"Fuel Injected Suicide Machine", a brand new song from FEAR FACTORY, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Aggression Continuum", due on June 18 via Nuclear Blast Records.

FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares comments: "I can't wait for everyone to hear this high-octane ripping song. It's based on a character called the Nightrider from one of my all-time favorite movies, 'Mad Max'.

"Born with a steering wheel in his hand and lead in his foot, he is the Nightrider, the Fuel Injected Suicide Machine. Remember him when you look at the night sky."

"Aggression Continuum" features guitarist, songwriter and co-founder Dino Cazares; drummer Mike Heller; and former vocalist, lyricist, and co-founder Burton C. Bell. It was produced and engineered by Damien Rainaud (DRAGONFORCE, ONCE HUMAN), with keyboards by Igor Khoroshev (ex-YES), and programming on two songs from longtime collaborator Rhys Fulber (FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY). "Aggression Continuum" was mixed by A-list rock and metal producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, TRIVIUM), who also mixed FEAR FACTORY's previous album, 2015's "Genexus".

Cazares previously commented: "This record is one of my proudest achievements and I'm really excited for it to finally be released. There were a lot of personal struggles, sacrifices, and legal issues involved with this record which almost didn't see the light of day, but through passion, determination, lots of hard work and not giving up the fight, it’s finally ready for the world to hear. I felt that I needed to prove myself once again as I always try and make each record better than the last. Listen, and understand! This album is pissed! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear and it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are hooked. You must fight to survive in the 'Aggression Continuum'."

"Aggression Continuum" track listing:

01. Recode

02. Disruptor

03. Aggression Continuum

04. Purity

05. Fuel Injected Suicide Machine

06. Collapse

07. Manufactured Hope

08. Cognitive Dissonance

09. Monolith

10. End Of Line

Last September, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect.

Bell's exit from FEAR FACTORY came more than two weeks after Cazares launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist him with the production costs associated with the release of FEAR FACTORY's long-awaited new LP.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY was a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it.

"With FEAR FACTORY, it's just constantly been, like, 'What?!' You can only take so much. I felt like 30 years was a good run. Those albums I've done with FEAR FACTORY will always be out there. I'll always be part of that. I just felt like it was time to move forward."

Pressed about whether there is any chance of a reconciliation with FEAR FACTORY down the line, Burton said: "I'm done. I haven't spoken to Dino in three years. I haven't spoken to Raymond [Herrera, drums] and Christian [Olde Wolbers, bass] in longer than that, and I have no intention to. I'm just moving forward with my life."

In October, Dino issued a statement in which he said that the door for Burton to come back to FEAR FACTORY wouldn't "stay open forever." The guitarist also revealed that Burton "lost his legal rights" to the FEAR FACTORY name "after a long court battle" with Herrera and Olde Wolbers. "I had the opportunity to do something right, and I felt that obtaining the name in full was the right thing to do for the both of us, so after nearly four years we can continue as FEAR FACTORY, to make more records and to tour," he said. "That is why it is sad to hear that he decided to quit and, in my opinion, for whatever issues he has it seems like it could've been worked out."

In explaining his reasons for starting a fundraising campaign, Cazares said that all donations would go toward covering newly incurred production costs involved with the making of the new FEAR FACTORY LP, including re-recording the drums, guitars, bass and keyboards, as well as production by Damien Rainaud and Cazares, and mixing and mastering by Andy Sneap. Burton's original lead vocals, which were recorded in full in 2017, remain on the new version of the album.

FEAR FACTORY's fundraising campaign marked the first public activity from the band since it completed a 2016 U.S. headlining tour on which it performed its classic second album, "Demanufacture", in its entirety.

Bell's ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS project released its second full-length album, "Apocrypha", last October via Dissonance Productions.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

George Lynch paid musical tribute to Eddie Van Halen during the former DOKKEN guitarist's May 1 performance at the Dallas International Guitar Festival at Dallas Market Hall in Dallas, Texas. At the end of the impromptu jam, George told the crowd: "In remembrance of our fallen brother, who is one of the greatest inspirations of my personal guitar journey."

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube user "arcme262").

In a recent interview with Metal Godz Radio, Lynch was asked if ever got a chance to bond and hang out with Eddie Van Halen. He responded: "Absolutely. I mean, we kind of came up through the ranks together. We were both [in] SoCal bands and played the same bills and same clubs and hung out a little bit and have common connections and friends and different things and acquaintances. But the time that we spent the most together was on the 'Monsters Of Rock' tour [in 1988, where DOKKEN and VAN HALEN shared the bill with SCORPIONS, METALLICA and KINGDOM COME]. Eddie and I would spend a lot of time in the hotel rooms just jamming and staying up all night drinking beers and smoking and playing guitar. So that was a really cool hang."

Lynch previously talked about Eddie's influence in a 2009 interview with Guitar Player magazine. Asked if he was jealous of VAN HALEN's success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, George said: "We were jealous and we were all trying to play catch up. We thought, 'Oh boy, we better get on board. This guy's going to change the world.' I remember my reaction when I first heard Eddie. I had been hearing about this guy with the weird European name. He's got a torpedo onstage, the bass player wears clogs, they have bombs onstage, and the guy's unbelievable. I saw him and it blew my mind. They were still doing covers at the time — RAINBOW, MONTROSE — and their original stuff was as good or better than their cover stuff, which was pretty exceptional. After their show, I went back to our band room and played my guitar until the sun came up. I thought, 'Man, how can I get that tone?'"

Asked if he tried to copy Eddie, George said: "What I really did was sort of bounce off his stuff rather than emulate it. I've done that with a lot of players. Instead of copying them, I react to them. I'll think, 'Well, Di Meola does this thing. I can do some alternate picking, so I won't copy it but I'll embed that a little bit into my toolbox and do it my own way.' I've tried to do that with any player who has influenced me: Clapton, Hendrix, Schenker, Eddie, Holdsworth. I couldn't play any of their stuff note for note to save my life, but I can capture the gist of what they're doing by being exposed to it. I can get the essence."

Eddie died in October at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer.

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

Tracii Guns has commented on last week's out-of-court resolution of the legal dispute over the rights to the L.A. GUNS name. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, he and singer Phil Lewis will continue to operate under the L.A. GUNS trademark, while Steve Riley and his bandmates from the other version of L.A. GUNS will now operate under the new name RILEY'S L.A. GUNS.

Speaking to Dawn Osborne of TotalRock, the guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We just settled this lawsuit a couple of days ago. And I'll let the press release explain how it's gonna work from here on out. But nobody can just be L.A. GUNS except me forever. And it worked out… I would have liked to have taken it further, but that motherfucker has no money.

"All this thing has been for 15 years is a complete negative waste of time and energy," Tracii continued. "But I ended up in a position where I could go after the guy. And it was the right thing to do. You can't let people take advantage of you. And that's kind of classic in my life. I'm really generous with people, and I wanna see everybody succeed. But if you take advantage of me, man… Sometimes I wish there were no laws. Because some people are so selfish."

Guns also talked about L.A. GUNS' upcoming album, "Checkered Past", which is tentatively due in November via Frontiers Music Srl. This will be the third studio LP since the much welcome reunion of the band's core foundation of Lewis and Guns. It will follow the well-received studio albums "The Missing Peace" and "The Devil You Know", plus the live release "Made In Milan", and a covers EP "Another Xmas In Hell".

"It's a fucking another monster record," Tracii said. "I guess we're old and we give a shit about the records now. L.A. GUNS fans will love it. It's different than 'The Missing Peace' and it's different than 'The Devil You Know'. Well, people got a taste from [the previously released single] 'Let You Down'; that's on that record.

"We have what a core L.A. GUNS fan would be really excited about, like these fast, hard-hitting inventive riffs — stuff like that — which is great," he continued. "But L.A. GUNS fans are gonna buy the record; they're gonna ultimately hear those songs no matter what. But there's some other things on that record, like 'Let You Down', which are — I hate to use an overused term — but they're genuinely epic pieces of music. And they're great songs — they're not just epic musically; they're great songs — more '70s, I suppose."

Prior to the arrival of "Checkered Past", L.A. GUNS will release a live recording of its November 28, 2020 concert at the Fremont Country Club in Las Vegas, Nevada where the band performed its second album, 1989's "Cocked & Loaded", in its entirety. The event was livestreamed via Veeps.

"We played only 'Cocked & Loaded' and 'Speed' — one extra song — and the recording is fantastic," Tracii told TotalRock. "And it was a really meager kind of weird gig — it was weird — but the recording is great; it really turned out great. So Frontiers asked if we could put it out, and [we said], 'Yeah. Okay.' So the packaging is great. The album is great. And that comes out. So that's definitely for all the L.A. GUNS fans that wanna hear great versions of those songs live."

In May 2020, L.A. GUNS released a new single, "Let You Down". The song was written and recorded while the band was in the midst of working on its next studio album.

L.A. GUNS is:

Phil Lewis - vocals

Tracii Guns - guitars

Ace Von Johnson - guitars

Johnny Martin - bass

Scot Coogan - drums

Riley's version of L.A. GUNS, which made its live debut in May 2019 at the M3 Rock Festival, released its first album, "Renegades", last fall via Golden Robot Records. The drummer is joined in the group by Orlando, Florida-based guitarist/vocalist Kurt Frohlich, bassist Kelly Nickels (a member of L.A. GUNS' "classic" incarnation) and guitarist Scott Griffin (who played bass for the band from 2007 until 2009, and then again from 2011 to 2014).

In January 2020, Riley was sued by Lewis and Guns in California District Court. Joining Riley as defendants in the case were the three musicians who performed in his rival version of L.A. GUNS; that group's manager, booking agent and merchandiser; and Golden Robot Records. The complaint, which requested a trial by jury, alleged that Riley's version of L.A. GUNS (referred to in the case docket as "the infringing L.A. GUNS") was creating "unfair competition" through its unauthorized usage of the L.A. GUNS trademark. In addition, Guns and Lewis were seeking relief from and/or against false advertising, breach of contract and unauthorized usage of their likenesses.

Cassius King, led by guitarist Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Non-Fiction, Vessel Of Light) with Dangerous Toys/Broken Teeth vocalist Jason McMaster, has released a seven-inch single for the track “Traveler” with a b-side cover of Aerosmith’s “Sight For Sore Eyes”, the band’s first release with Nomad Eel Records.

“Jason has been my go-to-guy for years whenever I record cover songs with Cassius King,” Lorenzo says. “He has sung KISS’ ‘Mr. Speed,’ Cheap Trick’s ‘Big Eyes’ and Aerosmith’s “Back In The Saddle” and now ‘Sight For Sore Eyes'.”

The single is limited to 55 individually numbered auburn, lathe cut thick vinyl editions here. Purchase also includes unlimited streaming of the songs via the Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Traveler b/w Sight For Sore Eyes by Cassius King

“"I’m very excited to announce Cassius King has signed with us,” says Nomad Eel’s Damon Duster. “If you grew up in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s then chances are you know the band Dangerous Toys. When I was in my adolescent/teenage years, my sk8 club would jam to the cassette non-stop. Life has a funny way of coming full circle and I can't be more happy about it!”

Lorenzo was focusing on his doomy Vessel Of Light project, releasing four albums within just three years, before deciding to re-visit Cassius King. “Jason and I figured it was time to write some original music together,” he says. “Cassius King is less doomy than Vessel Of Light. Some of the songs could almost be Hades songs.”

That said, it was logical for Lorenzo to once again recruited Hades bassist Jimmy Schulman and drummer Ron Lipnicki, who served time in Hades before sitting behind the throne with Overkill for a decade, to complete the band’s lineup. Additionally, original Hades guitarist Scott LePage contributed several solos on Cassius King’s debut.

Cassius King’s debut is scheduled for a late summer release. Listen to a sample of the song “Join The Exodus” below:

Cassius King is:

Jason McMaster - Vocals
Dan Lorenzo - Guitar
Jimmy Schulman - Bass
Ron Lipnicki - Drums




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Norwegian metallers KVELERTAK have immortalized their latest album, "Splid", in video game form and beyond.

"Game Of Doom" arrives on May 13. It takes fans and singer Ivar Nikolaisen on an epic quest through a retro-style maze where they are tasked with finding the other band members, as well as defeating the ghost of Tagholdt, who haunts a local museum and is a character from the song "Fanden Ta Dette Hull!"

The band says: "Your favorite superheroes are finally back — in a game where you can swing a REAL axe!"

Watch the game trailer below.

In addition to "Game Of Doom", the band is also dropping the "Splid: Game Of Doom" EP, which features four 8-bit versions of songs from "Splid" that you can hear throughout the game.

The game is available for Apple users and for Android users.

"Splid: Game Of Doom" EP track listing:

01. Bråtebran ("Game Of Doom" version)

02. Crack Of Doom ("Game Of Doom" version)

03. Discord ("Game Of Doom" version)

04. Fanden Ta Dette Hull! ("Game Of Doom" version)

Upon its early 2020 release, "Splid" debuted at No. 1 in the band's native Norway. Stereogum hailed the record as "enormously fun, friendly rage-out music, music as giddy as it is ferocious. That sound must be a tough one to figure out, since literally nobody else has pulled it off," while AV Club said, "It's all pleasure all the time, just with somehow even bigger riffs." Consequence enthused that it "churns out raging banger after banger, allowing for the record to roar with metal bliss. The creativity expressed in 'Splid' is matched by its intensity, as KVELERTAK embrace the metal spirit throughout the album."

California metallers ATREYU have released the official music video for their new song "Catastrophe". The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Baptize", which is due on June 4 via Spinefarm Records. The clip, which features cameos by members of NOTHING MORE, TRIVIUM, ICE NINE KILLS, HYRO THE HERO, BAD WOLVES and SILVERSTEIN, arrives six months after the release of "Save Us", which was the first taste of ATREYU's music since the departure of vocalist Alex Varkatzas in September.

"'Catastrophe' is, in essence, an apocalyptic love song," ATREYU reveals. "We took a more imaginative approach to the feelings about that we as individuals and the rest of the planet were going through. The world felt like it was falling apart around us. Nothing was certain, and stress and darkness were coming in from every angle. But living through it all with someone who you truly love somehow made it all okay."

"Catastrophe" showcases ATREYU's current lineup consisting of drummer Brandon Saller focusing completely on singing after previously sharing lead vocals with Varkatzas for most of the band's two-decade-plus existence. Sitting behind the kit is Saller's HELL OR HIGHWATER bandmate Kyle Rosa, who had filled in for Saller on drums in 2019 after Varkatzas bowed out of the band's European tour while dealing with serious back and hernia issues.

"Baptize" track listing:

01. Strange Powers Of Prophecy

02. Baptize

03. Save Us

04. Underrated

05. Broken Again

06. Weed

07. Dead Weight

08. Catastrophe

09. Fucked Up

10. Sabotage Me

11. Untouchable (feat. Jacoby Shaddix)

12. No Matter What

13. Oblivion (feat. Matt Heafy)

14. Stay

15. Warrior (feat. Travis Barker)

Asked in a recent interview with the "RRBG Podcast"if fans have responded positively to ATREYU's lineup change, guitarist Travis Miguel said: "For the most part, yeah. There's obviously naysayers and people who are bummed out. And that's totally fine — I mean, we all expected that. Because change in any shape or form, really, can be very uncomfortable. Especially for a band that loses their frontman, a lot of bands, they either thrive or it just doesn't resonate the same with the listeners. But luckily, it's not like we got a complete stranger coming in and moving up to the frontman spot. Brandon, obviously, did just about 50 percent of the vocals on all ATREYU stuff anyway. And he's been working his ass off kind of transitioning from literally the dude from behind the drums to into the front of the stage.

"That being said, not this past summer, but in 2019, we did a tour in Europe, and Alex, at the time, he had injured his back and he literally couldn't sit on a plane for 11, 12 hours to fly over to Europe, so he had to sit that one out," he continued. "So we went over to Europe with this lineup that we have now. So there wasn't a whole lot of thought [put into it]. It was kind of a no-brainer. Kyle Rosa, who is now playing drums for us, it was almost like that was his tryout, and we didn't even know it. So it's just kind of weird how things pan out."

Speaking about the musical direction of the new ATREYU material, Travis said: "There are definite heavy bangers on there. It's definitely ATREYU, which that could mean just about anything, really. A lot of people would consider that complete shitty music. Some people think it's the greatest thing on earth. It's all over the place, really, which is kind of what we've always done."

ATREYU spent the first couple of months of 2020 working on material for its eighth album with producer John Feldmann, who previously helmed 2018's "In Our Wake" and 2007's breakout LP "Lead Sails, Paper Anchor".

In August 2019, ATREYU released a deluxe edition of "In Our Wake" via Spinefarm Records. The new version featured the original "In Our Wake" album, along with seven additional tracks. The bonus material included B-sides from the sessions for both "In Our Wake" and 2015's "Long Live", along with alternate versions of the title track and "The Time Is Now" from "In Our Wake". The deluxe edition featured completely redesigned artwork and a total of 19 songs.

Grammy-winning band GRETA VAN FLEET has released the official live music video for its song "Light My Love". The clip was directed by Rob Sinclair for Sinclair/Wilkinson and Mark Haney for Black Bear Productions. The track is taken from the group's sophomore studio album, "The Battle At Garden's Gate", which came out on April 16 via Lava/Republic Records.

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

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

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

"We realized that while growing up, we had been shielded by many things, and we were unaware of a lot of things," says Wagner. "And then we were thrown out into this huge world, and it was a bit of a culture shock at first. But as we started to travel a lot, meet new and different people and experience different cultures, our definition of 'normal' changed."

"I suppose that everything has changed except what got us here in the first place," adds Sam Kiszka. "Everything — our perception of the world, perception of life itself, what it means to be an artist, what it means to be part of a beautiful, gorgeous society. We've gained a larger understanding of why we're all here."

In general, the album's arrangements are spacious and leisurely, giving the music pleasing dynamics, as the band touches on all manners of rock 'n' roll. "The Battle At Garden's Gate" is cinematic, capturing the breathtaking energy of an exciting fight scene or the smoldering passion of a brooding, heroic protagonist saving the day. The new music also illustrates that the members of GRETA VAN FLEET are paving the way for a new generation of musicians — ones that use rock 'n' roll's foundational elements to build an entirely new sonic blueprint.

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

Josh explains: "It's very dynamic, lyrically speaking. And that's the human experience. It's much more than pain or fear; it's also beauty. People need people, and love is important." Lyrically, "The Battle At Garden's Gate" muses about the influence of technology on modern life; the role conflict plays in the global sphere; the deceptive fulfillment of tangible riches; and philosophical questions about life, love and power.

"There was a lot of self-evolution happening during the writing of this album that was prompted by experiences I had, experiences we all had, so a lot of contemplation occurred," Josh says, while Jake adds, "It's reflecting a lot of the world that we've seen, and I think that it's reflecting a lot of personal truth. What Josh does very well with the lyrics is telling ancient tales with a contemporary application."

For Josh, working with Kurstin provided the confidence he needed to push his songwriting into these vivid dimensions. "I'm always a little bit hesitant about my abilities as an artist; I think a lot of artists feel that way," he says. "But Greg hovering over me while I'm on the piano, taking an interest in what I was doing — that was really important for me."

That added confidence is obvious. Josh sounds commanding on each song, stretching his already-acrobatic voice to newer heights, while the instrumentalists fearlessly push themselves into new territory. Easy going organ and acoustic folk-rock riffs drive one song, while another ends in a torrent of guitar noise that rivals Neil Young's onstage guitar freakouts with CRAZY HORSE. "For all of us, the performances — and the aspects of them that are captured — preserve where we're at musically in time right now," Jake says.

The future is unwritten, and the sky's the limit for these curious travelers and truth-seekers. Josh says, "certainly after this, we've grown in so many ways. This album has taught us a lot, about life in general, about ourselves, about all of us, about the world we live in."

Southern California rockers THE OFFSPRING have released the official Scott Schafer-directed video for the song "We Never Have Sex Anymore". The track is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", which arrived on April 16 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.

Singer Bryan "Dexter" 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."

Photo credit: Daveed Benito

BRITISH LION, the side project of IRON MAIDEN bassist and founder Steve Harris, has released a brand new music video, "Land Of The Perfect People".

Taken from BRITISH LION's 2020 album "The Burning", the song's lyrics were written by vocalist Richard Taylor, who comments: "It's about abandonment and issues from being brought up in a children's home."

Although a summer European tour in support of "The Burning" couldn’t go ahead last year as planned, BRITISH LION has now been confirmed for the 2022 U.K. Download festival and is very much hoping to also reschedule some other European club and festival dates.

BRITISH LION completed its first U.S. tour in January and February 2020.

"The Burning" was released on January 17, 2020 in digipack CD, double gatefold vinyl and digital download formats via Explorer1 Music (E1).

BRITISH LION comprises Taylor, guitarists David Hawkins and Grahame Leslie, Harris on bass and keyboards and drummer Simon Dawson.

Recorded, engineered and mixed at Barnyard Studios by Tony Newton and produced by Steve Harris, "The Burning" is crammed with powerful hard rock melodies.

Asked by the Tampa Bay Times what the itch is that BRITISH LION scratches that he doesn't get in his job with MAIDEN, Harris said: "I suppose playing small clubs and being close and personal with the audience. I love playing big places as well. I enjoy them all, and I'm very lucky that I can do them all. But also, it's clubs that I never played with MAIDEN, even in Europe. There's a famous club called the Milky Way in Amsterdam, which I managed to play with BRITISH LION, but I never did that with MAIDEN. There's places now that I'm going to be playing on this [U.S.] tour that I've never played before. So it's all new ground. It's a challenge. It's nice. I like a challenge."

MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern and session drummer Navene Koperweiss (ENTHEOS, WHITECHAPEL, ANIMALS AS LEADERS) joined producer Zack Ohren inside Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California back in January to begin drum tracking on various new songs.

Take a quick peek inside the making of some new MACHINE HEAD tracks, including a blast-beat-laden song titled "Become The Firestorm", and Navene's incredible drumming in the three-and-a-half-minute video below.

In November, MACHINE HEAD released a new single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was the latest in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

In July, MACHINE HEAD canceled its previously announced rescheduled 2020 tour dates for Europe and Australia due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

Each show on MACHINE HEAD's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour consisted of two parts: part one saw Flynn and MacEachern performing alongside new recruits, guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED) and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT); while part two featured "Burn My Eyes" played in its entirety for the first time ever, with original "Burn My Eyes"-era drummer Chris Kontos and Mader joining in.

Slovenian heavy metal prodigy, SkyEye, will release their second studio album, Soldiers Of Light, on June 25 via Reaper Entertainment. A second album trailer has been issued for the record; watch below:

Unique and powerful vocals combined with raw and melodic guitar riffs give the band its signature heavy metal sound, reminiscent of other major representatives of the genre, like Iron Maiden, Saxon or Judas Priest.

The album was produced in summer 2020 by producer Grega Smola Crnkovič and was mastered by Boban Milunović who is known in the hard & heavy scene for his work with Graveworm, Belphegor, Jack Frost and many more.

Album artwork by Aleksandar Živanov:

Tracklisting:

“The Arrival”
“King Of The Skies”
“Soldiers Of Light”
“Constellation”
“Brothers Under The Same Sun”
“In Saecula Saeculorum”
“Son Of God”
“Detonate”
“Eternal Starlight”
“Chernobyl”

"Constellation":

Trailer #1




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The Wring is Don Dewulf and Don Dewulf is The Wring with a little help from some global music superstars. The progressive metal project will be releasing a new album entitled The Wring² Project Cipher on May 28. The full-length has something for everyone across the spectrums of classic heavy metal to prog plus features a lineup of guests that includes Marc Bonilla (Keith Emerson Band, California Transit Authority, Glenn Hughes), Bryan Beller (Joe Satriani, The Aristocrats, Dethklok, Steve Vai), Thomas Lang (Robert Fripp, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Williams), Jason Henrie, and Jason Sadites.

The Wring's next single "The Light" is showcased in a new music video to give a visual glimpse of the players inside a cool conceptual framework. The video was created by Wring bass player, Jason Henrie, using content clips from a couple of very talented video artists.

The Wring² Project Cipher was created with all hard rock and prog listeners in mind, regardless of how they approach music, as he explains:

“I love prog music, but it can be a challenging listening task. I wanted to combine the interesting bits of prog with a strong melody and composition. You can rock out or geek out to this. “The Light” is a very fun song to play. Lots of changes and riffs. This is one song where Marc Bonilla totally took the vocals in his own direction. I had a much heavier vision but he has a style that really works against the riffs and strange, shifting time signatures.”

Dewulf is proud of his music and it really shines through in the video and across the album. The video gives a great look at the technique and the passion of all of the musicians. The combined experience under Dewulf's vision creates something truly unique, as he puts it, "if Geddy decided to shun the synthesizer and Alex became an acolyte of Dave Mustaine instead of Midge Ure, Rush might have sounded like this."

BraveWords is premiering the new video; check it out below!

The Wring² Project Cipher is seven songs with one instrumental and six vocal tracks. It's a rock record with bits of proggy and classic rock elements showcasing the diversity of the musicians along with complementing each other and the overall vibe. It is highly recommended for fans of Rush, Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and The Dead Daisies.

Preorder on Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

“The Light”
“Sorceress”
“Cipher”
“Steelier”
“Dissension”
“Dose”
“Touch”




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Vocalist Charlotte Wessels, who announced in February she had parted ways with Delain, has released a new solo single via her official Patreon page here. It is a cover of the cult favourite "Cry Little Sister", written by Gerard McMann, taken from the 1987 movie, The Lost Boys. A teaser is available below.

On February 15th, Delain keyboardist Martijn Westerholt announced big changes in the band, saying they had split up and that he would continue Delain as a solo project. Charlotte issued the following statement:

"Delain has been my world for nearing 16 years, which is half of my life and my entire career. So it is with a heavy heart that I am confirming that Delain will continue as Martijn’s solo project, and my involvement with Delain ends here.

At this time, I know that you might have questions about the ‘why’ in all of this. I fully understand and respect that. Simply put, it is the sad conclusion of more than a year of trying to find solutions to built up grievances. Part of me feels like I’m letting all of you down, I’d like you to know that this decision was not taken lightly and I apologise to those of you who had high hopes of seeing all of us together live on stage again after lockdown. Until recently, I thought this might still be in the cards for us as well.

In the last 15 years we have released music that we have poured our heart and soul into. We have toured the world, rocked so many stages and met so many wonderful fans; I cherish all of that beyond measure. Every eye locked during a lyric, every front row high five, every after show hug (remember hugs?) From the sweaty hole in the wall to the Wembleys, Wackens, and Paradisos of our career. The memories we - band, crew, fans - have made together, will last forever. And in the end, they are more important to me than the differences that we couldn’t overcome, so that’s where I’d like the focus of the narrative to be.

So where do we go from here? Otto, Timo and Joey are also leaving Delain, but will carry on making music with their own projects. Make sure you’re following what they’re up to. I can’t wait to see and hear how they will take the world by storm. Martijn will continue with Delain, and although it may be painful at first to see a Delain that I’m not a part of, I do wish him the very best in this new chapter. Like any relationship, our creative partnership has required work at times, but it has also been incredibly fruitful and I am grateful for all the things that we made together. Finally, I hope that Delain remains a positive force in everyone’s lives. We Are The Others, always will be, and none of this changes that.

As for myself, I’ll keep writing and performing music. It is the thing that gives me joy and purpose. I’m beyond grateful for my amazing community on Patreon, something that was supposed to be a side project from Delain, but will now be the primary place that I release music and create art and community.

This platform allows me to keep creating independently and I am thankful for all patrons that make this possible. I am dedicated to bring you my absolute best, and look forward to making magic with all of you.

I welcome the future with open arms, and I hope to see you on my journey. You can find the latest at charlottewessels.nl."

Following is Westerholt's announcement that Delain had split up:

"For the last year or so, the collaboration within the band ceased to work as well as it once had. Some of us were no longer happy with the current roles in the band. We all tried very hard to find a solution for over a year, but sadly we were unable to find one.

"As a result, we will all be going our own ways and pursuing our own endeavours. I am very sad our cooperation has come to end, but at the same time I am very grateful for all the years we were able to work together. Together we toured the world, shared highs and lows, and met with many successes as well as times that pushed us to learn and grow. We all enjoyed meeting our fans and making new friends all over the globe. I would like to thank my fellow bandmates and wish Timo, Otto, Joey, and especially Charlotte the very best for the future. And I hope that will mean onwards and upwards to new musical adventures for each of them!

"That being said, Delain will live on. The others have chosen to pursue different paths. I have decided to keep Delain alive by continuing on with writing and producing the music for Delain as I always have. I started Delain as a project in 2002 and for the next album I will take it back to a project form, releasing music with special guests. As it looks now many familiar faces will be returning to join me on this journey.

"I can’t express my gratitude enough to all of you Delainers that have supported us over so many years. Your dedication to the music and the community you created for us has been overwhelming. Even though this situation is not ideal, change never usually is at first, I hope you will continue to join Delain on its new journey. This is not the end of Delain. It’s the end of a chapter, but also the beginning of a new one."




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Minefield - featuring Brandon Fields (vocals / guitar), Todd Kerns (vocals / bass), Jeremy Asbrock (vocals / guitar), and Matt Starr (drums) - released their debut album last week. The self-titled set includes a cover of "All American Man", originally done by KISS, which can be enjoyed below.

Secure your copy of Minefield now at this location. The artwork and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting:

"Alone Together" 
"Seventh Heaven" 
"Home" 
"Rockstar" 
"My Disease" 
"All American Man" 
"So Help Me" 
"Hide Your Lyin" 
"Lady Danger" 
"Day By Day" 

Brandon Fields has spent the last several years touring as a solo artist. He is also the lead guitarist in Detroit, Michigan based band Whiskey A Go Go.

Todd Kerns has served as the bassist in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators since 2010. Kerns also fronted Canadian rock groups The Age Of Electric and Static In Stereo, he presently serves as the singer / guitarist in Toque.

Jeremy Asbrock is currently the guitarist in former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley’s solo band. Before this, Asbrock was in Gene Simmons’ solo band as well.

Matt Starr has been a staple in Ace Frehley’s solo band for the last decade while also playing with the supergroup Mr. Big.

Prior to the release of "All American Man", Minefield shared four songs from their self-titled debut. Check out "Alone Together", "Home", "Seventh Heaven", and "Hide Your Lyin":

For further details, visit Minefield on Facebook.

 

 




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Helsinki-based band, Oceanhoarse, recently released their new single, "Reaching Skywards". With its in-your-face metal riffing, '90s style psychedelia and astral beauty of the chorus, this is quite possibly the most versatile Oceanhoarse song to date.

"'Reaching Skywards' is my favorite track from our upcoming album” drummer Oskari Niemi says. “It kicks off with some eardrum-slapping metal before the verse brings a dose of funk to your afternoon, and finally the chorus lifts you up into the skies. This has to be the most twisted combination of grooves so far in our catalog! I rarely get emotional, but Joonas' (Kosonen, vocals) screams in the second half of the song always give me chills."

"It's a never-ending source of amazement to me how some people have no issues exploiting others and watch the world burn around them while they keep getting wealthier and more powerful. There's nothing scarier than inhumanity and lack of compassion. I find myself leaning towards these topics time and again when writing lyrics” guitarist Ben Varon continues.

Oceanhoarse have amassed an impressive two million plus streams on Spotify alone, and all this before their first studio album has even been released. The band's previous single "One With the Gun" was released in late February, and has already hit the 100 000 stream mark.

Dead Reckoning, the group's first studio album, will be released on August 20 through Noble Demon and is now available for pre-save and pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Headfirst"
"Locks"
"Betrayed By Light"
"One With The Gun"
"Reaching Skywards"
"Fields Of Severed Dreams"
"Submersed"
"The Intruder"
"Fight For Tomorrow"
"From Hell To Oblivion"
"REW"
"Dead Reckoning"
"The Damage"
"Fading Neons"

"One With The Gun":

(Photo - Arto Lindén)




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Former SEPULTURA drummer Igor "Iggor" Cavalera recently launched a new video series, "Beneath The Drums", on his YouTube channel, where he dissects some of the best-known songs from his recording history. In the fifth episode, which can be seen below, he gives the backstory of the SEPULTURA song "Refuse/Resist" and also performs a playthrough video of the track, originally taken from the band's 1993 album "Chaos A.D.".

This past January, Igor launched an account on Patreon, where he is offering exclusive content to his fans.

Igor's Patreon consists of two tiers. One of them is "Bloody Roots" ($30 monthly), where fans can obtain the drum tracks in Wav format to play together and learn, the complete list of all the equipment used in their recordings and several benefits to purchase limited merchandise products. They will also be able to participate in Patreon-only polls, watch behind-the-scenes content and livestreams. The VIP Patreon "Beneath The Drums" ($50 monthly) offers all the benefits of "Bloody Roots", plus online conversations via Zoom following each video premiere on YouTube. In the conversation with Igor, the fans will have a chance to learn in more depth how he worked on the track, followed by a question-and-answer session. They will also get early access to updates, tickets and releases.

Patreon is a crowdfunding service, where fans contribute pre-determined amounts to obtain exclusive access to content and rewards.

Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their son (who was born in January 2006).

In 1996, Igor's brother, frontman Max Cavalera, exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band split with Max's wife Gloria as their manager.

For a decade and a half, Igor has been part of the MIXHELL DJ/hip-hop/electro project with his wife Laima Leyton.

Two years ago, Igor teamed up with Wayne Adams (BIG LAD, DEATH PEDALS, JOHNNY BROKE) to form the PETBRICK project. The band's debut album, "I", was released in October 2019 via Closed Casket Activities in the U.S.

Igor's other current musical projects include CAVALERA CONSPIRACY (alongside Max) and SOULWAX.

LIGHT THE TORCH — Howard Jones (vocals), Francesco Artusato (guitar), and Ryan Wombacher (bass) — will release its second full-length album, "You Will Be The Death Of Me", on June 25 via Nuclear Blast.

The band has dropped the official visualizer for the LP opener "More Than Dreaming". Check it out below.

"I love starting the album with 'More Than Dreaming'," says Jones. "It's got great energy and bounce to it — exactly what you want as an opener. We are looking forward to playing this live. The wait is almost over!"

The visualizer is a three-dimensional version of the album artwork. Both the visualizer and album cover were created by Artusato.

"The idea for this artwork started developing in my head right after we were done with the first session of pre-production," Artusato explains. "I started seeing certain colors and this style in my head. To me, the music on this record in fact sounds like 'those colors.' The concept is pretty simple: You can see a torch in the middle and three flames coming out of it. The three flames represent the three of us. The addition of neons and fog was inspired by John Carpenter's '80s movies."

He continues: "Having all the artwork created in 3-D, I was able to place it in a CG environment, start animating some of the elements, and create some sort of story. I think in this case it works well with the 'dream-like' vibe of these visuals. Artwork and visual creativity have been a big part of my growth as an artist for the past few years and I love to be able to combine music and visuals in one project. It made this album even more special to me."

Last month, LIGHT THE TORCH dropped the video for the first track, "Wilting In The Light", which was directed by Ramon Boutviseth in Los Angeles.

"'You Will Be The Death Of Me' has been a journey — even without the pandemic," said Jones. "This album has been emotional and rewarding in every way, and we couldn't be more excited to finally release it. Maybe there was a bit of desperation writing and recording these songs."

He shared: "Going through personal turmoil and watching Francesco deal with injuries, we knew this could change things drastically for us. The album was a welcome distraction, and we dumped every emotion we had into 'You Will Be The Death Of Me'. To watch Fran heal and become an even more complete artist in front of my eyes has been amazing to watch. Everything we went through individually and together with this album drew Fran, Ryan, and I together. I couldn't be more proud of this album knowing I made it with my family."

Artusato opened up about his experiences, saying: "This record is special to me in a different way. From writing the music during one of the toughest times of my life while dealing with a bad injury due to a car accident to being obsessively involved with every aspect of its production, recording, and creating the artwork. It's hard to describe how I feel, and to finally see this record getting ready to be released."

He continues about the redemptive power of the album, offering: "We are all very satisfied with how this record showcases the evolution of our band and our evolution as individuals. Without our brotherhood, this music could not have happened. Music is what kept us strong together during our toughest times. There's nothing like art that expresses pure and deep emotions, and that's what I feel when I listen to Howard's performance on this record."

Wombacher concurred: "I think this album shows the growth the band has experienced after years on the road together, and a friendship that has continued to thrive doing what we love together."

The guys returned to Sparrow Sound in Glendale, California to once again work with the production team of Josh Gilbert and Joseph McQueen (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, AS I LAY DYING, SUICIDE SILENCE). This time around, they also welcomed WHITECHAPEL's Alex Rudinger on drums. "He's incredible," said Artusato. "He was exactly what we needed."

Upheld by head-spinning seven-string virtuosity yet anchored to skyscraping melodies, LIGHT THE TORCH crafted 12 metallic anthems, including an unexpected and awesome cover of the '80s hit "Sign Your Name" by R&B singer Terence Trent D'Arby.

"You Will Be The Death Of Me" track listing:

01. More Than Dreaming

02. Let Me Fall Apart

03. End Of The World

04. Wilting In The Light

05. Death Of Me

06. Living With A Ghost

07. Become The Martyr

08. Something Deep Inside

09. I Hate Myself

10. Denying The Sin

11. Come Back To The Quicksand

12. Sign Your Name

The group shot out of the gate as a contender on their full-length debut, "Revival". It bowed at No. 4 on the Billboard U.S. Independent Albums chart and at #10 on the Hard Rock Albums chart in addition to receiving acclaim from Revolver, Outburn, and many more. "Calm Before The Storm" racked up a staggering 14.5 million Spotify streams, while "The Safety of Disbelief" remains one of SiriusXM Octane's all-time most requested songs. They also crisscrossed North America and Europe on tour with the likes of TRIVIUM, AVATAR, IN FLAMES, ICE NINE KILLS, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and AUGUST BURNS RED, to name a few.

One of the biggest free concerts in history, THE ROLLING STONES' legendary performance at the famed Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on February 8, 2006 was a historic event… a critical moment in rock 'n' roll history.

Now, THE ROLLING STONES and Mercury Studios will release for the first time this complete concert film remixed, re-edited, and remastered. "A Bigger Bang: Live On Copacabana Beach" will be available on July 9, 2021 on multiple formats, including DVD+2CD, SD BD+2CD, 2DVD+2CD Deluxe, 3LP (pressed on blue, yellow, and green vinyl), 3LP pressed on clear vinyl (exclusive to Sound Of Vinyl) and digital.

Additionally, Mercury Studios will release an early taste of this set with a five-song digital EP — out May 28. This will include "Sympathy For The Devil", "Wild Horses", "You Got Me Rocking", "Happy" and "Rough Justice". All the songs are from the Copacabana Beach show, with the exception of "Rough Justice", which is from the 2005 Salt Lake City concert video available in the Deluxe Edition.

Finally, Mercury Studios will present THE ROLLING STONES' "Rain Fall Down (Live On Copacabana Beach) / Rough Justice (Live In Salt Lake City)" — a limited-edition 10-inch picture disc to be released as part of the first Record Store Day Drops on June 12.

Right from the film's opening moments, when THE ROLLING STONES emerge on their own purpose built bridge leading from the Copacabana Palace Hotel, there's an electric energy that courses through the air, ricocheting between the band and the 1.5 million people in attendance. Aerial shots convey the sprawling enormity of the crowd, watching not only from the beach, but from boats moored at the water's edge. As Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts fire on all pistons from one track to the next, the crowd continues to meet their energy in furious fervor, waving Brazilian and British flags while rocking out in the tropical evening sunset. It was truly a highlight of this tour, which supported the band's 2005 album "Bigger Bang".

Four songs that were not in the original 2007 DVD release "The Biggest Bang" are featured for the first time on "A Bigger Bang": "Tumbling Dice", "Oh No, Not You Again", "This Place Is Empty" and "Sympathy For The Devil". This concert brilliantly showcases this impactful two-hour set, which runs the gamut of THE ROLLING STONES' career: "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It)", "Brown Sugar", "Start Me Up" and "Satisfaction" and "Wild Horses" swerve between then-new tracks "Rain Fall Down", "This Place Is Empty" and "Rough Justice" from "Bigger Bang". The setlist also boasts a cover of Ray Charles's "Night Time Is The Right Time".

"Not that we're unused to playing some of the biggest shows in the world, but I must say Rio did take the cake," said Keith Richards.

"'It was amazing," states Mick Jagger. "It was a really good audience. They know how to enjoy themselves on those occasions."

The Deluxe 2DVD+2CD edition is packaged in a 12 x 12 40-page book, with the Copacabana concert on DVD and 2CD, along with an exclusive bonus DVD including a November 2005 concert in Salt Lake City, Utah, also from the "Bigger Bang" tour.

Track listing:

Rio

01. Jumpin' Jack Flash

02. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It)

03. You Got Me Rocking

04. Tumbling Dice

05. Oh No, Not You Again

06. Wild Horses

07. Rain Fall Down

08. Midnight Rambler

09. Night Time Is The Right Time

10. This Place Is Empty

11. Happy

12. Miss You

13. Rough Justice

14. Get Off My Cloud

15. Honky Tonk Women

16. Sympathy For The Devil

17. Start Me Up

18. Brown Sugar

19. You Can't Always Get What You Want

20. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Salt Lake City (Bonus Show – Deluxe Versions Only)

01. Start Me Up

02. You Got Me Rocking

03. She's So Cold

04. Tumbling Dice

05. Rain Fall Down

06. It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It)

07. Wild Horses

08. All Down The Line

09. Night Time Is The Right Time

10. Slipping Away

11. Infamy

12. Miss You

13. Rough Justice

14. Get Off Of My Cloud

15. Honky Tonk Women

16. Sympathy For The Devil

17. Brown Sugar

18. Jumpin' Jack Flash

19. You Can't Always Get What You Want

20. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Ozzy Osbourne has commented on Randy Rhoads's upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The legendary guitarist, 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 Sal Cirrincione for Premiere Radio Networks daily music news and audio services for classic rock and rock radio — "The Classic Daily" and "Today's Rock Facts" — Ozzy said: "I'm so happy that Randy's genius, which we all saw from the beginning, is finally being recognized and that he is getting his due. I only wish he was here in person to get this award and that we could all celebrate together. It's really great that Randy's family, friends and fans get to see him honored this way."

Rhoads is one of the most influential hard rock/heavy metal guitarists of all time. He and two others were killed on March 19, 1982 when the small plane they were flying in at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida struck Osbourne's tour bus, then crashed into a mansion. Rhoads was 25 years old.

The induction ceremony will be broadcast on HBO Max and streamed on HBO Max at a later date.

Dave Grohl, who is being inducted this year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS, told Rolling Stone that he "felt really happy for Ozzy" after learning of Rhoads's honor.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello was also elated by Rhoads's induction, writing: "Congrats to Randy Rhoads for his induction into the @rockhall . Peerless talent who effortlessly combined timeless riffs, technical mastery and raw rock power. It was his poster that was on my wall when I was practicing 8 hrs a day. Tremendous musician. Well deserved hon

Dave Grohl commented on Randy Rhoads's upcoming induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist 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.

Grohl, who is being inducted this year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS, discussed Rhoads's honor in a brand new interview with Rolling Stone. After writer Andy Greene pointed out to Grohl that the 2021 Rock Hall will be a chance for him to do a "pretty cool tribute" to Randy, Dave responded: "I wish I could play those guitar solos, but unfortunately, someone else is going to have to do it. I saw that and I felt really happy for Ozzy. I'm sure that Ozzy is having an emotional day."

Randy's former OZZY and QUIET RIOT bandmate Rudy Sarzo also weighed in on the guitarist's Rock Hall nod, tweeting: "Woke up this morning to this wonderful news. #randyrhoads #neverforget#rockandrollhalloffame2021".

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello was elated by Rhoads's induction, writing: "Congrats to Randy Rhoads for his induction into the @rockhall . Peerless talent who effortlessly combined timeless riffs, technical mastery and raw rock power. It was his poster that was on my wall when I was practicing 8 hrs a day. Tremendous musician. Well deserved honor."

The induction ceremony will be broadcast on HBO Max and streamed on HBO Max at a later date.

Rhoads is one of the most influential hard rock/heavy metal guitarists of all time. He and two others were killed on March 19, 1982 when the small plane they were flying in at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida struck Osbourne's tour bus, then crashed into a mansion. Rhoads was 25 years old.

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.




Woke up this morning to this wonderful news. #randyrhoads #neverforget#rockandrollhalloffame2021 pic.twitter.com/ZuSLI7Mwjp

— Rudy Sarzo (@rudysarzo) May 12, 2021








Congrats to Randy Rhoads for his induction into the @rockhall. Peerless talent who effortlessly combined timeless riffs, technical mastery and raw rock power. It was his poster that was on my wall when I was practicing 8 hrs a day. Tremendous musician. Well deserved honor. pic.twitter.com/VdddRKUIX1

— Tom Morello (@tmorello) May 12, 2021








Thank God Randy Rhoads is finally being inducted but you’re telling me that Foo Fighters deserve to be inducted before:

Judas Priest

Iron Maiden

Thin Lizzy

Bad Company

Blue Oyster Cult

Motorhead

Ozzy Osbourne

Steppenwolf

Three Dog Night

It’s a matter of respect. pic.twitter.com/jLHKuJy9nl

— MichaelSweet Stryper (@michaelhsweet) May 12, 2021

Legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin has teamed up with Rufus Publications for the publication of "Randy Rhoads By Ross Halfin", a celebration of one of the most influential hard rock/heavy metal guitarists of all time. This extensive 280-page coffee-table book features many classic and unseen shots of the former OZZY OSBOURNE and QUIET RIOT guitarist chosen by Ross from his personal archive.

Measuring 240mm by 340mm, "Randy Rhoads By Ross Halfin" contains hundred of beautiful images and features an exclusive introduction by Ozzy Osbourne and an epilogue by Rhoads fan, guitarist Tom Morello.

The book will be available in three editions:

* The standard book

240mm by 340mm, 280-page hardback book with printed cover and cloth slipcase - £99.00

* The Deluxe Signed Leather Edition

240mm by 340mm, 280-page hardback book with blue leather cover, lenticular and white leather slipcase. Numbered 1 to 500. Personally signed by Ozzy Osbourne and Ross Halfin - £299.00

* The Super Deluxe Edition

Measuring 297mm by 420mm, this 280-page hardback book with blue leather cover and 3D lenticular comes in a special blue slipcase and outer presentation box with three numbered giclee prints. Numbered 1 to 150. Personally signed by Ozzy Osbourne and Ross Halfin £666.00. This edition is physically larger than the previous two editions.

Pre-orders start Wednesday, May 12 at 3 p.m. U.K. time.

Halfin announced the completion of "Randy Rhoads By Ross Halfin" in a tweet on March 7. He wrote: "Just finished this today . My new book on Randy Rhoads which will be coming soon via Rufus Books . I've gone through my archive to uncover loads of never before seen photos and I hope some very nice surprises for you . #rosshalfin #randyrhoads"

Rhoads's bandmate in Ozzy's group, bassist Rudy Sarzo, gave the book his stamp of approval, tweeting: "@RossHalfin was not only our unofficial band photographer but also a tour bus mate, a trusted confidant and an awesome Hang. He had photographic access to Ozzy's world like no one else. I'm really looking forward to his book."

Rhoads and two others were killed on March 19, 1982 when the small plane they were flying in at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida struck Osbourne's tour bus, then crashed into a mansion. Rhoads was 25 years old.

In his "Biography: The Nine Lives Of Ozzy Osbourne" special, Ozzy stated about first meeting Rhoads after his departure from BLACK SABBATH: "I knew instinctively that he was something extra special. He was like a gift from God — we worked so well together. Randy and I were like a team.

"One thing that he gave to me was hope, he gave me a reason for carrying on," Ozzy added. "He had patience with me, which was great. He was great to work with. He pulled the best out of me. We had a lot of fun."

Rhoads's death had a tremendous impact on Osbourne's life. "I lost a dear friend in my life — I miss him terribly," Ozzy said. "I just bathed my wounds with alcohol and drugs."

"The day that Randy Rhoads died was the day a part of me died," he added.

Adelaide, Australia's Echoes In Eternity have released a new song, "To Show Resilience Deletes Humiliation". Listen below.

Says the band: "The song was inspired by Fear Factory after a conversation of how much the band loves the band. We sent a link to the band and they responded on Twitter.

Killer F@#%ing song https://t.co/s9mh92cSWN
— Fear Factory (@FearFactory) May 9, 2021

Guitarist Aidan comments “We were thrilled the band took the time to listen to our song and comment publicly. Fear Factory and in particular Dino Cazares is a huge influence on me as a guitarist, and we can’t wait to hear their new album."

Formed in January 2021, Echoes In Eternity have released their debut EP Time Is Distance through Adelaide label IDIGLIG Digital Records.

Featuring Lee Gardiner (ex-Double Dragon / Entanglement ) on vocals and Aidan Cibich (Apophis) on lead guitar, the band have a created a modern take on melodic death metal influenced by Dark Tranquillity, Mr Bungle, Hatebreed snd Soilwork. Lyrically the band explore subjects like grief, depression and have a strong anti-suicide message in attempt to uplift the listener.

Echoes In Eternity are currently working on their as yet unnamed debut album, while also releasing more singles over the next few weeks. Stay tuned.




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Blazing full steam ahead since the successful release of their hit single and video “Pleasant Doom” last month, acclaimed frontman Jimmie Romero and his all-star band The HellenBacks have revealed details for their much-anticipated new album III.

The record, which is the third to be added to the acclaimed hard rockers’ arsenal, will be released on all DSPs Friday, May 14. Produced, mixed, and mastered by Romero at his recording studio Stay Vintage Studios in Las Vegas, NV, the 14-track collection is a concept record that is meticulously-crafted to tell a larger story, as each song builds upon the next.

“With this album, we really wanted to do something different; stretch ourselves creatively and musically,” said Romero. “The concept record format allowed us to tell a much larger story. One that let us explore deeper and more progressive issues like mental trauma, recovery, personal growth, morality and true beauty.”

Tracks like the album’s debut single “Pleasant Doom,” which Romero says “depicts the record perfectly by exploring the initial attraction to toxicity masquerading as beauty and the personal growth and recovery necessary to ultimately say goodbye to something, or someone, that would ultimately lead you to your doom,” “Death Kiss,” and “Evil Like You” showcase the band’s songwriting dexterity and musical proficiency.

However, III’s mature and sophisticated sound truly stems from the caliber of musicians who performed on it. In addition to The HellenBacks lineup, which includes Guitarist Michael "Doc" Ellis (Formerly of Love Hate and Ratt), and Drummer Al Serrato (Formerly of Jet Boy), special guests Guitarist Todd Kerns (Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators), Bassist Sam Harman (Void Vator), Bassist Barry Barns (Count 77), and Guitarist Dylan Dice were also called in to round out the album.

“It was an honor to work with this level of musicianship throughout the entire recording process,” said Romero, who produced, mixed, and mastered the album at his recording studio Stay Vintage Studios in Las Vegas, NV. “Not only did the musicians offer a variety of different sounds and experiences to the project but they each lent a unique perspective that was invaluable to the overall outcome of the record.”

Tracklisting:

"Do What You Do"
"Are You Really There"
"What I’d Do To You"
"Pleasant Doom"
"So They Say"
"Blue Day"
"In Two Full Moons"
"Death Kiss"
"World On Fire"
"The Haunted"
"Evil Like You" *
"Stay In The Light"
"Love Breeds Love" *
"Town We Call Home"

* features Todd Kerns

"Pleasant Doom" video:

To support the release of the album, The HellenBacks have announced that they will be performing an exclusive III Record Release Party at Vamp’d in Las Vegas on Friday, May 28 at 9 PM, PT with special guest, former Dio guitarist Rowan Robertson.

For more information about the show or to secure tickets or table reservations, visit vampdvegas.com.




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Frontiers Music Srl announces the signing of Inner Stream to the label for a multi-album deal. The band's new album, Stain The Sea, will be released on July 16. Fans can get their first listen of music from the release today with the debut of the single and video for "Massive Drain". Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save Stain The Sea here.

Inner Stream blends elements of different sub-genres and styles like symphonic metal, electronic, goth, and nü metal, among others. Pushing musical boundaries, the songs hold rich varieties of climates and textures, heavy riffs, powerful melodies, and emotional moments.

"The musical influences for this album are  symphonic metal, electronic, goth, and nü metal, among others. Bands like Lacuna Coil, Evanescence, and Within Temptation are maybe the more related bands I can name, but as a  big metal fan, my personal song list is full of different things that always inspired me. Korn, Deathstars, Disturbed, The Birthday Massacre, Portishead, Massive Attack, Symphony X, Angra, Sonata Arctica, Queensrÿche, Bring Me The Horizon, and so on," says vocalist Inés Vera Ortiz of her musical influences.

"'Massive Drain' is the last song I did for the album and this happened during lockdown, in a very strange moment of humanity. Like many other people, I found myself in an extremely introspective moment that coincided with the album recording. The concept, the lyrics, and the music came together in two days alone at my place in Spain. The message was clear from the beginning and a kindly reminder for me. The pain that carries the awakening is a birth, a relief. Intuition is a compass to go through it,” says Vera Ortiz of the first single from the album.

Label President Serafino Perugino wanted to highlight the talents of vocalist Inés Vera Ortiz and sought to pair her with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio to highlight her songs and voice.  Inner Stream started off in 2008 as a project concocted by Vera Ortiz and her brother Jorge in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At that time, Inés was the vocalist for some local power metal bands, but her songwriting was headed in a different direction. Subsequently, Inés and Jorge recorded a three song demo that was more in a goth metal direction. Afterward, Inés continued composing music on her own and attempted to put a band together, but ultimately decided to set aside the idea for a while. She continued to work on other projects for both Argentinian and international bands while biding her time. In 2017, she teamed up with Guillermo De Medio, an Argentinian keyboard player and producer (Tarja Turunen, Full Nothing, Barilari, etc.), who was undoubtedly the right fit to help Inés work on her songs and bring the vision of Inner Stream together. Now, in 2021, Inés and Inner stream have joined forces with Frontiers Music Srl for the release of their upcoming album, “Stain The Sea”  as well as future releases.

"I am very excited and proud to be a part of the Frontiers family," says Vera Ortiz. "This opportunity came at the right time in which the concept of the project reached a peak of maturity and clear vision. While my songwriting is varied, my heart is very close to metal and I will never look away from it. The first album will include songs written during the last few years and I feel they represent well this long journey through lots of different, important, and emotional moments of my life. I am very happy to be able to share those personal moments with everyone.”

Tracklisting:

"Massive Drain"
"Fair War"
"Hunt You"
"Aftermath"
"Dance With Shades"
"Drown Me"
"If You Dare"
"Stain The Sea"
"The Bridge"
"Last Drink"
"Real"

"Massive Drain" video:

Lineup:

Vocals - Inés Vera Ortiz
Keyboards and programming - Guillermo de Medio
Drums - Nicholas Papapicco
Guitars - Andrea Seveso
Bass - Mitia Maccaferri




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On July 9, If These Trees Could Talk will release vinyl reissues of their classic albums Above The Earth, Below The Sky (2009), Red Forest (2012), and The Bones Of A Dying World (2016) via Metal Blade Records. Pre-order your copies now:

- Europe
- North America

Available versions:

Above The Earth, Below The Sky vinyl versions:
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- sky blue marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- "Firefly"-dark teal marbled & splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- grey marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
- seafoam marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
- green / black dust vinyl (US exclusive)

Red Forest vinyl versions:
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- dark wine red marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- rose white metal & splatter vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- violet marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
- transparent peach marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
- clear / black dust vinyl (US exclusive)

The Bones Of A Dying World vinyl versions:
- silver vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- gold vinyl (US exclusive)
- red marbled vinyl (US exclusive)




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Dutch death metal legends, Pestilence, have released a guitar playthrough video for their single, "Morbvs Propagationem". It's the first song taken off the band's new album, Exitivm, which is set to be released on June 25 via Agonia Records. Watch below:

Watch a drum playthrough video for "Morbvs Propagationem":

A new album, on a new label armed with a whole new lineup and a new dynamic: no matter what, Pestilence - or more specifically their maestro Patrizio Mameli - is like the phoenix, rising from the ashes, over and over again. An official website has been launched for Exitivm, providing access to all relevant information surrounding the new album, here.

Back in 1986, in the small town of Enschede in the Netherlands, nearby the German border, a true metal phenomenon was born. More than three decades later, not only is Pestilence alive and well, but about to once again reaffirm their place in the extreme metal pantheon, with their ninth studio album entitled Exitivm, which is Latin for "total destruction".

As controversial as he can be to some, nobody will ever deny the band’s undisputable driving force, Patrizio Mameli, and his constant ability to reinvent himself. Unlike most of the bands in the scene, Pestilence just keeps evolving. From the raging thrash leanings of their cult 1988 debut Malleus Maleficarum to the jazz-infused versatility of 1993’s Spheres or 2009’s Resurrection Macabre frontal assault, not to mention the fans’ favorite and Scott Burns-produced Testimony Of The Ancients from 1991, he never did the same record twice. No matter who playes with him on any Pestilence album, Mameli always gets the best out of the musicians he is working with. But first and foremost, the man has a one-of-a-kind vision, instantly recognizable style and yet always stretching musical boundaries. And it’s never more true than on Exitivm.  

After a vast reissue campaign in between 2015 and 2018 and an acclaimed new album Hadeon, the band got seemingly stopped in their mission to conquer the death metal scene in early 2020, like everybody else, by the global pandemic, going as far as forcing some of the band’s Hadeon line-up members to drop the towel. But what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger and instead of letting that whole situation drag him down, Mameli chose to do the exact opposite and write the best and darkest album possible to date. And he just did that. With its ambitious lyrical concept about "global domination", "induced mental illness", "inner and outer demons" and  malicious external entities, Exitivm is propelling the band one again to the forefront of the death metal movement with yet another original and brilliant artistic overhaul.

Mind you, as soon as you’re past the very cinematic introduction "In Omnibvs", you’re instantly caught up by "Morbvs Propagationem" whose intense riffing will take back to the Testimony days. Except that their core sound has been revived, with now extra layers of ominous soundscapes ingeniously suggesting an atmosphere of suspence and horror, boosted by Mameli’s jazz-fusion impressive solo works and a renewed sense of urgency. This rejuvenation, with emphasis on "new musical landscapes but also sick and twisted riffs" as stated by Mameli himself, is no accident though. Not only has Mameli been extremely inspired by the turmoil humanity had to face since March 2020 but with a line-up once again, entirely based in the Netherlands and made up of only super-seasoned players – besides former Dew Scented and Creepmime Joost van der Graaf on bass and Bleeding Gods’ Rutger van Noordenburg on lead guitar, former God Dethroned Michiel van der Plicht joined on drums last year – Pestilence is more than ever a BAND where everybody feeds off of each other's musical talent. And it definitely shows.

With the exception of the drums - tracked down by van der Plicht himself at his home studio - the album was recorded over a period of two months in between June and August 2020 at Pitchnote Productions. The album has been produced, like all Pestilence albums, by Mameli and is co produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Jory Hogeveen (Shinigami and Ancient Rites). Last March, the band filmed their second ever official video – three decades after Land Of Tears – for the song "Morbvs Propagationem". Exitivm will be available in various formats, including supra-limited picture, pin-wheel, "firebreath" and clear vinyl versions. The cover artwork once again brought the band’s iconic sphere and was done by Michal "Xaay" Loranc, known for his various cover for Nile, God Detheroned or Evocation and who had already worked on "Hadeon".

Both a reinvention and a confirmation of everything the band has been standing for since 1986, thirty-five years later Pestilence are more than ever breaking new grounds and exploring the further outposts of the extreme metal sound on Exitivm.

Formats:

- Jewelcase CD
- Digi CD
- Box CD
- Black LP
- Ultra Clear LP
- Blood Vanilla LP*
- Picture LP**
- Pinwheel LP***
- Firebreath LP***
- Digital

* Bandcamp exclusive
** With antistatic all-print slipmat only at Agonia Webshop
*** Agonia Webshop exclusive

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"In Omnibvs" (Intro)
"Morbvs Propagationem"
"Deificvs"
"Sempiternvs"
"Internicionem"
"Mortifervm"
"Dominatvi Svbmissa"
"Pericvlvm Externvm"
"Inficiat"
"Exitivm"
"Immortvos"
"Personatvs Mortem" (Outro)

"Morbvs Propagationem" video:

Lineup:

Patrizio Mameli - vocals, lead guitars
Rvtger van Noordenbvrg - lead guitars
Joost van den Berg - bass
Michiel van der Plicht - drums

(Photo - Marc van Peski)




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