Sleek yet hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll rooted in blues soul, The Dust Coda, clutch the echoes of rock’s most beloved household names, from the pure, raw poetry of Led Zeppelin to the nasty muscle of Guns N’ Roses, and bring them kicking and screaming into the 21st century with enticingly unforgettable riffs, gravel-soaked vocal soul and sheer swagger. Earache Records capped off 2020 by signing the band to a worldwide deal.

The band's forthcoming album, Mojo Skyline, will be released worldwide on March 26. Pre-order Mojo Skyline here on a range of great formats, including limited edition coloured and signed vinyl.

The band performed tracks from the upcoming album at former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing's KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, UK. You can now watch clips from the performance below:

The vivid album cover for Mojo Skylin is extracted from the mind of artist Nick Dwyer, who is best known for his eye-catching designs for Beavertown Brewery's beloved brews such as Neck Oil and Gamma Ray. "I was trying to put across how these guys, who live and breathe destruction, dirt and chaos through their music might also spend their 'down time' inhaling weirdness from other not-so-obvious places," says Nick of the artwork. "They are on some sort of Natural Born Killers-esque trip, making a quick stop to watch a horror movie in the desert as the city disappears behind them.  It's a peyote sandwich washed down with whiskey and desert dust."

Tracklisting:

"Demon"
"Breakdown"
"Limbo Man"
"Dream Alight"
"Jimmy 2 Times"
"Rolling"
"Bourbon Pouring"
"I've Been Waiting"
"She's Gone"
"They Don't Know Rock N Roll"
"Best Believe It"
"It's A Jam"

Trailer:

"Jimmy 2 Times" video:

"Limbo Man" video:

"Breakdown" video:




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Drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz of Florida death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE has declined to publicly address his current relationship with the band's former guitarist Pat O'Brien.

O'Brien was arrested in Florida more than two years ago on charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault. Deputies said he burglarized a house and charged at a deputy with a knife. He has since been replaced in CANNIBAL CORPSE by Erik Rutan, one of the death metal's most acclaimed guitarists who is known for his time as part of MORBID ANGEL throughout the '90s and early 2000s, as well as handling vocals/guitars for HATE ETERNAL.

Asked in a new interview with Pierre Gutierrez of Rock Talks what his relationship with Pat is like nowadays and whether the two still talk from time to time, Paul shook his head from side to side and replied simply: "No comment on that."

O'Brien, who was born in Northern Kentucky, was arrested on December 10, 2018 for burglary and assaulting a police officer while his Florida home was in flames.

O'Brien allegedly broke into a Northdale, Florida home and shouted that "the rapture is coming" before pushing a woman to the ground. He ran toward a responding deputy with a knife and was subdued with a stun gun.

Less than half a mile from where O'Brien was arrested, a fire broke out at the house he was renting, sending flames billowing into the night sky from the roof.

The owner of the home where O'Brien was arrested wouldn't go on camera but told ABC Action News he thought the guitarist was hallucinating when he spoke to him and claimed "someone was after him." The homeowner added O'Brien seemed scared and at one point even hid in his closet.

Fire marshals found a large cache of weapon, locked safes and potential explosive devices inside O'Brien's home, including 50 shotguns, 20 semiautomatic rifles, two Uzi-style firearms, 20 handguns and two flamethrowers. Authorities also discovered thousands of rounds as well as additional weapons.

O'Brien, who had been a member of CANNIBAL CORPSE for more than two decades, was released from Hillsborough County jail on December 14, 2018 after posting a $50,000 surety bond. Several days earlier, at a hearing, a judge told the now-55-year-old musician, clad in an anti-suicide vest with his hands and ankles chained together, that he would first have to pass a drug test before he would be allowed to post bail and leave jail.

During an appearance on a June 2019 episode of "The Jasta Show", the podcast hosted by HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta, CANNIBAL CORPSE frontman George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher expressed his shock over O'Brien's arrest, saying: "I don't wanna speculate about what could have happened that night, but it could have been way worse — for him.

"When people were seeing [TV reports about] it — I think on the Tampa news, they were pretty good with him," he continued. "They just said he was one of the best guitar players in death metal in America, and in the world, and he's highly respected. And they didn't really trash him at all. And they showed him on TV."

According to Fisher, most of the CANNIBAL fans were very supportive of Pat while he was dealing with his ordeal. "In the metal world, I think in general, 95 percent [of the people], everyone was, like, 'Get well soon,'" he told "The Jasta Show". "I didn't spend too much time reading stuff online, because that's when you get people who just wanna say nasty stuff just to be nasty."

Fisher went on to say that he and his bandmates were looking forward to O'Brien's return to CANNIBAL CORPSE.

"We love him," he told "The Jasta Show". "We want him back. But when I saw him in the court with the vest, dude, I cried. Because we just got home from tour… We wish the best for him, and we're just waiting to see [what happens]. He's got a road ahead of him still with legal issues, and that's out of our hands. We support him 100 percent; we're behind him 100 percent."

CANNIBAL CORPSE will release its 15th studio album, "Violence Unimagined", on April 16 via Metal Blade Records. Rutan lent his guitar as well as production skills to the effort, which was recorded at his Mana Recording in St. Petersburg, Florida. Rutan previously produced four CANNIBAL CORPSE albums (in addition to "Violence Unimagined"), alongside the likes of GOATWHORE, SOILENT GREEN and BELPHEGOR. Filling in live on guitar since 2019, in 2020 he became a full member, contributing to the writing process.

METALLICA guitarists James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett playeed the U.S. national anthem before tip-off on Monday (March 15) as the Golden State Warriors took part in a Western Conference NBA showdown versus the Los Angeles Lakers at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Check out video below.

Hetfield and Hammett previously performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the Warriors before game 3 of the NBA finals against the Toronto Raptors in June 2019.

METALLICA has always kept strong ties to the Bay Area sports scene: the band has also performed before San Francisco Giants baseball games and San Jose Sharks hockey games.

Hammett told ESPN.com that he feels the version of the national anthem they perform is "really unique and different."

Prior to Monday night, the pair most recently performed it virtually before the September 2020 baseball game featuring the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies.

"They're always a pleasure. Come on, to be able to support a hometown team in the best possible way, it's a huge honor," Hammett said in an interview. "And also to be able to play the national anthem for a hometown team, that's just beyond huge. As a native San Franciscan, the honor to be a civil servant for San Francisco cannot be higher for me to play the national anthem with James."

Hollywood-based alt-rock band, Trope, unleashes “Pareidolia”, the third single off of their upcoming debut record, Eleutheromania. “Pareidolia” means “the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern,” and Trope takes listeners on an intense dive through reality and layers of meaning with the new track.

“For years I was interpreting things that simply weren’t there in conversations with my parents, friends, lovers, and the construing of those communications creates an impact,” shares Trope frontwoman and vocalist Diana Studenberg. “So I realized that how I was interpreting interactions was a powerful indicator of my moods, and I had to look at the world differently for my own sanity. How do I process this info that I’m receiving in a way that doesn’t cause anxiety - because I'm not asking them to change, and why should I? Should they change…or should I?”  

After its inception in 2016, Trope quickly attracted the attention of music industry heavy-hitters who teamed together to share their expertise on Eleutheromania (set for release March 31). This includes engineering by Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Metallica), mixing and creative consulting from David Bottrill (Peter Gabriel, Smashing Pumpkins, Tool) and mastering by Ted Jensen (Halestorm, Stone Temple Pilots, Megadeth), the sonic quality of the album is at a world-class level.

“Pareidolia” puts that creative insight on full display. Studenberg creates a rich vocal landscape, deftly moving through polyrhythmic melodic phrases and haunting echoes that play out amongst multiple time signature changes, moody dynamics and a bombastic drum solo.  

Watch the official music video for “Pareidolia” below. The song is available now on all streaming platforms.

"Pareidolia" video:




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Alt/pop/synthwave artist, Arena, has released a cover of Van Halen's "Dreams". Order/hear the cover here. Also available for streaming below.

The cover features Producer/Songwriter/Guitarist, Justin "JD" deBlieck (Ice Nine Kills) on guitars with whom Arena is currently in the studio working on new music.

Check out what Sammy Hagar has to say about Arena's "Dreams" below:

On "Dreams", Joey Arena shares,"If I could find the soundtrack to my childhood, no song would compete with 'Dreams'. I recall hearing it for my first time on the radio in 93’ but never got the name and at the end of The Power Rangers Movie (1995). The song popped up and brought me full circle. 'Dreams' both lyrically and musically has something special. As musicians, we all secretly dissect music, we hear things differently than the average listener; this is one song that cannot be tampered with. Sammy is unarguably one of the greatest vocalists and lyrically, this song hits the nail on the head of what it is to write something so “feel good”, as I’d call it and really finds the words that the music is trying to say. Being that guitar is my forte, it’s one of the first songs I learned in my youth. It’s been with me for so many years and it doesn’t lose its flavor no matter how many times I hear it. They say a “hit” can be re-worked into any genre and still make the same impact. Although my approach is more synth-driven and not fantastically different, I can only hope that I did justice for the Van Halen, Hagar and Synthwave communities. When I received word from my team that Sammy had wrapped ears around the track, I was beyond grateful for his time but then we received both written and visual endorsements, I became speechless and choked up. I grew up being a huge Sammy fan and to have this legend take a moment and acknowledge me, I remembered what it felt like to be a fan and no longer a musician. I have experienced some great achievements as a musician but this personally surpasses all of that. I cannot thank him and his team enough for making a dream come true. When I hear “Dreams”, it brings me to a younger, more free and imaginative self. What more could we really want from nostalgia?"

Justin "JD" deBlieck adds, "When Arena brought the idea of a synth wave project to me I was so thrilled. We both grew up wishing we were teens in the 80's. Soon after he mentioned he’d like to re-imagine a Van Halen song, it was almost immediately that we knew 'Dreams' was going to be the one. As huge fans of the Hagar era it was a no brainer. With the tragic passing of the legendary Eddie Van Halen we wanted to make the song more of a tribute to his legacy. So we decided with all the quintessential synths, tricks and staples of the synth wave genre, the guitars have to have an upfront presence. As we began redeveloping 'Dreams' I remember saying, 'We need to find a sound byte that connects Sammy and Eddie to this song.' Low and behold we came across an amazing clip of Sammy sharing how Eddie inspired him to write this very song along many others. This same inspiration spread across the guitarist community like wildfire. So many wanted to play like him, write like him and be like him. For me, it was a true honor to take some of the best parts of his featured solo moments and mix them with a few of my own to keep the feeling alive in this new twist on 'Dreams.' We had such an amazing time reworking this into the synth wave genre because the song was already so good. All we had to do was make sure we didn’t leave anything out!"

After picking up his first guitar at the age of 10, Joey Arena knew there was no “Plan B,” music is his purpose. Making friends with the road at the age of 17 and living one night at a time, the stages grew bigger as did the fans along the way. Arena grew up in a city of arts, Rochester, NY. The home to household names such as Lou Gramm and Steve Gadd; a geographical foundation in which he’d build a music career.




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UK alt-metal upstarts, Vexed, will release their debut full-length, Culling Culture, on May 21 via Napalm Records. The band recently released their official video for the track "Hideous", and have released a drum playthrough video for the track. Watch below:

With their devastatingly heavy first output, Vexed underline their refusal to be pigeonholed into sonically conformist categories. Their instrumental dagger is sharpened by unrelentingly adept, technical prowess, gripping you with assertive swagger and hyper-focused brutality. Moreover, for as confident as they are musically, Vexed is as poignant lyrically. The title of the album, Culling Culture, and portions of its contents deliver the band’s unfiltered response to the world’s latest social phenomena of public ostracism, “cancel culture”.

Facing very personal experiences, Culling Culture is a tribute to hate, betrayal and anger, whilst also reflecting post-modern society with strikingly honest songwriting and heavy groove. Their first single, “Hideous”, along with a captivating official music video, not only serves as a first taste and vicious wake up call, but also showcases that anger can either destroy you or provide real strength. With this offering, Vexed prove the latter.

Vexed on their first single: “It gives us great satisfaction to share with you our Grindhouse inspired music video for our debut single, 'Hideous'. Fueled by the feeling of ‘seeing red’ and having to decide how to react in moments of betrayal and rage, do you let your blood boil over or sit and wait for the killing instinct to pass?”

Unrelenting lead vocalist Megan Targett’s vicious vocal assault blending venomously low growls, soaring cleans and razor-sharp rap-like deliveries (see “Fake” and “Weaponise”) is backed by the pure technical proficiency of bandmates Willem Mason-Geraghty (drums), Jay Bacon (guitar) and Al Harper (bass). The warning instrumental “Ignorant” prefaces the record’s menacing atmosphere and provides a flawless basis for smashing wake up call “Hideous” and fiery, threatening tracks “Fake” and “Narcissist”. Ghostly “Aurora” and disrespectfully heavy album-closer “Lazarus” showcase Targett’s multi-faceted clean vocal delivery while clashing otherworldly auras with resonating, melodic rhythms. “Epiphany” blends both, offering a bold message of moving past self-loathing, while superciliously weighty offering “Weaponise” seethes between violent hatred and ambient darkness.

Pre-order Vexed’s debut album Culling Culture here.

Culling Culture will be available in the following formats:

- 1-CD Digipak
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl (Black)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl (Orange transparent, strictly limited to 100 copies)
- 1-CD Digipak + T-Shirt Bundle
- Digital Album

Tracklisting:

"Ignorant"
"Hideous"
"Fake"
"Epiphany"
"Misery"
"Narcissist"
"Weaponise"
"Purity"
"Drift"
"Aurora"
"Lazarus"

(Photo - Andy Ford)




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In 1992, Megadeth performed at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, England. Live video of Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson, Marty Friedman, and the late Nick Menza playing "Hangar 18" has just surfaced. Watch below:

Watch "Peace Sells" from the same show, below:

Menza Nation recently released the late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza's final audio interview with The Wave Northwest podcast 14 days before his death.

"They discuss a wide variety of topics in this interview from playing with Megadeth, touring with Pantera and OHM, to marijuana, UFOs and aliens, and much more. The interview was conducted on May 8th, 2016 and published May 24, 2016."




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Toronto-based metal band, Shatterpoint, are officially back from the dead with a brand new album, titled At The Sharp End, along with a brand new previously unreleased LP, titled Perseverance Of Failure.

Says Shatterpoint's Greg Wright: "We have had a tough road along the way, as many bands have, but we never stopped making the music that we love. As a result, we are slowly releasing all of our previously unreleased material from our time in relative obscurity."

At The Sharp End tracklisting:

"Sing Me To Sleep Where Bullets Fall"
"At The Sharp End"
"Bite And Hold"
"Maintained By Science To Be Killed By Shells"
"The Murder Hole"
"Live Like Kings... Kill Like Pigs"
"The Abyss"

Perseverance Of Failure tracklisting:

"Despondent"
"Death of a Dream"
"Perseverance of Failure"
"The Last Time"
"Fuck Your Life"
"Prevail"
"Remain Nameless"
"Hostile Territory"
"Chokehold of the Weak"
"On My Knees"

Find all of the band's releases at Bandcamp.




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Australian progressive metal band, Teramaze, have released a video for "Between These Shadows", from the band's soon to be released new album, Sorella Minore, a sequel to their 2015 album, Her Halo.

"Between These Shadows" is a ballad dealing with separation, oppression and finding a light at the end of the tunnel.

Guitarist, Lead Singer Dean Wells states: “‘Between These Shadows’ was probably one of the hardest songs I’ve ever had to sing. Not just technically, but also from an emotional stand point. I had to dig really deep to infuse the right amount of emotion and frustration into the vocals to give the lyrics the delivery that they deserved. As a band, we’re really pleased and proud of the result and its one of my favourite Teramaze songs to date.”

Watch the new clip below.

Sorella Minore is set to be released on May 11 via Wells Music Worldwide. Pre-order here

Tracklisting:

"Sorella Minore"
"Stone"
"Take Your Shot"
"Between These Shadows"

Between These Shadows" video:




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On April 9, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live At Knebworth ‘76 as a DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD, limited edition 2LP+DVD, and digital video, capturing the band’s historic performance in England on August 21,1976.

Featuring the legendary lineup of Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, and The Honkettes, this set was part of a daylong festival which also boasted the likes of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, 10cc, and headliners The Rolling Stones.

This footage, originally only available via the 1996 film Freebird...The Movie, was intercut with interviews and other performance footage. Now Live At Knebworth ‘76 presents the pure concert experience in its entirety, delivering the show as it happened that day. Kicking off with opening number “Workin’ For MCA,” Lynyrd Skynyrd ignited a powerhouse performance before over 150,000 attendees. Displaying the renowned triple guitar attack of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, and Steve Gaines with Ronnie Van Zant’s signature vocals, Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live At Knebworth ’76 showcases fiery performances of such beloved classic rock anthems as “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Gimme Three Steps,” and of course, “Free Bird”.

As a bonus, the Blu-ray set also features the full-length documentary If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd. Originally released in 2018, the film is an in-depth exploration of the band’s music and history.

Over 40 years after their inception, Lynyrd Skynyrd continues their legacy as icons of American music. Carrying on after the tragic 1977 plane crash, with sales beyond 30 million worldwide and 60 albums to their name, Lynyrd Skynyrd remain etched as pivotal forebearers of Southern Rock.

Pre-order here, and watch a video for "Saturday Night Special" below.

Tracklisting:

"Workin' For The MCA"
"I Ain't The One"
"Saturday Night Special"
"Searching"
"Whiskey Rock-A-Roller"
"Travelin' Man"
"Gimme Three Steps"
"Call Me The Breeze"
"T For Texas"
"Sweet Home Alabama"
"Free Bird"

"Saturday Night Special" video:

"Gimme Three Steps" video:

Trailer:

Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup:

Ronnie Van Zant (Lead Vocals)
Gary Rossington (Guitar)
Allen Collins (Guitar)
Steve Gaines (Guitar / Backing Vocals)
Leon Wilkeson (Bass / Backing Vocals)
Artimus Pyle (Drums / Percussion)
Billy Powell (Keyboards / Piano)

Honkettes:

Cassie Gaines (Background Vocals)
JoJo Billingsley (Background Vocals)
Leslie Hawkins (Background Vocals)




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Frontiers Music Srl announces the upcoming release of Italy's False Memories label debut, The Last Night Of Fall, on May 7. The band traffics in a gothic, doom metal style with elements of prog and joins the label's expanding, diverse roster of metal bands. Fans can get their first taste of the new album with the release of the new single and video, 'Voices'. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save The Last Night Of Fall here.

False Memories signed to Frontiers via the label's new A&R initiative, Frontiers & Beyond. The band is one of four bands, out of countless submissions, that were signed via the F&B portal.

"We like to insert prog elements into a "dark/goth" context, while keeping the songwriting in the surroundings of more traditional structures. The album we have always wanted to make is here thanks to a line-up that has achieved a great balance. We have always been inspired by science and psychology. This time, we wrote The Last Night Of Fall thinking of translating the human soul into music in all its emotions, disturbances, and sensations. The listener can take an intense journey towards their own conscience, a journey full of strong and sometimes conflicting emotions, but which together coexist in the 11 tracks," says frontwoman Rossella Moscatello.

Of first single "Voices", she says it "is a whirlwind of emotions contained in a single song. It speaks of a soul in pain, constantly tormented by its insecurities, fears, anger, paranoia. It embodies the human soul of many who in these hard times have had to fight against their own demons to move forward, against the thousand voices that hinder their serenity. 'Voices' was one of the first songs that Francesco [Savino, guitarist] and I wrote as it was necessary to "visualize" the direction the whole album had to take: the song that best embodies everything we are in terms of musical research and "emotional capacity", a not negligible detail in a genre like ours."

Shortly after being signed, frontwoman Rossella said about the album, "We worked hard on the production of this record and it has been very exciting to get positive feedback from people who have heard it. Fate has decided that we had to work with an Italian record company, Frontiers! It is an immense honor for us to join the roster of a label of this prestige and it is a source of great pride to have been chosen. 11 tracks of intense gothic/doom metal! Get ready and see you on the road, hopefully soon!”

False Memories was originally formed in 2015 by guitarist Francesco Savino and soon started working on original material. In 2016, the band released a self-titled EP which included four original tracks and one cover. As time progressed, the band’s soundscapes got more mature and headed towards a more goth rock/metal sound. Invigorated by their new sound, the band started to work on its first full-length release, Chimerical. Originally released independently in January 2018, the album featured eight previously unreleased tracks and three of the original songs from the debut EP, for a total of 11 original songs.

In October 2018, singer Rossella Moscatello joined the band and the band eventually released a new edition of the Chimerical album, including three bonus tracks sung by Rossella.

For this new album, The Last Night Of Fall, the composers are both Francesco Savino and Rossella Moscatello, with a lineup featuring new drummer Emanuele Cossu, second guitarist Moreno Palmisano, and bassist Gianluca Zaffino.

Tracklisting:

"Black Shades"
"Rain Of Souls"
"Voices"
"Hysteria"
"The Illusionist"
"Erased"
"White Crows"
"Unfaithful Dream"
"Sea Of Nothingness"
"Deep Breath"
"Don't Forget"

"Voices" video:

Lineup:

Rossella Moscatello - Vocals
Francesco Savino - Guitars
Moreno Palmisano - Guitars
Gianluca Zaffino - Bass
Emanuele Cossu - Drums




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Frontiers Music Srl will release the debut album, Vagabond, from Germany's Sonic Haven on May 7. Pre-order in North America here, and in Europe here, and watch a video for the title track below.

Sonic Haven is a new metal band conceived and fronted by vocalist Herbie Langhans, one of the most gifted metal singers of the current European metal scene. The band joins Frontiers Music Srl's ever expanding roster of metal bands.

"In the past few years, I didn't write that many metal songs, so that's why I was really on fire with Sonic Haven to do it again. ;-) I like classic, traditional and melodic metal with hard rock elements and sing-along parts, so my goal was to write an album that gives you a good feeling. You know, that makes you smile, that gives you goosebumps, that gives you power! I think it's the perfect album to rest a bit in the Sonic Haven," says vocalist/songwriter Herbie Langhans. "For most of the songs, I wrote and recorded demos (for two tracks, Carsten [Stepanowicz, guitars] recorded the demos and wrote the songs), then I sent it to everybody and everyone recorded their parts at home. In Sonic Haven, it was important for me to have musicians that can record at home in a good quality. And they also bring a lot of cool ideas and their own style to the music. So that's why it's so easy to work with these guys. It is just our first album, but it already worked like clockwork!!!"

On what kind of album he wanted to make with Sonic Have, Langhans says, "a very traditional metal album that's up to date sonically and lyrically. It's about life, friendships, pain, today's society, dreams, relationships, family. I wanted to write an album for the fans 'cause I am really sure that a lot of people feel the same when they read the lyrics and compare it to their life situations. I wanted to write an album for everybody."

Of the first single, the title track to the debut album "Vagabond", Langhans says, "It's about people in our society that are different, but in a good way, in a creative way, like musicians, artists. Often these people are not accepted, or people smile at them, like 'come on guy, you wanna do music for living? Pah, just do a normal job from 9 to 5 and stop dreaming'. I would say NO, never stop dreaming. You are a great singer, guitarist, painter, photographer or whatever, just do it and try to make your dreams come true. Don't listen to those boring people with their boring jobs and their boring life. And especially this last year, a lot of artists feel like Vagabonds ...not accepted, not relevant, no support."

Langhans' voice has gained him international recognition, both as a studio singer and as a member of the bands Avantasia, Voodoo Circle, Sinbreed, Beyond The Bridge, and recently Firewind. He has put together a really outstanding lineup of talent for Sonic Haven, including André Hilgers (Bonfire, Rage, Silent Force) on drums, Carsten Stepanowicz (Radiant) on guitars, and Dominik Stotzem (Beyond The Bridge) on bass.

Their debut album was recorded and produced by Herbie himself with none other than Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Kamelot, Beyond The Black, Sascha Paeth's Masters Of Ceremony, etc.) handling mixing and with Miro adding his special touch on orchestrations.

Herbie had previously stated about Sonic Haven, "I am happy to announce that I am back with a new metal band called "SONIC HAVEN". For the last few years, a lot of fans have asked me if I will do something again in the style of German melodic power metal. The answer is YES and here we are with a great line-up and an amazing album in the works. Can't wait to release it, and especially to hear what you think about it! With the support of Frontiers Records we hope to create something big...now we need your support to METAL ON with us!"

Sonic Haven is eager to unleash their power metal fury on the world!

Tracklisting:

"Vagabond"
"Back To Mad"
"Nightmares"
"Keep The Flame Alive"
"End Of The World"
"The Darker Side"
"I Believe"
"Save The Best For Last"
"Blind The Enemy"
"From White To Black"
"Striking Back"

"Vagabond" video:

Lineup:

Herbie Langhans - Vocals
Carsten Stepanowicz - Guitars
Dominik Stotzem - Bass
André Hilgers - Drums




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Members of GUNS N' ROSES, KISS, SKID ROW, MÖTLEY CRÜE, ANTHRAX, WARRANT and BULLETBOYS are among the musicians who have reacted on social media to the passing of longtime Metal Edge editor Gerri Miller.

Miller, a veteran lifestyle and entertainment journalist who had also contributed to a variety of print and web outlets, including Glamour, People.com, MNN.com, Lupus Now, Muscle & Fitness, Jewish Journal, Brain World, FromtheGrapevine.com and ScienceNewsForStudents.com, reportedly died on Sunday, March 14 after a battle with cancer. It is believed that she was 67 years old.

Metal Edge had been publishing for 24 years before closing its doors in 2009. Covering bands across the hard rock spectrum — from classic metal to thrash to punk — Metal Edge was considered a leading voice in the mainstream metal media. Launched in 1985, Metal Edge was published twelve times a year — providing in-depth coverage of current musical acts, including band profiles, news of the latest releases and coverage of the biggest tours.

KISS wrote: "We are saddened by the passing of our friend Gerri Miller. RIP. She was a champion of so many bands during her time at Metal Edge magazine and loved the music and scene of it all. Our deepest sympathies to her family & friends."

WARRANT tweeted: " RIP Gerri Miller from Metal Edge Magazine. She gave @warrantrocks our first national press before we had a record deal and was a huge supporter of 80s Rock Bands. Thank You for all your support and God Bless in Heaven".

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante said: "I am very sad to hear this. We loved Gerri , she was such a Huge part of the success of so many bands. I will never forget her".

SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo tweeted: "This sucks!! Gerri was so kind to our band and so many others in our early days and beyond. You could always count on her support. She played a big part in our success. So sorry for all of her family and friends (of which there were many). You will be missed."




Sad news: Gerri Miller (center rear, below), Metal Edge editor/contributor to numerous publications, passed last night after months of fighting cancer. She contributed greatly to the success of countless '80s/'90s rock bands. Her unique insight, humor & friendship will be missed. pic.twitter.com/GlkNpVGLwH

— Adrianne Stone (@nooyawktawk) March 15, 2021








We are saddened by the passing of our friend Gerri Miller. RIP. She was a champion of so many bands during her time at Metal Edge magazine and loved the music and scene of it all. Our deepest sympathies to her family & friends. pic.twitter.com/ZEKDO6wFSz

— KISS (@kiss) March 16, 2021








The sound of Gerri’s camera is the first thing that you hear on our debut album Stick it to ya on the song Eye To Eye.

Thank you Gerri ….much love always….

Mark#RIP #metaledgemagazine#roundupquestions #metaledgeawards pic.twitter.com/KvBbBlmDBd

— Mark Slaughter (@markslaughter33) March 16, 2021








Gerri was a dear friend with a generous heart to not only myself but to all.

She promoted the music that she loved with enthusiasm and introduced new music and artists through the magazine Metal Edge. pic.twitter.com/EZ1R0Hyk2R

— Mark Slaughter (@markslaughter33) March 16, 2021








This sucks!! Gerri was so kind to our band and so many others in our early days and beyond. You could always count on her support. She played a big part in our success. So sorry for all of her family and friends (of which there were many). You will be missed.

— sNAKE sABO (@sNAKEsABO) March 15, 2021








I am very sad to hear this. We loved Gerri , she was such a Huge part of the success of so many bands. I will never forget her ? https://t.co/t8cyGCldXR

— Charlie Benante (@skisum) March 15, 2021








RIP Gerri Miller from Metal Edge Magazine ? She gave @warrantrocks our first national press before we had a record deal and was a huge supporter of 80s Rock Bands. Thank You for all your support and God Bless in Heaven ?? pic.twitter.com/Nzn1yFQ9XV

— WARRANT (@warrantrocks) March 15, 2021








R.I.P Gerri pic.twitter.com/qM3Ywsilwc

— John Corabi (@Crablegs59) March 16, 2021








Was literally just tweeting about Gerri last week wondering where was she? I never understood why she wasn't all over the internet ? she did so much for rock and roll rest in peace Gerri Miller https://t.co/QMhCErtOAl

— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) March 16, 2021








Gerri was a champion to all of us! RIP Gerri Miller. We’ll never forget you?? https://t.co/BnT67etxbO

— TONY HARNELL (@tonyharnell) March 15, 2021








Rip #GerriMiller

An icon and journalist/editor. It was because of her that every 80s metal band is famous today. Godspeed journey Gerri! #MetalEdgeMagazine @MetalEdgeMag https://t.co/TM0dB3xCG3

— Marten Andersson (@anderssonmarten) March 16, 2021








#RIP, #gerrimiller. No New York or LA gig was complete without a visit from you. You kept a lot of us in the public eye, just ‘cause you wanted to. You’ll be missed. @metaledgemagazine #smileforgerri https://t.co/o6jwPMv7iv

— Chris McLernon (@chrismclernon) March 15, 2021








RIP #gerrimiller #metaledge Thank you for all the love you gave all of us!! Thoughts and prayers go out to your family! BB??? https://t.co/FrBHMOkAEc

— BulletBoys (@TheBulletBoys) March 15, 2021




























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The At The Movies project - launched by Pretty Maids guitarist Chris Laney due to the COVID-19 pandemic - caught fire over the course of 2020, and project has now moved on to movie soundtrack covers from the '90s. Check out their take on the Britney Spears hit "(You Drive Me) Crazy" from the 1999 movie Drive Me Crazy starring Melissa Joan Hart.

The core At The Movies players are:

Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork) - lead / backing vocals
Linnéa Vikström Egg (Therion) - lead / backing vocals
Chris Laney (Pretty Maids) - guitars
Allan Sørensen (Royal Hunt, Pretty Maids) - drums
Morten Sandager (Pretty Maids) - keyboards
Pontus Norgren (HammerFall) - guitars
Pontus Egberg (King Diamond) - bass

Stay tuned for more.




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As winter loosens its icy grip, the rains of spring are soon to follow. Enter Dissona, with their most recent Patreon cover request, from the incomparable Iron Maiden and their 2003 album Dance Of Death, "Rainmaker." Watch below.

"We took a different approach to this cover, wanting to pay tribute to both the original legends themselves as well as one of our all-time favorite groups, Blind Guardian. Expect all of the classic twin-lead melodies and soaring vocal lines of Iron Maiden but kicked up to the intensity of Blind Guardian's speed metal days."

Dissona is currently working on their third album.




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Journey vocalist, Arnel Pineda, has released the video below, along with the following message:

"Now that I miss performing live in front of you guys, here's a throwback video from Auckland last 2019. This is me singing Queen's classic 'We Will Rock You'. I can't wait to rock with you guys soon! Stay safe everyone, God bless us all!"




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On March 14, 2020, MANOWAR played its long-awaited first-ever concert in Mexico, headlining the Hell & Heaven Metal Fest in Mexico City. This historic event was recorded in highest definition, with over 15 8K and 4K cameras, a drone and immersive audio setup. The resulting footage will soon be released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital platforms under the title "Hell On Earth VI" (formerly "The Final Battle"). The latest trailer for the set is available below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Manowar

02. Brothers Of Metal Pt. 1

03. Blood Of My Enemies

04. Call To Arms

05. Hand Of Doom

06. Sons Of Odin

07. Swords In The Wind

08. Bass Solo

09. Battle Hymn

10. Thor (The Powerhead)

11. Kings Of Metal

12. Fighting The World

13. Hail And Kill

14. House Of Death

15. King Of Kings

Encore:

16. Joey's Speech

17. Warriors Of The World

18. Black Wind, Fire And Steel

MANOWAR released a new EP, "The Final Battle I", in March 2019. Parts II and III of the trilogy will arrive at a later date, inspired by MANOWAR's adventures on the remainder of "The Final Battle".

In 2019, MANOWAR recruited Anders Johansson as the band's new drummer.

The Swedish musician made his live debut with MANOWAR in March 2019 in Brno, Czech Republic.

Johansson can be heard on "The Final Battle I", which was initially made available in an exclusive pre-sale at the merchandise booth of the band's "The Final Battle" world tour.

Former MANOWAR guitarist Karl Logan was arrested in August 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina and charged with six counts of third-degree exploitation of a minor. He was jailed after pleading guilty to two child-pornography counts.

A few days after Karl's arrest was made public, MANOWAR issued a statement saying that he would no longer perform with the group. He has since been replaced by E.V. Martel, who previously played in a MANOWAR tribute band.

Rob Zombie recently spoke to Consequence Of Sound about what the concert industry might look like post-pandemic. He said: "I think it will be changed for a while. Obviously, I think it's going to be a while before people feel like, 'Yeah, I want to be packed in with a hundred thousand people [at a festival].' That's going to be a while before people feel comfortable with that. Then it'll eventually get back to normal. The big 'but' here is that if the world keeps doing what it's doing to cause these pandemics, it's not going to get back to normal. Because we'll get over this one, things will get back to normal, and then there'll be another one. It'll happen again. I mean, what happened is really a surprise to no one. You can go back and see interviews with Bill Gates and different people, even [President Barack] Obama talking about it. Everybody knew a pandemic was coming in some form. So my fear is that everybody has a short memory. So once people are vaccinated and life returns, they'll just do the same and make it happen again."

Even though then-president Donald Trump repeatedly described the coronavirus outbreak in the United States as a problem that nobody anticipated, he was warned by Bill Gates in December 2016 about the threat posed to the U.S. by pandemics. A year earlier, during a TED Talk, Gates said viruses posed the "greatest risk of global catastrophe" relative to other threats.

In early 2017, the Obama administration walked incoming Trump administration officials through a hypothetical scenario in which a pandemic worse than the 1918 Spanish flu shut down cities like Seoul and London, Politico reported.

Rob will release his seventh studio album, "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy", on March 12 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2016's "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser" was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris.

"The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser" was the second consecutive effort to feature Zombie and John 5 alongside bassist Piggy D. and drummer Ginger Fish.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

"Echoes From The Void" is a fantasy graphic anthology series, comprised of 48-page deluxe comic books, each featuring two or more story adaptations from the EVANESCENCE catalog. Beginning with story themes based on songs from their upcoming March 26 release "The Bitter Truth" (BMG), and culminating in revisiting iconic material from throughout the band's career, the project is comprised of a series of short stories created by an all-star cast of graphic artists, animators, illustrators, fine artists, screenwriters, novelists, and more.

Combining bandleader Amy Lee's love of visual arts, fantasy-inspired graphics, and graphic novels with the narrative power of EVANESCENCE's music, the series is being developed in close collaboration with Amy as she oversees the creative direction of the art and stories. "Echoes From The Void" begins as a five-issue series, with each issue containing stories based on two or more of EVANESCENCE's songs, presented in a variety of visual styles and mediums. Issue #1, available in limited-edition, includes two stories inspired by the songs "Better Without You" and "Wasted On You", from "The Bitter Truth", with tales written by Carrie Lee South and Blake Northcott ("Arena Mode" saga, DC's "Catwoman"). The issue will feature illustrations from Hugo Award-winning artist Abigail Larson and highly esteemed painter Kelly McKernan.

The first print edition of each issue will be released as a prestige format limited-edition collectible comic book, with cardstock covers, specialty foil treatments, glossy pages, and individual numbering. Each first printing will be limited to 3,000 copies priced at $18.95, and available to order from this location. The first issue is available to order now and ships in June 2021.

The art of "Echoes From The Void" will also be made available to purchase through a series of archival fine art prints, the first of which is illustrated by Kelly McKernan. Incorporating symbols and themes from across the band's discography into an intricate traditionally painted work that also debuts a mysterious original character, the print features a blue tint glow in the dark base with a luminous pink UV active overlay, as part of an individually numbered 500-piece collection.

LACUNA COIL has announcing its official tabletop game, "Horns Up!"

"Horns Up!" is a tabletop (or better yet, concert floor!) party game in pure rock style. Members of the world-famous Italian band are known for being avid gamers, but "Horns Up!" marks their first foray in the gaming industry itself.

The game itself takes place at a LACUNA COIL show, where each player must fight his or her way to be the first to reach the stage. There will obviously be many "friendship-threatening" actions challenging the opponents.

LACUNA COIL bandmembers will be an active presence in the game: they are depicted on the Stage Cards, and each of these will have consequences on the whole audience!

The rules of the game are easy to understand, and each game will be able to host a maximum of nine players.

The illustrations for the whole project belong to the talented Sara Fornì, who has quite a record for books and games illustrations.

This is not the first time the band from Milan enters the geek world: they already made their appearance on multiple covers of Batman comics and they are always present at Lucca Comics & Games events.

The card game "Horns Up!" will be made in partnership with Labmasu Games and presented in a pre-order campaign that will be launched on Friday, March 26. The pre-order campaign will be live worldwide and as the number of requested copies rises, the project will become more developed, with new events and new expansions. It will ship worldwide from November 2021.

Ted Nugent has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of face masks during the pandemic and has mocked those who wear them, despite that both the CDC and World Health Organization have urged their universal use.

In a Facebook Live video recorded earlier today, Nugent said: "Some lady stopped me the other day at the hardware story, and I wasn't wearing a mask. 'Cause I have a permit. Here's my permit to not wear a mask. [Extends middle finger to the camera] Because the mask thing is a lie. Oh my God. Who doesn't know this? When you wear a heavy-duty mask during the winter and you breathe, you can tell that your breath ignores the mask. [Laughs hysterically] Who doesn't know this shit?

"But anyhow, this lady said, 'I'm so glad you're not wearing a mask, Ted, because you're much too pretty to cover that pretty face.' And I went, 'Yeah, no shit.'," he added.

Ted, who moved to Texas from Michigan in 2005, also once again repeated the unsubstantiated claim that last year's presidential election was a fraud. He said: "We're gonna somehow get a fair election. We're the shit-kickers who believe in God, family, country, individual rights that we will finally get our votes counted.

"Joe Biden didn't win jack shit," he continued. "Joe Biden could apply for a job to shovel shit from a dog kennel and he wouldn't get the job. He doesn't know how to hold the shovel; he doesn't know the difference between shit and dirt; and he wouldn't know where to get rid of the shit.

"Joe Biden is a zombie," Nugent added. "Watch this poor, pathetic, demented, lifetime-power-abusing punk try to form a sentence. Are you kidding me? Who looks at Joe Biden and goes, 'That's the leader of my country.'

"And by the way, the Biden family — you soulless monsters subjecting Joe Biden to public ridicule every day by allowing him to make a complete ass of himself. Worse than Joe Biden is his family and his fellow Democrats who don't flinch pushing the man forward to make an idiot and an ass of himself every day for public ridiculte in his demented, braindead, soulless condition."

Leading up to the election, Nugent teamed up with Donald Trump Jr. on the campaign trail.

Ted has called Trump "the greatest president in our lifetime," and has said that the billionaire real estate mogul represents "the heart and soul of the best American families out there."

In December, Nugent said that he would refuse to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus and he railed against pharmaceutical companies and their development of the vaccine. Four months earlier, he repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggested the official death count from the coronavirus was inflated.

A board member of the National Rifle Association, Nugent has drawn intense criticism for his controversial past remarks, including telling then-president Barack Obama to "suck on my machine gun." He also made inflammatory remarks about Hillary Clinton, calling her a "devilbitch" who "hates everything good about America."

In a lengthy Facebook post in 2016, Nugent said Obama and Clinton should be tried for treason and hanged over their handling of the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

In 2019, Nugent defended Donald Trump after the then-U.S. president was accused of making racist remarks about Democratic congresswomen from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.




Posted by Ted Nugent on Friday, March 12, 2021

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper spoke to Australia's May The Rock Be With You about what the concert industry might look like post-pandemic. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "First of all, I'm a very big optimist about this. I think in six months, everything's gonna be way, way better than it is now. I just think that the vaccine — I know in [my hometown of] Phoenix, there's, like, ten thousand vaccinations a day, and I'm sure that Los Angeles and all the big cities are doing this. And by that time, I would say half the population will be vaccinated. And then I think that if you show your certificate that you've been vaccinated, why couldn't you go to a concert? Show your certificate and get in the show. There's nothing to fear; everybody's covered.

"I think everybody's being very, 'Let's not rush it. Let's not this.' But I'm more of a person that's looking at the reality," he added. "I think that we're gonna have a really big resurgence of everything in the next six months."

Alice's new studio album, "Detroit Stories", was released on February 26 via earMUSIC.

Named for the city that launched the original Alice Cooper group on the road to success, "Detroit Stories" follows 2019's "Breadcrumbs" EP as a modern-day homage to the toughest and craziest rock and roll scene there ever was.

"Detroit Stories" was recorded with producer Bob Ezrin, mostly in Royal Oak with Detroit musicians and featuring a mix of original material alongside covers of songs by Bob Seger, the MC5, Mitch Ryder's DETROIT and OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY.

Cooper recently said that his next studio album will be the first to feature the current lineup of his solo band: Tommy Henriksen (guitar), Nita Strauss (guitar), Ryan Roxie (guitar), Chuck Garric (bass) and Glen Sobel (drums).

In a new interview with "Talking With Mark Strigl", KISS co-founder and frontman, best-selling author and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Paul Stanley, who is promoting the debut album from his SOUL STATION project, was asked about the prospect of either KISS or SOUL STATION hitting the road later this year. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm optimistic, because I think the idea of big bands going out and doing arenas or stadiums, I think we've got a long way to go before that happens. KISS will pick up the 'End Of The Road' tour as soon as we can, but that's gonna be on hold. A lot of bands or a lot of people can be putting tickets on sale for concerts, but most of them are gonna wind up postponing again, 'cause it's not safe, and promoters can't get insurance. So there's so many reasons why that's not gonna happen. However, the idea of SOUL STATION doing smaller shows, I think, is much more possible. So during that time, could we be out there playing? Fingers crossed, man. I wanna go."

Due on March 19 via Universal Music Enterprises, SOUL STATION's "Now And Then" is a collection of nine classic soul covers and five original tracks. Included on the LP are the band's version of THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS' "O-o-h Child" as well as SOUL STATION's take on THE SPINNERS' "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love".

Stanley's bandmembers include Rafael "Hoffa" Moreira (guitar and backing vocals), Sean Hurley (bass), Alex Alessandroni (musical director, keyboards), Ely Rise (keyboards), Eric Singer (drums and backing vocals), RayYslas (percussion), Gavyn Rhone (backing vocals), Crystal Starr (backing vocals) and Laurhan Beato (backing vocals) and Jon Pappenbrook (lead trumpet).

KISS's farewell trek was launched in January 2019 and was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but is now expected to last well into 2022.

KISS last performed this past New Year's Eve in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The concert broke Guinness world records for highest flame projection in a music concert and for most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert.

Geoff Tate says that "Frequency Unknown", the sole album he released under the QUEENSRŸCHE banner during a period when the singer was battling his former bandmates over the rights to the group's name, was not "a very satisfying project."

"Frequency Unknown" arrived in April 2013 amidst a swarm of controversy. QUEENSRŸCHE had just split in two, with Tate leading an all-new group of musicians while the remaining members of QUEENSRŸCHE — guitarists Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren, bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Scott Rockenfield — carried on with a new vocalist, Todd La Torre.

Tate's studio lineup for "Frequency Unknown" included bassist Rudy Sarzo, guitarist Robert Sarzo, drummer Simon Wright, guitarist Kelly Gray, and keyboardist Randy Gane, joined by bassist/producer Jason Slater and an array of guests that included KING'S X guitarist Ty Tabor, former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland, Y&T's Dave Meniketti, Brad Gillis of NIGHT RANGER, ex-JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing, and Craig Locicero of FORBIDDEN.

Asked by 99.1 CJAM-FM's melodic metal radio show "The Signals Of Intuition" what the experience was like making an album with so many guest musicians, Geoff said (hear audio below): "Gosh, I don't know how it came together. It was just such a mess [laughs] — a mess of people working on it.

Tate also addressed the decision by his then-record label Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records to make available "new and improved" mixes of "Frequency Unknown" to any customers who purchased the original mix version and were dissatisfied with the audio.

"Who would think that the record company would have the album remixed without talking to me?" he said.

"I don't remember it as being a very satisfying project — I'll put it that way. [Laughs]

"It was an ambitious project involving a lot of different musicians," he added. "And we had some really great performances on that record.

"It was just a lot of political scenarios going on with that record. Why was it remixed? I didn't even know it was remixed until a year or so after it was remixed and put out. And why wouldn't they ask me to remix it? Why wouldn't they ask Jason to remix it? I don't know. It was so messed up in the administration of the record."

The "Frequency Unknown" artwork featured a fist brandishing three rings — one with an F, another with the QUEENSRŸCHE logo and one with a U, leading fans to surmise that it stood for something explicit and was taking a shot against Geoff's former bandmates.

A few years ago, Tate told Oregon Music News about how Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records handled the release of "Frequency Unknown": "I think what happened with 'Frequency Unknown'; the people that own the record [Deadline Music] got cold feet. Someone said, 'Oh, I don't like the mix on this.' By that, I mean people close to the record company — that person said, 'I can do a better job mixing it if you give it to me to remix.' So what it came down to is that they [Deadline Music] didn't stand by me, they didn't stand by the project; instead they passed the record along to people to remix. Well, by doing that, it reinforces the idea that it sounds bad! [Laughs] They couldn't let it be for what it was — instead they opened a can of worms."

In a 2017 interview with "The Classic Metal Show", Tabor stated about his guest appearance on "Frequency Unknown": "[It was] uncomfortable, because when I agreed to do it, I thought that I was agreeing to play a solo on one of Geoff's solo albums. I didn't realize it was that when I agreed to it. So I sort of stepped into the controversy accidentally. And I don't know if you noticed — I didn't say a word about it on any of it on my social networks, I didn't promote it or anything, because I felt bad about it. I went ahead and did it 'cause I gave my word, but I didn't realize that's what it was when I said yes. I misunderstood."

Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has described his eight-year stint with the band as a "very intense" experience.

Thal joined GUNS N' ROSES in 2006 and played on 2008's "Chinese Democracy", an album which contained music that had been written before he came into the group. The disc took 13 years to make and was only a modest seller, moving just around half a million copies.

Thal looked back on his time with GUNS N' ROSES during a March 12 appearance on FaceCulture's "Behind The Music" livestream. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My dream was always to be in a John-Paul-George-Ringo, not John-Paul-George-and-a-hired-guy," he said, referring to THE BEATLES' classic lineup. "Not to put it down and not to understate the eight years that I had with [GUNS N' ROSES] — and I did write and play my own parts on 'Chinese Democracy' — but for me, I need to be a founding member and a writer of the music and a creative part of it.

"When I played with GUNS, it was cool playing all the big stages and everything," he continued. 'Yes, that was wonderful, and it's what you aspire to as a kid when you start out."

Asked to describe his years with GUNS N' ROSES with one word, Thal said: "Intense. It was very intense. It was high highs, low lows and everything in between. And I made a lot of good friends. I hate to say I learned a lot of things, 'cause it's not supposed to be an education — you're supposed to be there 'cause you don't need an education, but you never stop learning, and that's the truth. And I got experiences and learned things that I didn't do yet. So that was good. But at the same time, I was touring a lot before GUNS — a good 10 years of international touring. I mean, I played Russia before GUNS did, doing solo stuff — things like that. So it's not like I was completely inexperienced. I was just inexperienced at being a hired gun in a stadium band or an arena band. So with that, that was a whole new thing. 'Cause for me, bands were your friends that you played together and you had this familial kind of relationship, and you're not just brought in to play with strangers. And I have done that kind of thing as well, where I've been called in to play gigs, but never on something on such a big scale and where it would be something that really is the biggest thing of notable name recognition or anything that I had done. So that was different. And there's lots that come with that that you didn't expect."

Asked if he still speaks with GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose, Thal laughed and said: "He's doing his thing, I'm doing my thing, and I wish them all the best. And I'm so happy to see how great they're doing with [classic-lineup members] Slash and Duff [McKagan]. I'm very happy for them."

Thal never officially announced his departure from the GN'R, but a source confirmed to Detroit music writer Gary Graff back in 2015 that the guitarist had been out since the end of the band's second Las Vegas residency in 2014.

Thal later revealed that he was focusing on his solo career and other projects after spending eight years playing in GUNS.

In a 2017 interview with Meltdown of the Detroit radio station WRIF, Thal said that it would feel "kind of weird" if he went to see the reunited partial classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES perform in concert. "I quit the band and they moved on and I moved on. It's not like we quit pretty," he explained. "And also, what am I gonna do? I'm gonna stand in the audience and everyone's gonna be, like, 'Hey, you used to be there.' It's too weird, man.

"I wish 'em well and all, but to actually physically go [and see them], after hundreds of times on the stage with them, it just feels very surreal," he continued. "I always describe it like going to see your ex-girlfriend's wedding. And I don't mean any disrespect by that, and I do wish them well and I'm happy that they're doing so, so good. But for me to go and see it, it would just stir up a lot of stuff. So it's better that I'm just doing my thing, they're doing their thing and everybody just wishes each other well from afar. And I get lots of good reports from friends and everything and I'm still in touch with people in the camp. I'm real happy for them — they're on top of the world right now, so good for them."

Back in September, Thal told Jam Man that he "sometimes did" and "sometimes didn't" get along with the members of GUNS N' ROSES while he was in the band. "When a bunch of dudes are living together for months at a time, traveling from place to place and living such an intense life while you have this whole other life that's happening back home that needs you, there's a lot of things that can wear a person down, individuals," he explained. "And when that person gets worn down, they're not gonna be at their best. And other people, depending on who they are, the way they react to people who are worn down and not at their best, it will trigger things in them and maybe not bring out their best. And it's very easy for the stress to get the best of people in a group environment — whether it's a band, whether it's an office, whether it's anyting. That's just the nature of human beings. The way we feel is very contagious. If one person is foul, everyone gets foul. If one person is happy, everyone can get happy. If one person is laughing, everyone starts laughing. So it's very easy for us — and when I say 'us,' I mean any group of people — to react to each other in any direction.

"So, yeah, there were times when we got along great, [and] some times when we really didn't, and everything in between," he continued. "But ultimately, when you get on stage, most of the time, you forget everything and you just get lost in the music and you're having a great time in that moment, just making music and being a part of something that's bigger than ourselves and more meaningful than whatever you're going through. And you're there for hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands or whatever it is, that many people, that are there to be happy. And it's hard not to be when you're part of that."

Thal is currently a member of SONS OF APOLLO, which also features drummer Mike Portnoy, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and bassist Billy Sheehan. SONS OF APOLLO released its second studio album, "MMXX" (pronounced: 20/20), in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.

PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix spoke to Germany's Radio Bob! About the band's recently completed follow-up to 2019's "Who Do You Trust?" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We rented a house in August [of 2020], in the summer, and we wrote a ton of music. We all lived in [the house]. We all got COVID-tested. We had a friend that's like a cook. He came out. We bought all the food. We stayed there — everybody. No one left for a month. And it was music 24 hours a day.

"This record, in my opinion, we've taken it to the next level," he continued. "Our vision for this is, how do we take rock into the future? We see other bands like ARCHITECTS; they have their version of how they're bringing rock into the future. BRING ME THE HORIZON is doing their version of taking rock into the future.

"Over the last two records, [2017's] 'Crooked Teeth' and 'Who Do We Trust?', we've been really setting the bar a little bit higher for ourselves in the evolution of what we believe where rock's headed. And this album is a testament to that. So I think we're gonna blow people's minds with this new record. It's so dope, man. I can't wait for people to hear it."

Last month, Shaddix has told Germany's Rock Antenne that PAPA ROACH would not release a new album until the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.

"The touring is not coming back for the rest of this year," he said. "I mean, there'll be some pop-up shows here and there, but we're not gonna drop a new album and tour until 2022. We're just gonna wait it out."

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

PAPA ROACH's second greatest-hits collection, "Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The Better Noise Years", is due on March 19 on Better Noise Music.

"Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - The Better Noise Years" includes 12 of the band's top 10 hits released between 2010 to 2019 as well as three previously unreleased remixes and two unreleased acoustic recordings recorded live at the YouTube Studios in New York City.

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

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

Photo credit: Bryan Roatch

Tracii Guns (L.A. GUNS) recently spoke to Talking Metal about SUNBOMB, his collaboration with STRYPER's Michael Sweet. Regarding how the project came about, Tracii said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The greatest thing about Michael and I is that we have the same influences in music, we're great friends, and we have completely opposite ideologies — completely; on every level. And we laugh about it. We are two guys, when put together, we do discuss these things without any judgment. It's just, like, 'Hey, I respect your opinion. Cool.' Whether it's religion, politics — it doesn't matter; we get along.

"It kind of came to be where when we did 'The Devil You Know' record, which is [L.A. GUNS'] last studio album, I wanted to tour with STRYPER," he continued. "Of course I wanted to tour with STRYPER — it's like the 'Heaven And Hell' tour. And Michael wanted to do it too. We couldn't get promoters to okay it. They were just, like, 'Oh, man. C'mon.' It's, like, what happened to the music industry? It's, like, this is fun. This is great. This is literally combining two rock audiences that love the same style of music, but two separate audiences; a great opportunity. So, anyways, we couldn't make it happen. So Michael and I just kept talking. And then I got a solo deal with Frontiers, who L.A. GUNS is on, and STRYPER has done records with Frontiers. And I started writing this stuff that's super metal, man. It's awesome; I totally love this album. And I sent Michael a couple of tunes and said, 'Hey, I want you to sing on this stuff.' I go, 'It's a great opportunity for us to do something together after talking about it for two years.' And he goes, 'Yeah. Totally. This is insane. This music is insane.' And I'm, like, 'All right. Cool.' So, a lot of time went by, and finally I started getting the tracks back from him, with his vocal. And it's mindblowing."

Regarding SUNBOMB's musical direction, Guns said: "I compare it — in my catalog, my personal catalog — to BLACK SABBATH's 'Born Again' album. That album is so different than any other BLACK SABBATH album, yet it's BLACK SABBATH. It's a hundred percent Tony Iommi, but Ian Gillan is singing. That's what this record is like — I hear my riffs and my style times a hundred; it's what I do normally, but extra strength. And Michael's voice is insane, man — he's so good."

SUNBOMB will release its debut album, "Evil And Divine", on May 14 via Frontiers Music Srl. The lyric video for the first single, "No Tomorrows", can be seen below.

According to a press release, "Evil And Divine" is "an absolute blinder of a heavy metal album, melding influences of classic metal bands such as BLACK SABBATH and JUDAS PRIEST, with Tracii's love of metal subgenres, specifically doom metal."

Initiated and conceived after Serafino Perugino, president and A&R director of Frontiers Music Srl, reached out to Tracii about working on a new musical project for the label, the idea of a classic heavy metal-sounding album was born. The music style on "Evil And Divine" is much heavier than what one would expect from these two musicians and is firmly planted in the "metal" category. While Tracii wrote the music for the album, the fact that Michael Sweet has been writing/playing in an increasingly heavier style in the latter era, and extremely well-received STRYPER albums made him a very logical choice to sing for the band. And since doom metal, often known for having powerful singers like Messiah Marcolin from CANDLEMASS, was a massive influence on Tracii's songwriting here, Sweet's ability and range were a perfect match.

Michael said: "Hard to believe that I met Tracii for the first time just a few years ago. We hit it off right away and we obviously share the same love for metal.

"Tracii sent me a song and I loved the vibe and then he eventually asked me to sing on the entire album.

"What I love about it is it's definitely different not only for me, but for Tracii as well. I think fans will love this album, and although it's reminiscent of some of the greatest metal bands of the past, it also has a fresh spin to it. I can't wait for everyone to hear it! I'm honored to be a part of it."

Tracii leaked the news of the new project in a March 2019 tweet, where he described the project's debut LP as "the metal record I would have made when I was 17 years old." In May 2020, he mentioned on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "the SUNBOMB record is really kind of like 'The Devil You Know' times three. It's more on the heavy side of 'The Devil You Know' album. And Michael Sweet, he's a really fantastic metal singer."

Drums on the album were handled by Tracii's old L.A. GUNS bandmate Adam Hamilton, and bass was recorded by Mitch Davis, with the exception of the track "They Fought", which features current L.A. GUNS bassist Johnny Martin.

"Evil And Divine" track listing:

01. Life

02. Take Me Away

03. Better End

04. No Tomorrows

05. Born To Win

06. Evil And Divine

07. Been Said And Done

08. Stronger Than Before

09. Story Of The Blind

10. World Gone Wrong

11. They Fought

Recording lineup:

Tracii Guns - Guitars

Michael Sweet - Vocals

Adam Hamilton - Drums

Mitch Davis - Bass

Johnny Martin - Bass (on "We Fought")

In a new interview with SPIN, Tony Iommi was asked if BLACK SABBATH plans to follow in the footsteps of QUEEN, MÖTLEY CRÜE and Elton John by making its very own biopic. He responded: "Yes, there was talk of it, and I don't know what happened. It sort of went out the window when all this thing [COVID-19] started. But we were talking about probably 18 months ago, about doing the biopic. I haven't heard much else."

Last year, SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne said — apparently jokingly — that he wanted Holywood legend Denzel Washington to play him in a hypothetical biopic. Ozzy made the comment while speaking to fans during a Reddit AMA session to promote his latest album, "Ordinary Man".

The massive success of the QUEEN biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" — which grossed over a billion globally — has ensured that there will likely be movie studios continuing to bet on rock nostalgia in the coming years.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's 2019 biopic "The Dirt", an adaptation of the book of the same name about the iconic rock band, has been credited with sparking a renewed interest from younger fans who wanted to see CRÜE live, contributing to the group's decision to renege on its infamous "cessation of touring" contract.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote