Five years after announcing that he would embark on a special tour during which he would perform ACCEPT songs one last time under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner before closing that chapter for good, former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider is continuing to play ACCEPT material at select shows, including at the September 18, 2020 U.D.O. concert in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which was released on DVD and Blu-ray last month.

Asked in a new interview with Made In Metal if he still gets asked about ACCEPT by various journalists around the world, Udo said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Not [by] that many anymore. I think this is now over. Sometimes they ask me, 'Do you listen to what they are doing?' I say, 'Yes.' I mean, of course, [on] YouTube, you see [clips of the current ACCEPT band], and, of course, I hear that. But this is, in a way, far away for me. Of course, it's my history — I was doing ACCEPT; I was creating ACCEPT. I think this is over.

"[People ask me] maybe [there can be] a reunion or something like that. No — there will be no reunion," he continued. "For what? It makes no sense. So if I really have the feeling to say, 'I wanna just do another evening with only ACCEPT songs,' I can do that. And the good thing is I can do it not under U.D.O., I can do it with DIRKSCHNEIDER. And the people know if I'm coming [to their town] with DIRKSCHNEIDER, [the set] will be [only] ACCEPT songs. I don't know — maybe in two years, or whatever, maybe I'll say, 'Okay, let's maybe do another tour with only ACCEPT songs.' Everything is open for me, and that's a good thing. I have the [collaboration with the] orchestra, I have U.D.O., and sometimes I'm working on some side projects. I can do what I want, and that's good."

Dirkschneider also left the door open for U.D.O. to perform select ACCEPT songs in the future, just as it did at the aforementioned Bulgarian concert. "Maybe it can happen," he said. "Maybe I was too quick to say, after three years of playing ACCEPT songs with DIRKSCHNEIDER — it was nearly three years — maybe I was, in a way, a little bit tired. That was also not planned. Normally, it was planned just to say, [let's] make, like, 10 or 15 special shows. After this, maybe I was a little bit too quick to say I'd never play any ACCEPT songs with U.D.O. anymore. Maybe it can happen, the last three songs [of the U.D.O. set] — not in the main set, but maybe two or three songs [at the end], we [can say], 'Okay, [let's] make people happy and say, thank you very much and bye-bye.'

"When Ronnie James Dio was alive, one night he was talking also about all these old songs — the classic stuff. In a way, he said, 'Yeah, sometimes I'm really tired to do this' — all this 'Holy Diver' and also BLACK SABBATH stuff — but he said, 'In the end, the people are coming to a show and they paid for this; they wanna hear this. You are the voice of these songs. You are the voice of ACCEPT, and the people wanna hear the original one.' It's nothing against the other singer — maybe he's doing a good job — but the people, they wanna hear also this classic stuff. He said also, 'Can you imagine DEEP PURPLE without 'Smoke On The Water'? No. Not possible.' In the end, he said, give the people what they want. But for me, it's, like, I can do both. If I really wanna do only ACCEPT songs, I [can do it with] DIRKSCHNEIDER. And in U.D.O., it's maybe then a surprise, [playing] some ACCEPT stuff in the end [of the set]. I mean, of course, U.D.O. has a huge fanbase after 30 years. And they say, 'You don't need to play any ACCEPT songs anymore.' ACCEPT, they're still around — only one [original] guy left. They say, 'Okay, the people hear the songs there. It's maybe not the original voice, but they're doing a good job.' But for me, it's also, I can [choose to] do it or not. And that's it."

Last month, Udo confirmed to Canada's The Metal Voice that U.D.O. will "definitely" play some ACCEPT songs if the band's North American tour materializes in 2021 or 2022.

When he first announced the DIRKSCHNEIDER tour half a decade ago, Udo said that had "to make a clear break for myself — close the book and this is it. And I have the problem that people come to me and ask me to play more ACCEPT songs," he explained. "Other people ask me why I play ACCEPT songs at all, because there are [more than] fifteen U.D.O. records. I want to avoid such things and avoid the repeating questions concerning ACCEPT. I just can't stand that anymore. There is nothing more to be said. U.D.O. exists longer than ACCEPT. We have more records than ACCEPT."

While acknowledging that some ACCEPT fans want to hear the band's classic songs performed by the group's original singer, Dirkschneider explained at the time that "you always have these comparisons [between how these songs are played by ACCEPT and U.D.O.]. I don't want this anymore either. [The current lineup of ACCEPT] also play 'Metal Heart', they play 'Balls To The Wall' and 'Princess Of The Dawn'. And then some people tell me, 'Oh, [current ACCEPT singer Mark Tornillo] is doing it better than you.' And I go, 'That's fine. Enjoy yourself.' But I don't want this anymore. And to avoid all of this in the future, I said, 'We are doing this one more time.'"

Dirkschneider said in 2016 that his vow to never play ACCEPT material again came with one caveat. "If the band ACCEPT dissolves one day in the near future and I am still around with U.D.O., then there is a chance that I put ACCEPT songs back in the setlist," he said. "But currently there is ACCEPT, so go see them [if you want to see those songs performed live]. They are playing these songs."

Udo previously said the original plan was for DIRKSCHNEIDER to only "a few shows," and "then [the tour] got bigger and bigger [due to demand]." But, he added, "I don't want to complain about that."

Back in 2018, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann declined to comment on Dirkschneider's decision to embark on one final tour during which the singer would perform nothing but ACCEPT songs. "I have lots of thoughts about that, but I'm not gonna share 'em with you," he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". "I'd rather not comment on that, because that seems so much 'back and forth,' and I think I should stay away from it… You can draw your own conclusions all day long, but I'm not gonna get into it; it's just not worth it.

"I get asked [about Udo] so many times, and, man, it's been so many years — it's such an old story by now," Wolf continued. "We've moved on way past that, and we've had 10 brilliant years [with Mark Tornillo], we're making cool albums; I think we're doing fine. So I don't spend any time thinking about it.

"I'm very proud of the history we have together and all that, but I'm just not gonna get into the current 'he said, she said' whatever — it's not worth it," Hoffmann concluded.

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, the band launched by ex-CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho, will release an EP, "Paint The Sky With Blood", on April 23 via Napalm Records. The effort was recorded in Finland back in 2020 and was meant to be the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Sadly, that chapter ended far too soon with the December 2020 passing of Laiho, and now, the three-track piece embodies a whole new meaning.

Asked in a new interview with A&P Reacts how close the two original songs on "Paint The Sky With Blood", the title track and "Payback's A Bitch", are to what a full-length album from BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT would have sounded like, guitarist Daniel Freyberg said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Probably very close. But it's obviously impossible to say exactly, 'cause there was no more songs written. That was all the songs, all the riffs Alexi ever presented us. So there's no leftovers."

Speaking about what Alexi's "energy" was like after he left CHILDREN OF BODOM in 2019 and launched the new band early the following year, Daniel said: "He was actually very excited, and he often told us — and he told the media as well — that he feels like 20 years younger now because of this new group, I guess. But, yeah, he was very excited and eager to show the world that he's still got this; he was at the top of his game."

Asked what the best way is for people to honor Alexi's legacy, Daniel said: "I don't know. What's the best way to honor his legacy. I don't know if there's a best way to honor his legacy, and what would be that. I don't know, to be honest. Just listen to his music, and remember him as the great musician he was. I don't know anything else."

Alexi passed away in his home in Helsinki, Finland. The 41-year-old had suffered from long-term health issues leading up to his death.

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, whose lineup was completed by drummer Waltteri Väyrynen (PARADISE LOST), bassist Mitja Toivonen (ex-SANTA CRUZ) and live keyboardist Vili Itäpelto, made its live debut last October in Seinäjoki, Finland. The 17-song show consisted entirely of CHILDREN OF BODOM material.

Alexi and drummer Jaska Raatikainen founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert in December of 2019.

Besides CHILDREN OF BODOM, Laiho had played in such acts as WARMEN, SINERGY, KYLÄHULLUT and THE LOCAL BAND. Awarded with a Metal Hammer Golden God and several other international prizes, the guitarist was also the main star, leading a group of one hundred guitar players at the Helsinki Festival in 2015 in "100 Guitars From Hel" — a massive concert piece he composed.

CNN is reporting that at least one of the Capitol riot defendants has flipped against the Proud Boys, agreeing to provide information that could allow the Justice Department to bring a more severe charge against the group's leadership, according to an attorney involved in the case.

The development is the first indication that people charged in the insurrection are cooperating against the pro-Trump extremist group. Federal prosecutors have made clear they are focused on building conspiracy cases against leadership of the Proud Boys and paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers.

Court records have made murmurs for weeks about cooperators and plea deals in the works, and prosecutors revealed that a rioter wearing an Oath Keepers hat was in talks to cooperate earlier this week.

Yet the cases are still in early stages. None of the defendants have pleaded guilty yet, and prosecutors have struggled at times to convince judges to perceive high-profile defendants as conspirators who organized the violence toward Congress on January 6 in advance.

What happens next is likely to follow the same pattern as in organized crime or drug investigations, with prosecutors pressuring knowledgeable defendants to become witnesses. Some may sign up to cooperate, and many of those charged are likely to plead guilty to avoid trial or more severe charges.

So far, around two dozen people associated with the Proud Boys have been charged with federal crimes related to the riot.

It's always been likely that prosecutors would gain cooperators against the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and other extremist factions involved in the riot, according to several defense attorneys involved in the cases.

"Whenever you have a large group of people arrested and in jail, prosecutors will typically observe the group and pressure defendants to flip on one another", said Martin Tankleff, a criminal defense attorney who spent years in prison for a wrongful conviction. "They're going to start talking. They're going to start sharing information."

Tankleff represents a handful of Capitol riot defendants, including alleged Proud Boy "warrior" Dominic Pezzola; Ryan Samsel, who his attorneys say was beaten by a guard at the DC Jail in March; and Richard Barnett, the boastful Arkansas man accused of putting his feet on a desk in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. Tankleff and his law partner Steven Metcalf declined to comment on the status of their clients' cases in the Capitol riot investigation.

Weeks ago, another attorney for Pezzola wrote in court filings that he believed a so-called "cooperating witness" was sharing information about the Proud Boys. Prosecutors had revealed the witness heard Proud Boys members talking about wanting to kill members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence and return to Washington for Inauguration Day, and that members of the group had access to guns. The witness wasn't charged with a crime and isn't affiliated with the Proud Boys, the Justice Department later clarified.

In other cases, court records have shown key people among the extremist groups on January 6 haven't been indicted, for reasons that are still unclear. And some defendants who aren't charged in the alleged extremist group conspiracies could have valuable information for the investigation.

At least one defendant, Jon Schaffer, a guitarist with the heavy metal band Iced Earth, is considering cooperating, according to a filing on Monday. Schaffer allegedly charged at police officers in the Capitol insurrection and is in jail while he awaits trial. In court, he has distanced himself from the Oath Keepers.

Still, Schaffer did "debrief interviews" starting in March, according to the filing, which prosecutors intended to share in court confidentially and mistakenly made public.

"Based on these debrief interviews, the parties are currently engaged in good-faith plea negotiations, including discussions about the possibility of entering into a cooperation plea agreement aimed at resolving the matter short of indictment," the filing said.

Read the full report at CNN.com.

On February 15, Iced Earth frontman Stu Block, bassist Luke Appleton and guitarist Jake Dreyer announced in separate statements they have officially left the band. In addition, Blind Guardian frontman Hansi Kürsch announced he has dissolved his Demons & Wizards partnership with Schaffer.




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NEON CHRIST, the cult hardcore luminaries featuring William DuVall (BL'AST!, COMES WITH THE FALL, ALICE IN CHAINS), Jimmy Demer (GARDENS OF.., ACCIDENTS), Danny Lankford (GARDENS OF.., GODEVILS, ACCIDENTS) and Randy DuTeau (GARDENS OF), have announced a co-release between Southern Lord and DVL Recordings for Record Store Day (June 12), reissuing a deluxe edition of their 1984 sessions. Digital format will also be available via Bandcamp only, and non-Record Store formats will follow at a later date via Southern Lord.

To remaster the original tapes using an all-analog process, DuVall made multiple trips to Nashville to one of the few remaining studios (Welcome To 1979) maintaining the vintage technology to play and process the audio. Side one of "1984" features the original NEON CHRIST seven-inch EP, and side two contains the four songs of the Labor Day session, all on heavyweight vinyl at 45 RPM for maximum fidelity. The package includes a full-colour gatefold sleeve and a 12-page oral history booklet featuring dozens of never-before-seen photographs.

About the remastering process, DuVall reveals: "The studio I went to in Nashville to remaster the audio is called Welcome To 1979, aptly named because it's like entering a time warp in the best possible way.

"It's becoming increasingly rare and miraculous to find a facility anywhere in the world that can do all-analogue audio mastering for vinyl LPs. What's additionally amazing (for all my fellow audio nerds out there) is that Welcome To 1979 also does lacquer plating right there on-site. I know of no other place in America that does recording, mixing, mastering, lacquer cutting, and lacquer plating all under one roof. As if that's not enough, they also manufacture and refurbish tape machines. Pretty incredible.

"Remastering the 1984 NEON CHRIST recordings has been very enlightening and fulfilling. I hadn't listened to that music in a studio atmosphere since back when it was originally recorded. It was nice hanging out with those kids again. I was sixteen writing those songs.

"NEON CHRIST is quintessential youth music from a tumultuous time, both in our own lives and in the world at large. It documents the birth of a new music and culture that would influence everything that came afterward. We loved being a part of that emerging scene. We're even more proud now of the contributions we and so many of our friends made. The energy and emotions we captured remain timeless.

"I had planned to do a proper NEON CHRIST reissue through my label, DVL Recordings, this year. It must have been the right time because, as soon as I'd made up my mind to do it, Greg from Southern Lord reached out about doing exactly the same thing. I suggested we join forces. I admire what the Southern Lord label has achieved. Suffice it to say, all of us in NEON CHRIST are extremely honoured that there's any interest at all in what we did so many years ago."

NEON CHRIST formed in the fall of 1983 with DuVall on guitar, Demer on drums, Lankford on bass, and DuTeau on vocals. They made their debut in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 1984. That March, they recorded their eponymous debut 10-song EP. Released in June '84, the EP's songs exemplify the band's signature musical diversity, from D.R.I.-style thrashers like "Parental Suppression" to the atmospheric improv of "After". A short East Coast tour followed. On Labor Day 1984, the band recorded four tracks in the home studio of Nick Jameson of FOGHAT fame. A few months later, "Ashes To Ashes" was included on the International Peace/War compilation released by MDC's R Radical Records, bringing the band worldwide exposure.

NEON CHRIST shared the stage with legends of '80s hardcore including the DEAD KENNEDYS, CIRCLE JERKS and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. In 1985, the band added Shawn Devine on second guitar, as their sound and songs became slower, heavier, and more melodic. DuVall wrote an album's worth of songs in 1985, but only "Savior (Drawn In)" was ever recorded in what would be the band's final studio session on December 26, 1985 (the master tapes were lost). Returning to the four-piece original lineup, the band played a handful of Atlanta shows and then took a break in March of 1986. A few months later, William moved to Santa Cruz, California to join BL'AST!, and Jimmy, Danny and Randy formed GARDENS OF… William later founded jazz/punk/world improvisers NO WALLS. In 1999, he would form COMES WITH THE FALL and move the band to Los Angeles, where he struck up a friendship and musical collaboration with Jerry Cantrell. William joined ALICE IN CHAINS as vocalist and guitarist in 2006. On February 2, 2008, NEON CHRIST reunited to headline the Ratlanta Punkfest 2.

To this day, the band members maintain a close friendship, as well as a desire to honor the legacy of the group. So when longtime fan Greg Anderson of Southern Lord contacted them about reissuing a deluxe edition of NEON CHRIST's 1984 sessions, "1984" quickly came to life.

"1984" track listing:

01. Parental Suppression

02. The Draft Song

03. Winding

04. Bad Influence

05. Neon Christ

06. We Mean Business

07. Yoof

08. It's Mine

09. Doom

10. After

11. The Knife That Cuts So Deep

12. Ashes To Ashes

13. Blind Patriot

14. The Death They'll Give You

Artist photo by Chuck Gill

PAPA ROACH continues to celebrate the release of its second greatest-hits compilation, "Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The Better Noise Years" — out now via Better Noise Music — by sharing a cosmic-themed lyric video for the remixed album track "Born For Greatness (Cymek Remix)". "Born For Greatness", the original track, was awarded a RIAA gold certification earlier this year.

An instrumental version of the track can also be heard in the trailer for the upcoming co-op third-person video game "Outriders: No Turning Back".

PAPA ROACH has continued to maintain its legacy as one of the leading music groups of the 21st century as it recently landed its eighth overall No. 1 single with "The Ending (Remastered 2020)", which currently remains in the Top 10 of the Mainstream Rock radio charts. With over 2.1 million views its music video features footage from the upcoming Better Noise Films horror-thriller movie "The Retaliators" which will showcase the acting debut of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix. The song is also included on the film's upcoming original soundtrack.

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

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

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

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

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

Canadian alt-metal / hard rock crossover stars, Sumo Cyco, will release their upcoming full-length album, Initiation, on May 7 via Napalm Records.

The have dropped their most addictive anthem yet - the Kane Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, In This Moment, Papa Roach) produced hit-in-the-making, "Vertigo". It's clear within moments that "Vertigo" is an electrifying standout, connecting like a sucker punch as soon as its electro-laced intro breaks into the first verse, and standing tall with its airtight, heavy pop-influenced sensibility.

Skye “Sever” Sweetnam says about “Vertigo”, its accompanying video, and working with Kane Churko: "'Vertigo' was written pre-pandemic, but it’s crazy how we have been living through some of the most disorienting times in our lives. 'Vertigo' is all about trying to hold onto your sanity and self against any outside force. Having Kane Churko produce and co-write with us on this track was a great experience. We typically do everything at our home studio, so hanging in Vegas at the amazing Hideout Recording studio put us in a fresh new mindset to create. The music video contains one of the most elaborate sets we’ve worked on. I guess collecting so much junk over the years has paid off! Come choose your poison and start the INITIATION!"

Watch the new music video for “Vertigo”:

Initiation invites a mass of new followers into their warped, dystopian-like world of “Cyco City”! As with its predecessors Lost In Cyco City (2014), Opus Mar (2017) and countless singles, Initiation is based in the imaginative conceptual location of “Cyco City.” But unlike most concept albums, the lyrical content is inspired by the band’s real-time environment – featuring timely, personal themes of love, sacrifice, anxiety, empowerment and more that all listeners can relate to.

Sweetnam adds about the album: "The album’s title, Initiation, stems from wanting to invite the audience to be 'initiated' into our world. There are usually two congruent themes to each of our albums – one is real-world inspiration, and the other is 'Cyco City', a comic book-esque alternate universe where all our music videos take place. With Initiation, we introduce four gangs or clubs. Our music videos for Initiation all include a theme of these clubs – whether it’s gang vs. gang, a forbidden love between opposing sides, or the idea of having to choose where you belong."

"Outside of the story, the lyrics relate to the polarization of the world we live in now. We all have a longing to belong, but what makes one feel accepted or ostracized from a group? To be INITIATED, would you be willing to try to understand another point of view? I have always written lyrics about internal struggle, the war within oneself. Throughout the album, we bounce back and forth between struggle and overcoming. It reflects the times, and there are moments that seem a bit dark."

At the album’s start, Sumo Cyco lights a spark with the seductively hooked track “Love You Wrong”, connecting like a punch and setting the stage for the vigor to come. The blitz continues with standouts like lethal room-mover “Bystander” and electronic-infused, in-your-face rock anthem “Vertigo” – the latter standing tall with its airtight, gritty pop sensibility and featuring the production mastery of Juno Award-winning producer Kane Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, In This Moment, Papa Roach). Swiftly followed by erratic, addictive nod-to-the-times “Bad News” and heavy, creeping success “No Surrender”, Initiation proves not even halfway through that the band’s songwriting ability and the commanding performance prowess frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam, guitarist Matt “MD13” Drake, bassist Oscar Anesetti and drummer Matt "Trozzi" blend a recipe for greatness. The album continues winding through a mastery of heavy-meets-pop execution before ending with the full-throttle, sugar n’ salt packed album closer “This Dance Is Doomed” (while various editions cap off with sultry, confident “Awakened”).

By the end of Initiation, listeners will wonder just what exactly Sumo Cyco can’t do, proving them as a band on the rise, and that unconventionality always stands out from the pack.

Initiation will be available in North America in the following formats:

- Digital Album
- CD Digipak
- LP Gatefold Orange Vinyl
- Die Hard Limited Edition: LP Gatefold Purple/Yellow/Pink Inkspot Vinyl + 7” Orange Transparent Vinyl Single w/ Two Bonus Tracks + Signed Photo (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 300 worldwide)

Initiation tracklisting:*

"Love You Wrong"
"Bystander"
"Vertigo"
"Bad News"
"No Surrender"
"M.I.A."
"Cyclone"
"Run With The Giants"
"Overdrive"
"Power & Control"
"This Dance Is Doomed"
"Awakened" (not available on standard digital version)

*Various new tracks, such as “New Jive” and “We Are The Nation” are available in different groupings on various formats of Initiation (i.e. Die Hard Limited Edition).

"No Surrender" video:

"Bystander" video:

(Photo - Francesca Ludikar)




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Norway's Vreid have announced a streaming event for the world premier of their Wild North West movie, on April 29 at 9 PM, CET.

Says the band: "Here its is. Finaly we can present what we been working on the last year. On 29th of April we will premiere our movie "Wild North West" on a streaming event. Below is the link to the official event. Click on the event to attend and you will find all the info on how to see it and support Vreid on April 29th. Spread the word and invite all your friends to this event. Welcome to the Wild North West!"

RSVP here.

Vreid recently dropped the latest chapter of their ambitious new album and film project, Wild North West. "Spikes Of God" can be seen below.

Songwriter and bass player Jarle Hváll Kvåle commented: "A new chapter from our album and movie Wild North West is revealed, and it’s a vile and intense chapter. This song is absolutely one of the most brutal, dark and most in-your-face songs we have ever written. The main idea for this song came to me one dark night in March 2020. I became haunted by this theme and spent the whole night in studio finishing this track. Afterwards I have barely made any adjustments to the original demo for the song. I wanted its primal ugliness to shine through and let it live its life without any corrections. The movie for this song dives into a black hole of human history, and is an illustration of how far astray we can go if we are blinded by the faith of our own perfection."

Wild North West is a concept album that developed alongside an entire movie. Inspired by both true events and pure imagination, the listener is taken on a whirlwind of a journey, diving deep into themes of war, fear, betrayal, loss, anxiety, and madness with thought-provoking lyrics that embody human nature. It captures the Nordic heart at the core of their sound, taking cues from Norway’s rugged landscape as it ricochets between eternal darkness and the solace of bracing light.

The cover for Wild North West was created by Remi Juliebø (Deformat Design).

Tracklisting:

"Wild North West"
"Wolves At Sea"
"The Morning Red"
"Shadows Of Aurora"
"Spikes Of God"
"Dazed And Reduced"
"Into The Mountains"
"Shadowland"

"The Morning Red" video:

"Wild North West" video:

Trailer:

From its tumultuous inception, the Norwegian metal scene has always been about pioneering. While embracing the illustrious black metal history as part of their musical heritage, the many iconic bands have now evolved in various directions. Leading the black ‘n roll movement in Norway, Vreid are the perfect example of that. The band arose in 2004 from the ashes of Winder after the tragic perishing of Terje ‘Valfar’ Bakken. The Sognametal legends declared the mission of exploring new musical paths, which they have pushed to even greater heights on their new record Wild North West.

The ninth record is not just a collection of songs, but a concept album that developed alongside an entire movie. Throughout eight chapters you will be taken on a journey deep into the mountains, to a dark place where the borders between reality and fantasy fade and where death is only one step behind you: The Wild North West. Not just in sheer size of the project but also in terms of music videography, creativity, and determination, Vreid have done something truly unique and lifted their art to a new dimension.

On the concept, founder and bass player Jarle Hváll Kvåle states: "Wild North West is a concept story about life itself and its eternal shadow: death. It is built around the world of our fictional character E, but it is surely inspired by my own life, my band’s life, historical events and many tales that have inspired me over the years. Is it a true story or fictional? I would have to say both, and sometimes is hard tell the difference.”

Wild North West features the most extreme and intense work of the band to date, as well as heavy and melodic rock songs. These influences have always been a part of Vreid’s DNA, and it is this combination that makes up the spirit of Sognametal.  A remarkable homage to that same musical spirit is the song “Into the Mountains”. The ideas for that track were written in 2002 by Jarle ‘Hváll’ Kvåle and Terje ‘Valfar’ Bakken (Winder). Inspired by these ideas, Hváll wrote the song and included the original demo keyboard tracks from 2002, recorded back then by Valfar.

Vreid have always chosen a course of constant evolution that is marked by thematically denoted phases regarding their often historically inspired lyrics. This became particularly clear with albums ‘I Krig’ (2007) and ‘Milorg’ (2009), which both revolved around concepts dealing with resistance and liberation of Norway during World War II. With their following three records, the pitch black brigade returned to their Norse roots on ‘Sólverv’ which received high critical acclaim in 2015.

In 2018, the Norwegians teamed up with Season of Mist for their previous full-length ‘Lifehunger’, a record that successfully blended elements of 70’s rock, 80’s classic metal, and Norwegian black metal and which featured a remarkable guest contribution from Solstafir’s vocalist Addi Tryggvason on the track “Hello Darkness”.

Vreid have hammered out their success partly by being a heavily touring band. The four-piece performed more than 500 shows in 25 countries so far. Their everlasting march to conquer new territories has led the Norwegians to headline tours in Europe, North America, Japan, and India.

The band’s onward march did not come to a halt in 2020, a year that will go down as devastating for the international music scene. Vreid launched their own beer, which turned out to be the biggest success of the Balder Brewery as the first batches were sold out immediately. Instead of waiting to be able to tour again, the Norwegians invited the fans to their home region and hosted a massive streaming concert among the beautiful mountainous surroundings of the Sognefjord. The concert, ‘Into the Mountains of Sognametal’ took place in June 2020 was viewed by over 140.000 people from more than 40 countries.

In 2021, Vreid will once more invite the fans to their dark, cold, and wild universe but tread carefully as from these haunted mountains, no man can descend.

Welcome to the Wild North West.




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War Curse has released a new digital single, "Only", a cover of the Anthrax classic. Check out the music video below.

Justin Roth (guitar) comments: "Murphy and I have always been big John Bush fans, for his work in both Armored Saint and Anthrax. When we were approached to do a 'Slay At Home' performance for Metal Injection, we wanted to do something a little unexpected, but something that thrash metal fans would still recognize. After kicking around a few ideas, 'Only' seemed like a great choice for Blaine's voice and a fun song to learn. The response to the initial performance was overwhelmingly positive, including a nod of approval from Charlie Benante himself, which was pretty damn cool (even if he leaked it a day early, oops). We hope we did the song justice and hope everyone enjoys it."

Formed in 2013 in Cincinnati, OH, War Curse is forged in tradition and unconcerned with industry trends, walking a path blazed by thrash metal titans of yesteryear while creating a distinct imprint of their own. The band unleashed their debut full-length Final Days (Static Tension Recordings / Iron Mouth) in 2015. Their sophomore record, Eradication, was released in 2019 via Svart Records. High energy shows across the world garnered War Curse the reputation of being a must-see live act, captivating fans young and old with their thoughtfully written, no-holds-barred brand of metal. The band's true-to-roots Bay Area sound has resonated with crowds and media alike, giving War Curse the ability to transcend genre lines and appeal to everyone from diehards to casuals. Simply put, War Curse is a sleeping giant ready to emerge as the next torchbearer.

War Curse's upcoming album - and Blacklight Media Records / Metal Blade Records debut - will surely please fans and critics once again upon its release in 2021. Stay tuned for more news about War Curse coming soon.

War Curse lineup:

Blaine Gordon - vocals
Justin Roth - guitar
Joshua Murphy - guitar
James Goetz - drums
Johnnie Wallace - bass

(Photo - Brian Vogel)




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Rufus Publications has announced the publication of "Sabbath: The Dio Years".

In 1980 legendary singer Ronnie James Dio joined Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for a new incarnation of iconic heavy metal band BLACK SABBATH. They produced the groundbreaking, classic album "Heaven And Hell" (recently voted as the most important album of the 1980s by Classic Rock magazine). The band went on to tour extensively before releasing the follow-up studio album "Mob Rules" with new drummer Vinny Appice. The band broke up in 1982 but Dio returned to BLACK SABBATH in 1992 and again in 2006 in the band HEAVEN & HELL with Iommi and Butler.

This new, coffee-table book from Rufus Publications creates a unique visual history of the Dio era of BLACK SABBATH with rare and unseen photos from a range of photographers who worked closely with the band. The book has been created with the full co-operation of Wendy Dio and BLACK SABBATH bandmembers. Three different versions will be published, including signed editions.

Ronnie passed away of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer was diagnosed with cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

Ronnie's long-awaited autobiography, titled "Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography", will be released on July 27 via Permuted Press.

A Frankenstrat guitar originally owned by Eddie Van Halen has gone up for sale at Heritage Auctions.

The instrument was made for Eddie circa 1984 by Steve Ripley, who was renowned for his stereo guitars that Eddie used on songs like "Top Jimmy". Built from a Kramer Striker very early in the Ripley/Kramer era, as it does not have stereo, the instrument is believed to have been used by Eddie as a backup guitar on the "1984" and "5150" tours in the mid-1980s.

The guitar features Steve Ripley's custom-made, dark-colored Rosewood neck, which is extremely rare, as Eddie typically used light-colored maple necks. Only several Rosewood Frankenstrats were made for Eddie, this being one. The body has been spray-painted and striped by hand, presumably by Eddie himself, given the instrument's vintage. The white painted stripes are tinged with a light yellow, or cream color, both from age, and extensive exposure to cigarette smoke while on tour with VAN HALEN in the 1980s. It has a Floyd Rose tremolo.

The guitar was given to the consignor in 1990 by rock guitarist and vocalist Leslie West of the group MOUNTAIN, who had received the instrument as a gift from Eddie Van Halen several years prior. Van Halen cited West as one of his primary musical inspirations. The consignor is a noted, professional bodyguard who, for more than 30 years, has worked with some of the biggest names in the music and film industries. Between 1989 and 2001, he worked as West's personal bodyguard, spending a considerable amount of time with Leslie both on and off the road. The guitar's various nicks and metal coating wear are known to be from Eddie Van Halen.

Last December, Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang criticized an auction of three of his late father's guitars. The instruments were sold for a total of $422,050 through Julien's Auctions as part of a larger music memorabilia event called "Icons & Idols".

The 30-year-old said the sellers were "taking advantage of my father's passing", and he had "nothing to do with" the sale.

"I don't EVER plan on selling any of my father's iconic guitars," he said.

Image credit: Heritage Auctions

Three-time Grammy Award-nominated rock quartet P.O.D. has announced "Satellite Over Southtown", a premiere streaming series celebrating the 20th anniversary of its landmark triple platinum album "Satellite".

Streaming via Mandolin from Petco Park in P.O.D.'s hometown of San Diego, California, the band will perform two albums in full as well as a collection of B-sides and hits over three nights — "Satellite" on May 13, "The Fundamental Elements Of Southtown" on May 27 and "B-Sides Rarities And Hits" on June 10.

"As we navigate through the new norm of live performances, it's a great feeling knowing we can still somehow connect with our fans and friends who have supported us all of these years," shares vocalist Sonny Sandoval. "The idea of fans around the world online together watching us is pretty amazing!"

Fans can purchase tickets for each show stream, as well as a pre-event question-and-answer session on April 13 live from P.O.D.'s rehearsal space. The Q&A will be moderated by John Rubeli, the Atlantic Records A&R rep who signed the band back in 1998.

Bassist Traa Daniels says: "As we get to share almost 30 years of music with our friends and family who have made this all possible, we are looking forward to sharing this moment with you all. One love!"

Tickets for "Satellite Over Southtown" are on sale today at this location.

Since 1992, P.O.D. has globally rallied audiences around a hypnotic hybrid of hard rock, hip-hop, reggae, and alternative punctuated by a message of unification and a powerful pledge to persevere. The quartet — Sonny Sandoval (vocals), Marcos Curiel (guitar), Traa Daniels (bass) and Wuv Bernardo (drums) — rose up from a tough neighborhood just four exists north of the Mexican border into a three-time Grammy Award-nominated multiplatinum mainstay. Moving 10 million-plus records, selling out gigs on multiple continents, logging four Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200, and collaborating with everyone from Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Carlos Santana to Katy Perry, the group continues to bring people together everywhere.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has rescheduled its reunion tour for 2022.

The reunited quartet — Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford — was originally set to kick off its run of shows in March 2020, and then postponed it until 2021. The "Public Service Announcement" tour will now launch March 31, 2022 in El Paso, Texas. RUN THE JEWELS will provide support on the trek. Tickets will be honored for the postponed shows.

The upcoming tour will mark the first time RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has hit the road together since 2011.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE last played together at L.A. Rising and has resisted calls for a reunion, with vocalist De La Rocha previously believed to be the lone holdout. Guitarist Morello and his fellow RAGE bandmates Commerford (bass) and Wilk (drums) have since teamed up with PUBLIC ENEMY's Chuck D. and CYPRESS HILL's B-Real in the similarly styled PROPHETS OF RAGE.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE recorded three original studio albums and one set of covers before breaking up in 2000. The group reformed in 2007 but only played sporadic gigs and never a full tour.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE 2022 tour dates:

Mar. 31 - El Paso, TX @ Don Haskins Center *

Apr. 02 - Las Cruces, NM @ Pan American Center *

Apr. 04 - Glendale, AZ @ Gila River Arena *

Apr. 06 - Glendale, AZ @ Gila River Arena *

Apr. 26 - Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena *

Apr. 28 - Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena *

Apr. 30 - Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome *

May 02 - Portland, OR @ Moda Center *

May 05 - Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum at the PNE *

May 07 - Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place *

May 09 - Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome *

May 11 - Winnipeg, MB @ Bell MTS Place *

May 13 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center *

May 15 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center *

May 16 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center *

May 18 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center *

May 20 - St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center *

May 22 - Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena *

May 23 - Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena *

Jun. 09 - East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre *

Jul. 11 - Chicago, IL @ United Center

Jul. 12 - Chicago, IL @ United Center

Jul. 15 - Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Bluesfest

Jul. 16 - Quebec City, QC @ Festival d’ete de Quebec

Jul. 19 - Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Centre *

Jul. 21 - Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *

Jul. 23 - Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *

Jul. 25 - Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center *

Jul. 27 - Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse *

Jul. 29 - Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena *

Jul. 31 - Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena *

Aug. 02 - Washington DC @ Capital One Arena *

Aug. 03 - Washington DC @ Capital One Arena *

Aug. 08 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *

Aug. 09 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *

Aug. 11 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *

Aug. 12 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *

Aug. 14 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *

* With RUN THE JEWELS




The Rage Against The Machine & Run the Jewels “Public Service Announcement” Tour will now start in spring 2022. Your tickets will be honored for the postponed shows. Refunds are available at the original point of purchase for 30 days. See you next year.

Brad, Tom, Tim & Zack pic.twitter.com/5ywibk7x4H

— Rage Against The Machine (@RATMofficial) April 8, 2021

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has announced his new "Bass Chronicles" storyteller concert series with four shows across the eastern Midwest USA. Each event will be presented as a chronological set filled with songs and stories spanning David's legendary career, along with some deep cuts that have rarely (or never) been performed live from his catalog of work.

The dates are as follows:

Sep. 23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Crafthouse

Sep. 24 - Akron, OH - Empire Concert Club

Sep. 25 - Marietta, OH - The Adelphia

Sep. 26 - Richmond, IN - The Firehouse

Combat Records recording artist DEAD BY WEDNESDAY will be the direct support on all dates.

Ellefson's "Bass Chronicles" band will be comprised of Ellefson, Andre Vanchot (Eddie Ojeda) on vocals, drummer Christian "Opus" Lawrence (DEAD BY WEDNESDAY) and guitarists Dave Sharpe (DEAD BY WEDNESDAY) and Drew Fortier (BANG TANGO), who also co-wrote "Rock Star Hitman" (Ellefson Book Co.) with Ellefson and is the writer, director, and star of "Dwellers" (Ellefson Films) which is the award-winning found-footage horror film produced by Ellefson that will be released on Blu-ray/DVD/digital on October 12 via Ellefson Films.

Says Ellefson: "I'm excited to head out and hit the stage again as we're preparing a special list of songs, including some rarities which have never been performed live."

VIP dinner packages will be available for each show, as well as copies of Ellefson's new fictional book "Rock Star Hitman" (The Sledge Chronicles) and other concert merchandise. A behind-the-scenes video and teaser screening of the upcoming "Dwellers" film is also being arranged at select events.

Ellefson continues: "People are excited about live shows again so we're approaching these events like a traveling pop-up experience where you can catch a show, see a flick, buy some merch, and even break bread with the band at the VIP dinners. So, get ready for a full night out!"

More information on the events, including VIP Dinner purchases, can be found at www.ellefsonstore.com.

All events will adhere to local ordinances of COVID-19 safety, including the use of masks, social distancing or other mandates which could be in effect during these dates.

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

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

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

Anyone who has followed the career of DMX, one of the most distinctive and instantly recognizable voices in all of hip hop, knows that he makes moves. From his blockbuster solo albums in the late '90s and early 2000s, to his numerous guest appearances on tracks with Jay Z, LL Cool J, Mase, The LOX and others, to becoming the leader of the explosive Ruff Ryders collective, DMX has never been one to rest in one place for long. That's what has made him one of the most exciting rap artists of this or any other era, and it's what makes his next venture all the more thrilling.

"X Moves" is the newest single from DMX. It's a full-fledged rock/hip-hop hybrid that recruits not one but three Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers: DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice, who provides the track's stampeding groove, and YES and ASIA guitarist Steve Howe, who throws down a riff for DMX to ride. In addition, "X Moves" finds DMX trading verses with the great PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC maestro Bootsy Collins who also provides a bit of extraterrestrial magic with his signature Space Bass. And finally, bringing an international flavor to the mix, German producer/artist Jürgen Engler of DIE KRUPPS produced and mixed the track alongside Cleopatra Records founder Brian Perera, who co-produced. All told, "X Moves" is a magnificent work that may prove to be DMX's most daring move yet.

Speaking of DMX's recent health scare, Perera states: "Obviously, we are all holding our breath and praying that DMX pulls through and makes a full recovery. As 'X Moves' shows, he is still one of the most innovative and original hip-hop artists around. Our hearts go out to all of DMX's family, friends and supporters."

BEARTOOTH has released the official music video for the song "Devastation". The track is taken from the band's fourth studio album, "Below", which will arrive on June 25 via Red Bull Records.

BEARTOOTH frontman Caleb Shomo commented: "'Below' is by far my favorite album I've made to date. It covers the dark side of dealing with mental strain during the last year. I gave it all I had — musically and lyrically. Is it too dark? Possibly, but it was as honest as I could be about how I felt. I hope everyone is ready to strap in for a wild ride of headbanging and rocking."

"Below" track listing:

01. Below

02. Devastation

03. The Past Is Dead

04. Fed Up

05. Dominate

06. No Return

07. Phantom Pain

08. Skin

09. Hell Of It

10. I Wont Give It Up

11. The Answer

12. The Last Riff

Last July, Shomo told "Mosh Talks With Beez" about the writing and recording sessions for "Below": "I worked on a lot of this album on the road — a whole lot of this record. We honestly could not have been luckier with the way our record cycle laid out.

"The 'Disease' tour in Europe was our last tour of the cycle, and that finished on March 6th, I believe. And then the next week, everything got shut down. So we already planned to kind of take most of this year off. We planned on not taking it all off, like we're probably gonna have to.

"I'd already worked on a ton of the record, just writing out on the road; I brought a studio rig out there. And that was great.

"When it first started, the whole lockdown thing, I just kind of emotionally shut down for a month," he continued. "But then I just kind of caught a second wind, and I've just been ripping through songs. It's pretty cool."

Asked if the BEARTOOTH songwriting "formula" is still present in the band's new material, Caleb said: "I think that something about the BEARTOOTH sound is sort of that formula. BEARTOOTH has a song structure — it's the classic pop structure of intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, out. But with this one, I've just been trying to amp up everything. 'Cause with the last record, I really wanted to go for that super-raw, live-rock-and-roll-in-the-old-school-studio and old-school-console sound, and it was rad, and I loved doing it. And it was proving to myself that I can make a real record without computers — well, [without] heavily relying on computers. But I don't know… I just kind of realized, like, you know what? That's what I learned as a producer. I came up in the era of mixing in the box and recording in the box, which means using plug-ins and emulations and things like that. I've just been kind of using that to try and push it a little further. The formula is still there, but I don't think it's in a bad way. I think it's the formula people want from a BEARTOOTH record.

"This one is just jacked," he explained. "Everything is amped up to 11. I am so, so pumped. Obviously, this is what you wanna think when you're making a record, but damn, this is the best one yet. Not even close. This is the heaviest record. This is my best work — the most proud I've been of these songs. It's wild. It's some heavy-duty shit."

Speaking about the musical direction of the new BEARTOOTH songs, Shomo said: "The easiest way I've been trying to explain this record to people without giving too much away is if 'Disease' was AC/DC, this record is BLACK SABBATH. It's a lot more influenced in dark stoner rock, heavy power groove. Obviously, there's still a lot of fast [stuff] and some punk rock and all that, but I've really been exploring with the stoner metal side of guitars and guitar tones and doing different tunings and lots of fuzz and chaos and layering the fuck out of my guitar tracks.

"The whole point, for me, of this mix and the sonics of this record is as big and loud and fucking sonically devastating as I can possibly get it," he said. "So on a breakdown, for example, where on 'Disease' it would just be left guitar, right guitar, bass down the middle, this is literally… That little clip I posted [on Instagram ] is I think eight guitars, three bass tracks. Just experimenting — just doing dumb stoner shit and just trying my fucking best. Yeah, that's the goal — is just sonic devastation, for sure."

BEARTOOTH's latest release was the folk- and country music-inspired "The Blackbird Session" EP, which came out in September 2019.

The band's third album, "Disease", was released in September 2018 via Red Bull Records. The disc was recorded at BlackBird studio in Franklin, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz (DEFTONES, KORN, FOO FIGHTERS).

Former ACCEPT guitarist Herman Frank has released an official lyric video for the song "Venom". The clip, which was created by Kai Swillus, can be viewed below.

"Venom" is taken from Frank's fifth solo album, "Two For A Lie", which is due on May 21 via AFM Records. The disc was once again mixed by Arne Neurand at Horus Sound Studio in Hannover, Germany, while mastering duties were handled by Robin Schmidt at 24-96 Mastering in Karlsruhe, Germany.

"Two For A Lie" track listing:

01. Teutonic Order

02. Venom

03. Hate

04. Eye Of The Storm

05. Liar

06. Hail The New Kings

07. Just A Second To Lose

08. Danger

09. Stand Up And Fight

10. Open Your Mind

Frank's band lineup is as follows:

Rick Altzi (MASTERPLAN, AT VANCE) - Vocals

Herman Frank (ex-ACCEPT, VICTORY) - Guitar

Mike Pesin (MAGISTARIUM, VICTORY) - Guitar

Michael Müller (JADED HEART) - Bass

Kevin Kott (AT VANCE, MASTERPLAN, HEAVEN'S TRAIL) - Drums

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Stefan Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with Tornillo and appeared on the reunited group's first three studio albums: 2010's "Blood of the Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Frank's fourth solo album, "Fight The Fear", was released in February 2019 via AFM.

Two years ago, Herman told All That Shreds about his decision to exit ACCEPT in December 2014: "It was just time to leave the band. Let's put it this way: I wanted to do music the way I started to. I wanted to have my own band. I wanted my own music and just wanted to just play my own leads. Not to follow somebody's guitar. I was getting too old for it. It's fine to be a backup, but after a couple of years, it's time for a different thing."

Asked how it was different playing with current ACCEPT singer Mark Tornillo after performing with Udo Dirkschneider during the band's early years, Herman said: "Mark is a really nice guy and really promising. It's kind of a different voice and Mark really doubles Udo in his personal way. I prefer the style of Udo's singing. He is original ACCEPT. There is this voice sticking in your head. On the new songs, which Mark sings for the first time in ACCEPT, it's a different character, but it's very good. You can't compare them, really. They are a match for certain things, but they are quite different people. I do like them both. I couldn't have the decision which one I would prefer. It would have been great if they would put a couple of albums with Udo and Mark together. That would be awesome."

Fans who saw EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza perform a livestream concert with his AC/DC tribute band AC/DZ on April 3 noticed a major change in the singer's appearance.

"I have lost 62 pounds," Zetro revealed via his Zetro's Toxic Vault YouTube channel (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I actually wanna lose another 25 pounds. And it's getting harder and harder as I'm slimming up. But there's still room… I've still got a long way to go.

"It's been a lot of hard work," he admitted. "It's almost been a year that I started this journey — May 23rd will be [a year since] I actually started that journey. And I've gotten pretty comfortable with where I'm at right now. It feels good, and I'm gonna be better on stage, obviously, live with EXODUS because of it. So I feel a hundred percent that way."

Zetro reiterated that he is "not finished" with his quest to lose weight. "Every week I have a routine that I do," he said. "I have a certain type of food that I eat. I exercise every single day. I'm at seven miles every day now. So I do seven miles. That's what's helping me out. And I watch what I eat. You just can't eat what you want, and that's just the truth. So everything that I eat — every spoonful, every teaspoon of ketchup — I log, and I know how much it is, and I keep a certain balance of it. I'm not great — there's days where I cheat too, like everybody else — but I have to be honest with you, I keep it really very, very minimal, and I don't think I'm gonna be going back to that ever again. As I'm getting older, it's not healthy."

Souza went on to confirm that he restricts his calorie intake every day. "I don't go over 1,200," he revealed. "It's unfortunate that's the work I have to do, but like drug addicts and alcoholics, I'm the same way with sweets and chocolates and stuff like that."

Zetro and the rest of EXODUS recently completed work on their new album, "Persona Non Grata", which will be released this summer via Nuclear Blast. It will be the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap.

"Persona Non Grata" will feature a guest appearance by ex-EXODUS guitarist Rick Hunolt.

"Blood In Blood Out" was notable for featuring a guest appearance by former EXODUS guitarist Kirk Hammett, who left the band in 1983 to join METALLICA.

Souza is now on his third stint with EXODUS, having previously fronted the band from 1986 to 1993 and 2002 to 2004. A decade following his second departure, Souza returned to the fold in 2014, just in time to appear on "Blood In Blood Out".

Armed with a blistering, aggressive new single "Nowhere Generation", the multi-platinum, politically imbued punk rockers RISE AGAINST celebrate the track's catapulting into the Top 25 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and Top 30 on Billboard's Alternative charts in only its third week of release. The song is a David-and-Goliath call-to-arms directed primarily at Millennials, Gen Ys, and Gen Zs to preserve and defend the fact that people, not politicians, hold the real power and that our younger generations need to reclaim that power to ensure the future of American Democracy. In its debut week, "Nowhere Generation" was the No. 1 Most Added track at both Rock and Alternative radio, an accomplishment that only FOO FIGHTERS' No. 1 smash "Shame, Shame" also achieved in the past year. Additionally, in the short time since its debut, "Nowhere Generation" has contributed 2.3 million streams to the band's global total of nearly 4 billion.

A new performance music video of "Nowhere Generation" can be seen below.

"Nowhere Generation" is the title track from what may be the most consequential album of RISE AGAINST's 20-year career, due out June 4 on Loma Vista Recordings. The eleven songs on "Nowhere Generation" call out today's social, economic, and political factors that are undermining and redefining one of the core tenants of being an American: that despite your race, place of birth, or societal class, if you apply yourself and work hard, you can achieve your vision of a fuller, richer and better life, The American Dream. What is tantamount to a sell-out of the Middle Class is the thread that runs through the album. Said vocalist/lyricist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath: "The brass ring that was promised by hard work and dedication no longer exists for everyone. When the privileged climb the ladder of success and then burn it from the top, disruption becomes the only answer."

For the "Nowhere Generation" project, the band worked with the Grammy-nominated creative director Brian Roettinger (Jay-Z, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, NO AGE) to craft an impressive and truly inspired capsule of album offerings. Those include:

* CD in a soft pack jacket with a multi-page lyric booklet

* 12-inch, limited edition vinyl picture disc (exclusive to the band's webstore)

* Deluxe album edition with a distinctive spinning wheel gatefold jacket with die-cut front cover; a 12-page album art booklet insert, and a bonus 7" featuring two "Nowhere Session" versions of album standouts "Nowhere Generation" + "Broken Dreams, Inc."; special vinyl color variants for retail worldwide as well as the band's webstore.

* Standard vinyl format that includes a single sleeve, dorado paper-wrapped jacket, with lyric insert featuring metallic ink; multiple special vinyl color variants for select retailers as well as the band's webstore.

* Exclusive versions of the album, on vinyl and CD available at Target. A jacket with exclusive interchangeable inserts and special colored vinyl for the LP and a bonus "Nowhere Session" song on the CD.

RISE AGAINST — McIlrath, Joe Principe (bass), Brandon Barnes (drums) and Zach Blair (lead guitar) — recorded "Nowhere Generation" at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado, under the tutelage of Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, Chris Beeble and longtime producer/engineer Bill Stevenson (BLACK FLAG, THE DESCENDENTS). Stevenson has worked with the band on nearly all of their acclaimed releases since their sophomore effort, 2003's "Revolutions Per Minute", and is often described as RISE AGAINST's fifth member. "Bill is our not-so-secret weapon," Principe explained. "He really has helped shape the band; he gets what we want to do and will go with us when we think outside the box. He's the perfect producer for the style of music we play because he has an insane pop sensibility and the hardcore side to him as well."

In addition to the communal call to arms embedded in "Nowhere Generation"'s dynamic title track, there's the fast and furious anti-establishment manifesto "Broken Dreams, Inc.", the moody ballad "Forfeit", "Sudden Urge", a true nod to the band's rock'n'roll side with an overall punk-vibe, the simplicity of "The Numbers" with a melody that will stick in your head, and the surprise pop candor in "Talking To Ourselves", a standout song about wanting to be heard and wondering if anyone is listening. "It describes a lot of what RISE AGAINST does," says McIlrath, "to speak and scream when we feel there are things that are happening that aren't being addressed."

"When I was growing up," said Principe, "I listened to bands like 7 SECONDS, BAD BRAINS, MINOR THREAT and BAD RELIGION. All of those bands' music had a sense of hope with the world, a truly positive global view of what life can be. From the beginning, we've wanted RISE AGAINST to have that same positivity, to have our music be an inspiration for people to bring about change in their own lives, they just have to put forth the effort and speak up."

Photo credit: Wyatt Troll

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA will release a new EP, "ZII", on May 21 via Solid State Records.

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 finishes: "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.

DISTURBED bassist John Moyer received his COVID-19 vaccine this past February in his home state of Texas.

The 47-year-old musician, who has been a member of DISTURBED since 2004, discussed his inoculation during an appearance on the STITCHED UP HEART YouTube livestream on Tuesday (April 6).

He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm in Austin, Texas, and [about] a month ago, we had our snow apocalypse. It froze the state, and so a lot of places lost power — when you need it most to heat your home. And we were one of those places. So we lost power for a good day and a half or so. And during that time, the Walgreens [pharmacy store chain] in my neighborhood also lost power. So they put out an announcement that they had a bunch of COVID shots, and they said, 'It's gonna go back. So first come, first served, come stand in line.' So, we slipped our way down to the Walgreens and stood in line in the cold and got it. But it was a weird story — if it wasn't for that power going out, I'd probably still be waiting to get it."

Last summer, Moyer's DISTURBED bandmate David Draiman told "That Jamieson Show" that he and his wife have friends who "lost their entire family in a week" due to COVID-19 — "seven people; all died. And if you go ahead and you buy in to the whole 'it has something to do with genetics and blood type,' well, then it makes a whole lot of sense," he said. "This poor girl lost all seven members of her family in a week — they all dropped dead from the virus. Not complications from the virus — from the virus. So it's a very real thing."

In March, DISTURBED's "The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was officially canceled. The amphitheater tour, with very special guest STAIND and BAD WOLVES, was originally slated to take place last summer but was rescheduled to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was eventually scrapped altogether.

"The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was supposed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of DISTURBED's seminal album "The Sickness". On this tour, the band was expected to perform songs off the album, as well as tracks from its most recent studio release, "Evolution", and its extensive catalog.

Loch Vostok, the Swedish avantgarde/melo-death veterans, are presenting the album title, cover artwork, release date and the entire tracklisting for their upcoming eighth album - an album anticipated by a wide variety of fans, amongst others, due to the fact that the band changed their lead singer from the last album to this one.

Always a controversial and daring endeavour, Loch Vostok, however, have managed to secure a smooth and controlled transition from old lead singer (and guitarist) Teddy Möller to the new kid in town, Jonas Radehorn,

And with that transition comes the album, Opus Ferox - The Great Escape, the band's 8th album, which is set for release on June 25 through ViciSolum Records.

The album is a manifest of the band's amazing musical skills but also a tour de force in setting the record straight, when it comes to writing great songs that stick to the mind. With the incredible vocal range of Jonas Radehorn, Loch Vostok have fine-tuned their assets and created their most impressive album so far!

Teddy Möller - guitarist and godfather of the band explains: "'This is our best album' is what every band says every time they release a new album. So, let me just say that the paths we separately walked were predestined to lead to Opus Ferox. Accessible and avantgarde. Aggressive and melodic. A new level. The Great Escape!"

Opus Ferox - The Great Escape will be released on all digital platforms and in two different limited vinyl editions. Furthermore, the album will be available on CD, which contains a bonus track that will only be available on that particular medium. Find the album on Bandcamp here.

The artwork for the album is a futuristic, gloomy doomsday scenario, created by bassist Patrik Janson - an obvious multi-talent, with both musical and visual finesse. It displays and summarizes to perfection what Loch Vostok tries to convey to the masses.

Opus Ferox - The Great Escape tracklisting:

"The Freedom Paradox"
"Enter The Resistance"
"The Glorious Clusterfuck"
"Disillusion"
"Galacticide"
"When The Wolves Have Eaten Everything"
"Generation Fail"
"Seize The Night"
"The Great Escape"
"Save You"
"Black Neon Manifesto" (CD only)

"Disillusion" video:

"When The Wolves Have Eaten Everything" video:




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A gnarly medley of the upcoming VomitroN record, RighteousNES, is available for streaming below.

This is the third of it's kind offering heavy metal interpretations of the music from the original 8-bit Nintendo game system that will clearly smash your face. Releases on Metavania Music in spring 2021. Will be available on all major digital options and physical CDs, shirts, and other merch available on the official VomitroN website.

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Mega Man 2" [1 of 2]
"Ghosts 'N Goblins"
"Journey To Silius" [1 of 2]
"Final Fantasy"
"Life Force"
"Mega Man 2" [2 of 2]
"Airwolf"
"Journey To Silius" [2 of 2]
"Silver Surfer"

Sampler:

Album Credits:

Arranged, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Vomitron
Artwork by Gustavo "Holy FUCK I rule!" Sazes
Layout & Design by Gustavo "Holy FUCK I rule!" Sazes




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Frontiers Music Srl will release the debut solo album from Perfect Plan vocalist Kent Hilli, entitled The Rumble, on June 18. Today, Kent has released the first single and music video, "Don't Say It's Forever". Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save the album here.

Kent Hilli’s debut solo album “The Rumble” is the culmination of the musical path that the Swedish singer started journeying down since he debuted with Swedish melodic rock upstarts Perfect Plan. To craft the album, Kent joined forces with Mike Palace, who produced the album. This musical partnership has turned out to be a “match made in heaven”. Mike is an amazing talent and together with Kent they have developed an incredible chemistry that really caught the sound Kent was envisioning for the album.

"My goal with this album, musically, was to find a classic yet modern feel and sound and to differ a bit from what I'm known for with Perfect Plan. I also wanted to make a diverse album containing everything from rockers to ballads. I am a huge fan of Giant, Foreigner, Survivor, Starship, Whitesnake, etc. and I wanted these influences to shine through as well as bringing my own sound and identity to the songs. Mike Palace had the exact same vision for the music and we have the exact same influences, so it was an immediate match made in heaven. Mike is a real genius and just a dream to work with. I also co-wrote with the great Alessandro Del Vecchio and Pete Alpenborg on two songs, with Mike on one song, and with my talented sister Tina on one song, which was really great fun. I am so very thankful and blessed to have had the chance to work with these talents," says Hilli.

As mentioned above, Kent wrote all the songs on the album himself, except for four songs which were co-written. One with Palace, two with Alessandro Del Vecchio and Pete Alpenborg, and one with Kent's sister Tina.

A diverse album with both rockers and ballads, The Rumble is going to be a true delight for melodic rock fans. It is also a very “relationship oriented” album, with lyrics that are coming from a place of personal experience

"The first single is about the joy, the expectations, the promises, the disappointments, and struggles in a relationship where one party is giving it a 100% and the other party is not. It is also about living in the here and now and enjoying life 'cause it will not last forever. Taking care of one another and enjoying and being thankful for what you have. Musically, it came together when I was jamming one day and found this great hook on the chorus and I immediately got the theme of the song. Mike Palace did a wonderful arrangement to the song after I had sent him the acoustic version of the song," Hilli says of first single "Don't Says It's Forever".

The album resounds with the inspiration and influences from Kent's idols like Giant, Foreigner, Survivor, Whitesnake, and Europe, to name a few. That musical style is built in Kent's DNA by now. The legendary voices of Lou Gramm, Jimi Jamison, Dann Huff, David Coverdale, Joe Lynn Turner, and Joey Tempest are Kent's true inspirations and have influenced his vocal style. But anyone following along knows that Kent is very much his own singer and one of the finest to emerge in the melodic rock scene in quite some time.

Needless to say, if you love any of the classic bands mentioned above and certainly if you are a fan of Kent's work in Perfect Plan, then this record is for you!

Tracklisting:

"The Rumble (Never Say Die)"
"Cold"
"All For Love"
"I Can’t Wait"
"Don’t Say It’s Forever"
"Miss Up To No Good"
"Heaven Can Wait"
"Does It Feel Like Love"
"Love Can Last Forever"
"Never Be Mine"
"Still In Love"

"Don't Say It's Forever" video:

Lineup:

Kent Hilli - Lead vocals and backing vocals
Michael Palace - All instrumentation and backing vocals




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Italian bashers Lacuna Coil have checked in with the following update:

"Our second album, Unleashed Memories, has just turned 20. To celebrate, we’re making it available on vinyl for the first time! Band exclusive Red LP is limited to 200 copies worldwide on our official stores, while standard black LP is available via Alone Records. We’re also releasing a commemorative longsleeve T-shirt, ready to ship in our European shop and to pre-order in our North American shop. Unleash your memories with us..."

Place your orders via Lacuna Coil's official webshop here or Alone Records.

Unleashed Memories Lacuna Coil's second album It was released on March 20th, 2001 through Century Media Records. 

Tracklist:
"Heir of a Dying Day"
"To Live Is to Hide"
"Purify"    
"Senzafine"
"When a Dead Man Walks"
"1.19"
"Cold Heritage"    
"Distant Sun"
"A Current Obsession"
"Wave of Anguish"

In the clip below, Lacuna Coil vocalist Cristina Scabbia joins The Pit's podcast Last Words to set the record straight about the band's recent controversial silent concert, keeping inspired during quarantine, and supporting the arts in Italy.

Cristina reveals that in spite of the forced downtime due to the pandemic, Lacuna Coil has not been working on new music.

"To be honest, we don't want any of our music to be connected with this period. It wasn't something that we wanted to talk about. Of course, unconsciously it will be inspiring us for the next record. The thing is, when you write a new record you're inspired by somethig, but if you don't travel, if you don't live experiences, if you don't meet new people and new cultures... I find it hard to find inspiration only through movies and TV. I need to live to be inspired, and same for the guys (in the band)."

Lacuna Coil lineup:

Cristina Scabbia -  Vocals
Andrea Ferro - Vocals
Marco “Maki” Coti-Zelati - Guitars , Bass Guitar, Keyboards & Synths  
Diego “DD” Cavallotti - Guitars
Richard Meiz - Drums




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Back in January, Slipknot / Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor released the music video for his solo single, “Samantha’s Gone”. This time around, he invited his friends to join him on-screen, including Tom Sandoval of Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules, actor Dean Cameron (Summer School, Ski School, Straight Outta Compton), Steel Panther, plus actor Greg Grunberg, Ace Von Johnson, Travis Miguel and Jonah Nimoy.

About the visual, Taylor told Bravo’s The Daily Dish, "The video for ‘Samantha’s Gone’ served two purposes: making fun of so-called ‘indie rock’ bands and getting all my friends together to hang out and have a good time. We all went back and forth between having fun and social distancing. Watching the first ‘band’ was great, then being fired from our OWN song in favor of Steel Panther was the icing on the cake - can’t wait for everyone to see it!"

Taylor has posted a behind-the-scenes outtake clip, which can be viewed below.

"Samantha's Gone" is the sixth video from Taylor's solo album, CMFT. It was preceded by "CMFT Must Be Stopped", "Black Eyes Blue", "Hwy 666", "Culture Head", and "Everybody Dies On My Birthday".




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Black Veil Brides are gearing up for the release of their new concept album The Phantom Tomorrow - the band’s sixth full-length record - which is due out on June 4th via Sumerian Records. They have unveiled the cover artwork and the tracklist, as well as the video for "Fields Of Bone" which can be found below.

The album tells the story of the antihero character “The Blackbird” and a group of societal outcasts known as simply as “The Phantom Tomorrow.” The first single “Scarlet Cross” – produced by Erik Ron (Godsmack, Dance Gavin Dance, Bush) and guitarist Jake Pitts – was released in November 2020 and is available via all digital platforms.

Tracklist:

"The Phantom Tomorrow" (Introduction) 
"Scarlet Cross" 
"Born Again" 
"Blackbird" 
"Spectres" (Interlude) 
"Torch" 
"The Wicked One" 
"Shadows Rise" 
"Fields Of Bone" 
"Crimson Skies"
"Kill The Hero" 
"Fall Eternal"

"Fields Of Bone"

"Scarlet Cross"

Like their band name suggests, Black Veil Brides evoke transcendent visions of an impenetrable hereafter, intermingling with a steely focus on the dark passions and elusive mysteries of the here and now. A romantic fantasy first summoned in a small town by founder Andy Biersack – a creative who was fascinated with death rock, theatricality, and monsters (both real and imagined). It wasn’t until moving to Los Angeles that the unstoppable force the band is currently was finalized.

The band (and its members Andy Biersack, Jake Pitts, Jinxx, Lonny Eagleton, Christian Coma) Instagram and Twitter accounts command close to 10 million followers between them. Vale, the group’s most recent full-length album, went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums chart. In the hearts and minds of their fans, Black Veil Brides represents an unwillingness to compromise and a resistance to critics (personal and professional), fueled by the same fire as the group’s own heroes, the iconoclasts whose creative output, once dismissed, is now canonized.

(Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner)




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German power metallers, Primal Fear, want to show us something new, a different side of the band - after releasing a string of heavy and hard-hitting singles from Metal Commando, mastermind Mat Sinner and vocal force Ralf Scheepers have something extraordinary up their sleeves; a 5-track single, built around an exclusive new rendition of their achingly beautiful ballad "I Will Be Gone", re-recorded with none other than Finnish metal diva extraordinaire, Tarja Turunen. It is available as of today (April 9th). The official video is available below.

“There were three famous vocalists on our final wish list,” Mat Sinner comments. “That it was Tarja who got involved in this song is a matter of pure joy for all of us. Working together on the song and video was totally relaxed and professional – a great experience also because Tarja’s and Ralf’s voices go together incredibly well. Now, we can expand the Metal Commando saga with a unique chapter. We’re all really proud of this single.”

The Finnish icon can only agree: “I was very happy to receive the invitation to take part in Primal Fear’s beautiful song ‘I Will Be Gone’. We started our careers nearly at the same time many years ago, and finally got a chance to work together. I love the song and personally it helped me to stay connected and rock again, even if at the studio this time. I really hope that people will like this collaboration and that it will bring them joy especially during these difficult times we are living through at the moment.”

The song, fragile and touching, gets an altogether new and deeply melancholic vibe with Tarja’s unbelievably emotional performance, showcasing a different facet of Primal Fear. Yet, it’s not the only gift they deliver on this 5-track sensation - just take "Vote Of No Confidence" for example, an all-new, previously unreleased beast of a song. Clocking in at over six minutes, this storming, furious anthem gives a brilliant glimpse of things to come. Previously only available as bonus tracks on the limited Metal Commando digipack, three more tracks complete this release; enchanting guitar instrumental "Rising Fear", massive mid-tempo smasher "Leave Me Alone", and heavy metal monument "Second To None", making "I Will Be Gone" so much more than just another off shoot of a successful album.

Tracklisting:

"I Will Be Gone" (feat. Tarja Turunen)
"Vote For No Confidence"
"Rising Fear"
"Leave Me Alone"
"Second to None"




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