Polish hurdy-gurdyist Michalina Malisz, who has been a member of the Swiss folk metal band ELUVEITIE since 2016, has released her cover version of the METALLICA classic "Nothing Else Matters". The official video for the track, which features a guest appearance by her ELUVEITIE bandmate Fabienne Erni, can be seen below.

Malisz has been blending the sound of the hurdy-gurdy with her favorite genres: metal, Celtic and cinematic music. Her previous covers include songs from IRON MAIDEN, SYSTEM OF A DOWN and NIGHTWISH.

According to Wikipedia, the hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand crank-turned, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to those of a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents—small wedges, typically made of wood—against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board and hollow cavity to make the vibration of the strings audible. Most hurdy-gurdies have multiple drone strings, which give a constant pitch accompaniment to the melody, resulting in a sound similar to that of bagpipes.

The original version of "Nothing Else Matters" was released as the fourth single from METALLICA's fifth, self-titled album, which came out in 1991. The song reached position No. 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart as well as top-ten positions on many European charts.

"Nothing Else Matters" was featured as a playable track in the music video game "Guitar Hero: Metallica" and has been covered over 40 times by a host of different artists, including STAIND, Shakira, Bif Naked, Macy Gray, DIE KRUPPS, REV THEORY and APOCALYPTICA.

On March 12, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT released "Nature's Light", its eleventh studio album and the first in six years, via earMUSIC. Today, the band, founded in 1997 by award-winning vocalist Candice Night and legendary guitar icon Ritchie Blackmore, has revealed the disc's fourth single, "Second Element". The official music video for the song, produced and directed by Jeffrey Pickett, can be seen below.

According to Blackmore, "Nature's Light" is dedicated to the unique magic of renaissance faires. "I heard something that was a similar kind of melody, so I took that melody and gave it to Candice," he describes the inception of the song. "I said, 'This represents people going to a faire, a very ceremonial thing, with the King and Queen coming through.' and it needed to have the bombastic pageantry of celebration. A regal announcement that royalty was coming to town."

The ten new tracks make for a quintessential BLACKMORE'S NIGHT album. Once again, Blackmore and Night successfully mix the tradition of folk music and their love for the Renaissance era, inspired by the myths and legends of ancient times.

While the album is rooted in a traditional approach, fans of Ritchie Blackmore's unique style will not be disappointed. Heartfelt ballads, such as a brand-new version of "Wish You Were Here", set the scene for the magical tales on "Four Winds" and "The Twisted Oak". On the two instrumental tracks — "Darker Shade Of Black" and "Der letzte Musketier" — Ritchie's guitar brilliance shines through.

"Nature's Light" wasreleased on multiple formats. Among these is a strictly limited 2CD hardcover mediabook edition, including a bonus CD featuring a carefully selected set of BLACKMORE'S NIGHT's masterpieces from their extensive back catalogue. Furthermore, the album has become available as a CD digipak edition, a strictly limited heavyweight 1LP gatefold edition on yellow vinyl, a 180g 1LP gatefold edition on black vinyl as well as digital.

"Nature's Light" track listing:

01. Once Upon December

02. Four Winds

03. Feather In The Wind

04. Darker Shade Of Black (instrumental)

05. The Twisted Oak

06. Nature's Light

07. Der Letzte Musketier (instrumental)

08. Wish You Were Here (2021)

09. Going To The Faire

10. Second Element

Swiss/Dutch metallers BURNING WITCHES will release their fourth full-length album, "The Witch Of The North", on May 28 via Nuclear Blast Records. The official visualizer for the disc's first single, "Flight Of The Valkyries", can be seen below.

Following 2020's "Dance Of The Devil", which charted at #22 in Germany, and the "Circle Of Five" EP, vocalist Laura Guldemond, guitarists Romana Kalkuhl and Larissa Ernst, bassist Jeanine Grob and drummer Lala Frischknecht notably upped the ante on "The Witch Of The North", delivering their most dynamic, intricate and powerful album thus far. Perfectly mixed and mastered by V.O. Pulver and produced by German thrash titan Schmier (DESTRUCTION), the LP sees BURNING WITCHES stick to their irrefutable 1980s influences (JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, DIO, ACCEPT, WARLOCK, W.A.S.P., etc.) and inject irresistible energy and a refreshing vibe, topping it off with classic art by Claudio Bergamín (who illustrated JUDAS PRIEST's triumphant "Firepower"). From the epic title track to the album's catchiest anthem "We Stand As One" over to the ballad "Lady Of The Woods" and speedy riff attacks like "Thrall", "Flight Of The Valkyries" and "Nine Worlds", "The Witch Of The North" marks a new highlight in the band's career, with vocalist Laura brilliantly shifting from aggressive to seductive with ease.

"The Witch Of The North" track listing:

01. Winter's Wrath

02. The Witch Of the North

03. Tainted Ritual

04. We Stand As One

05. Flight Of The Valkyries

06. The Circle Of Five

07. Lady Of The Woods

08. Thrall

09. Omen

10. Nine Worlds

11. For Eternity

12. Dragon's Dream

13. Eternal Frost

BURNING WITCHES' first live performance with Guldemond took place in June 2019 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

The vocalist of the Dutch symphonic metal band SHADOWRISE, Guldemond was recruited by BURNING WITCHES following the departure of Seraina Telli.

A new BEARTOOTH song called "Devastation" can be streamed below. The track is expected to appear on the band's fourth studio album, tentatively due later in the year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An electric guitar purportedly once owned by former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Izzy Stradlin and used during the "Appetite For Destruction" recording sessions is being auctioned.

The hollow-body model Gibson ES-175D, finished in Arctic White, will be offered with a starting bid of $50,000.

According to seller Backstage Auctions, Izzy received the guitar from Gibson artist rep Roger Bell in 1987. He subsequently used it for the "Appetite For Destruction" album recordings, as well as in various concerts, most notably the February 2, 1988 GUNS N' ROSES show at The Ritz in New York, which was filmed by MTV and has since become a fan favorite.

After the Ritz show, GUNS N' ROSES flew back to the West Coast for a few dates before ending that run around mid-February 1988. Izzy owed Howie Hubberman — the first manager of GUNS N' ROSES — some money and sold the guitar to Howie, who also owned Guitars R Us in Hollywood. Izzy's girlfriend at the time alerted two of her friends who played in a local Sunset Strip rock band. They bought this guitar, as well as a 1987 black Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion, from Howie's store and for the past 32 years, the guitars have been in their possession. They sold the guitars in 2020 to a veteran music industry executive, who is making this illustrious arctic white Gibson ES-175D guitar available for this auction.

The guitar has been featured in many photos from that era. In an interview with Guitar magazine from May 1993, Izzy stated that "The Gibson ES-175s were a big favorite of mine when we first started. I like Les Pauls but the hollow bodies are great because I can play them in hotel rooms or anywhere without an amp. I just love the look, the feel, and the sound those things get."

The guitar has serial number 80787552 and was made on March 19, 1987 at the Nashville, Tennessee plant of Gibson Guitars. Former GUNS N' ROSES managers Alan Niven and Doug Goldstein, as well as the attorney for Izzy Stradlin, were contacted and verified the provenance of this guitar. Included with the guitar is the original case, a professional summary document by the current owner, as well as a signed and notarized statement from Howie Hubberman.

The guitar shows all the critical details that demonstrate the authenticity of this magnificent instrument. Under the crevasse where the body meets the backside of the neck is an imprint of the yellow nylon rope with a diamond pattern which is evidence of "rope burn" from Izzy's guitar strap. Further, there are glue marks left where the bridge was reattached after it became dislodged when the guitar was restrung. Next, the guitar has an exposed screw hole from where the pick guard was removed and lastly, the fourth knob that is missing in some of the pictures was included in the storage compartment of the guitar case.

Photos courtesy of Backstage Auctions

German progressive metallers M.I.GOD. held their first livestream show of 2021 this past Saturday, March 13th over YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Check out the complete show below.

M.I.GOD.: "Was that nice again on Saturday: finally playing LIVE again! If only on our virtual stage in the streaming concert on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. We had a lot of fun, not least by you and your accompanying comments. Thank you for this!"

Specters On Parade was released in February 2019 and is the first of two concept albums from M.I.GOD. It features 21 tracks in total, 13 being full songs connected with short interludes to tie the concept together. Specters On Parade in the follow-up to M.I.GOD.'s 2012 album, Floor 29, marking an epic return following the tragic death of bassist Matt Weber that sidelined the band.

The tracklist is as follows:

"Vertigo"
"The Solitary Ghost"
"Tongues Of Poison"
"We All Belong To The Dark"
"Embracing The Neon"
"Titans Of The Void"
"The Sleeping Cruelty"
"Atelier Macabre"
"Specters On Parade"
"Sonata In Tenebris (Interlude I)"
"Tears Of Today"
"What's Your Favorite Scourge"
"Chances"
"The Call"
"Weight Of A Million Souls"
"Cluster (Interlude II)"
"Bound To A Daydream"
"Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea"
"The Threshold"
"Terminus Life"
"I Feed You My Love"

For information and updates on M.I.GOD. go to the band's official Facebook page here.



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"Truckload Full Of Bodies", the first single from Arizona's GO AHEAD AND DIE, can be streamed below. The song is taken from the band's self-titled debut album, which will be released on June 11 via Nuclear Blast.

GO AHEAD AND DIE features vocalist and guitarist Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) along with his son, singer, guitar and bass player Igor Amadeus Cavalera, as well as Zach Coleman on drums. GO AHEAD AND DIE's sound mixes elements of death and thrash metal, with early CELTIC FROST influences and a punk attitude.

Max Cavalera describes GO AHEAD AND DIE as a "one-of-a-kind father/son collaboration bringing the old school with a new attitude! Sick riffs and abrasive lyrics from Igor and brutal drumming from Zach Coleman (BLACK CURSE, KHEMMIS) inspired me," he says. "Extreme times call for extreme music!"

Igor Amadeus Cavalera states: "We are beyond excited to sign with Nuclear Blast. They are definitely the right choice for this colossally heavy record. G.A.A.D. will deliver fast-paced, hate-fueled energy that hasn't been heard in years.”

Zach Coleman adds: "I could not be more excited to be a part of G.A.A.D. and to have the album come out on Nuclear Blast! I feel like we were able to capture (extreme) aggression with the record. It's a mix of old school (think '89-era metal/punk) style and newer sounds that reflect what's going on around us. Protest and survive!"

Nuclear Blast comments. "For such a heavy, brutal and pissed-off record, GO AHEAD AND DIE will leave any metal fan with a smile on their face. With riffs the size of boulders and a genuine 'fuck off' attitude that speaks about today's horrors, this album will without a doubt leave a mark in metal and we are happy to be part of the journey."

"Go Ahead And Die" track listing:

01. Truckload Full Of Bodies

02. Toxic Freedom

03. I.C.E. Cage

04. Isolated/Desolated

05. Prophet's Prey

06. Punisher

07. El Cuco

08. G.A.A.D.

09. Worth Less Than Piss

10. (In The) Slaughterline

11. Roadkill

GO AHEAD AND DIE is:

Max Cavalera - Guitar, Vocals

Igor Amadeus Cavalera - Bass, Guitar, Vocals

Zach Coleman - Drums

Photo credit: Jim Louvau

Former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Matt Sorum's long-awaited autobiography, "Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver", will now arrive in September 7, 2021 via Rare Bird Books after being delayed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Double Talkin' Jive" will be available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook, including a signed limited-edition hardcover with vinyl audiobook bundle, narrated and performed with music by Sorum. Signed preorders bundles ship August 2021. Trade hardcover, e-book, and audiobook formats will be available wherever books are sold in September.

In "Double Talkin' Jive", Sorum takes music lovers behind the scenes of a remarkable life in rock. Sorum, whose albums have sold tens of millions of copies around the world, provides an honest, engaging account of the highs and lows of superstardom. Sorum recounts his childhood years idolizing Ringo Starr and surviving an abusive stepfather. After leaving high school, Sorum sold pot to get by. Over time, his drug dealing escalated to smuggling large quantities of cocaine, a career that came to a halt following a dramatic shoot-out. Sorum fled his old life and settled in Hollywood, where he'd enjoy a rapid ascension to rock 'n' roll immortality. He caught his big break drumming for THE CULT, and only a year later was invited to join GUNS N' ROSES, with whom he'd record two of rock's most iconic albums: "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II".

Sorum opens up with forthright honesty, sharing anecdotes from his time touring the globe, battling drug and alcohol addiction, and navigating volatile relationships with Axl Rose, Slash and the rest of the GN'R team. His career with THE CULT, GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER, MOTÖRHEAD, the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES and KINGS OF CHAOS co-stars an ensemble of rock royalty, from Gene Simmons and Billy Idol to Steven Tyler and Alice Cooper.

"Double Talkin' Jive" goes beyond the clichés of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, telling the very human story of what it takes to make it in music, and the toll stardom exacts from those who achieve success. Sorum invites fans to revel in the debauchery of the good times, but also paints a stark portrait of life after the party. Music fans of any generation will find value in the pages of this evocative, thoughtful, and candid autobiography.

Sorum's co-authors Leif Erickson and Martin Svensson previously co-wrote Samantha Fox's "Forever".

During a recent appearance on the "Stop! Drop & Talk" podcast, Sorum stated about "Double Talkin' Jive": "I named it after a GUNS N' ROSES song, 'Double Talkin' Jive'. [Then-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist] Izzy Stradlin wrote that song. We played it together — on the ['Use Your Illusion I'] album, me and Izzy tracked that in one take. And the premise of the lyric was based around the kind of pitfalls of the music business and success. There's this undercurrent that's not pretty. And I talk very truthfully about things that I went through, from my perspective.

"I didn't wanna come off jaded," Matt continued. "I have to tell the story the way it went for me, and I hope that people don't take it as I sound jaded or something. I just wanted to be as truthful and honest as possible, from my perspective, if that makes sense.

"I think there's a misconception that maybe, as musicians, we're a bit elitist or privileged, or things are handed to us, and we just automatically appear, and now, all of a sudden, we're famous. So I just look at it, I'm, like, well, yeah, I have a great job. I've got a great life. I'm super grateful for all the things I've been able to do. But in the book, you can see that it was a lot of hard work. It was a lot of bruises along the way. And then, as the career goes and you get successful, stuff happens. There's, of course, the famous drug-and-alcohol shit that is kind of like 'Behind The Music' VH1 — I mean, that all happened to me. You know, the pitfalls of rock and roll stardom and all that shit.

"For me, when I was doing it," referring to the rock-star lifestyle, "and when I was at the height [of GUNS N' ROSES' success], I'm, like, 'If I don't do this now, I'll regret it later.' So I just tried to live my life as I thought I would wanna live it as a kid dreaming to be in a rock and roll band."

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich said about "Double Talkin' Jive": "Matt lights up rooms, corridors, clubs, theaters, arenas, and stadiums with the kind of infectious rock 'n' roll energy that is increasingly becoming obsolete. His dedication to his craft remains virtually peerless, and when the sticks are resting, you'll have to go a long way to find someone cooler in rock 'n' roll. Dive into these shenanigan-saturated pages immediately and find out for yourself!"

Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Serj Tankian's critically revered "Elasticity" EP, the SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer's first solo release since 2013's "Orca", is available now. The Los Angeles- and New Zealand-based musician has simultaneously unveiled a second video from the five-song collection, for the track "Electric Yerevan".

Tankian said of the tune: "The song was inspired by the successful 'Electric Yerevan' protests in Armenia in the summer of 2015 where people protested against proposed hikes in utility prices. My writing from that time is inscribed word for word in the song." The Garin Hovannisian-directed clip provides a visual timeline of the events leading up to the 2015 "Electric Yerevan" protests and the ensuing 2018 Velvet Revolution, while simultaneously showcasing the power of peaceful demonstrations across the globe.

Regarding how the idea for "Elasticity" came about, Serj said: "When I conceived possibly doing another record with the guys from SYSTEM OF A DOWN a few years back, I started working on a set of songs that I arranged in rock format for that purpose. As we weren't able to see eye to eye on the vision going forward with an SOAD album, I decided to release these songs under my moniker." With his trademark eclecticism and one-of-a-kind vocal style, Serj delivers a collection that runs the gamut from hard-driving, electronically enhanced anthems like the title track, a rallying cry for his beloved Armenia ("Electric Yerevan"), the tongue-in-cheek political mash-up of "Your Mom", the piano-laden "How Many Times?" and "Rumi", a song that Serj wrote both about his son Rumi and Rumi the poet.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN hasn't released a full-length album since the "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" LPs, which came out in 2005.

In 2018, guitarist Daron Malakian publicly accused Tankian of not wanting to record, with Tankian responding that creative and financial issues with Malakian led to the stalemate. In a message on Facebook, Tankian wrote that Malakian wanted to control SYSTEM's creative process, take more of the publishing money and be the only band member to speak to the press.

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: Travis Shinn

LAMB OF GOD has premiered the official video for "Memento Mori (Live)" from the "Live In Richmond, VA" DVD, which is part of the upcoming "Lamb Of God (Deluxe Version)", due out March 26 via Epic Records. The live track is also available now to stream on all DSPs.

The video, which was filmed in the band's native Richmond, Virginia, for a September 2020 livestream, is available today on YouTube and the band's web site.

Pre-orders for the three-disc deluxe version of last year's self-titled album are available now. The set features the critically acclaimed 2020 release with two bonus tracks and a live version of the album, along with a DVD featuring the first of LAMB OF GOD's two ultra-successful livestream events from the fall.

In addition to performing "Lamb Of God" in its entirety, the performance features an encore of four songs including "Ruin", "Contractor", "512" and the debut live performance of "The Death Of Us", a new song the band wrote and recorded in quarantine for the "Bill & Ted Face The Music" movie and soundtrack. The DVD also includes a new director's cut with bonus material. Digital copies will contain only Disc 1 and Disc 2. A separate vinyl edition of "Live From Richmond, VA" will also be available.

The first single from "Lamb Of God (Deluxe Version)", "Ghost Shaped People", has already received a response equal to the fervent reception the original release received last June, holding at No. 1 on the Metal Contraband metal radio chart for four weeks in a row.

"Lamb Of God", the quintet's first new album in five years, was met with universal acclaim upon release — not only among major rock journalists, but with all strata of metal fans around the world. But critics, media and the industry aside, perhaps the most telling statistic is the year-end U.S. Metal Radio chart, where the new album dominated at No. 1 by a massive margin (over 2,000 more spins than the album at No. 2). "Lamb Of God" spent nine weeks in the No. 1 spot and never left the top 10 since debuting on the chart in February. Metal Radio is the lifeblood of the U.S. metal world, largely staffed by college students and regional tastemakers, playing the music that they know their local metal fans want to hear.

"Lamb Of God" deluxe edition track listing:

Disc 1: "Lamb Of God" Original Album + 2 Bonus Tracks

01. Memento Mori

02. Checkmate

03. Gears

04. Reality Bath

05. New Colossal Hate

06. Resurrection Man

07. Poison Dream (feat. Jamey Jasta)

08. Routes (feat. Chuck Billy)

09. Bloodshot Eyes

10. On The Hook

11. Ghost Shaped People

12. Hyperthermic/Accelerate

Disc 2: "Lamb Of God - Live In Richmond, VA"

01. Memento Mori (Live)

02. Checkmate (Live)

03. Gears (Live)

04. Reality Bath (Live)

05. New Colossal Hate (Live)

06. Resurrection Man (Live)

07. Poison Dream (Live)

08. Routes (Live)

09. Bloodshot Eyes (Live)

10. On The Hook (Live)

11. Contractor (Live)

12. Ruin (Live)

13. The Death Of Us (Live)

14. 512

Disc 3: "Lamb Of God - Live In Richmond, VA" DVD

01. Memento Mori

02. Checkmate

03. Gears

04. Reality Bath

05. New Colossal Hate

06. Resurrection Man

07. Poison Dream

08. Routes

09. Bloodshot Eyes

10. On The Hook

11. Contractor

12. Ruin

13. The Death of Us

14. 512

Digital copies will contain only Disc 1 and Disc 2. A separate vinyl edition of "Lamb Of God - Live In Richmond, VA" will also be available.

"Lamb Of God - Live In Richmond, VA" vinyl track listing:

Side 1

01. Memento Mori

02. Checkmate

03. Gears

04. Reality Bath

05. New Colossal Hate

Side 2

01. Resurrection Man

02. Poison Dream

03. Routes

04. Bloodshot Eyes

05. On The Hook

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has announced a brand new album, "Silver Linings", due out May 14 via Megaforce Records. The 14-track effort features an all-star cast of "who's who" in the thrash, metal, and rock worlds, with all cuts culled from Benante's acclaimed "quarantine jam" video series. Benante has earmarked a portion of the "Silver Linings" proceeds for the Neal Casal Music Foundation, an organization that provides musical instruments and lessons to students and makes donations to much-needed mental health organizations that support musicians in need.

"Back in February of last year," Benante remembers, "with COVID and all the other B.S. that was going on, I was glued to the 24-hour news cycle on the TV and my phone, and I started to get really depressed. My girlfriend said I needed to turn off the news and suggested I do something creative, whether it was art or drumming or writing new songs, and she was right."

Benante set up his electric drum kit at home in his art room and started playing along with music he had grown up listening to. It pulled him out of his depression and reignited his creative drive. "I knew a lot of my musician friends were going through the same thing I had been, so I started asking them if they wanted to get involved, play some songs with me, maybe make a video. That's how it all started."

Throughout the quarantine video series, Benante collaborated on jams with fellow ANTHRAX bandmates Frank Bello, Scott Ian and Jon Donais, his girlfriend Carla Harvey (BUTCHER BABIES), Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT), Ra Diaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES), Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL), John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE) and Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), among many more. Some of Charlie's favorite songs by RUSH, Tom Petty, BEASTIE BOYS, STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH, KING'S X, RUN-DMC, MASSIVE ATTACK, U2, FUGAZI, CHEMICAL BROTHERS and Billie Eilish were covered.

For the album's cover art, Charlie recruited his friend, artist Brian Ewing, whose art he's always loved. "I think he did a great job," said Charlie, "and the package's artwork ties in my fascination with horror."

"This isn't a solo album," Charlie added, "this is a record of my favorite songs done with some of my friends during a very dark time. We found a shining light and this is the result of that light. I was really happy that my musician friends came on board and helped make this record what it is. I appreciate all of them, and they all did such a fantastic job. Despite all of the darkness we've experienced this past year, there are 'silver linings,' that's why I chose that title for the album."

"Silver Linings" track listing:

* "City of Blinding Lights" (U2)

Frank Bello

Mark Osegueda

Charlie Benante

* "Chloe Dancer / Crown of Horns" (MOTHER LOVE BONE)

Mark Menghi

Mark Osegueda

Charlie Benante

* "Teardrop" (MASSIVE ATTACK)

Carla Harvey

Ra Diaz

Charlie Benante

* "Run DMC" (Run-DMC)

Darryl "DMC" McDaniels

Rob Caggiano

Ra Diaz

Charlie Benante

* "Rhiannon" (FLEETWOOD MAC)

Mark Menghi

Jennifer Cella

Randy McStine

Charlie Benante

* "Yer So Bad" (Tom Petty)

Carla Harvey

Ra Diaz

Charlie Benante

* "Transylvania" (IRON MAIDEN)

Dave "Snake" Sabo

Frank Bello

Jon Donias

Charlie Benante

* "Presto Vivace" (U.K.)

Ra Diaz

Alex Skolnick

Jordan Rudess

Charlie Benante

* "Bad Guy" (Billie Eilish)

Ra Diaz

Charlie Benante

* "Jimmy James" (BEASTIE BOYS)

Ra Diaz

Charlie Benante

* "All The Way" (KISS)

PJ Farley

Joe McGinness

John 5

Charlie Benante

* "Mr Speed" (KISS)

Joe McGinness

PJ Farley

Charlie Benante

* "Public Image" (PUBLIC IMAGE)

Hank Von Hell

Dave Brownsound

Jason "Cone" McCaslin

Charlie Benante

* "Funny Vibe" (LIVING COLOUR)

Ra Diaz

Corey Glover

Henry Flury

Charlie Benante

Photo credit: Jimmy Hubbard

POISON's Rikki Rockett has just received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Thursday (March 18), the 59-year-old drummer, who lives in northern Los Angeles, took to his social media to share a photo of him sitting in his car after he got the shot, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Today I got my [shot] at a drive through. Pretty cool, pretty easy, just hang the arm and get the stick! ⁠I'm not a zombie yet either".

Rikki, whose real name is Richard Allan Ream, was declared cancer free in 2016 after undergoing an experimental treatment.

In June 2015, Rikki visited his primary care doctor with a sore throat. His doctor found a small tumor at the base of his tongue, and Rikki learned he had human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oral cancer. He endured nine rounds of chemotherapy and 37 sessions of radiation therapy. The tumor initially responded, but returned three months later, spreading to his lymph nodes. Rikki then saw Dr. Ezra Cohen at UCSD Moores Cancer Center, who helped him enroll in a clinical trial of pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Rikki's tumor responded immediately. Just over two months into the trial, a scan revealed that his tumor had shrunk over 90 precent. Today Rikki is cancer-free, enjoys playing with his band, POISON, caring for his two children, and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

A recent poll from the Pew Research Center showed that more than two-thirds of U.S. adults plan on getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The poll, released earlier in the month, found that 69 percent of adults say they are going to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

The Pew poll showed that 19% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, 32% say they will definitely get the vaccine and 17% say they will probably get it.

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

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

As of late January, the CDC discovered that only 11 per 1 million people experienced severe reactions from the Pfizer vaccine, and only 2.5 per 1 million people who received the Moderna dose.

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
























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FOREIGNER multi-instrumentalist Thom Gimbel is planning to leave the legendary rock act.

The news of Gimbel's departure was broken by his bandmate, FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson, in a new interview with Rocking With Jam Man.

Speaking about the fact that FOREIGNER occasionally plays shows without any original member members — including founding guitarist Mick Jones — Pilson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It is really all about the music, and especially with FOREIGNER. FOREIGNER was never any kind of an image band at all, and that's actually worked to our advantage now in these later years where can tour — and we can tour without Mick — because the music is so strong that it is more about the music than it is about the personnel. And I think that's kind of cool."

Asked if Gimbel is now the longest-serving member of FOREIGNER, Pilson said: "Besides Mick Jones, yes. [But] Mick doesn't do all shows with us. So when [Mick's] not playing, Thom is [the longest-serviving member]. However, Thom is actually gonna be leaving the band. He's had some experiences. I mean, he's ready to get off the road at some point. So, maybe then I'll be the longest-serving member."

Gimbel is known as FOREIGNER's jack-of-all-trades guitarist, saxophonist, flutist and keyboardist. He initially joined the group in 1992 but left to tour with AEROSMITH before returning to FOREIGNER in 1995.

FOREIGNER's last album, "Can't Slow Down", was the only full-length collection of new songs to have been released by the band since Kelly Hansen took over vocals after original singer Lou Gramm left the band for good in 2002. The album entered the Billboard Top 30, driven by the radio singles "In Pieces" and "When It Comes To Love". The band also has released a series of live albums and compilations, including 2016's "In Concert: Unplugged" and 2017's "40".

FOREIGNER's current lineup is rounded out by Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Chris Frazier (drums) and Bruce Watson (guitar).

Pilson — one-fourth of the classic DOKKEN lineup — joined FOREIGNER in 2004.

Several more IRON MAIDEN titles will get the jigsaw puzzle treatment in May.

On May 14, Zee Productions will release "Brave New World", "Dance Of Death", "A Matter Of Life And Death", "The Final Frontier" and "Stranger In A Strange Land" as 500-piece jigsaws on its Rock Saws imprint.

All 500-piece puzzles come in a vinyl-box-set-sized box, perfect to fit alongside a vinyl record collection.

Next month, Zee Productions will release "The Trooper", "No Prayer For The Dying", "Fear Of The Dark", "The X Factor", "Virtual XI" and "The Book Of Souls" as 500-piece jigsaws. "The Trooper" is also available as a 1000-piece jigsaw.

Previously released IRON MAIDEN jigsaws include "Iron Maiden", "Killers", "Live After Death", "The Number Of The Beast", "Powerslave", "Somewhere In Time" and "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son".

According to Toy News, Rock Saws was originally developed by Zee Productions' own self-proclaimed metalhead Steve Beatty.

"I want to make jigsaws that are for the music fan," Beatty said. "Vinyl came back and I loved the idea of making great record sleeve art into jigsaws, maybe stick the record on and do together."

Beatty launched Rock Saws in 2019, promising to "revolutionize" and "breathe new life into" the puzzles scene by delivering artwork from some of the rock and heavy metal scene's most iconic album covers. The mission started with the launch of puzzles featuring artwork from albums by SLAYER and IRON MAIDEN.

BORN OF OSIRIS makes its triumphant return with a blistering new single, "White Nile", out now via Sumerian Records. The official music video for the song stars the members of BORN OF OSIRIS as ringleaders in the heaviest 1950s nightmare of a circus.

Speaking on the release, the band shares: "We are so excited to bring you the first taste of new music with our track 'White Nile'.

"It has been a hard year for everyone, but we've been fortunate to lean on each member and each piece of this community we call BORN OF OSIRIS.

"Perseverance flows like the Nile, as so we push on. With the release of this track also comes the transition of Nick Rossi to guitar. We are thrilled to go forward with this lineup and have so much more to come."

Watch the "White Nile" music video below and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a new BORN OF OSIRIS album announcement coming May 3.

ALL THAT REMAINS vocalist Phil Labonte has revealed that a financial dispute with the wife of the band's late guitarist Oli Herbert has made it impossible for the band to use Herbert's name in connection with any of its projects.

Speaking to American Songwriter, Labonte said he and his bandmates have toyed with the idea of hosting benefits for Herbert and even starting a charity or project in the late musician's name. "We talked about ideas to do a benefit to raise money for kids in schools, but we can't do anything that has his name on it," Labonte said.

Labonte also confirmed that ALL THAT REMAINS has always paid everything owed to Herbert's estate and will continue to do so.

"We've made sure that that our accountants and all the people that work with us know any money that is owed to Oli Herbert's estate must be paid to Oli Herbert's estate," Labonte explained. "And we have absolutely no interest in not paying. It's not worth any kind of hassle for the amount of money."

Oli was found dead on October 16, 2018 at the edge of the pond on his Stafford Springs, Connecticut property. He was reported missing by his wife about 3 p.m., and his body was found by police face down at the edge of the pond where the water was only a few inches deep.

The Connecticut State Police Eastern District Crime Squad is still investigating Herbert's death, which is being treated as suspicious. They are looking at the will he signed a week before his death as well as a life insurance policy mentioned in the will.

The will named Elizabeth Herbert as executor and sole benefactor. It said that Oliver Herbert's sister, Cynthia Herbert, should not become executor or receive anything from his estate. The will also stated that Elizabeth Herbert should get all "property as well as any current or future earnings."

According to the Hartford Courant, state police have seized Elizabeth Herbert's computer and phone records as part of their investigation.

The couple were married for 14 years and lived in Stafford Springs for four years before Oli's death.

In a Facebook post, Elizabeth wrote that she had received a toxicology report from the medical examiner.

"Oli was apparently self-treating for manic-depression that has run in his family for several generations," she wrote. "Anti-depressants were found in his system, as well as a sleep aid."

Last year, Labonte called Elizabeth Herbert a "garbage human being" who was "never allowed" to join the band on tour. "She would come to the local shows, because we couldn't stop her from showing up," he explained. "[But] she wasn't allowed because she's a garbage human being."

According to the singer, he tried unsuccessfully to convince Oli to get a divorce for a long time. "I can't tell you exactly why he wouldn't do it or what the circumstances [were] surrounding his resistance," he said. "I don't know. But I can say that I personally talked to him multiple times and said, 'Look, if you need a place to stay, I've got plenty of room. Come to my house."

Asked if he had an opinion on how Oli died, the singer responded: "I do have an opinion on it, but I'm not gonna say. There is an ongoing investigation by the Connecticut state police."

Herbert began playing guitar at 14. He co-founded ALL THAT REMAINS with Labonte in 1998.

The surviving members of ALL THAT REMAINS — Labonte, Mike Martin (guitar), Jason Costa (drums) and Aaron Patrick (bass, backing vocals) — have recruited guitar virtuoso and YouTube personality Jason Richardson (ALL SHALL PERISH, CHELSEA GRIN, BORN OF OSIRIS) to replace Herbert

In a new interview with Wrestling Epicenter and Sleaze Roxx, former QUIET RIOT singer James Durbin was asked what he learned from the time he spent fronting the veteran hard rock act. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I can sum that up quickly: nothing. I didn't learn anything I didn't know before.

"For the longest time, I thought that's something that I really wanted, was to step into a band and sing for a band that had already been established over so many years and all that, and had several different brushes with that almost happening — different auditions and different things and connections; just really random ones.

"But it's very interesting. I didn't really learn anything," he reiterated. "I had a ton of fun playing shows and the fun parts of touring and have good memories of it. But there was, of course, plenty of bad memories, but nothing that you need to hold on to. So I just kind of let go of that. There was a lot of stress there.

"I guess if I had to say that I learned something, it's that if there's a lot of stress in your life and you have the choice to not have stress, wouldn't you choose to not have it anymore? I guess that's the one lesson," Durbin added. "And it's not always the easiest choice to make. There's a lot of things that were a lot of fun about it. But all in all, your life is your life, and you've gotta make the choices that you think that are appropriate for you and your family, and keeping your family first and your family most important.

"It was a tough decision and tough at the time, but in hindsight, it was the right choice. 'Cause I wouldn't trade all this time with my family for anything."

Durbin recorded two studio albums with QUIET RIOT — 2017's "Road Rage" and 2019's "Hollywood Cowboys" — during his three-year stint with the group. In September 2019, QUIET RIOT parted ways with Durbin and replaced him with Jizzy Pearl. Pearl previously fronted QUIET RIOT from 2013 until October 2016, when he was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of "American Idol" finalist Durbin.

Drummer Frankie Banali resurrected QUIET RIOT in 2010, three years after the death of founding member and singer Kevin DuBrow.

QUIET RIOT went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before Pearl's first three-year run with the band.

QUIET RIOT announced in September that it would carry on touring following Frankie's death a month earlier. The band, which now features drummer Johnny Kelly (DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE), played a couple of shows in October and has a string of dates booked in 2021.

QUIET RIOT initially featured the late guitar legend Randy Rhoads and went through some early lineup shifts before securing the musicians that recorded "Metal Health".

Durbin released the debut album from his solo band, DURBIN, "The Beast Awakens", on February 12 via Frontiers Music Srl.

John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, says that he is "confused" by President Joe Biden's plan for the country to begin to find a degree of normalcy and begin to move on from the coronavirus pandemic by the July Fourth holiday.

Biden delivered a speech on Thursday — the first anniversary of COVID-19 lockdowns — emphasizing the need for unity and courage as the country nears the light at the end of the tunnel.

"I will not relent until we beat this virus," Biden told the nation in his first primetime address as president, "But I need you to get vaccinated when it's your turn and when you can find an opportunity. And to help your family, your friends, your neighbors get vaccinated as well. Because here's the point," he continued, "If we do all this, if we do our part, if we do this together — by July the Fourth, there's a good chance you, your family and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or your neighborhood and have a cookout and a barbecue and celebrate Independence Day. ... After this long hard year, that will make this Independence Day something truly special."

The 45-year-old Cooper, who defines himself as "conservative in ideology," addressed Biden's comments during the latest episode of his "Cooper Stuff" podcast. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "President Biden just came on and gave his speech about lockdown. Am I the only one confused as poop? I am so confused about what's going on… Is anybody as confused as me?

"I look at the COVID numbers… Am I crazy? I literally may be crazy… I look at the COVID numbers. Unless I'm being lied to, they seem to be dropping like crazy," he continued. "I'm talking about not only number of deaths, [but] the number of people actually getting COVID. Hospitalizations, numbers are way down. They came out with new stuff about the vaccines saying they're actually working better than people thought. I'm not vaccinated, but I know a lot of people that are. And all the numbers are, like, it's 94 percent effective. All this really good news is coming out, it looks like. Then President Biden comes on, and he's, like, 'Guys, we're gonna get through this. It's gonna be great. And we can have hope. And we're all coming back.' So he gave this sort of uplifting [speech]. And then he said, 'So here's what we're trying to do: July 4th, if things go good, you can have a few family members over for a cookout outside.' And then says, 'Not large groups.' [Laughs]

"I don't know what this means," Cooper, whose wife Korey is a member of SKILLET, added. "I am so confused, because we can't get real information. We're being lied to constantly. Why? Because everybody lies. Everybody has an agenda on TV. They just feed you propaganda."

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 29 million cases have been reported in the U.S., with more than 530,000 deaths reported from the virus. The United States cumulative cases represent roughly one-quarter of the more than 117 million global cases.

During the pandemic, SKILLET released a deluxe version of its latest album, "Victorious: The Aftermath", with new songs. Cooper and his bandmates also played several drive-in concerts, and he released his debut book, "Awake & Alive To Truth (Finding Truth In The Chaos Of A Relativistic World)".

David Coverdale has just received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Wednesday (March 17), the 69-year-old WHITESNAKE frontman, who lives in Reno, Nevada, took to his social media to share a photo of him sitting in his car after he got the shot, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "2:45 Received my first vaccination...A 1, 000 Thanks To Everyone Involved...What an AMAZING Operation!!!"

Last month, Coverdale told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station that he has been forced to delay his retirement tour due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

"People, as you can imagine, are extraordinarily desperate to go to shows and to perform shows," he said. "It's just not safe, and it's not gonna be the energy, the atmosphere that we're familiar with. We have to make sure [to] work as a global community, and, for me, as a global artist, work together and be, as they would say, in solidarity with each other and support each other and respect each other. It's a global pandemic — it's not just us. And mask up. Let's get out of this. Get vaccinated, and let's get out of this thing.

"I don't think it's ever gonna be the same," he continued. "I think society has changed. This has been a really challenging time for people who have been alone, I think. And that's a lot of my target audience with my social media — to try to uplift people's spirits, until I can get out there and truly do my appreciation and gratitude tour. And hopefully while I'm still physically able to do it and not just farting dust."

David has spent the last few weeks promoting "The Blues Album", the third and final release in WHITESNAKE's "Red, White And Blues" trilogy, a series of compilations organized by musical themes that began last year with "Love Songs" (red) and "The Rock Album" (white).

"The Blues Album" was released on February 19 digitally and on CD and as a double-LP set pressed on 180-gram, blue vinyl. Like "The Rock Album" and "Love Songs", all the tracks on "The Blues Album" have been revisited, remixed, and remastered.

Early last year, WHITESNAKE was forced to cancel its U.S. tour with SAMMY HAGAR & THE CIRCLE and NIGHT RANGER so that Coverdale could undergo surgery for bilateral inguinal hernia. Eventually, all of the shows were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coverdale, who will turn 70 this coming September, had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.

WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.




2:45

Received my first vaccination...A 1, 000 Thanks To Everyone Involved...What an AMAZING Operation!!! pic.twitter.com/LzDMBM7vTu

— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) March 17, 2021

Irish metal band For Ruin will release their digital only four track EP, Relapse, on April 1, 2021 on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and all other common streaming platforms. The first digital single from the EP In Vain will be released on March 17, 2021. Lyric videos for the single and all EP tracks will be available upon release at 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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Death metal heavyweights, No Raza, have unleashed a best-of compilation, which is out now via Noble Demon. Order here.

Formed in 1997 in Colombia, South America, now based in Florida, No Raza belongs to one of the most eclectic acts the scene has to offer. More than two decades of energetic and relentless soundscapes, which not only led the band to play the most important and biggest festivals in South America, but also to share the stage with well known acts all around the globe, are now featured on their brand new compilation.

The Best Of No Raza is a remarkable journey through 24 years of career and a true imposing testimony entirely in the name of death metal. Vocalist and guitarist Juan Cano states: "The Best Of No Raza is a compilation that we have created with the most representative songs throughout our history, a journey through our entire discography with a select repertoire loaded with classic death metal sounds and intense lyrics, which have been constructed and marked an ideology that encompasses the human being in all its aspects, through its existence on this earthly plane.“

Tracklisting:

Transcending Material Sins
"Ancient Wars"
"On The Verge of Dying Out"
"Sail in Rot"
"Reborn"
"Fratricide"
"Atrición"
"En Carne y Hueso"

When Chaos Reigns
"Evil’s Seed"
"Corderos al Abismo"
"Débil Hombre"
"Contaminated Roots"
"Tiempos Malditos"
"Muerte por Traición"

Misantropía
"Lloverá Sangre en el Barro"
"Ríos de Sangre"
"La Marcha"
"Hipocresía"
"Profetas"

Del Poder a la Muerte
"Tierra Desconocida"
"Involución"
"La Danza de la Destrucción"

Lineup:

Juan Guillermo Cano (Vocals - Guitar)
Jairo Hernán Gómez (Drums)
Mike Spillane (Bass)
Camilo Sanchez (Guitar)




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Mark Spiro has announced the release of his new solo album, Traveling Cowboys, on May 7 via Frontiers Music Srl. Today, the first single and video, "7 Billion People" has premiered. Mark is joined on the track by vocalist Julian Lennon and guitarist Tim Pierce. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Traveling Cowboys here.

Mark Spiro’s new solo album Traveling Cowboys comes about one year after the career spanning “Best of” album which Frontiers released as a celebration of this great songwriter’s career. Once again, Spiro continues his legacy of excellent songwriting, which he has always done in a very personal and heartfelt way.

"I didn’t really have a goal other than the same goal I always have. When I write I want to reflect the world around me in a unique way. Both the outside and the inner world. I want to paint a picture with lyrics in ways they have never been used and surround them with melodies that add or change their intensity. It's magic to me when a simple thought is injected with a melody and the sum becomes bigger than the parts. Synchronicity," says Spiro of the songwriting process for Traveling Cowboys.

On what kind of album he wanted Traveling Cowboys to be, he says "A truthful one. I think every song is directly inspired by what I’m feeling these days. It’s vulnerable and a little bit risky to say some of these highly personal things. But..I think without vulnerability and risk, you are not an artist, you are simply a delivery system. Gotta have something to say!"

On Traveling Cowboys, Mark once again writes and sings songs about life, love, sacrifice, heartbreak, and everything in between, while wrapping everything up in a smooth melodic rock blanket. Mark was helped on the record by Tim Pierce and Gia Sky and also appearing on “7 Billion People,” as a duet partner with Mark, is none other than Julian Lennon.

"I’ve always been attracted to space travel and the possibilities of our universe. “7 Billion People” is about our Earth becoming unlivable and our only hope is to colonize Mars. The song is kind of a tragic comedy. It suggests that we’ll simply repeat our greedy, rich privileged mistakes. I think a lot about these subjects like dead soil, climate change, oppression and greed. I think they are worth writing about. I’ve also been working with folks on regenerative farming, homelessness and other challenges we face on this planet. Having co-written “Saltwater”with Julian Lennon, this duet was a natural fit for us. Julian is one of my closest friends…beyond music. We had a blast online making the video with him at home in France and me at home in L.A… Really hope people enjoy it!" adds Spiro of the first single and video.

Traveling Cowboys is another album of which Mark Spiro can be truly proud. It showcases a man with a talent for writing catchy yet thoughtful songs, songs that any fan of good music will enjoy listening to.

Tracklist:

"Traveling Cowboys"
"Rolls Royce"
"Vanderpump"
"Going"
"7 Billion People" (Featuring Julian Lennon)
"Someone Else"
"Kingdom Come"
"I Ain't Leaving"
"Between The Raindrops" (Revisited)
"Dance"
"Feel Like Me"
"Let The Wind Decide"
"Nothing In Between Us"
"The Fisherman 3 2020"
"Still"

"7 Billion People" video:

Lineup:

Mark Spiro
Tim Pierce
Gia Sky




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