Brazilian powerhouse, Eminence, have released a video for "Wake Up The Blind", the third single from the band's forthcoming album, Dark Echoes, out on May 28 via Blood Blast Distribution. Watch below:

Produced by Alan Wallace and mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (Meshuggah, Heaven Shall Burn, Suicide Silence), Dark Echoes consists of twelve solidly crafted songs speaking to themes of resisting bigotry, frustration, and perseverance. For pre-save information, click here.

Tracklisting:

"Dark Echoes"
"Burn It Again"
"B.Y.O.G"
"Wake Up The Blind"
"Into The Ashes"
"The Vanishing"
"Inner Suffering"
"Death Of A Nation"
"The Hologram"
"N3mbers"
"Not Hating, Just Saying"
"Parasite Planet"

"BYOG" video:

"Dark Echoes" featuring guest vocals from Bjorn Strid of Soilwork:

(Photo - Henrique Gualtieri)




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Saille have released a video for "Suffering Sanctuary", a opening track from their fifth album, V, out now on CD/digital formats via Black Lion Records. Watch the video below.

Playing blackened death metal, Saille built a firm reputation for their impressive live performances on festivals all over Europe in the past years. Saille is a five-piece, with members residing in The Netherlands, Spain and Belgium.

The fifth full-length album from Saille, entitled V, is another landmark in the band’s existence. After a rough period of time, Saille felt the need for a dramatic make-over, seeking a deeper darkness, both live and in the studio. Visually and sound wise Saille improved immensely and a new frontman from the Netherlands was announced. Jesse Peetoom is two metres of charisma, musical talent and vocal power.

The artwork for V, which can be seen below, was drawn by French artist Vincent Fouquet of Above Chaos (Inquisition, Tsjuder, Kataklysm).

Lyrically, Saille deals with "The fearful, the uncanny and the weird. Therefore, the album contains eight creepy tales, sarcastic stories with somewhat funny twists. It will make the listener quiver and shiver, with a grin on their face."

Tracklisting:

"Suffering Sanctuary" (Parts 1, 2, 3)
"Fetid Flesh"
"Charnel Chamber"
"Loathsome Legacy"
"Empty Expanse"
"Baleful Beauty"
"Terror Tapestry"
"Mirror Motions"

"Suffering Sanctuary" video:

"Empty Expanse" video:

Video teaser:




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Legendary bassist Rudy Sarzo (ex-QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE) spoke to Rolling Stone about what it was like to tour with Geoff Tate's version of QUEENSRŸCHE while the singer was embroiled in a legal battle with other original members of the band over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name. "It was interesting," Rudy said. "I got a call from Geoff's label. This is at the moment that the QUEENSRŸCHE brand was up for grabs. This person said to me, 'Listen, Geoff wants to know if you want to do this tour with him. They need to establish the fact that he's the songwriter, main contributor, and voice of QUEENSRŸCHE.' Somehow or someway, there was going to be a trial and a negotiation. A judge was going to define the outcome. I said, 'Yeah, sure.'

"At the moment, I wasn't doing anything," he continued. "And it gave me the opportunity to go out for the very first time with my brother playing guitar. I thought, 'Wow, this is great. This is really cool. It's something I've never done before.'

"We went out also as QUEENSRŸCHE. Now, if you ask me if I played in QUEENSRŸCHE, no. I didn't; the other guys have the name. And they opened up for QUIET RIOT in 1983 when they just did the 'Queen Of The Reich' EP. I've known them ever since. I have respect for them. They accomplished a lot and worked very hard for it. I'd never take credit for having played in QUEENSRŸCHE. It wasn't really Geoff Tate solo. He was trying to create a new QUEENSRŸCHE for legal purposes.

"Once it came to an end and it was defined that there was another QUEENSRŸCHE and Geoff had certain other rights to certain things that were none of my business and I didn't really know the details, that was really the end of my playing with Geoff."

Back in 2015, Sarzo told "The Shoe With Miles Schuman" that he was no longer playing with Tate because "it was clearly time for me to move on. You have to take into consideration, when you're working with such a strong visionary as Geoff Tate, you're basically providing a service," he explained. "And after doing that for about a year and a half, I felt like it was time to move on and actually do something that was a collective vision."

Asked if Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE was more of a "hired-gun" situation for him as opposed to real-band setup, Sarzo said: "There's a difference in the term 'hired gun,' because, yes, I was a hired gun, but you can be in situations where you're an equal member of the group and still not be part of the creative process. You know what I mean? So I wanted to avoid both of those; I wanted to be in a situation where I could be part of the creative process and also be part of the band."

In 2006, Rudy released the book "Off The Rails: Aboard The Crazy Train In The Blizzard Of Ozz", a first-hand account of his friendship on and off the road with Randy Rhoads and Ozzy Osbourne.

A collector's edition of "Off The Rails", was made available in August 2008 via TooSmart! Publishing.

The book was originally due in 2005 but was delayed after Sharon allegedly applied pressure to have it pulled.

Sarzo — who began playing bass for Osbourne in 1981 (the same year he toured with MOTÖRHEAD) — joined THE GUESS WHO in 2016. His first album with the group, "The Future IS What It Used To Be", was released in September 2018 via Cleopatra Records.

Image courtesy of Sweetwater

In a recent interview with Kyle McGinn of Dead Rhetoric, bassist Alex Webster of Florida death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE reflected on the band's 1996 album, "Vile". "Vile" marked the first CANNIBAL CORPSE album with now longtime vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher, who replaced Chris Barnes (SIX FEET UNDER). Barnes reportedly left CANNIBAL CORPSE over disagreements regarding the band's more technical direction.

"With 'Vile', the big story was that it was our first album with George [Fisher]," he says. "That was the big thing, really — how was the album going to do? And, how are people going to like George and the band, and everything else? That was the story of that album — making the transition from Chris [Barnes] to George. It ended up charting on the Billboard Top 200. That was our first appearance on that chart. So, we were very happy about that as you might imagine. We were on tour when we got the news. I think it debuted at like 151 on the chart, and then of course it immediately dropped off the following week [Laughs], but still, being on that chart especially in 1996, it was a big deal for a death metal band. we were excited and eager to see how people would react to George, and it was overwhelmingly positive."

Webster was then asked whether CANNIBAL CORPSE would consider playing one of their classic albums in its entirety live. "We've talked about that and it would be hard," he says. "If we would do an anniversary tour for any of the albums, I would think that it would be for 'The Bleeding' or 'Vile' perhaps. If you look at 'Vile', four out of the five guys are in the band right now, which is a lot for 25 years. Erik [Rutan, guitar] being the only guy who wasn't on 'Vile'. That would be a cool one to do. But boy, those are some hard songs! We'd have a lot of work relearning all of those! [Laughs] Some of those songs we haven't played since we wrote that album and recorded it. We'd have our work cut out for us, but maybe 'The Bleeding' or 'Vile', one or the other would be a cool choice to do the whole album as a tour kind of thing."

You can read the entire interview at Dead Rhetoric.

CANNIBAL CORPSE's new album, "Violence Unimagined", will be released on April 16 via Metal Blade Records. Erik Rutan, one of the death metal's most acclaimed guitarists who is known for his time as part of MORBID ANGEL throughout the '90s and early 2000s, as well as handling vocals/guitars for HATE ETERNAL, lent his guitar as well as production skills to the effort, which was recorded at his Mana Recording in St. Petersburg, Florida. Rutan previously produced four CANNIBAL CORPSE albums (in addition to "Violence Unimagined"), alongside the likes of GOATWHORE, SOILENT GREEN and BELPHEGOR. Filling in live on guitar since 2019, in 2020 he became a full member, contributing to the writing process.

Rutan joined CANNIBAL CORPSE as the replacement for longtime guitarist Pat O'Brien, who was arrested in Florida more than two years ago on charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault.

Photo credit: Alex Morgan

THE PRETTY RECKLESS's "And So It Went" has topped Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

The song, which features a guest appearance by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, has become the band's sixth single to land at No. 1 on the chart. THE PRETTY RECKLESS's previous chart-topper was "Death By Rock And Roll", which spent three week at No. 1 last August.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS has the impressive distinction of being the first female-fronted band to have back-to-back No. 1 singles at the active rock format and the first female-fronted act to have six No. 1 singles on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

"And So It Went" and "Death By Rock And Roll" are both taken from THE PRETTY RECKLESS's latest album, "Death By Rock And Roll", which was released in February via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS singer Taylor Momsen previously stated about "And So It Went": "The world has been in such a state of civil unrest. 'And So It Went' basically comes from that vision. As a songwriter, I feel like I'm not here to preach. I use music to observe and communicate what I see around me. This song felt like the perfect storm for Tom Morello to join in and rip the sound waves apart with his guitar. It was more than a pleasure having him add his unique and defining sound to the song."

Morello said about working with THE PRETTY RECKLESS: "I got to perform with Taylor Momsen at the Chris Cornell memorial show. We rocked 'Loud Love' and she nailed it — no easy task. Thank goodness she and her band continue to fly the flag for rock 'n' roll in a mighty way."

"Death By Rock And Roll" is THE PRETTY RECKLESS's first LP to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

The successful NDH-/Metal-newcomer SCHATTENMANN took a comparatively „long“ break after releasing their album „Licht An“ (2018) and the debut album for AFM „Epidemie“ (2019). Probably they had to cope with the fact that their second album entered Official German Album Charts on #32, before they could go back to normal.

While taking their timeout the German band around bandleader and mastermind Frank Herzig has been everything else, but not inactive. So the group is ready and raring to go again and has got a great new single onboard that comes along with a new videoclip to rough up the music scene.

The song „Choleriker“ really is a very special milestone for the band – singer Frank explains why: „This single really means a lot to us and we are unusually nervous upfront this release. For the first time ever we created the video for a song all by ourselves. Name it… script, location, equipment, filming, and even the videoediting – all is 100% SCHATTENMANN and thus we are absolutley curious about the feedback on our new baby.“

With this song the band have got their fingers on the pulse of the age, Frank Herzig has got some detailed thoughts about that: „With this song we highlight an aspect of human, that probably everybody knows something about to a specific degree. It’s an issue, that we have to deal with, especially during a pandemic we live through at the moment. We often feel, that people are a lot more nervous, hitting the ceiling and their inhibition threshold seems to be lower. On top of that the rising number of domestic violence delicts during Covid-19 crisis, give cause for serious concerns and call for more reflection.“

Only one question remains open – what is there left to expect from SCHATTENMANN in the near future?

THUNDERMOTHER released their new single and video called "You Can't Handle Me" on the AFM YouTube channel - an song that could look like that, if it was a picture: dancing and gracefully stomping around like a self-confident and self-determined woman in a sweaty rock club - pretty close to that. With a groovy beat and cutting rock riffs, the music finds a way into your ears and body! It will make you wanna move and rock out.

On top of that, THUNDERMOTHER is playing the "biggest smallest concert" at Olympiastadion Berlin - this is THE live event in May, and probably also of the complete year.

STAR FM Berlin, concertVR and Swedish Rockband THUNDERMOTHER are inviting a very special group of fans on May 4th, 2021. A group of people that we all talked about a lot, but that has suffered under a lack of support: this concert is for that forgotten Covid-19 heroes – nursing staff, shop assistant and many more important sustainer of everyday life!

For all the people, that can't physically take part concertVR offers a concert stream in Virtual Reality on May 11th in cooperation with Ticketmaster (also available as Stream without VR glasses).

Get your tickets for the "once-in-a-lifetime" event here:
https://www.ticketmaster.de/event/416469

It's time again for intense Brachialromanticism! German rock band LETZTE INSTANZ are releasing their 14th studio album called „Ehrenwort“ on September 10th 2021.

So let's start right off with the first single and title track, that's coming out today and accompanied by an emotive and vital performance clip. Almost adjuringly, "Letzte Instanz" give a musical perpetual word of honour for a common futue. Sophisticated guitar riffs go hand in hand with the well-known balance act between romantic violin and heavy drums.

Their album can be pre-ordered and streamed now:
https://afm.fanlink.to/LetzteInstanzEhrenwort

Alice Cooper says that JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN deserve to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal groups like MAIDEN, PRIEST and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

Asked about TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider's recent comment that the Rock Hall committee members are "arrogant elitist assholes who look down on metal and other bands that sell millions because we're not their definition of cool," Cooper told "The Mistress Carrie Podcast" (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Dee Snider deserves [to get in there]. I mean, Dee was not just a lead singer; he did some politics there, and he was also a spokesman, and he was just an all-around great guy.

"TWISTED SISTER didn't sell a gigantic amount of records — they didn't even make that many records — but they were effective," he explained. "And part of the Hall Of Fame [criteria] is how much did you affect rock and roll. That's why bands that were not really [huge]… Like Tom Waits — how many records did Tom Waits sell? I went in with him, and I really respect Tom Waits. I didn't respect how many albums he sold; I respeced what he brought to rock and roll. So that's kind of what they really go on.

"But there's people, to me, where… I can't understand why [American songwriter] Burt Bacharach's not in the Hall Of Fame. He wrote as many hits as THE BEATLES. I can't understand why a lot of people… A lot of my people did get it. Paul Butterfield got in, and Laura Nyro got in, and people like that that I thought were way on the backburner, but were really giants in what they were doing.

"So, yeah, I think IRON MAIDEN belongs in, I believe JUDAS PRIEST belongs in — bands that I cannot believe that they've overlooked," Alice added. "But there's a nominating committee, there's a voting thing. I know who I voted for — I voted for the ones that I thought were most deserving to get in there. Not how many records they sold or how popular they were, but how much they contributed something new to rock and roll, or something really valid."

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

PRIEST was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction last year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2020.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was previously on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

Z2 Comics, the leading publisher of music-inspired graphic novels, has revealed this fall's jewel in the crown of the "king" of heavy metal himself: the first-ever comic written by the one and only King Diamond. White Noise Studios scribe Dan Watters and October Faction artist Damien Worm team with the King himself for a chilling new version of the story of Miriam Natias and Jonathan LaFey and an inheritance far more terrifying than even the haunted mansion in which it's discovered.

To celebrate this unprecedented pairing, Z2 Comics will offer an exclusive brand new "Abigail" graphic novel picture disc edition of this incredible album, featuring the front cover of the graphic novel, and on the back side, you will find both the original "Abigail" cover and an alternate cover painting by artist Torbjörn Jörgensen, available only with the deluxe and super-deluxe graphic novel package, exclusively through the Z2 web site, and available for pre-order now.

Says King: "A graphic novel based on one of my stories is a dream come true for me. Working with a company like Z2 and the writer Dan Watters, and the graphic artist Damien Worm, is making this project the highest class one could wish for. Not just our own fans, but any fan of the horror genre, will enjoy the darkness and creepiness of this project. I simply can't wait to personally be able to present this to you once we get closer to Halloween. Abigail has risen again."

The haunting saga of King Diamond's "Abigail" is brought to stunning and horrific life by Dan Watters, Damien Worm and King Diamond himself. Adapting the storyline of one of heavy metal's most celebrated concept albums, this new graphic novel will reward both longtime fans and horror hounds alike with a story made even more chilling in comic book form.

Publisher Josh Frankel says: "King Diamond is as his name would imply, heavy metal royalty, and we are all his servants. I couldn't be more honored to reward fans of comics and heavy music with what will most likely be one of the highlights of the year, and a high watermark for Z2's direct artist collaborations overall."

KING DIAMOND has released 12 albums and sold millions of albums worldwide, with over 175,000 of 1987's "Abigail" in the U.S. alone.

The second album under the KING DIAMOND banner, "Abigail", is an undisputed classic and considered his true breakout release, setting the stage for over three decades of devoted fandom. With the new album announced, 2022 will truly mark "the return of the king."

King Diamond's "Abigail" graphic novel will be released in standard softcover and hardcover editions in comic shops and bookstores alike just in time for Halloween in October 2021, with special deluxe and super deluxe editions available for pre-order now only through the Z2 web site, which include a special exclusive one-time variant cover vinyl edition in a strictly limited edition of 3,000 copies.

A very unique and sinister piece of dark art will be made available for pre-order, as a companion to the graphic novel on King Diamond's personal request. Details will be available on the Z2 web site.

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY have released the official music video for their song "The Chain". The track is taken from the band's seventh studio album, "The Human Condition", which came out last October via Mascot Label Group.

"The Human Condition" was produced by the bandmembers themselves and tracked in BSC bassist Jon Lawhon's recording facility, Monocle Studios. The release was completed mere days before the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed and as events progressed, it became apparent that the album the band was completing featured lyrics that were eerily prescient.

"There was a real urgency and fear of the unknown during those sessions — it was a scary time," recalls drummer John Fred Young. "Every song on this album tells a story of the experiences we all go through — our happiness, our struggles, and how we have to adapt."

Guitarist Ben Wells says: "With this one, we cranked up the amps, the drums are in your face, and there are some really heavy riffs. After 19 years and seven albums, we wanted to prove that we still kick ass. This album feels like a rebirth."

Adds Lawhon: "When I listen back to this record, I feel all these different emotions. We started when we were teens, and life has taken its course, especially now. Through it all, your heart and your perspectives change, but one thing that hasn't changed is our connection as friends."

BLACK STONE CHERRY vocalist/guitarist Chris Robertson discussed the band's new disc during an episode of "Cherry Chat", also featuring SHINEDOWN. Speaking about the making of the new LP, Chris said: "We were literally finishing [the] record right when all the stay-at-home stuff came down [due to the coronavirus pandemic]. We were scheduled to go back in on a Monday, 'cause we were taking weekends off. We worked through the weekend and finished everything up, because come Monday, you couldn't do shit anymore, man. We got really lucky that it came down that close. But now we're sitting here with a record, finishing to get it mixed, and you can't go tour, you can't do shit."

He continued: "Our monitor engineer, Jordan [Westfall], came down and engineered the whole record, and we decided to have him mix the thing, man. He took the record home with him to his studio to mix and fucking killed it, man."

Robertson also talked about the inspiration for BLACK STONE CHERRY's new album, saying: "The last record we did, 'Family Tree', it was way more 'jam band'-y and kind of classic rock-oriented, to where the new record is nothing like that. The new record, it's funny — when Jordan was mixing it, we were, like, 'Hey, man, when you reference it, make sure you reference your all's last record" — referring to SHINEDOWN's "Attention Attention" — "and a bunch of other records, man, because the last couple of records we've done haven't been necessarily in the same kind of genre, per se, as what you guys do. We haven't been in that heavy rock category on the last couple of releases we've done; we've done more of a blues-oriented thing. And it's been a lot of fun, man. But with the new record, we decided to kick the shit back up a notch again. And it's awesome, man."

Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess has checked in with the following update:

"Marco Minnemann (drums) invited me to write something short for what he refers to as the Snowball project, where different artists contribute small sections of music to create a kind of snowball effect. This led me to a new conceptual idea of creating short prog pieces available as NFT, audio/visual experiences. Stay tuned for more info about this! Here is my first offering."

Rudess later uploaded a second clip:

"Had a great time as a duo with Marco Minnemann, but now with the addition of Randy McStine,  the prog has reached the next level!"

Rudess recently checked in with the following announcement:

"Just announced! I will be performing live May 20th at Caffe Lena in Saratoga, NY and at the Sellersville Theater in Sellersville, PA on June 25th, 2021 as part of my A Chapter In Time Tour! I’ll be playing tracks from my new album, as well as other originals and covers. Some of the dates will offer Live Stream options for those who can’t attend in person.

For all current dates and tickets, visit JordanRudess.com.

I’m very excited to get back out and share a live concert experience with you! I’ll see you on the road!"

Rudess recently released a video for "I Surrender" from his new solo album, A Chapter In Time. Get the album here, and watch the new clip below.

Tracklisting:

"Weightless"
"I Surrender"

The official music video for "Desert High", the latest single from ZZ TOP frontman Billy Gibbons, can be seen below. The track is the second single from Gibbons's third solo album, "Hardware", which will be released on June 4 via Concord Records. The LP was recorded at Escape Studio in California's high desert, near Palm Springs, and was produced by Gibbons along with Matt Sorum and Mike Fiorentino, with engineer Chad Shlosser providing additional production.

Sorum, veteran of GUNS 'N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER and THE CULT, also serves as "Hardware"'s drummer and was joined in the album's core band by guitarist Austin Hanks. The same Gibbons-Sorum-Hanks aggregation recorded "The Big Bad Blues", Gibbons's earlier solo effort for Concord and winner of the Blues Foundation's Blues Music Award.

In contrast to "The Big Bad Blues" and "Perfectamundo", Gibbons's debut solo album, almost all of the "Hardware" repertoire is original and rock-oriented with eleven of the album's twelve songs written by Gibbons, Sorum, Fiorentino and Shlosser. The sole exception is "Hey Baby, Que Paso", originally recorded by the TEXAS TORNADOS. The album's title is a tribute to legendary recording engineer the late Joe Hardy who worked with Gibbons and ZZ TOP dating back to the mid-1980s. Sonically, the album was influenced by the high desert circumstance of its recording. Says Gibbons: "The desert settings, replete with shifting sands, cacti and rattlesnakes makes for the kind of backdrop that lends an element of intrigue reflected in the sounds created out there."

"Stackin' Bones", one of the album's standouts, features a guest appearance by LARKIN POE, with whom Gibbons has been familiar and friendly for quite a while. He initially met them through the good offices of Tyler Bryant, husband of LARKIN POE's Megan Lovell; he had toured extensively with ZZ TOP in the past. LARKIN POE also shared a bill with Billy at New York's "Love Rocks NYC" benefit in 2019 and the "Hardware" collaboration grew from there.

While a truly broad spectrum of approaches is notable on the album's hard driving tracks there is, to be sure, no mistaking the remarkable tone and growling vocals that are hallmarks of Billy Gibbons's artistry. Elements of traditional hard rock, neo-metal, country rock, new wave, blues and even surf music make "Hardware" difficult to categorize and it would be a fool's game to do so. In fact, "Desert High", the album's last track, is a spoken-word piece accompanied by a sinewy guitar that evokes the legend Graham Parsons, whose death 48 years ago took place very close to where "Hardware" was recorded.

Billy sums up the album's ecumenical construct: "We holed up in the desert for a few weeks in the heat of the summer and that in itself was pretty intense. To let off steam we just 'let it rock' and that's what Hardware is really all about. For the most part, it's a raging rocker but always mindful of the desert's implicit mystery."

"Hardware" track listing:

01. My Lucky Card

02. She's On Fire

03. More-More-More

04. Shuffle, Step & Slide

05. Vagabond Man

06. Spanish Fly

07. West Coast Junkie

08. Stackin' Bones (featuring LARKIN POE)

09. I Was A Highway

10. S-G-L-M-B-B-R

11. Hey Baby, Que Paso

12. Desert High

Photo credit: Blain Clausen

Tony Iommi, guitarist and king of riffs with legendary "monsters of rock" BLACK SABBATH, has deepened his life-long passion for Lamborghini by acquiring a Lamborghini Urus. Together with frontman Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward, Iommi — the only constant band member — forged a sound that set the template for what would become known as "heavy metal." Since forming in 1968 in the industrial British city of Birmingham, BLACK SABBATH has sold in excess of 100 million albums, enthralled fans in countless stadium tours worldwide, and influenced generation after generation of rock bands. As one of the original architects of the thunderous guitar sound that characterizes the heavy metal genre, it's fitting that Iommi is a long-standing fan of Sant'Agata's celebrated engines.

Rock stars love cars but as Iommi tells in an exclusive interview, his passion for Lamborghini dates back to the band's first flush of success.

"I started off with two Espadas in the '70s, one after the other, then I bought a Miura SV," he says. "When the Urus came out, I fell in love with it. It drives well and it's comfortable, I was impressed with the first time I tried it during a track day. It was great and very responsive! When I put my foot down I couldn't believe it: it didn't seem right, with a car of that size going that fast. I had to own it. And I've gone mad on blue all of a sudden, so it had to be blue."

Automobili Lamborghini and BLACK SABBATH also share an ability to remain true to their unmistakable values. While many bands were adapting and adjusting their musical approach to the trends of the moment, BLACK SABBATH maintained a potent and consistent identity throughout the course of their epic career. As Iommi says: "For us it was all about sticking to what we do, what we believe in and what we like, from day one and all the way through. I've never changed my style because it's the fashion. We've been in and out of fashion ourselves as things around us were constantly changing. But we never compromised and came back as big as ever, until we filled stadiums again. It was brilliant!"

As one of the most honored and "covered" bands of all time, BLACK SABBATH has been an inspiration to many of the biggest names in rock, while always staying uncontested and unique. Iommi continues: "We started the heavy metal genre, which inspired bands like METALLICA and Dave Grohl's FOO FIGHTERS to find their own styles. Music changes as it goes on, but ours has pretty much stayed the same, because that's what we do: when you're involved in something and it's in you, that's what you play. We have improved it over the years, but we retained the original thing. Equally, Lamborghini has always looked for innovation while always retaining that unmatched power and unmistakable sound."

Performance, in all its manifestations whether onstage, in movies or in a car, has much to do with aesthetics and design. For Tony Iommi, the guitar isn't just a musical instrument, it's also a mechanism to express his art in terms of incendiary live appearances — as well being an integral part of his image. An example of form following function, as is the case with the Lamborghini Urus, and its super sports car siblings, the Huracán and Aventador. But Iommi has taken his passion for this most expressive of musical instruments even further.

"I've always used the Gibson SG, a double cutaway, so I can get my hands up to the top frets, but they normally always come standard as 21-fret," he says. "That's why I bought a guitar company, so they'd make me a 24-fret. I love being directly involved in the design and adjusting the guitars to my own needs, in terms of manoeuvrability and sound."

Iommi is also enjoying the enforced pause created by the pandemic, and admits that it's refreshing to find himself becalmed for once. It's time to take stock, and prepare for the moment when he can hit the road in his Lamborghini Urus.

"I've done 50 years of flying everywhere around the world umpteen times, so I think traveling days are over for me. Now it's nice to be in one spot for bit, and — I can't believe it — this is the longest I've ever been in one place. But when it will be possible to travel again I'll drive the Urus to our house down in Sandbanks, by the sea in Dorset."

In the meantime, from-home occupations will do. "At home, I write and record quite a lot," he says. "And I am in touch with old friends, like Ozzy. We text once every week or two weeks – we're not very good on the phone – mostly about us sitting in! We never really talk about music or anything. Because we've done all that all our lives."

Photo courtesy of Lamborghini.com

As Los Angeles begins to re-open and vaccinations continue to roll out globally, California rock legends and global philanthropists STEEL PANTHER are giving the world the perfect way to kick off the summer with the "Fans Come First" livestream. Broadcasting live on May 22 — the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend — the performance marks the band's first livestream since the cancelation of "Gobblefest" last December. The show will stream globally at 2:00 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles), 5:00 p.m. EDT (NYC) and 10:00 p.m. BST (London).

"Fans Come First" will differ from any other livestream the band has done, since the setlist will be curated directly from the Fanthers. Fans can visit www.steelpantherrocks.com to submit suggestions for the set list and upload videos (encouraged to be as short as possible) of themselves talking about how they discovered STEEL PANTHER or their favorite song, etc. The videos will be shared throughout the "Fans Come First" event.

Tickets for the show are $15 each, with a portion of the proceeds for each ticket sold going to benefit Dogs Without Borders. Fans who purchased tickets under 2-for-$20 promotion last year will automatically have access to the show. The stream will be available until June 6, and ticket buyers will have access to the Rockbuster Video Archive to watch past streams as well from the time they purchase the ticket until that date.

For more information and to purchase tickets, head to this location.

STEEL PANTHER said in a statement: "It has been over six months since we have been able to do a livestream from Los Angeles. With summer just around the corner, we figured now is the perfect time to come together with the fans and help some dogs while at it. The fact the fans will be picking the set list for this one is something that we couldn't be more excited for. It is going to an adventure for us as much as it will be for them."

Earlier in the month, STEEL PANTHER confirmed that it has commenced the recording process for its sixth studio album. The follow-up to 2019's "Heavy Metal Rules" will tentatively arrive before the end of the year.

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by: David Jackson

U.S. heavy metal band Entierro have announced the June 18th release of the follow-up to their 2018 self-titled full-length. Entitled El Camazotz, after the Mayan Bat God associated with night, death and sacrifice, the five-song EP represents a new chapter in the story of the band.

Recorded just prior to the pandemic at Studio Wormwood in Northeastern Connecticut, under the engineering mastery of Dave Kaminsky, the songs of El Camazotz harken back to the NWOBHM and traditional heavy metal bands that the members of Entierro grew up listening to. 

This also marks the first truly collaborative effort with former Fates Warning guitarist Victor Arduini, who had joined the band just prior to the recording of their 2018 full length. On this release, he was an integral part of the writing process, working alongside vocalist / bassist Christopher Beaudette (Jasta, NightBitch,) drummer Dave Parmelee (One Master) and second guitarist Chris Begnal, making it a much more definitive presentation of their creative vision. Together, Entierro is solidifying their ability to create songs that manifest the crushing sound they hope metalheads continually find inspiration in.

Tracklisting:

"The Penance"
"The Tower"
"The Past"
"El Camazotz"
"Call For The Priest" (Judas Priest cover)

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location. Listen to "The Tower" via the audio player below.

 

 




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Alice Cooper will headline the 2022 edition of the Monsters Of Rock Cruise, sailing February 9 - 14 from Miami, Florida to CocoCay and Labadee upon the Freedom of the Seas .

Other confirmed acts include: Queensrÿche, Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Skid Row, L.A. Guns, Kix, Winger, Michael Monroe, Great White, Loudness, Y&T, Chris Holmes, Faster Pussycat, Killer Dwarfs, XYZ, Little Caesar, and John Corabi, amongst others.

For complete details, head here.

 

 

 




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Angelo Nguyen is an independent guitar player, singer, video producer who loves rock music, and shares his work on YouTube. All production in the music and video is handled by him, with help from his partner Katie Carrigan. They live in the midwest, and are, so far, producing videos as a hobby, out of love for the craft of music and video creation.

To learn more about Angelo Nguyen, visit his Facebook page.

Iconic Canadian hard rock band Triumph released "Fight The Good Fight" on their 1981 album, Allied Forces. The official live video, filmed January 6, 1987 at Metro Centre Arena in Halifax, Nova Scotia, can be enjoyed below.

 

 

 




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Swedish psychedelic doom-riffers, Domkraft, crank up the heat and let those sizzling guitars fry hard on the third single, "Audiodome", taken from their third full-length Seeds, which is scheduled for release on April 30.

"The theme of the entire album is about starting over", explains singer and bass player Martin Wegeland. "It fells like waking up after a cold shower only to discover you're basically walking in ruins. There are new constructions, but nothing of real value. It is all about short-term fixes, no thoughts of longevity, since our perspectives have narrowed down so much. We need to get back to the core, to something that unites rather than divides us. And we need outlets of inspiration and well-being. Hence the 'Audiodome' concept. A new breed of sacred places, where music, tones and notes can exist freely for the enjoyment and well-being of every person. And, in a wider context, with the pandemic and all, a dive bar with a PA could be an 'Audiodome'. It’s more about what it provides than what it is. Ideally, unity, well-being and enrichment. And that's what this song celebrates. We also wanted the album to have a really intense closing track. And when we came up with and combined the two main riffs, this song basically wrote itself. It starts off in this intense and driving pace, dissolves into cosmic euphoria and ends off with some sweet low-end goodness, to fill the very dome we are talking about. And, in that aspect, 'Audiodome' pretty much sums up what the album is all about."

Seeds is available as digisleeve CD, ltd. harcdover artbook (incl. CD and additional bonus track), ltd. edition box set incl. gatefold LP, 3-D glasses, harcdover artbook, and bonus 7" with additional live track on b-side, and as gatefold vinyl LP incl. 3-D glasses.Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

Tracklisting:

"Seeds"
"Perpetuator"
"Into Orbit"
"Dawn Of Man"
"Tremors"
"Krank Blekhet"
"Audiodome"

"Dawn Of Man" video:

"Seeds":

Like a phoenix, Domkraft rise from the ashes of their previous apocalyptic-themed albums with third full-length Seeds. The latest album from the titanic Swedish psychedelic riff-doom trio focuses on the idea of emerging from the ruins to start anew, building something different and better beyond the cataclysm.

In the midst of 2020's summer heatwave, singer and bassist Martin Wegeland, guitarist Martin Widholm and drummer Anders Dahlgren headed west towards the Baltic Sea to Welfare Sounds Studio, which is located in an old wooden house on the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden. There, in a great live room with borrowed air conditioning, the Swedes sweated with studio heads Kalle Lilja and Per Stålberg for three days to nail down a new epic that feels raw and alive.

With due credit to the mixing wizardry of Karl Daniel Lidén (Greenleaf, Katatonia, Lowrider), Domkraft's trademark heft is more prominent than ever, and the ambitious lyrical themes add context to the always-massive riffs and hypnotizing flow.

Domkraft have built each element of Seeds from a neck-bobbing pulse.  Swirling songs like 'Audiodome', 'Dawn Of Man' and the title track are closed circuits in which titanic instrumental hooks feed lyrical concepts, then circle back to direct the elliptical psychedelia and sky-widening vocals.

With Seeds, Domkraft have drawn a detailed map to a groove-driven heavy rock utopia, where humankind can evolve and unite. Better living through monolithic volume!

(Photo by by Tobias Ohls)




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Frontiers Music Srl will release the debut album, Vagabond, from Germany's Sonic Haven on May 7. Pre-order in North America here, and in Europe here, and watch a lyric video for the track Back To Mad" below.

Sonic Haven is a new metal band conceived and fronted by vocalist Herbie Langhans, one of the most gifted metal singers of the current European metal scene. The band joins Frontiers Music Srl's ever expanding roster of metal bands.

"In the past few years, I didn't write that many metal songs, so that's why I was really on fire with Sonic Haven to do it again. ;-) I like classic, traditional and melodic metal with hard rock elements and sing-along parts, so my goal was to write an album that gives you a good feeling. You know, that makes you smile, that gives you goosebumps, that gives you power! I think it's the perfect album to rest a bit in the Sonic Haven," says vocalist/songwriter Herbie Langhans. "For most of the songs, I wrote and recorded demos (for two tracks, Carsten [Stepanowicz, guitars] recorded the demos and wrote the songs), then I sent it to everybody and everyone recorded their parts at home. In Sonic Haven, it was important for me to have musicians that can record at home in a good quality. And they also bring a lot of cool ideas and their own style to the music. So that's why it's so easy to work with these guys. It is just our first album, but it already worked like clockwork!!!"

On what kind of album he wanted to make with Sonic Have, Langhans says, "a very traditional metal album that's up to date sonically and lyrically. It's about life, friendships, pain, today's society, dreams, relationships, family. I wanted to write an album for the fans 'cause I am really sure that a lot of people feel the same when they read the lyrics and compare it to their life situations. I wanted to write an album for everybody."

Of the first single, the title track to the debut album "Vagabond", Langhans says, "It's about people in our society that are different, but in a good way, in a creative way, like musicians, artists. Often these people are not accepted, or people smile at them, like 'come on guy, you wanna do music for living? Pah, just do a normal job from 9 to 5 and stop dreaming'. I would say NO, never stop dreaming. You are a great singer, guitarist, painter, photographer or whatever, just do it and try to make your dreams come true. Don't listen to those boring people with their boring jobs and their boring life. And especially this last year, a lot of artists feel like Vagabonds ...not accepted, not relevant, no support."

Langhans' voice has gained him international recognition, both as a studio singer and as a member of the bands Avantasia, Voodoo Circle, Sinbreed, Beyond The Bridge, and recently Firewind. He has put together a really outstanding lineup of talent for Sonic Haven, including André Hilgers (Bonfire, Rage, Silent Force) on drums, Carsten Stepanowicz (Radiant) on guitars, and Dominik Stotzem (Beyond The Bridge) on bass.

Their debut album was recorded and produced by Herbie himself with none other than Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Kamelot, Beyond The Black, Sascha Paeth's Masters Of Ceremony, etc.) handling mixing and with Miro adding his special touch on orchestrations.

Herbie had previously stated about Sonic Haven, "I am happy to announce that I am back with a new metal band called "SONIC HAVEN". For the last few years, a lot of fans have asked me if I will do something again in the style of German melodic power metal. The answer is YES and here we are with a great line-up and an amazing album in the works. Can't wait to release it, and especially to hear what you think about it! With the support of Frontiers Records we hope to create something big...now we need your support to METAL ON with us!"

Sonic Haven is eager to unleash their power metal fury on the world!

Tracklisting:

"Vagabond"
"Back To Mad"
"Nightmares"
"Keep The Flame Alive"
"End Of The World"
"The Darker Side"
"I Believe"
"Save The Best For Last"
"Blind The Enemy"
"From White To Black"
"Striking Back"

"Back To Mad" lyric video:

"Vagabond" video:

Lineup:

Herbie Langhans - Vocals
Carsten Stepanowicz - Guitars
Dominik Stotzem - Bass
André Hilgers - Drums




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THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA will release a new EP, "ZII", on May 21 via Solid State Records. The track "Termination", taken from the effort, can be streamed below.

"I learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to imagine how a virus can seriously compromise our lives," says vocalist Mike Hranica. "'Termination' makes mention of that and the greed that so often comes when humans fend only for themselves or when lying to protect reputation. I didn't want to remake any part of the lyrical imaginings of the first EP, and the transformation mentioned in 'Termination' is a part of the new territory I hoped to create for 'ZII'."

The original "Zombie" EP dropped all the way back in August 2010 and remains an intense fan favorite. While not a chronological release in the THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA catalog, "ZII" is the next chapter.

"There's no question that the 'Zombie' EP is a fan favorite and a record that really set the pace for us as a heavier band," THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA said, offering insight into this EP in relation to their catalog. "A goal we had for this EP was to pay tribute to 'ZI' while honing in on the characteristics that we enjoy about heavy music today and the directions we want to see it heading."

The band continued: "We just had our first song go to radio with 'Chemical', and now in the same year, we will be releasing the heaviest music of our career with 'ZII'. This isn't just a new chapter for the 'Zombie' EP; this is a new chapter for us as a band, and an opportunity to lean into both sounds in ways that feel better than ever. We've found our footing with these six members. Now we're stepping on the gas and not letting up."

The band finished: "Before, there were five songs about how to fend off the apocalypse. Now, there are five songs of hopelessness against the hoard."

"ZII" EP track listing:

01. Nightfall

02. Forlorn

03. Termination

04. Nora

05. Contagion

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA has also planned a livestream event for Saturday, May 15, during which they will play the entire "ZII" EP in full. Fans can purchase tickets along with the pre-order of the EP.

Following its 2005 emergence, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA served up 2009's seminal "With Roots Above And Branches Below". In its wake, the group achieved two back-to-back Top 10 entries on the Billboard Top 200 with the "Zombie" EP (2010) and "Dead Throne" (2011). The group kept up a prolific pace on "8:18" (2013), "Space" EP (2015) and "Transit Blues" (2016) and "The Act" (2019). This output of new music garnered widespread acclaim from Kerrang!, Revolver, Rock Sound, New Noise and Alternative Press who proclaimed it "an impressive step forward." In addition to selling out countless headline shows, the musicians toured with everyone from SLIPKNOT to SLAYER. Not to mention, their total stream tally impressively nearing 200 million in 2020.

Five Finger Death Punch have released a new lyric video for their song "House Of The Rising Sun", taken from the band’s 2013 studio album The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell, Volume 2. Watch below:

The band previously released a new lyric video for "Dot Your Eyes", taken from The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell, Volume 1.

Five Finger Death Punch's compilation album, A Decade Of Destruction, Volume 2 is available here.

Tracklisting:

"Blue On Black" [taken from And Justice For None]
"The Tragic Truth" [taken from American Capitalist]
"Broken World" [previously unreleased]**
"I Refuse" [taken from And Justice For None]
"The Pride" [taken from American Capitalist]
"Hard To See" [taken from War Is The Answer]
"When The Seasons Change" [taken from And Justice For None]
"Cradle To The Grave" [taken from The Wrong Side Of Heaven, Vol. 2]
"Sham Pain" [taken from And Justice For None]
"M.I.N.E. (End This Way)" [taken from The Wrong Side Of Heaven, Vol. 1]
"Hell To Pay" [taken from Got Your Six]
"Never Enough" [taken from The Way Of The Fist]
"Walk Away" [taken from War Is The Answer]
"Wrong Side Of Heaven" (New Acoustic Version – original version taken from Wrong Side Of Heaven, Vol. 1)**
"Trouble" (Felmax Remix) – original version taken from And Justice For None
"Wash It All Away" (Joe Hahn Remix – original version taken from Got Your Six)**
"Bad Company" (The Five Finger Dim Mak Steve Aoki Remix)  – original version taken from War Is The Answer)**

** Previously Unavailable

“I Refuse” lyric video:

"The Tragic Truth" lyric video:

“Bad Company" (The Five Finger Dim Mak Steve Aoki Remix) lyric video:

"Broken World" lyric video:

"Wrong Side Of Heaven" (Acoustic):

(Photo - F3 Studios - Stephen Jensen)




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Brazil-based animator Val Andrade has released his latest Iron Maiden cartoon clip featuring "For The Greater Good Of God", from the band's 2006 album, A Matter Of Life And Death. Check it out below:

A selection of Andrade's previously released Iron Maiden-based cartoons can be seen below:




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After exploding on to the scene with their debut album, The HellenBacks are coming out swinging as they reveal details for the first single and video from their much-anticipated third album, III, set for a spring 2021 release.

Acclaimed frontman Jimmie Romero and his all-star band will unveil “Pleasant Doom” on Friday, April 23 on all DSPs, and BraveWords is premiering the accompanying music video that he describes as “an outward manifestation of internal scars.” Watch the clip below.

According to Romero, he and the group decided to release “Pleasant Doom” as the debut single because it “encompassed the entire concept of the record.”

“This album is a concept record with a story to tell,” he explains. “Each song builds upon this story and ‘Pleasant Doom’ summarizes it 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. The music is very progressive and complex which fans will gravitate towards.”

The record’s mature and sophisticated sound 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 JetBoy), 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 truly a pleasure 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.”

To support the release of the single, The HellenBacks also unveiled a video that was filmed at The Whitney Theater in Las Vegas, NV. Romero, who produced and directed it along with Assistant Director Natalie Castillo, explains that the video is his vision “of what we would all look like if life tattooed our experiences on our skin. The mask people wear to hide the darkness that lives within each and every one of us.”

In addition to producing and directing music videos, Romero has also written and directed major motion pictures including the short film The Whiskey Man & The Rider, in which he also appeared in alongside Kerns, as well as starred in Linewatch with Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Occupation: Fighter.

The HellenBack’s III is slated for a late spring release. Artwork, tracklisting, and the "Pleasant Doom" video below.

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:

The HellenBacks have released two albums to date. Their debut album Vampires Of The Desert was released in 2017 and received critical acclaim. The band’s sophomore record Harsh Environment was released a year later and also received rave reviews from fans and critics alike with BraveWords saying they “deliver swampy, bluesy, rock n' roll.”

For more information about The HellenBacks, head here.




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The End Machine have released a music video for "Dark Divide", featuring footage taken from the filming of their two music videos earlier this year. The track is featured on the band's recently released sophomore album, Phase2. Watch the new clip below:

The End Machine features former classic Dokken lineup members George Lynch and Jeff Pilson, with the awesome singer Robert Mason (Warrant, Lynch Mob) on lead vocals. Classic Dokken drummer Mick Brown handled drums on the first album, but is now retired, so in his place behind the drum kit is none other than his brother Steve Brown.

Phase2 is available on CD/Ltd. Ed. Color LP/Digital. Limited Edition Crystal vinyl is available exclusively from the Frontiers' U.S. and EU webstores. Limited Edition Red vinyl is available exclusively for the U.S. market and will be available through all physical retailers there. Limited Edition White vinyl is available exclusively for the EU market and will be available through all physical retailers there.

Order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"The Rising"
"Blood And Money"
"We Walk Alone"
"Dark Divide"
"Crack The Sky"
"Prison Or Paradise"
"Plastic Heroes"
"Scars"
"Shine Your Light"
"Devil's Playground"
"Born Of Fire"
"Destiny"

"Crack The Sky" video:

"Blood And Money" video:

Lineup:

Robert Mason - lead and background vocals
George Lynch - guitar
Jeff Pilson - bass, keyboards and background vocals
Steve Brown - drums and background vocals




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UK alt-metal upstarts, Vexed, will release their debut full-length, Culling Culture, on May 21 via Napalm Records. The band have just released one of their most ruthless offerings yet: the gut-punching, absorbing third single, “Misery”.

On their third offering, the four-piece fluctuates between grooving, ethereal leads and destructive, airtight riffs, technically adept drumming and vocalist Megan Targett’s undeniably dynamic, haunting vocal power. As their new music video clearly refers to absolution via its striking visual content, the track’s lyrics reflect a reckoning with the past, mirroring the intensely personal themes of the upcoming album.

Vexed on the new single: “Anxiety is a demon powerful enough to posses anyone and can leave the strongest of us feeling helpless. 'Misery' is an inner monologue of an anxiety riddled mind constantly overanalysing and catastrophising. Taking inspiration from a spectrum of genres, this track is a true musical representation of how drastically our thoughts can change from one moment to the next, often ending in confusion and 'Misery'.”

Watch the new official music video for “Misery”:

Facing very personal experiences, Culling Culture is a tribute to hate, betrayal and anger, whilst also reflecting post-modern society with strikingly honest songwriting and heavy groove. Moreover, for as confident as they are musically, Vexed is as poignant lyrically. The title of the album, Culling Culture, and portions of its contents deliver the band’s unfiltered response to the world’s latest social phenomena of public ostracism, “cancel culture”.

Unrelenting lead vocalist Megan Targett’s vicious vocal assault blending venomously low growls, soaring cleans and razor-sharp rap-like deliveries (see “Fake” and “Weaponise”) is backed by the pure technical proficiency of bandmates Willem Mason-Geraghty (drums), Jay Bacon (guitar) and Al Harper (bass). The warning instrumental “Ignorant” prefaces the record’s menacing atmosphere and provides a flawless basis for smashing wake up call “Hideous” and fiery, threatening tracks “Fake” and “Narcissist”. Ghostly “Aurora” and disrespectfully heavy album-closer “Lazarus” showcase Targett’s multi-faceted clean vocal delivery while clashing otherworldly auras with resonating, melodic rhythms. “Epiphany” blends both, offering a bold message of moving past self-loathing, while superciliously weighty offering “Weaponise” seethes between violent hatred and ambient darkness.

Pre-order Vexed’s debut album Culling Culture here.

Culling Culture will be available in the following formats:

- 1-CD Digipak
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl (Black)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl (Orange transparent, strictly limited to 100 copies)
- 1-CD Digipak + T-Shirt Bundle
- Digital Album

Tracklisting:

"Ignorant"
"Hideous"
"Fake"
"Epiphany"
"Misery"
"Narcissist"
"Weaponise"
"Purity"
"Drift"
"Aurora"
"Lazarus"

“Epiphany” video:

"Hideous" video:

(Photo - Andy Ford)




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Over 40 years have passed since the Canadian prog-rock band Saga released their self-titled debut album in 1978. Since then, they have been an exceptional musical phenomenon and toured the globe various times - all the while selling over 10 million albums worldwide.

Their sonic trademarks - synthesizer harmonies, keyboard-guitar riffs, complex arrangements, and the charismatic vocals of frontman Michael Sadler - have made Saga an influential rock act of the modern era.

In 2021, earMUSIC is celebrating the band's four-decade legacy in several ways. First up is the The Best Of Saga, a 2CD set, featuring 25 of the band's classics spanning their entire career. Tracks like "On The Loose," "Wind Him Up," "Don't Be Late," and many more are included, as well as two bonus tracks from the recently released studio album, Symmetry.

The Best of Saga is out now. Get it here.

The label is also launching a reissue series and these "must own" releases will be welcome additions to the musical libraries of the Saga faithful.

The reissue series includes essential Saga material from 1978 to 2007 and will be released as high-quality CD digipak editions, as well as 1LP Gatefold Edition on 180g virgin vinyl. The albums will be exquisitely remastered and reissued with enhanced artwork, rare fan material and press images, complemented extensive liner notes, and personal quotes by the band.

The following titles are part of this series. Go here for more information and pre-order access.

Saga (1978)

Images At Twilight (1979)

Silent Knight (1980)

Worlds Apart (1981)

In Transit (Live) (1982)

Heads Or Tales (1983)

Behaviour (1985)

 




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Bodom After Midnight have released their highly-anticipated three-track EP, Paint The Sky With Blood, via Napalm Records. Today was meant to celebrate the manifestation of a brand new metal era for Bodom After Midnight, but now pays tribute to their incomparable frontman, guitarist and creative visionary; Alexi Laiho.

The EP, recorded in the band's native Finland, was intended to be followed by a full-length album later in the year, but now embodies a whole new meaning and remains the only work by Bodom After Midnight. Paint The Sky With Blood is undeniable evidence of the late Alexi Laiho's artistic spirit and his extraordinary musical skills, together with his talented bandmates Daniel Freyberg, Waltteri Väyrynen, Mitja Toivonen and live keyboardist Vili Itäpelto.

Not only do the band's final recordings arrive in full today, but the matching visualizer for "Payback’s A Bitch" is also revealed. Watch below.

"Like ourselves, Alexi was beyond stoked about these songs and anxious to get these out, so we are happy that we can fulfill his wish. Needless to say, we are honored and proud to be a part of his very last creative work and to unleash it the way he wanted it. It’s time to let the beast out of the cage one more time as a celebration of Alexi’s music, legacy and the man himself." - Bodom After Midnight

The heavy title track “Paint The Sky With Blood” sets the stage for the 14-minute EP of the same name, and is strikingly reminiscent of early-Children Of Bodom elements while also adding exciting modern influences into the fold. Second stunner "Payback’s A Bitch" and its massive riffing are on a quest for retribution, delivering a hard-hitting, second to none offense. The interplay of Alexi Laiho, guitarist Daniel Freyberg, drummer Waltteri Väyrynen (Paradise Lost), bassist Mitja Toivonen (ex-Santa Cruz) and live keyboardist Vili Itäpelto is not only a testament to the band's extraordinary musical ability, but also showcases their skill in deftly incorporating a variety of genre influences.

Closing cover track, "Where Dead Angels Lie" is an absolute triumph – originally performed by Swedish extreme metal outfit, Dissection, the track shines as a timeless classic with a new edge. Eerie riffs and vocals alternating between menacing murmurs and characteristic guttural, distorted vocals stay faithful to the original while branding this version with an undeniable Bodom After Midnight punch.  

Paint The Sky With Blood is available in the following formats:

- 10" Spined Sleeve Oxblood
- 10" Spined Sleeve Inkspot Ox/Black
- 10" Spined Sleeve Black
- Deluxe Box
- 1 Digipak Mini CD
- Digital Album

Paint The Sky With Blood tracklisting:

"Paint The Sky With Blood"
"Payback’s A Bitch"
"Where Dead Angels Lie" (Dissection Cover)

"Payback's A Bitch" visualizer:

“Paint The Sky With Blood” video:

(Photo - Terhi Ylimäinen)




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Finland's KaaosTV caught up with former Children Of Bodom guitarist Alexander Kuoppala for an exclusive interview about his past, present and future. Kuoppala looks back on working with frontman Children Of Bodom, reveals how he found out about Laiho's passing, shares memories of his time with COB, and making the decision to leave the band in 2003. He also talks about his new band, Thyrargo.

On his decision to leave Children Of Bodom: "We were headlining (shows) and everything was good, but I remember a few gigs I did, I was just playing like a robot. Th epassion wasn't there. I talked with Alexi a lot of times, saying 'I feel it's not fair for you guys that I'm not so into this anymore. I decided I have to check the next card in my life, and that's why I left the band. I definitely did the right thing, but of course I've had those moments when I wish I could be on a tour bus again, but I'm happy I made the decision back then. It would have been really heavy for me to just carry on (thinking) 'I don't want to do this...'

Kuoppala was with Children Of Bodom from 1995 – 2003. He recorded four albums with the band: Something Wild (1997), Hatebreeder (1999), Follow the Reaper (2000) and Hate Crew Deathroll (2003).

Thyrargo is currently working on an EP, with plans to release it in late summer 2021.




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