IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith has told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that fans can expect some surprises when the band finally returns to the road once the pandemic has subsided. "I think it'll be worth the wait, put it like that, as far as the MAIDEN thing goes," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "There are some very, very exciting things in the pipeline. So that's all I can say, really… But I think the fans are gonna be delighted."

IRON MAIDEN currently has European tour dates booked from June 5 through July 11, although it is almost certain that the shows will be postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.

IRON MAIDEN's latest double live album was released in November via BMG. Containing over 100 minutes of classic MAIDEN music and available in multiple formats, including a limited-edition Mexican Flag, triple-colored (180g) vinyl and a limited-edition deluxe two-CD book format, "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City" was recorded during the band's three sold-out arena shows there in September 2019 and is a celebration of their "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour which began in 2018.

IRON MAIDEN hasn't released any fresh music since 2015's "The Book Of Souls" LP, which was recorded in late 2014 in Paris, France with longtime producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley.

"The Book Of Souls" was the longest MAIDEN album, clocking in at 92 minutes, with lyrics heavily based in the themes of death, reincarnation, the soul and mortality.

Smith is currently promoting the debut album from his collaborative project with Richie Kotzen. Recorded on the Turks & Caicos Islands in February 2020, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, SMITH/KOTZEN's nine-track opus is a consummate collaboration between these two highly respected musicians who co-wrote all the songs and also share lead vocals and trade off on guitar and bass duties throughout the rec

OBITUARY frontman John Tardy has confirmed to France's United Rock Nations that the band has used some of the downtime during the coronavirus pandemic to work on material for a new studio album. "We've definitely been working on new tunes, and we've been taking our time," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We didn't feel like releasing [a new album] now in the middle of the pandemic when you can't go on tour and support it is not what we wanted to do, so we're in no hurry. But by the time next year comes around, we're gonna be hitting the road again. We're getting tours set up, and we will be releasing another album next year before we hit the road and start touring again. So we are currently working on new material."

Asked what fans can expect from the follow-up to OBITUARY's 2017 self-titled album, John said: "I think it's just gonna sound like OBITUARY. [Laughs] You know us — we're kind of cavemen; we don't like to evolve too much. We like to change it up and do a little here and there, but we're getting too old to change too much, I think. So as long as it's heavy and pounding, then that's what you can expect."

John's latest comments echo those made by his brother, drummer Donald Tardy, who told Italy's "Heavy Demons" radio show that he and his bandmates are "very excited about the new songs. [They're] very OBITUARY style, but just like a good red wine that's been opened, it's just getting tastier and tastier. Some of these riffs and some of these songs that we have for the new album fans are really gonna love. We stick to our roots. We are OBITUARY. We do not try to play a million miles an hour. We want it to be midtempo and groovy and heavy, and that's really what we're trying to deliver to our fans."

Earlier in the month, OBITUARY announced a new two-part spring livestream series. The band performed its favorite songs on March 27 and will run through its classic third album, 1992's "The End Complete", in its entirety on April 3.

Tickets, t-shirts and bundles are available at www.obituarylive.com.

Last October, OBITUARY took part in a three-part "live stream concert series" featuring full-album performances of "Slowly We Rot", "Cause Of Death" and rare classics. The first two streams — a "Slowly We Rot" set; and a "Cause Of Death" set — were live from the ESI Streaming Studio in Tampa, Florida. The third stream, featuring rare classics and special tracks, was broadcasted live from OBITUARY's recording studio in Gibsonton, Florida.

Photo credit: Stefan Schippe

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, George Lynch was asked if there has been any talk of more shows featuring the reunited classic lineup of DOKKEN. He responded: "I've actually been talking to Don [Dokken] a little bit, and we're both in agreement that that should probably happen — meaning some kind of a meaningful reunion done in the right way, carefully and with proper preparation and time and rehearsals and not just throwing it out there like we did last time." George went on to say that "the obvious choice" to replace DOKKEN's recently retired drummer "Wild" Mick Brown would be Mick's brother Steve, who can be heard playing alongside Lynch and ex-DOKKEN bassist Jeff Pilson on the upcoming THE END MACHINE album, "Phase2".

In a separate interview with Alamo True Metal, Lynch reflected on the last time DOKKEN's classic lineup — Dokken, Lynch, Pilson and Mick Brown — reunited for a short Japanese tour in the fall of 2016. The trek marked the first time in 21 years the four musicians had hit the road together.

"I think I was slightly disappointed in it — not overwhelmingly disappointed, but I have some regrets," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I wish we had prepared more. And I know we all feel that way. 'Cause of the logistics, we all had things we had to do right after the time we had allotted and beforehand. So we just were barely able to even pull it off with everybody else's pre-existing commitments. The fact that we got to do it at all was… you know, we were fortunate for even being able to pull it off. So we were a little underprepared, I feel. And yes, we were offered a good amount of money to go to Japan and do some other things, so it made it just kind of a no-brainer."

A DOKKEN concert DVD focusing on the band's reunion tour, "Return To The East Live (2016)", was made available in 2018. In addition to the Japanese performance, the set included footage from the classic lineup's only U.S. show in September 2016 at Badlands in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as well as newly recorded acoustic reworkings of "Heaven Sent" and "Will The Sun Rise". Also featured on "Return To The East Live (2016)" was "It's Just Another Day", the first DOKKEN track featuring the group's classic lineup since 1997's "Shadowlife".

Since completing the Japanese reunion dates, DOKKEN has continued to perform with the group's current lineup — including bassist Chris McCarvill, guitarist Jon Levin and drummer BJ Zampa (HOUSE OF LORDS).

Over the past four years, Lynch has appeared on recordings by THE END MACHINE, KXM, ULTRAPHONIX and SWEET & LYNCH.

MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern held the latest "Electric Happy Hour" on Friday, March 26 during which they performed their sixth album, 2007's "The Blackening", in its entirety. You can now watch the video below.

Featured songs:

5:42 Clenching The Fists Of Dissent

14:23 Beautiful Mourning

22:50 Aesthetics Of Hate

30:40 Now I Lay Thee Down

36:37 Slanderous

42:17 Halo

58:03 Wolves

1:08:47 A Farewell To Arms

1:18:29 Imperium

1:30:09 The Dagger

1:35:53 Battery

1:37:45 Thunder Kiss '65

1:39:55 Old

1:50:48 Darkness Within (acoustic) (intro 1 - memories from The Blackening)

2:01:14 Darkness Within (acoustic) (intro 2)

2:03:50 Darkness Within (acoustic)

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Flynn has been staging "Acoustic Happy Hour" solo sessions every Friday, during which he has performed a number of MH tunes as well as covers of other artists' songs.

Flynn told Kerrang! magazine about "Acoustic Happy Hour": "It's just basically a free show on Facebook. I try to learn two new songs every Friday. I take requests, and I try to play MACHINE HEAD songs that have never been played live acoustic. Last week I covered MUSE, TOOL and LYNYRD SKYNYRD. It's been fucking awesome. The first three or four were horrible — I knew they were — but I knew that if I kept sucking for six weeks I would get past it.

"For the first 20 years of my career, I never took singing lessons," he continued. "Then I did some about 10 years ago. With these acoustic shows, I've been back in contact with my old singing teacher to try and figure out why I can do a three-and-a-half hour MACHINE HEAD show, but this clean singing is kicking my ass. It's been an opportunity to un-learn all the wrong shit and get an opportunity to do things right."

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

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

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

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

During the latest episode of Elton John's Apple Music 1 show "Rocket Hour", the legendary singer told guest SG Lewis that he recorded "something" with METALLICA.

"I've just done something with METALLICA," he revealed. "During this lockdown period, I've been working with [the virtual band] GORILLAZ and people like that. I haven't been doing any Elton stuff, but I've been doing great stuff with other people."

It is not clear what project with METALLICA Elton was referring to, but earlier this year, Miley Cyrus said that her upcoming METALLICA covers album will feature John playing the piano on her version of "Nothing Else Matters".

In a January 2021 interview with U.K. radio station Capital FM, Cyrus said: "I did a METALLICA cover of 'Nothing Else Matters' featuring Elton John on piano, I've got Yo-Yo Ma, Chad Smith; so many all-stars in this band. I'm so excited about this collaboration."

Cyrus continued: "I mean, having Elton John and METALLICA and me ... I love when ingredients don't quite fit. Or it seems like a concoction that no one would ever put together, and you gotta have someone like [the song's producer Andrew] Watt that will take that risk."

In September 2019, around the time when METALLICA played two concerts concerts with the San Francisco Symphony at the city's Chase Center, drummer Lars Ulrich posted a picture of him, his wife and John on Instagram, writing: "Beyond inspiring to spend an evening in the company of one of the greatest songwriters and entertainers ever... thank you Elton for your generosity and embracing vibes!"

Last year, John made a guest appearance on on Ozzy Osbourne's "Ordinary Man" album, playing piano and singing on the title track.

Earlier this month, METALLICA celebrated the 35th anniversary of its classic third album, "Master Of Puppets", by performing the song "Battery" on an episode of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert".

In January, Ulrich told Classic Rock that METALLICA was making "glacial" progress on the follow-up to 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album. Two months earlier, Ulrich said in an interview with Rolling Stone that METALLICA was nearly a month into "some pretty serious writing" sessions for its next studio album. That same month, Lars told Kara Swisher at the CNBC Evolve Summit that he and his METALLICA bandmates have been working on new music for "the last six [to] eight weeks virtually." But he admitted that they have encountered a myriad of technical issues which have slowed their progress.
























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Lars Ulrich (@larsulrich)

On Saturday, March 27, NIGHT RANGER performed at SeaWorld's Seven Seas Food Festival in Orlando, Florida. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube user "concertsrock").

All theaters and stadiums at SeaWorld Orlando are operating at limited capacity with modified seating to allow for proper physical distancing.

Last fall, NIGHT RANGER commenced the songwriting and recording process for its as-yet-untitled new studio album. Due later this year via Frontiers Music Srl, the LP will be the follow-up to "Don't Let Up", which was released in March 2017.

Songwriting started with the three original members Jack Blades (lead vocals/bass), Kelly Keagy (lead vocals/drums), and Brad Gillis (lead and rhythm guitars) meeting and putting their initial ideas together. The recording then began, with Eric Levy (keyboards) and Keri Kelli (lead and rhythm guitars) joining the process. The plan, subject to change, was to deliver the record to Frontiers in the first few months of 2021 for a tentative summer release.

NIGHT RANGER stated: "What this world needs now is to come together through music and NIGHT RANGER is on it! We are excited to create a new studio album with our great partners at Frontiers Music. Our biggest problem is that we have so many songs, we're trying to figure out which ones to leave off! Rock and Roll baby."

With more than 17 million albums sold worldwide, over 3,000 live shows performed, NIGHT RANGER's popularity is fueled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks such as "Sister Christian", "Don't Tell Me You Love Me", "When You Close Your Eyes" and the anthemic "(You Can Still) Rock In America".

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his singer wife Toyah Willcox - accompanied by a mysterious stranger - are back with another episode in their "Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch" series. This time they take on ZZ Top's "Gimme All Your Lovin'". Watch below:

Watch Robert & Toyah's renditions of Motörhead's "Ace Of Spades", Mötley Crüe's "Girls, Girls, Girls", the Black Sabbath classic “Paranoid”, Metallica's "Enter Sandman", and Alice Cooper's "Poison", below:




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Withering Surface, the founders of Danish melo-death metal, have released a new single "Dressed To Kill". Check it out below.

The band comments: "'Dressed To Kill' is a tribute to the female nature and how we all love it when she dresses to kill and enters the night. Produced, mixed and mastered by Jakob Gundel and Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Pretty Maids)."

After a decade of silence, Withering Surface returned in April 2020 with a new single and video to please the In Flames, Kreator, Dark Tranquility, Soilwork - and their own fans. BraveWords premiered the video "Alone" – check it out!

The video is by Morten Madsen / Popshit Film and graphic design by Martin Helgren and Niklas Sundin.

"'Alone' is about cleaning up and down scaling. Looking at yourself having lived half of your life. What are your values, what do you appreciate, who are your friends? Taking hard and brutal decisions mean you will be left out in the cold all alone before entering the other side. Feeling solitude and being able to actually spend time alone in your own company is something a lot of people fear. I don’t. And in these lyrics I am even privileged by the company of the Wilson sisters, who I have loved and adored since I was a kid. And in some way I am looking back at our The Nude Ballet album, which was released in a time when I was heartbroken, and the company of Kate Bush helped me find the way," says Michael H. Andersen, vocalist.

Their album, Meet Your Maker, was released on June 19th, 2020 worldwide on LP, CD, and digital by Mighty Music. Production duties was handled by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amaranthe) and the artwork was created by Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquillity).

Jacob Hansen states: "Once in a while you're surprised with how some of the classic bands resurface and set a new standard. Withering Surface is such band!"

Niklas Sundin was also not indifferent. "Withering Surface was one of those bands from the mid-'90's scene that never got the recognition they deserved", he says. "Things were very different back then, and there were a lot of excellent artists that remained in relative obscurity due to bad distribution/promotion, lack of tour support or similar reasons causing their music to be unheard by a lot of people that would enjoy it. I therefore got positively surprised when learning that the band was back after a long hiatus and even more excited upon listening to their new material and realizing that they have come with something truly great. The influences from the various sub-styles of what's broadly called ‘melodic death metal’ are there, but the songs display a strong sense on individuality and great skill both in songwriting and execution. Well done!"

Line-up: 
Allan Tvedebrink – guitars
Jakob Møller Gundel – drums
Jesper Kvist – bass
Morten Lybecker – keys
Michael H. Andersen – vocals
Marcel Lech – guitars




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Ligature Marks, a Portland, Oregon based metal band, has revealed the official music video for their new single, “Noise In The Signal”, from their upcoming album due out later in 2021. 

The band comments: “The idea behind 'Noise In The Signal' is about being bombarded by a constant stream of overstimulation to the point of losing sight of our own truths. The signal might be loud, but that doesn’t always mean that it's clear. I think the song and video really showcase the band's current trajectory. We’ve been writing more collectively and have been coming up with even more elaborate music video ideas.”

The accompanying visuals create a dizzying landscape that leaves the viewer unsure of what is real and what exists merely in the character’s mind. Ligature Marks guitarist, Karl Whinnery, pulled double duty as he also directed the video.

Ligature Marks' debut album, Set Oceans On Fire, earned them incredible popularity in the Pacific Northwest; resulting in the opportunity to perform alongside notable bands including: Gojira, Soulfly, Unearth, and Skinlab. The album, live shows, and their unique approach to videos, including interesting release parties in haunted vintage theaters and a state of the art planetarium, have continued to push the band forward in 2021.

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Bowling Green, Kentucky rock band Kiss Kiss Bang has released the official music video for the lead single off of their sophomore EP, Hungry, High & Seeing Things, available now via Bandcamp. “High Price (For Peace Of Mind)” was shot by 254 Productions in Bowling Green, KY, directed by Brandon Taylor, with lighting and additional photography by Lily Thompson.

The brand new EP from rock band Kiss Kiss Bang, Hungry, High & Seeing Things, is the culmination of a band living in unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic left a lot of artists stuck at a stand-still. With the world shut down and nothing to do but wait, artists do what artists do...create. Over the course of the pandemic, Kiss Kiss Bang came together, safely, and recorded four new tracks. With a hired drummer and one founding member short, the band spent three days beating out these new songs before going into the studio. This EP is the direct result from that hard work. This is a record you're going to want to turn way up... all the way up.

Hungry, High & Seeing Things artwork and tracklisting:

"Solid Gold"
"High Price (For Peace Of Mind)"
"Easy 2 Love"
"Slow Motion"

Kiss Kiss Bang is a classic rock n’ roll quintet, born and bred in the heart of western Kentucky, from a powerhouse of a raw and electric modern slam band with monstrous guitars and Eagles-style vocals that carry near constant three part harmonies. Accompanied by a thundering rhythm section of groove running bass and wild n’ out, heavy hitting drums that act as a constant heartbeat to the already tight and locked in Bowling Green showmen, Kiss Kiss Bang have been one of the top tier, heavyweights of the local music scene for only a few years. A complete renovation from the ground up in 2018 changed not only the sound of the band, but the soul itself. Sharing stages with multiple national acts over the last couple of years have helped the young bloods get a little more long in the tooth, and wiser at just what it takes to not only get to the top, but fking stay there!

For further details, visit Kiss Kiss Bang on Facebook.

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Carolinas based heavy rock band The L.A. Maybe - fronted by lead singer Alvi Robinson, made famous when he was nearly selected to front AC/DC in 2016 - have released the official music video for their third single, "Oh Sugar".

"Oh Sugar" appears on The L.A. Maybe's just released debut album, Dirty Damn Tricks. Get your copy now at this location.

Tracklisting:

"Mr. Danger"
"Sucker Punch"
"Oh Sugar"
"She's Reckless"
"Peace Of Mind"
"When I'm Gone"
"Take Me Away"
"Sweet"
"Fake"
"Up Next To You"

"Mr. Danger":

"Sucker Punch":

To read BraveWords scribe Aaron Small's new interview with The L.A. Maybe vocalist Alvi Robinson, click here.

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza's official Menza Nation YouTube channel has uploaded pro-shot video of Megadeth performing "Ashes In Your Mouth" at the Hammersmith Apollo in 1992. Check it out below.

The song is taken from the Countdown To Extinction album, released in 1992 and featuring the classic line-up of Dave Mustaine (vocals, guitars), David Ellefson (bass) Marty Friedman (guitars) and Nick Menza (drums).

Screaming Butterfly Entertainment has revealed the cover artwork for This Was My Life - The Story of Nick Menza. The uncensored documentary film that will focus on Nick's life and musical career.

The cover photo for the film was shot by Los Angeles music photographer Alex Solca and designed by Brazilian artwork designer Alcides Burn of Burn Artworks and can be viewed below.

"This Was My Life" will be the first ever film to memorialize Menza's legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was, described as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic Rust In Peace lineup."

"This Was My Life" will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive un-realsed audio recordings and content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow band members, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with. The film will also include new interviews with those who knew Nick and were touched by his life.

Menza's longtime personal manager Robert Bolger said: "I am very excited to be working with Screaming Butterfly Entertainment on Nick's official documentary. There's a lot of published misinformation out there about Nick that isn't true and I am very happy to bring the truth forth. Nick loved his fans and always said without the fans none this would be possible. I really think Nick's fans will enjoy this journey through his life."

Executive producer Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment added: "As both a filmmaker, and fellow metalhead who deeply values the metal community, I am honored and excited to go on this journey alongside all of you."

Photographer Alex Solca said: "I am so glad Screaming Butterfly have chosen to use that photo, because Nick was really into it and worked hard to get that perfect pose."

Visit the newly launched "This Was My Life" website, here.

Menza's official autobiography, Megalife: The Autobiography Of Nick Menza by J. Marshall Craig, was released in December 2018 via Post Hill Press.

Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Nick rightfully earned his place as one of heavy metal's fiercest drummers during Megadeth's 10-year commercial peak. The highlight of his career, Nick said, was playing Rock In Rio before more than 100,000 people. The lowest point was being fired by Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine while he was still in a hospital bed after surgery to remove what doctors feared was a cancerous growth.




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and SONS OF APOLLO vocalist Jeff Scott Soto have been collaborating on some new material recently under the moniker ELLEFSON-SOTO. They are joined in the group by Italian guitarist Andy Martongelli and drummer Paolo Caridi, both of whom previously worked with David on his ELLEFSON solo project.

Asked by Chris Akin of "The Classic Metal Show" what ELLEFSON-SOTO will sound like, David said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I look at it like this. When people come to me, they go, 'Oh, dude. It's thrash,' and, 'It's heavy,' it's, like, I'm already in the greatest thrash band in the history of the world, so I don't need to do thrash anywhere else. I do that in MEGADETH. I play with the guy who invented the genre. So, to me, when I do other things, it's fun to expand. And I'm always writing. I bring certain things into MEGADETH that I know are fitting, I think, of that style. There's a lot of stuff I write that's not, and I don't bring it there.

"This stuff that Jeff and Andy and I are working on, some of it's quite progressive," he continued. "And we're able to go there because of the capabilities that we have. So there's definitely no lack of musicianship. You're gonna go, 'These guys, they're serious. They know what they're doing.' So that's good. And I think, quite honestly, people would expect that. I know for Andy, who's a few years younger than me and Jeff, and being from Europe, is a pretty good barometer; that's a good temperature that we can gauge. He even said, he goes, 'C'mon, Jeff. 'I Am A Viking'. C'mon. All of us in Europe, we just think that's…' Just like people know me from 'Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?' and 'Holy Wars', the die has been cast with Jeff with the early days of Yngwie [Malmsteen], of course, and now what he's been doing recently with SONS OF APOLLO and solo stuff.

"I think the fans, they wanna see us in a certain sphere," David added. "But at the same time, we can take a few chances on a couple of things. In fact, the very first song I had Jeff sing on last year was actually a ballad. Which, I think, for me, was great, because I know Jeff can sing the hard stuff… So, quite honestly, the first thing Jeff and I worked on was not some shred Vivaldi neoclassical metal thing; it was not that at all. And I think that, for me, actually, quite honestly, got me really excited, going, 'Okay, there's a wide berth here of what we can do.' And I think that's when we started throwing some ideas back and forth. It just got us all excited going, 'Wow, this is pretty wide here. We're not limited to just being a one-trick pony."

Jeff also weighed in the ELLEFSON-SOTO, saying: "Yeah, it's gonna be heavy. It's got a lot of classic influence, because we come from that world. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel; we're just trying to do our own version, our own color, our own shape of the wheel. So that's exactly what we're doing with this. It's gonna have some great shred moments, it's gonna have some great vocal-melody-and-hooks moments. And, like I said, it's gonna be heavy, but I think we're also gonna start being able to tap into other things, just to kind of create our own little brand, our own little version of what we think would work best for each other. And that's one of the great things about collaborating with David. He's not saying, 'It's gotta be like this.' And if I send him something, to this day, all the songs that we've done, I haven't gotten a, 'Well, this is all right. I think it could be better with this.' We pretty much hit it on the nail every time. Like with everything, 'I heard this. And I thought maybe if you wanna do a harmony with that or maybe remove this and add…' That goes without saying; that's gonna happen with anybody and everyone you collaborate with. But the overall structure of how we're working together, it works so easy and so well, but yet we're still inventing something that sounds like us."

The full ELLEFSON-SOTO interview will air tonight (Saturday, March 27) on "The Classic Metal Show" at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Earlier this week, ELLEFSON-SOTO released its cover version of the RIOT classic "Swords & Tequila". The song was originally featured on the 1981 RIOT LP "Fire Down Under" (Elektra). The playthrough video can be seen below.

ELLEFSON-SOTO's version of "Swords & Tequila" was produced by Ellefson and Martongelli, mixed by Alessio Garavello in Wembley, England and mastered by Maor Appelbaum in Los Angeles, California. The video is directed by Elia Turra for Fisheye Studio in Verona, Italy.

More new tracks from ELLEFSON-SOTO are in the works with release details to be announced.








Rumble("play", {"video":"vcf0if","div":"rumble_vcf0if"});

Former IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dennis Stratton has once again commented on the band's nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's class of 2021. The top vote-getters will be announced in May and inducted in a Cleveland, Ohio, ceremony in the fall.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the IRON MAIDEN members that would get inducted include the current lineup of singer Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, along with Stratton, former singer Paul Di'Anno and former drummer Clive Burr.

Asked about the fact that former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley, who fronted the band from 1994 until 1999 and appeared on two albums, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", was not included in the list of members who will enter the Rock Hall should MAIDEN get inducted, Stratton told the "Uncle Steve's Iron Maiden Zone" podcast (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, when I first heard that he wasn't included, I was a bit shocked and a bit… I don't know. It was weird. Why? Why wasn't he? Now, I know for a fact he was with them for five years and two albums, and he contributed a hell of a lot to them two albums. But people told me that it's something to do with the committee that run this Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It has to be certain years, involved with so many years. So I don't actually know. Someone would have to read the rules to me. But I definitely think it's heartbreaking not to be included."

Stratton went on to say that for him to be nominated for the Rock Hall is "one of the biggest honors" of his career. He added: "Now, I didn't know Bruce had said anything [negative] about the Hall Of Fame. Someone told me that he had said a few things about the Hall Of Fame. I don't know what he said. But I know that he said something. Now, personally for me, I was blowing my own trumpet, saying, 'Please vote.' 'Cause this is a big honor for me; it means the world to me. But I'm not speaking for the band; this is me personally. Now, if the band and the management don't fancy it or it's not their scene and they're not interested, then so be it. You have to respect the band or the management's decision.

"I've watched the [fan] voting on my phone, and I see the voting, which is from Tina Turner and the top one — I don't know who that is — and the FOO FIGHTERS, the voting is quite mediocre," he continued. "Now, I know for a fact that I can talk personally for me, not for MAIDEN, but the amount of fans in this world — not only South America — the amount of fans in the world, if they voted for IRON MAIDEN, that wouldn't be hundreds of thousands, that would be millions. And MAIDEN would [win the fan vote] — they would [win] it without a problem. But because [MAIDEN has] stayed quiet [about it and not publicized the nomination], if it's not their scene, then you have to respect the management, respect the band and say, 'Good luck to you guys.' And if they're not interested, then so be it. But for me, it is a big honor. And that's what you have to go along with."

Stratton was a member of MAIDEN for less than a year, but he nonetheless made a vital contribution to the band's classic first album.

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1995 or earlier.

A voter pool of more than 1,000 artists, historians, journalists, and members of the music industry will select the new class. Fans also have a chance to take part in the process by voting at Rockhall.com or at an interactive kiosk at the museum in Cleveland. Their selections will count as a single "fan ballot" that gets tabulated along with the others.

Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Two years ago, Harris said that he didn't care that IRON MAIDEN has yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it has been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

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

Harris previously said that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN will eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he said. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for more than a decade and a half, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 15 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

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

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

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

John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, was interviewed on a recent episode of the "Undaunted.Life: A Man's Podcast". You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked what he would say to someone who says that Satan works through rock music, thus Christians shouldn't play rock music, he responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I would say Satan can work through just about anything. I would say that music is created not by the Devil; [it is] created by the Lord. All things were created by God. So instead of thinking that the Devil owns a genre of music, I would say capture that music and bring it back into subjection under the lordship of Christ."

As for what he would say to someone who says it is sinful for Christians to have tattoos, Cooper said: "I understand why Christians think that, because of the Old Testament. I would say it probably takes a little bit of a longer explanation of Old Testament law and what it meant. But a short version would be there are some things in the Old Testament that were a picture of something in the New Testament. There are some things that are not pictures, like murder — we don't murder, we don't steal, so and so forth. Dietary restrictions, things like that, were a picture of something.

"Here's what God wanted: God wants to make his people set apart and holy unto his name," he continued. "And I don't think that God does that any longer from the way that we look; he does that now because of Christ's work on the cross, his resurrection, and he sanctifies us, which sets us apart from the sinner and the pagan."

Cooper recently published his first book, titled "Awake & Alive To Truth (Finding Truth In The Chaos Of A Relativistic World)". It "tackles the reigning philosophies of our day of post-modernism, relativism, and the popular view of the goodness of man-and combats these viewpoints by standing on the absolute truth of the Word Of God," the book's description reads.

In various interviews over the years, Cooper has said that he "always had faith in God" and that his mother was a "Jesus fanatic." He also claimed that he was willing to put his career on the line to take a stand for Christ.

THE END MACHINE, the new band featuring two members of the classic DOKKEN lineup — George Lynch (guitar) and Jeff Pilson (bass) — along with former LYNCH MOB and current WARRANT singer Robert Mason, will release its sophomore album, "Phase2", on April 9 via Frontiers Music Srl. The official music video for the disc's second single, "Crack The Sky", can be seen below.

"Phase2" features drummer Steve Brown, younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer "Wild" Mick Brown, who played on THE END MACHINE's self-titled 2019 debut.

The new LP builds on the great bluesy hard rock music of the debut, but sees THE END MACHINE move more towards more towards a classic '80s hard rock sound and the result is a 2.0 reboot of a killer music machine.

Says Pilson: "On this record, we set out to make the very best songs possible and are more than excited with how it turned out. We also weren't afraid to let elements of the DOKKEN sound come through loud and clear. As a result, not only was it a very organic and collaborative process, but it was a helluva lot of fun as well!!! I feel these are some of the best songs we've ever written and I'm blown away by all the performances. George was on fire throughout, Robert makes it clear he's one of the very best rock vocalists around, and Steve delivered with all the passion and enthusiasm any band could ever desire. All in all, it is a musical statement we can and will stand behind for a very long time!!!"

Adds Lynch: "Jeff, Robert and I had discussions prior to pre-production and writing sessions that we would make a concerted effort to emphasize hooks and accessibility in our writing. We made sure to constantly remind ourselves of the self-induced parameters we'd created for ourselves so as not to get sidetracked and lose focus. I think that that guidance served us well. I'm very proud of what we’ve accomplished with THE END MACHINE 'Phase2'."

State Mason: "I feel that 'Phase2' is a logical progression from our debut record, and I echo Jeff's point that, in the writing process, none of us felt we had to distance ourselves from our past nor our collective roots. That hit making Lynch/Pilson chemistry and song lineage is surely powerful and present, while allowing me freedom to both embrace it and show my own musical and lyrical flavors. This record shows us solidly in each other's musical pockets and grooves, and speaking of, Steve Brown showed up to crush it on drums...and he can sing some mighty background vocals! We hope fans of all of our catalogs will embrace THE END MACHINE and 'Phase2'!"

Originally born from an idea of Frontiers Music Srl president and A&R director Serafino Perugino, who wanted to have the classic lineup of DOKKEN team up with a killer vocalist, THE END MACHINE's self-titled debut impressed mightily upon release. Far from being a simple rehash of the members resumes, THE END MACHINE proved to be a jelled unit who sounded exactly like the seasoned pros they are, while taking their hard rock past and putting a stamp of modern production on things courtesy of Pilson.

For their debut album, THE END MACHINE's sound developed through several initial songwriting sessions between Pilson and Lynch, with Mason later partnering with them. While the lineup may have had fans making assumptions about the sound of the band, things took a different turn. Said Pilson at the time: "The real truth of it is that George and I have this great songwriting partnership that's been going on for 35 years, and we love to work together. Robert really jelled with us too, thus making the process smooth."

Track listing:

01. The Rising

02. Blood And Money

03. We Walk Alone

04. Dark Divide

05. Crack The Sky

06. Prison Or Paradise

07. Plastic Heroes

08. Scars

09. Shine Your Light

10. Devil's Playground

11. Born Of Fire

12. Destiny

"Phase2" recording lineup:

George Lynch - guitar

Jeff Pilson - bass, keyboards and background vocals

Steve Brown - drums and background vocals

Robert Mason - lead and background vocals

In a new interview with The Sessions, Nita Strauss, the Los Angeles-based guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, spoke about how she has been using the downtime during the coronavirus pandemic. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Honestly, I can say without hesitation this has been the busiest year of my life. It really has. Because every artist has been forced to adapt; you adapt or you die. Not literally, but you must adapt, you must pivot in the 2020-2021 era. So I released my online guitar course. I put together three modules that take someone from picking up the guitar for the very first time all the way through all the techniques that I know, basically. And it's called 'Rock Guitar Fundamentals'. And the web site is the best URL ever — it's IWantToPlayGuitar.com, which I love. I started a Patreon page, so that's where I do weekly live streams with them. I taught my way through almost a full Alice Cooper set and a bunch of different technique, sort of, workshops and everything like that. I've been writing my second solo album, which I'm very excited about. We built this pretty studio that you see behind me. It's barely just getting finished up, so we actually built this from the ground up, which was a huge learning experience. I didn't know how many walls you need to soundproof a room, especially when you have someone like Josh [Editor's note: a reference to Nita's longtime boyfriend and manager Josh Villalta] hitting the drums in here. So it's been whirlwind of a year, but it definitely has also been a gift of time. So many things that I wanted to do that I was just getting so overwhelmed with that we now have the time to do."

Strauss's new disc, which is tentatively due later this year, will be the follow-up to her first solo LP, "Controlled Chaos", released in 2018 via Sumerian Records.

Last year, Nita told Heavy New York that her second solo album will still be "an instrumental shred record. I put a lot of different facets of my personality — of which there are many — on 'Controlled Chaos', so you'll see the more aggressive side still, you'll see the lighter side and the happier side, the more peaceful side," she said. "I just finished one of the ballads for this record, and I'm immensely proud of how it came out. So there will definitely be a wide spectrum of different emotions going on. And the biggest change, I guess, would be I am gonna have a guest singer or two on a couple of songs on this one. So that would be the main difference between the two records."

Nita's live show is mostly instrumental in nature, combining originals with covers.

Strauss has been playing with Alice Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

Classical guitar virtuoso, Thomas Zwijsen, has released the new video below, performing an acoustic classical fingerstyle solo guitar cover of Rainbow's "Temple Of The King". For tabs and video lessons, head here.

Zwijsen recently released a video featuring his solo guitar cover of Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water". Check it out below.




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

In 2021, Greek/Swedish melodic death metal stars Nightrage return with the final part in their trilogy of albums. What started with The Venomous, then Wolf To Man, is now complete with their upcoming album, Abyss Rising.

An album that is the band's vision of mankind living in its own hell - a hell it has created through the destruction of the planet. Inspired in part by Dante's Inferno, the album explores man’s continual destruction of the world we live in until the abyss opens up to consume all before it. The abyss has risen from the depths, and hell has now turned outside in to be able to rise to earth to claim us. The album captures Nightrage in a spectacular form; incisive, brutal, uncompromising, and unforgettable. Musically the band have embraced a harder, faster, and brutal approach, still rich in melodic intent but characteristically heavy and aggressive. Mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordstrom at Studio Fredman (Architects, In Flames, Opeth), Abyss Rising is a formidable sonic masterpiece. The album will be released in fall 2021.

First out is the single and title track of the album; "Abyss Rising" is all about how we as humans already are living in our own hell and expresses Nightrage’s vision where mankind has finally reached their own hell on Earth. The abyss has risen from the depths, and hell has now turned outside in to be able to rise to earth to claim us. The single is available now via Despotz Records.

Vocalist/guitarist Marios Iliopoulos about the new single: "'Abyss Rising' is one of the last songs that we have written for the new album me and Magnus (Söderman, guitarist), and we wanted to create a fast song with really strong melodies and catchy riffs. I feel we have really great chemistry when we sit down and write new songs together, plus with the addition of Ronnie (Nyman, vocalist), he did some really great vocals that lifted the song a lot, especially on the chorus. He added a lot of layers of clean vox harmonies that gives the song another dimension. 

We are blown away from the amazing art that Jon Tousas did from Graphic No Jutsu, you see seven arrows that symbolizes the seven deadly sins that is killing the three birds of innocence, so that shows us clearly the downfall of the humankind and the rising of the unfortunate Abyss. Beware Of The Abyss!" 

Nightrage was founded by Marios Iliopoulos and his close friend Gus G. in 2000. After putting together demos in 2001 and 2002, they finally released their first full album, Sweet Vengeance', in 2003. It featured drummer Per Möller Jensen (The Haunted), and bassist Brice Leclercq. They also managed to acquire the services of legendary vocalist Tomas Lindberg (At The Gates) and Tom S. Englund of Evergrey fame.

Their second release, Descent Into Chaos, followed in 2005 and featured a more permanent rhythm section in the shape of Fotis Benardo (Septic Flesh, ex-Innerwish) and Henric Carlsson. With Gus G.’s role performing with Arch Enemy taking more and more of the talented guitarists time, Nightrage looked to a number of tour replacements to cover for him until Gus made the decision to permanently leave Nightrage and focus completely on Firewind (before landing the coveted guitar spot in Ozzy Osbourne’s band). 

Nightrage’s third album, A New Disease Is Born, was released in 2007. Gus G. was replaced by Dragonland/Amaranthe guitarist Olof Mörck. In keeping with the band’s revolving door of members, 2007 also saw Antony Hämäläinen, bassist Anders Hammer, and drummer Johan Nunez (Firewind, Kamelot) join the band in the summer of 2007.

Their fourth album, Wearing A Martyr's Crown, was recorded, produced, and mixed by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman. Several tracks from the album, namely, "A Grim Struggle", "Collision Of Fate", "Shed The Blood", and "Wearing A Martyr's Crown" were made available as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series on Xbox. In 2011, "A Grim Struggle" was made available for download on the PlayStation 3 console.

2011’s Insidious once again featured Tomas Lindberg and Tom Englund on vocals, along with guest appearances from Gus G, Apollo Papathanasio (Firewind, Spiritual Beggars) and John K. The band supported the new album on a tour of North America, joining Firewind and Arsis, titled Frets Of Fury.

In 2013, Antony Hämäläinen and Johan Nunez officially left the band to pursue other musical ventures. Ronnie Nyman was recruited to replace Hämäläinen on vocals. With Nyman, the band released their sixth studio album, The Puritan, in 2015.

2017 saw the release of album number seven, The Venomous. With yet more changes in the band, Magnus Söderman (guitars) and Lawrence Dinamarca (drums) completing the lineup. 2019’s Wolf To Man featured another shift in personnel with a new rhythm section arriving featuring bassist Francisco Escalona and drummer Dino George Stamoglou, but the core of the band stayed the same. 

Now, in 2021, Nightrage is back with their tenth album Abyss Rising - it's incisive, it's brutal, it's uncompromising and unforgettable.

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Death metal journeymen Malformity will release their long-awaited debut album, Monumental Ruin, on April 19th on CD, digital, and cassette formats via Unspeakable Axe Records. Pre-orders are available now on Bandcamp and through the UAR Store. 

Behold the opening salvo from Monumental Ruin, "Perverse Apotheosis":

It has been a long, torturous road for the veterans of Atlanta death metal band Malformity. Formed initially in 1991, when their own genre was still in its infancy, they created only a handful of demo recordings before calling it quits four years later. A long-overdue reformation happened in 2014, after which the band produced a couple of EPs and honed their craft.

At long last, 30 years after the band's initial formation, Malformity have produced a monstrous debut album, complete with the suitably forbidding title of Monumental Ruin. Literally decades in the making, this beast shows the band at their sharpest and most evolved, mixing American and European death metal styles with a sure hand. Incorporating grind and doom influences where appropriate, Monumental Ruin is every inch the ancient, towering structure depicted on its atmospheric cover art. This is death metal old in spirit as well as in the age of the band that made it, but with a clear, current-day production and youthful vigor and brutality that keeps pace with any act you might name.

Tracklisting:

"And I Beheld..."
"Perverse Apotheosis" 
"Facemelt Bloodgrinder"
"Into Ruin"
"Monument To Decay" 
"Degenerative Sequences"
"Immolated Archetype"
"False Dichotomy"
"Lost Necropolis"
"Lifeless Mindless"
"In Corrosion"
"Rapturous Damnation" (bonus track)
"Unraveling" (bonus track)

For further details, visit Malformity on Facebook.

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

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'":

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Swedish melodic hard rockers, Gathering Of Kings, have released the official live video for their song "Forever And A Day", from Sweden Rock Festival 2019. The band's first ever show!

Filmed by Gunnar Sandborg and Oskar Wernberg at Teknikkompaniet.se and mixed and mastered by Thomas "Plec" Johansson at The Panic Room. "Forever And A Day" is taken from the band's debut album First Mission, which was released in 2019 via RN Records.

Gathering Of Kings is created and supervised by Ron Dahlgren and Nina Dahlgren, bringing together top musicians from the current hard rock scene in Sweden. The idea was to create an AOR/Melodic Hard Rock project/band like Tom Galley's Phenomena or even Tobias Sammet's Avantasia, with multiple vocalists and instrumentalists. Victor Olsson is the main songwriter, with Alexander Frisborg co-writing the lyrics.

On stage performing:
Björn Strid (Lead Vocals)
Victor Olsson (Lead Guitar)
Magnus Mild (Rhythm Guitar)
Chris Laney (Rhythm Guitar)
Nalle Påhlsson (Bass)
Erik Wiss Gafvelin (Keyboards)
Joel Selsfors (Keyboards)
Efraim Larsson (Drums)
Rick Altzi (Backing Vocals)
Alexander Frisborg (Backing Vocals)

Not on stage:
Apollo Papathanasio (Lead/Backing Vocals)
Tobias Jansson (Lead/Backing Vocals)
Jens Westin (Lead Vocals)
Jonas Källsbäck (Drums)

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

The 69 Eyes, from Helsinki, Finland, have uploaded a 360° live performance video of their song, "Jet Fighter Plane".

"This video was shot and produced in collaboration with Nokia Technologies and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK)," says the band. "To view the video on your computer, use the Chrome browser. To view the video on Android devices, use the YouTube app. Unfortunately, viewers who use the YouTube iOS app will hear stereo audio instead of spatial audio. Put your headphones on and touch the screen to look around. Enjoy!"

"Jet Fighter Plane" is off of The 69 Eyes' album Universal Monsters, released in 2016 via Nuclear Blast Records.

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

German thrashers Destruction have taken to social media with the following update:

"Dear maniacs - we are still working on the DVD / Bluray release for this summer and are very positive to have news in the next days for you! There will be some changes coming up concerning our label partner, this is why this takes a bit longer than expected.

Meanwhile the band is preparing new demos for the next album, that is planned to be released early in 2022. About 50% of the new material is written and recorded already, so things are going fantastic! 

We are also hopeful that some smaller Open Air festivals this summer will happen, so please stay tuned, more news very soon! This motive is a brand-new shirt design, now available in our new band shop."

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Wednesday 13 will release Necrophaze: Antidote - a four song digital EP - to all streaming services on April 16th via Nuclear Blast Records.

A preview of the Antidote cover art, as well as the tracklisting, can be seen below.

"Your Mother Still Sucks Cocks In Hell"
"Screwdriver 2 - The Return"
"Devil Inside" (Inxs cover)
"Films" (Gary Numan cover featuring Calico Cooper)

Necrophaze: Antidote was recorded and mixed by Michael Spreitzer, with artwork by Jonny Bush.

"Devil Inside" video:

"Films" audio:

(Photo by Jeremy Saffer)

 




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Denmark's Iotunn recently released their new album, Access All Worlds, via Metal Blade Records. They have checked in with the following update:

"We have gathered the seven acoustic arrangements – one for each song from Access All Worlds – in this video. We hope you enjoy it"

Access All Worlds can be ordered here.

Formed in 2015, Iotunn (which is old Norse for "Giant") entered the scene with their acclaimed EP, The Wizard Falls (2016), which was mixed by Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica, Morbid Angel, Blind Guardian, Rainbow) at Sweet Silence Studios. After some line-up changes, the band found their voice and narrator in March 2018: Jón Aldará (Hamferd), plus bassist Eskil Rask (Sunless Dawn) in October 2019. The quintet - completed by Jens Nicolai Gräs (guitars), Jesper Gräs (guitars), Bjørn Wind Andersen (drums) - then began work on their first full-length and Metal Blade Records debut: Access All Worlds.

Mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, At the Gates, Dimmu Borgir) at Fredman Studios, Access All Worlds is seven songs driven by creative curiosity and artistic honesty, that also initiate feelings and reflections. An epic, cosmic and contemplative journey of energetic beauty and ferocity, Access All Worlds reflects on human existence, set in a storyline following daring space travelers. The music is grounded in roaring, colorful drumming and crushing bass, while the sonic horizon is painted with a vast spectrum of guitar-driven expression, all overarched by narration through diverse vocals. "We wanted to make an epic, strong and atmospheric yet rocking record both musically and lyrically. Jón came with the idea based on space travelers trying to find answers to the apocalypse, which reflects many of the impressions, feelings and thoughts human life holds that originates from something vast, mysterious, chaotic and breathtakingly spectacular. Everything just went berserk regarding the album theme. Is everything occurring in the lyrics just a dream? Is the album an allegory for any individual's chapters in life? Where does the album actually start and end? Stuff like that. We find that the album can be interpreted in various ways. For us, the album is a truly exciting journey, and we hope it will be for the listener as well, on his or her own terms", says guitarist Jens Nicolai.

Visually, Access All Worlds is completed by Nicole Kantor (design and layout) and Eliran Kantor (artwork), known for their work with Testament, Atheist, Hatebreed, Soulfly, etc.

Access All Worlds tracklisting:

"Voyage Of The Garganey I"
"Access All Worlds"
"Laihem's Golden Pits"
"Waves Below"
"The Tower Of Cosmic Nihility"
"The Weaver System"
"Safe Across The Endless Night"

"Safe Across The Endless Night"

"The Tower Of Cosmic Nihility" video:

"Voyage Of The Garganey I" video:

Iotunn lineup:

Jón Aldará - vocals
Jens Nicolai Gräs - guitars
Jesper Gräs - guitars
Eskil Rask - bass
Bjørn Wind Andersen - drums




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

Slipknot No. 9 Iowa Whiskey Reserve - voted Best Celebrity Whiskey 2019 by Forbes - was made available for sale for the first time in April 2020. The band has checked in with the following update:

"We asked Outside The 9 Fan Club members to submit their best questions for Clown and Murphy Quint, the head distiller at Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery. Check out Part 1 of our 4 part exclusive Q&A below now and grab a signed bottle of Slipknot No. 9 Whiskey."

Autographed bottles are available here. The Slipknot Whiskey Box Set is available at this location.

Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg, who joined the masked band in 2014, recently participated in a video chat with Sweetwater, during which he discussed his unique history, and his brand new signature SJC Snare.

“My 48-ply, double-vented SJC snare drum is the cornerstone of my live sound. With this beast of a shell, I’m able to supply an absolute bullwhip of a backbeat, hear the articulation of every ghost note, and punish every ear within listening distance. It’s a very expressive drum that completely comes alive when tuned high. No drummer will have any challenge being heard with this drum in their arsenal, that’s for sure.” – Jay Weinberg #1 Rock Drummer - 2020 Modern Drummer Readers Poll.

The Jay Weinberg Signature SJC Snare, pictured below, can be ordered now at this location.




window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-rr',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});