IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson was the featured guest on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" during the "Rock God" segment. Bruce picked DEEP PURPLE frontman Ian Gillan and stated about his choice: "So there I was as a young spotty teenager — just a teenager, I should hasten to add — and there was this noise coming through somebody's door. And I opened it, and I [went], 'What on earth is that?' And it was 'Speed King' by DEEP PURPLE off 'Deep Purple In Rock'. And that was what got me started.

"Having said all that, I met Ian Gillan. Not only did I meet him, I actually went on tour with him when I was in a band called SAMSON.

"I'm in a studio. We've done an album in Ian Gillan's studio. We've all been at the pub and had a few pints. In walks my god Ian Gillan and goes, 'Hey, what a great vocalist. Who's the singer?' At that moment, I felt the sudden urge to vomit. I ran out of the room, puked up for about 45 minutes in the toilet when in comes my idol, kicks the door and goes, 'C'mon, mate. Out you come. Let's get you wiped down with a towel.' He put me in a taxi and sent me home. I've never forgotten that, and he's never let me forget it either."

Several years ago, Dickinson told Metal Hammer that Gillan was a big influence on him vocally. "Ian was a big vocal hero of mine," he said. "There was Ian Gillan, Arthur Brown, Ian Anderson from JETHRO TULL, surprisingly enough, and a chap called Peter Hammill from VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR. They're all in the same area of voices — they all had a ballsy sort of tenor, extended baritone thing to their voices."

Dickinson previously said that "Fireball" was one of his favorite DEEP PURPLE cuts. He stated about the song: "It's just one of those tracks that is not played very often, but it's got some phenomenal bits in it. And, of course, it's also got — I mean, having been a drummer or at least aspired to being a drummer, I have huge respect for drummers, and Ian Paice is simply one of the finest drummers in the world; he really is. And I suppose if you're going to be a drumming nit-noid type guy, it's his foot, it's all down to his fo

Ljubljana’s underground legends Noctiferia have signed with Blood Blast Distribution for the digital release of their Reforma album, set to be unleashed on May 28th. The second single and video "No History" has been released; check out the video below.

Noctiferia comments on the single: "'No History' might be the most Noctiferia song on the Reforma album. It is very dynamic and It has all the elements we are known for. Massive riffs, wicked atmosphere, emotional guitar solo and some blast beats to top it all off. Also Giani went a step further with the vocals on this one and the whole thing just sounds heavy! And it's a great song to play live, which in a way explains the video we made for it."

Tracklist:

"Barbarians Are Coming"
"Now You Will Pay" (feat. David Vincent)
"No History"  
"Tanz Mit Laibach" (feat. Attila Csihar) 
"Eurovision"
"Smrt Za Smrt"
"Das Spiel Ist Aus"  
"Slovenska Akropola" (feat. Jørgen Munkeby)

Reforma is new studio album by Noctiferia, a tribute to the legendary and world-renowned avant-garde band Laibach featuring three big and legendary names of metal scene; David Vincent - ex-Morbid Angel, Vltimas, Attila Csihar - Mayhem, and Jørgen Munkeby - Shining. It was mixed and mastered by the award-winning producer Henrik Udd (Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, At The Gates, etc.). The artwork concept and design is the work of Jean-Emmanuel "Valnoir" Simoulin from French design studio Metastazis, known for their work with Ghost, Behemoth, At the Gates and Amorphis. The album can be described as a "crushing sounding mix of extreme metal and avant-garde music," with some very special and legendary guests!

"Now You Will Pay" (feat. David Vincent)




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“Ritual Warfare” is a track taken from Temtris' upcoming album, due for release on April 30th via Wormholedeath.

Temtris combines the best elements of heavy metal and brings them to life with a modern feel. “Ritual Warfare” delivers powerful and soaring vocals, twin guitar harmonies, blazing solos and a crushing rhythm section that drives a catchy chorus, leaving you hungry for more.

Ritual Warfare features the outstanding musicianship and songwriting skills that Temtris deliver with every album. With eight blazing tracks, over 45 minutes, full of catchy riffs and choruses, dynamic and dominant rhythm sections, and powerful vocals that set this band apart from any other. Ritual Warfare, with its Aztec themed artwork, is the complete heavy metal indulgence.

Tracklisting:

"Race To The End" 
"One For All" 
"Seven Sins Of Man" 
"Forever"
"Ritual Warfare" 
"Tempus Aeturnum" 
"Erased" 
"Always United"

"Forever":

Album Teaser:

(Photo by MickG Photograpy and ISR Photography)

 




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Canadian rockers Headstones have released a new lyric video for their song "Bin This Way For Years", from their 2013 album, Love + Fury. Accompanying the clip, which can be seen below, is the following brief but exciting statement: 

#Headstones #FallTour2021 #comingsoon

 




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Ereb Altor presents Eldens Boning, a classic vinyl only 12” Mini-LP featuring four new Scandanavian metal songs full of pagan epicness!

Ereb Altor always promises one thing with each release: epic, folk-blended metal inspired by the Norse legends. Eldens Boning keeps any fan satisfied with a true and sincere Pagan theme in its lyrics and art. Each song delivers in full and features some of the best work from the band yet.

The opening track, “The Twilight Ship”, builds the atmosphere before exploding into classic Ereb Altor, a true heavy Pagan metal song focused on epicness. Sharp heavy metal riffs, Nordic melodies, catchy choruses and pounding drums, an enrichement to the band's future live set. Followed up by “Fenrisulven”, which sees Ereb Altor tread new paths, that of an all acoustic song, that really leaves an appetite for more of this. Very atmospheric, calm as a Swedish lake in the morning, it features great violin parts, skaldic in feel, a great addition to the metal songs.

The title track is the third song on this EP and it is classic Ereb Altor, blending in their Blackened roots, full speed ahead with the grim rasping vocals taking the lead. Never losing the focus on epicness, and graced with killer guitar solo-work. A raging song for sure. Closing song “Sacrifice 2.0” might refer to the “Sacrifice” song on the Fire Meets Ice album, but this new song is much swifter and tighter, showcasing once more the mix of epicness and Ereb Altor’s blacker roots.

Pre-order Eldens Boning now at this location, release date is May 10th.

 




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Thundermother keep fighting for rock 'n' roll. Following their international chart hit album Heat Wave, is a brand-new single called "The Road Is Ours", heradling the release of a special deluxe edition of Heat Wave.

Swedish rockers, Thundermother, will release a deluxe edition of their fourth album, Heat Wave, on May 21 via AFM Records.

The initial release of the Heat Wave album reached #6 on the official German charts. Featured guests Jesper Binzer (D-A-D) and Dregen (Backyard Babies / Hellacopters) join the band on this Deluxe Edition. It contains - as a bonus - three brand new tracks, three live tracks from Wacken World Wide, one Japanese bonus track, and acoustic versions.

Pre-order here, and watch a video for "The Road Is Ours" below.

CD tracklisting:

CD1:
"Loud And Alive"
"Dog From Hell"
"Back In ‘76"
"Into The Mud"
"Heat Wave"
"Sleep"
"Driving In Style"
"Free Ourselves"
"Mexico"
"Purple Sky"
"Ghosts"
"Somebody Love Me"
"Bad Habits"

CD2:
"The Road Is Ours"
"Show Me What You Got"
"You Can´t Handle Me"
"Driving In Style" (Acoustic)
"Dog From Hell" (Acoustic)
"Sleep Feat. Jesper Binzer" (Acoustic)
"Give Me Some Lights" (Live)
"Thunderous" (Live)
"Hellevator" (Live)
"Rock'n'Roll Heaven" (feat. Dregen & Pontus Snibb)

"The Road Is Ours" video:

 




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Tank has unveiled their video for “Shellshock”, featuring Cradle Of Filth vocalist Dani Filth, from the Baphomet motion picture soundtrack.

Cleopatra Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Baphomet, a horror film from writer-director Matthan Harris.

Baphomet tells the tale of an American family (the Richardsons) celebrating their daughter’s pregnancy, but things begin to go awry when Satanic cult leader, Henrik Brandr unexpectedly visits their ranch. Henrik offers to pay the family a large sum for ownership of their land, claiming it is sacred to his congregation. Jacob Richardson, the father, rejects the offer due to the sentimental value of his ranch. Henrik, displeased, begins to put curses on the Richardsons, trying to force them off of their own land – even if it means murdering them. After suffering unexplainable tragedies created by the curses, the Richardsons seek help from Marybeth, a white witch high priestess. They soon discover a terrible secret about their house, revealing why their land is so sacred to the cult. They realize that they must protect their house from the cult at all costs, and a violent battle between good and evil ensues.

The film stars Colin Ward (Mank, Criminal Minds), Giovanni Lombardo Radice (The Omen, City Of The Living Dead, Cannibal Ferox), Nick Principe (Laid To Rest, Chromeskull), Harris (German Angst, For We Are Many) and Cradle Of Filth frontman Dani Filth as Lon Carlson, an occultist and expert on witchcraft.

Says Harris: "Baphomet is a hellish rollercoaster of demonic and supernatural terror. I started pre-production for it back in 2013 and it has been my labor of undying love ever since. I've poured everything I could into this monster of a movie, and I'm so pleased that we can unleash this horrifying beast upon the world this year!"

Adds Filth: "I really liked the idea of it. The script was good. It seemed genuinely interesting, esoteric. The premise is great, and I quite liked the idea of the character I was playing... haggard and highly intelligent. It's kind of apt, you know. I wouldn't say it's tongue-in-cheek, I wouldn't even say it's role reversal, but it's similar in the way that Ozzy played a priest in Trick or Treat. It's playing with the genre, mixing it up a little bit, and I think it's cool, yeah. I think that I'm cut out for the role of an occult investigator, occult philosopher, etcetera. I could see myself actually doing that role in real life."

See an interview with Dani Filth below:

The rights deal was brokered by Cleopatra Founder and CEO Brian Perera, Tim Yasui VP/GM of Cleopatra Entertainment and by John Lepper from the Cyfuno Ventures Sales Agency on behalf of the filmmakers.

Baphomet will be released domestically on June 8 on VOD Platforms and also as a Home Entertainment DVD and Blu-Ray package.

         




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Last Sunday, March 28, Dirty Honey drummer Corey Coverstone and a couple of friends were riding their mountain bikes in Haines Canyon, which is up in the hills, north of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Corey took a nasty fall, as seen in the video below, resulting in an injury to his left wrist.

There are two trails up there that run parallel - the one in the video which is the “bike” trail, and then one that runs along side it that’s a hiking trail. Corey had ridden that trail three times previously. On Sunday, he rode the course once as a warm up, and then the second time, he said it was a “perfect storm” of loose terrain, dirt with loose small rocks, and slick. Corey did mention that the suspension of his bike was kind of stiff, probably should have been set up differently. By his own admission, Corey was going a little too fast, not looking far enough ahead - he said he launched off the jump, followed by a sharp turn he hadn’t seen.  

When he crashed, Corey definitely felt the pain in his left wrist - you can see in the video where he tries to use his left hand to take off his right glove, and just can’t.  He’s crashed before but was always able to walk away, but not this time. He got stuck in a pile of sticks, but was able to get his helmet off using his right arm; and then the buddies he had been riding with finally found him. When asked how he got the bike out of there, Corey said he rode it down the hiking trail, keeping his left arm and wrist protected.  

Corey did see an orthopedic doctor who suggested a cast - he didn’t get one. Instead, he's opting to just ice it, while keeping his fingers moving, and thereby the blood flowing, taking calcium and letting it heal. Corey also said this particular ride was the first time he’s used the Go-Pro camera.

After a string of chart hits and live triumphs, one of rock music's most exciting new bands, Dirty Honey, is keeping the momentum going with the April 23rd release of their self-titled debut full-length. The Los Angeles quartet has also released the second single from Dirty Honey, a song called "Tied Up".

Dirty Honey - LaBelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Corey Coverstone - planned to record their debut album with producer Nick DiDia (Rage Against The Machine, Pearl Jam), who had produced the band's 2019 EP; but the day before the band was due to fly to Australia to track the album, Los Angeles entered lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and traveling was off the table. Still keen to work with DiDia, they came up with a Plan B:  record the full-length at Henson Studios in Los Angeles studio with DiDia beamed into the proceedings via the magic of modern technology.

Having to switch gears delayed the start of recording slightly, although this extra time ended up being a boon. Dirty Honey rented a rehearsal space and demoed the album's songs in advance, meaning the tracks were in good shape when DiDia came onboard. "If we had gone when we were supposed to in March, we wouldn't have had as many songs," Smolian says. "We did a lot of rehearsing and got tighter as a band.  Except for Marc's lyrics, everything was pretty much written by the time we got into the studio, there really wasn't a lot of, 'Let's try this, let's try that.' It was more about capturing takes." 

Adds drummer Corey Coverstone: "Because of the pandemic, we had a lot more time to write and prepare, which was great.  It meant that we were able to workshop the songs a lot more, and I think it really made a difference."

The Dirty Honey album does sound effortless and captures the lightning-in-a-bottle dynamics and energy of the band's live sound. The collection boasts airtight songwriting that plays up their strengths:  sexy, bluesy, nasty rock 'n' roll.  LaBelle reaffirms his status as one of contemporary rock's best vocalists on "The Wire," while the gospel-tinted "Another Last Time" is a midtempo, organ-fueled album-closer bursting with soul.

Although the pandemic has thrown some obstacles in the way, Dirty Honey knows that pushing through those tough times will only help them come out stronger on the other side. "When you finally come through on those moments, that's where the real magic comes in," Notto says. "What makes all of our songs fun to play and listen to is we don't allow ourselves to stop short of getting the best possible results out of each one of them."

In fact, if anything, all of the four band members are determined to better themselves going forward. "As a guitarist, I'm always inspired by the everlasting pursuit of the perfect riff," Notto adds. "I also wanted to extend the artistic statement that we've already made. We weren't looking to sound different, or prove our growth, necessarily. It was more about, 'Oh, you thought that was good?  Hold my beer.'"

Tracklisting:

"California Dreamin'"
"The Wire"
"Tied Up"
"Take My Hand"
"Gypsy"
"No Warning"
"The Morning"
"Another Last Time"

"California Dreamin'":

 

 




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Torn Between Two Worlds featuring former Angtoria bandmates Sarah Jezebel Deva and Chris Rehn recently released their debut single, "The Beauty Of Deception". The follow-up single, "All Eyes On Me", has been confirmed for release on May 2nd.

Sarah recently checked in with the following update:

"Recording vocals for the new track 'All Eyes On Me' by Torn Between Two Worlds. It's strange when you have to stop recording a song because you get all emotional about it and the experience it gives you. My journey with Chris started on the Therion / Evergrey European tour over 15 years ago. It continued with Angtoria and now this, and there is one thing I'm so grateful for which made me so emotional today: the friendship I have with Chris Rehn. I know at times he has more or less pulled his hair out with me, but he had never turned his back and no matter how tough things have been in our lives over the years, he has NEVER turned his back. I think this song is better than 'The Beauty Of Deception'. Every track we do in my eyes is a step up from the last and I'm far, far from perfect I still say I'm a 'has been' haha.... but I have my passion back for singing. I have always been a true believer of actions speak louder than words."

Go to the official Torn Between Two Worlds Bandcamp page here. The official lyric video for the song is available below.

Photos used with kind permission of Sarah Jezebel Deva and Chris Rehn




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Progressive, technical death metal collective Alluvial has released a cataclysmic new single titled, "Thy Underling" from the band's sophomore album, Sarcoma, that's due out May 28 from Nuclear Blast. 

Guitarist Wes Hauch comments on the single: 

“The first half of the song is from the perspective of a scornful entity. The idea is that a wraith and aims to confuse and debilitate the host ‘Until he rots and lies stinking in the earth’, a line borrowed from one of my favorite movies. The second half is from the perspective of the host. The content is based on an ongoing experience I have, but I think anyone could apply it to something familiar to them."

What began as an instrumental collaboration has grown into a full-frontal aural assault with a lineup consisting of vocalist Kevin Muller (ex-Suffocation, The Merciless Concept), guitarist Wes Hauch (ex-The Faceless, Black Crown Initiate), bassist Tim Walker (Entheos) and drummer Matt Paulazzo (Aegaeon). On their follow up to 2017's The Deep Longing For Annihilation, Alluvial plunge into a whirlwind of neck-snapping polyrhythmic riffs, a barrage of double bass and a dynamic avalanche of screams.

Alluvial's second full-length album, Sarcoma, examines people's connection with pain and the hardships that bind us.

“Sarcoma is a type of cancer that grows from connective tissue in the body,” says Wes Hauch. “At the end of working on everything, Kevin [Muller] pinpointed that each song on the record was about the different perils that happen at the hand of one man to another. These perils live in our connections to one another, so 'Sarcoma' became an apt title.”

As Hauch began writing the record, he took notice of Muller due to his time in Suffocation. After hearing his vocals on a demo, everything simply clicked, and Kevin joined the band. Fast brothers, it fulfilled a long-term goal. “The Deep Longing for Annihilation was supposed to have vocals, but I couldn’t find the right guy,” he adds. “Some people possess a rare inability to doubt themselves. Kevin can marry that into performances. The day I heard his vocals over the Sarcoma demos was a special one. We’ve become brothers.”

After writing and producing demos at home, Alluvial cut guitars, bass, and vocals with engineer John Douglass (Mr. Bungle, Amon Amarth) in Atlanta. The opener “Ulysses” begins with warm guitar echoes before building towards an ominous crescendo. It quickly crumbles under the weight of a thrash riff and brain-rattling growl.

“I was always in trouble in my small hometown,” Hauch says. “After going to a county jail, I joined the military and took orders as an Equipment Operator bound for the US Naval Mobile Construction Battalions. The enlisted side of the military are all misfits of one kind or another. Because of this, it’s really a continuation of high school. The military continued raising us, for better or worse. In 2005, I deployed to Iraq and convoyed throughout Baghdad for seven months. If you were in Iraq from 03 to 08, it was generally pretty bad. Because of that, I wouldn’t call my experience in Iraq “unique,” it was just a hot time over there. If you convoyed, you were gonna get shot at, and you were gonna deal with IED’s. If you were in a camp, you were gonna get mortared. If you were infantry and you were kicking down doors, god bless you, you were gonna have it the worst out of anyone. ‘Ulysses’ is a glossary of my hindsight on that experience.”

"Ulysses" is a taste of what's to come from a band that's already proven themselves before. They've set the stage for their next onslaught, "Sarcoma," armed with some of the most vicious, technical riffs and merciless vocals that metal has to offer.

Pre-order the new album here.

Sarcoma tracklisting:

"Ulysses"
"Thy Underling"
"Sarcoma"
"40 Stories"
"Zero"
"Exponent"
"Sleepers Become Giants"
"The Putrid Sunrise"
"Sugar Paper"
"Anodyne"

"Thy Underling":

"Ulysses" video:




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Los Angeles hard rockers Slizard have released a music video for their cover version of Scorpions’ "Still Loving You". The music video was edited by Slizard percussionist Todd "Toad" Resmen and features lead vocalist Liz Fawcett on piano. The track was produced by Chris Wood.  

Slizard guitarist Pat "Buzz" Belrose shares his comments on the Video: "Nosferatu strikes again with an irresistible attraction felt by his victims. Slizard pay our profound gratitude to the Scorpions for such a brilliant and beautiful song, and to 'The Noss' for his masterful performance of Dracula, or shall we say Nosferatu.”

Slizard recently signed a worldwide deal with Mega Metal Records, a sub-label of Canadian label Maple Metal, to release their self-titled debut on May 28.

The band was formed in 2019, and features LA singer Liz Fawcett on vocals, Pat "Buzz" Belrose on guitars, bass & vocals, and Todd "Toad" Resmen on drums.

Singing sensation Liz Fawcett has been described by a few LA music industry reps as a "badass" singer that has an instantly recognizable voice. Pat "Buzz" Belrose has previously played guitar for LA bands Spoiled Rotten, & World Jungle who were popular acts, especially on the local LA scene in the 90's, but has also recorded two albums with Canadian metal band Jade in the mid-80's. Buzz currently also has his own band appropriately named BUZZ ZA.

All the lyrics on Slizard were penned by American poet Randall Dwight.

The Slizard album cover art is designed by well-known Finnish artist Jan Yrlund, of Darkgrove Studios, Tampere, Finland.

Slizard is produced & mixed by Chris Wood, a 3-time Grammy Award nominated L.A. producer, & mix engineer. Chris Wood has worked with a variety of artists in multiple music genres, but in the rock world most notably with Slash, Lenny Kravitz, Vivian Campbell guitarist of Dio & Def Leppard.

The album is mastered by Chris Crerar at Metalworks Studios (Guns N' Roses, Rush, Triumph) in Toronto, Canada.

Slizard have written over 50 songs for this project, and below is a list of the 15 tracks that'll appear on their debut album.

Tracklisting:

"Monsters"
"Mr. Hyde"
"Gears"
"Crack The Whip"
"Skinwalker"
"Watch N' Listen"
"Vampire Zombies"
"Running Towards The Zombies"
"Madness Of The Queen"
"Neverland"
"Down By The River"
"Spooks In The Trees"
"Broken Dreams"
"Slow Motion Suicide"
"Will You Still Be There"

Sampler #1:

Sampler #2:




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On Saturday, March 27th, Canadian rock veterans Helix played a virtual show at the Burlington Arts Centre in Burlington, Ontario with Monster Truck. Frontman Brian Vollmer has uploaded footage from the night.

Vollmer: "Great bunch of guys and they treated us well.  Here's our opening number, 'Eat Sleep Rock'. First time we played in a year and a half, brand new song, brand new guitarist (Gary Borden)."

Helix released the Eat Sleep Rock CD on Perris Records in August 2020; a compilation album with some of singer Brian Vollmer’s personal favorite songs recorded since leaving Captiol/EMI in 1990. The album was recorded at bassist Darryl Gray's own Dawghouse Studios, mixed by Siegfried Meier and mastered by Harry Hess (Harem Scarem). The artwork was done by ex-Helix guitarist Brent Doerner with photos by Victor Azziz Studios. "Brent is a very creative guy," states Vollmer. When he was in the band writing songs, he was with us for I think 16 or 18 years. I've always found him as a person who thought outside the box when it came to creativity so it's great still having him involved with Helix projects. He's like a 6th member."

Eat Sleep Rock adds the new track "Eat Sleep Rock" and includes "The Story Of Helix," a rap that Brian wrote a couple of years ago to kick off the acoustic show. "Eat Sleep Rock" is the first to feature new Helix guitarist Gary Borden, a veteran of the Canadian music scene who has played with Sass Jordan, Toronto and The Guess Who, worked with Gowan, and fronts his own original act Blood Of VanGogh. Brian continues, "Kaleb left last year, he was a solid member for over 10 years and he is still involved with the band writing for the next studio album. Gary is a great guy and he fits right in. It's great having guys with personalities like Gary and Chris (Julke, guitarist) to bring you up as it's tough when you are out there doing it all weekend long, travelling, playing, getting up early and flying. I got a great bunch of guys behind me."

Check out the official video clip below.

Keep up to date with all things Helix in their newly designed website at Planethelix.com.




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"Say Goodbye", the latest solo single from Robin McAuley, can be streamed below. The song is taken from Robin's upcoming solo album, "Standing On The Edge", which showcases the desire of the respected Irish rock singer to make a strong musical statement in a period that was more creative than ever for him. After reemerging on the recording side of the music industry with guest spots on MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST albums and fronting the hard rock supergroup BLACK SWAN, McAuley is feeling invigorated and ready to explore even more creative output, letting the world see that his voice is as powerful as ever. "Standing On The Edge" will arrive on May 7 va Frontiers Music Srl.

Of the album, Robin says: "It was hard not to draw reference from the dreaded pandemic we all found ourselves in, and still do, so I just spat out what I was feeling and 'Standing On The Edge' seemed an appropriate title to describe the current climate." He continues: "In contrast to that however, songs like 'Run Away' harken back to my childhood years, racing across the fields next to our house trying to beat the rain home. I'm still running all these years later!! Alessandro sent me this beautiful music and this lyric and melody came together quite quickly. It's very simple and childlike and I really like how this song turned out. 'Wanna Take A Ride', on the other hand, was just me desperate to get out of the house during lockdown and head to the beach. Top down, throttle wide open, and a stiff middle finger to COVID. I crank this SO LOUD in my car. Makes me smile!

"Perhaps this record is not everything I ever wanted to say or record in a solo effort, but it's how I felt at the time. I'm far from being done. Hope you like what you hear," concludes Robin.

McAuley is widely recognized as one of the great singers of a golden period in hard rock music. His voice can be heard on albums from GRAND PRIX and FAR CORPORATION, and of course on the chart-topping MSG records "Perfect Timing", "Save Yourself" and "MSG". Through these releases, he was introduced to hard rock fans around the globe, who no doubt recognized the inherent talent and skill in his vocal abilities. Since departing MSG, he released one solo record in 1999, then joined AOR legends SURVIVOR, and then re-grouped with Schenker in MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST on their recent records "Resurrection" and "Revelation". And, of course, in what was an absolute revelation to hard rock fans around the world, in 2020, he came out swingin' as the frontman of the supergroup BLACK SWAN, where he joined forces with Reb Beach (WHITESNAKE, WINGER), Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER, ex-DOKKEN) and Matt Starr (ACE FREHLEY, MR BIG).

McAuley spent the latter half of 2020 working on a new solo record, one which truly encompasses all music styles he is known for — hard rock and melodic rock superbly performed as only he can do it. Envisioned, overseen, and creatively directed by Serafino Perugino, president and A&R director of Frontiers, with production (and co-writing) by Alessandro Del Vecchio, McAuley offers up a true gem of an album in "Standing On The Edge". Included are a splendid songwriting collaborations with his former GRAND PRIX bandmate Phil Lanzon (currently longtime URIAH HEEP keyboardist) on "Like A Ghost", Howard Leese (of BAD COMPANY, ex-HEART) on "Supposed To Do Now", and Tommy Denander on "Do You Remember" and "Chosen Few".

"Standing On The Edge" track listing:

01. Thy Will Be Done

02. Standing On The Edge

03. Late December

04. Do You Remember

05. Say Goodbye

06. Chosen Few

07. Run Away

08. Supposed To Do Now

09. Wanna Take A Ride

10. Like A Ghost

11. Running Out Of Time

Recording lineup:

Robin McAuley - vocals

Andrea Seveso - guitars

Alessandro Del Vecchio - bass, keyboards, backing vocals

Nicholas Papapicco - drums

Howard Leese - guitars on "Supposed To Do Now"

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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Metal band A Sound Of Thunder has released an acoustic cover of the Black Sabbath song “Too Late”. The song was originally written and recorded by the Ronnie James Dio-fronted lineup of Black Sabbath for the Dehumanizer album, released in 1992. A Sound Of Thunder’s version of “Too Late” is available on all major music streaming services worldwide from April 2. Listen here. Download the single for free here.

Listeners will hear a drastically different version of “Too Late” in A Sound Of Thunder’s version. The band chose to strip the song down to its most basic elements in order to emphasize Ronnie James Dio’s lyrics. The lone vocal track and single acoustic guitar accompaniment are meant to reinforce the sense of isolation and despair inherent in the original composition.

A Sound Of Thunder was formed in Washington, DC in 2008. The band recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their permanent lineup of Nina Osegueda (vocals), Josh Schwartz (guitar), Jesse Keen (bass), and Chris Haren (drums). The occasion was marked with the release of the band’s 8th album Parallel Eternity, a collaboration with composer Brad Charles of Magic Giraffe Soundworks featuring orchestral versions of new songs and fan-favorite songs from the band’s back catalog.




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Serj Tankian has defended his right to speak out on political issues.

The SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman, who is currently promoting a new documentary about his life and activist work, discussed his decision to publicly express his political views in a new interview with Brazil's G1.

Asked how he responds to criticism from SYSTEM OF A DOWN fans who want him to just sing their favorite songs and not get involved in politics, Serj said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was an activist before becoming an artist. And I do different types of music — I do classical music, which has no vocals, I do jazz music, I do scores for films. I work with a lot of different types of music, as well as rock. And when I write something, the song could be a love song, it could be a political song — there's many different types of music I deal with. So when I write something that I intentionally feel and feel stongly about, no one can tell me what to say and what not to say, because that's in the song, and those thoughts come from that song that I'm telling you.

"To tell an artist that he should only play music and not talk about politics is like telling a journalist that they should only do interviews and not fix the — I don't know — toilet, or whatever," he explained. "It makes no sense. We're dynamic, sentient beings on this planet. We can be good at more than one thing. And if they're not, that's their problem."

A singer, poet, songwriter, visual artist, film producer, activist, and composer, Tankian has always created music as an outlet to express his thoughts and feelings with a level of passion and consciousness that few in today's world of music can rival. An Armenian born in Lebanon and re-rooted in Los Angeles, Tankian was introduced to the melding of cultures, ideas, and ideals from a very young age. The principles learned from this integration and adaptation have led to his understanding of the oneness of all things and have since maneuvered and transfigured into the music and art that he lives to create. As the lead singer and songwriter for SYSTEM OF A DOWN, Serj has released five studio albums, winning a Grammy Award in 2006 for "B.Y.O.B." and selling over 40 million albums worldwide. Despite this success, Serj has never grown complacent with his art, always striving to open up new channels of sound and arrangement to articulate his artistic expressions. He has released five albums of solo material, beginning with 2007's chart-topping hard rock album "Elect The Dead". His sophomore solo album, "Imperfect Harmonies", was released in 2010, followed by "Harakiri" in 2012. 2013 saw two distinct releases from Serj, the first being the critically acclaimed "Orca Symphony No. 1", released in June of that year, followed up with the very unique "Jazz-Iz Christ" one month later.

Over the past few years, his time spent in the recording studio has been focused on creating musical scores and compositions for film and video game projects. Serj recently lent his vocals to a modern-day cover of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's rock classic "Godzilla" for the blockbuster Michael Dougherty film "Godzilla: King Of The Monsters". He also recorded a modern version of the Armenian folk song "Sari Siroun Yar" along with the Authentic Light Orchestra for the film "The Promise", directed by Terry George and starring Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac. Serj was also brought on by Survival Pictures, the producers of the film, to serve as an executive music consultant.

Most recently, Tankian composed the full musical score for award-winning documentary "I Am Not Alone" directed by Garin Hovannisian and the upcoming Live Nation Productions film "Truth To Power", which chronicles Serj's own journey through the crossroads of music and activism. In 2017, Serj composed music for Emmy-nominated "Intent To Destroy", a gripping film directed by award winning documentarian Joe Berlinger. That same year he created an intense score for the epic Russian action film "Furious - The Legend of Kolovrat", followed by his 2018 musical score for award-winning film "Spitak", directed by Alexander Kott. Additionally, Tankian composed the full musical score for independent films "1915" and "The Last Inhabitant", an original composition for Ilya Naishuller's "Hardcore Henry" and video game musical scores for "Midnight Star" and its sequel, "Renegade", which were created by one of the chief architects of the famed "Halo" game franchise.

Serj's resume also includes the formation of a record label, Serjical Strike Records (established in 2001), which has released albums from many critically acclaimed artists, including FAIR TO MIDLAND, Buckethead and DEATH BY STEREO.

Along with fellow musician Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE), Serj co-founded the non-profit organization Axis Of Justice in 2002, which strives to bring together musicians, music fans and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice. He has also dabbled in the world of broadcasting as co-host of the Axis Of Justice Radio Network, which can be heard via SiriusXM and KPFK in Los Angeles. With a mission of spreading diversity and understanding through music, poetry and activism, Serj will continue to surprise and enlighten those who listen to his music and hear his words.

In recent years, Tankian has split his time between holding a mic and a paintbrush, having feverishly created over 60 pieces of art since 2013. His journey into the world of fine art began with his "Disarming Time Musical Paintings", which were exhibited at Project Gallery in Los Angeles. Since then, he has had multiple exhibitions at galleries in both the United States and New Zealand. In 2015, his artwork was exhibited at the grand opening of New Museum Los Gatos in Northern California as part of a group exhibit that ran from May through September of that year. Most recently, Serj's artwork was exhibited at two notable galleries in New Zealand during February and March of 2019.

Photo credit: George Tonikian

During a recent episode of his Gimme Radio program "The Dave Mustaine Show", the MEGADETH leader offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Thankfully, my partner is coming back out to Nashville, and we're gonna be commencing on some guitar tracks and solos and some ear candy to wrap all that up. We've got probably about another… I've got one song left to sing, and then another song I've got one sentence that I've gotta finish. Other than that, all the vocals are done on this record, and it'll be time to focus now on background vocals and the remaining stuff with solos and, as we say… I know I've said it so many times — 'ear candy.' For you guys that don't know what that is, it's just what it sounds like — it's sticky, sappy, syrupy crap people put on records that help to — I don't know — make the song sound better. When you're thinking about AC/DC, you don't usually think about percussion."

This past February, Mustaine said during another episode of his Gimme Radio program "The Dave Mustaine Show" that he had just received "a really cool lyric" from MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson that he was planning to turn into a song. In addition, he revealed that the album will include an as-yet-undisclosed cover track.

In January, Ellefson told the "Rock 'N' Roll Icons With Bode James" podcast the recently announced working title for MEGADETH's upcoming album, "The Sick, The Dying And The Dead", will likely end up getting changed before the LP is released.

The early sessions for the album took place in 2019 with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

"Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards, marked Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro's recording debut with MEGADETH.

MEGADETH's current lineup is rounded out by 46-year-old Belgian-born-and-now-Los-Angeles-based drummer Dirk Verbeuren, who had played with SOILWORK for more than a decade before joining MEGADETH.

German heavy metal supergroup Hellryder have announced the release of their full-length album The Devil Is A Gambler, out on May 28, 2021 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. Preorder here. A second video teaser is streaming below:

Since 2017, Chris Boltendahl and Axel Ritt have been thinking about bringing a project to life which deals with the origin of metal. Usually extensively involved in their main band Grave Digger, unfortunately and due to the pandemic, 99% of all activities became canceled or postponed overnight. This unexpected time window of opportunities opened up and was finally used from Boltendahl and Ritt. The first songs were recorded in September 2020 and Hellryder took shape; an idea led into a project and in November 2020 to a real band. With drummer Timmi Breideband (Gregorian, ex-Bonfire, ex-Freedom Call) and bass player Steven Wussow (Orden Ogan, ex-Domain, ex-Xandria), two absolute thoroughbred musicians could be won and complete the line-up into a real German metal supergroup. Hellryder stand for straightforward, metallically hard, diabolical and uncompromising traditional heavy metal.

Formats:
-Digipak CD
-Limited digipak CD & T-Shirt Bundle
-Black Vinyl (LTD. 150) incl. signed A3 poster
-Transp. Yellow Vinyl (LTD. 150) incl. autograph card
-Orange/Red Splatter Vinyl (LTD. 200) incl. autograph card
-Digital streaming/download

Tracklisting:

“Hellryder”
“Sacrifice In Paradise”
“Night Rider”
“The Devil Is A Gambler”
“Jekyll & Hyde”
“Faceless Jesus”
“Chainsaw Lilly”
“I Die For You”
“Bad Attitude”
“Passion Maker”
“Harder Faster Louder”
“I Don’t Wanna Die” (Bonus Track)




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In a new interview with Rockin' Metal Revival, Tony Iommi reflected on his time recording and touring with Ronnie James Dio as his bandmate in both BLACK SABBATH and HEAVEN & HELL. The guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The last tour we did with Ronnie was real precious, and we had such a great time. And we really bonded. The last generation of the period with Ronnie was really close — everybody was close. Yeah, Ronnie was such a really nice person.

"What I liked about Ronnie [is] he gave everybody time," Tony continued. "It was just remarkable. Before the show, he'd have people in his dressing room — 'cause we'd have separate dressing rooms — he'd have people in there talking away and drinking and whatever. And he never warmed up or anything; he'd never done any kind of warming-up procedure before he went on stage. And he'd walk on stage and he'd just [sound] unbelievable; his voice was spot-on. It was just amazing, really, how he could do that.

"He was a really nice, caring character. He'd call me up — even just before he passed, he was on the phone to me, calling me from the hospital.

"It was very sad, really, [when he died]," Iommi added. "But he thought a lot of everybody — he really did. And he loved his fans."

Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH in 1980, recording the "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" albums, plus "Live Evil", before leaving in 1982. He rejoined the group 10 years later for an album called "Dehumanizer", and again teamed with the group under the HEAVEN & HELL banner in 2006. HEAVEN & HELL released an album called "The Devil You Know" in 2009.

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.

Iommi is currently promoting the upcoming deluxe editions of BLACK SABBATH's "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" albums.

Listen to "Tony-Iommi-Interview2021" on Spreaker.

Harley-Davidson and Bravado, Universal Music Group's merchandise and brand management company, have announced the launch of a special collection in collaboration with the iconic rock band AEROSMITH. Available now, the limited-edition line of men's and women's apparel will be sold at Harley-Davidson dealerships around the world and on Harley-Davidson.com.

"We're thrilled to be partnering up with Harley-Davidson on this capsule. They're an American institution and share an authenticity and effortless style that encapsulates what AEROSMITH is all about. We're excited to get the collection in the hands of the fans," said Joe Perry, lead guitarist for AEROSMITH.

The collection features iconic artwork collaborations from both AEROSMITH and Harley-Davidson to create truly unique and one-of-a-kind designs. The offering will include 17 total styles and is made up of six distinct graphic capsules:

* Burnout is inspired by the art of AEROSMITH's eponymous album and features vintage imagery to showcase and highlight the beginnings of these two renowned American brands.

* Dream On is named for the breakout song on the band's debut studio album, "Dream On". It illustrates the enduring influence that both AEROSMITH and Harley-Davidson have established worldwide.

* Pump utilizes both AEROSMITH's and Harley-Davidson's most recognizable logos to create an iconic and a collaborative design, joining the two brands with the wings of freedom.

* Aero Force One is titled as an ode to the AEROSMITH's devoted fan base and was designed as an emblem showcasing the alliance of these two American powerhouse legends.

* Toxic Twins is a graphic riff on the nickname for the band's songwriting duo and a further reference to the AEROSMITH and Harley-Davidson partnership. This design features both logos encased with snakes meant to represent the strength and spirit of both renowned brands.

* Draw The Line takes the art from AEROSMITH's album of the same name and infuses the tire tread and exhaust pipes of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to represent the thunderous energy that ties rock and roll music and motorcycles together.

This limited and legendary collection features men's and women's graphic T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, and tank tops.

Find a dealer using Harley-Davidson's dealer locator at www.h-d.com/dealerlocator.

AEROSMITH is one of the best-selling American rock bands of all-time, having sold over 150 million albums worldwide and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. With 25 gold albums, 18 platinum albums, and 12 multi-platinum albums, they hold the record for the most total certifications by an American band and are tied for the most multi-platinum albums by an American band. The band has scored 21 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including nine No. 1 Mainstream Rock hits. They are the recipients of countless awards including four Grammys, six American Music Awards, four Billboard Awards, 10 MTV Video Music Awards and the MusiCares Person Of The Year, among many other honors. Proving that they can cross genre-boundaries with ease, these rock legends have even taken home a Soul Train Award for "Best Rap Single" for their remix of RUN-DMC's "Walk This Way".

THE OFFSPRING has launched the "How To: With The Offspring" video series in which singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland and guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman share with their fans "a vast amount of useless knowledge" that they've accumulated over the years. The first episode, in which Dexter teaches you how to ride the waves like a pro, can be seen below.

Said Holland: "See, we've accumulated a certain amount of useless knowledge over the years about stuff we'd like to share with you. Let's just say that in these videos, we're gonna show you how to do a bunch of stuff that, well, you don't really know how to do."

THE OFFSPRING's tenth studio album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", will arrive on April 16 via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Days Go By" was produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band's last two LPs.

Holland, Wasserman, drummer Pete Parada and new bassist Todd Morse wrote and recorded "Let The Bad Times Roll" in the last few years at various locations, including the band's studio in Huntington Beach, California.

Speaking about the inspiration for the "Let The Bad Times Roll" album title, Dexter told HardDrive Radio: "We had a song two albums ago [on 2008's 'Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace'] called 'Shit Is Fucked Up'. We wrote that 'cause we thought how terrible things were in the world back then. But it actually got worse. So we had to come up with a new title, 'Let The Bad Times Roll'.

"You can apply it to a lot of things," he explained. "I mean, we're not a political band. Some people would apply it to the last administration. Some people would apply it to things that are going on today, or just how messed up everything is, trying to fix our pandemic and all that kind of stuff."

Added Noodles: "But really, it's not just an American-centric thing either, cause you're seeing stuff happening around the world. There's unrest happening literally everywhere — on all continents. You're seeing unrest, and then you're also seeing anti-democratic forces kind of taking power in some places, in which case causes more unrest. So, yeah, the whole world is a little bit of a scary place right now."

Dexter continued: "That's right. Climate change, climate deniers, vaccine, anti-vaxxers — whatever you want, it's out there."






Introducing the HOW TO: WITH THE OFFSPRING Video series!

Over the years we've accumulated a vast amount of useless knowledge that we'd like to share with you! Get ready to learn about a whole bunch of stuff that you'll probably never really need to know. pic.twitter.com/tAHM3cohZ1

— The Offspring (@offspring) March 31, 2021

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Lipps Service With Scott Lipps" podcast, Myles Kennedy was asked if ALTER BRIDGE is working on material for the follow-up to 2019's "Walk The Sky" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are not yet. I think everybody's kind of hunkered down in their own solo project. I know Mark Tremonti [guitar] is in that world right now. Obviously, I've got [my second solo album coming out]. So I would say we'll start thinking about that more towards the end of the year, early next year. Speaking for myself as a writer, I need to refill the creative well. Having done the ALTER BRIDGE record, and then the second solo record, I need to get those creative juices built back up again."

Kennedy also once again confirmed that SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS are putting together ideas for a new album. "The back-and-forth process has been going on now for months," he said. "So, lots of stuff in the works there. And we'll just see what happens as far as a release and all that. Obviously, these are crazy times with the COVID."

ALTER BRIDGE released a seven-song EP, "Walk The Sky 2.0", last November via Napalm Records. The effort contains live versions of a few of the band's favorites from "Walk The Sky" — "Wouldn't You Rather", "Pay No Mind", "Native Son", "Godspeed", "In The Deep" and "Dying Light" — as well as one new studio track, "Last Rites", which was written, recorded and completed entirely during the COVID-19 lockdown.

"Walk The Sky" was released in October 2019 via Napalm Records.

Myles will release his sophomore solo album, "The Ides Of March", on May 14 via Napalm Records. Myles created the framework for the song ideas that would make up LP before calling up his cohorts from his "Year Of The Tiger" debut — longtime friend and drummer Zia Uddin and bassist/manager Tim Tournier. The three musicians then drove to Florida to record the album with longtime producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette.

Robert Plant says that PINK FLOYD's "quick one-off" show at Live 8 in 2005 was an inspiration for LED ZEPPELIN's final concert two years later.

LED ZEPPELIN's December 10, 2007 performance during the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert was chronicled on the band's 2012 "Celebration Day" CD and DVD. The set, which featured Jason Bonham subbing for his late father John Bonham on drums, marked Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones's first full-scale show together since John Bonham's 1980 death.

Speaking in the "My Guide To Life" feature in Issue 14 of Planet Rock magazine, Plant explained that ZEPPELIN's O2 concert had parallels to the last time David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright took the stage together.

"I liked what FLOYD did at Live 8 — a quick one-off and let's leave it at that. They did it for a good cause," Plant said. "It's was the same when ZEPPELIN did the charity show for Ahmet. We had a prolonged affinity with Ahmet, so if there was ever a reason for [a reunion] to happen, that was it. But the idea of doing it next summer and the summer after that and so on is enough to break me out in hives."

Two years ago, Plant told Rolling Stone magazine that the 2007 concert "was magnificent. We hit a home run that night, which is something that we were really fearful of. There was probably more riding on that than we would care to believe.

"Our performance was crucial, but we could reproduce sound in a much more reliable way, so we could be kickass, and sound kickass," he added. "Some of those horrific gigs way back were lacking in quality."

After the the O2 Arena concert, Page and Jones were looking for a way to keep working and tried out several singers, including AEROSMITH's Steven Tyler and ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy.

The option for a three-quarter ZEPPELIN reunion ended when Jones accepted an offer to form THEM CROOKED VULTURES with Dave Grohl and Josh Homme. Page later said: "I guess that was a pretty definitive statement."

Page said "the LED ZEPPELIN question" is never far from people's lips, joking, "People ask me nearly every day about a possible reunion. The answer is 'no.' It's been [more than a decade] since the O2. There's always a possibility that they can exhume me and put me onstage in a coffin and play a tape."

Drummer Kjetil-Vidar "Frost" Haraldstad of Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON spoke to Hayley Leggs at last weekend's Hellfest in France about the band's decision to stop performing live in the U.S. "We're not gonna have any more ordinary club tours happening," he said (see video below). "It's ridiculous the amount of bureaucratic work involved. What you have to document as a European band going to the U.S. now is beyond rational. It seems like American authorities try to prevent European bands from going to the U.S. It's like they say, 'Hire American musicians. Have the vocalist over and hire the rest of the band.' It's just weird; I cannot find a better word for it. And nobody I've been talking to — even Americans themselves — understands the very, very problematic process. You have to work for an entire year to plan for a four-week tour to happen, and you don't even know whether you can actually make it and get the paperwork done in time etc. etc. So it takes the fun out of touring, really."

According to Frost, the decision to no longer visit the U.S. as a headlining act was the logical resolution to what had become an all-consuming issue.

"The way we have experienced this, that's the only conclusion that we can draw," he said. "I mean, just thinking about starting a process like that again makes you want to just stop touring, and that's not how it should be. There should be some fun as well — it should be about the music. We still like that, but when more than 99 percent of what you do is just bureaucratic work, then it's just very, very crappy, the whole thing. But it was cool touring there; I'm glad that we got to do this [most recent U.S.] tour… It's still cool to play there, and shows like those that we had in Los Angeles and New York, and Montreal in Canada as well, [they were] just fantastic. And generally, I have to say, everywhere where we went, we got a very, very good reception… We have become very accustomed to great crowds, but still, it was beating expectations, I have to say."

Frost's latest comments echo those made by his bandmate, frontman Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven, who told Loudwire that SATYRICON's absence from the U.S. shores is not due to the fact "black metal is not big and important like it is in Europe. It's not because flights are too expensive," he explained. "They say that we're not even going to look at [the visas] unless you have a contract saying you are indeed playing there. Then when we go back and say, 'How can we sign a contract with someone if we don't even know if you're going to give us the permits to perform?' Then they tell you that is your problem, not [theirs]. You just have to book the tour and hope everything goes well or else there will be no tour at all."

Satyr didn't completely rule out future SATYRICON live appearances in the U.S. "If some band wants to bring us over there and there's machinery in the future willing to pay for all of this to be organized on our behalf, sure, I'm happy to come back and tour the U.S.," he said. "It is highly unlikely for that to ever happen. Secondly, no one has ever offered me something like that — I really wholeheartedly think that this [most recent tour] will be it."

According to Vulture, a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa is sometimes used by musicians who enter the country to perform — they're technically classified as tourists, and they cannot be paid, whether or not tickets are sold for their concerts. However, border-patrol agents are seemingly eschewing those acquired visas, even for one-off promotional appearances, and seeking P-1 or P-2 visas instead, which is a performance visa most commonly used by musicians coming into the country.

For the entertainment group and its members to qualify for the P-1 visa, at least 75 percent of the members of the group must have had a substantial and sustained relationship with the group for at least one year. Also, the entertainment group must be internationally recognized, meaning, it must have a high level of achievement evidenced by a degree of skill and recognition substantially above what is ordinarily encountered. The reputation of the group, not the individual achievements of its members, must be internationally recognized.

In a recent interview with Uncle Steve's Iron Maiden Zone, former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley was asked if he would ever consider touring with the band again if he was approached about it. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the first is they have to ask. But it's a thing that I think would be really fun for the fans. I mean, Bruce [Dickinson, MAIDEN's current singer] is just a heroic singer to me. I've always loved his voice. He's a fantastic singer. He's brilliant. He's a fantastic performer. He is the top in the world at what he does. So it's incredible.

"I think it would be really for fans if you had Paul [Di'Anno, former MAIDEN singer], Blaze and Bruce [all performing with MAIDEN in one night]," he continued. "I think it would be fun. Not really serious, but we all sing a couple of key songs from [each] era, and then Bruce closes the show. I just think it would be fun. But I think you'd need a lot of security because there'd be some people who still hate me — they still hate me — and they're gonna be going, 'All right, rubbish compared to Bruce.' And then there are people that love me, and they're gonna be going, 'Shut up!' So there might be some fights breaking out; you just don't know. But I think it would be funny, man. I can imagine the conversations in the bar that the fans would have: 'Who do you think is better?'

"I think it would be fun, but I think IRON MAIDEN have got a lot of great music [left in them]," Blaze added. "I spoke to Steve [Harris, MAIDEN founder and leader] last month. I think they've got a lot of great music. Steve's as fired up as he ever has been. So there's a lot of great music for them to do.

"I think somewhere in the future, it would be a really fun idea. I don't think it will happen — I don't think it will ever happen — but I think it would be fun if it did."

The 57-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left to join MAIDEN, with whom he recorded two studio albums — 1995's "The X Factor" 1998's and "Virtual XI" — before Dickinson returned to the group. The MAIDEN albums he appeared on sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN in 1999, Bayley has released a number of albums, including several under the moniker BLAZE and more than a handful under his own name. He also appeared on 2012's "Wolfsbane Saves The World", the first album of new material by WOLFSBANE since the group's self-titled 1994 effort.

Blaze will release a new studio album, "War Within Me", on April 9. All songs were written and produced by Blaze and guitarist Christopher Appleton.

In the latest issue of Rock Candy magazine, editor Howard Johnson interviews the man who almost replaced legendary AC/DC frontman Bon Scott after the singer's untimely death in 1980.

Steve Burton was an unknown vocalist in Birmingham, England, earning a living working as a roadie for a number of bands, including JUDAS PRIEST. Two roadie friends from Birmingham, Terry Lee and Keith Evans, were working for AC/DC — Terry as lighting director and Keith as Angus Young's guitar tech. When Bon died on February 19, 1980, both suggested "Burtie" for the vacant vocalist's slot.

"I went down to London to audition for the band," Burtie confirms in the Rock Candy interview. "I got along fine with everyone and thought I did well, but for whatever reason, I didn't get the gig, and it went to Brian Johnson, of course. But I must have made an impression on the band, because soon afterwards I got a call asking if I'd be interested in working with Angus and Malcolm Young's nephew, Stevie. He was putting a new band together in Birmingham and Malcolm had told him he should get hold of me."

Stevie and Burtie ended up forming STARFIGHTERS, and within three months, the band was offered the support slot on the U.K. leg of AC/DC's "Back In Black" tour. Malcolm was so impressed with the group that he ended up working with STARFIGHTERS on a demo that led to the band signing to Jive Records.

"We played the last show of the tour at the Victoria Apollo Theatre in London," recalls Burtie. "And as soon as AC/DC had finished their set, Malcolm came off stage, toweled himself down, threw his jacket on and jumped in the minibus with us. We went straight to Morgan Studios in Willesden and from 11 o'clock at night until nine the next morning, we recorded, with Malcolm helping us out. We did two songs, 'Alley Cat Blues' and 'Rock 'Em Dead', and those two songs got us signed to Jive."

STARFIGHTERS recorded two albums for Jive, "Starfighters" in 1981 and "In-Flight Movie" in 1982, but success proved elusive and the group soon split.

"I'd given up everything for the band," says Burtie. "Because you know how it is. You're on your way to stardom, you're going to settle in America, all that stuff. I ended up working in my mate's caff in Birmingham for two years flipping burgers." The singer isn't bitter, though, despite his former bandmate Stevie Young having gone on to replace Malcolm in AC/DC back in 2014.

"I've never been jealous of anyone's success," says Burtie. "Whatever happens in life you've got to carry on, whether it be playing in a band or shoveling shit all day."

Read this, and many other fascinating stories — including how Ronnie James Dio nearly joined glam rock band SWEET — in issue 25 of Rock Candy.

Rock Candy is a 100-page, full-color bi-monthly rock mag, created in the U.K. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock music, the '70s and '80s. Put together by respected U.K. rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome — all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era — Rock Candy is available in print format with a free digital download version for anyone who buys the mag online at www.rockcandymag.com.

Irish metal band For Ruin have released their digital-only four track EP, Relapse, on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and all other common streaming platforms. The first digital single from the EP, "In Vain", was released on March 17th. All EP tracks are available for streaming below via the band’s YouTube channel.

Founding member John Murphy reignited the band’s spark over the past 2-3 years, writing a wide range of new material. On completion of a home studio renovation, he began to refine and record songs intended for For Ruin as well the doom metal band he is active in, The Grief (whose debut EP’s and full-length were both released in 2020).

Eight For Ruin songs were recorded and performed by Murphy at The Barn and the first of which was the Elapse EP - this second EP Relapse completes the release of the eight songs marking the return of the band to creativity.

The eight songs have been mastered by Marko Tervonen (The Crown) during August 2020 at Studio-MT, in Sweden.  Artwork for both EP’s comes from Ken Coleman (Morbid Angel, The Cranberries).

Tracklisting:

“Devout”
“Only The Dead”
“In Vain”
“Bastion”




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Glasgow, UK based rock band Mason Hill has released the official music video for their blistering single, "D.N.A.". Directed and produced by David Barras and Scott McKay for Strangeboat Productions, "D.N.A." is the third single off the band's chart dominating debut album, Against The Wall.

Released on March 5th, Against The Wall landed at #19 on the UK national album chart, and reached over 750,000 streams on Spotify. Against The Wall also hit #1 in the UK rock album chart, marking the first time a rock band has debuted with their album in the UK Top 20 since Greta Van Fleet in 2018. Also, the first time a British rock act has debuted with their album in the UK Top 20 and # 1 in the UK rock album chart since Royal Blood and Lonely The Brave back in 2014.

It's an incredible achievement for a new British rock band, starting from an almost zero sales base, and during a pandemic when there has been no traditional retail, no live shows or touring opportunities. 

“Our fans have been so supportive and to have a top 20 national album on our first release is mind blowing. We are extremely humbled at the reception Against The Wall has received and needless to say, it has been an extremely bright light for us during this long Covid tunnel. It has made us even more hungry to get back out and play live again. Everyone is itching to crank up the volume and blast out the new material.” - (Scott Taylor - vocals)

Tracklisting:

"Reborn" 
"No Regret" 
"Against The Wall" 
"Broken Son" 
"D.N.A." 
"Who We Are" 
"Find My Way" 
"Hold On" 
"Out Of Reach" 
"We Pray" 
"Where I Belong" 
"Reborn" (Reprise)

"Against The Wall":

"Hold On":

Mason Hill is set to release their next digital single, a cover of the 2005 Foo Fighters hit "The Best Of You," to all platforms on April 23.

 

 




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Video footage of Scorpions performing "Rock 'N' Roll Band", live in Brooklyn, New York in September 2015 as part of their Return To Forever tour, can be seen below:

Scorpions recently announced that their Sin City Nights Vegas Residency dates, scheduled for May 8 - 30, 2021 at Zappos Theater, have been rescheduled to March 26 - April 16, 2022 with special guests Queensrÿche.

"We can’t wait to be reunited with all of you then," says the band.

Fans who have purchased tickets to an affected performance will have their tickets automatically transferred to a new date with the exact same seats, including VIP packages where applicable. If you are unable to attend that date, please visit your original point of purchase for a refund. Those interested in purchasing tickets for the new dates can do so at ticketmaster.com/scorpionsvegas.




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SEETHER has shared a video for an acoustic version of its "Bruised And Bloodied" single, a standout track from the band's latest album, "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum" ("If You Want Peace, Prepare For War") which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Hard Rock chart upon its release last year.

SEETHER frontman Shaun Morgan previously stated about the track: "'Bruised And Bloodied' is a mix of self-deprecation and rage, neatly wrapped up in a sexy groove with a big shiny pop bow on top. Essentially, it is a combination of shame and sadness delivered in a cheerful way, as I've always enjoyed juxtaposing jaded lyrics with a jubilant melody."

"Bruised And Bloodied", the second single released from "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum", follows "Dangerous", which topped rock radio for three consecutive weeks last fall. In between, the band shared videos for two fan-favorite album tracks "Beg" and "Wasteland". Additionally, SEETHER has been highlighting tracks from its multi-platinum-selling catalog with a series of virtual acoustic performance videos via its YouTube channel.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, SEETHER released three of its classic albums — "Disclaimer II", "Karma And Effect" and "Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces" — on vinyl for the very first time in November via Craft Recordings. Released early in the band's remarkable run, these three albums exemplify the distinctive musicianship and songcraft for which SEETHER is best known and helped solidify them as one of the most successful hard rock bands in the world.

Since forming in Pretoria, South Africa in 1999, SEETHER has amassed a global fan base that has grown organically with the quartet's sense of purpose and commitment spreading outwards, offering their fans around the world camaraderie, comfort and a sense of personal power. While others of their ilk faded away, SEETHER maintains a strong sense of self, ignoring trends and critics in favor of a consummate devotion to their craft. Their impressive sales and chart history includes three platinum and two gold albums, 16 No. 1 singles (including 2017's "Let You Down", 2014's "Words As Weapons" and 2011's "Tonight"); 20 Top 5 multi-format hits, with U.S. singles sales topping 17 million and over 1.5 billion streams worldwide across all platforms.

They are also creators of the Rise Above Fest, founded in 2012 to raise awareness for suicide prevention and mental illness. Past headliners of the annual gathering include Slash, GODSMACK, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, PAPA ROACH and many more. Since conception, the Rise Above Fest has turned into a broader movement, expanding its presence at additional music festivals around the globe. All SEETHER shows donate $1 of ticket sales to benefit the SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices Of Education) organization.

Photo credit: Laura E. Partain