, Tylor Dory trio), and Mariame K (vocals) also left the band and has been replaced by Kierston Graham (The Gemini Curse) on the new recordings.

"Avoid Her Wrath" is an eight-minute song about our mistreatment of mother nature and the inevitable consequence that we all will face one day. The song also features vocalist Stu Block "who we got ahold of right after Christmas 2020 to do the clean vocals,” the band remark. “He was an absolute joy to work with."




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To mark the release of their Broken Puppets EP on May 21, Artaban's Redemption have released a lyric video for the song "Shutting Down". It can be viewed below.

Artaban's Redemption is a band created by Alvaro Weik (Unbound) at the end of 2020. It was a personal project created to put out some songs composed during that year. Aside from Alvaro, this project includes Roberto Cappa (Dark Moor) on drums, Francesco Ferraro (Freedom Call, Vexillum) on bass guitar, Elena Alonso (Lethargus) playing keyboards, and Ivan Giannini (Vision Divine, Derdian) providing vocals, creating a combo of renowned heavy metal musicians.

Broken Puppets is a power metal EP with elaborated melodies, orchestral elements, fast double bass drums and high-pitched vocals, that pay tribute to the classic albums released during the 90s by bands like Gamma Ray, Edguy, Helloween and Running Wild. The 5 songs on the EP tell a futuristic story where machines - provided with AI - rebel against the increasingly selfish humans that treat them as rubbish once they get old.




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Swedish black metal band, Lord Belial, has signed with Hammerheart Records.

Lord Belial announced being an active band again in 2020 and will enter the studio this summer to record their ninth full-length album. This is up for a release in the beginning of 2022 .

Lord Belial these days has a lineup formed by the three founding members Micke Backelin (drums), Niclas Pepa Green (guitars) and Thomas Backelin (guitars & vocals).

Lord Belial was part of the Swedish black metal wave of the mid 90’s and started out on the legendary No Fashion Records, for which they released classic albums such as Kiss The Goat (1995), Enter The Moonlight Gate (1997) and Unholy Crusade (1999). In general all their albums released up to 2008 were consistently strong albums that found their way into the heart of many blackened souls worldwide.

Micke Backelin said that Lord Belial is back to form and is ready to record very strong material this summer. Hammerheart Records is looking forward to a killer album in 2022.




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Norwegian hard rock/metal band, World Of Damage, the solo project of guitarist Kjell Åge Karlsen (Jorn, Chrome Division) aka Mr.Damage, have released have released a lyric video for the new single 'Breathe (Little Angel)' featuring Roy Khan (Conception, ex-Kamelot) on vocals. Check out the song below.

The lyric video was made by Eirin Myklebust Lødøen. Drums by Aki Johannes Viitala and additional vocals by Aurora Amalie Heimdal.

World Of Damage will release their debut album, Invoke Determination, on June 11.

Invoke Determination featuring some of the greatest names within the modern rock and metal scene, including Shagrath (Dimmu Borgir, Chrome Division), Roy Khan (Kamelot, Conception), Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork, The Night Flight Orchestra), Maurice Adams (BreeD, Enigma Experience) and Chris Clancy (Wearing Scars) to name a few.

Mr.Damage has to say, "The idea of making this album goes all the way back to around 2016. I found myself in a situation were I wanted to make music without having to think about it fitting into Chrome Division or any other band, or form. I just wanted it to be my own music, being everything from rock and metal, to ballads and instrumental music. Kinda just let the music do the talking without analyzing it too much. When you are playing in a band, the music is a product of the style and the people of the band. But when you are on your own, everything is up to you, and you alone. It’s like painting a picture; it’s you, the brush, the colors, and the canvas. Not five people, with five brushes and five different buckets of paint. I am very pleased and proud of the album, and I can’t wait to show off, the World Of Damage."

All guitars and bass is played by Mr.Damage. Drums are hammered in by the great Aki Viitala from Shot At Dawn. The album is produced by Mr.Damage and mixed & mastered by Marius Strand (Chrome Division, The Wretched End, Susperia) at Strand Studio, Oslo, Norway.

Tracklisting:

"I Will Not Conform" (feat. Maurice Adams & Shagrath)
"Invoke Determination" (feat. Björn "Speed" Strid)
"The Petrol & The Blood" (feat. Bernt Fjellestad)
"Fire Burns My Name" (feat. Björn «Speed» Strid)
"Until The End Of Days" (feat. Chris Clancy)
"Breathe (Little Angel)" (feat. Roy Khan)
"Insanity" (feat. Pål «Athera» Mathiesen)
"Cancel" (feat. Bernt Fjellestad)
"Unleash The Rage" (feat. Thebon)
"Black Moon" (Instrumental)
"Spoke In The Wheel" (feat. Eddie Guz)
"I Will Not Conform" - (Bonus track feat. Maurice Adams, Shagrath & Derek Sherinian)

Kjell Åge Karlsen, or Mr.Damage has he prefers to be called (the name is given by his father after he managed to crash his car THREE times in one day!!), is best known for being the loud, wild and untamed lead guitar-player and co-songwriter in the doomsday rock n' roll band Chrome Division, along with his partner in crime, Shagrath from Dimmu Borgir.

Mr.Damage has a growing catalogue with band releases and several guest appearances, latest is co-writing and performing "Faith Bloody Faith" with Korn for the Norwegian final of ESC 2021.

This long haired, bearded, Norwegian Viking is now ready to unleash his first solo album upon the world.




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Toledo, Ohio heavy metal act, The Convalescence, is normally touring all over the world performing their unique blend of metal for fans alike. Their latest album, Monument Of Misery, has topped over 1 million views/streams to date.

As one of the busiest bands in metal, and a schedule that normally tops over one hundred live dates per year, the band, like all others, was forced to make a shift in routine. What became of such will be an epic upcoming studio session with famed Engineer/Producer Jason Suecof (All That Remains, Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, and more). The still yet-to-be-titled album will feature 10 brand new tracks of hard-hitting aggression that the band had kept bottled up inside for over a year now.

When asked about the upcoming project, vocalist Keith Wampler has this to say: “During the time off from touring we have completed writing for a new full-length album and will be recording next month with Producer Jason Suecof at Audiohammer Studios in Florida. Jason has worked on so many albums we grew up listening to like The Black Dahlia Murder, Trivium, Whitechapel, Carnifex, Bury Your Dead, Devildriver, the list goes on forever. We are very happy with the new material and excited to work with Jason throughout the recording process. Although there is no set release date yet we hope to have the album out in late 2021 or early 2022.”

2021 will see The Convalescence finally return back to performing with a newly announced 10 Year headline tour as well numerous major festival appearances to finish off the year. Updates to follow.




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Set to release their new EP “Pages” on May 28, Ottawa's Eclipser is unleashing out the cage, their next single and title track below.

The opener to the five-track record, “Pages” sets the tone of the whole EP both musically and lyrically. In just a little over 3 minutes, Eclipser managed to pack instrumental layers that weave in and out of each other to give the song a very dense and dynamic feel. Lyrically, the song takes a very nihilistic stance, and much like the music, it’s straight to the point. 

The band adds about the track:

"‘Pages’ is the tale of a weary soul in search of faith. He seeks out God but finds only empty words and misery."

Harsh and succinct, Pages primarily resides in the black metal realm, however, Eclipser also writes using techniques that are found in death metal, and even a bit of grindcore and maintain a formulaic style. The EP was produced by Eclipser; mixed by Mike Raymond of Reverence Audio, and mastered by Topon Das (Fuck The Facts) at Apartment 2 Recording. The EP artwork was done by Misanthropic-Art. It is the fourth release from the band following Pathos (2019), Promo (2018), and the 2017 Demo.

Eclipser was founded in 2017 by Ryan Menard (guitars/vocals) and Christopher Joyal (drums), they are recommended for fans of Ulcerate, and Deathspell Omega.

The entire EP releases on May 28, 2021. Preorder on Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

“Pages”
“Matternaught”
“Carry Your Burden”
“To Never Wake Again”
“Fathomless”

“Pages” video:




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MEGADETH has officially parted ways with bassist David Ellefson.

The band's leader Dave Mustaine announced Ellefson's exit in a statement earlier today (Monday, May 24). He wrote: "We are informing our fans that David Ellefson is no longer playing with MEGADETH and that we are officially parting ways with him.

"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.

"We look forward to seeing our fans on the road this summer, and we cannot wait to share our brand new music with the world. It is almost complete."

MEGADETH's split with Ellefson comes two weeks after the leak of the bassist's messages and videos featuring a woman who is not his wife.

Earlier in the month, sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving Ellefson 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.

In his statement on May 10, Ellefson wrote: "As you may or not know, some private and personal conversations and interactions have surfaced online, released with ill intention by a third party who was not authorized to have them or share them. While certainly embarrassing, I want to address it as openly and honestly as possible.

"As much as it's not something I'm proud of, these were private, adult interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family," he continued. "The other party involved has made a statement which you can see below. I thank her for doing so and hope that this clarifies that the situation was not at all as presented."

Ellefson's statement was accompanied by a screenshot of a social media post from the woman involved, who denied any suggestions that she was underage at the time. The woman also revealed she recorded the intimate moments and shared them with a friend without Ellefson's permission, calling herself "naïve" for doing so and claiming that the contact between her and the musician was "all consensual and all online." She also called assumptions that she was "groomed" by Ellefson "misinformation".

"Yes, those video calls did happen, but I was the one to initiate it and never was I underage, I was always a consenting adult. Nothing inappropriate ever happened before that. It was all consensual, I'm not a victim and I have not been groomed in the slightest as I was the one to initiate it," the woman stated.

The same day, MEGADETH said it was "aware of the recent statements regarding David Ellefson" and indicated that it was "watching developments closely." The band added: "As it relates to creativity and business, we are all familiar with one another. However, there are clearly aspects of David's private life that he has kept to himself. As this situation unfolds, it is important that all voices be heard clearly and respectfully. We look forward to the truth coming to light."

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play.

Mustaine reformed MEGADETH 17 years ago. Originally setting out to record a solo album, Mustaine enlisted studio musicians to play on what ultimately became MEGADETH's 2004 "The System Has Failed" comeback album, subsequently recruiting former ICED EARTH bassist James MacDonough to take Ellefeson's place for the album's touring cycle.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the frontman shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

David, who became a Lutheran pastor nearly a decade ago, and his wife Julie Ellefson have been married for 27 years. They reportedly dated for six years after getting together in 1988. After two days of engagement, they married on April 2, 1994. They have two children, Roman Alexander (25) and Athena Grace (22).

Ellefson, who has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona since 1994, is also an author and entrepreneur, holding the reins of EMP Label Group, Combat Records, Ellefson Coffee Co., and more, in addition to a diverse portfolio of brands and signature products. Ellefson was also inducted into the 2018 class of the Iowa Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame, just over the border from Jackson in Spirit Lake, Iowa.




pic.twitter.com/ioVveK1UXp

— Megadeth (@Megadeth) May 24, 2021

Ted Nugent has praised Tucker Carlson as "a brave, ass-kicking, wall-destroying, lie-crushing guy" whose program should be watched "daily."

Nugent discussed Fox News' highest-rated anchor, who has been repeatedly accused of anti-immigrant and racist comments, during the May 11 episode of his Internet TV show "Ted Nugent's Spirit Campfire".

Ted said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I hope everybody, if you don't watch Tucker Carlson live, you've just gotta record it and go back. He may be the last source of evidence-saturated commentary. Not just commentary and then move on to a commentary, commentary and then move on… No. He shows footage, he shows the doctors saying the words that he claims they said. They don't have to make up words like the media does about me — they just put quotations around words that never came out of my mouth — but Tucker goes and finds the source; he shows the scientific paperwork.

"You've gotta watch Tucker Carlson, and when he has [conservative social media figure] Candace Owens on… The Democrats call Candace Owens a white supremacist. She's black!" he continued. "You've gotta see the insanity that is exposed on Tucker's show when he has Candace Owens on. He had a review of a New York Times science writer for many, many years that was identified with evidence that is inescapable that [the nation's top infectious disease expert] Dr. Fauci — this Fauci monster, this lying, scamming, criminal, Chinese communist Dr. Fauci… Watch Tucker Carlson tonight and look at the evidence that Fauci is responsible for the Wuhan virus running rampant. And it was designed to go from people to people in the most non-stoppable way. And, again, it wasn't just Tucker commenting, and Ted Nugent is not just commenting — he's got them on film admitting it and the scientists reviewing it and admitting to the evidence.

"If we're gonna fix this criminality in our government and media and academia in Hollywood, we have to know the information, we have to know the facts, we have to know the evidence, and we have to drive it home to our elected employees," Nugent added. "That's not just a random comment; I think that is literally the cure — the vaccination, if you will, only a legitimate one — for the cultural suicide that is destroying this great country at the border, paying people not to work, lying about unemployment, lying about the World Health Organization, lying about the CDC; the CDC's lying about the Chinese virus.

"So, I'm just a guitar player, but I so care that I dig deep — and I hope that everybody at the 'Spirit Campfire', as often as possible, I hope daily, digs deep, and I think the place to start is with Tucker Carlson's show. What a brave, ass-kicking, wall-destroying, lie-crushing guy this guy is. A real salute to Tucker Carlson."

According to SILive, Polifact, a fact-checking web site that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others on its Truth-O-Meter, has labeled a number of Carlson's statements False, Mostly False, and "Pants On Fire" false. In a court case last year, U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil's opinion, leaning heavily on the arguments of Fox's lawyers, said the following: "The 'general tenor' of [Tucker Carlson's] show should then inform a viewer that [Carlson] is not 'stating actual facts' about the topics he discusses and is instead engaging in 'exaggeration' and 'non-literal commentary.'"

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

Despite his COVID-19 diagnosis, Nugent reiterated his previous stance that he wouldn't be getting the vaccine and he mocked people who wear face masks, despite that both the CDC and World Health Organization have urged their universal use.

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

John Bush says that he would be "open" to the idea of celebrating the upcoming 30th anniversary of ANTHRAX's "Sound Of White Noise" album by playing a special show with his former bandmates.

Bush fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the band reunited with Joey Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Dan Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

John discussed his current relationship with ANTHRAX in a brand new interview with the 80's Glam Metalcast. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Me and Scott [Ian, ANTHRAX guitarist], I just saw him recently at [ARMORED SAINT bassist] Joey Vera's house. We had a lot of fun chewing the fat and talking about stuff. It's a good relationship now with those guys. At times, it was a little bit kind of distant, but it's not really like that any longer."

Speaking about the possibility of some kind of a 30th-anniversary celebration for 1993's "Sound Of White Noise", Bush said: "Joey Belladonna is the face of ANTHRAX and the voice of it, and that's his gig, and I'm not looking to get in there again at all. But if [there was an opportunity] here and there to kind of honor [an album anniversary], I'd be supportive of the idea. But the band is secure the way it is and doing very well as is, and I think that's the way it should continue on. But anything is possible for a random show or a song or two. I'd be open to that, because I love those songs."

Bush temporarily rejoined ANTHRAX for a number of shows in late 2009 and early 2010 but stepped aside in May 2010 in order to make room for the return of Belladonna. Belladonna was the lead singer of ANTHRAX from 1984 to 1992, and was considered part of the band's classic lineup (alongside Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello and Charlie Benante), which reunited and toured during 2005 and 2006.

Although Belladonna did perform the Bush-era song "Only" live with ANTHRAX on a couple of occasions, the track has since been dropped from the band's set. "We've got enough songs [that were originally recorded with me on vocals]," Joey explained in a 2016 interview. "We've got enough material; I don't need to go back. I'd just as soon leave that alone. I mean, once in a while I get people complaining, and then after a while, it got really old too. I hate that whole thing, 'cause we're not even the same… We happened to be in the same band, but it's a completely different thing."

A year ago, Bush and ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante reunited — virtually — to record a quarantine version of the song "Packaged Rebellion" to celebrate the 27th anniversary of "Sound Of White Noise".

TRIUMPH bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine spoke to Canada's The Metal Voice about about the forthcoming first-ever feature documentary about the band's dramatic career. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's in the final stages. We just approved all the credits on the exit from the film itself — for songwriting and who's what, and special thanks, and whose courtesy of, and all that stuff. And I was in the studio with Sam Dunn, the director, and the editor, I'd say three weeks ago, and we ran through all the audio corrections…

"Right now it's just a matter of, I guess, laying all that into the final cut of the film," he continued. "And once that's done, it's, 'Let's bring it, boys.' It's finished. So I'd say in a couple of weeks, it should be done. And then we'll see where it goes… But it's a sensational film, by the way — it's sensational."

Produced by Emmy and Peabody award-winning Banger Films, "Triumph: Lay It On The Line" is a Crave original documentary that was previously described as "a celebratory, exhilarating thrill ride through the history of one of rock's most unsung acts." The film covers TRIUMPH's humble beginnings as staples of the GTA circuit in the mid-'70s to their heyday as touring juggernauts, selling out arenas and stadiums all across North America with their legendary spectacular live shows — and way beyond.

Last year, guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett told The Metal Voice about the making of "Triumph: Lay It On The Line": "There's a surreal nature to it — you're going back in your life, and they're reminding you of things that you'd completely forgotten," he continued. "And you're going, 'Oh, yeah.' And then they're digging deeper, and they're going, 'So, when the band broke up…' And you're going, 'Okay, this hurts, actually.' I don't wanna have to go back to that, because the rise and the fall and the rise again, it's the fall that hurts. I don't wanna go there. I thought I'd put all this behind me. It was ugly, heavy baggage."

Emmett also talked about a "really extraordinary thing" Banger Films did while working on "Triumph: Lay It On The Line". "They flew in fans from all over the world," he said. "They created an event. And the fans didn't know that we were gonna actually play three songs. So, they brought 'em all to the warehouse, and they're wandering, and they're looking at this TRIUMPH museum-y kind of thing. They've got dummies with my old spandex jumpsuits on. And then they send them down and they were gonna show them a few little clips on a scrim. The scrim drops and there we are and we play. And these are the people that love us the most. And there was only a couple of hundred of 'em. But it was so intense; it was so amazing. And, of course, they've got, like, 15 cameras around the room capturing every angle of this. And then you go, 'Oh my God. This is heavy duty.'

"So it's really good," Rik added. "It really gets to the heart of, you're a band, you create some music, you make a connection to people, and then here's these people, you're the soundtrack to their lives, and it matters to them. So they love you. I could get up there and fart, and they would go, 'Yeah! Great!'"

The aforementioned invite-only event was held in November 2019 in front of 300 "superfans" at MetalWorks studio in Mississauga (a suburb of Toronto), Ontario, Canada. Emmett, Levine and drummer Gil Moore played a three-song set that marked TRIUMPH's first performance in 11 years, as well as its first as a pure three-piece power trio in 31 years. The tracks played were "When The Lights Go Down", "Lay It On The Line" and "Magic Power".

Moore, Levine, and Emmett formed TRIUMPH in 1975, and their blend of heavy riff-rockers with progressive odysseys, peppered with thoughtful, inspiring lyrics and virtuosic guitar playing quickly made them a household name in Canada. Anthems like "Lay It On The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" broke them in the USA, and they amassed a legion of fiercely passionate fans. But, as a band that suddenly split at the zenith of their popularity, TRIUMPH missed out on an opportunity to say thank you to those loyal and devoted fans, a base that is still active today, three decades later.

Back in 2016, Moore and Levine reunited with Rik as special guests on the "RES 9" album from Emmett's band RESOLUTION9.

After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, Tommy Clufetos talked about what it was like to step in for original BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward on the legendary heavy metal band's final tour. He said: "To be honest, I've done it so many times where I'm coming in — I've always come in after somebody. That was a higher level of that. But knowing that I've replaced a name drummer every time I've come in, and eventually, I'm kind of maybe possibly this much of a name drummer now, even though I pride myself on trying to stay under the radar, I was prepared for that situation. And I understand that BLACK SABBATH is Ozzy [Osbourne], Tony [Iommi], Geezer [Butler], Bill Ward; I get that there's four parts to that, and I feel that I went in respecting that. And I know that you've got three guys that I was playing with, there's three leaders. Ozzy knew me; he had my trust. And I had to earn Tony's trust. I had to earn Geezer's trust. And I don't do that through saying, 'I'm your guy,' I do that through going in every day and knowing every song. And that's how you earn people's trust. So I think I won them over that way. And I think going and playing the gigs, I won the people over that way. There's always going to be naysayers, and that's part of the business, but my goal was to go out there and kick ass every day. And I can bet that nobody walked out of the show unhappy. So that's the only thing I can do, is do my best playing drums and just go through it. If I didn't do it, somebody else would have."

Asked what it felt like to play SABBATH's final concert in Birmingham, England in February 2017, Tommy said: "I try not to go too deep into those things, 'cause I have a long career ahead of me. I love playing with those guys and I respect them to the highest level, but at some point, I've got 20, 30 more years to go. I can't dwell on, 'I did this.' To me, you're only as good as your last gig. So it's a high point, but you just kind of gotta go, 'Well, that was that,' and it's a shame that it ends. But everything ends. It all ends. But I have the highest respect for the standard that they kept through the years up to that very last show."

He continued: "I've never been in a band where there was three other guys like myself, and I'm not comparing, but I did rise to the occasion. We were all up there giving a hundred and ten percent. And when they go do a gig… A lot of the times when I tour with other guys, they're on their phones or they're taking pictures or they're out with their buddies before or after or whatever; there's all of these distractions, Two and a half hours before the show, I don't talk to anybody. I'm in that dressing room getting ready for the gig, and so are they. And it makes me go, 'Oh, I'm doing exactly the right thing. I'm not an idiot.' I'm doing what to be great you're supposed to do, and that's supposed to give a hundred and ten percent all the time, and they do. Ozzy is so professional. He does his vocal warm-ups. He's one of the greatest frontmen — he's the greatest frontman I've ever worked for. He can manipulate that audience like no other. I mean, he has the magnetism, to me, of an Elvis Presley in the heavy metal world. He really does. He walks out there and he smiles and he has 'em right there before he even says a word. And that's not to take away from his amazing vocals that he doesn't get enough credit for a lot of time too. Tony Iommi plays with such concentration that he's just perspiring just from focusing. And Geezer Butler is one of the greatest bass players to ever walk the face of the Earth. It's him, it's John Paul Jones, it's James Jamerson, and there's only so many of those guys. And I got to play with those guys. So what a pleasure."

Clufetos's new band TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP, where he offers his take on the rock 'n roll influences that made him one of the most sought-after drummers in the current hard rock scene, released its debut album, "Beat Up By Rock 'N' Roll", on May 7 via Frontiers Music Srl. Eric Dover, known for singing and playing guitar with JELLYFISH, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Alice Cooper, handles lead vocals on the LP (though Tommy grabs the mic for three tracks). Eliot Lorengo (bass), Hank Schneekluth (guitar) and Nao Nakashima (guitar) round out the supporting cast.

In a new interview with "Pariah Burke's Hard, Heavy & Hair" show, George Lynch was asked about the overall lyrical message of the recently released sophomore album from his THE END MACHINE project, "Phase2". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have to answer that with a caveat. Jeff [Pilson; THE END MACHINE, FOREIGNER and ex-DOKKEN bassist] and I are aligned politically — we're both very progressive in our political thinking and our little bit of activism that we try to participate in through our music. I don't know how effective that is — probably not effective at all — but we feel compelled to try to do that because we feel it's the right thing to do. Robert [Mason; THE END MACHINE and WARRANT singer] is not aligned with us politically in his messaging, so when we were writing the lyrics, of course, there's a little bit of a rub there. But we all respect each other enough to at least honor the idea of deducing truth from whatever it is we're discussing. And we can have a difference of opinion on the results of that analysis, but we don't have a difference of opinion about how we achieve that, how we go about deciding if something is truthful or not. So we're able to have discussions that are pretty civil and we can agree to disagree. And a lot of that is filtered down to some of the lyrics."

George continued: "I'm not saying that the lyrics are a hundred percent a pure reflection of what I would consider to be the truth. I made some compromises, and I'm okay with that, because that's the world we live in. But I think generally the message is the same message you would hear from any progressive activist, and it deals with massive inequality, injustice, environmental concerns and just the way we view ourselves as responsible animals and how we should behave. I think it's very logical and common sense — it just seems to have escaped us, because common sense would dictate that we have to be responsible and do the right thing and wear a mask and not burn down our home and not poison our water and our air and treat each other respectfully. And money is not everything; it is something, but it's not everything. So we have other metrics that we use to decide how well we're behaving."

Last month, Pilson also confirmed to Steve Mascord of the "White Life Fever" podcast that differences in political views exist between the members of THE END MACHINE.

"I think ultimately we all have the same goals in mind — we all want a safe, secure world and a prosperous world," he said. "But, yeah, we have differences, and I think working them out and talking them out and finding common ground is a great thing.

"George and I actually fairly in sync thought-wise, but, yeah, it's other guys. And that's great. Like I say, I welcome that. The main thing is that we talk. The main thing is that we understand and respect what people say. I mean, to just throw out what the other side says, I think, is really, really a bad mistake. And I think we've done way too much of that."

Asked if he has any advice on how to interact with people who have different political views from you without jeopardizing your friendship with them, Jeff said: "I think you always have to judge the situation at the moment. I don't think there's any one solution for everything. Some people don't wanna talk reasonably. Some people just wanna reinforce their own beliefs. And when that's the case, or even if I'm doing that, there's no sense talking. But if you have a point of view that's reasonable, why can't you talk about it? That's my feeling. Like I say, I think what's really made it bad is that people have two distinct sources of what they believe is the truth. And that's a problem — that's a serious, serious problem. And if we don't figure that out or something, we're gonna be in more trouble. And I think it starts with talking. So, talk when you can. Talk when people want to talk, when they're reasonable, when they have a desire to see what you think or when you have a desire to hear what they think. I think it's important to talk."

Back in 2017, Pilson — an acclaimed producer and a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N — said that then-President Donald Trump was "a dangerous man" whose vitriolic and divisive rhetoric could ignite another American civil war.

In September 2019, Lynch caught flak from some of his fans when he slammed Trump in an interview, calling the billionaire real estate mogul an "idiotic monster" and an "egotistical, self-aggrandizing, complete piece of shit" who "doesn't know anything." George was also criticized when told Australia's "Scars And Guitars" podcast that "progressives are more compassionate people by nature — we're wired to sort of be more empathetic and care about things outside of ourselves. We are about other people; it hurts us to see people in pain or suffer," he explained. "So they call us 'snowflakes.' But people that are wired, on the right, the way their brains are wired, they don't have that sense of empathy. I'm not saying it's good or bad — I'm just saying it is. And these people are the ones that have the guns. And they're willing to use them. And it's becoming pretty frightening."

"Phase2" was released on April 9 via Frontiers Music Srl. The album features drummer Steve Brown, younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer "Wild" Mick Brown, who played on THE END MACHINE's self-titled 2019 debut.

NONPOINT has released the title track, "Ruthless", off its upcoming EP. The single was made available through the band's own label 361 Degrees Records LLC and was this year's featured track on AEW's "Blood And Guts" on TNT.

Commented NONPOINT singer Elias Soriano: "'Ruthless' is more than just a song. It's a story with attitude and purpose. This is more than just an anthem, it's heart-pounding, high-octane jet fuel and our most irresponsible music ever."

NONPOINT launched its independent record label 361 Degrees Records LLC in January of this year. They filmed the process of starting the label and making new music in a docu-series titled "A Path To Independence" that can be seen on the band's YouTube and official web site.

The band said: "We would like to thank everyone for the support in our announcement of starting our own label! The messages we have received have been really amazing, inspiring, and we're so grateful to know we have all of your support. Over the past year, we filmed a documentary series so we could show you our journey during this important step in our careers and to take you behind the scenes as we write new music."

Commitment to forward motion ensures longevity. After 20-plus years, ten full-length releases, countless sold-out shows, and over one million albums sold worldwide, NONPOINT endures through sustaining an unbreakable bond among the members and to a diehard fan base all over the globe.

Masters of and pioneers in the nu-metal/rap-rock world, NONPOINT has quietly been the biggest and best-kept secret of the rock/metal genre. Their songs and renowned performances have had musicians from all corners of the genre and music industry members standing side stage to revel in the audiences they transform. The band's songs "Bullet With A Name", "Alive And Kicking", "In The Air Tonight", "Circles", "Your Signs", "Everybody Down" and many others have been featured in trailers, hit movies, television, iconic video games, as well as broadcasts from NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WWF.

NONPOINT has toured with major acts like DISTURBED, PAPA ROACH, MUDVAYNE and SEVENDUST, to name a few. They have also been featured on the main stages and support stages of iconic festivals like Soundwave, Rock Am Park, Rock Am Ring, Ozzfest, Rock On The Range, Welcome To Rockville and many more.

NONPOINT is:

Elias Soriano (lead vocals)

Robb Rivera (drums)

Rasheed Thomas (guitar, backing vocals)

Adam Woloszyn (bass)

Jason Zeilstra (lead guitar)

Photo credit: Francesca Ludikar

As PAPA ROACH continues to celebrate the release of its second greatest-hits compilation, "Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The Better Noise Years" — out now via Better Noise Music — the band has shared a lyric video for "Help (Aelonia Remix)" to celebrate the importance of May as Mental Health Awareness Month. The visual brings attention to the song's vulnerable message, showing the importance of knowing when you need to help and having the strength to ask for it.

PAPA ROACH has continued to maintain its legacy as one of the leading music groups of the 21st century as it recently landed its eighth overall No. 1 single with "The Ending (Remastered 2020)" on the Mainstream Rock radio charts. With over 2.1 million views, its music video features footage from the upcoming Better Noise Films horror-thriller movie "The Retaliators" which will showcase the acting debut of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix. The song is also included on the film's upcoming original soundtrack.

"Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The Better Noise Years" commemorates PAPA ROACH's continued success as a top-selling recording and touring act during the band's 2010-2020 tenure signed to Better Noise Music, Billboard's No. 1 rock label of 2020. The compilation consists of 21 tracks, including 13 Top 10 singles, previously unreleased remixes and acoustic recordings recorded live at YouTube Studios in New York City. The album also includes a guest appearance from ASKING ALEXANDRIA vocalist Danny Worsnop for a new version of "Broken As Me".

Last July, Shaddix told Rock Sound TV that PAPA ROACH's next album will be released through band's own record company. "We are in partnership with Warner/ADA, and so it's like an artist services group," he explained. "And we're gonna do that for an album and see how it works out. We've been super focused in the creative marketing behind what we do and the imaging and the videos and the messaging and everything, we were, like, let's take it in our hands and see where we can go with it and try it for an album."

In January, a snippet of a brand new PAPA ROACH song called "Stand Up" was included in commercial for Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) partnership with ESPN.

PAPA ROACH's latest album, "Who Do You Trust?", was released in January 2019. The disc was produced by Nick "RAS" Furlong and Colin Cunningham except for the song "Top Of The World", which is helmed by Jason Evigan.

In December, PAPA ROACH released a five-song EP, "20/20", featuring "new takes on old jams," including "Last Resort" and "Scars".

Andrew W.K. will release his fifth full-length studio rock album, "God Is Partying", on September 10 via Napalm Records.

Hovering in the fluorescent spotlight of his legendary party power, "God Is Partying" sees Andrew W.K. ransack the corners of the human psyche, reaching a triumphant apex in his catalog, 20 years after the release of his chart-topping 2001 full-length debut, "I Get Wet". Emotive yet steadfast, ominous yet invigorating, "God Is Partying" embraces both the break-ups and break-downs of life, and Andrew W.K. once again provides his audience with the perfect soundtrack to celebrate life in all its perplexing and euphoric intensity.

Today, audiences can experience another early serving from the album, in the form of Andrew W.K.'s latest single, the structurally unconventional and atmospherically unnerving "I'm In Heaven", alongside an equally idiosyncratic new music video. As the follow-up to the colossal sonic success of the recently released "Babalon", "I'm In Heaven" offers a refreshingly dissonant and weighty dose of what's to come on "God Is Partying".

Phem C. Palmer, the director of "I'm In Heaven", discusses how the video's visual language was constructed: "A secret is no longer a secret if it isn't being kept, and this is how we approached the spirit of meaning as it applies to the non-diegetic sound images in the 'I'm In Heaven' video."

Showcasing his indisputable musicality, "God Is Partying" features Andrew W.K. performing all the album's instruments, in addition to co-producing the album with his long-time recording partner, Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Young.

Channeling the manic euphoria that has compelled Andrew W.K.'s auditory insignia for decades, "God Is Partying" is soaked with a flood of epic energy — often traversing seemingly impenetrable lyrical themes while remaining refreshingly relatable, inspiring, and vital for survival. From sinister metallic bastions like the buzzing single "Babalon" to the timeless story telling of "Remember Your Oath", the album will have fans embracing their own party power and reveling in the depths of musical euphoria. "God Is Partying" opens triumphantly with Andrew W.K.'s hyper-melodic keyboard stylings introducing the menacing and magical music of "Everybody Sins", perfectly setting the scene for the dramatic immensity to follow. Tracks like the poetic "No One To Know" and the soaring tension of "Stay True To Your Heart" transport the listener to the precipice of a paradoxically infinite sonic horizon — rising into synthesizer-infused epics of mega-jumbo rock music, each track showcasing another example of Andrew W.K.'s expanding abilities as a vocalist and songwriter. Only halfway through the album is the listener driven directly into fiery depths with the massive track "I'm In Heaven" before ascending back up and into the sonic stratosphere with the tracks "My Tower" and the album's gargantuan closer, "And Then We Blew Apart".

"God Is Partying" track listing:

01. Everybody Sins

02. Babalon

03. No One To Know

04. Stay True To Your Heart

05. Goddess Partying

06. I'm In Heaven

07. Remember Your Oath

08. My Tower

09. And Then We Blew Apart

Various formats will include additional bonus tracks "I Made It" and "Not Anymore".

Andrew W.K. will bring his party of positivity on the road this fall. Beginning on Friday, September 10 in Los Angeles, California, the tour will traverse several major cities before ending on the East Coast on Friday, September 24 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH have announced their continued collaboration with artist, calligrapher and storyteller Rowan E. Cassidy. The "Seven Seals" NFT series is part of Rowan's first feature on Makers Place, commissioned to celebrate the seventh anniversary of BEHEMOTH's "The Satanist" album.

Each NFT consists of a looping animation with sound, featuring unique audio from "The Satanist", remixed by BEHEMOTH bassist Tomasz "Orion" Wróblewski. In addition, each winning bidder will receive an original, extremely limited "Master" edition print (1 of 1) co-signed by BEHEMOTH and Cassidy, merging physical and digital art into one offering.

Commented BEHEMOTH: "When Rowan approached us with the idea, we were excited to have an opportunity to put our stamp on a brand new format for artists, which enables them to take perpetual equity in their work and challenged Orion to create something really special which will document our introduction into the digital art space."

The "Seven Seals" NFT collection drops tomorrow (Friday, May 7) at 8 p.m. BST / 9 p.m. CEST / 12 p.m. PDT.

San Francisco Bay Area based metal band, Kill Ritual, have released a new single, “Thy Will Be Done”, via Blood Blast distribution. The track is off the EP of the same title, that will be released later in the year as a five-song effort.

The band will release the first four songs over a span of four months with a lyric video and artwork exclusive to each single release. An exclusive five-song EP will follow containing the bonus track, “The Opaque Is Divine”.

Guitarist Steven Rice comments, “Well goddam I guess we can finally bust the news that we as a band haven’t been holding our collective dicks during the whole global shit show after the release of our album The Opaque And The Divine. With the absolute totalitarian no go on supporting it with touring because of the for mentioned shit show we decided hey what the hell let’s record some more whip ass tunes! Since we had some material from the last release and a couple new tunes worked up we got together in beautiful Coeur d’Alene Idaho to rock out our new endeavour. One week later the tunes were tracked and the stuff was off to awesome Varberg Sweden to be mixed and mastered by the one and only Mr. Andy f#$kin’ La Rocque. After all was said and done we now have a few more ball busters to throw into the live set when we finally get to tour this bad boy. If you dig stuff our material this is right up your turnpike. Fast, heavy, progressive, melodic and real. Enjoy!”

​

Kill Ritual released their last CD, The Opaque And The Divine, in March 2020. The band has toured with Raven, Iced Earth, Sanctuary and Hirax in both North America and Europe.

Lineup:

Steven D. Rice - Guitars, bass, vocals, keyboards and bad choices
Chalice - Vocals
Seamus Gleason - Drums
David Alusik - Bass, vocals




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Two more beautiful vinyl LP editions of A Prayer For The Loud, the latest masterpiece by Danish rock legends D-A-D, will be released on June 26th. They will be available in silver/blue/black splatter and white/red merge formats. Both are strictly limited to 250 units each and available for pre-order here.

A Prayer For The Loud was released on May 31st, 2019 via AFM Records.

Tracklisting:

"Burning Star"
"A Prayer For The Loud"
"Nothing Ever Changes"
"The Sky Is Made Of Blues"
"The Real Me"
"No Doubt About It"
"A Drug For The Heart"
"Musical Chairs"
"Time Is A Train"
"Happy Days In Hell"
"If The World Just"

"Burning Star":




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Ann Wilson has told Kyle Meredith in a new interview that there are no plans for HEART to work on fresh music in the immediate future. "Nope. Not at present," she said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We haven't written together in a while. [Nancy Wilson, HEART guitarist and Ann's sister] lives in the San Francisco area, and I live in Florida, and the times when we see each other are the times when HEART tours. And, of course, for the last year, HEART hasn't been able to tour [due to the coronavirus pandemic], so I haven't seen her for a while.

"The thing that's happening is she's living her life, and I'm living mine," Ann explained. "And she's collaborating with some really cool people [on other projects], and so am I. So when the time is right, I imagine we'll write together or we'll take some of these songs that she's writing and I'm writing and do 'em with HEART. So, yeah, there'll be collaboration in the future — of some kind."

Earlier in the month, Ann released another new single, "Black Wing". It is one of several songs the HEART frontwoman recorded last fall in Seattle with the help of local musicians, including current HEART bassist Andy Stoller and keyboardist Dan Walker. In addition to "Black Wing", Wilson recorded "Tender Heart" as well as covers of Steve Earle's "The Revolution Starts Now" and ALICE IN CHAINS' "Rooster", all three of which have already been released as singles, plus another original, "The Hammer", which came out in February.

Nancy's debut solo album, "You And Me", will be released on May 7 via Carry On Music. The LP was recorded primarily in her California home studio, working with band members and special guests remotely.

HEART toured North America in the summer of 2019 after a nasty split that kept the Wilson sisters estranged for three years.

Ann and Nancy had a falling out during HEART's 2016 tour, when Ann's husband Dean Welter was arrested for assaulting Nancy's then-16-year-old twin sons in a backstage altercation at a gig near their hometown of Seattle. He pleaded guilty to two lesser assault charges to avoid jail time.

After completing HEART's 2016 tour, Nancy formed a new band called ROADCASE ROYALE and released an album, "First Things First". ROADCASE ROYALE featured three members of HEART along with Liv Warfield from Prince's NEW POWER GENERATION band and her guitarist Ryan Wilson.

Ann's 2018 solo album, "Immortal", contained cover versions of classic songs by artists who have passed away.

Puck Hcky, the hockey-based fashion brand, has released a bunch of new items with MINISTRY just in time for the playoffs.

Matt Marini, CEO of Puck Hcky, says: "Check out the great pictures of Al of MINISTRY in one of our new hockey jerseys from the collection! What makes the collaboration with MINISTRY so special is that Al is truly a HUGE hockey fan and he has a say on every piece we put out together! So all MINISTRY and Puck Hcky fans know that we crafted every item together with Al...it's awesome working with him!"

The Ministry x Puck Hcky collection includes pro-level quality crested jerseys, hoodies, flannels, hats, raglans and tees.

The entire collection is available at www.puckhcky.com.

Based in Royal Oak, Michigan, about 10 minutes north of Detroit, Puck Hcky started in 2015 when Marini decided that the hockey world needed a "cool" fashion brand and his partner, Puck Hcky president Amy Steffek, pushed to "go for it." "So we jumped in, and Puck Hcky was born," Marini told California Rubber. "We are having an absolute blast with the brand and growing day by day. We have an amazing crew here, too. Everyone is totally focused on making Puck Hcky the go-to hockey-fashion brand for the masses."

Regarding Puck Hcky's artist collaborations, Marini said: "What makes all of the collaborations special is that we truly get each partner to participate in the creation of the designs, which brings a certain level of authenticity to the end-products. We refuse to put any product out for sale until they are 100 percent approved by each partner we work with. It's awesome."

Singer Fernando Ribeiro of Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL has told Consequence Of Sound in a new interview that he is feeling "good" about the prospect of "in person shows" resuming in the not-too-distant future. "Sometimes the discussion is reduced to money," he said. "Obviously, the music industry and the music business and the way MOONSPELL is involved, you take a bit of everything — the author rights, online shopping, the record sales — but sometimes the big chunk of it comes from playing live shows and selling merchandise. But it's not only about the money. It's also about the lifestyle.

"I have been touring since 1995," he continued. "I'm not like this, but I know some people that get really depressed and devoid of any meaning in life when they are not touring or traveling. But here in Portugal, one of the positive outcomes from the pandemic is that the musicians, the industry and the cultural scene that might usually be competitive have all come together. We created this movement, #CultureIsSafe, and last year we played four shows. It's not a lot, but it was very important psychologically. It was also proof for people who work within live shows that they really know how to organize and there were not any COVID cases reported or connected to the shows.

"The last show we did in 2020 was in Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon in an arena that holds 2,000, but we had 700 people which was the limit. You feel hopeful because you really feel the love of the fans, to be distanced, wearing a mask, listening to MOONSPELL. It showed that they just really wanted to be there.

"Live shows are so important not only for the money it generates but for the good energy it brings. To have these shows, you have to organize a community first, and everyone worked together.

"We're all in the same sinking boat, as I say jokingly. And even though the new album is about the hermit age and solitude, it's also about community. I went to this big demonstration and almost all the musicians in Portugal were there in this big arena, and I felt that we had each other's back and right now we're fighting for the survival of our scene. It's a goal for everyone. We all want shows to happen, but we want to make sure that it happens safely."

MOONSPELL released its 13th studio album, "Hermitage", on February 26 via Napalm Records. The disc was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano (PARADISE LOST, PRIMORDIAL, GHOST, SÓLSTAFIR) at the Orgone Studios in the U.K.

Last year, MOONSPELL parted ways with original drummer Miguel "Mike" Gaspar and replaced him with Hugo Ribeiro (no relation to Fernando Ribeiro

Larsen Gallery has announced that rock legend Alice Cooper will sell his prized Andy Warhol at the 2021 Fall Larsen Art Auction on October 23, 2021. With an estimated value of $2.5 million to $4.5 million, the artwork could become the highest selling painting in the state of Arizona.

The musician famously re-discovered the piece several years ago in the garage of his Scottsdale, Arizona residence, much to the surprise of the art world and the rocker himself. "This silkscreen was given to me during some crazy years and I had completely forgotten I even owned it," said Cooper, who by luck found the painting perfectly preserved.

The piece is a vibrant red Little Electric Chair acrylic and silkscreen on canvas, from Warhol's "Death And Disaster" series from 1964-65. Warhol's Little Electric Chair is based on a press photo from the 1950s of the death chamber at Sing Sing prison, where Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for conspiring to pass atomic secrets to the Russians. Warhol used source material from newspapers and police photo archives for this series which subjects included suicides, car accidents, etc.

In the early 1970s, Cooper and Warhol became friends at the famous Max's Kansas City in New York City.

"I met Andy Warhol when I lived in New York City, and it was just when I was becoming the scourge of rock 'n' roll and of course that attracted the whole Warhol crowd," said Cooper. "You'd go to clubs like Max's Kansas City and they were all there and we'd hang out. It was a very surreal time, Andy was always taking photographs of everyone or making movies of everyone. He had a whole crowd of people around him all the time, and my girlfriend Cindy Lang was really connected into that group.

"One day a few years ago, I was talking to Dennis Hopper who said he was selling a couple of his Warhols. I said, 'Wait a minute I think I have a Warhol somewhere.' So I went digging around and found it and it was in perfect condition. I mean it was sort of in a time capsule, which I think Andy would have loved because he loved doing the time capsule as an art piece in and of itself. So there it was, it had lived by itself for many years. We took it out and had it looked at with the intention of displaying it but then I just decided it was time to move on, time to release it to the world. I figured I'd had it for all this time and had almost forgotten about it — let's let someone else really enjoy it."

The longtime Arizona resident selected Scottsdale's Larsen Gallery to sell the Andy Warhol in its 2021 Fall Larsen Art Auction to be held October 23. The Larsen Art Auctions have historically sold greater than 90% of lots offered with registered bidders from most every state and more than 40 different countries. The gallery will be donating a portion of its commission to Cooper's non-profit Solid Rock Foundation, which offers support and community to local teenagers.

For more information or to register to bid for the 2021 Larsen Art Auction, please visit the auction's web site at larsenartauction.com or contact the gallery at 480-941-0900.

Alice Cooper photo credit: Chris Loomis

Download festival host Kylie Olsson caught up with SLIPKNOT percussionist SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan ahead of the band's inclusion in "Download: Reloaded" on June 5 and June 6 on Sky Arts. Clown discussed his year in lockdown, past Download performances, new music and more in this candid interview, which can be seen below.

Speaking about the material SLIPKNOT has written for the follow-up to 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" album, Clown said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm not gonna talk about how many songs [we're completed], because, honestly, I can't. But I can just tell you that I'm really happy, and the guys are really happy. [SLIPKNOT frontman Corey] Taylor is on some level of singing that I've never heard him, which makes me really emotional.

"Great music has been written, and because of that, my favorite singer on the planet has sang the songs," he continued. "And this is the first time we can go into a studio with completed lyrics. When I say 'completed,' I mean written, recorded, but he's still gonna have his time in the studio to project what he wants to for each individual song. So they're as done as they can be until he comes in.

"So, we're in L.A. That's about all I can say," Clown added. "And we're making God music, and we're having a blast. And it's just great to be around everybody, and everybody is in the best mood I've ever seen. It's a lot of fun being around the band; it's a lot of fun not being stressed or having anxiety, and just doing what we do, because we've done it for 20 years. And people are finally, like, 'Just do what you wanna do.' And that's unusual for us, because it's usually me going, 'No. This is what we're gonna do, whether you like it or not.' So now, it's just, like, 'Do what you want.' And, man, what a pleasant thing to receive after all these years. It's a beautiful thing."

Asked if the new SLIPKNOT songs are "different-sounding" to what the band has done in the past, Clown said: "I think what everyone would understand and agree on is that we, as the players or the artists that we are, we're always looking to solidify a certain awareness in us. So we've always pushed for being indifferent. Not on purpose, but to have the right to fully get this out.

"We have nothing to prove to anyone; we only have to prove it to ourselves," he explained. "And I've always believed that our fans, our culture, loves us because they can trust us. They might not like what we decide, but they're, like, 'At least you decided it, and we're gonna back it, because you thought about it.'

"So, is the music different? The music's always different. I wanna make different paintings. I don't wanna create the same painting. Familiarity is good, but recreating the same thing is not, in our opinion.

"So, what I can tell you is this for this album: I believe this album is the final album to exercise the right of what we're searching for. I think we're mastering it on this one. I think it's coming very easy. It's a trust thing.

"You can imagine, SLIPKNOT started as one thing, as zero, and then the expectation of us is at a million percent," he continued. "And that's not an expectation we put on ourselves; that's the world. So we have to keep a clear mind on what it is we're trying to do and not get focused away from anybody else.

"I think the songs people really love from SLIPKNOT, we call 'em barn burners. And those are songs like 'Surfacing'. We affectionately call them barn burners. That's what maybe the majority would like, but we sort of do that in our sleep. And if we only gave that to you, that SLIPKNOT formula, that recipe, something would be lost.

"So what I can say is I believe that this collection of [songs], whatever it ends up being as an album, I really believe it's gonna be the final — not an effort, but the final brushstroke of a thought process that we really started… Jim [Root, SLIPKNOT guitarist] and I talked about it a lot. We really started this sort of thinking on 'Vol. 3' [2004] and really picked it up — Jim and I were really able to pick up some sort of thought by creating [the unreleased SLIPKNOT album] 'Look Outside Your Window'; it was another avenue for he and I to work together. And then all of us have something to say. And I believe this is gonna be the last time that we have to feel like we have to get this thing out of us. And that's exciting. Because who knows what the future is then?

"So, is it different? They're all different," Clown added. "But they're SLIPKNOT. We search our souls, so we believe that you're gonna love it, because we love it, I guess. So, it's different. But I'll tell you: I've never heard Corey Taylor like this right now — I just never heard him like this. I feel full circle. I almost feel like we're giving homage to everything we grew up loving. I can hear so much of what I grew up, but it's my favorite singer singing. I can't say, 'Oh, you sound like this person or that person.' I feel like I'm a kid sneaking a beer at a KISS concert or something. I'm 14, 18, whatever… Let's not say sneaking. Let's say 21, and I go into a KISS concert at 21, and I'm having a beer. And I really feel like that right now. I'm having so much fun with the guys and just creating. We're so chill and relaxed because we've learned so much."

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

"We Are Not Your Kind"'s sales in the U.S. were boosted by a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer with SLIPKNOT's summer 2019 tour.

Current and former W.A.S.P. guitarists Douglas Blair and Chris Holmes will appear for the first time on the same record.

Blair and Holmes have both contributed lead guitar on individual tracks, along with a host of additional well-known guests, to the new album from BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski's ME AND THAT MAN project, titled "New Songs, New Man, Same Shit Vol. II".

Adam said: "One of the main concepts of ME AND THAT MAN albums is to combine genres from all over the place, and make sure we make some ass-kicking rock and roll songs! Now imagine you match old school W.A.S.P. with new-school W.A.S.P. on ONE album! That's unheard of — and yet the outcome is sick AF!!!"

Blair added: "It's an absolute honor to add some juice to this record! I love the track I played on, and can't wait to hear the others, especially Holmes's: I'm sure it totally slams with his signature ballsy tone! I never thought we'd end up playing on the same project someday, so this has got me pumped! On top of that, I really got into the first ME AND THAT MAN disc, and have been looking forward to Volume II... Adam's an animal on so many fronts, and his energy is infectious!"

Founded in 2013, ME AND THAT MAN's latest album, "New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1", was released in March 2020 via Napalm Records. The effort was described in a press release as a "bewitching collection featuring ominous lyricism atop unfiltered blues, gothic-laced folk, outlaw country and Americana-influenced anthems."

Blair has just released "Generica", the first video and single by his "power duo" SIGNAL2NOISE. The SIGNAL2NOISE debut nine-song offering, tentatively titled "Fighting Mental Illness", is nearing completion and will be released by Platform West LLC.

Holmes has spent the last few months promoting the documentary film "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes", written and directed by French filmmakers Antoine De Montremy and Laurent Hart. The project, which was made available on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD in January, was born in 2014 after De Montremy and Hart had an opportunity to meet and direct Holmes in a music video for the Holmes-penned song "Let It Roar" in Cannes. At that time, the now-62-year-old rocker had more or less disappeared from the music scene, leaving his home in the U.S. to seek a new beginning with his wife Sarah in France.

Douglas Blair photo credit: Wieglas Fotographie

In a new interview with the "Waste Some Time With Jason Green" video podcast, former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee said that frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister refused to quit touring in the weeks leading up to his death, even when his health was clearly deteriorating.

"We played the last show the 11th of December [of 2015] in Berlin, and he passed just [two] weeks later," Mikkey recalled (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And that tells you, the guy died with his boots on. And both me and Phil [Campbell, MOTÖRHEAD guitarist] were trying to talk him out of starting the second part of the European tour after Christmas. But there was no way in hell we could do that. And I said to Phil, 'Look, instead of arguing with Lemmy or pushing him not to do this,' because we said maybe we should break for a couple of months for him to catch his wind, basically. I said, 'Let's not push him anyway. Let him decide what he wants to do. He knows best what he wants to do.' And he wanted to be on stage. So we said, 'Let's just support him instead,' and that's what we did. But we never made it to the second leg of that European tour, unfortunately. It was the U.K. that was on the next part of it, I remember that."

Asked if he knew when he came home to Sweden that it would probably be the end for Lemmy, Mikkey said: "No. Not at all. Because I talked to Lemmy after that show in Berlin. We were all gonna go separate ways, obviously. I was gonna just fly out to Sweden, and Phil went back home to Wales. Lemmy was flying back to L.A., but I believe he was gonna fly to London and stay one night or two or so and say hi to friends and then fly back home. And I spoke to him right after the show. I went down to Lemmy's dressing room, and I said, 'All right. Go back to L.A. and figure out, maybe, another two songs from [MOTÖRHEAD's final album] 'Bad Magic' that you think that we should do. And we take out the two songs that we already played on this leg, and we put in two new songs from the record.' And he said, 'Yeah. All right. I'll check that out.' And I said, 'Let's hook up after Christmas.' Because it was the 11th of December at that time, and I figured we'd talk between Christmas and New Year's Eve and decide which two songs that we agreed on on playing on that next leg. And he said, 'Yeah, I'll go back and work on that.' And that was it. He had no intention of not coming back to Europe and touring. So we did a little finger hook, as we always did, and that was the last time I saw him, actually. Very sad."

Dee went on to say that Lemmy had made some changes in his life to improve his health after dealing with several issues over the last few years of his life, including heart trouble. "But my personal belief is that it was maybe a little too late," he said. "He should have maybe changed a little earlier. But knowing Lemmy, he was not for that. He was doing it his way or the highway, basically. And that made him to what he was. He never compromised with his music, he never compromised with friendship, he never compromised with what way he was gonna go for anyone else in that way, which is why MOTÖRHEAD was MOTÖRHEAD, and still is MOTÖRHEAD. But with that said, of course, the three of us were talking a lot about stuff, and it was not like he was some kind of a boss here. But we all worked so good together, and that's what created the magic, I would say."

Lemmy died on December 28, 2015 at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer.

MOTÖRHEAD had to cancel a number of shows in 2015 because of Lemmy's poor health, although the band did manage to complete the aforementioned European tour a couple of weeks before his death.

Last June, it was announced that Lemmy will get the biopic treatment. The upcoming film, "Lemmy", will be directed by Greg Olliver, who previously helmed the 2010 documentary of the same name, "Lemmy".

"Lemmy" will go into production later this year, with VMI introducing the film at the Cannes virtual market. It will follow Kilmister's life growing up in Stoke-on-Trent, becoming a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and a member of seminal psychedelic rock band HAWKWIND before forming MOTÖRHEAD.

A custom-made urn containing Lemmy's ashes is on permanent display in a columbarium at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Guitarist Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) took to social media over the weekend with the following message:

"Flashing back this Friday to a cold winter in Hamburg in 1999 when I was co-producing and recording the very first Metalium record. I can’t remember exactly how this version of the song came up one day in a conversation. I know the late Lars Ratz was talking about maybe recording a cover. I had mentioned this song and had this arrangement in mind. I think I said something like no one had recorded 'Smoke On The Water' yet, and it’s probably the song more guitarist have covered it played than any rock song in history. I remember recording this track with Mike Terrana. His emotions were are intense when he does drum tracks. It only took him a couple of takes, but I think he wanted it on the first one and we just missed that. Something flew in the air from the drums I can’t remember what! I had the idea for the little change and metal ride out at the end just as me and Mike were jamming in the recording room. 

I tried to keep this solo as close as possible to some version I had from Blackmore. I was also doing all of my guitars in this record with my early 1970’s black Fender Strat. So it was able to get that tone naturally! 

One fun fact is I wasn’t there when this was mixed and edited. Lars edited in those little stops in the verses in the music. I hadn’t heard the final mix until I had an actual copy of the CD. I don’t think I loved that change when I first heard it, but obviously it was too late to change them. The original recording was just a bit more straight forward through the verses. Probably just a matter of my taste and since it was my original arrangement. I think I remember telling him he made it sound like a dance tune with those stops! 

It’s still so sad that was had to receive the news about the passing of Lars. We were in the middle of discussing and writing for a reunion of the band. As we speak the band and I have written and been recording a tribute song to Lars. It’s a very traditional Metalium sounding song that I feel all metal fans will really enjoy when they hear it! 

I speak to Henning and Matthias almost every day as we work on this and I think this process is helping everyone heal with the loss of our friend and bandmate." 

On the morning of April 18th, former Metalium bassist / founder Lars Ratz died in an ultralight crash in Mallorca, Spain. A report from We Publish News says his ultralight came down in the town of Vilafranca near the El Cruce restaurant. Ratz sustained multiple injuries and reportedly died at the scene. The Civil Guard is investigating the cause of the accident.

Read the complete report here.

Metalium was launched by Ratz in 1999 and disbanded in 2011. They recorded eight studio albums in that time. Former band members include guitarist Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), vocalist Henning Basse (Brainstorm, Sons Of Seasons), guitarist Jack Frost (Seven Witches), drummer Mike Terrana (Tarja, Rage, Yngwie Malmsteen) and drummer Michael Ehré (Gamma Ray, The Unity).

Caffery posted the following tribute to Ratz on social media:

"One of the many discussions I have had during the past year involved reunions and new records from bands I haven’t recorded with in years. You all know the obvious by the posts that have been floating around. One of the others was conversations I had with Henning and Lars Ratz about the possibility of a new Metalium record and festival tour. I had actually began writing songs with this reunion in mind. I am shocked and saddened to have just received the very sad news that Lars Ratz has died today in a small plane crash.

That first Metalium record was a very huge part of my musical and personal past. Although the situation wasn’t always perfect Lars believed in me and was so proud that he had me there to be a part of that first albums creation and the very first shows. Millennium Metal was a classic record top to bottom.

Lars loved risks. He kinda lived very heavy metal in many ways. He loved being a pilot. He can now take some of my friends in heaven on some of his flights. Fly with the angels my friend.

This song was always one of my favorites from this record..."




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In a new interview with Sonic Perspectives, DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen was asked what Bon Scott was like when DEF LEPPARD opened for AC/DC back in 1979. Rick responded: "He was very humble. He was a quiet guy that really kept to himself. One particular thing that stands out to me was on my 16th birthday, we were playing the Hammersmith Odeon in London, and we were opening for them. Bon came backstage to wish me a happy birthday and gave me a huge bowl of Smarties; in the U.S., they call them M&Ms. I thought that was the nicest thing, and he didn’t have to do that. This is AC/DC we are talking about, and DEF LEPPARD, we weren't really anything to speak of at the time in 1979."

A few years ago, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott told Classic Rock magazine about the experience of touring with AC/DC: "We opened for AC/DC on the 'Highway To Hell' tour in 1979, but I've no idea what Malcolm [Young, AC/DC guitarist] was like as a person. I'm not saying he was shy; he just kept his cards close to his chest. He'd acknowledge you — a nod, like, 'How are you doing?' — but he would never sit down and have a chat like Bon did. I found that AC/DC was cliquey. Bon and Cliff [Williams, bass] were very amiable, but when it came to the Australian side of AC/DC, they were very standoffish. In fairness, Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist] came into our dressing room a few times, but Malcolm didn't really talk to us."

Elliott went on to say that "Powerage" was AC/DC's best record. "It's got everything — amazing songs, great performances," he said. "Listen to 'Powerage' now and you'll really feel what a great player Malcolm Young was."

Scott was invited to join AC/DC by Malcolm and Angus Young in 1974, and achieved international stardom before his death at the age of 33 from alcohol poisoning.

He sang on AC/DC's first six studio albums, including "High Voltage", "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Let There Be Rock" and "Highway To Hell".

Scott died of acute alcohol poisoning after a night of heavy drinking at a club in London, just days after attending a session with Malcolm and Angus Young where they began working on music for what became the "Back In Black" album.

According to the AC/DC FAQ web site, Bon and the friend, a musician named Alisdair Kinnear, had been drinking the evening of February 19, 1980 and Bon apparently fell asleep during the ride home. Kinnear could not wake Bon, so he left him in the car to sleep. Kinnear awoke early in the evening on February 20, checked on Bon, and found him unconscious in the car. Bon could not be revived, and was pronounced dead.




Reminiscing about AC/DC’s Bon Scott in Fremantle, Australia pic.twitter.com/EuXLfVwMRy

— Def Leppard (@DefLeppard) November 3, 2018

Ozzy Osbourne has paid tribute to Randy Rhoads, less than a week after it was announced that the legendary guitarist will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Rhoads, who played in Ozzy's band four decades ago, will receive the Musical Excellence Award at this year's induction ceremony, which will be held at Cleveland, Ohio's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on October 30.

The Musical Excellence Award is given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Ozzy said in part: "I knew him for a very short amount of time. But what he gave me in that short amount of time was immeasurable in fucking greatness. To get somebody like Randy Rhoads to play on two albums, and for those two albums to sound as good as the day they were recorded, is something else. And I'm forever in gratitude for that. God only knows where that man would be today. The very fact that he’s not here to breathe the air is just a fucking crime.

"Thank God that he's getting recognized by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He finally got there in the end. I'm sad that his mother was not alive to see it, because he was very close to his mom. I know his brother, Kelle, and his sister, Kathy, are going to be really chuffed about it. It shows that he's not been forgotten. He was a dedicated, true musician, and he was a lovely guy. I still think about him all the time."

Rhoads played on Osbourne's seminal records "Blizzard Of Ozz" (1980) and "Diary Of A Madman" but tragically died in a plane crash when he was just 25 years old, on March 19, 1982. He influenced many musicians and is considered one of the greatest guitartists of all time. His death was a huge shock to the world and Ozzy wrote in his autobiography "I Am Ozzy" that he almost quit music after Randy's passing.

The Rock Hall induction ceremony will be broadcast on HBO Max and streamed on HBO Max at a later d

In a new interview with the the "Hangin' & Bangin': Artists On Lockdown" online show, Cherie Currie spoke about the possibility of a reunion of iconic rockers THE RUNAWAYS. The first true girl band of the 1970s, THE RUNAWAYS — which also featured Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Jackie Fox and Sandy West — toured internationally and made a dent in the charts before calling it quits at the end of that decade.

Speaking about whether there is any chance of a RUNAWAYS comeback, Currie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've played with all the girls individually, I've played with all of them — with Lita, with Joan, and, of course, with Sandy; I never did a show without her before she passed away [from breast cancer in 2006]. So I'm the only one that's actually played with all the members.

"Lita and Joan have a little bit of an issue, and that just seems to be the problem," she continued. "Lita doesn't like [Joan's producer and manager] Kenny [Laguna]. I wish they would get over it, honestly, but I don't think so."

Currie went on to say that her own relationship with Laguna suffered after her latest solo album, "Blvds Of Splendor", was delayed for nearly a decade before it arrived last year.

"Kenny was my manager [during the early stages of making 'Blvds Of Splendor']," she said. "We were very good friends for 20 years. But then, unfortunately, with the record, with them holding up 'Blvds Of Splendor' for 10 years, that kind of eroded my friendship with him a bit."

In November 2018, Ford told the Daily Mail that a reunion of THE RUNAWAYS will probably never happen. She explained: "Joan Jett is very much in 'Joan Jett land,' I guess you could say. Will she ever come out of Joan Jett land? I don't think so. I think her manager controls that and it's really up to him and her. It seems to me like Joan Jett's manager just runs her life in every way, shape, or form. He's very controlling and he has a real problem with me. He has a real issue with me. He sees me as a threat, which is ridiculous, because she's like my sister and I love Joan. It's ridiculous, it's uncalled for, and it's caused a little bit of rivalry between her and I, which is totally uncalled for. It's his fault."

Ford claimed that Jett's manager has prevented her from even talking about a RUNAWAYS reunion with Jett.

"The hard part is just trying to communicate with Joan without her manager involved," she added.

"We had dinner a couple of years ago, what was supposed to be a girl's night out, and she brought her manager with her.

"So it's like, "Dude, answer the question. I'm trying to ask you a question. Are you interested in putting THE RUNAWAYS back together?' She never answered the question."

In a 2015 interview with with the WHMH (Rockin' 101) radio station, Lita explained that she decided against a possible RUNAWAYS reunion in the early '90s because "NIRVANA was just kicking in, and it was really bad timing; it wouldn't have worked. People would have just turned their nose up at it."

A movie about THE RUNAWAYS' brief history, starring Dakota Fanning as Currie and Kristin Stewart as Jett, came out in 2010.

Photo credit: Robert Sebree

French black metal formation Regarde Les Hommes Tomber are now releasing the full live performance of their set from Roadburn Redux's online festival. The band played their 2020 full-length Ascension in full.

Ascension was issued February 28, 2020 via Season Of Mist. The album is available to order here.

The cover artwork for Ascension was created by Fortifem.

"The Renegade Son":




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