Exactly one year after the release of their latest full-length, Wolves Of Karelia, Finnish melodic death metal mainstays Wolfheart have yet another surprise for fans - a new music video for the chilling acoustic version of "Aeon Of Cold", cut from their recent EP, Skull Soldiers, and featuring the airy vocals of bassist Lauri Silvonen. The original version of "Aeon Of Cold" can be heard on the band's 2015 album, Shadow World.

Wolfheart frontman Tuomas Saukkonen says about the acoustic version of “Aeon Of Cold”: "It was really inspiring to dismantle a song full of blast beats, double bass drum, growling vocals and heavy guitars into a two acoustic guitar arrangement, leaving only the core of the song left and letting our bass player Lauri take the spotlight with clean vocals. Despite the contrast with the arrangements, the coldness and the somber mood of the original version is still there. We wanted to underline that with the video, so we shot the footage in the middle of the forest in -17 Celsius temperature."

Watch the new music video for “Aeon Of Cold” below:

Wolfheart released their new EP, Skull Soldiers, on March 5 via Napalm Records. Order here.

Skull Soldiers EP tracklisting:

"Skull Soldiers"
"Hereditary"
"Aeon Of Cold" (Acoustic)
"Reaper" (Live)

"Skull Soldiers" lyric video:

Wolfheart is:

Tuomas Saukkonen: Guitar, Vocals
Joonas Kauppinen: Drums
Lauri Silvonen: Bass, Backing Vocals
Vagelis Karzis: Session Guitar




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Swedish metal band, Secret Society, have released a lyric video for their new single, "Darkest Hour", featuring former Black Sabbath vocalist, Tony Martin. Watch the clip below. The single, to be released on May 7, will be featured on the forthcoming EP, Horror Vacui.

Secret Society comments: "Working with Tony been just amazing, he really go all in in the writing and the recording process. Lyric-wise and his performance he really captured that dark epic feeling the song is all about and blew us away with the latin lyrics as well. Almost like film score feeling in some section.

"Working with Andy Larocque mixing at Sonic Train Studios and Thomas "Plec" Johansson mastering at The Panic Room Studio been amazing as well!

"Also Martin Wrigsjo MVS Visual did a great job with the lyric video. We think we have achieved something truly unique. This is Secret Society and Tony Martin at it's best!!"

The band has also announced the guest singers/artists appearing on the upcoming EP, Horror Vacui.

Tracklisting:

"Darkest Hour" feat. Tony Martin
"The Serpent" feat. Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen), Paul Sabu (Alice Cooper, Madonna, David Bowie), Joe Basketts (Shy, Tony Mills)
"Devils Call" feat. Rick Altzi (Masterplan, Herman Frank)
"Secret Society" feat. Paul Sabu
"The Moment Before You Die" feat. Troy Norr (Them)




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The Agonist vocalist Vicky Psarakis - along with guitarists Quentin Cornet and Nils Courbaron (Sirenia) - has recorded a cover of the Children Of Bodom classic "Hate Me!". Check out the video below.

"Hate Me!" is taken from Children Of Bodom's third album, Follow The Reaper, released in 2000.

Check out Vicky's covers of In Flames' "Only For The Week" amd At The Gates' "Blinded By Fear" below.




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September 25th, 2020 marked 25 years since Rammstein emerged from Berlin with its debut album, Herzeleid. To celebrate the anniversary, the RammWiki page on YouTube continues to roll out rare audio and video material from the band's career. The clip below is bootleg footage of the band playing the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on July 5th, 2001.

The footage was shot during Rammstein's Mutter tour, and the setlist features songs from the album that are rarely played live now. It also features the band ending the show with a cover of the Ramones' "Pet Sematary" featuring keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz on lead vocals.

Setlist:

"5/4"
"Mein Herz Brennt"
"Links 2-3-4"
"Feuer Frei!"
"Rein Raus"
"Adios"
"Mutter"
"Stripped" (Depeche Mode)
"Zwitter"
"Weißes Fleisch"
"Sehnsucht"
"Asche Zu Asche"
"Du Hast"
"Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen?"
"Rammstein"
"Sonne"
"Ich Will"
"Pet Sematary" (Ramones)

Rammstein has, as expected, pushed their 2021 European tour - initially planned for summer 2020 - to 2022 due to the ongoing global pandemic. Dates are available below.

Check the band's official website here for updates.

May
20 - Leipzig, Germany - Red Bull Arena 
21 - Leipzig, Germany - Red Bull Arena 
25 - Klagenfurt, Germany - Wörthersee Stadion 
30 - Zürich, Switzerland - Stadion Letzigrund 
31 - Zürich, Switzerland - Stadion Letzigrund

June
4 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion 
5 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion 
10 - Stuttgart, Germany - Cannstatter Wasen 
11 - Stuttgart, Germany - Cannstatter Wasen
14 - Hamburg, Germany - Volksparkstadion
15 - Hamburg, Germany - Volksparkstadion 
18 - Düsseldorf, Germany - Merkur Spiel-Arena 
19 - Düsseldorf, Germany - Merkur Spiel-Arena
22 - Aarhus, Denmark - Ceres Park 
26 - Coventry, UK - Ricoh Arena 
30 - Cardiff, UK - Principality Stadium

July
4 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Goffertpark
8 - Lyon, France - Groupama Stadium 
9 - Lyon. France - Groupama Stadium 
12 - Turin, Italy - Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino 
16 - Warsaw, Poland - PGE Narodowy 
20 - Tallinn, Estonia - Song Festival Grounds 
24 - Oslo, Norway - Bjerke Travbane 
29 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium 
30 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium

August
3 - Ostende, Belgium - Park De Nieuwe Koers




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Norwegian thrashers Tonic Breed  have issued their new single, "No Rocks On The Scotch", featuring Björn Strid (Soilwork) and Martin Skriubakken (Endezzma). The track bares heavy references to old school metal from the '80s, laden with the more organic sound of the '90s.

As for the theme of the song, Tonic Breed frontman Patrik Svendsen explains: “The world we live in is polarizing, we seem to be obsessed with resenting one another. In all this resentment we forget, or choose to overlook, all the havoc we ourselves are causing. Our woods are burning to ashes, our oceans are littered with plastic waste, the glaciers are melting away, and all we can see is the faults in our neighbors.”

For further details, visit Tonic Breed on Facebook.

 




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German modern metal outfit Venues have released the NSFW video for their new single "Shifting Colors."

In close cooperation with videographer Marius Milinski, the story that began in the NSFW video for the first single "Rite Of Passage", continues in another phenomenal music video which underlines this highly infectious new single.

The song will appear on their new album Solace, out August 27 via Arising Empire. The album will be released on limited colored vinyl, as well. Pre-order Solace here.

From the depths of their deepest crisis, Venues emerge victoriously, welcoming two new members: clean vocalist Lela and guitarist Valentin. When former vocalist Nyves quit the band mid-tour, following the release of their pivotal debut Aspire (2018), the modern metal crew was shaken to the bone. Despite this situation, the remaining members refused to give up and tirelessly searched for new talent.

Following guitarist Constantin witnessing a performance of Lela at — of all places — a Steel Panther show, the band found their new clean vocalist.

Venues entered the studio with producer Christoph Wieczorek (Annisokay) to record Solace, who coated their massive sound with a metallic alloy of remarkable precision.

"We wanted to be more metal," the band's Robin comments. "There were some pop sensibilities of Aspire that we wanted to replace with rather the opposite." Melody and punch-drunk heaviness, metal and alternative rock, zeitgeist and authenticity, barbed choruses and unleashed creativity: With their soaring sophomore release, Venues fulfill every single promise they made on Aspire. 

"2020 showed all of us how much the band is helping us keep our sanity,” Robin muses. "Almost the whole band went through minor or medium crises since the release of our debut. Relationships went sour, things ended and began. In times like these, our second album was the light at the end of the tunnel. Something we all could look forward to. Our music held our heads above water."

It's a leap, going from Aspire to Solace, and it's a logical one. 10 songs. 10 exorcisms of negative energy. 10 lifesavers.

Tracklisting:

"Razorblade Teeth"
"Whydah Gally"
"Rite Of Passage"
"Uncaged Birds"
"Into The Fire"
"Down Below"
"Shifting Colors"
"Our Destiny"
"Deceptive Faces"
"Mountains"

"Rite Of Passage" video:

For further details, visit Venues on Facebook.

 




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Italian technical death metal heavyweights Hideous Divinity have unveiled “Chestburst” - the second brutal single from their forthcoming EP, LV-426, set for release via Century Media Records on April 23rd. A visualizer video, based on the astonishing album art, can be seen below. 

The band commented on “Chestburst”, saying: "That persistent beat in James Horner's 'Face Huggers' theme from the movie score... it all starts there. If 'Acheron Stream Of Woe' is the epic theme, then 'Chestburst' is the crazy fast escape tune; it’s the soundtrack of alien drones hunting the Colonial Marine squad. And no, there's no happy ending".

The concept of the LV-426 EP is a sub-narrative of the second Alien movie, directed by James Cameron. Hideous Divinity states, “We chose to concentrate on the story of Rebecca ‘Newt’ Jorden, the six-year old girl rescued on the alien infested planetoid LV-426 by Ellen Ripley. We live the story from her point of view, a mixture of childhood’s happy life and memories cut off by the alien attack.”

The EP includes two brand new Hideous Divinity tracks (“Acheron, Stream Of Woe” & “Chestburst”) and a smashing tech-death cover version of Coheed And Cambria’s “Delirium Trigger”. Like its predecessor Simulacrum, the EP was produced by Stefan Morabito at 16th Cellar Studio, where he refined the band's signature sound consisting of bone-crushing riffs, superb drumming, and frightful vocals. Also, the EP features a stunning Alien-themed artwork by Colin Estrada.

LV-426 tracklisting:

"Acheron, Stream Of Woe"
"Chestburst"
"Delirium Trigger"

"Acheron, Stream Of Woe" lyric video:





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Northern England's most ferocious metal band, Osiah, have released their brutal new single and video, "Temporal Punishment". The track is taken from the group's forthcoming LP, Loss, which will be released May 7th via Unique Leader and can be pre-ordered here.

"'Temporal Punishment' is a great introduction to Osiah if you’ve never heard of us before, it utilises all the elements of this genre that we love and have adhered to over the years through sheer enjoyment. If you enjoyed our single ‘The Eye Of The Swarm’ but wondered if Osiah is still going to maintain their unique style of speed and groove, we promise you that this single will certainly cater towards those death metal tastes, whilst simultaneously showcasing the diversity of the record that’s to come," says the band.

Recognising that 2021 has not yet been punishing enough, Osiah have returned with their sickeningly heavy new record, Loss.

Tracklisting:

"Realm Of Misery"
"The Second Law"
"Paracusia"
"Queen Of Sorrow"
"Temporal Punishment"
"Loss" 
"Terracide Compulsion"
"The Eye Of The Swarm" 
"War Within Our Walls"
"The Ominous Mind (Jaded Inside)"
"Celer et Audax"
"Echoes"
"Already Lived" 

"The Eye Of The Swarm" lyric video: 

 




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The Pretty Reckless drummer Jamie Perkins has uploaded his playthrough video for the song "And So It Went", from the band's new album, Death By Rock And Roll.

The official video for "And So It Went", featuring Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, can be seen below. "The world has been in such a state of civil unrest," singer Taylor Momsen previously shared about the track. "'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."

About working with the band, Morello shares, "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, which follows 2010's Light Me Up, 2014's Going To Hell, and 2016's Who You Selling For, is titled after the first single, which rocketed to No. 1 on the rock charts in the US and held strong for several weeks. It marked the fifth No. 1 single of the band's career. The band also has the incredible and 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 five No. 1 singles on the Billboard chart.

Tracklisting:

"Death By Rock And Roll"
"Only Love Can Save Me Now" (featuring Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil)
"And So It Went" (featuring Tom Morello)
"25"
"My Bones"
"Got So High"
"Broomsticks"
"Witches Burn"
"Standing At The Wall"
"Turning Gold"
"Rock And Roll Heaven"
"Harley Darling"

"25" video:

 




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King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his singer wife Toyah Willcox - accompanied by a mysterious stranger - are back with another episode in their "Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch" series. This time they take on Judas Priest's "Breaking The Law". Watch below:

Watch Robert & Toyah's renditions of Iron Maiden's "Number Of The Beast", ZZ Top's "Gimme All Your Lovin'", Motörhead's "Ace Of Spades", Mötley Crüe's "Girls, Girls, Girls", the Black Sabbath classic “Paranoid”, Metallica's "Enter Sandman", and Alice Cooper's "Poison", below:

 




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Calgary's Osyron will be reintroducing the past to the present with the re-release of their 2017 album Kingsbane in a Deluxe Edition on May 14th.

The Deluxe Edition of Kingsbane will feature all original tracks from the 2017 full-length remixed and remastered (original recordings were with former drummer Trevor Cobb). There will also be three rewritten and rearranged bonus tracks for "Viper Queen", "Griefmaker", and "Razor's Wind" (Acoustic) with current drummer Cody Anstey. The original recordings of the bonus tracks were written by guitarists Krzysztof Stalmach and Bobby Harley, but for the Deluxe Edition were collaborated on by the whole band. The Deluxe Edition of Kingsbane was also entirely re-mixed by bassist Tyler Corbett and re-mastered by drummer Cody Anstey.

In the lead-up to Kingsbane: Deluxe Edition, the band is sharing the music video for the remixed, remastered, and rewritten single "Viper Queen". The video injects fans with venomous speed and a power punch of melodic heavy metal.

The band adds about the track:

"'Viper Queen' had actually always felt like the 'odd one' out on the album, especially stylistically. All of the other songs have sections that repeat from song to song, or motifs that reprise, and all the other songs have a section that acts as a part of the intro piece, 'From Ashes'. Viper Queen never really fell into that same groove and was never considered as a single on the first release of Kingsbane. However, it immediately did well live. People absolutely loved the song, and even we felt that especially live it captured a certain energy that was maybe missed from the recorded performance. We’ve even received comments from people about how they didn’t really get 'Viper Queen' until they came to a show and watched it happen live, so to that end we wanted to really nail it for the re-release. We re-arranged it to trim some of what we considered the fat, and we sped up the tempo to more accurately translate some of that “live” intensity we felt it was missing!"

For Kingsbane, Osyron dives into a story of a hero who must reluctantly take up arms against a tyrant king in a neighbouring land. Along the way, he faces many inward, and outward challenges he must overcome to achieve his goal. Through it all, the hero learns a valuable lesson that even though they are duty-bound to stop this great evil, this great evil is also in the eye of the beholder. They discover that the weight of absolute power has the potential to corrupt absolutely - maybe not all villains are as one-dimensional as they seem from the outset.

With powerful songwriting and progressive symphonic melodies, fans of Nightwish, Dream Theater, and Wintersun can enjoy Osyron's Kingsbane: Deluxe Edition when it's released on May 14th. Pre-orders can be placed at this location.

Tracklisting:

"From Ashes"
"To War" 
"Razor's Wind" 
"Viper Queen" 
"Griefmaker" 
"Kingsbane" 
"Empire Of Dust" 
"Kingmaker" 
"Razor's Wind" (Acoustic) 
"Griefmaker" (Re-recorded) 
"Viper Queen" (Re-recorded) 

(Photo by Ara Shimoon)

 




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Prog / melodeath unit Mother Of All’s upcoming debut album, Age Of The Solipsist, features legendary bassist Steve Di Giorgio (Testament, Death) and rising Danish guitarist Frederik Jensen. Formed in 2013, Mother Of All is the brainchild of Martin Haumann, an in-demand and highly prolific musician who has previously performed worldwide as the drummer of Myrkur, Afsky, and many others.

To present their second single, “We Don’t Agree”, Mother Of All offers a playthrough performance video upon the world. The track is available on all digital platforms.

Steve Di Giorgio has this to say about the song:

“This one was tricky and a bit complex, yet flowed in a good way. It’s brutal yet no loss of the melodic soul, which keeps it musical. Felt aggressive in nature but has a catchy rhythmic bounce that kept me focused in the low-end realm nicely. Some nice chops going on in this one too, but it’s short ‘n sweet, which gives it a slight hardcore edge too. Really fun to participate in a trio format. I think the honesty of the organic instruments comes thru more… I think you’ll agree!”

Guitarist Frederik Jensen also comments:

“This song is one of my favorites from the album. The way it combines the fast blast beat sections and the thrashy groove, that kicks in halfway through, makes it fun and exciting to both listen to and play!”

Vocalist and drummer Martin Haumann says:

“So many different elements in this song that you wouldn’t expect from a pure death metal approach… and definitely a challenge to play and scream.”

The album, Age Of The Solipsist. will be out June 11th via Black Lion Records. Pre-Order CD / digital at this location.

Tracklisting:

"Autumn"
"We Don’t Agree"
"Curators Of Our World Scope"
"Age Of The Solipsist"
"At The Edge Of A Dream"
"Blood Still Owed"
"Feel The Pain"

"Autumn":

For further details, visit Mother Of All on Facebook.

 

 




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"Here is our cover of 'Isolation' by Alter Bridge," says Plush. "Before we jammed for the first time, we tried to figure out songs we all knew, and this was one of three we played at our first practice! We all love Alter Bridge! Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall are all amazing musicians! Also, thanks for the continued support of 'Hate'." 

Plush is an all-female rock band with a mission––to bring an all-girl rock band back to the forefront of the music industry. Plush is composed of four talented musicians, all under the age of 21, whose accomplishments and talent eclipse their age. This female rock force is fronted by singer/guitarist Moriah Formica, drummer Brooke Colucci, lead guitarist Bella Perron and bassist Ashley Suppa.

Plush's first single "Hate" is out now on all digital platforms via Pavement Entertainment. The song was produced by Johnny K (Staind, 3 Doors Down, Disturbed).

The song is very personal for frontwoman Moriah Formica. She says, "It's about somebody who broke my heart in a very bad way. I was just so angry and sad, but I couldn't bring myself to actually say 'I hated you' to that person, because the truth is I really, really loved that person, and I just hated that I loved them."

Reflecting on the video shoot, Moriah says, “It was amazing as a newly formed band to play in a historic theater, especially during a pandemic where we haven’t had the opportunity to play a live show yet. We also had the chance to really bond as a band, spending the whole day together.” 

Plush wants to bring back the heart of rock to the mainstream with a new and fresh spin on the sounds you already love. It has been quite a while since an all-female rock act has hit the mainstream, and Plush hopes to inspire young women everywhere to follow their dreams, regardless of whatever challenges may get in the way.

Find "Hate" on your favourite streaming platform here.

(Photo by Elissa Ebersold)

 




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JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford has urged all heavy metal fans to get the COVID-19 vaccine, saying that getting inoculated will accelerate a return to normalcy.

On Saturday (April 10), the 69-year-old musician, who got the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on March 22, shared a video message to his Instagram in which he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hi everyone. This is your metal god, Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST, sending you a massive shoutout of thanks to our metal community for doing the right thing by getting the life-saving vaccine that will eventually eradicate COVID-19 around the world.

"One thing we're proud about in metal is that we not only stand together united for our music but also for each other.

"You know, common sense states that by having the jab, we're opening up one of the most important areas that we have so desperately missed, which is being side by side, horns way up at clubs, theaters, arenas and festivals where who we are and what we live for is tangible and real with the bands we love. So let's get those amazing vibes and feelings back faster.

"I urge those of us who have not yet been vaccinated to please step up.

"JUDAS PRIEST and all bands everywhere are made complete by playing live for our fans.

"You can learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines at MadeToSave.org.

"See you soon, metal maniacs."

Over 100 million Americans — more than 30% — have received at least one dose of the three vaccines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A recent NPR/Marist poll found that one in four Americans said they would refuse a coronavirus vaccine if offered. Another 5% are "undecided" about whether they would get the shot. 49% of Republican men said they would not take the vaccine when it's available to them.

Although the COVID-19 vaccine was produced quickly because of the urgency of the health crisis and the number of clinical trial volunteers, scientists say the vaccine was not rushed, and it relies on years of research.

The nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has estimated that about 70-85% of Americans would need to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.

America's two main vaccines have shown 95% efficacy against the coronavirus.

Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, which became available in the United States last month after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave it emergency use authorization, was tested with new variants of COVID-19, and has shown to be effective against them; Pfizer and Moderna were tested prior to the emergence of these variants.
























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drummer Tom Hunting has revealed that he has been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. Today Tom begins his treatment and hopes his story helps raise awareness.
Important statement from Tom Hunting:
"Today I will be starting treatment for a squamous cell carcinoma. It's a gastric tumor that was diagnosed in my upper stomach in February. I'm making this public to raise awareness for people to pay attention to symptoms of stomach and esophageal issues. If they persist, please go get it checked out. I'm not gonna be sheepish talking about it. I feel that if I can help someone with what I've learned, or someone out there has information to share with me, it's a win-win! When you can name the enemy, it's empowering, and you're 1 step closer to killing it!
Ok, you've heard the bad news. The good news is he feels great physically! I'm gonna beat this like a fucking snare drum that owes me money!!! I've had great doctors and a great support system that is an army in itself. I'm ready for the fight!
We have a lot to celebrate this year with the release of what will be a career-defining album and tours to follow! I'm stoked for everyone to hear it, and even more excited to get out there and play some of it! I will see you all very soon! CHEERS!!!"

Kastro Pergjoni, operations director of the Cart & Horses pub in Stratford, London, England where IRON MAIDEN made its live debut in 1976, recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to help raise £20,000 (approximately $27,000) so former MAIDEN vocalist Paul Di'Anno can undergo his long-delayed knee surgery. So far, Pergjoni has raised only £8,600, or about 43 precent of the goal, from approximately 340 supporters.

Pergjoni, who has been behind Cart & Horses since 2016, leasing the pub from the building's owners who are converting the beer garden and car park into flats, discussed his fundraising efforts during a new appearance on the "Uncle Steve's Iron Maiden Zone" podcast.

Asked if he has approached the members of IRON MAIDEN themselves to contribute in some way to the Di'Anno campaign, Kastro said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Myself, no, I haven't, to be honest, because I don't wanna put things… What's the best way to say it now? It's not up to me to go to them, because I have no connections with IRON MAIDEN themselves. Even when I [need to approach] Steve [Harris, IRON MAIDEN bassist and founder], I go through his friends or his sister sometimes or close friends that he's got to get stuff from him. But to go to MAIDEN for something that is related to MAIDEN, I don't think that it is me personally, or Cart & Horses, the ones to contact them. I'd love if they come forward and just cover whatever is left or say whatever, but I don't think it's down to me to go to MAIDEN. Because [Paul's] got friends and he's got connections with MAIDEN more than I have, so if MAIDEN wanted to, or if somebody else wanted to, they would have done it. But so far, nothing, unfortunately, no."

Noting that Cart & Horses is currently undergoing renovations after closing in June 2019, Pergjoni continued: "I do ask them sometimes, or I've asked now, especially with the renovation, for a few things to be donated to the Cart & Horses, and I'm hoping they will. But for me now to go and ask them about something else now, which is not related to Cart & Horses, I think it's not really the right thing to do… And also [Paul] himself is related to MAIDEN — it's not me related to MAIDEN. It's like going to somebody else's family asking for their family. But if anybody wants, and if anybody listens and has to connections to MAIDEN or to anybody there, why not?"

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN — a self-titled effort in 1980 and "Killers" in 1981 — before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

More than a decade and a half ago, Di'Anno told The Jersulam Post that leaving the MAIDEN juggernaut behind was the best thing that ever happened to him, and that he had no bitter feelings toward his former bandmates.

"I absolutely have no regrets about leaving MAIDEN — I wasn't right in the head at that time to be in the middle of all that," he said. "I was fed up and disillusioned; it would have been cheating the fans and myself if I had stayed. It was easy to walk away from, and I'm very happy the band got bigger and bigger."

Several years ago, Di'Anno told Metal Thunder Radio that he wasn't as involved with MAIDEN's songwriting as he would have liked. "Steve had most of the words and the lyrics [to the band's first album] all written. That was some of the bones of contention that we had in the band — that I didn't get to write as much as I wanted to. 'Cause I am actually quite a prolific writer, but a lot of my songs were not accepted. 'Cause it's Steve's band, obviously."

He continued: "That first album was a revelation, I've gotta tell you. It was amazing. And the second album, for me, not so much. That's when I started to lose interest a little bit. But [we] still [had] great times — really great times."

At times, Paul has also publicly displayed his anger toward his former bandmates, most notably during a 2009 press conference in Argentina where he was asked about the rumors that his drug use had something to do with his split with MAIDEN. "Where the fuck do you people get this from?" he asked. "I left IRON MAIDEN because they were going too heavy metal, and IRON MAIDEN is a money-making machine, and I don't give a fuck about it. It was not about drugs; it was nothing like that. Me and Steve... I [wrote] the song 'Killers'. Steve had [what he thought] were better songs. I thought his songs were shit. Nothing to do with drugs; nothing whatsoever. Check your facts or otherwise this interview is over... I hate that! I fucking hate that! Because people... You say something but you don't know. Well, I'm telling you. IRON MAIDEN is Steve Harris's band. It doesn't matter about anybody else — whether it's Dave Murray, Clive [Burr], me... it's Steve Harris's band and all it is is money, money, money, money — nobody else counts. And I wrote fuckin' 20-times better songs than his, but I only got one song on the 'Killers' album because it's Steve's — he must have this. Fuckin' Adolf Hitler. I'm not interested. So there you go. But you need to take drugs when you're with IRON MAIDEN because they're so fucking boring. And the only drugs were aspirin, because Steve [making hand gesture as if someone is speaking into his ear]... Fuckin' headache."




Posted by Uncle Steve's Iron Maiden Zone on Thursday, December 24, 2020

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, former DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch was asked if he had any kind of contact with legendary Ozzy Osbourne axeman Randy Rhoads when they were both coming up through the ranks in the Los Angeles rock scene in the late 1970s. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We played shows together frequently. We rehearsed at the same rehearsal facility and shared the same rooms, so we had a lot of opportunities to hang out and share licks and talk occasionally. We weren't friends or anything, but we were in the same business and we ran in the same circles and ran into each other all the time. I'd known that he appreciated my playing and liked my playing, and he would bring people to see me frequently, including his mom."

He continued: "We were both for Ozzy a number of times, and I was up for it on three different occasions, and one of them was the time that Randy got it over me. And then the understanding was that between whichever one of us got it, the other one would teach at Musonia [School Of Music, which was founded more than 70 years ago by Randy's mother, Delores Rhoads]. Well, I got the consolation prize. He told his mom that if anything ever happened with him that he would want me to maybe fill in if possible, if I'd be willing to, so I did."

George reportedly tried out for the position of Ozzy's lead guitarist in 1979 — losing to Rhoads — and another time in 1982, when Osbourne was looking for someone to replace Brad Gillis. According to Lynch, he was preparing to step into the role before Ozzy changed his mind and decided to go with Jake E. Lee instead.

George went into more detail about his Ozzy auditions during a 2019 interview with Ultimate Guitar. At the time, he said: "I never played a show [with Ozzy]. I played soundchecks. [Laughs] So I would travel with the band to kind of see how everything worked, and they would get to know me, and that kind of thing. But I never went on stage during a show. But I would be in the wings at soundcheck, and Brad Gillis, who was the guitar player at the time, would come over and hand me his guitar and I would play a song or two. And then we went into rehearsals. I rehearsed with them. I brought in a bass player, Don Costa, who was Ozzy's bass player for a little while. We rehearsed in Texas for a while.

"The touring was in Scotland and England and Ireland," he continued. "And then we moved everything over to Los Angeles, and that's where I was told that they wouldn't be needing my services in the 11th hour after I'd been working with them for a couple of months."

Lynch remembered that he was "very devastated" when Osbourne offered the gig to Lee over him. "My wife was with me," he said. "I had quit my job. We had two little kids. We had an apartment. We really didn't have much money, so it was a great opportunity for me. I was a delivery driver for a liquor company, and I would kind of deliver booze into the not-so-good areas; nobody else wanted to drive into those areas so I took that job. It was a good union job, so I made enough money to support us. And I had to quit that job to go do the Ozzy thing. And when they fired me like that... And they didn't pay me, and they didn't give me any compensation. They didn't ask me if I was okay or anything. They just didn't care. They just said... It was literally, like... It took, like, a minute. Ozzy just said, 'Hey, it's not gonna be working out. Thanks a lot for your time. And see ya later. Bye.' [Laughs] Yeah, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe it. My heart just dropped and... Yeah, I think I cried on the way home. [Laughs] It was very devastating."

According to Lynch, there were other factors that ultimately contributed to Ozzy choosing Jake as his new guitar player.

"I remember [Ozzy] was bald at the time," George told Ultimate Guitar. "He kept coming into my room and asking me why I cut my hair. Because I had short hair for my job. I told him that he was bald. [Laughs] So I thought, 'Well, maybe I could just go bald like you, and then we could be a couple of cue balls up there. Or I can wear a wig until my hair grows out.' He had a problem with that.

"That was one of the reasons, I think, I didn't get [the Ozzy gig] — was my image," Lynch added. "Jake E. had a great image — hair down his ass, [and he] showed up all leathered. He looked great. He admittedly didn't play that great [at the audition], but he looked fantastic. And I think Sharon [Ozzy's wife and manager] was really calling the shots, and Sharon wanted somebody that looked right. And she felt that Jake E. was the look they were going for. I don't think she cared too much about the playing. Not that Jake E. wasn't capable — Jake E. is great, obviously — he didn't have a great audition. But he plays fantastic."

In a new interview with Spotify's "Rock This With Allison Hagendorf", MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee credited the band's 1984 tour with Ozzy Osbourne with helping break CRÜE in America. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When Ozzy Osbourne took us out, that was the first time we got the opportunity to play in front of 18, 20 thousand people every single night in sold-out arenas. And we went from being this cool new band to [makes exploding sound]. It literally catapulted [our career]. We were, like, 'What is happening? This is insane.' And we were just hanging on. It was that crazy. And I really believe that that tour — it was the 'Bark At The Moon' tour; I think that was around our 'Shout At The Devil' era time — and it just took off. So I'm always indebted and grateful to Ozzy for doing that, because that really launched us into some crazy shit."

The celebrated moment from MÖTLEY CRÜE's tour with Ozzy is recalled in CRÜE's biopic "The Dirt". In the film which premiered two years ago on Netflix, a young Ozzy Osbourne (played by Tony Cavalero) holds an impromptu gross-out contest of sorts with Sixx at a Lakeland, Florida hotel swimming pool in 1984 during the two acts' joint U.S. tour. After exposing himself to some hotel guests, Ozzy asks CRÜE for cocaine. Sixx (played by Douglas Booth) hands over a straw, and Ozzy kneels on the ground and snorts a crawling line of ants. Then he urinates on the ground and licks it up, challenging Sixx to do the same. Pressured, Sixx urinates on the ground as well — but before he can get to it, Osbourne kneels down and laps it up first.

In MÖTLEY CRÜE's 2001 autobiography, "The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band", Sixx recounted the episode in detail, writing: "I handed [Ozzy] the straw, and he walked over to a crack in the sidewalk and bent over it. I saw a long column of ants, marching to a little dugout built where the pavement met the dirt. And as I thought, 'No, he wouldn't,' he did. He put the straw to his nose and, with his bare white ass peeking out from under the dress like a sliced honeydew, sent the entire line of ants tickling up his nose with a single, monstrous snort.

"He stood up, reared back his head, and concluded with a powerful rightnostriled sniff that probably sent a stray ant or two dripping down his throat. Then he hiked up the sundress, grabbed his dick, and pissed on the pavement. Without even looking at his growing audience — everyone on the tour was watching him while the old women and families on the pool deck were pretending not to — he knelt down and, getting the dress soggy in the puddle, lapped it up. He didn't just flick it with his tongue, he took a half-dozen long, lingering, and thorough strokes, like a cat. Then he stood up and, eyes blazing and mouth wet with urine, looked straight at me. 'Do that, Sixx!'"

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that what little he remembers of the tour with the CRÜE was pretty wild. "The 1984 tour was the most craziest tour I think I've ever done in my life," he said. "I don't remember it, but I remember I used to wake up every morning or come around thinking, 'What the fuck went on last night?' I mean, everybody keeps asking me, 'Hey, Ozzy, did you really snort a line of ants?' You know what, the answer to that is: I don't know, but it's very possible."

When asked by Page Six if the story was true, Sixx reconfirmed it. "Of course," he said. "We were a wild young band and he kind of took us under his wing. We thought we could compete with that, but you can't with Ozzy. He won."

Photo credit: Dustin Jack

In the latest episode of her "Fan Friday" YouTube series, NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen was asked if she enjoys touring the United States. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes, of course I do. It's a magnificent big country, and it's fantastic to just see all the different states and meet so many different people. My favorite state must be Texas. I love the boots and the culture and food. Yeah, it's something special.

"We're all considered Western society — Europe and the U.S. — but there are as many differences as things we have in common, and I always find it fascinating to see that and to put my finger on what we have the same and what's different," she added.

Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon.

Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013 and made her recording debut with the group on 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" album.

NIGHTWISH's ninth studio album, "Human. :II: Nature." , was released in April 2020 via Nuclear Blast. The effort is a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters on CD 2.

Last November, Jansen released her cover version of the song "Let It Go" from the Disney movie "Frozen". She revealed that she got the inspiration to record the track through her four-year-old daughter Freja, who had been listening to it and singing it "for months."

NIGHTWISH's interactive "An Evening with Nightwish In a Virtual World" concert experiences that will kick off the "Human. :II: Nature." world tour have been rescheduled from March to May due to changes in the band's touring schedule. The new dates are Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29, 2021.

In January, NIGHTWISH's longtime bassist/vocalist Marko "Marco" Hietala announced his departure from the band.

Hietala issued a statement in which he said he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now."

"The new A Pale Horse Named Death album is done and mastered," proclaims vocalist / guitarist Sal Abruscato. "Huge thank you to Maor Appelbaum Mastering. This new album is night and day difference from the last album, sounds so great with that old world analog sound. It fits this very dark album perfectly, we could not be happier! Stay tuned for release and title info coming soon!"

The band led by founding Type O Negative and Life Of Agony member Sal Abruscato released their debut, And Hell Will Follow Me, in 2011 and firmly implanted their roots in the metal scene with the sophomore album Lay My Soul To Waste in 2013, and When The World Becomes Undone in 2019.

"I am really looking forward to releasing APHND’s fourth album later this year," says Abruscato. He adds, "2021 is the 10 year anniversary since APHND’s first album And Hell Will Follow Me was released so it’s even more special for me to release a new album this year. There has been so much depression and anxiety for so many during this pandemic, how the world has literally become undone in 2020. I started working on material back in early 2020 and felt I needed to evolve, switch things up with more instrumentation, different vibes, and unleash a new album for the fans this year! I can’t wait to release it. Looking forward to working with Long Branch Records and SPV again as well!"

 




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Drummer Matt Sorum (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, The Cult) has taken to social media with the following update:

"Just got a cool text from Shooter Jennings a doc soundtrack we did together for a film called Chasing Whiskey: The Untold Story of Jack Daniel's is released now on Amazon. It is the story of Jack Daniel's from the beginning and the history of the culture it created from The Rat Pak to Lemmy, Slash and Keith Richards. It’s always been the outlaw beverage of choice. The soundtrack is a dirty swagger created with @shooterjennings @jessedayton and Michael Devin. Check it out now at Amazon."

 




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LAMB OF GOD has premiered a scorching cover of the BAD BRAINS classic "I Against I" featuring FEVER 333 vocalist Jason Aalon Butler. The live quarantine video captures the raw energy and spirit of this cult classic.

LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe states: "The idea to cover 'I Against I' goes back at least 20 years to a camping trip the band was on. Mark [Morton, LAMB OF GOD guitarist] and I were sitting in the back of our buddy's Jeep ripping through the mountains, BAD BRAINS was cranking on the stereo, and I was singing along to that particular song. Mark looked over at me and said, 'We should cover that tune.' So we thought about it for a couple of decades and finally got around to doing it for the BURN THE PRIEST 'Legion: XX' record (hey, sometimes we move a little slow...).

"As we all know, this pandemic has sucked for live music, but the quarantine jams bands have been doing have been pretty fun, especially when you bring in guests. I saw FEVER 333 for the first time at the Sonic Temple fest— I had never listened to them, but I was blown away by their live show. I remember thinking, 'Man, these dudes are WILD. Their energy reminds me of the punk shows I saw in the 80's,' and I've been friends with those dudes from that day. I even texted Darryl from BAD BRAINS that afternoon to tell him to check them out. It was only natural to ask Jason to join us and bring that energy to this song by the almighty BAD BRAINS, my favorite band of all time."

FEVER 333 vocalist Jason Aalon Butler adds: "It is truly an honor to be a part of this one as I have the utmost respect for Randy and the boys since becoming homies after having my mind blown when I looked over at the side of the stage at Sonic Temple fest and saw him watching us play. It's been a pleasure getting to know him and an honor to rock L.O.G. celebrating one of the most important punk rock/musical acts of all time BAD BRAINS. From legends to legends to the student. All love."

Released Friday via Nuclear Blast Records, LAMB OF GOD's "Live In Richmond, VA" includes a live version of the self-titled album with two bonus tracks, along with a DVD that features the first of LAMB OF GOD's two ultra-successful live stream events from September 2020, in which the band performed "Lamb Of God" in full, plus an encore of four songs including "Ruin", "Contractor", "512", and the debut live performance of "The Death Of Us", a newer song the band wrote and recorded in quarantine for the "Bill & Ted Face The Music" movie and soundtrack. The DVD includes a new director's cut with bonus material.

Los Angeles-based industrial metal band ORGY has released a new single "Karma Kastles". The track marks the band's first release of 2021. Staying true to their musical roots firmly established in 1997, "Karma Kastles"' crunching guitars, electronic undertones and soaring vocals are what fans have gravitated towards for nearly three decades.

"I wrote 'Karma Kastles' about the madness people in L.A. face — when it comes to relationships (both romantic and bromantic)," says ORGY's frontman Jay Gordon. "There are just so many options on both sides, it gets insanely difficult to keep up with the madness and treachery. It's tough enough just trying to figure out who your 'real' friends are, let alone trying to date someone here. Things like geographical desirability and what kind of whip you drive, unfortunately play such bizarre roles in the typical L.A. relationship. We all build our own 'Karma Kastles' here in La La Land. Toxic and jaded with a twist of sex and a hint of scandal. Then we wake up like 'wtf was I even thinking!' You gotta love it, 'cause it builds character and makes you miss home, wherever you're from."

ORGY — who is Jay Gordon (lead vocals), Carlton Bost (guitar, backing vocals), Nic Speck (bass, backing vocals), Creighton Emrick (guitar, backing vocals) and Marton Veress (drums) — recorded "Karma Kastles" between Gordon's North Hollywood studio and home during the pandemic.

"Karma Kastles" is the first single from a new ORGY EP which will arrive later this year.

Originally formed in 1997, ORGY was signed to KORN's label Elementree Records and released its debut album, "Candyass", in 1998. Featuring their two hit singles, a cover of the NEW ORDER song "Blue Monday" and "Stitches", along with the song "Revival", featuring Jonathan Davis of KORN, the album went on to sell almost two million copies. ORGY appeared on the "Family Values" tour with KORN, LIMP BIZKIT, Ice Cube, INCUBUS and RAMMSTEIN and was featured on the live compilation album from the tour released in 1999. Their second album, the science fiction-themed "Vapor Transmission", was released in 2000, featuring the singles "Fiction (Dreams In Digital)" and "Opticon" and the band later released the song "Faces" for the soundtrack to the movie "Zoolander". Other releases from ORGY include the album "Punk Statik Paranoia" (2004) and the "Talk Sick" EP (2015), with single releases since including "Grime Of The Century", "Wide Awake And Dead", "Army To Your Party", "High Summer Sun" and the 2020 re-release of "The Spectrum".

CHEAP TRICK bassist Tom Petersson has revealed that he is recovering from open-heart surgery.

The 70-year-old rocker addressed his health status one day after the band's appearance on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert".

Earlier today (Friday, April 9), the CHEAP TRICK social media was updated with the following statement from Petersson: "Hi everyone, You may have noticed that I was sitting down during Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' performance last night. I had to have open heart surgery a month ago and am under doctor's orders to take it easy. I'm currently recuperating and slowly but surely getting stronger every day. Can't wait to get back to see all of you again soon."

Petersson is one of the three founding members of CHEAP TRICK — alongside singer Robin Zander and guitarist Rick Nielsen — who are still in the band. Drummer Bun E. Carlos stopped touring with the band in 2010 and was replaced by Nielsen's son Daxx.

CHEAP TRICK has just released its 20th studio album, "In Another World", via BMG.

Founded in 1974, CHEAP TRICK are an indisputable American institution, beloved around the globe for their instantly identifiable, hugely influential, brand of pop rock 'n' roll. The band are true pioneers with an unparalleled streak of certifiably classic tunes, from "He's A Whore", "California Man" and "Dream Police" to "Surrender", "I Want You To Want Me" and the worldwide #1 hit single "The Flame".

CHEAP TRICK's nearly five-decade career has earned them more than 40 international gold and platinum certifications, myriad awards and industry honors, featured appearances on over 20 movie soundtracks, and total record sales well in excess of 20 million.




A message from Tom Petersson: pic.twitter.com/Hf5BKXwzIA

— Cheap Trick (@cheaptrick) April 9, 2021

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett says that he is using the coronavirus downtime to stay creative.

Earlier today (Friday, April 9), the 58-year-old rocker, who joined METALLICA in 1983 prior to the recording of the band's "Kill 'Em All" debut album, tweeted simply: "working on new riffs..."

Last summer, Hammett told Metal Hammer magazine that there was "a lot of material" written for a possible follow-up to 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album, which marked METALLICA's first full-length collection of new music in eight years. "I know I have tons, because I totally overcompensated," he said. "You know, last time around, it was a real shock to my system losing all those musical ideas. [Editor's note: Kirk lost a phone with more than 300 pieces of music on it during the creative process for 'Hardwired…'] So, I was very determined to try and make up for lost time. I also felt that, creatively, I have so much more to offer this time around."

Bassist Robert Trujillo added that the songwriting process for the next album could be a decidedly more collective effort compared to "Hardwired…", which was largely composed by guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich.

"I'm not gonna speak on behalf of the other guys, but to me, it feels like this could be a very collaborative [writing process]," Robert said. "And for me personally, I love that. I love that we are in that head space to be more collaborative, and I think that's very exciting for where we're at now, the journey we're about to take, the fact that those doors are opening like that."

"It's taking a couple of months, literally, for me to go through all [my ideas]," added Kirk, who is is not credited on any of the songs on "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct". "I've got a wealth of material, and so, at any given point when we all decide, 'Okay, let's start formulating a schedule to start writing songs and recording it.' I'm ready. I'm there, from day one."

"Kirk has so many ideas," continued Trujillo. "It's funny because sometimes it's literally him in the kitchen and he's cooking, and at the same time he's playing you a riff, or you're sitting on the toilet and he's playing you some ideas. But when we started to understand that [the lockdown] was gonna happen, it was like, 'Hey, let's be creative', you know? Let's just get on it. A lot of times, when there's a band that's been around as long as METALLICA has, you find that one of the biggest problems is, 'Man I can't come up with a riff, I can't come up with any good lyrics, it's just harder to write songs', but that just doesn't seem to be the problem with us. Not taking anything away from any other bands, but sometimes our worst riff might be another band's A-list riff."

"Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release.

Hetfield told Metal XS in 2016 that "Kirk's riffs weren't there" when it was time to write the music for the follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" record. He later seemed to dismiss Kirk's missing-iPhone excuse, telling the WRIF radio station: "That's what he claims. I'm sure he did [lose the phone], but it doesn't make sense that he wouldn't have [the music] on his computer, either. But, whatever… Yeah, Kirk had some riffs that he… I guess submitted — ['submit' is] not a very nice word to be used if you're in a band. But you know, we all submit our tapes, and we sit there and we listen to them and we pick the best stuff. There was not much stuff from Kirk. Whether his phone was lost, or whatever…"

In a separate interview with U.K. radio station Planet Rock, Hetfield said that Kirk "was not present in the studio" while METALLICA was working on "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct". "He was dealing with life," James said. "He had a lot of life things going on for himself, which he'll choose to talk about if he wants. But, you know, [it was] Lars and I steering the ship as usual, going through the riffs, creating the songs. And I got to do a lot of guitar stuff that I was missing around 'Death Magnetic' and 'St. Anger' — some of the harmony guitar things, harmony vocals… You know, a little more layering, like the 'Black' album."




working on new riffs... pic.twitter.com/9DjqyCL0kt

— Kirk Hammett (@KirkHammett) April 9, 2021

LINDEMANN, the project featuring vocalist Till Lindemann of German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN and Swedish producer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN), will release a concert film, "Live In Moscow", on May 21 on Blu-ray. The set will include professionally filmed video footage of LINDEMANN's March 15, 2020 performance at Moscow, Russia's VTB Arena.

A performance clip of the song "Praise Abort", taken from "Live In Moscow", can be seen below.

"Live In Moscow" track listing:

01. Skills In Pills

02. Lady Boy

03. Fat

04. Frau & Mann

05. Ich Weiss Es Nicht

06. Allesfresser

07. Knebel

08. Home Sweet Home

09. Cowboy

10. Golden Shower

11. Blut

12. Platz Eins

13. Praise Abort

14. Fish On

15. Ach So Gern

16. Gummi

17. Steh Auf

Last November, Lindemann and Tägtgren confirmed that they were ending their collaboration on the LINDEMANN project.

LINDEMANN's second album, "F & M", was released in November 2019. The follow-up to 2015's "Skills In Pills" was once again produced and mixed by Tägtgren.

"Skills In Pills" reached gold status in Germany and was entirely in English. On the second opus, Lindemann went back to singing exclusively in German.

In 2019, Till told Kerrang! that "F & M" was originally intended for the stage. "We were writing for the theater originally, writing three songs for the director of a production of 'Hansel And Gretel', by the Brothers Grimm," he said. "It was a perfect topic [for us] — morbid and brutal but very romantic. We were writing music on demand to fit with the piece, and so, of course, the lyrics were in German, because the theater company was based in Hamburg. It was fun."

Tägtgren told Australia's Heavy that there was no shortage of ideas for LINDEMANN's second album. "We are constantly writing," he explained. "The Internet is a really big help. Till will have an idea and send it to me on SMS or whatever, and I kind of trigger off that and start writing a song off that. Or sometimes it is the other way — I have an idea and send it to him and he triggers Till. Today that is easy. Then we catch up and do the vocals in my studio, so there was a few trips to do this album. He flies in from Berlin — that's like one hour on the plane and then two hours on the train — and he is at my place. There are always gaps here and there though… when you have to take a break to have a shower or brush your teeth… but we come back."

LINDEMANN had received some criticism due to its use of pornography during its second album cycle, with the music video for "Platz Eins" described by one site as "full-on art porn — slick and stylish, weird and experimental, and definitely X-rated."

Former KISS and current GRAND FUNK RAILROAD guitarist Bruce Kulick will host a livestream event later this month. Dubbed "Bruce Kulick Live In Las Vegas", the show will be filmed at the Marquee Club's Library inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and will see Kulick joined by his wife Lisa, as well as his longtime collaborator Todd Kerns, who is best known as the bassist of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS. They will perform music from KISS along with songs made famous by THE ROLLING STONES, THE BEATLES, THE WHO, Elvis Presley and more.

Get your virtual ticket now for $15 to watch the premiere on April 16 at 9 p.m. ET. The show will be available for purchase and to enjoy until the end of April.

Last December, Kulick hosted another livestream event, "Kissmas Masquerade", during which he played an acoustic KISS set accompanied by Kerns.

In November 2019, Kulick celebrated the 35th anniversary of his first shows with KISS by performing a six-song "Animalize" medley on the "Kiss Kruise" with a band that consisted of Kerns and SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS drummer Brent Fitz along with bassist/vocalist Zach Throne. The foursome's set also included other '80s and '90s songs that KISS rarely, if ever, played live.

Kulick joined KISS in 1984, soon after then-guitarist Mark St. John left the band after being diagnosed with Reiter's Syndrome, a form of inflammatory arthritis. He recorded five studio albums with the group — "Asylum", "Crazy Nights", "Hot In The Shade", "Revenge" and "Carnival Of Souls" — and can also be heard on the band's "Alive III" and "Kiss Unplugged" live sets. He joined GRAND FUNK RAILROAD in 2001 and continues to serve as the band's lead guitarist today.

Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology - Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the DVDs spanning KISS's historic five-decade career.

Paul Stanley's father is celebrating his 101st birthday today (Wednesday, April 7).

This morning, the KISS frontman tweeted out a photo of him with his dad, along with the caption: "My Dad Is 101 Today!! Happy Birthday! I love you more than ever and I hope you are here for another 101 years."

In KISS's official authorized biography "Kiss: Behind The Mask", Stanley said that his father was born in the U.S. but "his parents were Russian-Hungarian-Polish."

Paul recalled: "My family wasn't that well off. When I was six, my father bought me a bike, which was the only thing that I was given of any value. We weren't affluent, but we survived. There were times when money was very tight. In Manhattan, the four of us lived in a one-bedroom apartment; my parents slept in the living room and my sister and I shared the bedroom. My father worked as a furniture salesman, and my mother was a teacher. Originally, she was a registered nurse, and then she taught retarded kids. Ultimately, she became a full-time housewife."

Stanley was born with a facial deformity, microtia, which prevented his right ear from forming properly and left him deaf on the right side. He later said that his parents had their own problems and did not acknowledge or provide support for Paul's difficulties.

Stanley said it took him decades into adulthood and plenty of therapy to help conquer his lack of self-esteem.

KISS kicked off its second farewell tour, dubbed "End Of The Road", in January 2019. The global trek is scheduled to wrap in July 2021 in New York City.




My Dad Is 101 Today!! Happy Birthday! I love you more than ever and I hope you are here for another 101 years. pic.twitter.com/QIw7dMqhvs

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 7, 2021

Former STYX singer Dennis DeYoung will release his final studio album, "26 East, Vol 2", on June 11 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The first single and video from the album, "Isle Of Misanthrope", is available below.

As with the preceding volume, "26 East, Vol 2" once again hints strongly at DeYoung's rock roots with STYX. The production and musicianship are epic, and those timeless vocal arrangements get delivered in spades. A fitting goodbye and a final signature on an outstanding body of work which will stand the test of time.

"Vol 2" picks up where "Vol 1" left off, with DeYoung mining similar musical territory. With direct links to the classic STYX sound, as only he can provide, along with some straight-ahead rock, the breadth of the album is illustrated on tracks like "The Last Guitar Hero", with help from the Houdini of guitarists Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE), to two signature DeYoung ballads, "Your Saving Grace" and "Made For Each Other" to the piece de resistance, the first single, the "Isle Of Misanthrope", an eight-minute masterpiece with a surprise finish.

"My musical goals for this album are the same as they have always been and that's to write the best songs possible and make great-sounding records out of them," says DeYoung. "By now, STYX fans know pretty much what they can expect and I hope they will be pleased. I am.

"When people ask 'What's the first single 'Isle Of Misanthrope' about?', I reply 'About 6 minutes.' Not to be too cute, but the lyrics are a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Wait that’s Winston Churchill's statement about the Soviet Union. Sorry. 'Misanthrope', metaphorically speaking (ooooh look, big words) is a commentary on the contemporary state of mankind under the guise of ancient times. The more things change the more they remain the same. Also, 'Isle Of Misanthrope' is my musical journey back to the days of STYX's 'Equinox' and 'Suite Madame Blue', as I attempt to explain the exasperating and confounding nature of mankind through metaphor. It's got a good beat, but won’t be a hit at the disco."

DeYoung has previously stated that "26 East" will mark his retirement from the world of recorded music. It was thanks to Frontiers president and head of A&R, Serafino Perugino, that given the abundance of material, Dennis agreed to split the album in two parts. This second half starts where the previous one left off and sees DeYoung collaborate again with fellow Chicagoan and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Jim Peterik. The process that brought forth these two albums in the first place started when Peterik, DeYoung's friend and neighbor, sent a song to Dennis that he thought would suit his vocals perfectly. That song became the catalyst for ten more collaborations from the pair, of which four appear on this new release.

"The last album was supposed to be my final album, but there were so many songs written that Serafino of Frontiers suggested dividing it into two albums rather than one," DeYoung states.

"26 East" was the address where DeYoung grew up in Roseland, Illinois on the far south side of Chicago. Across the street lived the Panozzo twins, John and Chuck, who along with DeYoung would go on to form the nucleus of STYX in DeYoung's basement in 1962.

"26 East, Vol 2" track listing:

01. Hello Goodbye

02. Land Of The Living

03. The Last Guitar Hero (featuring Tom Morello)

04. Your Saving Grace

05. Proof Of Heaven

06. Made For Each Other

07. There's No Turning Back Time

08. St. Quarantine

09. Little Did We Know

10. Always Time

11. The Isle Of Misanthrope

12. Grand Finale